CoaxHaptics-3RRR: A Novel Coaxial Spherical Parallel Haptic Device

This paper presents a novel coaxial haptic interaction device based on a 3-RRR spherical parallel mechanism with three active degrees of freedom (DoF). The benefit of the presented mechanism is that its dynamic moment of inertia is low, weakly coupled, and little dependent on configuration, while it has high structural stiffness

Human dopamine receptor nanovesicles for gate-potential modulators in high-performance field-effect transistor biosensors

The development of molecular detection that allows rapid responses with high sensitivity and selectivity remains challenging. Herein, we demonstrate the strategy of novel bio-nanotechnology to successfully fabricate high-performance dopamine (DA) biosensor using DA Receptor-containing uniform-particle-shaped Nanovesicles-immobilized Carboxylated poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (CPEDOT) NTs (DRNCNs). DA molecules are commonly associated with serious diseases, such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases. For the first time, nanovesicles containing a human DA receptor D1 (hDRD1) were successfully constructed from HEK-293 cells, stably expressing hDRD1. The nanovesicles containing hDRD1 as gate-potential modulator on the conducting polymer (CP) nanomaterial transistors provided high-performance responses to DA molecule owing to their uniform, monodispersive morphologies and outstanding discrimination ability. Specifically, the DRNCNs were integrated into a liquid-ion gated field-effect transistor (FET) system via immobilization and attachment processes, leading to high sensitivity and excellent selectivity toward DA in liquid state. Unprecedentedly, the minimum detectable level (MDL) from the field-induced DA responses was as low as 10 pM in real- time, which is 10 times more sensitive than that of previously reported CP based-DA biosensors. Moreover, the FET-type DRNCN biosensor had a rapid response time (<1 s) and showed excellent selectivity in human serum

Transcranial direct current stimulation for online gamers: A prospective single-arm feasibility study

Aim: Excessive use of online games can have negative influences on mental health and daily functioning. Although the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) have been investigated for the treatment of addiction, it has not been evaluated for excessive online game use. This study aimed to investigate the feasibility and tolerability of tDCS over the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) in online gamers. Methods: A total of 15 online gamers received 12 active tDCS sessions over the DLPFC (anodal left/cathodal right, 2 mA for 30 min, 3 times per week for 4 weeks). Before and after tDCS sessions, all participants underwent 18F-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography scans and completed the Internet Addiction Test (IAT), Brief Self Control Scale (BSCS), and Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II). Results: After tDCS sessions, weekly hours spent on games (p = .02) and scores of IAT (p < .001) and BDI-II (p = .01) were decreased, whereas BSCS score was increased (p = .01). Increases in self-control were associated with decreases in both addiction severity (p = .002) and time spent on games (p = .02). Moreover, abnormal right-greater-than-left asymmetry of regional cerebral glucose metabolism in the DLPFC was partially alleviated (p = .04). Conclusions: Our preliminary results suggest that tDCS may be useful for reducing online game use by improving interhemispheric balance of glucose metabolism in the DLPFC and enhancing self-control. Larger sham-controlled studies with longer follow-up period are warranted to validate the efficacy of tDCS in gamers

Water Skating Miniature Robot Propelled by Acoustic Bubbles

This paper presents a miniature robot designed for monitoring its surroundings and exploring small and complex environments by skating on the surface of water. The robot is mainly made of extruded polystyrene insulation (XPS) and Teflon tubes and is propelled by acoustic bubble-induced microstreaming flows generated by gaseous bubbles trapped in the Teflon tubes. The robot&apos;s linear motion, velocity, and rotational motion are tested and measured at different frequencies and voltages. The results show that the propulsion velocity is proportional to the applied voltage but highly depends on the applied frequency. The maximum velocity occurs between the resonant frequencies for two bubbles trapped in Teflon tubes of different lengths. The robot&apos;s maneuvering capability is demonstrated by selective bubble excitation based on the concept of different resonant frequencies for bubbles of different volumes. The proposed water skating robot can perform linear propulsion, rotation, and 2D navigation on the water surface, making it suitable for exploring small and complex water environments

The Impact of Amyloid-Beta Positivity with 18F-Florbetaben PET on Neuropsychological Aspects in Parkinson’s Disease Dementia

The neuropathology of Parkinson&rsquo;s disease dementia (PDD) is heterogenous, and the impacts of each pathophysiology and their synergistic effects are not fully understood. The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency and impacts of co-existence with Alzheimer&rsquo;s disease in patients with PDD by using 18F-florbetaben PET imaging. A total of 23 patients with PDD participated in the study. All participants underwent 18F-florbetaben PET and completed a standardized neuropsychological battery and assessment of motor symptoms. The results of cognitive tests, neuropsychiatric symptoms, and motor symptoms were analyzed between the positive and negative 18F-florbetaben PET groups. Four patients (17.4%) showed significant amyloid burden. Patients with amyloid-beta showed poorer performance in executive function and more severe neuropsychiatric symptoms than those without amyloid-beta. Motor symptoms assessed by UPDRS part III and the modified H&amp;Y Scale were not different between the two groups. The amyloid PET scan of a patient with PDD can effectively reflect a co-existing Alzheimer&rsquo;s disease pathology. Amyloid PET scans might be able to help physicians of PDD patients showing rapid progression or severe cognitive/behavioral features

Altered Regional Cerebral Blood Perfusion in Mild Cognitive Impairment Patients with Dizziness

Dizziness is a common symptom among the general population, especially in the elderly. Previous studies have reported that dizziness may be associated with various cognitive functions including memory impairment. However, few studies have investigated the neural correlates of dizziness in patients with cognitive impairment. The aim of this study was to examine regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) patients with or without dizziness using single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). A total of 50 patients with MCI were recruited. All participants underwent technetium-99m ethyl cysteinate dimer brain SPECT and a neuropsychological battery and completed the Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI). Participants were divided into a dizziness group (DHI &ge; 1, n = 18) and a non-dizziness group (DHI = 0, n = 32). Voxel wise differences in rCBF between the groups were estimated. SPECT analysis revealed decreased rCBF in the left superior temporal gyrus, left lateral orbital gyrus, and right middle frontal gyrus in the dizziness group compared with the non-dizziness group (p &lt; 0.005). No significant clusters of increased rCBF were observed in the dizziness group compared with the non-dizziness group. Results of the neuropsychological tests showed a significant difference in Controlled Oral Word Association Test performance between MCI patients with and without dizziness. In conclusion, MCI patients with dizziness showed multifocal frontal and left temporal hypoperfusion compared with patients without dizziness. Our results suggest that hypoperfusion in the frontal and temporal cortices might be reflecting the negative impact of dizziness in MCI patients

Regional Cerebral Blood Flow Correlates of Neuropsychiatric Symptom Domains in Early Alzheimer&rsquo;s Disease

Although various neuropsychiatric symptoms are frequently accompanied with Alzheimer&rsquo;s disease (AD) and pose a substantial burden to both patients and caregivers, their neurobiological underpinnings remain unclear. This study investigated associations between regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) and neuropsychiatric symptom domains in early AD. A total of 59 patients with early AD underwent brain technetium-99m hexamethylpropylene amine oxime (99mTc-HMPAO) single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) scans. Neuropsychiatric symptoms were assessed by the Neuropsychiatric Inventory and clustered into the affective, apathy, hyperactivity, and psychotic domains. A voxel-wise multiple regression analysis was performed with four domain scores as independent variables and age, sex, and Mini-Mental State Examination scores as covariates. The affective domain score was negatively correlated with rCBF in the prefrontal cortex, thalamus, and caudate. The apathy domain score showed inverse correlations with rCBF in the prefrontal and pre/postcentral gyri and midbrain. Patients with higher hyperactivity domain scores had increased rCBF in the prefrontal and temporal lobes. The psychotic symptom domain was positively correlated with rCBF in the cuneus and negatively associated with rCBF in the prefrontal, cingulate, and occipital regions and putamen. The score of each neuropsychiatric symptom domain showed the differential correlates of brain perfusion, while altered rCBF in the prefrontal cortex was found in all domains. Although preliminary, our results may suggest common and distinct patterns of rCBF underlying neuropsychiatric symptoms in early AD. Further studies with larger samples and control participants are warranted to confirm these findings

Polypyrrole nanotubes conjugated with human olfactory receptors: high-performance transducer for FET-type bioelectronic nose

Get a whiff of this: Human olfactory receptor (hOR)-conjugated polypyrrole (PPy) nanotubes were integrated into the field-effect transistor (FET) sensor platform for the fabrication of high-performance bioelectronic noses (see picture, S=source, D=drain). The device can translate and amplify hOR-odorant interaction into a detectable signal, and it showed highly sensitive and specific responses toward a target odorantThis work was supported by a grant from the Center for Advanced Materials Processing under the 21C Frontier Programs funded by the Ministry of Knowledge Economy, Republic of Korea. Funded by: Ministry of Knowledge Economy, Republic of Kore