A new programmable low noise all digital phase-locked loop architecture

In the electronics industry today almost without exception there are phase-locked loops (PLL) implemented within each system and often within each integrated circuit (IC). In fact, most PLL\u27s are implemented monolithically within ICs without any or with very few external components. Additionally, most are implemented as Analog PLL\u27s utilizing only a digital phase detector. This is also evident in the majority of recent publications which focus on PLL structures with on-chip voltage controlled oscillators using charge pumps and ring or LC oscillators. However, the problem with most on-chip VCO\u27s is that they are far noisier than the external crystal types. The noise in the integrated oscillators forces designers to use larger loop bandwidths than would be required with less noisy VCO\u27s; subsequently they have poor noise filtering capabilities. Additionally, analog PLL\u27s are usually fixed in nature. Loop components such as charge-pumps and loop filters are implemented as analog components with little or no flexibility. The focus of this thesis is the design and implementation of a very low cost, low noise Programmable All Digital PLL (ADPLL) which utilizes a low cost digital to analog converter (DAC), a voltage controlled crystal oscillator (VCXO), and a field programmable gate array (FPGA). The use of FPGA technology for digital design implementation is universal in the industry and provides benefits far beyond the implementation of ADPLL\u27s. In fact, in almost every system today, an FPGA already exists. Therefore, the inclusion of a DPLL within existing system components would be at little or no cost. The implementation of the PLL digitally not only allows us to implement it within an FPGA, but also allows us to adapt and configure the PLL for many applications and tune it for best performance. Digital circuits also have increased noise margin and are not affected by the same noise issues associated with Analog PLL\u27s such as temperature, voltage and noise coupled from other signals or circuits. The DPLL developed is flexible and can be configured to operate as a clock and data recovery circuit (CDR), clock multiplier, clock synthesizer, or noise filtering PLL. Using an external VCXO provides a very low noise basis for the PLL and such that we can implement very low bandwidths without sacrificing the quality of its output. In this thesis we will present the theory, architecture, design, hardware and implementation of the ADPLL in addition to the results of the testing of the prototype ADPLL that was built

The Role of Forensic Accounting in U.S. Counterterrorism Efforts

The September 11th attacks on the World Trade Center directed international attention to the financial component of terrorist operations. The demand for forensic accounts has continued to increase because of a growing intolerance for fraud and terrorist activity. Forensic accountants have and will continue to have a vital role in United States\u27 counterterrorism efforts in the post-9/11 era by detecting acts of fraud and money laundering. Comprehensive review of relevant literature including books, peer-reviewed articles, government databases, court records and news media confirms that forensic accountants are equipped with special skills and analytical tools that make them valuable members of terrorism task forces. The soft skills of forensic accountants typically include attention to detail, self-motivation, professional communication, and integrity. Technical skills include broad industry knowledge, data gathering techniques, advanced financial statement interpretation, and ratio analysis. Literature review also indicates that government organizations are increasingly reliant on financial analysts for gathering evidence and preparing summary reports for investigations, prosecutions, and court proceedings. Additionally, a demand exists for forensic accountants in private-sector companies to implement and monitor systems of internal control (e.g. fraud and enterprises risk management frameworks) and communicate threats to the FBI or Department of Homeland Security. While past research mainly includes retrospective analysis of terrorist financing, this paper will argue that forensic accounting will continue to be relevant due to technological change and shifting political, legal, and financial climates

Quantitative characterization of the x-ray imaging capability of rotating modulation collimators with laser light

We developed a method for making quantitative characterizations of bi-grid rotating modulation collimators (RMC ’s) that are used in a Fourier transform x-ray imager. With appropriate choices of the collimator spacings, this technique can be implemented with a beam-expanded He -Ne laser to simulate the plane wave produced by a point source at infinity even though the RMC ’s are diffraction limited at the He -Ne wavelength of 632.8 nm. The expanded beam passes through the grid pairs at a small angle with respect to their axis of rotation, and the modulated transmission through the grids as the RMC ’s rotate is detected with a photomultiplier tube. In addition to providing a quantitative characterization of the RMC ’s, the method also produces a measured point response function and provides an end-to-end check of the imaging system. We applied our method to the RMC ’s on the high-energy imaging device (HEIDI) balloon payload in its preflight configuration. We computed the harmonic ratios of the modulation time profile from the laser measurements and compared them with theoretical calculations, including the diffraction effects on irregular grids. Our results indicate the 25-in. (64-cm) x-ray imaging optics on HEIDI are capable of achieving images near the theoretical limit and are not seriously compromised by imperfections in the grids

Cycling and Female Sexual and Urinary Function: Results From a Large, Multinational, Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND:Bicycle riding has become an increasingly popular mode of transportation and exercise, especially among women, and previous studies have demonstrated a relationship between cycling and sexual dysfunction, albeit using non-validated questionnaires. AIM:We aimed to explore the relationship between cycling and sexual and urinary dysfunction. METHODS:Cyclists were recruited to complete a survey through Facebook advertisements and outreach to sporting clubs across 5 English-speaking countries. Swimmers and runners were recruited as a comparison group. OUTCOMES:Participants were queried using validated questionnaires, including the Female Sexual Function Index, the American Urological Association Symptom Index, and non-validated questions about history of urinary tract infections (UTIs), genital numbness, and genital saddle sores (all self-reported). RESULTS:3,118 (53.3%) Women completed the survey, comprising 1,053 (34%) non-cyclists, 1,656 (53%) low-intensity cyclists, and 409 (13%) high-intensity cyclists. After adjusting for age, body mass index, hypertension, diabetes, ischemic heart disease, tobacco use, race, marital status, urinary symptoms, and sexual activity, high-intensity cyclists had lower odds of self-reported sexual dysfunction compared to non-cyclists (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.7, P = .02). There were no statistically significant differences in urinary symptoms across groups. Compared to non-cyclists, both low- and high-intensity cyclists had higher odds of reporting a previous UTI (aOR 1.4, P < .001, and aOR 1.4, P = .009, respectively), genital numbness (odds ratio [OR] 6.5, P < .001, and OR 9.1, P < .001, respectively), and saddle sores (OR 6.3, P < .001, and OR 22.7, P < .001, respectively). CLINICAL TRANSLATION:Women cyclists were more likely to report other genitourinary conditions, including UTIs, genital numbness, and saddle sores. CONCLUSIONS:This is the largest study comparing cyclists to other athletes with respect to sexual and urinary function. The study is limited by its cross-sectional design and sampling methods. We found that women cyclists were no more likely to report sexual dysfunction or urinary symptoms than swimmers or runners. Gaither TW, Awad MA, Murphy GP, et al. Cycling and Female Sexual and Urinary Function: Results From a Large, Multinational, Cross-Sectional Study. J Sex Med 2018;15:510-518

The development, implementation and early learnings of a training program to advance interest in behavioral research careers among undergraduate BIPOC students majoring in psychology.

OBJECTIVES: Black, indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) remain underrepresented in research occupations. This report discusses a collaboration to train undergraduate BIPOC students in clinical research between a public health institute, two medical schools, and a historically Black College or University (HBCU). This nine-month program trained BIPOC undergraduates in research methodology, psychology, and addiction science, and immersed trainees in real-world research. The program included didactic seminars, experiential activities, and a mentored research project culminating in a poster and oral presentation. METHODS: Key learnings, program satisfaction survey results, and preliminary outcomes from the first three program cohorts (N = 6 students) are presented. This program addressed several barriers hypothesized to contribute to the limited number of BIPOC students pursuing research careers, including mentorship from BIPOC faculty and financial concerns. RESULTS: Students reported moderate to high satisfaction with the program and endorsed gaining new research skills. Limitations and future directions are discussed. CONCLUSION: The expansion of the BIPOC health and research workforce is an urgent priority given the importance of BIPOC professionals to the health of our nation. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04650386

A preliminary analysis of interleukin-1 ligands as potential predictive biomarkers of response to cetuximab

The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) monoclonal IgG1 antibody cetuximab is approved for first-line treatment of recurrent and metastatic (R/M) HNSCC as a part of the standard of care EXTREME regimen (platinum/5-fluorouracil/cetuximab). This regimen has relatively high response and disease control rates but is generally not curative and many patients will experience recurrent disease and/or metastasis. Therefore, there is a great need to identify predictive biomarkers for recurrence and disease progression in cetuximab-treated HNSCC patients to facilitate patient management and allow for treatment modification. The goal of this work is to assess the potential of activating interleukin-1 (IL-1) ligands (IL-1 alpha [IL-1α], IL-1 beta [IL-1β]) as predictive biomarkers of survival outcomes in HNSCC patients treated with cetuximab-based chemotherapy.2016 AACR-Bayer Innovation and Discovery Grant [16-80-44-SIMO]; National Institutes of Health (NIH) [R01DE024550, F99CA223062, R01 CA177669, P30 CA006973, P50 DE019032, T32 AI007511]; University of Iowa Department of Pathology Research Grant; University of Iowa Head and Neck Cancer Symposium Seed Grant; Johns Hopkins University Catalyst AwardOpen access journalThis item from the UA Faculty Publications collection is made available by the University of Arizona with support from the University of Arizona Libraries. If you have questions, please contact us at [email protected]

Non-medical use of prescription opioids is associated with heroin initiation among US veterans: a prospective cohort study

Aims: To estimate the influence of non-medical use of prescription opioids (NMUPO) on heroin initiation among US veterans receiving medical care. Design: Using a multivariable Cox regression model, we analyzed data from a prospective, multi-site, observational study of HIV-infected and an age/race/site-matched control group of HIV-uninfected veterans in care in the United States. Approximately annual behavioral assessments were conducted and contained self-reported measures of NMUPO and heroin use. Setting: Veterans Health Administration (VHA) infectious disease and primary care clinics in Atlanta, Baltimore, New York, Houston, Los Angeles, Pittsburgh and Washington, DC. Participants: A total of 3396 HIV-infected and uninfected patients enrolled into the Veterans Aging Cohort Study who reported no life-time NMUPO or heroin use, had no opioid use disorder diagnoses at baseline and who were followed between 2002 and 2012. Measurements: The primary outcome measure was self-reported incident heroin use and the primary exposure of interest was new-onset NMUPO. Our final model was adjusted for socio-demographics, pain interference, prior diagnoses of post-traumatic stress disorder and/or depression and self-reported other substance use. Findings: Using a multivariable Cox regression model, we found that non-medical use of prescription opioids NMUPO was associated positively and independently with heroin initiation [adjusted hazard ratio (AHR) = 5.43, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 4.01, 7.35]. Conclusions: New-onset non-medical use of prescription opioids (NMUPO) is a strong risk factor for heroin initiation among HIV-infected and uninfected veterans in the United States who reported no previous history of NMUPO or illicit opioid use