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Analyzing Effectiveness of Rainwater Harvesting on Runoff Volume Reduction A Case Study of Harris County in Texas
Get PDFThis study presents an analysis of the effectiveness of the RainWater Harvesting (RWH) system as a decentralized stormwater management system in a neighborhood scale to reduce runoff volume flows to stormwater drainage systems. For this purpose, a fit between modeled and recorded runoff during a 10-year time frame (2010 - 2019) for a considered rainfall gage station within a specific watershed was calculated. The densely populated neighborhood in Gulfton, in the city of Houston and which is located within the 100- or 500-year floodplain, was selected for this analysis. Daily water balance simulation was executed, without RWH tank and then recalculate with RWH tank for the 227 single-family detached homes in the Gulfton subdivision in Block Group 3 Census Track 4216 for comparison. Calculating quantitative metrics were used to justify how to reduce the runoff volume and estimate how much the RWH system as a Low Impact Development (LID) system helps to divert water from the stormwater runoff. Eight different tank sizes between 500 – 4,000 gallons (in 500-gallon increments) and two different water demand scenarios: 1) indoor only and 2) indoor and outdoor were proposed. Outcomes posed that the benefits of the RWH system encompassed reducing the stormwater runoff and also reduced impacts on water sustainability at the neighborhood scale. Considering either of the two water demand scenarios (indoor water demand or indoor and outdoor water demand) within the study assumptions, results showed the most ideal tank size for saving water use and environmental issues is the 3,000-gallon tank. This tank size has the potential of reducing up to 30% of stormwater runoff annually. In addition, such a LID technique assessed to diverting an average 9 million gallons of stormwater every year, thus reducing the amount of stormwater runoff from the watershed. The collection of rainwater also has cost affordability benefits related to the water supply needs, public water infrastructure, and maintenance. With RWH installation of a 3,000-gallon tank, each home reduces an estimated 40,000 gallons of stormwater runoff annually and has the potential of satisfying 24% of indoor and 36% of indoor and outdoor water deman
The Predictability of Demographic Academic Factors on the Career Decision Making and Self-efficacy of African American Freshmen College
Get PDFThe purpose of this study was to examine the predictability of selected demographic and academic variables on the career decision making process and self-efficacy of African American freshman college students. Specifically, this study was concerned with the relationship between the demographic and academic variables of gender, age, social economic status, grade point average, academic adjustment and vocational identity, and the career decision-making and self-efficacy scores of African American college students.
A correlational research design was used in the study. One hundred forty-nine (149) African American freshman college students were selected to participate in the study. The Career Decision Self-Efficacy Scale and the Jackson’s Demographic and Academic Profile Sheet were used to collect the data.
A linear relationship did not exist between the demographic factors of gender, age, socioeconomic status, and the total career decision-making self-efficacy scores among African American freshman college students. A statistically significant relationship did not exist between the demographic factors of gender, age, socio economic status and the career self-efficacy scores among American freshman college students. A significant linear relationship was found to exist between the academic factors of grade point average, academic adjustment, vocational identity, and the total career decision-making self-efficacy scores among African American freshman college students.
The variable vocational identity was found to be independently related to the total career decision-making self-efficacy scores of African American freshman college students. A significant relationship did exist between the academic factors of grade point average, academic adjustment, vocational identity, and the career self-efficacy scores of African American freshman college students. Finally, the academic variable of vocational identity was found to contribute significantly to the career self-efficacy scores among African American freshman college students
A Communicative Assessment of Mental Health Literacy in Pakistan
Get PDFMental health literacy is progressively aggravating and has become the most researched subject over the past few decades shaping the mental health behavior. Mental health illness and disorders have affected many people all around the world and has become the leading cause of global disease. This thesis has illustrated the enlargement of Mental Health Literacy, which has led to the additional development of mental health literacy research. The aims and objectives are to expand mental health literacy awareness and increasing measures to exclude it to analyze elements of mental health literacy and its scope in Pakistan. In addition, the application of interpretive research allows the researcher to integrate human interest into a study, which is the core of the research topic. People do not have adequate and accurate information about mental health because of the lack of availability of information in Pakistan. The work on this research has all the pointers, which could clearly elaborate how to inform Mental Health Literacy at a Muslim country like Pakistan and an individual level. This research initiates future mental health literacy research and highlights the need and ways to promote for mental health education in community settings
Police Misconduct & Qualified Immunity: Reimagining We the People Conference Introduction
Get PDFThe killing of George Floyd on May 25, 2020, at the hands of Minneapolis police officers, sparked nationwide protests and rekindled the national debate concerning the use and misuse of physical violence by law enforcement officers in Black communities. It also reinforced the need for greater police accountability. The public also raised concerns about the way officers responded to these public protests, primarily led by black protestors. As a result of this data, these events, and in observance of Black History Month 2021, on Thursday, February 4, 2021, The Earl Carl Institute for Legal & Social Policy partnered with Texas Southern University’s (TSU) Thurgood Law, the Thurgood Marshall Law Review and the TSU Center for Justice Research to co-present a virtual national conference, sponsored by the American Association for Justice, Robert L. Habush Endowment, entitled, “Police Misconduct & Qualified Immunity: Reimagining We the People. This conference provided a timely, relevant, and much-needed discussion on the disproportionate use of force by police in interactions with black people and the disparate treatment of black protestors in the United States. It also examined the long-lasting effect of police violence on families, remedies for people injured by police violence and how protestors should be treated given First Amendment Protections, including a review of the inequitable treatment of black protestors throughout U.S. history. This publication is a transcription of the conference sessions which were: • The Criminal Justice System: George Floyd Bill & Qualified Immunity • The Anatomy of §1983 Litigation • The U.S. Constitution, Reimagining We the People as an Inclusive Construct • The Future of 1st Amendment Protests Protections: Examining the Use of Brutality on those Fighting Against Violenc
Vessel-to-Rail Intermodal Connectivity Analysis for The Port of Houston
Get PDFFreight transportation is a crucial element of the economy and development of regions. Still, its dramatic growth in the road sector is rapidly offsetting the benefits through such impacts as congestion, noise, pollution, and environmental damage. Alternative transportation solutions such as a combined transportation network can help to reduce these impacts. Container rail-water intermodal transportation broadly means with the premise of rail transportation and water transportation as the primary, compatible with other modes of transportation to accomplish the complete transfer of the containers. As a fast-growing port, the Port of Houston Authority has grown to be very important because of its large tonnage handling capacity and its impact on the nation\u27s economy. With the growth in the economy which results in increased port activities, the port of Houston is gradually approaching capacity and sees the need for expansion of infrastructure needed for service efficiency provided. This study aims to identify the critical components of a vessel-rail intermodal system, analyze the significance of each of them, compare the competitiveness of the Port of Houston among the similar ports, pinpoint the gap between the existing condition and state of the art practices. The report will also focus on the feasibility of the Rail Intermodal System compared to the truck freight of the Port of Houston. Based on the existing intermodal system of the Port of Houston, the report will help identify critical factors and recommend processes that will promote the competitiveness of the system in handling and servicing future economic growth
Bacteria Assessment of Soil Samples in Houston Watersheilds; Impact of Heavy Metal, and Stress Responses in an Eukaryotic Co-Culture System.
Get PDFHouston has a complex watershed in which bayous intersect one another making the city prone to flooding, as evidenced by the 2017 Hurricane Harvey flood. We sought to evaluate bacterial population dynamics in Houston watershed soils pre- and post-Hurricane Harvey; additionally, we evaluated population dynamics in neighboring, downstream bayous ~ 1 year later in the summer and winter of 2018. This study quantified bacterial loads for pre-Hurricane Harvey (June 2017) and post-hurricane Harvey (November 2017) soil samples, as well as competitive samples from one year later [summer (June 2018) and winter (November) 2018]. Unexpectedly, bayous closer to Houston’s densely populated urban core, including Buffalo, Halls, Mustang, and Horsepen Bayous, had significantly higher enteric bacterial loads during the winter than the summer. Perhaps this was due to water flow rate changes or proximity to wastewater treatment plants. Following bacterial load determination, isolated colonies were identified using biochemical tests and DNA sequencing of the 16S ribosomal DNA region. Additionally, we employed next generation metagenomic sequencing of 16S rDNA, capturing both culturable and unculturable organisms. The phyla Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Bacteriodetes and Firmicutes were found to be dominant in our metagenomic analysis and are human gut bacteria. Some opportunistic bacterial Proteobacteria pathogens identified in our metabolomic analysis were Serratia marcenscens, Pseudomonas mendocina, Pseudomonas fulva, and Pseudomonas putida. To investigate the effects of heavy metal exposures, an environmentally isolated Serratia marsescens and its reference strain were exposed to Pb, Zn and manganese and subsequent oxidative stress responses and biofilm production were measured. Additionally, heavy metal exposures were characterized in gut and lung cell co-culture models using CCD-841, HT29 and BEAS-2B cell lines. Additionally, MTT assays were performed to determine cell cytotoxicity in bacterial cultures containing 10, 50, and 100 μg/ml of Zn and Pb and 100, 500 and 1000 μg/ml of Mn. Interestingly, the environmentally isolated S. marsescens produced increased biofilm and was more resistant to oxidative stress in the presence of Zn and Pb than its reference strain. Perhaps this was due to environmental adaptations of the environmental isolate. To our knowledge, this is the first study that compares Houston-area bacterial populations before and after a major flooding event. Taken together, Hurricane Harvey likely contributed to a redistribution of enteric bacteria, as there was a significant increase in the enteric population of Buffalo and Halls Bayous following the Hurricane Harvey flooding event. Similarly, our 2018 winter data set followed the same trend, as significant increases were seen in the enteric populations of Horsepen, Mustang, and Cypress Creek watershed soils. Further, the environmentally isolated S. marcescens was better able to withstand environmental stressors than the reference strain and the lung cell line was more susceptible to lead treatment by a decrease in viability of about 2.0-fold when compared with the gut cell lines. Also, the cell co-culture infection with the environmental isolate in the presence of various metal toxicants respond differently to its environmental reference strain and a significant decrease (p\u3c 0.05) in bacteria proliferation at various time points for the cell lines were observed
Data Analysis, Policies, and Practices Addressing Parental Incarceration and Behavioral Outcomes.
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Mitigating Roadway Disasters in Extreme Flooding Events: A Critical Case Study of Flood Fatalities in Harris County, Texas
Get PDFFrom 1959 – 2009, Texas has annually led the nation in the number of flood fatalities. On average the number of deaths in Texas was three times the amount of the second leading state (Sharif, Hossain, Jackson & Bin-Shafique, 2012). Quantitative studies have attempted to construct the definition of when, how and the likelihood that a person dies in a flood event, why they made the fatal decision to drive, and who is particularly vulnerable to making this decision. This dissertation used a qualitative approach to explore this occurrence in a deeper and more meaningful context. This dissertation includes four research questions. What factors govern drivers’ decision-making during a flood? What social norms about driving and flooding contribute to the risk factor decision? What mitigation measures has the local government implemented to prevent driver fatalities during extreme flooding? What experiences from drivers are missing in current Flood Warning Systems (FWS)? This qualitative dissertation used a historical narrative approach to provide a critical case study of fatalities in Harris County, Texas. The selected storms were Great Flood of 1994, Tropical Storm Allison of 2001, Memorial Day Flood of 2015, Tax Day Flood of 2016, Hurricane Harvey of 2017, and Tropical Storm Imelda of 2019. Data was collected from live broadcasts, online and printed media sources, 97 semi-structured interviews, public government documents and reports as well as social media posts and comments from Twitter and Facebook. Street observations were conducted at the known locations where fatalities occurred for those that either died in their car or abandoned a car and died. This research resulted in the creation of a database of the victims demographics and reasons for driving as well as a database creation of street design characteristics at the fatality locations. All fatalities that occurred in Harris County were mapped, including non-vehicle related fatalities. This dissertation concludes that both driver error and road design error contribute to fatalities. Social norms influence the lack of adequate mitigation from local governments and better Flood Warning Systems could prevent deaths from occurring
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