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Human infertility has become a global medical and social health problem. Mice deficient in type 3 adenylyl cyclase (AC3), a key enzyme that synthesizes cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), develop male infertility, although the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unknown. We performed a label-free quantitative (LFQ) proteomics analyses to identify testicular differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) and their respective biological processes. Furthermore, histological examination demonstrated that AC3 deficiency in mice led to mild impairment of spermatogenesis, including the thinning of seminiferous epithelium and local lesions in the testis. We further identified that the integrity of the blood–testis barrier (BTB) was impaired in AC3 knockout (AC3 −/−) mice accompanied with the reduction in the expression of tight junctions (TJs) and ectoplasmic specialization (ESs)–related proteins. In addition, the deletion of AC3 in mice also reduced the germ cell proliferation, increased apoptosis, and decreased lipid deposition in the seminiferous tubules. Collectively, our results revealed a role of AC3 in regulating the BTB integrity during spermatogenesis. Thus, our findings provide new perspectives for future research in male infertility. Male AC3 −/− mice displays mild impairment of spermatogenesis including BTB dysfunction, reduced proliferation of the germ cells, increased apoptosis of the germ cells, and decreased lipid deposition. [Display omitted] • AC3 deletion disrupts the BTB integrity. • AC3 deficiency in mice leads to mild impairment of spermatogenesis and deformity of the sperm head. • AC3 deletion suppresses the proliferation of germ cells and increases germ cells apoptosis. • Deletion of AC3 led to decrease in lipid deposition around seminiferous tubules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diabetes‐induced male dysfunction is considered as a worldwide challenge, and testicular damage mainly caused by oxidative stress is its most common manifestation. Cordycepin, a natural antioxidant, has been used in the treatment of diabetic complications. However, the protective action and underlying mechanism of cordycepin on hyperglycaemia‐induced testicular damage are unclear. This study aimed to investigate the protective effects and molecular mechanisms of cordycepin against diabetes‐induced testicular damage. The type 2 diabetes model was established in C57BL/6 male mice via high‐fat diet for 4 weeks and injected intraperitoneally with 50 mg/kg/day streptozotocin for five consecutive days. Then mice were treated with cordycepin (10 and 20 mg/kg, respectively) for 8 weeks. At the end of experiment, biochemical indicators, microstructure of testicular tissue, sperm morphology, TUNEL staining and protein expressions were evaluated. In the present study, cordycepin alleviated the testicular damage, restored disruption of the blood‐testis barrier, and improved spermatogenic function via the antiapoptotic and antioxidant capacity. Mechanistically, cordycepin significantly enhanced SIRT1 expression and triggered the activity of Foxo3a, further to induce the expression of its downstream antioxidant enzymes, including Mn‐SOD and CAT. These findings indicated that cordycepin could improve hyperglycaemia‐induced testicular damage by regulating downstream antioxidant enzymes activity through the SIRT1/Foxo3a signalling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The type 3 adenylyl cyclase (AC3) enzyme is involved in the synthesis of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP). It is primarily expressed in the central nervous system (CNS) and plays a crucial role in neurogenesis and neural dendritic arborization. However, the AC3's functional role in the gastrointestinal tract remains ambiguous. Methods: AC3 expression in enteric tissue of AC3+/+ mice was investigated using immunohistochemistry and RT‐PCR. AC3 knock‐out mice (AC3−/−) were used to examine the effect of AC3 on the enteric nervous system (ENS) function and the number of cilia and apoptotic cells. Additionally, total gastrointestinal transit time and colonic motility were compared between the AC3−/− and AC3+/+ groups of mice. Key Results: AC3 was predominately expressed in the myenteric plexus of the large intestine. Colonic‐bead expulsion analysis showed accelerated propulsion in the large intestine of the AC3−/− mice. The AC3−/− mice demonstrated reduced nerve fibers and enteric glial cells count in colonic mucosa compared to the AC3+/+ mice. Furthermore, AC3−/− mice exhibited increased cellular apoptosis and reduced ARL13B+ cilium cells in the colonic lamina propria compared to the AC3+/+ mice. Conclusions: In AC3−/− mice, innervation of the lamina propria in the colonic mucosa was reduced and colonic propulsion was accelerated. AC3 is crucial for the development and function of the adult neural network of ENS. AC3 deficiency caused atrophy in the colonic mucosal neural network of mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-performance electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding material that that can function properly under extreme working conditions is critical for their practical applications. Herein, flexible and highly conductive meta-aramid (PMIA) nonwoven fabrics were fabricated by combining polydopamine (PDA) modification and electroless silver plating. The PDA modification greatly enhanced the efficient deposition of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and the interfacial cohesion between the AgNPs and the PMIA fibers. The silver-coated PMIA nonwoven fabric exhibited an electrical conductivity as high as 0.29 Ω/sq, an excellent EMI shielding effectiveness (SE) of 92.6 dB and a high absolute EMI SE of 8194.7 dB cm2 g−1. In addition, the silver-coated PMIA nonwoven fabric maintained high electrical conductivity and EMI SE after being subjected to washing, bending and torsion deformations, high/low temperature, strong acidic/alkaline solutions and different organic solvents. These results have clearly demonstrated that PMIA nonwoven fabric can be made highly electrically conductive by using a simple and highly scalable method. It holds great promise for the applications in EMI shielding materials that can be used in various harsh conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Deficiency of olfaction is thought to be associated with depression, and type 3 adenylyl cyclase (AC3) genetic knockout and forebrain knockout mice show depression-like behaviours. AC3 is expressed in the main olfactory epithelium (MOE) and hippocampus, which plays an important role in olfactory signal transduction. However, it is unclear whether AC3 in the MOE also plays a role in the pathogenesis of depression. Thus, we aimed to study the relationship between AC3 in the MOE and the pathogenesis of depression.Methods: We obtained anosmic mice by intranasal perfusion of zinc sulphate (ZnSO4) (ZnSO4 mice), and distinctively knocked down AC3 in the MOE (AC3KD/MOE mice) by CRISPR/cas9 technology. Behavioural tests related to depression and anxiety were employed to evaluate the depression- and anxiety-like behaviours of mice. The mRNA and protein expressions of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), dopamine receptors (Drds), and N-Methyl D-aspartate receptor subunit 2B (GluN2B) in the hippocampus of mice were investigated by qPCR and western blotting to explore the mechanism of depression and anxiety caused by AC3 in the MOE, preliminarily.Results: Compared with NaCl mice, ZnSO4 mice exhibited depression-like behaviours in tail suspension tests (TST), forced swimming tests, and social (FST) interaction tests (SIT), but showed no anxiety-like behaviours in anxiety-related behavioural tests. The mRNA and protein expressions of Drd3 and GluN2B in the hippocampus of ZnSO4 mice were significantly downregulated. Compared with the negative control mice (NC mice), AC3KD / MOE mice showed depression-like behaviours in TST, FST, and SIT tests, anxiety-like behaviours in light/dark transition test, elevated-plus maze test, and novelty-suppressed feeding test. The protein expressions of Drd3, TH, and GluN2B were significantly downregulated in the hippocampus.Limitations: We did not further demonstrate that AC3 in the MOE causes depression through the dopaminergic nervous system with dopamine or dopamine receptor agonists.Conclusions: Our data demonstrate that intranasal infusion of ZnSO4 can cause depression-like behaviours and has no effect on anxiety-like behaviours. Specific knockdown of AC3 in the MOE can cause depression-like and anxiety-like behaviours. The behavioural changes caused by intranasal ZnSO4 and specific knockdown of AC3 in the MOE can be related to the significant downregulation of dopaminergic system and GluN2B expressions in the hippocampus of mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flexible strain sensors have attracted tremendous interests due to the emergence of intelligent wearable technology. Electrically conductive fibers are desirable candidates for flexible strain sensors, but up til now, there still exist enormous challenges to obtain conductive fibers exhibiting simultaneously high stretchability and high strain sensitivity. This paper introduces a poly (styrene‐butadiene‐styrene) (SBS)/graphene (Gr) composite fiber‐based flexible strain sensor fabricated by a facile and highly scalable wet spinning method. The results demonstrate that the graphene content has significant influence on the morphology, mechanical properties, and electromechanical properties of the composite fibers. The fibers with 5 wt% graphene have a wide response range of up to 100% strain, a high electrical sensitivity with the gauge factor of 10083.98 at 100% strain, and meanwhile, a high level of stability for 2100 stretching–releasing cycles under an applied strain of 20%. Furthermore, the SBS‐5%Gr composite fibers display excellent sensing performance in detecting human upper limb movements at different joints including hand joints, wrist joints, elbow joints, and shoulder joints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to understand the similarities and differences between the Twitter users who tweeted on journal articles in psychology and political science disciplines. Design/methodology/approach: The data were collected from Web of Science, Altmetric.com, and Twitter. A total of 91,826 tweets with 22,541 distinct Twitter user profiles for psychology discipline and 29,958 tweets with 10,478 distinct Twitter user profiles for political science discipline were used for analysis. The demographics analysis includes gender, geographic location, individual or organization user, academic or non-academic background, and psychology/political science domain knowledge background. A machine learning approach using support vector machine (SVM) was used for user classification based on the Twitter user profile information. Latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA) topic modeling was used to discover the topics that the users discussed from the tweets. Findings: Results showed that the demographics of Twitter users who tweeted on psychology and political science are significantly different. Tweets on journal articles in psychology reflected more the impact of scientific research finding on the general public and attracted more attention from the general public than the ones in political science. Disciplinary difference in term of user demographics exists, and thus it is important to take the discipline into consideration for future altmetrics studies. Originality/value: From this study, researchers or research organizations may have a better idea on who their audiences are, and hence more effective strategies can be taken by researchers or organizations to reach a wider audience and enhance their influence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives The emergence of fungal disease calls for the urgency of development of novel drug. In this study, we developed a novel pogostone analogue, DHA-10 and investigated its preclinical pharmacokinetics, tissue distribution, excretion and protein binding rate in rats. Methods DHA-10 was synthesized with dehydroacetic acid (DHA) as the starting material and the structure confirmed by NMR and HRMS. The LC-MS/MS was applied to quantitative analysis of DHA-10 concentrations in the biological samples. Key finding DHA-10 was eliminated rapidly in rat plasma with half-lives of 3.39 ± 0.5, 3.24 ± 0.32 and 3.80 ± 0.40 h after single oral doses of 70, 140 and 280 mg/kg, respectively, and showed linear pharmacokinetic within the examined dosage range. The oral bioavailability of DHA-10 was 69.09 ± 3.9%. DHA-10 distributed widely in tissues with highest tissue concentration was found in small intestine at 2.5 h postdose, followed by the stomach, liver and uterus. Approximately, 1.50 ± 0.26% and 9.12 ± 2.53% of parent drug was excreted via the urine and faeces within 48 h, respectively; 1.45 ± 0.12% was excreted into the bile up to 36 h after a single oral administration of 140 mg/kg. Binding rate of DHA-10 with plasma protein was about 78.80 ± 1.75% in a concentration-independent manner. Conclusions DHA-10 was successfully synthesized and characterized. The preclinical pharmacokinetics study in rats supported the further development of this new antifungal candidate compound. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fatigue life prediction is of great significance in ensuring magnetorheological elastomer (MRE) based rubber components exhibit reliability and do not compromise safety under complex loading, and this necessitates the development of plausible fatigue life predictors for MREs. In this research, silicone rubber based MREs were fabricated by incorporating soft carbonyl iron magnetic particles. Equi-biaxial fatigue behaviour of the fabricated MREs was investigated by using the bubble inflation method. The relationship between fatigue life and maximum engineering stress, maximum strain and strain energy density were studied. The results showed that maximum engineering stress and stored energy density can be used as reliable fatigue life predictors for SR based MREs when they are subjected to dynamic equi-biaxial loading. General equations based on maximum engineering stress and strain energy density were developed for fatigue life prediction of MREs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, we investigated the effect of methionine-enriched diet (MED) on blood pressure in rats and examined the protective effect of enalapril, a widely used angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEi) class antihypertensive drug. The results showed that MED induced significant increase of SBP and Ang II-induced contractile response in aortae of rats. MED significantly increased plasma levels of homocysteine (Hcy) and ACE. In addition, MED increased the phosphorylation of protein kinase R-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (PERK) and eukaryotic initiation factor 2 (eIF2α) and expression of activating transcription factor 3 (ATF3) and ATF6 in aortae of rats, indicating the occurrence of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. Moreover, MED resulted in oxidative stress as evidenced by significant increase of TBARS level and decrease of superoxide dismutase and catalase activities. Administration of enalapril could effectively inhibit these pathological changes induced by MED in rats. These results demonstrated that ACE-mediated ER stress and oxidative stress played an important role in high Hcy-induced hypertension and MED may exert a positive loop between the activation of ACE and accumulation of Hcy, aggravating the pathological condition of hypertension. The data provide novel insights into the mechanism of high Hcy-associated hypertension and the therapeutic efficiency of enalapril. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, isotactic polybutene-1 (iPB) was functionalized with glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) using di-tert-butyl peroxide as an initiator via a radical-initiated melt grafting reaction, while styrene (St) was used as a comonomer to enhance the grafting reaction. The effect of temperature, concentration of initial GMA and peroxide, and the addition of St comonomer on the final grafting degree, grafting efficiency, and the melt flow rate of the grafted polymer were studied. The results indicated that St was an effective comonomer. Moreover, the GMA grafted iPB had higher crystallization temperature and faster crystallization rate compared with the unmodified iPB based on the differential scanning calorimetric tests. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The equi-biaxial fatigue behaviour of silicone based magnetorheological elastomers (MREs) with various volume fractions of carbonyl iron particles ranging between 15% and 35% was studied. Wöhler curves for each material were derived by cycling test samples to failure over a range of stress amplitudes. Changes in complex modulus ( E ∗ ) and dynamic stored energy during the fatigue process were observed. As for other elastic solids, fatigue resistance of MREs with different particle contents was shown to be dependent on the stress amplitudes applied. MREs with low particle content showed the highest fatigue life at high stress amplitudes while MREs with high particle content exhibited the highest fatigue resistance at low stress amplitudes. E ∗ fell with the accumulation of cycles for each material, but the change was dependent on the particle content and stress amplitude applied. However, each material failed in a range suggesting a limiting value of E ∗ for the material between 1.22 MPa and 1.38 MPa regardless of the particle content and the magnitude of the stress amplitude. In keeping with results from previous testing, it was shown that dynamic stored energy can be used to predict the fatigue life of MREs having a wide variation in particle content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prediction of fatigue life is of great significance in ensuring that dynamically loaded rubber components exhibit safety and reliability in service. In this text, the dynamic equi-biaxial fatigue behaviour of magnetorheological elastomer (MREs) using a bubble inflation method is described. Wöhler (S–N) curves for both isotropic and anisotropic MREs were produced by subjecting the compounds to cycling over a range of stress amplitudes (σ a) between 0.75 MPa and 1.4 MPa. Changes in physical properties, including variation in stress–strain relations and complex modulus (E*) during the fatigue process were analysed. It was found that the complex modulus of MRE samples decreased throughout the entire fatigue test and failure took place at a limiting value of approximately 1.228MPa ± 4.38% for isotropic MREs and 1.295 ± 10.33% for anisotropic MREs. It was also determined that a dynamic stored energy criterion can be used as a plausible predictor in determining the fatigue life of MREs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: For materials in modern machines, fatigue strength is probably the most critical physical property that needs to be understood. In particular, the high dynamic loading experienced by machine parts necessitates understanding fatigue properties in life limiting components. However, rubber fatigue is imperfectly understood and even less is known about fatigue resistance in adaptive or smart elastomers. Preliminary research into the equi-biaxial fatigue behaviour of magnetorheological elastomers (MREs) is described here. Test samples were fabricated by incorporating carbonyl iron particles, typically of 6–7μm in diameter, in room temperature vulcanised (RTV) silicone rubber. Physical testing was conducted using a bubble inflation testing system and test samples were fatigued at stress amplitudes between 0.75MPa and 1.4MPa under engineering stress control. S–N (Wöhler) curves of stress amplitude (σ a = S) versus cycles to failure (N) are presented. Stress–strain behaviour throughout the fatigue process is also described. For a stress amplitude of 0.75MPa and zero minimum stress, stress softening was observed for the entire test, though it was particularly pronounced in the first 100 cycles of testing. A limiting value of complex modulus (E* ), observed previously in dynamic testing of conventional elastomers, was determined in these tests. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Strain sensors are currently limited by an inability to operate over large deformations or to exhibit linear responses to strain. Producing strain sensors meeting these criteria remains a particularly difficult challenge. In this work, the fabrication of a highly flexible strain sensor based on electrospun thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) fibrous tubes comprising wavy and oriented fibers coated with carboxylated multiwall carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is described. By combining spraying and ultrasonic-assisted deposition, the number of CNTs deposited on the electrospun TPU fibrous tube could reach 12 wt%, which can potentially lead to the formation of an excellent conductive network with high conductivity of 0.01 S/cm. The as-prepared strain sensors exhibited a wide strain sensing range of 0–760% and importantly high linearity over the whole sensing range while maintaining high sensitivity with a GF of 57. Moreover, the strain sensors were capable of detecting a low strain (2%) and achieved a fast response time whilst retaining a high level of durability. The TPU/CNTs fibrous tube-based strain sensors were found capable of accurately monitoring both large and small human body motions. Additionally, the strain sensors exhibited rapid response time, (e.g., 45 ms) combined with reliable long-term stability and durability when subjected to 60 min of water washing. The strain sensors developed in this research had the ability to detect large and subtle human motions, (e.g., bending of the finger, wrist, and knee, and swallowing). Consequently, this work provides an effective method for designing and manufacturing high-performance fiber-based wearable strain sensors, which offer wide strain sensing ranges and high linearity over broad working strain ranges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Highly conductive meta -aramid fiber paper (MAFP) was firstly prepared. • Plasma treatment greatly favored the effective deposition of Ag nanoparticles. • Silver-coated MAFP showed good temperature and chemical stability. • High EMI shielding effectiveness of 95.47 dB was achieved. How to function properly under extreme working conditions is a key challenge for flexible electronic devices because their performance is often susceptible to environmental conditions. Herein, we demonstrated the fabrication, evaluation, and application of a flexible and highly conductive meta -aramid fiber paper (MAFP) by combining oxygen plasma treatment and electroless silver plating. The plasma treatment etched the MAFP surface and introduced large amounts of oxygen-containing groups which led to the formation of continuous silver coating and high interface binding between MAFP and Ag nanoparticles. The results showed that the silver-coated MAFP had an electrical resistance as low as 0.152 Ω/sq and exhibited excellent temperature, mechanical and chemical stability. Finally, these properties of silver-coated MAFP were exploited for its use as electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding. Experimental results revealed that the EMI shielding effectiveness (SE) of the silver-coated MAFP reached as high as 95.47 dB and a specific EMI SE of 530.38 dB·mm−1. These results have clearly demonstrated that MAFP can become highly electrically conductive after simple plasma treatment and silver coating while keeping its excellent thermal and chemical stability and therefore holds great promise for the development of new kinds of all-weather flexible electronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Novel object recognition memory is impaired in mice with MOE disruption by nasal ZnSO 4 perfusion. • Morris water maze and the step-down passive avoidance learning and memory are decreased in mice with MOE disruption by nasal ZnSO 4 perfusion. • Specific knockdown of type 3 adenylyl cyclase in mouse MOE (AC 3KD/MOE) induces deficiency of learning and memory in the Y-maze test. • Specific knockdown of type 3 adenylyl cyclase in mouse MOE (AC 3KD/MOE) leads to deficiency of learning and memory in the NOTR, MWM and the SDPAT. Although olfactory dysfunction is related to learning and memory impairment, the causal relationship between main olfactory epithelium (MOE) disruption and learning and memory is still unknown. The present study aimed to establish whether MOE disruption causes learning and memory impairment and whether the expression of type 3 adenylyl cyclas (AC 3) in the MOE is related to learning and memory. First, the buried food test was carried out to confirm that MOE function was disrupted in mice treated with nasal instillation of zinc sulfate (ZnSO 4 mice), and mice with specific knockdown of AC 3 in the MOE by CRISPR/Cas9 technology (AC 3KD/MOE mice). Then, behavioural tasks associated with learning and memory were administered. ZnSO 4 mice and AC 3KD/MOE mice showed impairments in learning and memory tests, including the novel object recognition test, the step-down passive avoidance test, the Morris water maze test, and the Y-maze test. Our data demonstrate that MOE disruption caused by nasal exposure to ZnSO 4 or specific knockdown of AC 3 in the MOE resulted in learning and memory impairment, and they further demonstrate that the expression of AC 3 in the MOE plays a major role in learning and memory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A magnetic graphene-like molybdenum disulfide nanocomposite was prepared by liquid-phase exfoliation and hydrothermal synthesis. The morphology, structure, and magnetic behavior of the nanocomposite were characterized by X-ray diffraction, FTIR spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, vibrating sample magnetometry, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The nanocomposite was employed as a sorbent for magnetic solid-phase extraction (MSPE) of eight triazine and ten sulfonylurea herbicides from environmental water and corn samples. Specifically, this was studied with cyanazine, simetryn, atrazine, methoprotryne, ametryn, prometryn, terbutryn, dipropetryn, metsulfuron-methyl, sulfometuron-methyl, amidosulfuron, rimsulfuron, nicosulfuron, bensulfuron-methyl, halosulfuron-methyl, pyrazosulfuron-ethyl, chlorimuron-ethyl, and cyclosulfamuron. The parameters affecting extraction efficiency (sorbent amount, pH value of the sample, extraction and elution conditions) were studied and optimized. Following MSPE, the multi-residue herbicides were quantified by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography combined with ion trap mass spectrometry and electrospray ionization. The limits of detection range between 20 and 170 ng·L−1. The extraction recoveries of eighteen herbicides from corn samples were in the range between of 64.7% and 103.1%, with RSDs of <17.6%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dielectric elastomer (DE) composites with high electrical breakdown strength and large voltage-induced deformation were developed by retaining pre-stretched thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) fibers in ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA). The microstructure of the candidate E-TPU fiber membrane and EVA coated E-TPU (E-TPU/EVA) film were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The quasi-static and dynamic mechanical property, and the electromechanical properties, including the dielectric constant, dielectric loss tangent, and electromechanical sensitivity, of the DE composites were evaluated. Initially, tensile tests demonstrated that the DE composites based on E-TPU/EVAs had a higher elongation at break of above 1000% but a low elastic modulus of approximately 1.7 MPa. Furthermore, dielectric spectroscopy showed that the E-TPU/EVA had a dielectric constant of 4.5 at the frequency of 1000 Hz, which was 1.2 times higher than that of pure EVA film. Finally, it was found from electromechanical test that the voltage induced strain of E-TPU/EVA rose to 6%, nearly 3 times higher than that of pure TPU film, indicating an excellent electromechanical property. The DE composites developed have demonstrated the potential to be good candidate materials in the fields of artificial intelligence, biomimicry and renewable energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To meet the requirement of high stretchability, high sensitivity, and multifunction for flexible sensors, core–sheath structured polystyrene‐ethylene‐butene‐styrene (SEBS)/carbon nanotubes (CNTs)/carbonyl iron particle (CIP) fiber with SEBS/CNTs as the sheath and SEBS/CIP as the core was prepared through wet spinning. The contents of CNTs and CIP in the composite fiber were adjusted by changing the extrusion speed of the SEBS/CNTs and SEBS/CIP spinning solutions. The morphology, electromechanical sensing, and magnetic precepting performances of the fiber were studied. The SEBS/CNTs/CIP fiber sensor showed high stretchability with a maximum strain sensing range of 0%–216.9%, high sensitivity with a gauge factor (GF) of up to 1068.28, as well as excellent durability. In addition, the SEBS/CNTs/CIP fiber sensor exhibited excellent magnetic sensing performance by changing the relative resistance of 35.2% with a magnetic flux density variation of 1.2 T. The applications of SEBS/CNTs/CIP fiber in stretchable circuits, human body motion monitoring, and magnetic field perception were demonstrated. Highlights: SEBS/CNTs/CIP fiber for strain and magnetic field sensing was fabricated.The SEBS/CNTs/CIP fiber sensor could sense 216.9% strain with GF up to 1068.28.Relative resistance of SEBS/CNTs/CIP fiber sensor changed by 35.2% under 1.2 T.SEBS/CNTs/CIP fiber was used in human motion monitoring and magnetic perception. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of Baduanjin qigong on improving lung function and postoperative quality of life of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and to find an effective home-based pulmonary rehabilitation method. Methods: A randomised controlled trial was carried out from July 2019 to October 2021, which included 216 NSCLC postoperative participants from Beijing China-Japan Friendship Hospital and Cancer Hospital of Chinese Academy of Medical Science. Participants were randomly divided into two groups, including the observation (n = 108) group and the control group (n = 108). The control group was given routine lung rehabilitation training, while the observation group was given Baduanjin qigong. Both groups were trained for 12 weeks.The patient's age, sex, smoking history, lung cancer stage, pathological type were recorded. Related indicators of lung function, 6-min walk distance(6MWD), Piper fatigue Scale, and Borg dyspnea score before and after intervention were recorded. Results: Compared with these indicators before indicators, lung function, 6MWD, Piper fatigue Scale score and Borg score were significantly better in the two groups after intervention (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences in FVC%, 6MWD and Borg score between the two groups (P > 0.05), whereas FEV1% and Piper fatigue Scale scores in the observation group were better than that in the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Both Baduanjin qigong and traditional pulmonary rehabilitation methods can improve the postoperative lung function and quality of life of patients with NSCLC; and compared with traditional pulmonary rehabilitation training, Baduanjin Qigong may have certain advantages in relieving cancer-related fatigue and FEV1%, and may be another new method of home-based pulmonary rehabilitation for patients with NSCLC. Trial registration: Clinical Trial No.: ChiCTR1900025121. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a new kind of composite nanofiber-based strain sensor with superior electromechanical properties was fabricated by using aligned thermal plastic polyurethane (TPU) nanofibers coated with multi-wall carbon nanotubes (CNTs). In order to improve the deposition efficiency and the fastness of CNTs coating on TPU nanofibers, bio-inspired dopamine (DA) was employed to modify the surface of the TPU nanofiber via a fast deposition method. (The composite nanofibers obtained were denoted as DATPU.) The electromechanical tests showed that DATPU/CNTs nanofiber membrane had a wide linear working range of 370% in the direction parallel to the nanofibers (P-DATPU/CNTs), a high gauge factor of 22.0 and a high linear coefficient of determination (r2) of 0.997. P-DATPU/CNTs nanofibers also exhibited excellent durability during stretching–releasing test for 5000 cycles. The P-DATPU/CNTs composite nanofibers demonstrated high sensing performance in detecting human motions of finger and elbow bendings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As wearable electronic devices have become commonplace in daily life, great advances in wearable strain sensors occurred in various fields including healthcare, robotics, virtual reality and other sectors. In this work, a highly stretchable and sensitive strain sensor based on electrospun styrene-ethylene-butene-styrene copolymer (SEBS) yarn modified by dopamine (DA) and coated with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) was reported. Due to the process of twisting, a strain senor stretched to a strain of 1095.8% while exhibiting a tensile strength was 20.03 MPa. The strain sensor obtained a gauge factor (GF of 1.13 × 105) at a maximum strain of 215%. Concurrently, it also possessed good stability, repeatability and durability under different strain ranges, stretching speeds and 15,000 stretching-releasing cycles. Additionally, the strain sensor exhibited robust washing fastness under an ultrasonic time of 120 min at 240 W and 50 Hz. Furthermore, it had a superior sensing performance in monitoring joint motions of the human body. The high sensitivity and motion sensing performance presented here demonstrate that PDA@SEBS/MWNCTs yarn has great potential to be used as components of wearable devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Conductive fiber was prepared via coaxial wet spinning and magnetron sputtering. • The microcracks and silver plating improved the sensing strain from 70% to 167%. • The SBS/Gr/CNTs/Ag fiber sensor has a very high gauge factor of 1669. In this study, a flexible strain sensor with high sensitivity and a wide working strain range was developed by employing a poly(styrene butadiene styrene) (SBS) matrix and carbon nanotubes (CNTs)/graphene (Gr) as the conductive filler via coaxial wet spinning. Microcracks were induced on the surface of the SBS/Gr/CNTs fibers through controlled mechanical stretching, followed by enhancing the conductive network through silver plating using magnetron sputtering. The results revealed that both the formation of the microcrack structure and silver plating significantly improved the strain sensing performance of the SBS/Gr/CNTs fibers. The formation of microcracks increased the maximum sensing strain from 70 % to 110 % with a high gauge factor of 902. Furthermore, with a silver sputtering duration of 5 min, the strain working range of the silver-plated SBS/Gr/CNTs fiber-based sensor increased to 167 %, accompanied by a significantly enhanced gauge factor of 1669. The SBS/Gr/CNTs/Ag fiber sensor also exhibited reliable stability and durability during repeated stretching-releasing cycles. Moreover, it demonstrated the ability to monitor human movements, including finger and wrist joint motions, as well as knee joint bending. These findings highlight the effectiveness of microcrack formation and silver plating in enhancing the strain sensing capabilities of SBS/Gr/CNTs fibers. The developed sensor holds great promise for various applications, particularly in monitoring human movements and structural deformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wearable flexible sensors have developed rapidly in recent years because of their improved capacity to detect human motion in wide-ranging situations. In order to meet the requirements of flexibility and low detection limits, a new pressure sensor was fabricated based on electrospun barium titanate/multi-wall carbon nanotubes (BTO@MWCNTs) core-shell nanofibers coated with styrene-ethylene-butene-styrene block copolymer (SEBS). The sensor material (BTO@MWCNTs/SEBS) had a SEBS to BTO/MWCNTs mass ratio of 20:1 and exhibited an excellent piezoelectricity over a wide range of workable pressures from 1 to 50 kPa, higher output current of 56.37 nA and a superior piezoresistivity over a broad working range of 20–110 kPa in compression. The sensor also exhibited good durability and repeatability under different pressures and under long-term cyclic loading. These properties make the composite ideal for applications requiring monitoring subtle pressure changes (exhalation, pulse rate) and finger movements. The pressure sensor developed based on BTO@MWCNTs core-shell nanofibers has demonstrated great potential to be assembled into intelligent wearable devices. [Display omitted] • A new pressure sensor was fabricated based on electrospun BTO@MWCNTs core-shell nanofibers and SEBS. • The pressure sensor exhibited a working pressure range of 1–50 kPa and an output currentof 56.97 nA. • The pressure sensor was capable of sensing in an ultra-wide working range (1–110 kPa). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neuronal primary cilia are crucial for body weight maintenance. Type III adenylyl cyclase (AC3) is abundantly enriched in neuronal cilia, and mice with global AC3 ablation are obese. However, whether AC3 regulates body weight through its ciliary expression and the mechanism underlying this potential regulation are not clear. In this study, humanized AC3 knock‐in mice that are resistant to high‐fat diet (HFD)‐induced obesity are generated, and increases in the number and length of cilia in the ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH) are shown. It is demonstrated that mice with specifically knocked down ciliary AC3 expression in the VMH show pronounced HFD‐induced obesity. In addition, in vitro and in vivo analyses of the VMH show that ciliary AC3 regulates autophagy by binding an autophagy‐related gene, gamma‐aminobutyric acid A receptor‐associated protein (GABARAP). Mice with GABARAP knockdown in the VMH exhibit exacerbated HFD‐induced obesity. Overall, the findings may reveal a potential mechanism by which ciliary AC3 expression regulates body weight in the mouse VMH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High‐performance multifunctional textiles are highly demanded for human health‐related applications. In this work, a highly conductive nonwoven fabric is fabricated by coating silver nanowires (AgNWs)/poly(3,4‐ethyl enedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) on a poly(m‐phenylene isophthalamide) (PMIA) nonwoven fabric through a multistep dip coating process. The as‐prepared PMIA/AgNWs/PEDOT:PSS composite nonwoven fabric shows an electrical resistance as low as 0.92 ± 0.06 Ω sq−1 with good flexibility. The incorporation of the PEDOT:PSS coating layer improves the adhesion between AgNWs and PMIA nonwoven fabric, and also enhances the thermal stability of the composite nonwoven fabric. Electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding and Joule heating performances of the PMIA/AgNWs/PEDOT:PSS composite nonwoven fabric are also investigated. The results show that the average EMI shielding effectiveness (SE) of the single‐layer nonwoven fabric in X‐band is as high as 56.6 dB and retains a satisfactory level of SE after being washed, bended, and treated with acid/alkali solution and various organic solvents. The composite nonwoven fabric also exhibits low voltage‐driven Joule heating performance with reliable heating stability and repeatability. It can be envisaged that the multifunctional PMIA/AgNWs/PEDOT:PSS nonwoven fabric with reliable stability and chemical robustness can be used in EMI shielding devices and personal thermal management products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Our study included seminal plasma samples from patients with asthenozoospermia caused by four different etiologies. • There are similarities and differences in seminal plasma metabolism abnormalities in patients with asthenozoospermia caused by different etiologies. • Idiopathic asthenozoospermia shows significant separation from other asthenozoospermia and unique differential metabolites. Asthenozoospermia (AZS) is a disease characterized by decreased sperm motility induced by multiple etiologies, and the pathological mechanisms of various AZS are unclear. We simultaneously analyzed the metabolic profiling of four representative AZS to provide new insights into the etiologies of AZS. Seminal plasma samples were collected from healthy control (HC; n = 30) and four AZS induced by varicocele (VA, n = 30), obesity (OA, n = 22), reproductive system infections (RA; n = 17) and idiopathic (IA, n = 30), respectively, and were analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Disturbed metabolites and metabolic pathways were compared between AZS and HC, as well as IA and the other three AZS. A total of 40 different metabolites were identified in the seminal plasma of AZS and HC, of which lactic acid, fructose, citric acid, glutamine and pyruvic acid metabolic abnormalities associated with all the AZS groups, while each AZS group had unique metabolic changes. RA was significantly separated from the other three AZS, and metabolites such as cholesterol, octadecanoic acid and serine mainly contributed to the separation. The comprehensive metabolomic analysis and comparison of four various AZS provided evidence and clues for the mechanism mining, which will benefit future etiology, diagnosis and treatment of AZS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnetorheological elastomers (MREs) are smart materials whose mechanical properties can quickly respond to changes in the external magnetic field. This phenomenon is known as the magnetorheological (MR) effect and is the key to the application of magnetorheological elastomers. Previous studies have found that the interface between magnetic particles and elastomers is a critical factor that influencing the MR effect of MREs. To improve the interfacial interaction between silicone rubber (SR) and carbonyl iron (CI) particles, in the MREs considered in this work, CI particles were subjected to surface modification through polydopamine (PDA) deposition and n-dodecyltrimethoxysilane (DTMS) grafting. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) confirmed the successful deposition of PDA@DTMS coating layer with a thickness of about 30.6 nm. The tensile strength of anisotropic MREs increased by 31.5% after surface modification of CI particles. The study of magnetic field induced changes in viscoelastic properties showed that CI-PDA@DTMS based MREs exhibited a superior MR effect to the CI-based MREs. • Carbonyl iron (CI) particles were modified by polydopamine and n-dodecyltrimethoxysilane. • Surface modification improved the dispersibility of CI in silicone rubber. • The mechanical properties of the MREs were enhanced through CI modification. • MREs with surface modified CI exhibited a superior magnetorheological effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adenylate cyclase 3 ( AC3 ) is an important component of the cyclic adenosine 3′,5′-monophosphate (cAMP) signaling pathway and converts adenosine triphosphate into cAMP. Male mice with AC3 deletion ( AC3 −/− ) are sterile. However, the mechanical mechanism remains unclear. By TUNEL staining, we found that cell apoptosis in the testicular tissues of AC3 −/− mice increased significantly compared with that in the wild-type ( AC3 +/+ ) mice. Differentially expressed genes regulated by AC3 in the testicular tissues were identified by gene chip hybridization. We observed that the expression of 693 genes was altered in the testicular tissues of AC3 −/− mice, including 330 up-regulated and 363 down-regulated gene expression with fold changes higher than 2 (≥ 2) as the standards. Furthermore, part of these differentially expressed genes was verified by the real-time fluorescence quantification PCR and immunofluorescent staining. The expression levels of the genes related to olfactory receptors, cell apoptosis, transcriptional activity, defensive reaction, cell adhesion, cell death, and immunoreactions were significantly altered in the testicular tissues of AC3 −/− mice compared with AC3 +/+ mice. In addition, the corresponding Ca 2 + , cAMP, and cell adhesion signaling pathways, as well as the signaling pathways related to axon guidance and cell interaction, were altered significantly in the AC3 −/− mice. These data would help elucidate the general understanding of the mechanisms underlying the sterility in AC3 −/− male mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The strain sensor was based on SEBS fibrous tube and MWCNTs. • The strain sensor can reach a high sensitivity of 3.62 × 105 when the strain was 306%. • The strain sensor can easily be compressed and exhibit good response under the pressure of 0∼29.4 N. As a wearable electronic device, strain sensor has developed rapidly in recent years, because it is conductive to detecting human movements in various situations. In this study, a new type of highly stretchable and sensitive strain sensor based on electrospun styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene block copolymer (SEBS) fibrous tubes coated with multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) was reported. The sensor reached a high sensitivity of 3.62 × 105 when the strain was 306%. It also exhibited good stability, repeatability, and durability for different applied strains, different feed speeds, and long-term cyclic loading (15000 cycles). Besides, the sensor could easily be compressed due to its tubular structure and exhibited good response under 0∼29.4 N. Additionally, it showed excellent washing fastness under ultrasonication for 120 min and superior sensing performance in monitoring pulse beat and joint movements. This work provides a new strategy for fabricating strain sensors with high stretchability and high sensitivity. These results demonstrated that the fabricated strain sensor had great potential in smart wearable devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complex of formononetin and calycosin (FMN/CAL) shows a synergistic effect on temozolomide in the treatment of malignant glioma, however the mechanism is unclear. We investigated the mechanism through means of metabolomics, network pharmacology and molecular biology. FMN/CAL enhanced the inhibition of TMZ on the growth and infiltration of C6 glioma. The metabolomic results showed that the TMZ sensitization of FMN/CAL mainly involved 5 metabolic pathways and 4 metabolites in cells, 1 metabolic pathway and 2 metabolites in tumor tissues, and 7 metabolic pathways and 8 metabolites in serum. Further network pharmacological analysis revealed that NOS2 was a potential target for FMN/CAL to regulate the metabolism in TMZ-treated C6 glioma cells, serums and tissues, and TNF-α was another potential target identified in tissues. FMN/CAL down-regulated the expression of NOS2 in tumor cells and tissues, and reduced the secretion of TNF-α in tumor region. FMN/CAL promoted TMZ-induced C6 cell apoptosis by inhibiting NOS2, but the inhibition of cell vitality and migration was not through NOS2. Our work revealed that FMN/CAL can increase the sensitivity of malignant glioma to TMZ by inhibiting NOS2-dependent cell survival, which provides a basis for the application of this combination in adjuvant treatment of glioma. [Display omitted] • FMN/CAL enhanced the inhibition of TMZ on the growth of C6 glioma. • FMN/CAL enhanced the anti-glioma effect of TMZ by affecting metabolic pathways. • FMN/CAL down-regulated the expression of NOS2 in C6 glioma cells and tissues. • FMN/CAL can increase the sensitivity of C6 malignant glioma to TMZ by inhibiting NOS2-dependent cell survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Ultra-stretchable SEBS/ MWCNTs composite fiber was fabricated through wet spinning. • Effects of MWCNTs content and L/D ratio on the mechanical, electrical and electromechanical properties of the composite fiber were investigated. • The composite fiber showed a strain sensing range of up to 0–506%. • The composite fiber was formed into a knitted fabric and had the ability of detecting human motions. Although flexible polymer composites based strain sensors have been widely studied, it is still a challenge to obtain flexible strain sensors with large working range, high sensitivity and reliable stability. In this research, a flexible strain sensor based on poly(styrene-b-ethylene-ran-butylene-b-styrene) (SEBS)/multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) composite fiber was prepared through the wet spinning method. In particular, the effects of MWCNTs content and aspect ratio (L/D) on the morphology, and mechanical, electrical and electromechanical properties of the composite fiber were studied. The results showed that with the increase of MWCNTs content, the tensile strength and elongation at break of the composite fiber decreased, while the electrical conductivity and the strain sensing range increased. For the same MWCNTs content, the composite fiber filled with MWCNTs of the lowest L/D ratio (1.25/15) showed the highest tensile strength and elongation at break; whereas the composite fiber filled with MWCNTs of the highest L/D ratio (20/15) showed the highest electrical conductivity, strain sensing range (0–506%) and sensitivity (gauge factor of 58.274 at 0%–275% strain, and of 197.944 at 275%–506% strain). The fabricated composite fiber could be formed into a knitted fabric and had the ability of detecting various human motions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A strain sensor was fabricated using CNTs and modified TPU membrane. • The strain sensor possessed an ultra-high working range of 710% with a GF of 1200. • The strain sensor could accurately respond to different types of human motions. Fiber-based strain sensors have attracted widespread concern of researchers due to large specific surface area, good stretchability and remarkable flexibility. In this work, a stretchable strain sensor with ultra-high working range was developed by using electrospun thermal plastic polyurethane (TPU) nanofibrous membrane coated with carboxyl multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs). In order to obtain an even distribution and an improved fastness of carboxyl CNTs on TPU fibers, dopamine (DA) was employed to modify the TPU nanofibrous membrane (labelled DATPU) via a fast ultrasonication-assisted deposition approach. DATPU/CNTs exhibited an ultra-high working range of about 710% with high gauge factor up to 1200. Furthermore, DATPU/CNTs were found to have stronger washing fastness than TPU/CNTs owing to the introduction of DA onto the surface of TPU nanofibers. DATPU/CNTs also maintained good electrical conductivity during 15,000 cycles of stretching-releasing test. Finally, a prototype of strain sensor based on DATPU/CNTs membrane demonstrated remarkable flexibility and sensitivity to human body motions such as elbow bending, finger bending and swallowing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Schematic illustration of the preparation of SEBS inks. [Display omitted] • Shaped DEs were fabricated by employing EHD printing. • Polyphenols extracted from walnut skin were utilized to modify TiO 2 nanoparticles. • The DEs exhibited an actuated strain of 21.5% at an electric field of 34.0 V/μm. In this work, a recently developed 3D additive processing technology termed electrohydrodynamic (EHD) printing was employed to fabricate dielectric elastomer (DE) films by using styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene (SEBS) inks with the addition of high dielectric titanium dioxide (TiO 2) nanoparticles. In order to improve the dispersibility of TiO 2 in the SEBS matrix, extracted walnut polyphenols were utilized for surface modification of TiO 2 nanoparticles labelled wp-TiO 2. The effect of the applied voltage on the ink jet morphology of the obtained SEBS based inks during EHD printing was analyzed. The prepared films had precision patterned shapes and their morphology was studied. It revealed that the dispersibility of TiO 2 nanoparticles in the SEBS matrix and their compatibility were greatly improved using this procedure. Furthermore, the printed DE films were found to have excellent mechanical, dielectric and electromechanical properties. For the range of DEs fabricated, the SEBS/10%wp-TiO 2 composite exhibited the maximum actuated area strain of 21.5% at an electric field of about 34.0 V/μm without degradation of other properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Limonin relieved the severity of DSS-induced chronic colitis in mice. • Limonin attenuated DSS-induced chronic colitis by inhibiting PERK-ATF4-CHOP pathway of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. • Limonin attenuated DSS-induced chronic colitis by inhibiting NF-κB signaling. • Limonin suppressed PERK-ATF4-CHOP pathway of ER stress and NF-κB signaling in LPS-induced inflammation in vitro. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic gastrointestinal inflammation regulated by intricate mechanisms. Limonin, a natural tetracyclic triterpenoid compound, possesses multiple bioactivities including anti-inflammation, anti-cancer and so on. However, the therapeutic potential and the underlying mechanism of limonin on IBD remain unclear. Here, we probe into the effect of limonin on chronic colitis induced by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) and illustrated the potential mechanisms. We found that limonin relieved the risk and severity of DSS-induced chronic colitis in mice through various aspects including increasing body weight and colon length, decreasing the mortality rate, inhibiting MPO activity and improving colon pathology. Limonin also decreased the production of proinflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6 and the expression of inflammatory proteins COX-2, iNOS in colon tissues from DSS-induced colitis mice. Moreover, limonin attenuated DSS-induced chronic colitis by inhibiting PERK-ATF4-CHOP pathway of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and NF-κB signaling. In vitro , limonin not only decreased LPS-induced higher production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and inflammatory proteins mentioned above by inhibiting NF-κB signaling in macrophage cells RAW264.7, but also suppressed PERK-ATF4-CHOP pathway of ER stress. In summary, our study demonstrated that limonin mitigated DSS-induced chronic colitis via inhibiting PERK-ATF4-CHOP pathway of ER stress and NF-κB signaling. All of this study provides the possibility for limonin as an effective drug for chronic colitis of IBD in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, polyphenolic extract from walnut green husks (denoted as walnut polyphenols), which is an abundant agroindustrial residue/waste, was used to modify barium titanate (BT) particles in the preparation of silicone rubber (SR) based dielectric elastomer (DE) composites with enhanced electromechanical performance. By employing walnut polyphenols modification, the dispersibility of BT particles in the SR matrix and the compatibility between BT and SR were greatly improved, which resulted in enhanced mechanical performance of the DE composites. Dielectric property measurement showed that DE composites containing walnut polyphenols modified BT particles (WNBT) had higher dielectric constants and lower dielectric losses than that of DEs with unmodified BT particles. Furthermore, it was found that the walnut polyphenols modification resulted in decreased dielectric loss tangent of the DE composites, suggesting an improved compatibility between the modified BT particles and SR. Finally, the static and dynamic electromechanical performance of the DE composites were evaluated. The SR/5% WNBT composite achieved the highest actuated area strain of 38% among the SR based composites used in this work. Moreover, the actuated area strain of SR/WNBT composites exhibited excellent electromechanical stability during the application of cyclic voltage signals. Unlabelled Image • Walnut polyphenols extracted from walnut husks were used to modify barium titanate (BT) particles. • The dispersibility of BT in silicone rubber (SR) and the compatibility between BT and SR was improved after modification. • The SR/WNBT composites achieved the highest actuated area strain of 38%. • The actuated area strain of SR/WNBT composites exhibited excellent stability during 50 cyclic voltage signals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The combination of CNT (or GO) and SiO 2 improved the fatigue properties. • GO-SiO 2 /SBR exhibited the lowest crack growth rate under uniaxial cyclic loading. • GO-SiO 2 /SBR exhibited the longest fatigue lives under multiaxial cyclic loading. • σ max can be used as a reliable fatigue life predictor for SBR composites. The influence of equivalent replacement of silica (SiO 2) by carbon nanotubes (CNT) or graphene oxide (GO) on the microstructure, mechanical and fatigue behaviors of SiO 2 /styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) composites was investigated. Results showed that the synergistic effect between CNT (or GO) and SiO 2 was beneficial for the filler network and improved the mechanical properties of SBR composites. Furthermore, the introduction of CNT (or GO) led to low crack growth rates and the crack propagation tips were easy to deflection. Under multiaxial fatigue conditions, the maximum engineering stress was determined to be a reliable fatigue life predictor for SBR composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Well-dispersed CNT-CB/NR and GO-CB/NR composites were prepared. • Fibrous CNT and flaky GO effectively reduced the crack growth rate of CB/NR composites. • GO-CB/NR composite showed long fatigue life under uniaxial and multi-axial cyclic loading. Graphene oxide (GO) sheets and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are of nanometer size and offer large shape factors which are beneficial in reducing crack propagation rates of composites when used in carbon black (CB) reinforced natural rubber (NR), thereby prolonging the service lives of rubber composites. In this research, CNT-CB/NR and GO-CB/NR composites were prepared by partially replacing CB with one-dimensional CNTs and two-dimensional flaky graphene oxide GO, respectively. The results showed that the complex filler dispersion in NR matrices was improved due to the isolation effect between the different fillers. The strain-induced crystallization (SIC) ability of CB/NR was effectively enhanced by the addition of both GO and CNT. The modulus at 100% strain and tear strength of the composites were also improved. More branching and deflections were observed at the crack tips of the composites and both effectively hindered crack propagation in the materials. Under uniaxial and multi-axial cyclic loading, the fatigue lives of CNT-CB/NR and GO-CB/NR composites greatly increased when compared with the fatigue lives of CB/NR composites. The GO-CB/NR composites exhibited evident advantages in respect of fatigue resistance and durability among the three composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wind power generation is an environmentally friendly way to produce electricity, but wind turbine blades that are prone to freeze in winter will reduce the efficiency of the generator. Therefore, the preparation of anti-icing blades is important and essential. Herein, anti-icing polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)/heat-shrinkable polyvinyl chloride (HSPVC) composite film was prepared by depositing a PTFE coating on the surface of HSPVC film via vacuum thermal evaporation. HSPVC films were pretreated respectively by argon and carbon tetrafluoride (CF4) plasma cleaning to introduce new groups and change their surface energy. After that, PTFE coating with a thickness of about 4 μm was deposited on the surface of HSPVC, obtaining a superhydrophobic surface with an apparent water contact angle of 150°. The results demonstrated that the breaking strength of the PTFE/HSPVC composite film using CF4 plasma pretreatment decreased by only 3.47% after exposing to ultraviolet light with the power of 1000 W for 5 min, suggesting an excellent anti-ultraviolet property. Furthermore, compared with the pristine films, the PTFE/HSPVC composite films exhibited better adhesive strength, super anti-icing property even after 10 icing–deicing cycles, and excellent dynamic anti-icing performance. The PTFE/HSPVC composite film with good adhesive strength, anti-ultraviolet, and anti-icing properties has prospective applications in packaging of wind turbine blades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]