Molecular identification and eco-friendly management of rice brown planthoppers in Bangladesh.

Infestation by various insect pests is the main constraint for growing rice where rice brown planthopper ( Stål) can severely damage rice plants directly through feeding. Therefore, the study aims to detect rice brown planthoppers (BPH) and provide environment-friendly management tactics to mitigate the problem which caused by brown planthoppers. The BPH samples were collected from rice fields of different locations in the Patuakhali of Bangladesh for molecular identification.

The discovery of indazapyroxamet: a novel 3-pyridinyl insecticide targeting piercing/sucking insects.

In recent years, the registrations for a number of commercial insecticides utilized for piercing/sucking insects have been cancelled or restricted. To meet this growing need for new hemipteran controlling agrochemicals, we discovered a 2-(pyridin-3-yl)-thiazole compound, with limited insecticidal activity against cotton/melon aphid (Aphis gossypii). The 2-(pyridin-3-yl)-thiazole moiety offered us a basis to pursue the bicyclic 2-(pyridin-3-yl)-2H-indazole carboxamides.

Artificial intelligence and machine learning applications in the project lifecycle of the construction industry: A comprehensive review.

The construction industry faces many challenges, including schedule and cost overruns, productivity constraints, and workforce shortages. Compared to other sectors, it lags in digitalization in every project phase. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) have emerged as transformative technologies revolutionizing the construction sector.

Arene and functionalized arene based two dimensional organic-inorganic hybrid perovskites for photovoltaic applications.

Recently, two-dimensional organic-inorganic hybrid perovskites have attracted great attention for their outstanding performances in solar energy conversion devices. By using first principles calculations, we explored the structural, electronic and optical properties of recently synthesized (PEA) PbI and (PEA) SnI organic-inorganic hybrid perovskites to understand the photovoltaic performances of these systems. Our study reveals that both the perovskites are direct band gap semiconductors and possess desirable band gap for solar energy absorption.

Common Defects Accelerate Charge Separation and Reduce Recombination in CNT/Molecule Composites: Atomistic Quantum Dynamics.

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are appealing candidates for solar and optoelectronic applications. Traditionally used as electron sinks, CNTs can also perform as electron donors, as exemplified by coupling with perylenediimide (PDI). To achieve high efficiencies, electron transfer (ET) should be fast, while subsequent charge recombination should be slow.

Half metallicity and ferromagnetism of vanadium nitride nanoribbons: a first-principles study.

Half metallic materials with intrinsic ferromagnetism are identified as the pillar of next generation spintronic devices. In search of new low-dimensional materials with these excellent properties, herein we systematically study the electronic and magnetic properties of edge dependent (armchair (ac) and zigzag (zz)) vanadium nitride nanoribbons (VNNRs) using density functional theory (DFT) based calculations. Both the ac and zz VNNRs show robust ferromagnetism and extensive half-metallicity with large band gaps (3.

Structural rigidity accelerates quantum decoherence and extends carrier lifetime in porphyrin nanoballs: a time domain atomistic simulation.

Nonradiative electron-hole (e-h) recombination is the primary source of energy loss in photovoltaic cells and inevitably, it competes with the charge transfer process, leading to poor device performance. Therefore, much attention has to be paid for delaying such processes; increasing the excitonic lifetime may be a solution for this. Using the real-time, density functional tight-binding theory (DFTB) combined with nonadiabatic molecular dynamics (NAMD) simulations, we demonstrate the exciton relaxation phenomena of different metal-centered porphyrin nanoballs, which are supposed to be very important for the light-harvesting process.

Periodically-ordered one and two dimensional CdTe QD superstructures: a path forward in photovoltaics.

By using the state-of-the-art theoretical method, we herein explore the potentiality of covalently linked periodically-ordered 1D chain, 2D hexagonal and square ordered superstructures of CdTe QDs in photovoltaics. One of the major factors that controls the photovoltaic efficiency is the electron-hole recombination which in turn depends on the spatial separation of these charge carriers. Our theoretical findings show that the HOMO and LUMO states are localized at two different ends of the assembled superstructures.

Engineering the magnetic properties of PtSe monolayer through transition metal doping.

Using first-principles calculations, we have studied the energetic feasibility and magnetic properties of transition metal (TM) doped PtSe monolayers. Our study shows that TM doped PtSe layers with 6.25% doping exhibit versatile spintronic behaviour depending on the nature of the dopant TM atoms.

Total syntheses of (+/-)-platencin and (-)-platencin.

The secondary metabolites platensimycin and platencin, isolated from the bacterial strain Streptomyces platensis, represent a novel class of natural products exhibiting unique and potent antibacterial activity. Platencin, though structurally similar to platensimycin, has been found to operate through a slightly different mechanism of action involving the dual inhibition of lipid elongation enzymes FabF and FabH. Both natural products exhibit strong, broad-spectrum, gram-positive antibacterial activity to key antibiotic resistant strains, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, vancomycin-intermediate S.

Design, synthesis and DNA-cleaving efficiency of photoswitchable dimeric azobenzene-based C2-symmetric enediynes.

Designed azobenzene-based enediyne-amino acid C(2)-symmetric hybrids have been synthesized and the role of amino acid linker in stabilizing the Z form has been demonstrated; DNA-binding and cleavage studies have established higher reactivity of the Z-isomers.

Benzofused N-substituted cyclic enediynes: activation and DNA-cleavage potential.

The effect of electron withdrawal on the reactivity of N-substituted cyclic enediynes has been studied. These were synthesized via an intramolecular Mitsunobu reaction. The electron withdrawing effect of the nitro groups or the positive charge on the free ammonium salts was found to lower the cyclization temperature for Bergman cyclization.

Synthesis and reactivity of azobenzene-based bispropargyl sulfones: interesting comparison between cyclic and acyclic systems.

Azobenzene-based bispropargyl bissulfone 3 containing stable E-azo moiety has been synthesized. Upon irradiation with long wavelength UV it isomerized to the Z-form 4, which can be thermally reisomerized to the E-isomer. Reactivity towards isomerization to the allenic system as well as DNA-cleaving efficiency under basic conditions was found to be significantly lower as compared to the previously synthesized cyclic sulfones 1 and 2.

Photoisomerization as a modulator of the DNA-cleaving efficiency of novel azo bispropargyl sulfones.

Novel azobenzene based bispropargyl sulfones have been prepared in the thermally stable E-form: irradiation with a high-pressure Hg lamp converted them to the Z-isomer which showed higher DNA-cleaving efficiency.

Photoisomerization as a trigger for Bergman cyclization: synthesis and reactivity of azoenediynes.

Cyclic enediynes 1a and 2a containing stable E-azo moiety (azoenediynes) have been synthesized. These compounds upon irradiation with long wavelength UV isomerize to the Z-compounds 1b and 2b, which can be thermally reisomerized to the Z compounds. Reactivity studies toward BC using DSC predictably indicate higher reactivity for the Z-isomers.

Dependence of reactivity of a novel 2,6-diamino pyridine-based enediyne on the extent of salt formation with external acids: a possible implication in pH based drug design.

A novel pyridine diamine-based cyclic enediyne 1 was synthesized by bis-N-alkylation of 2,6-bis-sulfonamido pyridine 6 followed by deprotection with thiophenol. A variety of salts 1a-c of the parent amine 1 were prepared. Thermal reactivity studies indicated a dependence of the reactivity upon the extent of salt formation.