Digitally Programmable Microphase Separation in Polymer Network Generates Microstructure Pattern.

Polymers with microstructure patterns are crucial to many applications, such as separation, optics, electronics, metamaterials, etc. However, introducing microstructure patterns with diverse morphologies and feature sizes ranging from nanometers to micrometers into large-area polymers remains a significant challenge. Here, we design a material system that enables digital programming microphase separation in a polymer network to generate microstructure patterns.

Confining Nano-ZrO in Nanodomains Leads to Electroactive Artificial Muscle with Large Deformation.

Dielectric elastomers generate muscle-like electroactive actuation, which is applicable in soft machines, medical devices, etc. However, the actuation strain and energy density of most dielectric elastomers, in the absence of prestretch, have long been limited to ∼20% and ∼10 kJ m, respectively. Here, we report a dielectric elastomer with ZrO nanoparticles confined in nanodomains, which achieves an actuation strain >100% and an energy density of ∼150 kJ m without prestretch.

Comprehensive Proteogenomic Profiling Reveals the Molecular Characteristics of Colorectal Cancer at Distinct Stages of Progression.

Colorectal cancer is the second most common malignant tumor worldwide. Analysis of the changes that occur during colorectal cancer progression could provide insights into the molecular mechanisms driving colorectal cancer development and identify improved treatment strategies. In this study, we performed an integrated multiomic analysis of 435 trace tumor samples from 148 patients with colorectal cancer, covering nontumor, intraepithelial neoplasia (IEN), infiltration, and advanced stage colorectal cancer phases.

Rubber-glass nanocomposites fabricated using mixed emulsions.

Many composites consist of matrices of elastomers and nanoparticles of stiff materials. Such composites often have superior properties and are widely used. Embedding elastomers with nanoparticles commonly necessitates intense shear, using machines like extruders and roll millers, which cut polymer chains and degrade properties.

Amphiphilic monomers bridge hydrophobic polymers and water.

Water dissolves a hydrophilic polymer, but not a hydrophobic polymer. Many monomers of hydrophilic polymers, however, are amphiphilic, with a hydrophobic vinyl group for radical polymerization, as well as a hydrophilic group. Consequently, such an amphiphilic monomer may form solutions with both water and hydrophobic polymers.

Proteome profiling of early gestational plasma reveals novel biomarkers of congenital heart disease.

Prenatal diagnosis of congenital heart disease (CHD) relies primarily on fetal echocardiography conducted at mid-gestational age-the sensitivity of which varies among centers and practitioners. An objective method for early diagnosis is needed. Here, we conducted a case-control study recruiting 103 pregnant women with healthy offspring and 104 cases with CHD offspring, including VSD (42/104), ASD (20/104), and other CHD phenotypes.

Conducting Polymer Coatings Prepared by Mixed Emulsions Are Highly Conductive and Stable in Water.

An aqueous emulsion of conducting polymer is commonly applied on a substrate to form a coating after drying. The coating, however, disintegrates in water. This paper reports a coating prepared using a mixture of two emulsions: an aqueous emulsion of conducting polymer, and an aqueous emulsion of hydrophobic and rubbery chains copolymerized with silane coupling agents.

Composite elastomers with on-demand convertible phase separations achieve large and healable electro-actuation.

Phase separation has been widely exploited for fabricating structured functional materials. Generally, after being fabricated, the phase structure in a hybrid material system has been set at a specific length scale and remains unchanged during the lifespan of the material. Herein, we report a strategy to construct on-demand and reversible phase switches among homogenous, nano- and macro-phase separation states in a composite elastomer during its lifespan.

Leveraging SOLOv2 model to detect heat stress of poultry in complex environments.

Heat stress is one of the most important environmental stressors facing poultry production. The presence of heat stress will reduce the antioxidant capacity and immunity of poultry, thereby seriously affecting the health and performance of poultry. The paper proposes an improved FPN-DenseNet-SOLO model for poultry heat stress state detection.

Dielectric Polymer with Designable Large Motion under Low Electric Field.

Dielectric elastomers (DEs) can demonstrate fast and large in-plane expansion/contraction due to electric field (e-field)-induced Maxwell stress. For robotic applications, it is often necessary that the in-plane actuation is converted into out-of-plane motions with mechanical frames. Despite their performance appeal, their high driving e-field (20-100 V µm ) demands bulky power accessories and severely compromises their durability.

Adaptively reconstructing network of soft elastomers to increase strand rigidity: towards free-standing electro-actuation strain over 100.

Soft biological tissues and muscles composed of semiflexible networks exhibit rapid strain-hardening behaviors to protect them from accidental rupture. In contrast, synthetic soft elastomers, usually featuring flexible networks, lack such behaviors, leading to a notorious issue when applying them to a promising artificial muscle technology (dielectric elastomer, DE), that is electromechanical instability (EMI) induced premature breakdown. We report that a facile thermomechanical training method can adaptively reconstruct the network of a soft triblock copolymer elastomer to transform its flexible network strands into semiflexible ones without extra chemical modifications and additives so that the electro-actuation performance is significantly enhanced by avoiding EMI.

[Electroacupuncture in the treatment of acute gastrointestinal injury in patients with severe traumatic brain injury: a prospective randomized controlled trial].

Objective: To evaluate the therapeutic effect of electroacupuncture on acute gastrointestinal injury (AGI) in patients with severe traumatic brain injury (sTBI).

Methods: A prospective randomized controlled trial was conducted. 126 consecutively hospitalized patients with AGI after sTBI admitted to intensive care unit (ICU) of the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University of Traditional Chinese Medicine from January 2018 to December 2019 were enrolled.

Anisotropic electroactive elastomer for highly maneuverable soft robotics.

Dielectric elastomers (DEs) are promising electroactive artificial muscles for use in soft machines. However, achieving anisotropy and sub-kV actuation voltage remains a great challenge for DE actuators. Herein, we report a facile method to fabricate ultrathin anisotropic DE films of an amorphous triblock copolymer poly(styrene-b-butyl acrylate-b-styrene) (SBAS) for soft actuators.

Traditional Chinese medicine bundle therapy for septic acute gastrointestinal injury: A multicenter randomized controlled trial.

Objective: Current conventional treatments for sepsis associated with acute gastrointestinal injury (AGI) have limited efficacy. This study aimed to study traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) bundle therapy (based on TCM syndrome differentiation) as add-on to conventional treatments on the incidence of AGI and on the prognosis of patients with sepsis.

Design: This was a prospective multicenter randomized single-blind controlled trial.

Usefulness of metagenomic analysis in differential diagnosis for pyoderma gangrenosum.

Pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) is a rare ulcerative inflammatory dermatosis easily confused with wound infection following surgery. There have been seven case reports of PG occurring after total knee arthroplasty (TKA), all of which used routine tissue culture for differential diagnosis. Notably, all previous cases involved delayed diagnosis.

Shenfu injection alleviates intestine epithelial damage in septic rats.

Background: Shenfu injection (SFI) promotes tissue microcirculation and oxygen metabolism. We aimed to assess its effects on intestinal epithelial damage in septic rats.

Methods: Fifty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into sham operation (Sham), sepsis (cecal ligation and puncture [CLP]), and SFI (low-dose, middle-dose, high-dose) groups (n = 10).