Volume 21 Issue 1

This study aimed to evaluate the phytochemical composition and biological activities of Ferulago platycarpa methanol extract (ME) and essential oil (EO). The EO was obtained via hydrodistillation and analyzed by GC-MS, revealing sesquiterpene hydrocarbons as the dominant class, with caryophyllene (65.8%) and α-pinene (9.65%) as the major constituents. The methanol extract was subjected to LC-MS/MS analysis, which identified eleven phenolic compounds, with chlorogenic acid as the most abundant. The extract showed significantly higher total phenolic (1196.22±11.64 mg GAE/100g) and antioxidant (1870.00±17.69 mg QEE/100g) contents compared to the ME. In vitro enzyme inhibition assays demonstrated that the methanol extract exhibited potent inhibitory activity against carbonic anhydrase II (CA-II, IC₅₀=0.023 µg/mL), acetylcholinesterase (AChE, IC₅₀=110 µg/mL), and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE, IC₅₀=390 µg/mL). In contrast, the EO showed higher inhibition against α-amylase (IC₅₀=5920±10.45 µg/mL) and BChE (IC₅₀=1.32±0.65 µg/mL), while its α-glucosidase showed no inhibition. Antioxidant assays indicated superior activity for the methanol extract compared to the EO. Furthermore, antimicrobial testing revealed that the EO demonstrated broader and more effective antimicrobial action, exhibiting lower MIC and MBC values against several bacterial and fungal strains. Collectively, these results highlight F. platycarpa as a valuable source of bioactive compounds with promising applications in antidiabetic, neuroprotective, antioxidant, and antimicrobial therapies.

This study investigated how live-streaming e-commerce influences consumers’ purchase intentions toward green furniture. Using the Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) framework and the Sheth–Newman–Gross consumer value model, the study examined how key live-streaming features—interactivity, utility, and harmony—affect consumer perceptions. Survey data from 510 Chinese consumers were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). Results show that these features significantly enhanced green product utility perception and environmental self-responsibility, which both positively impact purchase intention. Additionally, consumer green trust negatively moderated these effects. These findings suggest that when green trust is low, consumers are more likely to rely on functional and emotional value perceptions to guide their purchasing decisions. The study provides new insights into green furniture marketing in digital contexts, emphasizing the need to balance rational and emotional appeals in live-streaming strategies. It contributes to the sustainable consumption literature by focusing on a high-involvement product and offers practical guidance for improving the effectiveness of green product promotion through interactive platforms.

To enhance the forming quality of wood-plastic composite (WPC) models manufactured by fused filament fabrication (FFF) 3D printing, particularly in terms of surface quality and mechanical properties, this study analysed the 3D printing process parameters (layer height, extrusion ratio, and printing speed) for WPC filaments. Through surface roughness and tensile property tests, the optimal combination of process parameters for achieving the best forming quality was determined. Based on the optimized parameters, FFF technology and WPC filament were applied to practice 3D printing of wooden crafts. Experimental results showed that as the layer height decreases, extrusion ratio increases, and printing speed decreases, both the arithmetic average roughness (R_a) and average maximum height (R_z) of the WPC models decreased, leading to a significant improvement in surface quality. Concurrently, the mechanical properties of the WPC models were enhanced due to the increase in ultimate strength and elongation at break. Under the process conditions of 0.1 mm layer height, 110% extrusion ratio, and 20 mm/s printing speed, the printed wooden bowl and spoon exhibited excellent surface quality and favorable mechanical properties, providing a valuable reference for the application of 3D printing in the rapid fabrication of wooden crafts.

Polylactic acid (PLA) is limited by inherent brittleness and poor thermal stability, hindering its engineering applications. This study systematically investigated cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) silanized with 3- aminopropyl-triethoxysilane (APTES) at mass ratios of 2:1 (R5) and 4:1 (R7), incorporated into PLA at 0.5 wt% to 1.5 wt% levels. Unmodified 1.0 wt% CNFs (R2) enhanced impact strength (10.15 ± 0.50 kJ·m⁻²) via pull-out toughening. Moderate silanization (R5) improved interfacial adhesion, achieving balanced tensile strength (50.2 ± 1.4 MPa), modulus (321 ± 16 MPa), and elongation (5.0 ± 0.2%). Stronger silanization (R7) increased modulus (545 ± 26 MPa) but reduced elongation (4.04 ± 0.18%), inducing brittleness. Fourier transform infrared analysis confirmed reduced hydroxyl groups and Si–O–Si/Si–O–C bond formations. Uniform interphases were observed in R5, while R7 exhibited voids and heterogeneity in scanning electron microscopy. Thermogravimetric analysis revealed higher onset (T_onset 352 ± 2 °C) and maximum decomposition (T_max 360 ± 2 °C) temperatures for R5 compared to R2 (335 ± 2 °C, 342 ± 2 °C). This study validates an “optimized silanization window” (2:1 ratio), enabling simultaneous enhancements in stiffness, toughness, and thermal stability for sustainable PLA/ CNFs biocomposites, suitable for industrially compostable packaging and biomedical applications.

This study presents an integrated “deep eutectic solvent (DES)-assisted directed depolymerization and in situ nanoparticle synthesis” strategy for wheat straw refining. A recyclable DES composed of choline chloride/lactic acid (ChCl /LA, 1:2) was employed to fractionate lignocellulose while maintaining solvent activity through in situ pH regulation. Dropwise addition of 5 to 10 fresh DES droplets effectively reconstructed the hydrogen-bond network, reducing lignin retention from 18.4% to 13.6% and extending DES recyclability from two to four cycles. The extracted lignin was directly used for the in situ synthesis of lignin-derived silver nanoparticles (LigAg NPs) through reduction of [Ag(NH₃)₂]⁺ , yielding uniform particles (320 ± 15 nm) with 67% higher surface area (18.7 m²/g) than those from alkali lignin. The LigAg NPs formed a strong hydrogen-bonded interface with poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), enhancing composite modulus and reducing energy dissipation (21%). This work establishes a mechanistically guided, recyclable DES route for hierarchical utilization–material creation–circular regeneration of lignocellulosic biomass.

The pH-mediated regulation of the glyoxal-dipeptide reaction pathway was systematically investigated via electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (¹³C-NMR) spectroscopy. The resulting mechanistic insights were then applied to optimize Camellia oleifera protein-based adhesive performance. Under alkaline conditions, glyoxal undergoes an intramolecular Cannizzaro reaction, where one aldehyde group is reduced to an alcohol hydroxyl group, and the other aldehyde group is oxidized to a carboxyl group, resulting in the salt form of glycolic acid (HOCH₂COO^–). Glycolic acid enables extensive cross-linking via bifunctional, cooperative condensation with peptide amino and amide groups. A critical pH threshold of 11 was established for this process. In contrast, under acidic conditions, intramolecular cyclization of glyoxal to cyclic ether structures was observed. Simultaneously, the dipeptide’s aliphatic amino groups were protonated and inactivated, leaving only weakly nucleophilic amide groups available for reaction, which led to a significant reduction in overall efficiency. When applied to these adhesives, bond strength was shown to exhibit a distinct pH dependency. In the glyoxal-only system, a bond strength of 0.76 MPa was attained at pH 11, corresponding to a ~65% increase relative to acidic conditions. For the melamine-glyoxal modification, this value was further optimized to 0.95 MPa at pH 13, a result ascribed to the synergistic cross-linking effect of the triazine ring.

A novel, simple, and inexpensive technique, chemical coprecipitation, was employed to produce CeO₂ nanoparticles and CeO₂/CuO nanocomposite. It entailed reacting dehydrated metal nitrate salts with an aqueous extract of Ficus religiosa. The CeO₂ and CeO₂/CuO solids were identified by X-ray diffraction (XRD), FTIR,  and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The diffraction peaks of the CeO₂ and CeO₂/CuO revealed cubic and monoclinic structures, respectively, with average crystallite sizes of 20.5 and 26.8 nm, based on the XRD data.  TEM examinations show that the mean sizes of CeO₂ and CeO₂/CuO particles were (39.8 and 66.5 nm, respectively). These results imply negligible agglomeration. This study evaluated the antimicrobial efficacy of CeO₂/CuO nanocomposite and CeO₂/CuO NPs against bacterial and fungal pathogens. The nanocomposite exhibited superior activity, producing larger inhibition zones (Bacillus subtilis: 26 mm; Candida albicans: 28 mm) compared to CeO₂ NPs and the standard drugs ciprofloxacin (as antibiotic) and nystatin (as antifungal). MIC and MBC/MFC assays confirmed stronger potency, particularly against Gram-positive bacteria and C. albicans. Time–kill kinetics revealed complete eradication of B. subtilis and K. pneumoniae within 180 min, while partial survival occurred in S. aureus and S. typhi. Both materials were inactive against Aspergillus niger, indicating selective but potent antimicrobial effects.

The chemical composition and bioactivities were studied for hydroethanolic extracts from Taxodium distichum L. bark (TDB) and wood (TDW) samples harvested in Ramsar, Northern Iran. The TDW extract showed higher antioxidant activity (30.7%) compared to the TDB extract (10.5%) at the same concentration (1000 µg/mL), indicating a richer redox-active profile in wood tissues. The TDB extracts exhibited higher efficacy in antimicrobial tests, with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBC) values against Staphylococcus aureus of 500 and 1000 µg/mL, respectively. Surprisingly, the MIC and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) of TDB extract against Candida albicans were 7.81 and 31.2 µg/mL, respectively. The TDW extract had no antibacterial activity but showed fungicidal activity at 7.81 µg/mL against C. albicans. These differences indicate that the TDB extract is more potent against microbial pathogens, while the TDW extract offers superior antioxidant potential. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis revealed the presence of 22,23-dihydro-stigmasterol (15.9%) in TDB extract and γ-sitosterol (15.3%) in TDW extract as the major compounds. The combined findings underscore the therapeutic relevance of T. distichum bark and wood extracts as natural sources of bioactive compounds with possible applications in antimicrobial and antioxidant formulations for pharmaceutical, food, and cosmetic industries.

Starch hydrolysate from breadfruit was used as the sole carbon source for citric acid (CA) biosynthesis by the filamentous fungus Aspergillus niger under surface fermentation conditions. The process was modeled and optimized by examining the influence of four critical factors: Starch hydrolysate concentration ranging from 50 to 100 g/L, medium pH between 3 and 6, nitrogen source comprising of (NH₄)₂HPO₄​ or NaNO₃, and fermentation time from 1 to 7 days, on CA concentration. The results demonstrated that A. niger efficiently metabolized the hydrolysate, achieving a maximum CA concentration of 14.7 g/L after 7 days of fermentation. Statistical modeling predicted the optimal production conditions as a starch hydrolysate concentration of 50 g/L, pH of 5.4, (NH₄)₂HPO₄​ as the nitrogen source, and a fermentation duration of 7 days. Under these conditions, the predicted CA concentration was 14.7 g/L, which was validated experimentally. Additionally, the process yielded 2.02 g/L of biomass and 15.2 g/L of reducing sugars. This study underscores the potential of breadfruit as a low-cost and sustainable substrate for CA biosynthesis. Applying response surface methodology with D-Optimal design proved effective in optimizing process variables and enhancing production efficiency. These findings provide a framework for developing cost-efficient and scalable fermentation processes, particularly in regions with abundant breadfruit resources.

Enzyme inhibition activities, phenolic compounds, antioxidant activities, bioactive compounds, antimicrobial activities, and chemical components of essential oil and methanol extracts obtained from the aerial parts of S. cretica subsp. anatolica were investigated. The main phenolic compounds of aerial parts were catechin, oleuropein, and epicatechin. The determined enzyme inhibitor activities highlight the potential of S. cretica subsp. anatolica as a source of bioactive compounds, particularly for carbonic anhydrase and cholinesterase inhibition. The essential oil and methanol extract exhibited remarkable activities against CA-II, AChE, and BChE, although they were less potent than standard inhibitors. The essential oils generally showed stronger antimicrobial activity compared to the 30% methanol extracts across most bacterial and fungal strains, as evidenced by minimum lethal concentration (MLC) and lower minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values and larger inhibition zones. Chloramphenicol used alone exhibited the highest antimicrobial efficacy, with the lowest MIC and MLC values and the largest inhibition zones. The essential oils of S. cretica subsp. anatolica were determined as esters, oxygenated sesquiterpenes, and aldehydes in aerial parts. The main components were found to be hexahydrofarnesyl acetone in the aerial parts.