This study provides the first results on the population dynamics of Sphyraena sphyraena (Linnaeus, 1758) in the western Mediterranean. Otoliths and scales reading were used for its age and growth investigation in Eastern coast of Algeria. The monthly evolution in marginal increment data of scales and otoliths revealed that only one annulus is formed per year in February. Fish length and radii of the scales or otoliths were closely correlated. Both methods showed four age groups. ANOVA test (P < 0.05) revealed insignificant differences between both estimates of length at age results. Growth parameters estimated using length-at-age data from both methods confirming the age determination results. The total mortality (Z ), natural mortality (M ), and fishing mortality (F ) were estimated at 1.19 year−1, 0.826 year−1, and 0.363 year−1, respectively. The growth performance index (Ø ) was 2.57. The estimated exploitation ratio (E ) was 0.305. The length–weight relationship is EW = 0.0104 TL2.702, showed that the growth rates were negative allometric. The results revealed the compatibility of otoliths and scales reading for assessment studies of Sphyraena sphyraena .

An efficient novel mechanism of laser pulse focusing with the help of a shaped underdense plasma target immersed in an inhomogeneous magnetic field has been demonstrated. These studies have been carried out with the help of two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulation employing the OSIRIS 4.0 platform. It is shown that the divergent magnetic field profile compresses the electromagnetic wave pulse in the transverse direction. A comparative investigation with plane and lens-shaped plasma geometries has also been conducted to find an optimal configuration for focusing the laser at the desirable location. Furthermore, it is also demonstrated that, when the electron cyclotron resonance layer is placed at a suitable location where the laser is focused, a highly energetic electron beam is generated.

The Supreme Court of Canada mandates recognition of systemic factors that create barriers for Indigenous peoples’ access to equitable justice. Specifically, R. v. Gladue directs courts to consider the unique circumstances of Indigenous peoples when engaging in decision-making processes in all criminal courts. Drawing from interview data with Indigenous and non-Indigenous defence counsel in Ontario, this study assesses whether and how Gladue factors shape bail hearings. Our findings reveal that the application of Gladue principles exists along a continuum, ranging from mere “lip service”, to the tailoring of bail decisions based on meaningful recognition of systemic disadvantages. We also highlight the importance of lived experience and representation of Indigenous legal actors and the challenges they encounter working within a colonial system. We situate these findings within broader critiques of risk-based bail frameworks and settler colonial legal systems, concluding with policy recommendations and directions for future research.

Research on affective polarization has largely focused on partisanship as the source of political social identities. However, identities also form around ideological divisions such as liberal/conservative or left/right, particularly in contexts where ideological divisions are more permanent than parties. In this paper, we study ideological identities and how they influence interpersonal affect. In our survey (n = 2152), conducted in Germany, many individuals declare ideological identities, and these are of similar strength as partisan identities. We also run a conjoint survey experiment where respondents evaluate individuals with varying personal characteristics and, crucially, see varying amounts of information: only ideological affiliation, or also partisanship, policy stances, and/or political interest. We find that ideological affiliation matters for how respondents evaluate individuals, even when extensive additional information is present. However, ideology is slightly less relevant than partisanship, while policy stances are privileged over both. Our findings imply that we should broaden our lens in studying affective polarization to encompass political identities beyond partisanship.

Dual subtitles, combining captions (audio transcription) with subtitles translated into another language, are increasingly used in language learning. However, how they shape visual attention remains unclear. In the present experiments, we tracked the eye movements of Spanish–English bilinguals, as they viewed instructional videos with either no subtitles (Experiment 1) or dual subtitles (Experiment 2), manipulating subtitle position and audio language. Without subtitles, L1 audio focused gaze on the speaker’s eyes, while L2 audio distributed it between the eyes and mouth. With dual subtitles, gaze shifted strongly to the text, with a preference for the top line, which attracted more viewing time regardless of language. Viewers selectively attended to the line matching the audio. Comprehension improved for L2 audio with subtitles, while L1 comprehension was unaffected. Our findings demonstrate that display layout and language alignment jointly govern attentional allocation in bilingual viewing, with direct implications for L2 instructional design.

This study makes use of plasma-profile data from the EUROfusion pedestal database (Frassinetti et al. 2020 Nucl. Fusion vol. 61, p. 016001), focusing on the electron-temperature and electron-density profiles in the edge region of H-mode ELMy JET ITER-Like-Wall (ILW) pulses. We make systematic predictions of the electron-temperature pedestal, taking engineering parameters of the plasma pulses and the density profiles as inputs. We first present a machine-learning (ML) algorithm which, given more inputs than theory-based modelling, is able to reconstruct unseen temperature profiles within $20\,\%$ of the experimental values. We find a hierarchy of the most consequential engineering parameters for such predictions. This result confirms the conceptual possibility of accurate data-driven prediction. Next, taking a simple theoretical approach that assumes a definite local relationship between the electron-density ($R/L_{n_e}$) and electron-temperature ($R/L_{T_e}$) gradients, we find that a range of power-law scalings $R/L_{T_e}=A(R/L_{n_e})^\alpha$ with $\alpha\approx 0.4$ correctly capture the behaviour of the electron-temperature in the steep-gradient region. Fitting $A$ and $\alpha$ independently for each pedestal reveals a clear one-to-one correlation, suggesting an underlying constraint in pedestal physics. The measured $\eta_e = L_{n_e}/L_{T_e}$ values across the pedestal exhibit a wide distribution, significantly exceeding the slab-ETG linear stability threshold, implying either a non-linear threshold shift or a measurably supercritical saturated turbulent state. Finally, we fit parameters for scalings that relate the turbulent heat flux to the gradients $R/L_{T_e}$ and $R/L_{n_e}$, similarly to models extracted from gyrokinetic simulations. The inclusion of more experimental parameters is necessary for such models to match the accuracy of our ML results.

Telemedicine is increasingly playing a vital role in European health systems, offering great potential for improving healthcare access and outcomes. Funded between September 2022 and December 2024, the Joint Action ‘Strengthening eHealth including telemedicine and remote monitoring for health care systems for CANcer prevention and care’ (eCAN JA) provided evidence-base for person-centred implementation of telemedicine services among cancer patients in the European Union (EU). Through a mixed-method approach, this foresight study gathered insights from key decision-makers in 14 EU Member States and eight cancer patient associations via two surveys and a joint workshop, conducted within the Sustainability Work Package (WP4) of the eCAN JA. Our results show that EU Member States and cancer patients view telemedicine as a useful and complementary tool, however, not as a replacement for in-person services for cancer care. The policy recommendations from our study can be summarised as follows: (i) develop legal frameworks to complement in-person care with telemedicine; (ii) improve digital literacy and information technology infrastructure while ensuring privacy and health equity; and (iii) engage patients in the co-design of telemedicine services. Implementing these recommendations will enhance the integration of telemedicine into cancer care in Europe.

Urban forest planning, conservation, and governance often rely on data generated through positivist research paradigms, producing insights and decisions that are not easily accessible or meaningful to diverse publics. These gaps in understanding emerge across the spectrum of governance – from top-down institutional and political structures to grassroots, community-led practices of care. From a critical forest studies perspective, such tensions are not merely epistemic but also onto-political dilemmas, reflecting conflicting ways of being, knowing, and relating within multispecies urban landscapes. Adopting an EcoSocial work approach within an Indigenist Standpoint Pedagogical framework, this research explores how transdisciplinary, EcoSocial, and de/anti-colonial approaches can reframe urban forest governance as a process of co-creation rather than control. We draw on intersubjective and relational methodologies to surface alternative ways of learning, healing, and co-existing with urban forests. We consider the concept of becoming-intersectional in assemblage to describe the entangled relationships between humans and more-than-human beings, institutions and communities, science and art, settler-colonial systems and de/anti-colonial possibilities. Notions of individual and collective (shared) values in governance, settler colonialism, wilderness and the wild, decoloniality and care, healing, and ferality are considered in the context of our individual and collective belonging on this continent that is now known as Australia. This approach supports the development of collaborative approaches for diverse disciplines in environmental education. We reflect on the pedagogical potential of combining scientific datasets with arts-based storytelling to foster multispecies relationality and environmental education during times of climate, social, political, and economic upheaval. In doing so, this study contributes to an emerging practice of critical urban forest studies, one that foregrounds co-becoming, de/anti-colonial entanglements, and the transformative potential of cross-disciplinary collaboration in environmental education.

Fertiliser input in annual cropping systems can benefit crops and weeds. The effects of organic and inorganic fertilisers on weed species composition were evaluated across two agroecological zones in Eswatini: the Highveld and the Middleveld. Weed field surveys and weed seed bank studies were conducted over two cropping seasons, 2020/2021 and 2021/2022, in fields managed by smallholder farmers practising maize and cattle production. Fertiliser regimes were cattle manure only, cattle manure plus inorganic fertiliser, and inorganic fertiliser only, replicated six times in each region. The weed survey was conducted using three 25-m transects, and the weed seed bank was assessed at sampling depths of 0–10 and 10–20 cm. Results showed that cattle manure only and cattle manure plus inorganic fertiliser regimes had higher species richness and diversity than the inorganic fertiliser only regime. However, weed seed distribution did not differ between sampling depths or fertiliser regimes. Twelve weed species, including bermudagrass, crabgrass, and goosegrass, were key contributors to the differences in species composition between fertiliser regimes and agroecological zones, and were the most prevalent weeds in the seed bank. The study established that fertiliser type influences weed species composition and diversity. Proper cattle manure composting is essential to mitigate weed proliferation and enhance sustainable maize production. These findings demonstrate the need for integrated weed management and fertiliser strategies to improve crop yield and agricultural sustainability for smallholder farmers.

Depression among women living with HIV affects their psychological well-being, HIV disease management, and prevention of mother-to-child transmission. A subset of 25 women selected from the intervention arm of the Maternal Depression Treatment in HIV (M-DEPTH) cluster randomized trial were interviewed; they had received either antidepressant therapy (ADT) or problem-solving therapy (PST). Their experiences as new mothers with the effects of depression and treatment on HIV disease and pregnancy management were assessed in a brief qualitative interview conducted in 2022. Seven were treated with ADT, 15 with PST, and three received both treatment modalities; all but two (n=23) responded to depression treatment. Participants reported improved adherence to HIV antiretroviral therapy and described the treatment as being effective in alleviating depressive symptoms. Additionally, the process of treatment helped them to learn a lot about depression, mental health, and its connection to physical and emotional well-being. Participants also reported improvements in parenting and pregnancy management. The results highlight the need for greater prioritization of mental health care for women living with HIV to prevent poor mental health outcomes and enhance overall functioning, including management of HIV disease, pregnancy, and parenting.

Recent developments in spatial audio and immersive technologies have expanded creative possibilities for composers and sound artists. This article presents a novel prototype of a spherical microphone with an ellipsoid casing and ten motorised condenser capsules, each capable of real-time adjustment of orientation and polar pattern. Unlike fixed-pattern or conventional ambisonic arrays, this design enables dynamic control over spatial coverage and directivity, offering new opportunities for multichannel recording, live performance and interactive sound art. While software-based spatialisation offers some flexibility, physical reconfiguration of capsules provides superior responsiveness and avoids latency, phase artefacts or resolution loss. This is especially critical in performance contexts where immediate acoustic adaptation is required. The system allows direct manipulation of capsule parameters during rehearsal or installation, effectively transforming the microphone into a performative instrument. The article compares the prototype with existing commercial ambisonic microphones, highlighting its distinctive advantages in workflow and compositional strategy. Use-case scenarios demonstrate how real-time control over spatial parameters enhances both technical precision and artistic expressiveness. The article concludes with a discussion of future directions, including collaborative testing with practitioners and integration into creative environments where spatial transparency, fidelity and interactivity are essential.

Under the Generalised Riemann Hypothesis (GRH), any element in the multiplicative group of a number field K that is globally primitive (i.e., not a perfect power in $K^*$) is a primitive root modulo a set of primes of K of positive density.

For elliptic curves $E/K$ that are known to have infinitely many primes ${\mathfrak{p}}$ of cyclic reduction, possibly under GRH, a globally primitive point $P\in E(K)$ may fail to generate any of the point groups $E(k_{\mathfrak{p}})$. We describe this phenomenon in terms of an associated Galois representation $\rho_{E/K, P}\,:\,G_K\to\mathrm{GL}_3({\widehat {{\mathbf{Z}}}})$, and use it to construct non-trivial examples of global points on elliptic curves that are locally imprimitive.

This paper uses karlup bidi (pathway home) as a metaphor to show and explain the cultural landscape of a significant central Perth locality: Kaart Gennunginyup Bo, or Karrgatup, or Kaarta Koomba, also known as King’s Park. Drawing on oral histories, cultural narratives and contemporary reflections, the study uses Noongar understandings of Country, family, time and relationship to challenge and decolonise Western paradigms of land use and identity. The intent is to narrate Noongar Boodja (Country) as it was, remains and always will be – as Noongar heartland. Central to this paper is the trilogy of boodja, moort, kaartdijin (Country, family, knowledge), a framework for relating with Noongar boodja in caring, animate, thriving and responsive ways.

Scientific and technological revolutions, including the isolation of alkaloids and the invention of machines, allowed the mass production and long-distance distribution of drugs from the early nineteenth century onwards. At the same time, drugs were found to keep industrial work processes going, by cutting hunger and fatigue and other conditions associated with the industrial lifestyle, including chronic pains, coughs, asthma, and depression. The seven chapters of the issue show the neglected relationship between drugs and the industrial situation, by combining different spatial scales: by zooming in on factories and other enclosed spaces, such as slave ships, colonial hospitals, laboratories, as well as the suburbs and garden plots that made up the everyday lives of drug-using working classes; and by zooming out to transnational business connections, resource-providing agricultural areas, and licit and illicit trade routes across national borders and continents.

Courts and judicial institutions are often overlooked in armed conflict research. Before the rebel group is formed and initiates armed confrontation, states and their allies – directly and indirectly – mobilize the court to prosecute selected individuals to deter political opposition and establish state legitimacy. This article argues that the state can directly prosecute potential political challengers through criminal cases, deterring aspiring political leaders from organizing a rebellion at the local level. Similarly, the state can indirectly use its local collaborators to prosecute potential civilian supporters in court by filing civil cases, intensifying local discontent, and exacerbating underlying grievances against the state and its local collaborators. The state’s direct and indirect involvement in generating legitimacy affects the subnational risk of conflict onset differently. Analyses of original data for all 75 district-level courts in Nepal between 1991 and 2006 and the onset of the Maoist conflict show robust support for the arguments.