This article critically examines the concept of systemic risk as used in the EU Act in relation to General-Purpose AI Models (GPAIMs). It argues that rather than resolving uncertainty, the Act institutionalises it, transforming systemic risk into a flexible yet uncertain legal category. Drawing on legal theory and sociological perspectives – especially systems theory – this paper shows how systemic risk functions less as a concrete threshold for intervention and more as a proxy epistemic uncertainty surrounding GPAIMs. In the analysis, three interrelated consequences are identified: the institutionalisation of regulatory and scientific uncertainty, the delegation of key decisions about the content of systemic risk to private actors, and a regulatory blind spot created by the Act’s conceptual distinction between AI models and AI systems. These developments risk undermining the Act’s goal of legal certainty, exposing the paradox of AI governance: that in attempting to mitigate unknown future risks, the law may instead reproduce regulatory uncertainty.

This note critically examines the tendency of some international human rights treaty bodies to uncritically conflate sex tourism with human trafficking. Through analysis of concluding observations from the Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC), the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), and the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR), the note reveals a troubling pattern of equating these phenomena without adequate conceptual differentiation. While acknowledging that sex tourism can involve trafficking when the constitutive elements of the Palermo Protocol’s definition are satisfied – namely the act, means, and purpose requirements – this note argues that the wholesale characterization of sex tourism as trafficking is both conceptually inaccurate and potentially harmful. This conflation risks eliding the agency of individuals who make difficult but deliberate choices to participate in sex tourism, particularly women from the Global South.

While prior studies have consistently linked immigration attitudes with public support for the welfare state, it is not yet clear how individuals process immigrant-related information in their home contexts and combine that with their existing immigration attitudes to update their attitudes toward the welfare state. In this paper, we consider how context (i.e., immigrant welfare participation rates in individuals’ home states) works in tandem with immigration attitudes to shape Americans’ support for the welfare state. We merge state contextual data on the welfare consumption rates of immigrants with micro-level public opinion data from the Cumulative American National Election Survey (CANES) for the years from 2004 to 2016. Our results suggest that individuals’ immigration attitudes and the degree of immigrant welfare participation in their home contexts combine to influence Americans’ welfare spending attitudes. More specifically, among individuals with unfavorable immigration attitudes, higher levels of immigrant welfare participation in their state contexts lead to significantly lower levels of welfare support. Likewise, in states with high-immigrant welfare participation rates, negative immigration attitudes have a stronger negative effect on welfare support. These findings suggest that Americans’ support for the welfare state is not only determined by their existing immigration attitudes but also the reality of immigrant welfare usage in their home contexts.

Horseweed [Erigeron canadensis L.; syn.: Conyza canadensis (L.) Cronquist (2n = 18), family: Asteraceae] is known as one of the 10 most troublesome and most commonly occurring weeds in 12 categories of broadleaf crops, fruits, and vegetables and is present in 2,540 counties across the United States. Wide phenotypic plasticity coupled with highly adaptive traits and reported allelopathy might have resulted in its rapid spread and extensive presence across the United States, presumably by altering the composition of local plant community. This study for the first time revealed the allelopathic effect of E. canadensis leaf aqueous extract (10%) on seed germination and seedling growth of seven common weeds, namely, Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri S. Watson), smooth pigweed (Amaranthus hybridus L.), prickly sida (Sida spinosa L.), and pitted morningglory (Ipomoea lacunosa L.), which are native to North America, and non-native lambsquarters (Chenopodium album L.), curly dock (Rumex crispus L.), and barnyardgrass [Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) P. Beauv.]. Erigeron canadensis aqueous extract significantly (P < 0.05) reduced the seed germination and seedling growth of A. hybridus, A. palmeri, R. crispus, and S. spinosa, but showed nonsignificant impacts on I. lacunosa, C. album, and E. crus-galli. Based on synthetical allelopathic effects (SE < 0), the order of inhibition from highest to lowest was as follows: A. hybridus (−0.580), R. crispus (−0.464), A. palmeri (−0.409), S. spinosa (−0.248), C. album (−0.143), I. lacunosa (−0.035), and E. crus-galli (0.009). Liquid chromatography of the E. canadensis aqueous extract identified a total of 38 compounds with previously known allelopathy, including piperidine, choline, 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde, acetonecyanohydrin, gallic acid, 2-furoic acid, genistein, and gentisic acid. The current study, utilizing a petri dish bioassay, explains E. canadensis’s invasive potential and mechanisms for affecting the succession of commonly occurring native and non-native weed species in the southern United States. These results establish a solid foundation for understanding the mechanisms driving the successful invasion of E. canadensis in its native range and provide a valuable theoretical framework for early-warning systems assessing ecological risks.

W. E. B. Du Bois is credited with debunking the social Darwinism pervasive in turn-of-the-century social and political theory, exposing the environmental causes of black disadvantage and undercutting claims regarding “inborn” racial deficits. This, however, misses the constructive role that Darwinism played in his account of racial advancement. This article shows how Darwinism, eugenics, and race science shaped Du Bois’s conceptualizations of race and of racial uplift. Darwinism, I argue, informed his analysis of the harms that slavery and segregation visited on black Americans. It also influenced his defense of democratic equality: setting aside its other virtues, democracy would remove “artificial” constraints on the competitive struggle, enabling the best of white and black races to succeed. It was, then, eugenically advantageous. Against the common view that Du Bois rejected social Darwinism and eugenics, I demonstrate that their relationship was far more ambivalent and that his racial politics appealed to them.

Purple nutsedge is a competitive and persistent perennial weed in the agronomic and horticultural cropping systems of the southeastern United States. Its management is a challenge during the growing season due to its ability to propagate vegetatively through underground rhizomes and tubers. Therefore, effective herbicide programs are needed that can check the spread of purple nutsedge and protect crop yields. Greenhouse experiments were conducted in 2024 to evaluate the response of purple nutsedge at two different growth stages (10 to 15 cm and 15 to 20 cm heights) to herbicides currently labeled for use in Mississippi cropping systems. Herbicides tested were glyphosate at 1,260 g ai ha–1, glufosinate at 672 g ai ha–1, bentazon at 1,680 g ai ha–1, halosulfuron at 69.5 g ai ha–1, and trifloxysulfuron at 6.9 g ai ha–1. Glyphosate was the most effective herbicide against purple nutsedge, providing >90% control, followed by halosulfuron, which provided 70% to 90% control at both growth stages. New shoot emergence was highest when glufosinate and bentazon were applied, and no new shoots emerged when glyphosate and halosulfuron were applied. More new shoots were observed when glufosinate and bentazon were applied when plants were 15 to 20 cm high compared to 10 to 15 cm. Shoot regrowth at 21 d after cutting the aboveground shoots indicated similar trends. A reduction of >90% in shoot and root biomass was observed when glyphosate, halosulfuron, and trifloxysulfuron were applied, whereas glufosinate and bentazon applications resulted in 50% less biomass reduction. Overall, herbicide efficacy against purple nutsedge was greater when plants were treated at the recommended height of 10 to 15 cm rather than 15 to 20 cm. The study results indicated that both herbicide mode of action and application timing are important for better purple nutsedge management in cropping systems.

The European Union is a world leader in nanotechnology environmental, health and safety (EHS) risk regulation, and since its policy integration has been increasingly active in promoting international coordination and cooperation on nanotechnology risk governance. What affects its ability to influence nanotechnology risk regulation and governance internationally? This analysis focuses on the European Union (EU) level arguing that the EU’s scientific and regulatory capacities have significant explanatory power. Empirically, the article examines three cases of EU influence in key areas of international nanotechnology risk regulation and governance – nanosafety research for regulatory purpose, science diplomacy, and multilateral risk governance, following its integrated policy.

Redroot pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus L.) is among the most troublesome weeds in the Intermountain West affecting corn (Zea mays L.) production and contributing to significant yield losses, in addition to losses caused by water stress. Improvements in agricultural technology such as use of drought-tolerant (DT) corn hybrids has helped minimize the impact of water stress on corn yields. However, it is not known how the use of hybrids affects the interactions between weeds and corn. This work evaluated the competitive effects of A. retroflexus on DT and drought-susceptible (DS) corn hybrids exposed to optimal and reduced irrigation levels in a semi-controlled study. The semi-controlled environment was established in a rainout shelter with corn maintained at a density of 66,482 plants ha−1 and A. retroflexus varied at densities of 0, 33,241, and 66,482 plants ha−1 that were then provided either optimal or reduced irrigation (100% and 50%). We observed a 45% reduction in the shoot biomass of DS corn under reduced irrigation, while the shoot biomass of DT corn remained the same under both irrigation levels in Season 1. In Season 2, both hybrids experienced a decrease in shoot biomass under reduced irrigation. Amaranthus retroflexus exhibited an 80% increase in shoot biomass when growing with DS corn exposed to reduced irrigation, compared with its growth with DS corn exposed to optimal irrigation. Conversely, DT corn negatively impacted A. retroflexus shoot biomass under reduced irrigation, resulting in only a 9% difference between the reduced and optimally irrigated plots. These findings suggest that DT corn may mitigate water stress while also providing the additional benefit of improved competition against weeds, effectively suppressing their growth in water-stressed environments.

Ethnicity and race are vital for understanding representation, yet individual-level data are often unavailable. Recent methodological advances have allowed researchers to impute racial and ethnic classifications based on publicly available information, but predictions vary in their accuracy and can introduce statistical biases in downstream analyses. We provide an overview of common estimation methods, including Bayesian approaches and machine learning techniques that use names or images as inputs. We propose and test a hybrid approach that combines surname-based Bayesian estimation with the use of publicly available images in a convolutional neural network. We find that the proposed approach not only reduces statistical bias in downstream analyses but also improves accuracy in a sample of over 16,000 local elected officials. We conclude with a discussion of caveats and describe settings where the hybrid approach is especially suitable.

Widespread resistance to selective postemergence herbicides has led to increased use of preemergence herbicides to control rigid ryegrass (Lolium rigidum Gaudin), the major weed of southern Australian cropping systems. Seeds of L. rigidum are dormant at maturity, leading to staggered germination across the growing season and avoidance of pre-sowing knockdown herbicides by the later-germinating cohorts. Although it is well known that this selects for higher seed dormancy in intensively cropped areas, there is less information on whether dormant seeds respond differently to preemergence herbicides applied at sowing. To address this, seeds of field-collected L. rigidum populations were divided into dormant and nondormant (afterripened) subsamples and treated with sublethal rates of three preemergence herbicides in order to monitor seedling emergence and seed persistence over 6 mo. The presence of prosulfocarb and pyroxasulfone eliminated the nearly 4-fold increase in seedling emergence that typically results from afterripening, while trifluralin was partially inhibitory. In all treatments, the proportion of viable seeds remaining in the soil after 6 mo was negligible (≤3% of the viable seeds originally sown) for both the dormant and nondormant seeds. Application of radiolabeled herbicides to soil and seeds showed that the herbicides persisted in the seed tissue for longer than in the bulk soil. Therefore, the presence of dormant L. rigidum seeds in the soil seedbank is unlikely to result in cohorts that can avoid preemergence herbicides.

This article examines the theology of Katherine Parr, sixth and surviving wife of Henry VIII, through a close reading of her mature work, The Lamentation of a Sinner. In particular, I treat Parr’s theological use of the epistle to the Romans to inform and structure her doctrine of the work of Christ within The Lamentation. I argue that Parr follows the structure of Romans in her opening lament over sin, her central discussion of the cross of Christ, and her application of this theology to the Christian lives of the people of England’s church. I also posit Parr’s use of several overlapping motifs for Christ’s work within The Lamentation’s treatment of the atonement and its relationship to the Protestant understanding of justification by faith.

Breaches of international law have consequences. Under the Articles on the Responsibility of States for Internationally Wrongful Acts, the international responsibility of a state triggered by its internationally wrongful acts entails specific legal consequences, including the obligation to provide “full reparation” for the injury caused.1 However, obtaining reparations in the current international legal system often proves difficult. Existing international courts and tribunals often lack the jurisdiction to provide full reparations, especially when there are multiple and complex violations that caused injuries to numerous and diverse parties. International claims commissions can be effective instruments to provide reparations in such circumstances, including in post-conflict and other complex situations. Indeed, international claims commissions can fill the vacuum that exists between breaches and reparations due for serious violations. Their flexibility is a unique feature that can provide the missing procedural bridge between international law violations and reparation.

On January 20, 2025, President Donald Trump issued a presidential memorandum that mandated all federal employees return to in-person work full time. Implementation guidance from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) required rapid policy revisions. The order marks a sharp departure from prior federal telework policies, including longstanding efforts to expand flexible work as a tool for recruitment, retention, productivity, and inclusion. Contrary to claims that in-person work boosts efficiency, research shows remote work generally has no adverse impact on productivity and supports performance in both public and private sectors. The return-to-office mandate is likely to lead to turnover, particularly among highly skilled workers, creating risks of brain drain and diminished capacity to compete with the private sector for talent. It also threatens diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts by disproportionately burdening women, caregivers, individuals with disabilities, workers of color, and LGBTQ+ employees. These changes, alongside parallel executive actions undermining DEI programs, reflect a broader return to traditional, centralized models of work built on outdated “ideal worker” norms. These changes have the potential to negatively reshape federal employment for years to come.

On what basis may the International Criminal Court (“ICC”) exercise its jurisdiction over States that have withdrawn from the Rome Statute? Is it enough that the alleged crimes occurred before the State withdrew from the treaty? When acting proprio motu, does the Prosecutor have to seek authorization from a Pre-Trial Chamber before they are allowed to proceed with the criminal investigation post-State withdrawal? This issue has received only cursory attention from the ICC and the academic community but the lack of clarity around the Court’s post-withdrawal jurisdiction is a serious concern, and not only for States that have withdrawn their membership (such as the Philippines). It is important because, as things stand, and given what the Court has said so far, States parties cannot be sure of the parameters of the Court’s temporal jurisdiction, nor of the legal effects of a State’s withdrawal.