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As part of the study of extractives of biomass of coniferous trees of Siberia in order to predict the possibility of obtaining valuable biologically active products, a study was conducted of the chemical composition of the ethyl acetate extract of cedar wood (Siberian pine) Pinus sibirica Du Tour. The chemical composition of the phenolic compounds of cedar wood was studied, including the structure of oligomeric polyphenols. The yields of extractives extracted with ethyl acetate and water from cedar wood were 1.6 and 2.71% of a.s. (absolutely dry matter). The content of phenolic compounds in the ethyl acetate extract of cedar wood was 45.9% rel. Based on 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy data, it was found that the main monomeric phenolic extractive substances of cedar wood are stilbene – pinosilvin monomethyl ether (content in cedar wood 0.25% of a.s.) and flavonoids – tectochrizin, pinocembrin, and pinobankxin, as well as oligomeric and polymeric phenolic compounds. It was shown that the composition of cedar wood oligomers includes a complex mixture of stilbene derivatives of pinosilvin and flavonoids with the inclusion of carbohydrate residues. The content of the fraction of oligomeric and polymeric phenolic compounds in cedar wood is 0.39% of a.s.

Thymoquinone was recently reported as having a unique pencil-like odor and being the impact compound for the cedar-like and cedar wood-based product smell such as pencils. The compounds thymol and carvacrol are structurally related odorants commonly found in plants and foods such as thyme and oregano, also having a significant contribution to their overall aroma. However, a systematic elucidation of the sensory properties in this class of oxygenated, aromatic monoterpenoids has not been carried out. To close this gap and gain new insights into structure-odor relationships leading to pencil-like and woody odors, 19 structurally related derivatives of p-cymene starting from thymol and carvacrol were synthesized and characterized. The compounds had odor thresholds ranging from 2.0 ng/L air to 388.8 ng/L air, being lowest for thymol and carvacrol and highest for thymohydroquinone. The compounds smelled mostly thyme-like, oregano-like, and pencil-like with phenolic, earthy, and medicinal variations in their odor character, which could be successfully linked to structural motifs.

The significance of wood odors beyond flavoring effects for barbecues and wine aged in barrels has recently been under discussion. Wood has an immense influence on our physical and mental condition through our palate, such as positive health and mood-stimulating effects. As a result of increased public interest, the key odorants from various natural wood species were recently decoded. To gain profound insights into the contribution of single odorants to the overall scent of distinct wood types, this study compares several softwood species (Scots pine, incense cedar, European larch, Norway spruce, and white fir) by odor profile analysis. Nine odor-active constituents, which were previously detected in those woods, were quantified using stable isotope dilution analysis (SIDA). Odor activity values (OAVs) calculated on the basis of odor thresholds (OTs) determined in cellulose revealed hexanal, octanal, (E)-non-2-enal, p-cresol, vanillin, and thymoquinone as dominant odorants for wood odor. Recombination experiments by mixing the odorants in their naturally occurring concentrations in a cellulose matrix confirmed the successful characterization of the key odorants for Scots pine and incense cedar wood.

Vapor-phase acetylation of heartwood in Japanese cedar wood (Cryptomeria japonica D. Don) was carried out as a surface acetylation method to elucidate the relationship between the depth of acetylat...

Two groups of coffins from the Necropolis of Thebes and held in the Egyptian Museum of Florence were analysed to collect information about the woods used in their construction, possible provenance and the technological features. The two groups of coffins belong to burials during the XVIII Dynasty of the New Kingdom and the XXI Dynasty of the Third Intermediate Period. The latter group comes from the well-known tomb of Bab el-Gasus. The analysis confirms that the most frequently utilised timber for the ancient Egyptian wooden coffins was Ficus sycomorus L. (sycamore fig) that was widely available locally at the time of construction. Sycamore fig wood is light and easy to process, and is the only local tree species suitable for making boards of sufficient length for the sides of coffins. Sycamore fig is used almost exclusively in the coffins from Bab el-Gasus. Here very few other woods were detected, but were all local in origin: Acacia sp., acacia; Tamarix sp., tamarisk. In contrast, the precious softwood of Cedrus cf. libani (probably Lebanon cedar) largely appears in the coffins of the New Kingdom. The comparison of the woods from the analysis of the two groups of coffins points out important differences between them. The differences may depend on the variations over time of the workmanship skills and on the higher social status of the deceased in more ancient periods. Most likely the main difference is due to the worst socio-economic situations that drastically reduced the availability of timber during the XXI dynasty period, in that geographical area of Egypt.

Spectroscopic characterization of ancient buried Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) woods excavated from the foothills of Mt. Chokai was carried out to investigate the factors governing their color tones. X-ray fluorescence analysis confirmed primary metal elements in the Japanese cedar wood to be Ca and Fe. Infrared photoacoustic spectroscopy revealed that prolonged burial had not caused severe chemical decomposition of the ancient wood. 57Fe Mössbauer spectra of the ancient wood samples suggested that Fe in the Japanese cedar wood was present in the high-spin Fe3+ or low-spin Fe2+ state. Although the dark color tone of the ancient wood has been assumed to be due to the presence of multinuclear Fe complexes with multidentate ligands such as tannin, no positive correlation was observed between the color depth and Fe content of the ancient wood samples.

Essential oils have potential to mitigate stress symptoms and treat symptoms related to mental health. Few studies have investigated the effects of wood-derived aromatics on endocrinological and psychological responses in an actual space. In this study, we evaluated the effects of essential oil derived from Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) wood on the recovery state of female participants after they performed monotonous work. We determined the levels of salivary stress markers to describe the endocrinological responses. And we also used questionnaires to assess the perception of the odor of experimental rooms and psychological states. We found that olfactory stimulation with the volatile compounds of essential oil derived from Japanese cedar wood modulates mood states, and may transiently decrease sympathetic nervous activity. We suggest that olfactory stimulation with the volatile compounds of essential oil derived from Japanese cedar wood could be useful for maintaining mental health among women.

In 1998, the Japanese cedar longhorned beetle, Callidiellum rufipenne (Motschulsky, 1861), was discovered in Connecticut where its larvae bored into living plants in the Cupressaceae. A survey conducted between 1999 and 2005 indicated that the alien beetle was restricted to the southern part of the state. In 2015, adults were reared from dead wood collected north of the range known in 2005. A new survey was conducted in 2016–2017 to ascertain how far the exotic beetle had spread since the first survey. In the new survey, adults were captured in cross-vane panel traps that had lures of mixed (six-carbon) ketones and ethanol. At least one of the ketones apparently was an aggregation or sex pheromone. In two areas without traps, adults emerged from dead cedar wood. Based upon adult captures in traps and upon rearing, the Japanese cedar longhorn has spread northward to the border with Massachusetts. It was discovered in 157 (95.2%) of 165 towns surveyed. Of 187 panel traps with lures, 171 (91.4%) captured adults, suggesting that the trapping method was effective. Cupressaceous plants, especially stressed ones, in garden centers, landscaped areas, and natural areas are now at risk of attack statewide.

Growth enhancement of white rot fungus Phlebia brevispora TN3F by two bacterial strains TN3W-8 and TN3W-14 which showed high identity with genus Pseudomonas and Enterobacter, respectively, was investigated in liquid and solid media at different glucose concentrations. The white rot fungus P. brevispora TN3F and the bacterial strains were isolated from same white rot-decayed cedar wood from the Tano Forest Science Station at University of Miyazaki. Confrontational assay between the fungus and the bacterial strains revealed a fungal growth enhancement phenomenon, in the direction of the bacterial cells, even without direct contact. This enhancement increased with decrease of glucose concentration, 0.5% glucose offering comparatively the most mycelial growth. In potato extract (PE) medium at 0.5% glucose concentration, along with mycelial growth enhancement and morphological change of P. brevispora TN3F, growth and morphological enhancement of fungus TMIC33929, another strain of P. brevispora, was achieved by the bacterial strain TN3W-14, although TMIC33929 originated from a different environment. Outside few reports of a positive interaction between white rot fungi and other microorganisms, this is a first report of such positive interaction in liquid medium. Furthermore, this also is the first report of a single bacterium having potential to positively affect mycelia growth of different strains of a white rot fungus.

The present work aimed to study the physicochemical properties, chemical composition antimicrobial and insecticied of three essential oils, namely cedar wood (Guniperus virginiana) belonging to famly (Pinaceae), rose wood (Aniba rosaeaodora) belonging to family (Rosaceae) and sandal wood (Santalum album) belonging to family (Santalaceae). These plants are considered to be medicinal and aromatic plants which are well grown in the Egyptian newly reclaimed lands. Evaluation of the oils activity as antimicrobial was done against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, fungi, yeast and larval fourth cotton leaf worm (Spodoptera littoralis). Our results showed that Cedar wood oil was distinguished by highest dextro rotation mean (+43o) while the specific gravity of sandal wood oil was higher than cedar wood oil and rose wood oil. The highest acid value recorded was cedar wood essential oil (2.45). The identified components in cedar wood essential oil were 20. The major compound was Thugopsene (27.5%), also the identified components in rose wood essential oil were 14. The major component was (Linalol 68.174%). As for the identified components in sandal wood essential oil, they were 13. The major component was α-Santalol (50.3%). Increasing the concentration of essential oils to 100% at least doubled the inhibition zone for most studied bacteria, except Escherichia coli. Also increasing the concentration of essential oils from (10:50%) increases the mortality of larvae , the death of the virgin and the proportion of altezr.

La productividad de los sistemas forestales en el trópico mexicano ha tenido serias restricciones por la carencia de prácticas silvícolas que promuevan su competitividad. Cedrela odorata L. (cedro rojo) es una especie económicamente importante en el trópico mexicano y se conoce poco acerca de sus rendimientos y de cómo mejorar su productividad. El modelo 3-PG (Principios fisiológicos de predicción del crecimiento) permite predecir el crecimiento de un rodal, incluso en áreas donde no ha crecido la especie, estimando la productividad del sitio. En el presente trabajo se estimó, mediante el modelo 3-PG, el crecimiento de C. odorata y el efecto que tiene la nutrición sobre la especie a partir de variables fisiológicas de esta y de especies similares. La biomasa de follaje y el diámetro promedio a la altura del pecho fueron mayores en la condición con fertilización. En el año cinco se registró el mayor volumen en la condición con fertilización (FR = 0.6): 66.9 m3 ha-1; en ese mismo año, el incremento en volumen sin fertilización (FR = 0.3) fue 51.9 m3 ha-1. Además, el volumen del rodal, la biomasa de tronco y la altura también incrementaron con la edad del rodal en el tratamiento con fertilización. El modelo 3-PG se aplica por vez primera en esta especie y en México, por lo que se requiere continuar con estudios ecofisiológicos de la especie y aspectos de nutrición, para lograr una mejor predicción del crecimiento y, de ese modo, que este modelo sea una herramienta útil en la toma de decisiones de manejo forestal.

This paper presents the latest provenance results of cedar wood ( Cedrus sp.) from three ancient watercraft: the Carnegie boat (Middle Kingdom Egypt), the wrecked merchant ship at Uluburun (Bronze Age Mediterranean), and the galley comprising the Athlit Ram (Hellenistic Mediterranean). Comparing the ratios of 87 Sr/ 86 Sr of the archaeological wood and cedar from modern forests has helped augment the existing hypotheses pertaining to where the wood used in the construction of these vessels originated. The results demonstrate that strontium isotopic analysis can provide valuable information to assist wood provenance research in ancient and maritime contexts, which in turn may elucidate ancient forestry and shipbuilding practices.

The effects of drying methods on equilibrated moisture content (MC) and swelling efficiency of Chinese cedar (Cryptomeria fortunei) wood were studied in this paper. Drying experiments were conducte...

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of cellulase treatment on wood surface physicochemical characteristics. The cedar wood samples were treated by cellulase for 30 min at different concentrations: 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 1, and 1.2 mg/ml. Then the physicochemical properties (the wetting behavior and interfacial free energy) of the cedar samples surfaces were characterized by the sessile drop technique. The obtained results showed that the untreated cedar wood samples exhibited a hydrophobic character with a high water contact angle (θw = 71.9°) and a negative value of the interfacial free energy (∆Giwi = −59.3 mJ/m2). Thereafter, the wood hydrophobicity decreased continuously until it reached the hydrophilicity qualitatively (at the first concentration of cellulase (0.2 mg/ml)) and quantitatively (at 0.8 mg/ml of cellulase). The cedar wood surface treatment with cellulase also revealed a significant evolution of the acid-base parameters. Moreover, a linear relationship between the degr...

The present study investigated the effect of various types of impregnating and surface treatment materials on the fire resistance of wood material indoors and outdoors. Wood samples (Cedru...

Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) wood and bark were gasified using an entrained-flow-type gasification reactor at 900 °C in the presence of H2O or H2O + O2. With H2O alone, the cedar wood was gasified well: carbon conversion into gas [CC(g)] = 94.3%; however, cedar bark was not gasified so well: CC(g) = 73.4%, and relatively large amounts of solid residues were produced: carbon conversion into solid residues [CC(sr)] = 14.0%. Gas produced from both cedar wood and cedar bark were suitable compositions for catalytic liquid fuel synthesis: [H2]/[CO] ≅ 2–3. Tar yields were low: that from the cedar wood was

Aspergillus parasiticus is one of the most common fungi which contaminates peanuts by destroying peanut shells before they are harvested and the fungus produces aflatoxins. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antifungal activities of seventeen essential oils on the growth of the aflatoxigenic form of A. parasiticus in contaminated peanuts from commercial outlets in Georgia. The agar dilution method was used to test the antifungal activity of essential oils against this form of A. parasiticus at various concentrations: 500; 1,000; 1,500; 2,000; 2,500 ppm. Among the seventeen essential oils tested, the antifungal effect of cinnamon, lemongrass, clove and thyme resulted in complete inhibition of mycelial growth. Cinnamon oil inhibited mycelial growth at ≥ 1,000 ppm, lemongrass and clove oils at ≥ 1,500 ppm and thyme at 2,500 ppm. However, cedar wood, citronella, cumin and peppermint oils showed partial inhibition of mycelial growth. Eucalyptus oil, on the other hand, had less antifungal properties against growth of A. parasiticus, irrespective of its concentration. Our results indicate that the aflatoxigenic form of A. parasiticus is sensitive to selected essential oils, especially cinnamon. These findings clearly indicate that essential oils may find a practical application in controlling the growth of A. parasiticus in stored peanuts.

In this work, the effect of three Thymus vulgaris extract fractions on physicochemical properties of cedar wood was examined. Indeed, hydrophobicity, surface tension components ΔGiwi, electron donor ( γ − ) and electron acceptor ( γ + ) parameters of untreated and treated wood were assessed using contact angle measurement. The samples treated with ethyl acetate, methanolic and hexane-ethyl-acetate fractions have indicated the hydrophilic character qualitatively and quantitatively with values of ( θ w = 17.1 ± 0.08°, ΔGiwi = 46.51 mJ/m 2 , θ w = 10.7 ± 0.40°, ΔGiwi = 35.36 mJ/m 2 and θ w = 31.1 ± 0.74°, ΔGiwi = 24.64 mJ/m 2 ) respectively, and more electron donor than untreated one. Moreover, the experimental and the theoretical prediction of Penicillium spores adhesion on untreated and treated substrates were also investigated. According to the values of the total free energy (Δ G Tot ), the adhesion of Penicillium commune and Penicillium commun on untreated wood was found favorable. In contrast, all treatments of wood surface were made the adhesion conditions unfavorable. The environmental scanning electronic microscopy (ESEM) has shown also that the adhesion of both Penicillium spores studied on the treated wood was too low. Thereby, a good correlation between the theoretical prediction and the adhesion experiments has been found. Based on these results, the natural products tested could be considered as an alternative source of bioactive molecules for limited and inhibited the adhesion of fungal spores on wood and hence, for its preservation.

The state of Mato Grosso has several forest species that are widely used for originating various products that are important to the state's economy. The technological characteristics allow several uses of wood, however, there are species of the same genus that have little studied properties. The objective of this work was to characterize the technological properties of cedar wood (Erisma uncinatum) and white cedar wood (Erisma bicolor). Techniques for anatomical characterization and tests for physical properties tests were employed. Drying test was performed at 100º C, obtaining the drying temperature in different ranges: T1 (5%), T2 (30%) and T3 (30 and 5%) and drying speed: V1 (5%), V2 (30%) and V3 (30 and 5%). It was observed that the cedar species presented larger dimensions for most of the evaluated anatomical elements in relation to the white cedar species. However, the anatomical arrangement for both species was similar at the microscopic level. There were significant differences between the basic densities for the species which influenced the other physical properties, specifically the retractability and drying speed. With the drying program elaborated it was noticed that there was time difference for the wood of the species to reach the moisture content in the range of the saturation point of the fibers, while for 5% of moisture content they kept the same drying time, generating differences in absolute values between species in water loss velocity between 30 and 5% moisture content.

UNLABELLED Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) is a major species in artificial Japanese forests. The Halomonas sp. KM-1 was recently isolated and found to grow effectively on saccharified Japanese cedar wood, resulting in the intracellular storage of poly-(R)-3-hydroxybutyric acid (PHB) under aerobic conditions. Under microaerobic conditions, the extracellular secretion of (R)-3-hydroxybutyric acid ((R)-3-HB) led to the degradation of intracellular PHB. In this study, the production of PHB and the secretion of (R)-3-HB using saccharified Japanese cedar were much improved in cultures that were grown in the presence of urea. The level of intracellular PHB production after 36 h under aerobic cultivation was 23·6 g l(-1) ; after shifting to microaerobic conditions for 24 h, the (R)-3-HB concentration in the medium reached 21·1 g l(-1) . Thus, KM-1 efficiently utilizes saccharified Japanese cedar to produce PHB and secretes (R)-3-HB, making it a practical candidate for use in the industrial production of (R)-3-HB. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY Japanese cedar is a major species grown in artificial Japanese forests, and its thinning is crucial for the health of artificial forests and the Japanese economy. Halomonas sp. KM-1 grew effectively on saccharified Japanese cedar wood, resulting in intracellular storage of poly-(R)-3-hydroxybutyric acid (PHB) under aerobic conditions. Under microaerobic conditions, extracellular secretion of (R)-3-hydroxybutyric acid ((R)-3-HB) caused intracellular PHB degradation. (R)-3-HB is a chiral compound that is useful in the chemical, health food and pharmaceutical industries. The production of PHB and secretion of (R)-3-HB using saccharified wood was dramatically improved, which may positively affect its future industrial production.

87Sr/86Sr isotope ratios of cedar wood from forests in the East Mediterranean have been compiled in order to investigate the feasibility of provenancing archaeological cedar wood finds. Cedrus sp. forests furnished a great amount of wood in antiquity, for purposes ranging from ship to temple construction, and for fashioning cult statues and sarcophagi. The 87Sr/86Sr signatures of archaeological cedar samples may be compared with the preliminary dataset presented here to help determine the geographic origin of wooden artifacts. Sample sites include two forest areas in the Troodos Massif of Cyprus, five in the Lebanon, and two in Turkey’s Taurus Mountains. Sr ratios for wood varieties (i.e., early heartwood, late heartwood, sapwood, and twig wood) demonstrate relative uniformity between the xylem types frequently recovered from archaeological contexts. As such, this pilot study also assesses important issues of archaeological sampling and the geographical factors that influence Sr uptake in cedar trees of this region. While the regional signatures are distinct in most cases, small sample sizes and range overlap indicate the need for additional methods to make a case for a certain source forest. Alone, this method continues to be best used to disprove assumed wood provenances.

Decay and deterioration of wood by bacteria and fungi are becoming very serious problems because of the resistance of microorganisms to antimicrobial agents. Thus, this study was aimed at investigating the anti-adhesion effect of Myrtus communis and Thymus vulgaris extracts obtained by classical and ultrasonic extraction, against of Penicillium commune spores isolated from fez Medina cedar wood. According to environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) analysis, the results showed that all extracts tested have proven their ability to inhibit the adhesion of the fungal spores studied. In addition, the extract of each plant obtained by ultrasonication showed a low percentage (47% and 33%) of fungal spores adherent to a wood substrate compared to those recovered by maceration (68%). Furthermore, M. communis extracts have shown outstanding anti-adhesive activity, similar to that demonstrated by those of T. vulgaris. Finally, the treatment of wood by M. communis extracts obtained by ultrasonication showed...

Downdraft gasification of forage sorghum and red cedar wood was studied with the aim of determining the characteristics of produced char for its further application, such as soil amendment, sorbent and solid fuel. Ultimate, proximate, XRD and NMR were used to investigate physical and chemical properties of char and thermo-analytic methods were used to determine kinetics of char gasification. The NMR results showed that red cedar and sorghum chars both contain aromatic carbon, but aliphatic carbon and o-alkyl carbon are more evident in the red cedar char than in the sorghum char. Char derived from downdraft gasification had higher heating values and lower ash contents than char derived from fluidized bed gasification, indicating char derived from downdraft gasification is more suitable for applications, such as soil amendment, than char from fluidized bed gasification. Micropores and mesopores were found in both red cedar and sorghum chars. The gasification reactivity of red cedar char was higher than that of sorghum char. Activation energies were found to be 163 and 167 kJ/mol based on shrinking core model and 147 and143 kJ/mol based on random pore model for sorghum char and red cedar char, respectively.

The objective of this study was to characterize the properties of pulp and paper manufactured from two agricultural residues namely, wheat straw (Triticum aestivum L. em Thell.) and date palm midribs (Phoenix dactylifera L.) widely available in Saudi Arabia by employing soda-anthraquinone (AQ) pulping process. Specimens from cedar wood (Juniperus procera Hochst. ex Endl.) wood was also used as control samples. Chemical and the morphological characteristics of all three types of raw materials in addition to basic properties of hand sheets made from such resources were evaluated. The results indicated that wheat straw had the highest hemicellulose and ash values of 35% and 7% and the lowest lignin content value of 18%, respectively. The fibre length of the both palm fronds and wheat straw was lower than that of 2.2 mm which was found for J. procera. Overall strength properties of the handsheet made from two agricultural raw materials were significantly lower than those made from J. procera pulp. Wheat straw handsheets also had higher strength properties than those made from date palm midribs with an exception of their tear index. Based on the results of this study it appears that both types of raw materials, date palm midribs and wheat straw could have a potential to manufacture pulp and paper with accepted properties so that such underutilized species can be converted into value-added products.

Employee problems arising from mental illnesses have steadily increased and become a serious social problem in recent years. Wood is a widely available plant material, and knowledge of the psychophysiological effects of inhalation of woody volatile compounds has grown considerably. In this study, we established an experimental method to evaluate the effects of Japanese cedar wood essential oil on subjects performing monotonous work. Two experiment conditions, one with and another without diffusion of the essential oil were prepared. Salivary stress markers were determined during and after a calculation task followed by distribution of questionnaires to achieve subjective odor assessment. We found that inhalation of air containing the volatile compounds of Japanese cedar wood essential oil increased the secretion of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-s). Slight differences in the subjective assessment of the odor of the experiment rooms were observed. The results of the present study indicate that the volatile compounds of Japanese cedar wood essential oil affect the endocrine regulatory mechanism to facilitate stress responses. Thus, we suggest that this essential oil can improve employees’ mental health.

The sessile drop technique was used to investigate the evolution of the physicochemical properties of cedar wood as a function of contact time with the Penicillium expansum spores. The most important finding showed that the impact of different contact periods (2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 24 hr) on the wood surface were very indicative. In fact, after 2 hr of contact, the results have shown a significant impact of the bioadhesion of spores to the substrate on both the hydrophobic character (θW = 108.5°; ΔGiwi = −28.25 mJ/m2), the electron donor (γ− = 13.63 mJ/m2), and the electron acceptor (γ+ = 4.35 mJ/m2) parameters that were significantly reduced compared to the initial wood (θW = 118.5°; ΔGiwi = −6.29 mJ/m2; γ− = 32.1 mJ/m2; and γ+ = 9.1 mJ/m2). In addition, this decrease of parameters continued over time to stabilize after 10 hr of contact. Indeed, after 24 hr, the acid/base properties were almost zero and the contact angle with water decreased to 30°. Moreover, it was found that the coefficient of correlatio...

Physicochemical characterization of microorganism is very important in a wide range of scientific and technological fields. In this study, we reported the isolation and the molecular identification of actinomycetes recovered from cedar wood decay. The isolates named H5 and H8 were identified by 16S rDNA sequencing and were shown to belong to the genus Nocardia and Streptomyces, respectively. Furthermore, physicochemical proprieties including hydrophobicity, electron donor/acceptor, and the Lifshitz–van der Waals (γLW) of these strains were evaluated using contact angle measurements. The results showed that Nocardia sp. (H5) had a hydrophobic (ΔGiwi = −78.56 mJ/m2) and a weak electron donor/acceptor character. In contrast, results from contact angle measurements showed that the surface free energy of Streptomyces strains (H2, H3, and H8) were ΔGiwi = 20.71 mJ/m2, ΔGiwi = 30.63 mJ/m2, and ΔGiwi = 15.35 mJ/m2, respectively, classifying these microorganisms as hydrophilic bacterium. Moreover, the three strain...

The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of crude extracts of Thymus vulgaris on wood surface physicochemical characteristics. Thus, the Lifshitz-van der Waals (), acid–base (surface tension components ΔGiwi, electron donor () and electron acceptor () parameters of untreated and treated wood were assessed using contact angle measurement. The main results showed that all T. vulgaris extracts are able to change wood surface properties. Indeed, the samples treated with the product obtained by maceration and ultrasound indicated the hydrophilic character (θw = 29.7 ± 0.3°, ΔGiwi = 17. 78 ± 0.48 mJ/m2 and θw = 18.2 ± 0.2°, ΔGiwi = 30.62 ± 0.31 mJ/m2) respectively, and had less contact angle values than that of untreated wood (θw = 86.0 ± 0.2°). In addition, this treatment has made the wood more donor ( = 44.76 ± 0.3 mJ/m2 and = 53.80 ± 0.3 mJ/m2) than the electron acceptor compared to sample control ( = 2.03 ± 0.04 mJ/m2). Finally, the effect of the extract obtained by ultrasound was found to be mor...

In this study, the adhesion of 4 Penicillium strains (Penicillium granulatum, Penicillium crustosum, Penicillium commune and Penicillium chrysogenum) on cedar wood was examined qualitatively and quantitatively by using the extended DLVO (XDLVO) approach and the environmental scanning electronic microscopy (ESEM) technique. A comparison between the XDLVO theories and the ESEM technique was also investigated. The adhesion tests revealed that P. chrysogenum was not able to adhere on the cedar wood substrata, as predicted by the XDLVO approach. We have also found by ESEM that the three Penicillium strains (P. granulatum, P. crustosum, P. commune) adhered on wood, as not predicted theoretically. Moreover, the time of adhesion (3 h and 24 h) was used not only to compare the capacity of adhesion according to contact time but also to explain the discrepancies between the XDLVO approach prediction and the adhesion experiments. A positive relationship between the XDLVO approach and adhesion experiments has been observed after 3 h of adhesion. In contrast, a contradiction between the XDLVO predictions and the adhesion test results has been noted after 24 h of adhesion of Penicillium strains to the wood surface.

This study investigated the application of heat to wood samples from Japanese cedar trees (Cryptomeria japonica) of small and medium diameters to evaluate the effects of both the temperature and duration of treatment on its surface, physical, and mechanical properties. The results indicate that the density, moisture content, and hygroscopicity of the wood samples decreased as the treatment temperature and duration increased, and the mass loss increased under the same conditions. Additionally, the dimensional stability of the wood improved in response to increased temperatures and prolonged durations. These results suggest that heat treatment can be used to improve the dimensional stability of wood. The surface color of the wood darkened progressively with increasing treatment temperature and duration, and the hydrophobicity of the wood sample improved as a result of the heat treatment. In contrast to the untreated wood, the heat-treated wood exhibited decreased mechanical properties with an increase in the treatment temperature and duration.

The essential oil (EO) obtained from the waste wood chips of used sake barrels (USBs) made from Japanese cedar wood (i.e., EO–USB) was investigated for its antimicrobial activity against microorganisms associated with food decay. EO–USB antimicrobial activity was compared with that of several other EOs derived from the xylem tissue of major Japanese woods, such as Japanese cedar ( Cryptomeria japonica ), Japanese cypress ( Chamaecyparis obtusa ), and false arborvitae ( Thujopsis dolabrata ). The EO–USB from Japanese cedar wood exhibited higher levels of antimicrobial activity than EO of C. japonica . The inhibitory effects of the EOs were of the order T. dolabrata > USB > C. japonica > C. obtusa . These EOs also inhibited the in vitro activity of DNA polymerase in an extract from Escherichia coli bacterial cells with the same ranking of antimicrobial effects. These results suggested that EO–USB could be used for food preservation because of its antimicrobial properties, based on the inhibition of microbial DNA polymerase.

We studied the physical, chemical, biological, and antimicrobial effects of eight types of essential oils used in the cosmetics industry: lavender, tea tree, rosemary, juniper berry, Chamaecyparis obtusa, cypress, cedar wood, and pine. Lavender oil had a linalyl acetate (an ester chemical compound) content of 48% and radical scavenging activity of 22.36% at 5,000 ppm. Tea tree oil had radical scavenging activity of 43.94% at 5,000 ppm and antimicrobial activity against S. aureus, S. epidermidis, S. mutans, and C. albicans in each 6, 3.5, 6.5, and 5 mm, respectively. Chamaecyparis obtusa oil had the highest acidity (pH 2.64) compared with the other oils, and sesquiterpene compounds were found to have 19.20%. Cedar wood oil had the highest specific gravity and refractive index compared to the other oils and had a sesquiterpene content of 99.73%. The radical scavenging activity of cedar wood essential oil exceeded 39.68% at 5,000 ppm. The clear zone, indicating antimicrobial activity against P. acnes, P. ovale, and C. albicans, was 3.5, 6, and 6 mm, respectively, at a concentration of 1% cedar wood oil. Results showed that with a high sesquiterpene content, the antioxidant effect was generally, but not always, high, suggesting that this is determined according to composition of the compound rather than presence of each antioxidant. The results indicate that antimicrobial activity is determined by the existence of each antimicrobial ingredient rather than terpene composition.

The behavioral responses of the potato psyllid, Bactericera cockerelli (Sulc) to dimethyl disulfide (DMDS) and to 12 plant essential oils were examined in a glass Y-tube olfactometer. DMDS at doses of 0.5, 1, 2 and 5 g showed a significant repellent effect on the psyllids. Cedar wood, lime, savory, thyme and tea tree oils significantly repelled adults over a wide range of doses tested (1, 10, 100, 500, 1,000 and 2,000 μl). The oils of clove and peppermint also had a significant repellent effect on adults at all doses except at the lowest dose (1 μl). The residual effect of 1 g of DMDS persisted for 10 consecutive days whereas five oils (thyme, tea tree, peppermint, savory and clove) remained repellent for the 20-day longevity residual trial.

The basidiomycete Gloeophyllum trabeum KU-41 can degrade Japanese cedar wood efficiently. To construct a strain better suited for biofuel production from Japanese cedar wood, we developed a gene transformation system for G. trabeum KU-41 using the hygromycin phosphotransferase-encoding gene (hpt) as a marker. The endogenous laccase candidate gene (Gtlcc3) was fused with the promoter of the G. trabeum glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase-encoding gene and co-transformed with the hpt-bearing pAH marker plasmid. We obtained 44 co-transformants, and identified co-transformant L#61, which showed the highest laccase activity among all the transformants. Moreover, strain L#61 was able to degrade lignin in Japanese cedar wood-containing medium, in contrast to wild-type G. trabeum KU-41 and to a typical white-rot fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium. By using strain L#61, direct ethanol production from Japanese cedar wood was improved compared to wild type. To our knowledge, this study is the first report of the molecular breeding of lignin-degrading brown-rot fungus and direct ethanol production from softwoods by co-transformation with laccase overproduction constructs. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13568-015-0173-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Initial microbial adhesion to surfaces is a complicated process that is affected by a number of factors. An important property of a solution that may influence adhesion is pH. The surface properties of the cedar wood were characterized by the sessile drop technique. Moreover, the interfacial free energy of surface adhesion to the cedar wood was determined under pH values (2, 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11). The results showed that cedar wood examined at different pH levels could be considered hydrophobic ranged from Giwi = -13.1 mJ/m(2) to Giwi = -75 mJ/m(2). We noted that the electron-donor character of cedar wood was important at both basic and limit acidic conditions (pH 11 and pH 3) and it decreased at intermediate pH (pH 5). The cedar wood substratum presents a weak electron acceptor under various pH's. In addition, the adhesion of conidia from Penicilllium expansum to the cedar wood surfaces at different pH values (2, 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11) was investigated using Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy and image analysis was assessed with the Mathlab(®) program. The data analysis showed that the conidia from P. expansum were strongly influenced by the pH. The maximum adhesion occurs in the pH 11 and pH 3 and decreased to 24% at pH 5.

The influence of surface topography on microbial adhesion is an important regulatory issue. In this study, we use the potential adhesion of conidia from Penicillium expansum to cedar wood as a theoretical model to understand the effect of a roughness on physico-chemical attributes of spores, and their potential adhesive properties. The effect of roughness level ranging from 1.83 to 0.45 μm was investigated. Hydrophobicity, electron donor and acceptor character of the substrates was determined using contact angle measurements. Spore behavior switched from hydrophobic (99.2°), at an Ra value of 1.83 μm, to hydrophilic (60.02°), at an Ra value of 0.45 μm. It was difficult to find a relationship between the acid–base component of wood substrate and surface roughness over the range of Ra values tested. Prediction of the attachment tendencies of Penicillium expansum, was modeled using wood surfaces with different degrees of roughness according to the XDLVO approach. Maximum adhesion was predicted to occur at an Ra value of 1.83 μm. However, for Ra values less than 0.75 μm, the value of total interaction energy ranged from +4.17 mJ/m2 (Ra = 0.6 μm) to +6.58 mJ/m2 (Ra = 0.45 μm).

Japanese cedar ( Cryptomeria japonica ) shares around 60% of plantation forests in Japan, and there is a growing demand for thinning of the forest. However, the softwood is one of the most recalcitrant wood species for hydrothermal and thermochemical pretreatments for enzymatic saccharification. In the present paper, we applied combined pretreatments by solvolysis and cultivation with white rot fungi to develop environmentally benign pretreatment system applicable to recalcitrant softwood. Due to the recalcitrance of the softwood, enzymatic saccharification yield from ethanolysis pulp was 10.2%, based on the weight of holocellulose. To increase the sugar yield, the softwood was treated with selective white rot fungi prior to the ethanolysis. Treatment of the softwood with a biopulping fungus, Ceriporiopsis subvermispora FP-90031 and a new fungal isolate Phellinus sp. SKM2102 for 8 weeks increased the sugar yield to 35.7 and 40.8%, respectively. The best pretreatment conditions in terms of overall sugar yield including a soluble fraction were obtained by ethanolysis after the fugal treatment with Phellinus sp. SKM2102, resulting in production of 42.2 g of total reducing sugars per 100 g of the fungus-pretreated biomass. After the combined pretreatment, simultaneous saccharification and fermentation of the water-insoluble pulp fraction were carried out using Saccharomyces cerevisiae . Ethanol production from undecayed Japanese cedar wood was negligible but pretreatments with the two fungi significantly increased the ethanol production, in combination with ethanolysis. The combined pretreatment with solvolysis and Phellinus sp. SKM2102 is attractive for biorefinery of the recalcitrant softwood.

The adhesion of Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus sp. isolated from Fez cedar wood decay has been investigated. Furthermore, the physicochemical proprieties including hydrophobicity and electron donor/electron acceptor (Lewis acid–base) of both bacteria and substrata were evaluated using contact angle measurements. The results show that Bacillus subtilis has a hydrophobic character (ΔG iwi = –20 mJ/m2). In contrast, Bacillus sp. exhibits a hydrophilic (ΔG iwi = –20 mJ/m2), electron donating (γ–) and weakly electron accepting (γ+) character. With respect to the substrata surface, we found that the cedar wood used in this work, was hydrophobic in character, having relatively more electron-donor that electron-acceptor properties (γ– = 6 ± 4 mJ/m2; γ+ = 0 ± 3 mJ/m2). The phenomena of adhesion were observed by environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) and cell adhesion was quantified using a Matlab program. The analysis of images obtained by ESEM show that the both cells was able to adhere to the wood sub...

Thermal treatment is an alternative to the chemical treatment in wood preservation, which has been used to some extent in improving timber quality. Despite the enormous works done so far on the effects of heat treatment on wood properties, very little is known about the anatomical changes in the various wood species during the process. Wood samples from western red cedar (Thuja plicata) were heat-treated at a temperature of 220°C for 1 and 2 h. The anatomical structures were examined before and after the heat treatment process by using scanning electron microscope (SEM) and related to density, water uptake, thickness swelling and modulus of rupture of wood samples obtained from the same board. Heat treatment of red cedar wood resulted in the destruction of tracheid walls, ray tissues and pit deaspiration. The destroyed tracheid walls and ray tissues appeared to blow up, thus increasing the size of the specimen. The process of pit deaspiration also resulted in increasing size of the pits, thus creating more openings in the wood. These changes in wood anatomy indicate that the well-established chemical degradation is not the only reason for changes in wood properties during heat treatment. However, it is believed that the effects of the chemical changes still outweigh those of the anatomical changes based on the modification observed during the process of heat treatment.

The degradation of the components of Japanese beech and Japanese cedar wood was measured over time in cultures of the white-rot fungus Ceriporiopsis subvermispora. Although there was no initial degradation of cedar wood, after 12 weeks the mass loss of both cedar and beech wood was 15–20%. The mass losses of filter paper in beech wood-containing cultures and glucose cultures after 12 weeks were 87% and 70%, respectively. The ratio of lignin loss to mass loss of both beech and cedar wood cultures approached 2.0. Although the cellulose loss in cedar wood was very low throughout the 12-week incubation, C. subvermispora degraded the hemicellulose in Japanese cedar much more effectively than that in Japanese beech. These results confirm that C. subvermispora is a selective lignin degrader. During the 12-week incubation with Japanese beech wood, C. subvermispora continuously produced at least one of three phenol oxidases: laccase was produced initially, followed by Mn-independent peroxidase activity peaking at 6 weeks and Mn-dependent peroxidase activity peaking at 10 weeks. Lignin peroxidase and carboxymethylcellulase activities peaked after 3 weeks of incubation. Avicelase activity was present throughout the incubation period, although the activity was very low. The low-molecular-mass fraction of the extracellular medium, which catalyzes a redox reaction between O2 and electron donors to produce hydroxyl radical, may act synergistically with the enzymes to degrade wood cell walls.

In this study, the surface roughness values of planed and sanded Taurus (Lebanon) cedar (Cedrus Libani A. Rich.) specimens were examined. The test specimens were cut in tangential and radial directions. One blade and three blades were used for planing and 60 grit and 100 grit abrasives were used for sanding. With this objective, a total of 80 specimens (2 cutting directions × 2 different numbers of blades ×2 types of abrasive × 10 replications) were prepared. The roughnesses of the specimens were measured according to ISO 4287. The values obtained were statistically analyzed and the results were interpreted. According to the test results, it was determined statistically that the cutting direction and the finishing techniques affected the surface roughness. It was determined that cutting in the radial direction in Taurus cedar wood also produced smoother surfaces compared to cutting in the tangential direction. Smoother surfaces are obtained as the grit number of the abrasive increases.

金沢大学大学院自然科学研究科知的システム創成, Paulownia wood (Pauloumia tomentosa) is a special kind of wood material in that it has especially excellent flame retardancy. Using this property, it has been commonly used to make clothing wardrobes for a long time in Japan. In this research, the flame retardancy of paulownia wood has been verified by heating experiments and cone calorimeter testing. The structure and tissue of the material have been analyzed by scanning electron microscope and other methods. Moreover, the mechanism of the flame retardancy of paulownia wood was analyzed by model experiments and FEM analysis. The result shows that the cell tissue of paulownia wood is very porous and similar to the structure of a honeycomb. It can be easily carbonized when heated. Since paulownia wood contains few lignins, it generates very little combustible gas when heated. Furthermore, when viewed from the radial section, the vessel structure of paulownia wood is very large and independent, compared to cedar wood (Cryptomeria japonica), which has a thin and continuous tracheids structure. Oxygen is not sufficiently supplied in this type of structure found in paulownia wood. Thus, it is difficult to ignite, and only carbonized when heated. Generally speaking, the thermal conductivity of the carbonization layer is lower than that of the wood material, which is the reason why wardrobes made of paulownia wood are able to protect kimonos from fire. © 2007 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.

The purpose of this study is to examine dissolved organic matter (DOM) removal using charcoal made from Japanese cedar wood (Cryptomeria japonica D. Don). We used three types of charcoals carbonized at 450, 650, and 1050°C to compare their DOM removal rate and removal volume. The removal rates of DOM contained in rice-straw water and the DOM-fraction distribution in treated water were studied in laboratory experiments. The results showed that the charcoal at 1050°C (C1050) markedly removed DOM from rice-straw water. C1050 removed of 70% DOM in 48 h. UV (260 nm) absorbance, which can be used for the index of recalcitrant DOM concentration, decreased to 30% with C1050 treatment. DOM fractionation in treated water in 48 h showed that C1050 removed 97% of the hydrophobic acid contained in recalcitrant DOM. The molecular weight distribution showed that C1050 removed high-molecular-weight compounds including humic substances.

Ancient Taurus cedar (Cedrus libani A. Rich) wood samples from the Tumulus of King Midas at the Gordion archaeological site (about 2700 years old), near Ankara, Turkey, and from the Al-Aksa Mosque (about 1500 to 1900 years old), Jerusalem, Israel, were characterized by studying the sequences of ribosomal DNA (rDNA) internal transcribed spacers (ITS1 and ITS2). After extraction of the DNA, the ITS regions were amplified utilizing the polymerase chain reaction, followed by sequencing, BLAST searches for similar sequences, and phylogenetic analyses. Fifty-six sequences were obtained. In BLAST searches of existing sequence databases, most were closest to those from humans and fungi. However, two sequences exhibited similarities with conifer ITS sequences. One was an ITS1 region from the Gordion wood specimen, and the other one was an ITS2 region from the Al-Aksa wood specimen. Phylogenetic analyses indicated that both were closest to Taurus cedar (C. libani, also known as Lebanon cedar) ITS sequences from three recent samples of Taurus cedar from two sites in Turkey. However, they exhibited many differences from the recent C. libani rDNA ITS sequences from Turkey, probably due to degradation of the DNA in the ancient samples. The implications of the results on future studies are discussed.

Japanese cedar wood specimens were steamed at 80°, 100°, and 120°C over 14 days, and their equilibrium moisture content (M) at 20°C and 60% relative humidity, longitudinal dynamic Young’s modulus (E), bending strength (σ max), and breaking strain (e max) were compared with those of unheated specimens. Steaming for a longer duration at a higher temperature resulted in a greater reduction in M, σ max, and e max. The E of wood was slightly enhanced by steaming at 100°C for 1–4 days and 120°C for 1–2 days, and thereafter it decreased. The slight increase in the E of sapwood was attributable to the reduction in hygroscopicity, while sufficient explanation was not given for a greater increase in the heartwood stiffness. Irrespective of the steaming temperature, the correlations between M and the mechanical properties of steamed wood were expressed in terms of simple curves. M values above 8% indicated a slight reduction in E and s max, whereas M values below 8% indicated a marked decrease in the mechanical performances. In addition, the e max decreased almost linearly with a decrease in the value of M. These results suggest that hygroscopicity measurement enables the evaluation of degradation in the mechanical performances of wood caused by steaming at high temperatures.

The potential of five white-rot fungi to convert Japanese red cedar ( Cryptomeria japonica ) into feed for ruminants was determined. Pleurotus ostreatus (ATCC 66376), Pholiota nameko (IFO 30373), Dichomitus squalens (CBS 432.34), Lentinula edodes (IFO 6654) and Ceriporiopsis subvermispora (ATCC 90467) were inoculated into chips of cedar sapwood. L. edodes was cultured at 25 °C, and the other fungi at 28 °C, for 4, 8, 12, or 20 weeks. The in vitro organic matter (OM) digestibility (IVOMD) in cedar wood cultured without fungus were between 0.047 and 0.068, while it was elevated to 0.446 by culturing with C. subvermispora and to 0.281 by culturing with L. edodes for 20 weeks. In contrast, the IVOMD were 0.200, or lower, in cedar wood cultured with P. ostreatus , P. nameko , or D. squalens . The in vitro gas production (IVGP) in cedar wood cultured with P. ostreatus , P. nameko , or D. squalens was 37 ml/g OM, or lower, while that in cedar not inoculated with fungus was between 4 and 17 ml/g OM. In contrast, the IVGP in cedar wood cultured with C. subvermispora for 20 weeks increased to 107 ml/g OM, and that in cedar wood cultured with L. edodes increased to 58 ml/g OM. Lignin degradability in cedar wood cultured with C. subvermispora and L. edodes for 20 weeks were 0.578 and 0.288, respectively. These changes in IVOMD and IVGP demonstrate that a selective white-rot fungus, C. subvermispora has the ability to convert cedar wood into feed for ruminants, although further increase is required before the cultured cedar wood would have widespread feed potential.