Designing Biological Experimentation Systems for High Altitude Ballooning

The prevalence of bacteria in the atmosphere has been well-established in relevant literature, suggesting that airborne bacteria can influence atmospheric characteristics including the development of clouds. Studies have also demonstrated that the atmospheric biological profile is influenced by the underlying terrestrial biomes. An understanding of the complex interplay of factors that can influence the atmospheric biological profile, not to mention developing a biological census of the atmosphere, requires a cost-effective experimental system capable of generating reproducible results with reliable data. However, as a recent balloon payload launched by JAXA demonstrated, these payloads are both complex and cost prohibitive. This paper discusses the evolution of experimental payloads for high-altitude ballooning for biological experiments that are within the means of most student-run experimental programs. Two proof-of-concept payloads, PHANTOM (Probe for High Altitude Numeration and Tracking of Microorganisms, a payload for the capture of aerial microorganisms at multiple altitudes in order to characterize the biological composition of the upper atmosphere) and ATOMIC (Atmospheric Thindown Originating Mutagenesis Investigational Capsule, which seeks to evaluate bacterial mutagenesis due to radiation), have undergone flight trials. The goal of this project is to develop a self-contained payload capable of real-time telemetry/telecommand and the measurement of atmospheric parameters related to bacterial fluxes. Keywords: high altitude ballooning, biological, cost effective, experimentation, environment, monitoring, microbiome, bacteri

Effect of superhydrophobic coating on the mechanical properties and colourfastness of lawsonia inermis, azadirachta indica and curcuma longa dyed cotton fabrics

This research focuses on the utilization of natural dyes based on Lawsonia Inermis, Azadiractha Indica and Curcuma Longa coated with superhydrophobic coating on cotton fabric. Natural dyes were used in this research and superhydrophobic coating for self-cleaning of fabrics. The fine powder dye was divided into eight concentrations which were 0.25 g/ml (A), 0.50 g/ml (B), 0.75 g/ml (C), 1.00 g/ml(D), 1.25 g/ml (E), 1.50 g/ml (F), 1.75 g/ml (G) and 2.00 g/ml (H). The method that involved in this research was direct dyeing for Lawsonia Inermis, Azadirachta Indica and Curcuma Longa dye for cotton fabric. Dyed cotton fabrics were coated with superhydrophobic coating using spraying technique. The coated and uncoated dyed cotton fabric was tested physically and mechanically. The F (1.50 g/ml) of dye concentration of uncoated and coated fabrics of Lawsonia Inermis, Azadirachta Indica and Curcuma Longa shows the highest physical and mechanical strength. The coated dyed cotton fabric with the Lawsonia Inermis, Azadirachta Indica, Curcuma Longa indicated 5 (excellent) for crocking test. The bursting strength for Lawsonia Inermis was (17.07 kPa), Azadirachta Indica (17.09 kPa), Curcuma Longa (17.08 kPa). Then, the weight loss for abrasion test at 5,000 and 20,000 cycles for Lawsonia Inermis were (2.41%, 2.51%), Azadirachta Indica (2.43%, 2.53%), Curcuma Longa (2.46%, 2.56%). As a conclusion natural dyes based on Lawsonia Inermis, Azadirachta Indica and Curcuma Longa can be used as an alternatives dyes in textile industry

Coding Estimation based on Rate Distortion Control of H.264 Encoded Videos for Low Latency Applications

In the field of video processing, advancements in video compression at various temporal and spatial resolutions which are needed in our research to quantify estimation of video quality whereabouts within spatial and temporal domain itself. It was necessary in our research to study the impacts of related video coding conditions upon perceptual quality due to issue raised by User Experience community regarding poor coding. But most of research studies are concerned with coding distortions affected by mostly due to poor coding which address high spatio-temporal resolutions. This paper presents overall 120 test scenarios for video sequences having low spatial and temporal spectral information were studied. Finally we concluded that even after achieving consistency within subjective scores, we got relevant data consistency after refining subjective scores, so it is not poor coding its due channel capacity which was traced out by rate distortion control

High Altitude Ballooning Operations During the 2017 Solar Eclipse

A total solar eclipse provides an opportunity to observe, quantify, and conduct experiments involving a number of unique meteorological and environmental conditions and phenomena, and the means to develop a more detailed understanding of the atmospheric variables at play during a rarely observed cosmic occurrence. High altitude ballooning is particularly suited for collecting data during an eclipse, although a number of logistical and procedural challenges are associated with launching during totality. The members of the University of Maryland, College Park Balloon Payload Program, funded by the Maryland Space Grant Consortium, traveled to South Carolina to launch a number of experimental and observational payloads during the total eclipse of August 21, 2017. This paper describes the balloon flight, launch procedures, associated challenges, and payload data, thereby providing a window into the variety of valuable engineering design expertise and hands-on skills developed through this student-run initiative. Keywords: solar eclipse, totality, high altitude ballooning, atmosphere, nearspac

LITERATURE REVIEW : PERBANDINGAN EFEKTIVITAS EKSTRAK PEPAYA (Carica papaya L.) SEBAGAI LARVASIDA ALAMI TERHADAP LARVA Aedes aegypti INSTAR III DAN IV

Based on the types, DENV 2 and DENV 3 are the types of dengue found in Indonesia, but the dominant one is DENV 3 because this type of virus causes severe cases of dengue. The papaya plant is a highly potent plant of natural larvicide. The literature review to compare the effectiveness of the papaya (Carica papaya L.) of each concentration, LC50 and LC90 againts the death toll of Aedes aegypti mosquito larvae. The study uses a Systematic Literature Review, the sourse of the data used in this study is secondary data obtained from experimental research journals and retrieved from websites Google Scholar. The journal received was 10 national journals and 5 international journals. Ten journals using papaya leaf ethanol extract, 1 journal using papaya leaf filtrate, 1 journal papaya leaf juice, 1 journal papaya sead ethanol extract, 1 journal papaya sead and leaf ethanol extract, as well as ethanol extract of seed, leaf, bark, and papaya root 1 journal. Researchers on average use more papaya leaf compared to other parts of the papaya plant and each method of precessing and concentration is different for each journal.  There are 14 journals that say that the higher the concentration is used, the more the larvae are Ae. aegypti was killed, where as 1 journal says that the lower the concentration, the more toxic the larvae will get Ae. aegypti.Berdasarkan tipe, DENV 2 dan DENV 3 merupakan tipe dengue yang ditemukan di Indonesia, namun yang lebih dominan yaitu DENV 3 karena tipe virus ini menyebabkan terjadinya kasus DBD yang berat. Tanaman papaya merupakan tanaman yang sangat berpotensi sebagai larvasida alami. Tujuan Literature review ini untuk membandingkan efektivitas papaya (Carica papaya L.) dari masing-masing konsentrasi dan   LC50 maupun LC90 terhadap jumlah kematian larva nyamuk Aedes aegypti. Metode penelitian ini menggunakan Systematic Literature Review, sumber data yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah data sekunder diperoleh dari jurnal penelitian eksperimen dan diambil dari website seperti Google Scholar. Jurnal yang didapatkan yaitu 10 jurnal nasional dan 5 jurnal internasional. Terdapat 10 jurnal yang menggunakan ekstrak etanol daun pepaya, 1 jurnal menggunakan filtrat daun pepaya, 1 jurnal juice daun pepaya, ekstrak etanol biji buah pepaya 1 jurnal, ektrak etanol biji dan daun pepaya 1 jurnal, serta ekstrak etanol biji, daun, kulit, dan akar pepaya 1 jurnal. Peneliti rata-rata banyak menggunakan daun pepaya dibandingakan bagian yang lainnya dari tanaman pepaya dan masing-masing cara pegolahan serta konsentrasinya berbeda-beda tiap jurnal. Terdapat 14 jurnal yang mengatakan bahwa semakin tinggi konsentrasi yang digunakan maka semakin banyak larva Ae. aegypti yang terbunuh, sedangkan 1 jurnal mengatakan bahwa semakin rendah konsentrasi maka akan semakin toksik terhadap larva Ae. aegypti

Conflicting Parameter Pair Optimization for Linear Aperiodic Antenna Array using Chebyshev Taper based Genetic Algorithm

In this study, the peak side lobe level (PSLL) in the radiation pattern of a linear antenna array (LAA) is lowered without affecting its first null beam width (FNBW). Antenna array synthesis is commonly applied to achieve high directivity, low side lobes, high gain and desired null positions in the output radiation pattern. But output parameters like PSLL, null positions and beam width conflict with each other, i.e. as one parameter improves, the other deteriorates. To avoid this problem, a multi-objective optimization algorithm can be implemented, in which both the conflicting parameters can be simultaneously optimized. This work proposes a multi-objective algorithm, which takes advantages of the well-known Chebyshev tapering and genetic algorithm (GA), to lower the PSLL without broadening the beam further. Array elements are fed using Chebyshev tapered excitations while GA is incorporated to optimize the elemental spacing. The results of 28-element LAA are compared with those of multi-objective Cauchy mutated cat swarm optimization (MO-CMCSO) existing in literature, which has also been proven to be superior to multi-objective cat swarm optimization (MO-CSO) and multi-objective particle swarm optimization (MO-PSO). Results indicate that the proposed algorithm performs better by further reducing the PSLL from -21.57 dB (MO-CMCSO) to -28.18 dB, while maintaining the same FNBW of 7.4 degrees