ChemMend: A Card Game To Introduce and Explore the Periodic Table while Engaging Students’ Interest

The deeply knowledge of the periodic table is one of the most important keys to understand the basic principles of Chemistry. Memorizing the elements of the groups and periods is one of the most commonly used strategies to learn the position of each element in the periodic table; nevertheless it is a hard task for most students. The use of card games can represent a useful alternative to teach some chemical aspects. Here, we present ChemMend, a new Chemical card game which will allow chemistry students to obtain a good ability in the periodic table. This game attracts the attention of the students, and it allows them to review mentally the period and group while playing; being the learning a consequence of the game. The ChemMend game will introduce and explore the periodic table in the classroom

Operating Mechanism Principles and Advancements for Halide Perovskite-Based Memristors and Neuromorphic Devices

[EN] With the advent of the generation of artificial intelligence (AI) based on big data-processing technologies, next-generation memristor and memristive neuromorphic devices have been actively studied with great interest to overcome the von Neumann bottleneck limits. Among various candidates, halide perovskites (HPs) have been in the spotlight as potential candidates for these devices due to their unique switching characteristics with low energy consumption and flexible integration compatibility across various sources for scalability. We outline the characteristics and operating principles of HP-based memristors and their neuromorphic devices. We explain filamentary- and interface-type switching according to the type of conducting pathway occurring inside the active HP layer and the operating mechanisms depending on the species that make up this conducting pathway. We summarize the types and mechanisms of current changes beneficial for neuromorphic device applications and finally organize various suggested analysis tools and physical models to enable experimental determination of switching mechanisms from various perspectives.This work was funded by the European Research Council (ERC) via Horizon Europe Advanced Grant, grant agreement no. 101097688 ( PeroSpiker ). Funding for open access charge: CRUE-Universitat Politecnica ̀ de Valencia.Kim, S.; Zhang, H.; Rubio-Magnieto, J. (2024). Operating Mechanism Principles and Advancements for Halide Perovskite-Based Memristors and Neuromorphic Devices. The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters. 15:10087-10103. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpclett.4c0217010087101031

Pseudopeptidic Compounds for Biocompatible Gels: A Review

Simple pseudopeptides derived from natural amino acids can be designed and prepared as efficient gelators for a variety of solvents, and with a high potential for biocompatibility. The appropriate selection of structural components, reviewed herein, shows how to produce gels with tailored properties, including high thermal stability

Solvent Molding of Organic Morphologies Made of Supramolecular Chiral Polymers

12sihe self-assembly and self-organization behavior of uracil-conjugated enantiopure (R)- or (S)-1,1'-binaphthyl-2,2'-diol (BINOL) and a hydrophobic oligo(p-phenylene ethynylene) (OPE) chromophore exposing 2,6-di(acetylamino)pyridine termini are reported. Systematic spectroscopic (UVvis, CD, fluorescence, NMR, and SAXS) and microscopic studies (TEM and AFM) showed that BINOL and OPE compounds undergo triple H-bonding recognition, generating different organic nanostructures in solution. Depending on the solvophobic properties of the liquid media (toluene, CHCl3, CHCl3/CHX, and CHX/THF), spherical, rod-like, fibrous, and helical morphologies were obtained, with the latter being the only nanostructures expressing chirality at the microscopic level. SAXS analysis combined with molecular modeling simulations showed that the helical superstructures are composed of dimeric double-cable tape-like structures that, in turn, are supercoiled at the microscale. This behavior is interpreted as a consequence of an interplay among the degree of association of the H-bonded recognition, the vapor pressure of the solvent, and the solvophobic/solvophilic character of the supramolecular adducts in the different solutions under static and dynamic conditions, namely solvent evaporation conditions at room temperature.partially_openopenĐorđević, Luka; Marangoni, Tomas; Miletić, Tanja; Rubio-Magnieto, Jenifer; Mohanraj, John; Amenitsch, Heinz; Pasini, Dario; Liaros, Nikos; Couris, Stelios; Armaroli, Nicola; Surin, Mathieu; Bonifazi, DavideĐorđević, Luka; Marangoni, Tomas; Miletic, Tanja; Rubio Magnieto, Jenifer; Mohanraj, John; Amenitsch, Heinz; Pasini, Dario; Liaros, Nikos; Couris, Stelios; Armaroli, Nicola; Surin, Mathieu; Bonifazi, David

Toward a new and noninvasive diagnostic method of papillary thyroid cancer by using peptide vectorized contrast agents targeted to galectin-1

peer reviewedThe incidence of papillary thyroid cancer has increased these last decades due to a better detection. High prevalence of nodules combined with the low incidence of thyroid cancers constitute an important diagnostic challenge. We propose to develop an alternative diagnostic method to reduce the number of useless and painful thyroidectomies using a vectorized contrast agent for Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Galectin-1 (gal-1), a protein overexpressed in well-differentiated thyroid cancer, has been targeted with a randomized linear 12-mer peptide library using the phage display technique. Selected peptides have been conjugated to ultrasmall superparamagnetic particles of iron oxide (USPIO). Peptides and their corresponding contrast agents have been tested in vitro for their specific binding and toxicity. Two peptides (P1 and P7) were selected according to their affinity towards gal-1. Their binding has been revealed by immunohistochemistry on human thyroid cancer biopsies and they were co-localized with gal-1 by immunofluorescence on TPC-1 cell line. Both peptides induce a decrease of TPC-1 cells' adhesion to gal-1 immobilized on culture plates. After coupling to USPIO, the peptides preserved their affinity toward gal-1. Their specific binding has been corroborated by co-localization with gal-1 expressed by TPC-1 cells and by their ability to compete with anti-gal-1 antibody. The peptides and their USPIO derivatives produce no toxicity in HepaRG cells as determined by MTT assay. The vectorized contrast agents are potential imaging probes for thyroid cancer diagnosis. Moreover, the two gal-1 targeted peptides prevent cancer cell adhesion by interacting with the carbohydrate recognition domain of gal-1. Keywords: galectin-1, thyroid cancer, peptides, diagnosis, ultrasmall superparamagnetic particles of iron oxide, phage displa

A minimalistic catalytically-active cell mimetic made of a supra-molecular hydrogel encapsulated into a polymersome

A minimalistic multicomponent cell mimetic is described consisting of a fibrillar network formed by the self-assembly of a low molecular weight compound (cytoskeleton-like) that is entrapped into a polymersome (membrane-like), namely a jelly-polymersome. A simple imidazole-appended hydrogelator is used in order to obtain a catalytic nanoreactor able to hydrolyze an ester within the compartment in its self-assembled state

Self-assembled hybrid hydrogels based on an amphipathic low molecular weight peptide derivative and a water-soluble poly(para-phenylene vinylene)

The self-assembly of an amphipathic low molecular weight peptide and a water-soluble p-conjugated polyelectrolyte is studied in order to form hybrid hydrogel materials with synergistic properties. The self-assembly of the complex yields a network of one-dimensional fibrils, with enhanced fluorescence of the p-conjugated polyelectrolyte in the hydrogel form. These hybrid hydrogels are also tested to study the kinetics of release of a molecular dye.The authors thank the Cost Action CM 1304 (Emergence and Evolution of Complex Chemical Systems) for a Short Term Scientic Missions (STSM) of M. T.-S. in Mons. Research in Mons is supported by the Science Policy Office of the Belgian Federal Government (BELSPO – PAI 7/05). This work was also supported by the Fonds de la Recherche Scientique – FNRS under the under the grants n 1.B333.15F (CHIRNATES) and n F.4532.16 (MIS-SHERPA). J. R.-M. is FNRS post-doctoral researcher and M. S. is FNRS research associate. This work was also supported by the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness of Spain (Grant CTQ2012-37735) and Universitat Jaume I (Grant P1-1B2013-57). M. T.-S. thanks the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport of Spain for an FPU fellowship

Supramolecular Assemblies of DNA-Pi Conjugated Polymers

International audienc