Narrow band quantitative and multivariate electroencephalogram analysis of peri-adolescent period

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: The peri-adolescent period is a crucial developmental moment of transition from childhood to emergent adulthood. The present report analyses the differences in Power Spectrum (PS) of the Electroencephalogram (EEG) between late childhood (24 children between 8 and 13 years old) and young adulthood (24 young adults between 18 and 23 years old). RESULTS: The narrow band analysis of the Electroencephalogram was computed in the frequency range of 0--20 Hz. The analysis of mean and variance suggested that six frequency ranges presented a different rate of maturation at these ages, namely: low delta, delta-theta, low alpha, high alpha, low beta and high beta. For most of these bands the maturation seems to occur later in anterior sites than posterior sites. Correlational analysis showed a lower pattern of correlation between different frequencies in children than in young adults, suggesting a certain asynchrony in the maturation of different rhythms. The topographical analysis revealed similar topographies of the different rhythms in children and young adults. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) demonstrated the same internal structure for the Electroencephalogram of both age groups. Principal Component Analysis allowed to separate four subcomponents in the alpha range. All these subcomponents peaked at a lower frequency in children than in young adults. CONCLUSIONS: The present approaches complement and solve some of the incertitudes when the classical brain broad rhythm analysis is applied. Children have a higher absolute power than young adults for frequency ranges between 0-20 Hz, the correlation of Power Spectrum (PS) with age and the variance age comparison showed that there are six ranges of frequencies that can distinguish the level of EEG maturation in children and adults. The establishment of maturational order of different frequencies and its possible maturational interdependence would require a complete series including all the different ages.     

Integral equation formulation for buoyancy-driven convection problems

An integral equation formulation for buoyancy-driven convection problems is developed and illustrated. Buoyancy-driven convection in a bounded cylindrical geometry with a free surface is studied for a range of aspect ratios and Nusselt numbers. The critical Rayleigh number, the nature of the cellular motion, and the heat transfer enhancement are computed using linear theory. Green's functions are used to convert the linear problem into linear Fredholm integral equations. Theorems are proved which establish the properties of the eigenvalues and eigenfunctions of the linear integral operator which appears in these equations.     

Demonstration of sufficient control for two rounds of quantum error correction in a solid state ensemble quantum information processor

We report the implementation of a 3-qubit quantum error-correction code on a quantum information processor realized by the magnetic resonance of carbon nuclei in a single crystal of malonic acid. The code corrects for phase errors induced on the qubits due to imperfect decoupling of the magnetic environment represented by nearby spins, as well as unwanted evolution under the internal Hamiltonian. We also experimentally demonstrate sufficiently high-fidelity control to implement two rounds of quantum error correction. This is a demonstration of state-of-the-art control in solid state nuclear magnetic resonance, a leading test bed for the implementation of quantum algorithms.     

Algorithms for extraction of spacing information from a head/tape interface

Various algorithms for the extraction of spacing information from an interferometric fringe pattern of the head/tape interface have been proposed. In this paper, a comparison of three algorithms is presented: tape unloading, polynomial fitting and Fourier transform. The relative merits of each method are discussed, together with implementation details. In an experiment with a transparent head and CrO₂ tape, it was found that all methods give a similar result to within ±5 nm, with none unilaterally preferable to the others. The Fourier transform method, which has not been used for this application before, gives smooth spacing data for high fringe orders, and is less sensitive to fringe order errors, but produces noisier spacing data in the contact region.     

Effect of Pr-Ca substitution on the transport and magnetic behavior of LaMnO3 perovskite

The effect of simultaneous substitution of a fluctuating cation and a divalent cation in LaMnO₃ perovskite modifies the properties of the material to exhibit large valence colossal magnetoresistance (CMR) effect. A good example of these properties is (La_1−2x Pr _x Ca _x )MnO₃ (LPCMO) type CMR material. In this communication it is reported that, with the increase in x (for x=0.1, 0.15, 0.2), the T _c varies between 100 and 120 K with improvisation in metal-insulator transition. Interestingly, resistance increases with x from few hundred ohms to few kilo ohms with corresponding decrease in the unit cell volume. The results of the studies using X-ray diffraction (XRD), electrical resistivity, magnetoresistance and ac susceptibility measurements on LPCMO samples for understanding the structural, transport and magnetic properties are discussed in detail.     

Simultaneous determination of protopseudohypericin, pseudohypericin, protohypericin, and hypericin without light exposure

St. John's wort products are commonly standardized to total naphthodianthrones and hyperforin. Determination of these marker compounds is complicated because of the photochemistry of the naphthodianthrones pseudohypericin and hypericin and the instability of hyperforin in solution. Protopseudohypericin and protohypericin have been identified as naturally occurring naphthodianthrones and, when exposed to light, they are converted into pseudohypericin and hypericin, respectively. However, exposure to light and the resulting naphthodianthrone free-radical reactions oxidize hyperforin. A mathematical relationship between the response of the proto compound and the resulting naphthodianthrone can be established by comparing the analytical response of the proto compound in a solution protected from light with the increase in the analytical response of naphthodianthrone in the same solution after exposure to light. By mathematically converting the proto compounds to their respective products, exposure to light can be avoided while still including proto compounds in a single assay. The method presented here details the reporting of all significant naphthodianthrones, including protopseudohypericin and protohypericin, without exposure to light. This approach includes the benefits of improved naphthodianthrone precision and protection of hyperforin from oxidation.     

Copper and iron interactions with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors. A study by fast-atom bombardment tandem mass spectrometry

Fast atom bombardment, combined with high-energy collision-induced tandem mass spectrometry, has been used to investigate gas-phase metal-ion interactions with captopril, enalaprilat and lisinopril, all angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors.Suggestions for the location of metal-binding sites are presented. For captopril, metal binding occurs most likely at both the sulphur and the nitrogen atom. For enalaprilat and lisinopril, binding preferably occurs at the amine nitrogen. Copyright 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Cyclodextrin dimers as cleavable carriers of photodynamic sensitizers.

Several phthalocyanines carrying hydrophobic components have been synthesized and shown to bind to a group of cyclodextrin dimers with a carbon-carbon double bond in the linker. The complexes are soluble in water. On irradiation in the presence of oxygen, the singlet oxygen produced cleaves the olefinic linkers in the complexes, resulting in precipitation of the sensitizers. This process concentrates the sensitizers in the light beam, a process that has useful potential in photodynamic therapy.