Tag: pubmed

Genomics Proteomics Bioinformatics. 2026 Jun 12:qzag046. doi: 10.1093/gpbjnl/qzag046. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Population admixture is a pivotal evolutionary process that has profoundly shaped genetic diversity and population structure in modern human populations. However, most existing methods for inferring admixture history rely on simplified assumptions, such as strictly sequential contributions from ancestral populations, thereby limiting their applicability to realistic scenarios. Here, we introduce HiMWA, a computational framework based on a hierarchical multiple-wave admixture model for reconstructing complex admixture histories involving multiple ancestral populations. HiMWA characterizes both hierarchical admixture, in which ancestral populations first admix to form intermediate populations, and subsequent multiple-wave admixture that shapes the final admixed population. The framework integrates model selection based on ancestry switch counts with parameter estimation using the length distribution of ancestral tracts. Extensive simulations demonstrate that HiMWA is accurate and robust across diverse admixture scenarios, including those affected by genetic drift and local ancestry inference errors. Applying HiMWA to Kazakhs and Uyghurs revealed a shared hierarchical admixture structure. In both populations, West European and South Asian ancestries first admixed to form a West Eurasian intermediate population, while East Asian and Siberian ancestries formed an East Eurasian intermediate population. These two intermediates subsequently contributed to present-day populations through multiple waves of admixture. Our results highlight the prevalence of hierarchical multiple-wave admixture in Central Asia and provide insights into the region’s complex demographic history. HiMWA offers a powerful and flexible framework for disentangling complex admixture histories and reconstructing realistic population genetic histories from genomic data. The HiMWA software, documentation, and example datasets are publicly available at https://github.com/Shuhua-Group/HiMWA and https://ngdc.cncb.ac.cn/biocode/tool/BT008069.

PMID:42286175 | DOI:10.1093/gpbjnl/qzag046

Commun Psychol. 2026 Jun 12;4(1):95. doi: 10.1038/s44271-026-00487-8.

ABSTRACT

As technology-based learning environments increasingly employ automated feedback, understanding how learners process feedback in real time is essential. This study examined how automated cognitive and metacognitive failure feedback delivered by a humanoid robot affected performance and how effects were moderated by feedback characteristics and learner characteristics. Ninety adults (18-59 years, M_age = 29.53, 61 female, 27 male, 2 diverse) completed a learning task in three conditions: (1) fixed guidance condition with fixed-frequency and content-generic feedback, (2) basic-adaptive condition with frequency-adaptive but content-generic feedback, or (3) personalized-adaptive condition with frequency-adaptive and content-personalized feedback adjusting content to learners specific errors and prior steps. A three-level generalized path model (trials nested within time blocks within learners) was estimated to investigate effects of failure feedback on immediate task performance and cross-level moderation effects. Results showed that cognitive and metacognitive failure feedback increased the likelihood of a correct subsequent response across conditions. Relative to fixed guidance (condition 1), the implemented form of frequency-adaptive feedback (condition 2) did not show statistically significant moderation to these effects. Content-personalized feedback (condition 3) reduced effectiveness of cognitive failure feedback on immediate performance but improved overall performance as compared to content-generic feedback (condition 2). Across conditions, learners with higher cognitive ability benefited less, while those reporting higher momentary on-task boredom benefited more from cognitive feedback. These findings highlight that the effectiveness of automated failure feedback depends on both its design and learners’ situational cognitive and emotional states, illustrating how a situational, temporally sensitive approach can help open the “black box” of feedback effectiveness.

PMID:42286158 | DOI:10.1038/s44271-026-00487-8

Sci Rep. 2026 Jun 12. doi: 10.1038/s41598-026-57254-2. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Rapid identification of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is crucial for early optimization of antibiotic treatment, but current routine susceptibility testing typically requires 48-72 h. Attenuated total reflectance Fourier-transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy has emerged as a promising approach for bacterial identification and has recently been used to distinguish MRSA from methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA) after 60-120 min of β-lactam exposure. Here, we test whether ATR-FTIR can resolve MRSA versus MSSA within the first hour of antibiotic challenge. We exposed three MSSA (ATCC 6538, WKZ1, RN4220) and four MRSA (ATCC 43300, USA300-JE2, WKZ2, CA629) strains to sub-MIC ampicillin (0.5 μg/mL) and acquired spectra from 800 to 1800 cm^-1 at 0, 20, 30, and 60 min. We compared classification pipelines based on the full spectrum, PCA-reduced features, and LASSO-selected bands, coupled with linear discriminant analysis, partial least-squares discriminant analysis, and support vector machines. Models based on LASSO-selected features achieved the strongest early performance, with strain-aware classification accuracies of 0.91 at 20 min and 0.92 at 30 min. Leave-one-strain-out cross-validation (LOSO-CV) further showed that focusing on mechanistically relevant difference spectra enabled robust across-strain discrimination, with balanced accuracies of 0.91 at 20 min and 0.90 at 30 min. The most informative early bands mapped primarily to peptidoglycan and carbohydrate precursor regions, while later discrimination increasingly involved lipid-associated bands. Transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy at 20 min independently confirmed antibiotic-induced cell-wall thickening and structural disruption in susceptible strains but not in resistant strains. Together, these results establish a proof of concept that early cell-wall stress signatures captured by ATR-FTIR, combined with lightweight and interpretable machine-learning models, can deliver rapid and accurate phenotypic discrimination between MRSA and MSSA.

PMID:42286152 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-026-57254-2

Sci Rep. 2026 Jun 12. doi: 10.1038/s41598-026-57707-8. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Emergency medical technicians (EMTs) frequently experience workplace violence in prehospital settings; however, evidence on the role of body-worn cameras (BWCs) in this context is limited. This study examined the factors associated with frequent workplace violence, the perceived need for BWCs, and actual BWC use among South Korean EMTs, incorporating individual- and regional-level indicators. A nationwide cross-sectional survey was conducted among EMTs employed by provincial fire departments in South Korea. Survey data on sociodemographic characteristics, work conditions, workplace violence over the past year, and BWC-related perceptions and behaviors were linked to province-level assault indicators from the National 119 emergency medical services (EMS) Statistical Yearbook (2020-2024). The main outcomes included frequent workplace violence, high perceived need for BWCs, and BWC use. Regional assault burden was modeled as tertiles of a five-year mean provincial assault index and as a continuous measure per 10-unit increase. All primary outcomes were self-reported within a knowledge-attitude-practice (KAP) survey design. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to estimate adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). To address within-province clustering, Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) were additionally used as a sensitivity analysis. Of 3,595 EMTs included in the descriptive analyses, 2,555 provided complete violence data. Nearly all respondents (99.7%) reported some workplace violence in the past year, and 17.3% were classified as experiencing frequent workplace violence. Overall, 64.4% reported using a BWC, and 87.9% expressed a high perceived need. Frequent violence was associated with younger age, longer EMS career, higher daily call volume, and working as an EMT rather than an ambulance driver, but not with regional assault burden. High perceived need for BWCs was more common among female EMTs and varied by age, again without clear associations with regional assault indices. In contrast, actual BWC use was associated with job position, shorter EMS career, lower call volume, and high perceived need, and was inversely associated with higher regional assault burden. Workplace violence was highly prevalent among South Korean EMTs, and the perceived need for BWCs was widespread. Individual and work-related factors, rather than province-level assault burden, were the key determinants of frequent violence and BWC-related perceptions, whereas BWC use was less common in regions with higher recorded assault indices.

PMID:42286143 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-026-57707-8

Nat Genet. 2026 Jun 12. doi: 10.1038/s41588-026-02641-8. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Genome-wide association studies in complex polyploids are hindered by genotyping ambiguity and allele dosage complexity. Here we present KMERIA, a k-mer-based framework specifically designed to address these challenges, enabling efficient genotyping and robust association mapping in complex polyploid genomes. Rigorous benchmarking with simulated and empirical datasets demonstrates that KMERIA surpasses existing methods in accuracy and statistical power. By applying KMERIA to 290 wild sugarcane (Saccharum spontaneum) accessions and integrating a 15-accession graph pangenome to capture structural variations, we identified new genes regulating sucrose biosynthesis (SsMGT) and tillering (for example, SsERF14, SsNGA5, SsNAC, SsARF8, SsLOG and SsSCR). These findings elucidate the genetic architecture of yield-related traits and provide actionable targets for sugarcane breeding. Collectively, KMERIA bridges a critical methodological gap in polyploid genomics, while our graph-pangenome integration provides a powerful framework for deciphering genotype-phenotype relationships in crops with complex architectures.

PMID:42286142 | DOI:10.1038/s41588-026-02641-8

Sci Rep. 2026 Jun 13. doi: 10.1038/s41598-026-57018-y. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

This research investigates the influence of shell and inner tube geometry modifications on the thermal performance of latent heat thermal energy storage (LHTES) systems employing phase change materials (PCMs), aiming to overcome the low thermal conductivity and weak melting zones commonly observed in conventional configurations. Several shell-and-tube configurations with circular, rectangular, and trapezoidal geometries were investigated numerically. The novelty of the present study lies in the combined optimization of both shell and inner tube trapezoidal geometries to enhance natural convection and improve heat distribution inside the PCM domain. Numerical simulations evaluate melting time, enhancement ratio, energy storage density, and mean power for each case. Results indicate that the conventional Circle-Circle configuration has the longest complete melting time (CMT) of 5440 s. Fully trapezoidal shell-and-tube designs significantly enhance heat transfer, with Trapezoidal-Trapezoidal 03 achieving a remarkable reduction of 23.53%, lowering the CMT to 4160 s. The enhancement ratio analysis shows that Trapezoidal-Trapezoidal 03 achieves a maximum improvement of 18%, whereas other trapezoidal configurations attain enhancements between 4% and 13%. The superior performance of trapezoidal geometries is mainly attributed to improved heat distribution toward the lower PCM region, reduced thermal dead zones, and stronger natural convection circulation. Regarding energy performance, Trapezoidal-Trapezoidal 03 achieves a mean power of 735 W, while Circle-Trapezoidal 01 and 02 exhibit the highest energy storage densities of 206.24 and 207.88 kJ/kg, respectively. These findings demonstrate that the optimal configuration depends on the targeted application, whether prioritizing rapid melting or higher energy storage density. The present results may contribute to the design of more efficient thermal energy storage systems for solar thermal and industrial waste heat recovery applications.

PMID:42286119 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-026-57018-y

Sci Rep. 2026 Jun 12. doi: 10.1038/s41598-026-56436-2. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The management of medical insurance funds is pivotal to the development of medical consortia. These funds serve as the operational lifeline of medical consortia and constitute critical public resources essential for public welfare. Medical expense settlement involves multiple stakeholders, including patients, tiered healthcare institutions, and insurance administrative agencies. However, disputes frequently arise between medical insurance authorities and hospitals regarding expense legitimacy due to information asymmetry and interpretative discrepancies. Such conflicts impede smoothness of payment mechanism, thereby undermining consortium operations and inter-institutional collaboration. To address these challenges, this study proposes a blockchain-based framework integrating medical expense investigation with insurance settlement. The system employs two core components: Anomaly detection via the Isolation Forest (IF) algorithm to identify potentially irregular expenses. Consensus-driven adjudication using Fleiss Kappa-based smart contracts facilitated by an anonymous panel of medical experts. This design enhances coordination between expense oversight and settlement processes, thus streamlining dispute resolution for medical expense anomalies and improving the scientific governance of insurance funds. Experimentally, the statistical validity demonstrated for unsupervised anomaly detection of IF and potential engineering applicability indicated in the analysis of healthcare cost. The healthcare consortium blockchain based on a Delegated Proof-of-Stake (DPoS) consensus mechanism and smart contract batch processing achieved a peak throughput of 229.64 transactions per second (TPS) and reduced transaction costs by up to 3,095 gwei. This demonstrates scalability for real-world medical insurance collaborative settlement systems.

PMID:42286116 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-026-56436-2

Int J Obes (Lond). 2026 Jun 12. doi: 10.1038/s41366-026-02112-4. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Investigating early life growth dynamics is important for understanding the developmental origins of obesity. Basis splines (B-splines) provide excellent flexibility for modelling complex growth patterns, but they are prone to overfitting. Penalised B-splines (P-splines) extend B-splines by using a penalty to control their flexibility and avoid overfitting. Despite their advantages, P-splines remain underused in epidemiology, partly due to lack of guidance and accessible software. Our aim was to provide a guide on applying P-spline linear mixed effects models to analyse early life growth trajectories and extract key growth features.

METHODS: We outline the theoretical foundation and fitting procedures for P-splines and illustrate their use on repeated height, weight, and body mass index (BMI) measures up to age 10 years from a Southeast Asian birth cohort (n = 1014). P-splines linear mixed effects models were fitted by reformulating P-splines as mixed models with sparse matrices for efficient estimation. From the fitted trajectories, we estimated infant peak growth velocity, magnitude and timing of infant peak BMI and childhood rebound BMI, and examined their sex differences, intercorrelations, and associations with prenatal factors.

RESULTS: Infant peak height velocity (means:.4.4 vs. 3.9 cm/month) and peak weight velocity (1121 vs. 890 grams/month) was higher in boys than girls. Infancy peak BMI (17.4 vs. 16.8 kg/m²), childhood rebound BMI (15.1 vs. 14.9 kg/m²), age at peak BMI (5.8 vs. 6.4 months), and age at rebound BMI (5.4 years) were comparable between sexes. Ages of peak and rebound BMI had a negligible correlation, higher maternal height was associated with higher peak growth velocity, higher maternal early-pregnancy weight was associated with higher and earlier rebound BMI, and higher birth weight was associated with higher and earlier peak BMI.

CONCLUSIONS: P-splines simplify knot selection, making them a valuable approach for growth modelling. Software, code and datasets are provided to promote uptake of this method.

PMID:42286114 | DOI:10.1038/s41366-026-02112-4

Mar Environ Res. 2026 Jun 9;220:108190. doi: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2026.108190. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Abyssal and hadal macroinfaunal communities (>300 μm) were studied across a longitudinal geographic transect in the Southeast Pacific region (71°- 109°W). Composition, structure, and distribution were analyzed in relation to the seafloor organic content associated with surface productivity. Sediment samples were collected at each study site with a multicore containing eight cores of 7.5 cm internal diameter, covering associated seamounts, oceanic islands, and trench environments. Faunal composition was dominated by Crustacea, Mollusca, and Annelida, with Crustacea as the most diverse. Polychaeta and Copepoda were always the most common and abundant in all sites recording a relative abundance of 38% and 33%, respectively. Vertical distribution showed that 73% of fauna inhabit the first centimeter of sediment. The number of individuals was low and mean density per site was 710 ind. m^-2, however the high number of species recorded only once would indicate a high diversity of species in the study zone. Ecological indices showed higher values in eutrophic and mesotrophic areas coinciding with the record of the highest concentrations of parameters related to sediment organic content. Differences between habitats were observed, recording higher abundance and diversity on Trench and Seamount sites from eutrophic and mesotrophic zones, while lower values of these descriptors on Seamount and Oceanic Island sites associated with less productive zones. Statistical analysis and correlations showed that Chloroplast Pigment Equivalent and Chlorophyll-a may explain the observed patterns for the benthic community. The macroinfaunal communities described are typical of abyssal and hadal sediment environments and they appear to respond to organic inputs according to recorded spatial distribution patterns.

PMID:42284669 | DOI:10.1016/j.marenvres.2026.108190

Soc Sci Med. 2026 Jun 8;404:119483. doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2026.119483. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

RATIONALE: Publicly financed health insurance expansions in India have often increased inpatient utilisation without commensurate reductions in out-of-pocket (OOP) spending. Whether integrating benefits to cover chronic-disease medicines improves financial protection has received little empirical attention.

OBJECTIVE: This study examines whether the Karunya Arogya Suraksha Padhathi (KASP), Kerala’s implementation of Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY), which consolidated multiple state and national schemes under a unified purchaser and expanded package-based cashless coverage for secondary, tertiary, and eligible day-care services from April 2019, reduced household OOP health expenditure.

METHODS: We use household panel data from the Consumer Pyramids Household Survey (CPHS) covering April 2017 to February 2020, comprising 58,171 household interview observations across Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka, and apply a difference-in-differences (DiD) design. Outcomes include net OOP health spending and its components.

RESULTS: KASP reduced net OOP health spending by approximately 31.7% in specifications allowing Kerala-specific trends. The decline was concentrated in medicine spending, while hospitalisation rates were statistically unchanged. Total health spending declined in baseline two-way fixed-effects (TWFE) models but was statistically indistinguishable from zero in trend-adjusted specifications; the net OOP reduction remained robust. Effects were larger among poorer households and those with chronic conditions, and smaller in rural areas, consistent with limited access to empanelled hospitals. Results are robust to event-study diagnostics, alternative comparator pools, and a timing placebo based on Tamil Nadu’s December 2018 inpatient-cap expansion.

CONCLUSIONS: Benefit expansion covering medicine costs can improve financial protection by reducing point-of-care payments, even without reducing total costs in the short run. The findings suggest that aligning public insurance benefit packages with households’ pharmaceutical spending patterns, particularly among those managing chronic conditions, may offer a more direct route to financial protection than hospitalisation-focused expansion alone.

PMID:42284657 | DOI:10.1016/j.socscimed.2026.119483