Evaluating firefly extinction risk: Initial red list assessments for North America

Fireflies are a family of charismatic beetles known for their bioluminescent signals. Recent anecdotal reports suggest that firefly populations in North America may be in decline. However, prior to this work, no studies have undertaken a systematic compilation of geographic distribution, habitat specificity, and threats facing North American fireflies. To better understand their extinction risks, we conducted baseline assessments according to the categories and criteria of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List for 132 species from the United States and Canada (approximately 79% of described species in the region). We found at least 18 species (14%) are threatened with extinction (e.g. categorized as Critically Endangered, Endangered, or Vulnerable) due to various pressures, including habitat loss, light pollution, and climate change (sea level rise and drought). In addition, more than half of the species (53%) could not be evaluated against the assessment criteria due to insufficient data, highlighting the need for further study. Future research and conservation efforts should prioritize monitoring and protecting populations of at-risk species, preserving and restoring habitat, gathering data on population trends, and filling critical information gaps for data deficient species suspected to be at risk.

Where is the missing felsic crust of Greater Indian continent?

According to the plate tectonics theory, continental crust (CC), especially the felsic upper and middle continental crust (UCC and MCC), cannot subduct due to its buoyancy. Therefore, most, if not all, of the felsic crustal mass will be preserved in continental collision zones or eroded by the surface process. Consequently, the continent-continent convergence is generally slower and more short-lived than oceanic plate subduction. However, the long-duration, fast convergence, and imbalance of crustal mass in the India-Asia collisional system challenge the classical rules of plate tectonics. Systematic compilation and calculations indicate ~20-47% of the felsic crust in Greater India is missing during collision. Based on the phase equilibria modeling and density calculations, we explore the pressure-temperature-dependent density evolutions of UCC and MCC and demonstrate they are denser than the surrounding mantle at P >7-8 GPa when the phase transition from coesite to stishovite occurs. The phase equilibria induced density evolution is further integrated into the thermo-mechanical model, which confirm the deep subduction of Greater Indian continent with its felsic UCC and MCC. Analytical studies of the slab-pull forces in the subduction zone indicate the Greater Indian continent can subduct spontaneously under its own negative buoyancy when it is dragged to a depth of ~170 km by the preceding oceanic slab. The great slab-pull force, induced by the negative buoyancy of UCC and MCC below 170 km, not only contributes to the long-lasting fast convergence between India and Asia, but also explains the crustal mass imbalance during the Himalayan orogeny.

Dataset of seized wildlife and their intended uses

The illegal wildlife trade (IWT) threatens conservation and biosecurity efforts. The Internet has greatly facilitated the trade of wildlife, and researchers have increasingly examined the Internet to uncover illegal trade. However, most efforts to locate illegal trade on the Internet are targeted to one or few taxa or products. Large-scale efforts to find illegal wildlife on the Internet (e-commerce, social media, dark web) may be facilitated by a systematic compilation of illegally traded wildlife taxa and their uses. Here, we provide such a dataset. We used seizure records from three global wildlife trade databases to compile the identity of seized taxa along with their intended usage (i.e., use-type). Our dataset includes c. 4.9k distinct taxa representing c. 3.3k species and contains c. 11k taxa-use combinations from 110 unique use-types. Further, we acquired over 45k common names for seized taxa from over 100 languages. Our dataset can be used to conduct large-scale broad searches of the Internet to find illegally traded wildlife. Further, our dataset can be filtered for more targeted searches of specific taxa or derived products.

The Views and the Effects of Materialist Philosophy and Socialist Ideology on Curriculums and Educational Administration

Materialist philosophy and socialist ideology are philosophical and ideological approaches that have deep influence and traces in public life practice. Along with the social, economic, and political fields, the field of education has been deeply influenced by materialist philosophy and socialist ideology in certain contexts. Main purpose of this study is to examine the effects of materialist philosophy and socialist ideology on the curriculum, educational administration and economic-political dimensions. The study is a systematic review study based on the review of the literature. It is aimed to synthesize the views and effects on education management with educational programs by making a systematic compilation of works on materialist philosophy, socialist ideology and education. The data of the study have been analyzed using content analysis. As a result of the study; considering perspective of materialist philosophy and socialist ideology on education, it is observed that theoretical humanistic values are generally advocated. However, many differences between theory and practice are observed in materialist philosophy and socialist ideology-related practices. In terms of curriculum dimension, materialist philosophy is important in terms of contributing to the creation of a new educational philosophy rather than being a direct educational philosophy. Considering social, political and economic dimensions; it can be stated that materialist philosophy and socialist ideology direct the liberal capitalist world towards social policies. In the research, it is suggested that researches should be conducted to examine the effects of different philosophies and ideologies on the curriculum and management of education.

The Views and the Effects of Materialist Philosophy and Socialist Ideology on Curriculums and Educational Administration

Materialist philosophy and socialist ideology are philosophical and ideological approaches that have deep influence and traces in public life practice. Along with the social, economic, and political fields, the field of education has been deeply influenced by materialist philosophy and socialist ideology in certain contexts. Main purpose of this study is to examine the effects of materialist philosophy and socialist ideology on the curriculum, educational administration and economic-political dimensions. The study is a systematic review study based on the review of the literature. It is aimed to synthesize the views and effects on education management with educational programs by making a systematic compilation of works on materialist philosophy, socialist ideology and education. The data of the study have been analyzed using content analysis. As a result of the study; considering perspective of materialist philosophy and socialist ideology on education, it is observed that theoretical humanistic values are generally advocated. However, many differences between theory and practice are observed in materialist philosophy and socialist ideology-related practices. In terms of curriculum dimension, materialist philosophy is important in terms of contributing to the creation of a new educational philosophy rather than being a direct educational philosophy. Considering social, political and economic dimensions; it can be stated that materialist philosophy and socialist ideology direct the liberal capitalist world towards social policies. In the research, it is suggested that researches should be conducted to examine the effects of different philosophies and ideologies on the curriculum and management of education.

Guanfu Salt Farm and Hong Kong in the Song Dynasty (960-1279)

Purpose This paper aims to collect and compile the historical data of Guanfu Salt Farm, officially built by the Song Dynasty (960–1279) within modern Hong Kong territories, to reconstruct its history for the reflection of Hong Kong society of the time. Design/methodology/approach This paper is largely based on identification and analysis of historical documents, including keyword search on electronic databases and verification with the original sources, with reference to archaeological findings when necessary. Findings This paper reconstructs the history of Guanfu Salt Farm based on documentary sources with reference to archaeological findings. English translation of Chinese sources is also provided when necessary. Originality/value There has been an absence of systematic compilation of historical data of Hong Kong during the Song Dynasty, which are limited in quantity and scattered across different sources. This paper seeks to fill the vacuum of knowledge about pre-colonial Hong Kong, with a more comprehensive reconstruction of the history of Guanfu Salt Farm.

Perinatal encephalopathy, the syndrome of intracranial hypertension and associated diagnostic labels in the Commonwealth of Independent States: a systematic review

BackgroundThe WHO reports excessive rates of ill-defined neurological diagnoses and ineffective and potentially harmful drug treatments in children in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). Collectively termed perinatal encephalopathy and the syndrome of intracranial hypertension (PE-SIH), these diagnoses are important contributors to perceived childhood morbidity and disability in the CIS. A systematic compilation of information on PE-SIH is lacking.MethodsWe systematically reviewed publications between 1970 and 2020 on PE-SIH in Azerbaijani, English, Russian and Ukrainian languages and summarised information on PE-SIH.ResultsWe identified 30 publications (70% in Russian) published 1976–2017. The diagnosis of PE-SIH was either based on unreported criteria (67% of reports), non-specific clinical features of typically developing children or those with common developmental disorders (20% of reports) or cranial ultrasound (13% of reports). The reported proportion of children with PE-SIH in the study samples ranged from 31% to 99%. There were few published studies on reassessments of children diagnosed with PE-SIH, and these did not confirm neurological disease in the majority of children. Treatments included multiple unlicenced drugs without established effectiveness and with potential unwanted effects.ConclusionThis review suggests that PE-SIH is a medical diagnostic label that is used in numerous children without substantive associated disease. The diagnosis and treatment of PE-SIH is a multidimensional, iatrogenic, clinical and public health problem in the CIS. With increasing use of evidence-based medicine guidelines in the region, it is hoped that PE-SIH will gradually disappear, but actions to accelerate this change are nevertheless needed.

Which variables influence the succession process in family farms? A literature review

The decrease in family farm succession is a problem in many countries worldwide. However, no systematic compilation of relevant studies exists. The method of analysis described in this article enabled us to obtain descriptive statistical results such as: most-studied variables, least-studied variables, patterns in the effects of the variables on succession, new types of variables analyzed, and principal approaches of the qualitative studies. We conducted a literature search in four databases, which resulted in 59 papers relevant to the topic. Twenty-nine of them are quantitative and 30 are qualitative. The literature search in peer-reviewed journals in English resulted primarily in articles from developed countries. Due to this, the selection, analysis and results turned out to be focused on Global North countries. Likewise, the studies considered are focused mainly on the opinion of the principal farmer and disregard that of other family members. From the quantitative studies, we analyzed five groups of variables (farmer, farm, family, context and psychological variables). The farmer variables are the most studied and the context and psychological variables are the least studied. We identified four axes around which the qualitative studies focused: socioeconomic factors, communication between father and heir about the process of succession, integration in decision-making and trust in the heir, and training the successor. Adding new countries (e.g. from Sub-Saharan Africa) and generating new models including psychological, context, and qualitative variables could lead to new ways of understanding such a complex issue.

Health Technology Assessments in Radiology in Germany: Lack of Demand, Lack of Supply

Background Health technology assessments (HTAs) are an interdisciplinary method to support sustainable, evidence-based healthcare decisions. They systematically assess medical products, procedures, and technologies with respect to medical, economic, legal, social, and ethical aspects. Method This review analyzes the current use of HTAs in radiology in Germany and discusses challenges associated with HTAs. In particular, incentive structures of various players in the healthcare field involved in HTA implementation are considered for both the inpatient and outpatient sectors. Taking into account that the Joint Federal Committee (G-BA) has different authority between sectors ("ban reservation” for inpatients and “authorization right” for outpatients), we focus on the repercussions on reimbursement for new diagnosis or treatment methods by statutory health insurance companies. Results The G-BA’s authority implicitly creates a paradox in terms of incentives to implement and finance HTAs: in the outpatient sector HTAs are considered necessary to evaluate new medical services while players may not have sufficient incentive to implement and finance HTAs in the inpatient sector. Conclusion Characteristics of HTAs differ widely with respect to the items to be assessed. Therefore, an HTA for drug effectiveness is not easily transferable to radiological procedures. Within radiology, each method must be assessed individually (e. g. according to tumor stage). Despite these challenges, systematic compilation and critical assessment (regarding both cost and medical effectiveness) of available evidence should be a basic component of evidence-based radiology. As companies in healthcare fail to invest in studies that advance evidence-based radiology and considering the lack of incentive for such investments, public funding institutions need to accept the challenge to support studies that assess the benefit of radiological procedures. Key Points: Citation Format