Low-cost, carbon-free electrodes that stay stable over long cycling are hard to make without conductive scaffolds such as graphene or carbon nanotubes. We report 2D Ni(OH)2/SnO2 hybrid nanostructures prepared by a singlestep hydrothermal route, in which ultrathin beta-Ni(OH)2 nanosheets grow on SnO2 nanoparticles. XRD shows no peak shift, so the two phases form a heterointerface without lattice substitution. In a three-electrode cell in 1 M KOH, cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic charge-discharge give consistent capacitances when both are referred to the same active mass: bare Ni(OH)2 reaches 127 F g- 1 (CV) and 97.8 F g- 1 (GCD, 0.31 A g- 1), while the SnO2/Ni(OH)2 composite gives 39 F g- 1 by both methods. The composite does not exceed bare Ni(OH)2 in gravimetric capacitance; its advantage is durability, holding 92.6% of its initial capacitance after 6000 cycles. Impedance analysis returns a low, similar solution resistance (Rs approximate to 0.9-1.0 Omega) for all three electrodes, with the charge-transfer resistance not resolvable within the measured frequency window. Oxide-hydroxide coupling without lattice substitution gives a stable, carbon-free electrode; we report the CV- and GCD-derived capacitances on a common basis rather than a record value.
Soil microorganisms are the biological engines of terrestrial ecosystems. The development of molecular technologies has overturned the ‘everything is everywhere’ paradigm, revealing that at the strain-level, soil microbes exhibit distinct biogeographical patterns governed by environmental selection, dispersal, diversification, and drift. In this review, we first summarize the major progresses in soil microbial biogeography. Then, we discuss the potential limitations, including the constraints of space-for-time substitution, the disconnect between statistical correlation and ecological causality, and the inherent challenges in mapping and scaling microbial distributions. Finally, we propose a strategic framework centered on three directions: (1) Enhancing prediction, by integrating microbial traits into Earth System Models to forecast the responses of soil microbes and their associated functions to global change; (2) Deciphering mechanisms, by bridging multi-omics approaches with rigorous experimental validation to establish causality between structure and function; and (3) Achieving manipulation, by leveraging synthetic ecology and core taxa to engineer microbiomes for practical application in One Health initiatives. Moving from pattern description to mechanistic understanding and functional manipulation will enable soil microbial biogeography to provide actionable solutions for sustainability in a rapidly changing world.
Purpose Based on the assertion that audit hours/effort enhances audit quality, we posit that as Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) ratings increase, shareholders have an incentive to secure increasing levels of audit hours as an ESG rating assurance strategy (audit demand theory). Design/methodology/approach Using a sample of South Korean listed client-firms over the 2011–2019 period, the study captures the association between ESG, (1) audit hours, (2) audit fees and (3) fees per hour. Findings Empirical results show that clients with higher ESG ratings secure increasing levels of audit effort/hours. Moreover, based on ESG status, no fee premium is imparted by audit firms. Results are robust to various forms of additional analysis, including Big4/NonBig4 division, endogeneity tests, amongst others. Originality/value The study contributes to policymaking by reporting that in a rare instance of audit hour information availability on annual reports, a basis exists for clients to secure increasing levels of audit hours, as an ESG rating assurance strategy. The study therefore extends the ESG assurance and audit literatures.
The rhizosphere microbiota is critical for crop productivity, but the mechanisms by which host genotype shapes microbial communities to influence yield, especially in legumes, are not well understood. This study aimed to determine whether high-yield pea genotypes are associated with specific beneficial bacteria and whether these microbes can transfer their growth-promoting effects to a low-yield genotype. We investigated four pea (Pisum sativum L.) varieties with contrasting grain-yield phenotypes under field conditions. Rhizosphere microbiomes were characterized using amplicon sequencing and differential abundance analysis, and representative bacterial strains were isolated and functionally characterized in vitro. A greenhouse experiment was then conducted to assess the effects of single and co-inoculation of these strains on the growth and yield of a low-yield pea genotype. Two representative strains, Agrobacterium salinitolerans S1 and Neobacillus drentensis S2, were isolated from taxa enriched in high-yield genotypes and both exhibited multiple plant growth-promoting traits in vitro. Reintroduction of these strains into the rhizosphere of a low-yield genotype improved plant growth and grain yield under greenhouse conditions, with co-inoculation showing stronger effects than single-strain treatments. Our findings provide direct evidence that high-yield pea genotypes link to beneficial rhizosphere bacteria with transferable growth-promoting effects. This study provides a microbiome-guided framework for identifying candidate beneficial bacteria linked to host genotype and offers a basis for developing genotype-informed microbial strategies to improve pea productivity.
A green and eco-friendly approach was employed to synthesis silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) and chitosan–silver nanoparticles (Chi-Ag NPs) using leaf extract of Endostemon viscosus (Roth) M.R. Ashby as a natural reducing and stabilizing agent. Nanoparticle formation was confirmed by UV–visible spectroscopy, X-ray Diffraction Spectrophotometer, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy coupled with Energy Dispersive X-ray analysis. The Ag NPs displayed a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) peak at 439 nm, while Chi-Ag NPs showed a slight red shift to 445 nm due to chitosan interaction. XRD confirmed their crystalline structure, while FTIR revealed functional groups associated with amines, alkynes, aromatics, alkyl aryl ethers, and chitosan polysaccharide frameworks. FE-SEM images revealed Ag NPs (rod-shaped) and Chi-Ag NPs (spherical particles with some aggregation). The Polydispersity Index value for Ag NPs (1.0) and Chi-Ag NPs (0.5). Both Ag and Chi-Ag NPs exhibited strong antibacterial activity against Gram-positive bacteria. Antioxidant assays revealed significant radical scavenging efficiency with IC₅₀ values of 7.44 and 127.2 µg/mL (DPPH assay) and 9.2 and 32.57 µg/mL (ABTS assay) for Ag and Chi-Ag NPs, respectively. In vitro anticancer evaluation against a human breast cancer cell line demonstrated IC₅₀ values of 39.82 µg/mL (Ag NPs) and 42.94 µg/mL (Chi-Ag NPs). The apoptotic studies of Ag NPs and Chi-Ag NPs revealed the presence of orangish bodies, nuclear shrinkage, membrane blebbing, and nucleus disintegration. These findings indicate that green-synthesized Ag and Chi-Ag NPs are structurally stable, biologically active, and hold promise for sustainable biomedical applications.
