Nitrogen (N) fertilizer rate is important for high yield and good quality of potato tubers. In this dissertation, I seek to study the response of different potato cultivars under different N fertilizer rates and how that can impact tuber quality, examine the performance of active optical sensors in improving a potato yield prediction algorithm, and evaluate the ability of active optical sensors (GreenSeeker (GS) and Crop Circle (CC)) to optimize a N recommendation algorithm that can be used by potato growers in Maine. This research was conducted at 11 sites over a period of two years (2018–2019) in Aroostook County, Maine; all sites depended on a rainfed system. Three potato cultivars, Russet Burbank, Superior, and Shepody, were planted under six rates of N (0-280 kg ha-1), ammonium sulfate and ammonium nitrate, and were applied in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with four replications. Active optical sensor readings (normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI)) were collected weekly after the fourth leaf stage began. The coefficient of determination (R2) between soil organic matter (OM) content and total tuber yield for all sites combined was 0.78**. Sites with ≥ 30 g kg-1 of soil OM produced higher total tuber yield, marketable yield, and tuber weight per plant (39.45%, 45.22%, and 54.94%, respectively) than sites with ≤ 30 g kg-1 of OM. Specific gravity increased by 0.18% in the sites with ≥ 30 g kg-1 of OM. The total tuber yield for the three cultivars was maximized at 168 kg N ha-1. Vegetation indices measurements obtained at stages of 16 or 20 fully expanded leaves were significantly correlated with tuber yield, which can be used in the yield prediction model. Sensor measurements obtained at the 20th leaf stage were significantly correlated with tuber yield, with the exponential model showing the best fit for the regression curve. The recommended N rate calculated based on in-season sensor readings was reduced by approximately 12–14% compared to the total N rate that growers currently apply based on the conventional approach.
Wireless Multimedia Sensor Networks (WMSNs) are a type of sensor network that contains sensor nodes equipped with cameras, microphones; therefore the WMSNS are able to produce multimedia data such as video and audio streams, still images, and scalar data from the surrounding environment. Most multimedia applications typically produce huge volumes of data, this leads to congestion. To address this challenge, This paper proposes Modify Spike Neural Network control for Traffic Load Parameter with Exponential Weight of Priority Based Rate Control algorithm (MSNTLP with EWBPRC). The Modify Spike Neural Network controller (MSNC) can calculate the appropriate traffi
... Show MoreIntroduction Periodontal diseases are ranked among the most common health problems affecting mankind. These conditions are initiated by bacterial biofilm, which is further modulated by several risk factors. Objectives To investigate the association of different risk factors with periodontal...
The research aim at identifying the time of motor response to auditory and visual stimuli as well as identifying the accuracy of blocking and finding the relationship between motor repose time and blocking accuracy. The community was (7) primer soccer league of 2019 – 2020 and the subjects were (24) volleyball players from Al Jaish and Al Shorta clubs ten players from Al Shorta club performed the pilot study. The researchers used the descriptive method and the data was collected and treated using SPSS. The results showed a significant relationship between response time and blocking accuracy. The researchers recommended concentrating on applying scientific principles for developing time of motor response in a manner suitable for bl
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Background: In advanced diabetes mellitus, serum levels of the most hormones are altered due to several interplaying mechanisms. Objective: To assess the relation of serum leptin and lipid profile in type 2 diabetic nephropathy. Patients and Method: Serum leptin levels and its relation to lipid profile were estimated in 62 patients with type 2 diabetic nephropathy attending the National Diabetes Center in Al- Mustansiriya University, and (26) healthy individuals considered as control group. The diabetic patients were classified into three groups, (24) pathients with normoalbuminuria (21) patients with microalbuminuria and (17) patients with macroalbuminuria. Fasting plasma glucose, serum creatinine, Hb A1c %, lipid profile (Total c
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The current study was carried out to investigate the correlation of gene expressions of ADA1 and ADA2 genes with the development of autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD) in a sample of Iraqi females. One hundred patients with AITD and 80 controls were included. Quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (qRT–PCR) was utilized for investigation of ADA1 and ADA2 gene expression among patients and controls. The correlation of age and body mass index (BMI) with AITD occurrence comparing with controls was studied. Based on the results of this study, there is high expression level of ADA1 and ADA2 genes in patients compared with healthy controls; also, the gene expression fold (2-ΔΔCT) of ADA1 and ADA2 among AITD patients was recorded and a
... Show MoreNanostructured Al2O3has been applied as a protective coating against corrosion of the carbon steel (C.S) in seawater environment (3.5% NaCl) at temperatures range (298-328)K. Aluminananoparticles were deposited on carbon steel substrates by cathodic electrophoretic deposition (EPD) with ethanol as suspension medium and poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) as polymeric charging agent. Meanwhile, thesurface morphology was examined using Atomic-force microscopy (AFM). The cross-section AFM showed that the particles sizes for the Al2O3 NPs is around 60-80 nm. The anticorrosion behaviour of coated C.S was investigated in 3.5% NaCl at temperature range 298-328 K by potentiodynamic polarization measurements. Results show that using PAA in suspension coat incr
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This study was attempted to determine optimum conditions, for Glutathione s-Transferase enzyme, in sera of three groups diabetic patients type1 depending on duration of disease without complications compared with control group. The aim of this study was to find optimum conditions were determined such as (pH, Substrate Concentration, Temperature, Incubation time, Enzyme concentration, and effect of(0.15M)(0.25M) of mono divalent compounds). And to find the kinetics parameters in the three groups of diabetic patients when compared with control. It was found optimum pH(8.5,4.5,2.5,6.5).Temperatures(20cº,40cº,50cº,30cº). Incubation times (7min, 4min, 4min, 5min) substrate concentrations (12µl, 10µl, 5µl, 10µl) enzyme concentra
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Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease associated with decreased antioxidant state .This study aim to investigate the status of oxidant/antioxidant in a sample of Iraqi patients with RA and the role of peroxynitrite and its natural scavenger uric acid in them .This case-controlled study was conducted at Baghdad teaching hospital /Baghdad from December 2010-May 2011 . Twenty-five patients with mean age 39 years and 25 apparently healthy subject as controls with mean age 29 years were included in the study .Investigations include estimation of serum levels of nitric oxide (NO) ,peroxynitrite (PN) , malondialdehyde (MDA) , and uric acid (UA) .Serum PN levels were significantly elevated in RA patients a
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