Still Striving After All These Years: Between Normality of Conduct and Normativity of Evaluation in Casual Relationships among College Students

This work was supported by the Portuguese Science Foundation (FCT), under Grant (number PTDC/PSI-GER/28530/2017). This work received national funding from FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P, through the Research Center for Psychological Science of the Faculty of Psychology, University of Lisbon (UIDB/04527/2020; UIDP/04527/2020).Gender similarities have been detected in various sexual behaviors and attitudes in young adults, but persistent diferences remain regarding casual sexual relationships (CSRs), with women feeling diferent external pressures than men. We set out to study the spontaneous references made to gender similarities and diferences towards CSRs in eight focus group interviews (N=35 college-students, aged 18–28) about the characteristics of CSRs within a social-role framework. The thematic analysis led us to the interpretation that there is an ongoing change in the acceptability of these relationships, leading to the emergence of a single sexual standard – mostly liberal, but at times also conservative. However, diferent expectations remain, derived from a deep-rooted traditional sexual double standard still perceived in society. Challenges to the unequal standards and social constraints in CSRs is desired by many women, defended by men, and admired in those women whose striving contributes to the normalization of this conduct and of how it is evaluated.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Multiple Casual Sex Scripts: Shared Beliefs about Behavior among Portuguese Emerging Adults

Objective: Empirical research to differentiate casual sex scripts is still limited. We aimed to ascertain the sexual scripts for three main types of casual sexual relationships: hookup, friends with benefits and one-night stands. Methods: Through a mixed-method approach, we performed a study consisting in two sequential tasks to (1) complete three lists of script actions, and (2) identify the most agreed-upon actions for each casual sexual relationship. Results: An important number of actions and events were identified for the three casual sexual scripts, reflecting a high level of elaboration and structure. Following a cognitive-script methodology, the actions retained for the content of the script for each casual sexual relationship were those obtaining at least 60% in respect to the mean of their centrality to the encounter. Only 16.5% of actions were shared among the three scripts, demonstrating their distinctiveness. Conclusion: Knowledge about the different casual sex scripts can be used to develop relational and personal skills within CSRs and decrease unwanted experiences such as condomless sex.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

the role of relationship characteristics

Funding Information: Funding: This work received Portuguese national funding from FCT \u2013 Funda\u00E7\u00E3o para a Ci\u00EAncia e a Tecnologia, I.P, through a research project grant involving all authors (PTDC/PSIGER/28530/2017) and through the Research Center for Psychological Science of the Faculty of Psychology, University of Lisbon (UIDB/04527/2020; UIDP/04527/2020). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. Publisher Copyright: Copyright: © 2024 Godinho et al.Background While the existence of a complex variety of casual sexual relationships (CSRs) has been acknowledged, studies rarely describe the prevalence of condom use across these relationships or how their hybrid nature, specifically relationship characteristics, affect condom use. This study aims to describe condom use within committed relationships and various types of casual sexual relationships (CSRs), examining the influence of relationship characteristics on condom use among culturally validated relationship types (committed, friends with benefits, hookups, booty call). Methods Emerging adults (N = 728, 18–29 years, M = 22.56; SD = 3.01) completed a survey with four blocks: sociodemographics; brief sexual history; relationships over the previous year; and current relationship, assessing relationship type, ten relationship characteristics (e.g., commitment, emotional and sexual exclusivity, partner acquaintance, sexual involvement) and condom use (vaginal, oral, and anal), operationalized by three measures (use at last encounter, likert-type scale and percentage of use). Results The results showed patterns in condom use by relationship type and illuminated how relationship characteristics—grouped into three factors: commitment, intimacy, and sexuality—mediate condom use. Condom use was more frequent in vaginal than anal and oral sex, and less frequent in committed relationships. No significant differences were found in condom use in vaginal sex between committed relationships and hookups, with condom in these relationships being significantly lower than in booty call. Intimacy mediated between all contrasts tested and condom use in vaginal sex, while sexuality mediated between committed vs. CSRs and condom use in anal and oral sex. Conclusions Findings point to the need of considering the diversity of CSRs for understanding condom use and highlight the role of intimacy as a relevant mechanism associated with condom use in vaginal sex and of sexuality in oral and anal sex, which should be taken into consideration in the tailoring of health promoting efforts.publishersversionpublishe

Impact of a simulated marine heatwave in the hematological profile of a temperate shark (Scyliorhinus canicula)

As Earth's temperature continues to rise, sudden warming events, designated as marine heatwaves (MHWs), are becoming more frequent and longer. This phenomenon is already shown to significantly impact marine ecosystems and respective fauna. While experimental acclimation to higher temperatures is known to affect predatory behavior, metabolism and overall fitness of sharks, the effects of short-term exposure to high temperatures on sharks’ physiology has yet to be investigated in a MHW context. Thus, the aim of our work was to study the impact of a category II MHW (Δ3 °C, 15 days) on: i) hematological parameters (total erythrocytes, leukocytes, thrombocytes, erythrocyte nuclear abnormalities (ENAs) counts, and nucleus to cytoplasmic ratio), ii) heart and spleen to body ratios, and iii) ventilation rates of juvenile catsharks (Scyliorhinus canicula). We found that MHW exposure led to significant changes in normal blood cell counts, by lowering erythrocyte counts and nucleus to cytoplasm ratio, and increasing leukocyte and thrombocyte counts. Moreover, ventilation rates increased consistently over the course of the MHW. However, there were no changes regarding the presence of ENA, as well as spleen and heart to body ratios. Our findings indicate limited capabilities for coping with sudden warming events, suggesting potential disruption in shark physiological homeostasis as the frequency, duration and intensity of MHWs are expected to be strengthened.publishersversionpublishe

Small pelagics in a changing ocean : Biological responses of sardine early stages to warming

Small pelagic fishes are known to respond rapidly to changes in ocean climate. In this study, we evaluate the effects of future environmental warming (+2°C) during the early ontogeny of the European sardine, Sardina pilchardus. Warming reduced the survival of 30-day-old larvae by half. Length at hatching increased with temperature as expected, but no significant effect was observed on the length and growth at 30 days post-hatching. Warming did not significantly affect the thermal tolerance of sardine larvae, even though the mean lethal temperature increased by 1°C. In the warm conditions, sardine larvae showed signs of thermal stress, indicated by a pronounced increase in larval metabolism (Q 10 = 7.9) and a 45% increase in the heat shock response. Lipid peroxidation was not significantly affected by the higher temperature, even though the mean value doubled. Warming did not affect the time larvae spent swimming, but decreased by 36% the frequency of prey attacks. Given the key role of these small pelagics in the trophic dynamics off the Western Iberian upwelling ecosystem, the negative effects of warming on the early stages may have important implications for fish recruitment and ecosystem structure.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT

Elasmobranch responses to experimental warming, acidification, and oxygen loss—a meta-analysis

Despite the long evolutionary history of this group, the challenges brought by the Anthropocene have been inflicting an extensive pressure over sharks and their relatives. Overexploitation has been driving a worldwide decline in elasmobranch populations, and rapid environmental change, triggered by anthropogenic activities, may further test this group's resilience. In this context, we searched the literature for peer-reviewed studies featuring a sustained (>24 h) and controlled exposure of elasmobranch species to warming, acidification, and/or deoxygenation: three of the most pressing symptoms of change in the ocean. In a standardized comparative framework, we conducted an array of mixed-model meta-analyses (based on 368 control-treatment contrasts from 53 studies) to evaluate the effects of these factors and their combination as experimental treatments. We further compared these effects across different attributes (lineages, climates, lifestyles, reproductive modes, and life stages) and assessed the direction of impact over a comprehensive set of biological responses (survival, development, growth, aerobic metabolism, anaerobic metabolism, oxygen transport, feeding, behavior, acid-base status, thermal tolerance, hypoxia tolerance, and cell stress). Based on the present findings, warming appears as the most influential factor, with clear directional effects, namely decreasing development time and increasing aerobic metabolism, feeding, and thermal tolerance. While warming influence was pervasive across attributes, acidification effects appear to be more context-specific, with no perceivable directional trends across biological responses apart from the necessary to achieve acid-base balance. Meanwhile, despite its potential for steep impacts, deoxygenation has been the most neglected factor, with data paucity ultimately precluding sound conclusions. Likewise, the implementation of multi-factor treatments has been mostly restricted to the combination of warming and acidification, with effects approximately matching those of warming. Despite considerable progress over recent years, research regarding the impact of these drivers on elasmobranchs lags behind other taxa, with more research required to disentangle many of the observed effects. Given the current levels of extinction risk and the quick pace of global change, it is further crucial that we integrate the knowledge accumulated through different scientific approaches into a holistic perspective to better understand how this group may fare in a changing ocean

Seahorses under a changing ocean: the impact of warming and acidification on the behaviour and physiology of a poor-swimming bony-armoured fish

Seahorses are currently facing great challenges in the wild, including habitat degradation and overexploitation, and how they will endure additional stress from rapid climate change has yet to be determined. Unlike most fishes, the poor swimming skills of seahorses, along with the ecological and biological constraints of their unique lifestyle, place great weight on their physiological ability to cope with climate changes. In the present study, we evaluate the effects of ocean warming (+4°C) and acidification (ΔpH = −0.5 units) on the physiological and behavioural ecology of adult temperate seahorses, Hippocampus guttulatus. Adult seahorses were found to be relatively well prepared to face future changes in ocean temperature, but not the combined effect of warming and acidification. Seahorse metabolism increased normally with warming, and behavioural and feeding responses were not significantly affected. However, during hypercapnia the seahorses exhibited signs of lethargy (i.e. reduced activity levels) combined with a reduction of feeding and ventilation rates. Nonetheless, metabolic rates were not significantly affected. Future ocean changes, particularly ocean acidification, may further threaten seahorse conservation, turning these charismatic fishes into important flagship species for global climate change issues

Human parvovirus B19 infection and hydrops fetalis in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Formalin-fixed paraffin embedded lung and liver tissue from 23 cases of non immune hydrops fetalis and five control cases, in which hydrops were due to syphilis (3) and genetic causes (2), were examined for the presence of human parvovirus B19 by DNA hybridisation. Using in situ hybridisation with a biotynilated probe one positive case was detected. Using 32P-labelled probes in a dot blot assay format, five further positives were obtained. These were all confirmed as positive by a nested polymerase chain reaction assay. Electron microscopy revealed virus in all these five positive cases. The six B19 DNA positive cases of hydrops fetalis were from 1974, 1980, 1982, 1987 and 1988, four of which occurred during the second half of the year, confirming the seasonality of the disease

Impact of ocean acidification and warming on the early ontogeny of a tropical shark

Tese de mestrado. Biologia (Ecologia Marinha). Universidade de Lisboa, Faculdade de Ciências, 2013Sharks occupy high trophic levels in marine habitats and play a key role in the structure, function and health of marine ecosystems. Sharks are also one of the most threatened groups of marine animals worldwide, mostly due to overfishing and habitat degradation or loss. Although sharks have evolved to fill many ecological niches across a wide range of habitats, they have limited capability to rapidly adapt to human-induced changes in their environments. Until now, ocean acidification was not considered as a direct climate-related threat to elasmobranchs. In the present study we show, for the first time, that a long-term acclimation process of a tropical shark (Chiloscyllium punctatum) to the projected scenarios of ocean acidification (ΔpH 0.5) and warming (+4 °C) for 2100, elicited significant deleterious effects on juvenile shark’s fitness and survival. During embryogenesis, none of the parameters measured (survival, development time, yolk consumption and specific growth rate) was significantly affected by hypercapnia, with the exception of routine metabolic rates at intermediate and pre-hatching stages. However, temperature warming exposure significantly affected the embryos. The effects caused by environmental conditions, experienced throughout embryogenesis, seem to have been transmitted to the next developmental stages (juvenile sharks). This carry-over effect may play a critical role in the reductions in the fitness of sharks under climate change. Thus, it is critical to directly assess the risk and vulnerability of sharks to ocean acidification and global warming so that managers and policy-makers can proactively target the most endangered shark species.Os tubarões ocupam altos níveis tróficos nos ecossistemas marinhos e têm um papel fundamental na estrutura, função e saúde desses mesmos ecossistemas. São um dos grupos de animais marinhos mais ameaçados a nível mundial, maioritariamente devido ao excesso de pesca e perda ou degradação do seu habitat. Apesar de os tubarões terem evoluído de forma a preencher vários nichos ecológicos numa ampla gama de habitats, têm uma capacidade limitada de se adaptar rapidamente às alterações ambientais que têm vindo a ser introduzidas pelo Homem. Essas alterações, resultantes das actividades humanas, incluem o aumento significativo da concentração de dióxido de carbono presente na atmosfera, o qual tem vindo a aumentar desde a época industrial. Consequentemente, o aumento deste gás provoca alterações químicas nos oceanos, um processo designado de hipercapnia, i.e. elevadas concentrações de dióxido de carbono nos oceanos, causando acidificação e aumento de temperatura dos mesmos. Ainda que, inicialmente, a hipercapnia tenha sido identificada como uma ameaça para corais e organismos calcificadores, foi recentemente reconhecida como prejudicial para os organismos marinhos em geral. Apesar da relevância dos tubarões como predadores de topo no meio marinho, as informações sobre a sua ecofisiologia relativamente às alterações climáticas é ainda escassa, e até ao momento a acidificação dos oceanos não era considerada uma ameaça directa para os elasmobrânquios. Sabe-se no entanto que, pelo facto de serem animais de evolução lenta e plasticidade fenotípica baixa, os tubarões correm um risco relativamente elevado perante estas alterações. Neste estudo, e pela primeira vez, mostrou-se que tubarões tropicais (Chiloscyllium punctatum) expostos a um processo de aclimatação a longo prazo, relativamente ao cenário previsto para 2100 de acidificação (ΔpH 0.5) e de aumento de temperatura dos oceanos (+4 °C), apresentaram efeitos deletérios significativos na “fitness” e na sobrevivência. Este estudo foi conduzido durante o início da ontogenia destes tubarões pois estados ontogénicos iniciais são previsivelmente os mais vulneráveis a tais mudanças climáticas. Verificou-se que durante a embriogénese nenhum dos parâmetros medidos (sobrevivência, tempo de desenvolvimento, consumo do vitelo e taxa de crescimento) foi significativamente afectado pelos efeitos da hipercapnia, com excepção do metabolismo basal nos estádios intermédios e finais. No entanto, a exposição a uma temperatura mais elevada afectou significativamente os embriões. Observou-se que os efeitos causados pelas condições ambientais, a que foram sujeitos durante a embriogénese, foram transmitidos ao estádio de desenvolvimento seguinte (tubarões juvenis). Estes efeitos “carry over” não tinham sido descritos para este grupo de animais. Contudo, deviam ser reconhecidos pelo papel importante que podem ter na “fitness” dos tubarões perante as alterações climáticas. Assim, é importante avaliar diretamente o risco e a vulnerabilidade dos tubarões relativamente à acidificação e aumento de temperatura dos oceanos, para que os gestores e políticos possam reconhecer as espécies de tubarões mais ameaçadas de extinção

Condom use across casual and committed relationships: The role of relationship characteristics.

BackgroundWhile the existence of a complex variety of casual sexual relationships (CSRs) has been acknowledged, studies rarely describe the prevalence of condom use across these relationships or how their hybrid nature, specifically relationship characteristics, affect condom use. This study aims to describe condom use within committed relationships and various types of casual sexual relationships (CSRs), examining the influence of relationship characteristics on condom use among culturally validated relationship types (committed, friends with benefits, hookups, booty call).MethodsEmerging adults (N = 728, 18-29 years, M = 22.56; SD = 3.01) completed a survey with four blocks: sociodemographics; brief sexual history; relationships over the previous year; and current relationship, assessing relationship type, ten relationship characteristics (e.g., commitment, emotional and sexual exclusivity, partner acquaintance, sexual involvement) and condom use (vaginal, oral, and anal), operationalized by three measures (use at last encounter, likert-type scale and percentage of use).ResultsThe results showed patterns in condom use by relationship type and illuminated how relationship characteristics-grouped into three factors: commitment, intimacy, and sexuality-mediate condom use. Condom use was more frequent in vaginal than anal and oral sex, and less frequent in committed relationships. No significant differences were found in condom use in vaginal sex between committed relationships and hookups, with condom in these relationships being significantly lower than in booty call. Intimacy mediated between all contrasts tested and condom use in vaginal sex, while sexuality mediated between committed vs. CSRs and condom use in anal and oral sex.ConclusionsFindings point to the need of considering the diversity of CSRs for understanding condom use and highlight the role of intimacy as a relevant mechanism associated with condom use in vaginal sex and of sexuality in oral and anal sex, which should be taken into consideration in the tailoring of health promoting efforts