Blocking Former Sex Offenders from Online Social Networks: Is this a Due Process Violation?

Extremum seeking control (ESC) is a classical adaptive control method aimed at locating and tracking optimal operating conditions in complex non-linear plants. Early results on ESC were restricted to plants that could bedescribed by Wiener or Hammerstein models. However, recent results haveshown that ESC will possess a stationary solution close to the optimum also for more general dynamical systems, provided the gradient estimation and feedback is sufficiently slow relative to the process dynamics. This thesis addresses the uniqueness of this solution and the achievable rate of convergence.The motivation for the work stems from the need to optimize a complex biofilm reactor, the CANON process, which if operated near a narrow optimum may significantly lower the cost of ammonium removal in wastewater treatment. Simulations of ESC applied to the CANON process reveal that, depending on initial conditions and tuning parameters, the ESC loop may converge to stationary solutions far removed from the optimum and that multiple stationary solutions may exist. Analysis of a general model for the ESC loop shows that the stationary solutions are characterized either by a gain condition or a phase lag condition on the locally linearized system, the latter indicating that the ESC loop can act as a phase-lock loop. The phase lag condition is shown to be satisfied close to the optimum, but can be fulfilled also at operating points with no relation to the optimality criterion whatsoever and this serves to explain the observed solution multiplicity. Bifurcation theory is employed to further analyze the stationary solutions of the ESC loop and conditions for existence of saddle-node bifurcations are derived. A saddle node bifurcation implies a hard loss of stability and the existence of multiple stationary solutions. It is also demonstrated, using examples, that the ESC loop may undergo other types of bifurcations, including period doubling bifurcations into chaos. For the considered example, the resulting chaotic solution is significantly closer to optimum than the underlying nominal limit cycle. Previous results on ESC applied to general dynamic systems have relied on the use of asymptotic methods, such as singular perturbations and averaging. This has resulted in a three time-scale separation of the problem, in which the gradient estimation and control have been forced to be significantly slower than the open-loop process dynamics. For most processes, including the CANON process studied in this thesis, this renders ESC of little practical use and we therefore consider relaxing some of the restrictive assumptions. Inparticular, we allow for any gradient estimation rate and significantly faster gradient feedback as compared to previous studies. Using a linear parameter varying (LPV) description of the plant, quantitative expressions for the convergence rate in terms of the ESC tuning parameters and plant properties are derived.QC 20141106</p

Why Technology Provides Compelling Reasons to Apply a Daubert Analysis to the Legal Standard of Care in Medical Malpractice Cases

Traditionally, courts have applied a customary practice standard in determining the legal standard of care in medical malpractice cases. Recently, a few courts have abandoned this dated standard and instead applied a Daubert analysis to the standard of care, which focuses on medical evidence that is scientifically based . In light of these recent holdings, this iBrief argues that with the increasing amounts of technologies improving evidence-based medicine, the customary practice standard is no longer a useful or appropriate test for determining the standard of care in medical malpractice cases. By applying a Daubert analysis to an expert’s testimony on the standard of care, the testimony becomes a scientifically based testimony rather than an expert’s notion of what is common practice in the medical profession

Molecular analysis of avian paramyxovirus serotype-1

Avian paramyxovirus serotype-1 (APMV-1) is capable of infecting a wide range of avian species leading to a broad range of clinical symptoms. Ease of transmission has allowed the virus to spread world-wide with varying degrees of virulence depending on the virus strain and host species. Classification systems have been designed to group isolates based on their genetic composition. The genetic composition of the fusion gene cleavage site plays an important role in virulence. Presence of multiple basic amino acids at the cleavage site allows enzymatic cleavage of the fusion protein enabling virulent viruses to spread systemically. Diagnostic tests, including virus isolation, real-time reverse-transcription PCR and sequencing, are used to characterize the virus and identify virulent strains. Genetic diversity within APMV-1 demonstrates the need for continual monitoring for changes that may arise requiring modifications to the molecular assays to maintain their usefulness for diagnostic testing

Evaluation of the BACTEC MGIT 960 system for recovery of Mycobacterium bovis

The BACTEC MGIT 960 system was evaluated to determine how it compares to the BACTEC 460 radiometric system for recovery of Mycobacterium bovis from tissue samples. Five hundred and six bovine lymph node samples were collected from 21 abattoirs in the United States and three in Mexico between November 2003 and September 2004. Processed samples were inoculated into a MGIT tube, BACTEC 460 vial, Middlebrook 7H10 and Middlebrook 7H11 solid media. The MGIT tubes were inserted into the MGIT 960 instrument for incubation and testing. The BACTEC 460 vials and MGIT tubes were incubated for six weeks (or until positive). Solid media tubes were incubated up to 8 weeks. Ziehl-Neelsen slides were prepared for each type of media to check for contaminants and confirm growth of acid-fast positive rods. Samples containing acid-fast rods were confirmed as members of the M. tuberculosis complex by a nucleic acid assay. Niacin and nitrate biochemical tests were used to distinguish M. bovis from M. tuberculosis isolates. The study shows the MGIT 960 system had a higher recovery rate of M. bovis than the BACTEC 460 and solid media systems. In addition the MGIT 960 system had the lowest mean time to detection. The BACTEC 460 and MGIT 960 systems had similar contamination rates. These results indicate the MGIT 960 system is better than the BACTEC 460 system for recovering M. bovis from tissue samples

Avian Paramyxovirus Serotype-1: A Review of Disease Distribution, Clinical Symptoms, and Laboratory Diagnostics

Avian paramyxovirus serotype-1 (APMV-1) is capable of infecting a wide range of avian species leading to a broad range of clinical symptoms. Ease of transmission has allowed the virus to spread worldwide with varying degrees of virulence depending on the virus strain and host species. Classification systems have been designed to group isolates based on their genetic composition. The genetic composition of the fusion gene cleavage site plays an important role in virulence. Presence of multiple basic amino acids at the cleavage site allows enzymatic cleavage of the fusion protein enabling virulent viruses to spread systemically. Diagnostic tests, including virus isolation, real-time reverse-transcription PCR, and sequencing, are used to characterize the virus and identify virulent strains. Genetic diversity within APMV-1 demonstrates the need for continual monitoring for changes that may arise requiring modifications to the molecular assays to maintain their usefulness for diagnostic testing

Outbreak of H7N8 Low Pathogenic Avian Influenza in Commercial Turkeys with Spontaneous Mutation to Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) subtype H7N8 was detected in commercial turkeys in January 2016. Control zone surveillance discovered a progenitor low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) virus in surrounding turkey flocks. Data analysis supports a single LPAI virus introduction followed by spontaneous mutation to HPAI on a single premises

Outbreak of H7N8 Low Pathogenic Avian Influenza in Commercial Turkeys with Spontaneous Mutation to Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) subtype H7N8 was detected in commercial turkeys in January 2016. Control zone surveillance discovered a progenitor low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) virus in surrounding turkey flocks. Data analysis supports a single LPAI virus introduction followed by spontaneous mutation to HPAI on a single premises