New Insights into the Application of Biocompatible (Un)Modified TiO and TiO-ZrO Oxide Fillers in Light-Curing Materials.

A novel UV-light-curable poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate matrix composite material with unmodified and methacryloxyl-grafted TiO and TiO-ZrO systems was developed and tested as a potential coating material for medical components. The main goal of the research was to evaluate how the addition of (un)modified inorganic oxide fillers affects the properties of the composition (viscosity, UV/Vis spectra), the kinetics of photocuring (photo-DSC), and the morphological (SEM), physicochemical, and thermal properties (DSC, TGA) of the resulting composites. The applied filler functionalization process decreased their polarity and changed their size, BET surface area, and pore volume, which influenced the viscosity and kinetics of the photocurable system.

The use of image analysis to study the effect of moisture content on the physical properties of grains.

Designing machines and equipment for post-harvest operations of agricultural products requires information about their physical properties. The aim of the work was to evaluate the possibility of introducing a new approach to predict the moisture content in bean and corn seeds based on measuring their dimensions using image analysis using artificial neural networks (ANN). Experimental tests were carried out at three levels of wet basis moisture content of seeds: 9, 13 and 17%.

Observation of the Effect of Aging on the Structural Changes of Polyurethane/Polyurea Coatings.

In this study, polyurethane/polyurea coatings were exposed to four different types of aging: aging in the natural environment (NC), accelerated ultraviolet aging (UV), aging in a sodium chloride solution (NaCl), and thermal aging (TC). To monitor the changes that occurred during these processes, the thickness was measured and microscopic and macroscopic observations were conducted continuously. The samples aged under various conditions were then subjected to spectroscopic (FTIR) and thermal (TGA) analysis to determine the possible structural changes in the coatings.

Effect of using deflector in the distributor head of a pneumatic seed drill on the oat seed sowing unevenness.

This paper presents an innovative solution for a distributor head equipped with a deflector (controlled plate)-intended to change the tilt angle (realignment) of the pneumatic seed drill distributor head cover. We compared two qualitative parameters of seed sowing, coefficient of variation and coefficient of lateral unevenness of seed sowing (δ). Values were obtained on the test stand with an innovative deflector built into the distributor head at three angles of inclination (0°, 5° and 10°).

The Use of Image Analysis to Detect Seed Contamination-A Case Study of Triticale.

Samples of triticale seeds of various qualities were assessed in the study. The seeds were obtained during experiments, reflecting the actual sowing conditions. The experiments were conducted on an original test facility designed by the authors of this study.

The Effect of the Distribution Head Tilt and Diffuser Variants on the Evenness of Sowing Rye and Oat Seeds with a Pneumatic Seed Drill.

Due to the sustainable development of agriculture machines with large working widths of 4-6 m or even 9-12 m are increasingly often used for agrotechnical operations. The sowing machinery whose working widths are much bigger than the width of the seed box is equipped with a pneumatic system for transporting seeds from the seed box to coulters. One of the structural elements that affect the sowing accuracy in such seed drills is the distribution head with a diffuser.

Classification of Dried Strawberry by the Analysis of the Acoustic Sound with Artificial Neural Networks.

In this paper, the authors used an acoustic wave acting as a disturbance (acoustic vibration), which travelled in all directions on the whole surface of a dried strawberry fruit in its specified area. The area of space in which the acoustic wave occurs is defined as the acoustic field. When the vibrating surface-for example, the surface of the belt-becomes the source, then one can observe the travelling of surface waves.

Neural Image Analysis and Electron Microscopy to Detect and Describe Selected Quality Factors of Fruit and Vegetable Spray-Dried Powders-Case Study: Chokeberry Powder.

The study concentrates on researching possibilities of using computer image analysis and neural modeling in order to assess selected quality discriminants of spray-dried chokeberry powder. The aim of the paper is the quality identification of chokeberry powders on account of their highest dying power, the highest bioactivity, as well as technologically satisfying looseness of the powder. The article presents neural models with vision techniques backed up by devices such as digital cameras, as well as an electron microscope.