An insight into chemical composition and bioactivity of 'Prokupac' red wine

Abstract

Autochthonous variety 'Prokupac' (Vitis vinifera L.) red wines with the addition of selected aromatic herbs (Artemisia absinthium, Cinnamomum zeylanicum, Glycyrrhiza glabra and Pimpinella anisum L.) were evaluated for chemical composition and biological activity. Furthermore, their polyphenolic profiles were determined by HPLC-DAD. While total phenolic (TPC) and flavonoid (TFC) contents, along with antioxidant activity, were significantly higher in all examined wine samples, the content of total anthocyanins was decreased, compared to a pure 'Prokupac' wine, used as the control one. On the other hand, 'Prokupac' wines with the addition of cinnamon (S. zeylanicum) and wormwood (A. absinthium) displayed highest antioxidant (EC₅₀, 0.021?±?0.001?mg/mL) and antibacterial (Enterococcus faecalis, MIC/MBC 15.63/62.50?μL/mL) activities, respectively. The study showed that 'Prokupac' wine with the addition of cinnamon was significantly enriched both with TPC and TFC, compared to control wine (p?<?0.05), which may contribute to its market potential.     

Autoxidation of lipids in parchment

Historic parchment is a macromolecular material, which is complex due to its natural origin, inhomogeneity of the skin structure, unknown environmental history and potential localised degradation. Most research into its stability has so far focussed on thermal and structural methods of analyses.Using gas chromatographic analysis of the atmosphere surrounding parchment during oxidation, we provide the experimental evidence on the production of volatile aldehydes, which can be the products of lipid autoxidation. Oxidation of parchment with different aldehyde emissions was additionally followed in situ using chemiluminometry and the same techniques were used to evaluate the oxidation of differently delipidised parchment. It was shown that the production of peroxides and the emission of aldehydes from the material decrease with lower lipid content. Building on this evidence, we can conclude that the presence of lipids (either initially present in the skin or resulting from conservation intervention) leads to oxidative degradation of collagen and that the non-destructive analysis of the emission of volatiles could be used as a quick tool for evaluation of parchment stability.     

List Ramsey numbers

We introduce a list‐coloring extension of classical Ramsey numbers. We investigate when the two Ramsey numbers are equal, and in general, how far apart they can be from each other. We find graph sequences where the two are equal and where they are far apart. For $?$‐uniform cliques we prove that the list Ramsey number is bounded by an exponential function, while it is well known that the Ramsey number is superexponential for uniformity at least 3. This is in great contrast to the graph case where we cannot even decide the question of equality for cliques.     

Ternary systems of nonionic surfactant Brij 35, water and various simple alcohols: Structural investigations by small-angle X-ray scattering and dynamic light scattering

Structural properties of ternary systems composed of nonionic surfactant dodecyl-poly(ethylene oxide-23) ether (C12E23, commercial name: Brij 35), water and various alcohols from ethanol to 1-decanol have been investigated using small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and dynamic light scattering (DLS) techniques. All measurements were performed at the temperature 25 degrees C. SAXS experimental data were put on absolute scale using water as a secondary standard. The data of water-rich mixtures at low to moderate surfactant concentrations were evaluated using the generalized indirect Fourier transformation method (GIFT), which is based on the simultaneous determination of the intra- and inter-particle scattering contributions. In this way, the size and the shape of interacting scattering particles in real space could be deduced. The systems with a relatively low surfactant concentration (5 mass%) were studied most extensively. In these cases, the water-rich regions of the phase diagrams could be investigated into more detail, since in the alcohol-rich regions problems with the GIFT evaluation of the SAXS data were encountered. The presented results demonstrate the level of structural details that can be obtained on the basis of scattering methods and point out the specific stages of data evaluation and interpretation where one must be extremely precautious. As such they reveal the inner structuration of the complex ternary systems of our present interest. In parallel, they also indicate that the longer chain alcohols actually behave as real oil phases in the studied systems, as one might expect, and also confirm the well-known properties of different short to medium chain alcohols that act as co-solvents and/or co-surfactants in microemulsion systems depending on their chain length.     

Neural-network modeling of hot-compression test curves for calendering gasket materials

In this paper, we report on the use of neural networks (NNs) to estimate hot-compression test (HCT) curves for calendering gasket materials on the basis of their formulas. The NNs were used to demonstrate their potential during optimizing formulas for new calendering gasket materials. In the past, and to a large extent even now, the optimization of a new calendering gasket material was based on a process of trial and error, which takes a long time and is expensive because of the need for repeated experimental tests. And even after the completion of all this testing the final formula of the gasket material need not necessarily be the optimum one. We have shown that it is possible, with the assistance of a NN that was trained with appropriate data from just a small number of HCT curves, to satisfactorily investigate the valid ranges of the input data. On the basis of this investigation some valuable information was obtained that will make it easier to develop new calendering gasket materials. Using NNs, the speed of convergence to the final formula of the calendering gasket material can be much faster, because there is no need carry out many experimental HCT tests.     

Conformational Studies of Dibenzo-30-crown-10 Complexes. Syntheses and Crystal Structures of Potassium and Ammonium Hexafluorophosphate Complexes

Abstract

Crown ether complexes formed by the dibenzo–30-crown–10 (DB30C10) with potassium and ammonium hexafluorophosphate have been prepared and their crystal structures have been determined by single crystal X-ray analyses. The potassium complex (compound 1) consists of [K(DB30C10)]⁺ cation and PF₆ ^? anion. Crystals are monoclinic, space group P2/n, with a = 11.9106(3), b = 9.8382(5), c = 14.3062(3) Å, β = 97.581(3)°, V = 1661.7(1) ų, D_c = 1.440 g cm^?3, Z = 4, R = 0.0675 for 2528 unique observed reflections. The potassium atom is coordinated to the ten oxygen atoms of the crown ligand at the distance from 2.859(3) to 2.930(3) Å. The ammonium complex (compound 2) has also 1:1 crown—cation ratio. Crystals are monoclinic, space group P2₁/n, with a = 12.5061(6), b = 19.3724(5), c = 14.2203(9) Å, β = 102.476(5)°, V = 3363.8(3) ų, D_c = 1.501 g cm^?3, Z = 4, R = 0.0677 for 4172 unique observed reflections. The ammonium cation is completely enclosed with crown oxygen atoms forming seven hydrogen bonds. The conformation of previously reported dibenzo-30-crown-10 complexes with potassium salts were investigated using polar coordinate maps.     

Anion-Sensing Properties of Cyclopentaphenylalanine

Cyclic pentaphenylalanine was studied as an efficient anion sensor for halides, thiocyanate and oxoanions in acetonitrile and methanol. Stability constants of the corresponding complexes were determined by means of fluorimetric, spectrophotometric, ¹H NMR, and microcalorimetric titrations. A detailed structural overview of receptor–anion complexes was obtained by classical molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The results of ¹H NMR and MD studies indicated that the bound anions were coordinated by the amide groups of cyclopeptide, as expected. Circular dichroism (CD) titrations were also carried out in acetonitrile. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first example of the detection of anion binding by cyclopeptide using CD spectroscopy. The CD spectra were calculated from the structures obtained by MD simulations and were qualitatively in agreement with the experimental data. The stoichiometry of almost all complexes was 1:1 (receptor:anion), except for dihydrogen phosphate where the binding of dihydrogen phosphate dimer was observed in acetonitrile. The affinity of the cyclopeptide receptor was correlated with the structure of anion coordination sphere, as well as with the solvation properties of the examined solvents.