Innovative Butler Matrix Concepts Based on Novel Components For 2-D Beamforming

Several innovative concepts and schemes to enrich the features of Butler matrices (BMs) to enhance their suitability over the conventional schemes are discussed, demonstrated, and analyzed. Mobile communication and radar systems require compact and versatile multibeam-forming networks (MBFNs). Therefore, the study is aimed to provide feasible and practical solutions with more flexible beam numbers of BMs, more concise configurations of the two-dimensional (2-D) beamforming, and broadband characteristics while maintaining the intrinsic merits of conventional BMs (such as theoretically lossless, spatially orthogonal beams, and relatively simple structure). In addition, the study implements some of the concepts to millimeter-wave (mm-wave) frequencies applications. Concretely, the effects of some components, such as T-junctions and crossovers, on the bandwidth of parallel-feeding networks and MBFNs, are investigated and analyzed. The corresponding solutions to broaden the bandwidth are suggested and verified by the measurements. Further, for the 2-D beamforming based on BMs, a generalized scheme to build 2-D MBFN with any 2M+N beams based on traditional 2M× 2M- and 2N× 2N BMs is elaborated and experimentally verified. Especially as the key component of 2-D BMs, an innovative eight-port coupler with a very compact structure is proposed. The applications of the coupler for 2-D monopulse arrays, dual-polarized monopulse arrays, and mm-wave 2-D beamforming are also demonstrated. Besides, two solutions to extend the numbers of beams of BMs from traditional 2N × 2N to almost arbitrary number, such as 2M×3N or M × 2N, are introduced by using a three-way coupler and electrically switchable coupler, respectively (M and N are arbitrary integers greater than 0). Though the majority of ideas and examples presented is exemplified by planar circuits and transverse-electro-magnetic (TEM) transmission lines, they can also be transferred to and applied on other circuit forms, such as ridge-gap waveguide (RGW), printed RGW (PRGW), substrate-integrated waveguide (SIW), and packaged microstrip line (PMSL) for mm-wave applications. Keywords: Butler matrices, two-dimensional Butler matrices, directional couplers, reconfigurable couplers, phase shifters, crossovers, eight-port couplers, packaged microstrip line

Prognostic implication of p27Kip1, Skp2 and Cks1 expression in renal cell carcinoma: a tissue microarray study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>p27^Kip1plays a major role as a negative regulator of the cell cycle. The regulation of p27^Kip1degradation is mediated by its specific ubiquitin ligase subunits S-phase kinase protein (Skp) 2 and cyclin-dependent kinase subunit (Cks) 1. However, little is known regarding the prognostic utility of p27^Kip1, Skp2 and Cks1 expression in renal cell carcinoma.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Immunohistochemistry was performed for p27^Kip1, Skp2 and Cks1 in tissue microarrays of 482 renal cell carcinomas with follow-up. The data were correlated with clinicopathological features. The univariate and multivariate survival analyses were also performed to determine their prognostic significance.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Immunoreactivity of p27^Kip1, Skp2 and Cks1 was noted in 357, 71 and 82 patients, respectively. Skp2 and Cks1 expression were not noted in chromophobe cancers. A strong correlation was found between Skp2 and Cks1 expression (P < 0.001), both of which were inversely related to p27^Kip1levels (P = 0.006 and P < 0.001), especially in primary and clear-cell cancers. Low p27^Kip1expression and Skp2 expression were correlated with larger tumor size and higher stage, as well as tumor necrosis. Cks1 expression was only correlated with tumor size. In univariate analysis, low p27^Kip1expression, Skp2 and Cks1 expression were all associated with a poor prognosis, while in multivariate analysis, only low p27^Kip1expression were independent prognostic factors for both cancer specific survival and recurrence-free survival in patients with RCC.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our results suggest that immunohistochemical expression levels of p27^Kip1, Skp2 and Cks1 may serve as markers with prognostic value in renal cell carcinoma.</p

Technology Review System of Water-Temperature Prediction for Reservoir Construction Project

AbstractIt is the important technical support for technology appraisal to establish technology review system of water-temperature prediction for reservoir construction project. In this study, the technical route, implementation method and process, the required basic data, and key issues were proposed for the water-temperature technology review. The realization of water-temperature technology review can provide technical guarantee for regulating the technical requirements on water temperature prediction in environment impact assessment (EIA) report. Technology review can also prevent arbitrariness in some EIA reports. Moreover technology review could resolve some experts doubts on the prediction result during the process of technology appraisal

Expression of HER2 in high-grade urothelial carcinoma based on Chinese expert consensus and the clinical effects of disitamab vedotin-tislelizumab combination therapy in the treatment of advanced patients

Background: A vast number of researchers have discovered high levels of human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2) expression in urothelial carcinoma (UC), but they do not use a uniform scoring system. Based on the 2021 edition of clinical pathological expert consensus on HER-2 testing in UC in China, we investigated the expression level and clinical significance of HER2 in high-grade UC. Furthermore, we looked at the prognosis of patients with locally advanced/metastatic UC after combining HER2 targeting antibody-drug conjugates (ADC) medication disitamab vedotin (DV) with programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) inhibitor tislelizumab.Patients and methods: From 2019 to 2022, we collected paraffin specimens of UC from the Department of Urology at the Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University. HER2 expression-related factors were investigated. Patients with advanced UC who have failed systemic chemotherapy at least once and had received immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) medication during second-line treatment were selected and treated with DV in combination with tislelizumab. We assessed the therapy’s efficacy and safety.Results: 185 patients with high-grade UC were included in this investigation. 127 patients (68.7%) were HER2 positive (IHC 2+/3+) according to the 2021 Clinical pathological expert consensus on HER2 testing in UC in China. The clinical stage of UC differed statistically significantly between the HER2-and HER2+ groups (p = 0.019). Sixteen advanced UC patients were treated with DV and tislelizumab for a median of 14 months. The disease control rate was 87.5%, while the objective response rate (ORR) was 62.5%. The ORR of HER2+ individuals was higher than that of HER2-individuals (70.0% vs. 50.0%). The median progression-free survival or overall survival was not reached. In this study, the incidence of treatment-related adverse events was 68.8% (11/16), with all of them being grade 1 or 2 adverse reactions.Conclusion: HER2 protein expressed at a high percentage in UC, and 68.7% patients expressed HER2 positive (IHC 2+/3+). HER2+ expression is positively correlated with higher clinical stage of UC. HER2 targeted ADC drug disitamab vedotin combining with PD-1 inhibitor tislelizumab has shown efficacy, safety and controllable adverse reactions in the treatment of advanced UC

Miniaturization Design for 8 × 8 Butler Matrix Based on Back-to-Back Bilayer Microstrip

A low-cost, compact 8 × 8 Butler matrix based on a novel bilayer microstrip configuration is presented and implemented for 4.3 GHz telecommunication application. A back-to-back placed bilayer microstrip structure has been proposed to avoid using crossover. To expand operational bandwidth of the Butler matrix, a three-branch line directional coupler has been employed as 3 dB/90° bridge, and a kind of improved two-order Schiffman phase shifter has been adopted as fixed phase shifter. For application of indoor wireless communication, a compact broadband 8 × 8 Butler matrix has been designed and fabricated. The measured results show that the return loss of the matrix is lower than −10 dB, the isolation is better than 17 dB, the power distribution error is less than ±2.0 dB, the phase error is less than ±15°, and the relative bandwidth is more than 23%

Structure-Guided Design and Synthesis of Small Molecules Targeting Hepatitis C Virus Internal Ribosome Entry Site RNA

This study focuses on the structure-guided design and synthesis of small molecules that target hepatitis C virus internal ribosome entry site subdomain IIa RNA - a structural element that plays a key role in the viral protein translation initiation process. A series of aryl- substituted benzimidazole molecules was designed using guidance from a shape-similarity screening that utilized the structure of a known subdomain IIa RNA-binding benzimidazole translation inhibitor as the query molecule. The syntheses of the designed aryl-substituted benzimidazole molecules were described. Their binding affinities towards the target RNA were assessed by a FRET assay. The structure-binding relationship of these molecules was analyzed. The second part of the study explores the design and synthetic development of 2- aminoquinazolin-4-one and 2-amino-lin-benzoguanine molecules, whose design were guided by the ligand-bound subdomain IIa RNA crystal structur

Coupling interaction of electromagnetic wave in a groove doublet configuration

Based on the waveguide mode (WGM) method, coupling interaction of electromagnetic wave in a groove doublet configuration is studied. The formulation obtained by WGM method for a single groove [Prog. Electromagn. Res. 18, 1–17 (1998)] is extended to two grooves. By exploring the total scattered field of the configuration, coupling interaction ratios are defined to describe the interaction between grooves quantitatively. Since each groove in this groove doublet configuration is regarded as the basic unit, the effects of coupling interaction on the scattered fields of each groove can be investigated respectively. Numerical results show that an oscillatory behavior of coupling interaction is damped with increasing groove spacing. The incident and scattering angle dependence of coupling interaction is symmetrical when the two grooves are the same. For the case of two subwavelength grooves, the coupling interaction is not sensitive to the incident angle and scattering angle. Although the case of two grooves is discussed for simplicity, the formulation developed in this article can be generalized to arbitrary number of grooves. Moreover, our study offers a simple alternative to investigate and design metallic gratings, compact directional antennas, couplers, and other devices especially in low frequency regime such as THz and microwave domain

Scattering of pulsed plane wave from a symmetrical groove doublet configuration

We have provided theoretical study on the spectral and temporal properties of the scattering of pulsed plane wave from a symmetrical groove doublet configuration. Based on the numerical calculation results, we show that the spectrum and the waveform of the scattered field are sensitive to the shape of the rectangular grooves when the grooves are deep enough. In both spectral and temporal domain, a damped oscillatory behavior occurs when the groove spacing increases. Furthermore, the spectral and temporal dependences of the angular distribution are consisted of interference-like fringe patterns. These patterns are sensitive to the size of the groove width and spacing rather than the groove shape when the depth is small enough. Our study takes the analysis of pulse scattering by finite grooves a step further on the theoretical side, and offers opportunities for the control of spectral and temporal properties of pulsed scattered wave in low frequency regime such as THz and microwave domain

A method to design transmission resonances through subwavelength apertures based on designed surface plasmons

A plasmonic metamaterial is proposed for which an array of subwavelength apertures is pierced into a metallic foil whose one flat surface has been made with periodic rectangle holes of finite depth. Designed surface plasmons sustained by the holes are explored when the size and spacing of the holes are much smaller than those of the apertures. The transmission property of electromagnetic waves through the metamaterials is analyzed. Results show that the designed surface plasmons characterized by the holes could support the transmission resonances of the incident wave passing through the subwavelength apertures, and that the peak transmission wavelengths could be designed by controlling the geometrical and optical parameters of the holes. Example is taken at THz regime. Our work proposes a method to design the peak wavelengths, and may affect further engineering of surface plasmon optics, especially in THz to microwave regimes