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This review presents an overview of recent developments and advancements in the field of photocatalytic hydrogen evolution using poly(heptazine imide) (PHI) and based materials. Photocatalytic hydrogen evolution (PHE) has received great amount of attention because of its potential as a clean and sustainable energy source and PHI based materials have emerged as promising candidates for this purpose due to their distinct structural properties, improved light absorption, charge separation and reduced recombination. This review discusses the essential concepts of PHE and the potential of poly(heptazine imide) materials and their derivatives as photocatalysts and also the limitations of these materials in photocatalytic activity. It addresses the synthetic routes and strategies adopted to enhance the photocatalytic activity of these materials including surface modifications, band engineering, doping, loading co‐catalysts and composites & heterojunction construction. Furthermore, the recent works in photocatalytic H2 evolution using PHI and based materials have been summarized and discussed. Additionally, we examined the challenges and future outlooks in this field, emphasizing the need for scalable and cost‐effective production methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Additive manufacturing of tungsten (W) is challenging due to its high melting point, high thermal conductivity, oxidation tendency, and brittleness from grain boundary (GB) oxides. In this study, the processing of W through laser powder bed fusion is investigated. Parts are fabricated under argon (Ar) and nitrogen (N2) atmospheres using the same processing parameters. The part produced in Ar has cracks with oxide precipitates decorating the fractured GBs. On the other hand, crack‐free W samples are produced under N2 atmosphere without any additional process modification. In both cases, the oxygen (O) content in the LPBF samples is similar to the starting powder. Interestingly, the analysis of the samples fabricated in nitrogen suggests that nitrogen is retained beyond the equilibrium solid solubility limit, while high‐resolution electron micrographs of fractured surfaces reveal reduced levels of oxides at GBs. Increased hardness for samples processed under N2 atmosphere is observed. Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations performed to study the influence of interstitial nitrogen on oxygen diffusion in W indicated a hindrance to O diffusion from the presence of dissolved N. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper highlight upon research work is that curing is one of most important aspect of construction. The life of concrete and its serviceability depends heavily on curing. The method of curing applied on concrete will affect its final strength and durability. Owing to this fact this paper contains the research done on concrete under various curing methods. The standard method of curing concrete is done by water and results wastage of a lot of water. With the increase in the deficiency of availability of water, curing becomes a problem. Hence this research aims at providing better methods of curing which will not only improve the strength and durability of concrete but will also save water. The various methods that have been researched upon are plastic covered curing, addition of sodium silicate to curing water, and addition of curing compounds to curing water. The tests are carried on concrete with desirable strengths of M15 and M20. In this research the fine aggregate used in making of M15 and M20 concrete consists of a mixture of sand and crusher dust. Two mixes of ratio 50:50 and 60:40, sand to crusher dust have been taken and the effects of curing on these mixes are considered. Plastic curing is done by covering the concrete with plastic soon after demolding. Hence minimum water is required. The curing done by sodium silicate is done by adding 2% by weight of sodium silicate to curing water. Concrete is submerged in water containing sodium silicate. Once the concrete is cured, this water mix can be reused to cure freshly cast concrete, thereby saving more water. Curing by curing compounds is done in a similar way as that of curing with sodium silicate, only that instead of sodium silicate, curing compounds are used. The effect of these three methods on concrete is studied and discussions are made. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cells have evolved their communication methods to sense their microenvironments and send biological signals. In addition to communication using ligands and receptors, cells use diverse channels including gap junctions to communicate with their immediate neighbors. Current approaches, however, cannot effectively capture the influence of various microenvironments. Here, we propose a novel approach to investigate cell neighbor‐dependent gene expression (CellNeighborEX) in spatial transcriptomics (ST) data. To categorize cells based on their microenvironment, CellNeighborEX uses direct cell location or the mixture of transcriptome from multiple cells depending on ST technologies. For each cell type, CellNeighborEX identifies diverse gene sets associated with partnering cell types, providing further insight. We found that cells express different genes depending on their neighboring cell types in various tissues including mouse embryos, brain, and liver cancer. Those genes are associated with critical biological processes such as development or metastases. We further validated that gene expression is induced by neighboring partners via spatial visualization. The neighbor‐dependent gene expression suggests new potential genes involved in cell–cell interactions beyond what ligand‐receptor co‐expression can discover. Synopsis: CellNeighborEX is a computational tool for exploring transcriptomic changes caused by direct cell contact in spatial transcriptomics data. CellNeighborEX provides a new perspective on cellular communication between two adjacent cells.CellNeighborEX identifies neighbor‐dependent genes in spatial transcriptomics data.CellNeighborEX presents new genes potentially involved in cell‐cell interactions, going beyond previous approaches that use ligand‐receptor pairs.Analyses with CellNeighborEX show that niche‐specific gene expression accounts for cellular heterogeneity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The precipitation characteristics of tropical cyclone (TC) formed over the Arabian Sea during the onset phase of the Indian summer monsoon (i.e., late‐May and early‐June months) and in the post‐monsoon season were investigated during the period from 2014 to 2021 using the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) satellite level 2 V07 data. For the cyclonic precipitation, 2‐D frequency distribution between liquid water content (LWC) and non‐liquid water content, that is, ice water content (IWC) shows significant variation with the rain type and season. A large proportion of rain droplets are within the LWC (IWC) range of 0–800 (0–350) g/m2 for the stratiform precipitation of TCs in both seasons. The average value of the mass‐weighted mean diameter (Dm), for the stratiform and convective precipitation at 2 km above the mean sea level in the monsoon (post‐monsoon) season is 1.29 (1.27) mm and 1.47 (1.31) mm, respectively. A gradual decrease in the normalized intercept parameters (Nw) is found to occur with an increase in Dm, irrespective of cloud type and season. There is an enormously high concentration of supercooled liquid and ice particles observed above the melting layer during the convection precipitation in both seasons. In the stratiform cyclonic cloud, the contribution of the collision‐coalescence and breaking‐up process is about 36.62% (47.58%) and 52.52% (41.52%) during the monsoon (post‐monsoon) season. However, the collision‐coalescence process (63.45% in monsoon and 70.2% in post‐monsoon) is acting as dominating microphysical process in the convective precipitation as compared to the break‐up process. Plain Language Summary: Tropical cyclone, a natural hazard causing significant economic loss and human life in the coastal region. As there is substantial improvement in forecast skill of the tropical cyclone movement and region of landfall, while prediction of the tropical cyclone's intensity is still challenging. The knowledge about the precipitation characteristics of the cyclonic cloud is helpful to improve the intensity of the tropical cyclone through the parameterization in the numerical models. For this, we study the microphysical characteristics of the tropical cyclone formed in the Arabian Sea. Key Points: The cyclonic rainfall characteristics were investigated over the Arabian Sea using Global Precipitation Measurement‐dual‐frequency precipitation radarTropical cyclone formed during the monsoon onset phase, characterized with high fraction of intense rain rate, strong reflectivity and bigger raindropsThe contribution of collision‐coalescence (break‐up) is significantly high in convective (stratiform) rain [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a case study of a 65-year-old geriatric patient with intracranial aspergilloma, a rare condition typically associated with immunocompromised states. Topics discussed include the diagnostic challenges in distinguishing fungal lesions from other intracranial pathologies, the significance of CSF galactomannan testing, and the effectiveness of Voriconazole therapy in managing intracranial aspergillosis in immunocompetent individuals.

In the present work, an evacuated tube solar air heater (ETSAH) with inbuilt sensible heat storage material (SHSM) is experimentally evaluated. The system comprises two sets each having 50 evacuated tubes with an H‐type arrangement and a total collector area of 16.92 m2. For the purpose of hot air generation, ETSAH is simultaneously connected in series and in parallel with and without the use of reflectors. Three different mass flow rates of 122.90, 164.87, and 212.83 kg/h were fixed to get 12 diverse cases of ETSAH operation. The highest hot air temperature reported by the system is 121.7°C when it was connected in series with conventional reflectors at 212.83 kg/h of flow rate and 469 W/m2 average solar intensity. The system reported an overall average energy efficiency of 49.76% and an exergy efficiency of 17.97% with the highest average hot air temperature difference of 56.12°C from 09:00 to 20:00 h. Without the incorporation of any additional SHSM, the average hot air temperature delivered by ETSAH (when under the neighbor building shadow) is 49.73°C logged from 17:00 to 20:00 h. The economic analysis is also carried out to ensure its practical application and feasibility. For the best system performance, the annual cost of hot air generation is 0.0194 Rs./kg (0.0002433 $/kg). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Astrocytes are highly efficient homeostatic glial cells playing a crucial role in optimal brain functioning and homeostasis. Astrocytes respond to changes in brain homoeostasis following central nervous system (CNS) injury/diseased state by a specific defence mechanism called reactive astrogliosis. Recent studies have implicated and placed reactive astrogliosis in the centre of pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other neurodegenerative disorders. The AD biomarker field is evolving rapidly with new findings providing strong evidence which supports the notion that a reactive astrogliosis is an early event in the time course of AD progression which may precede other pathological hallmarks of AD. Clinical/translational in vivo PET and in vitro postmortem brain imaging studies demonstrated 'a first and second wave' of reactive astrogliosis in AD with distinct close‐loop relationships with other pathological biomarkers at different stages of the disease. At the end stages, reactive astrocytes are found to be associated, or in proximity, with amyloid plaque and tau pathological deposits in postmortem AD brains. Several new PET‐tracers, which are being in pipeline and validated at a very fast pace for mapping and visualising reactive astrogliosis in the brain, will provide further invaluable mechanistic insights into AD and other non‐AD dementia pathologies. The complementary roles of microglia and astrocyte activation in AD progression, along with the clinical value of new fluid astrocytes biomarkers in the context of existing biomarkers, are the latest avenue that needs further exploration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wise decisions are often guided by an accurate understanding of the expected values of different possible choices. In social contexts, wisdom comes from understanding how others are likely to respond to one's actions, enabling people to make choices that maximize both their own and others' outcomes. Our research suggests that miscalibrated social cognition may create a systematic barrier to wiser decisions in social life. From expressing appreciation to offering support to performing acts of kindness, this program of research indicates that decisions to engage with others are driven by how people expect a recipient to respond, but that people consistently underestimate how positively others will respond to their other-oriented actions. Because connecting with others consistently increases people's own wellbeing, miscalibrated social cognition may lead to undersociality: being overly reluctant to reach out and connect with others. Miscalibrated expectations about social engagement can create markets for products that help people overcome these barriers in order to consume their time, money, and effort more wisely. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ratner et al. (2023) and Silver and Small (2023) raise deeply interesting questions about the broad consequences of increasing sociality, about people's ability to anticipate the outcomes of sociality, and about broader issues people may be considering when thinking of connecting with another person. We focus this response on the potential role of intentions and anticipated impressions in affecting undersociality, as well as the possibility of interactions that could moderate the gap between people's expectations of social engagement and their actual experiences. Many unanswered and important questions remain in need of critical empirical attention. We encourage future research that provides a better understanding of undersociality by focusing on intentions, impressions, and interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the factors associated with food security after three years of implementation of the National Food Security Act, 2013. Fifteen hundred and fourteen households in three states of India—563 from Bihar, 557 from Uttar Pradesh, and 394 from Haryana—were surveyed. Data on beneficiary status, calorie consumption, economic status, social status, health status, and women empowerment were analyzed using binary logistic regression. Findings suggest that beneficiary had more employment in families, normal and deficit calorie intake, used cow dung cake as fuel, more children enrolment in primary and secondary schools, and adoption of family planning measures. These improvements have occurred after three years of implementation of the Act, and through supply of food grains to poor families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maleimides serve as an important synthetic precursor for various organic transformation reactions. However, maleimides have been rarely employed as coupling partners for the direct synthesis of 3‐aryl substituted maleimides via oxidative Heck‐type reaction, due to the lack of β‐hydrogen at the syn‐periplanar position. Therefore, herein, we report an efficient and highly selective synthesis of 3‐arylacetamide incorporated maleimides through the cross‐dehydrogenative coupling process using the simple and native primary acetamide as a weakly directing group with Pd(II)‐catalysis conditions. This reaction furnishes 3‐arylated maleimide derivatives in good yields with high functional group tolerance. Furthermore, 3‐arylated maleimides were transformed into synthetically important derivatives. Based on preliminary control experiments, a probable reaction mechanism has been proposed for the distal C−H bond functionalization reaction. Interesting photophysical properties of the synthesized products were also observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To determine the diagnostic accuracy of anti‐Mullerian hormone (AMH) in the diagnosis of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Methods: Two independent reviewers searched the electronic databases and search engines using PubMed, Cochrane library, and Google Scholar systematically to retrieve relevant articles published from inception to September 2021. The diagnostic efficacy of AMH was computed using the random‐effects model in terms of pooled sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) with 95% confidence interval (CI). A meta‐regression and subgroup analysis were performed to check for any source which could explain possible heterogeneity. Risk of bias assessment was conducted using the QUADAS‐2 tool recommended by Cochrane Library. Results: This meta‐analysis included a total of 41 studies involving 13 509 subjects. We observed promising pooled sensitivity 0.78 (95% CI 0.74 to 0.81), specificity 0.87 (95% CI 0.84 to 0.90), and diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) 24 (95% CI 15 to 37), for AMH in detecting PCOS and discriminatory power (summary receiver operating characteristic [SROC] curves, 0.89 [95% CI 0.86–0.92]). The most prominent bias was noted in the patient selection and index test assessment. Conclusions: With the findings of this current meta‐analysis, we conclude serum AMH to be a promising biomarker for the diagnosis of PCOS, however, substantial heterogeneity among studies needs individual patient data analysis in order to identify an optimal cut‐off value and homogenous findings. Registration Number and Guidelines: This meta‐analysis was performed according to constructed protocol registered in the PROSPERO database with registration number CRD42021246910. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current advancements in nanotechnology focus on miniaturization of electronic devices to provide power on demand. The Li+ ion based micro/nano‐batteries are excellent candidates for this purpose. However, the manufacture a single nano‐battery with assured reliable performance is one of the greatest challenges faced in the fabrication of Li+ ion based nano‐batteries. Nanostructured conducting polymers (NCPs) have shown promise in many frontier areas such as biosensors, microelectronics, polymer batteries, actuators, energy conversion etc. The combination of NCPs with inorganic compounds for designing nano‐batteries has been the subject of extensive investigation due to synergistic interaction of NCPs with inorganic compounds that provides remarkable improvement in electrode lifetime, rate capabilities, and voltage as well as mechanical and thermal stability. The present mini review deals with the fabrication of nano‐batteries using polypyrrole (PPy), polyaniline (PANI), and polythiophene (PTh) which could be utilized for various biomedical applications. The design and development of nano‐batteries using NCPs is discussed along with their applications in implantable devices, pace makers, smart sensing devices etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ocean acidification is impacting marine life all over the world. Understanding how species can cope with the changes in seawater carbonate chemistry represents a challenging issue. We addressed this topic using underwater CO2 vents that naturally acidify some marine areas off the island of Ischia. In the most acidified area of the vents, having a mean pH value of 6.7, comparable to far‐future predicted acidification scenarios (by 2300), the biomass is dominated by the brown alga Sargassum vulgare. The novelty of the present study is the characterization of the S. vulgare proteome together with metabolite analyses to identify the key proteins, metabolites, and pathways affected by ocean acidification. A total of 367 and 387 proteins were identified in populations grown at pH that approximates the current global average (8.1) and acidified sites, respectively. Analysis of their relative abundance revealed that 304 proteins are present in samples from both sites: 111 proteins are either higher or exclusively present under acidified conditions, whereas 120 proteins are either lower or present only under control conditions. Functionally, under acidification, a decrease in proteins related to translation and post‐translational processes and an increase of proteins involved in photosynthesis, glycolysis, oxidation–reduction processes, and protein folding were observed. In addition, small‐molecule metabolism was affected, leading to a decrease of some fatty acids and antioxidant compounds under acidification. Overall, the results obtained by proteins and metabolites analyses, integrated with previous transcriptomic, physiological, and biochemical studies, allowed us to delineate the molecular strategies adopted by S. vulgare to grow in future acidified environments, including an increase of proteins involved in energetic metabolism, oxidation–reduction processes, and protein folding at the expense of proteins involved in translation and post‐translational processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Incorporation of redox‐inactive metals into redox‐active complexes and catalysts attracts attention for engendering new reactivity modes, but this strategy has not been extensively investigated beyond the first‐row of the transition metals. Here, the isolation and characterization of the first series of heterobimetallic complexes of palladium with mono‐, di‐, and tri‐valent redox‐inactive metal ions are reported. A Reinhoudt‐type heteroditopic ligand with a salen‐derived [N2,O2] binding site for Pd and a crown‐ether‐derived [O6] site has been used to prepare isolable adducts of the Lewis acidic redox‐inactive metal ions (Mn+). Comprehensive data from single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction analysis reveal distinctive trends in the structural properties of the heterobimetallic species, including an uncommon dependence of the Pd⋅⋅⋅M distance on Lewis acidity. The reorganization energy associated with reduction of the heterobimetallic species is strongly modulated by Lewis acidity, with the slowest heterogeneous electron transfer kinetics associated with the strongest incorporated Lewis acids. This hitherto unexplored reorganization energy penalty for electron transfer contrasts with prior thermodynamic studies, revealing that kinetic parameters should be considered in studies of reactivity involving heterobimetallic species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigates various strategies to improve the production of xylitol, a platform chemical, by batch cultivation of Debaryomyces nepalensis. Enhancement of xylitol production via triggerring its biosynthetic pathway in yeast cells was carried out under varied initial phosphate concentrations of the medium and by the addition of stress inducers and co‐substrates. Among the tested phosphate concentrations, the xylitol production was found to be increased by 1.62‐fold at limited initial phosphate concentration (1.5 g L−1). Similarly, among all of the studied co‐substrates, the xylitol production was found to be enhanced by adding 10% maltose at the start of fermentation. Among the different stress inducers tested, addition of hydrogen peroxide and sodium hypochlorite at low concentration (10 ppm) resulted in improved xylitol yields by 28 and 34%, respectively, when compared with the control. De facto stress inducers and nutrient limitations may be worthy of consideration to enhance the production of xylitol in batch culture. We envision that the addition of stress inducers at minimum dosage will enhance xylitol productivity. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) behave as signaling molecules and induce biosynthesis of many secondary metabolites, including apocarotenoids, which play critical roles in stress tolerance through radical scavenging. However, the mechanism that regulates ROS responsive apocarotenoid metabolism and subsequent stress response is unknown. In this study, an R2R3‐MYB transcription factor (CstMYB14) was identified from Crocus sativus L., which acts as a regulator of apocarotenoid biosynthesis. CstMYB14 expression increases in response to H2O2 in a concentration and time‐dependent manner. CstMYB14 localizes to the nucleus and acts as a transcriptional activator. Over‐expression of CstMYB14 in Crocus stigmas enhanced apocarotenoid biosynthesis. Yeast‐one‐hybrid demonstrated binding of CstMYB14 to promoters of two apocarotenoid pathway genes (phytoene synthase and carotenoid cleavage dioxygenase 2). Nicotiana benthamiana plants overexpressing CstMYB14 showed better growth and higher stress tolerance than wild type plants. Higher antioxidant activity in CstMYB14‐Ox plants indicated that stress tolerance might be due to ROS scavenging. These results establish a molecular link between ROS signaling, apocarotenoid metabolism and stress tolerance. Further, CstMYB14 is shown to act as a key regulator which modulates ROS responsive biosynthesis of apocarotenoids which in turn impart stress tolerance through ROS scavenging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enantiomerically pure non‐aromatic α‐amino acids having hydrophobic side chains (Isoleucine, Valine, Leucine, Methionine and Alanine) have been acknowledged as an important chiral pool. The wide range of chemical and biological applications associated with these α‐amino acids has encouraged organic chemists to develop new synthetic methodologies for the total synthesis of bioactive molecules. In this review, the synthetic routes of 10 bioactive natural alkaloids have been covered. The present article is an attempt to discuss various synthetic approaches of therapeutically active natural alkaloids and related diversity from non‐aromatic hydrophobic α‐amino acids and non‐amino acid derived synthetic approaches to present a comparative study between the methods. The synthetic steps and the key strategies involved in the total synthesis of selected natural alkaloids have been compared based on atom economy, overall chemical yield, stereoselectivity and sustainability with cost effective manner by using inexpensive commercially available starting materials but the source of chiral pool mainly α‐amino acids to target natural alkaloids in chiral synthesis will be playing an important role. In selected cases of alkaloids synthesized from non‐amino acid route, an external chiral source of induction like metal and organometallic catalysts to generate chirality in the molecule are used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Glutamine synthetase (GS; E.C.6.3.1.2) is a key enzyme in higher plants with two isozymes, cytosolic GS1 and plastidic GS2, and involves in the assimilation and recycling of NH4+ ions and maintenance of complex traits such as crop nitrogen‐use efficiency and yield. Our present understanding of crop nitrogen‐use efficiency and its correlation with the functional role of the GS family genes is inadequate, which delays harnessing the benefit of this key enzyme in crop improvement. In this report, we performed a comprehensive investigation on the phylogenetic relationship, structural properties, complex multilevel gene regulation, and expression patterns of the GS genes to enrich present understanding about the enzyme. Our Gene Ontology and protein–protein interactions analysis revealed the functional aspects of GS isozymes in stress mitigation, aging, nucleotide biosynthesis/transport, DNA repair and response to metals. The insight gained here contributes to the future research strategies in developing climate‐smart crops for global sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corroles, macrocycles that owe their name to the cobalt‐chelating prosthetic group of vitamin B12 and share numerous features with the iron‐chelating porphyrin present in heme proteins/enzymes, constantly cross new boundaries ever since stable derivatives became easily accessible. Particularly important is the increasing utilization of corroles and the corresponding metal complexes for the benefit of mankind, in terms of new drug candidates for treating various diseases and as catalysts for sustainable energy relevant processes. One challenge is to gain access to the plain macrocycle, as to allow for full elucidation of the most fundamental properties of corroles. We have obtained the substituent‐free corrole by several surprising and conceptually different pathways. Selected features of the corresponding metal complexes are illuminated, for pointing towards unique phenomena that are anticipated to largely expand the horizon regarding their utilization for contemporary catalysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corroles, macrocycles that owe their name to the cobalt‐chelating prosthetic group of vitamin B12 and share numerous features with the iron‐chelating porphyrin present in heme proteins/enzymes, constantly cross new boundaries ever since stable derivatives became easily accessible. Particularly important is the increasing utilization of corroles and the corresponding metal complexes for the benefit of mankind, in terms of new drug candidates for treating various diseases and as catalysts for sustainable energy relevant processes. One challenge is to gain access to the plain macrocycle, as to allow for full elucidation of the most fundamental properties of corroles. We have obtained the substituent‐free corrole by several surprising and conceptually different pathways. Selected features of the corresponding metal complexes are illuminated, for pointing towards unique phenomena that are anticipated to largely expand the horizon regarding their utilization for contemporary catalysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Signaling pathways that regulate homeostasis and regeneration are found to be deregulated in various human malignancies. Accordingly, attempts have been made to target them at the protein level with little success. However, studies using high‐throughput sequencing technologies suggest that only about 2% of the genome translates into proteins, whereas about 75% of the genome is transcribed into noncoding RNAs. Among noncoding RNAs, long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have received tremendous attention in recent years as a crucial player in the regulation of almost all cellular processes involved in tissue homeostasis as well as in the development of various malignancies, including intestinal cancer. Emerging evidence suggests that lncRNAs play an instrumental role in the regulation of intestinal stem cells, injury‐induced regeneration, and initiation and progression of intestinal tumors. Here, we summarize the recently discovered lncRNAs during intestinal homeostasis, regeneration, and tumorigenesis. We further present lncRNAs as diagnostic and therapeutic markers in intestinal pathologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tuberculosis (TB) is an infection caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) and one of the deadliest infectious diseases in the world. Mtb has the ability to become dormant within the host and to develop resistance. Hence, new antitubercular agents are required to overcome problems in the treatment of multi‐drug‐resistant Tb (MDR‐Tb) and extensively drug‐resistant Tb (XDR‐Tb) along with shortening the treatment time. Several efforts are being made to develop very effective new drugs for Tb, within the pharmaceutical industry, the academia and through public–private partnerships. This review will address the antitubercular activities, biological target, mode of action, synthetic approaches and thoughtful concept for the development of several new drugs currently in the clinical trial pipeline (up to October 2019) for tuberculosis. The aim of this review may be very useful in scheming new chemical entities (NCEs) for Mtb. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanical impact‐based energy harvesting characteristics of 0–3ϕBa0.85Ca0.15Zr0.10Ti0.90O3/(1−ϕ)polyvinylidene fluoride–polytetrafluoroethylene (BCZT/PVDF–PTFE); volume fraction (0 ≤ ϕ ≤ 0.25) nanocomposites, fabricated using a melt‐mixing method, are presented. A scanning electron microscope is utilized to investigate the distribution of BCZT nanoceramic powder as filler in the blended polymer (PVDF–PTFE; 80:20). The X‐ray diffraction method is applied to ascertain the formations of BCZT and BCZT/PVDF–PTFE. The values of apparent porosity, water absorption, shore D hardness, dielectric constant (εr), tangent loss (tan δ), piezoelectric charge coefficient (d33) and voltage constant (g33), and figure of merit (FM) are found to increase upon increasing ϕ. A significant increment in the impact‐generated electric voltage (25.38–77.73 V) and energy (9.42–243.9 nJ) is noticed with the increasing ϕ. In addition, the small values of water absorption (<0.091%) and tan δ (≈10−2) with relatively higher values of εr, d33, g33, FM, and shore D hardness, power out (Pdc = 0.47 mW using 470 Ω resistive load ϕ = 0.25 sample) as well as improved voltage generation and energy harvesting characteristics, prefigure the promise of the present composite system a superior lead‐free alternative for the applications in energy harvesting, detection/sensing, and structural health monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present herein the catalytic hydrogenation of various urea derivatives to amines and methanol. The reaction is catalyzed by a ruthenium or an iridium Macho pincer complex and produces amine and methanol in very good to excellent yields. Moreover, we also expand this concept to demonstrate the first example of the hydrogenative depolymerization of polyureas to produce diamines and methanol in moderate yields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have described copper(II)‐iron(III) and copper(II)‐manganese(III) heterobimetallic porphyrin dimers and compared them with the corresponding homobimetallic analogs. UV‐visible spectra are very distinct in the heterometallic species while electrochemical studies demonstrate that these species, as compared to the homobimetallic analog, are much easier to oxidize. Combined Mössbauer, EPR, NMR, magnetic and UV‐visible spectroscopic studies show that upon 2e‐oxidation of the heterobimetallic complexes only ring‐centered oxidation occurs. The energy differences between HOMO and LUMO are linearly dependent with the low‐energy NIR band obtained for the 2e‐oxidized complexes. Also, strong electronic communication between two porphyrin rings through the bridge facilitates coupling between various unpaired spins present while the coupling model depends on the nature of metal ions used. While unpaired spins of Fe(III) and the porphyrin π‐cation radical are strongly antiferromagnetically coupled, such coupling is rather weak between Mn(III) and a porphyrin π‐cation radical. Moreover, the coupling between two π‐cation radicals are much stronger in the 2e‐oxidized complexes of dimanganese(III) and copper(II)‐manganese(III) porphyrin dimers as compared to their diiron(III) and copper(II)‐iron(III) analogs. Furthermore, coupling between the unpaired spins of a π‐cation radical and copper(II) is much stronger in the 2e‐oxidized complex of copper(II)‐iron(III) porphyrin dimer as compared to its copper(II)‐manganese(III) analog. The Mulliken spin density distributions in 2e‐oxidized homo‐ and heterobimetallic complexes show symmetric and asymmetric spread between the two macrocycles, respectively. In both the 2e‐oxidized heterobimetallic complexes, the Cu(II) porphyrin center acts as a charge donor while Fe(III)/Mn(III) porphyrin center act as a charge acceptor. The experimental observations are also strongly supported by DFT calculations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synthesis and stabilization of ultrasmall metal nanocrystals at high temperature have always been challenging due to their self‐aggregating behavior. Here, we introduce a strategy to synthesize a cluster of tiny metal nanocrystals (~3 nm) inside a hollow carbon shell as yolk@shell‐type architecture following a metal‐coordination‐based nanocrystal stabilization at high temperature (500 °C). The successful catalytic reduction of 2‐amino‐4‐nitrophenol demonstrates the efficiency of such nanoreactor in chemical transformation. Further adaptation of this strategy helps in synthesizing bimetallic (Au/Pt, Au/Pd, and Au/Ru) nanocrystals, which unfolds the possibilities to design advanced new‐generation catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within this paper, we present an analysis of the fractional model of the Klein–Gordon (K‐G) equation. K‐G equation is considered as one of the significant equations in mathematical physics that describe the interaction of soliton in a collision less plasma. In a novel aspect of this work, we have used the latest form of fractional derivative (FCs), which contains the Mittag–Leffler type of kernel. The homotopy analysis transform method (HATM) is being taken to solve the fractional model of the K‐G equation. A convergence study of HATM has been studied. The existence and uniqueness of the solution for the fractional K‐G equation are presented. For verifying the obtained numerical outcomes regarding accuracy and competency, we have given different graphical presentations. Figures are reflecting that a novel form of the technique is a good organization in respect of proficiency and accurateness to solve the mentioned fractional problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing production and usage of several consumer products and energy sources have resulted in the accumulation of a substantial amount of waste products that are toxic and/or difficult to biodegrade, thus creating a severe threat to our planet. With the recently advocated concepts of circular chemistry, an attractive approach to tackle the challenge of chemical waste reduction is to utilize these waste products as feedstocks for the production of useful chemicals. Catalytic (de)hydrogenation is an atom‐economic, green and sustainable approach in organic synthesis, and several new environmentally benign transformations have been reported using this strategy in the past decade, especially using well‐defined transition metal complexes as catalysts. These discoveries have demonstrated the impact and untapped potential of homogeneous (de)hydrogenative catalysis for the purpose of converting chemical wastes into useful resources. Four types of chemical waste that have been (extensively) studied in recent years for their chemical transformations using homogeneous catalytic (de)hydrogenation are CO2, N2O, plastics, and glycerol. This review article highlights how these chemical wastes can be converted to useful feedstocks using (de)hydrogenative catalysis mediated by well‐defined transition metal complexes and summarizes various types of homogeneous catalysts discovered for this purpose in recent years. Moreover, with examples of hydrogenative depolymerization of plastic waste and the production of virgin plastic via dehydrogenative pathways, we emphasize the potential applications of (de)hydrogenation reactions to facilitate closed‐loop production cycles enabling a circular economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present investigation deliberates the impact of the magnetic dipole for the flow of non‐Newtonian Williamson nanoliquid by considering the thermal radiation and chemical reaction defined by the Arrhenius model. The flow model is established by incorporating the well‐known Buongiorno's nanofluid model, and as a result, Brownian motion and thermophoretic diffusion are assimilated in mathematical modeling. The heat transportation process is accomplished by thermal radiation, heat generation owing to internal energy generation/absorption of the fluid, and viscous dissipation. The coupled nonlinear mathematically formulated partial differential equations (PDEs) are metamorphosed into the ordinary differential equations (ODEs) through the transformation. The bvp4c method is utilized to obtain the solution of formulated ODEs together with the additional conditions at the boundary. The impact of pertinent flow characteristics on temperature, velocity, and concentration profiles is outlined graphically. Also, the strength of energy, surface drag force, and mass transport are calculated and formed in the tabular form. The outcomes show that a rise in activation energy causes fluid concentration to increase. Velocity gets reduced with the increment in either ferrohydrodynamic interaction factor or Weissenberg number. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is extremely challenging to accomplish excellent accuracy for gesture recognition using an approach where complexity in computation time for recognition is less. This study compares accuracy in hand gesture recognition of a single viewpoint set‐up with proposed two viewpoint set‐up for different classification techniques. The efficacy of the presented approach is verified practically with various image processing, feature extraction and classification techniques. Two camera system make geometry learning and three‐dimensional (3D) view feasible compared to a single camera system. Geometrical features from additional viewpoint contribute to 3D view estimation of the hand gesture. It also improves the classification accuracy. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method show escalation in recognition rate compared to the single‐camera system, and also has great performance using simple classifiers like the nearest neighbour and decision tree. Classification within 1 s is considered as real‐time in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was conducted to predict the current and future potential distribution of a tree species Pterocarpus marsupium Roxb. in Ranchi, Eastern India using ecological niche modeling. Nine environmental variables comprising of isothermality, precipitation of wettest and warmest quarter, annual temperature range, soil type, human influence index, elevation, slope and land use cover were used to model the distribution of the species. Climatic variables governed the predicted distribution of the species as they contributed 56.7% as compared to the other nonclimatic variables (43.3%). Northern parts exhibited the most suitable niche of the species as compared to south‐east and central parts that showed low probability of occurrence due to high disturbances caused by rapid urbanization as well as over exploitation of the species for timber, edible and medicinal uses. The average test area under the receiver operating curve (AUC) (0.921) as well as the partial AUC indicated good model performance. The projected change scenarios of RCP2.6, RCP4.5 and RCP6.0 for the year 2050 reveal that the climatically suitable areas will be drastically reduced in Ranchi. The population of the species is declining due to its exploitation from natural habitats for timber and medicinal uses and is listed as near‐threatened by the current IUCN‐Red lists. The findings of this paper will help to identify the potential habitats for further conservation of this near‐threatened species in the changing climatic conditions and increasing anthropogenic pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

cis and trans‐copper(II) porphyrin dimers have been synthesized, in which two CuII porphyrin macrocycles are bridged through a rigid ethene linker for possible through‐space and through‐bond spin‐couplings between the paramagnetic CuII centers. It has been found that the two macrocycles come closer after 1 e− oxidation, however, they move far apart upon further 1 e− oxidation leading to transformation of the cis to the trans isomer. Detailed investigations are performed here on the interactions between the two porphyrin macrocycles, between two unpaired spins of closely spaced CuII centers, and also between the unpaired spins of metal and porphyrin π–cation radicals. Spectroscopic investigations along with the X‐ray structure of the 2 e−‐oxidized complex displayed strong electronic communications through the bridge between two porphyrin π–cation radicals. The counterion I9− is stabilized in an unusual trigonal‐pyramidal structure in the 2 e−‐oxidized complex in which the central iodide ion is bound with four iodine (I2) molecules. Variable‐temperature magnetic study revealed strong antiferromagnetic coupling between the two porphyrin π–cation radical spins (Jr–r) in the 2 e−‐oxidized complex. DFT calculations suggest stabilization of the triplet state, which is also in good agreement with the experiment. Ab initio molecular dynamics allowed the variation of the structural details to be followed upon stepwise oxidations and also the final isomerization process including its associated energy barrier. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interest and challenges remain in designing and synthesizing catalysts with nature‐like complexity at few‐nm scale to harness unprecedented functionalities by using sustainable solar light. We introduce "nanocatalosomes"—a bio‐inspired bilayer‐vesicular design of nanoreactor with metallic bilayer shell‐in‐shell structure, having numerous controllable confined cavities within few‐nm interlayer space, customizable with different noble metals. The intershell‐confined plasmonically coupled hot‐nanospaces within the few‐nm cavities play a pivotal role in harnessing catalytic effects for various organic transformations, as demonstrated by "acceptorless dehydrogenation", "Suzuki–Miyaura cross‐coupling" and "alkynyl annulation" affording clean conversions and turnover frequencies (TOFs) at least one order of magnitude higher than state‐of‐the‐art Au‐nanorod‐based plasmonic catalysts. This work paves the way towards next‐generation nanoreactors for chemical transformations with solar energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interest and challenges remain in designing and synthesizing catalysts with nature‐like complexity at few‐nm scale to harness unprecedented functionalities by using sustainable solar light. We introduce "nanocatalosomes"—a bio‐inspired bilayer‐vesicular design of nanoreactor with metallic bilayer shell‐in‐shell structure, having numerous controllable confined cavities within few‐nm interlayer space, customizable with different noble metals. The intershell‐confined plasmonically coupled hot‐nanospaces within the few‐nm cavities play a pivotal role in harnessing catalytic effects for various organic transformations, as demonstrated by "acceptorless dehydrogenation", "Suzuki–Miyaura cross‐coupling" and "alkynyl annulation" affording clean conversions and turnover frequencies (TOFs) at least one order of magnitude higher than state‐of‐the‐art Au‐nanorod‐based plasmonic catalysts. This work paves the way towards next‐generation nanoreactors for chemical transformations with solar energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigating the immobilization of CO2, previous basalt‐water‐CO2 interaction studies revealed the formation of carbonates over a short period, but with the extensive formation of secondary silicates (SS). The mechanisms involved in these processes remain unresolved, so the present study was undertaken to understand secondary mineral formation mechanisms. XRPD and Rietveld refinement data for neo‐formed minerals show a drastic decrease in the Ca‐O bond length, with the calcite structure degenerating after 80 h (hours). However, SEM images and EDS data revealed that a longer interaction time resulted in the formation of chlorite and smectite, adjacent to basalt grains which prevent basalt‐water‐CO2 interaction to form carbonates, thus restricting carbonate formation. As a result of this, the CO2 mineralization rate is initially high (till 80 h), but it later reduces drastically. It is evident that, for such temperature‐controlled transformations, low temperature is conducive to minimizing SS surface coating at the time of mineral carbonation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structure of the MP‐4 protein was previously determined at a resolution of 2.8 Å. Owing to the unavailability of gene‐sequence information at the time, the side‐chain assignment was carried out on the basis of a partial sequence available through Edman degradation, sequence homology to orthologs and electron density. The structure of MP‐4 has now been determined at a higher resolution (2.22 Å) in another space group and all of the structural inferences that were presented in the previous report of the structure were validated. In addition, the present data allowed an improved assignment of side chains and enabled further analysis of the MP‐4 structure, and the accuracy of the assignment was confirmed by the recently available gene sequence. The study reinforces the traditional concept that conservative interpretations of relatively low‐resolution structures remain correct even with the availability of high‐resolution data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVES: We assessed the characteristics of older Mexican American enrollees in traditional fee‐for‐service (FFS) and Medicare Advantage (MA) plans and the factors associated with disenrollment from FFS and enrollment in MA plans. DESIGN: Longitudinal study linked with Medicare claims data. SETTING: The Hispanic Established Populations for the Epidemiologic Study of the Elderly. PARTICIPANTS: Community‐dwelling Mexican American older adults (N = 1455). MEASUREMENTS: We examined insurance status using the Medicare Beneficiary Summary File and estimated the association of sociodemographic and clinical factors with insurance plan switching. RESULTS: Among Mexican American older adults, FFS enrollees were more likely to be born in Mexico, speak Spanish, have lower levels of education, and have more disability than MA enrollees. Older adults with a larger number of limitations of instrumental activities of daily living (odds ratio [OR] =.50; 95% confidence interval [CI] =.26‐.98) and more social support (OR =.70; 95% CI =.45‐.98) were less likely to switch from FFS to MA compared with older adults with no limitations and less social support. Additionally, older adults living in counties with a greater number of MA plans were more likely to switch from FFS to MA (OR = 2.1; 95% CI = 1.45‐3.16), compared with counties with a lower number of MA plans. In counties with a higher number of MA plans, older adults with more social support had lower odds of switching from FFS to MA (OR =.48; 95% CI =.28‐.82) compared with older adults with less social support. CONCLUSION: Compared with those enrolled in MA, older Mexican American adults enrolled in Medicare FFS are more socioeconomically disadvantaged and more likely to demonstrate poor health status. Stronger social support and increased physical limitations were strongly associated with less frequent switching from FFS to MA plans. Additionally, increased availability of MA plans at the county level is a significant driver of enrollment in MA plans. J Am Geriatr Soc 68:313–320, 2020 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we have synthesized fluorescent carbon dots from β‐cyclodextrin in a single step via the hydrothermal method and abbreviated as (β‐CDs). These synthesized β‐CDs were utilized for the cholesterol detection using fluorometric method. The detection of cholesterol attributable to alcoholic groups of β‐CDs was combined with the phenolic group of the cholesterol due to intermolecular hydrogen bonding and the authentic cavity size of the β‐CDs. The sensing mechanism was characterized by fluorescence lifetime decay, zeta potential, and UV‐visible spectroscopy. These β‐CDs are highly sensitive towards cholesterol with detection of limit is 0.204 μM and relatively wide linear range of 0.5‐40 μM. This assay shows a high sensitivity towards cholesterol even in the presence of interfering biomolecules. These β‐CDs are also used for the detection of cholesterol in the real sample (human blood serum). The small particle size, low cytotoxicity, and excellent fluorescence properties of the synthesized β‐CDs are also used for cellular imaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stereoselective synthesis of deoxyglycosides has been achieved from benchtop stable and easily synthesizable deoxy‐phenylpropiolate glycosides (D‐PPGs) using gold(III) salt as catalyst under external additive‐free conditions. Under a simple catalytic system, D‐PPGs reacted with a variety of sugar and non‐sugar acceptors to produce majorly α‐stereoselective O/N‐deoxyglycosides in good to excellent yields and regenerate easily separable and reusable phenylpropiolic acid. Deoxy‐PPGs containing armed and disarmed groups survived well under the optimized reaction conditions. In addition, the orthogonal nature of D‐PPGs was showcased, and 1,1′‐linked trehalose‐type sugar was also synthesized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To overcome soil nutrient limitation, many plants have developed complex nutrient acquisition strategies including altering root morphology, root hair formation or colonization by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). The interactions of these strategies and their plasticity are, however, affected by soil nutrient status throughout plant growth. Such plasticity is decisive for plant phosphorus (P) acquisition in P‐limited soils. We investigated the P acquisition strategies and their plasticity of two maize genotypes characterized by the presence or absence of root hairs. We hypothesized that in the absence of root hairs plant growth is facilitated by traits with complementary functions, e.g., by higher root mycorrhizal colonization. This dependence on complementary traits will decrease in P fertilized soils. At early growth stages, root hairs are of little benefit for nutrient uptake. Regardless of the presence or absence of root hairs, plants produced average root biomass of 0.14 g per plant and exhibited 23% root mycorrhizal colonization. At later growth stages of maize, contrasting mechanisms with functional complementarity explained similar plant biomass production under P limitation: the presence of root hairs versus higher root mycorrhizal colonization (67%) favored by increased fine root diameter in absence of root hairs. P fertilization decreased the dependence of plant on specific root traits for nutrient acquisition. Through root trait plasticity, plants can minimize trade‐offs for developing and maintaining functional traits, while increasing the benefit in terms of nutrient acquisition and plant growth. The present study highlights the plasticity of functional root traits for efficient nutrient acquisition strategies in agricultural systems with low nutrient availability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current work investigates various bimetallic catalysts supported on Al2O3−Zn−ZrO2 to determine a catalyst with minimal CO selectivity at high temperature for methanol steam reforming. Characterization tools employed in this study include temperature programmed reduction, X‐ray diffraction, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Activity testing for all the catalysts synthesized were performed in the temperature range of 150 to 500 °C. Bimetallic catalyst with addition of Fe as second metal to Cu in 50 : 50 molar ratio was observed with an interesting synergy which resulted in reduced particle size and enhanced reducibility. It was further observed that Cu−Fe with lower Fe content and up to 75 % Cu led to zero CO selectivity for temperature up to 450 °C. A structure‐activity relationship of Cu−Fe/Al2O3−Zn−ZrO2 was therefore elucidated. Further, reaction mechanism for the same was also proposed based on in‐situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dice‐shaped zeolite A (NaA) was prepared via direct dissolution of rice husk ash (96.5% SiO2) in the presence of NaOH and sodium aluminate solution by autoclave process at 90°C/6 h without using any templating agent. The prepared particles were characterized by DTA/TG, XRD, FTIR, N2 adsorption‐desorption physisorption analysis, FESEM, and TEM. XRD results confirmed crystallization of pure NaA zeolite phase. FTIR study shows the characteristic bands at 554 cm−1 for double 4 membered ring (D4R) of NaA zeolite. The total BET surface area of the product was found to be 31.6 m2 g−1. FESEM and TEM images show dice shaped NaA particles of size around 1 μm which is formed via oriented crystalline aggregation of primary particles (30‐40 nm). A tentative mechanism was proposed for the formation of NaA crystals through direct dissolution of rice husk ash. The synthesized NaA zeolite could be used for purification of alcohol and separation of toxic and radioactive ions from waste water via a cost‐effective process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Suzuki‐Miyaura cross‐coupling (SMCC) involves the coupling of organohalides and organoboron molecules in the presence of Pd(II)‐based catalysts. Often SMCC reactions employ homogenous catalysts. However, such homogenous SMCC reactions are associated with certain limitations which has motivated design of effective and sustainable Pd(II)‐based heterogeneous catalytic systems. Herein, we report a systematic development of a Pd(II)‐immobilized and triptycene based ionic hyper crosslinked polymer (Pd@TP‐iHCP) and explored its application as a heterogeneous catalyst for SMCC reaction. Pd@TP‐iHCP has ample N‐heterocyclic carbene (NHC) pendants that anchor Pd(II) centres on the polymeric matrix. Pd@TP‐iHCP was characterized satisfactorily using FT‐IR, 13C CP‐MAS NMR, BET surface area analysis, SEM, EDX and HRTEM. The performance of Pd@TP‐iHCP as a heterogeneous catalyst for SMCC reactions was explored using various combinations of aryl boronic acids and aryl halides. Experimental results show that Pd@TP‐iHCP is associated with a moderately high surface area. It is an efficient catalyst for SMCC (in aqueous media) with a modest loading of 0.8 mol % Pd(II)‐catalyst since high yields of the expected products were obtained in shorter time intervals. Pd@TP‐iHCP also features excellent stability and catalyst recyclability since it could be re‐used for several cycles without any significant decrease in catalytic efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rising use of seawater desalination for fresh water production is driving a parallel rise in the discharge of high‐salinity brine into the ocean. Better utilization of this brine would have a positive impact on the energy use, cost, and environmental footprint of desalination. Furthermore, intermittent renewable energy can easily power the brine utilization and, for reverse osmosis technology, the entire desalination plant. One pathway toward these goals is to convert the otherwise discharged brine into useful chemicals; waste could be transformed into sodium hydroxide or caustic soda (NaOH) and hydrochloric acid (HCl). In this Minireview, we discuss opportunities and challenges for integrated valorization of desalination brine through NaOH and HCl recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rising use of seawater desalination for fresh water production is driving a parallel rise in the discharge of high‐salinity brine into the ocean. Better utilization of this brine would have a positive impact on the energy use, cost, and environmental footprint of desalination. Furthermore, intermittent renewable energy can easily power the brine utilization and, for reverse osmosis technology, the entire desalination plant. One pathway toward these goals is to convert the otherwise discharged brine into useful chemicals; waste could be transformed into sodium hydroxide or caustic soda (NaOH) and hydrochloric acid (HCl). In this Minireview, we discuss opportunities and challenges for integrated valorization of desalination brine through NaOH and HCl recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a C−C bond‐forming reaction between benzyl alcohols and alkynes in the presence of a catalytic amount of KOtBu to form α‐alkylated ketones in which the C=O group is located on the side derived from the alcohol. The reaction proceeds under thermal conditions (125 °C) and produces no waste, making the reaction highly atom efficient, environmentally benign, and sustainable. Based on our mechanistic investigations, we propose that the reaction proceeds through radical pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a C−C bond‐forming reaction between benzyl alcohols and alkynes in the presence of a catalytic amount of KOtBu to form α‐alkylated ketones in which the C=O group is located on the side derived from the alcohol. The reaction proceeds under thermal conditions (125 °C) and produces no waste, making the reaction highly atom efficient, environmentally benign, and sustainable. Based on our mechanistic investigations, we propose that the reaction proceeds through radical pathways. Waste not, want not: Benzyl alcohols underwent C−C bond formation with alkynes under thermal conditions in the presence of a catalytic amount of KOtBu to provide α‐alkylated ketones with 100 % atom economy (see scheme). The reaction showed unusual regioselectivity to give products in which the C=O group was located on the side of the molecule derived from the alcohol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]