On the psychology of self-prediction: Consideration of situational barriers to intended actions

When people predict their future behavior, they tend to place too much weight on their current intentions, which produces an optimistic bias for behaviors associated with currently strong intentions. More realistic self-predictions require greater sensitivity to situational barriers, such as obstacles or competing demands, that may interfere with the translation of current intentions into future behavior. We consider three reasons why people may not adjust sufficiently for such barriers. First, self-predictions may focus exclusively on current intentions, ignoring potential barriers altogether. We test this possibility, in three studies, with manipulations that draw greater attention to barriers. Second, barriers may be discounted in the self-prediction process. We test this possibility by comparing prospective and retrospective ratings of the impact of barriers on the target behavior. Neither possibility was supported in these tests, or in a further test examining whether an optimally weighted statistical model could improve on the accuracy of self-predictions by placing greater weight on anticipated situational barriers. Instead, the evidence supports a third possibility: Even when they acknowledge that situational factors can affect the likelihood of carrying out an intended behavior, people do not adequately moderate the weight placed on their current intentions when predicting their future behavior

Genetic Variation in the Proximal Promoter of ABC and SLC Superfamilies: Liver and Kidney Specific Expression and Promoter Activity Predict Variation

Membrane transporters play crucial roles in the cellular uptake and efflux of an array of small molecules including nutrients, environmental toxins, and many clinically used drugs. We hypothesized that common genetic variation in the proximal promoter regions of transporter genes contribute to observed variation in drug response. A total of 579 polymorphisms were identified in the proximal promoters (−250 to +50 bp) and flanking 5′ sequence of 107 transporters in the ATP Binding Cassette (ABC) and Solute Carrier (SLC) superfamilies in 272 DNA samples from ethnically diverse populations. Many transporter promoters contained multiple common polymorphisms. Using a sliding window analysis, we observed that, on average, nucleotide diversity (π) was lowest at approximately 300 bp upstream of the transcription start site, suggesting that this region may harbor important functional elements. The proximal promoters of transporters that were highly expressed in the liver had greater nucleotide diversity than those that were highly expressed in the kidney consistent with greater negative selective pressure on the promoters of kidney transporters. Twenty-one promoters were evaluated for activity using reporter assays. Greater nucleotide diversity was observed in promoters with strong activity compared to promoters with weak activity, suggesting that weak promoters are under more negative selective pressure than promoters with high activity. Collectively, these results suggest that the proximal promoter region of membrane transporters is rich in variation and that variants in these regions may play a role in interindividual variation in drug disposition and response

Person Theories: Their Temporal Stability and Relation to Intertrait Inferences

This article tests whether individual differences in inferring one trait from another (intertrait inferences) can be linked to lay beliefs about the malleability of personality (person theories). It finds that holding the belief that personality is malleable (incremental theory) rather than fixed (entity theory) at the time of inferences is associated with less extreme inferences involving semantically related (but not unrelated) traits. Although person theories have been assumed to be stable over time, existing short-term test–retest coefficients do not capture their instability over a longer period. These results can illuminate interrater discrepancies in assessments of personality pathology and job performance, enrich understanding of such phenomena as stereotyping and impression formation, refine the interpretation of past research involvin

Agentes infecciosos associados à diarréia aguda em crianças até três anos de idade: estudo em um hospital de referência no município de Vitória ES

Acute diarrhea is one of the main causes of infantile mortality worldwide (WHO), mainly in developing countries. In the present work, the prevalence of Rotavirus (RV), adenovirus (Ad), diarrheogenic E. coli (EPEC, ETEC, EIEC, EHEC, EAEC, DAEC), Salmonella, Shigella, Cryptosporidium spp., Entamoeba histolytica and Giardia lamblia was studied among children up to 3 years old with acute diarrhea. From February 2003 to June 2004, stools samples were obtained prospectly from 253 children with acute diarrhea and 78 without diarrhea attending to the emergency room in a pediatric hospital - Hospital Infantil Nossa Senhora da Glória (HINSG), in Vitória Espírito Santo state, Brazil. Bacterial detection was done in 241 stools samples (12 were excluded because were in use of antimicrobian drugs) and E. coli were isolated in 219 and 68 cases with and without diarrhea, respectively. These cases were submited to serology with policlonal anti-seros (EPEC e EIEC) and hybridization tests (Hybr) to detect virulence genes of EPEC, ETEC, EIEC, EHEC, EAEC e DAEC. RV were studied in 147 cases for immune enzymatic assay (EIARA) and in 230 cases by poliacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) and Ad, only in 147 cases for immune enzymatic assay (EIARA). Protozoan infection was studied in 88 cases for immune enzymatic assay (EIA). Children with diarrhea were divided in Group I (88 cases = all enteropathogens studied), Group II (147 cases = bacterias, RV e Ad - EIARA) and Group III (230 cases = bacterias and RV - PAGE) and children without diarrhea were Group IV (78 cases = bactérias and RV - PAGE). Enteropathogens were detected in more than 60% in children with acute diarrhea and bacterial infection was the most prevalent: DEC were detected in 41,1%; EPEC in 3,6% (serology) e 9,1% (Hybr); Typical EPEC (0,9%); Atypical EPEC (8,2%); EAEC (9,1%); DAEC (20,6%); EIEC (0,9%); ETEC (4,2%). In stools samples from children without diarrhea, we found Atypical EPEC (10,3%); EAEC (20,6%); DAEC (16,2%); ETEC (1,5%). EHEC was not detected in the studied population. Shigella and Salmonella were detected in 4,6% e 2,9%, respectively, only in children with acute diarrhea. RV were detected in 35,2% (GEPA) and 50% (EIARA); Ad, in 8,2% and E. histolytica, Cryptosporidium spp. and G. lamblia in 8%, 11,4% and 14,8% of cases with diarrhea, respectively. In conclusion, Typical EPEC, EIEC and ETEC were detected only or predominantly in children with acute diarrhea. Atypical EPEC, EAEC and DAEC were not causes of acute diarrhea, except for EAEC in children more than two years old (p = 0,026). RV was the most prevalent agent when the classic enteropathogen DEC (Tipical EPEC, ETEC, EIEC and Shigella e Salmonella) was considered in this study. RV was more frequent in children below 18 months of life and in a period of March, 2003 up September, 2003. Associations among enteropathogens were frequent in the studied population and protozoa were the most of them. Comparing all of protozoa detected, only G. lamblia suggesting being a cause of acute diarrhea, isolately.A diarréia aguda é uma causa importante de mortalidade infantil, nos países em desenvolvimento (OMS). A prevalência de rotavírus (RV), adenovírus (Ad), categorias diarreiogênicas de E. coli (DEC), Salmonella, Shigella, Cryptosporidium spp., Entamoeba histolytica e Giardia lamblia, foi pesquisada em crianças até 3 anos de idade. De fevereiro de 2003 a junho de 2004, foram obtidas 253 amostras fecais de crianças com diarréia aguda e 78 sem diarréia, atendidas no Hospital Infantil Nossa Senhora da Glória (HINSG), Vitória ES. O estudo das bactérias foi feito em 241 amostras fecais (12 excluídas por uso de antimicrobiano) com isolamento de colônias caracterizadas bioquimicamente como E.coli em 219 e 68 casos com diarréia e sem diarréia, respectivamente. Estes casos foram submetidos à sorologia com anti-soros polivalentes (EPEC e EIEC) e testes de hibridização (Hibr) para pesquisa de genes de virulência para detecção de EPEC, ETEC, EIEC, EHEC, EAEC e DAEC. RV foram pesquisados em 147 casos por ensaio imunoenzimático (EIERA) e em 230, através da eletroforese em gel de poliacrilamida (EGPA), e Ad em 147 casos, por ensaio imunoenzimático (EIERA). Os protozoários foram pesquisados 88 amostras por ensaio Imunoenzimático (EIE). As crianças com diarréia foram divididas em: Grupo I (88 casos = todos os agentes pesquisados), Grupo II (147 casos = bactérias, RV e Ad - EIERA) e Grupo III (230 casos = bactérias e RV - EGPA) e as crianças sem diarréia compuseram o Grupo IV (78 casos = bactérias e RV - EGPA). Mais de 60% das amostras colhidas de crianças com diarréia aguda foram positivas para enteropatógenos, sendo as bactérias, os mais prevalentes, seguidos pelos vírus. DEC foram detectadas em 41,1% dos casos de diarréia aguda: EPEC em 3,6% (sorologia) e 9,1% (Hibr); EPEC típica (0,9 %); EPEC atípica (8,2%); EAEC (9,1%); DAEC (20,6%); EIEC (0,9%); ETEC (4,2%). Nas crianças sem diarréia, detectou-se EPEC (10,3%); EAEC (20,6%); DAEC (16,2%); ETEC (1,5%). EHEC não foi detectada. Nas crianças com diarréia aguda foram detectados Shigella (4,6%), Salmonella (2,9%), RV em 35,2% (EGPA) e 50% (EIERA); Ad (8,2%) e E. histolytica (8%), Cryptosporidium spp. (11,4%) e G. lamblia (14,8%). Concluindo, EPEC típica, EIEC e ETEC foram detectadas apenas ou predominantemente nas crianças com diarréia. EPEC atípica, EAEC e DAEC não estiveram relacionadas com diarréia aguda, exceto EAEC nas crianças acima dos dois anos de idade (p = 0,026). RV foi agente infeccioso mais prevalente considerando somente DEC classicamente patógenas (EPEC típica, ETEC, EIEC, Shigella e Salmonella), nos menores de 18 meses de vida e nos meses de março a setembro de 2003. As associações entre enteropatógenos foram freqüentes, sendo os protozoários, o grupo de enterópatógenos com o maior número de associações. Dos protozoários avaliados, apenas G. lamblia parece ser agente etiológico isolado de diarréia aguda

Avian Coronavirus in Wild Aquatic Birds▿†‡

We detected a high prevalence (12.5%) of novel avian coronaviruses in aquatic wild birds. Phylogenetic analyses of these coronaviruses suggest that there is a diversity of gammacoronaviruses and deltacoronaviruses circulating in birds. Gammacoronaviruses were found predominantly in Anseriformes birds, whereas deltacoronaviruses could be detected in Ciconiiformes, Pelecaniformes, and Anseriformes birds in this study. We observed that there are frequent interspecies transmissions of gammacoronaviruses between duck species. In contrast, deltacoronaviruses may have more stringent host specificities. Our analysis of these avian viral and host mitochondrial DNA sequences also suggests that some, but not all, coronaviruses may have coevolved with birds from the same order