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Objective To investigate the prognostic value of fluroine-18 fluorodexyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT) semi-quantitative parameter in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM) and to design a new staging system including 18F-FDG PET/CT semi-quantitative parameters for NDMM. Methods A total of 38 NDMM patients who underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT examination in Yichang Central People’s Hospital from February 2014 to April 2021 were collected. The relationship between the characteristics of 18F-FDG PET/CT (metabolic tumor volume of all lesions (aMTV), total lesion glycolysis of all lesions (aTLG), maximum standardized uptake values (SUVmax) of the lesion with largest MTV (mSUVmax), extramedullary disease (EMD), focal lesions (FLs)), the laboratory parameters, and prognostic parameters (progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS)) were analyzed retrospectively. SPSS 25.0 statistical software was used for statistical processing, Kaplan–Meier method was used for survival analysis, Log-rank method was used for univariate analysis, and Cox proportional risk model was used for multivariate analysis. Results Univariate analysis showed that aMTV ≥ 90.97cm3, aTLG ≥ 283.31 g, hemoglobin (Hb) p 3, aTLG ≥ 283.31 g, Hb p 3 was an independent risk factor for PFS in NDMM patients, p 3, mSUVmax ≥ 5.8, and the presence of EMD were independent risk factors for OS in the NDMM patients, all p p = 0.000. Conclusion aMTV can predict PFS and OS of NDMM patients better than other parameters. NS which combined with aMTV can predict OS of NDMM patients better and can provide an accurate and simple method for risk stratification of NDMM patients.

This paper proposes a hierarchical optimization energy management strategy (EMS) considering speed profile to explore energy-saving potential and achieve reasonable power distribution for the hybrid propulsion system of a tramway composed of the catenary, a battery pack and an ultracapacitor pack. For the higher layer, a speed profile is optimized in the space domain through a particle swarm optimization algorithm, which balances energy consumption, running time and passenger comfort. For the lower layer, based on the optimized speed profile, an EMS is designed, using dynamic programming. The boundary range calculation of state variables for the dynamic programming is carried out in advance, based on the working mode analysis to reduce the computation load. In addition, a supervisory controller is developed to realise real-time control. Finally, to verify the proposed method, real rail line data in China is used as a case study, and the results show that the proposed method offers better performance.

The wheelset treads and axle box bearings of railway vehicles often suffer from fatigue failures. Their regular maintenance highly depends on manual off-line inspection with low working efficiency and poor precision for early failure detection. This study proposes a fault diagnosis method by band-pass filtering and by enveloping the accelerations collected from the axle box bearing on the underfloor wheelset lathe to improve the maintenance efficiency. This process is followed by the refined phase difference correction using the four-term third derivative Nuttall-windowed fast Fourier transform (RPNWF) to extract accurate amplitudes of the fault characteristic frequency and its harmonics. The integration scheme, work flow, and application examples of the fault diagnosis system are presented. Simulation analysis and results show that the developed method can achieve effective diagnosis of the fault and fault degree of axle box bearings as well as yield better correction accuracy than the commonly used discrete spectrum correction methods.

The increased prevalence of obesity has been a major medical and public health problem in the past decades. In obese status, insulin resistance and sustained oxidative stress damage might give rise to behavioral deficits. The anti-obesity and anti-oxidant effects of allicin have been previously reported in peripheral tissues. In the present study, the functions and mechanisms of allicin involved in the prevention of high-fat diet (HFD)-induced depressive-like behaviors were investigated to better understand the pharmacological activities of allicin. Obese mice (five weeks of age) were treated with allicin (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg) by gavage for 15 weeks and behavioral test (sucrose preference, open field, and tail suspension) were performed. Furthermore, markers of oxidative stress, mitochondrial function, autophagy, and insulin resistance were measured in the hippocampal tissue. Finally, the levels of NADPH oxidase (NOX2, NOX4) and the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) pathway were evaluated in the hippocampus. The body weight, metabolic disorders, and depressive-like behaviors in obese mice were ameliorated by allicin. The depressive-like behaviors presented in the obese mice were accompanied by remarkably excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and oxidative stress, damaged mitochondrial function, imbalanced autophagy, and enhanced insulin resistance in the hippocampus. We found that allicin improved the above undesirable effects in the obese mice. Furthermore, allicin significantly decreased NOX2 and NOX4 levels and activated the Nrf2 pathway. Allicin attenuated depressive-like behaviors triggered by long-term HFD consumption by inhibiting ROS production and oxidative stress, improving mitochondrial function, regulating autophagy, and reducing insulin resistance in the hippocampus via optimization of NOX/Nrf2 imbalance.

A railway vehicle’s key components, such as wheelset treads and axle box bearings, often suffer from fatigue failures. If these faults are not detected and dealt with in time, the running safety of the railway vehicle will be seriously affected. To detect these components’ early failure and extend their fatigue life, a regular maintenance becomes critical. Currently, the regular maintenance of axle box bearings mainly depends on manual off-line inspection, which has low working efficiency and precision of fault diagnosis. In order to improve the maintenance efficiency and effectiveness of railway vehicles, this study proposes a method of integrating the vibration monitoring system of the axle box bearing in the underfloor wheelset lathe, where the integration scheme and work flow of the system are introduced followed by the detailed fault diagnosis method and application examples. Firstly, the band-pass filter and envelope analysis is successively performed on the original signal acquired by an accelerometer. Secondly, the alpha-stable distribution (ASD) and multifractal detrended fluctuation analysis (MFDFA) analysis of the envelope signal are performed, and five characteristic parameters with significant stability and sensitivity are extracted and then brought into the least squares support vectors machine based on particle swarm optimization to determine the state of the bearing quantitatively. Finally, the effectiveness of the method is validated by bench test data. The results demonstrated that the proposed method can accomplish effective diagnosis of axle box bearings’ fault location and fault degree and can yield better diagnosis accuracy than the single method of ASD or MFDFA.

Background Qing brick tea (QBT), traditional and popular beverage for Chinese people, is an important post-fermentation dark tea. Our present study was performed to investigate the ameliorative effects of QBT aqueous extract on metabolic syndrome (Mets) in monosodium glutamate-induced obese mice and the potential mechanisms. Method Monosodium glutamate-induced obese mice were used to evaluate the anti-Mets effects of QBT. Content levels of malonaldehyde (MDA), reactive oxygen species (ROS) and protein carbonylation, antioxidant enzyme activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), catalase (CAT), glutathione reductase (GR) in the skeletal muscle were assessed by commercial kits, respectively. Western blot and Q-PCR were used to detect the expressions of Transcription Factor Nuclear Factor-Erythroid 2-Related Factor 2 (Nrf2) signaling pathway and downstream antioxidant factors. In addition, activity of AKT signaling and expression of glucose transporter type 4 (GLUT4) in the skeletal muscle were investigated by western blot. Result QBT treatment limited gain of body weight, waistline and LEE index, improved insulin resistance and glucose intolerance, reduced lipid level in MSG mice. Content levels of MDA, ROS and protein carbonylation in skeletal muscle of QBT group were significantly improved compared to those of MSG mice. The antioxidant enzyme activities of SOD, GPx, CAT, and GR were increased in skeletal muscle of MSG mice intervened with QBT. After 20-week QBT treatment, Nrf2 signaling pathway and downstream antioxidant factors were both increased in the skeletal muscle. In addition, QBT treatment improved insulin signaling by preferentially augmenting AKT signaling, as well as increased the protein expression of GLUT4 in the skeletal muscle. Conclusion Our results showed that QBT intake was effective in protecting monosodium glutamate-induced obese mice against metabolic syndrome and involved in the Nrf2 signaling pathway in the skeletal muscle.

Background: Studies have reported that depression is associated with increased level of oxidative stress and accompanied with decreased Kelch-like erythroid cell-derived protein with CNC homology-associated protein 1-nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Keap1-Nrf2) signaling pathway. Berberine has been shown to possess properties on protection against neurodegenerative diseases, but its effects on chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) induced depressive such as behaviors and Keap1-Nrf2 signaling pathway are unknown. Objective: This study was designed to evaluate the effect of berberine on CUMS induced depression animal model and investigate the underlying mechanisms. Materials and Methods: We established CUMS depressant rats model and treated CUMS rats with berberine. Sucrose preference test, forced swim test , and tail suspension test were used to measure behavioral changes. We used quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blot to test the levels of cytokines in the hippocampus. Results: We found that CUMS rats displayed obvious depressive-like behaviors. Moreover, berberine treatment prevented depressive behaviors in CUMS rats accompanied with suppression of oxidative stress markers. Further experiments showed that berberine treatment up-regulated the expression of Keap1-Nrf2 antioxidant signaling pathway and its downstream neuroprotective factors. Conclusion: The present results suggested that treatment of berberine significantly ameliorated depressive-like behaviors in CUMS rats and enhanced Keap1-Nrf2 antioxidant signaling pathways in hippocampus. Abbreviations used: MDD: Major depressive disorder; CUMS: Chronic unpredictable mild stress; FST: Forced swim test; TST: Tail suspension test; Keap1: Kelch-like erythroid cell-derived protein with CNC homology-associated protein 1; Nrf2: nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2; ARE: Antioxidant response elements; SOD: Superoxide Dismutase; MDA: Malonic dialdehyde; IMI: Imipramine.