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Criticism of the Prioress's Tale has hinged on the question of irony: was Chaucer, in his portrait of the Prioress, also holding up her tale for mockery? Does her antisemitic exemplum collapse upon itself? Recent work has shown that fifteenth-century Marian anthologies deliberately stripped the text of its Canterbury Tales frame and identifiable pilgrim-speaker, in order to put it back into the context of the miracle genre from which it developed. So far, however, there has not been a general study of how its scribes responded to the tale, and how the variants that they introduced inform our understanding of whether they took it to be sincere or ironic or somewhere in between. This article springs from editing the Prioress's Tale, and from the fact that most editions are so sparing in the variants that they can include in their textual apparatus that this body of evidence disappears from view. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Linne Mooney's 2006 article "Chaucer's Scribe" has profoundly impacted the field of medieval English literature. 1 The six essays gathered in this article cluster take stock of what we know, or can know, about Chaucer's earliest scribes, while weighing in on the axiomatic attribution at the heart of this subject, that of Adam Pinkhurst as Chaucer's scribe. My essay responds to the cluster with reflections on historical evidence, paleographical methodology, and scribal communities of practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This essay examines the question of scribal training and the significance of scribal quirks in late medieval manuscript culture and the extent to which an analysis of these issues may help to shed new light on the current thinking on the work of London clerks, scriveners, and scribes. Using the recent debate on Adam Pinkhurst's script and my work on the scribe of Cambridge, University Library, MS Dd.4.24, I reconsider the modus scribendi of medieval scribes, the expansion of cursive scripts in late medieval England, and individual scribal practices. I argue that quirks in cursive scripts are a defining and significant feature of style as well as individual proclivity because they are not ubiquitously present in either book production or a scribe's repertoire, and I propose that learning how to write in late medieval England must have accommodated a system of scaffolding techniques in which a basic or elementary script was improved with practice, and that such practice could lead to proficiency if that proficiency was so desired. I emphasize that in current debates on scribal identification there is a need to consider the sociology of scripts. Undoubtedly, scribal identification offers a context for the ensuing manuscript culture, inspiring the writing of a new history of medieval literacy. However, the understanding of the context in which scribes learned how to write, the exposure to different traditions and the subsequent influence on the script they select, and its realization are important issues of handwritten culture worthy of analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the case of Nicholas Bellewe (fl. 1423–74), an Anglo-Irish scribe who penned three manuscripts (Wiltshire, Longleat House, MS 29, Oxford, Bodleian Library MS e Musaeo 232, and a portion of Dublin, City Archives, Chain Book of Dublin) as well as over seventy extant legal documents. Bellewe signed the e Musaeo manuscript and nine of his extant legal documents, providing proof of his involvement in both legal and literary endeavors. The legal deeds also reveal details of Bellewe's varied career, which included work for private individuals and families, the offices of the City of Dublin, and the Guild of Saint Anne. Bellewe's career is analogous to the contemporary London Guildhall scribes of Geoffrey Chaucer that Linne Mooney and others have discussed. Close examination of Bellewe's documentary and manuscript hands reveals that the scribe made changes, both small and large, to some letterforms and to the level of decoration he used when writing legal deeds and manuscripts. Moreover, between his literary and legal documents, small yet significant differences exist in Bellewe's system of punctuation and use of Latin abbreviations. While Bellewe's Dublin represents a different environment from scribe B/Adam Pinkhurst's London, investigation of Bellewe's career and behavior can help us better understand what sort of career and scribal behavior we might expect from Bellewe's London contemporaries, including Pinkhurst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This essay explores the theme of demonic descent in etiologies assigned to Lurs, Kurds, Afghans, and the Baloch across the past millennium. In it, I parse the imputation of nonhuman beginnings to these peoples while also examining retorts to that same accusation. While agents of premodern empires used the narrative of demonic descent to racialize peoples on the peripheries of sovereignty, demonized peoples replied with sacralizing genealogies that bound them to early nodes in Prophetic and Iranian history. I argue that we must attend to demonizing practices in Islamic historiography not only to write the historical struggles of dispossessed peoples, but to examine our own inheritances as narrators of the Islamic past today. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A remarkable number of early medieval manuscripts produced in the Iberian Peninsula preserve scribal colophons recounting the circumstances of their production and naming their makers. Because of their highly unusual level of detail, these statements offer invaluable evidence to understand the individuals and communities who produced them, as well as the broader religious and cultural environment in which they originated. Focusing on the corpora of the Beatus manuscripts and Iberian Latin Bibles, this article considers patterns of colophon use amongst Christian monastic communities in the north-central and western regions of Iberia between the tenth and the mid-thirteenth century. This article argues that significant changes to colophon composition and use coincide with, and were related to, wider ecclesiastical reform and political transformations in the Peninsula in the late eleventh century, which promoted the abandonment of native ecclesiastical practices and critical shifts in monastic culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To help improve access to care, section 507 of the VA MISSION (Maintaining Internal Systems and Strengthening Integrated Outside Networks) Act of 2018 mandated a 2-year trial of medical scribes in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). The impact of scribes on provider productivity and patient throughput time in VHA emergency departments (EDs) was evaluated. A clustered randomized trial was designed using intent-to-treat difference-in-differences analysis. The intervention period was from June 30, 2020 to July 1, 2022. The trial included six intervention and six comparison ED clinics. Two ED providers who volunteered to participate in the trial were assigned two scribes each. Scribes assisted providers with documentation and visit-related activities. The outcomes were provider productivity and patient throughput time per clinic-pay period. Randomization to intervention resulted in decreased provider productivity and increased patient throughput time. In adjusted regression models, randomization to scribes was associated with a decrease of 8.4 visits per full-time equivalent (95% confidence interval [CI] 12.4–4.3; p < 0.001) and 0.5 patients per day per provider (95% CI 0.8–0.3; p < 0.001). Intervention was associated with increases in length of stay of 29.1 min (95% CI 21.2–36.9 min; p < 0.001), 6.3 min in door to doctor (95% CI 2.9–9.6 min; p < 0.001), 19.5 min in door to disposition (95% CI 13.2–25.9 min; p < 0.001), and 13.7 min in doctor to disposition (95% CI 8.8–18.6 min; p < 0.001). Scribes were associated with decreased provider productivity and increased patient throughput time in VHA EDs. Although scribes may have contributed to improvements in other dimensions of quality, further examination of the ways in which scribes were used is advisable before widespread adoption in VHA EDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and Odisha are home to 22 million Adivasis (indigenous peoples). In the neoliberal era, the Adivasis are being exploited due to an increased emphasis on resource extraction, compounded with weak institutional mechanisms to address Adivasi concerns. I examine the role of the higher courts in upholding Adivasis’ rights during mining conflicts, through analysis of 33 litigations resolved between 2000 and 2022. I find, with a 48.5% success rate, these litigations produce mixed results for the Adivasi communities. Despite a legislative shift sought from state sovereignty to shared sovereignty, there is a judicial inconsistency on claims against usurpation of Adivasi land without consent. During mining governance, the Adivasis are excluded from the decision-making process, but the courts do not encourage a polycentric approach to mining governance. Only at the stage of profit redistribution, where there are no competing claims, the courts ensure benefit-sharing of profits with the Adivasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent work based on a 130-item wordlist, Lansing et al. claim that Basa Latala, a Punan Sajau song language of Borneo, is not an Austronesian language. In this squib, we argue that there is no linguistic basis for this claim. Many Basa Latala words have clear Austronesian and Borneo cognates and show evidence of Austronesian cognate morphology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve access, the VA Maintaining Internal Systems and Strengthening Integrated Outside Networks (MISSION) Act of 2018 mandated a 2-year study of medical scribes in Veterans Health Administration specialty clinics and emergency departments. Medical scribes are employed in clinical settings with the goals of increasing provider productivity and satisfaction by minimizing physicians' documentation burden. Our objective is to quantify the economic outcomes of the MISSION Act scribes trial. A cluster-randomized trial was designed with 12 Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centers randomized into the intervention. We estimated the total cost of the trial, cost per scribe-year, and projected cost of hiring additional physicians to achieve the observed scribe productivity benefits in relative value units and visits per full-time-equivalent over the 2-year intervention period (June 30, 2020 to July 1, 2022). The estimated cost of the trial was $4.6 million, below the Congressional Budget Office estimate of $5 million. A full-time scribe-year cost approximately $74 600 through contracting and $62 900 through VA hiring. Randomization into the trial led to an approximate 30% increase in productivity in cardiology and 20% in orthopedics. The projected incremental cost of using additional physicians instead of scribes to achieve the same productivity benefits was nearly $1.7 million more, or 75% higher, than the observed cost of scribes in cardiology and orthopedics. As the largest randomized trial of scribes to date, the MISSION Act scribes trial provides important evidence on the costs and benefits of scribes. Improving productivity enhances access and scribes may give VA a new tool to improve productivity in specialty care at a lower cost than hiring additional providers. • To improve access, the VA Maintaining Internal Systems and Strengthening Integrated Outside Networks (MISSION) Act of 2018 mandated a 2-year study of medical scribes in Veterans Health Administration specialty clinics and emergency departments—the largest randomized trial of scribes to date worldwide. Medical scribes are employed to increase provider productivity and satisfaction by minimizing documentation burden. The trial found that scribes were not effective in the emergency departments, increasing total length of stay; however, scribes were effective at increasing productivity in cardiology and orthopedics. • A recent Government Accountability Office report suggested that Veterans Health Administration "assess the scalability of the medical scribe pilot." The total cost of the trial was approximately $4.6 million, in line with the Congressional Budget Office estimate of $5 million. The projected cost of using additional physicians to achieve the observed productivity benefits by randomization into the scribes trial was nearly $1.7 million more, or 75% higher, than the observed cost of scribes in cardiology and orthopedics. • As VA endeavors to improve access and quality of care within fiscal and workforce constraints, the MISSION Act scribes trial provides important evidence on the costs and benefits of scribes. Scribes may offer VA a new tool to enhance access through improving productivity in specialty care at a lower projected cost than hypothetically hiring additional providers, creating additional value from the existing physician workforce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For decades, the United States Department of the Interior's land acquisition regulations included an "Alaska Exception" that barred acquisition of land into trust in Alaska apart from those acquisitions made for the Metlakatla Indian Community. Although the "Alaska Exception" was initially removed from the regulations in 2014, the fight continues over land-into-trust acquisitions within Alaska. Throughout these debates, the state of Alaska has consistently opposed land-into-trust acquisitions. This Practitioner Guide provides an overview of the recent history of land-into-trust acquisitions in Alaska and analyzes the juxtaposition of the intent behind Alaska's "State Recognition of Tribes" in House Bill 123 and the continuing state opposition to land-into-trust applications. Specifically, this Practitioner Guide argues that, without state collaboration and cooperation with Tribal Nations on landinto-trust issues, House Bill 123, which was meant to signify "the State's desire to foster engagement with Alaska Natives and tribal organizations," ultimately rings hollow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rise of ISIS in eastern Syria after 2014, there was a discussion among Western powers about the possibility of arming Arab tribes to lead the fight against ISIS on the ground. This paper challenges the assumption that tribes are cohesive units and argues that internal differences and contested leadership run counter to the image of tribes as unified groups. While tribes are fragmented, one can, however, observe some examples that testify to the existence of tribal solidarity during the course of the Syrian civil war. Overall, this paper attempts to answer the following questions: What caused fragmentation among members of the Syrian tribes during the Syrian Civil War? What inspired cohesion in other instances? It argues that multiple factors, such as violence, patronage networks with internal and external authorities, and competition among leaders to represent the group internally and externally, can have a fundamental effect on the processes of cohesion and fragmentation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, the author intends to reappraise the Naga perceptions of cosmology and spirituality which are rooted in the spheres of ecology, folklore, stone culture, "gennas" (rituals and taboos), and ancestor veneration. Included within the realm of ecology are village territory, land, forest, and agricultural fields. The Naga spirituality is perceptible in persistent survival of revered human relationships with the nature and the supreme creator, enduring roles of shaman-priests and clan/village elders as also commitment toward village customs and gennas, including agricultural rituals plus reverence for elders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We conducted a comparative micromorphological study on the leaves of all nine genera of the Rosaceae tribe Spiraeeae, including the monotypic Korean genus Pentactina. Spiraeeae possess amphistomatic and hypostomatic leaves. Leaf epidermal characteristics varied with the morphology of stomatal complexes, epidermal cells, trichomes, and epicuticular waxes. Specific leaf epidermal features may be systematically relevant for identifying lower taxonomic levels, genera, and/or species. For example, papillate epidermal cell types were consistently observed in Spiraea sect. Calospira. Hirtellous trichomes are diagnostic characteristics of the genera Holodiscus and Kelseya among this tribe. Short-stalked capitate glandular and crispate villous trichomes were only observed in Holodiscus microphyllus and Spiraea douglasii , respectively. We also confirmed that leaf epidermal characteristics strongly support the independent taxonomic position of the Korean endemic Pentactina and the transfer from Physocarpus to Spiraea of Physocarpus insularis. Moreover, we identified xeromorphic features in the studied taxa and inferred their ecological functions, such as water repellence and anti-transpirant activities. This study presents new perspectives for future research on character evolution and xeromorphic adaptation on the basis of leaf epidermal characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the need for direct funding to support Native nations and Indigenous community health organizations in developing and implementing Indigenous systems alignment frameworks. These frameworks aim to align health care, behavioral health, public health, and social service systems to meet the needs and goals of Indigenous communities. The article highlights the importance of customary relationships between tribal leaders and citizens, as well as partnerships with non-tribal and governmental entities, in achieving effective and culturally congruent approaches to community health. The findings from the Indigenous Systems Alignment study confirm the relevance and applicability of the Georgia Health Policy Center's Framework for Aligning Sectors, while also emphasizing the unique perspectives and contributions of Indigenous worldviews, political sovereignty, and lived realities. The article concludes with recommendations for increasing funding, promoting Indigenous knowledge and community-centered research, and providing training on tribal sovereignty and Indigenous data sovereignty/governance to non-Indigenous partners. [Extracted from the article]

The article "Learning Through Practice: On How Kemyt Contributed to Crafting and Transmitting Scribal Knowledge" by Aurore Motte examines the practices of ancient Egyptian scribes and how they transmitted their knowledge. It analyzes the structure of the Kemyt text and the choice of ink and writing direction used. It is determined that there was a complex network of scribes who contributed to the development and transmission of written knowledge. The Kemyt text has been found in various materials and regions of Egypt and describes different features of the Kemyt specimens found in Deir el-Medina. Various types of corrections and revisions in Egyptian literary texts are also described. The texts demonstrate the changes in literary culture during the New Kingdom. Various aspects of Egyptian script and language are also addressed. [Extracted from the article]

In this study, we present a complex investigation for miniaturizing perovskite photodiodes (PPDs) in various geometries with the use of ultraviolet laser scribing (UV-LS). Employing a 355 nm (3.5 eV) pulsed laser at 30 kHz, we manufactured PPDs with pixel configurations of 70 × 130, 520 × 580, and 2000 × 2000 μm2. The utilization of UV-LS has a proven efficiency in achieving relevant diode characteristics, such as low dark currents and high shunt resistance, as well as ultrafast response. The multi-step scribing cycle provided precise patterning of PPDs in a string design. The dark current densities demonstrated exceptional uniformity, ranging from 10−10 A/cm2 for 2000 × 2000 μm2 pixelated PPDs to 10−9 A/cm2 for the 70 × 130 μm2 configuration. The string PPDs, consisting of 10 pixels per string, displayed homogenous dark current values, ensuring effective isolation between devices. Under green light illumination (540 nm), all PPD types exhibited a broad linear dynamic range (LDR). Specifically, LDR values reached 110, 117, and 136 dB for 70 × 130, 520 × 580, and 2000 × 2000 devices, respectively, spanning an illumination intensity range from 2 × 10−3 to 2 mW/cm2. High responsivity values up to 0.38 A/W, depending on the PPDs' geometry, highlight the potential of laser scribing devices for sensing in the visible range. The calculated specific detectivity performance (from 1011 to 1013 Jones) surpasses commercial analogs, while the sub-microsecond response of 70 × 130 and 520 × 580 μm2 miniaturized devices underscores their suitability for precise time resolution detection systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scholars have noted scribal attempts to undermine Elisha’s prophetic reputation in his promise to the Shunammite woman (2 Kgs 4:8–17). However, these readings fail to adequately consider the intertextual links between Elisha’s promise and Yahweh’s promise to Abraham (Gen 18:1–15): Why did the scribes link Elisha’s promise with Yahweh’s promise, especially when the narrative is largely hostile against Elisha? Paying attention to the possible context in Achaemenid Yehud, this article proposes a new interpretation of Elisha’s promise: It highlights scribal efforts to subjugate and silence Bethel, a northern Israelite cultic site believed to be the repository for Elisha traditions during this period. And it argues that the Judean scribes deliberately linked Elisha’s promise with Yahweh’s promise, as an “antithetical parallelism” to support their attempts to stigmatise Bethel’s traditions by pointing readers toward Elisha’s human weaknesses and limitations in his prophetic career. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this Perspective, we review the clashing narratives around the role of hydropower in the United States' (US) energy future. In doing so, we reveal how hydropower is regarded as a keystone for the renewable energy transition but also viewed as a harmful technology with significant negative environmental and social impacts. These narratives can be seen in the contrasting future renewable energy visions of US government agencies, the hydropower industry, NGOs, and Tribal governments. We review critical lessons learned from past dam‐ and hydropower‐related challenges to reimagine a just energy future for the US that bridges diverse sectors, jurisdictions, and values. We conclude by highlighting some key paths forward that might result in more resilient and adaptive water and energy systems as the country strives to decarbonize.This article is categorized under: Human Water > Human Water Human Water > Water Governance Science of Water > Water and Environmental Change Engineering Water > Planning Water [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The number of hands involved in copying NLW, Brogyntyn ii.1 has been a subject of debate. Progress is currently being made from the rather general observations by Kurvinen (1953), Huws (1996), and Salter (2012) to the more recent and better-founded accounts by Carrillo-Linares (2023), on the scribes of Sir Gawayn and the Carl of Carlisle, and Connolly (forthcoming), on the first quire. The present paper aims to contribute to a hitherto unresolved part of the discussion by comparing decorative, palaeographical, and linguistic evidence across the Treatise on Grafting, the Treatise on Limning, Dialogue with a Bird, and The Tale of Ten Wives. I refute Kurvinen’s and Salter’s suggestions of multiple scribes through sound support of Huws’s claim that a single scribe was in charge of both the prose and verse sections in this part of the codex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mizoram has a diverse range of ethnic and cultural groups, including the Lushai, Mara, Lai, Bawm, Hmar, Chakma, and Bru. Through practice and experience in their protracted battles with disease and the harsh natural environment, they have amassed rich folk medicine knowledge. The preservation of indigenous knowledge, identification of bioactive compounds, and the eventual discovery of novel medicinal plant species all depend on the documentation of the traditional uses of medicinal plants. Therefore, the present study was designed to document the ethnomedicinal knowledge related to the usage of medicinal plants in Mizoram, India. An ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants was carried out in 17 villages of 5 districts in Mizoram between September 2022 and January 2023. A total of 128 informants (77 males and 51 females) were interviewed. Information was gathered through field observations, group discussions, and semistructured interviews. The data were presented using descriptive statistics. To assess the importance of medicinal plant species, quantitative indices such as the informant consensus factor (ICF), fidelity level (FL), use value (UV), and cultural index (CI) was used. In our ethnobotanical investigation, 102 medicinal plant species from 95 genera and 58 families were recorded and documented. The majority of them (90 species) were obtained from wild habitats. The majority of the documented species were trees (48), followed by herbs (23 species) and shrubs (21 species). The most common method of preparation was decoction (67 species). Diabetes had the highest ICF value (0.81), followed by cancer, liver problems, and hypertension (0.8). The fidelity level (FL) of indigenous communities in the study area was evaluated to determine the dependability and consistency of herbal drug use. Indigenous knowledge and the variety of medicinal plant species that are used are of great values. The therapeutic applications of documented plants provide fundamental information for additional studies centered on pharmacological investigations and the preservation of the most significant species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considered by its inhabitants to be one of the oldest towns in colonial Paraguay, the city of San Roque González de Santa Cruz (formerly Tavapy, Paraguay) lacks a written history supported by historical research. In isolation, mentions of its origin as a foundation carried out by Domingo Martínez de Irala are found in the bibliography. The main objective of this article arises from this problem, which aims to develop a historical construction of the origins of Tavapy. The specific objectives focus on conducting a search in the bibliography on mentions of the origin or foundation of Tavapy; link the origin of Tavapy with the objectives of conquest and colonization in the region; prepare a chronology of Irala's presence in Tavapy in the time frame of its foundation and compare the data obtained. The research carried out is historical, exploratory and descriptive and the synthetic analytical methodology guides the work. The main limitation of this research is the lack of original documents from the time, and only the mention of one of them in the bibliographic sources. The relevance of this study lies not only in the current importance of undoing established myths about the official reading of the colonization processes in Paraguay, but also in being able to provide historical identity to towns like San Roque, whose origin was involved in the story. officer of the conquest detached from the true process of subjugation of tribes during the first stage of the conquest. The review and analysis of both classic and current bibliographic sources of the colonial history of Paraguay allows us to confirm that the origin of the people of Tavapy is the result of the subjugation of the indigenous groups and later, of royal grants given to the conquerors and not the result of a foundation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The lack of a healthcare system is one of the serious problems among the Koragas. The Koraga tribal community in the Kasargod district has a community health center in the area, but it lacks advanced medical and dental facilities, making it difficult for them to seek treatment in the few private hospitals in the area due to their economic backwardness. The Malavettuvan tribes are distributed only in the ghat areas of the Kasaragod District of Kerala. Their major occupation is agriculture, and they are educationally, economically, and socially backward. Aim: To compare the periodontal status of the Koraga and Malavettuvan tribes of the Kasargod district. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among randomly selected 304 participants from both Koraga and Malavettuvan tribes aged 35-55 years. Clinical parameters such as the oral hygiene index, Community Periodontal Index (CPI), and loss of attachment were measured. A questionnaire was used to assess the oral hygiene habits, lifestyle, and other habits of the populations. Statistical analysis was carried out using the Mann-Whitney U-test. Results: The results of the present study showed a significant difference in the oral hygiene index (Median OHI of Koraga-0.40, Malavettuvan-1.20 respectively, p-value <0.001) and CPI (Median CPI of Koraga-0.60, Malavettuvan-1.50, respectively, p-value <0.001) between both groups, while there was no difference in the loss of attachment (p-value-0.991). The majority of the Koragas and Malavettuvans used toothbrush and toothpaste as cleaning aids (70.06% and 78.28%, respectively). Smokeless tobacco was prevalent among Koragas compared to Malavettuvans (36.18% and 29.60%, respectively), while cigarette smoking was more common among Malavettuvans (50.98% and 42.10% for Koragas and Malavettuvans, respectively). Conclusion: Even though the Koragas and Malavettuvans do not routinely seek dental care and have a primitive lifestyle with less formal education, a lower level of periodontal disease was observed among both groups. There is a need to promote more healthcare programs that emphasise oral health among these populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides a firsthand account of Kaul Ole's experiences as a laborer in Papua New Guinea under the Australian government's Highlands Labour Scheme from 1950 to 1974. Kaul, a member of the Kawaleku tribe, worked in coastal regions and displayed qualities such as courage, discipline, diligence, and resilience during his three deployments to Rabaul and Sogeri. The article also offers insights into Kaul's upbringing, the cultural practices of his tribe, and the colonial history of the Chimbu people. Kaul describes the discipline and punishments imposed by colonial officers, known as kiaps, but also expresses respect for them. After completing his contracts, Kaul returned home with wealth and status, leading to his marriage and involvement in village leadership. He eventually converted to Christianity and witnessed Papua New Guinea's transition to independence in 1975. Kaul passed away in 2023. [Extracted from the article]

Megasporogenesis, megagametogenesis and embryogenesis of Liparis elliptica (family Orchidaceae, tribe Malaxideae, subtribe Malaxidinae) have been studied. It was shown that the L. elliptica embryo sac is monosporic and develops from the chalazal cell of the megaspore triad according to the modified Polygonum type. The embryo sacs are reduced to four–six nuclei. The suspensor is unicellular, spherical in shape, originating from the basal cell (cb). A unique feature of L. elliptica is the unitegmal ovule, which distinguishes this species from other members of the tribe Malaxideae. The seed coat is formed by an outer layer of the single internal integument. Reduction of the outer integument is a rare feature for epiphytic orchid species with photosynthetic leaves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The new genus Kevinilla Bartholomay & Cambra includes the following four Neotropical species: Kevinilla ludovica (Cameron, 1895) comb. n. (the type species), K. bicarinata (Cambra & Quintero, 2008) comb. n., K. bimaculata (Cambra & Quintero, 2008) comb. n., and K. hansoni (Cambra & Quintero, 2008) comb. n., all transferred from Pseudomethoca. A neighbour joining tree clustered IST1 sequences of Kevinilla in a subclade of the main clade, which includes species of Pseudomethoca and Dasymutilla. Therefore, here Kevinilla is considered to be a member of the subfamily Sphaeropthalminae, tribe Pseudomethocini. A key for both sexes of the known species of Kevinilla is given, as well as an account of seasonal flight activity of males recorded over six years using Malaise traps on Barro Colorado Island, Panama. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Visual scribing is a form of notetaking in which the visual scribe pays attention to live discussions and captures the themes and ideas that emerge through the combined use of pictures, diagrams, doodles, and text. In recent years, visual scribing has become increasingly used; however, as this field has emerged from practice and not academia, related literature and theory remain scarce. The act of visual scribing during research activities can be a practice that facilitates the documentation of a researcher's individual observations, yet also serves to understand researchers' own reasoning as observers. Additionally, when scribing products are shared with research participants, this helps increase trust and mutual understanding as knowledge is being co-created in an accessible medium (illustration). In this way, scribing becomes both a practice for, and product of, research. In this article we describe how visual scribing methods were used as a complementary approach for notetaking, data collection, and analysis in a community engagement project focused on birth equity in California. We found three main benefits of using visual scribing as part of a broader set of qualitative approaches: (1) triangulation, (2) expanded insight, and (3) participant engagement. Here we present the literature that informed our approach, lessons learned, and potential areas for future inquiry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wolbachia, one of the most ubiquitous heritable symbionts in lepidopteran insects, can cause mitochondrial introgression in related host species. We recently found mito‐nuclear discordance in the Lepidopteran tribe Tagiadini Mabille 1878 from which Wolbachia has not been reported. In this study, we found that 13 of the 46 species of Tagiadini species tested were positive for Wolbachia. Overall, 14% (15/110) of Tagiadini specimens were infected with Wolbachia and nine new STs were found from 15 isolates. A co‐phylogenetic comparison, divergence time estimation and Wolbachia recombination analysis revealed that mito‐nuclear discordance in Tagiadini species is not mediated by Wolbachia, but Wolbachia acquisition in Tagiadini appears to have occurred mainly through horizontal transmission rather than codivergence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tribe Metiini (Coleoptera: Carabidae) is endemic to southern South America, in Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, and in the high Andes of Peru and Bolivia. The tribe comprises five genera, being Metius Dejean the most diverse in species. The study of one of its species, Metius crassiusculus Putzeys, reveals that it is not cogeneric with the remaining of the genus, and presents some exclusive characters and combination of other characters not present in any of the other Metiini genera. Thus, the new genus Selknam is proposed to include it. Description and a key to the genera of Metiini are provided. Some aspects of the coastal habitat where S. crassiusculus was found are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Balik community is the indigenous population residing in the Nusantara Capital, located in the Sepaku District, North Penajam Paser Regency, East Kalimantan Province. The Balik community has a distinct cultural identity that signifies their identity as members of the Balik ethnic group, one of which is the Balik language. This study investigates the impact of migration on the linguistic and cultural identity of the Balik ethnic group residing in the Nusantara Capital, primarily focusing on the gradual decline of the use of the Balik language and its implications for cultural preservation. It employed a qualitative research approach with a case study design. Data were collected through interviews and participant observation. The analysis of the data involved techniques such as data condensation, data display, and conclusion. The case study findings indicate that the Balik ethnic community tends to be reluctant to use the Balik language in daily communication, both within the household and in the Balik community. Several factors contribute to this phenomenon, including the Balik ethnic community’s preference and greater comfort in using the Indonesian language, a lack of appreciation for the Balik language, and intensive interaction with migrants over a prolonged period. This research highlights the need for the preservation of the Balik language and culture, which is a vital component of Balik cultural identity. The implications of these findings include the necessity for language education programmes in schools, the increased cultural events promoting the use of the Balik language, and awareness campaigns to increase appreciation for regional languages. These practical steps are expected to promote the preservation of the Balik language and cultural identity, while enriching Indonesia’s national cultural diversity amidst the increasing migration and urbanisation in the Nusantara Capital. This study significantly contributes to the social and cultural planning and development in the Nusantara Capital and enriches the academic discourse on migration, cultural identity, and language preservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What can textual combinations, format, and size tell us about the worldviews of the donors, scribes, and readers of medieval Chinese Buddhist manuscripts? How can material sources inform us about the ways adherents both perceived and actively shaped their traditions? This essay offers answers to these questions through analysis of several manuscripts of the Scripture on the Cause and Effects of Wholesome and Unwholesome Acts (Shan'e yinguo jing T no . 2881), discovered in the Dunhuang Library Cave . The text was likely composed in Chinese, and it first appears in Buddhist catalogs in the year 695 ce . Extant manuscripts of Cause and Effects appear in both scroll and booklet formats and number at least fifty-two in total, a significant number that attests to the popularity of the text . This essay analyzes the textual content and literary techniques, relating both to physical aspects of the manuscripts . It examines the textual and the material together through the mediating concept of practice--in this case, medieval Chinese reading practices . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are 574 federally recognized domestic dependent tribal nations in the United States. Each tribe is separate from its respective surrounding state(s) and governs itself. And yet, none of them have the power to send representatives to Congress. Our democratic representative structures function as if tribal governments and the reservations they govern do not exist. But tribal citizens do not simply live within a state and are not simply governed by that state like any other state citizen. Rather, it is tribal law and tribal governments--not state law or state governments--that primarily govern and shape the lives of tribal citizens living on reservations. Tribal governments are not complementary or subsidiary to state governments--they are frequent rivals for power and resources. This system, simply put, doesn't make sense. Tribes should have their own representation in the federal government. This Article makes the case for why and examines how this seemingly obvious omission in our democratic structuring came to pass. This Article examines the democratic mismatch between existing governments--which include not only 50 states, but also 574 federally recognized tribes--and the representative democratic structure that is built into the Constitution around the institution of the state. It details the failed attempts of tribal governments to obtain representation, either as states or outside of statehood. This history reveals a story about race, power, colonialism, and institutions. Attempts by white majorities to hold onto political power within states included denying Native peoples' individual rights and denying statehood to largely Native areas until Native people assimilated or white citizens outnumbered them. These dynamics, which this Article dubs "assimilative colonialism," have not only shaped our existing democratic structures but have also had a lasting effect on Native relationships with political power. The nefarious brilliance of assimilative colonialism was to offer American political power to Native peoples--whether citizenship, statehood, or delegates--only and always at the cost of what made them Native. As a result, many Native people justifiably view American political power not as empowering but as dangerous. Assimilative colonialism has thus held back the emergence of Native movements for political reform by making it impossible to even imagine tribal representation in a real sense since it seemed only possible through assimilation. It is long overdue that we step back and examine the legacy of assimilative colonialism in American representative democracy. We ought to think about structural reform and what representative structures could--and maybe should--have been on the table for tribal governments and their citizens since the beginning. We ought to be asking: What would American democratic structures look like if we truly incorporated tribal governments as equal sovereigns within the United States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article explores the inevitable shift from fossil fuel to renewable energy sources, emphasizing the economic challenges faced by workers in declining industries and the need for robust regulatory protections in the clean energy sector. It also discusses historical conflicts and recent efforts to unite labor and environmental movements, highlighting legislative initiatives like the Green New Deal aimed at balancing environmental sustainability with job security and equity.

The Astereae subtribe Madagasterinae (Asteraceae) sensu Nesom encompassing four Malagasy genera (Apodocephala, Madagaster, Rochonia and Vernoniopsis) is polyphyletic, as Apodocephala is a member of the Malagasy subtribe Lowryanthinae of the tribe Athroismeae. While Madagaster was shown to belong to Astereae, the phylogenetic positions of Rochonia and Vernoniopsis (now Jalantzia) in this tribe remained to be tested with molecular data. Lowryanthinae presently contains Apodocephala with nine species and the monospecific Lowryanthus. The monophyly of Apodocephala remained to be assessed using a comprehensive sampling. The aims were to: (1) assess the phylogenetic placements of Rochonia and Jalantzia (Vernoniopsis) and test the monophyly of Jalantzia; (2) assess phylogenetic relationships within Lowryanthinae; and (3) re-assess the subtribal and generic limits within the tribe Athroismeae. New phylogenetic analyses based on plastid sequence data confirmed the position of Rochonia in Astereae. Jalantzia (Vernoniopsis) was resolved as sister to the subtribe Lowryanthinae and therefore transferred to Athroismeae. A new subtribe, Jalantziinae, is described to accommodate Jalantzia. Apodocephala is paraphyletic with respect to Lowryanthus, which is formally merged with Apodocephala. A description of the emended subtribe Madagasterinae containing Madagaster and Rochonia is presented. Citation: Bengtson A. & Razafimandimbison S. G. 2024: New subtribal and generic limits in the tribe Athroismeae (Asteraceae) and further disintegration of the subtribe Madagasterinae of the tribe Astereae. – Willdenowia 54: 103–116. Version of record first published online on 25 April 2024 ahead of inclusion in April 2024 issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Line 1314b of Beowulf is regularly emended to "alwalda" (Ruler of All) from the manuscript form "alf walda" (Ruler of Elves). But the other instances of "alwalda" in Beowulf do not have visible space between the l and the w , and no plausible motivation for the addition of an f and a space has been proposed if the exemplar read "alwalda." We contend, therefore, that MS "alf walda" is correct, and that the compound refers to the pre-Christian deity Yngvi-Freyr (to use the more familiar Norse name) rather than to the Christian God. We note that in the same passage in which "alf walda" appears, the Danes are called the "Ingwine" (friends/followers of Ing) and that later in the poem Hrothgar's daughter is named "Freawaru" (watchful care of Freyr). Connecting this material with archaeological finds at Gamle Lejre that indicate the sacrifice of pigs (Freyr's sacred animal), the place name Hleiðra ("the place of the tent"), and the statement in line 175 that the Danes made sacrifices "æt hærgtrafum" (at the pagan tabernacles), we argue that "alf walda" is part of a larger pattern of connections between the Danes in Beowulf and pre-Christian Germanic practices that appear to have been understood by one of Beowulf' s sources (and perhaps by the Beowulf -poet) but which were opaque to later scribes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wolbachia, one of the most ubiquitous heritable symbionts in lepidopteran insects, can cause mitochondrial introgression in related host species. We recently found mito‐nuclear discordance in the Lepidopteran tribe Tagiadini Mabille 1878 from which Wolbachia has not been reported. In this study, we found that 13 of the 46 species of Tagiadini species tested were positive for Wolbachia. Overall, 14% (15/110) of Tagiadini specimens were infected with Wolbachia and nine new STs were found from 15 isolates. A co‐phylogenetic comparison, divergence time estimation and Wolbachia recombination analysis revealed that mito‐nuclear discordance in Tagiadini species is not mediated by Wolbachia, but Wolbachia acquisition in Tagiadini appears to have occurred mainly through horizontal transmission rather than codivergence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The present study was conducted to estimate the prevalence of oral carcinoma and precancerous lesion, oral healthcare seeking behaviour and identify accessible areas of tobacco cessation centres and oral healthcare facilities among Irular adult tribes residing in Pondicherry. Objectives: 1. To estimate the prevalence of oral carcinomas and precancerous lesion by using toluidine blue solution. 2. To determine their oral healthcare seeking behaviour in terms of utilizing oral healthcare facilities. 3. To identify accessible tobacco cessation centres and oral healthcare centres for prevention of oral cancer. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study is designed to identify oral carcinomas, oral health-care seeking behaviour among Irular tribes of Pondicherry. 1% toluidine blue solution prepared for detection of oral precancerous lesion. Data was collected using a questionnaire and clinical examination. The collected data was subjected to statistical analysis. Results: Out of 587 study population, oral mucosal lesion among the study population was 46 (7.8%) leukoplakia and 18 (3.1%) candidiasis. Positive health seeking behaviour 24 (41.7%) was observed. Conclusion: The study concluded that low prevalence of oral precancerous lesion and oral healthcare seeking behaviour is poor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An ethnobotanical study was carried out among Mannan, Urali, and Paliyan communities at Kozhimala and Chakkupallom villages of Idukki dist, Kerela. Information on one hundred plants used by them as a source of medicine for various ailments was collected through a questionnaire. Totally 68 plant species were collected from the Mannan community, 16 from the Urali, and another 16 from Paliyan community. The plant parts used as sources of medicine by targeted tribes were, leaves (52%), followed by roots (29%), stem, and bark (20%) Fruit and seed (19%), Whole plant (14%) Latex and resin (5%), flower and other parts (6%). Among which, mostly preferred plant parts as a source of medicine by Mannan tribe was leaf (35%) followed by root parts (16%), stem and bark (15%), fruit and seed (11%), whole plant (6%) latex and resin (5%) flower and other parts (4%) whereas Urali tribes used root parts (9%) leaf (5%) seed and fruit (3%) bark (3%) whole plant (3%) and flower (2%) and Paliyan used leaf (12%) followed by whole plant (5%), seed (5%) and root parts (4%). Mannas mostly use herbs (32%) as their medicine followed by Trees (21%) also shrubs (15%) and climbers (5%). Urali tribes use Herbs (9%), shrubs (8%), climbers, and trees 3% each. Paliyan tribes mostly use Herbs (15%), followed by trees (9%), Shrubs (3%), and climbers (1%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dargāhqolī Khān, also known as Moʿtaman-al-Dawla Moʿtaman-al-Molk Sālār-J̌ang and Khān-e Dawrān Navāb, was a high-ranking Iranian official at the court of the Neżāms of Hyderabad and Awrangābād for several generations, best known for his description of Delhi. He was descended from Khāndānqolī Khān Δ olqadr, a member of the Bōrbōr sub-tribe who had joined the line of Torkman chiefs in the region of Mašhad and had migrated to India in 1048 A.H./1638 A.D. The paper presents a brief note on the biography of this prominent Indian politician of Iranian descent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: An increasing number of fossil planthoppers from Burmese ambers are regularly newly described, yet few belong to extant families. In this study, we describe new fossil taxa in the family Achilidae: Niryasaburnia nigrutomia sp. nov. and Sinuovenaxius kachinensis gen. et sp. nov. Additionally, we propose the establishment of a new tribe, Niryasaburniini trib. nov., to accommodate these two genera. A key for identifying tribes within the Myconinae subfamily is provided. A new species Niryasaburnia nigrutomia sp. nov. of the planthopper family Achilidae from Burmese amber collected from Hukawng Valley (Tanai) of northern Myanmar, is described, notably based on forewing pattern coloration and metatibiotarsal teeth conformation. A new fossil genus with its type species Sinuovenaxius kachinensis gen. et sp. nov. is also described. The tribe Niryasaburniini trib. nov. is established to include Niryasaburnia Szwedo, 2004, and Sinuovenaxius gen. nov., based on a unique combination of characters, of which the following states are particularly notable: head with compound eyes around half the length of pronotum, late forking of ScP+R and CuA after the fusion of Pcu+A1 on the forewing, apical teeth of metatarsomeres I and II both with subapical platellar sensilla, and a unique hindwing pattern with simple RP and biforked MP, CuA with two terminals only, and with A2 simple, reaching the posterior wing margin. The hindwing venation of this new tribe with RP with only one terminal and both MP and CuA with two terminals is unique in Achilidae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this research was to explore the possibility of conforming types of students, as well as to identify a possible relationship between the educational trajectory and the self-perception of both cognitive and technical skills. The research design was quantitative, transectional correlational. The analysis followed the structural equation model, hierarchical conglomerates and K-means, as well as a Chi-square hypothesis test. The information was collected from 191 university students, and the results showed three types of students that we called: analytical thinkers, progressing learners and technological innovators in addition to identifying a relationship between semester and cognitive skills as techniques. The studies that showed types of students based on cognitive and technical skills are rare and not very conclusive, although they focus on exploring different variables. This study was the first to address skills a priori of self-perceived cognitive and technical skills, as well as a description of the student environment based on different types for the possible application of multimodal courses, in addition to providing a key variable in high and positive self-perception: the semester. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN) are the Indigenous peoples of the United States. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, approximately 9.7 million people self-identified as AI/AN (alone or in combination with other races), representing 2.9% of the total U.S. population. These people represent diverse groups of discrete Tribes, each with their language, culture, and geographic home. As part of the conquest and settlement of North America, some Indigenous peoples signed treaties with the U.S. government, surrendering their lands in return for various government commitments, including health care. The Indian Health Service (IHS) was born out of these agreements. The IHS is an agency in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under the U.S. Public Health Service. The IHS provides a comprehensive health service delivery system for approximately 2.7 million AI/AN who belong to 574 federally recognized Tribes/nations in 37 states. The aim of this paper is to make recommendations regarding the initiation of sustainable neurology care in marginalized or underserved populations by reviewing 40 years of neurology care provision within the IHS. We will discuss (1) the IHS, (2) neurological care provided within the IHS, including midlevel provider extension of neurology care and traditional medical care, and (3) select neurological diagnoses within AI/AN populations. Marginalized populations, including those in the United States that are rural, remote, or low socioeconomic status, lack access to specialty neurology care. This includes many AI/AN. The IHS has developed novel solutions to promote specialty care, including neurology. Notably, initial IHS investments in full-time neurology providers have led to more robust neurology care, often receiving attention from university programs. This suggests that an initial investment in stable on-site full-time neurology services provides a path to potential sustainable care for marginalized populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The external genital appendages of Noctuidae represent correlated–coevolved elements of a complex structure. The pathways of changes are delimited by some constraints, and they are parallelly evolved in different phyletic lines. Asymmetrical male external genitalia were found in Hadenini, in Polia and its closely related genera, but also in Anarta (s. l.). In Poliina, the asymmetry of the genital capsule is mostly expressed in the Holarctic Polia nebulosa species group, forming the basal split within Polia (s. str.). Higher species diversity, as a consequence of asymmetry connected with the split of functions between the right and left sides, was observed in Polia (s. str.) and in Anarta (s. l.). The highest level of expansivity was observed in the Holarctic Anarta, where some species are migrating and becoming invasive ones, while a bulk of species populates the steppic and mountainous habitats of North America and Central Asia. Parallelly, while some genera/subgenera of the subtribe Poliina are oligotypic and/or consist of strictly localised species, the sensu stricto Polia species with asymmetrical genital capsules are widely distributed. The diversification of the Hadulina phylogenetic line should have been initiated by the Messinian aridisation crisis. The core area of diversification of Poliina was connected with the Sino-Himalayan region, followed by expansion into the Holarctic boreo-nemoral zone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spirorbinae, a ubiquitous group of marine calcareous tubeworms with a small body size as adults, have a fascinating diversity of brooding modes that form the basis for their taxonomic division into six tribes (traditionally subfamilies): in-tube incubation, with varying degrees of attachment to adult structures (four tribes), and external incubation in a modified radiole (opercular brood chambers; two tribes). We investigated the evolutionary transitions among these brooding modes. Phylogenetic reconstruction with molecular (28s and 18s rDNA) and morphological data (83 characters) among 36 taxa (32 ingroup spirorbins; 4 filogranin outgroups) of the combined data set, using maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood, and Bayesian analyses, inferred Spirorbinae to be monophyletic, with strong support for the monophyly for five tribes (Circeini, Januini, Romanchellini, Paralaeospirini and Spirorbini), but non-monophyly for Pileolariini. However, deeper relationships among some tribes remain unresolved. Neomicrorbis was found to be the sistergroup to all other Spirorbinae. Alternative coding strategies for assessing the ancestral state reconstruction for the reproductive mode allowed for a range of conclusions as to the evolution of tube and opercular brooding in Spirorbinae. Two of the transformations suggest that opercular brooding may be ancestral for Spirorbinae, and the tube-incubating tribes may have been derived independently from opercular-brooding ancestors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]