Multi-Scale Aggregation Graph Neural Networks Based on Feature Similarity for Semi-Supervised Learning.

The problem of extracting meaningful data through graph analysis spans a range of different fields, such as social networks, knowledge graphs, citation networks, the World Wide Web, and so on. As increasingly structured data become available, the importance of being able to effectively mine and learn from such data continues to grow. In this paper, we propose the multi-scale aggregation graph neural network based on feature similarity (MAGN), a novel graph neural network defined in the vertex domain. Our model provides a simple and general semi-supervised learning method for graph-structured data, in which only a very small part of the data is labeled as the training set. We first construct a similarity matrix by calculating the similarity of original features between all adjacent node pairs, and then generate a set of feature extractors utilizing the similarity matrix to perform multi-scale feature propagation on graphs. The output of multi-scale feature propagation is finally aggregated by using the mean-pooling operation. Our method aims to improve the model representation ability via multi-scale neighborhood aggregation based on feature similarity. Extensive experimental evaluation on various open benchmarks shows the competitive performance of our method compared to a variety of popular architectures.

Accumulation patterns and species-specific characteristics of yttrium and rare earth elements (YREEs) in biological matrices from Maluan Bay, China: Implications for biomonitoring.

The critical usage of rare earth elements (REEs) in a variety of industrial applications has increased their release to the environment as emerging contaminants, while little is known about the fate and transport of REEs in coastal aquatic biota. In the present study, seven common species were collected and the concentrations of 15 naturally occurring REEs (La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu and Y) were determined. Significant differences in total REEs concentrations were found among species even in the same taxa or phylum, suggesting that REEs bioaccumulation patterns appeared to be species- and element-dependent even in the same taxa or phylum, but with limited potential for bio-magnification based on the nitrogen isotope signatures (δ15N). Except for occasional anomalies for redox-sensitive elements of Ce and Eu, the abundance patterns of REEs normalized to chondrite revealed similar REE distribution trends, indicating a common source of REEs in all samples. Additionally, the abundances of light REEs (from La to Eu) were much higher than those of heavy REEs (from Gd to Lu and Y), demonstrating the fractionation between the light and heavy REEs. Furthermore, REEs concentrations in molluscs were notably higher than other species, implying their potential as bio-indicators of REEs due to the habitat and specific feeding behavior. Overall, this is not only the first study to focus on distribution levels, accumulation characteristics, geochemical and fractionation patterns of REEs in coastal species from identical area, but quantifying and tracing REE behavior will contribute to better evaluating the possible environmental impacts of REEs enrichment for future biomonitoring research.

Concentration-dependent effects of lithium on Daphnia magna: Life-history profiles and integrated biomarker response implementation.

The growing use of lithium (Li) in industrial and energy applications and increasing demand worldwide has inevitably resulted in its wide dispersal, representing a significant threat to aquatic systems. Unfortunately, as a ubiquitous emerging contaminant, the comprehensive toxicological information regarding Li at multifarious levels is limited. To diminish this gap, this work was focused to explore Li-induced cascading effects on Daphnia magna as a key species in freshwater ecosystems. Specifically, the organisms were chronically exposed to gradient Li concentrations with emphasis on characterizing life-history traits from individual to population scale, primarily as observed by a markedly concentration-dependent decrease along exposure gradients. In parallel, a robust set of biomarkers relating to energy reserves, antioxidant and biotransformation enzymes, cellular damage, ionoregulation and neurotoxicity were assayed for further understanding potential underlying mechanisms. As a result, biomarker alterations were characterized by significant decreases in energy storage and enzymatic profiles of antioxidant and biotransformation systems, not only triggering an imbalance between reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and elimination under Li exposure, but compromising the fecundity fitness of phenotypical costs. In contrast, malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were remarkably enhanced as a consequence of inefficient antioxidant and biotransformation capacity leading to lipid peroxidation (LPO). Additionally, Li exerted a dose-dependent biphasic effect on the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), Na+,K+-ATPase and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) by interfering with inherent balance. In terms of responsive patterns and dose-effect trends, the integrated biomarker response indices (IBRv2) and star plots were consistent with the differences in biomarker profiles, not only presenting comprehensively biological effects in a visualized form, but signaling the importance of progressive induced changes in an integrative way. Overall, these findings highlighted the need for elucidating Li-produced impacts from a comprehensive perspective, providing valuable insights into better understanding the toxicity of Li in relation to aquatic ecosystem functioning and ecological relevance.

Achieving efficient methane production from protein-rich organic waste in anaerobic digestion: Using conductive materials or regulating inoculum-to-substrate ratios?

The contribution of inoculum-to-substrate ratios (ISRs) and conductive materials (CMs) on the productivity of anaerobic digestion (AD) remains unclear, particularly for protein-rich organic waste. This study investigated whether the addition of CMs, i.e., biochar and iron powder, can overcome the limitations imposed by varying ISRs for the AD of protein as the sole substrate. Results indicate the ISR plays a decisive role in hydrolysis, acidification, and methanogenesis for protein conversion, irrespective of CMs addition. Methane production increased stepwise as the ISR escalated to 3:1. The addition of CMs provided limited improvement, and iron powder even inhibited methanogenesis at a low ISR. Bacterial community variations were contingent on the ISR, while iron powder supplementation significantly elevates the proportion of hydrogenotrophic methanogen. This study demonstrates that the addition of CMs could affect methanogenic efficiency but can not overcome the limitation of ISRs for the AD of protein.

Geochemical behavior and fractionation characteristics of rare earth elements (REEs) in riverine water profiles and sentinel Clam (Corbicula fluminea) across watershed scales: Insights for REEs monitoring.

The increasing global demand for rare earth elements (REEs) has led to their recognition as emerging contaminants; however, the effect that biota have on the cycling of these elements at the watershed scale is not currently well understood. In this study, water samples and field freshwater clams Corbicula fluminea were concurrently collected along watershed gradients, and concentration profiles of 14 naturally occurring REEs were measured in operationally defined water fractions and soft tissues of the freshwater clams. Moreover, Post Archean Australian Shale (PAAS) normalized REE patterns, fractionation indices, and anomalous values were determined to further extract characteristic features. As a result, both the water and biological samples had variable REE compositions, with higher concentrations of light REEs (LREEs) than middle REEs (MREEs) and heavy REEs (HREEs), while decreasing concentrations were generally observed as filter pore size decreased, implying that large colloidal and particulate fractions were important carriers of REEs. The spatial distribution patterns of REEs revealed a clear site effect among profiles, with variability more pronounced among watersheds and with peaks in sites from a small watershed near the hotspots of the mining area, and then exhibited a decreasing trend with distance from there. Meanwhile, significant bioaccumulation of REEs was observed potentially reflecting different degrees of contamination gradients among the watersheds. The PAAS-normalized distribution patterns tended to be slightly enriched in MREEs, producing a peculiar "roof-shaped" feature and characteristic fractionation. Remarkably, bio-concentration factors (BCFs) highlighted the importance of large colloidal and particulate phases in assessing biologically available REEs for filter-feeding species. Collectively, our study strongly favored that accumulation patterns and fractionation characteristics of REEs in C. fluminea can serve as a reliable indicator of geochemical behavior, providing a promising biomonitoring tool to quantitatively denote different degrees of REE contamination and assess possible impacts in mining watersheds.

Effects of microplastics and their adsorption of cadmium as vectors on the cladoceran Moina monogolica Daday: Implications for plastic-ingesting organisms.

As pervasive and resilient contaminants, microplastics (MPs) have potential to interact with the toxicity of metals through adsorption on the surface. In this study, we focused on 7-day adsorption of cadmium (5, 10 µg/L) to aged polyethylene-MPs particles (300 µg/L), and further examined 21-day chronic effects of MPs and MPs-Cd on cladoceran Moina monogolica Daday. The effects criteria selected were physiological changes (e.g., parental survival time, somatic growth and reproductive parameters) and nutritional profiles in offspring. Exposure of M. monogolica to both MPs and MPs-Cd can impair the development, reproductive output and fecundity across treatment groups, ultimately leading to parental mortality and poor nutritional status in progeny. Importantly, MPs with adsorbed Cd showed greater adverse dose-dependent effects than bare MPs, likely due to the mechanisms of physico-chemical interactions related to the Cd release from MPs-Cd inside organisms. MPs can pose not only a direct harm to the organisms but also an indirect hazard via adsorption as "transport vector", having implications for the function and resilience of aquatic ecosystems. Our findings experimentally highlight the importance of characterizing chemical profiling of contaminants adsorbed to field plastics in order to better assess environmentally relevant risks associated with MPs and metals in coastal areas.

Integrated assessment of sediment quality in a coastal lagoon (Maluan Bay, China) based on AVS-SEM and multivariate statistical analysis.

Total metal concentrations and acid-volatile sulfide (AVS) measurements coupled with simultaneously extracted metals (SEM) were determined in heterogeneous sediments from Maluan Bay, China. Zn was the predominant component of SEM, while Cd was the least. In sediment cores, AVS increased with sediment depth, followed by a decrease with large variation, while SEM fluctuated. Multiple empirical sediment quality guidelines (SQGs) and equilibrium partitioning (EqP) approaches were applied to assess the contamination degree, sediment quality and potential risks associated with bioavailable metals, indicating that not all sediments with [SEM]-[AVS] > 0 were capable of causing toxicity because TOC is also an important metal-binding phase. In order to screen out the physicochemical variability and the complexity and large variance of datasets, multivariate statistical techniques were utilized to comprehensively reveal pollution status by visualized factor scores. Collectively, this study favors the integrative utilization of multifarious methods to scientifically diagnose the pollution characterization for sustainable coastal management.