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Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is an autosomal dominant genetic disorder with elevated LDL-C levels which can ultimately lead to premature Coronary Artery Disease (CAD).In presence of limited genetic data on FH in India, the present study was aimed to determine the mutation spectrum in Indian FH patients using a targeted exome sequencing.54 FH cases (31 index cases + 23 extended family members) were categorized according to Dutch Lipid Clinic Network Criteria (DLCNC). Targeted exome sequencing was performed using 23 gene panel associated with lipid metabolism.All subjects showed the presence of family history of CAD, 38(70%) patients had corneal arcus whereas only 06(11%) subjects had xanthomas. As per the DLCNC, definite, probable, possible and unlikely FH were 48%, 30%, 11% and 11% respectively. Mutations were observed in 12 of the 23 gene panel with CETP, APOA5, EPHX2 and SREBP2 genes were identified for the first time in Indian FH patients. All 19 mutations including a novel frame-shift mutation in LDLR gene were reported for the first time in Indian FH patients. These mutations were identified in 28(52%) subjects and interestingly ∼73% of the clinically identified FH patients didn't harbour mutations in FH classical genes (LDLR, ApoB, PCSK9).This is the first study in the South Indian FH patients to perform targeted exome sequencing. Absence of mutations in the FH classical genes strongly indicates the polygenic nature of FH, further underscoring the importance of targeted exome sequencing for identifying mutations in genetically diverse Indian population.

Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a common autosomal dominant disorder that affects ∼1 in 250-500 individuals globally. The only prevalence study in India shows FH in 15% of patients with premature CAD in North Indians. There are only 6 genetic studies in India of the total mutations, 32% are LDLR mutations, 4% are ApoB, 2% are PCSK9 mutations and the mutational spectrum for 37% is unknown. This calls for widespread genetic screening which could help identify definite FH patients. European Atherosclerosis Society-Familial Hypercholesterolemia Studies Collaboration (EAS- FHSC) has taken an initiative to develop a worldwide registry of FH. India is also a part of the collaboration and 3 groups from Mumbai, Delhi and Chennai are actively contributing to this registry. We believe this review might help to understand the Indian scenario of FH and investigators across India can contribute in managing FH in India and further help in the detection, diagnosis and treatment.

The projected climatic data (2071 to 2100) as downscaled by PRECIS model for different stations (Anand, Vadodara, Junagadh, Bhavanagar, Bhuj, Rajkot and Kesod) of Gujarat were analysed for climate change impact study on different crops. Results indicated that the annual rainfall during projected period would be 15 to 101 per cent higher than the base line rainfall (1961-90). Maximumtemperature would increase by 2.8 to 7.7 0C, while minimum temperature would increase by 3.8 to 5.2 0C in different parts of Gujarat. The impact of climate change on different crops (wheat, maize, pearl millet, paddy and groundnut) of Gujarat was studied using InfoCrop and DSSAT models. The results indicated that climate change will adversely affect the yields of different crops. The maximum yield reduction (-61 %) is projected in wheat and lowest in pearl millet (

The objective of this study was to clinically evaluate freeze-dried dura mater allograft (FDDMA) provided by the Tata Memorial Hospital Tissue Bank, in various periodontal osseous defects and to observe any unwanted healing pattern or adverse reaction. Eleven systemically healthy patients with one infrabony/furcation defect and at least 6 mm or more loss of attachment at selected sites, were scheduled for surgery. At base-line, patients had a good maintenance regime, minimal gingival inflammation and mobility not more than 1 mm in the buccolingual plane (grade 2). The measurements taken were probing pocket depth, clinical attachment level, intrasurgical level of bone and radiographic level of bone. Instead of surgical re-entry, transgingival probing was performed after 12 months of surgery. After debridement the defects were filled with demineralised freeze-dried bone allograft and covered with FDDMA barrier. The results after 12 months were satisfactory (mean gain of attachment 4.33 mm and mean defect fill 3.91 mm). No adverse reaction, infection or delayed wound healing was noted throughout the study.

Probability theory of binary random sequences is used to characterize Boolean memoryless combining functions of n variables producing an output binary sequence Z. This is used to define conditions on the truth table of the function such that the latter is a m/sup th/ order correlation-immune. Algorithms to generate m/sup th/ and (m+1)/sup st/ order correlation-immune functions of (n+1) variables from a m/sup th/ order correlation-immune function of n variables are also derived. >

Bit synchronization is an important operation used at the receiving end of synchronous communication systems for providing a reference bit clock to the receiver; this reference marks the instants at which transition in data bits occur at the transmitting end. In some DPSK demodulator realizarions, like the integrate-and-dump scheme, the bit clock is essential for & a recovery itself. But in most demodulators the bit clock is required just for "cleaning up" the demodulated data and to provide an output with uniform data widths. Generally this is done by sampling the demodulator output (called the "raw data") with another clock, which is in phase opposition with respect to the bit clock. Instants at which the bit clock transitions have to occur at the receiver and which are not a prwri known to the receiver, are rcsually estimated based on transitions of the received data. Such estimators are commonly realized as phase locked loops (PLL) with data transitions as reference inpis. In the presence of noise in the communication channel, transitions of bit clock waveform produced by the receiver synchronizer do not occur at exactly uniform intervals, but will have a random fluctuation, called the jitter, associated with them. Hence, cleaning up the demodulator output with the bit clock introduces some additional errors into the demodulated data and thus degrades the bit-error rate (BER) performance of the demodulator. In this paper, Maimurn-A Posteriori (MAP) and Data Transition Tracking Loop (DTTL) synchronizers are developed for the DPSK scheme. In their original form, these synchronizers require substantial hardware for their realization. By some simplifications, hardware complexity is considerably reduced and simplified "all-digital" MAP and DlTL synchronizers are suggested. The hardware needed to realize these schemes is not significantly more than that required for the simple early-late scheme, Results of computer simulation studies on all digital MAP and DlTL synchronizers are given. They not only indicate that the degradation in the BER performance of the demodulator due to these synchronizers is about 02 d6, as compared to I to 2 dB for the simple early-late scheme, but also that the MAP and DlTL schemes have much lower jitter. Results of an experimental study on microprocessor-based hardware realizations of the synchronizers are given. The circuits developed are suitable for the realization of a digital IC for synchronization as well as in DPSK Modems.

A detailed study of the PC (pseudocoherent) and DID (double-integrate-and-dump) FSK (frequency shift keying) demodulators by computer simulation is presented. In addition, the hardware realization of the demodulators is described. It is shown that both demodulators perform nearly as well as the coherent schemes. They are also both basically suitable for realizing a VLSI for FSK modems. Typical silicon areas required for a complete modem with these demodulators are worked out and are on the order of 19 mm/sup 2/ (based on 4- mu m technology). This is up to an order of magnitude less than that of the current IC chips like the AMD 7911. Since both of these demodulators have a 1-2-dB SNR (signal-to-noise ratio) advantage over the noncoherent scheme, it is perhaps possible to further reduce the receiver input BPF requirements while using these demodulators. Hence, the PCFSK demodulation technique is suggested as a reliable and cost-effective technique to be implemented in modem ICs. >

In this paper, the authors review the different measurable physiological parameters that can provide an indication of the time of ovulation and hence could be a potential aid to natural birth control (nbc) practitioners. They then proceed to select and evaluate a few physiological parameters that can easily be electronically detected, processed and measured, resulting in technically fasible methods for ovulation detection. Their suggestions include basal body temperature (bbt) measurement with adaptive signal processing for improving reliability; a new differential skin temperature (dst) measurement; and improved viscosity sensors for cervical mucus evaluation. They also comment on the possible future use of chemically sensitive electronic devices (csed) and improved biopotential measurement techniques for ovulation detection. Preliminary experimental results on thedst method are presented, raising the hope that this technique may lead to precise and reliable electronic ovulation detection and may therefore be useful fornbc.

The basal body temperature (BBT) method of ovulation detection has received much attention in the past among natural birth control practitioners and infertility clinics but it is not capable of determining the ovulation time in advance to estimate the onset of the fertile interval. Thus the method can be used neither to improve the probability of conception for couples desiring children nor to minimize the abstinence period for natural birth control (NBC) practitioners. In a few studios made on breast temperature changes during the menstrual cycle of a woman high temperature spots on the skin surface related to vascular activity have been observed around the breasts in the preovulatory peroid but these could not be correlated with ovulation time in out of laboratory conditions since the skin temperature is a function of ambient temperature. To overcome this problem the measurement of "differential skin surface temperature (DST" between 2 different points of the body is proposed. A study was undertaken on 5 healthy regularly menstruating young men volunteers 25-35 years of age using only nonpharmaceutical contraceptives (e.g. NBC diapragms IUDs). Infrared thermography (IRT) was used to scan the breast and study temperature distributions related to the vascular variations during a menstrual cycle. Based on visual inspection of IRT images dynamic temperature point B on a warm area just outside the areola and static temperature point C just below the breast (avascular area) were chosen for monitoring. All volunteers recorded their BBT every morning using a commercial mercury fertility thermometer. They also noted the time drugs consumed or journey taken so that proper BBT analysis of the cycle could be subsequently made. As a 2nd phase 2 oral contraceptive (OC) users underwent the IRT scanning and DST measurement over 1 menstrual cycle for control purposes. The degree of rise in DST was related to the level of plasma estradiol (E2) in the individual patients and the correlation between them was significant. The changes in DST were statistically significant compared with the BBT variations. The BBT change due to fever was not reflected in the DST curve of the same volunteer indicating that in at least 1 case DST was not affected by transient physiologic changes. This could prove to be a significant advantage of the DST as compared with the BBT. The temperature distribution changes were observed (by IRT) to be almost symmetric on the 2 breasts. The study with 2 women using OCs confirmed the high degree of basal vascularization already reported and showed no significant variations in DST. In sum the DST between a "dynamic" and "static" point so located provides advance information on ovulation timing independent of physiologic disturbances and circadian and ambient temperature changes.

The steady-state transport equations are solved for a general small-signal case. This solution leads to the spatial distribution of the carriers in the bulk of undoped hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) under illumination. The general small-signal differential equations for electrons and holes, including a local and/or external electric field, are first established. Subsequently, the analysis is restricted to the case with a negligible external electric field. Two characteristic lengths appear in the analytical solution. They are interpreted for the lifetime regime as the ambipolar diffusion length and the dielectric relaxation length. Depending on the material parameters, one or the other of these lengths dominates the transport. Illustrative numerical examples for typical solar-cell-quality a-Si:H are given. >

The step-response waveform of the Iossless nonuniform transmission line possessing a characteristic impedance function Z/sub c/(x)= Z/sub 0/(1 + eta x)/sup 2n/, n = 0,1,2,..., is deduced. The simple and closed-form solutions should be useful for pulse transient analysis involving nonuniform transmission lines.

Electronic infrared thermography allows fast and non-destructive measurements of temperature distributions of encapsulated solar cells on a panel under various operating conditions. Differences in the performance of the individual cells can be visualized and so called "hot spots" in the panel (due to partial shadowing, etc.) can be analyzed. IR image analysis was also used to determine the IR emissivity of different types of solar cells. This is one of the important criteria for the evaluation of the electrical-thermal behaviour of a cell for photo-voltaic or combined photovoltaic thermal applications. We designed a portable IR measuring system having both on-line and off-line interfacing possibilities with a minicomputer for image processing and analysis. During field measurements, the composite video signal of the IRT system is recorded on a video cassette. For analysis, the thermal images can be visualized on a TV moni-tor and, at the same time, they are digitized and transferred onto a PDP-11 computer for processing. A suit-able software package was developed to obtain different types of thermograms such as simple line profiles, 3-dimensional relief images and isothermal maps.

Bit error rate (BER), effects of synchronizer performance on demodulator, performance of demodulator under impulsive noise, Block error rate (BKER) are some of the important aspects of a Modem. To obtain quantitative data on all these aspects by mathematical analysis is usually very difficult. Hence, computer simulation is used to study Modems. This enables us to evaluate different circuit configurations, to understand their relative performances and to choose appropriate schemes for hardware realization of the Modem. In this paper various aspects of a computer program for simulating a DPSK Modem and the results of the simulation are presented. It is shown that the simulation is, indeed, very flexible and a useful tool in designing Modems.

A novel scheme of a `pseudocoherent? FSK demodulator is proposed. Computer simulation and hardware-measured test results are given. It is shown that this new scheme gives lower bit error rates than the noncoherent demodulator, but has a comparable circuit complexity. Furthermore, its filtering requirements are minimal; this fact makes it especially suitable for a low-cost integrated FSK modem.