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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]

The wicking effect constitutes a pivotal determinant in facilitating the ingress and transference of liquid water within yarns and fabrics. Its significance looms prominently in the context of subsequent product processing, particularly concerning the immersion and interface bonding of textile matrix composites. The twist exerts profound influence over the fiber disposition and density within yarns, as well as the yarn and the wicking pathways for liquid water. We use a mathematical model grounded in the three-dimensional helical capillary permeation mechanism, inherently linked to the twist factor. This model operates under the assumption that the yarn's fibers exhibit uniform diameters and arrangements. Leveraging the macroscopic force equilibrium method, a function of liquid capillary rise with wicking time was deduced. and the dynamic progression of liquid water ascent within the yarn was simulated using the COMSOL platform. Subsequently, a series of wicking experiments were executed on polyester filament yarns, each characterized by varying twist levels. The results revealed that the experimental data coincided well with the theoretical prediction, thus affirming the model's accuracy. [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.

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]