Programming cell surface signaling via phase separation-controlled compartmentalization

Cell surface signaling landscapes are formidably complex. Robust tools capable of manipulating the spatiotemporal distribution of cell surface proteins (CSPs) for dissecting signaling are in high demand. Some CSPs are regulated via multivalency-driven liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS). Employing the robustness and versatility of LLPS, we decided to engineer LLPS-based tools for precisely manipulating CSPs. We generated membrane-tethering LLPS systems by fusing multivalent modular phase separation scaffold pairs with CSP binders. Phase separation of the scaffold pairs, concomitant compartmentalization of CSPs on membranes, and cluster-dependent signaling outputs of CSPs require membrane recruitment of one or both scaffolds. We also engineered orthogonal phase separation systems to segregate CSPs into mutually exclusive compartments. The engineered phase separation systems can robustly cluster individual CSPs, co-cluster two or more CSPs, or segregate different CSPs into distinct compartments on cell surfaces. These novel tools will enable the dissection of complicated cell signaling landscapes with unprecedented precision.

The Effect of α-Al2O3 Composite on Energy Storage Characteristics of the Orthogonal Phase PLZST Antiferroelectric Ceramics

The effect of (1-x)(Pb0.97La0.02)(Zr0.675Sn0.285Ti0.04)O3-xAl2O3, with x=0~0.04, 0.08, 0.10 composite ceramic samples was studied. In this experiment, the PLZST powder was pre-fired to obtain the perovskite structure, and then combined with α-Al2O3 to increase the BDS of the ceramic. The test results show that the composite thick film samples are all perovskite orthorhombic phases, and Al2O3 is mainly filled in the grain gaps with a flaky structure. A proper content of composite Al2O3 can increase the density of ceramics. With x=0.02, the maximum value of BDS is 25.27 kV/mm, which is 60% higher than pure PLZST material, and the releasable energy storage density also reaches a maximum of 2.95 J/cm³. After the composite amount exceeds 0.03, the saturation polarization intensity decreases significantly. The energy storage efficiency of each sample is generally not high, all of which are less than 65%.

Micro Vibration Measurement with Microscopic Speckle Interferometry Based on Orthogonal Phase

A micro-device vibration measurement method based on microscopic speckle interferometry combined with orthogonal phase is presented. This method utilizes the approximate linear distribution characteristics of orthogonal points (points satisfying the condition that the initial phase difference equal to π/2) to quickly obtain the vibration information of the measured object. Compared with common optical measurement methods, this method does not require scanning imaging and can realize real-time full-field measurement. Moreover, the measurement principle and equipment is simple, so there is no need to introduce a stroboscopic light source or heterodyne device.

Fast and Automated Segmentation for the Three-Directional Multi-Slice Cine Myocardial Velocity Mapping

Three-directional cine multi-slice left ventricular myocardial velocity mapping (3Dir MVM) is a cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) technique that allows the assessment of cardiac motion in three orthogonal directions. Accurate and reproducible delineation of the myocardium is crucial for accurate analysis of peak systolic and diastolic myocardial velocities. In addition to the conventionally available magnitude CMR data, 3Dir MVM also provides three orthogonal phase velocity mapping datasets, which are used to generate velocity maps. These velocity maps may also be used to facilitate and improve the myocardial delineation. Based on the success of deep learning in medical image processing, we propose a novel fast and automated framework that improves the standard U-Net-based methods on these CMR multi-channel data (magnitude and phase velocity mapping) by cross-channel fusion with an attention module and the shape information-based post-processing to achieve accurate delineation of both epicardial and endocardial contours. To evaluate the results, we employ the widely used Dice Scores and the quantification of myocardial longitudinal peak velocities. Our proposed network trained with multi-channel data shows superior performance compared to standard U-Net-based networks trained on single-channel data. The obtained results are promising and provide compelling evidence for the design and application of our multi-channel image analysis of the 3Dir MVM CMR data.

Creation of a Hardware-Software Dynamic Signal Simulator of the Upgraded Inter-Satellite Radio Link of the GLONASS System

This work is aimed at creating a hardware-software signal simulator of the upgraded inter-satellite radio link (ISRL) of the GLONASS system. The simulator shapes ISRL signals with dynamically changing parameters of the Doppler frequency shift and delay, which correspond to the mutual dynamics of spacecraft (SC) motion of the GLONASS system. The upgraded inter-satellite radio link will provide (as compared to the current ISRL) an increase in the information transfer rate of up to four times, as well as boost the accuracy of measuring the distance between satellites by two times. Modernization consists in complementing the radio signal of the second orthogonal (phase-shifted carrier frequency by 90 degrees relative to the existing one) component. To modernize the ISRL, it is necessary to create and verify new equipment for receiving and transmitting signals of the upgraded ISRL of the GLONASS system. The simulator is designed to process measurement algorithms embedded in the on-board equipment for inter-satellite measurements and assess their consistency. Consistency evaluation consists in measuring and analyzing the difference between the Doppler parameters and delay introduced into the signal and the estimation of these parameters in the receiving equipment of the ISRL. This difference will be the measurement error. Dynamic simulation is performed for 24 system points, corresponding to GLONASS satellites, on the half-period of satellite revolution (20 280 seconds). The signal is generated at the input of the antenna-feeder device of one of the satellites in accordance with the information for generating the measuring signal, parameters of the transmitters of the signals of the upgraded ISRL and the almanac of the satellite constellation (because the signal at the input of the antenna-feeder device of the navigation receiver incomes from several SC) specified by the user.