Temporary barriers reshape crowd lanes during street festivals. We extract trajectories from anonymised overhead video to detect bottleneck oscillations before incidents. A compact stability metric highlights layouts where small perturbations amplify congestion, complementing manual marshal checklists.

Several cooperatives tested lightweight ledger logs tied to drying batch codes. We describe adoption barriers such as smartphone sharing and intermittent connectivity, then estimate error rates when reconciling parchment weights against cooperative records. Findings inform simpler hybrid paper-digital workflows.

Open-air markets concentrate labour in shallow canopies with limited airflow. We instrument stalls during the warm season and relate wet-bulb globe temperature to self-reported fatigue scales. Simple shade retrofits and staggered rest breaks are evaluated as low-cost interventions for vendor cooperatives.

Low-frequency arrays accumulate systematic errors that differ between day and night ionospheric states. We compare several night-only calibration buses against continuous calibration for a compact array prototype. Night-bus schedules reduce phase RMS during disturbed conditions while keeping acceptable sensitivity for transient surveys.

Repair cafes have spread as grassroots responses to fast consumer electronics turnover. We track twelve urban cohorts over four years to estimate diversion from landfill relative to matched neighbourhoods without organised repair events. Results suggest durable effects when cafes coordinate with municipal bulky-waste schedules and school volunteer pipelines.

Smallholder advisory teams often receive conflicting yield outlooks from different agrometeorological sources. We combine weekly station readings with satellite proxies using Bayesian stacking to stabilise forecasts for winter cereals in data-sparse regions. Cross validation on three seasons shows lower median absolute error than any single model and clearer uncertainty intervals for extension messaging.

This study explores the relationship between environmental, social, and Governance disclosure and financial performance in two African contexts, South Africa and Botswana. Using a cross-sectional design, the study analyzes 102 Johannesburg Stock Exchange-listed firms and 85 Botswana Stock Exchange-listed firms based on a 54-item ESG disclosure index. Economic value added is employed as a proxy for financial performance. Non-parametric tests, including the Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests, were used to assess differences in ESG disclosure, while Spearman\'s correlation evaluates the ESG-performance relationship. Th results reveal that overall ESG disclosure is significantly stronger in South Africa. The results further show a positive but context-dependent relationship between ESG disclosure and financial performance, with stronger effects observed in Botswana. The study highlights the role of institutional frameworks in shaping ESG outcomes.

This study represents the first comprehensive investigation of its kind globally. Grafting is a widely adopted vegetative propagation technique, particularly for plant and fruit species that exhibit recalcitrance or high costs when propagated through alternative methods. Rhus coriaria L., commonly known as sumac, is typically propagated through sexual means (seeds) or asexual methods, specifically via sucker shoot. While a limited number of studies have explored tissue culture in sumac, there is currently no documented evidence of successful sapling production via in vitro techniques. Furthermore, literature remains devoid of any investigations regarding grafting applications for this species. The present study was conducted to evaluate grafting success and subsequent seedling development in sumac by employing the ‘chip budding’ technique across three distinct periods: March 15, April 15, and May 15. The plant material comprised scions from four ‘Derici sumac’ genotypes, which were specifically selected for their superior pomological characteristics. The highest success was achieved with chip budding performed in April, yielding graft take rates of 92-100% and sprouting rates of 92-96%. In contrast, grafting in March resulted in significantly lower performance, with graft take and sprouting rates ranging from 4.00-8.00% and 0.00-8.00%, respectively. Intermediate results were observed in May, where graft take and sprouting rates varied between 32-40% and 24-32%, respectively. The measurements taken 4 months after the grafting applications revealed that although there were small differences in shoot diameter and shoot length, the shoot development in all periods was sufficient for seedling development. The vegetative performance of the grafted plants was remarkably high, with shoot lengths ranging from 80 to 153 cm within just four months. Given the global absence of prior research on grafting applications in sumac, these findings represent a significant milestone. This study not only demonstrates that chip budding is a highly efficient and accessible method for sumac sapling production but also establishes a resource for future horticultural research on the species.

This article analyzes the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) tools into higher education in economics and business administration, specifically in the Public Accounting and Business Administration programs at the Faculty of Economics, Business, and Sustainable Development (FEEDS). The study was conducted using a qualitative approach with a descriptive–interpretive scope, employing content analysis applied to pedagogical experiences in the academic courses of Strategy and Prospective Analysis, Microeconomics, and Accounting Fundamentals.\n\nThe results show that the integration of AI transcends its instrumental use and is configured as a structural process that articulates pedagogical, ethical, and formative dimensions. Four analytical dimensions are identified: (i) ethical governance of AI, (ii) pedagogical innovation mediated by artificial intelligence, (iii) development of competencies for the use of AI, and (iv) academic integrity and validation of knowledge. Furthermore, it is observed that AI-based tools, such as intelligent tutoring systems and ChatGPT-type language models, promote personalized learning, the development of critical thinking, and the optimization of teaching practices, contributing to the development of skills relevant to decision-making in economic and administrative contexts.\n\nIt is concluded that the incorporation of AI into higher education constitutes a significant opportunity to transform teaching-learning processes, provided it is accompanied by clear pedagogical guidelines, training in critical competencies, and ethical frameworks that ensure the responsible use of these technologies.

ABSTRACT\nIntelligence-Led Policing (ILP), which uses data-driven intelligence to inform law enforcement tactics, is a change from reactive to proactive crime prevention. This study compares the implementation of ILP in China, South Africa, and Kenya and examines how institutional, technological, and sociopolitical factors affect its effectiveness. Using a qualitative research design, the study examines secondary data from academic publications, government documents, and international reports within the framework of Situational Crime Prevention and Routine Activity Theory (2014-2024). The results show that the three nations differ significantly from one another. ILP primarily relies on human intelligence (HUMINT) in South Africa and Kenya, but it faces institutional fragmentation, scarce resources, and poor technology integration. On the other hand, China uses artificial intelligence and sophisticated big data analytics in a centralised policing paradigm, which allows predictive policing but also raises ethical and privacy concerns. The paper emphasises that key factors influencing ILP outcomes include historical contexts, governance frameworks, and technology capabilities. It promotes context-sensitive adjustments that strike a balance between accountability, ethical issues, and operational effectiveness. The analysis highlights the need to improve institutional coordination and technology capacities in South Africa and Kenya while advocating for more robust privacy protections in China. This study advances equitable and successful crime prevention tactics in a variety of policing contexts by examining the intricate interactions between ethics, governance, and intelligence approaches.\nKeywords: Intelligence-Led Policing (ILP), Crime Prevention, Comparative Analysis, South Africa, Kenya, China, Law Enforcement Strategies.

Since the establishment of democracy in 1994, South Africa has faced consistently elevated rates of community protests, often aimed at local authorities and frequently turning violent. This study explores the 2012–2013 rebellion of the urban poor in Marianridge to investigate its origins, methods of protest, reactions from municipal leaders, and developmental impacts. The research is directed by three fundamental inquiries: (1) what drove sustained protests despite continuous service planning; (2) what influence did mobilization exert on municipal decision-making; and (3) how successful were Ward Committees as mechanisms for participatory governance? A qualitative case study design was utilized for exploration. Data were gathered via comprehensive semi-structured interviews with protest leaders, youth representatives, and civil society participants, along with document analysis. Thematic analysis indicated that structural poverty, youth unemployment, failures in service delivery, and intra-party political fragmentation were key factors influencing mobilisation. Participants characterized the protest as a democratic right and a tactical reaction to unproductive participatory avenues. Although protests prompted responsive action from city officials, systemic flaws, especially the ineffectiveness of Ward Committees, hindered enduring governance reform. The results enhance research on protest cycles and local governance by offering a cohesive analysis that connects structural factors, leadership behaviour, and protest strategies. The research indicates that bolstering participatory institutions, increasing youth engagement, and formalizing protest management are crucial for solidifying democracy and responding to developmental needs

This paper, using ZnCl2, laurel fruit seeds were chemically treated to produce activated carbon. The removal of Reactive Blue 4 dye was achieved by using activated carbon, which was characterized by FTIR and BET. From the BET analysis of activated carbon, the pore diameter was determined as 4.55 nm and the surface area as 900.34 m2/g. The adsorption kinetic data was fitted using the pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order kinetic models. SAE, SSE, MSE, RMSE, and MPSD (Ferror) validation methods were used to determine the accuracy of the kinetic model. The pseudo-second order kinetic model was proven to be compatible with the adsorption process. Using the Arrhenius equation, the activation energy (Ea) was determined to be 67.18 kJ/mol. The adsorption of RB4 on AC was determined to be chemical adsorption. The additional activation parameters, entropy (ΔS#), enthalpy (ΔH#), and free energy of activation (ΔG#), were determined using the Eyring equation. Equilibrium data were fitted into Langmuir, and Freundlich isotherm models. High R2 values were obtained with Freundlich isotherm model.