Current Chinese Science - Volume 1, Issue 6, 2021

Background: The Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) has great potentials in next-generation railway train control systems. Considering the fail-safe characteristics of train control, the threat from GNSS interference may result in an increasing likelihood of outages of train positioning or even safety risks to the railway system. Objective: The interference protection solutions are investigated and demonstrated for achieving the resilient train positioning using GNSS. Methods: This paper describes the main types of GNSS interference and investigates the impact on Location Determination Unit (LDU) in the GNSS-based train control system. Specific architectures and solutions for interference detection and protection in both the position domain and measurement domain are presented. Results: Interference injection simulations are performed with both the GNSS spoofing and jamming signals, which evaluate the effects of interferences and demonstrate the protection performance of the presented solutions under GNSS attack scenarios. Conclusion: The interference protection solutions within both the position domain and measurement domain are effective and significant to mitigate the effects from the GNSS interference, which enables resilient train positioning to achieve safe train operation.

Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) thin film solar cell has the advantages of high efficiency, good working stability and low manufacturing cost, which is the most promising thin film solar cell. Currently, the efficiency of CIGS thin film cell has reached 23.35% by doping alkali elements. This review summarized the current status of doping alkali elements on flexible CIGS thin film solar cells with a focus on recent advancements intended for higher efficiency and novel applications. First, the structure of CIGS thin film cell was introduced. According to the structural characteristics of CIGS cells, different doping methods of alkali metals were summarized. Then, the recent developments and trends of research in doping methods of alkali elements within the last years were reviewed, and the effect of different alkali elements on CIGS efficiency was emphasized. Finally, the challenges and opportunities of alkali doping CIGS solar cell were prospected.

Background: Pea aphids (Acyrthosiphon pisum) possess a weak immune system, but they can firmly mount immunological responses. However, the influence of different plants on their defense against different microbes remains largely unknown. In addition, no previous research has integrated the growth, reproduction, and defense responses of pea aphids feeding on different plants. Objective: This study aims to investigate the growth, reproduction, and defense responses of pea aphids feeding on different plants. Methods: Pea aphids were cultivated on both Medicago sativa and Vicia faba. Growth and reproduction were evaluated. Additionally, we monitored the survival and microbial loads of pea aphids after bacterial and fungal infections. Results: Pea aphids reared on M. sativa had lower growth, lower intrinsic rate of increase, and lower finite rate of increase when compared to aphids feeding on V. faba. The net reproduction was lower in aphids feeding on M. sativa, although the difference was not significant. The mean time of generation and pre-reproductive periods was longer for aphids reared on M. sativa than for aphids reared on V. faba. In the infection experiments, we found that aphid survival was not affected by the host plant. However, aphids reared on M. sativa generally harbored fewer microbial loads than those reared on V. faba. Conclusions: The growth and reproduction of pea aphids are affected by the host plant. Aphids feeding on different plants had different tolerances to microbial infections. Our study sheds light on improving biological control program for aphids.

COVID-19 or SARS-CoV-2 or 2019-nCov is a pandemic disease that occurred in December 2019 in Wuhan, Hubei Province of China. It was first transmitted from the animal host to a human source, after which it followed human-human transmission and spread exponentially worldwide. Various countries have fallen prey to this virus, but there are certain countries or populations, which have been more affected by this than others. Moreover, the demographics of transmission and affected individuals are also variable from country-country. The purpose of this article is to highlight the non-modifiable risk factors for COVID-19 and their analysis in various populations affecting their susceptibility. Besides age, gender, and blood group, two major genetic factors associated with this disease are discussed here, including the potential of IL-6, in causing chronic disease conditions and the rs1800795 G/C-174 IL-6 polymorphism in the IL-6 gene and with the potential role of ACE-2 receptor in viral transmission and pathogenicity with its protective and disease-causing variants.

GATA binding protein 3 (GATA3), a member of the zinc finger-binding transcription factor GATA gene family, plays an important role in regulating the development and differentiation of various tissues and organs. Previous studies have manifested that GATA3 is implicated in inhibiting the development of breast cancer, including suppressing the growth, metastasis, and invasion of cancer cells. However, the exact role of GATA3 in breast cancer remains to be fully elucidated. Interestingly, recent studies have further shown that GATA3 can regulate a variety of new target genes, including ectonucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase 3 (ENTPD3), semaphorin 3B (SEMA3B), and microRNAs (miRNAs) to promote tumorigenesis, epithelial-mesenchymal transformation (EMT), and metastasis of breast cancer. Meanwhile, GATA3 mutations can affect the role of GATA3 in inhibiting the growth and metastasis of breast cancer cells, which indicates that GATA3 might be a promising target for breast cancer treatment. Undoubtedly, these new evidence further uncover the complexity of the GATA3/targets network in breast cancer development. In this article, we review related research progress and put forward some questions about the development of GATA3 in the future in order to be helpful for the understanding on the exact role of GATA3 in the progress of breast cancer and the development of related new clinical treatment strategies that will ultimately benefit the clinical outcome of breast cancer patients.

Background: Cadmium (Cd) is among the most toxic metals and is widely distributed in aquatic environments. Objective: Histopathological lesions and biochemical indices can be used to reflect the toxic effects of cadmium in fish target organs. Methods: In the present study, the common carp Cyprinus carpio was exposed to 0.5 mg/L of CdCl2 for 21 days. Histopathological analyses were performed in the spleen, liver, kidney, gills and head kidney tissues of C. carpio, and tissue sections were stained with hematoxylin-eosin (HE) and observed under an optical microscope. The acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase, and lysozyme activities were determined. Results: The results showed that there were various pathological changes in five major tissues of C. carpio. The kidney, gills, and liver were the most affected organs during cadmium exposure, and deformation and disorganization of epithelial cells, vacuolization formation, serious hemorrhages and necrosis were also observed. In addition, 0.5 mg/L cadmium exposure significantly increased serum lysozyme and acid phosphatase activities and inhibited alkaline phosphatase activity. The present study showed that cadmium stress causes significant pathological tissue changes and influences lysozyme, acid phosphatase and alkaline phosphatase activities in C. carpio. Acid phosphatase and lysozyme activities are sensitive to cadmium. Conclusion: In conclusion, the toxicity of cadmium caused varying degrees of pathological and biochemical changes in fish tissues in C. carpio.

Background: Herbal medicines have been used in the health sector for the treatment of human disorders from the ancient time till the modern age. Plant based herbal products have an important place in medicine due to their health beneficial potential and pharmacological activities. Traditional medicines have been used in developing country, such as India to the developed countries such as the USA and Europe. Traditional medicines have been used in the health sectors for the treatment of numerous types of human disorders. Phytoconstituents play an important role in the growth, reproduction and development of the human being. Plant products have been used for the treatment of skin disorders, wounds, and various forms of inflammatory diseases. Flavonoids are a colorful component of fruits, seeds, vegetables, nuts and plants. Flavonoids have been used for the treatment of human disorders due to their vast pharmacological activities. Methods: Scientific information on eupatorin has been collected from different literature sources and analyzed in order to know the health benefit of eupatorin in medicine. All the scientific information presented here is collected from various databases such as Google, PubMed, and Science Direct etc. Pharmacological activity data of eupatorin have been collected from various literature databases and analyzed here to know the beneficial health potential of eupatorin in medicine. However, important analytical tools for the separation, isolation and identification of eupatorin have also been discussed in the present paper. Results: Eupatorin (39,5-dihydroxy-49,6,7-trimethoxyflavone) is a flavone class flavonoidal compound found to be present in the Orthosiphon stamineus, Salvia mirzayanii, Lantana montevidensis, Lantana montevidensis and Tanacetum vulgare. Eupatorin have been used against bronchitis, stomach disorders and various forms of cancer. Eupatorin have a potential role in various cancerous disorders, such as human uterus carcinoma, human gastric adenocarcinoma, breast carcinoma, melanoma and colon carcinoma. Pharmacological data analysis revealed the effectiveness of eupatorin in human cancer and various types of inflammatory disorders. However, the effectiveness of eupatorin against microorganism and enzymes were also presented in the present work with their herbicidal and vasorelaxation potential in the medicine. Eupatorin has a valuable role in the development of adjuvant chemotherapeutic agents. Conclusion: Present review will be beneficial to the researcher to understand the physiological importance of eupatorin in medicine for the development of newer and effective medicine.