PeerJ
type: channel
link: https://peerj.com/articles/
description: Articles published in PeerJ
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
publication name: PeerJ
issn: 2167-8359
items: Searching the Internet for psychiatric disorders among Arab and Jewish Israelis: insights from a comprehensive infodemiological survey
items: Characterization of the basic helix–loop–helix gene family and its tissue-differential expression in response to salt stress in poplar
items: A genome-wide investigation of microsatellite mismatches and the association with body mass among bird species
items: Saccadic inhibition in a guided saccade task
items: Difficulties when using video playback to investigate social cognition in California scrub-jays (Aphelocoma californica)
items: The impact of different agroecological conditions on the nutritional composition of quinoa seeds
items: Fuel-cell breathalyser use for field research on alcohol intoxication: an independent psychometric evaluation
items: Gender disparities in the association between socio-demographics and non-communicable disease risk factors among adults with disabilities in Shanghai, China
items: Assessing universality of DNA barcoding in geographically isolated selected desert medicinal species of Fabaceae and Poaceae
items: Ecosystem functional response across precipitation extremes in a sagebrush steppe

Searching the Internet for psychiatric disorders among Arab and Jewish Israelis: insights from a comprehensive infodemiological survey
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Israel represents a complex and pluralistic society comprising two major ethno-national groups, Israeli Jews and Israeli Arabs, which differ in terms of religious and cultural values as well as social constructs. According to the so-called “diversification hypothesis”, within the framework of e-health and in the era of new information and communication technologies, seeking online health information could be a channel to increase health literacy, especially among disadvantaged groups. However, little is known concerning digital seeking behavior and, in particular, digital mental health literacy. This study was conducted in order to fill in this gap. Concerning raw figures, unadjusted for confounding variables (time, population size, Internet penetration index, disease rate), “depression” searched in Hebrew was characterized by 1.5 times higher search volumes, slightly declining throughout time, whereas relative search volumes (RSVs) related to “depression” searched in Arabic tended to increase over the years. Similar patterns could be detected for “phobia” (in Hebrew 1.4-fold higher than in Arabic) and for “anxiety” (with the searches performed in Hebrew 2.3 times higher than in Arabic). “Suicide” in Hebrew was searched 2.0-fold more than in Arabic (interestingly for both languages search volumes exhibited seasonal cyclic patterns). Eating disorders were searched more in Hebrew: 8.0-times more for “bulimia”, whilst “anorexia” was searched in Hebrew only. When adjusting for confounding variables, association between digital seeking behavior and ethnicity remained statistically significant (p-value < 0.0001) for all psychiatric disorders considered in the current investigation, except for “bulimia” (p = 0.989). More in details, Israeli Arabs searched for mental health disorders less than Jews, apart from “depression”. Arab and Jewish Israelis, besides differing in terms of language, religion, social and cultural values, have different patterns of usage of healthcare s…
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Mohammad Adawi
creator: Howard Amital
creator: Mahmud Mahamid
creator: Daniela Amital
creator: Bishara Bisharat
creator: Naim Mahroum
creator: Kassem Sharif
creator: Adi Guy
creator: Amin Adawi
creator: Hussein Mahagna
creator: Arsalan Abu Much
creator: Samaa Watad
creator: Nicola Luigi Bragazzi
creator: Abdulla Watad
subject: Psychiatry and Psychology
subject: Public Health
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.4507
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2018 Adawi et al.
abstract: Israel represents a complex and pluralistic society comprising two major ethno-national groups, Israeli Jews and Israeli Arabs, which differ in terms of religious and cultural values as well as social constructs. According to the so-called “diversification hypothesis”, within the framework of e-health and in the era of new information and communication technologies, seeking online health information could be a channel to increase health literacy, especially among disadvantaged groups. However, little is known concerning digital seeking behavior and, in particular, digital mental health literacy. This study was conducted in order to fill in this gap. Concerning raw figures, unadjusted for confounding variables (time, population size, Internet penetration index, disease rate), “depression” searched in Hebrew was characterized by 1.5 times higher search volumes, slightly declining throughout time, whereas relative search volumes (RSVs) related to “depression” searched in Arabic tended to increase over the years. Similar patterns could be detected for “phobia” (in Hebrew 1.4-fold higher than in Arabic) and for “anxiety” (with the searches performed in Hebrew 2.3 times higher than in Arabic). “Suicide” in Hebrew was searched 2.0-fold more than in Arabic (interestingly for both languages search volumes exhibited seasonal cyclic patterns). Eating disorders were searched more in Hebrew: 8.0-times more for “bulimia”, whilst “anorexia” was searched in Hebrew only. When adjusting for confounding variables, association between digital seeking behavior and ethnicity remained statistically significant (p-value < 0.0001) for all psychiatric disorders considered in the current investigation, except for “bulimia” (p = 0.989). More in details, Israeli Arabs searched for mental health disorders less than Jews, apart from “depression”. Arab and Jewish Israelis, besides differing in terms of language, religion, social and cultural values, have different patterns of usage of healthcare s…
bibliographic citation: Adawi et al. (2018) Searching the Internet for psychiatric disorders among Arab and Jewish Israelis: insights from a comprehensive infodemiological survey. PeerJ 6:e4507 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.4507
date submitted: 2017-12-12
date accepted: 2018-02-25
issued: 2018-03-14
is part of: PeerJ
license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Adawi
  given name: Mohammad
author list: Agent
  family name: Amital
  given name: Howard
author list: Agent
  family name: Mahamid
  given name: Mahmud
author list: Agent
  family name: Amital
  given name: Daniela
author list: Agent
  family name: Bisharat
  given name: Bishara
author list: Agent
  family name: Mahroum
  given name: Naim
author list: Agent
  family name: Sharif
  given name: Kassem
author list: Agent
  family name: Guy
  given name: Adi
author list: Agent
  family name: Adawi
  given name: Amin
author list: Agent
  family name: Mahagna
  given name: Hussein
author list: Agent
  family name: Abu Much
  given name: Arsalan
author list: Agent
  family name: Watad
  given name: Samaa
author list: Agent
  family name: Bragazzi
  given name: Nicola Luigi
author list: Agent
  family name: Watad
  given name: Abdulla
doi: 10.7717/peerj.4507
volume: 6
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2018-03-14
copyright: ©2018 Adawi et al.
attribution name: Adawi et al.

Characterization of the basic helix–loop–helix gene family and its tissue-differential expression in response to salt stress in poplar
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: The basic helix–loop–helix (bHLH) transcription factor gene family is one of the largest gene families and extensively involved in plant growth, development, and stress responses. However, limited studies are available on the gene family in poplar. In this study, we focused on 202 bHLH genes, exploring their DNA and protein sequences and physicochemical properties. According to their protein sequence similarities, we classified the genes into 25 groups with specific motif structures. In order to explore their expressions, we performed gene expression profiling using RNA-Seq and identified 19 genes that display tissue-differential expression patterns without treatment. Furthermore, we also performed gene expression profiling under salt stress. We found 74 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), which are responsive to the treatment. A total of 18 of the 19 genes correspond well to the DEGs. We validated the results using reverse transcription quantitative real-time PCR. This study lays the foundation for future studies on gene cloning, transgenes, and biological mechanisms.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Kai Zhao
creator: Shuxuan Li
creator: Wenjing Yao
creator: Boru Zhou
creator: Renhua Li
creator: Tingbo Jiang
subject: Bioinformatics
subject: Genomics
subject: Plant Science
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.4502
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2018 Zhao et al.
abstract: The basic helix–loop–helix (bHLH) transcription factor gene family is one of the largest gene families and extensively involved in plant growth, development, and stress responses. However, limited studies are available on the gene family in poplar. In this study, we focused on 202 bHLH genes, exploring their DNA and protein sequences and physicochemical properties. According to their protein sequence similarities, we classified the genes into 25 groups with specific motif structures. In order to explore their expressions, we performed gene expression profiling using RNA-Seq and identified 19 genes that display tissue-differential expression patterns without treatment. Furthermore, we also performed gene expression profiling under salt stress. We found 74 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), which are responsive to the treatment. A total of 18 of the 19 genes correspond well to the DEGs. We validated the results using reverse transcription quantitative real-time PCR. This study lays the foundation for future studies on gene cloning, transgenes, and biological mechanisms.
bibliographic citation: Zhao et al. (2018) Characterization of the basic helix–loop–helix gene family and its tissue-differential expression in response to salt stress in poplar. PeerJ 6:e4502 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.4502
date submitted: 2017-12-05
date accepted: 2018-02-23
issued: 2018-03-14
is part of: PeerJ
license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Zhao
  given name: Kai
author list: Agent
  family name: Li
  given name: Shuxuan
author list: Agent
  family name: Yao
  given name: Wenjing
author list: Agent
  family name: Zhou
  given name: Boru
author list: Agent
  family name: Li
  given name: Renhua
author list: Agent
  family name: Jiang
  given name: Tingbo
doi: 10.7717/peerj.4502
volume: 6
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2018-03-14
copyright: © 2018 Zhao et al.
attribution name: Zhao et al.

A genome-wide investigation of microsatellite mismatches and the association with body mass among bird species
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Mutation rate is usually found to covary with many life history traits of animals such as body mass, which has been readily explained by the higher number of mutation opportunities per unit time. Although the precise reason for the pattern is not yet clear, to determine the universality of this pattern, we tested whether life history traits impact another form of genetic mutation, the motif mismatches in microsatellites. Employing published genome sequences from 65 avian species, we explored the motif mismatches patterns of microsatellites in birds on a genomic level and assessed the relationship between motif mismatches and body mass in a phylogenetic context. We found that small-bodied species have a higher average mismatches and we suggested that higher heterozygosity in imperfect microsatellites lead to the increase of motif mismatches. Our results obtained from this study imply that a negative body mass trend in mutation rate may be a general pattern of avian molecular evolution.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Haiying Fan
creator: Weibin Guo
subject: Evolutionary Studies
subject: Genetics
subject: Genomics
subject: Zoology
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.4495
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2018 Fan and Guo
abstract: Mutation rate is usually found to covary with many life history traits of animals such as body mass, which has been readily explained by the higher number of mutation opportunities per unit time. Although the precise reason for the pattern is not yet clear, to determine the universality of this pattern, we tested whether life history traits impact another form of genetic mutation, the motif mismatches in microsatellites. Employing published genome sequences from 65 avian species, we explored the motif mismatches patterns of microsatellites in birds on a genomic level and assessed the relationship between motif mismatches and body mass in a phylogenetic context. We found that small-bodied species have a higher average mismatches and we suggested that higher heterozygosity in imperfect microsatellites lead to the increase of motif mismatches. Our results obtained from this study imply that a negative body mass trend in mutation rate may be a general pattern of avian molecular evolution.
bibliographic citation: Fan et al. (2018) A genome-wide investigation of microsatellite mismatches and the association with body mass among bird species. PeerJ 6:e4495 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.4495
date submitted: 2017-11-15
date accepted: 2018-02-21
issued: 2018-03-14
is part of: PeerJ
license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Fan
  given name: Haiying
author list: Agent
  family name: Guo
  given name: Weibin
doi: 10.7717/peerj.4495
volume: 6
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2018-03-14
copyright: ©2018 Fan and Guo
attribution name: Fan and Guo

Saccadic inhibition in a guided saccade task
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: The eye movement system reacts very systematically to visual transients that are presented during the planning phase of a saccade. About 50 to 70 ms after the onset of a transient, the number of saccades that are started decreases, a phenomenon that has been termed saccadic inhibition. Saccades started just before this time window are hypometric compared to regular saccades, presumably because the presentation of the transient stops them in mid-flight. Recent research investigating the properties of repeated saccades to fixed locations found that these early saccades were additionally faster than expected from the main sequence relation, suggesting that a saccadic dead time during which saccades can no longer be modified does not exist. The present study investigated the properties of saccades to random locations in a guided saccade task. As expected, early saccades starting just before the saccadic inhibition dip in frequency were hypometric. Their velocity profiles implied that these saccades were actively stopped after reaching peak velocity. However, the peak velocities of these saccades did not generally deviate from the main sequence relation. The question whether an active stop of early saccades is incompatible with the idea of a saccadic dead time is open to debate.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Isabel Dombrowe
subject: Neuroscience
subject: Psychiatry and Psychology
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.4493
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2018 Dombrowe
abstract: The eye movement system reacts very systematically to visual transients that are presented during the planning phase of a saccade. About 50 to 70 ms after the onset of a transient, the number of saccades that are started decreases, a phenomenon that has been termed saccadic inhibition. Saccades started just before this time window are hypometric compared to regular saccades, presumably because the presentation of the transient stops them in mid-flight. Recent research investigating the properties of repeated saccades to fixed locations found that these early saccades were additionally faster than expected from the main sequence relation, suggesting that a saccadic dead time during which saccades can no longer be modified does not exist. The present study investigated the properties of saccades to random locations in a guided saccade task. As expected, early saccades starting just before the saccadic inhibition dip in frequency were hypometric. Their velocity profiles implied that these saccades were actively stopped after reaching peak velocity. However, the peak velocities of these saccades did not generally deviate from the main sequence relation. The question whether an active stop of early saccades is incompatible with the idea of a saccadic dead time is open to debate.
bibliographic citation: Dombrowe (2018) Saccadic inhibition in a guided saccade task. PeerJ 6:e4493 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.4493
date submitted: 2017-10-19
date accepted: 2018-02-21
issued: 2018-03-14
is part of: PeerJ
license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Dombrowe
  given name: Isabel
doi: 10.7717/peerj.4493
volume: 6
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2018-03-14
copyright: ©2018 Dombrowe
attribution name: Dombrowe

Difficulties when using video playback to investigate social cognition in California scrub-jays (Aphelocoma californica)
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Previous research has suggested that videos can be used to experimentally manipulate social stimuli. In the present study, we used the California scrub-jays’ cache protection strategies to assess whether video playback can be used to simulate conspecifics in a social context. In both the lab and the field, scrub-jays are known to exhibit a range of behaviours to protect their caches from potential pilferage by a conspecific, for example by hiding food in locations out of the observer’s view or by re-caching previously made caches once the observer has left. Here, we presented scrub-jays with videos of a conspecific observer as well as two non-social conditions during a caching period and assessed whether they would cache out of the observer’s “view” (Experiment 1) or would re-cache their caches once the observer was no longer present (Experiment 2). In contrast to previous studies using live observers, the scrub-jays’ caching and re-caching behaviour was not influenced by whether the observer was present or absent. These findings suggest that there might be limitations in using video playback of social agents to mimic real-life situations when investigating corvid decision making.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Katharina F. Brecht
creator: Ljerka Ostojić
creator: Edward W. Legg
creator: Nicola S. Clayton
subject: Animal Behavior
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.4451
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2018 Brecht et al.
abstract: Previous research has suggested that videos can be used to experimentally manipulate social stimuli. In the present study, we used the California scrub-jays’ cache protection strategies to assess whether video playback can be used to simulate conspecifics in a social context. In both the lab and the field, scrub-jays are known to exhibit a range of behaviours to protect their caches from potential pilferage by a conspecific, for example by hiding food in locations out of the observer’s view or by re-caching previously made caches once the observer has left. Here, we presented scrub-jays with videos of a conspecific observer as well as two non-social conditions during a caching period and assessed whether they would cache out of the observer’s “view” (Experiment 1) or would re-cache their caches once the observer was no longer present (Experiment 2). In contrast to previous studies using live observers, the scrub-jays’ caching and re-caching behaviour was not influenced by whether the observer was present or absent. These findings suggest that there might be limitations in using video playback of social agents to mimic real-life situations when investigating corvid decision making.
bibliographic citation: Brecht et al. (2018) Difficulties when using video playback to investigate social cognition in California scrub-jays (Aphelocoma californica). PeerJ 6:e4451 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.4451
date submitted: 2017-09-06
date accepted: 2018-02-13
issued: 2018-03-14
is part of: PeerJ
license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Brecht
  given name: Katharina F.
author list: Agent
  family name: Ostojić
  given name: Ljerka
author list: Agent
  family name: Legg
  given name: Edward W.
author list: Agent
  family name: Clayton
  given name: Nicola S.
doi: 10.7717/peerj.4451
volume: 6
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2018-03-14
copyright: ©2018 Brecht et al.
attribution name: Brecht et al.

The impact of different agroecological conditions on the nutritional composition of quinoa seeds
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Quinoa cultivation has been expanded around the world in the last decade and is considered an exceptional crop with the potential of contributing to food security worldwide. The exceptional nutritional value of quinoa seeds relies on their high protein content, their amino acid profile that includes a good balance of essential amino acids, the mineral composition and the presence of antioxidants and other important nutrients such as fiber or vitamins. Although several studies have pointed to the influence of different environmental stresses in certain nutritional components little attention has been paid to the effect of the agroecological context on the nutritional properties of the seeds what may strongly impact on the consumer food’s quality. Thus, aiming to evaluate the effect of the agroecological conditions on the nutritional profile of quinoa seeds we analyzed three quinoa cultivars (Salcedo-INIA, Titicaca and Regalona) at different locations (Spain, Peru and Chile). The results revealed that several nutritional parameters such as the amino acid profile, the protein content, the mineral composition and the phytate amount in the seeds depend on the location and cultivar while other parameters such as saponin or fiber were more stable across locations. Our results support the notion that nutritional characteristics of seeds may be determined by seed’s origin and further analysis are needed to define the exact mechanisms that control the changes in the seeds nutritional properties.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: María Reguera
creator: Carlos Manuel Conesa
creator: Alejandro Gil-Gómez
creator: Claudia Mónika Haros
creator: Miguel Ángel Pérez-Casas
creator: Vilbett Briones-Labarca
creator: Luis Bolaños
creator: Ildefonso Bonilla
creator: Rodrigo Álvarez
creator: Katherine Pinto
creator: Ángel Mujica
creator: Luisa Bascuñán-Godoy
subject: Agricultural Science
subject: Biochemistry
subject: Food Science and Technology
subject: Plant Science
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.4442
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2018 Reguera et al.
abstract: Quinoa cultivation has been expanded around the world in the last decade and is considered an exceptional crop with the potential of contributing to food security worldwide. The exceptional nutritional value of quinoa seeds relies on their high protein content, their amino acid profile that includes a good balance of essential amino acids, the mineral composition and the presence of antioxidants and other important nutrients such as fiber or vitamins. Although several studies have pointed to the influence of different environmental stresses in certain nutritional components little attention has been paid to the effect of the agroecological context on the nutritional properties of the seeds what may strongly impact on the consumer food’s quality. Thus, aiming to evaluate the effect of the agroecological conditions on the nutritional profile of quinoa seeds we analyzed three quinoa cultivars (Salcedo-INIA, Titicaca and Regalona) at different locations (Spain, Peru and Chile). The results revealed that several nutritional parameters such as the amino acid profile, the protein content, the mineral composition and the phytate amount in the seeds depend on the location and cultivar while other parameters such as saponin or fiber were more stable across locations. Our results support the notion that nutritional characteristics of seeds may be determined by seed’s origin and further analysis are needed to define the exact mechanisms that control the changes in the seeds nutritional properties.
bibliographic citation: Reguera et al. (2018) The impact of different agroecological conditions on the nutritional composition of quinoa seeds. PeerJ 6:e4442 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.4442
date submitted: 2018-01-08
date accepted: 2018-02-12
issued: 2018-03-14
is part of: PeerJ
license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Reguera
  given name: María
author list: Agent
  family name: Conesa
  given name: Carlos Manuel
author list: Agent
  family name: Gil-Gómez
  given name: Alejandro
author list: Agent
  family name: Haros
  given name: Claudia Mónika
author list: Agent
  family name: Pérez-Casas
  given name: Miguel Ángel
author list: Agent
  family name: Briones-Labarca
  given name: Vilbett
author list: Agent
  family name: Bolaños
  given name: Luis
author list: Agent
  family name: Bonilla
  given name: Ildefonso
author list: Agent
  family name: Álvarez
  given name: Rodrigo
author list: Agent
  family name: Pinto
  given name: Katherine
author list: Agent
  family name: Mujica
  given name: Ángel
author list: Agent
  family name: Bascuñán-Godoy
  given name: Luisa
doi: 10.7717/peerj.4442
volume: 6
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2018-03-14
copyright: ©2018 Reguera et al.
attribution name: Reguera et al.

Fuel-cell breathalyser use for field research on alcohol intoxication: an independent psychometric evaluation
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Background Several field studies have used fuel-cell breathalysers (FCB) to investigate the prevalence of alcohol intoxication. However, there is a lack of evidence evaluating the psychometric properties of these breathalysers outside of the forensic disciplines. Methods The current research describes four studies designed that assess the reliability and validity of portable platinum FCBs for research on alcohol intoxication. Utilising the Alcolizer LE5 breathalyser and, to a lesser degree, the Lifeloc FC-20 and the Lion Intoxilyzer 8000, each study sampled patrons frequenting popular night-time entertainment districts with varying levels of alcohol intoxication. Results Study one and two found excellent test-retest reliability and inter-instrument reliability for FCBs. Study three and four provided evidence to support the convergent validity of the two FCBs (the LE5 with the FC20), and with an evidential breathalyser (i.e., the Lion Intoxilyzer 8000; EB). Discussion A 93–97% agreement rate between breathalyser readings was found across the four studies. Portable FCB are recommended as a reliable and valid instrument for research designs requiring quick alcohol intoxication estimations in large populations. Strategies to enhance reliable and valid readings are provided for field researchers.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Jacob G. Sorbello
creator: Grant J. Devilly
creator: Corey Allen
creator: Lee R.J. Hughes
creator: Kathleen Brown
subject: Drugs and Devices
subject: Public Health
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.4418
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2018 Sorbello et al.
abstract: Background Several field studies have used fuel-cell breathalysers (FCB) to investigate the prevalence of alcohol intoxication. However, there is a lack of evidence evaluating the psychometric properties of these breathalysers outside of the forensic disciplines. Methods The current research describes four studies designed that assess the reliability and validity of portable platinum FCBs for research on alcohol intoxication. Utilising the Alcolizer LE5 breathalyser and, to a lesser degree, the Lifeloc FC-20 and the Lion Intoxilyzer 8000, each study sampled patrons frequenting popular night-time entertainment districts with varying levels of alcohol intoxication. Results Study one and two found excellent test-retest reliability and inter-instrument reliability for FCBs. Study three and four provided evidence to support the convergent validity of the two FCBs (the LE5 with the FC20), and with an evidential breathalyser (i.e., the Lion Intoxilyzer 8000; EB). Discussion A 93–97% agreement rate between breathalyser readings was found across the four studies. Portable FCB are recommended as a reliable and valid instrument for research designs requiring quick alcohol intoxication estimations in large populations. Strategies to enhance reliable and valid readings are provided for field researchers.
bibliographic citation: Sorbello et al. (2018) Fuel-cell breathalyser use for field research on alcohol intoxication: an independent psychometric evaluation. PeerJ 6:e4418 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.4418
date submitted: 2017-12-01
date accepted: 2018-02-06
issued: 2018-03-14
is part of: PeerJ
license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Sorbello
  given name: Jacob G.
author list: Agent
  family name: Devilly
  given name: Grant J.
author list: Agent
  family name: Allen
  given name: Corey
author list: Agent
  family name: Hughes
  given name: Lee R.J.
author list: Agent
  family name: Brown
  given name: Kathleen
doi: 10.7717/peerj.4418
volume: 6
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2018-03-14
copyright: ©2018 Sorbello et al.
attribution name: Sorbello et al.

Gender disparities in the association between socio-demographics and non-communicable disease risk factors among adults with disabilities in Shanghai, China
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Background Non-communicable disease (NCD) risk factors can co-exist with disability and cause a greater burden on the health status of adults with disabilities. A lack of egalitarian social policies in China may result in gender disparities in the NCD risk factors of adults with disabilities. However, little is known about the gender disparities in the association between socio-demographics and NCD risk factors among adults with disabilities in China; consequently, we examined this association among adults with disabilities in Shanghai, China. Methods We used the health examination data of 44,896 adults with disabilities in Shanghai in 2014. Descriptive analyses and logistic regression models were conducted to estimate gender disparities in the association between socio-demographics, disability characteristics, and four selected NCD risk factors among adults with disabilities—including high blood pressure, high blood glucose, high blood lipids, and being overweight. We estimated marginal effects (MEs) on NCD risk factors between gender and other confounders. Results Women with disabilities were about 11.6 percentage points more likely to suffer from high blood lipids and less likely to develop the other three risk factors than men were. The association of age group, residence permit, education level, marital status, and disability type with health outcomes varied by gender among adults with disabilities. The difference in age effects between men and women was more pronounced in older age groups. Urban residence was associated with less risk of high blood pressure risk among women (ΔME = − 0.035, p < 0.01), but no significant difference in other NCD risk factors. Education remained a major protective factor against high blood pressure, high blood glucose and being overweight among women with disabilities (MEs < 0, p < 0.05); however, this did not hold for men. The difference in marriage effects between men and women was observed in high blood lipids (ΔME = − 0.048 fo…
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Youran Zhang
creator: Gang Chen
creator: Qi Zhang
creator: Jun Lu
creator: Huijiong Yu
subject: Global Health
subject: Public Health
subject: Women’s Health
subject: Science and Medical Education
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.4505
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2018 Zhang et al.
abstract: Background Non-communicable disease (NCD) risk factors can co-exist with disability and cause a greater burden on the health status of adults with disabilities. A lack of egalitarian social policies in China may result in gender disparities in the NCD risk factors of adults with disabilities. However, little is known about the gender disparities in the association between socio-demographics and NCD risk factors among adults with disabilities in China; consequently, we examined this association among adults with disabilities in Shanghai, China. Methods We used the health examination data of 44,896 adults with disabilities in Shanghai in 2014. Descriptive analyses and logistic regression models were conducted to estimate gender disparities in the association between socio-demographics, disability characteristics, and four selected NCD risk factors among adults with disabilities—including high blood pressure, high blood glucose, high blood lipids, and being overweight. We estimated marginal effects (MEs) on NCD risk factors between gender and other confounders. Results Women with disabilities were about 11.6 percentage points more likely to suffer from high blood lipids and less likely to develop the other three risk factors than men were. The association of age group, residence permit, education level, marital status, and disability type with health outcomes varied by gender among adults with disabilities. The difference in age effects between men and women was more pronounced in older age groups. Urban residence was associated with less risk of high blood pressure risk among women (ΔME = − 0.035, p < 0.01), but no significant difference in other NCD risk factors. Education remained a major protective factor against high blood pressure, high blood glucose and being overweight among women with disabilities (MEs < 0, p < 0.05); however, this did not hold for men. The difference in marriage effects between men and women was observed in high blood lipids (ΔME = − 0.048 fo…
bibliographic citation: Zhang et al. (2018) Gender disparities in the association between socio-demographics and non-communicable disease risk factors among adults with disabilities in Shanghai, China. PeerJ 6:e4505 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.4505
date submitted: 2017-12-14
date accepted: 2018-02-24
issued: 2018-03-13
is part of: PeerJ
license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Zhang
  given name: Youran
author list: Agent
  family name: Chen
  given name: Gang
author list: Agent
  family name: Zhang
  given name: Qi
author list: Agent
  family name: Lu
  given name: Jun
author list: Agent
  family name: Yu
  given name: Huijiong
doi: 10.7717/peerj.4505
volume: 6
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2018-03-13
copyright: ©2018 Zhang et al.
attribution name: Zhang et al.

Assessing universality of DNA barcoding in geographically isolated selected desert medicinal species of Fabaceae and Poaceae
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: In pursuit of developing fast and accurate species-level molecular identification methods, we tested six DNA barcodes, namely ITS2, matK, rbcLa, ITS2+matK, ITS2+rbcLa, matK+rbcLa and ITS2+matK+rbcLa, for their capacity to identify frequently consumed but geographically isolated medicinal species of Fabaceae and Poaceae indigenous to the desert of Cholistan. Data were analysed by BLASTn sequence similarity, pairwise sequence divergence in TAXONDNA, and phylogenetic (neighbour-joining and maximum-likelihood trees) methods. Comparison of six barcode regions showed that ITS2 has the highest number of variable sites (209/360) for tested Fabaceae and (106/365) Poaceae species, the highest species-level identification (40%) in BLASTn procedure, distinct DNA barcoding gap, 100% correct species identification in BM and BCM functions of TAXONDNA, and clear cladding pattern with high nodal support in phylogenetic trees in both families. ITS2+matK+rbcLa followed ITS2 in its species-level identification capacity. The study was concluded with advocating the DNA barcoding as an effective tool for species identification and ITS2 as the best barcode region in identifying medicinal species of Fabaceae and Poaceae. Current research has practical implementation potential in the fields of pharmaco-vigilance, trade of medicinal plants and biodiversity conservation.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Aisha Tahir
creator: Fatma Hussain
creator: Nisar Ahmed
creator: Abdolbaset Ghorbani
creator: Amer Jamil
subject: Biochemistry
subject: Biotechnology
subject: Molecular Biology
subject: Plant Science
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.4499
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2018 Tahir et al.
abstract: In pursuit of developing fast and accurate species-level molecular identification methods, we tested six DNA barcodes, namely ITS2, matK, rbcLa, ITS2+matK, ITS2+rbcLa, matK+rbcLa and ITS2+matK+rbcLa, for their capacity to identify frequently consumed but geographically isolated medicinal species of Fabaceae and Poaceae indigenous to the desert of Cholistan. Data were analysed by BLASTn sequence similarity, pairwise sequence divergence in TAXONDNA, and phylogenetic (neighbour-joining and maximum-likelihood trees) methods. Comparison of six barcode regions showed that ITS2 has the highest number of variable sites (209/360) for tested Fabaceae and (106/365) Poaceae species, the highest species-level identification (40%) in BLASTn procedure, distinct DNA barcoding gap, 100% correct species identification in BM and BCM functions of TAXONDNA, and clear cladding pattern with high nodal support in phylogenetic trees in both families. ITS2+matK+rbcLa followed ITS2 in its species-level identification capacity. The study was concluded with advocating the DNA barcoding as an effective tool for species identification and ITS2 as the best barcode region in identifying medicinal species of Fabaceae and Poaceae. Current research has practical implementation potential in the fields of pharmaco-vigilance, trade of medicinal plants and biodiversity conservation.
bibliographic citation: Tahir et al. (2018) Assessing universality of DNA barcoding in geographically isolated selected desert medicinal species of Fabaceae and Poaceae. PeerJ 6:e4499 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.4499
date submitted: 2017-11-08
date accepted: 2018-02-21
issued: 2018-03-13
is part of: PeerJ
license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Tahir
  given name: Aisha
author list: Agent
  family name: Hussain
  given name: Fatma
author list: Agent
  family name: Ahmed
  given name: Nisar
author list: Agent
  family name: Ghorbani
  given name: Abdolbaset
author list: Agent
  family name: Jamil
  given name: Amer
doi: 10.7717/peerj.4499
volume: 6
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2018-03-13
copyright: ©2018 Tahir et al.
attribution name: Tahir et al.

Ecosystem functional response across precipitation extremes in a sagebrush steppe
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Background Precipitation is predicted to become more variable in the western United States, meaning years of above and below average precipitation will become more common. Periods of extreme precipitation are major drivers of interannual variability in ecosystem functioning in water limited communities, but how ecosystems respond to these extremes over the long-term may shift with precipitation means and variances. Long-term changes in ecosystem functional response could reflect compensatory changes in species composition or species reaching physiological thresholds at extreme precipitation levels. Methods We conducted a five year precipitation manipulation experiment in a sagebrush steppe ecosystem in Idaho, United States. We used drought and irrigation treatments (approximately 50% decrease/increase) to investigate whether ecosystem functional response remains consistent under sustained high or low precipitation. We recorded data on aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP), species abundance, and soil moisture. We fit a generalized linear mixed effects model to determine if the relationship between ANPP and soil moisture differed among treatments. We used nonmetric multidimensional scaling to quantify community composition over the five years. Results Ecosystem functional response, defined as the relationship between soil moisture and ANPP, was similar among irrigation and control treatments, but the drought treatment had a greater slope than the control treatment. However, all estimates for the effect of soil moisture on ANPP overlapped zero, indicating the relationship is weak and uncertain regardless of treatment. There was also large spatial variation in ANPP within-years, which contributes to the uncertainty of the soil moisture effect. Plant community composition was remarkably stable over the course of the experiment and did not differ among treatments. Discussion Despite some evidence that ecosystem functional response became more sensitive under sustai…
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Andrew T. Tredennick
creator: Andrew R. Kleinhesselink
creator: J. Bret Taylor
creator: Peter B. Adler
subject: Ecology
subject: Ecosystem Science
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.4485
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2018 Tredennick et al.
abstract: Background Precipitation is predicted to become more variable in the western United States, meaning years of above and below average precipitation will become more common. Periods of extreme precipitation are major drivers of interannual variability in ecosystem functioning in water limited communities, but how ecosystems respond to these extremes over the long-term may shift with precipitation means and variances. Long-term changes in ecosystem functional response could reflect compensatory changes in species composition or species reaching physiological thresholds at extreme precipitation levels. Methods We conducted a five year precipitation manipulation experiment in a sagebrush steppe ecosystem in Idaho, United States. We used drought and irrigation treatments (approximately 50% decrease/increase) to investigate whether ecosystem functional response remains consistent under sustained high or low precipitation. We recorded data on aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP), species abundance, and soil moisture. We fit a generalized linear mixed effects model to determine if the relationship between ANPP and soil moisture differed among treatments. We used nonmetric multidimensional scaling to quantify community composition over the five years. Results Ecosystem functional response, defined as the relationship between soil moisture and ANPP, was similar among irrigation and control treatments, but the drought treatment had a greater slope than the control treatment. However, all estimates for the effect of soil moisture on ANPP overlapped zero, indicating the relationship is weak and uncertain regardless of treatment. There was also large spatial variation in ANPP within-years, which contributes to the uncertainty of the soil moisture effect. Plant community composition was remarkably stable over the course of the experiment and did not differ among treatments. Discussion Despite some evidence that ecosystem functional response became more sensitive under sustai…
bibliographic citation: Tredennick et al. (2018) Ecosystem functional response across precipitation extremes in a sagebrush steppe. PeerJ 6:e4485 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.4485
date submitted: 2017-09-28
date accepted: 2018-02-19
issued: 2018-03-13
is part of: PeerJ
license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Tredennick
  given name: Andrew T.
author list: Agent
  family name: Kleinhesselink
  given name: Andrew R.
author list: Agent
  family name: Taylor
  given name: J. Bret
author list: Agent
  family name: Adler
  given name: Peter B.
doi: 10.7717/peerj.4485
volume: 6
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2018-03-13
copyright: ©2018 Tredennick et al.
attribution name: Tredennick et al.

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