Selective recognition and discrimination of single isomeric changes in peptide strands with a host : guest sensing array.

An indirect competitive binding mechanism can be exploited to allow a combination of cationic fluorophores and water-soluble synthetic receptors to selectively recognize and discriminate peptide strands containing a single isomeric residue in the backbone. Peptide isomerization occurs in long-lived proteins and has been linked with diseases such as Alzheimer's, cataracts and cancer, so isomers are valuable yet underexplored targets for selective recognition. Planar cationic fluorophores can selectively bind hydrophobic, Trp-containing peptide strands in solution, and when paired with receptors that provide a competitive host for the fluorophore, can form a differential sensing array that enables selective discrimination of peptide isomers.

Frontiers of molecular crystal structure prediction for pharmaceuticals and functional organic materials.

The reliability of organic molecular crystal structure prediction has improved tremendously in recent years. Crystal structure predictions for small, mostly rigid molecules are quickly becoming routine. Structure predictions for larger, highly flexible molecules are more challenging, but their crystal structures can also now be predicted with increasing rates of success.

A theoretical framework for the design of molecular crystal engines.

Photomechanical molecular crystals have garnered attention for their ability to transform light into mechanical work, but difficulties in characterizing the structural changes and mechanical responses experimentally have hindered the development of practical organic crystal engines. This study proposes a new computational framework for predicting the solid-state crystal-to-crystal photochemical transformations entirely from first principles, and it establishes a photomechanical engine cycle that quantifies the anisotropic mechanical performance resulting from the transformation. The approach relies on crystal structure prediction, solid-state topochemical principles, and high-quality electronic structure methods.

CdSe nanocrystal sensitized photon upconverting film.

Here, films using CdSe nanocrystal (NC) triplet photosensitizers in conjunction with diphenylanthracene (DPA) emitters were assembled to address several challenges to practical applications for solution-based photon upconversion. By using poly(9-vinylcarbazole) as a phosphorescent host in this film, volatile organic solvents are eliminated, the spontaneous crystallization of the emitter is significantly retarded, and ∼1.5% photon upconversion quantum yield (out of a maximum of 50%) is obtained.

A facile preparation of immobilized naringinase on polyethyleneimine-modified FeO magnetic nanomaterials with high activity.

Polyethyleneimine-modified FeO nanoparticles (FeO-PEI) were synthesized by the one-step co-precipitation method, and the resulting material was used to immobilize naringinase from the fermentation broth of FFCC uv-11. The immobilized naringinase activity could reach up to 690.74 U per g-support at the conditions of initial naringinase activity of 406.

How many more polymorphs of ROY remain undiscovered.

With 12 crystal forms, 5-methyl-2-[(2-nitrophenyl)amino]-3-thiophenecabonitrile (a.k.a.

Bridging photochemistry and photomechanics with NMR crystallography: the molecular basis for the macroscopic expansion of an anthracene ester nanorod.

Crystals composed of photoreactive molecules represent a new class of photomechanical materials with the potential to generate large forces on fast timescales. An example is the photodimerization of 9--butyl-anthracene ester () in molecular crystal nanorods that leads to an average elongation of 8%. Previous work showed that this expansion results from the formation of a metastable crystalline product.

Correction: A universal method for sensitive and cell-free detection of CRISPR-associated nucleases.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1039/C8SC03426E.].

Bidirectional triplet exciton transfer between silicon nanocrystals and perylene.

Hybrid materials comprised of inorganic quantum dots functionalized with small-molecule organic chromophores have emerged as promising materials for reshaping light's energy content. Quantum dots in these structures can serve as light harvesting antennas that absorb photons and pass their energy to molecules bound to their surface in the form of spin-triplet excitons. Energy passed in this manner can fuel upconversion schemes that use triplet fusion to convert infrared light into visible emission.

Critical barriers to the large scale commercialization of silicon-containing batteries.

Silicon has received a considerable amount of attention in the last few years because of its large lithiation capacity. Its widespread utilization in real-life lithium-ion batteries has so far been prevented by the plethora of challenges presented by this material. This review discusses the most promising technologies that have been put forward to address these issues.

Genome and Transcriptome Provide Insights into the Origin and Evolution of Streptophyta.

The Streptophyta include unicellular and multicellular charophyte green algae and land plants. Colonization of the terrestrial habitat by land plants is a major evolutionary event that has transformed the planet. So far, lack of genome information on unicellular charophyte algae hinders the understanding of the origin and the evolution from unicellular to multicellular life in Streptophyta.