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• 1.An enhanced geometry design method for crossed beveloid gears was proposed. • 2.A robust optimization model of crossed beveloid gears was proposed. • 3.The design parameters achieve global optimum under changing misalignment. For a crossed beveloid gear pair with approximate line contact, the macroscopic geometric parameter is a dominant factor that affects meshing characteristics. However, geometric parameter design and reliability under misalignment are of great difficulty. To deal with these issues, an enhanced design method for a beveloid gear with approximate line contact is firstly proposed. Based on this, a robust optimization model of geometric parameters for crossed beveloid gear pairs with approximate line contact is developed. Three evaluation items are considered, namely the maximum contact pressure, contact trace offset distance and contact ratio. To reduce the calculation time, the influence coefficient method is applied to calculate the contact pressure. Considering the characteristics of installation deviation uncertainty and distribution, the mean maximum contact pressure, contact trace offset distance and ratio are considered as objective functions, formulated as a robust design optimization problem. Finally, robust optimization of a crossed beveloid gear pair based on a fast elitist nondominated sorting genetic algorithm (NSGA-II) is applied to solve the model to obtain the Pareto front of the macroscopic geometric parameters. A numerical example is provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A design model for beveloid gears with modification is developed. • A plunge shaving model for beveloid gears is proposed. • A surface generation model of a shaving cutter for beveloid gear is established. • The effect of the shaver parameters on the geometrical characteristics is analyzed. • The solution to improve the shaving precision stability is proposed. A design model for beveloid gears with modification is first developed. Then based on the ordinary gear shaving machine tools' structure, a plunge shaving model for beveloid gears is proposed. Based on the model, the installation relationship of a shaving cutter relative to a beveloid gear is derived and a surface generation model of a shaving cutter for beveloid gear is established. In the next, considering the shaving cutter's installation errors, a shaved beveloid gear model in installation errors is proposed. The effect of the shaving cutter parameters on the geometrical characteristics and the beveloid gear shaving precision is analyzed. The results show that increasing the tooth number of the shaver and the shaft angle can decrease the undercut risk of the shaver surface. Increasing the number of the shaving cutter's teeth and decreasing the shaft angle can weaken the effect of installation errors on the shaving precision. In the end, a simulation platform is established in the Vericut software, the feasibility of the proposed models for beveloid gear plunge shaving is verified. The proposed models achieve plunge shaving of beveloid gears in common gear shaving machine tools and precision manufacturing without distortion of beveloid gears with modification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A hob fault diagnosis approach is proposed based on SGWT and improved RF. • Vibration signal is multiscale analyzed by SGWT from the perspective of graph. • RF improved by adaptive BAS algorithm is presented for hob fault identification. • Typical hob fault experiments proved the effectiveness of developed technique. The hob forms key component in gear hobbing machine and its health condition directly affects the reliability and safety of entire machine. This paper proposes a multiscale feature extraction scheme based on spectral graph wavelet transform combined with improved random forest, forming a novel hob fault diagnosis technique and realizing multi-scale analysis of vibration signals from the perspective of graph. Firstly, the vibration signal samples are transformed into path graphs, which contain the vertices information and similarity information between connected vertices, enriching the input information. Then, the path graphs are preprocessed by spectral graph wavelet transform at five-level decomposition for feature extraction. Finally, the random forest improved by adaptive beetle antennae search is utilized to identify the hob fault. Two groups of experimental results indicate that the proposed method has high effectiveness and robustness, achieving all the identification accuracy greater than 90% under multiple operating conditions and various environmental noises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The SGWTs is first developed for one-dimensional time series signal denoising. • The selection criterion of decomposition level J is established based on DFA. • The one-dimensional time series signal can be defined on the path graph. • The effect of the developed denoising technique is validated by various experiments. A novel non-iterative denoising technique combining spectral graph wavelet transform and detrended fluctuation analysis is proposed to solve the filtering problem of non-linear and non-stationary mechanical vibration signals. The vibration signal is firstly converted to a graph signal defined on the path graph. Then, the graph signal is decomposed into scaling function coefficients and spectral graph wavelet coefficients by spectral graph wavelet transform. Finally, the threshold is adopted to shrink the spectral graph wavelet coefficients, and the denoised signal is obtained via the inverse transform. Besides, an efficient criterion based on detrended fluctuation analysis is designed to select the decomposition level of spectral graph wavelet transform. The denoising performance of the presented approach for mechanical vibration signal has been thoroughly evaluated through analog signals compared with five conventional methods. The developed technique is then applied to denoise the vibration signal collected in hob fault experiments, and the influence of different optional parameters on the denoising performance is analyzed by single factor experiments. Experimental results indicate that the proposed approach can remove noise well and retain the fine signatures of signal as much as possible, and Euclidean weight function and Minimax threshold can achieve desired denoising capability when combined with soft threshold function or hard threshold function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The combination of grey theory and EEMD for signal denoising is a novel idea. • Grey relational analysis is used to evaluate noise levels of signal components. • Grey model is used to determine noise-dominant signal components. • The proposed method eliminates the interference of human factors. When the vibration analysis is used to evaluate the wear status of the hob cutter, the collection of vibration signals is inevitably contaminated by noise. To solve this problem, a novel denoising method for the vibration signal based on ensemble empirical mode decomposition (EEMD) and grey theory, named EEMD-Grey, is proposed in this paper. Grey relational analysis (GRA) and grey model (G-model), as two important techniques in grey theory, are adopted. In the EEMD-Grey method, the noisy signal is first decomposed into several intrinsic mode function (IMF) components by EEMD. Then, GRA is used to evaluate noise levels of IMF components. After that, noise-dominant IMF components are selected through G-model to remove noise. Finally, processed components and other components are reconstructed to obtain the denoised signal. Simulation experiments demonstrate the effectiveness of EEMD-Grey by comparison with other denoising methods. In addition, EEMD-Grey is applied to denoise the vibration signal of the hob spindle. The result shows that EEMD-Grey can effectively remove noise and retain useful information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A micro geometry continuous optimization method for unparallel beveloid gears is proposed. • A contact tooth sequence determination model is developed. • A potential contact point matching model of non-contact tooth surfaces is proposed. • A loaded contact analysis model of unparallel beveloid gears is proposed. • A calculation strategy for continuous optimization is developed. To enhance the bearing capacity and minimize the loaded transmission error for unparallel beveloid gears, a continuous optimization method of micro geometry is proposed. Considering that the conjugate characteristic of tooth surfaces is destroyed by misalignments and modification, an unload contact analysis model is first developed. This includes a contact tooth sequence determination model and an unloaded transmission error calculation model for multi-tooth contact. To determine contact due to deformation, a potential contact point matching model of non-contact tooth surfaces is introduced. Further, a numerical loaded contact analysis model based on the influence coefficient method for unparallel beveloid gear is developed. For multi-tooth contact of modified tooth surfaces, the transmission error compatibility condition is introduced. Based on the loaded contact model, a continuous optimization model for the comprehensive performance of contact pressures and loaded transmission error within a meshing cycle is established. To improve optimization efficiency, a calculation strategy for continuous optimization is developed. The feasibility of the proposed method is validated using a numerical example. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The value of position dependent geometric errors varies as the position changes. • Pre-fitted method indirectly identifies errors by solving coefficients of polynomial. • Non-integer exponents fitting can achieve a comparable accuracy as polynomial. • Non-integer exponents can avoid linear correlation problem in pre-fitted method. • Modification with constant is necessary in error identification in 3 planes. Geometric accuracy is significant for machine tools. Identification of geometric errors, especially position-dependent geometric errors (PDGEs) is difficult because of the limitations of many factors such as measuring instruments, operating skills, and time cost. This paper proposed a fast identification method with non-integer exponents for PDGEs using double ball bar. Firstly, the error models in each plane are separately established. Next, the errors are pre-fitted by non-integer exponents with respect to the position of each linear axis, and the identification model is built based on that. Then, the length changing of the double ball bar is obtained by conventional circular tests in three orthogonal planes. Finally, 51 fitting coefficients of the pre-fitted errors are solved, by which the traditional direct solution of the specific value for PDGEs is replaced and the geometric error identification for the linear axis is realized. The series experiments have been carried out, and high prediction accuracy can be achieved with the deviation less than 2 μm and the root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.72 μm, which shows the validity of the proposed method. Image, graphical abstract [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A vertically oriented porous PVA hydrogel and PDA/CB modified 3D raised-fabric are innovatively designed as an solar evaporator to enhance the evaporation rate, conversion efficiency and self-desalting performance. [Display omitted] • A super water transport PVA hydrogel and PDA/CB modified 3D raised-fabric are innovatively designed as solar evaporators. • It exhibits high water evaporability (1.73 kg m-2h−1, 1 sun) and conversion efficiency (91.9 %). • The 3D raised-fabric solar evaporator system can be readily fabricated for scalable production. • The collected water is in full compliance with the drinking requirements of WHO and EPA. A solar evaporator with simple fabrication process, exceptional photothermal conversion efficiency and dependable continuous water evaporation holds significant potential for seawater desalination and wastewater treatment. Despite the substantial research dedicated to developing high-efficiency solar evaporators, there remains a need for additional exploration to tackle concerns such as salt crystallization, low evaporation efficiency, poor durability and stability. Here, an efficient water transport PVA hydrogel (water transport layer) and polydopamine/carbon black modified 3D raised-fabric (photothermal layer) are innovatively designed as solar evaporators. The synergistic effect between the periodic raised structure and polydopamine/carbon black results in outstanding photothermal conversion capabilities of PDA/CB@RF. Meanwhile, the porous structure of PVA hydrogel and its vertically aligned channels facilitate ion exchange and ensure a consistent water supply to the photothermal layer. This phenomenon serves to prevent the accumulation of salt in the photothermal layer, thereby markedly enhance the water evaporation capability of the PDA/CB@RF evaporator. The results demonstrate that the PDA/CB@RF evaporator system exhibits excellent photothermal conversion performance with its surface temperature rapidly ascending to 73.3 ℃ under 1 sun light intensity, and effectively boost the water evaporation rate (1.73 kg m-2h−1, 1 sun). Furthermore, the PDA/CB@RF evaporator exhibits excellent conversion efficiency (91.9 %) and self-desalting capability. Overall, this solar evaporator system with a 3D raised fabric design integrates light and thermal energy, consistent water evaporation and self-desalting functionalities, which makes it hold the potential to solve the pressing challenge of water shortage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considerable attention has been paid to sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) for large-scale energy storage due to low cost and abundant Na source. Phosphorus (P) is proposed as a high-capacity SIB anode material with theoretical capacity of 2596 mAh g −1 . However, the large volume expansion of P during sodiation brings about a series of challenges, including rapid capacity decay and slow ion transport. In this work, we develop an amorphous P ( α P) anode material with cubic boron nitride (c-BN) as a mechanical skeleton wrapped by nanoporous graphene (pGra) networks, which can combine synergistically the advantages of pGra and c-BN, and hence simultaneously solve the challenges for the P-based anodes. The rigid nature of c-BN is effective to suppress the severe volume expansion during P sodiation process, while the porous network of pGra serves as transport channel for electrons and ions, offering short pathways for large-radii Na + ions diffusion. The α P/c-BN/pGra composite anode shows excellent cyclability with a stable specific capacity of ∼1000 mAh g −1 and ∼90% capacity retention after 100 cycles at a specific current of 50 mA g −1 . The rigid c-BN and flexible pGra provides a promising pathway for developing high performance alloy-based materials for low-cost SIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) plays a significant role in healthcare, yet the pharmaceutical process generates substantial amounts of organic solid waste (OSW) due to the low proportion of active species in medicinal plants. Traditional disposal methods, such as incineration or landfill, pose significant environmental challenges and fail to recycle valuable resources. Consequently, there is an urgent need for sustainable and high-value utilization strategies to address this issue. Recent research indicates that OSW of TCM is an ideal raw material for preparing biochar-based functional materials due to its high cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin content. Notably, these biochar-based materials exhibit excellent potential in environmental remediation, bio-imaging, drug delivery, and energy storage. However, systematic reviews on the preparation, modification, and application of biochar derived from the OSWs of TCM are lacking. This review summarizes the research progress in these areas and discusses the prospects and challenges associated with biochar-based functional materials from the OSWs of TCM. It aims to provide insights into the high-value preparation and recycling of biochar-based functional materials from TCM waste. • Highlighting features of biochar-bases materials from OSWs of TCM. • Emerging applications of biochar-based materials from OSWs of TCM were discussed. • An effective method should be explore for preparation of biochar with high feature. • Future research should be done to ameliorate the property of OSWs biochar materials. • A new strategy for the recycle utilization of the OSWs of TCM was provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Velocity model building is crucial for seismic exploration, yet conventional methods struggle with complex geological scenarios due to assumptions of horizontal layering. These challenges are exacerbated in areas with complex structures and low signal-to-noise ratios, where precise velocity determination is difficult. To overcome these limitations, we propose the Multi-receptive Field Distillation Network, a novel deep-learning approach that leverages Multi-receptive Field modules to extract detailed seismic features, and a Shot Record Transformer Block to capture long-range dependencies. Our network employs a distillation architecture to process seismic data with and without noise, enhancing the model's ability to learn from noisy records. A Composite Loss function is introduced for optimizing model parameters, promoting a unified feature representation. Numerical experiments on synthetic models demonstrate our method's superior performance in noise inversion and velocity modeling accuracy. The results underscore the network's potential for improving seismic exploration accuracy. The code has been made public on GitHub: UPCvmb/MFD.git [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A numerical method of contact pressure is developed for crossed beveloid gears. • Flexibility characteristics is obtained by FEM and all deformations are considered. • A novel estimation method of exact contact pressure is proposed. • A criterion to choose segment length is proposed. Exact contact pressure and load distribution are key evaluation indices for beveloid gear design. A numerical calculation approach of contact pressure and load distribution for crossed beveloid gears is proposed, as opposed to the traditional method based on a finite element modeling software package. To acquire the flexibility properties of beveloid gear tooth surfaces, an accurate finite element (FE) model about a beveloid gear tooth with root fillets is first built. A solution model for crossed beveloid gears is developed using the influence coefficients technique. An enhanced solving approach is presented to improve the robustness of the solving model by addressing the limitation of the influence coefficients method. In addition, a unique contact pressure is presented. The numerical example proposed can be used to test the proposed methodology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past decades, water pollution caused by organic dyes has attracted extensive attention. The development of efficient, environmental friendly photocatalysts is a promising route for wastewater purification. Herein, a novel wild jujube shell derived biochar/g-C 3 N 4 (BC/CN) composite has been prepared via a one-step calcination route. Although the specific surface area (9.37 m2/g) and pore size (14.57) of the BC/CN composite are smaller than those of g-C 3 N 4 , it exhibits enhanced photocatalytic activity. Especially, the 0.25-BC/CN composite (sour jujube shell powder/melamine ratio = 0.25) displays excellent photocatalytic activity, and can degrade ∼97.1 % of RhB under 40 min light irradiation, which is ∼46.51 times to that of pure g-C 3 N 4. The actives species of h+, ·OH, ·O 2 − and 1O 2 active species play the important roles in the photocatalytic system of the BC/CN composite. The results mechanistic study demonstrates that the enhanced photocatalytic activity of the BC/CN composite can be mainly attributed to the improved light absorption and charge separation efficiency of the catalyst. This work provides a simple method for preparing of novel highly efficient g–C 3 N 4 –based photocatalyts for wastewater purification, and provides a new idea for the recycling, and high-value utilization of the organic solid waste from traditional Chinese medicine. [Display omitted] • A novel biochar/g-C 3 N 4 composite is succuessfully fabricated. • 0.25-BC/CN composite can degrade 97.1 % rhodamine B within 40 min treatment. • Enhanced removal rate of RhB can be ascribed to the effect of adsorption-photocatalytic. • Charge separation efficiency of g-C 3 N 4 was significantly improved by the biochar. • The effect factors, active species, intermediates and mechanism were studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The traditional steam power system operation condition assessment method relies on expert knowledge and is difficult to achieve complete objectivity. Most data-driven methods require training models with system anomaly data. In response to the above issues, this article proposes the A Novel PCA-AE Steam Power System Operation Condition Assessment Method. This method utilizes the PCA model to obtain assessment indicator parameters, and uses the Autoencoder to automatically assign weights and reconstruct parameters. Finally, the vector similarity principle is used for quantitative assessment. Based on the simulation data of marine nuclear power system steam turbine and the experimental data of supercharged boiler, the feasibility and generalization ability of this method are verified. The new method can meet the requirements of different steam power systems, including the nuclear power system secondary circuits, and provide accurate quantitative assessment results of operating conditions to guide maintenance work. Meanwhile, this method does not rely on expert knowledge and abnormal data training sets, and has fewer limitations compared to traditional methods. • A novel quantitative assessment method for the status of steam power systems requires only normal data for training. • PCA does not require thermal mechanism analysis when selecting indicator parameters, resulting in lower costs. • Autoencoder does not rely on expert knowledge and experience to allocate parameter weights, making it more objective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Only use normal data to train the clustering model and avoid relying on abnormal data. • The anomaly detection threshold is determined by the normal data distribution, which is more reasonable. • Introduce time factor and system composition to complete anomaly positioning. The steam turbine unit is an important power output and energy conversion device of the marine nuclear power system. The existing research on anomaly detection and positioning of marine nuclear power steam turbine units has the problems of unreasonable threshold setting, training model relying on abnormal data, and inability to locate anomalies. This study only uses normal data to train unsupervised clustering isolated forest algorithm, which avoids dependence on abnormal data and makes decision threshold more reasonable. At the same time, the concepts of time window and anomaly score are introduced to nalyse time factors and anomaly influence propagation factors, so as to realize anomaly detection and positioning at the system level, equipment level and parameter level of marine nuclear power steam turbine units. The recall rate of this method for each abnormal state exceeds 84%, the precision rate exceeds 94%, and the recall rate and precision rate for some abnormal states exceed 99%. At the same time, this method can accurately locate abnormal equipment and parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, conjugated four polyphenols (epigallocatechin gallate [EGCG], procyanidine [PA], apple polyphenol [AP], puerarin [PUE]) with whey protein isolate (WPI) was prepared under alkaline condition. The covalent interaction between polyphenols and WPI was confirmed by the determination of polyphenol binding equivalent. Fluorescence spectroscopy and fourier transform infrared spectra analysis were used to identify the changes in whey protein structure. The scanning electron microscopy data and the particle size distribution demonstrated surface changes and increases in the particle sizes of conjugates. Rheology analysis showed that the initial value of apparent viscosity and curve shape of all the samples have certain differences and exhibited a pseudoplastic behavior. Conjugation significantly improved foaming and emulsifying properties of the WPI, while its surface hydrophobicity was greatly decreased.These results provide a new basis of theory for the development of novel protein ingredient. • Covalent interactions of the four polyphenols with WPI have occurred. • WPI and the resulting WPI-polyphenol complexes were investigated. • SEM and FTIR analysis showed that the structure of complexes changed. • The sulfhydryl group and surface hydrophobicity of the complexes were decreased. • Emulsifying ability and Foaming properties of the complexes were increased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• PMHS-Ink/Ni-P/PET are prepared by using Chinese ink with low-cost and good photothermal properties for photothermal deicing. • PMHS-Ink/Ni-P/PET achieves a fast heating rate with an equilibrium temperature of 72 °C in 80 s. • PMHS-Ink/Ni-P/PET has good anti-icing/icephobic performance with a delayed icing time of 1018 s at −15 °C. • PMHS-Ink/Ni-P/PET has excellent wear resistance and UV resistance, which ensures its long-term using outdoors. The icing phenomenon has caused much inconvenience to people's life. With the continuous progress of technology, it has been found that hydrophobic materials can be used in the anti-icing field, however icing still occurs on hydrophobic surfaces with long-term using in extremely harsh environments. Therefore, materials with anti-icing/icephobic and deicing functionalities have become an innovative strategy. In this paper, photothermal hydrophobic materials with anti-icing/icephobic and photothermal deicing properties are prepared using the photothermal nickel, Chinese ink and polydimethylhydrosiloxane with low surface energy. Due to the synergistic effect of the photothermal nickel nanoparticles and carbon nanoparticles in Chinese ink, the prepared material has a fast temperature rise rate at 1000 W/m2, which can reach the equilibrium temperature of 72 °C within 80 s. The freezing time of water droplets can be delayed to 1018 s at −15 °C, which is 11 times longer than that of nickel-plated materials. The ice on the coating melts rapidly and slides off along the inclined surface under the sunlight, proving that the material has a good photothermal deicing performance. Additionally, the coated surface has excellent wear resistance and UV resistance, which can be used outdoors for a long time. This powerful electroless nickel plating fabric, integrated with anti-icing/icephobic and fast deicing functionality with photothermal and drag reduction effect, provides a new approach to solve the icing problem in outdoor clothing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Ultrasound decreases the dielectric breakdown voltage of the coatings by 45V. [•] Ultrasound increases the contents of α-Al2O3 and 3Al2O3⋅2SiO2 in the coatings. [•] A cross point appears in the time–voltage responses of the two PEO systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chinese sour jujube is an important fruit for both medicine and food and effects various biological activities. Although the Chinese sour jujube seed (Ziziphi spinosae semen) is rich in oil, its lipid profiles is significantly affected by the extraction process. However, no studies to date have comprehensively analysed the lipid composition and bioactivity of Ziziphi spinosae semen oil processed using different methods. In this study, we compared the effects of commonly-used pressed, ultrasonic-assisted, and Soxhlet extraction methods on the lipid composition, characteristics, and antioxidant properties of Ziziphi spinosae semen oil. Nineteen subclasses and 390 lipid molecular species were identified, of which 24 lipid molecular species could potentially be used as biomarkers for different processing methods. Correlation analysis revealed that 57 lipids were significantly correlated with the antioxidant capacity (r > 0.9 and P < 0.05). These results indicate that Ziziphi spinosae semen oil is rich in bioactive lipids. These data greatly expand our understanding of the bioactive lipids of Ziziphi spinosae semen oil. Additionally, it could provide useful information for Ziziphi spinosae semen oil applications in functional products or the food industry and new insights into the effects of active vegetable oil processing., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Inner Mongolia, a major region in China for growing sugar beet, faces challenges caused by unscientific water and fertilizer management. This mismanagement restricts the improvement of sugar beet yield and quality and exacerbates water waste and environmental pollution. This study aims to evaluate the effects of reduced water and fertilizer on the growth and physiological metabolism of sugar beet taproot. Field experiments were conducted in Ulanqab, Inner Mongolia, in 2022 and 2023, using a split-plot design with three levels each of fertilization and irrigation. The study analyzed the effects of reduced water and fertilizer treatments on fresh taproot weight, respiration rate, energy metabolism, respiratory enzyme activity, and gene expression in sugar beet taproot. It was found that a 10% reduction in fertilizer significantly increased the beet taproot fresh weight. Further research revealed that during the rapid leaf growth phase and the taproot and sugar growth period, a 10% reduction in fertilizer upregulated HK and IDH gene expression and downregulated G6PDH gene expression in the beet taproot. This increased HK and IDH activities, decreased G6PDH activity, enhanced the activity of the EMP-TCA pathway, and inhibited the PPP. Taproot weight was positively correlated with the respiration rate, ATP content, EC, and ATPase, HK, and IDH activities, thereby increasing the taproot growth rate and taproot fresh weight, with an average increase of 4.0% over two years. These findings introduce a novel method for optimizing fertilizer use, particularly beneficial in water-scarce regions. Implementing this strategy could help farmers in western Inner Mongolia and similar areas improve crop yield and sustainability. This study offers new insights into resource-efficient agricultural practices, highlighting the importance of customized fertilization strategies tailored to local environmental conditions.

2'-Deoxynucleosides and analogues play a vital role in drug development, but their preparation remains a significant challenge. Previous studies have focused on β-2'-deoxynucleosides with the natural β-configuration. In fact, their isomeric α-2'-deoxynucleosides also exhibit diverse bioactivities and even better metabolic stability. Herein, we report that both α- and β-2'-deoxynucleosides can be prepared with high yields and stereoselectivity using a remote directing diphenylphosphinoyl (DPP) group. It is particularly efficient to prepare α-2'-deoxynucleosides with an easily accessible 3,5-di-ODPP donor. Instead of acting as a H-bond acceptor on a 2-(diphenylphosphinoyl)acetyl (DPPA) group in our previous studies for syn-facial O -glycosylation, the phosphine oxide moiety here acts as a remote participating group to enable highly antifacial N -glycosylation. This proposed remote participation mechanism is supported by our first characterization of an important 1,5-briged P -heterobicyclic intermediate via variable-temperature NMR spectroscopy. Interestingly, antiproliferative assays led to a α-2'-deoxynucleoside with IC 50 values in the low micromole range against central nervous system tumor cell lines SH-SY5Y and LN229, whereas its β-anomer exhibited no inhibition at 100 μM. Furthermore, the DPP group significantly enhanced the antitumor activities by 10 times.

The presence of interface defects between the perovskite layer and the underlying substrate has a significant impact on the power conversion efficiency (PCE) and stability of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). S n O 2 thin films are employed in PSCs as electron transport layers to achieve high PCE. However, the significant lattice mismatch between S n O 2 and the perovskite material leads to a large number of uncoordinated defects at the interface between perovskite and substrate, resulting in recombination losses at the interface. In this study, rubidium chloride (RbCl) was introduced as the interface modification layer between the perovskite layer and the S n O 2 electron transport layer to enhance the PCE of PSCs. The research showed that the RbCl interface modification layer effectively passivated the under-coordinated defects of Sn ions and optimized the energy level alignment between the perovskite layer and the S n O 2 film. Moreover, the fabricated PSCs exhibited an open-circuit voltage of 1.11 V and a power conversion efficiency of 21.64%. Furthermore, the device maintained 80% of initial efficiency after storage for 30 days in an inert gas environment and 60% of the value after storage for 30 days in ambient air.

In the current study, tea saponin, identified as the primary bioactive constituent in seed pomace of Camellia oleifera Abel., was meticulously extracted and hydrolyzed to yield five known sapogenins: 16-O-tiglogycamelliagnin B (a), camelliagnin A (b), 16-O-angeloybarringtogenol C (c), theasapogenol E (d), theasapogenol F (e). Subsequent biotransformation of compound a facilitated the isolation of six novel metabolites (a1-a6). The anti-inflammatory potential of these compounds was assessed using pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) and damage-associated molecular patterns molecules (DAMPs)-mediated cellular inflammation models. Notably, compounds b and a2 demonstrated significant inhibitory effects on both lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1)-induced inflammation, surpassing the efficacy of the standard anti-inflammatory agent, carbenoxolone. Conversely, compounds d, a3, and a6 selectivity targeted endogenous HMGB1-induced inflammation, showcasing a pronounced specificity. These results underscore the therapeutic promise of C. oleifera seed pomace-derived compounds as potent agents for the management of inflammatory diseases triggered by infections and tissue damage., (Copyright © 2024 China Pharmaceutical University. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Constitutive photomorpogenic dwarf ( CPD ) is a pivotal enzyme gene for brassinolide (BR) synthesis and plays an important role in plant growth, including increasing plant biomass and plant height, elongating cells, and promoting xylem differentiation. However, little is known about the function of the CPD gene in sugar beet. In the current study, we isolated CPD from Beta vulgaris L. ( BvCPD ), which encodes protein localized in the nucleus, cell membrane, and cell wall. BvCPD was strongly expressed in parenchyma cells and vascular bundles. The transgenic sugar beet overexpressing BvCPD exhibited larger diameter than that of the wild type (WT), which mainly owing to the increased number and size of parenchyma cells, the enlarged lumen and area of vessel in the xylem. Additionally, overexpression of BvCPD increased the synthesis of endogenous BR, causing changes in the content of endogenous auxin (IAA) and gibberellin (GA) and accumulation of cellulose and lignin in cambium 1-4 rings of the taproot. These results suggest that BvCPD can promote the biosynthesis of endogenous BR, improve cell wall components, promote the development of parenchyma cells and vascular bundle, thereby playing an important role in promoting the growth and development of sugar beet taproot., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Guo, Li, Li, Li, Sun and Zhang.)

Ursolic acid (UA) is a pentacyclic triterpenoid widely found in in medicinal plants, edible plants, fruits, and flowers. The great interest in this bioactive compound is related to the positive effects in human health. However, its limited solubility, moderate biological activity and poor bioavailability limit the potential and further applications of UA. Here, we explored the efficacy of MeON-Glycosides of UA in inhibiting tumor cell proliferation. A number of compounds showed significant antitumor activity against tested five cancer cell lines. Among them, compound 2a exhibited the most potent activity against HepG2 cells with IC 50 values of 3.1 ± 0.5 μM. Especially, compound 2a could induce HepG2 cells apoptosis and reduce mitochondrial membrane potential. Western blot analysis showed that compound 2a up-regulated Bax, cleaved caspase-3/9, cleaved PARP levels and down-regulated Bcl-2 level of HepG2 cells. These results indicated that compound 2a could obviously induce the apoptosis of HepG2 cells. At the same time, compound 2a significantly decreased the expression of p-AKT and p-mTOR, which indicated that compound 2a might exert its cytotoxic effect by targeting PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. Moreover, the in silico ADME predictions showed that compound 2a has improved water solubility and other properties. Thus, compound 2a may be a promising antitumor candidate, which may be potentially used to prevent or treat cancers., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Real-time wear monitoring of hob cutters is of great significance to the quality and efficiency of gear hobbing. To achieve this goal, a strategy based on statistical analysis is proposed in this paper. First, vibration signals during the entire life cycle of a hob cutter are collected. Then, a feature iterative integration method is proposed to integrate the initial features of vibration signals. The integrated features have obvious stages, reflecting the different wear status of hob cutters. Next, a probability tabular cumulative sum control chart method is established to monitor the wear status of hob cutters in real time. Finally, the verification results of two different data sets prove the effectiveness and transferability of the proposed methods., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Sugar beet taproot growth and development is a complex biological process involving morphogenesis and dry matter accumulation. However, the molecular regulatory mechanisms underlying taproot growth and development remain elusive. We performed a correlation analysis of the proteome and transcriptome in two cultivars (SD13829 and BS02) at the start and the highest points of the taproot growth rate. The corresponding correlation coefficients were 0.6189, 0.7714, 0.6803, and 0.7056 in four comparison groups. A total of 621 genes were regulated at both transcriptional and translational levels, including 190, 71, 140, and 220 in the BS59-VS-BS82, BS59-VS-SD59, BS82-VS-SD82, and SD59-VS-SD82 groups, respectively. Ten, 32, and 68 correlated-DEGs-DEPs (cor-DEGs-DEPs) were significantly enrdiched in the proteome and transcriptome of the BS59-VS-BS82, SD59-VS-SD82, and BS82-VS-SD82 groups, respectively, which included ribonuclease 1-like protein, DEAD-box ATP-dependent RNA helicase, TolB protein, heat shock protein 83, 20 kDa chaperonin, polygalacturonase, endochitinase, brassinolide and gibberellin receptors (BRI1 and GID1), and xyloglucan endotransglucosylase/hydrolase (XTH). In addition, Beta vulgaris XTH could enhance the growth and development of Arabidopsis primary roots by improving cell growth in the root tip elongation zone. These findings suggested that taproot growth and expansion might be regulated at transcriptional and posttranscriptional levels and also may be attributed to cell wall metabolism to improve cell wall loosening and elongation., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Li, Zhang, Wang, Ma, Sun, Li and Zhang.)

In this work, the capacitive deionization (CDI) performance of a single-walled carbon nanotube (CNT) electrode has been studied from the point view of charge efficiency theory. It is revealed here that the charge efficiency of a CNT electrode is strongly dependent upon the cell voltage and solution concentration. Either the high cell voltage or the low ionic strength results in a high charge efficiency, implying that CDI is expected to be a promising technique for an aqueous solution with low ionic strength. Additionally, it is found that the high decay constant and high electrical double-layer capacity are beneficial to enhance electrosorption performance.