Browse Articles

Regioselective Electrosynthesis of Substituted (deuterated) Pyridines Through Enamine‐Iminium Cross‐Coupling

ABSTRACT An electrochemical protocol for the regioselective synthesis of multi‐substituted pyridines via a (3+3) annulation is described. The strategy utilizes enamine‐iminium cross‐coupling to construct the pyridine core with high functional group tolerance under mild reaction conditions. Alongside, C5‐deuterated pyridines are achieved in a single step using deuterium oxide as the inexpensive deuterium source. In addition to the electro‐redox events, electrogenerated acid (EGA) plays a decisive role in key bond‐forming steps. Mechanistic studies, including control experiments and cyclic voltammetry, reveal the involvement of EGA and assist in identifying crucial reaction intermediates. The synthetic utility of the method is showcased by post‐annulation derivatization, affording a diverse library of pyridine derivatives.

Suicidal ideation and interrelated psychiatric disturbances in rheumatoid arthritis: Evidence from a Vietnamese cohort

Objective This study aimed to determine the prevalence of suicidal ideation among Vietnamese patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and to examine associated factors, other psychiatric disturbances, and quality of life (QoL). Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted from June 2024 to December 2024 at Bach Mai Hospital, Hanoi. Eligible patients met the 1987 ACR classification criteria for RA. Suicidal ideation was assessed through structured psychiatric interviews. Depression, anxiety, insomnia, and sexual dysfunction were evaluated using the PHQ-9, HAM-A, ISI, and ASEX, respectively, while QoL was measured with the EQ-5D-5L. Correlation analyses and structural equation modeling (SEM) explored interrelationships among psychiatric disturbances. Multivariable regression was applied to identify predictors of suicidal ideation, psychiatric symptoms, and QoL. Results Among 187 participants (mean age 56.9 ± 12.7 years; 84.0% female), 13.4% reported suicidal ideation. Anxious (45.5%), insomnia (48.1%) and depressive symptoms (28.3%) were highly common, and depressive, anxiety, and insomnia symptoms were strongly interrelated (e.g., r = 0.74–0.80). The mean EQ-5D-5L index value was 0.6 ± 0.2, indicating moderate impairment in overall QoL. SEM confirmed high correlation between psychiatric (DEP, ANX) and behavioral (SLP, SEX) disturbances. Multivariable analysis showed that high disease activity, joint deformity, and treatment-related adverse effects were consistently associated with suicidal ideation, psychiatric symptoms, and impaired QoL. Conclusion Suicidal ideation and other psychiatric disturbances are commonly observedamong patients with RA in Vietnam. Disease activity, structural damage, and medication-related adverse effects were major determinants, underscoring the need for integrated mental health screening and multidisciplinary management to optimize both clinical and psychosocial outcomes.

Centrifuge model study on consolidation characteristics of sand-based fill soil subjected to pulse-induced water bag + vacuum preloading

<i>Cine</i> ‐Reductive Carboboration of Alkenyl Electrophiles via Iron Catalysis

ABSTRACT In traditional transition‐metal‐catalyzed cross‐coupling reactions, alkenyl electrophiles typically undergo transformation at the ipso ‐position of the leaving group, resulting in the formation of a single bond, rather than the installation of two functionalities across a C═C unit. Achieving the direct difunctionalization of alkenyl electrophiles has become increasingly desirable for streamlining the synthesis of complex molecules, which is essential for advancing molecular complexity in organic synthesis. Here, we report an iron‐catalyzed cine ‐reductive carboboration of alkenyl tosylates with alkyl halides, providing a streamlined route to synthetically valuable tetrasubstituted alkenyl boronates. Mechanistic studies support a pathway that involves selective cine ‐alkylation of alkenyl tosylates followed by borylation, enabling the sequential formation of C(sp 3 )─C(sp 3 ) and C(sp 3 )─B bonds, with subsequent elimination affording the desired C(sp 2 )─C(sp 2 ) and C(sp 2 )─B bonds. These findings not only provide new mechanistic insights into iron‐catalyzed cine ‐coupling processes but also establish a foundation for the rational design of new transformations of alkenyl electrophiles under iron catalysis.

Education shapes the link between EEG aperiodic components and cognitive aging

Healthy aging brings widespread shifts in aperiodic (non-oscillatory) electroencephalographic (EEG) components, which may underlie physiological changes in cognitive performance. Education, a known protective factor against age-related decline in cognitive performance, has been largely overlooked in studies linking aperiodic EEG components to cognition. This study addresses this gap, hypothesizing that education moderates the interplay between age, aperiodic components, and cognitive performance, as measured by Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores. We reanalyzed an open-source EEG dataset of 714 healthy individuals aged 18–91 years using Generalized Additive Mixed Models. Aperiodic components (exponent and offset) declined with age, but higher education levels mitigated these declines. Notably, the aperiodic components interacted with age and education in predicting MMSE performance in a widespread way across the cortex. Among older adults, the relationship between the aperiodic components and cognitive performance diverged by education: those with lower education showed worse cognitive outcomes with lower exponents and offsets, whereas higher-educated individuals after 60 years showed a reverse pattern, with lower exponents and offsets predicting better MMSE performance. Our findings suggest that the link between aperiodic components and cognitive aging is not straightforward but depends on moderating factors such as education. These results underscore the importance of accounting for individual differences, like educational background, when exploring age-related changes in EEG aperiodic components and cognition.

Daily multivitamin slows signs of biological ageing

Complementary services improve recovery outcomes among college students with alcohol or other drug related use disorders

Between Order and Confusion: Clearing up Structural Misconceptions in Carbon Materials Nomenclature

Abstract Carbon materials are of increasing importance for various applications especially in the field of energy storage and conversion as well as electrocatalysis, and thus, they are essential for the worldwide transition toward an emission‐free economy. Hence, various carbonaceous materials with different levels of order of graphene stacks are discussed in current literature. However, precise characterization or even the correct terminology of the respective material is often neglected, leading to miscommunication and misinterpretation throughout the carbon community, especially with respect to “amorphous” carbon. Here, we aim to clarify the terms describing different graphene‐containing carbon materials, namely graphite, graphitic carbon, non‐graphitic carbon, and amorphous carbon. We recall the IUPAC definitions of these materials and correlate them with characteristic X‐ray scattering patterns as well as Raman spectra, being the most widespread and appropriate characterization techniques. Thereby, this scientific perspective strives toward raising awareness for fine structural differences and the need for a consistent characterization and description of these carbon materials.

Correction: The effect of fentanyl combined with linezolid on in-hospital mortality in mechanically ventilated patients: A retrospective cohort study

Eight common errors I see in PhD applications and interviews, and how to avoid them

Species composition and vegetation structure of coastal and desert habitats in a hyper-arid environment

Abstract Environmental changes and anthropogenic activities have significantly altered plant species distributions and biodiversity in various regions of Egypt, contributing to habitat fragmentation and a decline in plant populations. This study provides a comprehensive assessment of vegetation diversity, species distribution, conservation status, and environmental relationships across diverse habitats in Egypt, including coastal regions (Hurghada and El-Arish) and inland deserts (Wadi El-Gemal and El-Galala). From 2023 to 2024, a vegetation survey was conducted across four study areas in Egypt using stratified random sampling; the survey involved 86 sampled plots, analyzing species composition, growth forms, and cover. A total of 45 species from 16 families were recorded, with Asteraceae, Amaranthaceae, and Zygophyllaceae being the most dominant. Species were classified as native or non-native, and their conservation status was determined based on the IUCN Red List criteria. Multivariate analyses (cluster analysis, Detrended Correspondence Analysis, and Canonical Correspondence Analysis) revealed seven distinct vegetation groups (A–G), which were significantly influenced by soil properties such as pH, electrical conductivity, and ion content. The study also calculated diversity indices, with average species richness (SR) of 4.5 ± 2.1 species per plot and a Shannon–Wiener Index (H’) ranging from 0.38 to 1.99. Conservation status assessments showed that 95.5% of species were native, with two non-native species recorded. Several species, such as Anabasis articulata and Haloxylon salicornicum , were categorized as Vulnerable (VU), while others, including Panicum turgidum and Phragmites australis , were classified as Near Threatened (NT) or Least Concern (LC). The results of this study underscore the importance of understanding the complex relationships between plant communities and environmental factors to develop targeted conservation strategies. The findings also emphasize the need for continued monitoring and protection of both coastal and inland desert habitats in Egypt to mitigate the effects of environmental degradation and preserve biodiversity.

Mild Generation of Highly Nucleophilic <i>N</i> ‐Heterocyclic Carbene Boryl Anion From Neutral sp ² –sp ³ Diboron Reagents and Its Applications in Nucleophilic Borylation

ABSTRACT Due to its high activity, the synthesis or generation of the N ‐heterocyclic carbene (NHC) boryl anion remains challenging, with only limited methods available. Traditional stabilization through bulky ligands or aromatic systems restricts its reactivity as a boron synthon. In this work, we present a straightforward strategy for the in situ generation of an NHC boryl anion at room temperature through the reaction of neutral sp 2 –sp 3 diboron reagent (NHC)BH 2 Bpin with KO t Bu. This less sterically hindered and strongly nucleophilic boryl anion demonstrates broad reactivity with diverse electrophiles, including those that are unreactive with other types of boryl anions or traditional diboron reagents. These nucleophilic borylation reactions enable the synthesis of a diverse array of four‐coordinate organoboron compounds. Detailed mechanistic studies and DFT calculations confirm the intermediacy of the NHC boryl anion and provide clear insights into the reaction pathways for the newly discovered reactivities.

Shining light on vitamin C deficiency and scurvy in Canada: A scoping review protocol of risk profiles, health outcomes, and interventions

Scurvy, resulting from vitamin C deficiency, is linked to serious health outcomes, including impaired collagen synthesis, anemia, and delayed wound healing. Once considered largely eradicated in high-income countries, scurvy has re-emerged among specific Canadian populations, driven by factors such as inadequate dietary intake, socioeconomic disparities, and limited access to nutritious foods. Despite growing awareness, evidence regarding its prevalence, risk factors, and public health responses in Canada remains sparse and fragmented. To address this knowledge gap, this study protocol outlines a scoping review designed to: (a) assess the prevalence and incidence of scurvy and vitamin C deficiency in Canada; (b) identify at-risk populations and contributing factors; (c) describe associated health outcomes; and (d) map existing nutritional interventions and public health strategies for prevention and management. Our review will follow the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Manual for Evidence Synthesis (Chapter 11: Scoping review) and the Arksey and O’Malley methodological framework. Keywords will be identified and used to develop search strings used for a comprehensive search of various databases. The review will adhere to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews(PRISMA-ScR) guidelines. Our study selection process will systematically screen titles/abstracts and full texts of potentially relevant articles to ensure a comprehensive analysis through thematic analysis. We will implement a clearly defined extraction process to gather the most pertinent articles, maximizing the quality and impact of our research. Ethical approval is not required because this study will review publicly available data and will not involve human participants. Our scoping review will synthesize evidence on scurvy and vitamin C deficiency in Canada, identifying knowledge gaps, contributing factors such as food insecurity, and vulnerable populations. Findings will inform research priorities, guide public health policies, and support targeted interventions to prevent deficiency and enhance nutritional health for Canadians.

Atomic Level Fabrication of Oxychloride Interface for High‐Rate and High‐Voltage Lithium‐Ion Batteries

Abstract In recent years, oxychloride‐based materials have emerged as a promising solid‐state electrolyte (SSE) candidate owing to its ultrahigh ionic conductivity and decent cathode compatibility. Although the fabrication of SSE coatings for cathode materials has been recognized as a promising strategy, a precise synthesis of oxychloride‐based SSE coating is still not realized due to the lack of appropriate preparation method. As a proof of concept, we propose a superior lithium‐ion conductive aluminum‐based oxychloride (LAOC) coating synthesized by atomic level fabrication strategy with unique self‐limiting reaction mechanism. The LAOC modified lithium cobalt oxide (LCO) cathode exhibits a high capacity retention of 86.4% after 500 cycles at 5 C and significantly improved high‐voltage cycling stability. The outstanding performance is ascribed to the high interfacial ionic conductivity and construction of robust cathode electrolyte interphase. The ionic conductivity of LCO increased from 1.785 × 10 −7 to 2.823 × 10 −6 S cm −1 after LAOC coating. Scanning transmission X‐ray microscopy and transmission electron microscopy reveal that the LAOC coating suppresses interfacial degradation and mitigates the structural collapse of LCO. This study offers great opportunity for the atomic level fabrication of superior ionic conductive oxychloride thin films to realize high performance lithium‐ion batteries.

Utilization of machine learning to identify lower extremity biomechanical predictors of rupture in a validated cadaveric model of ACL injury

Abstract Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture is a critical concern in sports medicine. This study presents a detailed evaluation of machine learning (ML) techniques for the prediction of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries - a critical concern in sports medicine that often entails prolonged recovery periods and significant patient burden. Leveraging the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in medical applications, our work assesses eight distinct ML models (i.e., Support Vector Machines, Decision Tree Classifiers, Random Forest, Stochastic Gradient Descent, Logistic Regression, Gradient Boosting, Ridge Regression, and Linear Discriminant Analysis). Models were trained and tested on four datasets: 53-feature (Binary) ACL Rupture Biomechanical and Demographic (ARBD/BARBD) and 13-feature (Binary) ACL Rupture Wearable (ARW/BARW) that are readily accessible in real-life scenarios. Models were evaluated under a three-class schema ’pre-rupture,’ ’trial prior to rupture,’ ’rupture’ and then reclassified into a binary ’pre-rupture’ vs. ’elevated risk.’ Our analyses reveal that early-phase force metrics, particularly those recorded at 33 milliseconds (e.g., and ) with ARBD and BARBD datasets and initial-contact forces (e.g., , ) over demographic variables in ARW and BARW datasets, consistently emerge as significant predictors of injury across multiple and binary models. Notably, across the ARBD and ARW datasets, the ML models achieved accuracies ranging from approximately 79% to 87%, which improved markedly to a range of 92% to 95% when reclassified into a binary classification. These findings underscore the clinical relevance of early dynamic measurements and demonstrate the robustness and generalizability of our approach.

Synergistic Rh ₁ –Cu ₁ Dual‐Atom‐Site Enhancing Performance of Ethane Low‐Temperature Oxidation via Auto‐Selective Oxygen Source From O ₂ /H ₂ O

ABSTRACT The low‐temperature direct conversion of ethane is more appealing for the utilization of shale gas. Dual‐atom catalysts have attracted considerable attention due to their unique cooperative effects. Herein, we report a porous organic polymer‐supported Rh 1 –Cu 1 dual‐site catalyst (Rh 1 –Cu 1 @POPs‐PPh 3 ) for the selective oxidation of ethane to ethanol, acetaldehyde, and acetic acid with auto‐selective oxygen mechanism. The optimized Rh 1 –Cu 1 centers deliver a productivity of ca. 250 mol mol Rh −1 h −1 based on Rh with 65% acetaldehyde selectivity at 423 K, representing a four‐fold improvement over the single‐Rh‐site catalyst. Through isotopic labeling and in situ characterizations, we uncover an auto‐selective oxygen source mechanism in which dehydrogenated species of ethane with different grades possess self‐selectivity for the combined oxygen source. Oxygen species derived from O 2 activate ethane and subsequently couple with the ethyl fragment to produce ethanol. While OH radicals from H 2 O dissociation react with ethyl intermediates from ethane dehydrogenation to yield acetaldehyde. Concurrently, oxygen species recombine with reactive hydrogen species to regenerate new H 2 O, completing the catalytic oxidation cycle. The density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that the Rh–Cl–Cu configuration lowers the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) energy of Rh 1 , thereby strengthening adsorbate‐metal interactions, weakening the C─H bond, and facilitating its activation.

Fine-grained identification of greenhouse crop leaf diseases based on reconstruction-generation network

There are few data labels in the agricultural field, and accurate annotation of existing data requires professional knowledge and is time-consuming and laborious, especially the images collected in the actual greenhouse scene, which lack accurate annotation by professionals. Fine-grained refers to the highly detailed division or analysis of data or tasks, with a particular emphasis on capturing micro-level differences. In order to improve the accuracy of greenhouse crop disease identification, the crop disease identification problem is regarded as a fine-grained classification problem, and the attention mechanism is introduced into the classification network. The VAE enhancement strategy is introduced into the disease identification network model to improve the accuracy when the annotation is insufficient. Aiming at the problem that the actual environmental background of greenhouse is complex, there are many disturbances, the disease spot area is small, and the difference between leaf disease and wilt and soil is not obvious, a fine-grained identification model of leaf disease based on reconstruction-generation is further proposed. The attention mechanism was used to increase the recognition ability. During training, the VAE strategy was first used to make full use of a large number of labeled and unlabeled data to realize unsupervised learning, and then the labeled data was used for supervised disease identification, and the Reconstruction-Generation Network(RGN) was used to force the classification network to pay more attention to discriminative regions to find differences. Reconstruction-generation belongs to self-supervised learning, which uses the unsupervised information in the data to construct supervised signals, and can generate useful feature representations by learning the structure and pattern in the data. Experimental results show that the classification recognition accuracy of the proposed fine-grained leaf disease identification model based on reconstruction-generation adopts the attention mechanism reached 98.03%. The proposed method is applied to the detection model, the correct recognition rate of diseased leaves was 95.07%, and the correct recognition rate of healthy leaves was 98.46%, which can realize the end-to-end detection and identification of diseased leaves and meet the practical requirements.

PS-SNN: pattern separation learning for expandable spiking neural networks in class-incremental learning

Solar Flow Synthesis of Polymer Nanoparticles: Scaling Local Experiments to Global Potential

ABSTRACT We present the scalable, additive‐free synthesis of polymer nanoparticles in continuous flow, using solely solar radiation. Using a custom‐made flow reactor, the UV radiation from the sun induces a Diels–Alder step‐growth polymerization between a bismaleimide and a difunctional o ‐methylbenzaldehyde. The resulting photopolymer subsequently precipitates as nanoparticles without the need for any additional additives, stimuli or processing steps. The solar flow reactor was designed by first carefully assessing the underpinning photochemistry of the photo‐induced Diels–Alder reaction using photochemical action plots and then performing a kinetic investigation of the particle formation under solar irradiation. The determined kinetics allow us to extrapolate our experimental results to a worldwide particle yield by using global UV index data, validated by two highly different geographical locations, Australia and Germany. Our results clearly demonstrate the applicability of our system for the scalable, sustainable, solar‐powered production of polymeric nanoparticles in regions of high levels of solar radiation. Furthermore, our calculations function as a blueprint for how local experimental data can be extrapolated to assess the global solar photochemical potential of photochemical systems, thus making their performance comparable.

Myc and Skp2 overexpression promotes p27 ubiquitination and degradation in Ewing Sarcoma

Background Ewing sarcoma remains partially uncontrollable even after treatment with chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation therapy due to its high malignancy. To explore genes that drive Ewing sarcoma cell proliferation, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of mRNA expression. Based on cDNA array results, we identified consistently elevated expression of Myc and S-phase kinase-associated protein 2 (Skp2) across all five Ewing sarcoma cell lines examined. Methods The functional roles of Myc and Skp2 were assessed by siRNA-mediated knockdown and overexpression assays, followed by cell proliferation, cell cycle, and protein expression analyses. Ubiquitination of p27 and activation of the CCNE/CDK2 complex were evaluated by immunoprecipitation and western blotting. Finally, the in vivo relevance of Myc and Skp2 knockdown was validated using a xenograft mouse model. Results Knockdown (KD) using siRNAs specific for Myc and Skp2 resulted in reduced cell growth and an increased proportion of cells in the G0/G1 phase, indicating G1 arrest. In KD cells, we observed decreased CDK2 activity, increased p27 expression, and reduced expression of cyclin E (CCNE). The increased activity of the CCNE/CDK2 complex led to enhanced phosphorylation of p27 at Thr187, accelerating p27 degradation via Skp2-mediated ubiquitination. Concurrently, the CCNE/CDK2 complex promoted phosphorylation of Rb at Ser807/808, which is involved in E2F1 activation. Conclusion This mechanism was identified through a comprehensive expression analysis aimed at uncovering the drivers of cell cycle acceleration in Ewing sarcoma. The findings offer new insights into therapeutic strategies for this malignancy, which has seen little progress in treatment over several decades. This discovery holds the potential to transform the current landscape, as no effective molecularly targeted therapies have yet been developed.