PeerJ
type: channel
link: https://peerj.com/articles/
description: Articles published in PeerJ
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
publication name: PeerJ
issn: 2167-8359
items: The synergistic effect of concatenation in phylogenomics: the case in Pantoea
items: Cloning and characterization of a tyrosine decarboxylase involved in the biosynthesis of galanthamine in Lycoris aurea
items: Simulating the effects of climate change across the geographical distribution of two medicinal plants in the genus Nardostachys
items: Characterization of the iPSC-derived conditioned medium that promotes the growth of bovine corneal endothelial cells
items: Identification and expression analysis of the GDSL esterase/lipase family genes, and the characterization of SaGLIP8 in Sedum alfredii Hance under cadmium stress
items: Risk of acute exacerbation between acetaminophen and ibuprofen in children with asthma
items: Distribution of crabs along a habitat gradient on the Yellow Sea coast after Spartina alterniflora invasion
items: Informing the management of acute malnutrition in infants aged under 6 months (MAMI): risk factor analysis using nationally-representative demographic & health survey secondary data
items: No association of COMT with insight problem solving in Chinese college students
items: Head louse egg and nit remover—a modern “Quest for the Holy Grail”

The synergistic effect of concatenation in phylogenomics: the case in Pantoea
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: With the increased availability of genome sequences for bacteria, it has become routine practice to construct genome-based phylogenies. These phylogenies have formed the basis for various taxonomic decisions, especially for resolving problematic relationships between taxa. Despite the popularity of concatenating shared genes to obtain well-supported phylogenies, various issues regarding this combined-evidence approach have been raised. These include the introduction of phylogenetic error into datasets, as well as incongruence due to organism-level evolutionary processes, particularly horizontal gene transfer and incomplete lineage sorting. Because of the huge effect that this could have on phylogenies, we evaluated the impact of phylogenetic conflict caused by organism-level evolutionary processes on the established species phylogeny for Pantoea, a member of the Enterobacterales. We explored the presence and distribution of phylogenetic conflict at the gene partition and nucleotide levels, by identifying putative inter-lineage recombination events that might have contributed to such conflict. Furthermore, we determined whether smaller, randomly constructed datasets had sufficient signal to reconstruct the current species tree hypothesis or if they would be overshadowed by phylogenetic incongruence. We found that no individual gene tree was fully congruent with the species phylogeny of Pantoea, although many of the expected nodes were supported by various individual genes across the genome. Evidence of recombination was found across all lineages within Pantoea, and provides support for organism-level evolutionary processes as a potential source of phylogenetic conflict. The phylogenetic signal from at least 70 random genes recovered robust, well-supported phylogenies for the backbone and most species relationships of Pantoea, and was unaffected by phylogenetic conflict within the dataset. Furthermore, despite providing limited resolution among taxa at the level of si…
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Marike Palmer
creator: Stephanus N. Venter
creator: Alistair R. McTaggart
creator: Martin P.A. Coetzee
creator: Stephanie Van Wyk
creator: Juanita R. Avontuur
creator: Chrizelle W. Beukes
creator: Gerda Fourie
creator: Quentin C. Santana
creator: Magriet A. Van Der Nest
creator: Jochen Blom
creator: Emma T. Steenkamp
subject: Bioinformatics
subject: Genomics
subject: Microbiology
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.6698
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2019 Palmer et al.
abstract: With the increased availability of genome sequences for bacteria, it has become routine practice to construct genome-based phylogenies. These phylogenies have formed the basis for various taxonomic decisions, especially for resolving problematic relationships between taxa. Despite the popularity of concatenating shared genes to obtain well-supported phylogenies, various issues regarding this combined-evidence approach have been raised. These include the introduction of phylogenetic error into datasets, as well as incongruence due to organism-level evolutionary processes, particularly horizontal gene transfer and incomplete lineage sorting. Because of the huge effect that this could have on phylogenies, we evaluated the impact of phylogenetic conflict caused by organism-level evolutionary processes on the established species phylogeny for Pantoea, a member of the Enterobacterales. We explored the presence and distribution of phylogenetic conflict at the gene partition and nucleotide levels, by identifying putative inter-lineage recombination events that might have contributed to such conflict. Furthermore, we determined whether smaller, randomly constructed datasets had sufficient signal to reconstruct the current species tree hypothesis or if they would be overshadowed by phylogenetic incongruence. We found that no individual gene tree was fully congruent with the species phylogeny of Pantoea, although many of the expected nodes were supported by various individual genes across the genome. Evidence of recombination was found across all lineages within Pantoea, and provides support for organism-level evolutionary processes as a potential source of phylogenetic conflict. The phylogenetic signal from at least 70 random genes recovered robust, well-supported phylogenies for the backbone and most species relationships of Pantoea, and was unaffected by phylogenetic conflict within the dataset. Furthermore, despite providing limited resolution among taxa at the level of si…
bibliographic citation: Palmer et al. (2019) The synergistic effect of concatenation in phylogenomics: the case in Pantoea. PeerJ 7:e6698 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.6698
date submitted: 2018-10-23
date accepted: 2019-02-26
issued: 2019-04-16
is part of: PeerJ
license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Palmer
  given name: Marike
author list: Agent
  family name: Venter
  given name: Stephanus N.
author list: Agent
  family name: McTaggart
  given name: Alistair R.
author list: Agent
  family name: Coetzee
  given name: Martin P.A.
author list: Agent
  family name: Van Wyk
  given name: Stephanie
author list: Agent
  family name: Avontuur
  given name: Juanita R.
author list: Agent
  family name: Beukes
  given name: Chrizelle W.
author list: Agent
  family name: Fourie
  given name: Gerda
author list: Agent
  family name: Santana
  given name: Quentin C.
author list: Agent
  family name: Van Der Nest
  given name: Magriet A.
author list: Agent
  family name: Blom
  given name: Jochen
author list: Agent
  family name: Steenkamp
  given name: Emma T.
doi: 10.7717/peerj.6698
volume: 7
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2019-04-16
copyright: ©2019 Palmer et al.
attribution name: Palmer et al.

Cloning and characterization of a tyrosine decarboxylase involved in the biosynthesis of galanthamine in Lycoris aurea
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Background Galanthamine, one kind of Amaryllidaceae alkaloid extracted from the Lycoris species, is used in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. In regards to medical and economic importance, the biosynthesis and regulatory mechanism of the secondary metabolites in Lycoris remain uninvestigated. Methods BLAST was used to identify the sequence of tyrosine decarboxylase in the transcriptome of Lycoris aurea (L’Hér) Herb. The enzyme activity of this TYDC was determined by using heterologous expressed protein in the Escherichia coli cells. The related productive contents of tyramine were detected using High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). According to the available micro RNA sequencing profiles and degradome database of L. aurea, microRNA396 were isolated, which targets to LaTYDC1 and RNA Ligase-Mediated-Rapid Amplification of cDNA Ends (RLM-RACE) were used to confirm the cleavage. The expression levels of miR396 and LaTYDC1 were measured using a quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Results LaTYDC1 was mainly expressed in root, bulb, leaf and flower fitting the models for galanthamine accumulation. This decarboxylase efficiently catalyzes tyrosine to tyramine conversion. Under methyl jasmonate (MeJA) treatment, the expression of LaTYDC1 and the content of tyramine sharply increase. The use of RLM-RACE confirms that miR396 promotes the degradation of LaTYDC1 mRNA. Under MeJA treatment, the expression of miR396 was suppressed while the expression level of LaTYDC1 sharply increased. Following the increase of the miR396 transcriptional level, LaTYDC1 was significantly repressed. Conclusion LaTYDC1 participates in the biosynthesis of galanthamine, and is regulated by miR396. This finding also provides genetic strategy for improving the yield of galanthamine in the future.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Rong Wang
creator: Xiaokang Han
creator: Sheng Xu
creator: Bing Xia
creator: Yumei Jiang
creator: Yong Xue
creator: Ren Wang
subject: Molecular Biology
subject: Plant Science
subject: Synthetic Biology
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.6729
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2019 Wang et al.
abstract: Background Galanthamine, one kind of Amaryllidaceae alkaloid extracted from the Lycoris species, is used in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. In regards to medical and economic importance, the biosynthesis and regulatory mechanism of the secondary metabolites in Lycoris remain uninvestigated. Methods BLAST was used to identify the sequence of tyrosine decarboxylase in the transcriptome of Lycoris aurea (L’Hér) Herb. The enzyme activity of this TYDC was determined by using heterologous expressed protein in the Escherichia coli cells. The related productive contents of tyramine were detected using High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). According to the available micro RNA sequencing profiles and degradome database of L. aurea, microRNA396 were isolated, which targets to LaTYDC1 and RNA Ligase-Mediated-Rapid Amplification of cDNA Ends (RLM-RACE) were used to confirm the cleavage. The expression levels of miR396 and LaTYDC1 were measured using a quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Results LaTYDC1 was mainly expressed in root, bulb, leaf and flower fitting the models for galanthamine accumulation. This decarboxylase efficiently catalyzes tyrosine to tyramine conversion. Under methyl jasmonate (MeJA) treatment, the expression of LaTYDC1 and the content of tyramine sharply increase. The use of RLM-RACE confirms that miR396 promotes the degradation of LaTYDC1 mRNA. Under MeJA treatment, the expression of miR396 was suppressed while the expression level of LaTYDC1 sharply increased. Following the increase of the miR396 transcriptional level, LaTYDC1 was significantly repressed. Conclusion LaTYDC1 participates in the biosynthesis of galanthamine, and is regulated by miR396. This finding also provides genetic strategy for improving the yield of galanthamine in the future.
bibliographic citation: Wang et al. (2019) Cloning and characterization of a tyrosine decarboxylase involved in the biosynthesis of galanthamine in Lycoris aurea. PeerJ 7:e6729 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.6729
date submitted: 2018-11-22
date accepted: 2019-03-06
issued: 2019-04-16
is part of: PeerJ
license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Wang
  given name: Rong
author list: Agent
  family name: Han
  given name: Xiaokang
author list: Agent
  family name: Xu
  given name: Sheng
author list: Agent
  family name: Xia
  given name: Bing
author list: Agent
  family name: Jiang
  given name: Yumei
author list: Agent
  family name: Xue
  given name: Yong
author list: Agent
  family name: Wang
  given name: Ren
doi: 10.7717/peerj.6729
volume: 7
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2019-04-16
copyright: ©2019 Wang et al.
attribution name: Wang et al.

Simulating the effects of climate change across the geographical distribution of two medicinal plants in the genus Nardostachys
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Background The medicinal plants of Radix et Rhizoma Nardostachyos include Nardostachys jatamansi and N. chinensis. Traditionally, the two plants have been used to treat many diseases. Because of their special aroma, they are also commonly used in the food and cosmetics industry. Recently, N. jatamansi and N. chinensis have been overexploited due to their economic importance, resulting in a sharp decline in their wild resources. Predicting potential distributions of the genus Nardostachys under different climate scenarios and understanding its preferred habitat are of great significance for their conservation, artificial cultivation, and assessment of their value. Methods The Maxent model was used to predict the potential geographical distributions of the genus Nardostachys under current and future climatic conditions based on two representative concentration pathways (RCP2.6 and RCP8.5) for the 2050s and 2070s. These data were used to study the effects of climate variables. Results The results show that the potential distribution of the two species will increase, thus more suitable habitats will be present in China. The suitable habitat for N. chinensis presents a relatively stable growth compared to N. jatamansi. In addition, precipitation plays a crucial role in modeling the effects of climate change on the genus Nardostachys. This study provides theoretical guidance for the cultivation of N. chinensis.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Junjun Li
creator: Jie Wu
creator: Kezhong Peng
creator: Gang Fan
creator: Haiqing Yu
creator: Wenguo Wang
creator: Yang He
subject: Biogeography
subject: Ecology
subject: Climate Change Biology
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.6730
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2019 Li et al.
abstract: Background The medicinal plants of Radix et Rhizoma Nardostachyos include Nardostachys jatamansi and N. chinensis. Traditionally, the two plants have been used to treat many diseases. Because of their special aroma, they are also commonly used in the food and cosmetics industry. Recently, N. jatamansi and N. chinensis have been overexploited due to their economic importance, resulting in a sharp decline in their wild resources. Predicting potential distributions of the genus Nardostachys under different climate scenarios and understanding its preferred habitat are of great significance for their conservation, artificial cultivation, and assessment of their value. Methods The Maxent model was used to predict the potential geographical distributions of the genus Nardostachys under current and future climatic conditions based on two representative concentration pathways (RCP2.6 and RCP8.5) for the 2050s and 2070s. These data were used to study the effects of climate variables. Results The results show that the potential distribution of the two species will increase, thus more suitable habitats will be present in China. The suitable habitat for N. chinensis presents a relatively stable growth compared to N. jatamansi. In addition, precipitation plays a crucial role in modeling the effects of climate change on the genus Nardostachys. This study provides theoretical guidance for the cultivation of N. chinensis.
bibliographic citation: Li et al. (2019) Simulating the effects of climate change across the geographical distribution of two medicinal plants in the genus Nardostachys. PeerJ 7:e6730 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.6730
date submitted: 2018-11-23
date accepted: 2019-03-06
issued: 2019-04-16
is part of: PeerJ
license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Li
  given name: Junjun
author list: Agent
  family name: Wu
  given name: Jie
author list: Agent
  family name: Peng
  given name: Kezhong
author list: Agent
  family name: Fan
  given name: Gang
author list: Agent
  family name: Yu
  given name: Haiqing
author list: Agent
  family name: Wang
  given name: Wenguo
author list: Agent
  family name: He
  given name: Yang
doi: 10.7717/peerj.6730
volume: 7
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2019-04-16
copyright: © 2019 Li et al.
attribution name: Li et al.

Characterization of the iPSC-derived conditioned medium that promotes the growth of bovine corneal endothelial cells
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Corneal endothelial cells (CECs) maintain corneal transparency and visual acuity. However, the limited proliferative capability of these cells in vitro has prompted researchers to find efficient culturing techniques for them. The aim of our study was to evaluate the use of conditioned medium (CM) obtained from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) as a source for the effective proliferation of bovine CECs (B-CECs). In our study, the proliferative ability of B-CECs was moderately enhanced when the cells were grown in 25% iPSC conditioned medium (iPSC-CM). Additionally, hexagonal cell morphology was maintained until passage 4, as opposed to the irregular and enlarged shape observed in control corneal endothelial medium (CEM). B-CECs in both the 25% iPSC-CM and CEM groups expressed and Na+-K+-ATPase. The gene expression levels of NIFK, Na+-K+-ATPase, Col4A and Col8A and the percentage of cells entering S and G2 phases were higher in the iPSC-CM group. The number of apoptotic cells also decreased in the iPSC-CM group. In comparison to the control cultures, iPSC-CM facilitated cell migration, and these cells showed better barrier functions after several passages. The mechanism of cell proliferation mediated by iPSC-CM was also investigated, and phosphorylation of Akt was observed in B-CECs after exposure to iPSC-CM and showed sustained phosphorylation induced for up to 180 min in iPSC-CM. Our findings indicate that iPSC-CM may employ PI3-kinase signaling in regulating cell cycle progression, which can lead to enhanced cellular proliferation. Effective component analysis of the CM showed that in the iPSC-CM group, the expression of activin-A was significantly increased. If activin-A is added as a supplement, it could help to maintain the morphology of the cells, similar to that of CM. Hence, we conclude that activin-A is one of the effective components of CM in promoting cell proliferation and maintaining cell morphology.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Qing Liu
creator: Yonglong Guo
creator: Shiwei Liu
creator: Peiyuan Wang
creator: Yunxia Xue
creator: Zekai Cui
creator: Jiansu Chen
subject: Cell Biology
subject: Ophthalmology
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.6734
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2019 Liu et al.
abstract: Corneal endothelial cells (CECs) maintain corneal transparency and visual acuity. However, the limited proliferative capability of these cells in vitro has prompted researchers to find efficient culturing techniques for them. The aim of our study was to evaluate the use of conditioned medium (CM) obtained from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) as a source for the effective proliferation of bovine CECs (B-CECs). In our study, the proliferative ability of B-CECs was moderately enhanced when the cells were grown in 25% iPSC conditioned medium (iPSC-CM). Additionally, hexagonal cell morphology was maintained until passage 4, as opposed to the irregular and enlarged shape observed in control corneal endothelial medium (CEM). B-CECs in both the 25% iPSC-CM and CEM groups expressed and Na+-K+-ATPase. The gene expression levels of NIFK, Na+-K+-ATPase, Col4A and Col8A and the percentage of cells entering S and G2 phases were higher in the iPSC-CM group. The number of apoptotic cells also decreased in the iPSC-CM group. In comparison to the control cultures, iPSC-CM facilitated cell migration, and these cells showed better barrier functions after several passages. The mechanism of cell proliferation mediated by iPSC-CM was also investigated, and phosphorylation of Akt was observed in B-CECs after exposure to iPSC-CM and showed sustained phosphorylation induced for up to 180 min in iPSC-CM. Our findings indicate that iPSC-CM may employ PI3-kinase signaling in regulating cell cycle progression, which can lead to enhanced cellular proliferation. Effective component analysis of the CM showed that in the iPSC-CM group, the expression of activin-A was significantly increased. If activin-A is added as a supplement, it could help to maintain the morphology of the cells, similar to that of CM. Hence, we conclude that activin-A is one of the effective components of CM in promoting cell proliferation and maintaining cell morphology.
bibliographic citation: Liu et al. (2019) Characterization of the iPSC-derived conditioned medium that promotes the growth of bovine corneal endothelial cells. PeerJ 7:e6734 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.6734
date submitted: 2018-11-26
date accepted: 2019-03-07
issued: 2019-04-16
is part of: PeerJ
license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Liu
  given name: Qing
author list: Agent
  family name: Guo
  given name: Yonglong
author list: Agent
  family name: Liu
  given name: Shiwei
author list: Agent
  family name: Wang
  given name: Peiyuan
author list: Agent
  family name: Xue
  given name: Yunxia
author list: Agent
  family name: Cui
  given name: Zekai
author list: Agent
  family name: Chen
  given name: Jiansu
doi: 10.7717/peerj.6734
volume: 7
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2019-04-16
copyright: © 2019 Liu et al.
attribution name: Liu et al.

Identification and expression analysis of the GDSL esterase/lipase family genes, and the characterization of SaGLIP8 in Sedum alfredii Hance under cadmium stress
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Background The herb Sedum alfredii (S. alfredii) Hance is a hyperaccumulator of heavy metals (cadmium (Cd), zinc (Zn) and lead (Pb)); therefore, it could be a candidate plant for efficient phytoremediation. The GDSL esterase/lipase protein (GELP) family plays important roles in plant defense and growth. Although the GELP family members in a variety of plants have been cloned and analyzed, there are limited studies on the family’s responses to heavy metal-stress conditions. Methods Multiple sequence alignments and phylogenetic analyses were performed according to the criteria described. A WGCNA was used to construct co-expression regulatory networks. The roots of S. alfredii seedlings were treated with 100 µM CdCl2 for qRT-PCR to analyze expression levels in different tissues. SaGLIP8 was transformed into the Cd sensitive mutant strain yeast Δycf1 to investigate its role in resistance and accumulation to Cd. Results We analyzed GELP family members from genomic data of S. alfredii. A phylogenetic tree divided the 80 identified family members into three clades. The promoters of the 80 genes contained certain elements related to abiotic stress, such as TC-rich repeats (defense and stress responsiveness), heat shock elements (heat stress) and MYB-binding sites (drought-inducibility). In addition, 66 members had tissue-specific expression patterns and significant responses to Cd stress. In total, 13 hub genes were obtained, based on an existing S. alfredii transcriptome database, that control 459 edge genes, which were classified into five classes of functions in a co-expression subnetwork: cell wall and defense function, lipid and esterase, stress and tolerance, transport and transcription factor activity. Among the hub genes, Sa13F.102 (SaGLIP8), with a high expression level in all tissues, could increase Cd tolerance and accumulation in yeast when overexpressed. Conclusion Based on genomic data of S. alfredii, we conducted phylogenetic analyses, as well as conserved do…
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: He Li
creator: Xiaojiao Han
creator: Wenmin Qiu
creator: Dong Xu
creator: Ying Wang
creator: Miao Yu
creator: Xianqi Hu
creator: Renying Zhuo
subject: Molecular Biology
subject: Plant Science
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.6741
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2019 Li et al.
abstract: Background The herb Sedum alfredii (S. alfredii) Hance is a hyperaccumulator of heavy metals (cadmium (Cd), zinc (Zn) and lead (Pb)); therefore, it could be a candidate plant for efficient phytoremediation. The GDSL esterase/lipase protein (GELP) family plays important roles in plant defense and growth. Although the GELP family members in a variety of plants have been cloned and analyzed, there are limited studies on the family’s responses to heavy metal-stress conditions. Methods Multiple sequence alignments and phylogenetic analyses were performed according to the criteria described. A WGCNA was used to construct co-expression regulatory networks. The roots of S. alfredii seedlings were treated with 100 µM CdCl2 for qRT-PCR to analyze expression levels in different tissues. SaGLIP8 was transformed into the Cd sensitive mutant strain yeast Δycf1 to investigate its role in resistance and accumulation to Cd. Results We analyzed GELP family members from genomic data of S. alfredii. A phylogenetic tree divided the 80 identified family members into three clades. The promoters of the 80 genes contained certain elements related to abiotic stress, such as TC-rich repeats (defense and stress responsiveness), heat shock elements (heat stress) and MYB-binding sites (drought-inducibility). In addition, 66 members had tissue-specific expression patterns and significant responses to Cd stress. In total, 13 hub genes were obtained, based on an existing S. alfredii transcriptome database, that control 459 edge genes, which were classified into five classes of functions in a co-expression subnetwork: cell wall and defense function, lipid and esterase, stress and tolerance, transport and transcription factor activity. Among the hub genes, Sa13F.102 (SaGLIP8), with a high expression level in all tissues, could increase Cd tolerance and accumulation in yeast when overexpressed. Conclusion Based on genomic data of S. alfredii, we conducted phylogenetic analyses, as well as conserved do…
bibliographic citation: Li et al. (2019) Identification and expression analysis of the GDSL esterase/lipase family genes, and the characterization of SaGLIP8 in Sedum alfredii Hance under cadmium stress. PeerJ 7:e6741 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.6741
date submitted: 2019-01-25
date accepted: 2019-03-07
issued: 2019-04-16
is part of: PeerJ
license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Li
  given name: He
author list: Agent
  family name: Han
  given name: Xiaojiao
author list: Agent
  family name: Qiu
  given name: Wenmin
author list: Agent
  family name: Xu
  given name: Dong
author list: Agent
  family name: Wang
  given name: Ying
author list: Agent
  family name: Yu
  given name: Miao
author list: Agent
  family name: Hu
  given name: Xianqi
author list: Agent
  family name: Zhuo
  given name: Renying
doi: 10.7717/peerj.6741
volume: 7
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2019-04-16
copyright: ©2019 Li et al.
attribution name: Li et al.

Risk of acute exacerbation between acetaminophen and ibuprofen in children with asthma
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Background Antipyretics are widely prescribed in pediatric practice. Some reports have mentioned that acetaminophen and non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs may negatively affect asthma control by causing asthma exacerbation (AE). However, many confounding factors can also influence the risks. We assessed the impact of using acetaminophen or ibuprofen on AE in asthmatic children, especially those with strong risk factors. Methods We used the 2010 Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database and identified 983 children with persistent asthma aged 1–5 years old; among them, 591 used acetaminophen alone and 392 used ibuprofen alone in 2010. Then, we analyzed the risk of AE over 52 weeks in the patients with and without severe AE in the previous year. Results The ibuprofen group had a higher risk of an emergency room (ER) visit or hospitalization for AE (odds ratio (OR) = 2.10, 95% confidence interval (CI) [1.17–3.76], P = 0.01). Among asthmatic children who had severe AE in the previous year, the risk of AE was higher in the ibuprofen group than in the acetaminophen group (OR = 3.28, 95% CI [1.30–8.29], P = 0.01), where as among those who did not, the risks of AE were similar between the acetaminophen and ibuprofen groups (OR = 1.52, 95% CI [0.71–3.25], P = 0.28). Conclusions Among young asthmatic children, use of ibuprofen was associated with a higher risk of AE than acetaminophen, if they had severe AE with ER visit or hospitalization in the previous year. Pediatricians should use antipyretics among children with asthma after a full evaluation of the risk.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Lin-Shien Fu
creator: Che-Chen Lin
creator: Chia-Yi Wei
creator: Ching-Heng Lin
creator: Yung-Chieh Huang
subject: Allergy and Clinical Immunology
subject: Immunology
subject: Pediatrics
subject: Respiratory Medicine
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.6760
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2019 Fu et al.
abstract: Background Antipyretics are widely prescribed in pediatric practice. Some reports have mentioned that acetaminophen and non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs may negatively affect asthma control by causing asthma exacerbation (AE). However, many confounding factors can also influence the risks. We assessed the impact of using acetaminophen or ibuprofen on AE in asthmatic children, especially those with strong risk factors. Methods We used the 2010 Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database and identified 983 children with persistent asthma aged 1–5 years old; among them, 591 used acetaminophen alone and 392 used ibuprofen alone in 2010. Then, we analyzed the risk of AE over 52 weeks in the patients with and without severe AE in the previous year. Results The ibuprofen group had a higher risk of an emergency room (ER) visit or hospitalization for AE (odds ratio (OR) = 2.10, 95% confidence interval (CI) [1.17–3.76], P = 0.01). Among asthmatic children who had severe AE in the previous year, the risk of AE was higher in the ibuprofen group than in the acetaminophen group (OR = 3.28, 95% CI [1.30–8.29], P = 0.01), where as among those who did not, the risks of AE were similar between the acetaminophen and ibuprofen groups (OR = 1.52, 95% CI [0.71–3.25], P = 0.28). Conclusions Among young asthmatic children, use of ibuprofen was associated with a higher risk of AE than acetaminophen, if they had severe AE with ER visit or hospitalization in the previous year. Pediatricians should use antipyretics among children with asthma after a full evaluation of the risk.
bibliographic citation: Fu et al. (2019) Risk of acute exacerbation between acetaminophen and ibuprofen in children with asthma. PeerJ 7:e6760 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.6760
date submitted: 2018-10-24
date accepted: 2019-03-09
issued: 2019-04-16
is part of: PeerJ
license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Fu
  given name: Lin-Shien
author list: Agent
  family name: Lin
  given name: Che-Chen
author list: Agent
  family name: Wei
  given name: Chia-Yi
author list: Agent
  family name: Lin
  given name: Ching-Heng
author list: Agent
  family name: Huang
  given name: Yung-Chieh
doi: 10.7717/peerj.6760
volume: 7
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2019-04-16
copyright: © 2019 Fu et al.
attribution name: Fu et al.

Distribution of crabs along a habitat gradient on the Yellow Sea coast after Spartina alterniflora invasion
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: The effects of Spartina alterniflora invasion on macrobenthos have long been of concern; however, there is currently no unified conclusion regarding these effects. Most studies on crabs focus on one species or limited habitat types, and assessments of the community-level effects of S. alterniflora invasion considering multiple species and habitat types have rarely been conducted. In this study, we sampled crabs along a habitat gradient from the shoreline to inland areas on the Yellow Sea coast, including the mudflat, S. alterniflora marsh, Suaeda salsa marsh and Phragmites australis marsh. A total of 10 crab species were found among all habitats, with five species in the mudflat, six species in S. alterniflora marsh, seven species in S. salsa marsh and four species in P. australis marsh. The Shannon index values for the crab communities were similar between S. alterniflora marsh and S. salsa marsh, and these values were significantly higher than those for the mudflat and P. australis marsh. However, the total biomass of crabs was highest in the mudflat, and Metaplax longipes, Philyra pisum and Macrophthalmus dilatatus exclusively preferred the mudflat. The analysis of principal components and similarities showed that the crab community structure in S. alterniflora marsh was most similar to that in S. salsa marsh, while the crab community structure in the mudflat was most different from that in the other habitat types. Our results demonstrate that the distribution of crabs varies across a habitat gradient after S. alterniflora invasion and that the crab community in S. alterniflora marsh is slightly different from that associated with the local vegetation but shows a large difference from that in the mudflat. This study indicates that some crab species may have adapted to habitat containing alien S. alterniflora, while other crab species reject this new marsh type. The effects of the distribution of crabs after S. alterniflora invasion on the regional ecosystem need …
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Pan Chen
creator: Yan Zhang
creator: Xiaojing Zhu
creator: Changhu Lu
subject: Biodiversity
subject: Conservation Biology
subject: Ecology
subject: Population Biology
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.6775
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2019 Chen et al.
abstract: The effects of Spartina alterniflora invasion on macrobenthos have long been of concern; however, there is currently no unified conclusion regarding these effects. Most studies on crabs focus on one species or limited habitat types, and assessments of the community-level effects of S. alterniflora invasion considering multiple species and habitat types have rarely been conducted. In this study, we sampled crabs along a habitat gradient from the shoreline to inland areas on the Yellow Sea coast, including the mudflat, S. alterniflora marsh, Suaeda salsa marsh and Phragmites australis marsh. A total of 10 crab species were found among all habitats, with five species in the mudflat, six species in S. alterniflora marsh, seven species in S. salsa marsh and four species in P. australis marsh. The Shannon index values for the crab communities were similar between S. alterniflora marsh and S. salsa marsh, and these values were significantly higher than those for the mudflat and P. australis marsh. However, the total biomass of crabs was highest in the mudflat, and Metaplax longipes, Philyra pisum and Macrophthalmus dilatatus exclusively preferred the mudflat. The analysis of principal components and similarities showed that the crab community structure in S. alterniflora marsh was most similar to that in S. salsa marsh, while the crab community structure in the mudflat was most different from that in the other habitat types. Our results demonstrate that the distribution of crabs varies across a habitat gradient after S. alterniflora invasion and that the crab community in S. alterniflora marsh is slightly different from that associated with the local vegetation but shows a large difference from that in the mudflat. This study indicates that some crab species may have adapted to habitat containing alien S. alterniflora, while other crab species reject this new marsh type. The effects of the distribution of crabs after S. alterniflora invasion on the regional ecosystem need …
bibliographic citation: Chen et al. (2019) Distribution of crabs along a habitat gradient on the Yellow Sea coast after Spartina alterniflora invasion. PeerJ 7:e6775 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.6775
date submitted: 2018-12-12
date accepted: 2019-03-12
issued: 2019-04-16
is part of: PeerJ
license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Chen
  given name: Pan
author list: Agent
  family name: Zhang
  given name: Yan
author list: Agent
  family name: Zhu
  given name: Xiaojing
author list: Agent
  family name: Lu
  given name: Changhu
doi: 10.7717/peerj.6775
volume: 7
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2019-04-16
copyright: © 2019 Chen et al.
attribution name: Chen et al.

Informing the management of acute malnutrition in infants aged under 6 months (MAMI): risk factor analysis using nationally-representative demographic & health survey secondary data
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Background Tackling malnutrition is a global health priority, helping children both survive and thrive. Acute malnutrition (wasting) in infants aged under 6 months (u6m) is often neglected. Worldwide, some 8.5 million infants u6m are affected yet recent World Health Organization malnutrition guidelines highlight numerous evidence gaps on how to best manage them. To inform future research, policy and programming, we aimed to identify risk factors associated with infant u6m wasting. Methods We did secondary data analysis of nationally representative, cross sectional Demographic and Health Surveys conducted in the last 10 years. We compared wasted infants u6m (weight-for-length <−2 z-scores) vs. non-wasted (weight-for-length ≥−2 z-score). We used simple and adjusted (for infant age, sex, socio-economic status) logistic regression to calculate odds of wasting associated with risk factors spanning three broad categories: household-related; maternal-related; infant-related. Results We analysed 16,123 infants u6m from 20 countries. Multiple risk factors were statistically associated with wasting. These included: poverty (Odds ratio, OR 1.22 (95% CI [1.01–1.48], p = 0.04)); low maternal body mass index (adjusted OR 1.53(1.29–1.80, p < 0.001); small infant size at birth (aOR 1.32(1.10–1.58, p < 0.01)); delayed start of breastfeeding (aOR 1.31(1.13–1.51, p < 0.001)); prelacteal feed (aOR 1.34(1.18–1.53, p < 0.001)); recent history of diarrhoea (aOR 1.37(1.12–1.67, p < 0.01)); mother disempowered (experiences violence; does not make decisions about health issues; does not engage with health services such as antenatal care, does not give birth in a health facility). ‘Protective’ factors associated with significantly decreased odds of infant u6m wasting included: educated mother (OR 0.64(0.54–0.76, p < 0.001)); mother in work (OR 0.82(0.72–0.94, p < 0.01)); currently breastfed (aOR 0.62(0.42–0.91, p = 0.02)), exclusively breastfed (aOR 0.84(0.73–0.97, p = 0.02). Discussion Infan…
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Marko Kerac
creator: Severine Frison
creator: Nichola Connell
creator: Bethan Page
creator: Marie McGrath
subject: Epidemiology
subject: Nutrition
subject: Pediatrics
subject: Public Health
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.5848
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2019 Kerac et al.
abstract: Background Tackling malnutrition is a global health priority, helping children both survive and thrive. Acute malnutrition (wasting) in infants aged under 6 months (u6m) is often neglected. Worldwide, some 8.5 million infants u6m are affected yet recent World Health Organization malnutrition guidelines highlight numerous evidence gaps on how to best manage them. To inform future research, policy and programming, we aimed to identify risk factors associated with infant u6m wasting. Methods We did secondary data analysis of nationally representative, cross sectional Demographic and Health Surveys conducted in the last 10 years. We compared wasted infants u6m (weight-for-length <−2 z-scores) vs. non-wasted (weight-for-length ≥−2 z-score). We used simple and adjusted (for infant age, sex, socio-economic status) logistic regression to calculate odds of wasting associated with risk factors spanning three broad categories: household-related; maternal-related; infant-related. Results We analysed 16,123 infants u6m from 20 countries. Multiple risk factors were statistically associated with wasting. These included: poverty (Odds ratio, OR 1.22 (95% CI [1.01–1.48], p = 0.04)); low maternal body mass index (adjusted OR 1.53(1.29–1.80, p < 0.001); small infant size at birth (aOR 1.32(1.10–1.58, p < 0.01)); delayed start of breastfeeding (aOR 1.31(1.13–1.51, p < 0.001)); prelacteal feed (aOR 1.34(1.18–1.53, p < 0.001)); recent history of diarrhoea (aOR 1.37(1.12–1.67, p < 0.01)); mother disempowered (experiences violence; does not make decisions about health issues; does not engage with health services such as antenatal care, does not give birth in a health facility). ‘Protective’ factors associated with significantly decreased odds of infant u6m wasting included: educated mother (OR 0.64(0.54–0.76, p < 0.001)); mother in work (OR 0.82(0.72–0.94, p < 0.01)); currently breastfed (aOR 0.62(0.42–0.91, p = 0.02)), exclusively breastfed (aOR 0.84(0.73–0.97, p = 0.02). Discussion Infan…
bibliographic citation: Kerac et al. (2019) Informing the management of acute malnutrition in infants aged under 6 months (MAMI): risk factor analysis using nationally-representative demographic & health survey secondary data. PeerJ 6:e5848 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.5848
date submitted: 2018-03-13
date accepted: 2018-10-01
issued: 2019-04-15
is part of: PeerJ
license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Kerac
  given name: Marko
author list: Agent
  family name: Frison
  given name: Severine
author list: Agent
  family name: Connell
  given name: Nichola
author list: Agent
  family name: Page
  given name: Bethan
author list: Agent
  family name: McGrath
  given name: Marie
doi: 10.7717/peerj.5848
volume: 6
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2019-04-15
copyright: © 2019 Kerac et al.
attribution name: Kerac et al.

No association of COMT with insight problem solving in Chinese college students
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Genes involved in dopamine (DA) neurotransmission, such as the catechol-O-methyltransferase gene (COMT), have been suggested as key genetic candidates that might underlie the genetic basis of insight. In a sample of Chinese college students, this study examined whether COMT was associated with individual differences in the ability to solve classic insight problems. The results demonstrated that COMT was not associated with insight problem solving and there was no gender-dependent effect. This study, together with previous studies, raises the possibility of a complex relationship between COMT and insight problem solving.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Xiaolei Yang
creator: Jinghuan Zhang
creator: Shun Zhang
subject: Neuroscience
subject: Psychiatry and Psychology
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.6755
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2019 Yang et al.
abstract: Genes involved in dopamine (DA) neurotransmission, such as the catechol-O-methyltransferase gene (COMT), have been suggested as key genetic candidates that might underlie the genetic basis of insight. In a sample of Chinese college students, this study examined whether COMT was associated with individual differences in the ability to solve classic insight problems. The results demonstrated that COMT was not associated with insight problem solving and there was no gender-dependent effect. This study, together with previous studies, raises the possibility of a complex relationship between COMT and insight problem solving.
bibliographic citation: Yang et al. (2019) No association of COMT with insight problem solving in Chinese college students. PeerJ 7:e6755 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.6755
date submitted: 2018-11-05
date accepted: 2019-03-10
issued: 2019-04-15
is part of: PeerJ
license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Yang
  given name: Xiaolei
author list: Agent
  family name: Zhang
  given name: Jinghuan
author list: Agent
  family name: Zhang
  given name: Shun
doi: 10.7717/peerj.6755
volume: 7
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2019-04-15
copyright: ©2019 Yang et al.
attribution name: Yang et al.

Head louse egg and nit remover—a modern “Quest for the Holy Grail”
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Background The eggs of head lice are fixed to the hair of their hosts by means of a persistent glue-like fixative that is not chemically bound to the substrate. Eggshells stuck to hairs after successfully treating the infestation are a cosmetic issue and a source of misunderstanding about whether the infestation is eliminated. Hitherto, no effective treatment to loosen louse eggs and nits has been found. Methods An extensive screening of surface active compounds, oils, esters, and other cosmetic lubricants used a slip-peel device to measure the forces required to release the grip of the fixative. Promisingly effective compounds were formulated into suitable carriers for further testing. The most effective combination formulation was tested, as a commercial product (Hedrin Stubborn Egg Loosening Lotion), in a usage study of 15 children with nits, in which one half of the head was combed only on damp hair and the other half combed after a 10 min treatment using the product. Results Laboratory tests of the forces required to remove nits found that pelagonic acid derivatives, particularly isononyl isononanoate, in the presence of a polymeric gelling agent and water, were most effective to reduce the initial grip of the fixative as well as reducing friction as the eggshell is drawn along the hair shaft and that the final product was significantly (p < 0.05) more effective than several other marketed materials. In the usage study significantly (p = 0.01046) more louse eggs and nits were removed after treatment with the gel. Discussion The product developed through this study is the first with a demonstrable efficacy for loosening the grip of the louse egg fixative from hair. Consequently, until now, and despite the availability of effective pediculicidal treatments, dealing with the eggshells persisting after an infestation has been an onerous task for most households. This type of product can enable families to deal more easily with persistent eggshells and improve self-…
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Elizabeth R. Brunton
creator: Ian P. Whelan
creator: Rebecca French
creator: Mark N. Burgess
creator: Ian F. Burgess
subject: Biochemistry
subject: Entomology
subject: Drugs and Devices
subject: Pediatrics
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.6759
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2019 Brunton et al.
abstract: Background The eggs of head lice are fixed to the hair of their hosts by means of a persistent glue-like fixative that is not chemically bound to the substrate. Eggshells stuck to hairs after successfully treating the infestation are a cosmetic issue and a source of misunderstanding about whether the infestation is eliminated. Hitherto, no effective treatment to loosen louse eggs and nits has been found. Methods An extensive screening of surface active compounds, oils, esters, and other cosmetic lubricants used a slip-peel device to measure the forces required to release the grip of the fixative. Promisingly effective compounds were formulated into suitable carriers for further testing. The most effective combination formulation was tested, as a commercial product (Hedrin Stubborn Egg Loosening Lotion), in a usage study of 15 children with nits, in which one half of the head was combed only on damp hair and the other half combed after a 10 min treatment using the product. Results Laboratory tests of the forces required to remove nits found that pelagonic acid derivatives, particularly isononyl isononanoate, in the presence of a polymeric gelling agent and water, were most effective to reduce the initial grip of the fixative as well as reducing friction as the eggshell is drawn along the hair shaft and that the final product was significantly (p < 0.05) more effective than several other marketed materials. In the usage study significantly (p = 0.01046) more louse eggs and nits were removed after treatment with the gel. Discussion The product developed through this study is the first with a demonstrable efficacy for loosening the grip of the louse egg fixative from hair. Consequently, until now, and despite the availability of effective pediculicidal treatments, dealing with the eggshells persisting after an infestation has been an onerous task for most households. This type of product can enable families to deal more easily with persistent eggshells and improve self-…
bibliographic citation: Brunton et al. (2019) Head louse egg and nit remover—a modern “Quest for the Holy Grail”. PeerJ 7:e6759 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.6759
date submitted: 2018-11-27
date accepted: 2019-03-09
issued: 2019-04-15
is part of: PeerJ
license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Brunton
  given name: Elizabeth R.
author list: Agent
  family name: Whelan
  given name: Ian P.
author list: Agent
  family name: French
  given name: Rebecca
author list: Agent
  family name: Burgess
  given name: Mark N.
author list: Agent
  family name: Burgess
  given name: Ian F.
doi: 10.7717/peerj.6759
volume: 7
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2019-04-15
copyright: ©2019 Brunton et al.
attribution name: Brunton et al.

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