Research Articles

Sugarcane peel waste (SPW) modified by combustion was used as a sorbent for methylene blue (MB) in aqueous medium under the influence of parameters such as pH of the medium, initial MB concentrations, contact time, SPW dosage, and temperature using batch experiments. The microstructure of the adsorbent was analyzed using Fourier infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), and X-ray diffractometer (XRD). The quantity (mg/g) of adsorbed MB increased with increased contact time, rise in dye concentration, as well as the solution pH. Similarly, the temperature of the system improved the sorption effectiveness with maximum sorption capacity of 65.4 and 81.2% at 45 °C and 55 °C for USPW and MSPW, respectively. At an initial MB concentration of 100 mg/L, temperature of 45 °C and 55 °C, pH of 4, and reaction times of 80 and 60 min for unmodified sugarcane peel waste (USPW) and modified sugarcane peel waste (MSPW), respectively, optimal MB adsorption of 22.6 and 33.2 mg g^-1, respectively, was achieved.

Wound repair is the practice of repairing the skin and other soft tissues after an injury. An inflammatory response is activated after an injury, and cells below the dermis (deepest skin layer) begin to produce more collagen (connective tissue). A scientific assessment was made for the wound-healing potential of Ipomoea staphylina leaves extract, using ethanol. The crude extract was made into a 2.5% and 5% (w/w) ointment and tested for wound healing activity in Wistar rats using excision and incision wound models. In the excision wound model, the period of epithelialization was reduced and an increase in wound contraction rate was observed in the extract treated groups (III and IV). On the tenth day, tissue from the excision wound area was taken and processed for the assessment of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α), and it was found that there was a notable decrease in the TNF-α concentration in the extract-treated animals. In an incision wound model, the breaking strength was significantly increased in animals treated with 2.5% and 5% (w/w) ointment of I. staphylina leaves extract. The extract significantly promoted fibroblast migration in an in vitro experiment (scratch assay), which may have been caused by the presence of flavonoids.

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of average chip thickness and blade wear on the cutting power consumption and surface quality obtained in up-milling wood of different densities. The surface roughness was investigated using the contact method, recording the roughness parameters R_a and R_z, and the cutting power was determined using a wattmeter. The research was conducted for two variants of blade wear, i.e., sharp and blunt, and three variants of chip thickness (0.10, 0.06, and 0.02 mm). Four wood species with very different densities were tested, i.e., balsa (Ochroma pyramidale (Cav. ex Lam.) Urb.), obeche (Triplochiton scleroxylon K. Schum.), alder (Alnus glutinosa L. Gaertn.) and beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) For the lowest density woods, a better surface quality was found when cutting with a blunt knife compared to a sharp knife, while for the higher density woods (alder and beech) an inverse relationship was observed, i.e., a blunt knife resulted in increased surface roughness. For obeche wood, the surface roughness was dependent on the chip thickness. In addition, for low-density woods (balsa and obeche), no differences in cutting power were shown as a function of blade condition. It was shown that both an increase in wood density and chip thickness resulted in an increase in cutting power.

The goal of this study was to find a way to shorten wood drying time by using microwave and combined infrared + microwave drying methods and to analyze color and gloss changes. Wood samples prepared in three groups with dimensions of 20×20×30 mm were used in moisture tests and 75×5×150 mm were used in color change and gloss measurements, obtained from Red pine (Pinus brutia) and Eastern spruce (Picea orientalis) woods. The samples were oven dried, dried by microwave, or dried by infrared + microwave drying method. The wood samples all reached the target moisture. Their weight and volume were calculated in accordance with the principles of TS ISO 13061-1. Color change values were determined before and after drying with a portable color reader (Konica Minolta CR-10) device, and gloss measurements were taken with the Gardner brand gloss meter. By microwave drying for 15 min, 4% moisture content was reached in the wood samples, so both time and energy were saved. The moisture content values decreased compared to the whole drying methods. Most color change was observed in the drying methods using infrared for both red pine and eastern spruce.

This study assessed the occupational health and safety conditions in a furniture manufacturing facility, focusing on key environmental factors such as noise, lighting, thermal comfort, and dust exposure. Noise measurements recorded levels as high as 95.3 dB(A) during CNC machine operations, exceeding legal exposure limits of 87 dB(A), posing significant risks to workers’ hearing health. Lighting assessments showed levels ranging from 134 to 247 lux in production lines, which falls below the recommended threshold of 300 lux for adequate visibility. Thermal comfort was evaluated with temperature readings at 14.2 °C and relative humidity at 43%, revealing marginal comfort conditions that could reduce worker efficiency and satisfaction. Dust exposure measurements indicated respirable dust concentrations reaching 3.69 mg/m³ in the cutting department, which is close to the permissible exposure limit of 5 mg/m³, raising concerns about long-term respiratory health. These findings suggest several measures to improve workplace safety, including enhanced engineering controls, mandatory personal protective equipment (PPE), improved lighting systems, optimised thermal conditions, and advanced ventilation to reduce dust exposure. This comprehensive evaluation provides critical insights for improving furniture factories’ occupational health and safety practices.

The fall webworm (Hyphantria cunea) poses a significant threat to agriculture, as its larvae feed on leaves and form silken webs, which can severely impact plant growth. However, the lack of specific image datasets for the larvae’s webs hinders the use of image recognition technologies in pest prevention and control. To address this issue, an enhancement method is proposed here based on an improved Deep Convolutional Generative Adversarial Network (DCGAN). This method generates a diverse set of high-quality web images, significantly expanding the existing dataset. Experimental results demonstrated that this enhanced dataset improved the robustness of recognition networks, enabling better automatic identification and precision spraying to control Hyphantria cunea. This approach not only advances automated pest monitoring in agriculture but also offers new possibilities for applying similar technologies to the identification of other plant pests.

Identifying, protecting, and developing biodiversity in urban environments contributes to ecosystem integrity. Although there are studies addressing biodiversity in natural areas in Türkiye, there has been no study specifically measuring the biodiversity of city centers. Adapting existing methods for measuring city biodiversity to Turkish cities is challenging due to their unique local dynamics. Therefore, there is a need to identify indicators that can be used to monitor and evaluate biodiversity performance for the protection and sustainability of urban areas in Türkiye and to develop a feasible, reliable, and measurable biodiversity performance assessment approach. The developed UrBioPDeM has 4 main factors and 32 sub-factors. Indicators for the assessment and management of urban biodiversity performance in Isparta, Türkiye, were identified and analyzed, and it was found that Isparta’s urban biodiversity has low potential. Therefore, suggestions were made to increase the urban biodiversity of Isparta. The developed approach is an appropriate and effective biodiversity performance model that can be applied in Turkish cities. The factors and sub-factors used in this method can be adjusted and revised according to the potential biodiversity characteristics of a city.

Particle boards are commonly manufactured from wood-based material bound with a thermosetting adhesive based on the reaction of formaldehyde with phenol, urea, melamine, or co-condensates. The use of formaldehyde is a cause for concern due to its harmful emissions. This study investigates the use of an alternative binder combined with particles derived from a short-cycle crop as an alternative to timber derived particles. A low density particle board was developed using hemp shiv as an aggregate with a binder made with crude glycerol, derived from the waste stream of the bio-diesel industry, esterified with citric acid under heat activation. This board was characterized and found to have good mechanical properties, low thermal conductivity, and good moisture buffering. Dimensional stability was compromised by swelling when exposed to water, but it will be possible to address this shortcoming using hydrophobic additives. The acoustic properties of the board were also found to be excellent, showing potential for use as a thermally insulating acoustic separator for internal walls.

Water pollution has become a worldwide issue, particularly in developing countries. This study aimed to cleanse water contaminated with reactive red (RR-198) and reactive blue (RB-19) dyes via adsorption onto nonliving white rot fungal biomass Phanerochaete chrysosporium under different operational conditions. It was found that P. chrysosporium removed more of RB-19 than RB-198. The conditions of pH 3, temperature 50 °C, adsorbent dosage 0.6 g, particle sizes of adsorbent (0.25 mm), and contact time (30 min) were optimum for removal of the dyes. RR-198 and RB-19 were removed with levels of 78.4% and 86.4%, respectively at pH 3; 79.6% and 90.0%, respectively using 0.6 g of adsorbent dosage; 82.0% and 87.0%, respectively at 30 min; and 82.0% and 87.2%, respectively at 50 °C. Thus, dead P. chrysosporium biomass was shown to be a biosorbent for the uptake of RB-19 and RR-198 dyes.

Effects of wood temperature were studied during CNC router processing relative to the resulting surface roughness, addressing a considerable gap in wood machining research. Three wood species (Scots pine, beech, and poplar) were machined at four temperatures (-20 °C, 0 °C, 20 °C, and 50 °C) to simulate diverse climatic conditions. The experiments were conducted at varied spindle speeds (6000, 12000, and 18000 rpm) and feed rates (3000 and 6000 mm/min). Surface roughness was measured using a portable tester in accordance with relevant ISO standards. A full factorial design was used to evaluate the effects of wood species, temperature, spindle speed, and feed rate on surface roughness. Results revealed a strong correlation between processing temperature and surface roughness, with a 25.9% increase in roughness observed as temperature rose from -20 °C to 50 °C. This temperature effect was consistent across all wood species, though its magnitude varied. The study also found that wood type, spindle speed, and feed rate significantly influenced surface quality, interacting with temperature effects. These findings suggest that controlling wood temperature during processing could be crucial for maintaining consistent surface quality in industrial applications, especially in facilities operating under variable environmental conditions.