Low Effective Size Research Articles

A Meta-Analytic Review of Emotion Regulation Focused Psychosocial Interventions for Adolescents.

Emotion regulation (ER) is the ability to monitor, evaluate, and modify one's emotional responses to be appropriate for environmental demands. Poor ER has been considered a transdiagnostic risk factor for a range of internalizing and externalizing disorders and overall decreased well-being in adolescents. A range of evidence-based interventions exist which may improve ER. However, much of the intervention research to date does not include a measure of ER to assess change pre and post treatment, with limited information about the efficacy of these interventions in youth across a range of sample types. There is a clear need for a comprehensive review of the literature examining ER-focused interventions in adolescents with a wide range of presenting disorders. A literature search was originally conducted in January 2020 and an updated search was conducted in February 2021 which elicited 1245 articles, of which 605 were duplicates and were removed. Abstracts of the remaining 640 articles were screened with 121 articles being reviewed in full. Of note, 16 additional articles were identified through references and other sources during this process and were also included in the full review. Of the 137 articles reviewed in full, 41 studies were ultimately included in the present review. The present paper provides a descriptive review of intervention approaches and findings from community prevention programs, programs for war-affected youth, programs for clinical populations, and programs for incarcerated and delinquent adolescents. The overall pooled effect was significantly different from zero based on the pre/post effects [Hedge's g = 0.29, 95% CI (0.22, 0.36)] and the intervention/control effects [Hedge's g = 0.19, 95% CI (0.06-0.32)]. Although neither sex nor age significantly accounted for heterogeneity in effect sizes, there were significant findings for population type (clinical vs. community), with community samples having significantly lower effect sizes on average. Impacts of the different ER measures used and significant methodological variability (e.g., use of control groups, length of intervention) across included studies are discussed. Implications and suggestions for future research are reviewed, specifically, that additional understanding of moderators of effects are needed and that measures used to assess change in ER, both dysregulation and adaptive skill use, may need to more directly align with the intervention's focus and the strategies taught as part of the intervention.

Conservation implications of genetic structure in the narrowest endemic quillwort from the Eastern Amazon.

The quillwort Isoëtes cangae is a critically endangered species occurring in a single lake in Serra dos Carajás, Eastern Amazon. Low genetic diversity and small effective population sizes (N e) are expected for narrow endemic species (NES). Conservation biology studies centered in a single species show some limitations, but they are still useful considering the limited time and resources available for protection of species at risk of extinction. Here, we evaluated the genetic diversity, population structure, N e, and minimum viable population (MVP) of I. cangae to provide information for effective conservation programs. Our analyses were based on 55 individuals collected from the Amendoim Lake and 35,638 neutral SNPs. Our results indicated a single panmictic population, moderate levels of genetic diversity, and N e in the order of thousands, contrasting the expected for NES. Negative FIS values were also found, suggesting that I. cangae is not under risk of inbreeding depression. Our findings imply that I. cangae contains enough genetic diversity to ensure evolutionary potential and that all individuals should be treated as one demographic unit. These results provide essential information to optimize ex situ conservation efforts and genetic diversity monitoring, which are currently applied to guide I. cangae conservation plans.

Adaptive divergence despite low effective population size in a peripherally isolated population of the pygmy rabbit, Brachylagus idahoensis.

Local adaptation can occur when spatially separated populations are subjected to contrasting environmental conditions. Historically, understanding the genetic basis of adaptation has been difficult, but increased availability of genome-wide markers facilitates studies of local adaptation in non-model organisms of conservation concern. The pygmy rabbit (Brachylagus idahoensis) is an imperiled lagomorph that relies on sagebrush for forage and cover. This reliance has led to widespread population declines following reductions in the distribution of sagebrush, leading to geographic separation between populations. In this study, we used >20,000single nucleotide polymorphisms, genotype-environment association methods, and demographic modeling to examine neutral genetic variation and local adaptation in the pygmy rabbit in Nevada and California. We identified 308loci as outliers, many of which had functional annotations related to metabolism of plant secondary compounds. Likewise, patterns of spatial variation in outlier loci were correlated with landscape and climatic variables including proximity to streams, sagebrush cover, and precipitation. We found that populations in the Mono Basin of California probably diverged from other Great Basin populations during late Pleistocene climate oscillations, and that this region is adaptively differentiated from other regions in the southern Great Basin despite limited gene flow and low effective population size. Our results demonstrate that peripherally isolated populations can maintain adaptive divergence.

What we have learned: implementing MiniLit as an intervention with young struggling readers

ABSTRACT Information about effective interventions for students with early reading difficulties is essential when deciding about how best to provide support. MiniLit, a small-group intervention for young struggling readers, was released in 2011 after several years of development and trials. This paper provides a rationale for MiniLit, a brief history of its development and implementation, and a summary of evidence collected from various efficacy studies. Pre- and post-test group data from program trials and experimental research indicate that MiniLit has produced large gains in students’ phonemic awareness, phonic decoding, word reading, and spelling. Experimental studies yielded lower effect sizes than program trials for phonic decoding and word reading skills, with effect sizes for these dimensions in the medium or large range. Program revisions in response to evidence from studies, feedback from practitioners, and findings from recent research about early reading have been undertaken, resulting in the development of MiniLit Sage.

Use of non-invasive stimulation in movement disorders: a critical review.

Noninvasive stimulation has been widely used in the past 30 years to study and treat a large number of neurological diseases, including movement disorders. In this critical review, we illustrate the rationale for use of these techniques in movement disorders and summarize the best medical evidence based on the main clinical trials performed to date. A nationally representative group of experts performed a comprehensive review of the literature in order to analyze the key clinical decision-making factors driving transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in movement disorders. Classes of evidence and recommendations were described for each disease. Despite unavoidable heterogeneities and low effect size, TMS is likely to be effective for treating motor symptoms and depression in Parkinson's disease (PD). The efficacy in other movement disorders is unclear. TMS is possibly effective for focal hand dystonia, essential tremor and cerebellar ataxia. Additionally, it is likely to be ineffective in reducing tics in Tourette syndrome. Lastly, tDCS is likely to be effective in improving gait in PD. There is encouraging evidence for the use of noninvasive stimulation on a subset of symptoms in selected movement disorders, although the means to optimize protocols for improving positive outcomes in routine clinical practice remain undetermined. Similarly, the best stimulation paradigms and responder profile need to be investigated in large clinical trials with established therapeutic and assessment paradigms that could also allow genuine long-term benefits to be determined.

GARCOM: A user-friendly R package for genetic mutation counts

Next-generation sequencing (NGS) has enabled analysis of rare and uncommon variants in large study cohorts. A common strategy to overcome these low frequencies and/or small effect sizes relies on collapsing strategies, i.e. to bin variants within genes/regions. Several tools are now available for advanced statistical analyses however, tools to perform basic tasks such as obtaining allelic counts within defined genetics boundaries are unavailable or require complex coding. GARCOM library, an open-source freely available package in R language, returns a matrix with allelic counts within defined genetic boundaries. GARCOM accepts input data in PLINK or VCF formats, with additional options to subset data for refined analyses.

Exome Sequencing Studies Identify Mutations in STAB2 As a Genetic Risk for Venous Thromboembolic Disease

Deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, collectively referred to as venous thromboembolism (VTE), are the third leading cause of cardiovascular death in the United States. Genetic factors account for 50-60% of VTE risk and a recent meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies confirmed that common variants in F5, ABO, F2 and seven other very low effect size loci are associated with VTE. Rare mutations in the anticoagulant genes PROC (protein C), PROS1 (protein S) and SERPINC1 (antithrombin III) have been linked to highly penetrant VTE risk in family studies but no genome-wide study of rare variants has been reported to date.We performed whole exome sequencing (WES) in 373 unrelated individuals of European ancestry with well characterized unprovoked VTE and compared results to a previously genome sequenced control cohort of 5784 unrelated Europeans. We then identified single nucleotide variants, small insertion or deletions that were present at allele frequencies less than 0.005% in ExAC and had equal sequencing coverage between groups. Using a dominant model and a collapsing association analysis, we looked for genes that were more likely to harbor “knockout” (frame shift, nonsense, splice site and damaging missense) mutations in cases versus controls. Strikingly, ranked by p-value, among 17,395 genes tested, the top 4 genes were PROS1 (P= 2.01E-09, odds ratio: 11.8), STAB2 (P=2.70E-7, odds ratio 3.37), PROC (P=3.24E-05, odds ratio 11.0) and SERPINC1 (P=1.10E-04, odds ratio 8.5), Figure. These findings suggest that heterozygous deficiency for the STAB2 encoded protein, stabilin-2, confers VTE susceptibility similar to the previously well described phenotypes of heterozygous protein C, protein S and antithrombin III deficiency.Stabilin-2 is a single transmembrane glycoprotein scavenger receptor expressed on venous endothelium of liver sinusoids and spleen. We detected damaging STAB2 mutations in 29 (7%) VTE cases versus 141 (2%) of controls. Common and uncommon variants in STAB2 have been associated with elevated plasma von Willebrand factor (VWF) and coagulation factor VIII levels, which are known risk factors for VTE. Stabilin-2 is implicated as a clearance receptor for VWF, so that haploinsufficiency of stabilin-2 may increase plasma VWF half-life. To test this hypothesis, we examined 1162 individuals in the Twins UK Study (VTE status unknown) with available whole genome sequencing data and measured their plasma VWF levels by AlphaLISA. VWF levels were adjusted by log transformation and ABO blood type tagging SNPs. We identified 38 individuals (3.2%, all heterozygous) with rare damaging variants in STAB2. VWF levels were significantly higher in individuals (N=30) with rare STAB2 variants compared to those without (N=1016) (Mann-Whitney, P= 0.0046).To further examine stabilin-2 function in vivo, we compared Stab2 deficient mice (Stab2 -/-) to wild type (Stab2 +/+) controls. Stab2 -/- mice had elevated plasma levels of factor VIII:C (118%, p=0.0006), but no differences in VWF (p=0.58). Next, we examined thrombosis in a mouse model where venous blood clotting was induced by inferior vena cava stenosis. Thrombi were weighed and longitudinal sections were analyzed by quantitative immunohistochemistry 24 hours post-stenosis. Stab2 -/- mice developed significantly larger thrombi than Stab2 +/+ mice (194%, n=19, p=0.003) but no difference in DVT incidence (64% vs 61%, P= 0.85). Despite equivalent hematocrit (P= 0.91) and white type thrombus (P> 0.05), thrombi from Stab2 -/- mice were comprised of more red type thrombus (185%, P= 0.004).Through an unbiased analysis of whole exome sequencing in 6,157 individuals, this studyconfirms the role of haploinsufficiency of PROC, PROS1 and SERPINC1 for VTE susceptibility and identifies STAB2 deficiency as a potential new risk factor. Analysis of an independent human cohort of 1162 Europeans demonstrates that STAB2 haploinsufficiency is associated with elevated VWF levels, a known risk factor for VTE. Finally, a mouse model of Stab2 deficiency demonstrates enhanced thrombosis, though without an association with elevated VWF levels. Taken together, these results suggest that rare genetic variants in STAB2 collectively play a role in individuals with unprovoked VTE by prolonging the plasma half-life of procoagulant factors such as VWF, adding an important new gene to the short list of known risk factors for this common disease. [Display omitted] DisclosuresReitsma:Leiden University Medical Center; VarmX B.V.: Equity Ownership, Patents & Royalties: co-inventor on a patent application related to this abstract.

Muskrats as a bellwether of a drying delta

Wetlands worldwide are under threat from anthropogenic impacts. In large protected North American areas such as Yellowstone and Wood Buffalo National Parks, aquatic habitats are disappearing and wetland-dependent fauna are in decline1–3. Here we investigate population dynamics of an indicator species in Canada’s Peace-Athabasca Delta (“the delta”), a World Heritage Site. Based on population surveys, habitat mapping and genetic data from 288 muskrats, we use agent-based modeling and genetic analyses to explain population expansion and decline of the semi-aquatic muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus). Simulations quantify a large population (~500,000 individuals) following flood-induced habitat gains, with decreased size (~10,000 individuals) during drying. Genetic analyses show extremely low long-term effective population size (Ne: 60–127), supporting a legacy of population bottlenecks. Our simulations indicate that the muskrat population in the delta is a metapopulation with individuals migrating preferentially along riparian pathways. Related individuals found over 40 km apart imply dispersal distances far greater than their typical home range (130 m). Rapid metapopulation recovery is achieved via riparian corridor migration and passive flood-transport of individuals. Source-sink dynamics show wetland loss impacts on the muskrat metapopulation’s spatial extent. Dramatic landscape change is underway, devastating local fauna, including this generalist species even in a protected ecosystem.

NFnetFu: A novel workflow for microbiome data fusion

Microbiome data analysis and its interpretation into meaningful biological insights remain very challenging for numerous reasons, perhaps most prominently, due to the need to account for multiple factors, including collinearity, sparsity (excessive zeros) and effect size, that the complex experimental workflow and subsequent downstream data analysis require. Moreover, a meaningful microbiome data analysis necessitates the development of interpretable models that incorporate inferences across available data as well as background biomedical knowledge. We developed a multimodal framework that considers sparsity (excessive zeros), lower effect size, intrinsically microbial correlations, i.e., collinearity, as well as background biomedical knowledge in the form of a cluster-infused enriched network architecture. Finally, our framework also provides a candidate taxa/Operational Taxonomic Unit (OTU) that can be targeted for future validation experiments. We have developed a tool, the term NFnetFU (Neuro Fuzzy network Fusion), that encompasses our framework and have made it freely available at https://github.com/VartikaBisht6197/NFnetFu.

A study of meta-analyses reporting quality in the large and expanding literature of educational technology

As the empirical literature in educational technology continues to grow, meta-analyses are increasingly being used to synthesise research to inform practice. However, not all meta-analyses are equal. To examine their evolution over the past 30 years, this study systematically analysed the quality of 52 meta-analyses (1988–2017) on educational technology. Methodological and reporting quality is defined here as the completeness of the descriptive and methodological reporting features of meta-analyses. The study employed the Meta-Analysis Methodological Reporting Quality Guide (MMRQG), an instrument designed to assess 22 areas of reporting quality in meta-analyses. Overall, MMRQG scores were negatively related to average effect size (i.e., the higher the quality, the lower the effect size). Owing to the presence of poor-quality syntheses, the contribution of educational technologies to learning has been overestimated, potentially misleading researchers and practitioners. Nine MMRQG items discriminated between higher and lower average effect sizes. A publication date analysis revealed that older reviews (1988–2009) scored significantly lower on the MMRQG than more recent reviews (2010–2017). Although the increase in quality bodes well for the educational technology literature, many recent meta-analyses still show only moderate levels of quality. Identifying and using only best evidence-based research is thus imperative to avoid bias.
 
 Implications for practice or policy:
 
 Educational technology practitioners should make use of meta-analytical findings that systematically synthesise primary research.
 Academics, policymakers and practitioners should consider the methodological quality of meta-analyses as they vary in reliability.
 Academics, policymakers and practitioners could avoid misleading bias in research evidence by using the MMRQG to evaluate the quality of meta-analyses.
 
 Meta-analyses with lower MMRQG scores should be considered with caution as they seem to overestimate the effect of educational technology on learning.

The death-implicit association test and suicide attempts: a systematic review and meta-analysis of discriminative and prospective utility.

Suicide risk assessment involves integrating patient disclosure of suicidal ideation and non-specific risk factors such as family history, past suicidal behaviour, and psychiatric symptoms. A death version of the implicit association test (D-IAT) has been developed to provide an objective measure of the degree to which the self is affiliated with life or death. However, this has inconsistently been associated with past and future suicidal behaviour. Here, we systematically review and quantitatively synthesize the literature examining the D-IAT and suicide attempts. We searched psychINFO, Medline, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) from inception until 9 February 2021 to identify publications reporting D-IAT scores and suicide attempts (PROSPERO; CRD42020194394). Using random-effects models, we calculated standardized mean differences (SMD) and odds ratios (ORs) for retrospective suicide attempts. We then calculated ORs for future suicide attempts. ORs were dichotomized using a cutoff of zero representing equipoise between self-association with life and death. Eighteen studies met our inclusion criteria (n = 9551). The pooled SMD revealed higher D-IAT scores in individuals with a history of suicide attempt (SMD = 0.25, 95% CI 0.15 to 0.35); however, subgroup analyses demonstrated heterogeneity with acute care settings having lower effect sizes than community settings. Dichotomized D-IAT scores discriminated those with a history of suicide attempt from those without (OR 1.38 95% CI 1.01 to 1.89) and predicted suicide attempt over a six-month follow-up period (OR 2.99 95% CI 1.45 to 6.18; six studies, n = 781). The D-IAT may have a supplementary role in suicide risk assessment; however, determination of acute suicide risk and related clinical decisions should not be based solely on D-IAT performance.

The effect of graded knee brace at two angles of 60 and 30 degrees on the frequency spectrum of ground reaction forces in individuals with genu valgum during landing

Background: Genu valgum is a postural malalignment in the knee joint. This malalignment is accompanied by altered mechanical forces in the tibiofemoral and patellofemoral joints. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of using a graded knee brace in two angles of 60 and 30 degrees on the frequency spectrum of ground reaction forces in individuals with genu valgum during landing. Methods: The present study was semi-experimental. Twenty non-athlete male students with genu valgus (age range: 20-30 years) were volunteered to participate in the study. The landing task was done during three conditions including without a knee brace, with a brace at two 30 and 60 degrees of flexion from a height of equal to 30 cm. Bertec force plate was used to record ground reaction forces. Fourier transform was used to calculate ground reaction force-frequency content during both landing conditions with and without a knee brace. Results: The results of this study showed a significant reduction in the frequency content with a power of 99.5% in the mediolateral direction (P=0.02; high effect size) and vertical direction (P=0.075; high effect effect) during landing with a knee brace at 60 degrees of flexion angle compared with without knee brace condition. Also, the median frequency component in the mediolateral direction (P=0.019; low effect size) and in the anterior-posterior direction (P=0.019; high effect effect) showed a significant decrease during wearing a knee brace compared with without it. Conclusion: Regarding the decreasing of median frequency after using the knee brace, it might be effective in the reduction of injury rate in individuals with genu valgum. However, further study warranted to better establish this issue.

PROMIS Global-10 poorly correlates with legacy outcomes for patients undergoing hip arthroscopy.

ABSTRACTThe Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Global-10 assesses generic-related quality of life, but has not been well studied in the orthopaedic literature. The purpose was to compare PROMIS Global-10 and legacy hip-specific patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) in patients undergoing hip arthroscopy for femoroacetabular impingement syndrome (FAIS). This study included patients who underwent primary hip arthroscopy with complete preoperative and 6-month post-operative follow-up. PROMIS Global-10 Physical (PROMIS-P) and Mental (PROMIS-M) components, as well as the modified Harris hip score (mHHS) and International Hip Outcome Tool-33 (iHOT-33) were assessed. PROM analysis included: post-operative changes, correlations, floor and ceiling effects and responsiveness. Final analysis included 112 patients. Average age and body mass index were 36.1±11.7 years and 24.8±3.9 kg/m2, respectively. All 6-month PROMs, except PROMIS-M, were significantly improved compared to preoperative level (P<0.02). Preoperatively, PROMIS-P was poorly correlated with mHHS and iHOT-33 (rs <0.4) whereas PROMIS-M was only poorly correlated with iHOT-33 (rs <0.4, 95% CI of 0.02–0.37). Post-operatively, the iHOT-33 was poorly correlated with both PROMIS measures (rs <0.4). The mHHS was fairly correlated with both PROMIS measures (rs <0.6) post-operatively. The effect sizes for mHHS and iHOT-33 were high (d=1.2 and 1.40, respectively), whereas the effect sizes for PROMIS Global-10 were small (d<0.3). PROMIS Global-10 demonstrated lower effect sizes and poor to fair correlation with legacy hip-specific PROMs, and appears to have a limited role in the assessment of patients undergoing hip arthroscopy for FAIS. Therefore, the PROMIS Global-10 may have a limited role in assessing patients with FAIS.

The Nero Lucano Pig Breed: Recovery and Variability.

Simple SummaryThe reduction of biodiversity determines the loss of species and breeds, with the consequent disappearance of production systems, knowledge, cultures and local traditions. The Nero Lucano pig is a native breed of Southern Italy (Basilicata region) recovered, starting from 2001, because of the high quality of its cured meat products. This study gives a picture of the low genetic variability of this breed. Knowledge of individual inbreeding levels allows for planning of interventions to reduce the negative effects of the low effective population size and, then, improve the efficiency of the actual recovery project.The Nero Lucano (NL) pig is a black coat colored breed characterized by a remarkable ability to adapt to the difficult territory and climatic conditions of Basilicata region in Southern Italy. In the second half of the twentieth century, technological innovation, agricultural evolution, new breeding methods and the demand for increasingly lean meat brought the breed almost to extinction. Only in 2001, thanks to local institutions such as: the Basilicata Region, the University of Basilicata, the Regional Breeders Association and the Medio Basento mountain community, the NL pig returned to populate the area with the consequent possibility to appreciate again its specific cured meat products. We analyzed the pedigrees recorded by the breeders and the Illumina Porcine SNP60 BeadChip genotypes in order to obtain the genetic structure of the NL pig. Results evidenced that this population is characterized by long mean generation intervals (up to 3.5 yr), low effective population size (down to 7.2) and high mean inbreeding coefficients (FMOL = 0.53, FROH = 0.39). This picture highlights the low level of genetic variability and the critical issues to be faced for the complete recovery of this population.

Irreversible electroporation of pancreatic cancer – Effect on quality of life and pain perception

BackgroundMost pancreatic cancer (PC) patients are incurable and may need palliative treatment at some point in time. Irreversible electroporation (IRE) is a novel ablative treatment, which aims to provide local tumor control. The aim of this study was to examine how consolidative treatment with IRE affects quality of life (QOL) and pain perception (PP) in patients with non-metastatic pancreatic cancer. MethodsSecondary outcomes were extracted from a prospective cohort of non-metastatic PC patients treated with IRE from 2013 to 2019. Patients filled in two questionnaires examining QOL and PP at different timepoints during treatment and follow-up. Data from a selected panel of subscales were extracted and analyzed using a mixed random intercept regression model. ResultsSubscales from 41 patients at four different timepoints were included in the model. Global health status, physical functioning, fatigue, nausea and vomiting, appetite loss and mean pain interference were negatively impacted (p < 0.05) in the short- and mid-term, corresponding to a low or moderate clinical effect size. However, all negative effects showed a tendency to dissipate over time. ConclusionsIRE treatment negatively impacted QOL and PP in the short- and mid-term. No positive long-term effects of IRE were found.

Genetic differentiation and signatures of local adaptation revealed by RADseq for a highly dispersive mud crab Scylla olivacea (Herbst, 1796) in the Sulu Sea.

Connectivity of marine populations is shaped by complex interactions between biological and physical processes across the seascape. The influence of environmental features on the genetic structure of populations has key implications for the dynamics and persistence of populations, and an understanding of spatial scales and patterns of connectivity is crucial for management and conservation. This study employed a seascape genomics approach combining larval dispersal modeling and population genomic analysis using single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) obtained from RADseq to examine environmental factors influencing patterns of genetic structure and connectivity for a highly dispersive mud crab Scylla olivacea (Herbst, 1796) in the Sulu Sea. Dispersal simulations reveal widespread but asymmetric larval dispersal influenced by persistent southward and westward surface circulation features in the Sulu Sea. Despite potential for widespread dispersal across the Sulu Sea, significant genetic differentiation was detected among eight populations based on 1,655 SNPs (FST = 0.0057, p < .001) and a subset of 1,643 putatively neutral SNP markers (FST = 0.0042, p < .001). Oceanography influences genetic structure, with redundancy analysis (RDA) indicating significant contribution of asymmetric ocean currents to neutral genetic variation (Radj2 = 0.133, p = .035). Genetic structure may also reflect demographic factors, with divergent populations characterized by low effective population sizes (N e < 50). Pronounced latitudinal genetic structure was recovered for loci putatively under selection (FST = 0.2390, p < .001), significantly correlated with sea surface temperature variabilities during peak spawning months for S. olivacea (Radj2 = 0.692–0.763; p < .050), suggesting putative signatures of selection and local adaptation to thermal clines. While oceanography and dispersal ability likely shape patterns of gene flow and genetic structure of S. olivacea across the Sulu Sea, the impacts of genetic drift and natural selection influenced by sea surface temperature also appear as likely drivers of population genetic structure. This study contributes to the growing body of literature documenting population genetic structure and local adaptation for highly dispersive marine species, and provides information useful for spatial management of the fishery resource.

Risk and resilience among Asian American youth: Ramifications of discrimination and low authenticity in self-presentations.

This study examines adjustment patterns among a group neglected in developmental science-Asian American students in high-achieving schools. National reports have declared such schools to connote risk for elevated problems among teens. Asian American students are commonly referred to as model minorities, but little is known about adjustment issues within academically competitive settings, specifically. Guided by past research on culturally salient issues, multiple U.S. high schools were examined to (a) determine areas of relative strength versus weakness in adjustment of Asian Americans compared with Whites, and (b) more importantly, to illuminate salient within-group processes related to Asian Americans' well-being. Risk modifiers examined were perceptions of ethnic discrimination, parent perfectionism, internalized achievement pressure, authenticity in self-presentation, and closeness to school adults. Outcome variables included depression, anxiety, and isolation at school. Results demonstrated that Asian Americans fared better than Whites on anxiety and school isolation, but with low effect sizes. By contrast, they fared more poorly on almost all risk modifiers, with a large effect size on discrimination. Regression results showed that among Asian Americans the most consistent associations, across cohorts and outcomes, were for discrimination and authenticity. Findings underscore the need for greater recognition that discrimination could be inimical for students not typically thought of as vulnerable-Asian Americans in high-achieving schools; these issues are especially pressing in light of increased racism following coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Results also suggest that feelings of inauthenticity could be a marker of generalized vulnerability to internalizing symptoms. Implications for future theory and interventions are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Meiotic drive does not cause condition-dependent reduction of the sexual ornament in stalk-eyed flies.

Meiotic drive systems are associated with low-frequency chromosomal inversions. These are expected to accumulate deleterious mutations due to reduced recombination and low effective population size. We test this prediction using the 'sex-ratio' (SR) meiotic drive system of the Malaysian stalk-eyed fly Teleopsis dalmanni. SR is associated with a large inversion (or inversions) on the X chromosome. In particular, we study eyespan in males carrying the SR chromosome, as this trait is a highly exaggerated, sexually dimorphic trait, known to have heightened condition-dependent expression. Larvae were raised in low and high larval food stress environments. SR males showed reduced eyespan under the low and high stress treatments, but there was no evidence of a condition-dependent decrease in eyespan under high stress. Similar but more complex patterns were observed for female eyespan, with evidence of additivity under low stress and heterosis under high stress. These results do not support the hypothesis that reduced sexual ornament size in meiotic drive males is due to a condition-dependent response to the putative increase in mutation load. Instead, reduced eyespan likely reflects compensatory resource allocation to different traits in response to drive-mediated destruction of sperm.

Measurement of Change with the Short Form of the OPD Structure Questionnaire (OPD-SQS)

The transdiagnostic concept of personality structure plays a key role in psychodynamic nosology, since many mental and psychosocial disorders are considered mainfestations of structural vulnerabilities and deficits. Therefore, structural diagnostics is of particular importance, especially with respect to the planning of tailor-made psychotherapeutic interventions. Because changes in personality structure are increasingly being considered as a relevant therapeutic goal, any measures employed towards achieving this goal should be sensitive enough to capture these changes appropriately. Although the short form of the OPD Structure Questionnaire (OPD-SQS) can easily be administered and is therefore frequently used in clinical and research settings, its sensitivity to change has not yet been analyzed. Two large, independent and diagnostically heterogeneous samples of inpatient psychotherapy patients (n=1183 and n=967, respectively) completed the OPD-SQS both at admission and before discharge. Standardized Effect Size (SES), Standardized Response Mean (SRM) and Smallest Real Difference (SRD) were computed as indicators of the measure's ability to capture change. For the OPD-SQS and its subscales, low effect sizes were found in both samples (SES between 0.23 and 0.48; SRM between 0.27 and 0.53). Additionally, it was demonstrated that greater changes among patients with structural deficits were detectable with the OPD-SQS compared to those without structural deficits, and that these group differences were significant. By means of the SRD, we determined a proportion of about 22% of patients with significantly structurally improved changes in both samples. Despite some methodological issues, our findings suggest that the OPD-SQS is suitable for measuring changes in personality structure in inpatients between the beginning and the end of treatment. Since studies on the sensitivity to change of similar assessment tools are still pending, it is not yet possible to formulate any empirically validated recommendations as to which of the measure best captures therapeutically induced changes in personality structure.

Genetic Distinctiveness but Low Diversity Characterizes Rear-Edge Thuja standishii (Gordon) Carr. (Cupressaceae) Populations in Southwest Japan

Rear-edge populations are of significant scientific interest because they can contain allelic variation not found in core-range populations. However, such populations can differ in their level of genetic diversity and divergence reflecting variation in life-history traits, demographic histories and human impacts. Using 13 EST-microsatellites, we investigated the genetic diversity and differentiation of rear-edge populations of the Japanese endemic conifer Thuja standishii (Gordon) Carr. in southwest Japan from the core-range in northeast Japan. Range-wide genetic differentiation was moderate (Fst = 0.087), with northeast populations weakly differentiated (Fst = 0.047), but harboring high genetic diversity (average population-level Ar = 4.76 and Ho = 0.59). In contrast, rear-edge populations were genetically diverged (Fst = 0.168), but contained few unique alleles with lower genetic diversity (Ar = 3.73, Ho = 0.49). The divergence between rear-edge populations exceeding levels observed in the core-range and results from ABC analysis and species distribution modelling suggest that these populations are most likely relicts of the Last Glacial Maximum. However, despite long term persistence, low effective population size, low migration between populations and genetic drift have worked to promote the genetic differentiation of southwest Japan populations of T. standishii without the accumulation of unique alleles.