Morphology Transformation of Foldamer Assemblies Triggered by Single Oxygen Atom on Critical Residue Switch.

The synthesis of morphologically well-defined peptidic materials via self-assembly is challenging but demanding for biocompatible functional materials. Moreover, switching morphology from a given shape to other predictable forms by molecular modification of the identical building block is an even more complicated subject because the self-assembly of flexible peptides is prone to diverge upon subtle structural change. To accomplish controllable morphology transformation, systematic self-assembly studies are performed using congener short β-peptide foldamers to find a minimal structural change that alters the self-assembled morphology.

Complete prevention of blood loss with self-sealing haemostatic needles.

Bleeding is largely unavoidable following syringe needle puncture of biological tissues and, while inconvenient, this typically causes little or no harm in healthy individuals. However, there are certain circumstances where syringe injections can have more significant side effects, such as uncontrolled bleeding in those with haemophilia, coagulopathy, or the transmission of infectious diseases through contaminated blood. Herein, we present a haemostatic hypodermic needle able to prevent bleeding following tissue puncture.

Molybdenum-catalyzed deoxydehydration of vicinal diols.

The commercially available (NH4 )6 Mo7 O24 and other molybdenum compounds are shown to be viable substitutes for the typically employed rhenium compounds in the catalytic deoxydehydration of aliphatic diols into the corresponding alkenes. The transformation, which represents a model system for the various hydroxyl groups found in biomass-derived carbohydrates, can be conducted in an inert solvent (dodecane), under solvent-free conditions, and in a solvent capable of dissolving biomass-derived polyols (1,5-pentanediol). The reaction is driven by the simultaneous oxidative deformylation of the diol resulting in an overall disproportionation of the substrate.