Site investigation for the effects of vegetation on ground stability

The procedure for geotechnical site investigation is well established but little attention is currently given to investigating the potential of vegetation to assist with ground stability. This paper describes how routine investigation procedures may be adapted to consider the effects of the vegetation. It is recommended that the major part of the vegetation investigation is carried out, at relatively low cost, during the preliminary (desk) study phase of the investigation when there is maximum flexibility to take account of findings in the proposed design and construction. The techniques available for investigation of the effects of vegetation are reviewed and references provided for further consideration. As for general geotechnical investigation work, it is important that a balance of effort is maintained in the vegetation investigation between (a) site characterisation (defining and identifying the existing and proposed vegetation to suit the site and ground conditions), (b) testing (in-situ and laboratory testing of the vegetation and root systems to provide design parameters) and (c) modelling (to analyse the vegetation effects)

What happens when emergent readers use talk and reader response journals to comprehend text?

The purpose of this study was to examine what happens when emergent readers use talk and reader response journals during interactive read-aloud experiences. Student-teacher interviews, audio recorded conversations, student work and notes in a teacher researcher journal were all analyzed to determine if using talk and reader response journals led to a deeper understanding of text and impacted motivation and engagement in the classroom. The data was also analyzed to determine which teacher behaviors foster a stronger understanding of text. Findings were that using dialogue and writing in reader response journals can lead to a deeper understanding of text and increase student motivation and engagement during the literacy block. In addition, providing wait time, modeling skills and asking open-ended and probing questions helps students make meaning of text. Implications for today\u27s classroom are discussed

PainDroid: An android-based virtual reality application for pain assessment

Earlier studies in the field of pain research suggest that little efficient intervention currently exists in response to the exponential increase in the prevalence of pain. In this paper, we present an Android application (PainDroid) with multimodal functionality that could be enhanced with Virtual Reality (VR) technology, which has been designed for the purpose of improving the assessment of this notoriously difficult medical concern. Pain- Droid has been evaluated for its usability and acceptability with a pilot group of potential users and clinicians, with initial results suggesting that it can be an effective and usable tool for improving the assessment of pain. Participant experiences indicated that the application was easy to use and the potential of the application was similarly appreciated by the clinicians involved in the evaluation. Our findings may be of considerable interest to healthcare providers, policy makers, and other parties that might be actively involved in the area of pain and VR research

Surveillance of Ixodes ricinus ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) in Iceland.

BackgroundIxodes ricinus is a three-host tick, a principal vector of Borrelia burgdorferi (s.l.) and one of the main vectors of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) virus. Iceland is located in the North Atlantic Ocean with subpolar oceanic climate. During the past 3-4 decades, average temperature has increased, supporting more favourable conditions for ticks. Reports of I. ricinus have increased in recent years. If these ticks were able to establish in a changing climate, Iceland may face new threats posed by tick-borne diseases. MethodsActive field surveillance by tick flagging was conducted at 111 sites around Iceland from August 2015 to September 2016. Longworth mammal traps were used to trap Apodemus sylvaticus in southwestern and southern Iceland. Surveillance on tick importation by migratory birds was conducted in southeastern Iceland, using bird nets and a Heligoland trap. Vulpes lagopus carcasses from all regions of the country were inspected for ticks. In addition, existing and new passive surveillance data from two institutes have been merged and are presented. Continental probability of presence models were produced. Boosted Regression Trees spatial modelling methods and its predictions were assessed against reported presence. ResultsBy field sampling 26 questing I. ricinus ticks (7 males, 3 females and 16 nymphs) were collected from vegetation from three locations in southern and southeastern Iceland. Four ticks were found on migratory birds at their arrival in May 2016. A total of 52 A. sylvaticus were live-trapped but no ticks were found nor on 315 V. lagopus carcasses. Passive surveillance data collected since 1976, reports further 214 I. ricinus ticks from 202 records, with an increase of submissions in recent years. The continental probability of presence model correctly predicts approximately 75% of the recorded presences, but fails to predict a fairly specific category of recorded presence in areas where the records are probably opportunistic and not likely to lead to establishment. ConclusionsTo the best of our knowledge, this study represents the first finding of questing I. ricinus ticks in Iceland. The species could possibly be established locally in Iceland in low abundance, although no questing larvae have yet been detected to confirm established populations. Submitted tick records have increased recently, which may reflect an increase in exposure, or in interest in ticks. Furthermore, the amount of records on dogs, cats and humans indicate that ticks were acquired locally, presenting a local biting risk. Tick findings on migratory birds highlight a possible route of importation. Obtaining questing larvae is now a priority to confirm that I. ricinus populations are established in Iceland. Further surveys on wild mammals (e.g. Rangifer tarandus), livestock and migratory birds are recommended to better understand their role as potential hosts for I. ricinus

Curriculum Development And Emerging Curriculum Models In Engineering

The past decade or two have seen a renewed emphasis on curriculum design and the advent of a new set of approaches to help ensure the development of a programme structure which supports student progression. In this workshop, members of the Curriculum Development special interest group (SIG) worked with colleagues from a wide range of institutions to consider how to approach the design of a holistic and integrated curricula. We introduced common curriculum models and gave an example of a curriculum design methodology to help attendees consider how they might apply a holistic curriculum design process in their own institutional context

Speech Communication

Contains table of contents for Part V, table of contents for Section 1, reports on six research projects and a list of publications.C.J. Lebel FellowshipDennis Klatt Memorial FundNational Institutes of Health Grant R01-DC00075National Institutes of Health Grant R01-DC01291National Institutes of Health Grant R01-DC01925National Institutes of Health Grant R01-DC02125National Institutes of Health Grant R01-DC02978National Institutes of Health Grant R01-DC03007National Institutes of Health Grant R29-DC02525National Institutes of Health Grant F32-DC00194National Institutes of Health Grant F32-DC00205National Institutes of Health Grant T32-DC00038National Science Foundation Grant IRI 89-05249National Science Foundation Grant IRI 93-14967National Science Foundation Grant INT 94-2114

Speech Communication

Contains reports on five research projects.C.J. Lebel FellowshipNational Institutes of Health (Grant 5 T32 NSO7040)National Institutes of Health (Grant 5 R01 NS04332)National Institutes of Health (Grant 5 R01 NS21183)National Institutes of Health (Grant 5 P01 NS13126)National Institutes of Health (Grant 1 PO1-NS23734)National Science Foundation (Grant BNS 8418733)U.S. Navy - Naval Electronic Systems Command (Contract N00039-85-C-0254)U.S. Navy - Naval Electronic Systems Command (Contract N00039-85-C-0341)U.S. Navy - Naval Electronic Systems Command (Contract N00039-85-C-0290)National Institutes of Health (Grant RO1-NS21183), subcontract with Boston UniversityNational Institutes of Health (Grant 1 PO1-NS23734), subcontract with the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmar

ENGINEERING OUTREACH: EXAMPLES, EVALUATION AND EVIDENCING

Outreach initiatives play a pivotal role in attracting the next generation of engineers. Both academic engineering education institutions and employers engage in various outreach activities to illustrate what engineering entails and to demonstrate the impact of engineering to young children and adolescents. Despite substantial investment of time and resources, there is a lack of comprehensive documentation on the design, content, implementation, and impact of these interventions. This gap hinders the sharing of good practices and raises concerns about the efficiency of these efforts. This workshop aims to showcase diverse outreach activities and gather best practices on outreach activities and evaluation

Who, What, How? Tackling Skills Challenges: Future Relevance, Stakeholder Differences, And Teaching Hurdles

The Engineering Skills Special Interest Group (SIG) ran a workshop on the current challenges in teaching engineering skills. This workshop employed the “world café” participatory method where attendees visited three tables for a structured discussion with a member of the SIG. Each table posed a different question: On the What? table we discussed which skills are most relevant for future practitioners. The Who? table focussed on the differences in the way that various professional skills are conceptualised by main stakeholders. Finally, at the How? table we discussed the facilitators and barriers in designing and delivering skills education. The outcome of the workshop presented here is a mapping of skills in terms of present and future importance to attendees and their countries, and a classification of stakeholders in terms of macro, meso, micro level when considering their influence over skill conceptualisation and realisation