Controlled Indoor Conditions Research Articles

Successful gall induction on wild roses by gall wasps under lab conditions

Abstract Plant galls are unique outgrowths caused by various organisms, including insects, serving as nourishment for the inducer's larvae. Despite the taxonomists and ecologists attempts to elucidate the mechanisms behind plant gall formation, its understanding is still incomplete. Modern genetic techniques allow in‐depth analysis of the molecular processes, but variations across species entangle the analysis. Establishing laboratory‐friendly plant–gall inducer communities is crucial, yet past attempts have faced challenges. Our study partly aimed to create a laboratory community involving wild roses (Rosa sp.) and rose gall wasps belonging to the genus Diplolepis as gall‐inducing insects. Controlled indoor conditions were optimized for plant growth. Wild roses were transplanted, then exposed to gall inducers, and monitored. Successfully initialized gall growth was measured and analysed, revealing insights into the impact of plant vigour on gall size as a secondary aim. Our study successfully established a novel laboratory community for further research on gall formation mechanisms.

Fate of dimethylsilanediol (DMSD) in outdoor bare surface soil and its relation to soil water loss

Dimethylsilanediol (DMSD) is a primary degradation product of silicone materials in the environment. Due to its low air/water partition coefficient and low soil/water distribution coefficient, this compound is not expected to undergo sorption and volatilization in wet soil. In an accompanying paper, we confirm that under controlled indoor conditions in test tubes, there is little to no volatilization of DMSD from soil and soil constituents if soil is wet. However, a significant amount of DMSD was volatilized when the soil substrates became air dried. Given the importance of water on the partition and fate of DMSD, we now report a continuation of this study focusing on the relation between DMSD removal and water loss in re-constituted soil columns under outdoor conditions. Consistent with predictions based on its partition properties and reconciling this evidence with previously reported field and laboratory studies, DMSD distribution was found to be largely dependent on water partitioning. The results suggested that DMSD moved upward in soil profile as soil water was evaporated from topmost layers with little DMSD retention by the soil matrix. As soil dried, a fraction of DMSD was sorbed by the soil matrix in the topmost layer, while most of the spiked radio-labeled DMSD was removed from soil through volatilization.

Lolium perenne engineered for elevated leaf lipids exhibits greater energy density in field canopies under defoliation

Co-expression of diacylglycerol O -acyltransferase (DGAT1) and a lipid droplet-stabilizing protein called Cys-oleosin (collectively ‘HME’ technology) increases foliar lipid concentrations and plant biomass, which could elevate energy yields from perennial ryegrass (PR, Lolium perenne L.)-based pastures. Quantifying the feasible benefits of HME PR necessitates that herbage growth and energy density are quantified on a ground area basis under regular defoliation. We examined the translation, from spaced pots indoors to field canopies (swards), of the fatty acid (FA), gross energy (GE), and biomass enhancing traits associated with HME technology expression in PR. Under controlled indoor conditions in spaced pots, hemizygous HME seedlings with 32% higher leaf FA content (1.2%DW) than null controls exhibited a faster rate of leaf extension. These effects translated into a stable 0.2–0.5 kJ/gDW increase in herbage GE concentration, and a 6–10% herbage growth rate advantage when HME ‘miniswards’ were grown under moderate light competition (LAI 7–9) for five defoliation and regrowth cycles (harvests). However, subsequent growth in a dense canopy (LAI>10) eliminated this HME herbage growth advantage. In two field trials in the Midwest United States, hemizygous HME swards exhibited 25–34% (0.8–1%DW) higher end-of-season herbage FA content than null control swards, and 0.2–0.5 kJ/gDW higher end-of-season herbage GE. Herbage growth rates were generally similar for HME and null control swards across both field seasons. This thorough analysis of trait translation shows that the benefits of enhanced FA and GE translate to HME PR canopies grown in the field. The intrinsic growth advantage of HME PR may be diminished in field canopies such that yield benefits are realized only under limited conditions.

A review of upgradation of energy-efficient sustainable commercial greenhouses in Middle East climatic conditions

Abstract Greenhouse farming is considered as one of the most scientific approaches in agriculture, which are suitable for all climatic conditions, especially in Middle East, North America, and Europe. Sustainable greenhouses are innovative farming facilities for healthy vegetables and fruits in a controlled, conditioned indoor space. This article presents a literature review on the upgradation of a conventional to a sustainable greenhouse using modern engineering concept. This includes maintaining fully controlled indoor conditions such as temperature, relative humidity, and air velocity for specific agronomical parameters. The influence and improvements in upgradation of various heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) with the associated control systems and covering materials to reduce the energy consumption have been reviewed. Financial viability of conventional as well as upgraded greenhouses is highlighted. In Middle East climatic conditions, the major challenge is to control the optimal range of temperature (18–21°C), relative humidity (55 to 75%), and air velocity (0–1.3 m/s). It is found that the upgraded HVAC systems with climate control modules can increase the crop yield by 30%. Scientifically selected polycarbonate sheet covering materials are also found to increase the crop yield by up to 15% more than the conventional commercial greenhouses.

Design, development and characterisation of a Building Integrated Concentrating Photovoltaic (BICPV) smart window system

Building Integrated Concentrating Photovoltaic (BICPV) window represents a promising alternative approach for improving the electricity generation of photovoltaic cells when integrated into building windows. As a new concept, BICPV smart window consisting of an optically switchable thermotropic layer with integrated PV cells offers the potential to simultaneously generate electricity and control solar heat and visible light into buildings. In this study, a BICPV smart window system with a Hydroxypropyl Cellulose (HPC) based thermotropic hydrogel membrane has been developed and characterised. The system was designed with the aid of a validated wavelength-dependent optical model based on a Monte-Carlo ray-tracing technique, where the thermal and optical properties of the thermotropic layer used for the optical model prediction were obtained from experimental measurement. Subsequently, a prototype of the BICPV smart window system has been fabricated and characterised under controlled indoor conditions. From the experiments, it was found that the maximum power output of the BICPV smart window (6 wt% HPC) increases by 17.1% with the membrane temperature increasing from 40 °C (the transition temperature) to 54 °C; meanwhile, a 70.9% reduction in the light transmittance is observed. This indicated that the BICPC smart window might potentially reduce the solar heat gain in hot periods and therefore reduce the building energy demand. In addition, the effect of different concentrations of HPC polymer (2, 4 and 6 wt%) on the electrical and optical performance of the system has been investigated.

Innovative granular formulation of Metarhizium robertsii microsclerotia and blastospores for cattle tick control

The tick Rhipicephalus microplus poses a serious threat to the cattle industry, resulting in economic losses aggravated by tick resistance to chemical acaricides. Strains of Metarhizium spp., a well-known group of entomopathogenic fungi, can contribute to managing this ectoparasite. We explored two novel granular, microsclerotia- or blastospores-based formulations of Metarhizium robertsii for R. microplus control under semi-field conditions. Fungal persistence in soil was also observed for 336 days. The experiment used pots of Urochloa decumbens cv. Basilisk grass, treated with 0.25 or 0.5 mg of granular formulation/cm2 (25 or 50 kg/ha) applied to the soil surface prior to transferring engorged tick females onto the treated soil. The fungal granules yielded more conidia with subsequent sporulation under controlled indoor conditions than in the outdoor environment, where the levels of fungus rapidly declined over time. Metarhizium-root colonization ranged from 25 to 66.7% depending on the propagule and rate. Fungal formulations significantly reduced the number of tick larvae during the humid season, reaching at least 64.8% relative efficacy. Microsclerotia or blastospores-granular formulations of M. robertsii can reduce the impact of R. microplus, and thus prove to be a promising tool in the control of ticks.

Influence of natural weather variability on the thermal characterisation of a building envelope

The thermal characterisation of a building envelope is usually best performed from on-site measurements with optimised controlled indoor conditions. Conversely, occupant-friendly measurement conditions provide less informative data. Notwithstanding occupancy, the boundary conditions alone contribute to a greater extent to the energy balance, which implies that non-intrusive conditions bring into question the reproducibility and relevance of such measurement. This paper proposes an original numerical methodology to assess the reproducibility and accuracy of the estimation of the overall thermal resistance of an envelope under variable weather conditions. A comprehensive building energy model serves as reference model to produce synthetic data mimicking non-intrusive conditions, each with a different weather dataset. An appropriate model is calibrated from the synthetic data and provides a thermal resistance estimate. The accuracy of the estimates is then assessed in light of the particular weather conditions used for data generation. The originality also lies in the set of weather data that allow for uncertainty and global sensitivity analyses of all estimates with respect to six weather variables. The methodology is applied to a one-storey house reference model, for which thermal resistance is inferred from calibrated RC models. Robust estimations are achieved within 11 days. The outdoor temperature and the wind speed are highly influential because of the large air change rate in the case study.

Experimental performance analysis of a novel sand coated and sand filled polycarbonate sheet based solar air collector

An experiment was conducted to investigate the performance of a novel sand coated and sand filled (SCSF) polycarbonate sheet based solar air collector (SAC) under controlled indoor conditions with variable air flow rates and solar inputs. The performance of this novel absorber was compared with aluminium absorber (with and without sand coating). The results indicated that due to the presence of sand coating over the absorber, the rate of heat transfer was enhanced by redistribution of air flow. Further, the presence of sand within the poly carbonate sheet acted as a thermal heat storage medium that might be used during off-sunshine hours. Further, the increment in mass flow rate by 87% lead to decrement in the magnitudes of stored energy by 10–24% and but the average discharging efficiency was increased by 15%. The maximum thermal efficiency of the proposed collector was found to be 42% during charging. Reduction of air gap from 5 cm to 3 cm resulted in 11% higher thermal efficiency for sand coated aluminium absorber based SAC. It was found that the SAC with storage provided 39% and 20% higher thermal efficiency than that of the black paint coated aluminium absorber and sand coated aluminium absorber, respectively.

Detection of neuromechanical acute fatigue-related responses during a duathlon simulation: Is tensiomyography sensitive enough?

New technological advances are constantly being developed to assess fatigue and muscle damage in sports. Tensiomyography (TMG) has been used as an alternative method to indirectly assess these physiological responses. The aim of this study was to explore the potential use of TMG parameters (muscle radial deformation [Dm], time of contraction [Tc], delay time [Td], deformation rate until 10% [V10] and 90% [V90]) to detect neuromuscular acute fatigue-related responses during a duathlon compared to well-known biochemical (blood lactate [BLa]), perceptual (rate of perceived exertion [RPE]), and functional (jump performance [CMJ]) variables. Twenty-three well-trained athletes (age 33.6 ± 7.2 years, weight 64.4± 9.2 kg, height 1.7 ± 0.2 m, VO2max 56.7± 6.9 mL/kg/min, body fat 16.6 ± 8.4%, lean mass 53.2 ± 11.6 kg) performed a 5k-25k-5k duathlon under controlled indoor conditions at 23°C. TMG muscle properties (left and right gastrocnemius lateralis), BLa, RPE, and CMJ were measured pre-duathlon, during transition 1 (T1), during transition 2 (T2), and post-duathlon. After one-way analyses of variance, there were large differences in BLa ( p< 0.01), RPE ( p< 0.01) and CMJ ( p< 0.01). Large differences ( p< 0.01) were also found in Tc, Dm, Td, V10, and V90 as TMG muscle mechanical markers. Compared to well-known fatigue variables (CMJ, RPE, and BLa), Tc and Dm as TMG parameters measured in gastrocnemius lateralis seem to be sensitive enough to detect acute fatigue-related changes during duathlon. Differences reported in Td, V10, and V90 could be the result of muscle post-activation potentiation (PAP) after T1, and more evidence is needed for understanding this PAP phenomenon using TMG.

Growth and glucosinolate profiles of a common Asian green leafy vegetable, Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis var. parachinensis (choy sum), under LED lighting

Technological advancements in light-emitting diode (LED) technology have led to the production, under controlled indoor conditions, of value-added crops that are high in nutritional or nutraceutical contents. In this study, the growth and glucosinolate (GSL) profiles of a common Asian vegetable, Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis var. parachinensis (choy sum or cai xin) were determined under LED lighting. The growth of choy sum was influenced by both the LED light intensity and spectrum, with plants grown under 160 μmol m−2 s−1 red-blue light (160RB) producing the highest shoot biomass (∼100–300 % increment in adult plants). GSL content was found to vary across growth stages regardless of LED treatment. Total GSLs per gram fresh weight were four times higher in one-leafed seedlings than in adult plants. A shift from a high proportion of aliphatic GSLs in one-leafed seedlings to indolic and aromatic GSLs in three-leafed seedlings and adult plants was attributed to an increase in the proportion of glucobrassicin and/or 4-hydroxy-glucobrassicin, and gluconasturtiin which are known to have anti-cancer properties. Our results will be useful for the production of GSL-enhanced vegetables through urban farming.

Introducing <i>PebbleCounts</i>: a grain-sizing tool for photo surveys of dynamic gravel-bed rivers

Abstract. Grain-size distributions are a key geomorphic metric of gravel-bed rivers. Traditional measurement methods include manual counting or photo sieving, but these are achievable only at the 1–10 m2 scale. With the advent of drones and increasingly high-resolution cameras, we can now generate orthoimagery over hectares at millimeter to centimeter resolution. These scales, along with the complexity of high-mountain rivers, necessitate different approaches for photo sieving. As opposed to other image segmentation methods that use a watershed approach, our open-source algorithm, PebbleCounts, relies on k-means clustering in the spatial and spectral domain and rapid manual selection of well-delineated grains. This improves grain-size estimates for complex riverbed imagery, without post-processing. We also develop a fully automated method, PebbleCountsAuto, that relies on edge detection and filtering suspect grains, without the k-means clustering or manual selection steps. The algorithms are tested in controlled indoor conditions on three arrays of pebbles and then applied to 12 × 1 m2 orthomosaic clips of high-energy mountain rivers collected with a camera-on-mast setup (akin to a low-flying drone). A 20-pixel b-axis length lower truncation is necessary for attaining accurate grain-size distributions. For the k-means PebbleCounts approach, average percentile bias and precision are 0.03 and 0.09 ψ, respectively, for ∼1.16 mm pixel−1 images, and 0.07 and 0.05 ψ for one 0.32 mm pixel−1 image. The automatic approach has higher bias and precision of 0.13 and 0.15 ψ, respectively, for ∼1.16 mm pixel−1 images, but similar values of −0.06 and 0.05 ψ for one 0.32 mm pixel−1 image. For the automatic approach, only at best 70 % of the grains are correct identifications, and typically around 50 %. PebbleCounts operates most effectively at the 1 m2 patch scale, where it can be applied in ∼5–10 min on many patches to acquire accurate grain-size data over 10–100 m2 areas. These data can be used to validate PebbleCountsAuto, which may be applied at the scale of entire survey sites (102–104 m2). We synthesize results and recommend best practices for image collection, orthomosaic generation, and grain-size measurement using both algorithms.

Latent Fingermark Aging Patterns (Part IV): Ridge Width as One Indicator of Degradation.

This fourth article of the series is taking an in-depth analysis at the visible aging of latent fingermarks regarding changes in ridge widths over time. The objective is to quantify and statistically describe significant ridge size variations under controlled indoor conditions. The effect of three environmental variables are examined: type of secretion (sebaceous- and eccrine-rich) and type of substrate (glass and polystyrene) when aged in three light conditions (direct natural light, shade, and dark). Prior to width measurements, fresh and aged fingermarks were powdered with titanium dioxide (TiO2 ) and sequentially photographed at predetermined times over 6months. Three independent observers measured the ridges from thirty predetermined locations using strategically placed intersecting lines on the print. Results indicate that fingermarks deposited on glass are more resilient to degradation compared with those deposited on plastic. The presence of direct natural light plays a negligible role on degradation compared to secretion and substrate types.

Endogenous migratory behaviour in a diurnally migrating songbird

Migratory restlessness has been studied intensively in bird species that migrate nocturnally. However, such studies are rare for diurnal migrants. For the first time, we used a twin activity recording design to study the migratory restlessness of a diurnal migrant, the Linnet Carduelis cannabina, by distinguishing foraging activity from possible migratory activity. Hand-reared naive Linnets kept under controlled indoor conditions with a constant photoperiod showed significantly increased diurnal activity, body mass and feeding activity during the autumn migratory period of wild conspecifics. Nocturnal activity was absent. These results imply that diurnal short- to medium-distance migratory songbirds possess endogenous control over their migratory behaviour, similar to nocturnal migrants. Compared to long-distance nocturnal migrants, the seasonal increases in body mass of the Linnets were moderate, likely reflecting their shorter migration routes, which are traversed as a series of short flights with plenty of foraging opportunities en route.

The relationship between bioclimatic thermal stress and subjective thermal sensation in pedestrian spaces

Outdoor thermal comfort has important implications for urban planning and energy consumption in the built environment. To better understand the relation of subjective thermal experience to bioclimatic thermal stress in such contexts, this study compares micrometeorological and perceptual data from urban spaces in the hot-arid Negev region of Israel. Pedestrians reported on their thermal sensation in these spaces, whereas radiation and convection-related data were used to compute the Index of Thermal Stress (ITS) and physiologically equivalent temperature (PET). The former is a straightforward characterization of energy exchanges between the human body and its surroundings, without any conversion to an "equivalent temperature." Although the relation of ITS to subjective thermal sensation has been analyzed in the past under controlled indoor conditions, this paper offers the first analysis of this relation in an outdoor setting. ITS alone can account for nearly 60 % of the variance in pedestrians' thermal sensation under outdoor conditions, somewhat more than PET. A series of regressions with individual contextual variables and ITS identified those factors which accounted for additional variance in thermal sensation, whereas multivariate analyses indicated the considerable predictive power (R-square = 0.74) of models including multiple contextual variables in addition to ITS. Our findings indicate that pedestrians experiencing variable outdoor conditions have a greater tolerance for incremental changes in thermal stress than has been shown previously under controlled indoor conditions, with a tapering of responses at high values of ITS. However, the thresholds of ITS corresponding to thermal "neutrality" and thermal "acceptability" are quite consistent regardless of context.

Giraffe Helmholtz resonance

Many animal species, including elephants and okapi, use sounds above and below the range of human hearing to communicate. A longitudinal study presented here suggests giraffe produce infrasonic vocalizations using Helmholtz resonance. Recordings were made of giraffe (Giraffe camelopardalis) in controlled indoor conditions and naturalistic outdoor conditions. The portable recording and analysis system consisted of a trigger oscilloscope; DAT recorders; Nagra IV-SJ; and computers. Each signal was low-pass/high-pass filtered, and FFT and STFT were performed using PolynesiaTM real-time scrolling analysis. In controlled recordings and in naturalistic situations, two types of signals were identified: audible bursts [(11 Hz (75 dB +/− 3) to 10,500 Hz (80 dB +/− 3)] dominant frequencies between 150 and 200 Hz and covert vocalizations [(14 Hz (60 dB +/− 3) to 250–275 Hz (30 dB +/− 3)] dominant frequencies between 20 and 40 Hz. Both audible and covert signals coincided with neck throw or head toss behaviors. The shape of the giraffe’s respiratory apparatus during this behavior and the frequencies produced implicate Helmholtz resonance as a production mechanism. In naturalistic recordings, two of the five infrasonic vocalizations identified were produced during close range social interactions, suggesting that giraffe use these vocalizations to communicate with con-specifics. The social functions, air and seismic transmission mechanisms of these vocalizations should be further assessed.

A survey on ear biometrics

Recognizing people by their ear has recently received significant attention in the literature. Several reasons account for this trend: first, ear recognition does not suffer from some problems associated with other non-contact biometrics, such as face recognition; second, it is the most promising candidate for combination with the face in the context of multi-pose face recognition; and third, the ear can be used for human recognition in surveillance videos where the face may be occluded completely or in part. Further, the ear appears to degrade little with age. Even though current ear detection and recognition systems have reached a certain level of maturity, their success is limited to controlled indoor conditions. In addition to variation in illumination, other open research problems include hair occlusion, earprint forensics, ear symmetry, ear classification, and ear individuality.This article provides a detailed survey of research conducted in ear detection and recognition. It provides an up-to-date review of the existing literature revealing the current state-of-art for not only those who are working in this area but also for those who might exploit this new approach. Furthermore, it offers insights into some unsolved ear recognition problems as well as ear databases available for researchers.

Allelopathic Effect of Macroalga Gracilaria Tenuistipitata (Rhodophyta) on the Photosynthetic Apparatus of Red-tide Causing Microalga Prorocentrum micans

Under controlled indoor conditions, the red-tide causing microalga, Prorocentrum micans was co-cultured with varied grams of sheared macroalga Gracilaria tenuistipitata (Rhodophyta) in the coexistance culture system for three days, to characterize the mitigant roles by the seaweed in photosynthesis of the microalga. The polyphasic rising phase of fluorescence transients displayed by the oxygenic photosynthetic organisms at the initial illumination stage are named as OJIP. In this study, the transient flourescence curves of chlorophyll a with relevant parameters in P. micans were tracked precisely and clarified based on tests of JIP parameters to analyze photosystem II activity. The photosynthetic mitigant roles on P. micans by dried G. tenuistipitata on were obvirously gram- and time-relevant. Chl a fluorescence specific parameters followed the same patterns as the O-J-I-P profiles. Based on the transient flourescence curves with their relevant parameters, the main inhibitory sites by G. tenuistipitata on the photosynthetic appartus of P. micans might be listed as the decline in active numbers of photosystem reactive centers, coupled with blockng-up of the electron-transporting chain. From results of present study, it is clear that dried segments of G. tenuistipitata thalli have effectively inhibitory effect on photosynthesis of P. micans, indicating the potential algicide sources of the dried G. tenuistipitata for use against P. micans causing red tide.

Risk Assessment Due to Population Exposure to Lead Particles Emitted from Domestic Electrical Generators

Portable and stationary electrical generators became quite popular in Iraq soon after the shortage in national electricalenergy after 2003. Multi step risk assessment process is used in this study in the assessment of risks caused bycontamination of indoor air by lead particles emitted from domestic electrical generators. Two portable electricalgenerators are tested under controlled indoor conditions (Radial LG (0.9 keV) fueled with benzene and oil and TigMax(3 keV), fueled with benzene only). Lead particles in air were sampled by using portable dust sampler (Sniffer, L-30).The atmospheric particulate sampling process is carried out in a flat located in the first floor of a three stories buildinglocated in Baghdad city, Al-Zafarania region. The lead concentration in the digested filter papers is measured by usingatomic absorption spectrophotometer (Buck, USA). Dose-to-risk conversion factor is applied in this study to estimate thepotential cancer risk to Baghdad’s population related to continuous inhalation of airborne lead at the mean observedconcentrations. The results of toxicity analysis indicate that public exposure to airborne lead at the mean observedconcentration of 4.991  g/m3 can increase the risk of cancer at a rate of 12 extra cancer cases in a group of millionexposed individuals. Males are found to be at greater risk than females because of higher inhalation rates. Children arefound to be the most sensitive group due to low body weight (about 101 expected additional cancer cases in a group ofmillion exposed child).

Application Accuracy of a Machine Vision-controlled Robotic Micro-dosing System

Experiments with a new concept for the precise application of herbicides in a seed line have been conducted. The concept combines plant recognition, micro-dosing and autonomous robotics. A machine vision system recognises objects to be sprayed, and a micro-dosing system targets very small doses of liquid at the detected objects, while the autonomous vehicle takes care of the navigation. The experiments were carried out under controlled indoor conditions. The results show that the spray liquid can be applied at subcentimetre accuracy and that the application rate can be reduced by two orders of magnitude compared to recommendations used for conventional broadcast spraying.

Evaluation of three north-eastern Quercus species for oak tasar silkworm rearing

The oak tasar silkworm, Antheraea proylei J., was reared on the foliage of Quercus serrata Thunb., Q. griffithii Hook. fil. and Thoms, and Q. dealbata Hook, fil and Thoms. under controlled indoor conditions to assess the suitability of these plants as feed for the silkworm. Relative growth rate of the silkworm was lowest on Q. dealbata , perhaps due to the relatively low level of crude protein and high level of crude fibre in this species. These results show that Q. dealbata is a nutritionally inferior food plant in comparison with Q. serrata and Q. griffithii .