NMR imaging of white button mushroom (Agaricus bisporis) at various magnetic fields

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have been applied to visualize physiological phenomena in plants and agricultural crops. Imaging sequences that result in contrast of a combination of parameters (e.g., proton density, ) cannot be used for a correct and unique interpretation of the results. In this study multiecho imaging together with monoexponential T₂ decay fitting was applied to determine reliable proton density and T₂ distributions over a mushroom. This was done at three magnetic field strengths (9.4, 4.7, and 0.47 T) because susceptibility inhomogeneities were suspected to influence the T₂ relaxation times negatively, and because the inflences of susceptibility inhomogeneities increase with a rise in magnetic field strength. Electron microscopy was used to understand the different T₂'s for the various tissue types in mushrooms. Large influences of the tissue ultrastructure on the observed T₂ relaxation times were found and explained. Based on the results, it is concluded that imaging mushrooms at low fields (around or below 0.47T) and short echo times has strong advantages over its high-field counterpart, especially with respect to quantitative imaging of the water balance of mushrooms. These conclusions indicate general validity whenever NMR imaging contrast is influenced by susceptibility inhomogeneities.     

A note on node aggregation and Benders' decomposition

Node aggregation methods have been previously studied as a means for approximating large scale transportation problems. In this paper, we show how the approximations inherent in Benders' decomposition method can be combined with node aggregation in optimizing large scale capacitated plant location problems. This research was supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. ECS-8117105.     

Simple plant location under uniform delivered pricing

Given a geographical system of demand functions, the simple-plant location problem under uniform delivered pricing consists in determining the delivered price taken as uniform for all customers, the number, the locations, the sizes and the market areas of the plants which supply these customers, in order to maximize the profit of the firm. A model is proposed, which allows, moreover, to integrate some aspects of the commercial policy of the firm, i.e., its decision to satisfy all markets with positive demands or profitable markets only, or to allow a maximum unit loss or require a minimum unit gain on each served market. An efficient algorithm is presented and illustrated by an example. Computational results with a code using recursively Erlenkotter's DUALOC program as a subroutine are summarized.     

几种食用植物油发热量的测定

利用WZR-1A型精密微电脑量热计系统地测量了10种食用植物油的恒容燃烧热.准确称取一定量的基准物质,放入氧弹中充人高压纯氧,将测试样品在氧弹中完全燃烧,并记录燃烧前后时间与量热计温度变化数据,运用仪器所带的数据处理软件计算出仪器热容量,然后再准确称取一定量的食用植物油,装入已准确测定热值的燃烧胶囊中后,将测试数据用自编的计算机处理程序对测试数据处理,从而得到食用植物油的燃烧热值.此法准确、简便、实用,可用于日常检测工作.     

MSE-MRI sequence optimisation for measurement of bi- and tri-exponential T2 relaxation in a phantom and fruit

The transverse relaxation signal from vegetal cells can be described by multi-exponential behaviour, reflecting different water compartments. This multi-exponential relaxation is rarely measured by conventional MRI imaging protocols; mono-exponential relaxation times are measured instead, thus limiting information about of the microstructure and water status in vegetal cells. In this study, an optimised multiple spin echo (MSE) MRI sequence was evaluated for assessment of multi-exponential transverse relaxation in fruit tissues. The sequence was designed for the acquisition of a maximum of 512 echoes. Non-selective refocusing RF pulses were used in combination with balanced crusher gradients for elimination of spurious echoes. The study was performed on a bi-compartmental phantom with known T₂ values and on apple and tomato fruit. T₂ decays measured in the phantom and fruit were analysed using bi- and tri-exponential fits, respectively. The MRI results were compared with low field non-spatially resolved NMR measurements performed on the same samples.     

Erythrina alkaloids from leaves of Erythrina arborescens

Continued interest in Erythrina alkaloids resulted in the isolation of 38 alkaloids including 7 undescribed ones from the leaves of Erythrina arborescens Roxburgh. Among the new compounds, erythrivarines H-I were two dimeric alkaloids, while others were Erythrina alkaloid glucosides. Dimeric Erythrina alkaloids and monomers, turcomanidine and isoboldine, showed medium xanthine oxidase inhibition.     

A SERS and HPLC study of traditional dyes from native Chinese plants

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is proposed as analytical method for the characterization of extracts from Chinese plants traditionally used both as medicines and as textile dyes. Spectroscopic results are supported by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis of the extracts. In particular the spectra of extracts obtained from Chinese mulberry (Cudrania tricuspidata), gromwell (Lithospermum erythrorhizon), Chinese rhubarb (Rheum palmatum), tangerine (Citrus reticulata) and Morinda plants are reported here for the first time. A correlation between the SER spectral pattern and the structure of the molecules responsible for color is proposed for each of the examined dyes.