Radio frequency (RF) energy transfer and harvesting techniques have recently become alternative methods to power the next-generation wireless networks. As this emerging technology enables proactive ...energy replenishment of wireless devices, it is advantageous in supporting applications with quality-of-service requirements. In this paper, we present a comprehensive literature review on the research progresses in wireless networks with RF energy harvesting capability, which is referred to as RF energy harvesting networks (RF-EHNs). First, we present an overview of the RF-EHNs including system architecture, RF energy harvesting techniques, and existing applications. Then, we present the background in circuit design as well as the state-of-the-art circuitry implementations and review the communication protocols specially designed for RF-EHNs. We also explore various key design issues in the development of RF-EHNs according to the network types, i.e., single-hop networks, multiantenna networks, relay networks, and cognitive radio networks. Finally, we envision some open research directions.
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignancies and is a serious threat to people's health worldwide. The prognosis of advanced HCC is dim if left untreated. In the clinic, the ...treatment options for advanced HCC include surgery, radiotherapy, transcatheter arterial chemoembolization, and so forth. In recent years, molecular targeted therapy and immunotherapy have also made great progress, bringing new hope to patients with advanced HCC. In this study, therapeutic advances, current dilemma, and future directions of advanced HCC are reviewed, which might serve as a summary for clinicians and may stimulate future research.
The prognosis of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is dim if left untreated. In the clinic, the treatment options for advanced HCC include surgery, radiotherapy, transcatheter arterial chemoembolization, and so forth. In recent years, molecular targeted therapy and immunotherapy have also made great progress, bringing new hope to patients with advanced HCC.
Ambient backscatter communication technology has been introduced recently, and is quickly becoming a promising choice for self-sustainable communication systems, as an external power supply or a ...dedicated carrier emitter is not required. By leveraging existing RF signal resources, ambient backscatter technology can support sustainable and independent communications and consequently open up a whole new set of applications that facilitate Internet of things (IoT). In this article, we study an integration of ambient backscatter with wireless powered communication networks (WPCNs). We first present an overview of backscatter communication systems with an emphasis on the emerging ambient backscatter technology. Then we propose a novel hybrid transmitter design by combining the advantages of both ambient backscatter and wireless powered communications. Furthermore, in the cognitive radio environment, we introduce a multiple access scheme to coordinate hybrid data transmissions. The performance evaluation shows that the hybrid transmitter outperforms traditional designs. In addition, we discuss open issues related to ambient backscatter networking.
Wireless charging is a technology of transmitting power through an air gap to electrical devices for the purpose of energy replenishment. The recent progress in wireless charging techniques and ...development of commercial products have provided a promising alternative way to address the energy bottleneck of conventionally portable battery-powered devices. However, the incorporation of wireless charging into the existing wireless communication systems also brings along a series of challenging issues with regard to implementation, scheduling, and power management. In this paper, we present a comprehensive overview of wireless charging techniques, the developments in technical standards, and their recent advances in network applications. In particular, with regard to network applications, we review the static charger scheduling strategies, mobile charger dispatch strategies and wireless charger deployment strategies. Additionally, we discuss open issues and challenges in implementing wireless charging technologies. Finally, we envision some practical future network applications of wireless charging.
Summary
The abnormal immunomodulatory functions of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been implicated in the development of immune thrombocytopenia (ITP). Recent studies have suggested important ...effects of complement on immune cell function. However, whether complement modulates bone marrow MSCs function in ITP is poorly defined. Tacrolimus has recently been applied to the treatment of autoimmune diseases. Here, we explored whether impaired ITP‐MSCs could be targeted by tacrolimus. Our results showed that the Nod‐like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome was activated in ITP MSCs with complement deposition (MSCs‐C+) and initiated caspase‐1‐dependent pyroptosis. Transcriptome sequencing results showed abnormal fatty acid metabolism in MSCs‐C+. Enhanced fatty acid β‐oxidation and reactive oxygen species production activated the NLRP3 inflammasome. Adipocytes derived from MSCs‐C+ secreted less adiponectin. Adiponectin promoted the differentiation of megakaryocytes and inhibited the destruction of platelets. Tacrolimus inhibited NLRP3 inflammasome activation and MSCs‐C+ pyroptosis in vitro and in vivo. Tacrolimus plus danazol elicited a higher sustained response than danazol monotherapy in corticosteroid‐resistant patients with ITP. Our findings demonstrate that the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome in ITP MSCs mediated by complement could be inhibited by tacrolimus, which might be a potential new therapy for ITP.
Sirtuin 7 (SIRT7), an NAD
-dependent deacetylase, plays vital roles in energy sensing, but the underlying mechanisms of action remain less clear. Here, we report that SIRT7 is required for ...p53-dependent cell-cycle arrest during glucose deprivation. We show that SIRT7 directly interacts with p300/CBP-associated factor (PCAF) and the affinity for this interaction increases during glucose deprivation. Upon binding, SIRT7 deacetylates PCAF at lysine 720 (K720), which augments PCAF binding to murine double minute (MDM2), the p53 E3 ubiquitin ligase, leading to accelerated MDM2 degradation. This effect results in upregulated expression of the cell-cycle inhibitor, p21
, which further leads to cell-cycle arrest and decreased cell viability. These data highlight the importance of the SIRT7-PCAF interaction in regulating p53 activity and cell-cycle progression during conditions of glucose deprivation. This axis may represent a new avenue to design effective therapeutics based on tumor starvation.
Abstract Rapid advances in robotics have placed urgent demands on more intelligent human‐machine interaction technologies. Specifically, the way of establishing dual‐way intuitive communication with ...a consistent sensory system can greatly enhance efficiency and reliability. Here, a bi‐directional human‐machine interface (HMI) is designed by applying starch‐based hydrogel sensors. The whole system consists of a multi‐modal wearable sensory exoskeleton with a haptic feedback module and sensory robotic hand. The sensory exoskeleton with strain‐sensing glove and rotation‐sensing arm can capture and project the motion of the entire upper limb. The system offers object recognition functions by utilizing a sensing array on the robotic hands and machine learning algorithms, which can identify the shape and hardness information. The recognized results can be delivered back to the operator via vision and vibrational haptic feedback, respectively. This dual‐way intelligent sensory system shows potential application in many key fields such as the Internet of Things, teleoperation, and medical robotics.
Summary
Patients who receive allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo‐HSCT) may develop sepsis, which result in a highly intensive care unit admission rate and mortality. Therefore, ...short‐term and long‐term prognostic models for sepsis after allo‐HSCT are urgently needed. We enrolled patients receiving allo‐HSCT who developed sepsis after allo‐HSCT at Peking University People's Hospital between 2012 and 2021, including 287 patients who received allo‐HSCT in 2018–2021 in the derivation cohort, and 337 patients in 2012–2017 in the validation cohort. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify prognostic factors, and these identified factors were incorporated into two scoring models. Seven independent factors (acute graft‐versus‐host disease (GVHD), chronic GVHD (cGVHD), total bilirubin, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and organ dysfunction renal, lung and heart) were included in the 6‐month prognostic model, and six factors (cGVHD, C‐reactive protein, LDH, organ dysfunction lung, neurologic and coagulation) were included in the 14‐day prognostic model. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curves, calibration plots and decision curve analysis demonstrated the robust predictive performance of the models, better than the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score. Early identification of patients with high risk of 6‐month and 14‐day death may allow clinicians to provide timely treatments and improve the therapeutic effects.
A prognostic system, including a 6‐month prognostic model and a 14‐day prognostic model, was developed to help recognize sepsis with allo‐HSCT with a high risk of poor outcome. The two prognostic models were demonstrated to have good predictive performance and help identify patients with high risk.
The recent advanced wireless energy harvesting technology has enabled wireless-powered communications to accommodate wireless data services in a self-sustainable manner. However, wireless-powered ...communications rely on active RF signals to communicate and result in high power consumption. On the other hand, ambient backscatter technology that passively reflects existing RF signal sources in the air to communicate has the potential to facilitate an implementation with ultra-low power consumption. In this paper, we introduce a hybrid device-to-device (D2D) communication paradigm by integrating ambient backscattering with wireless-powered communications. The hybrid D2D communications are self-sustainable, as no dedicated external power supply is required. However, since the radio signals for energy harvesting and for backscattering come from the ambient, the performance of the hybrid D2D communications depends largely on environment factors, e.g., distribution, spatial density, and transmission load of ambient energy sources. Therefore, we design two mode selection protocols for the hybrid D2D transmitter, allowing a more flexible adaptation to the environment. We then introduce analytical models to characterize the impacts of the considered environment factors on the hybrid D2D communication performance. Together with extensive simulations, our analysis shows that the communication performance benefits from larger repulsion, transmission load, and density of ambient energy sources. Furthermore, we investigate how different mode selection mechanisms affect the communication performance.
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a global public health concern, and few effective treatments for its delayed damages are available. Oridonin (Ori) recently has been reported to show a promising ...neuroprotective efficacy, but its potential therapeutic effect on TBI has not been thoroughly elucidated. The TBI mouse models were established and treated with Ori or vehicle 30 min post-operation and every 24 h since then. Impairments in cognitive and motor function and neuropathological changes were evaluated and compared. The therapeutic efficacy and mechanisms of action of Ori were further investigated using animal tissues and cell cultures. Ori restored motor function and cognition after TBI-induced impairment and exerted neuroprotective effects by reducing cerebral edema and cortical lesion volume. Ori increased neuronal survival, ameliorating gliosis and the accumulation of macrophages after injury. It suppressed the increased production of reactive oxygen species, lipid peroxide, and malondialdehyde and reversed the decrease of mitochondrial membrane potential and adenosine triphosphate content, which was also identified in oxidatively stressed neuronal cultures. Further, Ori inhibited the expression of nucleotide-binding domain leucine-rich repeats family protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome proteins and NLRP3-dependent cytokine interleukin-1β that can be induced by oxidative stress after TBI. Regarding underlying mechanisms, Ori significantly enhanced expression of key proteins of the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2/heme oxygenase-1 (Nrf2/HO-1) pathway. Our results demonstrated that Ori effectively improved functional impairments and neuropathological changes in animals with TBI. By activating the Nrf2 pathway, it improved mitochondrial function and antioxidant capacity and suppressed the neuroinflammation induced by oxidative stress. The results therefore suggest Ori as a potent candidate for managing neurological damage after TBI.
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