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Terminal Control Method Of Parallel Food Sorting Robot With Multi-Algorithm Fusion, He Qing, Wu Tianfeng, Zhao Yini

Food and Machinery

[Objective] To address the problems of low trajectory tracking accuracy, delayed dynamic response, poor adaptability to external disturbances, and difficulty in meeting the requirements of high-speed and high-precision food sorting in the existing end-effector control of parallel food sorting robots. [Methods] A food sorting system based on a DELTA parallel robot was developed, and an end-effector control strategy integrating an improved whale optimization algorithm, adaptive fuzzy control, and nonsingular fast terminal sliding mode control was designed. Adaptive fuzzy control was used to adjust the output gain in real time to enhance controller tracking accuracy. The improved whale optimization algorithm was …

Effect Of Double-Bin Plansifter Motion Parameters On Sieving Efficiency, Li Shuang, Wang Fengcheng, Deng Xiangzhi, Li Xinze, Zhang Baowei, Fu Yunfeng, Xue Chunzhi

Food and Machinery

[Objective] The aim is to explore the effect of double-bin plansifter motion parameters on the material sieving efficiency of different systems after wheat milling. [Methods] The milled materials produced by the break system, tailing roll, and scratch system, obtained from a typical milling production line, were selected as raw materials. The double-bin plansifter was used to sieve different materials to investigate the variations in residence time inside the sieve body and in sieving performance under different motion parameters of milled materials in each system. The motion parameters with the optimal sieving performance for the milled materials from each system were …

Effect Of Modified Hemoglobin As A Substitute For Sodium Nitrite On The Quality Of Ham Sausage, Qu Shulei, Ma Chao, Yao Xianqi, Du Dongxu, Wang Wei, Liu Yunguo

Food and Machinery

[Objective] To improve the utilization rate of porcine blood and the safety of ham sausage. [Methods] Under specific conditions, hemoglobin in porcine blood is modified to produce glycosylated nitrosohemoglobin (GN-Hb). Different amounts of GN-Hb are added to replace sodium nitrite in heat-treated ham sausages. The quality characteristics of the sausages are evaluated through texture analysis, nutritional testing, color difference assessment, color acceptability, elasticity, chewiness, and overall acceptability. [Results] When the sodium nitrite dosage is 100 mg/kg and the GN-Hb dosage is 2.5 g/kg, high-temperature sterilized ham sausage containing the new pigment shows significant improvement in color and cohesion compared with …

Optimization Of Probiotic Fermentation Process And Effects Of Drying Methods On The Quality Of Sea Buckthorn Leaves, Dong Xiaoyue, Yun Xueyan, Zhang Lu, Dong Tongliga, Zhao Chenxi, Te Jinwei, Wang Xiukuan, Hao Qian, Miao Meishu, Su Ke

Food and Machinery

[Objective] To investigate the effects of probiotic fermentation conditions and drying methods on the quality of fermented sea buckthorn leaf products. [Methods] Lactiplantibacillus plantarum is used for fermentation. The fermentation process of sea buckthorn leaves is optimized through single-factor experiments combined with response surface methodology. Fermented sea buckthorn leaf extract is prepared under the optimal fermentation conditions and subsequently processed into freeze-dried powder by direct freeze-drying and spray freeze-drying, with or without low-voltage electrostatic field assistance. The effects of different treatments on viable cell counts, flavonoid and polyphenol retention rates, water activity, and in vitro digestion characteristics are evaluated. [Results] …

Research Progress On Tubular Chain Conveyors And Their Applications In The Grain, Oil And Food Industry, Wu Weiwei, Xia Chaoyong, Sui Sai

Food and Machinery

Tubular chain conveyors have become core equipment in modern bulk material handling by virtue of their significant advantages, including highly efficient conveying, fully enclosed operation, and three-dimensional flexible spatial layout. This paper systematically reviews the current status and progress of research on tubular chain conveyors both domestically and internationally, and provides an in-depth analysis of their technological evolution, core theoretical framework, and industrial adaptability. Emphasis is placed on reviewing their engineering applications in the grain, oil, and food industry. In view of the remaining deficiencies in current research concerning adaptability to extreme operating conditions, multi-physics coupling mechanism modeling, large-scale implementation …

Using “You” As A Subject In Biology Assessment Questions: Examining Student Preferences For Second-Person Framing, Noelle Clark, Kate Hill, Jeremy L. Hsu

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

In college biology courses, exams and quizzes are often used to assess students’ knowledge and performance. Since assessments are a crucial part of biology classes, there has been a wide range of work examining how assessment questions are written, revealing that small changes in how such questions are worded may have large impacts on students’ reading comprehension and performance. One aspect that instructors consider when writing a question is subject framing, i.e., which individual, if any, is being placed as the focal point of the question. In this study, we focus on the following subject framings, an authentic scientist, a …

Effect Of Extraction Methods On Emulsifying Properties Of Corn Fiber Gum, Wu Chenglong, Ren Ying, Li Xingguo, Tang Leiming, Sun Xiaohong

Food and Machinery

[Objective] To investigate the influence of three extraction methods (alkaline, enzymatic, and acidic) on the emulsification characteristics of corn fiber gum (CFG). [Methods] Corn bran was used as the raw material, and CFG was extracted using sodium hydroxide, xylanase, and formic–acetic acid–water solutions. The changes in particle size, zeta potential, rheological properties, creaming index, appearance, and microstructure of CFG emulsions were measured. [Results] All three CFG emulsions exhibited shear-thinning behavior, with viscosities decreasing as the shear rate increased. The enzymatically extracted CFG emulsion had the highest viscosity, best gel properties, smallest particle size [(751.6 ± 22.5) nm], highest absolute zeta …

Impact Of Social Media-Driven Feeding Practices On The Gut Microbiome Of Captive Asian Elephants (Elephas Maximus) In Surin, Thailand, Pongpreecha Malaluang, Nuttapon Bangkaew, Jaruwan Chaiyakhot, Patinya Patikae, Nattaya Watwiengkam, Phimphanit Choklikitumnuey, Thanaphat Phupanna, Sudachanok Phowiset, Prim Chuesaard, Tarid Purisotayo

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

This study investigated the effects of social media-driven live-streaming dietary supplementation on the gastrointestinal microbial community of captive Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) at the Elephant Kingdom, Surin Province, Thailand. A hierarchical two-tier observational design was used: Tier 1 compared a minimal-supplementation control group (Group H, n = 6) with a frequent heterogeneous-supplementation group (Group L, n = 18); Tier 2 compared, within Group L, low-frequency (Group A, ≤ 3 sessions per week, n = 7) and high-frequency (Group B, > 3 sessions per week, n = 11) live-streaming sub-groups. Faecal microbial profiles were obtained by 16S rRNA gene (V3–V4) …

Design, Fabrication, And Performance Evaluation Of A Recycling Machine For Converting Biodegradable Waste Into Compost, Mohamed T. Eraky, M.M Radwan, Abdelkhalik Eladl

Mansoura Engineering Journal

This study evaluates the technical feasibility of composting shredded printed paper blended with organic waste using a manually operated aerobic composting system. The investigation focused on process performance under controlled initial conditions, particularly an optimized carbon-to-nitrogen (C:N) ratio of 30:1. Three composting piles were constructed with systematic variations in moisture content, aeration frequency, and additive composition (poultry manure, yeast, crushed eggshells, and cardboard) to assess their influence on thermal behavior and decomposition efficiency. Process performance was monitored through continuous temperature profiling and periodic observation of physical parameters, including color development and material degradation rate. Among the experimental setups, Pile 3 …

Signal And Substance: Why Methodological Sophistication Fails To Guarantee Inference, Aamir Rashid, Rizwana Rasheed

Publications and Research

Despite increasing analytical sophistication, empirical research in organization studies continues to suffer from fragile inference, uneven theoretical accumulation, and contested credibility. This paper seeks to explain why these problems persist by shifting attention from authors’ methodological choices to the evaluative dynamics of peer review. Adopting a conceptual and theory-analytic approach, the paper theorizes peer review as an inferential gatekeeping system. Drawing on research design, theory evaluation, and philosophy-of-science literatures, this study develops an analytical framework to examine how evaluative routines shape what constitutes empirical rigor during the review process. The analysis identifies five recurring reviewer blind spots: inferential scope inflation, …

Effectiveness Of Organic Amendments In Enriching Nitrogen In Compost Produced From Organic Fractions Of Market Waste Generated In Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, Amani Bilula, Ally Mahadhy, Anthony Manoni Mshandete, Amelia Kivaisi

Tanzania Journal of Science

Low nitrogen (N) content remains a key limitation of compost derived from urban organic waste. This study evaluated the effectiveness of selected plant-based organic amendments in enhancing nitrogen content and improving compost quality. Four plant- based organic amendments, Leucaena leucocephala (BN01), Commelina benghalensis (BN02), Morus alba (BN03), and Helianthus annuus (sunflower) cake (BN04), were incorporated into market waste compost at ratios of 1:0.06:0.04, 1:0.06:0.25, and 1:0.06:0.5 (organic waste: sawdust: amendment). Composting was conducted using a 4 × 3 factorial design with three replicates per treatment (n = 36). Temperature, moisture, and pH were monitored throughout the composting period. Total nitrogen, …

Tips For Growing Garden Vegetables In Utah: Soil Preparation, Gastone Makalaya, Josh Martin, Milena Oliveira

All Current Publications

To help Utah gardeners maintain healthy soils and enhance early vegetable production, this fact sheet provides practical guidance and tips on soil preparation for vegetable gardening.

Decoding The Allosteric Grammar Of Protein Kinases: A Dual-Stream Framework Integrating Protein Language Models And Energy Landscape Frustration Analysis, Will Gatlin, Max Ludwick, Lucas Turano, Brandon Foley, Kamila Riedlova, Vít Škrhák, Marian Novotný, David Hoksza, Gennady M. Verkhivker

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

The spatial and energetic encoding of allosteric regulatory sites remains a major challenge in structural biology, frequently representing a “blind spot” for sequence-based artificial intelligence (AI) models. We present a protein language model (PLM)-guided approach complemented by the energy landscape frustration analysis as a dual-stream framework to investigate the relationship between AI prediction of binding sites and biophysical organization of regulatory pockets across the human kinome. By probing a fine-tuned residue-level PLM classifier across 453 kinase structures, a clear performance gap is discovered between highly predictable orthosteric pockets (Types I, I.5, and II) and poorly resolved distal allosteric sites (Type …

Experience Gained In Introducing Efficient Fodder Production In Iraq, Manfred Siebert

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Cultivation of fodder plants is one of the most important measures for increasing the agri­cultural production of Iraq. Lucerne, Egyptian clover, maize, sorghum, and barley prosper excellently on the irrigation lands. They pro­duce high fodder yields if the plants are grown on suitable soil, if there is enough irrigation water available, and if the cultivation measures are realized in best quality. Fodder production guarantees sufficient and safe supply of the increasing stocks of cattle and sheep with green fodder, hay, and silage throughout the year, and contributes to improving the fertility of the soils of Iraq which are extremely poor …

Trials On The Improvement Of Deteriorated Natural Pastures In The Sahel Of Upper Volta, Bernard Toutain

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Overstocking and the recent drought have led to a severe deterioration of some Sahelian rangelands of Upper Volta, leading to a more or less acute disappearance of grazable vege­tation. Partial protection improves pastures located on the more fertile soils. On the poorer soils, light techniques such as harrowing and superficial tillage of the soil were tried with success, but yield improvement remained slight.

Problems And Possibilities Of Continuous Forage Production In Arid Subtropical Regions, Horst Patzold

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The low animal performance and stocking rate in arid subtropical regions mainly depend on the discontinuity of forage production. In winter-raining steppes of North Africa, the cultivation or sod-seeding of adapted grasses, especially for forage production in the dry season. (summer), is recommended. For the dry savannas of West Africa with summer­raining, proposals are made for three different stages depending on the intensity of land use. They include a better use of grazing areas by transhumance, proposals for a ranching system, especially for meat production, and possibil­ities for milk production by stabling of cattle, including forage production under irrigation.

Ecqnomics Of Nitrogen Fertilization Of Native And Introduced Grasslands In The Intermountain Area Of The United States, John P. Workman

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

While numerous studies have shown that live­stock forage can be significantly increased by grassland fertilization, there is little mention in the literature of the economic considera­tions of this management practice. A Utah State University study was conducted to help alleviate this research deficiency. Forage pro­duction response of several Utah grassland sites to nitrogen fertilization was subjected to marginal economic analysis. When fertilized forage was harvested as hay, nitrogen appli­cation proved to be a profitable practice on semi-wet meadow and mountain loam sites. When valued as forage to be grazed directly by livestock, production increases due to fer­tilization were unprofitable. Significant …

Weed Control-Revegetation Systems, Raymond A. Evans, James A. Young

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Chemical weed control systems integrating 2,4-D [(2,4-dichlorophenoxy) acetic acid] or picloram ( 4-amino-3,5,6-trichloropicolinic acid) spraying for brush control and atrazine[2-chloro-4-( ethylamino-6-isopropylamino )-s-tria­zine] for Bromus tectorum L. control were investigated in a series of rangeland commu­nities. Applications of both weed control tech­nique greatly enhanced seedling growth and increased yield of perennial grasses seeded the year after the fallow. Available soil moisture during the growing period of the fallow and seedling years because of decreased weed com­petition was the major factor for the better stands of perennial grass from herbicidal weed control systems.

Some Effects Of Treading By Sheep On Pastures Of The Mediterranean Climatic Zone Of South Australia, Edwards D. Carter, Thambiappah Sivalingam

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

In a treading experiment on a red brown earth soil at the Waite Agricultural Research Insti­tute in South Australia, various combinations of treading intensity (0, 12.5, 25 and 50 sheep equivalents per hectare) and treading frequency (0, 7, 14 and 28 days) reduced the establish­ment and productivity of subterranean clover, annual ryegrass and a mixture of these two species. With increasing intensity of treading, soil bulk density increased under the clover swards but not under the grass and mixture swards where apparently the ryegrass provided a cush­ioning effect between hoof and soil. Soil moisture percentage decreased with increasing intensity of …

Farmer Usage Of Annual Medics In A Ley Farming Area In South Australia, Murray V. Smith

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

A survey of farmers in a ley farming ( cereal­livestock) area of South Australia with natu­ralized annual medics (Medicago spp.) showed a great potential for improved usage of annual medics in their farming systems. Most effective medic users expected dominant medic pastures 6 or more years in 10, whereas less effective medic utilizers expected dominant medic pas­tures 5 or less years in 10. Nearly 50% of farm­ers had not sown any medic seed over the last 10 years. While most of these had less effective medic use there were several examples of more effective use with no or minimal medic …

Persistence Of Perennial Ryegrass Under Grazing In A Mediterranean-Type Environment Of South Australia, P R. Gibson

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Pastures were continuously grazed by sheep for four years at six stocking rates on the Kan­garoo Island Research Centre, South Australia. Changes in botanical composition in a reno­vated pasture sown to Lolium perenne cv. Vic­torian and subterranean clover (Trifolium sub­terraneum) cvv. Mt. Barker and Woogenellup, are discussed in relation to the replacement of the oestrogenically-potent subterranean clo­ver cv. Yarloop. There was a consistent within-year and be­tween-year decline in the perennial ryegrass component and this was associated with con­current invasion by vigorous, exotic, annual species mainly of Mediterranean origin. The lack of persistence of the perennial ryegrass indicates little …

Optimal Combinations Off Our Large Herbivores For Short Grass Prairie, George M. Van Dyne

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Diets of four large herbivores grazing together on a shortgrass prairie rangeland were studied. Cattle and bison consumed mainly grasses; sheep and antelope consumed mainly forbs. To maximize forage use, optimal grazing deter­mined by nonlinear programming would be 67, 20, 12, and I% of the forage grazed to be taken by cattle, bison, sheep, and antelope, respectively. Historically, this range has been grazed primarily by cattle. This study suggests more animal production could be attained with a mixture of herbivore species.

Improving Production From Arid Rangelands Of The South-Western United States, Carlton H. Herbel, Robert P. Gibbens, John M. Tromble

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Three methods of several possibilities are dis­cussed for improving production from arid rangelands. Sandy lands infested with mes­quite can be improved by aerially spraying with 2,4,5-T. Natural recovery of perennial grasses,_ primarily mesa dropseed, following spraying resulted in 204 kg/ha herbage compared to 33 kg/ha on the adjacent unsprayed area. An area infested with creosotebush was root-plowed and seeded. Herbage production in 1975 was 1,631 kg/ha, primarily Lehmann and Boer lovegrass. Cattle production was increased by cross­breeding Herefords with either Brangus or Santa Gertrudis. The weaning weights of Santa Gertrudis calves were heavier than calves from the other two breeds, …

Management Of Ephemeral Ranges In The Western United States, Kay W. Wilkes

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

In using ephemeral range procedures, several aspects have come into focus:

(1) We have found that completion of our intricate multiple-use planning procedures gives us a much clearer picture of the many desert resource values and conflicts and the effects of "just letting the livestock go when the feed comes."

(2) There are a number of problems in taking sound ecological data and attempting to fit it in with other management needs in an allotment management plan, for example, off-road vehicle use on the desert, wild burros, and desert wildlife.

(3) We lack adequate information on the ephemeral and ephemeral-perennial …

Aid To Rangeland Management. Mechanical Type Conversion Of Woodland Areas, William Gordon Leavell

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Efficient land utilization is essential to meet the growing requirements of an expanding population. The large low-producing pinyon­juniper woodland of the United States offers potential for increased production to meet additional livestock, wildlife, and watershed needs. Through a multiple-use planning pro­cess which determines areas suitable for in­creasing production by mechanical conversion of vegetative types and an environmental anal­ysis procedure which determines the benefits and adverse impacts of such actions, decisions can be made to undertake treatment in an environmentally acceptable manner. The Bureau of Land Management has me­chanically converted over 200,000 hectares of pinyon-juniper to a more diversified and pro­ductive …

Grassland Site Types Of The North Mongolian Forest Steppe Zone And Possibilities Of Intensification, K Kloss, M Succow

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Five grassland site types are distinguished: Chestnut soils are covered with natural forb or grass steppes producing 0.1 to 1.0 t DM/ha at less than 300 mm annual precipitation. They should be exclusively used for winter grazing. At higher precipitations, these soils will tum into permafrost soils. They bear mountain herbage vegetation as forest substitute asso­ciations. Productivity amounts to 4 t/ha. Mow­ing and/or grazing are possible. Fertilization seems to be profitable. Between grass steppes and mountain herbage lands we find extended meadow steppes located on shallow chemo­zems. Old, intensively grazed pastures in the lowlands have become depleted in nutrients. Nitrogen …

A Study Of The Improvement Of Dry-Land Ranges Developed Under The Ecological Conditions Of Erzurum (Eastern Anatolia), F Tosun, I Manga, M Altin, Y Serin

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The study described in the paper was con­ducted to determine a suitable range improve­ment method under dry conditions in Erzurum, Turkey. Four treatments, i.e. control, broad­casting, and two artificial pasture establish­ments, were applied in the experiment, and the following results were obtained:

(a) Absence of good seedbeed preparation, and the occurrence of heavy competition from the native vegetation resulted in the failure of broadcasting. The additional profit for this treatment over control was negative.

(b) Artificial pasture establishment was the most successful method due to good seed­bed preparation and elimination of the competition coming from the native vege­tation.

(c) About …

Establishment And Permanent Use Of Cultivated Pastures In The Foothill Regions Of Turkmenia, S Ya Prikhodko, N D. Prikhodko

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The results of long-term experiments are re­ported. The following promising plant species were chosen for pasture establishment: Hal­oxylon persicum, H. aphyllum, Salsala paletz­kiana, S. richteri, Aellenia subaphylla, Artemisia badhysi, Kochia prostrata. These species of different forms of life were sown in mixture. Under conditions of cultivation, a great part of the plant species reached the generative stage in the 1st or 2nd years of life. At the age of 3 to 5 years, the shrubs reached a height of 160 to 400 cm, the semi-shrubs a height of 45 to 75 cm. The forage yield was 1.5 to 4.5 t/ha, …

Improvement Of Solonetz Soils In Kazakhstan For The Cultivation Of Grassland Plants, K A. Baitkanov

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Extensive areas of Kazakhstan require various improvement measures aiming at the develop­ment of solonetz soils for the cultivation of grassland plants. Forage and meadow plants such as barley (Hordeum), melilot (Melilotus), mixtures containing melilot and wheat grass (Agropyron), as well as mixtures mainly com­posed of grasses, i.e. wheat grass and smooth brome grass (Bromus inermis), proved highly salt-tolerant. Representatives of pasture plants such as Russian wild rye (Elymus) and grass mixtures ensure satisfactory yields on all kinds of solonetz soils having different degrees of salinity and alkalinity.

The Introduction Of New Forage Crops In The Arid Zone Of Central Asia, Zebri Shamsutdinov

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The low productivity of natural grassland in the desert and semi-desert regions of Central Asia, and their strong annual and seasonal fluctuations urgently need improvement. The solution of this problem implies the intro­duction of shrubs and semi-shrubs for feeding purposes in arid regions of the Soviet Union. More than 300 species from the wild-growing flora have been tested to this effect. From these, some 10-15 species appeared to be promising for cultivation. On account of their biological, ecological, and physiological prop­erties, a special technique was developed for cultivating these species in the arid zone of Central Asia. By the establishment …