Cultural differences in investing in others and in the future: why measuring trust is not enough

Standard measures of generalized trust in others are often taken to provide reliable indicators of economic attitudes in different countries. Here we compared three highly distinct groups, in Kenya, China and the US, in terms of more specific attitudes, [a] people's willingness to invest in the future, [b] their willingness to invest in others, and [c] their trust in institutions. Results suggest that these measures capture deep differences in economic attitudes that are not detected by standard measures of generalized trust.     

Habitat,diet, and activity patterns of free-ranging woolly spider monkeys (Brachyteles arachnoides E. Geoffroy 1806)

Results of a 10-month study of the ecology and behavior of free- ranging woolly spider monkeys (Brachyteles arachnoides)in Brazil show that these animals are strongly folivorous. Leaf-eating accounted for more than 50% of the total feeding time in all samples but one and accounted for more than 80% of the total feeding time in three samples. Mature foliage was routinely eaten. Woolly spider monkeys consistently spend more than 50% of each day quietly resting and sleeping. Animals travel little except when actively feeding and show low levels of social interaction. Such an activity profile suggests that woolly spider monkeys may often be living near the limits of their energetic resources. The social organization of the species is unusual for a folivorous primate in that small groups of females and associated immature animals confine their activities to discrete home-range areas, whereas males are itinerant, traveling over the home ranges of various female groups. Animals sharing a common home-range area show no permanent daily pattern of association other than that of mother-dependent offspring. Foraging alone or with few conspecifics should maximize each individual’s returns from foraging by minimizing the day range that must be traveled each day to locate foods while simultaneously lowering interference competition for higher-quality dietary resources.     

The EBM-DPSER Conceptual Model: Integrating Ecosystem Services into the DPSIR Framework

There is a pressing need to integrate biophysical and human dimensions science to better inform holistic ecosystem management supporting the transition from single species or single-sector management to multi-sector ecosystem-based management. Ecosystem-based management should focus upon ecosystem services, since they reflect societal goals, values, desires, and benefits. The inclusion of ecosystem services into holistic management strategies improves management by better capturing the diversity of positive and negative human-natural interactions and making explicit the benefits to society. To facilitate this inclusion, we propose a conceptual model that merges the broadly applied Driver, Pressure, State, Impact, and Response (DPSIR) conceptual model with ecosystem services yielding a Driver, Pressure, State, Ecosystem service, and Response (EBM-DPSER) conceptual model. The impact module in traditional DPSIR models focuses attention upon negative anthropomorphic impacts on the ecosystem; by replacing impacts with ecosystem services the EBM-DPSER model incorporates not only negative, but also positive changes in the ecosystem. Responses occur as a result of changes in ecosystem services and include inter alia management actions directed at proactively altering human population or individual behavior and infrastructure to meet societal goals. The EBM-DPSER conceptual model was applied to the Florida Keys and Dry Tortugas marine ecosystem as a case study to illustrate how it can inform management decisions. This case study captures our system-level understanding and results in a more holistic representation of ecosystem and human society interactions, thus improving our ability to identify trade-offs. The EBM-DPSER model should be a useful operational tool for implementing EBM, in that it fully integrates our knowledge of all ecosystem components while focusing management attention upon those aspects of the ecosystem most important to human society and does so within a framework already familiar to resource managers.     

Binding of beta-carbolines at 5-HT(2) serotonin receptors

A series of ring-substituted (i.e., methoxy and bromo) 3,4-dihydro- and 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-β-carbolines was examined at 5-HT_2A and 5-HT_2C serotonin receptors. Whereas most of the methoxy-substituted derivatives typically displayed affinities similar to their unsubstituted parents, certain (particularly 8-substituted) bromo derivatives displayed enhanced affinity. A binding profile was obtained for selected β-carbolines.     

Molecular cloning of an Escherichia coli plasmid determinant than encodes for the production of heat-stable enterotoxin.

A conjugative plasmid, ESF0041 was isolated from an enterotoxigenic strain of Escherichia coli from calves. ESF0041 was found to be 65 x 10(6) daltons in mass of a member of the F incompatibility complex. Acquisition of ESF0041 by E. coli K-12 was invariably associated with the capacity to produce heat-stable (ST) enterotoxin. ESF0041 and pSC101 deoxyribonucleic acids were cleaved with EcoRI, and the fragments were ligated with polynucleotide ligase. Transformation of E. coli K-12 with the ligation mixture led to the isolation of an ST+ clone. Further analysis of the plasmid deoxyribonucleic acid from this clone showed that a structural gene(s) associated with ST biosynthesis had been isolated as a 5.7 x 10(6)-dalton ESF0041 fragment in pSC101. In turn, 5.7 x 10(6)-dalton fragment was ligated to a multicopy COLE1 derivative, RSF2124, so that toxin synthesis was amplified about threefold.     

In vitro analysis of complement-dependent HIV-1 cell infection using a model system

Previous studies based on the use of human serum as a source of C have provided evidence for the C-dependent enhancement of cell infection by HIV-1. The present study was undertaken to distinguish C from other serum factors and to identify the proteins and the mechanisms involved in C-dependent cell infection by HIV-1. The classical C activation pathway was reconstituted from the proteins C1q, C1r, C1s, C4, C2, C3, factor H, and factor I; each were purified to homogeneity. A mixture of these proteins at physiological concentrations was shown to reproduce the ability of normal human serum to enhance the infection of MT2 cells by HIV-1 at low doses of virus. This enhancing effect was abolished when heat-inactivated serum and C2- or C3-depleted serum were used, and was restored upon addition of the corresponding purified proteins. A mixture of two synthetic peptides corresponding to positions 10-15 and 90-97 of human C receptor type 2 (CD21) as well as soluble CD4 both inhibited the C-dependent infection process. These data provide unambiguous evidence that HIV-1 triggers a direct activation of the classical C pathway in vitro and thereby facilitates the infection of MT2 cells at low doses of virus. These findings are consistent with a mechanism involving increased interaction between the virus opsonized by C3b-derived fragment(s) and the CD21 cell receptors and subsequent virus entry through CD4 receptors.     

Palladium (II)-catalyzed alternating copolymerization of alkenes with sulfur dioxide

Cationic palladium(II) complexes of the type [L₂Pd(CH₃)(CH₃CN)]BF₄ (L₂ = 1,3-bis(diphenylphosphino)propane (Dppp) or 1,2-bis(2,5-dimethylphospholano)benzene (Me-Duphos)) were found to catalyze the alternating copolymerization of ethene, propene and cyclopentene with sulfur dioxide, as well as the terpolymerization of ethene, propene and sulfur dioxide. The resultant materials are high melting solids with an alternating alkene-SO₂ structure and an exclusive head-to-tail enchainment for propene.     

ATP-gamma-S (adenosine 5'-0(3-thiotriphosphate)) blocks progesterone-induced maturation of the Xenopus oocyte

ATP-gamma-S microinjection into Xenopus oocyte prevents progesterone induced maturation. Inhibition is time and dose dependent; 50% inhibition occurs when 50 nl of 0.5 mM ATP-gamma-S solution are microinjected/oocyte 1 hr prior to the hormonal trigger. ATP-gamma-S inhibited oocytes can be induced to mature (100%) following microinjection of extracts containing maturation promoting factor (MPF). Our results suggest that the maturation protein(s) has been stabilized in ovo by ATP-gamma-S microinjection, in its phosphorylated inhibitory form.     

Randomized Control Trial to Improve Adiposity and Insulin Resistance in Overweight Latino Adolescents

Few randomized trials attempt to improve insulin sensitivity and associated metabolic risks in overweight Latino youth. The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of a modified carbohydrate nutrition program combined with strength training on insulin sensitivity, adiposity, and other type 2 diabetes risk factors in overweight Latino adolescents. In a 16‐week randomized trial, 54 overweight Latino adolescents (15.5 ± 1.0 years) were randomly assigned to: (i) Control (C; n = 16), (ii) Nutrition (N; n = 21), or (iii) Nutrition + Strength training (N+ST; n = 17). The N group received modified carbohydrate nutrition classes (once per week), while the N+ST received the same nutrition classes plus strength training (twice per week). The following were measured at pre‐ and postintervention: strength by 1‐repetition maximum, dietary intake by 3‐day records, body composition by dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry, glucose/insulin indices by oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and intravenous glucose tolerance test with minimal modeling. Across intervention group effects were tested using analysis of covariance with post hoc pairwise comparisons. A significant overall intervention effect was found for improvement in bench press (P < 0.001) and reductions in energy (P = 0.05), carbohydrate (P = 0.04) and fat intake (P = 0.03). There were no significant intervention effects on insulin sensitivity, body composition, or most glucose/insulin indices with the exception of glucose incremental area under the curve (IAUC) (P = 0.05), which decreased in the N and N+ST group by 18 and 6.3% compared to a 32% increase in the C group. In conclusion, this intense, culturally tailored intervention resulted in no significant intervention effects on measured risk factors with the exception of a beneficial effect on glycemic response to oral glucose.