A non-enzymatic electrochemical sensor for glucose detection is executed by using a conductive metal–organic framework (MOF) Cu-MOF, which is built from the 2,3,6,7,10,11-hexahydroxytriphenylene (HHTP) ligand and copper acetate by hydrothermal reaction. The Cu-MOF demonstrates superior electrocatalytic activity for glucose oxidation under alkaline pH conditions. As an excellent non-enzymatic sensor, the Cu-MOF grown on Cu foam (Cu-MOF/CF) displays an ultra-low detection limit of 0.076 μM through a wide concentration range (0.001–0.95 mM) and a strong sensitivity of 30,030 mA μM⁻¹ cm⁻². Overall, the Cu-MOF/CF exhibits a low detection limit, high selectivity, excellent stability, fast response time, and good practical application feasibility for glucose detection and can promote the development of MOF materials in the field of electrochemical sensors.

Protein–protein interactions (PPIs) control many essential biological pathways which are often misregulated in disease. As such, selective PPI modulators are desirable to unravel complex functions of PPIs and thus expand the repertoire of therapeutic targets. However, the large size and relative flatness of PPI interfaces make them challenging molecular targets for conventional drug modalities, rendering most PPIs “undruggable”. Therefore, there is a growing need to discover innovative molecules that are able to modulate crucial PPIs. Peptides are ideal candidates to deliver such therapeutics attributed to their ability to closely mimic structural features of protein interfaces. However, their inherently poor proteolysis resistance and cell permeability inevitably hamper their biomedical applications. The introduction of a constraint (i.e., peptide cyclization) to stabilize peptides' secondary structure is a promising strategy to address this problem as witnessed by the rapid development of cyclic peptide drugs in the past two decades. Here, we comprehensively review the recent progress on stabilized cyclic peptides in targeting challenging PPIs. Technological advancements and emerging chemical approaches for stabilizing active peptide conformations are categorized in terms of α-helix stapling, β-hairpin mimetics and macrocyclization. To discover potent and selective ligands, cyclic peptide library technologies were updated based on genetic, biochemical or synthetic methodologies. Moreover, several advances to improve the permeability and oral bioavailability of biologically active cyclic peptides enable the de novo development of cyclic peptide ligands with pharmacological properties. In summary, the development of cyclic peptide-based PPI modulators carries tremendous promise for the next generation of therapeutic agents to target historically “intractable” PPI systems.

To investigate the effect of organic ligands on the coordination frameworks, seven new nickel complexes with formulae Ni(BDC) (titmb)·3H₂O (1), Ni₂(BDC)₂(bimb)₂(H₂O)₂·3H₂O (2), NiZn(BTC)(titmb)Br (3), Ni(TBDC)(titmb)(H₂O) (4), Ni(TBDC)(bix)·H₂O (5), Ni(TBDC)(mbix)(H₂O)·H₂O (6) and Ni(TBDC)(obix)(H₂O) (7) (titmb = 1,3,5-tris(1-imidazol-1-ylmethyl)-2,4,6-tri-methylbenzene, bimb = 4,4′-bis(imidazol-1-ylmethyl)biphenyl, bix = 1,4-bis(imidazol-1-ylmethyl)benzene, mbix = 1,3-bis(imidazol-1-ylmethyl)benzene, obix = 1,2-bis(imidazol-1-ylmethyl)benzene, H₃BTC = 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylic acid, H₂BDC = isophthalic acid, H₂TBDC = 5-(tertbutyl)isophthalic acid), have been synthesized and characterized by elemental analyses, infrared spectra (IR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Single crystal structure analysis shows that complex 1 has a three-dimensional (3D) (3,5)-connected network with a topology of (6³)(6⁹·8). Complexes 2 and 6 have similar two-dimensional (2D) lamella structures with (4,4) topology. Complex 3 exhibits an interesting 3D (3,6)-connected framework by self-penetration of two sets of (10,3)-a nets. Complex 4 presents an unusual 2D (3,5)-connected framework with a topology of (3·5²)(3²·5³·6⁴·7). Complex 5 features a 3D two-fold interpenetrating framework with (4⁶·6⁴)-bnn hexagonal BN topology, whereas Complex 7 possesses an interesting one-dimensional (1D) independent single-wall metal–organic nanotube. The various dimensions and structural features of seven complexes may be attributed to the different species of functional groups, the number and position of the carboxylic groups in the carboxylates as well as the auxiliary ligands playing a significant role in promoting the diversity of the observed structural motifs. The SHG properties of 1, 3 and 4 as well as the ferroelectric properties for 1 have also been investigated.