No Shelter for Singles: The Perceived Legitimacy of Marital Status Discrimination

Providing the first empirical evidence of discrimination against singles, participants in multiple experiments favored married couples over various types of singles and failed to recognize such differential treatment as discrimination. In four experiments, undergraduates and rental agents read descriptions of multiple applicants for a rental property and chose one. The applicant pool, varying across experiments, included a married couple and different types of singles. Although the applicants were similar on substantive dimensions, participants consistently chose the married couple over the singles and explicitly stated that the applicants' marital status influenced their choice. In Experiment 5, participants read examples of housing discrimination against singles and other more recognized stigmatized groups. Participants rated discrimination against singles as more legitimate than discrimination against virtually all of the other groups

Visual art-making as a resource for living positively with arthritis: An interpretative phenomenological analysis of older women’s accounts

This is the post-print version of the final paper published in Journal of Aging Studies. The published article is available from the link below. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. Copyright @ 2010 Elsevier B.V.This study explored whether and how visual art-making, as a leisure activity, provided a coping resource for older women affected by arthritis. Twelve older women (aged 62–81) were interviewed. They had lived with arthritis for many years, and engaged in arts and crafts regularly. Transcripts were explored through Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Three main themes were identified. Firstly, most participants experienced art-making as a powerful means of controlling arthritis pain, through deep concentration, and through use of color and imagery. Secondly, participants experienced art-making as encouraging sustained attention to the outside world, offering psychological escape from the confines of the body and home. Thirdly, art-making protected and promoted identity, for example, through integrating current and former selves, enabling participants to express and re-experience certain valued memories, and engage in personal development. Some participants felt able to celebrate positive difference from others, on the basis of their art rather than their illness

Track A Basic Science

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/138319/1/jia218438.pd

Characterization of the Recombination Landscape in Red-Breasted and Taiga Flycatchers

Between closely related species there are genomic regions with a higher level of differentiation compared to the rest of the genome. For a time it was believed that these regions harbored loci important for speciation but it has now been shown that these patterns can arise from other mechanisms, like recombination. The aim of this project was to estimate the recombination landscape for red-breasted flycatcher (Ficedula parva) and taiga flycatcher (F. albicilla) using patterns of linkage disequilibrium. For the analysis, 15 red-breasted and 65 taiga individuals were used. Scaffolds on autosomes were phased using fastPHASE and the population recombination rate was estimated using LDhelmet. To investigate the accuracy of the phasing, two re-phasings were done for one scaffold. The correlation between the rephases were weak on the fine-scale, and strong between means in 200 kb windows. 2,176 recombination hotspots were detected in red-breasted flycatcher and 2,187 in taiga flycatcher. Of those 175 hotspots were shared, more than what was expected by chance if the species were completely independent (31 hotspots). Both species showed a small increase in the rate at hotspots unique to the other species. The low number of shared hotspots might indicate that the recombination landscape is less conserved between red-breasted and taiga flycatchers than found between collared and pied flycatcher. However, the investigation of the phasing step indicate that the fine-scale estimation, on which hotspots are found, might not be reliable. For future analysis, it is important to use high-quality data and carefully chose methods

Characterization of the Recombination Landscape in Red-Breasted and Taiga Flycatchers

Between closely related species there are genomic regions with a higher level of differentiation compared to the rest of the genome. For a time it was believed that these regions harbored loci important for speciation but it has now been shown that these patterns can arise from other mechanisms, like recombination. The aim of this project was to estimate the recombination landscape for red-breasted flycatcher (Ficedula parva) and taiga flycatcher (F. albicilla) using patterns of linkage disequilibrium. For the analysis, 15 red-breasted and 65 taiga individuals were used. Scaffolds on autosomes were phased using fastPHASE and the population recombination rate was estimated using LDhelmet. To investigate the accuracy of the phasing, two re-phasings were done for one scaffold. The correlation between the rephases were weak on the fine-scale, and strong between means in 200 kb windows. 2,176 recombination hotspots were detected in red-breasted flycatcher and 2,187 in taiga flycatcher. Of those 175 hotspots were shared, more than what was expected by chance if the species were completely independent (31 hotspots). Both species showed a small increase in the rate at hotspots unique to the other species. The low number of shared hotspots might indicate that the recombination landscape is less conserved between red-breasted and taiga flycatchers than found between collared and pied flycatcher. However, the investigation of the phasing step indicate that the fine-scale estimation, on which hotspots are found, might not be reliable. For future analysis, it is important to use high-quality data and carefully chose methods

Findzx : an automated pipeline for detecting and visualising sex chromosomes using whole-genome sequencing data

Background: Sex chromosomes have evolved numerous times, as revealed by recent genomic studies. However, large gaps in our knowledge of sex chromosome diversity across the tree of life remain. Filling these gaps, through the study of novel species, is crucial for improved understanding of why and how sex chromosomes evolve. Characterization of sex chromosomes in already well-studied organisms is also important to avoid misinterpretations of population genomic patterns caused by undetected sex chromosome variation. Results: Here we present findZX, an automated Snakemake-based computational pipeline for detecting and visualizing sex chromosomes through differences in genome coverage and heterozygosity between any number of males and females. A main feature of the pipeline is the option to perform a genome coordinate liftover to a reference genome of another species. This allows users to inspect sex-linked regions over larger contiguous chromosome regions, while also providing important between-species synteny information. To demonstrate its effectiveness, we applied findZX to publicly available genomic data from species belonging to widely different taxonomic groups (mammals, birds, reptiles, and fish), with sex chromosome systems of different ages, sizes, and levels of differentiation. We also demonstrate that the liftover method is robust over large phylogenetic distances (> 80 million years of evolution). Conclusions: With findZX we provide an easy-to-use and highly effective tool for identification of sex chromosomes. The pipeline is compatible with both Linux and MacOS systems, and scalable to suit different computational platforms

A Prediction of Antibiotic Resistance with Regard to Urinary and Respiratory Tract Infections

In this project we set out to find when the resistance level against first line antibiotics would reach 20%. This was executed by first defining relevant bacteria and antibiotics for urinary and respiratory tract infections (UTI's, RTI's). The data was collected from the European Center for Disease Control (ECDC) and the Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics & Policy (CDDEP). The data included the level of resistance for specific years for countries in Europe, as well as for the USA. A prediction model was made using the programming language R. A linear model was used to make a five and ten year prediction. The accuracy was tested. The results were then visualized using R and MATLAB. The results show a big variation between different bacteria and antibiotic combinations. For the two E. coli combinations the resistance is already near 20% for many countries and the resistance is increasing. For the three K. pneumoniae combinations the resistance is high in Southern Europe, meaning many countries have reached or are near 20%. For the two P. aeruginosa combinations there is also a higher resistance in Southern Europe but the resistance is decreasing in most countries. The resistance for E. faecalis is also decreasing and is generally very low in all of Europe. For the only RTI relevant combination, S. pneumoniae and penicillins, the resistance is low and many countries except for Sweden show a decrease in resistance. The USA did not have data for the same time span as Europe and was therefore analyzed separately. For many combinations the USA are near the 20% limit. Only for two combinations the USA showed a decrease in resistance level, and for one of those combinations the prediction is too uncertain to make any assumptions about. For the USA there were two more combinations for RTI than for Europe. For the S. pneumoniae and penicillins combination they have, just as most of Europe, a decreasing resistance. The two combinations with Acinetobacter spp. have a high resistance that is increasing. The main challenge during this project was finding relevant data with a long timespan and with high certainty. The data found is based on invasive isolates which means that the disease which the samples are taken from is not known. The timespan and the certainty of the data affected the accuracy of the prediction model and how long period that could be predicted. The prediction model generated 202 predictions that were visualized. An ethical analysis was made concerning both research ethics and general ethics on the topic of antibiotic resistance. This analysis is meant to acknowledge these questions since we believe they are important when discussing antibiotic resistance. The objective of this project turned out to be more difficult to attain than first believed. This was because of the lack of quality data. Even though we cannot give a clear answer when each country will reach a resistance of 20% this report gives a good understanding of how the situation looks for UTI and RTI relevant bacteria

A Prediction of Antibiotic Resistance with Regard to Urinary and Respiratory Tract Infections

In this project we set out to find when the resistance level against first line antibiotics would reach 20%. This was executed by first defining relevant bacteria and antibiotics for urinary and respiratory tract infections (UTI's, RTI's). The data was collected from the European Center for Disease Control (ECDC) and the Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics & Policy (CDDEP). The data included the level of resistance for specific years for countries in Europe, as well as for the USA. A prediction model was made using the programming language R. A linear model was used to make a five and ten year prediction. The accuracy was tested. The results were then visualized using R and MATLAB. The results show a big variation between different bacteria and antibiotic combinations. For the two E. coli combinations the resistance is already near 20% for many countries and the resistance is increasing. For the three K. pneumoniae combinations the resistance is high in Southern Europe, meaning many countries have reached or are near 20%. For the two P. aeruginosa combinations there is also a higher resistance in Southern Europe but the resistance is decreasing in most countries. The resistance for E. faecalis is also decreasing and is generally very low in all of Europe. For the only RTI relevant combination, S. pneumoniae and penicillins, the resistance is low and many countries except for Sweden show a decrease in resistance. The USA did not have data for the same time span as Europe and was therefore analyzed separately. For many combinations the USA are near the 20% limit. Only for two combinations the USA showed a decrease in resistance level, and for one of those combinations the prediction is too uncertain to make any assumptions about. For the USA there were two more combinations for RTI than for Europe. For the S. pneumoniae and penicillins combination they have, just as most of Europe, a decreasing resistance. The two combinations with Acinetobacter spp. have a high resistance that is increasing. The main challenge during this project was finding relevant data with a long timespan and with high certainty. The data found is based on invasive isolates which means that the disease which the samples are taken from is not known. The timespan and the certainty of the data affected the accuracy of the prediction model and how long period that could be predicted. The prediction model generated 202 predictions that were visualized. An ethical analysis was made concerning both research ethics and general ethics on the topic of antibiotic resistance. This analysis is meant to acknowledge these questions since we believe they are important when discussing antibiotic resistance. The objective of this project turned out to be more difficult to attain than first believed. This was because of the lack of quality data. Even though we cannot give a clear answer when each country will reach a resistance of 20% this report gives a good understanding of how the situation looks for UTI and RTI relevant bacteria

The Acute Effect of Various Feedback Approaches on Sprint Performance, Motivation, and Affective Mood States in Highly Trained Female Athletes: A Randomized Crossover Trial

PURPOSE: This crossover trial compared the effects of varying feedback approaches on sprint performance, motivation, and affective mood states in female athletes. METHODS: Eligibility criteria were being competitive female athletes, where participants completed sprint tests in 4 randomized feedback conditions on grass, including augmented feedback (sprint time; AUG-FB), technical feedback (cues; TECH-FB), a competition-driven drill (CDD) sprinting against an opponent, and a control condition (no feedback; CON). Participants completed a 20-m sprint (maximum sprint), 30-m curved agility sprint, and a repeated sprint ability test, with sprint times, motivation level, and mood states recorded. The participants were blinded from the number of trials during the repeated sprint ability test. RESULTS: About 12 rugby league players completed all feedback conditions. The maximum sprint times were faster for AUG-FB (3.54 [0.16] s) and CDD (3.54 [0.16] s) compared with TECH-FB (3.64 [0.16] s), while there were no differences compared with CON (3.58 [0.17] s). The curved agility sprint times were faster for AUG-FB (5.42 [0.20] s) compared with TECH-FB (5.61 [0.21] s) and CON (5.57 [0.24] s), although CDD (5.38 [0.26] s) produced faster sprint times than TECH-FB. Effort and value were higher with AUG-FB (6.31 [0.68]; 6.53 [0.05]) compared with CON (5.99 [0.60]; 4.75 [2.07]), while CON exhibited lower enjoyment ratings (4.68 [0.95]) compared with other feedback conditions (AUG-FB: 5.54 [0.72]; CDD: 5.56 [0.67]; TECH-FB: 5.60 [0.56]). CONCLUSIONS: Providing AUG-FB prior to sprint tasks enhances more immediate performance outcomes than TECH-FB. AUG-FB also benefited athlete enjoyment, task effort, and coaching value. Female athletes should receive AUG-FB in testing and training environments, to improve immediate physical performance and motivation