I have a star that I wanted to use the single strand effect on strand-1 but when I went to make changes to number of chases and Cycles in the effect window it wouldn't do anything and when I clicked on the effect both numbers went back to 1.
But if I take the same effect and move it up to the main model it will allow me to make the changes and then move it back down two strand 1 and take effect.
It also won't let me make any changes to layer blending or layer settings when it is on strand-1.