For the good of the group? Exploring group-level evolutionary adaptations using multilevel selection theory.

In this paper, we present an evolutionary framework, multilevel selection theory (MLS), that is highly amenable to existing social psychological theory and empiricism. MLS provides an interpretation of natural selection that shows how group-beneficial traits can evolve, a prevalent implication of social psychological data. We outline the theory and provide a number of example topics, focusing on prosociality, policing behavior, gossip, brainstorming, distributed cognition, and social identity. We also show that individual differences can produce important group-level outcomes depending on differential aggregation of individual types and relate this to the evolutionary dynamics underlying group traits. Drawing on existing work, we show how social psychologists can integrate this framework into their research program and suggest future directions for research

Atomic Resolution Structure of the Oncolytic Parvovirus LuIII by Electron Microscopy and 3D Image Reconstruction.

LuIII, a protoparvovirus pathogenic to rodents, replicates in human mitotic cells, making it applicable for use to kill cancer cells. This virus group includes H-1 parvovirus (H-1PV) and minute virus of mice (MVM). However, LuIII displays enhanced oncolysis compared to H-1PV and MVM, a phenotype mapped to the major capsid viral protein 2 (VP2). This suggests that within LuIII VP2 are determinants for improved tumor lysis. To investigate this, the structure of the LuIII virus-like-particle was determined using single particle cryo-electron microscopy and image reconstruction to 3.17 Å resolution, and compared to the H-1PV and MVM structures. The LuIII VP2 structure, ordered from residue 37 to 587 (C-terminal), had the conserved VP topology and capsid morphology previously reported for other protoparvoviruses. This includes a core β-barrel and α-helix A, a depression at the icosahedral 2-fold and surrounding the 5-fold axes, and a single protrusion at the 3-fold axes. Comparative analysis identified surface loop differences among LuIII, H-1PV, and MVM at or close to the capsid 2- and 5-fold symmetry axes, and the shoulder of the 3-fold protrusions. The 2-fold differences cluster near the previously identified MVM sialic acid receptor binding pocket, and revealed potential determinants of protoparvovirus tumor tropism

Deactivation of electrically supersaturated Te-doped InGaAs grown by MOCVD

Achieving and sustaining the highest doping level possible in InGaAs is critical for the reduction of contact resistance in future microelectronic applications. Tellurium (Te) is a very promising n-type dopant with high reported n-type doping densities. However, the stability of this dopant during post-growth thermal processing is unknown. Supersaturated Te-doped InGaAs layers were grown by MOCVD at 500 °C. The electrically active concentration of Te doping was 4.4 × 1019 cm−3 as grown. The thermal stability of the Te was investigated by studying the effect of post-growth annealing between 550 and 700 °C on the electrical activation. At all temperatures, the electrical activation decreased from its starting electron concentration of 4.4 × 1019 cm−3 down to 6–7 × 1018 cm−3. The rate of deactivation was measured at each temperature, and the activation energy for the deactivation process was determined to be 2.6 eV. The deactivation could be caused by either Te–Te clustering or a Te-point defect reaction. HAADF-STEM images showed no visible clustering or precipitation after deactivation. Based on previous ab initio calculations that suggest the VIII population increases as the Fermi level moves toward the conduction band, it is proposed that formation of isolated point defect complexes, possibly a Te–VIII complex, is associated with the deactivation process

What Makes Lawyers Happy? A Data-Driven Prescription to Redefine Professional Success

This is the first theory-guided empirical research seeking to identify the correlates and contributors to the well-being and life satisfaction of lawyers. Data from several thousand lawyers in four states provide insights about diverse factors from law school and one’s legal career and personal life. Striking patterns appear repeatedly in the data and raise serious questions about the common priorities on law school campuses and among lawyers. External factors, which are often given the most attention and concern among law students and lawyers (factors oriented towards money and status—such as earnings, partnership in a law firm, law school debt, class rank, law review membership, and U.S. News & World Report’s law school rankings), showed nil to small associations with lawyer well-being. Conversely, the kinds of internal and psychological factors shown in previous research to erode in law school appear in these data to be the most important contributors to lawyers’ happiness and satisfaction. These factors constitute the first two of five tiers of well-being factors identified in the data, followed by choices regarding family and personal life. The external money and status factors constitute the fourth tier, and demographic differences were least important. Data on lawyers in different practice types and settings demonstrate the applied importance of the contrasting internal and external factors. Attorneys in large firms and other prestigious positions were not as happy as public service attorneys, despite the far better grades and pay of the former group; and junior partners in law firms were no happier than senior associates, despite the greatly enhanced pay and status of the partners. Overall, the data also demonstrate that lawyers are very much like other people, notwithstanding their specialized cognitive training and the common perception that lawyers are different from others in fundamental ways. Additional measures raised concerns. Subjects did not broadly agree that the behavior of judges and lawyers is professional, or that the legal process reaches fair outcomes; and subjects reported quite unrealistic earnings expectations for their careers when they entered law school. Implications for improving lawyer performance and professionalism, and recommendations for law teachers and legal employers, are drawn from the data

What Makes Lawyers Happy? A Data-Driven Prescription to Redefine Professional Success

This is the first theory-guided empirical research seeking to identify the correlates and contributors to the well-being and life satisfaction of lawyers. Data from several thousand lawyers in four states provide insights about diverse factors from law school and one’s legal career and personal life. Striking patterns appear repeatedly in the data and raise serious questions about the common priorities on law school campuses and among lawyers. External factors, which are often given the most attention and concern among law students and lawyers (factors oriented towards money and status—such as earnings, partnership in a law firm, law school debt, class rank, law review membership, and U.S. News & World Report’s law school rankings), showed nil to small associations with lawyer well-being. Conversely, the kinds of internal and psychological factors shown in previous research to erode in law school appear in these data to be the most important contributors to lawyers’ happiness and satisfaction. These factors constitute the first two of five tiers of well-being factors identified in the data, followed by choices regarding family and personal life. The external money and status factors constitute the fourth tier, and demographic differences were least important. Data on lawyers in different practice types and settings demonstrate the applied importance of the contrasting internal and external factors. Attorneys in large firms and other prestigious positions were not as happy as public service attorneys, despite the far better grades and pay of the former group; and junior partners in law firms were no happier than senior associates, despite the greatly enhanced pay and status of the partners. Overall, the data also demonstrate that lawyers are very much like other people, notwithstanding their specialized cognitive training and the common perception that lawyers are different from others in fundamental ways. Additional measures raised concerns. Subjects did not broadly agree that the behavior of judges and lawyers is professional, or that the legal process reaches fair outcomes; and subjects reported quite unrealistic earnings expectations for their careers when they entered law school. Implications for improving lawyer performance and professionalism, and recommendations for law teachers and legal employers, are drawn from the data

Factors influencing quality of life following lower limb amputation for peripheral arterial occlusive disease: a systematic review of the literature

Background: The majority of lower limb amputations are undertaken in people with peripheral arterial occlusive disease,\ud and approximately 50% have diabetes. Quality of life is an important outcome in lower limb amputations; little is known\ud about what influences it, and therefore how to improve it.\ud Objectives: The aim of this systematic review was to identify the factors that influence quality of life after lower limb\ud amputation for peripheral arterial occlusive disease.\ud Methods: MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Web of Science and Cochrane databases were searched to identify\ud articles that quantitatively measured quality of life in those with a lower limb amputation for peripheral arterial occlusive\ud disease. Articles were quality assessed by two assessors, evidence tables summarised each article and a narrative\ud synthesis was performed.\ud Study design: Systematic review.\ud Results: Twelve articles were included. Study designs and outcome measures used varied. Quality assessment scores\ud ranged from 36% to 92%. The ability to walk successfully with a prosthesis had the greatest positive impact on quality\ud of life. A trans-femoral amputation was negatively associated with quality of life due to increased difficulty in walking\ud with a prosthesis. Other factors such as older age, being male, longer time since amputation, level of social support and\ud presence of diabetes also negatively affected quality of life.\ud Conclusion: Being able to walk with a prosthesis is of primary importance to improve quality of life for people with lower\ud limb amputation due to peripheral arterial occlusive disease. To further understand and improve the quality of life of this\ud population, there is a need for more prospective longitudinal studies, with a standardised outcome measure

Initial experience of a large, self-expanding, and fully recapturable transcatheter aortic valve: The UK & Ireland Implanters' registry.

OBJECTIVES: The UK & Ireland Implanters' registry is a multicenter registry which reports on real-world experience with novel transcatheter heart valves. BACKGROUND: The 34 mm Evolut R transcatheter aortic valve is a self-expanding and fully recapturable transcatheter aortic valve, designed to treat patients with a large aortic annulus. METHODS: Between January 2017 and April 2018, clinical, procedural and 30-day outcome data were prospectively collected from all patients receiving the 34 mm Evolut R valve across 17 participating centers in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The primary efficacy outcome was the Valve Academic Research Consortium-2(VARC-2)-defined endpoint of device success. The primary safety outcome was the VARC-2-defined composite endpoint of early safety at 30 days. RESULTS: A total of 217 patients underwent attempted implant. Mean age was 79.5 ± 8.8 years and Society of Thoracic Surgeons Predicted Risk of Mortality Score 5.2% ± 3.4%. Iliofemoral access was used in 91.2% of patients. Device success was 79.7%. Mean gradient was 7.0 ± 4.6 mmHg and effective orifice area 2.0 ± 0.6 cm2 . Paravalvular regurgitation was more than mild in 7.2%. A new permanent pacemaker was implanted in 15.7%. Early safety was demonstrated in 91.2%. At 30 days, all-cause mortality was 3.2%, stroke 3.7%, and major vascular complication 2.3%. CONCLUSIONS: Real-world experience of the 34 mm Evolut R transcatheter aortic valve demonstrated acceptable procedural success, safety, valve function, and incidence of new permanent pacemaker implantation

Models of Models: The Symbiotic Relationship between Models and Wargames

Military planning uses wargames to model the processes and decisions of an operation. As these operations become increasingly complex, the wargames similarly become more complex. Complex wargames are difficult to design and execute. As such, computer-based modeling and simulation can aid the wargame development, ensuring smooth execution. In particular, computer-based modeling and simulation can develop and validate the processes, determine initial conditions, evaluate the rules, and aid in validation. In turn, the wargame can provide useful data that can be fed into detailed models that can provide quantitative analysis to decision-makers

Identification of Degraded Land in the Canary Islands; Tests and Reviews

Degraded Land is an area that either by natural causes (fires, floods, storms or volcanic eruptions) or more by direct or indirect causes of human action, has been altered or modified from its natural state. Restoration is an activity that initiates or accelerates the recovery of an ecosystem. It can be defined as the set of actions taken in order to reverse or reduce the damage caused in the territory. In the case of the Canary Islands there is a high possibility for the territory to suffer processes that degrade the environment, given that the islands are very fragile ecosystems. Added to this they are territories isolated from the continent, which complicates the process of restoring them. In this paper, the different types of common degraded areas in the Canary Islands are identified, as well as the proposed solutions for remediation, such as afforestation of agricultural land or landfill closure and restoration

Percutaneous Treatment of Severe Aortic Regurgitation After Surgical Mitral Valve Repair

A 54-year-old woman who had recently undergone surgical mitral and tricuspid valve repair was diagnosed with severe aortic regurgitation. She was scheduled for percutaneous treatment and underwent successful transcatheter aortic valve implantation with a 27-mm Trilogy valve (JenaValve Technology). The case documents feasibility of percutaneous treatment in the presence of a mitral ring