The total synthesis of the Lycopodium alkaloid complanadine A, which is an unsymmetrical dimer of lycodine, was achieved by exploiting a common tetracyclic precursor. Key to the success of the ...synthesis was the development of a late-stage site-selective C−H functionalization of a pyridine moiety to arrive at a key boronic ester intermediate.
Mindfulness, derived from Buddhist origins, refers to deliberate, unbiased and openhearted awareness of perceptible experience in the present moment. With its focus on cultivation of benevolent and ...clear-headed values and actions to self, others and the world, as well as its possible value in fostering greater coherence between values, attitudes and behavior, the concept of mindfulness has most recently attracted the interest of scholars in sustainable consumption research. So far, however, research on the connection between mindfulness and sustainable consumption is scattered across different disciplines and lacks integration. This paper contributes to a consolidation of the field. Based on a systematic literature review (Ninitial sample = 1137 publications, Npreliminary sample = 32, Nfinal sample = 7), it represents a stocktaking exercise to evaluate the research methodologies used and findings reported in the emerging field of empirical research relating mindfulness to sustainable consumption. The focus of the review is on four potential mechanisms of mindfulness for sustainable consumption that have been postulated in seminal conceptual works in the field: to disrupt routines, to promote more congruence with regard to the attitude-behavior gap, to nurture non-materialistic values, to enhance well-being, and to foster pro-social behavior. Preliminary evidence suggests support for these assumed potentials. However, the review also reveals that there are serious methodological challenges and shortcomings in existing empirical approaches, namely with regard to definitional issues, the development and use of instruments, selection of samples, study designs and the inclusion of mediating or moderating variables. The paper concludes with a discussion of challenges and recommendations for future work in the field.
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•Mindfulness is considered to have several potential mechanisms to promote sustainable consumption.•A systematic literature review explores these potential mechanisms.•Results tentatively support the capacity of mindfulness to disrupt routines and promote more congruent consumption behaviors.•Mindfulness was also found to nurture non-materialistic values, enhance well-being, and foster pro-social behavior.•The review also reveals serious caveats with regard to appropriate research designs and methodological rigor.•Needs for future research on mindfulness and sustainable consumption are outlined.
The nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center in diamond exhibits spin-dependent fluorescence and long spin coherence times under ambient conditions, enabling applications in quantum information processing and ...sensing. NV centers near the surface can have strong interactions with external materials and spins, enabling new forms of nanoscale spectroscopy. However, NV spin coherence degrades within 100 nm of the surface, suggesting that diamond surfaces are plagued with ubiquitous defects. Prior work on characterizing near-surface noise has primarily relied on using NV centers themselves as probes; while this has the advantage of exquisite sensitivity, it provides only indirect information about the origin of the noise. Here we demonstrate that surface spectroscopy methods and single-spin measurements can be used as complementary diagnostics to understand sources of noise. We find that surface morphology is crucial for realizing reproducible chemical termination, and use this insight to achieve a highly ordered, oxygen-terminated surface with suppressed noise. We observe NV centers within 10 nm of the surface with coherence times extended by an order of magnitude.
Background
Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is the most common form of hair loss consisting of a characteristic receding frontal hairline in men and diffuse hair thinning in women, with frontal hairline ...retention, and can impact an individual's quality of life. The condition is primarily mediated by 5‐alpha‐reductase and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) which causes hair follicles to undergo miniaturization and shortening of successive anagen cycles. Although a variety of medical, surgical, light‐based and nutraceutical treatment options are available to slow or reverse the progression of AGA, it can be challenging to select appropriate therapies for this chronic condition.
Aims
To highlight treatment options for androgenetic alopecia taking into consideration the efficacy, side effect profiles, practicality of treatment (compliance), and costs to help clinicians offer ethically appropriate treatment regimens to their patients.
Materials and Methods
A literature search was conducted using electronic databases (Medline, PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, EBSCO) and textbooks, in addition to the authors' and other practitioners' clinical experiences in treating androgenetic alopecia, and the findings are presented here.
Results
Although topical minoxidil, oral finasteride, and low‐level light therapy are the only FDA‐approved therapies to treat AGA, they are just a fraction of the treatment options available, including other oral and topical modalities, hormonal therapies, nutraceuticals, PRP and exosome treatments, and hair transplantation.
Discussion
Androgenetic alopecia therapy remains challenging as treatment selection involves ethical, evidence‐based decision‐making and consideration of each individual patient's needs, compliance, budget, extent of hair loss, and aesthetic goals, independent of potential financial benefits to the practitioners.
Polydopamine coatings are of interest due to the fact that they can promote adhesion to a broad range of materials and can enable a variety of applications. However, the polydopamine–substrate ...interaction is often noncovalent. To broaden the potential applications of polydopamine, we show the incorporation of 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES), a traditional coupling agent capable of covalent bonding to a broad range of organic and inorganic surfaces, into polydopamine coatings. High energy X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (HE-XPS), conventional XPS, near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS), Fourier transform infrared-attenuated total reflectance (FTIR-ATR), and ellipsometry measurements were used to investigate changes in coating chemistry and thickness, which suggest covalent incorporation of APTES into polydopamine. These coatings can be deposited either in Tris buffer or by using an aqueous APTES solution as a buffer without Tris. APTES–dopamine hydrochloride deposition from solutions with molar ratios between 0:1 and 10:1 allowed us to control the coating composition across a broad range.
Organic electronics have emerged as a viable competitor to amorphous silicon for the active layer in low‐cost electronics. The critical performance of organic electronic materials is closely related ...to their morphology and molecular packing. Unlike their inorganic counterparts, polymers combine complex repeat unit structure and crystalline disorder. This combination prevents any single technique from being able to uniquely solve the packing arrangement of the molecules. Here, a general methodology for combining multiple, complementary techniques that provide accurate unit cell dimensions and molecular orientation is described. The combination of measurements results in a nearly complete picture of the organic film morphology.
The performance of organic electronic materials is closely related to their morphology and molecular packing, which can be measured by combining multiple complementary techniques. This image shows the layered structure of the semiconducting polymer pBTTT, determined by combining information from diffraction, polarized spectroscopies, and scanning probe microscopy.
The rapid insertion and extraction of Li ions from a cathode material is imperative for the functioning of a Li-ion battery. In many cathode materials such as LiCoO2, lithiation proceeds through ...solid-solution formation, whereas in other materials such as LiFePO4 lithiation/delithiation is accompanied by a phase transition between Li-rich and Li-poor phases. We demonstrate using scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (STXM) that in individual nanowires of layered V2O5, lithiation gradients observed on Li-ion intercalation arise from electron localization and local structural polarization. Electrons localized on the V2O5 framework couple to local structural distortions, giving rise to small polarons that serves as a bottleneck for further Li-ion insertion. The stabilization of this polaron impedes equilibration of charge density across the nanowire and gives rise to distinctive domains. The enhancement in charge/discharge rates for this material on nanostructuring can be attributed to circumventing challenges with charge transport from polaron formation.
Background
The globally devastating effects of COVID‐19 breach not only the realm of public health, but of psychosocial interaction and communication as well, particularly with the advent of ...mask‐wearing.
Methods
A review of the literature and understanding of facial anatomy and expressions as well as the effect of botulinum toxin on emotions and nonverbal communication.
Results
Today, the mask has become a semi‐permanent accessory to the face, blocking our ability to express and perceive each other’s facial expressions by dividing it into a visible top half and invisible bottom half. This significantly restricts our ability to accurately interpret emotions based on facial expressions and strengthens our perceptions of negative emotions produced by frowning. The addition of botulinum toxin (BTX)–induced facial muscle paralysis to target the muscles of the top (visible) half of the face, especially the corrugator and procerus muscles, may act as a therapeutic solution by its suppression of glabellar lines and our ability to frown. The treatment of the glabella complex not only has been shown to inhibit the negative emotions of the treated individual but also can reduce the negative emotions in those who come in contact with the treated individual.
Conclusions
Mask‐wearing in the wake of COVID‐19 brings new challenges to our ability to communicate and perceive emotion through full facial expression, our most effective and universally shared form of communication, and BTX may offer a positive solution to decrease negative emotions and promote well‐being for both the mask‐wearer and all who come in contact with that individual.
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