An Undergraduate Laboratory Module Integrating Organic Chemistry and Polymer Science.

Polymer science is receiving wider acceptance in the organic chemistry community; thus, it is imperative to include it in the undergraduate organic chemistry curriculum. Despite the ever-increasing popularity of the topic of polymer chemistry in undergraduate curricula, a comprehensive laboratory experiment module describing a polypeptide synthesis by ring-opening polymerization of N-carboxyanhydride (NCA ROP) and a homopolymer synthesis by activators-regenerated by electron-transfer for atom transfer radical polymerization (ARGET ATRP) has yet to be proposed. Herein, we report a semester-long, ten week undergraduate laboratory module focusing on the synthesis and analytical characterization of polyalanine and polystyrene for an advanced organic chemistry class. Students received hands-on-experiences in synthesizing polymers followed by their characterization via proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) spectroscopy, electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (ESI-MS), gel permeation chromatography (GPC), thermogravimetry (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), which are not well-presented in the typical organic chemistry curricula. These engaging hands-on lessons in the newly designed laboratory module not only increase students' interests in an interdisciplinary environment of organic chemistry and polymer science but also cultivate their research interests and communication skills and promote critical thinking.

E-classroom as a Blended Learning Tool: A Structural Equation Modelling Analysis Using Modified Technology Acceptance Model.

BACKGROUND: E-classrooms help teachers save time, keep classes organized, and improve communication with students. This study aims to assess Google Classroom's usefulness in enhancing medical students' knowledge and acceptance of new technology for in-depth learning. MATERIAL AND METHOD: This educational interventional study was carried out on 100 students in the 3rd year of the M.B.B.S., Part 1. After a briefing about Google Classroom and educational topics, enrolled students and faculty were allowed to discuss the topic for two months. Following this, the descriptive approach was utilized to describe the respondents' technology acceptance through the administration of the technology acceptance model (TAM) survey questionnaire. RESULTS: Students were actively involved in discussion, with a 67% response rate. Nearly 85% of students agreed that Google Classroom is a satisfactory way for in-depth knowledge acquisition. On factor analysis, it was observed that the goodness of fit was 0.985, suggesting that the model is acceptable. It was also found that perceived usefulness (PU) had a significant positive effect on motivation towards self-directed learning (SDL), and perceived ease of use (PEOU) had a positive effect on both behavioural intention and actual use. CONCLUSION: Google Classroom is a valuable tool for learning that can enhance active self-learning and increase behavioural intention and actual use. It should be incorporated into day-to-day teaching activities to overcome time constraints.

G6b-B antibody-based cis-acting platelet receptor inhibitors (CAPRIs) as a new family of anti-thrombotic therapeutics.

Platelets are highly reactive fragments of megakaryocytes that play a fundamental role in thrombosis and hemostasis. Predictably, all conventional anti-platelet therapies elicit bleeding, raising the question whether the thrombotic activity of platelets can be targeted separately. In this study, we describe a novel approach of inhibiting platelet activation through the use of bispecific single-chain variable fragments (bi-scFvs), termed cis-acting platelet receptor inhibitors (CAPRIs) that harness the immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibition motif (ITIM)-containing co-inhibitory receptor G6b-B (G6B) to suppress immunoreceptor tyrosine-based (ITAM)-containing receptor-mediated platelet activation. CAPRI-mediated hetero-clustering of G6B with either the ITAM-containing GPVI-FcR γ-chain complex or FcγRIIA (CD32A) inhibited collagen- or immune complex-induced platelet aggregation. G6B-GPVI CAPRIs strongly and specifically inhibited thrombus formation on collagen under arterial shear, whereas G6B-CD32A CAPRI strongly and specifically inhibited thrombus formation to heparin-induced thrombocytopenia, vaccine-induced thrombotic thrombocytopenia and antiphospholipid syndrome complexes on Von Willebrand Factor-coated surfaces and photochemical-injured endothelial cells under arterial shear. Our findings provide proof-of-concept that CAPRIs are highly effective at inhibiting ITAM receptor-mediated platelet activation, laying the foundation for a novel family of anti-thrombotic therapeutics with potentially improved efficacy and fewer bleeding outcomes compared with current anti-platelet therapies. .

Platinum(II)-Based Optical Probes for Imaging Quadruplex DNA Structures via Phosphorescence Lifetime Imaging Microscopy.

G-quadruplex DNA is a non-canonical structure that forms in guanine-rich regions of the genome. There is increasing evidence showing that G-quadruplexes have important biological functions, and therefore molecular tools to visualise these structures are important. Herein we report on a series of new cyclometallated platinum(II) complexes which, upon binding to G-quadruplex DNA, display an increase in their phosphorescence, acting as switch-on probes. More importantly, upon binding to G-quadruplexes they display a selective and distinct lengthening of their emission lifetime. We show that this effect can be used to selectively visualise these structures in cells using Phosphorescence Lifetime Imaging Microscopy (PLIM).