Relative Dominance Research Articles

A dynamic-ranking-assisted co-evolutionary algorithm for constrained multimodal multi-objective optimization

Constrained multimodal multi-objective optimization problems (CMMOPs) are characterized by multiple constrained Pareto sets (CPSs) sharing the same constrained Pareto front (CPF). The challenge lies in efficiently identifying equivalent CPSs while maintaining a balance among convergence, diversity, and constraints. Addressing this challenge, we propose a dynamic-ranking-based constraint handling technique implemented in a co-evolutionary algorithm, named DRCEA, specifically designed for solving CMMOPs. To search for equivalent CPSs, we introduce a co-evolutionary framework involving two populations: a convergence-first population and a constraint-first population. The co-evolutionary framework facilitates knowledge transfer and sustains diverse solutions. Subsequently, a dynamic ranking strategy is employed with dynamic weight parameters that consider both dominance and constraint relationships among individuals. Within the convergence-first population, the weight parameter for convergence gradually decreases, while the constraint parameter increases. Conversely, in the constraint-first population, the weight parameter for constraints gradually decreases, while the convergence parameter increases. This approach ensures a well-balanced consideration of convergence and constraints within the two distinct populations. Experimental results on the CMMOP test suite and the real-world CMMOP test scenario validate the effectiveness of the proposed dynamic-ranking-based constraint handling technique, demonstrating the superiority of DRCEA over seven state-of-the-art algorithms.

Microbial Basis for Suppression of Soil-Borne Disease in Crop Rotation

The effect of crop rotation on soil-borne diseases is a representative case of plant–soil feedback in the sense that plant disease resistance is influenced by soils with different cultivation histories. This study examined the microbial mechanisms inducing the differences in the clubroot (caused by Plasmodiophora brassicae pathogen) damage of Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa subsp. pekinensis) after the cultivation of different preceding crops. It addresses two key questions in crop rotation: changes in the soil bacterial community induced by the cultivation of different plants and the microbial mechanisms responsible for the disease-suppressive capacity of Chinese cabbage. Twenty preceding crops from different plant families showed significant differences in the disease damage, pathogen density, and bacterial community composition of the host plant. Structural equation modelling revealed that the relative abundance of four key bacterial orders in Chinese cabbage roots can explain 85% and 70% of the total variation in pathogen density and disease damage, respectively. Notably, the relative dominance of Bacillales and Rhizobiales, which have a trade-off relationship, exhibited predominant effects on pathogen density and disease damage. The disease-suppressive soil legacy effects of preceding crops are reflected in compositional changes in key bacterial orders, which are intensified by the bacterial community network.

Continuously tunable negative pressure for engineering high-symmetry nanocrystalline phases

In this work, the phenomenon of strain induced by a mismatch in thermal expansion coefficients between a thin film and its substrate is harnessed in a new context, replacing the canonical planar support with a three-dimensional (3-D), nanoconfining scaffold in which we embed a material of interest. In this manner, we demonstrate a general approach to exert a continuously tunable, triaxial, tensile strain, defying the Poisson ratio of the embedded material and achieving the exotic condition of "negative pressure." This approach is hypothetically generalizable to materials of low modulus and high thermal expansion coefficient, and we use it here to achieve negative pressure in perovskite-phase CsPbI3 embedded within the cylindrical pores of anodic aluminum oxide membranes. Through controlled thermal hysteresis, the perovskite crystal structure can be continuously tuned toward higher symmetry when confined in a scaffold with pore size <40 nm, in contrast with the symmetry-reducing action of any other mechanical perturbation. We use this effect to control the octahedral rotation angle that is critical to the remarkable photovoltaic attributes of halide perovskites. Under hundreds of megapascals of apparent negative pressure, the bandgap tunability is observed to follow the same quantitative trend observed for hydrostatic positive pressure, exploring the negative pressure region and demonstrating the relative dominance of bond stretching effects over average octahedral rotation angle on electronic structure. This study reveals and quantifies the structural and electronic consequences of 3D tensile strain present by design and provides a framework for understanding adventitious strain present in all nanocomposite materials.

A violência física nas relações conjugais no município de Vitória: uma análise das denúncias da delegacia especializada em atendimento à mulher em 2015

Gender violence is the result of the social relations of male domination and female submission, built, millenary, by a patriarchal system. From 1980, however, in the fervor of brazilian feminist movements, the Delegacia Especializada em Atendimento à Mulher (DEAMs) were created with the objective of combating this violence, which can occur in different ways and has become the object of study of research. aimed at improving public policies in the country. Using as a primary source the police reports registered in the DEAM of the city of Vitória in 2015, this article aimed to investigate the relation between the permanence of physical and conjugal violence and a capixaba society molded from patriarchal principles.

Numerical investigation of the refractive properties of near-horizontal rocky shore platforms and their effects on harmonic and stationary wave patterns

Near-horizontal shore platforms display highly irregular plan shapes, but little is known about the way in which these irregularities influence the significant wave height (Hŝ) on the platforms and the frequency components of the nearshore wavefield. As ocean waves share akin refractive properties to light rays, it can be assumed that, similarly to optical lenses, shore platforms can separate waves according to their frequency depending on their geometry. Thus, we use a non-linear Boussinesq wave model to conduct harmonic and bispectral mode decomposition analyses to study the control of concave and convex platform edges over wind waves (WW: 0.125–0.33 Hz), swell waves (SW: 0.05–0.125 Hz) and infragravity (IG: 0.008–0.05 Hz) waves frequencies. For breaking and non-breaking waves, increasing the platform edge concavity intensified wave divergence and subsequent attenuation of SW and IG across the outer platforms, reducing Hŝ by up to 25 %. Increasing the platform edge convexity intensified focusing and amplification of SW and WW over the outer platforms, increasing Hŝ by up to 18 % and 55 % for breaking and non-breaking waves. In the presence of breaking, IG amplification was affected by wave divergence across the inner platform, a condition determined by a critical convex curvature threshold (K=1.8) balancing wave focusing from refraction and defocusing from breaking. We find that convex curvature can determine the relative dominance of WW, SW and IG across platforms. Alongshore, coherent wave interactions governed IG stationary patterns defined by a node near the platform centreline and two antinodes on either side of concave edges. A node was generated at the platform centreline, and two antinodes were observed on either side of the convex edges for K>1.8, with the opposite pattern observed for K<1.8. Such patterns likely result in alongshore variations in wave-generated currents and erosion shaping rock coasts.

‘They don’t have bad intentions.’ The disciplinary power of heteronormative communication in upper secondary Polish physical education – a case study

ABSTRACT Background Previous studies have shown unequal treatment of female and male students during PE. However, few studies have focused on gendered communication between teachers and students. Particularly, students’ perceptions of communication have often remained unexplored. Understanding this process appears to be highly significant for ensuring gender equality in schools. In this study, we applied Foucault’s theory of normalization and Butler’s theory of gender performativity and heteronormativity to present data obtained during PE lessons in Polish upper secondary school. In Poland PE teachers still do not formally acquire knowledge of the significance of gender equality in the education process. No policies are formulated on teaching gender equality in schools. Hence, analyzing gendered communication during PE classes in Poland, where no specific gender equity legislation has been introduced, complements the ongoing discussion regarding prevailing gender structures in PE. Purpose The purpose of the study was to explore gendered communication between PE teachers and students in Polish upper secondary school, and perceptions about this communication specifically among male PE teachers and girls. Methods Data were gathered through three qualitative methods: observation of 60 PE lesson units, 17 focus group interviews with male (n = 27) and female students (n = 33), and 5 semi-structured in-depth interviews with PE teachers whose lessons were observed. Discourse analysis, informed by content analysis, was conducted to uncover fundamental communication patterns between teachers and students in the context of gender performativity and heteronormativity. Findings Communication between PE teachers and students demonstrated gender bias, indicating deeply rooted practices of heteronormativity. The male teachers communicated more frequently with female students than with male students and a significant portion of the communication took the form of jokes, teasing, and comments related to the physical appearance of the girls, romantic relationships and dating, and traditional gender roles assumed by women. Students’ statements obtained in the interviews indicate a significant degree of downplaying the impact of teachers’ way of communicating and ‘defending teachers’. They encountered a strong normalization process that restricted their ability to resist teacher communication. Although the PE teachers emphasized the importance of being ‘sensitive’ when communicating with students, PE the teachers’ understanding of gender issues appeared to be fragmented and unrefined, with insufficient recognition of the importance of proper communication with students. Conclusions The implications of this study emphasize the necessity for Polish PE teachers to acquire a deeper understanding of how gender operates within school environments and PE classes, recognizing its impact on students. This awareness is pivotal in recognizing and addressing heteronormative structures during lessons. In connection with that, a thorough discussion on the impact of political and cultural factors shaping the knowledge acquired by teachers and the curriculum in schools is required. Additionally, the research highlights a need for appropriate student education because they are currently subject to strong normalization processes. The normalization processes they undergo hinder their recognition of dominant gender relations in the school environment, and, consequently, their resistance to them.

Spreading Sankofa

Epistemicide is the devaluing, silencing, or annihilation of knowledge and encompasses systematic knowledge destruction enacted through accumulation of epistemic injustices. Considering prior epistemicide research in LIS––in conjunction with critical, historical, and philosophical perspectives of technology––this paper examines how epistemicide occurs by and through digital technologies, constituting what we call digital epistemicide. The social, cultural, and historical epistemic injustices enabled through technology––and the proliferation of epistemic injustices in digital worlds––demands a theorization of how epistemicide occurs in digital contexts. By considering elements of power, domination, and control in relation to digital technologies, we contribute to a critically informed meta-language for describing digital epistemicide. With concern and care for the next generation of library and information professionals, we call for an enactment of Sankofa Interventions. These include everyday dialogues, practices, policies, actions, or critical reflections that engage with historical narratives from the past, absent from discourses of the present, in a manner that emulates the notion of Sankofa. The enactment of Sankofa interventions to mitigate digital epistemicide, such as reparative storytelling and other critical digital pedagogical practices, requires both ongoing attention to digitizing records that have been left behind and likewise ensuring that digital worlds are well maintained to support the preservation and sharing of knowledge.

Exogenous ketosis attenuates acute mountain sickness and mitigates normobaric high-altitude hypoxemia.

Acute mountain sickness (AMS) represents a considerable issue for individuals sojourning to high altitudes with systemic hypoxemia known to be intimately involved in its development. Based on recent evidence that ketone ester (KE) intake attenuates hypoxemia, we investigated whether exogenous ketosis might mitigate AMS development and identified underlying physiological mechanisms. Fourteen healthy, male participants were enrolled in two 29-h protocols (simulated altitude of 4,000-4,500 m) receiving either KE or a placebo (CON) at regular timepoints throughout the protocol in a randomized, crossover manner. Physiological responses were characterized after 15 min and 4 h in hypoxia, and the protocol was terminated prematurely upon development of severe AMS (Lake Louise Score ≥ 10). KE ingestion induced a consistent diurnal ketosis (d-β-hydroxybutyrate, [βHB] of ∼3 mM), whereas blood [βHB] remained low (<0.6 mM) in CON. Each participant tolerated the protocol equally long or longer (n = 6 or n = 8, respectively) in KE. Protocol duration increased by 32% on average with KE, and doubled upon KE for severe AMS-developing participants (n = 9). Relative to CON, KE induced a mild metabolic acidosis, hyperventilation, and relative sympathetic dominance. KE also inhibited the progressive hypoxemia that was observed between 15 min and 4 h in hypoxia in CON, while concomitantly increasing cerebral oxygenation and capillary Po2 within this timeframe despite a KE-induced reduction in cerebral oxygen supply. These data indicate that exogenous ketosis attenuates AMS development. The key underlying mechanisms include improved arterial and cerebral oxygenation, in combination with lowered cerebral blood flow and oxygen delivery, and increased sympathetic dominance.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Ketone ester intake attenuated the development of acute mountain sickness at a simulated altitude of 4,000-4,500 m. This likely resulted from a mitigation of arterial and cerebral hypoxemia, reduced cerebral blood flow, and increased sympathetic drive.

Setting priorities for police operations by using a multicriteria decision approach with partial information

Abstract The paper presents a real-world decision-making problem in the context of the Brazilian Federal Police (BFP), which consists of establishing priorities for Police Operations. This study deals with allocating resources to trigger police operations that, while demanding more resources and specialized techniques, also promote the effectiveness of police actions more conspicuously and directly. Driven by the Value Focused Thinking methodology, the objectives and values of the Federal Police were structured and represented by criteria, which let police operations be evaluated and prioritized. The FITradeoff method was applied to rank the operations, with an innovative methodological perspective, which integrates two different paradigms for preference modelling: elicitation by decomposition and holistic evaluations. A mathematical modelling approach is presented to deal with the combination of both types of information obtained by the Decision Maker (DM), in order to search for dominance relations between alternatives. This study shows how incorporating holistic judgments in the process can be useful for tightening the decision process, since the inequalities obtained with holistic judgments have a high impact on the space of weights compatible with the DM’s preferences. A clear conceptual framework is presented for the analysis, showing how the application of such a combined approach to prioritizing special police operations adds a step to the decision-making processes and policies of the BFP, thereby broadening the managerial implications of tackling public security issues by seeking to solve them using management mathematics.

Experimental study on pressure drop fluctuations for boiling flow at various gravity levels

Experiments were conducted on the pressure drop fluctuations of R245fa boiling through a horizontal microchannel with a diameter of 0.94 mm and a heated length of 170 mm at various gravity levels. The visualization results show that under inlet saturation conditions, three typical periodic oscillation modes are observed: continuous two-phase flow, bubbly/annular alternating flow, and churn/annular alternating flow. The flow oscillation characteristics within the channel are closely related to bubble dynamics, the vapor–liquid interface evolution, and the upstream compressible vapor volume. It has also been found that increasing the mass flux or decreasing the heat flux can enhance the suppression effect on pressure drop oscillation. In addition, under inlet subcooling conditions, although the total pressure drop increases with the increase in gravity level (1–2.78 g), and the amplitude of pressure drop fluctuation first increases and then decreases with the increase in gravity level, with the transition point occurring approximately at an = 1.10 g. The impact of gravity level on the amplitude of pressure drop fluctuation is primarily determined by the relative dominance of bubbly flow and annular flow within the channel.

A DOMINAÇÃO NAS RELAÇÕES DE TRABALHO A PARTIR DA INDÚSTRIA 4.0

This article aims to conduct a bibliographical discussion on domination in labor relations based on Industry 4.0. The relevance of the topic is based on the complexity of union relations and the role of worker leadership in the creation of domination structures that are established to carry out the work process, which are essential for the sustainability of organizations. The theoretical option presents a conceptual approach to labor relations and Industry 4.0, pointing out the most significant concepts to support the study. As a methodology, this article involves qualitative, descriptive research, and a bibliographical review was chosen to allow the use of previously published material, serving as a contribution to the foundation of the studied topic. It was concluded that domination manifests itself in labor relations based on Industry 4.0, based on subcontracting focused on the process of flexibilization in work organizations, insecurity, vulnerability, low or no qualification labor, poverty, and increasingly suppressed rights.

Frontline mobilisation as border thinking: redefining just transitions through decolonial praxis and community organising

I analyse the coming together of frontline actors, particularly people of colour in the US, building on the concept of ‘just transitions’ to help solve the climate crisis as ‘border thinking or border epistemology’ within decolonial thought. Frontline communities are characterised by high exposure to climate and environmental risks; fewer safety nets because of their immigration status and insecure jobs; and less political power to respond to risks. My contribution is twofold: first, to allow reflexivity and to acknowledge that I share some sense of the lived experiences with the people I speak with in my research, I have approached our encounter through pakikipagkapwa, a Filipino indigenous concept that evokes concepts of communal support, solidarity and equality. Second, I argue that conceptualising frontline mobilisation as border thinking repositions frontline actors as creators, thinkers and knowers who harness their collective power to shift from an extractive economy, which is profiting off labour and natural resources with centralisation of profits, to a regenerative one that is ecologically and equitably sustainable. Through praxis and community organising, frontline communities reclaim their agency, challenge dominant neoliberal capitalistic relations and redefine just transitions that reflect their practices and vision of the world.

Analysis of Cohesion and Coherence of Middle Eastern News Discourse and its Implications for Indonesian Language Learning in High School

Cohesion and coherence are parts that form a text/discourse. Both of them characterize the completeness of a text/discourse. This research aims to describe 1) the form of cohesion of Middle Eastern news discourse in the June 2024 edition of Sindonews.com and its implications for Indonesian language learning in high school, 2) the form of coherence of Middle Eastern news discourse in the June 2024 edition of Sindonews.com and its implications for Indonesian language learning in high school, and 3) the implications of the results of the analysis of the form of cohesion and coherence of Middle Eastern news discourse in the June 2024 edition of Sindonews.com and its implications for Indonesian language learning in high school. This research is qualitative descriptive research. The subject of this research is news text about the Middle East in the June 2024 edition of Sindonews.com. The results of this research are 1) the form of cohesion contained in the news discourse about the Middle East in the June 2024 edition of Sindonews.com in the form of lexical and grammatical forms. In grammatical cohesion, the dominant parts are references and conjunctions. Meanwhile, the dominant part of lexical cohesion is repetition. 2) the form of coherence contained in the news discourse about the Middle East in the June 2024 edition of Sindonews.com, namely cause and effect, conditions for results, applicative, identification, specific generic, background to conclusions, and means of results. Meanwhile, the dominant coherence relationship is the cause-and-effect relationship. 3) The implication for learning is that this form of cohesion and coherence in news texts can be used as teaching material for Indonesian language subjects, news text material in high school.

A three-way decision method with probability dominance relation in interval-valued hesitant fuzzy environment for marine steam turbine fault diagnosis

A three-way decision method with probability dominance relation in interval-valued hesitant fuzzy environment for marine steam turbine fault diagnosis

Evaluating Sorghum bicolor resistance to Solidago canadensis invasion under different nitrogen scenarios.

Ecosystem exposure to a biological invasion such as plant invasion could contribute to the extinction of native species and loss of productivity and ecosystem balance. Solidago canadensis (S. canadensis) is a highly invasive species that has formed monocultures in China, Europe, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. It was designated as a notorious invasive species by the Chinese government. It has adversely affected the agroecosystem's ability to germinate various plant seeds, including wheat, lettuce, and pepper, which could lead to food insecurity. This study was conducted to control the invasive species S. canadensis by utilizing a competitive species, Sorghum bicolor (S. bicolor) as a cover plant. Sorghum bicolor exudes allelochemicals such as sorgoleone from its roots which suppress the photosystem II activity of nearby plants. The synthesis of sorgoleone depends on a supply of nitrogen. The present study involved the cultivation of S. bicolor alongside the invasive species S. canadensis, with three different invasion levels (high, medium, and low) and three different nitrogen forms (ammonical, nitrate, and combined ammonical and nitrate nitrogen) applied as a modified Hogland solution. S. bicolor expressed higher performance over the invasive species under ammonical and combined nitrogen forms under low and medium invasion levels. Furthermore, even at greater levels of invasion, S. bicolor was not suppressed by S. canadensis. However, the plant height and dry biomass of S. bicolor were significantly high across both nitrogen forms. Leaf area, CO2 uptake, and photosystem II activity of S. canadensis were unable to sustain its growth under the low invasion condition. The plant biomass of S. canadensis was suppressed by up to 80% and the relative dominance index of S. bicolor was 5.22 over S. canadensis. There was a strong correlation between CO2 uptake, leaf area, and plant biomass. Principal component analysis showed that the first four components had a total variance of 96.89%, with principal component 1 (PC1) having the highest eigenvalue at 18.65. These promising findings suggested that S. bicolor, whose high intensity might be employed to control the invasion process for environmental safety, might be able to recover the barren ground that S. canadensis had invaded.

“You and me”: Parental perceptions on asymmetry in twins' development and their dominance relationship dynamics

AbstractObjectiveThis study investigated the role of nontypical development in the relative dominance in twins' relationships throughout childhood.BackgroundDominance dynamics, affecting siblings' well‐being, are different in twins than in singletons for whom age and development often dictate sibling hierarchy. These dynamics in twins, who share similar ages and developmental contexts, remain underexplored and demand further understanding.MethodA longitudinal study surveyed 1,547 mothers and 536 fathers of 322 monozygotic (sharing nearly 100% genes) and 1,199 dizygotic (sharing 50% genetic variance) twin pairs, aged 3 to 8–9. Both parents reported on the twins' relationships. Mothers reported whether either twin had a developmental condition.ResultsNo dominance difference was found in similar developmental conditions dyads, whether both twins had typical or nontypical development. However, in dyads where twins differed in the developmental condition, nontypically developing twins were less dominant than their typically developing cotwins. This dominance imbalance persisted throughout childhood, even if initial developmental issues were resolved.ConclusionFrom parents' perspectives, nontypical development does not, in itself, prevent children from demonstrating dominance behaviors in twinship, but it is more likely that the asymmetry in developmental conditions is associated with the relationship between the twins.Implications and RecommendationsAccording to parents' perceptions, twins with nontypical development might experience imbalances in their relationship throughout childhood when their co‐twin is a typically developing child. However, demonstrating dominance might be possible for them in other contexts. Understanding these dominance dynamics is vital for caregivers, informing tailored parenting strategies and interventions to support the well‐being of children.

Language Dominance and Cultural Identity Predict Variation in Self-Reported Personality in English and Spanish Among Hispanic/Latino Bilingual Adults

Language is a fundamental aspect of human culture that influences cognitive and perceptual processes. Prior evidence demonstrates personality self-report can vary across multilingual persons’ language contexts. We assessed how cultural identification, language dominance, or both dynamically influence bilingual respondents’ self-conception, via self-reported personality, across English and Spanish contexts. During separate English and Spanish conditions, 133 Hispanic/Latino bilingual participants (70 female) completed the Big Five Inventory of personality. We used language use and acculturation surveys completed in both languages to calculate participants’ relative language dominance and identification with U.S.-American and Hispanic culture. Participants reported higher levels of agreeableness, conscientiousness, and neuroticism in English relative to Spanish. Language dominance predicted cross-language differences in personality report, with higher extraversion reported in participants’ dominant language. Within each language, greater endorsement of U.S.-American identity was associated with higher extraversion and conscientiousness and lower reported neuroticism. Agreeableness report in both languages was positively predicted by Hispanic identification. Our results clarify existing literature related to language and cultural effects on personality report among U.S. Hispanics/Latinos. These findings could inform assessments of self-relevant cognitions across languages among bilingual populations and hold relevance for health outcomes affected by cultural processes.

A Combination of Camera and Pitfall Traps: A Method for Monitoring Ground-Dwelling Invertebrates in Farmlands

Ground-dwelling invertebrates are crucial for maintaining biodiversity, soil health, and food production in agricultural ecosystems; however, their diversity is declining globally. Despite advancements in data science and modern monitoring technology, conventional methods remain predominant in the current field investigations of ground-dwelling invertebrates in farmlands. This study aimed to develop simple, convenient, and automated methods to assess ground-dwelling invertebrate biodiversity in farmlands. Both camera and pitfall traps were used to monitor ground-dwelling invertebrates in two farmlands in Ningbo City, China. Over four experimental periods, lasting 34 days in the vineyard farmland and 32 days in the watermelon farmland, the camera traps detected a relatively high density of invertebrates, although the relative dominance of ant density was overestimated in both farmlands. Both methods revealed similar temporal dynamics of the ground-dwelling invertebrates during the four periods in the vineyard farmland. However, only camera traps recorded the temporal dynamics of the invertebrates at daily, hourly, and minute resolutions in both farmlands. Conclusively, this study demonstrates that combining camera and pitfall traps provides an effective method for monitoring the temporal dynamics of ground-dwelling invertebrates in farmlands, offering high-quality data useful for ecological research and biodiversity protection in agricultural management.

A New Real-Time PCR Test (Flora Select™) and Nugent Score for the Diagnosis of Bacterial Vaginosis During Pregnancy.

This prospective cohort study aimed to evaluate the performance of Flora select™ (FS), a newly developed real-time PCR test, for the assessment of the vaginal microbiome during early pregnancy. Five hundred and fifty-six pregnant women underwent examinations of FS, Nugent score-a Gram-staining scoring system for the diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis (BV)-and conventional bacterial culture between 8 weeks and 12 gestational weeks. Nugent scores of 0-3, 4-6, and ≥7 were found in 469 (84.2%), 41 (7.4%), and 47 (8.5%) of the women, respectively. Relative dominance rates of Lactobacillus species of high (≥80% medium (50%≤, <80%), and low (0.1≤, <50%), and no detection (<0.1%) were 63.0%, 8.8%, 17.1%, and 11.2%, respectively. Gardnerella, Prevotella, Atopobium, Streptococcus, Ureaplasma, and Mycoplasma species were detected in 23.9%, 17.6%, 17.1%, 7.0%, 23.0%, and 4.9% of the women, respectively. Gardnerella species were detected in all women with Nugent scores ≥7 and Ureaplasma were detected in 40.4% of them. BV-associated bacterial species were also detected in 70.7% of women with Nugent scores of 4-6. Gardnerella, Prevotella, Atopobium, Streptococcus, Ureaplasma, and Mycoplasma species were highly prevalent in women with Nugent scores ≥4 or Lactobacillus species <50%. FS detected Gardnerella, Prevotella, and Atopobium species more effectively than conventional bacterial culture. FS could determine relative dominance rates of Lactobacillus species in the vaginal microbiome, and simultaneously detect four kinds of BV-associated bacteria, Ureaplasma and Mycoplasma species. Therefore, FS may be clinically useful for the screening of the vaginal microbiome during pregnancy to prevent preterm birth and for the assessment of the vaginal microbiome after BV treatments.

Socially induced plasticity of the posterior tuberculum and motor behavior in zebrafish (Danio rerio).

Social dominance is prevalent throughout the animal kingdom. It facilitates the stabilization of social relationships and allows animals to divide resources according to social rank. Zebrafish form stable dominance relationships that consist of dominants and subordinates. Although social-status-dependent differences in behavior must arise due to neural plasticity, mechanisms of how neural circuits are reconfigured to cope with social dominance are poorly described. Here, we describe how the posterior tuberculum nucleus (PT), which integrates sensory social information to modulate spinal motor circuits, is morphologically and functionally influenced by social status. We combined non-invasive behavioral monitoring of motor activity (startle escape and swim) and histological approaches to investigate how social dominance affects the morphological structure, axosomatic synaptic connectivity, and functional activity of the PT in relation to changes in motor behavior. We show that dopaminergic cell number significantly increases in dominants compared to subordinates, while PT synaptic interconnectivity, demonstrated with PSD-95 expression, is higher in subordinates compared to dominants. Secondly, these socially induced morphological differences emerge after one week of dominance formation and correlate with differences in cellular activities illustrated with higher phosphor-S6 ribosomal protein expression in dominants compared to subordinates. Thirdly, these morphological differences are reversible as the social environment evolves and correlates with adaptations in startle escape and swim behaviors. Our results provide new insights of the neural bases of social behavior that may be applicable to other social species with similar structural and functional organization.