Oregon Institute of Technology

Abstract Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) was re‐legalized as an agricultural crop through the USDA 2018 Farm Bill, but cropping guidelines remain limited, especially for floral hemp grown for cannabinoid extraction. In this study, the response of direct‐seeded, field‐grown autoflower and full‐season hemp cultivars to varying rates of applied irrigation was compared over multiple years in a semi‐arid environment. Measurements included floral and total biomass, cannabinoid concentration, and cannabinoid yield. The primary flower size did not vary much regardless of irrigation amount, even for plants grown with no supplemental irrigation. As irrigation increased from very low levels up to 100% of the location's potential evapotranspiration (PEt) and beyond, leaf and stem biomass continued to increase as the plants also got taller. Secondary and tertiary flower biomass increased with irrigation, but only up to about 80% of PEt. Above that amount, floral biomass typically plateaued for both autoflower and full‐season types. Floral cannabinoid concentrations did not vary much regardless of irrigation amount. Irrigating at rates greater than about 80% of PEt does not generally increase cannabinoid yield. In contrast, under very dry conditions hemp can grow, reach maturity, and produce some flowers and associated cannabinoid yield even when receiving little or no rainfall or irrigation. Thus, growing hemp with low, moderate, or no irrigation in a semi‐arid climate may be economically feasible (despite the lower yield) in certain situations, depending on costs of irrigation water, other crop management decisions, and market valuation of end products.

One key to managing the inaccuracy bias between optical overlay (OVL) at ADI and device overlay at AEI is to choose optical measurements with stable inaccuracy. The bias can then be managed as non-zero offsets (NZO) compared to an accurate e-beam OVL (eOVL) reference. High variability in the NZO, often driven by variations in the optical target asymmetries, can be a sizable portion of the on-product overlay budget. In this work, we break down the sources of NZO stability (sNZO) into target-to-device, litho-etch and optical inaccuracy variations by comparing the sNZO of optical image-based overlay (IBO) measurements to eOVL measurements on the same IBO targets. With all IBO targets measured by eOVL, compared to the standard pitch AIM® target, we show that the target-driven sNZO is reduced by almost 30% on small pitch AIM (sAIM™) IBO targets. We ascribe this effect to a reduction in intrinsic target asymmetry variability. Furthermore, we observe an even larger 50% reduction in sNZO moving from standard to small pitch targets when measuring optically. This complete breakdown of the sources of NZO variability highlights the relative contribution of the target itself to NZO control and the need for more process-robust targets like the sAIM design.

Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis type 2 (CLN2) is a rapidly progressive neurodegenerative disorder leading to premature mortality. Ambulatory CLN2 patients typically receive standard of care treatment through biweekly intracerebroventricular (ICV) enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) involving recombinant human tripeptidyl peptidase 1, known as cerliponase alfa (Brineura®, Biomarin Pharmaceuticals). This study longitudinally assessed the impact of ICV cerliponase alfa ERT on gait, and postural control across a two-year span in two siblings diagnosed with atypical CLN2 disease. Both participants, ID01 (18 years and 8 months old at enrollment) and ID02 (13 years and 3 months old at enrollment), exhibited symptomatic characteristics which were studied longitudinally over three years. Their evaluations assessed postural sway variability, potential for slips and trips, gait metrics, sit-to-stand durations, scores from the sensory organization test (SOT), and gross motor function measure (GMFM) scores. Findings indicated a decline in postural complexity and stability in the medial-lateral (ML) axis, a reduction in toe clearance, and an augmented risk of stumbling for the participants. Over the two-year period of ERT, both siblings exhibited a progressive decline in walking velocity, characterized by reductions in step length and prolonged gait cycle time. The elder sibling demonstrated a notable increase in double support duration, indicative of heightened reliance on proprioceptive input to maintain stability during ambulation. Additionally, sit-to-stand times lengthened for siblings, further reflecting declines in motor function. Despite these challenges, SOT scores showed improvement after two years of ERT, suggesting some preservation of sensory integration. These findings in SOT scores indicate that cerliponase alfa treatment in patients with atypical CLN2 disease may confer benefits in postural stability, lower extremity strength, and ankle stiffness. However, declines in more complex motor functions, including sit-to-stand performance and postural complexity, persist, underscoring the progressive nature of the disease despite ongoing therapeutic intervention.

Stacking is a critical operation in various manufacturing sectors, including food, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics, where precise arrangement of products is essential. Manual stacking, the traditional approach, is labor-intensive, error-prone, and poses safety risks. To address these challenges, this paper proposes a PLC-based automation solution for stacking metal plates. The system utilizes two conveyors, with the first activated by a sensor upon metal plate detection. Plates are then stacked on the second conveyor until reaching the desired count value, at which point they are moved to the destination. Safety features include photoelectric sensors, temperature sensors for conveyor motors, weight and vibration sensors, and an infrared object sensor for counting plates. The ladder logic control algorithm, implemented using ISPsoft software, is validated through animation in DSPsoft. The automated process incorporates a counter and timer, with user-defined inputs for stacking requirements. Successful implementation and testing in the ISPsoft and DSPsoft environment demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed automated stacking system.

Citation injustices have a long history in scholarly writing and have led to underrepresentation and silenced voices of certain author groups (e.g., women and people of color). Concerns about whose voices are cited, heard, and privileged have encouraged interventions for Technical and Professional Communication (TPC) scholars to promote inclusivity and equity in scholarly writing and the design of communication. This article examines another aspect on citation injustices tied to publishing policies and style-guide conventions and conformity: practices for crediting shared first authors and equally contributing authors for their scholarship. We question current citation practices and examine style-guide rules and conventions of 115 TPC and communication-related journals to identify where citation injustices may occur in scenarios with shared first authors and equally contributing authors. We argue that TPC scholars should pushback against style-guide conformity in their publications and citations to embrace more equitable and socially just practices. We conclude by presenting five opportunities for TPC and communication scholars to change current citation practices in our field.