EXPANDING THE RECORD OF LARVAE OF FALSE FLOWER BEETLES WITH PROMINENT TERMINAL ENDS

Beetle larvae contribute to the overall biomass with a great share, yet they often stay unnoticed and underexplored. Larvae of the group Scraptiidae, also called false flower beetles, lead a life hidden in the wood, not easily accessible for observers. There, they contribute to wood decomposition and carbon cycling. Even though their ecological role is of great importance, these larvae have been comparably rarely studied. This is true for extant as well as fossil representatives of this group. It seems that this knowledge gap is not based on the limited availability of material but results from insufficiently studied material. Here we report new specimens, of which seven are extant and twelve are fossil. Fossil specimens are either from 40-million-year-old Baltic amber (Eocene) or 100-million-year-old Myanmar amber (Cretaceous), the latter representing the oldest record of these larvae. All specimens considered here possess a large, elongated terminal end. We performed an outline analysis of the shape of this terminal end for all so far known larval specimens sufficiently well preserved (in total 33 specimens: 17 extant, 14 Eocene, 2 Cretaceous). There is a recognisable difference between Eocene and extant specimens, yet it remains unclear whether this is due to different represented larval stages or an effect of evolution.

Alternative pathways for hydrogen sink originated from the ruminal fermentation of carbohydrates: Which microorganisms are involved in lowering methane emission?

Agriculture is responsible for a great share of the anthropogenic sources of greenhouse gases that, by warming the earth, threaten its biodiversity. Among greenhouse gas emissions, enteric CH4 from livestock is an important target to slow down climate changes. The CH4 is originated from rumen fermentation and its concentration is affected by several factors, including genetics and nutrition. Ruminants have an extraordinary symbiosis with microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, and protozoa) that ferment otherwise indigestible carbohydrates, from which they obtain energy to grow and continue actively producing, among other products, volatile fatty acids, CO2 and H2. Detrimental ruminal accumulation of H2 is avoided by methanogenesis carried out by Archaea methanogens. Importantly, methanogenesis is not the only H2 sink pathway. In fact, other bacteria can reduce substrates using metabolic hydrogen formed during carbohydrate fermentation, namely propionate production and reductive acetogenesis, thus lowering the CH4 produced. Although the complexity of rumen poses challenges to mitigate CH4 production, the emergence of sequencing techniques that allow the study of microbial communities, gene expression, and metabolome are largely contributing to unravel pathways and key players in the rumen. Indeed, it is now recognized that in vivo emissions of CH4 are correlated to microbial communities, and particularly with the abundance of methanogens, several bacterial groups, and their genes. The goal of CH4 mitigation is to work in favor of the natural processes, without compromising rumen function, animal health, and productivity. Notwithstanding, the major challenge continues to be the feasibility and affordability of the proposed solutions.

Vera Bácskai and urban history: life, work and impact

This special section pays tribute to Professor Vera Bácskai (1930–2018), an outstanding Hungarian urban historian, one of the founders and former presidents of the European Association for Urban History. Vera Bácskai was an influential personality whose work and personal impact inspired generations of younger scholars. She played an instrumental role in the institutionalization of modern social and urban history in her homeland, while she also had a great share in creating the international networks and organizations that define the framework for European urban history to this day. The introductory article reflects on her life, career and impact, and it offers a thematic introduction into the articles of the special section.

Confronting Lying in Negotiation

Negotiation is not only the way lawyers determine what one will pay another in a traditional sale of an asset; it is also the method by which the great share of lawsuits are resolved. Because lying is private activity and because it is often richly rewarded, negotiation is a welcoming environment for a liar. This welcome is enhanced by the fact that deception, short of lying, is permissible and, indeed, at the heart of much negotiation. Worse, because the line between permissible deception and impermissible lying about material matters is indistinct, a liar can readily rationalize his behavior as permissible even when an objective person would find otherwise....

Major Barriers to Manufacturing SMEs Growth and Survival: Evidence From Emerging Economy Pakistan

SMEs play a tremendous role in increased national economic development and consider the backbone of the economy around the world. It contributes a great share in the GDP of Pakistan and a huge number of the workforce involved. However, despite such great importance, the SMEs growth in Pakistan face numerous challenges for access to financial resources, market information, and procurement contract. Hence the main aim behind this study is to investigate the influence of these barriers on manufacturing SMEs' growth and survival. A structured questionnaire was distributed among 172 managerial level employees of manufacturing SMEs to explore the influence of financial resources, market information, and procurement contract on the growth of SMEs by incorporating the Structural Equation Model (SEM). The study shows that the lack of access to financial resources, market information, and procurement contract negatively influence the growth and survival of SMEs. Therefore, it needs a certain action to eliminate such barriers for SMEs' sustainable growth and survival. This study suggestion will help to contribute to policymakers and industry players to overcome such barriers.

Determining Professional Mobility Levels of Secondary School Teachers

Education has a great share in the development of a country. Countries that invest in education are developing in all respects. There are many factors that affect education, but the most important of them is the teacher. Because other factors affecting education do not make sense without a teacher. The better the teachers are trained, the more appropriate the working conditions, the better the quality of education, and thus the establishment of a modern, peaceful country. This study aims to determine professional mobility levels of secondary school teachers. Mixed research method was used in the study. A total number of 146 teachers including 60 teachers in the control group and 86 in the experimental group participated in the study. Results confirmed the effectiveness of activities to update students’ pedagogical experiences as a necessary step in the development of professional pedagogical mobility. Results are discussed with relevant literature and recommendations for further research and practices are provided.

Effect of Service Quality on Customer Satisfaction of Domestic Airlines in Nepal

Background: Airlines industries have great share in economic growth, tourism, world trade and international investment in today's globalized business world. Due to this purpose the attraction towards airlines companies seems to be increasing which have forced them to maintain certain quality level in order to compete and sustain in long run. Objective: This paper aims to analyze the affect of service quality on customer satisfaction of domestic airlines in Nepal along with identification of customer perceived service quality in the aviation business and to examine factors influencing passenger's satisfaction in the aviation business. Methods: Regression is used for generating effective output of the study. Likewise, ANOVA test, reliability test are also performed with the help of statistical tools. Results: Customers are satisfied if employees behave well with them and airlines value them with proper services and information. Also, the study reveals that there is significant relationship between customer satisfaction and tangibility, reliability, responsiveness, empathy and assurance. Conclusions: The most influencing factors in selection of airlines is security they assures and timely flights so, if airlines companies took these things into consideration then it would help in increasing customer satisfaction. Originality: This paper is original and not sent for publication anywhere else.

Technology adoption in maize farming: a comparative analysis between improved seed users and local seed users of Argakachi district of Nepal

Maize is one of the top agricultural commodities that has great share in the Agricultural Government Development Plan of Nepal. Despite being a major crop, productivity of maize is quite lower than global average. In this context, a study was undertaken to determine the extent of technology adoption between improved and local seed users of Arghakhanchi district of Nepal. A pretested semi-structured questionnaire was administered among 120 randomly selected farmers during the month of January 2018. The extent of technology adoption was measured on sowing time, seed replacement, variety change, seed rate, application of fertilizer, weeding and plant protection. The empirical evidence suggested that, extent of technology adoption and benefit cost ratio were magnificently higher for improved seed users than local seed users. So, there is still a gigantic scope to improve maize productivity in the area by adoption of recommended technology of maize farming. The probability of adoption of recommended technology (improved seed) for maize farming was found to be higher for those with access to extensive service. Overall, our study pointed out that extension facility is a key strategy to make famers aware of the new technologies and a crucial factor to increase the chance of adoption.

New records of Heterocera (Insecta, Lepidoptera) from the Republic of Khakassia and South of Krasnoyarsk region (South Siberia, Russia)

Here we presented the new data and new records of Lepidoptera (Crambidae, Cossidae, Lasiocampidae, Drepanidae, Geometridae, Notodontidae, Noctuidae s.l., Arctiidae) from the Khakassia Republic and the South of Krasnoyarsk region. A total of 147 species are reported for the fauna of both regions for the first time, based on the literature records and personal data collected in 1999−2019. We collected the moths in Khakassia and South of Krasnoyarsk region in more than 40 localities, from the steppe zone to the alpine area of the West Sayan, the Kuznetsky Alatau, and foothills of East Sayan Mountains. Specimens were collected in the daylight by standard methods using butterfly net and in the night, using mercury lamp Sylvania (250W) and inverter generator (1000W). All collected materials preserved in private collections of R.E. Maksimov in Abakan (RMA), M.A. Ivanov in Krasnoyarsk (MIK), and in private collection of S.A. Knyazev in Omsk (SKO). The presence of several species have been considered doubtful before our study. We suggested that the regional list of Heterocera of Khakassia and South of the Krasnoyarsk region should be considerably revised. The great share of the specimens mentioned in this article is presented on the websiite “The Nature of South Siberia” (www.ermak24.com/animalia-insecta.html/).

Overview on Percutaneous Therapies of Disc Diseases

Low back pain is an extremely common pathology affecting a great share of the population, in particular, young adults. Many structures can be responsible for pain such as intervertebral discs, facet joints, nerve roots, and sacroiliac joints. This review paper focuses on disc pathology and the percutaneous procedures available to date for its treatment. For each option, we will assess the indications, technical aspects, advantages, and complications, as well as outcomes reported in the literature and new emerging trends in the field.