On the efficiency of the binary flower pollination algorithm: Application on the antenna positioning problem

The Flower Pollination Algorithm (FPA) is a recently proposed continuous metaheuristic that was claimed to give promising results. However, its potential in binary problems has been vaguely investigated. The use of mapping techniques to adapt metaheuristics to handle binary optimisation problems is a widely-used approach, but these techniques are still fuzzy and misunderstood, since no work thoroughly studied them for a given problem or algorithm. This paper conducts a consistent and systematic study to assess the efficiency of the FPA and the common mapping techniques. This is done through proposing four Binary variants of the FPA (BFPA) that have been got by applying the principal mapping techniques existing in the literature. As benchmark problem; an NP-hard binary one in advanced cellular networks, the Antenna Positioning Problem (APP), is used. In order to assess the scalability, efficiency and robustness of the proposed BFPAs, the experiments have been carried out on realistic, synthetic and random data with different dimensions, and several statistical tests have been carried. Two of the top-ranked algorithms designed to solve the APP; the Population-Based Incremental Learning (PBIL) and the Differential Evolution algorithm (DE), are taken as a comparison basis. The results showed that the normalisation and angle modulation are the best mapping techniques. The experiments also showed that the BFPAs have some shortcomings but, they could outperform the PBIL in 4 out of 13 instances and the DE in 6 out of 13 instances and no statistical difference was found in the remaining instances. Besides, the BFPAs outperformed or gave competitive technical results compared to the PBIL and DE in all problem instances.     

Traditional Rosa damascena flower harvesting practices evaluated through GC/MS metabolite profiling of flower volatiles

Industrial cultivation of Rosa damascena and rose oil production is a centuries-old industry based on well-established traditional hand-picking of rose flowers. Here the traditional rose harvesting practices were evaluated through GC/MS analysis of the volatile compounds accumulation in R. damascena flowers at eight different developmental stages, flower buds with arrested development and flowers collected at six daytime points related to flower picking. The accumulation of 80 out of 100 volatile compounds was significantly influenced by the stage of flower development while 62 out of 103 compounds were significantly influenced by the daytime period of flower collection. Principal component analysis showed close clustering of the flower developmental stages and daytime periods preferable for flower harvesting and production of high quality and quantity of rose oil. Taken together the obtained results provide further support to the currently applied traditional rose flower harvesting practices. The possible applications of more precise flower harvesting for fine modulation of rose oil composition and reduction levels of the unwanted compound methyl eugenol are discussed.     

Plant species identification using digital morphometrics: A review

Plants are of fundamental importance to life on Earth. The shapes of leaves, petals and whole plants are of great significance to plant science, as they can help to distinguish between different species, to measure plant health, and even to model climate change. The growing interest in biodiversity and the increasing availability of digital images combine to make this topic timely. The global shortage of expert taxonomists further increases the demand for software tools that can recognize and characterize plants from images. A robust automated species identification system would allow people with only limited botanical training and expertise to carry out valuable field work.We review the main computational, morphometric and image processing methods that have been used in recent years to analyze images of plants, introducing readers to relevant botanical concepts along the way. We discuss the measurement of leaf outlines, flower shape, vein structures and leaf textures, and describe a wide range of analytical methods in use. We also discuss a number of systems that apply this research, including prototypes of hand-held digital field guides and various robotic systems used in agriculture. We conclude with a discussion of ongoing work and outstanding problems in the area.     

Local and landscape scale variables impact parasitoid assemblages across an urbanization gradient

Urbanization is a major driver of land cover change worldwide, yet little is known about how urbanization affects beneficial arthropod communities. This study examined how local and landscape scale variables associated with urbanization influenced parasitic Hymenoptera abundance and diversity in residential and commercial properties along a rural to urban landscape gradient in Wisconsin. At a landscape scale, 300 m surrounding sites, land cover percentages were calculated for five cover classes: impervious cover, forest, grassland, agriculture, and urban green space. In addition, habitat diversity (Simpson's index) was calculated for the landscape surrounding study sites. At a local scale (within the boundaries of an individual property), flower diversity, flower area, tree density, and hardscape were measured and related to parasitoid abundance and diversity. During 2006 and 2007, parasitoids were sampled twice a month June-August using yellow sticky cards. Parasitoid abundance was a positive function of flower diversity, a local scale variable. The positive relationship between parasitoid abundance and flower diversity only occurred in areas containing high to moderate levels of urban development, suggesting parasitoids locally benefited from the increased availability of floral resources in urban but not rural sites. Parasitoid diversity decreased as impervious cover increased in the surrounding landscape. Parasitoid diversity decreased by approximately 10% in highly urbanized sites relative to rural sites, a pattern driven by several parasitoid families not detected in urban sites. These results suggest conservation strategies that focus on landscape variables at multiple scales can play an integral role in preserving beneficial arthropods across urban landscapes.     

槐花菊花绿茶饮料

研究了以槐花、菊花，绿茶为主要原料的复合饮料的制备方法，并通过正交试验，确定了具有最佳风味的配方。     

Screening,determination and quantification of major antioxidants from Balanophora laxiflora flowers

In this study, antioxidant phytochemicals of Balanophora laxiflora flowers were detected by online HPLC–DPPH method. Accordingly, five phytochemicals including 1-O-(E)-caffeoyl-β-d-glucopyranose (1), 1-O-(E)-p-coumaroyl-β-d-glucopyranose (2), caffeic acid (3), 1,3-di-O-galloyl-4,6-(S)-hexahydroxydiphenoyl-β-d-glucopyranose (4), and 1-O-(E)-caffeoyl-4,6-(S)-hexahydroxydiphenoyl-β-d-glucopyranose (5) were isolated using the developed screening method. Of these, compounds 1 and 5 were found to be major bioactive phytochemicals, and their contents were determined to be 10.8 mg and 9.5 mg per gramme of crude extract, respectively. In addition, compared with (+)-catechin, a well-known antioxidant, compounds 4 and 5 exhibited stronger DPPH radical and superoxide radical scavenging activities than (+)-catechin. These results demonstrated that the flower extracts of B. laxiflora have excellent antioxidant activities and thus have great potential as a source for natural health products.     

花卉土壤中钾和钠的原子吸收测定方法研究

土壤中的有机物先用硝酸和高氯酸加热氧化,然后用氢氟酸分解硅酸盐等矿物,硅与氟形成四氟化硅逸去,继续加热至剩余的酸被赶尽,使矿物质元素变成金属氧化物或盐类。用盐酸溶液溶解残渣,使钾、钠分别转变为钾离子和钠离子,经适当稀释后用火焰原子吸收分光光度法测定溶液中的钾离子和钠离子的浓度,再换算为土壤中钾、钠的含量。     

Analysis of the Volatiles Emitted by Whole Flowers and Isolated Flower Organs of the Carob Tree Using HS-SPME-GC/MS

The volatiles emitted by fresh whole flowers and isolated flower organs of male, female, and hermaphrodite carob trees (Ceratonia siliqua L.; Leguminosae) were analyzed by headspace solid-phase microextraction followed by capillary gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. The headspace of carob flowers is mainly constituted of high amounts of monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes, and more than 25 compounds were identified. The gender and cultivar affected both the qualitative profile and the relative abundances of the volatiles of whole flowers and isolated floral organs. Linalool and its derivatives (cis-linalool furan oxide, 2,2,6-trimethyl-3-keto-6-vinyltetrahydropyran, cis-linalool pyran oxide, and trans-linalool furan oxide), α-pinene, and α-farnesene were the dominant volatiles. Female flowers had a higher diversity of volatile compounds than males and hermaphrodites, but a lower abundance of the major ones. Similarly, the floral scent of female flowers of cv. Mulata had a higher content of volatiles but a lower abundance of the major ones, when compared to cv. Galhosa. In each of the three gender types of flowers, the nectary disks seemed to be the major source of volatiles.     

梅花题画诗

梅花题画诗使单纯的梅花形象因书法的参与,形式更为丰富多彩;因诗歌的溶入,意境更为精深悠远.从而将书画的视觉美与文学的意象美融为一体,产生浓重的书卷气与丰厚的审美内涵.