Isomorphic Insertion of Ce(III)/Ce(IV) Centers into Layered Double Hydroxide as a Heterogeneous Multifunctional Catalyst for Efficient Meerwein-Ponndorf-Verley Reduction.

The development of highly active acid-base catalysts for transfer hydrogenations of biomass derived carbonyl compounds is a pressing challenge. Solid frustrated Lewis pairs (FLP) catalysis is possibly a solution, but the development of this concept is still at a very early stage. Herein, stable, phase-pure, crystalline hydrotalcite-like compounds were synthesized by incorporating cerium cations into layered double hydroxide (MgAlCe-LDH). Besides the insertion of well-isolated cerium centers surrounded by hydroxyl groups, the formation of hydroxyl vacancies near the aluminum centers, which were formed by the insertion of cerium centers into the layered double hydroxides (LDH) lattice, was also identified. Depending on the initial cerium concentration, LDHs with different Ce(III)/Ce(IV) ratios were produced, which had Lewis acidic and basic characters, respectively. However, the acid-base character of these LDHs was related to the actual Ce(III)/Ce(IV) molar ratios, resulting in significant differences in their catalytic performance. The as-prepared structures enabled varying degrees of transfer hydrogenation (Meerwein-Ponndorf-Verley MPV reduction) of biomass-derived carbonyl compounds to the corresponding alcohols without the collapse of the original lamellar structure of the LDH. The catalytic markers through the test reactions were changed as a function of the amount of Ce(III) centers, indicating the active role of Ce(III)-OH units. However, the cooperative interplay between the active sites of Ce(III)-containing specimens and the hydroxyl vacancies was necessary to maximize catalytic efficiency, pointing out that Ce-containing LDH is a potentially commercial solid FLP catalysts. Furthermore, the crucial role of the surface hydroxyl groups in the MPV reactions and the negative impact of the interlamellar water molecules on the catalytic activity of MgAlCe-LDH were demonstrated. These solid FLP-like catalysts exhibited excellent catalytic performance (cyclohexanol yield of 45%; furfuryl alcohol yield of 51%), which is competitive to the benchmark Sn- and Zr-containing zeolite catalysts, under mild reaction conditions, especially at low temperature (T = 65 °C).

Self-care knowledge in patients with intestinal stomas in a selected hospital in the south of Viet Nam: A descriptive cross-sectional study.

Background: Intestinal stomas are surgical interventions that have an impact on both physical and psychological health, necessitating patient self-care. Insufficient knowledge regarding peristomal skin care, prevention, and treatment of potential problems can lead to an increase in stoma-related complications. Objective: This study aimed to assess patients' knowledge of self-care for intestinal stomas and examine the relationship between background information and self-care knowledge. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted from December 2021 to December 2022 at the Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital in Vietnam, involving 74 participants with intestinal stomas. A questionnaire consisting of 24 closed-ended questions was used to evaluate participants' knowledge of self-care for intestinal stomas. Descriptive statistics, Chi-square, and Fisher's exact tests were employed for data analysis. Results: The findings revealed that 54.1% of participants had good knowledge of general self-care for intestinal stomas. The distribution of good knowledge among participants was as follows: basic knowledge (66.2%), self-care practice (56.8%), recognizing and managing complications (31.1%), and dietary knowledge (64.8%). Significant relationships were observed between participants' self-care knowledge and their education level (p = 0.002), marital status (p = 0.017), nurses' education (p = 0.021), and hospitalization (p = 0.001). Conclusion: The proportion of participants with good knowledge of self-care for intestinal stomas was relatively low, and it was associated with individuals' education level, marital status, nurses' education, and hospitalization. This study highlights the need for ongoing development of educational programs on self-care for intestinal stomas. These programs should be tailored to address the specific needs of each patient and aim to improve their self-care knowledge in a meaningful and sustainable manner. By investing in patient education, healthcare professionals, particularly nurses, can assist individuals with intestinal stomas in achieving better outcomes and preventing potential complications.

Assessing cognitive decline in Vietnamese older adults using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment-Basic (MoCA-B) and Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the Elderly (IQCODE) during the COVID-19 pandemic: A feasibility study.

Objectives: The lack of cognitive assessment tools suitable for people with minimal formal education is a barrier to identify cognitive impairment in Vietnam. Our aims were to (i) evaluate the feasibility of conducting the Montreal Cognitive Assessment-Basic (MoCA-B) and Informant Questionnaire On Cognitive Decline in the Elderly (IQCODE) remotely on the Vietnamese older adults, (ii) examine the association between the two tests, (iii) identify demographic factors correlated with these tools. Methods: The MoCA-B was adapted from the original English version, and a remote testing procedure was conducted. One hundred seventy-three participants aged 60 and above living in the Vietnamese southern provinces were recruited via an online platform during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results: IQCODE results showed that the proportions of rural participants classified as having mild cognitive impairment and dementia were substantially higher than those in urban areas. Levels of education and living areas were associated with IQCODE scores. Education attainment was also the main predictor of MoCA-B scores (30% of variance explained), with an average of 10.5 points difference between those with no formal education and those who attended university. Conclusions: It is feasible to administer the IQCODE and MoCA-B remotely in the Vietnamese older population. Education attainment played a stronger role in predicting MoCA-B scores than IQCODE, suggesting the influence of this factor on MoCA-B scores. Further study is needed to develop socio-culturally appropriate cognitive screening tests for the Vietnamese population.

The Relationship between Dark Triad Personality Traits and Sexting Behaviors among Adolescents and Young Adults across 11 Countries.

BACKGROUND: Sexting is an increasingly common phenomenon among adolescents and young adults. Some studies have investigated the role of personality traits in different sexting behaviors within mainstream personality taxonomies like Big Five and HEXACO. However, very few studies have investigated the role of maladaptive personality factors in sexting. Therefore, the present study investigated the relationship between Dark Triad Personality Traits and experimental (i.e., sharing own sexts), risky (i.e., sexting under substance use and with strangers), and aggravated sexting (i.e., non-consensual sexting and sexting under pressure) across 11 countries. METHODS: An online survey was completed by 6093 participants (Mage = 20.35; SDage = 3.63) from 11 different countries which covered four continents (Europe, Asia, Africa, and America). Participants completed the Sexting Behaviors Questionnaire and the 12-item Dark Triad Dirty Dozen scale. RESULTS: Hierarchical regression analyses showed that sharing own sexts was positively predicted by Machiavellianism and Narcissism. Both risky and aggravated sexting were positively predicted by Machiavellianism and Psychopathy. CONCLUSIONS: The present study provided empirical evidence that different sexting behaviors were predicted by Dark Triad Personality Traits, showing a relevant role of Machiavellianism in all kinds of investigated sexting behaviors. Research, clinical, and education implications for prevention programs are discussed.

Investigation of Chitosan Nanoparticles Loaded with Protocatechuic Acid (PCA) for the Resistance of Pyricularia oryzae Fungus against Rice Blast.

In this study, chitosan nanoparticles were used as a carrier for Protocatechuic acid (PCA) to resist Pyricularia oryzae against rice blast. The final compound was characterized using zeta potentials for its surface electricity, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) analysis and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were conducted for functional groups and for particle sizes and shape, respectively. The zeta potential results showed that loading PCA causes chitosan nanoparticle (CSNP) to decrease in surface electrons. The TEM images revealed that the particle size of chitosan (CS), although increasing in size when carrying PCA molecules, showed sufficient size for reasonable penetration into fungal cells. The FT-IR analysis showed that all functional group in CSNP carried PCA matched with previous studies. The antifungal test showed that diameters of inhibition zone of CS increases significantly after loading PCA, exhibiting the strongest antimicrobial effect on the Pyricularia oryzae fungus compared with weaker effects exhibited by CSNP alone or PCA. Our results suggested that CSNP loaded with PCA could be a potential compound for eradication of Pyricularia oryzae and that further testing on in vitro rice plants is recommended to reaffirm this possibility.

Porous metal oxides derived from Cu-Al layered double hydroxide as an efficient heterogeneous catalyst for the Friedel-Crafts alkylation of indoles with benzaldehydes under microwave irradiation.

Four Cu-Mg-Al mixed metal oxides (MMO) were synthesized through the calcination of layered double hydroxides (LDHs). These catalysts were fully characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area (BET), and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer (ICP-OES). The catalytic efficiency of porous metal oxides derived from LDHs has been tested successfully for the synthesis of bis(indolyl)methanes via the Friedel-Crafts alkylation of indoles with aromatic aldehydes under solvent-free microwave irradiation. The Cu-Al MMO showed the best catalytic activity to produce the expected products up to 98% yield and 100% selectivity for only 20 min under solvent-free microwave irradiation. Moreover, the catalyst can be recovered quickly from the reaction mixture by filtration and reused several times without significant loss of the reactivity.

Correlating the para-Substituent Effects on Ru(II)-Polypyridine Photophysical Properties and on the Corresponding Hybrid P450 BM3 Enzymes Photocatalytic Activity.

Ru(II)-diimine complexes covalently attached near the heme active site of P450 BM3 enzymes have been used to rapidly inject electrons and drive selective C-H functionalization upon visible light irradiation. Herein, we have generated a series of hybrid P450 BM3 enzymes containing a photosensitizer of general formula [Ru(4,4'-X2bpy)2(PhenA)]2+ where X = Cl, H, tBu, Me OPhe, OMe, or NMe2, bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine, and PhenA = 5-acetamido-1,10-phenanthroline. We then probed the effect of electron-withdrawing and -donating groups at the para position of the 4,4'-X2bpy ligands on the corresponding hybrid enzymes photocatalytic activity. A 3-fold improvement in initial reaction rate was noted when varying the substituent from Cl to tBu, however, the reaction rates decrease thereafter with the more electron donating groups. In order to rationalize those effects, we investigated the variation of the substituent on the photophysical properties of the corresponding [Ru(4,4'-X2bpy)2(bpy)]2+ model complexes. Several linear correlations were established between the E(III/II) potential, the MLCT emission, and absorption energies as well as the logarithm of the luminescence quenching rate vs the summative Brown-Okamoto parameter (Σσp+). Moreover, a downward curved Hammett plot is observed with the hybrid enzyme initial reaction rate revealing mechanistic details about the overall light-driven enzymatic process.

Chromogenic nitrophenolate-based substrates for light-driven hybrid P450 BM3 enzyme assay.

The incorporation of a p-nitrophenoxy moiety in substrates has enabled the development of colorimetric assays to rapidly screen for O-demethylation activity of P450 enzymes. For the light-driven hybrid P450 BM3 enzymes, where a Ru(II) photosensitizer powers the enzyme upon visible light irradiation, we have investigated a family of p-nitrophenoxy derivatives as useful chromogenic substrates compatible with the light-driven approach. The validation of this assay and its adaptability to a 96-well plate format will enable the screening of the next generation of hybrid P450 BM3 enzymes towards C-H bond functionalization of non-natural substrates.

Chiral bicyclic guanidine-catalyzed enantioselective reactions of anthrones.

Chiral bicyclic guanidine 1 was found to be an excellent catalyst for reactions between anthrones and various dienophiles. The catalyst can tolerate a range of substituents and substitution patterns, making several anthrone derivatives suitable for this reaction. Both Diels-Alder and Michael adducts were obtained in excellent yields, high regioselectivities, and high enantioselectivities. This is the first case of a highly enantioselective base-catalyzed anthrone Diels-Alder reaction.