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This paper presents the initial vicarious radiometric calibration results for Landsat 9 OLI using a combination of ground-based techniques and test sites located in Nevada, California, and South Dakota, USA. The field data collection methods include the traditional reflectance-based approach and the automated Radiometric Calibration Test Site (RadCaTS). The results for top-of-atmosphere spectral radiance show an average ratio (OLI/ground measurements) of 1.03, 1.01, 1.00, 1.02, 1.02, 1.01, 0.98, and 1.01 for Landsat 9 OLI bands 1–8, which is within the design specification of ±5% for spectral radiance. The results for top-of-atmosphere reflectance show an average ratio (OLI/ground measurements) of 0.99, 0.99, 1.00, 1.02, 1.01, 1.02, 1.00, and 1.00 for Landsat 9 OLI bands 1–8, which is within the design specification of ±3% for top-of-atmosphere reflectance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This note focuses on super‐priority liens (SPLs), which allow homeowner associations to foreclose a property over its mortgage. Twenty‐two states have so far implemented such liens, hoping to balance the interests of mortgage creditors and homeowner associations. The state of Nevada has been facing more challenges from both mortgage creditors and homeowner associations regarding the constitutionality of non‐judicial foreclosure than other states. This paper summaries the cases since 2000 and discusses the three major decisions that the Supreme Court of Nevada made involving SPLs' non‐judicial constitutionality, tender‐extinguishing SPLs, and federal creditors' role in SPLs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Communities that are historically marginalized and minoritized were disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic due to long-standing social inequities. It was found that those who experience social vulnerabilities faced a heightened burden of COVID-19 morbidities and mortalities and concerningly lower rates of COVID-19 vaccination. The CDC's Social Vulnerability Index (CDC-SVI) is a pivotal tool for planning responses to health crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic. This study explores the associations between CDC-SVI and its corresponding themes with COVID-19 vaccine uptake in Nevada counties. Additionally, the study discusses the utility of the CDC-SVI in the context of equitable vaccine uptake in a pandemic setting. We examined the linear association between the 2020 CDC-SVI (including the composite score and the four themes) and COVID-19 vaccine uptake (including initial and complete vaccinations) for the seventeen Nevada counties. These associations were further examined for spatial-varied effects. Each CDC-SVI theme was negatively correlated with initial and complete COVID-19 vaccine uptake (crude) except for minority status, which was positively correlated. However, all correlations were found to be weak. Excessive vaccination rates among some counties are not explained by the CDC-SVI. Overall, these findings suggest the CDC-SVI themes are a better predictor of COVID-19 vaccine uptake than the composite SVI score at the county level. Our findings are consistent with similar studies. The CDC-SVI is a useful measure for public health preparedness, but with limitations. Further understanding is needed of which measures of social vulnerability impact health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1) Background: To address the importance of engaging American Indian and Alaska Native Elders in a dialogue about healthy aging and fill the gap in the scholarly literature on this topic. (2) Methods: This study conducted a listening session with Elders who attended the 2021 National Indian Council on Aging (NICOA) Annual Conference in Reno, Nevada. The listening session was audio-recorded and transcribed for thematic analysis by two analysts. (3) Results: Important insights regarding American Indian and Alaska Native Elders' perspectives on planning for future care and aging-related diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease. (4) Conclusions: This study is one of the first to engage American Indian and Alaska Native Elders in a conversation about health aging. Calls for intergenerational solidarity, protection of Elders, education, and relationality were found to be important themes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Youjiang Basin in China is the world's second-largest concentrated area of Carlin-type Au deposits after Nevada, USA, boasting cumulative Au reserves nearing 1000 t. This study examined the recently unearthed Lintan Carlin-type Au deposit within the Youjiang Basin. Factor analysis and association rule algorithms were used to identify exploration vectors and indicators essential for navigating this promising geological territory. In the Lintan mining area, the geological strata encompass the Triassic Bianyang, Niluo, and Xuman formations comprised clastic rocks, followed by the deeper Permian Wujiaping Formation with massive carbonate rocks. The orebodies are restricted to the F14 inverse fault, cutting through the Xuman Formation, with an additional F7 fault between the Wujiaping and Xuman formations. A total of 125 rock samples from the F14 fault and a representative cross-section were analyzed for 15 elements (Au, Ag, As, Bi, Cd, Co, Cu, Hg, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sb, Tl, W, and Zn). The elements were divided into four groups based on cluster and factor analysis. Group 1 (Co, Cu, Zn, Ni, Tl, W, and Bi) was mainly enriched in the Xuman, Niluo, and Bianyang formations controlled by sedimentary diagenesis. Group 2 (Au, As, Hg, and Sb) was concentrated in the F14 and F7 faults, representing Au mineralization. Group 3 (Pb, Ag, and Mo) was mostly enriched near the F14 and F7 faults, displaying a peripheral halo of Au mineralization, and was probability controlled by ore-forming hydrothermal activities. Group 4 (Cd and Mo) exhibited extreme enrichment along the periphery of the F7 fault. This pattern indicates the presence of a substantial hydrothermal alteration zone surrounding the fault, likely influenced by ore-forming hydrothermal processes. Additionally, Pb, Ag, Cd, Mo, and W are considered essential indicators for ore formation besides Au, As, Sb, Hg, and Tl. Twelve effective association rules were derived using the association rule algorithm, which can aid in discriminating Au mineralization. The spatial distributions of the 15 elements indicated that the F14 fault is the main ore-bearing fracture zone, while the F7 fault serves as the ore-conducting structure, channeling ore-forming fluids into the F14 fault. Faults between the Wujiaping and Xuman formations, along with their associated reverse faults, present potential prospecting targets both within and outside the Lintan Au deposit in the Youjiang Basin. Exploration geochemical data can be fully utilized by combining factor analysis and association rule algorithms, offering key guidance for prospecting Carlin-type gold and similar deposits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We developed a set of two precision, small-scale, water balance lysimeters to provide accurate measurements of bare soil evaporation. Each lysimeter comprises a soil tank, a balance assembly with load cell, a wicking drainage system, and a stilling well to measure drained water. Fiberglass wicks installed at the bottom of the soil tanks provide −60 cm of tension to the base of the soil column, and soil water drainage is quantified to close the water balance within the lysimeter. The calibrated lysimeters return mass changes with uncertainties ranging from 3 to 8 g, corresponding to uncertainties of 0.02–0.05 mm of water. Installed at a semi-arid site in northern Nevada, the two lysimeters are filled with uniform construction sand and silt loam. Over a six-month pilot observation period, bare soil evaporation rates of 0.19 and 0.40 mm/day were measured for the construction sand and silt loam, respectively, which is consistent with meteorological data and models of potential evapotranspiration at the site. The design of the lysimeter can be adapted to specific research goals or site restrictions, and these instruments can contribute significantly to our ability to close the soil water balance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifying the as-drilled location of blastholes is crucial for achieving optimal blasting results. This research proposes a novel integrated methodology to control drilling accuracy in open-pit mines. This approach is developed by combining aerial drone images with machine learning techniques. The study investigates the viability of photogrammetry combined with machine learning techniques, particularly Support Vector Machine (SVM) and Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN), for automatically detecting blastholes in photogrammetry representations of blast patterns. To verify the hypothesis that machine learning can detect blastholes in images as effectively as humans, various datasets (drone images) were obtained from different mine sites in Nevada, USA. The images were processed to create photogrammetry mapping of the drill patterns. In this process, thousands of patches were extracted and augmented from the photogrammetry representations. Those patches were then used to train and test different CNN architectures optimized to locate blastholes. After reaching an acceptable level of accuracy during the training process, the model was tested using a piece of completely unknown data (testing dataset). The high recall, precision, and percentage of detected blastholes prove that the combination of SVM, CNN, and photogrammetry (PHG) is an effective methodology for detecting blastholes on photogrammetry maps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gravity and magnetic surveys have been extensively employed in various fields like regional geology studies, environmental engineering, and mineral exploration. However, interpreting the data from these surveys remains a challenge because the potential field inversion lacks uniqueness. To address this issue, combining gravity and magnetic data in a joint inversion helps to narrow down the possible solutions. This study introduces a method for jointly inverting gravity and magnetic data, specifically focusing on the sediment–basement interface. Within this framework, a 3D voxel-type inversion using joint Gramian-based techniques incorporates a depth-to-basement model as a guiding constraint. This approach was applied to gravity and magnetic data collected around the Victoria Mine area in Nevada, USA. The joint inversion successfully produced 3D models representing the density and susceptibility of both unconsolidated sediments and the basement underlying the surveyed region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sex workers are everywhere. We are your neighbors. We brush past you on the street. Our kids go to the same schools as yours. We're behind you at the selfservice checkout, with baby food and a bottle of Pinot Grigio. People who sell sex are in your staff cafeteria, your political party, your after-school club committee, your doctor's waiting room, your place of worship. Sex workers are incarcerated inside immigration detention centres, and sex workers are protesting outside them. . . Many people want to stop us from selling sex, or fix the world so we don't need to, or just to ensure they don't have to look at us. But we are notoriously hard to get rid of, at least through criminal law. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a court case in which the states of Nevada, Illinois and Virginia appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit regarding the failure of the Archivist to certify and publish the Equal Rights Amendment as the 28th Amendment even after the deadlines for the amending requirement expired. It explores the dismissal of the case by the U.S. District Court, and issues concerning Article V's amendment procedures raised by this case.

Background: Postpartum depression affects 13% of women after childbirth in the United States. Mothers who experience depression are less likely to breastfeed than those who do not experience depression. On the other hand, breastfeeding may have a positive effect on maternal mental health. Research aim: We aimed to analyze whether breastfeeding cessation is associated with postpartum depression symptoms among mothers of infants under six months old in Clark County, Nevada. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2021 using a purposive sample of 305 mother-infant dyads. Postpartum depression symptoms were assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-2 (PHQ-2), and the breastfeeding cessation was determined through a 24-hour dietary recall. Descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted. Results: Most participants were between 25 and 34 years old (n = 183, 60.0%), multiparous (n = 167, 55.1%), and had a vaginal delivery (n = 204, 70.6%). High frequency of postpartum depressive symptoms was found among mothers who were young (18–24 years) (24.2%), without a partner (25.0%), had unplanned pregnancies (12.7%), and were primiparous (13.2%). Breastfeeding cessation was independently associated with postpartum depressive symptoms (AOR = 3.30, 95% CI: 1.16–9.32) after controlling for sociodemographic, environmental, and obstetric characteristics. Conclusion: Breastfeeding cessation is strongly associated with postpartum depressive symptoms among mother-infant dyads in Nevada. Early identification of postpartum depressive symptoms and the promotion of breastfeeding can create a positive feedback loop to foster the well-being of mothers and infants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study describes an assemblage of Dzieduszyckia brachiopods preserved in sedimentary barite deposits from the Famennian, Upper Devonian of Nevada, USA. The brachiopods lived in a methane-seep environment like those described from Sonora, Mexico, and the Western Meseta, Morocco. Although the original carbonate fabrics are not preserved, pockets of limestone within the brachiopod barite are depleted in with δ13C values ranging from -31.1 to -27.3‰ VPDB. The fossils are preserved as internal and external molds only but record enough detail to demonstrate key internal features of Dzieduszyckia such as a pronounced dorsal septum, septalium, and vertical dental plates. The lack of common bifurcation or trifurcation of the costae as well as larger size of the shells recommends against inclusion within D. sonora as previously published. Based on the number of costae per width of shell, it is possible that there are two distinct species in Nevada, like other localities in Morocco, the Urals, and South China. These new data expand the body of knowledge of these earliest dimerelloids and it is hypothesized that this seep-dwelling macrofauna arose from depauperate-successful lineages between the Famennian biotic crises. As nearly all global Dzieduszyckia deposits are associated with active tectonic margins, it is also suggested that tectonically-driven methane expulsion in low nutrient waters spurred the evolution of dimerelloids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Like many National Park Service sites, Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument in Nevada has associated off- site legacy paleontological collections in museum repositories across North America. These legacy paleontological collections, which were created during past expeditions, are at risk of becoming forgotten or inaccessible, yet they hold the potential to revisit old questions and old sites utilizing new techniques, methods, and ideas. The authors present a case study that outlines a suggested framework to reconcile problematic or underutilized legacy paleontological collections based on the 2020-2023 inventory of the Southwest Museum Expedition Tule Springs Collection curated at the Autry Museum of the American West. The authors also explore the effectiveness of an interdisciplinary approach to paleontological resource management. Digitization of associated historic archives and photographs can help assign updated geologic context to unprovenienced fossils, as well as locate historic paleontological sites for conservation and study. Legacy paleontological collections are also artifacts of the time of collection; the cultural context of fossil collections can be just as important as their geologic context. Although new data collection is beneficial for scientific inquiry and science-based natural resource management strategies, the importance of well-understood and accessible legacy paleontological collections for these efforts cannot be overstated. Revisiting these collections can facilitate scientific discovery by providing more accurate and comprehensive data to park staff and researchers. Paleontological and museum management programs and the scientific community will benefit from bridging the past and the present through an interdisciplinary approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Fires, Asian, and Stratospheric Transport–Las Vegas Ozone Study (FAST-LVOS) was conducted in May and June of 2017 to study the transport of ozone (O 3) to Clark County, Nevada, a marginal non-attainment area in the southwestern United States (SWUS). This 6-week (20 May–30 June 2017) field campaign used lidar, ozonesonde, aircraft, and in situ measurements in conjunction with a variety of models to characterize the distribution of O 3 and related species above southern Nevada and neighboring California and to probe the influence of stratospheric intrusions and wildfires as well as local, regional, and Asian pollution on surface O 3 concentrations in the Las Vegas Valley (≈ 900 m above sea level, a.s.l.). In this paper, we describe the FAST-LVOS campaign and present case studies illustrating the influence of different transport processes on background O 3 in Clark County and southern Nevada. The companion paper by Zhang et al. (2020) describes the use of the AM4 and GEOS-Chem global models to simulate the measurements and estimate the impacts of transported O 3 on surface air quality across the greater southwestern US and Intermountain West. The FAST-LVOS measurements found elevated O 3 layers above Las Vegas on more than 75 % (35 of 45) of the sample days and show that entrainment of these layers contributed to mean 8 h average regional background O 3 concentrations of 50–55 parts per billion by volume (ppbv), or about 85–95 µ g m -3. These high background concentrations constitute 70 %–80 % of the current US National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) of 70 ppbv (≈ 120 µ g m -3 at 900 m a.s.l.) for the daily maximum 8 h average (MDA8) and will make attainment of the more stringent standards of 60 or 65 ppbv currently being considered extremely difficult in the interior SWUS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

METEX21 was an atmospheric tracer release experiment executed at the Department of Energy's Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) in the southwestern U.S to study terrain-induced wind and thermodynamic conditions that influence local-scale (<5km) plume transport under varying atmospheric forcing conditions. Meteorological observations were collected using 10-m tall meteorological towers, 2-m tall tripods with 3-d sonic anemometers, a 3-m tall eddy covariance flux tower, Doppler profiling lidars, Doppler scanning lidars, weather-balloon launched radiosondes, and a tethered balloon equipped with wind, temperature, and aerosol sensors at heights up to 800 m. A smoke tracer was released along three transects in the horizontal and vertical directions and observed with video cameras, aerosol sensors and lidars (via aerosol backscatter). The observations showed evidence of large-scale/synoptic transience as well as local-scale upslope and downslope flows, along-axis valley flows, recirculation eddies on leeward slopes, and periods of strong shear and veer aloft. The release days were classified as either synoptically-driven or locally-driven, and a single case day is presented in detail for each. Synoptically-forced days show relatively narrow smoke plumes traveling down the valley from north to south (with the predominant wind direction), with little deviation in transport direction regardless of the elevation or ground locations of the smoke releases, except near the presence of leeside recirculation eddies. Locally-forced days exhibit a wider range of plume behavior due to the combination of thermally-induced valley and slope flows, which are often flowing in different cardinal directions, and wind shear found aloft at higher altitudes and elevations. We saw evidence of smoke lofting on top of the mesas due to strong upslope flows on these days. A major finding of this experiment was the effectiveness of scanning lidars to measure 2-dimensional plume transport out to a 2-3 km distance; much farther than could be visibly observed. METEX21 was the first of three planned tracer experiments at NNSS, and future experiments will incorporate multiple tracers to improve individual plume identification so that finer resolution flow details can be attained from these measurements, as well as deploy a larger suite of meteorological instrumentation, including more temperature profiling data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Miocene Columbia River Basalt Group (CRBG) of the Pacific Northwest of the United States is the world's youngest and smallest large igneous province. Its earliest formations are the Imnaha, Steens, and now the Picture Gorge Basalt (PGB), and they were sourced from three different dike swarms exposed from SE Washington to Nevada to northcentral Oregon. PGB is often viewed to be distinct from the other formations, as its magmas are sourced from a shallow, relatively depleted, and later subduction-induced metasomatized mantle, along with its young stratigraphic position. It has long been known that the lowermost American Bar flows (AB1&2) of the Imnaha Basalt are chemically similar to those of the PGB, yet the Imnaha Basalt is generally thought to carry the strongest plume source component. These opposing aspects motivated us to revisit the compositional relationships between AB1&2 and PGB. Our findings suggest that tapping a shallow, variably depleted, and metasomatized mantle reservoir to produce earliest CRBG lavas occurred across the province, now pinpointed to ~17 Ma. Moreover, compositional provinciality exists indicating regional differences in degree of depletion and subduction overprint that is preserved by regionally distributed lavas, which in turn implies relatively local lava emplacement at this stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing pressure over water resources in the western U.S. is currently forcing alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) producers to adopt water-saving irrigation techniques. Crop yield forecasting tools can be used to develop smart irrigation scheduling methods that can be used to estimate the future effects of a given irrigation amount applied during a current irrigation event on yield. In this work, a linear model and a random forest model were used to estimate the yield of irrigated alfalfa crops in northern Nevada. It was found that water (rain + irrigation), the occurrence of extreme temperatures, and wind have a greater effect on crop yield. Other variables that accounted for the photoperiod and the dormant period were also included in the model and are also important. The linear model had the best performance with an R2 of 0.854. On the other hand, the R2 value for the random forest was 0.793. The linear model showed a good response to water variability; therefore, it is a good model to consider for use as an irrigation decision support system. However, unlike the linear model, the random forest model can capture non-linear relationships occurring between the crop, water, and the atmosphere, and its results may be enhanced by including more data for its training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Globally, the most important human rights and public health issue that sex workers face is their experience of high levels of violence (Kinnell, 2006, Kinnell, 2008, Alexander, 1999). Deering's systematic review estimated levels of sexual violence in sex working populations as being between 14% and 54% (Deering et al, 2014). Aims: This international, robust mixed methods study will explore the frequency of sexual violence against sex workers, barriers in criminal justice and the legal consciousness of sex workers regarding their rights and consent. The hypothesis to be tested is that the safety of sex workers from sexual violence is mediated by the differing legal contexts of sex work environments. We will compare experiences across research sites in the context of legalisation (Nevada USA), client criminalisation (Northern Ireland), decriminalisation (New Zealand) and partial criminalisation (England, Scotland and Wales) [henceforth ESW]. Methods: An international survey (n = 1,000) will be translated into several languages, to disaggregate experiences by demographic categories (gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation) and sex work sector (including online, street-based and brothels). Interviews (n = 100) with sex workers, police, prosecutors and service providers will be thematically analysed to explore legal consciousness, why the patterns occur and contextualise the statistical findings. These data will be supplemented with comparative legislative, policy and case analysis. Research study data will be used to compare the social factors and legal norms shaping sex workers experiences of sexual violence, justice and support interventions. Recommendations for a 'best practice' review of legal improvements and support interventions will be produced following completion of the study. Given the sensitive nature of the research, robust ethical and data protection mechanisms are in place. The research has ethical approval from each research site, an Advisory Board and trained, paid peer researchers to assist with data gathering, analysis and dissemination. The study will report findings in 2023/2024. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The short-wave infrared (SWIR) module of the Tropospheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI) on board the ESA's Sentinel-5 precursor (S5p) satellite has been very stable during its 5 years in orbit. Calibration was performed on the ground, complemented by measurements during in-flight instrument commissioning. The radiometric response and general performance of the SWIR module are monitored by on-board calibration sources. We show that after 5 years in orbit, TROPOMI-SWIR has continued to show excellent performance with degradation of at most 0.1 % in transmission and having lost less than 0.3 % of the detector pixels. Independent validation of the instrument calibration, via vicarious calibration, can be done through comparisons with ground-based reflectance data. In this work, ground measurements at the Railroad Valley Playa, a valley in central Nevada that is often used as a reference for satellite measurements, are used to perform vicarious calibration of the TROPOMI-SWIR measurements. This is done using dedicated measurement campaigns as well as automated reflectance measurements within the RADCALNET programme. As such, TROPOMI-SWIR is an excellent test case to explore the methodology of vicarious calibration applied to infrared spectroscopy. Using methodology developed for the vicarious calibration of the OCO-2 and GOSAT missions, the absolute radiometry of TROPOMI-SWIR performance is independently verified to be stable down to ∼ 6 %–10 % using the Railroad Valley when both the absolute and relative radiometric calibrations are applied. Differences with the on-board calibration originate from the bidirectional reflection distribution function (BRDF) effects of the desert surface, the large variety in viewing angles, and the different sizes of footprints of the TROPOMI pixels. Vicarious calibration is shown to be an additional valuable tool in validating radiance-level performances of infrared instruments such as TROPOMI-SWIR in the field of atmospheric composition. It remains clear that for instruments of similar design and resolution to TROPOMI-SWIR, on-board calibration sources will continue to provide superior results due to the limitations of the vicarious calibration method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pollen identification is necessary for several subfields of geology, ecology, and evolutionary biology. However, the existing methods for pollen identification are laborious, time-consuming, and require highly skilled scientists. Therefore, there is a pressing need for an automated and accurate system for pollen identification, which can be beneficial for both basic research and applied issues such as identifying airborne allergens. In this study, we propose a deep learning (DL) approach to classify pollen grains in the Great Basin Desert, Nevada, USA. Our dataset consisted of 10,000 images of 40 pollen species. To mitigate the limitations imposed by the small volume of our training dataset, we conducted an in-depth comparative analysis of numerous pre-trained Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) architectures utilizing transfer learning methodologies. Simultaneously, we developed and incorporated an innovative CNN model, serving to augment our exploration and optimization of data modeling strategies. We applied different architectures of well-known pre-trained deep CNN models, including AlexNet, VGG-16, MobileNet-V2, ResNet (18, 34, and 50, 101), ResNeSt (50, 101), SE-ResNeXt, and Vision Transformer (ViT), to uncover the most promising modeling approach for the classification of pollen grains in the Great Basin. To evaluate the performance of the pre-trained deep CNN models, we measured accuracy, precision, F1-Score, and recall. Our results showed that the ResNeSt-110 model achieved the best performance, with an accuracy of 97.24%, precision of 97.89%, F1-Score of 96.86%, and recall of 97.13%. Our results also revealed that transfer learning models can deliver better and faster image classification results compared to traditional CNN models built from scratch. The proposed method can potentially benefit various fields that rely on efficient pollen identification. This study demonstrates that DL approaches can improve the accuracy and efficiency of pollen identification, and it provides a foundation for further research in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the challenges Nevada faces in managing its water resources, particularly groundwater, due to climate change and overpopulation. It discusses the state's water management policies, including the designation of Critical Management Areas (CMAs) and the implementation of sustainable water use practices. The case study of the Diamond Valley basin highlights the state's user-oriented approach to water law and the potential for future changes in Nevada's water management policies. The article also discusses the controversial Diamond Valley decision, which deviates from the doctrine of prior appropriation and raises concerns about the devaluation of priority and vested rights. It examines the impact of the Diamond Valley Groundwater Management Plan (GMP) on water rights and the practice of water banking, and discusses the implementation of GMPs in Nevada and their potential impact on water management policies. The future of Nevada's water law is uncertain, with a complete overhaul of the system being a possibility. [Extracted from the article]

Several similar indicators in Nevada (USA) and South Yakutia (Russia) gold-bearing provinces have been identified based on modern tectonic, geophysical and seismic tomography observations, followed by the analysis of the main geodynamic factors of the formation and distribution of large gold-bearing provinces in the North Pacific. One of the significant metallogenic peculiarities is a wide variety of formational and mineral deposits concentrated in the areas. Both provinces are situated at active margins surrounded by fold-thrust belts. In South Yakutia, a combination of sublatitudinal Baikal-Elkon-Ulkan and submeridional Seligdar-Verkhnetimpon gravity field gradient zones is recorded. In contrast, significant positive gravity anomalies of the Northern Nevada Rift and higher-order gradient zones are presented in Nevada. Large pluton and transform fault zones in both provinces support a conclusion about the fundamental role of geodynamic factors in developing ore-magmatic systems in the regions. Significant differences in the scale of the gold mineralization in the considered provinces are explained by the existence under the North American continent not only of the Mendocino transform fault zone but also of the Juan de Fuca paleo-spreading center. In contrast, the Inagli-Konder-Feklistov magmatic-metallogenic belt alone controls mineralization under the Asian continent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses a dual approach of case study and research survey to investigate the complex factors in sustaining academic library digitization programs. The case study involves the background of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) Libraries' digitization program and elaborates on the authors' efforts to gain staff support for this program. A related survey was administered to all Association of Research Libraries (ARL) members, seeking to collect baseline data on their digital collections, understand their respective administrative frameworks, and to gather feedback on both negative obstacles and positive inputs affecting their success. Results from the survey, combined with the authors' local experience, point to several potential success factors including staff skill sets, funding, and strategic planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lake Mead located in the Arizona–Nevada region of the Mohave Dessert is a unique and complex water system whose flow follows that of a warm monomictic lake. Although monomictic lakes experience thermal stratification for almost the entire year with a period of complete mixing, the lake on occasion deviates from this phenomenon, undergoing incomplete turnovers categorized with light stratifications every other year. The prolonged drought and growing anthropogenic activities have the potential to considerably impact the quality of the lake. Lake Mead and by extension the Boulder Basin receive cooler flow from the Colorado River and flow with varying temperatures from the Las Vegas Wash (LVW), which impacts its stratification and complete turnovers. This study analyzes four key water quality parameters (WQPs), namely, total dissolved solids (TDS), total suspended solids (TSS), temperature, and dissolved oxygen (DO), using statistical and spatial analyses to understand their variations in light of the lake stratifications and turnovers to further maintain its overall quality and sustainability. The study also evaluates the impacts of hydrological variables including in and out flows, storage, evaporation, and water surface elevation on the WQPs. The results produced from the analysis show significant levels of TDS, TSS, and temperature from the LVW and Las Vegas Bay regions compared with the Boulder Basin. LVW is the main channel for conveying effluents from several wastewater treatment facilities into the lake. We observed an increase in the levels of TDS, TSS, and temperature water quality in the epilimnion compared with the other layers of the lake. The metalimnion and the hypolimnion layer, however, showed reduced DO due to depletion by algal blooms. We observed statistically significant differences in the WQPs throughout various months, but not in the case for season and year, an indication of relatively consistent variability throughout each season and year. We also observed a no clear trend of influence of outflows and inflows on TDS, temperature, and DO. TSS concentrations in the lake, however, remained constant, irrespective of the inflows and outflows, possibly due to the settling of the sediments and the reservoir capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Subsurface characterization is crucial for geothermal energy exploration and production. Yet hydrothermal reservoirs usually reside in highly fractured and faulted zones where accurate characterization is very challenging because of low signal-to-noise ratios of land seismic data and lack of coherent reflection signals. We perform an active-source seismic characterization for the Blue Mountain geothermal field in Nevada using active seismic data to reveal the elastic medium property complexity and fault distribution at this field. We first employ an unsupervised machine learning method to attenuate groundroll and near-surface guided-wave noise and enhance coherent reflection and scattering signals from noisy seismic data. We then build a smooth initial P-wave velocity model based on an existing magnetotellurics survey result, and use 3D first-arrival traveltime tomography to refine the initial velocity model. We then derive a set of elastic wave velocities and anisotropic parameters using elastic full-waveform inversion, and obtain PP and PS images using elastic reverse-time migration. We identify major faults by analyzing the variations of seismic velocities and anisotropy parameters, and reveal mid- to small-scale faults by applying a supervised machine learning method to the seismic migration images. Our characterization reveals complex velocity heterogeneities and anisotropies, as well as faults, with a high spatial resolution. These results can provide valuable information for optimal placement of future injection and production wells to increase geothermal energy production at the Blue Mountain geothermal power plant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The geologically rapid appearance of fossils of modern animal phyla within Cambrian strata is a defining characteristic of the history of life on Earth. However, temporal calibration of the base of the Cambrian Period remains uncertain within millions of years, which has resulted in mounting challenges to the concept of a discrete Cambrian explosion. We present precise zircon U–Pb dates for the lower Wood Canyon Formation, Nevada. These data demonstrate the base of the Cambrian Period, as defined by both ichnofossil biostratigraphy and carbon isotope chemostratigraphy, was younger than 533 Mya, at least 6 My later than currently recognized. This new geochronology condenses previous age models for the Nemakit–Daldynian (early Cambrian) and, integrated with global records, demonstrates an explosive tempo to the early radiation of modern animal phyla. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wildfire events are becoming more frequent and severe on a global scale. Rising temperatures, prolonged drought, and the presence of pyrophytic invasive grasses are contributing to the degradation of native vegetation communities. Within the Great Basin region of the western U.S., increasing wildfire frequency is transforming the ecosystem toward a higher degree of homogeneity, one dominated by invasive annual grasses and declining landscape productivity. Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; hereafter sage-grouse) are a species of conservation concern that rely on large tracts of structurally and functionally diverse sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) communities. Using a 12-year (2008–2019) telemetry dataset, we documented immediate impacts of wildfire on demographic rates of a population of sage-grouse that were exposed to two large wildfire events (Virginia Mountains Fire Complex—2016; Long Valley Fire—2017) near the border of California and Nevada. Spatiotemporal heterogeneity in demographic rates were accounted for using a Before-After Control-Impact Paired Series (BACIPS) study design. Results revealed a 40% reduction in adult survival and a 79% reduction in nest survival within areas impacted by wildfires. Our results indicate that wildfire has strong and immediate impacts to two key life stages of a sagebrush indicator species and underscores the importance of fire suppression and immediate restoration following wildfire events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present an analysis using unsupervised machine learning (ML) to identify the key geologic factors that contribute to the geothermal production in Brady geothermal field. Brady is a hydrothermal system in northwestern Nevada that supports both electricity production and direct use of hydrothermal fluids. Transmissive fluid-flow pathways are relatively rare in the subsurface, but are critical components of hydrothermal systems like Brady and many other types of fluid-flow systems in fractured rock. Here, we analyze geologic data with ML methods to unravel the local geologic controls on these pathways. The ML method, non-negative matrix factorization with k-means clustering (NMFk), is applied to a library of 14 3D geologic characteristics hypothesized to control hydrothermal circulation in the Brady geothermal field. Our results indicate that macro-scale faults and a local step-over in the fault system preferentially occur along production wells when compared to injection wells and non-productive wells. We infer that these are the key geologic characteristics that control the through-going hydrothermal transmission pathways at Brady. Our results demonstrate: (1) the specific geologic controls on the Brady hydrothermal system and (2) the efficacy of pairing ML techniques with 3D geologic characterization to enhance the understanding of subsurface processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The many described subspecies of the Fox Sparrow (Passerella iliaca) have been parsed into four groups, the Red (iliaca group, two or three subspecies), Sooty (unalaschcensis group, seven subspecies), Thick-billed (megarhyncha group, five subspecies) and Slate-colored (schistacea group, four subspecies). Intermediate populations and contact areas between these groups play a role in answering the question whether any of the groups should be considered separate species. P. i. canescens of the Slate-colored group shows genetic characters of both the Slate-colored and Thick-billed groups. As currently classified it comprises two disjunct populations, one breeding in the White Mountains of California and Nevada, the other in the Toiyabe Range of central Nevada. We analyzed the vocalizations and bill sizes of these two populations to see if this might shed light on their taxonomic relationships. Our analyses of song, call, and bill measurements, along with a re-examination of previously published morphologic and genetic data, suggest that the two disjunct populations currently assigned to P. i. canescens represent different subspecies: the central Nevada population P. i. schistacea (in the Slate-colored group) and the White Mountains population P. i. megarhyncha (in the Thick-billed group), thus eliminating P. i. canescens as a synonym. Our findings may have implications for any future proposals to split the Fox Sparrow groups into distinct species. If that split results in the Slate-colored and Thick-billed groups assigned to separate species, our results would include the White Mountains population in the Thick-billed species and the central Nevada population in the Slate-colored species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pacifier use can interfere with nurturing care practices such as breastfeeding, soothing, and sleeping. Due to contradicting beliefs, recommendations, and the high frequency of pacifier use, understanding its associations may support shaping equitable public health recommendations. This study explored the socio-demographic, maternal, and infant characteristics associated with pacifier use among six-months old infants in Clark County, Nevada. Method: Cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2021 with a sample of mothers (n = 276) of infants under six months old in Clark County, Nevada. Participants were recruited through advertisements in birth, lactation, pediatric care centers, and social media. We used binomial and multinomial logistic models to assess the association between pacifier use and the age of pacifier introduction, respectively, with household, maternal, infant, healthcare characteristics, and feeding and sleeping practices. Results: More than half of the participants offered pacifiers (60.5%). Pacifier use was higher among low-income households (OR (95% CI) 2.06 (0.99–4.27)), mothers who identified as non-Hispanic (OR (95% CI) 2.09 (1.22–3.59)), non-first-time mothers (OR (95% CI) 2.09 (1.11–3.05)), and bottle-feeding infants (OR (95% CI) 2.76 (1.35–5.65)). Compared to those who did not introduce a pacifier, non-Hispanic mothers (RRR (95% CI) 2.34 (1.30–4.21)) and bottle-fed infants (RRR (95% CI) 2.71 (1.29–5.69)) had a higher risk of introducing pacifier within two weeks. Likewise, infants living in food insecure households (RRR (95% CI) 2.53 (0.97–6.58)) and mothers who have more than one child (RRR (95% CI) 2.44 (1.11–5.34)) had a higher risk of introducing a pacifier after two weeks. Conclusion: Pacifier use is independently associated with maternal income, ethnicity, parity, and bottle feeding among six-month-old infants living in Clark County, Nevada. Household food insecurity increased the relative risk of introducing a pacifier after two weeks. Qualitative research on pacifier use among families with diverse ethnic/racial backgrounds is needed to improve equitable interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Animals select habitats based on food, water, space, and cover. Each of those components are essential to the ability of an individual to survive and reproduce in a particular habitat. Selection of resources is linked to reproductive fitness and individuals likely vary in how they select resources relative to their reproductive state: during pregnancy, while provisioning young when nutritional needs of the mother are high, but offspring are vulnerable to predation, or if they lose young to mortality. We investigated the effects of reproductive state on selection of resources by maternal female desert bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis nelsoni) by comparing selection during the last trimester of gestation, following parturition when females were provisioning dependent young, and if the female lost an offspring. We captured, and recaptured each year, 32 female bighorn sheep at Lone Mountain, Nevada, during 2016–2018. Captured females were fit with GPS collars and those that were pregnant received vaginal implant transmitters. We used a Bayesian approach to estimate differences in selection between females provisioning and not provisioning offspring, as well as the length of time it took for females with offspring to return levels of selection similar to that observed prior to parturition. Females that were not provisioning offspring selected areas with higher risk of predation, but greater nutritional resources than those that were provisioning dependent young. When females were provisioning young immediately following parturition, females selected areas that were safe from predators, but had lower nutritional resources. Females displayed varying rates of return to selection strategies associated with access to nutritional resources as young grew and became more agile and less dependent on mothers. We observed clear and substantial shifts in selection of resources associated with reproductive state, and females exhibited tradeoffs in favor of areas that were safer from predators when provisioning dependent young despite loss of nutritional resources to support lactation. As young grew and became less vulnerable to predators, females returned to levels of selection that provided access to nutritional resources to restore somatic reserves lost during lactation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

More than half of National Parks in the United States report the presence of invasive animals. Here we report a checklist of non-native aquatic fauna at Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Nevada, with the earliest reported sighting in 1940. Seventy-two species of non-native aquatic fauna were found representing six taxonomic groups. 41 (57%) are established, 9 (13%) are either eradicated or failed, and the status of 19 species (26%) is unknown. This comprehensive species list represents a preliminary step in developing monitoring programs for invasive species currently found within Lakes Mead and Mohave. It will also help inform the development of early detection and rapid response activities and monitoring to safeguard the park from future invasions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the comparison of in-situ aircraft measurements of carbon dioxide (CO²) Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite (GOSAT) data measured over Railroad Valley, Nevada. It mentions that Atmospheric CO² observations (ACOS) from space was used to ana;yze the data. Moreover, agreement of the satellite and aircraft CO2 mixing ratios falls within the uncertainties of the employed methods.

More than half of National Parks in the United States report the presence of invasive animals. Here we report a checklist of non-native aquatic fauna at Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Nevada, with the earliest reported sighting in 1940. Seventy-two species of non-native aquatic fauna were found representing six taxonomic groups. 41 (57%) are established, 9 (13%) are either eradicated or failed, and the status of 19 species (26%) is unknown. This comprehensive species list represents a preliminary step in developing monitoring programs for invasive species currently found within Lakes Mead and Mohave. It will also help inform the development of early detection and rapid response activities and monitoring to safeguard the park from future invasions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hesitancy toward the COVID-19 vaccine has hindered its rapid uptake among the Hispanic and Latinx populations. The study aimed to use the Multi-Theory Model (MTM) for health behavior change to explain the intention of initiating and sustaining the behavior of COVID-19 vaccination among the Hispanic and Latinx populations that expressed and did not express hesitancy towards the vaccine in Nevada. Using a quantitative cross-sectional and survey-based research study design, data were collected using a 50-item questionnaire and analyzed using multiple linear regression modeling. Of 231 respondents, participatory dialogue (b = 0.113, p < 0.001; b = 0.072, p < 0.001) and behavioral confidence (b = 0.358, p < 0.001; b = 0.206, p < 0.001) displayed significant associations with the initiation of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among vaccine-hesitant and non-vaccine-hesitant individuals. Emotional transformation (b = 0.087, p < 0.001; b = 0.177, p < 0.001) displayed a significant association with the sustenance of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among vaccine-hesitant and non-vaccine-hesitant individuals. Results from this study provide evidence that the MTM is a useful tool in predicting COVID-19 vaccine acceptance behavior among Hispanics and Latinxs in Nevada, and it should be used in intervention designs and messaging to promote vaccine uptake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To develop machine learning algorithms to predict failure of surgical procedures that address cartilage defects of the knee and detect the most valuable variables associated with failure. Methods: A single institution prospectively collected database of cartilage procedures was queried for procedures performed between 2000 and 2018. Failure was defined as revision cartilage surgery and/or knee arthroplasty. One hundred and one preoperative and intraoperative features were evaluated as potential predictors. The dataset was randomly divided into training (70%) and independent testing (30%) sets. Four machine learning algorithms were trained and internally validated. Algorithm performance was assessed using area under curve (AUC) and the Brier score. Local Interpretable Model-agnostic Explanations (LIME) was utilized to assess the optimized algorithm fidelity. Results: A total of 1091 patients who underwent surgical procedures addressing cartilage defects in the knee with a minimum of 2-years of follow-up were included. The mean follow-up was 3.5 ± 2.8 years. The mean age was 40.5 ± 15 years. There were 205 (18.8%) patients who failed at final follow-up. The Random Forest algorithm was found to be the best performing algorithm, with an AUC of 0.765 and a Brier score of 0.135. The 10 most important features for predicting failure following surgical procedures addressing cartilage defects of the knee were: symptom duration, age, body mass index (BMI), lesion grade, total lesion area (sum of all lesion areas), number of previous surgeries, number of lesions in the knee, gender, athletic level, and traumatic etiology. LIME analysis allowed for assessment of the optimized algorithm fidelity, as well as provided a patient-specific comparison for the risk of failure of an individual patient being assigned various types of cartilage procedures. Conclusions: Machine learning algorithms were accurate in predicting the risk of failure following cartilage procedures of the knee, with the most important features being symptom duration, age, BMI, lesion grade, and total lesion area. Machine learning algorithms may be used to compare the risk of failure of specific patient-procedure combinations in the treatment of cartilage defects of the knee. Integrated human and machine learning decision-making may improve patient selection and bring about the new era of patient-tailored evidence-based clinical care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction (UCL-R) surgeries have increased significantly in amateur and professional baseball pitchers. While high school (HS) showcase participation has been considered an injury risk factor, limited data corroborating this association exists. Despite concern that showcase participation in amateur athletes may lead to higher risk of future injury, there is a scarcity of UCL injury-specific research on elite amateur pitchers using reliably recorded pitch velocity and other performance data rather than self-reported metrics. The objectives of this study were to examine the age at which elite high school pitchers began to achieve high fastball velocity, specifically greater than 90, 92, and 95 mph (≥90/92/95 mph), as well as to examine the relationship between showcase participation and future need for UCL-R during their professional career. We hypothesize that pitchers achieving fastball velocities ≥90/92/95 mph at younger ages are more likely to undergo UCL-R earlier in their professional careers compared to pitchers not achieving these velocity thresholds. Additionally, we hypothesize that pitchers participating in high showcase volumes are more likely to undergo UCL-R compared to pitchers participating in fewer showcases. Methods: Demographic, HS showcase performance, and injury data from pitchers selected in the first 5 rounds of the Major League Baseball (MLB) Draft (2011-2020) were gathered from publicly available databases. Demographic data collected for each pitcher included date of birth, height/weight/body mass index at time of MLB Draft, position (left- vs. right-handed pitcher), MLB Draft year, MLB Draft round and overall pick, high school state/country, college (if attended), whether pitcher entered professional baseball directly after HS, U.S. region, MLB organization which drafted pitcher. Performance data were collected for each pitcher exclusively from PG (www.perfectgame.org) and PBR (www.prepbaseballreport.com) events participated in during their HS careers prior to MLB draft. Performance metrics included: peak fastball velocity at HS showcases, age at which a pitcher achieved ≥90/92/95 mph at a HS showcase, age at which slider was first thrown in a HS showcase, peak slider velocity in a HS showcase. UCL injury data included: age at UCL-R, specific amateur or professional level when injured, and recovery time (in months). Continuous and categorical variables for pitchers undergoing UCL-R and those not undergoing UCL-R were compared, and multivariable analysis was performed using logistic regression. Standard deviations of ±1 SD were used to define "early" versus "late" UCL-R subgroups after normal distribution was confirmed (Shapiro-Wilk test, p = 0.183). Trends in time were evaluated using linear regression. The significance of trends over time was evaluated using linear regression. Data analysis was performed using SPSS Version 27 (IBM Corp). A two-tailed P<0.05 was used for determining statistical significance. Results: There were 845 pitchers selected in the first five rounds of the MLB Draft in the 10-year period selected for this study (2011-20). Overall, 659 of 845 pitchers (78.0%) had retrievable showcase performance data. Of 845 pitchers, 229 (27.1%) underwent UCL-R. Peak fastball velocity recorded at showcases was the strongest predictor of UCL-R (adjusted odds ratio 1.19, 95% CI 1.02, 1.39; p = 0.03) (Figure 1). Peak fastball velocity in high school (HS) was significantly higher among pitchers who underwent UCL-R compared the no UCL-R group (91.57 vs. 90.71 mph, 95% CI -1.43, -0.29; p < 0.01). Pitchers who achieved a peak fastball velocity of ≥ 90 mph in HS were more likely to undergo UCL-R compared to those who did not (p = 0.03). Similarly, pitchers who achieved a peak fastball velocity of ≥ 92 mph in HS were more likely to undergo UCL-R compared to pitchers who did not (p < 0.01). Age at which pitchers participated in their first HS showcase was significantly younger for the "early" versus the "late" UCL-R group (15.53 vs. 16.51 years, 95% CI -1.53, -0.41; p < 0.01). Elite pitchers with "early" UCL-R participated in more showcases compared to the "late" UCL-R group (5.38 vs. 2.89, 95% CI 0.48, 4.50; p = 0.02) (Figure 2). Upon multivariable analysis, peak fastball velocity in HS and a peak fastball velocity of ≥95 mph in HS were primary independent predictors of undergoing UCL-R. The likelihood of undergoing UCL-R increased 19% for every unit (mph) increase in peak fastball velocity at HS showcases (aOR 1.19, 95% CI 1.02, 1.39; p = 0.03). Between 2011-2022, significant trends were identified among pitchers chosen in the first five rounds of the MLB Draft (Figure 3). Mean age at which a pitcher underwent UCL-R decreased steadily over the decade by over 3.5 years (23.85 vs. 20.29 years, p < 0.001). Mean age at which a pitcher attended his first HS showcase steadily declined as well over the ten-year period (16.53 vs. 15.63 years, p < 0.001). Mean number of HS showcases a pitcher attended more than doubled during the decade (2.88 vs. 6.00 total showcases, p < 0.001). Additionally, mean age at which a pitcher achieved ≥90 mph fastball in a HS showcase also declined (17.19 vs. 16.71 years, p < 0.01). Conclusions: Peak fastball velocity recorded at HS showcase events is the strongest predictor of UCL-R in elite pitchers. Achieving fastball velocity thresholds of ≥90 mph and ≥92 mph at HS showcase events significantly increased the likelihood of UCL-R in elite pitchers. Younger age at first HS showcase, and younger age achieving ≥90 mph in a HS showcase significantly increased the likelihood of early UCL-R compared to late UCL-R in this cohort. Overall, our study findings provide statistically significant results which support a formal recommendation to limit showcase participation in adolescent and HS pitchers to age 16 years and older. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) of the humeral capitellum is an often painful condition that typically affects the adolescent athlete. There is little consensus on treatment and a scarcity of long-term outcomes data. The purpose of this study was to (1) report the long-term outcomes associated with both operative and non-operative management of capitellar OCD, (2) identify factors associated with failure of non-operative management, and (3) determine whether delay in surgery affects final outcomes. Methods: All patients diagnosed with OCD of the capitellum from 1995-2020 within a defined geographic cohort were included. Medical records, imaging studies, and operative reports were manually reviewed to record demographic data, treatment strategies, and outcomes. Surgical treatment was considered delayed if it occurred more than 6 months after symptom onset. Results: A total of 50 elbows with a mean follow-up of 9.4 years were included. Of these, 7 (14%) were treated non-operatively and never underwent surgery during follow-up, while 43 (86%) underwent surgical intervention: 27 had early surgery and 16 underwent delayed surgery after ≥ 6 months of non-operative treatment. When compared to non-operative management, surgical management resulted in superior MEPI scores (90 vs 83, p=0.05), decreased persistence of mechanical symptoms (9% vs 50%, p<0.01), and better elbow flexion (141° vs 131°, p=0.01) at long-term follow up. Older patients had a trend toward increased failure of non-operative management (p=0.06). The presence of an intra-articular loose body strongly predicted failure of non-operative management (p=0.01; OR 13). Plain radiography and MRI had poor sensitivities for identifying loose bodies (27% and 40%, respectively). Differences in outcomes following early versus delayed surgical management were not demonstrated. Conclusions: Patients with capitellar OCD initially treated nonoperatively failed nonoperative management 70% of the time. Elbows that did not undergo surgery had slightly increased symptoms and decreased functional outcomes compared to those treated surgically. In this cohort, the greatest predictors for failure of non-operative treatment were older age and presence of a loose body; however, an initial trial of non-operative treatment did not adversely impact the success of future surgery at long term follow-up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Columbia River province magmatism is now known to include abundant and widespread rhyolite centers even though the view that the earliest rhyolites erupted from the McDermitt Caldera and other nearby volcanic fields along the Oregon–Nevada state border has persisted. Our study covers little-studied or unknown rhyolite occurrences in eastern Oregon that show a much wider distribution of older centers. With our new data on distribution of rhyolite centers and ages along with literature data, we consider rhyolites spanning from 17.5 to 14.5 Ma of eastern Oregon, northern Nevada, and western Idaho to be a direct response to flood basalts of the Columbia River Basalt Group (CRBG) and collectively categorize them as Columbia River Rhyolites. The age distribution patterns of Columbia River Rhyolites have implications for the arrival, location, and dispersion of flood basalt magmas in the crust. We consider the period from 17.5 to 16.4 Ma to be the waxing phase of rhyolite activity and the period from 15.3 to 14.5 Ma to be the waning phase. The largest number of centers was active between 16.3–15.4 Ma. The existence of crustal CRBG magma reservoirs beneath rhyolites seems inevitable, and hence, rhyolites suggest the following. The locations of centers of the waxing phase imply the arrival of CRBG magmas across the distribution area of rhyolites and are thought to correspond to the thermal pulses of arriving Picture Gorge Basalt and Picture-Gorge-Basalt-like magmas of the Imnaha Basalt in the north and to those of Steens Basalt magmas in the south. The earlier main rhyolite activity phase corresponds with Grande Ronde Basalt and evolved Picture Gorge Basalt and Steens Basalt. The later main phase rhyolite activity slightly postdated these basalts but is contemporaneous with icelanditic magmas that evolved from flood basalts. Similarly, centers of the waning phase span the area distribution of earlier phases and are similarly contemporaneous with icelanditic magmas and with other local basalts. These data have a number of implications for long-held notions about flood basalt migration through time and the age-progressive Snake River Plain Yellowstone rhyolite trend. There is no age progression in rhyolite activity from south-to-north, and this places doubt on the postulated south-to-north progression in basalt activity, at least for main-phase CRBG lavas. Furthermore, we suggest that age-progressive rhyolite activity of the Snake River Plain–Yellowstone trend starts at ~12 Ma with activity at the Bruneau Jarbidge center, and early centers along the Oregon–Nevada border, such as McDermitt, belong to the early to main phase rhyolites identified here. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Decarbonization policies are being stymied by political conflict. Local communities might oppose decarbonization infrastructure such as solar farms, mines, or transmission lines if they view these projects as imposing high costs on them in relation to their benefits. To decarbonize, the automobile industry seeks to shift from the internal combustion engine to electric vehicles, which require lithium-based rechargeable batteries. In the United States, to meet the increasing lithium demand through domestic sources, there is a proposal for a lithium mine in Thacker Pass, Nevada, which faces strong opposition from native nations and environmental groups. Using a representative sample of Nevada residents (n = 1,368), we explore if proximity to the Thacker Pass mine and to any Nevada mine influence public support for the proposed lithium mine. In addition, we test three frames that emphasize different benefits of the proposed mine: climate policy, national security, and local economic development. We find that respondents living closer to the Thacker Pass mine tend to be more supportive of the proposed lithium mine but exposure to existing Nevada mines does not affect public support. Among the treatment frames, only the national security frame increases public support. This suggests that to navigate local public opposition, the national security—domestic sourcing of key inputs required for decarbonization, aspect of decarbonization projects should be highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, high-altitude infrasound sensing has become more prolific, demonstrating an enormous value especially when utilized over regions inaccessible to traditional ground-based sensing. Similar to ground-based infrasound detectors, airborne sensors take advantage of the fact that impulsive atmospheric events such as explosions can generate low frequency acoustic waves, also known as infrasound. Due to negligible attenuation, infrasonic waves can travel over long distances, and provide important clues about their source. Here, we report infrasound detections of the Apollo detonation that was carried on 29 October 2020 as part of the Large Surface Explosion Coupling Experiment in Nevada, USA. Infrasound sensors attached to solar hot air balloons floating in the stratosphere detected the signals generated by the explosion at distances 170–210 km. Three distinct arrival phases seen in the signals are indicative of multipathing caused by the small-scale perturbations in the atmosphere. We also found that the local acoustic environment at these altitudes is more complex than previously thought. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates whether flipping activities impose an externality on the transaction prices of the neighboring nonflipped properties. Using a data set of residential property transactions in Clark County, Nevada for the period 2003–2013, we find that flippers impose a significant positive impact on the price of neighboring nonflipped properties in an up market, but a significant negative effect in a down market. This procyclical impact of flipping activity contributes to the volatility of housing prices, hence magnifying boom and bust cycles and increasing the likelihood of a mortgage crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There have been no systematic experiments conducted in Nevada's water-limited environment that examined the simultaneous benefits of soil health and feed value derived from coolseason cover cropping systems. The objective of this study was to determine the influence of different annual cool-season cover crop systems on above and belowground biomass production, plant tissue carbon and nitrogen, forage nutritive value (crude protein, acid, and neutral detergent fiber), relative feed value (RFV), and short-term soil health indicators under irrigation in a semi-arid environment. Treatments (cover crop systems) were a fallow (no cover crop), five monocultures of rye (Secale cereale L.), winter lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.), arrowleaf clover (Trifolium vesiculosum Savi), white sweetclover (Melilotus alba), forage kale (Brassica oleracea L.), and two three-species mixtures in 50-25-25 seeding ratios (CCM 1: rye, winter lentil, arrowleaf clover; CCM 2: rye, white sweetclover, forage kale). Cover crop systems were arranged in an RCBD with three replications. Plots were fall seeded in Reno, NV early October of each year (2020 and 2021) and terminated at the end of July of 2021 and 2022, respectively. Averaged across years, aboveground biomass production was lowest for the monoculture of winter lentil (4104 kg DM ha-1; SE = 1551) compared to all other cover crop systems (average = 7593 kg DM ha-1; SE = 1551). Biomass carbon produced was lowest for winter lentil (1717 kg ha-1; SE = 675) relative to all other cover crop systems (average = 3227 kg ha-1; SE = 675). The CCM 1 system had a greater C/N ratio (36.3) than CCM 2 and the monocultures of winter lentil, arrowleaf clover, and white sweetclover (average = 24.9). Belowground biomass did not differ among cover crop systems (average = 3161 kg DM ha-1; SE = 962). Crude protein concentration was similar among cover crop systems but the RFV was greatest for forage kale (RFV = 165; SE = 4.0) among all cover crop systems. Soil total N and organic carbon concentration did not differ among cover crop systems but soil K concentration was greatest under fallow (428 mg kg-1 soil; SE = 26) relative to all other systems (average = 345.6 mg kg-1 soil; SE = 26). Soil microbial community biomass was not altered by cover crop system or its interaction with year. While the short-term impact of the cover crop systems on soil health indicators was minimal relative to the fallow system, the overall results suggested that there is potential to integrate cover crops in Nevada's semi-arid environment under irrigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article highlights the papers presented at the 47th meeting of the Society for History of Technology, held at the Imperial Palace Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada from October 12 to 15 2006. Papers include "Dirt Never Sleeps: A Preliminary Enquiry Into the Manufacturing Origins of Clean Room Technology," "Technology, Architecture and the Presidency: Early Developments of the West Wing" and "Technological Discussions in Iron and Steel, 1871-1885."

Recent trends in renewable energy development in the United States (U.S.) show that new installed capacity of utility-scale solar energy has exceeded 30% of total installed capacity of all sources per year since 2013. Photovoltaic solar energy provides benefits in that no emissions are produced; however, there are potential impacts from photovoltaic solar development on birds that include habitat loss and potential for collision mortality. Only 2 papers in the peer-reviewed literature present fatality information from fatality monitoring studies at a photovoltaic utility-scale solar energy facility; however, more data exists in unpublished reports. To provide a more comprehensive overview of bird mortality patterns, we synthesized results from fatality monitoring studies at 10 photovoltaic solar facilities across 13 site-years in California and Nevada. We found variability in the distribution of avian orders and species among and within Bird Conservation Regions, and found that water-obligate birds, which rely on water for take-off and landing, occurred at 90% (9/10) of site-years in the Sonoran and Mojave Deserts Bird Conservation Region. We found that a cause of mortality could not be determined for approximately 61% of intact carcasses, and that approximately 54% of all carcasses were feather spots, introducing uncertainty into the interpretation of the fatality estimates. The average annual fatality estimate we calculated for photovoltaic solar (high-end estimate of 2.49 birds per megawatt per year) is lower than that reported by another study (9.9 birds per megawatt per year) that included one photovoltaic facility. Our results provide a summary of fatalities in bird conservation regions where the facilities are located, but expanding our conclusions to new regions is limited by the location of facilities with fatality monitoring data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on the study conducted by the authors related to the analysis of the conceptual model of hydrothermal activity at Yucca Mountain, Nevada by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). It states that a unique conceptual model envisaging conductive heating of rocks in the thick unsaturated zone of Yucca Mountain by a silicic pluton was emplaced, with an explanation of the elevated depositional temperatures measured in fluid inclusions in secondary fluorite and calcite.