The importance of mate attraction for intrasexual competition in men and women

Buss (1988a), using an evolutionary perspective, tested hypotheses about intrasexual competition within the context of behavior to attract mates. He found sex differences in intrasexual competition predicted by the goal of mate attraction. We used Buss's methodology while asking subjects about the acts they performed to compete with members of the same sex, rather than about acts for attracting potential mates. Competitive acts were nominated and placed into 26 tactics in Study 1. Study 2 obtained self-reports of male and female act performance frequency. Study 3 replicated Study 2 using observer-reports. Study 4 obtained act effectiveness judgments for men and women. We largely replicated Buss's results despite the focus on intrasexual competition instead of mate attraction. Thus, we provide strong evidence for the importance of mate attraction in intrasexual competition.     

Physical fatty acid deficiency signs in children with ADHD symptoms

Fatty acid deficiency symptoms (FADS) of dry hair and skin, frequent thirst and urination have been observed to be higher in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Two studies investigated FADS in 7-12-year-old children; Study 1 in a general population (N=347) and Study 2 in children with ADHD symptoms (N=104). Correlations between FADS and ADHD-related symptoms were found at baseline in Study 1 but not Study 2. FADS did not improve after supplementation with omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) versus placebo after 15 weeks in Study 2, and were not related to improvements in ADHD symptoms in the PUFA groups. However, FADS did improve in all groups, possibly attributable to the linoleic acid present in both the PUFA and placebo (palm oil) supplements. FADS are not a reliable selection criterion for children with ADHD who might benefit from omega-3 PUFA supplementation.     

Characterization of Chemical Contamination in Shallow-Water Estuarine Habitats of an Industrialized River. Part 1: Organic Compounds

The lower six miles of the tidal portion of the Passaic River (Study Area) has been heavily industrialized since the mid-1800s. The objectives of this study were to: quantify the present extent and magnitude of chemical contamination in surface sediments from the Study Area; evaluate the contamination in the Study Area relative to a reference area and surrounding regional waterways; assess the potential for adverse effects to aquatic organisms; and identify spatial gradients in concentrations that may indicate potential point-sources of chemicals. Because existing ecological communities center primarily on intertidal mudflats in the Study Area, composite surface sediment was collected from 15 mudflats to generate a realistic assessment of fish and wildlife exposure to sediment contaminants. This study showed that present concentrations of organic contaminants are elevated throughout the Study Area and are generally higher than concentrations in the reference area and regional waterways. A screening-level analysis showed that there is potential for adverse effects to sediment-associated organisms from a number of chemicals. No spatial trends were apparent for most compounds evaluated, consistent with the presence of multiple sources of chemicals in the Study Area. The exception is semivolatile compounds, which appear to be localized to specific mudflats, indicating potential point-sources of contamination for these chemicals.     

Walking the Straight and Narrow: The Moderating Effect of Evaluation Apprehension on the Relationship between Collectivism and Corruption

Previous studies obtained mixed results regarding the association between collectivism and corruption. To make sense of the mixed results, the current research examined the moderating role of evaluation apprehension on the relationship between collectivism and corruption. Study 1, using a bribery scenario, indicated that collectivism facilitated corruption only when evaluation apprehension was low. Study 2, using a real money bribery game, confirmed the moderated model found in Study 1. Study 3 further demonstrated the different effects of vertical/horizontal collectivism on corruption. Our results suggest that a society may effectively combat corruption by increasing its social costs while, at the same time, retaining its collectivistic values.     

Characterization of Chemical Contamination in Shallow-Water Estuarine Habitats of an Industrialized River. Part II. Metals

The lower six miles of the tidal portion of the Passaic River (Study Area) has long been heavily industrialized. The objectives of this study were to: quantify the present extent and magnitude of metals contamination in surface sediments in the Study Area, evaluate the contamination in the Study Area relative to a reference area and surrounding regional waterways, assess the potential for adverse effects to aquatic organisms, and identify spatial gradients in concentrations that may indicate potential point-sources of metals. We also examined the role of natural sediment characteristics in metals concentration variability. Study Area sediments were generally enriched in barium, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, manganese, mercury, silver, selenium, and zinc relative to the reference area. Compared to available sediment quality benchmarks, the only metals in the Study Area presently at average concentrations sufficiently high to warrant concern about potential aquatic toxicity are lead, mercury, and zinc. Compared to the rest of the NY/NJ Harbor Estuary, the Study Area generally contains elevated levels of lead, manganese, silver, and zinc. Variability in metals concentrations can not be accounted for by TOC or percent fines. However, a substantial proportion of the spatial variability in a number of metals can be explained by normalization to either aluminum or iron.     

Higher Calorie Content Preserves Myocardial Electrical Activity During Very-Low-Calorie Dieting

We investigated the effect of calorie and protein content of very-low-calorie diets for weight loss upon myocardial electrical activity. Patients were followed on very low calorie diets for up to 20 weeks. Study No. 1 had 16 obese patients (4 men and 12 women). Study No. 2 had 113 obese women. Both study groups were consecutive samples with patients who had BMI >30. In Study No. 1 patients were given 400 kcaVd with 50 gm of protein and 45 gm of carbohydrates over 12 weeks. In Study No. 2 patients were given either Metabolic Nutrition Program? (MNP?) which contained 600 kcal/d with 70 gm protein and 70 gm carbohydrates, or Optifast-70® which contained 420 kcaVd with 70 gm protein and 32 gm carbohydrates, for up to 20 weeks. Electrocardiograms were obtained at baseline and during the third month in Study No. 1, and monthly in Study No. 2. The sum of the voltage in leads I+II+III and the length of the QT interval were derived from the electrocardiograms. In Study No. 1 the QRS voltage decreased from 2.77 ± .18 mv to 2.45 ± .17 mv (p<.02). Patients lost 18.1 kg ± 4 kg and the QT interval remained unchanged. In Study No. 2 at 20 weeks the QRS voltage decreased on Optifast-70® (p<001) in comparison to MNP?, in which the QRS voltage remained unchanged. Patients on Optifast-70® lost 17.5 ± .53 kg, patients on MNP? lost 18.5 ± .66 kg and the QT interval in both groups remained unchanged. The formula diets tested of less than 600 kcaVd were associated with a decrease in electrocardiographic voltage>.     

Think Leader,Think White? Capturing and Weakening an Implicit Pro-White Leadership Bias

Across four studies, we found evidence for an implicit pro-White leadership bias that helps explain the underrepresentation of ethnic minorities in leadership positions. Both White-majority and ethnic minority participants reacted significantly faster when ethnically White names and leadership roles (e.g., manager; Study 1) or leadership traits (e.g., decisiveness; Study 2 & 3) were paired in an Implicit Association Test (IAT) rather than when ethnic minority names and leadership traits were paired. Moreover, the implicit pro-White leadership bias showed discriminant validity with the conventional implicit bias measures (Study 3). Importantly, results showed that the pro-White leadership bias can be weakened when situational cues increase the salience of a dual identity (Study 4). This, in turn, can diminish the explicit pro-White bias in promotion related decision making processes (Study 4). This research offers a new tool to measure the implicit psychological processes underlying the underrepresentation of ethnic minorities in leadership positions and proposes interventions to weaken such biases.     

Both Loved and Feared: Third Party Punishers Are Viewed as Formidable and Likeable,but These Reputational Benefits May Only Be Open to Dominant Individuals

Third party punishment can be evolutionarily stable if there is heterogeneity in the cost of punishment or if punishers receive a reputational benefit from their actions. A dominant position might allow some individuals to punish at a lower cost than others and by doing so access these reputational benefits. Three vignette-based studies measured participants'' judgements of a third party punisher in comparison to those exhibiting other aggressive/dominant behaviours (Study 1), when there was variation in the success of punishment (Study 2), and variation in the status of the punisher and the type of punishment used (Study 3). Third party punishers were judged to be more likeable than (but equally dominant as) those who engaged in other types of dominant behaviour (Study 1), were judged to be equally likeable and dominant whether their intervention succeeded or failed (Study 2), and participants believed that only a dominant punisher could intervene successfully (regardless of whether punishment was violent or non-violent) and that subordinate punishers would face a higher risk of retaliation (Study 3). The results suggest that dominance can dramatically reduce the cost of punishment, and that while individuals can gain a great deal of reputational benefit from engaging in third party punishment, these benefits are only open to dominant individuals. Taking the status of punishers into account may therefore help explain the evolution of third party punishment.     

Advantages of single step over step-by-step screening for sleep disorders

Two secondary analyses of previously collected data were carried out to detect the best screening strategy for primary insomnia (Study 1) and narcolepsy type 1 (Study 2) between two different approaches: (A) step-by-step (i.e. first step: subjective assessment through mini sleep questionnaire – MSQ; second step: objective assessment through actigraphic assessment only for those positive at the first step) and (B) single step (i.e. simultaneous subjective and objective assessment). Forty-six healthy controls (HC) and 46 primary insomnia patients (PI) were analyzed in Study 1; 40 HC and 40 narcolepsy type-1 patients (NT1) were analyzed in Study 2. All participants originally wore the Micro Motionlogger Watch actigraph (Ambulatory Monitoring, Inc., Ardlsey, NY) around the non-dominant wrist for seven consecutive days, and upon completing the actigraphic assessment filled in the MSQ. In Study 1, the single-step approach correctly identified 93.48% of PI, while only 50% of PI were correctly identified by the step-by-step approach. In Study 2, 100% of NT1 was correctly classified through the single-step approach, while 72.5% according to the step-by-step approach. The result of both studies highlights the higher appropriateness of single step (i.e. bi-dimensional assessment) compared to step-by-step approach to screen primary insomnia and narcolepsy type-1 patients.     

Androgen and estrogen dynamics: stability over a two year interval in peri-menopausal women

As part of a study on hormones and bone density in peri-menopausal women, metabolic clearance rates (MCR), and interconversions of androgens and estrogens and the peripheral aromatization of androgens were measured twice 2 yr apart. Measurements of clearance rates and interconversions were made from blood samples obtained during constant infusions of [3H]androgens and [14C]estrogens. Measurements of peripheral aromatization were made from the estrogen glucuronides in a pooled 4-day urine collection timed from the start of the infusions. The women were divided into 3 groups: Group A (n = 15) were having menstrual cycles throughout the 2 yr interval; Group B (n = 11) were having menstrual cycles at the time of Study 1 but had been amenorrheic for at least 1 yr at the time of Study 2; Group C (n = 28) were amenorrheic for at least 1 yr at the time of Study 1 and had remained amenorrheic through Study 2. The MCRs for testosterone, androstenedione, estrone and estradiol were not different for Study 1 and Study 2 in any of the groups. The interconversions of the androgens were similar in both studies for all groups. The conversion of estrone to estradiol decreased in Group A, otherwise the interconversions of the estrogens did not vary between the studies for the other groups. The peripheral aromatization of androstenedione, but not of testosterone, was significantly greater at study 2 compared to Study 1 for all groups. We conclude that the MCRs and interconversions of androgens and of estrogens are stable over time, but that the peripheral aromatization of androstenedione increases over a 2 yr interval. This increase may be menopausal and/or age related.     

Childhood harshness predicts long-lasting leader preferences

Understanding the origins of political authoritarianism is of key importance for modern democracies. Recent works in evolutionary psychology suggest that human cognitive preferences may be the output of a biological response to early stressful environments. In this paper, we hypothesized that people's leader preferences are partly driven by early signals of harshness. We experimentally elicited children's (Study 1) and adults' (Study 2) political preferences using faces controlled for dominance and trustworthiness and showed that early childhood harshness has an enduring effect on adult political attitudes. Importantly, this effect was further confirmed using self-reported extreme authoritarianism (Study 2) and by the analysis of the large database of the European Value Survey (Study 3). We discuss the potential political implications of this early calibration of leader preferences.     

Enrollment characteristics and risk behaviors of injection drug users participating in the Bangkok Tenofovir Study, Thailand

Background

The Bangkok Tenofovir Study was launched in 2005 to determine if pre-exposure prophylaxis with tenofovir will reduce the risk of HIV infection among injecting drug users (IDUs). We describe recruitment, screening, enrollment, and baseline characteristics of study participants and contrast risk behavior of Tenofovir Study participants with participants in the 1999–2003 AIDSVAX B/E Vaccine Trial.

Methods

The Bangkok Tenofovir Study is an ongoing, phase-3, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis trial of daily oral tenofovir. The Tenofovir Study and the Vaccine Trial were conducted among IDUs at 17 drug-treatment clinics in Bangkok. Tenofovir Study sample size was based on HIV incidence in the Vaccine Trial. Standardized questionnaires were used to collect demographic, risk behavior, and incarceration data. The Tenofovir Study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number-{"type":"clinical-trial","attrs":{"text":"NCT00119106","term_id":"NCT00119106"}}NCT00119106.

Results

From June 2005 through July 2010, 4094 IDUs were screened and 2413 enrolled in the Bangkok Tenofovir Study. The median age of enrolled participants was 31 years (range, 20–59), 80% were male, and 63% reported they injected drugs during the 3 months before enrollment. Among those who injected, 53% injected methamphetamine, 37% midazolam, and 35% heroin. Tenofovir Study participants were less likely to inject drugs, inject daily, or share needles (all, p<0.001) than Vaccine Trial participants.

Discussion

The Bangkok Tenofovir Study has been successfully launched and is fully enrolled. Study participants are significantly less likely to report injecting drugs and sharing needles than participants in the 1999–2003 AIDSVAX B/E Vaccine Trial suggesting HIV incidence will be lower than expected. In response, the Bangkok Tenofovir Study enrollment was increased from 1600 to 2400 and the study design was changed from a defined 1-year follow-up period to an endpoint-driven design. Trial results demonstrating whether or not daily oral tenofovir reduces the risk of HIV infection among IDUs are expected in 2012.     

A Moment of Mindfulness: Computer-Mediated Mindfulness Practice Increases State Mindfulness

Three studies investigated the use of a 5-minute, computer-mediated mindfulness practice in increasing levels of state mindfulness. In Study 1, 54 high school students completed the computer-mediated mindfulness practice in a lab setting and Toronto Mindfulness Scale (TMS) scores were measured before and after the practice. In Study 2 (N = 90) and Study 3 (N = 61), the mindfulness practice was tested with an entirely online sample to test the delivery of the 5-minute mindfulness practice via the internet. In Study 2 and 3, we found a significant increase in TMS scores in the mindful condition, but not in the control condition. These findings highlight the impact of a brief, mindfulness practice for single-session, computer-mediated use to increase mindfulness as a state.     

CBS 教学法在药学专业临床药物治疗学教学中的应用

目的:改变药学专业临床药物治疗学的传统教学方法,提高学生分析问题和解决问题的能力。方法:精心设计教学内容,采用CBS教学法进行教学改革。结果:表明CBS教学法可激发学生的学习兴趣,帮助学生建立正确的临床药物治疗思维,已初步取得良好教学效果。结论:CBS教学法优于传统教学模式。     

Preference assessments as a tool to evaluate environmental enrichment

Environmental enrichment is an important tool utilized to improve animal welfare in zoological institutions through opportunity for mental and physical stimulation. Many past studies have focused on the impact enrichment has on animal behavior; however, none have conducted preference assessments on enrichment items to examine the relationship between animals' preferences and interaction with enrichment over a 24-hr period. Ten-minute free operant, paired-choice preference assessments were implemented in Study 1 to determine the enrichment preferences of African lions (N = 3). Following Study 1, Study 2 was conducted, which examined the behavior of African lions with enrichment items over the course of 30, 24-hr trials to evaluate the relationship between preferences established in Study 1 and long-term interaction with the enrichment. Generalized estimating equations revealed a statistically significant relationship between the percentage of time the enrichment was approached first and the average duration of interaction in Study 1 to the total duration of interaction and the percent of hours interacted with the item in Study 2. Additionally, the first 2 min of the preference data resulted in comparable statistically significant findings, demonstrating shorter preference assessments can produce similar results. The results support our prediction that preference assessments can be used to estimate the amount of interaction with enrichment over the course of time, with preferred items being interacted with more frequently and in longer duration. Information gained from this study suggests preference assessments can be a time and cost-effective tool to evaluate enrichment preference and predicted efficacy.     

CBS教学法在药学专业临床药物治疗学教学中的应用

目的：改变药学专业临床药物治疗学的传统教学方法,提高学生分析问题和解决问题的能力。方法：精心设计教学内容,采用CBS教学法进行教学改革。结果：表明CBS教学法可激发学生的学习兴趣,帮助学生建立正确的临床药物治疗思维,已初步取得良好教学效果。结论：CBS教学法优于传统教学模式。     

Book Reviews

Book reviewed in this article:
OTHER. Suicide and Scandinavia: A Psychoanalytic Study of Culture and Character . Herbert Hendin.
OTHER. Status Integration and Suicide: A Sociological Study . Jack P. Gibbs and Walter T. Martin.     

The Passaic River Creel/Angler Survey: Expert Panel Review,Findings, and Recommendations

A Creel/Angler Survey (CAS) was conducted to provide site-specific information on recreational fishing in the lower six miles of the Passaic River (Study Area). Information collected during the CAS will be used to develop site-specific exposure factors, including fish consumption rates, for use in the human health risk assessment required by an Administrative Order on Consent as part of the Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study for the Study Area. An expert panel was convened to provide an independent opinion regarding the need for, design of, and implementation of the CAS. The expert panel was charged with evaluating whether the conduct of a CAS is necessary to support an accurate risk assessment for the Study Area and whether the proposed CAS is sufficient to characterize local fish consumption behavior for risk assessment purposes. The expert panel agreed that a CAS is necessary and concluded that the proposed CAS, with specific modifications to the study design and data analysis, would provide the information necessary to estimate site-specific fish consumption rates. Revision of the CAS to accommodate the expert panel recommendations enhanced the quality of the data collected and ensured that the data will support the assessment of human health risks from consumption of fish from the Study Area.     

Teasing,Taunting, and the Politics of Politeness: High Sociometric Status Is Associated with Expectation-Consistent Behavior

Research examining face-to-face status hierarchies suggests that individuals attain respect and admiration by engaging in behavior that influences others'' judgments of their value to the group. Building on this research, we expected that high-status individuals would be less likely to engage in behaviors that violate group norms and expectations, relative to low-status individuals. Adolescent participants took part in an interaction in which they teased an opposite-gender friend (Study 1) or an experiment in which taunting or cheering expectations were manipulated (Study 2). Consistent with the hypothesis, high-status boys and girls engaged in teasing behaviors consistent with their gender roles, relative to their low status counterparts (Study 1). In Study 2, high-status boys engaged in more direct provocation and off-record commentary while taunting, and more affiliative behavior while cheering on their partner, relative to low-status boys. Discussion focused on how expectation-consistent actions help individuals maintain elevated status.     

Testosterone and cortisol jointly regulate dominance: Evidence for a dual-hormone hypothesis

Traditional theories propose that testosterone should increase dominance and other status-seeking behaviors, but empirical support has been inconsistent. The present research tested the hypothesis that testosterone's effect on dominance depends on cortisol, a glucocorticoid hormone implicated in psychological stress and social avoidance. In the domains of leadership (Study 1, mixed-sex sample) and competition (Study 2, male-only sample), testosterone was positively related to dominance, but only in individuals with low cortisol. In individuals with high cortisol, the relation between testosterone and dominance was blocked (Study 1) or reversed (Study 2). Study 2 further showed that these hormonal effects on dominance were especially likely to occur after social threat (social defeat). The present studies provide the first empirical support for the claim that the neuroendocrine reproductive (HPG) and stress (HPA) axes interact to regulate dominance. Because dominance is related to gaining and maintaining high status positions in social hierarchies, the findings suggest that only when cortisol is low should higher testosterone encourage higher status. When cortisol is high, higher testosterone may actually decrease dominance and in turn motivate lower status.