In-Materio Reservoir Computing in a Sulfonated Polyaniline Network.

A sulfonated polyaniline (SPAN) organic electrochemical network device (OEND) is fabricated using a simple drop-casting method on multiple Au electrodes for use in reservoir computing (RC). The SPAN network has humidity-dependent electrical properties. Under high humidity, the SPAN OEND exhibits mainly ionic conduction, including charging of an electric double layer and ionic diffusion. The nonlinearity and hysteresis of the current-voltage characteristics progressively increase with increasing humidity. The rich dynamic output behavior indicates wide variations for each electrode, which improves the RC performance because of the disordered network. For RC, waveform generation and short-term memory tasks are realized by a linear combination of outputs. The waveform task accuracy and memory capacity calculated from a short-term memory task reach 90% and 33.9, respectively. Improved spoken-digit classification is realized with 60% accuracy by only 12 outputs, demonstrating that the SPAN OEND can manage time series dynamic data operation in RC owing to a combination of rich dynamic and nonlinear electronic properties. The results suggest that SPAN-based electrochemical systems can be applied for material-based computing, by exploiting their intrinsic physicochemical behavior.

A new methodology for functionalization at the 3-position of indoles by a combination of boron Lewis acid with nitriles.

We discovered that a reagent comprising a combination of PhBCl2 and nitriles was useful for syntheses of both 3-acylindoles and 1-(1H-indol-3-yl)alkylamine from indoles. The reaction proceeded selectively at the 3-position of indoles providing 3-acylindoles in moderate to high yields on treatment with the above reagent. Furthermore, the reaction provided the corresponding amine products in moderate to high yields after the intermediate imine was reduced by NaBH3CN. These reactions proceeded under mild conditions and are applicable to the formation of indoles functionalized at the 3-position.

Hypocapnia delays subsequent bupivacaine cardiotoxicity in rats under sevoflurane anesthesia.

BACKGROUND: Hypocapnia induced following the accidental intravenous infusion of a local anesthetic can mitigate anesthetic toxicity, but the effects of hypocapnia induced prior to local anesthetic infusion are unknown. In this study, we examined the effects of prior hypocapnia on bupivacaine-induced cardiotoxicity in rats. METHODS: Eighteen Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into two groups: one receiving sevoflurane with normal ventilation (Control Group) and the other receiving sevoflurane with hyperventilation to induce hypocapnia (Hypocapnia Group). After 30 min, both groups received continuous intravenous infusions of 0.25% bupivacaine at 2 mg · kg(-1) · min(-1). The time taken to reach 25% and 50% reductions in heart rate (HR; HR-25%, HR-50%) and mean arterial pressure (MAP; MAP-25%, MAP-50%) from the start of bupivacaine infusion were recorded. The difference between HR-25% and MAP-25% was calculated. The times of the first ventricular premature beat (VPB) and final systole were also recorded. RESULTS: In the Hypocapnia Group, HR-50%, MAP-25%, and MAP-50% were prolonged compared with the Control Group (P < 0.001). Furthermore, the interval between HR-25% and MAP-25% and the times between the first VPB and final systole were prolonged in the Hypocapnia Group (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: In rats under sevoflurane anesthesia, prior hypocapnia delayed the onset of bupivacaine-induced cardiotoxicity. Prior hypocapnia should be avoided during continuous bupivacaine nerve block under general anesthesia, because it may delay the detection of cardiotoxicity.