Religion, but not Parents, Predict Children\u27s Tendency to Anthropomorphize

Anthropomorphism, or the attribution of human characteristics and behaviors to non- human entities, is not a new concept in psychology research, but is becoming increasingly more popular. This is likely to do with the emergence of artificial intelligence and other technologies in our society. Anthropomorphism is something that is encountered on a regular basis, and much research has been done looking at various aspects of this concept. Current research has investigated parental language and its relation to children’s anthropomorphism, anthropomorphism in relation to culture, how it intersects with development, among others. However, there are gaps in the research of anthropomorphism, especially regarding child/parent relationships and mentalization behavior. Due to the surge in research in this area, and the gaps in surrounding literature, I sought to understand the potential relation between parent and child anthropomorphism. I looked to grasp the individual differences in degree of anthropomorphism in children related to parental anthropomorphic tendency. Research in this realm holds many implications, especially in parenting and the impact that parents may have on their children’s inclinations to anthropomorphize. I hypothesize that there is a strong correlation between parent and child anthropomorphic beliefs, that likely increases with age. Secondly, I believe that there is a strong positive association between religious belief and anthropomorphic tendency

A Kinetic Study of Accumulation and Elimination of Microcystin-LR in Yellow Perch (Perca Flavescens) Tissue and Implications for Human Fish Consumption

Fish consumption is a potential route of human exposure to the hepatotoxic microcystins, especially in lakes and reservoirs that routinely experience significant toxic Microcystis blooms. Understanding the rates of uptake and elimination for microcystins as well as the transfer efficiency into tissues of consumers are important for determining the potential for microcystins to be transferred up the food web and for predicting potential human health impacts. The main objective of this work was to conduct laboratory experiments to investigate the kinetics of toxin accumulation in fish tissue. An oral route of exposure was employed in this study, in which juvenile yellow perch (Perca flavescens) were given a single oral dose of 5 or 20 μg of microcystin-LR (MC-LR) via food and accumulation in the muscle, liver, and tank water were measured over 24 h. Peak concentrations of the water soluble fraction of microcystin were generally observed 8–10 h after dosing in the liver and after 12–16 h in the muscle, with a rapid decline in both tissues by 24 h. Up to 99% of the total recoverable (i.e., unbound) microcystin was measured in the tank water by 16 h after exposure. The relatively rapid uptake and elimination of the unbound fraction of microcystin in the liver and muscle of juvenile yellow perch within 24 h of exposure indicates that fish consumption may not be a major route of human exposure to microcystin, particularly in the Great Lakes

Efficacy of a low-cost, inactivated whole-cell oral cholera vaccine: results from 3 years of follow-up of a randomized, controlled trial

BACKGROUND: Killed oral cholera vaccines (OCVs) have been licensed for use in developing countries, but protection conferred by licensed OCVs beyond two years of follow-up has not been demonstrated in randomized, clinical trials. METHODS/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We conducted a cluster-randomized, placebo-controlled trial of a two-dose regimen of a low-cost killed whole cell OCV in residents 1 year of age and older living in 3,933 clusters in Kolkata, India. The primary endpoint was culture-proven Vibrio cholerae O1 diarrhea episodes severe enough to require treatment in a health care facility. Of the 66,900 fully dosed individuals (31,932 vaccinees and 34,968 placebo recipients), 38 vaccinees and 128 placebo-recipients developed cholera during three years of follow-up (protective efficacy 66%; one-sided 95%CI lower bound = 53%, p<0.001). Vaccine protection during the third year of follow-up was 65% (one-sided 95%CI lower bound = 44%, p<0.001). Significant protection was evident in the second year of follow-up in children vaccinated at ages 1–4 years and in the third year in older age groups. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The killed whole-cell OCV conferred significant protection that was evident in the second year of follow-up in young children and was sustained for at least three years in older age groups. Continued follow-up will be important to establish the vaccine's duration of protection.Dipika Sur ... Stephen Attridge ... et al

Hepatopathy following consumption of a commercially available blue-green algae dietary supplement in a dog

BACKGROUND: Dietary supplement use in both human and animals to augment overall health continues to increase and represents a potential health risk due to the lack of safety regulations imposed on the manufacturers. Because there are no requirements for demonstrating safety and efficacy prior to marketing, dietary supplements may contain potentially toxic contaminants such as hepatotoxic microcystins produced by several species of blue-green algae. CASE PRESENTATION: An 11-year-old female spayed 8.95 kg Pug dog was initially presented for poor appetite, lethargy polyuria, polydipsia, and an inability to get comfortable. Markedly increased liver enzyme activities were detected with no corresponding abnormalities evident on abdominal ultrasound. A few days later the liver enzyme activities were persistently increased and the dog was coagulopathic indicating substantial liver dysfunction. The dog was hospitalized for further care consisting of oral S-adenosylmethionine, silybin, vitamin K, and ursodeoxycholic acid, as well as intravenous ampicillin sodium/sulbactam sodium, dolasetron, N-acetylcysteine, metoclopramide, and intravenous fluids. Improvement of the hepatopathy and the dog’s clinical status was noted over the next three days. Assessment of the dog’s diet revealed the use of a commercially available blue-green algae dietary supplement for three-and-a-half weeks prior to hospitalization. The supplement was submitted for toxicology testing and revealed the presence of hepatotoxic microcystins (MCs), MC-LR and MC-LA. Use of the supplement was discontinued and follow-up evaluation over the next few weeks revealed a complete resolution of the hepatopathy. CONCLUSIONS: To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first case report of microcystin intoxication in a dog after using a commercially available blue-green algae dietary supplement. Veterinarians should recognize the potential harm that these supplements may cause and know that with intervention, recovery is possible. In addition, more prudent oversight of dietary supplement use is recommended for our companion animals to prevent adverse events/intoxications

Vaccines against cholera, typhoid fever and shigellosis for developing countries.

Enteric diseases, such as cholera, typhoid fever and shigellosis, still produce a significant burden, especially among the poor in countries where these illnesses are endemic. Older-generation, parenteral, whole-cell vaccines against cholera and typhoid fever were abandoned in many countries as public health tools because of problems with insufficient protection and/or inadequate safety profiles. Modern-generation licensed vaccines are available for cholera and typhoid fever, but are not widely used by those in greatest need. A number of experimental candidates exist for all three diseases. Future research should focus on generating the evidence necessary to obtain a consensus on the deployment of existing vaccines against cholera and typhoid fever, and on clinical evaluation of pipeline vaccine candidates against all three diseases

An O-Specific Polysaccharide/Tetanus Toxoid Conjugate Vaccine Induces Protection in Guinea Pigs against Virulent Challenge with Coxiella burnetii

Q fever is caused by the bacterium Coxiella burnetii and is spread to humans from infected animals especially goats, sheep and cattle, predominantly when giving birth. There is an effective human vaccine (Q-VAX) against Q fever, and although Q fever is a worldwide problem, the vaccine is only used in Australia due to difficulties associated with its use and the risk of adverse reactions. The desire to protect humans, particularly farmers and abattoir workers, from Q fever prompted the development of a new safe and effective human vaccine without all the difficulties associated with the current vaccine. Candidate vaccines were prepared using purified O-specific polysaccharide (OSP) extracted from the lipopolysaccharide of virulent (phase 1) C. burnetii, strain Nine Mile, which was then conjugated to a tetanus toxoid (TT) carrier protein. Two vaccines were prepared using OSP from C. burnetii grown in embryonated eggs (vaccine A) and axenic media (vaccine B). Vaccines with or without alum adjuvant were used to vaccinate guinea pigs, which were later challenged by intranasal inoculation with virulent C. burnetii. Both vaccines protected guinea pigs from fever and loss of weight post challenge. Post-mortem samples of the spleen, liver and kidney of vaccinated guinea pigs contained substantially less C. burnetii DNA as measured by PCR than those of the unvaccinated control animals. This study demonstrated that a C. burnetii OSP-TT conjugate vaccine is capable of inducing protection against virulent C. burnetii in guinea pigs. Additionally, OSP derived from C. burnetii grown in axenic media compared to OSP from embryonated eggs is equivalent in terms of providing a protective immune response