No abstract

No abstract

We introduce a new problem domain for activity recognition

No abstract

This study determined whether an elevated muscle metaboreflex contributes to the excessive blood pressure response to exercise in postmenopausal women. Thirty healthy female volunteers were studied (15 postmenopausal and 15 premenopausal). Stroke volume, heart rate, cardiac output (CO), systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and total vascular conductance (TVC) were continuously assessed throughout the experiment. To activate the muscle metaboreflex, occlusion of the vasculature was induced via inflation of a blood pressure cuff (2 min) on the upper arm following static handgrip exercise. Muscle metaboreflex activation increased mean arterial pressure (MAP) in both groups. However, this pressor response was greater in the postmenopausal women (ΔMAP: 21.4 ± 3 vs. 14.5 ± 2 mmHg) (P < 0.05) even though the corresponding increase in CO was less (ΔCO: 0.0 ± 0.2 vs. 0.3 ± 0.2 l/min) (P < 0.05). TVC decreased in both the groups but was more pronounced in the postmenopausal group (ΔTVC: -10.7 ± 2.6 vs. -17.1 ± 3.6 ml/min/mmHg) (P < 0.05). In conclusion, the exaggerated blood pressure response to exercise in postmenopausal women is mediated, in part, by an overactive metaboreflex that is associated with enhanced peripheral vasoconstriction.

No abstract

In the past, the main research and use of scintillators in extreme environments were mainly limited to high energy physics and the well-logging industry, but their applications are now expanding to reactor monitoring systems, marine and space exploration, nuclear fusion, radiation therapy, etc. In this article, we review and summarize single-crystal inorganic scintillator candidates that can be applied to radiation detection in extreme environments. Crucial scintillation properties to consider for use in extreme environments are temperature dependence and radiation resistance, along with scintillators’ susceptibility to moisture and mechanical shock. Therefore, we report on performance change, with a focus on radiation resistance and temperature dependence, and the availability of inorganic scintillator for extreme environments—high radiation, temperature, humidity and vibration—according to their applications. In addition, theoretical explanations for temperature dependence and radiation resistance are also provided.

Silver (Ag) nanowires (NWs) are promising building blocks for flexible transparent electrodes, which are key components in fabricating soft electronic devices such as flexible organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs). Typically, Ag NWs have been synthesized using a polyol method, but it still remains a challenge to produce high-aspect-ratio Ag NWs via a simple and rapid process. In this work, we developed a modified polyol method and newly found that the addition of propylene glycol to ethylene glycol-based polyol synthesis facilitated the growth of Ag NWs, allowing the rapid production of long Ag NWs with high aspect ratios of about 2000 in a high yield (∼90%) within 5 min. Transparent electrodes fabricated with our Ag NWs exhibited performance comparable to that of an indium tin oxide-based electrode. With these Ag NWs, we successfully demonstrated the fabrication of a large-area flexible OLED with dimensions of 30 cm × 15 cm using a roll-to-roll process.