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BF<sub>4</sub><sup>–</sup> Tailoring Solvation Chemistry of Ether-Based Electrolytes to Construct Stable Electrode/Electrolyte Interfaces for Sodium-Ion Full Batteries
No full textThe
ether-based electrolytes show excellent performance on anodes
in sodium-ion batteries (SIBs), but they still show poor compatibility
with the cathodes. Here, ether electrolytes with NaBF4 as
the main salt or additive were applied in NFM//HC full cells and showed
enhanced performance than the electrolyte with NaPF6. Then,
BF4– was found to have a stronger interaction
with Na+, which could reduce the solvation of Na+ with the solvent, thus inducing the formation of the cathode electrolyte
interface (CEI) and solid electrolyte interface (SEI) layers rich
in inorganic species. Moreover, the morphology, structure, composition,
and solubility of CEI and SEI were explored, concluding that NaBF4 could induce more stable CEI and SEI layers rich in B-containing
species and inorganics. This work proposes using NaBF4 as
the main salt or additive to improve the performance of ether electrolytes
in NFM//HC full cells, which provides a strategy to improve the compatibility
of ether-based electrolytes and cathodes
Be Happy, Be Loyal? Exploring Drivers for Renewal of Mobile-Delivered Index Insurance
No full textAgricultural microinsurance is a promising risk management tool for smallholder farmers. However, adoption rates remain low and only a small share of farmers renew their policy after the first period. With the increasing availability of cell phones, mobile-delivered insurance is gaining importance on the market. As for any agricultural microinsurance, it is essential for the longevity of a mobile-delivered insurance scheme to retain a solid customer base. To date, it is unknown what drives the decision to renew a mobile-delivered agricultural microinsurance policy. We address this question by performing mean comparisons and logistic regressions based on primary data collected from 479 smallholder farmers in Mali who purchased a mobile-delivered weather index-based insurance in 2020. Results show that the level of satisfaction with the insurance product was considerably higher among farmers who renewed. We found low levels of understanding of the product among all clients, but especially among those who did not renew. Both factors were confirmed as drivers for renewal. Consistent with previous findings, receiving a payout had the strongest effect on the decision to renew. We conclude that additional measures to foster client satisfaction as well as to promote understanding of agricultural insurance among smallholder farmers are highly recommended.</p
Summary_combined
No full textWe introduce a semi-automated annotation process, using Google’s Gemini Pro language model.</p
Electronic Supplementary files- BMC
No full textIn these supplementary files, we have data as follows: List of electronic Supplementary Files:ES2: EggNOG annotations and analysis of different fungal species (Funneliformis mosseae 87-6_pot_B_2015, Funneliformis geosporum, Tuber melanosporum, Rhizophagus proliferus, Funneliformis caledonium, Gigaspora margarita, Gigaspora rosea, Laccaria bicolor, Rhizophagus cerebriforme, Rhizophagus diaphanus, and Rhizophagus irregularis) taken for analysis in the present study.ES3: CaZyme analysis fileES4: EffectorP analysis fileES5: Effectors annotations and Pfam domains analysis</p
Table_3_Comparison of ruminal microbiota, IL-1β gene variation, and tick incidence between Holstein × Gyr and Holstein heifers in grazing system.docx
No full textIntroductionThe variation in bacterial communities among breeds has been previously reported and may be one of the reasons why Holstein × Gyr dairy heifers have better development in grazing systems in tropical conditions. This study aimed to explore the ruminal microbiota composition, the IL-1β gene variation, tick incidence, and blood parameters of Holstein × Gyr (½ Holstein × ½ Gyr) and Holstein heifers grazing intensely managed Guinea grass (Panicum maximum Jacq. cv. Mombaça).MethodsSixteen heifers were divided into two groups consisting of 8 Holstein × Gyr and 8 Holstein heifers. The experimental period was comprised of 3 periods of 21 days. Ruminal samples were taken via the stomach tube technique. The sequencing of the V4 hypervariable region of the 16S rRNA gene was performed using the Illumina MiSeq platform. Counting and collection of ticks were conducted each 21 days. Blood and skeletal muscle tissue biopsies were performed at the end of the experiment.ResultsFirmicutes were the most abundant phyla present in both breed rumen samples and Bacteroidota showed differences in relative abundance between breed groups, with greater values for Holstein heifers (p ConclusionAdaptations in Holstein × Gyr heifers such as ruminal microbiota, tick resistance, nucleotide substitutions in IL-1β gene, and hormone concentration suggest a better energy metabolism and thermoregulation resulting in better performance in tropical grazing systems.</p
Image_1_Effects of frequency and amount of stover mulching on the microbial community composition and structure in the endosphere and rhizosphere.JPEG
No full textStover mulching, as a sustainable agricultural conservation practice, has been shown to effectively increase soil organic matter and enhance crop yields. The impact of stover mulching on soil microorganisms has been extensively studied. However, less attention has been given to endophytic and rhizospheric microorganisms that have closer relationships with crops. How do the quality and frequency of stover mulching affect the composition and structure of these endosphere and rhizosphere microbial communities? And what is their influence on critical indicators of soil health such as bacterial plant pathogen and Rhizobiales? These questions remain unresolved. Therefore, we investigated the responses of the microbial functional guilds in the endosphere and rhizosphere to maize stover mulching qualities (0%, 33%, 67%, and total stover mulching every year) and frequencies (once every 3 years and twice every 3 years) under 10-year no-till management. Results showed significant correlations between Bacillales and Rhizobiales orders and soil SOC, NO3−N, and NH4+N; Hypocreales and Eurotiales orders were significantly correlated with soil NO3−N, with the Aspergillus genus also showing a significant correlation with soil SOC. The frequency and quality of stover mulching had a significant effect on root and rhizospheric microbial communities, with the lowest relative abundance of bacterial plant pathogens and highest relative abundance of nitrogen-fixing bacteria such as Rhizobiales and Hypocreales observed under F1/3 and F2/3 conditions. The most complex structures in endosphere and rhizospheric microbial communities were found under Q33 and Q67 conditions, respectively. This research indicates that from a soil health perspective, low-frequency high-coverage stover mulching is beneficial for the composition of endosphere and rhizosphere microbial communities, while moderate coverage levels are conducive to more complex structures within these communities. This study holds significant ecological implications for agricultural production and crop protection.</p
A comparison between the perceptions of education providers and industry in the preparation of enrolled nurses for their graduate scope of practice
No full textThere is a predicted global shortage and concerns around retaining and recruiting more qualified nurses to provide care in the future. In Australia, there are two levels of qualified nurses, Registered Nurses (RNs) and Enrolled Nurses (ENs). These nurses work alongside each other within their given differentiated standards of practice, which are set out by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA). However, whilst confusion over EN scope of practice has long been documented, there are no studies noted to compare the perceptions of Nurse Educators and Nurse Supervisors over what constitutes EN scope of practice in terms of direct nursing care (see glossary) and indirect nursing care (see glossary) in contemporary clinical practice. Aim: To compare and analyse perceptions of Nurse Educators and Nurse Supervisors working within industry settings over what constitutes EN scope of professional practice to see if perceptions align. Objective 1: To compare understanding of Nurse Educators and industry (Nurse Supervisors) regarding what direct and indirect nursing care tasks can be undertaken by ENs in the clinical setting. Objective 2: To compare the perceptions of Nurse Educators and Nurse Supervisors regarding what constitutes EN graduate scope of practice. Method: A cross-sectional survey design was used. Recruitment was via non-probability convenience and snowball sampling. An online questionnaire was administered, covering topics such as demographic data, activities of direct and indirect nursing care tasks undertaken, and understanding of scope of practice. All participants of this study were Registered Nurses (n=44) working in South Australia, with a resulting split of which there were 21 Nurse Educators (47.7%) and 23 industry Nurse Supervisors (52.3 %). Results: There was general agreement of perception as to what tasks were within the EN scope of practice for many of the indirect nursing care tasks, as well as some of the basic direct nursing tasks. However, there was greater uncertainty shown as tasks grew in complexity and also for questions related to understanding of scope of practice, not only between the groups but within them. Comments from the participants also suggested uncertainty and evidenced v that there was great dependence on the context of individual organisations and individual managers as to what tasks could be undertaken by ENs in practice. The results support the view that despite a national training package and national practice standards, whether in the classroom or in clinical practice there is uncertainty from both Nurse Educators and Nurse Supervisors regarding what an EN can and cannot do in the workplace. Conclusion: There is a need for greater clarification of EN roles and responsibilities that consider educational changes and align with contemporary EN practice standards. Furthermore, thisinformation needsto be disseminated to educational and health care providers to ensure ENs are working to their full scope of practice and recognised for their role within the healthcare team.</p
Image_1_Decoding the metabolomic responses of Caragana tibetica to livestock grazing in fragile ecosystems.jpeg
No full textThe population of Caragana tibetica, situated on the edge of the typical grassland-to-desert transition in the Mu Us Sandy Land, plays a vital ecological role in maintaining stability within the regional fragile ecosystem. Despite the consistent growth of C. tibetica following animal grazing, the biological mechanisms underlying its compensatory growth in response to livestock consumption remain unclear. Analyzing 48 metabolomic profiles from C. tibetica, our study reveals that the grazing process induces significant changes in the metabolic pathways of C. tibetica branches. Differential metabolites show correlations with soluble protein content, catalase, peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, malondialdehyde, and proline levels. Moreover, machine learning models built on these differential metabolites accurately predict the intensity of C. tibetica grazing (with an accuracy of 83.3%). The content of various metabolites, indicative of plant stress responses, including Enterolactone, Narceine, and Folcepri, exhibits significant variations in response to varying grazing intensities (P<0.05). Our investigation reveals that elevated grazing intensity intensifies the stress response in C. tibetica, triggering heightened antioxidative defenses and stress-induced biochemical activities. Distinctive metabolites play a pivotal role in responding to stress, facilitating the plant’s adaptation to environmental challenges and fostering regeneration.</p
Isomorphic Change, Integrated Planning and Reporting, and Organisational Engagement in the Co-production of Local Services in NSW Local Government: A Mixed Methods Study
No full textPublic sector management, organisational change and strategic planning practices in Australia are constantly changing as a result of institutional reform in citizen and state relations. This change agenda is meant to promote citizen engagement and participatory governance (Aulich, 2010), but is it? This research investigates Australia’s public sector management, organisational change and strategic planning practices. This study explores these practices by examining the discursive responses of New South Wales (NSW) local government managers and Councils to public sector reforms. Amendments in 2009 to the Local Government Act 1993 (NSW) described by the Local Government Amendment (Planning and Reporting) Act 2009 No 67 (NSW) are investigated to determine whether the amendments made do indeed promote institutional reform in organisational engagement in citizen and state relations. This study uses a multi-theoretical framework that includes the theoretical paradigms of neoinstitutionalism, pragmatism, and critical realism. This research, from a critical realist perspective, accepts that language use is constitutive and strategic. This perspective recognises that language-in-use may limit, or facilitate, organisational engagement in the co-production of local services. This longitudinal (2005–2017) study uses a sequential mixed-methods approach. The research methods used in this study include Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006) and Fairclough and Fairclough’s (2012) political discourse analysis (Fairclough & Fairclough, 2012). The findings are captured by Fairclough’s (1989) three-dimensional model of critical discourse analysis (Fairclough, 1989). The analyses found that the discursive representation of community engagement in various public sector management paradigms does not promote citizen engagement and participatory governance. The dialectic of the competing paradigms, together with the coercive powers of legislation of NSW Local Government is meant to facilitate change in the organisational systems and processes; however, the findings indicate that these systems and processes do not support the organisational engagement needed for participatory governance.</p
Table3_Differentially expressed microRNAs targeting genes in key pathways in keratoconus.XLSX
No full textIntroduction: Keratoconus (KTCN) is a corneal ectasia, characterized by a progressive thinning and protrusion of the cornea, with a complex etiology involving genetic, behavioral, lifestyle, and environmental factors. Previous studies indicated that microRNAs (miRNAs) could be involved in KTCN pathogenesis. This in silico study aimed to identify precursor microRNAs (pre-miRNAs) differentially expressed in KTCN corneas and to characterize mature miRNAs and their target genes.Materials and methods: Expression levels of pre-miRNAs were retrieved from our previously obtained RNA sequencing data of 25 KTCN and 25 non-KTCN human corneas (PMID:28145428, PMID:30994860). Differential expression with FDR ≤0.01 and ≥1.5-fold changes were considered significant. Lists of target genes (target score ≥90) of mature miRNAs were obtained from miRDB. Revealed up-/downregulated miRNAs and their target genes were assessed in databases and literature. Enrichment analyses were completed applying the DAVID database.Results: From a total of 47 pre-miRNAs, six were remarkably upregulated (MIR184, MIR548I1, MIR200A, MIR6728, MIR429, MIR1299) and four downregulated (MIR6081, MIR27B, MIR23B, MIR23A) in KTCN corneas. Out of the 1,409 target genes, 220 genes with decreased and 57 genes with increased expression levels in KTCN samples vs non-KTCN samples were found. The extracellular matrix (ECM) organization, response to mechanical stimulus, regulation of cell shape, and signal transduction processes/pathways were identified as distinctive in enrichment analyses. Also, processes associated with the regulation of transcription and DNA binding were listed.Conclusion: Indicated miRNAs and their target genes might be involved in KTCN pathogenesis via disruption of crucial molecular processes, including ECM organization and signal transduction.</p