Programming memristor arrays with arbitrarily high precision for analog computing.

In-memory computing represents an effective method for modeling complex physical systems that are typically challenging for conventional computing architectures but has been hindered by issues such as reading noise and writing variability that restrict scalability, accuracy, and precision in high-performance computations. We propose and demonstrate a circuit architecture and programming protocol that converts the analog computing result to digital at the last step and enables low-precision analog devices to perform high-precision computing. We use a weighted sum of multiple devices to represent one number, in which subsequently programmed devices are used to compensate for preceding programming errors. With a memristor system-on-chip, we experimentally demonstrate high-precision solutions for multiple scientific computing tasks while maintaining a substantial power efficiency advantage over conventional digital approaches.

Genetic diversity into a novel free-living species of Bradyrhizobium from contaminated freshwater sediment.

A free-living Bradyrhizobium strain isolated from a contaminated sediment sample collected at a water depth of 4 m from the Hongze Lake in China was characterized. Phylogenetic investigation of the 16S rRNA gene, concatenated housekeeping gene sequences, and phylogenomic analysis placed this strain in a lineage distinct from all previously described Bradyrhizobium species. The sequence similarities of the concatenated housekeeping genes support its distinctiveness with the type strains of the named species. The complete genome of strain S12-14-2 consists of a single chromosome of size 7.3M. The strain lacks both a symbiosis island and important nodulation genes. Based on the data presented here, the strain represents a new species, for which the name Bradyrhizobium roseus sp. nov. is proposed for the type strain S12-14-2T. Several functional differences between the isolate and other published genomes indicate that the genus Bradyrhizobium is extremely heterogeneous and has functions within the community, such as non-symbiotic nitrogen fixation. Functional denitrification and nitrogen fixation genes were identified on the genomes of strain S12-14-2T. Genes encoding proteins for sulfur oxidation, sulfonate transport, phosphonate degradation, and phosphonate production were also identified. Lastly, the B. roseus genome contained genes encoding ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase, a trait that presumably enables autotrophic flexibility under varying environmental conditions. This study provides insights into the dynamics of a genome that could enhance our understanding of the metabolism and evolutionary characteristics of the genus Bradyrhizobium and a new genetic framework for future research.

Lacibacter sediminis sp. nov., isolated from contaminated freshwater sediment.

Two Gram-stain-negative bacterial strains, S13-6-6 and S13-6-22T, were isolated from sediment sample collected at a water depth of 4 m from Lake Hongze, Jiangsu Province, PR China. The cells of strains S13-6-6 and S13-6-22T were non-spore-forming, aerobic, non-motile and formed orange colonies on R2A agar. Comparative 16S rRNA gene sequence studies revealed a clear affiliation of the two strains with he phylum Bacteroidota, and revealed the highest pairwise sequence similarities with Lacibacter daechungensis H32-4T (97.8 %), Lacibacter cauensis NJ-8T (97.8 %), Lacibacter luteus TTM-7T (97.4 %) and Lacibacter nakdongensis SS2-56T (97.4 %). The results of phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that the strains formed a clear phylogenetic lineage with the genus Lacibacter. The major fatty acids were identified as iso-C15 : 1G, iso-C15 : 0, iso-C17 : 0 3-OH and summed feature 3 (C16 : 1ω7c and/or C16 : 1ω6c) (>10 %), and the respiratory quinone was identified as menaquinone MK-7. The polar lipids consisted of phosphatidylethanolamine, two unidentified aminolipids, an unidentified phospholipid and six unidentified lipids. The genomic DNA G+C content was determined to be 40.2 mol% (HPLC) for strain S13-6-6 and 40.3 % (genome) for strain S13-6-22T. The combined genotypic and phenotypic data indicated that strains S13-6-6 and S13-6-22T represent a novel species of the genus Lacibacter, for which the name Lacibacter sediminis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is S13-6-22T (=CGMCC 1.17450T =JCM 35802T).

Thousands of conductance levels in memristors integrated on CMOS.

Neural networks based on memristive devices1-3 have the ability to improve throughput and energy efficiency for machine learning4,5 and artificial intelligence6, especially in edge applications7-21. Because training a neural network model from scratch is costly in terms of hardware resources, time and energy, it is impractical to do it individually on billions of memristive neural networks distributed at the edge. A practical approach would be to download the synaptic weights obtained from the cloud training and program them directly into memristors for the commercialization of edge applications. Some post-tuning in memristor conductance could be done afterwards or during applications to adapt to specific situations. Therefore, in neural network applications, memristors require high-precision programmability to guarantee uniform and accurate performance across a large number of memristive networks22-28. This requires many distinguishable conductance levels on each memristive device, not only laboratory-made devices but also devices fabricated in factories. Analog memristors with many conductance states also benefit other applications, such as neural network training, scientific computing and even 'mortal computing'25,29,30. Here we report 2,048 conductance levels achieved with memristors in fully integrated chips with 256 × 256 memristor arrays monolithically integrated on complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) circuits in a commercial foundry. We have identified the underlying physics that previously limited the number of conductance levels that could be achieved in memristors and developed electrical operation protocols to avoid such limitations. These results provide insights into the fundamental understanding of the microscopic picture of memristive switching as well as approaches to enable high-precision memristors for various applications. Fig. 1 HIGH-PRECISION MEMRISTOR FOR NEUROMORPHIC COMPUTING.: a, Proposed scheme of the large-scale application of memristive neural networks for edge computing. Neural network training is performed in the cloud. The obtained weights are downloaded and accurately programmed into a massive number of memristor arrays distributed at the edge, which imposes high-precision requirements on memristive devices. b, An eight-inch wafer with memristors fabricated by a commercial semiconductor manufacturer. c, High-resolution transmission electron microscopy image of the cross-section view of a memristor. Pt and Ta serve as the bottom electrode (BE) and top electrode (TE), respectively. Scale bars, 1 µm and 100 nm (inset). d, Magnification of the memristor material stack. Scale bar, 5 nm. e, As-programmed (blue) and after-denoising (red) currents of a memristor are read by a constant voltage (0.2 V). The denoising process eliminated the large-amplitude RTN observed in the as-programmed state (see Methods). f, Magnification of three nearest-neighbour states after denoising. The current of each state was read by a constant voltage (0.2 V). No large-amplitude RTN was observed, and all of the states can be clearly distinguished. g, An individual memristor on the chip was tuned into 2,048 resistance levels by high-resolution off-chip driving circuitry, and each resistance level was read by a d.c. voltage sweeping from 0 to 0.2 V. The target resistance was set from 50 µS to 4,144 µS with a 2-µS interval between neighbouring levels. All readings at 0.2 V are less than 1 µS from the target conductance. Bottom inset, magnification of the resistance levels. Top inset, experimental results of an entire 256 × 256 array programmed by its 6-bit on-chip circuitry into 64 32 × 32 blocks, and each block is programmed into one of the 64 conductance levels. Each of the 256 × 256 memristors has been previously switched over one million cycles, demonstrating the high endurance and robustness of the devices.

Deciphering Adult Neural Stem Cells with Single-Cell Sequencing.

Adult neural stem cells (NSCs) are restricted to the two neurogenic regions of the mammalian brain, where they self-renew and generate progenies of multiple lineages, including neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes. Single-cell RNA sequencing technology, which reconstructs high-resolution transcriptional landscapes, provides valuable insights into cellular heterogeneity and developmental dynamics. In this review, we overviewed recent progress in the single-cell analyses of both conventional and unconventional NSCs. We discussed the heterogeneity among the stem cell pool and characterized the transcriptional alterations in aging and brain tumors. A comprehensive understanding of NSCs in physiological and pathological settings will provide insights for the rejuvenation of the aged brain and restoration of normal brain function in multiple neurological disorders.

Lens nucleus dislocation in hypermature cataract: Case report and literature review.

INTRODUCTION: Hypermature cataract is a form of late-stage cataract progression that can lead to a variety of complications. Spontaneous capsular rupture with lens nucleus displacement in hypermature cataracts has rarely been reported. We describe 2 cases of spontaneous dislocation of the lens nucleus in a hypermature cataract and perform a review of the literature on this complication. PATIENT CONCERNS: We report 2 rural men aged 50 and 76 years with deteriorating vision. DIAGNOSIS: The final diagnosis was senile hypermature cataract with dislocation of the lens nucleus in both patients and secondary glaucoma for the second patient. INTERVENTIONS AND OUTCOMES: During admission, both patients complained of deteriorating vision. Slit-lamp examination showed lens nucleus dislocation into the anterior chamber. The 50-year-old patient exhibited a residual lens capsule and a turbid cortex, with a normal anterior chamber and intraocular pressure. The 76-year-old patient presented a shrunken and ruptured capsule and no cortex in the pupillary area, mild inflammation in the anterior chamber, and high intraocular pressure. Both patients underwent intracapsular cataract extraction combined with anterior vitrectomy and achieved good postoperative recovery. CONCLUSION: Lens nucleus dislocation in hypermature cataracts can be seen in clinical practice, particularly in underdeveloped areas. Early recognition and surgery can improve vision.

Optimizing estradiol level for gonadotrophin-releasing hormone antagonist initiation among patients with simple tubal factor infertility.

Objective: The aim of this study is to investigate the optimal estradiol (E2) level on the day of gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist (GnRH-ant) initiation to maximize the clinical pregnancy rate (CPR) after fresh embryo transfer among patients with simple tubal factor infertility. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted in the Reproductive Medicine Center, the Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University. A total of 1,493 IVF-ET cycles of patients diagnosed with single tubal factor infertility from August 2016 to August 2021 were included and equally allocated into five distinct groups according to the quintile serum E2 levels on the day of GnRH-ant initiation. The five groups had similar baseline data except for antral follicle count. Results: The serum E 2 level on GnRH-ant initiation day was determined as an independent predictor of clinical pregnancy after adjusting for confounding factors such as age, infertility duration, body mass index, cycle number, antral follicle count, and the number of transferred embryos. Through smooth curve fitting, we found that, with the increase of serum E2 levels on the day of GnRH-ant initiation, CPR showed a trend of slight increase and then slight decrease. The maximal CPR was achieved when the serum E2 level on GnRH-ant initiation day was 498 pg/ml. When E2 was less than 498 pg/ml, the odds ratio (OR) of clinical pregnancy was 1.05 (95% CI: 1.00, 1.11, P = 0.0583). When E2 was greater than 498 pg/ml, the OR of clinical pregnancy was 0.97 (95% CI: 0.95, 0.98, P = 0.0003). Furthermore, CPR remained high when E2 was 436.8-658.6 pg/ml but declined significantly by more than 40% when E2 was ≥ 894.4 pg/ml (P < 0.05). Conclusions: The serum E2 level should be considered as an adjuvant parameter for GnRH-ant initiation. The best E2 value was 498 pg/ml, and GnRH-ant administration could be recommended to initiate when serum E2 was 436.8-658.6 pg/ml. If GnRH-ant was initiated when serum E2 was above 894.4 pg/ml, then the CPR after fresh embryo transfer may decline dramatically, and thus, cancellation of fresh embryo transfer and earlier initiation of GnRH-ant in future cycles should be considered.

Genomic insights into a free-living, nitrogen-fixing but non nodulating novel species of Bradyrhizobium sediminis from freshwater sediment: Three isolates with the smallest genome within the genus Bradyrhizobium.

Three bacterial strains isolated from a sediment sample collected at a water depth of 4 m from the Huaihe River in China were characterized. Phylogenetic investigation of the 16S rRNA gene and concatenated housekeeping gene sequences assigned the three novel strains in a highly supported lineage distinct from the published Bradyrhizobium species. The sequence similarities of the concatenated housekeeping genes of the three novel strains support their distinctiveness with the type strains of named species. Average nucleotide identity values of the genome sequences (79.9-82.5%) were below the threshold value of 95-96% for bacterial species circumscription. Close relatives to the novel strains are Bradyrhizobium erythrophlei, Bradyrhizobium jicamae, Bradyrhizobium lablabi, Bradyrhizobium mercantei, Bradyrhizobium elkanii and Bradyrhizobium japonicum. The complete genomes of strains S2-20-1T, S2-11-2 and S2-11-4 consist of single chromosomes of size 5.55, 5.45 and 5.47 Mb, respectively. These strains lack a symbiosis island, key nodulation and photosystem genes. Based on the data presented here, the three strains represent a novel species for which the name Bradyrhizobium sediminis sp. nov. is proposed for S2-20-1T as the type strain. Those three strains are proposed as novel species in free-living Bradyrhizobium isolates with the smallest genomes so far within the genus Bradyrhizobium. A number of functional differences between the three isolates and other published genomes indicate that the genus Bradyrhizobium is extremely heterogeneous and has roles within the community including non-symbiotic nitrogen fixation.

Factors affecting clinical pregnancy in controlled ovarian hyperstimulation with GnRH-a long protocol: a retrospective cross-sectional study.

This retrospective cross-sectional study was to investigate factors affecting clinical pregnancy in patients who received gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist luteal phase long protocol (GnRH-a long protocol) and underwent fresh in-vitro fertilisation (IVF)/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) embryo transfer cycle. One thousand five hundred and twenty-five patients who received GnRH-a long protocol and underwent fresh IVF/ICSI embryo transfer cycle were enrolled. The clinical pregnancy rate (63.1 vs. 22.4%, p < .05) and live birth rate (53.8 vs. 14.5%, p < .05) were significantly higher while the miscarriage rate (12.5 vs. 35.3%, p < .05) was significantly lower in the two embryo group than those in the one embryo group. The clinical pregnancy rate (48.5 vs. 64.1%, p < .05) and live birth rate (38.4 vs. 55.0%, p < .05) were significantly lower in patients older than 33.5 years than those in younger patients. The clinical pregnancy rate (52 and 60.6 vs. 79.7%, p < .05) and live birth rate (36 and 51.4 vs. 69.6%, p < .05) of the thin and mediate groups were significantly lower than those in the thick group, whereas the ectopic pregnancy rate (11.5 and 1.9 vs. 0%, p < .05) was significantly higher in the thin group than in the mediate and thick group. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that age (OR = 0.956, 95% CI [0.931, 0.982], p < .05), number of embryos transferred (OR = 2.491, 95% CI [1.670, 3.715], p < .05) and endometrial thickness on the transplantation day (OR = 1.124, 95% CI [1.067, 1.185], p < .05) were independent factors significantly associated with clinical pregnancy. In conclusion, endometrial thickness (>14.69 mm) on the day of transfer, two cleavage embryos transferred, and female age (≤33.5 years) are independent factors affecting clinical pregnancy outcomes in controlled ovarian hyperstimulation with GnRH-a long protocol for assisted conception. IMPACT STATEMENTWhat is already known on this subject? Fresh embryo transfer cycle with GnRH-a long protocol will result in a higher pregnancy rate in controlled ovarian hyperstimulation cycles.What do the results of this study add? Endometrial thickness on the day of transfer, number of embryos transferred, and female age were independent factors affecting clinical pregnancy outcomes.What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? When performing a fresh IVF/ICSI embryo transfer cycle with GnRH-a long protocol for ovulation induction, the independent affecting factors should be taken into consideration.

Effect of Endometrium Thickness on Clinical Outcomes in Luteal Phase Short-Acting GnRH-a Long Protocol and GnRH-Ant Protocol.

Objective: To investigate the factors that influence luteal phase short-acting gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRH-a) long protocol and GnRH-antagonist (GnRH-ant) protocol on pregnancy outcome and quantify the influence. About the statistical analysis, it is not correct for the number of gravidities. Methods: Infertile patients (n = 4,631) with fresh in-vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF/ICSI) and embryo transfer were divided into GnRH-a long protocol (n =3,104) and GnRH-ant (n =1,527) protocol groups and subgroups G1 (EMT ≤7mm), G2 (7 mm 10 mm) according to EMT on the trigger day. The data were analyzed. Results: The GnRH-ant and the GnRH-a long protocols had comparable clinical outcomes in the clinical pregnancy, live birth, and miscarriage rate after propensity score matching. In the medium endometrial thickness of 7-10 mm, the clinical pregnancy rate (61.81 vs 55.58%, P < 0.05) and miscarriage rate (19.43 vs 12.83%, P < 0.05) of the GnRH-ant regime were significantly higher than those of the GnRH-a regime. The EMT threshold for clinical pregnancy rate in the GnRH-ant group was 12 mm, with the maximal clinical pregnancy rate of less than 75% and the maximal live birth rate of 70%. In the GnRH-a long protocol, the optimal range of EMT was >10 mm for the clinical pregnancy rate and >9.5 mm for the live birth rate for favorable clinical outcomes, and the clinical pregnancy and live birth rates increased linearly with increase of EMT. In the GnRH-ant protocol, the EMT thresholds were 9-6 mm for the clinical pregnancy rate and 9.5-15.5 mm for the live birth rate. Conclusions: The GnRH-ant protocol has better clinical pregnancy outcomes when the endometrial thickness is in the medium thickness range of 7-10 mm. The optimal threshold interval for better clinical pregnancy outcomes of the GnRH-ant protocol is significantly narrower than that of the GnRH-a protocol. When the endometrial thickness exceeds 12 mm, the clinical pregnancy rate and live birth rate of the GnRH-ant protocol show a significant downward trend, probably indicating some negative effects of GnRH-ant on the endometrial receptivity to cause a decrease of the clinical pregnancy rate and live birth rate if the endometrial thickness exceeds 12 mm.

Effects of age on pregnancy outcomes in patients with simple tubal factor infertility receiving frozen-thawed embryo transfer.

This study was to retrospectively analyze the effect of the age of embryos transfer and oocyte retrieval on the clinical pregnancy outcome in patients with simple tubal factor infertility (TFI) who received frozen-thawed embryo transfer. Patients (n = 3619) with simple TFI who underwent in vitro fertilization (IVF)/ intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) frozen-thawed embryo transfer at our hospital were enrolled. Univariate logistic regression analysis, categorical multivariate logistic regression analysis, curve fitting and threshold effect analysis were performed. Age of embryo transfer was a significant (P < 0.05) independent risk factor affecting the clinical pregnancy, live birth, and miscarriage rates. The Clinical pregnancy outcome declined significantly after the age of 34 years. After limiting the female oocyte retrieval age to ≤ 34 years, no significant change was detected in the clinical pregnancy, live birth, or miscarriage rate with increase of transplantation age. In conclusion, in patients with simple TFI undergoing IVF/ICSI frozen-thawed embryo transfer, age is a significant independent risk factor affecting the clinical pregnancy, live birth, and miscarriage rate. Aging of oocytes has a greater impact on the clinical pregnancy in women with simple TFI than the aging of the body. Patients with TFI can freeze embryos in advance to preserve fertility.

Genomic insights into a novel species Rhodoferax aquaticus sp. nov., isolated from freshwater.

A novel non-phototrophic member of the genus Rhodoferax was obtained from freshwater. The purpose of this study was to analyse the genome of a nonphototrophic strain and propose a new species based on its phylogenetic, genomic, physiological and chemotaxonomic characteristics. The results of phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences supports that the strain, designated Gr-4T, has a close relationship to the genus Rhodoferax. The observed average nucleotide identity (ANI) and digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) values between strain Gr-4T and its closest related strains were 72.3-74.6 % and 21.9-22.8 %, respectively. These values were much lower than the species separation thresholds for ANI or dDDH of 95-96 and 70 %, respectively, and in fact fall in the intergeneric range. Strain Gr-4T does not contain RuBisCO-related genes, but does contain GS/GOGAT pathway-related genes enabling nitrate ammonification. A polyphasic study and a genomic-level investigation were done to establish the taxonomic status of strain Gr-4T. Based on the phylogenetic, genomic and physiological differences, it is proposed that the isolate be classified to the genus Rhodoferax as Rhodoferax aquaticus sp. nov. with isolate Gr-4T (=KCTC 32394T=JCM 19166T) as the type strain.

Bioinspired bio-voltage memristors.

Memristive devices are promising candidates to emulate biological computing. However, the typical switching voltages (0.2-2 V) in previously described devices are much higher than the amplitude in biological counterparts. Here we demonstrate a type of diffusive memristor, fabricated from the protein nanowires harvested from the bacterium Geobacter sulfurreducens, that functions at the biological voltages of 40-100 mV. Memristive function at biological voltages is possible because the protein nanowires catalyze metallization. Artificial neurons built from these memristors not only function at biological action potentials (e.g., 100 mV, 1 ms) but also exhibit temporal integration close to that in biological neurons. The potential of using the memristor to directly process biosensing signals is also demonstrated.

Genomic and Metabolic Insights into Denitrification, Sulfur Oxidation, and Multidrug Efflux Pump Mechanisms in the Bacterium Rhodoferax sediminis sp. nov.

This genus contains both phototrophs and nonphototrophic members. Here, we present a high-quality complete genome of the strain CHu59-6-5T, isolated from a freshwater sediment. The circular chromosome (4.39 Mbp) of the strain CHu59-6-5T has 64.4% G+C content and contains 4240 genes, of which a total of 3918 genes (92.4%) were functionally assigned to the COG (clusters of orthologous groups) database. Functional genes for denitrification (narGHJI, nirK and qnor) were identified on the genomes of the strain CHu59-6-5T, except for N2O reductase (nos) genes for the final step of denitrification. Genes (soxBXAZY) for encoding sulfur oxidation proteins were identified, and the FSD and soxF genes encoding the monomeric flavoproteins which have sulfide dehydrogenase activities were also detected. Lastly, genes for the assembly of two different RND (resistance-nodulation division) type efflux systems and one ABC (ATP-binding cassette) type efflux system were identified in the Rhodoferax sediminis CHu59-6-5T. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA sequences and Average Nucleotide Identities (ANI) support the idea that the strain CHu59-6-5T has a close relationship to the genus Rhodoferax. A polyphasic study was done to establish the taxonomic status of the strain CHu59-6-5T. Based on these data, we proposed that the isolate be classified to the genus Rhodoferax as Rhodoferax sediminis sp. nov. with isolate CHu59-6-5T.

An artificial spiking afferent nerve based on Mott memristors for neurorobotics.

Neuromorphic computing based on spikes offers great potential in highly efficient computing paradigms. Recently, several hardware implementations of spiking neural networks based on traditional complementary metal-oxide semiconductor technology or memristors have been developed. However, an interface (called an afferent nerve in biology) with the environment, which converts the analog signal from sensors into spikes in spiking neural networks, is yet to be demonstrated. Here we propose and experimentally demonstrate an artificial spiking afferent nerve based on highly reliable NbOx Mott memristors for the first time. The spiking frequency of the afferent nerve is proportional to the stimuli intensity before encountering noxiously high stimuli, and then starts to reduce the spiking frequency at an inflection point. Using this afferent nerve, we further build a power-free spiking mechanoreceptor system with a passive piezoelectric device as the tactile sensor. The experimental results indicate that our afferent nerve is promising for constructing self-aware neurorobotics in the future.

Lacisediminihabitans profunda gen. nov., sp. nov., a member of the family Microbacteriaceae isolated from freshwater sediment.

A novel Gram-stain-positive bacterial strain, CHu50b-6-2T, was isolated from a 67-cm-long sediment core collected from the Daechung Reservoir at a water depth of 17 m, Daejeon, Republic of Korea. The cells of strain CHu50b-6-2T were aerobic non-motile and formed yellow colonies on R2A agar. The phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing indicated that the strain formed a separate lineage within the family Microbacteriaceae, exhibiting 98.0%, 97.7% and 97.6% 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities to Glaciihabitans tibetensis KCTC 29148T, Frigoribacterium faeni KACC 20509T and Lysinibacter cavernae DSM 27960T, respectively. The phylogenetic trees revealed that strain CHu50b-6-2T did not show a clear affiliation to any genus within the family Microbacteriaceae. The chemotaxonomic results showed B1α type peptidoglacan containg 2, 4-diaminobutyric acid (DAB) as the diagnostic diamino acid, MK-10 as the predominant respiratory menaquinone, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, and an unidentified glycolipid as the major polar lipids, anteiso-C15:0, iso-C16:0, and anteiso-C17:0 as the major fatty acids, and a DNA G + C content of 67.3 mol%. The combined genotypic and phenotypic data showed that strain CHu50b-6-2T could be distinguished from all genera within the family Microbacteriaceae and represents a novel genus, Lacisediminihabitans gen. nov., with the name Lacisediminihabitans profunda sp. nov., in the family Microbacteriaceae. The type strain is CHu50b-6-2T (= KCTC 49081T = JCM 32673T).

Effects of intramuscular and vaginal progesterone supplementation on frozen-thawed embryo transfer.

This study was to investigate effects of progesterone vaginal sustained-release gel and intramuscular injection of progesterone on frozen-thawed embryos transfer in 3013 patients receiving vaginal progesterone sustained-release gel and progesterone injection in artificial cycle for frozen-thawed embryo transfer. All patients were divided into two groups: group A with progesterone intramuscular injection (60 mg/d) plus dydrogesterone (10 mg tid) and group B with progesterone vaginal sustained-release gel of progesterone (90 mg/d) plus dydrogesterone (10 mg tid). There were 1988 women in group A treated with progesterone injection and 1025 women in group B with progesterone vaginal sustained-release gel. There were no statistically (P > 0.05) significant difference between the two groups in age, years of infertility, body mass index, endometrial thickness at transfer time, the average numbers of embryo transferred, cause of infertility, number of cycles, pregnancy rate and ectopic pregnancy rate. No significant (P > 0.05) differences existed in the clinical pregnancy (52.5% vs. 56.0%) and ectopic pregnancy (2.2% vs. 3.0%) rate between groups A and B. However, group B with vaginal progesterone supplementation had significantly (P < 0.05) greater implantation (37.0% vs 34.4%), delivery (45.1% vs. 41.0%) and live birth (45.0% vs. 40.8%) rate than group A with intramuscular progesterone injection, whereas group A had significantly (P < 0.05) greater early abortion rate (19.4% vs. 15.3%) than group B. This study showed that vaginal gel progesterone supplementation has good effects on frozen-thawed embryo transfer and can significantly increase the rate of implantation, delivery and live birth but decrease the abortion rate compared with intramuscular progesterone injection.

Effects of chronic elevated intraocular pressure on parameters of optical coherence tomography in rhesus monkeys.

AIM: To determine the progression of parameters from optical coherence tomography (OCT) in chronic elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) monkeys. METHODS: A chronic elevated IOP model of rhesus monkeys was induced by laser photocoagulation. Representative OCT parameters, including the average and four-quadrant retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness, and parameters from optic nerve head (ONH) analysis were collected before and after laser treatments biweekly for up to 28wk. The performance of each parameter for early progression detection was analyzed. The progressive trends toward elevated IOP were analyzed using a linear mixed-effects model. RESULTS: There were 10 successfully maintained high IOP eyes in 7 monkeys. The follow-up time was 24±5.37wk. With cumulative IOP elevation, the cup area, rim area and C/D area ratio were statistically significantly changed as early as 2wk after elevated IOP induction (P<0.05). The quadrant RNFL thickness changed at 6wk after high IOP induction, and the superior and inferior RNFL thicknesses exhibited more obvious reductions than other quadrants. The average RNFL thickness was the last one to show a significant decrease at 8wk. CONCLUSION: The parameters of ONH are most sensitive to elevated IOP in a primate glaucomatous model. These findings suggest that we should focus on those parameters instead of RNFL thickness in patients with elevated IOP, as they might present with earlier glaucomatous changes.

Treatment of obese patients with polycystic ovary syndrome before assisted reproduction / 中国实用妇科与产科杂志

Polycystic ovary syndrome(PCOS)is a common disease with endocrinal disorder in fertile women,which is usually characterized by anovulation,hyperandrogenism and insulin resistance.Endocrinal disorders make patients with PCOS be prone to develop obesity.Obesity interacts with PCOS,and they both increase the risk of infertility,pregnancy complications and long-term complications.Thus,the patient needs to undergo health status assessment,lifestyle modifi⁃cation,medications or even surgery before assisted reproduction in order to improve the outcomes of as⁃sisted reproduction and reduce the risk of pregnancy complications and long-term complications.

Capacitive neural network with neuro-transistors.

Experimental demonstration of resistive neural networks has been the recent focus of hardware implementation of neuromorphic computing. Capacitive neural networks, which call for novel building blocks, provide an alternative physical embodiment of neural networks featuring a lower static power and a better emulation of neural functionalities. Here, we develop neuro-transistors by integrating dynamic pseudo-memcapacitors as the gates of transistors to produce electronic analogs of the soma and axon of a neuron, with "leaky integrate-and-fire" dynamics augmented by a signal gain on the output. Paired with non-volatile pseudo-memcapacitive synapses, a Hebbian-like learning mechanism is implemented in a capacitive switching network, leading to the observed associative learning. A prototypical fully integrated capacitive neural network is built and used to classify inputs of signals.