Ideal Amount Research Articles

Improving The Geotechnical Properties of Cohesive Soils Using Portland Cement and Some Composite Polymers in A Selected Location in The City of Tanumah / Basrah Governorate – Southern Iraq

Background: The purpose of this research is to ascertain how adding Portland cement and composite polymers, as well as the ideal ratios between them, will affect cohesive soils' geotechnical characteristics. Materials and Methods: A composite polymer was created by combining three polymers—isocyanide, unsaturated polyester, polyvinyl acetate, and thinner—as well as a solvent. Portland cement was added to the soil at a rate of 5% of the sample weight. Different percentages of the weight of the cement supplied to the sample—5, 10, 15, 20, and 25%—were utilized as the composite polymer. Several geotechnical tests were carried out, including compaction, unconfined compressive strength, California bearing ratio, absorption, and Atterberg's limits, to ascertain the ideal amount of polymer for the aim of improvement. Results: The findings show that adding cement at a rate of 5% by weight of the sample and a polymeric mixture at a rate of 15% by weight of cement can improve the cohesive soil's engineering properties. It was found that the maximum dry density, unconfined compressive strength, and California bearing ratio had increased while the values of the optimal moisture content, absorption rate, liquid limit values, and plasticity index had decreased. Conclusion: The composite polymer used in soil improvement not only improves the geotechnical properties and resistance of the soil, but it also efficiently enhances and activates the effectiveness of cement. When 15% of the sample's weight of cement was composed of composite polymers, the soil's engineering attributes increased the most.

Combination of control factors influencing application uniformity of a low-pressure pivot sprinkler spray unit

The objective of any pivot irrigation system is to ensure uniformity of application of water which can be achieved when responsible factors such as pressure, drop tube lengths, nozzle size etc. are adequately designed. This indoor experiment conducted in a 44m2 laboratory facility tends to evaluate the extent of the influence of some sprinkler design parameters on the performance of a low pressure single pivot sprinkler spay unit. The parameters considered are; pressures of 9,12, 15 and 19Psi, nozzle sizes of 4.17, 5.56, 6.95 and 8.14 mm and drop tube lengths of 1, 1.2 and 1.5m. In this experiment an inverted U-shaped frame designed to support a spray sprinkler at different heights was used. The hydraulic installation with manual throttle valves for controlling water distribution was used to supply pressurized water to the spray model sprinkler. A number of 64 graduated catch-cans with 0.16 m diameter and 0.2m height were used. The cans were arranged in eight radial legs with a distance of 1m apart. The system was run for one hour then the caught volumes were measured manually using a graduated cylinder with a capacity of 500 mL. The catch-cans data were used to determine uniformity coefficients. Line graphs were used to show relationships between the parameters measured. The experiment shows that there is strong relationship between the parameters considered. It indicated that the coefficient of uniformity (CU) and distribution uniformity of lower quarter DUlq increases with increase in nozzle size and pressure. It also shows that the largest nozzle size and pressure within the limits of this experiment gave the best CU and (DUlq) values of 96% and 90% at 1.5m height. Lager nozzle sizes with lower pressure reduces the CU and DUlq values. It is concluded from this experiment that though pressure, nozzle size and height of application influences the uniformity of application, larger nozzle sizes accompanied by higher pressure and height of application resulted in good uniformity of application. It is therefore imperative that while operating Pivot Sprinkler systems, careful selection of nozzle diameters, operating pressure and drop tube heights, sprinkler can be used to apply the ideal amount of irrigation water needed to refill the crop root zone that can neither cause runoff nor harm the crop and also provide the best uniformity possible under the prevailing wind and management conditions.

A Systematic Framework for Data Augmentation for Tropical Cyclone Intensity Estimation Using Deep Learning

AbstractGiven the exponential relationship between the intensity and the expected damage of tropical cyclones, accurately estimating their intensity from satellite images is a crucially important area of research. Yet, the imbalance and limited size of available data sets significantly hinder model training and generalization capabilities, especially for state‐of‐the‐art deep learning models. Therefore, it is standard in this field to use data augmentation, a family of transformations to increase the size and variety of a given data set. However, the principles behind the usage of these techniques for the estimation of the intensity of tropical cyclones has been largely unexamined. In this paper, we introduce a framework for establishing how much augmentation to apply and which techniques to use. To determine the ideal amount of augmentation, we use a modified Gini coefficient to understand how the augmentation will affect the imbalance in the data set, and we find that there is an upper bound on how much augmentation should be done (for our data set, 50 times per image). Our results also indicate that data augmentation works best when used to reduce the amount of imbalance in a data set rather than uniformly over the entire data set, as is typically done in the tropical cyclone intensity estimation literature. We then devise a backward elimination feature selection algorithm to determine which augmentation techniques work best. Our findings suggest that all augmentation techniques are effective for the estimation of tropical cyclones intensity, including random erasing, which we were the first to implement in this context.

How strong is the evidence supporting the WHO guidelines on physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep in early childhood?

The WHO issued recommendations about the ideal amount of physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep in infants, toddlers and preschool children. To facilitate their interpretation and translation into public health policies, we analysed the quantity and quality of the evidence that supported the development of each WHO recommendation. All data for each exposure-outcome pair analysed in the studies informing WHO guidelines were extracted, and predefined criteria, based upon GRADE methodology, were used to classify each outcome and study result. Among the 237 studies that could be included, 37 were experimental and 200 were observational, yielding 920 analyses of exposure-outcome associations. Sixty-two analyses used a relevant outcome, with or without significant results. Five of the 10 WHO recommendations were based upon zero analyses with significant results on relevant health outcomes. The remaining recommendations were mostly based upon analyses evaluating obesity-related outcomes. Eight of the 10 GLs thresholds were not supported by any significant analysis on clinically relevant outcomes. While these findings should not be interpreted as an attempt to disprove the benefits of healthy lifestyle habits in early childhood, neither to minimize the work of the experts in this complex research field, very limited evidence currently supports the adoption of recommended thresholds as behavioural surveillance and public health interventions targets. Therefore, until further data are available, public health interventions should be developed balancing whether to focus on the achievement of specific targets that are still not supported by high-quality evidence or on the general promotion of healthy behaviours.

Finite element simulations of smart fracture plates capable of cyclic shortening and lengthening: which stroke for which fracture?

Introduction: Bone healing can be improved by axial micromovement, as has been shown in animals and human patients with external fixators. In the development of smart fracture plates, the ideal amount of stroke for different fracture types in the different healing stages is currently unknown. It was hypothesized that the resulting strain in the fracture gap of a simple tibial shaft fracture does not vary with the amount of axial stroke in the plate, the fracture gap size, and the fracture angle. Methods: With finite element simulations based on body donation computed tomography data, the second invariant of the deviatoric strain tensor (J2), strain energy density, hydrostatic strain, octahedral shear strain, and percentage of the fracture gap in the "perfect healing window" were computed for different gap sizes (1-3mm), angles (5°-60°), and plate stroke levels (0.05-0.60mm) in three healing stages. Multiple linear regression analyses were performed. Results: Findings showed that an active fracture plate should deliver an axial stroke in the range of 0.10-0.45mm. Different optimal stroke values were found for each healing phase, namely, 0.10-0.25mm for the first, 0.10mm for the second, and 0.35-0.45mm for the third healing phase, depending on the fracture gap size and less on the fracture angle. J2, hydrostatic strain, octahedral shear strain and the strain energy density correlated with the fracture gap size and angle (all p < 0.001). The influence of the fracture gap size and angle on the variability (adjusted R2) in several outcome measures in the fracture gap was shown to vary throughout healing. The contribution to the variability of the percentage of the fracture gap in the perfect healing window was greatest during the second healing phase. For J2, strain energy density, hydrostatic strain, and octahedral shear strain, the fracture gap size showed the greatest contribution in the third fracture healing phase, while the influence of fracture angle was independent of the healing phase. Discussion: The present findings are relevant for implant development and to design clinical studies that aim to accelerate fracture healing using axial micromovement.

Comparison of Random Forest and Support Vector Regression Models in Predicting Hydrogen Production Process from Biomass

The need for energy in the world is increasing day by day and various energy production methods are used to meet this need. Production of hydrogen from biomass is one of these methods. Hydrogen production from biomass is a promising process to produce hydrogen and energy which has advantages such as the ability to use sustainable energy sources like biomass and solid waste, being carbon neutral, and increasing energy independence thanks to the variation of resources and the availability of local resources. The catalysts used in this process which can be conducted in three separate ways, affect hydrogen and energy production positively or negatively. One of the most important steps in effectively acquiring the ideal amount of product is predicting the outcomes of this procedure. This article compares a support vector regression (SVR) and random forest (RF) model to predict how various inputs used to produce hydrogen from biomass will affect hydrogen output. Additionally, the effect of catalyst addition on hydrogen yield in biomass processes was examined. In this context, 57 experimental studies from the literature were selected as a data set. From this data, 90% was selected for training and 10% for testing. The outputs were evaluated according to parameters such as R2, RMSE and MSE. The results show that RF and SVR models can significantly predict catalyst activity and hydrogen production.

MANAJEMEN STOK PANGAN RUMAH TANGGA PETANI PADI ANGGOTA LUMBUNG PANGAN DI KECAMATAN AMBARAWA KABUPATEN PRINGSEWU

This study aimed firstly to analyze the management of household food stocks and secondly to analyze the various factors affecting household food stocks for rice farmers. All rice farmers were members of the food barn in Ambarawa Sub-district, Pringsewu District. The samples were selected by simple random sampling consisting of 7 granaries with a total of 70 members. The data were collected from January to February 2023. To obtain the first objective, the data were analyzed by using the calculation of food stocks referring to the Chafid equation formula (2017), i.e. the amount of food inventory was subtracted by its sale quantity and its utilization. To obtain the second objective, the data were analyzed by using the multiple linear regression. The results showed that the food stocks of rice farmers who were members of the food barn were 573 kg of MDG in the first season and 450 kg of MDG in the second season, which were not an ideal amount for food stock. This was because the ideal amounts of needs were 586.93 kg of MDG for the first season and 591.51 kg of MDG for the second season. Some of the factors affecting the food stock of the rice farming households incorporated in food barns were land area and household income. Key words: regression analysis, sale delay analysis, stocks, storage.

An Experimental Study of Concrete Mixed with Coconut Shell as Partial Replacement of Course Aggregate

The high cost of conventional construction materials affects the economy of structure. The possibility of utilizing recycled coconut shell aggregates in concrete as coarse aggregate is examined in the present study. An optimum percentage replacement of coarse aggregate with coconut shell aggregate is determined from the study. Coconut shell is a lightweight material thus producing lightweight concrete. The replacement of coarse aggregate of coconut shell by 10%, 20% and 30%. The Design mix used is M20 grade and testing of specimens are conducted after 7 and 28 days of curing. The flexural and compressive strength of concrete are tests. The main objective is to encourage the use of these waste products as construction materials in low-cost housing Aggregate is a major ingredient for making concrete, occupying almost 70-80% part of concrete. Conventionally crushed rocks are used as coarse aggregate and river sand as fine aggregate. Both are naturally available materials. Due to the speedy growth of construction works, conventional aggregate sources are exhaust very fast leading to a significant increase in the cost of construction. For sustainable development, these materials should be used wisely and alternative materials need to be searched to replace regular aggregate. A large number of studies have been done to search for alternative materials for the production of concrete. At the same time due to fast industrialization, production of waste material is increasing day by day. Its disposal has become a real problem. It can be concluded that the ideal amount of coconut shell replacement for coarse aggregate for M20 Concrete is 10% -20%. Key Words: Concrete Mix, Coconut shell, Low cost housing, Flexural strength, Compressive strength, Design mix, Replacement of Course Aggregate.

Maggots cannot live on meat meal alone: production parameters for mass rearing of the ovoviviparous blowfly, Calliphora dubia (Diptera: Calliphoridae).

This study determined a cost-effective larval diet for rearing Calliphora dubia Macquart for use as a potential managed pollinator in Australia. This fly has potential as a pollination species to support honey bees (Apis mellifera). Larvae of C. dubia were reared mostly in meat meals with varying amounts of either whole egg powder, whole eggs (+ shell), bran flakes, skimmed milk powder, brewer's yeast, or poultry oil. This was done from an economic and production perspective to support commercial rearing. Several laboratory-based studies determined the growth and output from various ingredient combinations. Larvae fed 90% meat meal and 10% whole egg powder developed rapidly through to pupation with a high pupation rate, adult size, and percent adult emergence. Given the high cost and difficulty in sourcing whole egg powder, media comprising mostly meat meals with the addition of bran flakes and whole eggs also supported rapid larval development, pupation rate, and adult emergence. The ideal amount of media/larvae was 0.5 g/larvae to support high pupation rates and adult emergence. Adult eclosion occurred over 4-5 days, even when larvae were laid and fed within 1 h on ample media. Commercial mass rearing would then require daily cohorts of larvae to ensure peak adult fly emergence over 1-2 days for release into a crop. Mass-rearing C. dubia should use meat meal as the base ingredient with bran flakes and whole eggs added and fed at 0.5 g of media/larvae. Based on the current media ingredient costs, rearing 1-m adult C. dubia would cost just over $500 (US$342).

Effect of Y2O3 addition on the organization and tribological properties of Ni60A/Cr3C2 composite coatings obtained by laser-cladding

This study aims to enhance the surface toughness and overall performance of arc-shaped nail teeth, which are vital components of presowing film-recovery machinery. Laser cladding technology was employed to deposit Ni60A/Cr3C2 composite coatings with the rare-earth oxide Y2O3 onto 60Si2Mn steel surfaces. The effects of different amounts of Y2O3 on the wear resistance of Ni60A/Cr3C2 composite coatings were evaluated. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and 3D morphological analysis were used to investigate the microstructure, microhardness, elemental distribution, and tribological properties of the coatings. The ideal amount of Y2O3 to add to the mixtures to enhance the wear resistance was determined. The results showed that the coating containing 1.5% Y2O3 and Ni60A/Cr3C2 composite powder exhibited superior overall performance. Coatings with different amounts of added Y2O3 exhibited similar phase compositions, mainly consisting of γ-Ni-based, Ni2Si, M7C3 (M = Cr, Mn), and M23C6-strengthened phases. SEM analysis revealed that the coating with 1.5% Y2O3 exhibited excellent metallurgical bonding with the substrate. In addition, the coating exhibited finer grains, increased density, a more uniform distribution of coating elements, and a microhardness of 990 HV. Fewer grooves and smoother abrasions were observed after the wear test. The wear amount and depth were 14 × 10−4 g and 8.97 μm, which were 22.2% and 55.4% lower than the coating without added Y2O3, respectively. The tribological behavior indicated that adding the appropriate amount of Y2O3 facilitated the grain boundary consolidation while enhancing the adhesive properties of the oxide film, thereby increasing the wear resistance of the coating.

Biochar Derived from Pond Apple (Annona glabra) as a Fertilizer to Enhance the Crop Yield: A Sustainable Approach

The intensive use of inorganic fertilizers causes many economic, ecological, and social issues around the world. In the search to discover an effective fertilizer, biochar has been in the spotlight in recent years. Hence, the present study was focused on utilizing biochar derived from pond apple (Annona glabra), which is an aquatic invasive plant as a fertilizer without harming the environment. A pot experiment was carried out to determine the effects of biochar on plant growth. Biochar was applied to soil and growth differences were identified by comparing it with the control. Banana pepper (Capsicum annum) was selected as the experimental plant. Plant growth parameters (seed germination percentage, growth rate, root length, and number of leaves) were measured to determine the effects of biochar on plant growth. In each pot, 5 seeds of C. annum were sowed and examined for 14 days to get the germinate percentages. The other plant growth parameters were recorded after 45 days. Biochar treated with soil showed a significant increase (p&lt;0.05) in average growth rate (14.46±6.67%), root lengths (4.94±0.27 cm), and number of leaves (5.83±0.76) in comparison to the control while seed germination percentages were kept as same value. An optimizing process was carried out by increasing the amount of biochar (5%, 7%, 10% by weight) to determine the ideal amount of biochar on plant growth. Considering the average growth rate, the best result (21.43±1.01%) was shown in pot treated with 7% biochar by weight. Henceforth, the utilization of biochar derived from A. glabra as a fertilizer is an effective approach to enhance crop yield while limiting the spread of these invasive aquatic plants in a sustainable and eco-friendly manner. As a result, the current study has suggested a green, sustainable strategy for the efficient use of aquatic invasive plants.&#x0D; &#x0D; Keywords: Biochar, Fertilizers, Plant growth, Aquatic invasive plant&#x0D;

Effect of nano-TiO2 on physical and rheological properties of asphalt cement

Abstract In recent years, nano-modified asphalt has gained significant attraction from researchers in the design of asphalt pavement fields. The recently discovered Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2) are among the most exciting and promising nanomaterials. This study examines the effect of 1, 3, 5, and 7% of nano-TiO2 by weight of asphalt on some of its rheological and hardened properties. The experimental study included physical and rheological properties. The asphalt penetration, softening point, ductility, and rotational viscometer tests indicate that 5% nano-TiO2 is the ideal amount to be added to bitumen as a modifier. The study of the rotating viscosity test showed that the addition of nano-TiO2 helped to increase viscosity and lessen bituminous sensitivity. Rutting factor in terms of G*/sin δ indicated the addition of 3 to 7% of nano-TiO2 increased the rutting resistance of asphalt against higher temperatures and promoted performance grade by about one grade at 3% and two grades at a range of 5–7% this suggests that nano-TiO2 increased the stiffness of the asphalt and leading to enhance the rutting performance of asphalt. While fatigue parameter, G*.sin δ shows that as nanocontent increases, higher stiffness at 5 and 7% of TiO2 content leads to an increase in complex modulus and a decrease in fatigue parameter. Higher creep stiffness and higher m-values were noted at low temperatures as nano increases in asphalt binder, increasing stiffness and decreasing the m-value at −6 and 12°C. As a result, using 5% nano-TiO2 will improve asphalt’s physical properties and enhance asphalt anit-rutting and fatigue resistance.

Effects of Inorganic Phosphorus and Organic Fertilizer on Growth and Yield of Common Bean (Phaseolus Vulgaris L.) under Kabul Conditions

In Afghanistan, the main reasons for low crop yields are low soil fertility. Growing human populations has resulted in shrinking land areas and decreased soil fertility. Also, the overuse of chemical fertilizers is considered to be the main cause of soil characteristics deterioration, such as soil fertility, soil biology, and soil physical properties. On the other hand, no research has been done to find the ideal phosphorus and organic (ORGOFERT) fertilizer rate for improving common bean production in Afghanistan. Thus, it is pertinent to determine the optimum phosphorus and organic fertilizer dose for common bean cultivation in Afghanistan, where this crop is grown expensively. In 2020, a field trial took place at the agriculture faculty research farm of Kabul University during the growing season. The trial utilized a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. Each plot measured 200cm x 300cm, with plants spaced 40 cm apart in rows and 20 cm apart within rows. Different amounts of phosphorus and organic fertilizer were applied in the experiment. The results indicated that employing 50 kg of ORGOFERT and 80 kg of P2O5 fertilizers per hectare led to enhanced growth parameters such as plant height, number of branches per plant, and number of green leaves per plant, as well as improved yield attributes including the number of pods per plant, number of grains per pod, 100-grain weight, and total grain yield per hectare. The ideal amount of phosphorous and ORGOFERT fertilizer to improve the growth and production of common beans under field conditions might be the rate of 80kg P2O5 + 50 kg ORGOFERT fertilizer ha-1 under Kabul's agro-ecological conditions.

Optimization and synthesis process of biodiesel production from coconut oil using central composite rotatable design of response surface methodology

In the transportation and power production industries, the use of renewable and environmentally friendly fuels has grown in importance. Biodiesel derived from coconut oil contains over 90% saturated fatty acids. Biodiesel was made using alkaline transesterification since coconut oil has a free fatty acid content of less than 2.5%. Enzymatic or chemical transesterification are both possible. For the synthesis of coconut biodiesel, the optimal processing conditions are 60 °C for 1 h, a 6:1 ratio, 1% potassium hydroxide and a 95% yield. According to the experiment, 55 °C was the ideal reaction temperature for using coconut oil to produce biodiesel. Sixty minutes was the ideal amount of time to extract biodiesel from coconut oil. The methanol-to-oil molar ratio raised yield from 6:1 to 8:1, a 95% increase. Significant amounts of an alkaline catalyst, which allows soap to develop under the influence of fatty acids, are responsible for the high yield response; it is concluded that 1 wt% would be an appropriate catalyst concentration for the present investigation. The central composite rotatable design (CCRD) of the response surface methodology method is used to optimize several process parameters, including temperature, reaction duration, methanol-to-oil ratio and catalyst concentration. The CCRD optimization approach produced better results. The following are the final, optimized results: coconut oil methyl ester ratio: 96.69%, temperature: 55 °C; duration: 59.2 min; catalyst concentration: 0.7; molar ratio: 6.4.

Multifarious Uses of UV-VIS Spectroscopy for Green Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles for Antibacterial Textiles

Green synthesis is an easy and economical method of synthesizing silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). However, many variables, including the ideal temperature, the volume and concentration of silver nitrate, the amount of plant extract, etc., affect the green synthesis. This article aims to determine the ideal temperature and plant extract amount using the UV-VIS spectrum. It was found above 40 °C was required for both Calendula arvensis (field marigold) leave extract and silver nitrate to synthesize AgNPs. The optimum temperatures were 55 °C and 60 °C for AgNO3 and plant extract, respectively and it was determined using Taguchi orthogonal array based on the UV-VIS spectrum. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) can be incorporated into textiles by padding and in-situ methods, but they need accurate plant extract amounts for good antibacterial efficiency. Two equations were proposed for determining the optimum plant extract amount for padding and in-situ methods. Several AgNPs loaded samples were prepared following the derived equations. For evaluating the efficiency of the equations C.reticulata (orange) peel extract was used besides C.arvensis plant extract. The samples were also characterized by antibacterial tests, Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). It showed when plant extract was taken according to the equations, around 45 nm nanoparticle size and 100% antibacterial activity were obtained. However, taking 1 ml more plant extract than that of the calculated amount of plant extract increased nanoparticle size to 107 nm and reduced antibacterial activity to 90%.

Evaluation of the Mechanical Performance of Concrete Reinforced with PET Fibers: A Sustainable Approach

Most of the bottles manufactured with PET polymer (polyethylene terephthalate) are used in beverage packaging and, after use, are turned into garbage, causing environmental problems. The concept of recycling and reuse of these materials for use in civil construction can become an interesting solution for the reduction of urban solid waste that would be destined to the formation of large volumes in sanitary landfills. Seeking to minimize this problem, this work used discarded PET bottles, ground into fibers, to prepare a concrete-based composite. The behavior of concrete composites with the addition of PET fibers in different compositions 7.5 kg/m³, 10 kg/m³ and 12.5 kg/m³ was evaluated. The choice of these concentrations aimed to study the addition of a reasonable amount of PET, characterizing greater reuse of a recycled material, seeking to provide a reinforcement effect in the cementitious matrix. The samples were subjected to mechanical tests of axial compression and diametral compression in a duly calibrated hydraulic press. For the axial compression test, the composite with 10 kg/m³ showed better mechanical performance. Probably at this content, the fibers were better distributed in the concrete for axial compression, resisting more to the fracture point, surpassing the composite of 12.5 kg/m³ by 24% in resistance to compression. For the axial compression test, the composite with 10 kg/m³ showed better mechanical performance, because in this composition there was an ideal amount for the homogenization of the PET fibers in the concrete, achieving a greater reinforcement effect. For the permeability test, the composites prepared with higher percentages of PET showed a lower percentage of permeability (44% lower than the content of 7.5 kg/m³), absorbing less water in this composition, in an axial position. This can be attributed to the fact that the distributed PET fibers act as an impermeable barrier, offering greater resistance to water absorption in the material.

Processable and shape-stable phase change materials with enhanced thermal conductivity of UV-cured NPGDMA aided PEG2000 and BN

Polyethylene glycol (PEG) has several drawbacks, including poor shape stability, low thermal conductivity, and challenges with complex molding. In this work, a rapid and simple approach for producing phase change materials (PCMs) with high thermal conductivity and good shape stability is reported. The neopentyl glycol dimethacrylate (NPGDMA) monomer is polymerized utilizing UV-cured technology, which can offer a cross-linked network to stop PEG2000 leakage and enhance the heat conductivity of the composite by adding BN. The best PEG2000-to-NPGDMA ratio in the PEG2000/NPGDMA/BN PCM is found to be 9:1, taking into account the shape stability and energy storage of the PCMs. The ideal amount of BN to add is 5 wt%, which improves the thermal conductivity by about 52.1 %. According to the DSC test, PEG2000/NPGDMA/BN has a significant capacity for storing heat with a melting enthalpy of up to 139.3 J/g. The PEG2000/NPGDMA/BN composite passed with good thermal cycling performance and no change in group composition after 101 thermal cycles. The prepared PCMs can be formed into complex shapes for use in particular applications.

Ad libitum ice slurry ingestion and half-marathon performance in a hot environment: A study comparing the effects of the amount and moment of ingestion between ice slurry and water at 37 °C

Ice slurry ingestion during prolonged exercises may improve performance in hot environments; however, the ideal amount and timing of ingestion are still uncertain. We determined whether ad libitum ice slurry ingestion influences physiological and perceptual variables and half-marathon performance while comparing the effects of the amount and moment of ingestion between ice slurry and water at 37 °C. Ten trained participants (28 ± 2 years; mean and SD) were required to run two half marathons while consuming either ice slurry (-1 °C; Ad-1) or water (37 °C; 37 CE) ad libitum. They then performed two other half marathons where, during one, they were required to ingest an amount of water equivalent to the amount consumed during the Ad-1 trial (Pro37), and in the other, to ingest ice slurry in the amount consumed during the 37 CE trial (Pro-1). During the half marathons, dry-bulb temperature and relative humidity were controlled at 33.1 ± 0.3 °C and 60 ± 3%, respectively. Ad-1 ingestion (349.6 ± 58.5 g) was 45% less than 37 CE ingestion (635.5 ± 135.8 g). Physical performance, heart rate, perceived exertion, body temperatures, and thermal perception were not influenced by the temperature or amount of beverage ingestion. However, a secondary analysis suggested that lower beverage ingestion was associated with improved performance (Ad-1 + Pro37 vs. 37 CE + Pro-1: −4.0 min, Cohen's d = 0.39), with a significant relationship between lower beverage ingestion and faster running time (b = 0.02, t = 4.01, p < 0.001). In conclusion, ice slurry ingestion does not affect performance or physiological or perceptual variables during a half marathon in a hot environment. Preliminary evidence suggests that lower beverage ingestion (ice slurry or warm water) is associated with improved performance compared to higher ingestion.

Investigation of a Fuzzy Production Inventory Model with Carbon Emission using Sign Distance Method

Reducing costs associated with inventory is the primary goal of conventional inventory models like the models of economic order quantity and economic production quantity. However, these models fall short of addressing defective goods or revising them. Imperfections in the manufacturing process result in flawed products alongside the final goods. To convert these flawed components into finished goods, rework is necessary. In manufacturing and reworking process produces carbon emissions which are harmful for the earth. To determine the optimal quantity for a single product manufactured in a single-stage manufacturing system that yields partially defective products that are reworked in the same cycle, is determined in real-life situations, where the inventory characteristics and objectives are not exact. Such a type of uncertainty may be characterized by fuzzy numbers. A pentagonal fuzzy number has been used to define the cost parameters. Due to fuzzy parameters, the model becomes a fuzzy quantity, and it is defuzzied by the sign distance method. this article formulates a model of manufacturing inventories with planned backorders. Furthermore, a closed form for the inventory’s system total cost is determined, and a range of actual values for defective products for which an appropriate method exists is also provided. A proper mathematical model is created to accomplish the goal, and the manufacturing lot size that reduces the overall cost is determined. The ideal amount of a production batch to reduce total cost is established in to attain this goal using an appropriate mathematical model. While formulating and solving the relevant model, the necessary and sufficient conditions for a single globally optimal solution have been determined. Examples used as visualizations are given and confirmed by data.

Production control problem for multi-product multi-resource make-to-stock systems

Most of today's production systems are working with parallel production resources to increase throughput rate due to the increase in high variability in demand and product mix. Effective control and performance evaluation of such systems is of paramount importance to minimize production and inventory-related costs. We examine a production-inventory system featuring parallel production resources capable of producing various products. In many industries such as automotive, white goods, electronics, and paint, multiple/parallel production resources are widely used to produce the ideal amount and satisfy incoming demands for distinct products. In this study, shortage cost is not restricted to only one type and both lost sales and backordering cases are analyzed. In order to analyze the optimal production policies' behavior, we initially formulate dynamic programming models for both lost sales and backordering systems, treating them as Markov Decision Processes. Subsequently, we solve these models using the value iteration algorithm. Given the challenges posed by the curse of dimensionality in the value iteration algorithm, we suggest alternative heuristic production policies. These policies extend the existing ones described for multi-item single-resource make-to-stock (MTS) systems to accommodate multiple resources. We construct simulation models to assess the efficacy of the heuristic policies, conducting comparisons of their performance against both the optimal policy and among one another. To the best of our knowledge, there has been no exploration of scenarios involving multiple production resources concurrently manufacturing distinct products in a MTS environment. Hence, this study serves as an extension to the examination of multi-item, multi-production resource MTS systems.