Tracking the Economy of the City of Atlanta: Past Trends and Future Prospects

This report explores the changes in the level and composition of employment in the City of Atlanta over the last 25 years. FRC Report 17

Electronic Structure of Lithium Tetraborate

Due to interest as neutron detection material, an investigation of Li2B4O7(110) and Li2B4O7(100) was undertaken, utilizing photoemission and inverse photoemission spectroscopic techniques. The measured band gap depended on crystallographic direction with the band gaps ranging from 8.9±0.5 eV to 10.1±0.5 eV. The measurement yielded a density of states that qualitatively agreed with the theoretical results from model bulk band structure calculations for Li2B4O7; albeit with a larger band gap than predicted, but consistent with the known deficiencies of LDA and DFT calculations. The occupied states of both surfaces were extremely flat; to the degree that resolving periodic dispersion of the occupied states was inconclusive, within the resolution of the system. However, both surfaces demonstrated clear periodic dispersion within the empty states very close to theoretical Brillouin zone values. These attributes also translated to a lighter charge carrier effective mass in the unoccupied states. Li2B4O7(110) yielded the more consistent values in orthogonal directions for energy states. The presence of a bulk band gap surface state and image potential state in Li2B4O7(110) was indicative of a defect-free surface. The absence of both in the more polar, more dielectric Li2B4O7(100) was attributed to the presence of defects determined to be O vacancies. The results from Li2B4O7(110) were indicative of a more stable surface than Li2B4O7(100). In addition, Li 1s bulk and surface core level components were determined at the binding energies of -56.5+0.4 and -53.7+0.5 eV. Resonance features were observed along the [001] direction and were attributed to a Coster-Kronig process. The pyroelectric and piezoelectric character of Li2B4O7 was explored more deeply and a non-zero, off-axis pyroelectric coefficient for the Li2B4O7(110) direction was discovered

How Lego Constructs a Cross-promotional Franchise with Video Games

The purpose of this project is to examine how the cross-promotional Lego video game series functions as the site of a complex relationship between a major toy manufacturer and several media conglomerates simultaneously to create this series of licensed texts. The Lego video game series is financially successful outselling traditionally produced licensed video games. The Lego series also receives critical acclaim from both gaming magazine reviews and user reviews. By conducting both an industrial and audience address study, this project displays how texts that begin as promotional products for Hollywood movies and a toy line can grow into their own franchise of releases that stills bolster the original work. This study also examines why Lego was chosen to co-brand with Disney, Warner Bros., and Lucas Films to create these cross-promotional games. The target audiences and industrial strategy behind these games directly affects the difference between these texts and other licensed adaptation video games on the market. This thesis also analyzes the discourses surrounding the Lego video games to discover what these texts offer above and beyond other licensed games that makes them a unique as cross-promotional products. By using media studies concepts such as transmedia storytelling and paratexts, this study seeks to determine how audiences construct meaning from the Lego adaptations. Jonathan Gray\u27s notion of paratexts provides the groundwork for this meaning construction. The Lego video games edit the original franchise content to make family-friendly changes, offer the opportunity to create and manipulate the gaming environment, and offer humor through parody, which positions the target audience, young consumers who have not been exposed to the films, to understand the content in a way the Hollywood movie may not offer. In the same manner, parents/adults who have seen the films will have a different experience from interacting with the Lego games. Lego games rejuvenate the older franchises through the parents/adults reexperiencing the material, recruit younger consumers into the franchises with the Lego brand, and entice older non-gaming adults into gaming through the familiar licensed material. This thesis determines that the importance of these video games lies in their accessibility to a mass audience, their ability to function as an independent franchise of releases, and as recruitment tools for not only the licensing franchises and Lego, but for non-gamers to start playing

Manufacturing processes

The following issues are covered: process development frequently lags behind material development, high fabrication costs, flex joints (bellows) - a continuing program, SRM fabrication-induced defects, and in-space assembly will require simplified design

A Conceptual Overview of the Self‐Presentational Concerns and Response Tendencies of Focus Group Participants

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/142309/1/jcpy141.pd

Sound attenuation in a condensing vapor

The process of acoustic attenuation in a condensing medium is investigated using a continuumlike formulation that allows for the phase-exchange process. The liquid phase is assumed sufficiently disperse so that the field may be treated as a continuum. The elementary relaxation processes associated with droplet velocity, temperature, and vapor pressure equilibration are equally important in determining the attenuation when vapor, liquid, and inert gas mass fractions are of the same order. When the liquid mass fraction is small, however, a strong attenuation band appears at low frequencies. This attenuation process involves a coupled relaxation process in which heat transfer and vaporization processes combine to change the temperature of the relatively large gas mass. This attenuation band (i) centers on a frequency that is proportional to the concentration of liquid, and (ii) has a maximum value that varies directly as the concentration of condensible vapor and roughly as the square of the latent heat of vaporization. When the concentrations of liquid and condensible vapor are both small, the low-frequency attenuation band is nearly isolated and may be described in a convenient analytical manner

The Temporary Construction of Consumer Attitudes

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/141498/1/jcpy375.pd

The Effect of a Western Diet on Hepatic Autophagy in Age Accelerated SAMP8 Mice

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is characterized as a dysregulation of hepatic lipid metabolism and a chronic inflammatory state. It is hypothesized the link between lipid dysregulation and inflammation may be due in part to defective hepatic autophagy and reduced mitochondrial capacity to oxidize fatty acids. It remains to be determined; however, the effects of a Western diet on hepatic autophagy and mitochondrial function during aging. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of a high-fat high fructose diet (HFF) on markers of hepatic autophagy and mitochondrial function in an age accelerated mouse model. METHODS: Twenty week old, male and female, SAMP8 mice (n=49) were randomly assigned, matching for gender, to either a standard chow (SC) or HFF (45% fat, 24% fructose) diet for 32 weeks. Liver tissue was analyzed for mRNA expression of autophagic (BNIP3, Beclin 1, p62, and Atg7) and mitochondrial (PGC1α and COXIV) genes. Differences between gender and dietary groups were identified by a 2 x 2 ANOVA and statistical significance was set at p\u3c0.05. RESULTS: Following 32 weeks of feeding, male mice fed the HFF diet were significantly heavier than male mice in the SC group (31.6 g vs 26.5 g; p=0.001); however, no difference was observed between diet groups for female mice. The HFF diet resulted in higher autophagic activity as observed by Beclin 1 (+36%; p=0.001) and BNIP3 (+40%; P=0.003) expression. Despite the higher autophagic activity, p62 was higher (+31%; p\u3c0.001) in the HFF compared to the SC group, suggesting impaired autophagic flux. In addition, mitochondrial COXIV expression was elevated (+43%; P\u3c0.001) in the HFF group compared to the SC group suggesting increased β-oxidation. Overall, the expression of all autophagic and mitochondrial markers was higher in male compared to female mice; however, both sexes responded similarly to the HFF diet. CONCLUSION: Despite the higher expression of autophagic and mitochondrial genes, elevated expression of p62 suggests an impaired autophagic flux in age accelerated mice following a Western diet

The importance of comparative phylogeography in diagnosing introduced species: a lesson from the seal salamander, Desmognathus monticola

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In most regions of the world human influences on the distribution of flora and fauna predate complete biotic surveys. In some cases this challenges our ability to discriminate native from introduced species. This distinction is particularly critical for isolated populations, because relicts of native species may need to be conserved, whereas introduced species may require immediate eradication. Recently an isolated population of seal salamanders, <it>Desmognathus monticola</it>, was discovered on the Ozark Plateau, ~700 km west of its broad continuous distribution in the Appalachian Mountains of eastern North America. Using Nested Clade Analysis (NCA) we test whether the Ozark isolate results from population fragmentation (a natural relict) or long distance dispersal (a human-mediated introduction).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Despite its broad distribution in the Appalachian Mountains, the primary haplotype diversity of <it>D. monticola </it>is restricted to less than 2.5% of the distribution in the extreme southern Appalachians, where genetic diversity is high for other co-distributed species. By intensively sampling this genetically diverse region we located haplotypes identical to the Ozark isolate. Nested Clade Analysis supports the hypothesis that the Ozark population was introduced, but it was necessary to include haplotypes that are less than or equal to 0.733% divergent from the Ozark population in order to arrive at this conclusion. These critical haplotypes only occur in < 1.2% of the native distribution and NCA excluding them suggest that the Ozark population is a natural relict.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our analyses suggest that the isolated population of <it>D. monticola </it>from the Ozarks is not native to the region and may need to be extirpated rather than conserved, particularly because of its potential negative impacts on endemic Ozark stream salamander communities. Diagnosing a species as introduced may require locating nearly identical haplotypes in the known native distribution, which may be a major undertaking. Our study demonstrates the importance of considering comparative phylogeographic information for locating critical haplotypes when distinguishing native from introduced species.</p

UNIQUE RADIOANALYTICAL PROTOCOLS FOR CHARACTERIZATION AND VERIFICATION DURING DECONTAMINATION AND DECOMMISSIONING

In order to successfully decontaminate, deactivate and decommission surplus Department of Energy (DOE) facilities throughout the Savannah River Site (SRS), a variety of characterizations must be completed to sufficiently identify and quantify potential contaminants of concern. The ultimate goal is to rapidly and efficiently characterize, decontaminate (if necessary), and verify that the remnants meet specified limits established by either an industrial worker model or a groundwater model. To meet this end, the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) developed a series of radioanalytical strategies and methodologies which can be used to characterize targeted facilities and prove that decontamination has been sufficient. To our knowledge, this is the first application of this novel methodology within the DOE complex. This methodology has been successfully utilized with nearly 1000 samples from over a dozen facilities. The application of this approach to just a single facility shortened the schedule by 30 days and resulted in non-labor dollar savings of over $60K. Cost savings for a second facility was determined to be$375K. Based on the success of this methodology at SRS, this approach will be valuable to other nuclear facilities in the USA and abroad involved with the decontamination and decommissioning process