Assessing the contribution of vegetation to slope stability

Many embankments and cuttings associated with the transportation infrastructure in the UK are only marginally stable. Engineering techniques such as soil nailing, geosynthetic reinforcement, improved drainage and ground improvement by stabilisation are available to improve stability but the cost can be high. A lower cost solution may be to utilise vegetation, either self seeded or planted. The benefits and drawbacks associated with vegetation have been the subject of some debate. The problems caused by vegetation in relation to building foundations are well documented and confirm that vegetation can have very significant influences on geotechnical parameters. Appropriate properly maintained vegetation can have the same significant influence to help provide additional stability to soil slopes. This paper considers the potential engineering influences of vegetation and how it can be characterised on site within a geotechnical framework for stability assessments. The direct reinforcement available from the roots of trees and shrubs is identified as providing one of the most significant contributions to slope stability. Case studies in the UK, Greece and Italy demonstrate how results from in-situ root pull out tests may be used to estimate the potential reinforcement forces available from the roots. A scheme is presented to designate zones of influence within the soil according to the size and nature of the vegetation

Components and experiences of doulas working with disadvantaged mothers

African-American women have significantly poorer birth outcomes compared to their white peers; African-American women are more likely to give birth to a preterm baby and to have a baby with low birth weight. Additionally, African-American infants are more likely to die within their first year of life than white infants. Further, this health disparity between African-American and white women in infant mortality rates persists, the gap between groups showing little sign of closing. Thus, modifications are needed to tailor interventions to better suit the needs of African- American women. A potential enhancement is the inclusion of doula or doula-like services in existing home-visiting systems and the expansion of community doula programs. By providing support from a paraprofessional such as a doula, potentially the birth outcomes of African- American women and their children may be positively influenced. The goal of this research is to learn from doulas what components of their services might best serve low-income African- American women and to explore ways in which training can be modified to better help community doulas when working with this population. Ten doulas were interviewed about their experiences working with women who are low-income, African-American and both. Doulas were recruited from a local community doula program, and via word-of-mouth referrals from participants. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using Atlas.ti software to identify emerging themes. The themes that emerged from the interviews included: 1) Doulas work to support mothers during the different phases of pregnancy, 2) Doulas work to advocate for mothers with a special emphasis on helping women self-advocate for themselves and their babies, 3) Doulas often step outside of their role to provide mothers with extra support, and 4) Doulas recognize the institutional biases that exist in the hospital system and try to mediate their effect on mothers. These themes highlight the ways doulas can intervene between the effects of negative social determinants of health, as well as show potential avenues to improve training to help doulas when working with disadvantaged women. The public health significance of this project lies in that it explores a perspective not previously explored in the literature: that of doulas with experience working with low-income African-American women, in an effort to improve the health of this population

Nicotine and Cannabis Vaping Among College Students: Factors Associated with Initiation, Patterns of Use, and Dependency

Vaping has become a common method to consume nicotine and cannabis on college campuses across the United States. Between 2017 and 2019 there was a significant increase in the prevalence of both nicotine (6% to 22%) and cannabis vaping (5% to 14%) among college students. As of 2019, there were over 2,000 vaping-associated lung injuries or deaths and recent data suggest nicotine vaping was associated with greater risk of contracting COVID-19. In the present study, I examined data from an online survey of seven colleges and universities across the US (N=2160) to determine the prevalence of nicotine vaping, cannabis vaping, and dual use (i.e., nicotine and cannabis). A second aim was to determine whether these user groups differed by demographic characteristics and other characteristics such as impulsivity, depression, anxiety, and family history of substance use. As hypothesized, males were more likely to endorse dual use and Whites were less likely to identify as nonusers. Contrary to my hypothesis, there was no difference in socioeconomic scores by user group. Dual users were higher in impulsivity, had a higher family history density, and had greater depressive and anxious symptoms than all other user groups, which was somewhat consistent with my hypothesis, although I expected single users to score higher than nonusers on these variables as well. These findings may help to inform the development of brief interventions that target dual users and take into account characteristics and vulnerabilities that are more likely in this group

ミヤンマーの大気腐食下における耐候性橋梁の性能評価

京都大学新制・課程博士博士(工学)甲第23483号工博第4895号新制||工||1765(附属図書館)京都大学大学院工学研究科社会基盤工学専攻(主査)教授 杉浦 邦征, 教授 清野 純史, 教授 八木 知己学位規則第4条第1項該当Doctor of Philosophy (Engineering)Kyoto UniversityDFA

Factors Encouraging the Growth of Sustainable Communities: A Jamaican Case Study

The concept of sustainable communities assumes a process of social and/or economic development that has as a high priority, the needs of the future generation. However, models of social and economic development employed in developing countries, must rely heavily on political, social and psychological empowerment techniques being employed at the community level, in order to warrant any type of sustainability becoming apparent. A case study taken from Kingston, Jamaica recounts and examines the experience of a Social Work Unit/private company in partnership, becoming involved in a low-income community\u27s drive for sustainable development. The paper will reflect on the intervention, the analysis of which suggests inclusion and acceptance of a \u27third party\u27 support mechanism by the community and the presence of visible political and economic support from the government as the two factors which impact directly on creation of sustainable development initiatives in communities such as this

The powerless engineer: questioning approaches to teaching social responsibility

In recent years there has been growing emphasis on the requirement for engineers to contribute toward the complex socio-technological challenges confronted by society. The need for a more holistic understanding of the societal impact of engineering has been highlighted by government, professional institutions and industry, and has strengthened calls for a widening of engineering curricula. Despite this, there is evidence to suggest that the higher education (HE) sector is not producing socially responsible engineering graduates. This study explores potential barriers to the development of socially responsible, culturally aware engineers. In so doing, it draws upon student feedback and reflections from a UK based engineering design course which makes use of the Engineers Without Borders UK Design for People Challenge, and which focuses on human centered, sustainable design. The findings are discussed in the context of theories of reasoned action and planned behaviour. It is argued that engineering culture and curriculum act to discourage alternative modes of thought which leave students powerless in their ability to enact meaningful change. Alternative modes of teaching and learning are discussed

The Beginning : Exploring Educational Experiences of Black Boys in State-Funded Preschools

Understanding their early educational experiences may provide valuable information for supporting optimal development. However, there is limited research to account for the subjective relational experiences of young children in school. Through a life course perspective, this qualitative study explored the educational experiences of four preschool-aged Black boys attending a state-funded program in an urban district in New Jersey. Using a narrative inquiry approach, their stories captured positive aspects of their relational experiences with their teachers by highlighting the individual, relational, and contextual aspects of child well-being. Their voices offer unique considerations for supporting Black boys in preschool and will enrich the child well-being framework for teachers, families, and policymakers within the early learning context