Average Intensity Research Articles

A level-set method for fast image segmentation based on local pre-fitting and bilateral filtering

PurposeAlthough many conventional level-set approaches can be used for segmenting images containing factors such as noise and intensity inhomogeneities, they still can impact the accuracy of the results seriously. To solve this problem, a level-set method for fast image segmentation based on pre-fitting and bilateral filtering is proposed.Design/methodology/approachFirstly, an improved bilateral filter was investigated for image preprocessing. Secondly, by computing the local average intensity of the preprocessed enhanced picture, two local pre-fitting functions were defined. Thirdly, a new level-set energy functional was defined. Finally, a new distance regularized energy term based on the logarithmic and polynomial functions is proposed to evolve the level-set function in a smooth state.FindingsThe experimental results demonstrate that the proposed model has an excellent segmentation capability for images with noise and intensity inhomogeneities and has different degrees of performance improvement compared with the mainstream models.Originality/value(C1) An improved bilateral filter was investigated and integrated into the model. (C2) Proposing two local pre-fitting functions by computing the local average intensity of the preprocessed enhanced image. (C3) Proposing a new level-set energy functional. (C4) A new distance regularized energy term based on the logarithmic and polynomial functions is proposed to evolve the level set function in a smooth state. (C5) Analyzing and comparing the performance of the proposed model with other similar models.

Evaluation and optimization of measurement conditions for heavy ions with fluorescent nuclear track detectors.

In applying fluorescent nuclear track detectors for heavy ion measurement, the fluorescence intensity directly influences linear energy transfer (LET) estimation. However, the conventional analysis highly depends on the analyzed depth and the reference frames from the optical readout. To improve the accuracy of measurements of heavy ions, the gradient of intensity and moving average fluorescence intensity were acquired and calculated to optimize the measurement conditions. The results indicate that the intensity gradient is an alternative quantity to discriminate ions with different LET, and the moving average fluorescence intensity is readily differentiated among individual ions without overlapping values in fluorescence intensity. The scanned range of 25-45μm is suggested to be the most suitable depth for measurement. To exclude the impact of the variation in fluorescence intensity on evaluation, it is recommended to use the quantities calculated in moving averages with depth in the future.

Increased global posterior tibial slope is significantly associated with higher ACL graft signal intensity on 2-Year postoperative MRI after primary ACL reconstruction using hamstring tendon autografts.

The healing and remodeling process of tendon grafts after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction (ACLR) has received significant attention. This study aims to identify preoperative factors associated with postoperative signal intensity of the ACL graft after primary ACLR. A total of 90 patients underwent primary ACLR using hamstring tendon autografts by the same senior surgeon between January 2013 and December 2020 were included. Patients were followed up and scheduled for a 2-year postoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan at our institute. Concomitant injuries were confirmed by arthroscopy. Posterior tibial slope (PTS) and anterior tibial subluxation (ATS) were measured on preoperative MRI, whereas the normalized signal intensity of the ACL graft was evaluated on postoperative MRI and calculated as the ratio of the graft signal intensity to that of the patellar tendon. Multivariable linear regression models were performed to identify preoperative factors associated with the postoperative signal intensity of the ACL graft. Multivariable analyses showed that increased global PTS (GPTS) (P = 0.008) and concomitant articular cartilage injuries (P = 0.005) were associated with higher average signal intensity of the ACL graft on two-year postoperative MRI, while preoperative internal rotational tibial subluxation (IRTS) calculated as the difference between lateral ATS and medial ATS did not show a significant association. Specifically, an increased GPTS was significantly associated with higher signal intensity in the proximal section of the ACL graft (P = 0.005), whereas no significant associations were observed in the middle and distal sections. Increased preoperative GPTS was significantly associated with higher signal intensity of the ACL graft on 2-year postoperative MRI after primary ACLR, suggesting that a steep preoperative tibial slope may contribute to a suboptimal ligamentization process in hamstring tendon autografts. Level III, retrospective cohort study.

CFD Analysis of UV-C Intensity Radiation Distribution and Inactivation of Foodborne Pathogens on Whole and Minimally Processed Mango

Ultraviolet shortwave (UV-C) is a technology for postharvest fruit disinfection. This study aimed to use computational fluid dynamics (CFD) based on the discrete ordinate (DO) radiation model to analyze the distribution of UV-C intensity on whole and minimally processed mangoes within a disinfection chamber and to predict treatments against foodborne pathogens. The mango spears were oriented both parallel and perpendicular to the lamp and positioned at varying distances from the radiation source (50, 75, and 100 mm for spears and 100 mm for whole fruit). CFD simulations integrated with in vitro kinetic parameters enabled predictions of the time and doses needed to inactivate one to three logarithmic units of pathogens on the fruit surface. The highest average radiation intensity values were recorded for the whole mango oriented parallel to the lamp at 100 mm and the spears oriented normally to the lamp at 50 mm. The estimated times to achieve inactivation of one to three logarithmic units of microorganisms ranged from approximately 15 to 6540 s, while the doses necessary for this inactivation were, on average, 1.854, 5.291, and 10.656 kJ/m2, respectively. CFD simulations are valuable for optimizing UV-C treatments in large-scale designing from both microbicide and sustainable perspectives.

INNV-11. DELIVERY OF TTFIELDS TO THE INFRATENTORIAL BRAIN USING HFE ARRAYS

Abstract INTRODUCTION Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields) therapy is a noninvasive, locoregional treatment comprising alternating electric fields delivered to the tumor via two pairs of skin-placed transducer arrays. TTFields physically disrupt cancer cell viability through a multimodal mechanism that includes antimitotic and antitumor immune effects. TTFields therapy is FDA-approved for glioblastoma (GBM) and CE marked for WHO grade 4 glioma. While clinically approved array layouts for GBM target supratentorial tumors, TTFields distribution depends on the arrays’ locations and dedicated layouts are needed to target infratentorial tumors. To increase patient comfort, Novocure developed HFE arrays that are thinner and lighter than existing INE arrays. Here, we evaluate innovative HFE array layouts for TTFields delivery to infratentorial tumors at therapeutic intensities (~1 V/cm). METHODS TTFields delivery was simulated using Sim4Life v6.2 in a male computational model. 32 layouts of HFE arrays were placed on the model’s scalp, neck, and scapulae, with one placed at a standard cerebral location. Local Average Field Intensity (LAFI) and Local Minimum Power Density (LMiPD) were calculated in the cerebrum, cerebellum and brainstem. RESULTS Standard cerebral layout provided LAFI of 2.47 V/cm to the cerebrum, while providing 1.50 and 1.10 V/cm to the cerebellum and brainstem, respectively (LMiPD 2.22, 1.34 and 0.64 mW/cm3). Layouts comprising arrays on the scapulae (right and left) paired in cross configuration with arrays on either the temples or forehead, provided LAFI of 1.87-2.17 V/cm (LMiPD 1.05-2.20 mW/cm3) to the cerebrum, while providing 1.64-2.13 V/cm (LMiPD 1.77-2.26 mW/cm3) to the cerebellum and 1.74-1.89 V/cm (LMiPD 2.28-2.89 mW/cm3) to the brainstem. CONCLUSION Lower array placement provides higher levels of field intensity in the cerebellum and brainstem versus standard cerebral layout, while still providing adequate field intensity to the cerebrum. This simulation-based study suggests feasibility of delivering therapeutic TTFields intensities to infratentorial tumors using dedicated HFE array layouts.

The Application of High-Frequency Ultrasonography in Post-Therapeutic Assessment of Actinic Keratosis After Photodynamic Therapy

Objectives: Actinic keratoses (AKs) are one of the most common reasons for consultation in the elderly population. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of 5-ALA PDT in AK treatment using high-frequency ultrasonography (HFUS) to evaluate skin layer changes during therapy. Methods: In our study, we included 44 AK patients aged 53 to 89 years. All patients had lesions clinically evaluated with the Olsen and AKASI scale. HFUS imaging was performed on seemingly healthy skin and lesions before and at 4, 8, and 12 weeks of therapy. Ultrasound markers such as skin thickness, echogenicity, and pixel intensity were measured. 5-ALA was applied under occlusion for 3 h. After removing the occlusive dressing, 5-ALA was removed with a saline solution and a directed therapy with a BF-200 lamp. Full follow-ups of 56 markers of suitable quality were selected. Results: The thickness of SLEB significantly decreased in the following weeks compared to the pre-therapy results, reaching its lowest values after 12 weeks. The average pixel intensity significantly increased in each skin layer after therapy (p < 0.01). For SLEB, there were statistically significant differences in LEP, MEP and contrast. The AKASI score before and after treatment was determined for the 39 patients who underwent follow-up at week 12. The median AKASI score was 3.2 (1.2–8.6) before treatment and 0.6 (0–2.8) after. Conclusions: According to the literature data, this is the first study describing the ALA-PDT treatment efficacy in different AK severities evaluated in HFUS. HFUS provides a valuable non-invasive tool for monitoring the efficacy of PDT in AK treatment, showing significant improvements in skin texture and structure.

Super-oscillation sub-diffraction focusing with emulated atmospheric turbulence

The super-oscillation (SO) phenomena successfully applied to super-resolution optical telescopes have yet to study the existence of atmospheric turbulence (AT). In this paper, we first experimentally investigate the sub-diffraction focusing of the SO light field in the atmospheric-like turbulence. The 137-element adaptive optics (AO) system is utilized to correct the dynamic wavefront aberration produced by the AT and obtain the AO closed-loop RMS of the residual wavefront error ∼λ/15. For a proofed telescope (clear aperture 12 mm and focal length 1000 mm) @λ=632.8 nm, the FWHM of the experimental SO spot under the modest AT (wavefront error RMS ∼0.57λ) is about 0.79 times of the Airy spot compared with the non-AT result of 0.76 times, while the strong AT (wavefront error RMS ∼1.35λ) erases the sub-diffraction focusing effect of the SO field and the average side-lobe intensity increases significantly. This study is promising for super-resolving telescope, synthetic aperture for visible imaging, etc.

An Improved UNet-Based Path Recognition Method in Low-Light Environments

The fruit industry is a significant economic sector in China, with modern orchards gradually transitioning to trellis orchards. For mechanized orchard operations, automatic vehicle navigation is essential. However, in trellis orchards, the shading from trees results in low average light intensity and large variations in lighting, posing challenges for path navigation. To address this, a path navigation algorithm for trellis orchards is proposed based on the UNet-CBAM model. The network structures of UNet, FCN, and SegNet are compared to identify and select the optimal structure for further improvement. Among the three attention mechanisms of channel attention, spatial attention, and combined attention, the most effective mechanism is identified. The optimal attention mechanism is incorporated into the optimized network to enhance the model’s ability to detect path edges and improve detection performance. To validate the effectiveness and generalizability of the model, a total of 400 images were collected under varying lighting intensities. The experimental results show that this method achieves an accuracy of 97.63%, a recall of 93.94%, and an Intersection over Union (IoU) of 92.19%. These results significantly enhance path recognition accuracy in trellis orchards, particularly under low light under conditions. Compared to the FCN and SegNet algorithms, this method provides higher detection accuracy and offers a new theoretical foundation and research approach for path recognition in low-light environments.

Enhancing silicon spectral emission in LIBS using Tesla coil discharge

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is a powerful technique for elemental analysis, offering rapid analysis, minimal sample preparation, wide elemental coverage, and portability. To enhance the detection sensitivity of LIBS, increasing the spectral emission intensity is crucial. This paper explores the use of Tesla coil (TC) discharge as an alternative to spark discharge in silicon LIBS. The study examines the influence of TC discharge on both time-integrated and time-resolved spectra, with and without TC discharge; the corresponding electron temperature and density are obtained. The results show that TC discharge significantly amplifies the spectral intensity, improving signal sensitivity in LIBS analysis. Specifically, in the laser energy range from 7.4 to 24.0 mJ, TC discharge increased the average spectral line intensities of Si (II) 385.60 nm and Si (I) 390.55 nm by factors of 8.4 and 5.1, respectively. Additionally, the average electron temperature and density were enhanced by approximately 3.2% and 4.2%, respectively, under TC discharge. The advantages of TC discharge include higher energy deposition, extended discharge duration, reduced electrode erosion, and enhanced safety. This research contributes to advancing LIBS technology and expanding its applications in various fields.

Very Low-Intensity Ultrasound Facilitates Glymphatic Influx and Clearance via Modulation of the TRPV4-AQP4 Pathway.

Recently, the glymphatic system has been proposed as a mechanism for waste clearance from the brain parenchyma. Glymphatic dysfunction has previously been shown to be associated with several neurological diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, traumatic brain injury, and stroke. As such, it may serve as an important target for therapeutic interventions. In the present study, very low-intensity ultrasound (VLIUS) (center frequency, 1MHz; pulse repetition frequency, 1kHz; duty factor, 1%; spatial peak temporal average intensity [Ispta] = 3.68mWcm2; and duration, 5min) is found to significantly enhance the influx of cerebrospinal fluid tracers into the paravascular spaces of the brain, and further facilitate interstitial substance clearance from the brain parenchyma, including exogenous β-amyloid. Notably, no evidence of brain damage is observed following VLIUS stimulation. VLIUS may enhance glymphatic influx via the transient receptor potential vanilloid-4-aquaporin-4 pathway in astrocytes. This mechanism may provide insights into VLIUS-regulated glymphatic function that modifies the natural course of central nervous system disorders related to waste clearance dysfunction.

The Role of Subsurface Changes and Environmental Factors in Shaping Urban Heat Islands in Southern Xinjiang

The urban heat island (UHI) effect is one of the most prominent surface climate changes driven by human activities. This study examines the UHI characteristics and influencing factors in the Southern Xinjiang urban agglomeration using MODIS satellite data combined with observational datasets. Our results reveal a significant increase in impervious surfaces in the region between 1995 and 2015, with the most rapid expansion occurring from 2010 to 2015. This urban expansion is the primary driver of changes in UHI intensity. The analysis from 2000 to 2015 shows substantial spatial variation in UHI effects across cities. Hotan recorded the highest annual average daytime UHI intensity of 3.7 °C, while Aksu exhibited the lowest at approximately 1.6 °C. Daytime UHI intensity generally increased during the study period, with the highest intensities observed in the summer. However, nighttime UHI trends varied across cities, with most showing an increase in intensity. Temperature, precipitation, and aerosol optical depth (AOD) were identified as the main factors influencing annual average daytime UHI intensity, while PM10 concentration showed a weak and inconsistent correlation with UHI intensity, varying by city and season.

Propagation of Sine hyperbolic Gaussian vortex beam (ShGvB) in vertical anisotropic oceanic turbulence with adaptive optics correction

The propagation of Sinh Gaussian vortex beam (ShGvB) along vertical anisotropic oceanic turbulence is established using the spatial power spectrum which depends upon the depth of the ocean. The average intensity of the beams has been derived. For 100 m depth, the average intensity has been plotted and studied using the measured salinity and temperature from the ocean in both isotropic and anisotropic oceanic turbulence systems. The average transmittance of the ShGvB is studied and found that the beam degrades faster in anisotropic media than in isotropic media. To mitigate the aberrations adaptive optics (AO) correction is incorporated in the study along the vertical link. Quantitative estimates of the Bit error rate (BER) have been made to evaluate the beam's performance for vertical underwater optical communication and found that by improving the signal-to-noise ratio and incorporating AO, the ShGvB performs effectively in vertical underwater optical communication.

Urban heat islands’ effects on the thermo-energy performance of buildings according to their socio-economic factors

Urban areas experience the urban heat island (UHI) effect, which affects the thermal comfort and energy consumption of buildings. These consequences could vary depending on the socio-economic status of the neighbourhoods. Few studies have investigated how UHI affects socio-economically contrasting districts in thermal comfort and energy performance. Therefore, the primary goal of this research is to evaluate and compare the energy efficiency and thermal comfort conditions of residential buildings in the same city (Temuco, Chile) but located in socio-economically contrasting neighbourhoods. Urban weather files were first modelled in four urban zones using UWG software. Also, EnergyPlus building simulations were conducted to evaluate discomfort hours in adaptive comfort models and energy performance. The results showed annual average UHI intensities between 1.5 and 2.5 K. Urban–rural cooling energy load differences ranged between 12.47% and 38.92%, while heating energy load differences ranged between -20.47% and -81.95%. These distinctions depended on the urban zone, residence model analysed, or energy building standard applied. Similarly, urban-rural differences in thermal comfort times varied from 0.5% to 100%. Results illustrate that the risk of overheating could increase in socio-economically vulnerable areas. This issue could worsen if urban segregation continues to generate poor urban design in low-income districts.

Degradation of dioxins in chelated municipal solid waste incineration fly ash by low-temperature pyrolysis

In this study, low-temperature pyrolysis is applied to raw and chelated municipal solid waste incinerator fly ash to degrade and remove PCDD/F (polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, and dibenzofurans) and corresponding I-TEQs (international toxic equivalents), respectively. Additionally, PCDD/F degradation pathways are identified based on PCDD/F signatures. From the analysis of the average signal intensity of dioxin isomers in thermally treated fly ashes, the PCDD/F degradation rate was between 89.97 and 99.80 %, and the I-TEQs removal rate was 98.96 and 99.90% across all samples compared to untreated raw fly ash. The chelating agent EDTA enhanced the thermal degradation of PCDD/F, but the addition of Na2HPO4 in chelated fly ash as an inhibitor promoted PCDD/F regeneration. Further, there is a variable output of dioxins and corresponding I-TEQs under different temperatures and reaction times; however, longer reaction duration and higher temperatures proved highly effective. The overall toxicity of all thermally tested fly ashes was lesser than the permissible value of 50 ng I-TEQ/kg for resource utilization and observed in the range of 1.84 ± 0.15 to 19.45 ± 0.89 ng I-TEQ/kg. The investigation of the PCDD and PCDF signatures suggests that thermal destruction was a major pathway of degradation by breakage of the C-O bond, compared to dechlorination as observed by a high percentage contribution of HpCDD/F and OCDD/F congeners in thermally treated fly ashes. Low-temperature pyrolysis is an auspicious disposal technology that requires additional studies for large-scale applications.

The numerical analysis of complete and partial electrocoalescence in the droplet-layer system employing the sharp interface technique for multiphase-medium simulation

In this paper, the coalescence of a drop of water suspended in oil with a layer of water under the influence of a constant electric field is numerically investigated. Unlike most existing studies, the calculations are based on the application of the arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian method (ALEM), also called the moving mesh method, which belongs to the class of methods for modeling two-phase liquids with a sharp interface. Using this approach made it possible to avoid a false "escape" of the surface charge from the interface, which often occurs when using methods involving a diffuse interface. Despite the fact that ALEM does not allow describing topology changes by default, a numerical model was implemented in which the calculation is divided into three parts: the convergence of the drop and the layer before the moment of touch; the manual construction of the bridge at the moment of touch; the union of the drop and the layer. The developed model allowed us to obtain three possible modes of this process: complete coalescence, partial coalescence and a mode of stretching which has not practically been considered yet. The dependence of the volume of the separated secondary droplet on the size of the initial droplet and the average intensity of the applied electric field is obtained. The model showed good quantitative agreement with experimental studies. It has been shown that generally, the spots where the bridge and the neck are formed in case of partial coalescence do not coincide. A map of coalescence modes was obtained, i.e., the dependence of the transition threshold from coalescence to partial coalescence and from partial coalescence to stretching regime in a wide range of radii of initial droplets and electric field strengths. It has been shown that there is a maximum field strength at which droplets of any size merge with the layer. This map makes it possible to predict the coalescence regime in electrocoalescer. The proposed modeling technique can be used to calculate electrocoalescence modes at various values of the main parameters, which will help to optimize electrocoalescers at the design stage.

Host-Parasite Interaction Between the Nematoda Procamallanus (Spirocamallanus) paraensis and Fish Hoplias malabaricus From the Natural Environment in the Brazilian Amazon.

Histopathological studies of parasitic infections in fish from the natural environment of Brazilian Amazon, are quite scarce. In this study, we investigated the histopathological changes of the proximal intestine of specimens of the Amazonian fish Hoplias malabaricus infected by the hematophagous nematode Procamallanus (Spirocamallanus) paraensis. The prevalence of the infection was 60%, with an average abundance of 1.46 and an average intensity of 2.43 parasites/fish. No significant difference was observed in the prevalence of infection and fish size or sex, but larger fish showed greater infection intensity, which was also significantly higher in male hosts. Histological sections of the proximal intestine showed reduction and loss of the epithelial lining, exposure of the lamina propria where the nematode interacts with the intestine wall, through the insertion of the buccal capsule and fish cellular debris in the intestinal lumen. In addition, areas with bleeding and inflammatory infiltrate were observed, but no changes or presence of parasite structures were observed in the other tunics of the intestinal wall.

Mg II h&k spectra of an enhanced network region simulated with the MURaM-ChE code. Results using 1.5D synthesis

The lines are key diagnostics of the solar chromosphere. They are sensitive to the temperature, density, and nonthermal velocities in the chromosphere. The average line profiles arising from previous 3D chromospheric simulations are too narrow compared to observations. We study the formation and properties of the lines in a model atmosphere. We also compare the average spectrum, peak intensity, and peak separation of with a representative observation taken by the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS). We use a model based on the recently developed nonequilibrium version of the radiative magneto-hydrodynamics code MURaM, the MURaM Chromospheric Extension ( in combination with forward modeling using the radiative transfer code RH1.5D to obtain synthetic spectra. Our model resembles an enhanced network region created using an evolved MURaM quiet Sun simulation and adding an imposed large-scale bipolar magnetic field similar to that in the public Bifrost snapshot of a bipolar magnetic feature. The line width and the peak separation of the spatially averaged spectrum of the lines from the simulation are close to a representative observation of the quiet Sun, which also includes network fields. However, we find the synthesized line width to be still slightly narrower than in the observation. We find that velocities in the chromosphere play a dominant role in the broadening of the spectral lines. While the average synthetic spectrum also shows a good match to the observations in the pseudo continuum between the two emission lines, the peak intensities are higher in the modeled spectrum. This discrepancy may be due in part to the larger magnetic flux density in the simulation than in the considered observations, but could also be a result of the 1.5D radiative transfer approximation. Our findings show that strong maximum-velocity differences or turbulent velocities in the chromosphere and lower atmosphere are necessary to reproduce the observed line widths of chromospheric spectral lines.

Varying levels of natural light intensity affect the phyto-biochemical compounds, antioxidant indices and genes involved in the monoterpene biosynthetic pathway of Origanum majorana L.

BackgroundLight is a critical environmental factor in plants, encompassing two vital aspects: intensity and quality. To assess the influence of different light intensities on Origanum majorana L., pots containing the herb were subjected to four levels of light intensity: 20, 50, 70, and 100% natural light. After a 60-day treatment period, the plants were evaluated for metabolite production, including total sugar content, protein, dry weight, antioxidant indices, expression of monoterpenes biosynthesis genes, and essential oil compounds. The experimental design followed a randomized complete blocks format, and statistical analysis of variance was conducted.ResultsThe results indicated a correlation between increased light intensity and elevated total sugar and protein content, which contributed to improved plant dry weight. The highest levels of hydrogen peroxide and malondialdehyde (MDA) were observed under 100% light intensity. Catalase and superoxide dismutase enzymes exhibited increased activity, with a 4.23-fold and 2.14-fold increase, respectively, under full light. In contrast, peroxidase and polyphenol oxidase enzyme activities decreased by 3.29-fold and 3.24-fold, respectively. As light intensity increases, the expression level of the 1-deoxy-D-xylulose 5-phosphate reductoisomerase (DXR) gene increases. However, beyond a light intensity of 70%, the DXR gene expression level decreased. Furthermore, the expression levels of the cytochrome P450 genes CYP71D178 and CYP71D179 exhibited an increasing trend in response to elevated light intensity. Essential oil content increased from 0.02 to 0.5% until reaching 70% light intensity. However, with further increases in light intensity, the essential oil content decreased by 54 to 0.23%.ConclusionsThese findings emphasize the importance of balancing plant growth promotion and stress management under different light conditions. The research suggests that sweet marjoram plants thrive best in unshaded open spaces, resulting in maximum biomass. However, essential oil production decreases under the same conditions. For farmers in areas with an average light intensity of approximately 1700 µmol m−2s−1, it is recommended to cultivate sweet marjoram in shade-free fields to optimize biomass and essential oil production. Towards the end of the growth cycle, it is advisable to use shades that allow 70% of light to pass through. The specific duration of shade implementation can be further explored in future research.

Hyperspectral Imaging Reveals Differential Carotenoid and Chlorophyll Temporal Dynamics and Spatial Patterns in Scots Pine Under Water Stress.

Drought-related die-off events have been observed throughout Europe in Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.). Such events are exacerbated by carbon starvation that is, an imbalance of photosynthetic productivity and resource usage. Recent evidence suggests that optically measurable photosynthetic pigments such as chlorophylls and carotenoids respond to water stress (WS). However, there is a lack of measurements using imaging spectroscopy, and the mechanisms linking xanthophyll-related changes in reflectance captured by the photochemical reflectance index (PRI) and chlorophyll changes in red edge position (REP) to WS are not understood. To probe this, we conducted a greenhouse experiment where 3-year-old Pinus sylvestris saplings were subjected to water limitation and followed using hyperspectral imaging (HSI) spectroscopy, water status and photosynthetic measurements. Carotenoids (e.g., xanthophyll cycle) and chlorophylls responded to WS, which was observed using the HSI-derived indices PRI and REP respectively. The spatial-temporal response in these two pigment-reflectance groupings differed. The spatial distribution of PRI represented the light intensity around the time of the measurement, whereas REP reflected the daily averaged light intensity over the experimental course. A further difference was noted upon rewatering, where the carotenoid-related PRI partially recovered but the chlorophyll-related REP did not.

Assessing the growth, yield, and biochemical composition of greenhouse cherry tomatoes with special emphasis on the progressive growth report

The growth of plants hinges on a complex interplay of biochemical and physiological activities across various growth stages. These intricate processes dynamically adapt to different environmental conditions, shaping both plant development and productivity. This study explores the impact of greenhouse climate on the growth, yield, and biochemistry of winter-grown cherry tomatoes ‘Cheramy F1’. A randomized complete block design (RCBD) under split plot arrangements (3 Rows) with three replications (3 plants from each row) was adopted. The data were collected on various dates during the period extending from December to March of two consecutive growing seasons in 2022 and 2023, and presented as averages. An analysis of variance was applied to statistically analyze the collected data at a confidence level of p < 0.05. The climatic conditions in the greenhouse were calculated as temperature ranging from a minimum of 10.5 °C to the maximum of 41.3 °C by an average of 21.2 °C during the vegetative stage and from 8.2 °C to 32.3 °C by an average of 20.9 °C during the fruit-bearing stage, with an average CO2 concentration fluctuated within the range of 385.61 ppm to 510.30 ppm and an average light intensity of 94.62 to 240.45 W/m². This study assessed various growth parameters such as plant height, leaf growth, stem diameter, leaf spacing, leaf count, leaf area, and inflorescence count per plant, and suggested the optimum range of greenhouse conditions for each stage. The key results of this study revealed the Progressive Growth Report (PGR), predicting daily potential growth rates of plants: plant height, 2.86 to 3.81 cm/day; growth rate of mature older leaf: 0.003988 m2/day; middle younger leaf: 0.008733 m2/day; top nascent leaf: 0.010722 m2/day; three to five leaves per week; and one inflorescence per week. In our accidental observation, we noticed unusual plant growth and yield responses because of the various growing postures and positions that the plants adopted in the greenhouse. An exceedingly significant difference among the inflorescences was found in view of their growth, productivity and biochemical composition. A non-significant interaction was found between the fruit keeping quality (shelf days), fruit height, fruit diameter, and inflorescence number. The present study results highlight the possible responses of greenhouse-grown cherry tomatoes to different ranges of temperature, light intensity, and CO2 concentrations, offering valuable insights for optimizing greenhouse cherry tomatoes cultivation.