title: Factor structure of morphometric variables measured on six metacarpal bones.
abstract: Morphometry of the second, third and fourth metacarpal bone was performed on hand-wrist radiograms of both hands in a sample of 434 male and 549 female adult subjects. Morphometric data (bone length-L, total diaphysis width-T and medullary canal width-M) and age were processed using principal factor analysis with oblique rotation, separately for males and females. In both sexes three factors accounting for 74.7% of the total variance were extracted, but their patterns of variation differed. Factors-"cumulative environmental-genetic factor", "longitudinal factor", and "transversal factor"-are discussed within the context of their biological meaning affecting the phenotypic formation of metacarpal skeleton in a given population.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, University of Zagreb, Republic of Croatia.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Simić
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chaventre
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Plato
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Tobin
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rudan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D050279:Metacarpal Bones / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography; D015022:Yugoslavia