Transesterification of soybean oil on guanidine base-functionalized SBA-15 catalysts

SBA-15 functionalization with the guanidine base 1,5,7-triazabicyclo[4.4.0]dec-5-ene (TBD) was used to prepare TBD-grafted catalysts for the soybean oil transesterification reaction. The structural and textural features of both the support and the catalysts were investigated by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and nitrogen physisorption. CHN analysis and FTIR characterization were also carried out on the catalysts before and after reaction. Potentiometric titration was also used to confirm CHN analysis data for the fresh catalysts. Mild conditions (atmospheric pressure and 343 K) were chosen for catalytic testing in a batch reactor. The influence of the base content and the reaction time on the methyl esters yield was investigated. All the catalysts were found active for the soybean oil conversion. Comparison with the catalytic behaviour of a commercial TBD-grafted polymer showed a superior performance of the functionalized SBA-15 catalysts. The higher the functionalization extent, the higher the activity, just a few hours being required for a 100 mol% methyl esters yield. Over such a short reaction time leaching was observed to occur only to an extremely low extent, which makes possible to reuse the catalysts after a regeneration step consisting in a simple NaOH treatment of the recovered samples. During such treatment the catalyst base sites - poisoned (through protonation) by the free fatty acids - are freed, and their activity is restore

Genomic Deletion Involving the IMMP2L Gene in Two Cases of Autism Spectrum Disorder

Mutations/deletions of the &lt;i&gt;IMMP2L&lt;/i&gt; gene have been associated with different cognitive/behavioral disturbances, including autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The penetrance of these defects is not complete since they often are inherited from a healthy parent. Using array-CGH in a cohort of 37 ASD patients, we found 2 subjects harboring a deletion inside the &lt;i&gt;IMMP2L&lt;/i&gt; gene. In both cases, the &lt;i&gt;IMMP2L&lt;/i&gt; gene deletion was inherited: from a healthy mother in one case and from a dyslectic father in the other. In the latter family, the &lt;i&gt;IMMP2L&lt;/i&gt; deletion was also detected in the patient's brother, who showed delayed language development. In a cohort of 100 normal controls, no deletions including the &lt;i&gt;IMMP2L&lt;/i&gt; gene were observed. However, a recent meta-analysis found no association between &lt;i&gt;IMMP2L &lt;/i&gt;deletions and ASD. Our data would indicate that deletions involving the &lt;i&gt;IMMP2L&lt;/i&gt; gene may contribute to the development of a subgroup of cognitive/behavioral disorders.</jats:p

Gender Differences in the VDR-FokI Polymorphism and Conventional Non-Genetic Risk Factors in Association with Lumbar Spine Pathologies in an Italian Case-Control Study

Recently, the FokI polymorphism (rs2228570) in the vitamin D receptor gene (VDR) and conventional risk factors were associated with spine disorders in the Italian population, but without gender analysis. Two-hundred and sixty-seven patients (149 males, 118 females) with lumbar spine disorders were assessed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and 254 (127 males, 127 females) asymptomatic controls were enrolled. The exposure to putative risk factors was evaluated and FokI polymorphism was detected by PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). An association between lumbar spine pathologies and higher than average age; overweight; family history; lower leisure physical activity; smoking habit; higher number of hours/day exposure to vibration and more sedentary or intense physical job demand was observed in male patients. In contrast, in females, only higher age, overweight, family history and lower leisure physical activity were risk factors. FF genotype was a 2-fold risk factor to develop discopathies and/or osteochondrosis concomitant with disc herniation for both gender patients, while heterozygous Ff was protective for females only. In males only ff genotype was protective for discopathies and/or osteochondrosis and F allele was a 2-fold risk factor for hernia; discopathies; discopathies and/or osteochondrosis. Sex-related differences in voluntary behaviors, exposure to environmental risks and genetic background could be crucial for a gender-differentiated management of patients with spine disorders

Synthesis, human monoamine oxidase inhibitory activity and molecular docking studies of 3-heteroarylcoumarin derivatives

Monoamine oxidase (MAO) is an important drug target for the treatment of neurological disorders. Series of 3-indolyl and 3-thiophenylcoumarins were synthesized and evaluated as inhibitors of the two human MAO isoforms, hMAO-A and hMAO-B. In general, the derivatives were found to be selective hMAO-B inhibitors with IC50 values in the nanoMolar (nM) to microMolar (μM) range. Docking experiments were carried out in order to compare the theoretical and experimental affinity of these compounds to the hMAO-B protein. According to our results, docking experiments could be an interesting approach to try to predict the activity of this class of coumarins against MAO-B receptors