Phase-only beam synthesis by iterative semidefinite relaxations with rank refinement

In phased array antennas, by varying the complex element weights beam patterns with desired shapes can be synthesized and/or steered to desired directions. These complex weights can be implemented by using amplitude controllers and phase shifters at the system level. Since controlling the phase of an RF signal is much easier than controlling its power, many systems do not have an individual amplitude controller for each element. Hence, beamshaping and steering are to be achieved by varying only the element phases. In this work, a new approach is proposed for phase-only beam synthesis problem. In this approach, the phase-only beam synthesis is formulated as a non-convex quadratically constrained quadratic problem (QCQP). Then, it is relaxed to a convex semidefinite problem (SDP), which generally provides an undesired high rank solution. An iterative technique is developed to obtain a rank-1 solution to the relaxed convex SDP. Conducted experiments show that, proposedmethod can successfully synthesize beam shapes with desired characteristics and steering directions by using only the element phases. © 2013 EURASIP

De Novo Mutation in Genes Regulating Neural Stem Cell Fate in Human Congenital Hydrocephalus

Congenital hydrocephalus (CH), featuring markedly enlarged brain ventricles, is thought to arise from failed cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) homeostasis and is treated with lifelong surgical CSF shunting with substantial morbidity. CH pathogenesis is poorly understood. Exome sequencing of 125 CH trios and 52 additional probands identified three genes with significant burden of rare damaging de novo or transmitted mutations: TRIM71 (p = 2.15 × 10−7), SMARCC1 (p = 8.15 × 10−10), and PTCH1 (p = 1.06 × 10−6). Additionally, two de novo duplications were identified at the SHH locus, encoding the PTCH1 ligand (p = 1.2 × 10−4). Together, these probands account for ∼10% of studied cases. Strikingly, all four genes are required for neural tube development and regulate ventricular zone neural stem cell fate. These results implicate impaired neurogenesis (rather than active CSF accumulation) in the pathogenesis of a subset of CH patients, with potential diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic ramifications

Exome sequencing implicates genetic disruption of prenatal neuro-gliogenesis in sporadic congenital hydrocephalus

Congenital hydrocephalus (CH), characterized by enlarged brain ventricles, is considered a disease of excessive cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) accumulation and thereby treated with neurosurgical CSF diversion with high morbidity and failure rates. The poor neurodevelopmental outcomes and persistence of ventriculomegaly in some post-surgical patients highlight our limited knowledge of disease mechanisms. Through whole-exome sequencing of 381 patients (232 trios) with sporadic, neurosurgically treated CH, we found that damaging de novo mutations account for >17% of cases, with five different genes exhibiting a significant de novo mutation burden. In all, rare, damaging mutations with large effect contributed to ~22% of sporadic CH cases. Multiple CH genes are key regulators of neural stem cell biology and converge in human transcriptional networks and cell types pertinent for fetal neuro-gliogenesis. These data implicate genetic disruption of early brain development, not impaired CSF dynamics, as the primary pathomechanism of a significant number of patients with sporadic CH

The role of antiferromagnetic exchange interactions in dinuclear Cr(III) dithiocarbamates and a stepwise behavior of magnetic moment

In this study the role of the antiferromagnetic interactions in recently synthesized dinuclear Cr(III) complex has been investigated. Since there was not enough structural information for the characterization of the synthesis, we claim that there should be antiferromagnetic interactions between the dinuclear Fe(III) ions, if the proposed structure is the real structure. A new experiment is proposed to test the predictions of this theoretical investigation

Replantation of thumb avulsion injuries

Purpose: To point out detailed technical considerations and tactical modifications within the experience of 59 replantations of thumb avulsion injuries, to clarify the indications of replantation, and to evaluate the long-term results

PER-1 production in a urinary isolate of Providencia rettgeri

A Providencia rettgeri strain resistant to extended-spectrum cephalosporins and intermediate to aztreonam was isolated from the urine of a patient hospitalized in the urology clinic of SSK Educational Hospital in Ankara. Clavulanic acid restored the activity of extended-spectrum cephalosporins, suggesting that the strain was harboring an extended-spectrum beta-lactamase. Since the PER-1 enzyme is widespread in Turkey, and had been already detected in a related species such as Proteus mirabilis, the Providencia strain was suspected of harboring a PER-1 enzyme, which was indeed detected by PCR. This is the first description in a P. rettgeri isolate of a PER-1 enzyme which is widespread among Acinetobacter baumanni and Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains in Turkey