Developing multifunctional stretchable ionic skin (I-Skin) to mimic the sensations of the human skin is of great interest and shows promising potential in wearable sensors and human−machine interfaces (HMIs). However, common ionogels prepared with small-molecule cross-linkers and single networks can hardly satisfy the requirements of adjustable mechanical properties, strong adhesion, fast self-healability, and good stability in extreme environments. Herein, an ultrastretchable (>10,000%), ultrastrong adhesive (>6.8 MPa), ultrafast selfhealable (10 s), high thermally stable (−60 to 250 °C), and three-dimensional (3D)-printable photoluminescent ionogel with shape memory properties has been designed. The ionogel consists of hyperbranched polymer covalent-cross-linked poly(zwitterionic ionic liquid)-co-poly(acrylic acid) and multiple dynamic bonding cross-linked networks. The excellent performance of the ionogel-based high-stretchable strain sensor and the triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG)-based self-powered touch sensor is further demonstrated over a wide temperature range (−40 to 150 °C). More importantly, ionogel-based I-Skin can work as an HMI for human gesture recognition and real-time wireless control of robots under extreme vacuum conditions and can also self-heal immediately along with function recovery after mechanical damage.

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Background Retrospective studies indicate that the use of regional anaesthesia causes a reduction in cancer recurrence after oncological surgery, which could be due to anaesthetic’s negating effect on immunosuppression related to the surgical stress response. Local anaesthetics may also exert direct suppressive effects on malignant cells, an area where further investigation is urgently needed. Methods Human colon cancer cells and human melanoma cells were cultured and then treated with 1 mM bupivacaine or levobupivacaine for up to 24 or 48 h. Their migratory ability was measured by scratch assay, proliferation determined with Ki67 immunofluorescence staining, and apoptosis accessed with annexin V and PI staining on flow cytometry. The effects of bupivacaine and levobupivacaine on cellular signaling and molecular response, specifically, on endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS), were studied with immunostaining and western blot. Results In colon cancer cells, treatment with bupivacaine and levobupivacaine significantly inhibited cell migration (** p < 0.01, *** p < 0.001; n = 4) and proliferation (** p < 0.01; n = 4), while increasing the expression of CHOP (*** p < 0.001; n = 4) and decreased the expression of Grp78 (* p < 0.05; n = 4). These effects were not mirrored by melanoma cells, such that no significant increase in apoptosis was seen in either melanoma cell lines following treatment. Conclusion These in vitro data suggested that both bupivacaine and levobupivacaine suppress colorectal adenocarcinoma cell proliferation and migration, which are concurrent with increased endoplasmic reticulum stress. Conversely, melanoma cells are more resilient to these two commonly used local anaesthetics. Further in vivo studies or clinical trials are needed.