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Recently, bismuth oxyiodide (BiOI) is an attractive semiconductor to use in heterogeneous photocatalysis processes. Unfortunately, BiOI individually shows limited photocatalytic efficiency, instability, and a quick recombination of electron/holes. Considering the practical application of this semiconductor, some studies show that synthetic zeolites provide good support for this photocatalyst. This support material permits a better photocatalytic efficiency because it prevents the quick recombination of photogenerated pairs. However, the optimal conditions (time and temperature) to obtain composites (BiOI/ synthetic zeolite) with high photocatalytic efficiency using a coprecipitation-solvothermal growth method have not yet been reported. In this study, a response surface methodology (RSM) based on a central composite design (CCD) was applied to optimize the synthesis conditions of BiOI/mordenite composites. For this purpose, eleven BiOI/mordenite composites were synthesized using a combined coprecipitation-solvothermal method under different time and temperature conditions. The photocatalytic activities of the synthesized composites were evaluated after 20 min of photocatalytic oxidation of caffeic acid, a typical organic pollutant found in agro-industrial wastewater. Moreover, BiOI/mordenite composites with the highest and lowest photocatalytic activity were physically and chemically characterized using nitrogen adsorption isotherms, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS). The optimal synthesis conditions prove to be 187 °C and 9 h. In addition, the changes applied to the experimental conditions led to surface property modifications that influenced the photocatalytic degradation efficiency of the BiOI/mordenite composite toward caffeic acid photodegradation.

The adsorption of the three chlorophenol isomers, ortho, meta and para, by silicalite-1 has been studied at 30 °C, below the solubility (at the same temperature) in water. Large differences, up to 30 times, have been observed between the adsorption of the para- vs. the ortho-isomer. The difference of behavior observed between the isomers is assigned to the tendency to self-organization of the para-isomer. It seems probable that the adsorption sites are at the intersection channels. From a technical point of view, silicalite-1 seems a competitive adsorbent for p-chlorophenol.

Although 3,5,3′-triiodothyronine (T3) is considered to be the primary bioactive thyroid hormone (TH) due to its high affinity for TH nuclear receptors (TRs), new data suggest that 3,5-diiodothyronine (T2) can also regulate transcriptional networks. To determine the functional relevance of these bioactive THs, RNA-seq analysis was conducted in the cerebellum, thalamus-pituitary and liver of tilapia treated with equimolar doses of T2 or T3. We identified a total of 169, 154 and 2863 genes that were TH-responsive (FDR < 0.05) in the tilapia cerebellum, thalamus-pituitary and liver, respectively. Among these, 130, 96 and 349 genes were uniquely regulated by T3, whereas 22, 40 and 929 were exclusively regulated by T2 under our experimental paradigm. The expression profiles in response to TH treatment were tissue-specific, and the diversity of regulated genes also resulted in a variety of different pathways being affected by T2 and T3. T2 regulated gene networks associated with cell signalling and transcriptional pathways, while T3 regulated pathways related to cell signalling, the immune system, and lipid metabolism. Overall, the present work highlights the relevance of T2 as a key bioactive hormone, and reveals some of the different functional strategies that underpin TH pleiotropy.

Five current human African trypanosomiasis drugs are used for genome-scale RNA interference target sequencing screens in Trypanosoma brucei , and reveal the transporters, organelles, enzymes and metabolic pathways that function to facilitate antitrypanosomal drug action. Sleeping sickness drug mechanisms revealed The molecular mechanisms of the drugs used to treat African trypanosomiasis are largely unknown. Use of a genome-wide screen based on RNA interference has now uncovered the pathways involved in drug action and resistance for the five most common drugs. The continued spread of resistance is a major concern, so these findings will be of value for resistance monitoring and in guiding the design of new therapies. The concept of disease-specific chemotherapy was developed a century ago. Dyes and arsenical compounds that displayed selectivity against trypanosomes were central to this work 1 , 2 , and the drugs that emerged remain in use for treating human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) 3 . The importance of understanding the mechanisms underlying selective drug action and resistance for the development of improved HAT therapies has been recognized, but these mechanisms have remained largely unknown. Here we use all five current HAT drugs for genome-scale RNA interference target sequencing (RIT-seq) screens in Trypanosoma brucei , revealing the transporters, organelles, enzymes and metabolic pathways that function to facilitate antitrypanosomal drug action. RIT-seq profiling identifies both known drug importers 4 , 5 and the only known pro-drug activator 6 , and links more than fifty additional genes to drug action. A bloodstream stage-specific invariant surface glycoprotein (ISG75) family mediates suramin uptake, and the AP1 adaptin complex, lysosomal proteases and major lysosomal transmembrane protein, as well as spermidine and N -acetylglucosamine biosynthesis, all contribute to suramin action. Further screens link ubiquinone availability to nitro-drug action, plasma membrane P-type H + -ATPases to pentamidine action, and trypanothione and several putative kinases to melarsoprol action. We also demonstrate a major role for aquaglyceroporins in pentamidine and melarsoprol cross-resistance. These advances in our understanding of mechanisms of antitrypanosomal drug efficacy and resistance will aid the rational design of new therapies and help to combat drug resistance, and provide unprecedented molecular insight into the mode of action of antitrypanosomal drugs.

NaA zeolite reacts rapidly with molecular fluorine at room temperature forming a mixture of amorphous material and of residual crystalline materials. The extent of the reaction depends on the gaseous pressure. The amorphous material contains fluorinated octahedral aluminum complex, sodium and silica. The crystalline fraction keeps the same unit cell parameter as the initial sample.

This month's Genome Watch highlights how a population study, in conjunction with a reference genome, can identify the evolutionary features that contribute to drug resistance in a protozoan parasite. This month's Genome Watch highlights how a population study, in conjunction with a reference genome, can identify the evolutionary features that contribute to drug resistance in a protozoan parasite.

This month's Genome Watch discusses the genome of the free-living amoeboflagellate protist Naegleria gruberi . This month's Genome Watch discusses the genome of the free-living amoeboflagellate protist Naegleria gruberi .

This month's Genome Watch discusses the application of genomic analyses to the study of difficult-to-culture sexually transmitted pathogens. This month, Genome Watch discusses the importance of in silico studies for the investigation of Treponema pallidum and Neisseria gonorrhoeae , two sexually transmitted pathogens for which few genetic tools are available.

Although 3,5,3′-triiodothyronine (T3) is considered to be the primary bioactive thyroid hormone (TH) due to its high affinity for TH nuclear receptors (TRs), new data suggest that 3,5-diiodothyronine (T2) can also regulate transcriptional networks. To determine the functional relevance of these bioactive THs, RNA-seq analysis was conducted in the cerebellum, thalamus-pituitary and liver of tilapia treated with equimolar doses of T2 or T3. We identified a total of 169, 154 and 2863 genes that were TH-responsive (FDR < 0.05) in the tilapia cerebellum, thalamus-pituitary and liver, respectively. Among these, 130, 96 and 349 genes were uniquely regulated by T3, whereas 22, 40 and 929 were exclusively regulated by T2 under our experimental paradigm. The expression profiles in response to TH treatment were tissue-specific, and the diversity of regulated genes also resulted in a variety of different pathways being affected by T2 and T3. T2 regulated gene networks associated with cell signalling and transcriptional pathways, while T3 regulated pathways related to cell signalling, the immune system, and lipid metabolism. Overall, the present work highlights the relevance of T2 as a key bioactive hormone, and reveals some of the different functional strategies that underpin TH pleiotropy.