Evaluate Effect Size Research Articles

Association between benzodiazepines use and risk of hip fracture in the elderly people: A meta-analysis of observational studies.

Hip fracture is one of the leading causes of disability, cost, morbidity, and mortality. Several studies reported that benzodiazepines (BDZs) have been associated with an increased risk of hip fracture in older individuals. The aim of this study was to evaluate the magnitude of hip fracture risk with BDZs. A systematic literature search on EMBASE, PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus was performed between January 1, 1980, and March 31, 2019. The search strategy was based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) reporting guideline, and an observational study design was mandatory for articles inclusion. Data were extracted by two authors independently and a random effect model was used to evaluate effect size. The random-effects model (DerSimonian-Laird) was utilized to obtain the overall risk ratio (RR) and its 95% CI for all studies. The Newcastle Ottawa Scale (NOS) was also used to assess the quality of each study. Of 2315 studies screened, 33 (20 cohorts and 13 case-control) with 169,660 hip fracture cases were included in our analysis. In BDZs users, compared with non-users, the RR for hip fracture was 1.34 (95%CI: 1.26-1.44). The RR for long- and short-short acting BDZs and hip fracture risk were 1.31 (95%CI: 1.18-1.45, P<0.0001), and 1.15 (95%CI: 1.08-1.22, P<0.0001), respectively. When stratified by type of users, the current and recent users of BDZs had higher risk of hip fracture (RR: 1.83, 95% CI: 1.46-2.28, P<0.0001 and RR: 1.61, 95% 1.30-1.99, P<0.0001) whereas there was no increased risk of hip fracture in past BDZs users (RR: 1.18, 95%CI: 1.07-1.29, P<0.0001). Our meta-analysis showed an increased risk of hip fracture in patients with BDZs compared with non-users. Physicians should be aware of the unwanted consequence of BDZs when they will prescribe BDZs for their patients, especially elderly patients because hip fractures are highly prevalent in the elderly population.

When Do Growth Mindset Interventions Work?

Can teaching students about brain plasticity improve their grades? A recent large, national experiment (Yeager etal.) found that a brief growth mindset intervention improved lower-achieving adolescents' grades by 0.10 points. Debate about interpreting the study's findings illustrates the need to consider effect heterogeneity and contextual factors when evaluating effect sizes.

Evaluating Effect Size in Psychological Research: Sense and Nonsense

Effect sizes are underappreciated and often misinterpreted—the most common mistakes being to describe them in ways that are uninformative (e.g., using arbitrary standards) or misleading (e.g., squaring effect-size rs). We propose that effect sizes can be usefully evaluated by comparing them with well-understood benchmarks or by considering them in terms of concrete consequences. In that light, we conclude that when reliably estimated (a critical consideration), an effect-size r of .05 indicates an effect that is very small for the explanation of single events but potentially consequential in the not-very-long run, an effect-size r of .10 indicates an effect that is still small at the level of single events but potentially more ultimately consequential, an effect-size r of .20 indicates a medium effect that is of some explanatory and practical use even in the short run and therefore even more important, and an effect-size r of .30 indicates a large effect that is potentially powerful in both the short and the long run. A very large effect size ( r = .40 or greater) in the context of psychological research is likely to be a gross overestimate that will rarely be found in a large sample or in a replication. Our goal is to help advance the treatment of effect sizes so that rather than being numbers that are ignored, reported without interpretation, or interpreted superficially or incorrectly, they become aspects of research reports that can better inform the application and theoretical development of psychological research.

Cross-cultural translation, adaptation and validation of a Japanese version of the functional index for hand osteoarthritis (J-FIHOA)

Purpose: Hand osteoarthritis (hand OA) is a highly prevalent and heterogeneous disorder. Although well-designed clinical trials and guidelines have been published, there are comparatively few hand OA studies concerning Asian countries. To both pursue appropriate clinical courses for patients and engage in future research, physicians need to discriminate between symptomatic and non-symptomatic hand OA. The Functional Index for Hand OsteoArthritis (FIHOA) has been well-studied and is accepted as the gold standard instrument with excellent reliability and responsiveness. Approximately twenty linguistic versions are currently available. Our objective was to make a Japanese version of the FIHOA (J-FIHOA) and to validate it among Japanese hand OA patients. Methods: Translation and cultural adaptation process: The FIHOA was translated following a process distilled from the established guidelines. An expert committee consisting of 6 members (two language professionals, three health professionals and an American native English speaker) was convened. Forward translation was performed independently by one professional translator who had no prior knowledge of this study and two language professionals serving on the expert committee. The committee assessed all results and synthesized them into a preliminary version of the J-FIHOA. It was translated back into English independently by two English native professional translators, one with a medical background and one without. Most of the FIHOA items were deemed equivalent, but discrepancies between the original and retranslation revealed several problems. Additional forward/backward translations were undertaken for specific linguistic points in need of revision. To resolve a few major issues, the committee consulted with the FIHOA developers. After all this process the J-FIHOA was finalized. Validation process: Our university and 16 other hospitals recruited hand OA patients at the outpatient departments from September 2017 to September 2018. New or follow-up patients who met the ACR classification criteria were eligible for inclusion. Patients with other rheumatic diseases or post-traumatic OA were excluded. A medical record review, X-rays of both hands and J-FIHOA in addition to the following patient-rated questionnaires were collected at an enrollment visit: the Japanese version of the Stanford Health Assessment Questionnaire (J-HAQ), numerical rating scale for pain (NRS pain) and the Japanese version of the Short Form 36 Health Survey (J-SF-36). The J-FIHOA scores at the enrollment visit were used to assess Cronbach’s alpha coefficient/item-total correlation and compared with the J-HAQ, NRS pain and J-SF-36 yielding respective Spearman’s rank correlation coefficients. Correlation was categorized as weak (r = 0.30-0.49), moderate (r = 0.50-0.69) or strong (r = 0.70-1.00). As item 7 is a gender-role question, an item total correlation needed to be calculated independently for women and men. We used test-retest methods for the patients whose treatment and symptoms were unchanged within the previous 3 months. The interval was 1-2 weeks. The reliability of the J-FIHOA was assessed with the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Those who started new pharmacological treatments (oral acetaminophen, NSAIDs and/or tramadol) required answering the patient-rated questionnaires and a 1-month follow-up visit. Differences between pre- and post- pharmacological treatments were assessed to evaluate effect size. Results: Twenty-nine male and 145 female hand OA patients participated. Mean age at the enrollment visit was 65 years (42 to 88). One hundred fifty-seven longitudinal data sets were pooled and used to evaluate reliability (137 for test-retest) and responsiveness (20 for effect size). Cronbach’s alpha was 0.91, which showed high internal consistency. Item-total correlation ranged from 0.46 (item 5) to 0.89 (item 7) among men, and from 0.57 (item 10) to 0.79 (item 6) among women. Construct validity between the J-FIHOA and other scales was: 0.73 (J-HAQ), 0.56 (NRS pain), -0.31 (J-SF-36 physical component) and -0.21 (J-SF-36 mental component). There were stronger correlations between the J-FIHOA and J-HAQ than we expected. Although the FIHOA was designed as an instrument for hand functional impairment and has no pain-related questions, previous reports have shown moderate correlations between the FIHOA and pain. Our result was concordant with these reports. It was reasonable that the J-SF-36 was moderately correlated on the physical but not the mental component. Test-retest data showed that the intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.83 (95% confidence interval, 0.77 to 0.88) and in line with other linguistic versions. The effect size of the J-FIHOA was 0.56 while the J-HAQ was 0.44. We assumed that the higher effect size was because the J-FIHOA was a more disease-specific scale for hand OA. Conclusions: The J-FIHOA has good reliability and responsiveness. Current limitations are a small number of male participants (n=29) and the data sets for responsiveness (n=20). Patient recruitment and data collection will continue through December 2018.

MEASURING LOTIC ECOSYSTEM RESPONSES TO NUTRIENTS: A Mismatch that Limits the Synthesis and Application of Experimental Studies to Management.

MEASURING LOTIC ECOSYSTEM RESPONSES TO NUTRIENTS: A Mismatch that Limits the Synthesis and Application of Experimental Studies to Management.

SU18 - INVESTIGATING SHRINKAGE METHODS TO IMPROVE ACCURACY OF GWAS AND PRS EFFECT SIZE ESTIMATES

Background As the scale and power of GWAS have increased to detect the small genetic effect sizes involved in complex polygenic traits, the results of GWAS, especially SNP effect size estimates, are increasingly utilised for prediction. A popular approach is the application of Polygenic Risk Scores (PRS). However, the effect size estimates are inherently prone to overfit the specific samples on which the GWAS were performed (e.g. “the Winner's Curse”). The inflation of effect size estimation reduces the out-of-sample accuracy of prediction based on GWAS results. Many shrinkage methods have been developed to correct for such inflation. As GWAS results and large individual genotype data sets become widely available, there is greater opportunity to accurately evaluate effect size inflation and compare the performance of different shrinkage methods. Methods We develop a novel permutation-based shrinkage method and compare its performance with previously developed methods based on local false discovery rate and the LASSO. We evaluate the performance of the methods across a wide range of phenotypes and investigate different factors (e.g. phenotype heritability) that influence their impact on the predictive power of polygenic risk scores. Results Using large-scale real genotype data, we show that SNP effect sizes are markedly overfit even in relatively large samples, but that our permutation-based shrinkage approach can improve PRS prediction dramatically. Discussion Our results suggest that GWAS results can be adjusted using an efficient empirical approach to provide more accurate effect size estimates and thus greater downstream predictive power. This approach could be applied to a wide variety of big data settings.

Catecholamines in Post-traumatic Stress Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Studies on the association between post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and levels of catecholamines have yielded inconsistent results. The aim of this study was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess whether concentrations of the catecholamines dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine are associated with PTSD. This study searched relevant articles in the following databases: PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Psyc-ARTICLES. Each database was searched from its inception to September, 2018. Data related to catecholamine concentrations were extracted for patients with PTSD and the controls to calculate standardized mean differences and to evaluate effect sizes. A meta-analysis was then performed to compare the concentration of each catecholamine between the two groups in blood and/or urine samples. Heterogeneity was quantified using I2 and its significance was tested using the Q statistics. Subgroup analyses of the types of controls, PTSD assessment tools, and assayed methods used in the studies were performed to explore sources of heterogeneity among studies. Random-effects models were used to combine results from selected studies. A total of 1,388 articles were identified, of which 27 were included in the final analysis. Heterogeneity was high; hence random-effects models were used to combine results of selected studies. Results revealed significantly higher norepinephrine levels in people with PTSD than in the controls [standardized mean difference (SMD) = 0.35, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.13 to 0.57, p = 0.002]. No difference was found in dopamine and epinephrine concentrations between the two groups. Elevated norepinephrine levels may be an important indicator for PTSD.

The Impact of Esophageal Compression on Goiter Symptoms before and after Thyroid Surgery

Introduction: Benign nodular goiter may be associated with swallowing difficulties, but insight into the associated pathophysiology is limited. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of surgery on the degree of esophageal compression, and its correlation to swallowing difficulties. Methods: Esophageal compression and deviation were evaluated blindly on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the neck, prior to and 6 months after thyroid surgery for symptomatic benign goiter. Goiter symptoms and swallowing difficulties were measured by the Goiter Symptom Scale of the Thyroid-Specific Patient-Reported Outcome (ThyPRO) questionnaire. Cohen’s d was used for evaluating effect sizes (ES). Results: Sixty-four patients completed the study. Before surgery, median goiter volume was 57 (range 14–642) mL. The smallest cross-sectional area of the esophagus (SCAE) increased from a median of 95 (47–147) to 137 (72–286) mm² (ES = 1.31, p < 0.001). Median esophagus width increased from 15 (range 10–21) to 17 (range 12–24) mm (ES = 0.94, p < 0.001) after surgery, while no statistically significant change was observed for the sagittal dimension (anterior-to-posterior), thus reflecting an increasingly ellipsoid esophageal shape. Median esophageal deviation decreased moderately after surgery from 4 (0–23) to 3 (0–10) mm (ES = 0.54, p = 0.005). The goiter symptom score improved considerably from (mean ± SD) 40 ± 21 to 10 ± 10 points (ES = 1.5, p < 0.001) after surgery, and the improvements were associated with improvements in SCAE (p = 0.03). Conclusions: In patients with goiter, thyroidectomy leads to substantial improvements in esophageal anatomy, as assessed by MRI, and this correlates with improved swallowing symptoms. This information is valuable in qualifying the dialogue with goiter patients, before deciding on the mode of therapy. Clinicaltrials.gov (NCT03072654).

Evaluating the effectiveness of behavior change techniques in health-related behavior: a scoping review of methods used.

Behavior change interventions typically contain multiple potentially active components: behavior change techniques (BCTs). Identifying which specific BCTs or BCT combinations have the potential to be effective for a given behavior in a given context presents a major challenge. The aim of this study was to review the methods that have been used to identify effective BCTs for given behaviors in given contexts and evaluate their strengths and limitations. A scoping review was conducted of studies that had sought to identify effective BCTs. Articles referring to "behavio(u)r change technique(s)" in the abstract/text were located, and ones that involved identification of effective BCTs were selected. The methods reported were coded. The methods were analyzed in general terms using "PASS" criteria: Practicability (facility to apply the method appropriately), Applicability (facility to generalize from findings to contexts and populations of interest), Sensitivity (facility to identify effective BCTs), and Specificity (facility to rule out ineffective BCTs). A sample of 10% of the studies reviewed was then evaluated using these criteria to assess how far the strengths and limitations identified in principle were borne out in practice. One hundred and thirty-five studies were identified. The methods used in those studies were experimental manipulation of BCTs, observational studies comparing outcomes in the presence or absence of BCTs, meta-analyses of BCT comparisons, meta-regressions evaluating effect sizes with and without specific BCTs, reviews of BCTs found in effective interventions, and meta-classification and regression trees. The limitations of each method meant that only weak conclusions could be drawn regarding the effectiveness of specific BCTs or BCT combinations. Methods for identifying effective BCTs linked to target behavior and context all have important inherent limitations. A strategy needs to be developed that can systematically combine the strengths of the different methods and that can link these constructs in an ontology of behavior change interventions.

1100 DAYTIME FUNCTION IN MIND-BODY TREATMENT OF COCURRENT SLEEP AND MOOD DISTURBANCES

Both sleep disturbances and depressive mood are closely associated with wide-range daytime dysfunctions. Yet limited study closely investigates daytime functioning variables after treatments for sleep disturbances either coexisting with or without depressive mood Participants Participants were 185 individual with co-existing sleep and mood disturbances (92 in I-BMS; 93 in WLC). Daytime functioning variables were measured by items from Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index (PSQI-day) indicating daytime dysfunctions, Somatic subscale from Somatic Symptom Inventory (SSI), Anxiety subscale from Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale (HADS) and 12-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12) represented by Mental and Physical Component scores (MCS and PCS). Data were collected at baseline, post-treatment (8 weeks) and three-month follow-up. Multiple imputations were firstly conducted to evaluate effect size of each daytime variables after treatments. Then, regression analyses were used to reveal associations between daytime variables at follow-up and previous changes in nighttime sleep qualities (PSQI-Night) and mood (Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression after minus sleep item- CESD-M) at post-treatment respectively. At last, path analyses were used to understand interplays among daytime functioning, sleep and mood. We found that there was a small to large between-group effect size (0.20–0.70) on daytime functioning and a medium to large within-group effect size (0.53–0.89) in the I-BMS group. After adjusting for group and baseline scores, CESD-M was the most important predictor of daytime functioning. PSQI-day was associated with both PSQI-nightand CESD-M. Path analyses indicated that PSQI-day bridged PSQI-night and CESD-M in a 2-way direction (Χ2=12.36, p=0.34, df=11, Χ2/df=1.1; RMSEA=0.026; CFI=0.989; TLI=0.980; Χ2=12.10, p=0.36, df=11, Χ2/df=1.1; RMSEA=0.023; CFI=0.991; TLI=0.983). Among subjects with co-existing sleep and depressive symptoms, improvement in daytime functioning was predominantly related to improvement in depressive symptoms. Nighttime sleep only related to daytime dysfunction that was specific to sleep disturbances. The phenomenon could be regarded as a primary link. More works are required to understand “sleep-specific” daytime impairments and their roles in the course of concurrent sleep and mood disturbances. NA

Analysis of the Relative Age Effect in Elite Youth Judo Athletes.

The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate relative age effects (RAEs) in elite youth judo athletes from different chronological age groups, between sexes, and across weight categories. Data from 1542 place winners of the cadet (under 17 y, 2009-2013) and junior judo world championships (under 20/21 y, 1990-2013) were separated by birth month into quarters (Q1, Q2, Q3, and Q4). The observed values were compared with expected annual age distributions using χ2 analyses, and odd ratios (OR) were used to evaluate effect sizes between quarters. The observed frequency of place winners was significantly different from the expected frequency for the age-group and sex comparisons and all body-mass groups (P < .05) with the exception of the extra-light categories (P = .572). When comparing Q1 with Q4 (OR, 95% confidence interval), small effect sizes were observed for cadets (1.72, 1.12-2.66), juniors (1.54, 1.23-1.94), males (1.75, 1.32-2.33), females (1.39, 1.03-1.87), and the light- (1.79, 1.21-2.64) and middle-weight (1.80, 1.20-2.70) categories. RAEs are apparent in cadet and junior judo athletes. Thus, coaches and administrators should consider the potential for physical and/or competitive advantages while adopting strategies that encourage long-term participation in youth judo athletes.

How much do children's body mass indices change over intervals of 6-12 months? Statistics from before and during the obesity epidemic.

Researchers need to evaluate changes in children's body mass index (BMI) over periods of 6 or 12 months, yet reference statistics are limited for change in BMI. We aim to estimate the distribution of changes in children's BMIs over periods of 6 and 12 months. We analyze data on two cohorts of children in the Fels Longitudinal Study: an older cohort born 1946-1970 and a recent cohort born 1971-1995. Between ages 3 and 18 years, we calculate changes in BMI over intervals of 6 and 12 months. For each age, sex and cohort, we estimate the mean, standard deviation, skewness, kurtosis and percentiles of change in BMI. Median BMI growth peaks around age 12-13 years for girls and 13-15 years for boys. Large BMI gains are common in adolescence, and BMI losses are not uncommon at any age. Percentiles of BMI change are quite dispersed, especially for girls and especially in adolescence. In the recent cohort, the adiposity rebound is earlier and BMI gains are larger, especially at the high percentiles. Researchers can use these estimates to evaluate data quality, evaluate effect sizes and calculate the sample size needed to detect an effect.

Evidence of A Pharmacological Dissociation Between The Robust Effects of Methylphenidate on Adhd Symptoms and Weaker Effects on Working Memory

Working memory (WM) deficits often co-occur with, but do not define, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Preclinical and neuroimaging studies show that ADHD and WM deficits are dissociated at the level of individual dopamine receptor function. We hypothesized that there would also be a pharmacological dissociation of the effects of stimulants on ADHD and WM. ADHD subjects were derived from three prospective clinical trials involving treatment with OROS methylphenidate for at least 6 weeks. Subjects were adolescents and adults with DSM-IV ADHD with systematic assessments of WM and ADHD symptoms. Cohen’s d was used to evaluate effect size between baseline and week 6 for all assessments, and Pearson correlations were used to evaluate the relationship between assessments at baseline and between change scores for assessments from baseline to week 6. Cohen's d estimates for the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery spatial working memory measures differed significantly by 1.8 standard deviations (t= -10.8, df= 70, p < 0.001) and 1.9 standard deviations (t= -11.1, df= 70, p < 0.001) for the strategy and total between errors subcategories respectively. Confidence intervals did not overlap with those of the Adult ADHD Investigator Symptom Rating Scale (AISRS). A similar effect was observed for changes in AISRS and the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function working memory scale where the Cohen's d estimates differed significantly by 1.1 standard

A method for analysis of phenotypic change for phenotypes described by high-dimensional data.

The analysis of phenotypic change is important for several evolutionary biology disciplines, including phenotypic plasticity, evolutionary developmental biology, morphological evolution, physiological evolution, evolutionary ecology and behavioral evolution. It is common for researchers in these disciplines to work with multivariate phenotypic data. When phenotypic variables exceed the number of research subjects--data called 'high-dimensional data'--researchers are confronted with analytical challenges. Parametric tests that require high observation to variable ratios present a paradox for researchers, as eliminating variables potentially reduces effect sizes for comparative analyses, yet test statistics require more observations than variables. This problem is exacerbated with data that describe 'multidimensional' phenotypes, whereby a description of phenotype requires high-dimensional data. For example, landmark-based geometric morphometric data use the Cartesian coordinates of (potentially) many anatomical landmarks to describe organismal shape. Collectively such shape variables describe organism shape, although the analysis of each variable, independently, offers little benefit for addressing biological questions. Here we present a nonparametric method of evaluating effect size that is not constrained by the number of phenotypic variables, and motivate its use with example analyses of phenotypic change using geometric morphometric data. Our examples contrast different characterizations of body shape for a desert fish species, associated with measuring and comparing sexual dimorphism between two populations. We demonstrate that using more phenotypic variables can increase effect sizes, and allow for stronger inferences.

Effect sizes in memory research

Effect sizes are omitted from many research articles and are rarely discussed. To help researchers evaluate effect sizes we collected values for the more commonly reported effect size measures (partial eta squared and d) from papers reporting memory research published in 2010. Cohen's small, medium, and large generic guideline values for d mapped neatly onto the observed distributions, but his values for partial eta squared were considerably lower than those observed in current memory research. We recommend interpreting effect sizes in the context of either domain-specific guideline values agreed for an area of research or the distribution of effect size estimates from published research in the domain. We provide cumulative frequency tables for both partial eta squared and d enabling authors to report and consider not only the absolute size of observed effects but also the percentage of reported effects that are larger or smaller than those observed.

Therapeutic decisions by number needed to treat and survival gains: a cross-sectional survey of lipid-lowering drug recommendations

Previous studies suggest that lay people have difficulties with evaluating effect size in terms of number needed to treat (NNT), but they are sensitive to effect size in terms of survival gains. To explore whether GPs and internists are sensitive to NNT and survival gains when considering a lipid-lowering drug therapy. Cross-sectional survey of primary prevention of cardiovascular disease with random allocation to different scenarios. GPs (n = 450) and internists (n = 450) were posted a vignette presenting a high-risk patient and a novel drug, 'neostatin'. The benefit was described in terms of NNT or mean gain in disease-free survival. Each physician was randomly allocated to one version of the vignette. Outcome measures were evaluation of 'neostatin' on a Likert scale (0: very poor choice, 10: very good choice) and the proportion recommending 'neostatin'. A total of 477 responses (53%) were received. Among responders to NNT scenarios, 26%, 31%, and 43% recommended 'neostatin' for NNT values of 34, 17, and 9 respectively. With equivalent disease-free survival gains of 9, 17, and 32 months, 40%, 49%, and 52% respectively recommended the drug. On the rating scale, mean values were 4.7, 5.0, and 5.5 across the respective NNT scenarios and 5.2, 6.2, and 6.1 across the scenarios presenting survival gains. Differences in trends between the two formats were not statistically significant. In total, 33% recommended 'neostatin' when presented with NNT values, compared to 47% when presented with survival gain (χ(2) = 9.2, P= 0.002). Physicians presented with survival gains were more likely to recommend the therapy than those presented with NNT. Sensitivity to effect size was similar for both effect formats.

A Model-Selection Approach to Predicting Whether Florida Scrub-Jays Delay Breeding

Abstract. The choices animals make in dispersal are of interest because they describe in part how populations adjust to a changing environment. We investigated which factors influence whether adult Florida Scrub-Jays delay breeding within their natal territories or disperse to breed. Factors considered included those pertaining to individuals (sex, age, parents), breeding opportunities (territory densities, deaths of breeders, potential mates, competitors [nonbreeders of the same sex]), and habitat (quality, suburb versus conservation area). We compared models that included each of these factors or combinations of them. We used nomograms to evaluate effect sizes and post hoc analyses to explore nonlinear effects of variables and their relative importance. Models that included only one or a few variables had little support. Models with the greatest support included parents, deaths of breeders, age, sex, and potential mates. Increased deaths of breeders greatly decreased the probabilities of delayed dispers...

Predator escape tactics in birds: linking ecology and aerodynamics

In most birds, flight is the most important means of escape from predators. Impaired flight abilities due to increased wing loading may increase vulnerability to predation. To compensate for an increase in wing loading, birds are able to independently decrease body mass (BM) or increase pectoral muscle mass (PMM). Comparing nearshore and farshore foraging shorebird species, we develop a theory as to which of these responses should be the most appropriate. We hypothesize that nearshore foragers should respond to increased predation by increasing their PMM in order to promote speed-based escape. Instead, farshore foragers should decrease BM in order to improve agility for maneuvering escape. Experiments on 2 shorebird species are consistent with these predictions, but on the basis of the theoretical framework for evaluating effect size and biological significance developed here, more experiments are clearly needed.

Handbook of research methods in personality psychology

Part 1. Designing a Personality Study. D.P. McAdams, J.L. Pals, The Role of Theory in Personality Assessment. M.B. Donnellan, R.D. Conger, Designing and Implementing Longitudinal Studies. W. Revelle, Experimental Approaches to the Study of Personality. R.F. Krueger, J.L. Tackett, Behavior Genetic Designs. T.S. Conner, L. Feldman Barrett, M.M. Tugade, H. Tennen, Idiographic Personality: The Theory and Practice of Experience Sampling. A.C. Elms, Psychobiography and Case Study Methods. P. Cramer, Mining Archival Data. R.C. Fraley, Using the Internet for Personality Research: What Can Be Done, How to Do It, and Some Concerns. R.C. Fraley, M.J. Marks, The Null Hypothesis Significance-Testing Debate and Its Implications for Personality Research. V. Benet-Martinez, Cross-Cultural Personality Research: Conceptual and Methodological Issues. S. Vazire, S.D. Gosling, A.S. Dickey, S.J. Schapiro, Measuring Personality in Nonhuman Animals. Part 2. Methods for Assessing Personality at Different Levels of Analysis. K.H. Craik, Taxonomies, Trends, and Integrations. D.L. Paulhus, S. Vazire, The Self-Report Method. L.J. Simms, D. Watson, The Construct Validation Approach to Personality Scale Construction. R.R. McCrae, A. Weiss, Observer Ratings of Personality. R.M. Furr, D.C. Funder, Behavior Observation. B.A. Woike, Content Coding of Open-Ended Responses. A.V. Song, D.K. Simonton, Personality Assessment at a Distance. O.C. Schultheiss, J.S. Pang, Measuring Implicit Motives. M.D. Robinson, Lives Lived in Milliseconds: Using Cognitive Methods in Personality Research. J.S. Beer, M.V. Lombardo, Patient and Neuroimaging Methodologies. L.M. Diamond, K. Otter-Henderson, Physiological Measures. R.P. Ebstein, R. Bachner-Melman, S. Israel, L. Nemanov, I. Gritsenko, The Human Genome Project and Personality: What We Can Learn about Our Inner and Outer Selves through Our Genes. Part 3. Analyzing and Interpreting Personality Data. J. Morizot, A.T. Ainsworth, S.P. Reise, Toward Modern Psychometrics: Application of Item Response Theory Models in Personality Research. K. Lee, M.C. Ashton, Factor Analysis in Personality Research. R.H. Hoyle, Applications of Structural Equation Modeling in Personality Research. O.P. John, C.J. Soto, The Importance of Being Valid: Reliability and the Process of Construct Validation. D.J. Ozer, Evaluating Effect Size in Personality Research. J.B. Nezlek, Multilevel Modeling in Personality Research. W. Fleeson, Studying Personality Processes: Explaining Change in Between-persons Longitudinal and Within-Person Multilevel Models. D.K. Mroczek, The Analysis of Longitudinal Data in Personality Research. J.W. Grice, Person-Centered Structural Analyses. S.G. West, L.S. Aiken, W. Wu, A.B. Taylor, Multiple Regression: Applications of the Basics and Beyond in Personality Research. W.F. Chaplin, Moderator and Mediator Models in Personality Research: A Basic Introduction. Y. Shoda, Computational Modeling of Personality as a Dynamical System. B.W. Roberts, N.R. Kuncel, W. Viechtbauer, T. Bogg, Meta-Analysis in Personality Psychology: A Primer. R.W. Robins, J.L. Tracy, J.W. Sherman, What Kinds of Methods Do Personality Psychologists Use? A Survey of Journal Editors and Editorial Board Members.

COMPARATIVE RESPONSIVENESS OF JAPANESE VERSIONS OF THE DASH AND SF-36 QUESTIONNAIRES AND PHYSICAL MEASUREMENT TO CLINICAL CHANGES AFTER CARPAL TUNNEL RELEASE

The purpose of the present study was to test the responsiveness of the Japanese Society for Surgery of the Hand version of the Disability of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand questionnaire (DASH-JSSH) by evaluating effect size (ES) and standardised response mean (SRM) in patients undergoing carpal tunnel release. Subjects comprised 25 patients with carpal tunnel syndrome. All subjects completed the DASH-JSSH, medical outcomes 36-item short-form health survey (SF-36) and visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain and underwent objective assessment of grip strength, pinch strength and static two-point discrimination before and three months after surgery. DASH-JSSH displayed the highest sensitivity to changes at three months, followed by VAS. All subscales of SF-36 were much less sensitive and both grip and pinch strength were unchanged over the three-month period. DASH-JSSH demonstrated more responsiveness to changes after carpal tunnel release than SF-36, VAS and physical measurements, and displayed correlations with subscales of SF-36.