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On April 4, 2018, Newfoundland and Labrador Supreme Court Justice Robert Fowler issued a landmark decision in C.C. (Re) [2018] NLSC 71 Carswell Nfld 110 making three adults—in a polyamorous relationship with one another—the legal parents to their young daughter. This was a significant decision in Canada, since Newfoundland and Labrador was the first jurisdiction to grant legal parental status to adults in a polyamorous relationship. In 2021, British Columbia's Supreme Court made a similar decision in British Columbia Birth Registration No. 2018-XX-XX5815, 2021 BCSC 767. While these cases seem progressive, proponents of the legal and social expansion of parentage should remain cautious. The decisions' potential for changing the landscape of family law and social perceptions of non-dyadic parenting are stymied by the persistence of privatised sex and gender norms and racialised constructions of sexuality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Life-history variation is the raw material of adaptation, and understanding its genetic and environmental underpinnings is key to designing effective conservation strategies. We used large-scale genetic pedigree reconstruction of anadromous steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) from the Russian River, CA, USA, to elucidate sex-specific patterns of life-history traits and their heritability. SNP data from adults returning from sea over a 14-year period were used to identify 13,474 parent-offspring trios. These pedigrees were used to determine age structure, size distributions and family sizes for these fish, as well as to estimate the heritability of two key life-history traits, spawn date and age at maturity (first reproduction). Spawn date was highly heritable (h2  = 0.73) and had a cross-sex genetic correlation near unity. We provide the first estimate of heritability for age at maturity in ocean-going fish from this species and found it to be highly heritable (h2 from 0.29 to 0.62, depending on sex and method), with a much lower genetic correlation across sexes. We also evaluated genotypes at a migration-associated inversion polymorphism and found sex-specific correlations with age at maturity. The significant heritability of these two key reproductive traits in these imperiled fish, and their patterns of inheritance in the two sexes, is consistent with predictions of both natural and sexually antagonistic selection (sexes experience opposing selection pressures). This emphasizes the importance of anthropogenic factors, including hatchery practices and ecosystem modifications, in shaping the fitness of this species, thus providing important guidance for management and conservation efforts.

This article provides an overview of barriers faced by LGBTQ+ people with respect to Assisted Reproductive Treatment (ART). It proceeds in four parts and addresses four different identities who may be impacted differently. The article first addresses access to ART by gay and single men. It then focuses on the question of who is recognized as a parent legally and how that impacts ART. The article next addresses reciprocal intravenous fertilization (IVF) issues for lesbian couples. Finally, it focuses on access to ART for transmen and women. ART impacts the LGBTQ+ community in unique ways depending on many factors, and this article provides an overview of those factors and the importance of addressing all of them. Key Points: Different members of the LGBTQ+ community face different barriers to ART.It remains difficult in some jurisdictions to participate in ART, either for legal or financial reasons, as it is often not considered medically necessary for LGBTQ+ people who are not "medically infertile."Lesbian couples face issues related to parentage because one parent may not be considered legally a parent, and the sperm donor's legal rights are not sufficiently determined in all jurisdictions.Having the correct parental designation for transmen on birth certificates remains difficult for them in many jurisdictions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Parentage analysis is a routine methodology in fisheries research, but study systems exist where it is impractical to sample both parents. The ability to reliably assign offspring to a single parent is beneficial in these situations. We applied single‐parentage assignments to a naturally spawning population of Chinook Salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha to quantify production of anadromous returns by unsampled precocial males. Methods: We used an approach that focused on two important aspects of parentage analyses: (1) addressing the presence of family structure within the set of sampled parents and (2) controlling for false‐positive and false‐negative assignments. Result: Results indicated that 30% of reproductively successful males were precocial males, which produced 20% of the returning anadromous offspring. Conclusion: This study provides a framework for applying single‐parent assignments in a salmonid study system while explicitly addressing sources of assignment errors. Impact statementApplication of single‐parent assignments revealed that a precocial resident population of Chinook Salmon contributed substantially to returns of anadromous adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Population & Sociétés is the property of Institut National d'Etudes Demographiques and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The International Society for Animal Genetics (ISAG) currently advocates for a transition towards single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers as a potential alternative for equine parentage verification. To ascertain the efficacy of this transition, it is imperative to evaluate the performance of parentage testing using SNPs in juxtaposition with short tandem repeats (STRs). As per ISAG's recommendation, we used an equine genotyping‐by‐sequencing panel with 144 SNPs for this purpose. Equine parentage is currently realized using 16 microsatellites (STRs) excluding the LEX3 marker. In this study, 1074 horses were genotyped using the 144 SNPs panel, including 432 foals, 414 mares, and 228 stallions, from five different breeds: 293 Arabians, 167 Barbs, 189 Thoroughbreds, 73 Anglo‐Arabians, and 352 Arabian‐Barbs. As a result, two SNPs markers were eliminated from the panel system due to inconsistent amplification across all examined individuals leaving 142 SNPs markers for analysis. A comparative analysis between SNPs and STRs markers revealed that the mean expected heterozygosity was 0.457 for SNPs and 0.76 for STRs, while the mean observed heterozygosity stood at 0.472 for SNPs and 0.72 for STRs. Furthermore, the probability of identity was calculated to be 5.722 × 10−57 for SNPs and 1.25 × 10−15 for STRs markers. In alignment with the Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium in polyploids test, 110 out of the total SNPs were consistent with the Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium in polyploids test (p > 0.05). Employing both SNPs and STRs markers, the mean polymorphic information content was discerned to be 0.351 for SNPs and 0.72 for STRs. The cumulative exclusion probabilities for SNP markers exceeded 99.99%, indicating that the 142 SNPs panel might be adequate for parentage testing. In contrast, when utilizing STRs markers, the combined average exclusion probabilities for one and both parents were determined to be 99.8% and 99.9%, respectively. Our comprehensive study underscores the potential of SNPs in equine parentage verification, especially when compared to STRs in terms of exclusion probabilities. As a corollary, the application of SNPs for parentage verification and identification can significantly contribute to the conservation initiative for the five Moroccan horse breeds. Nonetheless, further research is required to address and replace the deficient SNPs within the panel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many sport horse studbooks worldwide use microsatellite markers for parentage verification. However, many have expressed a desire to introduce genomic selection using genome-wide dense single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotypes to complement their current breeding programmes. Hence, it does not make sense to genotype the same animal for both microsatellite markers and SNP markers. Transitioning to SNP-based parentage verification is an obvious solution but one barrier to this transition is the lack of SNP data on parents from which to verify parentage against. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess the ability to impute the SNP genotype of a stallion from the genotypes of its progeny, with or without the consideration of the genotype of the progeny’s dam. Genotype information from 55 935 SNPs was available on 13 327 horses. A total of 98 stallions had genotype data on 10 progeny and the genotypes of these stallions were used as a test population. Genome-wide genotype imputation was undertaken by combining a family- and population-based imputation approach. Several different scenarios were assessed to quantify the ability to accurately impute the genotype of a stallion based on genotype data of incrementally more half-sibling progeny. Using genomic information from four progeny the average genotype concordance of the imputed sire genotype compared to the actual sire’s genotype was 0.932. The average genotype concordance rate increased to 0.960 when the genotypes of 10 progeny were included in the imputation process. The inclusion of the genotypes of the dams of the progeny improved the concordance rate from 0.932 to 0.977 when based on the genotype of just four progeny and their dams and from 0.960 to 0.996 when based on the genotype of 10 progeny and their dams. These results suggest it is possible to impute the genotype of a non-genotyped horse from the genotypes of its progeny and that the inclusion of the genotypes of the dams of the progeny improves this imputation accuracy further.

This article discusses a case in which a couple, JK and PQ, who were unable to conceive through IVF treatment, devised a plan for PQ to mix his sperm with that of his father, RS, and inject it into JK's vagina. This resulted in the birth of a child, D, and PQ was registered as the father. However, JK and PQ later separated, and the local authority brought care proceedings due to concerns about JK's behavior and neglect of the children. The local authority sought a declaration of parentage and DNA testing, but the court ultimately refused these applications. The judge acknowledged that testing and disclosure of the results could benefit the relationship between PQ and D, but concluded that it was not necessary for resolving the welfare issues. The article also highlights the importance of establishing biological parentage in children's cases and the need to protect children's interests in knowing their biological parentage. [Extracted from the article]

In this cross‐sectional study performed in Canada, we evaluated the frustration levels of prepartum and postpartum mother and father couple‐pairs. Our goal was to determine if there were differences in frustration levels between mothers and fathers while listening to prolonged infant crying, and further, how frustration levels might differ between prepartum and postpartum samples. Using two discrete groups, prepartum (Sample 1; N = 48) and postpartum (Sample 2; N = 44) mother and father couple‐pairs completed 600 s of listening to audio‐recorded infant cry sounds. Participants continuously reported their subjective frustration using a computerized Continuous Visual Analog Scale (CVAS). There was no significant difference in frustration responses between mothers and fathers across both prepartum and postpartum samples. Postpartum mothers and fathers experienced greater frustration than their prepartum counterparts, and frustration increased faster in postpartum couples compared to prepartum couples. Informing first‐time parents of the universal experiences of frustration to prolonged crying bouts that are characteristic of their infant's early weeks of life may lead to greater understanding towards their infant, and perhaps decreased instances of harmful responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bi-parental hybrids (BPHs) are recommended cocoa planting materials in Ghana and other West African countries. However, the inability to produce enough BPHs to meet farmers' demand makes it almost impossible to avoid open-pollinated families (OPF) in the supply chain. To study the effects of OPF on cocoa production, parentage analysis, vigor, and precocity of seven BPHs generated from a 4 × 2 North Carolina II (NC II) incomplete mating design were compared with eight OPFs. The 15 cocoa progenies together with two checks of Guiana (GU) origin were evaluated in a randomized complete block design with four replications across five contrasting locations for stem diameter increment (SDI) and number of pods per tree (NP). Parentage analyses at 75 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) loci of leave samples from the 17 progenies revealed that the BPHs were of the appropriate female and male parents, while the OPF had varying number of male parents. The pollination effect (bi-parental vs open-pollinated progenies) was not significantly different for both traits, but the BPH was relatively better and surpassed on average the OPF by 3.5% for SDI and 7.8% for NP. Crosses involving GU 144/ C, T63/967, and T65/238 as females in both the OPF and BPH showed predominantly higher performance than those with PA 7 and T79/501 for both traits. Among the promising female parents, GU 144/C is the only one that is not in the seed gardens and could be added to parental clones currently used in producing cocoa varieties in the seed garden. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have found evidence for a causal effect of household chaos on parenting and suggest that this effect may be stronger for parents with higher sensory‐processing sensitivity (SPS) or lower self‐regulation. This study investigates whether primary caregivers of children around age 1.5–2 years show greater improvement in parenting after a decrease in household chaos if parents have higher SPS or lower self‐regulation. The study employs a randomized controlled trial (RCT) design with an intervention aimed at reducing household chaos. A total of 125 parents of toddlers participated in the study. All participants were living in the Netherlands at the time of the study, 89% identified with the Dutch ethnicity and 11% with a non‐Dutch ethnicity. Self‐report as well as objective measures were used, including videotaped parent‐child interactions and home observations. The effect of the intervention on parenting did not depend on SPS or self‐regulation. When studying the relation between change in measures of household chaos and posttest parenting, decreased self‐reported household chaos was related to less harsh discipline in parents with higher self‐regulation, and to more harsh discipline in parents with lower self‐regulation. However, this is a tentative finding that should be further explored in future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modern fisheries management strives to balance opposing goals of protection for weak stocks and opportunity for harvesting healthy stocks. Test fisheries can aid management of anadromous fishes if they can forecast the strength and timing of an annual run with adequate time to allow fisheries planning. Integration of genetic stock identification (GSI) can further maximize utility of test fisheries by resolving run forecasts into weak‐ and healthy‐stock subcomponents. Using 5 years (2017–2022) of test fishery data, our study evaluated accuracy, resolution, and lead time of predictions for stock‐specific run timing and abundance of Columbia River spring Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha). We determined if this test fishery (1) could use visual stock identification (VSI) to forecast at the coarse stock resolution (i.e., classification of "lower" vs. "upriver" stocks) upon which current management is based and (2) could be enhanced with GSI to forecast at higher stock resolution. VSI accurately identified coarse stocks (83.3% GSI concordance), and estimated a proxy for abundance (catch per unit effort, CPUE) of the upriver stock in the test fishery that was correlated (R2 = 0.90) with spring Chinook salmon abundance at Bonneville dam (Rkm 235). Salmon travel rates (~8.6 Rkm/day) provided predictions with 2‐week lead time prior to dam passage. Importantly, GSI resolved this predictive ability as finely as the hatchery broodstock level. Lower river stock CPUE in the test fishery was correlated with abundance at Willamette Falls (Rkm 196, R2 = 0.62), but could not be as finely resolved as achieved for upriver stocks. We described steps to combine VSI and GSI to provide timely in‐season information and with prediction accuracy of ~12.4 mean absolute percentage error and high stock resolution to help plan Columbia River mainstem fisheries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This dataset provides the estimated birth location, sex, assigned parents, and estimated birth and death dates of 920 gray‐sided voles (Myodes rufocanus) born in a 3‐ha outdoor enclosure in Sapporo, Japan between September 1992 and May 1994, as well as capture–recapture data for 30 trapping sessions. We introduced 22 males and 25 females from several natural populations into the enclosure in late September 1992. Individuals in the enclosure were captured using live traps every 2 weeks until late April 1994, except for periods with deep snow cover. The location, body weight, and reproductive status of each vole were monitored throughout the study period. Complementary trapping was performed within the home ranges of breeding females to mark juveniles as early as possible. Upon first capture, each individual was marked by toe clipping for subsequent identification, and the clipped toes were used as DNA samples. For each individual, candidate parents were selected based on female reproduction history and capture points. Parentage then was determined using genotypes at 3–5 microsatellite loci with the CERVUS program. The results show that individuals born in the enclosure (N = 920) were derived from 215 litters, among which multiple males sired 51 litters. We used this database to elucidate the promiscuous mating system and inbreeding‐avoidance mechanism of the gray‐sided vole and to develop a new method for estimating the frequency of multiple‐male mating. This dataset will contribute to future behavioral ecological research on this and other small mammal species. The complete data set for this abstract published in the Data Article section of the journal is available in electronic format in MetaCat in JaLTER at http://db.cger.nies.go.jp/JaLTER/metacat/metacat/ERDP-2023-03.1/jalter-en. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evaluating salmon hatchery supplementation programs requires assessing not only program objectives but identifying potential risks to wild populations as well. Such evaluations can be hampered by difficulty in distinguishing between hatchery‐ and wild‐born returning adults. Here, we conducted 3 years (2011–2013) of experimental hatchery supplementation of sockeye salmon in Auke Lake, Juneau, Alaska where a permanent weir allows sampling and genotyping of every returning adult (2008–2019). We identified both hatchery‐ and wild‐born returning adults with parentage assignment, quantified the productivity (adult offspring/spawner) of hatchery spawners relative to that of wild spawners, and compared run timing, age, and size at age between hatchery‐ and wild‐born adults. Hatchery‐spawning females produced from approximately six to 50 times more returning adults than did naturally spawning females. Supplementation had no discernable effect on run timing and limited consequences for size at age, but we observed a distinct shift to younger age at maturity in the hatchery‐born individuals in all three brood years. The shift appeared to be driven by hatchery‐born fish being more likely to emigrate after one, rather than two, years in the lake but the cause is unknown. In cases when spawning or incubation habitat is limiting sockeye salmon production, hatchery supplementation can be effective for enhancing the number of returning adult fish but not without the risk of phenotypic change in the recipient population, which can be an undesired outcome of hatchery supplementation. This study adds to a growing body of evidence suggesting that phenotypic change within a single generation of captive spawning might be widespread in salmon hatchery programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Enfances, Familles, Generations is the property of Enfances, Familles, Generations and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: Genetic testing is required for the registration of foals of most equine breeds. Objectives: To describe two clinical cases of marked delayed embryonic development or delayed fertilisation in pregnancies generated by embryo transfer. Study design: Case report. Methods: Donor mares were inseminated with semen from one stallion during one oestrous cycle and semen from a different stallion on the subsequent oestrous cycle. Embryo(s) were collected 8 days after ovulation during the second oestrous cycle and transferred into synchronised recipient mares. Genetic testing was performed to determine parentage of the two foals. Results: For both foals, DNA parentage testing excluded the second stallion as the genetic sire and confirmed that the first stallion, whose semen was inseminated on the previous oestrous cycle, was the actual genetic sire. Main limitations: Rare event in horses; two clinical cases are described. Conclusions: It is hypothesised that either marked delayed embryonic development or extended sperm survival occurred in the donor mares. Without genetic testing, parentage assignment based solely on breeding records would have been incorrect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vitis vinifera L. has been present in Ibiza and Formentera, two islands of the Balearic Islands (Spain), since the 7th century BC. In the past few years, there have been several studies and investigations on the Balearic Islands. These have focused mainly on Mallorca and Menorca with a small representation of Ibiza and none that take into account Formentera. This research aims to contribute to the knowledge of Vitis cultivars cultivated on those islands and to investigate whether there are local cultivars still being grown. To do this, using an ethnobotanical approach, 15 persons were interviewed to gather information about local grapevines, and 36 accessions from 12 plots were characterized using ampelographic descriptors and identified using SSR markers. Relationships of the accessions studied with other cultivars were also assessed. The results show 21 different genotypes profiles, where six were new genotypes: 'Colló de gall', 'Grec', 'Maçanet', 'VIEIV015-Maçanet', 'Morzacà', and 'Vermelleta'. Ten new synonyms and three homonyms have been proposed. Additionally, we suggest three new relationships for the 'Hebén' cultivar, one new relationship for the 'Llora' cultivar and one new relationship for the 'Beba' cultivar. These results show the first reported information for Ibiza and Formentera on Vitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Xinjiang Agricultural Sciences is the property of Xinjiang Agricultural Sciences Editorial Department and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Abstract Modern fisheries management strives to balance opposing goals of protection for weak stocks and opportunity for harvesting healthy stocks. Test fisheries can aid management of anadromous fishes if they can forecast the strength and timing of an annual run with adequate time to allow fisheries planning. Integration of genetic stock identification (GSI) can further maximize utility of test fisheries by resolving run forecasts into weak‐ and healthy‐stock subcomponents. Using 5 years (2017–2022) of test fishery data, our study evaluated accuracy, resolution, and lead time of predictions for stock‐specific run timing and abundance of Columbia River spring Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha). We determined if this test fishery (1) could use visual stock identification (VSI) to forecast at the coarse stock resolution (i.e., classification of “lower” vs. “upriver” stocks) upon which current management is based and (2) could be enhanced with GSI to forecast at higher stock resolution. VSI accurately identified coarse stocks (83.3% GSI concordance), and estimated a proxy for abundance (catch per unit effort, CPUE) of the upriver stock in the test fishery that was correlated (R2 = 0.90) with spring Chinook salmon abundance at Bonneville dam (Rkm 235). Salmon travel rates (~8.6 Rkm/day) provided predictions with 2‐week lead time prior to dam passage. Importantly, GSI resolved this predictive ability as finely as the hatchery broodstock level. Lower river stock CPUE in the test fishery was correlated with abundance at Willamette Falls (Rkm 196, R2 = 0.62), but could not be as finely resolved as achieved for upriver stocks. We described steps to combine VSI and GSI to provide timely in‐season information and with prediction accuracy of ~12.4 mean absolute percentage error and high stock resolution to help plan Columbia River mainstem fisheries.

Abstract Evaluating salmon hatchery supplementation programs requires assessing not only program objectives but identifying potential risks to wild populations as well. Such evaluations can be hampered by difficulty in distinguishing between hatchery‐ and wild‐born returning adults. Here, we conducted 3 years (2011–2013) of experimental hatchery supplementation of sockeye salmon in Auke Lake, Juneau, Alaska where a permanent weir allows sampling and genotyping of every returning adult (2008–2019). We identified both hatchery‐ and wild‐born returning adults with parentage assignment, quantified the productivity (adult offspring/spawner) of hatchery spawners relative to that of wild spawners, and compared run timing, age, and size at age between hatchery‐ and wild‐born adults. Hatchery‐spawning females produced from approximately six to 50 times more returning adults than did naturally spawning females. Supplementation had no discernable effect on run timing and limited consequences for size at age, but we observed a distinct shift to younger age at maturity in the hatchery‐born individuals in all three brood years. The shift appeared to be driven by hatchery‐born fish being more likely to emigrate after one, rather than two, years in the lake but the cause is unknown. In cases when spawning or incubation habitat is limiting sockeye salmon production, hatchery supplementation can be effective for enhancing the number of returning adult fish but not without the risk of phenotypic change in the recipient population, which can be an undesired outcome of hatchery supplementation. This study adds to a growing body of evidence suggesting that phenotypic change within a single generation of captive spawning might be widespread in salmon hatchery programs.

Research framework : The aspiration of sexual minorities to gain access to a kinship from which they were once excluded, the decline in the average age of first pregnancies and the multifactorial phenomenon of a decreasing number of adoptable children all point to the need to think differently about adoption, accepting that it needs not be exclusive of maintaining ties with the parents of origin. Objectives : The aim of this paper is to identify what adjustments could be made to enable simple adoption to realize its full potential in contemporary society.Methodology: The study was based primarily on an analysis of French legislation and jurisprudence, as well as theoretical insights, while also making allowance for comparative law (Canada, the United States and Cuba). Results: It appears that, despite the obvious need for greater recognition of elective filiation in a context of disconnection between biology and kinship, the idea of recognizing genuine pluriparentage remains difficult for the French legislature to accept, and that simple adoption remains devalued as a secondary source of filiation. Conclusions : To unleash the potential of simple adoption, it would suffice to make a few simple adjustments: equivalence of rights in terms of parental authority or inheritance taxation, use in the context of child protection and extension to all situations of multiple kinship, where it is in the child’s interest to have an additive parent recognized. Contribution : This article shows that the persistent difficulty of the French legislator to draw the consequences of recent societal evolutions, that it has nevertheless accompanied, is essentially linked to the tenacity of the myth of begetting, and that major evolutions could be achieved without much effort, for the benefit of children.

The stressful nature of parenting infants exacerbates the characteristics of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). Consequently, mothers with BPD tend to be emotionally dysregulated, respond impulsively to their infants, and have poorer mother–infant relationships. Few parenting interventions target the specific skill deficits observed in mothers with BPD. This study explored the differences in parental reflective functioning (PRF) and mother–infant relationship quality at baseline and following a 24‐week, group parenting intervention for mothers with BPD. PRF and mother‐infant relationship quality were assessed from quantitative (N = 23) and qualitative (N = 32) perspectives. Quantitative data (Parental Reflective Functioning Questionnaire) showed a significant improvement in one of the three subscales, Interest and Curiosity, between baseline and post‐intervention, and a significant moderate positive association between the subscale Certainty of Mental States and maternal‐infant interaction quality post‐intervention. Improvements in mother‐infant relationship quality were not evident from the observational measure, Nursing Child Assessment Satellite Teaching scale. In contrast, semi‐structured interview qualitative data found maternal improvements in parental reflection, coping strategies implemented post‐intervention, and quality of mother–infant relationships. Overwhelmingly positive intervention feedback suggested perceived maternal benefits of group format and skills taught. Future studies with larger sample sizes would allow further clarification of such parenting interventions for mothers with BPD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethics is concerned with the basis for moral judgments of "right" and "wrong" and is central to the clinical endeavor. Many clinicians integrate ethical estimations into their work without much conscious awareness. However, explicit use of ethical principles and frameworks can help navigate clinical decision‐making when there is a sense of moral conflict or ambiguity about the "right" course of action. This article aims to highlight the key concepts and principles in clinical ethics as they apply to IECMH practice and stimulate a bigger conversation in the profession around how to support each other to maintain high ethical standards in working with young children and their families. Specifically, the authors consider the relevance of Beauchamp and Childress' four principles framework (respect for autonomy, beneficence, non‐maleficence, and justice), and address some of the special ethical challenges in the field, namely, the vulnerability of the infant, the need for a competent workforce, caring for caregivers, and the problem of multiple patients. Finally, the role of infant rights is briefly explored, noting the significant interest and debate that has been generated by the publication of the World Association of Infant Mental Health's Position Paper on the Rights of Infants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Access to high-dimensional genomic information in many livestock species is accelerating. This has been greatly aided not only by continual reductions in genotyping costs but also an expansion in the services available that leverage genomic information to create a greater return-on-investment. Genomic information on individual animals has many uses including (1) parentage verification and discovery, (2) traceability, (3) karyotyping, (4) sex determination, (5) reporting and monitoring of mutations conferring major effects or congenital defects, (6) better estimating inbreeding of individuals and coancestry among individuals, (7) mating advice, (8) determining breed composition, (9) enabling precision management, and (10) genomic evaluations; genomic evaluations exploit genome-wide genotype information to improve the accuracy of predicting an animal’s (and by extension its progeny’s) genetic merit. Genomic data also provide a huge resource for research, albeit the outcome from this research, if successful, should eventually be realised through one of the ten applications already mentioned. The process for generating a genotype all the way from sample procurement to identifying erroneous genotypes is described, as are the steps that should be considered when developing a bespoke genotyping panel for practical application.

Maternal grandmothers play a vital role in the transition to motherhood for their own daughters. The current study adds to this literature by investigating the lived experience of motherhood for women who lacked a meaningful relationship with their mothers. Ten mothers of children under 2 years of age participated in a semi‐structured interview to explore their lived experiences of being a mother. Women were recruited from two parent‐infant services in Northern Ireland. The interviews were analyzed using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Three superordinate themes were identified: 'The Birth of a Mother', 'Mourning and Loss' and 'Ghosts in the Nursery'. The first theme captured the significant change of identity women experienced during their transition to motherhood. This identity change shed new light on their own experience of being mothered. The second theme captured the mourning and loss these women felt due to their relationship with their mother. Their lack of meaningful maternal relationships have left a hole impossible to fill. The final theme spoke to the intergenerational element of these mother's experience and their desire to break a cycle of maternal deprivation. The rich content from the interviews highlights the need for services to be aware of this struggle of motherhood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In plant populations, parentage analysis helps understand factors shaping individual reproductive success. However, estimating reproductive success determinants based on parentage counts requires decoupling the effects of individual fecundity and propagule dispersal. The neighbourhood model implemented in the NMπ software provides a standard solution for this problem based on the fixed‐effects regression‐like approach. Nonetheless, it has been recently shown that the method is prone to false discoveries when important fecundity determinants are omitted. To account for the unexplained variance in fecundity, the Bayesian approach was developed based on the new model (the hierarchical neighbourhood model; HNM). Here, I present the NMπ software update that allows the HNM approach to be used in the framework of a friendly interface. More importantly, the HNM approach is now made available for both dispersed (seedlings) and nondispersed (seeds with known mothers) progeny data. The Bayesian approach, among others, selects significant fecundity determinants, estimates the proportion of variance in reproductive potential explained by selected determinants (R2), and provides individual female and male fecundity values. Although the software was designed to handle microsatellite marker data, a solution is proposed for large sets of single nucleotide polymorphisms. The program can be run on Windows (using either a terminal or a graphical interface) as well as (using a terminal) on Linux, or macOS platforms. In any case, NMπ can utilize multicore processors to speed up the analysis. The updated package containing the code, the executable file, the user manual, and example data is available at https://www.ukw.edu.pl/pracownicy/plik/igor_chybicki/3694/. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims Cultivated bananas resulted from inter(sub)specific hybridizations involving Musa species and subspecies (M. acuminata subspecies, M. schizocarpa , M. balbisiana) and the subsequent selection, centuries ago, of hybrids with parthenocarpic, seedless fruits. Cultivars have low fertility and are vegetatively propagated, forming groups of somaclones. Relatively few of them, mainly triploids, are grown on a large scale and characterization of their parental relationships may be useful for breeding strategies. Here we investigate parental relationships and gamete-type contributions among diploid and polyploid banana cultivars. Methods We used SNP genotyping data from whole-genome sequencing of 178 banana individuals, including 111 cultivars, 55 wild bananas and 12 synthetic F 1 hybrids. We analysed the proportion of SNP sites in accordance with direct parentage with a global statistic and along chromosomes for selected individuals. Key Results We characterized parentage relationships for 7 diploid cultivars, 11 triploid cultivars and 1 tetraploid cultivar. Results showed that both diploid and triploid cultivars could have contributed gametes to other banana cultivars. Diploids may have contributed 1 x or 2 x gametes and triploids 1 x to 3 x gametes. The Mchare diploid cultivar group, nowadays only found in East Africa, was found as parent of two diploid and eight triploid cultivars. In five of its identified triploid offspring, corresponding to main export or locally popular dessert bananas, Mchare contributed a 2 x gamete with full genome restitution without recombination. Analyses of remaining haplotypes in these Mchare offspring suggested ancestral pedigree relationships between different interspecific banana cultivars. Conclusions The current cultivated banana resulted from different pathways of formation, with implication of recombined or un-recombined unreduced gametes produced by diploid or triploid cultivars. Identification of dessert banana's parents and the types of gametes they contributed should support the design of breeding strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.), fourth largest food crop in the world and is the major vegetable produced in India. New varieties with improved agronomic traits are released every year and characterizing these using both morphological and molecular techniques is not only vital for registration and univocal identification but also to quantify the diversity present within. To estimate the diversity present and to establish distantness among the 55 Indian potato cultivars, 50 morphological descriptors of distinctiveness, uniformity and stability (DUS) including 22 quantitative parameters were used along with 24 highly informative microsatellite or simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. The cultivars were grouped into 5 and 3 different clusters based on morphological parameters and molecular analysis respectively. Varieties, Kufri Kashigaro and Kufri Anand recorded the highest diversity value of 1.95 based on morphology, whereas two indigenous cultivars Phulwa and Jeevan Jyoti which are used as parents in breeding programs showed the highest diversity using molecular markers. As expected, SSR markers showed detailed and in-depth diversity with 294 polymorphic alleles and PIC (polymorphism informative content) value ranging from 0.57 to 0.91. The heterozygosity expected varied from 0.57 to 0.92 with an average Rp (resolving power) value of 4.57. Considerable diversity was observed in the Indian potato cultivars and these distinct cultivars may be used as parents for breeding of potato for wider environments and changing climatic scenario. Moreover, the genotypic data would serve as reference for distinguishing different cultivars of potato. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Responsive parenting (also known as responsivity) is a dynamic and bidirectional exchange between the parent‐child dyad and associated with a child's social and cognitive development. Optimal interactions require a sensitivity and understanding of a child's cues, responsiveness to the child's need, and a modification of the parent's behavior to meet this need. This qualitative study explored the impact of a home visiting program on mothers' perceptions of their responsivity to their children. This study is part of a larger body of research known as right@home, an Australian nurse home visiting program promoting children's learning and development. Preventative programs such as right@home prioritize population groups experiencing socioeconomic and psychosocial adversity. They provide opportunities to promote children's development through the enhancement of parenting skills and an increase in responsive parenting. Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with 12 mothers, providing insight into their perceptions of responsive parenting. Four themes were extracted from the data using inductive thematic analysis. These indicated that: (1) mothers' perceived preparation for parenting, (2) recognition of mother and child needs, (3) response to mother and child needs, and (4) motivation to parent with responsiveness, were considered important. This research highlights the importance of interventions that focus on the parent‐child relationship in increasing mother's parenting capabilities and promoting responsive parenting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the current research was to investigate the relationship between parenting style, culture, and infant development in a sample of Latin American mother‐infant dyads in Toronto, Canada. We examined associations between mothers' self‐reported parenting style and infant cognitive and socioemotional development, which we compared to results from mothers belonging to two other Canadian immigrant populations. We further examined whether specific cultural correlates, including affiliation with traditional Latinx cultural beliefs familism and fatalism and acculturation, were associated with positive parenting behaviors in the Latin American sample. Across all three cultural groups, authoritative parenting predicted adaptive socio‐emotional development, an effect which differed in magnitude across groups, providing support for the hypothesis that the effect of parenting behaviors on infant development are moderated by culture. Within the Latin American sample, affiliation with the value of familism was associated with higher scores of authoritative parenting, but familism decreased as acculturation to the host culture increased. This research adds to our understanding of factors that contribute to the well‐being of Latin American families in Canada. Findings carry implications for provision of infant mental health services to Latin American immigrant families by identifying cultural variables which should be considered when providing parenting interventions to make such interventions more culturally relevant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our objective was to establish a SNPs panel for pedigree reconstruction using microarrays of different densities and evaluate the genomic relationship coefficient of the inferred pedigree, in addition to analyzing the population structure based on genomic analyses in Gir cattle. For parentage analysis and genomic relationship, 16,205 genotyped Gir animals (14,458 females and 1747 males) and 1810 common markers to the four SNP microarrays were used. For population structure analyses, including linkage disequilibrium, effective population size, and runs of homozygosity (ROH), genotypes from 21,656 animals were imputed. Likelihood ratio (LR) approach was used to reconstruct the pedigree, deepening the pedigree and showing it is well established in terms of recent information. Coefficients for each relationship category of the inferred pedigree were adequate. Linkage disequilibrium showed rapid decay. We detected a decrease in the effective population size over the last 50 generations, with the average generation interval around 9.08 years. Higher ROH-based inbreeding coefficient in a class of short ROH segments, with moderate to high values, was also detected, suggesting bottlenecks in the Gir genome. Breeding strategies to minimize inbreeding and avoid massive use of few proven sires with high genetic value are suggested to maintain genetic variability in future generations. In addition, we recommend reducing the generation interval to maximize genetic progress and increase effective population size. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The gap between spawning and settlement location of marine fishes, where the larvae occupy an oceanic phase, is a great mystery in both natural history and conservation. Recent genomic approaches provide some resolution, especially in linking parent to offspring with assays of nucleotide polymorphisms. Here, the authors applied this method to the endemic Hawaiian convict tang (Acanthurus triostegus sandvicensis), a surgeonfish with a long pelagic larval stage of c. 54–77 days. They collected 606 adults and 607 juveniles from 23 locations around the island of Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi. Based on 399 single nucleotide polymorphisms, the authors assigned 68 of these juveniles back to a parent (11.2% assignment rate). Each side of the island showed significant population differentiation, with higher levels in the west and north. The west and north sides of the island also had little evidence of recruitment, which may be due to westerly currents in the region or an artefact of uneven sampling. In contrast, the majority of juveniles (94%) sampled along the eastern shore originated on that side of the island, primarily within semi‐enclosed Kāneʻohe Bay. Nearly half of the juveniles assigned to parents were found in the southern part of Kāneʻohe Bay, with local settlement likely facilitated by extended water residence time. Several instances of self‐recruitment, when juveniles return to their natal location, were observed along the eastern and southern shores. Cumulatively, these findings indicate that most dispersal is between adjacent regions on the eastern and southern shores. Regional management efforts for Acanthurus triostegus and possibly other reef fishes will be effective only with collaboration among adjacent coastal communities, consistent with the traditional moku system of native Hawaiian resource management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nancy Suchman and the colleagues she influenced have produced ground‐breaking and attitude‐challenging work in understanding how parenting and substance use come together. Dr Suchman and her colleagues make the claim that there is nothing about a substance‐use disorder that precludes effective and sensitive caring for children especially with interventions that focus on the parent–child relationship. Suchman's legacy is to highlight how substance use as an illness pulls individuals away from important, caring relationships and limits their giving themselves to those relationships. Restoring the salience of caring relationships and of the individual's ability to care may be as impactful on their substance use as a strict focus on the reduction of drug use and achieving abstinence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Attachment security provides a well‐documented protective developmental function for children exposed to individual‐ and community‐level trauma, yet the effectiveness of prevention and intervention efforts targeting attachment during adolescence has been relatively underexplored. The Connecting and Reflecting Experience (CARE) program is a transdiagnostic, bi‐generational, group‐based, mentalizing‐focused parenting intervention developed to dismantle the intergenerational transmission of trauma and support secure attachment relationships across the developmental spectrum within an under‐resourced community. This exploratory study evaluated outcomes among caregiver‐adolescent dyads (N = 32) in the CARE condition of a nonrandomized clinical trial at an outpatient mental health clinic within a diverse, urban U.S. community with disproportionate trauma exposure exacerbated by COVID‐19. Caregivers predominantly identified as Black/African/African American (47%), Hispanic/Latina (38%), and/or White (19%). At pre‐ and post‐intervention, caregivers completed questionnaires regarding parental mentalizing and their adolescents' psychosocial functioning. Adolescents completed scales regarding attachment and psychosocial functioning. Results showed a significant decrease in caregivers' prementalizing on the Parental Reflective Functioning Questionnaire, improvement in adolescent psychosocial functioning on the Youth Outcomes Questionnaire, and an increase in adolescents' reports of attachment security on the Security Scale. These preliminary findings suggest that mentalizing‐focused parenting interventions may be effective in fostering improved attachment security and psychosocial functioning during adolescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Posttraumatic stress symptoms are prominent in the lives of parents of young children with substance use disorders (SUD). Parenting experiences, particularly stress and competence, impact parenting behaviors and concomitant child growth and development. Factors that promote positive experiences of parenting, such as parental reflective functioning (PRF), and protect the mother and child from negative outcomes are crucial to understand to develop effective therapeutic interventions. The current US study analyzed baseline data from a parenting intervention evaluation to examine how length of substance misuse, PRF, and trauma symptoms were associated with parenting stress and parenting sense of competence among mothers in treatment for SUDs. Measures included the Addiction Severity Index, PTSD Symptom Scale‐Self Report, Parental Reflective Functioning Questionnaire, Parenting Stress Index/Short Form, and Parenting Sense of Competence Scale. The sample included 54 predominantly White mothers with SUDs who had young children. Two multivariate regression analyses found that (1) lower parental reflective functioning and higher posttraumatic stress symptoms were associated with higher parenting stress, and (2) only higher posttraumatic stress symptoms were associated with lower levels of parenting sense of competence. Findings underscore the importance of addressing trauma symptoms and PRF when aiming to improve parenting experiences for women with an SUD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Attachment‐based interventions are important for improving parent‐child outcomes. These interventions must be scaled and made available to under‐resourced communities. An important part of scaling these interventions is delineating and reproducing high‐quality training, including clinical training which often requires the completion of a supervised case. However, descriptions and guidelines for clinical training are frequently broad or not available in the literature. A detailed description of clinical training could lead to further research to improve the effectiveness and dissemination of evidence‐based interventions. Mothering from the Inside Out (MIO) is an attachment‐based parenting intervention effective at reducing substance use and depression, improving caregiving, and enhancing child attachment. It is now being brought from research to community settings. This paper outlines the didactic and clinical training components of MIO. We then present a qualitative case study of one community‐based counselor participating in the clinical training of MIO and employ qualitative methods to describe the main themes that arose during the training. We aim to illustrate how the trainer assisted the counselor in implementing the core components of MIO, which included (a) refining the language used in MIO sessions, (b) making space to explore mental states, and (c) addressing trauma. We conclude by presenting the implications of these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vitis vinifera L. has been present in Ibiza and Formentera, two islands of the Balearic Islands (Spain), since the 7th century BC. In the past few years, there have been several studies and investigations on the Balearic Islands. These have focused mainly on Mallorca and Menorca with a small representation of Ibiza and none that take into account Formentera. This research aims to contribute to the knowledge of Vitis cultivars cultivated on those islands and to investigate whether there are local cultivars still being grown. To do this, using an ethnobotanical approach, 15 persons were interviewed to gather information about local grapevines, and 36 accessions from 12 plots were characterized using ampelographic descriptors and identified using SSR markers. Relationships of the accessions studied with other cultivars were also assessed. The results show 21 different genotypes profiles, where six were new genotypes: ‘Colló de gall’, ‘Grec’, ‘Maçanet’, ‘VIEIV015-Maçanet’, ‘Morzacà’, and ‘Vermelleta’. Ten new synonyms and three homonyms have been proposed. Additionally, we suggest three new relationships for the ‘Hebén’ cultivar, one new relationship for the ‘Llora’ cultivar and one new relationship for the ‘Beba’ cultivar. These results show the first reported information for Ibiza and Formentera on Vitis.

Abstract Background Parentage information is fundamental to various life sciences. Recent advances in sequencing technologies have made it possible to accurately infer parentage even in non-model species. The optimization of sets of genome-wide markers is valuable for cost-effective applications but requires extremely large amounts of computation, which presses for the development of new efficient algorithms. Results Here, for a closed half-sib population, we generalized the process of marker loci selection as a binary integer programming problem. The proposed systematic formulation considered marker localization and the family structure of the potential parental population, resulting in an accurate assignment with a small set of markers. We also proposed an efficient heuristic approach, which effectively improved the number of markers, localization, and tolerance to missing data of the set. Applying this method to the actual genotypes of apple (Malus × domestica) germplasm, we identified a set of 34 SNP markers that distinguished 300 potential parents crossed to a particular cultivar with a greater than 99% accuracy. Conclusions We present a novel approach for selecting informative markers based on binary integer programming. Since the data generated by high-throughput sequencing technology far exceeds the requirement for parentage assignment, a combination of the systematic marker selection with targeted SNP genotyping, such as KASP, allows flexibly enlarging the analysis up to a scale that has been unrealistic in various species. The method developed in this study can be directly applied to unsolved large-scale problems in breeding, reproduction, and ecological research, and is expected to lead to novel knowledge in various biological fields. The implementation is available at https://github.com/SoNishiyama/IP-SIMPAT .

It is recognized that parenthood in the context of psychosocial adversity can have negative implications for infant development. Parenting programs are the first line of intervention to improve outcomes for families; however, evidence for the effectiveness of group‐based, targeted early interventions is still scarce. Preliminary findings indicate Mellow Babies (MB) as a promising group‐based parenting program for families at risk for parenting difficulties. Using thematic analysis, we aimed to understand: (i) the aspects of the intervention that enabled parents to complete the program and (ii) the relational and behavioral changes perceived as valuable for parents and their babies post‐intervention. In total, 68 parents residing in the United Kingdom were interviewed after completing MB (49 mothers and 19 fathers; 88% self‐identified as British). Three themes and six subthemes were generated from the data. Parents identified several intervention components as beneficial, including the facilitators' interpersonal skills and multi‐dimensional, group‐based approach. Participant reflections highlighted three underlying mechanisms that enabled positive change: (i) the sense of community cultivated within the group, (ii) the process of formulating and re‐conceptualizing one's difficulties, and (iii) the opportunity to reshape interpersonal interactions. Findings are discussed within the context of perinatal and infant mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Attachment and Biobehavioural Catch‐Up" (ABC) is a 10 session home visiting program, grounded in attachment theory. It aims to improve child emotion regulation, attachment and behavioral outcomes through changing caregivers' attachment related behaviors. There is increasing evidence with respect to the effectiveness of ABC in producing positive child outcomes, but the intervention's direct effect on parent outcomes remains unclear. This review examined the association of ABC with attachment related parent outcomes. The PubMed, EMBASE, PyschINFO and SCOPUS databases were searched for relevant studies in August 2021, and again in April 2022. The eligibility criteria for included studies were (1) infants aged 0–27 months at time of the ABC intervention, (2) "at risk" parents, (3) controlled trials published in peer‐reviewed journals and (4) utilized a measure of attachment related parent outcomes. Eleven eligible studies were included. The findings showed ABC had a significant small to medium effect on a variety of attachment related parent outcomes among parents presenting with multiple psychosocial risk factors. "Sensitivity" was measured most frequently, with small to medium main effect sizes recorded at follow‐up, compared to controls. Implications for the clinical effectiveness of the ABC program in community settings are discussed. Future research should clarify who ABC is most effective for and how it compares to similar interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monogamy was considered to be the most common mating system in birds. However, molecular techniques revealed numerous cases of extra-pair fertilisations (EPFs) in most bird species as well as multiple partners during breeding season. In this study, we examined the population of the Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis breeding along the Danube River system in Slovakia during three consecutive breeding seasons (2016-2018). We analysed 618 individuals – 70 adults and 548 nestlings from 87 broods. Overall, six nestlings (1.09%) from three different broods (3.45%) were fathered by other than the pair male. None of the nestlings had a mother other than the pair female. Besides that, we detected two simultaneously polygamous males (5.13%). In seven cases (9.72%) we revealed mate change between different broods: female change in three cases (4.17%) and male change in four cases (5.55%). The occurrence of extra-pair nestlings as well as polygamy was not associated with the synchronicity of breeding attempts at the beginning of the season, while the type of mating strategy seems to be associated with nest density. At the same time, male body condition was unrelated to the type of mating strategy in which he was engaged. Conversely, polygamous males had higher genetic diversity (observed heterozygosity) than monogamous ones. No difference in genetic diversity was found between monogamous and polygamous females. There was no difference in breeding success before and after the change of partner. In addition, polygamous individuals did not have more young than monogamous birds, suggesting that having more than one partner does not ensure greater breeding productivity. This is probably why polygamy remains a minority strategy in the Common Kingfisher.—Cepková, M., Melišková, M. & Rubáčová, L. (2023). Low extra-pair paternity and polygamy in the Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis. Ardeola, 70: 41-58. La monogamia es considerada el sistema de apareamiento común en las aves. Sin embargo, análisis moleculares han revelado que, en la mayoría de las aves, pueden ocurrir casos de emparejamientos extrapareja, así como de intercambios de parejas durante o entre las temporadas de reproducción. En este estudio nos centramos en una población de martín pescador común localizada en el río Danubio (Eslovaquia) durante tres temporadas consecutivas de reproducción (2016-2018), analizando un total de 648 individuos correspondientes a 71 adultos y 577 polluelos de 92 nidadas. Los análisis mostraron que seis pollos (1,04%) de tres crías diferentes (3,26%) tenían un padre diferente, aunque ninguno de ellos tuvo una madre distinta. Además, detectamos dos machos polígamos simultáneamente (5,13%). Mientras que un macho se apareó con dos hembras, otro tuvo cuatro parejas. En siete casos (9,6%) encontramos evidencias de intercambio de pareja entre distintas crías, de las que en tres ocasiones (4,11%) se intercambiaron hembras y cuatro veces (5,48%) machos. En general, estos resultados indican que el martín pescador común es una especie social, genéticamente monógama, con una rara ocurrencia de pollos procedentes de emparejamientos extrapareja y poligamia, y en ningún caso procedentes de parasitismo de nido intraespecífico. Este sistema de emparejamiento viene en parte apoyado por el hecho de que, en esta especie, el cuidado parental es llevado a cabo tanto por parte de la hembra como del macho durante un período de reproducción generalmente extenso.—Cepková, M., Melišková, M. y Rubáčová, L. (2023). Baja paternidad extrapareja y poligamia en el martín pescador común Alcedo atthis. Ardeola, 70: 41-58. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• It is possible to impute the genotype of a horse from those of its progeny. • Concordance rates increased as the number of genotyped progeny increased. • The inclusion of the dam's genotype increased the concordance rates. • Allele concordance rate was always greater than the genotype concordance rate. • Genotype concordance rates ≥ 0.98 are achievable. Many sport horse studbooks worldwide use microsatellite markers for parentage verification. However, many have expressed a desire to introduce genomic selection using genome-wide dense single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotypes to complement their current breeding programmes. Hence, it does not make sense to genotype the same animal for both microsatellite markers and SNP markers. Transitioning to SNP-based parentage verification is an obvious solution but one barrier to this transition is the lack of SNP data on parents from which to verify parentage against. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess the ability to impute the SNP genotype of a stallion from the genotypes of its progeny, with or without the consideration of the genotype of the progeny's dam. Genotype information from 55 935 SNPs was available on 13 327 horses. A total of 98 stallions had genotype data on 10 progeny and the genotypes of these stallions were used as a test population. Genome-wide genotype imputation was undertaken by combining a family- and population-based imputation approach. Several different scenarios were assessed to quantify the ability to accurately impute the genotype of a stallion based on genotype data of incrementally more half-sibling progeny. Using genomic information from four progeny the average genotype concordance of the imputed sire genotype compared to the actual sire's genotype was 0.932. The average genotype concordance rate increased to 0.960 when the genotypes of 10 progeny were included in the imputation process. The inclusion of the genotypes of the dams of the progeny improved the concordance rate from 0.932 to 0.977 when based on the genotype of just four progeny and their dams and from 0.960 to 0.996 when based on the genotype of 10 progeny and their dams. These results suggest it is possible to impute the genotype of a non-genotyped horse from the genotypes of its progeny and that the inclusion of the genotypes of the dams of the progeny improves this imputation accuracy further. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Greater Rheas (Rhea americana) have a social mating system in which several females lay eggs in communal nests, and males incubate and care for chicks. Behavioural observation methods used so far are insufficient to unravel if females form a cohesive "harem," simultaneous polyandry (promiscuity) occurs in the wild, and multipaternity occurs in each clutch. We used molecular markers to conduct for the first time a genotype-based sibship and parentage assignment analysis among reproductive individuals and their offspring, within and between nests, in a wild Greater Rhea population of central Argentina. In a 4800-ha area, we found five nests from which we collected complete clutches and feathers of incubating males. We successfully determined the genotypes of three males and all 141 offspring at 8 microsatellite loci. We inferred the parents involved in matings and their genotypes based on offspring's genotypes. A total of 37 males and 47 females were engaged in the assigned pairings, and one incubating male did not fertilise any egg. We obtained three main novel results that enlighten the mating system of Rheas: (a) females do not form "harems"; (b) there is evidence of promiscuity; and (c) incubator male does not father the majority of offspring from his nest. The strategy of Greater Rheas is to copulate with several individuals simultaneously and lay eggs in different nests, independently of whether or not the incubating male fathers those eggs. These results provide a new and significant step in understanding the complex mating system of this ratite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although a significant cost, genotyping an entire population offers many benefits, many of which can reduce the workload and effort in decision-making on farm. As well as providing more accurate predictions of the genetic merit of individuals (and by extension their expected performance), national genotyping strategies enable complete traceability from the cradle to the grave as well as parentage discovery. The information available per animal aids more informed breeding and management decisions, including mating advice, and determining the optimal role and eventual fate of each animal., Competing Interests: Disclosure The authors have no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Abstract Comparisons of microsatellites and single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have found that SNPs outperform microsatellites in population genetic analyses, questioning the continued utility of microsatellites in population and landscape genetics. Yet, highly polymorphic markers may be of value in species that have reduced genetic variation. This study repeated previous analyses that used microsatellites with SNPs developed from ddRAD sequencing in the black‐capped vireo source‐sink system. SNPs provided greater resolution of genetic diversity, population differentiation, and migrant detection but could not reconstruct parentage relationships due to insufficient heterozygosities. The biological inferences made by both sets of markers were similar: asymmetrical gene flow from source sites to the remaining sink sites. With the landscape genetic analyses, we found different results between the two molecular markers, but associations of the top environmental features (riparian, open habitat, agriculture, and human development) with dispersal estimates were shared between marker types. Despite the higher precision of SNPs, we find that microsatellites effectively uncover population processes and patterns and are superior for parentage analyses in this species with reduced genetic diversity. This study illustrates the continued applicability and relevance of microsatellites in population genetic research.

Abstract Background Gaining extrapair copulations (EPCs) is a complicated behavior process. The interaction between males and females to procure EPCs may be involved in brain function evolution and lead to a larger brain. Thus, we hypothesized that extrapair paternity (EPP) rate can be predicted by relative brain size in birds. Past work has implied that the EPP rate is associated with brain size, but empirical evidence is rare. Methods We collated data from published references on EPP levels and brain size of 215 bird species to examine whether the evolution of EPP rate can be predicted by brain size using phylogenetically generalized least square (PGLS) models and phylogenetic path analyses. Results We found that EPP rates (both the percentage EP offspring and percentage of broods with EP offspring) are negatively associated with relative brain size. We applied phylogenetic path analysis to test the causal relationship between relative brain size and EPP rate. Best‐supported models (ΔCICc

Background: Parentage information is fundamental to various life sciences. Recent advances in sequencing technologies have made it possible to accurately infer parentage even in non-model species. The optimization of sets of genome-wide markers is valuable for cost-effective applications but requires extremely large amounts of computation, which presses for the development of new efficient algorithms. Results: Here, for a closed half-sib population, we generalized the process of marker loci selection as a binary integer programming problem. The proposed systematic formulation considered marker localization and the family structure of the potential parental population, resulting in an accurate assignment with a small set of markers. We also proposed an efficient heuristic approach, which effectively improved the number of markers, localization, and tolerance to missing data of the set. Applying this method to the actual genotypes of apple (Malus × domestica) germplasm, we identified a set of 34 SNP markers that distinguished 300 potential parents crossed to a particular cultivar with a greater than 99% accuracy. Conclusions: We present a novel approach for selecting informative markers based on binary integer programming. Since the data generated by high-throughput sequencing technology far exceeds the requirement for parentage assignment, a combination of the systematic marker selection with targeted SNP genotyping, such as KASP, allows flexibly enlarging the analysis up to a scale that has been unrealistic in various species. The method developed in this study can be directly applied to unsolved large-scale problems in breeding, reproduction, and ecological research, and is expected to lead to novel knowledge in various biological fields. The implementation is available at https://github.com/SoNishiyama/IP-SIMPAT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Attachment theory´s core hypotheses (universality, normativity, sensitivity, and competence) are assumed to be applicable worldwide. However, the majority of studies on attachment theory have been conducted in Western countries, and the extent to which these core hypotheses are supported by research conducted in Latin America has never been systematically addressed. The purpose of this systematic narrative literature review is to provide an integrative discussion of the current body of empirical studies concerning attachment theory conducted in Latin American countries. For that purpose, a search was conducted in four electronic databases (Web of Science, PsycInfo, SciELO, and Redalyc) and 82 publications on attachment and/or sensitivity met inclusion criteria. None of the studies reported cases in which an attachment relationship was absent, and a predominance of secure attachment patterns was found, mainly for non‐risk samples (NRS). Sensitivity levels were generally deemed adequate in NRS, and related to attachment quality. Attachment security and caregivers' sensitivity were positively associated with child outcomes. Attachment‐based intervention studies mostly showed efficacy. In conclusion, Latin American research supports the key theoretical assumptions of attachment theory, mainly in samples of urban middle‐class NRS. However, the field of attachment‐related research would be enriched by also investing in Latin American studies on caregiving rooted in local concepts and theories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]