A Method of Synthesis for Multi-Frequency Smart Antenna Arrays for Coastal Monitoring

Thanks to their versatility, smart antenna arrays are used in a wide variety of contexts, including, in particular, coastal monitoring. Within this framework, operating in multi-frequency modality might reveal a fundamental requirement. So, in this paper the problem of synthesis of multi-frequency antenna arrays is addressed. Precisely, a fixed grid array is considered, having an arbitrary but known geometry. The excitation vectors are optimized in such a way that the radiation patterns belong to a prescribed mask at certain assigned frequencies. Moreover, in order to have a simpler, cheaper and more efficient antenna, the phase-only synthesis is performed. In fact, thanks to this requirement, variable attenuators are not necessary and only phase-shifters are used in the feeding network. Numerical examples are provided, which validate the effectiveness of the method

Investigation of SNPs in the ATP1A2, CA3 and DECR1 genes mapped to porcine chromosome 4: analysis in groups of pigs divergent for meat production and quality traits

STUDIO DI TRE GENI (ATP1A2, CA3E DECR1) LOCALIZZATI SUL CROMOSOMA SUINO 4: ANALISIDELLE FREQUENZE ALLELICHE DI SNP IN SUINI ESTREMI PER ALCUNI CARATTERI PRODUTTIVITre geni (ATPase, Na+/K+transporting, \u3b12(+) polypeptide, ATP1A2; carbonic anhydrase III, CA3; 2,4-die-noyl CoA reductase 1, mitochondrial, DECR1), isolati da una libreria a cDNA ottenuta da muscolo scheletri-co di suino, sono stati scelti per questo studio sulla base del ruolo fisiologico della proteina codificata in pro-cessi cellulari e metabolici collegabili in modo diretto o indiretto con alcuni caratteri produttivi. La scelta dei tre geni \ue8 stata anche basata sulla loro localizzazione sul cromosoma 4 dove diversi QTL per caratteri pro-duttivi sono gi\ue0 stati identificati.Nella regione 3\u2019 non tradotta del gene CA3\ue8 stato identificato, mediante analisi SSCP, un polimorfismo bial-lelico. Il sequenziamento dei due alleli ha permesso di identificare una nuova mutazione puntiforme, che \ue8stata successivamente analizzata mediante PCR-RFLP. Per questo gene \ue8 stato effettuato il mappaggiogenetico sul cromosoma 4 mediante l\u2019analisi della mutazione nei campioni delle famiglie di riferimento delprogetto europeo di mappaggio del genoma suino (PiGMaP). Utilizzando il polimorfismo PCR-RFLP del geneATP1A2, gi\ue0 decritto in un precedente lavoro come SSCP, sono state tipizzate diverse famiglie di riferimen-to PiGMaP ed \ue8 stato confermato il mappaggio genetico di ATP1A2. Utilizzando queste informazioni e quel-le gi\ue0 disponibili per DECR1, per la prima volta, \ue8 stata ottenuta una mappa di linkage del cromosoma 4che comprende tutti e tre i geni analizzati. Il mappaggio genetico dei tre geni \ue8 stato anche confermatomediante tipizzazione di un pannello di ibridi di cellule irradiate (IMpRH 7000 rad).Le frequenze alleliche delle mutazioni identificate nei tre loci sono state studiate in 11 razze suine (LargeWhite Italiana, Landrace Italiana, Duroc Italiana, Landrace Belga, Hampshire, Pi\ue9train, Meishan, CintaSenese, Casertana, Calabrese and Nero Siciliano) per un totale di 272 animali. Inoltre, come approccio ini-ziale per poi scegliere i geni da analizzare in futuri studi di associazione, abbiamo confrontato le frequenzealleliche di mutazioni puntiformi per questi tre loci in gruppi di suini di razza Large White Italiana e DurocItaliana, analizzando animali con valori degli indici genetici estremi e divergenti per alcuni caratteri produt-tivi (accrescimento, spessore lardo dorsale, tagli magri e grasso intermuscolare visibile). Per il gene CA3 \ue8stata osservata una differenza nella distribuzione delle frequenze alleliche (P< 0,05) per i due caratteri taglimagri (nella razza Large White Italiana) e grasso intermusculare visibile (nella razza Duroc Italiana). Per ilgene DECR1, differenze significative sono state osservate per il carattere grasso intermuscolare visibile. Ilgene ATP1A2, che mappa vicino al locus FAT1, non ha presentato differenze statisticamente significativenelle frequenze tra i gruppi estremi per i caratteri oggetto di studio. Analizzando il livello di linkage disequi-librium(LD) tra i tre loci, \ue8 stato evidenziato un elevato livello di LD (D\u2019= 0,967; P< 0,0001) tra i geni CA3e DECR1, solo nella popolazione Duroc Italiana. Questi primi risultati pongono le basi per ulteriori studi perverificare se i geni CA3e DECR1sono associati con i caratteri oggetto di selezione nel suino pesante.Three genes (ATPase, Na+/K+ transporting, \u3b1 2(+) polypeptide, ATP1A2; carbonic anhydrase III, CA3; 2,4-dienoyl CoA reductase 1, mitochondrial, DECR1), isolated from a porcine skeletal muscle cDNA library and mapped on porcine chromosome 4 (SSC4), were investigated. A new single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) was identified in the 3\u2019-untranslated region of the CA3 gene and used to genetically map this locus on SSC4 together with the ATP1A2 and DECR1 loci for which SNPs were already reported. Allele frequencies of the three loci were reported for 11 pig breeds (Italian Large White, Italian Landrace, Italian Duroc, Belgian Landrace, Hampshire, Pi\uf9train, Meishan, Cinta Senese, Casertana, Calabrese and Nero Siciliano). Radiation hybrid mapping of these genes confirmed the linkage mapping results as well as mapping information reported by other authors. Then, the SNPs identified in the ATP1A2, CA3 and DECR1 genes were genotyped in Italian Large White and Italian Duroc animal groups with extreme and divergent estimated breeding value for several production traits. For CA3 significant differences in allele frequencies (P< 0.05) were observed between the extreme groups of pigs for the lean cuts (Italian Large White) and visible intermuscular fat (Italian Duroc) traits. For DECR1, a significant difference in allele frequencies was observed only for the visible intermuscular fat trait. ATP1A2, which maps close to the FAT1 locus, did not show any significant difference. A very high linkage disequilibrium (D\u2019= 0.967; P< 0.0001) was identified between CA3 and DECR1 in the Italian Duroc population. Further investigations are needed to evaluate the effect of CA3 and DECR1 on the considered trait

A Beamforming Network for 5G/6G Multibeam Antennas Using the PCB Technology

This paper presents the design of a 4×4 Blass matrix for enabling beamforming operations in a four-element uniform linear antenna array (ULAA) operating at 3.5 GHz, corresponding to the first frequency band reserved for the forthcoming fifth and sixth generation (5G/6G) systems. To obtain a simple and inexpensive device, the proposed feeding network, which provides to the ULAA beam pointing capabilities towards four different directions, is entirely implemented using printed circuit board technology. The design procedure is realized adopting an extended iterative mathematical framework accounting for losses control and providing the pointing angles and the matrix coefficients. The performance of the conceived architecture is numerically investigated through full-wave simulations. The versatility, low losses, and low price of the developed microstrip network makes it suitable for both 5G/6G air/terrestrial femtocell base stations and Internet of Things (IoT) cluster-head sensors/actuators

A genome wide association study for backfat thickness in Italian Large White pigs highlights new regions affecting fat deposition including neuronal genes.

BACKGROUND: Carcass fatness is an important trait in most pig breeding programs. Following market requests, breeding plans for fresh pork consumption are usually designed to reduce carcass fat content and increase lean meat deposition. However, the Italian pig industry is mainly devoted to the production of Protected Designation of Origin dry cured hams: pigs are slaughtered at around 160 kg of live weight and the breeding goal aims at maintaining fat coverage, measured as backfat thickness to avoid excessive desiccation of the hams. This objective has shaped the genetic pool of Italian heavy pig breeds for a few decades. In this study we applied a selective genotyping approach within a population of ~ 12,000 performance tested Italian Large White pigs. Within this population, we selectively genotyped 304 pigs with extreme and divergent backfat thickness estimated breeding value by the Illumina PorcineSNP60 BeadChip and performed a genome wide association study to identify loci associated to this trait. RESULTS: We identified 4 single nucleotide polymorphisms with P 645.0E-07 and additional 119 ones with 5.0E-07<P 645.0E-05. These markers were located throughout all chromosomes. The largest numbers were found on porcine chromosomes 6 and 9 (n=15), 4 (n=13), and 7 (n=12) while the most significant marker was located on chromosome 18. Twenty-two single nucleotide polymorphisms were in intronic regions of genes already recognized by the Pre-Ensembl Sscrofa10.2 assembly. Gene Ontology analysis indicated an enrichment of Gene Ontology terms associated with nervous system development and regulation in concordance with results of large genome wide association studies for human obesity. CONCLUSIONS: Further investigations are needed to evaluate the effects of the identified single nucleotide polymorphisms associated with backfat thickness on other traits as a pre-requisite for practical applications in breeding programs. Reported results could improve our understanding of the biology of fat metabolism and deposition that could also be relevant for other mammalian species including humans, confirming the role of neuronal genes on obesity

A Simple Blass Matrix Design Strategy for Multibeam Arbitrary Linear Antenna Arrays

Multibeam antenna arrays are currently recognized as one of the enabling technologies for the next-generation communication standards. One of the key components of these systems is the beamforming network (BFN) that implements the array element excitations. This article addresses this issue by presenting a novel strategy to realize an analog feeding network, which allows an arbitrary linear array (LA) to radiate multiple arbitrary beams. In particular, an iterative procedure is conceived to design a Blass matrix using an identical directional coupler for all nodes, resulting in a very simple structure suitable for large-scale production. Two applications with arbitrary directions are illustrated as proofs-of-concept for the developed architecture: a dual-beam configuration with a null involving an aperiodic LA, and a four-beam configuration involving a periodic LA. For this second application, the effectiveness of the proposed solution is further verified by full-wave simulations and experimental measurements carried out on a fabricated prototype

Do bone mineral content and density determine fracture in children? A possible threshold for physical activity

BackgroundRelations between bone parameters, physical exertion, and childhood fractures are complex. We aimed to estimate the associations between fracture history and bone mineral content (BMC) and areal bone mineral density (aBMD) at 7 years of age, by levels of physical activity, as a proxy for trauma frequency.MethodsWe used data collected from 2,261 children of the Generation XXI birth cohort, assembled in 2005/6 in Porto, Portugal. At the age of 7 years (2012/4), fracture history, time spent per week in active play, and sports practice were reported by parents. Subtotal and lumbar spine (LS) BMC and aBMD were measured using whole-body dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry.ResultsBoys and girls in the highest categories of time spent in sports practice or active play generally had higher BMC and aBMD. Among girls, BMC and aBMD were protective of fracture only in the highest quarter of active play (>660 min/week)-odds ratios (OR; 95% confidence interval (95% CI)) for subtotal BMC=0.27 (0.11-0.67), subtotal aBMD=0.18 (0.06-0.49), and LS aBMD=0.41 (0.22-0.75). For boys in the highest quarter of sports practice (>240 min/week), subtotal and LS BMC were protective of fracture-OR=0.39 (0.16-0.98) and 0.51 (0.27-0.96), respectively.ConclusionIn prepubertal children, BMC and aBMD predicted fracture history only in the highest levels of physical activity.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Single nucleotide polymorphisms in several porcine cathepsin genes are associated with growth, carcass, and production traits in Italian Large White pigs

To identify DNA markers associated with performance, carcass, and meat production traits including muscle postmortem cathepsin activity, sev- eral porcine genes encoding for lysosomal proteinases (cathepsin B, CTSB; cathepsin D, CTSD; cathepsin F, CTSF; cathepsin H, CTSH; cathepsin L, CTSL; and cathepsin Z, CTSZ) and for a cathepsin inhibitor (cys- tatin B) were investigated. Single nucleotide polymor- phisms were identified in CTSD, CTSH, CTSL, and CTSZ genes with a combination of in silico expressed sequence tag database mining and single-strand confor- mation polymorphism analysis. Sequencing and PCR- RFLP protocols were used to validate the identified polymorphisms. Allele frequencies at these loci were investigated in Italian Large White, Landrace, Duroc, Pietrain, Belgian Landrace, Hampshire, and Meishan breeds. Genotyping CTSD and CTSH markers made it possible to genetically map these genes to SSC 2 and 7, respectively. Markers in CTSD, CTSH, CTSL, and CTSZ genes, together with mutations we previously re- ported in cystatin B, CTSB, and CTSF genes, were genotyped in an Italian Large White sib-tested popu- lation (272 or 482 animals). For these animals, meat quality traits (cathepsin B activity, pH measured at 2 h postmortem, pH measured at 24 h postmortem, glyco- gen, lactate, and glycolytic potential of semimembrano- sus muscle) and EBV for ADG, lean cuts (LC), backfat thickness (BFT), ham weight (HW), and feed:gain ra- tio (FGR) were determined. Analyzed markers did not show any association with muscle cathepsin B activity. Thus, it could be possible that different genes, other than these investigated candidates, affect this trait, which is correlated with the excessive softness defect of dry-cured hams. The results of association analysis confirmed the effects we already reported in another study for CTSF on ADG (P = 0.008), LC (P = 0.001), and BFT (P = 0.02). Moreover, CTSD was associated with ADG, LC (P < 0.0001), BFT, HW, and FGR (P < 0.001); CTSH was associated with FGR (P = 0.026); and CTSZ was associated with ADG (P = 0.006), LC (P = 0.01), HW (P = 0.024), and FGR (P = 0.029). The biochemical and physiological functions of the lys- osomal proteinases, together with the results obtained in our investigation, suggest that the cathepsin gene family might play important roles affecting economic traits in pigs

Prediction of metabolic clusters in early lactation dairy cows using models based on 2 milk biomarkers

The aim of this study was to describe metabolism of early-lactation dairy cows by clustering cows based on glucose, insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I), free fatty acid, and beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) using the k-means method. Predictive models for metabolic clusters were created and validated using 3 sets of milk biomarkers (milk metabolites and enzymes, glycans on the immuno-gamma globulin fraction of milk, and Fourier-transform mid-infrared spectra of milk). Metabolic clusters are used to identify dairy cows with a balanced or imbalanced metabolic profile. Around 14 and 35 d in milk, serum or plasma concentrations of BHB, free fatty acids, glucose, and IGF-I were determined. Cows with a favorable metabolic profile were grouped together in what was referred to as the "balanced" group (n = 43) and were compared with cows in what was referred to as the "other balanced" group (n = 64). Cows with an unfavorable metabolic profile were grouped in what was referred to as the "imbalanced" group (n = 19) and compared with cows in what was referred to as the "other imbalanced" group (n = 88). Glucose and IGF-I were higher in balanced compared with other balanced cows. Free fatty acids and BHB were lower in balanced compared with other balanced cows. Glucose and IGF-I were lower in imbalanced compared with other imbalanced cows. Free fatty acids arid BHB were higher in imbalanced cows. Metabolic clusters were related to production parameters. There was a trend for a higher daily increase in fat- and protein-corrected milk yield in balanced cows, whereas that of imbalanced cows was higher. Dry matter intake and the daily increase in dry matter intake were higher in balanced cows and lower in imbalanced cows. Energy balance was continuously higher in balanced cows and lower in imbalanced cows. Weekly or twice-weekly milk samples were taken and milk metabolites and enzymes (milk glucose, glucose-6-phosphate, BHB, lactate dehydrogenase, N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase, isocitrate), immunogamma globulin glycans (19 peaks), and Fourier-transform mid-infrared spectra (1,060 wavelengths reduced to 15 principal components) were determined. Milk biomarkers with or without additional cow information (days in milk, parity, milk yield featurs) were used to create predictive models for the metabolic clusters. Accuracy for prediction of balanced (80%) and imbalanced (88%) cows was highest using milk metabolites and enzymes combined with days in milk and parity. The results and models of the present study are part of the GplusE project and identify novel milk-based phenotypes that may be used as predictors for metabolic and performance traits in early-lactation dairy cows

OPTIMAX 2017 : radiation dose, image quality optimisation,the use of new technology in medical imaging

This year OPTIMAX settled in Oslo. After the successof previous years, we are proud to present the fourthEbook. As in previous years, the group was madeup of PhD-, MSc- and BSc students as well astutors from the seven European partner universities.Professional mix was drawn from medical physics/physics and radiography. OPTIMAX 2017 was partlyfunded by the partner universities and partly by theparticipants. Two students from South Africa and twofrom Brazil were invited by Hanze UAS (Groningen)and ESTeSL (Lisbon) summer school includedlectures and group projects in which experimentalresearch was conducted in four teams. Four research projects were performed with a focuson radiation dose optimization and image quality,namely: Possible dose reduction for pediatric patientsfor conventional radiology; Can the tube voltage belowered with the use of direct-conversion flat paneldetector system?; Impact of body size and kV in chestradiography; Quantity assessment on Image quality ofCBCT images of head phantom with implants of metaland ceramic objects.The last day of OPTIMAX 2017there was a poster session and a conference, in whichthe research teams presented their posters and oralpresentations. This book comprises of two sections, the first twochapters concern generic background informationabout international teamwork during the OPTIMAXsummerschool. The next chapters with theory on which the researchprojects were built. The second section containsthe research papers of the four research projects.Two research papers, Can the tube voltage belowered with the use of direct-conversion flat-paneldetector system? And Impact of body size and kV inchest radiography: Experimental receiver operatingcharacteristic analysis using a Multipurpose ChestPhantom “Lungman” have been accepted for the ECRconference, Vienna, 2018 as oral presentations