Influenza is an infectious disease caused by the influenza virus, and each year many people suffer from this disease. Hemagglutinin (HA) in the membrane of type A influenza viruses recognizes sialylglycoconjugate receptors on the host cell surface at an initial step in the infection process; consequently, HA inhibitors are considered potential candidates for antiviral drugs. We identified peptides that bind to receptor-binding sites through a multiple serial selection from phage-displayed random peptide libraries. Using the HA of the H1 and H3 strains as target proteins, we obtained peptides that bind to both HAs. The binding affinities of peptides for these HAs were improved by secondary and tertiary selections from the corresponding sublibraries. A docking simulation suggested that, similar to sialic acid, the peptides are recognized by the receptor-binding site in HA, which indicates that these peptides mimic the sialic acid structure. N-stearoyl peptides inhibited infections by the A/Puerto Rico/8/34 (H1N1) and A/Aichi/2/68 (H3N2) strains of influenza virus. Such HA-inhibitors are promising candidates for novel antiviral drugs.

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Solvent-free oxidative coupling polymerization of 3-hexylthiophene using FeCl3 oxidant was conducted to synthesize poly­(3-hexylthiophene) grains. Optical and scanning electron microscopy studies confirmed production of submillimeter-sized atypical grains with rough surfaces. Solubility test, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance studies indicated the branching and cross-linking of the poly­(3-hexylthiophene). Elemental microanalysis and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy studies confirmed that the poly­(3-hexylthiophene) grains were doped with chloride ions. The poly­(3-hexylthiophene) grains showed hydrophobic character due to hexyl side chains, and the critical surface tension was determined to be 25.9 mN m–1. The poly­(3-hexylthiophene) showed a light-to-heat photothermal property, and near-infrared laser irradiation to the poly­(3-hexylthiophene) grains induced a rapid temperature increase up to 664 °C. The poly­(3-hexylthiophene) grains can work as an effective liquid marble stabilizer with a photothermal property, and the liquid marble exhibited locomotion on a water surface due to near-infrared laser-induced Marangoni flow.

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