University of the Coast

High-resolution temperature models are needed to describe and predict the thermal regime of streams/rivers under current and future management. Statistical models (e.g., spatial stream network models – SSN) can cover large extents at fine resolutions. Mechanistic models (e.g., Soil and Water Assessment Tool – SWAT) offer refined temporal resolution and process-based drivers in predictions, but are time consuming to parameterize. Hybrid modeling (e.g., hybrid SSN-SWAT) approaches can leverage benefits of both types to improve temporal robustness of thermal regime model predictions across entire networks. In the Upper Rogue River Basin, OR, we compared performance of a NorWeST August mean temperature (AMT) SSN model with a hybrid SSN-SWAT AMT (Hybrid AMT) model. We extended the hybrid SSN-SWAT approach to the 7-day average daily maximum temperature metric (Hybrid 7DADM). The Hybrid AMT and Hybrid 7DADM models performed well, with similar model diagnostics between the Hybrid AMT and NorWeST AMT models, and with other SSN and mechanistic temperature models (used for temperature total maximum daily loads – TMDLs). The hybrid SSN-SWAT approach was able to incorporate the effect of dams on downstream hydrology and temperature regimes. The best-fitting hybrid SSN models incorporated upstream shade effects spanning distances of 1-5 kilometers or 1-3 hours travel time, highlighting the need to maintain upstream riparian zones to protect downstream thermal regimes.

Introduction: Secondary-data studies (clinical, administrative or sensor records) embed selection, measurement and missing-data processes that are often treated as “preprocessing”, leaving key causal assumptions implicit and hard to audit. Objective: To propose a reproducible protocol that makes causal assumptions explicit in secondary-data studies using layered directed acyclic graphs. Methodology: The protocol separates a material causal system (exposure→outcome) and three additional layers: (i) selection/observability, (ii) operationalisation and measurement (constructs vs. recorded proxies) and (iii) missing-data mechanisms. It includes estimand and time alignment, extraction rules and cohort construction, plus quality control based on graph source code and figure traceability. Results: Outputs include a reporting checklist (Table 1), a decision→threat→graph-signature mapping with conditional mitigations (Table 2), a related-work gap synthesis (Table 3), layered DAG examples (Figs. 1–9) and reproducible evaluations quantifying typical biases and sensitivity to missingness (Tables 4–7). Conclusions: The layered approach makes selection, measurement and missingness assumptions explicit; improves reproducibility through code–figure–text traceability; and operationalises alignment between design/analysis choices and the estimand, limiting claims that exceed the available evidence. A minimal applied case shows that observation/missingness decisions can materially shift the estimand, motivating explicit sensitivity reporting (Δ) and denominators.

This study addresses a critical gap in financial health assessment by developing an integrated analytical framework that combines the CAMEL model (Capital Adequacy, Asset Quality, Management Efficiency, Earnings Ability, and Liquidity) with advanced statistical methodologies for Colombian financial institutions. While traditional CAMEL applications rely on isolated ratio analysis, our novel contribution lies in the sequential integration of Confirmatory Factor Analysis, Structural Equation Modeling, and Stochastic Frontier Analysis, wherein empirically validated latent constructs serve as multicollinearity-corrected inputs for efficiency estimation. This methodological innovation transcends conventional approaches by capturing the multidimensional and interdependent nature of institutional performance. Analyzing 102 Colombian financial entities representing 85% of the regulated sector, the framework demonstrates robust explanatory power while revealing that liquidity management constitutes the primary efficiency determinant. The model classifies institutions into five distinct performance segments, identifying both operational excellence benchmarks and entities requiring urgent intervention. These findings provide actionable intelligence for regulatory authorities implementing risk-based supervision, institutional managers prioritizing strategic improvements, and policymakers formulating capacity-building initiatives. By establishing empirically validated causal pathways between financial health dimensions, this research advances both theoretical understanding of the CAMEL framework and practical applications supporting financial stability and sustainable economic development aligned with SDGs 8 and 9.

Progressive encephalomyelitis with rigidity and myoclonus (PERM) is a rare neurological disorder within the spectrum of stiff-person syndrome (SPS) and epilepsy, and is part of the group of GAD (glutamic acid decarboxylase) antibody-associated disorders. PERM diagnosis is often challenging due to its heterogeneous presentation, and treatment remains difficult, as clear therapeutic guidelines for this condition have yet to be established. To the best of our knowledge, no prior reports have documented the simultaneous occurrence of PERM and anti-GAD–positive autoimmune epilepsy associated with mesial temporal sclerosis (MTS), thus highlighting a previously unrecognised phenotype within the GAD-spectrum disorders. We present the case of a 32-year-old male with a progressive neurological syndrome characterised by lower limb rigidity, gait disturbance, painful spasms, and hyperekplexia. Over five years, he developed epileptic seizures, stimulus-induced myoclonus, and neuropsychiatric symptoms (emotional lability, depressive affect, anxiety). High titers of anti-GAD antibodies in serum, along with EMG findings, supported the diagnosis of PERM. Brain MRI revealed right MTS. Symptomatic treatment with GABAergic agents led to significant clinical improvement; immunotherapy was considered but not initially required due to the positive response. This case represents, to the best of our knowledge, the first reported instance of PERM coexisting with anti-GAD–positive autoimmune epilepsy and MTS, underscoring the clinical relevance of recognizing overlapping GAD-spectrum phenotypes to guide timely diagnosis and individualized management.