The physical property requirements for kaolinite suspensions to display time-dependent structural rebuilding or rejuvenation behavior are the same as required by smectite gels such as hectorite and Na-montmorillonite (NaMnt), a rare discovery linking the two types of clay. A holistic framework for predicting clay gel behavior based on the clay physical properties such as charge, crystal structure, and mineralogy, may emerge and was the ultimate goal of this research. A structural rejuvenation process during both ageing and stepdown shear rate modes was postulated to require that the silica and alumina faces of the kaolinite platelets be negatively charged to produce a strong electric double layer (EDL) repulsion in all face-face configurations. This is needed to slow down the (+)edge to (–)face bonding process to produce the time-dependent behavior. Currently, the unlike charge attraction between the silica and alumina faces makes the structural rebuilding process of a pre-sheared kaolinite suspension too fast to be observable. Two methods of making the alumina face negatively charged, i.e. the use of adsorbed P2O74– and high pH, did indeed produce the time-dependent behavior for both KGa-1b and KGa-2 suspensions, thus validating the proposed hypothesis. The KGa-1b with a lower content of octahedral positive layer charge required less P2O74– and a lower pH to achieve the desired outcome. Addition of 0.002 M NaCl to the high pH-treated KGa-2 suspension hastened the structural rejuvenation process and increased the aged gel strength. The oscillatory behavior in the stepdown shear stress at low pH was due to layer agglomerates formed by (+)face to (–)face attraction. Bulky layered agglomerates were reduced markedly by both the P2O74– and high pH treatments. The knowledge gained was applied successfully to make clay-rich iron ore tailings time-dependent in both the ageing and stepdown shear rate modes.

Jatobá is a magnetite-hosted Cu-Ni deposit in the Carajás Domain, Brazil. The deposit is located along E–W structures belonging to the Canaã dos Carajás shear zone and hosted within the Neoarchean Grão Pará Group. Micron to nanoscale investigation of magnetite from mafic host lithologies and Cu-Ni-mineralisation facilitate constraints on ore genesis. Two texturally and geochemically distinct types of magnetite are defined: ‘trellis’ (country rocks) and ‘silicate-mottled’ (ore). An overlap between the types is recognised as ilmenite changes from lamellar trellis to blebby and patchy textures in the silicate-mottled magnetite. The blebby type comprises Al-hydroxides (gibbsite) and talc, replacing hercynite and Mg-amphibole, respectively. The mottled magnetite contains Mg-(Fe)- and Ce-bearing calcic amphiboles, both associated with non-classical pyriboles (NCP). Geochemical signatures change from Ti-Cr-Co-Mn in trellis magnetite to a pronounced REE enrichment in the mottled type. Nano-inclusions of allanite occur as epitactic intergrowths with actinolite within magnetite. Amphiboles in the host rocks mirror those found in magnetite, with ferro-tschermakite present in both cases.

Ilmenite-magnetite nano-thermobarometry yields a range of temperature and logfO2 values (temperature from 728°C at logfO2= –12 to 414°C at logfO2= –31) for re-equilibration between magnetite and ilmenite from initial trellis to the trellis + blebby and to patchy ilmenite in the densely mottled magnetite. Ferro-tschermakite geobarometry enables an estimate of 6.4–7.4 kbar, compatible with amphibolite-facies metamorphism at ∼20 km depth. Syn-metamorphic deformation textures include magnetite + apatite as pods, banding and folds, as well as sigmoidal scapolite and pressure shadows surrounding magnetite. Collectively, these data support a genetic model implying deep shear-zone metamorphism at the base of the Canaã dos Carajás strike-slip structure. This area is a reservoir for metal sources as fluids can tap into granitoids and ultramafic lithologies in the basement. The telescoped transition from trellis to silicate-mottled magnetite records fluid fluxes of variable overprinting effects during protracted fluid–rock interaction.

How are partnerships between foreign states and armed groups formed? Previous research has suggested that the provision of external support is mainly based on group capacity and affinity ties. However, this neglects the fact that support provision is a dynamic matching process in which strategic adjustments often are made that enable the distribution of support. I argue that states place demands on rebel groups who may strategically rebrand, reform, and reorganise to facilitate the distribution of support. For state sponsors, this process serves the dual purpose of justification and control. For rebels, the process distinguishes them from competitors and increases their chances of receiving vital aid. Drawing on frame analysis, I illustrate how the Syrian Democratic Forces crafted narratives in tandem with the United States which created the necessary conditions that helped initiate and sustain the partnership. The findings highlight the importance of the strategic alignment process and show how it can supplement existing explanations related to battlefield performances and transnational affinities.

Financial relief proceedings come after divorce proceedings, whether in the same jurisdiction or not. In most cases, whether proceedings can continue against the other party is not an issue; the difficulty usually lies in the determination of the outcome of the financial relief proceedings. However, what happens when one party to the proceedings passes away before proceedings conclude? This was the crux of Unger and Another (in substitution for Hasan) v Ul-Hasan (Deceased) and Another [2023] UKSC 22 (Unger).

The trigonometric double affine Hecke algebra $\mathbf {H}_c$ for an irreducible root system depends on a family of complex parameters c. Given two families of parameters c and $c'$ which differ by integers, we construct the translation functor from $\mathbf {H}_{c}\text{-}{\mathrm{Mod}}$ to $\mathbf {H}_{c'}\text{-}{\mathrm{Mod}}$ and prove that it induces equivalence of derived categories. This is a trigonometric counterpart of a theorem of Losev on the derived equivalences for rational Cherednik algebras.

In this study, we investigate the impact of X-rays produced by conventional mCT instruments on fossil materials dated by radiocarbon. Our results clearly show a decrease on the collagen preservation in fossil and modern bones and teeth, and therefore on the radiocarbon analytical results (in particular, the collagen yield and, possibly, stable isotope composition), after mCT scanning. In other words, all the samples analysed here have experienced a noticeable radiation damage, regardless of their nature (bone and dental tissue) and age (modern and fossil). Given these observations, a prudent approach would be for radiocarbon laboratories to expect lower collagen yields for samples that have been previously mCT scanned and ensure appropriately sized standards are processed alongside these samples. Additionally, samples with originally low collagen yields might become unsuitable for radiocarbon dating after mCT or at least show a yield lower than the usual minimum cut-off value. In this case, it might be viable to extend the collagen yield quality assurance parameter for mCT scanned bones and teeth and instead focus on the C:N ratio as the most appropriate indicator of collagen quality, although we cannot exclude that the latter may also be impacted by X-ray exposure. Further investigations on a larger set of samples are required to confirm these first observations. Nevertheless, in the light of these results, we can reasonably conclude by recommending caution regarding the systematic and unlimited use of mCT scanning in palaeoanthropology or in other related disciplines involving fossil material.

This paper introduces a high single-pulse energy, narrow-linewidth mid-infrared self-optical parametric oscillator (mid-IR SOPO) with a cavity length of 120 mm and a Nd:MgO:PPLN crystal. To achieve high single-pulse energy and high peak power in mid-IR light sources, a LiNbO3 electro-optic Q-switch (EOQ) is introduced for the first time in a mid-IR SOPO. A narrow-linewidth EOQ-SOPO rate equation is formulated, and experiments are conducted using a single Fabry–Pérot etalon. At a 500 μs pump pulse width, a 4.71 mJ single-pulse idler light at 3838.2 nm is achieved, with a linewidth of 0.412 nm, single-pulse width of 4.78 ns and peak power of 985 kW. At 200 μs, the idler light at 3845.2 nm exhibits a minimum linewidth of 0.212 nm.

This study analyzed standardized excess mortality due to specific causes during the Covid-19 pandemic across 33 European countries, using Eurostat data (2016–2021) and Our World in Data databases. Causes included circulatory and respiratory diseases, neoplasms, transport accidents, and “other” causes (e.g., diabetes, dementia, ill-defined conditions). Additional variables such as vaccination rates, economic and health indicators, demographics, and government stringency measures were also examined. Key findings include: (1) Most European countries (excluding Central and Eastern Europe), recorded lower than expected excess mortality from circulatory and respiratory diseases, neoplasms, and transport accidents. Ireland had the lowest excess respiratory mortality in both 2020 and 2021; (2) Croatia, Cyprus, Malta, and Turkey showed significant positive excess mortality from “other” causes, potentially linked to public health restrictions, with Turkey as an exception; (3) Regression analysis found that higher human development index and vaccination rates were associated with lower excess mortality. Policy Implications are: (1) Statistically significant positive or negative cause-specific excess mortality may indicate future health trends; (2) The pandemic and government stringency measures negatively affected mortality from “other” causes; (3) Strengthening health system resilience, investing in digital medicine, directing aid to countries with weaker systems, and supporting disadvantaged groups are key recommendations.

Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Georgia became a key destination for Russian migrants, who significantly influenced the local housing market. This article explores the impact of the influx of Russian migrants into Tbilisi, which caused a surge in rental prices and aroused feelings of social insecurity among Georgian citizens. Using qualitative methods, including social media analysis and semi-structured interviews, the study investigates the emergence of “informal sanctions” imposed by Georgian Airbnb and Booking.com hosts as a means of expressing political dissatisfaction with their own government and protecting national interests. This article identifies four patterns of informal sanctions, such as rejecting, discomforting, avoiding, and exploiting Russian tenants, which reflect a form of patriotism from below. We argue that these spontaneous, everyday practices of resistance lead to the politicization of mundane host-tenant relations and the collective stereotyping of a migrant group in a time of insecurity. The theoretical proposition here is that everyday nationalism is closely related to informality, which opens the possibility of examining grassroots responses to perceived threats and tactics of resistance, with implications for broader social dynamics in times of ongoing geopolitical conflict and wartime migration in Eastern Europe.

In recognition of the impact of current dietary patterns on human and environmental health, dietary shifts towards sustainable diets are considered crucial to adequately feed a growing global population within planetary boundaries. Whilst the composition of sustainable diets varies to account for regional specificity, consensus exists on the need to reduce meat and increase plant protein intakes in sustainable dietary patterns for high-income settings. Due to the high environmental impact resulting from meat production and observational evidence of higher risks of negatives health outcomes associated with excess red and processed meat, a reduction in meat consumption is considered a ‘win-win’ for both people and the planet. However, meat is an important contributor to dietary protein and micronutrient intakes and plays an important sociocultural role, particularly in the UK and Ireland. Whilst a strong evidence-base exists on the environmental and health benefits associated with increased consumption of whole plant foods such as legumes, nuts and seeds, these foods may not address the barriers associated with lower meat diets. Plant-based meat alternatives (PBMAs) are products created to replicate the taste, texture, appearance and functionality of meat and therefore may provide an acceptable means of facilitating the shift to healthy and more sustainable diets. However, less is known about the health and environmental impact of substituting meat with PBMAs. Therefore, this review summarises the literature on the nutritional, health and environmental impact of PBMAs to better understand the role of these products in healthy and sustainable diets for the UK and Ireland.

Human beings are a highly social species, and there are neural systems that have a role in enabling human beings to function as the social animals they are. They connect people into smaller or larger social groups; and at least some of these groups have a unity that lets the united human beings function as one. That this is so has implications for an array of philosophical and theological issues, including the notion of a people, the concomitant notions of a people’s communal guilt and communal shame, the notion of the church as the body of Christ, the understanding of human perfection as a likeness to a triune God, and many other such issues. What is required to elucidate these issues is a metaphysics that can explain the nature of a united something-or-other that includes human persons as constituents. This article explores these issues and outlines the nature of the needed metaphysics.

Macroscopic, modular, morphologically simple skeletons occur in the uppermost Mural Formation (Cambrian, Epoch 2, Bonnia–Olenellus Biozone), west-central Alberta and adjacent east-central British Columbia. They represent organisms that lived almost exclusively in reefal environments dominated by archaeocyaths. Some were attached to archaeocyaths or less commonly other surfaces, and some grew downward, apparently from overhangs or cavities in reefs. Qualitative and quantitative data from a large number of specimens, most of which were serially thin sectioned, indicate that they represent a single, remarkably variable species. The skeletal structure ranges among specimens from entirely cerioid to partially to entirely labyrinthine with irregularly incomplete walls. There is also a wide range of variability in growth form among skeletons, in module size and wall thickness among and within skeletons, in module shape within skeletons, and in number and location of projections extending from the wall into some modules. Module increase occurred by peripheral expansion at the basal surface of the skeleton and longitudinal fission involving projections from the wall as module size increased during vertical growth. Walls of skeletons, now composed of calcite cement, were probably originally aragonite. Modular skeletons from the uppermost Mural Formation are assigned to Rosellatana jamesi Kobluk, 1984a, previously represented only by a few cerioid specimens from correlative strata in the Rosella Formation of north-central British Columbia. The skeletal structure and types of module increase in R. jamesi, and a few similar but less well-known Cambrian taxa from elsewhere in North America, suggest a general biologic affinity with hypercalcified sponges.

‘Positional goods’, a term coined by Fred Hirsch, is an important concept in economics, social sciences and philosophy; however, it is used in different ways. This paper recovers Hirsch’s concept of positional goods as scarce goods that are fixed or near-fixed in supply and argues for the usefulness of this concept. Hirsch’s concept may have explanatory power beyond the concept used by most economists – that of Robert Frank. Moreover, Hirsch’s concept is more explanatorily basic and useful than the concept used by most philosophers – that of Brighouse and Swift.

Thirty-five years have passed since the killing of the South African refugee Jerry Masslo in Villa Literno in 1989 to the death of the Indian labourer Satnam Singh in Latina in 2024, marked by exploitation, violence, and abuses in the Southern Italian countryside. Only a few journalistic reports have documented this situation, and the article aims to fill this historiographical gap with a timely investigation, calling for the start of an international debate on the inhuman working conditions of foreigners in the countryside of developed countries. The article highlights some variables that have remained steady over time: the absence of public policies to regularise agricultural labour, the widespread presence of informal settlements in the countryside with risks to the safety of farm labourers, the low wage levels that violate people’s dignity, the persistent illegality in recruiting labour through ‘caporalato’ (forced labour), deaths at work due to exploitation and climate change. These are elements of critical analysis that call for an in-depth reflection on how to improve the working conditions of labourers in the rural economy today. The contribution of foreigners, as emerges from the quantitative analysis in the article, is irreplaceable for the well-being of developed societies. This is why history has an essential ethical and civic mission in highlighting the conditions of severe exploitation in which they are forced to work.