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Uncertainty is a key problem in remaining useful life (RUL) prediction, and measures to reduce uncertainty are necessary to make RUL prediction truly practical. In this paper, a right-time prediction method is proposed to reduce the prognostics uncertainty of mechanical systems under unobservable degradation. Correspondingly, the whole RUL prediction process is divided into three parts, including offline modelling, online state estimating and online life predicting. In the offline modelling part, hidden Markov model (HMM) and proportional hazard model (PHM) are built to map the whole degradation path. During operation, the degradation state of the object is estimated in real time. Once the last degradation state reached, the degradation characteristics are extracted, and the survival function is obtained with the fitted PHM. The proposed method is demonstrated on an engine dataset and shows higher accuracy than traditional method. By fusing the extracted degradation characteristics, the obtained survival function can be basis for optimal maintenance with lower uncertainty.

Inflammation plays an important role in heart failure and diabetes mellitus. Traditional serum markers have limited predictive value in heart failure and diabetes. TNFR1 and TNFR2 (TNFR1/2) have been proven to be strongly associated with heart failure and diabetes complications. This study aimed to assess the association of sTNFR1 and sTNFR2 levels and incidental HF risk in diabetes patients.We detected the mRNA, protein, and serum expression of TNFR1/2, their downstream signaling pathway protein NF-kB, and JNK expression and some traditional serum inflammatory markers in a heart failure group without diabetes mellitus or abnormal glucose tolerance (n = 84), a diabetes mellitus group without heart failure (n = 86), and a heart failure with diabetes mellitus group (n = 86).TNFR1/2 were significantly higher in patients with heart failure and diabetes mellitus based on mRNA expression to protein expression and serum expression. However, there were no differences in mRNA, protein, and serum levels of TNFR1/2 between the HF group and DM group. Furthermore, there were no differences between the groups in some traditional serum inflammatory markers.This study demonstrated higher expressions of TNFR, NF-kB, and JNK in patients with heart failure and diabetes mellitus. Compared with traditional serum markers, TNFR1 and TNFR2 are associated with heart failure risk in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients.

This study investigated a mass-transfer process of the removal of SO 2 from simulated flue gas by corona discharge combined with Mn 2+ catalysis in wet reactor, including gas migration, liquid phase diffusion, and chemical reaction. The novelty formula of desulphurization efficiency and the flow rate of flue gas, discharge voltage, reaction enhancement factor, and the flow rate of water were established. It is reported that desulphurization efficiency remarkably increased with the increasing of enhancement factor and discharge voltage at 4000 mg m −3 of SO 2 and 0.05 m 3 s −1 of gas flow rate. However, the desulphurization efficiency had a slightly increase with the increasing of water flow rate. It is realizable that the energy consumption could be reduced to be lower than 0.3 kJ m −3 , which was acceptable for industrial application. The experimental data were well in accord with the calculated results of theoretical model.

In-stent restenosis is still a clinic trouble for percutaneous coronary intervention in drug-stent era. The molecular basis of restenosis is intensively associated with inflammation. TLR3 and TLR4 as innate immune factors have been proven to play a key role in atherosclerosis disease. The aim of this study is to study the TLR3 and TLR4 expressions and their downstream signaling proteins in the inflammatory process of restenosis after drug-stent therapy. mRNA and protein expression of TLR3 and TLR4 were detected in peripheral blood monocytes of primary group (n = 38), N-ISR group (n = 36) and ISR group (n = 33). Some inflammatory factors (including TLR3 and TLR4) were evaluated in serum of three groups. mRNA and protein expression of TLR3 and TLR4 and their downstream signaling proteins have shown a higher level in restenosis patients than non-restenosis patients and even primary patients who accepted first stent therapy. In serum, different from some nonspecific and downstream inflammatory factors, TLR3 and TLR4 also show a significantly higher level in ISR group compared with N-ISR group and primary group. This study provides a potential clinical biomarker for in-stent restenosis in drug-stent patients and some interesting data about the role of TLRs and their downstream signaling factors in the inflammatory process of in-stent restenosis. Compared with first stent therapy and non-restenosis patients, it is hopeful that TLR3 and TLR4 are potential noninvasive biomarkers in prognosis restenosis.

This study investigated a mass-transfer process of the removal of SO₂ from simulated flue gas by corona discharge combined with Mn(2+) catalysis in wet reactor, including gas migration, liquid phase diffusion, and chemical reaction. The novelty formula of desulphurization efficiency and the flow rate of flue gas, discharge voltage, reaction enhancement factor, and the flow rate of water were established. It is reported that desulphurization efficiency remarkably increased with the increasing of enhancement factor and discharge voltage at 4000 mg m(-3) of SO₂ and 0.05 m(3)s(-1) of gas flow rate. However, the desulphurization efficiency had a slightly increase with the increasing of water flow rate. It is realizable that the energy consumption could be reduced to be lower than 0.3 kJ m(-3), which was acceptable for industrial application. The experimental data were well in accord with the calculated results of theoretical model.

Publisher Summary This chapter presents the structure characteristics and operating principle of cyclone impulse electrostatic precipitation (CIESP) and the solid–gas separation mechanism of CIESP. CIESP combines merits of cyclone precipitation and electrostatic precipitation, which is widely applied in environmental protection. Cyclone has simple structure and low cost but has poor collection efficiency, especially for fine particles. Electrostatic precipitation has good collection efficiency but consumes much steel and cost. When airflow with particles passes CIESP with high-voltage impulse electrostatic field, the particles are separated from gas for composite effects made by centrifugal force and impulse electrostatic force. The chapter also presents the hydromechanics equation of particle in solid–gas separation. The application experiment of CIESP on cleaning molecular gas in catalyst factory is explained emphatically. CIESP is very suitable to clean viscous molecular gas in catalyst factory, has high overall collection efficiency, and the migration velocity is approximately two times more than the electrostatic precipitation, up to 0.15-0.18m/s.

Publisher Summary This chapter presents the history of pulse energization for electrostatic precipitations, the principle of pulse energization, and the development of a new pulse energization for Electrostatic precipitation (ESP) and its test on electrical and dust performance in ESP. ESP has been applied widely in environmental protection. Successful ESP depends critically upon the method, quality, and control of electrical energization properly applied. Earlier, the alternating current transformer and the synchronous mechanical rectifier were applied to an adequate high-voltage power supply for ESP. The conventional direct current power supply is applied broadly in ESP, but there are some problems—such as, back corona, which decreases collection efficiency and effects operation, especially for high-resistivity ash. The new pulse energization is different from formerly pulse energization, in which pulse is yielded in high voltage of transformer. The new pulse is yielded in low voltage of transformer and then is boosted and rectified by vertoro. Pulse width is in the range 0.1-10 μs, pulse amplitude is from 1.1 to 2 times of the base DC voltage, and pulse repetition rate is in the range 50-100 pps. Output base voltage is in the range 50-120 kv and is continuous and adjustable. It is concluded from experiments and applications that the distribution of collecting plate current density on ESP is more uniform, derating of dust concentration at exit with pulsing in the range 50.4-79.6% in contrast to DC power supplies under identical gas factors.