The Convergence Characteristic of the Forward I-V Characteristic Curves of a Semiconductor Silicon Barrier at Different Temperatures

The /-V-（T） characteristic curves of p-n junctions with the forward voltage as the independent variable, the logarithm of forward current as the dependent variable, and the junction temperature as the parameter, almost converge at one point in the first quadrant. The voltage corresponding with the convergence point nearly equals the bandgap of the semiconductor material. This convergence point can be used to obtain the I-V characteristic curve at any temperature.

CHARACTERISTIC CURVES OF M-H AND COEXISTENCE OF MAGNETISM WITH SUPERCONDUCTIVITY FOR HIGH T_c SUPERCONDUCTORS REBa_2Cu_3OT_(7-x)

Some high T_c superconductors REBa_2Cu_3O_(7-x)(RE=Sm,Eu,Gd,Dy,Ho,Er,Tm) with zero resist- ance temperatures were about 90K have been prepared.The effect of magnetic rare earth ions on the transi- tion temperatures is not very great,but their magnetic behaviours are different from each other.The magnetization loops of these compounds have been measured at 77K.The coexistence of superconductivity with magnetic ordering (COSM) found in the samples with RE=Gd,Dy,Ho,Er,Tm,indicates that there are two possible ways of coexistence in the samples.These expertments show that the relation of paramagnetism to the atomtc number of rare earth elements for these superconductors is similar to that of rare earth ions in some paramagnetic salt crystals,which indicates that the magnetism of the samples origi- nates from the local magnetic moments of rare earth ions.In some samples there is antiferromagnetie ordering at low temperatures,and the effective Bohr magneton numbers are consistent with that of free rare earth ions. Some superconducting parameters including the critical current density are calculated according to Ginzburg-Landau theory and the critical state model.

Prediction of Abdominal Visceral Obesity From Body Mass Index,Waist Circumference and Waist-hip Ratio in Chinese Adults:Receiver Operating Characteristic Curves Analysis

Objective To evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) measurements in diagnosing abdominal visceral obesity. Methods BMI, WC, and WHR were assessed in 690 Chinese adults (305 men and 385 women) and compared with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measurements of abdominal visceral adipose tissue (VA). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were generated and used to determine the threshold point for each anthropometric parameter. Results 1) MRI showed that 61.7% of overweight/obese individuals (BMI≥25 kg/m2) and 14.2% of normal weight (BMI<25 kg/m2) individuals had abdominal visceral obesity (VA≥100 cm2). 2) VA was positively correlated with each anthropometric variable, of which WC showed the highest correlation (r=0.73-0.77, P<0.001). 3) The best cut-off points for assessing abdominal visceral obesity were as followed: BMI of 26 kg/m2, WC of 90 cm, and WHR of 0.93, with WC being the most sensitive and specific factor. 4) Among subjects with BMI≥28 kg/m2 or WC≥95 cm, 95% of men and 90% of women appeared to have abdominal visceral obesity. Conclusion Measurements of BMI, WC, and WHR can be used in the prediction of abdominal visceral obesity, of which WC was the one with better accuracy.

Effects of sample dimensions and shapes on measuring soil-water characteristic curves using pressure plate

It is well known that soilewater characteristic curve （SWCC） plays an important role in unsaturated soil mechanics, but the measurement of SWCC is inconvenient. In laboratory it requires days of testing time. For fine-grained clays, it may last for a couple of months using pressure plate tests. In this study, the effects of sample dimensions and shapes on the balance time of measuring SWCCs using pressure plate tests and the shape of SWCCs are investigated. It can be found that the sample dimensions and shapes have apparent influence on the balance time. The testing durations for circular samples with smaller diameters and annular samples with larger contact area are significantly shortened. However, there is little effect of sample dimensions and shapes on the shape of SWCCs. Its mechanism is explored and discussed in details through analysing the principle of pressure plate tests and microstructure of the sample. Based on the above findings, it is found that the circular samples with smaller dimensions can accelerate the testing duration of SWCC using the pressure plate.

Experimental study on characteristic curves of restoring forces of Populus alba var. pyramidalis

Static tests under cyclic loading were carried out on Populus alba var. pyramidalis to determine its characteristic curves of restoring forces. The results show that P alba var. pyramidalis had good elastic performance. There was degradation of strength and stiffness under cyclic loading and unloading, where characteristic curves of restoring forces ofP. alba var. pyrarnidalis assumed a ＂flat and contrary S-shape＂ form. Simultaneously, P alba vat. pyramidalis showed typical characteristics of brittle destruction under large high peak loading and unloading. Furthermore, dynamic tests were carried out under wind loads to obtain dynamic displacement curves and dynamic strain curves. P alba var. pyramidalis reflected its stochastic dynamic performance in building up its resistance to the stochastic wind loads and its dynamically hysteretic properties. The dynamic response of this species was random and fuzzy under stochastic wind loads. This study has theoretical significance and reference value to research on the static characteristics and wind-induced dynamic performance of forests.

Characteristics of In-Situ Soil Water Hysteresis Observed through Multiple-Years Monitoring

A soil water retention curve (SWRC) is an essential soil physical property for analyzing transport and retention of water in a soil layer. A SWRC is often described as a single-valued function that relates the soil water potential ψ to volumetric water content θ of the soil. However, an in-situ ψ − θ relation should show soil water hysteresis, though this fact is often neglected in analyses of field soil water regimes while long-term in-situ soil water hysteresis is not well characterized. This study aimed at probing and characterizing in-situ ψ − θ relations. The developments of large hysteresis in the in-situ ψ − θ relations were observed only a few times during the study period of 82 months. Any of the large hysteretic behaviors in the ψ − θ relations began with an unusually strong continual reduction in ψ. The completion of a hysteresis loop required a recorded maximum rainfall. Because the study field had very small chances to meet such strong rainfall events, it took multiple years to restore the fraction of soil water depleted by the unusually strong continual reduction in ψ. While wetting-drying cycles had occurred within a certain domain of ψ, hysteretic behaviors tended to be so small that the in-situ ψ − θ relation can be approximated as a single-valued function of θ(ψ). These observed patterns of the in-situ ψ − θ relations were characterized by kinds of difference in dθ/dψ between a drying process and a wetting process at a given ψ. Thus, more amounts of experimental facts about wetting SWRCs in parallel with drying SWRCs should be needed for correct modelling, analyzing, and predicting soil water regimes in fields. It is also necessary to increase our understandings about the long-term trends of occurrences of extreme weather conditions associated with possible change in climate.

A dynamic soil freezing characteristic curve model for frozen soil

The soil freezing characteristic curve(SFCC)plays a fundamental role in comprehending thermohydraulic behavior and numerical simulation of frozen soil.This study proposes a dynamic model to uniformly express SFCCs amidst varying total water contents throughout the freezing-thawing process.Firstly,a general model is proposed,wherein the unfrozen water content at arbitrary temperature is determined as the lesser of the current total water content and the reference value derived from saturated SFCC.The dynamic performance of this model is verified through test data.Subsequently,in accordance with electric double layer(EDL)theory,the theoretical residual and minimum temperatures in SFCC are calculated to be-14.5℃to-20℃for clay particles and-260℃,respectively.To ensure that the SFCC curve ends at minimum temperature,a correction function is introduced into the general model.Furthermore,a simplified dynamic model is proposed and investigated,necessitating only three parameters inherited from the general model.Additionally,both general and simplified models are evaluated based on a test database and proven to fit the test data exactly across the entire temperature range.Typical recommended parameter values for various types of soils are summarized.Overall,this study provides not only a theoretical basis for most empirical equations but also proposes a new and more general equation to describe the SFCC.

Water infiltration and soil-water characteristics of compacted loess under applied vertical stress

Additional stress formed by postconstruction buildings in loess-filling areas affects water infiltration in soil and causes soil deformation.To investigate this effect,under constant water head,vertical infiltration tests on compacted loess with two initial dry densities for different applied vertical stresses were developed using vertical stresscontrollable one-dimensional soil columns.The timehistory curves of vertical deformation,wetting front depth,cumulative infiltration depth,volumetric water content(VWC)and suction were measured,and the soil-water characteristic curves(SWCCs)were determined.The results showed that:(1)the infiltration ability of the soil column weakens with increasing applied vertical stress and initial dry density;(2)vertical deformation increases rapidly at first and then tends to be stable slowly at the consolidation and wetting-induced deformation stage,and is positively correlated with applied vertical stress and is negatively correlated with initial dry density.The stability time of wetting-induced deformation and the corresponding wetting front depth increase with the increase of applied vertical stress,while they decrease obviously when initial dry density increases;(3)the influence of applied vertical stress on soilwater characteristics in soil columns with various initial dry densities is related to the deformation depth of soil column.The VG(Van Genuchten)model is suitable for fitting the SWCCs at different monitoring positions.A normalized SWCC model introducing the applied vertical stress was proposed for each initial dry density using the mathematical relationship between the fitting parameters and the applied vertical stress.

Effect of initial gravimetric water content and cyclic wetting-drying on soil-water characteristic curves of disintegrated carbonaceous mudstone

The soil-water characteristic curve(SWCC)is often used to estimate unsaturated soil properties(e.g.strength,permeability,volume change,solute and thermal diffusivity).The SWCC of soil samples is significantly affected by cyclic wetting-drying.To examine how water content and cyclic wetting-drying affect the SWCC of disintegrated carbonaceous mudstone(DCM),SWCC tests were implemented using a pressure-plate apparatus.In addition,SWCC models for DCM considering the initial gravimetric water content and cyclic wetting-drying were developed.The test results showed that the volumetric water content(θ)of the DCM first decreased rapidly and then became stable as matric suction(s)increased.The initial water content affected the SWCC by altering the pore structure of the DCM.For a given number of wetting-drying cycles,the higher the initial water content,the higher the stabilizedθ.At a given s value,θdecreased as the number of wetting-drying cycles increased,which suggests that cyclic wetting-drying reduces the water-holding capacity of DCM.The Gardner model for DCM was constructed considering initial water content and cyclic wetting-drying,and was effective at describing and predicting the SWCC model for DCM.

Rapid testing and prediction of soil–water characteristic curve of subgrade soils considering stress state and degree of compaction

The subgrade soil is generally in saturated or unsaturated condition. To analyze complex thermo-hydro-mechanical-chemical (THMC) behaviors of subgrade, it is essential to determine the soil–water characteristic curve (SWCC) that represents the relationship between matric suction and moisture content. In this study, a full-automatic rapid stress-dependent SWCC pressure-plate extractor was developed. Then, the influences of overburden stress and degree of compaction on the SWCC of subgrade soil such as high liquid limit silt (MH) and low liquid limit clay (CL) were analyzed. Accordingly, a new model taking into account the influences of overburden stress and degree of compaction based on the well-known Van Genuchten (VG) SWCC fitting model was presented and validated. The results show that with the increase of the degree of compaction and overburden stress, the saturated moisture content of subgrade soil decreases, while the air-entry value increases and the transition section curve becomes flat. The influences of the degree of compaction and overburden stress on the SWCC of MH is greater than that of CL. Meanwhile, there was a satisfactory agreement between the prediction and measurement, indicating a good performance of the new model for predicting the SWCC.

Unraveling the hydraulic properties of loess for landslide prediction:A study on variations in loess landslides in Lanzhou,Dingxi,and Tianshui,China

Loess has distinctive characteristics,leading to frequent landslide disasters and posing serious threats to the lives and properties of local re sidents.The involvement of water repre sents a critical factor in inducing loess landslides.This study focuses on three neighboring cities sequentially situated on the Loess Plateau along the direction of aeolian deposition of loess,namely Lanzhou,Dingxi,and Tianshui,which are densely populated and prone to landslide disasters.The variations in hydraulic properties,including water retention capacity and permeability,are investigated through Soil Water Characteristic Curve(SWCC)test and hydraulic conductivity test.The experimental findings revealed that Tianshui loess exhibited the highest water retention capacity,followed by Dingxi loess,while Lanzhou loess demonstrated the lowest water retention capacity.Contrastingly,the results for the saturated permeability coefficient were found to be the opposite:Tianshui loess showed the lowest permeability,whereas Lanzhou loess displayed the highest permeability.These results are supported and analyzed by scanning electron microscopy(SEM)observation.In addition,the water retention capacity is mathematically expressed using the van Genuchten model and extended to predict unsaturated hydraulic properties of loess.The experimental results exhibit a strong accordance with one another and align with the regional distribution patterns of disasters.

Identifying the risk factors for pancreatic fistula after laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy in patients with pancreatic cancer

BACKGROUND Laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy(LPD)is a surgical procedure for treating pancreatic cancer;however,the risk of complications remains high owing to the wide range of organs involved during the surgery and the difficulty of anastomosis.Pancreatic fistula(PF)is a major complication that not only increases the risk of postoperative infection and abdominal hemorrhage but may also cause multi-organ failure,which is a serious threat to the patient’s life.This study hypothesized the risk factors for PF after LPD.AIM To identify the risk factors for PF after laparoscopic pancreatoduodenectomy in patients with pancreatic cancer.METHODS We retrospectively analyzed the data of 201 patients admitted to the Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center between August 2022 and August 2023 who underwent LPD for pancreatic cancer.On the basis of the PF’s incidence(grades B and C),patients were categorized into the PF(n=15)and non-PF groups(n=186).Differences in general data,preoperative laboratory indicators,and surgery-related factors between the two groups were compared and analyzed using multifactorial logistic regression and receiver-operating characteristic(ROC)curve analyses.RESULTS The proportions of males,combined hypertension,soft pancreatic texture,and pancreatic duct diameter≤3 mm;surgery time;body mass index(BMI);and amylase(Am)level in the drainage fluid on the first postoperative day(Am>1069 U/L)were greater in the PF group than in the non-PF group(P<0.05),whereas the preoperative monocyte count in the PF group was lower than that in the non-PF group(all P<0.05).The logistic regression analysis revealed that BMI>24.91 kg/m²[odds ratio(OR)=13.978,95%confidence interval(CI):1.886-103.581],hypertension(OR=8.484,95%CI:1.22-58.994),soft pancreatic texture(OR=42.015,95%CI:5.698-309.782),and operation time>414 min(OR=15.41,95%CI:1.63-145.674)were risk factors for the development of PF after LPD for pancreatic cancer(all P<0.05).The areas under the ROC curve for BMI,hypertension,soft pancreatic texture,and time prediction of PF surgery were 0.655,0.661,0.873,and 0.758,respectively.CONCLUSION BMI(>24.91 kg/m²),hypertension,soft pancreatic texture,and operation time(>414 min)are considered to be the risk factors for postoperative PF.

Effectiveness of magnetic resonance imaging and spiral computed tomography in the staging and treatment prognosis of colorectal cancer

BACKGROUND Colorectal cancer(CRC)is a prevalent cancer type in clinical settings;its early signs can be difficult to detect,which often results in late-stage diagnoses in many patients.The early detection and diagnosis of CRC are crucial for improving treatment success and patient survival rates.Recently,imaging techniques have been hypothesized to be essential in managing CRC,with magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)and spiral computed tomography(SCT)playing a significant role in enhancing diagnostic and treatment approaches.AIM To explore the effectiveness of MRI and SCT in the preoperative staging of CRC and the prognosis of laparoscopic treatment.METHODS Ninety-five individuals admitted to Zhongshan Hospital Xiamen University underwent MRI and SCT and were diagnosed with CRC.The precision of MRI and SCT for the presurgical classification of CRC was assessed,and pathological staging was used as a reference.Receiver operating characteristic curves were used to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of blood volume,blood flow,time to peak,permeability surface,blood reflux constant,volume transfer constant,and extracellular extravascular space volume fraction on the prognosis of patients with CRC.RESULTS Pathological biopsies confirmed the following CRC stages:23,23,32,and 17 at T1,T2,T3,and T4,respectively.There were 39 cases at the N0 stage,22 at N1,34 at N2,44 at M0 stage,and 51 at M1.Using pathological findings as the benchmark,the combined use of MRI and SCT for preoperative TNM staging in patients with CRC demonstrated superior sensitivity,specificity,and accuracy compared with either modality alone,with a statistically significant difference in accuracy(P<0.05).Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed the predictive values for laparoscopic treatment prognosis,as indicated by the areas under the curve for blood volume,blood flow,time to peak,and permeability surface,blood reflux constant,volume transfer constant,and extracellular extravascular space volume fraction were 0.750,0.683,0.772,0.761,0.709,0.719,and 0.910,respectively.The corresponding sensitivity and specificity values were also obtained(P<0.05).CONCLUSION MRI with SCT is effective in the clinical diagnosis of patients with CRC and is worthy of clinical promotion.

Design and Application of Automatic Test System of Soil Water Characteristic Curve

[Objective] In order to better meet the requirement of crops on a more and more accurate water content under various planting environment of modern agri-culture, an automatic test system of soil water characteristic curve was designed by combining the conceptions of soil moisture content and soil water potential. [Method] Electronic soil moisture tension meter was used to determine the real-time tension value of soil moisture in the tested container, and the electronic Weigh sensor was used to determine soil Weigh. Minusing method was used to calculate soil moisture content, based on which the soil water characteristic curve was plotted. [Result] Through the filed survey of 2 different kinds of soil in Jiangsu Province, the results were as fol ows： soil of different composition showed different trend in soil water characteristic curve that the soil water characteristic relation of the sandy soil in the old course of the Yel ow River in Xuzhou was Y=-0.000 2X3＋0.027 7X2-1.644 5X＋38.161, R2=0.991 9; while the soil water characteristic relation of the saline-alkali soil in Jinhai Farm of Dafeng was Y=-0.00 2X2-0.426X＋39.905, R2=0.991 3. [Con-clusion] The automatic test system of soil water characteristic curve soil water char-acteristics curve could reflect soil moisture content and soil water potential, as wel as reflect the effectiveness of soil water to plant growth, providing basis for the sci-entific irrigation.

Prediction of soil–water characteristic curve for Malan loess in Loess Plateau of China

To predict the soil-water characteristic curve(i.e.SWCC)of natural and remoulded Malan loess from soil physical properties,one-point methods for determining the SWCC that are much simpler than experimental methods are proposed.The predicted SWCC is presented in the form of the BRUTSAERT equation,in which the four model parameters can be estimated from soil physical properties using the best correlations obtained in the present study along with one measured data point.The proposed one-point methods are validated using the measured SWCC data reported in the literature.The results of validation studies suggest that the proposed one-point methods can provide reasonable prediction of the SWCC for natural and remoulded Malan loess.The measured data point should be within the transition zone;the measured suction is suggested between25to100kPa for natural loess,while between100to500kPa for remoulded loess.

Influences affecting the soil-water characteristic curve

The soil-water characteristic curve (SWCC) is the primary partially saturated soil information as its behavior and properties can be derived from it. Although there have been many studies of unsaturated soils and the SWCC, there is still no combined constitutive model that can simulate soil characteristics accurately. In cases when hydraulic hysteresis is dominant (e.g. under cyclic loading) it is particularly important to use the SWCC. In the past decades, several mathematical expressions have been proposed to model the curve. There are various influences on the SWCC as a source of information, so the curves obtained from conventional tests often cannot be directly applied; and the mathematical expressions from one scenario cannot be used to simulate another situation. The effects of void ratio, initial water content, stress state and high suction were studied in this work revealing that water content and stress state are more important than the other effects; but that the influences tend to decrease when suction increases. The van Genuchten model was modified to simulate better the changes in the degree of saturation at low values of suction. Predictions were compared with experimental results to determine the simulation capability of the model.

Soil-water characteristics and shear strength in constant water content triaxial tests on Yunnan red clay

The shear strength parameters for geotechnical designs are obtained mainly from consolidated drained （CD） or consolidated undrained （CU） triaxial tests. However, during construction, the excess pore-air pressure generally dissipates instantaneously while the excess pore-water pressure dissipates with time. This condition needs to be simulated in a constant water content （CW） triaxial test. The study on Yunnan red clay is carried out to investigate the soil-water characteristics and the shear strength characteristics under the constant water content condition. Osmotic technique is used to obtain the soil-water characteristic curve. A series of CW triaxial tests are conducted on statically compacted specimens. The experimental results show that the soil-water characteristic curve has a low air entry value of 7 kPa due to large pores in non-uniform pore size distribution, and a high residual value exceeding 10 MPa. In addition, the initial degree of saturation and net confining stress play an important role in affecting the shear characteristics under the constant water content condition. Finally, a new semi-empirical shear strength model in terms of degree of saturation is proposed and then applied to Yuunan red clay. Simulation result shows that the model is capable of capturing some key features of soils. The model can be used in whole engineering practice range, covering both unsaturmed and saturated soils.

Analytical computation of support characteristic curve for circumferential yielding lining in tunnel design

Circumferential yielding lining is able to tolerate controlled displacements without failure,which has been proven to be an effective solution to large deformation problem in squeezing tunnels.However,up to now,there has not been a well-established design method for it.This paper aims to present a detailed analytical computation of support characteristic curve(SCC)for circumferential yielding lining,which is a significant aspect of the implementation of convergence-confinement method(CCM)in tunnel support design.Circumferential yielding lining consists of segmental shotcrete linings and highly deformable elements,and its superior performance mainly depends on the mechanical characteristic of highly deformable element.The deformation behavior of highly deformable element is firstly investigated.Its whole deforming process can be divided into three stages including elastic,yielding and compaction stages.Especially in the compaction stage of highly deformable element,a nonlinear stress-strain relationship can be observed.For mathematical convenience,the stress-strain curve in this period is processed as several linear sub-curves.Then,the reasons for closure of circumferential yielding lining in different stages are explained,and the corresponding accurate equations required for constructing the SCC are provided.Furthermore,this paper carries out two case studies illustrating the application of all equations needed to construct the SCC for circumferential yielding lining,where the reliability and feasibility of theoretical derivation are also well verified.Finally,this paper discusses the sensitivity of sub-division in element compaction stage and the influence of element length on SCC.The outcome of this paper could be used in the design of proper circumferential yielding lining.

Algorithm design and application of novel GM-AGC based on mill stretch characteristic curve

As the spring equation is limited to the accuracy of mill stiffness and the linearity of the mill spring curve, the traditional gaugemeter automatic gauge control(GM-AGC) system based on spring equation cannot meet the requirements of practical production. In allusion to this problem, a kind of novel GM-AGC system based on mill stretch characteristic curve was proposed. The error existing in calculating strip thickness by spring equation were analyzed first. And then the mill stretch characteristic curve which could effectively eliminate the influence of mill stiffness was described. The novel GM-AGC system has been applied successfully in a hot strip mill, the application results show that the thickness control precision is improved significantly, with the novel GM-AGC system, over 98.6% of the strip thickness deviation of 3.0 mm class can be controlled within the target tolerances of ±20 μm.

Prediction of loess soil-water characteristic curve by mercury intrusion porosimetry

Mercury intrusion porosimetry(MIP)is a simple and fast way to obtain the pore distribution of soil and can be used to estimate the soil-water characteristic curve(SWCC).In previous studies,soil was assumed to be a perfect wettability material,and the contact angle(CA)of the soil-water interface was taken as zero in the SWCC prediction method.However,the CA has proved to be much greater than zero even for hydrophilic soils according to some soil wettability experiments,and it has a significant effect on predicting the SWCC.In this research,a method for predicting the SWCC by MIP,which takes the CA as a fitting coefficient,is proposed.The pore size distribution curves are measured by MIP,and the SWCCs of two loess soils are measured by pressure plate and filter paper tests.When the CA is taken as70°and 50°for the wetting and drying process,respectively,the SWCCs predicted by the pore size distribution curves agree well with the measured SWCCs.The predicted suction range of the proposed method is 0-105 k Pa.The consistency of the results suggests that utilizing the MIP test to predict the SWCC with a proper CA is effective for loess.