Multidimensional Scaling Research Articles

Predictors of self-care performance in patients with unruptured intracranial aneurysms

In South Korea, there has been an increasing number of patients diagnosed with unruptured intracranial aneurysms (UIAs), requiring rigorous self-care to prevent rupture. This study aimed to identify predictors of self-care performance in patients with UIAs, focusing on illness perception and social support. A cross-sectional correlation design was employed. Data from 150 participants was analyzed. The Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (B-IPQ), the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), and a Self-Care Performance Tool were used for measurement. Pearson correlation was used to analyze the correlation among the participants’ perceived illness perception, social support, and self-care performance. Differences in the level of self-care performance according to sociodemographic and clinical characteristics and correlations among continuous variables were identified using univariate statistics. Hierarchical multiple regression was used to identify predictors of self-care performance. The results showed that the self-care performance score was positively correlated with illness perception and social support. Regression analysis showed that being a non-smoker, not consuming alcohol, receiving social support from family, receiving social support from medical personnel, and strong illness perception positively affected the self-care performance score. Our findings should be considered when developing education and intervention programs to enhance self-care performance among patients with UIAs.

Do Social Support, Perceived Stress, and Psychological Distress Mediate the Relationship Between Social Problem-Solving and Suicidality in People With Gender Dysphoria?

Individuals with gender dysphoria (GD) often exhibit suicidal inclinations. In the present study, we investigated the scope of suicidal ideation and attempts and the roles of perceived social support, stress, and psychological distress in mediating social problem-solving and suicidality in individuals with GD. Two hundred and five adults with GD (110 GD assigned female at birth [AFAB]; 95 GD assigned male at birth [AMAB]) completed a self-report survey including questions about suicide ideation and attempts, as well as the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and Social Problem-Solving Inventory-Revised (SPSI-R). We utilized correlation, regression, and mediation analyses to assess models. Overall, both suicidal ideation (for AFAB = 61.8%; for AMAB = 61.1%; p = 0.91) and suicide attempts (for AFAB = 43.6%; for AMAB = 37.9%; p = 0.41) were common in individuals with GD. The two groups did not differ in GHQ-12, PSS, and SPSI-R total scale scores, but AMAB scored lower on the MSPSS total score. Perceived social support, perceived stress, and psychological distress partially mediated social problem-solving and suicidal ideation, whereas perceived stress and psychological distress fully mediated social problem-solving and suicide attempts. There is a need to develop interventions to improve the psychological well-being of people with GD. Current results suggest that problem-solving therapy may effectively suit the need to manage suicidality in people with GD.

Leveraging financing technology for sustainable fresh agricultural products financing in Indonesia

Financial technology (fintech) offers farmers the prospect of getting other sources of finance apart from financial assistance from the established official funding institutions. Farmers of fresh agricultural products (FAP) in Indonesia received financial offers from various fintech platforms. However, several platforms have failed to maintain their operations, resulting in negative consequences for the farming activities. This study’s objective is to explore how fintech contributes to the sustainability of FAP by examining five key dimensions of sustainability: economic, social, environmental, technological, and institutional. Most extant literature primarily examines the determinants that impact an individual’s interest in fintech lending. However, the existing research needs to dedicate more attention to the sustainability of the platform and the enterprises it finances, with a particular emphasis on the FAP sector. A quantitative methodology was utilized to design the study, and a proportional stratified random sampling method was employed to select 269 FAP producers as respondents. The data were analyzed using the multidimensional scaling (MDS) approach in rap-Agrifin using factors specifically designed to assess fintech sustainability in agribusiness. Fintech in the FAP supply chain is classified as quite sustainable, according to this study’s multidimensional finding. Partially, the dimensions that acquire sufficiently sustainable value are the social, economic, and environmental dimensions, but the technological and institutional dimensions are less sustainable. This research demonstrates that the MDS approach in rap-Agrifin can effectively analyze sustainable finance in agriculture, highlighting the need for focused improvement on institutional and technological factors, particularly through the application of fintech.

Pheno-Ranker: a toolkit for comparison of phenotypic data stored in GA4GH standards and beyond

BackgroundPhenotypic data comparison is essential for disease association studies, patient stratification, and genotype–phenotype correlation analysis. To support these efforts, the Global Alliance for Genomics and Health (GA4GH) established Phenopackets v2 and Beacon v2 standards for storing, sharing, and discovering genomic and phenotypic data. These standards provide a consistent framework for organizing biological data, simplifying their transformation into computer-friendly formats. However, matching participants using GA4GH-based formats remains challenging, as current methods are not fully compatible, limiting their effectiveness.ResultsHere, we introduce Pheno-Ranker, an open-source software toolkit for individual-level comparison of phenotypic data. As input, it accepts JSON/YAML data exchange formats from Beacon v2 and Phenopackets v2 data models, as well as any data structure encoded in JSON, YAML, or CSV formats. Internally, the hierarchical data structure is flattened to one dimension and then transformed through one-hot encoding. This allows for efficient pairwise (all-to-all) comparisons within cohorts or for matching of a patient’s profile in cohorts. Users have the flexibility to refine their comparisons by including or excluding terms, applying weights to variables, and obtaining statistical significance through Z-scores and p-values. The output consists of text files, which can be further analyzed using unsupervised learning techniques, such as clustering or multidimensional scaling (MDS), and with graph analytics. Pheno-Ranker’s performance has been validated with simulated and synthetic data, showing its accuracy, robustness, and efficiency across various health data scenarios. A real data use case from the PRECISESADS study highlights its practical utility in clinical research.ConclusionsPheno-Ranker is a user-friendly, lightweight software for semantic similarity analysis of phenotypic data in Beacon v2 and Phenopackets v2 formats, extendable to other data types. It enables the comparison of a wide range of variables beyond HPO or OMIM terms while preserving full context. The software is designed as a command-line tool with additional utilities for CSV import, data simulation, summary statistics plotting, and QR code generation. For interactive analysis, it also includes a web-based user interface built with R Shiny. Links to the online documentation, including a Google Colab tutorial, and the tool’s source code are available on the project home page: https://github.com/CNAG-Biomedical-Informatics/pheno-ranker.

Turkish teachers' values with rational and non-rational truth and teacher emotions in teaching.

The aim of this study was to clarify the relationships between personal values, truth-related values and emotions among Turkish teachers. The Schwartz's Value Theory and Frenzel's teacher emotion model were used as the theoretical framework. This study used a cross-sectional correlational research design. The data were collected from 279 teachers with the Portrait Value Questionnaire (PVQ) where rational truth and non-rational truth values were added, and with the Teacher Emotions Scale (TES). The circular structure of the Schwartz Value Theory was tested by multidimensional scaling. The data analysis aimed to uncover relationships between personal values, truth-related values, and emotions. Rational truth emerged near self-direction and self-transcendence, yet items measuring non-rational truth were scattered among values. Females had higher regard for self-direction and hedonism than males. Non-rational truth was negatively correlated with enjoyment, while it was positively correlated with anxiety. The implications for gender roles in Turkish society are discussed.

Social, academic, and emotional self-efficacies in adolescent girls and their determinants: a cross sectional study.

To examine the levels of social, academic, and emotional self-efficacy in school-aged girls and to identify the factors that contribute to these self-efficacies. This study included 246 girls in Sistan and Baluchistan, located in southeastern Iran. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 246 teenagers between the ages of 11 and 18 and the questionnaire consisted of a demographic form, the Self-Efficacy Questionnaire for Children (SEQ-C), the Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children (MASC), and the Children's Depression Inventory (CDI). The mean scores for social, academic, and emotional self-efficacies were found to be 27.24±5.67, 30.52±6.47, and 22.29±6.36, respectively. All categories of self-efficacy had mean scores that were higher than the questionnaire midpoint. Furthermore, for every type of self-efficacy, the study identified significant predictors. To be more precise, social self-efficacy was significantly predicted by anxiety, depression, and education level (R2=13.7 %, p<0.001). Additionally, anxiety and age were significant predictors of academic self-efficacy (R2=4.9 %, p=0.002). Lastly, anxiety and education level were significant predictors of emotional self-efficacy (R2=9.2 %, p<0.001). The results suggest that focusing on reducing depression and anxiety levels could potentially have a positive impact on various aspects of self-efficacy.

Stable Diversity but Distinct Metabolic Activity of Microbiome of Roots from Adult and Young Chinese Fir Trees

The tree-associated microbiome is vital for both individual trees and the forest ecosystem. The microbiome is dynamic; however, it is influenced by the developmental stages and environmental stresses experienced by host trees. Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata) is an economically important tree species in the subtropical regions of China. This study investigated the diversity of microbial communities, including bacteria and fungi, in the roots and bulk soil of young (2 years old) and old (46 years old) Chinese fir. It specifically examined the functional characteristics of these microbial communities. Through a non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) analysis, we examined differences in microbial community structures among root and soil samples of Chinese fir. Evaluations using α-diversity metrics (Chao1, Shannon, Pielou, etc.) confirmed significant differences in diversity and structure between soil and root samples but high similarity between young and old tree samples. A network analysis identified key bacterial and fungal genera, such as Burkholderia and Russula, which play pivotal roles in the microbiome structure. We also demonstrated significant variations in microbial metabolic functions, such as dioxin and benzoic acid degradation metabolic pathways, which might relate to stress alleviation for tree fitness. Additionally, for the detection of endophytic microorganisms in Chinese fir seeds, only small amounts (less than 10%) of fungal endophytes and bare bacterial endophytes were identified. In summary, this study revealed that the stable structure of the rhizosphere microbiome was established in the early stage of tree life in Chinese fir, which mostly originated from surrounding soil rather than seed endophytes. The associated microbial metabolic activity naturally decreased with tree aging, implicating the tree microbial dynamics and the need for the addition of an actively functional synthetic community for tree fitness.

All the lonely people, where do they all come from: age moderating the mediation effect of loneliness among Portuguese students

PurposeThe present study aimed to examine the mediation role of loneliness in the relationship between perceived social support and depressive symptoms among university students in Portugal. The study also investigated the moderation role of age on the mediation model.Design/methodology/approachSurvey data sample consisted of 755 participants (aged 18–55 years) attending university in Lisbon, Portugal, from February through May 2023. Participants completed the UCLA Loneliness Scale, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale. The SPSS Program with PROCESS macro (Model 4 and Model 8) was used to test the hypotheses regarding the mediation and the moderated mediation effects.FindingsThe bootstrap result for indirect effect loneliness (β = −0.083, p &lt; 0.0001) was significant, indicating that loneliness mediated the relationship between perceived social support and depressive symptoms. Moreover, the interaction term (perceived social support x age) had a significant positive effect on the direct negative association between perceived social support and depressive symptoms (B = 0.0312; p &lt; 0.05), showing that age moderated the direct relationship between the aforementioned variables. Importantly, the results showed that age moderated the indirect association (via loneliness) between perceived social support and depressive symptoms.Originality/valueThis research advances our understanding of loneliness among university students of different age ranges while providing empirical data on the effect of loneliness in the relation of social support and depressive symptoms. Moreover, the study delves on possible strategies to combat the expression of loneliness and further depressive symptoms.

When academic impact is not enough: a concept mapping study characterising excellence in practice-based research

Background: Research quality is often discussed in terms of excellence, emphasising replicability and trustworthiness. Practice-based research instead emphasises implementability and practical impact, and thus, may reflect other values and logics and challenge how high-quality practice-based research is defined. The aim of this study is to explore what characterises excellent practice-based research. Method: R&amp;D staff at social and health care organisations in Sweden were invited to participate in a concept mapping study. Forty-eight participants were prompted to finish the sentence: ‘Excellent practice-based research is characterised by …’ in a brainstorming session. Next, participants (n=22) worked individually to sort statements by similarity and rate perceived importance (n=13) and experience (n=10). Data was analysed with multidimensional scaling, cluster analysis and t-tests. Lastly, a digital workshop with 50 participants was conducted to facilitate the interpretation of cluster solutions. Results: Eighty-three statements were distilled into 11 clusters from characteristics typical for traditional academic values (for example, ‘deploying appropriate methods’) and practice-based research (for example, ‘being actionable’) to characteristics emphasising the unique blend between them, such as ‘capturing and conveying reality’ and ‘embracing different agendas and perspectives’, the latter rated as the most important quality of excellent practice-based research, followed by ‘deploying appropriate methods’ and ‘being actionable’. Conclusions: Practice-based research is a complex field, addressing both ‘why things are’ and ‘how they work’. This study offers insights into how excellent practice-based research can be defined, broadening the view of what excellence entails.

Bee Habitat, but Not Bee Community Structure, Varies Across Grassland Management in Four National Parks in the Mid-Atlantic, USA.

National Park Service units in the United States play a large role in providing habitat for native pollinators. In parks that are established to preserve cultural landscapes, park managers recognize an opportunity to improve pollinator habitat while maintaining historically accurate conditions. In this study, we document floral resources and native bees within managed park grasslands, with the goal of providing information to managers to help them maximize pollinator habitat while meeting other management objectives. The study was performed on 37 grassland properties in the mid-Atlantic region of the eastern United States, distributed across four parks; each property was managed with one of three management types: cool-season hayed, cool-season pasture, or warm-season meadows managed with multiple approaches. We surveyed bees and open flowers on 50-m transects twice each year in 2021 and 2022. Repeated-measures ANOVA models revealed that mean bee abundance, richness, evenness, and diversity did not vary among sites or management types. This finding was further supported by a principal coordinates analysis that showed that bee community composition was similar across management types. Nonetheless, we found evidence to indicate that the three management types did not produce equivalent habitat for bees. Species accumulation curves showed that the effective number of flower species was consistently lower in cool-season pastures, relative to the other two management types. Furthermore, we detected positive correlations between bee and flower diversity metrics in one of the 2 years, indicating that floral metrics are associated with bee communities, at least under certain conditions. Collectively, our study suggests that cool-season fields that are hayed and warm-season meadows have higher floral diversity than cool-season pastures within national park units of the mid-Atlantic region, and this higher diversity of forbs has the potential to benefit native bee diversity.

Surgeon experience affects perioperative pain in cats undergoing elective ovariohysterectomy: a randomized clinical trial.

This study aimed to compare the outcomes between surgeries performed by either experienced or inexperienced surgeons by assessing intraoperative nociception and perioperative analgesia. 16 healthy, client-owned female cats were randomly allocated into 2 groups of 8: one undergoing surgery by an experienced surgeon (GES group) and the other by inexperienced surgeons (GIS group). Both groups received IM premedication with acepromazine (0.05 mg/kg) and methadone (0.3 mg/kg). After 20 minutes, venipuncture and induction with propofol (dose-response, IV) were performed. Maintenance was achieved with inhaled isoflurane. Intraoperative vital parameters were monitored, and fentanyl (2.5 µg/kg, IV) was administered as rescue analgesia when needed. Postoperatively, pain was assessed with a visual analog scale and the multidimensional pain scale of the Universidade Estadual Paulista in Botucatu; morphine (0.2 mg/kg, IM) was used for rescue analgesia, as necessary. In the GIS group, significant increases in heart rate and systolic blood pressure were noted during surgery, especially during pedicle clamping. Respiratory rate and end-tidal isoflurane levels were higher in the GIS group at specific surgical stages. Survival analysis indicated that the GIS group had a greater need for fentanyl. Postoperative pain scores were generally low, but a higher proportion of GIS cats required rescue analgesia. Surgeon experience influences intraoperative parameters and fentanyl consumption. Inexperienced surgeons contribute to increased postoperative pain and poorer wound healing outcomes in cats undergoing elective ovariohysterectomy. Ovariohysterectomy is a common procedure in veterinary practice, and surgical expertise significantly impacts pain management and recovery. Yet, its effects have been underexplored, potentially compromising animal welfare.

Effect of Perfectionism on Interpersonal Sensitivity Among Nursing Students: The Mediating Role of Coping Style and Subjective Well-Being.

To explore the connection between perfectionism and interpersonal sensitivity among nursing students and to examine the intermediary effects of coping style and subjective well-being within this association. Utilizing a cross-sectional approach, this study assessed 682 nursing students at two Henan Province universities in China, employing the Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale, Interpersonal Sensitivity Questionnaire, Coping Style Scale, and Subjective Well-being Scale. The data were subjected to descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and regression analysis with a macro process model. Maladaptive perfectionism showed a strong positive link with interpersonal sensitivity (r = 0.42, p < 0.01) and a negative coping style (r = 0.18, p < 0.01), and a marked negative link with subjective well-being (r = -0.23, p < 0.01). Coping style and subjective well-being acted as sequential mediators in the relationship between perfectionism and interpersonal sensitivity. Perfectionism has a direct impact on the interpersonal sensitivity of nursing students and also influences it indirectly through coping strategies and subjective well-being. These findings offer theoretical backing and direction for research into and enhancement of nursing students' interpersonal sensitivity, underscoring the significance of interventions designed to mitigate maladaptive perfectionism, foster constructive coping styles, and bolster subjective well-being.

Detecting psychometric and diagnostic performance of the RU_SATED v2.0 multidimensional sleep health scale in community-dwelling adults combining exploratory graph analysis and ROC analysis

ObjectiveThe RU_SATED scale is increasingly used across the globe to measure sleep health. However, there is a lack of consensus around its psychometric and diagnostic performance. We conducted an empirical investigation into the psychometrics of the Chinese version of the RU_SATED (RU_SATED-C) scale, with a focus on structural validity and diagnostic performance. Methods1171 adults were enrolled from three communities in Hangzhou, China in July 2022. The dataset was spilt in half, and we ran a bootstrapped exploratory graph analysis (bootEGA) in one half and a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) in the other half to assess structural validity. Correlations with insomnia, wellness, anxiety, and depression symptoms were examined in order to assess concurrent validity; and Cronbach's α and McDonald's ω were calculated to assess internal consistency. Additionally, a Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis established and externally validated the optimal score for identifying insomnia symptoms. ResultsA one-dimensional structure, as identified by bootEGA, was corroborated in the CFA [comparative fit index = 0.934, root mean square error of approximation = 0.088, standardized root mean square residual = 0.051]. A moderate correlation was shown with insomnia symptoms, while weak correlations were observed with wellness, anxiety, and depression symptoms. The RU_SATED-C scale displayed sub-optimal internal consistency where coefficients dropped if any item was removed. A recommended cutoff score of ≤13 was derived for probable insomnia with a satisfactory diagnostic performance. ConclusionThe RU_SATED-C scale displayed a one-dimensional model, along with adequate concurrent validity, internal consistency, and diagnostic performance. Further work necessitates multi-scenario testing and additional validation using objective sleep assessments.

Adaptation of the Self-Control Strategies Scale to Turkish and Evaluation of Psychometric Properties

Self-control was initially defined as behavioral inhibition. However, researchers have since recognized that strategies beyond behavioral inhibition are also required. This study aims to adapt the Self-Control Strategies Scale, developed to measure the broader theoretical structure of self-control beyond behavioral inhibition, into Turkish and to examine its psychometric properties. The study was conducted with 477 university students aged between 18 and 31. The confirmatory factor analysis indicates that the 34-item version of the scale shows good fit. Convergent validity analysis involved using the Multidimensional Self-Control Scale and the General Procrastination Scale. It was found that behavioral inhibition remains the strongest predictor of self-control, followed by Pre-Commitment, Reward, and Cognitive Change. General Procrastination is only predicted by Behavioral Inhibition and Pre-Commitment. Reliability analyses of the scale were conducted using McDonald’s Omega, test-retest reliability, and item-total correlations. All subscales, except for the Pre-Commitment subscale, have a reliability level above .70. In conclusion, the scale is valid and reliable for use in research conducted in Türkiye. However, the reliability level of the Pre-Commitment subscale should be considered when interpreting the results. This study also provides insights into the skills that should be acquired in self-control enhancement interventions.

Differences in Gut Microbial Composition and Characteristics Among Three Populations of the Bamboo Pitviper (Viridovipera stejnegeri).

The gut microbiota contributes to host health by facilitating nutrient uptake, digestion, energy metabolism, intestinal development, vitamin synthesis, and immunomodulation, and plays an important role in the growth and reproduction of the animal itself. Considering the paucity of research on the gut microbiota of wild snakes, this study focused on bamboo pitviper (Viridovipera stejnegeri) populations from Anhui, Guizhou, and Hunan, with multiple fecal samples collected from each population (six, five, and three, respectively). Total microbial DNA was extracted from the fecal samples using metagenomic next-generation sequencing and differences in gut microbial composition, abundance, and carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) were analyzed and compared among the three populations. Results showed no significant variance in the α-diversity of the gut microbes across the three populations, while principal coordinate analysis revealed significant differences in gut microbe composition. The four most abundant phyla in the gut microbiota of V. stejnegeri were Pseudomonadota, Bacteroidota, Actinomycetota, and Bacillota, while the four most abundant genera were Salmonella, Citrobacter, Bacteroides, and Yokenella. Linear discriminant analysis effect size demonstrated notable differences in gut microbial abundance among the three populations. Marked differences in CAZyme abundance were also observed across the microbial communities. Future studies should incorporate diverse ecological factors to evaluate their influence on the composition and function of gut microbiota.

Effect of Spirulina on the Rumen Microbiota and Serum Biochemical Parameters of Lambs

Spirulina (Arthrospira platensis) is rich in a variety of fermentable fibers and prebiotics, which can promote the proliferation of beneficial flora in the intestinal tract of ruminants and optimize the balance of microorganisms in the rumen. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether dietary supplementation with Spirulina has a beneficial effect on the rumen microbial community and serum indices in lambs. For this purpose, 36 lambs with a mean weight of 21.68 kg (standard deviation 1.04 kg) and an age of approximately 5 months (standard deviation 4 days) were selected for the study. The same scale was used for age standard deviation, i.e., 4 days/30.5 days (1 month) = 0.13 months. All lambs were randomly assigned into two treatments, and received non-Spirulina diet as the control (CK treatment) and the Spirulina added diet (Spirulina was added at a rate of 3% of the fresh weight of the diet). The results indicated that the triacylglycerol (p &lt; 0.0001), alanine transaminase (ALT) (p &lt; 0.0001), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (p &lt; 0.0001), glucose (p &lt; 0.0001), immunoglobulin G (p = 0.0066) and insulin (p = 0.0025) levels were markedly increased in the Spirulina treatment compared to those in the CK treatment. The principal coordinates analysis showed that the bacterial community did not cluster separately between the CK and Spirulina treatments. Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes and Actinobacteria were the dominant members of the community in two treatments. Prevotella were the primary genera, followed by the Lachnospiraceae_NK3A20_group, Olsenella, Succinivibrionaceae_UCG-001 and Ruminococcus, and a significant (p &lt; 0.05) difference was found in Olsenella between the two treatments. These results suggest that the addition of Spirulina is more beneficial for serum biochemical parameters and rumen microbiota of lambs. Overall, these findings contribute to the development of strategies to improve rumen microbial communities for healthy ecosystems on the Mongolian Plateau and provide a scientific basis for the use of Spirulina in feed.

Primary manipulation knowledge of objects is associated with the functional coupling of pMTG and aIPS

Correctly using hand-held tools and manipulable objects typically relies not only on sensory and motor-related processes, but also centrally on conceptual knowledge about how objects are typically used (e.g. grasping the handle of a kitchen knife rather than the blade avoids injury). A wealth of fMRI connectivity-related evidence demonstrates that contributions from both ventral and dorsal stream areas are important for accurate tool knowledge and use. Here, we investigate the combined role of ventral and dorsal stream areas in representing “primary” manipulation knowledge - that is, knowledge that is hypothesized to be of central importance for day-to-day object use. We operationalize primary manipulation knowledge by extracting the first dimension from a multi-dimensional scaling solution over a behavioral judgement task where subjects arranged a set of 80 manipulable objects based on their overall manipulation similarity. We then relate this dimension to representational and time-course correlations between ventral and dorsal stream areas. Our results show that functional coupling between posterior middle temporal cortex (pMTG) and anterior intraparietal sulcus (aIPS) is uniquely related to primary manipulation knowledge about objects, and that this effect is more pronounced for objects that require precision grasping. We reason this is due to precision-grasp objects requiring more ventral/temporal information relating to object shape, material and function to allow correct finger placement and controlled manipulation. These results demonstrate the importance of functional coupling across these ventral and dorsal stream areas in service of manipulation knowledge and accurate grasp-related behavior.

Multiple ancestral components and complex origins of the Yugur people in Gansu province revealing by 35 Y-STR.

The Yugur people represent one of the ethnic groups residing within the Hexi Corridor, distinguishable by their small population size, linguistic diversity, intricate ancestral components, serving as a quintessential exemplar of the populations inhabiting this corridor. There are still many controversial issues in the academic community regarding the origin, migration, and formation process of the Yugur. In this study, we explored the formation process of the Yugur from the perspective of molecular anthropology, based on the paternal genetic characteristics of the Yugur people. And the study will synthesize multiple disciplines, encompassing ethnology, history and linguistics, in order to offer a thorough analysis. Within this research endeavor, a high-resolution kit comprising 35 Y-STRs was employed to examine 237 male specimens from the Yugur people in Gansu province. Y-SNP haplogroups were deduced through the utilization of Y-STR data. The paternal genetic data from diverse populations documented in published literature were merged to construct a 16 Y-STR dataset, a 25 Y-STR dataset, and a dataset detailing haplogroup frequencies. In this study, we employed haplotype network analysis, principal component analysis, multidimensional scaling analysis, phylogenetic tree construction, and genetic distance calculations to delve into the genetic structure, haplotype distribution, and genetic relationship with neighboring populations of the Yugur people. The findings of this study reveal that the Yugur people are a blend of ancestral lineages from both Eastern and Western Eurasian origins, with approximately 13% of their genetic component traced back to Western Eurasian populations. The Yugur people in Gansu province exhibits a more intimate genetic relationship with the Han, Tibetan, and Mongolian populations inhabiting nearby regions, while showing distinct genetic differences with Turkic-speaking groups like the Uyghur. Based on the merged data, we identified Q1b1a3-L330 and R1a1a-M17 shared with Turkic-speaking people, C2a1a1-F1756, C2a1a3-M504, C2a1a3a-F3796, C2a1a2-M48 and C2b1a1a1a-M407 shared with Mongolic-speaking people, D1a1a-M15 and D1a1b1-P47 shared with Tibetans, and multiple paternal lineages shared with Han people, which are the main paternal lineages of Yugur people, indicating multiple ancestral components and complex origins of Yugur. In this study, we provided a clearer genetic landscape which further supports the formation process and population characteristics of the Yugur people recorded in history, ethnology, and linguistics, and lays the foundation for more detailed studies on population genetics and forensic genetics in the future.

Comparison of nasal microbiota between preterm and full-term infants in early life.

The respiratory microbiota influences infant immune system maturation. Little is known about how perinatal, physiological, and environmental exposures impact the nasal microbiota in preterm infants after discharge, or nasal microbiota differences between preterm and healthy full-term infants. Nasal swabs (from 136 preterm and 299 full-term infants at mean postmenstrual age of 45 weeks from the prospective Basel-Bern Infant Lung Development cohort) were analyzed by 16S-rRNA gene amplification and sequencing (Illumina MiSeq). Associations were tested with multivariable linear regression and principal coordinate analysis. Presence of older siblings in preterm infants was associated with β-diversity (PERMANOVA p = 0.001) and an increased abundance of Moraxella and Haemophilus. The nasal microbiota of preterm infants exhibited a distinct composition compared to that of full-term infants (PERMANOVA, R2 = 0.014, p = 0.001), characterized by a reduced abundance of the Moraxella and Dolosigranulum genera (ANCOM-BC, p < 0.05). Our results indicate that, despite both infant groups having similar nasal microbiota patterns, there are some disparities which suggest that prematurity influences the initial microbiota colonization. In preterm infants the presence of older siblings had an effect on the nasal microbiota, whereas perinatal and early postnatal factors did not show significant effects. Presence of older siblings affected the nasal microbiota of preterm infants. This study demonstrated that microbiota composition differs between full-term and preterm infants, with a lower abundance of Moraxella and Dolosigranulum in preterm infants. Examining the differences in nasal microbiota between preterm and full-term infants may contribute to understanding the trajectory of the bacterial component of the nasal microbiota of preterm infants.

Анализ генетического разнообразия сортов масличного льна селекции ВНИИМК с применением молекулярно-генетических маркеров

Oil flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) is one of the most important technical crops. The success of the breeding work is reached mostly by the genetic diversity of used initial germplasm. The molecular-genetic markers determine this diversity. Five cultivars of oil flax: Danik, Snegurok, Nilin, Y 117, and August, bred at the V.S. Pustovoit All-Russian Research Institute of Oil Crops were used as research material. To estimate genetic structure of cultivars we used 40 plants of each cultivar. Ten microsatellite loci markers were used for analysis. The amplification was conducted in a termocycler MiniAmp (Thermo Scientific, USA). The electrophoretic segregation of amplicons was carried out in 8% polyacrilamide gel in the native conditions. The primary indicators of genetic varia-tion (a number of alleles per a locus (Na), an effective number of alleles (Ne), observed (Ho) and wanted (He) heterozigosity, an informative Shennon’s index (I), fixation index (F), percentage of polymorphic loci (%P), genetic distances (D) were determined, analysis of molecular variation and principle coordinate analysis were done. The indicators of intraspecific genetic diversity decreased in the direction of cultivar range Nilin, Danik, August, Y 117, and Snegurok. Snegurok is a cultivar of linear type with some number of non-typical plants. The cultivar Y 117 is divided into two main biotype. Nilin, Danik, and August do not possess clear-marked structure. Most of the total variation is conditioned by differences between cultivars. The genetic distances between cultivars are quite big and equal from 0.752 to 0.986. All cultivars are distant from each other by two main coordinates. The conducted research showed small intravarietal and signif-icant intervarietal genetic diversity of five oil flax cultivars bred at the V.S. Pustovoit All-Russian Re-search Institute of Oil Crops and their potential in as initial material for breeding of new cultivars.