Bulletin of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering (BCSEE)
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Corrigendum to “Magnetic-field-synchronized wireless modulation of neural activity by magnetoelectric nanoparticles” [Brain Stimulat. 15/6 (2022) 1451–1462]
No full textFamilial Exudative Vitreoretinopathy–Like Phenotype in a Patient With Microcephaly and TUBGCP6 Mutations
No full textPurpose: To describe a case of microcephaly, unilateral retinal fold, and familial exudative vitreoretinopathy (FEVR)–like phenotype in the context of 2 TUBGCP6 variants. Methods: A case and its findings were analyzed. Results: A 4-month-old boy with no family history of eye disease presented by referral for management of presumed persistent fetal vasculature in the left eye. An external examination showed microcephaly. The patient grimaced to light in both eyes, and the anterior segments were unremarkable. On dilated fundus examination, diffuse chorioretinal atrophy was present bilaterally. In the left eye, a retinal fold emanated from the optic nerve head. There was early termination of retinal vasculature, especially in zone 3 in the left eye, resembling a FEVR-like phenotype. Panel-based genetic testing was performed and found 2 mutations in TUBGCP6. Conclusions: Microcephaly, chorioretinopathy, and retinal folds may be associated with TUBGCP6 mutations and masquerade as PFV
Seed dispersal and tree legacies influence spatial patterns of plant invasion dynamics
No full textInvasive plant species alter community dynamics and ecosystem properties, potentially leading to regime shifts. Here, the invasion of a non-native tree species into a stand of native tree species is simulated using an agent-based model. The model describes an invasive tree with fast growth and high seed production that produces litter with a suppressive effect on native seedlings, based loosely on Melaleuca quinquenervia, invasive to southern Florida. The effect of a biocontrol agent, which reduces the invasive tree's growth and reproductive rates, is included to study how effective biocontrol is in facilitating the recovery of native trees. Even under biocontrol, the invader has some advantages over native tree species, such as the ability to tolerate higher stem densities than the invaded species and its litter's seedling suppression effect. We also include a standing dead component of both species, where light interception from dead canopy trees influences neighboring tree demographics. The model is applied to two questions. The first is how the mean seedling dispersal rate affects the spread of the invading species into a pure stand of natives, assuming the same mean dispersal distance for both species. For assumed litter seedling suppression that roughly balances the fitness levels of the two species, which species dominates depends on the mean dispersal distance. The invader dominates at both very high and very low mean seedling dispersal distances, while the native tree dominates for dispersal distances in the intermediate range. The second question is how standing dead trees affect either the rate of spread of the invader or the rate of recovery of the native species. The legacy of standing dead invasive trees may delay the recovery of native vegetation. The results here are novel and show that agent-based modeling is essential in illustrating how the fine-scale modeling of local interactions of trees leads to effects at the population level
Physical and biological effects on the carbonate system during summer in the Northern Argentine Continental Shelf (Southwestern Atlantic)
No full textThe Argentine shelf and its shelf-break (Southwestern Atlantic Ocean) are known for their high biological productivity, and as an important CO2 sink region. However, many aspects of the carbonate system dynamics in the area, especially those related to the biological activity, deserve further study. Here we investigated the mechanisms affecting the carbonate system distributions, using in situ physical, chemical and biological observations collected along a section (COSTAL-AR) on the Northern Argentine Continental Shelf during two summer cruises in 2019. Our main goal was to evaluate the role of the microbial communities on the modulation of the carbonate system in the area. For that, we characterized (i) the distribution of the thermohaline properties, chlorophyll a, dissolved oxygen, carbonate system (pH, total alkalinity, dissolved inorganic carbon and high resolution underway CO2 fugacity, fCO2), dissolved inorganic nutrients, and (ii) the microbial communities (bacterioplankton, phytoplankton, and protozooplankton). Our results show that the COSTAL-AR section was likely an important CO2 sink and presented high seawater fCO2 spatial variability in both middle (272–430 μatm) and early (211–365 μatm) summer conditions. Phytoplankton played a key role in modulating the CO2 uptake and carbonate system spatial variability during summer, especially in the middle and outer shelf. The main contribution to CO2 fixation was given by small cells, since the microbial community was dominated by autotrophic picoplankton (<2 μm; e.g. Synechococcus sp. and coccal picophytoeukaryotes). Moreover, the influence of the Shelf-break front in ruling both the seawater fCO2 distribution and biological processes was evident. These findings provide new insights on the connection between the biology and the carbonate system in this sparsely sampled area of the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean.•Biogeochemical mechanisms affecting the carbonate system of the Argentine shelf were analyzed.•The study region was likely an important CO2 sink during summer.•The CO2 dynamics of the Argentine Shelf were affected by biological mechansms during summer.•Small phytoplankton (<2–3 μm) played a key role in modulating the CO2 uptake
A cloud detection neural network for above-aircraft clouds using airborne cameras
No full textFor aerosol, cloud, land, and ocean remote sensing, the development of accurate cloud detection methods, or cloud masks, is extremely important. For airborne passive remotesensing, it is also important to identify when clouds are above the aircraft since their presence contaminates the measurements of nadir-viewing passive sensors. We describe the development of a camera-based approach to detecting clouds above the aircraft via a convolutional neural network called the cloud detection neural network (CDNN). We quantify the performance of this CDNN using human-labeled validation data where we report 96% accuracy in detecting clouds in testing datasets for both zenith viewing and forward-viewing models. We present results from the CDNN basedon airborne imagery from the NASA Aerosol Cloud meteorology Interactions oVer the western Atlantic Experiment (ACTIVATE) and the Clouds, Aerosol, and Monsoon Processes Philippines Experiment (CAMP2Ex). We quantify the ability of the CDNN to identify the presence of clouds above the aircraft using a forward-looking camera mounted inside the aircraft cockpit compared to the use of an all-sky upward-looking camera that is mounted outside the fuselage on top of the aircraft. We assess our performance by comparing the flight-averaged cloud fraction of zenith and forward CDNN retrievals with that of the prototype hyperspectral total-diffuse Sunshine Pyranometer (SPN-S) instrument’s cloud optical depth data. A comparison of the CDNN with the SPN-S on time-specific intervals resulted in 93% accuracy for the zenith viewing CDNN and 84% for the forward-viewing CDNN. The comparison of the CDNNs with the SPN-S on flight-averaged cloud fraction resulted in an agreement of .15 for the forward CDNN and .07 for the zenith CDNN. For CAMP2Ex, 53% of flight dates had above-aircraft cloud fraction above 50%, while for ACTIVATE, 52% and 54% of flight dates observed above-aircraft cloud fraction above 50% for 2020 and 2021, respectively. The CDNN enables cost-effective detection of clouds above the aircraft using an inexpensive camera installed in the cockpit for airborne science research flights where there are no dedicated upward-looking instruments for cloud detection, the installation of which requires time-consuming and expensive aircraft modifications, in addition to added mission cost and complexity of operating additional instruments
Enhancing aircraft control surface effectiveness by co-flow jet flap at low energy expenditure
No full textCorrelates of suicidal behaviors and genetic risk among United States veterans with schizophrenia or bipolar I disorder
No full textPersons diagnosed with schizophrenia (SCZ) or bipolar I disorder (BPI) are at high risk for self-injurious behavior, suicidal ideation, and suicidal behaviors (SB). Characterizing associations between diagnosed mental and physical health problems, prior pharmacological treatments, and aggregate genetic factors has potential to inform risk stratification and mitigation strategies.
In this study of 3,942 SCZ and 5,414 BPI patients receiving VA care, self-reported SB and ideation were assessed using the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS). These cross-sectional data were integrated with electronic health records (EHR), and compared by lifetime diagnoses, treatment histories, follow-up screenings, and mortality data. Polygenic scores (PGS) for traits related to psychiatric disorders, substance use, and cognition were constructed using available genomic data, and exploratory genome-wide association studies were performed to identify and prioritize specific loci.
Only 20% of veterans who self-reported SB had a corroborating ICD-9/10 code in their EHR; and among those who denied prior behaviors, more than 20% reported new-onset SB at follow-up. SB were associated with a range of psychiatric and non-psychiatric diagnoses, and with treatment with specific classes of psychotropic medications (e.g., antidepressants, antipsychotics, etc.). PGS for externalizing behaviors, smoking, suicide attempt, and major depressive disorder were also associated with attempt and ideation.
Among individuals with a diagnosed mental illness, a GWAS for SB did not yield any significant loci. Self-reported SB were strongly associated with clinical variables across several EHR domains. Overall, clinical and polygenic analyses point to sequelae of substance-use related behaviors and other psychiatric comorbidities as strong correlates of prior and subsequent SB. Nonetheless, past SB was frequently not documented in clinical settings, underscoring the value of regular screening based on direct, in-person assessments, especially among high-risk individuals
The Effect of Environmental Variation at Differing Spatial and Temporal Scales on Stock Assessment Inputs and Outputs with a Focus on King Mackerel in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico
No full textThe sustainable management of living marine resources requires a basic understanding of the populations’ dynamics and its interaction with the surrounding ecosystem. Many organizations advocate for research toward Ecosystem Based Fisheries Management (EBFM) and at the base of the hierarchical approach to EBFM is the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management (EAFM) that focuses on how variability in habitat and climate affect the dynamics of a single species. The goal of this dissertation was to enhance the EAFM by providing examples of how specific aspects of the ecosystem such as climate and habitat can be evaluated and included into the stock assessment process to support EAFM. I focused on the impact of defined spatial and temporal scales of the population dynamics – ecosystem interaction (i.e., fish-environment, Chapter Two) and the inclusion of ecosystem information into stock assessment supporting analyses such as indices of abundance and density distribution mapping (Chapter Three), as well as directly into integrated stock assessment models (Chapter Four). To demonstrate the approaches taken in this dissertation the empirical analysis focused on ecosystem components related to the larval stage of king mackerel (Scomberomorus cavalla) in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, while simulation testing was completed using a simplified hypothetical species. Dissertation results indicated that environmental covariates will have varying impacts on stock dynamics at different spatiotemporal scales. For instance, for king mackerel, wind speed at different spatiotemporal scales led to different responses in perceived larval abundance. Therefore, the use of large scale annually and regionally averaged environmental covariates would distort the perception of the population’s dynamics over time and space. This conclusion was further supported by the work of Chapter Three where geostatistical spatiotemporal models were explored using differing spatiotemporal scales of sea surface temperature to estimate density in the GOM. ...</p
ConfiDance!
No full textThe goal of this project is to give recipients the confidence they need while dancing while also enlightening them on the diversity of dance within the continent of Africa. This would be exhibited in the form of a webpage with Adobe Express. In the webpage, elements of my research and some of the dance-related experiences and journeys I have had would be shared. Individuals on the webpage will also have the chance to interact with the media posted. The end purpose would be to leave participants informed and excited to grow more in their dancing capability
Validation of a Head Mounted Display Augmented Reality Device with Inertial Measurement Unit for Anywhere Administration for Executive Function Testing
No full textTraditionally utilized measures of cognition employ static computerized or paper and pencil test methods not involving functional movements utilized during basic activities of daily living (B-ADLs). In contrast, a novel, functional test of executive function, the Walking Response and Inhibition Test (WRIT), previously validated by Leyva et al. in 2017, involves subjects generating postural responses to displayed visual commands while walking. We created a portable version of the WRIT (HMD-WRIT), using an augmented reality (AR) device with heads-up display (HUD) and integrated inertial measurement unit (IMU), and compared it to a gold standard 3-D motion analysis system (BTS). Measurements from both devices, including Accuracy (ACC) (correctness of response) and Latency (LAT) (time from command symbol displayed in the head mounted display (HMD) to postural response), were obtained and recorded for analyses. Subjects then completed computerized tests of cognition from the NIH Toolbox Cognitive battery (the Eriksen Flanker Test, a measure of response inhibition, and the List Sorting Memory Test, a test of working memory) and a Stroop Color Word Test. Finally, subjects performed the Timed Up-and-Go Test (TUG). It was hypothesized that the HMD-WRIT device responses would positively correlate to the BTS results, the three computerized tests, and the TUG. The findings showed:• A significant, strong correlation between the HMD-WRIT and the BTS 3D Motion Analysis system, confirmed by Bland-Altman analyses,• No correlation between the HMD-WRIT and the three computerized tests of cognition,• A significant, strong correlation between the HMD-WRIT and TUG functional test.</p