Full-Wave Analysis of Layered Aperture Arrays

The new rigorous numerical-analytical technique based upon Galerkin method with the entire domain basis functions has been developed and applied to the study of the periodic aperture arrays containing multiple dissimilar apertures of complex shapes in stratified medium. The rapid uniform convergence of the solutions has enabled a comprehensive parametric study of complex array arrangements. The developed theory has revealed new effects of the aperture shape and layout on the array performance. The physical mechanisms underlying the TM wave resonances and Luebbers' anomaly have been explained for the first time.

Comparative analysis of nanoscale MOS device architectures for RF applications

This paper provides valuable design insights for optimizing device parameters for nanoscale planar and vertical SOI MOSFETs. The suitability of nanoscale non-planar FinFETs and classical planar single and double gate SOI MOSFETs for rf applications is examined via extensive 3D device simulations and detailed interpretation. The origin of higher parasitic capacitance in FinFETs, compared to planar MOSFETs is examined. RF figures of merit for planar and vertical MOS devices are compared, based on layout-area calculations.

Analysis of Transmission Loss with Droop Control in a Multi-Terminal HVDC System

High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) electric power transmission is a promising technology for integrating offshore wind farms and interconnecting power grids in different regions. In order to maintain the DC voltage, droop control has been widely used. Transmission line loss constitutes an import part of the total power loss in a multi-terminal HVDC scheme. In this paper, the relation between droop controller design and transmission loss has been investigated. Different MTDC layout configurations are compared to examine the effect of droop controller design on the transmission loss.

Dengue Envelope Domain III-Peptide Binding Analysis via Tryptophan Fluorescence Quenching Assay

In the efforts to find an anti-viral treatment for dengue, a simple tryptophan fluorescence-screening assay aimed at identifying dengue domain III envelope (EIII) protein inhibitors was developed. Residue Trp391 of EIII was used as an intrinsic probe to monitor the change in fluorescence of the tryptophan residue upon binding to a peptide. The analysis was based on the electron excitation at 280 nm and fluorescence emission at 300–400 nm of EIII, followed by quenching of fluorescence in the presence of potential peptidic inhibitors coded DS36wt, DS36opt, DN58wt and DN58opt. The present study found that the fluorescence of the recombinant EIII was quenched following the binding of DS36opt, DN58wt and DN58opt ina concentration-dependent manner. Since the λmax for emission remained unchanged, the effect was not dueto a change in the environment of the tryptophan side chain. In contrast, a minimal fluorescence-quenching effect of DS36wt at 20 and 40 µM suggested that the DS36wt does not have any binding ability to EIII. This was supported by a simple native-page gel retardation assay that showed a band shift of EIII domain whenincubated with DS36opt, DN58wt and DN58opt but not with DS36wt. We thus developed a low-cost and convenientspectrophotometric binding assay for the analysis of EIII–peptide interactions in a drug screening application.

Investigations on the Analysis and Design of Aperiodic Frequency Selective Surfaces for Space Applications

An investigation on the design of aperiodic FSS is presented. First, an accurate yet efficient method which allows the analysis of finite sized aperiodic FSS has been developed. Subsequently, an optimisation method is implemented which optimises all the FSS elements to obtain an FSS design with an aperiodic element layout. Preliminary designs of aperiodic FSS are presented and the numerical results are discussed.

Stratified analysis reveals chemokine-like factor (CKLF) as a potential prognostic marker in the MSI-immune consensus molecular subtype CMS1 of colorectal cancer

The Colorectal Cancer (CRC) Subtyping Consortium (CRCSC) recently published four consensus molecular subtypes (CMS’s) representing the underlying biology in CRC. The Microsatellite Instable (MSI) immune group, CMS1, has a favorable prognosis in early stage disease, but paradoxically has the worst prognosis following relapse, suggesting the presence of factors enabling neoplastic cells to circumvent this immune response. To identify the genes influencing subsequent poor prognosis in CMS1, we analyzed this subtype, centered on risk of relapse.
In a cohort of early stage colon cancer (n=460), we examined, in silico, changes in gene expression within the CMS1 subtype and demonstrated for the first time the favorable prognostic value of chemokine-like factor (CKLF) gene expression in the adjuvant disease setting [HR=0.18, CI=0.04-0.89]. In addition, using transcription profiles originating from cell sorted CRC tumors, we delineated the source of CKLF transcription within the colorectal tumor microenvironment to the leukocyte component of these tumors. Further to this, we confirmed that CKLF gene expression is confined to distinct immune subsets in whole blood samples and primary cell lines, highlighting CKLF as a potential immune cell-derived factor promoting tumor immune-surveillance of nascent neoplastic cells, particularly in CMS1 tumors. Building on the recently reported CRCSC data, we provide compelling evidence that leukocyte-infiltrate derived CKLF expression is a candidate biomarker of favorable prognosis, specifically in MSI-immune stage II/III disease.

Heteroduplex analysis of VDJ amplified segments from rearranged IgH genes for clonality assessments in B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. A comparison between different strategies.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The main difficulty of PCR-based clonality studies for B-cell lymphoproliferative disorders (B-LPD) is discrimination between monoclonal and polyclonal PCR products, especially when there is a high background of polyclonal B cells in the tumor sample. Actually, PCR-based methods for clonality assessment require additional analysis of the PCR products in order to discern between monoclonal and polyclonal samples. Heteroduplex analysis represents an attractive approach since it is easy to perform and avoids the use of radioactive substrates or expensive equipment. DESIGN AND METHODS: We studied the sensitivity and specificity of heteroduplex PCR analysis for monoclonal detection in samples from 90 B-cell non Hodgkin's lymphoma (B-NHL) patients and in 28 individuals without neoplastic B-cell disorders (negative controls). Furthermore, in 42 B-NHL and in the same 28 negative controls, we compared heteroduplex analysis vs the classical PCR technique. We also compared ethidium bromide (EtBr) vs. silver nitrate (AgNO(3)) staining as well as agarose vs. polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE). RESULTS: Using two pair consensus primers sited at VH (FR3 and FR2) and at JH, 91% of B-NHL samples displayed monoclonal products after heteroduplex PCR analysis using PAGE and AgNO(3) staining. Moreover, no polyclonal sample showed a monoclonal PCR product. By contrast, false positive results were obtained when using agarose (5/28) and PAGE without heteroduplex analysis: 2/28 and 8/28 with EtBr and AgNO(3) staining, respectively. In addition, false negative results only appeared with EtBr staining: 13/42 in agarose, 4/42 in PAGE without heteroduplex analysis and 7/42 in PAGE after heteroduplex analysis. INTERPRETATION AND CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that AgNO(3) stained PAGE after heteroduplex analysis is the most suitable strategy for detecting monoclonal rearrangements in B-NHL samples because it does not produce false-positive results and the risk of false-negative results is very low.