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Technology for generating especially important amide and peptide bonds from carboxylic acids and amines that avoids traditional coupling reagents is described. The 1-pot processes developed rely on thioester formation, neat, using a simple dithiocarbamate, and are safe and green, and rely on Nature-inspired thioesters that are then converted to the targeted functionality.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a major impact on students' financial situation as well as on their mental health. Aim: To examine the reported change in the financial situation of German university students before and across two time points of the COVID-19 pandemic and to evaluate its associations with anxiety and depressive symptoms. Methods: We used data from the cross-sectional COVID-19 German Student Well-being Study conducted at five German universities (N = 7203). Linear regression models were used to analyze associations between a reported change in financial situation and anxiety and depressive symptoms. Results: Twenty-eight percent of the participants reported to have a worsened financial situation at the time of the survey compared to the time prior to the pandemic. A worsened financial situation at the time of the survey as compared to prior to the pandemic was associated with higher levels of anxiety and depressive symptoms reported in all three depression and anxiety scales [a 1.46 point increase on the CES-D 8 scale (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.19; 1.73), a 0.37-point increase in PHQ-2 (95% CI: 0.28; 0.46), and a 0.45-point increase in GAD-2 (95% CI: 0.35; 0.55)]. An improved financial situation, on the other hand, was associated with lower levels of anxiety and depressive symptoms. As for the second change, comparing the current financial situation with the situation during the first wave of the pandemic, the associations with anxiety and depressive symptoms were broadly similar. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that students are a vulnerable population in need of mental and financial support during times of crisis. Future research is needed to obtain insights into potential long-term effects of the pandemic on students' mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective was to understand the opinion of the military police in the state of Ceará who participated in the Officer Training Course about the professional training experienced, as well as the possible emerging gaps to ensure public safety. The research, a qualitative case study, was carried out through a semi-structured interview with three military police officers. The collected data were treated using the content analysis technique, which allowed the formulation of four categories for the discussion of the results: 1) Perceptions of the military police about the training course; 2) Meanings of the reformulations of the formation of the military police in Ceará; and 3) Persistent impasses. It was found that the military police evaluated the organization of the training course in which they participated as positive, highlighting aspects such as the association between theory and practice and the broad panorama of disciplines as advances in this area. The reformulation of the course was considered positive, however difficulties persist that compromise the professional practice of this class, such as the lack of harmony with other public security organs of the state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prebiotic origins of ribose, nucleosides, and eventually RNA are enduring questions whose answers are central to the RNA world hypothesis. The abiotic synthesis of sugars was first demonstrated over a century ago, but no known prebiotic reaction produces ribose (an aldose sugar) selectively and in good yield. In contrast, ribulose, and fructose (ketose sugars) and other monosaccharides are formed in high yield by several robust abiotic reactions. It is reported here that ketose sugars ‐ both ketopentoses and ketohexoes ‐ serve as precursors for the formation of ribosides and other aldosides, as demonstrated by glycoside‐forming reactions involving barbituric acid, a plausibly prebiotic nucleobase. Moreover, a one‐pot reaction of glyceraldehyde and barbituric acid was discovered which under mild conditions, and without special minerals or other catalysts, results in the formation of glycosides. These results reveal that an exclusive or high‐yielding generation of free ribose was not required for its incorporation into processes that provided the foundations for life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]