Emulating long-term synaptic dynamics with memristive devices

The potential of memristive devices is often seeing in implementing neuromorphic architectures for achieving brain-like computation. However, the designing procedures do not allow for extended manipulation of the material, unlike CMOS technology, the properties of the memristive material should be harnessed in the context of such computation, under the view that biological synapses are memristors. Here we demonstrate that single solid-state TiO2 memristors can exhibit associative plasticity phenomena observed in biological cortical synapses, and are captured by a phenomenological plasticity model called triplet rule. This rule comprises of a spike-timing dependent plasticity regime and a classical hebbian associative regime, and is compatible with a large amount of electrophysiology data. Via a set of experiments with our artificial, memristive, synapses we show that, contrary to conventional uses of solid-state memory, the co-existence of field- and thermally-driven switching mechanisms that could render bipolar and/or unipolar programming modes is a salient feature for capturing long-term potentiation and depression synaptic dynamics. We further demonstrate that the non-linear accumulating nature of memristors promotes long-term potentiating or depressing memory transitions

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Abstract Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries