Advanced Electromagnetic Numerical Modeling Techniques for Various Periodic and Quasi-Periodic Systems

This dissertation is mainly concerned with several advanced electromagnetic modeling techniques for practical complex systems, which involve periodic analyses. The focus is to reveal the physics of the electromagnetic wave interaction with the complex structures, and also to arrive at improved computational algorithms. This dissertation consists of three self-contained parts, each discussing one modeling technique. Examples presented in this dissertation include (a) an analysis of conductor surface-roughness effects, (b) a novel model for vertical interconnects (vias) and (c) a leaky-wave study of a Fabry-Perot resonant cavity antenna. The first part investigates conductor surface roughness effects for stripline. An equivalent rough-surface-impedance is extracted using a periodic full-wave analysis and is then used for the modification of the transmission line per-unit-length parameter. The second part proposes a semi-analytical analysis for massively-coupled vias with arbitrarily-shaped antipads, based on the reciprocity theorem. The use of reciprocity yields simple design formulas and is seen to greatly improve the computational efficiency, due to the fast-converging mode-matching calculation. The third part presents a leaky-wave study of a Fabry-Perot cavity antenna made from a patch array. The patch current densities are calculated using the array scanning method. Based on this, a "leaky-wave current" is defined and calculated using residue integration. In addition, the radiation properties of a large finite-size array (truncation effects) are evaluated. All three proposed models are verified by full-wave simulations and/or measurements. Numerical results prove the effectiveness and accuracy of these models.Electrical and Computer Engineering, Department o

The competition and equilibrium in power markets under decarbonization and decentralization

Equilibrium analysis has been widely studied as an effective tool to model gaming interactions and predict market results. However, as competition modes are fundamentally changed by the decarbonization and decentralization of power systems, analysis techniques must evolve. This article comprehensively reviews recent developments in modelling methods, practical settings and solution techniques in equilibrium analysis. Firstly, we review equilibrium in the evolving wholesale power markets which feature new entrants, novel trading products and multi-stage clearing. Secondly, the competition modes in the emerging distribution market and distributed resource aggregation are reviewed, and we compare peer-to-peer clearing, cooperative games and Stackelberg games. Furthermore, we summarize the methods to treat various information acquisition degrees, risk preferences and rationalities of market participants. To deal with increasingly complex market settings, this review also covers refined analytical techniques and agent-based models used to compute the equilibrium. Finally, based on this review, this paper summarizes key issues in the gaming and equilibrium analysis in power markets under decarbonization and decentralization

The Dynamic Transcriptional Cell Atlas of Testis Development during Human Puberty

The human testis undergoes dramatic developmental and structural changes during puberty, including proliferation and maturation of somatic niche cells, and the onset of spermatogenesis. To characterize this understudied process, we profiled and analyzed single-cell transcriptomes of similar to 10,000 testicular cells from four boys spanning puberty and compared them to those of infants and adults. During puberty, undifferentiated spermatogonia sequentially expand and differentiate prior to the initiation of gametogenesis. Notably, we identify a common pre-pubertal progenitor for Leydig and myoid cells and delineate candidate factors controlling pubertal differentiation. Furthermore, pre-pubertal Sertoli cells exhibit two distinct transcriptional states differing in metabolic profiles before converging to an alternative single mature population during puberty. Roles for testosterone in Sertoli cell maturation, antimicrobial peptide secretion, and spermatogonial differentiation are further highlighted through single-cell analysis of testosterone-suppressed transfemale testes. Taken together, our transcriptional atlas of the developing human testis provides multiple insights into developmental changes and key factors accompanying male puberty

Delayed Antarctic melt season reduces albedo feedback

Article discusses how Antarctica's response to climate change varies greatly both spatially and temporally. The authors used a 43-year record of Antarctic snow melt seasons from space-borne microwave radiometers with a machine-learning algorithm to show that both the onset and the end of the melt season are being delayed

Critical current density: Measurements vs. reality

Different experimental techniques are employed to evaluate the critical current density (Jc), namely transport current measurements and two different magnetisation measurements forming quasi-equilibrium and dynamic critical states. Our technique-dependent results for superconducting YBa 2Cu3O7 (YBCO) film and MgB2 bulk samples show an extremely high sensitivity of Jc and associated interpretations, such as irreversibility fields and Kramer plots, which lose meaning without a universal approach. We propose such approach for YBCO films based on their unique pinning features. This approach allows us to accurately recalculate the magnetic-field-dependent Jc obtained by any technique into the Jc behaviour, which would have been measured by any other method without performing the corresponding experiments. We also discovered low-frequency-dependent phenomena, governing flux dynamics, but contradicting the considered ones in the literature. The understanding of these phenomena, relevant to applications with moving superconductors, can clarify their dramatic impact on the electric-field criterion through flux diffusivity and corresponding measurements. © Copyright EPLA, 2013

Robust estimation of bacterial cell count from optical density

Optical density (OD) is widely used to estimate the density of cells in liquid culture, but cannot be compared between instruments without a standardized calibration protocol and is challenging to relate to actual cell count. We address this with an interlaboratory study comparing three simple, low-cost, and highly accessible OD calibration protocols across 244 laboratories, applied to eight strains of constitutive GFP-expressing E. coli. Based on our results, we recommend calibrating OD to estimated cell count using serial dilution of silica microspheres, which produces highly precise calibration (95.5% of residuals <1.2-fold), is easily assessed for quality control, also assesses instrument effective linear range, and can be combined with fluorescence calibration to obtain units of Molecules of Equivalent Fluorescein (MEFL) per cell, allowing direct comparison and data fusion with flow cytometry measurements: in our study, fluorescence per cell measurements showed only a 1.07-fold mean difference between plate reader and flow cytometry data

A Practical Approach to Analyze Copper Surface Roughness Effects with Applications to Stripline Structures

Conductor loss due to the roughened metal foil surface has significant effects on high-speed signals propagation on backplane traces designed for 10+ Gbps network. A practical method to evaluate these effects, including the signal attenuation and the propagation phase velocity, is proposed in this paper. A periodic structure is assumed to model the morphology of the roughness profile. The equivalent surface impedance is extracted from the grating surface wave propagation constant to model the roughness. This modified surface impedance can hence be used in the traditional attenuation constant formula to calculate the actual conductor loss. This approach is validated using both full-wave simulation tool and measurement, and is shown to be able to provide robust result within 0.2 dB/m relative error

A DGCR8-Independent Stable MicroRNA Expression Strategy Reveals Important Functions of miR-290 and miR-183–182 Families in Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells

Summary: Dgcr8 knockout cells provide a great means to understand the function of microRNAs (miRNAs) in vitro and in vivo. Current strategies to study miRNA function in Dgcr8 knockout cells depend on transient transfection of chemically synthesized miRNA mimics, which is costly and not suitable for long-term study and genetic selection of miRNA function. Here, we developed a cost-effective DGCR8-independent stable miRNA expression (DISME) strategy based on a short hairpin RNA vector that can be precisely processed by DICER. Using DISME, we found that miR-294 promoted the formation of meso-endoderm lineages during embryonic stem cell differentiation. Furthermore, DISME allowed for a pooled screen of miRNA function and identified an miR-183–182 cluster of miRNAs promoting self-renewal and pluripotency in mouse embryonic stem cells. Altogether, our study demonstrates that DISME is a robust and cost-effective strategy that allows for long-term study and genetic selection of miRNA function in a Dgcr8 knockout background. : In this article, Wang and colleagues developed a robust and cost-effective approach to stably express microRNAs (miRNAs) in Dgcr8−/− cells that allows for long-term functional study and genetic selection of miRNAs. Using this strategy, they identified a meso-endoderm differentiation-promoting function of the miR-290 family and pluripotency-promoting function of the miR-183–182 family in mouse embryonic stem cells. Keywords: microRNAs, DGCR8, self-renewal, pluripotency, embryonic stem cells, miR-183–182, miR-290, mesoderm, endoder

Greenhouse warming intensifies north tropical Atlantic climate variability.

Variability of North Tropical Atlantic (NTA) sea surface temperature (SST), characterized by a near-uniform warming at its positive phase, is a consequential mode of climate variability. Modulated by El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the North Atlantic Oscillation, NTA warm anomalies tend to induce La Niña events, droughts in Northeast Brazil, increased frequency of extreme hurricanes, and phytoplankton blooms in the Guinea Dome. Future changes of NTA variability could have profound socioeconomic impacts yet remain unknown. Here, we reveal a robust intensification of NTA variability under greenhouse warming. This intensification mainly arises from strengthening of ENSO-forced Pacific-North American pattern and tropospheric temperature anomalies, as a consequence of an eastward shift of ENSO-induced equatorial Pacific convection and of increased ENSO variability, which enhances ENSO influence by reinforcing the associated wind and moist convection anomalies. The intensification of NTA SST variability suggests increased occurrences of extreme NTA events, with far-reaching ramifications