Study on the enhanced efficacy mechanism of vinegar-processed Cyperus rotundus in the treatment of primary dysmenorrhea.

The enhanced efficacy of vinegar-processed Cyperus rotundus (VCR) in treating primary dysmenorrhea (PD) has been observed. However, the active components and potential mechanisms of synergy are still unclear. The objective of this study was to develop a method that combines bionic technology, plant metabolomics and network pharmacology to discover the active components and potential mechanisms underlying the enhanced therapeutic effects of VCR for PD. Vinegar processing alters the flavor of C. rotundus, leading to changes in its properties. The acidic nature of vinegar enhances the selectivity of the medicine toward the liver, thereby improving its ability to soothe the liver, regulate qi and provide pain relief. Through gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and multivariate statistical analysis, 30 key differential components between raw C. rotundus and VCR have been screened and identified. These differential components primarily exert their therapeutic effects in treating PD by modulating targets such as interleukin-6, TNF, TP53 and PTGS2, as well as pathways including the estrogen signaling pathway, ovarian steroidogenesis, the TNF signaling pathway and the HIF-1 signaling pathway. The findings of this study serve as a reference for the application of VCR in compound formulas and clinic practiceal. Furthermore, the methodology employed in this study provides research insights for the processing of other Chinese medicines.

Mechanism for degradation of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane by mechano-chemical ball milling with Fe-Zn bimetal.

As a non-combustion technique for destruction of persistent organic pollutants, mechanochemical ball milling has attracted research attention worldwide due to high effectiveness, simplicity, and wide applicability. Previous studies have demonstrated that Fe-Zn bimetal outperformed other commonly used reagents such as CaO, Fe and Fe2O3 in mechanochemical destruction of industrial DDT. Mechanistic studies on mechanochemical destruction of persistent organic pollutants are rather limited and mechanisms may differ among reagents and chemicals. The objective of this study was to shed light on mechanisms for DDT destruction by Fe-Zn bimetal based mechanochemical treatment. A kinetics study showed that data for Fe-Zn treatment can be fitted to the Delogu model whereas that of CaO and Fe2O3 treatments followed a pseudo-second-order model. The identification of intermediates and characterization of the solid phase of the ground material revealed that dechlorination, dehydrochlorination, benzene-ring breaking, as well as splicing and condensation of small molecules occurred during the milling process. Cleavage and dehydrogenation eventually converted benzene-ring compounds into graphite and amorphous carbon.

Mechanochemical destruction of DDTs with Fe-Zn bimetal in a high-energy planetary ball mill.

Mechanochemical destruction has been proposed as a promising, non-combustion technology for the disposal of toxic, halogenated, organic pollutants. In the study presented, additives including Fe, Zn, Fe-Zn bimetal, CaO and Fe2O3 were tested for their effectiveness to remove DDTs by MC. The results showed that Fe-Zn bimetal was the most efficient additive, with 98% of DDTs removed after 4h. The Fe-Zn mass ratio was optimized to avoid possible spontaneous combustion of the ground sample during subsample collection. Inorganic water-soluble chloride in the ground sample increased by 91% after 4h of grinding, which indicated dechlorination during destruction of DDTs. In addition, relationships were established between the rate constant and the rotation speed or the charge ratio. Discrete Element Method (DEM) modeling was used to simulate the motion of the grinding ball and calculate both total impact energy and normal impact energy. The latter expressed a stronger, linear correlation with the rate constant. Therefore, normal impact energy is proposed to be the main driving force in the MC destruction of DDTs.

Unexpected segmental dynamics in polystyrene-grafted silica nanocomposites.

Establishing the relationship between interfacial layer chain packing and dynamics remains a continuing challenge in polymer nanocomposites (PNCs). This issue is expected to be significant in our understanding of the mechanism of the dynamic response of such materials and the manner in which these parameters affect the macroscopic properties of PNCs. In this study, we report the dynamics of free polystyrene (PS) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) matrix chains, as well as those of polymer chains surrounding the spherical silica nanoparticles (NPs) where silica NPs are either bare or PS grafted, to discriminate the role of grafted chains and interfacial interactions between grafted NPs and the matrix. The α-relaxation dynamics of the PS matrix is unaffected by silica NP loadings, it slows down in PMMA nanocomposites because of polymer-NP interfacial interactions and steric hindrance. More interestingly, we probe the enhanced mobility of the interfacial layer (α'-relaxation) in PNCs filled with grafted NPs, and this phenomenon is further corroborated by the accelerated Maxwell-Wagner-Sillars polarization process in the presence of grafted silica NPs. Moreover, the α'-relaxation time in the vicinity of glass transition temperature of the polymer matrix unexpectedly increases with increasing temperature. Such an anomalous temperature-dependent behavior can be attributed to the influence exerted by slow α-relaxation dynamics. Considering these phenomena and the mechanical properties, we propose a three-layer model to explain the observed behavior of grafted silica NP-filled nanocomposites. These findings provide new insight into the mechanisms responsible for mechanical reinforcement and therefore provide guidance in designing PNCs with tunable macroscopic properties.

Thermoplastics Reinforced with Self-Welded Short Carbon Fibers: Nanoparticle-Promoted Structural Evolution.

The large volume of currently available fiber-reinforced polymer composites critically limits the intrinsic versatility of fibers such as high mechanical strength, heat resistance, and excellent thermal/electrical conductivity. We proposed a facile and widely applicable strategy to promote self-organization of randomly dispersed short carbon fibers (CFs) into a three-dimensionally continuous scaffold. The morphological evolution and structural reinforcement of the self-welded CF-polyamide 6 (PA6) scaffold in polystyrene (PS) matrix were investigated, with carbon black (CB) or titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles (NPs) selectively localized in the PA6 domains. Surprisingly, all of the PA6 droplets once dispersed in the PS matrix can migrate and evenly encapsulate onto the CF surface when 5.8 wt % CB is incorporated, whereas in the TiO2-filled system, the PA6 droplets preferentially segregate at the junction point of CFs to fasten the self-welded CF structure. In addition, a remarkable increase in the interfacial adhesive work between PA6 and CF was observed only when TiO2 is added, and a loading of even less than 0.8 wt % can effectively abruptly strengthen the self-welded CF scaffold. We clarified that the structural evolution is promoted by the nature of self-agglomeration of NPs. CB is highly capable of self-networking in the PA6 domain, resulting in high encapsulation of PA6, although the capillary force for preferential segregation of PA6 at the junction point of CFs is reduced. By contrast, the TiO2 particles tend to form compact aggregates. Such an agglomeration pattern, together with enhanced interfacial affinity, must contribute to a strong capillary force for the preferential segregation of PA6.