Guasha improves knee osteoarthritis by inhibiting chondrocyte apoptosis and regulating expression of autophagy-related genes and proteins in rats. / åˆ®ç—§å¯¹è†å ³èŠ‚éª¨å ³èŠ‚ç‚Žå¤§é¼ è½¯éª¨ç»†èƒžå‡‹äº¡åŠè‡ªå™¬çš„å½±å“.

OBJECTIVES: To observe the effect of Guasha on inflammation factors, apoptosis and autophagy in the cartilage tissue of knee joint in rats with knee osteoarthritis (KOA), so as to explore its mechanisms underlying improvement of KOA. METHODS: A total of 51 male SD rats were randomized into three groups：blank control, KOA model and Guasha (n= 17 in each group) . The rats in the blank control group received intra-articular injection of 0.9% NaCl solution in the right knee joint. The KOA model was established by intraarticular injection of glutamate sodium iodoacetic acid in the right knee joint. For rats of the Guasha group, Guasha (at a frequency of 1 time/s, and an applied pressure of 0.3-0.5 kgf) was applied to "Yanglingquan" (GB34) and "Xuehai"(SP10) areas of the right leg, once every other day, for 7 consecutive sessions. The circumference of the right knee was measured, The histopathological changes of right knee cartilage were observed after H.E. staining. The contents of inflammatory factors interleukin (IL)-1ß and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α in the right knee articular cartilage tissue were assayed using ELISA. The expression levels of autophagy-related key molecule Beclin-1 (homologous series of yeast Atg6), light chain protease complication 3 type II/I (LC3II/LC3 I), ubiquitin binding factor 62 (P62) and cysteine aspartate protease-3 (Caspase-3) mRNAs and proteins of the right knee articular cartilage tissue were measured using real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR and Western blot, separately. The apoptosis of chondrocytes was assayed using TUNEL staining, and the immunoactivity of LC3 determined using immunofluorescence staining. RESULTS: After modeling, the right knee circumfe-rence of the model and Guasha groups was significantly increased compared with the blank control group (P<0.01), and after the intervention, the knee circumference of the Guasha group was markedly decreased in comparison with that of the model group (P<0.05). Results of H.E. staining showed obvious degeneration and defects in the cartilage tissue, necrosis of a large number of chondrocytes, fibrous hyperplasia, accompanied by inflammatory cell infiltration, osteoclast increase, fibroplasia and bone trabecular destruction in the model group, which was relatively milder in the Guasha group. Compared with the blank control group, the expression of Beclin-1 and LC3 mRNAs and proteins, and LC immunofluorescence intensity in the right knee articular cartilage tissue were significantly down-regulated (P<0.01, P<0.001), whereas the expression of P62 and Caspase-3 mRNAs and proteins, the apoptosis rate, contents of IL-1ß and TNF-α in the right knee articular cartilage tissue considerably increased (P<0.01, P<0.001) in the model group. In contrast to the model group, the Guasha group had an apparent increase in the expression levels of Beclin-1 and LC3 mRNAs and proteins and LC immunofluorescence intensity in the right knee articular cartilage tissue (P<0.05), and a pronounced decrease in the expression of P62 and Caspase-3 mRNAs and proteins, the apoptosis rate, and contents of IL-1ß and TNF-α in the right knee articular cartilage tissue (P<0.05, P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Guasha stimulation of GB34 and SP10 can improve joint cartilage damage in KOA rats, which may be associated with its functions in inhibiting the excessive release of inflammatory factors and apoptosis, possibly by down-regulating the expression of P62 and Caspase-3 mRNAs and proteins and up-regulating the expression of Beclin-1 and LC3 mRNAs and proteins, and by promoting autophagy of chondrocytes.

High-Precision Printing of Flexible MXene Patterns for Dynamically Tunable Electromagnetic Interference Shielding Performance.

Smart electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding materials are of great significance in coping with the dynamic performance demands of cutting-edge electronic devices. However, smart EMI shielding materials are still in their infancy and face a variety of challenges (e.g., large thickness, limited tunable range, poor reversibility, and unclear mechanisms). Here, we report a method for controllable shielding electromagnetic (EM) waves through subwavelength structure changes regulated by the customized structure via a direct printing route. The highly conductive MXene ink is regulated with metal ions (Al3+ ions), giving superb metallic conductivity (∼5000 S cm-1) for the printed lines without an annealing treatment. The reversible tunability of EMI shielding effectiveness (SE) ranging from 8.2 dB ("off" state) to 34 dB ("on" state) is realized through the controllable modulation of subwavelength structure driven by stress. This work provides a feasible strategy to develop intelligent shielding materials and EM devices.

Biphasic GaIn Alloy Constructed Stable Percolation Network in Polymer Composites over Ultrabroad Temperature Region.

Flexible and adaptable polymer composites with high-performance reliability over wide temperature range are imperative for various applications. However, the distinct filler-matrix thermomechanical behaviors often cause severe structure damage and performance degradation upon large thermal shock. To address this issue, a general strategy is proposed to construct leakage-free, self-adaptive, stable percolation networks in polymer composites over wide temperature (77-473 K) with biphasic Ga35In65 alloy. The in situ micro-CT technology, for the first time, reveals the conformable phase transitions of Ga35In65 alloys in the polymer matrix that help repair the disruptive conductive networks over large temperature variations. The cryo-expanded Ga compensates the disruptive carbon networks at low temperatures, and flowable Ga and melted In at high temperatures conformably fill and repair the deboned interfaces and yielded crevices. As a proof-of-concept, this temperature-resistant composite demonstrates superb electrical conductivity and electromagnetic interference shielding properties and stability even after a large temperature shock (ΔT = 396 K). Furthermore, the superiority of the construction of temperature self-adaptive networks within the composite enables them for additive manufacturing of application-oriented components. This work offers helpful inspiration for developing high-performance polymer composites for extreme-temperature applications.

Scalable Production of Catecholamine-Densified MXene Coatings for Electromagnetic Shielding and Infrared Stealth.

Processing transition metal carbides/nitrides (MXenes) inks into large-area functional coatings expects promising potential for electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding and infrared stealth. However, the coating performances, especially for scalable fabrication techniques, are greatly constrained by the flake size and stacking manner of MXene. Herein, the large-area production of highly densified and oriented MXene coatings is demonstrated by engineering interfacial interactions of small MXene flakes with catecholamine molecules. The catecholamine molecules can micro-crosslink MXene nanosheets, significantly improving the ink's rheological properties. It favors the shear-induced sheet arrangement and inhibition of structural defects in the blade coating process, making it possible to achieve high orientation and densification of MXene assembly by either large-area coating or patterned printing. Interestingly, the MXene/catecholamine coating exhibits high conductivity of up to 12 247 S cm-1 and ultrahigh specific EMI shielding effectiveness of 2.0 ×10 5  dB cm2 g-1 , obviously superior to most of the reported MXene materials. Furthermore, the regularly assembled structure also endows the MXene coatings with low infrared emissivities for infrared stealth applications. Therefore, MXene/catecholamine coatings with ultraefficient EMI shielding and low infrared emissivity prove the feasibility of applications in aerospace, military, and wearable devices.

[Effect of moxibustion and scraping on bioactive substances changes of acupoints in knee osteoarthritis rats].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effects of moxibustion and scraping of "Yanglingquan" (GB34) and "Xuehai" (SP10) area on changes of bioactive substances in the region of acupoints in rats with knee osteoarthritis (KOA). METHODS: SD rats were randomly divided into blank, model, moxibustion, scraping, and moxibustion + scraping (combination) groups, with 8 rats in each group. The KOA model was established by injecting 50 µL 0.9% sodium chloride solution into the right knee cavity. Fourteen days after modeling, GB34 and SP10 on the right limb were stimulated by moxibustion (10 min) or scraping (till regional flush) once every other day for 7 times. The mechanical paw withdrawal threshold (PWT) and thermal withdrawal latency (TWL) were tested by Von Frey and hot stabbing instrument, separately. The pathological changes of the right knee joint were observed by HE staining. The serotonin (5-HT) contents of skin tissues in the region of acupoint GB34 and SP10 were detected by ELISA. The expression levels of substance P (SP) and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) in GB34 and SP10 region skin tissues were detected by Western blot. RESULTS: Compared with the blank group, the PWT and TWL of the rats in the model group were significantly decreased (P<0.001), while the contents of 5-HT and the expression levels of SP and CGRP in GB34 and SP10 region skin tissues were significantly increased (P<0.001, P<0.01). Following intervention and in comparison the with the model group, the TWL and PWT of rats in the three treatment groups were significantly increased (P<0.01), the content of 5-HT and the expression levels of SP and CGRP in GB34 and SP10 region skin tissues were significantly decreased (P<0.01, P<0.001, P<0.05). Except for the expression levels of CGRP, the above indexes of the combination group were significantly superior to those of the moxibustion and scraping groups (P<0.05, P<0.01). Findings of HE staining showed severe damaged cartilage, few chondrocytes on the surface, with subchondral neovascularization in the model group, which was relatively milder in the moxibustion, scraping, and combination groups. CONCLUSION: Moxibustion and scraping can relieve knee joint pain in KOA rats, which may be associated with its function in down-regulating the expression levels of SP and CGRP, and the content of 5-HT. The therapeutic effect of moxibustion plus scraping is better than that of moxibustion and scraping alone.

Two-Dimensional Janus MXene Inks for Versatile Functional Coatings on Arbitrary Substrates.

Solution processing of two-dimensional nanomaterial inks guarantees efficient, straightforward fabrication of functional films, coatings, flexible devices, etc. Despite the excellent solution processibility and viscoelasticity of MXene aqueous inks, formulation of nonaqueous MXene inks with great affinity to both hydrophilic and hydrophobic substrates has proven quite challenging, limiting the practical applications of MXenes in printing/coatings on various substrates. Here, MXene surface chemistry is manipulated by asymmetrically grafting polystyrene and further concentrating the flakes into additive-free Janus MXene organic inks. The modified MXene nanosheets exhibit hydrophilicity on one side and hydrophobicity on the other. As a result, Janus MXene nanosheets ensure broad dispersibility in polar and nonpolar solvents, which in turn greatly extends the ink shelf life by slowing down the oxidation kinetics. Janus MXene sheets dispersed in toluene at room temperature remain at 90% of the initial solids after 1 month of storage. Janus surface engineering on MXene flakes guarantees the straightforward formation of uniform yet firm, large-area coatings on hydrophilic or hydrophobic substrates. These coatings demonstrate improved photothermal properties and chemical stability as well as good electromagnetic interference shielding performance. This strategy provides a simple and cost-effective way to promote the performance of MXene electronics in a variety of applications.

3D Printing of Ultralow-Concentration 2D Nanomaterial Inks for Multifunctional Architectures.

The direct 3D printing of ultralight architectures with ultralow-concentration 2D nanomaterial inks is necessary yet challenging. Here, we describe an emulsion-based ink for direct printing using 2D nanomaterials, i.e., MXene and graphene oxide (GO). The electrostatic interactions between the ligands in the oil phase and the 2D nanomaterials in the aqueous phase help form sheet-like surfactants at the interface. The interactions between the anchored ligands among different droplets dictate the rheological characteristics of inks, enabling a gel-like behavior ideally suitable for 3D printing at ultralow concentrations of 2D nanomaterials. The 3D printed foams possess lightweight structures with densities of 2.8 mg cm-3 (GO-based) and 4.1 mg cm-3 (MXene-based), and the latter integrates outstanding electrical conductivity, electromagnetic shielding performance, and thermal insulation comparable to air. This work describes a general approach for direct-printing ultralight porous structures that take advantage of the inherent properties of 2D building blocks.

Controllable Surface-Grafted MXene Inks for Electromagnetic Wave Modulation and Infrared Anti-Counterfeiting Applications.

Two-dimensional transition metal carbide/nitride (MXene) conductive inks are promising for scalable production of printable electronics, electromagnetic devices, and multifunctional coatings. However, the susceptible oxidation and poor rheological property seriously impede the printability of MXene inks and the exploration of functional devices. Here, we proposed a controllable surface grafting strategy for MXene flakes (p-MXene) with prepolymerized polydopamine macromolecules to protect against water and oxygen, enrich surface chemistry, and significantly optimize the rheological properties of the inks. The obtained p-MXene inks can adapt to screen-printing and other high-viscosity processing techniques, facilitating the development of patterned electromagnetic films and coatings. Interestingly, the printed MXene polarizer can freely switch and quantitatively control microwave transmission, giving an inspiring means for smart microwave modulation beyond the commonly reported shielding function. Moreover, the introduction of polydopamine nanoshell enables the infrared emissivity of MXene coating to be adjusted to a large extent, which can produce infrared anti-counterfeiting patterns in a thermal imager. Therefore, multifunctional antioxidant p-MXene inks will greatly extend the potential applications for the next-generation printable electronics and devices.

A network pharmacology-based exploration of the active compounds and potential drug targets of Si-Jun-Zi decoction in the treatment of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma.

Background: Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC), a kind of skin cancer with high rates of morbidity and mortality, occurs frequently in the clinic. Although early surgical treatment can achieve good results, there is no effective prevention and treatment for the recurrence and metastasis of cSCC. As a useful resource to protect humans from disease, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been adopted by clinicians for thousands of years. Methods: In this study, we collected a Chinese medicine formula and then employed a data mining method to analyze drug combinations of Si-Jun-Zi (SJZ) decoction. Multiple databases were used in this study to predict various ingredients, compounds, and their targets in the decoction. The potential targets of cSCC were also obtained from the database in the same way. In addition, as bioinformatics analysis methods, Gene Ontology (GO) analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis were used in our research as supplementary means to network pharmacology. Finally, we used ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) fingerprinting to analyze the effective components of the TCM decoction. Results: We detected 559 active compounds from Ginseng, Largehead Atractylodes, India Bread, and Glycyrrhiza Inflata, and selected 136 molecules under specific conditions. The mechanisms of the TCM formula were illustrated by the network pharmacology, such as compounds-herb network, compounds-target network, disease-target network, and target-target interaction network, as well as characteristics of the TCM. Then, GO analysis and KEGG analysis were performed on the compounds in the network using multiple methods of data mining and bioinformatics, and 10 candidate targets were identified. In addition, the UPLC fingerprinting method was used to analyze the components of SJZ decoction. Conclusions: Network pharmacology was performed to investigate the characteristics and mechanism of SJZ decoction, and a bioinformatics method was used to analyze the relationship between the effective compounds of the SJZ TCM decoction and cSCC-related specific targets and pathways, to find a variety of candidate compounds with multi-target activity.

Realizing Spontaneously Regular Stacking of Pristine Graphene Oxide by a Chemical-Structure-Engineering Strategy for Mechanically Strong Macroscopic Films.

Mechanical-electrical properties of macroscopic graphene films derived from graphene oxide (GO) sheets are substantially restricted by their surface wrinkles and structural misalignment. Herein, we propose a chemical-structure-engineering strategy to realize the spontaneously regular stacking of modified GO (GO-m) with trace carboxyl. The highly aligned GO-m film delivers a fracture strength and modulus of nearly 3- and 5-fold higher than a wrinkled film with conventional Hummer's method derived GO (GO-c). The favorable assembly pattern of GO-m sheets is attributed to their decreased interfacial friction on the atomic scale, which weakens their local gelation capability for freer configuration adjustment during the assembly process. The chemical structure of GO-m can be further engineered by an epoxide-to-hydroxyl reaction, achieving a record high tensile strength of up to 631 MPa for the pristine GO film. By exploring the relationship between the surface terminations of GO and its stacking mode, this work proves the feasibility to realize high-performance macroscopic materials with optimized microstructure through the chemical modulation of nanosheet assembly.

Super-Tough and Environmentally Stable Aramid. Nanofiber@MXene Coaxial Fibers with Outstanding Electromagnetic Interference Shielding Efficiency.

Although electrically conductive and hydrophilic MXene sheets are promising for multifunctional fibers and electronic textiles, it is still a challenge to simultaneously enhance both conductivity and mechanical properties of MXene fibers because of the high rigidity of MXene sheets and insufficient inter-sheet interactions. Herein, we demonstrate a core-shell wet-spinning methodology for fabricating highly conductive, super-tough, ultra-strong, and environmentally stable Ti3C2Tx MXene-based core-shell fibers with conductive MXene cores and tough aramid nanofiber (ANF) shells. The highly orientated and low-defect structure endows the ANF@MXene core-shell fiber with super-toughness of ~ 48.1 MJ m-3, high strength of ~ 502.9 MPa, and high conductivity of ~ 3.0 × 105 S m-1. The super-tough and conductive ANF@MXene fibers can be woven into textiles, exhibiting an excellent electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding efficiency of 83.4 dB at a small thickness of 213 µm. Importantly, the protection of the ANF shells provides the fibers with satisfactory cyclic stability under dynamic stretching and bending, and excellent resistance to acid, alkali, seawater, cryogenic and high temperatures, and fire. The oxidation resistance of the fibers is demonstrated by their well-maintained EMI shielding performances. The multifunctional core-shell fibers would be highly promising in the fields of EMI shielding textiles, wearable electronics and aerospace.

Functional Polyaniline/MXene/Cotton Fabrics with Acid/Alkali-Responsive and Tunable Electromagnetic Interference Shielding Performances.

Although two-dimensional transition-metal carbides (MXenes) and intrinsic conductive polymers have been combined to produce functional electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding composites, acid/alkali-responsive EMI shielding textiles have not been reported. Herein, electrically conductive polyaniline (PANI)/MXene/cotton fabrics (PMCFs) are fabricated by an efficient vacuum filtration-assisted spray-coating method for acid/alkali-responsive and tunable EMI shielding applications on the basis of the high electrical conductivity of MXene sheets and the acid/alkali doping/de-doping feature of PANI nanowires. The as-prepared PMCF exhibits a sensitive ammonia response of 19.6% at an ammonia concentration of 200 ppm. The high EMI shielding efficiency of ∼54 dB is achieved by optimizing the decorated structure of the PANI/MXene coating on the cotton fabrics. More importantly, the PMCF can act adaptively as a "switch" for EMI shielding between the efficient strong shielding of 24 dB and the inefficient weak shielding of 15 dB driven by the stimulation of hydrogen chloride and ammonia vapors. This multifunctional fabric would possess promising applications for intelligent garments, flexible electronic sensors, and smart electromagnetic wave response in special environments.

Multifunctional Ti3C2Tx MXene/Low-Density Polyethylene Soft Robots with Programmable Configuration for Amphibious Motions.

To diversify the motion modes of multifunctional soft robots capable of shape programming, we fabricate a biomimetic and programmable Ti3C2Tx MXene/low-density polyethylene (LDPE) bilayer actuator by spraying an aqueous dispersion of MXenes onto a plasma-activated LDPE film, followed by optimal thermal regulations. Because of the eminent light absorption and photothermal/electrothermal features of MXenes and the extremely mismatched thermal expansion coefficients between the two layers, the MXene/LDPE actuator can be sensitively driven by many stimuli of near-infrared light, electricity, and heat. The initial configuration of the bilayer actuator can be programmed by tuning the thermal regulation temperature, thereby assembling multiple actuation units to achieve biomimetic functions, such as artificial iris, mechanical arms, and flying birds. More importantly, in virtue of free shape cutting and programmable configuration, the MXene/LDPE bilayer actuator can perform untethered locomotion including crawling, rolling, and sailing. The soft robots can not only move on the ground in different forms but also sail on water along any designated routes and complete the surface cargo transportation driven by a near-infrared laser via the photothermal Marangoni effect. The shape-programmable methodology for the three amphibious motion modes lays foundations for wide applications of the MXene-based soft robots.

Direct Ink Writing of Highly Conductive MXene Frames for Tunable Electromagnetic Interference Shielding and Electromagnetic Wave-Induced Thermochromism.

HIGHLIGHTS: 3D printing of MXene frames with tunable electromagnetic interference shielding efficiency is demonstrated. Highly conductive MXene frames are reinforced by cross-linking with aluminum ions. Electromagnetic wave is visualized by electromagnetic-thermochromic MXene patterns. The highly integrated and miniaturized next-generation electronic products call for high-performance electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding materials to assure the normal operation of their closely assembled components. However, the most current techniques are not adequate for the fabrication of shielding materials with programmable structure and controllable shielding efficiency. Herein, we demonstrate the direct ink writing of robust and highly conductive Ti3C2Tx MXene frames with customizable structures by using MXene/AlOOH inks for tunable EMI shielding and electromagnetic wave-induced thermochromism applications. The as-printed frames are reinforced by immersing in AlCl3/HCl solution to remove the electrically insulating AlOOH nanoparticles, as well as cross-link the MXene sheets and fuse the filament interfaces with aluminum ions. After freeze-drying, the resultant robust and porous MXene frames exhibit tunable EMI shielding efficiencies in the range of 25-80 dB with the highest electrical conductivity of 5323 S m-1. Furthermore, an electromagnetic wave-induced thermochromic MXene pattern is assembled by coating and curing with thermochromic polydimethylsiloxane on a printed MXene pattern, and its color can be changed from blue to red under the high-intensity electromagnetic irradiation. This work demonstrates a direct ink printing of customizable EMI frames and patterns for tuning EMI shielding efficiency and visualizing electromagnetic waves.

Superelastic, Ultralight, and Conductive Ti3C2Tx MXene/Acidified Carbon Nanotube Anisotropic Aerogels for Electromagnetic Interference Shielding.

Although hydrophilic and electrically conductive transition-metal carbon/nitride (MXenes) nanosheets hold great promise for electrically conductive and electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding applications, the weak interaction among MXene nanosheets makes them difficult to form compressible three-dimensional architectures with high conductivity. Herein, inspired by the plant "Parthenocissus tricuspidata", an efficient approach is demonstrated to fabricate conductive and lightweight Ti3C2Tx MXene/acidified carbon nanotube anisotropic aerogels (MCAs) with superelasticity and high thermal insulation. The MXene nanosheets construct the anisotropic and porous skeleton, while the acidified carbon nanotubes reinforce the pore walls of MXene nanosheets, making the MCAs superelastic and compressible. The superelastic MCA with only 5 wt % of the acidified carbon nanotubes is structurally stable during cyclic compressions at both high and ultralow temperatures. Its high conductivity (447.2 S m-1) and ultralow density (9.1 mg cm-3) endow its paraffin composite with a high EMI shielding efficiency of ∼51 dB at an ultralow filler content of 0.3 vol %. When the density of MCA increases to 18.2 mg cm-3, its EMI shielding effectiveness reaches 90 dB. Additionally, the porous and ultralight MCAs exhibit better thermal insulation performances as compared to commercial melamine and polystyrene foams. Therefore, the superelastic, electrically conductive, lightweight, and thermally insulating MCAs would be promising for EMI shielding applications in space equipment and portable wearable devices.

Kirigami-Inspired Highly Stretchable, Conductive, and Hierarchical Ti3C2Tx MXene Films for Efficient Electromagnetic Interference Shielding and Pressure Sensing.

Although Ti3C2Tx MXene sheets are highly conductive, it is still a challenge to design highly stretchable MXene electrodes for flexible electronic devices. Inspired by the high stretchability of kirigami patterns, we demonstrate a bottom-up methodology to design highly stretchable and conductive polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)/Ti3C2Tx MXene films for electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding and pressure sensing applications by constructing wrinkled MXene patterns on a flexible PDMS substrate to create a hierarchical surface with primary and secondary surface wrinkles. The self-controlled microcracks created in the valley domains of the hierarchical film via a nonuniform deformation during prestretching/releasing cycles endow the hierarchical PDMS/MXene film with a high stretchability (100%), strain-invariant conductivity in a strain range of 0%-100%, and stable conductivities over an 1000-cycle fatigue measurement. The stretchable film exhibits a highly stable EMI shielding performance of ≈30 dB at a tensile strain of 50%, and its EMI shielding efficiency increases further to 103 dB by constructing a two-film structure. Furthermore, a highly stretchable and sensitive iontronic sensor array with integrated MXene-based electrodes and circuits is fabricated by a stencil printing process, exhibiting high sensitivity (66.3 nF kPa-1), excellent dynamic cycle stability over 1000 cycles under different frequencies, and sensitive pressure monitoring capability under a tensile strain of 50%.

Multifunctional Magnetic Ti3C2Tx MXene/Graphene Aerogel with Superior Electromagnetic Wave Absorption Performance.

Ingenious microstructure design and a suitable multicomponent strategy are still challenging for advanced electromagnetic wave absorbing (EMA) materials with strong absorption and a broad effective absorption bandwidth (EAB) at thin sample thickness and low filling level. Herein, a three-dimensional (3D) dielectric Ti3C2Tx MXene/reduced graphene oxide (RGO) aerogel anchored with magnetic Ni nanochains was constructed via a directional-freezing method followed by the hydrazine vapor reduction process. The oriented cell structure and heterogeneous dielectric/magnetic interfaces benefit the superior absorption performance by forming perfect impedance matching, multiple polarizations, and electric/magnetic-coupling effects. Interestingly, the prepared ultralight Ni/MXene/RGO (NiMR-H) aerogel (6.45 mg cm-3) delivers the best EMA performance in reported MXene-based absorbing materials up to now, with a minimal reflection loss (RLmin) of -75.2 dB (99.999 996% wave absorption) and a broadest EAB of 7.3 GHz. Furthermore, the excellent structural robustness and mechanical properties, as well as the high hydrophobicity and heat insulation performance (close to air), guarantee the stable and durable EMA application of the NiMR-H aerogel to resist deformation, water or humid environments, and high-temperature attacks.

Identification of CDK1 as a candidate marker in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma by integrated bioinformatics analysis.

BACKGROUND: Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) is a relatively common cancer that accounts for nearly 50% of non-melanoma skin cancer cases. However, the genotypes that are linked with poor prognosis and/or high relapse rates and pathogenic mechanisms of cSCC are not fully understood. To address these points, three gene expression datasets were analyzed to identify candidate biomarker genes in cSCC. METHODS: The GSE117247, GSE32979, and GSE98767 datasets comprising a total of 32 cSCC samples and 31 normal skin tissue samples were obtained from the National Center for Biotechnology Information Gene Expression Omnibus database. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified and underwent pathway enrichment analyses with the Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG). A putative DEG protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was also established that included hub genes. The expression of CDK1, MAD2L1, BUB1 ans CDC20 were examined in the study. RESULTS: A total of 335 genes were identified, encompassing 219 found to be upregulated and 116 genes that were downregulated in cSCC, compared to normal tissue. Enriched functions of these DEGs were associated with Ephrin receptor signaling and cell division; cytosol, membrane, and extracellular exosomes; ATP-, poly(A) RNA-, and identical protein binding. We also established a PPI network comprising 332 nodes and identified KIF2C, CDC42, AURKA, MAD2L1, MYC, CDK1, FEN1, H2AFZ, BUB1, BUB1B, CKS2, CDC20, CCT2, ACTR2, ACTB, MAPK14, and HDAC1 as candidate hub genes. The expression of CDK1 are significantly higher in the cSCC tissues than that in normal skin. CONCLUSIONS: The DEGs identified in this study are potential therapeutic targets and biomarkers for cSCC. CDK1 is a gene closely related to the occurrence and development of cSCC, which may play an important role. Bioinformatics analysis shows that it is involved in the important pathway of the pathogenesis of cSCC, and may be recognized and applied as a new biomarker in the future diagnosis and treatment of cSCC.

Flexible, Transparent, and Conductive Ti3C2Tx MXene-Silver Nanowire Films with Smart Acoustic Sensitivity for High-Performance Electromagnetic Interference Shielding.

Although flexible, transparent, and conductive materials are increasingly required for electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding applications in foldable and wearable electronics, it remains a great challenge to achieve outstanding shielding performances while retaining high light transmittances. Herein, a multiscale structure optimization strategy is proposed to fabricate a transparent and conductive silver nanowire (AgNW) film with both high EMI shielding performance and high light transmittance by a scalable spray-coating technique. By decorating with a Ti3C2Tx MXene coating, the connection and integrity of the AgNW network are greatly improved by welding the nanowire junctions. Compared to a neat AgNW film (21 dB) with the same AgNW density, the Ti3C2Tx MXene-welded AgNW film shows a much higher EMI shielding performance (34 dB) with better mechanical and environmental stabilities. Furthermore, the layered structure design on the macroscopic scale results in an even higher EMI shielding efficiency of 49.2 dB with a high light transmittance of ∼83%. With the Ti3C2Tx MXene coating and the PET substrate as a triboelectric pair, the layered structure offers great flexibility for the transparent film to integrate smart sound monitoring capability. Therefore, the combination of excellent EMI shielding performance, high light transmittance, and sensitive pressure response makes the Ti3C2Tx MXene-welded AgNW films promising for many potential applications in next-generation electronics.

Self-Assembly of MXene-Surfactants at Liquid-Liquid Interfaces: From Structured Liquids to 3D Aerogels.

2D transition metal carbides and nitrides (MXenes), a class of emerging nanomaterials with intriguing properties, have attracted significant attention in recent years. However, owing to the highly hydrophilic nature of MXene nanosheets, assembly strategies of MXene at liquid-liquid interfaces have been very limited and challenging. Herein, through the cooperative assembly of MXene and amine-functionalized polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane at the oil-water interface, we report the formation, assembly, and jamming of a new type MXene-based Janus-like nanoparticle surfactants, termed MXene-surfactants (MXSs), which can significantly enhance the interfacial activity of MXene nanosheets. More importantly, this simple assembly strategy opens a new platform for the fabrication of functional MXene assemblies from mesoscale (e.g., structured liquids) to macroscale (e.g., aerogels), that can be used for a range of applications, including nanocomposites, electronic devices, and all-liquid microfluidic devices.