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In-plane micro-supercapacitors, in which the electrodes are arranged on the same plane have attracted much attention because of their light weight, simple device structure, etc. In this paper, micro-supercapacitors were fabricated by using polymer nanosheet multilayer film as a solid electrolyte. The micro-supercapacitors were fabricated by sequential deposition poly(N-dodecyl acrylamide-co-acrylic acid) monolayer onto a solid substrate with interdigitated gold electrodes. The capacitor characteristics were investigated by cyclic voltammetry under saturated humidity condition. It was revealed that the micro-supercapacitor showed a capacitance of 33 µF/cm2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The diagnosis of dermatomyositis is sometimes difficult. We tried to evaluate the possibility that levels of Homo sapiens micro RNA-214 (hsa-miR-214) in hair roots or hair shafts can be a useful marker of the disease. Methods A single hair root and five pieces of hair shafts were obtained from nine patients with dermatomyositis, 15 normal subjects, and 18 patients with scleroderma before treatment. RNAs were purified from the hair roots and hair shafts using commercially available kits. cDNA was synthesized from the RNA, and miR-214 levels were measured with quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed to evaluate the diagnostic performance of hair micro RNA levels. Results The levels of miR-214 in hair shafts of patients with dermatomyositis were significantly higher than those of normal subjects and patients with scleroderma. By receiver operator curve analysis of hair shaft miR-214 levels to distinguish patients with dermatomyositis from normal subjects, the area under the curve was 0.90. The duration between symptom onset and the first visit to the hospital was significantly shorter in patients with elevated hair shafts miR-214 levels, suggesting that they have more severe subjective symptoms. On the other hand, we could not find significant differences in hair root miR-214 levels among normal subjects and patients with dermatomyositis and scleroderma. Conclusions Hair shaft miR-214 levels are useful for diagnosis and evaluating the disease severity of dermatomyositis. Hair micro RNA levels may have potential to be a novel and less invasive biomarker. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Although dynorphins are widely involved in the control of not only nociceptive neurotransmission but also a variety of brain functions such as memory and emotion, no natural regulator for inducing the mRNA expression of prodynorphin (Pdyn), a precursor protein of dynorphins, is known. Using primary cultures of rat cortical neurons, we found that pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP), a member of the vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP)/secretin/glucagon neuropeptide family, markedly induces Pdyn mRNA expression. PACAP was much more effective than VIP, indicating a major role for PAC1 in the PACAP-induced Pdyn mRNA expression. The increase in Pdyn mRNA expression was independent of de novo protein synthesis. Administration of forskolin, an activator for adenylate cyclase/protein kinase A (PKA), but not TPA, an activator for protein kinase C (PKC), induced Pdyn mRNA expression, suggesting a major role for PKA. The involvement of PKA was supported by the inhibition of PACAP-induced Pdyn mRNA expression upon addition of H89, an inhibitor for PKA. The PACAP-induced potentiation of NMDA-R was involved in the mRNA expression of Bdnf or c-fos but not Pdyn. These results suggest PACAP to be an upstream regulator for inducing Pdyn mRNA expression through PKA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]