In “Everything is Tuberculosis,” author John Green assesses the intricacies of the communicable condition, TB, as a source of significant morbidity and mortality globally over centuries. Despite available vaccines, treatments, and protocols, tens of millions are infected and over a million persons will die from TB in 2025 alone. In searching for answers to mitigate this global scourge, however, Green looks past a key factor — specifically the role of law — as a primary tool for prevention and control.

This article provides a Construction Grammar (CxG) analysis of the Complex Modifier Construction (CMC) in English and an investigation of its productivity in World Englishes with a particular focus on African and South-East Asian Englishes. By examining data from the Corpus of Global Web-based English (GloWbE), we seek to establish whether the productivity of the construction correlates with the developmental phase of the variety of English in Schneider’s Dynamic Model of Postcolonial Englishes, or whether language contact, and particularly the typological profiles of the local substrate languages (head-initial versus head-final syntax), affects productivity. We find that evolutionary progress is indeed a relevant factor insofar as the most advanced ‘Inner Circle’ varieties are concerned, but we also observe substantially lower productivity in the African varieties of English when compared to the South-East Asian Englishes represented in the corpus. As the main substrate languages in the African countries under study have head-initial syntax and those in the South-East Asian countries head-final syntax, we conclude that the productivity of complex premodifiers is affected by the multilingual situation in these regions and propose that language contact should be considered more closely as an explanatory factor in future studies of constructional productivity in World Englishes.

This article is a theoretically oriented discussion of noticeable creative syntactic innovations. On the basis of three case studies (the ‘X-much’ construction (racist much?), the ‘extrasentential not’ construction (I like this movie. Not.) and the ‘because X’ construction (Can’t come to the party, because headache.)), we explore the idea that language users may deliberately create novel syntactic constructions by recycling and creatively blending existing constructions. At least two of the constructions discussed here (X much and extrasentential not) are probably not products of informal, natural daily language use, but may have originated (or at least have been propagated) in well-crafted, scripted media language geared towards younger audiences, who in turn have spread these constructions in their communities and beyond. Because X seems to have taken a slightly different route. The main motivations for these three rather noticeable creative innovations may be the Maxim of Extravagance and the Maxim of Wittiness, in Keller’s (1994) sense. We suspect that because X is perhaps less noticeable, or deviant, and pragmatically more complex than the other two constructions, which provides their speakers with more ‘syntactic fireworks’.

This article presents an exploratory study of an innovative future adverb construction, going forward, typically meaning ‘in the future, from now on’ (e.g. What does this mean going forward?). Going forward probably originated in the domain of business in or around the 1970s. In this study, the spread of going forward is examined on the basis of over 1,500 examples from six genres of the Corpus of Contemporary American English (COCA), covering the years 1990–2019. The data is analysed in terms of four morphosyntactic variables, and the developments in the frequency of going forward are analysed using variability-based neighbour clustering. The results show that, in the 1990s, going forward had a modest rate of occurrence mainly in texts having to do with business and finance, but its frequency rose sharply in the 2000s and the 2010s. At the same time, the discourse contexts in which it appeared broadened from business and finance to other domains. The syntactic contexts of going forward show that it has become an adverb. The results highlight the need to incorporate social meanings such as domain preferences in the description of grammatical constructions. They also illustrate the need to consider constructional innovations at the lexical end of the grammar–lexicon continuum, in addition to highly grammaticalised constructions.

Linguistic creativity and productivity have become active topics of research, especially amongst scholars who employ insights from Construction Grammar (CxG) in their analyses. The question of how creativity should be defined and operationalized has in particular emerged as a major point of discussion and debate (e.g. Hoffmann 2018, 2024; Bergs 2018; Bergs & Kompa 2020), and the psychological, contextual and interactional factors that underlie creative language use have received a great deal of attention in recent work (e.g. Hoffmann 2018, 2020, 2024; Herbst 2018; Turner 2018; Hartmann & Ungerer 2023). These studies have substantially increased our understanding of linguistic creativity and productivity, but there are still many open questions about their mutual relationship as well as their connection to related phenomena, such as extravagance (Haspelmath 1999; Eitelmann & Haumann 2022; Trousdale & Norde 2025). In this special issue, the authors investigate a variety of questions related to creative language use and productivity, each providing new insights into the ongoing discussion of the nature of linguistic innovation in the context of English.

Rallidae are frequent colonists of oceanic islands and are often susceptible to introduced predators. The Tristan Moorhen Gallinula nesiotis was endemic to Tristan da Cunha, South Atlantic and is thought to have gone extinct in the late nineteenth century. The closely related Gough Moorhen G. comeri was introduced to Tristan da Cunha from neighbouring Gough Island in 1956. We report historical records of their spread across Tristan da Cunha and the results of a population survey undertaken in February–March 2024. Gough Moorhens are now found across the entire island wherever there is suitable habitat from sea level to above 900 m elevation. Gough Moorhens prefer fern bush habitat on the Base, the plateau above the steep coastal cliffs. The total population is approximately 41,500 birds (95% confidence interval 24,000–72,000). Our density estimates (3–6 birds/ha) are similar to estimates for Gough Moorhens on Gough Island before the post-2021 population decline and are at the higher end of densities reported for oceanic island rallids, suggesting that the Tristan da Cunha population may be near carrying capacity.

Karl Popper introduced a metaphor of demarcation for identification of claims that should not be classified as scientific. This metaphor still dominates the philosophical discussion on pseudoscience. We show that it has hampered the discussion in several ways, most importantly by blocking the insight that determining whether some particular claim is pseudoscientific usually requires specialized scientific expertise. We conclude that it would be better to give up this metaphor and leave room for the two tasks of defining pseudoscience (a task for philosophers) and diagnosing potential cases of pseudoscience (a task for experts in the respective areas of science).

Sessile serrated lesions (SSL) are recognised precursors to colorectal cancer. Little is known about risk factors for SSL due to their relatively recent clinical recognition as a cancer precursor and routine documentation of cases. Lifestyle and diet-related information were collected using validated questionnaires in a colonoscopy-based case-control study in Australia (257 SSL cases, 239 conventional adenoma (CA) cases, 180 polyp-free controls). A posteriori dietary patterns were derived from self-reported dietary intake in the past 12 months using principal component analysis. Multivariable-adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were used to examine associations between lifestyle factors and dietary patterns on risk of SSL and CA vs. polyp-free controls and SSL vs. CA using logistic regression modelling. Use of anti-inflammatory medications was associated with reduced SSL risk (OR=0.61, 95% CI 0.38-1.00), while current smoking was associated with increased SSL risk (OR=1.96, 95% CI 1.09-3.53). Unlike CA, SSL risk was not increased by HRT use and current alcohol consumption but was increased by taller height. Higher adherence to a dietary pattern featuring processed meats, ready-made convenience foods, and high-energy drinks was associated with increased SSL risk (OR=2.13, 95% CI, 1.13-4.00; Ptrend=0.03) and CA (OR=2.60, 95% CI, 1.32-5.09; Ptrend=0.005). Compared to CA, a dietary pattern featuring wholegrains, low-fat dairy, nuts, seeds, and oily fish was associated with reduced SSL risk (OR=0.60, 95% CI, 0.36-0.98; Ptrend=0.04). This study supports a healthy diet as primary prevention for both SSL and CA and reinforces smoking as a risk factor for SSL.

The weaning process negatively affects the haematological parameters and innate immune response of dairy calves, even when managed under an intensive milk program. Here we describe haematological and innate immunity changes in 47 Holstein calves aged 69-85 days subjected to a gradual weaning process. Blood samples were collected at six (D-6), four (D-4), and two (D-2) days before and on the weaning day (D0) for the phagocytosis assay and to measure the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) after stimulation with Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Mannhemia haemolytica, in addition to total protein (TP), haptoglobin (Hp), and iron concentration. The highest mean neutrophil number was recorded at D-2. The absolute number of monocytes was initially high on D-6 and D-4 but declined as the calf progressed to weaning. The number of basophils decreased rapidly, reaching a low value on D-4, and remained low for the remainder of the study period. The TP, Hp, and Fe concentrations decreased. Overall, polymorphonuclear leukocyte phagocytosis activity induced by S. aureus and E. coli decreased from D-6 to D-2, indicating persistence of the low phagocytosis rate for S. aureus. ROS production was constant for all bacterial stimulations from D-6 to D-2, followed by an increase on D0. Phagocytosis and ROS production indicate that the weaning process dampens the innate immune response relative to exposure to these common pathogenic bacteria in dairy calves. Phagocytosis and the corresponding indicators of intracellular killing activities (ROS production and myeloperoxidase index) represent the most accepted core mechanisms for the early elimination of pathogenic microorganisms in calves. Despite a slow gradual weaning management system, the study concluded that intensive milk production programs contribute to innate immune response suppression during weaning.

This article examines professional diviners employed by the Qing (1636–1912) government to assist in local administration. Known as yin-yang officers, these officials served among the technical and religious specialists embedded in prefectural and county governments across the empire. Although they held marginal or unranked positions within the formal bureaucracy, yin-yang officers played a vital role in both administrative and ritual life at the grassroots level. By tracing their training, sources of authority, and everyday responsibilities, this article sheds light on the Qing’s local technical and religious bureaucracy—an often-overlooked dimension of imperial statecraft that bridged ritual, cosmological knowledge, healing and divination, and official governance. It argues for the importance of examining imperial bureaucracy from below, showing how these unsalaried, low-level figures helped sustain the empire’s overstretched administrative apparatus well into the early twentieth century.

Germplasm resources are the foundation for improving crop varieties and a strategic asset for global food security. They also advance plant breeding, agricultural biotechnology and the production of essential agricultural goods. To assess the distribution, diversity and conservation status of food crop germplasm in the Hainan Province, China, we conducted a detailed survey of the Hainan Island. Between 2017 and 2022, we collected 330 food crop germplasm resources, encompassing 16 cereal crops, including rice, maize, sweet potato. The collected germplasm resources exhibited traits of high resistance to both biotic and abiotic stresses, including common diseases and drought stress, as well as superior quality and adaptability to poor soil conditions such as sandy land. However, challenges such as low productivity and hybrid degradation were identified. These resources were primarily found in Haikou City, Baisha County, Danzhou City, Wuzhishan City and Sanya City. Additionally, we collected several ancient local varieties and endangered germplasm resources such as ‘Jiezi rice’ and ‘Wuzhishan maize’. This study serves as a reference for the conservation, development and utilization of local food crop germplasm resources in Hainan Province and lays the foundation for breeding and developing new varieties.

Wheel-leg composite robots exhibit robust mobility and exceptional obstacle-crossing capabilities in complex environments. This paper proposes a novel transformable wheel-leg composite structure and presents the design of a wheel-leg composite obstacle-crossing robot, fundamentally configured as a two-wheeled quadruped. The research encompasses a comprehensive analysis of the robot’s overall mechanical structure, a detailed kinematic investigation of its body and obstacle-crossing gait planning, virtual prototype dynamics simulation, and field experimentation. Utilizing advanced modeling software, a 3D model of the robot was established. The kinematic characteristics of the robot in both wheeled and legged modes were thoroughly examined. Specifically, for the legged mode, the Denavit-Hartenberg coordinate system was established, and a detailed kinematic model was analyzed. The obstacle-crossing gait was planned based on the robot’s leg action mechanism. Furthermore, the Lagrangian method was employed to develop a mathematical model for the dynamics of the robot in both wheel-foot modes, allowing for a comprehensive force analysis. To validate the feasibility and rationality of the robot’s obstacle-crossing capabilities under various conditions, extensive simulations and prototype tests were conducted across diverse terrains. The results provide valuable insights and practical guidance for the structural design of wheel-leg composite obstacle-crossing robots, contributing to advancements in this promising field.

Ozette Lake, located on the Olympic Peninsula of western Washington, is ideally situated to provide a sedimentary record of past earthquakes along the northern portion of the Cascadia subduction zone. The lake stratigraphy is punctuated by turbidites, with characteristics typical of those triggered by earthquake shaking as seen in other lakes worldwide. Sediments deposited in Ozette Lake over the past 1300 years between earthquake events show decadal-scale variations in color, magnetic susceptibility, clay content, organic carbon content, density, and computed tomography (CT) intensity. Applying the dynamic time warping technique reveals a strong correlation of CT intensity to historical, instrumental measurements of regional cool-season precipitation, indicating that sediments in the lake preserve a high-fidelity record of decadally averaged fluvial sediment discharge and climate. Correlation of CT intensity patterns from older strata preserved deeper in the lake stratigraphy to two independent, regional paleo-precipitation reconstructions similarly suggests that the sediments record decadal variations in hydroclimate. We provide radiocarbon-independent dates for the past four northern Cascadia subduction earthquakes that are within the uncertainty of a radiocarbon age-depth model but are more precisely estimated by placing earthquake-triggered turbidites in the context of wet and dry periods in these tree-ring- and oxygen-isotope-based reconstructions. Paleoclimate-based constraints on the age of event layers in this and other regional lakes have the potential to help address ongoing questions about past ruptures on the Cascadia subduction margin.

Although Philadelphia’s nineteenth-century public school system was praised by some contemporaries for its efficient administration, the city’s sudden embrace of clinical discourse and “bottom-up” hygienic initiatives between 1896 and 1898, along with critical reports on poor sanitary conditions by the early 1910s, suggest underlying structural issues. This paper contributes to the material history of education by examining the organizational context of Philadelphia’s school construction efforts, focusing on overcrowding and ventilation problems. Drawing from statistical data, works on school architecture, and a sample of representative school buildings, I argue that the city’s legacy of early Lancasterian designs, inconsistent architectural standards, decentralized school construction, and conflicts between local and central authorities hindered compliance with sanitary standards, compromising the health of teachers and pupils. Philadelphia’s lag in sanitary provisions in comparison to other US cities underscores the material consequences of these conflicts, shedding light on the city’s late-1890s push for clinics and dispensaries.

We consider a stochastic model, called the replicator coalescent, describing a system of blocks of k different types that undergo pairwise mergers at rates depending on the block types: with rate $C_{ij}\geq 0$ blocks of type i and j merge, resulting in a single block of type i. The replicator coalescent can be seen as a generalisation of Kingman’s coalescent death chain in a multi-type setting, although without an underpinning exchangeable partition structure. The name is derived from a remarkable connection between the instantaneous dynamics of this multi-type coalescent when issued from an arbitrarily large number of blocks, and the so-called replicator equations from evolutionary game theory. By dilating time arbitrarily close to zero, we see that initially, on coming down from infinity, the replicator coalescent behaves like the solution to a certain replicator equation. Thereafter, stochastic effects are felt and the process evolves more in the spirit of a multi-type death chain.

Scholars and policymakers bemoan an imperial presidency in the war powers context, where the unilateral use of force is frequently interpreted as evidence of an unconstrained executive. Focusing on the strong blame avoidance incentives faced by politicians in the military intervention setting, I develop a model of the war powers focused on “Loss Responsibility Costs.” It suggests that presidents only risk full-scale war when they have the political cover provided by formal authorization, which forces lawmakers to share responsibility. Smaller interventions, in contrast, are frequently undertaken unilaterally because having the president act alone is consistent with congressional preferences for blame avoidance. Novel sentiment data based on tens of thousands of congressional speeches supports the claim that when the president acts unilaterally, they almost always act alongside lawmaker support, who favor intervention but avoid formally endorsing the endeavor. Altogether, it suggests legislators’ influence over war is stronger than commonly appreciated.