Complete Loop Research Articles

Measuring the Soil Water–Retention Curve Under Positive and Negative Matric Suction Regimes

Abstract The soil water–retention curve (SWRC) is commonly theorized and measured in the positive matric suction or negative pore water pressure domain. However, all soils do not reach full saturation when matric suction decreases to zero. To date, few methods or theories have been developed to understand the SWRC in the negative matric suction domain, which could play important roles in field mechanical stability conditions, such as slopes under heavy rainfall or levees under rapidly rising water table conditions. A method employing both the transient water release and imbibition method (TRIM) and a constant flow method (CFM) is devised to measure a soil’s complete loop of the SWRC under both wetting and drying, and positive and negative matric suction conditions. Although the TRIM is used to measure both drying and wetting paths of the SWRC in the positive matric suction domain, the CFM is used to quantify the soil water–retention behavior in the negative matric suction domain. The TRIM method has been previously validated and extensively tested. The novel feature is the cyclic application of the CFM in the negative matric suction domain. The head loss in the high air entry ceramic stone because of the application of the CFM is calibrated in the range of the applied flow rates. Similar sets of flow rates are used to validate the repeatability of the measured SWRC behavior in the negative matric suction domain. Three different soils, sandy, silty, and clayey soils, are used to demonstrate the applicability of the methodology for various soil types. It is shown that, for the sandy soil, a few kPa of negative matric suction are needed to fully saturate the specimen, whereas for the clayey soil, over 10 kPa of negative matric suction are needed to fully saturate the specimen.

The eHealth Enhanced Chronic Care Model: a theory derivation approach.

BackgroundChronic illnesses are significant to individuals and costly to society. When systematically implemented, the well-established and tested Chronic Care Model (CCM) is shown to improve health outcomes for people with chronic conditions. Since the development of the original CCM, tremendous information management, communication, and technology advancements have been established. An opportunity exists to improve the time-honored CCM with clinically efficacious eHealth tools.ObjectiveThe first goal of this paper was to review research on eHealth tools that support self-management of chronic disease using the CCM. The second goal was to present a revised model, the eHealth Enhanced Chronic Care Model (eCCM), to show how eHealth tools can be used to increase efficiency of how patients manage their own chronic illnesses.MethodsUsing Theory Derivation processes, we identified a “parent theory”, the Chronic Care Model, and conducted a thorough review of the literature using CINAHL, Medline, OVID, EMBASE PsychINFO, Science Direct, as well as government reports, industry reports, legislation using search terms “CCM or Chronic Care Model” AND “eHealth” or the specific identified components of eHealth. Additionally, “Chronic Illness Self-management support” AND “Technology” AND several identified eHealth tools were also used as search terms. We then used a review of the literature and specific components of the CCM to create the eCCM.ResultsWe identified 260 papers at the intersection of technology, chronic disease self-management support, the CCM, and eHealth and organized a high-quality subset (n=95) using the components of CCM, self-management support, delivery system design, clinical decision support, and clinical information systems. In general, results showed that eHealth tools make important contributions to chronic care and the CCM but that the model requires modification in several key areas. Specifically, (1) eHealth education is critical for self-care, (2) eHealth support needs to be placed within the context of community and enhanced with the benefits of the eCommunity or virtual communities, and (3) a complete feedback loop is needed to assure productive technology-based interactions between the patient and provider.ConclusionsThe revised model, eCCM, offers insight into the role of eHealth tools in self-management support for people with chronic conditions. Additional research and testing of the eCCM are the logical next steps.

Bimodal behavior of C-S-H interpreted from short-term length change and water vapor sorption isotherms of hardened cement paste

Short-term length change isotherms (SLCIs) and water vapor sorption isotherms are useful to eliminate the effects of the colloidal features of C-S-H. SLCIs of hardened cement pastes initially conditioned by drying to equilibrium at different relative humidities (RHs) were measured over a complete RH loop between 5% and 98%. Based on the correlation between incremental thickness of adsorption and incremental strain from 40% to 98% RH, the basal spacing of C-S-H above 40% RH appears to increase further with increasing water vapor sorption. However, no correlation of these values was found from 5% to 40% RH and the basal spacing is considered stable in this domain. These properties of C-S-H are directly related to its isothermal volume change as a function of RH. It can be concluded that the dominant shrinkage driver above 40% RH is disjoining or hydration pressure and that below 40% RH is change in surface energy.

Biogas upgrading using MSWI bottom ash: An integrated municipal solid waste management

Biogas upgrading using bottom ash from the incineration of municipal solid waste (MSW) is especially interesting for integrated treatment facilities as it would allow closing a complete loop in MSW management. The aim of this research was to assess the interaction between bottom ash (BA) and biogas from anaerobic digestion with the outlook of upgrading in terms of CO2 and H2S removal, with particle size and bottom ash aging as the main variables. The finest fraction of fresh bottom ash (FBA) presented the best performance, with a sorption capacity of 30–50 kg CO2·t−1 dry FBA. The sorption capacity of weathered bottom ash (WBA) was lower than the recorded for the fresh material. From the results obtained it can be stated that the CO2 absorption capacity of bottom ash mainly relies in the finest fraction because of its larger surface area and higher CaO content. In what respect to H2S sorption capacity, WBA presented a better performance, with values ranging 3.1–5.2 kg H2S∙t−1 dry WBA. In addition to the energetic enhancement, the proposed technology also allows an immediate stabilization and reuse of bottom ash as the leaching of heavy metals and metalloids remained under regulatory limits.

Mitochondrial DNA haplogroups and somatic mutations are associated with lung cancer in patients from Southwest China

Mitochondrial DNA mutations play crucial roles in the pathogenesis and progression of human malignancies. Therefore, to determine whether maternal background or mitochondrial DNA somatic mutations were essential cofactors in the lung cancer of Chinese patients as well, the complete mitochondrial DNA displacement loop of the primary cancerous, matched para-cancerous normal and distant normal tissues for 79 Chinese patients with lung cancer were analyzed in this study. Our results indicated that the higher detected frequency of haplogroups prevalent in southern East Asia (53.16%; 42/79) versus those of northern East Asia in the studied population supported the southern East Asian characteristics of the Chinese lung cancer group. Further statistical analysis revealed that the haplogroups F* and G* contributed to the susceptibility to lung cancer in Chinese patients. In addition, by comparing sequences from different tissues of the same patients, a total of eight somatic mutations from six patients were detected. Combined with the fourteen somatic mutations identified in our previous study, the somatic mutation spectrum of the 79 Chinese patients with lung cancer was 25.32% (20/79). Our results suggest that mitochondrial DNA haplogroups and somatic mutations are associated with lung cancer in patients from Yunnan, Southwest China, and that somatic mitochondrial DNA mutations in the displacement loop can serve as potential biomarkers for clinical utility.

True Knot of the Umbilical Cord—3D Power Doppler Imaging

A 30-year-old primigravida presented for ultrasound and Doppler evaluation for loss of fetal movements. The ultrasound showed a normal 36 weeks fetus with a single loop of nuchal cord, with umbilical artery and other Doppler flows within normal limits for gestational age. The liquor was adequate (deepest vertical pocket—5 cm). On tracing the cord for Doppler interrogation, a cross-section of the cord was seen surrounded by a complete loop of cord raising suspicion of a true knot of the cord. The suspicion was confirmed by acquiring three dimensional high definition power Doppler volume and rotating it along x and y axis and displaying it in angiographic and glass body modes [1, 2] (Fig. 1). The fetus was delivered two days later by cesarean section for nonreassuring heart rate, and a healthy male fetus weighing 2510 g was delivered. The true knot of the cord was confirmed at 20 cm from the placental end of a 64 cm long cord (Fig. 2). True knot of the cord is relatively rare and is found in 0.3–2.1 % of pregnancies [3] but is important to diagnose as it is associated with a fourfold increase in fetal death rate, nonreassuring heart rate patterns, and cesarean delivery. Other factors associated with true knot of the cord include polyhydramnios, gestational diabetes, male fetus, amniocentesis, long cord and small fetus [3]. Notching in the umbilical artery waveform has been demonstrated and correlated with cord compression in fetuses with true knot of the cord. Stenotic effect of the true knot on umbilical venous blood flow was demonstrated by Gembruch et al. in a mid-trimester ultrasound [4, 5]. Prenatal diagnosis of true umbilical cord knot has been random and the true impact of this condition on neonatal outcomes is yet to be evaluated. However, prenatal diagnosis of true knot of umbilical cord should warrant closer Fig. 1 3D power Doppler angiogram showing true knot of the cord Fig. 2 True knot of the cord

Getting to grips with the best practice tariff for neck of femur fractures, experiences from a major trauma centre: A completed audit loop

Getting to grips with the best practice tariff for neck of femur fractures, experiences from a major trauma centre: A completed audit loop

Health literacy and nurses' communication with type 2 diabetes patients in primary care settings.

The use of the interactive communication loop has been recommended as an effective method to enhance patient understanding and recall of information. The aim of the study was to examine the application of interactive communication loops, use of jargon, and the impact of health literacy (HL) when nurses provide education and counseling to patients with type 2 diabetes in the primary care setting in Alberta, Canada. Encounters between nurses and patients with type 2 diabetes were audio recorded, and a patient survey including a HL measure was administered. Topics within each interaction were coded based on five key components of the communication loop and categories of jargon. Nine nurses participated in this study, and encounters with 36 patients were recorded. A complete communication loop was noted in only 11% of the encounters. Clarifying health information was the most commonly applied component (58% often used), followed by repeating health information (33% often used). Checking for understanding was the least applied (81% never used), followed by asking for understanding (42% never used). Medical jargon and mismatched language were often used in 17% and 25% of the encounters, respectively. Patients' HL did not materially affect patterns of communication in terms of using communication loops; however, nurses used less jargon and mismatched words with patients with inadequate HL. The overuse of medical jargon accompanied with underuse of communication loop components jeopardizes patients' comprehension and retention of information that they need to know to properly self-manage their diabetes. Nurses need to develop more effective ways to communicate concepts critical to chronic diabetes self-care education and management.

Part II: PAR Flow Control Based on the Framework for Modeling and Tracing of Bilateral Transactions and Corresponding Loop Flows

This paper defines flow control algorithms for loop flow cancellation based on the allocation and tracing of bilateral transactions and loop flows. In Part I of this paper, we have shown that the main difference between transportation and electrical networks is caused by the existence of loop flows. We have introduced a distributed framework for the modeling and tracing of bilateral transactions and the corresponding loop flows. Its zooming-out capability provides a valuable mechanism for representing external (inter-area) loop flows based on simplified topologies of individual areas. The tracing information accurately allocates bilateral transactions with associated contract paths to line flows and loop flows. Furthermore, this information can be used for determining the set points of control equipment so that loop flows are minimized. In this framework, phase angle regulators (PARs), commonly used for line flow control, are represented through their effects on loop flows. We define sufficient conditions for achieving complete loop flow cancellation. A new distributed algorithm for determining PAR set points in a coordinated way without revealing operating conditions of individual areas is introduced in this part. Finally, complete loop flow cancellation and the distributed algorithm for finding PAR set points are demonstrated in the Reliability Test System (RTS) 96-bus system with wheeling loop flows.

How ecosystem services knowledge and values influence farmers' decision-making.

The ecosystem services (ES) concept has emerged and spread widely recently, to enhance the importance of preserving ecosystems through global change in order to maintain their benefits for human well-being. Numerous studies consider various dimensions of the interactions between ecosystems and land use via ES, but integrated research addressing the complete feedback loop between biodiversity, ES and land use has remained mostly theoretical. Few studies consider feedbacks from ecosystems to land use systems through ES, exploring how ES are taken into account in land management decisions. To fill this gap, we carried out a role-playing game to explore how ES cognition mediates feedbacks from environmental change on farmers' behaviors in a mountain grassland system. On a close to real landscape game board, farmers were faced with changes in ES under climatic and socio-economic scenarios and prompted to plan for the future and to take land management decisions as they deemed necessary. The outcomes of role-playing game were complemented with additional agronomic and ecological data from interviews and fieldwork. The effects of changes in ES on decision were mainly direct, i.e. not affecting knowledge and values, when they constituted situations with which farmers were accustomed. For example, a reduction of forage quantity following droughts led farmers to shift from mowing to grazing. Sometimes, ES cognitions were affected by ES changes or by external factors, leading to an indirect feedback. This happened when fertilization was stopped after farmers learned that it was inefficient in a drought context. Farmers' behaviors did not always reflect their attitudes towards ES because other factors including topographic constraints, social value of farming or farmer individual and household characteristics also influenced land-management decisions. Those results demonstrated the interest to take into account the complete feedback loop between ES and land management decisions to favor more sustainable ES management.

Cyrtodactylus saiyok sp. nov., a new dry evergreen forest-dwelling Bent-toed Gecko (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from Kanchanaburi Province, western Thailand.

We describe Cyrtodactylus saiyok sp. nov. from a dry evergreen forest on a limestone hill in Khao Krajae, Sai Yok District, Kanchanaburi Province, western Thailand. It is characterized by a maximal known SVL of 61.0 mm; 18-19 longitudinal rows of dorsal tubercles; 23 or 24 ventral scale rows between ventrolateral skin folds; a continuous series of enlarged femoro-precloacal scales, including 5 pore-bearing precloacal scales (males); no precloacal groove or depression; transversely enlarged subcaudal scales; a complete black nuchal loop; a W-shaped band above shoulders and 3-5 irregular, medially interrupted or not, black dorsal bands between limb insertions. Cyrtodactylus saiyok sp. nov. is the sixth reptile species that is possibly endemic to Sai Yok District.

From Communicative Competence to Interactional Competence: A New Outlook to the Teaching of Spoken English

This paper reexamines communicative competence by studying several representative models. After examining some inherent defects with today’s communicative spoken English teaching, the author highlights the importance of strategic competence and proposes a shift to interactional competence because conversational strategies can be best acquired and studied in the light of complete conversational loops. The author also proposes a model for the teaching of spoken English and demonstrates how conversational strategies function throughout the whole conversational loop. It is also hoped that spoken English testing should take the form of bi-directional or multi-directional conversation among candidates so that the teaching of conversational strategies can better promote the development of interactional competence.

Parameters Calculation and Application of Preisach Hysteresis Model Based on Combination of Genetic Algorithms and Neural Networks

Based on the static mathematical model of Preisach hysteresis, this paper presents a modified method, combining Genetic Algorithm and Neural Network Method to get three conventional parameters of the Preisach hysteresis model under alternating magnetization. In the proposed method, considering the symmetry of the major hysteresis loop, a complete fitting hysteresis loop is obtained through the neural network training to find the optimization function and through the genetic algorithm to find the function extreme. The numerical fitting results obtained by this method are found to be in good agreement with the measurement data and verify the theory.

Dislocated Semiconductor Nanowire Heterostructures

The growth of semiconductor nanowires has broadened the range of viable geometries available for defect-free heterostructures. This is primarily because the volumes are so small and their total strain energy is smaller than the cost of inserting misfit dislocations. Thus, systems with large lattice mismatch form axial and core-shell nanowire heterostructures below critical radii without danger of forming dislocations. Testing whether equilibrium models reliably predict the critical geometries in nanowires has been of great interest, extending similar studies for planar interfaces.This talk will show examples of strain relaxation in various semiconductor core-shell nanowire heterostructures where strain relaxation has occurred via dislocations. The types of dislocations observed and the residual strains are evaluated directly using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) as a function of nanowire composition, size, and geometry. Their geometries are compared to theoretical predictions giving insights about likely relaxation mechanisms. Dislocations must nucleate and grow at nanowire interfaces without the help of existing line defects that might exist in a planar substrate. If they form at the surface of the wire they must diffuse or glide to the interfaces. Most dislocations found in core-shell nanowires that have grown along {111} or {0001} directions are edge type and formed likely by diffusing the short distance from the surface to the interfaces. This also explains their highly uniform spacing along the wires. A glide process from the top or bottom of the wire along the interfaces is not as likely since the typical sidewall interface is not a low energy glide plane.Figure 1 shows an example of a bright-field TEM image of a wurzite InAs-GaAs (0001) core-shell nanowire that has relaxed the axial mismatch strain1. In this case there is a clear indication both from the image and the diffraction pattern that there are two lattices present. The fringes in the image and the spacing of spots in the diffraction pattern show that a mismatch of 7% has relaxed along the axial direction equal to the expected lattice mismatch strain of this system. The multiple spots are due to double electron diffraction events occurring in the GaAs shell and InAs core material. Misfit dislocations along the core-shell interfaces are directly visible from the strain fields in the image and from lattice fringes in higher magnification images.Figure 2 shows another TEM example of a relaxed GaAs-GaSb (111) core-shell interface with a set of dislocations visible2. The extra plane of an edge component is indicated by the white lines on the image. The diffraction pattern has double spots with 95% relaxation both axially and radially within this plane. The shell thickness and core radius were 9 nm and 18 nm, respectively, larger than predicted critical geometries for this radius (2 nm shell)3. Wires grown with less then 2 nm shell thicknesses were coherently strained.In the Ge-Si (111) core-shell system the critical thicknesses are 3 nm shells for a 15 nm radius core compared to 1 nm in a bulk planar growth4. Relaxation shows evidence that the mechanism is via glide along {111} planes oblique to the {110} sidewall facets. There remain questions about whether there is a complete dislocation loop on all sidewall interfaces. In some cases, for example GaAs-GaP core-shell, the GaP sidewall thickness is not uniform developing a triangular facet and therefore misfit dislocations are unnecessary on parts of the nanowire. The differences between the group IV and the III-V systems will be discussed.Acknowledgements:We thank our many collaborators including Watkins, Salehzadeh (SFU), Ruda, Savelyev, Blumin (U. Toronto), Dayeh, Picraux (Los Alamos), and Swadener (Aston U.) and are grateful for funding support from NSERC and CFI/BCKDF.

Support Vector Machine을 이용한 문맥 인지형 융합

앙상블 분류기는 여러 개의 분류기에서의 예측 결과를 결합함으로써 단일 분류기에 비해 신뢰성 높은 예측 결과를 얻을 수 있는 방법으로 널리 사용되고 있다. 앙상블 분류기를 위해서는 여러 가지 방법이 사용되고 있으며 흔히 사용되는 방법으로는 부스팅이 있다. 하지만 부스팅은 단계적인 학습을 통해 이전 단계에서 잘못 분류된 샘플들을 다음 단계에서 다시 분류하는 방식으로 이전 단계로의 피드백이 불완전한 순차적인 방법이라는 한계가 있다. 이 논문에서는 단일 분류기 중 가장 성능이 좋은 것으로 알려진 SVM을 기본분류기로 사용하여 동시에 여러개의 SVM을 학습하는 문맥 감지형 SVM 앙상블알고리즘을 제안한다. 제안하는 방법에서는 특징 공간을 문맥으로 나누는 클러스터링과 SVM 학습을 동시에 진행하므로 특징 공간 분할과 학습이 서로의 결과를 사용할 수 있어 기존 앙상블학습에 비해 더 나은 결과를 얻을 수 있으며 이는 실험 결과를 통해 확인할 수 있다. An ensemble classifier system is a widely-used multi-classifier system, which combines the results from each classifier and, as a result, achieves better classification result than any single classifier used. Several methods have been used to build an ensemble classifier including boosting, which is a cascade method where misclassified examples in previous stage are used to boost the performance in current stage. Boosting is, however, a serial method which does not form a complete feedback loop. In this paper, proposed is context sensitive SVM ensemble (CASE) which adopts SVM, one of the best classifiers in term of classification rate, as a basic classifier and clustering method to divide feature space into contexts. As CASE divides feature space and trains SVMs simultaneously, the result from one component can be applied to the other and CASE achieves better result than boosting. Experimental results prove the usefulness of the proposed method.

Robotic-assisted total intracorporeal ileal loop urinary diversion

The ileal loop urinary diversion procedure is an integral part of surgical treatment for central recurrent cervical cancer requiring pelvic exenteration. The procedure is typically performed via open laparotomy, which often is associated with significant blood loss, increased morbidity, and prolonged recovery. Thus, it would be ideal to perform the ileal loop urinary diversion via a minimally invasive surgical approach that is either laparoscopic or robotic-assisted. A major limitation of traditional laparoscopic-assisted urinary diversion is the inability to perform ureteroileal anastomosis, which requires fine sewing. A detailed technique of robotic-assisted complete intracorporeal ileal loop urinary diversion is described.

Molecular recognition of CCR5 by an HIV-1 gp120 V3 loop.

The binding of protein HIV-1 gp120 to coreceptors CCR5 or CXCR4 is a key step of the HIV-1 entry to the host cell, and is predominantly mediated through the V3 loop fragment of HIV-1 gp120. In the present work, we delineate the molecular recognition of chemokine receptor CCR5 by a dual tropic HIV-1 gp120 V3 loop, using a comprehensive set of computational tools predominantly based on molecular dynamics simulations and free energy calculations. We report, what is to our knowledge, the first complete HIV-1 gp120 V3 loop : CCR5 complex structure, which includes the whole V3 loop and the N-terminus of CCR5, and exhibits exceptional agreement with previous experimental findings. The computationally derived structure sheds light into the functional role of HIV-1 gp120 V3 loop and CCR5 residues associated with the HIV-1 coreceptor activity, and provides insights into the HIV-1 coreceptor selectivity and the blocking mechanism of HIV-1 gp120 by maraviroc. By comparing the binding of the specific dual tropic HIV-1 gp120 V3 loop with CCR5 and CXCR4, we observe that the HIV-1 gp120 V3 loop residues 13–21, which include the tip, share nearly identical structural and energetic properties in complex with both coreceptors. This result paves the way for the design of dual CCR5/CXCR4 targeted peptides as novel potential anti-AIDS therapeutics.

All-to-all broadcast problem of some classes of graphs under the half duplex all-port model

All-to-all communication occurs in many important applications in parallel processing. In this paper, we study the all-to-all broadcast number (the shortest time needed to complete the all-to-all broadcast) of graphs under the assumption that: each vertex can use all of its links at the same time, and each communication link is half duplex and can carry only one message at a unit of time. We give upper and lower bounds for the all-to-all broadcast number of graphs and give formulas for the all-to-all broadcast number of trees, complete bipartite graphs and double loop networks under this model.

Modeling of Chemical Looping Combustion of Methane Using a Ni-Based Oxygen Carrier

A complete chemical looping combustion (CLC) system, including both a fuel reactor (FR) and an air reactor (AR), is simulated using a multiphase computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model. The AR model comprises a bubbling fluidized bed and a high velocity riser. The FR and loop seal are both bubbling fluidized beds. The oxygen carrier material is selected as NiO. The models of units in the CLC system are implemented in CFD simulations to correlate the exchange of mass, momentum, and heat. Simulated concentrations of gas species are compared to experiments measured in a chemical looping combustor with NiO-based oxygen carriers and CH4 as fuel. The instantaneous and time-averaged distributions of the solid concentration and concentration of gas species in the AR, FR, and loop seal are predicted. The weight fractions of CH4 in the FR and O2 in the AR decrease along the bed height. The weight fraction of CO2 in the FR increases along the bed height.

Numerical Simulation of Hydrogen Production via Chemical Looping Reforming in Interconnected Fluidized Bed Reactor

A multiphase reactive fluid dynamic model has been applied to simulate a complete chemical looping reforming (CLR) system, including an air reactor (AR), a fuel reactor (FR), a cyclone, and a loop seal. A two-fluid model with consideration of frictional stress between particles at high solid concentrations is used. A bubble-structure-dependent drag coefficient model is proposed and incorporated into the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code to account for the effect of multiscale structures in the bubbling fluidized reactor. The predictions by the model are in good agreement with the experimental results. Flow pattern, profiles of bubbles, and distributions of gas compositions and temperatures are obtained. In addition, the influence of reaction temperature, operating velocity, and H2O/CH4 molar ratio on the gas concentration is also investigated.