Intake Characteristics as Predictors of Psychotherapy Outcome in a Practice Research Network in Argentina.

There are few studies exploring intake diagnostic characteristics as predictors of change in integrative naturalistic settings. The aim of this study is to explore baseline variables at the intake process and establish the predictive value of the individual trajectories of the patients. We recruited 259 patients undergoing an integrative psychotherapy network of psychotherapists from Buenos Aires, Argentina. Every therapist completed the intake form of each patient involved in the routine outcome monitoring. Thereafter step-wise regressions based on forward selection strategies were used, in order to identify meaningful baseline predictors of patients' clinical evolution, derived from the intake process. The selected predictors were social support network, subjective distress, the initial measure of clinical distress, unemployment, sociocultural status and reactance. When including those six variables in a multilevel model, the results indicate that social support network, subjective distress, and the initial measure of clinical distress were significant predictors of the trajectories of OQ-30, whereas unemployment, sociocultural status and reactance were not significant. The results regarding social support network are in line with the literature, while results of socioeconomic status (unemployment and sociocultural level) move in an opposite direction in comparison to the available evidence. Moreover, the mental health findings (initial OQ-30 and subjective distress) confirm the contradictory body of literature produced in this domain. Finally, reactance seems to be a significant predictor in previous study in contradiction of our results. Overall, this endeavor constitutes important but preliminary evidence to enhance the production of bottom-up science within practice research networks in the global south.

The Importance of Conducting Practice-oriented Research with Underserved Populations.

There has been a growing emphasis on dissemination of empirically supported treatments. Dissemination, however, should not be restricted to treatment. It can and, in the spirit of the scientific-practitioner model, should also involve research. Because it focuses on the investigation of clinical routine as it takes place in local settings and because it can involve the collaboration of several stakeholders, practice-oriented research (POR) can be viewed as an optimal research method to be disseminated. POR has the potential of addressing particularly relevant gaps of knowledge and action when implemented in regions of the world that have limited resources for or experiences with empirical research, and/or in clinical settings that are serving clinical populations who are not typically receiving optimal mental care services - specifically, individuals in rural and inner cities that have limited economic and social resources. The establishment and maintenance of POR in such regions and/or settings, however, come with specific obstacles and challenges. Integrating the experiences acquired from research conducted in various continents (Africa, Europe, Latin America, and North America), the goal of this paper is to describe some of these challenges, strategies that have been implemented to address them, as well as new possible directions to facilitate the creation and growth of POR. It also describes how these challenges and ways to deal with them can provide helpful lessons for already existing POR infrastructures.

Implementation of an Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) in Naturalistic Psychotherapy Settings: Qualitative Insights from Patients, Therapists, and Supervisors Perspectives.

Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) allows measuring intra-individual processes moment by moment, identifying and modeling, in a naturalistic way, individual levels and changes in different psychological processes. However, active EMA requires a high degree of adherence, as it implies a significant burden for patients. Moreover, there is still no consensus on standardized procedures for implementation. There have been few results in detecting desirable characteristics for the design and implementation of an EMA device. Studies that address these issues from the perspectives of participants in psychotherapeutic processes are needed. To analyze the perspectives of patients, therapists and supervisors on the implementation of an EMA device in a psychotherapeutic treatment for depression. The sample will include eight patients, eleven therapists and five supervisors, taken from a research project that implemented an EMA system for monitoring the dynamics of affectivity at the beginning of psychotherapies for depression. Semi-structured interviews specific to each group are being conducted and analyzed from a qualitative approach based on consensual qualitative research (CQR). Participants reported having a positive evaluation of the study's informational resources and implementation. Difficulties were expressed in responding in the morning hours and the importance of having a customized EMA that is tailored to the needs of the patients was expressed. Furthermore, patients and therapists agreed that the impact of the use of the monitoring system on treatment was neutral or positive. In contrast, patients considered the EMA to be positive for their daily life.

Implementing routine outcome monitoring in the treatment of a patient with obsessive-compulsive disorder.

This work presents a case study in which Cognitive-Integrative psychotherapy was used to treat a patient with obsessive-compulsive disorder with the implementation of routine outcome monitoring (ROM) at Aiglé Foundation in Argentina. The patient, a 34-year-old female with a university degree reports having obsessive ideas about dirt or pollution, causing harm to others, and religious and superstitious topics on a daily basis. The therapeutic process carried out during the first 17 psychotherapy sessions is described: construction of the therapeutic alliance, psychoeducation, and main interventions. The purpose of the article is to describe a case in which the measures' results did not show clinically relevant improvement even though the clinical indicators assessed by the therapist and the patient's subjective evaluation were positive. The article, shows the application of ROM during the supervision process, proposes interpretations of these results, and discusses decision-making processes in the light of this discrepancy.

Bayesian evaluation of the effect of non-genetic factors on the phenomics for quality-related milk nutrients and yield in Murciano-Granadina goats.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of non-genetic factors on the variability of milk production and composition using Bayesian linear regression. We analyzed 2594 milk records from 159 dairy goats from the breeding nucleus of the Murciano-Granadina breed. Bayesian linear regression was used to determine the effects of non-genetic factors on the phenomics for quality-related milk nutrients and yield. Multivariate regression model significantly explained 21.5%, 40.0%, 41.5%, 44.3%, 44.6%, and 47.5% of the variability in somatic cell count (SCC, sc/mL), lactose (%), protein (%), milk yield (kg), fat (%), and dry matter (%), respectively. Although the aforementioned factor combination significantly conditions milk production and composition, SCC may be particularly affected by collateral factors. Milking routine and drying period factors are reference predictors to be considered in the evaluation of milk production and composition progression. Drying period extensions positively repercussed on milk yield and lactose content, but negatively affected fat, protein, dry matter contents, and somatic cell count. Variability across drying years may depend on the drying season rather than the drying month course, except for milk yield, for which an increasing trend was reported from winter to summer. Including drying period-related non-genetic factors in genetic evaluations improves the accuracy of the regression models and permits to boost the commercial possibilities and profitability of local breeds.

Markers with low GenTrain scores can generate spurious signals in genome-wide scans for transmission ratio distortion.

Transmission ratio distortion (TRD) is the preferential transmission of one specific allele to offspring at the expense of the other. The existence of TRD is mostly explained by the segregation of genetic variants with deleterious effects on the developmental processes that go from the formation of gametes to fecundation and birth. A few years ago, a statistical methodology was implemented in order to detect TRD signals on a genome-wide scale as a first step toward uncovering the biological basis of TRD and reproductive success in domestic species. In the current work, we have analyzed the impact of SNP calling quality on the detection of TRD signals in a population of Murciano-Granadina goats. Seventeen bucks and their offspring (N = 288) were typed with the Goat SNP50 BeadChip, whereas the genotypes of the dams were lacking. Performance of a genome-wide scan revealed the existence of 36 SNPs showing significant evidence of TRD. When we calculated GenTrain scores for each of the SNPs, we observed that 25 SNPs showed scores below 0.8. The allele frequencies of these SNPs in the offspring were not correlated with the allele frequencies estimated in the dams with statistical methods, providing evidence that flawed SNP calling quality might lead to the detection of spurious TRD signals. We conclude that, when performing TRD scans, the GenTrain scores of markers should be taken into account to discriminate SNPs that are truly under TRD from those yielding spurious signals owing to technical problems.

Negative and Positive Affect Regulation in a Transdiagnostic Internet-Based Protocol for Emotional Disorders: Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Emotional disorders (EDs) are among the most prevalent mental disorders. Existing evidence-based psychological treatments are not sufficient to reduce the disease burden of mental disorders. It is therefore essential to implement innovative solutions to achieve a successful dissemination of psychological treatment protocols, and in this regard, the use of information and communication technologies such as the internet can be very useful. Furthermore, the literature suggests that not everyone with an ED receives the appropriate treatment. This situation has led to the development of new intervention proposals based on the transdiagnostic perspective, which attempts to address the underlying processes common to EDs. Most of these transdiagnostic interventions focus primarily on downregulating negative affectivity (NA), and less attention has been paid to strengths and the upregulation of positive affectivity, despite its importance for well-being and mental health. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of a transdiagnostic internet-based treatment for EDs in a community sample. METHODS: A 3-armed randomized controlled trial was conducted. A total of 216 participants were randomly assigned to a transdiagnostic internet-based protocol (TIBP), a TIBP+ positive affect (PA) component, or a waiting list (WL) control group. The treatment protocol contained core components mainly addressed to downregulate NA (ie, present-focused emotional awareness and acceptance, cognitive flexibility, behavioral and emotional avoidance patterns, and interoceptive and situational exposure) as well as a PA regulation component to promote psychological strengths and enhance well-being. Data on depression, anxiety, quality of life, neuroticism and extraversion, and PA/NA before and after treatment were analyzed. Expectations and opinions of treatment were also analyzed. RESULTS: Within-group comparisons indicated significant pre-post reductions in the two experimental conditions. In the TIBP+PA condition, the effect sizes were large for all primary outcomes (d=1.42, Beck Depression Inventory [BDI-II]; d=0.91, Beck Anxiety Inventory [BAI]; d=1.27, Positive and Negative Affect Schedule-Positive [PANAS-P]; d=1.26, Positive and Negative Affect Schedule-Negative [PANAS-N]), whereas the TIBP condition yielded large effect sizes for BDI-II (d=1.19) and PANAS-N (d=1.28) and medium effect sizes for BAI (d=0.63) and PANAS-P (d=0.69). Between-group comparisons revealed that participants who received one of the two active treatments scored better at posttreatment than WL participants. Although there were no statistically significant differences between the two intervention groups on the PA measure, effect sizes were consistently larger in the TIBP+PA condition than in the standard transdiagnostic protocol. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, the findings indicate that EDs can be effectively treated with a transdiagnostic intervention via the internet, as significant improvements in depression, anxiety, and quality of life measures were observed. Regarding PA measures, promising effects were found, but more research is needed to study the role of PA as a therapeutic component. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02578758; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02578758. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): RR2-10.1186/s12888-017-1297-z.

Integrating virtual realities and psychotherapy: SWOT analysis on VR and MR based treatments of anxiety and stress-related disorders.

The use of virtual reality (VR) and mixed reality (MR) technology in clinical psychology is growing. Efficacious VR-based treatments for a variety of disorders have been developed. However, the field of technology-assisted psychotherapy is constantly changing with the advancement in technology. Factors such as interdisciplinary collaboration, consumer familiarity and adoption of VR products, and progress in clinical science all need to be taken into consideration when integrating virtual technologies into psychotherapies. We aim to present an overview of current expert opinions on the use of virtual technologies in the treatment of anxiety and stress-related disorders. An anonymous survey was distributed to a select group of researchers and clinicians, using an analytic framework known as Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT). Overall, the respondents had an optimistic outlook regarding the current use as well as future development and implementation of technology-assisted interventions. VR and MR psychotherapies offer distinct advantages that can overcome shortcomings associated with traditional therapy. The respondents acknowledged and discussed current limitations of VR and MR psychotherapies. They recommended consolidation of existing knowledge and encouraged standardisation in both theory and practice. Continued research is needed to leverage the strengths of VR and MR to develop better treatments.Abbreviations: AR: Augmented Reality; MR: Mixed Reality; RCT: Randomised Controlled Trial; SWOT: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats; VR: Virtual Reality; VR-EBT: Virtual Reality Exposure-Based Therapy.

Virtual reality for the enhancement of emotion regulation.

In recent decades, a growing body of literature has focused on emotion regulation (ER), which refers to the ability to implement strategies in order to modulate emotional responses and reach desirable goals. To date, impaired ER (i.e., emotion dysregulation) has been identified as a transdiagnostic factor across a wide range of psychopathological conditions, which shows the importance of improving patients' ability to regulate negative and positive emotions in clinical practice. In addition to the increasing evidence showing its efficacy in the treatment of several clinical conditions, virtual reality (VR) has recently emerged as a potentially powerful tool for enhancing ER, thus breaking new ground in the development of cutting-edge transdiagnostic interventions. In the present narrative review, we will provide an overview of the existing evidence about VR-based interventions in the field of ER, emphasizing the promising findings and the barriers that still have to be addressed. To this aim, the available VR-based literature will be analysed in relation to four categories of ER strategies: situational strategies, attentional strategies, cognitive strategies, and response modulation strategies. Furthermore, new emerging fields of research targeting innovative aspects of ER will be highlighted, including the use of VR to promote positive emotions and interpersonal ER skills. Besides, its cost-effectiveness will be discussed, taking into account the costs for both developers (e.g., clinicians and researchers) and end-users. Finally, future directions in this promising field of research will be outlined.

A genome-wide analysis of copy number variation in Murciano-Granadina goats.

BACKGROUND: In this work, our aim was to generate a map of the copy number variations (CNV) segregating in a population of Murciano-Granadina goats, the most important dairy breed in Spain, and to ascertain the main biological functions of the genes that map to copy number variable regions. RESULTS: Using a dataset that comprised 1036 Murciano-Granadina goats genotyped with the Goat SNP50 BeadChip, we were able to detect 4617 and 7750 autosomal CNV with the PennCNV and QuantiSNP software, respectively. By applying the EnsembleCNV algorithm, these CNV were assembled into 1461 CNV regions (CNVR), of which 486 (33.3% of the total CNVR count) were consistently called by PennCNV and QuantiSNP and used in subsequent analyses. In this set of 486 CNVR, we identified 78 gain, 353 loss and 55 gain/loss events. The total length of all the CNVR (95.69 Mb) represented 3.9% of the goat autosomal genome (2466.19 Mb), whereas their size ranged from 2.0 kb to 11.1 Mb, with an average size of 196.89 kb. Functional annotation of the genes that overlapped with the CNVR revealed an enrichment of pathways related with olfactory transduction (fold-enrichment = 2.33, q-value = 1.61 × 10-10), ABC transporters (fold-enrichment = 5.27, q-value = 4.27 × 10-04) and bile secretion (fold-enrichment = 3.90, q-value = 5.70 × 10-03). CONCLUSIONS: A previous study reported that the average number of CNVR per goat breed was ~ 20 (978 CNVR/50 breeds), which is much smaller than the number we found here (486 CNVR). We attribute this difference to the fact that the previous study included multiple caprine breeds that were represented by small to moderate numbers of individuals. Given the low frequencies of CNV (in our study, the average frequency of CNV is 1.44%), such a design would probably underestimate the levels of the diversity of CNV at the within-breed level. We also observed that functions related with sensory perception, metabolism and embryo development are overrepresented in the set of genes that overlapped with CNV, and that these loci often belong to large multigene families with tens, hundreds or thousands of paralogous members, a feature that could favor the occurrence of duplications or deletions by non-allelic homologous recombination.

Virtual Reality for Anxiety Disorders: Rethinking a Field in Expansion.

The principal aim to this chapter is to present the latest ideas in virtual reality (VR), some of which have already been applied to the field of anxiety disorders, and others are still pending to be materialized. More than 20 years ago, VR emerged as an exposure tool in order to provide patients and therapists with more appealing ways of delivering a technique that was undoubtedly effective but also rejected and thus underused. Throughout these years, many improvements were achieved. The first section of the chapter describes those improvements, both considering the research progresses and the applications in the real world. In a second part, our main interest is to expand the discussion of the new applications of VR beyond its already known role as an exposure tool. In particular, VR is enabling the materialization of numerous ideas that were previously confined to a merely philosophical discussion in the field of cognitive sciences. That is, VR has the enormous potential of providing feasible ways to explore nonclassical ways of cognition, such as embodied and situated information processing. Despite the fact that many of these developments are not fully developed, and not specifically designed for anxiety disorders, we want to introduce these new ideas in a context in which VR is experiencing an enormous transformation.

Non-parametric association analysis of additive and dominance effects of casein complex SNPs on milk content and quality in Murciano-Granadina goats.

Goat milk casein proteins (αS1, αS2, ß and κ) are encoded by four loci (CSN1S1, CSN1S2, CSN2 and CSN3, respectively) clustered within 250 kb in chromosome 6. In this study, 159 Murciano-Granadina goats were genotyped for 48 SNPs within the entire casein region. Phenotypes on milk yield and components were obtained from 2,594 dairy registries. Additive and dominance effects on milk composition and quality were studied using non-parametric tests and principal component analysis to prevent SNPs multicollinearity. Two deletions in exon 4 (CSN1S1 and CSN3), one in exon 7 (CSN2) and one in exon 15 (CSN1S2) have been found at frequencies ranging from 0.12 to 0.50. Bonferroni-corrected significant SNP additive and dominance effects were found for milk yield, fat, protein, dry matter and lactose, and somatic cells. Exons 15 and 7 were significantly associated with milk yield and components except for lactose and somatic cells, while exon 4 was significantly associated with milk yield and components except for protein and dry matter. SNPs' associations with somatic cells were less frequent and weaker than those with milk yield and components. As caseins increase, somatic cells decrease, reducing milk enzymatic activity and consumption suitability. Hence, including molecular information in breeding schemes may promote production efficiency, as selecting against undesirable alleles could prevent the compromises derived from their dominance effects.

Recent Progress in Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy for Phobias: A Systematic Review.

This review is designed to systematically examine the available evidence about virtual reality exposure therapy's (VRET) efficacy for phobias, critically describe some of the most important challenges in the field and discuss possible directions. Evidence reveals that virtual reality (VR) is an effective treatment for phobias and useful for studying specific issues, such as pharmacological compounds and behavioral manipulations, that can enhance treatment outcomes. In addition, some variables, such as sense of presence in virtual environments, have a significant influence on outcomes, but further research is needed to better understand their role in therapeutic outcomes. We conclude that VR is a useful tool to improve exposure therapy and it can be a good option to analyze the processes and mechanisms involved in exposure therapy and the ways this strategy can be enhanced. In the coming years, there will be a significant expansion of VR in routine practice in clinical contexts.

Efficacy of a Transdiagnostic internet-based treatment for emotional disorders with a specific component to address positive affect: Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Emotional disorders (ED) are among the most prevalent mental disorders. However, less than 50% of people suffering from ED receive the appropriate treatment. This situation has led to the development of new intervention proposals based on the transdiagnostic perspective, which tries to address the underlying processes common to ED. Most of these programs focus primarily on down-regulating negative affectivity, rather than increasing strengths and up-regulating positive affectivity. The data suggest the existence of disturbances in positive affectivity in these disorders, and so new interventions focusing on these problems are greatly needed. It is also essential to provide assistance to all the people in need. Information and Communication Technologies can be very useful. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of a transdiagnostic Internet-based treatment for ED in a community sample. The protocol includes traditional CBT components, as well as a specific component to address positive affect. We intend to test this protocol, including this specific component or not, versus a waiting list control group. Moreover, we aim to test the differential effect of this specific component, and study the effectiveness (in terms of patients' acceptance) of using a self-applied Internet-based program. This paper presents the study protocol. METHODS: The study is a randomized controlled trial. 207 participants will be randomly assigned to: a)Transdiagnostic Internet-based protocol (TIBP), b)Transdiagnostic Internet-based protocol + positive affect component (TIBP + PA), or c)a Waiting List control group (WL). Primary outcomes measures will be the BDI-II, the BAI, and the PANAS. Secondary outcomes will include diagnosis-specific measures of the principal disorder. Participants' treatment acceptance will also be measured. Participants will be assessed at pre-, post-treatment, and 3- and 12- month follow-ups. The data will be analyzed based on the Intention-to-treat principle. Per protocol analyses will also be performed. DISCUSSION: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study of a transdiagnostic Internet-based treatment for ED with a specific component to up-regulate positive affectivity. This intervention could contribute to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of current treatment programs for ED, promote the dissemination of EBTs, and help to decrease the high prevalence of ED. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrial.gov: NCT02578758 . Registered 15 October 2015.

Studies of Social Anxiety Using Ambulatory Assessment: Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: There has been an increased interest in understanding social anxiety (SA) and SA disorder (SAD) antecedents and consequences as they occur in real time, resulting in a proliferation of studies using ambulatory assessment (AA). Despite the exponential growth of research in this area, these studies have not been synthesized yet. OBJECTIVE: This review aimed to identify and describe the latest advances in the understanding of SA and SAD through the use of AA. METHODS: Following the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines, a systematic literature search was conducted in Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science. RESULTS: A total of 70 articles met the inclusion criteria. The qualitative synthesis of these studies showed that AA permitted the exploration of the emotional, cognitive, and behavioral dynamics associated with the experience of SA and SAD. In line with the available models of SA and SAD, emotion regulation, perseverative cognition, cognitive factors, substance use, and interactional patterns were the principal topics of the included studies. In addition, the incorporation of AA to study psychological interventions, multimodal assessment using sensors and biosensors, and transcultural differences were some of the identified emerging topics. CONCLUSIONS: AA constitutes a very powerful methodology to grasp SA from a complementary perspective to laboratory experiments and usual self-report measures, shedding light on the cognitive, emotional, and behavioral antecedents and consequences of SA and the development and maintenance of SAD as a mental disorder.

Problem mastery and motivational clarification as mechanisms of change in cognitive-behavioral therapy for depression: Secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: In process-outcome research, there is a growing body of literature investigating the therapeutic mechanisms underlying the promotion of positive change. This study investigated the between- and within-patient effects of problem mastery and motivational clarification on outcome in patients receiving two variations of cognitive therapies for depression. METHODS: This study drew on data of a randomized controlled trial conducted at an outpatient clinic and included 140 patients randomly assigned to 22 sessions of either cognitive-behavioral therapy or exposure-based cognitive therapy. To address the nested structure of the data and analyze mechanism effects, we used multilevel dynamic structural equations models. RESULTS: We found significant within-patient effects of both problem mastery and motivational clarification on subsequent outcome. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that changes in problem mastery and motivational clarification precede symptom improvement during cognitive therapy for depressed patients and thus there may be benefit in fostering these putative mechanisms during psychotherapy.

Analysis of the Genetic Parameters for Dairy Linear Appraisal and Zoometric Traits: A Tool to Enhance the Applicability of Murciano-Granadina Goats Major Areas Evaluation System.

Selection for zoometrics defines individuals' productive longevity, endurance, enhanced productive abilities and consequently, their long-term profitability. When zoometric analysis is aimed at large highly selected populations or in those at different levels of selection, linear appraisal systems (LAS) provide a timely response. This study estimates genetic and phenotypic parameters for zoometric/LAS traits in Murciano-Granadina goats, estimating genetic and phenotypic correlations among all traits, and determining whether major area selection would be appropriate or if adaptability strategies may need to be followed. Heritability estimates for the zoometric/LAS traits were low to high, ranging from 0.09 to 0.43, and the accuracy of estimation has improved after decades, rendering standard errors negligible. Scale inversion of specific traits may need to be performed before major areas selection strategies are implemented. Genetic and phenotypic correlations suggests that negative selection against thicker bones and higher rear insertion heights indirectly results in the optimization of selection practices in the rest of the traits, especially those in the structure, capacity and mammary system major areas. The integration and implementation of the strategies proposed within the Murciano-Granadina breeding program maximizes selection opportunities and the sustainable international competitiveness of the Murciano-Granadina goat in the dairy goat breed panorama.

Discriminant canonical tool for inferring the effect of αS1, αS2, ß, and κ casein haplotypes and haplogroups on zoometric/linear appraisal breeding values in Murciano-Granadina goats.

Genomic tools have shown promising results in maximizing breeding outcomes, but their impact has not yet been explored. This study aimed to outline the effect of the individual haplotypes of each component of the casein complex (αS1, ß, αS2, and κ-casein) on zoometric/linear appraisal breeding values. A discriminant canonical analysis was performed to study the relationship between the predicted breeding value for 17 zoometric/linear appraisal traits and the aforementioned casein gene haplotypic sequences. The analysis considered a total of 41,323 zoometric/linear appraisal records from 22,727 primiparous does, 17,111 multiparous does, and 1,485 bucks registered in the Murciano-Grandina goat breed herdbook. Results suggest that, although a lack of significant differences (p > 0.05) was reported across the predictive breeding values of zoometric/linear appraisal traits for αS1, αS2, and κ casein, significant differences were found for ß casein (p < 0.05). The presence of ß casein haplotypic sequences GAGACCCC, GGAACCCC, GGAACCTC, GGAATCTC, GGGACCCC, GGGATCTC, and GGGGCCCC, linked to differential combinations of increased quantities of higher quality milk in terms of its composition, may also be connected to increased zoometric/linear appraisal predicted breeding values. Selection must be performed carefully, given the fact that the consideration of apparently desirable animals that present the haplotypic sequence GGGATCCC in the ß casein gene, due to their positive predicted breeding values for certain zoometric/linear appraisal traits such as rear insertion height, bone quality, anterior insertion, udder depth, rear legs side view, and rear legs rear view, may lead to an indirect selection against the other zoometric/linear appraisal traits and in turn lead to an inefficient selection toward an optimal dairy morphological type in Murciano-Granadina goats. Contrastingly, the consideration of animals presenting the GGAACCCC haplotypic sequence involves also considering animals that increase the genetic potential for all zoometric/linear appraisal traits, thus making them recommendable as breeding animals. The relevance of this study relies on the fact that the information derived from these analyses will enhance the selection of breeding individuals, in which a desirable dairy type is indirectly sought, through the haplotypic sequences in the ß casein locus, which is not currently routinely considered in the Murciano-Granadina goat breeding program.

Behavioral Activation through Virtual Reality for Depression: A Single Case Experimental Design with Multiple Baselines.

Behavioral activation (BA) is a structured psychotherapeutic approach for the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD), which aims at increasing the engagement in activities that might bring enjoyment and meaning to patients' lives. Although a growing body of evidence supports the effectiveness of BA, enhancing the motivation and activity level of depressed patients is often challenging. In the present study, we explored the effectiveness of a brief BA treatment supported by virtual reality (VR) to facilitate the visualization and anticipation of four pleasurable activities that we tried to re-introduce in the patients' daily routine. To do so, we conducted a single-case experimental design with multiple baselines in a sample of patients with moderate to severe depressive symptoms. Three overlap analyses across participants and across behaviors were conducted to calculate the rate of improvement of each patient after the delivery of the intervention. Across the three overlap indices, the participants generally showed moderate-to-large improvements in the level of daily activity, as well as in the time spent planning and/or engaging in one or more activities scheduled during the intervention. Furthermore, most patients also reported a moderate-to-large reduction in daily depressive symptoms and improved mood. Overall, the promising results of the present study suggest that the proposed VR-based BA intervention might represent a valid approach to behaviorally activate depressed patients. The barriers and future lines of research of this innovative field are discussed.

Implementation of a routine outcome monitoring and feedback system for psychotherapy in Argentina: A pilot study.

Introduction: Routine Outcome Monitoring (ROM) has emerged as a strong candidate to improve psychotherapy processes and outcome. However, its use and implementation are greatly understudied in Latin-America. Therefore, the aim of the present pilot study conducted in Argentina was to implement a ROM and feedback system grounded on a psychometrically sound instrument to measure session by session outcome in psychotherapy. Methods: The sample consisted of 40 patients and 13 therapists. At baseline, the patients completed the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, and they also completed the Hopkins Symptom Checklist-11 before each of the first five sessions. To estimate patient change during the first sessions, we conducted a quantitative analysis using Hierarchical Linear Models. Furthermore, we conducted a qualitative analysis using Consensual Qualitative Research to analyze therapist perception regarding the ROM and feedback system. Results: Results showed a significant reduction in patients' symptomatic severity during the first five sessions. Additionally, baseline depression significantly predicted the estimated severity at the end of the fifth session. Feedback was given to the therapists after the first four sessions based on these analyses. With regard to the perception of the feedback system, clinicians underlined its usefulness and user-friendly nature. They also mentioned that there was a match between the information provided and their clinical judgment. Furthermore, they provided suggestions to enhance the system that was incorporated in a new and improved version. Discussion: Limitations and clinical implications are discussed.