Hydra 1 data display system

System, named Hydra, generates charts, graphs, and printed matter on slides or conventional negatives and positives, and combines these media with a capability of storage on magnetic tape for future updating to accommodate engineering changes or contract modifications to be readily added to basic data

Inter-decadal variability of degree-day factors on Vestari Hagafellsjökull (Langjökull, Iceland) and the importance of threshold air temperatures

The skill of degree-day glacier melt models is highly dependent on the choice of degree-day factor (DDF), which is often assumed to remain constant in time. Here we explore the validity of this assumption in a changing climate for two locations on Vestari Hagafellsjökull (1979-2012) using a Surface Energy Balance (SEB) approach that isolates the effect of changes in the prevailing weather on the DDF. At lower-elevation, we observe stable DDF during the period of study; however, at higher elevation, DDF is noted to be more variable and a statistically-significant downward trend is observed. This is found to result from an inappropriate threshold air temperature (T_crit) from which to initiate the positive-degree-day sum, and is removed by setting T_crit to -1.83°C, rather than the usual value of 0°C used in degree-day melt models. The stationarity of DDF once T_crit is adjusted contradicts previous research and lends support to the use of constant DDF for projecting future glacier melt. Optimizing T_crit also improves the skill of melt simulations at our study sites. This research thus highlights the importance of T_crit for both melt model performance and the evaluation of DDF stationarity in a changing climate

PMH65 ADHERENCE AND PERSISTENCE TO TREATMENT IN PATIENTS WITH ATTENTION-DEFICIT/HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER; ANALYSES WITH THE RAMQ DATABASE

Specific cancer worry items, factor loadings, and Cronbach’s alpha for each sub scale. (DOC 36 kb

Community rotorcraft air transportation benefits and opportunities

Information about rotorcraft that will assist community planners in assessing and planning for the use of rotorcraft transportation in their communities is provided. Information useful to helicopter researchers, manufacturers, and operators concerning helicopter opportunities and benefits is also given. Three primary topics are discussed: the current status and future projections of rotorcraft technology, and the comparison of that technology with other transportation vehicles; the community benefits of promising rotorcraft transportation opportunities; and the integration and interfacing considerations between rotorcraft and other transportation vehicles. Helicopter applications in a number of business and public service fields are examined in various geographical settings

COVID-19 patients require multi-disciplinary rehabilitation approaches to address persisting symptom profiles and restore pre-COVID quality of life

Long-COVID diagnosis is prominent, and our attention must support those experiencing debilitating and long-standing symptoms. To establish patient pathways, we must consider the societal and economic impacts of sustained COVID-19. Accordingly, we sought to determine the pertinent areas impacting quality of life (QoL) following a COVID-19 infection. Three hundred and eighty-one participants completed a web-based survey (83% female, 17% male) consisting of 70 questions across 7 sections (demographics, COVID-19 symptoms; QoL; sleep quality; breathlessness; physical activity and mental health). Mean age, height, body mass and body mass index (BMI) were 42 ± 12 years, 167.6 ± 10.4 cm, 81.2 ± 22.2 kg, and 29.1 ± 8.4 kg.m2, respectively. Participant health was reduced because of COVID-19 symptoms (“Good health” to “Poor health” [P<0.001]). Survey respondents who work reported ongoing issues with performing moderate (83%) and vigorous (79%) work-related activities. COVID-19 patients report reduced capacity to participate in activities associated with daily life, including employment activities. Bespoke COVID-19 support pathways must consider multi-disciplinary approaches that address the holistic needs of patients to restore pre-pandemic quality of life and address experienced health and wellbeing challenges

In situ permafrost thaw due to climate change drives holistic microbial community shifts with implications for methane cycling

Thawing permafrost is a potentially significant source of radiative forcing feedback due to increased emissions of methane, a biogenic greenhouse gas (GHG). This study investigated changes in the microbial community along a permafrost thaw gradient at Stordalen Mire, Sweden using 16S rRNA gene amplicon and metagenomic methods. In situ measurements of geochemical parameters, including CH4 and C isotopes, enabled linkage of community dynamics to significant shifts in C balance. The thaw gradient ranged from intact at a palsa (low productivity and GHG emissions), through partially thawed in a bog (high productivity, low GHG emissions) to a completely thawed fen (high productivity and GHG emissions). Microbial assemblages in both the palsa and fen were highly diverse (in both richness and evenness), consistent with climax communities. The microbial community in the bog had distinctly lower diversity, characteristic of ecosystem disturbance. The palsa community was dominated by Acidobacteria and Proteobacteria, as is typical of a range of soils including permafrost. Methanogens dominated both the bog and fen and were most abundant within the zone of water table fluctuation. Inferring methanogens’ production pathway from phylogeny showed a shift from mostly hydrogenotrophic methanogens in the bog towards acetotrophic methanogens in the fen. This corroborated porewater and flux emitted CH4 and CO2 carbon isotopic 13C signatures of CH4 and CO2. The fen, where the highest CH4 flux was recorded, was significantly richer in methanogenic archaea. A novel archaea, Candidatus Methanoflorens stordalenmirensis, was present at up to 70% relative abundance in the bog, enabling recovery of a population genome. The genome (and associated metaproteome) of ’M. stordalenmirensis’ indicates that hydrogenotrophic methane production is its main energy conservation pathway. ’Methanoflorens’ may be an indicator species of permafrost thaw, it is globally ubiquitous, and appears a major contributor to global methane production. Our results revealed a distinct difference in the microbial community structure and membership at each site, which can be directly associated with increasing methane emission and thaw state

Panning for gold: unearthing reliable variables for electronic medical data research

Abstract of a poster presentation at the 2015 PHC Research Conference, Adelaide, 29-31 July, 2015