This study investigated L2 learners’ interpretation of quantifier scope, focusing on the influence of individual differences, including L2 proficiency, working memory (WM) and inhibitory control (IC). A picture selection task using the covered-box paradigm (CBP) was conducted with 70 Chinese-speaking learners of English and a control group of 40 native English speakers. The results revealed that inverse scope (IS) posed particular challenges for L2 learners, leading to reduced, non-target-like access. We attribute this difficulty to factors such as negative L1 transfer, limited L2 input and increased processing demands associated with IS compared to surface scope (SS). More importantly, WM and IC significantly influenced L2 learners’ interpretation patterns, with their effects mediated by L2 proficiency. We also observed individual variation in scope interpretations among native speakers, particularly with negatively quantified (NQ) sentences. This variation provides valuable evidence of individual differences in native speakers’ grammatical knowledge and was partly driven by cognitive factors. Altogether, the findings contribute novel evidence for both domain-general and domain-specific mechanisms underlying quantifier scope interpretation in L2 learners as well as in native speakers.

This paper considers a stationary model of inventory management in a rich setting in which unsold units carry over, in contrast with the full depreciation of unsold units that is implemented in laboratory studies of the news vendor problem. The model permits an array of costs associated with restocking, understocking, depreciation, financing, and holding inventories. The extra dimensions make it possible to hold the optimal inventory constant, while adjusting parameters that change the frequency of stockouts and the risks associated with storage and depreciation. This framework facilitates an investigation of factors that influence the nature and severity of behavioral biases observed in simpler news vendor settings. Optimal inventory decisions are derived and tested with a laboratory experiment. We consider four main questions in the inventory literature: the “pull-to-center” effect, the “recency” effect, the effect of increased up-front costs, and the effect of risk aversion.

This study examined factors associated with stunting in children aged < 2 years in eastern Indonesia. Data were derived from three national cross-sectional surveys of Indonesia. The outcome variable was stunting (low length-for-age) in children aged < 2 years. Nineteen potential predictors from community- to individual-level characteristics were identified. Multilevel analyses were performed, adjusting for cluster sampling with random effects for cluster and strata. We used data from the 2010, 2013 and 2018 Indonesian Basic Health Research. Information from 6076 children aged < 2 years from Nusa Tenggara Barat, Nusa Tenggara Timur, Sulawesi, Maluku and Papua regions were used. We found that the proportion of stunted children aged < 2 years in eastern Indonesia decreased between 2010 and 2018. Significant predictors of stunting included living in West Nusa Tenggara (adjusted OR (aOR) = 1·09; 95 % CI 1·02, 1·16) and East Nusa Tenggara region (aOR = 1·36; 95 % CI 1·28, 1·45), belonging to a household with three or more children aged under 5 years (aOR = 1·32; 95 % CI 1·11, 1·56), being from a poor household (aOR = 1·17; 95 % CI 1·06, 1·30) and born to less educated mother (aOR = 1·26; 95 % CI 1·02, 1·56). Furthermore, stunting were more likely among males (aOR = 1·29, 95 % CI 1·19, 1·40), those aged 12–23 months (aOR = 2·01; 95 % CI 1·65, 2·45), with low birth weight (aOR = 1·91; 95 % CI 1·40, 2·60) and with gestational age < 37 weeks at birth (aOR = 1·14; 95 % CI 1·05, 1·24). Multiple factors contribute to stunting in eastern Indonesia, highlighting the need for comprehensive and targeted initiatives. Poverty reduction, healthcare system improvement, family planning and continued health promotion strategies are necessary to reduce stunting prevalence.

Callery pear (Pyrus calleryana Decne.) is a problematic woody invasive plant in eastern North America that invades old fields, forests, and disturbed sites. While management guidance typically suggests foliar, basal bark, cut stump, and hack-and-squirt applications of herbicides for P. calleryana, there is a dearth of studies focusing on the efficacy of specific treatments. We evaluated seven herbicide treatments for control of midstory P. calleryana. Cut stump and hack-and-squirt applications of glyphosate, imazapyr, and triclopyr and a soil application of hexazinone were repeated at six sites within Georgia, Kansas, and South Carolina, and all study trees were monitored for approximately 1 yr after herbicide application. Cut stump applications of glyphosate (478.73 g L-1), imazapyr (22.47 g L-1), and triclopyr (343.90 g L-1) provided the most consistent control with no resprouting and 100% mortality. Hack-and-squirt applications of glyphosate and triclopyr resulted in approximately 80% probability of mortality 1 yr after treatment, while hack-and-squirt application of imazapyr and soil application of hexazinone (287.58 g ai L-1) averaged only 20% and 25% probability of mortality, respectively. Our results demonstrate the efficacy of seven treatment options for P. calleryana control in three geographic locations with varied habitat types, and our data suggest that cut stump applications of glyphosate, imazapyr, or triclopyr or hack-and-squirt application of glyphosate or triclopyr may be useful for reducing populations of P. calleryana. that have grown past the sapling stage.

Scholarship has often examined the views of rural and working-class voters separately. In this article, I propose that we gain a broader understanding of the political potential of left-behind voters by comparing these voter groups. Drawing on three survey experiments, I investigate these voters’ views on deservingness and redistribution. The findings show that both rural and working-class voters are more likely to believe that cities and the people living there receive a disproportionate share of public resources. Furthermore, they favor rural people and working people equally as recipients of government resources. Both groups are supportive of redistribution, particularly along class lines. The article highlights a consensus among these voters, implying a potential for parties to mobilize these voter groups around a redistributive program that addresses place and class-based disparities.

Some philosophers and theologians argue that if God will save everyone, then earthly life is pointless. No matter how good earthly life is, heaven would be far better. So we would have been better off if God had started us off in heaven. I present and defend two objections to this argument. First, time on earth does not result in a deduction from time in heaven. Pick whatever amount of time you might wish to spend in heaven. You will spend that much time in heaven whether you are on earth first or not. Second, given origin essentialism, we could not start off in heaven rather than earth. Our very existence depends on our earthly origins.

This article discusses the potential influence of the existence of an underlying armed conflict in Gaza on the applicability and application of jus ad bellum. It rejects the Israeli ‘displacement’ approach whereby jus ad bellum does not play a role during an ongoing armed conflict as it finds no support in the sources of international law, in particular state practice. The article then provides possible explanations for the Israeli reliance on ‘displacement’ regardless of its shaky foundations: namely, the preference to provide overall justification for the operation, to avoid difficult political topics, and to allow Israel freedom of action in other arenas (such as Lebanon and Syria). Regardless of such findings, the article acknowledges that jus ad bellum faces challenges to its application during hostilities. It analyses the right of self-defence, as Israel has relied on such right to justify its use of force in Gaza, addressing relatively briefly jus ad bellum necessity while focusing on the various approaches to jus ad bellum proportionality, and the differences between such approaches when it comes to the legality of the use of force in self-defence in Gaza. Ultimately, the article argues that states must provide clear pronouncements on this issue to prevent the adoption of an overly permissive approach to the regulation of jus ad bellum during hostilities.

Processing sentences is modulated by the grammatical aspect of the predicate. Previous studies have indicated that the English progressive and Farsi imperfective are associated with a stronger mental activation of the components or circumstances of the situation, such as instruments or locations. This study deals with the processing of sentences in Russian, a language with a perfective vs. imperfective aspectual distinction. In a self-paced reading experiment with 48 respondents, sentences were presented with (mostly) atelic verbs in either imperfective or perfective aspects and locative adverbials that were typical or atypical for the situation. We expected atypical locatives to slow down reaction times and that this effect would be the strongest in imperfective contexts because of greater mental activation of the situation. Contrary to our expectations, the perfective aspect was associated with longer reaction times for atypical locative adverbials. We interpret this as an effect of the higher functional complexity of the Russian perfective, especially in the case of the perfectives of the (mostly) atelic verbs used in our experiment.

Trophy hunting (TH) is a form of wildlife use in which individuals pay to hunt under regulated conditions and retain selected body parts as trophies. Tanzania permits TH in areas with different land-use designations, covering diverse habitats. However, human activities such as settlement, agriculture and livestock grazing can threaten habitats and wildlife populations, particularly as revenue from TH declines. Using satellite data from between 2013 and 2023, we quantified changes in functional area and land cover across 15 hunting blocks in northern Tanzania. Over this period, functional area in hunting blocks decreased by c. 22.4% in Game Controlled Areas (GCAs) and by c. 18.0% in Open Areas (OAs), attributed to human encroachment. Longido North GCA experienced the most substantial land-cover change, with a 76% increase in dense vegetation. An analysis comparing the 2013–2019 and 2019–2023 data revealed consistent shrinkages in grassland and mixed and dense vegetation within the Longido North GCA, Masai OA and Irkishbor OA hunting blocks. Although individual land-cover losses in the given periods remained below 50% (our threshold for major habitat loss), these cumulative changes reduce habitat suitability, posing risks to biodiversity and the sustainability of TH. This study reveals the extent of human pressures on hunting blocks and calls for integrated regional planning, active management and targeted conservation strategies.

Evidence for parasites in the fossil record is rare. As such, any examples present insight into parasitism in deep time. Trilobites have often been used for documenting parasites in the Paleozoic. Here we examine an Illaenus sp. pygidium from the Middle Ordovician of Estonia that displays thirteen small structures with domical to crater-like shapes. These morphologies are consistent with circular depressions on the pygidium inner surface. We propose that these structures formed while the trilobite was alive and record an infestation located within soft tissue. The trace maker seems to have influenced pygidial mineralization and caused a pathological reaction. The symbiont may have been capable of bioerosion, excavating these depressions by dissolving the trilobite’s mineral tissues; however, this scenario is less likely considering comparisons with syndromes and pathologies known in modern arthropods. The parasitic organism may have fed on the trilobite’s tissues or utilized nutrients within the trilobite’s body for growth. These observations are consistent with a parasitic organism.

Neonatal growth assessment during the first 28 days of life is a critical determinant of infant health and survival. Anthropometric measurements provide a simple, inexpensive, and non-invasive means to evaluate neonatal size, nutritional status, and growth, as well as to predict long-term health outcomes. Alongside standard growth curves, methods for assessing neonatal body composition offer additional insights into fat and fat-free mass distribution, which are linked to later risks such as childhood obesity and metabolic complications. This review summarizes the commonly used anthropometric measures and advanced laboratory techniques for assessing neonatal growth and body composition, discusses their advantages and limitations, and highlights the importance of their combined use in clinical and research settings. Understanding these methods is essential for early identification of growth disturbances and for promoting optimal nutrition and health outcomes throughout the life course.

Consumers tend to perceive certain foods as more natural and in turn as more nutritious. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the nutritional quality, the degree of naturalness, and their association with animal-based and plant-based food products. A total of 1275 food products were collected by the Food Quality Observatory in Québec (Canada) between 2018 and 2022. These products were divided into five categories: sliced processed meats (n = 477), yogurts and dairy desserts (n = 344), sausages (n = 266), processed cheese products (n = 96) and plant-based alternatives (n = 92) within these four categories. The overall nutritional quality was evaluated using the Nutri-Score and the front-of-package (FOP) nutrition symbol recently implemented in Canada, while the degree of naturalness was measured using the Food Naturalness Index (FNI). Yogurts and dairy desserts as well as plant-based alternatives had lower Nutri-Score and thus, higher nutritional quality compared to other food categories. The FOP symbol for foods high in saturated fat or sodium was more common in sliced processed meats and sausages. FNI scores were higher in processed cheese products than in other categories, indicating a greater degree of naturalness. Correlations between nutritional quality and food naturalness varied depending on the food category and the nutrient profiling model, with Spearman coefficients being positive or negative and ranging from weak to moderate. This study supports the idea that food naturalness and nutritional quality offer complementary information depending on the food category. Further research in other food categories would help to better understand the associations between the two concepts.

We report the first observations in a rare family of class II methanol maser transitions in both CH$_3$OH and $^{13}$CH$_3$OH towards three southern high-mass star formation regions, along with the first maser detected in the $^{13}$CH$_3$OH line. The $8_2 \rightarrow 9_1 A^{-}$ methanol transition was observed in both CH$_3$OH and $^{13}$CH$_3$OH (at 28.9 GHz and 41.9 GHz, respectively) towards three sources; G358.93-0.03, NGC6334I, and G345.01+1.79, all of which are star formation regions with recent maser flaring events. We report the first maser detection of the 41.9 GHz line in $^{13}$CH$_3$OH towards G358.93-0.03 and the first confirmed maser detection of the 28.9 GHz line in CH$_3$OH towards NGC6334I. Additionally, we report a maser detection of the 28.9 GHz line in CH$_3$OH towards G358.93-0.03, meaning that with our detection of the 41.9 GHz line, this is the first isotopic detection of these lines towards G358.93-0.03. The newly detected maser transitions are associated with the primary millimetre continuum sources (MM1) in both G358.93-0.03 and NGC6334I, within the varying positional uncertainties.

Understanding the legacies of wartime violence is essential for explaining postwar dynamics and informing policy. I present a meta-analysis of 172 quantitative studies across more than 50 countries, assessing the effects of wartime violence on 22 outcomes spanning four broad areas: (a) civic and political engagement, prosociality, and trust; (b) attitudinal hardening toward wartime enemies; (c) identification with one’s own wartime-aligned group; and (d) generalized attitudinal hardening. The analysis reveals mixed effects on engagement, prosociality, and trust: while violence increases some forms of participation, it does not promote voting, trust, or altruism. In contrast, wartime violence consistently heightens hostility toward former adversaries and strengthens in-group identification and favoritism. However, I find little evidence of broader hardening toward actors not directly involved in the conflict. These results challenge optimistic claims that war fosters cohesion and underscore the need for interventions that reduce intergroup hostility, rebuild cross group-trust, and support reconciliation.

Let $G = X \wr H$ be the wreath product of a nontrivial finite group X with k conjugacy classes and a transitive permutation group H of degree n acting on the set of n direct factors of Xn. If H is semiprimitive, then $k(G) \leq k^n$ for every sufficiently large n or k. This result solves a case of the non-coprime k(GV) problem and provides an affirmative answer to a question of Garzoni and Gill for semiprimitive permutation groups. The proof does not require the classification of finite simple groups.