This paper reports the use of thin titania or alumina coatings on tin oxide nanowire arrays for high cyclability electrodes for lithium-ion batteries. We demonstrate that such coatings can significantly reduce irreversible capacity loss associated with the formation of a solid electrolyte interface and improve the capacity retention at high rates. Specifically, tin oxide nanowires grown on stainless steel substrates were conformally coated with thin films of either titania or alumina using atomic layer deposition and were tested as anodes in coin cells. Both titania and alumina coatings resulted in no initial capacity loss due to solid electrolyte interface formation in the first cycle. Tin oxide nanowire array electrodes coated with 5 nm thick titania layer and 1 nm thick alumina layer retained capacities of 767 and 725 mA h g⁻¹ after 30 cycles using current density of 700 mA g⁻¹. Both electrodes retained capacity around 664 mA h g⁻¹ after 30 cycles using a current density of 1500 mA g⁻¹, respectively. The results indicate that thin coatings acted as mechanical shells preserving the electrode nanostructure morphology necessary for high capacity retention. The study also showed that within the first two cycles, tin migrates out forming nanoclusters on the surface of nanowires due to both stress enhanced diffusion and the Kirkendall effect. The presence of tin nanoclusters on the surface of protective layers further enhances high rate capability.

Conservation of designated source sites is a fundamental strategy for global tiger recovery. Reliable estimates of tiger Panthera tigris habitat use within these source sites are crucial for informing effective management strategies. In this study, we assessed tiger habitat use within the Bardia‐Banke Complex, one of the 42 global source sites, situated in the western Terai Arc Landscape (TAL) of Nepal. We conducted a grid‐based detection and non‐detection camera trap survey across 719 grid cells, each measuring 2 × 2 km². To assess tiger habitat use while accounting for imperfect detectability, we applied a single‐season occupancy model. We analyzed nine covariates that have the potential to influence tiger habitat use in the Complex, including terrain, co‐predators, prey, water availability, and disturbance. We found that fine scale (2 × 2 km²) tiger habitat use in the Complex was 0.43 (SE ± 0.0085, 95% CI: 0.414–0.448). Our analysis demonstrated that tigers used habitats unevenly across the Bardia‐Banke Complex. Our results showed that the terrain ruggedness index, prey index, and proximity to waterholes were key determinants of tiger habitat use. Tiger habitat use was positively associated with prey abundance and negatively associated with terrain ruggedness and distance to waterholes. We emphasize the importance of influencing habitat covariates that determine the probability of habitat use for taking appropriate habitat‐management decisions for tiger conservation in the TAL. We highlight the importance of periodic assessment of tiger habitat use in this globally significant source site to monitor changes in spatial habitat use patterns, serving as a measure of the effectiveness of wildlife management interventions.

Medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) have been grown and used extensively for health care and healing practices since time immemorial in Nepal. They possess cultural, religious and economic values in Nepalese communities. In recent years, the MAPs sector is a growing commercial sector in Nepal that provides livelihood opportunities for low income generating people especially in the Himalayas. In this regard, this study assesses the contribution of MAPs to the gross domestic product (GDP) of Karnali Province of Nepal. A total of 58 species of MAPs were identified in Karnali Province. It was found that various parts of these annuals, biennials and perennial plants have been used as medicines, perfumes and food. MAPs in Karnali Province generated economic output equivalent to NPR 160738 million (USD 1.39 billion) or 1.03% of GDP of Karnali Province and 0.02% of the National GDP in the fiscal year 2019/2020. However, the findings revealed that the current GDP estimate undervalues the contribution of the MAPs sector to the national GDP due to the non-inclusion of ethnobotanical uses of medicinal plants. Moreover, if all cash and environmental benefits people derive from this sector could be valued and recorded in the System of National Accounts, the GDP from MAPs would be much higher than the amount estimated in this study. We conclude that MAPs have a reasonable contribution to the GDP of Karnali Province and Nepal.