Ability Estimates Research Articles

Integrative biological analyses of responses to food deprivation reveal resilience mechanisms in sea urchin larvae.

A fundamental question in ecology is how organisms survive food deprivation. In the ocean, climate change is impacting the phenology of food availability for early life-history stages of animals. In this study, we undertook an integrative analysis of larvae of the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus-an important keystone species in marine ecology and a molecular biological model organism in developmental biology. Specifically, to identify the mechanisms of resilience that maintain physiological state and the ability of organisms to recover from food deprivation, a suite of molecular biological, biochemical, physiological and whole organism measurements was completed. Previous studies focused on the importance of energy reserves to sustain larvae during periods of food deprivation. We show, however, that utilization of endogenous energy reserves only supplied 15% of the metabolic requirements of long-term survival (up to 22 days) in the absence of particulate food. This large energy gap was not supplied by larvae feeding on bacteria. Estimates of larval ability to transport dissolved organic matter directly from seawater showed that such substrates could fully supply metabolic needs. Integrative approaches allowed for filtering of gene expression signatures, linked with gene network analyses and measured biochemical and physiological traits, to identify biomarkers of resilience. We identified 14 biomarkers related to nutrition-responsive gene expression, of which a specific putative amino acid transporter gene was quantified in a single larva experiencing continuous nutritional stress. Advances in applications of gene expression technologies offer novel approaches to determine the physiological state of marine larval forms in ecological settings undergoing environmental change.

Supervised machine learning classification of psychosis biotypes based on brain structure: findings from the Bipolar-Schizophrenia network for intermediate phenotypes (B-SNIP)

Traditional diagnostic formulations of psychotic disorders have low correspondence with underlying disease neurobiology. This has led to a growing interest in using brain-based biomarkers to capture biologically-informed psychosis constructs. Building upon our prior work on the B-SNIP Psychosis Biotypes, we aimed to examine whether structural MRI (an independent biomarker not used in the Biotype development) can effectively classify the Biotypes. Whole brain voxel-wise grey matter density (GMD) maps from T1-weighted images were used to train and test (using repeated randomized train/test splits) binary L2-penalized logistic regression models to discriminate psychosis cases (n = 557) from healthy controls (CON, n = 251). A total of six models were evaluated across two psychosis categorization schemes: (i) three Biotypes (B1, B2, B3) and (ii) three DSM diagnoses (schizophrenia (SZ), schizoaffective (SAD) and bipolar (BD) disorders). Above-chance classification accuracies were observed in all Biotype (B1 = 0.70, B2 = 0.65, and B3 = 0.56) and diagnosis (SZ = 0.64, SAD = 0.64, and BD = 0.59) models. However, the only model that showed evidence of specificity was B1, i.e., the model was able to discriminate B1 vs. CON and did not misclassify other psychosis cases (B2 or B3) as B1 at rates above nominal chance. The GMD-based classifier evidence for B1 showed a negative association with an estimate of premorbid general intellectual ability, regardless of group membership, i.e. psychosis or CON. Our findings indicate that, complimentary to clinical diagnoses, the B-SNIP Psychosis Biotypes may offer a promising approach to capture specific aspects of psychosis neurobiology.

Unravelling seed oil, protein and fiber density in lintless-fuzzless upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum. L) through combining ability estimates and association studies

Unravelling seed oil, protein and fiber density in lintless-fuzzless upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum. L) through combining ability estimates and association studies

Comparison of the response time-based effort-moderated IRT model and three-parameter logistic model according to computerized adaptive test performances: a simulation study

Depending on the developments in technology and information, paper-pencil tests leave their place for computerized adaptive tests (CATs). CAT is widely used in the field of health, mainly in psychiatry. Many item response theory models have been proposed in the literature regarding the use of response time focusing on item difficulty and personal characteristics by ignoring the multidimensional interactions, therefore these results may cause bias in estimates of individual ability levels. The present simulation study was conducted to compare the performance of CAT applications of the effort-moderated item response theory (EM-IRT) model, which is based on response time, and the three-parameter logistic (3PL) model. While simulating CAT with the EM-IRT model and the 3PL model, the hybrid method was used for ability estimation and maximum Fisher information (MFI) was used for item selection. The CAT process proceeded until the standard error of the estimation was <0.3 and <0.5, or all items in the item bank were used. The number of individuals was specified as 1000, while the number of items was changed to 50, 100, and 250. All six scenarios were repeated 1000 times. With the increase in the number of items and the decrease in the standard error as a stopping criterion, consistent results were obtained with true ability levels in both methods. The CAT with the EM-IRT model estimated true ability level slightly lower than CAT with the 3PL model. The EM-IRT model enables measuring the response time that could yield additional data to the physician about the mental and cognitive condition of the patient. The CAT method can be a promising method of telemedicine in the era of the pandemic.

Regional Cortical Thickness Correlates of Intellectual Abilities Differ in Children With Traumatic Brain Injury Versus Those With Orthopedic Injury in the Chronic Post-Injury Phase.

A decline in intellectual functioning (intelligence quotient [IQ]) is often observed following more severe forms of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and is a useful index for long-term outcome. Identifying brain correlates of IQ can serve to inform developmental trajectories of behavior in this population. Using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), we examined the relationship between intellectual abilities and patterns of cortical thickness in children with a history of TBI or with orthopedic injury (OI) in the chronic phase of injury recovery. Participants were 47 children with OI and 58 children with TBI, with TBI severity ranging from complicated-mild to severe. Ages ranged from 8 to 14 years old, with an average age of 10.47 years, and an injury-to-test range of ∼1-5 years. The groups did not differ in age or sex. The intellectual ability estimate (full-scale [FS]IQ-2) was derived from a two-form (Vocabulary and Matrix Reasoning subtests) Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence (WASI). MRI data were processed using the FreeSurfer toolkit and harmonized across data collection sites using neuroComBat procedures, while holding demographic features (i.e., sex, socioeconomic status [SES]), TBI status, and FSIQ-2 constant. Separate general linear models per group (TBI and OI) and a single interaction model with all participants were conducted with all significant results withstanding correction for multiple comparisons via permutation testing. Intellectual ability was higher (p < 0.001) in the OI group (FSIQ-2 = 110.81) than in the TBI group (FSIQ-2 = 99.81). In children with OI, bi-hemispheric regions, including the right pre-central gyrus and precuneus and bilateral inferior temporal and left occipital areas were related to IQ, such that higher IQ was associated with thicker cortex in these regions. In contrast, only cortical thickness in the right pre-central gyrus and bilateral cuneus positively related to IQ in children with TBI. Significant interaction effects were found in the bilateral temporal, parietal, and occipital lobes and left frontal regions, indicating that the relationship between IQ and cortical thickness differed between groups in these regions. Changes in cortical associations with IQ after TBI may reflect direct injury effects and/or adaptation in cortical structure and intellectual functioning, particularly in the bilateral posterior parietal and inferior temporal regions. This suggests that the substrates of intellectual ability are particularly susceptible to acquired injury in the integrative association cortex. Longitudinal work is needed to account for normal developmental changes and to investigate how cortical thickness and intellectual functioning and their association change over time following TBI. Improved understanding of how TBI-related cortical thickness alterations relate to cognitive outcome could lead to improved predictions of outcome following brain injury.

Developing L2 listening comprehension through extensive and intensive listening

Abstract In the fall semester of 2020, 269 Japanese university students were compared in a quasi-experimental study to determine whether extensive and intensive listening interventions yielded significant gains in L2 listening comprehension. At the beginning of the study, 269 students took a 100-item L2 listening exam, and were randomly placed into an extensive (n = 135) or intensive listening group (n = 134). After each group completed five assignments based on extensive or intensive listening principles, students took another 100-item L2 listening exam. Paired-sample t-tests of raw scores and Rasch person ability estimates indicated that the extensive listening group significantly improved in raw scores, t(134) = −7.44, p = .00, but not in Rasch person ability estimates t(134) = −1.86, p = .07, while the intensive listening group significantly improved in both raw scores, t(133) = −9.48, p = .00, and Rasch person ability estimates, t(133) = −3.58, p = .00.

Incorporating test-taking engagement into the item selection algorithm in low-stakes computerized adaptive tests

In low-stakes assessment settings, students’ performance is not only influenced by students’ ability level but also their test-taking engagement. In computerized adaptive tests (CATs), disengaged responses (e.g., rapid guesses) that fail to reflect students’ true ability levels may lead to the selection of less informative items and thereby contaminate item selection and ability estimation procedures. To date, researchers have developed various approaches to detect and remove disengaged responses after test administration is completed to alleviate the negative impact of low test-taking engagement on test scores. This study proposes an alternative item selection method based on Maximum Fisher Information (MFI) that considers test-taking engagement as a secondary latent trait to select the most optimal items based on both ability and engagement. The results of post-hoc simulation studies indicated that the proposed method could optimize item selection and improve the accuracy of final ability estimates, especially for low-ability students. Overall, the proposed method showed great promise for tailoring CATs based on test-taking engagement. Practitioners are encouraged to consider incorporating engagement into the item selection algorithm to enhance the validity of inferences made from low-stakes CATs.

The assessment and diagnosis of intellectual disability when development is atypical. A Norwegian population study of individuals with CHARGE syndrome

Aim This paper aimed to answer how psychometric methods based on neurotypical populations can serve as valid instruments in the assessment and diagnosis of intellectual disability in individuals with atypical development. The genetic, structural, and functional features of CHARGE make it uniquely suited to address this question. Method A Norwegian population of individuals with CHARGE (N = 35) underwent assessment procedures according to DSM-5 guidelines for the evaluation of an intellectual disability diagnosis. Results from cognitive testing (Wechsler Intelligence Scales) and parental evaluation of adaptive skills (Vineland Adaptive Behavioral Scale) were obtained and compared to their respective norm samples to explore any methodological inconsistencies. Result Significant differences emerged between the participants and the norm samples. Global cognition obtained from Wechsler revealed a bimodal distribution, suggesting a two-group sample, with the youngest children forming their own subgroup. Comparisons of the different age-groups’ performances demonstrated the lowest results among the preschoolers while the adults scored the highest. The global adaptive behavior score turned out significantly lower than the performance-based scores, thereby deflating the overall estimate of global intellectual abilities. Conclusion For individuals with CHARGE, the effect of the atypicality seemed most apparent during early childhood, stabilizing and subsiding towards adulthood. The test results’ interpretability was weakest for the preschoolers progressively increasing until peaking in adulthood, emphasizing the importance of delaying the assessment and diagnosis of intellectual disability. Because of several validity issues connected to the observation-based measure, complementary testing should precede clinical evaluations when possible in the diagnostics of individuals with CHARGE.

The Evaluation Algorithm of English Teaching Ability Based on Big Data Fuzzy K-Means Clustering

In response to the problem of inaccurate classification of big data information in traditional English teaching ability evaluation algorithms, this paper proposes an English teaching ability estimation algorithm based on big data fuzzy K-means clustering. Firstly, the article establishes a constraint parameter index analysis model. Secondly, quantitative recursive analysis is used to evaluate the capabilities of big data information models and achieve entropy feature extraction of capability constrained feature information. Finally, by integrating big data information fusion and K-means clustering algorithm, the article achieves clustering and integration of indicator parameters for English teaching ability, prepares corresponding teaching resource allocation plans, and evaluates English teaching ability. The experimental results show that using this method to evaluate English teaching ability has good information fusion analysis ability and improves the accuracy of teaching ability evaluation and the efficiency of teaching resource application.

Using Response Time in Multidimensional Computerized Adaptive Testing

AbstractIn multidimensional computerized adaptive testing (MCAT), item selection strategies are generally constructed based on responses, and they do not consider the response times required by items. This study constructed two new criteria (referred to as DT‐inc and DT) for MCAT item selection by utilizing information from response times. The new designs maximize the amount of information per unit time. Furthermore, these two new designs were extended to the DTS‐inc and DTS designs to efficiently estimate intentional abilities. Moreover, the EAP method for ability estimation was also equipped with response time. The performances of the response‐time‐based EAP (RT‐based EAP) and the new designs were evaluated in simulation and empirical studies. The results showed that the RT‐based EAP significantly improved the ability estimation precision compared with the EAP without using response time, and the new designs dramatically saved testing times for examinees with a small sacrifice of ability estimation precision and item pool usage.

Comparison of accuracy of breeding value for cow from three methods in Hanwoo (Korean cattle) population.

In Korea, Korea Proven Bulls (KPN) program has been well-developed. Breeding and evaluation of cows are also an essential factor to increase earnings and genetic gain. This study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of cow breeding value by using three methods (pedigree index [PI], pedigree-based best linear unbiased prediction [PBLUP], and genomic-BLUP [GBLUP]). The reference population (n = 16,971) was used to estimate breeding values for 481 females as a test population. The accuracy of GBLUP was 0.63, 0.66, 0.62 and 0.63 for carcass weight (CWT), eye muscle area (EMA), back-fat thickness (BFT), and marbling score (MS), respectively. As for the PBLUP method, accuracy of prediction was 0.43 for CWT, 0.45 for EMA, 0.43 for MS, and 0.44 for BFT. Accuracy of PI method was the lowest (0.28 to 0.29 for carcass traits). The increase by approximate 20% in accuracy of GBLUP method than other methods could be because genomic information may explain Mendelian sampling error that pedigree information cannot detect. Bias can cause reducing accuracy of estimated breeding value (EBV) for selected animals. Regression coefficient between true breeding value (TBV) and GBLUP EBV, PBLUP EBV, and PI EBV were 0.78, 0.625, and 0.35, respectively for CWT. This showed that genomic EBV (GEBV) is less biased than PBLUP and PI EBV in this study. In addition, number of effective chromosome segments (Me) statistic that indicates the independent loci is one of the important factors affecting the accuracy of BLUP. The correlation between Me and the accuracy of GBLUP is related to the genetic relationship between reference and test population. The correlations between Me and accuracy were -0.74 in CWT, -0.75 in EMA, -0.73 in MS, and -0.75 in BF, which were strongly negative. These results proved that the estimation of genetic ability using genomic data is the most effective, and the smaller the Me, the higher the accuracy of EBV.

한국어 학습자의 어휘 사용 양상 종단 연구

The purpose of this study is conducting longitudinal examination on lexical use development aspects of Korean learner. Written texts ranging from level 1 to level 4 were collected by targeting one learner of Korean regular course affiliated with university. In order to observe lexical use aspects, lexical diversity, lexical density, and lexical sophistication corresponding to components of lexical abundance were estimated. As a result, it has been found that lexical abundance of achievement assessment written text was lower than written texts from classes. Lexical diversity was estimated by using D value. D value increased as Korean learning period and Korean proficiency increased. Likewise with D value, lexical sophistication also increased as Korean language learning period and proficiency increased. This proves that proficiency influences lexical diversity and quality. Lexical density value did not differ greatly from lexical diversity and lexical sophistication. However, in the intermediate course, the amount of content words corresponding to lexical density estimating categories increased sharply. This result shows that texts created by learner have vast information according to proficiency. This study is meaningful as the basic material of lexical ability estimation even though it is a mere longitudinal study which targeted one person(Chung-Ang University).

Using Rasch Analysis to Assess and Improve the Measurement Properties of a Questionnaire With Few Items: The York Binaural Hearing-Related Quality of Life (YBHRQL) Questionnaire.

The York Binaural Hearing-Related Quality of Life questionnaire is a condition-specific preference-based instrument sensitive to advantages of binaural over monaural hearing. Respondents use 5-point scales to report the difficulty experienced with three dimensions of listening that are easier or more successful when hearing is binaural: understanding speech in spatially separated noise, localizing sources of sound in azimuth, and the associated effort and fatigue. Previously, a preference value was estimated for each combination of dimension and level so that a value of binaural utility could be assigned to a respondent to inform analyses of cost effectiveness. The present objective was to determine whether the questionnaire conforms with the Rasch model sufficiently well for estimates of the binaural abilities of respondents to be obtained on an interval scale to inform parametric analyses of clinical effectiveness. Data were obtained from unilateral cochlear implantees (N = 418; 209 ≤62 years; 209 ≥63 years) and members of the public (N = 325; 207 ≤62 years; 118 ≥63 years). A subset of implantees (N = 118) responded at test and retest. Responses were fitted to the partial credit model using the Extended Rasch Modeling package. Conformity with the model was evaluated in six ways: the ordering of response categories ( Monotonicity ) was assessed with plots of response probability against ability; differential item functioning ( DIF ) was assessed by analyses of variance of standardized response residuals; alignment of participants' abilities with item difficulties ( Targeting ) was assessed with person-item maps; fit to the model ( Fit ) was assessed by comparing the means and variabilities of observed and expected responses, and by comparing observed values with analyses of simulated datasets; the hypothesis that item difficulties and participants' abilities were measured on a single underlying scale ( Unidimensionality ) was assessed with principal components analyses of standardized response residuals. Values of fit statistics were toward the lower end of the acceptable range. Comparisons with analyses of simulated datasets showed that low values were primarily the result of the structural limitation of including only three items. Modal values of the probabilities of response categories were ordered monotonically, but some response thresholds were disordered because of under-use of one category. Pooling categories to correct disordered thresholds resulted in estimates of ability that were less discriminatory of differences within and between groups, and showed less reproducibility between test and retest, than did the original estimates. Neither source-related DIF nor gender-related DIF arose. Uniform age-related DIF arose for the speech-in-noise item and could be managed by resolving the item. The resulting estimates of ability and difficulty were well targeted and unidimensional. The York Binaural Hearing-Related Quality of Life questionnaire, with three items each with five response categories, conforms with the Rasch model sufficiently well to yield practically useful measures of the abilities of participants. The trait measured by the questionnaire aligns with the ability to benefit from binaural hearing. More discriminatory measurement of this ability would be achieved with more items. Nonetheless, the questionnaire possesses the virtue that responses to the same three questions can be scored in different ways to inform parametric analyses of both cost-effectiveness and clinical effectiveness.

Should Intelligence Tests Be Speeded or Unspeeded? A Brief Review of the Effects of Time Pressure on Response Processes and an Experimental Study with Raven's Matrices.

Intelligence tests are often performed under time constraints for practical reasons, but the effects of time pressure on reasoning performance are poorly understood. The first part of this work provides a brief review of major expected effects of time pressure, which includes forcing participants to skip items, convoking a mental speed factor, constraining response times, qualitatively altering cognitive processing, affecting anxiety and motivation, and interacting with individual differences. The second part presents data collected with Raven's matrices under three conditions of speededness to provide further insight into the complex effects of time pressure, with three major findings. First, even mild time pressure (with enough time available for all participants to complete the task at a leisurely pace) induced speeding throughout the whole task, starting with the very first item, and participants sped up more than was actually required. Second, time pressure came with lower confidence and poorer strategy use and a substantial decrease of accuracy (d = 0.35), even when controlling for response time at the item level-indicating a detrimental effect on cognitive processing beyond speeding. Third, time pressure disproportionately reduced response times for difficult items and participants with high ability, working memory capacity, or need for cognition, although this did not differentially affect ability estimates. Overall, both the review and empirical sections show that the effects of time pressure go well beyond forcing participants to speed or skip the last few items and make even mild time constraints inadvisable when attempting to measure maximal performance, especially for high-performing samples.

Face identification proficiency test designed using item response theory.

Measures of face-identification proficiency are essential to ensure accurate and consistent performance by professional forensic face examiners and others who perform face-identification tasks in applied scenarios. Current proficiency tests rely on static sets of stimulus items and so cannot be administered validly to the same individual multiple times. To create a proficiency test, a large number of items of "known" difficulty must be assembled. Multiple tests of equal difficulty can be constructed then using subsets of items. We introduce the Triad Identity Matching (TIM) test and evaluate it using item response theory (IRT). Participants view face-image "triads" (N = 225) (two images of one identity, one image of a different identity) and select the different identity. In Experiment3, university students (N = 197) showed wide-ranging accuracy on the TIM test, and IRT modeling demonstrated that the TIM items span various difficulty levels. In Experiment3, we used IRT-based item metrics to partition the test into subsets of specific difficulties. Simulations showed that subsets of the TIM items yielded reliable estimates of subject ability. In Experiments3a and b, we found that the student-derived IRT model reliably evaluated the ability of non-student participants and that ability generalized across different test sessions. In Experiment3c, we show that TIM test performance correlates with other common face-recognition tests. In summary, the TIM test provides a starting point for developing a framework that is flexible and calibrated to measure proficiency across various ability levels (e.g., professionals or populations with face-processing deficits).

Estimation of physiologic ability and surgical stress (E-PASS) predicts postoperative major complications after hepato-pancreato biliary surgery in the elderly

Estimation of physiologic ability and surgical stress (E-PASS) predicts postoperative major complications after hepato-pancreato biliary surgery in the elderly

The prognostic ability of immune scoring system Immunoscore in patients with localized colon cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

2565 Background: Assessment of tumor recurrence risk as well as prognosis in resectable colon cancer are still mainly based on the histopathological criteria of tumor invasion reflected in the TNM classification. Robust data in colorectal tumor research show the value of tumor microenvironment and tumor‐infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) as novel parameters to predict recurrence and survival. The utility of the derived tumor Immunoscore via digital pathology is now being promoted to refine the prognosis of early colon cancer patients together with the TNM staging to guide treatment decisions, but is not yet a recommendation in international consensus guidelines. This study assessed the prognostic value of this diagnostic tool in predicting clinical outcomes. Methods: A systematic literature search using PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane CENTRAL Library was conducted to identify observational or randomized controlled studies from January 2008 and December 2022 according to pre- specified inclusion and exclusion criteria which examined the relationship between Immunoscore and long-term prognosis (overall survival and disease free survival) in patients with localized colon cancer. Hazard ratios with 95% confidence interval for overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were extracted. Pooled estimates of the prognostic ability of Immunoscore were obtained using bi-variate random effects model. Statistical heterogeneity between studies was evaluated with I2 statistics and explored through sensitivity analysis. Results: A total of 5,718 patients from 11 studies were included in the meta-analysis. Moderate heterogeneity between studies for both DFS (I2= 27%) and OS (I2= 33%) was seen. The pooled analysis indicated that compared to those with high Immunoscore, colon cancer patients with low Immunoscore were associated with shorter disease-free survival (HR 1.75, 95% CI 1.53 - 2.49) and overall survival (HR 1.87 95% CI 1.45 – 2.13). In the subgroup analyses, this association was consistent across geographic regions and maximum time of follow up. Conclusions: A low Immunoscore was significantly associated with poorer clinical outcomes in terms of disease-free survival and overall survival. The use of Immunoscore provides valuable estimate of the risk of recurrence in patients with early colon cancer and has the potential to greatly affect treatment decisions in conjunction with the existing risk assessment system.

A sequential Bayesian changepoint detection procedure for aberrant behaviours in computerized testing.

Changepoints are abrupt variations in a sequence of data in statistical inference. In educational and psychological assessments, it is essential to properly differentiate examinees' aberrant behaviours from solution behaviour to ensure test reliability and validity. In this paper, we propose a sequential Bayesian changepoint detection algorithm to monitor the locations of changepoints for response times in real time and, subsequently, further identify types of aberrant behaviours in conjunction with response patterns. Two simulation studies were conducted to investigate the efficiency and accuracy of the proposed detection procedure in terms of identifying one or multiple changepoints at different locations. In addition to manipulating the number and locations of changepoints, two types of aberrant behaviours were also considered: rapid guessing behaviour and cheating behaviour. Simulation results indicate that ability estimates could be improved after removing responses from aberrant behaviours identified by our approach. Two empirical examples were analysed to illustrate the application of the proposed sequential Bayesian changepoint detection procedure.

Selection of parents and segregating populations of carioca common bean resistant to Fusarium wilt

Fusarium wilt (Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. phaseoli) is one of the most common diseases in the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) crop, and the most viable alternative for its control is the use of resistant cultivars. However, the number of “carioca” cultivars, the most important commercial group in Brazil, which has a good level of resistance to this disease, is still low. To obtain populations with a higher degree of resistance, seven parents with different levels of resistance to Fusarium and which produce carioca grains were crossed in a complete diallel design. The 21 segregating populations obtained were evaluated in the years/generations 2012/F3, 2013/F4, and 2014/F5 in experiments in Santo Antônio de Goiás, GO, in the winter crop season (sowing in May), together with the check cultivars BRS Notável (resistant) and BRS Cometa (susceptible) in an area naturally infested with Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. phaseoli, under a center pivot irrigation system. Reaction to Fusarium wilt, yield, and 100-seed weight were evaluated. Additive and non-additive effects contributed to control of reaction to Fusarium wilt, yield, and 100-seed weight. The statistically negative general combining ability ( ) estimates for BRS Notável (-0.51), CNFC 15872 (-0.20), IPR Juriti (-0.18), and BRSMG Talismã (-0.13) indicate that these parents are recommended for obtaining populations more resistant to Fusarium wilt. Among them, cultivar BRS Notável also showed a statistically positive estimate for grain yield (87.90). Among the parents recommended for resistance to Fusarium wilt, cultivars IPR Juriti (0.99) and BRS Notável (0.23) are those that most contributed to obtaining populations with larger-sized beans. Cultivar BRS Notável is the most promising parent for participation in new crossing blocks, showing non-zero estimates for all traits, favoring an increase in resistance to Fusarium wilt, yield, and 100-seed weight. Populations BRS Notável / CNFC 15872, BRS Ametista / BRS Notável, BRS Notável / BRSMG Talismã, and BRS Ametista / BRSMG Talismã showed good mean values for reaction to Fusarium wilt, yield, and 100-seed weight and at least one parent with a good general combining ability estimate for resistance to Fusarium wilt. These four populations are promising for obtaining lines with superior performance for resistance to Fusarium wilt, yield, and larger-sized grains.

Place and immigrant labour market integration: A sequence analysis approach

Although the process of integrating immigrants into the labor market unfolds over many years, it is often modeled as outcomes (e.g. employment) at specific points in time. We contribute to the literature by providing empirical evidence of the sequence of events leading to active labor market participation of East African and EU15 immigrants to Sweden, whom we follow for up to 28 years. By combining the method of sequence analysis with binomial logit estimation, we can explain why individuals are sorted into different representative labor market sequences. A further contribution is that along the usual initial conditions (individual and geographic), we employ longitudinal micro data to find (1) representative sequences of movements between various types of neighborhoods and (2) an empirical estimate of individual ability, which turns out to be a strong predictor for immigrants entering an active labor market trajectory. Our results show that East Africans tend to reside in neighborhoods with a high degree of socioeconomic and ethnic segregation. Despite this, their labor market activity seems to be less influenced by neighborhood trajectories than EU15 immigrants. The labor market activity of EU15 immigrants and female East African immigrants is positively related to residing in less ethnically segregated and socioeconomically stronger neighborhoods. Our results are relevant to policy development since they point to the importance of the initial location of immigrants and their subsequent residential mobility.