Personality predictors of levels of forgiveness two and a half years after the transgression

The aim of the present study was to explore whether the domains and facets of the five-factor model of personality predicted motivational states for avoidance and revenge following a transgression at a second temporal point distant from the original transgression. A sample of 438 university students, who reported experiencing a serious transgression against them, completed measures of avoidance and revenge motivations around the transgression and five-factor personality domains and facets at time 1, and measures of avoidance and revenge motivations two and a half years later. The findings suggest that neuroticism, and specifically anger hostility, predicts revenge and avoidance motivation

Evidence for assortative mating and selection in surnames: a case from Yucatan, Mexico

Journal ArticleSurnames are often used as metaphors for genetic material on the assumption of neutrality and general immunity from systematic pressures. The Yucatec Maya use surnames of both Maya and Spanish origin. We find evidence of positive assortative mating by ethnic origin of surname and a slight bias away from marriage of women to men with Maya surnames for parents of cohorts born from 1878 to 1970 (x2 = 11.0 to 46.6; p < .001). Selective neutrality of surnames apparently cannot be assumed in all cases

Strategies to Promote Market-Oriented Smallholder Agriculture in Developing Countries: A Case of Kenya

Smallholder Agriculture is key to livelihoods of many rural households in developing and transition economies. In Kenya, small farms account for over 75% of total agricultural production and nearly 50% of the marketed output. Despite favourable trends in global development drivers such as rising population, per capita incomes and emerging urban dietary preferences, most smallholder farmers remain poor. This study sought to characterize agricultural commercialization trends, identify and prioritize constraints to participation in markets, analyse determinants of percentage of output sold, and explore strategies to promote market-oriented production. A participatory Rapid Rural Appraisal approach, household survey and a Truncated Regression model were used. A sample of 224 farmers: 76 of them growing maize, 77 involved in horticulture (kales and tomatoes) and 71 practising dairy, were interviewed in one peri-urban and one rural district (Kiambu and Kisii, respectively). Results show that in rural areas, lower levels of output are sold and fewer farmers participate in markets compared to the peri-urban areas. Opportunities for profitable commercial agriculture are observed in growing demand, emerging food preferences and intensive farming. At village-level, market participation is hampered by poor quality and high cost of inputs, high transportation costs, high market charges and unreliable market information. At the household-level, the determinants of percentage of output sold are producer prices, market information arrangement, output, distance to the market, share of non-farm income and gender. Strategies are suggested to improve rural input supply, institutional and regulatory framework, enhance value addition and strengthen market information provision.Smallholder Agriculture, Market Participation, Commercialization, Kenya, Agricultural and Food Policy, Community/Rural/Urban Development, Demand and Price Analysis, Farm Management, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, Food Security and Poverty, International Relations/Trade, Land Economics/Use, Marketing, Productivity Analysis, Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies,

Relatedness and kin-structured migration in a founding population: Plymouth colony, 1620-1633

Journal ArticleTo test the common assumption of no genetic relationship in a founding population, we calculated average relatedness (r) for the emigrants to Plymouth Colony from Europe on seven voyages from 1620 to 1633. Of 355 individuals, 255 could be individually identified and 4 generations of genealogic depth accounted for

Hemochromatosis: Niche Construction and the Genetic Domino Effect in the European Neolithic

Hereditary hemochromatosis (HH) is caused by a potentially lethal recessive gene (HFE, C282Y allele) that increases iron absorption and reaches polymorphic levels in Northern European populations. Because persons carrying the allele absorb iron more readily than non-carriers, it has often been suggested HFE is an adaptation to anemia. We hypothesize positive selection for HFE began during or after the European Neolithic with the adoption of an iron-deficient high grain and dairying diet and consequent anemia, a finding confirmed in Neolithic and later European skeletons. HFE frequency compared with rate of lactase persistence in Eurasia yields a positive linear correlation coefficient of 0.86. We suggest this is just one of many mutations that became common after the adoption of agriculture

Conceptualizing gratitude and appreciation as a unitary personality trait

Gratitude and appreciation are currently measured using three self-report instruments, the GQ6 (1 scale), the Appreciation Scale (8 scales), and the GRAT (3 scales). Two studies were conducted to test how these three instruments are interrelated, whether they exist under the same higher order factor or factors, and whether gratitude and appreciation is a single or multi-factorial construct. In Study 1 (N = 206) all 12 scales were subjected to an exploratory factor analysis. Both parallel analysis and the minimum average partial method indicated a clear one-factor solution. In Study 2 (N = 389) multigroup confirmatory factor analysis supported the one-factor structure, demonstrated the invariance of this structure across gender, and ruled out the confounding effect of socially desirable responding. We conclude gratitude and appreciation are a single-factor personality trait. We suggest integration of gratitude and appreciation literatures and provide a clearer conceptualization of gratitude

A Model of Basic Surgical Skills Course to Supplement the Training of Foundation-Year Doctors by Efficient Use of Local Resources

INTRODUCTION: This study investigates the efficiency of teaching basic surgical skills to foundation-year doctors and medical students by using local resources. METHODS: A course comprising 4 workshops, once a week, of 3 hours duration per session was delivered using local education center facilities and using the local faculty of consultants and surgical trainees. Teaching methods include practical skill stations supplemented with short didactic lectures and group discussion. Precourse and postcourse assessments were completed by candidates and analyzed to measure outcomes of the course both subjectively and objectively. RESULTS: A total number of 20 participants completed the course. On completion of the course, (1) participants' theoretical knowledge improved significantly (p < 0.0001), as measured by multiple-choice questions, and scores improved by 35% (mean 44%, standard deviation = 16%) before the course compared to (mean = 79%, standard deviation = 13) after the course; (2) the level of confidence in knowledge and skills was measured by a questionnaire on a scale of 1 to 5, and there was a significant (p < 0.0001) improvement on postcourse assessment (mean difference = 1.5, 95% CI: 0.7-2.4); and (3) practical skills such as suture position, knot tying, and wound apposition significantly improved after the course, χ(2) (2) = 16, p < 0.001; χ(2) (2) = 18, p < 0.001; and χ(2) (2) = 22, p < 0.0001, respectively. CONCLUSION: Effective delivery of basic surgical skills to foundation-year doctors by using local resources can be achieved at low cost

Risk factors for heart failure in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and stage 4 chronic kidney disease treated with bardoxolone methyl

Background: A phase 3 randomized clinical trial was designed to test whether bardoxolone methyl, a nuclear factor erythroid-2–related factor 2 (Nrf2) activator, slows progression to end-stage renal disease in patients with stage 4 chronic kidney disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus. The trial was terminated because of an increase in heart failure in the bardoxolone methyl group; many of the events were clinically associated with fluid retention.&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt; Methods and Results: We randomized 2,185 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and stage 4 chronic kidney disease (CKD) (estimated glomerular filtration rate 15 to &lt;30 mL min−1 1.73 m−2) to once-daily bardoxolone methyl (20 mg) or placebo. We used classification and regression tree analysis to identify baseline factors predictive of heart failure or fluid overload events. Elevated baseline B-type natriuretic peptide and previous hospitalization for heart failure were identified as predictors of heart failure events; bardoxolone methyl increased the risk of heart failure by 60% in patients with these risk factors. For patients without these baseline characteristics, the risk for heart failure events among bardoxolone methyl– and placebo-treated patients was similar (2%). The same risk factors were also identified as predictors of fluid overload and appeared to be related to other serious adverse events.&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt; Conclusions: Bardoxolone methyl contributed to events related to heart failure and/or fluid overload in a subpopulation of susceptible patients with an increased risk for heart failure at baseline. Careful selection of participants and vigilant monitoring of the study drug will be required in any future trials of bardoxolone methyl to mitigate the risk of heart failure and other serious adverse events.&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt

Cardiorenal syndrome type 3: pathophysiologic and epidemiologic considerations

Cardiorenal syndrome (CRS) type 3 is a subclassification of the CRS whereby an episode of acute kidney injury (AKI) precipitates and contributes to the development of acute cardiac injury. There is limited understanding of the pathophysiologic mechanisms of how AKI contributes to acute cardiac injury and/or dysfunction. An episode of AKI may have effects that depend on the severity and duration of AKI and that both directly and indirectly predispose to an acute cardiac event. Moreover, baseline susceptibility will modify the subsequent risk for cardiac events associated with AKI. Experimental data suggest cardiac injury may be directly induced by inflammatory mediators, oxidative stress, apoptosis and activation of neuroendocrine systems early after AKI. Likewise, AKI may be associated with physiologic derangements (i.e. volume overload; metabolic acidosis, retention of uremic toxins, hyperkalemia; hypocalcemia), alterations to coronary vasoreactivity, and ventricular remodeling and fibrosis that indirectly exert negative effects on cardiac function. AKI may also adversely impact cardiac function by contributing to alternations in drug pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. Additional experimental and translational investigations coupled with epidemiologic surveys are needed to better explore that pathophysiologic mechanisms underpinning acute cardiac events associated with AKI and their impact on outcomes