Systematic assessment of long-read RNA-seq methods for transcript identification and quantification.

The Long-read RNA-Seq Genome Annotation Assessment Project Consortium was formed to evaluate the effectiveness of long-read approaches for transcriptome analysis. Using different protocols and sequencing platforms, the consortium generated over 427 million long-read sequences from complementary DNA and direct RNA datasets, encompassing human, mouse and manatee species. Developers utilized these data to address challenges in transcript isoform detection, quantification and de novo transcript detection. The study revealed that libraries with longer, more accurate sequences produce more accurate transcripts than those with increased read depth, whereas greater read depth improved quantification accuracy. In well-annotated genomes, tools based on reference sequences demonstrated the best performance. Incorporating additional orthogonal data and replicate samples is advised when aiming to detect rare and novel transcripts or using reference-free approaches. This collaborative study offers a benchmark for current practices and provides direction for future method development in transcriptome analysis.

Parasitics Impact on the Performance of Rectifier Circuits in Sensing RF Energy Harvesting.

This work presents some accurate guidelines for the design of rectifier circuits in radiofrequency (RF) energy harvesting. New light is shed on the design process, paying special attention to the nonlinearity of the circuits and the modeling of the parasitic elements. Two different configurations are tested: a Cockcroft-Walton multiplier and a half-wave rectifier. Several combinations of diodes, capacitors, inductors and loads were studied. Furthermore, the parasitics that are part of the circuits were modeled. Thus, the most harmful parasitics were identified and studied in depth in order to improve the conversion efficiency and enhance the performance of self-sustaining sensing systems. The experimental results show that the parasitics associated with the diode package and the via holes in the PCB (Printed Circuit Board) can leave the circuits inoperative. As an example, the rectifier efficiency is below 5% without considering the influence of the parasitics. On the other hand, it increases to over 30% in both circuits after considering them, twice the value of typical passive rectifiers.

RF Energy Harvesting System Based on an Archimedean Spiral Antenna for Low-Power Sensor Applications.

This paper presents a radiofrequency (RF) energy harvesting system based on an ultrawideband Archimedean spiral antenna and a half-wave Cockcroft-Walton multiplier circuit. The antenna was proved to operate from 350 MHz to 16 GHz with an outstanding performance. With its use, radio spectrum measurements were carried out at the Telecommunication Engineering School (Universidad Politécnica de Madrid) to determine the power level of the ambient signals in two different scenarios: indoors and outdoors. Based on these measurements, a Cockcroft-Walton multiplier and a lumped element matching network are designed to operate at 800 MHz and 900 MHz frequency bands. To correct the frequency displacement in the circuit, a circuit model is presented that takes into account the different parasitic elements of the components and the PCB. With an input power of 0 dBm, the manufactured circuit shows a rectifying efficiency of 30%. Finally, a test is carried out with the full RF energy harvesting system to check its correct operation. Thus, the RF system is placed in front of a transmitting Vivaldi antenna at a distance of 50 cm. The storage capacitor has a charge of over 1.25 V, which is enough to run a temperature sensor placed as the load to be supplied. This demonstrates the validity of the RF energy harvesting system for low-power practical applications.

Systematic assessment of long-read RNA-seq methods for transcript identification and quantification.

The Long-read RNA-Seq Genome Annotation Assessment Project (LRGASP) Consortium was formed to evaluate the effectiveness of long-read approaches for transcriptome analysis. The consortium generated over 427 million long-read sequences from cDNA and direct RNA datasets, encompassing human, mouse, and manatee species, using different protocols and sequencing platforms. These data were utilized by developers to address challenges in transcript isoform detection and quantification, as well as de novo transcript isoform identification. The study revealed that libraries with longer, more accurate sequences produce more accurate transcripts than those with increased read depth, whereas greater read depth improved quantification accuracy. In well-annotated genomes, tools based on reference sequences demonstrated the best performance. When aiming to detect rare and novel transcripts or when using reference-free approaches, incorporating additional orthogonal data and replicate samples are advised. This collaborative study offers a benchmark for current practices and provides direction for future method development in transcriptome analysis.