Excessive Wound Research Articles

Using patient-reported experiences to inform the use of foam dressings for hard-to-heal wounds: perspectives from a wound care expert panel.

Caring for patients with hard-to-heal (chronic) wounds requires a multifaceted approach that addresses their diverse needs, which can contribute to the complexity of care. Wound care providers must have a comprehensive understanding of the patient's comorbid conditions and psychosocial issues to provide personalised and effective treatment. Key quality indicators for effective wound care involves not only selecting appropriate local wound care products, such as foam dressings, but also addressing individual patient experiences of wound-related pain, odour, itch, excessive wound drainage, and self-care needs. The purpose of this review is to inculcate the wound care practice community, research scientists and healthcare industry with a sense of accountability in order to work collaboratively in addressing these unmet care needs.

Adaptive robust self‐scheduling for a wind‐based GenCo equipped with power‐to‐gas system and gas turbine to participate in electricity and natural gas markets

AbstractIntegrating renewable energy, particularly wind generation, into power systems brings significant uncertainty and intermittency, challenging generation companies (GenCos) to maintain economic operations. This paper proposes a strategy for a wind‐based GenCo equipped with a gas turbine and a power‐to‐gas (PtG) system to balance wind variability. The gas turbine offsets power shortfalls by consuming natural gas, while the PtG system absorbs excess wind energy, converting it to natural gas and injecting it into the natural gas network as a form of storage. The GenCo operates in day‐ahead electricity and natural gas markets and the real‐time electricity market, addressing uncertainties from wind output, energy prices, and natural gas access. A tri‐level adaptive robust optimization model is introduced for the GenCo’s short‐term operational scheduling. At the first level, decisions related to the GenCo's participation in the day‐ahead electricity and natural gas markets are made. The second level deals with determining the worst‐case realization of the uncertainties, constrained by the budget of uncertainty and the limited range of variations of uncertain variables. The third level sets the operational strategy on the actual day, considering power and gas balance, as well as constraints for the wind farm, gas turbine, and PtG unit. A column & constraint generation (C&CG) algorithm is used to solve the model. Numerical results demonstrate the model’s effectiveness in various case studies, showing that the GenCo can manage wind uncertainties, benefit from arbitrage opportunities in electricity and gas markets, and improve economic outcomes. This approach supports the broader integration of renewable energy into power systems.

Multifunctional Janus nanofibrous membrane with unidirectional water transport and pH-responsive color-changing for wound dressing

Chronic wounds often produce a significant volume of exudate, posing a substantial obstacle to healing. Consequently, there is a pressing demand for a versatile dressing capable of effectively managing exudate in chronic wounds. In this context, a Janus smart dressing is proposed, featuring unidirectional water transport and a pH-responsive color-changing for exudate management and wound monitoring. The dressing’s mechanisms for unidirectional water transport and color changing are elucidated. The Janus dressing consists of a polyacrylonitrile (PAN)/sodium polyacrylate (SPA)/anthocyanin (An) hydrophilic layer with antioxidant and pH-sensitive functions and a poly (3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) hydrophobic layer, enabling unidirectional exudate drainage without reverse osmosis. Studies indicate that the Janus dressing exhibits excellent air permeability, moisture permeability, mechanical properties, cytocompatibility, and antioxidant performance while promptly responding to color variations in solutions of varying pH levels. In vivo studies demonstrated the excellent wound healing ability of Janus PHBV-PAN/SPA/An membrane. Consequently, this study provides a promising solution to develop wound dressings that can effectively manage excessive wound exudate and dressing changes.

Losartan in Situ Forming Gel as a New Treatment for Hypertrophic Scars.

Hypertrophic scars are defined as visible lesions formed by excessive wound healing that cause cosmetic and, in some cases, functional challenges in patients. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of intralesional injections of losartan-loaded in situ forming gel and compare it with the common treatment (triamcinolone) in preventing scar formation. The formulation was prepared using a thermosensitive PLGA-PEG-PLGA triblock copolymer. Ear scar tissue in rabbits represented the hypertrophic scar, and the animals were treated with three treatments in three groups. Nine weeks following the single treatment, images of the scars were obtained and quantitatively analyzed using ImageJ and light microscopy was used to evaluate the fibroblast cell number, vascularization, inflammation and collagen deposition and fibrosis in H&E-stained sample tissue. According to the results based on the ImageJ and the Vancouver criteria, the losartan in situ forming gel (F-LG) indicated significantly higher improving effects on decreased vascularity and pigmentation in comparison with triamcinolone (F-TA) and placebo as a control (F-Ctl), although the effect F-LG was almost similar to F-TA on pliability and scar height, and they were better than the control. Histological findings showed F-LG and F-TA have less inflammatory and fibroblast cells compared to F-Ctl. Also, results indicated the dermal layers of the F-TA and F-LG groups' scar were thinner, and the deposition of collagens was reduced compared to the control. Consequently, F-LG was found to be an effective treatment in reducing scarring and promoting wound healing.No Level Assigned This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each submission to which Evidence-Based Medicine rankings are applicable. This excludes Review Articles, Book Reviews, and manuscripts that concern Basic Science, Animal Studies, Cadaver Studies, and Experimental Studies. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

A low-swelling alginate hydrogel with antibacterial hemostatic and radical scavenging properties for open wound healing

Development of a low-cost and biocompatible hydrogel dressing with antimicrobial, antioxidant, and low swelling properties is important for accelerating wound healing. Here, a multifunctional alginate hydrogel dressing was fabricated using the D-(+)-gluconic acidδ-lactone/CaCO3system. The addition of hyaluronic acid and tannic acid (TA) provides the alginate hydrogel with anti-reactive oxygen species (ROS), hemostatic, and pro-wound healing properties. Notably, soaking the alginate hydrogel in a poly-ϵ-lysine (EPL) aqueous solution enables the alginate hydrogel to be di-crosslinked with EPL through electrostatic interactions, forming a dense network resembling 'armor' on the surface. This simple one-step soaking strategy provides the alginate hydrogel with antibacterial and anti-swelling properties. Swelling tests demonstrated that the cross-sectional area of the fully swollen multifunctional alginate hydrogel was only 1.3 times its initial size, thus preventing excessive wound expansion caused by excessive swelling. After 5 h ofin vitrorelease, only 7% of TA was cumulatively released, indicating a distinctly slow-release behavior. Furthermore, as evidenced by the removal of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl free radicals, this integrated alginate hydrogel systems demonstrate a notable capacity to eliminate ROS. Full-thickness skin wound repair experiment and histological analysis of the healing site in mice demonstrate that the developed multifunctional alginate hydrogels have a prominent effect on extracellular matrix formation and promotion of wound closure. Overall, this study introduces a cost-effective and convenient multifunctional hydrogel dressing with high potential for clinical application in treating open wounds.

Determining onshore or offshore hydrogen storage for large offshore wind parks: The North Sea Wind Power Hub case

The large-scale integration of renewable energy sources leads to daily and seasonal mismatches between supply and demand and the curtailment of wind power. Hydrogen produced from surplus wind power offers an attractive solution to these challenges. In this paper, we consider a large offshore wind park and analyze the need for hydrogen storage at the onshore and offshore sides of a large transportation pipeline that connects the wind park to the mainland. The results show that the pipeline with line pack storage, though important for day-to-day fluctuations, will not offer sufficient storage capacity to bridge seasonal differences. Furthermore, the results show that if the pipeline is sufficiently sized, additional storage is only needed on one side of the pipeline, which would limit the needed investments. Results show that the policy which determines what part of the wind power is fed into the electricity grid and what part is converted into hydrogen has a significant influence on these seasonal storage needs. Therefore, investment decisions for hydrogen systems should be made by considering both the onshore and offshore storage requirements in combination with electricity transport to the mainland.

Assessing the 3E performance of multiple energy supply scenarios based on photovoltaic, wind turbine, battery and hydrogen systems

Supplying buildings with cost-effective, eco-friendly and reliable energy by hybridizing sustainable renewable energy systems (RESs) and energy storage methods is becoming increasingly interesting. This study investigates the energy, environmental and economic (3E) effectiveness of three energy supply scenarios (ESSs) designed to meet the electricity and thermal needs of a typical residential building under the Mediterranean climate of Morocco. The first scenario aims to directly supply the energy produced by two RESs, namely photovoltaic and wind systems, to the building and inject the surplus electricity into the grid. In contrast, in the second scenario, the excess solar and wind energy is stored in batteries, while in the third one a proton exchange membrane electrolyzer is used to produce hydrogen and store it for later use through fuel cells. To examine the performance of these scenarios, numerous software, such as EnergyPlus and PVsyst, as well as numerical models are used. The findings indicate that the second and third scenarios can achieve an energy coverage ratio of up to 100 %, whilst the first scenario reaches lower ratio of 52.56 %. Environmentally, the first scenario exhibits the best outcomes with a carbon payback period of one year and a reduction in carbon emissions of 18.21 tCO2e/year. On the other side, the carbon payback period and carbon emissions reduction are 1.66 years and 15.13 tCO2e/year for the second scenario, and 1.14 years and 14.82 tCO2e/year for the third scenario. Economically, the first scenario reveals the best economic findings, followed by the second one, while the third scenario is not economically feasible. The obtained simple payback period values for the first, second and third scenarios are 5.80, 7.89 and 16.30 years, whereas their levelized cost of energy shares are 0.05, 0.09 and 0.21 $/kWh, sequentially. The outcomes of this research significantly contribute to the field by providing crucial information for building owners and professionals to help them in discerning the most efficient ESSs in the 3E prospects, and hence improving their decision-making and implementation processes.

Joint chance‐constrained coordinated scheduling for electricity‐heat coupled systems considering hydrogen storage

AbstractStrong interdependence between power production and heat supply from combined power and heat units could restrict the wind power integration. Deploying hydrogen storage, typically formed by the electrolyser, hydrogen tank, and fuel cell, could be a promising measure to accommodate surplus wind power and facilitate the coordinated operation of power and heat. The authors consider coordinated scheduling under wind power uncertainty for an electricity‐heat coupled system with hydrogen storage and propose a distributionally robust joint chance‐constrained coordinated scheduling (DRJCC‐CS) model, where the waste heat from the electrolyser and fuel cell is incorporated. The authors design distributionally robust joint chance constraints to account for wind power uncertainty related constraints and derive their tractable inner and outer mixed‐integer convex approximations. Consequently, the proposed DRJCC‐CS model is casted into a mixed‐integer convex programme. Case studies are conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed DRJCC‐CS method.

Prefeasibility study on optimal site location for Power‐to‐X: An experiment for the Danish energy system

Denmark has set ambitious goals to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 70 % by the year 2030, and in an effort to reach this, the Danish Energy Agency has proposed a Power-to-X strategy that involves an overall capacity target of 6 GW of electrolysis by 2030. The objective of the following study was to identify the optimal site location for siting an electrolyser for Power-to-X as a prefeasibility analysis. The results indicated that Jammerbugt was an ideal area, for an add on solution to an already existing wind turbine, with 1303 h of excess wind energy available for Power-to-X. A financial analysis showed that there was an NPV of - €126,032 after a 20-year period, which improves with a theoretical 20 % governmental subsidy to €16,662. Therefore, it was found that Power-to-X is still currently reliant on governmental support as a viable business case. The study's findings highlight the importance of this support for Power-to-X to be a viable business case, such as the decision to allocate 1.25 billion DKK for hydrogen production by 2030.

A bioinspired triboelectric wireless anemometer with low cut-in wind speed for meteorological UAVs

Currently, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) play a pivotal role in meteorological wind speed measurements. Nevertheless, existing anemometers exhibit notable issues, including excessive weight, high cost and high cut-in wind speed. This investigation introduces a biomimetic owl wing airfoil wind speed sensor utilizing the principles of the triboelectric nanogenerator (BOW-TENG) designed for UAV applications. Inspired by owl wings, an airfoil configuration with superior aerodynamic characteristics is ascertained, subsequently fabricating it into an impeller, and a wind speed sensor with low weight, low cost and low cut-in wind speed is developed. Experimental results affirm the BOW-TENG’s precision in depicting wind speed across the range of 1.6–10.7 m/s, featuring a sensitivity of 21.893 Hz/(m·s−1), a goodness of fit R2 of 0.9995, and a remarkable resolution of 0.057 m/s. The sensor weighs only 30 g. Furthermore, a cost-effective triboelectric signal processing system is devised for integrating the BOW-TENG into the UAV, as well as the optimal positioning for BOW-TENG on the UAV is identified through simulations. The relative wind direction can be calculated from signals of the BOW-TENGs on the four arms of the UAV. Ultimately, application experiments demonstrate the feasibility of employing BOW-TENG for wireless wind speed transmission from UAVs. This work incorporates bionics and proposes a practical application of triboelectric sensors for UAVs, as well as a solution for developing wind speed sensors in the field of meteorological UAV detection.

A clinical observational case series evaluation of a superabsorbent dressing on exudating wounds.

The annual cost to the NHS of managing 3.8 million patients with a wound was estimated in 2020 to be £8.3 billion, of which £5.6 billion was spent on the 30% of wounds that did not heal and £2.7 billion on the 70% of wounds that healed (Guest, 2020). One of the main symptoms associated with chronic 'hard-to-heal' wounds is the production of excess exudate (Atkin et al, 2019). This is due to a prolonged chronic inflammatory response stimulated by a physiological cause. This article describes what exudate is and its importance in the wound healing process, highlighting the consequences of too little or excessive wound exudate associated with any wound. The article goes on to describe a case series observational study involving a range of patients (n=47; 33 male/14 female), aged between 33 and 91 years (mean 67.4 years), with a variety of acute (n=11) and chronic exuding wounds (n=44). In total, 55 wounds of various aetiologies were managed with DryMax Super (a dressing whose design includes superabsorbent polymers) in order to evaluate and report on the absorption and fluid-handling properties of the product.

Low-Carbon Economic Dispatch Model of Integrated Energy System Accounting for Concentrating Solar Power and Hydrogen-Doped Combustion

Against the background of carbon peak and carbon neutralization, in order to solve the problem of poor flexibility of integrated energy systems and wind power consumption while improving the potential of hydrogen energy emission reduction, this study proposes an integrated energy system that takes into account the coupling of concentrating solar power (CSP), hydrogen-doped combustion, and power-to-gas (P2G) conversion. Firstly, a mathematical model of a CSP-CHP unit is established by introducing a CSP power station, aiming at the defect of the “heat to power” mode in the CHP system. Secondly, the energy consumption of P2G hydrogen energy production is satisfied by surplus wind power. The utilization stage of hydrogen energy is divided into supply CHP combustion and CO2 methanation, forming a CSP-P2G-HCHP collaborative framework and establishing an IES low-carbon economic dispatch model with CSP-P2G-HCHP. At the same time, the carbon trading mechanism is introduced to constrain the carbon emissions of the system. Finally, an optimization strategy with the minimum sum of the operation and maintenance cost, the energy purchase cost, the wind curtailment cost, and the carbon emission cost as the objective function is proposed, and the CPLEX solver is used to solve and carry out multi-case analysis. The simulation results show that the carbon emissions are reduced by 6.34%, the wind curtailment cost is reduced by 52.2%, and the total cost is reduced by 1.67%. The model takes into account the carbon reduction effect and operating efficiency and effectively improves the new energy consumption capacity.

Harnessing Curtailed Wind-Generated Electricity via Electrical Water Heating Aggregation to Alleviate Energy Poverty: A Use Case in Ireland

Ireland experiences high energy poverty rates alongside surplus wind energy resources. With 77% of Irish households equipped with electrical immersion heaters for domestic hot water (DHW) generation, this study proposes an Electrical Water Heating Aggregation (EWHA) scheme. The scheme allocates surplus wind-generated electricity to provide DHW to fuel-poor households, thereby alleviating energy poverty through harnessing curtailed wind energy. Through a developed wind-generated electricity allocation model and half-hourly data analysis for a weather year, this research assesses the feasibility and economic viability of the EWHA scheme, focusing on the householder as the primary benefactor from the scheme (as opposed to ancillary grid service provision). The results suggest an optimal aggregation size where maximum curtailment and carbon offset coincide with maximum benefits for participants. The findings indicate that fuel-poor households in Ireland could receive a full DHW tank every three weeks using surplus wind energy, harnessing 89% of overnight curtailed wind energy and offsetting 33 MkgCO2 annually. Moreover, the scheme could potentially save the Irish state approximately EUR 4 million by 2030, increasing to EUR 11 million by 2050, in carbon costs. Overall, this research demonstrates the potential of EWHA schemes to alleviate energy poverty, optimise wind energy utilisation, and contribute significantly to carbon emission reduction targets.

Thinking of Green, Low Carbon, and Energy-Saving Designs Based on the Variable Ventilation of Natatoriums: Taking the Jiading Natatorium of Tongji University as an Example

With the increasing demand for sports activities, sports architecture is flourishing. Creating a comfortable and healthy fitness environment while reducing energy consumption has become a focus for architects. Taking the Jiading Natatorium at Tongji University in Shanghai as an example, this study researched green energy in the variable ventilation of sports venues. The Autodesk Ecotect Analysis 2011 was used to conduct computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation analyses on four scenarios of opening and closing the swimming pool’s roof, with ventilation velocity as the primary evaluation indicator to assess the ventilation environment of each scenario. The relationship between the opening ratio of the roof and the ventilation environment of sports buildings was explored. The results showed that when the opening ratio is 37.5%, it achieves good ventilation effectiveness and avoids excessive wind pressure. The study also summarized six common forms of opening and closing roof structures and compared the differences in wind environments of different roof forms. The results indicated that the shape and opening ratio of the roof has a decisive impact on the distribution of indoor wind speed in buildings. Six optimal opening ratios for different roof forms in summer and suitable site conditions were summarized, providing a reference for the design and selection of swimming pool roofs. Furthermore, the wind speed distribution of different roof types showed a trend of gradually becoming uniform with the increase in opening area. However, the position of the wind speed peak is related to the form and size of the roof opening. This research provides valuable references for the low carbon and energy-efficient design of future swimming pool sports buildings.

Flexible porous nanofibrous sponge with antioxidant and antibacterial characteristics for promoting diabetic wound healing

Excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) and bacterial burden delay diabetic wound healing. Although antioxidants and antibacterials have the potential to mitigate excessive ROS and bacterial burden, their efficacy is compromised by the presence of abundant exudate. In this study, a porous chitosan/polyvinyl alcohol nanofibrous sponge immobilized with protocatechualdehyde (CPNS-PA) is developed as a flexible dressing. The CPNS-PA exhibits favorable liquid management ability, high liquid absorption capacity (3867.73 %), superior air permeability (281.1 mm/s), and great compressive recovery at a strain of 50 %. Immobilizing protocatechualdehyde endows CPNS-PA with improved antioxidant and antibacterial properties. Besides, to enhance the stability of CPNS-PA in an aqueous environment, heat treatment is employed instead of toxic chemical agents, thereby preserving its excellent cytocompatibility. The experiments conducted on a diabetic mouse wound model demonstrate that CPNS-PA effectively promotes diabetic wound healing, indicating its promising potential for clinical applications in diabetic wound healing.

Wound healing after trabeculectomy : What and when in postoperative aftercare?

Excessive wound healing in filtering glaucoma surgery is akey factor for a failed surgery. After the introduction of trabeculectomy in the 1960s many factors associated with an increased fibrotic reaction were recognized and methods were developed to influence postoperative wound healing. These range from the perioperative use of anti-inflammatory drugs and antimetabolites to the use of newer chemical compounds that influence the morphology of postoperative fibroblast growth. In the routine clinical practice, the fine tuning of therapeutic decisions plays adecisive role in the success or failure of filtration surgery.

Two-stage planning model of power-to-gas station considering carbon emission flow

The widespread use of fossil fuels has substantially contributed to global climate change. One of the most crucial ways to address climate change is to minimize carbon emissions in the energy sector. Power-to-Gas (P2G) technology provides a potential solution. In this context, this paper introduces a novel two-stage P2G planning method for the electric-gas coupling system, using carbon emission flow technology. The carbon emission flow model employed facilitates the distribution of carbon emissions across the entire energy network. Central to our planning strategy is the identification of nodes with reduced carbon emissions for the siting of P2G facilities, predicated on the premise that such nodes are indicative of significant renewable energy utilization. Constructing P2G systems at these particular nodes is strategically advantageous for augmenting renewable energy consumption. In the initial phase, a P2G siting planning methodology predicated on a low-carbon criterion is advanced, resulting in a definitive siting scheme. Subsequently, the second phase involves establishing a P2G capacity optimization model that seeks to strike an economic equilibrium between the utilization of surplus wind power and P2G operational investment. An enhanced pigeon optimization algorithm is employed to resolve the proposed model. Our method is verified by simulation. Compared with other conventional models, the accommodation capacity of renewable energy with the proposed method is enhanced, and the carbon emissions and operating costs of IES are also reduced.

Comparison of Floating Offshore Wind Turbine Tower Deflection Mitigation Methods Using Nonlinear Optimal-Based Reduced-Stroke Tuned Vibration Absorber

Tower fatigue and strength are crucial operational concerns of floating offshore wind turbines (FOWTs) due to the escalation of the vibration phenomena observed on these structures as compared to land-based ones. FOWT towers are excited by wave and wind polyperiodic disturbances yielding continual transient states of structural vibration that are challenging for vibration mitigation systems. Thus, the paper investigates a novel implementation of nonlinear optimal-based vibration control solutions for the full-scale, tension leg platform (TLP)-based, NREL 5MW wind turbine tower-nacelle model with a 10-ton tuned vibration absorber (TVA), equipped with a magnetorheological (MR) damper, located at the nacelle. The structure is subjected to excessive wave and wind excitations, considering floating platform motions derived from model experiments in a wave tank. The MR damper operates simultaneously with an electromagnetic force actuator (forming a hybrid TVA) or independently (a semiactive TVA). The study includes both actuators’ nonlinearities and dynamics, whereby the former are embedded in the Hamilton-principle-based nonlinear control solutions. The TVA is tuned either to the NREL 5MW tower-nacelle 1st bending mode frequency (TVA-TN) or to the TLP surge frequency (TVA-TLP). The optimal control task was redeveloped concerning the TVA stroke and transient vibration minimisation, including the implementation of the protected structure’s acceleration and relative displacement terms, as well as the nonzero velocity term in the quality index. The regarded model is embedded in a MATLAB/Simulink environment. On the basis of the obtained results, the TVA-TN solution is by far superior to the TVA-TLP one. All the regarded TVA-TN solutions provide a tower deflection safety factor of ca. 2, while reference systems without any vibration reduction solutions or with a passive TVA-TLP are at risk of tower structural failure as well as the hybrid TVA-TLP system. The obtained TVA stroke reductions of 25.7%/22.0% coincide with 3.6%/10.3% maximum tower deflection reductions for the semiactive/hybrid TVA-TN case (respectively) with regard to the previously developed approaches. Moreover, these reductions are obtained due to the sole control algorithm enhancement; thus, no additional resources are necessary, while this attainment is accompanied by a reduction in the required MR damper force. The lowest obtained TVA stroke amplitude of 1.66 m is guaranteed by the newly introduced semiactive control. Its hybrid equivalent ensures 8% lower primary structure deflection amplitude and reduced nacelle acceleration levels thanks to the utilisation of the force actuator of the relatively low power (ca. 6 kW); the trade-off is an increased TVA stroke amplitude of 2.19 m, which, however, is the lowest among all the tested hybrid solutions. The analysed reference passive TVA systems, along with a modified ground-hook hybrid solution, can hardly be implemented in the nacelle (especially along the demanding side–side direction). The latter, being the well-proven hybrid solution for steady-state tower deflection minimisation, yielded unsatisfactory results. The achievements of the study may be used for an effective design of a full-scale vibration reduction system for the TLP-based floating wind turbine structure.

Advances in CO2 recycle to alcohols and ethers through hydrogenation

AbstractThis paper addresses the urgent challenge of CO2 emissions and the need for sustainable energy sources. It emphasizes CO2 hydrogenation as a promising solution for large‐scale long‐term energy storage, converting CO2 into valuable fuels using green hydrogen generated from renewable sources. The study concentrates on exploring pathways leading to oxygenated compounds, such as alcohols or ethers, for their utilization as sustainable fuels. The investigation encompasses methanol, dimethyl ether, ethanol, and higher alcohols. The paper investigates catalysts for CO2 hydrogenation, ranging from traditional metal‐based to advanced materials, aiming to identify efficient and stable catalysts for synthesizing oxygenated compounds. Catalysts are indispensable in CO2 hydrogenation for the synthesis of oxygenated compounds, contributing to improved reaction kinetics, selectivity, economic viability, reduced environmental impact, and the overall sustainability of the process. The goal is to contribute to a fully renewable, carbon‐neutral system powered by excess solar and wind electricity, where recycled CO2 and green hydrogen are used to produce fuels, to be stored and then used to produce energy, electricity, heat, or mechanical energy, on demand, with the capture of the CO2, in a system which is overall carbon neutral. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Engineered composite dressing with exudate management capabilities for the process of entire wound healing

A timely antibacterial dressing that can adapt to dynamic wound environments poses a significant challenge in burn research and management. Herein, a four-layered composite dressing is reported. At its core, it features a modified micropore arrayed Janus membrane with a super-hydrophobic polyurethane layer on one side and a super-hydrophilic hydrogel on the other. This unique design enables the dressing to maintain stable and durable self-pumping capabilities, effectively transferring wound exudate to the upper foam layer. The self-pumping rate exceeds that of traditional foam dressings, being approximately 1.39 times more efficient in absorbing excess wound exudate. The composite dressing demonstrates an impressive water donation capacity when tested on 45% gelatin-simulated skin, achieving a water donation rate of (59.20 ± 2.66)%. Furthermore, the water vapor permeability of the composite dressing outperforms hydrocolloids by approximately 3.66 times. Additionally, the composite dressing, when loaded with super-hydrophilic nanometer zinc oxide, exhibits a potent antibacterial effect. The dressing's surface reduces cellular, platelet, fibrinogen, and bovine serum albumin adhesion, reducing the risk of tissue adhesion. During a 20-day trial covering deep II-degree burn wounds, the dressing demonstrated excellent biocompatibility. It effectively compresses the inflammatory phase, promotes vascularization, and significantly accelerates the regeneration of skin accessory organs. This innovative dressing exhibits great potential for use throughout the entire wound-healing process in future burn treatments.