Analytic Design Techniques for MPT Antenna Arrays

Solar Power Satellites (SPS) represent one of the most interesting technological opportunities to provide large scale, environmentally clean and renewable energy to the Earth [1]‐[3]. A fundamental and critical component of SPSs is the Microwave Power Transmission (MPT) system, which is responsible for the delivery of the collected solar power to the ground rectenna [2]. Towards this end, the MPT array must exhibit a narrow main beam width (), a high beam efficiency (BWBE), and a low peak sidelobe level (). Moreover, reduced realization costs and weights are also necessary [3]. To reach these contrasting goals, several design techniques have been investigated including random methods [4] and hybrid deterministic‐random approaches [2][3]. On the contrary, well‐established design tools based on stochastic optimizers [5][6] are difficult to be employed, due to their high computational costs when dealing with large arrays as those of interest in SPS [3]

Generalized Analysis and Unified Design of EM Skins

A generalized formulation is derived for the analysis of the field manipulation properties of electromagnetic skins (EMSs) in the working regimes of interest for wireless communications. Based on such a theoretical framework, a unified method for the design of anomalous-reflecting and focusing EMSs is presented. Representative results, from a wide set of numerical experiments, are reported and validated with full-wave HFSS simulations to give the interested readers some insights on the accuracy, the effectiveness, and the computational efficiency of the proposed analysis/synthesis tools

Memory-Enhanced Dynamic Evolutionary Control of Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces

An innovative evolutionary method for the dynamic control of reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RISs) is proposed. It leverages, on the one hand, on the exploration capabilities of evolutionary strategies and their effectiveness in dealing with large-scale discrete optimization problems and, on the other hand, on the implementation of memory-enhanced search mechanisms to exploit the time/space correlation of communication environments. Without modifying the base station (BS) beamforming strategy and using an accurate description of the meta-atom response to faithfully account for the micro-scale EM interactions, the RIS control (RISC) algorithm maximizes the worst-case throughput across all users without requiring that the Green's partial matrices, from the BS to the RIS and from the RIS to the users, be (separately) known/measured. Representative numerical examples are reported to illustrate the features and to assess the potentialities of the proposed approach for the RISC

Unconditional adoption rules out the need for parent–offspring recognition in a single‐brooded colonial seabird

Parent–offspring recognition (POR) is fundamental in colonial birds when the potential intermingling of chicks is higher due to the large number and proximity of nests. In species with isolated nests, where chick presence in the nest is strong contextual evidence of kinship, there might be circumstances when the parent might doubt the identity of the chick, but not enough to reject it. Olfactory-based recognition of conspecifics and nest sites in birds has gained strong evidence suggesting a potential role of olfaction in POR. Despite that, there are no studies testing it. We used Scopoli's shearwater (Calonectris diomedea) as model colonial single-brooded species with a developed olfactory sense, usually breeding in well-spaced nests with low probability of chicks mixing. We tested the parent's ability to selectively respond to their own chick as opposed to a simpler rule of feeding any chick found in the nest by means of chick-fostering experiments. We designed two cross-fostering experiments using chicks of different ages to test whether the ability of parents to recognize a related chick develops over time, possibly after acquiring an own distinctive odour. Finally, we also manipulated nests’ odour to disentangle the confounding effect of nest site recognition from POR when parents return at night. All experimental chicks were adopted by parents as the weight and bill growth of cross-fostered chicks did not differ significantly from the control group. We recorded a small difference in weight when foster chicks were inside an odour-manipulated nest; although we did not record weight loss in experimental chicks, only a steeper increase in weight was observed in control chicks. In conclusion, adoption in Scopoli's shearwater seems to follow the rule "if the young is in my nest, accept it" proposed by Beecher (1991) for species with spatially separated nests and low chick mobility.Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia - FCTinfo:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Reconfigurable and Static EM Skins on Vehicles for Localization

Electromagnetic skins (EMSs) have been recently considered as a booster for wireless sensing, but their usage on mobile targets is relatively novel and could be of interest when the target reflectivity can/must be increased to improve its detection or the estimation of parameters. In particular, when illuminated by a wide-bandwidth signal (e.g., from a radar operating at millimeter waves), vehicles behave like \textit{extended targets}, since multiple parts of the vehicle's body effectively contribute to the back-scattering. Moreover, in some cases perspective deformations challenge the correct localization of the vehicle. To address these issues, we propose lodging EMSs on vehicles' roof to act as high-reflectivity planar retro-reflectors toward the sensing terminal. The advantage is twofold: \textit{(i)} by introducing a compact high-reflectivity structure on the target, we make vehicles behave like \textit{point targets}, avoiding perspective deformations and related ranging biases and \textit{(ii)} we increase the reflectivity the vehicle, improving localization performance. We detail the EMS design from the system-level to the full-wave-level considering both reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RIS) and cost-effective static passive electromagnetic skins (SP-EMSs). Localization performance of the EMS-aided sensing system is also assessed by Cram\'er-Rao bound analysis in both narrowband and spatially wideband operating conditions

Site Classification Assessment for Estimating Empirical Attenuation Relationships for Central-Northern Italy Earthquakes

The aim of this article is to investigate the ground motion attenuation of the most industrialized and populated regions of Italy, evaluating the capability of different approaches to estimate site dependent models. The 5.2 magnitude earthquake on November 24, 2004 shocked the areas of Northern Italy producing damage of about 215 million euros. The data set, including 243 earthquakes of local magnitude up to 5.2, has been collected in the period December 2002–October 2005 by 30 threecomponent seismic stations managed by Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione of Milano (INGV-MI). Empirical attenuation relationships have been estimated for horizontal peak ground velocity (PGHV), acceleration (PGHA), displacement (PGHD), and for response spectral acceleration (SA) for periods between 0.1 and 1.5 s. To estimate suitable attenuation models, in particular for sites characterized by thick sedimentary geological formations, a soil discrimination based on EU8 code can lead to wrong evaluations. On the contrary, a classification based on H/V spectral ratios of seismic ambient noise (NHV) allows the models to fit better real and predicted data and to reduce the uncertainties of the process. For each receiver, NHV have been strengthened by additional H/V spectral ratio of earthquake data (EHV), calculated considering different portions of the analysed signals. In order to validate the PGHA attenuation relationship for greater magnitudes, accelerometric records, relative to Central-Northern Italy strong motions occurring in the last 30 years, have been collected and superimposed to our attenuation curves

A microtremor survey in the area shocked by the ml 5.2 Salò earthquake (north Italy): an empirical approach to determine the effects of ground motions

In this work the results of a quick microtremor survey performed in the municipalities situated in the epicentre area of the Ml 5.2 2004 Salò earthquake (North Italy) are presented. The aim of this study is to understand if the large amount of damage caused by the event (about 215 millions of euros only in the areas near to the epicenter) is correlated more to the local surface geology conditions or to the vulnerability of ancient Italian historical centers. A preliminary seismic zonation was carried out in 5 villages including about 30 measurements of microtremors analysed by the Nakamura technique (hereinafter HVNR). The points of measurement were carefully selected considering sites located both near damaged buildings and over different local geology conditions (alluvium deposits, fluvial-glacial deposits, debris fans and rock). In order to strengthen the HVNR results and to evaluate the reliability of the Nakamura analysis, a comparison with spectral ratios calculated on earthquakes (hereinafter HVSR) recorded at the strong motion station of Vobarno was made. In general, the outcomes of the survey highlight a possible correlation between local geology conditions and ground motion amplification for different frequency bands. In order to check if this evidence is linked with the damage, a series of macroseismic intensities values were collected for different zones of the investigated area, and a non parametric correlation approach was used to establish a possible correlation between damage and ground motion amplification for selected frequency bands. The results show, from a statistical point of view, that in the area surrounding the epicenter of the 24 November 2004 mainshock, the damage pattern is not strongly dependent upon the local surface geology but more correlated to the low quality of the civil structures present in the area, including old buildings of the last century

Iterative multiscaling strategy incorporated into time domain inverse scattering method for cross-borehole imaging

We consider cross-borehole imaging of buried objects embedded in a large search area by using a time domain inverse analysis. For simplicity, a two-dimensional model is examined. In order to avoid trap into false solution and enhance the achievable spatial resolution, the iterative multiscaling strategy combined with the forward-backward time-stepping method is proposed. Preliminary results show the effectiveness of proposed method.IGARSS 2011 - 2011 IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium : Vancouver, BC, Canada, 2011.07.24-2011.07.2

RET-MAP: An International Multicenter Study on Clinicobiologic Features and Treatment Response in Patients With Lung Cancer Harboring a RET Fusion

Chemotherapy; Non–small cell lung cancer; RET inhibitorsQuimioteràpia; Càncer de pulmó de cèl·lules no petites; Inhibidors de RETQuimioterapia; Cáncer de pulmón de células no pequeñas; Inhibidores de RETIntroduction Nearly 1% to 2% of NSCLCs harbor RET fusions. Characterization of this rare population is still incomplete. Methods This retrospective multicenter study included patients with any-stage RET positive (RET+) NSCLC from 31 cancer centers. Molecular profiling included DNA/RNA sequencing or fluorescence in situ hybridization analyses. Clinicobiological features and treatment outcomes (per investigator) with surgery, chemotherapy (CT), immune checkpoint blockers (ICBs), CT-ICB, multityrosine kinase inhibitors, and RET inhibitors (RETis) were evaluated. Results For 218 patients included between February 2012 and April 2022, median age was 63 years, 56% were females, 93% had adenocarcinoma, and 41% were smokers. The most frequent fusion partner was KIF5B (72%). Median tumor mutational burden was 2.5 (range: 1–4) mutations per megabase, and median programmed death-ligand 1 expression was 10% (range: 0%–55%). The most common metastatic sites were the lung (50%), bone (43%), and pleura (40%). Central nervous system metastases were found at diagnosis of advanced NSCLC in 21% of the patients and at last follow-up or death in 31%. Overall response rate and median progression-free survival were 55% and 8.7 months with platinum doublet, 26% and 3.6 months with single-agent CT, 46% and 9.6 months with CT-ICB, 23% and 3.1 months with ICB, 37% and 3 months with multityrosine kinase inhibitor, and 76% and 16.2 months with RETi, respectively. Median overall survival was longer in patients treated with RETi versus no RETi (50.6 mo [37.7–72.1] versus 16.3 mo [12.7–28.8], p < 0.0001). Conclusions Patients with RET+ NSCLC have mainly thoracic and bone disease and low tumor mutational burden and programmed death-ligand 1 expression. RETi markedly improved survival, whereas ICB may be active in selected patients.Writing assistance was provided by Mrs. Sarah Mackenzie. Dr. Marinello was the recipient for the grant for DUERTECC/EURONCO (Diplôme Universitaire Européen de Recherche Translationnelle Et Clinique en Cancérologie). Dr. Mezquita received support from the Contrato Juan Rodes 2020 (ISCIII, Ministry of Health); Ayuda de la Acción Estratégica en Salud-ISCIII FIS 2021 (PI21/01653); Ayuda SEOM-Juan Rodés 2020. Dr. Cortellini acknowledges the support from the National Institute for Health Research Imperial Biomedical Research Centre. Dr. Pinato acknowledges the support from the Wellcome Trust Strategic Fund (PS3416), Associazione Italiana per la Ricerca sul Cancro (Associazione Italiana per la Ricerca sul Cancro MFAG Grant ID 25697), National Institute for Health Research Imperial Biomedical Research Centre, Imperial Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre, and the Imperial College Tissue Bank