Effects of Four Base Cutter Blade Designs on Sugarcane Stem Cut Quality

2017 ◽  
Vol 60 (5) ◽  
pp. 1551-1560 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Abdul Momin ◽  
Paul A. Wempe ◽  
Tony E. Grift ◽  
Alan C. Hansen
Keyword(s):  
Mass Loss ◽  
Root System ◽  
Root Systems ◽  
Straight Blade ◽  
Impact Cutting ◽  
Cut Quality ◽  
Stem Damage ◽  
Sugarcane Harvester ◽  
High Level

Abstract. The cut quality of sugarcane stems during harvesting is of considerable importance, as any damage inflicted on the stems and root systems affects ratooning and reduces yield. In current conventional cutting systems for sugarcane, relatively little attention has been paid to optimizing the cutting dynamics by investigating various blade designs and configurations. One limitation of impact cutting methods is the relatively rapid blunting of the blade edges through wear, leading to stem damage. This study aimed at investigating the effects on sugarcane cut quality of four base cutter blade designs: a conventional straight blade, a 30° angled blade, a serrated blade, and a straight blade with laser cladding on its underside. Blades of each type were installed at a 45° angle on a base cutter fitted to a John Deere 3520 sugarcane harvester. Stem damage, root system damage, and stubble height were considered as cut quality indicators, and blade wear was evaluated as the percentage of metal mass loss after completing each harvesting operation. In this study, the extent of stem and root system damage was classified into nine categories: (1) undamaged stem, not uprooted, (2) undamaged stem, partially uprooted, (3) undamaged stem, uprooted, (4) partially damaged stem, not uprooted, (5) partially damaged stem, partially uprooted, (6) partially damaged stem, uprooted, (7) severely damaged stem, not uprooted, (8) severely damaged stem, partially uprooted, and (9) severely damaged stem, uprooted. The highest percentage of stems damaged during harvesting (approx. 38%) and the highest percentage of root systems damaged (approx. 36%) occurred with the angled blade. The percentages of undamaged stems for the straight, angled, serrated, and laser clad blades were 76.9%, 62.1%, 83.1%, and 72.3%, respectively; partially damaged stems were 11.25%, 21.97%, 11.29%, and 17.73%, respectively; and severely damaged stems were 11.9%, 15.9%, 5.65%, and 9.9%, respectively. Except for the angled blade, all the blades cut almost 80% of stems without affecting the root system, and only 5% of stems were uprooted. Indices for stem damage and uprooting damage were calculated to evaluate the cut quality on a scale from -1.00 (least damage) to +1.00 (greatest damage). For both indices, the serrated blade had values closest to the target value of -1.00, implying the least damage to stems and root systems. Greater stubble heights (110 mm) were observed for the angled blade, with 76% of cut stems above the target 75 mm threshold, which was selected based on the farmer’s suggestion. Comparatively less stubble height was obtained with the serrated and laser clad blades, and roughly 60% of stems were cut in the ideal range (<75 mm). Blade wear percentages per ha of harvested area, based on metal mass loss, were found to be 0.76% for the laser clad blade, 0.83% for the serrated blade, and 0.84% for the straight blade. No mass loss data were collected for the angled blade as it caused such a high level of stem damage that its test was discontinued. The results of this study classified the levels of stem and root system damage occurring in the field during harvesting and their effects on ratooning for four base cutter blade designs. Fundamental guidelines for optimal blade configurations associated with sugarcane harvesting are provided. Keywords: Blade wear, Stem damage, Stubble height, Sugarcane harvester.

scholarly journals THE INFLUENCE OF PLANT LIFTER OPERATING MODES ON THE DIGGING QUALITY OF PLANTING MATERIAL

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 203-208
Author(s):  
Igor' Kazakov
Keyword(s):  
Root System ◽  
Soil Layer ◽  
Root Systems ◽  
Operating Speed ◽  
Considerable Effort ◽  
Operating Modes ◽  
Planting Material ◽  
Forest Nurseries ◽  
Working Bodies

One of the important indicators of the quality of planting material grown in forest nurseries is preservation of roots and the amount of soil remaining on the root system of plants when they are excavated. Machines used in forest nurseries for digging planting material do not fully meet these requirements, since soil layer is not sufficiently loosened and soil is not separated from the root systems of plants. In addition, considerable effort is required to extract plants from the soil, and part of the roots is cut off. Modern plant lifters with active working bodies enable to separate the soil from the root systems of plants and ensure safety of the required amount on them, reducing the effort to extract plants from the soil. The article presents the results of studies of the influence of plant lifter operating modes on the quality of planting material harvesting, on the basis of which the rational oscillation frequency of the levers and beats within 675 counts/min is substantiated when applying one oscillation of 5.4 cm/count and operating speed 2.2 km/h. These operation modes of plant lifter ensure the preservation of soil on the root system of enlarged spruce seedlings in the amount of 136.2 g and allowable effort to remove them from the soil within 36.4 N.

Heart Rate Recovery Changes during Competition Period in High-Level Basketball Players

2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (80) ◽  
Author(s):  
Audrius Gocentas ◽  
Anatoli Landõr ◽  
Aleksandras Kriščiūnas
Keyword(s):  
Heart Rate ◽  
Heart Rate Recovery ◽  
Team Sports ◽  
Basketball Players ◽  
Coeffi Cients ◽  
Competition Period ◽  
Monitoring Training ◽  
Intense Training ◽  
High Level

Research background and hypothesis. Replete schedule of competitions and intense training are features of contemporary team sports. Athletes, especially the most involved ones, may not have enough time to recover. As a consequence, aggregated fatigue can manifest in some undesirable form and affect athlete’s performance and health.Research aim. The aim of this study was to evaluate the changes in heart rate recovery (HRR) and investigate possible relations with sport-specifi c measures of effi cacy in professional basketball players during competition season.Research methods. Eight male high-level basketball players (mean ± SD, body mass, 97.3 ± 11.33 kg; height 2.02 ± 0.067 m, and age 23 ± 3.12 years) were investigated. The same basketball specifi c exercise was replicated several times from September till April during the practice sessions in order to assess the personal trends of HRR. Heart rate monitoring was performed using POLAR TEAM SYSTEM. Investigated athletes were ranked retrospectively according to the total amount of minutes played and the coeffi cients of effi cacy. Research results. There were signifi cant differences in the trends of HRR between the investigated players. The most effective players showed decreasing trends of HRR in all cases of ranking.Discussion and conclusions. Research fi ndings have shown that the quality of heart rate recovery differs between basketball players of the same team and could be associated with sport-specifi c effi cacy and competition playing time.Keywords: adaptation, autonomic control, monitoring training.

About Innovative Content of Subject-Oriented Pedagogical Education

2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (10) ◽  
pp. 106-117
Author(s):  
R. M. Asadullin
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Teacher Training ◽  
Educational Process ◽  
Professional Activity ◽  
Subject Knowledge ◽  
Technological Structure ◽  
State Pedagogical ◽  
High Level ◽  
Competencies Development

The continuous modernization of the education system makes the problems of the quality of teacher training increasingly relevant. Moreover, the measures taken to improve the system of teacher education are largely confined to the introduction of new organizational and managerial mechanisms and practically do not affect the internal content and technological structure of the teacher training process.Modern pedagogical universities are constantly looking for innovative models of training teachers that will be able to solve non-standard social and professional tasks. However, recent studies in this area do not fully take into account the nature of pedagogical activity and conditions of its formation. Thus, the need arises for a special study of the processes and means of updating the content and technologies of teacher training in order to control the level of students’ professional competencies development, as required by educational and professional standards. This means the creation of a special educational system in a pedagogical university, which can provide a harmonious and synchronous mastering by future specialists of both subject knowledge and methods of pedagogical activity.The article provides a theoretical study aimed at identifying key patterns of designing a new content for teacher education, the basis of which is the formation of a future teacher as a subject of his own professional activity. The author describes the experience of using a subject-oriented model of education, implemented at Bashkir State Pedagogical University n.a. M. Akmulla. The effectiveness of this model is confirmed by the high level of students’ mastery of designing methods and constructing the educational process, as well as their positive experience in the implementation of educational activities.

Analisis Soal Matematika Tipe Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) Tingkat SMP

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 112-129
Author(s):  
Lelly Oktafiana ◽  
Iis Holisin ◽  
Himmatul Mursyidah
Keyword(s):  
Power Level ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Higher Order Thinking Skills ◽  
National Examination ◽  
Class Viii ◽  
Valid Test ◽  
Grade Material ◽  
Data Collection Technique ◽  
High Level

This study aims to describe the quality of the 2018 Mathematics National Examination (UN) in the HOTS types at the junior high level in terms of the level of validity, reliability, problem differentiation power, level of difficulty and distractor. This type of research is a descriptive study. The research was conducted at SMP Muhammadiyah 4 Surabaya and SMP Negeri 13 Surabaya for students in class VIII. The data collection technique used is a test. The test was taken from the 2018 math UN questions in odd semester VIII grade material including HOTS type. The number of UN mathematics questions in 2018 in the odd semester VIII class material consisted of 12 questions with 25% including LOTS types and 75% including HOTS types. The results showed: (1) 100% valid test questions, (2) high question reliability, (3) good problem differentiation power, (4) the difficuly level of the question 77,77% categorized as moderate and 2 question 22,23% are categorized as difficult, (5) there are 2 questions with one of the answer options do not work.

scholarly journals Evaluation of Physiological and Quality Parameters of Green Asparagus Spears Subjected to Three Treatments against the Decline Syndrome

Agronomy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 937
Author(s):  
Francisco Javier López-Moreno ◽  
Santiago Atero-Calvo ◽  
Eloy Navarro-León ◽  
Begoña Blasco ◽  
Teresa Soriano ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Early Death ◽  
Amino Acid Profile ◽  
Quality Parameters ◽  
Asparagus Officinalis ◽  
Chicken Manure ◽  
Economic Losses ◽  
Whole Plants ◽  
High Level ◽  
Green Asparagus

Green asparagus (Asparagus officinalis L.) is a widely grown and consumed crop which provides high-level nutritional interest. In recent years, the decline syndrome in asparagus plantations has been rapidly augmenting. This syndrome causes the early death of whole plants, also negatively affecting the new replanting. Decline causes notable economic losses in the sector. The objective of this work was to verify the effect of different treatments against asparagus decline syndrome on the physiological parameters and nutritional quality of the spears. To meet the objective, four different treatments were applied to asparagus plots strongly affected by decline syndrome: (T1) untreated control soil, (T2) biofumigation with Brassica pellets, (T3) biofumigation with chicken manure pellets, and (T4) disinfestation of the soil with Dazomet. The cumulative yield and physiological and quality parameters of green asparagus spears were studied. Thus, malondialdehyde (MDA), photosynthetic pigments, glutathione (GSH), ascorbate (AsA), total phenols, flavonoids, anthocyanin, antioxidant test, mineral nutrients, and the amino acid profile were measured on asparagus spears. The results showed that the Brassica pellets and Dazomet treatments were the most effective against the damage caused by the decline syndrome. However, it would be necessary to monitor the evolution in the following years.

scholarly journals AI-based localization and classification of skin disease with erythema

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ha Min Son ◽  
Wooho Jeon ◽  
Jinhyun Kim ◽  
Chan Yeong Heo ◽  
Hye Jin Yoon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Neural Network ◽  
Skin Diseases ◽  
Classification Model ◽  
Screening Tests ◽  
Sensitivity Score ◽  
Common Skin ◽  
Novel Method ◽  
Improved Performance ◽  
High Level

AbstractAlthough computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) is used to improve the quality of diagnosis in various medical fields such as mammography and colonography, it is not used in dermatology, where noninvasive screening tests are performed only with the naked eye, and avoidable inaccuracies may exist. This study shows that CAD may also be a viable option in dermatology by presenting a novel method to sequentially combine accurate segmentation and classification models. Given an image of the skin, we decompose the image to normalize and extract high-level features. Using a neural network-based segmentation model to create a segmented map of the image, we then cluster sections of abnormal skin and pass this information to a classification model. We classify each cluster into different common skin diseases using another neural network model. Our segmentation model achieves better performance compared to previous studies, and also achieves a near-perfect sensitivity score in unfavorable conditions. Our classification model is more accurate than a baseline model trained without segmentation, while also being able to classify multiple diseases within a single image. This improved performance may be sufficient to use CAD in the field of dermatology.

scholarly journals Clifford Spinors and Root System Induction: $$H_4$$ and the Grand Antiprism

2021 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pierre-Philippe Dechant
Keyword(s):  
Root System ◽  
Root Systems ◽  
Invariant Sets ◽  
Simple Construction ◽  
Reflection Groups ◽  
Computational Work ◽  
Algebraic Framework ◽  
Underlying Geometry ◽  
Coxeter Plane ◽  
Insight Into

AbstractRecent work has shown that every 3D root system allows the construction of a corresponding 4D root system via an ‘induction theorem’. In this paper, we look at the icosahedral case of $$H_3\rightarrow H_4$$ H 3 → H 4 in detail and perform the calculations explicitly. Clifford algebra is used to perform group theoretic calculations based on the versor theorem and the Cartan–Dieudonné theorem, giving a simple construction of the $${\mathrm {Pin}}$$ Pin and $${\mathrm {Spin}}$$ Spin covers. Using this connection with $$H_3$$ H 3 via the induction theorem sheds light on geometric aspects of the $$H_4$$ H 4 root system (the 600-cell) as well as other related polytopes and their symmetries, such as the famous Grand Antiprism and the snub 24-cell. The uniform construction of root systems from 3D and the uniform procedure of splitting root systems with respect to subrootsystems into separate invariant sets allows further systematic insight into the underlying geometry. All calculations are performed in the even subalgebra of $${\mathrm {Cl}}(3)$$ Cl ( 3 ) , including the construction of the Coxeter plane, which is used for visualising the complementary pairs of invariant polytopes, and are shared as supplementary computational work sheets. This approach therefore constitutes a more systematic and general way of performing calculations concerning groups, in particular reflection groups and root systems, in a Clifford algebraic framework.

scholarly journals Comparing quality of life between patients undergoing trans-areola endoscopic thyroid surgery and trans-oral endoscopic thyroid surgery

BMC Surgery ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shuang Shen ◽  
Xiaochi Hu ◽  
Rui Qu ◽  
Youming Guo ◽  
Libo Luo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Thyroid Surgery ◽  
Short Form ◽  
Endoscopic Thyroidectomy ◽  
Operation Time ◽  
Endoscopic Thyroid Surgery ◽  
Sf 36 ◽  
Areola Approach ◽  
High Level

Abstract Background Compared with conventional open surgery, endoscopic thyroidectomy via the oral vestibular approach (ETVOA) and endoscopic thyroidectomy via the areola approach (ETAA) avoided scarring of the skin, which may help patients achieve a better quality of life (QOL). However, the benefit of the QOL from this technique has not been adequately investigated, therefore this study compared the QOL outcomes between ETVOA and ETAA. Methods 131 patients were enrolled in this study. ETAA surgery and ETVOA surgery were performed in 74 patients and 57 patients, respectively. These patients were followed up at 2 weeks, 4 weeks, and 8 weeks, and their QOL was evaluated using a thyroid surgery-specific questionnaire and a short-form health survey (SF-36). Results There were no differences in clinical characteristics such as gender, age, body mass index (BMI), and tumor size between the two groups. The volume of intraoperative blood loss, cost of hospitalization, and complications between the two procedures showed no differences. Compared with ETAA, ETVOA has a longer operation time, no drainage, and shorter hospital stay. In the QOL questionnaire, several parameters in ETVOA were better. The satisfaction scores of patients undergoing ETVOA were higher. In addition, the cosmetic satisfaction in patients who received ETOVA was significantly better than that of patients who underwent ETAA. The degree of neck movement disorder in patients with ETVOA was milder. Patients who received ETVOA had higher score on the SF-36. Conclusions The trans-oral endoscopic approach can acquire better cosmetic results and achieved high-level QOL.

scholarly journals Mobile Networks and Internet of Things Infrastructures to Characterize Smart Human Mobility

Smart Cities ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 894-918
Author(s):  
Luís Rosa ◽  
Fábio Silva ◽  
Cesar Analide
Keyword(s):  
Internet Of Things ◽  
Mobile Networks ◽  
Smart Cities ◽  
Human Mobility ◽  
Rapid Development ◽  
Disruptive Technology ◽  
New Paradigm ◽  
Design And Optimization ◽  
High Level

The evolution of Mobile Networks and Internet of Things (IoT) architectures allows one to rethink the way smart cities infrastructures are designed and managed, and solve a number of problems in terms of human mobility. The territories that adopt the sensoring era can take advantage of this disruptive technology to improve the quality of mobility of their citizens and the rationalization of their resources. However, with this rapid development of smart terminals and infrastructures, as well as the proliferation of diversified applications, even current networks may not be able to completely meet quickly rising human mobility demands. Thus, they are facing many challenges and to cope with these challenges, different standards and projects have been proposed so far. Accordingly, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been utilized as a new paradigm for the design and optimization of mobile networks with a high level of intelligence. The objective of this work is to identify and discuss the challenges of mobile networks, alongside IoT and AI, to characterize smart human mobility and to discuss some workable solutions to these challenges. Finally, based on this discussion, we propose paths for future smart human mobility researches.

scholarly journals Psychosomatic interactions in kidney transplantation: role of personality dimensions in mental health-related quality of life

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
pp. 204062232110243
Author(s):  
Federica Guerra ◽  
Jessica Ranieri ◽  
Domenico Passafiume ◽  
Diana Lupi ◽  
Daniela Maccarone ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Kidney Transplantation ◽  
Health Related Quality ◽  
Personality Dimensions ◽  
Related Quality ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Body Self ◽  
High Level

Background and aims: The increase in innovative and personalized medicine solutions in kidney surgery can improve patients’ chances of survival; however, during the transplantation process, patients are exposed to many psychological challenges. This study aimed to evaluate the role and impact of personality dimensions on the behaviour of waiting-list patients towards the post-surgery adaptation process. Method: The participants were 113 out-patients aged 18–70 years (mean age 54.7 years, SD ± 9.9) who had received a kidney transplant at least 3 years prior to the study. Results: The results of the study revealed that personality dimensions can predict mental health-related quality of life after kidney transplantation; in particular, the dimensions play an important role in patients’ behavioural ability to manage their quality of life both during end-stage renal disease and after kidney transplantation. Psychological distress and anxiety were associated with a low level of the conscientiousness dimension, while a high level of the openness dimension was associated with a high level of psychological distress and stress. In addition, body self-perception was associated with personality dimensions. Conclusion: Personality dimensions were found to predict behavioural reactions when emotional traits and body self-perception for each patient were combined; clinical psychologists could apply personalized intervention by modeling the treatments step by step and mitigating the negative effects of the whole kidney transplantation disease, thus helping the individual to adapt to a new life.

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