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Abstract The human tendency to judge another person's personality traits can be prompted by as little as a snapshot of that person, and such judgments can have consequences for future interactions (Snyder, Tanke, & Berscheid, 1977). We tested the hypothesis that people make judgments about others' personality traits – particularly those desired by employers – on the basis of their written grammar usage. In the study, community adults read a hypothetical job application cover letter and then rated the applicant on a variety of dimensions. Unbeknownst to the participants, there were three cover letters that held the same content but differed in their rate of surface-level grammar usage errors (no errors; an average error rate of 2/100 words; or a high error rate of 4/100 words). Participants who read a letter that contained grammar usage errors downgraded the applicant's writing as well as their standing on personality traits such as capable, hard-working, and team-oriented. The effects were consistent and imply that people should attend to their grammar usage if they want to make a positive first impression. We propose that the effects we documented are due to actual associations between the quality of individuals' grammar competence and their conscientiousness and intelligence. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • Poor grammar usage may signal deficits in competence and character. • Common grammar usage errors negatively affect judgments of a person's writing skills. • Grammar usage errors also negatively affect judgments of the writer's personality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One manifestation of society's increased sensitivity and reactivity to harm is the notion that words can be labeled as harmful, regardless of how subtle and regardless of their intent, if perceived as harmful by the receiver of that speech (Haslam, 2016). However, it is unclear what specific words should be considered harmful, particularly if harm is in the eye of the beholder (Lilienfeld, 2017). Here, we tested the hypothesis that situational and dispositional factors can prime individuals to interpret others' verbal communications as harmful. In Study 1 (n = 217 U.S. college students), a one-sentence prime about harmful words led individuals to perceive ambiguous phrases from others as harmful. In Study 2 (n = 1092 U.S. college students), participants showed far more within-person than between-person consistency in their emotional reactions to widely varying ambiguous statements, and negative emotionality was a consistent predictor of between-person differences in feeling hurt and anxious by such statements. Taken together, findings from the two studies raise the possibility that well-intentioned efforts to boost awareness of the potential harm conveyed in others' words may have the inadvertent effect of exacerbating perceptions of harm, particularly among individuals already inclined toward such perceptions. [Display omitted] • Priming harm led people to perceive ambiguous statements as harmful. • We found strong within-person consistency in response to various ambiguous statements. • Negative emotionality predicted individuals' response to ambiguous statements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We extend Benenson et al.'s hypothesis from the individual level to the societal level. Because women have highly limited reproductive rates, societies have generally prioritized female survival and regarded males as expendable. We describe various lines of evidence that are consistent with this hypothesis, and we offer additional predictions about differential attitudes toward male versus female endangerment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The various milestones and transitions of emerging adulthood have led previous researchers to investigate continuity and change in personality traits during this life period. In the current study, we build on that research by investigating continuity and change during emerging adulthood in mate preferences and mating orientations. Following past research, we hypothesized that mate preferences and mating orientations would demonstrate weak-to-moderate rank-order stability over 3 years of emerging adulthood. We also hypothesized that emerging adults would display mean-level changes that reflect increasing maturity, such as an increased emphasis on long-term committed relationships and partners’ internal attributes and a decreased emphasis on short-term sexual relationships and partners’ physical attractiveness. We followed 200 young adults from their first year to their fourth year in college. Analyses revealed weak-to-moderate rank-order stability but very little mean-level change in mate preferences and mating orientations. We discuss limitations of this study and directions for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The human tendency to conflate correlation with causation has been lamented by various scientists (Kida, 2006; Stanovich, 2009), and vivid examples of it can be found in both the media and peer-reviewed literature. However, there is little systematic data on the extent to which individuals conflate correlation with causation. In three experiments, we presented people with one of four research vignettes generated from the combination of two independent variables: whether the vignette described an experimental or non-experimental design, and whether it revealed a positive or negative association. Upon reading their vignette, participants selected inferences that could be drawn from the findings. Participants drew causal inferences from non-experimental vignettes as often as they did from experimental vignettes, and more frequently for causal statements and directions of association that fit with intuitive notions than for those that did not. We discuss our findings in relation to other biases in human thinking. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Women's faces and bodies are both thought to provide cues to women's age, health, fertility, and personality. To gain a stronger understanding of how these cues are utilized, we investigated the degree to which ratings of women's faces and bodies independently predicted ratings of women's full-body attractiveness. Women came into the lab not knowing they would be photographed. In Study 1 ( N = 84), we photographed them in their street clothes; in Study 2 ( N = 74), we photographed women in a solid-colored two-piece swimsuit that revealed their body shape, body size, and breast size. We cropped each woman's original photo into an additional face-only photo and body-only photo; then, independent sets of raters judged women's pictures. When dressed in their original clothes, women's face-only ratings were better independent predictors of full-body attractiveness ratings than were their body-only ratings. When cues displayed in women's bodies were made conspicuous by swimsuits, ratings of faces and bodies were similarly strong predictors of full-body attractiveness ratings. Moreover, women's body mass index and waist-to-hip ratio were tied to ratings of women's body attractiveness, with waist-to-hip ratio more important among women wearing swimsuits than among women wearing their original clothes. These results suggest that perceivers attend to cues of women's health, fertility, and personality to the extent that they are visible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What is known and objective Obesity affects approximately one-third of the American population, and its prevalence continues to increase. It is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular diseases and contributes to increased healthcare costs and mortality. The objective is to review the current literature on the cardiovascular effects of weight loss pharmacotherapy agents. Methods Literature was accessed through MEDLINE/PubMed (up to April 2013) using the search terms obesity, weight loss, pharmacotherapy, cardiovascular adverse effects and cardiovascular side effects. References of the articles identified and were also reviewed. Relevant guidelines, review articles, clinical trials, meta-analyses, case series, FDA documentation and prescribing information were included and limited to English language articles. Results and discussion With the newly FDA-approved weight loss pharmacotherapy, treatment options for obesity are more diverse. However, safety concerns, including adverse cardiovascular effects, have played a significant role in the history of weight loss pharmacotherapy and will likely play a role in the future of the new agents, lorcaserin and phentermine/topiramate, as well. What is new and conclusion Long-term cardiovascular outcomes studies with and without high-risk cardiovascular patients are still needed for both lorcaserin and phentermine/topiramate before these agents can be recommended in these patient populations. It is yet to be determined whether modest weight loss benefit of these new agents outweighs the cardiovascular risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] We utilize a within-family design to study birth order effects on personality. [•] We examine personality ratings from sibling pairs, their parents and their peers. [•] We find no within-family or between-family effects of birth order on personality. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We propose that, because cross-sex friendships are a historically recent phenomenon, men’s and women’s evolved mating strategies impinge on their friendship experiences. In our first study involving pairs of friends, emerging adult males reported more attraction to their friend than emerging adult females did, regardless of their own or their friend’s current relationship status. In our second study, both emerging and middle-aged adult males and females nominated attraction to their cross-sex friend as a cost more often than as a benefit. Younger females and middle-aged participants who reported more attraction to a current cross-sex friend reported less satisfaction in their current romantic relationship. Our findings implicate attraction in cross-sex friendship as both common and of potential negative consequence for individuals’ long-term mateships. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Women in Western societies have made enormous gains in education and labor force involvement since the middle of the twentieth century. Various gender differences persist, however. For example, young men and women in the United States continue to differ in their plans for work and family, with women more likely than men to choose careers that will "work around" their family plans (Bridges, 1989). A social constructionist perspective suggests that such differences are the result of societal influences that reinforce traditional gender roles. An evolutionary perspective explains psychological sex differences in work and family priorities as a natural consequence of greater female investment in children over evolutionary history. In the current paper, we test competing predictions about how exposure to college -- an environment that encourages gender egalitarianism and individual choice -- might moderate the magnitude of male-female differences in work-family plans. We surveyed broad samples of freshmen and seniors enrolled in a public liberal arts university. Sex differences apparent in first-year students' educational aspirations were absent among seniors. However, men and women at both points in college differed sharply in their plans for working when they had young children at home. We discuss our findings in the context of broader concerns about women's status in the workforce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated women's facial attractiveness and body shape as a function of menstrual cycle phase, with the expectation from previous research that both would be enhanced during the high fertile phase. To control for the effects of women's daily behaviors on their appearance and waistline, we visited 37 normally cycling women twice in their dorm, where we photographed and measured them at low and high fertile days of their cycle immediately upon their waking. Seventy-four judges from a separate institution chose, for each woman, the picture they thought was more attractive. We analyzed a subset of 20 women who, by forward counting, had a High Fertility visit between Days 10-13 and a Low Fertility visit between Days 20-23; and we also analyzed a subsample of 17 women who, by reverse counting, had a High Fertility visit on the days leading to ovulation and a Low Fertility visit one week after ovulation. In neither set of analyses were women's waist-to-hip ratios lower nearer ovulation, and in neither set were women's high fertile pictures chosen at an above-chance rate by either male or female judges. We did not find evidence that facial attractiveness and waist-to-hip ratio are reliable physical cues of ovulatory status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Past research suggests that young women perceive their same-sex friends as both facilitating the pursuit of desirable mates and competing for access to desirable mates. We propose that similar levels of physical attractiveness between young adult female friends might be one explanation for the opposing forces in their friendships. Forty-six female friendship pairs completed questionnaires about themselves, their friend, and their friendship; in addition, each woman’s picture was rated by a set of nine naive judges. Friends were similar in both self-rated and other-rated level of attractiveness. Within-pair analyses revealed that women agreed on which friend was more attractive, and the less attractive members of each friendship pair (by pair consensus as well as outside judges’ ratings) perceived more mating rivalry in their friendship than did the more attractive members of each friendship pair. We offer directions for research on women’s friendships over the lifespan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Past research on married couples has documented positive assortment on cognitive abilities, attractiveness and physical features, attitudes and values, and, to a lesser degree, personality. In the current study, we proposed that if partners mate assortatively rather than converge over time, then assortative mating coefficients for dating couples should be similar in magnitude to those found for married couples. Second, as per filter models of relationship development, we hypothesized that similarity in dating partners' political and religious attitudes (as opposed to personality) would be associated with staying together over time. With a sample of 51 heterosexual dating couples, we found a pattern of assortative mating coefficients that mirrored the pattern found among married couples. As expected, couples still together at the 11-month follow-up had more similar attitudes at study onset compared to those who had broken up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We conducted three studies to (1) investigate individuals' beliefs about change in mating desires over the course of emerging adulthood and (2) determine whether those beliefs reflect actual variation in mating desires among emerging adults of varied ages (late teens through twenties). In Study 1, 103 men and women gave their thoughts on how college students change, if at all, in what they most desire in a relationship and relationship partner as they move from being incoming freshmen to graduating seniors. In Studies 2 and 3, using a college sample and then an internet sample (ns = 288 and 307), men and women between the ages of 18 and 26 completed mating strategies inventories and allotted a limited number of "mate dollars" to 10 mate characteristics. Findings suggest that although emerging adults believe that their peers' mating desires change systematically over time, emerging adults' self-reported mating desires vary little with age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Narcissists think they are more knowledgeable, better leaders, and more attractive than others are. Higher narcissism scores in celebrities than in non-celebrities () raise the question of whether narcissistic individuals actually are, to some degree, more knowledgeable or attractive than other individuals are. Because little research has investigated the degree to which narcissists’ ratings of their attractiveness are inflated relative to others’ ratings of their attractiveness, we asked men and women to evaluate their own attractiveness, and then we asked two separate panels of judges to view and rate facial shots of these men and women. More narcissistic men and women rated themselves as more attractive than less narcissistic individuals did, but outside judges did not rate more and less narcissistic individuals as any different in attractiveness. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Study Objectives. To characterize the immunomodulatory response in a pressure overload model of heart failure, and to further validate this animal model of human heart failure. Design. Randomized, controlled, animal study. Setting. Large university research facility. Animals. Twenty-seven, male, Sprague-Dawley rats. Intervention. The rats underwent either aortic constriction or a sham procedure. Measurements and Main Results. Six months after the surgical procedure, echocardiographic measurements were obtained, the animals were sacrificed, and plasma samples were taken to measure concentrations Of biomarkers. As six (40%) of the 15 rats in the aortic-constriction group died before the 6 months, only nine rats from this group underwent immunomodulatory evaluation. Compared with the sham procedure, aortic constriction increased the left ventricle:body weight ratio in the rats (p=0.0016) It also decreased the velocity of circumferential shortening (p=0.08) and increased myocardial expression of atrial natriuretic factor, β-myosin heavy chain, and fibronectin (p<0.05). Concentrations of the proinflammatory mediator interleukin (IL)-1β and the counterregulatory mediator IL-10 also significantly increased (p<0.04) in the group that underwent aortic constriction compared with the group that underwent the sham procedure. Nonsignificant increases (mean change ∼50-180%) were also observed for IL-2, IL-6, and leptin concentrations. Conclusions. In this classic animal model of heart failure, a systemic immunomodulatory response was evaluated after 6 months of pressure overload resulting in myocardial decompensation and, in some cases, mortality. The findings are similar to the immunomodulatory response that may be observed in human heart failure. These novel results further define this model of heart failure and suggest another aspect of its relevance to human heart failure with regard to pressure overload and the immunomodulatory response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We conducted correlational and performance discrepancy analyses on exam and achievement data taken from students in three psychology courses. Across courses, the same findings emerged. First, only a small fraction of students consistently performed more strongly on one type of assessment (e.g., multiple-choice) than on another (e.g., short answer). Second, students' multiple-choice performance, above and beyond their short answer performance, accounted for variation in students' standing on achievement measures unrelated to psychology (including high school class standing, American College Test score, and college grade point average). In contrast, students' short answer performance, above and beyond their multiple-choice performance, did not account for variation in students' standing on those achievement measures. Our findings support the continued use of multiple-choice items to assess student learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this double-blind study was to determine the effect of intravenous ethanol administration on defibrillation efficacy in 18 patients with an implantable defibrillator. The equivalent of 60 ml of 100 proof ethanol did not impair defibrillation efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Two studies tested evolutionary hypotheses about the use and perceived effectiveness of specific mate attraction tactics as a function of sexual strategy pursued. Participants and a close same-sex friend of each participant reported on the participant’s sexual strategy and deployment of attraction tactics. In Study 1, participants’ mate attraction tactics differed predictably depending on whether they were pursuing a long-term (sexually restricted) versus short-term (sexually unrestricted) sexual strategy. In Study 2, participants’ sexual strategy predicted their judgments of tactic effectiveness. In both studies, friends’ perceptions of participants’ sexual strategy and mate attraction tactics corroborated participants’ own self-reports. Discussion highlights the unique adaptive problems of mating, such as detecting rivals and inhibiting rivalry, that arise in the context of managing same-sex friendships. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objectives: This study sought to determine the effect of aggressive 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitor (statin) therapy on surrogate markers in non-ischemic cardiomyopathy (NICM) patients and average low-density lipoprotein (LDL) concentrations. Background: The effects of statins may well go beyond lipid lowering, and these pleiotropic effects may be of benefit in the treatment of heart failure. Methods: Fifteen patients with NICM on standard maximized heart failure medication were enrolled in a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, crossover trial. Patients received 80 mg atorvastatin (ATV) or matching placebo for a 12-week treatment period with a minimum of an 8-week washout period. The following surrogate markers were evaluated: N-terminal-pro brain natriuretic peptide, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, oxidized LDL antibody, soluble receptor tumor necrosis factor, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, circulating levels of vascular adhesion molecule-1, intercellular adhesion molecule-1, P-selectin, non-invasive endothelial function studies, and heart rate variability. Results: After ATV therapy, there was a significant decrease in LDL concentration from 110 ± 27 mg/dl to 55 ± 18 mg/dl (p < 0.05). There were no differences between ATV and placebo with regard to the surrogate markers measured. Conclusions: Based on these findings, it seems that the administration of high-dose statins to a heart failure population with modest LDL levels and no other indication for statin therapy was neither beneficial nor detrimental as determined by surrogate marker measures. Further studies are needed to determine whether there is an appropriate patient population and optimal dose (LDL concentration) for the treatment of systolic heart failure with statin therapy. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This study was designed to fill a gap in the literature by analyzing the attitudes of magazine editors and educators toward various skills that job applicants should exhibit. The survey results detail significant differences between the editors and educators on eighteen of twenty-three skills. Open-ended questions also indicated that editors appeared to value nonskills such as cheerfulness, while overlooking a favorite of educators-clips. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food significantly affects the pharmacokinetics of oral loop diuretics in healthy individuals, but studies have not been performed in patients with edema. Because of this omission, foods effect on pharmacokinetics has been overlooked and may decrease the pharmacodynamic response in patients who rely on diuretics. Despite this potential interaction, reference manuals do not provide warnings about the effects on food on loop diuretic absorption. We reviewed the published human studies investigating the effects of food on loop diuretics. Peak plasma concentrations and urinary recovery were significantly decreased when taken with food, but only one study showed a corresponding decrease in total urine output, which is likely related to the diuretic threshold effect. These healthy subjects probably were always above the diuretic threshold under both fed and fasting conditions and thus could not augment their urine output. Based on these data in healthy subjects, the special implications for patients who routinely take diuretics are discussed. Therefore, food is more likely to have a clinical effect on the diuretic threshold given its effect in healthy subjects and the special considerations for patients with edema. Additional studies are needed to help answer these questions. Until such data are available, the most conservative, effective clinical approach is to administer oral loop diuretics without food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We evaluated the Advanced Placement (AP) program from the point of view of intellectually precocious youth and their subsequent educational-vocational outcomes, analyzing normative and idiographic longitudinal data collected across 30 years from 3,937 participants. Most took AP courses in high school, and those who did frequently nominated an AP course as their favorite. Students who took AP courses, compared with their intellectual peers who did not, appeared more satisfied with the intellectual caliber of their high school experience and, ultimately, achieved more. Overall, this special population placed a premium on intellectual challenge in high school and found the lack of such challenge distressing. These findings can inform contemporary educational policy debates regarding the AP program; they also have general implications for designing and evaluating educational interventions for students with special needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Details a study conducted to test the theory that horse-race polls might increase voters' attention to other election messages, including issue information that leads to a better understanding of public policies. Background on the study; Methodological considerations of the study; Conclusions.

Explores press treatment of baseball's first integrated spring training from two perspectives, the advocacy role of the black press and status quo role of the white press in the United States. Literature on baseball spring training; Comparison between the black and white sportswriters; Sportswriters of the New York press.

Sixty-five undergraduates participated in a small-group activity designed to help them apply the findings from classic studies of conformity, obedience, and social roles. Students designed and demonstrated a study to illustrate the influence of obedience, conformity, or social roles in a real-life context. Each group generated 3 variables and described how each variable might moderate the power of social influence in their situation. Evaluation indicated that most students found the activity enjoyable and helpful for understanding the role of social influence in their daily lives. Students preferred the activity to a lecture and recommended using the activity again in future introductory psychology classes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the effect of ethanol on defibrillation efficacy in patients with an implantable defibrillator. Absence of any effect on ventricular refractories; Absence of any effect of ethanol on the defibrillation energy requirement.

Sex differences in the use of competitive tactics have been well established. Although many factors may contribute to these sex differences, according to social role theory (SRT), stereotypes and expectations about men's and women's typical social roles are crucial. We addressed the potential impact of social roles by studying massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs), a setting where individuals represent themselves with avatars and thus enjoy the opportunity to compete without regard to the typical expectations and behaviors associated with men's and women's roles. We surveyed players via MTurk (63 women, 191 men) and Reddit (166 women, 1,326 men) regarding their frequency of engaging in five competitive behaviors and the sex and role of their primary avatar. As expected, there were reliable sex differences in competitiveness: men were more likely than women to engage in player-versus-player duels (MTurk d = 0.19; Reddit d = 0.51), do solo runs of difficult content (0.30, 0.35), and work to acquire expensive items (0.32, 0.19); women were more likely than men to seek in-game awards (−0.38, −0.36) and spend real-world money on expensive microtransactions (−0.16, −0.27). Contrary to SRT, these sex differences in forms of competitive behavior were generally unrelated to players' chosen avatar sex or avatar role. These results instead indicate that sex differences in competitiveness largely reflect evolved predispositions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents the response to the comments on the article `Adaptations, Exaptations and Spandrels,' which focused on evolutionary psychology.

The exponential increase in global plastic usage has led to the emergence of nano- and microplastic (NMP) pollution as a pressing environmental issue due to its implications for human and other mammalian health. We have developed methodologies to extract solid materials from human tissue samples by saponification and ultracentrifugation, allowing for highly specific and quantitative analysis of plastics by pyrolysis-gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (Py-GC-MS). As a benchmark, placenta tissue samples were analyzed using fluorescence microscopy and automated particle count, which demonstrated the presence of >1-micron particles and fibers, but not nano-sized plastic particles. Analyses of the samples (n  = 10) using attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy indicated presence of rayon, polystyrene, polyethylene, and unclassified plastic particles. By contrast, among 62 placenta samples, Py-GC-MS revealed that microplastics were present in all participants' placentae, with concentrations ranging widely from 6.5 to 685 µg NMPs per gram of placental tissue, averaging 126.8 ± 147.5 µg/g (mean±SD). Polyethylene was the most prevalent polymer, accounting for 54% of total NMPs and consistently found in nearly all samples (mean 68.8 ± 93.2 µg/g placenta). Polyvinyl chloride and nylon each represented approximately 10% of the NMPs by weight, with the remaining 26% of the composition represented by 9 other polymers. Together, these data demonstrate advancements in the unbiased quantitative resolution of Py-GC-MS applied to the identification and quantification of NMP species at the maternal-fetal interface. This method, paired with clinical metadata, will be pivotal to evaluating potential impacts of NMPs on adverse pregnancy outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ozone (O3) is a criteria air pollutant with the most frequent incidence of exceeding air quality standards. Inhalation of O3 is known to cause lung inflammation and consequent systemic health effects, including endothelial dysfunction. Epidemiologic data have shown that gestational exposure to air pollutants correlates with complications of pregnancy, including low birth weight, intrauterine growth deficiency, preeclampsia, and premature birth. Mechanisms underlying how air pollution may facilitate or exacerbate gestational complications remain poorly defined. The current study sought to uncover how gestational O3 exposure impacted maternal cardiovascular function, as well as the development of the placenta. Pregnant mice were exposed to 1PPM O3 or a sham filtered air (FA) exposure for 4 h on gestational day (GD) 10.5, and evaluated for cardiac function via echocardiography on GD18.5. Echocardiography revealed a significant reduction in maternal stroke volume and ejection fraction in maternally exposed dams. To examine the impact of maternal O3 exposure on the maternal-fetal interface, placentae were analyzed by single-cell RNA sequencing analysis. Mid-gestational O3 exposure led to significant differential expression of 4021 transcripts compared with controls, and pericytes displayed the greatest transcriptional modulation. Pathway analysis identified extracellular matrix organization to be significantly altered after the exposure, with the greatest modifications in trophoblasts, pericytes, and endothelial cells. This study provides insights into potential molecular processes during pregnancy that may be altered due to the inhalation of environmental toxicants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a critique of the article which summarizes the findings and recommendations of the Task Force on the Status of Women in Academe. Recognition of two problems with the observation of outcome differences between men and women as indicators of bias and discrimination; Failure of the report to consider variables that offer interpretational variety; Absence of any evidence to support the existence of bias against women.

Highlights the importance of mate choice for good genes, the costs of alternative strategies and tradeoffs inherent in human mating. Concept of the sexual strategies theory; Gender differences in human mating; Importance of within-sex variation.

Science is among humanity's greatest achievements, yet scientific censorship is rarely studied empirically. We explore the social, psychological, and institutional causes and consequences of scientific censorship (defined as actions aimed at obstructing particular scientific ideas from reaching an audience for reasons other than low scientific quality). Popular narratives suggest that scientific censorship is driven by authoritarian officials with dark motives, such as dogmatism and intolerance. Our analysis suggests that scientific censorship is often driven by scientists, who are primarily motivated by self-protection, benevolence toward peer scholars, and prosocial concerns for the well-being of human social groups. This perspective helps explain both recent findings on scientific censorship and recent changes to scientific institutions, such as the use of harm-based criteria to evaluate research. We discuss unknowns surrounding the consequences of censorship and provide recommendations for improving transparency and accountability in scientific decision-making to enable the exploration of these unknowns. The benefits of censorship may sometimes outweigh costs. However, until costs and benefits are examined empirically, scholars on opposing sides of ongoing debates are left to quarrel based on competing values, assumptions, and intuitions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smoke from wildland fires has been shown to produce neuroinflammation in preclinical models, characterized by neural infiltrations of neutrophils and monocytes, as well as altered neurovascular endothelial phenotypes. To address the longevity of such outcomes, the present study examined the temporal dynamics of neuroinflammation and metabolomics after inhalation exposures from biomass-derived smoke. 2-month-old female C57BL/6 J mice were exposed to wood smoke every other day for 2 weeks at an average exposure concentration of 0.5 mg/m3. Subsequent serial euthanasia occurred at 1-, 3-, 7-, 14-, and 28-day post-exposure. Flow cytometry of right hemispheres revealed two endothelial populations of CD31Hi and CD31Med expressors, with wood smoke inhalation causing an increased proportion of CD31Hi. These populations of CD31Hi and CD31Med were associated with an anti-inflammatory and pro-inflammatory response, respectively, and their inflammatory profiles were largely resolved by the 28-day mark. However, activated microglial populations (CD11b+/CD45low) remained higher in wood smoke-exposed mice than controls at day 28. Infiltrating neutrophil populations decreased to levels below controls by day 28. However, the MHC-II expression of the peripheral immune infiltrate remained high, and the population of neutrophils retained an increased expression of CD45, Ly6C, and MHC-II. Utilizing an unbiased approach examining the metabolomic alterations, we observed notable hippocampal perturbations in neurotransmitter and signaling molecules, such as glutamate, quinolinic acid, and 5-α-dihydroprogesterone. Utilizing a targeted panel designed to explore the aging-associated NAD+ metabolic pathway, wood smoke exposure drove fluctuations and compensations across the 28-day time course, ending with decreased hippocampal NAD+ abundance on day 28. Summarily, these results indicate a highly dynamic neuroinflammatory environment, with potential resolution extending past 28 days, the implications of which may include long-term behavioral changes, systemic and neurological sequalae directly associated with wildfire smoke exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epidemiological studies have established that exposure to tungsten increases the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. However, no studies have investigated how tungsten affects cardiac function or the development of cardiovascular disease. Inhalation of tungsten particulates is relevant in occupational settings, and inhalation of particulate matter has a known causative role in driving cardiovascular disease. This study examined if acute inhalation to tungsten particulates affects cardiac function and leads to heart tissue alterations. Female BALB/c mice were exposed to Filtered Air or 1.5 ± 0.23 mg/m3 tungsten particles, using a whole-body inhalation chamber, 4 times over the course of two weeks. Inhalation exposure resulted in mild pulmonary inflammation characterized by an increased percentage and number of macrophages and metabolomic changes in the lungs. Cardiac output was significantly decreased in the tungsten-exposed group. Additionally, A′, an indicator of the amount of work required by the atria to fill the heart was elevated. Cardiac gene expression analysis revealed, tungsten exposure increased expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, markers of remodeling and fibrosis, and oxidative stress genes. These data strongly suggest exposure to tungsten results in cardiac injury characterized by early signs of diastolic dysfunction. Functional findings are in parallel, demonstrating cardiac oxidative stress, inflammation, and early fibrotic changes. Tungsten accumulation data would suggest these cardiac changes are driven by systemic consequences of pulmonary damage. • Inhalation of tungsten particulates results in mild inflammation and metabolomic changes in the lungs. • Inhalation of tungsten results in early signs of cardiac injury (decreased cardiac output and increased atrial workload). • Tungsten increases expression of pro-inflammatory, cardiac remodeling, and oxidative stress genes in the heart. • Tungsten accumulation data would suggest these cardiac changes are driven by systemic consequences of pulmonary damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microplastics represent an emerging environmental contaminant, with large gaps in our understanding of human health impacts. Furthermore, environmental factors may modify the plastic chemistry, further altering the toxic potency. Ultraviolet (UV) light is one such unavoidable factor for airborne microplastic particulates and a known modifier of polystyrene surface chemistry. As an experimental model, we aged commercially available polystyrene microspheres for 5 weeks with UV radiation, then compared the cellular responses in A549 lung cells with both pristine and irradiated particulates. Photoaging altered the surface morphology of irradiated microspheres and increased the intensities of polar groups on the near-surface region of the particles as indicated by scanning electron microscopy and by fitting of high-resolution X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy C 1s spectra, respectively. Even at low concentrations (1–30 µg/ml), photoaged microspheres at 1 and 5 µm in diameter exerted more pronounced biological responses in the A549 cells than was caused by pristine microspheres. High-content imaging analysis revealed S and G2 cell cycle accumulation and morphological changes, which were also more pronounced in A549 cells treated with photoaged microspheres, and further influenced by the size, dose, and time of exposures. Polystyrene microspheres reduced monolayer barrier integrity and slowed regrowth in a wound healing assay in a manner dependent on dose, photoaging, and size of the microsphere. UV-photoaging generally enhanced the toxicity of polystyrene microspheres in A549 cells. Understanding the influence of weathering and environmental aging, along with size, shape, and chemistry, on microplastics biocompatibility may be an essential consideration for incorporation of different plastics in products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) are commonly used across the world by diverse populations and ethnicities but remain largely unregulated. Although many CAM agents are purported to be efficacious and safe by the public, clinical evidence supporting the use of CAM in heart failure remains limited and controversial. Furthermore, health care professionals rarely inquire or document use of CAM as part of the medical record, and patients infrequently disclose their use without further prompting. The goal of this scientific statement is to summarize published efficacy and safety data for CAM and adjunctive interventional wellness approaches in heart failure. Furthermore, other important considerations such as adverse effects and drug interactions that could influence the safety of patients with heart failure are reviewed and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine if a Web application that promoted mindfulness of the progress of the chronic disease through self-monitoring improved quality of life in heart failure. Materials and Methods: This was a prospective single-center single-group study. Participants were instructed how to use the Web application and to perform self-monitoring daily for 12 weeks. A comprehensive physical exam, assessment of New York Heart Association (NYHA) class, the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLHFQ), and an evaluation of self-management were performed in person at baseline and at 12 weeks. Results: Participants consisted of older (mean, 59 years), predominantly female (63%) adults with NYHA class II or III symptoms. NYHA classification (preintervention versus postintervention, 2.5±0.13 versus 2.0±0.13; p =0.0032) and MLHFQ score (55.7±4.6 versus 42.6±5.1, respectively; p =0.0078) improved over 12 weeks of self-monitoring. A trend toward improvement was also demonstrated in weight (preintervention versus postintervention, 209±9.6 pounds versus 207±9.4 pounds; by paired t test, p =0.389), number of times exercised per week (1.29±0.5 versus 2.5±0.6, respectively; p =0.3), and walk distance (572±147 yards versus 845±187 yards, respectively; p =0.119). Jugular venous distention (preintervention versus postintervention, 8.1±0.6 cm versus 6.7±0.3 cm; p =0.083) and peripheral edema (29.2% versus 16.7%, respectively; p =0.375) decreased after 12 weeks of self-monitoring via the Web application. Conclusions: A Web application for self-monitoring heart failure over 12 weeks improved both NYHA classification and MLHFQ score. The trend in improved physical activity and physical exam support these outcomes. The number of patients reporting a sodium-restricted diet increased over the 12 weeks, which may have led to the positive findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Utilizing a mobile laboratory located >300 km away from wildfire smoke (WFS) sources, this study examined the systemic immune response profile, with a focus on neuroinflammatory and neurometabolomic consequences, resulting from inhalation exposure to naturally occurring wildfires in California, Arizona, and Washington in 2020. After a 20-day (4 h/day) exposure period in a mobile laboratory stationed in New Mexico, WFS-derived particulate matter (WFPM) inhalation resulted in significant neuroinflammation while immune activity in the peripheral (lung, bone marrow) appeared to be resolved in C57BL/6 mice. Importantly, WFPM exposure increased cerebrovascular endothelial cell activation and expression of adhesion molecules (VCAM-1 and ICAM-1) in addition to increased glial activation and peripheral immune cell infiltration into the brain. Flow cytometry analysis revealed proinflammatory phenotypes of microglia and peripheral immune subsets in the brain of WFPM-exposed mice. Interestingly, endothelial cell neuroimmune activity was differentially associated with levels of PECAM-1 expression, suggesting that subsets of cerebrovascular endothelial cells were transitioning to resolution of inflammation following the 20-day exposure. Neurometabolites related to protection against aging, such as NAD+ and taurine, were decreased by WFPM exposure. Additionally, increased pathological amyloid-beta protein accumulation, a hallmark of neurodegeneration, was observed. Neuroinflammation, together with decreased levels of key neurometabolites, reflect a cluster of outcomes with important implications in priming inflammaging and aging-related neurodegenerative phenotypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reduction in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) is associated with a decrease in coronary heart disease (CHD). Statins are currently the most effective medications for LDL-C lowering; however, there continues to be a residual risk for cardiovascular events. Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) is a protease that promotes LDL receptor degradation, leading to an increase in LDL-C blood levels. Patients with PCSK9 gain-of-function mutations can have up to a 20-fold increase in associated CHD compared with patients without these mutations. Conversely, patients with PCSK9 loss-of-function mutations can have up to an 88% reduction in CHD without any deficits in neurologic or physiologic functions. PCSK9 can be modulated by current antihyperlipidemic therapies. In particular, statins lead to an increase in PCSK9, which may attenuate their full lipid-lowering effects. These attributes have made PCSK9 inhibition a desirable target for future drug therapies. Current investigational modalities inhibiting PCSK9 will also be discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intestinal peptide transporters, including hPEPT1, facilitate the absorption of cephalosporins and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, and have been investigated as a means to improve oral drug absorption. Renal peptide transporters including hPEPT2, may also facilitate renal reabsorption of such compounds. In vitro and animal studies suggest that co-administration of peptidomimetic compounds may alter oral pharmacokinetics, although this has not been well studied in humans. The purpose of this study was to determine whether co-administration of the hPEPT substrates captopril and cephradine alters the oral pharmacokinetics of either agent. Nine healthy male volunteers received a single oral 25-mg dose of captopril, a single oral 500-mg dose of cephradine, or concurrent ingestion of captopril and cephradine in a cross-over manner. Venous blood samples were taken and captopril and cephradine pharmacokinetics were determined using noncompartmental analyses. No significant differences were observed in captopril or cephradine pharmacokinetics when administered together as compared to each agent alone (a marginal decrease in C(max) was observed for both captopril and cephradine during co-administration [5-15%]; however, differences were not statistically significant). The results of our study suggest that hPEPT1 and hPEPT2 are unlikely to contribute to clinically important drug interactions in humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Enalapril is a prodrug and needs to be activated by carboxylesterase 1 (CES1). A previous in vitro study demonstrated the CES1 genetic variant, G143E (rs71647871), significantly impaired enalapril activation. Two previous clinical studies examined the impact of G143E on single‐dose enalapril PK (10 mg); however, the results were inconclusive. A prospective, multi‐dose, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics (PK/PD) study was conducted to determine the impact of the CES1 G143E variant on enalapril steady‐state PK and PD in healthy volunteers. Methods: Study participants were stratified to G143E non‐carriers (n = 15) and G143E carriers (n = 6). All the carriers were G143E heterozygotes. Study subjects received enalapril 10 mg daily for seven consecutive days prior to a 72 hour PK/PD study. Plasma concentrations of enalapril and its active metabolite enalaprilat were quantified by an established liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) method. Results: The CES1 G143E carriers had 30.9% lower enalaprilat Cmax (P = 0.03) compared to the non‐carriers (38.01 vs. 55.01 ng/mL). The carrier group had 27.5% lower AUC0–∞ (P = 0.02) of plasma enalaprilat compared to the non‐carriers (374.29 vs. 515.91 ng*h/mL). The carriers also had a 32.3% lower enalaprilat‐to‐enalapril AUC0–∞ ratio (P = 0.003) relative to the non‐carriers. The average maximum reduction of systolic blood pressure in the non‐carrier group was approximately 12.4% at the end of the study compared to the baseline (P = 0.001). No statistically significant blood pressure reduction was observed in the G143E carriers. Conclusions: The CES1 loss‐of‐function G143E variant significantly impaired enalapril activation and its systolic blood pressure‐lowering effect in healthy volunteers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The administration of intravenous levosimendan (0.10.4 µg/kg per minute) was associated with a statistically significant reduction in plasma levels of endothelin-1 (ET-1) in 79 patients with advanced (New York Heart Association functional class III or IV) heart failure. These data are compatible with the premise that reduction in ET-1 levels contributes to the hemodynamic effects of levosimendan in heart failure, although more extensive investigations are needed to confirm this hypothesis. The present study provided no evidence that levosimendan, in the doses used, had a significant effect on plasma levels of norepinephrine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trandolapril, an angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitor prodrug, needs to be activated by carboxylesterase 1 (CES1) in the liver to exert its intended therapeutic effect. A previous in vitro study demonstrated that the CES1 genetic variant G143E (rs71647871) abolished CES1‐mediated trandolapril activation in cells transfected with the variant. This study aimed to determine the effect of the G143E variant on trandolapril activation in human livers and the pharmacokinetics (PKs) and pharmacodynamics (PDs) in human subjects. We performed an in vitro incubation study to assess trandolapril activation in human livers (5 G143E heterozygotes and 97 noncarriers) and conducted a single‐dose (1 mg) PK and PD study of trandolapril in healthy volunteers (8 G143E heterozygotes and 11 noncarriers). The incubation study revealed that the mean trandolapril activation rate in G143E heterozygous livers was 42% of those not carrying the variant (p = 0.0015). The clinical study showed that, relative to noncarriers, G143E carriers exhibited 20% and 15% decreases, respectively, in the peak concentration (Cmax) and area under the curve from 0 to 72 h (AUC0–72 h) of the active metabolite trandolaprilat, although the differences were not statistically significant. Additionally, the average maximum reductions of systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure in carriers were ~ 22% and 23% less than in noncarriers, respectively, but the differences did not reach a statistically significant level. In summary, the CES1 G143E variant markedly impaired trandolapril activation in the human liver under the in vitro incubation conditions; however, this variant had only a modest impact on the PK and PD of trandolapril in healthy human subjects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article is a response to a critique of a previous paper on scientific censorship. The authors clarify that their intention was to explain, not blame, and that they did not make claims about people from diverse backgrounds. They also address concerns about low response rates in one study and emphasize the need for more research. The authors argue for greater transparency and academic audits to identify discrimination and protect minority perspectives. They acknowledge the lack of data on the costs and benefits of censorship and caution against assuming that involving community members in research will eliminate harm-avoidant censorship. The authors disagree with the critique's demand for active participation of specific communities in all research, stating that it is impractical and unnecessarily restrictive. They conclude by highlighting the need for metascientific investigation to inform discussions on scientific censorship. [Extracted from the article]