A Spatial Analysis of the Relationship between Pedestrian Crash Events and Features of the Built Environment in Downtown Atlanta

Pedestrian injuries and fatalities due to motor vehicle crashes are a significant public health concern, and the urban campus of Georgia State University poses unique challenges to pedestrian safety issues. Previous studies of the built environment have link several features to increased pedestrian crash occurrences. Once identified, these features can be modified to create a healthier environment for pedestrians. This study examines the relationship between specific features of the built environment and pedestrian crash events. Environmental audits were conducted to collect information about the built environment around Georgia State campus, and pedestrian crash data was obtained from GDOT. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) was used to create a visual representation of this data in order to establish spatial relationships between the built environment and pedestrian crash events. Results show both positive and negative correlations between certain built environment features and pedestrian crashes. GIS was established as a useful tool for evaluating the spatial distribution and relationship between the built environment and pedestrian injury within a localized area, and provides a springboard for future research that seeks to study this association on a larger scale

The detection and discrimination of sunless self-tanners containing dihydroxyacetone on clothing using instrumental techniques

The awareness of health risks associated with sun exposure, primarily ultra violet (UV) radiation, have played a large role in the introduction of sunless self-tanning products. These products, produced by cosmetic companies, are intended to provide the user with a sun-tanned appearance without exposing the skin to harmful UV radiation. While the manufacturers of these products claim that the products are transfer-free, several reports of the tanner depositing onto the wearers clothing have been documented1. As this is a highly undesirable characteristic for the consumer, the product's ability to transfer onto clothing makes sunless self-tanners a potentially valuable piece of forensic evidence in cases where an altercation between two individuals has occurred, specifically in sexual assaults, beatings, and homicides. The presence of self-tanner on an individual's clothing could help corroborate a story and provide an additional piece of evidence and/or leads to an investigation. The purpose of this study was to determine if sunless self-tanners transfer from skin to clothing. Given that a transfer occurs, this research was also intended to both identify and evaluate the differences seen between self-tanning products using instrumental techniques that would typically be used in forensic labs. Sixteen sunless self-tanning products were added to the skin as directed by the manufacturer. After an assigned time interval since application (15 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour, 3 hours, 6 hours, or 12 hours) was reached, a white cotton swatch was used to wipe a portion of the sunless self-tanner off of the skin in attempt to simulate a realistic scenario of an altercation between individuals who may be wearing the product. Observations of the cotton swatches were document. Transferred material on the cotton swatches was analyzed using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). Analysis of the products prepared directly from the packaging as well as two samples containing transferred material were analyzed using Gas Chromatography- Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). All of the sixteen samples tested transferred from the skin onto the cotton swatch when forcibly wiped at each time interval. FTIR analysis was unable to discriminate between the commercial products but was able to separate the samples into six groups based on similarities seen between the spectra. Analysis using this instrumental technique was useful in identifying the samples as sunless self-tanning products, but was unable to differentiate further. Analysis of the sunless self-tanners prepared directly from their packaging/bottle using GC-MS was able to differentiate between the products, providing a combination of chemical ingredients that were unique to each product. Analysis of the transferred material on the cotton swatches did not identify all of the chemical components that were earlier considered unique to that sample, however, peaks were observed in the chromatogram that were also present in the samples when prepared directly from their packaging. These transferred samples were able to be identified when a known sample was available for comparison. The instrumental techniques used in this study are useful in analyzing and identifying suspected sunless self-tanner stains on clothing in a crime laboratory setting. The results obtained from this analysis can provide probative information in an investigation

Play behavior varies by age class in wild African elephants (\u3ci\u3eLoxodonta africana\u3c/i\u3e)

Many environmental factors effect the behaviors of African elephants, Loxodonta africana, such as, health, drought, and dominance. The purpose of this research was to observe play behaviors within the different age classes (calf, juvenile, and adult) of wild elephants during recent drought conditions in Amboseli National Park, Ol Pejeta Conservancy, and Samburu National Reserve in Kenya. Scan sampling every 15 minutes was used to record play behavior. The results from this study indicated that there are differences in the types of play behavior among the age classes. Adults displayed the most play frequencies for environmental, alone locomotion, and tactile play. Calves exhibited the most play frequencies for object and calm play. Calves were also the only age class to display nursing attempts, with juveniles displaying zero attempts. Research was conducted at the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, an elephant orphanage, as a comparison to the wild data. The findings indicated similarities between wild and captive data. Similar to the results in the wild, juveniles had the highest play frequencies for environmental play. Calves also had similar behavior in the orphanage and in the wild, where the highest play frequencies were object and calm play. Observing play behavior across the different age classes can be beneficial in order to understand the impact play behavior has on social development

Thirteen Views

Table of Contents: Fried Eggs; Joe's Room; For Savannah; Big Shot; A Stranger's Funeral; Early Bloomer; The Other Me; Still Life; Digging; The Absinthe Drinker; The Auction; Alla Scala; The ChancesBachelor of Art

The 2011 National School Climate Survey: The Experiences of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Youth in Our Nation's Schools

In 1999, GLSEN identified the need for national data on the experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) students and launched the first National School Climate Survey (NSCS). At the time, the school experiences of LGBT youth were under-documented and nearly absent from national studies of adolescents. For more than a decade, the biennial NSCS has documented the unique challenges LGBT students face and identified interventions that can improve school climate. The survey explores the prevalence of anti-LGBT language and victimization, the effect that these experiences have on LGBT students' achievement and well-being, and the utility of interventions in lessening the negative effects of a hostile school climate and promoting a positive educational experience. The survey also examines demographic and community-level differences in LGBT students' experiences.The NSCS remains one of the few studies to examine the school experiences of LGBT students nationally, and its results have been vital to GLSEN's understanding of the issues that LGBT students face, thereby informing our ongoing work to ensure safe and affirming schools for all.In our 2011 survey, we examine the experiences of LGBT students with regard to indicators of negative school climate:hearing biased remarks, including homophobic remarks, in school;feeling unsafe in school because of personal characteristics, such as sexual orientation, gender expression, or race/ethnicity;missing classes or days of school because of safety reasons; andexperiencing harassment and assault in school.We also examine:the possible negative effects of a hostile school climate on LGBT students' academic achievement, educational aspirations, and psychological well-being;whether or not students report experiences of victimization to school officials or to family members and how these adults address the problem; andhow the school experiences of LGBT students differ by personal and community characteristics.In addition, we demonstrate the degree to which LGBT students have access to supportive resources in school, and we explore the possible benefits of these resources, including:Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs) or similar clubs;anti-bullying/harassment school policies and laws;supportive school staff; andcurricula that are inclusive of LGBT-related topics.Given that GLSEN has more than a decade of data, we examine changes over the time on indicators of negative school climate and levels of access to LGBT-related resources in schools

What's the Big IDeA?: Considerations for Implementing an Institutional Repository

Continually increasing journal costs have pushed libraries and research institutions to consider alternative forms of scholarly publication. One such form is that of the institutional digital repository (IR). As an early implementer of DSpace, an open-source institutional digital repository software product, IUPUI offers those just beginning to think about IRs an overview of issues such as: choosing a repository platform, staffing and technology needs, metadata and controlled vocabulary concerns, promotion, and time challenges. While the article outlines the process IUPUI followed to create its own IR, the piece is universalized to address the concerns of any new IR implementer

Implementing an Institutional Repository at IUPUI: A Good IDeA

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Preliminary Investigation of Continuous Self-Improvement & Optimism

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