Production Performance Research Articles

Individual and combined occurrences of the prevalent mycotoxins in commercial feline and canine food.

Mycotoxins, such as aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), deoxynivalenol (DON), fumonisins (FBs), ochratoxin A (OTA), T-2 toxin (T-2), and zearalenone (ZEN), can contaminate animal feeds and pose risks to animal health and production performance. These mycotoxins are commonly found in cereals and grains, with the increased use of cereals in pet food, there is a rising concern about mycotoxin contamination among pet owners. To address this, we analyzed imported brands of feline and canine food from the Chinese market produced in 2021-2022. Ninety-three samples were analyzed, comprising 45 feline food and 48 canine food samples. Among them, 14 were canned food and 79 were dry food. The results indicate that AFB1, DON, FBs, OTA, T-2, and ZEN occurred in 32.26%, 98.92%, 22.58%, 73.12%, 55.91%, and 7.53% of the samples, respectively. The most prevalent mycotoxin was DON, followed by OTA, T-2, AFB1, and FBs, whereas ZEN was less frequently detected. The mean concentrations of the six mycotoxins in pet feed samples were 3.17μg/kg for AFB1, 0.65mg/kg for DON, 2.15mg/kg for FBs, 6.27μg/kg for OTA, 20.00μg/kg for T-2, and 30.00μg/kg for ZEN. The levels of mycotoxins were generally below the limits of the Pet Feed Hygiene Regulations of China and the EU. Notably, a substantial majority of the pet food samples (88 out of 93) were contaminated by two or more mycotoxins. AFB1, FBs, OTA, and ZEN occurred slightly more often in feline food than in canine food. Except for OTA, the contamination rates for the other five mycotoxins in canned food were lower than those in dry food. Moreover, except for AFB1, the levels of the other five mycotoxins in canned foods were lower than those in dry foods. This study highlights the widespread contamination of pet foods with mycotoxins, which poses a significant risk to pets from continuous exposure to multiple mycotoxins.

Prioritization of sustainable development plannings for supply chain finance using a novel Triangular neutrosophic-based TOPSIS-CPT-VIKOR model

The development of sustainable supply chain finance (SSCF) promotes the improvement of the long-term production and operational performance of enterprises. It is significant to explore both environmentally friendly and cost-effective solutions, especially in the presence of uncertain information. The triangular neutrosophic number (TrNN) can enable decision-makers (DMs) to express their preferences in high uncertainty. This paper aims to provide a systematic multiple-attribute group decision-making (MAGDM) framework to support DMs in prioritizing sustainable development plannings by combining the best-worst method (BWM), optimization model of maximizing deviation method, and uniformity entropy theory. Moreover, a TrNN-based extended TOPSIS method is developed to measure the differences in DMs’ importance. We incorporate the cumulative prospect theory (CPT) method to account for DMs’ psychological behaviors in risk scenarios. The CPT-VIKOR methodology is employed to rank alternatives, enhancing the precision of decision-making. Finally, the proposed approach is successfully applied to the LNG industry to illustrate its applicability.

The nonlinear impact of climate change on inland waterway transportation in the Upper Mississippi—Illinois River Region

The U.S. inland waterway system has played a critical role in promoting economic growth by efficiently transporting agricultural and manufacturing commodities along major riverine systems, such as the Mississippi River. However, the system faces escalating challenges due to the growing disruptions caused by climate change. For instance, the drought of the Mississippi River during the fall of 2022 resulted in an unprecedented increase in barge shipping rates. While the industry generally recognizes that climate change can significantly impact agricultural supply chains, it remains unclear how various environmental factors, including changes in water levels and temperature, affect inland waterway operations. This study aims to fill this research gap by conducting an empirical assessment of the impact of climate change-related factors on the operations of the inland waterway system in the Upper Mississippi—Illinois River Region. Unlike previous studies using conventional regression analysis, this study investigates the nonlinear relationship between changes in barge shipping rates and various environmental factors using the Gradient Boosting Decision Trees machine-learning method. Our analysis identifies the 29 ft gage height as a pivotal threshold influencing barge rates; rates tend to rise as the gage height decreases, and surpassing this threshold can also lead to increased shipping rates. This new approach enhances the model’s predictive capacity, allowing for a better understanding of the nonlinear effects of climate change on barge rates and productivity. It also enables planners and operational agencies to better understand the uncertainty of environmental conditions on the variations in barge rates and productivity performance. These findings provide valuable insights for decision-makers to understand the threshold effect of environmental conditions on inland waterway operations and facilitate the creation of effective adaptive strategies to mitigate future risks and consequences of climate change-induced disruptions.

Metabolic Profile of the Genome-Reduced Bacillus subtilis Strain IIG-Bs-27-39: An Attractive Chassis for Recombinant Protein Production.

The Gram-positive bacterium Bacillus subtilis is extensively used in the industry for the secretory production of proteins with commercial value. To further improve its performance, this microbe has been the subject of extensive genome engineering efforts, especially the removal of large genomic regions that are dispensable or even counterproductive. Here, we present the genome-reduced B. subtilis strain IIG-Bs-27-39, which was obtained through systematic deletion of mobile genetic elements, as well as genes for extracellular proteases, sporulation, flagella formation, and antibiotic production. Different from previously characterized genome-reduced B. subtilis strains, the IIG-Bs-27-39 strain was still able to grow on minimal media. We used this feature to benchmark strain IIG-Bs-27-39 against its parental strain 168 with respect to heterologous protein production and metabolic parameters during bioreactor cultivation. The IIG-Bs-27-39 strain presented superior secretion of difficult-to-produce staphylococcal antigens, as well as higher specific growth rates and biomass yields. At the metabolic level, changes in byproduct formation and internal amino acid pools were observed, whereas energetic parameters such as the ATP yield, ATP/ADP levels, and adenylate energy charge were comparable between the two strains. Intriguingly, we observed a significant increase in the total cellular NADPH level during all tested conditions and increases in the NAD+ and NADP(H) pools during protein production. This indicates that the IIG-Bs-27-39 strain has more energy available for anabolic processes and protein production, thereby providing a link between strain physiology and production performance. On this basis, we conclude that the genome-reduced strain IIG-Bs-27-39 represents an attractive chassis for future biotechnological applications.

Catalytic hydrothermal carbonization of corn and rice straws with citric acid: Implications for charcoal production and combustion performance

Hydrothermal carbonization represents a promising environmental approach for converting biomass into high-quality biochar fuel. Despite extensive discourse, limited research has focused on fuel properties and combustion performances of biochar as well as reaction mechanisms under catalysts. This study scrutinized properties of biochar from citric acid-catalyzed carbonization. Straw (corn/rice) was hydrothermally carbonized in 5 % citric acid solution with a solid-liquid ratio of 1:10 g/mL at 190–250 °C for 3 h. Results revealed an increase in C and a decrease in O with elevated temperature and citric acid concentration. The calorific values for corn and rice straw biochar ranged from 23.53 MJ/kg to 29.81 MJ/kg and from 23.14 MJ/kg to 26.98 MJ/kg, respectively. This study highlighted diverse impacts of hydrothermal reaction temperature and citric acid concentration on biochar attributes, calorific value, energy density, mass yield, energy yield, and thermal stability. It elucidated the influence of citric acid concentration on biochar burnout temperature and the role of hydrothermal reaction temperature and heating rate in biochar combustion characteristics. Citric acid effectively reduced biochar activation energy in low-temperature areas and prolonged the biochar combustion reaction time, achieving highly favorable comprehensive combustion characteristics at 47.56×10−7. The findings present the potential for biochar production with enhanced performance for integrating and co-firing with conventional fuels.

Mathematical modeling of an integrated photovoltaic-assisted PEM water electrolyzer system for hydrogen production

This work provides a new mathematical model of photovoltaic (PV) solar panels integrated with proton exchange membrane (PEM) water electrolyzer cells for optimal hydrogen production. The proposed mathematical model evaluates the operating temperature of the PV solar panel and PEM water electrolyzer and the effect of membrane thickness on hydrogen production performance. In the model results, when the operating temperature of the PEM water electrolyzer increased from 25 °C to 80 °C, the hydrogen flow rate of about 1.44 and 1.82 mL/min at 2 A/cm2, respectively. Moreover, the maximum flow rate of hydrogen produced in a 7-cell and 14-cell PV-assisted PEM water electrolyzer stack is around 349.98 mL/min and 699.91 mL/min, respectively. The total efficiency of the integrated PV-assisted PEM water electrolyzer stack is around 6.0–6.5%, depending on the solar irradiance values. This mathematical model significantly contributes to green hydrogen production using the integrated PV-assisted PEM water electrolyzer system. Moreover, the mathematical model of PV-assisted PEM water electrolyzer will be a pioneer in determining the hydrogen production potential of the PEM water electrolyzer systems.

Genome-Wide Identification and Evolutionary and Mutational Analysis of the Bos taurus Pax Gene Family

Bos taurus is known for its tolerance of coarse grains, adaptability, high temperature, humidity, and disease resistance. Primarily, cattle are raised for their meat and milk, and pinpointing genes associated with traits relevant to meat production can enhance their overall productivity. The aim of this study was to identify the genome, analyze the evolution, and explore the function of the Pax gene family in B. taurus to provide a new molecular target for breeding in meat-quality-trait cattle. In this study, 44 Pax genes were identified from the genome database of five species using bioinformatics technology, indicating that the genetic relationships of bovids were similar. The Pax3 and Pax7 protein sequences of the five animals were highly consistent. In general, the Pax gene of the buffalo corresponds to the domestic cattle. In summary, there are differences in affinity between the Pax family genes of buffalo and domestic cattle in the Pax1/9, Pax2/5/8, Pax3/7, and Pax4/6 subfamilies. We believe that Pax1/9 has an effect on the growth traits of buffalo and domestic cattle. The Pax3/7 gene is conserved in the evolution of buffalo and domestic animals and may be a key gene regulating the growth of B. taurus. The Pax2/5/8 subfamily affects coat color, reproductive performance, and milk production performance in cattle. The Pax4/6 subfamily had an effect on the milk fat percentage of B. taurus. The results provide a theoretical basis for understanding the evolutionary, structural, and functional characteristics of the Pax family members of B. taurus and for molecular genetics and the breeding of meat-production B. taurus species.

On-farm performance evaluation of indigenous sheep in the Gedeo zone, Southern Ethiopia

ABSTRACT This study was conducted to identify the productive and reproductive performance of sheep in the Gedeo zone. Flock of 50 households was randomly selected for a household survey. A total of 189 lambs’ growth data and reproductive traits from 125 ewes were collected. A general linear model was employed for the analysis. Sheep flock size shows (8.6 ± 0.11) a significant difference (P < 0.05) among age categories. Weight at birth (3.01 ± 0.3 kg), weaning (14.2 ± 0.9 kg) and six months (22.4 ± 1.1) of lambs were significant (P < 0.01) among parties, birth type, lamb sex and birth season. Body size and growth rate were important traits for breeding sheep selection. The average age at first lambing and lambing interval was 12.3 ± 0.12 and 7.7 ± 0.06, respectively. Other reproductive traits, such as fertility rate (76.7%), litter size (1.51), weaning percentage (81.6%) and lamb survival rate (86.2%), were observed. In conclusion: parity, birth type, lamb sex and birth season are important sources of variation in sheep growth performance that were considered fixed effects during the analysis. Thus, as policy direction, genetic improvement combined with nutrition, health and participatory breeding would contribute to sheep genetic improvement that should be given proper attention.

Research on Water Flooding Front Based on Dynamic and Static Data Inversion—A case study

To clarify the movement of water flooding front in fluvial reservoirs, this research takes BZ oilfield as an example. By comprehensively considering the [w1] equivalent flowing resistance theory of oil-water two phases, the horizontal micro-element equivalent method, and the strong heterogeneity of fluvial facies reservoir, the calculation model of non-piston water flooding front in horizontal well pattern is established. Firstly, five horizontal injection-production well groups in BZ oilfield are taken as examples to calculate the water breakthrough time of oil wells respectively. The calculation results are in good agreement with the actual production performance. In detail, the front advancing speed of the high permeability strip is 0.8 ∼ 1.6m/d, and the speed in low permeability strip is 0.12 ∼ 0.35m/d. When the oil well sees water, the advance speed of the low permeability strip becomes slower, resulting in uneven displacement and easily forming non-dominant potential areas. Moreover, the water flooding front advancing distance is simulated to be 300 ∼ 450m by establishing the reservoir numerical simulation model, which is close to the result of the proposed model, indicating that the calculation method is reliable. The research is of great significance for predicting the water breakthrough time of horizontal production wells, judging the weak affected area on the mainstream line, and timely optimizing water injection and tapping reservoir potential.

Integrative analysis of the ovarian metabolome and transcriptome of the Yaoshan chicken and its improved hybrids

Introduction: Laying performance is a key factor affecting production efficiency in poultry, but its molecular mechanism is still indistinct. In this study, Yaoshan chickens, a local breed in Guizhou, China, and merchant chickens (GYR) with higher egg yield after the three-line cross improvement hybridization of Yaoshan chickens were used as animal samples.Methods: To explore the regulatory mechanism of the diversities in laying performance, RNA-seq and ultra-performance liquid chromatographytandem mass spectrometry (UPLC—MS/MS) were used to describe the transcriptional and metabolic profiles of the ovaries of Yaoshan and GYR chickens.Results: At the transcriptional level, 288 differentially expressed genes were upregulated in Yaoshan chickens and 353 differentially expressed genes were upregulated in GYR chickens. In addition, GSEA showed that ECM-receptor interactions and the TGF-β signaling pathway were restrained, resulting in increased egg production in GYR chickens. Furthermore, the upregulation of thiamine and carnitine was identified by metabolomic analysis to facilitate the laying performance of hens. Finally, comprehensive analyses of the transcriptome and metabolome found that thiamine and carnitine were negatively correlated with ECM-receptor interactions and the TGF-β signaling pathway, which jointly regulate the laying performance of Yaoshan chickens and GYR chickens.Discussion: Taken together, our research delineates differences in the transcriptional and metabolic profiles of the ovaries of Yaoshan and GYR chickens during the peak egg production period and provides new hypotheses and clues for further research on poultry egg production performance and the improvement of economic benefits.

Lactococcus lactis MA5 is a potential autochthonous probiotic for nutrient digestibility enhancement and bacterial pathogen inhibition in hybrid catfish (Ictalurus punctatus × I. furcatus).

With the emergence of diseases, the U.S. catfish industry is under challenge. Current trends prefer autochthonous bacteria as potential probiotic candidates owing to their adaptability and capacity to effectively colonize the host's intestine, which can enhance production performance and bolster disease resistance. The objective of this study was to isolate an autochthonous bacterium as probiotic for hybrid catfish. Initially, an analysis of the intestinal microbiota of hybrid catfish reared in earthen ponds was conducted for subsequent probiotic development. Twenty lactic acid bacteria were isolated from the digesta of overperforming catfish, and most of the candidates demonstrated probiotic traits, including proteolytic and lipolytic abilities; antagonistic inhibition of catfish enteric bacterial pathogens, negative haemolytic activity and antibiotic susceptibility. Subsequent to this screening process, an isolate of Lactococcus lactis (MA5) was deemed the most promising probiotic candidate. In silico analyses were conducted, and several potential probiotic functions were predicted, including essential amino acids and vitamin synthesis. Moreover, genes for three bacteriocins, lactococcin A, enterolysin A and sactipeptide BmbF, were identified. Lastly, various protectant media for lyophilization of MA5 were assessed. These findings suggest that Lactococcus lactis MA5 can be an autochthonous probiotic from hybrid catfish, holding promise to be further tested in feeding trials.

Enhancing Broiler Welfare and Foot Pad Quality through the Use of Medicinal Plant-Based Pellets as Bedding Material

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of different bedding materials on both production performance and foot quality, assessed through the incidence, severity, and microbiological quality of foot pad dermatitis (FPD). A total of 2400 Ross 308 chickens were raised over 42 days, distributed across eight bedding material types (eight groups × four treatments × 75 chickens each). These pellets either lacked medicinal plant components or included 30% of plant parts, such as oregano (Origanum vulgare), summer savory (Satureja hortensis), lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), salvia (Salvia officinalis), and thyme (Thymus vulgaris). Production performance controls included body weight (BW) at 42 days of age, feed conversion ratio (FCR), and mortality. The severity of FPD was evaluated at 28, 35, and 42 days using a scale ranging from S0 to S3. A microbiological analysis of the feet was based on the FPD score. Broilers raised on straw chaff (bedding: 24% oregano and 6% summer savory, 18% oregano and 12% summer savory, and 24% oregano and 6% thyme) exhibited the highest BW. Straw chaff-reared broilers demonstrated the lowest FCR. The highest mortality occurred on 18% oregano and 12% summer savory bedding, which may have been caused by the high share of summer savory, which could be toxic. At 35 and 42 days, broilers in the 24% oregano and 6% summer savory group exhibited the best foot quality, while those on straw chaff and 18% oregano and 12% summer savory had the worst one. The influence of medicinal plants in the pellets was particularly notable in reducing Listeria sp. This reduction was likely due to the presence of carvacrol from summer savory, quercetin from lemon balm, and thymol from thyme. Based on our research, the best bedding materials for foot quality are 24% oregano with 6% summer savory and 18% summer savory with 12% salvia, while 18% summer savory with 12% lemon balm and 18% summer savory with 12% thymus were the most effective in limiting Listeria sp.

Climate change analysis on organic honey yield in Artvin via XGBoost machine learning

ABSTRACT This study examines the impact of climate change on organic honey production in Artvin, Turkey, a region renowned for its intense organic honey production. The analysis encompasses data on organic honey production performance from 2004 to 2023, spanning a period of 20 years, and six different climate variables (12 variables in total, depending on daytime and nighttime). This study identified 4 critical climatic variables – humidity, precipitation, temperature, and wind – as significant factors affecting the efficiency of organic honey production. The findings demonstrate the profound impact of climate change on organic honey production and, by extension, on the agricultural economy. The study emphasises the importance of understanding and adapting to the consequences of climate change to ensure the sustainability of agricultural production and the protection of the agricultural economy. Additionally, this study can inform the development of long-term strategies to enhance honey production efficiency in the face of climate change.

Effects of Steviol Glycosides on Growth Performance, Ruminal Fermentation and Microbial Diversity of Hu Sheep

The experiment was conducted to investigate the potential effects of steviol glycosides on growth performance, rumen fermentation processes, and microbial diversity in Hu sheep. A single-factor design was used for the trial. Twenty healthy weaned Hu lambs, possessing comparable body weights averaging 18.31 ± 1.24 kg, were randomly allocated into two distinct groups: the control group (CON) and the experimental group (STE), with each comprising 10 lambs. The CON was fed the basal diet, and the STE was supplemented with 0.07% steviol glycosides based on the basal diet. During the experimental period, variations in body weight and feed intake were closely monitored and recorded. After feeding for 90 d, blood was collected to determine blood biochemical indices, and rumen fluid samples were gathered for an in-depth analysis of rumen fermentation parameters and microbial diversity. The outcomes revealed no statistically significant differences in growth performance or serum biochemical indices between the two groups (p &gt; 0.05). Rumen pH in STE and CON was within the normal range. The rumen ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) and acetic acid (AA) content of STE decreased significantly compared with CON (p &lt; 0.05). No significant variations were observed in the levels of other volatile fatty acids (VFAs) between the two groups (p &gt; 0.05). The rumen microbial OTUs count, as well as the Shannon, Simpson, Chao1, and Ace indices, were notably lower in the STE group compared to the CON group (p &lt; 0.05). Additionally, at the phylum level, the relative abundance of Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, and Proteobacteria collectively accounted for over 97% of the total phylum composition. In comparison to the CON group, the STE group exhibited an increase in the relative abundance of Proteobacteria (p &lt; 0.05), accompanied by a significant reduction in the relative abundance of Patescibacteria and Desulfobacteria (p &lt; 0.05). At the genus level, there was a notable increase in the relative abundance of Prevotella_7 and Succinivibrionaceae_UCG_001 in the STE group, whereas the relative abundance of Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut_group significantly decreased (p &lt; 0.05). According to the correlation analysis between rumen microflora and VFAs, the relative abundance of Succinivibrionaceae_UCG_001 displayed a significant negative correlation with AA (p &lt; 0.05), whereas Lactobacillus exhibited a notable positive correlation with isobutyric acid (IBA) (p &lt; 0.05). In summary, steviol glycosides had no significant effect on the production performance and blood biochemical indexes of Hu sheep. Steviol glycosides can improve rumen fermentation parameters and rumen microflora structure of Hu sheep and have a certain effect on rumen microbial diversity and composition.

Unconventional grain fragmentation creates high-density boundaries for efficient CO2-to-C2+ electro-conversion at ampere-level current density

Electrocatalytic CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) to produce multi-carbon products (C2+) is one of the most sustainable manners to achieve net-zero carbon emissions. Among many approaches, enriching grain boundaries (GBs) in copper (Cu) catalysts has been demonstrated to enable enhancement for C2+ production. However, it still lacks effective strategies to controllably synthesize abundant GBs, rendering efficient C2+ production a persistent challenge, especially at ampere-level current density. Herein, we propose a novel strategy, which can achieve unconventional grain fragmentation during thermal annealing and thus create controllable GB densities. The catalyst with the utmost GB density exhibits a peak C2+ faradaic efficiency of ca. 70.0 % in H-type cell and 68.2 % in flow cell; even more impressively, it delivers an ultra-high C2+ current density of 0.768 A cm−2, outperforming most recently reported results. A combination of in situ spectroscopies and theoretical calculations reveal that the enrichment of GBs yields more active sites for a higher *CO coverage, leading to promotion of the *CO-*CO coupling process and ultimately high C2+ production performance.

Effects of low dietary calcium and lipopolysaccharide challenges on production performance, eggshell quality, and bone metabolism of laying hens

Dietary calcium supply is essential for bone development and egg production in laying hens. This study investigated the effects of low dietary calcium and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced immune challenge in aged laying hens. A total of thirty-two Hy-Line Brown laying hens at 80 weeks old with an average laying rate of 62% were randomly divided into two groups and fed a normal calcium diet (3.57% Ca, NCA) or low calcium diet (2.08% Ca, LCA). At 88 weeks, the experiment was designed using a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement, and hens were intraperitoneally injected with saline (SAL) or LPS (0.5 mg/kg, 0.5 mg/kg, or 1.5 mg/kg body weight) once every 48 h intervals over 5 days. Production performance, egg quality, and bone physiology were evaluated. Results showed that LPS challenge decreased the hen-day egg production, egg mass, and eggshell traits (p &amp;lt; 0.05), but increased (p &amp;lt; 0.05) the calcium content of the tibia compared to SAL-injected hens. LCA diet decreased (p &amp;lt; 0.05) the hen-day egg production, and eggshell traits such as weight, percentage, strength, and thickness compared to the NCA diet. LCA diet increased the serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity (p &amp;lt; 0.01) and tibial expression of ALP (p &amp;lt; 0.05) compared to NCA diet. LPS injection suppressed both the serum ALP activity (p &amp;lt; 0.05) and tibial expression of ALP (p &amp;lt; 0.001) compared to SAL injection. Furthermore, LPS injection increased (p &amp;lt; 0.05) the expression of both pro and anti-inflammatory cytokines in the spleen and tibia. The expression of cathepsin K (Cts K) and matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) were downregulated by LPS injection (p &amp;lt; 0.001). Broken and shell-less egg production and calcium content of eggshell, as well as tibial mRNA expression of osteocalcin (Ocn), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) were affected by the interaction (p &amp;lt; 0.05) of diet and injection. Therefore, this study demonstrated that to certain extents, low dietary calcium and LPS challenge dysregulated bone homeostasis and metabolism, with detrimental effects on the performance and eggshell quality of aged laying hens.

The Relationship between Organizational Culture and Product Innovation with Employee Productivity and Financial Performance of Fintech Companies in Indonesia

This study looks into the connections between employee productivity, organizational culture, financial performance, and product innovation in Indonesian fintech companies. A quantitative study was carried out with the data that was gathered from 180 individuals. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, model fit evaluation, measurement model assessment, structural model estimation, and mediation analysis. The findings show that financial performance, staff productivity, product innovation, and organizational culture are all positively correlated. Product innovation is strongly influenced by organizational culture, and this has a favorable effect on worker productivity and financial performance. Furthermore, through both staff productivity and product innovation, mediation research demonstrates strong indirect benefits of organizational culture on financial performance. It was discovered that there is no substantial correlation between organizational culture and financial performance. The aforementioned results underscore the need of cultivating an accommodating organizational culture that stimulates creativity and efficiency in order to attain exceptional financial outcomes within the Fintech sector.

Electrocatalytic Properties of meso‐ Perfluorinated Metallo Corroles for the Reduction of CO2

Corrole, a contracted tetrapyrrolic macrocycle has been also used to design molecular for the CO2 reduction. The electrochemical activity towards CO2 reduction can rival those of their porphyrin analogues. However, the catalytic activity of the metallocorrole is initiated at the corresponding MII/I couple. Accordingly, a catalytic current in presence of CO2 with cobalt corrole appears when the CoI species is generated. We have designed an electron deficient A2B corrole holding two ‐CF3 groups and a benzonitrile in the meso positions and its cobalt complex (1). We reasoned that these groups could shuffle the redox potentials to reach the M(I) oxidation states at more positive values thereby lowering the overpotential for the catalytic CO2 reduction. Our results clearly show that catalyst 1 when adsorbed on a carbon electrode, shows the most favourable catalytic performance for CO production, achieving an efficiency of 85% with a current density of ‐1.5 mA cm‐2 at ‐1.0 V vs NHE. The current densities of controlled potential electrolysis with increasing amount of KHCO3, were found to increase more than one order of magnitude with the formation of MeOH.

New insight into Na+-promoted microbial electrolysis cell towards hydrogen energy recovery: Feasibility and dual mechanism in salt-containing wastewater treatment

The salt-containing wastewater treatment has become serious challenge, while conductivity and micro-ecosystem disorder severely limited microbial electrolysis cell (MEC) efficiency. In order to synchronously overcome the above bottlenecks, this study proposed an innovative Na+-promoted MEC system for efficient salt-containing wastewater treatment. The Na+ presence greatly improved conductivity to impair electric resistance, resulting in rapid electron transfer pattern towards organic degradation in anode and hydrogen synthesis in cathode. Furthermore, the selective Na+ stress triggered microbial community evolution and improved electroactive bacteria activity after salinity cultivation in MEC (0.09–0.17 mol Na+/L), which played “bacteria screening” role for salt-tolerant “electrochemical hydrogen-producing” bacteria community formation. The organic-degrading and hydrogen-producing bacteria with their assistors were tolerant to Na+ stress, which were considerably enriched into dominant microorganisms, while the unfavorable bacteria responsible for hydrogen consumption and competition were inhibited due to salinity-sensitivity. Correspondingly, the metabolic pathways for metabolism, genetic information processing and environmental information processing were improved, positively associating with organic degradation and hydrogen production. Such dual driving contributions of Na+-improved electron transfer-utilization pattern and Na+-modified microbial metabolisms boosted the organic pollutant degradation at anode to 91.34 % while improving the performance and speeds of hydrogen production by 1.57–1.70 times. The hydrogen abundance was also increased to 71.57 % in biogas. The energy efficiencies relative to external electricity and substrates were elevated by 8.80–28.44 %, the coulombic efficiency raised by 14.05 % and reached 109.72 %, suggesting the positive net energy benefits. The findings provided inspirations to the feasible application of MEC in salt-containing wastewater treatment with efficiency benefits.

Effect of gestational naural pasture allowance on muscle development of lambs

To study the effects of gestational undernutrition induced by a lower natural pasture allowance on myogenesis and meat production in lambs, two experiments were carried out. In the first, Corriedale sheep were fed contrasting natural pasture allowances (23 days before conception until gestation day 122) and myogenesis was evaluated in 70-day-old fetuses and newborns. In the second, similar ewes were fed with contrasting natural pasture allowances (day 30 of gestation until parturition) and the productive performance, quantity and quality of meat and muscular characteristics in 200-day-old lambs were evaluated. A lower pasture allownace affected fetal myogenesis (fewer secondary fibers) and was associated with reduced mitotic and myoblastic fusion activity in some muscles. In newborns, maternal undernutrition affected muscle histology, fibrillar biological and contractile properties (MyHC-I and GLUT-4). Likewise, undernutrition strongly reduced muscle IGF-1 and could compromise neonatal hypertrophic compensation. On the other hand, maternal undernutrition from day 30 to parturition affected growth, carcass quality and muscle weights at 200 days, although these effects were mainly sex-dependent, with males being the most affected. Maternal undernutrition affected fibrillar composition (greater oxidative activity) in all muscles at 200 days. Biochemical and meat quality characteristics were also affected, although these effects depended on both muscle and sex. In summary, a lower gestational pasture allowance negatively affected fetal myogenesis and neonatal muscle characteristics (worse hypertrophic capacities), and induced fetal programming effects on muscle mass and muscle characteristics at 200 days. This implies that, regardless of postnatal conditions, intrauterine alterations induce muscular changes, which may be related to the ability to grow and the quality of the meat produced. Likewise, our results highlight the importance of considering the sex of the animal and the muscle when studying these effects.