Organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs) have recently attracted attention due to their high transconductance and low operating voltage, which makes them ideal for a wide range of biosensing applications. Poly-3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene:poly-4-styrenesulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) is a typical material used as the active channel layer in OECTs. Pristine PEDOT:PSS has poor electrical conductivity, and additives are typically introduced to improve its conductivity and OECT performance. However, these additives are mostly either toxic or not proven to be biocompatible. Herein, a biocompatible ionic liquid [MTEOA]­[MeOSO3] is demonstrated to be an effective additive to enhance the performance of PEDOT:PSS-based OECTs. The influence of [MTEOA]­[MeOSO3] on the conductivity, morphology, and redox process of PEDOT:PSS is investigated. The PEDOT:PSS/[MTEOA]­[MeOSO3]-based OECT exhibits high transconductance (22.3 ± 4.5 mS μm–1), high μC* (the product of mobility μ and volumetric capacitance C*) (283.80 ± 29.66 F cm–1 V–1 s–1), fast response time (∼40.57 μs), and excellent switching cyclical stability. Next, the integration of sodium (Na+) and potassium (K+) ion-selective membranes with the OECTs is demonstrated, enabling selective ion detection in the physiological range. In addition, flexible OECTs are designed for electrocardiography (ECG) signal acquisition. These OECTs have shown robust performance against physical deformation and successfully recorded high-quality ECG signals.

Abnormal dendritic spine structure and function is one of the most prominent features associated with neurodevelopmental disorders including Down syndrome (DS). Defects in both spine morphology and spine density may underlie alterations in neuronal and synaptic plasticity, ultimately affecting cognitive ability. Here we briefly examine the role of astrocytes in spine alterations and more specifically the involvement of astrocyte-secreted thrombospondin 1 (TSP-1) deficits in spine and synaptic pathology in DS.

Preservation of fruits causes loss of phenolics and high sugar content (jams processing). In contrast, fermentation has been shown to increase the antioxidant content of foods while consuming sugars. Therefore, this study evaluated pear juice and puree as substrates for the production of water kefir, a probiotic beverage obtained from symbiotic fermentation of sweetened solutions. Results indicated that the antioxi