Neuron-microelectrode junction induced by an engineered synapse organizer.

The conventional microelectrodes for recording neuronal activities do not have innate selectivity to cell type, which is one of the critical limitations for the detailed analysis of neuronal circuits. In this study, we engineered a downsized variant of the artificial synapse organizer based on neurexin1β and a peptide-tag, fabricated gold microelectrodes functionalized with the receptor for the organizer, and performed validation experiments in primary cultured neurons. Successful inductions of synapse-like junctions were detected at the sites of contact between neurons expressing the engineered synapse organizer and functionalized microelectrodes, but not in the negative control experiment in which the electrode functionalization was omitted.

Analysis of Differences in Single-Joint Movement of Dominant and Non-Dominant Hands for Human-like Robotic Control.

Although several previous studies on laterality of upper limb motor control have reported functional differences, this conclusion has not been agreed upon. It may be conjectured that the inconsistent results were caused because upper limb motor control was observed in multi-joint tasks that could generate different inter-joint motor coordination for each arm. Resolving this, we employed a single wrist joint tracking task to reduce the effect of multi-joint dynamics and examined the differences between the dominant and non-dominant hands in terms of motor control.

Reverse pH-dependent fluorescence protein visualizes pattern of interfacial proton dynamics during hydrogen evolution reaction.

Reverse pH-dependent fluorescent protein, including dKeima, is a type of fluorescent protein in which the chromophore protonation state depends inversely on external pH. The dependence is maintained even when immobilized at the metal-solution interface. But, interestingly, its responses to the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) at the interface are not reversed: HER rises the pH of the solution around the cathode, but, highly active HER induces chromophore deprotonation regardless of the reverse pH dependence, reflecting an interface-specific deprotonation effect by HER.

A Prospective Multicenter Study Evaluating Secondary Adrenal Suppression After Antiemetic Dexamethasone Therapy in Cancer Patients Receiving Chemotherapy: A Korean South West Oncology Group Study.

Background: In a previous pilot study, adrenal suppression was found to be common after antiemetic dexamethasone therapy in cancer patients. The objective of this large prospective multicenter study was to confirm the incidence and factors associated with secondary adrenal suppression related to antiemetic dexamethasone therapy in cancer patients receiving chemotherapy.

Methods: Chemotherapy-naïve patients who were scheduled to receive at least three cycles of highly or moderately emetogenic chemotherapy with dexamethasone as an antiemetic were enrolled.