Granular anchors for stabilising slopes

A series of small-scale tests was undertaken to verify if granular anchors could be used as a slope stabilisation technique. The nature of the material used and the resulting loading configuration are described here. The work confirms that the inclusion of anchors within a slope mass, irrespective of their number or orientation, significantly enhances the capacity and ductility of the failure mode. The small-scale nature of this research did influence the observed capacities, but the overarching hypothesis was confirmed. A simple analysis method is proposed that allows designers to accurately remediate natural or man-made slopes using existing analytical methods for slope stability

An Evaluation of Grain Processing and Storage Method, and Feed Level on the Performance and Meat Quality of Beef Cattle Offered Two Contrasting Grass Silages

Traditionally cereals have been dried or treated with propionic acid and processed prior to feeding to finishing beef cattle. Recently new techniques have been developed for storing and feeding grain to beef cattle. The objective of the current study was to evaluate the effects of grain storage and processing method, and grain feed level on performance and meat quality of beef cattle offered two contrasting feed value grass silages

Method for Implementing Subsurface Solid Derived Concentration Guideline Levels (DCGL) -12331

ABSTRACT The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and other federal agencies currently approve the Multi-Agency Radiation Site Survey and Investigation Manual (MARSSIM) as guidance for licensees who are conducting final radiological status surveys in support of decommissioning. MARSSIM provides a method to demonstrate compliance with the applicable regulation by comparing residual radioactivity in surface soils with derived concentration guideline levels (DCGLs), but specifically discounts its applicability to subsurface soils. Many sites and facilities undergoing decommissioning contain subsurface soils that are potentially impacted by radiological constituents. In the absence of specific guidance designed to address the derivation of subsurface soil DCGLs and compliance demonstration, decommissioning facilities have attempted to apply DCGLs and final status survey techniques designed specifically for surface soils to subsurface soils. The decision to apply surface soil limits and surface soil compliance metrics to subsurface soils typically results in significant over-excavation with associated cost escalation. MACTEC, Inc. has developed the overarching concepts and principles found in recent NRC decommissioning guidance in NUREG 1757 to establish a functional method to derive dose-based subsurface soil DCGLs. The subsurface soil method developed by MACTEC also establishes a rigorous set of criterion-based data evaluation metrics (with analogs to the MARSSIM methodology) that can be used to demonstrate compliance with the developed subsurface soil DCGLs. The method establishes a continuum of volume factors that relate the size and depth of a volume of subsurface soil having elevated concentrations of residual radioactivity with its ability to produce dose. The method integrates the subsurface soil sampling regime with the derivation of the subsurface soil DCGL such that a self-regulating optimization is naturally sought by both the responsible party and regulator. This paper describes the concepts and basis used by MACTEC to develop the dosebased subsurface soil DCGL method. The paper will show how MACTEC's method can be used to demonstrate that higher concentrations of residual radioactivity in subsurface soils (as compared with surface soils) can meet the NRC's dose-based regulations. MACTEC's method has been used successfully to obtain the NRC's radiological release at a site with known radiological impacts to subsurface soils exceeding the surface soil DCGL, saving both time and cost

Moving toward improving the delivery of youth interrogation rights: can comprehension be enhanced through multimedia?

Across three experiments, the extent to which presenting youth interrogation rights in a multimedia format using three multimedia elements (Animation, Audio, and Caption) improved comprehension was examined. Experiments 1 and 2 employed a 2 (Animation: Present vs. Absent) X 2 (Audio: Present vs. Absent) X 2 (Caption: Present vs. Absent) between-participants design with samples of Canadian adults (N = 207) and youth (N = 193), respectively. Participants in both experiments were randomly shown one of eight multimedia presentations and then tested about their understanding of the youth interrogation rights content contained in the multimedia presentation. In both experiments, the multimedia presentation showing Animation and Caption yielded the highest comprehension score. Experiment 3 carried out a single-condition design with Canadian youth (N = 60) to collect opinions about the multimedia elements used in the stimuli. Participants were presented with a multimedia presentation containing all three multimedia elements (i.e., Animation, Audio, and Caption) and asked to provide their feedback about the presentation more broadly (e.g., evaluating the quality, rate of speed, distraction level, and their ability to identify character within the presentation); positive reviews were reported by nearly all participants. Implications of these collective findings for protecting youth and the use of technology during police interrogations are discussed

Seeking or suggesting the truth? an examination of Canadian lawyers' questioning practices

Ninety-one court examinations of lawyers asking questions to witnesses were analyzed. Each unique examination was coded for the frequency of utterance type being spoken (i.e., questions identified as open-ended, probing, closed yes-no, leading, forced choice, multiple, clarification, re-asked, as well as for offered opinions and facilitators), the assumed purpose type of each utterance (i.e., unknown, administrative, information gathering, challenging the witness’ account/details), lawyer type (i.e., prosecutor vs. defence), and examination type (i.e., direct vs. cross). The results showed that approximately 80% of the questions asked were inappropriate for gathering reliable information. In addition, there were no significant differences found between prosecutors or defence lawyers regarding the proportions of the utterance type spoken. However, there was a significant difference with some utterance types as a function of examination type; direct examinations contained significantly more closed yes-no, probing, and open-ended questions, whereas cross examinations contained significantly more leading and clarification questions. There were no significant differences found between lawyer type as a function of purpose type, with the exception of cross (vs. direct) examinations containing significantly more challenges. Although the findings were expected, these data suggest that the vast majority of courtroom questioning practices run counter to the truth-seeking function of the judiciary. Implications for the role of these questioning practices in the courtroom are discussed, along with the extent to which courtroom interviewing practices are in line with the concerns raised by lawyers when arguing against the inadmissibility of statements due to inadequate police interviewing practices

Podcasting from PowerPoint Made Easy for Faculty

Student demand, institutional support, and evidence of quality learning through web-based instruction should encourage faculty to experiment with alternative methods of delivering instruction. The authors developed a procedure to produce and deliver classroom lecture material by narrating PowerPoint presentations and converting to podcasts. This procedure requires little to no technical support, even for the technologically impaired, and costs less than $100 in equipment and software combined. It is an example of the many alternative distance education options available to educators today

An Evaluation of the Inclusion of Alternative Forages With Grass Silage-Based Diets on Carcass Composition and Meat Quality of Beef Cattle Offered Two Contrasting Grass Silages

Recent studies have shown that the inclusion of some alternative forages with grass silage-based diets can increase animal performance of beef cattle. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of including either maize or whole crop wheat (WCW) silages with grass silage-based diets on meat quality of beef cattle offered two levels of concentrate