Singularity-free quantum tracking control of molecular rotor orientation

Quantum tracking control aims to identify applied fields to steer the expectation values of particular observables along desired paths in time. The associated temporal fields can be identified by inverting the underlying dynamical equations for the observables. However, fields found in this manner are often plagued by undesirable singularities. In this paper we consider a planar molecular rotor, and derive singularity-free tracking expressions for the fields that steer the expectation of the orientation of the rotor along desired trajectories in time. Simulations are presented that utilize two orthogonal control electric fields to drive the orientation of the rotor along a series of designated tracks

Abuse histories among female inmates

The current study explores the extent and the consequences of one\u27s prior history of physical and sexual abuse on criminal behavior of female offenders. Using a sample of incarcerated women, it will first investigate the prevalence of prior abuse (sexual and physical) among female offenders. Survey responses will then be analyzed to assess psychological problems and possible criminal patterns that are related to abuse history. Specifically, the study examines whether prior abuses are risk factors for committing particular types of criminal offenses. The results of this study are then discussed in terms of their implication for criminological theory and public policy

Enhancement of Seed Oyster Recovery and Redeployment: Final Report

Today\u27s task involved loading harvesting bag with 1,220 lbs of ballast stone and hanging in test frame. This test will test support straps for fraying or unraveling and test overall for bag durability

Analysis of Collegiate Athlete Social Media Engagement on Instagram

Since its founding in 2010, Instagram has developed into one of the world\u27s largest social media platforms. In 2022, $33.3 billion was spent on instagram advertising by companies, firms, etc. Additionally, almost$5 billion was spent on Influencer marketing in 2022, a 27.8% increase from 2021 and a 34.7% increase from 2019. These statistics show the vast importance influencers have on marketing in today\u27s business world and society as a whole. For this project, I looked into the engagement rates of SunBelt Football athletes. I used at least 2 athletes from each university that had over 1,000 followers on instagram, falling into three categories: Nano, Micro, and Mid-Tier influencers. I compared engagement rates by time of year, position, school, division, influencer tier, certification status, and sponsorship status. Taking the average engagement rates of athletes such as Grayson McCall (QB-CCU), Kyle Vantrese (QB-GSO), and David Nunez (P-TexSt). Average engagement rates were higher for 95% of the athletes studied in this project compared to a selection of NFL athletes with an influencer status of Mid-Tier or Mega. Quarterbacks in this study had an average engagement rate of 22.77% compared to the average nano-influencer engagement rate of 3.69% by Aspire.io. The information found in this study can be used by collegiate athletes to promote the value of their influence for future sponsorship deals

Reproducibility of measuring amniotic fluid index and single deepest vertical pool throughout gestation

Objective: The aim of this study is to assess the intraobserver and interobserver reproducibility of measurement of amniotic fluid index (AFI) and single deepest vertical pool (SDVP), also known as the maximal vertical pocket. Methods: A total of 175 fetuses were evaluated. For each fetus, two observers acquired duplicate sets of AFI and SDVP. Measurement differences were expressed as actual and percentage values. For all comparisons, Bland-Altman plots were used to compare differences, and limits of agreement were calculated. Results: Intraobserver and interobserver agreement remained fairly constant with gestation, both for AFI and SDVP. The intraobserver limits of agreement for AFI were -5.2 to 5 cm or -39% to 37%; whereas for SDVP, these were -2.6 to 2.4 cm or -52% to 48%. The interobserver limits of agreement for AFI measurement were -7.3 to 7.1 cm or -54% to 53% and for SDVP measurement were -2.5 to 2.5 cm or -51% to 52%. Intraobserver coefficient of variation for SDVP was 14% and for AFI was 19%; the interobserver coefficient was 19% for both AFI and SDVP. Conclusion: Limits of agreement for both methods are wide. The choice of method should be dictated by clinical considerations other than method reproducibilit

Efficient Strategies for Chemical Synthesis

Chapter one describes how synthetic strategy has enabled an investigation of the reactivities of new structural archetypes of tetravinylethylene (TVE) and tetraethynylethylene (TEE), which are two structurally similar compounds that exhibit stark differences in reactivity. The synthesis of five hybrid compounds, representing all possible combinations of vinyl and ethynyl groups arranged around a central ethylene core, was achieved using dibromoolefin lynchpins which were engaged in either, twofold or sequential stereoselective cross-coupling reactions. Design and implementation of our strategy resulted in the development of new methodology, namely, selective single cross-couplings and stereoselective second cross-couplings of ketone derived dibromoolefins, which will be broadly useful in the general synthetic context. Chapter two outlines an extremely concise synthesis of the metacyclophane macrocyclic alkaloid lythranidine. Our five-step synthesis demonstrates how a carefully considered direct strategy can produce a vast improvement in overall synthetic efficiency. The shortest previous synthesis of lythranidine required fifteen steps to access this natural product. The key to the efficiency of our approach is the exploitation of a barely hidden C2 symmetry in the natural product. This allows us to address the construction of the carbon macrocyclic framework while, in tandem, establishing the stereochemical relationships of the 2,6-trans-piperidine and secondary alcohol functionalities in only three steps. The efficiency of our approach has enabled access to gram quantities of advanced intermediates which have facilitated for the first-time useful quantities of material for biological evaluation. Chapter three showcases a novel strategy in divergent total synthesis, which offers a solution to the construction alkaloids whose core skeletons differ at multiple stereogenic centres. Our strategy leverages the dynamic stereochemistry of carbon-nitrogen bonds to enable, from a single precursor, the first total synthesis of the tetracyclic quinolizidine alkaloid isomatrine, along with the shortest total syntheses of its diastereomeric family members, the natural products matrine and allomatrine in a total of eleven reactions. The efficiency of this approach is facilitated by the ability to rapidly construct the core of the natural products via a twofold intramolecular hetero-Diels-Alder reaction sequence of a dendralenic precursor. Access to significant quantities of these compounds enabled preparation of a further twelve matrine type natural products through late-stage manipulations providing a platform for a systematic study of their biological activity. Chapter four presents a proof of principle for a general strategy which employs diene transmissive intramolecular Diels-Alder (IMDA) reactions of substituted [3]dendralenes to efficiently access diversely substituted multicyclic frameworks. The strategic application of Weinreb amide functionalised building blocks allows the late-stage step-economic introduction of various internally activated tethered dienophiles. Following the introduction of the dienophile, these compounds are engaged in IMDA reactions to generate semicyclic dienes which may then be further elaborated to tetracyclic structures via intermolecular Diels-Alder reactions. The development of diastereoselective IMDA reactions using dendralenes under Lewis acid promoted conditions, and the first examples of dehydro IMDA reactions of dendralenes with alkyne dienophiles have enabled the synthesis of structurally diverse polycyclic frameworks with further synthetic utility. The power of the strategy is demonstrated through its extension to the synthesis of additional types of [3]dendralene precursors which contain two tethers that allow for twofold Lewis acid promoted diene transmissive IMDA reactions to generate tetracyclic structures in a single step from acyclic precursors

Performance Evaluation of a Simple Deep Neural Network System for Auditory Attention Decoding

Recent years have seen an increase in the variety of methods used to perform Auditory Attention Decoding (AAD). Current high performing methods for auditory attention decoding rely on large training sets and lack comparable standards with one another largely due to the variability in the training data used. Simple standards between these models could help researchers better interpret performance and direct the progression of work to a model that performs the best. Here the performance of a Deep Neural Network (DNN) architecture for AAD proposed by (Cicarelli et al.,2019) is evaluated on a new, smaller set of training data collected in (Fuglsang et al.,2017). The network is shown to successfully achieve learning behavior when presented with the reduction of training data. Limiting the number of listeners used for training based on the output average loss curve resulted in comparable decoding accuracy. Further metrics show the benefit of an analysis of the relevance of listeners used for training of the network. The consistent performance of the network given the reduction in the provided training data shows how the simple DNN is a robust method for performing AAD. It also allows us to properly compare the performance of the DNN with the linear method in (Fuglsang et al.,2017)

Randomized adaptive quantum state preparation

We develop an adaptive method for quantum state preparation that utilizes randomness as an essential component and that does not require classical optimization. Instead, a cost function is minimized to prepare a desired quantum state through an adaptively constructed quantum circuit, where each adaptive step is informed by feedback from gradient measurements in which the associated tangent space directions are randomized. We provide theoretical arguments and numerical evidence that convergence to the target state can be achieved for almost all initial states. We investigate different randomization procedures and develop lower bounds on the expected cost function change, which allows for drawing connections to barren plateaus and for assessing the applicability of the algorithm to large-scale problems

Abnormal liver function tests as predictors of adverse maternal outcomes in women with preeclampsia.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate whether (1) the absolute magnitude of liver function test values, (2) the percentage change in liver function test values over time, or (3) the rate of change in liver function test values over time predicts adverse maternal outcomes in women with preeclampsia. METHODS: We used data from the PIERS (Pre-eclampsia Integrated Estimate of RiSk) study, a prospective multicentre cohort study assessing predictors of adverse maternal outcomes in women with preeclampsia. Women with at least one liver function test performed at the time of hospital admission were included. Liver functions were tested by serum concentrations of aspartate amino transferase (AST), alanine amino transferase (ALT), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), albumin, total bilirubin, and the international normalized prothrombin time ratio. Parameters investigated were absolute levels, change within 48 hours of hospital admission, change from admission to delivery or outcome, and rate of change from admission to delivery or outcome of each liver function test. The ability of these parameters to predict adverse outcomes was assessed using logistic regression analyses and by calculating the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) area under the curve (AUC). RESULTS: Of the 2008 women, 1056 (53%) had at least one abnormal liver function test result. The odds of having an adverse maternal outcome were higher in women with any abnormal liver function test than in women with normal results. When test results were stratified into quartiles, women with results in the highest quartile (lowest quartile for albumin) were at higher risk of adverse outcomes than women in the lowest quartile for all parameters (highest for albumin). The absolute magnitude of AST, ALT, and LDH predicted adverse maternal outcomes (AST: ROC AUC 0.73 [95% CI 0.67 to 0.97]; ALT: ROC AUC 0.73 [95% CI 0.67 to 0.79]; LDH: ROC AUC 0.74 [95% CI 0.68 to 0.81]). Neither change of liver function test results, within 48 hours of admission or from admission to delivery or outcome, nor rate of change were predictive. CONCLUSION: We found abnormal liver function test results to be associated with an increased risk for adverse maternal outcomes. Levels of AST, ALT, and LDH were found to be modestly predictive of these outcomes