Nitrogen (N) fertilizer rate is important for high yield and good quality of potato tubers. In this dissertation, I seek to study the response of different potato cultivars under different N fertilizer rates and how that can impact tuber quality, examine the performance of active optical sensors in improving a potato yield prediction algorithm, and evaluate the ability of active optical sensors (GreenSeeker (GS) and Crop Circle (CC)) to optimize a N recommendation algorithm that can be used by potato growers in Maine. This research was conducted at 11 sites over a period of two years (2018–2019) in Aroostook County, Maine; all sites depended on a rainfed system. Three potato cultivars, Russet Burbank, Superior, and Shepody, were planted under six rates of N (0-280 kg ha-1), ammonium sulfate and ammonium nitrate, and were applied in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with four replications. Active optical sensor readings (normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI)) were collected weekly after the fourth leaf stage began. The coefficient of determination (R2) between soil organic matter (OM) content and total tuber yield for all sites combined was 0.78**. Sites with ≥ 30 g kg-1 of soil OM produced higher total tuber yield, marketable yield, and tuber weight per plant (39.45%, 45.22%, and 54.94%, respectively) than sites with ≤ 30 g kg-1 of OM. Specific gravity increased by 0.18% in the sites with ≥ 30 g kg-1 of OM. The total tuber yield for the three cultivars was maximized at 168 kg N ha-1. Vegetation indices measurements obtained at stages of 16 or 20 fully expanded leaves were significantly correlated with tuber yield, which can be used in the yield prediction model. Sensor measurements obtained at the 20th leaf stage were significantly correlated with tuber yield, with the exponential model showing the best fit for the regression curve. The recommended N rate calculated based on in-season sensor readings was reduced by approximately 12–14% compared to the total N rate that growers currently apply based on the conventional approach.
Artemisia is a perennial wild shrub with large branches and compound leaves. Artemisia contains about 400 types, and its medical importance is due to the presence of many active substances and compounds such as volatile oils, alkaloids and flavonoids, glycosides, saponins, tannins, and coumarins. This study was designed to study the effect of the aqueous extract of the fruit of the Artemisia plant on the organs of the body, as well as to know its ability to activate the hepatic enzyme alanine transaminase (ALT/GPT). The fruit of this shrub was extracted using the measurement technique gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MASS) and organic solvent hexane and ethyl acetate in one to one ratio. It contained 21 compounds, a high percentage
... Show MoreThis systematic review aimed to analyse available evidence to answer two focused questions about the efficacy of erythritol powder air‐polishing (EPAP) (i) as an adjunctive during active periodontal therapy (APT) and (ii) as an alternative to hand/ultrasonic instrumentation during supportive periodontal therapy (SPT). Additionally, microbiological outcomes and patient's comfort/perceptions were assessed as secondary outcomes.
PubMed, Cochrane and Medline were searched for relevant articles published before February 2021 following PRISMA guidelines. The search was conducted by three indep
Essential approaches involving photons are among the most common uses of parallel optical computation due to their recent invention, ease of production, and low cost. As a result, most researchers have concentrated their efforts on it. The Basic Arithmetic Unit BAU is built using a three-step approach that uses optical gates with three states to configure the circuitry for addition, subtraction, and multiplication. This is a new optical computing method based on the usage of a radix of (2): a binary number with a signed-digit (BSD) system that includes the numbers -1, 0, and 1. Light with horizontal polarization (LHP) (↔), light with no intensity (LNI) (⥀), and light with vertical polarization (LVP) (↨) is represen
... Show MoreThe study aimed to prepare rehabilitation exercises using some rubber ropes for people with partial rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament, to recognize their effect on the recovery of motor tides and to reduce the pain of those with partial rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament of the knee joint, and adopted the experimental method by designing the experimental and controlled groups on a sample of those with partial rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament of men (30-35) One year of those who attend the Physiotherapy Center/Rafidain University College of 12 injured were deliberately selected from their community of origin by (100%), and after determining the measuring tools and preparation of exercises applied with rubber r
... Show MoreThis research investigates the adsorption isotherm and adsorption kinetics of nitrogen from air using packed bed of Li-LSX zeolite to get medical oxygen. Experiments were carried out to estimate the produced oxygen purity under different operating conditions: input pressure of 0.5 – 2.5 bar, feed flow rate of air of 2 – 10 L.min-1 and packing height of 9-16 cm. The adsorption isotherm was studied at the best conditions of input pressure of 2.5 bar, the height of packing 16 cm, and flow rate 6 Lmin-1 at ambient temperature, at these conditions the highest purity of oxygen by this system 73.15 vol % of outlet gas was produced. Langmuir isotherm was the best models representing the experimental data., and the m
... Show MoreGas adsorption phenomenon on solid surface has been used as a mean in separation and purification of gas mixture depending on the difference in tendencies of each component in the gas mixture to be adsorbed on the solid surface according to its behaviour. This work concerns to study the possibilities to separate the gas mixture using adsorption-desorption phenomenon on activated carbon. The experimental results exhibit good separation factor at temperature of -40 .
The deposition process and investigation of the physical properties of tungsten trioxide (WO3) thin films before and after gamma irradiation are presented in this paper. The WO3 thin films were deposited, using the pulse laser deposition technique, on glass substrates at laser energies of 600mJ and 800mJ. After deposition, the samples were gamma irradiated with Co60. The structural and optical properties of polycrystalline WO3 thin films are presented and discussed before and after 5kGy gamma irradiation at the two laser energies. X-ray diffraction spectra revealed that all the films consisted of WO3 crystallized in the triclinic form; the dislocation density and lattice strain increased with the absorbed dosage of gamma
... Show MoreIn this research an analysis for improving the fatigue behavior (safety factor of fatigue) of non- articular prosthetic foot (SACH) in the region (Bolt Adapter).The laser peening was carried to the fatigue specimens to improving the fatigue properties of bolt’s material. The tests of mechanical properties and fatigue behavior were carried for material that the bolt manufacture from it, a region where the failure occur and inserted of these properties to the program of engineering analysis (Ansys) to calculate the safety factor of fatigue. The results showed that the safety factor after hardening by laser is increased by 42.8%.
Building Information Modeling (BIM) is extensively used in the construction industry due to its benefits throughout the Project Life Cycle (PLC). BIM can simulate buildings throughout PLC, detect and resolve problems, and improve building visualization that contributes to the representation of actual project details in the construction stage. BIM contributes to project management promotion by detecting problems that lead to conflicts, cost overruns, and time delays. This work aims to implement an effective BIM for the Iraqi construction projects’ life cycle. The methodology used is a literature review to collect the most important factors contributing to the success of BIM implementation, interview the team of the Cent
... Show More—Medical images have recently played a significant role in the diagnosis and detection of various diseases. Medical imaging can provide a means of direct visualization to observe through the human body and notice the small anatomical change and biological processes associated by different biological and physical parameters. To achieve a more accurate and reliable diagnosis, nowadays, varieties of computer aided detection (CAD) and computer-aided diagnosis (CADx) approaches have been established to help interpretation of the medical images. The CAD has become among the many major research subjects in diagnostic radiology and medical imaging. In this work we study the improvement in accuracy of detection of CAD system when comb
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