Shape Memory Polymer Resonators as Highly Sensitive Uncooled Infrared Detectors

Uncooled InfraRed (IR) detectors have enabled the rapid growth of thermal imaging applications. These detectors are predominantly bolometers, where the heating of pixel from incoming IR radiation is read out as a resistance change. Another uncooled sensing method is to transduce the IR radiation into the frequency shift of a mechanical resonator. We present here a highly sensitive, simple to fabricate resonant IR sensor, based on thermo-responsive Shape Memory Polymers (SMPs). By exploiting the phase-change polymer as the transduction mechanism, our approach provides 2 orders of magnitude improvement of the temperature coefficient of frequency (TCF). The SMP has very good absorption in IR wavelengths, obviating the need for an absorber layer. A Noise Equivalent Temperature Difference (NETD) of 22 mK in vacuum and 112 mK in air are obtained using f/2 optics. Such high performance in air eliminates the need for vacuum packaging, paving a path towards flexible IR sensors

Hi4D: 4D Instance Segmentation of Close Human Interaction

We propose Hi4D, a method and dataset for the automatic analysis of physically close human-human interaction under prolonged contact. Robustly disentangling several in-contact subjects is a challenging task due to occlusions and complex shapes. Hence, existing multi-view systems typically fuse 3D surfaces of close subjects into a single, connected mesh. To address this issue we leverage i) individually fitted neural implicit avatars; ii) an alternating optimization scheme that refines pose and surface through periods of close proximity; and iii) thus segment the fused raw scans into individual instances. From these instances we compile Hi4D dataset of 4D textured scans of 20 subject pairs, 100 sequences, and a total of more than 11K frames. Hi4D contains rich interaction-centric annotations in 2D and 3D alongside accurately registered parametric body models. We define varied human pose and shape estimation tasks on this dataset and provide results from state-of-the-art methods on these benchmarks.Comment: Project page: https://yifeiyin04.github.io/Hi4D

R13 - U.S.-Mexico Taskforce to Support the Health Supply Chain Systems for Infrastructure and Workforce Threatened by the COVID19 Pandemic

The project's milestones include the integration of a triple-helix Binational Taskforce, production of spatio-temporal near real-time analytics following a risk systems approach, and publication of a monthly U.S.-Mexico COVID-19 Risk bulletin

Actionable Information - Research Briefs - Vaccination

Includes both static PDF version and the dynamic web version.Five research problems to identify evidence sources and provide initial validation of the risk framework model and data lake have been identified. We focused on COVID-19 Vaccination in the United States and Mexico as the predominant mitigating action. In addition to reliable sources of information, we've identified preordered vaccine supply, its main supply chain elements, and the critical facilities involved in the manufacturing and distribution of millions of doses. In this document we present an initial assessment and findings for this mitigating action

COVID-19 Vaccination Supply Chains

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has severely disrupted supply chains in the United States; the objective of this poster is to provide relevant information to key stakeholders in academia, government, and the general public by providing evidence-based predictive models and risk analytics on the causes and effects posed by COVID-19, on the U.S. trade supply chain infrastructure. The identification and characterization of evidence depicting the dynamics of infrastructure interactions of U.S. domestic and international trade supply chains, from procurement, manufacturing, warehousing, to transportation processes, are expected to derive inferences from public sources of information, and databases following a common risk framework developed by our research group at Texas A&M University

U.S.-Mexico Risk Taskforce to Support the Health Supply Chain Systems for Infrastructure and Workforce Threatened by the COViD19 Pandemic

The purpose of this project was to integrate a binational Taskforce from Mexico and the U.S. that could serve as an advisory group to guide the identification and characterization of key variables and processes addressing the impact of COVID-19 in the state of risk of supply chains of critical value for trade between Mexico and the U.S. This project aimed as well as providing the best technology integrator to assimilate evidence that could facilitate the production of risk-based analytics to better inform stakeholders about the likely implementation of risk mitigating strategies that secure the optimal operation of supply chain systems involving trade between both countries. It aimed as well to produce a risk information system that would produce periodical information about the state of risk of Mexico and U.S. supply chain

Consultoría de negocio para Financiera Qapaq SA

Financiera Qapaq es una empresa peruana de capitales ecuatorianos que comenzó a operar en nuestro país el año 2010 con el objetivo de brindar oportunidades de desarrollo económico a toda la población a través del otorgamiento de servicios financieros a personas de menor poder adquisitivo, fomentando la inclusión financiera y la igualdad de oportunidades. El objetivo principal de la consultoría fue identificar los principales problemas que no le permiten a Financiera Qapaq alcanzar sus metas institucionales, el cual se realizó a través de encuestas y reuniones de trabajo con los colaboradores; detectados los problemas se procedió al análisis de las principales causas raíces, para posteriormente proponer alternativas de solución para hacer frente a la situación actual. Se pudo identificar cuatro problemas principales: (a) altas tasas de interés; (b) bajos niveles de rentabilidad; (c) altos niveles de morosidad; y (d) bajo posicionamiento de la marca. Estos problemas tienen como causas raíces a las altas tasas de interés, deficiencias en el proceso de otorgamiento de créditos, deficiencia en el proceso de recuperación de créditos y a los altos niveles de rotación de personal en todas las agencias; los cuales están dando lugar a un menor número de colocaciones de créditos y la migración de los clientes a otras entidades financieras que ofrecen mejores beneficios. Con el fin de mejorar la rentabilidad y la situación actual de Financiera Qapaq, se proponen cambios en la política de fijación de tasas de interés para alinearlas con las otorgadas por los principales agentes del mercado, a fin de ser mucho más competitivos. En el caso de los procesos de concesión de créditos y recuperaciones, se propone un rediseño de los procesos mediante la implementación de un sistema de gestión de procesos para optimizarlos y poder acelerar los tiempos para brindar un mejor servicio al cliente. Finalmente, con respecto al alto nivel de rotación del personal, se propone la implementación de una política de retención y lealtad para el personal.Financiera Qapaq is a Peruvian company with Ecuadorian Capitals that begun, in our country, operations in 2010 with the goal to bring up economic development opportunities through financial services placement to people of lower purchasing power, boosting by this way, the financial inclusion and equal opportunities. The consulting main goal was to identify problems that not allow to Financiera Qapaq to reach its financial goals for which there were conducted surveys and working team meetings with employees. Once the gaps were identified, it was proceeded with principal components analysis of gaps for then establish solution proposals to face the current scenario. There was found four main problems for Fianciera Qapaq: (a) high interest rates; (b) low profitability; (c) high late payment; and (d) poor branding position. The main reason for these problems is because of high interest rates, process deficiencies for credit granting and collection and customer migration to other financial companies because of better benefits. With the objective to improve profitability and current situation of Financiera Qapaq, there are proposed to change interest rates policies to equal it with the market rates to increase in this way, the competitivity of the company. Regarding the credit granting and collection process, it is proposed a business process redesign through a business process management system with the purpose of improving the current process and reduce attention times to bring up better customer service. Finally, regarding staff turnover high rates, it is proposed new staff retention and loyalty policy deployment.Tesi

Fístula arteriovenosa traumática del cuero cabelludo tras implantación capilar tratada con éxito mediante agente embólico PHIL

Antecedentes: La fístula arteriovenosa traumática del cuero cabelludo por trasplante capilar (FAVT) es una rara comunicación fistulosa entre ramas de las arterias y venas de drenaje en el tejido subcutáneo del cuero cabelludo. Su incidencia es desconocida y sus manifestaciones clínicas pueden ir desde una masa pulsátil hasta, en raras ocasiones, epilepsia. Como opciones de tratamiento se han utilizado la cirugía y los abordajes intervencionistas (embolización percutánea y endovascular) mediante espirales y agentes embólicos como el Onyx. e autores informan de un caso poco frecuente de una AVFHT tratada con éxito mediante embolización percutánea y endovascular utilizando coils y agente embólico líquido inyectable hidrófobo precipitante (PHIL). is es posiblemente el primer caso descrito en el que se utiliza el agente embólico PHIL para tratar una AVFHT. Descripción del caso: e paciente presentó una inflamación del cuero cabelludo dolorosa e incapacitante en la región parieto-occipital derecha 2 años después de un trasplante capilar en 2011. Una angiografía por tomografía computarizada mostró una fístula arteriovenosa entre ramas de la arteria temporal superficial derecha y ramas de la arteria occipital derecha a la vena temporal superficial derecha que se embolizó con éxito utilizando coils y PHIL. e paciente fue dado de alta tras una recuperación sin complicaciones y 1 mes después permanecía sano. Conclusiones: La embolización percutánea y endovascular utilizando el agente embólico PHIL puede ser un tratamiento alternativo para la AVFHT.Background: A traumatic arteriovenous fistula of the scalp due to hair transplantation (AVFHT) is a rare fistulous communication between branches of the arteries and draining veins in the scalp’s subcutaneous tissue. Its incidence is unknown and its clinical manifestations may range from a pulsatile mass to seldom epilepsy. Surgery and interventional approaches (percutaneous and endovascular embolization) using coils and embolic agents such as Onyx have been used as treatment options. e authors report a rare case of an AVFHT successfully treated through percutaneous and endovascular embolization using coils and precipitating hydrophobic injectable liquid (PHIL) embolic agent. is is possibly the first reported case using PHIL embolic agent to treat an AVFHT. Case Description: e patient presented with a painful and disabling scalp swelling in the right parieto-occipital region 2 years after a hair transplant in 2011. A computed tomography angiography showed an arteriovenous f istula between branches of the right superficial temporal artery and branches of the right occipital artery to the right superficial temporal vein that was successfully embolized using coils and PHIL. e patient was discharged after a smooth recovery and 1 month later remained healthy. Conclusion: Percutaneous and endovascular embolization using PHIL embolic agent can be an alternative treatment for AVFHT

Clonal chromosomal mosaicism and loss of chromosome Y in elderly men increase vulnerability for SARS-CoV-2

The pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19) had an estimated overall case fatality ratio of 1.38% (pre-vaccination), being 53% higher in males and increasing exponentially with age. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, we found 133 cases (1.42%) with detectable clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations (mCA) and 226 males (5.08%) with acquired loss of chromosome Y (LOY). Individuals with clonal mosaic events (mCA and/or LOY) showed a 54% increase in the risk of COVID-19 lethality. LOY is associated with transcriptomic biomarkers of immune dysfunction, pro-coagulation activity and cardiovascular risk. Interferon-induced genes involved in the initial immune response to SARS-CoV-2 are also down-regulated in LOY. Thus, mCA and LOY underlie at least part of the sex-biased severity and mortality of COVID-19 in aging patients. Given its potential therapeutic and prognostic relevance, evaluation of clonal mosaicism should be implemented as biomarker of COVID-19 severity in elderly people. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, individuals with clonal mosaic events (clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations and/or loss of chromosome Y) showed an increased risk of COVID-19 lethality

Mortality and pulmonary complications in patients undergoing surgery with perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection: an international cohort study

Background: The impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) on postoperative recovery needs to be understood to inform clinical decision making during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. This study reports 30-day mortality and pulmonary complication rates in patients with perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection. Methods: This international, multicentre, cohort study at 235 hospitals in 24 countries included all patients undergoing surgery who had SARS-CoV-2 infection confirmed within 7 days before or 30 days after surgery. The primary outcome measure was 30-day postoperative mortality and was assessed in all enrolled patients. The main secondary outcome measure was pulmonary complications, defined as pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, or unexpected postoperative ventilation. Findings: This analysis includes 1128 patients who had surgery between Jan 1 and March 31, 2020, of whom 835 (74·0%) had emergency surgery and 280 (24·8%) had elective surgery. SARS-CoV-2 infection was confirmed preoperatively in 294 (26·1%) patients. 30-day mortality was 23·8% (268 of 1128). Pulmonary complications occurred in 577 (51·2%) of 1128 patients; 30-day mortality in these patients was 38·0% (219 of 577), accounting for 81·7% (219 of 268) of all deaths. In adjusted analyses, 30-day mortality was associated with male sex (odds ratio 1·75 [95% CI 1·28–2·40], p\textless0·0001), age 70 years or older versus younger than 70 years (2·30 [1·65–3·22], p\textless0·0001), American Society of Anesthesiologists grades 3–5 versus grades 1–2 (2·35 [1·57–3·53], p\textless0·0001), malignant versus benign or obstetric diagnosis (1·55 [1·01–2·39], p=0·046), emergency versus elective surgery (1·67 [1·06–2·63], p=0·026), and major versus minor surgery (1·52 [1·01–2·31], p=0·047). Interpretation: Postoperative pulmonary complications occur in half of patients with perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection and are associated with high mortality. Thresholds for surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic should be higher than during normal practice, particularly in men aged 70 years and older. Consideration should be given for postponing non-urgent procedures and promoting non-operative treatment to delay or avoid the need for surgery. Funding: National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland, Bowel and Cancer Research, Bowel Disease Research Foundation, Association of Upper Gastrointestinal Surgeons, British Association of Surgical Oncology, British Gynaecological Cancer Society, European Society of Coloproctology, NIHR Academy, Sarcoma UK, Vascular Society for Great Britain and Ireland, and Yorkshire Cancer Research