Research Articles

As consumer preferences increasingly emphasize emotional connection and cultural identity, jewelry design has placed greater focus on cultural symbolism and expressive qualities. This study sought to advance wooden jewelry design within a sustainability assessment framework, using natural and cultural element symbols as the core foundation, and to construct a systematic research process from element extraction to design verification through interdisciplinary approaches. First, natural and cultural element symbols were systematically classified, and users’ Kansei vocabulary related to wooden jewelry was collected and structured via the Affinity Diagram Method to identify emotional requirements. The Priority Ranking Method was then applied to quantify these requirements, followed by the use of Quality Function Deployment  to map Kansei vocabulary to element symbols, enabling the selection of core elements and the development of three design proposals. An evaluation model was subsequently established using the Entropy Weight Method, while Grey Relational Analysis was employed to determine the optimal design, which was further validated through user testing. These findings demonstrate that this framework effectively translates natural and cultural elements into a design language for sustainable wooden jewelry, offering methodological insights into integrating traditional craftsmanship with contemporary design practice.

The influence of neem gum powder (NGP) was evaluated relative to the mechanical, physical, and morphological properties of hybrid epoxy composites reinforced with varying ratios of kenaf and snake grass fibers. Six composite samples (KS1 to KS6) were fabricated with a constant epoxy content of 60 wt%. KS1 to KS5 incorporated 10 wt% NGP, while KS6 served as the control sample without gum. The results revealed a substantial improvement in mechanical performance with the inclusion of gum. The KS4 composite, containing 20% kenaf and 10% snake grass fiber, exhibited the highest tensile strength (59 MPa), flexural strength (82 MPa), inter-laminar shear strength (11.8 MPa), hardness (85.5 Shore D), and impact strength (5.23 J), along with the lowest water absorption (27%). In contrast, KS6 showed significantly lower values in all these properties, confirming the reinforcing effect of NGP. Scanning electron microscopic analysis of fractured surfaces revealed enhanced fiber-matrix adhesion in gum-containing composites, with fewer voids, reduced fiber pull-out, and minimal crack propagation, validating the mechanical test results. These findings demonstrated that the synergistic effect of hybrid fibers and gum significantly improved overall performance, making these composites promising for structural and eco-friendly applications.

Drought stress is one of the major abiotic factors limiting the growth and productivity of Rosa damascena. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of different biostimulant applications on the antioxidant defense system and biochemical responses of R. damascena under varying irrigation levels. Plants were grown under three irrigation regimes (100%, 50%, and 25% of field capacity (FC)) for 28 days, and treatments included vermicompost extract (V), Bacillus OSU-142 (B), and an algal extract (A) collected from Eğirdir Lake. Antioxidant enzyme activities, oxidative stress markers (MDA, H₂O₂), and proline content were measured weekly. Results showed that decreasing irrigation levels induced significant increases in antioxidant enzyme activities, MDA, H₂O₂, and proline content, indicating oxidative and osmotic stress responses. Under well-watered conditions (100% FC), biostimulant applications had limited effects on these parameters. However, under moderate (50% FC) and severe drought stress (25% FC), biostimulant treatments effectively reduced MDA, H₂O₂, and proline accumulation, and led to lower antioxidant enzyme activities compared to controls. Bacillus OSU-142 and vermicompost were particularly effective treatments in mitigating oxidative damage and maintaining cellular homeostasis under severe water deficit. These findings show that biostimulants reduce ROS accumulation and lipid peroxidation while modulating antioxidant defense in R. damascena.

To enhance the scientific rigor and user alignment of children’s furniture design, this study proposes a data-driven multi-criteria evaluation framework for design optimization. Focusing on wooden seating products for children, online product reviews were collected and preprocessed using Python and the Jieba word segmentation tool to extract authentic user needs. An evaluation index system was established by filtering indicators through expert focus group discussions and the coefficient of variation method. During the weighting phase, subjective weights were derived using an improved Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), while objective weights were calculated via the CRITIC method. A game-theoretic approach was employed to integrate both into a composite weight vector. Finally, the TOPSIS–RSR model was applied to rank and classify the performance levels of four wooden children’s seating designs. Based on the results, specific design guidance strategies were proposed. The proposed framework effectively captures user requirements, balances subjective and objective information, and provides a clear decision-making pathway for selecting optimal design solutions. The study not only advances theoretical research but also offers practical guidance for design, with strong potential for extension to other furniture categories and resource-driven product design domains.

This study explored the feasibility of using green microalgae (Chlorella vulgaris) as a renewable feedstock for bio-based lactic acid production. Microalgal biomass was subjected to dilute sulfuric acid hydrolysis under various conditions to optimize fermentable sugar recovery. The optimal hydrolysis condition consisted of 2% sulfuric acid, heating at 121 °C for 20 min, and a 10% solid-to-liquid ratio. This treatment yielded 12.1 g/L glucose and 2.1 g/L xylose. The hydrolysate was then used as the sole carbon source for fermentation by Lactobacillus casei, which completely consumed the sugars and produced 10.7 g/L lactic acid within 24 h. The overall sugar-to-lactic acid conversion efficiency reached 98% without any observable inhibition, and the product consisted exclusively of L-lactic acid with no detectable D-isomer. These findings demonstrate the effectiveness of microalgal hydrolysis and confirm the potential for integrating cultivation, pretreatment, and fermentation into a sustainable, carbon-neutral biorefinery process.

Endoglucanase plays a vital role in lignocellulose degradation, yet the functional diversity of glycosyl hydrolase 12 (GH12) endoglucanases remains underexplored. In this study, TpCel12a, a novel GH12 endoglucanase from Talaromyces pinophilus Y117 was identified and characterized. It exhibited optimal activity at pH 4.0 and 40 °C with a preference for xyloglucan. Size exclusion chromatography revealed a monomeric state of TpCel12a. Despite classification into the promiscuous subfamily I, TpCel12a showed strict specificity for xyloglucan and carboxymethyl cellulose, yielding XXXG-type oligosaccharides and glucose/cellobiose, respectively. A loop 3 insertion mutant, designated as TpCel12a(+TQA), enhanced substrate affinity (5-fold lower K_m) but reduced activity, suggesting a trade-off between binding and catalysis. Surprisingly, TpCel12a inhibited the hydrolytic efficiency of native T. pinophilus crude cellulase on corn cob powder, coinciding with its undetectable secretion under microcrystalline cellulose induction. This study highlights TpCel12a’s unique biochemical properties and its unexpected antagonistic role in native cellulase systems, offering insights for engineering fungal enzyme cocktails.

Phytoremediation is a critical technique for remediating heavy metal-contaminated soils in coal gangue zones of mining areas. However, resource valorization of plant residues after heavy metal remediation poses considerable challenges. Converting these residues into biochar via thermochemical routes yields a material enriched with mineral nutrients (e.g., Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, Cu), conferring potential as a soil amendment. This study focused on remediation plants in coal gangue-affected mining regions, selecting Artemisia annua (a typical restoration plant) to prepare biochar through pyrolysis and hydrothermal carbonization (HTC). Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was used for quantitative analysis of mineral nutrients, providing a scientific basis for resource valorization of heavy metal-laden biomass residues from mining area remediation plants. The results indicated that, except for slight Mg fluctuation in hydrothermally carbonized biochar relative to the raw material, mineral nutrient concentrations (Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn) in biochar prepared under other conditions were significantly enhanced (1.53 to 3.14 times via pyrolysis and 1.36 to 2.78 times via HTC). Furthermore, mineral nutrient concentrations under certain conditions complied with the Chinese agricultural industry standard for biochar (NY/T 4159-2022).

Biobased aerogels derived from starch offer a promising pathway for developing sustainable biomaterials. This study examines the use of starch extracted from potato peels to develop aerogels intended for glycine storage and controlled release. The reaction of starch with glutaraldehyde, used as a crosslinker, was demonstrated using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, revealing the formation of hemiacetal bonds. Crosslinking enhanced thermal stability of the aerogels, as shown by thermogravimetric analysis, and improved their resistance to disintegration upon hydration. Glycine, an essential amino acid with agricultural and industrial applications, was loaded into the aerogels, and the release kinetics were evaluated under controlled conditions. Moreover, glycine acts as a neutralizing agent for residual glutaraldehyde, ensuring the suitability of the aerogel for applications where glutaraldehyde toxicity could be a concern. Structural characterization through scanning electron microscopy confirmed the porous architecture of the aerogels and revealed the presence of glycine crystals within the pores. These findings underscore the potential of crosslinked starch aerogels as eco-friendly carriers for bioactive molecules, paving the way for their application in agriculture and other fields.

A taishōgoto is a Japanese instrument that combines a guitar and an autoharp with the scale buttons positioned in a piano-like pattern. Its unique design, which combines a strung zither body with a keyboard mechanism akin to a typewriter, makes it relatively easy to achieve precise pitch while generating a rich, bright timbre full of overtones. For open string, the gradient of the partials frequency versus the partials indicates the value of 100.95 (i.e., G2) is half the fundamental frequency i.e.,195 Hz (i.e. G3). For harmonicity (fn/f0) versus the partials number, the gradient of ~0.5 shows that the partials consist of the harmonic and in-harmonics partials. For fret 3, the gradient of the partials frequency versus the partials is 229.46 (i.e., A3#), equivalent to the fundamental frequency (f0) of 232 Hz (A3#). The taishogoto regardless finds practical applications in spite of these limitations. It has been evolved into a variety of genres, such as jazz, world, and folk music, and it continues to be of interest to experimental composers who are experimenting with its unique tonal characteristics. The taishogoto thus has a special place between usefulness and artistry, history and modernity, and innovation and limitation.

The influence of environmental factors on variations in organic compound content of sapwood and inner bark of mature Persian oaks were investigated in the Zagros forests, western Iran. Trees with four levels of defoliation were selected: healthy, light, moderate, and severely defoliated. First, wood and bark flours were prepared based on standard TAPPI test methods. The extractives of the tissues were obtained using Soxhlet and acetone solvents. Subsequently, the extractives compounds were derivatized using a silane-based compound and then analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Six dominant compounds were detected in the wood and bark of healthy oaks, with 1,6-anhydro-β-D-glucopyranose (levoglucosan) and 1,2-benzenedicarboxylic acid (phthalic acid) being the most abundant components. In trees with light defoliation, five dominant compounds were identified, among which phthalic acid and salicylic acid were the most abundant components. In trees with moderate dieback, 6-aza-5,7,12,14-tetrathiapentacene (heteropentacene) and salicylic acid were found in the greatest quantities, while in trees with severe dieback, salicylic acid and phthalic acid were the dominant components in the wood and bark of Persian oak trees. Salicylic acid and gibberellin A3 were common components in all bark and wood samples, while other compounds differed between different classes of dieback.