Lateral Clusters Research Articles

The Acquisition of Branching Onsets in Simultaneous French–Portuguese Bilingual Children: The Effect of Age, Language, Cluster Type, and Dominance

The literature on bilingual language development often reports cases of cross-linguistic interaction of the two languages being acquired. In this paper, we investigate possible cross-linguistic interaction outputs in the development of branching onsets in the bilingual acquisition of French and Portuguese. Thirty French–Portuguese bilingual children, aged between 3;6 and 6;1, participated in our study. Their elicited productions were collected using two picture naming tasks containing 29 clusters in French and 57 clusters in Portuguese. Almost all the children acquire branching onsets earlier in French than in Portuguese, independently of the quality of cluster type (Consonant + Rhotic (Cr) clusters vs. Consonant + Lateral (Cl) clusters). Epenthesis is more present in Portuguese than in French. Shared structures in both languages are not acquired at the same time. These results show that bilingual children follow separate patterns of development, close to the ones reported for monolinguals, during the acquisition of their two languages. Moreover, the bilingual children show higher rates of development of clusters in Portuguese than the ones reported for monolinguals, suggesting an accelerated acquisition of clusters in Portuguese due to a positive influence of French.

The disengagement deficit after right-hemisphere damage: Distinct roles of lateral frontal and parietal damage

An influential model of spatial attention postulates three main attention-orienting mechanisms: disengagement, shifting, and engagement. Early research linked disengagement deficits with superior parietal damage, regardless of hemisphere or presence of spatial neglect. Subsequent studies supported the involvement of more ventral parietal regions, especially in the right hemisphere, and linked spatial neglect to deficient disengagement from ipsilateral cues. However, previous lesion studies faced serious limitations, such as small sample sizes and the lack of brain-injured controls without neglect. Additionally, some studies employed symbolic cues or used long cue-target intervals, which may fail to reveal impaired disengagement. We here used a machine-learning approach to conduct lesion-symptom mapping (LSM) on 89 patients with focal cerebral lesions to the left (LH) or right (RH) cerebral hemisphere. A group of 54 healthy participants served as controls. The paradigm used to uncover disengagement deficits employed non-predictive cues presented in the visual periphery and at short cue-target intervals, targeting exogenous attention. The main factors of interest were group (healthy participants, LH, RH), target position (left, right hemifield) and cue validity (valid, invalid). LSM-analyses were performed on two indices: the validity effect, computed as the absolute difference between reaction times (RTs) following invalid compared to valid cues, and the disengagement deficit, determined by the difference between contralesional and ipsilesional validity effects. While LH patients showed general slowing of RTs to contralesional targets, only RH patients exhibited a disengagement deficit from ipsilesional cues. LSM associated the validity effect with a right lateral frontal cluster, which additionally affected subcortical white matter of the right arcuate fasciculus, the corticothalamic pathway, and the superior longitudinal fasciculus. In contrast, the disengagement deficit was related to damage involving the right temporoparietal junction. Thus, our results support the crucial role of right inferior parietal and posterior temporal regions for attentional disengagement, but also emphasize the importance of lateral frontal regions, for the reorienting of attention.

S100Z is expressed in a lateral subpopulation of olfactory receptor neurons in the main olfactory system of Xenopus laevis.

In contrast to other S100 protein members, the function of S100 calcium-binding protein Z (S100Z) remains largely uncharacterized. It is expressed in the olfactory epithelium of fish, and it is closely associated with the vomeronasal organ (VNO) in mammals. In this study, we analyzed the expression pattern of S100Z in the olfactory system of the anuran amphibian Xenopus laevis. Using immunohistochemistry in whole mount and slice preparations of the larval olfactory system, we found exclusive S100Z expression in a subpopulation of olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs) of the main olfactory epithelium (MOE). S100Z expression was not co-localized with TP63 and cytokeratin type II, ruling out basal cell and supporting cell identity. The distribution of S100Z-expressing ORNs was laterally biased, and their average number was significantly increased in the lateral half of the olfactory epithelium. The axons of S100Z-positive neurons projected exclusively into the lateral and intermediate glomerular clusters of the main olfactory bulb (OB). Even after metamorphic restructuring of the olfactory system, S100Z expression was restricted to a neuronal subpopulation of the MOE, which was then located in the newly formed middle cavity. An axonal projection into the ventro-lateral OB persisted also in postmetamorphic frogs. In summary, S100Z is exclusively associated with the main olfactory system in the amphibian Xenopus and not with the VNO as in mammals, despite the presence of a separate accessory olfactory system in both classes.

ИНТЕГРАЦИЯ ОБРАЗОВАНИЯ И ПРОИЗ-ВОДСТВА ПУТЁМ СОЗДАНИЯ И РАЗВИ-ТИЯ ЛАТЕРАЛЬНЫХ КЛАСТЕРОВ – ЭТО ДВИГАТЕЛЬ ЭКОНОМИКИ СТРАНЫ

The main role in the creation and develop-ment of lateral clusters should belong to the formation and development of unions of uni-versities and industrial organizations for the development and creation of new and im-provement of existing products. The lateral cluster of higher education is an integration mechanism that ensures the intensive de-velopment and social partnership of its con-stituent organizations and universities, as well as the competitiveness of the country as a whole, the development of industries and the strengthening of ties between organizations and the state. The priority vector for further improvement of cluster policy is the development and formalization of strategies for the development of lateral clusters and their effectiveness. A methodology for determining the effective sustainable innovative development of the cluster economy and the country is proposed.

Nuclear parcellation and numbers of orexinergic neurons in five species of larger brained birds.

The orexinergic/hypocretinergic system, while having several roles, appears to be a key link in the balance between arousal and food intake. In birds, to date, this system has only been examined anatomically in four species, all with brains smaller than 3.5g and of limited phylogenetic range. Here, using orexin-A immunohistochemistry, we describe the distribution, morphology, and nuclear parcellation of orexinergic neurons within the hypothalami of a Congo gray and a Timneh gray parrot, a pied crow, an emu, and a common ostrich. These birds represent a broad phylogeny, with brains ranging in size from 7.85 to 26.5g. Within the hypothalami of the species studied, the orexinergic neurons were organized in two clusters, and a densely packed paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus cluster located within the medial hypothalamus (Hyp), but not contacting the ventricle, and a more loosely packed lateral hypothalamic cluster in the lateral Hyp. Stereological analysis revealed a strong correlation, using phylogenetic generalized least squares regression analyses, between brain mass and the total number of orexinergic neurons, as well as soma parameters such as volume and area. Orexinergic axonal terminals evinced two types of boutons, larger and the smaller en passant boutons. Unlike the orexinergic system in mammals, which has several variances in cluster organization, that of the birds studied, in the present and previous studies, currently shows organizational invariance, despite the differences in brain and body mass, phylogenetic relationships, and life-histories of the species studied.

Evaluation, Flowering Behavior Physico-chemical and Keeping Quality of Custard Apple: A Review

Custard apple, scientifically known as Annona squamosa L., and also referred to as Sitaphal or Sharifa, holds significant importance as a dry land fruit crop in India. Its flowers, either solitary or in small lateral clusters, measure around 2.4 to 2.5 cm long, appearing greenish-yellow atop a hairy, slender 2 cm long stalk. Each carpel bears a single, hard, smooth, shiny, dark-brown or black, glossy seed, oblong in shape, and less than 1.3 to 1.6 cm long. The fruit of the custard apple is renowned for its delicious whitish pulp and is a popular item in tropical markets. Comprised of loosely cohering carpels, the fruit forms a surface that is either squamose or tuberculated. Its pulp, tinged with white and yellow, is edible, sweetly aromatic, and contains a thick, creamy-white layer akin to custard, with somewhat granular flesh beneath the skin surrounding the concolorous, moderately juicy segments. The fruit typically contains around 55 to 60 seeds. Custard apple is rich in vitamin C and antioxidants, which are known to combat various diseases and bolster the immune system. Consumption of custard apple is beneficial for heart health, skin, bones, and maintaining blood pressure. It is also known for its therapeutic effects on boils, ulcers, and gum-related issues. Custard apple has undergone evolution through both natural processes and human selection across diverse elevation zones and under different cropping systems. Honey bees, serving as carriers of cross-pollination, have contributed to the wide variety of locally adapted landraces. Despite this diversity, there has been no systematic collection and evaluation of custard apple cultivars in various states. Therefore, there is an urgent need for the collection, characterization, and evaluation of high-yielding strains/lines suitable for commercial cultivation in regions like Chhattisgarh. Thus, the primary objective of this paper is to evaluate genotypes, flower behavior, and physico-chemical characteristics of custard apple, aiming to improve production and meet the satisfaction of farmers.

Altered orbitofrontal and pars opercularis cortical thickness in betel quid dependence chewers.

Altered cerebral cortex's structural organization has been found in individuals with betel quid dependence (BQD). However, the neurological underpinnings of the BQD-related abnormalities in cortical thickness and brain circuitry deficit are largely unknown. This study aimed to investigate potential abnormalities of brain circuitry in the cortical thickness of BQD individuals by applying the surface-based morphometry (SBM) method. Cross-sectional study. High spatial resolution, three-dimensional T1-weighted structural imaging data were collected from 53 individuals with BQD and 37 healthy controls (HCs) who were similar to the BQD group in terms of age, sex, and educational level. The SBM method was applied to analyze the cortical thickness alterations in BQD-related areas. Independent-samples t-test was used to assess the cortical thickness difference between the two groups. Pearson correlation analysis was used to investigate the correlation between cortical thickness changes and clinical characteristics, including BQD scale scores and duration of BQD. The BQD group had a higher cortical thickness than the HC group at the lateral orbitofrontal (t = 4.703, p = 0.0028) and pars opercularis (t = 3.602, p = 0.0403) clusters in the right cerebral hemisphere, with age, sex, and education duration as covariates (p < 0.05, Monte Carlo). There were no significant differences in age, sex, or education duration-adjusted cortical thickness of the left cerebral hemisphere between BQD chewers and HCs (p > 0.05, Monte Carlo). Correlation analysis revealed that the cortical thickness of the right pars opercularis was negatively correlated with the BQD duration (r = -0.274, p = 0.047). The cortical thickness of the right lateral orbitofrontal cluster was not significantly correlated with Betel Quid Dependence Scale (BQDS) or BQD duration (p > 0.05). This study demonstrated that BQD might be associated with changes in the orbitofrontal and pars opercularis cortical thickness, which may be related to the neurobiological basis of BQD.

Anatomical Connectivity of the Intercalated Cells of the Amygdala.

The intercalated cells of the amygdala (ITCs) are a fundamental processing structure in the amygdala that remain relatively understudied. They are phylogenetically conserved from insectivores through primates, inhibitory, and project to several of the main processing and output stations of the amygdala and basal forebrain. Through these connections, the ITCs are best known for their role in conditioned fear, where they are required for fear extinction learning and recall. Prior work on ITC connectivity is limited, and thus holistic characterization of their afferent and efferent connectivity in a genetically defined manner is incomplete. The ITCs express the FoxP2 transcription factor, affording genetic access to these neurons for viral input-output mapping. To fully characterize the anatomic connectivity of the ITCs, we used cre-dependent viral strategies in FoxP2-cre mice to reveal the projections of the main (mITC), caudal (cITC), and lateral (lITC) clusters along with their presynaptic sources of innervation. Broadly, the results confirm many known pathways, reveal previously unknown ones, and demonstrate important novel insights about each nucleus's unique connectivity profile and relative distributions. We show that the ITCs receive information from a wide range of cortical, subcortical, basal, amygdalar, hippocampal, and thalamic structures, and project broadly to areas of the basal forebrain, hypothalamus, and entire extent of the amygdala. The results provide a comprehensive map of their connectivity and suggest that the ITCs could potentially influence a broad range of behaviors by integrating information from a wide array of sources throughout the brain.

The FilZ Protein Contains a Single PilZ Domain and Facilitates the Swarming Motility of Pseudoalteromonas sp. SM9913.

Swarming regulation is complicated in flagellated bacteria, especially those possessing dual flagellar systems. It remains unclear whether and how the movement of the constitutive polar flagellum is regulated during swarming motility of these bacteria. Here, we report the downregulation of polar flagellar motility by the c-di-GMP effector FilZ in the marine sedimentary bacterium Pseudoalteromonas sp. SM9913. Strain SM9913 possesses two flagellar systems, and filZ is located in the lateral flagellar gene cluster. The function of FilZ is negatively controlled by intracellular c-di-GMP. Swarming in strain SM9913 consists of three periods. Deletion and overexpression of filZ revealed that, during the period when strain SM9913 expands quickly, FilZ facilitates swarming. In vitro pull-down and bacterial two-hybrid assays suggested that, in the absence of c-di-GMP, FilZ interacts with the CheW homolog A2230, which may be involved in the chemotactic signal transduction pathway to the polar flagellar motor protein FliMp, to interfere with polar flagellar motility. When bound to c-di-GMP, FilZ loses its ability to interact with A2230. Bioinformatic investigation indicated that filZ-like genes are present in many bacteria with dual flagellar systems. Our findings demonstrate a novel mode of regulation of bacterial swarming motility.

Influence of Mechanical Flower Thinning on Fruit Set and Quality of ‘Arisoo’ and ‘Fuji’ Apples

This study aimed to identify the efficiency of mechanical flower thinning (MFT) and its influence on apple fruit quality. In the first experiment, ‘Arisoo’ apple flowers were subjected to MFT with one hundred sixty-two (half) and three hundred twenty-four (full) strings at the same rotor (300 rpm) and tractor (6 km/h) speeds. Hand thinning was performed as a control. The number of removed flowers in each terminal and lateral flower cluster was slightly higher in MFT with full-strings than that of MFT with half-strings. The fruit set rate was lower in MFT with full-strings than that of MFT with half-strings. However, the use of full-strings during mechanical thinning increased the leaf damage rate compared to half-strings. Except a* value, MFT with full-strings improved flesh firmness, soluble solids content (SSC) and titratable acidity (TA), and reduced starch pattern index of fruits at harvest compared to the control. In the second experiment, ‘Fuji’ apple flowers were subjected to chemical thinning, MFT (300 rpm, 6 km/h), and MFT + chemical thinning treatments and compared with hand thinning (control). The thinning efficiency of MFT was similar to that of chemical thinning and MFT + chemical thinning treatments in terms of the removal of flowers and fruit set rates. Compared to the control, MFT, chemical thinning, and their combined treatments improved flesh firmness and SSC of fruits at harvest. TA was highest in the chemical thinning treatment compared to other thinning treatments. However, fruit size, weight, and a* value were unaffected by any treatment. In conclusion, the use of full-strings during MFT achieved optimal results in ‘Arisoo’ apples. In ‘Fuji’ apples, MFT treatment alone achieved effective results and the addition of chemical thinning after MFT had no supportive role in thinning efficiency and fruit quality.

Connectivity-based parcellation of the amygdala and identification of its main white matter connections

The amygdala plays a role in emotion, learning, and memory and has been implicated in behavioral disorders. Better understanding of the amygdala circuitry is crucial to develop new therapies for these disorders. We used data from 200 healthy-subjects from the human connectome project. Using probabilistic tractography, we created population statistical maps of amygdala connectivity to brain regions involved in limbic, associative, memory, and reward circuits. Based on the amygdala connectivity with these regions, we applied k-means clustering to parcellate the amygdala into three clusters. The resultant clusters were averaged across all subjects and the main white-matter pathways of the amygdala from each averaged cluster were generated. Amygdala parcellation into three clusters showed a medial-to-lateral pattern. The medial cluster corresponded with the centromedial and cortical nuclei, the basal cluster with the basal nuclei and the lateral cluster with the lateral nuclei. The connectivity analysis revealed different white-matter pathways consistent with the anatomy of the amygdala circuit. This in vivo connectivity-based parcellation of the amygdala delineates three clusters of the amygdala in a mediolateral pattern based on its connectivity with brain areas involved in cognition, memory, emotion, and reward. The human amygdala circuit presented in this work provides the first step for personalized amygdala circuit mapping for patients with behavioral disorders.

Why and how In composition fluctuations appear in InGaN?

We modeled by kinetic Monte Carlo simulations the growth of InGaN alloys on perfectly oriented and misoriented GaN surfaces. As the growth temperature increases, we show that two phenomena occur: composition pulling along the growth direction and lateral indium rich cluster formation. We show that both phenomena have the same origin, strain, and that temperature enables these phenomena to manifest themselves in measurable quantities. Indeed, there is a continuous transition as a function of growth temperature between statistical alloys, described by a binomial distribution law, and heterogeneous layers with indium rich clusters occurring at higher growth temperatures. We quantify this transition by introducing a cluster index based on the In and Ga atom spatial distribution. We show that this cluster index increases above a given temperature, while at low temperature and, in thin layers, it is determined by surface roughness and the associated In fluctuations. Composition pulling can be observed on a larger temperature range. Composition fluctuations are thus caused by strain, and permitted by In mobility at the surface during growth at sufficiently high temperature.

Two new species of Cryptanthus (Bromelioideae, Bromeliaceae) from the Atlantic Forest of northeastern Brazil

Two new species of Cryptanthus from the Atlantic Forest of northeastern Brazil are described and illustrated. Cryptanthus pirambuensis occurs in Sergipe State and is compared to C. alagoanus, C. pickelii and C. ruthiae, from which it differs mainly by the number of flowers in the apical cluster of the inflorescence and the number of flowers in the lateral clusters of the inflorescence. Cryptanthus vinosibracteatus was discovered in Bahia State and is morphologically similar to C. arelli, but it can be differentiated by the absence of trichomes on the adaxial surface of the leaf blades, length and color of the floral bracts and sepals, and length and connation of the petals. Geographic distribution data, including a map, photographs and comments are also provided for the new species.

Contribution of Brain Cortical Features to the Psychological Risk Profile of Juvenile Offenders

Objectives: This study contributes to the neuroscience of offending behavior by addressing two aims: a) to examine differences in the cortical features in a group of male serious juvenile offenders (21 OG), versus controls (28 CG), both ranging from 18 to 21 years old; and b) to determine to what extent the differential cortical features and the risk psychological profile discriminate between the two groups. Method: Besides cortical measures, demographics, executive functioning, childhood trauma, psychopathic traits, psychopathological symptoms, and antisocial and delinquent behavior were assessed. Results: Whole-brain analysis of the cortical mantle identified increased cortical thickness in the cluster comprising the right middle temporal gyrus and a smaller surface area in the lateral orbitofrontal cortex for the OG compared to the CG. The discriminant function correctly classified 100% of cases of the CG and 94.7% of the OG. Right temporal cluster, childhood trauma, callousness and symptoms of interpersonal sensitivity, psychoticism, depression, phobic anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive behavior contributed to the OG. In turn, the lateral orbitofrontal cluster, psychopathic traits of grandiosity, unemotionality, and thrill seeking, and working memory contributed to the CG. Conclusions: The increased right middle temporal gyrus of the OG could be indicative of impaired brain development in social cognition processes since it appeared in combination with the higher risk profile. The reduced orbitofrontal cortex could be indicative of immature brain development in emotional control processes since it appeared in combination with the normative psychological profile in adolescence. Based on these novel findings, areas of potential improvement for research and intervention are suggested.

КЛАСТЕРНОЕ РАЗВИТИЕ ВЫСШЕЙ ШКОЛЫ – ОСНОВА СОЗДАНИЯ ИНФОР-МАЦИОННОГО ОБЩЕСТВА

The article reveals the creation of lateral clusters, as the basis for the development of higher education – the basis of the creation of the information society.

Cortical mu rhythms during action and passive music listening.

Brain systems supporting body movement are active during music listening in the absence of overt movement. This covert motor activity is not well understood, but some theories propose a role in auditory timing prediction facilitated by motor simulation. One question is how music-related covert motor activity relates to motor activity during overt movement. We address this question using scalp electroencephalogram by measuring mu rhythms-cortical field phenomena associated with the somatomotor system that appear over sensorimotor cortex. Lateralized mu enhancement over hand sensorimotor cortex during/just before foot movement in foot versus hand movement paradigms is thought to reflect hand movement inhibition during current/prospective movement of another effector. Behavior of mu during music listening with movement suppressed has yet to be determined. We recorded 32-channel EEG (n = 17) during silence without movement, overt movement (foot/hand), and music listening without movement. Using an independent component analysis-based source equivalent dipole clustering technique, we identified three mu-related clusters, localized to left primary motor and right and midline premotor cortices. Right foot tapping was accompanied by mu enhancement in the left lateral source cluster, replicating previous work. Music listening was accompanied by similar mu enhancement in the left, as well as midline, clusters. We are the first, to our knowledge, to report, and also to source-resolve, music-related mu modulation in the absence of overt movements. Covert music-related motor activity has been shown to play a role in beat perception (Ross JM, Iversen JR, Balasubramaniam R. Neurocase 22: 558-565, 2016). Our current results show enhancement in somatotopically organized mu, supporting overt motor inhibition during beat perception.NEW & NOTEWORTHY We are the first to report music-related mu enhancement in the absence of overt movements and the first to source-resolve mu activity during music listening. We suggest that music-related mu modulation reflects overt motor inhibition during passive music listening. This work is relevant for the development of theories relating to the involvement of covert motor system activity for predictive beat perception.

О РАЗВИТИИ ЛАТЕРАЛЬНЫХ КЛАСТЕРОВ ВЫСШЕЙ ШКОЛЫ (НА ПРИМЕРЕ САНКТ-ПЕТЕРБУРГСКОГО ГОСУДАРСТВЕННОГО ТЕХНОЛОГИЧЕСКОГО ИНСТИТУТА (ТЕХНИЧЕСКОГО УНИВЕРСИТЕТА) (СПбГТИ(ТУ))

The article reveals possible strategies for innovative and competitive development of lateral clusters of higher education and the creation of corporate formations on the ex-ample of Higher School – SPbGTI(TU) on the principles of synergy, in accordance with the requirements of consumers and the ef-fectiveness of the country's development; a methodology for assessing the effectiveness of sustainable strategic activities and innova-tive development of the lateral cluster in the region is proposed, taking into account the synergistic effect.

Clustering of Stearic Acids in Model Phospholipid Membranes Revealed by Double Electron-Electron Resonance.

Free fatty acids play various important roles in biological membranes. Double electron-electron resonance spectroscopy (DEER, also known as PELDOR) of spin-labeled biomolecules is capable of studying magnetic dipole-dipole (d-d) interactions between spin labels at the nanoscale range of distances. Here, DEER is applied to study intermolecular d-d interactions between doxyl-spin-labeled stearic acids (DSA) in gel-phase phospholipid bilayers composed either of an equimolecular mixture of 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine and 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine or of 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine. DEER data obtained for different DSA concentrations showed that DSA molecules at their concentration in the bilayer χ larger than 0.5 mol % are assembled into lateral lipid-mediated clusters, with a characteristic intermolecular distance of 2 nm. Some evidences were obtained indicating that clusters may consist of "subclusters", alternatively appearing in two opposite leaflets. Conventional electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra for the gel-phase bilayers showed that for χ larger than 2 mol % the molecules in the clusters stick together, forming oligomers. Room-temperature EPR spectra for the liquid-crystalline phase were found to change noticeably for χ larger than 0.5 mol %, which may indicate the clustering in a liquid-crystalline phase similar to that observed by DEER in the gel phase.

Sobre o impacto da constituência silábica na repetição de pseudopalavras: dados preliminares do desenvolvimento típico para a validação do LITMUS-QU-NWR-EP

Nonword repetition is a relevant task in clinical phonological assessment. However, few authors have considered the impact of syllable constituency on child performance in such task. In this study, we analyse the contribution of syllable constituency in nonword repetition through the validation of a new test (LITMUS-QU-NWR-EP) adapted to European Portuguese (EP). Two syllable structures were considered: lateral coda (both in word-medial and word-final position) and branching onsets (obstruent + lateral clusters). Results from typically developing children, aged 5 to 8 years, showed generalized difficulties in both structures, although codas were less problematic than branching onsets. Portuguese child performance contrasts with the data obtained for the French version of the instrument (LITMUS-QU-NWR-FR), given the overall lower performance found for EP, and the preference for codas over branching onsets, unlike attested for French children. A comparative analysis shows that nonword repetition difficulties in what concerns syllabic constituency may be language dependent. Clinical implications for EP are discussed.

Estimating soft tissue artifact of the thigh in high knee flexion tasks using optical motion Capture: Implications for marker cluster placement

Soft tissue artifact in motion capture is widely accepted as a significant source of error in kinematic and kinetic measurements. Non-invasive methods of estimating soft tissue artifact, those requiring only motion capture, provide a feasible method to evaluate marker placement on a segment and enable recommendations for marker configurations which can minimize soft tissue artifact. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of thigh marker cluster location on soft tissue artifact during high knee flexion (>120 deg) as unique deformation of soft tissue occurs in this range (e.g. thigh-calf contact). Motion of the pelvis and lower limbs were recorded during squatting and kneeling in fifty participants. Six rigid marker clusters were affixed to the skin on the anterior, lateral, and anterolateral aspect, at the distal and middle third of the thighs. To estimate soft tissue artifact, the functional hip joint center was reconstructed relative to the pelvis cluster and each of the six thigh clusters throughout motion. The difference in the position of these two points was input into Bland-Altman analyses and compared between the thigh clusters. Across the tasks, the total mean difference ranged from 2.81 to 8.95 cm while the lower and upper limits of agreement ranged from –0.79 to 2.54 cm and 5.04 to 17.65 cm, respectively. Using this non-invasive method, the mid-anterolateral cluster was least susceptible to soft tissue artifact and thus would be recommended, while the lateral clusters were most susceptible and should avoided in high knee flexion and similar tasks.