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With the rapid development of railways, especially high-speed railways, there is an increasingly urgent demand for new wireless communication system for railways. Taking the mature 5G technology as an opportunity, 5G-railways (5G-R) have been widely regarded as a solution to meet the diversified demands of railway wireless communications. For the design, deployment and improvement of 5G-R networks, radio communication scenario classification plays an important role, affecting channel modeling and system performance evaluation. In this paper, a standardized radio communication scenario classification, including 18 scenarios, is proposed for 5G-R. This paper analyzes the differences of 5G-R scenarios compared with the traditional cellular networks and GSM-railways, according to 5G-R requirements and the unique physical environment and propagation characteristics. The proposed standardized scenario classification helps deepen the research of 5G-R and promote the development and application of the existing advanced technologies in railways., Comment: 7 pages

We fabricated an ultrasound activated ‘nanobomb’ as a noninvasive and targeted physical therapeutic strategy for sonodynamic therapy and priming cancer immunotherapy. This ‘nanobomb’ was rationally designed via the encapsulation of indocyanine green (ICG) and perfluoropentane (PFP) into cRGD peptide-functionalized nano-liposome. The resulting Lip-ICG-PFP-cRGD nanoparticle linked with cRGD peptide could actively targeted ID8 and TC-1 cells and elicits ROS-mediated apoptosis after triggered by low-intensity focused ultrasound (LIFU). Moreover, the phase change of PFP (from droplets to microbubbles) under LIFU irradiation can produce a large number of microbubbles, which act as intra-tumoral bomber and can detonate explode tumor cells by acoustic cavitation effect. Instant necrosis of tumor cells further induces the release of biologically active damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) to facilitate antitumor immunity. More important, the ‘nanobomb’ in combination with anti-PD-1checkpoint blockade therapy can significantly improve the antitumor efficacy in a subcutaneous model. In addition, the liposomes may also be used as an imaging probe for ultrasound (US) imaging after being irradiated with LIFU. In summary, the US imaging-guided, LIFU activated ROS production and explosion ‘nanobomb’ might significantly improve the antitumor efficacy and overcome drug resistance through combination of SDT and immunotherapy, we believe that this is a promising approach for targeted therapy of solid tumor including ovarian cancer. This ‘nanobomb’ was rationally designed via the encapsulation of ICG and PFP into cRGD peptide-functionalized nano-liposome. The US imaging-guided, LIFU activated ROS production and explosion ‘nanobomb’ can significantly improve anti-cancer efficacy and overcome drug resistance through combination of SDT and immunotherapy.

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) possess the potential for therapeutic targeting to treat many disorders, including cancers. Several RNA-based therapeutics (ASOs and small interfering RNAs) have gained FDA approval over the past decade. And with their potent effects, lncRNA-based therapeutics are of emerging significance. One important lncRNA target is LINC-PINT, with its universalized functions and relationship with the famous tumor suppressor gene TP53. Establishing clinical relevance, much like p53, the tumor suppressor activity of LINC-PINT is implicated in cancer progression. Moreover, several molecular targets of LINC-PINT are directly or indirectly used in routine clinical practice. We further associate LINC-PINT with immune responses in colon adenocarcinoma, proposing the potential utility of LINC-PINT as a novel biomarker of immune checkpoint inhibitors. Collectively, current evidence suggests LINC-PINT can be considered for use as a diagnostic/prognostic marker for cancer and several other diseases.

Objective: Curcumin is a plant polyphenol extracted from the Chinese herb turmeric. It was found that curcumin has good anti-cancer properties in a variety of cancers, but the exact mechanism is not clear. Based on the network pharmacology and molecular docking to deeply investigate the molecular mechanism of curcumin for the treatment of colon cancer, it provides a new research direction for the treatment of colon cancer.Methods: Curcumin-related targets were collected using PharmMapper, SwissTargetPrediction, Targetnet and SuperPred. Colon cancer related targets were obtained using OMIM, DisGeNET, GeneCards and GEO databases. Drug-disease intersection targets were obtained via Venny 2.1.0. GO and KEGG enrichment analysis of drug-disease common targets were performed using DAVID. Construct PPI network graphs of intersecting targets using STRING database as well as Cytoscape 3.9.0 and filter core targets. Molecular docking via AutoDockTools 1.5.7. The core targets were further analyzed by GEPIA, HPA, cBioPortal and TIMER databases.Results: A total of 73 potential targets of curcumin for the treatment of colon cancer were obtained. GO function enrichment analysis yielded 256 entries, including BP(Biological Progress):166, CC(celluar component):36 and MF(Molecular Function):54. The KEGG pathway enrichment analysis yielded 34 signaling pathways, mainly involved in Metabolic pathways, Nucleotide metabolism, Nitrogen metabolism, Drug metabolism - other enzymes, Pathways in cancer,PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, etc. CDK2, HSP90AA1, AURKB, CCNA2, TYMS, CHEK1, AURKA, DNMT1, TOP2A, and TK1 were identified as core targets by Cytoscape 3.9.0. Molecular docking results showed that the binding energies of curcumin to the core targets were all less than 0 kJ-mol-1, suggesting that curcumin binds spontaneously to the core targets. These results were further validated in terms of mRNA expression levels, protein expression levels and immune infiltration.Conclusion: Based on network pharmacology and molecular docking initially revealed that curcumin exerts its therapeutic effects on colon cancer with multi-target, multi-pathway. Curcumin may exert anticancer effects by binding to core targets. Curcumin may interfere with colon cancer cell proliferation and apoptosis by regulating signal transduction pathways such as PI3K-Akt signaling pathway,IL-17 signaling pathway, Cell cycle. This will deepen and enrich our understanding of the potential mechanism of curcumin against colon cancer and provide a theoretical basis for subsequent studies.

In this paper, a four-phase 8/10-pole dual armature-winding variable flux reluctance generator (DAW-VFRG) with double-redundant rectifier circuit is proposed for onboard generator. The proposed generator integrating four-phase VFRG and dual armature winding structure improves fault-tolerant capability and power density. Based on the airgap field harmonics analysis and winding function theory, the no-load back-EMF model and winding inductance model are deduced for determining the optimal stator/rotor pole combination. In addition, based on magnetic energy comparison, the influence of the connection categories between two sets of armature windings and rectifier circuits on output capability is also investigated when the saturation effect is considered. The key design parameters are globally optimized to improve the output capability and fault-tolerant capability simultaneously. Moreover, the electromagnetic performance of the proposed DAW-VFRG under both normal and fault condition is evaluated and compared with single armature-winding VFRG with half bridge rectifier. Finally, two prototypes are manufactured and tested to validate the finite-element predictions.

Hydrogels combining good biocompatibility and super flexibility have attracted tremendous interest in flexible sensors.

The properties and applications of the PDA-rGO/PEDOT:PSS/PAM composite organohydrogel.

Additional file 3: Supplementary Table 2. Distribution of selected Bisphenols and sex hormones in study population, NHANES, USA.

Additional file 4: Supplementary Table 3. Association between Bisphenols and free testosterone among the US males in NHANES 2011–2016.

Additional file 2: Supplementary Table 1. Population Characteristics of participants stratified by BPA in the 2011–2016 continuous NHANES.

Additional file 5: Supplementary Table 4. Association between Bisphenols and Testosterone/estradiol ratio among the US males in NHANES 2011–2016.

Additional file 1: Additional Figures.

Additional file 6: Supplementary Table 5. Stratified Analyses for the association between Bisphenols and free testosterone and Testosterone/estradiol ratio among the US males in NHANES 2011–2016*.

This study aimed to determine whether periodontitis in early pregnancy and periodontal therapy during gestation affect the incidence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) through a population-based clinical study.Subjects without periodontitis at 1-4 weeks of gestation who met our inclusion criteria were enrolled in the non-periodontitis group. Periodontitis patients who agreed or refused to receive periodontal therapy during pregnancy were separately enrolled in the periodontitis treated or untreated group. At 12-16 weeks of gestation, gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) and venous blood were collected for analyses of bacterial species and serum inflammatory mediators, respectively. At 24-28 weeks of gestation, GDM patients were identified by oral glucose tolerance tests. The association tests were performed using Chi-squared statistics and regression analyses.The complete data of 3523 pregnant women were recorded during the study period. GDM incidence among the untreated periodontitis participants (84/749, 11.21%) was significantly higher than that among the non-periodontitis participants (108/2255, 4.79%) (p .05), and periodontal treatment during gestation reduced the incidence from 11.21% (untreated group) to 7.32% (38/519, treated group) (p .05). Based on multiple logistic regression analyses, it was found that periodontitis in early pregnancy was associated with GDM, and three-step regression analyses showed that Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis) and the serum TNF-α and IL-8 levels played a role in the association between untreated periodontitis and GDM. Furthermore, Pearson's correlation test indicated that the existence of P. gingivalis in GCF was positively correlated with high serum levels of these two inflammatory mediators.This study establishes a connection between periodontitis in early pregnancy and GDM and demonstrates that the presence of P. gingivalis is associated with high levels of inflammatory mediators in serum, and thereby may contribute to the development of GDM. In-depth mechanistic studies are needed to further support these findings.

A compact interlinking converter modular (ICM) for hybrid ac/dc microgrids with a distributed storage (DS) bus for storage integration is proposed in this article. The advanced ICM for hybrid ac/dc/ds microgrids involves the nine-switch topology with compact configuration and decreased number of active operating switches, which structurally equivalents to afford a dc interconnection port for dc subgrid, an ac interconnection port for ac subgrid, a ds interconnection port for ds subgrid, and two dc–dc converters for the interconnection ports for parallel DSs. In addition to the popular advantage of component elements saving, the suggested ICM, aggregating various interlinking converter cells (ICCs) into an ICM, is also proficient of participating computations from all ICC sensors to enhance the overall modular performance without building extra communication connection links between ICCs. With this in mind, a decentralized power management control strategy is realized by employing a coordination power control methodology to systematically handle various distributed generations (DGs), DSs, and ICM in a decentralized manner with improved communication fault ride-through capability. The controller hardware-in-the-loop experiments on a real-time digital simulator platform validates the achievement of the advanced ICM application in hybrid ac/dc/ds microgrids and the effectiveness of the associated decentralized power management scheme.

ObjectiveThe interleukin (IL)-12 cytokine family is closely related to the development of T helper cells, which are responsible for autoimmune disease enhancement or suppression. IL-12 family members are generally heterodimers and share three α-subunits (p35, p19, and p28) and two β-subunits (p40 and EBI3). However, a β-sheet p40 homodimer has been shown to exist and antagonize IL-12 and IL-23 signaling1. Therefore, we assumed the existence of a p40-EBI3 heterodimer in nature and sought to investigate its role in immune regulation.MethodsThe presence of the p40-EBI3 heterodimer was confirmed by ELISA, immunoprecipitation, and western blotting. A p40-EBI3 vector and p40-EBI3-Fc protein were synthesized to confirm the immunological role of this protein in mice with collagen-induced arthritis (CIA). The anti-inflammatory effects of p40-EBI3 were analyzed with regard to clinical, histological, and immune cell-regulating features in mice with CIA.ResultsClinical arthritis scores and the expression levels of proinflammatory cytokines (e.g., IL-17, IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α) were significantly attenuated in p40-EBI3-overexpressing and p40-EBI3-Fc-treated mice with CIA compared to vehicle-treated mice with CIA. Structural joint damage and vessel formation-related gene expression were also reduced by p40-EBI3 heterodimer treatment. In vitro, the p40-EBI3-Fc protein significantly suppressed the differentiation of Th17 cells and reciprocally induced CD4+CD25+Foxp3+(regulatory T) cells. p40-EBI3 also inhibited osteoclast formation in a concentration-dependent manner.ConclusionIn this study, p40-EBI3 ameliorated proinflammatory conditions both in vivo and in vitro. We propose that p40-EBI3 is a novel anti-inflammatory cytokine involved in suppressing the immune response through the expansion of Treg cells and suppression of Th17 cells and osteoclastogenesis.

Flying devices, e.g., Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) and High Altitude Platforms (HAP) are showing great potentials to revolutionise human society with unprecedented efficiency and convenience. 5G and beyond (5GB) networks have been considered as an important infrastructure for supporting flying devices to accomplish mission-critical applications. However, most of the existing research on 5GB networks mainly focuses on technology evolution to support ground devices, paying insufficient attention to the emerging large-scale deployment of flying devices. To fill the gap, this study aims to identify the differences when 5GB networks are used to provide massive access services for the ground devices and their counterpart flying in the air and analyse in which aspects that 5GB should be enhanced to serve flying devices. In detail, a holistic 5GB architecture is presented to support both ground and flying devices. Then, the unique features of flying devices are analysed with a focus on the challenges they bring to 5GB systems. Facing these challenges, we thoroughly investigate the advantages and disadvantages of 5GB key technologies. Furthermore, a case study is presented to demonstrate that flying devices not only create new issues for 5GB design, but also bring new opportunities for 5GB to enhance their service capabilities.

Marine geological disasters occurred frequently in the deep-water slope area of the northern South China Sea, especially submarine landslides, which caused serious damage to marine facilities. The cyclic elastoplastic model that can describe the cyclic stress-strain response characteristic for soft clay, is embedded into the coupled Eulerian-Lagrangian (CEL) algorithm of ABAQUS by means of subroutine interface technology. On the basis of CEL technique and undrained cyclic elastoplastic model, a method for analyzing the dynamic instability process of marine slopes under the action of earthquake load is developed. The rationality for cyclic elastoplastic constitutive model is validated by comparing its calculated results with those of von Mises model built in Abaqus. The dynamic instability process of slopes under different conditions are analyzed. The results indicate that the deformation accumulation of soft clay have a significant effect on the dynamic instability process of submarine slopes under earthquake loading. The cumulative deformation is taken into our model and this makes the calculated final deformation of the slope under earthquake load larger than the results of conventional numerical method. When different contact conditions are used for analysis, the smaller the friction coefficient is, the larger the deformation of slopes will be. A numerical analysis method that can both reflect the dynamic properties of soft clay and display the dynamic instability process of submarine landslide is proposed, which could visually predict the topographies of the previous and post failure for submarine slope.

This meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was conducted to explore the effects of flavonoid intake on adiponectin and leptin levels. The PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases were searched on March 1, 2021. Random-effects, subgroup, sensitivity, and meta-regression analyses were conducted on 40 publications. Flavonoid intake significantly increased circulating adiponectin (0.54 μg/ml, 95% CI [0.20, 0.88], p = .002; I

To improve the stability of a wind-diesel hybrid microgrid, a frequency control strategy is designed by using the hybrid energy storage system and the adjustable diesel generator with load frequency control (LFC). The objective of frequency control is to quickly respond to the disturbed system to reduce system frequency deviation and restore stability. By evaluating the area control error, the disturbance state of the system can be divided into four different areas by a corresponding control strategy for precise adjustments. For the diesel generator, an adaptive sliding mode (SM) algorithm is used to design LFC that can participate in frequency modulation. The frequency coordination control strategy proposed in this paper can realize the partition adjustment according to different resources, and ensure frequency stability. The proposed control strategy is verified by RTDS simulations in multiple scenarios.

Objective To evaluate the vitamin D status in postpartum women during lactation and their exclusively breastfed infants with symptoms of rickets at 4–6 weeks after birth. Factors associated with breastfed infant serum vitamin D status were also determined. Methods One hundred and two exclusively breastfeeding infants with symptoms of nutritional rickets and their mothers were recruited in this study. Sociodemographic and clinical data including blood samples were collected during their visit to the children healthcare counseling clinic. Lactating mothers and their nursing infants were classified into sufficient, insufficient, and deficient according to serum 25(OH)D levels. Multivariate logistical regression model was used to analyses the final adjusted odds ratio and 95% CI. Results The prevalence of vitamin D sufficiency in lactating mother and exclusively breastfed infants were 8.7% and 40.2%, respectively. Final multiple logistic regression showed that infant daily vitamin D intake and body weight were statistically significantly associated with vitamin D status. Infant who had a vitamin D intake of > 400 IU per day (adjusted OR, 3.47; 95%CI, 1.06–11.30) was more likely to be vitamin D sufficiency. Infant with a higher body weight was associated with vitamin D sufficient status (adjusted OR, 2.01; 95%CI, 1.11–3.66). Conclusions Our study shows a very low prevalence of 25(OH)D sufficiency in lactating mothers, and a moderate vitamin D sufficiency in the exclusive breastfeeding infants with symptoms of rickets. Infant daily vitamin D intake and body weight were related to their vitamin D status. Findings of this study indicate the importance of vitamin D supplementation to maintain sufficient 25(OH)D levels in infants.