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Gait recognition is a promising biometric technology that aims to identify the target subject via walking pattern. Most existing appearance-based methods focus on learning discriminative spatio-temporal representations from gait silhouettes. However, these methods pay less attention to probing the causality between identity factors and identity labels, which often mislead the model to learn gait representations that are susceptible to identity-irrelevant factors. In this paper, we attribute the cause that leads to the decline of model generalization under different external conditions to identity-irrelevant factors. We formulate the causalities among the identity factors, identity-irrelevant factors, and identity labels as a structural causal model (SCM). We accordingly propose a novel gait recognition framework named GaitSCM to learn covariate invariant gait representations, which is mainly composed of three components, including feature extraction module, feature disentanglement module, and backdoor adjustment. Specifically, we design a feature extractor with regard to the movement patterns of different body parts to learn fine-grained gait motion features, and then present a two-branch feature decoupling module to disentangle identity features and identity-irrelevant features with the aid of the classification confusion loss. To relieve the negative effect of identity-irrelevant factors, we develop a backdoor adjustment strategy to eliminate spurious associations between identity and identity-irrelevant features, which further facilitates the proposed framework to generate more powerful identity representations. Extensive experiments conducted on two public datasets validate the effectiveness of our method. The average Rank-1 can reach 93.2% and 90.4% on CASIA-B and OU-MVLP datasets, respectively, which verifies the superiority of GaitSCM. Source code is released at: https://github.com/HuoweiCode/GaitSCM. • A novel causal representation learning framework GaitSCM for gait recognition is proposed. • A causal analysis based on SCM reveals the spurious relation in gait recognition. • Feature decoupling and backdoor adjustment are used to perform causal intervention. • GaitSCM achieves competitive results on the CASIA-B and OU-MVLP datasets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Activated carbon air cathode combined with iron anode oxidation-flocculation synergistic Arsenic (As) removal was a new groundwater purification technology with low energy consumption and high efficiency for groundwater with high As concentration. The presence of organic matter such as humic acid (HA) had ambiguous effects on formation of organic colloids in the system. The effects of the particle size distribution characteristics of these colloids on the formation characteristics of flocs and the efficiency of As purification was not clear. In this work, we used five different pore size alumina filter membranes to separate mixed phase solutions and studied the corresponding changes in iron and arsenic concentrations in the presence and absence of humic acid conditions. In the presence of HA, the arsenic concentration of < 0.05 µm particle size components was 1.01, 1.28, 3.07, 7.69, 2.85 and 1.24 times of that in the absence of HA. At the same time, the arsenic content in 0.05–0.1 µm and 0.1–0.45 µm particle size components was also higher than that in the system without HA, which revealed that the presence of HA hindered the flocculation behavior of As distribution to higher particle sizes in the early stage of the reaction. The presence of HA affected the flocculation rate of iron flocs from small to large particle size fractions and it had limited effect on the behavior of large-size flocs in adsorption of As. These results provide a theoretical basis for targeted, rapid, and low consumption synergistic removal of arsenic and organic compounds in high arsenic groundwater. [Display omitted] • Humic acid hindered As toward higher particle size fractions. • Humic acid affected small flocs forming larger ones. • Humic acid slowed down large flocs formation and limited As adsorption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lactobacillus delbrueckii is widely used in the fermentation industry. Previously, we identified Lactobacillus delbrueckii DMLD-H1, a strain of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus , from traditional Chinese fermented milk. In this research, we sequenced the complete genome of DMLD-H1, which contains 1,836,627 bp in length with a total of 1947 genes and an average G + C content of 49.86%. In total, 103 carbohydrate metabolism genes are annotated in the KEGG database, and it is showed that DMLD-H1 has the ability to transport lactose, glucose, fructose, and mannose. Antibiotic resistance genes, genes encoding toxins and virulence factor genes are absent in risk-associated sequences of DMLD-H1. We also confirm its safety by indole assay, nitroreductase assay, and antibiotic resistance tests. A wide range of stress-related proteins may contribute to the survival of DMLD-H1 in the gastrointestinal environment, including oxidative stress, pH, bile salts, and temperature stress. The large number of adhesion proteins and stress response genes identified in DMLD-H1 in the genome-wide analysis, as well as phenotypic experiments including resistance to bile salts and acid, antioxidant, antimicrobial and self-cohesion activity, exhibited its excellent probiotic properties. This study demonstrates that DMLD-H1 can be a candidate fermentative agent in fermented dairy products. [Display omitted] • The entire genome of Lactobacillus delbrueckii DMLD-H1 was firstly sequenced. • The carbohydrate metabolic pathway is revealed in DMLD-H1. • The safety and probiotic properties of DMLD-H1 are described by genome analysis. • DMLD-H1 has a gene cluster for the generation of enterolysin A. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mercury (Hg) pollution is a well-recognized global environmental and health issue and exhibits distinctive persistence, neurotoxicity, bioaccumulation, and biomagnification effects. As the largest global Hg reservoir, the Hg cumulatively stored in soils has reached as high as 250–1000 Gg. Even more concerning is that global soil–rice systems distributed in many countries have become central to the global Hg cycle because they are both a major food source for more than 3 billion people worldwide and the central bridge linking atmospheric and soil Hg circulation. In this review, we discuss the form distribution, transformation, and bioavailability of Hg in soil–rice systems by focusing on the Hg methylation and demethylation pathways and distribution, uptake, and accumulation in rice plants and the effects of Hg on the community structure and ecological functions of microorganisms in soil–rice systems. In addition, we clarify the mechanisms through which commonly used humus and biochar organic amendments influence Hg and its environmental effects in soil–rice systems. The review also elaborates on the advantages of sulfur-modified biochars and their critical role in controlling Hg migration and bioavailability in soils. Finally, we provide key information about Hg pollution in soil–rice systems, which is of great significance for developing appropriate strategies and mitigation planning to limit Hg bioconcentration in rice crops and achieving key global sustainable development goals, such as the guarantee of food security and the promotion of sustainable agriculture. [Display omitted] • Microbially reductive and oxidative Hg demethylation are governed by environmental factors. • Hg in paddy soil has a predictable impact on bacterial ecological clusters and functional genes. • The formation and accumulation of MeHg in rice soil system is related to soil organic matter. • Biochar application had a two-way effect on MeHg concentration in paddy system. • Natural S-rich instead of artificial s-modified biochar has advantages in paddy Hg remediation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), as an important class of new persistent organic pollutants, are widely distributed in the environment. Yet the effects of different types and concentrations of PFCs on soil microbial community in urban forest ecosystems are remain uncertain. Here, two typical PFCs, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), were selected to carry out a pot experiment in greenhouse with singly and joint treatment at different concentrations, to examine their effects on composition and diversity of soil microorganisms and availability of soil macronutrients by using high-throughput Illumina sequencing approach. The results showed both PFOA and PFOS application significantly increased soil NO 3 --N and NH 4 +-N content, but did not alter total phosphorus content, compared to the control check (CK) treatments. Total potassium content was reduced in PFOA treatments but increased in PFOS and PFOA×PFOS treatments. The most dominant bacterial phylum was Chloroflexi in low and medium PFCs concentrations and the CK treatments, but it was switched to Acidobacteria in high concentrations. No obvious change was detected for the composition of the dominant fungi community in PFCs treatments compared to the CK treatments. With the increase of PFCs concentrations, soil bacterial richness decreased but its diversity increased, whereas the richness and diversity of fungal community usually decreased. Redundancy analyses revealed that soil fungal community was more sensitive to PFCs pollutants than soil bacterial communities. Further data analysis revealed by structural equation model (SEM) that the PFCs exposed for 60 days indirectly affects the diversity and richness of soil bacteria and fungi by directly affecting NO 3 --N and NH 4 +-N content. The results suggested the concentration of PFCs pollutants played a primary role in determining the composition, richness and diversity of forest soil microbial communities. [Display omitted] • In the urban forest soil, fungal community was more sensitive to PFCs than bacteria. • PFCs' concentrations rather than types played a primary role in determining the composition, richness and diversity of the soil microbial communities. • Structural equation model (SEM) indicated that PFCs exposure indirectly affect the diversity and richness of soil microorganisms by affecting NO 3 --N and NH 4 +-N in urban forest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) are important biological contamination factors in soil systems, posing direct or indirect threats to soil health, food safety and human health. The ubiquitous pollution of ARGs is usually implicated with the application of organic manures in agricultural soil ecosystem. However, little is known about the transmission and fate of ARGs after manure input concerning different soils. Herein, the transmission potential and temporal dynamics of manure-associated ARGs was characterized with three different agricultural soils collected from Jiangxi (JX), Zhejiang (ZJ), and Jilin (JL), respectively. The results show that manure input did not affect the total abundance of ARGs in the receiving soils, but remarkedly alter the compositions of ARGs in soils. The manure-associated ARGs were significantly enriched in the manure-amended soils, including genes conferring resistance to sulfonamide, aminoglycoside, tetracycline, chloramphenicol, and trimethoprim with the fold of 1.97 − 27.86. Variance partitioning analysis showed that the major variances of ARG community was explained by mobile genetic elements and bacterial profile (> 76%) but not the concentrations of heavy metals and antibiotics. Furthermore, 31, 37, and 38 ARG subtypes were identified as the potential extrinsic ARGs derived from manures in the JX, ZJ, and JL soils, respectively, including 13 shared ARG subtypes. It was also found that the manure-associated ARGs (aadA , sul1 , sul2 , tetC , and tetG) declined with the incubation time in the JX and ZJ soils, whereas they firstly decreased and then increased in the JL soil. The abundance of these five ARGs in the JL soil was significantly higher than that in the JX and ZJ soils. Collectively, this finding revealed that soil type was responsible for the transmission and fate of manure-associated ARGs in agroecosystem. [Display omitted] • Manure input altered the compositions of ARGs in the receiving soils. • Manure-associated ARGs were significantly enriched in the receiving soils. • ARGs were relevant to the dominant bacterial taxa and mobile genetic elements. • The persistence of manure-associated ARGs varied with soil types. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The antidepressant fluoxetine (FLX) has gained increasing attention due to its frequent detection in aquatic environments and negative effects on non-target organisms. However, knowledge on the ecotoxicological effects of FLX and its removal by microalgae is still limited. In this study, the ecotoxicological effects of FLX (10 −1000 μg/L) were assessed using batch cultures of the freshwater microalgae Chlorella pyrenoidosa for 10 days based on changes in growth, antioxidant response, and photosynthetic process. The removal efficiency, removal mechanism, and degradation pathway of FLX by C. pyrenoidosa were also investigated. The results showed that the growth of C. pyrenoidosa was inhibited by FLX with a 4 d EC 50 of 0.464 mg/L. Additionally, FLX significantly inhibited photosynthesis and caused oxidative stress on day 4. However, C. pyrenoidosa can produce resistance and acclimatize to FLX, as reflected by the declining growth inhibition rate, recovered photosynthetic efficiency, and disappearance of oxidative stress on day 10. Despite the toxicity of FLX, C. pyrenoidosa showed 41.2%− 100% removal of FLX after 10 days of exposure. Biodegradation was the primary removal mechanism, accounting for 88.2%− 92.8% of the total removal of FLX. A total of five metabolites were found in the degradation processes of FLX, which showed less toxicity than FLX. The main degradation pathways were proposed as demethylation, O-dealkylation, hydroxylation, and N-acylation. Our results not only highlight the potential application of microalgae in FLX purification, but also provide insight into the fate and ecological risk of FLX in aquatic environments. [Display omitted] • The damage of fluoxetine to photosynthesis and antioxidant system was reversible. • Biodegradation was the primary mechanism of fluoxetine removal. • Five transformation products of fluoxetine by microalgae were identified. • The demethylation product norfluoxetine was prone to accumulate in microalgal cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-Hispanic Asians (NHA) in USA have been reported with higher arsenic (As), lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg) and their specific species levels, comparing with non-NHA. This study aimed to investigate the associations of these metal/metalloid levels with blood pressure levels and prevalence of hypertension among general NHA using the 2011–2018 National Health and Nutrition and Examination Survey (NHANES) data. The study included participants aged 20 years and older with determinations of As, Dimethylarsinic acid (DMA), Pb, Cd, Hg and methyl-Hg (MeHg) in blood (n = 10, 177) and urine (n = 5, 175). These metals/metalloid levels were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) levels were examined through a standardized protocol. Censored normal regression model and logistic regression model were employed to explore the associations of As, DMA, Pb, Cd, Hg and MeHg levels with blood pressure levels and prevalence of hypertension respectively, and potential confounders were adjusted in these regression models. Quantile-based g-computation approach was used to analysis joint effect of metals mixture on blood pressure level and hypertension. For NHA, urinary As and Hg levels were associated with increased DBP level; Higher blood Hg and MeHg levels were related to increased blood pressure levels and hypertension; However, negative association was observed between urinary Cd and SBP level; Blood metals mixture (including blood Pb, Cd and Hg) was associated with increased DBP level, but not for hypertension. For non-NHA, urinary As and DMA levels were associated with increased SBP level, but not DBP level and prevalence of hypertension; Urinary Pb level was associated with decreased DBP level; Nevertheless, positive associations were observed between blood Pb levels and SBP and prevalence of hypertension; Blood Hg level was associated with decreased DBP level and prevalence of hypertension; Furthermore, blood MeHg level was associated with decreased DBP level; Positive association was observed between blood metals mixture and increased SBP level among non-NHA. Highly exposed to Hg level among NHA was associated with increased blood pressure levels and prevalence of hypertension. Urinary As level was associated with increased DBP level among NHA. Furthermore, blood metals mixture was related to increased DBP level among NHA. Further prospective studies with larger sample size should be performed to warrant the results. • Urinary As and Hg levels were associated with increased DBP level among NHA. • Higher blood Hg and MeHg levels were related to increased BP levels and hypertension among NHA. • Blood Hg was main contributor for the increased DBP level among NHA in blood metals mixture. • These toxic metals present heterogenicity for BP level and hypertension across sex and non-NHA [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fluorescence-labeling technology has been widely used for rapid detection of pesticides in agricultural production. However, there are few studies on the use of this technology to investigate pesticide uptake and transport in plants with fluorescent nanoparticle formulations. Here, we investigated uptake, transport, accumulation and metabolism of imidacloprid loaded in fluorescent mesoporous SiO 2 nanoparticles (Im@FL-MSNs) in tomato plants, and compared the results with the pesticide application in granular formulation. The results revealed that Im@FL-MSNs applied via root uptake and foliar spray both could effectively transport in tomato plants and carry the imidacloprid to plant tissues. Neither Im@FL-MSNs nor imidacloprid was detected inside of tomato fruits from root uptake or foliar spray applications. Compared with the foliar application of granular formulation, imidacloprid in Im@FL-MSNs demonstrated a higher concentration in leaves (1.14 ± 0.07 mg/kg > 1.08 ± 0.04 mg/kg, 1.13 ± 0.09 mg/kg > 1.11 ± 0.02 mg/kg), longer half-life (0.84 d < 1.31 d, 0.90 d < 1.36 d) and small numbers of metabolites formed. These results suggest that mesoporous silica nanoparticles could serve as an effective and efficient pesticide carrier for achieving the high use efficiency in plant protection. The information is also helpful to guide the pesticide applications and assess the risks associated with environmental quality and dietary consumption of vegetables. [Display omitted] • Dynamic transport of Im@FL-MSNs in tomato was verified by fluorescence technology. • Morphological changes of silica nanoparticles in tomato were studied using TEM. • Metabolic mechanism of imidacloprid was verified by DFT and UPLC-MS/MS. • Im@FL-MSNs has a low risk of application on tomatoes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pentachlorophenol (PCP) is a common residual organic pollutant in paddy soil, and its harmful effects on soil ecosystems have been confirmed. Humic acid (HA) could act as an electron shuttle to promote the reductive dechlorination of PCP under anaerobic conditions. Humic-like substances produced by composting of kitchen waste were able to facilitate the reductive dechlorination of PCP during Fe(III) oxide reduction by iron-reducing bacteria. However, the effects of compost-derived HAs on reductive dechlorination of PCP in a paddy soil system with a high iron content have not been fully confirmed. The characteristics of HAs from different stages of composting during bio-dechlorination of PCP were still unclear. The functional components of compost-derived HAs, which are responsible for reductive dechlorination of PCP in different stages of composting, also need further investigation. In this study, we conducted a series of experiments on the Guangdong paddy soil system with high iron content (17.5 mg kg−1) to investigate the reductive dechlorination of PCP by HA in the early, middle, and later stages of food waste composting. The results showed that the middle- and late-stages of compost-derived HAs all promoted reductive dechlorination of PCP in the paddy system, but it was opposite in the early-stage. Significant differences were also presented in the components of HAs from different stages of composting. The early-stage compost-derived HAs contain numerous easy degradable components, it would inhibit the dechlorination of PCP by the changes of microbial metabolism in paddy soil. Compost-derived HAs in the middle composting stage showed the best reductive dechlorination effects on PCP. The reason might be that the compost-derived HAs in the middle composting stage could act both as electron donors and transfers. The electron transfer capacities (ETC) of middle-stage compost-derived HAs were significantly higher than those in the early and later composting stages. Compared with the natural HAs in the soil system, compost-derived HAs contained more chlorinated products with lower toxicities after the PCP degradation. This result mainly contributed to the detoxification and mineralization of PCP in the soil. These findings clarified the effects of compost-derived HAs on PCP bio-dechlorination in paddy soil with high iron content, identifying the optimal phase of compost-derived HA and providing a theoretical basis for the utilization of kitchen waste composting as a resource of HA. [Display omitted] • The three stages of compost-derived HAs all promoted reductive dechlorination of PCP in the paddy system. • Middle-stage compost-derived HAs had the strongest reduction ability for PCP and best degradation effect. • The compost-derived HAs presented electron transfer function in the process of microbial anaerobic respiration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Metal sulfides (MSs) have attracted much attention as anode materials for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) due to their high sodium storage capacity. However, the unsatisfactory electrochemical performance induced by the huge volume change and sluggish kinetics hampered the practical application of SIBs. Herein, guided by the heterostructure interface engineering, novel multicomponent metal sulfide-based anodes, including SnS, FeS, and Fe 3 N embedded in N -doped carbon nanosheets (SnS/FeS/Fe 3 N/NC NSs), have been synthesized for high-performance SIBs. The as-prepared SnS/FeS/Fe 3 N/NC NSs with abundant heterointerfaces and high conductivity of N -doped carbon nanosheet matrix can shorten the Na+ diffusion path and promote reaction kinetics during the sodiation/desodiation process. Moreover, the presence of Fe 3 N can promote the reversible conversion of SnS and FeS during the cycling process. As a consequence, when evaluated as anode materials for SIBs, the SnS/FeS/Fe 3 N/NC NSs can maintain a high sodium storage capacity of 473.6 mAh g-1 after 600 cycles at 2.0 A g-1 and can still provide a high reversible capacity of 537.4 mAh g-1 even at 5.0 A g-1 This discovery offers a novel strategy for constructing metal sulfide-based anode materials for high-performance SIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] As a renewable green energy, hydrogen has received widespread attention due to its huge potential in solving energy shortages and environment pollution. In this paper, a one-step solvothermal method was applied to grow ultra-thin g-C 3 N 4 (UCN) nanosheets and NiS nanoparticles on the surface of ZnIn 2 S 4 (ZIS). A ternary NiS/ZnIn 2 S 4 /ultra-thin-g-C 3 N 4 composite material with dual high-speed charge transfer channels was constructed for the advancement of the photocatalytic H 2 generation. The optimal ternary catalyst 1.5wt.%NiS/ZnIn 2 S 4 /ultra-thin-g-C 3 N 4 (NiS/ZIS/UCN) achieved a H 2 evolution yield reached to 5.02 mmolg−1h−1, which was 5.23 times superior than that of pristine ZnIn 2 S 4 (0.96 mmolg−1h−1) and even outperform than that of the best precious metal modified 3.0 wt%Pt/ZnIn 2 S 4 (4.08 mmolg−1h−1). The AQY at 420 nm could be achieved as high as 30.5%. The increased photocatalytic performance of NiS/ZIS/UCN could be ascribed to the type-I heterojunctions between intimated ZIS and UCN. In addition, NiS co-catalyst with large quantity of H 2 evolution sites, could result in efficient photo-induced charges separation and migration. Furthermore, the NiS/ZIS/UCN composite exhibited excellent H 2 evolution stability and recyclability. This work would also offer a reference for the design and synthesis of ternary co-catalyst with heterojunction composite for green energy conversion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ZnIn 2 S 4 @CdS photocatalyst with tuned catalytic sites promotes selective benzyl alcohol oxidation on the ZnIn 2 S 4 surface and H 2 evolution on the CdS surface. [Display omitted] Photocatalytic selective oxidation of alcohols into aldehydes and H 2 is a green strategy for obtaining both value-added chemicals and clean energy. Herein, a dual-purpose ZnIn 2 S 4 @CdS photocatalyst was designed and constructed for efficient catalyzing benzyl alcohol (BA) into benzaldehyde (BAD) with coupled H 2 evolution. To address the deep-rooted problems of pure CdS, such as high recombination of photogenerated carriers and severe photo-corrosion, while also preserving its superiority in H 2 production, ZnIn 2 S 4 with a suitable band structure and adequate oxidizing capability was chosen to match CdS by constructing a coupled reaction. As designed, the photoexcited holes (electrons) in the CdS (ZnIn 2 S 4) were spatially separated and transferred to the ZnIn 2 S 4 (CdS) by electrostatic pull from the built-in electric field, leading to expected BAD production (12.1 mmol g−1 h−1) at the ZnIn 2 S 4 site and H 2 generation (12.2 mmol g−1 h−1) at the CdS site. This composite photocatalyst also exhibited high photostability due to the reasonable hole transfer from CdS to ZnIn 2 S 4. The experimental results suggest that the photocatalytic transform of BA into BAD on ZnIn 2 S 4 @CdS is via a carbon-centered radical mechanism. This work may extend the design of advanced photocatalysts for more chemicals by replacing H 2 evolution with N 2 fixation or CO 2 reduction in the coupled reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) have caused significant research attention due to their low redox potential of 0.76 V, high theoretical capacity of 820 mAh g−1. However, the dendrite growth of zinc anode and the side reactions caused by water seriously affect the cycle life of AZIBs. To solve the above problems, a new method of etching zinc anodes with CuCl 2 salt solution was designed, which the zinc anode was named CZn. The process resulted to a uniformly distributed micro gully morphology on the zinc surface, and providing an increased number of nucleation sites for zinc deposition and reducing local current density. The calculation results of exchange current density and activation energy show that CZn has stronger Zn/Zn2+ kinetic effect. At a current density of 5 mA cm−2 and an area capacity of 5 mAh cm−2, cycle life of the CZn symmetrical cell can reach 500 h, which is more than seven times that of the raw Zn symmetrical cell. This work proposes a simple method of zinc anode protection, which provides a new idea for zinc metal anode protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Potato protein (PP) was modified with laccase or tyrosinase to obtain covalent cross-linking structures, and then the blends of native/enzyme-treated protein and potato starch (PS) with different ratios were prepared. The FT-IR results suggested the interactions between protein and starch strengthened after enzyme treatment. The relative crystalline raised to 26–29% after the protein mixing with starch. The thermal degradation temperatures of the blends of enzyme-treated protein and PS (296.71–312.91 °C) were apparently lower than that of the blends of PP:PS (312.31–312.76 °C). Compared to the blends of PP:PS, the peak viscosity, trough viscosity and final viscosity of the blends of enzyme-treated protein and PS decreased by 12.7–41.1%. The blends of enzyme-treated protein and PS had a lower storage modulus than native blends. The outcome would provide a view on the theoretical basis of interactions between protein and starch in exploring favorable potato staple foods. •Covalent cross-linking structure in potato protein was formed by enzyme treatment. •The native/enzyme-treated protein was blended with potato starch with different ratios. •The blends of enzyme-treated protein and starch had lower thermostability. •The blends of enzyme-treated protein and starch had lower paste viscosity. •The blends of enzyme-treated protein and starch had lower storage and loss moduli. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It's still a challenge to design reasonably efficient catalyst using non-noble metal for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). In this paper, we use a simple one-step electrodeposition method to load Ce and S co-doped NiFe amorphous alloys onto Cu(OH) 2 nanorod arrays. The excellent oxygen electrocatalytic performance of the catalyst NiFeCeS/Cu(OH) 2 /CuF is attributed to the electronic environments of the active sites of Ni and Fe regulated by heteroatomic sulfur and cerium, which promote the transfer of the oxygen precipitation intermediates to the higher valence states. Meanwhile, the highly conductive substrate accelerates the electron transfer efficiency of the catalyst material, and the loose nanostructure increases the specific surface area, exposing more active sites. NiFeCeS/Cu(OH) 2 /CuF shows outsanding electrocatalytic activity for oxygen evolution with a low overpotential of 227 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm−2 in alkaline medium. Moreover, the nanocomposite catalyst also exhibits rapid reaction kinetics and long-term stability and durability. In this work, an efficient oxygen precipitation catalyst is reported, which indicates that non-precious metal-based electrocatalysts have great potential for application in water electrolysis and provides a basis for the rational design and synthesis of nanorod array catalysts with unique structures. Using a simple one-step electrodeposition method to load Ce and S co-doped NiFe amorphous alloys onto Cu(OH) 2 nanorod arrays. NiFeCeS/Cu(OH) 2 /CuF shows outsanding electrocatalytic activity for oxygen evolution with a low overpotential of 227 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm−2 in alkaline medium. [Display omitted] • Co-doping of Ce and S improved the intrinsic activity of NiFe catalysts. • Cu(OH) 2 nanorods increase the number of active sites in catalysts. • The one-step co-deposition technique is simple, efficient and repeatable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coal mining usually brought polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) contamination. Relationships between the concentration of PAHs, bacterial communities and soil environmental factors were important for bioremediation of PAHs in soil. Total 4 kinds of soil samples with different concentrations of PAHs were selected from 7 typical coal gangue（CG） sites in Huainan, Anhui Province. The relationships between microorganisms, dissolved organic matter (DOM) composition and PAHs concentration were systematically analyzed in this work. Total 11 kinds of PAHs were enriched in the soil surface layer. That was attributed to the strong binding of soil organic matter (SOM) to PAHs. PAHs contamination reduced the diversity of soil microbial. The abundance of PAHs-degrading genera such as Arthrobacter decreased with the increasing concentration of PAHs. Mycobacterium increased with the increasing concentration of PAHs in all samples. The microbial activities decreased with increasing concentration of PAHs. The increasing contents of LWM-PAHs and DOM were beneficial to improve the activities of soil microbial. The increasing DOM aromaticity was beneficial to improve the bioavailability of PAHs according to the correlation analysis between PAHs content and DOM structural parameters. The obtained results provide a basis for better understanding the contamination characteristics and microbial communities of coal gangue PAH-contaminated sites. [Display omitted] • The PAHs enriched in the soil surface in coal mining areas. • HMW-PAHs contamination inhibited the microbial activities in soil. • Increasing LWM-PAHs and DOM content might be beneficial for enhancing microbial activities. • PAHs contamination enhanced humification and aromaticity of SOM. • High humification and aromaticity of DOM promoted PAHs degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The soil environment is a critical component of the global ecosystem and is essential for nutrient cycling and energy flow. Various physical, chemical, and biological processes occur in the soil and are affected by environmental factors. Soil is vulnerable to pollutants, especially emerging pollutants, such as microplastics (MPs). MPs pollution has become a significant environmental problem, and its harm to human health and the environment cannot be underestimated. However, most studies on MPs pollution have focused on marine ecosystems, estuaries, lakes, rivers, and other aquatic environments, whereas few considered the effects and hazards of MPs pollution of the soil, especially the responses of different environmental factors to MPs. In addition, when many MPs pollutants produced by agricultural activities (mulching film, organic fertilizer) and atmospheric sedimentation enter the soil environment, it will cause changes in soil pH, organic matter composition, microbial community, enzyme activity, animals and plants and other environmental factors. However, due to the complex and changeable soil environment, the heterogeneity is very strong. The changes of environmental factors may react on the migration, transformation and degradation of MPs, and there are synergistic or antagonistic interactions among different factors. Therefore, it is very important to analyze the specific effects of MPs pollution on soil properties to clarify the environmental behavior and effects of MPs. This review focuses on the source, formation, and influencing factors of MPs pollution in soil and summarizes its effect and influence degree on various soil environmental factors. The results provide research suggestions and theoretical support for preventing or controlling MPs soil pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A genome-based systematic analysis combined with phenotypic experiments was conducted to evaluate the safety properties and metabolic characteristics of Streptococcus thermophilus DMST-H2, isolated from Chinese traditional homemade yogurt in Inner Mongolia. Comparative genomic analysis showed that DMST-H2 had a closer genetic relationship with S. thermophilus KLDS.3.1003 based on the sequence similarities of the 1193 core-genes. No genes related to antibiotic resistance and virulence factor as well as no complete biogenic amine biosynthesis gene clusters were identified in DMST-H2 genome. DMST-H2 was sensitive to various antibiotics and had no hemolytic activity and no biogenic amine production capacity, confirming that DMST-H2 is safe and non-toxic. In addition, multiple genes for carbohydrate metabolism were predicted, including various carbohydrate-active enzymes and sugar transporters that could be involved in the transport of multiple carbon sources. Two exopolysaccharide (EPS) gene clusters (eps-1 and rgp-2) were also detected, indicating that DMST-H2 has the potential to synthesize heteropolysaccharides. Gene functional features revealed a cyclic antimicrobial peptide related gene cluster in DMST-H2, which displayed high identities with the streptide biosynthesis gene cluster as previously reported. Our comprehensive analysis of the whole genome and corresponding phenotypes of S. thermophilus DMST-H2 provides important theoretical basis for its application in food products. • Comparative genomic analysis of S. thermophilus DMST-H2 was displayed. • Systematic analysis of its safety and metabolism characteristics based on phenotype and genotype. • Two exopolysaccharide (EPS) gene clusters were found in the genome of S. thermophilus DMST-H2. • Carbohydrate metabolism pathways were predicted in the genome of S. thermophilus DMST-H2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lactobacillus gasseri is a kind of facultative anaerobic lactic acid bacterium, and has been defined as GRAS microorganism by the US Food and Drug Administration. We reported the whole genome sequence of L. gasseri LGZ1029. The complete genome of L. gasseri LGZ1029 was 2,027,325 bp encoding 2005 genes with an average G + C content of 35.06%. Based on the analysis of genes involved in antibiotic resistance, virulence factor, and production of harmful metabolites, we have speculated that L. gasseri LGZ1029 is safe. By genome mining tool, a complete plnABCD operon was present in the genome of L. gasseri LGZ1029, indicating that it has the potential to generate antimicrobial bacteriocin. Stress-related genes speculated that L. gasseri LGZ1029 had good gastrointestinal tolerance, bacteriostatic ability, and antioxidant activity with excellent probiotic characteristics, indicating that it can be a probiotic candidate with great potential. • Complete genome of L. gasseri LGZ1029 was firstly sequenced. • The safety and probiotic properties of L. gasseri LGZ1029 were evaluated by genome analysis. • A complete plnABCD operon was found in the genome of L. gasseri LGZ1029. • Stress response genes were identified in the genome of L. gasseri LGZ1029. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • IGC was used to measure the γ 12 ∞ and χ 12 ∞ of 32 solvents in deep eutectic solvent: Choline Chloride + 1,5-Pentanediol. • The Hildebrand solubility parameters of the DES were calculated at 303.15–343.15 K. • The selectivity and capacity were calculated by γ 12 ∞ data for three separation problems (n -hexane/benzene, benzene/methanol, benzene/thiophene). A series of thermodynamic parameters related to choline chloride + 1,5-pentanediol deep eutectic solvent were studied through inverse gas chromatography at 303.15–343.15 K. The infinite dilution activity coefficient (γ 12 ∞) was used to predict the solute separation ability and the intermolecular interaction strength of DES. The interaction between molecules was further described by partial molar excess properties (Δ H 1 E , ∞ , T Δ S 1 E , ∞ , Δ G 1 E , ∞ ). The value of γ 12 ∞ was also used to compute the separation parameters for common separation problems benzene (1)/methanol (2), n-hexane (1)/benzene (2) and benzene (1)/thiophene (2). The miscibility of organic solutes and DES was evaluated using the Flory–Huggins interaction parameter, and the result showed alcohols were good solvents for the DES. Moreover, the Hildebrand solubility parameters (Î́ 2) of the DES were calculated, and the result revealed that the value showed a downward trend with the increase of temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three novel highly symmetrical metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), C 30 H 40 Fe 6 LnN 6 Na 2 O 44 P 6 (Ln ​= ​La, Ce and Pr, namely FLaN-MOF, FCeN-MOF, FPrN-MOF, respectively), that contain d- and f- orbital elements were designed and successfully synthesized via a facile ionothermal method. The three-dimensional structures of MOFs that were fabricated by pmida ligands directly connecting with iron, sodium and lanthanide metals were revealed by X-ray single crystal diffractometer (SXRD) and powder X-ray diffractometer (PXRD). The MOFs were used as the electrode material for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) and FLaN-MOF exhibits a reversible capacity of 337 mAh/g after 100 cycles at 100 ​mA/g. The electrochemical measurements demonstrate a synergetic mechanism that combines a redox-dominated process at low rates and a capacitance behavior under high current densities. Three novel highly symmetrical metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), C 30 H 40 Fe 6 LnN 6 Na 2 O 44 P 6 (Ln ​= ​La, Ce and Pr, namely FLaN-MOF, FCeN-MOF, FPrN-MOF, respectively), that contain d- and f- orbital elements were designed and successfully synthesized via a facile ionothermal method. The MOFs were used as the electrode material for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) and FLaN-MOF exhibits a reversible capacity of 337 mAh/g after 100 cycles at 100 ​mA/g. [Display omitted] • Three new lanthanide-based MOFs were prepared via ionothermal method. • The new MOFs were formed by the rare earth-iron-sodium three different metals and the structures were elucidated in details. • In electrochemical test, FLaN-MOF showed good electrochemical performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a promising alternative to the toxic PbTe-based thermoelectric materials, eco-friendly SnTe has attracted considerable attention. Here, we use a facile solvothermal method to in-situ synthesize MXene/SnTe nanocomposites. Comprehensive characterization results indicate that the incorporation of two-dimensional MXene in SnTe matrix can suppress Sn vacancies to result in a reduced carrier concentration and induce abundant MXene/SnTe interfaces, which simultaneously optimizes the electrical and thermal transport properties. As a result, with the optimized MXene content, the maximum figure of merit of ∼0.63 ​at 823 ​K is obtained in SnTe with 0.6 ​wt% MXene, which shows a 60% enhancement compared to pristine SnTe. This work explores a new strategy to introduce two-dimensional MXene into SnTe-based materials with improved thermoelectric properties, which can inspire new pathways into designing and synthesizing high-performance thermoelectric materials. The incorporation of MXene into SnTe has been achieved by using a facile solvothermal method, which simultaneously adjusts the electrical and thermal transport properties, leading to enhanced thermoelectric performance. [Display omitted] • Preparing MXene/SnTe nanocomposites via a one-step solvothermal reaction. • Achieving synergistically optimized electrical and thermal transport properties. • A 60% enhanced zT was obtained through MXene incorporation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]