PeerJ
type: channel
link: https://peerj.com/articles/
description: Articles published in PeerJ
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
publication name: PeerJ
issn: 2167-8359
items: Muscle activation varies between high-bar and low-bar back squat
items: Multiple immunity-related genes control susceptibility of Arabidopsis thaliana to the parasitic weed Phelipanche aegyptiaca
items: Lycopene alleviates oxidative stress via the PI3K/Akt/Nrf2pathway in a cell model of Alzheimer’s disease
items: A de novo assembly of the sweet cherry (Prunus avium cv. Tieton) genome using linked-read sequencing technology
items: Reconstruction of past distribution for the Mongolian toad, Strauchbufo raddei (Anura: Bufonidae) using environmental modeling
items: Nebulized dexmedetomidine improves pulmonary shunt and lung mechanics during one-lung ventilation: a randomized clinical controlled trial
items: Transitional evolutionary forms in chasmosaurine ceratopsid dinosaurs: evidence from the Campanian of New Mexico
items: Assessment of methods used for 3-dimensional superimposition of craniofacial skeletal structures: a systematic review
items: Immune priming against bacteria in spiders and scorpions?
items: Profiling lysophosphatidic acid levels in plasma from head and neck cancer patients

Muscle activation varies between high-bar and low-bar back squat
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Background Differences in the muscular activity between the high-bar back squat (HBBS) and the low-bar back squat (LBBS) on the same representative group of experienced powerlifters are still scarcely investigated. The main purpose of the study was to compare the normalized bioelectrical activity and maximal angles within single homogeneous group between the HBBS and LBBS for 60% one repetition maximum (1RM), 65% 1RM and 70% 1RM. Methods Twelve healthy men (age 24.3 ± 2.8 years, height 178.8 ± 5.6 cm, body mass 88.3 ± 11.5 kg), experienced in powerlifting performed HBBS and LBBS with comparable external loads equal 60% 1RM, 65% 1RM, and 70% 1RM. Electromyography (EMG) signals of muscle groups were synchronously recorded alongside kinematic data (joints angle) by means of a motion capture system. Results EMG activity during eccentric phase of squat motion were significantly higher during LBBS than in HBBS for all selected muscles (60% 1RM and 65% 1RM) (p < 0.05). All examined muscles were more activated during concentric phase of the squat cycle (p < 0.05). In the concentric phase, significant differences between the loads were generally not observed between just 5% 1RM change in load level for LBBS. Conclusions Our results confirmed significant differences in muscles activation between both squat techniques. Muscle activity during eccentric phase of squat motion were significantly higher during LBBS than HBBS. The differences are crucial for posterior muscle chain during eccentric phase of squat cycle.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Michal Murawa
creator: Anna Fryzowicz
creator: Jaroslaw Kabacinski
creator: Jakub Jurga
creator: Joanna Gorwa
creator: Manuela Galli
creator: Matteo Zago
subject: Bioengineering
subject: Anatomy and Physiology
subject: Kinesiology
subject: Public Health
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.9256
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2020 Murawa et al.
abstract: Background Differences in the muscular activity between the high-bar back squat (HBBS) and the low-bar back squat (LBBS) on the same representative group of experienced powerlifters are still scarcely investigated. The main purpose of the study was to compare the normalized bioelectrical activity and maximal angles within single homogeneous group between the HBBS and LBBS for 60% one repetition maximum (1RM), 65% 1RM and 70% 1RM. Methods Twelve healthy men (age 24.3 ± 2.8 years, height 178.8 ± 5.6 cm, body mass 88.3 ± 11.5 kg), experienced in powerlifting performed HBBS and LBBS with comparable external loads equal 60% 1RM, 65% 1RM, and 70% 1RM. Electromyography (EMG) signals of muscle groups were synchronously recorded alongside kinematic data (joints angle) by means of a motion capture system. Results EMG activity during eccentric phase of squat motion were significantly higher during LBBS than in HBBS for all selected muscles (60% 1RM and 65% 1RM) (p < 0.05). All examined muscles were more activated during concentric phase of the squat cycle (p < 0.05). In the concentric phase, significant differences between the loads were generally not observed between just 5% 1RM change in load level for LBBS. Conclusions Our results confirmed significant differences in muscles activation between both squat techniques. Muscle activity during eccentric phase of squat motion were significantly higher during LBBS than HBBS. The differences are crucial for posterior muscle chain during eccentric phase of squat cycle.
bibliographic citation: Murawa et al. (2020) Muscle activation varies between high-bar and low-bar back squat. PeerJ 8:e9256 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.9256
date submitted: 2020-01-31
date accepted: 2020-05-08
issued: 2020-06-08
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Murawa
  given name: Michal
author list: Agent
  family name: Fryzowicz
  given name: Anna
author list: Agent
  family name: Kabacinski
  given name: Jaroslaw
author list: Agent
  family name: Jurga
  given name: Jakub
author list: Agent
  family name: Gorwa
  given name: Joanna
author list: Agent
  family name: Galli
  given name: Manuela
author list: Agent
  family name: Zago
  given name: Matteo
doi: 10.7717/peerj.9256
volume: 8
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2020-06-08
copyright: ©2020 Murawa et al.
attribution name: Murawa et al.

Multiple immunity-related genes control susceptibility of Arabidopsis thaliana to the parasitic weed Phelipanche aegyptiaca
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Parasitic weeds represent a major threat to agricultural production across the world. Little is known about which host genetic pathways determine compatibility for any host–parasitic plant interaction. We developed a quantitative assay to characterize the growth of the parasitic weed Phelipanche aegyptiaca on 46 mutant lines of the host plant Arabidopsis thaliana to identify host genes that are essential for susceptibility to the parasite. A. thaliana host plants with mutations in genes involved in jasmonic acid biosynthesis/signaling or the negative regulation of plant immunity were less susceptible to P. aegyptiaca parasitization. In contrast, A. thaliana plants with a mutant allele of the putative immunity hub gene Pfd6 were more susceptible to parasitization. Additionally, quantitative PCR revealed that P. aegyptiaca parasitization leads to transcriptional reprograming of several hormone signaling pathways. While most tested A. thaliana lines were fully susceptible to P. aegyptiaca parasitization, this work revealed several host genes essential for full susceptibility or resistance to parasitism. Altering these pathways may be a viable approach for limiting host plant susceptibility to parasitism.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Christopher R. Clarke
creator: So-Yon Park
creator: Robert Tuosto
creator: Xiaoyan Jia
creator: Amanda Yoder
creator: Jennifer Van Mullekom
creator: James Westwood
subject: Agricultural Science
subject: Molecular Biology
subject: Plant Science
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.9268
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2020
abstract: Parasitic weeds represent a major threat to agricultural production across the world. Little is known about which host genetic pathways determine compatibility for any host–parasitic plant interaction. We developed a quantitative assay to characterize the growth of the parasitic weed Phelipanche aegyptiaca on 46 mutant lines of the host plant Arabidopsis thaliana to identify host genes that are essential for susceptibility to the parasite. A. thaliana host plants with mutations in genes involved in jasmonic acid biosynthesis/signaling or the negative regulation of plant immunity were less susceptible to P. aegyptiaca parasitization. In contrast, A. thaliana plants with a mutant allele of the putative immunity hub gene Pfd6 were more susceptible to parasitization. Additionally, quantitative PCR revealed that P. aegyptiaca parasitization leads to transcriptional reprograming of several hormone signaling pathways. While most tested A. thaliana lines were fully susceptible to P. aegyptiaca parasitization, this work revealed several host genes essential for full susceptibility or resistance to parasitism. Altering these pathways may be a viable approach for limiting host plant susceptibility to parasitism.
bibliographic citation: Clarke et al. (2020) Multiple immunity-related genes control susceptibility of Arabidopsis thaliana to the parasitic weed Phelipanche aegyptiaca. PeerJ 8:e9268 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.9268
date submitted: 2020-02-25
date accepted: 2020-05-10
issued: 2020-06-08
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Clarke
  given name: Christopher R.
author list: Agent
  family name: Park
  given name: So-Yon
author list: Agent
  family name: Tuosto
  given name: Robert
author list: Agent
  family name: Jia
  given name: Xiaoyan
author list: Agent
  family name: Yoder
  given name: Amanda
author list: Agent
  family name: Van Mullekom
  given name: Jennifer
author list: Agent
  family name: Westwood
  given name: James
doi: 10.7717/peerj.9268
volume: 8
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2020-06-08

Lycopene alleviates oxidative stress via the PI3K/Akt/Nrf2pathway in a cell model of Alzheimer’s disease
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Background & Aims Oxidative stress (OS) plays an important role in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Lycopene is a pigment with potent antioxidant and anti-tumor effects. However, its potential role in central nervous system is not well-defined. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of lycopene on the cell model of AD and determine its underlying mechanisms. Methods M146L cell is a double-transfected (human APP gene and presenlin-1 gene) Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell line that overexpresses β -amyloid (Aβ) and is an ideal cell model for AD. We treated cells with lycopene, and observed the effect of lycopene on M146L cells. Results Oxidative stress and apoptosis in M146L cells were significantly higher than those in CHO cells, suggesting that Aβ induced OS and apoptosis. Lycopene alleviated OS and apoptosis, activated the PI3K/Akt/Nrf2 signaling pathway, upregulated antioxidant and antiapoptotic proteins and downregulated proapoptotic proteins. Additionally, lycopene inhibited β -secretase (BACE) activity in M146L cells. These results suggest that lycopene inhibits BACE activity and protects M146L cells from oxidative stress and apoptosis by activating the PI3K/Akt/Nrf2 pathway. Conclusion Lycopene possibly prevents Aβ-induced damage by activating the PI3K/Akt/Nrf2 signaling pathway and reducing the expression of BACE in M146L cells.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Yinchao Fang
creator: Shanshan Ou
creator: Tong Wu
creator: Lingqi Zhou
creator: Hai Tang
creator: Mei Jiang
creator: Jie Xu
creator: Kaihua Guo
subject: Biochemistry
subject: Cell Biology
subject: Molecular Biology
subject: Neuroscience
subject: Geriatrics
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.9308
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2020 Fang et al.
abstract: Background & Aims Oxidative stress (OS) plays an important role in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Lycopene is a pigment with potent antioxidant and anti-tumor effects. However, its potential role in central nervous system is not well-defined. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of lycopene on the cell model of AD and determine its underlying mechanisms. Methods M146L cell is a double-transfected (human APP gene and presenlin-1 gene) Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell line that overexpresses β -amyloid (Aβ) and is an ideal cell model for AD. We treated cells with lycopene, and observed the effect of lycopene on M146L cells. Results Oxidative stress and apoptosis in M146L cells were significantly higher than those in CHO cells, suggesting that Aβ induced OS and apoptosis. Lycopene alleviated OS and apoptosis, activated the PI3K/Akt/Nrf2 signaling pathway, upregulated antioxidant and antiapoptotic proteins and downregulated proapoptotic proteins. Additionally, lycopene inhibited β -secretase (BACE) activity in M146L cells. These results suggest that lycopene inhibits BACE activity and protects M146L cells from oxidative stress and apoptosis by activating the PI3K/Akt/Nrf2 pathway. Conclusion Lycopene possibly prevents Aβ-induced damage by activating the PI3K/Akt/Nrf2 signaling pathway and reducing the expression of BACE in M146L cells.
bibliographic citation: Fang et al. (2020) Lycopene alleviates oxidative stress via the PI3K/Akt/Nrf2pathway in a cell model of Alzheimer’s disease. PeerJ 8:e9308 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.9308
date submitted: 2020-03-20
date accepted: 2020-05-17
issued: 2020-06-08
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Fang
  given name: Yinchao
author list: Agent
  family name: Ou
  given name: Shanshan
author list: Agent
  family name: Wu
  given name: Tong
author list: Agent
  family name: Zhou
  given name: Lingqi
author list: Agent
  family name: Tang
  given name: Hai
author list: Agent
  family name: Jiang
  given name: Mei
author list: Agent
  family name: Xu
  given name: Jie
author list: Agent
  family name: Guo
  given name: Kaihua
doi: 10.7717/peerj.9308
volume: 8
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2020-06-08
copyright: ©2020 Fang et al.
attribution name: Fang et al.

A de novo assembly of the sweet cherry (Prunus avium cv. Tieton) genome using linked-read sequencing technology
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: The sweet cherry (Prunus avium) is one of the most economically important fruit species in the world. However, there is a limited amount of genetic information available for this species, which hinders breeding efforts at a molecular level. We were able to describe a high-quality reference genome assembly and annotation of the diploid sweet cherry (2n = 2x = 16) cv. Tieton using linked-read sequencing technology. We generated over 750 million clean reads, representing 112.63 GB of raw sequencing data. The Supernova assembler produced a more highly-ordered and continuous genome sequence than the current P. avium draft genome, with a contig N50 of 63.65 KB and a scaffold N50 of 2.48 MB. The final scaffold assembly was 280.33 MB in length, representing 82.12% of the estimated Tieton genome. Eight chromosome-scale pseudomolecules were constructed, completing a 214 MB sequence of the final scaffold assembly. De novo, homology-based, and RNA-seq methods were used together to predict 30,975 protein-coding loci. 98.39% of core eukaryotic genes and 97.43% of single copy orthologues were identified in the embryo plant, indicating the completeness of the assembly. Linked-read sequencing technology was effective in constructing a high-quality reference genome of the sweet cherry, which will benefit the molecular breeding and cultivar identification in this species.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Jiawei Wang
creator: Weizhen Liu
creator: Dongzi Zhu
creator: Xiang Zhou
creator: Po Hong
creator: Hongjun Zhao
creator: Yue Tan
creator: Xin Chen
creator: Xiaojuan Zong
creator: Li Xu
creator: Lisi Zhang
creator: Hairong Wei
creator: Qingzhong Liu
subject: Agricultural Science
subject: Bioinformatics
subject: Genomics
subject: Plant Science
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.9114
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2020 Wang et al.
abstract: The sweet cherry (Prunus avium) is one of the most economically important fruit species in the world. However, there is a limited amount of genetic information available for this species, which hinders breeding efforts at a molecular level. We were able to describe a high-quality reference genome assembly and annotation of the diploid sweet cherry (2n = 2x = 16) cv. Tieton using linked-read sequencing technology. We generated over 750 million clean reads, representing 112.63 GB of raw sequencing data. The Supernova assembler produced a more highly-ordered and continuous genome sequence than the current P. avium draft genome, with a contig N50 of 63.65 KB and a scaffold N50 of 2.48 MB. The final scaffold assembly was 280.33 MB in length, representing 82.12% of the estimated Tieton genome. Eight chromosome-scale pseudomolecules were constructed, completing a 214 MB sequence of the final scaffold assembly. De novo, homology-based, and RNA-seq methods were used together to predict 30,975 protein-coding loci. 98.39% of core eukaryotic genes and 97.43% of single copy orthologues were identified in the embryo plant, indicating the completeness of the assembly. Linked-read sequencing technology was effective in constructing a high-quality reference genome of the sweet cherry, which will benefit the molecular breeding and cultivar identification in this species.
bibliographic citation: Wang et al. (2020) A de novo assembly of the sweet cherry (Prunus avium cv. Tieton) genome using linked-read sequencing technology. PeerJ 8:e9114 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.9114
date submitted: 2019-09-16
date accepted: 2020-04-10
issued: 2020-06-05
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Wang
  given name: Jiawei
author list: Agent
  family name: Liu
  given name: Weizhen
author list: Agent
  family name: Zhu
  given name: Dongzi
author list: Agent
  family name: Zhou
  given name: Xiang
author list: Agent
  family name: Hong
  given name: Po
author list: Agent
  family name: Zhao
  given name: Hongjun
author list: Agent
  family name: Tan
  given name: Yue
author list: Agent
  family name: Chen
  given name: Xin
author list: Agent
  family name: Zong
  given name: Xiaojuan
author list: Agent
  family name: Xu
  given name: Li
author list: Agent
  family name: Zhang
  given name: Lisi
author list: Agent
  family name: Wei
  given name: Hairong
author list: Agent
  family name: Liu
  given name: Qingzhong
doi: 10.7717/peerj.9114
volume: 8
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2020-06-05
copyright: © 2020 Wang et al.
attribution name: Wang et al.

Reconstruction of past distribution for the Mongolian toad, Strauchbufo raddei (Anura: Bufonidae) using environmental modeling
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: The use of ecological models enables determining the current distribution of species, but also their past distribution when matching climatic conditions are available. In specific cases, they can also be used to determine the likelihood of fossils to belong to the same species—under the hypothesis that all individuals of a species have the same ecological requirements. Here, using environmental modeling, we reconstructed the distribution of the Mongolian toad, Strauchbufo raddei, since the Last Glacial Maximum and thus covering the time period between the Late Pleistocene and the Holocene. We found the range of the species to have shifted over time, with the LGM population clustered around the current southern range of the species, before expanding east and north during the Pleistocene, and reaching the current range since the mid-Holocene. Finally, we determined that the ecological conditions during the life-time of the mid-Pleistocene fossils attributed to the species in Europe were too different from the one of the extant species or fossils occurring at the same period in Asia to belong to the same species.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Spartak N. Litvinchuk
creator: Natalya A. Schepina
creator: Amaël Borzée
subject: Biodiversity
subject: Biogeography
subject: Zoology
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.9216
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2020 Litvinchuk et al.
abstract: The use of ecological models enables determining the current distribution of species, but also their past distribution when matching climatic conditions are available. In specific cases, they can also be used to determine the likelihood of fossils to belong to the same species—under the hypothesis that all individuals of a species have the same ecological requirements. Here, using environmental modeling, we reconstructed the distribution of the Mongolian toad, Strauchbufo raddei, since the Last Glacial Maximum and thus covering the time period between the Late Pleistocene and the Holocene. We found the range of the species to have shifted over time, with the LGM population clustered around the current southern range of the species, before expanding east and north during the Pleistocene, and reaching the current range since the mid-Holocene. Finally, we determined that the ecological conditions during the life-time of the mid-Pleistocene fossils attributed to the species in Europe were too different from the one of the extant species or fossils occurring at the same period in Asia to belong to the same species.
bibliographic citation: Litvinchuk et al. (2020) Reconstruction of past distribution for the Mongolian toad, Strauchbufo raddei (Anura: Bufonidae) using environmental modeling. PeerJ 8:e9216 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.9216
date submitted: 2020-02-17
date accepted: 2020-04-27
issued: 2020-06-05
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Litvinchuk
  given name: Spartak N.
author list: Agent
  family name: Schepina
  given name: Natalya A.
author list: Agent
  family name: Borzée
  given name: Amaël
doi: 10.7717/peerj.9216
volume: 8
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2020-06-05
copyright: ©2020 Litvinchuk et al.
attribution name: Litvinchuk et al.

Nebulized dexmedetomidine improves pulmonary shunt and lung mechanics during one-lung ventilation: a randomized clinical controlled trial
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Background Dexmedetomidine (Dex), a selective a2-adrenergic receptor agonist, has been previously reported to attenuate intrapulmonary shunt during one-lung ventilation (OLV) and to alleviate bronchoconstriction. However, the therapeutic effects of nebulized Dex on pulmonary shunt and lung mechanics during OLV have not been evaluated. Here we determine whether nebulized dexmedetomidine improved pulmonary shunt and lung mechanics in patients undergoing elective thoracic surgery in a prospective randomized controlled clinical trial. Methods One hundred and twenty-eight patients undergoing elective thoracoscopic surgery were included in this study and randomly divided into four groups: 0.9% saline (Placebo group), 0.5 µg/kg (Dex0.5 group), 1 µg/kg (Dex1 group) and 2 µg/kg (Dex2group) dexmedetomidine. After bronchial intubation, patients received different nebulized doses of dexmedetomidine (0.5 µg/kg, 1 µg/kg and 2 µg/kg) or 0.9% saline placebo during two-lung ventilation(TLV). OLV was initiated 15 min after bronchial intubation. Anesthesia was maintained with intravenous infusion of cisatracurium and propofol. Bispectral Index values were maintained within 40–50 by adjusting the infusion of propofol in all groups. Arterial blood gas samples and central venous blood gas samples were taken as follows: 15 min after bronchial intubation during two-lung ventilation (TLV15), after 30 and 60 min of OLV (OLV30and OLV60, respectively) and 15 min after reinstitution of TLV (ReTLV). Dynamic compliance was also calculated at TLV15, OLV30, OLV60 and ReTLV. Results Dex decreased the requirement of propofol in a dose-dependent manner(P = 0.000). Heart rate (HR) and mean arterial pressure (MAP) displayed no significant difference among groups (P = 0.397 and 0.863). Compared with the placebo group, Dex administered between 0.5 and 2 µg/kg increased partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2) significantly at OLV30 and OLV60(P = 0.000); however, Dex administered between 1 and 2 µg/kg decreased p…
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Bo Xu
creator: Hong Gao
creator: Dan Li
creator: Chunxiao Hu
creator: Jianping Yang
subject: Anesthesiology and Pain Management
subject: Clinical Trials
subject: Pharmacology
subject: Respiratory Medicine
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.9247
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2020 Xu et al.
abstract: Background Dexmedetomidine (Dex), a selective a2-adrenergic receptor agonist, has been previously reported to attenuate intrapulmonary shunt during one-lung ventilation (OLV) and to alleviate bronchoconstriction. However, the therapeutic effects of nebulized Dex on pulmonary shunt and lung mechanics during OLV have not been evaluated. Here we determine whether nebulized dexmedetomidine improved pulmonary shunt and lung mechanics in patients undergoing elective thoracic surgery in a prospective randomized controlled clinical trial. Methods One hundred and twenty-eight patients undergoing elective thoracoscopic surgery were included in this study and randomly divided into four groups: 0.9% saline (Placebo group), 0.5 µg/kg (Dex0.5 group), 1 µg/kg (Dex1 group) and 2 µg/kg (Dex2group) dexmedetomidine. After bronchial intubation, patients received different nebulized doses of dexmedetomidine (0.5 µg/kg, 1 µg/kg and 2 µg/kg) or 0.9% saline placebo during two-lung ventilation(TLV). OLV was initiated 15 min after bronchial intubation. Anesthesia was maintained with intravenous infusion of cisatracurium and propofol. Bispectral Index values were maintained within 40–50 by adjusting the infusion of propofol in all groups. Arterial blood gas samples and central venous blood gas samples were taken as follows: 15 min after bronchial intubation during two-lung ventilation (TLV15), after 30 and 60 min of OLV (OLV30and OLV60, respectively) and 15 min after reinstitution of TLV (ReTLV). Dynamic compliance was also calculated at TLV15, OLV30, OLV60 and ReTLV. Results Dex decreased the requirement of propofol in a dose-dependent manner(P = 0.000). Heart rate (HR) and mean arterial pressure (MAP) displayed no significant difference among groups (P = 0.397 and 0.863). Compared with the placebo group, Dex administered between 0.5 and 2 µg/kg increased partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2) significantly at OLV30 and OLV60(P = 0.000); however, Dex administered between 1 and 2 µg/kg decreased p…
bibliographic citation: Xu et al. (2020) Nebulized dexmedetomidine improves pulmonary shunt and lung mechanics during one-lung ventilation: a randomized clinical controlled trial. PeerJ 8:e9247 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.9247
date submitted: 2019-09-03
date accepted: 2020-05-07
issued: 2020-06-05
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Xu
  given name: Bo
author list: Agent
  family name: Gao
  given name: Hong
author list: Agent
  family name: Li
  given name: Dan
author list: Agent
  family name: Hu
  given name: Chunxiao
author list: Agent
  family name: Yang
  given name: Jianping
doi: 10.7717/peerj.9247
volume: 8
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2020-06-05
copyright: ©2020 Xu et al.
attribution name: Xu et al.

Transitional evolutionary forms in chasmosaurine ceratopsid dinosaurs: evidence from the Campanian of New Mexico
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Three new chasmosaurines from the Kirtland Formation (~75.0–73.4 Ma), New Mexico, form morphological and stratigraphic intermediates between Pentaceratops (~74.7–75 Ma, Fruitland Formation, New Mexico) and Anchiceratops (~72–71 Ma, Horseshoe Canyon Formation, Alberta). The new specimens exhibit gradual enclosure of the parietal embayment that characterizes Pentaceratops, providing support for the phylogenetic hypothesis that Pentaceratops and Anchiceratops are closely related. This stepwise change of morphologic characters observed in chasmosaurine taxa that do not overlap stratigraphically is supportive of evolution by anagenesis. Recently published hypotheses that place Pentaceratops and Anchiceratops into separate clades are not supported. This phylogenetic relationship demonstrates unrestricted movement of large-bodied taxa between hitherto purported northern and southern provinces in the late Campanian, weakening support for the hypothesis of extreme faunal provincialism in the Late Cretaceous Western Interior.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Denver W. Fowler
creator: Elizabeth A. Freedman Fowler
subject: Evolutionary Studies
subject: Paleontology
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.9251
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2020 Fowler and Freedman Fowler
abstract: Three new chasmosaurines from the Kirtland Formation (~75.0–73.4 Ma), New Mexico, form morphological and stratigraphic intermediates between Pentaceratops (~74.7–75 Ma, Fruitland Formation, New Mexico) and Anchiceratops (~72–71 Ma, Horseshoe Canyon Formation, Alberta). The new specimens exhibit gradual enclosure of the parietal embayment that characterizes Pentaceratops, providing support for the phylogenetic hypothesis that Pentaceratops and Anchiceratops are closely related. This stepwise change of morphologic characters observed in chasmosaurine taxa that do not overlap stratigraphically is supportive of evolution by anagenesis. Recently published hypotheses that place Pentaceratops and Anchiceratops into separate clades are not supported. This phylogenetic relationship demonstrates unrestricted movement of large-bodied taxa between hitherto purported northern and southern provinces in the late Campanian, weakening support for the hypothesis of extreme faunal provincialism in the Late Cretaceous Western Interior.
bibliographic citation: Fowler et al. (2020) Transitional evolutionary forms in chasmosaurine ceratopsid dinosaurs: evidence from the Campanian of New Mexico. PeerJ 8:e9251 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.9251
date submitted: 2019-11-20
date accepted: 2020-05-07
issued: 2020-06-05
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Fowler
  given name: Denver W.
author list: Agent
  family name: Freedman Fowler
  given name: Elizabeth A.
doi: 10.7717/peerj.9251
volume: 8
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2020-06-05
copyright: © 2020 Fowler and Freedman Fowler
attribution name: Fowler and Freedman Fowler

Assessment of methods used for 3-dimensional superimposition of craniofacial skeletal structures: a systematic review
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Background So far, several techniques have been recommended for the assessment of craniofacial changes through skeletal tissue superimposition, but the evidence that supports them remains unexplored. The purpose of the present study is to assess the available literature on skeletal-tissue superimpositions of serial craniofacial CT or CBCT images used to detect morphological changes. Materials and Methods Medline (via Pubmed), EMBASE, Google Scholar, Cochrane Library, Open Grey and Grey Literature Report were searched (last search: 17.11.2019) using specific terms that fulfilled the requirements of each database in the context of the study aim. Hand searches were also performed. The outcomes of interest were the accuracy, precision, or agreement between skeletal-tissue superimposition techniques to assess changes in the morphology of craniofacial structures. Studies of any design with sample size ≥3 were assessed by two authors independently. The study protocol was registered in PROSPERO (ID: CRD42019143356). Results Out of 832 studies, fifteen met the eligibility criteria. From the 15 included studies, 12 have shown high total risk of bias, one low risk of bias, and two studies have shown unclear risk of bias. Thirteen out of the 15 studies showed high applicability concerns, two unclear and no study had low applicability concerns. There was high heterogeneity among studies regarding the type of participants, sample size, growth status, machines, acquisition parameters, superimposition techniques, assessment techniques and outcomes measured. Fourteen of them were performed on Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) and one on Computed Tomography (CT) derived 3D models. Most of the studies (eleven) used voxel-based registration, one landmark-based registration and three studies compared different registration techniques, which include the surface-based registration. Concerning the area of interest, nine studies focused on the anterior cranial base and certain facial str…
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Daniel Dinh-Phuc Mai
creator: Sven Stucki
creator: Nikolaos Gkantidis
subject: Dentistry
subject: Radiology and Medical Imaging
subject: Computational Science
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.9263
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2020 Mai et al.
abstract: Background So far, several techniques have been recommended for the assessment of craniofacial changes through skeletal tissue superimposition, but the evidence that supports them remains unexplored. The purpose of the present study is to assess the available literature on skeletal-tissue superimpositions of serial craniofacial CT or CBCT images used to detect morphological changes. Materials and Methods Medline (via Pubmed), EMBASE, Google Scholar, Cochrane Library, Open Grey and Grey Literature Report were searched (last search: 17.11.2019) using specific terms that fulfilled the requirements of each database in the context of the study aim. Hand searches were also performed. The outcomes of interest were the accuracy, precision, or agreement between skeletal-tissue superimposition techniques to assess changes in the morphology of craniofacial structures. Studies of any design with sample size ≥3 were assessed by two authors independently. The study protocol was registered in PROSPERO (ID: CRD42019143356). Results Out of 832 studies, fifteen met the eligibility criteria. From the 15 included studies, 12 have shown high total risk of bias, one low risk of bias, and two studies have shown unclear risk of bias. Thirteen out of the 15 studies showed high applicability concerns, two unclear and no study had low applicability concerns. There was high heterogeneity among studies regarding the type of participants, sample size, growth status, machines, acquisition parameters, superimposition techniques, assessment techniques and outcomes measured. Fourteen of them were performed on Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) and one on Computed Tomography (CT) derived 3D models. Most of the studies (eleven) used voxel-based registration, one landmark-based registration and three studies compared different registration techniques, which include the surface-based registration. Concerning the area of interest, nine studies focused on the anterior cranial base and certain facial str…
bibliographic citation: Mai et al. (2020) Assessment of methods used for 3-dimensional superimposition of craniofacial skeletal structures: a systematic review. PeerJ 8:e9263 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.9263
date submitted: 2020-03-09
date accepted: 2020-05-09
issued: 2020-06-05
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Mai
  given name: Daniel Dinh-Phuc
author list: Agent
  family name: Stucki
  given name: Sven
author list: Agent
  family name: Gkantidis
  given name: Nikolaos
doi: 10.7717/peerj.9263
volume: 8
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2020-06-05
copyright: ©2020 Mai et al.
attribution name: Mai et al.

Immune priming against bacteria in spiders and scorpions?
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Empirical evidence of immune priming in arthropods keeps growing, both at the within- and trans-generational level. The evidence comes mostly from work on insects and it remains unclear for some other arthropods whether exposure to a non-lethal dose of a pathogen provides protection during a second exposure with a lethal dose. A poorly investigated group are arachnids, with regard to the benefits of immune priming measured as improved survival. Here, we investigated immune priming in two arachnids: the wolf spider Lycosa cerrofloresiana and the scorpion Centruroides granosus. We injected a third of the individuals with lipopolysaccharides of Escherichia coli (LPS, an immune elicitor), another third were injected with the control solution (PBS) and the other third were kept naive. Four days after the first inoculations, we challenged half of the individuals of each group with an injection of a high dose of E. coli and the other half was treated with the control solution. For scorpions, individuals that were initially injected with PBS or LPS did not differ in their survival rates against the bacterial challenge. Individuals injected with LPS showed higher survival than that of naive individuals as evidence of immune priming. Individuals injected with PBS tended to show higher survival rates than naive individuals, but the difference was not significant—perhaps suggesting a general immune upregulation caused by the wounding done by the needle. For spiders, we did not observe evidence of priming, the bacterial challenge reduced the survival of naive, PBS and LPS individuals at similar rates. Moreover; for scorpions, we performed antibacterial assays of hemolymph samples from the three priming treatments (LPS, PBS and naive) and found that the three treatments reduced bacterial growth but without differences among treatments. As non-model organisms, with some unique differences in their immunological mechanisms as compared to the most studied arthropods (insects), arach…
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Dumas Gálvez
creator: Yostin Añino
creator: Carlos Vega
creator: Eleodoro Bonilla
subject: Ecology
subject: Entomology
subject: Microbiology
subject: Zoology
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.9285
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2020 Gálvez et al.
abstract: Empirical evidence of immune priming in arthropods keeps growing, both at the within- and trans-generational level. The evidence comes mostly from work on insects and it remains unclear for some other arthropods whether exposure to a non-lethal dose of a pathogen provides protection during a second exposure with a lethal dose. A poorly investigated group are arachnids, with regard to the benefits of immune priming measured as improved survival. Here, we investigated immune priming in two arachnids: the wolf spider Lycosa cerrofloresiana and the scorpion Centruroides granosus. We injected a third of the individuals with lipopolysaccharides of Escherichia coli (LPS, an immune elicitor), another third were injected with the control solution (PBS) and the other third were kept naive. Four days after the first inoculations, we challenged half of the individuals of each group with an injection of a high dose of E. coli and the other half was treated with the control solution. For scorpions, individuals that were initially injected with PBS or LPS did not differ in their survival rates against the bacterial challenge. Individuals injected with LPS showed higher survival than that of naive individuals as evidence of immune priming. Individuals injected with PBS tended to show higher survival rates than naive individuals, but the difference was not significant—perhaps suggesting a general immune upregulation caused by the wounding done by the needle. For spiders, we did not observe evidence of priming, the bacterial challenge reduced the survival of naive, PBS and LPS individuals at similar rates. Moreover; for scorpions, we performed antibacterial assays of hemolymph samples from the three priming treatments (LPS, PBS and naive) and found that the three treatments reduced bacterial growth but without differences among treatments. As non-model organisms, with some unique differences in their immunological mechanisms as compared to the most studied arthropods (insects), arach…
bibliographic citation: Gálvez et al. (2020) Immune priming against bacteria in spiders and scorpions?. PeerJ 8:e9285 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.9285
date submitted: 2020-02-20
date accepted: 2020-05-12
issued: 2020-06-05
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
author list: Agent
  family name: Gálvez
  given name: Dumas
author list: Agent
  family name: Añino
  given name: Yostin
author list: Agent
  family name: Vega
  given name: Carlos
author list: Agent
  family name: Bonilla
  given name: Eleodoro
doi: 10.7717/peerj.9285
volume: 8
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2020-06-05
copyright: ©2020 Gálvez et al.
attribution name: Gálvez et al.

Profiling lysophosphatidic acid levels in plasma from head and neck cancer patients
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) represents a significant world health problem, with approximately 600,000 new cases being diagnosed annually. The prognosis for patients with HNSCC is poor and, therefore, the identification of biomarkers for screening, diagnosis and prognostication would be clinically beneficial. A limited number of studies have used lipidomics to profile lipid species in the plasma of cancer patients. However, the profile and levels of lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) species have not been examined in HNSCC. In this study, a targeted lipidomics approach using liquid chromatography triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (LCMS/MS) was used to analyse the concentration of LPA (16:0 LPA, 18:0 LPA, 18:1 LPA, 18:2 LPA and 20:4 LPA) in the plasma of patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), together with healthy controls. The levels of three LPA species (18:1 LPA, 18:2 LPA and 20:4 LPA) were significantly lower in the plasma of OSCC patients, whilst the concentrations of all five LPA species tested were significantly lower in plasma from NPC patients. Furthermore, the order of abundance of LPA species in plasma was different between the control and cancer groups, with 16:0 LPA, 18:0 LPA levels being more abundant in OSCC and NPC patients. Medium to strong correlations were observed using all pairs of LPA species and a clear separation of the normal and tumour groups was observed using PCA analysis. In summary, the results of this study showed that the levels of several LPA species in the plasma of patients with OSCC and NPC were lower than those from healthy individuals. Understanding these variations may provide novel insights into the role of LPA in these cancers.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Mariati Abdul Rahman
creator: Didi Erwandi Mohamad Haron
creator: Robert J. Hollows
creator: Zuleen Delina Fasya Abdul Ghani
creator: Mustafa Ali Mohd
creator: Wen Lin Chai
creator: Ching Ching Ng
creator: Munn Sann Lye
creator: Saiful Anuar Karsani
creator: Lee Fah Yap
creator: Ian C. Paterson
subject: Biochemistry
subject: Oncology
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.9304
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2020 Abdul Rahman et al.
abstract: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) represents a significant world health problem, with approximately 600,000 new cases being diagnosed annually. The prognosis for patients with HNSCC is poor and, therefore, the identification of biomarkers for screening, diagnosis and prognostication would be clinically beneficial. A limited number of studies have used lipidomics to profile lipid species in the plasma of cancer patients. However, the profile and levels of lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) species have not been examined in HNSCC. In this study, a targeted lipidomics approach using liquid chromatography triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (LCMS/MS) was used to analyse the concentration of LPA (16:0 LPA, 18:0 LPA, 18:1 LPA, 18:2 LPA and 20:4 LPA) in the plasma of patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), together with healthy controls. The levels of three LPA species (18:1 LPA, 18:2 LPA and 20:4 LPA) were significantly lower in the plasma of OSCC patients, whilst the concentrations of all five LPA species tested were significantly lower in plasma from NPC patients. Furthermore, the order of abundance of LPA species in plasma was different between the control and cancer groups, with 16:0 LPA, 18:0 LPA levels being more abundant in OSCC and NPC patients. Medium to strong correlations were observed using all pairs of LPA species and a clear separation of the normal and tumour groups was observed using PCA analysis. In summary, the results of this study showed that the levels of several LPA species in the plasma of patients with OSCC and NPC were lower than those from healthy individuals. Understanding these variations may provide novel insights into the role of LPA in these cancers.
bibliographic citation: Abdul Rahman et al. (2020) Profiling lysophosphatidic acid levels in plasma from head and neck cancer patients. PeerJ 8:e9304 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.9304
date submitted: 2020-02-18
date accepted: 2020-05-15
issued: 2020-06-05
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Abdul Rahman
  given name: Mariati
author list: Agent
  family name: Mohamad Haron
  given name: Didi Erwandi
author list: Agent
  family name: Hollows
  given name: Robert J.
author list: Agent
  family name: Abdul Ghani
  given name: Zuleen Delina Fasya
author list: Agent
  family name: Ali Mohd
  given name: Mustafa
author list: Agent
  family name: Chai
  given name: Wen Lin
author list: Agent
  family name: Ng
  given name: Ching Ching
author list: Agent
  family name: Lye
  given name: Munn Sann
author list: Agent
  family name: Karsani
  given name: Saiful Anuar
author list: Agent
  family name: Yap
  given name: Lee Fah
author list: Agent
  family name: Paterson
  given name: Ian C.
doi: 10.7717/peerj.9304
volume: 8
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2020-06-05
copyright: ©2020 Abdul Rahman et al.
attribution name: Abdul Rahman et al.

PeerJ
type: Periodical
uri: PeerJ
issn: 2167-8359