Infrared imaging of sunflower and maize root anatomy

Synchrotron radiation infrared microspectroscopy (SR-IMS) permits the direct analysis of plant cell-wall architecture at the cellular level in situ, combining spatially localized information and chemical information from IR absorbances to produce a chemical map that can be linked to a particular morphology or functional group. This study demonstrated the use of SR-IMS to probe biopolymers, such as cellulose, lignin, and proteins, in the root tissue of hydroponically grown sunflower and maize plants. Principal components analysis (PCA) was employed to reveal the major spectral variance between maize and sunflower plant tissues. The use of PCA showed distinct separation of maize and sunflower samples using the IR spectra of the epidermis and xylem. The infrared band at 1635 cm(-1), representing hydrocinnamic acid in (H type) lignin, provided a conclusive means of distinguishing between maize and sunflower plant tissues.     

Using synchrotron transmission FTIR microspectroscopy as a rapid, direct, and nondestructive analytical technique to reveal molecular microstructural-chemical features within tissue in grain barley

The objective of this study was to use synchrotron transmission FTIR microspectroscopy as a rapid, direct, and nondestructive analytical technique to reveal molecular microstructural-chemical features within tissue in grain barley. The results showed that synchrotron transmission FTIR microspectroscopy could provide spectral, chemical, and functional group characteristics of grain barley tissue at ultrahigh spatial resolutions. The spatially localized structural-chemical distributions of biological components (lignin, cellulose, protein, lipid, and carbohydrates) and biological component ratios could be imaged. Such information on molecular microstructural-chemical features within the tissue can be used for plant breeding programs for selecting superior varieties of barley for special purposes and for prediction of grain barley quality and nutritive value for humans and animals.     

Using synchrotron-based FTIR microspectroscopy to reveal chemical features of feather protein secondary structure: comparison with other feed protein sources

Studying the secondary structure of proteins leads to an understanding of the components that make up a whole protein. An understanding of the structure of the whole protein is often vital to understanding its digestive behavior in animals and nutritive quality. Usually protein secondary structures include alpha-helix and beta-sheet. The percentages of these two structures in protein secondary structures may influence feed protein quality and digestive behavior. Feathers are widely available as a potential protein supplement. They are very high in protein (84%), but the digestibility of the protein is very low (5%). The objective of this study was to use synchrotron-based Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) microspectroscopy to reveal chemical features of feather protein secondary structure within amide I at ultraspatial resolution (pixel size = 10 x 10 microm), in comparison with other protein sources from easily digested feeds such as barley, oat, and wheat tissue at endosperm regions (without destruction of their inherent structure). This experiment was performed at beamline U2B of the Albert Einstein Center for Synchrotron Biosciences at the National Synchrotron Light Source (NSLS) in Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), U.S. Dept of Energy (NSLS-BNL, Upton, NY). The results showed that ultraspatially resolved chemical imaging of feed protein secondary structure in terms of beta-sheet to alpha-helix peak height ratio by stepping in pixel-sized increments was obtained. Using synchrotron FTIR microspectroscopy can distinguish structures of protein amide I among the different feed protein sources. The results show that the secondary structure of feather protein differed from those of other feed protein sources in terms of the line-shape and position of amide I. The feather protein amide I peaked at approximately 1630 cm(-1). However, other feed protein sources showed a peak at approximately 1650 cm(-1). By using multicomponent peak modeling, the relatively quantitative amounts of alpha-helix and beta-sheet in protein secondary structure were obtained, which showed that feather contains 88% beta-sheet and 4% alpha-helix, barley contains 17% beta-sheet and 71% alpha-helix, oat contains 2% beta-sheet and 92% alpha-helix, and wheat contains 42% beta-sheet and 50% alpha-helix. The difference in percentage of protein secondary structure may be part of the reason for different feed protein digestive behaviors. These results demonstrate the potential of highly spatially resolved infrared microspectroscopy to reveal feed protein secondary structure. Information from this study by the infrared probing of feed protein secondary structure may be valuable as a guide for feed breeders to improve and maintain protein quality for animal use.     

基于变化光源方向多图像的植物叶片表观三维模拟

为了真实准确地模拟植物叶片表观颜色,提出一种基于多图像的叶片表观模拟方法。首先搭建基于线性光源的表观图像采集系统,用以获得400张视线角度固定、光源方向变化的叶片图像集合;采用拟合方法自动地从400张图像中获得整个叶片表面的表观特征参数,包括漫反射强度、高光反射强度和粗糙度;利用该拟合方法对线性光源移动条件下理想物体的各种反射特征的变化情况进行仿真计算,然后针对叶片图像中的每个像素寻找与仿真计算结果最接近的表观模型参数作为拟合结果。通过该拟合方法,可将叶片表面上各个位置的表观参数合成3张表观参数图像,采用基于点光源的实时光照方法测试最终的可视化模拟效果。从模拟结果中可以看出利用该文方法得到的结果能够真实地表现叶片自身的表观质感特性,相对于传统方法更加真实准确。     

果蔬干燥过程的水分跨膜传输模型构建

为了较真实地描述干燥过程中果蔬组织内水分的传输情况,该文回顾了多孔介质干燥过程及相关研究模型。针对果蔬组织生理学结构及其特征,提出了干燥过程中水分在其内部的传输模型,并通过显微图像技术及热风干燥试验对模型中相关参数进行了试验测定。建立的水分跨细胞膜传递模型有效计算了水分在果蔬组织内部的跨细胞壁传输过程。研究结果表明:果蔬组织中约90%的水分存在于细胞内;干燥过程中水分迁移的过程为:首先细胞内液泡中的水分跨细胞膜流出至细胞间隙,该过程可通过水分跨膜传输通量(JV)来计算;然后,进入细胞间隙的水分可视为一般多孔介质内的孔道水分扩散过程用传统的孔道网络模型进行计算。     

Chemical marker for ALS-inhibitor herbicides: 2-aminobutyric acid proportional in sub-lethal applications

A chemical profiling technique for sub-lethal acetolactate synthase (ALS)-inhibitor herbicides (e.g., sulfonylureas, imidazolines, triazolopyrimidine sulfonanilides, and pyrimidyloxy salicylic) was developed using 2-aminobutyric acid, and was found to be directly proportional to application rates in field studies on two varieties of potato plants. An uncomplicated, benign-by-design analytical method for the determination of 2-aminobutyric acid in plant tissue was developed. The method is simple, fast, and automated, entailing a water-trichloroacetic acid extraction followed by precolumn on-line derivatization using o-phthalaldehyde (OPA) solution and liquid chromatographic analyses. Use of reagents and chlorinated organic solvents, and generation of waste, are minimized as compared to other ALS-inhibitor herbicide analytical techniques. Recoveries for a series of fortified plant tissues ranged from 82 to 103%. Two 20-day field trials on two potato varieties, Russet Burbank and Shepody, were conducted during the 2000 and 2001 growing seasons. The study demonstrated that the 2-aminobutyric acid method is an excellent, selective chemical marker technique for ALS-inhibitor herbicides for real world plant matrixes.     

Free-zone capillary electrophoresis analysis of hordein patterns at different stages of barley malting

We have carried out a comparison of hordein patterns at different stages of the malting process using free-zone capillary electrophoresis (FZCE). FZCE has proved to be a suitable technique for the separation and characterization of hordeins in barley seeds. Assays of protein extraction and electrophoretic procedures led us to conclude that hordeins were best extracted with 40% ethanol and analyzed using 50 mM phosphate-glycine, pH 2.5, containing 20% ACN and 0.05% HPMC, at 12.5 kV and 45 degrees C, with 10 s hydrodynamic injection at 0.5 psi and 50 microm i.d. x 31 cm uncoated fused-silica capillary. Our results afford useful information about changes in the composition of these proteins in barley during malting.     

空间频域成像在农产品品质检测中的应用现状与展望

空间频域成像,作为一种新兴的光学成像技术,具备宽场非接触、成像深度辨析和有效信号增强等特点,能够提供与组织物理结构、化学成分相关的信息,被广泛应用于农产品组织光学特性表征和品质无损检测等领域。该文首先概述了空间频域成像技术的起源和发展,继而阐明了该技术的工作原理,包括光在生物组织中的传输理论与正向问题、测量与数据处理、逆向反演,然后描述了该技术的多种实施方式,如常规空间频域成像、多光谱空间频域成像、高光谱空间频域成像以及高频空间频域成像,并总结其在苹果、梨、桃等农产品组织光学特性表征和品质检测方面的应用现状,最后讨论了该技术面临的挑战,如测量双层/多层农产品组织光学特性时误差较大、测量深度局限于毫米级、缺乏标准化的光学参考样本、检测耗时较长等,以期为该技术在未来的研究提供参考。     

基于K-means和近邻回归算法的Kinect植株深度图像修复

针对Kinect传感器应用于农业植株检测产生的图像噪声问题,特别是由光线以及传感器自身局限导致的匹配图像目标植株数据的缺失,提出一种基于K-means和近邻回归算法的植株深度检测图像修复方法。首先对Kinect传感器获取的彩色RGB图像进行阈值分割预处理提取植株目标区域,再利用K-means聚类算法去除背景噪声,使得植株目标区域轮廓更加清晰;然后基于配准的彩色图像和深度图像,对获取的深度图像中可疑像素点的深度数据采取近邻回归算法进行修复,再将修复后的深度图像与目标分割后的彩色图像进行植株区域的匹配,并进行二次近邻回归算法修正错误的深度数据,最后获取目标植株深度信息的检测图像。试验结果证明,采用RGB阈值分割和K-means聚类算法植株目标区域分割误差均值为12.33%,比单一RGB阈值分割和K-means聚类分割误差降低了12.12和41.48个百分点;同时结合聚类后的彩色图像对深度数据进行两次近邻回归算法修复深度数据,能够提高深度数据边缘的清晰度,单帧深度数据空洞点进行修复数据的准确度提高。该研究结果可为农业植株检测、植株三维重构、精准对靶喷雾等提供参考。     

Using a modified ferrous oxidation-xylenol orange (FOX) assay for detection of lipid hydroperoxides in plant tissue.

The ferrous oxidation-xylenol orange (FOX) assay was adapted for quantifying lipid hydroperoxides (LOOHs) in plant extracts. Excised pieces of several fruit and vegetable species were exposed to 83 kJ m(-2) day(-1) of biologically effective ultraviolet B irradiance (UV-B(BE)) for 10-12 days to induce cellular oxidation. The LOOH and thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) concentrations of these plant tissues were assessed with the FOX and iodometric assays for the former and a modified TBARS assay for the latter. There was generally good agreement between the FOX and iodometric methods both prior to and following the UV exposure. However, the iodometric assay appeared to have some difficulty in consistently quantifying lower LOOH levels (<11 microM), whereas the FOX assay measured LOOH concentrations as low as 5 microM. All tissues exhibited UV-induced increases in TBARS, indicating a marked degree of cellular oxidation in the exposed tissue segments. Compared with the iodometric assay, the FOX method consistently generated less variable LOOH values. The presence of authentic linoleic acid-OOHs in spiked avocado and spinach samples (11 microM) was identified with liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry techniques, which validated corresponding FOX assay results. The FOX method is inexpensive, is not sensitive to ambient O2 or light levels, and can rapidly generate LOOH measurements. The physiological value of the FOX assay resides in its ability to measure initial rather than more advanced fatty acid oxidation; hence, early membrane-associated stress events in plant tissue can be detected.     

Imaging molecular chemistry of Pioneer corn

Synchrotron Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) microspectroscopy as a rapid, direct, and nondestructive analytical technique can explore molecular chemical features of the microstructure of biological samples. The objective of this study was to use synchrotron FTIR microspectroscopy to image the molecular chemistry of corn (cv. Pioneer 39P78) to reveal spatial intensity and distribution of chemical functional groups in corn tissue. This experiment was performed at the U2B station of the National Synchrotron Light Source in Brookhaven National Laboratory (NSLS-BNL, Upton, NY). The Pioneer corn tissue was imaged from the pericarp, seed coat, aleurone, and endosperm under peaks at 1736 (carbonyl C=O ester), 1510 (aromatic compound), 1650 (amide I), 1550 (amide II), 1246 (cellulosic material), 1160 (CHO), 1150 (CHO), 1080 (CHO), 929 (CHO), 860 (CHO), 3350 (OH and NH stretching), 2929 (CH(2) stretching band), and 2885 cm(-1) (CH(3) stretching band). The results showed that with synchrotron FTIR microspectroscopy, the images of the molecular chemistry of Pioneer corn could be generated. Such information on the microstructural-chemical features of grain corn can also be used for corn breeding programs for selecting superior varieties of corn for targeted food and feed purposes and for prediction of corn quality and nutritive value for humans and animals.     

基于高光谱成像的茶叶中EGCG分布可视化

针对目前关于表没食子儿茶素没食子酸酯(epigallocatechin gallate,EGCG)在茶叶中的分布缺乏可视化表达问题,该文采用高光谱成像技术以实现EGCG在茶叶中的分布可视化。通过高光谱成像仪采集茶叶的光谱信息,按照标准方法 HPLC(high performance liquid chromatography)法测量茶叶的EGCG浓度。运用化学计量学方法建立光谱与EGCG浓度之间的回归模型。为寻求相对较优的模型效果,对光谱进行不同的预处理,以确定最优的预处理方法;采用4种建模方法建立回归模型,以确定最优的建模方法;对光谱进行特征波段选择,以降低数据冗余提高模型的稳定性和运算速度。最后,将高光谱图像中像素点对应的光谱变量导入模型,从而生成EGCG浓度分布图。结果表明:可见-近红外光谱与EGCG浓度之间具有很强的相关性,其回归模型的决定系数达到0.905,利用高光谱成像技术对茶叶中EGCG分布进行可视化可行。通过对不同品种、叶位的茶叶中EGCG浓度分布进行可视化,能够为高EGCG浓度茶树品种的培育、EGCG代谢规律的分析以及茶树采摘部位的识别提供有效手段。     

刀具磨损声发射信号的混沌特性分析

金属切削是一个非线性系统,刀具磨损产生的声发射信号具有混沌特征。该文采用混沌理论对刀具不同磨损程度的声发射信号进行非线性特性分析。首先采用经验模态分解与小波阈值结合(empirical mode decomposition and wavelet,EMD-Wavelet)的法对信号去噪,消除噪声对吸引子结构以及特征参数的影响。其次利用互信息法和Cao方法分别求时延和嵌入维,对去噪后的信号进行相空间重构。最后绘制吸引子相图,并求解特征参数关联维。结果表明,看似无序杂乱的非线性声发射信号有着内在的有序状态。吸引子结构随着刀具磨损状态的改变呈现一定变化规律,关联维数与刀具磨损状态有一定的对应关系。这些特性对于刀具磨损状态识别有一定的参考意义。     

基于EM算法的图像融合质量评价

为提出一种量化评价经图像融合所产生的结果图像的质量评价方法,采用一种混合瑞利(Rayleigh)概率密度函数(pdfs)对图像边缘强度直方图建模,混合模型中各项的参数和权重通过EM算法迭代估算得到。在建立的混合瑞利概率密度函数模型中,最小参数混合项对应图像的弱边缘,最大参数混合项对应图像的强边缘。因此,取最小参数项的标准方差作为噪声的标准方差估计,实现噪声盲估计;取最大参数项的标准方差作为图像模糊度的定量评价指标。通过估算混合瑞利pdfs模型中的参数变化可以评价图像质量。与其它图像质量评价方法相比,这种方法的最大优点是不需要知道图像构造等细节信息,不需要图像变换,只要有原始图像即可对其进行评价。而且对较小噪声也能较精确地估计。研究表明这个技术很强健,并对要评估的图像依赖很小。     

Global structure of microwave-assisted flash-extracted sugar beet pectin

The global structure of microwave-assisted flash-extracted pectins isolated from fresh sugar beet pulp has been studied. The objective was to minimize the disassembly and possibly the degradation of pectin molecules during extraction. These pectins have been characterized by high-performance size exclusion chromatography with light scattering, viscometric detection, and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Analysis of molecular parameters was performed on 15 and 8 microm size column packings. Samples analyzed with 15 microm packing gave weight-average molar masses that ranged from 532,000 to 1.2 million Da, radii of gyration from about 35 to 51 nm, polydispersities from 1.78 to 2.58, intrinsic viscosities from about 3.00 to 4.30 dL/g, and recoveries from 8.40 to 14.81% of dry weight. Chromatography revealed that a bimodal distribution of high molar mass spherical particles and lower molar mass coils was obtained. AFM images of pectin corroborated this conclusion and further revealed that these strands and spherical particles were integrated into networks. It is demonstrated that microwave-assisted extraction of sugar beet pulp under moderate pressure and at relatively low temperature could extract under acid conditions high molar mass, moderate-viscosity pectin in minutes rather than hours as required by conventional heating.     

A VISUAL RECORD OF THE DECOMPOSITION OF 14C-LABELLED FRAGMENTS OF GRASSES AND RYE ADDED TO SOIL

The decomposition of grasses and rye labelled with ¹⁴C was studied using ground material and also fragments cut from intact leaves or roots either placed on the soil surface or buried in the soil incubated under various conditions. Autoradiography was used to observe the changes in the decaying plant tissue with a minimum of disturbance. Autoradiograms prepared before incubation and subsequently at intervals reveal an over-all fall in density of the images, a complete disappearance of ¹⁴C in small discrete sites, as well as a dispersion of ¹⁴C over distances of several cm from the plant residues. A photoelectric technique was devised by which changes in density could be expressed quantitatively. The log density of autoradiographic images of pellets of ground grasses shows a predominantly, though not completely, linear regression on time of incubation. The method has shown that the process of decomposition is very slow, that in the first stages of decomposition ryegrass decays faster than cocksfoot, and that ground material tends to behave in a different manner to fragments cut from intact tissues. Changes in the area of autoradiographic images with time of incubation could be used as an additional but less sensitive measure of the rate of decomposition. The participation of micro-organisms (especially fungi) in the breakdown of the plant tissues has been demonstrated by the presence of labelled organisms in the vicinity of plant residues. Labelled fungi are more numerous in the first 3 months of incubation, during which a marked fall in image density of the plant residues occurs. A further decrease in image density is frequently associated with the appearance of fungal resting structures with a greater concentration of ¹⁴C than the surrounding plant fragments. Because of their longevity these structures contribute to the fixing of ¹⁴C in a different fraction of the biomass. Faecal pellets of soil mesofauna also concentrate ¹⁴C and resist decomposition for very long periods of time.     

基于低空无人机遥感的冬小麦覆盖度变化监测

无人机遥感作为卫星遥感的有益补充,具有高时效、高分辨率、低成本、低损耗、低风险及可重复等优点。为了利用无人机遥感系统进行快速机动地监测大面积农作物覆盖度变化,更好地服务和指导农业生产,该文设计了一套以低空无人直升机为平台的多光谱载荷观测系统,并以冬小麦为研究对象,对冬小麦生长过程中的5个主要生育期进行监测,提出一种从时间序列影像的植被指数直方图曲线中获取植被指数阈值的方法,并利用植被指数阈值法提取研究区域内冬小麦覆盖度时序变化曲线,分析了空间尺度对提取植被覆盖度的影响。研究结果表明,利用低空无人机遥感监测冬小麦覆盖度变化的方法可行,分析结果可靠,在大面积农作物覆盖度的测量有很好的应用前景。     

基于噪声类型及强度估计的狭叶锦鸡儿叶切片图像盲去噪

狭叶锦鸡儿叶切片显微图像在获取过程中不可避免的受到噪声污染,会对后续处理造成不良影响。针对现有噪声类型未知,去噪算法存在速度慢、效果不理想等问题,该文提出图像噪声类型估计-强度估计-去噪这一处理过程,实现对狭叶锦鸡儿叶切片显微图像降噪目的。首先采用平滑区直方图重构和拟合法确定噪声类型;然后在此基础上,应用基于图像块的SVD(singular valuable decomposition,SVD)域图像噪声强度估计法对噪声标准差进行估计;最后在确定噪声类型和强度基础上,采用几何均值滤波(geometric mean filtering,GMF)和三维块匹配滤波(block-matching and 3-D filtering,BM3D)对图像进行联合去噪。试验结果表明:该文噪声类型估计法估计出切片图像噪声类型为加性高斯噪声,高斯函数对随机选取的15幅狭叶锦鸡儿叶切片图像平滑区域直方图数据点拟合优度2R均值为0.996,平均均方根误差RMSE(root mean squared error,RMSE)为0.144 6;采用该文噪声强度估计法估计出的切片图像噪声标准差???[2.5,4.0],处理标准差较小噪声,该文算法处理精度、运行速度和稳定性等方面存在明显优势;GMF-BM3D算法在较好去除图像噪声同时,极大的保留了图像纹理、边缘和细节等信息,同时极大的提高了算法运行速度,处理后的图像BRISQUE(blind/referenceless image spatial quality evaluator,BRISQUE)值为10左右,相当于原图BRISQUE值的1/2左右。与传统BM3D算法相比,去噪效果相当,但耗时约相当于传统BM3D算法的1/9。与小波去噪算法(wavelet threshold,WT)算法相比,虽速度相对较慢,但去噪后图像BRISQUE值比使用WT法低4左右。因此,该算法较好实现了对狭叶锦鸡儿叶切片图像准确降噪,为其后续处理提供了可靠技术支持。     

Metabolic profiling: a new tool in the study of wood formation

In the realm of plant genomics, metabolic profiling has become a valuable tool with which to assess the effect of genetic and/or environmental factors on plant development. This paper reports the first application of metabolic profiling on differentiating xylem tissue of loblolly pine. A protocol is presented for the analysis of loblolly pine xylem tissue. The effects of sample preparation, extraction, and derivatization on the corresponding metabolite profiles and yields have been investigated and are reported. Gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy has been used to quantify >60 polar and lipophilic metabolites from wood-forming tissue. It was possible to assign chemical structures to approximately half of these compounds. Comparison of six loblolly pine genotypes, three high cellulose (50-52%) and three medium (45-48%) cellulose, showed distinct metabolic profiles. Principal component analysis enabled the assignment of metabolic phenotypes using these large data sets. Metabolic phenotype clustering occurred in which the three high-cellulose genotypes were segregated from the medium-cellulose genotypes. These results demonstrate the use of metabolic profiling for the study of wood-forming tissue and as a tool in functional genomics.     

基于经验小波变换的复杂强噪声背景下弱故障检测方法

针对复杂强噪声背景下的非平稳振动信号的弱故障和复合故障检测的难题,引入经验小波变换(empirical wavelet transform,EWT)以提高故障确诊率,并提出一种基于EWT的复杂强噪声背景下弱故障的检测方法。EWT能够通过完全自适应小波基提取信号的固有模式,与经典小波变换一样具有完备的理论基础。通过对含有复杂强噪声的仿真信号和实际信号进行EWT分析,并对比经验模态分解,验证了基于EWT的复杂强噪声背景下弱故障检测的可行性和有效性。该研究可为复杂工况下机械设备的弱故障和复合故障检测以及故障特征提取提供参考。