46 research outputs found
A Radio Frequency Non-reciprocal Network Based on Switched Low-loss Acoustic Delay Lines
This work demonstrates the first non-reciprocal network based on switched
low-loss acoustic delay lines. A 21 dB non-reciprocal contrast between
insertion loss (IL=6.7 dB) and isolation (28.3 dB) has been achieved over a
fractional bandwidth of 8.8% at a center frequency 155MHz, using a record low
switching frequency of 877.22 kHz. The 4-port circulator is built upon a newly
reported framework by the authors, but using two in-house fabricated low-loss,
wide-band lithium niobate (LiNbO3) delay lines with single-phase unidirectional
transducers (SPUDT) and commercial available switches. Such a system can
potentially lead to future wide-band, low-loss chip-scale nonreciprocal RF
systems with unprecedented programmability.Comment: 4 pages, 7 figure
Frequency Independent Framework for Synthesis of Programmable Non-reciprocal Networks
Passive and linear nonreciprocal networks at microwave frequencies hold great
promises in enabling new front-end architectures for wireless communication
systems. Their nonreciprocity has been achieved by disrupting the time-reversal
symmetry using various forms of biasing schemes, but only over a limited
frequency range. Here we demonstrate a framework for synthesizing theoretically
frequency-independent multi-port nonreciprocal networks. The framework is
highly expandable, and can have an arbitrary number of ports while
simultaneously sustaining balanced performance and providing unprecedented
programmability of non-reciprocity. A 4-port circulator based on such a
framework is implemented and tested to produce broadband nonreciprocal
performance from 10 MHz to 900 MHz with a temporal switching effort at 23.8
MHz. With the combination of broad bandwidth, low temporal effort, and high
programmability, the framework could inspire new ways of implementing multiple
input multiple output (MIMO) communication systems for 5G.Comment: 10 pages, 6 figure
Integrated Serum and Fecal Metabolomics Study of Collagen-Induced Arthritis Rats and the Therapeutic Effects of the Zushima Tablet
The Zushima tablet (ZT) has been used for decades in the clinical treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in China. However, its therapeutic mechanism is unclear. In this study, we aimed to explore the distinctive metabolic patterns in collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) rats and evaluate the therapeutic effects of ZT on RA using untargeted serum and fecal metabolomics approaches based on gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. Body weight, hind paw swelling, TNF-α and IL-1β levels, arthritis scores, and histopathological parameters were assessed. In the metabolomics study, 31 altered metabolites in the serum and 30 in the feces were identified by comparing the model with the control group using statistical processing. These altered metabolites revealed that the tricarboxylic acid cycle, glycolysis metabolism, fatty acid metabolism, and purine metabolism were disturbed in CIA rats, and most of these altered metabolites including l-isoleucine, l-aspartic acid, pyruvic acid, cholic acid, and hypoxanthine, were rectified by ZT. Furthermore, short-chain fatty acids in feces were quantitatively determined, and the results showed that ZT could regulate the levels of propionate, butyrate, and valerate in CIA rats. Then, gut microbiota were analyzed by 16S rRNA analysis. Our results showed that Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes were the most abundant bacteria in rats. The levels of 19 types of bacteria at the family level were altered in RA rats, and most of them could be regulated by ZT. This study demonstrated that metabolomics analysis is a powerful tool for providing novel insight into RA and for elucidating the potential mechanism of ZT
FUS-NLS/Transportin 1 complex structure provides insights into the nuclear targeting mechanism of FUS and the implications in ALS
The C-terminal nuclear localization sequence of FUsed in Sarcoma (FUS-NLS) is critical for its nuclear import mediated by transportin (Trn1). Familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) related mutations are clustered in FUS-NLS. We report here the structural, biochemical and cell biological characterization of the FUS-NLS and its clinical implications. The crystal structure of the FUS-NLS/Trn1 complex shows extensive contacts between the two proteins and a unique α-helical structure in the FUS-NLS. The binding affinity between Trn1 and FUS-NLS (wide-type and 12 ALS-associated mutants) was determined. As compared to the wide-type FUS-NLS (K(D) = 1.7 nM), each ALS-associated mutation caused a decreased affinity and the range of this reduction varied widely from 1.4-fold over 700-fold. The affinity of the mutants correlated with the extent of impaired nuclear localization, and more importantly, with the duration of disease progression in ALS patients. This study provides a comprehensive understanding of the nuclear targeting mechanism of FUS and illustrates the significance of FUS-NLS in ALS
Intelligent Multi-Modal Sensing-Communication Integration: Synesthesia of Machines
In the era of sixth-generation (6G) wireless communications, integrated
sensing and communications (ISAC) is recognized as a promising solution to
upgrade the physical system by endowing wireless communications with sensing
capability. Existing ISAC is mainly oriented to static scenarios with
radio-frequency (RF) sensors being the primary participants, thus lacking a
comprehensive environment feature characterization and facing a severe
performance bottleneck in dynamic environments. To date, extensive surveys on
ISAC have been conducted but are limited to summarizing RF-based radar sensing.
Currently, some research efforts have been devoted to exploring multi-modal
sensing-communication integration but still lack a comprehensive review.
Therefore, we generalize the concept of ISAC inspired by human synesthesia to
establish a unified framework of intelligent multi-modal sensing-communication
integration and provide a comprehensive review under such a framework in this
paper. The so-termed Synesthesia of Machines (SoM) gives the clearest cognition
of such intelligent integration and details its paradigm for the first time. We
commence by justifying the necessity of the new paradigm. Subsequently, we
offer a definition of SoM and zoom into the detailed paradigm, which is
summarized as three operation modes. To facilitate SoM research, we overview
the prerequisite of SoM research, i.e., mixed multi-modal (MMM) datasets. Then,
we introduce the mapping relationships between multi-modal sensing and
communications. Afterward, we cover the technological review on
SoM-enhance-based and SoM-concert-based applications. To corroborate the
superiority of SoM, we also present simulation results related to dual-function
waveform and predictive beamforming design. Finally, we propose some potential
directions to inspire future research efforts.Comment: This paper has been accepted by IEEE Communications Surveys &
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Exogenous treatment with melatonin enhances waterlogging tolerance of kiwifruit plants
Waterlogging stress has an enormous negative impact on the kiwifruit yield and quality. The protective role of exogenous melatonin on water stress has been widely studied, especially in drought stress. However, the research on melatonin-induced waterlogging tolerance is scarce. Here, we found that treatment with exogenous melatonin could effectively alleviate the damage on kiwifruit plants in response to waterlogging treatment. This was accompanied by higher antioxidant activity and lower ROS accumulation in kiwifruit roots during stress period. The detection of changes in amino acid levels of kiwifruit roots during waterlogging stress showed a possible interaction between melatonin and amino acid metabolism, which promoted the tolerance of kiwifruit plants to waterlogging. The higher levels of GABA and Pro in the roots of melatonin-treated kiwifruit plants partly contributed to their improved waterlogging tolerance. In addition, some plant hormones were also involved in the melatonin-mediated waterlogging tolerance, such as the enhancement of ACC accumulation. This study discussed the melatonin-mediated water stress tolerance of plants from the perspective of amino acid metabolism for the first time