Volume 21 Issue 3

Corrugated board, traditionally used in packaging, is increasingly explored as a structural material for lightweight engineering applications, including furniture, panels, and temporary building components. This transition requires moving beyond empirical design rules toward performance-driven and optimization-based methodologies. This paper presents a critical review of optimization techniques applied to the structural design of corrugated board, with emphasis on the mechanical and numerical foundations required for physically reliable optimization. The reviewed studies were selected from major scientific databases using keywords related to corrugated board, structural optimization, finite element modeling, homogenization, surrogate modeling, machine learning, hygro-mechanical behavior, failure mechanisms, and experimental validation. Unlike earlier reviews focused mainly on industrial optimization practices and algorithms, this review highlights model fidelity, validation hierarchy, moisture sensitivity, local failure, interface damage, and the maturity of data-driven workflows. Analytical models, finite element approaches, homogenization frameworks, reduced-order models, and surrogate-assisted strategies are discussed in terms of their applicability to iterative optimization. Key design variables, including flute geometry, layer configuration, material anisotropy, and environmental conditions, are related to stiffness, strength, stability, ECT, BCT, and material efficiency. The main gaps include limited validation, simplified moisture-dependent and failure descriptions, weak interface-damage modeling, and the early development of digital-twin concepts for corrugated board design.

This study focused on the production and characterization of nanocellulose derived from hemp hurd, a highly valuable lignocellulosic natural resource. The holocellulose, alpha-cellulose, and lignin contents of the hemp hurd were determined as 83.3%, 39.1%, and 15.7%, respectively. The hemp hurd fiber had a length of 0.6 mm and a width of 19.1 µm. Following maceration and delignification pretreatments, bleached hemp hurd fibers were converted into nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC) by high-pressure homogenization, whereas nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) was produced via sulfuric acid hydrolysis. The width of NFC was found to be 26.7 nm, while the width of NCC was determined to be 3.7 nm. The length of the NCC was confirmed to be 44.6 nm. The crystallinity indexes of NFC and NCC were found as 85.6% and 93.7%, respectively. The thermal decomposition of NFC occurred between 220 and 340 °C, whereas the thermal decomposition of NCC occurred between 170 and 550 °C. The residual material ratio was 25% for NFC and 28% for NCC. Moreover, the chemical bonds that form NFC and NCC, such as C–H, O–H, C–O–C, etc., were identified.

Durian ‘Musang King’ (Durio zibethinus D197) cultivation in Malaysia remains heavily reliant on chemical fertilizers, contributing to soil acidification, microbial decline, and nutrient leaching. A 140-day comparative evaluation was conducted of four fertilization regimes: chemical NPK (15:15:15), poultry manure with wood dust, palm oil mill effluent (POME), and biochar-enriched compost. The seedling morphometrics (leaf number, leaf length, stem length, stem diameter, and NDVI) were quantified biweekly, while soil pH, temperature, and leachate COD were monitored to capture nutrient retention dynamics. Biochar-enriched compost (T4) exhibited the most pronounced improvements, surpassing NPK (0.84); soil pH increasing from 4.56 to 5.98 versus 4.72–5.62 under NPK; and COD peaking at only 153 mg/L compared with 839 mg/L in manure-based compost (P = 0.010). The biochar-enriched compost improved seedling growth while also reducing nutrient loss, with much lower leaching (153 mg/L compared to 839 mg/L). This means it not only improved plant performance but also protected the environment. By combining plant growth measurements, plant health (NDVI), soil conditions, and leachate analysis, this study provides a practical and well-rounded way to evaluate more sustainable fertilization strategies for durian nursery systems.

Conservation science education often emphasizes decontextualized technical knowledge, leaving graduates ill-prepared for real-world situations where ecological needs intersect with culture, social values, and policy. This paper presents an integrated pedagogical framework designed for conceptual and practical application in biocultural conservation education that repositions a cultural heritage museum as a dynamic learning environment for biocultural conservation training. Using the Hainan Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum and traditional bark cloth production from Antiaris toxicaria as a case, the museum is treated as a living laboratory that combines material authenticity, cultural context, and engagement with indigenous knowledge holders. Grounded in experiential, place-based, and transformative learning theories, the scaffolded curriculum progresses from ethnobotanical knowledge comparison and sustainable resource management to interdisciplinary policy synthesis and innovation. Through artifact-based learning, workshops with substitute materials, case discussions, and mentored research, the framework promotes respect and balance between conservation objectives and traditional resource use. It cultivates boundary-crossing competence and hybrid technical-ethical skills, demonstrating how museums can serve as hubs for culturally responsive and equitable conservation education within an interdisciplinary and replicable model.

This study demonstrates an approach for incorporating cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) into polyurethane (PU) using a solvent-free masterbatch consisting of 30% CNFs and 70% polyol, where the latter component functions as a carrier. This is the highest concentrated re-dispersible CNF-polyol system described to date. CNF addition produced strong shear-thinning behaviour, reduced the temperature sensitivity of viscosity, and maintained network integrity under conditions representative of PU curing. Power-law and Arrhenius modelling indicated that at low-to-medium shear rates the CNFs dominate rheological response, but the polyols rheological profile dominate at high shear rates when the fibrils occupy less space due to fluid flow alignment. Oscillatory tests showed increased elasticity and the transition from a viscous fluid toward gel-like behaviour at around 2% CNF loading. Cured CNF-PU composites exhibited increased stiffness, with microscopy revealing mechanically engaged fibrils within the fracture surfaces. Overall, CNFs provide an effective bio-based route to rheology modification PU systems, highlighting their potential in high-performance coatings and adhesives.

In this study, red leaves of Acer palmatum were used as raw material. A ternary deep eutectic solvent (DES) was used for auxiliary extraction, with the optimal extraction condition ranges determined by single-factor experiments. Then the process was optimized via response surface methodology (RSM). Using dye absorbance as the evaluation index, the acid-base stability, thermal stability, and light resistance of Acer palmatum extract were investigated, and the compounds in its dye were identified. The optimal extraction process was: a solid-to-liquid ratio of 1:15 (w:v), an extraction time of 112 min, a moisture content of 86%, and an extraction temperature of 42 °C. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis and stability tests were also conducted. Ternary DES extraction of Acer palmatum dye is a pollution-free, low-energy and sustainable process, providing practical reference for expanding the industrial application of natural dyes.

To efficiently remove Cu²⁺ from wastewater, a fully chitosan thermoresponsive hydrogel (IPS_gel) was prepared using chitosan as the raw material. IPS_gel exhibited pronounced thermoresponsive behavior as well as a high adsorption capacity toward Cu²⁺. When the temperature exceeded its volume phase transition temperature (VPTT = 35.4 °C), enhanced hydrophobic interactions among with the alkyl groups along the polymer chains induced rapid dehydration, shrinkage, and a reversible volume phase transition. The effects of initial Cu²⁺ concentration and pH on adsorption performance were systematically evaluated. The adsorption process followed the Langmuir isotherm and pseudo-second-order kinetic models, and a maximum adsorption capacity of 24.5 g/g was achieved. During regeneration, only 0.23 L of 0.1 M hydrochloric acid per gram of IPS_gel was required for rapid Cu²⁺ desorption, representing a reduction of approximately 88 to 95% compared to the conventional acid consumption (2 to 5 L/g) of traditional hydrogels. These findings indicate that by integrating thermoresponsiveness, high adsorption capacity, and efficient regeneration, the chitosan-based IPS_gel shows strong potential for wastewater treatment applications and provides a new strategy for the green design of purification materials.

A green synthesis approach was implemented to establish an economical and environmentally favorable protocol to produce selenium nanoparticles (Se-NPs) by utilizing aqueous extract from Allium sativum. The Se-NPs were characterized using a combination of spectroscopic and microscopic techniques. The anticancer efficacy of Se-NPs was assessed using MCF-7 cell line and it demonstrated concentration-dependent suppression of MCF-7 cell proliferation. The activation of caspases by Se-NP treatment was further demonstrated by fluorescence microscopy, which resulted in the development of typical apoptotic features, including nuclear condensation and cell membrane blebbing. Furthermore, the Se-NP exposure was linked to increased reactive oxygen species (ROS), suggesting that oxidative stress is a critical mediator of apoptosis in MCF-7 cells. Overall, the results indicate that Se-NPs can act as a selective anticancer drug and induce apoptosis through ROS-mediated pathways. These findings lend credence to the ability of green synthesized Se-NPs as a novel nanotherapeutic platform for cancer treatment.

Traditional Chinese textile auspicious motifs are increasingly being applied in sustainable cork footwear design, facilitating cultural heritage preservation and creative industry innovation. This study proposes a systematic framework bridging digital motif archiving with design translation. Using a quantitative decision-making model, textile auspicious motifs were digitally archived, and Kansei descriptors were extracted. The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) identified users’ preference weights, while Quality Function Deployment (QFD) mapped requirements to design features. Three representative motifs were transformed via shape grammar rules into prototypes. Repeated-measures ANOVA evaluated user satisfaction. Results showed naturalness and aesthetics as the most critical criteria. Notably, Prototype F1, which reinterpreted the original motif, significantly outperformed others in cultural and artistic dimensions, validating the framework’s effectiveness in integrating traditional textile motifs with modern cork footwear design.

γ-Oryzanol (GO), a steryl ferulate derived from rice bran oil, exhibits a broad range of biological activities. However, the mechanisms underlying GO’s protective role against heat-induced cellular stress remain largely unexplored. This study aimed to investigate the protective effects of GO against heat stress in human foreskin fibroblast (HFF2) cells. HFF2 cells were exposed to heat stress (43 °C) in the presence or absence of 100 µg/mL GO, and cell viability, reactive oxygen species (ROS), glutathione (GSH), and nuclear factor erythroid 2–related factor 2 (Nrf2) expression were evaluated. Heat stress significantly increased intracellular ROS levels (~2.8-fold, p < 0.01), decreased GSH levels (p < 0.01), and upregulated Nrf2 expression. Treatment with 100 µg/mL GO significantly improved cell viability (p < 0.05), reduced ROS levels (p < 0.01), increased GSH content by approximately 1.35-fold (p < 0.05), and reduced Nrf2 expression by approximately 40% compared with heat-stressed cells. These findings suggest that GO protects skin fibroblasts against heat-induced oxidative damage by restoring cellular redox homeostasis and modulating antioxidant defense mechanisms.