Supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2) fluid can dissolve surface matter on shale and, thus, change the surface properties of shale. To study the influence of SC-CO2 on the water wettability of shale, shale samples collected from the Longmaxi formation in Sichuan Basin were treated with SC-CO2 at various time intervals, pressures, and temperatures. The results show that, after SC-CO2 treatment, the ratio of C and Si in the shale increased, while the ratio of O, Ca, Mg, and H decreased. Water was released from the clay minerals, and the CaCO3 content decreased in the shale. After SC-CO2 treatment, the primary pores and fractures in the shale were eroded through dissolution and new pores and fracture structures were developed on the surface microstructure of the shale. As a result, the structure connectivity, which favored the seepage of shale gas, was improved. The results also show that the shale–water contact angles were increased after SC-CO2 treatment. The treatment time and pressure had a significant i...

Effect of Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Treatment Time, Pressure, and Temperature on Shale Water Wettability

A review of the solubility data for solids in sub- and supercritical fluids published in the literature between 2010 and 2017 is presented, including the pressure and temperature ranges and correlation methods. Compounds are categorized into the following groups: pharmaceutical, biological, aromatic, nonaromatic, organometallic, and polymer. The most commonly used solvent is supercritical CO2; some data have also been published for other solvents, such as argon, propane, and fluorinated hydrocarbons.

Solubility of Solids in Sub- and Supercritical Fluids: A Review 2010–2017

Solubility of grape seed oil in supercritical CO2: Experiments and modeling

Due to the importance of supercritical fluid technology (SFT) in different industries, it has been the subject of intense research in recent decades. Solubility is a key concept in SFT. In fact, obtaining knowledge about the theoretical concepts of solubility and related experimental measurement methods can be useful in developing and improving the quality of research in this field. This study reviews the fundamental knowledge of solubility in supercritical fluids and investigates the significant topics in this field, including high-pressure phase behavior, experimental measurement methods, modeling, and molecular simulation of solubility.

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Study of solubility in supercritical fluids: thermodynamic concepts and measurement methods - a review

This contribution presents new high-pressure solubility data of solid trans-lutein in pure carbon dioxide (CO2), and mixtures of CO2 and ethanol. The cosolvent effect of ethanol was determined by comparing lutein solubility between the ternary (CO2 + ethanol + lutein) and binary (CO2 + lutein) systems at (313, 323, and 333) K and from (18.70 to 33.55) MPa. 92% pure lutein was isolated from marigold flower petals. Solubility was measured using a dynamic-analytical method with recirculation and online analysis of the CO2-rich phase. The solubility of lutein in pure and ethanol-modified CO2 increased with system temperature and pressure. Solubilities in pure CO2 ranged from 0.82 10−6 mol mol−1 at (313 K and 18.70 MPa) to 2.45 10−6 mol mol−1 at (333 K and 32.91 MPa). The highest solubility of lutein in CO2 experimentally measured was 4.02 10−6 mol mol−1 at (333 K and 32.91 MPa) when adding 0.0211 mol mol−1 of ethanol.

Cosolvent effect of ethanol on the solubility of lutein in supercritical carbon dioxide

Human lifestyle and dietary behaviors contribute to disease onset and progression. Neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs), considered multifactorial disorders, have been associated with changes in the gut microbiome. NDDs display pathologies that alter brain functions with a tendency to worsen over time. NDDs are a worldwide health problem; in the US alone, 12 million Americans will suffer from NDDs by 2030. While etiology may vary, the gut microbiome serves as a key element underlying NDD development and prognosis. In particular, an inflammation-associated microbiome plagues NDDs. Conversely, sequestration of this inflammatory microbiome by a correction in the dysbiotic state of the gut may render therapeutic effects on NDDs. To this end, treatment with short-chain fatty acid-producing bacteria, the main metabolites responsible for maintaining gut homeostasis, ameliorates the inflammatory microbiome. This intimate pathological link between the gut and NDDs suggests that the gut-brain axis (GBA) acts as an underexplored area for developing therapies for NDDs. Traditionally, the classification of NDDs depends on their clinical presentation, mostly manifesting as extrapyramidal and pyramidal movement disorders, with neuropathological evaluation at autopsy as the gold standard for diagnosis. In this review, we highlight the evolving notion that GBA stands as an equally sensitive pathological marker of NDDs, particularly in Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and chronic stroke. Additionally, GBA represents a potent therapeutic target for treating NDDs.

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Gut–Brain Axis as a Pathological and Therapeutic Target for Neurodegenerative Disorders

Measuring and validation for isothermal solubility data of solid 2-(3,4-Dimethoxyphenyl)-5,6,7,8-tetramethoxychromen-4-one (nobiletin) in supercritical carbon dioxide

Parkinson's disease (PD) remains a significant unmet clinical need. Gut dysbiosis stands as a PD pathologic source and therapeutic target. Here, we assessed the role of the gut-brain axis in PD pathology and treatment. Adult transgenic (Tg) α-synuclein-overexpressing mice served as subjects and were randomly assigned to either transplantation of vehicle or human umbilical cord blood-derived stem cells and plasma. Behavioral and immunohistochemical assays evaluated the functional outcomes following transplantation. Tg mice displayed typical motor and gut motility deficits, elevated α-synuclein levels, and dopaminergic depletion, accompanied by gut dysbiosis characterized by upregulation of microbiota and cytokines associated with inflammation in the gut and the brain. In contrast, transplanted Tg mice displayed amelioration of motor deficits, improved sparing of nigral dopaminergic neurons, and downregulation of α-synuclein and inflammatory-relevant microbiota and cytokines in both gut and brain. Parallel in vitro studies revealed that cultured dopaminergic SH-SY5Y cells exposed to homogenates of Tg mouse-derived dysbiotic gut exhibited significantly reduced cell viability and elevated inflammatory signals compared to wild-type mouse-derived gut homogenates. Moreover, treatment with human umbilical cord blood-derived stem cells and plasma improved cell viability and decreased inflammation in dysbiotic gut-exposed SH-SY5Y cells. Intravenous transplantation of human umbilical cord blood-derived stem/progenitor cells and plasma reduced inflammatory microbiota and cytokine, and dampened α-synuclein overload in the gut and the brain of adult α-synuclein-overexpressing Tg mice. Our findings advance the gut-brain axis as a key pathological origin, as well as a robust therapeutic target for PD. 

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Alma R. Toledo

Papers

Gut–Brain Axis as a Pathological and Therapeutic Target for Neurodegenerative Disorders

Measuring and validation for isothermal solubility data of solid 2-(3,4-Dimethoxyphenyl)-5,6,7,8-tetramethoxychromen-4-one (nobiletin) in supercritical carbon dioxide

Inflammatory gut as a pathologic and therapeutic target in Parkinson’s disease