University of Notre Dame

• Geochemical analysis identifies chemical groups in the ceramics studied. • Three main petrographic paste groups are identified in the Igbo Ukwu assemblage. • Multiple petrofabrics reflect differences in clay sources and clay processing techniques. • The ceramics are consistent with broadly local geology. • The results from this study refine the understanding of raw material sourcing and ceramic production practices at ancient Igbo Ukwu. The 1st and 2nd Millennium CE marked significant shifts in West African economy and sociopolitical systems with commensurate changes to craft economies in the region, including expanded trade networks and increasing urbanism across the region. This study investigates ceramic production at Igbo Ukwu (9th-12th Century CE), one of the most significant archaeological sites in West Africa, renowned for its elaborate material culture and early technological sophistication. Drawing on legacy collections from Thurstan Shaw’s 1959 – 1964 excavations, this paper examines ceramic samples from Igbo Isaiah, Igbo Richard, and Igbo Jonah, the three excavated sites, using petrographic and portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) analyses. The results reveal three major petrographic groups (Argillaceous, Quartzitic, and Transitionary) representing locally sourced clays and distinct chemical composition groups, highlighting substantial variation in broadly locally sourced raw material and preparation techniques. The findings from this work reveal multiple paste types that were used to produce macroscopically similar vessels, suggesting multiple potting traditions or workshops. However, it remains unclear if production was directed towards local consumption, regional exchange, or if the potting industry was organized to meet both local and external demands. These findings offer new insights into the organization of ceramic production at Igbo Ukwu and contribute to a broader understanding of craft production and technological knowledge in early West African societies.

Child trafficking and exploitation remain significant public health challenges and human rights violations in the United States (US), where it mainly impacts youth in foster care, unstable housing, and other marginalized communities. Multi-agency and collective responses are needed to prevent, identify, and respond to exploitation, but evidence on interventions is fragmented across sectors. For this scoping review, only studies based in the United States were considered regarding multi-agency response to child trafficking and exploitation. Data were extracted and synthesized systematically to explore legislative frameworks, risk factors, collaborative practice, and outcomes. In the US, responses to child trafficking and exploitation are based on extensive federal and state legislation that requires multi-agency approaches from criminal justice, child welfare, health care, education, and community systems; however, implementation and integration across these systems vary considerably. Across studies, risk of trafficking was characterized by intersections of structural, familial, and individual vulnerabilities, with the highest risks in youth experiencing homelessness and LGBTQ+ youth. Common channels of exploitation were through facilitation by a family member, romantic or peer recruitment, and increasingly through online pathways, reinforced by dependency, traumatic bonding, and barriers to exit. Multi-agency collaboration, integrated health and social services, trauma-informed and survivor-centered practices, were associated with improved identification, engagement, and recovery outcomes. However, most collaborations lacked formal infrastructure, sustainable funding, standardized screening methods, consistent training, and evaluation mechanisms, limiting effectiveness and scalability. Together, trauma-informed and survivor-centered multi-agency systems are essential to addressing child trafficking and exploitation beyond enforcement-focused responses. Strengthening formal collaboration structures and addressing underlying structural vulnerabilities are critical for sustained prevention and recovery. Keywords: Child Trafficking, Multi-Agency Collaboration, Exploitation Prevention

Plant amino acids function as both pathogen nutrients and essential drivers of systemic immunity. The regulation of amino acid homeostasis through transporters is a essential for mounting a robust and coordinated immune response in plants during pathogen infection. Using systems biology and integrative network science, we investigated bacterial virulence in Arabidopsis. By comparing gene coexpression networks of effector-triggered susceptibility (ETS) and pattern-triggered immunity (PTI), we uncovered a plant amino acid-related processes specifically linked to ETS. Integrating time-series transcriptomics, protein DNA interactions, and mathematical simulations, we identified ANAC046 as a transcriptional regulator of amino acid processes during ETS. Single-cell RNA-Seq revealed that amino acid transporters are primarily expressed in companion and mesophyll cells, while functional validation confirmed ANAC046 roles in promoting susceptibility. Further integration of transcriptome and interactome data showed that amino acid-related genes interact with key immune hub proteins. Network topology analysis enabled the characterization of seven additional genes involved in plant defense. To support community-wide research, we developed MIData, an open-access platform for pre-analyzed Arabidopsis networks. Together, our findings demonstrate the power of systems-level approaches in uncovering hierarchical regulatory mechanisms underlying plant susceptibility to bacterial pathogens.

Abstract This paper comprises replies to three symposium papers that approach my work from broadly Hegelian or so-called continental perspectives: Estrada-González (2024), Ficara (2024), and Shores (2023). The goal is not to settle exegetical questions about Hegel but to clarify how a subclassical—in particular, glut-theoretic (and, if relevant, gap-theoretic)—framework interacts with speculative and continental treatments of contradiction and negation. Each main section may be read independently, though together they emphasize the same theme: Logic, as the sparse and topic-neutral closure relation (here taken to be FDE) on all true theories, remains distinct from the richer, extralogical theorizing that particular programs—including Hegelian and continental ones—may require. I am deeply honored by the work of each author and grateful for the engagement.