Uniparental disomy in fetuses diagnosed with balanced Robertsonian translocations: risk estimate

Forty-two fetuses with non-homologous Robertsonian translocations were analyzed for uniparental disomy (UPD). One fetus with a de novo translocation t(13q;14q) had maternal isodisomy of chromosome 14. In a summary of the published data (including the present study), 315 cases were analyzed for UPD after prenatal diagnosis of balanced Robertsonian translocations, of these two fetuses had UPD, giving a risk estimate of 0.65% (CI 0.2–2.3). This risk justifies the recommendation of UPD analysis in fetuses diagnosed prenatally with Robertsonian translocations, with the emphasis on the chromosomes known to contain imprinted genes, such as 14 and 15. We also discuss the possibility of UPD in offspring of Robertsonian translocation carriers with normal karyotype. Based on the risk for UPD in fetuses with Robertsonian translocation we suggest to test these fetuses for UPD and to do so on amniocytes rather than chorionic villi when the risk for unbalanced karyotype is ∼1%, comparable to the risk for UPD. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Sex proportion and performance evaluation among high‐ranking military officers

This field study examined the relationships between sex proportion and performance evaluation among 3014 high‐ranking officers (Majors and Lieutenant Colonels) in the Israeli Defense Forces. Women's performance was rated lower than that of men when the women were token members of their units. However, the performance of women was rated higher than that of men when they constituted a higher proportion. Men's overall performance did not co‐vary with proportion. In addition, the interaction of sex with proportion had a significant effect on the dimensions of Operational and Analytic Competence. The pattern of findings supports Kanter's framework of skewed and tilted groups. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.