Application of Nonlinear Site Response Analysis in Coastal Plain South Carolina

The 1933 Long Beach, 1957 San Francisco, 1967 Caracas, 1985 Mexico City, 1989 Loma Prieta, and 1994 Northridge earthquake events left evidences of how the local site condition can affect the characteristics of propagating earthquake wave from the bedrock through the top soil. The ground motion amplitude, frequency content or the duration can be affected by the local site condition and thus can cause significant amplification or de-amplification to the original bedrock motion which can seriously affect the structures. Quantification of such site effect on ground motions is a challenging task. This dissertation is dedicated to improve the existing ground response quantification techniques and the related knowledge base. The first major attempt towards ground response quantification was the development of the 1994 NEHRP (BSSC, 1995) seismic site factor provision. Since the development of the NEHRP provisions, several studies have found these factors to produce inadequate predictions for the state of South Carolina. In an attempt to generate seismic site factors based on conditions specific to South Carolina Coastal Plain (SCCP), a series of nonlinear one-dimensional ground response analyses are performed by this author as part of a research team considering appropriate soil profiles and location specific ground excitations. After the generation of this new site factor model, a systematic repercussions study is performed by applying earthquake loads, considering both NEHRP and the new site factors, on typical highway bridge structures

Financial threat, hardship and distress predict depression, anxiety and stress among the unemployed youths: a Bangladeshi multi-cities study

Introduction: Unemployment has a contributory role in the development of mental health problems and in Bangladesh there is increasing unemployment, particularly among youth. Consequently, the present study investigated depression, anxiety, and stress among recent graduates in a multi-city study across the country. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 988 Bangladeshi graduate jobseekers in six major cities of the country between August to November 2019. The measures included socio-demographics and life-style factors, study and job-related information, Economic Hardship Questionnaire, Financial Threat Scale, Financial Well-Being Scale, and Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21. Results: Depression, anxiety and stress rates among the present sample were 81.1% (n=801), 61.5% (n=608) and 64.8% (n=640) respectively. Factors related to gender, age, socio-economic conditions, educational background, lack of extra-curricular activities, and high screen activity were significant risk factors of depression, anxiety, and stress. Structural equation modeling indicated that (while controlling for age, daily time spent on sleep study, and social media use), financial threat was moderately positively related to depression, anxiety, and stress. Financial hardship was weakly positively associated with depression, anxiety, and stress, whereas financial wellbeing was weakly negatively associated with depression, anxiety, and stress. Limitations: Due to the nature of the present study (i.e., cross-sectional study) and sampling method (i.e., convenience sampling), determining causality between the variables is not possible. Conclusions: The present results emphasized the important detrimental role of financial troubles on young people's mental health by showing that financial problems among unemployed youth predict elevated psychiatric distress in both men and women

Factors associated with suicidal behavior among university students in Bangladesh after one year of COVID-19 pandemic

BackgroundThe COVID-19 outbreak spillovers mental health burden where suicide is a common psychological public health issue that affects people all over the world. This study aimed to explore the factors associated with suicidal behavior among university students in Bangladesh after one year of the COVID-19 outbreak.MethodsAn online cross-sectional survey was conducted among 2100 Bangladeshi university students aged ≥18 years from April 29 to May 15, 2021. The survey questionnaire contained socio-demographic information, COVID-19 related physical and psychosocial factors (CRPPF), preventive response to psychological stress, and the Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised (SBQ-R) scale. Descriptive statistics along with logistic regression were performed for statistical analysis.ResultsAbout 47.90% of the students were at risk of suicidal behavior, and female students were very likely to be at risk of suicidal behavior than their male counterparts (AOR = 2.28; 95% CI: 1.86 to 2.81). Keeping distance from friends or family (AOR = 1.66; 95% CI: 1.34 to 2.04), having relationship problems (AOR = 2.20; 95% CI: 1.79 to 2.70), feeling own selves as burden to families (AOR = 2.50; 95% CI: 2.02 to 3.11), and being stressed of lockdown (AOR = 1.56; 95% CI: 1.19 to 2.03) were highlighted as some of the significant factors associated with increased risk of suicidal behavior.ConclusionUniversity students were exposed to several factors that impose the risk of developing suicidal behavior. Concerned authorities should design & implement appropriate strategies for ensuring suicidal prevention besides their mental well-being

Factors associated with post traumatic stress disorder symptoms among Bangladeshi university students after one year of COVID-19 pandemic

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic enhances mental health burden worldwide as well as people experiencing several psychiatric problems (e.g., Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) due to its intensive consequences. Therefore, this study aimed to envisage the factors associated with PTSD symptoms among university students in Bangladesh after living with COVID-19 outbreak for a year. Methods: An online cross-sectional survey was conducted among 2100 Bangladeshi university students aged ≥ 18 years from April 29 to May 15, 2021. The questionnaire comprised socio-demographics along with COVID-19 related physical and psychosocial factors (CRPPF), preventive response to psychological stress, and PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5). Descriptive statistics and logistic regression were performed for statistical analysis. Results: About 56.76% of the students had provisional PTSD. Female students were more likely to suffer from PTSD symptoms than male students (AOR= 1.68; 95% CI: 1.35 to 2.08). Being a victim of social media bullying (AOR= 1.57; 95% CI: 1.17 to 2.11), having relationship problems (AOR= 2.25; 95% CI: 1.82 to 2.79), and feeling own self as a burden to their families (AOR= 2.84; 95% CI: 2.27 to 3.56) had a significant association with a higher possibility of suffering from PTSD symptoms in this outbreak. Conclusion: University students experienced PTSD symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic which call for detailed in-depth explorations, confirmatory clinical diagnosis, and adoption of preventive strategies to minimize their suffering amid this pandemic