Volume 21 Issue 2

A statistical evaluation was done for the morphological traits of Cydonia oblonga Mill. genotypes, highlighting significant variations among them. Fruit weight exhibited a highly significant difference, ranging from 438 ± 107 g in genotype Q4 to 90.3 ± 10.5 g in Q3. Similarly, fruit width, fruit length, peel thickness, seed number, and Brix values showed statistically significant differences. Principal component analysis revealed that the first two principal components (PC1, PC2) explained 98.04% of the total variation, with fruit weight being the most influential trait. The highest 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) inhibition (97.2%) and total phenolic content (908.7 ± 25.0 mg GAE/mL) were observed in genotype Q4. The lowest minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values from antimicrobial tests were for Q4. High-performance liquid chromatography analysis revealed significant variations in vitamin, phenolic, and flavonoid contents, with genotype Q4 having the highest levels of gallic acid (9.97 µg/mL) and epicatechin (76.6 µg/mL). Molecular docking results further supported the potential biological activity of the identified compounds, with catechin demonstrating the strongest binding affinity against bacterial target proteins. These findings demonstrate significant morphological, biochemical, and antimicrobial differences among C. oblonga genotypes, especially the Q4 genotype, indicating their potential for food, and pharmaceutical applications.

This study evaluated multivariate statistical strategies to select critical properties for the performance of particleboards bonded with urea-formaldehyde (UF) adhesive modified with glass wool residues. Panels were produced with six different proportions of glass wool incorporated into the UF adhesive (0%, 3.34%, 4.93%, 6.52%, 9.49%, 12.35%). These panels were characterized by physical, mechanical, fire-retardant, and acoustic properties. Three statistical tools were applied: hierarchical cluster analysis, principal component analysis (PCA), and Pearson correlation. PCA explained 80.3% of the total variance, revealing distinct patterns among treatments, especially at the lowest and highest filler contents. The correlation matrix showed the interdependence between the rheological properties of the adhesive and the final composite performance. Glass wool as a filling material, in the proportion of 3.34% of the adhesive, provided the best performance among the panels, as it promoted balance between mechanical, physical and acoustic properties. Up to the limit of 6.52% glass wool contributed to improving fire resistance without significant changes in mechanical strength but reduced dimensional stability due to changes in adhesive rheology. The combination of multivariate analyses provided a robust approach to identify key attributes and guide the formulation of panels with enhanced technical and functional performance.

To develop high-performance soy protein-based adhesives, this study employed a phenol-glyoxal precondensate as a crosslinking agent and optimized the hot-pressing process parameters for plywood through orthogonal experiments, exploring its feasibility for application in wood-based panel manufacturing. Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (¹³C-NMR) analyses revealed the self-polymerization behavior of glyoxal and its condensation reaction pathway with phenol under acidic conditions, confirming that cyclic ether intermediates were predominant. Using boiling water-resistant bond strength as the evaluation index, orthogonal experiments were conducted to optimize hot-pressing temperature, pressure, time, and glue spread amount. The results demonstrated that hot-pressing temperature exerted the greatest influence on performance, with the optimal conditions being 170 °C, 1.4 MPa, 1.0 min/mm, and 330 g/m². The crosslinking agent enhanced the compactness and water resistance of the adhesive layer through multi-site covalent bonding, hydrogen bond entanglement, and π-π stacking, providing a reference for the industrial application of bio-based adhesives.

Passiflora edulis f. edulis Sims (gulupa) has gained international relevance as one of Colombia’s main export fruits. However, its peel, an abundant but underutilized agro-industrial by-product, remains poorly characterized despite its potential as a source of bio-based compounds. This study evaluated the bioactive composition, antioxidant activity, and cytotoxic profile of gulupa peel extract obtained from a single commercial batch, following an initial solvent screening using water, acidified water, ethanol, and acidified ethanol, with analyses performed on independent biological replicates, aimed at supporting its valorization within bioeconomy and circular economy frameworks. The extract exhibited high contents of total polyphenols (2970 mg gallic acid eq/100 g dry weight (d.w.) and flavonoids (595 mg catechin eq/100 g d.w.). Antioxidant activity assessed by ABTS, DPPH, FRAP, and ORAC assays revealed outstanding radical-scavenging capacity, with ORAC presenting the highest value (43,200 µmol Trolox eq/100 g d.w.). Strong positive correlations were observed between polyphenol content and antioxidant activity, particularly with DPPH (r = 0.952). Cytotoxicity assays conducted on CHO-K1 cells (10-200 µg/mL) showed cell viabilities above 72% (neutral red uptake) and 84% (MTT reduction), confirming a low cytotoxic profile. Overall, these findings position gulupa peel as a promising bio-based resource rich in antioxidant compounds.

Latex binders are the predominant binders in pigmented coatings for paper, and various latexes with different properties are selected depending on the target product. However, modifying latex binder properties to improve a particular coated paper property often introduces trade-offs in other properties. This study investigated the potential of latex blending to mitigate coated-paper property trade-offs compared with single-latex formulations, focusing on surface and optical properties, as well as ink absorption, and print-mottle-related behavior. Six styrene–butadiene (SB) latexes with different glass transition temperatures (T_g) and particle sizes were used, and coated paper property pairs exhibiting trade-off behavior were identified using single-latex formulations. Subsequently, coated papers were prepared with seven binary latex blends, and their trade-off performance relative to the single-latex formulations was evaluated using a trendline-based trade-off analysis. The results showed that low–high T_g blends provided improved trade-off performance compared with the single-latex formulations. The coexisting binder morphology in these blends enabled higher gloss with a smaller penalty in the trade-off properties, maintaining higher light-scattering efficiency and improving print-mottle-related behavior. The findings of this study indicate that latex blending has the potential to mitigate coated paper property trade-offs and provides a practical approach for optimizing coated paper performance.

A paradigm shift of China’s pulp and paper industry towards integrated biorefining and sustainability necessitates a fundamental reform of its higher education system. However, a comprehensive overview of the systematic reforms and structural evolution in Chinese undergraduate education has not been established. To fill this gap, this study systematically investigated the current status and evolution of undergraduate programs in Pulp and Paper Engineering in China through a mixed-methods approach, including field research, analysis of training programs from representative universities, and a comprehensive literature review. The major findings reveal three novel reform trajectories: (1) diversified program affiliation across comprehensive, technology, forestry, and vocational institutions; (2) a modularized curriculum structure integrating green papermaking, biorefinery, biomaterials, and intelligent manufacturing; and (3) establishment of frontier-oriented specializations and new majors in biomass utilization. These findings not only signify a strategic pivot in educational philosophy from training traditional papermill engineers to cultivating innovators for the broader bioeconomy but also reveal key implementation challenges, including interdisciplinary curricular integration, faculty readiness, and the depth of industry-academia collaboration. This study provides a novel framework for understanding educational reforms in the pulp and paper industry and offers valuable insights for global stakeholders in forest products education.

Biomass plays a vital role in alleviating the energy crisis and environmental pressure through its efficient conversion and utilization. Pyrolysis technology has become one of the core pathways for biomass resource utilization. However, the complex interactions among the three core components of biomass (cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin) during the pyrolysis process complicate the in-depth analysis of biomass pyrolysis mechanisms and the optimization of pyrolysis processes. In this study, TG-GC/MS tandem technology was employed to systematically investigate the individual and co-pyrolysis characteristics of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. The interactions between components were quantitatively analyzed by comparing experimental values with calculated superimposed values, and the distribution pattern of pyrolysis products was clarified through qualitative detection via GC/MS. The key findings were as follows: (1) due to the inherent characteristics of their chemical structures, the three components exhibit obvious differences in pyrolysis properties and characteristic products; (2) specific interactions exist between components during the co-pyrolysis process. By revealing the co-pyrolysis interactions between components and the product regulation mechanism, this research not only deepens the understanding of the intrinsic nature of biomass pyrolysis but also provides key data support and theoretical references for the high-value application of biomass pyrolysis technology.

A high-strength, tough, and self-healing hydrogel was fabricated using polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) as the matrix, cellulose nanofibers (NFC) as the reinforcing agent, and sodium tetraborate (PB) as the crosslinking agent. The resulting PVOH/NFC/PB hydrogel has a dual-network structure formed by hydrogen bonds and dynamic borate ester bonds. The effects of NFC content on the hydrogel’s mechanical, self-healing, water retention, and electrical properties were systematically investigated. Results showed that NFC addition markedly increased tensile strength, with a maximum value of 47.2 kPa achieved at 1.2 wt% NFC. The elongation at break reached its peak (1038.5%) at 0.8 wt% NFC. Owing to the presence of dynamic borate ester bonds, the hydrogel exhibited outstanding self-healing capability, achieving a healing efficiency of 94.6% within 60 s at 1.2 wt% NFC. Moreover, NFC content influences the hydrogel’s water retention behavior and electrical conductivity, the latter reaching 0.345 S/m at 1.2 wt% NFC. The excellent plasticity and multifunctional properties of the PVOH/NFC/PB hydrogel highlight its promising potential for diverse applications.

Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis was used to examine the chemical constituents of crude camphor oil and its ozonized derivatives and to assess their in vitro anticancer and anti-yeast properties. In crude camphor oil, GC-MS profiling revealed 21 compounds from 15 different chemical classes, whereas ozonized oil included 22 compounds from fifteen various classes. Increase in the contents of dotriacontane and 2,2-dideutero octadecanal in the ozonized oil indicated chemical changes brought about by ozonation. Antifungal tests revealed that ozonation significantly reduced (P ≤ 0.05) the Minimal Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimal Fungicidal Concentration (MFC) values while increasing the inhibition zones against Candida albicans, Candida tropicalis, and Candida glabrata (23 ± 0.6 mm, 26 ± 0.4 mm, and 25 ± 0.2 mm, respectively) when compared to crude oil. Both oils showed cytotoxic effects on SKOV3 ovarian cancer cells. However, ozonized camphor oil was more potent than crude oil with IC₅₀= 183.18 ± 2.29 µg/mL and IC₅₀ = 152.04 ± 0.4 µg/mL, respectively. Following treatment with the IC₅₀ of ozonized oil, cell-cycle analysis showed a notable decrease in S-phase cells and a notable increase in G2/M accumulation, suggesting inhibition of DNA production and triggering of G2/M arrest.

This study focuses on the wooden spandrel components of Ming-style furniture to explore the application potential of generative artificial intelligence in the digital preservation and redesign of traditional woodworking cultural heritage. Based on the Dreamina AI platform, a multidimensional Prompt model integrating furniture category, form-feature, and CMF (Colour-Material-Finish) semantics was constructed. From the perspectives of material cognition and ecological reuse, a three-stage experimental path was designed: “Traditional wooden component restoration experiment—Trend CMF semantic experiment—Innovative CMF integrated redesign.” The CMF semantic experiment showed that different material and process semantic combinations had a significant impact on aesthetic and innovative perception (p<0.01), with the combination of “bamboo + green silk + phoenix embroidery” showing the best performance in terms of ecological aesthetics and cultural expression. The study concluded that generative AI under semantic control can achieve scientific and high-fidelity restoration of traditional components and extend innovative redesign through CMF semantic cultural extension. The openness and semantic construction capabilities of general generative artificial intelligence have introduced new digital expression methods to cultural heritage items made of natural materials, such as bamboo and wood. These methods are forming an interdisciplinary research paradigm that combines sustainable material restoration, cultural semantic control, and AI-driven design.