Hidden Markov Models (HMMs) have become an immensely popular tool for health assessment and fault diagnosis of rolling element bearings. The advantages of an HMM include its simplicity, robustness, ...and interpretability, while the generalization capability of the model still needs to be enhanced. The Dempster-Shafer theory of evidence can be used to conduct a comprehensive evaluation, and Stacking provides a novel training strategy. Therefore, the HMM-based fusion method and ensemble learning method are proposed to increase the credibility of quantitative analysis and optimize classifiers respectively. Firstly, vibration signals captured from bearings are decomposed into intrinsic mode functions (IMFs) using ensemble empirical mode decomposition (EEMD), and then the Hilbert envelope spectra of main components are obtained; Secondly, multi-domain features are extracted as model input from preprocessed signals; Finally, HMM-based intelligent health assessment framework and fault diagnosis framework are established. In this work, the life cycle health assessment modeling is performed using a few training samples, the bearing degradation state is quantitatively evaluated, normal and abnormal samples are effectively distinguished, and the accuracy of fault diagnosis is significantly improved.
Two-dimensional (2D) crystals are promising materials for developing future nano-enabled technologies
. The cleavage of weak, interlayer van der Waals bonds in layered bulk crystals enables the ...production of high-quality 2D, atomically thin monolayers
. Nonetheless, as earth-abundant compounds, metal oxides are rarely accessible as pure and fully stoichiometric monolayers owing to their ion-stabilized 'lamellar' bulk structure
. Here, we report the discovery of a layered planar hexagonal phase of oxides from elements across the transition metals, post-transition metals, lanthanides and metalloids, derived from strictly controlled oxidation at the metal-gas interface. The highly crystalline monolayers, without the support of ionic dopants or vacancies, can easily be mechanically exfoliated by stamping them onto substrates. Monolayer and few-layered hexagonal TiO
are characterized as examples, showing p-type semiconducting properties with hole mobilities of up to 950 cm
V
s
at room temperature. The strategy can be readily extended to a variety of elements, possibly expanding the exploration of metal oxides in the 2D quantum regime.
Background
Laparoscopic approach for gallbladder cancer (GBC) has long been contraindicated, but few recent studies have demonstrated the oncologic outcomes of this treatment. The purpose of this ...study was to compare the perioperative outcomes and long-term survival for laparoscopic surgery versus traditional open surgery of GBC.
Method
Between January 2014 and December 2018, 63 GBC patients who received radical resection were enrolled in this study, with 32 patients in laparoscopic group and 31 cases in laparotomy group. Perioperative data and postoperative survival were retrospectively evaluated.
Results
Laparoscopic approach was associated with less intraoperative bleeding (267.20 ± 47.07 vs. 502.60 ± 69.70,
P
= 0.007), fewer postoperative days of oral diet recovery (2.34 ± 0.31 vs. 3.32 ± 0.35,
P
= 0.041), and hospital stay (11.03 ± 0.99 vs. 14.35 ± 1.11,
P
= 0.028). There were no significant differences between two groups regarding other perioperative outcomes. Patients in laparoscopic group showed better 1-year overall survival than those in laparotomy group (72.91% vs. 47.82%,
P
= 0.086). Subgroup analysis for GBC patients in T3 stages revealed that laparoscopic approach was associated with less intraoperative bleeding (268.00 ± 57.19 vs. 541.50 ± 101.30,
P
= 0.009), fewer postoperative days of hospital stay (9.87 ± 1.10 vs. 14.90 ± 1.53,
P
= 0.017), and improved 1-year overall survival (
P
= 0.023). Subgroup analysis for GBCs in TNM III and TNM IV stages showed comparable intraoperative parameters and postoperative survival between two groups.
Conclusion
Laparoscopic surgery for GBCs may offer the comparable perioperative outcomes as conventional laparotomy procedure, and tend to be associated with less intraoperative bleeding, faster oral diet recovery, shorter hospital stay, and improved 1-year overall survival.
Increased evidence has shown that exosomes are related to the development of MPE and are correlated with the efficacy of and response to targeted therapy or immunotherapy. Tamiya et al9 reported that ...exosomal miRNA-182 and miRNA-210 could differentiate between benign and malignant cases of lung adenocarcinoma, and they suggested that analysis of MPE-associated exosomes may be a more accurate approach for diagnosing and monitoring lung cancer, as there was no correlation between miRNA expression in serum and pleural effusions. 13 Exosomes derived from MPE are ideal carriers that can overcome the limitations of conventional drugs in several ways: (1) exosomes can be obtained from a variety of sources and are widely distributed throughout the human body; (2) when exosomes are obtained from autologous sources, they have low toxicity and controllable immunogenicity; (3) exosomes can penetrate the blood–brain barrier and transport various substrates to the target site; (4) proteins on the surface of exosome membranes can serve as ligands or receptors, enhancing their targeting ability; and (5) exosomes can also stimulate the immune system through antigen presentation. Proteomic analysis of exosomes isolated from human malignant pleural effusions.
Eight new chromones, engyodontiumones A-H (1-8), and three new phenol derivatives (9-11) together with eight known polyketides (12-19) were isolated from the deep-sea-derived fungus Engyodontium ...album DFFSCS021. Their structures were identified by extensive spectroscopic analysis. Compounds 8 and 16 showed significant selective cytotoxicity against human histiocytic lymphoma U937 cell line with IC50 values of 4.9 and 8.8 μM, respectively. In addition, this is the first time to report that 8, 15 and 16 had mild antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis, and 15 showed potent antilarval activity against barnacle Balanus amphitrite larval settlement.
Entropy measures the randomness or uncertainty of a stochastic process, and the entropy rate refers to the limit of the time average of entropy. The generalized entropy rate in the form of delayed ...averages can overcome the redundancy of initial information while ensuring stationarity. Therefore, it has better practical value. A Hidden Markov Model (HMM) contains two stochastic processes, a stochastic process in which all states can be observed and a Markov chain in which all states cannot be observed. The entropy rate is an important characteristic of HMMs. The transition matrix of a homogeneous HMM is unique, while a Nonhomogeneous Hidden Markov Model (NHMM) requires the transition matrices to be dependent on time variables. From the perspective of model structure, NHMMs are novel extensions of homogeneous HMMs. In this paper, the concepts of the generalized entropy rate and NHMMs are defined and fully explained, a strong limit theorem and limit properties of a norm are presented, and then generalized entropy ergodic theorems with an almost surely convergence for NHMMs are obtained. These results provide concise formulas for the computation and estimation of the generalized entropy rate for NHMMs.
Functional materials coated on optical fibers have demonstrated great potential for optical gas sensing applications. However, their sensitivity is typically limited to the sub‐parts per million ...(sub‐ppm) range. Here, for the first time a 2D near‐infrared plasmonic tungsten oxide (WOx) enabled ultrasensitive fiber optics gas sensor on a side‐polished D‐shape single mode optical fiber is presented. The plasmon resonance wavelength range of 2D WOx is matched with a conventional telecommunications wavelength of 1550 nm for driving the optical fiber, therefore inducing a strong light–matter interaction. Upon the surface adsorption of gas molecules, free electrons in the 2D WOx body are redistributed changing the plasmon resonance properties and hence the transmission through the optical fiber. The sensor is selectively responsive to NO2 at concentrations down to 44 parts per billion (ppb) with a limit of detection of 8 ppb at a relatively low elevated temperature. Such an excellent sensing performance is significantly improved over the previously reported fiber optics NO2 sensors, which suggests the integration of 2D plasmonic degenerated semiconductors as a viable approach to develop high‐performance fiber optics gas sensors.
A 2D near‐infrared plasmonic tungsten oxide enabled ultrasensitive fiber optics gas sensor on a side‐polished D‐shape single mode optical fiber is presented. The sensor is selectively responsive to NO2 at concentrations down to 44 parts per billion (ppb) with a limit of detection of 8 ppb.
Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease that can cause skin barrier function damage. Although co-incubation with docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) exerts a positive effect on deficient ...skin models, no studies have investigated the effects of topical treatment with DHA in an inflammatory reconstructed human epidermis (RHE) model. The effects of DHA on monolayer normal human epidermal keratinocyte (NHEK) cells were evaluated using cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8), real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The skin-related barrier function was assessed using hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, Western blot (WB), immunohistofluorescence (IF), and ELISA in normal and inflammatory RHE models. Docosahexaenoic acid upregulated filaggrin and loricrin expression at mRNA levels in addition to suppressing overexpression of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-α (IL-1α), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) stimulated by polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (poly I:C) plus lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (stimulation cocktail) in cultured NHEK cells. After topical treatment with DHA, cocktail-induced inflammatory characteristics of skin diseases, including barrier morphology, differentiation proteins, and thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) secretion, were alleviated in RHE models. Supplementation with DHA can improve related barrier function and have anti-inflammation effects in monolayer keratinocytes and RHE models, which indicates that DHA may have potential value for the treatment of inflammation-associated skin diseases.
Background
To provide real‐world outcomes for the combination of etoposide and platinum as a first‐line treatment for advanced thymic neuroendocrine neoplasms (TNENs).
Methods
Retrospective analysis ...was performed on patients with advanced TNENs confirmed by pathology who received etoposide combined with platinum as a first‐line chemotherapy in our institution between 2010 and 2022.
Results
A total of 16 patients were included in this study. Twelve patients (75%) received etoposide combined with cisplatin, and four patients (25%) received etoposide combined with carboplatin. Efficacy was evaluated in all patients, with an objective response rate of 31.3%. One patient achieved a complete response, four achieved a partial response, and in eight patients the disease remained stable; the disease control rate was 81.3%. The median progression‐free survival (PFS) was 7.2 months with a 95% confidence interval (CI) of 2.1–12.3 months. The median overall survival (OS) was 50.4 months with a 95% CI of 32.1–68.8 months. No significant difference in efficacy was observed between the treatment groups with regards to PFS (p = 0.095) and OS (p = 0.061). Treatment‐related adverse events were observed in all 12 patients when evaluated for toxicity, manifesting as hematologic toxicity. Grade 3–4 bone marrow suppression occurred in six patients (50%). No treatment‐related deaths were recorded.
Conclusion
This retrospective analysis, conducted in a real‐life setting, suggests that the combination of etoposide and platinum has a promising anti‐tumor activity in advanced TNENs, with a clinically significant overall response rate.
It is urgent to identify novel early diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets for non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), which accounts for 85% of lung cancer cases and has a 5-year survival rate of ...4-17%. Here, chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) was used to identify DNA‒protein interactions, RNA methylation was determined by methylated RNA immunoprecipitation (MeRIP), RNA stability was tested by an RNA decay assay. We showed that RAD21, a member of the cohesin complex, is upregulated in NSCLC tissues and cell lines and found to be an independent prognostic factor for overall survival (OS) of NSCLC patients. Mechanistically, the cohesin loading factor Nipped-B-Like Protein (NIPBL) promoted RAD21 gene transcription by enhancing histone H3 lysine 27 (H3K27) demethylation via recruiting lysine demethylase 6B (KDM6B) to the RAD21 gene promoter. RAD21 enhanced phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) gene transcription, and NIPBL reversed the effect of enhancer of zeste 2; catalytic subunit of polycomb repressive complex 2 (EZH2) on RAD21-mediated PI3K gene transcription by disrupting the association between EZH2 and RAD21. Moreover, NIPBL level was increased by stabilization of its transcripts through mRNA methylation. These findings highlight the oncogenic role of RAD21 in NSCLC and suggest its use as a potential diagnostic marker and therapeutic target for NSCLC.
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