Fusion of Audio and Vibration Signals for Bearing Fault Diagnosis Based on a Quadratic Convolution Neural Network.

In this paper, a quadratic convolution neural network (QCNN) using both audio and vibration signals is utilized for bearing fault diagnosis. Specifically, to make use of multi-modal information for bearing fault diagnosis, the audio and vibration signals are first fused together using a 1 × 1 convolution. Then, a quadratic convolution neural network is applied for the fusion feature extraction. Finally, a decision module is designed for fault classification. The proposed method utilizes the complementary information of audio and vibration signals, and is insensitive to noise. The experimental results show that the accuracy of the proposed method can achieve high accuracies for both single and multiple bearing fault diagnosis in the noisy situations. Moreover, the combination of two-modal data helps improve the performance under all conditions.

Cordyceps sinensis Promotes the Growth of Prostate Cancer Cells.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to test whether Cordyceps sinensis (CS), the most expensive Asian nutrient supplement might stimulate growth of prostate cancer cells. METHODS: Impact of CS on growth of prostate cancer was determined in vivo and in vitro. RESULTS: Firstly, the serum testosterone level was significantly elevated in mice fed CS. Prostate glands were significantly enlarged (weight index 0.53 ± 0.04 mg/g vs. 0.31 ± 0.04 mg/g, P = 0.006). Furthermore, cell viability was increased twofold in the androgen-responsive prostate cancer cell line (VCaP) after CS treatment. This promoting effect disappeared after bicalutamide was added. In addition, serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in mice bearing VCaP xenografts was significantly elevated (0.66 ± 0.04 ng/ml vs. 0.26 ± 0.06 ng/ml, P < 0.001) after treatment with CS. Finally, VCaP tumors in mice treated with CS grew much faster (479.2 ± 78.74 mm3 vs. 283 ± 58.97 mm3, P = 0.074). However, the above promoting effects of CS were not observed in parallel studies using the PC-3 cell line which lacks AR expression. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that CS promotes growth of prostate cancer cells by increasing production of testosterone and stimulating the AR-dependent pathway. Additional studies are required to see whether CS is safely consumed by patients with prostate cancer.

Pim-2 Modulates Aerobic Glycolysis and Energy Production during the Development of Colorectal Tumors.

Tumor cells have higher rates of glucose uptake and aerobic glycolysis to meet energy demands for proliferation and metastasis. The characteristics of increased glucose uptake, accompanied with aerobic glycolysis, has been exploited for the diagnosis of cancers. Although much progress has been made, the mechanisms regulating tumor aerobic glycolysis and energy production are still not fully understood. Here, we demonstrate that Pim-2 is required for glycolysis and energy production in colorectal tumor cells. Our results show that Pim-2 is highly expressed in colorectal tumor cells, and may be induced by nutrient stimulation. Activation of Pim-2 in colorectal cells led to increase glucose utilization and aerobic glycolysis, as well as energy production. While knockdown of Pim-2 decreased energy production in colorectal tumor cells and increased their susceptibility to apoptosis. Moreover, the effects of Pim-2 kinase on aerobic glycolysis seem to be partly dependent on mTORC1 signaling, because inhibition of mTORC1 activity reversed the aerobic glycolysis mediated by Pim-2. Our findings suggest that Pim-2-mediated aerobic glycolysis is critical for monitoring Warburg effect in colorectal tumor cells, highlighting Pim-2 as a potential metabolic target for colorectal tumor therapy.

[Long-term effect and safety of non-occlusive intra-vas device for male contraception].

OBJECTIVE: To assess the long-term effect and safety of non-occlusive intra-vas device (IVD) for male contraception in comparison with no-scalpel vasectomy (NSV). METHODS: We conducted a follow-up investigation on 100 males who had received IVD and another 50 who had undergone NSV 6 years before. We compared the rates of sperm absence and complications between the two groups. RESULTS: Follow-up visits were successfully performed on 95 males (95%) of the IVD group and 44 (88%) of the NSV group. Pregnancy was not found in any of the cases. Spermatozoa (> or = 5 x 10(6)/ml) were not detected in 87 cases (91.58%) in the IVD group and in 44 cases (95.45%) in the NSV group, with no significant differences between the two groups (P > 0.05). The rate of postoperative complications in the IVD group (11.58%) showed no significant difference from that of the NSV group (4.55%) (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: IVD is as effective and safe as NSV for male contraception.

In vitro inhibition of Huanglian [Rhizoma coptidis (L.)] and its six active alkaloids on six cytochrome P450 isoforms in human liver microsomes.

Huanglian (Rhizoma Coptidis) as a popular herb has been used for the treatment of various diseases such as diarrhea, eye inflammation and women's abdominal ailments. Alkaloids are considered to be responsible for its pharmacological effects. In this investigation, Huanglian and its six alkaloids (coptisine, epiberberine, berberine, jateorrhizine, palmatine and magnoflorine) were systematically evaluated for their inhibition of six cytochrome P450 isoforms (CYP1A2, CYP2C8, CYP2C9, CYP2C19, CYP2D6 and CYP3A4) in human liver microsomes by the LC-MS/MS method. Huanglian showed the strongest inhibition of CYP2D6, followed by CYP1A2 and CYP3A4_T. The IC50 values were 5.8 µg/mL, 36.8 µg/mL and 59.2 µg/mL, respectively. Of the constituents tested, coptisine and epiberberine showed strong inhibition of CYP2D6 with IC50 values of 4.4 µM and 7.7 µM; berberine, jateorrhizine and palmatine showed weak inhibition of CYP2D6 with IC50 values of 45.5 µM, 49.4 µM and 92.6 µM, respectively; jateorrhizine showed moderate inhibition of CYP3A4_T with an IC50 value of 13.3 µM; coptisine showed weak inhibition of CYP1A2 with an IC50 value of 37.3 µM. In addition, activation was observed in coptisine/CYP2C9 and palmatine/CYP2C9/CYP2C19. Other CYP450 isoforms were not affected markedly by the six alkaloids. In conclusion, Huanglian showed in vitro inhibition of CYP2D6, the inhibition might be contributed mostly by protoberberine alkaloids, especially coptisine and epiberberine. Herb-drug interactions may occur through the CYP2D6 inhibition.

[Effect of qihuang decoction on mRNA expressions of Bcl-2, Bax, and Caspase-3, 9 in intestinal mucosa epithelium of ischemia/reperfusion injured rats].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of Qihuang Decoction (QHD) on mRNA expression of apoptosis genes Bcl-2, Bax, and signal transduction molecules Caspase-3, 9 in intestinal mucosa epithelium of ischemia/ reperfusion (I/R) injured rats. METHODS: Forty Wistar rats were randomized equally into 4 groups, the control group, the model group, the glutamine group, and the QHD group. Rats in the latter two groups were gastric infused with glutamine and QHD respectively for 3 days, but saline was infused instead to rats in the control group and model group. After then, except those in the control group intervened only by sham operation, rats were made into I/R injured model by 45 min occlusion of superior mesenteric artery followed by 1 h reperfusion. Immediately after modeling, mRNA expressions of Bcl-2, Bax, Caspase-3, and Caspase-9 in intestinal mucosa epithelium of rats were detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). RESULTS: Compared with the control group, mRNA expressions of Bcl-2, Bax, Caspase-3 and Caspase-9 were higher in the other three groups (P < 0.05). Compared with the model group, Bcl-2 mRNA expression was higher, while the expressions of the other three indices were lower in both the glutamine group and the QHD group (P < 0.05); and comparisons between the glutamine group and the QHD group showed a more depressed Bax mRNA expression (0.281 +/- 0.087 vs 0.350 +/- 0.053) and higher Bcl-2/Bax ratio (1.648 vs 1. 374) in the QHD group. CONCLUSIONS: QHD can reduce the I/R injury in the intestinal mucosa epithelium by inhibiting the cell apoptosis. The mechanism may be correlated with increased Bcl-2 mRNA expressions and decreased mRNA expressions of Bax, Caspase-3 and Caspase-9.

[Effect of qihuang decoction on epithelial cell apoptosis of ischemia/reperfusion injured intestinal mucosa in rat].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of Qihuang Decoction (QHD) on epithelial cell apoptosis of ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injured intestinal mucosa in rat. METHODS: The I/R injured intestinal mucosa rat model was established by clamping superior mesenteric artery (SMA) for 45 min and reperfusing for 60 min. The pathomorphological Changes and epithelial cell apoptosis in the injured intestinal mucosa were observed and compared among groups: the sham-operated group (A), the model group (B), the glutamine treated group (C) and the QHD treated group (D). RESULTS: pathomorphological examination showed that in group A, the intestinal villus was intact; in group B, the intestinal subepithelial space were dilated, and showed evident cleavage between the epithelial top and the lamina propria with bare capillaries, bleeding and ulceration; in group C and D, the above-mentioned pathomorphological changes were alleviated to some extents, appeared only in part of the villa, and the alleviation was more significant in group D than in group C. Chiu's scoring showed that the lowest score (zero) presented in group A and the highest presented in group B; scores in group C and D was significantly lower than that in group B (P < 0.05), but showed insignificant difference between the two groups (P > 0.05). Epithelial cell apoptosis detection showed that the least apoptosis rate presented in group A, and the highest in the group B; while in the group C, it lied between group A and B (all P < 0.05), and showed no statistical significance to group D (P > 0.05), though appeared a lowering trend. CONCLUSION: QHD could reduce the I/R injured intestinal epithelial mucosa, and its protective mechanism may be related to the inhibition on apoptosis of intestinal mucosal epithelial cells.

Comparing the efficacy of induction-concurrent with concurrent-adjuvant chemotherapy in locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma: a propensity score matching analysis.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to compare the efficacy of induction-concurrent (IC-CCRT) with concurrent-adjuvant (CCRT-AC) chemotherapy in patients with locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (LA-NPC) treated by intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data on 834 patients with newly diagnosed, non-metastatic stage III-IVA (except T3N0) NPC receiving either IC-CCRT or CCRT-AC between July, 2004 and December, 2014 were retrospectively reviewed. Propensity score matching (PSM) method was adopted to balance prognostic factors and match patients. Survival outcomes of matched patients between IC-CCRT and CCRT-AC were compared. RESULTS: The median follow-up duration is 45.2 months (range, 1.07-145.4 months). Overall, 309 pairs were selected by PSM. Univariate analysis revealed the CCRT-AC group achieved significantly higher 3-year DFS (83.9% vs. 78.7 %; P = 0.014) and OS (87.6% vs. 87.0%; P = 0.031). Multivariate analysis also identified treatment group (IC-CCRT vs. CCRT-AC) as an independent prognostic factor for 3-year DFS (HR, 1.546; 95% CI, 1.113-2.149; P = 0.009) and OS (HR, 1.487; 95% CI, 1.035-2.136; P = 0.032). Subgroup analysis revealed IC-CCRT was a protective factor for DMFS (HR, 0.145; 95% CI, 0.043-0.488; P = 0.002) in stage III disease; however, it could adversely affected DFS (HR, 2.009; 95% CI, 1.316-3.065; P = 0.001), OS (HR, 1.671; 95% CI, 1.060-2.636; P = 0.027) and DMFS (HR, 1.986; 95% CI, 1.155-3.416; P = 0.013) in stage IVA disease. CONCLUSIONS: CCRT-AC may be a more effective treatment modality in patients with stage IVA NPC disease, while IC-CCRT was superior in stage III disease.

Prognostic value of chemotherapy in addition to concurrent chemoradiotherapy in T3-4N0-1 nasopharyngeal carcinoma: a propensity score matching study.

PURPOSE: The objective of this study is to evaluate the contribution of induction (IC) or adjuvant (AC) chemotherapy additional to concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) for patients with T3-4N0-1 nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) in the era of intensity-modulate radiotherapy (IMRT). METHOD AND MATERIALS: We retrospectively reviewed the data on 685 patients with newly diagnosed T3-4N0-1 NPC. Propensity score matching (PSM) method was used to match patients. Survival outcomes between different groups were calculated by Kaplan-Meier method and compared using log-rank test. Cox proportional hazard model was adopted to establish independent prognostic factors. RESULTS: In total, 236 pairs were selected from the primary cohort. Univariate analysis revealed 3-year overall survival (OS) (90.8% vs. 90.3%, P = 0.820), distant failure-free survival (DFFS) (87.3% vs. 89.4%, P = 0.896) and locoregional failure-free survival (LRFFS) (95.4% vs. 93.0%, P = 0.311) rates were comparable between CCRT plus IC/AC and CCRT alone groups. Multivariate analysis found that treatment group was not an independent prognostic factors for OS (HR, 0.964; 95% CI, 0.620-1.499; P = 0.869), DFFS (HR, 1.036; 95% CI, 0.626-1.714; P = 0.890) and LRFFS (HR, 0.670; 95% CI, 0.338-1.327; P = 0.250). Further subgroup analysis according to overall stage also obtained similar results. CONCLUSION: Patients with T3-4N0-1 NPC receiving CCRT could not benefit from additional induction or adjuvant chemotherapy in the era of IMRT.

[MOA spectral analysis of additive element contents in lube oil].

The determination of the additive contents of marine lubrication oil by using atomic emission spectrometry is described. A new measuring method is suggested in accordance with the working principle of MOA atomic emission spectral instrument. The additive element contents, if not within the precision limits of MOA atomic emission spectra, are to be measured by being diluted with a standard oil. Error analysis is conducted and the calibration curve method is used. The testing result indicates that the RSD of Ca, P and Zn is 1.6%, 4.8% and 4.6% respectively, and the error result of oil sample before and after diluting is 4.21%, 6.99% and 5.09% respectively.

MicroRNA-19b-3p regulates nasopharyngeal carcinoma radiosensitivity by targeting TNFAIP3/NF-κB axis.

BACKGROUND: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is among the most common squamous cell carcinoma in South China and Southeast Asia. Radiotherapy is the primary treatment for NPC. However, radioresistance acts as a significant factor that limits the efficacy of radiotherapy for NPC patients. Growing evidence supports that microRNAs (miRNAs) play an important role in radiation response. METHODS: Real-time quantitative PCR was used to analyze the expression of miR-19b-3p in NPC cell lines and NP69. miR-19b-3p expression profiles in NPC tissues were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. The effect of miR-19b-3p on radiosensitivity was evaluated by cell viability assays, colony formation assays and in vivo experiment. Apoptosis and cell cycle were examined by flow cytometry. Luciferase reporter assay was used to assess the target genes of miR-19b-3p. Expression of target proteins and downstream molecules were analyzed by Western blot. RESULTS: miR-19b-3p was upregulated in NPC and served as an independent predictor for reduced patient survival. Radioresponse assays showed that miR-19b-3p overexpression resulted in decreased sensitivity to irradiation, whereas miR-19b-3p downregulation resulted in increased sensitivity to irradiation in vitro. Moreover, miR-19b-3p decreased the sensitivity of NPC cells to irradiation in vivo. Luciferase reporter assay confirmed that TNFAIP3 was a direct target gene of miR-19b-3p. Knockdown of TNFAIP3 reduced sensitivity to irradiation, whereas upregulation of TNFAIP3 expression reversed the inhibitory effects of miR-19b-3p on NPC cell radiosensitivity. Mechanistically, we found that miR-19b-3p increased NPC cell radioresistance by activating the TNFAIP3/ NF-κB axis. CONCLUSIONS: miR-19b-3p contributes to the radioresistance of NPC by activating the TNFAIP3/ NF-κB axis. miR-19b-3p is a determinant of NPC radioresponse and may serve as a potential therapeutic target in NPC treatment.

[Study on the characteristic parameter of oil spectrometric analysis].

This paper establishes a new mathematics model of fault diagnosis basis of oil spectrometric analysis by means of long time following up the mechanical equipment's lubrication oil. The characteristic parameter of oil spectrometric analysis has been confirmed using a new way that the laboratory experiment study and the mechanical equipment's lubrication oil spectrometric analysis are combined in order to confirm the time of fault and avoid serious fault. It will provide the academic and actual basis for RCM and enhance the dependability. The result of examples proves that the characteristic parameter of oil spectrometric analysis has very high stability and veracity. This method has been proved that it was effective in fault diagnosis basis of oil spectrometric analysis.

Inhibitory effects of limonin on six human cytochrome P450 enzymes and P-glycoprotein in vitro.

Among the various possible causes for drug interactions, pharmacokinetic factors such as inhibition of drug-metabolizing enzymes and transporters, especially cytochrome P450 (CYP) isoenzymes and P-glycoprotein (P-gp), are regarded as the most frequent and clinically important. Limonin is a widely used dietary supplement and one of the most prevalent citrus limonoids, which are known to have inhibitory effects on CYPs and P-gp. In this study, the in vitro inhibitory effects of limonin on the major human CYP isoenzymes (CYP1A2, CYP2C8, CYP2C9, CYP2C19, CYP2D6, and CYP3A4) activities in human liver microsomes were examined using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The inhibitory effects of limonin on P-gp activity in a human metastatic malignant melanoma cell line WM-266-4 were examined using a calcein-AM fluorometry screening assay. It demonstrates that limonin has negligible inhibitory effects on human CYP1A2, CYP2C8, CYP2C9, CYP2C19, CYP2D6, and P-gp. However, potent inhibition of CYP3A4 by limonin is observed with IC50 values of 6.20 µM (CYP3A4/testosterone) and 19.10 µM (CYP3A4/midazolam). This finding has important implications with regard to food-drug interactions between limonin and several narrow therapeutic index drugs that are metabolized by CYP3A4.

[Expressions and clinical implications of kruppel-like factor 6 and APC in human colorectal carcinoma].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expressions and clinical implications of kruppel-like factor 6(KLF-6) and APC in human colorectal carcinoma. METHODS: The expressions of KLF-6 and APC in tumor and normal tissues from 32 patients with colorectal carcinoma were investigated by RT-PCR and immunohistochemical technique. RESULTS: The expression rates of KLF-6 and APC mRNA were 37.5% and 34.3% in tumor tissue, 96.9% and 93.8% respectively in normal tissues (both P< 0.05). The expression rates of KLF-6 and APC protein were 28.1% and 25.0% in colorectal carcinomas, 81.3% and 84.43% respectively in normal tissues (both P< 0.05). There was a significant correlation between the expressions of KLF-6 and APC in colorectal carcinomas (P < 0.05). The expressions of KLF-6 and APC were significantly correlated with tumor differentiation, depth of infiltration, lymph node metastasis and clinical stage (P< 0.05). CONCLUSION: Down-regulations of KLF-6 and APC might play an important role in the carcinogenesis, development, metastasis of human colorectal carcinoma.