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    Wind direction and strength determine the genetic structure of an insect-pollinated plant across heterogeneous landscape
    Deng, Jun-Yin; Fu, Rong-Hua; Compton, Stephen G.; Yuan, Chuan; Kling, Matthew M.; Chen, Xiao-Yong; Song, Yao-Bin; Jiang, Kai; Liu, Mei; Greeff, Jacobus Maree; Chen, Yan (Wiley, 2025-06)
    AIM : Dispersal of plant propagules and their genes is crucial for plant responses to landscape heterogeneities, yet the mechanisms behind this dispersal remain unclear. Ficus species depend on wind-borne fig wasps for pollination, but research on airflow effects on Ficus genetic structure has produced conflicting results. Our study aims to clarify the role of wind in shaping the genetic structure of such plants with wind-borne insect pollinators by examining how geomorphological complexity interacts with air movements to influence genetic structures. LOCATION : Southwest China: Sichuan, Yunnan, Guangxi and Guizhou provinces. TAXON : Ficus tikoua Bur., Ficus, Moraceae. METHODS : We sampled 56 F. tikoua sites across southwest China, characterised by high geomorphologic complexity. River basins and predominant winds were visualised across the sampled regions. Wind connectivity between sampled sites during the main pollination season was modelled based on hourly daily wind data. The maternal and biparental genetic structure of sites were reconstructed using chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) and nuclear SSR (nuSSR) markers. Links between genetic structure, location, and wind parameters were estimated by Mantel or partial Mantel tests. RESULTS : The plant's maternal genetic structure was defined by river systems, with two distinct cpDNA groups located in the Yangtze and Pearl River basins, respectively. The boundaries for nuclear variation were less clearly delimited geographically. Sites with mixtures of nuSSR groups were concentrated where prevailing winds arrived from several directions. Stronger between-site air flows increased nuSSR geneflow and genetic similarities, while populations receiving more wind flow were also more genetically variable. MAIN CONCLUSIONS : Our study reveals how plant gene dispersal reflects air and water movements that in turn respond to geomorphologic complexity, thereby directly demonstrating the effects of wind on gene flow of plants with wind-borne insect pollinators. Wind data matching pollinator flight times and large sample sizes are crucial for testing wind effects.
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    In silico and in vitro evaluation of flavonoid derivatives for diabetes management : molecular dynamics, and enzyme kinetics for pancreatic alpha-amylase and alpha-glucosidase
    McMillan, Jamie; Bester, Megan Jean; Apostolides, Zeno (Springer, 2025-11)
    Please read abstract in the article.
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    Maxi Schoeman - an appreciation
    Vale, Peter Christopher Julius (Vale, Peter Christopher Julius, 2026)
    More than anything else – and certainly, more than anyone else – Maxi Schoeman, who passed away on 14 September 2025 has ensured the longevity of the academic discipline of International Relations in South Africa. This is because Professor Schoeman encouraged scholars to build trust with those who practice the diplomatic craft. She also championed rigorous academic standards, a deep commitment to public service, and called on scholars to frame policies relevant to their work. This is the principal message of this Appreciation of a friend, a colleague, and a confidant, not only of this writer, but of many in the ‘political science’ community beyond African shores.
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    A public sector reputation management framework for South Africa’s Eastern Cape Provincial Government
    Msiya, Mgwebi; De Beer, Estelle (University of the Free State, 2025-12)
    Reputation management was synonymous with the private sector until recently when public sector organisations, particularly in Europe and America, adopted the concept. This study's aim is to contribute to the scant body of knowledge on public sector reputation management, specifically in South Africa's Eastern Cape province. The study adopted a qualitative approach to gain an understanding of the public perceptions of the Eastern Cape Provincial Government's reputation. The findings were based on two participant observations and a purposively selected sample of 15 participants who were recruited from non-governmental organisations (NGOs), media institutions, government departments, youth structures, and business organisations. The study utilised semi-structured interviews and participant observations as data collection techniques. The collected data was analysed thematically through categorisation and Leximancer software analysis. The results of the study show that the Eastern Cape Provincial Government lacks the capacity to manage its reputation strategically, resulting in increasingly discontented communities. Furthermore, the findings reveal that the public held negative views of the Eastern Cape Provincial Government's reputation. The Public Sector Reputation Management Framework, which was developed in this study, provides an understanding of how the Eastern Cape Provincial Government's reputation could be strategically and sustainably managed.