AoA-based Position and Orientation Estimation Using Lens MIMO in Cooperative Vehicle-to-Vehicle Systems

Positioning accuracy is a critical requirement for vehicle-to-everything (V2X) use cases. Therefore, this paper derives the theoretical limits of estimation for the position and orientation of vehicles in a cooperative vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) scenario, using a lens-based multiple-input multiple-output (lens-MIMO) system. Following this, we analyze the Cram$\acute{\text{e}}$r-Rao lower bounds (CRLBs) of the position and orientation estimation and explore a received signal model of a lens-MIMO for the particular angle of arrival (AoA) estimation with a V2V geometric model. Further, we propose a lower complexity AoA estimation technique exploiting the unique characteristics of the lens-MIMO for a single target vehicle; as a result, its estimation scheme is effectively extended by the successive interference cancellation (SIC) method for multiple target vehicles. Given these AoAs, we investigate the lens-MIMO estimation capability for the positions and orientations of vehicles. Subsequently, we prove that the lens-MIMO outperforms a conventional uniform linear array (ULA) in a certain configuration of a lens's structure. Finally, we confirm that the proposed localization algorithm is superior to ULA's CRLB as the resolution of the lens increases in spite of the lower complexity.Comment: 16 pages, 11 figure

Sparse RF Lens Antenna Array Design for AoA Estimation in Wideband Systems: Placement Optimization and Performance Analysis

In this paper, we propose a novel architecture for a lens antenna array (LAA) designed to work with a small number of antennas and enable angle-of-arrival (AoA) estimation for advanced 5G vehicle-to-everything (V2X) use cases that demand wider bandwidths and higher data rates. We derive a received signal in terms of optical analysis to consider the variability of the focal region for different carrier frequencies in a wideband multi-carrier system. By taking full advantage of the beam squint effect for multiple pilot signals with different frequencies, we propose a novel reconfiguration of antenna array (RAA) for the sparse LAA and a max-energy antenna selection (MS) algorithm for the AoA estimation. In addition, this paper presents an analysis of the received power at the single antenna with the maximum energy and compares it to simulation results. In contrast to previous studies on LAA that assumed a large number of antennas, which can require high complexity and hardware costs, the proposed RAA with MS estimation algorithm is shown meets the requirements of 5G V2X in a vehicular environment while utilizing limited RF hardware and has low complexity.Comment: 15 pages, 10 figure

Single-cell transcriptome of the mouse retinal pigment epithelium in response to a low-dose of doxorubicin

Single cell transcriptomics pinpoints a cell subpopulation that could be involved in inducing cellular senescence of the retinal pigment epithelium, which in turn may construe retinal degenerative disease. Cellular senescence of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) is thought to play an important role in vision-threatening retinal degenerative diseases, such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD). However, the single-cell RNA profiles of control RPE tissue and RPE tissue exhibiting cellular senescence are not well known. We have analyzed the single-cell transcriptomes of control mice and mice with low-dose doxorubicin (Dox)-induced RPE senescence (Dox-RPE). Our results have identified 4 main subpopulations in the control RPE that exhibit heterogeneous biological activities and play roles in ATP synthesis, cell mobility/differentiation, mRNA processing, and catalytic activity. In Dox-RPE mice, cellular senescence mainly occurs in the specific cluster, which has been characterized by catalytic activity in the control RPE. Furthermore, in the Dox-RPE mice, 6 genes that have not previously been associated with senescence also show altered expression in 4 clusters. Our results might serve as a useful reference for the study of control and senescent RPE

Post-intervention Status in Patients With Refractory Myasthenia Gravis Treated With Eculizumab During REGAIN and Its Open-Label Extension

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether eculizumab helps patients with anti-acetylcholine receptor-positive (AChR+) refractory generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG) achieve the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America (MGFA) post-intervention status of minimal manifestations (MM), we assessed patients' status throughout REGAIN (Safety and Efficacy of Eculizumab in AChR+ Refractory Generalized Myasthenia Gravis) and its open-label extension. METHODS: Patients who completed the REGAIN randomized controlled trial and continued into the open-label extension were included in this tertiary endpoint analysis. Patients were assessed for the MGFA post-intervention status of improved, unchanged, worse, MM, and pharmacologic remission at defined time points during REGAIN and through week 130 of the open-label study. RESULTS: A total of 117 patients completed REGAIN and continued into the open-label study (eculizumab/eculizumab: 56; placebo/eculizumab: 61). At week 26 of REGAIN, more eculizumab-treated patients than placebo-treated patients achieved a status of improved (60.7% vs 41.7%) or MM (25.0% vs 13.3%; common OR: 2.3; 95% CI: 1.1-4.5). After 130 weeks of eculizumab treatment, 88.0% of patients achieved improved status and 57.3% of patients achieved MM status. The safety profile of eculizumab was consistent with its known profile and no new safety signals were detected. CONCLUSION: Eculizumab led to rapid and sustained achievement of MM in patients with AChR+ refractory gMG. These findings support the use of eculizumab in this previously difficult-to-treat patient population. CLINICALTRIALSGOV IDENTIFIER: REGAIN, NCT01997229; REGAIN open-label extension, NCT02301624. CLASSIFICATION OF EVIDENCE: This study provides Class II evidence that, after 26 weeks of eculizumab treatment, 25.0% of adults with AChR+ refractory gMG achieved MM, compared with 13.3% who received placebo

Minimal Symptom Expression' in Patients With Acetylcholine Receptor Antibody-Positive Refractory Generalized Myasthenia Gravis Treated With Eculizumab

The efficacy and tolerability of eculizumab were assessed in REGAIN, a 26-week, phase 3, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study in anti-acetylcholine receptor antibody-positive (AChR+) refractory generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG), and its open-label extension

Geochemical Influence on Microbial Communities at CO2-Leakage Analog Sites

Microorganisms influence the chemical and physical properties of subsurface environments and thus represent an important control on the fate and environmental impact of CO2 that leaks into aquifers from deep storage reservoirs. How leakage will influence microbial populations over long time scales is largely unknown. This study uses natural analog sites to investigate the long-term impact of CO2 leakage from underground storage sites on subsurface biogeochemistry. We considered two sites with elevated CO2 levels (sample groups I and II) and one control site with low CO2 content (group III). Samples from sites with elevated CO2 had pH ranging from 6.2 to 4.5 and samples from the low-CO2 control group had pH ranging from 7.3 to 6.2. Solute concentrations were relatively low for samples from the control group and group I but high for samples from group II, reflecting varying degrees of water-rock interaction. Microbial communities were analyzed through clone library and MiSeq sequencing. Each 16S rRNA analysis identified various bacteria, methane-producing archaea, and ammonia-oxidizing archaea. Both bacterial and archaeal diversities were low in groundwater with high CO2 content and community compositions between the groups were also clearly different. In group II samples, sequences classified in groups capable of methanogenesis, metal reduction, and nitrate reduction had higher relative abundance in samples with relative high methane, iron, and manganese concentrations and low nitrate levels. Sequences close to Comamonadaceae were abundant in group I, while the taxa related to methanogens, Nitrospirae, and Anaerolineaceae were predominant in group II. Our findings provide insight into subsurface biogeochemical reactions that influence the carbon budget of the system including carbon fixation, carbon trapping, and CO2 conversion to methane. The results also suggest that monitoring groundwater microbial community can be a potential tool for tracking CO2 leakage from geologic storage sites

Mitochondrial Membrane Disrupting Molecules for Selective Killing of Senescent Cells

Cellular senescence, a stable form of cell cycle arrest, facilitates protection from tumorigenesis and aids in tissue repair as they accumulate in the body at an early age. However, long-term retention of senescent cells causes inflammation, aging of the tissue, and progression of deadly diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and atherosclerosis. Various attempts have been made to achieve selective elimination of senescent cells from the body, yet little has been explored in designing the mitochondria-targeted senolytic agent. Many characteristics of senescence are associated with mitochondria. Here we have designed a library of alkyl-monoquaternary ammonium-triphenyl phosphine (TPP) and alkyl-diquaternary ammonium-TPP of varying alkyl chain lengths, which target the mitochondria; we also studied their senolytic properties. It was observed that the alkyl-diquaternary ammonium-TPP with the longest chain length induced apoptosis in senescent cells selectively via an increase of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and mitochondrial membrane disruption. This study demonstrates that mitochondria could be a potential target for designing new small molecules as senolytic agents for the treatment of a variety of dysfunctions associated with pathological aging

Biological Control of Phytophthora Blight and Anthracnose Disease in Red-pepper Using Bacillus subtilis S54

Phytophthora blight and anthracnose disease caused by Phytophthora capsici and Collectotrichum gloeosporioides are the most important devastating diseases of red pepper plants, worldwide. Five different bacterial isolates were isolated from the red pepper rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere soil and subsequently tested for antagonistic activity against P. capsisi and C. gloeosporioides. The area of the inhibition zone was taken as a measure for antagonistic activity. Among the 5 isolates tested, S54 exhibited a maximum antagonistic activity under in vitro and in vivo conditions. In greenhouse studies the isolate has successfully reduced the disease symptom. Protect value was 80.8% (Phytophthora blight) and 81.9% (Anthrancnose disease), whereas the infection rate of control plants was 21.3% and 23.2%. Based on the 16S rDNA sequence and API 50CHB Kit analysis the most effective isolate was identified as Bacillus subtilis. The results of the study indicate that the stratin S54 could be used as an potential biological control of Phytophthora blight and anthracnose disease of red pepper

Quantitative proteomic analysis of aqueous humor from patients with drusen and reticular pseudodrusen in age-related macular degeneration

Abstract Background To identify novel biomarkers related to the pathogenesis of dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD), we adopted a human retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cell culture model that mimics some features of dry AMD including the accumulation of intra- and sub-RPE deposits. Then, we investigated the aqueous humor (AH) proteome using a data-independent acquisition method (sequential window acquisition of all theoretical fragment ion mass spectrometry) for dry AMD patients and controls. Methods After uniformly pigmented polarized monolayers of human fetal primary RPE (hfRPE) cells were established, the cells were exposed to 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (4-HNE), followed by Western blotting, immunofluorescence analysis and ELISA of cells or conditioned media for several proteins of interest. Data-dependent acquisition for identification of the AH proteome and SWATH-based mass spectrometry were performed for 11 dry AMD patients according to their phenotypes (including soft drusen and reticular pseudodrusen [RPD]) and 2 controls (3 groups). Results Increased intra- and sub-RPE deposits were observed in 4-HNE-treated hfRPE cells compared with control cultures based on APOA1, cathepsin D, and clusterin immunoreactivity. Additionally, the differential abundance of proteins in apical and basal chambers with or without 4-HNE treatment confirmed the polarized secretion of proteins from hfRPE cells. A total of 119 proteins were quantified in dry AMD patients and controls by SWATH-MS. Sixty-five proteins exhibited significantly altered abundance among the three groups. A two-dimensional principal component analysis plot was generated to identify typical proteins related to the pathogenesis of dry AMD. Among the identified proteins, eight proteins, including APOA1, CFHR2, and CLUS, were previously considered major components or regulators of drusen. Three proteins (SERPINA4, LUM, and KERA proteins) have not been previously described as components of drusen or as being related to dry AMD. Interestingly, the LUM and KERA proteins, which are related to extracellular matrix organization, were upregulated in both RPD and soft drusen. Conclusions Differential protein expression in the AH between patients with drusen and RPD was quantified using SWATH-MS in the present study. Detailed proteomic analyses of dry AMD patients might provide insights into the in vivo biology of drusen and RPD