Geometric Mean Diameter Research Articles

Comparative Analysis of Physical and Engineering Properties of New Egyptian Paddy Rice (Giza 183) Adapted to Mitigate Effects of Climate Change

One of the major challenges for crop breeding scientists is climate change. Their task is to develop new crop varieties that can withstand this phenomenon. For this study, a new Egyptian paddy variety called Giza 183, which is designed to adapt to mitigate the effects of climate change, was chosen. We focused on examining the physical and engineering properties of this variety in order to design strategies for storage, handling, transportation, drying, parboiling, and processing equipment in rice mills. The goal was to minimize post-harvest losses during the milling process, thereby maximizing high-quality yields while reducing losses. The physical properties of the rice grains, such as the length, width, and thickness, were measured at an average moisture content of 13.7% ± 0.25% (wet basis). The results reveal that the mean values of length, width, and thickness averaged 7.50 mm, 3.18 mm, and 2.19 mm, respectively. Additionally, the geometric mean diameter, the equivalent mean diameter, surface area, arithmetic mean diameter, and volume were approximately 3.74 mm, 2.38 mm, 37.37 mm2, 4.29 mm, and 28.23 mm3, respectively. The mean of sphericity was 49.9%, and the grain shape (length/width) was 2.19. The true density was measured at 1218.28 kgm−3, while the bulk density was 572.17 kgm−3. The porosity was found to be 53.03%. Furthermore, the milling production rates for brown rice, hull, white rice, and broken rice were determined to be 76.83%, 23.15%, 67.97%, and 17.36%, respectively. The average weight of one thousand grains was 25.49 g. A linear regression model for describing the mass of rough rice grain was investigated. The mass was estimated with the single variable of the grain aspect ratio (width/length) with a determination coefficient of 0.9908. Information gained from the current study will be useful in designing post-harvest processing and storage structures in rice processing industries..

Machine Learning Enhances Soil Aggregate Stability Mapping for Effective Land Management in a Semi-Arid Region

Soil aggregate stability (SAS) is needed to evaluate the soil’s resistance to degradation and erosion, especially in semi-arid regions. Traditional laboratory methods for assessing SAS are labor-intensive and costly, limiting timely and cost-effective monitoring. Thus, we developed cost-efficient wall-to-wall spatial prediction maps for two fundamental SAS proxies [mean weight diameter (MWD) and geometric mean diameter (GMD)], across a 5000-hectare area in Southwest Iran. Machine learning algorithms coupled with environmental and soil covariates were used. Our results showed that topographic covariates were the most influential covariates in predicting these SAS proxies. Overall, our SAS maps are valuable tools for sustainable soil and natural resource management, enabling decision-making for addressing potential soil degradation and promoting sustainable land use in semi-arid regions.

Engineering Properties of Tamarind: A Comparison Between Shelled and Unshelled Tamarind

The experiment was conducted during April–June, 2024 in the department of Agricultural Process Engineering, Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidhyapeeth Akola, Maharashtra, India to determine the physical, chemical and frictional properties of shelled and unshelled tamarind. Standard methods are used to calculate all the engineering properties. Moisture content was determined by hot air oven method and the color was determined by digital colorimeter. The obtained results of the study were: the mean length, width and thickness of unshelled and shelled tamarind were 81.36 mm, 22.31 mm, 15.28 mm and 75.01 mm, 17.41 mm, 10.24 mm respectively. The mean bulk density, true density and porosity of unshelled and shelled tamarind were 370.01 kgm-3, 719.7 kg m-3, 48.39 % and 512.35 kg m-3, 912.73 kg m-3, 43.49% respectively. The mean arithmetic Mean Diameter, Geometric Mean Diameter, sphericity index, surface area of unshelled and shelled tamarind were39.65mm, 30.02mm, 0.38, 2866.80 mm2 and 34.22 mm, 23.45 mm, 0.332, 1754.24 mm2 respectively. The mean moisture content and color values of unshelled and shelled tamarind are 23.64%, L*=47.606, a*=8.944, b*=21.604 and 23.14%, L*=37.178, a*=11.22, b*=20.404 respectively. This study analyzed the critical differences between the engineering properties of unshelled and shelled tamarind fruit, providing valuable insights for optimizing the design and operation of machinery used in tamarind processing. Understanding these properties can improve handling, reduce processing losses, and enhance the efficiency of equipment used in cleaning, sorting, and packaging.

Changes in soil mechanical and hydraulic properties through regenerative cultivation measures in long-term and farm experiments in Germany

Regenerative agriculture has been associated with improved soil structure and soil fertility. However, conclusive evidence of its efficacy has remained elusive owing to a lack of long-term experimental studies. In this study, we assessed the impact of diverse regenerative agricultural measures on soil mechanical and hydraulic properties and indicators. Tested treatment factors included reduced tillage versus plowing, along with different levels of compost, mulch, and the application of ferments and compost tea. We measured in situ soil strength via soil penetration (from 0 to 0.8 m depth) and shear resistance (at 0.08 and 0.23 m depth) and assessed field-saturated hydraulic conductivity and ex situ soil aggregate stability (at 0.07 and 0.23 m depth). The experiments were conducted at five sites in Hesse, Germany, including one organic long-term experiment (LTE, since 2010) in Neu-Eichenberg and three organic and one conventional on-farm experiments to cover different soil types, weather conditions, and field practices. The soil types are classified as Luvisol and Vertic Cambisols, and the soil texture ranges from silt loam to silty clay loam. In the LTE, significant differences in aggregate stability and shear resistance were noted between treatments, with a higher geometric mean aggregate diameter at 0.07 m depth in 2021 and 2022 and a higher shear resistance at 0.19 m and 0.23 m in 2020 and in 2021, respectively, in the reduced tillage systems. However, no significant differences were observed among treatments for field-saturated hydraulic conductivity, which was overall very high, showing that reduced tillage did not negatively influence saturated infiltration, albeit bulk density is higher than in the conventionally plowed system. The soil penetration resistance was generally higher for the reduced tillage treatments across depths of 0.0–0.30 m, albeit not statistically significant (p > 0.05). Significantly higher water-stable aggregates and geometric mean diameters were observed for regenerative agricultural treatments in three of the on-farm experiments at a depth of 0.07 m. The shear resistance was significantly higher in regenerative agriculture units in specific years and depths. Although the outcomes are encouraging, the variability of the effects of reduced tillage and organic amendments in affecting soil properties highlights the need for further long-term research including farm trials. This is essential to fully understand the effects of regenerative practices on soil physical quality.

Determination of drying performance of different slice thicknesses from different cassava varieties using hybrid dryer

Food provides most of the needed energy by humans to carry out their daily activities, but the issue of post-harvest losses is having an adverse effect on its production. In order to mitigate some of these post-harvest challenges, farmers in some of the developing countries have turned their attention on cassava production as the crop can provide food security. Cassava is also a drought resistant crop and can be left in the soil for a long time. However, cassava is equally one of the tuber crops with a very high deterioration rate. Numerous researches have been conducted in a way to find means of reducing these quick post-harvest losses with the emphases on drying. However, little information exists to show how wide variety of cassava sliced at different thicknesses perform when they are being dried, and how the principal dimensions of these dried chips can influence effective packaging. This study investigated the drying performance of seven cassava varieties sliced at three different thicknesses, and how their principal dimensions influenced effective packaging. The results obtained show that there was no obvious linear drying pattern for any of the cassava varieties. Again, CRI-Abrabopa had the highest drying time of 300 min., 240 min., and 210 min., for the 10 mm, 8 mm and 5 mm thick cassava slices, respectively. CRI-Dudzi was found to have been the variety to have lost more moisture with the highest drying rates of 0.0088 kg/min. for the 10 mm thick cassava slice, and 0.009 kg/min. for the 8 mm thick cassava slice. Moreover, Afisiafi obtained the lowest geometric mean diameter of 15.57 mm, 18.23 mm and 22.33 mm, accordingly for the 5 mm and 10 mm thick cassava slices, which made it easier for it to be packaged effectively

Effects of Applying Organic Amendments on Soil Aggregate Structure and Tomato Yield in Facility Agriculture.

Amendment significantly improves soil structure and promotes crop growth. To combat soil degradation and low crop yields in facility agriculture, it is crucial to study the optimal application rate of amendments. This study analyzed the effects of biochar, vermicompost, and mineral-source potassium fulvic acid on the stability of aggregate structure, soil nutrient content, and tomato yield in cambisols, providing a theoretical basis for improving the soil quality of plastic greenhouses in Southern China. A pot experiment on tomato cultivation was carried out in yellow-brown soil in plastic greenhouses. The experiment included eight treatments: 1% biochar (B1); 3% biochar (B3); 5% biochar (B5); 3% vermicompost (V3); 5% vermicompost (V5); 0.1% mineral-source potassium fulvic acid (F1); 0.2% mineral-source potassium fulvic acid (F2); and the control condition without adding soil amendments (CK). The results showed that the biochar and vermicompost treatments effectively reduced soil bulk density and increased total soil porosity. Compared to the control, treatments with soil amendments significantly increased soil pH and had different effects on soil nutrients: F2 showed the most significant improvement in the content of available nitrogen, available phosphorus, and available potassium, with an increase of 133.33%, 834.59%, and 74.34%, respectively; B3 treatment had the highest increase in dissolved organic carbon (DOC), while B5 treatment had the highest organic matter content. Compared to the CK, the particle size of the biochar treatment was mainly 0.053~0.25 mm, while the V3, F1, and F2 mainly occurred with a particle size > 0.25 mm; and V3 has the best aggregate stability. Biochar, vermicompost, and mineral potassium fulvic acid can all promote tomato yield, with the F2 and V3 treatments having a yield increase effect of over 30%. Furthermore, Pearson's correlation analysis showed a highly significant positive correlation between geometric mean diameter (GMD) and mean weight diameter (MWD), water-stable macroaggregate content (R0.25), and a positive correlation between alkaline-dissolved nitrogen, available phosphorus, dissolved organic carbon content, and aggregate stability indicators. Adding 0.2% mineral-source potassium fulvic acid optimizes cambisols' properties, enhances aggregate formation and stability, boosts tomato yield, and shows great application potential.

Study on the Engineering Properties of Whole Garlic Bulbs and Garlic Cloves for Effective Design of Processing Machinery

The present experiment was conducted from February, 2024 to March, 2024 at the Department of Agricultural Process Engineering, Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth, Akola, Maharashtra, India to investigate the various engineering properties of garlic bulbs and garlic cloves. The engineering properties viz., physical, gravimetric and frictional properties, were studied for whole garlic bulbs and garlic cloves by considering their importance in developing different agricultural and post-harvest processing machinery. The weight 11.41 g, length (polar diameter) 33.69 mm, width (equatorial diameter) 29.51 mm, thickness 27.58 mm, arithmetic mean diameter 30.26 mm, geometric mean diameter 30.10 mm, shape index 0.88, sphericity 0.90, surface area 63.05 cm2, cross-sectional area 53.75 cm2, bulk density 449.50 kg m-3, true density 930.45 kg m-3, porosity 51.69%, moisture content 56.70% and angle of repose of garlic bulb 50.54° were obtained. Similar properties were determined for garlic cloves. The L, a and b values for garlic bulb and garlic cloves were 82.95, 0.23, 10.66 and 74.42, 0.28, 12.48, respectively. The water activity of garlic was found to be 0.98±0.02. The coefficient of friction of the garlic bulb and garlic cloves was measured for the selected testing surfaces such as mild steel (MS), stainless steel (SS), wood, glass and fiberglass which was considered in hopper design. The compression force required to loosen the cloves from the garlic bulb was calculated as 61 N. By integrating these engineering properties into the design process, manufacturers can develop equipments or machineries that are more efficient, durable and capable of producing high-quality garlic products.

Mulching Improves the Soil Hydrothermal Environment, Soil Aggregate Content, and Potato Yield in Dry Farmland

Mulching could effectively improve the soil hydrothermal environment, improve changes in the soil structure, increase entropy, and conserve soil moisture to solve the problem of grain reduction caused by perennial drought in Northwest China. Thus, a two-growing-season field experiment (2020–2021) with five treatments (PM1, biodegradable plastic film mulching; PM2, plastic film mulching; SM1, straw strip mulching; SM2, crushed corn straw full mulching; and CK, no mulching as the control) was conducted to investigate the effects of different mulching materials on the soil hydrothermal environment, soil aggregate distribution, stability, and tuber yield of rainfed potato farmland in Northwest China. Over two growing seasons, mulching planting, on average, increased (p < 0.05) the soil moisture at the 0–200 cm depth by 9.0% relative to CK (SM2 (11.6%) > SM1 (10.3%) > PM2 (8.6%) > PM1 (7.0%)). The mulching treatments significantly regulated the soil temperature during the whole growth period, in which plastic mulching significantly increased the soil temperature of the 0–25 cm soil depth during the whole growth period by 2.1 °C (PM2 (2.1 °C) > PM1 (2.0 °C)); meanwhile, straw mulching significantly reduced the soil temperature by 1.4 °C (SM2 (0.9 °C) > SM1 (0.6 °C)). All mulching treatments improved the soil macroaggregate content and soil aggregate stability in all soil depths from 0 to 40 cm, with increases of 31.4% and 27.1% in the mean weight diameter (MWD) and 22.6% and 21.2% in the geometric mean diameter (GWD) compared with CK, respectively. Straw and plastic mulching significantly increased the fresh tuber yield by 12.5% and 12.6% compared with CK, respectively. The increases were greatest in SM2 and PM2. Crushed corn straw full mulching is difficult to sow and harvest; therefore, straw strip mulching could improve the soil hydrothermal environment, increase production, and provide an environmentally friendly technology for dryland potato production.

Rice Under Dry Cultivation-Maize Intercropping Improves Soil Environment and Increases Total Yield by Regulating Belowground Root Growth.

Under the one-season-a-year cropping pattern in Northeast China, continuous cropping is one of the main factors contributing to the degradation of black soil. Previous studies (on maize-soybean, maize-peanut, and maize-wheat intercropping) have shown that intercropping can alleviate this problem. However, it is not known whether intercropping is feasible for maize and rice under dry cultivation, and its effects on yield and soil fertility are unknown. A three-year field-orientation experiment was conducted at Jilin Agricultural University in Changchun city, Jilin Province, China, consisting of three cropping regimes, namely rice under dry cultivation-maize intercropping (IRM), sole rice under dry cultivation (SR), and sole maize (SM). All straw was fully returned to the field after mechanical harvesting. Rice under dry cultivation-maize intercropping with a land-equivalent ratio of 1.05 (the average of three years values) increased the total yield by 8.63% compared to the monoculture system. The aggressivity (A), relative crowding coefficient (K), time-area-equivalent ratio (ATER), and competition ratio (CR) value were positive or ≥1, also indicating that the rice under dry cultivation-maize intercropping had a yield advantage of the overall intercropping system. This is because the intercropped maize root length density (RLD) increased by 33.94-102.84% in the 0-40 cm soil layer, which contributed to an increase in the soil porosity (SP) of 5.58-10.10% in the 0-30 cm soil layer, an increase in the mean weight diameter of soil aggregates (MWD) of 3.00-15.69%, an increase in the geometric mean diameter of soil aggregates (GMD) of 8.16-26.42%, a decrease in the soil bulk density (SBD) of 4.02-7.35%, and an increase in the soil organic matter content (SOM) of 0.60-4.35%. This increased the water permeability and aeration of the soil and facilitated the absorption of nutrients and water by the root system and their transportation above ground, and the plant nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium accumulation in the intercropping system were significantly higher than that in monoculture treatment, further promoting the total yield of intercropping. This suggests that rice under a dry cultivation-maize intercropping system is feasible in Northeast China, mainly because it promotes belowground root growth, improves the soil environment, and increases the total yield of intercropping.

Characterization of Lithium-Ion Battery Fire Emissions—Part 2: Particle Size Distributions and Emission Factors

The lithium-ion battery (LIB) thermal runaway (TR) emits a wide size range of particles with diverse chemical compositions. When inhaled, these particles can cause serious adverse health effects. This study measured the size distributions of particles with diameters less than 10 µm released throughout the TR-driven combustion of cylindrical lithium iron phosphate (LFP) and pouch-style lithium cobalt oxide (LCO) LIB cells. The chemical composition of fine particles (PM2.5) and some acidic gases were also characterized from filter samples. The emission factors of particle number and mass as well as chemical components were calculated. Particle number concentrations were dominated by those smaller than 500 nm with geometric number mean diameters below 130 nm. Mass concentrations were also dominated by smaller particles, with PM1 particles making up 81–95% of the measured PM10 mass. A significant amount of organic and elemental carbon, phosphate, and fluoride was released as PM2.5 constituents. The emission factor of gaseous hydrogen fluoride was 10–81 mg/Wh, posing the most immediate danger to human health. The tested LFP cells had higher emission factors of particles and HF than the LCO cells.

Vegetation degradation reduces aggregate associated carbon by reducing both labile and stable carbon fraction in Northeast China

Vegetation changes can affect soil organic carbon (SOC) content and storage by altering the inputs of plant biomass and the catabolism and anabolism of soil microorganisms. However, influence of vegetation degradation on aggregate associated carbon fractions and the contribution of different aggregates to total SOC in bulk soil remains poorly understood. In this study, undisturbed soil samples were collected from three types of grassland in Songnen grassland: an undegraded grassland (LEY, Leymus chinensis), a moderately degraded grassland (CHL, Chloris virgata), and a severely degraded grassland (SUA, Suaeda heteroptera). Three soil aggregates including macroaggregate (> 0.25 mm), microaggregate (0.053–0.25 mm) and silt and clay fraction (< 0.053 mm) were separated using wet sieving. Contents of total SOC, soil labile and stable carbon in bulk soil and different soil aggregates were measured. Compared with LEY, the mean weight diameter and geometric mean diameter under the degraded vegetation communities reduced by 39.42 % and 28.47 %, respectively. The reduction in SOC contents in bulk soil, macroaggregate, microaggregate and silt and clay fraction resulting from vegetation degradation was 49.81 %, 26.00 %, 76.17 % and 43.65 %, respectively. Under the degraded vegetation communities, contents of soil labile and stable carbon in bulk soil (45.73 % and 52.61 %, respectively), macroaggregate (17.38 % and 31.61 %, respectively), microaggregate (77.83 % and 74.18 %, respectively), and silt and clay fraction (21.20 % and 53.45 %, respectively) were significantly lower than those under LEY. The contribution of macroaggregate, microaggregate and silt and clay fraction to total SOC was 13.27 %, 23.61 % and 63.12 %, respectively. The contribution of soil aggregates to total SOC following vegetation degradation reduced by 53.63 % for microaggregate, but increased by 47.10 % for silt and clay fraction. These findings collectively indicate that vegetation degradation reduces the aggregate associated carbon content by reducing both labile and stable carbon fraction in Songnen grassland, and sustainable vegetation restoration strategies are need to enhance soil carbon storage in Northeast China.

Evaluation of tuber quality, yield and yield related traits of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) genotypes at Holetta, Central Ethiopia

In Ethiopia, potato is a food security and income generating crop for millions of smallholder farmers. Previous research efforts related to variety development was focusing on tube yield and late blight resistance with wide adaptability. So far, the potato research program in the country however, devoted less on tuber quality traits and processing parameters except few recently released varieties that considered tuber quality traits for processing. These few potato varieties with processing qualities not yet satisfied the ever-emerging processing industries for chips and French fries in the country. Hence, this study aimed to seek evaluating more potato genotypes that have merits for tuber quality traits used for processing and yield attributes. The experiment was laid out in a randomized completed block design with three replications using 24 potato genotypes to evaluate the processing quality traits of advanced potato genotypes at Holetta Agricultural Research Centre in 2017 main cropping season. The results of the analysis of variance revealed that all the traits showed significant differences among the genotypes indicating there is wide genetic variation. The highest and significantly different tuber physical quality traits of geometric mean diameter and surface area was recorded from CIP395017.229, sphericity of the tuber from CIP396027.205, and length to width ratio from CIP399075.7. The specific gravity of tubers, dry matter content and total starch content also ranged from 1.070 to 1.103 gcm−3, 18.67 to 25.75%, and 12.64% to 18.95%, respectively. The five advanced genotypes CIP398098.65, CIP392617.54, CIP398190.404, CIP394611.112, and C398190.89 were selected for their high total tuber yields over 36.80 t/ha, with more than 31.47 t/ha marketable tuber yield, greeter than 69.92 g/tuber average tuber weight, higher than 58.41 mm3 geometric mean diameter, more than 21.25% dry matter content, excellent tuber characteristics and processing quality traits for chips and French fries making. From this study, selection of potato genotypes that consider both external and internal tuber quality traits would expedite the process of advancing ample potato varieties with processing qualities in the country considering comprehensive study by including more potato genotypes across wider growing environments.

Vegetation restoration changed the soil aggregate stability and aggregate carbon stabilization pathway according to δ13C signatures

Vegetation restoration can increase soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration through the physical protection of soil aggregates. However, the soil aggregate stability and C flow pathway associated with long-term plantation restoration have not yet been fully characterized. Here, we conducted a study on Robinia pseudoacacia plantations at different recovery stages, studied the distribution and stability of aggregates, analysed the aggregate-associated organic carbon (OC) content and δ13C value, and quantified the aggregate C flow pathway. The results revealed that vegetation restoration increased the proportion of large macroaggregates (LMAs) and decreased the proportion of small macroaggregates (SMAs), with no changes observed in the proportion of microaggregates (MIAs) or silt + clay (SC) at 0–20 cm. The indices of aggregate stability, namely, the mean weight diameter (MWD), geometric mean diameter (GMD) and structural stability index (SSI), increased under vegetation restoration at 0–20 cm, with maximum values of 3.83 mm, 2.88 mm, and 2.00 %, respectively, at 35 years of age (35Y). The OC content of the LMAs increased from 10.96 to 21.64 g kg−1 and from 7.27 to 10.05 g kg−1 in the 0–20 cm and 20–40 cm layers, respectively. LMAs and SMAs had the greatest contributions to SOC accumulation in the 0–20 cm and 20–40 cm layers, respectively. The δ13C value increased with decreasing aggregate size. The C flow pathway was from macroaggregates to MIAs or SC. Compared with abandoned farmland, vegetation restoration decreased the aggregate C flow intensity in the 0–20 cm layer. The soil aggregate stability and aggregate-associated OC content decreased with increasing soil depth, but the soil δ13C value exhibited the opposite trend. Vegetation restoration regulated soil aggregate stability by influencing the fine root biomass (FRB) and SOC content. In summary, our analysis offers a valuable reference for the controlling effect of aggregation on C stability influenced by vegetation restoration.

Assessment of High-Severity Post-Fire Soil Quality and Its Recovery in Dry/Warm Valley Forestlands in Southwest China through Selecting the Minimum Data Set and Soil Quality Index

Recurrent wildfires can negatively affect soil quality, and post-fire soil quality recovery is critical for maintaining sustainable ecosystem development. The objective of this study was to evaluate the changes and recovery of soil properties and soil quality in the forests of dry/warm river valleys in southwest China after disturbance by high-severity fires. In this study, the impact of fire on soil properties and soil quality was investigated for three years post-fire. Unburned forest land with a similar natural environment compared to the fire area was used as a control. Soil samples were collected from three different depths of 0–10 cm, 10–20 cm, and 20–30 cm, respectively. Principal component analysis (PCA) combined with the Norm value was used to select the minimum data set (MDS), thus calculating the soil quality index (SQI). The results showed that the soil properties changed significantly after high-severity fires. On average, soil bulk density (0.91 g/cm3, p = 0.001), total nitrogen (0.12 g/kg, p = 0.000), total phosphorus (0.10 g/kg, p = 0.000), and total potassium (5.55 g/kg, p = 0.000) were significantly lower in the burned areas than in the unburned areas at the first sampling. These indicators increased in the following three years but still did not recover to unburned levels. Compared with the above indicators, soil porosity and organic matter increased post-fire, but gradually decreased over time. Soil clay, geometric mean diameter, and total potassium were included in the MDS. The SQI was ranked as unburned &gt; 3 years &gt; 2 years &gt; 1 year &gt; 6 months. The SQI was significantly (p = 0.001) reduced six months post-fire by an average of 36%, and, after three years of recovery, the soil quality of the post-fire areas could be restored to 81% of soil in unburned areas. Apparently, high-severity fires caused changes in soil properties, thereby significantly decreasing soil quality. Soil quality gradually improved with increasing restoration time. However, the complete recovery of soil quality post-fire in forest land in the dry/warm river valley will take a longer time.

DETERMINATION OF SOME SELECTED PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF THREE VARIETIES OF GARLIC (Allium sativum Linn) AT DIFFERENT MOISTURE CONTENTS

Some physical properties of three common varieties (in Kano State, Nigeria) of garlic cloves Ex-kofa, Dangin kura and Mai-makulli variety were determined and compared. These properties were obtained at five moisture content levels of 56.72, 42.85, 34.93, 26.48 and 13.68 % d. b. The ranges of the dimensions measured at the stated moisture content levels for Ex-kofa, variety were 25.35-20.56 mm, 13.33-8.16 mm, 16.36 -10.51 mm, for polar diameter, equatorial diameter and thickness respectively. Similarly, the values obtained for Dangin Kura were 22.25-18.41 mm, 9.78-5.85 mm and 11.91-7.21 mm. The values for Mai mukulli, respectively, were 24.46-20.41 mm, 14.25-10.05 mm and 11.16 - 6.64 mm. The Geometric mean diameter, Arithmetic mean diameter and Sphericity ranges were 14.83-10.64 mm, 16.15-12.09 mm and 0.61-0.53 for Ex-kofa, while 14.23-10.49 mm, 15.57-11.89 mm and 0.64-0.53 are for Dangin kura variety. Similarly, for Mai-makulli variety respectively, the values are 15.10-10.47 mm, 13.93-9.68 mm and 0.63-0.52. The Surface area, Cross-sectional Area and Shape Index range was 232.25-129.83 mm2, 618.86-348.19 mm2 and 0.72-0.65 for Ex-kofa. That for Dangin kura were 244.87-125.06 mm2, 701.36-335.90 mm2 and 0.68-0.65. While 233.35-122.80 mm2, 617.92-313.33 mm2 and 0.71-0.62 were values for Mai-makulli variety respectively. The range for mean values of bulk density, true density and porosity for the garlic cloves were measured as 768.30-350.40 kg/m3, 1185-699.30 kg/m3 and 34.83-49.93 for Ex-kofa variety. While 762.96-352.46 kg/m3, 1197.73-757.73 kg/m3 and 35.80-49.42 were for Dangin kura variety. Similarly, the ranges of values for Mai-makulli variety were 759.70-353.20 kg/m3, 1208.06-692.73 kg/m3 and 35.41-49.01 respectively. Results of statistical analysis ANOVA showed that the moisture content had significant effect on all the properties. The variety has significant effect on dimensions and arithmetic mean diameter. From the findings, it reveals that mean values of these properties were found to be higher at higher moisture levels for all the varieties. For porosity, however, the higher values were obtained at lower moisture levels.

Comparison of aerosol number size distribution and new particle formation in summer at alpine and urban regions in the Guanzhong Plain, Northwest China

Ultrafine particles play a crucial role in understanding climate change, mitigating adverse health effects, and developing strategies for air pollution control. However, the factors influencing the occurrence and development of new particle formation (NPF) events, as well as the underlying chemical mechanisms, remain inadequately explained. This study compared number concentrations and size distributions of atmospheric ultrafine particles at Xi'an (urban area) and the summit of Mt. Hua (alpine region) in summer to investigate the NPF mechanism and particle growth in both clean and polluted areas of the Guanzhong Plain. The average particle number concentration in Xi'an was significantly higher than that at Mt. Hua. The diurnal variation of total particle number concentration differed between Xi'an and Mt. Hua indicating a divergence in influencing factors. The size distributions in Xi'an varied across different timescales and weather conditions, whereas Mt. Hua exhibited little variation. This stability at Mt. Hua is attributed to its cleaner background atmosphere and the steady influx of aging particles with larger diameters transported from the free atmosphere. In both areas, geometric mean diameters (GMDs) were inversely proportional to particle number concentrations suggesting that increase in particle numbers were primarily due to the generation of smaller particles. The potential governing factors for NPF events differed somewhat between the urban and mountainous stations. In the urban area, intense local stationary and mobile emission sources promoted the growth of newly formed nanoparticles, with ozone-oxidized condensable vapors serving as key precursors. In contrast, at the mountainous station, NPF process were significantly influenced by anthropogenic precursors from long-range transport and locally emitted biogenic organics. The rapid increase in ultrafine particle concentrations primarily poses serious health risks and degrades air quality in urban areas, while also contributing to climate-related effects in alpine regions.

Occurrence and fate of atmospheric short/medium chain chlorinated paraffins: Size distribution and inhalation exposure

Chlorinated paraffins (CPs) are intricate industrial compounds synthesized through alkane chlorination. Researches on the size distribution of short-chain (SCCPs) and medium-chain chlorinated paraffins (MCCPs) in atmospheric particulate matter (PM) are limited. Here, we conducted a thorough investigation on the size-dependent distribution characteristics, deposition behavior in respiratory tract, and health risks associated with CPs in atmospheric PM. The concentration of SCCPs in atmospheric particulate matter (PM10) was much higher than MCCPs, with concentration ranges of 2.53–31.8 and 1.07–4.62 ng m−3, respectively. Concentrations of CPs increase with decreasing PM size, peaking at aerodynamic diameters (Dp) < 0.49 μm. Physicochemical properties influence the distribution of CP homologs in PM. Those with lower vapor pressure, higher octanol-air and octanol-water partition coefficients tended to accumulate in PM with larger geometric mean diameters. Most of the inhaled CPs in PM deposited in the upper airways, with a small amount in the trachea and alveolar regions. The estimated daily intakes values were highest when Dp < 0.49 μm. Particle size is an essential determinant for the deposition of inhaled CPs in PM and should be considered in health risk assessments.

Engineering Properties of Foxtail Millet Seeds for Development of Planter for Millet Crop

Millets are sown by broadcasting and drilling by traditional implements. By using these tools, seeds were not distributed uniformly, which led to an excess of plants and irregular spacing. Furthermore, if seed is sown in a line rather than a spread pattern, harvesting and threshing activities become more efficient. In keeping the views of above facts, planter for millet seeds was developed. A study was carried out to measure the engineering properties of foxtail millet seeds for development of planter for millet crop. Engineering properties helps in design of machine parameters like type of seed metering mechanism, size of cell and hopper capacity etc. The engineering properties such as mean linear dimensions viz., length, width and thickness are 2.20 mm, 1.23 mm and 1.11 mm respectively. The physical properties like geometrical mean diameter, bulk density and true density of are 1.43 mm, 670.33 kg m-3, 1156.2 kg m-3 respectively. The frictional properties such as angle of repose, co-efficient of internal and external friction are 24.30 degrees, 1.23 and 0.45 degrees respectively. In developing the millet planter, these measured engineering parameters were taken into account.

Preparation of fragmented polyethylene nanoplastics using a focused ultrasonic system and assessment of their cytotoxic effects on human cells

With the growing prevalence of plastic use, the environmental release of plastic waste is escalating, and fragmented nanoscale plastic particles are emerging as significant environmental threats. This study aimed to evaluate the cytotoxic effects of fragmented polyethylene nanoplastics (PE NPs) manufactured using a focused ultrasonic system. The ultrasonic irradiation process generated fragmented PE NPs with a geometric mean diameter of 85.14 ± 5.37 nm and a size range of 25–350 nm. To assess cytotoxicity, we conducted a series of tests on various human cell lines, including stomach, blood, colon, lung, skin, liver, and brain-derived cells. The testing involved MTS-based cell viability assays to evaluate direct impacts on cell viability, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) leakage assays to measure membrane damage, and ELISA to quantify TNF-α release as an indicator of inflammation. Although PE-NPs did not immediately induce apoptosis, significant LDH leakage and elevated TNF-α levels were observed across all cell lines, indicating membrane damage and inflammatory responses. Additionally, flow cytometry and TEM analyses revealed the intracellular accumulation of PE-NPs, further supporting their cytotoxic potential. These results demonstrate that fragmented PE-NPs can disrupt cellular membranes and induce inflammatory responses through accumulation within cells. The findings suggest that these NPs pose potential hazards to cell viability and underscore the need for further research into their environmental and health impacts.

A machine learning-driven modeling and optimization approach for enhancing cassava mash production quality in cassava graters

Machine performance modeling and optimization have emerged as crucial steps for process enhancement and efficiency. This study explored machine learning to model and optimize the cassava grating chamber of cassava grater for the quality production of gari. This domain remains unexplored thus far. A total of 196 graters were studied. Key variables studied included tooth diameter (TD), tooth height (TH), inter-tooth spacing (ITS), drum speed (DS), clearance (C), and moisture content of cassava (MC). Geometric mean diameter (GMD) represented mash quality. Feature importance rankings emphasized TH (0.488784), C (0.243284), TD (0.112682), ITS (0.103547), DS (0.036261), and MC (0.015442) in determining particle size (GMD) of grated mash. Machine learning models efficiently interpreted these attributes, including gradient boost regressor, linear regression, neural network, and random forest. The Gradient boost regressor was the best predictive model achieving 95.34 % accuracy, RMSE (0.3291), and MAE (0.2303). The study provides a GMD predictive equation and optimized parameters for specific gari sizes production, offering valuable insights for tailored machinery in the cassava grating activity.