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.

Charge Dynamics Engineering Sparks Hetero-Interfacial Polarization for an Ultra-Efficient Microwave Absorber with Mechanical Robustness.

Microwave absorbers with high efficiency and mechanical robustness are urgently desired to cope with more complex and harsh application scenarios. However, manipulating the trade-off between microwave absorption performance and mechanical properties is seldom realized in microwave absorbers. Here, a chemistry-tailored charge dynamic engineering strategy is proposed for sparking hetero-interfacial polarization and thus coordinating microwave attenuation ability with the interfacial bonding, endowing polymer-based composites with microwave absorption efficiency and mechanical toughness. The absorber designed by this new conceptual approach exhibits remarkable Ku-band microwave absorption efficiency (-55.3 dB at a thickness of 1.5 mm) and satisfactory effective absorption bandwidth (5.0 GHz) as well as desirable interfacial shear strength (97.5 MPa). The calculated differential charge density depicts the uneven distribution of space charge and the intense hetero-interfacial polarization, clarifying the structure-performance relationship from a theoretical perspective. This work breaks through traditional single performance-oriented design methods and ushers a new direction for next-generation microwave absorbers.

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.

Nano-Voids in Ultrafine Explosive Particles: Characterization and Effects on Thermal Stability.

Ultrafine explosives show high safety and reliable initiation and have been widely used in aerospace, military, and industrial systems. The outstanding performance of ultrafine explosives is largely given by the unique void defects according to the simulation results. However, the structures and effects of internal nano-voids in ultrafine explosive particles have been rarely investigated experimentally. In this work, contrast-variation small angle X-ray scattering was verified to reliably measure the structures of internal nano-voids in ultrafine explosive 2,6-diamino-3,5-dinitropyrazine-1-oxide (LLM-105) and 2,2',4,4',6,6'-hexanitro diphenylethylene (HNS). The size of nano-voids is around 10 nm, and the estimated number of nano-voids in a single particle is considerable. Moreover, the thermal stability of ultrafine LLM-105 was improved via changing the structures of nano-voids. This work provides a methodology for the study of nano-void defects in ultrafine organic particles and may pave the path to enhance the performance of ultrafine explosives via defect engineering.

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.

Integrate Small RNA and Degradome Sequencing to Reveal Drought Memory Response in Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.).

Drought has gradually become one of the most severe abiotic stresses on plants. Plants that experience stress training can exhibit enhanced stress tolerance. According to MicroRNA (miRNA) sequencing data, this study identified 195 candidate drought memory-related miRNAs in wheat, and targets of 64 (32.8%) candidate miRNAs were validated by degradome sequencing. Several drought memory-related miRNAs such as tae-miR9676-5p, tae-MIR9676-p3_1ss21GA, tae-miR171a, tae-miR531_L-2, tae-miR408_L-1, PC-3p-5049_3565, tae-miR396c-5p, tae-miR9778, tae-miR164a-5p, and tae-miR9662a-3p were validated as having a strong response to drought memory by regulating the expression of their target genes. In addition, overexpression of drought memory-related miRNA, tae-miR531_L-2, can remarkably improve the drought tolerance of transgenic Arabidopsisthaliana. Drought memory can regulate plant cellular signal transduction, plant biosynthetic processes, and other biological processes to cope with drought via transcriptional memory. In addition, drought memory-related miRNAs can promote starch and sucrose catabolism and soluble sugar accumulation and regulate proline homeostasis to improve plant drought resistance. Our results could contribute to an understanding of drought memory in wheat seedlings and may provide a new strategy for drought-resistant breeding.

Investigation on the Evolution of Nano-Scale Defects of CL-20 Crystals under Thermal Treatment by Wide/Small-Angle X-ray Scattering.

Nano-scale crystal defects extremely affect the security and reliability of the explosive charges of weapons. In order to understand the evolution of nano-scale defects of 2,4,6,8,10,12-hexanitro-2,4,6,8,10,12-hexaaza-isowurtzitane (CL-20) explosive crystals under thermal treatments, the specific surface, volume fraction and size distribution of the nano-scale defects were studied by using Wide Angle X-ray Scattering (WAXS) and Small Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS) during the temperature range from 30 °C to 200 °C. The results showed that the number and size of the pores in CL-20 powder did not change significantly during the heating process before phase transformation (30-160 °C). At 170 °C, CL-20 began to convert from ε- to γ- phase, and the specific surface and volume fraction of the nano-scale defects increased significantly. Further investigation of the pore size distribution showed that the number of pores with a small size (radius 9-21 nm) changed particularly significantly, resulting from the cracking of the CL-20 crystal powder during phase transition. At 200 °C, the phase transition was completed and γ-CL-20 was created, and the small-sized pores gradually grew into medium-sized (radius 21-52 nm) pores over time when the temperature was fixed at 200 °C.

Characterization of Nano-Scale Parallel Lamellar Defects in RDX and HMX Single Crystals by Two-Dimension Small Angle X-ray Scattering.

Nano-scale crystal defects extremely affect the security and reliability of explosive charges of weapons. In this work, the nano-scale crystal defects of 1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazacyclohexane (RDX) and octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocine (HMX) single crystals were characterized by two-dimension SAXS. Deducing from the changes of SAXS pattern with sample stage rotating, we firstly found the parallel lamellar nano-scale defects in both RDX and HMX single crystals. Further analysis shows that the average diameter and thickness of nano-scale lamellar defects for RDX single crystal are 66.4 nm and 19.3 nm, respectively. The results of X-ray diffraction (XRD) indicate that the lamellar nano-scale defects distribute along the (001) in RDX and the (011) in HMX, which are verified to be the crystal planes with the lowest binding energy by the theoretical calculation.

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.

The Landscape of Autophagy-Related (ATG) Genes and Functional Characterization of TaVAMP727 to Autophagy in Wheat.

Autophagy is an indispensable biological process and plays crucial roles in plant growth and plant responses to both biotic and abiotic stresses. This study systematically identified autophagy-related proteins (ATGs) in wheat and its diploid and tetraploid progenitors and investigated their genomic organization, structure characteristics, expression patterns, genetic variation, and regulation network. We identified a total of 77, 51, 29, and 30 ATGs in wheat, wild emmer, T. urartu and A. tauschii, respectively, and grouped them into 19 subfamilies. We found that these autophagy-related genes (ATGs) suffered various degrees of selection during the wheat's domestication and breeding processes. The genetic variations in the promoter region of Ta2A_ATG8a were associated with differences in seed size, which might be artificially selected for during the domestication process of tetraploid wheat. Overexpression of TaVAMP727 improved the cold, drought, and salt stresses resistance of the transgenic Arabidopsis and wheat. It also promoted wheat heading by regulating the expression of most ATGs. Our findings demonstrate how ATGs regulate wheat plant development and improve abiotic stress resistance. The results presented here provide the basis for wheat breeding programs for selecting varieties of higher yield which are capable of growing in colder, drier, and saltier areas.

Smart Host-Guest Energetic Material Constructed by Stabilizing Energetic Fuel Hydroxylamine in Lattice Cavity of 2,4,6,8,10,12-Hexanitrohexaazaisowurtzitane Significantly Enhanced the Detonation, Safety, Propulsion, and Combustion Performances.

The host-guest inclusion strategy has become a promising method for developing novel high-energy density materials (HEDMs). The selection of functional guest molecules was a strategic project, as it can not only enhance the detonation performance of host explosives but can also modify some of their suboptimal performances. Here, to improve the propulsion and combustion performances of 2,4,6,8,10,12-hexanitrohexaazaisowurtzitane (HNIW), a novel energetic-energetic host-guest inclusion explosive was obtained by incorporating energetic rocket fuel, hydroxylamine (HA), into the lattice cavities of HNIW. Based on their perfect space matching, the crystallographic density of HNIW-HA was determined to be 2.00 g/cm3 at 296 K, which has reached the gold standard regarding the density of HEDMs. HNIW-HA also showed higher thermal stability (Td = 245.9 °C) and safety (H50 = 16.8 cm) and superior detonation velocity (DV = 9674 m/s) than the ε-HNIW. Additionally, because of the excellent combustion performance of HA, HNIW-HA possessed higher propulsion performances, including combustion speed (SC = 39.5 mg/s), combustion heat (QC = 8661 J/g), and specific impulse (Isp = 276.4 s), than ε-HNIW. Thus, the host-guest inclusion strategy has potential to surpass the limitations of energy density and suboptimal performances of single explosives and become a strategy for developing multipurpose intermolecular explosives.

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.