Microscopic Level Research Articles

Parallel, Continuous Monitoring and Quantification of Programmed Cell Death in Plant Tissue.

Accurate quantification of hypersensitive response (HR) programmed cell death is imperative for understanding plant defense mechanisms and developing disease-resistant crop varieties. Here, a phenotyping platform for rapid, continuous-time, and quantitative assessment of HR is demonstrated: Parallel Automated Spectroscopy Tool for Electrolyte Leakage (PASTEL). Compared to traditional HR assays, PASTEL significantly improves temporal resolution and has high sensitivity, facilitating detection of microscopic levels of cell death. Validation is performed by transiently expressing the effector protein AVRblb2 in transgenic Nicotiana benthamiana (expressing the corresponding resistance protein Rpi-blb2) to reliably induce HR. Detection of cell death is achieved at microscopic intensities, where leaf tissue appears healthy to the naked eye one week after infiltration. PASTEL produces large amounts of frequency domain impedance data captured continuously. This data is used to develop supervised machine-learning (ML) models for classification of HR. Input data (inclusive of the entire tested concentration range) is classified as HR-positive or negative with 84.1% mean accuracy (F1 score=0.75) at 1h and with 87.8% mean accuracy (F1 score=0.81) at 22h. With PASTEL and the ML models produced in this work, it is possible to phenotype disease resistance in plants in hours instead of days to weeks.

Combined Effects of Steel and Glass Fibres on the Fracture Performance of Recycled Rubber Concrete

As an environmentally friendly construction material, recycled rubber concrete (RRC) is commonly used as a road material owing to its excellent flexural strength and crack resistance. Previous studies have shown that the addition of fibres is an effective method for improving the crack resistance of concrete. The purpose of this study is to investigate the fracture performance of RRC reinforced with steel fibres (SFs) and glass fibres (GFs). A total of 28 RRC mixtures were prepared. The results of the fracture test showed that the addition of SFs and GFs significantly enhanced the RRC fracture performance. The maximum increases or decreases in flexural strength, brittleness coefficient, fracture energy, initial fracture toughness, and unstable fracture toughness were 64.9, −34.6, 775.6, 92.0, and 118.4%, respectively. The ideal GF content is usually in the range of 0.4–0.6% and decreases with increasing SF content. In addition, scanning electron microscope (SEM) tests were conducted to explore the mechanism of the effect of hybrid fibres on RRC at a microscopic level. The results show that SFs were always pulled out, while GFs were pulled apart at the initial defects. At the same time, excessive GFs caused more initial defects. These results are expected to provide theoretical direction and experimental support for the practical application of hybrid fibre-reinforced recycled rubber concrete (HFRRRC).

Defining reference values of arterioles in healthy individuals for studies with adaptive optics imaging.

To investigate age-dependent wall to lumen ratio (WLR) reference values for healthy individuals in adaptive optics imaging (AO). WLR serves as an objective, dimensionless parameter for the evaluation of structural changes in vessels caused by conditions like arterial hypertension, diabetes or vascular stenosis. 50 right eyes of healthy individuals were examined by adaptive optics imaging. The central big arterioles and smaller arterial branches at least one disc diameter away from the optic disc, approximately above or below the macula were measured by the manufacturer's software. The wall-lumen-ratio (WLR), the wall cross-sectional area (WCSA) and lumen diameter (LD) were assessed. Subsequent data analysis was performed with a focus on variables including age, gender and blood pressure. Normative values for WLR, WCSA and LD in 5 different age groups could be established. However, no significant differences between the age groups were found. Intra-subject comparisons revealed significantly higher WLRs on peripheral branches when compared to central arterioles. WLR showed in this normotensive cohort no relevant correlation with the systolic, diastolic and mean blood pressure. Gender and intraocular pressure had no influence on the vascular parameters. AO is capable of examining vascular alterations in arterioles at an almost microscopic level. Age did not seem to alter WLR, normotensive blood pressure parameters showed also no significant impact. AO-based vessel analysis may provide clinically useful biomarkers for cardiovascular health and should be tested in future studies.

Comparative analysis of flow factors and crystallinity in conventional extrusion and gas-assisted extrusion

Abstract Two-dimensional models of die-melt and die-gas-melt were created using Polyflow software. The radial and axial directions flow rate, shear rate, pressure, and first normal stress of the specimen were numerically simulated under conventional extrusion and gas-assisted extrusion while taking into consideration the heat transfer on the free surface of the specimen. The crystallinity was determined by combining the simulation data with the crystallization kinetics equation. The computation results are then examined using Origin software. The findings demonstrate that the use of gas-assisted extrusion technology can cause the Vx to decrease or even turn negative by reducing the friction between the melting edge and the die wall. Additionally, it makes Vy , pressure, shear rate, temperature, first normal stress, and crystallinity increasingly steady and aids in reducing or avoiding the Barus effect. The crystallization phenomena can be measured by using the crystallization kinetics equation. The study of extruded parts at the microscopic level will benefit from this application.

Modelling of reaction kinetics in production of hydroxy carboxylic acids by alkaline degradation of cellulosic waste

The reaction kinetics in alkaline degradation of cellulosic materials to monomeric compounds at elevated temperatures was studied. The target compounds are hydroxy carboxylic acids, preferably glucoisosaccharinic acid (GISA), that are valuable platform chemicals. This methodology, which focuses on depolymerizing cellulosic materials and transforming them into hydroxy carboxylic acids, has not been explored in existing literature. To this end, a rigorous mathematical model was developed that considers phenomena at macroscopic level (transformation of crystalline cellulose into amorphous) and at microscopic level (cleavage of glycosidic bonds). Experimental cellulose degradation data in 10 wt-% NaOH and 20–200 °C was correlated with the model. The agreement between the model results and the experimental data confirmed that the process obeys the proposed reaction pathway. Around 80 % of degradation occurs during the reactor warming up period. Analysis of rate constants indicates that GISA is not degraded into smaller hydroxy acids (SHA) at the temperatures studied. Instead, monosaccharides are converted into SHA as soon as they are produced. Conversion of crystalline cellulose into amorphous form was identified as the rate determining step.

Mn Cluster-Embedded N/F Co-Doped Carbon toward Mild Aqueous Supercapacitors.

Aqueous supercapacitors have occupied a significant position among various types of stationary energy storage equipment, while their widespread application is hindered by the relatively low energy density. Herein, N/F co-doped carbon materials activated by manganese clusters (NCM) are constructed by the straightforward experimental routine. Benefiting from the elevated conductivity structure at the microscopic level, the optimized NCM-0.5 electrodes exhibited a remarkable specific capacitance of 653 F g-1 at 0.4 A g-1 and exceptional cycling stability (97.39% capacity retention even after 40,000 cycles at the scanning rate of 100 mV s-1) in a neutral 5 M LiCl electrolyte. Moreover, we assembled an asymmetric device pairing with a VOx anode (NCM-0.5//VOx), which delivered a durable life span of 95% capacity retention over 30,000 cycles and an impressive energy density of 77.9 Wh kg-1. This study provides inspiration for transition metal element doping engineering in high-energy storage equipment.

Microstructure‐ionisation potential relationship analysis for understanding the molecular ionisation difference of natural esters during the impulse discharge via DFT calculation

AbstractUnderstanding the impulse discharge behaviour of natural ester (NE) is crucial for its safe application in high‐voltage transformers. The ionisation potential (IP) of triglycerides plays a significant role in the process of molecular ionisation during impulse discharge for NE. The correlation coefficients between molecular size, frontier orbital, electrostatic potential, polarity, and IP were analysed. And the quantitative microstructure‐IP model for triglycerides were built, which revealed that IP is strongly related to the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) energy EHM, as well as the average value of positive electrostatic potential Vp(+), the average value of negative electrostatic potential Vp(−), and the surface area of negative electrostatic potential S(−). The HOMO and negative electrostatic potentials of saturated triglycerides are predominantly linked to the carbonyl O atoms. Conversely, in unsaturated triglycerides, the influence of C=C double bonds on HOMO and negative electrostatic potentials is more pronounced. Therefore, the IP of unsaturated NE with C=C bonds is lower than that of saturated NE, rendering it more susceptible to ionisation under a strong electric field which is unfavourable for impulse breakdown voltage. The structure‐property correlation analysis is valuable for understanding ionisation mechanism during the impulse discharge breakdown of NE at the microscopic level.

Enterolith with a bonefish spine nidus in a Brazilian cownose ray Rhinoptera brasiliensis (Müller & Henle) (Myliobatiformes: Rhinopteridae).

An adult female Brazilian cownose ray (Rhinoptera brasiliensis), housed in Ubatuba Aquarium died after loss of appetite period. During necropsy, an enterolith was discovered partially obstructing the intestinal lumen. Examination of the enterolith revealed a bonefish spine nidus. Enterolithiasis has been linked to multiple factors including diet, genetics, alkaline intestinal environments and, as in this particular case, the ingestion and retention of foreign bodies. The composition of this enterolith from a cownose ray was primarily monohydrocalcite. This short communication, apparently the first to report enterolithiasis in stingrays, emphasizes the need for post-mortem examinations of carcasses on macroscopic and microscopic levels.

The role of driver head pose dynamics and instantaneous driving in safety critical events: Application of computer vision in naturalistic driving

This paper investigates the role of driver behavior especially head pose dynamics in safety–critical events (SCEs). Using a large dataset collected in a naturalistic driving study, this paper analyzes the head pose dynamics and driving behavior in moments leading up to crashes or near-crashes. The study uses advanced computer vision and mixed logit modeling techniques to identify patterns and relationships between drivers’ head pose dynamics and crash involvement. The results suggest that driver-head pose dynamics, especially poses that indicate distraction and movement volatility, are important factors that can contribute to undesirable safety outcomes. Marginal effects show that angular deviation for head pose dynamics indicated by yaw, pitch and roll increase the likelihood of crash intensity by 4.56%, 4.92% and 8.26% respectively. Furthermore, traffic flow and lane changing also contribute to increase in likelihood of crash intensity. These findings provide new insights into pre-crash factors, especially human factors and safety–critical events. The study highlights the importance of considering human factors in designing driver assistance systems and developing safer vehicles. This research contributes by examining naturalistic driving data at the microscopic level with early detection of behaviors that lead to SCEs and provides a basis for future research on automation.

Microstructure evolution from silicon core to surface in electronic-grade polycrystalline silicon

Large-size electronic-grade polycrystalline silicon is an important material in the semiconductor industry with broad application prospects. However, electronic-grade polycrystalline silicon has extremely high requirements for production technology and currently faces challenges such as carbon impurity breakdown, microstructure and composition nonuniformity and a lack of methods for preparing large-size mirror-like polycrystalline silicon samples. This paper innovatively uses physical methods such as wire cutting, mechanical grinding and ion thinning polishing to prepare large-size polycrystalline silicon samples that are clean, smooth, free from wear and have clear crystal defects. The material was characterized at both macroscopic and microscopic levels using metallographic microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with backscattered electron diffraction (EBSD) techniques and scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). The crystal structure changes from single crystal silicon core to the surface of the bulk in the large-size polycrystalline silicon samples were revealed, providing a technical basis for optimizing and improving production processes.

Influence of Hydroponic Feed With Phytobiotic Action on the Poultry Slaughter Parameters

The article describes the study of feeding birds by adding fenugreek plants, licorice root, amaranth grains to the feed ration of chickens, which have a phytobiotic effect and hydroponic grown grains of corn, barley, amaranth and fenugreek, which have high nutritional qualities and influence on the slaughter performance of birds in farms and private farms. The main indicators of the slaughter yield of the products of slaughter of young hens are analyzed: slaughter live weight, the mass of non-stranded carcass, the mass of half-gutted carcasses, the mass of gutted carcasses, and also the slaughter yield. Studies have established that the live weight of broilers of the experimental group before slaughter is higher by 13.19% (p≤0.001), an indicator of the control group. The differences are established due to the positive influence of chelating microelements on the biochemical processes in the bird's body, which in turn leads to the effective assimilation of the nutritional components of the diet, as well as the feed supplement, do not cause changes in the clinical state, pathological changes at macro- and microscopic levels in the body of broiler chickens.

Mechanical and Magnetic Properties Variation in Non-Oriented Electrical Steels with Different Cutting Technology: A Review.

The problem of energy consumption reduction establishes important challenges for electric motor producers in the framework of new international regulations regarding the conditions that must be accomplished by motors in the near future. One of the most important topics is related to the core loss decrease directly linked to the effect of electrical steel degradation induced by the cutting technology. Understanding exactly how this phenomenon occurs by analyzing the chemical, mechanical, crystallographic, magnetic domain, and magnetic properties is of utmost importance when manufacturing processes must be changed and adapted to a new market characterized by high-efficiency motors. Today, mechanical and laser cutting technologies are the most used because of their reduced price and high-speed process. Still, unfortunately, these methods are not the best due to the fact that they lead, in most cases, to a high value of magnetic core losses, low electromagnetic torque, and hence reduced efficiency. This review paper shows that non-conventional technologies such as water jetting and electroerosion could be applied if proper modifications are added. This paper's main idea is to present a comprehensive study regarding the impact of cutting technologies on microhardness and residual stresses, crystallographic texture, magnetic domain structure, and magnetic properties of some non-oriented electrical steels used in motor production. It provides a detailed analysis of the abovementioned aspects by including the authors' research and findings in the wider context of other research group contributions. It also offers a general idea of the mechanisms present at the macro- and microscopic levels. The readers can find some of the most used analytical models, including the cutting process's damaged effect on the magnetic properties' variation based on a simple mathematical approach and examples of finite element modeling performed on real motor designs implemented in various programs. Last but not least, some practical implementations of the cutting procedure's influence on motor working conditions are presented in the last section of the paper. It provides an up-to-date analysis regarding how the cutting method should be included in high-efficiency motor production by emphasizing the importance of the topic and identifying where supplementary research must be undertaken. From the investigated literature, by analyzing specific sample geometries associated with different characterization methods, it can be concluded that all the cutting technologies have an important contribution to the mechanical and magnetic quantities. When the magnetic core of an electric motor is produced through non-conventional methods, the overall influence of the cutting procedure has a low percentage in the motor efficiency, as presented in this paper.

The Impact of Oil Type on the Performance of β-Amyrin-Based Oleogels: Formation, Physicochemical Properties, and Potential Correlation Analysis.

Pentacyclic triterpenes show potential as oleogelators, but their combination with various vegetable oils has limited research. This study selected linseed, rapeseed, sunflower, coconut, and palm oils to combine with the triterpenoid compound β-amyrin for the preparation of oleogels. The stability, crystal network structure, and other properties of each oleogel were evaluated. The correlation between different oil types and the properties of corresponding oleogels was explored. The results showed that β-amyrin formed stable oleogels with five vegetable oils under suitable temperature conditions, wherein especially the LO-based oleogel not only exhibited higher oil-binding capacity and hardness, but also demonstrated excellent stability at the microscopic level and notable rheological properties. Further analysis revealed a close correlation between the physicochemical properties of the oleogels and lipid characteristics, indicating that oleogels prepared from long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids exhibit high stability. The above results indicate that β-amyrin can be a novel candidate oleogelator and that the oil type can modify the properties of β-amyrin-based oleogels. This study provides the latest reference for the application of pentacyclic triterpenoids in food.

Effects of PVA fibers and multi-walled carbon nanotubes reinforcement on uniaxial compression fatigue properties of Engineered geopolymer composites

As a new type of green and environmentally friendly cementing material, engineered geopolymer composites (EGC) have broad application prospects. In this study, uniaxial compression fatigue tests were conducted to investigate the fatigue properties of geopolymer material. A total of 137 samples were tested to investigate the effects of carbon nanotubes content, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) fibers volume content, and maximum stress level on the fatigue life and deformation of geopolymers. The results showed that the fatigue life of geopolymers obeys Weibull distribution, and PVA fibers and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) achieved multiscale enhancement of the fatigue life by up to 16.34 times. The total strain accumulation, residual strain, and fatigue stiffness of the geopolymers under fatigue loading exhibited a three-stage evolution rule, with stability within the secondary creep branch. In the process of EGC production, the innovative adoption of optimized MWCNTs surface modification and dispersion strategies improved the uniformity of MWCNTs distribution in the matrix. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) confirmed the hybridization of MWCNTs and PVA fibers at the microscopic level, which can achieve multi-scale enhancement of geopolymers. This study successfully optimized the content of MWCNTs and PVA fibers, further expanding the application range of composite materials.

Flexural fatigue properties of concrete based on different replacement percentage of natural sand with manufactured sand

Compression and flexural fatigue tests were conducted on concrete specimens with varying strengths under different replacement percentages of natural river sand (R-sand) with manufactured sand (M-sand) at 0%, 30%, 70%, and 100%. The objective was to compare and analyse differences in fatigue damage of concrete across different replacement percentages. Findings were made that when the replacement percentage of M-sand was 30% and 70%, the concrete exhibited higher fatigue life, irrespective of any variations in compressive strength. The fatigue life of concrete with a compressive strength of 30 MPa could be increased by an average of 20%–30% compared to concrete with a compressive strength of 50 MPa, and this increasing trend reached its peak when the replacement percentage of M-sand was in the range of 30%–70%. In order to enhance the prediction of fatigue life for concrete subjected to varying replacement percentages of natural sand with M-sand and to elucidate the evolution process of fatigue damage in M-sand concrete, dynamic strain gauges and DIC methods were employed. This enabled determination of the cycle-varying maximum strain and residual strain during the fatigue process across different replacement percentages. The findings indicate that the addition of M-sand can significantly delay the degradation of dynamic elastic modulus (E), with this effect being enhanced by over 15%. The fatigue damage was defined based on fatigue deformation modulus; therefore, a new fatigue damage model was established. It was observed that this new model improved accuracy by up to 6.1% compared to the traditional fitted model in this test. Finally, the effects of different replacement percentages of natural sand with M-sand on the brittle transition of concrete were analysed at the microscopic level. This analysis involved a combination of microhardness testing and examination of the interfacial transition zone and hydride map of concrete under a scanning electron microscope across different replacement percentages of natural sand with M-sand.

Active vibration suppression of tetrachiral auxetic core sandwich panel with CFRP skin: An RVE homogenization-assisted finite element approach

Free vibration as well as the controlled dynamic response of moderately-thick smart sandwich panel are numerically explored considering the size effect of chiral unit cells at the microscopic level, with the help of RVE-assisted-finite element (FE) approach. In this scientific article, the authors have made a debut attempt to analyse the smart damping behaviour of a tetrachiral-type auxetic core sandwich panel (with carbon/epoxy skin) deploying a real-time based constant velocity feedback controller in a closed loop configuration. Effective anisotropic elastic properties as well as the reduced stiffness matrix of the cellular core layer have been determined by using RVE-FE based full-scale homogenization technique in ANSYS® platform. Dynamic equation of motion governing the plate structure, has been derived using an energy-based variational principle, and further solved with the help of a quadratic interpolation based finite element method. The mid-plane kinematics of the plate structure are assumed to follow first order shear deformation theory (FSDT). A number of numerical examples have been solved and compared with previously published literature to ensure the consistency of the present homogenization-cum-numerical approach. From the observation it is found that, the natural frequency and the controlled dynamic response of tetrachiral-type sandwich structure are very much sensitive towards the geometry (cell wall thickness, ligament length etc.) and architecture of the unit cell of the auxetic core. Also, a comparison study has been performed between tetrachiral auxetic smart sandwich and regular hexagonal honeycomb smart sandwich plate, which confirms about the mechanical advantage of the former over the later configuration, due to the existence of out-of-plane negative Poisson's ratio (NPR) and axial-shear coupling stiffness. Afterwards, a few additional numerical examples have been solved by changing different influencing parameters of the auxetic core sandwich plate and important results are reported in the article.

Macro-micro analysis of ground response to circular tunnel excavation in granular media

Ground reaction in terms of stress and displacement analysis is one of the major challenges in tunnel design and is helpful for understanding the stability around the excavation zone. In this paper, the analysis of stress, strain responses and radial displacement around circular tunnel excavated in cohesive-frictional granular materials is discussed via an innovative multi-scale approach (FEM × DEM) that combined finite element (FEM) and discrete element (DEM) methods and compared to other solutions obtained with conventional constitutive laws. Thanks to simulations, (i) the Ground response curve is then established and provides a better understanding of the complex behaviour in the vicinity of the tunnel; (ii) the prediction by FEM × DEM approach differs considerably from conventional constitutive laws; and (iii) in a unique manner, macroscopic and microscopic analyses are simultaneously performed showing that at the macroscopic level (FE mesh), diffuse failure mode are observed, while at the microscopic level (DEM level), microscopic evolutions are observed to be strictly related to the macroscopic behaviour.

Doping Effects on the Multiferroic Properties of KNbO3 Nanoparticles

The magnetization, polarization, and band-gap energy in pure and ion-doped KNbO3 (KNO) bulk and nanoparticles (NPs) are investigated theoretically using a microscopic model and Green’s function theory. It is shown that KNO NPs are multiferroic. The size dependence of M and P is studied. The magnetization M increases with decreasing NP size, whereas the polarization P decreases slightly. The properties of KNO can be tuned by ion doping, for example, through the substitution of transition metal ions at the Nb site or Na ions at the K site. By ion doping, depending on the relation between the doping and host ion radii, different strains appear. They lead to changes in the exchange interaction constants, which are inversely proportional to the lattice parameters. So, we studied the macroscopic properties on a microscopic level. By doping with transition metal ions (Co, Mn, Cr) at the Nb site, M increases, whereas P decreases. Doped KNO NPs exhibit the same behavior as doped bulk KNO, but the values of the magnetization and polarization in KNO NPs are somewhat enhanced or reduced due to the size effects compared to the doped bulk KNO. In order to increase P, we substituted the K ions with Na ions. The polarization increases with increasing magnetic field, which is evidence of the multiferroic behavior of doped KNO bulk and NPs. The behavior of the band-gap energy Eg also depends on the dopants. Eg decreases with increasing Co, Mn, and Cr ion doping, whereas it increases with Zn doping. The results are compared with existing experimental data, showing good qualitative agreement.

Study on the Mechanism of Water and Sand Leakage in a Foundation Pit Retaining Structure Based on the Computational Fluid Dynamics–Discrete Element Method

The existence of defects in the enclosure structure is the primary cause of water and sand leakage in foundation pits, as well as being a significant source of danger in pit construction, but current research lacks an in-depth investigation of the generation mechanism and gestation process. In this paper, which comprehensively considers the microscopic particles and macroscopic level, the development mechanism of a water and sand leakage disaster in a foundation pit with a water-rich sand layer was studied using the principle of computational fluid dynamics and discrete element method coupled analysis (CFD–DEM); moreover, based on the anisotropy of the particle force and fluid energy analysis, the deformation of the stratum and ground stress field were analyzed. The results show that the stress field will produce a plugging effect at a certain distance from the defect, and the strata exhibit a dominant displacement tendency in the vertical direction, resulting in the emergence of a gradually concave stress relaxation zone and an elliptical contour in the strata displacement map near the defect. The fluid energy describes the displacement of the sand layer very well, and it is separated into the sand layer’s centralized loss region and the major loss area based on the high and low levels of the fluid energy class. The impact of fluid at the defect reaches the maximum kinetic energy, which penetrates the structural weakness and causes the loss of sand particles, and the cross-section of the water influx near the defect gradually expands with the loss of particles, indicating that there is a danger of further expansion of the defect under the impact of water flow. These results have technical implications for the management of water and sand leakage disasters in foundation pit engineering.

Macro-micro exploration on dynamic interaction between aflatoxigenic Aspergillus flavus and maize kernels using Vis/NIR hyperspectral imaging and SEM technology

Aspergillus flavus and its toxic metabolites-aflatoxins infect and contaminate maize kernels, posing a threat to grain safety and human health. Due to the complexity of microbial growth and metabolic processes, dynamic mechanisms among fungal growth, nutrient depletion of maize kernels and aflatoxin production is still unclear. In this study, visible/near infrared (Vis/NIR) hyperspectral imaging (HSI) combined with the scanning electron microscope (SEM) was used to elucidate the critical organismal interaction at kernel (macro-) and microscopic levels. As kernel damage is the main entrance for fungal invasion, maize kernels with gradually aggravated damages from intact to pierced to halved kernels with A. flavus were cultured for 0–120 h. The spectral fingerprints of the A. flavus-maize kernel complex over time were analyzed with principal components analysis (PCA) of hyperspectral images, where the pseudo-color score maps and the loading plots of the first three PCs were used to investigate the dynamic process of fungal infection and to capture the subtle changes in the complex with different hardness of the maize matrix. The dynamic growth process of A. flavus and the interactions of fungus-maize complexes were explained on a microscopic level using SEM. Specifically, fungus morphology, e.g., hyphae, conidia, and conidiophore (stipe) was accurately captured on the microscopic level, and the interaction process between A. flavus and nutrient loss from the maize kernel tissues (i.e., embryo, and endosperm) was described. Furthermore, the growth stage discrimination models based on PLSDA with the results of CCRC = 100 %, CCRV = 97 %, CCRIV = 93 %, and the prediction models of AFB1 based on PLSR with satisfactory performance (R2C = 0.96, R2V = 0.95, R2IV = 0.93 and RPD = 3.58) were both achieved. In conclusion, the results from both macro-level (Vis/NIR-HSI) and micro-level (SEM) assessments revealed the dynamic organismal interactions in A. flavus-maize kernel complex, and the detailed data could be used for modeling, and quantitative prediction of aflatoxin, which would establish a theoretical foundation for the early detection of fungal or toxin contaminated grains to ensure food security.