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This paper makes a simple case for extending moral consideration to some AI systems by 2030. It involves a normative premise and a descriptive premise. The normative premise is that humans have a duty to extend moral consideration to beings that have a non-negligible chance, given the evidence, of being conscious. The descriptive premise is that some AI systems do in fact have a non-negligible chance, given the evidence, of being conscious by 2030. The upshot is that humans have a duty to extend moral consideration to some AI systems by 2030. And if we have a duty to do that, then we plausibly also have a duty to start preparing now, so that we can be ready to treat AI systems with respect and compassion when the time comes.

Environment and crop management can play an important role in determining upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutumL.) fiber quality. An important quality parameter is fiber micronaire, which is an indirect measure of fiber linear density (fineness) and maturity, and it is affected by crop supply and partitioning of assimilates to cotton fruit. High micronaire occurs when there is an excess of assimilates because of good growing conditions and fruit number is low. Conversely low micronaire occurs when growing conditions are poor and fruit number is high. Little research has established the degree of impact of these variables in combination influencing micronaire. Two field experiments were conducted to generate variability in micronaire by changing planting time, cultivars, canopy size, and fruit load (boll number). From these experiments, a significant relationship (r2= 0.79) to predict micronaire was generated using temperature during crop fiber filling, leaf area index (LAI) at the start of crop fiber thickening, and the mass of individual bolls at harvest. Subsequent experiments in different seasons (included variations in planting time, fruit load, and water deficit during fiber thickening) successfully validated the relationship. Reasonable success was attained in predicting fiber linear density and maturity ratio independently and then used to calculate estimates of micronaire. Prediction of these quality attributes may offer more detailed information on the effects of environment and management influencing fiber quality affecting yarn quality. Overall, the ability to predict micronaire (and potentially its components) could be used to refine management decisions to improve fiber quality management prior to or at harvest time. Crop fiber micronaire is primarily influenced by temperature during boll filling period.Final average individual boll mass and leaf area index at flowering moderates crop micronaire.New functions have been successfully developed to predict micronaire at crop maturity.

The boll cutting technique allows cotton producers to gauge the maturity of cotton bolls to help in their decision-making in the final stages of management of their crop leading up to harvest. The aim of this work was to assess the feasibility of using portable near infrared technology as a non-destructive rapid replacement for the manual boll cutting technique. Near infrared spectra (702–1100 nm) were collected from bolls using a Felix F-750 Produce Quality Meter. Spectra were successfully calibrated with two levels of boll maturity (immature and mature) using a partial least squares model for a population of 201 bolls. Independent validation of the model using separate boll populations predicted boll maturity correctly with an average accuracy of 96%. Calibrations that used spectra collected from bolls under field conditions performed similarly to calibrations that used spectra collected from the same bolls under controlled laboratory conditions. There was no preferred spectral sampling location on the bolls that resulted in better calibration performance. Calibration performance did not improve when spectral mathematical pre-treatments were used.

The boll cutting technique allows cotton producers to gauge the maturity of cotton bolls to help in their decision-making in the final stages of management of their crop leading up to harvest. The aim of this work was to assess the feasibility of using portable near infrared technology as a non-destructive rapid replacement for the manual boll cutting technique. Near infrared spectra (702–1100 nm) were collected from bolls using a Felix F-750 Produce Quality Meter. Spectra were successfully calibrated with two levels of boll maturity (immature and mature) using a partial least squares model for a population of 201 bolls. Independent validation of the model using separate boll populations predicted boll maturity correctly with an average accuracy of 96%. Calibrations that used spectra collected from bolls under field conditions performed similarly to calibrations that used spectra collected from the same bolls under controlled laboratory conditions. There was no preferred spectral sampling location on the bolls that resulted in better calibration performance. Calibration performance did not improve when spectral mathematical pre-treatments were used.

In the western United States, wolverines (Gulo gulo) typically occupy high‐elevation habitats. Because wolverine populations occur in vast, remote areas across multiple states, biologists have an imperfect understanding of this species' current distribution and population status. The historical extirpation of the wolverine, a subsequent period of recovery, and the lack of a coordinated monitoring program in the western United States to determine their current distribution further complicate understanding of their population status. We sought to define the limits to the current distribution, identify potential gaps in distribution, and provide a baseline dataset for future monitoring and analysis of factors contributing to changes in distribution of wolverines across 4 western states. We used remotely triggered camera stations and hair snares to detect wolverines across randomly selected 15‐km × 15‐km cells in Idaho, Montana, Washington, and Wyoming, USA, during winters 2016 and 2017. We used spatial occupancy models to examine patterns in wolverine distribution. We also examined the influence of proportion of the cell containing predicted wolverine habitat, human‐modified land, and green vegetation, and area of the cluster of contiguous sampling cells. We sampled 183 (28.9%) of 633 cells that comprised a suspected wolverine range in these 4 states and we detected wolverines in 59 (32.2%) of these 183 sampled cells. We estimated that 268 cells (42.3%; 95% CI = 182–347) of the 633 cells were used by wolverines. Proportion of the cell containing modeled wolverine habitat was weakly positively correlated with wolverine occupancy, but no other covariates examined were correlated with wolverine occupancy. Occupancy rates (ψ) were highest in the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem (ψ range = 0.8–1), intermediate in the Cascades and Central Mountains of Idaho (ψ range = 0.4–0.6), and lower in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (ψ range = 0.1–0.3). We provide baseline data for future surveys of wolverine along with a design and protocol to conduct those surveys. © 2020 The Authors. The Journal of Wildlife Managementpublished by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of The Wildlife Society. Wolverines occupy most of the predicted habitat in Idaho, Montana, Washington, and Wyoming; occupancy probability is highest in the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem and declines to the south and west. We provide a monitoring design for wolverines across the region.

Left ventricular false tendons (LVFTs) are chord-like structures that traverse the LV cavity and are generally considered to be benign. However, they have been associated with arrhythmias, LV hypertrophy and LV dilation in some small studies. We hypothesize that LVFTs are associated with LV structural and functional changes assessed by echocardiography.

MyoIIA regulates leukemia cell engraftment and dissemination into the brain, by promoting TEM of Bcr‐Abl+ALL cells. Leukemia dissemination (the spread of leukemia cells from the bone marrow) and relapse are associated with poor prognosis. Often, relapse occurs in peripheral organs, such as the CNS, which acts as a sanctuary site for leukemia cells to escape anti‐cancer treatments. Similar to normal leukocyte migration, leukemia dissemination entails migration of cells from the blood circulation into tissues by extravasation. To extravasate, leukemia cells cross through vascular endothelial walls via a process called transendothelial migration, which requires cytoskeletal remodeling. However, the specific molecular players in leukemia extravasation are not fully known. We examined the role of myosin‐IIA a cytoskeletal class II myosin motor protein, in leukemia progression and dissemination into the CNS by use of a mouse model of Bcr‐Abl‐driven B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Small hairpin RNA‐mediated depletion of myosin‐IIA did not affect apoptosis or the growth rate of B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells. However, in an in vivo leukemia transfer model, myosin‐IIA depletion slowed leukemia progression and prolonged survival, in part, by reducing the ability of B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells to engraft efficiently. Finally, myosin‐IIA inhibition, either by small hairpin RNA depletion or chemical inhibition by blebbistatin, drastically reduced CNS infiltration of leukemia cells. The effects on leukemia cell entry into tissues were mostly a result of the requirement for myosin‐IIA to enable leukemia cells to complete the transendothelial migration process during extravasation. Overall, our data implicate myosin‐IIA as a key mediator of leukemia cell migration, making it a promising target to inhibit leukemia dissemination in vivo and potentially reduce leukemia relapses.

Sugar maple (Acer saccharumMarsh.) decline disease, decreased growth, and regeneration failure have been related to a low supply of Ca and Mg. There is increased interest in augmenting cation availability via liming, but there is little information on the amounts of lime required and the longevity of the lime treatment. A single application of 22.4 Mg ha‐1of dolomitic limestone in 1985 at four forested sites in Potter County, PA has shown that soil, soil water, and sugar maple foliage chemistry are significantly altered by liming and the changes in soils and foliage persist as long as 21‐yr post‐treatment. By 2001, only 3 kg ha‐1of lime remained undissolved while increases in exchangeable Ca and Mg, and pH continued through 2006 at depths up to 35 to 45 cm. Exchangeable Mn and Al concentrations were significantly reduced by lime application, though effects were slower to develop at deeper depths. Soil solution chemistry from 1996 was highly variable but reflected the changed soil nutrients. On limed plots, sugar maple foliage had elevated concentrations of Ca and Mg in 2006 samples, indicating the persistence of the lime treatment. Comparison of Ca/Al ratios in soil solution, soils, and foliage show inconsistencies from previous published risk thresholds. Species‐specific thresholds of Ca and Mg availability in soil and foliage have better potential management application and should be more rigorously tested as stress indicators.

AbstractEmerald ash borer (EAB), Agrilus planipennisFairmaire (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), is a non-native, wood-boring beetle that has caused widespread mortality of ash (FraxinusLinnaeus (Oleaceae)) in eastern North America. During 2004–2007, we determined whether forest community composition and structure of black (F. nigraMarshall), green (F. pennsylvanicaMarshall), and white (F. americanaLinnaeus) ash stands influenced their susceptibility to EAB invasion in southeast Michigan, United States of America. There was no relationship between EAB-induced ash decline or percentage mortality and any measure of community composition (tree species diversity, stand/ash density, total basal area, or relative dominance of ash). There was also no relationship between measures of EAB impact (density of EAB signs, ash decline rating, percentage ash mortality, or percentage infested ash) and forest attributes (ash/total stand density, basal area, ash importance, or stand diversity). Decline and mortality of black ash advanced more rapidly than that of white and green ash. Percentage mortality of ash increased from 51% to 93% during 2004–2007. Distance from the epicentre of the invasion was negatively correlated with ash mortality, but this relationship dissipated over time. Stand composition data suggests that ash will be replaced by QuercusLinnaeus (Fagaceae), AcerLinnaeus (Sapindaceae), and TiliaLinnaeus (Malvaceae); such vegetation changes will irreversibly alter the structure and function of these forests.

The lack of separation between urgent and non-urgent medical goods encourages sub-optimal vehicle fleet operations owing to the time critical nature of urgent items. An unattended electronic locker bank, to which individual urgent items can be delivered thereby separating urgent and non-urgent supply, was proposed for the Great Ormond Street Hospital in London, UK. This concept was quantified using ‘basic’ and ‘intuitive’ hill climbing optimisation models; and qualitatively using staff interviews and expert reviews. Results indicated that a locker bank with a fixed height (1.7 m) and depth (0.8 m) required a length of 4 m (basic model) and 3.63 m (intuitive model), to accommodate 100% of urgent consignments for a typical week. Staff interviews indicated the wider benefits such as staff personal deliveries.

Knowing the yarn-strength performance potential of cotton fibre is advantageous to spinners during mill preparation, and to researchers developing new genotypes and management strategies to produce better fibre. Standard High Volume Instrument (HVI) fibre quality attributes include micronaire (a combined measure of fibre linear density and maturity) and bundle tensile properties. While these attributes relate well to yarn strength, alternative fibre quality attributes may better explain the variation in yarn strength. Two field experiments over two seasons were conducted to assess the fibre and yarn performance of some Australian cotton genotypes. The aim was to assess and compare alternative measures for micronaire, and to compare bundle and single-fibre tensile measurements, and assess the relative yarn-strength predictive performance of these attributes. Specific fibre measurement comparisons were for linear density (double-compression Fineness Maturity Tester (FMT) and gravimetric), maturity ratio (FMT, polarised light, calculated, and cross-sectional), and tensile properties (HVI bundle and Favimat Robot single fibre). Multiple linear regression models for yarn strength that included yarn manufacturing variables and standard HVI fibre quality parameters performed well (standard error of prediction (SEP) 2.40cNtex-1). Multiple linear regression models performed better when alternatives to micronaire were used, e.g. using gravimetric linear density (SEP, 2.15cNtex-1) or laser photometric determined ribbon width (SEP 1.71cNtex-1). Yarn strength models were also better when single fibre tensile properties were substituted for bundle tensile properties (SEP 1.07cNtex-1). The substitution of alternative fineness variables for micronaire or single-fibre strength for bundle strength in a simple fibre quality index also improved the prediction of yarn strength.

The article discusses a study on the variation of defoliation timing in boll cutting to assess quality of boll fibre, effect of seasonal variations and link of boll quality to the final micronaire or cotton fiber quality. It examines the low micronaire from immature bolls and differences in boll classes. It explains the prediction of micronaire at harvest time using information on the defoliation of immature bolls.

Childhood-onset schizophrenia (COS) is a rare severe form of schizophrenia that may have greater salient genetic risk. Despite evidence for high heritability, conclusive genetic causes of schizophrenia remain elusive. Recent genomic technologies in concert with large case–control cohorts have led to several associations of highly penetrant rare copy number variants (CNVs) and schizophrenia. We previously reported two patients with COS who carried a microduplication disrupting the PXDNand MYT1Lgenes at 2p25.3. This rate of duplications within our COS population (N=92) is significantly higher than that in 2026 healthy controls (P=0.002). As a replication, we report a meta-analysis of four recently published studies that together provide strong evidence for an association between variably sized microduplications involving the MYT1Lgene and schizophrenia. None have reported this separately. Altogether, among 5325 patients and 9279 controls, 10 microduplications were observed: nine in patients and one in a control (odds ratio=15.7, P=0.001). Further, the 2 rate observed in our COS patients is also significantly higher than the rate in adult-onset cases (0.14, odds ratio=16.6, P=0.01). This report adds to the growing body of literature implicating rare CNVs as risk factors for schizophrenia and shows that some risk CNVs are more common among extreme early-onset cases.

The article discusses the results of a study on how early defoliation can affect the performance of cotton textile. According to the authors, the timing of defoliation treatments affected the maturity of the fiber causing the harvested fiber to be lower in micronaire. They add that early defoliation resulted to the lack of improvement in yarn strength with more immature fiber because of shorter fibers during treatments. They also mention the production of lighter colored fabrics with significantly different in appearance due to early defoliation.

To optimize yield and fiber quality, boll cutting is used by cotton (Gossypium hirsutumL.) managers to determine when crops are mature and ready for chemical harvest aid application. While it is accepted that the maturity of bolls is defined using seed coat color, we found no investigations of this definition on overall crop fiber quality. Three field experiments were undertaken in different seasons that systematically varied the timing of harvest aid application to vary the amount of immature, mature, and open bolls to assess (i) fiber quality of open, mature, and immature bolls; (ii) the variation that exists within and across seasons; and (iii) if quality at the time of harvest aid application of immature, mature, and open bolls is related to final micronaire. Within seasons, quality varied by up to 1.06 to 1.53 for micronaire, 0.13 to 0.14 for maturity ratio, and 28.2 to 30.7 μg m−1for linear density among immature, mature, and open bolls. When data were combined across all seasons relationships were developed that predicted micronaire at harvest using micronaire (r2> 0.73) and its components together (maturity and linear density) (r2> 0.81) of the immature bolls measured at harvest aid application. Relationships were improved when percent open bolls was included as a factor in the regressions (r2> 0.88). The ability to estimate harvest aid timing influences on micronaire may help avoid discounts. This concept requires more testing with multiple cultivars and would be enhanced with access to reliable and simple methods to measure quality of small field samples.

The article summarizes information related to in-season cotton management decisions that influence fibre quality in Australia published in the FIBREpak guide. Among the management decisions are avoiding water stress on developing fibres and avoiding herbicide or insect damage. The importance to fruit retention of managing early growth is stressed. Also explained is the practice of applying high rates of growth regulator late in the season.

Improving the quality of Australian cotton fiber is essential for maintaining industry viability. Two field experiments were conducted to assess the fiber quality and yarn performance of Australian bred cotton (five Gossypium hirsutumL. and one G. barbadenseL.) genotypes. The work included the novel measurement of fiber maturity ratio, fiber linear density, and fiber diameter (ribbon width). The strongest yarns were produced using genotypes with the longest and finest fiber, for example, the strength of 20 tex yarns for the G. barbadenseL. cultivar Sipima 280 (length = 36.6 mm, linear density = 143 mtex, ribbon width = 13.7 μm) was 25.4 cN tex−1cf. the G. hirsutumL. cultivar Sicala 350B (length = 32.5 mm, linear density = 185 mtex, ribbon width = 14.5 μm) yarn strength of 18.1 cN tex−1Micronaire was an inferior indicator of yarn performance, for example, the G. hirsutumL. breeding lines CHQX12B and CHQX377 each had micronaire values of 4.4, but CHQX377 spun stronger yarns due to its finer and more mature fiber. Lint cleaning had the greatest influence on nep (fiber knot) generation for G. hirsutumL. genotypes, generating on average 104 neps g−1per lint cleaner passage. There was a negative association between fiber quality and yield, and a cost benefit analysis showed that fiber yield was the dominant economic factor compared to price premiums for better fiber quality. Alternative methods of determining fiber fineness will improve the value of Australian cotton.

The article discusses considerations relating to pre-sowing which will influence the fiber quality of cotton. Growers are advised to choose a variety with potential for good fiber quality traits and to evaluate relative fiber properties using published seed company data. Weed control is considered critical because weeds at harvest reduce harvest efficiency, contaminate lint, and reduce the effectiveness of leaf dessicant applications. The effects of excessive nitrogen nutrition are discussed.