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This study aims to propose a fuzzy linear regression (FLR) model to deal with the vagueness or fuzziness of the underlying relationship between silk cocoon and yarn quality.

Shell ratio percentage, defective cocoon percentage and cocoon volume are considered as significant independent variables to predict the quality of silk cocoons. Input and output parameters of the FLR model are considered as non-fuzzy, but the underlying relationship between the variables is assumed to be fuzzy.

The fuzzy regression model shows its superiority against conventional multiple linear regression model for estimation of silk cocoon characteristics. It is inferred that the fuzziness in underlying relationship between the parameters can be handled efficiently by FLR model.

A rigorous experimental work has been carried out on 40 lots of mulberry silk cocoons to generate real-world data set to characterize silk cocoons’ quality in a fuzzy environment.

This paper aims to determine the best conventional degumming technique for use by rural farmers practicing Eri silk fiber production in Kenya.

Three conventional silk degumming methods (water, soap and alkali) were analyzed under the factors, namely, time, pressure and degumming media, following the multilevel factorial design of experiments. The effect of variables on degumming weight loss was determined. The effects of the conventional degumming methods that produced complete sericin removal on chemical structure, surface morphology, thermal properties, crystallinity and fiber strength on Eri silk fibers produced in Kenya were then determined. The optimal degumming condition was then evaluated.

Soap and water degumming led to incomplete sericin removal. Alkali degumming media had the most effect, especially when pressure cooked at 103 kPa. Increasing time during alkali degumming beyond 30 min did not to have any major difference on degumming loss (at p 0.05). There were no major changes in chemical and thermal properties after degumming. However, the tensile strength and elongation deteriorated especially on alkali medium. Decreasing degumming time in alkali medium from 120 min to 30 min reduced the strength loss from 45% to 33%. Optimal degumming was found to be in an alkali media at 103 kPa for 30 min.

There is very little information available on Eri silk fibers produced in Kenya. Results of this study provide an optimized conventional degumming procedure suitable for small scale farmers in rural areas practicing Eri silk fiber production.

The purpose of this paper is to substantiate Porter's ideas through multiple case studies of firms in one of Thailand's potential niches – Thai silk.

This study examined upgrading strategies adopted by six companies involved in the production and distribution of silk and silk products in Thailand. Information was gathered from company documents and interview statements given by company executives and government policy makers. Standard approaches to organizing and analyzing qualitative case study data, including description, pattern identification, concept categorization and generalization were utilized.

The companies have implemented upgrading strategies in the following four main areas: first, balancing efficiency and old customs in production; second, innovating new products while preserving unique traditional features; third, developing modern marketing and distribution techniques with a cultural flare; and fourth, building linkages and clusters.

Stakeholders of traditional- or cultural-related industries may increase their chances of successfully renewing their businesses’ competitive advantage by carefully balancing the needs to both preserve and modernize key processes in their industries’ value chains.

The paper's findings and recommendations may to be useful to other traditional industries that share similar challenges both in Thailand and in other Southeast Asian countries.

Academic and industrial researches on nanoscale flows and heat transfers are an area of increasing global interest, where fascinating phenomena are always observed, e.g. admirable water or air permeation and remarkable thermal conductivity. The purpose of this paper is to reveal the phenomena by the fractional calculus.

This paper begins with the continuum assumption in conventional theories, and then the fractional Gauss’ divergence theorems are used to derive fractional differential equations in fractal media. Fractional derivatives are introduced heuristically by the variational iteration method, and fractal derivatives are explained geometrically. Some effective analytical approaches to fractional differential equations, e.g. the variational iteration method, the homotopy perturbation method and the fractional complex transform, are outlined and the main solution processes are given.

Heat conduction in silk cocoon and ground water flow are modeled by the local fractional calculus, the solutions can explain well experimental observations.

Particular attention is paid throughout the paper to giving an intuitive grasp for fractional calculus. Most cited references are within last five years, catching the most frontier of the research. Some ideas on this review paper are first appeared.

Examines the tenth published year of the ITCRR. Runs the whole gamut of textile innovation, research and testing, some of which investigates hitherto untouched aspects. Subjects discussed include cotton fabric processing, asbestos substitutes, textile adjuncts to cardiovascular surgery, wet textile processes, hand evaluation, nanotechnology, thermoplastic composites, robotic ironing, protective clothing (agricultural and industrial), ecological aspects of fibre properties – to name but a few! There would appear to be no limit to the future potential for textile applications.

Examines the ninth published year of the ITCRR. Runs the whole gamut of textile innovation, research and testing, some of which investigates hitherto untouched aspects. Subjects discussed include cotton fabric processing, asbestos substitutes, textile adjuncts to cardiovascular surgery, wet textile processes, hand evaluation, nanotechnology, thermoplastic composites, robotic ironing, protective clothing (agricultural and industrial), ecological aspects of fibre properties – to name but a few! There would appear to be no limit to the future potential for textile applications.

Muga is an exclusive naturally golden coloured wild silk obtained by the Antherea assamensis silkworm species grown in the north-eastern region of India. Although many research studies on Bombyx mori silk can be found, but studies that involve muga silk is uncommon. This article attempts to characterise the muga cocoon of two commercially available crops (Kotia and Jethua) in three prominent muga rearing regions. Reeling studies on these have also been conducted to assess the regional and seasonal influences on silk reelability performance. Kotia cocoons are found to possess better cocoon quality and reeling performance in comparison to Jethua muga cocoons.

The textile industry has consumed large quantities of water and discharged large volumes of wastewater in the dyeing process. The study aims to characterize self-dyed silk with Rhodamine B (RhB) for fashion applications to reduce textile hazards to the environment and increase the added value of silk.

Bombyx mori was fed with RhB-colored mulberry leaves (1500 ppm). The effects of self-dyeing were investigated via color strength K/S, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscope, X-ray diffraction, tensile strength, color fastness to washing, rubbing, perspiration and light.

Self-dyed silk possesses effective coloration and impressive color fastness (4–5/5), higher crystalline index (CrI) (73.26 ± 2.28%), less thermal stability and tenacity, slight change in amino acid composition compared with the pristine and no existence of harmful aromatic azo amines and arylamine salts.

The application of self-dyed silk with RhB dye has expanded new technology into fashion industry, contributing partly to economic growth and adding value to silk in the global supply chain. Besides, the self-dyeing will yield practical values in the reduction of dyeing discharge in textile industry.

Self-dyed silk was characterized for textile applications in comparison with pristine silk in terms of color strength and fastness as well as determined its polymeric properties relating to crystallinity, morphology, chemical composition, tensile properties and thermal stability which have not been investigated before.

Wound healing is a dynamic process that relies on coordinated signaling molecules to succeed. Silk has proven to be a promising biomaterial for the development of a novel product. The purpose of the study is development of silk films, augmented functionality can be provided to silk by means of loading honey and recombinant human epidermal growth factor (rhEGF).

In this research work, the authors set out to explore possibilities of silk-based biomedical device development with particular attention to different fabrication strategies that can be leveraged for this purpose. They have produced a novel silk-based drug delivery material, in the form of silk films. Scanning electronic microscope was used to observe the morphology and the highly specific surface area. The structure was studied by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. This methodology is accomplished using in vivo study data using Wister albonia rats.

The developed films also provided a significant higher healing rate in vivo, with well-formed epidermis with faster granulation tissue formation when compared to the controls. Biodegradable polymeric materials based on blending aqueous dispersions of natural polymer sodium alginate, Chitosan and rhEGF complex, which allow controlled antiseptic release, are presented.

These results suggest that silk-based controlled release of Chitosan-rhEGF may serve as a new therapy to accelerate healing of burn wounds.

This paper aims to extracted sericin from the cocoons of Bombyx mori silkworms, and sericin powder was applied onto drawn textured polyethylene terephthalate (PET) yarns as a spin finish. The reactivity on the surface of PET yarns was analyzed through Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometry–attenuated total reflectance (FTIR-ATR) and dyeing with methylene blue as a reactive dye. Also, investigations were conducted on the effects of sericin, citrc acid (CA) (as a crosslinking agent), and sodium hypophosphite (as a catalyst) concentrations on some properties of false-twist textured PET yarns.

A false-twist texturing machine (Scragg-Shirley minibulk, England) was used with the draw ratio of 1.05, heating temperature of 120°C, texturing speed of 100 m min⁻¹ and applied twist of 3,000 TPM. The aqueous extraction of sericin was carried out by the boiling of the raw silk in distilled water with L:R: 40:1 for 120 min. The aqueous solution was filtered with a filter paper to remove the impurities and insoluble fibroin. Finally, the sericin solution was freeze-dried to obtain the sericin powder. The sericin solution was applied on the drawn textured PET yarns using the “pad-dry-cure” method.

Sericin fixation onto the PET yarns was confirmed by FTIR-ATR. The results showed that there were no significant changes in the tensile strength, linear density, crimp contraction and crimp modulus, elongation at break and shrinkage. In contrast, a substantial increase was observed in moisture regain, vertical wicking, dye uptake and ultraviolet protection. There was also a reduction just in the electrical resistivity, in the presence of sericin.

Although sericin has been known to have numerous beneficial properties, its application in textile industry as a spin finish has not been reported yet.