Modernization, collectivism, and gender equality predict love experiences in 45 countries.

Recent cross-cultural and neuro-hormonal investigations have suggested that love is a near universal phenomenon that has a biological background. Therefore, the remaining important question is not whether love exists worldwide but which cultural, social, or environmental factors influence experiences and expressions of love. In the present study, we explored whether countries' modernization indexes are related to love experiences measured by three subscales (passion, intimacy, commitment) of the Triangular Love Scale. Analyzing data from 9474 individuals from 45 countries, we tested for relationships with country-level predictors, namely, modernization proxies (i.e., Human Development Index, World Modernization Index, Gender Inequality Index), collectivism, and average annual temperatures. We found that mean levels of love (especially intimacy) were higher in countries with higher modernization proxies, collectivism, and average annual temperatures. In conclusion, our results grant some support to the hypothesis that modernization processes might influence love experiences.

Immunogenicity of COVID-19 mRNA Vaccines in Patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia and Myelodysplastic Syndrome

Immunocompromised patients are particularly susceptible to serious complications from infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). Two mRNA vaccines, BNT162b2 and mRNA-1273, have been shown to have excellent clinical efficacy in immunocompetent adults, but diminished activity in immunocompromised patients. In this study, we measured anti-spike SARS-CoV-2 antibody response, avidity, and surrogate neutralizing antibody activity in Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccinated patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). Anti-spike SARS-CoV-2 antibody was present in 89% of AML and 88% of MDS patients, but median antibody levels for were lower than in healthy controls (p=0.001 and p=0.04, respectively). SARS-CoV-2 antibody avidity and neutralizing antibody activity from AML patients were significantly lower than controls (p=0.028 and p=0.002, respectively). There was a trend toward higher anti-spike SARS-CoV-2 antibody levels after mRNA-1273 vaccination. Antibody avidity was greater in patients after mRNA-1273 versus BNT162b2 (p=0.01) and there was a trend toward greater neutralizing antibody activity after mRNA-1273 versus BNT162b2 vaccination.

Sex differences in human mate preferences vary across sex ratios.

A wide range of literature connects sex ratio and mating behaviours in non-human animals. However, research examining sex ratio and human mating is limited in scope. Prior work has examined the relationship between sex ratio and desire for short-term, uncommitted mating as well as outcomes such as marriage and divorce rates. Less empirical attention has been directed towards the relationship between sex ratio and mate preferences, despite the importance of mate preferences in the human mating literature. To address this gap, we examined sex ratio's relationship to the variation in preferences for attractiveness, resources, kindness, intelligence and health in a long-term mate across 45 countries (n = 14 487). We predicted that mate preferences would vary according to relative power of choice on the mating market, with increased power derived from having relatively few competitors and numerous potential mates. We found that each sex tended to report more demanding preferences for attractiveness and resources where the opposite sex was abundant, compared to where the opposite sex was scarce. This pattern dovetails with those found for mating strategies in humans and mate preferences across species, highlighting the importance of sex ratio for understanding variation in human mate preferences.

Do entomopathogenic nematodes induce immune priming?

Although the study of immune priming in insects is a growing area of research, its occurrence in various biological models has not been evaluated, and its mechanisms are poorly understood. Whether entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) can induce immune priming and what role their virulence might play in it has not been assessed. Here, we tested for the first time: 1) whether a nematode is capable of eliciting immune priming, and 2) whether nematode virulence affects immune priming. Host larvae of Tenebrio molitor were first exposed to one of two EPN strains (low or high virulence). They were then exposed again to a challenge (high) dose of their respective strain, and their survival was recorded. Based on current literature, we expected that host larvae primed with a low-virulence strain would not show immune priming but that those exposed to a high-virulence strain would. Instead, we found that host larvae primed with either strain did not exhibit immune priming. Further, the survival of the hosts primed with the highly virulent strain was significantly reduced relative to the control group, and no measurable immune priming was found, as also indicated by resting metabolic rate (production of CO2). Future research is needed to determine whether virulence-associated bacteria underlie this lowered survival and/or whether another factor, such as immune evasion strategies, is related to these results.

Universality of the Triangular Theory of Love: Adaptation and Psychometric Properties of the Triangular Love Scale in 25 Countries.

The Triangular Theory of Love (measured with Sternberg's Triangular Love Scale - STLS) is a prominent theoretical concept in empirical research on love. To expand the culturally homogeneous body of previous psychometric research regarding the STLS, we conducted a large-scale cross-cultural study with the use of this scale. In total, we examined more than 11,000 respondents, but as a result of applied exclusion criteria, the final analyses were based on a sample of 7332 participants from 25 countries (from all inhabited continents). We tested configural invariance, metric invariance, and scalar invariance, all of which confirmed the cultural universality of the theoretical construct of love analyzed in our study. We also observed that levels of love components differ depending on relationship duration, following the dynamics suggested in the Triangular Theory of Love. Supplementary files with all our data, including results on love intensity across different countries along with STLS versions adapted in a few dozen languages, will further enable more extensive research on the Triangular Theory of Love.

Sex Differences in Mate Preferences Across 45 Countries: A Large-Scale Replication.

Considerable research has examined human mate preferences across cultures, finding universal sex differences in preferences for attractiveness and resources as well as sources of systematic cultural variation. Two competing perspectives-an evolutionary psychological perspective and a biosocial role perspective-offer alternative explanations for these findings. However, the original data on which each perspective relies are decades old, and the literature is fraught with conflicting methods, analyses, results, and conclusions. Using a new 45-country sample (N = 14,399), we attempted to replicate classic studies and test both the evolutionary and biosocial role perspectives. Support for universal sex differences in preferences remains robust: Men, more than women, prefer attractive, young mates, and women, more than men, prefer older mates with financial prospects. Cross-culturally, both sexes have mates closer to their own ages as gender equality increases. Beyond age of partner, neither pathogen prevalence nor gender equality robustly predicted sex differences or preferences across countries.

Contrasting Computational Models of Mate Preference Integration Across 45 Countries.

Humans express a wide array of ideal mate preferences. Around the world, people desire romantic partners who are intelligent, healthy, kind, physically attractive, wealthy, and more. In order for these ideal preferences to guide the choice of actual romantic partners, human mating psychology must possess a means to integrate information across these many preference dimensions into summaries of the overall mate value of their potential mates. Here we explore the computational design of this mate preference integration process using a large sample of n = 14,487 people from 45 countries around the world. We combine this large cross-cultural sample with agent-based models to compare eight hypothesized models of human mating markets. Across cultures, people higher in mate value appear to experience greater power of choice on the mating market in that they set higher ideal standards, better fulfill their preferences in choice, and pair with higher mate value partners. Furthermore, we find that this cross-culturally universal pattern of mate choice is most consistent with a Euclidean model of mate preference integration.

Snakebite by Micrurus averyi (Schmidt, 1939) in the Brazilian Amazon basin: Case report.

Micrurus snakes, commonly known as coral snakes, are responsible for 0.4% of the snakebites envenomings in Brazil. In this report, we describe a case of envenoming by Micrurus averyi, the black-headed coral snake, recorded in the western Brazilian Amazon. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first published case perpetrated by this species. The major complaint of the patient was an intense local pain and paresthesia. Examination of the bite site revealed edema extending from the left foot up the left leg that was accompanied by erythema involving the foot and distal third of the leg. Systemic signs at admission included nausea and drooling. The patient was treated with 100 mL of coral snake antivenom and intravenous analgesics (dipyrone) and was discharged 48 h post-admission with no complaints. The patient showed more intense local edema than that generally described in several other cases of Micrurus bites in Brazil.