Soil Erosion Susceptibility Prediction in Railway Corridors Using RUSLE, Soil Degradation Index and the New Normalized Difference Railway Erosivity Index (NDReLI)

This study presents a remote sensing-based index for the prediction of soil erosion susceptibility within railway corridors. The empirically derived index, Normalized Difference Railway Erosivity Index (NDReLI), is based on the Landsat-8 SWIR spectral reflectances and takes into account the bare soil and vegetation reflectances especially in semi-arid environments. For the case study of the Botswana Railway Corridor (BRC), the NDReLI results are compared with the RUSLE and the Soil Degradation Index (SDI). The RUSLE model showed that within the BRC, the mean annual soil loss index was at 0.139 ton ha−1 year−1, and only about 1% of the corridor area is susceptible to high (1.423–3.053 ton ha−1 year−1) and very high (3.053–5.854 ton ha−1 year−1) soil loss, while SDI estimated 19.4% of the railway corridor as vulnerable to soil degradation. NDReLI results based on SWIR1 (1.57–1.65 μm) predicted the most vulnerable areas, with a very high erosivity index (0.36–0.95), while SWIR2 (2.11–2.29 μm) predicted the same regions at a high erosivity index (0.13–0.36). From empirical validation using previous soil erosion events within the BRC, the proposed NDReLI performed better that the RUSLE and SDI models in the prediction of the spatial locations and extents of susceptibility to soil erosion within the BRC.

Influence of Different Cooking Methods on Fillet Steak Physicochemical Characteristics

Meat is a source of protein widely consumed by the population in many countries due mainly to the nutritional aspects, sensory characteristics, and cultural aspects. The meat cooking preparation can promote significant changes in the meat’s chemical composition and physical characteristics. Such transformations can impact both the acceptance of the product and consumers’ health. Due to the different thermal processes altering the physical-chemical characteristics of meat, the present study aimed to evaluate the physicochemical characteristics of fillet steak submitted to different cooking methods: pan-frying with and without oil and air fryer. We performed the analysis to evaluate the physicochemical characteristics considering moisture, lipid, protein, ash, sodium, and potassium content, cooking loss index and colorimetry in three degrees of doneness of the meat, rare, medium, and well done. The fillet steak prepared by pan-frying with oil lost higher moisture and weight than the other samples. The air fryer method presented the highest moisture content. There was a significant difference in lipid content in which the pan-frying with oil fillet steak showed the highest amount of lipids. The pan-frying with oil steak fillet also presented more changes in the colorimetric parameters evaluated compared to the other samples. The pan-frying with oil cooking method promoted more pronounced changes in the steak fillet, and the cooking air fryer, the changes in meat quality are less pronounced. Therefore, the air fryer can be considered a good alternative for cooking meat.

Expansion Planning in Distribution Network with DSTATCOM using Distance Oriented Grasshopper Optimization Algorithm An Optimal Model

This paper intends to consider a multi-objective problem for expansion planning in Power Distribution System (PDS) by focusing on (i) expansion strategy (ii) allocation of Circuit Breaker (CB), (iii) allocation of Distribution Static Compensator (DSTATCOM), (iv) Contingency Load Loss Index (CLLI), and power loss. Accordingly, the encoding parameters decide for expansion, Circuit Breaker (CB) placement, DSTATCOM placement, load of real and reactive powers of expanded bus or node are optimized using Grasshopper Optimization Algorithm (GOA) based on its distance and hence, the proposed algorithm is termed as Distance Oriented Grasshopper Optimization Algorithm (DGOA). The proposed expansion planning model is carried out in IEEE 33 test bus system. Moreover, the adopted scheme is compared with conventional algorithms and the optimal results are obtained.

Targeting ‘highly vulnerable’ households during strict lockdowns

In this brief article, we attempt to quantify the number of households in the country which are ‘highly vulnerable’ to hunger and poverty due to sudden and highly restrictive lockdowns, such as the enhanced community quarantine, and other social distancing measures, as well as estimate the budget that will be needed to address their vulnerability. ‘Highly vulnerable’ households are defined in this study as those unlikely to have incomes during strict lockdown periods because of the employment characteristics of their employed members and which likely have little or no savings to tide them over. Using nationally-representative household data, we define a job loss index to identify the employment characteristics that are most sensitive to the lockdown measures, and given these employment characteristics, identify the ‘highly vulnerable’ households. Depending on the pre-lockdown income threshold eligibility used, we estimate the number of ‘highly vulnerable’ households in the country at anywhere from 7.4 million to 11.3 million. At ₱5,000 per ‘highly vulnerable’ household, the estimated costs amount to ₱36.9 billion to ₱56.5 billion, again depending on the income threshold used. We also propose a way for the government to operationalize the process of identifying and helping ‘highly vulnerable’ households.

A tailored ultra-broadband electromagnetically induced transparency metamaterial based on graphene

Based on graphene, an ultra-broadband electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) window with dynamic tunability is realized in theory. Through altering the Fermi level of graphene that can be regulated by the external voltage, the EIT window and the EIT effect, especially the slow-wave effect, can be easily adjusted. Moreover, the bandwidth of the EIT window can be changed by the incidence angle, achieving the transformation from broadband to narrowband. At the same time, by discussing the polarization state and loss index, the characteristics of polarization insensitivity and low loss are proved. Additionally, the influences of other parameters are discussed, such as the relaxation time of graphene and coupling distance. These unique features enable the designed EIT metamaterial to be masterly applied to optical switches, optical modulators, and slow-light devices.

Nitrogenous Fertilizer Reduces Resistance but Enhances Tolerance to the Brown Planthopper in Fast-Growing, Moderately Resistant Rice

The brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens (Stål), is a key challenge to rice production in Asia. Outbreaks of planthoppers are associated with excessive fertilizer applications; consequently, we examined planthopper interactions with susceptible, tolerant and resistant varieties of rice under varying levels of soil nitrogen in a greenhouse experiment. We compared planthopper fitness (survival × reproduction) and plant tolerance (functional plant loss index) for 16 varieties at 0, 80 and 150 Kg added nitrogen ha−1. The planthoppers grew larger, developed more quickly and laid more eggs on susceptible varieties, compared with the resistant and tolerant varieties. Moreover, soil nitrogen generally increased planthopper fitness on resistant varieties, but relative resistance was maintained. Functional plant loss was highest among the susceptible varieties, but weight and growth rate reductions per mg of planthopper were often highest in the tolerant varieties. Tolerance was associated with large, fast-growing plants, with at least moderate resistance to the planthopper. Susceptibility was associated with a small size and/or an absence of resistance genes. Our results suggested that early-tillering rice plants can be both resistant and tolerant to the brown planthopper, but cannot be both susceptible and tolerant of planthoppers at high densities. This indicates that at least moderate resistance is required for tolerance against this herbivore. Furthermore, although dwarf varieties had a low tolerance of planthoppers, they could express resistance through functioning resistance genes.

Process Quality Evaluation Model with Taguchi Cost Loss Index

Process Capability Indices (PCIs) are not only a good communication tools between sales departments and customers but also convenient tools for internal engineers to evaluate and analyze process capabilities of products. Many statisticians and process engineers are dedicated to research on process capability indices, among which the Taguchi cost loss index can reflect both the process yield and process cost loss at the same time. Therefore, in this study the Taguchi cost loss index was used to propose a novel process quality evaluation model. After the process was stabilized, a process capability evaluation was carried out. This study used Boole’s inequality and DeMorgan’s theorem to derive the (1 – α) ×100% confidence region of (δ,γ2) based on control chart data. The study adopted the mathematical programming method to find the (1 – α) ×100% confidence interval of the Taguchi cost loss index then employed a (1 – α) ×100% confidence interval to perform statistical testing and to determine whether the process needed improvement.

Food balance sheets provide information on food security, indicators of the prevalence of undernourishment and losses in the cases of Benin, Guinea and Mali

This paper was done within the framework of the Monitoring of the SDGs in Africa (SODDA) project which supported the analysis of the food balance sheets drawn up through the letter of agreement between FAO/GS1 and AFRISTAT. Analysis of the self-sufficiency rate over the 2010–2015 period shows that Mali has higher food self-sufficiency than Benin and Guinea. In Guinea, overall, 43.2% of domestic product supplies are on average imports. Plant products are the most dependent on imports with an average annual IDR of 48.2% compared to 12.5% for animal products. In the three countries, plant products are the most dependent on imports. The use of FAO methodologies for calculating the prevalence of undernourishment under SDG 2 and the food loss index under SDG 12 made it possible to estimate these two indicators using BAs and other related indicators. The results in 2015 show that Benin and Guinea with respectively 14.2% and 15.6% of the population with a prevalence of undernourishment are ahead of Mali with 5%. In terms of individuals, estimates give 1.5 million Beninese, 1.2 million Guineans and 0.9 million Malians who were undernourished in 2015.

Simulation of the process stripping harvester for the collection of oilseed flax seeds

The article presents the main results of research on the development of a physical and mathematical model of the technological process of collecting flax seeds with a combing header and the justification of the range of its operating parameters based on software simulation and numerical modeling. The process of harvesting agricultural crops, including oil flax, is an important technological operation of their production in the agricultural sector of Ukraine. The positive dynamics of the growth of oil flax production, which is due to the growing demand for seeds in the domestic and foreign markets, requires the intensification of harvesting equipment technological processes. The main reasons for restraining the production of oil flax are the imperfection of the equipment for harvesting and the inconsistency of the quality indicators of work with the established requirements. One of the directions for solving this problem is the technology of harvesting by stripping plants on the standing. Timely harvesting of oil flax seeds in optimal agrotechnical terms (plant condition, weather conditions, weediness, etc.) with minimal losses and contamination of the heap is one of the important scientific tasks of improving harvesting technology. Improving the efficiency of collecting oil flax seeds and, as a result, improving the quality of products requires new approaches to the development and implementation of technical means in progressive technologies. As a result of numerical modeling of the separation process of a heap in a combing header with a curvilinear casing shape, taking into account the physical and mechanical properties of its components, the dependences of the mass fraction of husk and stem particles leaving its area (an indicator of the quality of cleaning the heap from impurities) δh and the fraction of seeds and capsules leaving with seeds (seed loss index) δs from the rotation frequency of the beater-reflector n1 and the stripping drum n2, the position of the transparent zone of the boundary L and its width B. Solving the compromise problem, namely, maximizing the mass fraction of husk and stalk particles leaving the header area (quality indicator cleaning the heap from impurities) δh and minimizing the proportion of seeds and seed boxes leaving the header area (seed loss index) δs Obtained rational design and technological parameters of the combing type header with a curved casing: rotation frequency of the beater-reflector n1 = 782 rpm, combing drum rotation speed n2 = 671 rpm, transparent position zone of the boundaries L = 0.82 m and its width B = 0.45 m. In this case, the mass fraction of husk and stem particles leaving is δh = 42.4%, and the fraction of losses of seeds and capsules with seeds from the header area is in accordance with δs = 2.5%.