prompt_front: Now, answer the following question based on the text below, only give me the answer and do not output any other words.

Question: What is the purpose of the baseline in the layout procedure?

Read the following text and answer briefly.

Context 1: Probably one of the most frustrating things about building experimental aircraft, especially when starting with a minimum of pre-fabricated parts, is to start building and ending up with an unexpected result  Every builder starts a new project by wanting it to go "perfectly " So when things aren't going well, especially at the beginning, the frustration can lead to an unfinished airplane 
This is the first article in a series dedicated to helping builders of the Rand Robinson KR series planes build a straight and true fuselage -- the first part of the construction process  Borrowing from modern boatbuliding techniques, focus will be on the KR-2S, but the principles apply to the entire lineup of KR-1 & KR-2 series planes 
While building the KR-2(s) a common surprise is encountered by builders when the completed fuselage sides are laid into position to form the fuselage box section  With many hours spent building the sides flat, finding the once straight longerons that now bow up from the building surface, form a most dissatisfying "banana" shape  Especially when using the preformed fiberglass parts, this curve in the top longeron is not acceptable  The builder is left wondering what went wrong and no amount of clamping or brute force forming will solve the problem to any degree of satisfaction  The problem is not the builder's fault  The solution starts by understanding the three dimensional relationship of the assembled parts being built 
First understand that the plans show the finished form of the plane  They show the "projected" form as you would expect to see it if viewing an actual plane from the top, ends and from the side  Since the sides are sloped (flared) outward, looking from the side, the distances given by measuring the profile drawing are "foreshortened" and don't give the proper shape for building the fuselage with a flat top longeron  What needs to be done is to "develop" the "true" distances and shape of the flat panel so that when it is curved into position, the longerons lay flat 
Second, understand that the dimensions called for in the plans put a twist in the sides that tends to work the panel in two directions of curvature  This twist makes the panel "undevelopable" meaning that that shape cannot be unrolled into an equivalent flat shape  This is important when laying out the side and bottom panels onto flat plywood  To illustrate this, try forming a piece of paper around a soda can  The paper can be formed flat around the can either straight or at a diagonal to it's length  It has only one direction of curvature and is by definition "developable"  Now try to form the same piece of paper around a baseball  It won't lie flat on the surface without some deformation (folding, wrinkling or tearing) of the paper  The ball has curvature in more that one direction and is a "compounded" shape  Paper (or plywood) can only be readily formed in developable shapes as opposed to aluminum or other metal which can accept in plane deformation  A developable surface is needed to lay out a curved surface when the materials used can't be deformed with any degree of in-plane strain 
Initially, the fuselage sides are laid out flat with reference to the top longeron measured to a straight chalk line  The bowing problem starts when the side panels are bent and sloped to form the fuselage box section  If the sides were not sloped (tumbled home), the section formed would be cylindrical and the longerons would lie flat  Since the sides are tumbled home, the section formed is now conical  When a conical shape is cut with a plane (building surface) not perpendicular to it's axis, the shape formed is elliptical -- exactly what happens with the top longeron  When it's built flat, bent to form a cylindrical section, and sloped to form a conical section, it takes on an elliptical shape firewall to tailstock 
This method borrows heavily from proven techniques used in the marine trades  It should be stressed at this point that although the layout procedure is not complicated, it is important to take your time  If the layout is not going well initially, start over! Better to erase layout errors now than to have them built it and cause surprises later 
Layout to ensure a fair and true fuselage starts by drawing a reference line (baseline) on the building surface  Refer to figures 2 & 3 and use a wire guide to draw a very straight baseline  About 500 lbs  Of tension should be adequate  One could use a chalk line, but we're talking airplanes here, not house framing 
The main layout difference is that the baseline isn't used as a reference for the top longeron  The baseline references the mid point of the firewall for the developed (and true dimensioned) side panel  Although the baseline will still be the reference, the top and bottom longerons will be laid separately 
Layout differences don't end there  Each of the stations (vertical members) will be laid out with a calculated separation so that when the panels are formed into position, they land on the spacing called for in the plans  Another major difference is that the bottom & side panels are applied after forming the fuselage box section  This is mainly to obtain the ability to "fair" the side and bottom surfaces and insure a straight and true shape 
Refer to figure 1 for the layout of the new developed side panel  The firewall (station a) is layed out perpendicular to the baseline  Longitudinal (station) measurements are given along the length of the baseline from the firewall  Vertical dimensions are given to reference the angle and breadths of the station at the baseline 
Notice that the top longeron is bowed outward and that the stations are spaced slightly greater than called out in the plans  When the panels are formed into the box frame section ,they will work into the dimensions specified in the plans 
Strike a centerline, longer than is needed on the building surface using a wire guide  Draw off the firewall line perpendicular to the centerline at one end 
Using the distances listed in the balloons, mark them off on the centerline  Distances are measured to the nearest sixteenth of an inch  Take time to mark them off carefully  Don't mark off the distances in a cumulative fashion  Use the firewall as a common reference 
Using the angles listed at each station, mark off a station line longer than is needed  The angles are measured to the nearest hundredth of a degree  Take time to mark them off carefully 
At each station, start by marking off each short (bottom longeron) line distance from the centerline  Use your set of trammels or beam compass for doing this  Mark the intersection of the short line with the station line 
At each station, mark off each long (top longeron) line distance from the intersection of the short line distance and the station line  Again the trammels or beam compass is best for completing this step  Mark the intersection of the long line distance with the station line 
Using the longeron as a batten, trace out the inside and outside curves of the longeron  After the batten is secure, in between each station, fasten a keeper block inside and outside to preserve the shape of the longeron taking care to avoid potential future interference with the diagonal members to be installed later  The fairing blocks can be removed or left in place if they won't interfere with building  The vertical station members and their diagonals can now be measured and positioned  Remember to refer to the plans for the material thickness direction 
After vertical and diagonal members are cut and fitted, take time to draw their outlines on the building surface to cut down on time and confusion when laying out the opposite side 
Finishing the side panel is accomplished in a manner similar to that called for in the handbook with the exception that the side and bottom skin panels will be attached later 
The next article in the series will discuss jigging and building techniques to ensure alignment and straightness of the flat built side panels  Also covered will be building a "strongback" jig to assure alignment of the side panels when they are formed into their final shape 
Part 3 in the series will cover assembly of the side panels using the jigs  Some joint details will be discussed that will ensure a stronger and more fair fuselage assembly  Also covered will be the layout & attachment of the side and bottom ply skins 
U S  Mail: Densmore Associates, inc 
ANSI "D" size, computer generated plots of all the layout drawings in this series are available from the author for $30 plus postage & handling  Full (true size) scale plots may be made available depending on demand 
"Scarfing" is the practice of splicing plywood so that short pieces of plywood can be used to span long distances  On the KR, it is required on both the fuselage skins and spar webs  The angle of the splice should be 10 to 12 degrees to maintain strength across the joint  Also, joints should coincide with structural members, such as spar webs or fuselage truss members 
This scarfer is made by mating a regular plunge router (this one costs about $50) to a table saw  Obviously, you really only need a table saw to cut the chamfer, but it does make a nice heavy table for scarfing  You could just as easily use a large work table as the base First, set the table saw for a 5 5 degree cut (for a 1:12 joint, or 6 5 degree cut for a 10:1 joint), and run a 1 x 6 through on edge to chamfer a corner on the board  Then drill the board for three router mounting holes (two are countersunk) and connect the assembly to the table saw with two 1/4 inch bolts  Use a long (2-3 inch) straight cutting bit to do the cutting  Adjust the bit so it doesn't interfere with your table top, and go to town  Keep pressure on the plywood to ensure contact with the table while you're scarfing  Make sure you feed your material from the same end as you would if you were sawing, or the router will take your plywood away from you and put a big dent in your garage door 
In the late 60's Ken Rand and Stuart Robinson were working as flight system engineers for Douglas Avionics  Ken was working as an electrical engineer, having previously worked for Sperry as an autopilots project engineer, while Stu's degree was in aeronautical engineering from Northrop University  They were two of the guys at the end of the DC-8,9, and 10 assembly lines responsible for correcting some of the nits and picks in various systems before delivery to the customer 
They both wanted to build a fast, inexpensive airplane which was also economical to maintain  Several designs were considered, and plans were bought first for the Jeanie's Teenie and then the Taylor Monoplane  The Monoplane was more to their liking, but would require some modification to fit their needs  A cooperative redesign effort ensued, with virtually no dimensions left untouched  Only the basic fuselage structure, airfoil, and powerplant were retained  The tail shape was Stu's, and came directly from the big DC-8s parked on the ramp outside his office window  The landing gear was designed by Ken, after seeing the gear on a Dewey Bird at Santa Paula airport 
Ken was killed in his KR2 a short time later while flying over Cajon Pass in what was apparently a bad weather / low fuel accident  Ken's wife Jeanette became owner of RR overnight, and stepped up to keep the plans and parts coming  Much of the engineering needs are handled by Bill Marcy of Denver, who's been helping out since early '79 
To date, almost 6000 KR1, 9200 KR2, and 760 KR2S plan sets have been sold  1200 KR2s are estimated to be flying, with 5 KR2Ss now in the air  Much of the development work done on KR's is now done by the builders themselves  KR builders tend to be innovative, which leads to some interesting modifications  Some of the mods that work eventually creep into the plans  The KR2S is a case in point  Many builders who'd heard of the pitch sensitivity and tight cabin of the KR2 began to build an enlarged version, with the length determined by the most commonly available longeron material  The result is a KR2 that is stretched 2" between firewall and main spar, and 14" behind the main spar  Higher gross weights dictated more wing area, with the new standard becoming the Diehl wing skin  Those who plan to carry passengers commonly stretch the cabin width a few inches, although 1 5 inches is the limit if you still want to use RR's premolded parts 
Mike Stearns addresses the KR Forum crowd 
This year's KR Forum featured guest speakers Mike Stearns, Steve Trentman, and Bill Marcey  Mike Stearns spoke on several topics, including the many sources for KR and homebuilding information available on the Internet  He also mentioned KRNet, the list server devoted entirely to KR aircraft, as well as several notable World Wide Web home pages  He also brought a sample of the new Rand Robinson wing skins with him, and discussed their high temperature core prepreg construction  His KR2S will receive the first set, which is currently being installed at Hinson Composites 
Steve Trentman spoke on his turbine installation  It uses a turbine engine which saw duty as an A7 attack jet starter engine  Total weight is about 85 pounds, while putting out around 90 horsepower  There is a small stockpile of these engines available from government surplus  sources  This engine can only be throttled back to 52% power, which leads to some pretty interesting landings  One inflight failure has been logged so far, with very little damage to the aircraft  More on this exciting development in next month's issue of KROnline 
Les Palmer's KR2 N202LP won Best KR2, Best Engine Installation, and People's Choice awards at the 1995 KR Gathering at Columbia, TN  After researching the KR series, and reading Neil Bingham's "A Critical Analysis of the KR2" (Jan 88 Sport Aviation), Les decided to build his as a single seater, stretched 24" in the tail, while maintaining a stock width firewall  His fuselage is made from Douglas fir, which weighs in at 4 lbs heavier than if constructed from spruce  It is skinned with 1/8" birch plywood  Spars are covered with plywoood on both fore and aft sides, ala KR2S  Diehl wing skins provide the lift  Horizontal stabilizer and elevator were stretched 7" longer on each side, while the vertical stabilizer and rudder were stretched 8" taller    The fuselage to cowling junction was made more graceful by adding 1 5 inches to the height of the firewall end of the fuselage sides 
Les's canopy is a Dragonfly, using a four linkage system to swing forward when opening  The canopy frame fits snugly into a recess in the foward deck, providing an excellent wind and water seal  The fiberglass work is exemplary 
Seating is luxurious for one 
The cowling is also a work of art, and uses NACA ducts for efficiency  Female molds were made for all the fiberglass parts on Les's plane, so he could proabably be persuaded to make more, if demand dictates  Les also machines a multitude of KR aluminum and steel parts which he now offers for sale 
The firewall was reinforced with aluminum brackets and angles bolted between the longerons in anticipation of the 200 lb Subaru EA-81 engine installation  His 100 HP Asian version is outfitted with an American Holley 5200 caburetor and manifold  It uses a PSRU of Les's own design, featuring two spur gears with a 1 69:1 reduction ratio and a toothed belt  Other than tapping the crank for larger bolts to mount the redrive, no other engine modifications were required  Also, this is probably the only air conditioned KR2 on the planet  The prop is a 60/63 Hegy 
Originally built as a taildragger, the fixed gear is made from 4130 steel tubing  Custom cast 6 00x6 aluminum wheels and steel rotors are mated with 6" Cleveland calipers for braking  An early taxi test accident damaged the main gear, and prompted Les to change to tricycle gear  Again, he designed his own fiberglass main gear, and uses a Diehl nose wheel fork with a 4130 strut and 6" wheel up front 
Early tests revealed cooling problems, which prompted a radiator move from the firewall to a lower cowling location 
The first flight was almost a disaster, as test pilot Randy Smith lost power right after takeoff  He managed a 180 with a safe downwind landing with only minor nosewheel pant damage  The culprit proved to be a spark plug with too much reach, which was quickly remedied  Subsequent flights have shown water temp to be about 210 degrees, oil temp is 220-230, and airspeed is about 180 mph 
Shopping for the Partially Built KR 
This story starts about twenty years ago when I first started looking at the KR-2 as the plane I'd like to build  The only problem at that time was a lack of money, lack of knowledge, and a lack of job stability  I liked the design, except for the low ground clearance of the retractable gear and that a KR was going to be a tight fit for me to fly 
Over the past twenty years I've owned a number of planes, but still always wanted to build my own  I needed one that would fit me, my budget requirements, and have the speed and performance that I wanted  When "KITPLANES" published the article featuring Roy Marsh's new KR-2S, it was the first I had heard of any major modifications or improvements to the same old KR design  I believe that article and Roy Marsh's workmanship have probably been the greatest boon to Rand Robinson (RR) in the last twenty years  It certainly caught my eye! Here was the same design I had decided I wanted to build twenty years ago, with all of the improvements I wanted  It was sitting on fixed gear with some reasonable ground clearance  It had the capability to be built large enough to accommodate me  It has enough prefab parts available that it didn't have to be 100% scratch built if I decided to hurry the project along  And it had the speed I wanted  I knew that Roy's published speeds were probably not realistic expectations for the average KR, but after knocking around for the last three years in my Champ, anything over 90 mph seems pretty fast to me 
After purchasing the info kit and the sales video from Rand Robinson, the next step after deciding for sure to build this plane was to order the KR-2 plans and the KR-2S addendum  I finally got my plans and was putting together my first order to start the plane, when my partner in the Champ pointed out that there was a partially completed KR-2S for sale in Trade-a-plane  My initial answer was "No, I don't even want to look at it  I want to build my own from scratch " My partner insisted that for the advertised price and the fact that it wasn't too far away, I ought to at least give the guy a call and investigate it  "No, I don't think I want to buy someone else's problems," I persisted  That night I went home and crunched up some numbers on the calculator and finally came to the conclusion that for the sake of my budget for the next several years, I really should give this guy a call 
Three days later, I flew to his place about 400 miles away to take a look at his project  At this point I should probably mention that I consider myself to be fairly knowledgeable about airplane construction, although the vast majority of my experience is with tube and fabric  The rest of this article deals with what I looked for and more importantly what I missed and have had to repair in the last year since I purchased the project 
When we went to the seller's house, I found that the left wing was built using the Dan Diehl wing skins and the right wing skins were leaning against the wall inside the house  Also the canopy was in the house with the canopy covered with paper and tape  I wanted to inspect the fuselage first, so off we went to the shop 
There I found a fuselage sitting on it's gear painted in primer gray  The first step was to inspect the quality of workmanship of what could be seen as it sat  The interior of the fuselage looked as if it had been built with a great deal of care  The fit and finish of all of the interior wood was very nice  Even the gussets looked like they had been painstakingly perfectly fitted  The glass work on the turtle back also looked very precise and clean  It was evenly faired into the vertical and horizontal stabs  The tail also appeared to be well built with the exception of a depression directly over the front and rear spars in the horizontal stabs  He explained that when he moved recently, that he had shot the plane with gray primer to protect it from the weather since he wouldn't have ready access to a shop to put it in right away  It ended up sitting out in the hot south Texas summer sun for a few weeks before he got a shop rented to work in  That caused the glass (or possibly the foam inside the horizontal stab) to swell, except that it held onto the spar, so it was slightly ballooned in front of and behind the spars  His recommendation was to fill it back smooth with micro 
I also found a small linear crack in the lower left wing spar cap on the left wing stub  It appeared to be from over tightening the rear spar wing attach fitting bolts  His explanation was that the crack wasn't important because the rear spars only job is to keep the wings from folding back  I also noticed that the holes for attaching the outer wing to the wing stub were badly rounded out on the rear spar  He explained that the Diehl wing skins require the rear spar to be swept slightly more forward than the stock wings  This won't allow you to use the rear spar attach fittings from RR and that I would need to fabricate a new set of rear spar attach fittings 
I also found that the aileron bellcranks were not built or installed as per plans, but found that they looked professional  I couldn't check for function since the right bellcrank and sheeve wasn't installed, the left wing also wasn't installed, and the right wing didn't exist yet 
Next we pulled the inspection panels off of the fuselage and tail and looked at everything I could see with a good flashlight  I didn't find anything else that might be questionable about the fuselage except for a cracked elevator trim tab that was damaged when it fell off it's hanging place on the wall 
Next we spent some time going over his builders log and builders photo album  I still hadn't seen anything that would dissuade me from buying this project 
At this point it was starting to get late and my ride down needed to get airborne for the flight home  I needed to make a decision about whether I wanted this project or not, but I hadn't inspected the wings and canopy yet  I took a cursory look at the left wing and saw lots on micro built up on it and some bubbles in the leading edge, but nothing that looked seriously wrong to my amateur eye  The right wing was only a set of spars in the shop and the Diehl wing skins in the house, so there wasn't much to look at there  The canopy was wrapped in paper and tape, so there wasn't much to look at there either  I decided that even if there were serious problems in the wing that was built, I would be money ahead to go ahead and buy the project  For the advertised price, I could build a new set of wings and still be way ahead financially  We negotiated a final price, shook hands, took my ride to the airport, and started off in search of a U-haul to haul the project home 
Now, at this point, some of you are thinking about what I surely must have forgotten to inspect and why didn't I take a local A & P or EAA member along for the ride  First of all, I don't know any mechanics locally that have any experience with glass and our EAA chapter of which I am VP is woefully lacking in fiberglass knowledge  Secondly, as you will see, I missed plenty  Some by ignorance, some by just not looking close enough 
Now for a list of the problems that I found over the last year and a few of the fixes that I came up with 
I found that the lower set of rear spar attach fittings on the left rear spar were installed backwards with the longer spaced hole towards the fuselage  Since this is the same place that also had the cracked spar cap, it required a major change  Also in the same area he had drilled through the rear spar with a hole saw to create a place for the aileron cable to pass through and managed to cut out the second from the outside vertical brace in the spar  Then he chose to install the aileron bellcranks in front of the rear spar, and cut another hole through the rear spar for the aileron push rod  He also managed to cut out the outside vertical brace in the spar  Since the holes were already drilled through the spar, the choices were to either cut out that section of spar cap and scarf a new piece in, cut the whole rear spar carrythrough out of the fuselage including ruining the left lower wing skin, or do something else creative to reinforce the spar cap and install a custom built set of attach fittings 
I also found that after I built and installed the right side wing stub ribs and skin that the aileron bellcrank setup would not work as installed  The cable that crosses between the two bellcranks had a sharp uphill from the sheeve to the bellcrank in the last 12 inches on either side  This combined with the radius that the bellcranks turn caused the cross cable to pull up tight when the ailerons were pushed to either end of their travel, but allowed the cables to go very slack when the ailerons were centered  Also the Aileron pushrods needed to pass directly through the lower set of rear wing attach fittings to attach to the aileron  This whole rear spar and aileron bellcrank setup was going to either have to be redesigned or cut out and built to plans  The bottom line is that the problems I observed when I inspected this part were much more serious than expected when I had to fix it 
I decided that I had to remove the rear fittings from the left wing to be replaced with the new set that my neighborhood machinist was cutting out for me  When I put the wing on the work bench to start removing the rear fittings, I thought I had better take a closer look at the bubbles in the leading edge  I found that as I pushed on the leading edge, it delaminated between the glass lay-up on top and the upper and lower wing skin edges that were floxed together underneath  I concluded that that area had to come apart and took a belt sander to the leading edge  What I found was that the leading edge had been floxed together and glassed over, but the mold release had never been scrubbed off the leading edge of the wing  It peeled apart for rebuild quite easily 
When I got back to removing the rear spar attach fittings, I noticed that the woodwork inside the wing looked awfully dull  The reason was that the wing had been closed up without varnishing any of the woodwork  This was rectified with a small hole saw, a number of extensions and a modified undercoating sprayer 
I also found that the aluminum drain fitting in the bottom of the left wing tank had been glassed into place upside down  The tapered pipe threads were tapered the wrong way to install the draincock into the tank  Retapping the fitting the right direction seemed to be a good fix for that problem 
When I finally got around to attaching the wing to the fuselage, I found that the front spar attach fittings were badly misaligned  Although they could be forced into alignment, I didn't think I needed that kind of preload on the main spar fittings  This problem was fixed by calling on my local neighborhood machinist to build me an aligning fixture and reaming the attach holes to the next larger size and ordering the new sized bolts 
On the fuselage I found that although it had new Cleveland wheels and brakes on it, one of the brakes had a severe wobble to it  I must complement the manufacturers for taking care of that problem  One call to the Cleveland factory and they shipped me a new set of wheels and brakes even though the receipt for this set was over four years old and in the original builders name  Their only concern was that this set had never been placed in service yet 
I chose to sand the load of micro off the left wing to see what it was covering  When I got down to the glass, I found that there was no glass for the aft inch and a half of the underside of the wing in front of the aileron hinge  With the Diehl wing skins, you build the wings, then cut the ailerons out of trailing edge of the wing  He had mismeasured and cut too much material off the bottom side of the trailing edge in front of the aileron  It was filled by floxing a piece of spruce into the gap to fill the space between the back edge of the fiberglass and the aileron mount  I chose to wrap the trailing edge of that wing, and the other wing to match with a couple of lay-ups of glass 
When I sanded the primer off the aforementioned damaged trim tab, I found that the hinge was floxed to the leading edge of the foam insides of the tab, but not the glass  I also chose to wrap the front of the trim tab with a lay-up of glass 
I decided to pull the paper off the canopy and take a look at it before I'm ready to bolt it on and fly  The original builder had blown his own canopy and after some of the previous problems, I was beginning to have some concerns about not having looked it over closely enough  The canopy turned out to have been blow a little too large  It ended up with a little larger bubble for headroom, which I didn't object to  However, it had more headroom on the right side than the left  Yes, it was just a little bit lopsided  The main problem was that the canopy is stretched thin enough that it can be easily pushed in with one hand when the weather is warm   My fear was that this is just thin enough that it may decide to lay on my head or in my lap when flying on a warm day  It will have to be replaced 
I'm sure that many that are reading this could see several of the potential problems before I mentioned them, but some others may not have and I'm sure that there could have been many other problems that didn't but could have existed on this project  This is also not intended to be critical of the gentleman that started this project as many parts of it, especially the wood work are better than I could have done and much of his work is outstanding  I prefer to think that I'll end up with a better plane with his woodwork combined with my glasswork  This article is intended to feature some of the problems that you may run into in buying someone else's project 
The final question is, knowing what I have found over the past year, would I have still purchased this project  The answer is yes, but primarily because the price was right in that I am still money and work ahead of where I would be if I had started the project from scratch  There are a few things that I would have done differently, but nothing that I can't live with  Although I won't be able to say that I built it all from scratch, I have built and rebuild enough of the plane that I should have no problem qualifying under the 51% rule 
You can send comments directly to the author via e-mail at "jscott@LANL GOV" 
Here is an brief explanation of how I built my turtledecks  The jig was constructed from scrap plywood and a few 1x4s that I ripped into stringers  I made two temporary bulkheads from the plywood, one for each end  Remember the forward bulkhead needs to be shaped in a way that will closely match the aft end of your canopy frame  Make an aft bulkhead by placing a straight edge at the top of your forward bulkhead and the trailing edge of your horizontal stabilizer  This will give you an idea of how tall your aft bulkhead needs to be  As far as location, I placed my aft bulkhead just forward of the lower/front of my vertical fin  I constructed the jig on the fuselage, it is glued together with automotive bondo 
After the bulkheads were bondoed to the fuselage I used the stringers that I ripped from the 1x4s and bondoed them to the bulkheads  This gave me a male form to cover with thin plastic or posterboard  I stapled two layers of posterboard to the jig(thin plastic would work better)  The posterboard wraps down two inches onto the fuselage  After I was satisfied with the way it looked, I then covered the entire thing with duct tape (fiberglass will not stick to duct tape) On top of this I wetout one layer of tri-ply cloth (22oz) that I had left over from an earlier project, and one layer of 8oz  bid  Remember to mask off your fuselage so you don't get epoxy on it  If you are not familiar with composite lay-ups, you should plan on razor cutting your lay-ups 4 to 6 hours after wetout while the lay-up is still soft enough to cut with a razorblade 
After the lay-up cured (2 or 3 days) it was removed from the jig, and the jig was removed from the fuselage and discarded  (be careful, the bondo sticks very well to the spruce, you could splinter your wood during removal) I now have a fiberglass skin that tends to hold the shape of the jig but is still flexible enough to work with  I made two bulkheads out of 1/4 last-a-foam (AS&S) using the plywood formers from the jig as a guide  I covered these foam bulkheads with one 8oz layer of glass on each side, with a glass to glass edge on the bottom  After cure these bulkheads were bondoed into place (to the fuselage)and the fiberglass skin was pulled down tight and floxed to the bulkheads  When the flox cured the bondo joints were broken, again being careful not to harm the wood  The turtledeck was removed from the fuselage and 2 inch tapes added to the bulkheads inside and out 
At this point the turtledeck looked great and only weighed about 5lbs  but I noticed you could deform the skin by pushing hard on the outside  So I flipped the turtledeck over and from 1/4 inch last-a-foam, I cut two inch wide strips that would run the entire length, forward and aft inside the turtledeck  In effect these would act as composite stringers, I made enough of these two inch wide strips to make up three stringers  One down the center (sort of a backbone) and one on each side of the "backbone" half the distance to the edge of the turtledeck  I sanded the edge of the foam so that when covered with a layer of bid @ 45degrees there would be a nice transition from the turtledeck skin up onto the foam and then back onto the turtledeck I scuff sanded and glued the foam stringers in with micro  I covered the foam stringers with one layer of 8oz bid @ 45degrees 
You can also send me email at: mikemims@pacbell net if you have any questions or want to share your ideas 
KROnline is an online KR Newsletter devoted to sharing KR information with other builders and pilots in a timely manner  The first issue (September 96) is now available as a zipped MicroSoft Word file at http://members aol com/bshadr or as an html document at kronline9 html  If you'd like to submit articles or photos, email Randy Stein at BSHADR@aol com ------------------------------------------------------------ Don't bother to email Randy though  KROnline has been retired since the KR Newsletter has improved 
Context 3: Weep Not, Child is a 1964 novel by Kenyan author Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o  It was his first novel, published in 1964 under the name James Ngugi  It was among the African Writers Series  It was the first English language|English novel to be published by an East African  Thiong'o's works deal with the relationship between Africans and white settlers in colonial Kenya, and are heavily critical of colonial rule  Specifically, Weep Not, Child deals with the Mau Mau Uprising, and "the bewildering dispossession of an entire people from their ancestral land " Ngũgĩ wrote the novel while he was a student at Makerere University 

The book is divided into two parts and eighteen chapters  Part one deals mostly with the education of Njoroge, while part two deals with the rising Mau Mau movement 

Plot summary

Njoroge, a little boy, is urged to attend school by his mother  He is the first one of his family able to go to school  His family lives on the land of Jacobo, an African made rich by his dealings with white settlers, namely Mr  Howlands, the most powerful land owner in the area  Njoroge's brother Kamau works as an apprentice to a carpenter, while Boro, the eldest living son, is troubled by his experiences while in forced service during World War II, including witnessing the death of his elder brother  Ngotho, Njoroge's father and a respected man in the surrounding area, tends Mr  Howlands' crops, but is motivated by his passion to preserve his ancestral land, rather than for any compensation or loyalty 

One day, black workers call for a strike to obtain higher wages  Ngotho is ambivalent about participating in the strike because he fears he will lose his job  However, he decides to go to the gathering, even though his two wives do not agree  At the demonstration, there are calls for higher wages  Suddenly, the white police inspector brings Jacobo to the gathering to pacify the native people  Jacobo tries to put an end to the strike  Ngotho attacks Jacobo, and the result is a riot where two people are killed  Jacobo survives and swears revenge  Ngotho loses his job and Njoroge’s family is forced to move  Njoroge’s brothers fund his education and seem to lose respect for their father 

Mwihaki, Jacobo's daughter and Njoroge's best friend, enters a girls' only boarding school, leaving Njoroge relatively alone  He reflects upon her leaving, and realizes that he was embarrassed by his father's actions towards Jacobo  For this reason, Njoroge is not upset by her exit and their separation  Njoroge switches to another school 

For a time, everyone's attention is focused on the upcoming trial of Jomo Kenyatta – a revered leader of the movement  Many blacks think that he is going to bring forth Kenya’s independence  But Jomo loses the trial and is imprisoned  This results in further protests and greater suppression of the black population 

Jacobo and a white landowner, Mr  Howlands, fight against the rising activities of the Mau Mau, an organization striving for Kenyan economic, political, and cultural independence  Jacobo accuses Ngotho of being the leader of the Mau Mau and tries to imprison the whole family  Meanwhile, the situation in the country is deteriorating  Six black men are taken out of their houses and executed in the woods 

One day Njoroge meets Mwihaki again, who has returned from boarding school  Although Njoroge had planned to avoid her due to the conflict between their fathers, their friendship is unaffected  Njoroge passes an important exam that allows him to advance to High School  His village is proud of him, and collects money to pay Njoroge's High School tuition 

Several months later, Jacobo is murdered in his office by a member of the Mau Mau  Mr  Howlands has Njoroge removed from school for questioning  Both father and son are brutally beaten before release and Ngotho is left barely alive



ground_truth: The baseline is used as a reference for the mid point of the firewall for the developed side panel.

prompt_front: Now, answer the following question based on the text below, only give me the answer and do not output any other words.

Question: What is the purpose of an ICD?

Read the following text and answer briefly.

Context 2: Do you know the difference between V T  and T V?
Like any exclusive club, heart disease has its own jargon, understandable only by other members of the club, particularly by cardiac care providers  For example, I remember lying in my CCU bed (that’s the Coronary Intensive Care Unit), trying to memorize the letters LAD (that’s the Left Anterior Descending, the large coronary artery whose 99% blockage had caused my MI (myocardial infarction – in my case, the so-called ‘widowmaker’ heart attack) 
To help others needing simultaneous translation of this new lingo in your research or in your own medical records, here’s a helpful list of some of the most common acronyms/terms you’ll likely find around the cardiac ward 
NOTE from CAROLYN: This entire patient-friendly, jargon-free glossary (all 8,000 words!) is also part of my book “A Woman’s Guide to Living with Heart Disease“ (Johns Hopkins University Press, November 2017) 
AA – Anti-arrhythmic: Drugs used to treat patients who have irregular heart rhythms 
Ablation – See Cardiac Ablation 
ACE Inhibitor – Angiotension Converting Enzyme inhibitor: A drug that lowers blood pressure by interfering with the breakdown of a protein-like substance involved in regulating blood pressure 
ACS – Acute Coronary Syndrome: An emergency condition brought on by sudden reduced blood flow to the heart  The first sign of acute coronary syndrome can be sudden stopping of your heart (cardiac arrest) 
AED – Automatic External Defibrillator: A portable defibrillator for use during a cardiac emergency; it can be used on patients experiencing sudden cardiac arrest by applying a brief electroshock to the heart through electrodes placed on the chest 
AF or Afib – Atrial Fibrillation: An irregular and often rapid heart rate that can cause poor blood flow to the body  Afib symptoms include heart palpitations, shortness of breath, weakness or fainting  Episodes of atrial fibrillation can come and go, or you may have chronic atrial fibrillation 
AFL – Atrial Flutter: A type of arrhythmia where the upper chambers of the heart (the atria) beat very fast, causing the walls of the lower chambers (the ventricles) to beat inefficiently as well 
A-HCM – Apical Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy: Also called Yamaguchi Syndrome or Yamaguchi Hypertrophy, a non-obstructive form of cardiomyopathy (a disease of the heart muscle that leads to generalized deterioration of the muscle and its pumping ability) in which a portion of the heart muscle is hypertrophied (thickened) without any obvious cause although there may be a genetic link  It was first described in individuals of Japanese descent 
AI – Aortic Insufficiency: A heart valve disease in which the aortic valve does not close tightly, leading to the backward flow of blood from the aorta (the largest blood vessel) into the left ventricle (a chamber of the heart) 
AIVR – Accelerated Idioventricular Rhythm: Ventricular rhythm whose rate is greater than 49 beats/min but less than 100 beats/min, usually benign  (Ventricles are the two main chambers of the heart, left and right) 
Angina (stable) – A condition marked by distressing symptoms typically between neck and navel that come on with exertion and go away with rest, caused by an inadequate blood supply to the heart muscle typically because of narrowed coronary arteries feeding the heart muscle  Also known as Angina Pectoris  Unstable angina (UA) occurs when fatty deposits (plaques) in a blood vessel rupture or a blood clot forms, blocking or reducing flow through a narrowed artery, suddenly and severely decreasing blood flow to the heart muscle  Unstable angina is not relieved by rest; it’s dangerous and requires emergency medical attention 
Antiplatelet drugs – Medications that block the formation of blood clots by preventing the clumping of platelets (examples: Plavix, Effient, Brillinta, Ticlid, etc)  Heart patients, especially those with implanted stents after PCI, are often prescribed dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) which includes one of these prescribed meds along with daily low-dose aspirin 
Aorta – The main artery of the body, carrying blood from the left side of the heart to the arteries of all limbs and organs except the lungs 
Aortic Stenosis: A disease of the heart valves in which the opening of the aortic valve is narrowed  Also called AS 
Aortic valve – One of four valves in the heart, this valve allows blood from the left ventricle to be pumped up (ejected) into the aorta, but prevents blood from returning to the heart once it’s in the aorta 
AP – Apical Pulse: A central pulse located at the apex (pointy bottom) of the heart 
Apex – the lowest (pointy) tip of the heart that points downward at the base, forming what almost looks like a rounded point 
Apical Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (A-HCM): Also called Yamaguchi Syndrome or Yamaguchi Hypertrophy, a non-obstructive form of cardiomyopathy (a disease of the heart muscle that leads to generalized deterioration of the muscle and its pumping ability) in which a portion of the heart muscle is hypertrophied (thickened) without any obvious cause  There may be a genetic link  It was first described in people of Japanese descent 
Arrhythmia – A condition in which the heart beats with an irregular or abnormal rhythm 
AS – Aortic Stenosis: A disease of the heart valves in which the opening of the aortic valve is narrowed 
ASD – Atrial Septal Defect: See Septal Defect 
Atrial Flutter – A heart rhythm problem (arrhythmia) originating from the right atrium, most often involving a large circuit that travels around the area of the tricuspid valve (between the right atrium and the right ventricle (this is called typical atrial flutter)  Less commonly, atrial flutter can also result from circuits in other areas of the right or left atrium that cause the heart to beat fast (called atypical atrial flutter) 
Atrial Septum, the membrane that separates the left and the right upper chambers of the heart (the atria) 
Atrium – A chamber of the heart that receives blood from the veins and forces it into a ventricle or ventricles  Plural: atria 
AV – Atrioventricular: A group of cells in the heart located between the upper two chambers (the atria) and the lower two chambers (the ventricles) that regulate the electrical current that passes through it to the ventricles  Also Atrioventricular Block: An interruption or disturbance of the electrical signal between the heart’s upper two chambers (the atria) and lower two chambers (the ventricles)  Also Aortic valve: The valve that regulates blood flow from the heart into the aorta 
AVNRT – Atrioventricular Nodal Re-entry Tachycardia: a heart rhythm problem that happens when there’s an electrical short circuit in the centre of the heart, one of the most common types of SVT, most often seen in people in their twenties and thirties, and more common in women than in men 
BAV – Bicuspid Aortic Valve: The most common malformation of the heart valves in which the aortic valve has only two cusps instead of three 
BB – Beta Blocker: A blood pressure-lowering drug that limits the activity of epinephrine, a hormone that increases blood pressure 
BBB – Bundle Branch Block: – A condition in which parts of the heart’s conduction system are defective and unable to normally conduct the electrical signal, causing an irregular heart rhythm (arrhythmia) 
BMI – Body mass index: A number that doctors use to determine if you’re overweight  BMI is calculated using a formula of weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared (BMI =W [kg]/H [m2])  Better yet, just click here to figure out your own BMI 
BNP blood test – BNP (B-type Natriuretic Peptide) is a substance secreted from the ventricles or lower chambers of the heart in response to changes in pressure that happen when heart failure develops and/or worsens  The level of BNP in the blood increases when heart failure symptoms worsen, and decreases when the heart failure condition is stable 
BP – Blood Pressure: The force or pressure exerted by the heart in pumping blood; the pressure of blood in the arteries  See also hypertension 
BrS – Brugada Syndrome: Brugada syndrome is a genetic heart disease that is characterized by distinctively abnormal electrocardiogram (EKG/ECG) findings and an increased risk of sudden cardiac arrest 
CAA – Coronary artery anomaly: A congenital defect in one or more of the coronary arteries of the heart 
CABG – Coronary Artery Bypass Graft: A surgical procedure that reroutes blood flow around a diseased or blocked blood vessel that supplies blood to the heart by grafting either a piece of vein harvested from the leg or the artery from under the breastbone 
CA – Coronary Artery: The arteries arising from the aorta that arch down over the top of the heart and divide into branches  They provide blood to the heart muscle 
CAD – Coronary Artery Disease: A narrowing of the arteries that supply blood to the heart  The condition results from a plaque rupture/blood clot or spasm and greatly increases the risk of a heart attack 
Cardiac Ablation – A procedure performed by an Electrophysiologist (EP) – a cardiologist with specialized training in treating heart rhythm problems – that typically uses catheters — long, flexible tubes inserted through a vein in the groin and threaded to the heart — to correct structural problems in the heart that cause an arrhythmia  Cardiac ablation works by scarring or destroying the tissue in your heart that triggers an abnormal heart rhythm 
Cardiac Arrest – Also known as Sudden Cardiac Arrest: The stopping of the heartbeat, usually because of interference with the electrical signal that regulates each heartbeat (often associated with coronary heart disease)  Can lead to Sudden Cardiac Death 
Cardiac Catheterization – An invasive procedure in which a catheter is inserted through a blood vessel in the wrist/arm or groin with x-ray guidance  This procedure can help provide information about blood supply through the coronary arteries, blood pressure, blood flow throughout the chambers of the heart, collection of blood samples, and x-rays of the heart’s ventricles or arteries  It’s typically performed in the cath lab during angiography 
Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy (CRT) also called bi-ventricular pacemaker: an electronic pacing device that’s surgically implanted in the chest to treat the delay in heart ventricle contractions that occur in some people with heart failure 
Cardiac Tamponade – Pressure on the heart that occurs when blood or fluid builds up in the space between the heart muscle (myocardium) and the outer covering sac of the heart (pericardium)  Also called Tamponade 
Cardiomyopathy – a chronic disease of the heart muscle (myocardium), in which the muscle is abnormally enlarged, thickened, and/or stiffened 
Cardioversion – A medical procedure in which an abnormally fast heart rate (tachycardia) or cardiac arrhythmia like atrial fibrillation is converted to a normal rhythm using electricity or drugs  Synchronized electrical cardioversion uses a therapeutic dose of electric current to the heart at a specific moment in the cardiac cycle  Chemical cardioversion uses medications to convert to normal rhythm 
Cath lab – the room in the hospital/medical clinic where cardiac catheterization procedures take place (for example, when a stent is implanted into a blocked coronary artery) 
CCB – Calcium Channel Blocker: A drug that lowers blood pressure by regulating calcium-related electrical activity in the heart 
CDS – Cardiac Depression Scale: A scale that can help assess the effects of depression occurring as a result of a heart disease diagnosis 
CHF – Heart Failure (also called Congestive Heart Failure): A condition in which the heart cannot pump all the blood returning to it, leading to a backup of blood in the vessels and an accumulation of fluid in the body’s tissues, including the lungs 
CM – Cardiomyopathy: A disease of the heart muscle that leads to generalized deterioration of the muscle and its pumping ability 
CO – Cardiac Output: The amount of blood the heart pumps through the circulatory system in one minute 
Collateral arteries – These extra coronary blood vessels are sometimes able to bypass a blockage in an artery in order to supply enough oxygenated blood to enable the heart muscle to survive when in danger of being damaged because of blockage(s) 
Collateral arteries – Blood vessels that provide an alternative arterial supply of blood to an area of the heart that’s in danger of being deprived of oxygenated blood because of one or more blocked arteries 
Congenital heart defect – one of about 35 different types of heart conditions that happen when the heart or the blood vessels near the heart don’t develop normally before a baby is born (in about 1% of live births)  Because of medical advances that treat babies born with heart defects, there are now for the first time more adults with congenital heart disease than children 
Congestive heart failure (CHF) – a chronic progressive condition that affects the pumping power of your heart muscle  Often referred to simply as heart failure, CHF specifically refers to the stage in which fluid builds up around the heart and causes it to pump inefficiently 
COPD – Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A lung disease defined by persistently poor airflow as a result of breakdown of lung tissue (known as emphysema) and dysfunction of the small airways Often associated with smoking, it typically worsens over time 
Coronary Microvascular Disease – A heart condition that causes impaired blood flow to the heart muscle through the small vessels of the heart  Also called Microvascular Disease or Small Vessel Disease 
Coronary Reactivity Test – An angiography procedure specifically designed to examine the blood vessels in the heart and how they respond to different medications  Physicians use these images to distinguish different types of blood vessel reactivity dysfunction (such as Coronary Microvascular Disease) 
Costochondritis– the cause of severe chest pain, but NOT heart-related; it’s an inflammation of the cartilage that connects a rib to the breastbone 
Coumadin – A drug taken to prevent the blood from clotting and to treat blood clots  Coumadin is believed to reduce the risk of blood clots causing strokes or heart attacks  See also Warfarin 
Cox Maze procedure – A complex “cut-and-sew” surgical procedure done to treat atrial fibrillation through a complicated set of incisions made in a maze-like pattern on the left and right atria (the upper chambers of the heart) to permanently interrupt the abnormal electrical signals that are causing the irregular heartbeats of Afib  See also: Mini-Maze 
CP – Chest Pain (may also be felt as squeezing, pressure, fullness, pressure, heaviness, burning or tightness in the chest) 
CPR – Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation: An emergency procedure in which the heart and lungs are made to work by manually compressing the chest overlying the heart and forcing air into the lungs, used to maintain circulation when the heart stops pumping during Cardiac Arrest  Current guidelines suggest hands-only CPR  See also AED 
CQ10 – Co-enzyme Q10: A dietary supplement sometimes recommended for heart patients taking statin drugs 
CRP – C-reactive protein: A byproduct of inflammation, produce by the liver, found in the blood in some cases of acute inflammation 
CRT – Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy also called bi-ventricular pacemaker: an electronic pacing device that’s surgically implanted in the chest to treat the delay in heart ventricle contractions that occur in some people with heart failure 
CT – Computed tomography (CT or CAT scan): An x-ray technique that uses a computer to create cross-sectional images of the body 
CTA – Computerized Tomographic Angiogram: An imaging test to look at the arteries that supply the heart muscle with blood  Unlike a traditional coronary angiogram, CT angiograms don’t use a catheter threaded through your blood vessels to your heart but instead rely on a powerful X-ray machine to produce images of your heart and heart vessels 
CV – Coronary Vein: One of the veins of the heart that drain blood from the heart’s muscular tissue and empty into the right atrium 
CV – Cardiovascular: Pertaining to the heart and blood vessels that make up the circulatory system 
DBP – Diastolic blood pressure: The lowest blood pressure measured in the arteries  It occurs when the heart muscle is relaxed between beats 
DCM – Dilated Cardiomyopathy: A disease of the heart muscle, primarily affecting the heart’s main pumping chamber (left ventricle)  The left ventricle becomes enlarged (dilated) and can’t pump blood to your body with as much force as a healthy heart can 
DDI – Drug-drug interaction: A situation in which a medication affects the activity of another medication when both are administered together 
DIL – Diltiazem: A calcium channel blocker drug that acts as a vasodilator; used in the treatment of angina pectoris, hypertension, and supraventricular tachycardia 
Diuretic – A class of drugs used to lower blood pressure  Also known as “water pills” 
Dobutamine stress echocardiography: This is a form of a stress echocardiogram diagnostic test  But instead of exercising on a treadmill or exercise bike to stress the heart, the stress is obtained by giving a drug that stimulates the heart and makes it “think” it’s exercising  The test is used to evaluate your heart and valve function if you are unable to exercise  It is also used to determine how well your heart tolerates activity, and your likelihood of having coronary artery disease (blocked arteries), and it can evaluate the effectiveness of your cardiac treatment plan  See also TTE and Stress Echocardiogram 
Dressler’s syndrome – Happens to a small number of people three to four weeks after a heart attack  The heart muscle that died during the attack sets the immune system in motion, calling on lymphocytes, one of the white blood cells, to infiltrate the coverings of the heart (pericardium) and the lungs (pleura)  It also starts generating antibodies, which attack those two coverings  Chest pain (CP) is the predominant symptom; treated with anti-inflammatory drugs 
Dual Antiplatelet Therapy – Medications that block the formation of blood clots by preventing the clumping of platelets (examples Plavix, Effient, Brillinta, Ticlid, etc ) are often prescribed along with aspirin as part of what’s known as dual antiplatelet therapy, especially to patients who have undergone PCI and stent implantation 
DVT – Deep Vein Thrombosis: A blood clot in a deep vein in the calf 
ECG / EKG – Electrocardiogram: A test in which several electronic sensors are placed on the body to monitor electrical activity associated with the heartbeat 
Ectopic beats – small changes in an otherwise normal heartbeat that lead to extra or skipped heartbeats, often occurring without a clear cause, most often harmless 
EF – Ejection Fraction: A measurement of blood that is pumped out of a filled ventricle  The normal rate is 50-60% 
EKG/ECG – Electrocardiogram: A test in which several electronic sensors are placed on the body to monitor electrical activity associated with the heartbeat 
Endothelium: A single-cell layer of flat endothelial cells lining the closed internal spaces of the body such as the inside of blood vessels  Endothelial dysfunction affects the ability of these cells to help dilate blood vessels, control inflammation or prevent blood clots  The endothelium is associated with most forms of cardiovascular disease, such as hypertension, coronary artery disease, chronic heart failure, peripheral vascular disease, diabetes, chronic kidney failure, and severe viral infections 
Enhanced External Counterpulsation – EECP is an FDA-approved non-invasive, non-drug treatment for angina  It works by promoting the development of collateral coronary arteries  The therapy is widely used in prominent heart clinics such as the Cleveland Clinic, Mayo Clinic and Johns Hopkins – especially for patients who are not good candidates for invasive procedures such as bypass surgery, angioplasty or stenting 
EP – Electrophysiologist: A cardiologist who has additional training in diagnosing/treating heart rhythm disorders 
EPS – Electrophysiology Study: A test that uses cardiac catheterization to study patients who have arrhythmias (abnormal hear rhythm)  An electrical current stimulates the heart in an effort to provoke an arrhythmia, which is immediately treated with medications  EPS is used primarily to identify the origin of the arrhythmia and to test the effectiveness of medications used to treat abnormal heart rhythms 
EVH – Endoscopic Vessel Harvesting: To create the bypass graft during CABG open heart surgery, a surgeon will remove or “harvest” healthy blood vessels from another part of the body, often from the patient’s leg or arm  This vessel becomes a graft, with one end attaching to a blood source above and the other end below the blocked area  See CABG 
Exercise stress test – An exercise test (walking/running on a treadmill or pedalling a stationary bike) to make your heart work harder and beat faster  An EKG is recorded while you exercise to monitor any abnormal changes in your heart under stress, with or without the aid of drugs to enhance this assessment  See also: MIBI, Echocardiogram, Nuclear Stress Test 
Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) – A genetic predisposition to dangerously high cholesterol levels  FH is an inherited disorder that can lead to aggressive and premature cardiovascular disease, including problems like heart attacks, strokes, or narrowing of the heart valves 
Femoral Artery: a major artery in your groin/upper thigh area, through which a thin catheter is inserted, eventually making its way into the heart during angioplasty to implant a stent; currently the most widely used angioplasty approach in the United States, but many other countries now prefer the Radial Artery access in the wrist 
FFR – Fractional Flow Reserve: A test used during coronary catheterization (angiogram) to measure pressure differences across a coronary artery stenosis (narrowing or blockage) defined as as the pressure behind a blockage relative to the pressure before the blockage 
HC – High Cholesterol: When fatty deposits build up in your coronary arteries 
HCTZ – Hydrochlorothiazide: A drug used to lower blood pressure; it acts by inhibiting the kidneys’ ability to retain water  Used to be called “water pills” 
Heart Failure – a chronic progressive condition that affects the pumping power of your heart muscle  Sometimes called Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) 
Holter Monitor – A portable monitoring device that patients wear for recording heartbeats over a period of 24 hours or more 
HTN – Hypertension: High blood pressure, the force of blood pushing against the walls of arteries as it flows through them 
Hypokinesia – Decreased heart wall motion during each heartbeat, associated with cardiomyopathy, heart failure, or heart attack  Hypokinesia can involve small areas of the heart (segmental) or entire sections of heart muscle (global)  Also called hypokinesis 
ICD – Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator: A surgically implanted electronic device to treat life-threatening heartbeat irregularities 
IHD – Ischemic Heart Disease: heart problems caused by narrowing of the coronary arteries, causing a decreased blood supply to the heart muscle  Also called coronary artery disease and coronary heart disease 
INR – International Normalized Ratio: A laboratory test measure of blood coagulation, often used as a standard for monitoring the effects of the anti-coagulant drug, warfarin (coumadin) 
IST – Inappropriate sinus tachycardia: A heart condition seen most often in young women, in which a person’s resting heart rate is abnormally high (greater than 100 bpm), their heart rate increases rapidly with minimal exertion, and this rapid heart rate is accompanied by symptoms of palpitations, fatigue, and/or exercise intolerance 
Interventional cardiologist – A cardiologist who is trained to perform invasive heart procedures like angiography, angioplasty, percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), implanting stents, etc 
IVS – Interventricular Septum: The stout wall that separates the lower chambers (the ventricles) of the heart from one another 
IVUS – Intravascular Ultrasound: A form of echocardiography performed during cardiac catheterization in which a transducer (a device that can act as a transmitter (sender) and receiver of ultrasound information) is threaded into the heart blood vessels via a catheter; it’s used to provide detailed information about the blockage inside the blood vessels 
LAD – Left Anterior Descending coronary artery: One of the heart’s coronary artery branches from the left main coronary artery which supplies blood to the left ventricle 
LAFB – Left Anterior Fascicular Block: A cardiac condition,distinguished from Left Bundle Branch Block because only the anterior half of the left bundle branch is defective and more common than left posterior fascicular block 
LAHB – Left Anterior Hemiblock: The Left Bundle Branch divides into two major branches – the anterior and the posterior fascicles  Occasionally, a block can occur in one of these fascicles 
Left Circumflex Artery – The artery carries oxygenated blood from the heart to the body; it’s a branch of the Left Main Coronary Artery after the latter runs its course in between the aorta and the Main Pulmonary Artery 
Left Main Coronary Artery – The artery that branches from the aorta to supply oxygenated blood to the heart via the Left Anterior Descending Artery (LAD) and the Left Circumflex Artery 
Lipids – fat-like substances found in your blood and body tissues; a lipid panel is a blood test that measures the level of specific lipids in blood to help assess your risk of cardiovascular disease, measuring four types of lipids: total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides 
Lipoprotein-a or Lp(a) – molecules made of proteins and fat, carrying cholesterol and similar substances through the blood  A high level of Lp(a) is considered a risk factor for heart disease; detectable via a blood test 
Long QT syndrome (LQTS): A heart rhythm disorder that can potentially cause fast, chaotic heartbeats that may trigger a sudden fainting spell or seizure  In some cases, the heart may beat erratically for so long that it can cause sudden death 
LV – Left Ventricle – One of four chambers (two atria and two ventricles) in the human heart, it receives oxygenated blood from the left atrium via the mitral valve, and pumps it into the aorta via the aortic valve 
LVAD – Left ventricular assist device: A mechanical device that can be placed outside the body or implanted inside the body  An LVAD does not replace the heart – it “assists” or “helps” it pump oxygen-rich blood from the left ventricle to the rest of the body, usually as a bridge to heart transplant 
LVH – Left Ventricular Hypertrophy: A thickening of the myocardium (muscle) of the Left Ventricle (LV) of the heart  
Lumen – The hollow area within a tube, such as a blood vessel 
Main Pulmonary Artery – Carries oxygen-depleted blood from the heart to the lungs 
MIBI – Nuclear Stress Test/Cardiac Perfusion Scan/Sestamibi: tests that are used to assess the blood flow to the heart muscle (myocardium) when it is stressed by exercise or medication, and to find out what areas of the myocardium have decreased blood flow due to coronary artery disease  This is done by injecting a tiny amount of radionuclide like thallium or technetium (chemicals which release a type of radioactivity called gamma rays) into a vein in the arm or hand 
Microvascular disease – a heart condition that causes impaired blood flow to the heart muscle through the small blood vessels of the heart  Symptoms mimic those of a heart attack  Also called Coronary Microvascular Disease or Small Vessel Disease  I live with this diagnosis and have written more about it here, here and here 
Mini-Maze – a surgical procedure to treat atrial fibrillation, less invasive than what’s called the Cox Maze III procedure (a “cut-and-sew” procedure), and performed on a beating heart without opening the chest 
Mitral Valve: One of four valves in the heart, the structure that controls blood flow between the heart’s left atrium (upper chamber) and left ventricle (lower chamber)  The mitral valve has two flaps (cusps)  See also MV and/or Valves 
Mitral valve prolapse: a condition in which the two valve flaps of the mitral valve don’t close smoothly or evenly, but instead bulge (prolapse) upward into the left atrium; also known as click-murmur syndrome, Barlow’s syndrome or floppy valve syndrome 
MR – Mitral regurgitation: (also mitral insufficiency or mitral incompetence) a heart condition in which the mitral valve does not close properly when the heart pumps out blood  It’s the abnormal leaking of blood from the left ventricle, through the mitral valve and into the left atrium when the left ventricle contracts 
MRI – Magnetic Resonance Imaging: A technique that produces images of the heart and other body structures by measuring the response of certain elements (such as hydrogen) in the body to a magnetic field  An MRI can produce detailed pictures of the heart and its various structures without the need to inject a dye 
MS – Mitral Stenosis: A narrowing of the mitral valve, which controls blood flow from the heart’s upper left chamber (the left atrium) to its lower left chamber (the left ventricle)  May result from an inherited (congenital) problem or from rheumatic fever 
MUGA – Multiple-Gated Acquisition Scanning: A non-invasive nuclear test that uses a radioactive isotope called technetium to evaluate the functioning of the heart’s ventricles 
Murmur – Noises superimposed on normal heart sounds  They are caused by congenital defects or damaged heart valves that do not close properly and allow blood to leak back into the originating chamber 
MV – Mitral Valve: The structure that controls blood flow between the heart’s left atrium (upper chamber) and left ventricle (lower chamber) 
Myocardial Infarction (MI, heart attack) – The damage or death of an area of the heart muscle (myocardium) resulting from a blocked blood supply to the area  The affected tissue dies, injuring the heart 
Myocardium – The muscular tissue of the heart 
New Wall-Motion Abnormalities – Results seen on an echocardiogram test report (see NWMA, below) 
Nitroglycerin – A medicine that helps relax and dilate arteries; often used to treat cardiac chest pain (angina)  Also called NTG or GTN 
NSR – Normal Sinus Rhythm: The characteristic rhythm of the healthy human heart  NSR is considered to be present if the heart rate is in the normal range, the P waves are normal on the EKG/ECG, and the rate does not vary significantly 
NSTEMI – Non-ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction: The milder form of the two main types of heart attack  An NSTEMI heart attack does not produce an ST-segment elevation seen on an electrocardiogram test (EKG)  See also STEMI 
Nuclear Stress Test – A diagnostic test that usually involves two exercise stress tests, one while you’re exercising on a treadmill/stationary bike or with medication that stresses your heart, and another set while you’re at rest  A nuclear stress test is used to gather information about how well your heart works during physical activity and at rest  See also: Exercise stress test, Nuclear perfusion test, MIBI 
Open heart surgery – Any surgery in which the chest is opened and surgery is done on the heart muscle, valves, coronary arteries, or other parts of the heart (such as the aorta)  See also CABG 
Pacemaker – A surgically implanted electronic device that helps regulate the heartbeat 
PAD – Peripheral Artery Disease: A common circulatory problem in which narrowed arteries reduce blood flow to the limbs, usually to the legs  Symptoms include leg pain when walking (called intermittent claudication) 
PAF – Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation: Atrial fibrillation that lasts from a few seconds to days, then stops on its own  See also Atrial Fibrillation 
Palpitations – A noticeably rapid, strong, or irregular heartbeat due to agitation, exertion or illness 
Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation – An unusual heart arrhythmia of unknown origin, at one time believed to be associated with an unusual sensitivity to alcohol consumption 
PDA – patent ductus arteriosus: A persistent opening between two major blood vessels leading from the heart  The opening is called ductus arteriosus and is a normal part of a baby’s circulatory system before birth that usually closes shortly after birth  But when it remains open, it’s called a patent ductus arteriosus  If it’s small, it may never need treatment, but a large PDA left untreated can allow poorly oxygenated blood to flow in the wrong direction, weakening the heart muscle and causing heart failure or other complications 
Pericardium: two thin layers of a sac-like tissue that surround the heart, hold it in place and help it work 
PET – Positron Emission Tomography: A non-invasive scanning technique that uses small amounts of radioactive positrons (positively charged particles) to visualize body function and metabolism  In cardiology, PET scans are used to evaluate heart muscle function in patients with coronary artery disease or cardiomyopathy 
PFO – Patent Forman Ovale: An opening between the left and right atria (the upper chambers) of the heart  Everyone has a PFO before birth, but in 1 out of every 3 or 4 people, the opening does not close naturally as it should after birth 
Plaque – A deposit of fatty (and other) substances in the inner lining of the artery wall; it is characteristic of atherosclerosis 
POTS – Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome: A disorder that causes an increased heart rate when a person stands upright 
PPCM – Post-partum cardiomyopathy: A form of cardiomyopathy that causes heart failure toward the end of pregnancy or in the months after delivery, in the absence of any other cause of heart failure 
Preeclampsia – a late-pregnancy complication identified by spikes in blood pressure, protein in the urine, possible vision problems  Women who experience pregnancy complications like preeclampsia are at significantly higher risk for heart disease 
Prinzmetal’s Variant Angina – Chest pain caused by a spasm in a coronary artery that supplies blood to the heart muscle 
PSVT – Paroxysmal Supraventricular Tachycardia: – An occasional rapid heart rate (150-250 beats per minute) that is caused by events triggered in areas above the heart’s lower chambers (the ventricles)  “Paroxysmal” means from time to time  See also supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) 
Pulmonary Valve: One of the four valves in the heart, located between the pulmonary artery and the right ventricle of the heart, moves blood toward the lungs and keeps it from sloshing back into the heart 
PV – Pulmonary Vein: A vein carrying oxygenated blood from the lungs to the left atrium of the heart 
PVC – Premature Ventricular Contraction: An early or extra heartbeat that happens when the heart’s lower chambers (the ventricles) contract too soon, out of sequence with the normal heartbeat  In the absence of any underlying heart disease, PVCs do not generally indicate a problem with electrical stability, and are usually benign 
RA – Right Atrium: The right upper chamber of the heart  The right atrium receives de-oxygenated blood from the body through the vena cava and pumps it into the right ventricle which then sends it to the lungs to be oxygenated 
Radial Artery: the artery in the wrist where a thin catheter is inserted through the body’s network of arteries in the arm and eventually into the heart during a procedure to implant a stent  Doctors may also call this transradial access, the transradial approach, or transradial angioplasty  Because it’s associated with fewer complications, this is increasingly considered the default access approach in most countries, except in the U S  where the traditional Femoral Artery (groin) approach is still the most popular access 
RBBB – Right Bundle Branch Block: A delay or obstruction along the pathway that electrical impulses travel to make your heart beat  The delay or blockage occurs on the pathway that sends electrical impulses to the right side of your heart  See also Left Bundle Branch Block 
RCA – Right Coronary Artery: An artery that supplies blood to the right side of the heart 
Restenosis – The re-closing or re-narrowing of an artery after an interventional procedure such as angioplasty or stent placement  Sometimes called “stent failure” 
RHD – Rheumatic Heart Disease: Permanent damage to the valves of the heart caused especially by repeated attacks of rheumatic fever 
RM – Right Main coronary artery: A blood vessel that supplies oxygenated blood to the walls of the heart’s ventricles and the right atrium 
RV – Right Ventricle: The lower right chamber of the heart that receives de-oxygenated blood from the right atrium and pumps it under low pressure into the lungs via the pulmonary artery 
SA – Sinus node: The “natural” pacemaker of the heart  The node is a group of specialized cells in the top of the right atrium which produces the electrical impulses that travel down to eventually reach the ventricular muscle, causing the heart to contract 
SB – Sinus Bradycardia: Abnormally slow heartbeat 
SBP – Systolic Blood Pressure: The highest blood pressure measured in the arteries  It occurs when the heart contracts with each heartbeat  Example: the first number in 120/80 
SCAD – Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection: A rare emergency condition that occurs when a tear forms in one of the blood vessels in the heart, causing a heart attack, abnormalities in heart rhythm and/or sudden death  SCAD tends to strike young healthy women with few if any cardiac risk factors 
SD – Septal defect: A hole in the wall of the heart separating the atria (two upper chambers of the heart) or in the wall of the heart separating the ventricles (two lower chambers) 
Sestamibi stress test – See MIBI 
Short QT intervals (SQT): An abnormal heart rhythm where the heart muscle takes a shorter time to recharge between beats  It can cause a variety of complications from fainting and dizziness to sudden cardiac arrest 
Sick Sinus Syndrome (also known as sinus node dysfunction) is caused by an electrical problem in the heart; a group of related heart conditions that can affect how the heart beats, most commonly in older adults, although it can be diagnosed in people of any age  “Sick sinus” refers to the sinoatrial node (see below)  In people with sick sinus syndrome, the SA node does not function normally 
Sinoatrial node (SA): also commonly called the sinus node; it’s a small bundle of neurons situated in the upper part of the wall of the right atrium (the right upper chamber of the heart)  The heart’s electrical impulses are generated there  It’s the normal natural pacemaker of the heart and is responsible for the initiation of each heartbeat 
Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection (SCAD) – A rare emergency condition that occurs when a tear forms in one of the blood vessels in the heart, causing a heart attack, abnormalities in heart rhythm and/or sudden death  SCAD tends to strike young healthy women with few if any cardiac risk factors 
SSS – Sick Sinus Syndrome: The failure of the sinus node to regulate the heart’s rhythm 
ST – Sinus Tachycardia: A heart rhythm with elevated rate of impulses originating from the sinoatrial node, defined as greater than 100 beats per minute (bpm) in an average adult  The normal heart rate in the average adult ranges from 60–100 bpm  Also called sinus tach or sinus tachy 
Statins – Any of a class of drugs that lower the levels of low-density lipoproteins (LDL) – the ‘bad’ cholesterol in the blood – by inhibiting the activity of an enzyme involved in the production of cholesterol in the liver  Examples of brand name statins: Lipitor, Crestor, Zocor, Mevacor, Levachol, Lescol, etc  Also available as a cheaper generic form of the drug 
STEMI – ST-elevation heart attack (myocardial infarction)  The more severe form of the two main types of heart attack  A STEMI produces a characteristic elevation in the ST segment on an electrocardiogram (EKG)  The elevated ST segment is how this type of heart attack got its name  See also NSTEMI 
Stent – An implantable device made of expandable, metal mesh (looks a bit like a tiny chicken wire tube) that is placed (by using a balloon catheter) at the site of a narrowing coronary artery during an angioplasty procedure  The stent is then expanded when the balloon fills, the balloon is removed, and the stent is left in place to help keep the artery open  TRIVIA ALERT: the coronary stent was named after Charles Stent (1807-1885), an English dentist who invented a compound to produce dentures and other things like skin grafts and hollow tubes (essentially what a metal coronary stent is)  His real claim to fame occurred when he suggested using his material to coat underwater trans-Atlantic cable, which had broken several times as a result of corrosion by seawater  You’re welcome 
Stint – a common spelling mistake when what you really mean is the word “stent” (see above) 
Stress Echocardiography – A standard echocardiogram test that’s performed while the person exercises on a treadmill or stationary bicycle  This test can be used to visualize the motion of the heart’s walls and pumping action when the heart is stressed, possibly revealing a lack of blood flow that isn’t always apparent on other heart tests  The echocardiogram is performed just before and just after the exercise part of the procedure  See also TTE 
Sudden Cardiac Arrest – The stopping of the heartbeat, usually because of interference with the electrical signal (often associated with coronary heart disease)  Can lead to Sudden Cardiac Death 
Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy – A heart condition that can mimic a heart attack  Sometimes called Broken Heart Syndrome, it is not a heart attack, but it feels just like one, with common symptoms like severe chest pain and shortness of breath  It sometimes follows a severe emotional stress  Over 90% of reported cases are in women ages 58 to 75  Also referred to as Broken Heart Syndrome, stress cardiomyopathy, stress-induced cardiomyopathy or apical ballooning syndrome 
TAVR – Transcatheter aortic valve replacement: A minimally invasive procedure to repair a damaged or diseased aortic valve  A catheter is inserted into an artery in the groin and threaded to the heart  A balloon at the end of the catheter, with a replacement valve folded around it, delivers the new valve to take the place of the old  Also called TAVI (Transcatheter aortic valve implantation) 
Tetralogy of Fallot – A rare condition caused by a combination of four heart defects that are present at birth, affecting the structure of the heart and causing oxygen-poor blood to flow out of the heart and into the rest of the body  Infants and children with Tetralogy of Fallot usually have blue-tinged skin because their blood doesn’t carry enough oxygen  Often diagnosed in infancy, but sometimes not until later in life depending on severity 
Tg – Triglycerides: The most common fatty substance found in the blood; normally stored as an energy source in fat tissue  High triglyceride levels may thicken the blood and make a person more susceptible to clot formation  High triglyceride levels tend to accompany high cholesterol levels and other risk factors for heart disease, such as obesity 
TIA – Transient Ischemic Attack: A stroke-like event that lasts only for a short time and is caused by a temporarily blocked blood vessel 
TEE – Transesophageal echocardiogram: This test involves an ultrasound transducer inserted down the throat into the esophagus in order to take clear images of the heart structures without the interference of the lungs and chest 
Treadmill Stress Test – See Exercise Stress Test 
troponin – a type of cardiac enzyme found in heart muscle, and released into the blood when there is damage to the heart (for example, during a heart attack)  A positive blood test that shows elevated troponin is the preferred test for a suspected heart attack because it is more specific for heart injury than other blood tests, especially the newer high sensitivity troponin tests (hs-cTnT) 
TTE – Transthoracic Echocardiogram: This is the standard echocardiogram, a painless test similar to X-ray, but without the radiation, using a hand-held device called a transducer placed on the chest to transmit high frequency sound waves (ultrasound)  These sound waves bounce off the heart structures, producing images and sounds that can be used by the doctor to detect heart damage and disease 
TV – Tricuspid Valve: One of four one-way valves in the heart, a structure that controls blood flow from the heart’s upper right chamber (the right atrium) into the lower right chamber (the right ventricle) 
UA or USA – Unstable Angina: Chest pain that occurs when diseased blood vessels restrict blood flow to the heart; symptoms are not relieved by rest; considered a dangerous and emergency crisis requiring immediate medical help 
Valves: Your heart has four one-way valves that keep blood flowing in the right direction  Blood enters the heart first through the tricuspid valve, and next goes through the pulmonary valve (sometimes called the pulmonic valve) on its way to the lungs  Then the blood returning from the lungs passes through the mitral (bicuspid) valve and leaves the heart through the aortic valve 
Vasodilator: A drug that causes dilation (widening) of blood vessels 
Vasospasm: A blood vessel spasm that causes sudden constriction, reducing its diameter and blood flow to the heart muscle  See also Prinzmetal’s Variant Angina 
VB – Ventricular Bigeminy: A heart rhythm condition in which the heart experiences two beats of the pulse in rapid succession 
Vena Cava – a large vein that carryies de-oxygenated blood into the heart  There are two in humans, the inferior vena cava (carrying blood from the lower body) and the superior vena cava (carrying blood from the head, arms, and upper body) 
Ventricle – each of the two main chambers of the heart, left and right 
VF – Ventricular Fibrillation: A condition in which the ventricles (two lower chambers of the heart) contract in a rapid, unsynchronized fashion  When fibrillation occurs, the ventricles cannot pump blood throughout the body  Most sudden cardiac deaths are caused by VF or ventricular tachycardia (VT) 
VLDL – Very Low Density Lipoprotein: Molecules made up of mostly triglycerides, cholesterol and proteins  VLDL, also known as the “very bad” cholesterol, carries cholesterol from the liver to organs and tissues in the body  It may lead to low density lipoproteins (LDL), associated with higher heart disease risks  VLDL levels are tricky to measure routinely, and are usually estimated as a percentage of your triglyceride levels  By reducing triglycerides, you are usually also reducing your VLDL levels 
Warfarin – A drug taken to prevent the blood from clotting and to treat blood clots  Warfarin is believed to reduce the risk of blood clots causing strokes or heart attacks  Also known as Coumadin 
Widowmaker heart attack – The type of heart attack I survived, since you asked  A nickname doctors use to describe a severely blocked left main coronary artery or proximal left anterior descending coronary artery of the heart  This term is used because if the artery gets abruptly and completely blocked, it can cause a massive heart attack that will likely lead to sudden cardiac death  Please note the gender imbalance here: despite the number of women like me who do experience this type of cardiac event, doctors are not calling this the widowermaker, after all 
WPW – Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome: A condition in which an extra electrical pathway connects the atria (two upper chambers) and the ventricles (two lower chambers)  It may cause a rapid heartbeat 
NOTE FROM CAROLYN: I was very happy when we were able to include this entire glossary in my book, “A Woman’s Guide to Living with Heart Disease“ (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2017) 
Are we missing any important heart acronyms/terms from this list? Let me know!
Please can someone explain something for me  I am a 53 yr old woman and generally fit and healthy  Had 2 ECG’s due to a one off dizzy spell during a stressful time dealing with my fathers terminal diagnosis  The 2nd ECG request did give me concern as i did not know why i had to have one  On 24/01/19 at my doctors appointment she explained that on 3 the leads it showed inverted T waves  And she explained that it may suggest angina  I was so shocked  Wasn’t expecting that  She gave me a GNT (nitroglycerin) spray in case I do get pain and take 75Mg of aspirin  I’m now waiting for a Cardiology referral 
I am so stressed and consumed by what might be wrong  My maternal grandmother had angina and valve issues  Her 3 brothers all had double bypasses  Could I have inherited this? I am not overweight at 63kg and 5 ft 9  I walk 20-25 miles a week at work and general walking here and there  I started HRT (patches evorol 25 -50) in July as menopause pain was making me feel like I was 90 and was getting me down 
I am worried so much now and analysing every ache/ twinge I get  I feel like a hypochondriac at the moment  I’m worried what will happen at the cardiologist and what the test will entail and tell me  I am waiting on cholesterol test which I had on 25/01/19  Can I have inverted T waves and be fine  Please help I am so scared and crying far too much 
Hello Colleen – the first thing is: please take a big deep breath before you read another word here! I’m not a physician so of course cannot comment on your specific case, but I can tell you generally that the definition of “angina” (as this glossary lists above) is “distressing symptoms”, typically chest pain that gets worse with exertion, and goes away with rest  That’s classic stable angina… typically caused by something that’s reducing blood flow to the heart muscle (causing the chest pain of angina) 
A family history that might make a difference for you personally is only in what’s called your ‘first degree’ relatives: for example, if your mother or sister were diagnosed with heart disease before age 65, or if your Dad or brother were diagnosed before age 55, then doctors would consider that you have a family history as a risk factor for heart disease  There’s little if any scientific evidence that a grandparent or uncle’s heart disease history has any effect on your own risk 
It is a very good thing that you’re having further tests and a referral to a cardiologist, if only to ease your mind  There are many reasons for inverted T-waves, ranging from cardiac issues to completely benign conditions  One way of looking at this is choosing to believe that seeing a cardiologist will ease your mind one way or the other – so this is something to look forward to, not dread  If the cardiologist spots something suspicious, a treatment plan will be created  If not, you can wave goodbye and go back to happily living your life 
Try thinking of this cardiology appointment just as you would if your car were making some frightening noises and you were bringing it to your mechanic for a check up  You could work yourself into a complete state worrying ahead of time if the car trouble is going to be serious, or you could look at this appointment as the solution – at last! – to figuring out what’s wrong so the mechanic can recommend the next step 
Thank you for this list of so many definitions provided in plain English  what a valuable resource this is  THANK YOU, I have been looking for translations FOR PATIENTS not med school graduates– like this for three years 
My family doctor had me wear a 24 hr EKG  After reading the results, she has scheduled a scope to look inside my heart by a specialist  Completely forgoing a stress test  Said I have major changes in the EKG, what type of changes could they be looking at? Had LAD STENT INSERTED 7 YRS AGO – WHAT COULD THEY BE LOOKING FOR?
This is a great wealth of information, Carolyn! I looked and did not see my diagnosis, which is aortic stenosis  I looked under aortic as well as stenosis  Did I just miss it somehow?
I learned some new information, I am a bit familiar now, but not when I had my MI, it was like learning a new language  But, my favorite part was seeing SCAD on this list! Thank you 
Thanks and welcome! I was thinking of editing that SCAD definition actually: I suspect that that it isn’t so much that SCAD is “rare”, but it’s more that it’s “rarely correctly diagnosed” 
I totally agree that SCAD is not as rare as I believed for many years  Once awareness is spread to all medical staff, I believe many lives will be saved  Hoping for a brighter future for all SCAD patients 
I hope so too, Cathy  Perhaps when more SCAD studies (like Mayo Clinic’s) are published and read by more and more MDs, it will no longer be “rarely correctly diagnosed” 
It’s great to see IST on here  I was diagnosed with it 9 years ago and the lack of awareness is frustrating 
What a great resource for heart patients and their families!
Thanks so much, Ashley  I recently updated my original 2011 list after the world-famous Cleveland Clinic tweeted their glossary recently and I noticed that their list had a few glaring omissions (like SCAD and Brugada Syndrome) so this made me wonder what my list might be missing, too  Let me know if there’s anything else you think should be included, okay?
How is your health these days? How are you feeling?
New for me too  I have just been diagnosed with A-HCM: Apical Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy 
I’ll add that one to my list, Kathleen – thanks!
Just saw this, Carolyn, and you’ve compiled a great resource  One note on A-HCM: Present thinking is that it’s due to a genetic modification  Runs in families though sometimes occurs spontaneously  I have not as yet done genetic testing, though it’s been offered 
Thanks Kathleen – like many cardiac diagnoses, it sounds like a moving target… Good luck to you!
This list is great  I’ve just been diagnosed and am utterly overwhelmed  Even in the WomenHeart online support community, I often have no clue most days what others are talking about with all these initials about their heart tests and specific disease  This is VERY helpful, thank you SO MUCH  Love your website which has been a godsend since my diagnosis 
Context 3:  Although there doesn't seem to be a connection between Njoroge's family and the murder, it is eventually revealed that Njoroge's brothers are behind the assassination, and that Boro is the real leader of the Mau Mau  Ngotho soon dies from his injuries and Njoroge finds out that his father was protecting his brothers  Kamau has been imprisoned for life  Only Njoroge and his two mothers remain free, and Njoroge is left as the sole provider of his two mothers  Njoroge fears that he cannot make ends meet; he gives up hope of continuing in school and loses faith in God 

Njoroge asks Mwihaki's for support, but she is angry because of her father’s death  When he finally pledges his love to her, she refuses to leave with him, realizing her obligation to Kenya and her mother  Njoroge decides to leave town and makes an attempt at suicide; however, he fails when his mothers find him before he is able to hang himself  The novel closes with Njoroge feeling hopeless, and ashamed of cowardice 

Characters in Weep Not, Child
 Njoroge: the main character of the book whose main goal throughout the book is to become as educated as possible 
 Ngotho: Njoroge's father  He works for Mr Howlands and is respected by him until he attacks Jacobo at a workers strike  He is fired and the family is forced to move to another section of the country  Over the course of the book his position as the central power of the family weakened, to the point where his self-realization that he has spent his whole life waiting for the prophecy (that proclaims the blacks will be returned their land) to come true rather than fighting for Kenyan independence, leads to his depression 
 Nyokabi and Njeri: the two wives of Ngotho  Njeri is Ngotho's first wife, and mother of Boro, Kamau, and Kori  Nyokabi is his second wife, and the mother of Njoroge and Mwangi 
 Njoroge has four brothers: Boro, Kamau, Kori and Mwangi (who is Njoroge's only full brother, who died in World War II) 
 Boro: Son of Njeri who fights for the Allies in World War II  Upon returning his anger against the colonial government is compounded by their confiscation of the his land  Boro's anger and position as eldest son leads him to question and ridicule Ngotho, which eventually defeats their father's will (upon realizing his life was wasted waiting and not acting)  It is eventually revealed that Boro is the leader of the Mau Mau (earlier alluded to as "entering politics") and murders Mr Howlands  He is caught by police immediately after and is scheduled to be executed by the book's end  It is highly likely that it is also Boro who kills Jacobo 
 Mwihaki: Njoroge's best friend (and later develops into his love interest)  Daughter of Jacobo  When it is revealed that his family killed Jacobo (most likely Boro), Mwihaki distances herself from Njoroge, asking for time to mourn her father and care for her mother 
 Jacobo: Mwihaki's father and an important landowner  Chief of the village 
 Mr  Howlands: A white settler who emigrated to colonial Kenya and now owns a farm made up of land that originally belonged to Ngotho's ancestors  Has three children: Peter who died in World War II before the book's beginning, a daughter who becomes a missionary, and Stephen who met Njoroge while the two were in high school 

Themes and motifs
Weep Not, Child integrates Gikuyu mythology and the ideology of nationalism that serves as catalyst for much of the novel's action  The novel explores the negative aspects of colonial rule over Kenya  Njoroge's aspiration to attend university is frustrated by both the violence of the Mau Mau rebels and the violent response of the colonial government  This disappointment leads to his alienation from his family and ultimately his suicide attempt 

The novel also ponders the role of saviours and salvation  The author notes in his The River Between: "Salvation shall come from the hills  From the blood that flows in me, I say from the same tree, a son shall rise  And his duty shall be to lead and save the people " Jomo Kenyatta, the first prime minister of Kenya, is immortalised in Weep Not, Child  The author says, "Jomo had been his (Ngotho's) hope  Ngotho had come to think that it was Jomo who would drive away the white man  To him, Jomo stood for custom and traditions purified by grace of learning and much travel " Njoroge comes to view Jomo as a messiah who will win the struggle against the colonial government 

See also

Things Fall Apart
Death and the King's Horseman

References

External links
Official homepage of Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o
BBC profile of Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o
Weep Not, Child at Google Books

British Empire in fiction
Novels set in colonial Africa
Historical novels
Kenyan English-language novels
Novels by Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o
Novels set in Kenya
1964 novels
Heinemann (publisher) books
Postcolonial novels
African Writers Series
1964 debut novels



ground_truth: Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD) is a surgically implanted electronic device to treat life-threatening heartbeat irregularities.

prompt_front: Now, answer the following question based on the text below, only give me the answer and do not output any other words.

Question: When was Weep Not, Child first published?

Read the following text and answer briefly.

Context 4:  The best performing model checkpoint was chosen according to the epoch-wise validation macro-F1 score  5 Experiments and Results

Experiments using Large Language Models

For the task of Dialect Identification we have tried various language specific models like XLM-RoBERTa, BERT, ELECTRA, RoBERTa and GPT- 2  The base variant of all these models were used and all the models were used through the Hugging-Face library  The pooler output of these models was passed through a linear layer and the models were fine-tuned 
First, we experimented with different models for Track-1  All the models were trained for 20 epochs with learning rate 1e-6, weight decay 1e-6 and a batch size of 8  We used XLM-RoBERTa as the baseline for all 3 languages  The best performing models for the English language were RoBERTa and BERT whereas GPT-2 was the worst performing 
Similarly the language specific versions of RoBERTa and BERT performed well for the Spanish and Portuguese respectively  Overall the worst performing model was GPT-2 across all 3 languages  The validation F1 scores are present in Table   The two best-performing models for every language were chosen for Track-2 
The same procedure as specified above was used and the F1 scores are present in Table   The train and validation F1 scores for 2-class classification are higher for all models as compared to the F1 score of the same models for 3-class classification  This was mainly due to the poor representation and accuracy of classification of the third class 
We observed symptoms of overfitting in all models after 12-15 epochs and the best validation F1 score was obtained in the range of 4-8 epochs 

LID experiments

The pipeline for dialect identification is divided into two parts as the sentences in the dataset belong to different languages  The stages are described in Section 4  The XLM-RoBERTa we have used for language classification has a test accuracy of 99 6% meaning it correctly classifies all input sentences and hence, can be considered as a perfect classifier 
For the final pipeline we experimented using the two best performing models for each language in Track-1 and Track-2  For both the tracks we experimented with all 8 (2 3 ) possible combinations of models and calculated the validation F1 score for the combined validation dataset which had sentences belonging to all languages 
The validation scores for Track-1 and Track-2 are shown in Table and Table respectively  For both the tracks, the three pipelines with the best validation F1 scores were chosen for submission 

Using 3-way classifier as a 2-way classifier

In Track-1, participants are expected to train a classifier which classifies amongst 9 classes, and in Track-2, participants are expected to train a classifier which classifies amongst 6 classes  These 6 classes are a proper subset of the 9 classes from Track-1  Thus, an intuitive baseline for Track-2 is to use the model finetuned for Track-1, whilst considering only the relevant classes for the latter task 
The classes EN , ES and P T , i e  the classes without any national dialect associated with them are not included in Track-2 as compared to Track-1  Thus, we calculate the predictions for the Track-2 validation dataset using the models for Track-1 and exclude the metrics for Track-1 specific classes to get the metrics for this "adapted" 2-way classification 
We show the results of this experiment in Table and observe that, as expected, the adapted 2-way classification performs worse compared to the explicitly finetuned variant 

Results for Track-1 and Track-2

We now present our experiments and their performance for both tracks  Our experiments for Track-1 are described in Table and our experiments for Track-2 are described in Table   The participants were allowed three submissions for evaluation on the test set, so we submitted predictions using the three systems which performed the best on the validation set 
As mentioned in Section 5 2, we performed 2 3 , i e  a total of 8 experiments using the two best models for each language  We observed that RoBERTa base on English, Spanish BERT base on Spanish and Portuguese BERT base performed the best on the testing set for Track-1  The same combination, with RoBERTa base for English, worked best for Track-2 
All of our submissions were the top submissions for each track, which surpassed the next best competitors by a margin of 4 5% and 5 6% for Track-1 and Track-2 respectively 

Ablation of best submissions

We hereby make some observations of our submissions and other experiments  To assist this, we plot the confusion matrices of our best submissions for Track-1 and Track-2 in Figures respectively  Note that these confusion matrices have their rows (i e  true labels axes) normalized according to the number of samples in the class 
Here are observations from our experiments: 1  BERT-based models outperform other models across all languages: We observe that BERT-based models outperform ELECTRA-based and GPT-2-based models, as shown in Table   We speculate this is because of the inherent architecture of BERT, which combines semantic learning with knowledge retention 
This combination of traits is particularly useful for this task  2  Common labels perform the worst across all languages: We observe that the common labels EN , ES and P T perform the worst, both in the individual as well as the two-stage setup  We hypothesize this is because of the absence of dialect specific words, or words that are specific to the geographical origin of the national dialect (for example, "Yankees" for EN-US and "Oxford" for EN-GB) 
3  English models work better than models of other languages: It can be noted from Figures 4 and 3 that the English models have the best performance across all classes  This can be attributed to two reasons: absence of national dialect specific words and lesser pretraining data in the case of Portuguese 
4  British English is most correctly classified class: We can observe that the Spanish or Portuguese models make equal number of mistakes in the case of either national dialect, in the case of Track-2 (see Figure )  However, in the case of English, the label EN − GB is correctly classified for more than 95% of the cases 
We speculate this is because British English involves slightly distinctive grammar and semantics, which help the model separate it from other classes  5  The proposed 2-step method is scalable for multiple language dialect classification: We can strongly assert that the novel 2-step deep learning method for multilingual dialect classification is a scalable method for the task due to two specific reasons: firstly, the multilingual models (like XLM-RoBERTa) might not have the vocabulary as well as the learning capabilities to learn the minute differences between individual dialects 
Secondly, this system can be quickly expanded for a new language by simply adding a language specific dialect classifier, provided the language identification model supports that particular language 

Conclusion

In this paper we propose a two-stage classification pipeline for dialect identification for multilingual corpora  We conduct thorough ablations on this setup and provide valuable insights  We foresee multiple future directions for this work  The first is to expand this work to many languages and dialects 
Secondly, it is a worthwhile research direction to distill this multi-model setup into a single model with multiple prediction heads  The obvious limitation of this system is the excessive memory consumption due to the usage of language specific models  For low resource languages this system is difficult to train and scale 
We hope that these problems will be addressed by researchers in future works 



ground_truth: Weep Not, Child was first published in 1964.