Five-axis machining plays a pivotal role in manufacturing complex industrial components. In a recent study, researchers introduced a surface-partitioning and iso-scallop field-based strategy tailored for non-spherical cutting tools. By adaptively dividing machining surfaces and generating smooth tool orientations, the method significantly shortens tool paths, reduces machining time, and improves surface quality. This breakthrough not only enhances industrial productivity but also provides a foundation for integrating intelligent optimization in smart manufacturing.

The study reveals a new regulatory mechanism controlling the biosynthesis of tanshinones and phenolic acids in Salvia miltiorrhiza (Danshen), a key herb in traditional Chinese medicine. Researchers identified SmCSN5, a subunit of the COP9 signalosome complex, as a stabilizing partner of the transcription factor SmMYB36, which simultaneously promotes tanshinone synthesis and represses phenolic acid formation. SmCSN5 prevents SmMYB36 degradation through the ubiquitin–proteasome pathway and enhances its transcriptional activity under methyl jasmonate induction. This work uncovers a post-translational control layer coordinating secondary metabolism in medicinal plants, providing new insights for metabolic engineering to selectively enhance pharmacologically active diterpenoid compounds.

Salicylic acid (SA) plays a pivotal role in plant defense, yet its genetic regulation in tea remains largely unexplored. By analyzing 299 tea accessions through genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS), researchers uncovered a key gene—CsNCED1—that negatively regulates SA-mediated immune responses. Overexpression of this gene increased abscisic acid (ABA) levels and weakened pest resistance by suppressing SA biosynthesis and its receptor signaling pathway. The findings reveal the antagonistic interplay between ABA and SA in determining tea plants’ susceptibility to biotic stress, offering crucial genetic resources for marker-assisted breeding of insect-resistant cultivars.

Grapevine berries possess remarkable metabolic flexibility that enables them to sustain growth even when photosynthetic carbon input is restricted. By integrating analyses of 42 metabolites, 21 enzyme activities, and transcriptomic data, researchers revealed how Vitis vinifera berries adjust central carbon metabolism under carbon limitation. The study found that glycolytic intermediates and amino acids accumulated to maintain osmotic and energy balance, while tricarboxylic acid (TCA) intermediates remained stable. Despite these metabolic changes, most enzyme activities showed minimal response, indicating tight regulatory coordination at the post-transcriptional level. These findings highlight the adaptive mechanisms of grape berries to carbon stress, providing insights into managing fruit quality under climate change.

Abstract

Purpose – We are the first to investigate the relationship between seasoned equity offerings (SEOs) and anchoring on historical high prices in China.

Design/methodology/approach – We use the ratio of the recent closing price to its historical high in the previous 12–60 months (anchoring-high-price ratio) to study its impact on the market timing of SEOs.

Findings – Empirical results show that the anchoring-high-price ratio significantly and positively affects the probability of additional stock issuances. Contrary to the USA market, the Chinese stock market reacts negatively to the SEOs at historical highs. Moreover, the anchoring-high-price ratio exacerbates the negative effect of announcements and leads to long-term underperformance. Finally, we investigate the impact of the anchoring-high-price ratio on a company’s capital structure, showing that the additional issuance anchoring on historical highs reduces the company’s leverage ratio in the long run. Overall, our findings support the anchoring theory and can help understand better the anchoring behavior of managers and the company’s decision on additional stock issuances.

Originality/value – We are the first to use the anchoring-high-price ratio to study the timing of SEOs. We find that the anchoring-high-priceratio positively affects the probability of SEOs. Unlike the USA, the Chinese stock market reacts negatively to SEOs at high prices. SEOs anchoring on historical highs reduce a firm’s leverage ratio in the long run. Finally, our results support the anchoring theory.

A new KAUST-developed workflow helps researchers efficiently test and validate the assumptions underlying complex statistical models to ensure more reliable results.

A team of researchers from the Federal University of Technology Owerri in Nigeria has highlighted a promising new way to cut diesel engine pollution without sacrificing performance. Their review of global research on Water-in-Diesel Emulsion (WiDE) technology shows that blending small amounts of water into diesel fuel can dramatically reduce harmful emissions while maintaining or even improving engine efficiency.

A new study published in Frontiers of Engineering Management presents a novel blockchain-enabled Open BIM data exchange paradigm based on a traceable semantic differential transaction (tSDT) approach. The tSDT approach minimizes data redundancy and enables semantic-level traceability of BIM changes. A Blockchain 3.0 application named openBIMdisk implements the tSDT approach and provides an intuitive and user-friendly interface for BIM practitioners.