Range Test Research Articles

Shear bond and rebond strengths of four composite systems

which are chemically—cured composite such as Two—past and No—mix systems in whiclthe composite set by chemical reaction; Light—cured composite system, in whicl:composite set by light exposure; and Dual—cured composite system, by which thcomposite cured by chemical reaction and light exposure. Thus it is necessary tt.investigate and compare the commonly used composite bonding systemsThis study was aimed to determine and compare the shear bond and reboncstrength of: Two—past composite system (Concise, 3M, Unitek USA), No—mix composite,system (Right—On, TP Orthodontics UK), Light—cured composite system (Transbond XT.)M Unitek USA), and Dual—cured composite system (Sono—Cem ESPE, Germany3,Fifty six upper premolars were divided into four groups of fourteen, each groupmesh—backed metal advant edge brackets were bonded to the buccal surface ofthe teethusing one of the composite system according to the instruction of manufacturer. Then.bonded samples were thermocycled in an attempt to simulate oral circumstancesThe samples were subjected to shear force using the universal compressionmachine apparatus, then the results were recorded in Megapascal (Mpa). The remainingcomposite on the buccal surface of the tooth was removed by hand sealer and polished, anew bracket was bonded to the buccal surface of the tooth using the same type ofcomposite system. The rebonded samples were tested under shear strength using the.universal compression machine apparatus and the results were again recorded in Mpa,The data were statistically analyzed using descriptive analysis, ANOVA test.Dtu1can’s Multiple Range Test and Student’s t—test at p g 0.0lThe results showed that the Concise had no significant higher bond shear strengththan the Transbond and Sono—Cem composite systems, and there was signilicant increasebond strength of the Concise than the Right—On composite systems. Furthermore, therewere no significant differences in bond shear strength among the Right—On, Transbond.and Sono—Cem composite systems

The Effect of Different Ratio Combinations of Rice Husk Charcoal: Soil Media and Different NPK Fertilizer Rates on Growth and Fruit Yield of Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L. Moench)

Okra plant is a vegetable plant that contains many vitamins and minerals that are very good for health. Increased production of okra plants can be done by setting the composition of the media and the provision of NPK fertilizer. The purpose of this study is to determine the influence of the composition of charcoal husk planting media and NPK fertilizer is appropriate for the growth and yield of okra plants. The experiment was carried out in Air Tawar Barat sub-district, North Padang sub-district, Padang City from September to December 2019. This study used a Complete Randomized Design (CRD) factorial with 2 factors. The first factor with the composition of charcoal planting media husks banding soil 0:1, 1;1, 1;2 and 1:3 . and the second factor with NPK fertilizer doses 400kg/ha, 500kg/ha and 600kg/ha repeated 4 times. The observation data is analyzed with the F test at a 5% level, if the F count is greater than the F table then continue with the Duncan New Multiple Range Test (DNMRT) at a real level of 5%. The results of the study showed there is an interaction between the administration of the composition of the planting media of charcoal husks and soil 1:2 and the administration of NPK fertilizer dose 3.0g / polybag to the height of plants, as well as the provision of the composition of planting media affects the lifespan of flowers, the number of flowers, the number of fruit, the length of fruit, the diameter of the fruit and the total weight of the fruit.

Effect of different Potting Mixtures on Acclimatization of In vitro Developed Plants on Survival Percentage under Glass House Condition

The experiment was conducted during the years 2020-22, all of the experiments for the current research were carried out in the Plant Tissue Culture Laboratory, Department of Plant Molecular Biology & Biotechnology, College of Agriculture, Gwalior, Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya, Gwalior (M. P.). Pomegranate cv. Bhagwa plantlets were placed in polythene bags containing various potting mixtures, such as soil, FYM, and Vermicompost, alone and in various combinations. The hardened plantlets were then exposed to direct sunshine to help them acclimate to their new surroundings. The percentage of tissue culture plantlets that survived was calculated. Experiments were conducted in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with four replications of each treatment and each replication contain three explants. Data were analyzed using Duncan’s multiple range test whereas the survival percentages were analysed by arc-sine transformation. On the basis of present study it is concluded that cocopeat soil combination had the highest survival rate (95.00%), followed by cocopeat (85%). In the case of pomegranate, sand, perlite, vermiculite, vermiculite soil and perlite sand alone were not shown to be effective hardening materials because all of the plants withered within a week. After two months of hardening under polyhouse circumstances, cocopeat soil showed the greatest growth with a notable increase in plant height (37.23 cm), followed by cocopeat (33.03 cm). Therefore, we may conclude that cocopeat is the ideal material for pomegranate plants that have been produced in vitro.

An Exploratory Data Analysis (EDA) Tool for Tracer Selection in Sediment and Pollution Fingerprinting Studies

Tracer selection is a critical step for any mixing model that uses the information of multiple variables to find the most likely solution for sediment or pollution source apportionment. The purpose of this work was to design an Exploratory Data Analysis (EDA) tool for qualitative and quantitative interpretation of tracer selection based on boxplots. This tool establishes a set of conditions presented as a decision tree to support the user in tracer selection decisions where current systems are either too statistically driven, which limits user interaction with the data, or rely too heavily on judgement and prior knowledge of tracer behaviour. This method extends upon the classical “range test” by incorporating a set of conditions and thresholds, creating a semi-quantitative method with a visual component to improve the tracer selection process and enable targeted consideration of geochemical behaviours for conservativism purposes. We present the results from experimental mixtures using the mixing model MixSIAR to demonstrate the method and illustrate the value of this approach for improved tracer selection. The tool, which is written in R, is freely available for use across a wide range of source apportionment applications.

The Effects of Slaughter Age and Sex of Broilers Cobb Strain on Live Body Weight, Carcass Weight, and Carcass Percentage

Demand for chicken consumption in Indonesia tends to increase every year. Broiler chickens were slaughtered at short age than past years, recently about 4 to 6 weeks. Total of 28 to 42 day old broiler chicks were distributed to completely randomized design in factorial scheme (4,5 and 6 weeks old) and 2 (male and female). All of evaluated were live body weight (LBW), carcass weight (CW), and carcass percentage (CP). Analyzed used Two Way analysis of variane (ANOVA) using SPSS with 5 replication. Duncan Multiple Range Test (DMRT) to determine the differences among treatment means. The result showed that live body weight had unsignificantly effect of sex but affect (P<0.05) to slaughter age (4, 5 and 6 weeks) it was 1460 g, 1881 g and 2310 g. The means of carcass weight with different sex of male and female had unsignificantly effect it was 1.283 g and 1.223, so do the carcass percentage was 69.43 % and 70.15%. This research can be concluded that difference sexing un affect to body weight (1.891 g), carcass weight (1.253 g) and carcass percentage (69.79%), but the female broiler get higher than male broiler. Thus slaughter age affect (P<0.05) to body weight, carcass weight and carcass percentage, at 4 weeks old was tend to decrease but increasily at 5 weeks and 6 weeks old. The best body weight, carcass weight and carcaas percentage at 5 weeks old, according to market demand.

Isolation and characterization of lytic bacteriophages from various sources in Addis Ababa against antimicrobial-resistant diarrheagenic Escherichia coli strains and evaluation of their therapeutic potential

BackgroundEscherichia coli is a common fecal coliform, facultative aerobic, gram-negative bacterium. Pathogenic strains of such microbes have evolved to cause diarrhea, urinary tract infections, and septicemias. The emergence of antibiotic resistance urged the identification of an alternative strategy. The use of lytic bacteriophages against the control of pathogenic E. coli in clinics and different environmental setups (waste and drink water management) has become an alternative therapy to antibiotic therapy. Thus, this study aimed to isolate and characterize lytic bacteriophage from various sources in Addis Ababa, tested them against antimicrobial-resistant diarrheagenic E. coli strains and evaluated their therapeutic potential under in vitro conditions.MethodsA total of 14 samples were processed against six different diarrheagenic E. coli strains. The conventional culture and plaque analysis agar overlay method was used to recover lytic bacteriophage isolates. The phage isolates were characterized to determine their lytic effect, growth characteristics, host range activity, and stability under different temperature and pH conditions. Phage isolates were identified by scanning electron microscope (SEM), and molecular techniques (PCR).ResultsIn total, 17 phages were recovered from 84 tested plates. Of the 17 phage isolates, 11 (65%) were Myoviridae-like phages, and 6 (35%) phage isolates were Podoviridae and Siphoviridae by morphology and PCR identification. Based on the host range test, growth characteristics, and stability test 7 potent phages were selected. These phages demonstrated better growth characteristics, including short latent periods, highest burst sizes, and wider host ranges, as well as thermal stability and the ability to survive in a wide range of pH levels.ConclusionsThe promising effect of the phages isolated in this study against AMR pathogenic E. coli has raised the possibility of their use in the future treatment of E. coli infections.

LoRa-based IoT platform for remote soil parameter monitoring

The objective of this work was to develop an innovative LoRa-based platform that provides a low-cost and customizable solution for real-time monitoring of soil parameters. The system architecture was based on four levels: environmental (rural), sensors and actuators, communication network, and application, with the code made available for operation. The collected data were transmitted to data collection points using LoRa technology. The application level allowed for data storage, analysis, and visualization, enabling end-users to remotely monitor and control environmental measurement operations. With LoRa technology range tests, results indicated the capability to cover a maximum area between 95 and 120 hectares in the studied areas. Additionally, the collected data were sent to ThingSpeak.com and a mobile application called Thingsview. This demonstrated the efficiency and viability of LoRa technology for industrial communication sensor and IoT applications in rural environments, offering automation, increased efficiency, and savings in human resources for environmental monitoring tasks.

Analisis Kimia Kopi Cherry Arabika (Coffea arabica) dengan Kajian Kadar Alkohol, Kadar Kafein, Total Padatan Terlarut dan Total Asam Pada Limbah Hasil Fermentasi Anaerobik

This study aimed to determine the quantitative measurements of alcohol concentration, caffeine content, total dissolved solids, and total acid. This study used an experimental design with a non-factorial, Completely Randomized Design (CRD) that included three treatment levels, each replicated three times. The study consists of the following treatment levels: H5 represents the fermentation of cherry Arabica coffee for five days, H10 for ten days, and H15 for 15 days. The collected data underwent analysis of variance (ANOVA) using SPSS version 22. The Duncan's New Multiple Range Test (DNMRT) was used at a 5% significance level to determine the differences in the effects of each therapy. The study showed that the length of anaerobic fermentation of Arabica coffee cherries significantly affected the concentrations of alcohol, caffeine, total dissolved solids, and total acid (p<0.05). With longer fermentation, alcohol concentration, caffeine content, and total acid levels increase while the total dissolved solids content decreases. The most effective treatment in this study was noted on the 5th day of fermentation, showing an average alcohol content of 11.93%, caffeine content of 3.36%, total dissolved solids of 4.83oBrix, and total acid of 1.62%.

The Effect of Herbal Tea Formulation Made of Mangosteen Pericarp (Garcinia mangostana), Cinnamon (Cinnamon verum), and Clove (Syzygium aromaticum) on Panelist Acceptance Level

Background: Herbal tea Is one of the herbal drinks that has been widely consumed by Indonesian people and known as tea that have functional properties, one of them is source of antioxidants. Antioxidants can be obtained from a lot of sources, such as the mixture of mangosteen pericarp, cinnamon, and cloves. The use of cinnamon and clove expected to increase the consumers’ preference towards this tea. Objectives: This research aims at evaluating the acceptance level of several sensory parameters of tea made of mixture of mangosteen pericarp, cinnamon, and clove. Methods: The experimental design used in this research was completely randomized design with three replications, resulting in 27 samples of herbal tea. Besides, the data obtained from panelists will be analyzed by using Analysis of Varian (ANOVA) and followed by Duncan’s Multiple Range Test (DMRT) in SPSS 25.0 software. Results: The results show that the addition of cinnamon and cloves showed a significant difference. The more addition of spices will lower the panelist score. It can be seen in the sample containing 24 grams of mangosteen pericarp, 3 grams of cinnamon (B4) which had the highest panelist score in color, taste, and bitterness aspects. While the lowest panelist score was obtained by a sample containing 12 grams of mangosteen pericarp, 3 grams of cinnamon and cloves (A1). Conclusions: The more spices added, especially cloves will reduce the liking score. The result obtained by this research can be used for optimization of the best formula so maximum points can be known.

Processing Maps and Optimized Plastic Behavior Model of TC4 Titanium Alloy Diffusion Bonded Joint at α+β Region Temperatures

The hot processing maps and optimized Arrhenius constitutive model of the TC4 diffusion bonded joint were investigated based on high temperature tensile tests in the temperature range of 1024–1174 K and strain rate range of 0.0001–0.1 s–1. The optimal hot processing parameter in the tensile deformation mode was 0.0001–0.001 s–1/1124 K and 0.0001–0.1 s–1/1174 K, respectively, when the true strain was 0.2. A modified strain compensated Arrhenius-type constitutive model of the joint by combining the evolutionary algorithm and generalized reduced gradient was established. The values of correlation coefficient and average absolute relative error were 0.989 and 7.29%, respectively, indicating the good prediction capabilities.

Early Growth Response of Annona muricata (L.) Seedlings to Different Potting Media

Aims: The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of Annona muricata under four different treatments of organic manure in a screen house.
 Study Design: The study was laid out in a completely randomized design (CRD) with four replicates.
 Place and Duration of Study: The experiment was conducted in the Screen House of the Department of Forestry and Wildlife, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria, from March to August 2018.
 Methodology: Four treatments of organic manure were applied to the seedlings of A. muricata, namely T1 (Topsoil + River sand (control)), T2 (sheep dung), T3 (decomposed sawdust) and T4 (cow dung). Data on plant height, leaf count, collar diameter, root length, and leaf area were collected and analyzed using analysis of variance and Duncan Multiple range test (DMRT) at 0.05 level of significance.
 Results: The results showed that all the growth parameters improved with increasing time. Plant height and leaf count were significantly higher in T4 with mean values of 11.79c ± 0.29 and 4.58b ± 0.22, respectively, and T1 (11.25 ± 0.26 cm and 4.58 ± 0.22 respectively) and lowest in T3 (9.01 ± 0.24 cm and 3.74 ± 0.18 respectively). Leaf area was higher in T4 (10.87 ± 0.43 cm2) and lowest in T2 (8.55 ± 0.35 cm2). Root length and collar diameter were highest in T3 (17.15 ± 0.53 cm and 0.25 ± 0.03 cm respectively), root length was least in T1 (12.93 ± 1.72 cm), while collar diameter was lowest in T2 (0.21 ± 0.00 cm).
 Conclusion: Cow dung potting media shows the greatest potential to promote robust vegetative growth of Annona muricata seedlings. Cow dung could be considered an accessible, affordable, and effective alternative to standard potting mixes for nursery propagation of A. muricata. These findings contribute valuable insights for optimizing plant growth practices in soursop cultivation.

Characteristics of functional ice cream produced with goat’s milk kefir in combination with mono-acylglycerol

<p class="MDPI17abstract"><strong>Objective:</strong> The purpose of this study was to determine the character of ice cream made from goat’s milk kefir (GMK) combined with mono-acylglycerol (MAG).</p><p class="MDPI17abstract"><strong>Methods:</strong> GMK was produced by pasteurized goat’s milk (85<sup>o</sup>C for 15 s) and 2% kefir grain. Ice cream mix (ICM) was produced by GMK, MAG (T0= 0%, T1= 0.25%; T2= 0.50%; T3= 0.75%), 4% sucrose, and 0.1% salt. The results of observations processed using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Duncan’s Multiple Range Test (DMRT) if there were a significant difference between treatments.</p><p class="MDPI17abstract"><strong>Results:</strong> Es puter (EP) made from GMK in combination with MAG has a distinctive character against T0 (control). The use of GMK decreases the pH value, thereby increasing the lactic acid and ethanol content which brings out the acidity of the product (p<0.05). In addition, increasing MAG concentration can improve the EP’s overrun to make the product more melt resistant (p<0.05). The use of GMK combined with MAG can support the viability of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and yeast through storage in the freezer. The number of viable LAB and yeast meets WHO standards to obtained health benefit from consuming probiotic ice cream.</p><p class="MDPI17abstract"><strong>Conclusions:</strong> To conclude, EP made from GMK in combination with 0.50% MAG was proved to be the best treatment.</p><p> </p>

PEMANFAATAN IKAN MANYUNG (Arius thalassiunus) SEBAGAI PUPUK BOKASHI UNTUK MEDIA TANAM BIBIT TREMBESI (Samanea saman)

Kusan Hilir Sub-district is one of the coastal sub-districts in Tanah Bumbu Regency where most of the people work as fishermen. Fish caught by fishermen that do not have high selling value such as otek fish or manyung fish, and tembang fish or sardinella fish are often thrown into the sea so that they can pollute marine waters. The remaining fish or fish that are wasted have organic value, both organic-N, organic-P, and organic-K. The purpose of this study was to analyze the effect of using otek fish bokashi, firewood husks, and subsoil soil on the growing power of trambesi plants and determine the best composition of fish bokashi produced based on biomass in plants. The research was carried out using the Completely Randomized Design (CRD) method with 6 treatments and 5 replications with 3 plants and placed randomly by doing random numbers in the excel application with the treatment code P0 100% subsoil soil, 0% fish bokashi, 0% burnt husk, P1 subsoil 90%, fish bokashi 5%, burnt husk 5%, P2 subsoil 80%, fish bokashi 10%, burnt husk 10%, P3 subsoil 70%, fish bokashi 15%, burnt husk 15%, P4 subsoil 60%, fish bokashi 20%, burnt husk 20%, and P5 soil 50%, fish bokashi 25%, burnt husk 25%. Data analysis used in this study used the Anova test followed by the DMRT (Duncan Multiple Range Test) test. The results of observations or weighing on the wet weight and dry weight of plant biomass show that the treatment with the composition of 50% soil planting media, 25% fish bokashi, 25% burnt husk with an average wet weight of 174.44g and a dry weight of 88.64g has a very significant effect on 90 day trambesi seedlings, although the treatment with the composition of 90% subsoil soil planting media, 5% fish bokashi, 5% burnt husk, and the composition of 80% subsoil soil planting media, 10% fish bokashi, 10% burnt husk is not significantly different.

Pengaruh Pemupukan Nano Zinc dan Vitamin B1 terhadap Pertumbuhan Tanaman Alpukat YM (Persea americana) Menggunakan Sistem Irigasi Tetes

The avocado plants had various types and were favored by the Indonesian community. This was one of the reasons for the increased production. One type of avocado in Indonesia is the YM avocado from Lebak. The research aimed to enhance the growth of YM avocado plants by applying nano zinc fertilizer and vitamin B1. This research was carried out in May-August. It was an experimental study with a randomized block design with two factors. It employed Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and post hoc tests using the Duncan Multiple Range Test (DMRT) at 5%. The first factor was Vitamin B1 (V) (15 mg/l, 30 mg/l, and 45 mg/l), the second factor was nano zinc fertilizer (Z) (2 ml/l, four ml/l, and six ml/l) and repeated three times, so there were 27 plants. Growth parameters observed included plant height, stem diameter, leaf length, leaf width, length-to-width ratio, leaf count, and leaf greenness index. The 45 mg/l dosages of vitamin B1 showed the best influence on planted growth, resulting in a height increase of 54.83 cm, a leaf length of 11.53 cm, a leaf length-to-width ratio of 2.57 cm, and a leaf greenness index of 50.11 units. The broadest leaf expansion occurred at the 15 mg/l dosage, reaching 5.44 cm. On the other hand, nano zinc fertilizer positively impacted stem diameter growth, especially with the optimal dosage of 6 ml/l, increasing from 8.50 mm. Combining nanozinc fertilizer and vitamin B1 supports plant growth by providing essential micronutrients and accelerating vegetative growth. However, vitamin B1 and nano zinc fertilizer do not exhibit a positive interaction in promoting the development of YM avocado plants.

Bio-Inspired Dark Adaptive Nighttime Object Detection.

Nighttime object detection is challenging due to dim, uneven lighting. The IIHS research conducted in 2022 shows that pedestrian anti-collision systems are less effective at night. Common solutions utilize costly sensors, such as thermal imaging and LiDAR, aiming for highly accurate detection. Conversely, this study employs a low-cost 2D image approach to address the problem by drawing inspiration from biological dark adaptation mechanisms, simulating functions like pupils and photoreceptor cells. Instead of relying on extensive machine learning with day-to-night image conversions, it focuses on image fusion and gamma correction to train deep neural networks for dark adaptation. This research also involves creating a simulated environment ranging from 0 lux to high brightness, testing the limits of object detection, and offering a high dynamic range testing method. Results indicate that the dark adaptation model developed in this study improves the mean average precision (mAP) by 1.5-6% compared to traditional models. Our model is capable of functioning in both twilight and night, showcasing academic novelty. Future developments could include using virtual light in specific image areas or integrating with smart car lighting to enhance detection accuracy, thereby improving safety for pedestrians and drivers.

Comparative analysis of early growth phase performance in F3 crossbred Indonesian chickens

Body mass and ratio of feed conversion (FCR) are crucial factors for assessing production potential in local chickens. This study utilized a total of 116 F3 crossbred chickens resulting from the mating of Indonesian local chicken breeds, including Kampung Unggul Balitbangtan, Murung Panggang, Merawang Bangka, and Merawang Sembawa. The chickens were divided into six crossbred groups: BS1 (n = 19), BS2 (n = 19), BS3 (n = 20), BS4 (n = 19), BS5 (n = 20), and BS6 (n = 19), all managed under uniform conditions. Measurements of body mass and feed consumption during the pre-starter phase were taken at weeks 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4 using a digital scale. Data from this study were subjected to ANOVA analysis, followed by a Duncan multiple range test The findings showed notable variations in body mass and FCR among all BS chicken groups (P < 0.05). Notably, BS5 exhibited the highest performance in both body mass and FCR analyses, achieving 392.50 ± 42.76g at week 4, and an overall FCR of 2.01 ± 0.80.

Growth response of Podocarpus blumei seedling to slow-release fertilizer in the nursery

Podocarpus blumei which is known as local adaptive species that produce high biomass and is suitable for rehabilitation, especially in the gold mining area. One of the factors that support of plantation is availability of the seedlings. The good quality of seedlings depends not only on plant genetics but also on seedlings’ treatment. The research aims to determine the effect on plants after being given slow-release NPK fertilizer. The design used in this research is a complete randomized design with a single factor and continued with variance statistic test and Duncan’s Multiple Range Test (DMRT). There are five experimental units with three repetitions. In general plant growth varies, and the effect of NPK slow-release fertilizer is not significantly different from the control. The Research results of P3 (1,5 gram) showed the best performance of Podocarpus blumei with parameters height (3,41 cm), diameter (0,42 cm), and leaves number (6,67). In conclusion, slow-release fertilizer could stimulate the growth of Podocarpus blumei seedling in the nursery.

Effect of chitosan-epoxy ratio in bio-based adhesive on physical and mechanical properties of medium density fiberboards from mixed hardwood fibers

Chitosan and bio-based epoxy resins have emerged as promising formaldehyde-free replacements for traditional urea–formaldehyde (UF) adhesives in engineered wood products. This study evaluated five chitosan-to-epoxy weight ratios (3:1, 2:1, 1:1, 1:2, 1:3) as adhesives for hot-pressing medium density fiberboards (MDF) using mixed hardwood fibers. Increasing the epoxy ratio reduced viscosity and gel time, facilitating spraying and fast curing. The density of the formulated MDFs increased with higher epoxy ratios, ranging from 679 kg/m3 for the 3:1 ratio to 701 kg/m3 for the 1:3 formulation, meeting the 500–900 kg/m3 density range specified in EN 323. The 1:3 epoxy-rich formulation enhanced modulus of rupture (MOR) to 31 MPa and modulus of elasticity (MOE) to 2392 MPa, exceeding the minimum requirements of 16 MPa and 1500 MPa set out in EN 310 and EN 316, respectively. Dimensional stability peaked at 5% thickness swelling for the 1:3 formulation after 24 h water soaking, fulfilling the < 25% requirement per EN 316. Internal bond strength reached a maximum of 0.98 MPa for the 3:1 chitosan-rich formulation, satisfying the 0.40 MPa minimum per EN 319. One-way ANOVA tests showed the adhesive ratio had a significant effect on mechanical properties and dimensional stability at 95–99% confidence levels. Duncan's multiple range test revealed the 1:3 ratio boards exhibited statistically significant improvements compared to untreated group. Overall, tailoring the ratios achieved well-balanced properties for MOR, MOE, and dimensional stability, demonstrating potential to replace UF resins.

Utilizing Artificial Neural Networks for Entry Vehicle Aerodynamic Characterization

Determining the dynamic stability of blunt body entry vehicles is a persistent engineering challenge, particularly in the low supersonic to subsonic flight regime where the behavior of the unsteady wake is a primary contributor. Dynamic stability quantities are determined by fitting measurements of a ballistic range campaign or a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) computational experiment to an assumed functional form in order to regress quasi-static stability coefficients. However, this data reduction process has many implicit assumptions that may not hold. This paper explores novel alternatives to the established methods for modeling blunt body aerodynamics. A six-degree-of-freedom CFD-in-the-loop flight model is used to run “virtual ballistic range tests,” fully capturing the relevant flow physics. Feed-forward and time-delay neural network models are fitted to the time-series trajectory and aerodynamic results, which can then be used to predict aerodynamic forces and moments. These models do not have a prescribed functional form and do not assume linearized aerodynamics. The models are evaluated for goodness-of-fit in their aerodynamic and trajectory prediction. The feed-forward neural network model resulted in a better prediction of the virtual ballistic range tests than a traditional database. The time-delay network had good open-loop performance but suffered from closed-loop instability.

Rooting of blackberry (Rubus fruticosus L.) hardwood cuttings as influenced by cutting time and cutting length

This study was carried out during 2021-2022, in the Department of Horticulture, College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences, University of Sulaimani, Sulaymaniyah, Kurdistan Region-Iraq, to find out the effects of cutting time (T1: Mid-Nov., T2: Mid-Dec., T3: Mid-Jan., and T4: Mid-Feb.), cutting length (L1: 10 cm and L2: 20 cm), and their interactions on rooting and some growth parameters of blackberry Rubus fruticosus L. hardwood cuttings. The local blackberry cuttings were transplanted in a low tunnel greenhouse at Zarrayen, Sulaymaniyah governorate. Plastic pots of 28 cm radius x 26 cm height, containing a substrate (peat moss: perlite: builder’s sand with a 1:1:1 v/v ratio) were used, and 6 cuttings were planted as a replicate out of three replicates. The experimental design was laid out in a factorial complete randomized design (CRD), the data were subjected to the Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), and the means were separated by Duncan’s multiple range test (P≤0.05). After 90 days, the results showed that T1 was significantly superior in rooting (95.83%), shoot dry weight (2.03 g), shoot length (24.68 cm), and average leaf area (2.22 cm2). L2 cuttings recorded the highest significant values of rooting (96.87%), shoot dry weight (1.83 g), root dry weight (0.56 g), shoot length (25.49 cm), number of lateral branches per cutting (18.52), and average leaf area (2.19 cm2). The interaction (T1+L2) was significantly superior in rooting (98.61%), shoot dry weight (3.02 g), shoot length (28.41 cm), root length (51.04 cm), and average leaf area (2.47 cm2)