Notation of primary setae and pores on larvae of Dytiscinae (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae), with phylogenetic considerations

An analysis of the primary setae and pores of first instars of 13 species of Dytiscinae was performed to deduce the ancestral system of primary setae and pores of the head capsule, head appendages, legs, last abdominal segment and urogomphus. One hundred and thirty-one setae, 69 pores and three setal groups have been assigned to the ground-plan pattern of the dytiscine larva, 27 setae and 20 pores on the head capsule; 30 setae, 25 pores and three setal groups on the cephalic appendages; 51 setae and 18 pores on the legs; 15 setae and three pores on the last abdominal segment; and eight setae and three pores on the urogomphus. A hypothesis of the phylogeny of the tribes of Dytiscinae is presented on a cladistic analysis of first instar chaetotaxy characters conducted using the program TNT. All tribes of Dytiscinae were included with larger tribes represented by multiple genera. Our concept of the subfamily Dytiscinae as defined on the basis of first instar chaetotaxy was found separated into three distinct clades: (1) Cybistrini, (2) Dytiscini + Hyderodini, and (3) Aubehydrini + Hydaticini + Eretini + Aciliini. The proposed relationships of the tribes of Dytiscinae are ((Cybistrini + (Hyderodini + Dytiscini)) + (Aubehydrini + (Hydaticini + (Eretini + Aciliini)))). Characters useful for phylogenetic analysis of the subfamily are described and illustrated.Fil: Alarie, Yves. Laurentian University. Department of Biology; CanadáFil: Michat, Mariano Cruz. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental. Laboratorio de Entomología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria; ArgentinaFil: Miller, Kelly B.. University of New Mexico; Estados Unido

Judicial disagreement need not be political: dissent on the Estonian Supreme Court

I investigate the non-unanimous decisions of judges on the Estonian Supreme Court. I argue that since judges on the court enjoy high de jure independence, dissent frequently, and are integrated in the normal judicial hierarchy, the Estonian Supreme Court is a crucial case for the presumption that judicial disagreement reveals policy preferences. I analyse dissenting opinions using an ideal point response model. Examining the characteristics of cases which discriminated with respect to the recovered dimension, I show that this dimension cannot be interpreted as a meaningful policy dimension, but instead reflects disagreement about the proper scope of constitutional redress

The fire toxicity of polyurethane foams [Review]

Polyurethane is widely used, with its two major applications, soft furnishings and insulation, having low thermal inertia, and hence enhanced flammability. In addition to their flammability, polyurethanes form carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide and other toxic products on decomposition and combustion. The chemistry of polyurethane foams and their thermal decomposition are discussed in order to assess the relationship between the chemical and physical composition of the foam and the toxic products generated during their decomposition. The toxic product generation during flaming combustion of polyurethane foams is reviewed, in order to relate the yields of toxic products and the overall fire toxicity to the fire conditions. The methods of assessment of fire toxicity are outlined in order to understand how the fire toxicity of polyurethane foams may be quantified. In particular, the ventilation condition has a critical effect on the yield of the two major asphyxiants, carbon monoxide and hydrogen cyanid

Ageism and sexuality

Sexuality remains important throughout a person’s life, but sexual behavior does not receive the same levels of acceptance at all ages. Older people are challenged by ageist attitudes and perceptions that hinder their sexual expression. They are stereotyped as non-sexual beings who should not, cannot, and do not want to have sexual relationships. Expressing sexuality or engaging in sexual activity in later life is considered by many in society as immoral or perverted. False expectations for older people also stem from ideals of beauty, centralization of the biomedical perspective on sexuality of older adults, and the association of sex with reproduction. Unfortunately, older people internalize many ageist attitudes towards sexuality in later life and become less interested in sex and less sexually active. The following chapter explores attitudes towards sexuality in later life among the media, young people, older people themselves, and care providers. In order to enable older people to express their sexuality and sexual identity freely and fully, awareness of ageist perceptions must be raised and defeated

Domains of chronic low back pain and assessing treatment effectiveness : a clinical perspective

Nonspecific chronic low back pain (CLBP) is a common clinical condition that has impacts at both the individual and societal level. Pain intensity is a primary outcome used in clinical practice to quantify the severity of CLBP and the efficacy of its treatment; however, pain is a subjective experience that is impacted by a multitude of factors. Moreover, differences in effect sizes for pain intensity are not observed between common conservative treatments, such as spinal manipulative therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, acupuncture, and exercise training. As pain science evolves, the biopsychosocial model is gaining interest in its application for CLBP management. The aim of this article is to discuss our current scientific understanding of pain and present why additional factors should be considered in conservative CLBP management. In addition to pain intensity, we recommend that clinicians should consider assessing the multidimensional nature of CLBP by including physical (disability, muscular strength and endurance, performance in activities of daily living, and body composition), psychological (kinesiophobia, fear-avoidance, pain catastrophizing, pain self-efficacy, depression, anxiety, and sleep quality), social (social functioning and work absenteeism), and health-related quality-of-life measures, depending on what is deemed relevant for each individual. This review also provides practical recommendations to clinicians for the assessment of outcomes beyond pain intensity, including information on how large a change must be for it to be considered "real" in an individual patient. This information can guide treatment selection when working with an individual with CLBP

The enduring value of reciprocal illumination in the era of insect phylogenomics: a response to Cai et al. (2020)

Arguably no other group within Coleoptera has received as robust and sustained investigation into their phylogenetic relationships as aquatic beetles. Among this ecological guild, evolutionary relationships of the families within Dytiscoidea, a clade comprising the charismatic diving beetles (Dytiscidae) and their close relatives, have received particular attention. Very recently, four different studies were published investigating the phylogeny of Dytiscoidea, three of which utilized phylogenomic data, the most recent by Cai etal. (2020). Cai et al. (2020) (hereafter CEA) approached investigating theevolutionary relationships among dytiscoid families by reanalysing the transcriptomic dataset of Vasilikopoulos et al. (2019) using different evolutionary models and data trimming regimes. CEAs analyses recovered three different topologies for relationships amongst Dytiscoidea, two of which have been recovered in several previous studies. The primary difference among these topologies is the placement of Hygrobiidae, either as sister to (Dytiscidae (Amphizoidae + Aspidytidae)), sister to Amphizoidae + Aspidytidae, or as sister to Dytiscidae. In CEA, topologies shown in Fig. 1A, C both received maximal (e.g. bootstrap values of 100 and posterior probabilities of 100%) to strong support respectively via their preferred model of evolution. Whereas CEAs recovery of Hygrobiidae sister to Amphizoidae + Aspidytidae was not as strongly supported, Gustafson et al. (2020) recovered this topology primarily with strong to maximal support across all analyses with comprehensive taxon sampling of Dytiscoidea. Rather than treating the three topologies recovered both within their own study and elsewhere as equally viable hypotheses, CEA dismissed the relationships shown in Fig. 1A, B as the result of phylogenetic methodological error, promoting Fig. 1C as their preferred tree because it is consistent with morphology-based views of dytiscoid relationships. Here, we address (i) the manner in which CEA approached reconciling conflicting hypotheses about the evolution of Dytiscoidea; and (ii) the misconception that dytiscoid relationships shown in Fig. 1C are the most consistent with morphology-based views in relation to those of Fig. 1A, B.Fil: Gustafson, Grey T.. University of Kansas; Estados UnidosFil: Miller, Kelly B.. University of New Mexico. Department of Biology; Estados UnidosFil: Michat, Mariano Cruz. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental y Aplicada. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental y Aplicada; ArgentinaFil: Alarie, Yves. Laurentian University. Department of Biology; CanadáFil: Baca, Stephen M.. University of Kansas; Estados UnidosFil: Balke, Michael. Zoologische Staatssammlung Munchen; AlemaniaFil: Short, Andrew E. Z.. University of Kansas; Estados Unido

A black‐box automated approach to calibrate numerical simulations and optimize cover design: Application to a flow control layer constructed on an experimental waste rock pile

Mining operations often produce large volumes of waste rock to access economically valuable mineralized zones. Waste rock is usually stored in surface piles, the construction and reclamation of which represent a challenge for the industry. A flow control layer (FCL) made of crushed waste rock or sand and constructed on top of each waste rock bench could contribute to control water infiltration, thus improving waste rock pile stability and limiting contamination. An experimental waste rock pile was built and instrumented at the Tio mine (Rio Tinto Fer et Titane, Canada) to evaluate the performance of an FCL in field conditions. Large infiltration tests and rainfall monitoring were carried out, and measured outflow and water contents were used to calibrate numerical simulations. However, data were noisy and sometimes incomplete, and the models were difficult to calibrate. A new automated calibration approach was therefore proposed. An algorithm was developed to automate the numerical simulation calibration, using a black-box method that involves solving an optimization problem on a function without an analytic form. The approach was applied on measurements obtained from large-scale infiltration tests and validated using 2 yr of field monitoring data. Finally, the automated approach was adapted to optimize the design of the FCL, and an optimal design (material properties and layer thickness) was recommended based on local climate conditions. The proposed automated method could contribute to reduce the bias induced by manual calibration and allows for rapid multivariable calibration and optimization for a broad spectrum of mine waste cover system applications

The Calculus of Committee Composition

Modern institutions face the recurring dilemma of designing accurate evaluation procedures in settings as diverse as academic selection committees, social policies, elections, and figure skating competitions. In particular, it is essential to determine both the number of evaluators and the method for combining their judgments. Previous work has focused on the latter issue, uncovering paradoxes that underscore the inherent difficulties. Yet the number of judges is an important consideration that is intimately connected with the methodology and the success of the evaluation. We address the question of the number of judges through a cost analysis that incorporates the accuracy of the evaluation method, the cost per judge, and the cost of an error in decision. We associate the optimal number of judges with the lowest cost and determine the optimal number of judges in several different scenarios. Through analytical and numerical studies, we show how the optimal number depends on the evaluation rule, the accuracy of the judges, the (cost per judge)/(cost per error) ratio. Paradoxically, we find that for a panel of judges of equal accuracy, the optimal panel size may be greater for judges with higher accuracy than for judges with lower accuracy. The development of any evaluation procedure requires knowledge about the accuracy of evaluation methods, the costs of judges, and the costs of errors. By determining the optimal number of judges, we highlight important connections between these quantities and uncover a paradox that we show to be a general feature of evaluation procedures. Ultimately, our work provides policy-makers with a simple and novel method to optimize evaluation procedures

Phylogenomics of the superfamily Dytiscoidea (Coleoptera: Adephaga) with an evaluation of phylogenetic conflict and systematic error.

The beetle superfamily Dytiscoidea, placed within the suborder Adephaga, comprises six families. The phylogenetic relationships of these families, whose species are aquatic, remain highly contentious. In particular the monophyly of the geographically disjunct Aspidytidae (China and South Africa) remains unclear. Here we use a phylogenomic approach to demonstrate that Aspidytidae are indeed monophyletic, as we inferred this phylogenetic relationship from analyzing nucleotide sequence data filtered for compositional heterogeneity and from analyzing amino-acid sequence data. Our analyses suggest that Aspidytidae are the sister group of Amphizoidae, although the support for this relationship is not unequivocal. A sister group relationship of Hygrobiidae to a clade comprising Amphizoidae, Aspidytidae, and Dytiscidae is supported by analyses in which model assumptions are violated the least. In general, we find that both concatenation and the applied coalescent method are sensitive to the effect of among-species compositional heterogeneity. Four-cluster likelihood-mapping suggests that despite the substantial size of the dataset and the use of advanced analytical methods, statistical support is weak for the inferred phylogenetic placement of Hygrobiidae. These results indicate that other kinds of data (e.g. genomic meta-characters) are possibly required to resolve the above-specified persisting phylogenetic uncertainties. Our study illustrates various data-driven confounding effects in phylogenetic reconstructions and highlights the need for careful monitoring of model violations prior to phylogenomic analysis