Using Contaminated Garbage Collection and Reference Counting Garbage Collection to Provide Automatic Storage Reclamation for Real-Time Systems

Language support of dynamic storage management simplifies the application programming task immensely. As a result, dynamic storage allocation and garbage collection have become common in general purpose computing. Garbage collection research has led to the development of algorithms for locating program memory that is no longer in use and returning the unused memory to the run-time system for late use by the program. While many programming languages have adopted automatic memory reclamation features, this has not been the trend in Real-Time systems. Many garbage collection methods involve some form of marking the objects in memory. This marking requires time proportional to the size of the head to complete. As a result, the predictability constraints of Real-Time are often not satisfied by such approaches. In this thesis, we present an analysis of several approaches for program garbage collection. We examine two approximate collection strategies (Reference Counting and Contamination Garbage Collection) and one complete collection approach (Mark and Sweep Garbage Collection). Additionally, we analyze the relative success of each approach for meeting the demands of Real-Time computing. In addition, we present an algorithm that attempts to classify object types as good candidates for reference counting. Our approach is conservative and uses static analysis of an application\u27s type system. Our analysis of these three collection strategies leads to the observation that there could be benefits to using multiple garbage collectors in parallel. Consequently we address challenges associated with using multiple garbage collectors in one application

Physical and Electrochemical Area Determination of Electrodeposited Ni, Co, and NiCo Thin Films

The surface area of electrodeposited thin films of Ni, Co, and NiCo was evaluated using electrochemical double-layer capacitance, electrochemical area measurements using the [Ru(NH$_3$)$_6$]$^{3+}$/[Ru(NH$_3$)$_6$]$^{2+}$ redox couple, and topographic atomic force microscopy (AFM) imaging. These three methods were compared to each other for each composition separately and for the entire set of samples regardless of composition. Double-layer capacitance measurements were found to be positively correlated to the roughness factors determined by AFM topography. Electrochemical area measurements were found to be less correlated with measured roughness factors as well as applicable only to two of the three compositions studied. The results indicate that in situ double-layer capacitance measurements are a practical, versatile technique for estimating the accessible surface area of a metal sample.Comment: Accepted for publication in Nano Convergence, 6 figure

Queering the Way: Investigating the Relationship Between LGBT+ Advocacy and Policy Advancement

The modern LGBT+ rights movement in the United States has pushed both political and social advancements forward since the mid-twentieth century, furthering the fight for equality. Even as hundreds of anti-LGBT+ bills have been proposed and passed in states across the country throughout the last decade or so, they have remained a force to be reckoned with. This study analyzes the specific tactics used by LGBT+ activists and nonprofits from the mid-twentieth century to present day, through the framework of Douglas McAdam’s Political Opportunity Theory to explain how campaigns or movements are made successful. Political Opportunity Theory, or Political Opportunity Structure, argues social movement success is most dependent on the availability of political opportunities (McAdam, 2013). The study primarily draws on interviews of LGBT+ activists and aligned policy makers, both archived and original, ultimately seeking to determine which advocacy strategies most effectively advance political and social acceptance. Using political theories, previous scholarly literature, and activist interviews, this study found that many factors contribute to the overall success of an advocacy campaign: access to resources, ability to mobilize populations, clear goals and strategy, and strong relationships between outsider activists and political insiders. The goal of this report is to advise the creation of effective policy change inside political arenas and social change both through advocacy and through increased LGBT+ support from powerholders in government, to further promote LGBT+ equality and understanding in the United States

Laboratory Assessment of \u3cem\u3eBeauveria bassiana\u3c/em\u3e (Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae) strain GHA for Control of \u3cem\u3eListronotus maculicollis\u3c/em\u3e (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) Adults

Bioassays were designed to evaluate Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin strain GHA against Listronotus maculicollis (Kirby) adults. B. bassiana and its “inert” carrier oil in the product BotaniGard and the inert carrier oil alone provided 99 and 96% mortality, respectively, in petri dish assays 1 d after treatment when applied in 1 ml water. When the same treatments were applied in 0.5 ml of carrier water, mortality was only 1.4 and 0.7%, respectively, 1 d after treatment. After 10 d in petri dishes, B. bassiana and its inert carrier oil and the inert carrier oil alone applied in 0.5 ml water showed 77 and 9% mortality, respectively. When one-tenth the label dosage of B. bassiana and inert carrier oil was combined with neonicotinoids applied in 1 ml water, there were significant increases in weevil mortality over the neonicotinoids alone 1 d after treatment. When 88.7% of one-tenth the label dosage of inert carrier oil alone was combined with neonicotinoids clothianidin, imidacloprid, and dinotefuran applied in 1 ml water, there was also a significant increases (38%) with clothianidin in weevil mortality over clothianidin alone 1 d after treatment. B. bassiana and its inert carrier oil provided 28, 50, and 78% mortality at the highest label dosage and 47, 76, and 89% mortality at 4× the highest label dosage in turf plug assays at 7, 10, and 14 d after treatment. Addition of 5 or 20% MycoMax (a nutrient source for B. bassiana) did not significantly increase mortality

Til Insurance Do Us Part: : the Effect of the Affordable Care Act Preexisting Conditions Provision on Marriage

This paper investigates the effect of the 2014 Affordable Care Act preexisting conditions provisionon marriage. The policy was implemented to prevent insurers from denying insurance coverage to individuals with health conditions. We test whether the implementation of the provision led to decreases in marriage among affected adults. We add to earlier work on how marital behavior is influenced by policy incentives and examine for the presence of “marriage lock”, a situation in which individuals remain married primarily for insurance. Using data from 2009-2015 and difference-in-differences models, we find that males with preexisting conditions are 5.15 percentage points (6.40 percent) less likely to be married after the policy implementation. Effects are largest for men who had insurance coverage prior to the policy change from a source other than his own employer, suggesting that the inability to attain individual coverage and reliance on spousal insurance provided incentives to remain married

Timing recovery after the cretaceous/paleogene boundary: evidence from Brazos River, Texas

As part of an on-going re-assessment of the Cretaceous/ Paleogene boundary in the Brazos River area, Falls County, Texas, a number of new exposures have been described. One of these, at River Bank South, provides a near continuous record of the lowermost Paleocene. It is from this succession that stable isotope analysis of bulk organic matter (δ13C and C/N) and mono-specific samples of the benthic foraminifera Lenticulina rotulata Lamarck (δ18O and δ13C) yields an orbitally-tuned stable isotope record, which allows the timing of events adjacent to the Cretaceous/Paleogene boundary to be determined. Using this cyclicity, it is suggested that the on-set of biotic recovery began ∼40,000 years after the impact (near the base of Zone Pα) and that more significant recovery of planktic foraminifera and calcareous nannofossils began close to the base of Zone P1a, some 85,000–100,000 years post-impact. The data also appear to record the presence of the earliest Paleocene DAN-C2 and Lower C29n hyperthermal events and that these events appear to be an accentuated segment of this orbital cyclicity

Fluid balance and cardiac function in septic shock as predictors of hospital mortality

INTRODUCTION: Septic shock is a major cause of morbidity and mortality throughout the world. Unfortunately, the optimal fluid management of septic shock is unknown and currently is empirical. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed at Barnes-Jewish Hospital (St. Louis, Missouri). Consecutive patients (n = 325) hospitalized with septic shock who had echocardiographic examinations performed within 24 hours of shock onset were enrolled. RESULTS: A total of 163 (50.2%) patients with septic shock died during hospitalization. Non-survivors had a significantly larger positive net fluid balance within the 24 hour window of septic shock onset (median (IQR): 4,374 ml (1,637 ml, 7,260 ml) vs. 2,959 ml (1,639.5 ml, 4,769.5 ml), P = 0.004). The greatest quartile of positive net fluid balance at 24 hours and eight days post-shock onset respectively were found to predict hospital mortality, and the greatest quartile of positive net fluid balance at eight days post-shock onset was an independent predictor of hospital mortality (adjusted odds ratio (AOR), 1.66; 95% CI, 1.39 to 1.98; P = 0.004). Survivors were significantly more likely to have mild left ventricular dysfunction as evaluated by bedside echocardiography and non-survivors had slightly elevated left ventricular ejection fraction, which was also found to be an independent predictor of outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Our data confirms the importance of fluid balance and cardiac function as outcome predictors in patients with septic shock. A clinical trial to determine the optimal administration of intravenous fluids to patients with septic shock is needed