A Landslide in Glacial Soils of New Jersey

On August 13, 2000, a massive landslide occurred in Northern New Jersey following an extreme rainfall event during which at least 381mm (15 in) of precipitation fell during a 4-day period. The composite earth slide-earth flow, with an estimated volume of 22,800 m3 (29,821 yd3) traveled up to 365 m (1200 ft) in a short period. While landslides do occasionally occur along the coastal bluffs of the Atlantic Coastal Plain, slides of this magnitude are uncommon in the glacial soils of the New Jersey Highlands section, where the slide occurred. A geotechnical investigation was undertaken to identify the causative factors of the slide. Soils within the rupture zone were found to be distinctly stratified in a direction parallel with the ground slope, which averaged 15% to 20%. The soil profile consisted of an Upper Till overlying a more compact Lower Till. A rupture surface developed at the stratigraphic contact between the two tills, with the Upper Till failing in translation. A significant factor in the location of the rupture surface was the density difference between the Upper and Lower Tills (averaging 16.11 kN/m3 (102.5 lb/ft3) and 20.44 kN/m3 (130 lb/ft3), respectively). Grain size analyses confirmed that the dominance of silt and sand in the Upper Till made it especially prone to sliding. Land use of the site was also a factor, since the rupture occurred on a hay field that was within a residential subdivision in the early stages of construction. The beneficial effects of root reinforcement were especially evident around the rupture scar, since headward and lateral migration of the slide were arrested by a bordering forest. Analyses suggest that the main trigger of the landslide was groundwater perching at the contact between the two tills leading to excess pore pressure which caused failure. Two other conditions contributing to elevated groundwater pressure were a small topographic swale and outcrops of low permeability granite bedrock directly above the rupture zone. The paper concludes with a brief discussion of the implications of the Sparta landslide on the burgeoning development of Northern New Jersey

The effects of an interdisciplinary employment program on paid employment and mental health among persons with severe mental disorders

Purpose: This study evaluates the effects of the interdisciplinary employment program ‘Work As Best Care (WABC)’ on employment participation and mental health of persons with severe mental disorders.Methods: WABC is a ‘work first’ employment program for unemployed persons with severe mental disorders in which employment professionals work closely together with mental health professionals. In a longitudinal non-randomized controlled study, participants of WABC (n = 35) are compared with participants of the control group (n = 37), who received regular employment support. Participants were followed for 1 year and filled out questionnaires on individual characteristics and health at baseline, after 6 and 12 months. This information was enriched with monthly register data on employment status from 2015 until 2020. Difference-in-differences analyses were performed to investigate changes in employment participation among participants of WABC and the control group. A generalized linear mixed-effects model was used to compare changes in mental health (measured on 0–100 scale) between the two groups. Results: Before WABC, employment participation was 22.0%points lower among participants of WABC compared to the control group. After starting WABC, employment participation increased with 15.3%points per year among participants of WABC, compared to 5.6%points in the control group. Among all participants of WABC, no change in mental health was found (β 1.0, 95% CI − 3.4; 5.5). Only female participants of WABC showed a significant change in mental health (β 8.0, 95% CI 2.6; 13.4). Conclusion: To enhance employment participation of persons with severe mental disorders, an interdisciplinary ‘work-first’ approach in which professionals of employment services and mental health services work in close collaboration, is of paramount importance.</p

The effects of an interdisciplinary employment program on paid employment and mental health among persons with severe mental disorders

Purpose: This study evaluates the effects of the interdisciplinary employment program ‘Work As Best Care (WABC)’ on employment participation and mental health of persons with severe mental disorders.Methods: WABC is a ‘work first’ employment program for unemployed persons with severe mental disorders in which employment professionals work closely together with mental health professionals. In a longitudinal non-randomized controlled study, participants of WABC (n = 35) are compared with participants of the control group (n = 37), who received regular employment support. Participants were followed for 1 year and filled out questionnaires on individual characteristics and health at baseline, after 6 and 12 months. This information was enriched with monthly register data on employment status from 2015 until 2020. Difference-in-differences analyses were performed to investigate changes in employment participation among participants of WABC and the control group. A generalized linear mixed-effects model was used to compare changes in mental health (measured on 0–100 scale) between the two groups. Results: Before WABC, employment participation was 22.0%points lower among participants of WABC compared to the control group. After starting WABC, employment participation increased with 15.3%points per year among participants of WABC, compared to 5.6%points in the control group. Among all participants of WABC, no change in mental health was found (β 1.0, 95% CI − 3.4; 5.5). Only female participants of WABC showed a significant change in mental health (β 8.0, 95% CI 2.6; 13.4). Conclusion: To enhance employment participation of persons with severe mental disorders, an interdisciplinary ‘work-first’ approach in which professionals of employment services and mental health services work in close collaboration, is of paramount importance.</p

Exact results for the reactivity of a single-file system

We derive analytical expressions for the reactivity of a Single-File System with fast diffusion and adsorption and desorption at one end. If the conversion reaction is fast, then the reactivity depends only very weakly on the system size, and the conversion is about 100%. If the reaction is slow, then the reactivity becomes proportional to the system size, the loading, and the reaction rate constant. If the system size increases the reactivity goes to the geometric mean of the reaction rate constant and the rate of adsorption and desorption. For large systems the number of nonconverted particles decreases exponentially with distance from the adsorption/desorption end.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figure

Van onbewust onbekwaam naar onbewust bekwaam : ontwikkelen van persoonlijke houding in ondernemendheid en duurzaamheid

De houdingsaspecten van leerlingen in het middelbaar agrarisch onderwijs tegenover ondernemendheid en duurzaamheid moeten beter ontwikkeld worden. Om deze ontwikkeling te begeleiden zijn hulpmiddelen uitgewerkt voor oefensituaties. Ook is er een indicatiesysteem om ondernemendheid te meten en zijn er instructies voor docent en studen

Preventing Nerve Function Impairment in Leprosy: Validation and Updating of a Prediction Rule

Leprosy is caused by a bacterium that attacks the peripheral nerves. This may cause nerve function impairment (NFI), resulting in handicaps and disabilities. Therefore, prediction and prevention of NFI is extremely important in the management of leprosy. In 2000, a prediction rule for NFI was published, but circumstances have changed since the study was performed in the 1990s: the leprosy detection delay has shortened and the definition of NFI has changed. The original rule used ‘leprosy classification’ and ‘NFI present at diagnosis’ to predict future NFI. In the current patient population we studied an adjusted rule based on ‘leprosy classification’ and ‘presence of antibodies’. This adjusted rule predicted NFI more often than the original rule. With the adjusted rule it is now also possible to assess NFI risk before the first nerve damage event takes place. This may help doctors and health workers to improve surveillance for people at high risk. Early detection and treatment can then prevent permanent disabilities

Effectiveness of single dose rifampicin in preventing leprosy in close contacts of patients with newly diagnosed leprosy

Objective To determine the effectiveness of chemoprophylaxis using a single dose of rifampicin to prevent leprosy in close contacts. Design Single centre, double blind, cluster randomised, placebo controlled trial. SettingLeprosy control programme in two districts of northwest Bangladesh with a population of more than four million. Participants28 092 close contacts of 1037 patients with newly diagnosed leprosy. 21 711 contacts fulfilled the study requirements. Interventions A single dose of rifampicin or placebo given to close contacts in the second month of starting the index patient’s treatment, with follow-up for four years. Main outcome measure Development of clinical leprosy. Results 18 869 of the 21 711 contacts (86.9%) were followed-up at four years. Ninety one of 9452 contacts in the placebo group and 59 of 9417 in the rifampicin group had developed leprosy. The overall reduction in incidence of leprosy using a single dose of rifampicin in the first two years was 57% (95% confidence interval 33% to 72%). The groups did not differ between two and four years. The overall number needed to treat (NNT) to prevent a single case of leprosy among contacts was 297 (95% confidence interval 176 to 537). Differences were found between subgroups at two years, both in reduction of incidence and in NNT. ConclusionA single dose of rifampicin given to contacts of patients with newly diagnosed leprosy is effective at preventing the development of clinical leprosy at two years. The effect was maintained, but no difference was seen between the placebo and rifampicin groups beyond two years. Trial registration Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN61223447