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Scientific Abstracts These scientific abstracts are scheduled for presentation at the 2021 Society of Family Planning Annual Meeting. This year, 225 abstracts were submitted for consideration, of which 12 were selected for oral presentation and 84 were selected for poster presentation. The scientific abstract review was completed by the scientific reviewers and selectors

Introduction Understanding the associations among depression, subjective cognitive decline, and prodromal Alzheimer's disease (AD) has important implications for both depression and dementia screening in older adults. The Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) is a depression screening tool for older adults that queries memory concerns. To determine whether depression symptoms on the GDS (15‐item version), including self‐reported memory problems, differ by levels of brain amyloid beta (Aβ), a pathological hallmark of early stage AD, we investigated potential measurement bias with regard to Aβ level. We also examined measurement bias attributable to level of cognitive functioning and sex as positive controls. Methods We examined 3961 cognitively normal older adults from the A4/LEARN Study. We used the MIMIC (multiple indicators, multiple causes) approach to detect measurement bias. Results We found measurement bias with small‐to‐moderate range effect sizes in several GDS‐15 items with respect to Aβ level, cognitive functioning, and sex. There was negligible impact of measurement bias attributable to Aβ level on overall depressive symptom level. Discussion GDS‐15 item responses are sensitive to Aβ burden, cognitive functioning, and sex over and above what would be expected given the effect of those factors on depressive symptom severity overall. However, these direct effects for GDS item measurement bias are of small magnitude and do not appreciably impact the validity of inferences about depression based on the GDS‐15.

Introduction The utility of subjective memory impairment (SMI) as a risk marker for preclinical Alzheimer’s disease (AD) remains unclear; however, recent studies have identified a correlation between retinal biomarkers and onset of preclinical disease. This study examines the relationship between retinal biomarkers that have been associated with cerebral amyloid, an early hallmark of AD, and SMI scores in patients at risk for developing AD. Methods Forty-nine cognitively normal subjects were followed over 27 months and evaluated using a combination of neuropsychological, psychological, and retinal imaging instruments. Subjective memory testing was conducted using the memory assessment clinic questionnaire (MACQ) and Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scales (DASS). Multivariate linear analysis was conducted using STATA software. Results Positive correlations were found between retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) volume and scores obtained from the MAC-Q at 27 months (MAC-Q_27), the DASS questionnaire for anxiety at 27 months (DASS-A_27), and the change in DASS-A over 27 months (dDASSA). There was also a significant positive correlation between these variables and the change in RNFL thickness over 27 months (dRNFL). MACQ_27, DASSA_27, and dDASS-A accounted for 35.7% of RFNL variance at 27 months and 21.5% of dRFNL variance. Discussion These findings suggest that worse subjective memory complaints and anxiety scores may be associated with one of the most commonly used structural anatomical retinal markers of early disease burden in AD. If so, these results lend support to SMI as a valid risk marker for later cognitive decline.

Summary Kinetochores are multi-protein machines that form dynamic attachments to microtubules and control chromosome segregation. High fidelity is ensured because kinetochores can monitor attachment status and tension, using this information to activate checkpoints and error-correction mechanisms. To explore how kinetochores achieve this, we used two- and three-color subpixel fluorescence localization to define how proteins from six major complexes (CCAN, MIS12, NDC80, KNL1, RZZ, and SKA) and the checkpoint proteins Bub1, Mad1, and Mad2 are organized in the human kinetochore. This reveals how the outer kinetochore has a high nematic order and is largely invariant to the loss of attachment or tension, except for two mechanical sensors. First, Knl1 unravels to relay tension, and second, NDC80 undergoes jackknifing and loss of nematic order under microtubule detachment, with only the latter wired up to the checkpoint signaling system. This provides insight into how kinetochores integrate mechanical signals to promote error-free chromosome segregation., Graphical Abstract, Highlights • 3D mapping of kinetochore architecture in human RPE1 cells • Outer kinetochore (NDC80, Mad1, and RZZ) has high nematic order • NDC80 jackknives and KNL1 unravels upon loss of attachment and tension, respectively • Recruitment of Mad2 is only coupled to the occupancy sensor (NDC80), Roscioli et al. use subpixel imaging and computational methods to determine the ensemble-level 3D organization of the human kinetochore. They show how kinetochores undergo distinct rearrangements in response to the loss of attachment and tension.

Background: We have previously demonstrated that short children with Idiopathic Short Stature (ISS), Growth Hormone Deficiency (GHD), and their short siblings have significantly diminished pituitary volumes (PV) compared to normal children. In comparison, patients with Turner syndrome have not been found to manifest this finding. We speculate that pituitary hypoplasia may also contribute to short stature in Noonan syndrome (NS) patients. Objective: To compare pituitary volumes between normal children and children with Noonan syndrome. Patients and Methods: A retrospective chart review for NS patients from 2010-16 between the ages of 3-11.5 yrs who underwent a high resolution post-contrast MRI (1 mm slices) was undertaken. 8 patients were identified. 4 of the patients had the PTPN11 gene mutation and formed the P1 group. The other 4 NS patients lacked confirmed PTPN11 mutations. High resolution post-contrast MRIs (1 mm slices) from years 1999-06 in children aged 3-11.5 yrs with seizures and headaches without major pathologic findings were reviewed. 31 children met these criteria and formed the control group. PV was evaluated using the ellipsoid formula (LxWxH/2). The wilcoxon rank sum test was used to compare means of non-parametric data between 2 groups, and a Kruskall-Wallis was used to compare means of non-parametric data between multiple groups in NCSS12. Results: The mean and median age for NS children was 7.92±3.22 yrs and 8.86 yrs, respectively. The mean and median age for the P1 group was 7.04±3.09 yrs and 6.27 yrs, and the mean and median age for the other NS group was 8.81±3.53 yrs and 10.21 yrs. The mean and median age for controls was 6.88±2.70 yrs and 7.08 yrs, respectively. The difference in age between all groups was not significant (p=0.23). Mean and median PV for the NS children were 205.74±52.81 mm3 and 178 mm3 respectively. The mean and median PV for the controls were 294.71±93.85 mm3 and 276.27 mm3, respectively. Mean and median PV for the P1 group was 182±19.40 mm3 and 175 mm3, and the mean and median PV for the other NS group was 229.49±68.03 mm3 and 228.48 mm3. Differences in PV between controls, P1, and other NS was significant (p=0.02). The difference in PV of controls versus P1 was significant (p=0.01). The difference in PV of controls versus all NS patients was significant (p=0.01). The difference between the PV of controls and other NS patients was not significant (p=0.28). The difference between the PV of P1 and other NS patients was not significant (p=0.56). Conclusion: These data suggest that NS patients have significantly lower PV compared to controls, particularly those with the PTPN11 mutation. Our previous work has demonstrated an association between diminished PV, GHD, and ISS. We hypothesize that the diminished PV may be in part responsible for short stature in NS as well. WE SEEK COLLABORATION WITH OTHER INVESTIGATORS TO FURTHER EXPLORE THIS HYPOTHESIS.

A range of social and economic factors impact tree species, such as Sclerocarya birrea subsp. caffra (marula), which provide livelihood sustenance for local communities in the savanna woodlands of southern Africa. As an ecologically important savanna species, valued both culturally and economically, it is imperative to understand if resource use is sustainable. Population stability can be understood by comparing tree density and size-class distribution (SCD) profiles across land-use types (homestead yards, fields and rangelands) in non-conservation savanna social-ecological systems. Marula tree population data were gathered in rangeland transects and randomly selected fields and yards from four human settlements in the Bushbuckridge municipality of north-eastern South Africa. Total density was lowest in fields (mean ± SE = 7.4 ± 0.7 trees/ha) and highest in homestead yards (mean ± SE = 25.7 ± 4.1 trees/ha). Social data revealed that elevated seedling and sapling population densities in yards is linked to discarded kernels from marula beer making. Total densities increased in yards over a 15-year period but declined in rangelands, with female densities remaining almost constant across land-use types over this period. This is an important finding as it is a strong indication of socially-mediated population structure changes, confirming that combined cultural and economic value can lead to examples of species conservation. In this case, the prioritization of female trees as the distinguished fruit producers. SCD revealed weak recruitment in fields and rangelands. Diminished regeneration, combined with overharvesting for fuelwood in rangelands and felling trees in yards, is likely to negatively impact population stability in the long-term. Understanding resource conservation and degradation in the context of important non-timber forest products (NTFPs) is a key knowledge challenge, with this study serving as an updated inventory benchmark for marula populations in the area. Important lessons learned here can be applied to other social-ecological contexts where a key natural resource is responsible for sustaining livelihoods.

Heterogeneity of porous electrodes can cause battery failure and performance deficiencies. On the other hand, some types of heterogeneity can improve performance. This study uses a multi-phase smoothed particle (MPSP) model, derived from smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) and which is parameterized and validated by comparison with experimental viscosity, density, electronic conductivity, MacMullin number, and Young’s modulus of electrode films. The MPSP model simulates all major aspects of electrode production: mixing, coating, drying, and calendering, though the focus in this paper (Part 1) is on drying and calendering. Four types of electrodes are included in this study: a graphite anode and three traditional metal oxide cathodes. The model suggests how some types of heterogeneity can form during cathode and anode fabrication. The anode is more susceptible to mesoscale heterogeneities than the cathode due to differences in active particle shape and stiffness. The model and experiments show that regardless of the active material type, calendering increases the variability in electronic and ionic conductivity due to carbon and binder redistribution. This can be explained by means of the proposed multi-phase packing theory. On the other hand, calendering increases mechanical uniformity as also shown by model and experiment.

Background: Patients with diminished GH secretion are candidates for GH therapy (GHT). The GH stimulation test (GHST) is considered the gold standard for the diagnosis of GH deficiency (GHD), yet the cutoff of 10 ng/mL has not been well validated statistically. Another proposed method to define GHD has been to measure patients’ pituitary volumes (PV), as the size of the gland may correlate with the amount of GH produced. Objective: This study seeks to ascertain whether the GHST or PV is a better predictor of response to GHT, and determine which method can better define true GHD. Patients and Methods: A database at a Pediatric Endocrinology center was queried for patients aged 6-18 yrs who underwent a GHST, MRI, and GHT between 1/2018 - 6/2019. Patients with relevant comorbidities, those with GHST peak ≥ 10.0 ng/mL, and patients that were non-adherent to their GHT were excluded. Clonidine and L-dopa were stimulants for the GHST. MRIs were acquired on a Philips 1.5 or 3.0 T scanner (1mm slices) and PV was calculated using the ellipsoid formula (LxWxH/2). 87 patients met these criteria for analysis. PV was converted to standard deviation scores (SDS) based on age and sex using the largest data set of pituitary volumes available in the literature. To account for sex-related growth rate differences by age, heights at the initial and subsequent time points were also converted to SDS based on age and sex using parameters provided by the National Center of Health Statistics. Response to treatment was defined as change in height SDS over the assessed time interval. The initial height was included as a covariate. R statistical software was utilized to analyze the correlation between response to GHT and GHST peak value, as well as response to GHT and PV. The relationship between GHST peak value and PV SDS was analyzed with a Spearman correlation. Results: The GHST peak was not a significant predictor of growth response to treatment in both the first or second intervals (r= -0.01, p= 0.207 and r= 0.00, p= 0.815 respectively). GHST peak and PV SDS were not correlated (r=0.08, 95% CI: -0.14, 0.28). Lower SDS of PV significantly predicted growth response to therapy in the first 1 to 8.7 months of treatment (n= 87, model r2=0.231, b=-0.05, SE=0.02, P=0.012). This association in the second interval between 7.8 and 17.4 months of treatment was neither as strong as the first interval nor was it statistically significant (n=62, model r2=0.145, b=-0.05, SE=0.03, P=0.127). Within-person growth velocity was greater in the first interval (mean = 0.37, SD = 0.17) than in the second interval (mean = 0.20, SD = 0.16). Conclusion: Our data indicates that PV can be a valuable tool in defining GHD and should be considered a criterion for determining eligibility for GHT. To our knowledge this is the first study to determine that PV is a better predictor of growth response to GHT than the GHST.

Li-ion battery performance is dependent on ionic and electronic transport, in turn dependent on electrode microstructure. Changes in microstructure during cell formation and cycling are poorly understood. In this work, the changes in effective ionic conductivity and diffusivity are quantified in terms of MacMullin number, a dimensionless ionic resistance that is related to tortuosity. Using an AC impedance technique, namely the blocking electrolyte method, the ionic resistance of electrode films at varying extents of cycling was determined. Variations in electronic resistivity were quantified by micro-scale measurements using a previously developed micro-four-line probe. Cycling effects on the ionic and electronic resistivity were investigated for a graphite anode and multiple cathode chemistries including LiCoO2 (LCO), LiNixCoyMnzO2 (NCM), and LiFePO4 (LFP). Clear evidence of changes in ionic and electronic resistivity were observed during cell formation and cycling. The magnitude of the changes depended on the chemistry of the electrodes and cycling conditions. The results indicate that, under normal cycling conditions, electronic resistivity increases while ionic resistivity is relatively stable and in some cases decreases, the latter being unexpected. However, under accelerated (high-temperature) cycling conditions, both electronic resistivity and ionic resistance were observed to increase.

Summary 1.Productivity and herbivory often interact to shape plant community composition and species richness with levels of production mediating the impact of herbivory. Yet, differences in herbivore traits such as size, feeding guild, and dietary requirements may result in different impacts of diverse herbivore guilds across productivity gradients. 2.We used size-selective herbivore exclosures to separate the effects of herbivory by larger herbivores, such as elephant, Burchell's zebra, and blue wildebeest from those of medium/smaller herbivores, such as impala and warthog, on herbaceous plant communities. These exclosures were established along a 10-fold productivity gradient, ranging from 90-950 g m−2 of standing plant biomass in the Kruger National Park, South Africa. 3.Exclusion of all herbivores generally increased plant species richness at low productivity but decreased richness at high productivity. Exclusion of medium/smaller herbivores (e.g. impala, warthog) showed stronger effects on plant richness, particularly loss of forbs, at higher productivity rather than at lower productivity. In contrast, exclusion of larger herbivores had stronger effects on plant richness, typically with increasing forb richness, at low rather than high productivity. 4.The change in species richness appeared linked to changes in light availability following herbivore exclusion. Strong increases in shading led to declines in species richness while more moderate increases in shading led in increases in species richness, possibly due to amelioration of heat and water stress by modest increases in shading. 5.Increasing plant dominance, which likely alters multiple mechanisms of plant interactions, was correlated with declines in plant richness following herbivore exclusion. The impact of increasing dominance on plant richness operated independent of productivity, with the exclusion of impala appearing particularly important in driving this relationship. 6.Synthesis. We show that the impact of herbivore losses on plant diversity will be strongly situation dependent and will vary with the herbivores lost (e.g. larger vs. smaller, grazers vs. browsers), plant functional type (e.g. grasses vs. forbs), and environmental context (e.g. productivity). Although larger herbivores are often emphasized for their strong impacts on community dynamics and ecosystem processes, we show that smaller, abundant herbivores can exert strong top-down control on plant communities. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Effective artificial photosynthesis to produce hydrogen from water requires active, earth-abundant and low-cost electrocatalysts. In this communication, we present a novel electrodeposition method to produce Ni/Ni(OH)2 catalytic films in situ on conductive surfaces. The new method involves two cycles of cyclic voltammetry, and produces a catalytic film with a surface morphology consisting of a monolayer of firmly packed walnut-shaped particles. It has superior catalytic activity compared to catalysts produced by traditional electrodeposition methods under constant current density. The method is a simpler and more cost-effective way to fabricate highly-effective hydrogen evolution electrocatalysts, creating large numbers of Ni(OH)2/Ni interfaces that shift the catalyst's performance significantly towards that of platinum.

Software innovations at our laboratory have made novel measures of shooting performance available to researchers, even when the data comes from a fielded military firearms training simulator not designed for research. This study analyzed specific patterns of rifle handling and control to determine how they affected reaction time and accuracy among shooters of differing skill levels. The results indicated the skilled shooters employed smoother and more efficient rifle movement while aiming than less-skilled shooters. While shooters know that trigger control and sight picture are important, this study confirms that skilled shooting is also influenced by the efficiency of the rifle movements that immediately precede the shot.

Fire and grazing, key determinants of structure and function of savanna grasslands worldwide, have been extensively altered by humans. We used existing long-term manipulations of fire and grazing in North American and South African mesic savanna grasslands, as well as new experiments, to determine whether the impacts of fire and grazing by large herbivores differed between these systems. We found that despite a body of literature suggesting that these savanna grasslands respond uniquely to fire and grazing, their ecosystem responses (aboveground productivity) were generally similar. In contrast, plant-community responses to fire and herbivores diverged strongly between systems. The differences in plant-community responses, as well as convergence in ecosystem function, were underpinned by a common mechanism: the response of grass dominance to changing fire and grazing regimes. As a result, divergent responses of plant communities to altered fire and grazing regimes did not preclude convergence in ecosystem function.

Objectives We assessed intrauterine device (IUD) preference among women presenting for emergency contraception (EC) and the probability of pregnancy among concurrent oral levonorgestrel (LNG) plus LNG 52 mg IUD EC users. Methods We offered women presenting for EC at a single family planning clinic the CuT380A IUD (copper IUD) or oral LNG 1.5 mg plus the LNG 52 mg IUD. Two weeks after IUD insertion, participants reported the results of a self-administered home urine pregnancy test. The primary outcome, EC failure, was defined as pregnancies resulting from intercourse occurring within five days prior to IUD insertion. Results One hundred eighty-eight women enrolled and provided information regarding their current menstrual cycle and recent unprotected intercourse. Sixty-seven (36%) chose the copper IUD and 121 (64%) chose oral LNG plus the LNG IUD. The probability of pregnancy two weeks after oral LNG plus LNG IUD EC use was 0.9% (95% CI 0.0–5.1%). The only positive pregnancy test after treatment occurred in a woman who received oral LNG plus the LNG IUD and who had reported multiple episodes of unprotected intercourse including an episode more than 5 days prior to treatment . Conclusions Study participants seeking EC who desired an IUD preferentially chose oral LNG 1.5 mg with the LNG 52 mg IUD over the copper IUD. Neither group had EC treatment failures. Including the option of oral LNG 1.5 mg with concomitant insertion of the LNG 52 mg IUD in EC counseling may increase the number of EC users who opt to initiate highly effective reversible contraception. Implications Consideration should be given to LNG IUD insertion with concomitant use of oral LNG 1.5 mg for EC. Use of this combination may increase the number of women initiating highly effective contraception at the time of their EC visit.

In areas with diverse herbivore communities such as African savannas, the frequency of disturbance by fire may alter the top–down role of different herbivore species on plant community dynamics. In a seven year experiment in the Kruger National Park, South Africa, we examined the habitat use of nine common herbivore species across annually burned, triennially burned and unburned areas. We also used two types of exclosures (plus open access controls) to examine the impacts of different herbivores on plant community dynamics across fire disturbance regimes. Full exclosures excluded all herbivores > 0.5 kg (e.g. elephant, zebra, impala) while partial exclosures allowed access only to animals with shoulder heights = 0.85 m (e.g. impala, steenbok). Annual burns attracted a diverse suite of herbivores, and exclusion of larger herbivores (e.g. elephant, zebra, wildebeest) increased plant abundance. When smaller species, mainly impala, were also excluded there were declines in plant diversity, likely mediated by a decline in open space available for colonization of uncommon plant species. Unburned areas attracted the least diverse suite of herbivores, dominated by impala. Here, herbivore exclusion, especially of impala, led to strong declines in plant richness and diversity. With no fire disturbance, herbivore exclusion led to competitive exclusion via increases in plant dominance and light limitation. In contrast, on triennial burns, herbivore exclusion had no effect on plant richness or diversity, potentially due to relatively little open space for colonization across exclosure treatments but also little competitive exclusion due to the intermediate fire disturbance. Further, the diverse suite of grazers and browsers on triennial burns may have had a compensating effect of on the diversity of grasses and forbs. Ultimately, our work shows that differential disturbance regimes can result in differential consumer pressure across a landscape and result in heterogeneous patterns in top–down control of community dynamics.

Aims: The study is aimed to verify Aperio AT2 scanner for reporting on the digital pathology platform (DP) and to validate the cohort of pathologists in the interpretation of DP for routine diagnostic histopathological services in Wales, United Kingdom. Materials, Methods and Results: This was a large multicenter study involving seven hospitals across Wales and unique with 22 (largest number) pathologists participating. 7491 slides from 3001 cases were scanned on Leica Aperio AT2 scanner and reported on digital workstations with Leica software of e-slide manager. A senior pathology fellow compared DP reports with authorized reports on glass slide (GS). A panel of expert pathologists reviewed the discrepant cases under multiheader microscope to establish ground truth. 2745 out of 3001 (91%) cases showed complete concordance between DP and GS reports. Two hundred and fifty-six cases showed discrepancies in diagnosis, of which 170 (5.6%) were deemed of no clinical significance by the review panel. There were 86 (2.9%) clinically significant discrepancies in the diagnosis between DP and GS. The concordance was raised to 97.1% after discounting clinically insignificant discrepancies. Ground truth lay with DP in 28 out of 86 clinically significant discrepancies and with GS in 58 cases. Sensitivity of DP was 98.07% (confidence interval [CI] 97.57–98.56%); for GS was 99.07% (CI 98.72–99.41%). Conclusions: We concluded that Leica Aperio AT2 scanner produces adequate quality of images for routine histopathologic diagnosis. Pathologists were able to diagnose in DP with good concordance as with GS. Strengths and Limitations of this Study: Strengths of this study – This was a prospective blind study. Different pathologists reported digital and glass arms at different times giving an ambience of real-time reporting. There was standardized use of software and hardware across Wales. A strong managerial support from efficiency through the technology group was a key factor for the implementation of the study. Limitations: This study did not include Cytopathology and in situ hybridization slides. Difficulty in achieving surgical pathology practise standardization across the whole country contributed to intra-observer variations.

Eleven analysts tested contaminated reconstituted (1:10) dry milk powders for penicillin residues using spores of Bacillus stearothermophilus var. calidolacris (Delvotest P method). Three types of responses were noted: positive, negative, and questionable. Prediction equations indicated that 95% of the time, analysts unfamiliar with the technique could detect positive results if penicillin concentrations in samples were 0.010 unit/ml or higher and positive and questionable results if the penicillin concentrations were 0.008 unit/ml. Increasing the reconstitution ratio from 1/11 to 1/4 increased the chances of detecting penicillin in milk powder. Penicillinase added to reconstituted penicillin-contaminated milks in all instances produced negative responses.

Urea is the most widely used N fertilizer due to its high N concentration (46%), cost effectiveness and ease of handling. However, urea is susceptible to loss as N2O, a greenhouse gas and catalyst of stratospheric ozone decline. Polymer-coated fertilizers may be effective in reducing such losses but the appropriate coating thickness for effective field performance is unknown. We prepared urea granules with polyurethane coating (PCU) based on castor oil at 2%–8% by weight. We tested the fertilizer value of these materials for maize (Zea mays L.) and measured field loss of N2O. Maize grain yield and N uptake were similar in treatments fertilized with urea (uncoated) and each of the coated materials. Cumulative N2O–N per unit of grain yield, however, was reduced by 80% with PCU8% compared with uncoated urea. Results indicate that polyurethane-coated urea performs similarly to uncoated urea for maize production while reducing soil N2O emissions up to 60–80%, with an efficiency factor twice as high as that suggested by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) for N fertilizers. Our results indicate that urea with a polyurethane coating of 8% (PCU8%) had the best combined agronomic and environmental performance in a field study.

Herbivores alter plant biodiversity (species richness) in many of the world’s ecosystems, but the magnitude and the direction of herbivore effects on biodiversity vary widely within and among ecosystems. One current theory predicts that herbivores enhance plant biodiversity at high productivity but have the opposite effect at low productivity. Yet, empirical support for the importance of site productivity as a mediator of these herbivore impacts is equivocal. Here, we synthesize data from 252 large-herbivore exclusion studies, spanning a 20-fold range in site productivity, to test an alternative hypothesis—that herbivore-induced changes in the competitive environment determine the response of plant biodiversity to herbivory irrespective of productivity. Under this hypothesis, when herbivores reduce the abundance (biomass, cover) of dominant species (for example, because the dominant plant is palatable), additional resources become available to support new species, thereby increasing biodiversity. By contrast, if herbivores promote high dominance by increasing the abundance of herbivory-resistant, unpalatable species, then resource availability for other species decreases reducing biodiversity. We show that herbivore-induced change in dominance, independent of site productivity or precipitation (a proxy for productivity), is the best predictor of herbivore effects on biodiversity in grassland and savannah sites. Given that most herbaceous ecosystems are dominated by one or a few species, altering the competitive environment via herbivores or by other means may be an effective strategy for conserving biodiversity in grasslands and savannahs globally. Fil: Koerner, Sally E.. University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Department of Biology; Estados Unidos Fil: Smith, Melinda D.. State University of Colorado - Fort Collins; Estados Unidos Fil: Burkepile, Deron E.. University of California; Estados Unidos Fil: Hanan, Niall P.. New Mexico State University; Estados Unidos Fil: Avolio, Meghan L.. University Johns Hopkins; Estados Unidos Fil: Collins, Scott L.. University of New Mexico; Estados Unidos Fil: Knapp, Alan K.. State University of Colorado - Fort Collins; Estados Unidos Fil: Lemoine, Nathan P.. State University of Colorado - Fort Collins; Estados Unidos Fil: Forrestel, Elisabeth J.. University of California at Davis; Estados Unidos Fil: Eby, Stephanie. Northeastern University; Estados Unidos Fil: Thompson, Dave I.. University of the Witwatersrand; Sudáfrica. Kruger National Park. South African Environmental Observation Network. Ndlovu Node. Scientific Services; Sudáfrica Fil: Aguado-Santacruz, Gerardo A.. Tecnológico Nacional de México; México Fil: Anderson, John P.. New Mexico State University; Estados Unidos Fil: Anderson, T. Michael. University Wake Forest; Estados Unidos Fil: Angassa, Ayana. Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Resources; Sudáfrica. Hawassa University; Etiopía Fil: Bagchi, Sumanta. Indian Institute of Science; India Fil: Bakker, Elisabeth S.. Netherlands Institute of Ecology; Países Bajos Fil: Bastin, Gary. Alice Springs; Australia Fil: Baur, Lauren E.. University of New Mexico; Estados Unidos Fil: Beard, Karen H.. State University of Utah; Estados Unidos Fil: Beever, Erik A.. United States Geological Survey; Estados Unidos. State University of Montana; Estados Unidos Fil: Bohlen, Patrick J.. University of Central Florida; Estados Unidos Fil: Boughton, Elizabeth H.. MacArthur Agroecology Research Center; Estados Unidos Fil: Canestro, Don. University of California; Estados Unidos Fil: Cesa, Ariela. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Buenos Aires; Argentina Fil: Chaneton, Enrique Jose. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisiológicas y Ecológicas Vinculadas a la Agricultura. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisiológicas y Ecológicas Vinculadas a la Agricultura; Argentina Fil: Cheng, Jimin. Northwest A&F University; China Fil: D?Antonio, Carla M.. University of California; Estados Unidos Fil: Deleglise, Claire. Université Grenoble Alpes; Francia Fil: Dembélé, Fadiala. Institut de Formation et de Recherche Appliquee; Sudáfrica Fil: Dorrough, Josh. Ecosystem Mangement Science; Austria Fil: Eldridge, David J.. University of New South Wales; Australia Fil: Fernandez Going, Barbara. University of Texas at Austin; Estados Unidos Fil: Fernández Lugo, Silvia. Universidad de La Laguna; España Fil: Fraser, Lauchlan H.. Thompson Rivers University; Canadá Fil: Freedman, Bill. Dalhousie University Halifax; Canadá Fil: García Salgado, Gonzalo. Dalhousie University Halifax; Canadá Fil: Goheen, Jacob R.. University of Wyoming; Estados Unidos Fil: Guo, Liang. Northwest A&F University; China Fil: Husheer, Sean. New Zealand Forest Surveys; Nueva Zelanda Fil: Karembé, Moussa. Université des Sciences; Malí Fil: Knops, Johannes M. H.. Universidad de Nebraska - Lincoln; Estados Unidos Fil: Kraaij, Tineke. Nelson Mandela University; Sudáfrica Fil: Kulmatiski, Andrew. State University of Utah; Estados Unidos Fil: Kytöviita, Minna Maarit. Universidad de Jyvaskyla; Finlandia Fil: Lezama, Felipe. Universidad de la República; Uruguay Fil: Loucougaray, Gregory. Université Grenoble Alpes; Francia Fil: Loydi, Alejandro. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Centro de Recursos Naturales Renovables de la Zona Semiárida. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Centro de Recursos Naturales Renovables de la Zona Semiárida; Argentina Fil: Milchunas, Dan G.. State University of Colorado - Fort Collins; Estados Unidos Fil: Milton, Suzanne J.. South African Environmental Observation Network; Sudáfrica Fil: Morgan, John W.. La Trobe University; Australia Fil: Moxham, Claire. Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research; Australia Fil: Nehring, Kyle C.. State University of Utah; Estados Unidos Fil: Olff, Han. University of Groningen; Países Bajos Fil: Palmer, Todd M.. University of Florida; Estados Unidos Fil: Rebollo, Salvador. Universidad de Alcalá; España Fil: Riginos, Corinna. The Nature Conservancy; Estados Unidos Fil: Risch, Anita C.. Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research; Suiza Fil: Rueda, Marta. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas. Estación Biológica de Doñana; España Fil: Sankaran, Mahesh. National Centre For Biological Sciences; India. University of Leeds; Reino Unido Fil: Sasaki, Takehiro. Yokohama National University; Japón Fil: Schoenecker, Kathryn A.. Fort Collins Science Center and Colorado State University; Estados Unidos Fil: Schultz, Nick L.. Federation University; Australia Fil: Schütz, Martin. Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research; Suiza Fil: Schwabe, Angelika. Universitat Technische Darmstadt; Alemania Fil: Siebert, Frances. North West University; Sudáfrica Fil: Smit, Christian. University of Groningen; Países Bajos Fil: Stahlheber, Karen A.. University of Wisconsin Green Bay; Estados Unidos Fil: Storm, Christian. Universitat Technische Darmstadt; Alemania Fil: Strong, Dustin J.. United States Department of Agriculture. Agriculture Research Service; Estados Unidos Fil: Su, Jishuai. Northwest A&F University; China Fil: Tiruvaimozhi, Yadugiri V.. National Centre for Biological Sciences; India Fil: Tyler, Claudia. University of California; Estados Unidos Fil: Val, James. Office of Environment and Heritage; Australia Fil: Vandegehuchte, Martijn L.. University of Ghent; Bélgica. Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research; Suiza Fil: Veblen, Kari E.. State University of Utah; Estados Unidos Fil: Vermeire, Lance T.. United States Department of Agriculture. Agriculture Research Service; Estados Unidos Fil: Ward, David. Kent State University; Estados Unidos Fil: Wu, Jianshuang. Lhasa National Ecological Research Station; China Fil: Young, Truman P.. University of California at Davis; Estados Unidos. Mpala Research Centre; Kenia Fil: Yu, Qiang. Chinese Academy Of Agricultural Sciences; China. Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning; China Fil: Zelikova, Tamara Jane. University Of Wyoming; . University of Wyoming; Estados Unidos

The assessment of arc flash incident energy and the mitigation of the associated hazards in naval platform applications is now well defined and understood, with many previous conference papers having been presented, supported by published guidance notes and standards, such as IEEE1584, NFPA 70E, BR2000(52)-1 and Lloyd’s Register Arc Flash guidance document. However, the assessment of the resultant effects of any arc blast on compartment overpressure and the mitigation of the associated hazards to ships structure and ship’s staff are not yet well defined or understood. Literature indicated that considerable damage could be caused to brick built substations and concern was raised about the possible impact on ship structure and personnel safety. With the above in mind, BAE Systems Naval Ships has developed a modelling tool for assessing the effects of an arc blast on a switchboard room compartment and any personnel that may be within the blast boundary. The toolset uses a spatial representation of the switchboard room being assessed, along with the electrical system fault level data, calculated through the normal power system modelling activities, to calculate the pressure rise resulting from an arcing fault. The developed modelling tool allows engineers the ability to perform calculations of arc blast pressure rise for the purpose of identifying the degree of hazard due to pressure and identifying applicable mitigation activities.

Full calculations of six-nucleon reactions with a three-body final state have been elusive and a long-standing issue. We present neutron spectra from the T(t,2n)α (TT) reaction measured in inertial confinement fusion experiments at the OMEGA laser facility at ion temperatures from 4 to 18 keV, corresponding to center-of-mass energies (E_{c.m.}) from 16 to 50 keV. A clear difference in the shape of the TT-neutron spectrum is observed between the two E_{c.m.}, with the ^{5}He ground state resonant peak at 8.6 MeV being significantly stronger at the higher than at the lower energy. The data provide the first conclusive evidence of a variant TT-neutron spectrum in this E_{c.m.} range. In contrast to earlier available data, this indicates a reaction mechanism that must involve resonances and/or higher angular momenta than L=0. This finding provides an important experimental constraint on theoretical efforts that explore this and complementary six-nucleon systems, such as the solar ^{3}He(^{3}He,2p)α reaction.

We investigated the relationship between emotional distress and decision-making in sexual risk and substance use behavior among 174 (ages 25 to 50, 53% black) men who have sex with men (MSM), a population at increased risk for HIV. The sample was stratified by HIV status. Measures of affective decision-making (Iowa Gambling Task, IGT, Bechara et al., 1994), depression, anxiety, sex acts, and substance use during the past 60 days were collected at our research center. Negative binomial regression models were used to examine the relationship between age, HIV status, anxiety, depression, and IGT performance in the prediction of number of risky sex acts and substance use days. Among those without anxiety or depression, both number of risky sex acts and drug use days decreased with better performance during risky trials (i.e., last two blocks) of the IGT. For those with higher rates of anxiety, but not depression, IGT risk trial performance and risky sex acts increased concomitantly. Anxiety also interacted with IGT performance across all trials to predict substance use, such that anxiety was associated with greater substance use among those with better IGT performance. The opposite was true for those with depression, but only during risk trials. HIV-positive participants reported fewer substance use days than HIV-negative participants, but there was no difference in association between behavior and IGT performance by HIV status. Our findings suggest that anxiety may exacerbate risk-taking behavior when affective decision-making ability is intact. The relationship between affective decision-making and risk taking may be sensitive to different profiles of emotional distress, as well as behavioral context. Investigations of affective decision-making in sexual risk taking and substance use should examine different distress profiles separately, with implications for HIV prevention efforts.

Over the past 40 years, pipeline integrity has been maintained by the simultaneous application of protective coatings and cathodic protection (CP). There have been significant developments in pipeline coating technology over the last 30 years as the traditional coating systems such as coal tar enamel, asphalt and single- and two-layer polyethylene (PE) coatings have been replaced in favour of coatings such as single and dual layer fusion bonded epoxy and three-layer PE and polypropylene. New coating technologies inevitably bring with them new problems for pipeline operators. The present paper reviews the transition from the more traditional coating systems to the second and third generation of pipeline coatings and discusses the new challenges that pipeline operators face. The difficulties of selecting field joint coatings with similar performance to the newer mainline coating systems will also be discussed, as well as issues related to electrical interference (ac and dc) and CP shielding that have become...

Population-based testing for BRCA1/2 mutations detects a high proportion of carriers not identified by cancer family history-based testing. We sought to determine whether population-based testing is an effective approach to genetic testing in the Bahamas, where 23% of women with breast cancer carry one of seven founder mutations in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene. We determined the prevalence of founder BRCA mutations in 1847 Bahamian women without a personal history of breast or ovarian cancer, unselected for age or family history. We found that 2.8% (20/705) of unaffected women with a family history of breast/ovarian cancer and 0.09% (1/1089) of unaffected women without a family history carry a BRCA mutation. A total of 38% of unaffected women with a known mutation in the family were found to carry the familial mutation. We previously suggested that all Bahamian women with breast or ovarian cancer be offered genetic testing. These current data suggest that additionally all unaffected Bahamian women with a family history of breast/ovarian cancer should be offered genetic testing for the founder BRCA mutations.

Phenology, the timing of annually recurrent reproductive biological events, provides a critical signal of climate variability and change effects on plants. Considerable work over the past five decades has quantified the extent to which plant phenophases are responding to local changes in temperature and rainfall. Originally undertaken through the analysis of ground-based phenological observations, the discipline has more recently included phenophase indicators from satellite images and digital repeat photography. With research advances it has become evident that the responses of plant phenology to climate variability and change are both location- and species-specific. The extent to which plants are affected by changes in temperature and rainfall, their intrinsic adaptation capacity, will ultimately determine the potential for sustained ecological stability and food security. We review methodological approaches to plant phenological-climate change over time, analyse the regions and phenophases for which climate variability demonstrates a clear causal role, and finally reflect on the applications of phenological climate change investigations in broader biogeographical contexts.

Montaigne offers what is perhaps the first historical instance of the now-ubiquitous phrase “public reason.” Whereas contemporary use of this phrase refers to activities of moral reason-giving, Montaigne uses it to refer to the health of public institutions, conventions, and activities that allow parties in potential and actual conflict to negotiate civil peace and other public goods, whether through moral reasoning, strategic bargaining, or other forms of interaction. This chapter engages with two recent instances of Montaignian public reason in action: the local negotiation of “civil alliance” between Jews and Arabs in the lands of the Palestinian Mandate in 1947–1948 and the negotiation of conflict resolution during an armed standoff between the Canadian army and Mohawk warriors outside Montréal, Quebec in the summer of 1990.

Renaissance theories of diplomacy seek to address the tension between the ambassador’s dual roles as mediator between princes and representative of one prince exclusively. Michel de Montaigne transposes this concern onto the question of how to negotiate the resolution of civil conflict when one is a partisan within the conflict. In his view, moderation is the capacity that this activity demands. This is a deeply paradoxical virtue: if one is to be moderate and not overly hostile toward all signs of partisanship, one must retain some contact with partisan extremes. Montaigne argues that one should handle this paradox by acknowledging the customary, habitual aspects of one’s partisan attachments, so that one may affirm them without incapacitating oneself politically. The chapter then compares Montaigne’s conception of moderation with William Connolly’s conception of “bicameral citizenship,” which also seeks to enable non-incapacitating partisanship.

This chapter argues that we can read the Essais as an integral part and product of Michel de Montaigne’s life of political action. Investigating Montaigne’s appropriation and expansion of existing genres of Renaissance political prose, it shows that the form and content of the Essais shift with changes in Montaigne’s political career. The chapter charts Montaigne’s change of focus from the political activity of giving counsel to princes to the political activity of negotiating resolution of civil conflict. It argues that we can read the Essais as a work of political education, which is meant to inculcate in readers the values, skills, and capacities required for negotiating civil peace across volatile lines of disagreement.

In academic debates and popular political discourse, tolerance almost invariably refers either to an individual moral or ethical disposition or to a constitutional legal principle. However, for the political actors and ordinary residents of early modern Northern European countries torn apart by religious civil war, tolerance was a political capacity, an ability to talk to one’s religious and political opponents in order to negotiate civil peace and other crucial public goods. This book tells the story of perhaps the greatest historical theorist-practitioner of this political conception of tolerance: Michel de Montaigne. This introductory chapter argues that a Montaignian insistence that political opponents enter into productive dialogue with each other is worth reviving and promoting in the increasingly polarized democratic polities of the twenty-first century.

This chapter investigates Michel de Montaigne’s treatment of the emergent discourse of reason of state. It shows that Montaigne neither affirms nor rejects reason of state; instead, he argues both for and against it without resolution. His purpose is to highlight the danger of following elite justifications for violence, given either in terms of political necessity or with moral reasons. Montaigne seeks to call into being a public with the capacity to resist elites’ stimulation of popular demand for intolerant policy and their promises to supply it. In doing so, Montaigne develops an original early theory of public opinion and its role in tolerance conflicts. The chapter engages with Bernard Williams’s conception of tolerance in terms of “political realism.”

This chapter investigates Montaigne’s fascination with the irreducible diversity of human beliefs, opinions, and forms of life. Montaigne uses his literary self-portrait to model a new attitude toward this diversity. Instead of fearing or fighting it, Montaigne portrays himself as experiencing pleasure in direct contact and dialogue with a diverse range of people, especially members of other religions and cultures. He expresses this pleasure both directly, by telling us about his own joy in these encounters, and indirectly, with comical, carnivalesque forms of prose. The chapter then compares this theme of the Essais with Judith Shklar’s use of Montaigne as a model for her conception of a “liberalism of fear.”

This chapter investigates Michel de Montaigne’s engagement with the Italian humanist conception of “civil conversation” as an exercise for training effective political counselors and ambassadors. Using himself as a model, Montaigne prescribes a more confrontational, uncivil form of conversation as a means to train his readers into a high tolerance for political negotiation with the widest possible range of interlocutors and opinions. Following the conventions of the humanist literature on political education, Montaigne argues that the best way to practice political negotiation and other forms of conversation with political opponents is to go out and do it. The chapter then compares this theme of the Essais with Rainer Forst’s conception of tolerance as a form of civil public reason.

This investigation explores using the beta function formalism to calculate analytic solutions for the observable parameters in rolling scalar field cosmologies. The beta function in this case is the derivative of the scalar $\phi$ with respect to the natural log of the scale factor $a$, $\beta(\phi)=\frac{d \phi}{d \ln(a)}$. Once the beta function is specified, modulo a boundary condition, the evolution of the scalar $\phi$ as a function of the scale factor is completely determined. A rolling scalar field cosmology is defined by its action which can contain a range of physically motivated dark energy potentials. The beta function is chosen so that the associated "beta potential" is an accurate, but not exact, representation of the appropriate dark energy model potential. The basic concept is that the action with the beta potential is so similar to the action with the model potential that solutions using the beta action are accurate representations of solutions using the model action. The beta function provides an extra equation to calculate analytic functions of the cosmologies parameters as a function of the scale factor that are that are not calculable using only the model action. As an example this investigation uses a quintessence cosmology to demonstrate the method for power and inverse power law dark energy potentials. An interesting result of the investigation is that the Hubble parameter H is almost completely insensitive to the power of the potentials and that $\Lambda$CDM is part of the family of quintessence cosmology power law potentials with a power of zero., Comment: Accepted for publication by the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society