Transport Behavior of Cd2+ in Highly Weathered Acidic Soils and Shaping in Soil Microbial Community Structure.

The mining and smelting site soils in South China present excessive Cd pollution. However, the transport behavior of Cd in the highly weathered acidic soil layer at the lead-zinc smelting site remains unclear. Here, under different conditions of simulated infiltration, the migration behavior of Cd2+ in acid smelting site soils at different depths was examined. The remodeling effect of Cd2+ migration behavior on microbial community structure and the dominant microorganisms in lead-zinc sites soils was analyzed using high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA gene amplicons. The results revealed a specific flow rate in the range of 0.3-0.5 mL/min that the convection and dispersion have no obvious effect on Cd2+ migration. The variation of packing porosity could only influence the migration behavior by changing the average pore velocity, but cannot change the adsorption efficiency of soil particles. The Cd has stronger migration capacity under the reactivation of acidic seepage fluid. However, in the alkaline solution, the physical properties of soil, especially pores, intercept the Cd compounds, further affecting their migration capacity. The acid-site soil with high content of SOM, amorphous Fe oxides, crystalline Fe/Mn/Al oxides, goethite, and hematite has stronger ability to adsorb and retain Cd2+. However, higher content of kaolinite in acidic soil will increase the potential migration of Cd2+. Besides, the migration behavior of Cd2+ results in simplified soil microbial communities. Under Cd stress, Cd-tolerant genera (Bacteroides, Sphingomonas, Bradyrhizobium, and Corynebacterium) and bacteria with both acid-Cd tolerance (WCHB 1-84) were distinguished. The Ralstonia showed a high enrichment degree in alkaline Cd2+ infiltration solution (pH 10.0). Compared to the influence of Cd2+ stress, soil pH had a stronger ability to shape the microbial community in the soil during the process of Cd2+ migration.

Purification and water resource circulation utilization of Cd-containing wastewater during microbial remediation of Cd-polluted soil.

The purification and water resource circulation utilization of cadmium-containing leachate is a key link in the field application of microbial remediation in Cd-polluted soil. In this study, through a simulation experiment of microbial remediation of Cd-polluted paddy soil, the feasibility of the purification and recycling process of wastewater derived from microbial remediation of Cd-polluted soil was explored. The results of the microbial mobilization and removal experiment showed that the concentrations of Cd, N, P, and K in the leachate were 88.51 µg/L, 38.06, 0.53, and 98.87 mg/L, respectively. The leachate also contained a large number of microbial resources, indicating that it had high recovery values. To recycle this wastewater, activated carbon (C), humic acid (H), and self-assembled monolayers on mesoporous supports (SAMMS; S) were used as adsorbents. The results showed that the co-existing cations in the leachate had a major influence on the adsorption of Cd. In the ternary system of Fe, Al, and Cd, the removal efficiency of Cd increased to 91.2% when the S dosage was increased to 5‰, and the sorption of Cd occurred after Fe and Al. However, C and H exhibited poor adsorption performances. The isotherm models further showed that the maximum adsorption capacities of S, H, and C were 13.96, 6.41 and 2.94 mg/g, respectively. The adsorption kinetics of S showed that adsorption was a rapid process, and the C-H and O-Si-O of S were the key functional groups. The pH of the leachate significantly affected the adsorption efficiency of Cd. Finally, the purified leachate was successfully applied to microbial cultivation and soil remediation. Overall, the reclamation of Cd-containing wastewater can not only dampen the impacts of water shortages, but also achieve the purposes of Cd removal and resource recovery to lower costs by approximately 1166-3499 yuan per mu.

Study on the Biomolecular Competitive Mechanism of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers and Their Derivatives on Thyroid Hormones.

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are widely used brominated flame retardants. PBDEs and their derivatives, hydroxylated PBDEs (OH-PBDEs), can bind to hormone receptors and impact hormone secretion, transportation, and metabolism, leading to endocrine disruption and the development of various diseases. They have particularly strong interference effects on thyroid hormones. This study used decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-209); 2,2',4,4'-tetrabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-47); and 6-OH-BDE-47 as representative compounds of PBDEs and their derivatives, OH-PBDEs. A fluorescence probe, fluorescein-isothiocyanate-L-thyroxine (FITC-T4, F-T4), specific for binding to transthyretin (TTR), a thyroid transport protein, was prepared. The binding capacity of PBDEs and their derivatives, OH-PBDEs, to TTR was quantitatively measured using fluorescence spectroscopy. The principle of quenching the fluorescence intensity of F-T4 after binding to TTR was used to analyze the competitive interaction between the probe and BDE-209, BDE-47, and 6-OH-BDE-47, thereby evaluating the toxic effects of PBDEs and their derivatives on the thyroid system. Additionally, AutoDock molecular docking software (1.5.6) was used to further analyze the interference mechanism of OH-PBDEs on T4. The results of the study are as follows: (1) Different types of PBDEs and OH-PBDEs exhibit varying degrees of interference with T4. Both the degree of bromination and hydroxylation affect their ability to competitively bind to TTR. Higher bromination and hydroxylation degrees result in stronger competitive substitution. (2) The competitive substitution ability of the same disruptor varies at different concentrations. Higher concentrations lead to stronger substitution ability, but there is a threshold beyond which the substitution ability no longer increases. (3) When OH-PBDEs have four or more bromine atoms and exhibit the most structural similarity to T4, their binding affinity to TTR is stronger than that of T4.

Tuning C1 /C2 Selectivity of CO2 Electrochemical Reduction over in-Situ Evolved CuO/SnO2 Heterostructure.

Heterostructured oxides with versatile active sites, as a class of efficient catalysts for CO2 electrochemical reduction (CO2 ER), are prone to undergo structure reconstruction under working conditions, thus bringing challenges to understanding the reaction mechanism and rationally designing catalysts. Herein, we for the first time elucidate the structural reconstruction of CuO/SnO2 under electrochemical potentials and reveal the intrinsic relationship between CO2 ER product selectivity and the in situ evolved heterostructures. At -0.85 VRHE , the CuO/SnO2 evolves to Cu2 O/SnO2 with high selectivity to HCOOH (Faradaic efficiency of 54.81 %). Mostly interestingly, it is reconstructed to Cu/SnO2-x at -1.05 VRHE with significantly improved Faradaic efficiency to ethanol of 39.8 %. In situ Raman spectra and density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that the synergetic absorption of *COOH and *CHOCO intermediates at the interface of Cu/SnO2-x favors the formation of *CO and decreases the energy barrier of C-C coupling, leading to high selectivity to ethanol.

Ecological responses of bacterial assembly and functions to steep Cd gradient in a typical Cd-contaminated farmland ecosystem.

The response of soil bacterial communities from farmland ecosystems to cadmium (Cd) pollution, in which a steep concentration gradient of more than 100 mg/kg has naturally formed, has not previously been fully reported. In this study, a field investigation was conducted in a typical severe Cd-polluted farmland ecosystem, and the bacterial community response to the steep Cd gradient was analyzed. The results showed that Cd concentration sharply decreased from 159.2 mg/kg to 4.18 mg/kg among four sampling sites alongside an irrigation canal over a distance of 150 m. Bacterial diversity and richness were significantly lower in highly polluted sites, and random forest analysis indicated that Cd gradient played a decisive role in reducing alpha diversity. Redundancy analysis (RDA) and co-occurrence network indicated that the synergistic effects of pH, Cd, and phosphorus were the main drivers shaping community structure. The functional results predicted by BugBase suggested that the bacterial community may adapt to the harsh environment by recruiting Cd-resistant microbes and improving oxidative stress tolerance of the whole community. Cd-resistant microorganisms such as Burkholderia, Bradyrhizobium, and Sulfurifustis, which directly or indirectly participate in diminishing oxidative damage of Cd, may play essential roles in maintaining community stability and might be potential bacterial resources for the bioremediation of Cd pollution.

Cadmium, lead and arsenic contamination in an abandoned nonferrous metal smelting site in southern China: Chemical speciation and mobility.

The investigation of chemical speciation of primary toxic metal(loid)s (Cd, Pb, and As) in soil profile in nonferrous metal smelting site is a key to the assessment of their mobility characteristics and formulation of subsequent remediation strategy. In this study, 74 soil samples were collected at 12 different soil profiles; soil physio-chemical properties and total content of Cd, Pb and As and corresponding chemical speciation were also determined. The results showed that the mean total concentration followed the order of Pb > As > Cd. A large proportion of Pb, Cd and As were accumulated in upper soil profiles (depth < 3 m). Heavy pollution of Pb, Cd and As were observed in the whole soil profile at the area of fuel oil storage tank (ZY6) and lead smelting area (ZY8). The dominant fraction of Cd was exchangeable fraction (F1); Pb was dominant in Fe/Mn oxides-bound fraction (F3) in most cases; Crystallized Fe/Al hydrous oxides bound fraction (F4) generally accounted for a large proportion of As. Mobility factor (MF) followed the order Cd > As > Pb, indicating that Cd was the most mobile element in soil profiles. Pearson correlation analysis found that MFCd was significantly positively correlated to soil silt; the F4 fraction percentage of As was significantly positively correlated to soil redox potential (Eh). Additionally, MFCd/Pb was found to be positively correlated to crystalline iron (Fec), while negatively correlated to amorphous iron (Feo). The findings reported in this study, on the basis of distribution characteristics of chemical speciation could provide a new solution for future soil remediation at the site. Long-term solutions to metal(loid)s pollution might be offered by microbial-assisted soil washing technique that promotes the transformation of Fe/Mn oxides-bound fraction and organic/sulfide-bound fraction.

Vertical distribution of the toxic metal(loid)s chemical fraction and microbial community in waste heap at a nonferrous metal mining site.

Over the past few decades, nonferrous mining has produced numerous waste rock and part of the waste that has not been properly treated was generally dumped at roadsides and hill slopes. However, the vertical distributions of toxic metal(loid)s and composition of microbial communities in waste heap and the under-laid pristine soil are rarely studied. In this work, the fraction-related distributions of toxic metal(loid)s were investigated at a waste heap profile and the indigenous microbial assemblages were also analyzed by Illumina sequencing of 16 s rRNA genes. Results showed that compared to the under-laid pristine soil, content of toxic metal(loid)s, especially Cd, As and Pb, in waste rock layer were higher. Most of As in subsoil existed as non-specifically sorbed and specifically-sorbed fractions, which could be ascribed to the migration from the upper layer. The mobility was significantly correlated with Eh, EC, clay content, CEC and the total content of metal(loid)s. Phyla Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria and Firmicutes dominated the microbial communities. The microbial community compositions at the genus level were similar, but their relative abundances were mainly influenced by pH, CEC, Eh, SOM, and bioavailability content of toxic metal(loid)s. Besides, microbial functions of elements (S, Fe, Mn and As) oxidation/reduction and metabolites (siderophore, biosurfactant, organic acid, phosphatase and urease) potentially were used for pollutants bioremediation.

Reduction mechanism of Cd accumulation in rice grain by Chinese milk vetch residue: Insight into microbial community.

Chinese milk vetch is an efficient approach to reduce Cd accumulation in rice, nevertheless, its reduction mechanism is not well understood. In this study, we investigated the rice grain Cd, soil properties and microbial community in a Cd-polluted paddy field amended with milk vetch residue (MV) or without (CK) during rice growth period. We found that milk vetch residue averagely decreased the Cd content in rice grain by 45%. Decrease of Cd in rice mainly attributed to the inhibition of Cd activation by milk vetch residue at heading stage probably by the formation of HA-Cd (Humic Acid) and CdS. Increased pH and organic matter (OM) promoted the reduction of available Cd. In addition, nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) analysis revealed that microbial community structure was significantly different between MV and CK treatment (r = 0.187, p = 0.002), and the core functions of differentially abundant genera were mainly associated with N-cycling, organic matter degradation and sulfate-reducing. The application of milk vetch residue increased the abundance of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) by 8-112% during the rice growth period, which may involve in promoting the transformation of Cd to a more stably residual Cd (CdS). Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) and mantel test analysis indicated that available K (p = 0.004) and available N (p = 0.005) were the key environmental factors of shaping the SRB. Altogether, changes in soil properties affected microbial structure and functional characteristics, especially the response of SRB in MV treatment would provide valuable insights into reducing the bioavailability of Cd in soil.

The utilization of biomineralization technique based on microbial induced phosphate precipitation in remediation of potentially toxic ions contaminated soil: A mini review.

In recent years, many studies have been devoted to investigate the application of microbial induced phosphate precipitation (MIPP) process for potentially toxic element polluted soil remediation. MIPP biomineralization technique exhibits a great potential to efficiently remediate polluted soil considering its low cost, green and ecofriendly process, and simple in operation. This paper represented a review on the state of the art of polluted soil remediation based on MIPP technique. Briefly, certain defined criteria on targeted microbe selection was discussed; an overall review on the utilization of MIPP process for toxic ions biomineralization in soil was provided; influencing factors reported in the literature, such as pH, temperature, humic substances, coexisting ions, effective microbial population, and enzyme activity, were then comprehensively reviewed; finally; a special emphasis was given to enhance MIPP remediation performance in soil in future research.

Adsorption of 17ß-estradiol from aqueous solution by raw and direct/pre/post-KOH treated lotus seedpod biochar.

Five biochars derived from lotus seedpod (LSP) were applied to examine and compare the adsorption capacity of 17ß-estradiol (E2) from aqueous solution. The effect of KOH activation and the order of activation steps on material properties were discussed. The effect of contact time, initial concentration, pH, ionic strength and humic acid on E2 adsorption were investigated in a batch adsorption process. Experimental results demonstrated that the pseudo second-order model fitted the experimental data best and that adsorption equilibrium was reached within 20 hr. The efficiency of E2 removal increased with increasing E2 concentration and decreased with the increase of ionic strength. E2 adsorption on LSP-derived biochar (BCs) was influenced little by humic acid, and slightly affected by the solution pH when its value ranged from 4.0 to 9.0, but considerably affected at pH 10.0. Low environmental temperature is favorable for E2 adsorption. Chemisorption, π-π interactions, monolayer adsorption and electrostatic interaction are the possible adsorption mechanisms. Comparative studies indicated that KOH activation and the order of activation steps had significant impacts on the material. Post-treated biochar exhibited better adsorption capacity for E2 than direct treated, pre-treated, and raw LSP biochar. Pyrolyzed biochar at higher temperature improved E2 removal. The excellent performance of BCs in removing E2 suggested that BCs have potential in E2 treatment and that the biochar directly treated by KOH would be a good choice for the treatment of E2 in aqueous solution, with its advantages of good efficiency and simple technology.

Spatial distribution and risk assessment of heavy metals in contaminated paddy fields - A case study in Xiangtan City, southern China.

An extensive investigation on spatial distribution and environmental risk assessment based on total content and fractions of heavy metals, as well as the cancer risk of Cd from seven adjacent contaminated paddy fields at Xiangtan City, southern China, was conducted in this study. A total of 63 soil samples were analyzed for soil physical properties and concentrations of eight heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Co, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, Zn). The results showed that concentrations of metals except for Cr, Mn and Ni exceeded the background values to varying degrees, and particularly, content of Cd was as 57.4-612 times higher than background values. Principal components analysis and correlation analysis revealed three groups: industry activities for Cd and Zn; natural sources mainly for Cu, Pb, Ni and Cr, with some slight anthropogenic activities for Cu and Pb accumulation; and manganese ore associated with cobalt for Co and Mn. Combined with different indices, Cd and Zn were the major contributors to the ecological risk, and cancer risk of Cd indicated an unacceptable degree in this area. Altogether, results from this study will facilitate a better understanding of metals distribution characteristics and provide a scientific basis for further comprehensive management for these paddy fields. Combination of functional microbial agent and plants promises to be a feasible and effective remediation method for cadmium pollution in the study area.

Removal of 17ß-Estradiol from water by adsorption onto montmorillonite-carbon hybrids derived from pyrolysis carbonization of carboxymethyl cellulose.

In this work, we demonstrated the preparation of the carbonized montmorillonite/carboxymethyl cellulose (MMT/CMC) hybrids and their application as an adsorbent for efficient removal of 17ß-Estradiol (ßE2). X-ray diffractometer (XRD) results showed that CMC intercalation reached saturation at a CMC to MMT weight ratio of 1; transmission electron microscope (TEM) measurements clearly revealed that carbonization caused graphenes distribute on the MMT surfaces; pyrolysis temperature at 600 °C yielded novel MMT/CMC sample of high surface areas as reflected by Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area. The adsorbed amount of ßE2 under various conditions decreased in the order MMT/CMC1:1(600) > MMT/CMC1:1(450) > MMT/CMC1:1(300) ∼ MMT/CMC2:1(600) ∼ MMT > MMT/CMC5:1(600). The removal of ßE2 by MMT/CMC1:1(600) occurred very quickly, and the adsorption kinetics could be well fitted by the Ritchie nth-order kinetic model; the best-fit adsorption isotherm model was Freundlich model. The MMT/CMC1:1(600) also exhibited good regeneration performance after five adsorption/desorption cycles. The experimental results also showed that the adsorption of ßE2 on the MMT/CMC1:1(600) composite could contribute to hydrophobic partitioning, π-π staking interaction, H-bond interaction, pore-filling effect and simple van der Waals interaction. This highly effective and novel adsorbent can be easily synthesized and regenerated, indicating its great potential in drinking and wastewater purification for endocrine disruptor compounds.

Carbon-Supported Divacancy-Anchored Platinum Single-Atom Electrocatalysts with Superhigh Pt Utilization for the Oxygen Reduction Reaction.

Maximizing the platinum utilization in electrocatalysts toward oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is very desirable for large-scale sustainable application of Pt in energy systems. A cost-effective carbon-supported carbon-defect-anchored platinum single-atom electrocatalysts (Pt1 /C) with remarkable ORR performance is reported. An acidic H2 /O2 single cell with Pt1 /C as cathode delivers a maximum power density of 520 mW cm-2 at 80 °C, corresponding to a superhigh platinum utilization of 0.09 gPt kW-1 . Further physical characterization and density functional theory computations reveal that single Pt atoms anchored stably by four carbon atoms in carbon divacancies (Pt-C4 ) are the main active centers for the observed high ORR performance.

Influence of sodium dodecyl sulfate coating on adsorption of methylene blue by biochar from aqueous solution.

Biochar is regarded as a promising new class of materials due to its multifunctional character and the possibility of effectively coupling different properties. With increasing introduction into the environment, environmental chemicals such as surfactants will load onto the released biochar and change its physicochemical characteristics and adsorption behavior toward pollutants. In this study, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), as one type of anionic surfactant, was coated onto biochar with different loading amounts. The influence of SDS loading onto biochar's physicochemical properties were investigated by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, elemental analysis, zeta potential and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area and pore size distribution analysis. Results showed that the pore size of the biochar decreased gradually with the increase of SDS loading because of the surface-adsorption and pore-blocking processes; the pH of the point of zero charge (pHPZC) decreased with increasing SDS loading. Although surface-coating with SDS decreased the pore size of the biochar, its adsorption capacity toward Methylene Blue (MB) significantly increased. The biochar-bound SDS introduced functional groups and negative charges to the biochar surface, which could thus enhance the adsorption of MB via hydrogen bonding and electrostatic interaction. The results can shed light on the underlying mechanism of the influence of anionic surfactants on the adsorption of MB by biochar.

Adsorption of Estrogen Contaminants by Graphene Nanomaterials under Natural Organic Matter Preloading: Comparison to Carbon Nanotube, Biochar, and Activated Carbon.

Adsorption of two estrogen contaminants (17ß-estradiol and 17α-ethynyl estradiol) by graphene nanomaterials was investigated and compared to those of a multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT), a single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT), two biochars, a powdered activated carbon (PAC), and a granular activate carbon (GAC) in ultrapure water and in the competition of natural organic matter (NOM). Graphene nanomaterials showed comparable or better adsorption ability than carbon nanotubes (CNTs), biochars (BCs), and activated carbon (ACs) under NOM preloading. The competition of NOM decreased the estrogen adsorption by all adsorbents. However, the impact of NOM on the estrogen adsorption was smaller on graphenes than CNTs, BCs, and ACs. Moreover, the hydrophobicity of estrogens also affected the uptake of estrogens. These results suggested that graphene nanomaterials could be used to removal estrogen contaminants from water as an alternative adsorbent. Nevertheless, if transferred to the environment, they would also adsorb estrogen contaminants, leading to great environmental hazards.

Biochar pyrolyzed from MgAl-layered double hydroxides pre-coated ramie biomass (Boehmeria nivea (L.) Gaud.): Characterization and application for crystal violet removal.

A novel biochar/MgAl-layered double hydroxides composite (CB-LDH) was prepared for the removal of crystal violet from aqueous solution by pyrolyzing MgAl-LDH pre-coated ramie stem (Boehmeria nivea (L.) Gaud.). Pyrolysis played dual role for both converting biomass into biochar and calcining MgAl-LDH during the pyrolysis process. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and zeta potential analysis were used to characterize the CB-LDH. The results of characterization suggested that the calcined LDH was successfully synthesized and coated on biochar. The resulted CB-LDH had higher total pore volume and more functional groups than the pristine biochar. Adsorption experimental data fitted well with the pseudo-second order kinetics model and the Freundlich isotherm model. The rate-controlled step was controlled by film-diffusion initially and then followed by intra-particle diffusion. Thermodynamic analysis showed that the adsorption of crystal violet was a spontaneous and endothermic process. The higher pH and temperature of the solution enhanced the adsorption performance. CB-LDH could also have excellent ability for the removal of crystal violet from the actual industrial wastewater and groundwater with high ionic strength. LDH adsorption, electrostatic attraction, pore-filling, π-π interaction and hydrogen bond might be the main mechanisms for crystal violet adsorption on CB-LDH. The results of this study indicated that CB-LDH is a sustainable and green adsorbent with high performance for crystal violet contaminated wastewater treatment and groundwater remediation.

Ionic liquids as precursors for efficient mesoporous iron-nitrogen-doped oxygen reduction electrocatalysts.

A ferrocene-based ionic liquid (Fe-IL) is used as a metal-containing feedstock with a nitrogen-enriched ionic liquid (N-IL) as a compatible nitrogen content modulator to prepare a novel type of non-precious-metal-nitrogen-carbon (M-N-C) catalysts, which feature ordered mesoporous structure consisting of uniform iron oxide nanoparticles embedded into N-enriched carbons. The catalyst Fe(10) @NOMC exhibits comparable catalytic activity but superior long-term stability to 20 wt % Pt/C for ORR with four-electron transfer pathway under alkaline conditions. Such outstanding catalytic performance is ascribed to the populated Fe (Fe3 O4 ) and N (N2) active sites with synergetic chemical coupling as well as the ordered mesoporous structure and high surface area endowed by both the versatile precursors and the synthetic strategy, which also open new avenues for the development of M-N-C catalytic materials.

A clinical study on roxadustat for anemia in diabetic nephropathy: a 8-week study.

PURPOSE: The development of roxadustat is a standard treatment for renal anemia, and multiple clinical trials have proved its safety and efficacy. However, less information is available from trials of the population with diabetic nephropathy (DN). This study aimed to determine whether roxadustat is effective for treating DN. METHODS: This was a single-center, retrospective, institutional review board-approved cohort study. The patients with DN were chosen and given roxadustat or erythropoietin (EPO) for 8 weeks. The mean hemoglobin (Hb) level after 8 weeks of treatment served as the primary outcome. Alterations in the iron index and lipid levels were considered secondary objectives. Sub-group analysis was performed to observe the impact of inflammation and glycemic status on Hb. RESULTS: A total of 80 patients were enrolled, 40 in each group. After 8 weeks of treatment, the Hb levels in the roxadustat group were higher than those in the control group. The number of patients who achieved Hb response was higher in the roxadustat group than in the control group (77.5% versus 27.5%; P < 0.001). In addition to lowering total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, roxadustat decreased ferritin and elevated total iron-binding capacity. Compared to the control group, roxadustat was more beneficial for patients with an inflammatory condition and poor glycemic control. CONCLUSIONS: Roxadustat treatment remarkably corrected anemia in patients with DN, and its effectiveness was unaffected by inflammation or glycemic control levels. In addition, roxadustat can also reduce a patient's blood lipid level and enhance the body's use of iron. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: ChiCTR2200057232.

Regulation of hydrogen binding energy via oxygen vacancy enables an efficient trifunctional Rh-Rh2O3 electrocatalyst for fuel cells and water splitting.

Developing multi-functional electrocatalysts is of great practical significance for fuel cells and water splitting. Herein, Rh-Rh2O3 nanoclusters are prepared and the surface oxygen vacancy content is regulated elaborately by post-treatment. The optimized Rh-Rh2O3/C-400 exhibits superior trifunctional catalytic activity for hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR), hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and hydrazine oxidation reaction (HzOR), i.e., the mass activity for HOR is 2.29 mA µgRh-1, and the overpotential for HER and HzOR at 10 mA cm-2 is as low as 12 mV and 31 mV, respectively, superior to the benchmark Pt/C. Rh-Rh2O3/C-400 also displays promising performance in practical devices, with the H2-O2 anion-exchange-membrane fuel cell delivering a peak power density of 0.66 W cm-2, and the hydrazine-assisted water splitting electrolyzer requiring a low electrolysis voltage of 0.161 V at 0.1 A cm-2. The experimental and theoretical investigations discover that the hydrogen binding energy (HBE) is linearly depended on surface oxygen vacancy contents, and the HBE directly determines the catalytic activity for HOR, HER and HzOR. This work not only innovates an efficient Rh-based nanocluster tri-functional electrocatalyst, but also eludicates the intrinsic relationship of surface structure-intermediate adsorption-catalytic activity.

Bioreactor Expansion Affects Microbial Succession of Mixotrophic Acidophiles and Bioremediation of Cadmium-Contaminated Soils.

Microbial scale-up cultivation is the first step to bioremediating cadmium (Cd)-contaminated soils at the industrial scale. However, the changes in the microbial community as the bioreactor volume expands and their associations with soil Cd removal remain unclear. Herein, a six-stage scale-up cultivation process of mixotrophic acidophiles was conducted, scaling from 0.1 L to 10 m3, to remediate Cd-contaminated soils. The findings showed that bioreactor expansion led to a delay in sulfur and glucose oxidations, resulting in a reduced decline in solution pH and cell density. There were minimal differences observed in bacterial alpha-diversity and community structure as the bioreactor volume increased, except for the 10 m3 scale. However, bioreactor expansion decreased fungal alpha-diversity, changed the community structure, and simplified fungal community compositions. At the family level, Acidithiobacillaceae and Debaryomycetaceae dominated the bacterial and fungal communities throughout the scale-up process, respectively. Correlation analysis indicated that the indirect effect of mixotrophic acidophiles played a significant role in soil Cd removal. Bacterial community shifts, driven by changes in bioreactor volume, decreased the pH value through sulfur oxidation, thereby indirectly enhancing Cd removal efficiency. This study will contribute to the potential industrial application of mixotrophic acidophiles in bioremediating Cd-contaminated soils.