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In this paper, experimental work has been presented to study the novel design of a solar crop dryer that includes an inverted absorber perforate type collector with forced airflow. A novel design configuration was constructed and tested in the eastern Algeria climate (El Oued city) for drying potatoes. We aimed to present a test of the thermal performance of the novel dryer and use only clean energy sources for evaluating the drying efficiency. Under real climatic conditions, the experimental test indicated that the average air temperature of the drying chamber is 50 °C, and the time required for drying potatoes starting at the initial moisture content (MC) of 84.17% until the final MC of 12.5% is 6h. The highest specific moisture extraction rate value was obtained as 1.074 g water/kWh. The drying efficiencies ranged from 20.37% to 34.01%, whereas the exergy efficiency ranged from 58.48% to 93.22%. The payback period was estimated as 1.39 years. The proposed novel dryer will dry potatoes free of cost for almost its entire life period, and about $13.92 can be saved. Compared with electric oven drying, the novel one has the following advantages: the cost of electricity saving and avoiding penalty tax for CO2 emission were $11.69 and $2.235, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to investigate the impact of moisture content on energy evolution, three types of rock samples with varying moisture contents were subjected to uniaxial compression tests. The study aimed to analyze the reasons behind the differences in energy during the deformation process of rocks with different moisture contents. The findings indicate that with increasing moisture content, the peak strength and elastic modulus of the samples decrease. However, the ratio of crack initiation strength σci to peak strength σf shows little effect, primarily because the characteristic strength ratio σci/σf is determined by external loads. The growth rate of elastic energy reaches its maximum value in the early stage of yield, while the proportion of elastic energy reaches its peak value in the later stage of yield. In the deformation and failure process of rocks with varying moisture contents, the increment in elastic performance is smallest in the initial compaction stage for saturated rocks, whereas it is the largest in the yield stage for dry rocks. Additionally, a damage evolution equation based on energy dissipation was established and validated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the effects of different moisture contents on the storability of lightly salted large yellow croaker at 4 ℃, changes in total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) content, microbial community composition, taste and volatile organic compounds were analyzed during the storage period, and the correlation between microbial community composition and VOCs was examined. The results showed that the shelf-life of lightly salted large yellow croaker with moisture contents of 60%, 55%, and 50% was 27, 33, and 39 days, respectively. During storage, there were significant changes in the bacterial flora, with four specific spoilage organisms (SSOs) being dominant at the end of the shelf-life. In the samples with 60% moisture content, Hafnia alvei (61.22%) and Brochothrix thermosphacta (19.39%) were dominant. In the samples with 55% moisture content, H. alvei (31.13%), B. thermosphacta (29.25%), Carnobacterium divergens (17.92%) and Citrobacter freundii (16.98%) were dominant. C. freundii was not observed at the end of the shelf-life of lightly salted large yellow croaker with 50% moisture content, and H. alvei (43.96%) and B. thermosphacta (37.36%) were dominant, respectively.The electronic tongue results showed that the trend of response values was basically the same among the three groups of samples. A total of 29 VOCs were detected by gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry (GC-IMS), including seven alcohols, six esters, four ketones, four aldehydes, three amines, two heterocycles, one olefin, one ether and one terpene. The fingerprinting results showed no significant difference in the composition of VOCs among the groups. Pearson’s correlation analysis showed that H. alvei and B. thermosphacta were positively correlated with amines for all groups.

The development of equipment to mechanise the handling and processing of neem seeds requires an understanding of their physical characteristics. Thus, the physical properties of neem seeds were assessed at moisture content levels ranging from 7.78% to 20.20% on a dry basis. Standard procedures were used to evaluate the seeds' axial dimensions, weight, sphericity, aspect ratio, true and bulk densities, porosity, surface area, and coefficients of dynamic friction (μ) on surfaces made of galvanised steel, wood, and glass. Except for the true and bulk densities, all of the evaluated properties showed an increase in the results for the moisture range mentioned above. The μ on galvanized steel, wood and glass surfaces ranged from 129.00 – 145.90, 127.80 – 141.00, and 130.00 – 144.00, respectively. All the measured parameters had empirical models established for them. The high correlation coefficients of each parameter's model suggest that it can be simulated within the moisture domain under investigation.

Copyright of Shipin Kexue/ Food Science is the property of Food Science Editorial Department and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The development of equipment to mechanise the handling and processing of neem seeds requires an understanding of their physical characteristics. Thus, the physical properties of neem seeds were assessed at moisture content levels ranging from 7.78% to 20.20% on a dry basis. Standard procedures were used to evaluate the seeds' axial dimensions, weight, sphericity, aspect ratio, true and bulk densities, porosity, surface area, and coefficients of dynamic friction (µ) on surfaces made of galvanised steel, wood, and glass. Except for the true and bulk densities, all of the evaluated properties showed an increase in the results for the moisture range mentioned above. The µ on galvanized steel, wood and glass surfaces ranged from 129.00 - 145.90, 127.80 - 141.00, and 130.00 - 144.00, respectively. All the measured parameters had empirical models established for them. The high correlation coefficients of each parameter's model suggest that it can be simulated within the moisture domain under investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT This study aims to investigate the influence of moisture contents and grouser heights on traction force exerted on different surfaces in the track-soil interaction system. A sandy loam was employed for acquiring the soil parameters, such as kc, kφ, n, C, Ca, δ, φ, and γ. These parameters were obtained through the mean of the bevameter technique. Moisture contents of the sandy loam were changed from low to high levels, which could be listed as 1.4%, 8.0%, 14.7%, and 22.2% at last. The direct shear and penetration tests were performed for each soil condition of the moisture content, respectively. The model of the single-grouser-shoe (track model) had a length of 9 cm, a width of 15 cm, and varied grouser heights from 0 to 15 cm with a 0.5 cm interval. Based on the calculation result, in general, the shearing force produced by the bottom surface always performs better than either the shear force on the grouser-tip surface or two lateral surfaces. Simultaneously, prediction results also show that the shearing forces were significantly influenced by the level of moisture content in the soil.

Abstract Apple (Malus Demestica cv. Cortland) is a perishable fruit due to its high moisture content. In this study, apple sticks were dried to increase their shelf life. Osmotic dehydration was used as pretreatment followed by microwave-assisted hot air drying (MAHD) at different temperatures (45 ºC, 55 ºC, 65 ºC) and microwave power densities (0, 0.5, 1 W/g). Optimum process parameters were estimated by the central composite design of response surface methodology (RSM). The results showed that the temperature and power density had a significant effect on response variables. Optimum conditions of moisture content (9.54%), time (100 minutes) and change in color (7.54) were found at 65 ºC and 1 W/g microwave power density (MWPD). Then the samples dried at optimum conditions were stored at ambient temperature and analyzed for color, moisture content, texture and total fungal count at regular intervals for 75 days. The results showed a non-significant change in color and fungal counts from 10.45 to 10.73 and from 0.45 to 0.69 log cfu/g respectively, and a significant decrease in moisture content from 10.11% to 5.69% was observed from 0 to 75 days. While increasing firmness resulted in increased force and energy to the breaking point and micrographs of electron microscope showed shrinkage in cell structure along with storage. The brittleness of apple sticks increased significantly during storage but remained acceptable till the end of 75 storage days.

To enhance the combustion efficiency of high moist coal, it is important to reduce its moisture contents. For reduction of moisture contents, the selection of efficient and low-cost drying technique based on the coal characteristics is helpful to convert the high moist coal to good quality fuel. A total of 18 Thar coal (Pakistan) samples were crushed and sieved at following size fractions (355, 500, 710 µm). These samples were dried using different techniques, namely, solar-drying, hot air-drying, oven-drying, microwave oven-drying, and flue gases drying. The morphological, physical, and chemical changes were investigated for the effectiveness of different techniques to make the Thar coal as a value-added fuel. The applied drying techniques showed a significant reduction in moisture contents from the Thar coal samples (38.11 to 7.78%). However, the flue gases drying and air-drying techniques showed highest reduction in moisture content (29–31%). Similarly, 35% increase in heating value (HV) J/kg was observed in case of flue gases drying technique. These results indicated that the flue gases and air-drying techniques may be used to reduce the moisture contents and enhance the HV of high moist Thar coal that can be used as value-added fuel in the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated the effects of two organic acids on the fermentation of alfalfa silages at different dry matter (DM) contents. Alfalfa was wilted to DM contents of 30% (moderately low) and 38% (normal) and ensiled without additives (control) or treated with 0.6% fresh matter DL‐malic acid (MA) or 0.6% fresh matter citric acid (CA) for 60 days. After ensiling, silages with a normal DM were higher in pH, water‐soluble carbohydrates (WSC) and DM loss (p < 0.05) when compared to silages ensiled at a moderately low DM. The higher DM content also limited proteolysis in silages indicated by lower concentrations of ammonia N (NH3‐N). Compared with the control group, MA and CA‐treated silages had lower pH, lower concentrations of acetic acid and NH3‐N but higher concentrations of lactic acid. The addition of MA and CA reduced DM losses in silages when compared to the control group except for MA‐treated silage at a moderately low DM in which only numerically lower DM loss was observed. Malic acid and CA also resulted in a higher proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids, especially in silages with a moderately low DM. Including MA and CA could promote silage fermentation, limit proteolysis and lipolysis at the lower and medium‐to‐high end of DM contents in alfalfa silages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paddy fields differ greatly in their soil historical water regimes, which in turn vary substrate availability and assembly of methanogenic communities for methane (CH 4) production. However, it remains unclear how the response of the methanogenesis process to current soil moisture is impacted by past water regimes. Here, we noticed that the composition of the methanogenic community was influenced much more by long-term water management practices than by short-term soil moisture changes. Methanogenesis in a permanent flooding system [rice-fallow (RF) with 70–80% historical soil volumetric moisture content (SVMC)] exhibited a higher positive response to moisture variation compared to the alternating aerobic-anaerobic conditions [rice wheat (RW) and double-rice (DR) with 30–50% historical SVMC]. Although the soil CH 4 production potential (MPP) from these systems increased with increasing current moisture levels (water:soil ratios of 0.5, 0.75, 1, and 1.5), it was more sensitive to moisture changes in RF soil than in RW and DR soils. This increase in MPP was probably due to the enhanced available dissolved organic carbon with moisture promotion. Moreover, the relative contribution of acetoclastic methanogenesis (f ac) significantly increased from approximately 70% to 80% in the RF soil (p < 0.05) when the moisture rose from 0.5 to 1.5. Structural equation modelling analysis showed that this change was mainly ascribed to the simultaneous increase in acetate content. In contrast, the f ac values under the four moisture contents were relatively stable at approximately 50% and 65% in RW and DR soils, respectively. The abundance of acetoclastic Methanosarcina was far higher in RF soil than in RW and DR soils, which was possibly the reason for the larger f ac values. The findings indicate that methanogenesis in high historical SVMC was more sensitive to the current moisture regulation and further suggest that its CH 4 production reduction via drainage was mainly due to the decline in acetate-dependent methanogenesis. [Display omitted] • The response of methanogenesis to moisture differed among the three rice soils. • RF soil had a stronger response of methanogenesis to soil moisture than RW and DR soils. • Moisture affected methanogenesis by mediating methanogenic substrates and communities. • Historic water management dominated methanogenic community structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coal seam permeability is one of the key parameters affecting coalbed methane (CBM), and plays an important role in resource evaluation and regional selection. To fully explore the diffusion/flow potential properties initiated by methane adsorption beneath diverse moisture contents (1–5%) in coal molecules. The pore size distribution and methane adsorption capacities were discussed based on Monte Carlo (MC) and molecular dynamics (MD) methods. The potential properties of diffusion/flow induced by methane adsorption were investigated using the maximum absolute adsorption capacities as benchmark. The variation patterns of the pore structure were analyzed using SEM scanning experiment to verify the results of simulation analysis. It is found that the free pores facilitate methane molecular adsorption and increase adsorption spaces; the skeleton pores restrict the flow and transport of water molecules. Reduction values in surface free energies increase at different temperatures, and released heat diffusion coefficients and permeabilities for methane molecules drop as moisture contents increase. Interestingly, however, enhancements in temperatures increase the methane molecular diffusion coefficients. The lower the activation energies, the easier they are to diffuse. Sufficiently, the optimum conditions for gas drainage of coal seam are at temperature of 293K and moisture content of 5%, indicating greater contributions to gas pressure relief for coal seam. By comparing the results of molecular simulation and SEM scanning, trend of change is basically the same. Moreover, it is explored that hydraulic measure was the most significant to the CBM stimulation technology through field engineering application. This research is expected to provide guidance for facilitating the effectiveness of gas extraction for coal seam. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rockburst occurred frequently during deep mining in China. The mechanism of rockburst is very complicated and related to many factors. In order to investigate the influence of moisture contents of rockmass on rockburst, we conducted a series of laboratory rockburst experiments of sandstone under three different moisture contents by the Modified True-Triaxial Apparatus (MTTA), in which the acoustic emission (AE) system was employed to monitor the internal damage of rock mass. A high-speed video camera was utilized to record the detail of rockburst. Based on the experimental results, the AE characteristics, such as AE count, AE energy, and AE frequency, were analyzed. The rockburst process, type, and indensity under different moisture contents were discussed. The research results show that with the increase of moisture contents, rock strength was soften, the elastic and the cumulative damage of the rock were reduced, resulting in a gradual decrease in AE cumulative counts and cumulative energy over the course of rockburst. This study provides an experimental basis and reference for better understanding to the rockburst mechanism and control.

Copyright of Annals of Warsaw University of Life Sciences - SGGW, Forestry & Wood Technology is the property of Wydawnictwo SGGW and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The effects of different initial moisture contents (15–55%) and moisture equilibrium process (MEP) on the mechanical properties of the gas-blocking surface layer of purple sweet potato chips and the radio frequency (RF) heating rate, uniformity, and radio frequency explosion puffing (RFEP) quality were discussed in this article. Low-field nuclear magnetic resonance indicated that hot-air pre-drying reduced the amount of free water and caused the transfer of immovable water to bound water. This process was accompanied by an increase in the thickness and elastic modulus of the gas-blocking surface layer, resulting in a significant increase in the RF heating rate and uniformity. Prolonged RF heating time led to a decrease in anthocyanin content. The results demonstrated that the puffing rate initially increased and then decreased with increasing initial moisture content. The puffed sample with an initial moisture content of 45% exhibited the highest puffing rate, crispiness, and porosity. X-ray micro-tomography results reveal that MEP improved the morphology of puffed products, ensuring even distribution of small pores and reducing the presence of hard edges. In conclusion, considering the heating time and anthocyanin retention rate, the initial moisture content ranges from 35% to 45% after MEP was the best pre-treatment. [Display omitted] • Hot-air pre-drying led to the gradual disappearance of free water and the transfer of immovable water to bound water in purple sweet potato chips; • As initial moisture content decreased, the thickness and elastic modulus of the gas-blocking surface layer increased, while RF heating rate and heating uniformity decreased; • As initial moisture content increased, the puffing rate, crispness and pores first increased and then decreased, with the optimal moisture content of 45%; • Moisture equilibrium process (MEP) could improve puffed products' morphology by diffusing the moisture distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nomex insulation paper has been widely used in mining dry type transformer insulation because of its excellent performance. However, the injection of space charge can affect the electrical properties of the Nomex paper and accelerate the ageing process of the insulation system, which causes the insulation system failure or even breakdown. Therefore, it is of great practical value to study the space charge characteristics of Nomex insulation paper in different hygrothermal ageing conditions. The accelerated hygrothermal ageing tests of Nomex insulation specimens with different initial moisture contents were conducted. The space charge distribution of specimens impregnated by varnish were measured by the pulsed electro‐acoustic method at different ageing stages. Simultaneously, the space charge characteristics during polarising and depolarising phases were deeply analysed. Experimental results show that negative charges accumulate between the varnish‐paper interface in specimens near the anode. The number of negative charges gradually decreases with the increase of ageing degree. Under the influence of humidity, Nomex paper can be hydrolysed, which increases the trap density and trap level. Finally, a large amount of positive and negative charges in aged specimens would result in the distortion of the local electric field, which could decrease the breakdown strength of Nomex insulation specimens and be a threat to transformer insulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study the occurrence of entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) was determined in three senatorial districts of Osun State in relation to soil texture, vegetation, moisture and pH. A total of 110 soil samples were randomly collected from various cultivated fields in different locations. The soil samples were baited twice using last instar larvae of the Galleria mellonella (greater wax moth) for presence of entomopathogenic nematodes. Four EPN isolates were recovered viz., Heterorhabditis indica, Heterorhabditis bacteriophora, Steinernema karii and Steinernema wesieri. Of a total of 110 soil samples examined, EPNs were found in 90.90% soil samples, they belonged to the genera Steinernema and Heterorhabditis. Steinernema spp. was found prevalent in both cultivated and undisturbed soils. Frequency of occurrence of EPNs in the sampled soils from the different senatorial zones was determined: soil samples from the Central zone recorded the lowest prevalence 87.50% while the soil samples from Western senatorial zone revealed 91.43% presence of the EPNs. The highest frequency of occurrence of EPNs- 94.29% was recorded in the soil samples from Eastern senatorial zone. Nematode distribution and frequency was found to be related to soil pH (pH<4.5 to pH>7.2) and soil moisture. This is the first report of these nematodes from Osun State, Nigeria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Impact of waste disposal and management is a worldwide phenomenon leading to health impact most especially in underdeveloped and developing world. This study was undertaken to assess the major contaminants in some municipal waste disposal sites and the prospective impact to the surrounding domestic water supply source as well as the impact on the health of the people in the city. This is carried out by studying various physico-chemical parameters of soil which were collected from three municipal dump locations namely; Ita-Amodu, Sawmill garage and Kuntu areas in Ilorin metropolis, Kwara State Nigeria. The geochemistry of the dumpsites were studied with respect to important parameters such as pH, electrical conductivity, temperature, sulphates, chlorides, nitrates, moisture content, organic matter and heavy metals having the following constituents present in its composition-Cadmium (Cd), Lead (Pb), Zinc (Zn), Iron (Fe), and Copper (Cu). The study revealed that the three different soils samples: “(A) Ita-Amodu”, “(B) Sawmill Garage”, and “(C) Kuntu”) have pH of 7.1, 7.2 and 6.8, respectively. Temperature of 24.2, 26.4, and 28.0 oC, Organic matter compositions of 0.95%, 0.73%, and 1.14%. The Moisture contents were 3.93%, 2.89%, and 3.48% respectively. The chloride contents of the samples was found to be 31.76 mg/L, 48.98 mg/L, and 91.63 mg/L, while nitrates were found to be 0.10 mg/L, 0.06, mg/L and 0.23 mg/L, with a sulphate values of 1.96 mg/L, 2.35 mg/L, and 2.14 mg/L. The conductivities were 1.79 μs/cm, 2.23 μs/cm, and 1.15 μs/cm respectively. Heavy metal analysis from the waste soil were found to contained copper (Cu) - 0.03 mg/L, 0.028 mg/L, and 0.031 mg/L, zinc (Zn) - 0.04, mg/L 0.009 mg/L, and 0.066 mg/L), cadmium (Cd) - 0.516 mg/L, 0.62, mg/L and 0.048 mg/L), Lead (Pb) - 0.063 mg/L, 0.07 mg/L, and 0.056 mg/L), and iron (Fe) - 0.518 mg/L, 0.62 mg/L, and 0.190 mg/L. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dielectric properties of oil-paper insulation degrade due to moisture ingression and ageing. This degradation significantly impacts the space charge accumulation and charge trapping behaviour in the insulation, which are vital parameters for insulation health under the high-voltage direct current environment. In this work, an improved model based on the isothermal relaxation current (IRC) has been developed to study the charge trapping behaviour of an oil pressboard under the influence of moisture and ageing. The conventional IRC model considers the total relaxation current because of charge de-trapping only. However, in the case of a composite dielectric like oil pressboard, dipolar relaxation also affects the relaxation current. In this work, a methodology has been proposed to investigate charge de-trapping behaviour of oil-pressboard insulation considering the dipole relaxation process from IRC measurements. For this purpose, frequency domain spectroscopy measurements and IRC measurements have been performed on oil-impregnated pressboard specimens carefully prepared in the laboratory having different ageing conditions and moisture contents. Results presented in this work depict that charge trapping parameters, i.e. the trap depth and trapped charge distribution are highly affected both by ageing and moisture. It was observed that ageing leads to the generation of deeper traps, while moisture mainly enhances the density of shallow traps.

Anammox are unusual members of the microbial community contributing to N losses via anaerobic ammonium oxidation. Anammox use nitrite as a substrate and produce hydrazine as an intermediate product. Up to date, the effects of dissolved oxygen and moisture dynamics on anammox potential and microbial community in agricultural soils were poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the interaction of dissolved oxygen and moisture contents as factors affecting the soil anammox process. The experiment had four fertilization treatments i.e. Control (CK), Chemical fertilizer (CF), Pig composted manure plus chemical fertilizer (PMCF), and Straw returned to soil plus chemical fertilizer (SRCF) with different water contents, 70%-FC, Alternate wetting and drying (AWD), Flooding I (D.O 5.8 mg L−1), and Flooding II (D.O 2.6 mg L−1). 15N-isotopic tracer technique was used to evaluate the anammox and denitrification rates. The results showed that the anammox rate ranged from the lowest 0.56 nmol N 2 ·g−1·h−1 in CF (with 70% FC water) to the highest rate of 1.47 nmol N 2 ·g−1·h−1 in SRCF (with flooding II). In water treatments, the average lowest and highest anammox rates were in the 70% FC (0.61 nmol N 2 ·g−1·h−1) and Flooding II (1.14 nmol N 2 ·g−1·h−1), respectively. Moreover, under soil treatments, the minimum average anammox rate was found in the PMCF (0.76 nmol N 2 ·g−1·h−1) and maximum in the SRCF (1.01 nmol N 2 ·g−1·h−1). Interestingly, anammox genes copy numbers were highest in alternate wetting and drying conditions under all fertilizer treatments rather than in continuous flooding. The phylogenetic analysis showed that Ca. Brocadia was dominating while some of Ca. Jettenia was also present. In conclusion, alternate wetting and drying could increase the number of anammox bacteria and microbial diversity. Unlabelled Image • Alternate wetting and drying (AWD) can enhance Anammox rate and microbial diversity. • Consistently higher dissolved oxygen can inhibit the Anammox process/activity. • Long-term application of pig manure can decrease the Anammox activity. • Anammox activity has a positive relationship with hydrazine gene abundance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mango is the tropical and subtropical tree fruit and known as the king of all fruits. Its production is continuously declining due to diseases incidence and insect pest attacks. Mango sudden death syndrome is the deadly disease of mango trees in many countries around the world. The objective of the current study was to study the effect of sudden decline on the transport of macronutrients (P, K, Ca, Mg), micronutrients (Fe, B, Mn, Cr, Zn, Cu, Mo, Ni), beneficial nutrients (Al, Co, Na, Si), toxic elements (Ba, Pb, Sr, Cd), water and ash contents in healthy and infected tissues of stem bark and aerial parts of mango tree. Sudden death disease significantly (p<0.05) decreased water contents in infected tissues as compared to healthy tissues which were taken as control. The quantitative mineral analysis was carried out by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). The levels of Ba, Mn, K, B, Al, Fe, Mg, Na, Ca, Sr, Cd, Ni, Cr, Pb, Mo significantly reduced by 11.53, 12.16, 12.18, 17.40, 23.33, 26.04, 31.27, 31.46, 35.89, 39.47, 40, 40.28, 51.15, 60.00 and 71.42%, respectively, in infected stem bark as compared to healthy control. Similarly, the levels of Ni, Zn, Si, Co, Sr decreased in infected aerial parts by 10.22, 27.22, 32.07, 39.47 and 80%, respectively, as compared to healthy control. It was revealed that sudden death disease causes significant nutritional imbalance in stem bark and aerial parts of the mango plant. The present study indicated the decreased level of essential nutrients as one of the predisposing factors causing sudden death of mango trees. The findings of this study provided valuable information to manage the nutritional status of diseased mango plants in future and for the development of mango varieties resistant to changes in mineral nutrients under exposure to sudden death disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drying is essential to prolong storage life of crops. This study is carried out to provide design information for developing a Bambara nut dryer. Bambara nuts samples were condition to 6%, 8%, 10% and 12% db. Pressure drops along depth of 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8 and 1 m were obtained using a constructed aerodynamic apparatus. Airflow resistances at these depths were calculated for airflow rates of 0.025, 0.035, 0.045, and 0.055 m3 s-1. I - Optimal response surface design was used to model and optimize the airflow resistance. Reduces quadratic model was selected among other models to be the best for modeling and optimizing airflow resistance of Bambara nuts. This study showed that airflow rate, bed depth, packing type and moisture content all influenced airflow resistance of Bambara nuts. Optimize airflow resistance values for drying Bambara nuts within and outside the experimental design space were obtained. Cube plots for dryer designers were established for Bambara nuts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Irrigation & Drainage is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Frozen ground often contain non-uniform moisture content and are under true triaxial stress state and their practical engineering application are still explored. The present study is carried out to investigate the strength and deformation characteristics of frozen soil with different moisture contents under true triaxial stress state conditions. A series of true triaxial tests were conducted on frozen soil specimens having constant minimum principal stress (σ 3) and constant intermediate principal stress ratio (b). The experimental test results showed that the stress-strain curves represent the strain-hardening characteristics under different test conditions. The intermediate principal stress ratio (b) has a dual effect of strengthening and weakening on the strength of frozen sandy soil. When 0 ≤ b ≤ 0.5, the strengthening effect was found to be dominant in the frozen soil specimen, whereas, the weakening effect was dominant when 0.5 < b ≤ 1. The strength of frozen soil under true triaxial stress state is 8.18% to 36.33% higher under different water content conditions, compared to that under generalized triaxial compression stress state. The difference in deformation between the direction of the intermediate principal stress and the minimum principal stress increased with the increment in the intermediate principal stress ratio value. The volumetric strain in the soil sample initially exhibited the characteristics of shear contraction and then shear dilation. • This study investigated the effect of moisture content on the mechanical properties of frozen soil under true triaxial stress state conditions. • The influence mechanism of intermediate principal stress ratio on the strength of frozen sandy soil was analyzed by considering crack propagation. • The differential mechanism of lateral deformation in frozen sandy soil was revealed through the application of stress superposition principle and the Poisson effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of different compositional biomass is introduced to enhance the binding properties and utilize the use of different seasonal biomasses. The effect of densification on the heating values of single pure and mixed compositional biomasses is observed with and without applying special type of pretreatment named as ‘Torrefaction’. The moisture contents and bulk densities were also calculated for these briquettes. The effects of average moisture contents and bulk density (which show the swelling nature) on the heating values are also observed. The experiments have been performed on the pelletizer equipment to form briquetted biomass and bomb calorimeter was used to determine the calorific values of different briquettes. Finally, the percentage decrease in the average moisture contents of different categories of torrefied briquettes from non-torrefied briquettes were also calculated and compared.

Buried steel pipelines pass through different soils therefore; it could be subjected to dissimilar soil corrosion. A possible way to overcome this problem is using one kind of soil as filling material. The investigated filling materials were collected from Faiyum depression. XRD analyzes revealed that the soil composed mainly from montmorillonite, kaoilinite, illite and potassium chloride. The corrosion behavior of mild steel in the clayey soil was investigated by electrochemical techniques in correlation with moisture level. The results showed that, there are an increase of the corrosion rate with moisture content up to 40% by wt and a further increase in the moisture had no significant effect. Minor additions of CaO up to 0.5% by wt were added to the filling material to reduce its corrosivity. The results showed that the corrosion rate of steel is highly reduced with CaO. The reduction was related to the role of CaO in reducing moisture level and increasing clay alkalinity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study is conducted to investigate the physical and viscoelastic properties of the highland barley kernels in different moisture content range from 10.1 % to 20.5 % (w.b.). Highland barley kernel samples were selected with physical properties in terms of length, width, thickness, 1000-kernel weight, volume, geometric and arithmetic mean diameter changing in linear trends. By using a dynamic mechanical analyzer, the 4-element Burgers model was found to adequately represent the creep behavior of the highland barley kernels (R² > 0.977). The creep behavior of the ventral groove and dorsal side was also matched perfectly with Burgers model (R² > 0.946). The creep behavior of these kernels at long-time frame was studied applying time-temperature superposition (TTS). TTS method was successfully used to predict the creep behavior of these kernels at longer frame of time. The Tg values for the kernels decreased with increasing moisture content. The Tg values for the kernels at the moisture contents of 10.1 %and 20.5 % were 114.33 °C and 67.95 °C, respectively. The magnitude of the storage modulus, loss tangent and their change rates with frequency were maximum at 10.1 % and minimum at 20.5 % moisture contents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The atomistic representations of the coal model containing both the pore structures and surface characteristics parameters were constructed. • The methane adsorption isotherms and thermodynamic characteristics considering temperature and moisture contents were simulated and analyzed. • In-situ modification have increased the pore volume by decomposition of minerals and functional groups on the coal surface, the graphitization process of coal is also promoted, which can accelerate the CBM extraction efficiency. A better understanding of the thermodynamic characteristics of methane (CH 4) adsorption on coal surfaces is needed for the high-efficiency coalbed methane (CBM) preextraction or prevention of coal and gas outbursts. In this study, atomistic representations of selected coal samples with different degrees of metamorphism, such as long flame coal, coking coal, and anthracite coal obtained from China were created; CH 4 adsorption isotherms considering the temperature, moisture content, and microwave in situ modification for CBM preextraction were simulated and analysed. The coal molecular structural results showed that as the degree of coal metamorphism increased from long flame coal to coking coal and anthracite coal, the functional groups in the molecular structure of the coal reduced, while the degree of graphite increased. In situ modification of coal facilitated this process. The saturation adsorption capacity of CH 4 decreased and then increased with increasing coal metamorphism degree and decreased linearly with increasing temperature. When water molecules were present, the adsorbed CH 4 showed different degrees of decreasing trends with increasing moisture content. The isosteric heat of CH 4 adsorption followed the order of coking coal > anthracite coal > long flame coal. The isosteric heat gradually decreased with increasing methane adsorption, and the presence of water molecules had a limited effect on the isosteric heat. In situ modification disrupted the self-conjugated hydrogen bonds, reduced the oxygen-containing functional groups, and decomposed some associated minerals in the coal samples. After in situ modification, the amount of methane adsorption decreased due to a greater contribution from the functional group change than that from the pore volume change, and the modification effect was more evident for the low-rank coal samples than for the middle and high metamorphism degree coal samples. In situ modification applied in the coal seams could contributed to designs for CBM exploration, and the results of this experiment and simulation could provide a novel theoretical basis for in situ modification technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this research about 1,700 samples of the African walnut (Tetracarpidium conophorum) were measured for their axial dimensions, mass, geometric mean, sphericity index, surface area, aspect ratios, angle of repose on steel, wood and glass, porosity, bulk and true density of the nut, kernel and shell at five moisture levels and three size ranges. Various equations linking the nut moisture content with other physical properties for nut and kernel were established using regression models. The studies showed that at initial moisture content of 28.2% w.b, the African wild walnut fall mostly within the mass (m) range of 5.5 ≤ m ≤ 6.5 g with shell thicknes of 0. 135 ± 0.04 cm, kernel mass of 4.22 ± 0.26 g, kernel moisture content of 28.9% w.b, porosity of 45%, nut true density of 0.815 g/cm3, nut bulk density of 0.45 g/cm3, nut aspect ratio of 76% and nut surface area of 15.41 cm2. This various properties are affected by increase in moisture contents and change in nut mass.

Researchers and governments are paid great interest concerning food safety and quality of food stuff. Determination of moisture and ash contents was accomplished by using simple, easy and low cost method to establish a database for agricultural commodities. Twenty four types of agricultural commodities were collected from the local market in Al-Rass governorate, Al-Qassim region, Saudi Arabia. The samples were collected in the period from the beginning of January 2017 to the end of July 2017. The survey show that higher values of moisture contents were found in tomato and cucumber (95.79 and 94.65%, respectively) while the higher values of ash content were found in leafy vegetables in particular spinach and watercress of 1.91% and 1.51% respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scarcity of water has urged farmers, managers and engineers in the field of water resources engineering to explore the parameters of drip irrigation for its high performance and optimal working. Wetting pattern of soil under drip emitter is one of the most important parameters affecting the efficiency of the drip irrigation system. In this paper standard sand box model experiments were executed to identify the wetting pattern of various soils under different emitter discharges. The tests were performed on four types of soil including sandy loam, loam, clayey loam and clay. Equal volume of water was supplied in each experiment. The wetted diameter and depth of soil for a single emitter were monitored with the help of sand box model. The wetted radius on surface of soil and at some depth where it was maximum were measured in every experiment. Similarly, the maximum wetted depth and the depth of maximum wetted diameter were recorded. The volume of wetted soil was estimated using the measured data. The soil samples were collected and tested in the laboratory. The percentage of moisture in soil samples was recorded by gravimetric method in laboratory. Finally, the optimal emitter discharge and conditions for an efficient drip-irrigation system were obtained. The emitter discharge of 4 l/h was found to be the optimal for sandy-loam whereas 3 l/h produced optimal results for the other three types of soil. Empirical equations were developed to determine the maximum wetted radius and depth on the basis of different parameters including emitter discharge, irrigation time, soil bulk density, hydraulic conductivity, initial and final soil-moisture-contents and percentage of sand, silt and clay in soil formation. Subsequently additional data was obtained (for sandy loam and clayey loam) by varying emitter discharge over a broader range (1.0 to 30.0l/h) to improve the effectiveness of equations. Values of the empirical parameters of the equations were determined using "Generalized Reduced Gradient Non-Linear Optimization Technique". The empirical equations with these parameters performed well and produced reasonable accuracy (Nash and Sutcliffe coefficient up to 99%). The equations can be useful to predict data for design of an efficient drip irrigation system in absence of resources to perform experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dielectric response techniques have been proven useful for evaluating the moisture content (Km.c) of oil‐paper insulation. However, an accurate model for oil‐paper condenser bushing has not been presented. This study designed a laboratory oil‐impregnated paper (OIP) bushing model to simulate moistened defects in oil‐paper bushings. Moreover, a 10 kV OIP bushing model was simulated using COMSOL multiphysics AC/DC to confirm that the distribution of potential meets the design requirements. Furthermore, this work investigates the effect of moisture content on the dielectric frequency response and polarisation and depolarisation current (PDC) of models of oil‐paper bushings. A group of characteristic parameters was extracted from the dielectric dissipation factor curves and the DC conductivities of different moisture contents were computed by charge difference method from PDC curves. The obtained results suggest that the dissipation factor and the capacitance increase with the increase of moisture content in the whole frequency range, and the quantitative relationships among the characteristic parameters, DC conductivities, and the moisture content were established and follow an exponential law. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Frequency domain spectroscopy (FDS) is widely used to diagnose the condition of transformer oil–paper insulation. However, FDS measurements are highly temperature dependent. The master curve technique is the most common method to remove the temperature effect on FDS, but the reliability of this method is largely dependent on the value of the activation energy, which can be affected by moisture content and thermal degradation degree. To understand the effects of these two factors on the activation energy, FDS measurements at different temperatures were performed on oil‐impregnated pressboards with different thermal degradation degrees and moisture contents. The activation energies of the pressboards were calculated using the Arrhenius equation. Results show that they vary between 0.88 and 1.06 eV along with thermal degradation degree and moisture. The two‐way ANOVA indicates that the effects of these two factors on activation energy are not significant at 95% confidence level when the degree of polymerisation (DP) changes from 415 to 1300 and when the moisture does not exceed 4%. The average activation energy (0.95 eV) can be utilised to generalise the Arrhenius equation to better eliminate the temperature effects. Finally, FDS measurements on a model transformer are performed to verify the effectiveness of the proposed technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An experiment was conducted at the New Developmental Farm of The University of Agriculture Peshawar Pakistan during 2014 to determine the effect of different drying treatments on the essential oil contents of the flower of a medicinal plant, Matricaria chamomilla. Matricaria chamomilla was dried through various methods such as Flat plate solar dryer (FPSD), direct sunlight, shade and oven drying at 30° C, 40° C, 50° C, 60° C and 70° C.The essential oil contents were extracted from the dried flower of Matricaria chamomilla, by water distillation using Clevenger type apparatus. Three parameters were studied such as essential oil contents, drying period, and moisture content in dried product. Data were analyzed statistically under completely randomized design (CRD). Maximum essential oil was obtained 0.29% under shade drying and 0.28% by Flat Plate Solar drying (FPSD), oven drying at 30° C and 40° C, however these methods were non-significant from each other. High temperature and direct sun drying significantly decreased essential oil content. Maximum period consumed under drying at shade, sun and oven drying at 30° C were 288, 504, and 168 hours, respectively, and their dried sample having high moisture contents (11.91%, 10.91%, 11.79%), as compared to Flat plate solar drying and Oven drying at 50° C, 60° C and 70° C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanical properties of cement-based materials with different moisture contents are very sensitive to temperature. It is well known that engineered/strain-hardening cementitious composites (ECC/SHCC) are a high ductility cementitious composite material. The current research on SHCC is limited to room temperature and high temperature, and there is still a gap in the research on negative temperature. This study aims to explore the mechanisms of compressive strength and tensile properties of SHCC serving in cold environments. The effects of key parameters such as temperature (20 °C, −20 °C, −40 °C, and −60 °C) and moisture content (0%, 50%, 80%, and 100%) on the properties of SHCC were investigated comprehensively. With decreasing temperature and increasing moisture content, the compressive and tensile strengths of SHCC increased, while the tensile strain capacity decreased significantly. However, the tensile strain capacity of SHCC is still greater than 2% even at −60 °C. Micromechanical model parameters were obtained by fracture toughness and single fiber pullout tests, and the Pseudo Strain Hardening Behavior (PSH) criterion was calculated to explain the strain properties deterioration of SHCC at negative temperatures. Reliability prediction of the tensile strain capacity of SHCC at negative temperatures was made based on the Weibull distribution. The predicted results agree well with the experimental results. The predicted method can guide the design and engineering applications of SHCC in severe cold environments. • Assessment of compressive strength and tensile properties of SHCC at negative temperatures. • Micromechanical mechanism on deterioration of tensile strain capacity of SHCC at negative temperature. • Reliability prediction of the tensile strain capacity of SHCC at negative temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-moisture rice flour was prepared by soaking polished rice in water, which was then ground in an electric ceramic mill and dehydrated by centrifugation. The yield of rice flour milled with water became largely constant with soaking times of 30 min or more at room temperature, and near-constant moisture content was reached with soaking for 50 min or more. The size of most rice flour milled with water particles was around 6 pm, and was not greatly influenced by soaking time or temperature. Starch damage rate was suppressed to an extremely low value of less than 2% with soaking for 50 min or more at room temperature. Investigation of the effect of soaking temperature revealed that there was a positive correlation between soaking temperature and starch damage rate. It is therefore not advisable to raise the soaking temperature above room temperature when milling rice with water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Much of the western region of China is covered by sandy loam. The moisture content and compactness value of the sandy loam are important indices that determine vegetation growth rates. However, traditional drilling and sampling methods during the course of quality evaluation of land consolidation work cannot obtain continuous, accurate, and complete evaluation results. Therefore, a fast and accurate method is required to determine these parameters for land consolidation work in such areas. In this study, using Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) technology for the evaluation of the quality of land consolidation engineering and the Autoregressive–Moving-Average (ARMA) power spectrum estimation for the data analysis, the characteristics of the distribution of sandy loam with varying values of compactness and differing moisture contents have been researched and analyzed. According to the variational power distribution of ARMA spectrum frequency domain caused by different moisture contents and compactness values, the best-fitting spectrum distribution characteristics have been established for these two indices, and two relation models have been built respectively. By comparison with moisture content data and compactness values collected by sampling and drying method or other equipment, it is demonstrated that the estimation method using the GPR ARMA power spectrum is effective and efficient in sandy loam's detection, and it is of considerable importance in the inspection of land consolidation engineering quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of experiments was conducted on two cultivars of sunflower -- Helianthus annuus L., viz. FH- 415 and Hysun-33 -- to evaluate the effects of various levels and methods of application of two inorganic arsenicals -- viz. sodium arsenate (Na2HAsO4⋅7H2O) -- as a source of As5+ and sodium arsenite (NaAsO2) as a source of As3+ on germination, seedling growth, vegetative growth, and water relation parameters. It was laid out in a completely randomized design with three factors. Notable reductions in GP, SL, and SVI levels with prolonged MGT were recorded under elevated arsenic levels (> 6 mg As/L), whereas the low level of arsenic (2, 4 mg As/L) caused increased SVI. During pot experiment, arsenicals were used in three different ways to evaluate their effects on shoot and root lengths, relative water contents of leaf, succulence, and leaf area at the pre-anthesis stage. Higher levels (80 and 100 mg As/kg) of both salts showed notable stressful impacts as compared to low arsenic concentrations (20 and 40 mg As/kg) in all morpho-physiological parameters recorded. Better shoot and root lengths, water content, number of leaves, and leaf area in the case of FH-415 proved to be a well developed adaptation of this cultivar in an arsenic-contaminated environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of different compositional biomass is introduced to enhance the binding properties and utilize the use of different seasonal biomasses. The effect of densification on the heating values of single pure and mixed compositional biomasses is observed with and without applying special type of pretreatment named as 'Torrefaction'. The moisture contents and bulk densities were also calculated for these briquettes. The effects of average moisture contents and bulk density (which show the swelling nature) on the heating values are also observed. The experiments have been performed on the pelletizer equipment to form briquetted biomass and bomb calorimeter was used to determine the calorific values of different briquettes. Finally, the percentage decrease in the average moisture contents of different categories of torrefied briquettes from non-torrefied briquettes were also calculated and compared. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biomass storage is essential for effective utilization of lignocellulosic biomass. Although long-term storage of biomass is as important as the conversion process, no effective method has been developed. This study investigated the effects of low-moisture anhydrous ammonia (LMAA) pretreatment on biomass quality for long-term storage with moisture content from 30 to 70 %. Carbohydrate loss due to fungal growth was observed in the moisturized corn stover without ammonia loading, after 12 weeks of storage. This also resulted in reduced enzymatic digestibility. Both ammoniation and LMAA pretreatment reduced the decomposition of carbohydrates by fungal growth, during storage in the presence of moisture. LMAA pretreatment rendered 83 % of glucan and 67 % of xylan digestibility after 24 weeks of storage. Ammoniated corn stover also resulted in 63 % of glucan and 48 % of xylan digestibility at 0 week of storage, and hydrolysis yields increased to 78 % for glucan and 64 % for xylan, without pretreatment, after 12 weeks of storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nondestructive Wenner four-probe resistivity measurement is often used to evaluate the durability of concrete onsite owing to its merits of easy operation and instant results. However, the factors influencing the measurements are not clear. In this study, the influencing factors, including the specimen shape, size, measuring probe spacings, cover thickness, and moisture contents, are thus discussed. Results showed that a correction coefficient K , associated with the ratios of specimen length and diameter to the probe spacing should be applied to the resistivity measurements of the cylindrical specimens. Among all the factors, the moisture content had the highest impact on the measurement. When the specimen was oven-dried or air-dried at 40% RH, the measurements were unstable. On the other hand, the resistivities of the specimens at saturated surface dry (SSD) or wet were about the same. However, when the specimens were air-dried at 80% RH, the resistivities were increased by 6.9–8 times. In contrast, no correction was required for the resistivity measurements of the prismatic specimens as long as the applied currents did not pass through the reinforcements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article investigates the oviposition responses of Helicoverpa armigera in different genotypes of cotton in relation to plant characters, such as trichome density, trichome length and gossypol glands, during 2003 and 2004. Maximum number of eggs from upper portion of ten plants was noted from FS-628, while the minimum number was 8.46. All the characters were said to be negatively correlated with the oviposition, except trichome length on leaf lamina. Trichome density on leaf lamina, thickness of leaf lamina and gossypol glands on leaf lamina allegedly had significant but negative correlation.

Soil slaking is an environment-friendly technique that is gaining importance in restoring saline soils. The objective of this article is to evaluate the effect of initial water content (IWC) on saturated hydraulic conductivity ( K) in desalinization with slaking and drying. Accordingly, a slaking test was carried out during February, 2009 for evaluating the effects of slaking and drying on K, sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) and exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP) under various IWC. We prepared natural and air-dried soils of paddy field in Kojima Bay Polder, Japan to give different pre-drying, air-dried, and not dried (natural). The air-dried soils were resaturated. Each soil was well mixed, then dried to different initial moisture contents (60, 50, 40, 30, 20, and 10% by weight). The specimens were immersed into water in the pot for 24 h. The K was measured, and cations in slaked and unslaked soils were analyzed. The K was high under the water content below 30% in both the natural and the air-dried soils. But the effects were more pronounced in the natural soil. The air-dried soil showed far smaller K than the natural soil. In outer solution, the highest SAR was noted at 30% in the natural and 30 and 20% in the air-dried soils. Significant decrease in ESP of the soils (slaked + unslaked) was also observed at the same water content. Lower water content was more effective in decreasing the soil ESP after desalinization from saline soil. The natural soil showed lower ESP and higher porosity, which was considered as a reason for higher K of natural soil than that of air-dried soils. The results indicated that lower water content (10-30%) had no hazardous effect on K by slaking and drying of soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

dynamic model describing the principles of a steam supply system for a paper drying cylinder used in paper production plants was developed based on the mass and heat balances around the cylinder. The balance equations consist of sets of differential equations describing heat and mass transfer around the canvas, the web and the drying cylinder. The effects of the steam valve adjustment on steam pressure, temperature and moisture content were investigated based on the model developed. It was found that application of simple model predictive control to the operation of steam supply system is enough to achieve satisfactory drying performance in a single paper drying cylinder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]