Understanding Polyproline's Unusual Thermoresponsive Properties Using a Polyproline-Based Double Hydrophilic Block Copolymer.

Polyproline is a unique thermoresponsive polymer characterized by large thermal and conformational hysteresis. This article employs polyproline-based double hydrophilic block copolymers (PNIPAM--PLP) to gain insight into polyproline's thermoresponsive mechanism. The amine-terminated poly(-isopropylacrylamide) (NH-PNIPAM) was used as the macroinitiator for ring-opening polymerization of proline-NCA monomers, resulting in various block copolymers (PNIPAM--PLP) with varying PLP block lengths.

Mild chemistry synthesis of ultrathin BiOS nanosheets exhibiting 2D-ferroelectricity at room temperature.

Modern technology demands miniaturization of electronic components to build small, light, and portable devices. Hence, discovery and synthesis of new non-toxic, low cost, ultra-thin ferroelectric materials having potential applications in various electronic and optoelectronic devices are of paramount importance. However, achieving room-temperature ferroelectricity in two dimensional (2D) ultra-thin systems remains a major challenge as conventional three-dimensional ferroelectric materials lose their ferroelectricity when the thickness is brought down below a critical value owing to the depolarization field.

Photoswitchable Azoheteroarene-Based Chelating Ligands: Light Modulation of Properties, Aqueous Solubility and Catalysis.

We report the design and synthesis of eight photoswitchable phenylazopyridine- and phenylazopyrazole-based molecular systems as chelation-type light-controllable ligands. Besides the studies on fundamental photoisomerization behaviour, the ligands were also screened for light-tuneable properties such as photochromism, phase transition, and solubility, especially in the aqueous medium. This investigation demonstrates how the modulation of aqueous solubility can be achieved through photoisomerization and can further be utilized towards controlling the amount of catalytically active Cu(I) species in the aqueous conditions.

Signaling beyond Punching Holes: Modulation of Cellular Responses by Vibrio cholerae Cytolysin.

Pore-forming toxins (PFTs) are a distinct class of membrane-damaging cytolytic proteins that contribute significantly towards the virulence processes employed by various pathogenic bacteria. Vibrio cholerae cytolysin (VCC) is a prominent member of the beta-barrel PFT (beta-PFT) family. It is secreted by most of the pathogenic strains of the intestinal pathogen V.