PeerJ
type: channel
link: https://peerj.com/articles/
description: Articles published in PeerJ
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
publication name: PeerJ
issn: 2167-8359
items: Distinct mechanical behavior of HEK293 cells in adherent and suspended states
items: Frailty as a predictor of short-term adverse outcomes
items: Suffering and mental health among older people living in nursing homes—a mixed-methods study
items: Preliminary needs assessment of mobile technology use for healthcare among homeless veterans
items: Spatio-temporal variability in the distribution of ground-dwelling riparian spiders and their potential role in water-to-land energy transfer along Hong Kong forest streams
items: Interpreting pathologies in extant and extinct archosaurs using micro-CT
items: Mechanistic pathways of mercury removal from the organomercurial lyase active site
items: Sexual dimorphism and allometry in the sphecophilous rove beetle Triacrus dilatus
items: Diagnostic inertia in dyslipidaemia: results of a preventative programme in Spain
items: Using affective knowledge to generate and validate a set of emotion-related, action words

Distinct mechanical behavior of HEK293 cells in adherent and suspended states
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: The mechanical features of individual animal cells have been regarded as indicators of cell type and state. Previously, we investigated the surface mechanics of cancer and normal stromal cells in adherent and suspended states using atomic force microscopy. Cancer cells possessed specific mechanical and actin cytoskeleton features that were distinct from normal stromal cells in adherent and suspended states. In this paper, we report the unique mechanical and actin cytoskeletal features of human embryonic kidney HEK293 cells. Unlike normal stromal and cancer cells, the surface stiffness of adherent HEK293 cells was very low, but increased after cell detachment from the culture surface. Induced actin filament depolymerization revealed that the actin cytoskeleton was the underlying source of the stiffness in suspended HEK293 cells. The exclusive mechanical response of HEK293 cells to perturbation of the actin cytoskeleton resembled that of adherent cancer cells and suspended normal stromal cells. Thus, with respect to their special cell-surface mechanical features, HEK293 cells could be categorized into a new class distinct from normal stromal and cancer cells.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Seyed Mohammad Ali Haghparast
creator: Takanori Kihara
creator: Jun Miyake
subject: Bioengineering
subject: Biotechnology
subject: Cell Biology
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.1131
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2015 Haghparast et al.
abstract: The mechanical features of individual animal cells have been regarded as indicators of cell type and state. Previously, we investigated the surface mechanics of cancer and normal stromal cells in adherent and suspended states using atomic force microscopy. Cancer cells possessed specific mechanical and actin cytoskeleton features that were distinct from normal stromal cells in adherent and suspended states. In this paper, we report the unique mechanical and actin cytoskeletal features of human embryonic kidney HEK293 cells. Unlike normal stromal and cancer cells, the surface stiffness of adherent HEK293 cells was very low, but increased after cell detachment from the culture surface. Induced actin filament depolymerization revealed that the actin cytoskeleton was the underlying source of the stiffness in suspended HEK293 cells. The exclusive mechanical response of HEK293 cells to perturbation of the actin cytoskeleton resembled that of adherent cancer cells and suspended normal stromal cells. Thus, with respect to their special cell-surface mechanical features, HEK293 cells could be categorized into a new class distinct from normal stromal and cancer cells.
bibliographic citation: Haghparast et al. (2015) Distinct mechanical behavior of HEK293 cells in adherent and suspended states. PeerJ 3:e1131 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.1131
date submitted: 2015-03-24
date accepted: 2015-07-06
issued: 2015-07-30
is part of: PeerJ
license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Haghparast
  given name: Seyed Mohammad Ali
author list: Agent
  family name: Kihara
  given name: Takanori
author list: Agent
  family name: Miyake
  given name: Jun
doi: 10.7717/peerj.1131
volume: 3
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2015-07-30
copyright: © 2015 Haghparast et al.
attribution name: Haghparast et al.

Frailty as a predictor of short-term adverse outcomes
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: The objectives of this study were to compare how different frailty measures (Frailty Phenotype/FP, Groningen Frailty Indicator/GFI and Tilburg Frailty Indicator/TFI) predict short-term adverse outcomes. Secondarily, adopting a multidimensional approach to frailty (integral conceptual model–TFI), this study aims to compare how physical, psychological and social frailty predict the outcomes. A longitudinal study was carried out with 95 community-dwelling elderly. Participants were assessed at baseline for frailty, determinants of frailty, and adverse outcomes (healthcare utilization, quality of life, disability in basic and instrumental activities of daily living/ADL and IADL). Ten months later the outcomes were assessed again. Frailty was associated with specific healthcare utilization indicators: the FP with a greater utilization of informal care; GFI with an increased contact with healthcare professionals; and TFI with a higher amount of contacts with a general practitioner. After controlling for the effect of life-course determinants, comorbidity and adverse outcome at baseline, GFI predicted IADL disability and TFI predicted quality of life. The effect of the FP on the outcomes was not significant, when compared with the other measures. However, when comparing TFI’s domains, the physical domain was the most significant predictor of the outcomes, even explaining part of the variance of ADL disability. Frailty at baseline was associated with adverse outcomes at follow-up. However, the relationship of each frailty measure (FP, GFI and TFI) with the outcomes was different. In spite of the role of psychological frailty, TFI’s physical domain was the determinant factor for predicting disability and most of the quality of life.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Tiago Coelho
creator: Constança Paúl
creator: Robbert J.J. Gobbens
creator: Lia Fernandes
subject: Geriatrics
subject: Psychiatry and Psychology
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.1121
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2015 Coelho et al.
abstract: The objectives of this study were to compare how different frailty measures (Frailty Phenotype/FP, Groningen Frailty Indicator/GFI and Tilburg Frailty Indicator/TFI) predict short-term adverse outcomes. Secondarily, adopting a multidimensional approach to frailty (integral conceptual model–TFI), this study aims to compare how physical, psychological and social frailty predict the outcomes. A longitudinal study was carried out with 95 community-dwelling elderly. Participants were assessed at baseline for frailty, determinants of frailty, and adverse outcomes (healthcare utilization, quality of life, disability in basic and instrumental activities of daily living/ADL and IADL). Ten months later the outcomes were assessed again. Frailty was associated with specific healthcare utilization indicators: the FP with a greater utilization of informal care; GFI with an increased contact with healthcare professionals; and TFI with a higher amount of contacts with a general practitioner. After controlling for the effect of life-course determinants, comorbidity and adverse outcome at baseline, GFI predicted IADL disability and TFI predicted quality of life. The effect of the FP on the outcomes was not significant, when compared with the other measures. However, when comparing TFI’s domains, the physical domain was the most significant predictor of the outcomes, even explaining part of the variance of ADL disability. Frailty at baseline was associated with adverse outcomes at follow-up. However, the relationship of each frailty measure (FP, GFI and TFI) with the outcomes was different. In spite of the role of psychological frailty, TFI’s physical domain was the determinant factor for predicting disability and most of the quality of life.
bibliographic citation: Coelho et al. (2015) Frailty as a predictor of short-term adverse outcomes. PeerJ 3:e1121 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.1121
date submitted: 2015-03-17
date accepted: 2015-07-03
issued: 2015-07-30
is part of: PeerJ
license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Coelho
  given name: Tiago
author list: Agent
  family name: Paúl
  given name: Constança
author list: Agent
  family name: Gobbens
  given name: Robbert J.J.
author list: Agent
  family name: Fernandes
  given name: Lia
doi: 10.7717/peerj.1121
volume: 3
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2015-07-30
copyright: © 2015 Coelho et al.
attribution name: Coelho et al.

Suffering and mental health among older people living in nursing homes—a mixed-methods study
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Background. Knowledge about mixed-methods perspectives that examine anxiety, depression, social support, mental health and the phenomenon of suffering among cognitively intact NH residents is scarce. We aimed to explore suffering and mental health among cognitively intact NH residents. Methods. This study used a mixed-methods design to explore different aspects of the same phenomena of interest to gain a more comprehensive understanding. The qualitative core component comprised a qualitative interview from 18 nursing home residents (≥65 years) about experiences related to pain, grief and loss. The supplementary component comprised interview from the same respondents using the SF-36 Health Survey subscales, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and the Social Provisions Scale. Results. The individual descriptions reveal suffering caused by painful experiences during life. The quantitative results indicated that symptoms of anxiety and depression were related to mental health and symptoms of anxiety were related to bodily pain and emotional role limitations. Attachment and social integration were associated with vitality and social functioning. Discussion. To improve the situation, more attention should be paid to the residents’ suffering related to anxiety, depression and psychosocial relations.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Jorunn Drageset
creator: Elin Dysvik
creator: Birgitte Espehaug
creator: Gerd Karin Natvig
creator: Bodil Furnes
subject: Geriatrics
subject: Nursing
subject: Psychiatry and Psychology
subject: Palliative Care
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.1120
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2015 Drageset et al.
abstract: Background. Knowledge about mixed-methods perspectives that examine anxiety, depression, social support, mental health and the phenomenon of suffering among cognitively intact NH residents is scarce. We aimed to explore suffering and mental health among cognitively intact NH residents. Methods. This study used a mixed-methods design to explore different aspects of the same phenomena of interest to gain a more comprehensive understanding. The qualitative core component comprised a qualitative interview from 18 nursing home residents (≥65 years) about experiences related to pain, grief and loss. The supplementary component comprised interview from the same respondents using the SF-36 Health Survey subscales, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and the Social Provisions Scale. Results. The individual descriptions reveal suffering caused by painful experiences during life. The quantitative results indicated that symptoms of anxiety and depression were related to mental health and symptoms of anxiety were related to bodily pain and emotional role limitations. Attachment and social integration were associated with vitality and social functioning. Discussion. To improve the situation, more attention should be paid to the residents’ suffering related to anxiety, depression and psychosocial relations.
bibliographic citation: Drageset et al. (2015) Suffering and mental health among older people living in nursing homes—a mixed-methods study. PeerJ 3:e1120 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.1120
date submitted: 2015-03-31
date accepted: 2015-07-02
issued: 2015-07-30
is part of: PeerJ
license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Drageset
  given name: Jorunn
author list: Agent
  family name: Dysvik
  given name: Elin
author list: Agent
  family name: Espehaug
  given name: Birgitte
author list: Agent
  family name: Natvig
  given name: Gerd Karin
author list: Agent
  family name: Furnes
  given name: Bodil
doi: 10.7717/peerj.1120
volume: 3
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2015-07-30
copyright: © 2015 Drageset et al.
attribution name: Drageset et al.

Preliminary needs assessment of mobile technology use for healthcare among homeless veterans
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Background. Homeless veterans have complex healthcare needs, but experience many barriers to treatment engagement. While information technologies (IT), especially mobile phones, are used to engage patients in care, little is known about homeless veterans’ IT use. This study examines homeless veterans’ access to and use of IT, attitudes toward health-related IT use, and barriers to IT in the context of homelessness. Methods. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 30 homeless veterans in different housing programs in Boston, MA, ranging from emergency shelters to supportive transitional housing that allow stays of up to 2 years. Interviews were conducted in person, audio recorded and then transcribed. Three researchers coded transcripts. Inductive thematic analysis was used. Results. Most participants (90%) had a mobile phone and were receptive to IT use for health-related communications. A common difficulty communicating with providers was the lack of a stable mailing address. Some participants were using mobile phones to stay in touch with providers. Participants felt mobile-phone calls or text messages could be used to remind patients of appointments, prescription refills, medication taking, and returning for laboratory results. Mobile phone text messaging was seen as convenient, and helped participants stay organized because necessary information was saved in text messages. Some reported concerns about the costs associated with mobile phone use (calls and texting), the potential to be annoyed by too many text messages, and not knowing how to use text messaging. Conclusion. Homeless veterans use IT and welcome its use for health-related purposes. Technology-assisted outreach among this population may lead to improved engagement in care.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: D. Keith McInnes
creator: Gemmae M. Fix
creator: Jeffrey L. Solomon
creator: Beth Ann Petrakis
creator: Leon Sawh
creator: David A. Smelson
subject: Human-Computer Interaction
subject: Public Health
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.1096
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2015
abstract: Background. Homeless veterans have complex healthcare needs, but experience many barriers to treatment engagement. While information technologies (IT), especially mobile phones, are used to engage patients in care, little is known about homeless veterans’ IT use. This study examines homeless veterans’ access to and use of IT, attitudes toward health-related IT use, and barriers to IT in the context of homelessness. Methods. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 30 homeless veterans in different housing programs in Boston, MA, ranging from emergency shelters to supportive transitional housing that allow stays of up to 2 years. Interviews were conducted in person, audio recorded and then transcribed. Three researchers coded transcripts. Inductive thematic analysis was used. Results. Most participants (90%) had a mobile phone and were receptive to IT use for health-related communications. A common difficulty communicating with providers was the lack of a stable mailing address. Some participants were using mobile phones to stay in touch with providers. Participants felt mobile-phone calls or text messages could be used to remind patients of appointments, prescription refills, medication taking, and returning for laboratory results. Mobile phone text messaging was seen as convenient, and helped participants stay organized because necessary information was saved in text messages. Some reported concerns about the costs associated with mobile phone use (calls and texting), the potential to be annoyed by too many text messages, and not knowing how to use text messaging. Conclusion. Homeless veterans use IT and welcome its use for health-related purposes. Technology-assisted outreach among this population may lead to improved engagement in care.
bibliographic citation: McInnes et al. (2015) Preliminary needs assessment of mobile technology use for healthcare among homeless veterans. PeerJ 3:e1096 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.1096
date submitted: 2014-12-20
date accepted: 2015-06-19
issued: 2015-07-30
is part of: PeerJ
license: http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: McInnes
  given name: D. Keith
author list: Agent
  family name: Fix
  given name: Gemmae M.
author list: Agent
  family name: Solomon
  given name: Jeffrey L.
author list: Agent
  family name: Petrakis
  given name: Beth Ann
author list: Agent
  family name: Sawh
  given name: Leon
author list: Agent
  family name: Smelson
  given name: David A.
doi: 10.7717/peerj.1096
volume: 3
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2015-07-30

Spatio-temporal variability in the distribution of ground-dwelling riparian spiders and their potential role in water-to-land energy transfer along Hong Kong forest streams
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Terrestrial predators have been shown to aggregate along stream margins during periods when the emergence of adult aquatic insects is high. Such aggregation may be especially evident when terrestrial surroundings are relatively unproductive, and there are steep productivity gradients across riparia. In tropical forests, however, the productivity of inland terrestrial habitats may decrease the resource gradient across riparia, thus lessening any tendency of terrestrial predators to aggregate along stream margins. We elucidated the spatio-temporal variability in the distribution of ground-dwelling spiders and terrestrial arthropod prey within the riparia of two forest streams in tropical Hong Kong by sampling arthropods along transects at different distances from the streams during the wet and dry seasons. Environmental variables that may have influenced spider distributions were also measured. The vast majority of ground-dwelling predators along all transects at both sites were spiders. Of the three most abundant spiders captured along stream margins, Heteropoda venatoria (Sparassidae) and Draconarius spp. (Agelenidae) were terrestrially inclined and abundant during both seasons. Only Pardosa sumatrana (Lycosidae) showed some degree of aggregation at the stream banks, indicating a potential reliance on aquatic insect prey. Circumstantial evidence supports this notion, as P. sumatrana was virtually absent during the dry season when aquatic insect emergence was low. In general, forest-stream riparia in Hong Kong did not appear to be feeding hotspots for ground-dwelling predators. The lack of aggregation in ground-dwelling spiders in general may be attributed to the low rates of emergence of aquatic insects from the study streams compared to counterpart systems, as well as the potentially high availability of terrestrial insect prey in the surrounding forest. Heteropoda venatoria, the largest of the three spiders maintained a high biomass (up to 28 mg dry weight/m2) in …
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Elaine Y.L. Yuen
creator: David Dudgeon
subject: Biodiversity
subject: Ecology
subject: Ecosystem Science
subject: Environmental Sciences
subject: Zoology
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.1134
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2015 Yuen and Dudgeon
abstract: Terrestrial predators have been shown to aggregate along stream margins during periods when the emergence of adult aquatic insects is high. Such aggregation may be especially evident when terrestrial surroundings are relatively unproductive, and there are steep productivity gradients across riparia. In tropical forests, however, the productivity of inland terrestrial habitats may decrease the resource gradient across riparia, thus lessening any tendency of terrestrial predators to aggregate along stream margins. We elucidated the spatio-temporal variability in the distribution of ground-dwelling spiders and terrestrial arthropod prey within the riparia of two forest streams in tropical Hong Kong by sampling arthropods along transects at different distances from the streams during the wet and dry seasons. Environmental variables that may have influenced spider distributions were also measured. The vast majority of ground-dwelling predators along all transects at both sites were spiders. Of the three most abundant spiders captured along stream margins, Heteropoda venatoria (Sparassidae) and Draconarius spp. (Agelenidae) were terrestrially inclined and abundant during both seasons. Only Pardosa sumatrana (Lycosidae) showed some degree of aggregation at the stream banks, indicating a potential reliance on aquatic insect prey. Circumstantial evidence supports this notion, as P. sumatrana was virtually absent during the dry season when aquatic insect emergence was low. In general, forest-stream riparia in Hong Kong did not appear to be feeding hotspots for ground-dwelling predators. The lack of aggregation in ground-dwelling spiders in general may be attributed to the low rates of emergence of aquatic insects from the study streams compared to counterpart systems, as well as the potentially high availability of terrestrial insect prey in the surrounding forest. Heteropoda venatoria, the largest of the three spiders maintained a high biomass (up to 28 mg dry weight/m2) in …
bibliographic citation: Yuen et al. (2015) Spatio-temporal variability in the distribution of ground-dwelling riparian spiders and their potential role in water-to-land energy transfer along Hong Kong forest streams. PeerJ 3:e1134 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.1134
date submitted: 2015-03-02
date accepted: 2015-07-06
issued: 2015-07-28
is part of: PeerJ
license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Yuen
  given name: Elaine Y.L.
author list: Agent
  family name: Dudgeon
  given name: David
doi: 10.7717/peerj.1134
volume: 3
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2015-07-28
copyright: © 2015 Yuen and Dudgeon
attribution name: Yuen and Dudgeon

Interpreting pathologies in extant and extinct archosaurs using micro-CT
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Palaeopathology offers unique insight to the healing strategies of extinct organisms, permitting questions concerning bone physiology to be answered in greater depth. Unfortunately, most palaeopathological studies are confined to external morphological interpretations due to the destructive nature of traditional methods of study. This limits the degree of reliable diagnosis and interpretation possible. X-ray MicroTomography (micro-CT, XMT) provides a non-destructive means of analysing the internal three-dimensional structure of pathologies in both extant and extinct individuals, at higher resolutions than possible with medical scanners. In this study, we present external and internal descriptions of pathologies in extant and extinct archosaurs using XMT. This work demonstrates that the combination of external/internal diagnosis that X-ray microtomography facilitates is crucial when differentiating between pathological conditions. Furthermore, we show that the use of comparative species, both through direct analysis and from the literature, provides key information for diagnosing between vertebrate groups in the typical pathological conditions and physiological processes. Micro-CT imaging, combined with comparative observations of extant species, provides more detailed and reliable interpretation of palaeopathologies. Micro-CT is an increasingly accessible tool, which will provide key insights for correctly interpreting vertebrate pathologies in the future.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Jennifer Anné
creator: Russell J. Garwood
creator: Tristan Lowe
creator: Philip J. Withers
creator: Phillip L. Manning
subject: Paleontology
subject: Veterinary Medicine
subject: Zoology
subject: Histology
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.1130
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2015 Anné et al.
abstract: Palaeopathology offers unique insight to the healing strategies of extinct organisms, permitting questions concerning bone physiology to be answered in greater depth. Unfortunately, most palaeopathological studies are confined to external morphological interpretations due to the destructive nature of traditional methods of study. This limits the degree of reliable diagnosis and interpretation possible. X-ray MicroTomography (micro-CT, XMT) provides a non-destructive means of analysing the internal three-dimensional structure of pathologies in both extant and extinct individuals, at higher resolutions than possible with medical scanners. In this study, we present external and internal descriptions of pathologies in extant and extinct archosaurs using XMT. This work demonstrates that the combination of external/internal diagnosis that X-ray microtomography facilitates is crucial when differentiating between pathological conditions. Furthermore, we show that the use of comparative species, both through direct analysis and from the literature, provides key information for diagnosing between vertebrate groups in the typical pathological conditions and physiological processes. Micro-CT imaging, combined with comparative observations of extant species, provides more detailed and reliable interpretation of palaeopathologies. Micro-CT is an increasingly accessible tool, which will provide key insights for correctly interpreting vertebrate pathologies in the future.
bibliographic citation: Anné et al. (2015) Interpreting pathologies in extant and extinct archosaurs using micro-CT. PeerJ 3:e1130 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.1130
date submitted: 2015-05-05
date accepted: 2015-07-06
issued: 2015-07-28
is part of: PeerJ
license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Anné
  given name: Jennifer
author list: Agent
  family name: Garwood
  given name: Russell J.
author list: Agent
  family name: Lowe
  given name: Tristan
author list: Agent
  family name: Withers
  given name: Philip J.
author list: Agent
  family name: Manning
  given name: Phillip L.
doi: 10.7717/peerj.1130
volume: 3
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2015-07-28
copyright: © 2015 Anné et al.
attribution name: Anné et al.

Mechanistic pathways of mercury removal from the organomercurial lyase active site
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Bacterial populations present in Hg-rich environments have evolved biological mechanisms to detoxify methylmercury and other organometallic mercury compounds. The most common resistance mechanism relies on the H+-assisted cleavage of the Hg–C bond of methylmercury by the organomercurial lyase MerB. Although the initial reaction steps which lead to the loss of methane from methylmercury have already been studied experimentally and computationally, the reaction steps leading to the removal of Hg2+ from MerB and regeneration of the active site for a new round of catalysis have not yet been elucidated. In this paper, we have studied the final steps of the reaction catalyzed by MerB through quantum chemical computations at the combined MP2/CBS//B3PW91/6-31G(d) level of theory. While conceptually simple, these reaction steps occur in a complex potential energy surface where several distinct pathways are accessible and may operate concurrently. The only pathway which clearly emerges as forbidden in our analysis is the one arising from the sequential addition of two thiolates to the metal atom, due to the accumulation of negative charges in the active site. The addition of two thiols, in contrast, leads to two feasible mechanistic possibilities. The most straightforward pathway proceeds through proton transfer from the attacking thiol to Cys159 , leading to its removal from the mercury coordination sphere, followed by a slower attack of a second thiol, which removes Cys96. The other pathway involves Asp99 in an accessory role similar to the one observed earlier for the initial stages of the reaction and affords a lower activation enthalpy, around 14 kcal mol−1, determined solely by the cysteine removal step rather than by the thiol ligation step. Addition of one thiolate to the intermediates arising from either thiol attack occurs without a barrier and produces an intermediate bound to one active site cysteine and from which Hg(SCH3)2 may be removed only after protonation b…
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Pedro J. Silva
creator: Viviana Rodrigues
subject: Biochemistry
subject: Biophysics
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.1127
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2015 Silva and Rodrigues
abstract: Bacterial populations present in Hg-rich environments have evolved biological mechanisms to detoxify methylmercury and other organometallic mercury compounds. The most common resistance mechanism relies on the H+-assisted cleavage of the Hg–C bond of methylmercury by the organomercurial lyase MerB. Although the initial reaction steps which lead to the loss of methane from methylmercury have already been studied experimentally and computationally, the reaction steps leading to the removal of Hg2+ from MerB and regeneration of the active site for a new round of catalysis have not yet been elucidated. In this paper, we have studied the final steps of the reaction catalyzed by MerB through quantum chemical computations at the combined MP2/CBS//B3PW91/6-31G(d) level of theory. While conceptually simple, these reaction steps occur in a complex potential energy surface where several distinct pathways are accessible and may operate concurrently. The only pathway which clearly emerges as forbidden in our analysis is the one arising from the sequential addition of two thiolates to the metal atom, due to the accumulation of negative charges in the active site. The addition of two thiols, in contrast, leads to two feasible mechanistic possibilities. The most straightforward pathway proceeds through proton transfer from the attacking thiol to Cys159 , leading to its removal from the mercury coordination sphere, followed by a slower attack of a second thiol, which removes Cys96. The other pathway involves Asp99 in an accessory role similar to the one observed earlier for the initial stages of the reaction and affords a lower activation enthalpy, around 14 kcal mol−1, determined solely by the cysteine removal step rather than by the thiol ligation step. Addition of one thiolate to the intermediates arising from either thiol attack occurs without a barrier and produces an intermediate bound to one active site cysteine and from which Hg(SCH3)2 may be removed only after protonation b…
bibliographic citation: Silva et al. (2015) Mechanistic pathways of mercury removal from the organomercurial lyase active site. PeerJ 3:e1127 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.1127
date submitted: 2015-03-18
date accepted: 2015-07-03
issued: 2015-07-28
is part of: PeerJ
license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Silva
  given name: Pedro J.
author list: Agent
  family name: Rodrigues
  given name: Viviana
doi: 10.7717/peerj.1127
volume: 3
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2015-07-28
copyright: © 2015 Silva and Rodrigues
attribution name: Silva and Rodrigues

Sexual dimorphism and allometry in the sphecophilous rove beetle Triacrus dilatus
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: The rove beetle Triacrus dilatus is found in the Atlantic forest of South America and lives in the refuse piles of the paper wasp Agelaia vicina. Adults of T. dilatus are among the largest rove beetles, frequently measuring over 3 cm, and exhibit remarkable variation in body size. To examine sexual dimorphism and allometric relationships we measured the length of the left mandible, ocular distance and elytra. We were interested in determining if there are quantifiable differences between sexes, if there are major and minor forms within each sex and if males exhibit mandibular allometry. For all variables, a t-test was run to determine if there were significant differences between the sexes. Linear regressions were run to examine if there were significant relationships between the different measurements. A heterogeneity of slopes test was used to determine if there were significant differences between males and females. Our results indicated that males had significantly larger mandibles and ocular distances than females, but the overall body length was not significantly different between the sexes. Unlike most insects, both sexes showed positive linear allometric relationships for mandible length and head size (as measured by the ocular distance). We found no evidence of major and minor forms in either sex.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Maxwell H. Marlowe
creator: Cheryl A. Murphy
creator: Stylianos Chatzimanolis
subject: Entomology
subject: Evolutionary Studies
subject: Taxonomy
subject: Zoology
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.1123
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2015 Marlowe et al.
abstract: The rove beetle Triacrus dilatus is found in the Atlantic forest of South America and lives in the refuse piles of the paper wasp Agelaia vicina. Adults of T. dilatus are among the largest rove beetles, frequently measuring over 3 cm, and exhibit remarkable variation in body size. To examine sexual dimorphism and allometric relationships we measured the length of the left mandible, ocular distance and elytra. We were interested in determining if there are quantifiable differences between sexes, if there are major and minor forms within each sex and if males exhibit mandibular allometry. For all variables, a t-test was run to determine if there were significant differences between the sexes. Linear regressions were run to examine if there were significant relationships between the different measurements. A heterogeneity of slopes test was used to determine if there were significant differences between males and females. Our results indicated that males had significantly larger mandibles and ocular distances than females, but the overall body length was not significantly different between the sexes. Unlike most insects, both sexes showed positive linear allometric relationships for mandible length and head size (as measured by the ocular distance). We found no evidence of major and minor forms in either sex.
bibliographic citation: Marlowe et al. (2015) Sexual dimorphism and allometry in the sphecophilous rove beetle Triacrus dilatus. PeerJ 3:e1123 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.1123
date submitted: 2015-05-27
date accepted: 2015-07-03
issued: 2015-07-28
is part of: PeerJ
license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Marlowe
  given name: Maxwell H.
author list: Agent
  family name: Murphy
  given name: Cheryl A.
author list: Agent
  family name: Chatzimanolis
  given name: Stylianos
doi: 10.7717/peerj.1123
volume: 3
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2015-07-28
copyright: © 2015 Marlowe et al.
attribution name: Marlowe et al.

Diagnostic inertia in dyslipidaemia: results of a preventative programme in Spain
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Others have analysed the relationship between inadequate behaviour by healthcare professionals in the diagnosis of dyslipidaemia (diagnostic inertia) and the history of cardiovascular risk factors. However, since no study has assessed cardiovascular risk scores as associated factors, we carried out a study to quantify diagnostic inertia in dyslipidaemia and to determine if cardiovascular risk scores are associated with this inertia. In the Valencian Community (Spain), a preventive programme (cardiovascular, gynaecologic and vaccination) was started in 2003 inviting persons aged ≥40 years to undergo a health check-up at their health centre. This cross-sectional study examined persons with no known dyslipidaemia seen during the first six months of the programme (n = 16, 905) but whose total cholesterol (TC) was ≥5.17 mmol/L. Diagnostic inertia was defined as lack of follow-up to confirm/discard the dyslipidaemia diagnosis. Other variables included in the analysis were gender, history of cardiovascular risk factors/cardiovascular disease, counselling (diet/exercise), body mass index (BMI), age, blood pressure, fasting blood glucose and lipids. TC was grouped as ≥/<6.20 mmol/L. In patients without cardiovascular disease and <75/≤65 years (n = 15, 778/13, 597), the REGICOR (REgistre GIroní del COr)/SCORE (Systematic COronary Risk Evaluation) cardiovascular risk functions were used to classify risk (high/low). Inertia was quantified and the adjusted odds ratios calculated from multivariate models. In the overall sample, the rate of diagnostic inertia was 52% (95% CI [51.2–52.7]); associated factors were TC ≥ 6.20 mmol/L, high or “not measured” BMI, hypertension, smoking and higher values of fasting blood glucose, systolic blood pressure and TC. In the REGICOR sample, the rate of diagnostic inertia was 51.9% (95% CI [51.1–52.7]); associated factors were REGICOR high and high or “not measured” BMI. In the SCORE sample the rate of diagnostic inertia was 51.7% (95% CI [50.9–5…
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Antonio Palazón-Bru
creator: Armina Sepehri
creator: Dolores Ramírez-Prado
creator: Felipe Navarro-Cremades
creator: Ernesto Cortés
creator: Mercedes Rizo-Baeza
creator: Vicente Francisco Gil-Guillén
subject: Diabetes and Endocrinology
subject: Epidemiology
subject: Public Health
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.1109
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2015 Palazón-Bru et al.
abstract: Others have analysed the relationship between inadequate behaviour by healthcare professionals in the diagnosis of dyslipidaemia (diagnostic inertia) and the history of cardiovascular risk factors. However, since no study has assessed cardiovascular risk scores as associated factors, we carried out a study to quantify diagnostic inertia in dyslipidaemia and to determine if cardiovascular risk scores are associated with this inertia. In the Valencian Community (Spain), a preventive programme (cardiovascular, gynaecologic and vaccination) was started in 2003 inviting persons aged ≥40 years to undergo a health check-up at their health centre. This cross-sectional study examined persons with no known dyslipidaemia seen during the first six months of the programme (n = 16, 905) but whose total cholesterol (TC) was ≥5.17 mmol/L. Diagnostic inertia was defined as lack of follow-up to confirm/discard the dyslipidaemia diagnosis. Other variables included in the analysis were gender, history of cardiovascular risk factors/cardiovascular disease, counselling (diet/exercise), body mass index (BMI), age, blood pressure, fasting blood glucose and lipids. TC was grouped as ≥/<6.20 mmol/L. In patients without cardiovascular disease and <75/≤65 years (n = 15, 778/13, 597), the REGICOR (REgistre GIroní del COr)/SCORE (Systematic COronary Risk Evaluation) cardiovascular risk functions were used to classify risk (high/low). Inertia was quantified and the adjusted odds ratios calculated from multivariate models. In the overall sample, the rate of diagnostic inertia was 52% (95% CI [51.2–52.7]); associated factors were TC ≥ 6.20 mmol/L, high or “not measured” BMI, hypertension, smoking and higher values of fasting blood glucose, systolic blood pressure and TC. In the REGICOR sample, the rate of diagnostic inertia was 51.9% (95% CI [51.1–52.7]); associated factors were REGICOR high and high or “not measured” BMI. In the SCORE sample the rate of diagnostic inertia was 51.7% (95% CI [50.9–5…
bibliographic citation: Palazón-Bru et al. (2015) Diagnostic inertia in dyslipidaemia: results of a preventative programme in Spain. PeerJ 3:e1109 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.1109
date submitted: 2015-04-21
date accepted: 2015-06-26
issued: 2015-07-28
is part of: PeerJ
license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Palazón-Bru
  given name: Antonio
author list: Agent
  family name: Sepehri
  given name: Armina
author list: Agent
  family name: Ramírez-Prado
  given name: Dolores
author list: Agent
  family name: Navarro-Cremades
  given name: Felipe
author list: Agent
  family name: Cortés
  given name: Ernesto
author list: Agent
  family name: Rizo-Baeza
  given name: Mercedes
author list: Agent
  family name: Gil-Guillén
  given name: Vicente Francisco
doi: 10.7717/peerj.1109
volume: 3
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2015-07-28
copyright: © 2015 Palazón-Bru et al.
attribution name: Palazón-Bru et al.

Using affective knowledge to generate and validate a set of emotion-related, action words
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Emotion concepts are built through situated experience. Abstract word meaning is grounded in this affective knowledge, giving words the potential to evoke emotional feelings and reactions (e.g., Vigliocco et al., 2009). In the present work we explore whether words differ in the extent to which they evoke ‘specific’ emotional knowledge. Using a categorical approach, in which an affective ‘context’ is created, it is possible to assess whether words proportionally activate knowledge relevant to different emotional states (e.g., ‘sadness’, ‘anger’, Stevenson, Mikels & James, 2007a). We argue that this method may be particularly effective when assessing the emotional meaning of action words (e.g., Schacht & Sommer, 2009). In study 1 we use a constrained feature generation task to derive a set of action words that participants associated with six, basic emotional states (see full list in Appendix S1). Generation frequencies were taken to indicate the likelihood that the word would evoke emotional knowledge relevant to the state to which it had been paired. In study 2 a rating task was used to assess the strength of association between the six most frequently generated, or ‘typical’, action words and corresponding emotion labels. Participants were presented with a series of sentences, in which action words (typical and atypical) and labels were paired e.g., “If you are feeling ‘sad’ how likely would you be to act in the following way?” … ‘cry.’ Findings suggest that typical associations were robust. Participants always gave higher ratings to typical vs. atypical action word and label pairings, even when (a) rating direction was manipulated (the label or verb appeared first in the sentence), and (b) the typical behaviours were to be performed by the rater themselves, or others. Our findings suggest that emotion-related action words vary in the extent to which they evoke knowledge relevant for different emotional states. When measuring affective grounding, it may then be app…
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Emma Portch
creator: Jelena Havelka
creator: Charity Brown
creator: Roger Giner-Sorolla
subject: Psychiatry and Psychology
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.1100
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2015 Portch et al.
abstract: Emotion concepts are built through situated experience. Abstract word meaning is grounded in this affective knowledge, giving words the potential to evoke emotional feelings and reactions (e.g., Vigliocco et al., 2009). In the present work we explore whether words differ in the extent to which they evoke ‘specific’ emotional knowledge. Using a categorical approach, in which an affective ‘context’ is created, it is possible to assess whether words proportionally activate knowledge relevant to different emotional states (e.g., ‘sadness’, ‘anger’, Stevenson, Mikels & James, 2007a). We argue that this method may be particularly effective when assessing the emotional meaning of action words (e.g., Schacht & Sommer, 2009). In study 1 we use a constrained feature generation task to derive a set of action words that participants associated with six, basic emotional states (see full list in Appendix S1). Generation frequencies were taken to indicate the likelihood that the word would evoke emotional knowledge relevant to the state to which it had been paired. In study 2 a rating task was used to assess the strength of association between the six most frequently generated, or ‘typical’, action words and corresponding emotion labels. Participants were presented with a series of sentences, in which action words (typical and atypical) and labels were paired e.g., “If you are feeling ‘sad’ how likely would you be to act in the following way?” … ‘cry.’ Findings suggest that typical associations were robust. Participants always gave higher ratings to typical vs. atypical action word and label pairings, even when (a) rating direction was manipulated (the label or verb appeared first in the sentence), and (b) the typical behaviours were to be performed by the rater themselves, or others. Our findings suggest that emotion-related action words vary in the extent to which they evoke knowledge relevant for different emotional states. When measuring affective grounding, it may then be app…
bibliographic citation: Portch et al. (2015) Using affective knowledge to generate and validate a set of emotion-related, action words. PeerJ 3:e1100 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.1100
date submitted: 2015-03-17
date accepted: 2015-06-22
issued: 2015-07-28
is part of: PeerJ
license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Portch
  given name: Emma
author list: Agent
  family name: Havelka
  given name: Jelena
author list: Agent
  family name: Brown
  given name: Charity
author list: Agent
  family name: Giner-Sorolla
  given name: Roger
doi: 10.7717/peerj.1100
volume: 3
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2015-07-28
copyright: © 2015 Portch et al.
attribution name: Portch et al.

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