A variable structure early-late gate symbol synchronizer for rapid blind symbol timing recovery of OFDM systems is proposed and analyzed. The new synchronizer has the capability of adjusting the loop bandwidth to achieve fast acquisition and to reduce the timing jitter during the tracking phase. The variable structure synchronizer (VSS) proves to acquire symbol timing in a period less than 10 O...

Secondary lymphatic valves are essential for minimizing backflow of lymph and are presumed to gate passively according to the instantaneous trans-valve pressure gradient. We hypothesized that valve gating is also modulated by vessel distention, which could alter leaflet stiffness and coaptation. To test this hypothesis, we devised protocols to measure the small pressure gradients required to op...

Mitral valve regurgitation (MR) is a rather common finding in heart failure (HF) patients with ischemic or nonischemic cardiomyopathy. MR is a progressive disease as it causes chronic left ventricular (LV) volume overload, increases right ventricular (RV) pressure, and thereby accelerates the progression of LV dysfunction and HF. There is ample evidence about the close relationship existing bet...

Calcific aortic valve disease is common, affecting 25% of adults over the age of 65 years, with progression to severe valve obstruction resulting in more than 50 000 aortic valve replacements annually in the United States. “Degenerative” calcific aortic valve disease was thought for many years to be a passive accumulation of calcium binding to the aortic surface of the valve leaflet. Now, convi...

Mitral valve regurgitation (MR) is a rather common finding in heart failure (HF) patients with ischemic or nonischemic cardiomyopathy. MR is a progressive disease as it causes chronic left ventricular (LV) volume overload, increases right ventricular (RV) pressure, and thereby accelerates the progression of LV dysfunction and HF. There is ample evidence about the close relationship existing bet...

This paper presents the modeling and control of a prototype compact free liquid-piston engine compressor. The dynamic model includes 1) the injection dynamics of the air/fuel mixture, 2) the dynamics of heat release during combustion, 3) the inertial dynamics of the magnetically latched combustion valve, 4) the mass flow dynamics of the combustion and exhaust valves, 5) the inertial dynamics of...

Relief of right ventricular (RV) outflow tract obstruction in tetralogy of Fallot or similar physiology often results in pulmonary regurgitation (PR). The resultant chronic volume overload can lead to RV dilatation, biventricular dysfunction, heart failure symptoms, arrhythmias and sudden death. Although pulmonary valve replacement (PVR) can lead to improvement in the functional class and a sub...

Cardiac injury after blunt trauma is common but underreported. Common cardiac trauma after the blunt chest injury (BCI) is cardiac contusion; it is very rare to have cardiac valve injury. The mitral valve injury during chest trauma occurs when extreme pressure is applied at early systole during the isovolumic contraction between the closure of the mitral valve and the opening of the aortic valv...