Synthesis and characterization of ZnBTC-based MOFs: effect of solvents and salt

In this work, we studied the optimization of synthetic approaches to creating structurally modified metal-organic frameworks under various synthesis conditions. We investigated the influence of the various solvents and zinc salts on the structural characteristics of the metal-organic framework based on benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylic acid (H3BTC). The results indicate that the variation of the types of both solvent and salt is a parameter affecting the crystallinity, phase purity, and morphology of the metal-organic framework. This was confirmed by comprehensive structural characterization (SEM, EDX, PXRD)

Effect of nitric acid modification of montmorillonite clay on synthesis of solketal from glycerol and acetone

[EN]The effect of acid modification of a natural montmorillonite clay (MM) by HNO3 on the catalytic properties of MM from Dash-Salakhlinsk (Kazakhstan) has been investigated in the synthesis of solketal from glycerol and acetone in solvent free and acetonitrile media. HNO3 concentration allowed to control the chemical composition, the surface acidity, the porous structure of the acid-activated MMs and their catalytic performance. The main reaction product was solketal with 86.6–98% selectivity. Conversion of glycerol depended on the Brønsted acidity. The most active sample, namely, MM activated with 0.5 mol/dm3 HNO3, showed good reusability for 3 catalyst cycle

Effect of structure and acidity of acid modified clay materials on synthesis of octahydro-2H-chromen-4-ol from vanillin and isopulegol

The Prins cyclization of (−)-isopulegol with vanillin to form octahydro-2H-chromen-4-ol was studied in the presence of natural layered aluminosilicates modified by 0.5 mol/dm3 HCl, such as montmorillonite, kaolin, and metakaolin obtained by the calcination of kaolin at 650 °C. According to infrared spectroscopy using pyridine as probe molecule, the amount and strength of Brønsted acid sites depend on the type of clay and decrease in the following order HCl-montmorillonite > HCl-kaolin > HCl-metakaolin. The difference in Brønsted acidity and textural properties of clays affected the reaction rate and the selectivity towards octahydro-2H-chromen-4-o

Fenton degradation of sulfanilamide in the presence of Al,Fe-pillared clay: Catalytic behavior and identification of the intermediates

[EN]Liquid phase catalytic degradation of sulfanilamide with H2O2 was carried out in the presence of Fe,Al/M-pillared clay (Fe,Al/M-MM, M = Na+, Ca2+ and Ba2+) as heterogeneous Fenton type catalyst. Fe,Al/M-MMs were prepared by swelling of layered aluminosilicate (90–95 wt.% montmorillonite) from a bed located in Mukhortala (Buryatia, Russia) in Na+, Ca2+ and Ba2+ forms by means of the exchange of these cations with bulky Fe,Al-polyoxocations prepared at Al/Fe = 10/1 and OH/(Al + Fe) = 2.0, and then calcinated at 500 °C. XRD method and chemical analysis demonstrated that the rate of crystalline swelling was dependent on the interlayer cations and decreased in the order: Fe,Al-/Na-MM > Fe,Al/Ca-MM > Fe,Al/Ba-MM. It was found that the catalytic properties of Fe,Al/M-MMs depended on the type of exchangeable cations. The effect of the H2O2/sulfanilamide molar ratio, the catalyst content, the reaction temperature and the reaction pH on the removal rate of sulfanilamide has been studied in the presence of Fe,Al/Na-MM. The catalyst can be applied for degradation of sulfanilamide with H2O2 for at least three successive cycles without loss of activity. HPLC analyses pointed out that the main degradation intermediate products were sulfanilic acid, benzenesulfonic acid, p-benzoquinone and aliphatic carboxylic acids

Synthesis of octahydro-2H-chromen-4-ol from vanillin and isopulegol over acid modified montmorillonite clays: Effect of acidity on the Prins cyclization

Two calcium-rich natural layered aluminosilicates containing 90–95 wt.% montmorillonite were chemically activated using 0.125–3.0 M HCl solutions. Structural and textural properties were characterized by X-ray diffraction, elemental analysis and N2-adsorption/desorption analyses. According to infrared spectroscopy using pyridine as probe molecule, the amount of Brønsted acid sites increased when increasing HCl concentration. The catalytic performance of these materials was investigated in the Prins cyclization of (−)-isopulegol with vanillin to form octahydro-2H-chromen-4-ol, carried out in toluene at 35 °C. It was found that the amount of Brønsted acid sites and the microporosity of the catalysts are key factors for the control of the reaction rate and the selectivity towards octahydro-2H-chromen-4-o

Transcriptional dynamics of colorectal cancer risk associated variation at 11q23.1 correlate with tuft cell abundance and marker expression in silico

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is characterised by heritable risk that is not well understood. Heritable, genetic variation at 11q23.1 is associated with increased colorectal cancer (CRC) risk, demonstrating eQTL effects on 3 cis- and 23 trans-eQTL targets. We sought to determine the relationship between 11q23.1 cis- and trans-eQTL target expression and test for potential cell-specificity. scRNAseq from 32,361 healthy colonic epithelial cells was aggregated and subject to weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA). One module (blue) included 19 trans-eQTL targets and was correlated with POU2AF2 expression only. Following unsupervised clustering of single cells, the expression of 19 trans-eQTL targets was greatest and most variable in cluster number 11, which transcriptionally resembled tuft cells. 14 trans-eQTL targets were found to demarcate this cluster, 11 of which were corroborated in a second dataset. Intra-cluster WGCNA and module preservation analysis then identified twelve 11q23.1 trans-eQTL targets to comprise a network that was specific to cluster 11. Finally, linear modelling and differential abundance testing showed 11q23.1 trans-eQTL target expression was predictive of cluster 11 abundance. Our findings suggest 11q23.1 trans-eQTL targets comprise a POU2AF2-related network that is likely tuft cell-specific and reduced expression of these genes correlates with reduced tuft cell abundance in silico

Gene Co-Expression Network Analysis Identifies Vitamin D-Associated Gene Modules in Adult Normal Rectal Epithelium Following Supplementation

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a common, multifactorial disease. While observational studies have identified an association between lower vitamin D and higher CRC risk, supplementation trials have been inconclusive and the mechanisms by which vitamin D may modulate CRC risk are not well understood. We sought to perform a weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) to identify modules present after vitamin D supplementation (when plasma vitamin D level was sufficient) which were absent before supplementation, and then to identify influential genes in those modules. The transcriptome from normal rectal mucosa biopsies of 49 individuals free from CRC were assessed before and after 12 weeks of 3200IU/day vitamin D (Fultium-D3) supplementation using paired-end total RNAseq. While the effects on expression patterns following vitamin D supplementation were subtle, WGCNA identified highly correlated genes forming gene modules. Four of the 17 modules identified in the post-vitamin D network were not preserved in the pre-vitamin D network, shedding new light on the biochemical impact of supplementation. These modules were enriched for GO terms related to the immune system, hormone metabolism, cell growth and RNA metabolism. Across the four treatment-associated modules, 51 hub genes were identified, with enrichment of 40 different transcription factor motifs in promoter regions of those genes, including VDR:RXR. Six of the hub genes were nominally differentially expressed in studies of vitamin D effects on adult normal mucosa organoids: LCN2, HLA-C, AIF1L, PTPRU, PDE4B and IFI6. By taking a gene-correlation network approach, we have described vitamin D induced changes to gene modules in normal human rectal epithelium in vivo, the target tissue from which CRC develops