Carrier extraction circuit

Feedback loop extracts demodulated reference signals from IF input and feeds signal back to demodulator. Since reference signal is extracted directly from carrier, no separate reference need be transmitted. Circuit obtains coherent carrier from balanced or unbalanced four-phase signal of varying characteristics

Reducing The Risk Of ACL Injury In Female Athletes

The Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) is located behind the kneecap (patella) and connects the thigh bone (femur) to the shin bone (tibia). Stabilizing the knee joint is the primary responsibility of the ACL. Injuries that affect the ACL are three to five times more common in females than males. This is a result of anatomical, biomechanical, strength, and hormonal differences. The probability of potentially devastating tears to the ACL may be reduced in female athletes by an alternative warm-up program that focuses on muscle flexibility, strength, motor skill, and balance enhancement. Once the ACL has been torn, it becomes impossible to reattach or stitch the ligament back together.  The blood supply in this area of the body is diminished and the tissue becomes nonviable. Reconstruction of the ACL involves attaching the ligament to another tendon from the hamstring, just below the knee. Although reconstruction and treatment of ACL injuries are available, much unnecessary pain, money, and time may be wasted during these procedures. It is important to be aware of the prevention methods available to reduce the possibility of potentially devastating tears to the ACL. These prevention methods include proper warm-up and avoiding activities that cause pain. Other preventive measures include incorporating balance exercises along with stretching and strengthening muscles near the ACL. Appropriate rest and recovery time are other important factors that may prevent ACL injuries. Quality footwear, strapping, or taping may provide an additional level of support to the knee joint and ACL. &nbsp

Patellar Tendinopathy: Knee Pain Relate To Jumper’s Knee

here are common symptoms that are associated with “Jumper’s Knee”, such as pain, aching, and swelling on the lower side of the Patella on the anterior surface of the knee. Addition symptoms may include weakness and cramping of the knee joint. There are common remedies to treat "Jumper’s Knee”, such as rest, ice, compression, and elevation. Anti-inflammatory medicine, such as Aleve, Advil, or Motrin, may be appropriate in the early stages of injury. If the symptoms are left untreated, the final result may be knee surgery. A patient returning to play after diagnoses and treatment for “Jumpers Knee” should apply heat to the knee for 10 or 15 minutes before starting physical activity. Following physical activity, apply ice for 10 to 15 minutes (Donohue, 2008). Conservative treatments assist the healing process and keep Patellar Tendinopathy at bay for more than 90% of cases (Vulpiani, 2007). Along with becoming knowledgeable regarding remedies to relieve symptoms of minor “Jumper’s Knee”, it is important to know the stages of Patellar Tendinopathy. Knowledge of the warning signs and stages may assist in the avoidance of advancing the condition of Patellar Tendinopathy. Knowing the cause of Patellar Tendinopathy, the five stages, warning signs, and risk factors may assist in the process of diagnosing the injury for faster and more effective treatment. Being able to utilize the correct treatment for a particular stage of “Jumpers Knee” reduces downtime and assists the athletic trainers and doctors in the process of prescribing levels of physical activity.

An Analysis of the Medical Costs of Obesity for Fifth Graders in California and Texas

International Journal of Exercise Science 9(1): 26-33, 2016. The prevalence of childhood obesity in the United States increased more than three-fold from 1976 – 1980 to 2007 – 2008. The Presidential Youth Fitness Program’s FitnessGram® is the current method recommended by the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition for assessing health-related fitness factors, including body composition. FitnessGram® data from California and Texas, the two most populous states, over a three-year time span indicate that more than one-third of fifth grade students, typically ten-year-olds, are obese. Previous studies report that an obese ten-year-old child who remains obese into adulthood will incur elevated direct medical costs beyond his or her normal-weight peers over a lifetime. The recommended elevated cost estimates are approximately $12,660 when comparing against a normal-weight child who gains weight as an adult and approximately$19,000 compared to a child who remains at normal weight as an adult. By applying these figures to FitnessGram® results from California and Texas, each group of fifth grade students in each of the two states will incur between $1.4 and$3.0 billion in direct medical costs over a lifetime. When the percentage of obese fifth graders is extrapolated to the rest of the United States’ 4 million ten-year-olds, this results in more than $17 billion (accounting for adulthood weight gain) or$25 billion (not accounting for adulthood weight gain) in added direct lifetime medical costs attributable to obesity for this single-year age cohort. This information should be used to influence spending decisions and resource allocation to obesity reduction and prevention efforts

Elevated Medical Costs for Obese Fifth Graders in California and Texas

Finkelstein et al. (2014) estimated that an obese ten-year-old, typically in the fifth grade, will incur between $12,660 and$19,630 in direct medical costs beyond those of a normal-weight ten-year-old over a lifetime. PURPOSE: The purpose was to estimate the lifetime direct medical costs attributable to obesity for fifth graders in the two most populous states, Texas and California. METHODS: Body composition data from the Presidential Youth Fitness Program’s FITNESSGRAM® administered in California and Texas each school year from 2010 – 2011 to 2012 – 2013 were used. Data included information on 447,619 – 456,409 fifth graders each year in California and 296,887 – 337,514 fifth graders in Texas. The number and percentage of students in each of the FITNESSGRAM® body composition categories was calculated and those in the Needs Improvement – High Risk (NI – HR) were used for cost estimation. The number of students in the NI – HR category for each year in each state was multiplied by the recommended cost estimate of $19,000 to project the elevated lifetime medical costs attributable to obesity for each group of fifth graders in each state. RESULTS: More than 33$3 billion for each group of fifth graders in California and more than $2 billion for each group of fifth graders in Texas. CONCLUSIONS: When the percentage of obese fifth graders is extrapolated to the entire United States’ 4 million 10-year-olds, this results in more than$25 billion in elevated direct lifetime medical costs attributable to obesity for this 1-year age cohort. These estimates are for obesity and do not include the additional costs associated with overweight (i.e., FITNESSGRAM® Needs Improvement – Some Risk category). This information should be used to influence spending decisions and resource allocation to obesity reduction and prevention efforts

The Effects Of Caffeine On Athletic Performance

Athletes who use caffeine before exercising or competition may be upgrading themselves more than they realize.  Caffeine is classified as a stimulant and is the most commonly used drug in the world.  Caffeine has the same affects that amphetamines and cocaine have, just to a lesser degree.  Caffeine crosses the membranes of all the body’s tissues.  It can exert effects on the central nervous system and the peripheral tissues that result in physiological effects.  Studies have shown that caffeine improves performance in a variety of different activities.  This stimulant has been shown to be a powerful ergogenic aid that is beneficial in athletic training and performance.  Caffeine has been found to increase speed and power, improve the length of training, and assist the athlete in resisting fatigue.  Caffeine has been found to stimulate the brain, which contributes to clearer thinking and ability to concentrate more intensely on the task at hand.  Studies have shown that up to 25% of athlete’s ages 11-18 years old have used caffeine in an effort to increase their athletic performances.  Because of caffeine’s effect on the body and its ability to increase an athlete’s performance, Olympic Committees have debated on whether caffeine should be tested before the Olympic Games

Treatment For Common Running/Walking Foot Injuries

Whether you are a weekend warrior or a serious athlete, most runners fear the possibility of being injured.  For those who are physically active or stand on their feet all day, healthy feet are important Highly conditioned runners spend many hours performing foot maintenance to prevent unnecessary injuries.  Some of the common foot injuries are: Plantar Fasciitis, Metatarsal Stress Fractures, blisters, Metatarsalgia, Morton’s Syndrome, Turf Toe, and Sesamoiditis. Most runners realize that shoes wear from the inside out.  Runners should frequently check the inside of the shoe.  Attention should focus on the pads of the insole, stitching, toe, heel, and instep areas. Properly lacing the shoe strings may save wear and tear on the shoes and feet. RICE (rest-ice-compression-elevation) treatments are a very important part of healthy foot maintenance and treatment; treatments should be done sooner rather than later. Many running problems may be prevented by focusing attention on your feet. Frequently inspect ones feet before and after running or walking.  Foot pain is not normal when running or walking; seek medical assistance as soon as possible. If your goal is to enjoy running for a lifetime, it is sometimes more important to use your head than your feet. If you want to run tomorrow, take care of your feet today

Common Runners/Walkers Foot Injuries

This is my 35th year of running most days a year. That was correct most days a year not a week. Running is my first priority each day.  Developing a routine will assist those who want exercise to become a habit.  After I awake I drink a glass of water and a cup of coffee then my dog “Jazz” and I hit the streets for a 3-4 mile run. Later in the day, we walk one to two miles after going to the gym to lift weights. I will admit that I am very addicted to running and working out.  I enjoy the physical, psychological, and health benefits. This paper will focus on common foot injuries. There are several foot injuries that runners or walkers may suffer. Most of the injuries on that list may result from overuse.  Other problems of the foot maybe related to chronic injuries that develop over a period of time.  According to Mike Walden, a former teacher of sports injuries, sports massage, and sports science, “the average runner has between 37-56% risks of injury during the course of a year’s training.” (Walden 2005) Plantar fasciitis, metatarsal stress fractures, metatarsalgia, blisters, turf toe, and Morton’s neuroma will be the focus of this paper

Stimulated Raman adiabatic passage analogs in classical physics

Stimulated Raman adiabatic passage (STIRAP) is a well established technique for producing coherent population transfer in a three-state quantum system. We here exploit the resemblance between the Schrodinger equation for such a quantum system and the Newton equation of motion for a classical system undergoing torque to discuss several classical analogs of STIRAP, notably the motion of a moving charged particle subject to the Lorentz force of a quasistatic magnetic field, the orientation of a magnetic moment in a slowly varying magnetic field, the Coriolis effect and the inertial frame dragging effect. Like STIRAP, those phenomena occur for counterintuitively ordered field pulses and are robustly insensitive to small changes in the interaction properties