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AbstractThose of us on the 'fringes' of society find ourselves there because of crises that happen in our communities—housing crises, colonization, and many more crises that intersect to make up our human condition. What happens now on the 'fringes' of society directly connects to past and on-going legacies of oppression in systems of health because such systems marginalize folks as part of systemic strategic plans. It is important to trace and articulate these historical and on-going legacies of violence so that we can build something more useful. This manuscript weaves liberatory social theory throughout a collection of poems on class struggle and racial oppression for movement toward just futures. This collection of poems traverses disciplinary boundaries and uses poetry as a buffer against being burned down for people engaged in the work of liberation and justice with desire to confront legacies of colonialism and enslavement in our everyday practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Fire Ecology is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Introduction: Although pets provide several social-emotional benefits for children, the risk of zoonosis must be considered among immunocompromised individuals. Methods: A prospective study was conducted in a tertiary hospital including immunocompromised patients younger than 20 years owning dogs and/or cats. Colonization and/or infection was evaluated by stool studies, bacterial swabs, blood polymerase chain reaction and serological studies in both patients and their pets, to evaluate potential zoonotic transmission occurrence. Results: We included 74 patients and their 92 pets (63 dogs, 29 cats). Up to 44.6% of the patients and 31.5% of the pets had at least 1 positive result. Up to 18.4% of pets' fecal samples were positive (bacteria, parasites or hepatitis E virus). No helminths were observed despite the high frequency of incorrect intestinal deworming practices. Among children, gastrointestinal microorganisms were found in 37.3% (primarily Clostridium difficile). Colonization by Staphylococcus pseudintermedius was common among pets (8.0%) but not among children (0.0%). No shared colonization between owners and pets was observed, except in one case (Blastocystis in both patient and pet feces). Among patients, serologies were positive for Strongyloides stercoralis (14.8%), Toxocara canis (3.2%), Bartonella henselae (19.1%) and hepatitis E (5.6%). Serology was positive for Rickettsia spp. (22.6%) and Babesia spp. (6.5%) in dogs and for Leishmania spp. (14.3%) and Toxoplasma spp. (14.3%) in cats. Conclusion: Exposure to zoonotic agents was detected in both patients and pets; however, shared colonization events were almost nonexistent. In our cohort, dogs and cats do not appear to entail high zoonosis transmission risk for immunocompromised patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Pilgrimage of the Bible, which has been taking place for 35 years in São Felipe D'Oeste (RO), is a phenomenon of popular Catholicism, with geographic, political and cultural nuances. We sought to understand this fact by relating it to colonization and hierophanies, which meant "Holy Water" as a sacred space, of struggles and resistance for the conquest of the land. For research methodology, we resorted to ethnography procedures the oral history as a technique was used to systematize the narratives of the pilgrims, collaborators of the research. To understand the relationships between the rites, symbols and meanings of religion, we use the theoretical contributions of Durkheim (2008), how the forms of religious organization maintain social cohesion, Mircea (2010), the differentiation between sacred and profane space, Rosendahl (1999). and 2018) las manifestations of culture in sacred spaces and Santos Silva (2021), with the sacred manifesting itself through hierophany. Therefore, we consider that the pilgrimage, on the one hand, resulted from the struggle and organization of the small settlers. On the other hand, the action of the agents of the Catholic Church and the manifestations of the sacred were fundamental to legitimize religious practices. Currently, the rituals, symbols and meanings that have been promoted to the space of "Holy Water" and in the celebration of the Pilgrimage of the Bible keep the spirit of brotherhood and Christian faith alive in the memory of the pilgrims. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores a case study in the history of writing about violence and destruction by examining early seventeenth century English reports concerning colonization in the Algonquian territories of the Chesapeake Bay region. An analysis of archival and printed documents from the Virginia Company of London shows that moral insecurity plagued the company members as they tried to use natural law and Roman law to justify colonization. These documents also reveal that the actions of the Powhatans and other Algonquian nations shaped this atmosphere of insecurity, doubt, and ambiguity. This article argues that from the first Anglo-Powhatan meetings in 1607 to the dissolution of the company in 1624, the company approached colonial governance and its relations with Algonquian-speaking peoples in the context of Roman law and natural law based on the principles of conquest, commerce, and occupation. These three concepts both reinforced and caused profound uncertainty for English expansionism in Algonquian territories, contributing to a tradition of scepticism toward imperial violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The independent effects of extranasal-only carriage, carriage at multiple bodily sites, or the bacterial load of colonizing Staphylococcus aureus (SA) on the risk of developing SA surgical site infections and postoperative bloodstream infections (SA SSI/BSIs) are unclear. We aimed to quantify these effects in this large prospective cohort study. Methods Surgical patients aged 18 years or older were screened for SA carriage in the nose, throat, or perineum within 30 days before surgery. SA carriers and noncarriers were enrolled in a prospective cohort study in a 2:1 ratio. Weighted multivariable Cox proportional hazard models were used to assess the independent associations between different measures of SA carriage and occurrence of SA SSI/BSI within 90 days after surgery. Results We enrolled 5004 patients in the study cohort; 3369 (67.3%) were SA carriers. 100 SA SSI/BSI events occurred during follow-up, and 86 (86%) of these events occurred in SA carriers. The number of colonized bodily sites (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 3.5–8.5) and an increasing SA bacterial load in the nose (aHR, 1.8–3.4) were associated with increased SA SSI/BSI risk. However, extranasal-only carriage was not independently associated with SA SSI/BSI (aHR, 1.5; 95% CI, 0.9–2.5). Conclusions Nasal SA carriage was associated with an increased risk of SA SSI/BSI and accounted for the majority of SA infections. Higher bacterial load, as well as SA colonization at multiple bodily sites, further increased this risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coleopterans constitute the second largest order of insects of forensic importance, after the dipterans, which scavenger species are fundamental participants in the process of cadaveric decomposition in terrestrial ecosystems. This study aims to: (i) investigate whether coleopterans are indeed more attracted to the final stages of decomposition in the Cerrado, as observed in other biomes; (ii) identify which species colonize carcasses; and (iii) compile a list of forensically relevant beetles for the biome. We performed the experiments in two protected areas between June 2017 and January 2019, in months representative of the dry and rainy seasons. We conducted collections of beetles using 72 pig carcasses throughout all stages of decomposition. A total of 3,006 beetles were identified into 66 taxa from 12 families. Beetles were most abundant in the final stages of decomposition, particularly during the skeletonization stage, which accounted for approximately 45% of the collected individuals. Considering the most abundant families, Scarabaeidae showed no preference in attractiveness amongst the stages of decomposition, whilst Staphylinidae, Silphidae, Dermestidae, and Histeridae were more attracted by the two latter stages of the process. Two species, Dermestes maculatus (De Geer, 1774) and Oxelytrum discicolle (Brullé, 1840), were observed colonizing the carcasses. This work is pioneering for the Cerrado, uses a large number of carcasses and therefore contributes to a better understanding of ecological processes in the area by approaching the ecology of decomposition of carcasses and scavenger beetles. A list of the species in the region and their utility to forensic entomology is also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As policymakers attempt to cope with climate chaos, traditions of water injustice persist. Meanwhile, water problems and solutions in the U.S. arid region have long been discussed through the discourse of conservation. This essay traces water conservation discourse back to Theodore Roosevelt's 1901 First Annual Message to better understand its relationship to U.S. water colonizing ideologies in today's context. Attuned to colonization as practices of extraction and ideological articulation, I argue that Roosevelt articulated water policies in the name of the progressive "public interest" with a set of moral, legal, and infrastructural water logics. These logics link the value of progressive water management to specific capacities that expand white settler ecologies in arid regions. Roosevelt's early-twentieth-century articulations are palpable in contemporary calls for water conservation, suggesting major implications for presidential and environmental rhetoric as well as water policymaking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ectomycorrhizal fungi employ different strategies for mycelial growth and host colonization under varying nutrient conditions. However, key genes associated with mycorrhizal interaction should be influenced solely by the inoculation treatment and not by nutrient variations. To utilize subtle nutrient differences and rapidly screen for key genes related to the interaction between Suillus luteus and Pinus massoniana, we performed an inoculation experiment using culture bottles containing high- and low-nutrient media. Interestingly, S. luteus LS88 promoted the growth of P. massoniana seedlings without mature ectomycorrhiza, and the impact of LS88 inoculation on P. massoniana roots was greater than that of nutrient changes. In this study, the resequenced genome of the LS88 strain was utilized for transcriptome analysis of the strain. The analysis indicated that a unique gene encoding glutathione S-transferase (GST) in LS88 is likely involved in colonizing P. massoniana roots. In this study, the GST gene expression was independent of nutrient levels. It was probably induced by P. massoniana and could be used as a marker for S. luteus colonization degree. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Individuals colonizing new areas at expanding ranges encounter numerous and unpredictable stressors. Exposure to unfamiliar environments suggests that colonists would differ in stress levels from residents living in familiar conditions. Few empirical studies tested this hypothesis and produced mixed results, and the role of stress regulation in colonization remains unclear. Studies relating stress levels to colonization mainly use a geographical analysis comparing established colonist populations with source populations. We used faecal glucocorticoid metabolites (FGMs) to assess both spatial and temporal dynamics of stress levels in an expanding population of midday gerbils (Meriones meridianus). We demonstrated that adult males and females had higher FGM levels in newly emerged colonies, compared with the source population, but differed in the pattern of FGM dynamics post-foundation. In males, FGM levels sharply decreased in the second year after colony establishment. In females, FGM levels did not change with time and remained high despite the decreasing environmental unpredictability, exhibiting among-individual variation. Increased stress levels of colonist males damping with time post-colonization suggest they are flexible in responding to immediate changes in environmental uncertainty. On the contrary, high and stable over generations stress levels uncoupled from the changes in the environmental uncertainty in female colonists imply that they carry a relatively constant phenotype associated with the reactive coping strategy favouring colonization. We link sex differences in consistency and plasticity in stress regulation during colonization to the sex-specific life-history strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: The consumption of contaminated poultry meat is considered as a significant route of campylobacteriosis transmission. Lactic acid is a disinfectant agent with bactericidal effects on Campylobacter spp. The purpose of this study was to assess the low concentrations of lactic acid effect and different temperatures on the transcriptomic responses of Campylobacter jejuni (C. jejuni) adhesion and virulence-associated genes including peb4, ciaB, cdtA, cdtB, and cdtC. Materials and Methods: The samples were incubated at 10°C and 22°C for 48 h upon exposure to 30% and 60% lactic acid. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of lactic acid was also determined. Then, gene expression was assessed using real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Results: Lactic acid had lower MIC and MBC levels at lower temperature. The utilization of both levels of lactic acid significantly reduced the expression of peb4, ciaB, cdtB, and cdtC genes over 48 h of incubation at 22°C. However, no significant difference was found in the expression of the cdtA gene between 10 and 22°C at 30% lactic acid. Conclusion: These results highlight the potential of low-concentration lactic acid in the downregulation of adhesion and virulence-associated genes as well as reduction of C. jejuni pathogenicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exploring new approaches and methodologies to characterize species distribution dynamics, instead of solely relying on static spatial patterns, should be a priority for species distribution modelling research. Dynamic occupancy models (here, 'dynocc models') are a promising tool to capture temporal patterns of distribution change but their spatial accuracy has been shown to be limited. In this study, we evaluated the effectiveness of incorporating neighborhood connectivity effects into the colonization and extinction functions of dynocc models. To accomplish this, we compared dynocc models accounting either for neighborhood connectivity only, for site‐level habitat covariates only, or combining both neighborhood and habitat explanations in the models for species extinction and colonization. All models were evaluated for a total of 46 bird species typical of forests and shrublands using data at 1 km2 scale from two Catalan breeding bird atlases (CBBA2: 1999–2002 and CBBA3: 2015–2018). Models' predictive performance varied across species between dynocc models incorporating habitat covariates alone and those considering neighborhood connectivity alone. Among species, 68% exhibited a predominant response to habitat effects, 24% showed similar responses for habitat and connectivity effects, and 9% were mostly associated with connectivity effects. Dynocc models combining connectivity and habitat covariates achieved the best predictive performance for most species, with bigger gains for species with similar results from habitat‐only and connectivity‐only models. However, relative performance gains compared to dynocc models using only habitat or connectivity variables were generally modest for most species. This study shows the benefits of considering more spatially explicit formulations in dynocc models, specifically incorporating neighborhood connectivity into the extinction and colonization processes. Our work also highlights the importance of evaluating different model formulations and assessing which aspects of the model are more important depending on the study species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Terrestrial invertebrates are highly important for the decomposition of dung from large mammals. Mammal dung has been present in many of Earth's ecosystems for millions of years, enabling the evolution of a broad diversity of dung‐associated invertebrates that process various components of the dung. Today, large herbivorous mammals are increasingly introduced to ecosystems with the aim of restoring the ecological functions formerly provided by their extinct counterparts. However, we still know little about the ecosystem functions and nutrient flows in these rewilded ecosystems, including the dynamics of dung decomposition. In fact, the succession of insect communities in dung is an area of limited research attention also outside a rewilding context.In this study, we use environmental DNA metabarcoding of dung from rewilded Galloway cattle in an experimental set‐up to investigate invertebrate communities and functional dynamics over a time span of 53 days, starting from the time of deposition.We find a strong signal of successional change in community composition, including for the species that are directly dependent on dung as a resource. While several of these species were detected consistently across the sampling period, others appeared confined to either early or late successional stages. We believe that this is indicative of evolutionary adaptation to a highly dynamic resource, with species showing niche partitioning on a temporal scale. However, our results show consistently high species diversity within the functional groups that are directly dependent on dung.Our findings of such redundancy suggest functional stability of the dung‐associated invertebrate community, with several species ready to fill vacant niches if other species disappear. Importantly, this might also buffer the ecosystem functions related to dung decomposition against environmental change. Interestingly, alpha diversity peaked after approximately 20–25 days in both meadow and pasture habitats, and did not decrease substantially during the experimental period, probably due to preservation of eDNA in the dung after the disappearance of visiting invertebrates, and from detection of tissue remains and cryptic life stages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hospital water environment is an important reservoir of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) and presents a risk for patient safety. We assessed the effectiveness of thermal and chemical interventions on sinks contaminated with MDRO in the hospital setting. We conducted a cross-sectional assessment of MDRO contamination of sinks and toilets in 26 clinical wards of a tertiary care hospital. MDRO-contaminated sink traps were then replaced and randomized (1:1:1) to receive chemical (sodium hypochlorite), thermal disinfection (steam), or no intervention. Interventions were repeated weekly for 4 weeks. Sinks were resampled 7 days after the last intervention. The primary outcome was the proportion of decontaminated sinks. MDROs of interest were extended spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) producing and carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales, and non-fermentative Gram-negative bacilli. In the cross-sectional assessment, at least one MDRO was identified in 258 (36%) of the 748 samples and in 91 (47%) of the 192 water sources. In total, 57 (42%) of the 137 sinks and 34 (62%) of the 55 toilets were contaminated with 137 different MDROs. The most common MDRO were ESBL Enterobacterales (69%, 95/137), followed by Verona Integron-Borne Metallo-β-Lactamase (VIM) carbapenemase producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa (9%, 12/137) and Citrobacter spp. (6%, 5/137). In the nested randomized trial, five of the 16 sinks (31%) in the chemical disinfection group were decontaminated, compared with 8 of 18 (44%) in the control group (OR 0.58; 95% CI, 0.14–2.32) and 9 of 17 (53%) in the thermal disinfection group (OR 1.40; 95% CI, 0.37–5.32). Our study failed to demonstrate an added benefit of repeated chemical or thermal disinfection, beyond changing sink traps, in the MDRO decontamination of sinks. Routine chlorine-based disinfection of sinks may need to be reconsidered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As English forces struggled to bring Ireland under Crown control during the early modern period, all aspects of Irish culture and identity were seen as potentially subversive. Irish culture posed a threat to both the regime, and to the very identity and sanctity of English bodies in a foreign and hostile land. This paper will examine the role that food played in the political discourse of sixteenth and seventeenth-century Ireland. It will investigate how aspects of food, from infant feeding, to diet, dairying and cookery became a cause of concern for English colonial commentators. It will show how descriptions of foodways were used to cast the Irish as "savages," but importantly, how they were also used to illustrate the "degeneration" of the Old English. Through the discussion of food commentators warned newcomers not to follow the fate of their predecessors; their bodies were not impenetrable, and through culinary contact, they too could be "undone." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this article is to reflect on the connections between early modern Spanish empire building and expansionism by Christian principalities during the medieval period. The core argument, which is, by necessity, reductionist owing to the brevity of this article, is that while late medieval / early modern attitudes about conquest and world domination drew heavily on the history, models, and practices of earlier centuries, the ideology of empire that emerged from the later fifteenth century was distinct in two primary, interrelated respects. First, the increased political fragmentation within Christian-ruled lands intensified the more localized, inward-looking dynamic of the territorial struggles against Muslim regimes that contrasted with the more global outlook of later medieval and early modern Christian imperialism. Second, the distinct ideologies of these sometimes coordinated but often competitive earlier expansionist efforts were founded upon different justificatory conceptions of sacred and secular history that, again, were, in essence, much more peninsular in their orientation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Albatrosses are renowned for their high philopatry, which has been proposed as a major barrier to their dispersal and hybridization with other albatross species. Except for shy-type albatross species from New Zealand, examples of colonization of new breeding sites and interbreeding with closely related species are rare. During the austral summer of 2022, while conducting land-based monitoring of resident Black-browed (Thalassarche melanophris) and Grey-headed (T. chrysostoma) albatross populations on the Diego Ramírez Islands, Chile (56 S), we documented the first (and southernmost) breeding record of a nesting pair of White-capped Albatross (T. steadi), a species endemic to the Auckland Islands, New Zealand (~ 7000 km away). The species identity was confirmed through molecular analysis. This discovery underscores the importance of Diego Ramírez and its surrounding waters as a hotspot for global albatross conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to investigate whether some of the Eurocentric and colonialist contents of Hegel's thought are open to criticism with elements of his own philosophy. First, I intend to show that some of these contents can be organized around the connection between 'spirit' and 'progress'. I then construct an interpretation of Hegel's notion of spirit, based upon which I discuss its possibly pro-colonialist tendencies, arguing that disconnected from the philosophy of history it establishes a connection of autonomy and critique crucial even for anti-colonialist thought. Furthermore, following Adorno's criticism of Hegel, I investigate the possibility of finding in the 'progress in the consciousness of freedom' an experiential dimension capable of capturing its regressive moments. This analysis then leads to a discussion of colonization in the reconstruction of capitalist society presented in the Philosophy of Right , which reveals an important discrepancy, so I argue, concerning the Eurocentrism of the Philosophy of History. Finally, I propose a comparison of Hegel's discussion of colonization with Marx's theory of 'primitive accumulation', and evaluate thereby the pertinence of Hegel's connection between imperialism and the critique of capitalism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patients with carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract are at risk for subsequent infections and transmission, necessitating contact precautions. Neomycin has shown in vitro activity against CRE in 66–85% of isolates. This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of neomycin for CRE decolonization. Methods: In this open-label randomized controlled trial, stool/rectal swab samples from high-risk patients were collected and tested for CRE colonization in the GI tract. Patients who had CRE and met eligible criteria were divided into a neomycin group (n = 26; treated with 4.2 g/day neomycin for 5 days) and a control group (n = 26). CRE detection in stool/rectal swabs was performed on days 7 ± 2 and 14 ± 2. Results: The two groups' baseline characteristics were similar. CRE presence on day 7 ± 2 was significantly lower in the neomycin group (46.2%) than in the control group (80.8%, p = 0.01). Efficacy of neomycin (4.2 g/day for 5 days) for CRE decolonization was 42.8–53.8% by day 7. By day 14 ± 2, the CRE rate in the neomycin group had risen to align with the control group's rate (73.1% vs. 61.5%, p = 0.56). The neomycin group experienced mild, temporary, gastrointestinal side-effects. Conclusions: Neomycin effectively reduced CRE colonization on day 7 ± 2, but its impact waned by day 14 ± 2. This suggests that neomycin dosage was too low and the duration of treatment was too short for lasting CRE decolonization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The asymptomatic gastrointestinal colonization of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria can lead to difficult-to-treat infections. We investigated the role of host factors influencing colonization in an orogastrical murine infection model using a CTX-M-15- and OXA-162-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae ST15 (MDR-KP) strain, as well as Escherichia coli J53 (EC) and E. coli transconjugants with an IncFII(K) plasmid carrying CTX-M-15 (EC-CTXM), and with an IncL plasmid carrying OXA-162 (EC-OXA) genes. The fecal bacterial count in colony-forming unit/gram stool (CFU/g) was determined by cultivation, IgA and defensin levels by ELISA, and gut microbiota by 16S rRNA analysis. The CFU was the lowest in EC, followed by EC-OXA and EC-CTXM, and the highest in the MDR-KP group. The IgA level in feces increased in MDR-KP, EC-CTXM, and EC-OXA, and did not change in EC. The beta-defensin 3 level markedly increased in all groups, with the highest values in MDR-KP and EC-CTXM. Alpha-defensin-5 increased in all groups especially in EC. In microbiota, the Bacteroidota phylum was dominant in MDR-KP, EC-CTXM, and EC-OXA, whereas Proteobacteria was dominant in EC. The Muribaculaceae family was significantly more common in the MDR-KP and EC-OXA groups, while the Lachnospiraceae family was dominant in the EC group. While fecal IgA levels positively correlated with colonizing bacterial CFU, the alpha-defensin 5 levels inversely correlated with CFUs and IgA levels. The presence of the IncFII(K) plasmid induced beta-defensin 3 production. The amounts of the Muribaculaceae family members exhibited a correlation with the IncL plasmid. The detected amounts of the Lachnospiraceae family indicated the protective role against the high-risk clone and the resistance plasmids' dissemination. Our results suggest that not only the MDR-KP clone itself but also the resistance plasmids play a primary role in the colonization rate in the gastrointestinal tract. Both the MDR-KP clone as well as the IncFII(K) and IncL resistance plasmids provide survival and colonization benefits in the gut. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clostridioides difficile is the main causative agent of antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD) in hospitals in the developed world. Both infected patients and asymptomatic colonized individuals represent important transmission sources of C. difficile. C. difficile infection (CDI) shows a large range of symptoms, from mild diarrhea to severe manifestations such as pseudomembranous colitis. Epidemiological changes in CDIs have been observed in the last two decades, with the emergence of highly virulent types and more numerous and severe CDI cases in the community. C. difficile interacts with the gut microbiota throughout its entire life cycle, and the C. difficile's role as colonizer or invader largely depends on alterations in the gut microbiota, which C. difficile itself can promote and maintain. The restoration of the gut microbiota to a healthy state is considered potentially effective for the prevention and treatment of CDI. Besides a fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), many other approaches to re-establishing intestinal eubiosis are currently under investigation. This review aims to explore current data on C. difficile and gut microbiota changes in colonized individuals and infected patients with a consideration of the recent emergence of highly virulent C. difficile types, with an overview of the microbial interventions used to restore the human gut microbiota. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monumental rock-cut tombs decorated with wall paintings or reliefs were rare in New Kingdom colonial Nubia. Exceptions include the 18th Dynasty tombs of Djehutyhotep (Debeira) and Hekanefer (Miam), and the 20th Dynasty tomb of Pennut (Aniba). The three tombs present typical Egyptian artistic representations and inscriptions, which include tomb owners and their families, but also those living under their direct control. This paper compares the artistic and architectural features of these decorated, monumental rock-cut tombs in light of the archaeological record of the regions in which they were located in order to contextualize art within its social setting in colonized Nubia. More than expressing cultural and religious affiliations in the colony, art seems to have been essentially used as a tool to enforce hierarchization and power, and to define the borders of the uppermost elite social spaces in New Kingdom colonial Nubia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Chinese Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics is the property of Xiangya Medical Periodical Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Freshwater species face numerous threats across the globe, including urbanization. Within cities in regions with drier climates, dewatering and channelization of rivers commonly occur and reduce or eliminate freshwater biodiversity. The discharge of effluent (treated wastewater) has been used to restore flow in some of these rivers, but our knowledge is negligible about how ecological communities develop and change in these unique but increasingly common ecosystems. In this study, we quantified aquatic macroinvertebrate community development in the Santa Cruz River (Arizona, U.S.A.), where effluent‐restored flow more than 100 years after the river dried up. We tracked community development over a 2‐year period in reaches where flow had been restored and compared those findings with data from a reference reach. Our study period also encompassed a massive disturbance where effluent releases temporarily ceased and sediment was dredged from the channel, allowing us to quantify the impacts of urban channel maintenance activities on recovering communities. Macroinvertebrate colonization was rapid following the initial flow restoration and channel dredging, with density and species richness values reaching or exceeding those of the reference reach within a few months, but community composition remained quite distinct after 2 years. Flow duration and the number of dry days in the month prior to sampling were the most influential factors in macroinvertebrate metrics. Simply adding effluent to dewatered urban rivers has the potential to restore diverse aquatic fauna, but targeted reintroductions may be needed for sensitive or dispersal‐limited taxa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Roma in Europe are suffering from manifold injustices and are subject to serious discrimination; carried out both interpersonally as well as institutionally. As with most forms of oppression, the oppression of Roma has a long history in Europe. This paper shows how a genealogy of the oppression of Roma in Europe provides a more adequate understanding of the oppression that Roma face within Europe nowadays. Furthermore, the paper delineates the particular epistemic features of said oppression with the help of some examples and argues that it takes three forms: epistemic segregation, dominant intelligibility frameworks of white supremacy, and dismissal of ‘the right to be known’. The paper then uses the epistemic dimension of the ongoing oppression to argue that Roma can be accurately described as (a) internally colonized subjects and (b) as suffering from internal colonization – in the midst of Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The establishment of Listeria (L.) monocytogenes within food processing environments constitutes a significant public health concern. This versatile bacterium demonstrates an exceptional capacity to endure challenging environmental conditions in the food processing environment, where contamination of food products regularly occurs. The diverse repertoire of stress resistance genes, the potential to colonize biofilms, and the support of a co-existing microbiota have been proposed as root causes for the survival of L. monocytogenes in food processing environments. In this study, 71 sites were sampled after cleaning and disinfection in a European frozen vegetable processing facility, where L. monocytogenes in-house clones persisted for years. L. monocytogenes and L. innocua were detected by a culture-dependent method at 14 sampling sites, primarily on conveyor belts and associated parts. The presence of biofilms, as determined by the quantification of bacterial load and the analysis of extracellular matrix components (carbohydrates, proteins, extracellular DNA) was confirmed at nine sites (12.7%). In two cases, L. innocua was detected in a biofilm. Furthermore, we explored the resident microbial community in the processing environment and on biofilm-positive sites, as well as the co-occurrence of bacterial taxa with Listeria by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter, and Exiguobacterium dominated the microbial community of the processing environment. Using differential abundance analysis, amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) assigned to Enterobacterales (Enterobacter, Serratia, unclassified Enterobacteriaceae) and Carnobacterium were found to be significantly higher abundant in Listeria-positive samples. Several Pseudomonas ASVs were less abundant in Listeria-positive compared to Listeria-negative samples. Acinetobacter, Pseudomonas, Janthinobacterium, Brevundimonas, and Exiguobacterium were key players in the microbial community in biofilms, and Exiguobacterium and Janthinobacterium were more relatively abundant in biofilms. Further, the microbial composition varied between the different areas and the surface materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The debate on the concept of gender in postcolonial studies is extremely complex and involves a variety of theoretical and practical perspectives. Postcolonial studies has shown the connection between gender identity, colonial power, and decolonisation processes. This paper will explore the social construction of gender in colonial contexts, the way in which colonial practises have influenced gender dynamics, and the struggles for resistance and freedom in which women and gender-nonconforming people have engaged in postcolonial countries. The issue will be raised of how gender is interpreted and experienced in different cultures and social contexts. Furthermore, the analysis of colonisation and decolonisation processes will provide a starting point to understand how gender hierarchies have been built and criticised in postcolonial contexts, leading to the development of the most recent ecofeminist and decolonial perspectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dispersal success is crucial for the survival of species in metacommunities. Zooplankton species engage in dispersal through time (i.e., egg bank) and space (i.e., vectors) by means of resting eggs. However, dispersal to patches does not equate to successful colonization, as there is a clear distinction between dispersal rates and successful colonization. We performed a field mesocosm experiment assessing dispersal and colonization success of zooplankton from resting eggs or transport via directional wind/airborne and biotic vectors in the vicinity of three ponds. By using active vs. sterile pond sediments and mesh-covered vs. open mesocosms, we disentangled the two mechanisms of dispersal, i.e., from the egg bank vs. space. We found that for both rotifers and cladocerans, sediment type, mesh cover and duration of the experiment influenced species richness and species composition. The relative contribution of resting stages to dispersal and colonization success was substantial for both rotifers and cladocerans. However, wind/airborne dispersal was relatively weak for cladocerans when compared to rotifers, whereas biotic vectors contributed to dispersal success especially for cladocerans. Our study demonstrates that dispersal and colonization success of zooplankton species strongly depends on the dispersal mode and that different dispersal vectors can generate distinct community composition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colonialism provides the critical backdrop for the emergence of postcolonialism as a literary and theoretical discourse. Postcolonialism, shaped by the political and social ideologies of colonial and imperial domination, has become a powerful framework for understanding the impact of colonization and decolonization. Since the 1980s, many authors, playwrights, and poets have been recognized as postcolonial writers, producing works that interrogate the oppressive structures of imperialism and colonial expansion. Postcolonial literature, which largely emerged in the post-World War II period, reflects the decolonization struggles of various regions, including the Indian subcontinent, Nigeria, South Africa, and the Caribbean. Amitav Ghosh, one of the most prominent figures in postcolonial literature, critically examines the lingering effects of colonialism in his works. His novel The Hungry Tide (2004) engages with the historical, cultural, and ethical complexities of the Sundarbans region, challenging rigid boundaries between cultures, nations, and individual identities. Through the lens of new historicism, Ghosh portrays literary activity as the creation of imaginative representations of reality, reflecting on the intersections of history, environment, and human identity. His work transcends colonial and postcolonial periods, exploring issues of cross-cultural encounters, identity formation, and the legacy of colonialism. It offers a nuanced exploration of these themes, positioning Ghosh's work as a significant contribution to Indian writing in English and the broader field of postcolonial studies. By weaving together historical fiction with reflections on climate change and human displacement, Ghosh invites readers to reconsider the narratives surrounding imperialism, neocolonialism, and the ongoing challenges of postcolonial societies. The present paper aims to analyze how The Hungry Tide critiques the legacies of colonialism and neocolonialism through the lens of postcolonial theory. It also attempts to explore Amitav Ghosh's portrayal of cultural hybridity, environmental concerns, and cross-cultural encounters in both colonial and postcolonial contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Background Methods Conclusions and Significance Epistemic violence is enacted in medical curricula in mundane ways all the time, negatively impacting learners, teachers and patients. In this article, we address three forms of such violence: White supremacy, indigenous erasure and heteronormativity.In this article, we examine the knowledge systems of medicine as a global phenomenon, impacted by Western and European ideologies of race and colonisation, both produced by them, helping to reproduce them through authoritative and hegemonic ideologies. We seek not only to problematise but also to propose alternative teaching approaches rooted in the Global South and in Indigenous ways of knowing. Taking inspiration from Paulo Freire, we advocate for the development of critical consciousness through the integration of critical pedagogies of love, emancipation and shared humanity. Drawing on Irihapeti Ramsden, we advocate for cultural safety, which emphasises power relations and historical trauma in the clinical encounter and calls for a rights‐based approach in medical education. Deliberately holding space for our own vulnerabilities and that of our students requires what Megan Boler calls a pedagogy of discomfort.Our perspectives converge on the importance of critical consciousness development for culturally safe practice in medical education, acknowledging the need to emphasise a curriculum of shared humanity, introducing the concept of Ubuntu from Southern Africa. Ubuntu can be encapsulated in the phrase ‘I am because we are’, and it promotes a collective approach to medical education in which there is active solidarity between the profession and the diverse populations which it serves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The rapid spread of plasmid-mediated tet(X4) conferring high tigecycline resistance poses a significant threat to public health. Escherichia coli as the most common pathogen which carries tet(X4) has been widely disseminated in China. Thus, comprehensive investigations are required to understand the mechanism of transmission of tet(X4)-positive E. coli. Methods: In this study, a total of 775 nonduplicate samples were collected in Guangdong, China from 2019 to 2020. We screened for tet(X4)-positive E. coli by PCR amplification and species identification. Furthermore, we analyzed the phylogenetics and genetic context of tet(X4)-positive E. coli through wholegenome sequencing and long-reads sequencing. Results: Overall, 146 (18.84%) tet(X4)-positive E. coli were isolated, comprising 2 isolates from humans and 144 isolates from pigs. The majority of tet(X4)-positive E. coli exhibited resistance to multiple antibiotics but all of them were susceptible to amikacin and colistin. Phylogenetic analysis showed that ST877, ST871, and ST195 emerged as the predominant sequence types in tet(X4)-positive E. coli. Further analysis revealed various genetic environments associated with the horizontal transfer of tet(X4). Notably, a 100-kbp large fragment insertion was discovered downstream of tet(X4), containing a replicon and a 40-kbp gene cluster for the bacterial type IV secretion system. Discussion: The high colonization rate of tet(X4)-positive E. coli in animals suggests that colonization as a key factor in its dissemination to humans. Diverse genetic context may contribute to the transfer of tet(X4). Our findings underline the urgent need for controlling the spread of plasmid-mediated tigecycline resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the photograph "The Belles of San Luis Rey" and its significance in Deborah Miranda's "Bad Indians: A Tribal Memoir." Topics include the dehumanizing representation of California Indians through the lens of colonization, the role of storytelling in preserving Native history, and the ways in which Miranda challenges the myth of Indigenous disappearance by offering a Luiseño-centered perspective on the lives of these women.

Redd construction by spawning salmon disturbs patches of unconsolidated benthic substrate; their cumulative impact can decimate the benthos. Juvenile salmon residing in the water column and incubating eggs buried in the streambed, may be eliminated by floods. Based on summertime surveys, these contrasting impacts were used to build knowledge of the dynamics of disturbance-recovery and long-term succession in Wolf Point Creek, Glacier Bay (WPC). Pink salmon (Onchorynchus gorbuscha) first colonized WPC in 1989, with populations gradually increasing to 15,000 fish in 2005. Although redd disturbance decimated benthic macroinvertebrates, recovery was rapid (<1 year) and demonstrated remarkable assemblage fidelity. In contrast, the impact of a November flood appeared less extreme, yet changes in community structure endured for several years. Wash-out of eggs reduced the salmon count to 500 individuals in 2007, however, populations recovered within a generation. Exacerbated by prior redd disturbance (presenting a streambed of loosely packed substrate) this unexpectedly destructive flood transformed the habitat template at the sampling site to recast macroinvertebrate succession. An alteration in source-sink dynamics contributed to species turnover. Meanwhile, at the catchment-scale, the rebound of salmon populations indicated benthic conditions remained largely unchanged. Combined with the long-term study, these data portray succession as a spatio-temporal process of ecological differentiation where intrinsic and extrinsic community disturbance promotes development of an expanding spectrum of habitats within a dynamically integrated system. This emphasizes the importance of habitat heterogeneity and connectivity in underpinning ecological resilience against global change and highlights the potential catalytic role of salmon for ecosystem restoration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses some aspects of past and present debates concerning the English terms used to collectively refer to members of Indigenous peoples in the United States, and relates them to the Czech controversy about the capitalization of the "i" in the Czech word "indián" (Indian). The paper follows the history of referring to the Native population, arguing that the inability to find a term in the language of the dominant Anglophone culture that is not controversial reflects the deeply problematic relationship of that culture to the cultures it has colonized and whose identity it has damaged. In this context, it is interesting to ask whether the Czech dispute over the capital "I" in the word "Indián" is a purely orthographic matter, or whether it points to more complex, albeit unre- flected, issues of colonization and cultural oppression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the relationship between reparations as compensation and reparations as transformation in settler colonial Australia. Much of the global reparations debate on colonization and slavery has focused on important demands confronting the historic damages and ongoing accumulation of disadvantage from colonization in ex‐colonies or from plantation slavery. Much less has been said about reparations for settler colonialism which is a specific form of ongoing colonization in the here and now. Drawing on long‐standing work around reparations for colonization by Indigenous peoples in Australia, and the woeful compensatory responses the state and judiciary have offered, this article argues that reparations for ongoing colonization could consider options beyond monetary compensation. This includes the critical domain of reparations as transformation that aim less to offset damage and reconcile suffering, but rather to comprehensively transform colonial relations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the article becomes to highlight a new epistemology of knowledge as the guiding thread of the creative process of the samba school parade in 2019 at Estação Primeira de Mangueira. Historically, knowledge stru ctured from a bias of westernized thinking was intertwined in Brazilian cultural manifestations such as the carnival phenomenon. The narrative that the samba school parades portrayed in their presentation, reinforced the myths and misconceptions that the Eurocentric historiography systematized for many years, relativizing and softening problematic historical episodes, such as the invasion and consequently the colonization, slavery and genocide of the real owners of these lands, the original peoples. In order to rethink and rewrite traditional Brazilian historiography, the decolonial movement emerges as an epistemological rupture in order to highlight the existence and resistance of blacks and indigenous peoples in the past and present. In the parade "Historias para ninar gente grande" at Estaçao Primeira de Mangueira, the decolonial episteme is incorporated into the parade, carrying out a historical reparation towards indigenous peoples, blacks and other social groups who were victims of colonization and coloniality, becoming in this parade the true heroes and protagonists of the history of Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reveals the views of the outstanding military, statesman and socio-political figure Sultan-Gaza Valikhanov on a wide range of issues of the colonization of Asian spaces by the forces of the Russian Empire. Based on the materials of the anniversary celebrations dedicated to the celebration of the 300th anniversary of the annexation of Siberia to Russia, in the preparation and publication of which G. Valikhanov was directly involved, the main «platforms», channels and ways of broadcasting problematic issues of the incorporation of the eastern outskirts into Russia are identified: the politics of the population, penal colonization, resettlement, enlightenment and education, railway construction. In the course of the study, it was established that the approach chosen by G. Valikhanov to organize the structure of the anniversary edition made it possible to identify the most significant problems that determined the logic of including the eastern outskirts in the general imperial space, and also to present in the final text of the conclusion, according to which the anniversary celebrations dedicated to significant historical events, in particular the annexation of Siberia to Russia, are an effective way of consolidating public and, above all, regional forces, allowing them to show communicative agreement in the discussion of the most pressing Siberian issues by society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents elements of school supervision from the perspective Decolonial, which makes it possible to understand how modern ethics has been an instrument of ideological domination. Also explaining how the relations of material production constitute a conditioning of consciousness and, therefore, a preponderant factor in current Venezuelan educational work. Although the State has tried to be consistent, promoting a quality model - that could constantly and progressively specify the effectiveness and relevance of the teachinglearning processes - ideologically colonial thinking persists. Thus, the harmonious and precise development of the assumed school scheme was entered into. These lines define a study with a methodology inscribed in the Participatory Action Research (PAR) approach. The investigation has real support in the daily praxis of school work at El Liceo “July 24, 1783” of the Friars of Pantanillo, Cumaná, Sucre State, Venezuela; assuming school management as a central theme, especially with regard to how the supervision and direction of the State is shown in this specific territory; that is, in “the place” where it [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple studies have demonstrated that European colonization of the Americas led to the death of nearly all North American dog mitochondrial lineages and replacement with European ones sometime between AD 1492 and the present day. Historical records indicate that colonists imported dogs from Europe to North America, where they became objects of interest and exchange as early as the seventeenth century. However, it is not clear whether the earliest archaeological dogs recovered from colonial contexts were of European, Indigenous, or mixed descent. To clarify the ancestry of dogs from the Jamestown Colony, Virginia, we sequenced ancient mitochondrial DNA from six archaeological dogs from the period 1609–1617. Our analysis shows that the Jamestown dogs have maternal lineages most closely associated with those of ancient Indigenous dogs of North America. Furthermore, these maternal lineages cluster with dogs from Late Woodland, Hopewell, and Virginia Algonquian archaeological sites. Our recovery of Indigenous dog lineages from a European colonial site suggests a complex social history of dogs at the interface of Indigenous and European populations during the early colonial period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bangladesh emerged as an independent nation-state in 1971, but the origin of Bangla poetry of Bangladesh lies in the partition of India in 1947 when Bangla poetry diverged from its thousand-year-old history to form a separate poetic stream as the Bangla poetry of East Bengal. The creation of Pakistan by partitioning India resulted in the partition of Bengal, where Muslim-dominated East Bengal, today's Bangladesh, became a part of the newly created state of Pakistan. Although the official march of Pakistan began in 1947, the signs of new Bangla poetry of an emerging nation became visible at the beginning of the 1940s, particularly by Bengali Muslim poets. I call these poets "the poets of transition", as they not only experienced British colonial rule but also witnessed its end. These poets led Bangla poetry in a new direction in East Bengal in the post-partition period. They gave expression to the complex experience of transition from a colonial to a postcolonial existence. Their poetry bears the mark of colonization on the one hand, and, on the other, reflects the experience of postcolonial reality. In this essay, I argue that this poetry, written in Bangla vernacular, bears the essential characteristics of what is known as "postcolonial poetry". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research on Arab Jewishness in the Middle East has developed in recent years across the disciplines of cultural and intellectual history and cultural studies. In this article, I present a unique Arab Jewishness, as expressed in North-African Jewish communities during the colonial period, through the case of Elie Malka, ethnographer, interpreter, legal expert and lexicographer from Morocco. The article discusses Malka's overall endeavour and shows the centrality of Arabic language and culture in it. Malka conducted linguistic, ethnographic and legal studies, translated Latin-language texts into Arabic and Judeo-Arabic and vice versa, edited French-Arabic dictionaries, and taught Arabic to certain Jewish community sectors. I posit that Malka's Arab Jewishness was unlike the Arab Jewishness that developed organically in the Middle East, but rather constituted a mutation within the general colonial mutation that evolved in North Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Observations of African vulture species (Gyps rueppelli and Gyps africanus) in Iberia have increased in recent years, probably anticipating a process of progressive colonization. Thus, it is fundamental to analyze the movement ecology of those species using GPS-tracking devices. Here, we tracked an immature White-backed Vulture (G.africanus) for the first time in Europe and analyze the dispersal patterns within Iberia, including wandering movements and settlement areas, seasonal differences, habitat use and spatial overlap with other Iberian vulture species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to nurture reflections on the colonization of the future in the present with a particular focus on Africa. This paper aims at exploring how participatory research and particularly anticipatory action research can contribute to a decolonising process. Design/methodology/approach: Considering the future as a public good, this paper develops a reflection on the colonization processes that can turn it into a club or a private good. This paper mobilizes the notions of participatory knowledge production and local action research as a way to decolonize the future and empower imagination. This paper revisits the tenets of participatory action research as a means to achieve this objective and discusses the main features of a non-colonial anticipatory action research in the context of African futures. Findings: This paper highlights the challenges associated with connecting anticipatory endeavours focusing on action research, the creation of collective intelligence and co-design, with the intention of encouraging the decolonisation process. It includes design principles and anticipates a possible process of counter-decolonization. Research limitations/implications: This is a conceptual paper, which does not provide field-tested evidence. Yet, the authors hope it serves as an input enabling to design methodologies that will prevent the colonisation of the future when engaging in future-oriented research activities in Africa and elsewhere. Originality/value: This paper provides an integral approach to the colonisation of the future, as a renewed old question. This paper also connects this process with a reflection on the nature of what could be non-colonizing anticipatory action research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ecologically and economically vital symbiosis between nitrogen-fixing rhizobia and leguminous plants is often thought of as a bi-partite interaction, yet studies increasingly show the prevalence of non-rhizobial endophytes (NREs) that occupy nodules alongside rhizobia. Yet, what impact these NREs have on plant or rhizobium fitness remains unclear. Here, we investigated four NRE strains found to naturally co-occupy nodules of the legume Medicago truncatula alongside Sinorhizobium meliloti in native soils. Our objectives were to (1) examine the direct and indirect effects of NREs on M. truncatula and S. meliloti fitness, and (2) determine whether NREs can re-colonize root and nodule tissues upon reinoculation. We identified one NRE strain (522) as a novel Paenibacillus species, another strain (717A) as a novel Bacillus species, and the other two (702A and 733B) as novel Pseudomonas species. Additionally, we found that two NREs (Bacillus 717A and Pseudomonas 733B) reduced the fitness benefits obtained from symbiosis for both partners, while the other two (522, 702A) had little effect. Lastly, we found that NREs were able to co-infect host tissues alongside S. meliloti. This study demonstrates that variation of NREs present in natural populations must be considered to better understand legume–rhizobium dynamics in soil communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The identification of patterns and mechanisms of wildfire effects on biodiversity is of significant conservation importance. The research was conducted in a zone of mixed and broad-leaved forests. Carabid beetles were studied in eight sample plots that varied in relation to the 2010 and 2021 fires through 2022 and 2023. A total of 8667 specimens of 108 species of carabid beetles were counted. In 2022, plots were clearly differentiated by the pyrogenic disturbance in terms of the carabid species structure. As the pyrogenic disturbance increases, the total abundance of brachypterous as well as herbivore species decreases sharply. The carabids that were the most prevalent in an undisturbed forest (Carabus arcensis, Carabus glabratus, Pterostichus oblongopunctatus, and Amara brunnea) demonstrated sensitivity to the 2010 fire. The pyrophilous species Pterostichus quadrifoveolatus and Sericoda quadripunctata were attracted to a moderately burned area. Poecilus lepidus is confined to areas burned in 2010 and not affected by the 2021 fire. A moderately burned area was characterized by increased abundance and number of species. In 2023, the degree of similarity of carabid populations between sample plots did not generally increase, but only the 2010 fire was identified as a significant factor in population differentiation. The abundance of carabids decreased in a moderately burned area and an unburned area near the fire edge. The abundance and number of species increased markedly in heavily burned areas due to open habitat species, while the abundance of Carabus arcensis and Amara brunnea decreased in unburned areas. Forest megafires threaten the biodiversity of carabid beetles in pine and secondary forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organisms naturalized outside their native range can reveal new life history patterns in new environments. Here, we compare life history patterns of American shad, Alosa sapidissima, from five rivers along the U.S. Pacific coast (introduced range) with contemporary data from the Atlantic coast source populations. The Pacific coast fish grew slower, matured at a younger age, and were less often iteroparous than conspecifics from the Hudson River and Susquehanna River sources. Differences among the Pacific coast populations indicated that some combination of phenotypic plasticity and genetic adaptation has occurred since the transplants in the 1870s. Microchemical analysis of otoliths from returning adults demonstrated an immature, extended freshwater life history form, locally known as "mini-shad". These fish remain in the river for at least 1 year or enter salt water briefly and then return to fresh water for several months prior to subsequent seaward migration and return as adults. This and other forms of variation (extent of estuary use and size at sea water entry) expand the understanding of Alosine migration and life history diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the publication of James Hilton's Lost Horizon (1933), Shangri-La has become a household term, applied to any peaceful idyll or retreat from the modern world. In the academic community, there is a growing consensus that Shangri-La is a purely unreal, imaginary place in the novel of a utopian genre. Nevertheless, how Shangri-La emerged and exists remains a mystery. Therefore, this essay explores how Hilton's Shangri-La came into being in two forms: an imagined paradise in the East with exotic chinoiserie, and the cultural Other to the West, which is governed by imperialism in the western imagination in the wake of global expansion and colonization. The literary strategies employed by James Hilton in Lost Horizon make Shangri-La an incarnation that epitomizes the imperial ambitions following the demise of the British Empire, with its concomitant economic, intellectual and cultural decline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In July 2020, rapper Megan Thee Stallion was shot by her then boyfriend Tory Lanez, a fellow rapper. The incident brought to the surface (again) a long, ongoing conversation about the experiences of Black women survivors of intimate partner violence, much like other high-profile cases (e.g., Tina Turner) have done before. Specifically, these cases show how Black men particularly can uphold patriarchal violence in intimate or romantic contexts. Moreover, these cases show the tensions that can arise when survivors seek help from law enforcement. For example, the idea of racial loyalty and not calling the police on a Black man and how this affects the options available to Black women. In other words, Black women often have nowhere to turn for help when they experience violence. In this article, I employ Black Feminist Autoethnography as a methodological framework to analyze a personal instance of road rage where I was attacked, to explore how Black women survivors make meaning of their experiences, the thought process behind their decision to involve the police, how Black men uphold patriarchal violence in non-intimate contexts, and how Black women resist or refuse to accept the violence. This analysis reveals the raced and gendered components underlying the private/public nature of interpersonal violence experienced by Black women and the relationship between intimate and non-intimate interpersonal violence. Implications for qualitative social work research and practice include the use of Black Feminist Autoethnography as a methodological framework to identify areas of empowerment, strength, and support for survivors of violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Portuguese policies of colonisation and Christianisation were closely linked. In 1549, the Portuguese monarchy adopted Catholicism as the official religion of the colonial administration and requested that the Society of Jesus establish the Catholic faith among the indigenous people in Brazil. The Jesuits established catechesis, founded the first schools and exercised a long-lasting hegemony on Brazilian education (1549–1759). The Ratio Studiorum was the uniform method adopted worldwide by the Jesuits. However, this article shows that improvisations were employed to convert the entire population to Christianity. The dialectical exchange between imposition and adaptation had lasting repercussions on Brazilian culture. In addition, the following consequences should be noted: (1) currently, Brazil is the country with the largest Catholic population in the world; (2) Christianity has had a lasting influence on pedagogical thinking in Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]