Iterative Program Research Articles

The efficacy of an eight-week exercise program for the management of chronic low back pain in the equestrian population.

Equestrians (horse riders) are more susceptible to low back pain than the general population due to loads placed on their bodies during the activity. A specific eight-week exercise intervention program targeting the muscles used during horse riding was implemented for a group of equestrians with low back pain. Volunteers were invited to participate in the study through social media posts in Melbourne, Australia. The participants were required to complete an exercise screening test prior to enrolment in the study to ensure they were suitable to participate in the iteration program. Participants then completed the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) (Short Form) and Patient Specific Functional Scale (PSFS) before commencing the exercise program. These outcome measures were completed again by participants after completing the 8-week exercise program. Nine equestrians (23-65 years of age; mean=43±14: average worst back pain on riding=7/10 with a range of 3-10/10) completed all outcome measures and the 8-week exercise intervention. Data indicate that all achieved improved pain severity, pain interference and riding functionality (P<0.01). An eight-week exercise program may be beneficial in improving a sample of equestrians' chronic LBP symptoms. From a practitioner's perspective, the findings provide an indication as to suitable exercises to prescribe to an equestrian to help reduce their LBP.

Programme science in action: lessons from an observational study of HIV prevention programming for key populations in Lusaka, Zambia.

Optimizing uptake of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for individuals at risk of HIV acquisition has been challenging despite clear scientific evidence and normative guidelines, particularly for key populations (KPs) such as men who have sex with men (MSM), female sex workers (FSWs), transgender (TG) people and persons who inject drugs (PWID). Applying an iterative Programme Science cycle, building on the effective programme coverage framework, we describe the approach used by the Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ) to scale up PrEP delivery and address inequities in PrEP access for KP in Lusaka, Zambia. In 2019, CIDRZ partnered with 10 local KP civil society organizations (CSOs) and the Ministry of Health (MOH) to offer HIV services within KP-designated community safe spaces. KP CSO partners led KP mobilization, managed safe spaces and delivered peer support; MOH organized clinicians and clinical commodities; and CIDRZ provided technical oversight. In December 2021, we introduced a community-based intervention focused on PrEP delivery in venues where KP socialize. We collected routine programme data from September 2019 to June 2023 using programme-specific tools and the national electronic health record. We estimated the before-after effects of our intervention on PrEP uptake, continuation and equity for KP using descriptive statistics and interrupted time series regression, and used mixed-effects regression to estimate marginal probabilities of PrEP continuity. Most (25,658) of the 38,307 (67.0%) Key Population Investment Fund beneficiaries were reached with HIV prevention services at community-based venues. In total, 23,527 (61.4%) received HIV testing services, with 15,508 (65.9%) testing HIV negative and found PrEP eligible, and 15,241 (98.3%) initiating PrEP. Across all programme quarters and KP types, PrEP uptake was >90%. After introducing venue-based PrEP delivery, PrEP uptake (98.7% after vs. 96.5% before, p<0.001) and the number of initiations (p=0.014) increased significantly. The proportion of KP with ≥1 PrEP continuation visit within 6 months of initiation was unchanged post-intervention (46.7%, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 45.7%, 47.6%) versus pre-intervention (47.2%, 95% CI: 45.4%, 49.1%). Applying Programme Science principles, we demonstrate how decentralizing HIV prevention services to KP venues and safe spaces in partnership with KP CSOs enabled successful community-based PrEP delivery beyond the reach of traditional facility-based services.

From Pipeline to Plant Protection Products: Using New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) in Agrochemical Safety Assessment.

The human population will be approximately 9.7 billion by 2050, and food security has been identified as one of the key issues facing the global population. Agrochemicals are an important tool available to farmers that enable high crop yields and continued access to healthy foods, but the average new agrochemical active ingredient takes more than ten years, 350 million dollars, and 20,000 animals to develop and register. The time, monetary, and animal costs incentivize the use of New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) in early-stage screening to prioritize chemical candidates. This review outlines NAMs that are currently available or can be adapted for use in early-stage screening agrochemical programs. It covers new in vitro screens that are on the horizon in key areas of regulatory concern. Overall, early-stage screening with NAMs enables the prioritization of development for agrochemicals without human and environmental health concerns through a more directed, agile, and iterative development program before animal-based regulatory testing is even considered.

Mapping of Aquifer Characteristics and Reservoir Protective Capacity Variation in Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area, Ogun State South-West Nigeria

Variation of Aquifer potential characteristics and its impacts on the groundwater subsurface protection of the aquiferous zone using electrical resistivity method was carried out at Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area, Ogun State South-West Nigeria with the principal purpose of assessing and rating aquifer protective capacity of the overburden units in the area. Twenty seven (27) vertical electrical sounding (VES) were conducted using Schlumberger configuration with the maximum electrode spacing of 100m at each point using Allied OMHEGA Resistivity meter. The data were interpreted using partial curve matching techniques and computer iteration program using WINRESIST. Parameters such as aquifer resistivity, aquifer thickness, overburden thickness, bedrock resistivity, reflection coefficient and longitudinal unit conductance were calculated and used for evaluating the groundwater yields and vulnerability of the aquiferous zone to contaminant seepages. The range of reflection coefficient is found to be between 0.02 and 0.98 while that of the protective capacity is between 0.00135 and 0.510. Groundwater potentials of the area were categorized as being high (overburden thickness 13m and reflection coefficient less than 0.8); medium (overburden thickness 13m and with reflection coefficient 0.8) and low (overburden thickness &lt; 13m and reflection coefficient. Also, the study area shows a very poor, poor, and moderate protective capacity rating. Seven (7) VES stations have very poor protective capacity, eighteen (18) VES stations shows poor protective capacity and only two (2) VES stations shows a moderate protective capacity rating. Since the illustration the longitudinal conductance revealed the impermeability of the confining layers which is generally ˂ 1.0 Siemens; values ˃1.0 Siemens which indicates zones in which the confined aquifer is subject to protection by the overlying formation materials; these revelations in the study area were possible indications that the groundwater quality status may have been impaired which necessitated the urgent need for the groundwater to be randomly...

Use of augmented reality for iterative robot program optimisation in robot-automated series production processes

The inspection, analysis, and modification of robot programs in series production processes is a challenging recurring task in the automotive industry. Especially the holistic analysis of detected defects and the subsequent derivation and application of corrective measures to the underlying robot program is a complex task requiring extensive knowledge in multiple fields. Existing scientific literature has demonstrated that the utilisation of Augmented Reality (AR) assisted robot programming systems (ARRPS) improves programming efficiency as well as intuitiveness when compared to traditional programming methods. However, the accuracy especially of mobile AR devices limits the applicability of AR in industrial applications. We propose to leverage the iterative nature of the optimisation process common in series production and utilise the visual capabilities of the human worker to define corrective measures based on the inspected real process result. This mitigates the impact of limited tracking accuracy as the optimisation is based on the visual perception of the user and thus decoupled from the accuracy of the employed AR device. We implemented our system based on the requirements of a sealing workstation of the Mercedes-Benz Group in Germany. A conducted experiment validates the functionality and indicates that the presented strategy of iterative AR assisted robot programming enables optimisations with a similar accuracy as the Teach-In programming as well as a significantly reduced programming time. This suggests that utilising an ARRPS can be highly beneficial in the inspection, analysis, and modification of sealing applications common in automotive series production processes. As the presented iterative AR assisted robot programming is neither limited to sealing nor to the automotive sector it can be adapted for various robot-automated applications like path-welding, gluing, or painting and can extend its utility to related sectors such as aviation or the marine industry.

A Pitfall of Iterative Ψ-Blast

The BLAST program [1] stands as a widely used tool for the search of the most similar sequences, while the iterative Ψ-BLAST program [2] offers a high sensitivity for detecting remote homologs of the query sequence through an iterative usage of the BLAST search. However, the number of iterations that have to be used by the Ψ-BLAST is rather poorly justified in the literature. Our study shows that, as the number of iterations increases, ΨBLAST rapidly loses the ability to be guided by the query sequence in the search for homologs. When working with the non-redundant (nr) sequence database of 2021, Ψ-BLAST, already after the second iteration, retains the query sequence at the top of the list of the found homologs to this sequence in only 18% of cases. Moreover, a query sequence is still listed among homologs found by Ψ-BLAST after the recommended 10 iterations in only 35% of cases. Using a considerably smaller nr database-2011 as a reference, we reveal that these effects intensify over time. Our findings underscore the necessity for circumspection when interpreting Ψ-BLAST outcomes; the degree of vigilance must increase with the database size. A vigilant monitoring of the position of the query sequence in the array of detected homologs is needed. We recommend using the disappearance of the query sequence from the list of homologs produced by Ψ-BLAST as a criterion to conclude the Ψ-BLAST iterations.

Evaluation and lessons learned from the dissemination and implementation science scholars program in the national cancer prevention and control research network.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)-funded Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network (CPCRN) has been a leader in cancer-related dissemination & implementation (D&I) science. Given increased demand for D&I research, the CPCRN Scholars Program launched in 2021 to expand the number of practitioners, researchers, and trainees proficient in cancer D&I science methods. The evaluation was informed by a logic model and data collected through electronic surveys. Through an application process (baseline survey), we assessed scholars' competencies in D&I science domains/subdomains, collected demographic data, and asked scholars to share proposed project ideas. We distributed an exit survey one month after program completion to assess scholars' experience and engagement with the program and changes in D&I competencies. A follow-up survey was administered to alumni nine months post-program to measure their continued network engagement, accomplishments, and skills. Three cohorts completed the program, consisting of 20, 17, and 25 scholars in Years 1-3, respectively. There was a significant increase in the total D&I competency scores for all three cohorts for 4 overarching domains and 43 subdomains (MPre = 1.38 MPost = 1.89). Differences were greatest for the domain of Practice-Based Considerations (0.50 mean difference) and Theory & Analysis (0.47 mean difference). Alumni surveys revealed that scholars appreciated access to D&I-focused webinars, toolkits, and training resources. 80% remain engaged with CPCRN workgroups and investigators. Program evaluation with scholars and alumni helped with ongoing quality assurance, introspection, and iterative program adaptation to meet scholars' needs. This approach is recommended for large-scale capacity-building training programs.

Effective Teaching Mathematics at School Level: A Perspective from Nepal

Mathematical facilitators all across the globe are using fresh approaches and making use of productive results, implementation of research-based methods to teach mathematics in the classroom. A cooperative knowledge-building approach, i.e. Iterative Best Evidence Synthesis Program, is required for classroom instruction. This study gives guidelines for effective educational techniques that promote instructors for varied learners by drawing on results from mathematics, the intuitive notions that have been utilized in the classroom, and recent research investigations. In examining the links between pedagogical practices and a range of social and academic student outcomes, this article draws on the histories, cultures, language, and practices for the Nepali context.

IMPROVING THE QUANTIFICATION ACCURACY OF Tc-99m MIBI DUAL-PHASE PARATHYROID SPECT/CT: A MONTE CARLO SIMULATION STUDY

Objective: Quantitative parathyroid SPECT imaging is a technique used to assess Primary hyperparathyroidism that may have potential in the identification and differentiation of parathyroid lesions as well as the estimation of disease severity. Studying the effect of data acquisition parameters on the quantification error is important for maximizing the accuracy of this diagnostic technique. In this study we examine the effects of different data acquisition parameters, namely the type of collimator, scatter correction status and reconstruction iteration number on the quantification accuracy using computer simulation. Methods: The SIMIND Monte Carlo Simulation and CASToR iterative reconstruction program was used to simulate a commercially available SPECT camera (Siemens Symbia Intevo Gamma Camera) with a crystal size of 29.55cm and 128x128 matrix size. A digital cylindrical phantom filled with water was constructed. A 0.36 cm radius spherical adenoma filled with a uniform 1MBq radioactivity is placed within the phantom. Low-Energy High Resolution (LEHR) and Low Energy Ultra High Resolution (LEUHR) collimator models are tested. Along with the presence of Scatter correction and differing iteration numbers (x16, x32). An image FOV based calibration method was used to gather quantitative information and checked against the input radioactivity. Results: The presence of scatter correction caused a 15-20% relative improvement in quantification accuracy. The optimal number of iterations produced a 10% relative improvement. Overall, accuracies as good as 7% in estimated activity concentration could be observed. Conclusion: The optimization of parameters can provide a significant improvement in quantification accuracy.

Pilot test of Consensus Reporting Items for Studies in Primary care (CRISP).

The Consensus Reporting Items for Studies in Primary care (CRISP) provides a new research reporting guideline to meet the needs of the producers and users of primary care (PC) research. Developed through an iterative program of research, including investigators, practicing clinicians, patients, community representatives, and educators, the CRISP Checklist guides PC researchers across the spectrum of research methods, study designs, and topics. This pilot test included a variety of team members using the CRISP Checklist for writing, revising, and reviewing PC research reports. All or most of the 15 participants reported that the checklist was easy to use, improved research reports, and should be recommended by PC research journals. The checklist is adaptable to different study types; not all items apply to all reports. The CRISP Checklist can help meet the needs of PC research when used in parallel with existing guidelines that focus on specific methods and limited topics.

Curvature interference characteristic analysis of offset involute cylindrical worm drive

The theory of calculating the curvature interference limit line of the offset involute cylindrical worm drive based on the singular point condition on the enveloping surface is established. The tooth surface equations and the meshing function of the worm drive are derived. Based on the singular point condition that the normal vector of the enveloping surface is zero, the equation of the curvature interference limit line is obtained. By employing the resultant elimination method and the geometric construction, the existence of the solutions of the curvature interference limit line is determined, and the reasonable initial values for the iteration program are afforded. The numerical outcomes show that there is one meaningful curvature interference limit line on each flank of single tooth of the worm gear, which usually does not enter the worm gear tooth surface. Both flanks of the worm gear are all settled in the side of the limit line, the curvature interference does not happen on the worm gear tooth surface. The undercutting of the cutting engagement process generally does not happen. The results also reveal that the curvature interference limit line is closer to the addendum and heel of the face worm gear on the i flank, which has the greatest potential venture inflict the undercutting.

간호대학생의 성태도에 미치는 영향 요인

This study is a descriptive research study to identify gender role stereotypes, gender expression, positive gender perception and self-esteem, and to identify factors that affect nursing students' sexual attitudes for nursing students. This study intends to use it as a basic educational material for developing a program that can improve the sexual competencies of nursing students as a prospective nurse who can contribute to sexual culture and sexual safety in the future and for the development of major subjects.&#x0D; The subjects were randomly selected the nursing departments of two universities. The minimum number of samples calculated using the G-Power 3.1.3 program. The questionnaire consists subject reads and checks directly, and it took about 15 minutes to fill out. The data collection period was from April 1 to April 30, 2022, and among the 290 recovered copies, 272 copies were used for data analysis, excluding 8 copies with insufficient responses.&#x0D; As a result of the study, sexual assertiveness scored an average of 60.69 points and their self-esteem averaged 35.54 points, which was above average. Nursing students showed an open attitude toward sex with an average of 117.01 points. Sexual attitudes were related to gender stereotypes (r=-.357, p=&lt;.001), and positive gender perception (r=-.299, p=&lt;.001) and there was a significant correlation. The factors affecting the sexual attitudes of nursing students were gender stereotypes, religious presence, sexual experience, and sexual expression. Of these, gender stereotypes (β=-.384, p&lt;.001) had the greatest influence on the sexual attitudes of nursing students, and the second was sexual experience (β=-.306, p&lt;.001). The degree to which these factors explained the nursing students' sexual attitude can vary according to changes in social and cultural environment. It is necessary to investigate the sexual attitude of nursing students as prospective nurses who can contribute to sexual culture and sexual safety in the future. that would make sense It is necessary to develop and apply an iterative educational program that can improve the performance-related competency of college students and further enhance the sexual assertiveness training by instilling the right sense of sexuality.

Enhancing accessibility and scalability of school-based programs to improve youth attention and behavior: Open feasibility trial of the remote CLS-R-FUERTE program in Mexico.

Neurodevelopmental disorders of inattention and disruptive behavior, such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and oppositional defiant disorder, are among the most common youth mental health conditions across cultures. There is a need to develop more accessible school-based intervention and training programs, as well as create a system with clinical research capacity for scalable school clinician training and evaluation, to support students with attention and behavior concerns worldwide. We adapted the collaborative life skills program for Mexico (i.e., CLS-FUERTE) for remote delivery (i.e., CLS-R-FUERTE) and conducted a three-school open trial with N = 67 participants (n = 7-8 students per school [ages 6-12] and their parents, teachers, and school clinicians). We examined fidelity to program content, attendance and adherence records, in vivo observations of program delivery, and postmeeting feedback informing iterative program changes between each school cohort. We also examined improvements in youth attention and behavior rated by parents and teachers to evaluate the remote program effectiveness. CLS-R-FUERTE feasibility, acceptability, and usability findings were promising. Iterative program changes between each school cohort were minor and included adapted curriculum order, enhanced engagement strategies, and technology adjustments. Many students demonstrated reliable change, and the pre-post program improvements were comparable to outcomes from the in-person CLS-FUERTE trial, indicating preliminary effectiveness. Our pilot CLS-R-FUERTE effort supports the process of iteratively adapting, implementing, and evaluating remote school-based intervention and training programs to enhance potential flexibility, accessibility, and scalability. Challenges emerging from technological problems and in context of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as solutions, are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Integrating simulation into surgical training: a qualitative case study of a national programme

BackgroundApplying simulation-based education (SBE) into surgical curricula is challenging and exacerbated by the absence of guidance on implementation processes. Empirical studies evaluating implementation of SBE interventions focus primarily on outcomes. However, understanding the processes involved in organising, planning, and delivering SBE adds knowledge on how best to develop, implement, and sustain surgical SBE. This study used a reform of early years surgical training to explore the implementation of a new SBE programme in Scotland. It aimed to understand the processes that are involved in the relative success (or failure) when implementing surgical SBE interventions.MethodsThis qualitative case study, underpinned by social constructionism, used publicly available documents and the relevant surgical SBE literature to inform the research focus and contextualise data obtained from semi-structured interviews with core surgical trainees (n = 46), consultant surgeons (n = 25), and key leaders with roles in surgical training governance in Scotland (n = 7). Initial data coding and analysis were inductive. Secondary data analysis was then undertaken using Normalisation Process Theory (NPT). NPTs’ four constructs (coherence, cognitive participation, collective action, reflexive monitoring) provided an explanatory framework for scrutinising how interventions are implemented, embedded, and integrated into practice, i.e. the “normalisation” process.ResultsDistributed leadership (individual SBE initiatives assigned to faculty but overall programme overseen by a single leader) and the quality improvement practise of iterative refinement were identified as key novel processes promoting successful normalisation of the new SBE programme. Other processes widely described in the literature were also identified: stakeholder collaboration, personal contacts/relational processes, effective communication, faculty development, effective leadership, and tight programme management. The study also identified that learners valued SBE activities in group- or team-based social environments over isolated deliberate practice.ConclusionsSBE is most effective when designed as a comprehensive programme aligned to the curriculum. Programmes incorporating both group-based and isolated SBE activities promote deliberate practice. Distributed leadership amongst faculty attracts wide engagement integral to SBE programme implementation, while iterative programme refinement through regular evaluation and action on feedback encourages integration into practice. The knowledge contributed by critically analysing SBE programme implementation processes can support development of much needed guidance in this area.

A Comparative Study on the Stability Performance of the Suspen-Dome, Conventional Cable Dome, and Ridge-Beam Cable Dome

Stability calculation is the main objective during the analysis of domes. To investigate the effects of the initial defect, geometric nonlinearity, and material nonlinearity on the stability performance of different dome structures, 60 m numerical models were built and optimized by an iterative force-finding APDL program. Then, linear buckling analysis, geometric nonlinear stability analysis, geometric nonlinear stability analysis with initial defects, and dual nonlinear analysis with initial defects were discussed to compare the stability performance of ridge-beam cable domes (RCDs), suspen-domes, and conventional cable domes via finite element analysis. The results show that the buckling loads all follow the order of initial defect + dual nonlinear analysis &lt; initial defect + geometric nonlinear analysis &lt; geometric nonlinear analysis &lt; linear buckling. The addition of ridge beams improves the overall stability and transforms the instability modes from local concave instability to overall torsional buckling. The ultimate load amplification coefficients of the RCD are close to those of the suspen-dome, while the vertical displacements of the RCD are more than those of the conventional cable dome, so the RCD has sufficient stiffness to reduce local displacement. Under 2–3 load combinations, internal ridge beams change from a tensile-bending state to a compressive-bending state, causing the entire instability of the RCD afterwards.

Study of seismic vulnerability of steel frame structures on soft ground considering group effect

Earthquakes have caused increasingly severe casualties and economic losses in coastal urban areas where soft soils are widely distributed. To mitigate disaster losses, this paper aims to investigate the mechanism of the group effect, the interaction between a group of buildings (at least three) through the foundation, on seismic vulnerability in coastal urban areas. Firstly, the analysis models are established, and the validity is subsequently verified. Meanwhile, a self-built automatic iterative calculation program for multilayer soils is adopted to consider the nonlinearity of the soft soils. On this basis, probabilistic seismic demand analyses are further performed using ten earthquake ground motions. The seismic vulnerability formulas of the structures are obtained in combination with the probabilistic seismic demand models. Finally, the influence of the group effect on the seismic performance of the structures is evaluated from different perspectives based on the vulnerability formulas. The results indicate that the group effect of the steel frame structures makes the performance margin ratio (PMR) significantly higher and reduces the seismic vulnerability of the structures in coastal urban areas. The mechanism revealed in this paper presents a more accurate way to conduct earthquake-resistant design, provides guidelines for setting the criteria, and is likewise instructive to the seismic design of other structural forms.

Indigenous Women and Their Nutrition During Pregnancy (the Mums and Bubs Deadly Diets Project): Protocol for a Co-designed mHealth Resource Development Study.

Nutrition in pregnancy is pivotal to optimizing infant growth and maternal well-being. The factors affecting Indigenous people's food and nutrition intake are complex with a history of colonization impacting the disproportionate effect of social determinants to this day. Literature regarding the dietary intake or dietary priorities of Indigenous women in Australia is scarce, with supportive, culturally appropriate resources developed for and with this group rare. Research suggests mobile health (mHealth) tools are effective in supporting health knowledge of Indigenous people and positive health behavior changes when designed and developed with the expertise of Indigenous communities. This study seeks to build the body of knowledge related to nutrition needs and priorities for Indigenous women in Australia during pregnancy. Further, this project team and its participants will co-design an mHealth digital tool to support these nutrition needs. The Mums and Bubs Deadly Diets study recruits Indigenous women and health care professionals who support Indigenous women during pregnancy into 2 phases. Phase 1 (predesign) uses a mixed methods convergent design using a biographical questionnaire and social or focus groups to inform phase 2 (generative). Phase 2 will use a participatory action research process during co-design workshops to iteratively develop the digital tool; the exact actions within a workshop will evolve according to the participant group decisions. To date, this project has undertaken phase 1 focus groups at all Queensland sites, with New South Wales and Western Australia to begin in early to mid-2023. We have recruited 12 participants from Galangoor Duwalami, 18 participants from Carbal in Toowoomba, and 18 participants from Carbal in Warwick. We are expecting similar numbers of recruits in Western Australia and New South Wales. Participants have been both community members and health care professionals. This study is an iterative and adaptive research program that endeavors to develop real-world, impactful resources to support the nutrition needs and priorities of pregnant Indigenous women in Australia. This comprehensive project requires a combination of methods and methodologies to ensure Indigenous voices are heard at each stage and in all aspects of research output. The development of an mHealth resource for this cohort will provide a necessary bridge where there is often a gap in access to nutrition resources for women in pregnancy in Indigenous communities. DERR1-10.2196/45983.

Study design and baseline to evaluate water service provision among peri-urban communities in Kasai Oriental, Democratic Republic of the Congo.

We present a study design and baseline results to establish the impact of interventions on peri-urban water access, security and quality in Kasai Oriental province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In standard development practice, program performance is tracked via monitoring and evaluation frameworks of varying sophistication and rigor. Monitoring and evaluation, while usually occurring nearly concurrently with program delivery, may or may not measure parameters that can identify performance with respect to the project's overall goals. Impact evaluations, often using tightly controlled trial designs and conducted over years, challenge iterative program evolution. This study will pilot an implementation science impact evaluation approach in the areas immediately surrounding 14 water service providers, at each surveying 100 randomly-selected households and conducting water quality assessments at 25 randomly-selected households and five water points every three months. We present preliminary point-of-collection and point-of-use baseline data. This study is utilizing a variety of short- and medium-term monitoring and impact evaluation methods to provide feedback at multiple points during the intervention. Rapid feedback monitoring will assess the continuity of water services, point-of-consumption and point-of-collection microbial water quality, household water security, household measures of health status, ability and willingness to pay for water and sanitation service provision, and service performance monitoring. Long-term evaluation will focus on the use of qualitative comparative analysis whereby we will investigate the combination of factors that lead to improved water access, security and quality.

Investigation on the cooling performance of mechanical draft dry-wet hybrid cooling tower

To address the problem of poor cooling performance of mechanical draft dry cooling tower (MDDCT) at high ambient temperatures, this paper proposes a dry-wet hybrid cooling technology to evaporatively cool the inlet air of the MDDCT using wet media. A MATLAB iterative program of the dry-wet hybrid cooling tower is established, and the influences of the medium type and thickness, ambient temperature, humidity and the fan speed on the cooling performance of the dry-wet hybrid cooling tower and its performance control strategy are investigated. The results show that: (1) The cooling performance of the dry-wet hybrid cooling tower is better than that of the MDDCT during high ambient temperatures; (2) The cooling performance of the studied 12.5 m high MDDCT can be improved by 71.32 % (the heat rejection rate increases from 2.72 MW to 4.66 MW) using 300 mm CELdek7060 medium for hybrid cooling at the ambient temperature of 30 ℃ and humidity of 20 %; (3) The increase in the fan speed from 80 r/min to 160 r/min can improve the cooling performance of both the MDDCT by 89.73 % (the heat rejection rate increases from 1.85 MW to 3.51 MW) and the 300 mm CELdek7060 hybrid cooling tower by 92.04 % (the heat rejection rate increases from 3.14 MW to 6.03 MW); (4) Based on the meteorological data of Hami in Xinjiang in the year of 2020, the investigation on the control strategy reveals that the fan speed should be raised from 120 r/min to the maximum 333 r/min at the medium thickness of 300 mm to meet the 5 ℃ temperature drop in July (i.e., the hottest month).

Analysis on Bearing Behavior of Single Pile under Combined Action of Vertical Load and Torque in Expansive Soil

To reasonably analyze the bearing characteristics of curved beam bridge pile foundation under the combined action of vertical force (V) and torque (T) in expansive soil, a method of determining Tu (limit torque) under the action of V is proposed. Considering the effects of expansive force and ground heave after immersion, the load transfer function at the pile–soil interface with positive and negative friction resistance is established. The nonlinear solution of a single pile under vertical load is achieved by the finite difference method. Subsequently, the circumferential limit friction resistance is modified, and a loop iteration program is compiled through MATLAB. Thus, the bearing capacity of single pile under the loading path of V→T is obtained. The corresponding failure envelope curve is drawn and verified by laboratory model tests. Based on the verified solution, the bearing capacity envelope curve and deformation characteristics of single pile are analyzed. The influence of the expansion rate on the bearing capacity envelope curve is discussed, and reasonable engineering suggestions are put forward.