Marketing Mix Modelling Using Multi-objective Hyperparameter Optimization

Marketing mix modelling (MMM) is an important technique in marketing measurement to define effectiveness and efficiency of marketing investment. MMM is a complex combination of various statistical models and data transformation functions. Traditional MMM is subject to analyst bias and is slow and expensive. This disclosure describes automated techniques that reduce the analyst bias in MMM and make the model building process fast, flexible, and inexpensive. The techniques described in this disclosure overcome analyst bias through a multi-objective hyperparameter optimization that is achieved by using an evolutionary algorithm

Risk of Multiple Myeloma In Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Meta-Analysis of Case-Control and Cohort Studies

Multiple myeloma is a malignant neoplasm of plasma cells mainly affecting elderly patients. Despite the wealth of information available on therapeutic strategies, the etiology and pathogenesis of myeloma remain unclear. In the current study, a meta-analysis was conducted to assess the possible association between rheumatoid arthritis and myeloma

Review of recent developments in stimulated emission depletion microscopy: applications on cell imaging

Stimulated emission depletion (STED) microscopy is one type of far-field optical technique demonstrated to provide subdiffraction resolution. STED microscopy utilizes a donut-shaped depletion beam to limit the probe volume to be much smaller than a diffraction-limited spot. Resolutions as small as a few tens of nanometers laterally are reported for cell analysis. The different versions of STED microscopes are described and contrasted in terms of their applicability for biological imaging. Finally, we suggest likely avenues for improving the performance and increasing the utility of STED microscopy

Endometrial microbiota alteration in female patients with endometrial polyps based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis

IntroductionThe potential role of the endometrial microbiota in the pathogenesis of endometrial polyps (EPs) warrants further investigation, given the current landscape of limited and inconclusive research findings. We aimed to explore the microecological characteristics of the uterine cavity in patients with EPs and investigate the potential of endometrial microbiota species as novel biomarkers for identifying EPs.MethodsEndometrial samples were collected from 225 patients who underwent hysteroscopies, of whom 167 had EPs, whereas 58 had non- hyperproliferative endometrium status. The endometrial microbiota was assessed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. We characterized the endometrial microbiota and identified microbial biomarkers for predicting EPs.ResultsThe endometrial microbial diversity and composition were significantly different between the EP and control groups. Predictive functional analyses of the endometrial microbiota demonstrated significant alterations in pathways involved in sphingolipid metabolism, steroid hormone biosynthesis, and apoptosis between the two groups. Moreover, a classification model based on endometrial microbial ASV-based biomarkers along with the presence of abnormal uterine bleeding symptoms achieved powerful classification potential in identifying EPs in both the discovery and validation cohorts.ConclusionOur study indicates a potential association between altered endometrial microbiota and EPs. Endometrial microbiota-based biomarkers may prove valuable for the diagnosis of EPs.Clinical trial registrationChinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2100052746)

Single Cell Optical Imaging and Spectroscopy

In his 1665 treatise, Micrographia, Robert Hooke described the many observations he had made using a microscope, including compartment-like structures in cork samples that he termed “cells

Near Infrared Light Activates Molecular Nanomachines to Drill Into and Kill Cells

Using two-photon excitation (2PE), molecular nanomachines (MNMs) are able to drill through cell membranes and kill the cells. This avoids the use of the more damaging ultraviolet (UV) light that has been used formerly to induce this nanomechanical cell-killing effect. Since 2PE is inherently confocal, enormous precision can be realized. The MNMs can be targeted to specific cell surfaces through peptide addends. Further, the efficacy was verified through controlled opening of synthetic bilayer vesicles using the 2PE excitation of MNM that had been trapped within the vesicles

Molecular machines open cell membranes

Beyond the more common chemical delivery strategies, several physical techniques are used to open the lipid bilayers of cellular membranes. These include using electric and magnetic fields, temperature, ultrasound or light to introduce compounds into cells, to release molecular species from cells or to selectively induce programmed cell death (apoptosis) or uncontrolled cell death (necrosis). More recently, molecular motors and switches that can change their conformation in a controlled manner in response to external stimuli have been used to produce mechanical actions on tissue for biomedical applications. Here we show that molecular machines can drill through cellular bilayers using their molecular-scale actuation, specifically nanomechanical action. Upon physical adsorption of the molecular motors onto lipid bilayers and subsequent activation of the motors using ultraviolet light, holes are drilled in the cell membranes. We designed molecular motors and complementary experimental protocols that use nanomechanical action to induce the diffusion of chemical species out of synthetic vesicles, to enhance the diffusion of traceable molecular machines into and within live cells, to induce necrosis and to introduce chemical species into live cells. We also show that, by using molecular machines that bear short peptide addends, nanomechanical action can selectively target specific cell-surface recognition sites. Beyond the in vitroapplications demonstrated here, we expect that molecular machines could also be used in vivo, especially as their design progresses to allow two-photon, near-infrared and radio-frequency activation