Determination of Number of Cane Hauling Units Based on Grade Ability Index at New Halfa Sugar Factory, Sudan

The main objective of this study was to find the adequate number of cane haulage (transport) units, as a function of grade ability (ability to go up slope). The study was conducted at New Halfa Sugar Factory, with a cane crushing rate of 5000 tons/day. A 150 hp tractor was used on 1 km hauling route as the most critical grade from the second main center up to the unloading platform. The route was divided into four sections with different grades. The grade of each section was measured with surveying equipment. The road combined resistance, that has to be overcome by the hauling unit, is the sum of the route grade and the coefficient of rolling resistance. As per literature, the coefficient of rolling resistance is assumed to be 0.02 for all sections. The tractor was run on different gear meshes to determine its grade ability at different speeds. The total operation time, function of gear mesh and road combined resistance were determined and used to calculate hauling unit production rate. The factory crushing rate was divided by the hauling unit production rate to get the number of hauling units. Two replicates (route conditions) were used; namely, treated (stabilized) and non-treated. As a result, the required number of hauling units was 5 and 6 for treated and non-treated routes, respectively. Out of 36 gears in the tractor gear box, the number of gears actually used was 2 and 3 for treated and non - treated routes, respectively. This makes the use of tractor with standard gear box in cane hauling questionable; a simple gear box with three or four gear may suffice. The study recommends that similar studies should be conducted at other sugarcane factories, with different route conditions and crushing rates; and that the grade ability index be included in tractor test code

Regeneration of Heglig [Balanites aegyptiaca (Del)] west of the Blue Nile river within the short grass Savanna zone in the Sudan

Balanites aegyptiaca is a promising widely distributed tree of high value in terms of economic, social, and environmental issues, but it is neglected and not given full attention concerning its conservation. The objective of this study was to assess the regeneration of B. aegyptiaca west of the Blue Nile river within Acacia-Balanites vegetation zone in Sudan. A field experiment was carried out during the rainy season in 2015 in Nawara natural forest on its germination where viable fruits with intact or removed pericarp and mesocarp were buried at 0-cm and 5-cm depth in plots each surrounded by a metallic ring. Germinated fruits were counted weekly. An experiment on the effect of salinity on germination was performed, using both NaCl and CaCl to fix different levels of salinity in the clay soil. Number of germinated fruits was recorded weekly. Survey of the regeneration in the field was carried out in spot samples laid immediately after the rainy season at distinguished locations; abandoned agricultural farms, vicinity of the villages, crusted sites (Karab), valley meander and valley banks. In each location, three spot samples, 50 m in diameter each, were demarcated. All the B. aegyptiaca plants within the samples were calculated and their shoot height and diameter at ground level were measured. The soil moisture content in the five sites was measured in April, the driest month. The results revealed that fruits of B. aegyptiaca sown after the removal of both the pericarp and mesocarp or left them intact germinated readily when placed on the soil surface (91%) or buried to 5-cm depth (88%). Salinity significantly decreased the germination as it dropped from 83% on average at EC 0.8dSm-1 (control) to 36% at EC12 dSm-1. B. aegyptiaca regenerated continuously on all the sites except on the valley bank and meander, where newly recruited natural regeneration was lacking. The study recommended more concern and attention to conserve B. aegyptiaca through improving management and extension programs and reserving lands as forests where the tree exists.   تعتبر شجرة الهجليج [Balanites aegyptiaca (Del.)] ذات أهمية وقيمة اجتماعية واقتصادية وبيئية، وهي واسعة الانتشار، بيد أنها لم تجد الاهتمام والرعاية اللازمين مما يهدد وجودها وانتشارها. لذلك هدف هذا البحث إلى دراسة التجدد الطبيعي للشجرة غرب النيل الأزرق في الأراضي الجافة بالسودان، فيما يعرف بحزام الطلح والهجليج. لدراسة قدرة بذرة الهجليج على الإنبات نفذت تجربة في غابة نوارة الطبيعية في خريف العام 2015 وذلك بتقسيم ثمار الهجليج ، التي أنتجت في نفس العام ، إلى مجموعتين. تمت زراعة الثمار في المجموعة الأولى كما هي بدون إزالة القشرة الخارجية  واللب وفي الثانية أزيلت القشرة الخارجية واللب، وفي كلا المجموعتين كانت الزراعة على أعماق صفر و5 سم في مربعات أحيطت بحلقات حديدية بقطر 25 سم. تم حساب عدد الثمار التي نبتت بنهاية موسم الخريف. لمعرفة تأثير ملوحة التربة على إنبات ثمار الهجليج أستخدم نوعين من الأملاح هما كلوريد الصوديوم وكلوريد الكالسيوم للحصول على درجات ملوحة مختلفة في التربة الطينية. تم حساب عدد الثمار التي نبتت اسبوعيا لمدة خمسة أسابيع. تم تقويم التجدد الطبيعي لشجرة الهجليج في موقع البحث  في الأراضي الزراعية البور و الغابات الطبيعية المقطوعة و حمى القرى و الوديان وأراضي الكرب في عينات عشوائية قطر كلٍ منها 50 متراً. أحصيت في كل عينة نباتات الهجليج الموجودة مع قياس طول وقطر ساق لكل منها. حسبت نسبة رطوبة التربة في كل موقع في شهر أبريل من العام 2015. أثبتت النتائج أن القشرة الخارجية واللب وكذلك عمق التربة لا تؤثر على إنبات الثمار حيث أنبتت ثمار الهجليج مزالة القشرة الخارجية واللب  وتلك التي لم تزال منها القشرة الخارجية واللب مباشرة عند زراعتها عند عمق صفر(91%) أو 5 سم (88%). خلصت الدراسة كذلك إلى أن زيادة نسبة الملوحة في التربة تقلل من نسبة إنبات ثمار الهجليج في كلا النوعين من الأملاح المستخدمة، حيث تدنت نسبة الإنبات من 83% عند أدنى مستوى ملوحة 0.8 دسم-1 (الشاهد) إلى 36% عند أعلى مستوى ملوحة 12 دسم-1. أشارت النتائج أيضاٍ إلى أن الهجليج تجدد طبيعياً تجدداً متواتراً في كلا المواقع باستثناء مجاري وضفاف الوديان حيث كان التجدد غير متواتر. توصي الدراسة بضرورة إيلاء الاهتمام والرعاية اللازمين للمحافظة على الشجرة من خلال تحسين وتطوير نظم الإدارة وتكثيف برامج الإرشاد وغرسها كغابات محجوزة

Mitigating Routing Attacks in Mobile Ad Hoc Networks

Mobile Ad hoc Networks have been highly vulnerable to attacks due to the dynamic nature of its network infrastructure. Among these attacks, routing attacks have received considerable attention since it could cause the most devastating damage to MANET. In existing solutions typically attempt to isolate malicious nodes based on binary or naive fuzzy response decisions. However, binary responses may result in the unexpected network partition, causing additional damages to the network infrastructure. In this paper proposes a risk-aware response mechanism to systematically cope with the identified routing attacks. To avoid the routing attacks Dijkstra’s and Destination sequenced Distance Vector algorithm are used. Dijkstra\u27s algorithm solves the single-source shortest-path problem when all edges have non-negative weights. The primary improvement for ad hoc networks made in DSDV over conventional distance vector is the addition of a sequence number in each routing table entry. Index Terms - Intrusion response, risk aware, dempster- shafer theory, Dijkstra’s algorithm, Destination sequenced Distance Vector

Towards transparent machine learning models using feature sensitivity algorithm

Despite advances in health care, diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) remains a potentially serious risk for diabetes. Directing diabetes patients to the appropriate unit of care is very critical for both lives and healthcare resources. Missing data occurs in almost all machine learning models, especially in production. Missing data can reduce the predictive power and produce biased estimates of models. Estimating a missing value around a 50 percent probability may lead to a completely different decision. The objective of this paper was to introduce a feature sensitivity score using the proposed feature sensitivity algorithm. The data were electronic health records contained 644 records and 28 attributes. We designed a model using a random forest classifier that predicts the likelihood of a developing patient DKA at the time of admission. The model achieved an accuracy of 80 percent using five attributes; this new model has fewer features than any model mentioned in the literature review. Also, Feature sensitivity score (FSS) was introduced, which identifies within feature sensitivity; the proposed algorithm enables physicians to make transparent, and accurate decisions at the time of admission. This method can be applied to different diseases and datasets

Linkages between carbon sequestration, soil fertility and hydrology in dryland Acacia senegal plantations of varying age in Sudan

Drylands cover some 40% of the global land area and are extensively degraded, especially in Africa, as indicated by reduced soil organic matter (SOM) contents. The loss of SOM and associated ecosystem services (e.g. prevention of erosion, carbon sequestration, soil fertility and water retention), threaten the livelihood of local communities. Management practices that increase SOM contents, such as increasing tree cover, can be expected to increase soil fertility, infiltration and water retention. Plantations of Acacia senegal (L.) Willd. (now Senegalia senegal (L.) Britton.) of varying age (7 to 24 years) at two sites in Sudan were used to determine: (1) biomass carbon (C) and soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks and changes in the contribution of C3 (trees + herbs) plants to SOC; (2) SOC related changes in soil hydraulic properties, soil moisture (SM), and water balance of the plantations; and (3) soil nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P, total and available) and potassium (K, total and extractable) concentrations and N2 fixation. Adjacent grassland areas were used for comparison (control). Tree biomass C stocks were calculated using an allometric equation and C contents; ground vegetation C stocks by harvesting and C contents; and SOC stocks (0-50 cm) by determining C contents and bulk density. The contribution of C3 plants to SOC was estimated using a 13C mixing model, and soil and foliar δ15N values used to assess the importance of N2 fixation. Profiles of SM contents were measured using Time Domain Reflectometry (TDR). Daily water balances of the plantations and grasslands were computed using a simple water balance model and the SM measurements used for calibration purposes. Soil hydraulic parameter values were derived using pedotransfer functions based on measured soil texture and SOC contents. Soil contents of nutrients (N, total and available P, and total and extractable K) were determined from samples. Total biomass C stocks increased with plantation age. While most of this increase was due to the trees, the C stock of the ground vegetation also increased with plantation age and was greater in the oldest plantations than in the grasslands. This finding supports the hypothesis that trees facilitate the productivity of ground vegetation in semi-arid environments. Plantation SOC stocks (0-50 cm) also increased with plantation age and were greater than in the grasslands. The age-related increase in SOC stocks was derived not only from the acacia trees but also from the increase in ground vegetation biomass. Measured SM contents were higher in the grasslands than in the plantations, but increased with plantation age, reflecting the similar trend in SOC and related plant available water capacities. The modelling resulted in lower runoff from the plantations, increased infiltration, evapotranspiration, reduced drainage and lower SM, as shown by measurements. Greater SM contents in the grasslands were attributed to lower evapotranspiration and resulted in greater drainage fluxes compared to the plantations. The study highlighted the need for more empirical studies on the effect of tree density on water balance in semi-arid Africa. The concentrations of all studied nutrients were relatively low, but were correlated to SOC concentrations, highest in the topsoil (0–10 cm) and increased with plantation age – all indicating the importance of SOM to soil fertility. High acacia foliage δ15N values indicated that N2 fixation was not an important contributor to the soil N, although A. senegal is known to fix N2 in other sites, and therefore did not account for the accretion of soil N. Neither could reported N deposition loads account for the accretion of soil N. A possible explanation for the increasing soil N may be inputs of excreted N brought into the area by grazing and browsing animals. The research showed that A. senegal in the landscape not only increased C sequestration (increased biomass and soil C stocks), which would help in reducing global warming and mitigation of climate change, but also that the increases in SOM (SOC) contents associated with the trees increased SM and soil nutrient contents, thereby restoring the fertility of degraded land for the benefit of the local communities. Given the multiple benefits and ecosystem services gained by increasing SOC stocks, efforts to increase or at least maintain the cover of A. senegal in the Sahel should therefore be encouraged. This knowledge should be transferred to local communities in order to minimize further disturbance and encourage sustainable management of the landscape.Kuivat alueet kattavat 40% maapallon maapinta-alasta ja niiden maaperä on köyhtynyt, jos köyhtymisellä tarkoitetaan maaperän orgaanisen aineen osuuden vähenemistä, laajalti varsinkin Afrikassa. Orgaanisen aineen väheneminen ja siihen liittyvien ekosysteemipalvelujen (mm. eroosion esto, hiilen kertyminen, maan viljavuus ja veden pidätyskyky) heikkeneminen uhkaavat paikallisten ihmisten toimeentuloa. Sellaisen maankäytön, joka lisää maaperän orgaanista ainetta (esim. puiden lisääminen), voidaan olettaa parantavan maaperän viljavuutta sekä veden imeytymistä ja pidätystä maahan. Eri-ikäisiä (7-24 vuotiaita) Acacia senegal (L.) Willd. (nykyisin Senegalia senegal (L.) Britton.) viljelmiä kahdella alueella Sudanissa käytettiin tutkittaessa: (1) biomassan ja maaperän orgaanisen hiilen (C) varastoja ja muutoksia sekä C3-kasvien (puiden ja ruohovartisten) vaikutusta maaperän orgaaniseen hiileen; (2) maaperän orgaaniseen hiilen liittyviä muutoksia, maaperän vesitalouden kannalta keskeisiä ominaisuuksia ja viljelmän vesitaloutta; ja (3) maaperän typen (N), fosforin (kokonaisfosforin ja kasville saatavilla olevan fosforin) ja kaliumin (kokonaiskaliumin ja kasville saatavilla oleva kaliumin) pitoisuuksia ja N2 sidontaa. Läheisiä puuttomia ruohostoja käytettiin vertailualueina. Puuston biomassan C laskettiin allometristen yhtälöiden ja hiilipitoisuuksien perusteella, aluskasvillisuuden biomassan punnituksen ja hiilipitoisuuden perusteella ja maaperän orgaaninen C (0-50 cm syvyydellä) maanäytteiden hiilipitoisuuden ja maaperän tiheyden perusteella. C3-kasvien osuus maaperän orgaanisesta hiilestä 13C sekoitusmallin perusteella. Maaperän ja lehtien δ15N arvoja käytettiin arvioitaessa N2 sidonnan merkitystä. Maan kosteuden syvyysvaihtelu mitattiin Time Domain Reflectometry (TDR) tekniikalla. Vuorokautinen vesitase laskettiin mitatun kosteuden syvyysvaihtelun avulla kalibroidulla yksinkertaisella vesitasemallilla. Maaperän vesitalouden kannalta keskeiset ominaisuudet arvioitiin maaperän raekoostumuksen ja orgaanisen hiilen pitoisuuden avulla. Maaperän ravinnepitoisuudet (N, kokonaisfosfori, saatavilla oleva fosfori, kokonaiskalium ja saatavilla oleva kalium) mitattiin näytteistä. Biomassan C lisääntyi viljelmän iän myötä. Vaikkakin suurin osa tästä lisäyksestä johtui puista, myös aluskasvillisuuden C lisääntyi iän myötä ja oli vanhimmilla viljelmillä suurempi kuin läheisillä ruohostoilla. Tämä tulos tukee hypoteesia, jonka mukaan puut lisäävät aluskasvillisuuden tuottavuutta kuivilla alueilla. Viljelmien maaperän orgaanisen hiilen määrä (0-50 cm) lisääntyi viljelmän iän myötä ja oli suurempi kuin ruohostoilla. Iästä johtuva maaperän orgaanisen hiilen lisäys johtui akaasioiden lisäksi myös aluskasvillisuuden biomassasta. Mitatut maaperän kosteudet olivat suurempia ruohostoilla kuin viljelmillä, mutta lisääntyivät viljelmän iän myötä, heijastaen samankaltaista kehitystä maaperän orgaanisessa hiilessä ja siihen liittyvässä kasveille saatavilla olevan veden määrässä. Hydrologisen mallin perusteella viljelmiltä oli vähemmän pintavaluntaa, niillä oli lisääntynyt imeytyminen ja haihtuminen, pienentynyt syöttö pohjaveteen ja alhaisempi maaperän kosteus, kuten mittaustenkin perusteella. Ruohostojen suurempi maaperän kosteus johtui pienemmästä haihdunnasta ja johti suurempaan syöttöön pohjaveteen kuin viljelmillä. Tutkimus korosti empiiristen tutkimuksen tarvetta puiden tiheyden vaikutuksesta vesitaseisiin Afrikan kuivilla alueilla. Kaikkien tutkittujen ravinteiden pitoisuudet olivat suhteellisen alhaisia, mutta olivat korkeimmillaan vanhemmilla viljelmillä ja lähellä pintaa (0-10 cm syvyydellä), kuten maaperän orgaanisen hiilen pitoisuudetkin – viitaten maaperän orgaanisen hiilen merkitykseen maaperän viljavuudelle. Lehvästön korkeat δ15N arvot viittasivat siihen, että N2 sidonnan rooli ei ollut merkittävä maaperän typen kannalta, vaikka A. senegalin tiedetään sitovan typpeä ilmakehästä muilla alueilla, ja siten ei vaikuttanut typen kertymiseen maaperään. Raportoitu typpilaskeuma ei myöskään selitä typen kertymistä maaperään. Mahdollinen selitys typen lisääntymiselle liittyy laiduntavien eläinten tuomaan typpeen. Tutkimus osoitti, että A. senegal lisäsi hiiltä biomassassa ja maaperässä, mikä auttaa ilmastonmuutoksen hillinnässä, ja tämä myös lisää maaperän ravinteiden pitoisuuksia ja siten palauttaa köyhtyneen maaperän viljavuuden paikallisten ihmisten hyödyksi. Koska maaperän orgaanisen hiilen lisäys vahvistaa lukuisia ekosysteemipalveluja, yrityksiä lisätä tai ainakin ylläpitää A. senegal puiden kattamaa aluetta tulisi tukea. Tämä ymmärrys tulisi viedä paikallisille yhteisöille tulevien häiriöiden vähentämiseksi ja kestävän maankäytön kannustamiseksi

Cyber Security Awareness among Students and Faculty Members in a Sudanese College

In the last few years, cyber security has been an essential prerequisite for almost every organization to handle the massive number of emerging cyber attacks worldwide. A critical factor in reducing the possibility of being exploited is cyber security awareness. Not only having the adequate knowledge but how to utilize this knowledge to prevent cyber attacks. In this paper we conducted a survey that focuses on three vital security parameters, which are trust, passwords and defensive attitude respectively. The survey mainly aimed at assessing cyber security knowledge of 200 students and 100 faculty members in a Sudanese college and how secure these participants think they are according to their current cyber behaviour. 56% of the participants are males and 44% are females. The results revealed that all participants were having fairly-low level of security awareness and their defensive attitude is considerably weak and doesn’t protect them either individually or at institutional-level. Nevertheless, faculty member showed better cyber security knowledge and skills by 8% higher than students. This study can be used to develop training approaches that bridge the security gaps depicted by the respondents of the survey questions manipulated in this study

SPRAY CHARACTERISTICS AND SPRAY-WALL IMPINGEMENT OF A DIESEL-CNG DUAL FUEL JET USING THE SCHLIEREN IMAGING TECHNIQUE

Natural gas for direct-injection (DI) compression ignition (CI) engines is considered to be the final optimized method due to its high volumetric efficiency, high thermal efficiency and low emissions. However, CNG has the penalty of high auto-ignition temperature and lower cetane number. An effective way to use CNG in CI engines is to inject the CNG with a pilot of diesel fuel for ignition purposes. In order to understand and control the injection and the jet characteristics, it is essential to understand how the gas jets assist the atomization of the pilot diesel spray and influence its characteristics as well as wall impingement