Paul Coop - Profile on Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Paul Coop

Research paper thumbnail of Progress in evaporation mitigation research

Annual evaporation losses from irrigation storage dams and channels are significant and are estim... more Annual evaporation losses from irrigation storage dams and channels are significant and are estimated to be between 1.32GL/yr and 2.88GL/yr from the 2,000,000 farm dams across Australia. Nationally, consideration is currently being given to investment in evaporation mitigation technologies. Floating and suspended covers are proven but involve high capital cost: in contrast, monomolecular chemical films (monolayers) offer potentially cost-effective evaporation mitigation but are as yet unproven. Five years of research funded by the CRC Irrigation Futures and others has enabled significant progress in evaporation mitigation research, and in particular the future use of monolayers. In this paper, developments are reported in six areas: the development of standardised methods for evaporation and seepage monitoring in storages, including Internet-based calculation tools; fundamental understanding of the reasons for seemingly highly-variable performance of monolayers; and from this the fo...

Research paper thumbnail of Detection of Evaporation Reducing Monolayers on Open Water Surfaces

Detection of Evaporation Reducing Monolayers on Open Water Surfaces

Research paper thumbnail of Understanding the role of monolayers in retarding evaporation from water storage bodies

Chemical Physics Letters, 2015

Retardation of evaporation by monomolecular films by a 'barrier model' does not explain the effec... more Retardation of evaporation by monomolecular films by a 'barrier model' does not explain the effect of air velocity on relative evaporation rates in the presence and absence of such films. An alternative mechanism for retardation of evaporation attributes reduced evaporation to a reduction of surface roughness, which in turn increases the effective vapour pressure of water above the surface. Evaporation suppression effectiveness under field conditions should be predictable from measurements of the surface dilational modulus of monolayers and research directed to optimising this mechanism should be more fruitful than research aimed at optimising a monolayer to provide an impermeable barrier.

Research paper thumbnail of Beliefs and values in Japanese acupuncture: an ethnography of Japanese trained acupuncture practitioners in Japan

Integrative Medicine Research, 2017

Background: Japanese acupuncture is gaining international recognition. However, previous research... more Background: Japanese acupuncture is gaining international recognition. However, previous research has failed to comprehensively describe the characteristics of Japanese acupuncture by not investigating it within the Japanese clinical environment. This study aimed to identify unique and routine elements of Japanese acupuncture, describe these elements in detail, and examine how the current beliefs and attitudes of Japanese acupuncture practitioners related to philosophical concepts in their practice. Methods: Between August 2012 and December 2016, ethnographic fieldwork was conducted in Japan. Japanese trained acupuncture practitioners were recruited by chain referral and emergent sampling. Data were collected through participant observation, interviews, and by analyzing documents. Thematic analysis was used to critically evaluate the data. Results: Thirty-eight participants were recruited. Of these participants, 22 agreed to clinical observation; 221 treatments were observed with 172 patients. Additionally, 17 participants consented to participate in formal semistructured interviews and 28 to informal unstructured interviews (fieldwork discussion). Besides "knowledge," "beliefs and values" was a major theme interpreted from the data. Subthemes-including Zen Buddhism, effect through technique, instant effects of treatment, anatomical areas of significance, resolution of abnormalities, minimal stimulation, and patient comfort and customer service-were identified. Conclusion: Beliefs and values are an underrepresented, yet extremely important aspect of philosophical concepts influencing acupuncture practice in Japan. Uniquely Japanese beliefs and values that do not rely on a commitment to any spiritual or religious affiliations or proprietary knowledge of traditional or biomedicine may be successfully exported from Japan to advance acupuncture education, research and practice in international contexts.

Research paper thumbnail of Contact Tools in Japanese Acupuncture: An Ethnography of Acupuncture Practitioners in Japan

Journal of Acupuncture and Meridian Studies, 2017

This study aimed to identify procedural elements of Japanese acupuncture, describe these elements... more This study aimed to identify procedural elements of Japanese acupuncture, describe these elements in detail, and explain them in terms of the key thematic category of treatment principles. Between August 2012 and December 2016, ethnographic fieldwork was conducted in Japan. In total, 38 participants were recruited by chain referral and emergent sampling. Data was collected through participant observation, interviews, and by analyzing documents. A total of 22 participants agreed to clinical observation; 221 treatments were observed with 172 patients. Seventeen consented to formal interviews and 28 to informal interviews. Thematic analysis was used to critically evaluate data. One especially interesting theme was interpreted from the data: a variety of contact tools were applied in treatment and these were manipulated by adjusting elements of form, speed, repetition, and pressure. Tapping, holding, pressing/pushing, and stroking were the most important ways contact tools were used on patients. Contact tools are noninvasive, painless, can be applied in almost any environment, and may be easily accepted by patients worldwide. Contact tool theory and practice may be successfully integrated into acupuncture curricula outside of Japan, used to inform clinical trials, and contribute to an expanded repertoire of methods for practitioners to benefit individual patients in international contexts.

Research paper thumbnail of The confirmation of treatment effects in Japanese acupuncture

Integrative Medicine Research, 2019

Background: Japanese acupuncture is gaining international recognition. However, previous research... more Background: Japanese acupuncture is gaining international recognition. However, previous research has failed to comprehensively describe the characteristics of Japanese acupuncture by not investigating it within the Japanese clinical environment. This qualitative ethnographic study aimed to identify unique and routine elements of Japanese acupuncture, describe these in detail and examine how they related to treatment principles. Methods: Between August 2012 and December 2016, ethnographic fieldwork was conducted in Japan. Participants were recruited by chain referral and emergent sampling. Data were collected through participant observation and interviews as well as by analyzing documents. A total of 38 participants were recruited. A total of 22 agreed to clinical observation; 221 treatments were observed with 172 patients. Seventeen participants consented to participate in formal interviews and 28 to informal interviews. Thematic analysis was used to evaluate data. Results: That practitioners tended to confirm perceived effects of interventions during treatment, was a major theme interpreted from the data. Confirmation was performed continually throughout treatment and at three different levels of timing and anatomical areas (micro, meso and macro). Many markers signified treatment effects which were in general, perceived by observing and/or palpating body tissue. Belief in the instantaneous effects of treatment and the value of effect through technique exemplify the philosophical foundations of confirmation. Continually monitoring treatment results at a range of time and body location increments is an important element of Japanese acupuncture. Conclusion: This effect confirmation practice model promotes a system of constant feedback gained by repeated intervention and confirmation. This may be a unique feature of Japanese acupuncture.

Research paper thumbnail of Evaporation, Seepage and Water Quality Management in Storage Dams: A Review of Research Methods

One of the most significant sources of water wastage in Australia is loss from small storage dams... more One of the most significant sources of water wastage in Australia is loss from small storage dams, either by seepage or evaporation. Over much of Australia, evaporative demand routinely exceeds precipitation. This paper outlines first, methodologies and measurement techniques to quantify the rate of evaporative loss from fresh water storages. These encompass high-accuracy water balance monitoring; determination of the validity of alternative estimation equations, in particular the FAO56 Penman-Monteith ETo methodology; and the commencement of CFD modeling to determine a ‘dam factor ’ in relation to practical atmospheric measurement techniques. Second, because the application of chemical monolayers is the only feasible alternative to the high cost of physically covering the storages to retard evaporation, the use of cetyl alcohol-based monolayers is reviewed, and preliminary research on their degradation by photolytic action, by wind break-up and by microbial degradation reported. Si...

Research paper thumbnail of Automatic detection of evaporation reducing monolayers

Automatic detection of evaporation reducing monolayers

Mono-molecular layers, or monolayers, on the surface of water can reduce evaporation by up to 40%... more Mono-molecular layers, or monolayers, on the surface of water can reduce evaporation by up to 40% on small storages. Effective reduction requires the maintenance of coverage by dispensers, which must be informed by sensors capable of detecting the presence/absence of the monolayer. However, no system has yet been developed that can reliably automatically detect the presence of monolayer. Numerous detection techniques for potential field deployment, including optical and infrared reflectance, measurement of surface tension and wave damping methods were investigated. A wind assisted surface probe (WASP), based on the temperature differential between the sub-surface and volume of a small sample of periodically-entrapped water was subsequently developed. In small scale testing it has shown to be a reliable indicator of monolayer in all but very high humidities.

Research paper thumbnail of The Philosophy and Practice of Japanese Acupuncture

The Philosophy and Practice of Japanese Acupuncture

Research paper thumbnail of Automatic detection of evaporation reducing monolayers

Automatic detection of evaporation reducing monolayers

Research paper thumbnail of Evaporation, seepage and water quality management in storage dams: a review of research methods

Environmental …, 2007

One of the most significant sources of water wastage in Australia is loss from small storage dams... more One of the most significant sources of water wastage in Australia is loss from small storage dams, either by seepage or evaporation. Over much of Australia, evaporative demand routinely exceeds precipitation. This paper outlines first, methodologies and measurement ...

Research paper thumbnail of Progress in evaporation mitigation research

Annual evaporation losses from irrigation storage dams and channels are significant and are estim... more Annual evaporation losses from irrigation storage dams and channels are significant and are estimated to be between 1.32GL/yr and 2.88GL/yr from the 2,000,000 farm dams across Australia. Nationally, consideration is currently being given to investment in evaporation mitigation technologies. Floating and suspended covers are proven but involve high capital cost: in contrast, monomolecular chemical films (monolayers) offer potentially cost-effective evaporation mitigation but are as yet unproven. Five years of research funded by the CRC Irrigation Futures and others has enabled significant progress in evaporation mitigation research, and in particular the future use of monolayers. In this paper, developments are reported in six areas: the development of standardised methods for evaporation and seepage monitoring in storages, including Internet-based calculation tools; fundamental understanding of the reasons for seemingly highly-variable performance of monolayers; and from this the fo...

Research paper thumbnail of Detection of Evaporation Reducing Monolayers on Open Water Surfaces

Detection of Evaporation Reducing Monolayers on Open Water Surfaces

Research paper thumbnail of Understanding the role of monolayers in retarding evaporation from water storage bodies

Chemical Physics Letters, 2015

Retardation of evaporation by monomolecular films by a 'barrier model' does not explain the effec... more Retardation of evaporation by monomolecular films by a 'barrier model' does not explain the effect of air velocity on relative evaporation rates in the presence and absence of such films. An alternative mechanism for retardation of evaporation attributes reduced evaporation to a reduction of surface roughness, which in turn increases the effective vapour pressure of water above the surface. Evaporation suppression effectiveness under field conditions should be predictable from measurements of the surface dilational modulus of monolayers and research directed to optimising this mechanism should be more fruitful than research aimed at optimising a monolayer to provide an impermeable barrier.

Research paper thumbnail of Beliefs and values in Japanese acupuncture: an ethnography of Japanese trained acupuncture practitioners in Japan

Integrative Medicine Research, 2017

Background: Japanese acupuncture is gaining international recognition. However, previous research... more Background: Japanese acupuncture is gaining international recognition. However, previous research has failed to comprehensively describe the characteristics of Japanese acupuncture by not investigating it within the Japanese clinical environment. This study aimed to identify unique and routine elements of Japanese acupuncture, describe these elements in detail, and examine how the current beliefs and attitudes of Japanese acupuncture practitioners related to philosophical concepts in their practice. Methods: Between August 2012 and December 2016, ethnographic fieldwork was conducted in Japan. Japanese trained acupuncture practitioners were recruited by chain referral and emergent sampling. Data were collected through participant observation, interviews, and by analyzing documents. Thematic analysis was used to critically evaluate the data. Results: Thirty-eight participants were recruited. Of these participants, 22 agreed to clinical observation; 221 treatments were observed with 172 patients. Additionally, 17 participants consented to participate in formal semistructured interviews and 28 to informal unstructured interviews (fieldwork discussion). Besides "knowledge," "beliefs and values" was a major theme interpreted from the data. Subthemes-including Zen Buddhism, effect through technique, instant effects of treatment, anatomical areas of significance, resolution of abnormalities, minimal stimulation, and patient comfort and customer service-were identified. Conclusion: Beliefs and values are an underrepresented, yet extremely important aspect of philosophical concepts influencing acupuncture practice in Japan. Uniquely Japanese beliefs and values that do not rely on a commitment to any spiritual or religious affiliations or proprietary knowledge of traditional or biomedicine may be successfully exported from Japan to advance acupuncture education, research and practice in international contexts.

Research paper thumbnail of Contact Tools in Japanese Acupuncture: An Ethnography of Acupuncture Practitioners in Japan

Journal of Acupuncture and Meridian Studies, 2017

This study aimed to identify procedural elements of Japanese acupuncture, describe these elements... more This study aimed to identify procedural elements of Japanese acupuncture, describe these elements in detail, and explain them in terms of the key thematic category of treatment principles. Between August 2012 and December 2016, ethnographic fieldwork was conducted in Japan. In total, 38 participants were recruited by chain referral and emergent sampling. Data was collected through participant observation, interviews, and by analyzing documents. A total of 22 participants agreed to clinical observation; 221 treatments were observed with 172 patients. Seventeen consented to formal interviews and 28 to informal interviews. Thematic analysis was used to critically evaluate data. One especially interesting theme was interpreted from the data: a variety of contact tools were applied in treatment and these were manipulated by adjusting elements of form, speed, repetition, and pressure. Tapping, holding, pressing/pushing, and stroking were the most important ways contact tools were used on patients. Contact tools are noninvasive, painless, can be applied in almost any environment, and may be easily accepted by patients worldwide. Contact tool theory and practice may be successfully integrated into acupuncture curricula outside of Japan, used to inform clinical trials, and contribute to an expanded repertoire of methods for practitioners to benefit individual patients in international contexts.

Research paper thumbnail of The confirmation of treatment effects in Japanese acupuncture

Integrative Medicine Research, 2019

Background: Japanese acupuncture is gaining international recognition. However, previous research... more Background: Japanese acupuncture is gaining international recognition. However, previous research has failed to comprehensively describe the characteristics of Japanese acupuncture by not investigating it within the Japanese clinical environment. This qualitative ethnographic study aimed to identify unique and routine elements of Japanese acupuncture, describe these in detail and examine how they related to treatment principles. Methods: Between August 2012 and December 2016, ethnographic fieldwork was conducted in Japan. Participants were recruited by chain referral and emergent sampling. Data were collected through participant observation and interviews as well as by analyzing documents. A total of 38 participants were recruited. A total of 22 agreed to clinical observation; 221 treatments were observed with 172 patients. Seventeen participants consented to participate in formal interviews and 28 to informal interviews. Thematic analysis was used to evaluate data. Results: That practitioners tended to confirm perceived effects of interventions during treatment, was a major theme interpreted from the data. Confirmation was performed continually throughout treatment and at three different levels of timing and anatomical areas (micro, meso and macro). Many markers signified treatment effects which were in general, perceived by observing and/or palpating body tissue. Belief in the instantaneous effects of treatment and the value of effect through technique exemplify the philosophical foundations of confirmation. Continually monitoring treatment results at a range of time and body location increments is an important element of Japanese acupuncture. Conclusion: This effect confirmation practice model promotes a system of constant feedback gained by repeated intervention and confirmation. This may be a unique feature of Japanese acupuncture.

Research paper thumbnail of Evaporation, Seepage and Water Quality Management in Storage Dams: A Review of Research Methods

One of the most significant sources of water wastage in Australia is loss from small storage dams... more One of the most significant sources of water wastage in Australia is loss from small storage dams, either by seepage or evaporation. Over much of Australia, evaporative demand routinely exceeds precipitation. This paper outlines first, methodologies and measurement techniques to quantify the rate of evaporative loss from fresh water storages. These encompass high-accuracy water balance monitoring; determination of the validity of alternative estimation equations, in particular the FAO56 Penman-Monteith ETo methodology; and the commencement of CFD modeling to determine a ‘dam factor ’ in relation to practical atmospheric measurement techniques. Second, because the application of chemical monolayers is the only feasible alternative to the high cost of physically covering the storages to retard evaporation, the use of cetyl alcohol-based monolayers is reviewed, and preliminary research on their degradation by photolytic action, by wind break-up and by microbial degradation reported. Si...

Research paper thumbnail of Automatic detection of evaporation reducing monolayers

Automatic detection of evaporation reducing monolayers

Mono-molecular layers, or monolayers, on the surface of water can reduce evaporation by up to 40%... more Mono-molecular layers, or monolayers, on the surface of water can reduce evaporation by up to 40% on small storages. Effective reduction requires the maintenance of coverage by dispensers, which must be informed by sensors capable of detecting the presence/absence of the monolayer. However, no system has yet been developed that can reliably automatically detect the presence of monolayer. Numerous detection techniques for potential field deployment, including optical and infrared reflectance, measurement of surface tension and wave damping methods were investigated. A wind assisted surface probe (WASP), based on the temperature differential between the sub-surface and volume of a small sample of periodically-entrapped water was subsequently developed. In small scale testing it has shown to be a reliable indicator of monolayer in all but very high humidities.

Research paper thumbnail of The Philosophy and Practice of Japanese Acupuncture

The Philosophy and Practice of Japanese Acupuncture

Research paper thumbnail of Automatic detection of evaporation reducing monolayers

Automatic detection of evaporation reducing monolayers

Research paper thumbnail of Evaporation, seepage and water quality management in storage dams: a review of research methods

Environmental …, 2007

One of the most significant sources of water wastage in Australia is loss from small storage dams... more One of the most significant sources of water wastage in Australia is loss from small storage dams, either by seepage or evaporation. Over much of Australia, evaporative demand routinely exceeds precipitation. This paper outlines first, methodologies and measurement ...