Over the last few years, 3D radiation sensors have been developed in High Energy Physics (HEP) experiments and other fields such as microdosimetry in proton and ion therapy. Due to their unique architectural design, 3D sensors offer radiation tolerance and fast signal response at relatively low bias voltages, making them one of the most promising sensor technologies for spatiotemporal (4D) tracking in extreme environments. Thin 3D sensors feature lower capacitance (and thus lower noise) and reduced material budget, but suffer from limited charge collection. To address this, the IMECAS group has proposed a novel 3D trench-column sensor with internal gain, where charge multiplication is primarily enabled by the ultra-narrow radius of N+ columnar electrodes. These sensors were manufactured on 8-inch wafers using IMECAS CMOS processing technologies, achieving an aspect ratio of similar to 70:1 via the deep reactive ion etching (DRIE) process. In this paper, we present the electrical characteristics, charge collection and time resolution of the sensor with a 35 & times; 35 mu m2 pixel cell. Charge collection and time resolution have been evaluated using infrared transient current technology (TCT) and90Sr-source measurements. The results confirm a substantial internal gain in the proposed sensor.
Bimetallic CexVy-TiO2 and monometallic Zrx-TiO2 catalysts were systematically evaluated for the hydrogenation of furfural (FF) to furfuryl alcohol (FA). Notably, a FF conversion of 95% with 81% yield toward FA was achieved under optimized conditions. Reaction temperature and hydrogen pressure acted as key parameters governing product distribution, enabling tunable selectivity. In particular, enhanced H2 dissociation and activation occurred over the Ce and V oxide sites at elevated temperatures, which promoted hydrogenation while effectively suppressing the competing acetalization pathway. The performance of Ce4V1-TiO2 is attributed to its spherical nanoparticle morphology, an optimal Br empty set nsted-to-Lewis acid site ratio (0.06), high H2 uptake (230.34 mu mol g-1), substantial O2 consumption (71.24 mu mol g-1), and the presence of variable oxidation states of Ce and V that facilitate redox synergy. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations and H2-TPD revealed a synergistic catalytic effect between Ce and V on hydrogen adsorption and activation. Notably, V demonstrated stronger hydrogen adsorption and dissociation capacity compared to Ce. In addition, the adsorption of FF occurs more readily on the Ce2O3 (002) surface, while H2 dissociates more easily on the V2O5 (310) surface. Furthermore, the adsorption of dissociated hydrogen atoms is thermically more stable on Ce2O3 (002), indicating a cooperative mechanism where V sites primarily facilitated H2 activation, and Ce sites chiefly stabilized the reaction intermediates. Overall, the Ce-V-TiO2 catalytic system exhibits tunable reaction pathways and high catalytic activity, providing an efficient and sustainable strategy for biomass valorization toward value-added chemicals and renewable fuels in the context of green chemistry.
The difluoromethyl group is a key pharmacophore in numerous bioactive molecules, yet sustainable approaches for its incorporation remain limited. Herein, we report a green and scalable heterogeneous photocatalytic C–H difluoromethylation of heterocycles using recyclable g‑C3N4 as the catalyst and NaSO₂CF₂H as the difluoromethyl source, with air as the terminal oxidant under visible light. This protocol features a broad substrate scope, excellent catalyst recyclability (≥5 cycles), and successful integration with a recirculating-flow operation (82% yield within 240 min), outperforming the corresponding batch process. Mechanistic studies support a photoredox pathway involving CF₂H radicals and superoxide radical anions (O₂•⁻) as key intermediates. This work illustrates the synergy of heterogeneous photocatalysis and flow chemistry for sustainable CH functionalization.
The distributed flow shop scheduling problem with limited waiting time constraints and multiple identical orders per job is a computationally challenging variant prevalent in modern multi-factory production systems. This study addresses this problem with the objective of minimizing the makespan. First, a position-based mixed integer linear programming (MILP) formulation is developed and solved using CPLEX to obtain exact solutions for small-scale instances. Subsequently, a new Q-learning-based metaheuristic with population diversity balance (QLM-PDB) is proposed. The main innovations of QLM-PDB include: (i) introducing a Q-learning mechanism that adaptively selects the destruction size (25%, 50%, or 75% of the critical factory’s sequence length), thereby enabling autonomous adjustment of perturbation intensity; (ii) proposing a novel diversity metric, termed total population dissimilarity (TPD), to quantify the distribution of solutions in the search space; (iii) designing a TPD-triggered perturbation and population restart strategy to actively prevent premature convergence; and (iv) integrating path relinking (PR) and variable neighborhood search (VNS) to further enhance solution quality. The proposed algorithm is validated on 150 benchmark instances of varying scales (up to 100 jobs and 20 machines) and factory configurations (2, 4, and 6 factories). Experimental results demonstrate that QLM-PDB achieves strong overall performance, significantly outperforming the compared metaheuristics on small- and medium-scale instances, while maintaining competitive results on large-scale instances given sufficient runtime.
This review compares trichome and trichome-derived epidermal appendage development across model glycophytes and halophytes, revealing that conserved regulatory modules are independently rewired into lineage specific circuits to produce diverse epidermal structures. In halophytes, salt glands and epidermal bladder cells further integrate these developmental programs with ion transport and stress physiology, offering entry points for engineering crop stress resilience. Trichome-derived epidermal structures have arisen repeatedly across angiosperms, yet the mechanisms by which conserved epidermal regulators are redeployed into lineage-specific developmental circuits remain incompletely understood. Here, we present a comparative synthesis of trichome and trichome-derived epidermal appendage development across representative glycophytes (Arabidopsis thaliana, Oryza sativa, Solanum lycopersicum, and Gossypium hirsutum) and extend this framework to halophytic species with specialized salt-handling structures. These systems reveal how MYB-bHLH-WD40, WOX-AP2/ERF-auxin, HD-ZIP IV-bHLH-JA, and expanded MYB/HD-ZIP networks have been independently rewired to produce unicellular hairs, secretory glands, and highly elongated fibers. In halophytes, these developmental modules are further integrated with ion transport, vesicle trafficking, and osmotic regulation pathways, enabling the emergence of salt glands and epidermal bladder cells with specialized physiological functions. By synthesizing these trajectories, we propose a unifying regulatory model for epidermal evolution. We additionally highlight potential entry points for engineering trichome traits, improved metabolite production, and synthetic salt-handling epidermal structures for crop stress resilience.
