PeerJ
type: channel
link: https://peerj.com/articles/
description: Articles published in PeerJ
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
publication name: PeerJ
issn: 2167-8359
items: Comparative cytogenetics of three Zoraptera species as a basis for understanding chromosomal evolution in Polyneoptera insects
items: Extraction and characterization of collagen and gelatin from body wall of sea cucumbers Stichopus horrens and Holothuria arenicola
items: Spring haul-out behavior of seals in the Bering and Chukchi Seas: implications for abundance estimation
items: Study on mid-term outcomes of atherectomy for patients with femoral popliteal artery lesions with different Global Limb Anatomic Staging System grades
items: Knowledge, attitude and purchasing behavior of Saudi mothers towards food additives and dietary pattern of preschool children
items: Parental thermal conditions affect the brain activity response to alarm cue in larval zebrafish
items: Assessment of genetic diversity by phenological traits, field performance, and Start Codon Targeted (SCoT) polymorphism marker of seventeen soybean genotypes (Glycine max L.)
items: Dynamic perspectives on biodiversity quantification: beyond conventional metrics
items: The relationship between virtual simulation, critical thinking, and self-directed learning abilities of nursing students in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
items: Health perceptions of patients with forgotten double-J stent

Comparative cytogenetics of three Zoraptera species as a basis for understanding chromosomal evolution in Polyneoptera insects
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Zoraptera (also called “angel insects”) is one of the most unexplored insect orders. However, it holds promise for understanding the evolution of insect karyotypes and genome organization given its status as an early branching group of Polyneoptera and Pterygota (winged insects) during the Paleozoic. Here, we provide karyotype descriptions of three Zorapteran species: Brazilozoros huxleyi (2n♂; ♀ = 42; 42), B. kukalovae (2n♂; ♀ = 43; 44) and Latinozoros cacaoensis (2n♂; ♀ = 36; 36). These species represent two of the four recently recognized Zorapteran subfamilies. Contrary to an earlier suggestion that Zoraptera has holocentric chromosomes, we found karyotypes that were always monocentric. Interestingly, we detected both X0 (B. kukalovae) and XY (B. huxleyi, L. cacaoensis) sex chromosome systems. In addition to conventional karyotype descriptions, we applied fluorescent in situ hybridization for the first time in Zoraptera to map karyotype distributions of 18S rDNA, histone H3 genes, telomeres and (CAG)n and (GATA)n microsatellites. This study provides a foundation for cytogenetic research in Zoraptera.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Marek Jankásek
creator: Petr Kočárek
creator: František Št’áhlavský
subject: Entomology
subject: Molecular Biology
subject: Zoology
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.18051
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2024 Jankásek et al.
abstract: Zoraptera (also called “angel insects”) is one of the most unexplored insect orders. However, it holds promise for understanding the evolution of insect karyotypes and genome organization given its status as an early branching group of Polyneoptera and Pterygota (winged insects) during the Paleozoic. Here, we provide karyotype descriptions of three Zorapteran species: Brazilozoros huxleyi (2n♂; ♀ = 42; 42), B. kukalovae (2n♂; ♀ = 43; 44) and Latinozoros cacaoensis (2n♂; ♀ = 36; 36). These species represent two of the four recently recognized Zorapteran subfamilies. Contrary to an earlier suggestion that Zoraptera has holocentric chromosomes, we found karyotypes that were always monocentric. Interestingly, we detected both X0 (B. kukalovae) and XY (B. huxleyi, L. cacaoensis) sex chromosome systems. In addition to conventional karyotype descriptions, we applied fluorescent in situ hybridization for the first time in Zoraptera to map karyotype distributions of 18S rDNA, histone H3 genes, telomeres and (CAG)n and (GATA)n microsatellites. This study provides a foundation for cytogenetic research in Zoraptera.
bibliographic citation: Jankásek et al. (2024) Comparative cytogenetics of three Zoraptera species as a basis for understanding chromosomal evolution in Polyneoptera insects. PeerJ 12:e18051 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.18051
date submitted: 2024-03-28
date accepted: 2024-08-16
issued: 2024-10-10
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Jankásek
  given name: Marek
author list: Agent
  family name: Kočárek
  given name: Petr
author list: Agent
  family name: Št’áhlavský
  given name: František
doi: 10.7717/peerj.18051
volume: 12
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2024-10-10
copyright: ©2024 Jankásek et al.
attribution name: Jankásek et al.

Extraction and characterization of collagen and gelatin from body wall of sea cucumbers Stichopus horrens and Holothuria arenicola
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Background Marine invertebrates, including sponges, molluscs, jellyfish, mussels, and sea cucumbers, are abundant sources of high-quality collagen and offer advantages such as availability, ease of processing, lower inflammatory response, and good metabolic compatibility. Approximately 70% of the total protein in the body wall of sea cucumbers is collagen. Gelatin is a water-soluble protein produced from heat-denatured collagen and has various industrial applications. Methods Pepsin-solubilized collagen was extracted from the body wall of two sea cucumber Stichopus horrens and Holothuria arenicola, species found in the Oman Sea and characterized with SDS-PAGE and amino acid composition. Then gelatin was extracted from pepsin-solubilized collagen of S. horrens and some rheological properties were measured. Results Amino acid composition and SDS-PAGE analysis showed that the collagen from both species was type I, with one α1 chain and β chains, with molecular weights of 125 and 250 kDa, respectively. Glycine was the most abundant amino acid in the collagen from both sea cucumber species. The pepsin-soluble collagens from both species had high levels of glycine, proline, alanine, glutamic acid, and hydroxyproline. The gelatin from S. horrens had a melting point of 30 °C and displayed exceptional thermal stability, surpassing that of mammalian gelatin. Its gelling point was 5 °C, like that of cold-water fish gelatin, with a viscosity of 2.065 cp-lower than mammal gelatins. These findings suggested that collagen and gelatin from sea cucumbers could be useful in nutraceutical, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Noora Barzkar
creator: Gilan Attaran-Fariman
creator: Ali Taheri
creator: Balu Alagar Venmathi Maran
subject: Biochemistry
subject: Biotechnology
subject: Food Science and Technology
subject: Marine Biology
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.18149
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2024 Barzkar et al.
abstract: Background Marine invertebrates, including sponges, molluscs, jellyfish, mussels, and sea cucumbers, are abundant sources of high-quality collagen and offer advantages such as availability, ease of processing, lower inflammatory response, and good metabolic compatibility. Approximately 70% of the total protein in the body wall of sea cucumbers is collagen. Gelatin is a water-soluble protein produced from heat-denatured collagen and has various industrial applications. Methods Pepsin-solubilized collagen was extracted from the body wall of two sea cucumber Stichopus horrens and Holothuria arenicola, species found in the Oman Sea and characterized with SDS-PAGE and amino acid composition. Then gelatin was extracted from pepsin-solubilized collagen of S. horrens and some rheological properties were measured. Results Amino acid composition and SDS-PAGE analysis showed that the collagen from both species was type I, with one α1 chain and β chains, with molecular weights of 125 and 250 kDa, respectively. Glycine was the most abundant amino acid in the collagen from both sea cucumber species. The pepsin-soluble collagens from both species had high levels of glycine, proline, alanine, glutamic acid, and hydroxyproline. The gelatin from S. horrens had a melting point of 30 °C and displayed exceptional thermal stability, surpassing that of mammalian gelatin. Its gelling point was 5 °C, like that of cold-water fish gelatin, with a viscosity of 2.065 cp-lower than mammal gelatins. These findings suggested that collagen and gelatin from sea cucumbers could be useful in nutraceutical, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries.
bibliographic citation: Barzkar et al. (2024) Extraction and characterization of collagen and gelatin from body wall of sea cucumbers Stichopus horrens and Holothuria arenicola. PeerJ 12:e18149 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.18149
date submitted: 2024-05-27
date accepted: 2024-08-31
issued: 2024-10-10
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Barzkar
  given name: Noora
author list: Agent
  family name: Attaran-Fariman
  given name: Gilan
author list: Agent
  family name: Taheri
  given name: Ali
author list: Agent
  family name: Venmathi Maran
  given name: Balu Alagar
doi: 10.7717/peerj.18149
volume: 12
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2024-10-10
copyright: © 2024 Barzkar et al.
attribution name: Barzkar et al.

Spring haul-out behavior of seals in the Bering and Chukchi Seas: implications for abundance estimation
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Ice-associated seals rely on sea ice for a variety of activities, including pupping, breeding, molting, and resting. In the Arctic, many of these activities occur in spring (April through June) as sea ice begins to melt and retreat northward. Rapid acceleration of climate change in Arctic ecosystems is therefore of concern as the quantity and quality of suitable habitat is forecast to decrease. Robust estimates of seal population abundance are needed to properly monitor the impacts of these changes over time. Aerial surveys of seals on ice are an efficient method for counting seals but must be paired with estimates of the proportion of seals out of the water to derive population abundance. In this paper, we use hourly percent-dry data from satellite-linked bio-loggers deployed between 2005 and 2021 to quantify the proportion of seals hauled out on ice. This information is needed to accurately estimate abundance from aerial survey counts of ice-associated seals (i.e., to correct for the proportion of animals that are in the water, and so are not counted, while surveys are conducted). In addition to providing essential data for survey ‘availability’ calculations, our analysis also provides insights into the seasonal timing and environmental factors affecting haul-out behavior by ice-associated seals. We specifically focused on bearded (Erignathus barbatus), ribbon (Histriophoca fasciata), and spotted seals (Phoca largha) in the Bering and Chukchi seas. Because ringed seals (Phoca (pusa) hispida) can be out of the water but hidden from view in snow lairs analysis of their ‘availability’ to surveys requires special consideration; therefore, they were not included in this analysis. Using generalized linear mixed pseudo-models to properly account for temporal autocorrelation, we fit models with covariates of interest (e.g., day-of-year, solar hour, age and sex class, wind speed, barometric pressure, temperature, precipitation) to examine their ability to explain variation…
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Josh M. London
creator: Paul B. Conn
creator: Stacie M. Koslovsky
creator: Erin L. Richmond
creator: Jay M. Ver Hoef
creator: Michael F. Cameron
creator: Justin A. Crawford
creator: Andrew L. Von Duyke
creator: Lori Quakenbush
creator: Peter L. Boveng
subject: Animal Behavior
subject: Ecology
subject: Marine Biology
subject: Zoology
subject: Climate Change Biology
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.18160
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2024 London et al.
abstract: Ice-associated seals rely on sea ice for a variety of activities, including pupping, breeding, molting, and resting. In the Arctic, many of these activities occur in spring (April through June) as sea ice begins to melt and retreat northward. Rapid acceleration of climate change in Arctic ecosystems is therefore of concern as the quantity and quality of suitable habitat is forecast to decrease. Robust estimates of seal population abundance are needed to properly monitor the impacts of these changes over time. Aerial surveys of seals on ice are an efficient method for counting seals but must be paired with estimates of the proportion of seals out of the water to derive population abundance. In this paper, we use hourly percent-dry data from satellite-linked bio-loggers deployed between 2005 and 2021 to quantify the proportion of seals hauled out on ice. This information is needed to accurately estimate abundance from aerial survey counts of ice-associated seals (i.e., to correct for the proportion of animals that are in the water, and so are not counted, while surveys are conducted). In addition to providing essential data for survey ‘availability’ calculations, our analysis also provides insights into the seasonal timing and environmental factors affecting haul-out behavior by ice-associated seals. We specifically focused on bearded (Erignathus barbatus), ribbon (Histriophoca fasciata), and spotted seals (Phoca largha) in the Bering and Chukchi seas. Because ringed seals (Phoca (pusa) hispida) can be out of the water but hidden from view in snow lairs analysis of their ‘availability’ to surveys requires special consideration; therefore, they were not included in this analysis. Using generalized linear mixed pseudo-models to properly account for temporal autocorrelation, we fit models with covariates of interest (e.g., day-of-year, solar hour, age and sex class, wind speed, barometric pressure, temperature, precipitation) to examine their ability to explain variation…
bibliographic citation: London et al. (2024) Spring haul-out behavior of seals in the Bering and Chukchi Seas: implications for abundance estimation. PeerJ 12:e18160 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.18160
date submitted: 2022-05-09
date accepted: 2024-09-02
issued: 2024-10-10
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: London
  given name: Josh M.
author list: Agent
  family name: Conn
  given name: Paul B.
author list: Agent
  family name: Koslovsky
  given name: Stacie M.
author list: Agent
  family name: Richmond
  given name: Erin L.
author list: Agent
  family name: Ver Hoef
  given name: Jay M.
author list: Agent
  family name: Cameron
  given name: Michael F.
author list: Agent
  family name: Crawford
  given name: Justin A.
author list: Agent
  family name: Von Duyke
  given name: Andrew L.
author list: Agent
  family name: Quakenbush
  given name: Lori
author list: Agent
  family name: Boveng
  given name: Peter L.
doi: 10.7717/peerj.18160
volume: 12
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2024-10-10
copyright: ©2024 London et al.
attribution name: London et al.

Study on mid-term outcomes of atherectomy for patients with femoral popliteal artery lesions with different Global Limb Anatomic Staging System grades
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Objective To investigate the mid-term efficacy and patency rate of TurboHawk peripheral plaque excision system in the treatment of femoral popliteal artery lesions with different Global Limb Anatomic Staging System (GLASS) grades. Methods The clinical data of 141 patients with femoral popliteal arteriosclerosis obliterans who were treated with TurboHawk from January 2018 to July 2022 in our institution were retrospectively analyzed. There were 109 male patients and 32 female patients. Recordings were made of the patient’s symptoms of limb ischemia, technical success rate, primary patency rate of target vessels, ankle brachial index (ABI), GLASS grades, postoperative complications, and a statistical analysis with the patient’s preoperative treatment was conducted. Results All patients had improved limb ischemia symptoms to varying degrees after surgery, with a technical success rate of 100% (femoral artery puncture and superficial femoral artery recanalization) without bleeding, hematoma, pseudoaneurysm, arteriovenous fistula or other complications. The follow-up period was 1-24 months, during which the severity of claudication, resting pain, and toe ulcers significantly improved. The primary patency rate of the target vessel was 98.58% (139/141), and the ABI significantly increased on the second day, three months, and six months after surgery compared to before surgery. No major adverse events were found during follow-up. The patency rates at 1, 6, 12 and 24 months after intervention were 100%, 80%, 75% and 60% respectively. Conclusion The mid-term efficacy and patency rate of TurboHawk in the treatment of femoral popliteal artery lesions with GLASS I patients have the best mid-term prognosis, the highest mid-term survival rate, and the highest vascular patency. The plaque removal system has proven to be an effective treatment for individual localized chronic total occlusion lesions. Additionally, the TurboHawk system provides a safe and minimally invasive treatment…
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Yanyu Yue
creator: Youjia Zhang
creator: Liang Zhang
creator: Zheng Gao
creator: Xiaolong Du
creator: Feng Ran
subject: Cardiology
subject: Radiology and Medical Imaging
subject: Surgery and Surgical Specialties
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.18189
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2024 Yue et al.
abstract: Objective To investigate the mid-term efficacy and patency rate of TurboHawk peripheral plaque excision system in the treatment of femoral popliteal artery lesions with different Global Limb Anatomic Staging System (GLASS) grades. Methods The clinical data of 141 patients with femoral popliteal arteriosclerosis obliterans who were treated with TurboHawk from January 2018 to July 2022 in our institution were retrospectively analyzed. There were 109 male patients and 32 female patients. Recordings were made of the patient’s symptoms of limb ischemia, technical success rate, primary patency rate of target vessels, ankle brachial index (ABI), GLASS grades, postoperative complications, and a statistical analysis with the patient’s preoperative treatment was conducted. Results All patients had improved limb ischemia symptoms to varying degrees after surgery, with a technical success rate of 100% (femoral artery puncture and superficial femoral artery recanalization) without bleeding, hematoma, pseudoaneurysm, arteriovenous fistula or other complications. The follow-up period was 1-24 months, during which the severity of claudication, resting pain, and toe ulcers significantly improved. The primary patency rate of the target vessel was 98.58% (139/141), and the ABI significantly increased on the second day, three months, and six months after surgery compared to before surgery. No major adverse events were found during follow-up. The patency rates at 1, 6, 12 and 24 months after intervention were 100%, 80%, 75% and 60% respectively. Conclusion The mid-term efficacy and patency rate of TurboHawk in the treatment of femoral popliteal artery lesions with GLASS I patients have the best mid-term prognosis, the highest mid-term survival rate, and the highest vascular patency. The plaque removal system has proven to be an effective treatment for individual localized chronic total occlusion lesions. Additionally, the TurboHawk system provides a safe and minimally invasive treatment…
bibliographic citation: Yue et al. (2024) Study on mid-term outcomes of atherectomy for patients with femoral popliteal artery lesions with different Global Limb Anatomic Staging System grades. PeerJ 12:e18189 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.18189
date submitted: 2023-12-27
date accepted: 2024-09-06
issued: 2024-10-10
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Yue
  given name: Yanyu
author list: Agent
  family name: Zhang
  given name: Youjia
author list: Agent
  family name: Zhang
  given name: Liang
author list: Agent
  family name: Gao
  given name: Zheng
author list: Agent
  family name: Du
  given name: Xiaolong
author list: Agent
  family name: Ran
  given name: Feng
doi: 10.7717/peerj.18189
volume: 12
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2024-10-10
copyright: ©2024 Yue et al.
attribution name: Yue et al.

Knowledge, attitude and purchasing behavior of Saudi mothers towards food additives and dietary pattern of preschool children
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Background There are over 506 children’s products containing one or more types of additives. Maternal awareness of these additives is essential for the health of preschool-aged children, as this period is vital for children’s growth and development. This study aims to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and purchasing behaviors related to food additives among mothers living in the western region of Saudi Arabia, as well as the dietary patterns of preschool children. Method A cross-sectional study was conducted using an online survey with a convenience sample of 521 mothers of preschool-aged children (3–5 years old). The survey gathered data on the child’s age, number of children, the youngest child’s weight and height, food intolerance, tooth decay, as well as the dietary patterns of preschool children. It also assessed the mother’s knowledge, attitude, and purchasing behaviors related to food additives. Results The study found that 46.6% of mothers demonstrated good knowledge of food additives, while 56.0% demonstrated fair attitudes and 78.5% good purchasing behavior regarding additives. Additionally, the majority of mothers reported favorable dietary patterns for their preschool-aged children. “Biscuits and crackers” had the highest consumption frequency (4.98 ± 1.50), with 36.7% of children consuming them once daily, while “Soft beverages” had the lowest consumption frequency (2.73 ± 2.04), with 46.6% of children never consuming them. Statistically significant differences were identified between mothers’ knowledge and their age, education level, occupation status, and economic status (p < 0.05). ANOVA results also indicated a statistically significant difference between mothers’ attitudes and occupation status (p < 0.05). Furthermore, there were significant positive correlations between mothers’ knowledge of food additives and their attitudes (r = 0.293) and purchasing behaviors (r = 0.284) related to additives. Conclusion The findings suggest that mothers possess …
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Reem H. Almoabadi
creator: Mahitab A. Hanbazaza
subject: Nutrition
subject: Public Health
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.18223
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2024 Almoabadi and Hanbazaza
abstract: Background There are over 506 children’s products containing one or more types of additives. Maternal awareness of these additives is essential for the health of preschool-aged children, as this period is vital for children’s growth and development. This study aims to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and purchasing behaviors related to food additives among mothers living in the western region of Saudi Arabia, as well as the dietary patterns of preschool children. Method A cross-sectional study was conducted using an online survey with a convenience sample of 521 mothers of preschool-aged children (3–5 years old). The survey gathered data on the child’s age, number of children, the youngest child’s weight and height, food intolerance, tooth decay, as well as the dietary patterns of preschool children. It also assessed the mother’s knowledge, attitude, and purchasing behaviors related to food additives. Results The study found that 46.6% of mothers demonstrated good knowledge of food additives, while 56.0% demonstrated fair attitudes and 78.5% good purchasing behavior regarding additives. Additionally, the majority of mothers reported favorable dietary patterns for their preschool-aged children. “Biscuits and crackers” had the highest consumption frequency (4.98 ± 1.50), with 36.7% of children consuming them once daily, while “Soft beverages” had the lowest consumption frequency (2.73 ± 2.04), with 46.6% of children never consuming them. Statistically significant differences were identified between mothers’ knowledge and their age, education level, occupation status, and economic status (p < 0.05). ANOVA results also indicated a statistically significant difference between mothers’ attitudes and occupation status (p < 0.05). Furthermore, there were significant positive correlations between mothers’ knowledge of food additives and their attitudes (r = 0.293) and purchasing behaviors (r = 0.284) related to additives. Conclusion The findings suggest that mothers possess …
bibliographic citation: Almoabadi et al. (2024) Knowledge, attitude and purchasing behavior of Saudi mothers towards food additives and dietary pattern of preschool children. PeerJ 12:e18223 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.18223
date submitted: 2024-03-27
date accepted: 2024-09-12
issued: 2024-10-10
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Almoabadi
  given name: Reem H.
author list: Agent
  family name: Hanbazaza
  given name: Mahitab A.
doi: 10.7717/peerj.18223
volume: 12
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2024-10-10
copyright: ©2024 Almoabadi and Hanbazaza
attribution name: Almoabadi and Hanbazaza

Parental thermal conditions affect the brain activity response to alarm cue in larval zebrafish
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Temperature is a crucial factor affecting the physiology of ectothermic animals, but exposure to elevated temperature during specific life stages and across generations may confer fish resilience through phenotypic plasticity. In this study, we investigate the effects of developmental and parental temperature on brain activity response to an olfactory cue in the larval zebrafish, Danio rerio. We exposed parents during reproduction and their offspring during development to control (28 °C) or elevated temperature (30 °C) and observed the response of the larval telencephalon to an alarm cue using live calcium imaging. Parental exposure to elevated temperature decreased the time till maximum brain activity response regardless of the offspring’s developmental temperature, revealing that parental thermal conditions can affect the excitability of the offspring’s neural circuitry. Furthermore, brain activity duration was affected by the interaction between parental and offspring thermal conditions, where longer brain activity duration was seen when either parents or offspring were exposed to elevated temperature. Conversely, we found shorter brain activity duration when the offspring were exposed to the same temperature as their parents, in both control and elevated temperature. This could represent an anticipatory parental effect influencing the offspring’s brain response to match the parental environment, or an early developmental effect occurring within a susceptible short time window post-fertilization. Overall, our results suggest that warming can alter processes involved in brain transmission and show that parental conditions could aid in the preparation of their offspring to respond to olfactory stimuli in a warming environment.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Jade M. Sourisse
creator: Julie L. Semmelhack
creator: Celia Schunter
subject: Aquaculture, Fisheries and Fish Science
subject: Ecology
subject: Neuroscience
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.18241
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2024 Sourisse et al.
abstract: Temperature is a crucial factor affecting the physiology of ectothermic animals, but exposure to elevated temperature during specific life stages and across generations may confer fish resilience through phenotypic plasticity. In this study, we investigate the effects of developmental and parental temperature on brain activity response to an olfactory cue in the larval zebrafish, Danio rerio. We exposed parents during reproduction and their offspring during development to control (28 °C) or elevated temperature (30 °C) and observed the response of the larval telencephalon to an alarm cue using live calcium imaging. Parental exposure to elevated temperature decreased the time till maximum brain activity response regardless of the offspring’s developmental temperature, revealing that parental thermal conditions can affect the excitability of the offspring’s neural circuitry. Furthermore, brain activity duration was affected by the interaction between parental and offspring thermal conditions, where longer brain activity duration was seen when either parents or offspring were exposed to elevated temperature. Conversely, we found shorter brain activity duration when the offspring were exposed to the same temperature as their parents, in both control and elevated temperature. This could represent an anticipatory parental effect influencing the offspring’s brain response to match the parental environment, or an early developmental effect occurring within a susceptible short time window post-fertilization. Overall, our results suggest that warming can alter processes involved in brain transmission and show that parental conditions could aid in the preparation of their offspring to respond to olfactory stimuli in a warming environment.
bibliographic citation: Sourisse et al. (2024) Parental thermal conditions affect the brain activity response to alarm cue in larval zebrafish. PeerJ 12:e18241 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.18241
date submitted: 2024-08-09
date accepted: 2024-09-15
issued: 2024-10-10
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Sourisse
  given name: Jade M.
author list: Agent
  family name: Semmelhack
  given name: Julie L.
author list: Agent
  family name: Schunter
  given name: Celia
doi: 10.7717/peerj.18241
volume: 12
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2024-10-10
copyright: ©2024 Sourisse et al.
attribution name: Sourisse et al.

Assessment of genetic diversity by phenological traits, field performance, and Start Codon Targeted (SCoT) polymorphism marker of seventeen soybean genotypes (Glycine max L.)
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: The Egyptian-farmed soybeans have a wide range of genetic diversity which is most important in plant improvement programs in order to develop new higher yielding soybean genotypes. The present study is designed to determine the genetic variability among seventeen genotypes of cultivated soybean (Glycine max L.) by examining the phenotypic level at the seedling stage, field performance over two years 2022/2023 and genetically using Start Codon Targeted (SCoT) markers. Results indicated that the SCoT markers, 100 seed weight, and tip angle (TA) traits were positively correlated with H2L12, DR 101, H15L5, and H117 genotypes. In addition, the number of branches per plant and plant height were associated with H113, H32, Crowford, H129, and D7512035. Furthermore, the length of the first internode (LFI), root width (RW), root length (RL), and shoot length (SL) were more associated with Giza 111, NC105, and Hutcheson. The hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) and its associated heatmap explored the differences among the genotypes. It showed that all examined parameters were clustered into four distinct clusters. The obtained results showed that genotypes NC105, H30, D75_12035, and H2L12 have promising phenological and morphological traits besides tracking the inheritance of nearby genes surrounding the ATG translation start codon since they are in a monoclades. The obtained results will help the breeder plan appropriate selection strategies for improving seed yield in soybeans through hybridization from divergent clusters.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Mahmoud Abdel-Sattar
creator: Ehab M. Zayed
creator: Mohamed K. Abou-Shlell
creator: Hail Z. Rihan
creator: Ahmed A. Helal
creator: Nabil E.G. Mekhaile
creator: Ghada E. El-Badan
subject: Agricultural Science
subject: Biodiversity
subject: Plant Science
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.17868
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2024 Abdel-Sattar et al.
abstract: The Egyptian-farmed soybeans have a wide range of genetic diversity which is most important in plant improvement programs in order to develop new higher yielding soybean genotypes. The present study is designed to determine the genetic variability among seventeen genotypes of cultivated soybean (Glycine max L.) by examining the phenotypic level at the seedling stage, field performance over two years 2022/2023 and genetically using Start Codon Targeted (SCoT) markers. Results indicated that the SCoT markers, 100 seed weight, and tip angle (TA) traits were positively correlated with H2L12, DR 101, H15L5, and H117 genotypes. In addition, the number of branches per plant and plant height were associated with H113, H32, Crowford, H129, and D7512035. Furthermore, the length of the first internode (LFI), root width (RW), root length (RL), and shoot length (SL) were more associated with Giza 111, NC105, and Hutcheson. The hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) and its associated heatmap explored the differences among the genotypes. It showed that all examined parameters were clustered into four distinct clusters. The obtained results showed that genotypes NC105, H30, D75_12035, and H2L12 have promising phenological and morphological traits besides tracking the inheritance of nearby genes surrounding the ATG translation start codon since they are in a monoclades. The obtained results will help the breeder plan appropriate selection strategies for improving seed yield in soybeans through hybridization from divergent clusters.
bibliographic citation: Abdel-Sattar et al. (2024) Assessment of genetic diversity by phenological traits, field performance, and Start Codon Targeted (SCoT) polymorphism marker of seventeen soybean genotypes (Glycine max L.). PeerJ 12:e17868 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.17868
date submitted: 2024-05-03
date accepted: 2024-07-15
issued: 2024-10-09
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Abdel-Sattar
  given name: Mahmoud
author list: Agent
  family name: Zayed
  given name: Ehab M.
author list: Agent
  family name: Abou-Shlell
  given name: Mohamed K.
author list: Agent
  family name: Rihan
  given name: Hail Z.
author list: Agent
  family name: Helal
  given name: Ahmed A.
author list: Agent
  family name: Mekhaile
  given name: Nabil E.G.
author list: Agent
  family name: El-Badan
  given name: Ghada E.
doi: 10.7717/peerj.17868
volume: 12
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2024-10-09
copyright: ©2024 Abdel-Sattar et al.
attribution name: Abdel-Sattar et al.

Dynamic perspectives on biodiversity quantification: beyond conventional metrics
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Our research addresses the pressing need to assess biodiversity in the face of increasing habitat destruction and species extinctions. Several researchers have modelled conventional measures to assess biodiversity. Every measure evaluates biodiversity by considering different properties. Among them Simpson and Shannon indices are widely used, they primarily focus on species richness and abundance, overlooking the importance of rare or unique species. This limitation makes it challenging to identify which species drive changes in biodiversity and hampers conservation efforts. Moreover, these measures are sensitive to sample size and biased towards dominant species, leading to inaccurate estimations. To overcome these challenges, we propose a novel mathematical model that provides a comprehensive assessment of biodiversity. Our model accounts for species dominance, addresses sample size sensitivity, and highlights the significance of rare species within a community. By applying our measure to real-time scenarios and comparing it with traditional methods using the same dataset, proposed measure demonstrated its efficacy in capturing biodiversity dynamics over time.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Manjula Josephine Bollarapu
creator: Swarna Kuchibhotla
creator: Ramarao Kvsn
creator: Harshita Patel
subject: Biodiversity
subject: Computational Biology
subject: Ecology
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.17924
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2024 Bollarapu et al.
abstract: Our research addresses the pressing need to assess biodiversity in the face of increasing habitat destruction and species extinctions. Several researchers have modelled conventional measures to assess biodiversity. Every measure evaluates biodiversity by considering different properties. Among them Simpson and Shannon indices are widely used, they primarily focus on species richness and abundance, overlooking the importance of rare or unique species. This limitation makes it challenging to identify which species drive changes in biodiversity and hampers conservation efforts. Moreover, these measures are sensitive to sample size and biased towards dominant species, leading to inaccurate estimations. To overcome these challenges, we propose a novel mathematical model that provides a comprehensive assessment of biodiversity. Our model accounts for species dominance, addresses sample size sensitivity, and highlights the significance of rare species within a community. By applying our measure to real-time scenarios and comparing it with traditional methods using the same dataset, proposed measure demonstrated its efficacy in capturing biodiversity dynamics over time.
bibliographic citation: Bollarapu et al. (2024) Dynamic perspectives on biodiversity quantification: beyond conventional metrics. PeerJ 12:e17924 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.17924
date submitted: 2024-04-25
date accepted: 2024-07-24
issued: 2024-10-09
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Bollarapu
  given name: Manjula Josephine
author list: Agent
  family name: Kuchibhotla
  given name: Swarna
author list: Agent
  family name: Kvsn
  given name: Ramarao
author list: Agent
  family name: Patel
  given name: Harshita
doi: 10.7717/peerj.17924
volume: 12
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2024-10-09
copyright: ©2024 Bollarapu et al.
attribution name: Bollarapu et al.

The relationship between virtual simulation, critical thinking, and self-directed learning abilities of nursing students in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Objective The use of virtual simulation in nursing education is an effective approach for improving nursing critical thinking and self-learning abilities, but the previous studies were limited to providing the required evidence that supports the association. This study aimed to assess the relationship between virtual simulation and critical thinking disposition and self-directed learning abilities among nursing students. Methods This is a descriptive correlational, non-experimental study. It was conducted among 201 third- and fourth-year nursing students at the Academic Institution, Saudi Arabia. A non-probability convenience sampling technique was used to select the participants; then, an online, adapted questionnaire was sent to the participants, the data from which was analyzed by SPSS. Results The study findings showed that virtual simulation benefited nursing students. Most participants (56%) agreed that it helped them to think critically, and approximately 27% strongly agreed. It also enhanced their self-directed learning abilities, and the majority of the students agreed that they often review the way nursing practice is conducted. Furthermore, the results showed a significant, positive relationship between virtual simulation and the critical thinking disposition of nursing students (p-value = 0.03; correlation coefficient = 0.65), a strong positive relationship with self-directed learning abilities of nursing students (p-value = 0.004; correlation coefficient = 0.78), and a strong positive relationship between critical thinking disposition with self-directed learning abilities of nursing students (p-value = 0.01; correlation coefficient = 0.72). Conclusion There are significant relationships between virtual simulation and the critical thinking disposition and self-directed learning abilities of nursing students. Furthermore, virtual simulation made the students practice critical thinking and self-learning, so, they simulate events and try to seek out and sol…
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Hanan F. Alharbi
creator: Amjad Alsubaie
creator: Rahaf Gharawi
creator: Rawan Ba Mazroo
creator: Shaikhah Alajaleen
creator: Munerah Alsultan
creator: Munira Alsaleem
creator: Nora Alsubihi
creator: Norah Alsahli
creator: Nashwa Alqahtani
creator: Raghad Rayzah
subject: Nursing
subject: Psychiatry and Psychology
subject: Science and Medical Education
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.18150
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2024 Alharbi et al.
abstract: Objective The use of virtual simulation in nursing education is an effective approach for improving nursing critical thinking and self-learning abilities, but the previous studies were limited to providing the required evidence that supports the association. This study aimed to assess the relationship between virtual simulation and critical thinking disposition and self-directed learning abilities among nursing students. Methods This is a descriptive correlational, non-experimental study. It was conducted among 201 third- and fourth-year nursing students at the Academic Institution, Saudi Arabia. A non-probability convenience sampling technique was used to select the participants; then, an online, adapted questionnaire was sent to the participants, the data from which was analyzed by SPSS. Results The study findings showed that virtual simulation benefited nursing students. Most participants (56%) agreed that it helped them to think critically, and approximately 27% strongly agreed. It also enhanced their self-directed learning abilities, and the majority of the students agreed that they often review the way nursing practice is conducted. Furthermore, the results showed a significant, positive relationship between virtual simulation and the critical thinking disposition of nursing students (p-value = 0.03; correlation coefficient = 0.65), a strong positive relationship with self-directed learning abilities of nursing students (p-value = 0.004; correlation coefficient = 0.78), and a strong positive relationship between critical thinking disposition with self-directed learning abilities of nursing students (p-value = 0.01; correlation coefficient = 0.72). Conclusion There are significant relationships between virtual simulation and the critical thinking disposition and self-directed learning abilities of nursing students. Furthermore, virtual simulation made the students practice critical thinking and self-learning, so, they simulate events and try to seek out and sol…
bibliographic citation: Alharbi et al. (2024) The relationship between virtual simulation, critical thinking, and self-directed learning abilities of nursing students in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. PeerJ 12:e18150 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.18150
date submitted: 2023-04-05
date accepted: 2024-08-31
issued: 2024-10-09
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Alharbi
  given name: Hanan F.
author list: Agent
  family name: Alsubaie
  given name: Amjad
author list: Agent
  family name: Gharawi
  given name: Rahaf
author list: Agent
  family name: Ba Mazroo
  given name: Rawan
author list: Agent
  family name: Alajaleen
  given name: Shaikhah
author list: Agent
  family name: Alsultan
  given name: Munerah
author list: Agent
  family name: Alsaleem
  given name: Munira
author list: Agent
  family name: Alsubihi
  given name: Nora
author list: Agent
  family name: Alsahli
  given name: Norah
author list: Agent
  family name: Alqahtani
  given name: Nashwa
author list: Agent
  family name: Rayzah
  given name: Raghad
doi: 10.7717/peerj.18150
volume: 12
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2024-10-09
copyright: ©2024 Alharbi et al.
attribution name: Alharbi et al.

Health perceptions of patients with forgotten double-J stent
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Aim In this article, we aimed to determine the health perceptions of the patients who did not apply for double-J stent (DJS) removal on time and evaluate whether health perceptions impact this behavior. Materials and Methods Health perceptions of 22 patients who were treated for forgotten double-J stent (FDJS) between January 2017–October 2020 and 25 patients who applied for DJS removal during the given appointment time in the urology department of Elazig Training and Research Hospital and Elazig Fethi Sekin City Hospital were compared using the “Health Perception Scale”. Results Health perception scale scores in the FDJS group and control group were 62-68 (mean = 64.27 ± 1.75) and 63-68 (mean = 65.36 ± 1.55), respectively. With regard to the sub-factors of the scale, control center scores were 21.86 ± 0.77 and 22.08 ± 1.15; precision scores were 16.54 ± 0.80 and 16.56 ± 0.82; importance of health scores were 12.77 ± 0, 92 and 13.32 ± 0.74; and self-awareness points were 13.04 ± 0.72 and 13.48 ± 0.58, respectively. There was a statistically significant difference between the health perception scale in total, importance of health, and self-awareness scores between the two groups. At the same time, there was no difference in terms of the control center and precision scores (p∗ = 0.029, p∗ = 0.030, p∗ = 0.028, p = 0.460, p = 0.951). Conclusion Patients’ and their families’ educational status, income levels and lack of follow-up by healthcare professionals play an important role in forgotten DJS cases and patients’ perception of health may also have an impact on this behavior.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Mehmet Sezai Ogras
creator: Kadir Yildirim
subject: Psychiatry and Psychology
subject: Urology
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.18156
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2024 Ogras and Yildirim
abstract: Aim In this article, we aimed to determine the health perceptions of the patients who did not apply for double-J stent (DJS) removal on time and evaluate whether health perceptions impact this behavior. Materials and Methods Health perceptions of 22 patients who were treated for forgotten double-J stent (FDJS) between January 2017–October 2020 and 25 patients who applied for DJS removal during the given appointment time in the urology department of Elazig Training and Research Hospital and Elazig Fethi Sekin City Hospital were compared using the “Health Perception Scale”. Results Health perception scale scores in the FDJS group and control group were 62-68 (mean = 64.27 ± 1.75) and 63-68 (mean = 65.36 ± 1.55), respectively. With regard to the sub-factors of the scale, control center scores were 21.86 ± 0.77 and 22.08 ± 1.15; precision scores were 16.54 ± 0.80 and 16.56 ± 0.82; importance of health scores were 12.77 ± 0, 92 and 13.32 ± 0.74; and self-awareness points were 13.04 ± 0.72 and 13.48 ± 0.58, respectively. There was a statistically significant difference between the health perception scale in total, importance of health, and self-awareness scores between the two groups. At the same time, there was no difference in terms of the control center and precision scores (p∗ = 0.029, p∗ = 0.030, p∗ = 0.028, p = 0.460, p = 0.951). Conclusion Patients’ and their families’ educational status, income levels and lack of follow-up by healthcare professionals play an important role in forgotten DJS cases and patients’ perception of health may also have an impact on this behavior.
bibliographic citation: Ogras et al. (2024) Health perceptions of patients with forgotten double-J stent. PeerJ 12:e18156 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.18156
date submitted: 2022-04-01
date accepted: 2024-09-01
issued: 2024-10-09
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Ogras
  given name: Mehmet Sezai
author list: Agent
  family name: Yildirim
  given name: Kadir
doi: 10.7717/peerj.18156
volume: 12
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2024-10-09
copyright: ©2024 Ogras and Yildirim
attribution name: Ogras and Yildirim

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