Multidimensional Scaling Analysis Research Articles

Diversity Patterns of Bacteria in the Root Zone of Davidia involucrata Along an Altitudinal Gradient

Davidia involucrata has an ancient origin, representing a remnant from the paleotropical flora that thrived during the Tertiary period. Altitudinal gradient acts as a natural testing ground for studying climate change, and research on the distribution patterns of microorganisms along altitudinal gradients is crucial in understanding the adaptability of D. involucrata to climate change. In our study, we examined sample sites ranging from 1600 to 2200 m in elevation, which are part of the primary habitat zone for Davidia involucrata within the Xuebaoding National Nature Reserve. In 2021, field surveys were conducted across four altitudinal gradients (1600 m, 1800 m, 2000 m and 2200 m) of the D. involucrata distribution in the nature reserve. The sampling plots were set in each altitudinal gradient, and three representative and healthy mature trees were selected as sample trees for each plot. Rhizosphere soils were used to test the soil stoichiometry characteristics and root zone microbial communities. Our findings indicated pronounced differences in soil total carbon (TC) and total phosphorus (TP) content and C:P and N:P ratios between the four altitude sites (p < 0.05). Analysis of the bacterial communities revealed higher richness (PD and Chao1 indexes) at ASL2000 and ASL2200 (high altitude) compared to ASL1600 and ASL2000 (low altitude) (p < 0.05). Non-metric multidimensional scaling analysis demonstrated a distinct clustering of bacterial communities between the high and low altitudes (p < 0.01). At the phylum level, Proteobacteria and Acidobacteria were predominant at high altitudes, while Actinobacteria and Chloroflexi dominated at low altitudes. The core microbiome, shared among all altitudes, comprised 377 genes. The analysis of differential abundance revealed notable disparities in the prevalence of certain bacterial genera with altitude, with Arthrobacter and Acidothermus experiencing the most pronounced shifts (p < 0.05). This confirmed that environmental factors significantly influenced bacterial community structure and abundance. Spearman’s rank correlations revealed that both Chao1 and PD indices were positively correlated with elevation, TC, and TN, with Chao1 showing stronger relationships. Both indices were negatively correlated with MAT, while only Chao1 exhibited a significant negative correlation with pH. Linear regression analysis further confirmed the significant associations between Chao1 index and elevation, TN, MAT, and pH. Furthermore, redundancy analysis demonstrated that altitude (ASL) and TN were the primary factors shaping soil bacterial community composition, explaining 21.32% and 30.70% of the variance, respectively. Altitude significantly influenced microbial community structure (p = 0.003). Distinct microbial taxa showed specific associations with environmental gradients, suggesting niche specialization in response to soil conditions. These findings suggest that altitude influences soil nutrient characteristics and microbial community composition in the D. involucrata habitat, offering insights into the ecological factors affecting this endangered species.

The Occurrence of Myxomycete Communities in Taxodium distichum Forests: Influence of Substrates and Seasons

Myxomycete communities in Taxodium distichum forests and the influence of substrates and seasons on myxomycete diversity were studied. In total, 80 substrates (40 living barks and 40 litters) were collected from the sample site in winter, spring, summer and autumn of 2023, followed by moist chamber cultures. A total of 733 records representing 34 myxomycete species in 21 genera were obtained. Arcyria cinerea and six other species were abundant (A). Six species were common (C), six species were occasional (O), and fifteen species were rare (R). Species diversity (H’ = 2.04 ± 0.20) of corticolous communities was significantly higher than that (H’ = 1.49 ± 0.31) of litter-inhabiting communities (p < 0.05). Nonmetric Multidimensional Scaling (NMDS) analyses showed significant differences between these two communities (p < 0.01). Species diversity was slightly higher in summer and autumn compared to winter and spring. NMDS analyses indicated no significant differences among seasonal communities. Redundancy Analysis showed that the corticolous species were closely related to wind speed (p < 0.05), while litter-inhabiting species were mainly determined by temperature (p < 0.05). The study revealed that substrates and seasons influenced myxomycete communities in T. distichum forests, with the communities being particularly affected by the substrates in which they live.

Jazz hands and jitters: Exploring valence and arousal dimensions with multidimensional scaling techniques

Utilizing the two-dimensional plane of valence and arousal with multi-dimensional scaling (MDS), the current study sought to better understand the structure of affect and the relationship between emotion items. The positive and negative affect schedule (PANAS) is the most frequently applied self-report measure of affect but has been criticized for only including high arousal emotions. A between-subjects, two-part experimental study was conducted. Participants (N = 548) were recruited online and asked to rate the similarity between one of two target words (anger: n = 271; calm: n = 277) and 143 emotion words. Our results provided evidence for the two-dimensional plane of valence and arousal, indicating that all four quadrants are important when studying affect. Overall, the current study found support for the activation-arousal theory of affectivity with MDS analyses. Emotion words clustered in all four quadrants of the two-dimensional plane, demonstrating the necessity of an affect measure that encompasses all four quadrants. Furthermore, our results demonstrated that the PANAS does not include items in the positive valence/low activation quadrant, however, a newly published measure was found to have increased item dispersion, with items included in all four quadrants of affect. Limitations and proposed future directions are discussed.

Multidimensional analysis of textiles coated with electroactive polymers for actuators

This paper presents a multidimensional analysis of textiles coated with conductive polymers for actuators. The purpose of using multidimensional scaling analysis is to compare similarities and dissimilarities between conductive textiles obtained through conductive polymeric film deposition to observe the optimal value for electrical resistance and to select an adequate method to achieve conductive fabric using different polymers (polyethylene glycol, polyvinyl alcohol or polyvinylidene fluoride) and metal microparticles (copper or nickel). The multidimensional analysis is based on mapping a series of material properties from a proximity matrix (similarities or dissimilarities) between these properties. Multidimensional scaling allows rebuilding the exact map of the values (within approximately a symmetry or rotation). To fit dissimilarity or similarity matrices for multiple variables into one common space estimating the weight parameters for each variable, the INDSCAL model (individual differences multidimensional scaling) was used.

Studies of genetic diversity and genome-wide association for vitamin C content in lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) using high-throughput SNP arrays.

Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) is a source of beneficial compounds though they are generally present in low quantities. We used 40K Axiom and 9K Infinium SNP (single nucleotide polymorphism) arrays to (i) explore the genetic variability in 21 varieties and (ii) carry out genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of vitamin C content in21 varieties and a population of 205 plants from the richest variety in vitamin C ('Lechuga del Pirineo'). Structure and phylogenetic analyses showed that the group formed mainly by traditional varieties was the most diverse, whereas the red commercial varieties clustered together and very distinguishably apart from the rest. GWAS consistently detected, in a region of chromosome 2, several SNPs related to dehydroascorbic acid (a form of vitamin C) content using three different methods to assess population structure, subpopulation membership coefficients, multidimensional scaling, and principal component analysis. The latter detected the highest number of SNPs (17) and the most significantly associated, 12 of them showing a high linkage disequilibrium with the lead SNP. Among the 84 genes in the region, some have been reported to be related to vitamin C content or antioxidant status in other crops either directly, like those encoding long non-coding RNA, several F-box proteins, and a pectinesterase/pectinesterase inhibitor, or indirectly, like extensin-1-like protein and endoglucanase 2 genes. The involvement of other genes identified within the region in vitamin C levels needs to be further studied. Understanding the genetic control of such an important quality trait in lettuce becomes very relevant from a breeding perspective.

Evaluación de las relaciones humanas con otras especies animales

Few worksexplore the assessments that laypeople make about practices that involve animals. This study tests the multiple sorting tasks (MST) as a method to explore perceptions of animals. 115people of different genders, and age groups, and the condition of owning a pet or not, assessedpractices that make use of animals. Theinquiry was made throughan interview based on a conceptualisation ofthe freesortingsof18 cardswith text and18 images that contain practices involving animals, and whether the conditionof having a pet or notinfluenced their conceptualisations. A multidimensional scaling analysis(MSA), indicates that people classify the practices based on the function animals have for society, however are worriedaboutthe conditions in which animals are used. The results discuss the importance that laypeople giveto the ethics of animal uses, and therole ofhaving apet or not,showing that young people are more sensitive to the welfare of animals.The results concludethat the participants conceptualise imagesdifferently according to whether they are asked to evaluate the practice representedonly by text; using images induces more moral conceptualisations than text. This demonstrates the utility of the MST and provides theoretical and practical implications for exploring people’sperceptions and educating them on animal welfare.

Reading and Writing Research Based on Surname Group

This study examines the influence of surname on academic performance in higher education. It includes an in-depth analysis of comprehensive book circulation data from the library of Nanjing Normal University, covering the period from 2012 to 2023. The study uses Kendall coefficients to assess the consistency in book circulation and renewal among the top 300 surnames of readers, employs multidimensional scaling analysis to identify differences or similarities between categorical variables through direct distance assessment, uses chi-square tests to measure the correlation between surnames above and below the mean line and various categorical variables, and conducts survival analysis to examine circulation activities related to the top 300 surnames. Results are interpreted in the context of female-dominated education and teacher preparation. The results reveal a consistent pattern in the 12-year borrowing and renewal habits of the top 300 surnames of readers. A hierachical mismatch between the reader, book category, and author reflects complex reading interests beyond academic authority. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, readers with surnames above the average have shown less interest in using the book renewal service. The borrowing and renewal activity for the disappeared surnames changed within two years for foreign language books and six years for Chinese books.

Understanding mealtime behavioral problems in nursing home residents living with dementia: a group concept mapping approach

BackgroundPersons with dementia frequently experience mealtime behavioral problems that can result in reduced or lack of intake of food or fluids. Multiple underlying causes and expressions of mealtime behavioral problems complicate its interpretation and intervention, because problems originating from cognitive and functional decline and behavioral changes may interact. Healthcare professionals and family caregivers may encounter a variety of practical and moral dilemmas in dealing with these problems. We aimed at a better understanding of mealtime behavioral problems and related complex issues in nursing home residents with dementia from a daily practice perspective.MethodsWe used a mixed-method Group Concept Mapping approach in this study, and collected data online with a panel of 67 healthcare professionals, researchers and relatives from across The Netherlands. The participants contributed to either or all of the following phases: (1) the generation of ideas (brainstorm), (2) sorting, and (3) rating of the ideas. Subsequent phases included data analysis with Groupwisdom® software and interpretation of the results. Multidimensional scaling and hierarchical cluster analysis resulted in a concept map visualizing the coherence and importance of ideas. Bridging values were calculated, with low values indicating a distinct, clear concept.ResultsBrainstorming resulted in 285 statements representing 85 ideas. The concept map visualized three categories capturing ten clusters which describe the management of mealtime behavioral problems, causes of mealtime behavioral problems, and expressions and interpretations of mealtime behavioral problems. Concepts reflecting direct consequences, ethical components, and considerations to handle challenging situations overlapped on the concept map with the highest bridging values (range 0.58–0.87).ConclusionThis study added to unraveling the complex nature of mealtime behavioral problems, as perceived in practice. It is recommended to comprehensively analyze all components in the management of these problems, in particular being aware of ethical factors and align care for residents with dementia accordingly.

Research Hotspots and Development Trends of Theme Activities in Kindergartens since 21st Century—Based On Visual Co-word Analysis

In order to accurately and objectively understand the composition and development trend of research hotspots on kindergarten theme activities in the past decade, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) was used as the literature search source. The Co-word analysis software Bicomb2.0 and data statistical software SPSS27.0 were used to conduct time-series, research strength, high-frequency key, cluster analysis, and multidimensional scale analysis on 1674 literature on kindergarten theme activities from 2005 to 2023, and to draw knowledge graphs at different time periods. Research has found that the study of kindergarten theme activities generally revolves around five major areas: research on the selection of theme activity content, research on the connotation and characteristics of theme activities, research on the design of theme activities, research on the implementation and value of theme activities, and research on the theory and reform of theme activities. Strengthening the construction of theme activities in kindergartens is an effective breakthrough for achieving high-quality preschool education curriculum. Therefore, future research should focus on the combination of educational theory workers and educational practice workers to form a research community; Exploring diverse perspectives, deep learning and STEAM courses will become new academic growth points for themed activities; Innovative research paradigm, emphasizing the combination of theoretical research and empirical research.

Development and validation of the ethnic trust scale in China.

Considerable research has shown that ethnic trust reflects the existence of friendly relations among all ethnic groups and ethnic individuals, and can help in resolving ethnic conflicts and contradictions, promoting exchanges among various ethnic groups, which is highly relevant to social stability. This research, including three studies, aimed to explore the conceptual structure of ethnic trust in China, and develop and validate a measurement of the ethnic trust scale. In the first study, we used free association and in-depth interview methodology, applied cluster analysis, multidimensional scaling analysis, and grounded theory to construct the theoretical framework of Chinese people's ethnic trust concept. In the second study, we constructed an initial inventory based on the concept dimensions of ethnic trust established in the first study. We screened items by item analysis and extracted common factors using exploratory factor analysis (EFA), thus determining a total of 48 items in the two subscales (interpersonal-oriented ethnic trust subscale and the intergroup-oriented subscale), which consisted of two dimensions including particular trust and universal trust. In the third study, we used first-and second-order confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to test the scale's construct validity. The results indicated a good fit between the two-factor model and the data. And the ethnic trust scale showed very good internal consistency (Cronbach alpha >0.89) and test-retest reliability >0.70. Based on our results, have formed a ethnic trust scale by keeping 48 items, which can beused to measure the levels of interpersonal-oriented and group-oriented ethnic trust within the Chinese cultural context.

8574 Single cell multiomics suggests tumor cell energy metabolism heterogeneity in non-functioning gonadotroph pituitary adenomas

Abstract Disclosure: F.M. Ruf-Zamojski: None. Z. Zhang: None. W. Cheng: None. G.R. Smith: None. M. Zamojski: None. N. Mendelev: None. Y. Ge: None. D. Marrero-Rodríguez: None. K. Taniguchi-Ponciano: None. C.L. Andoniadou: None. E. Zaslavsky: None. X. Chen: None. O.G. Troyanskaya: None. M. Mercado: None. S.C. Sealfon: None. Pituitary adenomas cause hormonal dysregulation and severe morbidity. The absence of clear biomarkers for prognosis/treatment and the high risk of recurrence make management challenging. Non-functioning gonadotroph pituitary adenomas (NFPAs) represent proliferation of gonadotroph lineage cells without an increase in secretion of gonadotropins. Detection is often delayed until mass effects cause visual defects. Higher resolution molecular study may improve classification, diagnosis, treatment, and provide insight into adenoma biology. We analyzed four NFPAs using unbiased genome-wide same-cell single nucleus 10X Genomics multiome assay (transcriptome and chromatin accessibility) to define individual cell identity/states in comparison with normal gonadotrope cell references from twelve age/sex-matched human post-mortem pituitaries. In total, we generated high quality multiomics single-cell data for 33,832 adenoma cells and 5,451 normal gonadotropes. We identified tumor, immune, vascular, and proliferative cells confirming cellular heterogeneity. Multidimensional scaling analysis using Manhattan distances between cell types showed that NFPA gonadotropes were closer in gene expression to healthy gonadotropes among all pituitary cell types. In addition, we observed differences in the macrophage and endothelial cell populations between tumors and healthy pituitaries. Next, we studied gene regulatory circuitry (regulated gene, modulating transcription factor and its chromatin interaction site) using the new Control of Regulation Extracted from Multiomics Assays (CREMA, [1]) multiome analysis method which showed high variation between normal and tumor gonadotropes. Within each adenoma, the NFPA tumor cells encompassed two main subgroups of cells, one group (GT+ marker tumor cells) expressing established gonadotrope markers and another group not (GT- marker tumor cells). GT+ and GT- tumor cells formed a cluster distinct from healthy gonadotropes. GT+ and GT- tumor cells differed by their level of expression of mitochondrial genes, suggesting decreased aerobic capacity associated with the GT- tumor subgroup. Interestingly, differential analyses between the healthy and the NFPA gonadotropes from same-cell multiome data highlighted dissimilar gene expression and chromatin accessibility patterns.Our newly collected single cell data characterize the difference between NFPA tumor cells and normal gonadotrope cells. Our results suggest a Warburg-effect like difference in aerobic respiratory capacity among tumor cells within the same pituitary adenoma. Overall, this study brings new insights into the molecular characteristics of NFPAs, including tumor cell heterogeneity, and represents a new resource for the field. [1] PMID: 38084892. Presentation: 6/1/2024

Intergroup variability of the khakas based on non-metric cranial traits data

Introduction. The formation of the gene pool of modern Khakas people occurred through the interaction of various groups of ancient inhabitants of the Minusinsk Basin. This article is focused on the inter-group analysis of craniological series representing different Khakassian subethnic groups. Materials and Methods. The cranial series of the Kachins, Koibals, Sagais, and Beltirs was studied using the battery of 36 cranial non-metric characteristics. The obtained data was compared with data on other populations of Southern and Western Siberia: Shors, Tuvans, Telengits, Selkups, Khants, and Mansis. The analysis of the biological diversity of populations was carried out using Smith's mean measure of divergence (MMD) followed by multidimensional scaling and cluster analysis. Results. The Kachins are the most distant from the other Khakas subethnic groups, forming a cluster with the Telengits and Tuvans. The Koibals and Beltirs were positioned quite close to the Shors. The Sagais occupied a separate position in the Khakas cluster, presumably due to a greater proportion of Europoid admixture compared to other Khakas groups. The pooled Khakas sample shares similar cranial non-metric characteristics with Turkic-speaking ethnic groups of Southern Siberia: Shors, Telengits, and Tuvans. Discussion. The nature of phenetic differentiation of the Khakas sub-ethnic groups presumably reveals their complex population history. The position of the Kachins outside the Khakas cluster based on non-metric traits resulted from specificity of their phenofund, which is also supported by molecular genetic data. The similarity in the phenofund of the Khakas groups to those of the Tuvans and Telengits may result from gene flow between Khakas populations and the peoples of Southern Siberia or/and from their common episodes in their ethnogenesis. The similarity between pooled Khakassian sample and the Shors presumably suggests involvement of common genetic components in the gene pools of these peoples, which is consistent with molecular genetic data. Conclusion. The correspondence of the obtained results with genetic data suggests the possibility of using cranial non-metric traits to identify genetic relationships between ancient populations in the absence of direct genetic information.

Deciphering stratified structure and microbiota assembly of biofilms from a pyrite-based biofilter driven by mixotrophic denitrification

The precise structure and assembly process of pyrite-based biofilms remain poorly understood. The polysaccharides (PN), proteins (PS), and extracellular DNA were enriched in the soluble extracellular polymeric substance (EPS), loosely bound EPS, and tightly bound EPS, respectively, indicating a significant stratified structure of biofilms. The tryptophan facilitated mixotrophic metabolic processes. Both dominant (>1%) and rare species (<0.01 %) harbored core bacteria, including sulfur autotrophic bacteria, sulfate-reducing bacteria, and heterotrophic bacteria. Furthermore, partial least-squares path modeling quantified the contributions of total phosphorus (TP) (λ = 0.32), dissolved organic matter (DOC) (λ = 0.29), and NH4+–N (λ = 0.26) to variations in the microbial community. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling analysis revealed three distinct stages in biofilm development: colonization (0–36 d), succession (36–149 d), and maturation/old (149–215 d). Furthermore, neutral community model indicated that stochastic processes drove the colonization and maturation/old stages, while deterministic processes dominated the succession stage. This study offered valuable insights into the regulation of pyrite-based engineered ecosystems.

Determining user implementation needs for pharmacist-prescribed contraception using concept mapping: A participatory, multiple stakeholder approach

BackgroundAs of October 2024, 29 states and the District of Columbia allow community pharmacists to prescribe hormonal contraceptives. Pharmacists have reported many challenges and barriers to service implementation. MethodsConcept mapping was used to gather insights from diverse stakeholders to identify resources to facilitate implementation of pharmacist-prescribed contraceptive services. Stakeholders included end-users (pharmacy managers, staff pharmacists) and decision-makers (pharmacy owners/executives). Participants' ideas for resources were collected via multi-stakeholder focus groups. Participants then rated each idea (i.e. statement) in terms of importance and feasibility (1 = not at all important/feasible, 4 = extremely important/feasible) and sorted ideas into groups based on similarity via an online survey. Sorting data were analyzed using multidimensional scaling and hierarchical cluster analysis to develop a cluster map. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze rating data to develop a go-zone map, where statements rated above average in terms of both importance and feasibility are plotted in the “go-zone” and are considered the most actionable ideas. ResultsParticipants (focus groups n = 19, survey n = 48) generated 46 unique statements which created four clusters via multidimensional scaling: 1) implementation guidance for practice setup, 2) marketing resources, 3) billing and payment resources, and 4) appointment management. The majority of the statements (13 of 15) considered the most actionable were from the implementation guidance and appointment management clusters. ConclusionsStakeholders seek guidance on implementation, marketing, billing and payment, and appointment management. To increase the ability of community pharmacies to meet the contraceptive needs of patients, resources should be dedicated to creating tools and solutions to address these identified needs.

Scaling Up Departmental Health Insurance Units in Senegal: A Mixed-Method Study

ABSTRACT In response to the failure of community-based health insurance (CBHI) at the municipal level, some African countries are implementing district or departmental CBHIs to improve universal health coverage. After creating two CBHIs at the departmental level in 2014, Senegal launched a campaign to disseminate the model in 2022. This article presents the stakeholders’ perspectives on the factors and challenges of scaling up CBHI departmentalization in Senegal. The study uses a mixed-methods approach, utilizing concept mapping and a focus group to examine scaling up departmentalization. The sample size consists of 22 individuals involved in the process. The quantitative analysis includes hierarchical cluster analysis, multidimensional scaling analysis, and the Pearson coefficient test. The qualitative analysis involves content analysis to triangulate the findings. Participants identified 125 factors to consider for the departmentalization of CBHI. They were categorized into nine clusters according to their degree of importance (I) and ease to organize (F): service package (I: 4.07; F: 2,26), communication (I: 4.05; F: 2.96), governance (I: 3.96; F: 2,94), human and logistical resources (I: 3.94; F: 2,82), financing (I: 3.90; F: 2,31), involvement of the authorities (I: 3.82; F: 2.75), community involvement (I: 3.81; F: 2.76), membership (I: 3.70; F: 2.24, strategic planning and implementation (I: 3.57; F: 2,62). The main challenges faced were a process perceived as precipitous and vertical and needing more negotiation and consultation. The conditions for accompaniment and public funding availability need to be sufficiently considered. The study proposes avenues for action to promote the scaling up of CBHI departmentalization in Senegal.

Positioning of New Beaches in Bali: The Perspective of Tourist

Beach in Bali are one of the main attractions of the island's tourism. The beauty of Bali's beaches, with their clean white sand, clear sea water, and ideal surfing waves, makes them famous. Each beach has unique characteristics that can be used as a competitive advantage to help tourists choose their destination in Bali. This study uses Multidimensional Scaling and Correspondence Analysis techniques to identify the advantages of each attribute for tourists. The results show that Diamond Beach's position as a tourist destination is similar to Green Bowl Beach. Based on the evaluation of fifteen items by respondents, it is evident that Diamond Beach has a diverse range of positive perceptions. Diamond Beach excels in attributes such as beach safety, sand color, and cleanliness.

Tourists’ Perceptual Positioning of Brand Equity and Competitive Relationships in Organic Agricultural Tourism

In the face of a highly competitive tourism market, when tourists hold positive brand equity towards a destination, it enhances the destination’s ability to differentiate itself from competitors. This study focuses on the brand equity of organic agricultural tourism, using multidimensional scaling (MDS) to explore the factor structure of brand equity and the perceptual positioning of various tourism destination brands. The research targets tourists engaging in organic agricultural tourism in the Hualien and Taitung regions, with 220 valid questionnaires collected. The research findings indicate the following: 1. Among the 22 brand equity items, “loyalty to organic agricultural tourism”, “awareness of organic agricultural products”, “quality of organic agricultural products”, “environmental sustainability”, “image of healthy tourism”, and “recognition of organic agricultural development” scored the highest. 2. The analysis revealed that the brand equity factors are ranked in the following order: BIHS, BACI, BPQ, BLO, and BAW. 3. Through MDS analysis, the five organic agricultural tourism destinations were categorized into high, medium, and low brand equity groups, illustrating the differentiated competitive relationships among these destinations. The top three factors influencing the brand perceptual maps were BAW, BIHS, and BPQ. The results of this study can serve as a reference for future research on brand equity in organic agricultural tourism and provide a scientific basis for the practical application of shaping brand equity and formulating competitive strategies.

Forensic characteristics of 38 Y-STR loci in the Hui population from Shaanxi Province, Northwest China

In this study, we genotyped 939 unrelated healthy individuals to investigate the genetic polymorphisms of 38 Y chromosome short tandem repeats(Y-STRs) loci included in the Yfiler™ Platinum kit in the Hui population of Shaanxi Province. Comprehensive population comparisons were performed using analysis of molecular variance(AMOVA), multidimensional scaling(MDS), and molecular evolutionary genetics analysis(MEGA) to explore population relationships. The allele frequencies of the single-copy loci ranged from 0.001 to 0.940 (DYS645), while those of the multi-copy loci ranged from 0.001 to 0.138 (DYS527). The highest genetic diversity (GD) value was observed for DYS385 (0.9723), and the lowest for DYS645 (0.1138). A total of 849 distinct haplotypes were identified among the 939 Hui individuals, with 808 (95.2 %) being unique. Haplotype diversity (HD), haplotype match probability, and discriminatory power (DC) in the Shaanxi Hui population were 0.9996, 0.0015, and 0.9041, respectively. Interpopulation comparisons based on Rst genetic distance values, phylogenetic trees, and MDS indicated that the Shaanxi Hui population has a close genetic relationship with the Ningxia Hui, Qinghai Hui, Xinjiang Hui, and Yunnan Hui populations. The population genetic stratification largely coincides with geographic distribution and language families. Our study revealed that the 38 Y-STR loci exhibit high genetic polymorphisms in the Hui population from Shaanxi Province.

Evaluation of emotion classification schemes in social media text: an annotation-based approach

BackgroundEmotion analysis of social media texts is an innovative method for gaining insight into the mental state of the public and understanding social phenomena. However, emotion is a complex psychological phenomenon, and there are various emotion classification schemes. Which one is suitable for textual emotion analysis?MethodsWe proposed a framework for evaluating emotion classification schemes based on manual annotation experiments. Considering both the quality and efficiency of emotion analysis, we identified five criteria, which are solidity, coverage, agreement, compactness, and distinction. Qualitative and quantitative factors were synthesized using the AHP, where quantitative metrics were derived from annotation experiments. Applying this framework, 2848 Sina Weibo posts related to public events were used to evaluate the five emotion schemes: SemEval’s four emotions, Ekman’s six basic emotions, ancient China’s Seven Emotions, Plutchik’s eight primary emotions, and GoEmotions’ 27 emotions.ResultsThe AHP evaluation result shows that Ekman’s scheme had the highest score. The multi-dimensional scaling (MDS) analysis shows that Ekman, Plutchik, and the Seven Emotions are relatively similar. We analyzed Ekman’s six basic emotions in relation to the emotion categories of the other schemes. The correspondence analysis shows that the Seven Emotions’ joy aligns with Ekman’s happiness, love demonstrates a significant correlation with happiness, but desire is not significantly correlated with any emotion. Compared to Ekman, Plutchik has two more positive emotions: trust and anticipation. Trust is somewhat associated with happiness, but anticipation is weakly associated with happiness. Each emotion of Ekman’s corresponds to several similar emotions in GoEmotions. However, some emotions in GoEmotions are not clearly related to Ekman’s, such as approval, love, pride, amusement, etc.ConclusionEkman’s scheme performs best under the evaluation framework. However, it lacks sufficient positive emotion categories for the corpus.

Environmental DNA reveals spatial and temporal variation in fish communities before the 10-year fishing ban in the Poyang Lake Basin

Poyang Lake is the largest freshwater lake in China, and its unique ecosystem is an important biodiversity reservoir. Fish play an important role in the aquatic ecosystem of Poyang Lake. Accurate assessment of fish species diversity and community composition is essential for studies of fish ecology and conservation management. In this study, environmental DNA metabarcoding was used to analyze fish diversity and community structure in different habitats and seasons in the Poyang Lake Basin. A total of 52 fish species were identified, and limnicolous fish were the most abundant; most fish were omnivorous and small. The fish diversity index was highest in the spring and in the main lake area of Poyang Lake. Cluster analysis and non-metric multidimensional scaling analysis revealed significant differences in fish community structure among habitats. Water temperature and pH were the main environmental factors affecting fish community structure in the Poyang Lake Basin. Non-invasive environmental DNA monitoring methods could provide an important auxiliary method for monitoring fishery resources during the 10-year fishing ban period. This study provides basic information on the fish resources in the Poyang Lake Basin and has implications for fishery management and the development of ecological protection policies.