Design, Fabrication, and Characterization of Conjugated Polymeric Electrochemical Memristors as Neuromorphic/Integrated Circuits

Organic materials are promising candidates for future electronic devices compared to the complementing inorganic materials due to their ease of processability, use, and disposal, low cost of fabrication, energy efficiency, and flexible nature toward implementation as flexible and non-conformal devices.With that in mind, electrochemical materials have been widely demonstrated with commercial use as sensors, displays, and a variety of other electronic devices. As Moore\u27s law predicts the increase in the density of transistors on a chip, the requirement to create either smaller transistors or the replacement of the transistor device entirely is apparent. Memory resistors, coined ``memristor , are variable resistive tuning devices that are capable of information processing and data storage in one device. This work focuses on the embodiment of a non-volatile conjugated polymeric electrochemical memristor. Three-terminal memristive systems are fabricated and studied using various electrochemicals (a self-doped PEDOT derivative, a polypyrrole, and a dithienopyrrole derivative) and are tested for their electronic properties and biomimicking capabilities. Optical absorbance properties are studied in order to verify the electrochemical material\u27s redox tuning potential for their respective oxidized and reduced chemical forms. The three-terminal device employed a post-synaptic ``read\u27\u27 channel where conductivity of the electrochemical material was equated to synaptic weight and was electronically decoupled from the pre-synaptic programming electrode by means of a polymeric gel electrolyte. Basic electronic characteristics are exhibited for these three devices such as state stability and retention, non-volatile voltage-driven conductivity tuning, input parameter characteristic trends, and power consumption per input program. Biological synapses consume, on the order of, 1 - 100 fJ of energy per synaptic energy. The electrochemical materials used in this study, at their most optimized input parameters, were capable of demonstrating a 4.16 fJ/mm2 power consumption per input pulse and lead to a promising candidate for implementation as future artificial neural networks. Biological mimicry was displayed for these devices in the form of paired-pulse facilitation and paired-pulse depression, both a form of short term memory which observes the effect the timescale between two incoming inputs has on the change in the final output signal. Toward the indication for the replacement of transistors with three-terminal memristors, basic circuit operations are achieved and demonstrated for these devices. These operations include both Boolean and elementary algebra, key features that demonstrate data processing and storage in-memory where the physical states of the conjugated polymer film represent either logical statements or arithmetic counting variables. The Boolean algebra demonstrated the use of a single memristive device equal to a variety of single logic gates (AND, NAND, OR and NOR) where, by wiring several devices in series, more advanced combinational logic gates can be achieved. Furthermore, each device was capable of displaying elementary algebra for the basic arithmetic functions of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. In regards to thin film deposition techniques, the self-doped PEDOT device employed roll-to-roll gravure printing, a high speed and high resolution commercially used deposition technique. The polypyrrole device was fabricated implementing an in-situ polymerization technique, referred to as vapor phase polymerization, and demonstrated the use of this technique toward non-conformal devices. The dithienopyrrole derivative was polymerized through the same vapor phase polymerization technique as the polypyrrole and used in tandem with screen printing in order to construct the final device, including the oxidant film, the silver electrodes, and the polymeric gel electrolyte

Parallel methods for short read assembly

This work is on the parallel de novo assembly of genomic sequences from short sequence reads. With short reads eliminating the reliability of read overlaps in predicting genomic co-location, a revival of graph-based methods has underpinned the development of short-read assemblers. While these methods predate short read technology, their reach has not extended significantly beyond bacterial genomes due to the memory resources required in their use. These memory limitations are exacerbated by the high coverage needed to compensate for shorter read lengths. As a result, prior to our work, short-read de novo assembly had been demonstrated on relatively small genome sizes with a few million bases. In our work, we advance the field of short sequence assembly in a number of ways. First, we extend models and ideas proposed and tested with small genomes on serial machines to large-scale distributed memory parallel machines. Second, we present ideas for assembly that are especially suited to the reconstruction of very large genomes on these machines. Additionally, we present the first assembler that specifically takes advantage a variable number of fragment sizes or insert lengths concurrently when making assembly decisions, while still working well for data with one insertion length

Pushing Back: Protecting Maternal Autonomy from the Living Room to the Delivery Room

As mothers are given more freedom to make their delivery choices, problems with the current maternity care system and the legal protections afforded fetus have the potential to diminish maternal independence. At one end of the spectrum, the home birth movement and reactions against medicalized birth have the potential to create physician distrust and a greater resistance to medical treatment. This resistance, when coupled with an expansive view of fetal rights may result in compelled medical treatment, injury, or the loss of parental rights. At the other end of the spectrum, elective C-sections and inductions will diminish the likelihood that mothers who wish to avoid medical intervention will be able to do so. Somewhere in between, the fears surrounding birth are precluding mothers from exercising viable options from the living room to the delivery room. A three-part solution has been proposed to alleviate these problems. Taken together, these three prongs will empower women to make better-informed birth decisions, hold physicians and midwives more accountable, and create a more cooperative relationship between physician and patient

Pushing Back: Protecting Maternal Autonomy from the Living Room to the Delivery Room

As mothers are given more freedom to make their delivery choices, problems with the current maternity care system and the legal protections afforded fetus have the potential to diminish maternal independence. At one end of the spectrum, the home birth movement and reactions against medicalized birth have the potential to create physician distrust and a greater resistance to medical treatment. This resistance, when coupled with an expansive view of fetal rights may result in compelled medical treatment, injury, or the loss of parental rights. At the other end of the spectrum, elective C-sections and inductions will diminish the likelihood that mothers who wish to avoid medical intervention will be able to do so. Somewhere in between, the fears surrounding birth are precluding mothers from exercising viable options from the living room to the delivery room. A three-part solution has been proposed to alleviate these problems. Taken together, these three prongs will empower women to make better-informed birth decisions, hold physicians and midwives more accountable, and create a more cooperative relationship between physician and patient

Theory of Mind in Chimpanzees: A Rationalist Approach

The question of whether or not chimpanzees possess the ability to mentally represent others\u27 mental states has been a popular question since Premack and Woodruff (1978) originally asked the question. It is well established that humans have a theory of mind (ToM), but extending this psychological faculty to our evolutionary cousins has created a massive amount of literature and research attempting to resolve this issue. Such a resolution is arguably not possible given the nature of the debate. An Either/Or approach to chimpanzee theory of mind both ignores the essential components of ToM as well as foreclosing on the possibility that there is variability of the informational encapsulation at the modular level between closely related species

COMPARISON OF THE TRADITIONAL AND CONTEMPORARY EXTENDED FAMILY UNITS OF THE HOPI AND LAKOTA (SIOUX): A STUDY OF THE DETERIORATION OF KINSHIP STRUCTURES AND FUNCTIONS

Drawing on a body of classical and contemporary ethnographic resources, one finds a number of coriflicting conclusions and assumptions in not only the evolutionary role of the extended family and its functions, but also-in a post-colonial context-how these units as well as their roles and functions change. When comparing a number of sources, we find that extended families are explained in diametrically opposed terms (e.g. some say extended families result from hunter-gatherer societies while others attribute it to agricultural groups), creating conflicting theory obviously not considered together as often enoughhence the necessity of comparative study between traditionally agricultural Hopi and hunter-gathering Sioux. By comparing these two drastically different groups, through kinship terminology to particular facets of the two family extensions, one concludes that the two extended families looked at drastically differ in function, while remaining quite similar in form. On the one hand, traditional Hopi extended families functioned as an economic extension, whereas the Sioux extended families functioned primarily as a military extension

Technology investment Impact on Regional Productivity: Empirical Evidence of S-Curve Characteristics

Regression analysis is used to investigate the impact of tech investment on U.S. regional productivity from 1990 to 2016. Using four S-Curve characteristics, we explain tech investment’s negative impact on regional productivity in the early investment stage. This is followed by rapidly increasing tech investment and significant regional productivity impact further along the S-Curve. As regional productivity approaches the top of the curve, tech investment results in diminishing returns. This signals the need to jump the S-Curve in search of new technological innovation to resuscitate tech investment and productivity gains. The S-Curve analysis indicates tech investment’s impact is contextual and depends on the position on the SCurve. This understanding of tech investment’s impact on regional productivity at various points on the curve has implications for regional and global development

Sex differences in variability across timescales in BALB/c mice.

BackgroundFemales are markedly underinvestigated in the biological and behavioral sciences due to the presumption that cyclic hormonal changes across the ovulatory cycle introduce excess variability to measures of interest in comparison to males. However, recent analyses indicate that male and female mice and rats exhibit comparable variability across numerous physiological and behavioral measures, even when the stage of the estrous cycle is not considered. Hormonal changes across the ovulatory cycle likely contribute cyclic, intra-individual variability in females, but the source(s) of male variability has, to our knowledge, not been investigated. It is unclear whether male variability, like that of females, is temporally structured and, therefore, quantifiable and predictable. Finally, whether males and females exhibit variability on similar time scales has not been explored.MethodsThese questions were addressed by collecting chronic, high temporal resolution locomotor activity (LA) and core body temperature (CBT) data from male and female BALB/c mice.ResultsContrary to expectation, males are more variable than females over the course of the day (diel variability) and exhibit higher intra-individual daily range than females in both LA and CBT. Between mice of a given sex, variability is comparable for LA but the inter-individual daily range in CBT is greater for males. To identify potential rhythmic processes contributing to these sex differences, we employed wavelet transformations across a range of periodicities (1-39 h).ConclusionsAlthough variability in circadian power is comparable between the sexes for both LA and CBT, infradian variability is greater in females and ultradian variability is greater in males. Thus, exclusion of female mice from studies because of estrous cycle variability may increase variance in investigations where only male measures are collected over a span of several hours and limit generalization of findings from males to females

Rapid Multiplex Testing for Upper Respiratory Pathogens in the Emergency Department: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background:Acute upper respiratory tract infections are a common cause of emergency department (ED) visits and often result in unnecessary antibiotic treatment. Methods:We conducted a randomized clinical trial to evaluate the impact of a rapid, multipathogen respiratory panel (RP) test vs usual care (control). Patients were eligible if they were ≥12 months old, had symptoms of upper respiratory infection or influenza-like illness, and were not on antibiotics. The primary outcome was antibiotic prescription; secondary outcomes included antiviral prescription, disposition, and length of stay (ClinicalTrials.gov# NCT02957136). Results:Of 191 patients enrolled, 93 (49%) received RP testing; 98 (51%) received usual care. Fifty-three (57%) RP and 7 (7%) control patients had a virus detected and reported during the ED visit (P = .0001). Twenty (22%) RP patients and 33 (34%) usual care patients received antibiotics during the ED visit (-12%; 95% confidence interval, -25% to 0.4%; P = .06/0.08); 9 RP patients received antibiotics despite having a virus detected. The magnitude of antibiotic reduction was greater in children (-19%) vs adults (-9%, post hoc analysis). There was no difference in antiviral use, length of stay, or disposition. Conclusions:Rapid RP testing was associated with a trend toward decreased antibiotic use, suggesting a potential benefit from more rapid viral tests in the ED. Future studies should determine if specific groups are more likely to benefit from testing and evaluate the relative cost and effectiveness of broad testing, focused testing, and a combined diagnostic and antimicrobial stewardship approach

Ploidy level and genome size variation in the homosporous ferns Botrychium

Recent cytological and molecular studies have investigated genome size variation and evolution in the homosporous ferns, but representatives of the Ophioglossaceae were largely overlooked, despite their evolutionary singularity. Flow cytometry analysis was performed on 41 individuals of eight species of the genera Botrychium (B.), Botrypus, and Sceptridium to estimate their ploidy level variation. In a subset of individuals, we also estimated the absolute genome size and corresponding C values. Additionally, a classical chromosome count was made on the recently described species B. alaskense. Ploidy level and new genome size records were determined for Botrychium alaskense, B. boreale, B. lanceolatum, B. “neolunaria” ined., B. pinnatum, Botrypus virginianus and Sceptridium multifidum. In addition, we confirmed the genome size of B. matricariifolium, B. minganense and B. lunaria. Two of the three major sub-clades of Botrychium differ slightly in their averaged homoploid genome size (subclade Lanceolatum, 24.72 ± 0.40 pg; subclade Lunaria, 27.51 ± 0.47 pg). Flow cytometry and chromosome counting confirmed that B. alaskense is a tetraploid. A new hexaploid cytotype, putatively formed through an autopolyploidization from the sympatric tetraploid cytotype, was detected in a single individual of B. boreale. This is only the second report of hexaploidy in the genus Botrychium and our data highlight the potential to find other ploidy levels within other Botrychium species. Interestingly, no difference within the monoploid genome sizes was detected between ploidy levels, thus supporting the hypothesis of genome size stability after polyploidization and rejecting the scenario of genome downsizing