PeerJ
type: channel
link: https://peerj.com/articles/
description: Articles published in PeerJ
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
publication name: PeerJ
issn: 2167-8359
items: Gradual pollen presentation in Vaccinium corymbosum ‘Bluecrop’: an adaptive mechanism to improve pollination efficiency and outcrossing
items: Fossil-informed biogeographic analysis suggests Eurasian regionalization in crown Squamata during the early Jurassic
items: The impact of skeletal muscle index at the third lumbar spine on nosocomial deterioration and short-term prognosis in acute pancreatitis: a retrospective observational study
items: Expressing banana transcription factor MaERFVII3 in Arabidopsis confers enhanced waterlogging tolerance and root growth
items: Improvement of morphophysiological and anatomical attributes of plants under abiotic stress conditions using plant growth-promoting bacteria and safety treatments
items: Spatial distribution of settlement of Diadema antillarum around Saba, Dutch Caribbean
items: Seeing the impossible: the impact of watching magic on positive emotions, optimism, and wellbeing
items: Circulating HMGB1 in acute ischemic stroke and its association with post-stroke cognitive impairment
items: Cortical activity associated with the maintenance of balance during unstable stances
items: The representation of contextual cue is stimulus-specific yet its expression is flexible

Gradual pollen presentation in Vaccinium corymbosum ‘Bluecrop’: an adaptive mechanism to improve pollination efficiency and outcrossing
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Gradual pollen presentation is a plant reproductive mechanism to improve pollination efficiency and accuracy and promote outcrossing. Vaccinium corymbosum ‘Bluecrop’ has a typical gradual pollen presentation mechanism. ‘Bluecrop’ exhibits an inverted bell-shaped flower with a white coloration. By investigating the flower syndrome, pollination characteristics, pollination efficiency, and breeding system of ‘Bluecrop’, this study aims to explore the adaptive significance of these traits. The results showed ‘Bluecrop’ released pollen gradually through anther poricidal dehiscence. Among different pollinators, Apis mellifera and Bombus can pollinate effectively, and the mechanism of gradual pollen presentation significantly improved the efficiency of pollen transfer. This characteristic limits the amount of pollen removed by the pollinators and prolongs pollen presentation, thus attracting more pollinators and thereby increasing male fitness. The nectar secretion of ‘Bluecrop’ is gradual, with a large nectar production and a long phase of nectar secretion, enhance visitation frequencies and the chances of successful pollination. At the same time, campanulate corolla can protect pollen as well as nectar from waste due to environmental factors and other effects. The breeding system of ‘Bluecrop’ relies mainly on outcrossing because of its low affinity for self-fertilization and good interaction with pollinating insects. Thus, the special floral syndrome and the mechanism of secondary pollen presentation are significant in improving pollination efficiency and promoting the reproductive success of ‘Bluecrop’ by outcrossing. It can provide a certain theoretical basis for the future propagation breeding of ‘Bluecrop’.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Chunzhi Zhou
creator: Yalong Yu
creator: Yuwei Liu
creator: Shanlin Yang
creator: Yanfeng Chen
subject: Animal Behavior
subject: Plant Science
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.17273
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2024 Zhou et al.
abstract: Gradual pollen presentation is a plant reproductive mechanism to improve pollination efficiency and accuracy and promote outcrossing. Vaccinium corymbosum ‘Bluecrop’ has a typical gradual pollen presentation mechanism. ‘Bluecrop’ exhibits an inverted bell-shaped flower with a white coloration. By investigating the flower syndrome, pollination characteristics, pollination efficiency, and breeding system of ‘Bluecrop’, this study aims to explore the adaptive significance of these traits. The results showed ‘Bluecrop’ released pollen gradually through anther poricidal dehiscence. Among different pollinators, Apis mellifera and Bombus can pollinate effectively, and the mechanism of gradual pollen presentation significantly improved the efficiency of pollen transfer. This characteristic limits the amount of pollen removed by the pollinators and prolongs pollen presentation, thus attracting more pollinators and thereby increasing male fitness. The nectar secretion of ‘Bluecrop’ is gradual, with a large nectar production and a long phase of nectar secretion, enhance visitation frequencies and the chances of successful pollination. At the same time, campanulate corolla can protect pollen as well as nectar from waste due to environmental factors and other effects. The breeding system of ‘Bluecrop’ relies mainly on outcrossing because of its low affinity for self-fertilization and good interaction with pollinating insects. Thus, the special floral syndrome and the mechanism of secondary pollen presentation are significant in improving pollination efficiency and promoting the reproductive success of ‘Bluecrop’ by outcrossing. It can provide a certain theoretical basis for the future propagation breeding of ‘Bluecrop’.
bibliographic citation: Zhou et al. (2024) Gradual pollen presentation in Vaccinium corymbosum ‘Bluecrop’: an adaptive mechanism to improve pollination efficiency and outcrossing. PeerJ 12:e17273 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.17273
date submitted: 2023-11-15
date accepted: 2024-04-01
issued: 2024-04-30
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Zhou
  given name: Chunzhi
author list: Agent
  family name: Yu
  given name: Yalong
author list: Agent
  family name: Liu
  given name: Yuwei
author list: Agent
  family name: Yang
  given name: Shanlin
author list: Agent
  family name: Chen
  given name: Yanfeng
doi: 10.7717/peerj.17273
volume: 12
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2024-04-30
copyright: © 2024 Zhou et al.
attribution name: Zhou et al.

Fossil-informed biogeographic analysis suggests Eurasian regionalization in crown Squamata during the early Jurassic
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Background Squamata (lizards, snakes, and amphisbaenians) is a Triassic lineage with an extensive and complex biogeographic history, yet no large-scale study has reconstructed the ancestral range of early squamate lineages. The fossil record indicates a broadly Pangaean distribution by the end- Cretaceous, though many lineages (e.g., Paramacellodidae, Mosasauria, Polyglyphanodontia) subsequently went extinct. Thus, the origin and occupancy of extant radiations is unclear and may have been localized within Pangaea to specific plates, with potential regionalization to distinct Laurasian and Gondwanan landmasses during the Mesozoic in some groups. Methods We used recent tectonic models to code extant and fossil squamate distributions occurring on nine discrete plates for 9,755 species, with Jurassic and Cretaceous fossil constraints from three extinct lineages. We modeled ancestral ranges for crown Squamata from an extant-only molecular phylogeny using a suite of biogeographic models accommodating different evolutionary processes and fossil-based node constraints from known Jurassic and Cretaceous localities. We hypothesized that the best-fit models would not support a full Pangaean distribution (i.e., including all areas) for the origin of crown Squamata, but would instead show regionalization to specific areas within the fragmenting supercontinent, likely in the Northern Hemisphere where most early squamate fossils have been found. Results Incorporating fossil data reconstructs a localized origin within Pangaea, with early regionalization of extant lineages to Eurasia and Laurasia, while Gondwanan regionalization did not occur until the middle Cretaceous for Alethinophidia, Scolecophidia, and some crown Gekkotan lineages. While the Mesozoic history of extant squamate biogeography can be summarized as a Eurasian origin with dispersal out of Laurasia into Gondwana, their Cenozoic history is complex with multiple events (including secondary and tertiary recolonizations)…
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Ian V. Wilenzik
creator: Benjamin B. Barger
creator: R. Alexander Pyron
subject: Biodiversity
subject: Evolutionary Studies
subject: Paleontology
subject: Zoology
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.17277
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2024 Wilenzik et al.
abstract: Background Squamata (lizards, snakes, and amphisbaenians) is a Triassic lineage with an extensive and complex biogeographic history, yet no large-scale study has reconstructed the ancestral range of early squamate lineages. The fossil record indicates a broadly Pangaean distribution by the end- Cretaceous, though many lineages (e.g., Paramacellodidae, Mosasauria, Polyglyphanodontia) subsequently went extinct. Thus, the origin and occupancy of extant radiations is unclear and may have been localized within Pangaea to specific plates, with potential regionalization to distinct Laurasian and Gondwanan landmasses during the Mesozoic in some groups. Methods We used recent tectonic models to code extant and fossil squamate distributions occurring on nine discrete plates for 9,755 species, with Jurassic and Cretaceous fossil constraints from three extinct lineages. We modeled ancestral ranges for crown Squamata from an extant-only molecular phylogeny using a suite of biogeographic models accommodating different evolutionary processes and fossil-based node constraints from known Jurassic and Cretaceous localities. We hypothesized that the best-fit models would not support a full Pangaean distribution (i.e., including all areas) for the origin of crown Squamata, but would instead show regionalization to specific areas within the fragmenting supercontinent, likely in the Northern Hemisphere where most early squamate fossils have been found. Results Incorporating fossil data reconstructs a localized origin within Pangaea, with early regionalization of extant lineages to Eurasia and Laurasia, while Gondwanan regionalization did not occur until the middle Cretaceous for Alethinophidia, Scolecophidia, and some crown Gekkotan lineages. While the Mesozoic history of extant squamate biogeography can be summarized as a Eurasian origin with dispersal out of Laurasia into Gondwana, their Cenozoic history is complex with multiple events (including secondary and tertiary recolonizations)…
bibliographic citation: Wilenzik et al. (2024) Fossil-informed biogeographic analysis suggests Eurasian regionalization in crown Squamata during the early Jurassic. PeerJ 12:e17277 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.17277
date submitted: 2023-02-17
date accepted: 2024-04-01
issued: 2024-04-30
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Wilenzik
  given name: Ian V.
author list: Agent
  family name: Barger
  given name: Benjamin B.
author list: Agent
  family name: Pyron
  given name: R. Alexander
doi: 10.7717/peerj.17277
volume: 12
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2024-04-30
copyright: ©2024 Wilenzik et al.
attribution name: Wilenzik et al.

The impact of skeletal muscle index at the third lumbar spine on nosocomial deterioration and short-term prognosis in acute pancreatitis: a retrospective observational study
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Objective To investigate the impact of the third lumbar skeletal muscle index (L3-SMI) assessed by CT on the in-hospital severity and short-term prognosis of acute pancreatitis. Methods A total of 224 patients with severe acute pancreatitis admitted to Yantaishan Hospital from January 2021 to June 2022 were selected as the subjects. Based on the in-hospital treatment outcomes, they were divided into a mortality group of 59 cases as well as a survival group of 165 cases. Upon admission, general information such as the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) score, along with the abdominal CT images of each patient, were analyzed. The L3-SMI was calculated, and the Modified CT Severity Index (MCTSI) and Balthazar CT grade were used to assess the severity of in-hospital complications of acute pancreatitis. The evaluation value of L3-SMI for the prognosis of severe acute pancreatitis was analyzed, as well as the factors influencing the prognosis of severe acute pancreatitis. Results No statistically significant differences in gender, age, BMI, etiology, duration of anti-inflammatory drug use, and proportion of surgical patients between the survival and mortality groups were observed. But the mortality group showed higher proportions of patients with an elevated APACHE II score upon admission, mechanical ventilation, and renal replacement therapy, compared to the survival group, with statistically significant differences (P < 0.001). Furthermore, the mortality group had higher MCTSI scores (6.42 ± 0.69) and Balthazar CT grades (3.78 ± 0.45) than the survival group, with statistically significant differences (P < 0.001). The mortality group also had a lower L3-SMI (39.68 ± 3.25) compared to the survival group (42.71 ± 4.28), with statistically significant differences (P < 0.001). L3-SMI exhibited a negative correlation with MCTSI scores and Balthazar CT grades (r = −0.889, −0.790, P < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis, with mortality of acute panc…
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Chuntao Lin
creator: Junyuan Zhang
creator: Chunye Wang
creator: Wei Lian
creator: Yicong Liu
subject: Internal Medicine
subject: Radiology and Medical Imaging
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.17283
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2024 Lin et al.
abstract: Objective To investigate the impact of the third lumbar skeletal muscle index (L3-SMI) assessed by CT on the in-hospital severity and short-term prognosis of acute pancreatitis. Methods A total of 224 patients with severe acute pancreatitis admitted to Yantaishan Hospital from January 2021 to June 2022 were selected as the subjects. Based on the in-hospital treatment outcomes, they were divided into a mortality group of 59 cases as well as a survival group of 165 cases. Upon admission, general information such as the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) score, along with the abdominal CT images of each patient, were analyzed. The L3-SMI was calculated, and the Modified CT Severity Index (MCTSI) and Balthazar CT grade were used to assess the severity of in-hospital complications of acute pancreatitis. The evaluation value of L3-SMI for the prognosis of severe acute pancreatitis was analyzed, as well as the factors influencing the prognosis of severe acute pancreatitis. Results No statistically significant differences in gender, age, BMI, etiology, duration of anti-inflammatory drug use, and proportion of surgical patients between the survival and mortality groups were observed. But the mortality group showed higher proportions of patients with an elevated APACHE II score upon admission, mechanical ventilation, and renal replacement therapy, compared to the survival group, with statistically significant differences (P < 0.001). Furthermore, the mortality group had higher MCTSI scores (6.42 ± 0.69) and Balthazar CT grades (3.78 ± 0.45) than the survival group, with statistically significant differences (P < 0.001). The mortality group also had a lower L3-SMI (39.68 ± 3.25) compared to the survival group (42.71 ± 4.28), with statistically significant differences (P < 0.001). L3-SMI exhibited a negative correlation with MCTSI scores and Balthazar CT grades (r = −0.889, −0.790, P < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis, with mortality of acute panc…
bibliographic citation: Lin et al. (2024) The impact of skeletal muscle index at the third lumbar spine on nosocomial deterioration and short-term prognosis in acute pancreatitis: a retrospective observational study. PeerJ 12:e17283 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.17283
date submitted: 2023-11-22
date accepted: 2024-04-01
issued: 2024-04-30
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Lin
  given name: Chuntao
author list: Agent
  family name: Zhang
  given name: Junyuan
author list: Agent
  family name: Wang
  given name: Chunye
author list: Agent
  family name: Lian
  given name: Wei
author list: Agent
  family name: Liu
  given name: Yicong
doi: 10.7717/peerj.17283
volume: 12
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2024-04-30
copyright: © 2024 Lin et al.
attribution name: Lin et al.

Expressing banana transcription factor MaERFVII3 in Arabidopsis confers enhanced waterlogging tolerance and root growth
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Background Waterlogging poses a significant threat to plant growth and yield worldwide. Identifying the genes responsible for mitigating waterlogging stress is crucial. Ethylene-responsive factors (ERFs) are transcriptional regulators that respond to various biotic and abiotic stresses in plants. However, their roles and involvement in responding to waterlogging stress remain largely unexplored. Hence, this study aimed to elucidate the role of ERFs in enhancing banana plant resilience to waterlogging. Methods We hypothesized that introducing a group VII ERF transcription factor in Arabidopsis could enhance waterlogging stress tolerance. To test this hypothesis, we isolated MaERFVII3 from banana roots, where it exhibited a significant induction in response to waterlogging stress. The isolated MaERFVII3 was introduced into Arabidopsis plants for functional gene studies. Results Compared with wild-type plants, the MaERFVII3-expressing Arabidopsis showed increased survival and biomass under waterlogging stress. Furthermore, the abundance of transcripts related to waterlogging and hypoxia response showed an elevation in transgenic plants but a decrease in wild-type and empty vector plants when exposed to waterlogging stress. Our results demonstrate the significant contribution of MaERFVII3 to waterlogging tolerance in Arabidopsis, providing baseline data for further exploration and potentially contributing to crop improvement programs.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Ee Yang Teoh
creator: Chee How Teo
creator: Nadiya Akmal Baharum
creator: Boon Chin Tan
subject: Agricultural Science
subject: Molecular Biology
subject: Plant Science
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.17285
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2024 Teoh et al.
abstract: Background Waterlogging poses a significant threat to plant growth and yield worldwide. Identifying the genes responsible for mitigating waterlogging stress is crucial. Ethylene-responsive factors (ERFs) are transcriptional regulators that respond to various biotic and abiotic stresses in plants. However, their roles and involvement in responding to waterlogging stress remain largely unexplored. Hence, this study aimed to elucidate the role of ERFs in enhancing banana plant resilience to waterlogging. Methods We hypothesized that introducing a group VII ERF transcription factor in Arabidopsis could enhance waterlogging stress tolerance. To test this hypothesis, we isolated MaERFVII3 from banana roots, where it exhibited a significant induction in response to waterlogging stress. The isolated MaERFVII3 was introduced into Arabidopsis plants for functional gene studies. Results Compared with wild-type plants, the MaERFVII3-expressing Arabidopsis showed increased survival and biomass under waterlogging stress. Furthermore, the abundance of transcripts related to waterlogging and hypoxia response showed an elevation in transgenic plants but a decrease in wild-type and empty vector plants when exposed to waterlogging stress. Our results demonstrate the significant contribution of MaERFVII3 to waterlogging tolerance in Arabidopsis, providing baseline data for further exploration and potentially contributing to crop improvement programs.
bibliographic citation: Teoh et al. (2024) Expressing banana transcription factor MaERFVII3 in Arabidopsis confers enhanced waterlogging tolerance and root growth. PeerJ 12:e17285 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.17285
date submitted: 2024-01-19
date accepted: 2024-04-01
issued: 2024-04-30
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Teoh
  given name: Ee Yang
author list: Agent
  family name: Teo
  given name: Chee How
author list: Agent
  family name: Baharum
  given name: Nadiya Akmal
author list: Agent
  family name: Tan
  given name: Boon Chin
doi: 10.7717/peerj.17285
volume: 12
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2024-04-30
copyright: © 2024 Teoh et al.
attribution name: Teoh et al.

Improvement of morphophysiological and anatomical attributes of plants under abiotic stress conditions using plant growth-promoting bacteria and safety treatments
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Drought and salinity are the major abiotic stress factors negatively affecting the morphophysiological, biochemical, and anatomical characteristics of numerous plant species worldwide. The detrimental effects of these environmental factors can be seen in leaf and stem anatomical structures including the decrease in thickness of cell walls, palisade and spongy tissue, phloem and xylem tissue. Also, the disintegration of grana staking, and an increase in the size of mitochondria were observed under salinity and drought conditions. Drought and salt stresses can significantly decrease plant height, number of leaves and branches, leaf area, fresh and dry weight, or plant relative water content (RWC%) and concentration of photosynthetic pigments. On the other hand, stress-induced lipid peroxidation and malondialdehyde (MDA) production, electrolyte leakage (EL%), and production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) can increase under salinity and drought conditions. Antioxidant defense systems such as catalase, peroxidase, glutathione reductase, ascorbic acid, and gamma-aminobutyric acid are essential components under drought and salt stresses to protect the plant organelles from oxidative damage caused by ROS. The application of safe and eco-friendly treatments is a very important strategy to overcome the adverse effects of drought and salinity on the growth characteristics and yield of plants. It is shown that treatments with plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) can improve morphoanatomical characteristics under salinity and drought stress. It is also shown that yeast extract, mannitol, proline, melatonin, silicon, chitosan, α-Tocopherols (vitamin E), and biochar alleviate the negative effects of drought and salinity stresses through the ROS scavenging resulting in the improvement of plant attributes and yield of the stressed plants. This review discusses the role of safety and eco-friendly treatments in alleviating the harmful effects of salinity and drought associated wit…
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Wasimah Buraykan Alshammari
creator: Kholoud Alshammery
creator: Salwa Lotfi
creator: Haya Altamimi
creator: Abeer Alshammari
creator: Nadi Awad Al-Harbi
creator: Dragana Jakovljević
creator: Mona Hajed Alharbi
creator: Moustapha Eid Moustapha
creator: Diaa Abd El-Moneim
creator: Khaled Abdelaal
subject: Agricultural Science
subject: Genetics
subject: Genomics
subject: Molecular Biology
subject: Plant Science
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.17286
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2024 Alshammari et al.
abstract: Drought and salinity are the major abiotic stress factors negatively affecting the morphophysiological, biochemical, and anatomical characteristics of numerous plant species worldwide. The detrimental effects of these environmental factors can be seen in leaf and stem anatomical structures including the decrease in thickness of cell walls, palisade and spongy tissue, phloem and xylem tissue. Also, the disintegration of grana staking, and an increase in the size of mitochondria were observed under salinity and drought conditions. Drought and salt stresses can significantly decrease plant height, number of leaves and branches, leaf area, fresh and dry weight, or plant relative water content (RWC%) and concentration of photosynthetic pigments. On the other hand, stress-induced lipid peroxidation and malondialdehyde (MDA) production, electrolyte leakage (EL%), and production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) can increase under salinity and drought conditions. Antioxidant defense systems such as catalase, peroxidase, glutathione reductase, ascorbic acid, and gamma-aminobutyric acid are essential components under drought and salt stresses to protect the plant organelles from oxidative damage caused by ROS. The application of safe and eco-friendly treatments is a very important strategy to overcome the adverse effects of drought and salinity on the growth characteristics and yield of plants. It is shown that treatments with plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) can improve morphoanatomical characteristics under salinity and drought stress. It is also shown that yeast extract, mannitol, proline, melatonin, silicon, chitosan, α-Tocopherols (vitamin E), and biochar alleviate the negative effects of drought and salinity stresses through the ROS scavenging resulting in the improvement of plant attributes and yield of the stressed plants. This review discusses the role of safety and eco-friendly treatments in alleviating the harmful effects of salinity and drought associated wit…
bibliographic citation: Alshammari et al. (2024) Improvement of morphophysiological and anatomical attributes of plants under abiotic stress conditions using plant growth-promoting bacteria and safety treatments. PeerJ 12:e17286 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.17286
date submitted: 2024-02-12
date accepted: 2024-04-01
issued: 2024-04-30
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Alshammari
  given name: Wasimah Buraykan
author list: Agent
  family name: Alshammery
  given name: Kholoud
author list: Agent
  family name: Lotfi
  given name: Salwa
author list: Agent
  family name: Altamimi
  given name: Haya
author list: Agent
  family name: Alshammari
  given name: Abeer
author list: Agent
  family name: Al-Harbi
  given name: Nadi Awad
author list: Agent
  family name: Jakovljević
  given name: Dragana
author list: Agent
  family name: Alharbi
  given name: Mona Hajed
author list: Agent
  family name: Moustapha
  given name: Moustapha Eid
author list: Agent
  family name: Abd El-Moneim
  given name: Diaa
author list: Agent
  family name: Abdelaal
  given name: Khaled
doi: 10.7717/peerj.17286
volume: 12
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2024-04-30
copyright: ©2024 Alshammari et al.
attribution name: Alshammari et al.

Spatial distribution of settlement of Diadema antillarum around Saba, Dutch Caribbean
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: The mass mortality event of the herbivorous sea urchin Diadema antillarum in 1983–1984 has been a major contributor to the diminished resilience of coral reefs throughout the Caribbean. The reduction in grazing pressure resulted in algae proliferation, which inhibited coral recruitment after disturbances such as disease, hurricanes, pollution and climatic change induced marine heat waves. Natural recovery of D. antillarum after the 1983–1984 die-off has been slow. However, the few locations with recovered populations exhibit signs of improvement in coral reef health, prompting interest in D. antillarum restoration. Current restoration strategies include translocation of wild individuals, the restocking of juveniles that are either cultured from gametes or collected as settlers and head-started in a nursery, and assisted natural recovery by providing suitable settlement substrate. Both the collection of wild settlers and assisted natural recovery necessitate an understanding of the local, spatiotemporal trends in settlement. In this study, which was carried out on the Dutch Caribbean Island of Saba, artificial turf settlement collectors were deployed at nine locations around the island and monitored from June 2019 till July 2020 (13 months). The primary objective was to identify trends in larval settlement in space and time, to be able to optimize restoration efforts. Additionally, the small size of Saba allowed us to deploy settlement collectors around the island and compare D. antillarum settlement between windward and leeward sides. Our study showed that on Saba, D. antillarum settlement peaked in June and July, following similar seasonal trends observed around other islands in the Northeastern Caribbean. By far the most settlement occurred at the leeward side of the island, suggesting that hydrodynamic forces entrained D. antillarum larvae in the lee of Saba and/or calmer waters facilitated settlement. Limited settlement occurred on the more exposed windward loca…
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Oliver J. Klokman
creator: Alwin Hylkema
subject: Ecology
subject: Marine Biology
subject: Zoology
subject: Biological Oceanography
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.17291
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2024 Klokman and Hylkema
abstract: The mass mortality event of the herbivorous sea urchin Diadema antillarum in 1983–1984 has been a major contributor to the diminished resilience of coral reefs throughout the Caribbean. The reduction in grazing pressure resulted in algae proliferation, which inhibited coral recruitment after disturbances such as disease, hurricanes, pollution and climatic change induced marine heat waves. Natural recovery of D. antillarum after the 1983–1984 die-off has been slow. However, the few locations with recovered populations exhibit signs of improvement in coral reef health, prompting interest in D. antillarum restoration. Current restoration strategies include translocation of wild individuals, the restocking of juveniles that are either cultured from gametes or collected as settlers and head-started in a nursery, and assisted natural recovery by providing suitable settlement substrate. Both the collection of wild settlers and assisted natural recovery necessitate an understanding of the local, spatiotemporal trends in settlement. In this study, which was carried out on the Dutch Caribbean Island of Saba, artificial turf settlement collectors were deployed at nine locations around the island and monitored from June 2019 till July 2020 (13 months). The primary objective was to identify trends in larval settlement in space and time, to be able to optimize restoration efforts. Additionally, the small size of Saba allowed us to deploy settlement collectors around the island and compare D. antillarum settlement between windward and leeward sides. Our study showed that on Saba, D. antillarum settlement peaked in June and July, following similar seasonal trends observed around other islands in the Northeastern Caribbean. By far the most settlement occurred at the leeward side of the island, suggesting that hydrodynamic forces entrained D. antillarum larvae in the lee of Saba and/or calmer waters facilitated settlement. Limited settlement occurred on the more exposed windward loca…
bibliographic citation: Klokman et al. (2024) Spatial distribution of settlement of Diadema antillarum around Saba, Dutch Caribbean. PeerJ 12:e17291 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.17291
date submitted: 2023-07-10
date accepted: 2024-04-02
issued: 2024-04-30
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Klokman
  given name: Oliver J.
author list: Agent
  family name: Hylkema
  given name: Alwin
doi: 10.7717/peerj.17291
volume: 12
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2024-04-30
copyright: © 2024 Klokman and Hylkema
attribution name: Klokman and Hylkema

Seeing the impossible: the impact of watching magic on positive emotions, optimism, and wellbeing
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Watching a magic trick is a unique experience in which seemingly impossible events appear possible but without any suspension of disbelief. Unfortunately, relatively little work has examined the psychological impact of this fascinating experience. In the current study, participants first completed a measure of the degree to which they disliked magic (Loathing of Legerdemain Scale: LOLS) and then watched a video that either contained a series of magic tricks (magic video) or carefully matched non-magic tricks (control video). Participants then rated the degree to which they experienced positive epistemic emotions (Epistemically Related Emotion Scale: ERES), their belief about impossible events being possible in the future (Modal Judgment Task: MJT), general optimism (State Optimism Measure: SOM) and subjective wellbeing (Satisfaction With Life Scale: SWLS). Compared to participants who watched the control video, those who saw the magic video reported more positive epistemic emotions on the ERES. There were no significant differences on the MJT, SOM and SWLS. Participants’ LOLS scores were negatively correlated with the ERES, SOM and SWLS, suggesting that those who like magic are more likely to experience positive epistemic emotions, have higher levels of general optimism, and express greater satisfaction with their lives. These findings are discussed within the context of short-term and long-term exposure to magic, along with recommendations for future work.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Richard Wiseman
creator: Caroline Watt
subject: Psychiatry and Psychology
subject: Mental Health
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.17308
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2024 Wiseman and Watt
abstract: Watching a magic trick is a unique experience in which seemingly impossible events appear possible but without any suspension of disbelief. Unfortunately, relatively little work has examined the psychological impact of this fascinating experience. In the current study, participants first completed a measure of the degree to which they disliked magic (Loathing of Legerdemain Scale: LOLS) and then watched a video that either contained a series of magic tricks (magic video) or carefully matched non-magic tricks (control video). Participants then rated the degree to which they experienced positive epistemic emotions (Epistemically Related Emotion Scale: ERES), their belief about impossible events being possible in the future (Modal Judgment Task: MJT), general optimism (State Optimism Measure: SOM) and subjective wellbeing (Satisfaction With Life Scale: SWLS). Compared to participants who watched the control video, those who saw the magic video reported more positive epistemic emotions on the ERES. There were no significant differences on the MJT, SOM and SWLS. Participants’ LOLS scores were negatively correlated with the ERES, SOM and SWLS, suggesting that those who like magic are more likely to experience positive epistemic emotions, have higher levels of general optimism, and express greater satisfaction with their lives. These findings are discussed within the context of short-term and long-term exposure to magic, along with recommendations for future work.
bibliographic citation: Wiseman et al. (2024) Seeing the impossible: the impact of watching magic on positive emotions, optimism, and wellbeing. PeerJ 12:e17308 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.17308
date submitted: 2024-02-13
date accepted: 2024-04-08
issued: 2024-04-30
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Wiseman
  given name: Richard
author list: Agent
  family name: Watt
  given name: Caroline
doi: 10.7717/peerj.17308
volume: 12
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2024-04-30
copyright: ©2024 Wiseman and Watt
attribution name: Wiseman and Watt

Circulating HMGB1 in acute ischemic stroke and its association with post-stroke cognitive impairment
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Background Ischemic stroke frequently leads to a condition known as post-stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI). Timely recognition of individuals susceptible to developing PSCI could facilitate the implementation of personalized strategies to mitigate cognitive deterioration. High mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) is a protein released by ischemic neurons and implicated in inflammation after stroke. Circulating levels of HMGB1 could potentially serve as a prognostic indicator for the onset of cognitive impairment following ischemic stroke. Objective To investigate the predictive value of circulating HMGB1 concentrations in the acute phase of ischemic stroke for the development of cognitive dysfunction at the 3-month follow-up. Methods A total of 192 individuals experiencing their initial episode of acute cerebral infarction were prospectively recruited for this longitudinal investigation. Concentrations of circulating HMGB1 were quantified using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique within the first 24 hours following hospital admission. Patients underwent neurological evaluation including NIHSS scoring. Neuropsychological evaluation was conducted at the 3-month follow-up after the cerebrovascular event, employing the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) as the primary tool for assessing cognitive performance. Multivariable logistic regression models were employed to investigate the relationship between circulating HMGB1 concentrations and cognitive dysfunction following stroke, which was operationalized as a MoCA score below 26, while controlling for potential confounders including demographic characteristics, stroke severity, vascular risk factors, and laboratory parameters. Results Of 192 patients, 84 (44%) developed PSCI. Circulating HMGB1 concentrations were significantly elevated in individuals who developed cognitive dysfunction following stroke compared to those who maintained cognitive integrity (8.4 ± 1.2 ng/mL vs 4.6 ± 0.5 ng/mL, respectively; p …
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Zhenbao Liu
creator: Weixia Yang
creator: Jianxin Chen
creator: Qian Wang
subject: Immunology
subject: Neurology
subject: Pathology
subject: Biomechanics
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.17309
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2024 Liu et al.
abstract: Background Ischemic stroke frequently leads to a condition known as post-stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI). Timely recognition of individuals susceptible to developing PSCI could facilitate the implementation of personalized strategies to mitigate cognitive deterioration. High mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) is a protein released by ischemic neurons and implicated in inflammation after stroke. Circulating levels of HMGB1 could potentially serve as a prognostic indicator for the onset of cognitive impairment following ischemic stroke. Objective To investigate the predictive value of circulating HMGB1 concentrations in the acute phase of ischemic stroke for the development of cognitive dysfunction at the 3-month follow-up. Methods A total of 192 individuals experiencing their initial episode of acute cerebral infarction were prospectively recruited for this longitudinal investigation. Concentrations of circulating HMGB1 were quantified using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique within the first 24 hours following hospital admission. Patients underwent neurological evaluation including NIHSS scoring. Neuropsychological evaluation was conducted at the 3-month follow-up after the cerebrovascular event, employing the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) as the primary tool for assessing cognitive performance. Multivariable logistic regression models were employed to investigate the relationship between circulating HMGB1 concentrations and cognitive dysfunction following stroke, which was operationalized as a MoCA score below 26, while controlling for potential confounders including demographic characteristics, stroke severity, vascular risk factors, and laboratory parameters. Results Of 192 patients, 84 (44%) developed PSCI. Circulating HMGB1 concentrations were significantly elevated in individuals who developed cognitive dysfunction following stroke compared to those who maintained cognitive integrity (8.4 ± 1.2 ng/mL vs 4.6 ± 0.5 ng/mL, respectively; p …
bibliographic citation: Liu et al. (2024) Circulating HMGB1 in acute ischemic stroke and its association with post-stroke cognitive impairment. PeerJ 12:e17309 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.17309
date submitted: 2023-12-11
date accepted: 2024-04-08
issued: 2024-04-30
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Liu
  given name: Zhenbao
author list: Agent
  family name: Yang
  given name: Weixia
author list: Agent
  family name: Chen
  given name: Jianxin
author list: Agent
  family name: Wang
  given name: Qian
doi: 10.7717/peerj.17309
volume: 12
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2024-04-30
copyright: ©2024 Liu et al.
attribution name: Liu et al.

Cortical activity associated with the maintenance of balance during unstable stances
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Background Humans continuously maintain and adjust posture during gait, standing, and sitting. The difficulty of postural control is reportedly increased during unstable stances, such as unipedal standing and with closed eyes. Although balance is slightly impaired in healthy young adults in such unstable stances, they rarely fall. The brain recognizes the change in sensory inputs and outputs motor commands to the musculoskeletal system. However, such changes in cortical activity associated with the maintenance of balance following periods of instability require further clarified. Methods In this study, a total of 15 male participants performed two postural control tasks and the center of pressure displacement and electroencephalogram were simultaneously measured. In addition, the correlation between amplitude of center of pressure displacement and power spectral density of electroencephalogram was analyzed. Results The movement of the center of pressure was larger in unipedal standing than in bipedal standing under both eye open and eye closed conditions. It was also larger under the eye closed condition compared with when the eyes were open in unipedal standing. The amplitude of high-frequency bandwidth (1–3 Hz) of the center of pressure displacement was larger during more difficult postural tasks than during easier ones, suggesting that the continuous maintenance of posture was required. The power spectral densities of the theta activity in the frontal area and the gamma activity in the parietal area were higher during more difficult postural tasks than during easier ones across two postural control tasks, and these correlate with the increase in amplitude of high-frequency bandwidth of the center of pressure displacement. Conclusions Taken together, specific activation patterns of the neocortex are suggested to be important for the postural maintenance during unstable stances.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Shoma Ue
creator: Kakeru Nakahama
creator: Junpei Hayashi
creator: Tomohiro Ohgomori
subject: Neuroscience
subject: Biomechanics
subject: Rehabilitation
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.17313
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2024 Ue et al.
abstract: Background Humans continuously maintain and adjust posture during gait, standing, and sitting. The difficulty of postural control is reportedly increased during unstable stances, such as unipedal standing and with closed eyes. Although balance is slightly impaired in healthy young adults in such unstable stances, they rarely fall. The brain recognizes the change in sensory inputs and outputs motor commands to the musculoskeletal system. However, such changes in cortical activity associated with the maintenance of balance following periods of instability require further clarified. Methods In this study, a total of 15 male participants performed two postural control tasks and the center of pressure displacement and electroencephalogram were simultaneously measured. In addition, the correlation between amplitude of center of pressure displacement and power spectral density of electroencephalogram was analyzed. Results The movement of the center of pressure was larger in unipedal standing than in bipedal standing under both eye open and eye closed conditions. It was also larger under the eye closed condition compared with when the eyes were open in unipedal standing. The amplitude of high-frequency bandwidth (1–3 Hz) of the center of pressure displacement was larger during more difficult postural tasks than during easier ones, suggesting that the continuous maintenance of posture was required. The power spectral densities of the theta activity in the frontal area and the gamma activity in the parietal area were higher during more difficult postural tasks than during easier ones across two postural control tasks, and these correlate with the increase in amplitude of high-frequency bandwidth of the center of pressure displacement. Conclusions Taken together, specific activation patterns of the neocortex are suggested to be important for the postural maintenance during unstable stances.
bibliographic citation: Ue et al. (2024) Cortical activity associated with the maintenance of balance during unstable stances. PeerJ 12:e17313 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.17313
date submitted: 2024-02-02
date accepted: 2024-04-08
issued: 2024-04-30
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Ue
  given name: Shoma
author list: Agent
  family name: Nakahama
  given name: Kakeru
author list: Agent
  family name: Hayashi
  given name: Junpei
author list: Agent
  family name: Ohgomori
  given name: Tomohiro
doi: 10.7717/peerj.17313
volume: 12
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2024-04-30
copyright: © 2024 Ue et al.
attribution name: Ue et al.

The representation of contextual cue is stimulus-specific yet its expression is flexible
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Background Contextual cueing refers to the phenomenon in which individuals utilize frequently encountered environmental contexts, comprised of distractors, as cues to expedite a target search. Due to the conflict between the widespread occurrence of contextual cue transfer and the observed impact of changing the identity of distractors on contextual cue learning, the content of contextual cue representations remains contentious. Considering the independent nature of contextual cue learning and expression, our proposition is twofold: (1) Contextual cue representations are stimulus-specific, and (2) their expression is highly flexible. Methods To validate the model, two experiments were conducted. Experiment 1 aimed to confirm the hypothesis that contextual cue representations are stimulus-specific. We manipulated the identity consistency of distractors within repeated scenes during contextual cue learning. Difficulty in contextual cue learning under the identity-changing condition would suggest the necessity of identity within contextual cue representation, indicating the stimulus-specific nature of these representations. Experiment 2 was designed to affirm the conclusion of Experiment 1 and explore the flexibility in the expression of contextual cue representations. This experiment comprised two phases: learning and testing. During the learning phase, participants were exposed to two sets of repeated scenes in different colors under two learning conditions: load and no-load. Working memory load was introduced to interfere with the expression to prevent it from becoming automatic. In the subsequent testing phase, the colors of the two scene sets were interchanged to impede retrieval based on identity. If both load and no-load conditions demonstrate similar levels of contextual cue effects during the testing phase, it implies the flexibility in the expression of contextual cue representations and confirms the conclusion of Experiment 1. Results In Experiment 1, a nota…
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Xiaoyu Chen
creator: Shuliang Bai
creator: Qidan Ren
creator: Yi Chen
creator: Fangfang Long
creator: Ying Jiang
subject: Neuroscience
subject: Psychiatry and Psychology
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.17318
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2024 Chen et al.
abstract: Background Contextual cueing refers to the phenomenon in which individuals utilize frequently encountered environmental contexts, comprised of distractors, as cues to expedite a target search. Due to the conflict between the widespread occurrence of contextual cue transfer and the observed impact of changing the identity of distractors on contextual cue learning, the content of contextual cue representations remains contentious. Considering the independent nature of contextual cue learning and expression, our proposition is twofold: (1) Contextual cue representations are stimulus-specific, and (2) their expression is highly flexible. Methods To validate the model, two experiments were conducted. Experiment 1 aimed to confirm the hypothesis that contextual cue representations are stimulus-specific. We manipulated the identity consistency of distractors within repeated scenes during contextual cue learning. Difficulty in contextual cue learning under the identity-changing condition would suggest the necessity of identity within contextual cue representation, indicating the stimulus-specific nature of these representations. Experiment 2 was designed to affirm the conclusion of Experiment 1 and explore the flexibility in the expression of contextual cue representations. This experiment comprised two phases: learning and testing. During the learning phase, participants were exposed to two sets of repeated scenes in different colors under two learning conditions: load and no-load. Working memory load was introduced to interfere with the expression to prevent it from becoming automatic. In the subsequent testing phase, the colors of the two scene sets were interchanged to impede retrieval based on identity. If both load and no-load conditions demonstrate similar levels of contextual cue effects during the testing phase, it implies the flexibility in the expression of contextual cue representations and confirms the conclusion of Experiment 1. Results In Experiment 1, a nota…
bibliographic citation: Chen et al. (2024) The representation of contextual cue is stimulus-specific yet its expression is flexible. PeerJ 12:e17318 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.17318
date submitted: 2023-12-01
date accepted: 2024-04-09
issued: 2024-04-30
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Chen
  given name: Xiaoyu
author list: Agent
  family name: Bai
  given name: Shuliang
author list: Agent
  family name: Ren
  given name: Qidan
author list: Agent
  family name: Chen
  given name: Yi
author list: Agent
  family name: Long
  given name: Fangfang
author list: Agent
  family name: Jiang
  given name: Ying
doi: 10.7717/peerj.17318
volume: 12
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2024-04-30
copyright: © 2024 Chen et al.
attribution name: Chen et al.

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