Analysis of Settlement-Induced Bending Moments in Battered Piles within a Levee Embankment

Settlement-Induced Bending Moments (SIBM) are an important design condition that must be considered whenever battered piles are placed in settling soils. The objective of this research was to investigate various parameters which can affect SIBM in battered piles within a levee embankment. The results from the current study were compared and verified against those obtained from centrifuge testing and alternative numerical simulations. A series of centrifuge testing as well as finite difference numerical simulations in Fast Langrangian Analysis of Continua (FLAC) were conducted. Different parameters which may affect the bending moments were investigated including pile connection fixity, batter, and stiffness of the pile as well as the magnitude of settlement. The simulations show that these parameters can have large impacts on the magnitude and location of the bending moments. Findings of this research can be used to validate or identify the need for adjustment of the current modeling/design approach

Analysis of Settlement-Induced Bending Moments in Battered Piles within a Levee Embankment

Settlement-Induced Bending Moments (SIBM) are an important design condition that must be considered whenever battered piles are placed in settling soils. The objective of this research was to investigate various parameters which can affect SIBM in battered piles within a levee embankment. The results from the current study were compared and verified against those obtained from centrifuge testing and alternative numerical simulations. A series of centrifuge testing as well as finite difference numerical simulations in Fast Langrangian Analysis of Continua (FLAC) were conducted. Different parameters which may affect the bending moments were investigated including pile connection fixity, batter, and stiffness of the pile as well as the magnitude of settlement. The simulations show that these parameters can have large impacts on the magnitude and location of the bending moments. Findings of this research can be used to validate or identify the need for adjustment of the current modeling/design approach

Understanding the Sources of Hurt and Wounded Members in the Church of Pentecost Norfolk

Church hurt is an emotional feeling that disconnects a person from reality, and remains a neglected topic in many Pentecostal churches. In the church setting, hurt members who are broken inside often portray an attitude of wholeness on the outside, even if the physical, spiritual, and physiological atmosphere of hurt prevents them from fully connecting or interacting with others. That hurt eventually hinders their growth, the growth of others, and the potential of the whole church. In this thesis, the researcher investigates the causes of church hurt experienced by members of COP Norfolk, a US subsidiary of the global Christian organization, The Church of Pentecost (COP). The researcher engaged fifteen participants in interviews and seminars to understand better the nuances of the emotional pain experienced by these individuals. Among the findings is the expectation that Christians should ignore their feelings when hurt and how the fear of being judged prevents congregants from freely expressing their feelings of hurt. The researcher discovered that the culture of the most dominant Ghanaian population could also be one of the sources of hurt. As a result of this research, the root causes of hurt discovered will help incite honest conversations among the leadership and members of COP Norfolk that will encourage healing and forgiveness among hurt congregants. The research results will further bring the leadership of COP Norfolk to a place of awareness, providing an atmosphere that breeds authentic growth among members at all levels

The Effect of an LGB Affirmative Sports Video on Student Athlete Knowledge and Attitudes Toward LGB Individuals

Hegemonic masculinity has deep roots within sports making it difficult for lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) athletes to be openly out. Many LGB athletes have experienced verbal and physical harassment and assault from teammates and other athletes or social isolation on their teams. The You Can Play Project (YCPP) is an online media campaign focused on eliminating homophobia in sports and making sport a safe space for LGB athletes. However, there has been no empirical evaluation of whether the YCPP changes attitudes toward LGB individuals. The current study evaluated the effectiveness of the YCPP videos on decreasing homonegativity within a sample of self-identified heterosexual NCAA female (n = 120) and male (n = 28) athletes. Athletes were randomly assigned to watch one of three one-minute videos: YCPP, generic anti-bullying, or sleep hygiene. Most athletes in the study had not heard of the YCPP or seen their videos. Significant differences in homonegativity were found between female and male athletes with men reporting more negative attitudes. Using data from only female athletes; there were no significant differences in homonegativity attitudes by video condition. Knowledge of LGB history was associated with more positive attitudes toward LGB individuals for both female and male athletes. Female athletes who reported close contact with an LGB family member or friend reported significantly greater internal affirmativeness toward LGB individuals. Results of the study suggest a shift is taking place within the NCAA with female athletes holding more positive attitudes toward LGB individuals than previously reported. This finding may not be true for male athletes. Continued efforts are needed in examining the effectiveness of the YCPP

Stand More, Sit Less, for Better Metabolic Health

Sedentary behaviors are associated with metabolic risks such as weight gain, high adiposity, and abdominal/visceral fat deposition. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends a minimum of 150 mins per week of moderate to vigorous physical activity for health benefits. Adherence, however, is poor due to the prolonged sitting hours required for most modern jobs and the excessive television viewing habits. Emerging studies show that interrupting long sitting hours with intermitted breaks of light activities attenuates the pernicious effects of sedentariness. While most studies and policy guidelines focus on physical activity interventions, there is a lack of data on the benefits of standing over sitting during the day. PURPOSE: To determine the contribution of standing-to-sitting time proportions on body fat distribution and resting energy expenditure. METHODS: Ninety-two volunteers (41 males, 51 females) participated in the study (Age: 26 ± 9 years, BMI: 28 ± 7 kg/m2). Total physical activity level, time spent sitting, and time spent standing were determined for all participants wearing an accelerometer for seven days. Participants were categorized into standing (N=51; 25 males, 26 females) and sitting groups (N=41; 16 males, 25 females). The standing group had longer-standing hours with a stand-to-sit ratio of 0.5 and above, while the sitting group had longer-sitting hours with a stand-to-sit ratio below 0.5. Metabolic health indicators namely, body fat percentage and fat distribution (abdominal/android obesity) were determined using dual x-ray absorptiometry while resting metabolic rate was analyzed by indirect calorimetry. Unpaired t-tests were used to compare the mean value of outcome measures between groups. Data are presented as mean ± SD and p\u3c0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: The standing group spent an average of 30% and 44% of their sedentary time standing and sitting respectively, while the sitting group spent an average of 16%and 58% of their sedentary time standing and sitting respectively. No significant differences were observed in total times spent in physical activity and total sedentary time among both groups (p\u3e0.05). However, longer-sitting hours, compared to longer-standing hours were characterized by significantly higher body mass index (30.1 ± 6.5 kg/m2 vs 26.4 ± 7.1 kg/m2; p\u3c0.05), android-to-gynoid fat ratio (1.08 ± 0.22 vs 0.85 ± 0.22; p\u3c0.05), android fat (43.8 ± 11.6 % vs 27.1 ±12.7 %; p\u3c0.05), and higher total body fat percentage (38.1 ± 8.8 % vs 28.6 ± 8.3 %; p\u3c0.05). Furthermore, resting metabolic rate was higher among the standing group as compared to the sitting group (24.2 ± 3.0 Kcal/Kg vs 22.2 ± 3.5 Kcal/Kg; p\u3c0.05). CONCLUSION: These results indicate that greater proportion of time spent in standing, relative to sitting, may contribute to lower body fat, abdominal obesity, and greater resting energy expenditure independent of physical activity level. Exercise prescriptions for health maintenance and enhancement should integrate recommendations to minimize extended sitting hours and encourage the substitution of sitting time with standing

Edward W. Blyden and the West African University: race, mission and education

A journal article chronicling the history of the West African University ; its race, mission and education.Throughout the nineteenth century, and well into the twentieth, education at all levels in sub-Saharan Africa was controlled by European missionaries and was essentially a tool of Western Christian expansion. As early as the nineteenth century incipient African nationalism inspired strenuous opposition to what was perceived as the inimical effects of an educational structure imbued with Western European ethnocentrism. Foremost among the champions for a system of education adapted to the needs of Africa and geared towards building African 'selfhood' was Edward Wilmot Blyden (1832-1912), a West Indian of direct African descent. Blyden achieved prominence as an ardent champion of black nationalism and became one of the fathers of Pan-Africanism. This paper reviews and evaluates his thinking on education in the African continent - notably West Africa - and the enduring impact of his ideas

Middle School Teachers\u27 Acceptance and Use of Edmodo to Sustain Networked Collaboration

Although some middle school teachers integrate social media platforms into instruction, they generally use traditional and teacher-centered strategies rather than those that are innovative and student-centered. A gap exists in the literature on how teachers could use social media tools such as Edmodo to engage middle school students for innovative online collaboration. This qualitative case study explored the factors that contributed to the acceptance and use of Edmodo by middle school teachers in a Mid-Atlantic urban school district. Specifically, the research explored how teachers leveraged Edmodo to initiate and sustain networked collaboration with their students. The Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology 2 model, sociocultural development theory, and connectivism supported the conceptual framework. A criterion selection process was used to select 6 middle school teachers as participants. Data sources included 6 semi structured interviews, a focus group of 3 educational technology leaders, and school district documents. Data were analyzed using a priori codes based on the literature review and conceptual framework. Themes that emerged from the analysis included the following: acceptance and use of Edmodo as a communication platform, increased support of students\u27 organizational needs, enhancement of professional practice, initiation of networked collaboration, barriers and challenges in networked collaboration, and sustained networked collaboration. This research may contribute to positive social change by informing educational leaders and teachers on how to best leverage social media tools such as Edmodo in the middle school classroom to actively engage students in online collaboration, fostering a more student-centered learning environment

Analytic results for two-loop Yang-Mills

Recent Developments in computing very specific helicity amplitudes in two loop QCD are presented. The techniques focus upon the singular structure of the amplitude rather than on a diagramatic and integration approachComment: Talk presented at 13th International Symposium on Radiative Corrections, 24-29 September, 2017,St. Gilgen, Austria, 9 page