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Schinus terebinthifolia Raddi: Compounds Isolated by Countercurrent Chromatography and Biological Activities

2026-03-26T03:00:27Z

Title: Schinus terebinthifolia Raddi: Compounds Isolated by Countercurrent Chromatography and Biological Activities Authors: Carneiro, MJ; Borghi, AA; Perez Pinheiro, G; Gois Ruiz, ALT; Mizobutti, D; Minatel, E; Santana Juliao, L; Ignatova, S; Hewitson, P; Frankland Sawaya, ACH Abstract: The chemical composition of natural products is complex and the investigation of bioactivities of compounds of interest demands their isolation. S. terebinthifolia Raddi is a tree belonging to the Anacardiaceae family and is used in Brazilian folk medicine; its fruit (pink peppers) are used in cooking and its bark in phytomedicine. Extracts of other parts of this plant contain a plethora of components and merit further studies. Countercurrent chromatography (CCC) is frequently employed with natural products due to the high sample recovery rate. The objective of this work was to determine the best solvent system (SS) to fraction the ethanol extracts of leaves, flowers and fruit of Schinus terebinthifolia by CCC and isolate compounds of interest and elucidate their structures through nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and mass spectrometry (MS). In addition, antiproliferative, potential cell regeneration and antioxidant activities of the fractions of interest were evaluated. In the present work, three compounds were isolated; two were identified as anacardic acids [(6-(8′, 11′-heptadecadienyl)-salicylic acid and 6-(8′-heptadecenyl)-salicylic acid], as well as (Z)-masticadienoic acid. These compounds showed antiproliferative and potential cell regeneration activities as well as varying degrees of antioxidant capacity. Although these compounds present potential therapeutic activity, more studies are necessary to confirm their safety. Description: Data Availability Statement: The original contributions presented in this study are included in the article/Supplementary Material (https://www.mdpi.com/2297-8739/13/4/103#app1-separations-13-00103). Further inquiries can be directed to the corresponding author.

Negotiation of Electricity Intention Based on Community Logic System

2026-03-26T03:00:43Z

Title: Negotiation of Electricity Intention Based on Community Logic System Authors: Chen, Y; Huang, Z Abstract: In evolutionary computation, distinct clusters that address different subproblems evolve independently of each other, which makes it difficult to exchange genetic information between them. However, a vaguely defined task within one system may be expressed more clearly within another. Effective interaction methods enable subsystems to collaborate more effectively in solving global tasks. By analysing how ambiguous intentions regarding electricity consumption influence actual behaviour in real-world scenarios, we discovered that transaction and negotiation patterns within electricity markets can effectively support this process. By introducing time and third parties, the study presents a semiautomatic, interpretable reasoning community logic system that enables machines to express transaction negotiation patterns. Through formalised operations, it facilitates the conversion of intentions, uncovering hidden relationships within global structures through this liberated form of expression. This paper examines its impact on computational and search paradigms through case studies, enabling collaborative approaches and granularity control via dynamic anchor points, and explores automated peer-to-peer transactions and electricity monetisation within highly abstracted power trading processes. Description: Data Availability Statement: The original contributions presented in this study are included in the article. Further inquiries can be directed to the corresponding authors.; MSC: 68T37

Simulation and Performance Evaluation of Trans-Critical CO₂ Refrigeration System Integrated with Spray-Cooled Gas Coolers

2026-03-26T03:00:53Z

Title: Simulation and Performance Evaluation of Trans-Critical CO₂ Refrigeration System Integrated with Spray-Cooled Gas Coolers Authors: Chai, L; Tassou, SA; Tsamos, KM Abstract: Rising ambient temperatures pose significant challenges to the thermodynamic performance of trans-critical CO₂ refrigeration systems, as they reduce system efficiency and cooling capacity. To mitigate these adverse effects, a spray-cooling technique was employed to enhance the heat rejection process. A mathematical model of the spray-cooled gas cooler, employing a homogeneous-mixture assumption that treats air and water droplets as a single phase without velocity slip or temperature difference, was developed and validated against experimental data. The developed model was subsequently integrated into the refrigeration system model to evaluate the system’s performance with an air temperature range of 30 °C to 40 °C. The results show that spray cooling effectively decreases the CO2 pressure and temperature exiting the gas cooler, lowers the compressor power consumption, enhances the evaporator cooling capacity, and significantly improves the overall system performance. The results also indicate that increasing the spray-water-to-air-mass flow rate ratio beyond around 0.075 yields negligible gains. Under conditions of air temperature of 40 °C, air velocity of 2 m/s and spray-water temperature of 25 °C, the coefficient of performance increased from 1.53 to 2.74, the heat rejection rate rose by 9.8%, the cooling capacity improved by 33.3%, and the compressor power consumption decreased by 25.9% as the spray-water-to-air-mass flow rate ratio increased from 0.02 to 0.075. Description: Data Availability Statement: The original contributions presented in this study are included in the article. Further inquiries can be directed to the corresponding author.

Review of Rotary-Wing Morphing Actuation Systems

2026-03-25T03:01:03Z

Title: Review of Rotary-Wing Morphing Actuation Systems Authors: Burke, M; Gatto, A Abstract: A review of morphing actuation systems in relation to rotary-wing aerial platforms is presented. The research highlights an inadequate maturation of rotary actuation systems, characterised by a scarcity of (1) comprehensive full-scale experimental research relative to non-rotary (fixed-wing) systems, (2) techniques used for rotary actuation systems and (3) implementation of full-chord morphing systems, with existing research only utilising partial-chord actuation techniques. Additionally, another notable shortcoming is presented to be the lack of comprehensive proportional investigation in the proposed five-step development process for rotary actuation designs. A comprehensive critical review is offered, covering the following challenges of progressing through this development process for rotary actuation systems from conceptual design to production: (1) numerical and computational studies, (2) small-scale wind-tunnel testing, (3) full-scale wind-tunnel testing, (4) demonstrator, and ultimately (5) fabrication for industrial implementation. The review examines several existing rotary actuation systems, including (but not limited to) leading-edge, trailing-edge and Gurney flaps; active twist; chord extension; variable span and camber systems. Comparisons are made between rotary morphing actuation systems and their non-morphing counterparts, highlighting the distinct difficulties encountered by rotary-wing systems due to the more complex and challenging operational conditions found in rotorcraft. The review reveals that a significant portion of existing research on rotary-wing systems has focused only on early-stage development, including computational modelling and sub-scale wind-tunnel experiments, underscoring the necessity for more comprehensive full-scale testing and prototype evaluation given that only a small number of studies have progressed to full-scale wind-tunnel testing or actual prototype evaluation, with only one example identified as having been tested on a production helicopter. In addition, a comparative Technology Readiness Level (TRL) assessment is presented for both rotary-wing and fixed-wing morphing actuation systems, enabling a structured evaluation of relative technology maturity, experimental validation depth, and proximity to operational implementation. Building upon this assessment, a morphing Actuation Concept-Transfer Feasibility (ACTF) study is also provided, examining the potential for adapting mature fixed-wing morphing actuation technologies for application in rotary-wing environments, while identifying the key structural, aerodynamic, and operational constraints that currently limit direct technology transfer. This study addresses and proposes opportunities for a novel rotary actuation system design and concludes by suggesting the potential for future research on more effectual systems to include full-chord configuration over larger spanwise blade footprints with innovative actuation mechanisms that could be utilised and progressed through all development stages from numerical studies to full-scale fabrication. Description: Data Availability Statement: The data underlying the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.