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Addressing adipose niche senescence is crucial for preventing obesity‐related aging. Telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) is a promising target for gene therapy, but traditional methods lack precision and safety. A novel mitochondrion‐located TERT (mito‐TERT) activating approach is presented by injectable gene/short‐fiber complexes (gene/fiber‐plexes) to safely reverse adipose niche senescence from mitochondrial enhancement. The gene/fiber‐plexes are prepared from polydopamine‐coated short‐fibers to adsorb cationic dendrimers (PAMAM G3, PG3) carrying TERT plasmids and Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), termed PG3‐TERT@CoQ10. Upon intraperitoneal injection, the gene/fiber‐plexes adhere to the peritoneum and release PG3‐TERT@CoQ10, precisely targeting the adipose niche. Transient active oxygen scavenging by CoQ10 activates TERT transfection and endogenous mitochondrion translocation sequentially, enhancing mitochondrial function. In vitro and in vivo studies shows that gene/fiber‐plexes effectively targeted visceral adipose tissue, increased mito‐TERT levels and restored mitochondrial function. In an obese mouse model, they restored adipose tissue homeostasis and metabolic stability. RNA sequencing indicated reduced senescence‐related genes and restored cell cycle. This mito‐TERT activation strategy shows great promise for treating premature aging and metabolic diseases linked to adipose tissue senescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Full‐thickness skin grafts are widely used in plastic and reconstructive surgery. The main limitation of skin grafting is the poor textural durability and associated contracture, which often needs further corrective surgery. Excessive inflammation is the main reason for skin graft contractions, which involve overactivation of myofibroblasts. These problems have prompted the development of new therapeutic approaches, including macrophage polarization modulation and stem cell–based therapies. Currently, adipose‐derived stem cells (ASCs) have shown promise in promoting skin grafts survival and regulating macrophage phenotypes. However, the roles of ASCs on macrophages in decreasing skin grafts contraction remain unknown. Materials and Methods: Rat adipose‐derived stem cells (rASCs) were isolated from rat inguinal adipose tissues. Full‐thickness skin graft model was constructed on male rats divided into control group and rASCs treatment group. Skin graft was assessed for concentration, elasticity modulus and stiffness. Rat bone marrow‐derived macrophages (rBMDMs) were isolated from rat femurs, and subsequent RT‐qPCR and coculture assays were carried out to explore the cellular mechanisms. Immunohistochemical and immunofluorescence staining were used to verify mechanisms in vivo. Results: In vivo results showed that after injection of ASCs, improved texture, increased survival and inhibited contraction of skin grafts were seen. Vascularization was also improved as illustrated by laser perfusion image and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) concentration. Histological analysis revealed that ASCs injection significantly reduced expression of pro‐inflammatory cytokines (TNF‐a, IL‐1β) and increased expression of anti‐inflammatory (IL‐10) and pro‐healing cytokines (IGF‐1). At cellular level, after co‐culturing with rASCs, rat bone marrow derived macrophages (rBMDMs) favored M2 polarization even under inflammatory stimulus. Conclusion: ASCs treatment enhanced vascularization via angiogenic cytokines secretion and alleviated inflammatory environment in skin grafts by driving M2 macrophages polarization, which improved survival and decreased skin grafts contraction. Our work showed that ASCs transplantation can be harnessed to enhance therapeutic efficacy of skin grafting in cutaneous defects treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transplantation of adipose‐derived stem cells (ASCs) is a promising option in the field of chronic wounds treatment. However, the effectiveness of ASCs therapies has been hampered by highly inflammatory environment in chronic wound areas. These problems could be partially circumvented using efficient approaches that boost the survival and anti‐inflammatory capacity of transplanted ASCs. Here, by application of mechanical stretch (MS), we show that ASCs exhibits increased survival and immunoregulatory properties in vitro. MS triggers the secretion of macrophage colony stimulating factor (M‐CSF) from ASCs, a chemokine that is linked to anti‐inflammatory M2‐like macrophages polarization. When the MS‐ASCs were transplanted to chronic wounds, the wound area yields significantly faster closure rate and lower inflammatory mediators, largely due to macrophages polarization driven by transplanted MS‐ASCs. Thus, our work shows that mechanical stretch can be harnessed to enhance ASCs transplantation efficiency in chronic wounds treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pulmonary embolism is the most common cardiovascular disease after myocardial infarction and stroke. Konstantinides (Eur Heart J 41(4):543–603, 2020) Current guidelines categorize patients with PE as being at low, intermediate, and high risk of early death, with the intermediate-risk group experiencing the greatest uncertainty regarding treatment recommendations. Rapid reduction of the thrombus load by thrombolysis significantly reduces symptoms and decreases mortality, but is accompanied by a high risk of bleeding. Meyer (N Engl J Med 370(15):1402-11, 2014) Mechanical thrombectomy (CDTE) have been proven safe and efficient, yet current ESC guidelines suggest the utilization of catheter interventions only for hypotensive patients with high bleeding risk, failed systemic thrombolysis, and cardiogenic shock or if a patient does not respond to conservative therapy Konstantinides (Eur Heart J 41(4):543–603, 2020). Here, we report a case of an intermediate-risk patient with pulmonary embolism who underwent thrombus aspiration and showed significant improvement in symptoms after treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Myofibroblasts contribute to the excessive production, remodeling and cross-linking of the extracellular matrix that characterizes the progression of skin fibrosis. An important insight into the pathogenesis of tissue fibrosis has been the discovery that increased matrix stiffness during fibrosis progression is involved in myofibroblast activation. However, mechanistic basis for this phenomenon remains elusive. To explore the role of fibroblast activation protein-α (FAPα) in mechanical stiffness-induced skin fibrosis progression. RNA-seq was performed to compare differential genes of mouse dermal fibroblasts (MDFs) grown on low or high stiffness plates. This process identified FAPα, which is a membrane protein usually overexpressed in activated fibroblasts, as a suitable candidate. In vitro assay, we investigate the role of FAPα in mechanical stiffness-induced MDFs activation and downstream pathway. By establishing mouse skin fibrosis model and intradermally administrating FAPα adeno-associated virus (AAV) or a selective Fap inhibitor FAPi, we explore the role of FAPα in skin fibrosis in vivo. We show that FAPα, a membrane protein highly expressed in myofibroblasts of skin fibrotic tissues, is regulated by increased matrix stiffness. Genetic deletion or pharmacological inhibition of FAPα significantly inhibits mechanical stiffness-induced activation of myofibroblasts in vitro. Mechanistically, FAPα promotes myofibroblast activation by stimulating the PI3K-Akt pathway. Furthermore, we showed that administration of the inhibitor FAPi or FAPα targeted knockdown ameliorated the progression of skin fibrosis. Taken together, we identify FAPα as an important driver of mechanical stiffness-induced skin fibrosis and a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of skin fibrosis. • Mechanical stiffness promotes FAPα overexpression in dermal fibroblasts and fibrotic tissues. • FAPα bridges mechanical stiffness to dermal fibroblasts function. • FAPα inhibition or knockdown decreases mouse skin fibrosis progression by downregulating PI3K-Akt pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Skin expands and regenerates in response to mechanical stretch. This important homeostasis process is critical for skin biology and can be exploited to generate extra skin for reconstructive surgery. Atmospheric oxygen uptake is important in skin homeostasis. However, whether and how cutaneous atmospheric oxygen uptake changes during mechanical stretch remains unclear, and relevant research tools to quantify oxygen flux are limited. Herein, we used the scanning micro‐optrode technique (SMOT), a non‐invasive self‐referencing optical fiber microsensor, to achieve real‐time measurement of cutaneous oxygen uptake from the atmosphere. An in vivo mechanical stretch‐induced skin expansion model was established, and an in vitro Flexcell Tension system was used to stretch epidermal cells. We found that oxygen influx of skin increased dramatically after stretching for 1 to 3 days and decreased to the non‐stretched level after 7 days. The enhanced oxygen influx of stretched skin was associated with increased epidermal basal cell proliferation and impaired epidermal barrier. In conclusion, mechanical stretch increases cutaneous oxygen uptake with spatial‐temporal characteristics, correlating with cell proliferation and barrier changes, suggesting a fundamental mechanistic role of oxygen uptake in the skin in response to mechanical stretch. Optical fiber microsensor‐based oxygen uptake detection provides a non‐invasive approach to understand skin homeostasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To achieve the scalable production of high-performance melamine-based flame retardant nanofibers, solution blowing spinning technology was employed into the continuous spinning of melamine(MA)@polyacrylonitrile(PAN) composite fibers. Propelled by the compressed air current, spinnable MA@PAN solutions can be shaped into nanofiber with a high flow rate over 50 ​mL/h. Among different melamine-based materials, melamine phosphate (MPP) exhibited excellent solubility in the solution, exceeding 30 ​wt%, ensuring that the MPP@PAN nanofiber products demonstrated exceptionally robust flame-retardant performance. Furthermore, through fiber textile needle punching technology, loose fiber sponge can be organized into enhanced fiber blankets. These MPP@PAN nanofiber products exhibited outstanding flame retardant and thermal insulation properties, rendering them pivotal as the flame-retardant materials in extreme environments. [Display omitted] • MA/MPP/MCA@PAN composite nanofiber was blow spined with high speeds. • MPP and MCA can be well dissolved in the PAN/DMF solution. • PAN was employed not only as the spinning aid but also a softness controller. • Loose sponge was rearranged into blankets with enhanced strengths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, a pohotosentive polysiloxane (PSO)/talc/Al 2 O 3 slurry was prepared for the digital light processing printing. Liquid photosensitive PSO was exploited as a triple-functioned material, acting both as the resin matrix, a high reactive Si source and a pore generator. Through adjusting the raw material components, polysiloxane can be sintered with talc and Al 2 O 3 fillers after being pyrolyzed to 1200 oC while pores with variable diameters can be generated. Ternary component slurry prepared based on the above strategy possesses the characteristics of low viscosity, high reaction activity and good homogeneity. Sintering schedule of the printed thin-walled precursor was investigated to guarantee the morphology of cordierite product was consistent with the printed model. This work aims to provide a new strategy for DLP printing of MgO-Al 2 O 3 -SiO 2 ternary and other polymer derived ceramics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the abuse of antibiotics has brought a great environmental problem. Therefore, it is important to develop highly efficient technology for treating antibiotic pollutants. Herein, Mn-doped zeolitic imidazolate framework-67 (Mn-ZIF67) nanocrystals were prepared using a modified solvothermal method and then characterized by various techniques. The prepared Mn-ZIF67 was applied to activate peroxymonosulfate (PMS) for the degradation of norfloxacin (NOR). The degradation results illustrated that a removal rate of 85% and a mineralization rate of 42% were achieved in the degradation of NOR within 30 min under the optimized reaction conditions. Additionally, free radical quenching experiments proved that the main active substance in the reaction system was SO4˙−. Besides, the material exhibits good recycling performance and can achieve a 70% NOR degradation rate after 5 cycles. According to the degradation intermediates detected by LC-MS, three possible degradation pathways of NOR were inferred. This work proves that Mn-ZIF67 has a good catalytic effect and it could be considered as a new and perspective material for organic wastewater treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) is a highly contagious disease in children caused by a group of enteroviruses. HFMD currently presents a major threat to infants and young children because of a lack of antiviral drugs in clinical practice. Drug repositioning is an attractive drug discovery strategy aimed at identifying and developing new drugs for diseases. Notably, repositioning of well-characterized therapeutics, including either approved or investigational drugs, is becoming a potential strategy to identify new treatments for virus infections. Various types of drugs, including antibacterial, cardiovascular, and anticancer agents, have been studied in relation to their therapeutic potential to treat HFMD. In this review, we summarize the major outbreaks of HFMD and the progress in drug repositioning to treat this disease. We also discuss the structural features and mode of action of these repositioned drugs and highlight the opportunities and challenges of drug repositioning for HFMD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bayan Obo mixed rare earth (RE) concentrate is one of the most significant rare earth mineral resources worldwide. However, the concentrated sulfuric acid roasting method, which is commonly used to treat ores, generates pollutants such as waste gas, wastewater, and leach residue, resulting in the squandering of the associated resources. This paper introduces a green process involving selective mineral phase transformation (MPT) by heating, followed by leaching to separate bastnaesite and monazite in a mixed RE concentrate to facilitate their subsequent decomposition or extraction. The effects of the MPT conditions on rare earth extraction were investigated. During the MPT process, bastnasite decomposed into REOF, which is more easily leached, whereas monazite remained unchanged. Under suitable conditions, the leaching efficiency of REOF reached 93.7%, while that of monazite (REPO 4) was only 3.2%. Furthermore, the content of monazite in the leach residue was 91.2%. Compared to the mixed RE concentrate, numerous cracks and pores were generated on the surface and inside the MPT products. Furthermore, the total pore volume and specific surface area significantly increased, which made the reaction between the MPT products and hydrochloric acid more efficient. Thus, the MPT process facilitated the leaching of bastnasite and its separation from monazite. • An efficient and environmentally friendly method for separating bastnasite and monazite from mixed rare earth concentrate has been developed. • A microscopic structural analysis was employed to explain how mineral phase transformation influences the leaching efficiency of bastnasite. • Simultaneous separation and leaching of bastnasite were achieved. • The transformation products of bastnasite under different atmospheres and their leaching performance were investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar-driven interfacial evaporation is a sustainable and environmentally friendly method of producing freshwater with a wide range of potential commercial uses. However, the formidable challenges of solar-driven interfacial evaporation apparatus lie in energy-conversion efficiencies and resistance to salt. Herein, a novel wrapped composite yarn was pioneered with light-absorbing carbon fibers as the primary material while Tencel was wrapped in carbon fiber bundles. Then, a three-dimensional integrated weaving method was harnessed to construct a tubular fabric evaporation fabric device. Within this fabric, polyethylene foam is introduced to ensure the stable floating of the entire evaporation device and low thermal conductivity for effective thermal management. The unique structure of the evaporation device enables it an evaporation rate of 2.122 kg m−2 h −1 under 1 kW m−2 solar insolation. This work provides a reference for the design of simple and efficient solar water evaporation devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of bifunctional electrodes with good capacitive performance and efficient hydrogen evolution reaction activity is one of the potential solutions to combat energy depletion. In this study, flexible polyacrylonitrile-based carbon fiber mat with nitrogen doping and oxygen-containing functional group carbon structure was selected as the flexible substrate, and binder-free flexible Sb 2 Se 3 /polyacrylonitrile-based carbon fiber mat composite electrode was successfully prepared within 120 s using microwave synthesis. The electrode not only has a capacitance of 478.0C g−1 and retains 97.4% of the initial capacitance after 50,000 charge–discharge tests but also exhibits good HER activity of low overpotential (152 mV) and Tafel slope (78.4 mV/dec) in alkaline electrolyte. The performance of the assembled flexible asymmetric supercapacitor is almost unaffected by bending up to 180°. The device has an energy density of 21.3 Wh kg−1 at a power density of 800.0 W kg−1, indicating that the electrode has good prospects for portable energy storage applications. [Display omitted] • Sb 2 Se 3 nanosheets were synthesized on PAN-CF in 120 s using microwave method. • The Sb 2 Se 3 /PAN-CF electrode exhibits a capacitance of 478.0C g−1 at 1 A g−1. • The Sb 2 Se 3 /PAN-CF electrode still retains 97.4% of the initial capacitance after 50,000 cycles. • Flexible asymmetric supercapacitors exhibit high energy density and outstanding mechanical flexibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hemicellulose is a major component of the complex biomass recalcitrance structure of fiber cell walls. Even though biomass recalcitrance protects plants, it affects the effective utilization of lignocellulosic biomass resources. Therefore, the separation and extraction of hemicellulose is very important. In this study, an improved two-step alkali pretreatment method was proposed to separate hemicellulose efficiently. Firstly, 16.61% hemicellulose was extracted from bamboo by the weak alkali treatment. Then, the physical freezing and the alkali treatment were carried out by freezing at −20 °C for 12.0 h and thawing at room temperature, heating to 80 °C, and treating with 5.0% sodium hydroxide for 90 min; the extraction yield of hemicellulose reached 73.93%. The total extraction yield of the two steps was 90.54%, and the molecular weight and purity reached 44,865 g·mol–1 and 89.60%, respectively. It provides a new method for breaking the biomass recalcitrance of wood fiber resources and effectively extracting hemicellulose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • SrCo 0.875 Ti 0.125 O 3-δ displays a simple cubic structure, while SrCo 0.875 M 0.125 O 3-δ (M = Nb, Fe, Ta) perovskites all form a tetragonal structure. • At 1 A g−1, the specific capacities of SrCo 0.875 M 0.125 O 3-δ (M = Nb, Ti, Fe, Ta) are 984.43, 853.33, 503.53, and 452.00C/g, respectively. • SrCo 0.875 Nb 0.125 O 3-δ shows the highest specific capacity, owing to its relatively stable structure with appropriate oxygen vacancies and multivalent Nb. • An optimization strategy for SrCoO 3-δ -based perovskites through B-site substitution was proposed. The progression of supercapacitor technology hinges on the discovery of high-performance electrode materials to enhance energy storage. SrCoO 3-δ perovskite holds considerable promise potential as an anion intercalation electrode material. To elucidate the structural and electrochemical performance modulation rules of SrCoO 3 -based perovskites, this study synthesized SrCo 0.875 M 0.125 O 3-δ (M = Ti, Ta, Nb, Fe) perovskites with different B-site ion substitutions. The structural tailoring induced by B-site substitution were thoroughly investigated alongside their corresponding electrochemical performance. Notably, SrCo 0.875 Ti 0.125 O 3-δ exhibited a simple cubic structure, while the other samples displayed a tetragonal structure. Additionally, SrCo 0.875 Fe 0.125 O 3-δ displayed numerous oxygen vacancies and significant distortion in the [CoO 6 ] octahedron, which is attributed to the lower valence state of Fe. At a current density of 1 A g−1, the specific capacities of SrCo 0.875 M 0.125 O 3-δ (M = Nb, Ti, Fe, Ta) perovskites were 984.43, 853.33, 503.53, and 452.00C/g, respectively. SrCo 0.875 Nb 0.125 O 3-δ demonstrated the highest specific capacity and capacity retention rate across various current density, owing to its relatively stable structure with appropriate oxygen vacancies and multivalent state changes of Nb. In contrast, SrCo 0.875 Fe 0.125 O 3-δ , with excessive oxygen vacancies and severe structural distortions, exhibited restricted electrochemical performance, particularly at higher current densities. Integrating structural and performance analysis, this work proposes an optimization strategy for the electrochemical performance of SrCoO 3-δ -based perovskite electrode materials, emphasizing the importance of tailoring multivalent B-site elements to achieve a stable perovskite structure with appropriate oxygen vacancies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyurea elastomer, as a new type of protective material, is widely used in the field of military protection due to its excellent mechanical and physicochemical properties. Currently, most of the study on the protective properties of polyurea has concentrated on high-speed impacts, such as explosions and penetration, but there have been fewer studies on low-speed impacts. The purpose of this paper was to systematically study the impact resistance and protection mechanism of polyurea-sprayed composite structures through material mechanical tests and low-speed drop hammer impact tests. The test results showed that with the increase in the strain rate, mechanical properties such as the elastic modulus and tangent modulus of the polyurea material were greatly enhanced. Furthermore, the material underwent a distinct glassy transition phenomenon under high strain rates. A comprehensive comparison of the structural ultimate specific energy absorption of the three sprayed forms revealed that the front-sprayed and back-sprayed forms did not improve the impact resistance of the structure. On the contrary, they reduced the energy absorption efficiency of the steel plate structure. Back spraying was more advantageous than front spraying due to the tensile deformation and lateral diffusion effect of the polyurea material. Although the front polyurea could provide initial resistance, the formation of a large impedance matching structure will significantly increase the peak stress of the back steel plate, which exacerbated the degree of structural damage. At the same time, different polyurea spraying locations led to differences in the form of the structural forces, which caused the structure to exhibit different failure damage modes. • At high strain rates, polyurea material showed a significant glassy transition. • Low-velocity impact resistance of polyurea composite structures was investigated. • Spraying polyurea would reduce the energy absorption efficiency of the structure. • The position of polyurea coating can lead to differences in structural force forms. • Compared with other sprayed form, the back-sprayed form is more advantaged. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multimodal Sentiment Analysis (MSA) constitutes a pivotal technology in the realm of multimedia research. The efficacy of MSA models largely hinges on the quality of multimodal fusion. Notably, when conveying information pertinent to specific tasks or applications, not all modalities hold equal importance. Previous research, however, has either disregarded the importance of modalities altogether or solely focused on the importance of linguistic and non-linguistic modalities while neglecting the importance between non-linguistic modalities. To facilitate effective multimodal information fusion based on the relative importance of modalities, a novel multimodal fusion mode named Multimodal Transformer with Adaptive Modality Weighting (MTAMW) is proposed in this paper. Specifically, we introduce a multimodal adaptive weight matrix that allocates appropriate weights to each modality based on its contribution to sentiment analysis. Furthermore, a multimodal attention mechanism is introduced, utilizing multiple Softmax functions to compute attention weights, thereby efficiently fusion multimodal information via a single-stream Transformer. By meticulously considering the relative importance of each modality during the fusion process, more effective multimodal information fusion is achievable. Extensive experiments on benchmark datasets show that it is superior to or comparable to state-of-the-art methods on MSA tasks. The codes for our experiments are available at https://github.com/Vamos66/MTAMW. • Novel multimodal adaptive weight matrix enables accurate sentiment analysis by considering unique contributions of each modality. • Multimodal attention mechanism addresses over-focusing on intra-modality attention. • Multiple Softmax functions compute attention weights, optimizing self-attention of concatenated sequences. • Enhanced sentiment analysis through unique contributions of each modality. • Outperforms existing state-of-the-art models in extensive experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trajectory optimization problem for hypersonic vehicles has long been recognized as a difficult problem. This paper brings control constraints into the trajectory optimization to make the optimal trajectory meet the requirements of control performance. The strong nonlinear characteristic of the ascent phase aerodynamics makes the trajectory optimization problem difficult to be solved by the optimal control theory. A trajectory optimization algorithm based on the improved pigeon-inspired optimization (PIO) algorithm is proposed to solve the complex trajectory optimization problem under multiple constraints. To overcome the obstacle of premature convergence and deceptiveness, the evolutionary strategy of qubit in quantum evolutionary algorithm (QEA) is introduced into the PIO to maintain population diversity and judge the optimal solution. To handle constraints, the penalty function is used to construct the fitness function. The optimal ascent trajectory is obtained by utilizing the improved PIO algorithm. Then, the trajectory inverse algorithm is used to verify the feasibility of the optimal trajectory to ensure that a feasible optimal trajectory is obtained. The comparison results show that the proposed algorithm outperforms particle swarm optimization (PSO) and standard PIO on trajectory optimization. Meanwhile, the simulation result shows that the performance of the optimal ascent trajectory with control constraints is improved and the trajectory is feasible. Therefore, the method is potentially feasible for solving the ascent trajectory optimization problem under control constraint for hypersonic vehicles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Carbon nanofibers was blow spined with high blow speeds over 10–50 mL·h−1. • PAN and renewable lignin were employed as the carbon sources. • Loose carbon sponge can be rearranged into blankets with enhanced performances. • Carbon nanofiber products possessed outstanding pollution adsorption abilities. Massive production of carbon nanofibers with low thermal conductivity and excellent properties has remained as an extremely challenging. Herein, solution blow spinning technology and textile post-treating technic were introduced to achieve the mass production of carbon nanofibers and its derivative products. Different types of materials (polyacrylonitrile and lignin) were utilized as the spinnable agent and carbon source. A comprehensive investigation was conducted into the influences of raw material components, blow spinning process, and high-temperature pyrolysis process on the performance of carbon nanofibers. Through controlling the solution flow rate (10–50 mL·h−1), different needle diameters (21–25 G) and high pressure airflow (0.2–0.4 MPa), organic solution could be effectively spined into organic fiber precursor. Importantly, with the assistant of textile rearrange and needle punching technics, loose organic sponge can be transformed into blanket with designed thicknesses and shapes. These SBS spined carbon fiber products exhibited ideal compressional resilience ability (up to 60 %), adsorption of toluene, and thermal insulation performance (0.037 W·(m·K)-1). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Permanganate or ferrate reaction caused the optical properties alternation of EfOM. • The aromatic structures and electron-rich functional were preferentially degraded. • The unsaturated structures were decomposed following Mn(VII) or Fe(VI) reaction. • Sulfur- and nitrogen-macromolecular were decomposed to micromolecular compounds. Permanganate (Mn(VII)) and ferrate ((Fe(VI)) oxidations are well-recognized as advanced treatment processes to degrade organic components detected in secondary effluents from municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). However, Mn(VII) or Fe(VI) reactions are sensitive to the water matrix components, especially the dissolved effluent organic matter (EfOM) contained in secondary effluent. Here, we found that Mn(VII) or Fe(VI) hardly mineralize EfOM, but do change its molecular-level composition. Tests with representative trace organic contaminants (TrOCs) spiked to EfOM-rich wastewater effluent showed that Mn(VII) and Fe(VI) preferentially oxidize phenolic TrOCs. UV–vis and fluorescence spectroscopy analyses suggested that molecular properties associated with optical characteristics of reaction solutions are altered by treatment, including decreases in aromaticity, molecular weight, and electron-donating capacity of EfOM. At the molecular-level, the observed phenomenon is ascribed to preferential oxidation of aromatic structures and electron-rich functional groups (e.g., phenolic structures and hydroxyl groups) within EfOM, as well as the transformation and decomposition of macromolecular sulfur- and nitrogen-containing compounds (most likely proteins or microbial byproduct-like material). These findings advance the application of Mn(VII) and Fe(VI) for optimization and proper control of EfOM of emerging concern within treatment trains being developed for advanced treatment facilities. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cover image is based on the Research Article Dynamics of cutaneous atmospheric oxygen uptake in response to mechanical stretch revealed by optical fiber microsensor by Shengzhou Shan et al., https://doi.org/10.1111/exd.14957..By Shengzhou Shan; Jiahao He; Qin Sun; Kan Zhu; Yuanyuan Li; Brian Reid; Qingfeng Li and Min ZhaoReported by Author; Author; Author; Author; Author; Author; Author; Author [Extracted from the article]

[Display omitted] • 1.2–1.0 Ga granulite-facies and ∼ 0.9 Ga amphibolite-facies metamorphism were identified in the North Wulan terrane. • The North Wulan terrane records the tectonic process from oceanic subduction to continental collision during late Mesoproterozoic to early Neoproterozoic. • The North Wulan terrane and surrounding continental fragments were probably located at the periphery of the supercontinent Rodinia. Late Mesoproterozoic to early Neoproterozoic metamorphic and magmatic events related to the assembly of Rodinia are identified in microcontinents (such as North Wulan terrane, Qaidam block, Central Qilian terrane, Quanji Massif, and Hualong terrane) from the northeastern Tibetan Plateau. However, the peak P–T conditions, P–T paths, and timing of the metamorphic events are still controversial. In this contribution, we integrate petrography, phase equilibrium modelling, mineral chemistry and zircon geochronology to develop a detailed metamorphic history of felsic paragneiss and garnet amphibolite from the North Wulan terrane. Zircon U–Pb geochronology reveals two stages of metamorphism at 1.2–1.0 Ga and ∼ 0.9 Ga. The earlier metamorphic event caused granulite-facies metamorphism with peak P–T conditions of 800–850 °C at 8–10 kbar. The second metamorphic event (∼0.9 Ga) reached amphibolite-facies conditions at 700–750 °C and 6–7 kbar. Granulite-facies metamorphism probably took place in an arc-related setting, whereas amphibolite-facies metamorphism was likely associated with tectonic extrusion during the collision between the North Wulan terrane and unknown continental fragments. The North Wulan terrane and surrounding continental blocks/fragments in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau share a similar evolution that includes long-lived oceanic subduction from 1.2 to 1.0 Ga followed by continental collision at ∼ 0.9 Ga at the periphery of Rodinia. Our results improve the understanding of the tectonic processes responsible for microcontinent evolution in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau during the assembly of Rodina, and provide important constraints on the reconstruction of Rodinia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar‐driven interfacial evaporation is an environmentally friendly and sustainable freshwater‐production technology with substantial market potential. Nonetheless, it encounters significant challenges related to energy‐conversion efficiency and resistance to salt crystallization. Thus, a towel‐inspired fabric‐based evaporator (TFE) containing various functional layers using carbon and cotton‐polyester‐blended fibers is designed and woven. The surface of the TFE is woven into a towel‐ring structure, which affords a high sunlight‐contact area and a superior sunlight absorption rate of 96.2%. In contrast, the hydrophilic layer at the bottom of the TFE delivers superior water‐molecule storage and conduction due to its multilayer corner‐interlocking fabric structure. Compared to commercial fabric‐based evaporators, the loop structure of the towel fabric enables water molecules to flow rapidly under the influence of wind, which effectively enhances the evaporation rate of the TFE. The optimal TFE can reach a high water‐evaporation rate of 3.72 kg m−2 h−1 under 1 kW m−2 sunlight and a wind speed of 2 m s−1, which is ascribable to sunlight/wind synergy. No precipitated salt is detected on the TFE surface after continuously evaporating a 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution for 8 h. These exceptional attributes position the TFE as a highly suitable candidate for diverse seawater desalination applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ferrate (Fe(VI)) is a promising oxidant for water remediation, yet it has limited reactivity towards certain recalcitrant but important emerging contaminants, such as sulfamethoxazole. Here, this study demonstrates that nitroxide redox mediators, specifically 9-azabicyclo[3.3.1]nonasne N -oxyl (ABNO), can catalyze Fe(VI) reaction with sulfamethoxazole by functioning both as Fe(VI) activator and electron shuttle. The underlying mechanism is explained as: (i) Fe(VI) activation: a series of one-electron transfers between Fe(VI) and ABNO produces highly reactive Fe(V)/Fe(IV) and ABNO+; (ii) electron shuttle: the newly formed active ABNO+ reacts with the sulfamethoxazole, contributing to its removal. Concurrently, ABNOH is generated and subsequently converted back to ABNO by reactive species, thereby completing the redox cycle. The as-developed heterogeneous redox mediator, ABNO@SiO 2 , retained its catalytic properties and effectively catalyzed Fe(VI) to remove sulfamethoxazole at environmentally relevant pH levels. [Display omitted] • The nitroxide redox mediators served as Fe(VI) activators and electron shuttles. • Trace redox mediators increased reaction kinetics by 16.8-fold at pH 7.0 • Heterogenous mediator enabled 80% sulfamethoxazole removal by Fe(VI) within 90s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• High efficient evaporation rate is 0.62 Kg/(m2·h) under 1 sun. • Excellent light absorption behavior, effective heat preservation and large specific surface area. • Low-cost, efficient and reusable for production and use. The use of graphene and carbon nanotubes in solar steam evaporation systems not only increases the preparation costs, but also complicates the process of fabrication. In this study, a black fabric was designed and woven in order to improve the solar steam evaporation efficiency, and the water interface structure was optimized at low cost. The evaporation rate reached 0.57 kg/(m2·h), a value which is almost 3.2 times larger than that of pure water; meanwhile, the photothermal conversion efficiency reached 48.3%. This study provides some theoretical bases for the enhancement of water evaporation using porous media, promotes the low-cost application of water evaporation, and provides an effective solution to the problem of global water shortage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A three-dimensional GF/PbO2-Ce electrode was developed by depositing Ce-doped β-PbO2 crystals onto a graphite felt (GF) substrate via single-step electrodeposition under room-temperature conditions. The characterization results revealed that the GF/PbO2-Ce electrode exhibited an enhanced specific surface area and superior electrocatalytic performance compared to the GF/PbO2 and the bare GF electrodes. The influencing factors and reaction mechanisms based on the GF/PbO2-Ce electrode for tetracycline (TC) degradation were investigated through electrochemical oxidation experiments. Optimal conditions were established with a pH of 3, a Na2SO4 concentration of 0.04 mol L−1, and a current density of 7 mA cm−2. Under the optimized conditions, 95.25% of 30 mg L−1 TC was degraded in 30 min and 85.65% chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal was achieved in 120 min. The contributions of direct and indirect oxidation in the TC degradation process were determined through radical quenching experiments. Based on the results of liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), degradation pathways for TC were proposed. After 5 cycles of reuse, the electrode remained at a degradation efficiency above 93%, demonstrating the stability of the GF/PbO2-Ce electrode and its potential as a promising electrode for the degradation of TC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing new electrode materials with good temperature‐dependent electrochemical performance has become a great issue for the deployment of hybrid supercapacitors with wide temperature tolerance. In this work, a series of Ta‐substituted SrCo1‐xTaxO3‐δ (x=0.05, 0.10, 0.15, 0.20) perovskites have been studied as positive electrodes for hybrid supercapacitors in terms of their structures, elemental valence states and electrochemical performances. Incorporating Ta into SrCoO3‐δ perovskite not only stabilizes the crystallite structure but also notably improves electrochemical activities. The SrCo0.95Ta0.05O3‐δ@CC delivers the highest specific capacity (Qsp) of 227.91 C g−1 at 1 A g−1, which is attributed to the highest oxygen vacancy content and the fastest oxygen diffusion kinetics. The hybrid supercapacitor SrCo0.95Ta0.05O3‐δ@CC//AC@CC exhibits a high energy density of 22.82 Wh kg−1@775.09 W kg−1 and a stable long‐term cycle life (5000 cycles) with 90.7 % capacity retention. As temperature increases from 25 to 85 °C, the capacitance properties are improved at elevated temperatures for both electrode and device due to the increased electrolyte conductivity. The outstanding electrochemical results present that SrCo1‐xTaxO3‐δ perovskite holds good prospects for hybrid supercapacitors with wide temperature tolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With new sulphur oxides emission limits carried out in 2020, multiple desulphurisation methods have been proposed. The main desulphurisation scrubber systems were chosen and investigated using life cycle assessment. The whole system life is divided into the construction and operational phases. Three different systems classified by desulphurisers, namely, seawater, NaOH, and Mg-based systems, were modelled in GaBi software. Moreover, environmental, economic and energy aspects (3E model) were introduced for further analysis. Through this study, some conclusions have been drawn. As for the environmental aspect, the seawater system has the most pleasing performance since the primary emissions come from 1.24E+03 kg CO2 and 1.48E+01 kg chloride. The NaOH system causes 1000 times more emissions than the seawater. The Mg-based system has less pollution than the NaOH system, with 5.86E+06kg CO2 and 3.86E+03 kg chloride. The economic aspect is divided into capital expenditure (CapEx) and operational expenditure (OpEx) to estimate disbursement. The seawater system also has the most favourable cost appearance, which takes 1.7 million dollars without extra desulphuriser expenses, based on 10MW engine flue gas treatment. The next is the Mg-based system, which cost 2 million dollars in CapEx and $ 1200/year in OpEx for the desulphuriser. NaOH uses about 2.5 million dollars for construction and $ 30000/year in desulphuriser. As for the energy aspect, the seawater and Mg-based systems use less non-renewable energy than the NaOH system in the construction phase. In conclusion, the seawater system shows the best performance and could be an alternative in SOx control technologies. This study sheds light on the comprehensive evaluation of marine environmental protection technologies for further optimisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most previous studies examined permanganate or ferrate oxidation using various emerging pollutants (EPs) spiked in ultrapure water with concentrations of orders-of-magnitude higher than those in natural waters. In present study, we assessed the efficiency of permanganate and ferrate (with ozone as a comparison) at mg L−1 level to remove selected EPs at μg L−1 level in complex water matrices. The efficiency of permanganate and ferrate is more easily affected by the humic acid in synthetic water or dissolved organic matter (DOM) in natural river water compared to ozone. Experiment results revealed that humic acid or DOM were not mineralized by oxidants, but changed in compositional nature, including decreases in the aromaticity, electron-donating capacity, and average molecular weight. At molecular level, condensed aromatic, lignin-like, and tannin-like components in humic acid and DOM are the critical sites being attacked by permanganate or ferrate, the alkene groups and aromatic structures were oxidized predominantly to carboxylic acids. Overall, the present study provided insights into the performance of permanganate and ferrate used for EPs treatment under realistic conditions, as well as alternations of DOM that can be expected following exposure to these oxidants. [Display omitted] • The practical performances of selected oxidants for decontamination were assessed. • Permanganate and ferrate were more susceptible to the presence of DOM. • Revealing which DOM components act as primary competitors for selected oxidants. • Elucidating molecule-level changes of DOM by permanganate and ferrate oxidation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sr-based perovskites represent enormous potential as supercapacitor electrode materials. However, the wide-temperature supercapacitor application for perovskite-based electrodes has not been studied yet. Thus, there is a pressing need for comprehensive research and investigation in the wide-temperature range to unlock the full capabilities of Sr-based perovskite and pave the way for its successful integration into versatile supercapacitor systems. In this study, SrCo 1- x Fe x O 3-δ (x = 0.05, 0.10, 0.15 and 0.20) were synthesized by solid-state sintering method, as oxygen-intercalated electrode materials for wide temperature-tolerant supercapacitors. SrCo 1- x Fe x O 3-δ contains orthogonal and monoclinic phases for x = 0.05 and x = 0.10, and a stable monoclinic phase can be obtained when the substitution amount is at least 15 %. The best electrochemical performance was obtained in x = 0.10, with a specific capacitance of 526.6 F g−1 at 1 A g−1. This can be attributed to the lowest resistance and richest oxygen vacancies of SrCo 0.9 Fe 0.1 O 3-δ , which are conducive to oxygen-intercalated energy storage. The SrCo 0.9 Fe 0.1 O 3-δ @CC//AC@CC supercapacitor device displays a working voltage of 1.6 V and a stable long-term cycle life with 85.71 % capacity retention after 5000 cycles. Furthermore, the temperature-dependent electrochemical characterization indicates an improvement of electrochemical performance for both electrode and device as temperature increases, which may be ascribed to the enhanced ion migration in the electrolyte. From 0 to 85 °C, the specific capacitance of SrCo 0.9 Fe 0.1 O 3-δ @CC electrode increases from 91.8 to 1035.9 F g−1 at 1A g−1, and the energy density of the device also increases from 7.6 to 26.2 Wh kg−1 when the power density is 800 W kg−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sr-based perovskites represent enormous potential as supercapacitor electrode materials. However, the wide-temperature supercapacitor application for perovskite-based electrodes has not been studied yet. Thus, there is a pressing need for comprehensive research and investigation in the wide-temperature range to unlock the full capabilities of Sr-based perovskite and pave the way for its successful integration into versatile supercapacitor systems. In this study, SrCo 1- x Fe x O 3-δ (x = 0.05, 0.10, 0.15 and 0.20) were synthesized by solid-state sintering method, as oxygen-intercalated electrode materials for wide temperature-tolerant supercapacitors. SrCo 1- x Fe x O 3-δ contains orthogonal and monoclinic phases for x = 0.05 and x = 0.10, and a stable monoclinic phase can be obtained when the substitution amount is at least 15 %. The best electrochemical performance was obtained in x = 0.10, with a specific capacitance of 526.6 F g−1 at 1 A g−1. This can be attributed to the lowest resistance and richest oxygen vacancies of SrCo 0.9 Fe 0.1 O 3-δ , which are conducive to oxygen-intercalated energy storage. The SrCo 0.9 Fe 0.1 O 3-δ @CC//AC@CC supercapacitor device displays a working voltage of 1.6 V and a stable long-term cycle life with 85.71 % capacity retention after 5000 cycles. Furthermore, the temperature-dependent electrochemical characterization indicates an improvement of electrochemical performance for both electrode and device as temperature increases, which may be ascribed to the enhanced ion migration in the electrolyte. From 0 to 85 °C, the specific capacitance of SrCo 0.9 Fe 0.1 O 3-δ @CC electrode increases from 91.8 to 1035.9 F g−1 at 1A g−1, and the energy density of the device also increases from 7.6 to 26.2 Wh kg−1 when the power density is 800 W kg−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fe 3 O 4 @SiO 2 composites with different morphologies (hollow nanorods, porous nanorods, and flower-like nanoparticles) were constructed using different preparation methods. Considerably enhancement of resonance frequency and permeability beyond Snoek's limitation were observed in the Fe 3 O 4 @SiO 2 composites with shape anisotropy and porous core-shell nanostructure. The resonance frequency of porous Fe 3 O 4 @SiO 2 nanorods enhanced to 4.21 GHz, which is much higher than the natural resonance frequency of 1.2 GHz for Fe 3 O 4 bulk. The minimum reflection loss (RL min) of Fe 3 O 4 @SiO 2 porous nanorods reached -59.49 dB at 8.89 GHz, and its effective bandwidth (RL < -10 dB) covered 4.52 GHz at a thickness of 3.18 mm. In addition, the radar scattering cross section (RCS) reduction value reached more than 48 dBm2 after removing the background. Our study provides insight into the relationship between anisotropy, core-shell structure, morphology of nanoparticles and corresponding microwave performance, and provides a reference scheme for the fabrication of high-performance lightweight microwave absorbing materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The underwater hyperspectral imager enables the detection and identification of targets on the seafloor by collecting high-resolution spectral images. The distance between the hyperspectral imager and the targets cannot be consistent in real operation by factors such as motion and fluctuating terrain, resulting in unfocused images and negative effects on the identification. In this paper, we developed a novel integrated underwater hyperspectral imaging system for deep sea surveys and proposed an autofocus strategy based on liquid lens focusing transfer. The calibration tests provided a clear focus result for hyperspectral transects and a global spectral resolution of less than 7 nm in spectral range from 400 to 800 nm. The prototype was used to obtain spectrum and image information of manganese nodules and four other rocks in a laboratory environment. The classification of the five kinds of minerals was successfully realized by using a support vector machine. We tested the UHI prototype in the deep sea and observed a Psychropotidae specimen on the sediment from the in situ hyperspectral images. The results show that the prototype developed here can accurately and stably obtain hyperspectral data and has potential applications for in situ deep-sea exploration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To promote the development of biomass porous carbon materials as supercapacitor electrode materials and to clarify the effects of multi-element co-doping on its structure and performance. In this work, N, B and P multi-element co-doped pomelo peel-based porous carbon nanomaterials (N-PP PNCs, NB-PP PNCs and NBP-PP PNCs) are successfully synthesized by using waste pomelo peel as a carbon source via multi-element co-doping strategy. The results show that N, B and P with different chemical states are doped into the carbon lattice. The NB-PP PCNs and NBP-PP PCNs exhibit hierarchical porous structure with significantly larger pore volume than the N-PP PNCs, up to 1.09 m3/g and 0.65 m3/g, and their specific surface area can reach 2106.27 m2/g and 1201.26 m2/g. The NB-PP PCNs and NBP-PP PCNs maintain 76.88 % and 79.15 % specific capacitance (the electrolyte is 6 M of KOH and the potential window is from −1 V to 0 V) when the current density is expanded by 20 times. Furthermore, the capacitance retention of NB- PP PCNs and NBP-PP PCNs button-type supercapacitors is up to 90.89 % and 96.31 % after 3000 cycles of charging and discharging (the current density is 10 A g−1), which is better than that of N-PP PCNs button-type supercapacitors, demonstrating the positive effect of multi-element co-doping. The multi-element co-doping strategy effectively enhanced the electrochemical performance of pomelo peel-based PCNs, which provided theoretical guidance for improving the structure and performance of porous carbon materials from biomass such as pomelo peel, and the synthesized NB-PP PCNs and NBP-PP PCNs are potential candidate materials for energy conversion and energy storage. [Display omitted] • Multi-element co-doped pomelo peel-based PNCs were successfully synthesized. • The specific surface area of pomelo peel-based PNCs was up to 2106.27 m2/g. • Porous structure and multi-element synergistic enhancement mechanism were described. • Molecular structure models of NBP-PP PNCs were presented. • NBP-PP PNCs button-type supercapacitors have a capacitance retention rate of 96.31 %. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A method for constructing the temperature master curve of asphalt is proposed. • Temperature frequency equation effectively achieves the conversion of two indicators. • Temperature master curve accurately predicts modulus variation with temperature. • Temperature master curve was applicable to asphalt with different aging extents. Master curve is widely applied to assess the rheological properties of asphalt. The traditional master curve describes the variation of asphalt rheological properties with frequency. However, compared to frequency, the influence of temperature on asphalt properties is of greater concern. This study attempted to establish a method to transform the traditional master curve into temperature master curve. To this end, asphalt binder with different aging extents were prepared using aging simulation tests, and traditional complex shear modulus master curves of asphalt binder were established based on frequency sweep test. These were then transformed into temperature master curves using the established temperature-frequency equation. Furthermore, the accuracy of the temperature master curve was assessed through temperature sweep tests. The results showed that the temperature-frequency equation obtained based on Williams Landel Ferry equation effectively described the relationship between temperature and reduced frequency. The temperature master curve demonstrated good applicability for asphalt at different aging levels, with the differences between complex shear modulus values calculated by temperature master curve and the experimental values generally within 20%. The temperature master curve accurately characterized the trend of complex shear modulus with temperature. However, this accuracy and applicability were primarily focused on the mid-temperature and high-temperature ranges. The temperature master curve had obvious deficiency in predicting the complex shear modulus at low temperature. The findings provide new methods and insights into the relationship between asphalt rheological properties and temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To replace traditional petrochemical-based thermal insulation materials, in this work, the chitosan (CHI)/alginate (ALG) (CA) aerogels with three-dimensional hierarchical pore network structure were constructed by compositing CHI and ALG using a synergistic strategy of hydrogen bonding dissolution and covalent crosslinking. The structure and properties were further regulated by crosslinking the CA aerogels with epichlorohydrin (ECH). The CA aerogels exhibited various forms of covalent crosslinking, hydrogen bonding and electrostatic interactions, with hydrogen bonding content reaching 79.12 %. The CA aerogels showed an excellent three-dimensional hierarchical pore network structure, with an average pore size minimum of 15.92 nm. The structure regulation of CA aerogels obtained excellent compressive properties, with an increase of stress and strain by 137.61 % and 45.05 %, which can support a heavy object 5000 times its weight. Additionally, CA aerogels demonstrate excellent thermal insulation properties and low thermal conductivity, comparable to commercially available insulation materials. More importantly, CA aerogels have good cyclic insulation stability and thermal properties, and they have a flame retardancy rating of V -0, which shows the stability of insulation properties and excellent safety. CA aerogels provide new ideas for the development of biomass thermal insulation materials and are expected to be candidates for thermal management applications. [Display omitted] • CA aerogels with 3D hierarchical pore network structure were successfully prepared by synergistic strategy. • The structure and properties of CA aerogels can be regulated by ECH. • The model of covalent crosslinking, interaction and chain entanglement of CA aerogels were presented. • Thermal insulation, cycling stability and safety of CA aerogels were systematically evaluated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The amphoteric C/A composite sponges were prepared and characterized. • C/A composite sponges possess self-cleaning and multi-active sites. • Sponges' adsorption capacity for MB and AB dyes is 656.33 mg/g and 502.49 mg/g. • The selective adsorption ability of sponges could be modulated by various pH. • C/A composite sponges can be loaded with photocatalysts for dye degradation. To address the complex dyeing wastewater containing oil pollution and bacterial microorganisms in practical environments, in this work, amphoteric (CHI/ALG) C/A composite sponges with self-cleaning and multi-active sites were prepared by composite chitosan (CHI) and alginate (ALG) using urea/alkali composite solutions. The C/A composite sponges have good water wettability and demonstrated underwater anti-oil and anti-bacterial microbial adhesion. The adsorption process was spontaneous entropy-increasing and could be accurately described using the Pseudo-First-Order and Langmuir models. Notably, the adsorption capacity of C/A composite sponges for methylene blue and acid blue dye reached 656.33 mg/g and 502.49 mg/g, respectively. The amphoteric C/A composite sponges can selectively adsorb both anionic and cationic dyes. Additionally, epichlorohydrin (ECH) cross-linking and intermolecular self-assembly molding enabled the C/A composite sponges to form a three-dimensional network structure with nanofiber weaving and a specific surface area of 67.63 m2/g. Interestingly, this endowed the C/A composite sponges with the potential to serve as dyes photocatalyst substrates, and the photocatalytic degradation of dyes was successfully achieved by loading TiO 2 on the C/A composite sponges. More importantly, the C/A composite sponge remained self-cleaning after loading TiO 2. The amphoteric C/A composite sponges have great potential in complex dyeing wastewater treatment containing oil and bacterial microbes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The chitosan/alginate (CA) all-polysaccharide double-network (DN) hydrogels with non-covalent interactions were constructed. • The progressive construction and optimization mechanisms of multi-strategy synergistic schemes were systematically studied. • The content of free hydroxyl groups was quantified, revealing its relationship with wettability and water content. • The CA DN hydrogels exhibits excellent pH-sensitivity and antibacterial activity. To reduce the use of synthetic polymers and avoid the potential risk of chemical cross-linking, this work proposes a multi-strategy synergistic scheme for the progressive construction and optimization of non-covalently interacting chitosan (CHI)/alginate (ALG) (CA) all-polysaccharide double-network (DN) hydrogels. The hydrogen-bonding solubilization strategy effectively avoided the generation of CHI-ALG polyelectrolyte complexes and endowed the CA solution with heat-induced gelation properties. Relatedly, the heat-induced selectivity promotes CHI self-crosslinking via hydrogen bonding to produce phase separation, ensuring the construction of the first network of CHI in CA DN hydrogels. Importantly, ALG formed ALG aggregates under CHI first network restriction and poor solvent induction, which enhanced the mechanical properties of CA hydrogels by 728.30 %. Moreover, the double-ion cross-linking ensures the stabilization of ALG aggregates and constructs the ALG second network in CA hydrogels. Notably, the CA DN hydrogels show greater than 90 % antibacterial activity for Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli which can effectively prevent the CA DN hydrogels from being contaminated by bacteria in preparation and practical application. The excellent comprehensive properties of CA DN hydrogels constructed in this work make them promising materials, and the multi-strategy synergistic scheme provides new ideas for the construction and optimization of all-polysaccharide DN hydrogels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Asymmetric transmission, as a peculiar electromagnetic phenomenon in electromagnetic wave transmission, has been attracted extensive attention because of its important applications in polarization control and photodiode. This wok proposes a broadband linear polarizer based on a chiral metasurface with high-efficient asymmetric transmission performance. The designed polarizer consists of double arc-shaped structures interconnected via two circular cavities, which has the capacity to achieve broadband asymmetric transmission effect at 4–15 GHz for linear polarization conversion. The polarization conversion ratio exceeds 90% at 6.8–11.9 GHz and has a relative bandwidth of 54.5%. The asymmetric transmission parameter is above 0.59 in the frequency band 7.4–11.6 GHz. The microwave experiment results show a great consistency between simulation and experiment. The physical mechanism of polarization conversion and asymmetric transmission are further studied by introducing the surface current and electric field distributions. The designed polarizer has the superiority of uncomplicated structure and easy control, and can be extended to terahertz and optical regime. We believe that it has a broad application prospect in the field of chiral metamaterial structure design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic has severely affected the lives of people around the world, especially some patients with severe chronic diseases. This study aims to evaluate the impact of the COVID‐19 outbreak from December 2019 to April 2020 on treating patients with PH. A questionnaire regarding the medical condition of PH patients during the COVID‐19 pandemic was designed by PH diagnostic experts in The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, China Respiratory Center. One hundred and fifty‐six subjects with PH from non‐Hubei regions in China were invited to participate in this survey online. 63.4% (n = 99) of them had difficulty seeing a doctor, and the main reason was fear of contracting severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) in the hospital. Medical treatment was affected in 25% (n = 39) of patients, and who lived in rural areas, and discontinued medical therapy for financial reasons were at a higher risk of medical treatment being affected. Patients who reduced nutrition, and had difficulty seeing a doctor were more likely to get deteriorated. During the epidemic, the hospitalization rate of PH patients was 33.33%. Patients with aggravated PH had a high risk of hospitalization (odds ratio [OR] = 2.844), while patients who visited a doctor during the epidemic reduced the risk of hospitalization (OR = 0.33). In conclusion, during the COVID‐19 pandemic, PH patients had difficulty seeing a doctor, and their medical treatment was affected, even worsened, and increased the risk of hospitalization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

G-quadruplex/hemin (GQH) is a mimicking enzyme, which has good catalytic performance and high stability for hydrogen peroxide decomposition. A new chemiluminescence (CL) method has been developed for H2O2 and Ag+ based on the GQH catalyzed CL reaction between luminol and H2O2. The silver ions react with GQH, causing the decomposition of GQH and the loss of catalytic activity. The catalytic system has been characterized by CL, absorption spectroscopy, and circular dichroism (CD). Under the optimal conditions, there were wide linear ranges between the CL intensity and the concentrations of H2O2/Ag+. The CL increases linearly from 0.1 μM to 3 mM for H2O2 and decreases linearly from 10 nM to 2 μM for Ag+. The limits of detection are 0.03 μM and 3.33 nM for H2O2 and Ag+, respectively. This method has been used for real sample analysis with satisfactory results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • CoMn@CNT was successfully synthesized by a two-step pyrolysis method. • CoMn@CNT shows excellent catalytic activity for peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation. • Sulfate radical (SO 4 −) was verified as the dominant reactive species. • The possible activation mechanism of PMS is proposed. As a fourth quinolone drug, the efficient and rapid degradation of moxifloxacin (MOX) remain a rigorous problem. Peroxymonosulfate (PMS)-based oxidation method poses a promising application prospect for refractory antibiotic wastewater with an excellent degradation efficiency. Herein, the Co/Mn doped-carbon nanotube catalyst (CoMn@CNT) was successfully synthesized by a two-step pyrolysis method and applied to activate PMS for MOX degradation. The degradation efficiency of MOX could reach 89.7 % in 30 min with relatively low concentrations of PMS (100 mg/L) and CoMn@CNT (30 mg/L). The effects of catalyst dosage, PMS dosage, initial pH, reaction temperature, and co-existing ions for the degradation of MOX were investigated. The CoMn@CNT/PMS system possessed wide pH application range (3.0–11.0). Sulfate radical (SO 4 −) was verified as the dominant reactive species responsible for degradation of MOX by quenching experiment. Finally, the possible MOX degradation pathways were also proposed. Overall, this study could provide some inspirations of the CoMn@CNT/PMS as a new system which applied to wastewater treatment of antibiotics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Folding lobes exhibit interleaved stacking centerline symmetric distribution. • Energy correction factor only depends on the structure's geometric parameters. • Thickness and compression displacement significantly affect the energy absorption. • Free mass constraint affects the dynamic response characteristics of structure. • Appropriate parameter combinations are beneficial for structural dynamic response. In situations related to occupant impact protection, the free mass constraint of the occupants significantly influences the dynamic response characteristics of impact isolation structures. In this study, starting with the pre-bending deformation energy absorption mechanism, a static energy absorption prediction model for an E-type pre-bending folding deformation (E-PBFD) impact isolation structure was established. Based on the actual deformation state of the PBFD structure, the static energy absorption prediction theory was corrected, and quasi-static compression tests were conducted to validate the results of the corrected theoretical model. The smooth spline variance analysis method (SS-ANOVA) was used to determine the significance of high-dimensionality input variables in the theoretical prediction model. Finally, by combining the nonlinear kinematic equations of a free mass-constrained nonlinear vibration system and by considering the combined effects of the free mass constraint and the impact loading input, a theoretical dynamic energy absorption prediction model for the PBFD structure was developed. The NSGA-II algorithm was used to optimize the dynamic peak energy absorption of the structure, resulting in a 16.6 % improvement in the peak energy absorption of the optimized structure. The results indicate that optimized parameters, which were based on the dynamic energy absorption theory, are conducive to fully exploiting the dynamic energy absorption characteristics of the PBFD structure. Additionally, parameter combinations that make the structure too soft or too rigid negatively affect the dynamic response behavior of the PBFD structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to reduce the weak area caused by traditional connection method and improve the structural efficiency of aircraft, the design concept of an integral component with dual microstructure is proposed. The electropulsing treatment (EPT) was used to produce an axial gradient microstructure (AGM) in TC21 titanium alloy, followed by the step-quenching treatment (SQT) to tailor the precipitation behavior of the α phase. Results demonstrate that the AGM produced by the combination of EPT and SQT achieves a simultaneous enhancement in both strength and plasticity of the alloy. Compared to EPT alone, the SQT results in the dissolution of the bimodal microstructure region with small-sized α phase, and an increased density of secondary α phase precipitation in both the transition and lamellar microstructure regions. During room temperature tensile deformation, coordinated distribution of deformation occurs sequentially in various regions, the 10 1 ̅ 0 11 2 ̅ 0 type of prismatic slip and deformation nanotwins exist in the equiaxed and lamellar α phase, respectively. Moreover, the deformation gradually declines from the bimodal region to the lamellar region, leading to the fracture of AGM in the bimodal region and an overall augmentation of the strength and plasticity of TC21 alloy. Hence, the results of this paper can provide research basis for the strength and plasticity improvement and deformation damage mechanism of high strength and toughness titanium alloy. • SQT significantly improved the nucleation rate of the lamellar α phase and formed discontinuous grain boundary α phase. • TC21 alloy with AGM manufactured by EPT and SQT achieved a simultaneous enhancement in strength and ductility. • Dislocation slip and TWIP effect in different regions form the coordinated distribution of deformation. • The result is significant importance in designing and researching for gradient structural materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To prepare electrode materials with excellent comprehensive properties for supercapacitor applications, and to promote the reuse of waste fruit peels. This work used waste pomelo peel as a carbon source for high-temperature carbonization, and a series of porous biomass carbon materials (YB-K) was prepared using a combination of freeze-drying and activation pore-making. The relationship between the structure of YB-K materials and the amount of activator was investigated by characterization. The results show that the YB-K materials (YB-K5) with the mass ratio of raw materials to activator of 1:5 have the best overall properties, and their specific surface area is as high as 1277.14 m2/g. Notably, the YB-K5 materials can be doped with nitrogen to prepare electrode materials (YB-K5-N) with excellent electrochemical properties. The specific capacitance of YB-K5-N electrode materials reaches 247.26 F/g at 0.5 A/g current density. Importantly, the YB-K5-N symmetric (button type) supercapacitor assembled with YB-K5-N materials showed good cycling stability with 87.58% specific capacitance retention after 3000 cycles. The YB-K5-N electrode materials prepared in this work have potential applications in energy conversion, energy storage and electrochemistry, which provide a new idea for utilizing waste fruit peels. [Display omitted] • Pomelo peel was carbonized and KOH-activated to obtain a hierarchical porous structure of carbon materials (YB-K). • The structure of YB-K materials can be regulated by the amount of activator. • The mechanism of KOH activation was investigated and models of activation were presented. • The electrochemical properties of YB-K5-N materials were investigated and its specific capacitance can reach 247.26 F/g. • YB-K5-N symmetric supercapacitor has a specific capacitance retention rate of 87.58% after 3000 cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: As the population ages, an increasing number of postmenopausal women are donors of adipose stromal cells (ASCs) and may benefit from autologous ASC-related treatments. However, the effect of menopausal status on ASCs has not been investigated. Methods: RNA sequencing data were downloaded, and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified. Hierarchical clustering, Gene Ontology, and pathway analyses were applied to the DEGs. Two gene coexpression network analysis approaches were applied to the DEGs to provide a holistic view and preserve gene interactions. Hub genes of the gene coexpression network were identified, and their expression profiles were examined with clinical samples. ASCs from pre- and postmenopausal women were co-cultured with monocytes and T cells to determine their immunoregulatory role. Results: In total, 2299 DEGs were identified and presented distinct expression profiles between pre- and postmenopausal women. Gene Ontology and pathway analyses revealed some fertility-, sex hormone-, immune-, aging-, and angiogenesis-related terms and pathways. Gene coexpression networks were constructed, and the top hub genes, including TIE1, ANGPT2, RNASE1, PLVAP, CA2, and MPZL2, were consistent between the two approaches. Expression profiles of hub genes from the RNA sequencing data and clinical samples were consistent. ASCs from postmenopausal women elicit M1 polarization, while their counterparts facilitate CD3/4+ T cell proliferation. Conclusions: The present study reveals the transcriptome differences in ASCs derived from pre- and postmenopausal women and provides holistic views by preserving gene interactions via gene coexpression network analysis. The top hub genes identified by this study could serve as potential targets to enhance the therapeutic potential of ASCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work aims to prepare a composite adsorbent with a fixed shape to improve the performance of carbon materials and to solve the problem of adsorbent in powder form which is difficult to recycle after use. The BC-ZnS composite system was successfully prepared by hydrothermal method based on the preparation of biomass carbon (BC) using alginate (Alg), while the ZnS component was grown in-situ on the surface of BC. The effects of Alg, Zn source, hydrothermal temperature and time on the synthesis of BC-ZnS were explored, the results indicated that ZnS was successfully grown in-situ on the BC surface, while the BC maintained its original morphology. BC-ZnS showed excellent adsorption capacity for methylene blue (MB), basic fuchsin (BF), and copper ions (Cu2+), reaching 301.50 mg/g for MB and exhibiting good cyclic stability. The adsorption of MB/BF/Cu2+ by BC-ZnS was characterized by the presence of multiple forces, where the BC component mainly depended on the electrostatic force of Alg residue, while the ZnS involves electrostatic forces, ion exchange and Lewis acid/base soft-soft interactions. The adsorption process conforms to pseudo-first-kinetics and is a spontaneous entropy-increasing process. BC-ZnS can be a candidate for reusable wastewater treatment and has excellent potential for application. [Display omitted] • One-pot hydrothermal preparation of BC-ZnS composite system • Realized the growth of ZnS on the surface of BC • Realized efficient synergistic adsorption of BC-ZnS • High adsorption capacity, stable performance, stable morphology, convenient recycling • The mechanism of dyes and heavy metal ion adsorption by BC-ZnS is revealed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to improve the adsorption performance of MoS 2 , as well as to solve the problems of MoS 2 -powder in adsorption, which is prone to agglomeration and difficulty to be recycled, we prepared MoS 2 -nanoflowers(MoS 2 -NFs), and mixed them with sodium alginate/polyvinyl alcohol(SA/PVA) to prepare MoS 2 -NFs/SA/PVA xerogel(MSP) by freezing-lyophilization. Then two forms of xerogels - block-MSP(MSPB) and spherical-MSP(MSPS) were prepared, and they were used as methylene blue(MB) and Cu2+ adsorbent. It was found that MoS 2 -NFs were evenly dispersed inside the SA/PVA with no agglomeration, while the interior of MSPB/MSPS showed the structure of parallel-pores and radial-pores, respectively. The adsorption capacity of MSPB/MSPS on MB can reach 233 mg/g, which is five times higher than SA/PVA-gel, showing excellent synergistic-adsorption effect, and the adsorption capacity for Cu2+ reaches 271 mg/g. The adsorption mechanism indicated that the adsorption of MB by MSPB/MSPS conformed to pseudo-first-order model, with electrostatic force as the main force. And their adsorption of Cu2+ conformed to pseudo-second-order model and was dominated by Lewis acid/base soft-soft interactions. Notably, after long-term adsorption, MSPB/MSPS maintains its shape and more than 90 % of the adsorption capacity, ensuring the recovery and reuse of materials. So, MSPB/MSPS has great potential in adsorption, providing a new solution for sewage purification. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advances in conductive hydrogels are responding to the emerging need for flexible strain sensors. However, achieving an excellent combination of injectability, conductivity, and sensing characteristics is challenging. For this purpose, suitable 3D printing inks are required to generate hydrogels with the desired morphological and functional characteristics. We composited thermosensitive kC with PVA using borax as a cross-linking agent and a source of conductive ions (Na+) to obtain borax cross-linked PVA and kC conductive hydrogel inks. And then, the corresponding conductive hydrogels (B-PVA/kC) were successfully prepared using their thermal response behavior and freeze-thaw method. The results show that kC enables B-PVA/kC to undergo a rapid sol-gel transition when cooled from 70 °C to room temperature. The B-PVA/kC hydrogels show a fast, sensitive, and accurate response to movement. After a freeze-thaw cycle (1 F-T), the hydrogels still have good electrical conductivity and strain-sensing properties, with better strength and increased structural stability. More excitingly, this hydrogel can be printed in different shapes to fit the body better and also exhibits good sensing signals when compressed by external forces, which is expected to facilitate the personalization of flexible strain sensors. [Display omitted] • The kC induces sol-gel behavior of B-PVA/kC and its relationship to hydrogel properties and structure were studied. • The self-healing and free-form hydrogels were prepared by the synergy of dynamic borate ester bonds and sol-gel behavior. • The various human activities were detected by the hydrogel based on strain response sensitivity. • The hydrogels can be obtained by rapidly forming on curved surfaces or 3D printing. • The hydrogel's cross-linking density and mechanical properties were increased and enhanced by freeze-thaw cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advances in conductive hydrogels are responding to the emerging need for flexible strain sensors. However, achieving an excellent combination of injectability, conductivity, and sensing characteristics is challenging. For this purpose, suitable 3D printing inks are required to generate hydrogels with the desired morphological and functional characteristics. We composited thermosensitive kC with PVA using borax as a cross-linking agent and a source of conductive ions (Na+) to obtain borax cross-linked PVA and kC conductive hydrogel inks. And then, the corresponding conductive hydrogels (B-PVA/kC) were successfully prepared using their thermal response behavior and freeze-thaw method. The results show that kC enables B-PVA/kC to undergo a rapid sol-gel transition when cooled from 70 °C to room temperature. The B-PVA/kC hydrogels show a fast, sensitive, and accurate response to movement. After a freeze-thaw cycle (1 F-T), the hydrogels still have good electrical conductivity and strain-sensing properties, with better strength and increased structural stability. More excitingly, this hydrogel can be printed in different shapes to fit the body better and also exhibits good sensing signals when compressed by external forces, which is expected to facilitate the personalization of flexible strain sensors. [Display omitted] • The kC induces sol-gel behavior of B-PVA/kC and its relationship to hydrogel properties and structure were studied. • The self-healing and free-form hydrogels were prepared by the synergy of dynamic borate ester bonds and sol-gel behavior. • The various human activities were detected by the hydrogel based on strain response sensitivity. • The hydrogels can be obtained by rapidly forming on curved surfaces or 3D printing. • The hydrogel's cross-linking density and mechanical properties were increased and enhanced by freeze-thaw cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]