Assessing knowledge anxiety in researchers: a comprehensive measurement scale
Background The rapid pace of knowledge production has introduced a phenomenon termed “knowledge anxiety”, a psychological state where researchers feel inadequate in keeping up with emerging information. This state can negatively affect productivity and mental well-being, yet there is no comprehensive tool to measure knowledge anxiety across different research domains. Methods We employed a mixed-methods approach to develop a multidimensional scale for assessing knowledge anxiety. Initial items were generated through a literature review and qualitative interviews with 313 researchers. After pilot testing, the main study involved 26 participants. The scale was refined through exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to ensure its structural validity and reliability. Results EFA resulted in a 16-item scale with four distinct factors: cognitive, emotional, behavioral, and capability-related anxieties. CFA confirmed a strong model fit, with standardized factor loadings between 0.549 and 0.887. The scale demonstrated high reliability, with a composite Cronbach’s alpha of 0.883. Conclusions This newly developed scale offers a reliable and valid measure of knowledge anxiety, providing researchers with a valuable tool to assess the psychological impacts of knowledge overload.
Zhenlei et al. (2024) Assessing knowledge anxiety in researchers: a comprehensive measurement scale. PeerJ 12:e18478 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.18478
Phenotypic diversity and provenance variation of Cupressus funebris: a case study in the Sichuan Basin, China
Background The species Cupressus funebris holds substantial ecological value and economic potential, particularly in the realms of rehabilitating barren mountain landscapes and advancing urban greening endeavors. However, inadequate attention has been given to research endeavors exploring the genetic diversity and morphological characteristics of Cupressus funebris, a deficiency that could potentially hinder its development, utilization, and conservation of genetic resources. Methods To rectify the shortage of existing basic morphological data, a morphological analysis was conducted in this study on 180 Cupressus funebris germplasm resources sourced from five provenances. Key traits explored included growth characteristics, overall morphology, branch/leaf features, and seed traits. This will facilitate the evaluation of genetic diversity in Cupressus funebris. Results The findings reveal a considerable level of phenotypic variation (PVC of 16.9%) and genetic diversity (1.97 index) in Cupressus funebris germplasm resources. The phenotypic differentiation is observed to be 48% between provenances and 52% within provenances, primarily attributed to variation originating from individual provenances. Based on these morphological characteristics, the germplasm resources have been categorized into four distinct groups: Ecological Restoration Planting, Secondary Reserve Forest, Urban Greening, and Timber Forest. Interestingly, the pattern of variation observed within these groups is irregular, exhibiting no significant correlation with their respective provenances. Furthermore, conifer trees sharing similar growth characteristics tend to display comparable patterns of random variation, suggesting potential underlying genetic mechanisms. This study significantly enriches the phenotypic dataset within the genetic variation research of Cupressus funebris, facilitating development and utilization for ecological construction, timber breeding, and horticultural greening.
Yan et al. (2024) Phenotypic diversity and provenance variation of Cupressus funebris: a case study in the Sichuan Basin, China. PeerJ 12:e18494 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.18494
Prognosis and immune landscape of bladder cancer can be predicted using a novel miRNA signature associated with cuproptosis
Background Bladder cancer is characterized by a high recurrence rate and mortality, posing a significant challenge to clinical management. Recently, cuproptosis, a novel form of regulated cell death, has been identified as a potential target for therapeutic intervention in various diseases. The contribution of cuproptosis-related microRNAs (miRNAs) in bladder cancer pathogenesis, however, remains largely unexplored. Therefore, the current study aims to construct a miRNA signature related to cuproptosis for predicting the prognosis and facilitating personalized therapeutic strategies in bladder cancer patients. Methods In this study, we retrieved transcriptomic data and clinical information pertaining to bladder cancer from publicly available databases, including the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). We identified a set of 19 cuproptosis-related genes through a comprehensive review of relevant literature. Using multivariate Cox regression and LASSO analysis, we constructed a cuproptosis-related miRNA prognostic signature. The Kaplan-Meier (K-M) and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to validate the accuracy of prediction. Additionally, we developed a nomogram incorporating clinical characteristics and the miRNA signature to further assess its prognostic value. We evaluated the tumor microenvironment (TME) of every patient using immune ESTIMATE, CIBERSORT, and ssGSEA algorithms. We also investigated the differences in tumor mutation burden (TMB) and drug sensitivity between two groups. Finally, we validated the prognostic value of this miRNA signature using the OncomiR dataset. Results We developed a panel of eight cuproptosis-associated miRNAs to serve as a prognostic signature. The predictive validity of this signature was determined using Kaplan-Meier and ROC curves, and was found to be acceptable in both the TCGA training, test and total dataset. The prognostic value of this signature was confirmed by univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis, indicating its applicability as a prognostic factor. The immune cell infiltration was significantly associated with an immunosuppressive phenotype of TME in the high-risk group of patients; meanwhile, patients in the high-risk group had a lower TMB resulted in shorter survival. Notably, higher estimate scores and IC50 value for chemotherapy drugs were observed in the high-risk group, indicating poor response to immune therapy and chemotherapy.
Zhang et al. (2024) Prognosis and immune landscape of bladder cancer can be predicted using a novel miRNA signature associated with cuproptosis. PeerJ 12:e18530 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.18530
Physiological and molecular response mechanisms of tomato seedlings to cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) stress
Heavy metal contamination, particularly from cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb), poses significant risks to soil and water resources and leads to severe damage in plants. This study investigated the physiological and molecular mechanisms of the responses of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) seedlings to Cd and Pb stress by applying 50 mg/L Cd, 100 mg/L Pb, and a combination of 50 mg/L Cd + 100 mg/L Pb. The goal was to understand how these heavy metals impact the growth, antioxidant systems, and secondary metabolic pathways in tomato seedlings. The results showed that compared with the control, Cd + Pb stress significantly increased the content of soluble sugar by 37.40% and 33.46% on days 5 and 15, respectively, and the content of proline by 77.91% to 93.91% during the entire period in tomato seedlings. It also elevated electrical leakage by 110.52% on day 15, maintained the levels of malondialdehyde close to the control, enhanced the activities of superoxide dismutase by 33.32% on day 10 and 11.22% on day 15, peroxidase by 42.15% on day 10, and catalase by 90.78% on day 10. Additionally, it reduced the contents of hydrogen peroxide by 15.47% to 29.64% and the rate of formation of superoxide anions by 26.34% to 53.47% during the entire period of treatment. The transcriptomic analysis revealed a significant differential expression of the genes involved in pathways, such as phenylalanine, glutathione, arginine and proline, and nitrogen metabolism. These genes included PALs, HDCs, GGCT, ODC1, LAPs, SMS, and SAMDC. Notably, transcription factors, such as ERF109, ARF9, GRF3, GRF4, GRF7, and GRF9, were also significantly regulated. The study concluded that Cd and Pb stress enhanced the osmoregulatory and antioxidant defense systems in tomato seedlings, which may contribute to their tolerance to heavy metal stress. Future research could explore the application of these findings to develop strategies to improve the resistance of plants to contamination with heavy metals.
Zhou et al. (2024) Physiological and molecular response mechanisms of tomato seedlings to cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) stress. PeerJ 12:e18533 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.18533
Effect of prognostic nutritional index on laboratory parameters and survival in metastatic colorectal cancer patients treated with fruquintinib: a retrospective study
Objective Fruquintinib, a novel anti-angiogenic targeted drug, has gained widespread application in the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer. This study aims to investigate the impact of the prognostic nutritional index (PNI) on the safety and survival outcomes of patients undergoing fruquintinib treatment for metastatic colorectal cancer. Methods A cohort of 106 patients with metastatic colorectal cancer, treated with fruquintinib at Zhejiang Cancer Hospital between 2019 and 2023, was included in this study. Clinical and laboratory data were subjected to chi-square and t-tests for analysis. PNI values were calculated using a specific formula. The optimal thresholds (cut-off values) for post-treatment PNI were determined through the ROC curve analysis. Kaplan-Meier analysis and the Log-rank test were employed to evaluate progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) based on PNI. Multivariate Cox regression model was used to determine independent prognostic factors which influenced survival time. Results The study enrolled 106 colorectal cancer patients treated with fruquintinib. Stratified PNI analysis revealed significant differences in various indicators between high and low PNI groups after treatment with fruquintinib. Notably, after fruquintinib treatment, the high PNI group demonstrated elevated levels in white blood cells, lymphocytes, basophils, red blood cells, hemoglobin, platelets, total protein, and albumin compared to the low PNI group. The median OS for patients with high PNI values was 467 days, significantly longer than the 182 days observed for patients with low PNI values (P < 0.05). Cox regression analysis identified wild-type total RAS and BRAF, partial response (PR) + stable disease (SD), and high PNI values as influencing factors for OS in colorectal cancer patients. Additionally, PR + SD was an independent influencing factor for PFS in colorectal cancer patients (P < 0.05). Conclusions This study suggests that fuquinitinib can improve the survival of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer. Patients with high levels of PNI have a better prognosis and longer survival time, ensuring the nutritional status of patients can be a help to improve the treatment of fuquinitinib.
Wang et al. (2024) Effect of prognostic nutritional index on laboratory parameters and survival in metastatic colorectal cancer patients treated with fruquintinib: a retrospective study. PeerJ 12:e18565 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.18565
Resistance characterization and transcriptomic analysis of imipenem-induced drug resistance in Escherichia coli
Background Bacteria can develop resistance to various antibiotics under selective pressure, leading to multifaceted changes in resistance mechanisms. Transcriptomic sequencing allows for the observation of transcriptional level alterations in cells under antibiotic stress. Understanding the bacterial response to such stress is essential for deciphering their strategy against drug-resistant antibiotics and identifying potential targets for antibiotic development. Methods This study using wild-type (WT) Escherichia coli (E. coli) discovered that continuous in vitro induction screening for imipenem-resistant strains resulted in bacteria with enhanced biofilm-forming ability and mutations in antibiotic target sites. Transcriptomic sequencing of the resistant bacteria revealed significant changes in carbon and amino acid metabolism, nutrient assimilation, substance transport, nucleotide metabolism, protein biosynthesis, and cell wall biosynthesis. The up-regulated drug efflux genes were disrupted using gene knockout technology. Drug sensitivity tests indicated that drug efflux has a minimal effect on imipenem resistance. Results This suggests a strategy for E. coli drug resistance involving the reduction of unnecessary substance synthesis and metabolism, coupled with an increase in activities that aid in resisting foreign threats.
Tong et al. (2024) Resistance characterization and transcriptomic analysis of imipenem-induced drug resistance in Escherichia coli. PeerJ 12:e18572 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.18572
Genome-wide identification and expression analysis of the Trihelix transcription factor family in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) during development
Trihelix transcription factors (TF) are photoresponsive proteins featuring a characteristic three-helix structure (helix-loop-helix-loop-helix) and contain the Myb/SANT-LIKE (MSL) domain. They perform crucial functions in the development and stress-response of plants. However, the function of the Trihelix TF in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) remains unknown. In the present study, forty-three StMSLs were characterized in the potato genome and named StMSL1 to StMSL43. Structural domain analysis revealed that motifs 1 and 2 may play a central role in the implementation of trihelix gene functions, and motifs 4 and 9 may be related to specific functions of StMSL. Phylogenetic analysis divided the StMSLs into six groups (SIP1, GT1, GT2, GTγ, SH4 and GT3). The GT3 group, which is rarely identified in the Trihelix TF family, contained three StMSLs. The 43 StMSLs were unevenly distributed on 12 chromosomes in potato and comprised two pairs of tandem duplication and five pairs of segmental duplication genes. Additionally, RNA-Seq analysis found that 36 out of the 43 StMSLs were expressed in at least one of the 12 tissues, with some exhibiting tissue-specific expression patterns. Trihelix transcriptional regulation network analysis identified 387 genes as potential targets of the 36 StMSL genes, and these genes have a wide variety of functions. Furthermore, RNA-Seq analysis revealed that at least 18 StMSLs were upregulated in response to osmotic stress. The induced pattern of eight StMSLs was subsequently validated using qRT-PCR. This study provides a detailed insight into the StMSLs of the potato and lays the foundation for further analysis of the functions of the Trihelix gene in plant development.
Mei et al. (2024) Genome-wide identification and expression analysis of the Trihelix transcription factor family in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) during development. PeerJ 12:e18578 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.18578
Losartan and dapagliflozin combination therapy in reducing uric acid level compared to monotherapy in patients with heart failure
Background Sodium-Glucose Transport Protein 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors, and Angiotensin II Receptor Antagonists (ARBs) also have the effect of reducing serum uric acid but few studies worldwide assessed. Objective Evaluate the effectiveness of serum uric acid lowering treatment of SGLT2 inhibitors, and ARB in heart failure (HF) patients. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional analysis study with 8 weeks of follow-up on 733 heart failure (HF) patients treated at Can Tho Central General Hospital from January 2023 to March 2024. Patients enrolled in the study were examined and received losartan (Group A) or dapagliflozin (Group B) monotherapy or losartan and dapagliflozin combined therapy (Group C). The uric acid concentration group was defined into three subgroups with tertile 1 from smallest to quartile (Q) 1, tertile 2 from Q2 to Q3, and tertile 3 from Q3 to the largest value. Results After 8 weeks of treatment, the uric acid reduction effect between groups A, B, and C showed that the combination group had the optimal reducing effect compared to losartan and dapagliflozin monotherapy with the mean difference being −229.62 ± 76.65 µmol/L, −217.00 ± 146.17 µmol/L, and −284.43 ± 136.32 µmol/L, respectively. In total, combination therapy showed the best reduction outcome in the population of male, female, patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and dyslipidemia with the mean difference ranging from −226.21 ± 74.65 µmol/L to −231.85 ± 76.28 µmol/L and −209.62 ± 184.94 µmol/L to −225.75 ± 78.53 µmol/L and −273.02 ± 204.54 µmol/L to −308.93 ± 72.97 µmol/L in group A, B, and C, respectively. Conclusion The optimal therapy for reducing uric acid levels in HF patients was the combination of losartan and dapagliflozin, and the effectiveness did not change through sex, T2DM, and dyslipidemia patients.
Huynh et al. (2024) Losartan and dapagliflozin combination therapy in reducing uric acid level compared to monotherapy in patients with heart failure. PeerJ 12:e18595 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.18595
Effects of a single bout of exercise on human hemocytes and serum interleukin 3, erythropoietin, and soluble transferrin receptor in a hot and humid environment
Background Exercise in humid and hot environments (HHEs) may result in decreased perception, motor performance, and memory owing to endogenous heat production and exogenous load. However, whether a single bout of exercise (SBOE) intensity affects the magnitude of changes in the levels of hemocytes remains controversial. In this article, we aimed to investigate the effects of a SBOE of varying intensities on blood cells in HHE. Methods Thirty-two volunteers were randomly divided into a quiet control group (QC), 55% VO2max intensity exercise group (HHE55%), 70% VO2max intensity exercise group (HHE70%), and 85% VO2max intensity exercise group (HHE85%). The participants in the exercise groups were assigned to perform an SBOE on the treadmill under HHE conditions for 30 min, whereas participants in the QC remained still under HHE conditions for 30 min (temperature: 28–32 °C, relative humidity: 85–95%). Results The net body mass (NBM), perfusion index (PI), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), platelet (PLT), and plateletcrit (PCT) values were affected significantly by the exercise intensity (P < 0.01) the hemoglobin (HGB) and neutrophil count (NE) were affected significantly by exercise intensity (P < 0.05). After an SBOE, compared with that before exercise, the sublingual temperature (ST) of all groups, the NBM and MCV of all exercise groups, the PI of the HHE55% and HHE70% groups, the HGB, hematocrit (HCT), and NE of the HHE70% group, the red blood cell count (RBC), PLT, and PCT of the HHE70% and HHE85% groups, and the white blood cell count (WBC) of HHE85% changed very significantly (P < 0.01). The PCT of QC, blood oxygen saturation (SaO2), and soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR) levels in the HHE55% group, the lymphocyte count (LY) in the HHE70% group, and the HGB and HCT in the HHE85% group changed significantly (P < 0.05). Conclusion Low- and moderate-intensity SBOE in HHE could increase the serum EPO and serum sTfR levels and decrease the serum IL-3 levels. Conversely, a high-intensity load could increase the risk of inflammation. Therefore, low-intensity exercise may be more appropriate for an SBOE in HHE.
Lv et al. (2024) Effects of a single bout of exercise on human hemocytes and serum interleukin 3, erythropoietin, and soluble transferrin receptor in a hot and humid environment. PeerJ 12:e18603 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.18603
Assessment of genotype by environment and yield performance of tropical maize hybrids using stability statistics and graphical biplots
Background Enhancing maize grain yield in tropical regions faces significant challenges due to variability in agroclimate, soil conditions, and agroecosystems. Understanding genotype (G) by environment (E) interaction (GEI) in plant breeding is crucial for selecting and developing high-yielding genotypes adapted to diverse environments. Methods Ten maize hybrids, including eight candidates and two commercial varieties, were evaluated across ten environments in Indonesia using a randomized complete block design with three replications. The GEI effect and yield stability were assessed using stability statistics, additive main effects and multiplicative interaction model (AMMI), and genotype + genotype × environment (GGE) biplot methods. Results and Discussion Analysis of variance revealed a significant GEI effect, indicating differences in hybrid responses for grain yield (GY), allowing for stability analysis. G01 showed the highest GY based on the best linear unbiased prediction (BLUP) across environments. Correlation analysis indicated strong associations between stability statistics (YSi and S(6)) and GY, aiding in the selection of high-yielding hybrids. The integration of AMMI with the BLUP method, and weighted average of absolute scores (WAASB), enabled precise measurement of genotype stability. Overall, G01 (R0211), G04 (R0105), G05 (R0118), and G07 (R0641) emerged as high-yielding, stable hybrids based on stability statistics, AMMI, GGE biplot, and WAASB rankings. These hybrids offer promising candidates for maize genetic improvement programs in tropical regions.
Supriadi et al. (2024) Assessment of genotype by environment and yield performance of tropical maize hybrids using stability statistics and graphical biplots. PeerJ 12:e18624 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.18624