Search Results (93)

Anthocyanins are water-soluble plant pigments. They give many plants, fruits, vegetables, and cereal kernels their red, purple, and blue colors. This research aims to reveal the biological properties of peonidin as an anthocyanin. To comprehend the antioxidant capabilities of peonidin, 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) radical (ABTS^•+), N,N-dimethyl-p-phenylenediamine dihydrochloride radical (DMPD^•+), and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl free radical (DPPH^•) scavenging, Fe³⁺-2,4,6-tris(2-pyridyl)-s-triazine (TPTZ), and Cu²⁺ reducing assays were recorded. The IC₅₀ values for peonidin against ABTS^•+, DMPD^•+ and DPPH^• scavenging capabilities were determined to compare with standard antioxidants. ABTS^•+ radical scavenging activity of peonidin had an IC₅₀ value of 15.40 μg/mL, while the IC₅₀ values for BHA, BHT, Trolox, and α-Tocopherol were 12.82, 11.78, 12.67, and 10.83 μg/mL, respectively. DPPH radical scavenging activity of peonidin had an IC₅₀ value of 41.63 μg/mL, while the IC₅₀ values for BHA, BHT, Trolox, and α-Tocopherol were 8.45, 23.10, 6.30, and 18.73 μg/mL, respectively. Enzyme inhibition was studied to investigate the effects of peonidin. The K_i values of peonidin were 114.33, 63.02, 2.99, 9.76, and 15.14 nM toward hCA I, hCA II, AChE, BChE, and α-glycosidase enzymes, respectively. Furthermore, peonidin’s interactions with target enzymes BChE, hCA I, hCA II, AChE, and α-glycosidase were investigated by molecular docking. The results suggest that antioxidant-rich peonidin is a plant-based compound with potential use in the treatment of glaucoma, Alzheimer’s disease, and diabetes. Full article

To address the potential ecological risks and environmental persistence of organosilicon-fluorine viscosity reducers in conventional silicone-fluoride drilling fluid systems, this work designs and synthesizes a non-organosilicon-fluorine, high-temperature, comb-shaped zwitterionic polymer viscosity reducer, AD-XSJ. The viscosity reducer is prepared via aqueous free-radical polymerization of acrylic acid (AA), acrylamide (AM), 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid (AMPS), and dimethyl diallyl ammonium chloride (DADMAC), and it exhibits low molecular weight, uniform molecular weight distribution, and excellent thermal stability. Analyses by FT-IR, thermogravimetry, particle size, zeta potential measurements and Electrostatic potential (ESP) demonstrate that AD-XSJ dismantles the bentonite network structure through the synergistic combination of hydrogen-bonding adsorption and electrostatic repulsion, releasing trapped free water and thereby substantially reducing viscosity and gel strength. Compared with conventional organosilicon-fluorine viscosity reducers, AD-XSJ exhibits superior viscosity reduction capability under high-solid, high-temperature, and high-salinity calcium-contamination conditions, achieving viscosity reduction rates of 33.3% and 50.0% in fluids contaminated with 10.0% NaCl and 1.0% CaCl₂, respectively. In field applications under conditions of high bentonite content and calcium contamination, the viscosity reduction rates reach 57.7% and 62.5%, accompanied by markedly improved rheological properties and an average borehole enlargement rate of only 5.7%, indicating effective shale inhibition and anti-sloughing performance. Integrating efficient viscosity reduction, dispersion stabilization, and inhibition capabilities, this viscosity reducer can replace traditional organosilicon-fluorine products, reduce potential hazards to aquatic ecosystems at the source, and holds considerable promise for engineering and environmentally conscious deployment. Full article

Luteolin and its derivative glycosides (cynaroside, orientin and isoorientin) are compounds with a flavonoid structure of plant origin. There are different studies in the literature on the antioxidant capacities of the structures and their inhibition effects on some enzymes. In this study, the antioxidant capacities of each structure were determined comparatively, and their inhibitory effects against enzymes associated with different diseases such as acetylcholinesterase, butyrylcholinesterase, α-glycosidase and α-amylase were evaluated by comparative investigation in vitro and in silico. Antioxidant capacities were determined for each structure by iron ions (Fe³⁺), cupric ions (Cu²⁺), Fe³⁺−Triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TPTZ) reduction methods and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS), N,N-dimethyl-p-phenylenediamine (DMPD) radical scavenging methods. According to the results obtained, it was determined that the antioxidant capacities of the structures were close to or better than butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), trolox, α tocopherol and ascorbic acid, which are used as standard antioxidants. The results of the study, which was conducted to determine the inhibition effects of the structures on the determined enzymes, were found to coincide experimentally and theoretically. According to the inhibition results, the best inhibitors were found as orientin (IC₅₀: 27.729 nM) for the human carbonic anhydrase I (hCA I), cynaroside (IC₅₀: 18.24 nM) for the human carbonic anhydrase I (hCA II), isoorientin (IC₅₀: 1.93 nM) for the acetylcholinesterase (AChE), and cynaroside (IC₅₀: 6.41 and 7.15 nM) for the butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) and α-glycosidase enzymes. Additionally, absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) profiles and toxicity assessments of the structures were determined in a virtual environment. Full article

This work aims to investigate the interfacial tension characteristics of alkyl carboxymethyl betaines dispersed at the crude oil/formation water interface. Four alkyl dimethyl carboxymethyl betaines and one alkyl diethyl carboxymethyl betaine were synthesized, then the effects of surfactant molecular structure, crude oil component, and inorganic salt composition of formation water on interfacial tensions were studied systematically. The results show that the synthesized octadecyl diethyl carboxymethyl betaine has the highest interfacial activity and exhibits superior anti-dilution performance. In the presence of polyacrylamide, this betaine also displays good anti-adsorption capability. With respect to crude oil components, the resin component, especially the petroleum acid and alkali components, play important roles in tension reduction. For formation water, its alkaline inorganic salts are crucial to obtain an ultra-low interfacial tension by its saponification effect on petroleum acid. The octadecyl diethyl carboxymethyl betaine also exhibits good temperature and salt resistance, but poor tolerance toward divalent cations owing to the consumption of alkaline inorganic salts. Moreover, it is found that there exists synergism between octadecyl diethyl carboxymethyl betaine and dodecylbenzene sulfonate which can further reduce the interfacial tension. The above findings are conducive to the selection of betaine surfactants in chemical flooding. Full article

Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) exhibit high energy efficiency and rapid load response, but challenges are faced in membrane fabrication, including the need for renewable resources and cost-effective, non-toxic solvents. This study analyzes the morphological and structural properties of perfluorosulfonic acid (PFSA) ionomer membranes, FS-930 and F-14100, after the dissolution of membranes via ratios of 50:50, 80:20, and 20:80 by volume of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and water. Bode plot analysis indicates that membranes rich in DMSO show lower frequency phase angle peaks, suggesting better segmental motion and ionic conductivity. Additionally, higher DMSO content correlates with broader FTIR peaks, reflecting enhanced solute–solvent interactions. The untreated FS-930 membrane demonstrates significant intensity peaks linked to semi-crystalline domains, indicating strong baseline conductivity. SEM analysis revealed surface roughness variations in FS-930 linked to different water-to-DMSO volume ratios. DMSO-rich mixtures produced dense, hydrophobic PFSA membrane structures, whereas water-rich mixtures increased water uptake and ionic conductivity. Fumapem F-14100 showed superior hydration and proton conductivity compared to FS-930 because it contains more sulfonic acid groups. These findings are critical to understanding how membrane properties relate to solvent composition, aiding in the optimization of membrane fabrication for better performance and durability in fuel cells. Full article

Sustainable energy technologies like the fuel cell have been explored as potential substitute energy sources to lessen pollution and reliance on fossil fuels. At the very core of fuel cells are ionomer membranes, particularly used in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) and other electrochemical devices such as electrolyzers. This research aimed to study the morphological and structural changes of ionomer membranes in the presence of single solvents. The ionomer membranes were partially dissolved in water (polar protic solvent) and dimethyl sulfoxide (polar aprotic solvent) and analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The results showed that water, being a polar protic solvent, interacted not only with the hydrophilic sulfonic acid regions of the membranes but also with the hydrophobic fluorocarbon backbone as seen in the EDX results. On the other hand, DMSO, which is a polar aprotic solvent, caused more visible changes in both structure and surface appearance. By examining these relationships more closely, this research deepened our understanding of how single solvents affect ionomer membranes to improve ionomer membrane fabrication methods. Full article

Conventional lithium-ion batteries face issues like electrolyte leakage and interface instability. Solid-state lithium batteries with solid electrolytes address these, while solid-state polymer electrolytes (SPEs) offer safety and flexibility. This study primarily aimed to develop and synthesize a graft copolymer, PVA-g-SBMA, which was successfully synthesized by grafting [2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl] dimethyl-(3-sulfopropyl)ammonium hydroxide (SBMA) onto poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA). PVA provided excellent film-forming ability and mechanical strength, enhancing flexibility and stability in solid-state devices. Meanwhile, SBMA’s zwitterionic structure promoted efficient ion transport, improving ionic conductivity and solid electrolyte performance in energy storage applications. From the results, the proton assignment of the PVA-g-PSBMA zwitterionic graft copolymers was investigated via ¹H NMR spectra. The molecular weight of the graft copolymer was determined through aqueous GPC; the number average molecular weight (Mn) was 15,755, and the PDI was 1.17. The grafting efficiency of SBMA was calculated as 25%. However, the material lacked sufficient mechanical properties, leading to brittle membranes. To address this issue, we crosslinked the film to improve its mechanical properties. The grafted copolymer was crosslinked with the PEDOT:PSS as a crosslinkable sulfonated component using (3-glycidyloxypropyl)trimethoxysilane (GOPS) as the crosslinker and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) as solvent to complete the crosslinking reaction. The crosslinking mechanism involved the reaction between hydroxyl groups on PVA and PSS, while the GOPS bonded with PSS, forming a robust crosslinked network. The crosslinking process was completed by heating the mixture to 120 °C. We also compared different crosslinking ratios to discuss the film performance. Lithium salts were incorporated to investigate the effect of varying lithium salt concentrations. According to EIS measurements, the best-performing system was crosslinked PVA-g-SBMA with PEDOT:PSS 0.1 wt% and LiTFSI 0.015 wt%, which reached conductivities of 4.9 × 10⁻⁴ S/cm at room temperature. We also explored the film’s thermal properties, morphologies, and chain interactions in this research. Full article

To address the problems of complex composition, significant property variations, and difficult and costly harmless treatment of oil-contaminated sludge in oil and gas field development, its good compatibility with the formation is leveraged to formulate it with oilfield water into an oil–water profile control agent. This reduces the cost of harmless treatment and enables resource utilization of hazardous waste. The properties of oil-contaminated sludge were evaluated experimentally. Suspending agents and stabilizers were selected according to the oil–water profile control agent preparation process, the corresponding agents were prepared, and the system was experimentally tested. The experimental results show that the suspending agent carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (HPAM), and the dispersant Dodecyl dimethyl betaine (BS-12) are used to prepare oil–water profile control agent based on the selected sulfonated mud oily sludge and ground system oily sludge. The optimal formulation of profile control agent is as follows: (1) 50% ground system oily sludge +50% oilfield produced water + 0.2% CMC + 1.0% BS-12; (2) 50% sulfonated mud system oily sludge +50% oilfield produced water + 0.1% HPAM + 1.0% BS-12. The preparation of a profile control agent from oily sludge is a viable low-cost resource treatment strategy for oily sludge, which is of great significance for the environmentally friendly treatment of oil and gas field development. Full article

Background/Objectives: Metabolites are low-molecular-weight organic compounds (<1 kDa) that act as intermediates and end products of cellular metabolism. Their characterization provides valuable information on the nutritional quality, functionality, and potential health impacts of food products. In the dairy sector, proton nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H NMR) spectroscopy has emerged as a powerful tool for metabolite profiling, enabling the simultaneous identification and quantification of diverse compounds. In this study, ¹H NMR was applied to characterize and compare the metabolic composition of whey, a major by-product of cheese and yogurt production, and whey protein concentrate (WPC-80), a whey derivative containing approximately 80% protein by weight and rich in essential amino acids. Methods: Five whey and four WPC-80 samples from a single Parmigiano Reggiano dairy plant were collected, each representing a biologically independent sample. Statistical evaluation was performed using Mann–Whitney U tests to identify significantly different metabolites between groups, while principal component analysis and partial least squares discriminant analysis were employed to assess group separation and determine discriminant metabolites. Results: The results revealed marked compositional differences: whey was higher in dimethyl sulfone, succinate, orotate, fumarate, and lactose (p < 0.05), whereas WPC-80 contained significantly higher levels of histidine, formate, glucose + glucose-6-phosphate, acetate, and choline (p < 0.05). Moreover, metabolites such as hippurate, valine, lactate + threonine, and uracil were exclusively found on whey and not in WPC-80, likely due to processing steps such as ultrafiltration. Conclusions: These findings highlight the metabolic distinctions introduced by WPC-80 processing from Parmigiano Reggiano whey and provide insights into the nutritional and functional characteristics of whey-derived products. Such knowledge can inform the design of innovative dairy ingredients and functional foods, with potential benefits for both industry applications and consumer health. Full article

The purpose of this work was to study water-soluble platinum complexes as potential therapeutic agents. We used water-soluble platinum(II) complexes containing sulfonated N-heterocyclic carbene ligands (NHC), applied on two human cell models: human NB4 acute promyelocytic leukemia and PC3 prostatic cancer cells. We studied the toxic effects on these two types of human tumor cells. We analyzed metabolic activity, membrane damage, cell cycle, DNA fragmentation and programmed cell death. In human NB4 leukemia cells, the water-soluble dimethyl NHC complex 5Me proved highly toxic. It extinguished cell metabolism at 1 mM for 24 h. This treatment gave rise to the presence of fragmented DNA (subdiploid DNA). This compound promoted programed cell death in 60% of the cells. At longer times, the treatments produced neither higher fragmentation of DNA nor augmented apoptosis. 5Me complex, at 100 µM, showed slight toxicity on NB4 cells. In PC3 cells, dimethyl complex 5Me (1 mM for 24 h) is less toxic (reduced DNA fragmentation and programmed cell death) than in NB4 cells. Mono-NHC complexes 4 and 5 treatments at a high concentration for 24 h on PC3 cells produced apoptosis (30% of the cells) but their damage on cell permeability and DNA fragmentation was weak. Thus, PC3 cells are more resistant to NHC platinum(II) complexes than NB4 cells. Full article

Background: Past studies have documented the antimicrobial effects of dimethyl sulfoxide (D.M.SO). However, the side effects and toxicity profiles of DMSO in vivo have been a significant deterrent for its wide-ranging clinical use. Dimethyl sulfone (DMSO-2), a natural metabolite of DMSO, is currently used as a safe dietary supplement due to its antioxidant properties and multimodal mechanisms of action. While DMSO displays antimicrobial activity, little is known concerning DMSO-2’s antimicrobial effect. Thus, this investigation compares the antimicrobial effects of DMSO and DMSO-2 on the growth and viability of the pathogenic anaerobic bacteria, Porphyromonas gingivalis, and their cytotoxic effect on human oral epithelial (OKF6/TERT-2) cells. Methods: P. gingivalis was grown in TSBY media in the presence of DMSO or DMSO-2 (0–4%) for planktonic growth and viability determinations. OKF6/TERT-2 cells were expanded in vitro and similarly exposed to DMSO or DMSO-2 for viability studies. Results: After 24 h exposure to DMSO or DMSO-2, growth of P. gingivalis is inhibited by 57% and 77%, respectively, while viability is inhibited by 55% and 62%. In contrast, 24 h exposure to similar concentrations of DMSO or DMSO-2 induces 5% and 2% cytotoxicity in OKF6/TERT-2 cells, respectively. Conclusions: Both DMSO and DMSO-2 inhibit the growth and viability of P. gingivalis but show minimal toxic effect on OKF6/TERT-2 cells. Therefore, the utility of these two natural compounds as antimicrobial agents against anaerobic pathogens should be further investigated. Full article

This study aims to generate foundational metabolomic data of aqueous humor (AH) in healthy horses and donkeys, and to investigate potential changes or trends in the metabolomic profile associated with age, sex or ocular pathology in horses. The AH metabolomic fingerprint from 5 donkeys and 35 equine eyes (17 controls, 8 with cataracts, 6 with retinal disease and 4 with anterior chamber disease (ACD)) were analyzed using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. A linear mixed-effects model, with individual horse as a random effect and group as a fixed effect, with multiple testing correction using the Benjamini–Hochberg false discovery rate (FDR) method was used to compare groups. The metabolomic profile of the donkeys and horse’s AH is very similar to that of other mammals. Threonine was higher in young horses (p = 0.04), and creatinine was elevated in males (p = 0.04). Compared with control groups, dimethyl sulfone was higher in the retina (p < 0.00) and cataract (p = 0.05) groups. Arginine (p = 0.05) and valine (p = 0.03) were lower in the retina group compared to controls. This study successfully characterized the AH metabolomic profile in healthy horses and donkeys and identified several metabolites that could be associated with ocular pathology, warranting further investigation to determine their potential as biomarkers of ocular disease. Full article

Fracture-induced loss poses severe challenges to drilling operations, particularly under high-temperature and high-salinity conditions encountered in deep wells. Conventional plugging materials, characterized by relatively large particle sizes and poor structural integrity, often exhibit insufficient thermal stability and salt tolerance under extreme drilling conditions, making them prone to structural degradation and loss of adhesion, which ultimately leads to drilling fluid deterioration and downhole complications. To address this issue, a core–shell-structured microgel, ANDT-70 (named after the acronyms of 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid, N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidinone, N, N-dimethylacrylamide, dimethyl diallyl ammonium chloride, and titanium dioxide nanoparticles), was synthesized and systematically evaluated for its thermal stability, salt resistance, and interfacial adhesion capabilities. The structural evolution, dispersion behavior, and colloidal stability of the microgel were thoroughly characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), Raman spectroscopy, and Zeta potential analysis. Experimental results indicate that ANDT-70 exhibits excellent thermal stability and resistance to salt-induced degradation at 260 °C, maintaining its fundamental structure and performance under harsh high-temperature and high-salinity conditions, with a viscosity retention of 81.10% compared with ambient conditions. Compared to representative materials reported in the literature, ANDT-70 exhibited superior tolerance to ionic erosion in saline conditions. AFM analysis confirmed that ANDT-70 significantly improves bentonite slurry dispersion and reduces salt sensitivity risks. ANDT-70 stably adsorbs onto bentonite lamellae via the synergistic action of electrostatic interactions and hydrogen bonding, thereby forming a dense cementation network that markedly enhances the structural stability and adhesion of the system. This network significantly enhances the cohesion and structural integrity of drilling fluid systems under extreme conditions. In conclusion, ANDT-70 demonstrates strong potential as a high-performance functional microgel for enhancing the stability and effectiveness of advanced drilling fluids under complex geological environments. Full article

High-power lithium-ion batteries impose stringent requirements on output power. Tetramethylene sulfone (TMS), serving as a novel electrolyte additive, effectively enhances the stability of electrolytes under high-voltage conditions due to its high flash point and high dielectric constant, thereby boosting the output performance of lithium-ion batteries. In this work, we selected lithium hexafluorophosphate (LiPF₆) as the lithium salt, using a solvent carrier consisting of a mixture of ethylene carbonate (EC), dimethyl carbonate (DMC), and ethyl methyl carbonate (EMC). TMS was added as an additive to create a novel high-power electrolyte system. We prepared five electrolytes with different TMS concentrations and conducted in-depth investigations into their impacts on the performance of lithium-ion batteries. The findings indicate that the electrolytes with TMS ratios of 2 wt% and 5 wt% demonstrated good synergistic cathode–anode stability in the NCM//soft carbon system, and the electrolyte with a 5 wt% TMS ratio demonstrated the most significant improvement in the overall performance of the full battery. Full article

A nitro-derivative of fenamic acid (4′–nitro–fenamic acid) was synthesized and used as ligand for the synthesis of four Co(II) complexes in the absence or presence of the N,N′-donors 2,2′–bipyridylamine, 1,10–phenanthroline and 2,9–dimethyl–1,10–phenanthroline. The characterization of the resultant complexes was performed with diverse techniques (elemental analysis, molar conductivity measurements, IR and UV-vis spectroscopy, single-crystal X-ray crystallography). The biological evaluation of the compounds encompassed (i) antioxidant activity via hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) reduction and free radical scavenging; (ii) antimicrobial screening against two Gram-positive and two Gram-negative bacterial strains; (iii) interactions with calf-thymus (CT) DNA; (iv) cleavage of supercoiled pBR322 plasmid DNA (pDNA), in the dark or under UVA/UVB/visible light irradiation; and (v) binding affinity towards bovine and human serum albumins. The antioxidant activity of the compounds against 2,2′–azinobis–(3–ethylbenzothiazoline–6–sulfonic acid) radicals and H₂O₂ is significant, especially in the case of H₂O₂. The complexes exhibit adequate antimicrobial activity against the strains tested. The complexes interact with CT DNA through intercalation with binding constants reaching a magnitude of 10⁶ M⁻¹. The compounds have a significantly enhanced pDNA-cleavage ability under irradiation, showing promising potential as photodynamic therapeutic agents. All compounds can bind tightly and reversibly to both albumins tested. Full article