Experimental comparison of DSB and CS-DSB mmW formats over a hybrid fiber and FSO fronthaul network for 5G.

The telecommunication world is experiencing the 5th generation (5G) networks deployment including the use of millimeter wave (mmW) frequency bands to satisfy capacity demands. This leads to the extensive use of optical communications, especially the optical fiber connectivity at the last mile access and the edge networks. In this paper we outline fiber and free space optics (FSO) technologies for use as part of the 5G optical fronthaul network. We investigate two different mmW transmission schemes based on (i) the conventional analog radio over fiber transmission using one Mach-Zehnder modulator (MZM) with double sideband (DSB) optical modulation, and (ii) an optical-based frequency doubling with one MZM biased at the null point to introduce carrier suppression DSB (CS DSB) transmission and second MZM used for data modulation. Both systems are assessed in terms of the error vector magnitude, signal-to-noise ratio, dynamic range and phase noise. We consider a configuration for the fronthaul network in the frequency range 2 (FR2) at 27 and 39 GHz with the scale of bandwidth up to 400 MHz with M-quadrature amplitude modulation and quadrature phase shift keying. Results are also shown for FR1 at 3.5 GHz. Moreover, we investigate for the first time the 5G new radio signal transmission under strong turbulence conditions and show the turbulence-induced FSO link impairment. We finally demonstrate the CS DSB scheme performs well under chromatic dispersion-induced fading for the frequency up to 40 GHz and single mode fiber length of 30 km, whereas the DSB format seems more appropriate for an antenna seamless transmission.

Experimental demonstration of a microwave photonic link using an optically phased antenna array for a millimeter wave band.

We present a hybrid radiofrequency and microwave photonic link at 25 GHz using the chromatic dispersion of an optical fiber to steer the beam of a three-element planar dipole-based phased antenna array (PAA). Our team has designed and developed an in-house built PAA, experimentally verified its parameters, and successfully demonstrated optically controlled beam steering as measured in an anechoic chamber. Moreover, a detailed analysis of the optically based beam steering in the proposed microwave photonics system has been carried out, with data transmission achieving an error vector magnitude as low as 5.6% for the frequency of 25 GHz and 20 MHz bandwidth.

Experimental verification of long-term evolution radio transmissions over dual-polarization combined fiber and free-space optics optical infrastructures.

This paper describes the experimental verification of the utilization of long-term evolution radio over fiber (RoF) and radio over free space optics (RoFSO) systems using dual-polarization signals for cloud radio access network applications determining the specific utilization limits. A number of free space optics configurations are proposed and investigated under different atmospheric turbulence regimes in order to recommend the best setup configuration. We show that the performance of the proposed link, based on the combination of RoF and RoFSO for 64 QAM at 2.6 GHz, is more affected by the turbulence based on the measured difference error vector magnitude value of 5.5%. It is further demonstrated the proposed systems can offer higher noise immunity under particular scenarios with the signal-to-noise ratio reliability limit of 5 dB in the radio frequency domain for RoF and 19.3 dB in the optical domain for a combination of RoF and RoFSO links.

Characterization of dual-polarization LTE radio over a free-space optical turbulence channel.

A dual polarization (DP) radio over a free-space optical (FSO) communication link using a long-term evolution (LTE) radio signal is proposed and analyzed under different turbulence channel conditions. Radio signal transmission over the DP FSO channel is experimentally verified by means of error vector magnitude (EVM) statistics. We demonstrate that such a system, employing a 64 quadrature amplitude modulation at the frequency bands of 800 MHz and 2.6 GHz, evinces reliability with <8% of EVM in a turbulent channel. Based on the results, we show that transmitting the LTE signal over the FSO channel is a potential solution for last-mile access or backbone networks, when using multiple-input multiple-output based DP signals.

Lex glycosphingolipids-mediated cell aggregation.

Glycoconjugates bearing oligosaccharide Lex, Galbeta1-->4(Fucalpha1-->3)GlcNAcbeta1-->3R, are found on the surface of several cell types. Although recent studies have indicated that Lexon both glycosphingolipids (GSL) and polylactosaminoglycans can mediate under certain experimental conditions Lex-Lexinteractions, cell-cell interactions based exclusively on LexGSLs have not been demonstrated. In this study we show that preincubation of nonaggregating rat basophilic leukemia (RBL) cells with purified LexGSLs resulted in incorporation of the GSLs into plasma membrane, as determined by immunostaining, and formation of aggregates in the presence of Ca2+; no aggregates were formed after preincubation of the cells with globoside or sphingomyelin. Lex-mediated aggregation was inhibited by removal of Ca2+or by addition of lactofucopentaose III but not by lactose or lacto-N-fucopentaose II. In a mixture of Lex-positive and Lex-negative RBL cells most of the aggregates were composed exclusively of Lex-positive cells. The combined data suggest that interactions between LexGSL on opposite cell surfaces are strong enough to allow formation of stable cell-cell contacts.

Fine specificity of anti-Le(X) monoclonal antibody TEC-01.

TEC-01 monoclonal antibody recognizes the oligosaccharide structure Galbeta1-->4[Fucalpha1-->3] GlcNAc (Le(X) hapten). To determine its fine specificity, reactivity of TEC-01 antibody with Le(X) glycosphingolipids, isolated from human liver metastasis of adenocarcinoma, and Le(X) neoglycolipid were analysed. Immunostaining of Le(X) glycosphingolipids, fractionated by thin-layer chromatography, showed that TEC-01 reacted with difucosyl and trifucosyl Le(X) glycosphingolipids but not with Le(X) pentasaccharide ceramide. Interestingly, TEC-01 also reacted with Le(X) neoglycolipid prepared by reductive amination from Le(X) pentasaccharide, lacto-N-fucopentaose III, and L-1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycerophosphoethanolamine. The combined data suggest that TEC-01 recognizes Le(X) hapten in glycolipids with longer oligosaccharide chain moiety.