Continuous Regime Research Articles

Vector-based feedback of continuous wave radiofrequency compression cavity for ultrafast electron diffraction.

The temporal resolution of ultrafast electron diffraction at weakly relativistic beam energies (100 keV) suffers from space-charge induced electron pulse broadening. We describe the implementation of a radio frequency (RF) cavity operating in the continuous wave regime to compress high repetition rate electron bunches from a 40.4 kV DC photoinjector for ultrafast electron diffraction applications. Active stabilization of the RF amplitude and phase through a feedback loop based on the demodulated in-phase and quadrature components of the RF signal is demonstrated. This scheme yields 144 ± 19 fs RMS temporal resolution in pump-probe studies.

Anomalous phase diagram of the elastic interface with nonlocal hydrodynamic interactions in the presence of quenched disorder.

We investigate the influence of quenched disorder on the steady states of driven systems of the elastic interface with nonlocal hydrodynamic interactions. The generalized elastic model (GEM), which has been used to characterize numerous physical systems such as polymers, membranes, single-file systems, rough interfaces, and fluctuating surfaces, is a standard approach to studying the dynamics of elastic interfaces with nonlocal hydrodynamic interactions. The criticality and phase transition of the quenched generalized elastic model are investigated numerically and the results are presented in a phase diagram spanned by two tuning parameters. We demonstrate that in the one-dimensional disordered driven GEM, three qualitatively different behavior regimes are possible with a proper specification of the order parameter (mean velocity) for this system. In the vanishing order parameter regime, the steady-state order parameter approaches zero in the thermodynamic limit. A system with a nonzero mean velocity can be in either the continuous regime, which is characterized by a second-order phase transition, or the discontinuous regime, which is characterized by a first-order phase transition. The focus of this research is to investigate the critical scaling features near the pinning-depinning threshold. The behavior of the quenched generalized elastic model at the critical depinning force is explored. Near the depinning threshold, the critical exponent is obtained numerically.

Formulating Parasiticidal Fungi in Dried Edible Gelatins to Reduce the Risk of Infection by Trichuris sp. among Continuous Grazing Bison.

Control of infection by gastrointestinal nematodes remains a big problem in ruminants under continuous grazing. For the purpose of decreasing the risk of infection by Trichuris sp. in captive bison (Bison bison) always maintained in the same plot, dried gelatins having ≥106 chlamydospores of both Mucor circinelloides and Duddingtonia flagrans were given to them for one week, and at the end, fecal samples (FF) collected each week for four weeks were analyzed immediately. Feces taken one week prior to gelatin administration served as controls (CF). Eggs of Trichuris sp. were sorted into non-viable and viable, then classified into viable undeveloped (VU), viable with cellular development (VCD), or viable infective (VI). Ovistatic and ovicidal effects were determined throughout the study. In FF, viability of Trichuris eggs decreased between 9% (first week) and 57% (fourth week), egg development was delayed during the first two weeks, and VI percentages were significantly lower than in CF (p = 0.001). It is concluded that the preparation of gelatins with chlamydospores of parasiticidal fungi and their subsequent dehydration offer an edible formulation that is ready to use, stress-free to supply, and easy to store, as well as being well-accepted by ruminants and highly efficient to reduce the risk of Trichuris sp. infection among animals under continuous grazing regimes.

ADVANCING MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY THERAPY EVALUATION THROUGH MUSCLE-ON-CHIP DEVICES

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a prevalent childhood neuromuscular disease characterized by progressive skeletal and cardiac muscle degeneration due to dystrophin protein deficiency. Despite ongoing drug development efforts, no cure exists, with limited success in preclinical studies. To expedite DMD drug development, we introduce an innovative organ-on-a-chip (OOC) platform. This microfluidic device sustains up to six 3D patient-derived skeletal muscle tissues, enabling real-time evaluation of anti-DMD treatments. Our in vitro model recreates myotube integrity loss, a hallmark of DMD, by encapsulating myogenic precursors in a fibrin-composite matrix using a PDMS casting mold. Continuous contractile regimes mimic sarcolemmal instability, monitored through tissue contractibility and Creatine Kinase (CK) levels—an established marker of muscle damage. We further enhance our platform with a nanoplasmonic CK biosensor, enabling rapid, label-free, and real-time sarcolemmal damage assessment. Combining these elements, our work demonstrates the potential of OOCs in accelerating drug development for DMD and similar neuromuscular disorders.

Flow and clogging of capillary droplets.

Capillary droplets form due to surface tension when two immiscible fluids are mixed. We describe the motion of gravity-driven capillary droplets flowing through narrow constrictions and obstacle arrays in both simulations and experiments. Our new capillary deformable particle model recapitulates the shape and velocity of single oil droplets in water as they pass through narrow constrictions in microfluidic chambers. Using this experimentally validated model, we simulate the flow and clogging of single capillary droplets in narrow channels and obstacle arrays and find several important results. First, the capillary droplet speed profile is nonmonotonic as the droplet exits the narrow orifice, and we can tune the droplet properties so that the speed overshoots the terminal speed far from the constriction. Second, in obstacle arrays, we find that extremely deformable droplets can wrap around obstacles, which leads to decreased average droplet speed in the continuous flow regime and increased probability for clogging in the regime where permanent clogs form. Third, the wrapping mechanism causes the clogging probability in obstacle arrays to become nonmonotonic with surface tension Γ. At large Γ, the droplets are nearly rigid and the clogging probability is large since the droplets can not squeeze through the gaps between obstacles. With decreasing Γ, the clogging probability decreases as the droplets become more deformable. However, in the small-Γ limit, the clogging probability increases since the droplets are extremely deformable and wrap around the obstacles. The results from these studies are important for developing a predictive understanding of capillary droplet flows through complex and confined geometries.

Assessment of total aflatoxin and ochratoxin A in poultry feed ingredients by thin-layer chromatography and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

This study was conducted to evaluate the prevalence of total aflatoxin (AF) and ochratoxin A (OTA) in poultry feed ingredients under different environmental conditions during the summer and winter seasons, while the hygiene quality of the feed ingredient was assessed through viable fungal count (VFC). A total of 288 poultry feed ingredients (n = 96 each) samples were collected from different poultry shops, which were initially analyzed for the presence of AF and OTA through thin layer chromatography (TLC) and then confirmed the contamination concentration through the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method. The results of the current study confirmed the incidence of contamination with AF and OTA by TLC and ELISA methods. The contamination level of AF ranged from 26.09 to 50.56 (mean = 41.22 ± 9.45) μg/kg, whereas the contamination level of OTA ranged from 50.13 to 6.21 (mean 42.60 ± 6.21) μg/kg. The contamination level of AF was found to be above the permissible level set by the Food and Drug Administration (20 μg/kg), whereas the contamination level of OTA was below the permissible limits. Moreover, the VFC values were also below the recommended level. The results showed that the association between AF, OTA, and moisture content was significant (p < 0.05). Mycotoxin contamination was significantly (p < 0.05) highest in the winter season. These findings suggested that continuous monitoring regimes might prevent mycotoxin contamination in poultry feed ingredients.

Terahertz molecular water laser using quantum cascade laser pumping

Molecular lasers pumped by quantum cascade laser (QCL) open new possibilities for THz generation and its numerous applications, in particular, for high resolution molecular spectroscopy. In this article, a THz water laser pumped by a mid-infrared QCL was demonstrated using the broad tunability of the pump laser. Twenty D2O laser lines were measured under a continuous wave pumping regime, in a spectral range expending from 63 to 177 cm−1 (1.9–5.3 THz), and with an output power ranging from tens to hundreds of μW. This letter contains a description of the experimental setup used to produce the THz laser radiation and a comparison of the measured output power with a molecular gain factor used to sort out the most favorable laser lines. In addition to the measured laser transitions, a complete list of laser frequencies together with their corresponding molecular gain is given in the supplementary material, for both H2O and D2O isotopologues excited in their bending and stretching vibrational states.

Observation of Q-switched and continuous wave regimes in Er-doped fiber lasers incorporating a dynamic population grating

Dynamic population gratings (DPGs) in rare-earth doped fibers are prevalent devices in fiber lasers for the production of single-longitudinal-mode emission and wavelength self-sweeping regimes. This study presents a transition from Q-switched state to continuous wave (CW) state, accompanying irregular mode-hopping, in an erbium-doped fiber laser with a heavily-doped DPG centered at 1549.95 nm. Our results demonstrate that the transition between these two states can be achieved by adjusting the pump power. The repetition frequency of the Q-switched pulse increases monotonically with the increasing pump power, while the pulse duration initially narrows and then expands because the reduced peak intensity weakens the nonlinear effect. Additionally, modulation peaks are evident on both the Q-switched pulse train and the CW background, which are induced by the irregular mode-hopping caused by the DPG. Furthermore, we observe that the central wavelength fluctuates within a range of 0.05 nm. These results provide valuable insight into the DPG effect in heavily-doped fibers.

Enhancing nitrogen removal from wastewater in a low C/N ratio using an air-lift bio-electrochemical reactor (ALBER)

This study focuses on the development of an air-lift bio-electrochemical reactor (ALBER) with a continuous feeding regime. The objective is to enhance nitrogen removal from synthetic wastewater with a low carbon-to-nitrogen (C/N) ratio. The chemical oxygen demand (COD) and total nitrogen (TN) of the influent wastewater were 500 and 200 mg/L, respectively. The effect of four independent variables, i.e., temperature, hydraulic retention time (HRT), N−NH4+/TN ratio and current density in the range of 16–32 °C, 6–12 h, 25–75%, and 2–10 A/m2, respectively, at three levels on the bio–electrochemical reactor performance were investigated during the bio–electrochemical reactor operation. The Face Center Cube (FCC) of response surface methodology (RSM) was used for design of experiments and model of obtained data. The ALBER achieved the maximum TN removal of 73% (146 mg/l) using external voltage and zeolite/plastic medium at temperature of 16 °C, HRT of 6 h, current density of 2 A/m2 and N−NH4+/TN ratio of 75%. The results indicated that shortening the HRT from 12 to 6 h, reducing the temperature from 32 °C to 24 °C, increasing the current density from 2 to 6 A/m2 and the reduction of nitrate concentration caused an increase in the TN removal. The results indicated that the performance of air-lift bio-electrochemical for nitrogen removal could be attributed to autotrophic denitrification (AD) and simultaneous nitrification/denitrification (SND). The research findings suggest that the ALBER should be further studied for potential use in treating industrial wastewater at low temperatures.

What drives forest multifunctionality in central and northern Europe? Exploring the interplay of management, climate, and policies

Forests provide a range of vital services to society and are critical habitats for biodiversity, holding inherent multifunctionality. While traditionally viewed as a byproduct of production-focused forestry, today's forest ecosystem services and biodiversity (FESB) play an essential role in several sectoral policies’ needs. Achieving policy objectives requires careful management considering the interplay of services, influenced by regional aspects and climate. Here, we examined the multifunctionality gap caused by these factors through simulation of forest management and multi-objective optimization methods across different regions - Finland, Norway, Sweden and Germany (Bavaria). To accomplish this, we tested diverse management regimes (productivity-oriented silviculture, several continuous cover forestry regimes and set asides), two climate scenarios (current and RCP 4.5) and three policy strategies (National Forest, Biodiversity and Bioeconomy Strategies). For each combination we calculated a multifunctionality metric at the landscape scale based on 5 FESB classes (biodiversity conservation, bioenergy, climate regulation, wood, water and recreation). In Germany and Norway, maximum multifunctionality was achieved by increasing the proportion of set-asides and proportionally decreasing the rest of management regimes. In Finland, maximum MF would instead require that policies address greater diversity in management, while in Sweden, the pattern was slightly different but similar to Finland. Regarding the climate scenarios, we observed that only for Sweden the difference in the provision of FESB was significant. Finally, the highest overall potential multifunctionality was observed for Sweden (National Forest scenario, with a value of 0.94 for the normalized multifunctionality metric), followed by Germany (National Forest scenario, 0.83), Finland (Bioeconomy scenario, 0.81) and Norway (National Forest scenario, 0.71). The results highlight the challenges of maximizing multifunctionality and underscore the significant influence of country-specific policies and climate change on forest management. To achieve the highest multifunctionality, strategies must be tailored to specific national landscapes, acknowledging both synergistic and conflicting FESB.

Ab initio modelling of transport phenomena in multi-component mixtures of rarefied gases

The direct simulation Monte Carlo method based on ab initio potentials is applied to model transport phenomena in binary, ternary and quaternary mixtures of noble gases. To this end, the Couette and Fourier problems are solved over the whole range of the rarefaction parameter spanning the near free-molecular, transitional, and slip flow regimes. Moreover, analytical solutions are obtained in the limits of the free-molecular and continuous medium regimes of flow. As a result, the shear stress, heat flux through multi-component mixtures, distributions of velocity, temperature, and mole fractions of each species are calculated as a function of the gas rarefaction. An analysis of these data points out the properties which are strongly affected by the chemical composition. It is found that the largest deviations of characteristics of mixtures from those of a single gas are observed for the binary mixture of helium and krypton, while their deviations for the ternary and quaternary mixtures are smaller. A temperature variation in a mixture leads to non-uniform distributions of chemical composition due to the thermal diffusion phenomenon. Such redistributions are analyzed in both problems and their effect on the heat and momentum transfer is evaluated. The reported results can be used to evaluate the main factors determining transport phenomena in practical applications such as vacuum systems, microfluidics, gas separation technology, space research etc.

Operational Wheel Flat Detector in Railway Vehicles

Maintenance of railway systems is shifting from being based on scheduled interventions to a continuous regime based on the actual status of assets. This change is supported mainly on three pillars: the development of new sensors and signal processing techniques, the capability to store and analyze all the information gathered by this huge amount of new sensors, and the capability of modifying dynamically the maintenance plans. This paper presents a new wayside system for detecting flats whose development has been based on combining physical models with Machine Learning Techniques. Physical models are used to understand the phenomena, define the key indicators to characterize the phenomena and generate synthetic data to train Machine Learning algorithms. Subsequently, regression models are generated to relate the key parameters with the flat severity. The last part of the paper is focused on validating the proposed methodology in a real environment.

Surface wave and splashing of liquid film by oblique water jet impinging on a vertical plate

Liquid film cooling by jet impingement, known as a common thermal protection technique, is extensively applied in liquid rocket engines. The present work investigates the impact of a water jet onto a vertical plate by high-speed visualization system and laser particle analyzer, with a focus on the characteristics of surface waves and droplets splashing during the formation of liquid film. Depending on whether the jet is broken before impact, two regimes are identified, i.e., droplet or continuous jet impingement regime. The frequency and velocity of the surface wave and the splashing rate are jointly affected by the jet angle and the impingement distance. The splashing is mainly caused by the capillary breakup of the crown film that forms at the edge of the surface wave, and most of the splashing droplets are generated from the top of the crown film. The larger the jet angle, the smaller the wave frequency and velocity, but the higher the splashing rate. A large impingement distance causes a small wave frequency and velocity due to the shift of the impingement regime, further resulting in different tendencies in the splashing rate. A parameter expression for the size distributions of splashing droplets is established by the fitting result of the log-normal distribution and the Rosin-Rammler (R-R) distribution, where the parameters are associated with the jet Weber number.

A data-based derivation of the internal stress in the discrete-continuum transition regime of dislocation based plasticity

Effectively homogenizing microstructure heterogeneity within the coarse-graining volume is a long-lasting challenge in crystal plasticity theories. In this paper, we propose a data-based homogenization method that utilizes discrete dislocation dynamic simulations to derive the nearfield correction stress (back stress) for continuum models. This stress accounts for the effective stress field induced by microstructure heterogeneity under the length scale of a coarse-graining volume, providing a physically based homogenization approach. To bridge the gap between discrete and continuous regimes, we introduce two versions of the nearfield correction stress, as well as a criterion based on microstructure and numerical parameters to determine the discrete and continuous transition. Moreover, by analyzing the mathematical connections with the work-conjugated gradient plasticity theory, we further provide a physical explanation for the observed material length scale in the thermodynamically consistent back stress term. This work presents a novel methodology for effectively addressing microstructure heterogeneity and advancing the understanding and modeling of material behavior bridging different length scales.

A highly efficient supported TiO2 photocatalyst for wastewater remediation in continuous flow

Although TiO2 materials have been extensively studied as photocatalysts, there is not any commercial TiO2-supported photocatalyst used for wastewater remediation. This fact set the goal to synthesize a new supported titanium dioxide photocatalyst which, besides being robust, also has a high reaction surface and a very efficient TiO2 shell thickness. Hence, we present a novel TiO2-supported photocatalyst composed of titania-covered glass wool (GW) fibers decorated with SiO2@TiO2 core-shell spheres. For optimizing the photocatalytic activity of this material, the surface of SiO2 microspheres, as well as, the highly mechanically resistant GW fibers, were covered by a robust titania layer of ca. 20–30 nm of thickness. This layer contains nanometric crystals, ca. 12 nm in size, linked to each other and to the surfaces of both SiO2 microspheres and GW. An exhaustive characterization of the physicochemical properties of this new SiO2-TiO2 composite was performed to confirm the SiOTi linkage and the anatase crystal phase. The photocatalytic activity was initially evaluated in batch through the photodegradation of Methylene Blue as a standard dye. Afterward, the addition of the new photocatalyst in a solid phase stationary (SPS) photoreactor coupled to a TOC detector allowed studying in situ the mineralization of the recalcitrant pollutant phenol under a continuous flow regime. Results revealed that the optimized TiO2 surface of the SiO2-TiO2 composite produced the complete mineralization of phenol in less than three minutes. Even more, it was demonstrated that this photocatalyst is suitable for the industrial scale-up of wastewater treatment because it does not leach titania, its reuse does not require filtration procedures, and it can be easily implemented in SPS photoreactors at plant scale. In this context, the new material could be a good starting point to prepare other supported photocatalysts for wastewater remediation.

PGR5-LIKE PHOTOSYNTHETIC PHENOTYPE1A redox states alleviate photoinhibition during changes in light intensity.

Plants have evolved photosynthetic regulatory mechanisms to maintain homeostasis in response to light changes during diurnal transitions and those caused by passing clouds or by wind. One such adaptation directs photosynthetic electron flow to a cyclic pathway to alleviate excess energy surges. Here, we assign a function to regulatory cysteines of PGR5-like protein 1A (PGRL1A), a constituent of the PROTON GRADIENT REGULATION5 (PGR5)-dependent cyclic electron flow (CEF) pathway. During step increases from darkness to low light intensity in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), the intermolecular disulfide of the PGRL1A 59-kDa complex was reduced transiently within seconds to the 28-kDa form. In contrast, step increases from darkness to high light stimulated a stable, partially reduced redox state in PGRL1A. Mutations of 2 cysteines in PGRL1A, Cys82 and Cys183, resulted in a constitutively pseudo-reduced state. The mutant displayed higher proton motive force (PMF) and nonphotochemical quenching (NPQ) than the wild type (WT) and showed altered donor and acceptor dynamic flow around PSI. These changes were found to correspond with the redox state of PGRL1A. Continuous light regimes did not affect mutant growth compared to the WT. However, under fluctuating regimes of high light, the mutant showed better growth than the WT. In contrast, in fluctuating regimes of low light, the mutant displayed a growth penalty that can be attributed to constant stimulation of CEF under low light. Treatment with photosynthetic inhibitors indicated that PGRL1A redox state control depends on the penultimate Fd redox state. Our results showed that redox state changes in PGRL1A are crucial to optimize photosynthesis.

Understanding differential microemulsion polymerization in continuous slug flow through kinetic Monte Carlo simulation

Microreactors have been universal in polymerization and will help mitigate the residence time distribution and viscosity if conducted in a slug flow regime. The numerical simulation of this practice remains uncharted. Herein, based on our previous study, we proposed a kinetic Monte Carlo algorithm to describe the differential microemulsion polymerization in a biphasic slug flow. Propelled by an automatically spaced refreshment method and other accelerating approaches, the performance of the algorithm was boosted by over forty times. The sensitivity to the model-fitting parameters was analyzed to help understand the underlying mechanisms. After a thorough investigation on the effects of miscellaneous operating conditions regulatable in the continuous slug flow regime, the feasibility of product customization was demonstrated with case studies. Bridging the studies upon kinetics of microemulsion polymerization and interphase mass transfer in microreactors, this work should be able to provide deeper understanding of the process and guide the actual operation.

Preservation of the reproductive health of military women: global experience and realities of Ukraine

A review of world literature and Ukrainian researches on the most common requests to gynecologists among military women, on the structure of pathology and treatment methods was made. Special attention is paid to the hormonal contraception, namely combined oral contraceptives (COCs) in the usual and continuous regime (avoiding the hormone-free interval) and the levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine systems (LNG-IUDs).Cases of global practice of using COCs in extended regimen were considered, which showed that 47.2% of 1156 women chose a prolonged regimen of COCs, the main reason for this was the desire to avoid symptoms associated with menstruation. We consider this option very positive for military women, because some studies show that military women who took COCs in a continuous regimen were almost twice as favorable to their reception as those who used them in a regular mode.The positive aspects of the LNG-IUDs use in military women are presented, as a factor in the prevention of abnormal uterine bleeding, reducing the risk of iron deficiency in case of possible blood loss, and reducing the intensity of dysmenorrhea as a negative factor in the military conditions.Ways to increase compliance between a gynecologist and a military woman are also considered, using the example of global studies, which prove that insufficient awareness of patients about the possible ways and positive effects of using COCs in extended regimen reduced patients’ commitment to choosing new regimens.Conclusions. In today’s realities, the gynecological service in our country faces a number of new problems that require a strategic approach and solution. World practice and national studies prove that stress-induced hormonal disorders in military women, such as abnormal uterine bleeding, menstrual cycle disorders, dysmenorrhea, are negative factors in combat conditions, require the attention and resolution by doctors. One of the options for solving this problem can be the appointment of COCs according to the usual and extended scheme or appointment of LNG-IUDs.

Benthic foraminifera across the Albian–Cenomanian transition and their paleoceanographic significance during OAE1d in the western Tethys (Umbria–Marche Basin, Italy)

The benthic foraminiferal assemblages from the upper Albian-lower Cenomanian interval of the Scaglia Bianca Formation in the Monte Petrano (MP) and Le Brecce (LB) sections (Umbria–Marche Basin; Italy) provide a detailed record of the faunal changes across the Oceanic Anoxic Event 1d (OAE 1d). Fluctuations in abundance, diversity, and species composition reflect variations in bottom-water oxygenation and organic carbon fluxes. Benthic foraminifera are integrated with planktonic foraminifera, calcareous nannofossils, and geochemical proxies to reconstruct the bottom and surface water conditions across the OAE 1d in the Umbria–Marche Basin.The pre-OAE 1d interval was characterized by benthic foraminifera that thrived under stable mesotrophic condition in bottom waters. In surface waters, planktonic foraminifera indicate dominant mesotrophic conditions in agreement with calcareous nannofossil assemblages suggesting a regime of higher fertility under cooler conditions.During the OAE 1d interval, benthic foraminifera display an increase in the abundance of infaunal taxa, suggesting mesotrophic conditions in bottom waters. Nevertheless, within the Pialli Level, the six laminated black-to-dark grey shale horizons (MP1/LB1 to MP6/LB6), benthic foraminifera are absent or highly impoverished (MP1, MP2, MP4, MP6, LB5, LB6), suggesting hypoxic/anoxic conditions in bottom waters. Planktonic foraminifera in this interval reflect mesotrophic to oligotrophic conditions under the presence of an expanded mixed layer and deeper thermocline in the surface waters. Calcareous nannofossils record warm conditions and lower fertility starting just prior to and across the OAE 1d. However, higher values of fertility are recorded in the black-to-dark grey shales MP3/LB3, MP4/LB4 and MP5/LB5 of the Pialli Level.The post-OAE 1d interval is marked by an increase in the diversity of benthic foraminifera, indicating a restoration of the oxygen conditions in a continuous mesotrophic regime in bottom waters. The surface waters experienced oligotrophic conditions based on the planktonic and calcareous nannofossils.A minor discrepancy between benthic foraminifera and geochemical reconstruction of oxygenation levels of bottom waters was recorded, especially in the Pialli Level. The benthic microfaunas appear to be very sensitive to very short-term oxygen depletion at the seafloor when geochemical proxies suggest temporary suboxia. This might indicate that very rapid redox changes are not resolved by bulk elemental data. Otherwise, benthic foraminifera might be much more responsive to very low concentrations of oxygen in bottom waters and temporarily disappear under strong suboxia before reaching fully anoxic conditions.

Using Fundamental Parameters and Artificial Neural Network for Controlling the Laser Welding of Metals

The present work aims to design an artificial neural network (ANN) for controlling the geometry of the fusion zone in different welding conditions. AA5754 aluminium plates with 6 mm thickness were welded in butt configuration by using an Yb-doped fiber laser in continuous wave regime. Laser power, travel speed, beam diameter and shielding gas were considered as process-related factors, while the weld geometry was evaluated in terms of penetration depth and bead width. The accuracy of the model was endorsed by using untrained test data. Results showed a good agreement between the ANN output and the experimental values.