Research Articles

The chemical composition of sequential hexane and chloroform extracts obtained from the flowers (F), leaves (L), and thin stems (S) of Passiflora caerulea (PC) harvested during summer were investigated using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The total percentages of identified compounds in the hexane extracts were 39.4%, 22.5%, and 31.8% for the flower, leaf, and stem, respectively, whereas the corresponding values for the chloroform extracts were 70.3%, 43.7%, and 62.2%. In the hexane extracts, ethyl linoleolate was the predominant constituent in the flower extract (14.9%), while linoleic acid (17.6%) was the major constituent of the stem extract. 1,2-Epoxynonadecane was detected as a notable constituent of the flower and leaf hexane extracts (4.9% and 3.8%), respectively. In the chloroform extracts, linoleic acid was the predominant constituent in the stem extract (22.0%), whereas n-hexadecanoic acid was the major constituent in the flower and stem extracts (10.5% and 12.1%), respectively. The leaf chloroform extract contained a notable proportion of 1,2-epoxynonadecane (13.4%) and vitamin E (9.9%). Furthermore, heptacosane (7.5%), γ-sitosterol (6.6%), 9,12-octadecadienoic acid (Z,Z)- (6.3%), nonacosane (5.2%), were the major constituents in the flower chloroform extract. Overall, the extracts exhibited distinct chemical profiles depending on plant organ and extraction solvent, with fatty acids, fatty acid esters, terpenoids, and tocopherols constituting the major classes of identified compounds.

Natural durability is an important wood property that influences utilization potential. This study investigated the anatomical characteristics and natural durability of three Korean diffuse-porous hardwood species, namely Betula platyphylla, Liriodendron tulipifera, and Quercus salicina, to assess whether measurable anatomical traits could serve as indicators of durability. Traits were measured using microscopic image analysis, and natural durability was evaluated using fungal decay and termite resistance tests. Associations between anatomical traits and durability were explored using multiple factor analysis (MFA). Among the species examined, L. tulipifera exhibited the lowest fungal weight loss and highest termite resistance, whereas B. platyphylla showed the greatest susceptibility to fungal decay and termite attack. The MFA suggested exploratory associations, based on species-level data from three species, between fungal decay resistance and vessel-related anatomical traits, whereas termite resistance showed limited correspondence with the anatomical variables examined. These results suggest an exploratory relationship between vessel dimensions and variation in fungal decay susceptibility among the three species; anatomical traits corresponded only weakly with overall natural durability. The findings may support future wood informatics research and facilitate the development of data-driven models that integrate anatomical, physical, and chemical datasets to predict wood properties.

Radial variations in oven-dry density and shrinkage were compared between older native forest (exceeding 60 years of age) and fast-growing plantation (approximately 40 years of age) wood of Cuban Pinus caribaea M. var. caribaea B&G. Native timber exhibited a 30.2% higher mean oven-dry density (0.935 g/cm³ vs. 0.718 g/cm³) due to greater age, slower growth, and a higher mature wood fraction. Intense resinification and localized compression wood (CW) near the pith uncharacteristically inflated juvenile wood density over mature zones in both populations. Volumetric, radial, and tangential shrinkages rose progressively from juvenile to mature wood zones, peaking in the high-density native timber due to a higher cell-wall fraction. Conversely, longitudinal shrinkage was 3.49% higher in the plantation category. Severe stem eccentricity in plantation trees induced massive CW formation. X-ray densitometry and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) confirmed that CW heavily altered earlywood tracheid anatomy, producing hyper-thickened cell walls, reduced lumens, and helical micro-cracks. These structural modifications compressed the latewood-to-earlywood density ratio and triggered chaotic, elevated transverse anisotropy values, which increased warping risks. While native forests yielded dense, dimensionally stable timber, fast-grown plantation wood exhibited reduced dimensional stability and lower density. This may limit its performance in high-value structural applications.

This study evaluated the effect of controlled IR irradiation on the phenolic profile, and bioactivities of Ocimum basilicum stem biomass extract. Polyphenolic profiling was performed using HPLC. Antimicrobial activity was assessed using agar diffusion and Time–kill kinetics. Antioxidant activity was evaluated using DPPH assay. HPLC analysis revealed increased chlorogenic acid and rosmarinic acid after IR treatment. MIC values decreased fourfold for E. faecalis and P. aeruginosa, and twofold for S. aureus and C. albicans. Time–kill assays showed accelerated bactericidal activity, with complete eradication within 3 h for most strains following IR treatment. Antioxidant activity and antihemolytic protection were also enhanced changed to: IR treatment enhanced antioxidant activity, reducing the IC₅₀ from 9.52 ± 0.78 to 6.55 ± 0.03 µg/mL, while antihemolytic protection increased from 32%, 51%, and 68% to 46%, 69%, and 84% at 25%, 50%, and 75% MIC, respectively. Controlled IR irradiation selectively modulated the phenolic content of O. basilicum stem extract, resulting in measurable enhancement of antimicrobial and antioxidant performance. These findings suggest that IR treatment may be a useful approach for modifying the phytochemical and functional properties of plant extracts, although the contributions of IR-specific and thermal effects require further investigation.

Waste valorization via edible fungus represents a novel transformative approach for single-cell protein production. The present study focused on the utilization of date fruit pomace for the cultivation of edible fungus Neurospora intermedia. A total of six date fruit varieties were used for this study: shalabi, barhi, khudri, sukkari, mabroom, and khalas. Chemical analysis revealed that date fruit pomace contained 1.6 ± 0.3 to 3.1 ± 0.3% ash, 6.4 ± 1.1 to 9.1 ± 1.2% moisture, 71.2 ± 1.1 to 91.2 ± 0.9% total solid content, a maximum of 27.3 ± 0.2% volatile matter, and 45.3 ± 1.1% total dietary fiber. The nutrient-rich barhi date variety was used as the substrate without any pretreatment for the bioconversion of protein-rich N. intermedia biomass. The optimum pH, temperature, and incubation time improved fungal biomass production (p<0.05). The culture medium was statistically optimized via a central composite design. The optimized culture conditions improved the mycelial biomass 2-fold, and all the selected factors (pH, temperature, and incubation time) were significantly different (p<0.01). The culture was filtered, and the fungal biomass was dried. The dried fungal biomass contained 17 ± 2.1% protein, 3.6 ± 0.1% carbohydrate, and 0.91 ± 0.02% fat.

Valorization of fruit-derived biomass requires efficient biocatalysts capable of converting pectin-rich residues into value-added products and improving downstream food-processing operations. Bacillus subtilis AY1, isolated from decomposed apples, was optimized for extracellular pectinase production, followed by purification, biochemical characterization, mathematical modeling, stability evaluation, and apple juice clarification. Optimization increased activity from 0.543 ± 0.015 to 1.453 ± 0.176 U/mL, corresponding to a 167.5% increase. Purification yielded 33.18 U/mg specific activity, 3.16-fold enrichment, 24.85% recovery, and an apparent molecular mass of approximately 32 kDa. Maximum enzyme activity occurred at 45 °C, pH 6, 50 min, and 2.5% pectin. Thermal response-surface modeling revealed a significant temperature × time interaction, while the enzyme retained 27% activity after 186 days at 4 °C. Apple juice treatment achieved 54.5 ± 0.2% transmittance and significantly increased reducing capacity and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) activity. The novelty lies in integrating biomass-derived bacterial isolation, process optimization, mathematical modeling, enzyme stability, and food application. Future work should evaluate enzyme immobilization, scale-up, and valorization of pectin-rich agro-industrial residues.

This paper presents the mathematical modeling and optimization of multilayer wood veneer panels (plywood) reinforced with basalt mesh, with the aim of improving their mechanical properties under bending. This study is based on a Central Composite Design (CCD), which analyzed the influence of three factors: panel density, mesh position, and pressing pressure. Based on experimental data, second-order regression models were developed for the maximum bending force parallel to the grain of the surface veneer and perpendicular to the grain of the surface veneer, whose statistical significance was confirmed through analysis of variance (ANOVA). The results indicate a nonlinear influence of the factors and significant interaction effects. It was determined that the bending force parallel to the grain of the surface veneer had an optimum within the experimental space, while the maximum values perpendicular to the grain of the surface veneer occurred at the boundary of the domain. Optimization was carried out using both analytical and numerical methods (MATLAB), with good agreement between the results. Multi-criteria optimization enabled the definition of a compromise solution with balanced mechanical performance.

Wood-decay fungi and subterranean termites shorten the service life of timber, and both become more active as temperatures rise. This study presents a climate-based framework for assessing the biodeterioration hazard of wooden heritage and applies it to all 506 state-designated wooden heritage buildings in the Republic of Korea from 1973 to 2025. Daily temperature and precipitation at each building were estimated from a bias-corrected one-kilometer climatology (cross-validated root-mean-square error 0.66 °C). Year-to-year variation was taken from anomalies at 61 long-term stations. Five annual indicators were derived: mean annual and January temperature, termite activity days, a climatic termite hazard index, and the Scheffer climate index for fungal decay. Between the first and the last decade of the record, mean annual temperature rose by 1.49 °C and January temperature by 1.65 °C; termite activity days increased by 7%, the termite hazard index by 27%, and the Scheffer index by 12%. The termite index rose more than the Scheffer index at 459 of 506 sites; these are relative changes in climate-based indices for different exposures, not measured deterioration rates. The framework supplies the hazard component of a heritage risk assessment and a baseline for projecting hazard under climate change and planning preventive conservation.

This study aimed to analyze the chemical composition and nutrient analysis of jackfruit seeds and their use as substrates to produce lignin peroxidase by fungal fermentation for environmental applications. The jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) seeds presented3.92±0.43% ash, 69.4±2.5% carbohydrate, 29.5±1.1% total dietary fiber, 7.2±0.13% reducing sugars, and 1.9±0.22% lipids. The major mineral was magnesium (315.3±10.4 mg%), followed by potassium (187.2±9.3 mg%), phosphorus (87.3±0.15 mg%), and calcium (73.21±3.1 mg%). Water extraction was ideal for improving the total starch yield from jackfruit seeds (84.1±3.4%), followed by alkaline extraction (82.1±1.5%) and enzymatic extraction methods (79.6±2.2%). Jackfruit seeds were used as a culture medium for lignin peroxidase production by Trichoderma reesei in solid-state fermentation. A central composite design was used to optimize enzyme production. Ligninolytic enzyme production varied from 3.1 to 360.2 U/g substrate, and the optimum culture conditions were an incubation temperature of 32.5 °C, a pH of 6.0, and 0.5% yeast extract in jackfruit seed medium (p<0.001). The crude lignin peroxidase decolorized methylene blue significantly (p<0.05).

Early tending, involving the selective removal of competing seedlings to regulate density in young stands, is an important silvicultural practice for reducing competition, yet its short-term effects on growth dynamics of Pinus brutia seedlings are not well understood. Here, the impact of early tending was evaluated by comparing five treated and five control plots over 2.5 years, measuring seedling height and root-collar diameter. Tending reduced seedling density by approximately 89.7%, resulting in significantly accelerated growth; mean height and diameter in tended plots were 215 and 5.19 cm, respectively, compared to 111 and 2.51 cm in controls. Growth increments were about 3.7 and 3.6 times greater in tended plots. Additionally, tending altered the height–diameter relationship, indicating altered coordination between height and radial development. These findings demonstrate that early tending not only enhances growth magnitude but also reshapes growth trajectories in Pinus brutia seedlings, supporting its role as an effective silvicultural intervention to improve stand development under high competition.