6G New Multiple Access Technology

As a basic technology at physical layer of mobile communications,non-orthogonal multiple access has been attracting wide attention across the academia and the industry.During the standardization of the fifth-generation(5G)of mobile communications,3GPP conducted preliminary study on non-orthogonal multiple access without reaching the consensus to standardize the technology.

Synergistic regulation of hydrophobicity and basicity for copper hydroxide-derived copper to promote the CO_(2)electroreduction reaction

A simple method was proposed to activate alkaline Cu(OH)_(2)with an acidic ionomer,Nafion,to regulate its surface microenvironment,including hydrophobicity and local basicity.In particular,the direct complete neutralization reaction between Cu(OH)_(2)and Nafion in aqueous solution induces the exposing of vast anions which can exclude the in-situ-formed hydroxides and raise the local basicity.Remarkably,the optimal Nafionactivated Cu(OH)_(2)-derived Cu can efficiently suppress the hydrogen evolution reaction(HER)and improve the selectivity for multi-carbon products in the CO_(2)electroreduction reaction(eCO_(2)RR).The H2 Faradaic efficiency(FE)decreased to 11%at a current density of 300 mA/cm2(−0.76 V vs.RHE)in a flow cell,while the bare one with H2 had an FE of 40%.The total eCO_(2)RR FE reaches as high as 83%,along with an evidently increased C2H4 FE of 44%as compared with the bare one(24%),and good stability(8000 s),surpassing that of most of the reported Cu(OH)_(2)-derived Cu.The experimental and theoretical results both show that the strong hydrophobicity and high local basicity jointly boosted the eCO_(2)RR as acquired by felicitously introducing ionomer on the Cu(OH)_(2)-derived Cu surface.

Facile construction of a multilayered interface for a durable lithium‐rich cathode

Layered lithium-rich manganese-based oxide(LRMO)has the limitation of inevitable evolution of lattice oxygen release and layered structure transformation.Herein,a multilayer reconstruction strategy is applied to LRMO via facile pyrolysis of potassium Prussian blue.The multilayer interface is visually observed using an atomic-resolution scanning transmission electron microscope and a high-resolution transmission electron microscope.Combined with the electrochemical characterization,the redox of lattice oxygen is suppressed during the initial charging.In situ X-ray diffraction and the high-resolution transmission electron microscope demonstrate that the suppressed evolution of lattice oxygen eliminates the variation in the unit cell parameters during initial(de)lithiation,which further prevents lattice distortion during long cycling.As a result,the initial Coulombic efficiency of the modified LRMO is up to 87.31%,and the rate capacity and long-term cycle stability also improved considerably.In this work,a facile surface reconstruction strategy is used to suppress vigorous anionic redox,which is expected to stimulate material design in high-performance lithium ion batteries.

High-entropy alloy catalysts:From bulk to nano toward highly efficient carbon and nitrogen catalysis

High-entropy alloys(HEAs)have attracted widespread attention as both structural and functional materials owing to their huge multielement composition space and unique high-entropy mixing structure.Recently,emerging HEAs,either in nano or highly porous bulk forms,are developed and utilized for various catalytic and clean energy applications with superior activity and remarkable durability.Being catalysts,HEAs possess some unique advantages,including(1)a multielement composition space for the discovery of new catalysts and fine-tuning of surface adsorption(i.e.,activity and selectivity),(2)diverse active sites derived from the random multielement mixing that are especially suitable for multistep catalysis,and(3)a high-entropy stabilized structure that improves the structural durability in harsh catalytic environments.Benefited from these inherent advantages,HEA catalysts have demonstrated superior catalytic performances and are promising for complex carbon(C)and nitrogen(N)cycle reactions featuring multistep reaction pathways and many different intermediates.However,the design,synthesis,characterization,and understanding of HEA catalysts for C-and N-involved reactions are extremely challenging because of both complex high-entropy materials and complex reactions.In this review,we present the recent development of HEA catalysts,particularly on their innovative and extensive syntheses,advanced(in situ)characterizations,and applications in complex C and N looping reactions,aiming to provide a focused view on how to utilize intrinsically complex catalysts for these important and complex reactions.In the end,remaining challenges and future directions are proposed to guide the development and application of HEA catalysts for highly efficient energy storage and chemical conversion toward carbon neutrality.

On Uplink Non-Orthogonal Multiple Access for 5G：Opportunities and Challenges

In this paper,the concept of grantfree non-orthogonal multiple access(NOMA) for uplink data transmission is elaborated.NOMA in combination with grant-free can be applied to ultra reliability low latency communication(URLLC),massive machine type communication(m MTC),enhanced mobile broadband(e MBB) small packet and two-step random-access channel(RACH) scenarios.The advantages of grant-free NOMA are low latency and signaling overhead,high access capability and efficient resource utilization.Candidate uplink NOMA schemes are summarized and preliminary comparison among a subset of schemes are presented.Furthermore,design aspects for grant-free NOMA are discussed,with special notes on particular issues such as blind UE identification and transmitter/receiver(Tx/Rx) impairments in realistic deployment.

Unsourced Multiple Access for 6G Massive Machine Type Communications

Unsourced multiple access(UMA)is a multi-access technology for massive,low-power,uncoordinated,and unsourced Machine Type Communication(MTC)networks.It ensures transmission reliability under the premise of high energy efficiency.Based on the analysis of the 6G MTC key performance indicators(KPIs)and scenario characteristics,this paper summarizes its requirements for radio access networks.Following this,the existing multiple access models are analyzed under these standards to determine UMA's advantages for 6G MTC according to its design characteristics.The critical technology of UMA is the design of its multiple-access coding scheme.Therefore,the existing UMA coding schemes from different coding paradigms are further summarized and compared.In particular,this paper comprehensively considers the energy efficiency and computational complexity of these schemes,studies the changes of the above two indexes with the increase of access scale,and considers the trade-off between the two.It is revealed by the above analysis that some guiding rules of UMA coding design.Finally,the open problems and potentials in this field are given for future research.

Joint Source-Channel Coding for 6G Communications

In order to provide ultra low-latency and high energy-efficient communication for intelligences,the sixth generation(6G)wireless communication networks need to break out of the dilemma of the depleting gain of the separated optimization paradigm.In this context,this paper provides a comprehensive tutorial that overview how joint source-channel coding(JSCC)can be employed for improving overall system performance.For the purpose,we first introduce the communication requirements and performance metrics for 6G.Then,we provide an overview of the source-channel separation theorem and why it may not hold in practical applications.In addition,we focus on two new JSCC schemes called the double low-density parity-check(LDPC)codes and the double polar codes,respectively,giving their detailed coding and decoding processes and corresponding performance simulations.In a nutshell,this paper constitutes a tutorial on the JSCC scheme tailored to the needs of future 6G communications.

5G: Vision, Scenarios and Enabling Technologies

This paper presents the authors＇ vision for 5G wireless systems, which are expected to be standardized around 2020 （IMT-2020）. In the future, ubiquitous service will be the key requirement from an end-user＇ s prospective, and 5G networks will need to sup- port a vast mesh of human-to-human, human-to-machine, and machine-to-machine connections. Moreover, 5G will need to support these connections in an energy-efficient manner. Various 5G enabling technologies have been extensively discussed. These tech- nologies aim to increase radio link efficiency, expand operating bandwidths, and increase cell density. With these technologies, 5G systems can accommodate a massive volume of traffic and a massive number of connections, which is fundamental to providing ubiquitous services. Another aspect of 5G technology is the transition to an intelligent cloud that coordinates network access and enables flatter architecture.

AI-Enhanced Constellation Design for NOMA System: A Model Driven Method

Grant-free Non-orthogonal Multiple Access(GF-NOMA)is a promising technology for massive access users and sporadic small-packet transmission for Beyond the 5th Generation mobile communication system(B5G)/the 6th Generation mobile communication system(6G).One of the key aspects in GF-NOMA system is the signature/constellation design.However,due to the channel variation and random activation of users,conventional optimization approaches seem unsuitable for such complex models.In this paper,as an initial attempt,we propose a human intelligence(HI)-guided artificial intelligence(AI)-enhanced signature/constellation design method.By separate design of modulation and power allocation inspired by prior knowledge,the proposed deep neuron network(DNN)for NOMA signature/constellation design not only has smaller size of DNN and less training data,but also has stronger interpretability.In the last section,via simulations we demonstrate that in terms of bit error rate,the proposed scheme can achieve significant performance gain over the conventional NOMA schemes.

Demanding energy from carbon

Carbon is the central element driving the evolution of our human society towards prosperity over several historical stages.As for now,we are in a stage of blossoming sciences and technologies related to carbon materials,as a result of which our evergrowing energy demand has been largely satisfied.Yet,the expected rise of carbon energy consumption and the emerging environmental concerns have prevented us from being optimistic.To build a sufficiently powered future,we have been revolutionizing our ways of carbon energy utilization by discovering and designing new carbon structures,exploring and enhancing their unique physicochemical properties,and pursuing environmentally friendly strategies.Emerging structures such as graphene and sp-bonded C18 have allowed us to discover carbon’s promising properties such as energy storage and superconductivity,while green energy solutions such as fuel cells and CO2 reduction are working synergistically to purify the ecospheric carbon cycle.Therefore,this essay timely discusses related carbon sciences and technologies that have been the milestones shaping our energy consumption,based on which our energy future can be envisioned to be green and prosperous.

Signal Clipping at Transmitter and Receiver of O-OFDM for VLC under Optical Power Constraint

Visible light communications(VLC)is considered as an effective supplement technology for next-generation(6G)communications due to its abundant spectrum,high power efficiency and easy deployment.Optical orthogonal frequency division multiplexing(O-OFDM)is a common technology to obtain further promotion.In this paper,two typical O-OFDM schemes direct current biased O-OFDM(DCO-OFDM)and asymmetrically clipped O-OFDM(ACO-OFDM)are analyzed in terms of signal clipping at both transmitter and receiver under the constraints of maximum optical power and non-negative optical power.And effective electrical SNR models after signal clipping are proposed and verified by link simulation.Then a noise cancellation scheme is proposed based on received signal clipping and is proved to bring a significant gain for ACO-OFDM.By system simulation,we find that under a certain optical power limitation,most users can achieve above 4 Gbps in indoor scenario when modulation bandwidth of the light emit diode(LED)or laser diode(LD)is 1 GHz.Therefore,it can be expected that the throughput could reach tens Gbps when the LED/LD modulation bandwidth is increased and multiple LEDs/LDs are deployed.

Performance Analysis of Sparse Array based Massive MIMO via Joint Convex Optimization

Massive multiple-input multiple-output(MIMO)technology enables higher data rate transmission in the future mobile communications.However,exploiting a large number of antenna elements at base station(BS)makes effective implementation of massive MIMO challenging,due to the size and weight limits of the masssive MIMO that are located on each BS.Therefore,in order to miniaturize the massive MIMO,it is crucial to reduce the number of antenna elements via effective methods such as sparse array synthesis.In this paper,a multiple-pattern synthesis is considered towards convex optimization(CO).The joint convex optimization(JCO)based synthesis is proposed to construct a codebook for beamforming.Then,a criterion containing multiple constraints is developed,in which the sparse array is required to fullfill all constraints.Finally,extensive evaluations are performed under realistic simulation settings.The results show that with the same number of antenna elements,sparse array using the proposed JCO-based synthesis outperforms not only the uniform array,but also the sparse array with the existing CO-based synthesis method.Furthermore,with a half of the number of antenna elements that on the uniform array,the performance of the JCO-based sparse array approaches to that of the uniform array.

NEW ADVANCES IN NON-ORTHOGONAL MULTIPLE ACCESS

Multiple access is one of the core technologies in wireless communications,which enables wireless base stations to support a large number of terminal users and serve them simultaneously under stringent spectrum constraints.Orthogonal multiple access(OMA),as one multiple access method,has been prevailing since the first generation(1G)cellular system.However,the number of active users allowed access to the OMA system is strictly limited by the number of available orthogonal resources,since as required by OMA the communication resources allocated to different users are orthogonal in at least one radio resource dimension,e.g.,frequency,time,code,etc.Nowadays,with the rapid growth of mobile network and Internet of Things(IoT)this problem becomes more and more critical.

Performance analysis on reconfigurable intelligent surface and network-controlled repeater in 3GPP release-18

As a candidate technique to achieve sixth-generation wireless communication(6G),reconfigurable intelligent surface(RIS)has become popular in both academia and industry.For better exploration of the advantages of RIS,we compare the performances of RIS and network-controlled repeater(NCR)in 3GPP release-18.We first theoretically analyze the received signal power and signal-to-noise ratio performances for both RIS and NCR.Then,we simulate the reference signal received power and signal-to-interference-and-noise ratio performances at the system level for both RIS and NCR in the frequency range 1 and frequency range 2 bands.Finally,several insights on engineering applications are given based on the comparison between RIS and NCR.

HBV cccDNA的表观遗传学修饰及调控

乙型肝炎病毒(hepatitis B virus,HBV)感染是一个重大的世界性公共卫生问题.HBV能够引起急性或慢性病毒性肝炎,最终导致肝硬化甚至肝癌的发生.现行的临床抗HBV药物,如α干扰素和核苷(酸)类似物等,虽可有效抑制病毒复制,但不能彻底清除病毒.其根本原因在于,HBV感染肝细胞后形成共价闭合环状DNA(covalently closed circular DNA,ccc DNA),并以微染色体的形式独立稳定存在于肝细胞核内.表观遗传学修饰可在不改变DNA序列的情况下,影响基因的表达.越来越多的证据表明,ccc DNA的表观遗传学修饰是调节HBV生活周期的重要因素.本文就HBV ccc DNA的表观遗传学修饰和调控作用、表观遗传修饰药物和治疗,以及表观遗传学研究方法和体系等进行综述.

Productive HBV infection of well-differentiated, hNTCP-expressing human hepatoma-derived(Huh7) cells

Feasible and effective cell models for hepatitis B virus(HBV) infection are required for investigating the complete lifecycle of this virus, including the early steps of viral entry. Resistance to dimethyl sulfoxide/polyethylene glycol(DMSO/PEG), h NTCP expression, and a differentiated state are the limiting factors for successful HBV infection models. In the present study, we used a hepatoma cell line(Hu7^(hDNTCPh)) to overcome these limiting factors so that it exhibits excellent susceptibility to HBV infection. To achieve this goal, different hepatoma cell lines were tested with 2.5% DMSO/4%PEG8000, and one resistant cell line(Huh7 D) was used to construct a stable h NTCP-expressing cell line(Hu7^(hDNTCPh)) using a recombinant lentivirus system. Then, the morphological characteristics and differentiation molecular markers of Hu7^(hDNTCPh) cells with or without DMSO treatment were characterized. Finally, the susceptibility of Hu7^(hDNTCPh) cells to HBV infection was assessed. Our results showed that Huh7 D cells were resistant to 2.5% DMSO/4% PEG8000, whereas the others were not. Hu7^(hDNTCPh) cells were established to express a high level of h NTCP compared to liver extracts, and Hu7^(hDNTCPh) cells rapidly transformed into a non-dividing, well-differentiated polarized phenotype under DMSO treatment. Hu7^(hDNTCPh) cells fully supported the entire lifecycle of HBV infection. This cell culture system will be useful for the analysis of host-virus interactions, which should facilitate the discovery of antiviral drugs and vaccines.

Complementation of Wild-Type and Drug-Resistant Hepatitis B Virus Genomes to Maintain Viral Replication and Rescue Virion Production under Nucleos(t)ide Analogs

As the open reading frames of hepatitis B virus(HBV)genomes are overlapping,resistance mutations(MTs)in HBV polymerase may result in stop codon MTs in hepatitis B surface proteins,which are usually detected as a mixed population with wild-type(WT)HBV.The question was raised how the coexistence of nucleos(t)ide analogs(NAs)resistance MTs and WT sequences affects HBV replication.In the present study,HBV genomes with frequently detected reverse transcriptase(RT)/surface truncation MTs,rtA181T/sW172^*,rtV191I/sW182^*and rtM204I/sW196^*,were phenotypically characterized alone or together with their WT counterparts in different ratios by transient transfection in the absence or presence of Nas.In the absence of Nas,RT/surface truncation MTs impaired the expression and secretion of HBV surface proteins,and had a dose-dependent negative effect on WT HBV virion secretion.However,in the presence of Nas,coexistence of MTs with WT maintained viral replication,and the presence of WT was able to rescue the production of MT HBV virions.Our findings reveal that complementation of WT and MT HBV genomes is highly effective under drug treatment.

High-entropy alloy stabilized and activated Pt clusters for highly efficient electrocatalysis

Although Pt and other noble metals are the state-of-the-art catalysts for various energy conversion applications,their low reserve,high cost,and instability limit their large-scale utilization.Herein,we report a hybrid catalysts design featuring noble metal clusters(e.g.,Pt)uniformly dispersed and stabilized on high-entropy alloy nanoparticles(HEA,e.g.,FeCoNiCu),denoted as HEA@Pt,which is prepared via ultra-fast shock synthesis(∼300 ms)for HEA alloying combined with Pt galvanic replacement for surface anchoring.In our design,the HEA core critically ensures high dispersity,stability,and tunability of the surface Pt clusters through high entropy stabilization and core-shell interactions.As an example in the hydrogen evolution reaction,HEA@Pt achieved a significant mass activity of 235 A/gPt,which is 9.4,3.6,and 1.9-times higher compared to that of homogeneous FeCoNiCuPt(HEA-Pt),Pt,and commercial Pt/C,respectively.We also demonstrated noble Ir stabilized on FeCoNiCrMn nanoparticles(HEA-5@Ir),achieving excellent anodic oxygen evolution performance and highly efficient overall water splitting when combined with the cathodic HEA@Pt.Therefore,our work developed a general catalysts design strategies by using high entropy nanoparticles for effective dispersion,stabilization,and modulation of surface active sites,achieving a harmonious combination of high activity,stability,and low cost.

Facile microwave approach towards high performance MoS2/graphene nanocomposite for hydrogen evolution reaction

Low-cost, highly efficient catalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction(HER) are very important to advance energy economy based on clean hydrogen gas. Intensive studies on two-dimensional molybdenum disulfides(2 D Mo S2) have been conducted due to their remarkable catalytic properties.However, most of the reported syntheses are time consuming,complicated and less efficient. The present work demonstrates the production of Mo S2/graphene catalyst via an ultra-fast(60 s) microwave-initiated approach. High specific surface area and conductivity of graphene delivers a favorable conductive network for the growth of Mo S2 nanosheets, along with rapid charge transfer kinetics. As-produced Mo S2/graphene nanocomposites exhibit superior electrocatalytic activity for the HER in acidic medium, with a low onset potential of62 m V, high cathodic currents and a Tafel slope of43.3 m V/decade. Beyond excellent catalytic activity, Mo S2/graphene reveals long cycling stability with a very high cathodic current density of around 1000 m A cm^-2 at an overpotential of 250 m V. Moreover, the Mo S2/graphene-catalyst exhibits outstanding HER activities in a temperature range of 30 to 120°C with low activation energy of36.51 k J mol^-1, providing the opportunity of practical scalable processing.

Energy-driven surface evolution in beta-MnO2 structures

Exposed crystal facets directly affect the electrochemical/catalytic performance of MnO2 materials during their applications in supercapacitors, rechargeable batteries, and fuel cells. Currently, the facet-controlled synthesis of MnO2 is facing serious challenges due to the lack of an in-depth understanding of their surface evolution mechanisms. Here, combining aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy （STEM） and high-resolution TEM, we revealed a mutual energy-driven mechanism between beta-MnO2 nanowires and microstructures that dominated the evolution of the lateral facets in both structures. The evolution of the lateral surfaces followed the elimination of the {100} facets and increased the occupancy of {110} facets with the increase in hydrothermal retention time. Both self-growth and oriented attachment along their {100} facets were observed as two different ways to reduce the surface energies of the beta-MnO2 structures. High-density screw dislocations with the 1/2〈100〉 Burgers vector were generated consequently. The observed surface evolution phenomenon offers guidance for the facet-controlled growth of beta- MnO2 materials with high performances for its application in metal-air batteries, fuel cells, supercapacitors, etc.