# Key Technical and Conceptual Points from IRC Discussions

• Researchers discussed Advanced Glycation Endproducts (AGEs) and the Maillard reaction in aging biology, describing humans as "constantly cooking ever so slowly for our entire lives," alongside exploration of how body temperature regulation affects circadian rhythms and biological clock mechanisms.

• Developers worked on PyScholar, a Python wrapper for Google Scholar designed to extract metadata from scientific papers similar to Zotero but without Firefox dependencies, demonstrating ongoing efforts to create open tools for scientific research.

• A cell lineage tracking project for zebrafish development using fluorescent labeling was discussed, with recommendations to implement Brainbow-style recombinant fluorescent protein techniques for improved cell differentiation visualization.

• Two open-source hardware description projects—SKDB ("societal knowledge database") and TangibleBit—were being merged, with technical debates about package management approaches, dependency systems, and failure mode detection for physical components.

• The group explored methods for tracking core body temperature to correlate with cognitive performance, including ingestible thermistors and ear thermometers, showing interest in quantified self applications.

• Acoustic droplet ejection technology for microfluidics was examined as a method for precise positioning of droplets onto surfaces suspended above ejection reservoirs, indicating interest in advanced fabrication techniques.

• A Michigan RepRap Users Group meeting was reported, featuring 5 RepRap 3D printers and progress on a "wrench-buildable machine" designed to be constructed with only basic tools, demonstrating grassroots hardware development efforts.