Jiazhou Li^1,2, Mingyu Zhang¹, Xing Li^1,3, Fangbo Cao^1,2, Jiana Chen^1,2, Weiqin Wang^1,2, Huabin Zheng^1,2, Min Huang^1,2,4,*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.95, No.1, 2026, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2025.075255 - 30 January 2026

Abstract Spikelet filling characteristics in early-season rice in southern China may be distinctive due to its exposure to high temperatures during the ripening period. However, limited information is currently available on these characteristics. This study aimed to characterize spikelet filling in early-season rice and identify the key factors contributing to its improvement. Field experiments were conducted over two years (2021 and 2022) to mainly investigate the proportions of fully-filled, partially-filled, and empty spikelets, along with the biomass-fertilized spikelet ratio and harvest index, in 11 early-season rice varieties. The results revealed significant varietal variation in spikelet filling,… More >

Olha Mykhailenko^1,2,3,#,*, Zigmantas Gudžinskas⁴, Liudas Ivanauskas⁵, Victoriya Georgiyants¹, Chia-Hung Yen^6,7,8, Chung-Fan Hsieh⁹, Riong Seulina Panjaitan⁶, Tsong-Long Hwang^10,11,12,13, Bing-Hung Chen^14,15, Michal Korinek^6,7,8,#,*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.95, No.1, 2026, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2026.074209 - 30 January 2026

Abstract The sustainable sourcing of novel bioactive compounds from natural sources is crucial to the success of the pharmaceutical, food, and cosmetics industries. Iris bucharica Foster (syn. Juno bucharica (Foster) Vved.) is a promising source of novel bioactive molecules, particularly phenolic compounds, which are renowned for their antioxidant properties. In this study, we developed a reliable HPLC-UV-DAD method to identify and quantify phenolic compounds in the leaves and bulbs of I. bucharica, establishing the first set of quality control markers for this species. A total of 21 phenolic compounds were identified in the leaves, with flavonoids isoorientin, guaijaverin, hyperoside, More >

Benali Touhami¹, Bennaceur Said¹, Atouani Toufik¹, Lammari Khelifa², Ouradj Boudjamaa², Bounaama Fateh², Belkacem Draoui², Lyes Bennamoun^3,*

Energy Engineering, Vol.123, No.2, 2026, DOI:10.32604/ee.2025.073329 - 27 January 2026

Abstract The aim of this study is to design, build, and evaluate an indirect forced convection solar dryer adapted to semi-arid climate, such as that of Béchar situated in the west south region of Algeria. The tested drying system consists of a flat-plate solar collector, an insulated two-chamber drying unit, and an Arduino-controlled device that ensures uniform temperature distribution and real-time monitoring using DHT22 sensors. Drying tests were conducted on locally grown beet slices at air temperatures of 45°C, 60°C, and 80°C, with a constant air velocity of 1.2 m/s and a mass flow rate of… More > Graphic Abstract

Haokai Xie¹, Yi Lu¹, Xiaojun Ni¹, Yilei Gu¹, Sihao Fu^2,*, Wenyao Ye³, Zheren Zhang², Zheng Xu²

Energy Engineering, Vol.123, No.2, 2026, DOI:10.32604/ee.2025.070934 - 27 January 2026

Abstract With the rapid development of large-scale offshore wind farms, efficient and reliable power transmission systems are urgently needed. Hybrid high-voltage direct current (HVDC) configurations combining a diode rectifier unit (DRU) and a modular multilevel converter (MMC) have emerged as a promising solution, offering advantages in cost-effectiveness and control capability. However, the uncontrollable nature of the DRU poses significant challenges for system stability under offshore AC fault conditions, particularly due to its inability to provide fault current or voltage support. This paper investigates the offshore AC fault characteristics and fault ride-through (FRT) strategy of a hybrid… More >

Miriam Di Matteo^*, Domiziana Vespasiano, Gianluigi Lo Basso, Costanza Vittoria Fiorini, Andrea Vallati

Energy Engineering, Vol.123, No.2, 2026, DOI:10.32604/ee.2025.064353 - 27 January 2026

Abstract Decarbonising the building sector, particularly residential heating, represents a critical challenge for achieving carbon-neutral energy systems. Efficient solutions must integrate both technological performance and renewable energy sources while considering operational constraints of existing systems. This study investigates a hybrid heating system combining a natural gas boiler (NGB) with an air-to-water heat pump (AWHP), evaluated through a combination of laboratory experiments and dynamic modelling. A prototype developed in the Electrical and Energy Engineering Laboratory enabled the characterization of both heat generators, the collection of experimental data, and the calibration of a MATLAB/Simulink model, including emissions and… More >

Hosam O. Elansary¹, Naveed A. Noor², Syed M. Ahmad³, Humza Riaz³, Sohail Mumtaz^4,*

Chalcogenide Letters, Vol.23, No.1, 2026, DOI:10.32604/cl.2026.076592 - 26 January 2026

Abstract Ferrites are remarkable compounds for energy harvesting and spintronic applications. For this purpose, mechanically stable, thermodynamic, photo-catalytic, and ferromagnetic characteristics of ferrites Al₂Mn(S/Se)₄ have been investigated significantly using PBEsol-GGA and modified Becke Johnson potential (TB-mBJ). In order to determine structural stability, we calculate formation energy (E_f) and Born stability criteria that confirm the structural stability of the Al₂Mn(S/Se)₄. 2D and 3D plots of Poisson’s ratio (υ) and linear compressibility are also used to indicate the stability of these materials. Additionally, thermodynamic characteristics reveal that both ferrites are stable. Spin-polarized electronic properties indicate that both ferrites are ferromagnetic More >

Xuecai Han, Yilin Tong, Jiaqi Bao, Kan Yu^*

Chalcogenide Letters, Vol.23, No.1, 2026, DOI:10.32604/cl.2026.075604 - 26 January 2026

Abstract Chalcogenide glasses in the Ge-Se-Te system possess wide infrared transparency and strong optical nonlinearity, yet the microscopic origin of their vibrational behavior remains unclear. Using ab initio calculations, we analyzed Raman-active modes in GeSe_xTe_4−x (x = 0–4) tetrahedra, edge-sharing tetrahedra, and ethane-like Ge₂Se_2xTe_6−2x (x = 0–3) clusters. For GeSe_xTe_4−x (x = 0–4) tetrahedra, the symmetric stretching vibrations exhibit two families: Ge-Se-dominated and Ge-Te-dominated modes, both showing monotonic redshifts as the number of same-type bonds increases. In edge-sharing tetrahedra, the Ge-Ch-Ge-Ch (Ch = Se or Te) four-membered-ring breathing frequency decreases with higher Te content, and a comparable softening is More >

Cheng Zhang, Rui Zhang, Yu Shao, Jiabin Wang, Qianyue Yang, Fang Xie, Rongling Yang, Hongzhen Luo^*

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.14, No.1, 2026, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2025.02025-0157 - 23 January 2026

Abstract Biomass is a resource whose organic carbon is formed from atmospheric carbon dioxide. It has numerous characteristics such as low carbon emissions, renewability, and environmental friendliness. The efficient utilization of biomass plays a significant role in promoting the development of clean energy, alleviating environmental pressures, and achieving carbon neutrality goals. Among the numerous processing technologies of biomass, hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) is a promising thermochemical process that can decompose and convert biomass into hydrochar under relatively mild conditions of approximately 180°C–300°C, thereby enabling its efficient resource utilization. In addition, HTC can directly process feedstocks with high… More >

Sarina Sulaiman^*, Muhammad Faris

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.14, No.1, 2026, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2025.02025-0105 - 23 January 2026

Abstract In this study, Palm kernel shell (PKS) is utilized as a raw material to produce activated biochar as adsorbent for dye removal from wastewater, specifically methylene blue (MB) dye, by utilizing a simplified and cost-effective approach. Production of activated biochar was carried out using both a furnace and a domestic microwave oven without an inert atmosphere. Three samples of palm kernel shell (PKS) based activated biochar labeled as samples A, B and C were carbonized inside the furnace at 800°C for 1 h and then activated using the microwave-heating technique with varying heating times (0,… More >

Tahir Mahmood^1,*, Muhammad Waseem Ashraf^1,*, Shahzadi Tayyaba², Muhammad Munir³, Babiker M. A. Abdel-Banat³, Hassan Ali Dinar³

CMC-Computers, Materials & Continua, Vol.86, No.3, 2026, DOI:10.32604/cmc.2025.072436 - 12 January 2026

Abstract Artificial intelligence (AI) based models have been used to predict the structural, optical, mechanical, and electrochemical properties of zinc oxide/graphene oxide nanocomposites. Machine learning (ML) models such as Artificial Neural Networks (ANN), Support Vector Regression (SVR), Multilayer Perceptron (MLP), and hybrid, along with fuzzy logic tools, were applied to predict the different properties like wavelength at maximum intensity (444 nm), crystallite size (17.50 nm), and optical bandgap (2.85 eV). While some other properties, such as energy density, power density, and charge transfer resistance, were also predicted with the help of datasets of 1000 (80:20). In… More >