Associational life in Cape Town is a mechanism for migrants from the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to find belonging in South Africa. We trace the internal politics of associational membership from 2000 to 2019 to illustrate how membership in eastern Congolese associations has minimized community ties to other foreign Africans and South Africans. An increase in election violence in the DRC, divided into pro- and anti-combattant camps, and the threat of xenophobic violence in South Africa have led to a closing of ranks that presumes only other eastern Congolese can be trusted. In tracing gender, class and language cleavages, we find that eastern DRC associational life reproduces the xenophobia associational membership is intended to ameliorate.

Microbiomes are communities of microorganisms that form close associations with metazoan hosts and have important roles in host biological processes. With the advent of Next Generation Sequencing, the microbiomes of myriad animals and plants have been described. However, the microbiomes of parasites have received little attention, which is surprising considering their ecological and medical importance. This study characterizes, for the first time, the microbiome of Dujardinascaris helicina, a gastrointestinal nematode parasite of the American crocodile. Dujardinascaris helicina were isolated from crocodiles residing in two geographically separated habitats across Belize. Using 16S sequencing, we compare β-diversity between sampling locations using generalized linear mixed modeling. Our results show that D. helicina microbiomes differ in composition depending on location. We also show that D. helicina microbiomes show strong shifts toward consolidation of specific taxa when proximity to human modified environments increases.

Building upon an institutional perspective and the resource-based view, we theorize and address questions on what drives foreign subsidiaries of multinational enterprises (MNEs) to engage corporate social performance (CSP) strategies and how CSP contributes to the competitiveness of MNE subsidiaries in the host market. Subsequently, we theorize and explore the roles governments in home and host countries play in motivating MNE subsidiaries to adopt and implement CSP strategies and activities, and how institutional effects may be moderated by the specific resources and capabilities of MNE subsidiaries. The conceptual framework presented in this work was empirically tested using survey data collected from foreign subsidiaries of Chinese MNEs. The results, which provide broad support for most of the research hypotheses, can contribute to the stream of research on the CSP of MNE subsidiaries. More importantly, this study sheds new light on the particular importance of government pressure from both home and host countries. In particular, firm-specific resources or capabilities moderate the institutional effects (i.e., government pressure) on CSP strategies of MNE subsidiaries, ultimately enhancing the competitive advantages of these subsidiaries in the host market.

Fasciolosis, a parasitic disease of ruminants, poses significant economic and animal-health challenges in Algeria. This study aimed to assess spatial, temporal, and species-specific patterns of fasciolosis prevalence across diverse agro-climatic zones and to estimate associated economic losses. Between 2013 and 2023, eight wilayas El-Tarf, Skikda, Jijel (Region I), Blida, Mila (Region II), and M’Sila, Medea, Laghouat (Region III) were surveyed. Systematic postmortem inspections of 1,569,392 animals (349,176 cattle; 982,669 sheep; 235,639 goats; 1,882 camels; 26 horses) were performed by qualified veterinarians, with liver and bile-duct examination for Fasciola. Data on region, species, year, and season were analyzed in R 4.4.0 using ANOVA, Kruskal–Wallis, Tukey’s post hoc tests, and principal component analysis (PCA). Economic losses were calculated from condemned liver weights in Blida, Laghouat, and Jijel, converted to USD. PCA distinguished three regional prevalence profiles, with PC1 (77.7% variance) separating overall prevalence levels. Region I exhibited the highest mean prevalence (2.47%), peaking at 3.54% in 2018 – significantly greater than Region II (1.39%) and Region III (1.96%) (p < 0.01). Cattle showed the greatest infection rate (mean 4.14%), significantly higher than sheep (1.32%; p < 0.001) and goats (0.25%; p < 0.001), while horses and camels remained uninfected. Seasonal analysis revealed highest prevalence in autumn and winter (≈2.1%) versus spring (≈1.5%). Economic losses totaled USD 10.6 million in Blida, USD 1.0 million in Laghouat, and USD 142.2 million in Jijel over the study period. Targeted control strategies, adapted to regional and seasonal risk patterns, are essential. Future work should investigate environmental and management factors driving regional differences and evaluate cost-effective interventions to mitigate fasciolosis impact in Algerian livestock.

A growing demand for wheat as a staple crop leads to an expansion of its production. The consequence is land use change and short rotations for wheat. But wheat grown in short rotations causes yield decline. To secure future food supplies, a deeper understanding of the physiological processes contributing to this yield reduction is needed. Therefore, a three-year data set from a long-term field trial in Northern Germany was analysed to investigate the impact of crop rotational position (CRP) (wheat grown in the first [W1] and in the third [W3] year in self sequence after break crop) in combination with three genotypes and four rates of nitrogen (N) fertilizer on intercepted radiation by the canopy (Q), radiation use efficiency (RUE), grain yield and yield components. All genotypes showed a reduction of Q, RUE and yields in W3. The focus was further set on differences in yield formation pre- and post-anthesis. This revealed a significant interaction between CRP and genotype. An overall reduction in intercepted radiation pre-anthesis as well as in kernels/m2 in W3 suggested, that yield formation under adverse pre-crop conditions was rather ‘source limited’. A possibility to compensate this limitation might be a prolonged phase of radiation interception post-anthesis.

The International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) Task Group 120 (TG120) is developing ICRP recommendations for radiological protection for a wide range of radiation accidents and malicious events, complementing those given in ICRP Publication 146 (2020) for large nuclear accidents. The scope includes accidents involving criticalities, operating faults, and fires and explosions in nuclear facilities, inadvertent damage to sealed radiation sources, as well as malicious events, such as sabotage of nuclear facilities or materials, use of radiological dispersal devices, the contamination of food and drinking water supplies, and the deployment of nuclear weapons. A template has been designed to collate relevant information on a wide range of case studies and hypothetical malicious scenarios to ensure that the recommendations developed are broadly applicable and comprehensive. For all scenarios, a graded approach to protection is being taken, accepting that specific guidance may be required for some distinctive aspects, for example, protection during times of armed conflict. This paper provides an overview of the scenarios and scope of the work of TG120, including some of the radiological and non-radiological impacts of radiation emergencies, along the response and recovery timeline.

We consider the two-dimensional nonlinear Schrödinger equation with point interaction and we establish a local well-posedness theory, including blow-up alternative and continuous dependence on the initial data in the energy space. We provide proof by employing Kato’s method along with Hardy inequalities with logarithmic correction. Moreover, we establish finite time blow-up for solutions with positive energy and infinite variance.

Pyrochlores, general formula A2–mB2X6–wY1–n and cubic Fd$\bar 3$m (Z = 8) symmetry, are oxide and fluoride minerals with a peculiar structure consisting of a framework of corner-linked BX6 octahedra. The framework is arranged such that it forms tunnels parallel to the [110] direction, which are occupied by the A and Y sites at the centre (or in slightly displaced neighbouring positions). Atoms hosted at the tunnel sites are particularly susceptible to ion-exchange processes, especially when these sites are occupied by highly mobile species (e.g. water) or are partially vacant; this is the case for hydropyrochlore and hydrokenopyrochlore from the Lueshe carbonatite, both extensively altered and hydrated due to intense weathering. Their ion-exchange properties are remarkable, making them suitable candidates for Tl+ sequestration from aqueous matrices. This study focuses on the kinetics of the ion-exchange reaction involving monovalent thallium, incorporated by single crystals through progressively longer imbibition experiments in Tl-rich solutions. Structural (single-crystal X-ray diffraction) and chemical (electron microprobe analysis) investigations carried out before and after each imbibition experiment showed that Tl+ is incorporated in the structure at both tunnel sites and tends to order preferentially at A with increasing A:B occupancy ratios. The entry of Tl+ seems to be accompanied by a progressive shift in colour of the crystals (from colourless to dark brown). The incorporation process is relatively quick, as it approaches a saturation limit (~70–75% of the A site occupancy) in, cumulatively, 450 minutes of treatment; longer imbibition experiments (930 minutes) only led to a slight redistribution of electrons among the tunnel sites.

Assessment of new genotypes in on-farm trials and under different tillage options is a current strategy for in-station experiments to enhance the breeding process and its final output in farmers’ fields, which can help increase productivity and sustainability in variable rainfed conditions. The objectives were to evaluate the agronomic performance of barley genotypes under different tillage systems in farmers’ fields and to provide suggestions to help farmers use resources more efficiently and sustainably for their proper field management. Five barley genotypes including four cultivars (Abider, Sararood1, Nader, Efes-3) and a promising breeding line (Yea168) were tested in three tillage methods, that is, conventional tillage (CT), reduced tillage (RT) and no tillage (NT) in on-farm trials in two locations (Sarabnilofar and Dalahoo) and three cropping seasons (2018–2021). The results revealed high variability in productivity and other studied traits in farmers’ conditions that were significantly affected by genotypes, tillage managements, locations, and years. Barley genotypes, except Efes-3, positively interacted with CT. The highest grain yield was observed in CT conditions (2613 kg/ha), followed by NT (2520 kg/ha) and RT (2470 kg/ha), showing about 5.8% and 3.6% better performance in CT than in RT and NT, respectively. Across locations and years, breeding line Yea168 outperformed all four cultivars in all three tillage systems and should be recommended for cultivation under rainfed conditions. The results of genotype by trait (GT) biplot analysis indicated that the traits relations and traits profiles of genotypes are different among tillage systems and locations. High-yielding genotypes had their own specific traits that resulted in their better performance. Breeding line Yea168, followed by Nader cultivar performed well in Sarabnilofar location, where 1000-kernel weight (TKW), plant height (PLH), number of grains per spike (NGPS), normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI) and spike per square metre (spike/m2) were the most important traits in deciding grain yield in this location, whereas in Dalahoo location, Sararood1 performed well and TKW, SPAD (chlorophyll content), NGPS, and spike/m2 had considerable contributions to grain yield. The findings demonstrated the breeding line Yea168 as the best-performing genotype across tillage systems, making it highly recommended for cultivation in rainfed areas of western Iran.

Modern market economies use competitions to distribute a range of social goods. Some theorists maintain that such competitions ought not to generate winner-takes-all outcomes. But the arguments that have been given against competitions with winner-takes-all outcomes fail to find fault with winner-takes-all outcomes per se (or so I argue). Is there, then, anything wrong with winner-takes-all outcomes? I argue that there is: winner-takes-all outcomes are wrong, in at least most distributive competitions, because they do not give people what they deserve.