Classification of apple tree disorders using Convolutional Neural Networks.

Abstract?This paper studies the use of Convolutional Neural Networks to automatically detect and classify diseases, nutritional deficiencies and damage by herbicides on apple trees from images of their leaves. This task is fundamental to guarantee a high quality of the resulting yields and is currently largely performed by experts in the field, which can severely limit scale and add to costs. By using a novel data set containing labeled examples consisting of 2539 images from 6 known disorders, we show that trained Convolutional Neural Networks are able to match or outperform experts in this task, achieving a 97.3% accuracy on a hold-out set

Preliminary analysis of effects of air cooling turbine blades on turbojet-engine performance

The effects of turbine-blade cooling on engine performance were analytically investigated for a turbojet engine in which cooling air is bled from the engine compressor. The analysis was made for a constant turbine-inlet temperature and a range of altitudes to determine the minimum cooling requirements to permit substitution of nonstrategic materials in turbine blading. The results indicate that, for a constant inlet temperature, air cooling of the turbine blades increases the specific fuel consumption and decreases the thrust of the engine. The highest possible cooling effectiveness is desirable to minimize coolant weight flow and its effects on engine performance

Online monitoring the isomerization of an azobenzene-based dendritic bolaamphiphile using ion mobility-mass spectrometry

Ion mobility-mass spectrometry was used to obtain detailed information about the kinetics of the light-induced cis/trans isomerization process of a new supramolecular azobenzene-based bolaamphiphile. Further experiments revealed that the investigated light-induced structural transition dramatically influences the aggregation behaviour of the molecule

Entwicklung und Anwendung molekularer und informatorischer Werkzeuge für das genetische Monitoring bei Wildrüben

Development and application of molecular and bioinformatic tools for the genetic monitoring ofwild beets.ZusammenfassungWildlebende Verwandte der Kulturpflanzen (WVK) sind wirtschaftlich wichtige pflanzengenetische Ressourcen (PGR) für die Pflanzenzüchtung. Ein Konzept, solche PGR im natürlichen Habitat (in situ) zu erhalten, ist das genetische Schutzareal. Durch diese Technik ist es möglich, innerartliche Vielfalt zu erhalten und die Entstehung neuer Diversität zu ermöglichen. Das Konzept des genetischen Schutzareals wird an der Gattung Beta im Rahmen des vom Julius Kühn-Institut koordinierten EU-Projekts AEGRO angewendet, erprobt und weiterentwickelt. B. patula (Ait.) (BP) und B. vulgaris (L.) maritima (Arcang.) (BVM) werden dabei als Modellarten genutzt. Beide Spezies sind wichtige PGR für die Zuckerrübenzüchtung. BP ist eine seltene und gefährdete Art mit einem sehr begrenzten Verbreitungsgebiet. Im Gegensatz dazu ist BVM weitverbreitet und kommt u. a. an den Küsten Westeuropas vor. In Folge des globalen Klimawandels wird eine nach Norden gerichtete Migrationsbewegung dieser Unterart erwartet. Basierend auf den durch vorliegende Arbeit geschaffenen Grundlagen soll zu einem späteren Zeitpunkt die Auswirkung dieser Migrationsbewegung auf die genetische Diversität ermittelt werden. Insgesamt wurden 557 Einzelpflanzen von 14 Sammelorten mit jeweils 25 SSR-Markern (Simple Sequence Repeat Marker) untersucht. Zusätzlich wurde eine Datenbank zur Unterstützung des genetischen Monitorings modelliert und implementiert, um die erhobenen Labor- und Felddaten in strukturierter und gut dokumentierter Form für die Auswertung von Zeitserien langfristig in hoher Qualität verfügbar zu halten. Erstmalig wird die geographische Verteilung der genetischen Diversität von BP beschrieben und eine Empfehlung für die Ausweisung eines genetischen Schutzareals für BP gegeben. Auch das Wissen um die geographische Verteilung genetischer Diversität bei BVM wurde weiter vertieft. Stichworte: Wildrüben, SSR-Marker, wildlebende Verwandte der Kulturpflanzen (WVK), genetisches Schutzareal AbstractCrop Wild Relatives (CWR) are an economically important plant genetic resource (PGR) for plant breeding. One strategy to conserve PGR in the natural habitat (in situ) is the genetic reserve technique. This approach protects the existing intraspecific diversity and allows, in contrast to the ex situ approaches, the emergence of new diversity. The genetic reserve conservation technique will be tested in practice with the genus Beta within the framework of the EU project AEGRO. B. patula (Ait.) (BP) and B. vulgaris (L.) maritima (Arcang.) (BVM) are used as models. Both species are important resources for sugarbeet breeding. BP is a rare and endangered species with a very limited habitat. In contrast, BVM is widespread along the shores of Western Europe. This subspecies is expected to migrate in a northward direction as a consequence of the global climate change. The impact of this migration on the genetic diversity will be examined in future analyses and will establish a basis for future research. A total of 557 plants from 14 sampling plots were analysed using 25 SSR markers (Simple Sequence Repeat markers). Additionally, a database was modeled and implemented to support the genetic monitoring by storing and post-processing all laboratory and field data in a well documented and structured way. This makes the data available for the analysis of time series. For the first time the geographic pattern of genetic diversity in the wild beet BP was described and decision criteria for the establishment of a genetic reserve for BP were postulated. The knowledge of geographic patterns of genetic diversity in the wild beet BVM was consolidated as a baseline for further investigations on the potential influence of climate changes and the corresponding geographic range shift on genetic diversity. Keywords: Wild beet, SSR markers, Crop Wild Relatives (CWR), genetic reserve conservationtechniqu

Predicting temporary threshold shifts in a bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) : the effects of noise level and duration

Author Posting. © Acoustical Society of America, 2009. This article is posted here by permission of Acoustical Society of America for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 125 (2009): 1816-1826, doi:10.1121/1.3068456.Noise levels in the ocean are increasing and are expected to affect marine mammals. To examine the auditory effects of noise on odontocetes, a bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) was exposed to octave-band noise (4–8 kHz) of varying durations (<2–30 min) and sound pressures (130–178 dB re 1 µPa). Temporary threshold shift (TTS) occurrence was quantified in an effort to (i) determine the sound exposure levels (SELs) (dB re 1 µPa2 s) that induce TTS and (ii) develop a model to predict TTS onset. Hearing thresholds were measured using auditory evoked potentials. If SEL was kept constant, significant shifts were induced by longer duration exposures but not for shorter exposures. Higher SELs were required to induce shifts in shorter duration exposures. The results did not support an equal-energy model to predict TTS onset. Rather, a logarithmic algorithm, which increased in sound energy as exposure duration decreased, was a better predictor of TTS. Recovery to baseline hearing thresholds was also logarithmic (approximately −1.8 dB/doubling of time) but indicated variability including faster recovery rates after greater shifts and longer recoveries necessary after longer duration exposures. The data reflected the complexity of TTS in mammals that should be taken into account when predicting odontocete TTS.This work was funded by the Office of Naval Research Grant No. 00014-098-1-687 to P.E.N. and the support of Bob Gisiner and Mardi Hasting is noted. Additional support came from SeaSpace to T.A.M

Disponibilidades climáticas para macieira na região de Vacaria, RS.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a variabilidade e as tendências temporais das principais variáveis climáticas - temperaturas máxima, mínima e média do ar, horas de frio (abaixo de 7°C), precipitação pluvial e umidade relativa do ar - no período 1983-2009 e confrontá-las com as necessidades de macieiras dos grupos Gala e Fuji, na região de Vacaria, RS. Foram utilizados dados diários de estação meteorológica da Embrapa, do período de 1983 a 2009, e comparados com as normais 1931-1960 e 1961-1990, para análise de tendência temporal. A precipitação pluvial apresentou diferenças significativas entre a média do período 1983-2009 e as normais, com aumentos de 479 e 256mm, respectivamente. Não houve diferenças significativas na temperatura do ar mensal entre os períodos analisados. A precipitação pluvial da primavera e a temperatura mínima do ar mensal apresentaram tendência significativa de aumento. O número médio de horas de frio foi de 657 de maio-agosto. O número mínimo de horas de frio delimitado no zoneamento agroclimático é atingido, na maioria dos anos, na região de Vacaria, no entanto, não significa a superação natural da dormência de gemas de macieiras. Além disso, o número de horas de frio apresentou tendência temporal de redução

Biodegradação de glifosato pela microbiota de solos cultivados com macieira.

Resumo: O glifosato é um herbicida sistêmico, pós-emergente, não seletivo do grupo dos organofosforados, sendo amplamente usado em pomares de macieira no sul do Brasil, podendo causar consequências negativas para microrganismos benéficos do solo. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a capacidade de biodegradação do glifosato pela microbiota de solos de pomares de macieira, com diferentes históricos de aplicação do produto. Para isso, amostras de solos da região de Vacaria, RS, foram utilizadas, cuja biodegradação do glifosato foi avaliada monitorando a liberação de CO2 pelos microrganismos durante 32 dias, bem como quantificando os resíduos de glifosato e seu metabólito, o ácido aminometilfosfônico (AMPA), no início e no final do período pela extração seguidade análise por cromatografia líquida de alta eficiência. Os resultados evidenciaram que houve degradação do glifosato pelos microrganismos edáficos durante o período avaliado com formação do metabólito AMPA. O glifosato diminuiu o número de bactérias do solo, porém favoreceu o aumento da atividade microbiana. As bactérias presentes nos solos com histórico de menor tempo de aplicação do herbicida apresentaram maior capacidade de degradação do produto, quando comparadas àquelas existentes em solos com maior período de aplicação de glifosato. Abstract: Glyphosate is a systemic post-emergent herbicide of the non-selective organophosphate group widely used in apple orchards in the South of Brazil. It may have adverse effects on beneficial soil microorganisms. The aim of this study was to evaluate the biodegradability of glyphosate by soil microbiota in apple orchards with different histories of application of the product. For that purpose, soil samples from the region of Vacaria, Rio Grande do Sul, were used, with the biodegradation of glyphosate being evaluated by monitoring the release of CO 2 by microorganisms over 32 days, as well as quantifying the residues of glyphosate and its metabolite, aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA), at the beginning and end of the period through extraction followed by analysis by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The results showed that there was glyphosate degradation by soil microorganisms during the period evaluated, with formation of the metabolite AMPA. Glyphosate decreased the number of soil bacteria, but favored increased microbial activity. The bacteria present in soils with lower herbicide exposure showed more degradability of the product when compared to those found in soils with a greater period of glyphosate application