PeerJ
type: channel
link: https://peerj.com/articles/
description: Articles published in PeerJ
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
publication name: PeerJ
issn: 2167-8359
items: Malaria: biochemical, physiological, diagnostic, and therapeutic updates
items: Exploring the relationships between pre-pregnancy BMI, gestational weight gain, and nutritional intake: a real-world investigation in Shandong, China
items: Evaluation of some garden flowers as specialty cut flowers in Eskisehir province-Türkiye
items: Heatwave-like events affect drone production and brood-care behaviour in bumblebees
items: Waterlogging in soil restricts the growth of Gleditsia sinensis seedlings and inhibits the accumulation of lignans and phenolic acids in thorns
items: Effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis on growth and biochemical characteristics of Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata) seedlings under low phosphorus environment
items: Effect of high intensity circuit training on muscle mass, muscular strength, and blood parameters in sedentary workers
items: Combined detection of serum IL-6 and CEA contributes to the diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma in situ
items: Effectiveness of therapeutic ultrasound on reducing pain intensity and functional disability in patients with plantar fasciitis: a systematic review of randomised controlled trials
items: Foveavelia, a new South American genus of Veliinae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Veliidae)

Malaria: biochemical, physiological, diagnostic, and therapeutic updates
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Background Malaria has been appraised as a significant vector-borne parasitic disease with grave morbidity and high-rate mortality. Several challenges have been confronting the efficient diagnosis and treatment of malaria. Method Google Scholar, PubMed, Web of Science, and the Egyptian Knowledge Bank (EKB) were all used to gather articles. Results Diverse biochemical and physiological indices can mirror complicated malaria e.g., hypoglycemia, dyslipidemia, elevated renal and hepatic functions in addition to the lower antioxidant capacity that does not only destroy the parasite but also induces endothelial damage. Multiple trials have been conducted to improve recent points of care in malaria involving biosensors, lap on-chip, and microdevices technology. Regarding recent therapeutic trials, chemical falcipain inhibitors and plant extracts with anti-plasmodial activities are presented. Moreover, antimalaria nano-medicine and the emergence of nanocarrier (either active or passive) in drug transportation are promising. The combination therapeutic trials e.g., amodiaquine + artemether + lumefantrine are presented to safely counterbalance the emerging drug resistance in addition to the Tafenoquine as a new anti-relapse therapy. Conclusion Recognizing the pathophysiology indices potentiate diagnosis of malaria. The new points of care can smartly manipulate the biochemical and hematological alterations for a more sensitive and specific diagnosis of malaria. Nano-medicine appeared promising. Chemical and plant extracts remain points of research.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Enas El Saftawy
creator: Mohamed F. Farag
creator: Hossam H. Gebreil
creator: Mohamed Abdelfatah
creator: Basma Emad Aboulhoda
creator: Mansour Alghamdi
creator: Emad A. Albadawi
creator: Marwa Ali Abd Elkhalek
subject: Parasitology
subject: Immunology
subject: Infectious Diseases
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.17084
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2024 El Saftawy et al.
abstract: Background Malaria has been appraised as a significant vector-borne parasitic disease with grave morbidity and high-rate mortality. Several challenges have been confronting the efficient diagnosis and treatment of malaria. Method Google Scholar, PubMed, Web of Science, and the Egyptian Knowledge Bank (EKB) were all used to gather articles. Results Diverse biochemical and physiological indices can mirror complicated malaria e.g., hypoglycemia, dyslipidemia, elevated renal and hepatic functions in addition to the lower antioxidant capacity that does not only destroy the parasite but also induces endothelial damage. Multiple trials have been conducted to improve recent points of care in malaria involving biosensors, lap on-chip, and microdevices technology. Regarding recent therapeutic trials, chemical falcipain inhibitors and plant extracts with anti-plasmodial activities are presented. Moreover, antimalaria nano-medicine and the emergence of nanocarrier (either active or passive) in drug transportation are promising. The combination therapeutic trials e.g., amodiaquine + artemether + lumefantrine are presented to safely counterbalance the emerging drug resistance in addition to the Tafenoquine as a new anti-relapse therapy. Conclusion Recognizing the pathophysiology indices potentiate diagnosis of malaria. The new points of care can smartly manipulate the biochemical and hematological alterations for a more sensitive and specific diagnosis of malaria. Nano-medicine appeared promising. Chemical and plant extracts remain points of research.
bibliographic citation: El Saftawy et al. (2024) Malaria: biochemical, physiological, diagnostic, and therapeutic updates. PeerJ 12:e17084 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.17084
date submitted: 2023-09-19
date accepted: 2024-02-19
issued: 2024-03-22
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: El Saftawy
  given name: Enas
author list: Agent
  family name: Farag
  given name: Mohamed F.
author list: Agent
  family name: Gebreil
  given name: Hossam H.
author list: Agent
  family name: Abdelfatah
  given name: Mohamed
author list: Agent
  family name: Aboulhoda
  given name: Basma Emad
author list: Agent
  family name: Alghamdi
  given name: Mansour
author list: Agent
  family name: Albadawi
  given name: Emad A.
author list: Agent
  family name: Abd Elkhalek
  given name: Marwa Ali
doi: 10.7717/peerj.17084
volume: 12
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2024-03-22
copyright: ©2024 El Saftawy et al.
attribution name: El Saftawy et al.

Exploring the relationships between pre-pregnancy BMI, gestational weight gain, and nutritional intake: a real-world investigation in Shandong, China
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: This study investigated the associations between gestational weight gain (GWG), pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI), and prenatal diet quality in pregnant women from Shandong, China. We analyzed a sample of 532 early-stage pregnant women registered at an outpatient clinic. Diet quality was evaluated using the Chinese Healthy Dietary Index for Pregnancy (CHDI-P), encompassing three dimensions: diversity, adequacy, and limitation, with an overall score out of 100. Dietary intake was documented via 24-h dietary recalls spanning three consecutive days and subsequently translated to a CHDI-P score. At the time of enrollment, BMI was measured on-site and classified as underweight (<18.5), normal weight (18.5–24.9), overweight (25.0–29.9), and obese (≥30.0). Pregnant women were also categorized into inadequate, adequate, and excessive weight gain groups based on their GWG. We employed a Tukey-adjusted generalized linear model to compare the CHDI-P scores between the pre-pregnancy BMI groups and GWG groups. The results revealed that the underweight group had significantly higher total scores and limitation total scores on the CHDI-P (p < 0.001). Conversely, the overweight and obese groups were more susceptible to suboptimal dietary quality. Notably, the inadequate weight gain group displayed significantly elevated food adequacy scores compared to the other two groups (p < 0.05). This indicates that greater GWGs do not necessarily align with principles of adequate nutrition.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Juan Zhang
creator: Xue Wang
creator: Ping Zhu
creator: Xiaoge Huang
creator: Xingru Cao
creator: Junmin Li
subject: Gynecology and Obstetrics
subject: Internal Medicine
subject: Nutrition
subject: Public Health
subject: Obesity
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.17099
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2024 Zhang et al.
abstract: This study investigated the associations between gestational weight gain (GWG), pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI), and prenatal diet quality in pregnant women from Shandong, China. We analyzed a sample of 532 early-stage pregnant women registered at an outpatient clinic. Diet quality was evaluated using the Chinese Healthy Dietary Index for Pregnancy (CHDI-P), encompassing three dimensions: diversity, adequacy, and limitation, with an overall score out of 100. Dietary intake was documented via 24-h dietary recalls spanning three consecutive days and subsequently translated to a CHDI-P score. At the time of enrollment, BMI was measured on-site and classified as underweight (<18.5), normal weight (18.5–24.9), overweight (25.0–29.9), and obese (≥30.0). Pregnant women were also categorized into inadequate, adequate, and excessive weight gain groups based on their GWG. We employed a Tukey-adjusted generalized linear model to compare the CHDI-P scores between the pre-pregnancy BMI groups and GWG groups. The results revealed that the underweight group had significantly higher total scores and limitation total scores on the CHDI-P (p < 0.001). Conversely, the overweight and obese groups were more susceptible to suboptimal dietary quality. Notably, the inadequate weight gain group displayed significantly elevated food adequacy scores compared to the other two groups (p < 0.05). This indicates that greater GWGs do not necessarily align with principles of adequate nutrition.
bibliographic citation: Zhang et al. (2024) Exploring the relationships between pre-pregnancy BMI, gestational weight gain, and nutritional intake: a real-world investigation in Shandong, China. PeerJ 12:e17099 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.17099
date submitted: 2023-10-16
date accepted: 2024-02-21
issued: 2024-03-22
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Zhang
  given name: Juan
author list: Agent
  family name: Wang
  given name: Xue
author list: Agent
  family name: Zhu
  given name: Ping
author list: Agent
  family name: Huang
  given name: Xiaoge
author list: Agent
  family name: Cao
  given name: Xingru
author list: Agent
  family name: Li
  given name: Junmin
doi: 10.7717/peerj.17099
volume: 12
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2024-03-22
copyright: © 2024 Zhang et al.
attribution name: Zhang et al.

Evaluation of some garden flowers as specialty cut flowers in Eskisehir province-Türkiye
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Specialty cut flowers are in demand, especially in the domestic market as they can be grown with low production costs without the need for specially equipped greenhouses and offer diversity in terms of form, texture, and colour. These products, which are widely cultivated in the USA, are not well known in Türkiye. One of the main problems of the Turkish cut flower sector is its dependence on foreign inputs and the lack of product diversity. Therefore, specialty cut flower production can be an alternative crop for Türkiye, which has climatic advantages. The cut flower potential of plants such as Zinnia elegans, Tagates erecta, Helianthus annuus, Gomphrena globosa, Centaurea cyanus, and Cleome spinosa that are commonly grown in gardens has been evaluated. After harvesting these flowers grown in an open field in June-October 2020, the stem length (cm), stem thickness (mm), flower length (cm), flower diameter (cm), flower weight (g), and vase life (days) were measured. As a result of the evaluations, considering the phenological findings such as flowering and harvesting period, Zinnia elegans, Tagates erecta, Helianthus annuus, Gomphrena globosa, and Centaurea cyanus were found to be suitable for Eskişehir climatic conditions due to their long flowering periods. On the other hand, if the stem length value, which is one of the most important parameters for cut flowers, is taken as a reference, the minimum stem length value of 30 cm and above is met by Zinnia elegans, Tagates erecta, Helianthus annuus, and Cleome spinosa while the vase life value of 6 days and above is met by Zinnia elegans, Tagates erecta, Helianthus annuus, Gomphrena globosa, and Cleome spinosa. However, Cleome spinosa was not found to be suitable for the region due to its low yield value and short flowering period, while Zinnia elegans, Helianthus annuus, Tagates erecta, and Gomphrena globosa were found to be plants that could be evaluated for the region. In addition, it is believed that the cultivatio…
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Sibel Yiğiter
creator: İlkay Coskun
subject: Agricultural Science
subject: Plant Science
subject: Soil Science
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.17114
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2024 Yiğiter and Coskun
abstract: Specialty cut flowers are in demand, especially in the domestic market as they can be grown with low production costs without the need for specially equipped greenhouses and offer diversity in terms of form, texture, and colour. These products, which are widely cultivated in the USA, are not well known in Türkiye. One of the main problems of the Turkish cut flower sector is its dependence on foreign inputs and the lack of product diversity. Therefore, specialty cut flower production can be an alternative crop for Türkiye, which has climatic advantages. The cut flower potential of plants such as Zinnia elegans, Tagates erecta, Helianthus annuus, Gomphrena globosa, Centaurea cyanus, and Cleome spinosa that are commonly grown in gardens has been evaluated. After harvesting these flowers grown in an open field in June-October 2020, the stem length (cm), stem thickness (mm), flower length (cm), flower diameter (cm), flower weight (g), and vase life (days) were measured. As a result of the evaluations, considering the phenological findings such as flowering and harvesting period, Zinnia elegans, Tagates erecta, Helianthus annuus, Gomphrena globosa, and Centaurea cyanus were found to be suitable for Eskişehir climatic conditions due to their long flowering periods. On the other hand, if the stem length value, which is one of the most important parameters for cut flowers, is taken as a reference, the minimum stem length value of 30 cm and above is met by Zinnia elegans, Tagates erecta, Helianthus annuus, and Cleome spinosa while the vase life value of 6 days and above is met by Zinnia elegans, Tagates erecta, Helianthus annuus, Gomphrena globosa, and Cleome spinosa. However, Cleome spinosa was not found to be suitable for the region due to its low yield value and short flowering period, while Zinnia elegans, Helianthus annuus, Tagates erecta, and Gomphrena globosa were found to be plants that could be evaluated for the region. In addition, it is believed that the cultivatio…
bibliographic citation: Yiğiter et al. (2024) Evaluation of some garden flowers as specialty cut flowers in Eskisehir province-Türkiye. PeerJ 12:e17114 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.17114
date submitted: 2023-11-17
date accepted: 2024-02-26
issued: 2024-03-22
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Yiğiter
  given name: Sibel
author list: Agent
  family name: Coskun
  given name: İlkay
doi: 10.7717/peerj.17114
volume: 12
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2024-03-22
copyright: © 2024 Yiğiter and Coskun
attribution name: Yiğiter and Coskun

Heatwave-like events affect drone production and brood-care behaviour in bumblebees
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Climate change is currently considered one of the major threats to biodiversity and is associated with an increase in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, such as heatwaves. Heatwaves create acutely stressful conditions that may lead to disruption in the performance and survival of ecologically and economically important organisms, such as insect pollinators. In this study, we investigated the impact of simulated heatwaves on the performance of queenless microcolonies of Bombus terrestris audax under laboratory conditions. Our results indicate that heatwaves can have significant impacts on bumblebee performance. However, contrary to our expectations, exposure to heatwaves did not affect survival. Exposure to a mild 5-day heatwave (30–32 °C) resulted in increased offspring production compared to those exposed to an extreme heatwave (34–36 °C) and to the control group (24 °C). We also found that brood-care behaviours were impacted by the magnitude of the heatwave. Wing fanning occurred occasionally at temperatures of 30–32 °C, whereas at 34–36 °C the proportion of workers engaged in this thermoregulatory behaviour increased significantly. Our results provide insights into the effects of heatwaves on bumblebee colony performance and underscore the use of microcolonies as a valuable tool for studying the effects of extreme weather events. Future research, especially field-based studies replicating natural foraging conditions, is crucial to complement laboratory-based studies to comprehend how heatwaves compromise the performance of pollinators. Such studies may potentially help to identify those species more resilient to climate change, as well as those that are most vulnerable.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Yanet Sepúlveda
creator: Elizabeth Nicholls
creator: Wiebke Schuett
creator: Dave Goulson
subject: Animal Behavior
subject: Conservation Biology
subject: Ecology
subject: Entomology
subject: Climate Change Biology
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.17135
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2024 Sepúlveda et al.
abstract: Climate change is currently considered one of the major threats to biodiversity and is associated with an increase in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, such as heatwaves. Heatwaves create acutely stressful conditions that may lead to disruption in the performance and survival of ecologically and economically important organisms, such as insect pollinators. In this study, we investigated the impact of simulated heatwaves on the performance of queenless microcolonies of Bombus terrestris audax under laboratory conditions. Our results indicate that heatwaves can have significant impacts on bumblebee performance. However, contrary to our expectations, exposure to heatwaves did not affect survival. Exposure to a mild 5-day heatwave (30–32 °C) resulted in increased offspring production compared to those exposed to an extreme heatwave (34–36 °C) and to the control group (24 °C). We also found that brood-care behaviours were impacted by the magnitude of the heatwave. Wing fanning occurred occasionally at temperatures of 30–32 °C, whereas at 34–36 °C the proportion of workers engaged in this thermoregulatory behaviour increased significantly. Our results provide insights into the effects of heatwaves on bumblebee colony performance and underscore the use of microcolonies as a valuable tool for studying the effects of extreme weather events. Future research, especially field-based studies replicating natural foraging conditions, is crucial to complement laboratory-based studies to comprehend how heatwaves compromise the performance of pollinators. Such studies may potentially help to identify those species more resilient to climate change, as well as those that are most vulnerable.
bibliographic citation: Sepúlveda et al. (2024) Heatwave-like events affect drone production and brood-care behaviour in bumblebees. PeerJ 12:e17135 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.17135
date submitted: 2023-11-14
date accepted: 2024-02-28
issued: 2024-03-22
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Sepúlveda
  given name: Yanet
author list: Agent
  family name: Nicholls
  given name: Elizabeth
author list: Agent
  family name: Schuett
  given name: Wiebke
author list: Agent
  family name: Goulson
  given name: Dave
doi: 10.7717/peerj.17135
volume: 12
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2024-03-22
copyright: © 2024 Sepúlveda et al.
attribution name: Sepúlveda et al.

Waterlogging in soil restricts the growth of Gleditsia sinensis seedlings and inhibits the accumulation of lignans and phenolic acids in thorns
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Gleditsia sinensis, commonly known as Chinese Zaojiao, has important economic value and medicinal compounds in its fruits and thorns, making it widely cultivated artificially in China. However, the available literature on the impact of waterlogging on the growth of G. sinensis seedlings and the accumulation of metabolite compounds in its thorns is limited. To address this knowledge gap, G. sinensis seedlings were planted in soil supplemented with pindstrup substrate, which enhances the water-holding capacity of the soil. The analyses of morphological traits and nutrient elements in one-year-old G. sinensis seedlings grown naturally under ambient conditions and metabolite accumulation in its thorns were conducted. The results showed that the waterlogged soil significantly diminished the height, fresh weight, and dry weight of seedling roots and stems (P < 0.05). Furthermore, waterlogging hindered the uptake of iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn), as well as the transport of potassium (K). The identified metabolites within the thorns were categorized into 16 distinct groups. Relative to the control soil, fatty acids and derivatives were the most down-regulated metabolites in the waterlogged soil, accounting for 40.58% of the total metabolites, followed by lignans (38.71%), phenolic acids (34.48%), saccharides and alcohols (34.15%), steroids (16.67%), alkaloids (12.24%), flavonoids (9.28%), and glycerophospholipids (7.41%). Conversely, nucleotides and derivatives experienced the greatest up-regulation in the waterlogged soil, accounting for 50.00% of the total metabolites. In conclusion, waterlogging negatively impacted the growth of G. sinensis seedlings and inhibited the accumulation of metabolites. Hence, when considering the accumulation of secondary metabolites such as lignans and phenolic acids, appropriate management of soil moisture levels should be taken into account.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Zai-Qi Luo
creator: Xiao-Qian Shi
creator: Xian-Ying Wang
creator: Qiu-Lan Yang
creator: Xin Pan
creator: Wen-Xia Pan
creator: Chun-Li Luo
creator: Shan-Shan Yu
creator: Wen-Wen Zhou
creator: Bin-Rui Ren
creator: Yin Yi
creator: Xi-Min Zhang
subject: Agricultural Science
subject: Environmental Sciences
subject: Plant Science
subject: Soil Science
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.17137
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2024 Luo et al.
abstract: Gleditsia sinensis, commonly known as Chinese Zaojiao, has important economic value and medicinal compounds in its fruits and thorns, making it widely cultivated artificially in China. However, the available literature on the impact of waterlogging on the growth of G. sinensis seedlings and the accumulation of metabolite compounds in its thorns is limited. To address this knowledge gap, G. sinensis seedlings were planted in soil supplemented with pindstrup substrate, which enhances the water-holding capacity of the soil. The analyses of morphological traits and nutrient elements in one-year-old G. sinensis seedlings grown naturally under ambient conditions and metabolite accumulation in its thorns were conducted. The results showed that the waterlogged soil significantly diminished the height, fresh weight, and dry weight of seedling roots and stems (P < 0.05). Furthermore, waterlogging hindered the uptake of iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn), as well as the transport of potassium (K). The identified metabolites within the thorns were categorized into 16 distinct groups. Relative to the control soil, fatty acids and derivatives were the most down-regulated metabolites in the waterlogged soil, accounting for 40.58% of the total metabolites, followed by lignans (38.71%), phenolic acids (34.48%), saccharides and alcohols (34.15%), steroids (16.67%), alkaloids (12.24%), flavonoids (9.28%), and glycerophospholipids (7.41%). Conversely, nucleotides and derivatives experienced the greatest up-regulation in the waterlogged soil, accounting for 50.00% of the total metabolites. In conclusion, waterlogging negatively impacted the growth of G. sinensis seedlings and inhibited the accumulation of metabolites. Hence, when considering the accumulation of secondary metabolites such as lignans and phenolic acids, appropriate management of soil moisture levels should be taken into account.
bibliographic citation: Luo et al. (2024) Waterlogging in soil restricts the growth of Gleditsia sinensis seedlings and inhibits the accumulation of lignans and phenolic acids in thorns. PeerJ 12:e17137 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.17137
date submitted: 2023-12-14
date accepted: 2024-02-28
issued: 2024-03-22
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Luo
  given name: Zai-Qi
author list: Agent
  family name: Shi
  given name: Xiao-Qian
author list: Agent
  family name: Wang
  given name: Xian-Ying
author list: Agent
  family name: Yang
  given name: Qiu-Lan
author list: Agent
  family name: Pan
  given name: Xin
author list: Agent
  family name: Pan
  given name: Wen-Xia
author list: Agent
  family name: Luo
  given name: Chun-Li
author list: Agent
  family name: Yu
  given name: Shan-Shan
author list: Agent
  family name: Zhou
  given name: Wen-Wen
author list: Agent
  family name: Ren
  given name: Bin-Rui
author list: Agent
  family name: Yi
  given name: Yin
author list: Agent
  family name: Zhang
  given name: Xi-Min
doi: 10.7717/peerj.17137
volume: 12
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2024-03-22
copyright: ©2024 Luo et al.
attribution name: Luo et al.

Effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis on growth and biochemical characteristics of Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata) seedlings under low phosphorus environment
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Background The continuous establishment of Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata) plantations across multiple generations has led to the limited impact of soil phosphorus (P) on tree growth. This challenge poses a significant obstacle in maintaining the sustainable management of Chinese fir. Methods To investigate the effects of Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) on the growth and physiological characteristics of Chinese fir under different P supply treatments. We conducted an indoor pot simulation experiment in the greenhouse of the Forestry College of Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University with one-and-half-year-old seedlings of Chinese fir from March 2019 to June 2019, with the two P level treatment groups included a normal P supply treatment (1.0 mmol L−1 KH2PO4, P1) and a no P supply treatment (0 mmol L−1 KH2PO4, P0). P0 and P1 were inoculated with Funneliformis mosseae (F.m) or Rhizophagus intraradices (R.i) or not inoculated with AMF treatment. The AMF colonization rate in the root system, seedling height (SH), root collar diameter (RCD) growth, chlorophyll (Chl) photosynthetic characteristics, enzyme activities, and endogenous hormone contents of Chinese fir were estimated. Results The results showed that the colonization rate of F.m in the roots of Chinese fir seedlings was the highest at P0, up to 85.14%, which was 1.66 times that of P1. Under P0 and P1 treatment, root inoculation with either F.m or R.i promoted SH growth, the SH of R.i treatment was 1.38 times and 1.05 times that of F.m treatment, respectively. In the P1 treatment, root inoculation with either F.m or R.i inhibited RCD growth. R.i inhibited RCD growth more aggressively than F.m. In the P0 treatment, root inoculation with F.m and R.i reduced the inhibitory effect of phosphorus deficiency on RCD. At this time, there was no significant difference in RCD between F.m, R.i and CK treatments (p < 0.05). AMF inoculation increased Fm, Fv, Fv/Fm, and Fv/Fo during the chlorophyll fluorescence resp…
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Yunlong Tian
creator: Jingjing Xu
creator: Linxin Li
creator: Taimoor Hassan Farooq
creator: Xiangqing Ma
creator: Pengfei Wu
subject: Agricultural Science
subject: Ecosystem Science
subject: Plant Science
subject: Soil Science
subject: Forestry
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.17138
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2024 Tian et al.
abstract: Background The continuous establishment of Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata) plantations across multiple generations has led to the limited impact of soil phosphorus (P) on tree growth. This challenge poses a significant obstacle in maintaining the sustainable management of Chinese fir. Methods To investigate the effects of Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) on the growth and physiological characteristics of Chinese fir under different P supply treatments. We conducted an indoor pot simulation experiment in the greenhouse of the Forestry College of Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University with one-and-half-year-old seedlings of Chinese fir from March 2019 to June 2019, with the two P level treatment groups included a normal P supply treatment (1.0 mmol L−1 KH2PO4, P1) and a no P supply treatment (0 mmol L−1 KH2PO4, P0). P0 and P1 were inoculated with Funneliformis mosseae (F.m) or Rhizophagus intraradices (R.i) or not inoculated with AMF treatment. The AMF colonization rate in the root system, seedling height (SH), root collar diameter (RCD) growth, chlorophyll (Chl) photosynthetic characteristics, enzyme activities, and endogenous hormone contents of Chinese fir were estimated. Results The results showed that the colonization rate of F.m in the roots of Chinese fir seedlings was the highest at P0, up to 85.14%, which was 1.66 times that of P1. Under P0 and P1 treatment, root inoculation with either F.m or R.i promoted SH growth, the SH of R.i treatment was 1.38 times and 1.05 times that of F.m treatment, respectively. In the P1 treatment, root inoculation with either F.m or R.i inhibited RCD growth. R.i inhibited RCD growth more aggressively than F.m. In the P0 treatment, root inoculation with F.m and R.i reduced the inhibitory effect of phosphorus deficiency on RCD. At this time, there was no significant difference in RCD between F.m, R.i and CK treatments (p < 0.05). AMF inoculation increased Fm, Fv, Fv/Fm, and Fv/Fo during the chlorophyll fluorescence resp…
bibliographic citation: Tian et al. (2024) Effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis on growth and biochemical characteristics of Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata) seedlings under low phosphorus environment. PeerJ 12:e17138 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.17138
date submitted: 2023-12-14
date accepted: 2024-02-28
issued: 2024-03-22
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Tian
  given name: Yunlong
author list: Agent
  family name: Xu
  given name: Jingjing
author list: Agent
  family name: Li
  given name: Linxin
author list: Agent
  family name: Farooq
  given name: Taimoor Hassan
author list: Agent
  family name: Ma
  given name: Xiangqing
author list: Agent
  family name: Wu
  given name: Pengfei
doi: 10.7717/peerj.17138
volume: 12
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2024-03-22
copyright: ©2024 Tian et al.
attribution name: Tian et al.

Effect of high intensity circuit training on muscle mass, muscular strength, and blood parameters in sedentary workers
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Background The study aim was to investigate the effect of high intensity circuit training on body composition, muscular performance, and blood parameters in sedentary workers. Methods A total of 36 middle-aged sedentary female workers were randomly divided into high intensity circuit training (HICT) group, aerobic training (AT) group, and control (CON) group. The exercise training groups performed exercise three times per week for 8 weeks. In HICT, each session was 20–35 min with 2–3 rounds. Rounds were 8 min; the interval between rounds was 4–5 min. In AT, each exercise session comprised 20–35 min of aerobic dance training. Physiological parameters were measured 1 week before and after the interventions. The resulting data were analyzed using two-way mixed design ANOVA, the differences in body composition, muscular performance and blood parameters before and after training were compared. Results The muscle mass (pre-test: 21.19 ± 2.47 kg; post-test: 21.69 ± 2.46 kg, p < 0.05) and knee extension 60°/s (pre-test: 82.10 ± 22.26 Nm/kg; post-test: 83.47 ± 12.83 Nm/kg, p < 0.05) of HICT group were significantly improved, with knee extension 60°/s significantly higher than that of the CON group (HICT: 83.47 ± 12.83 Nm/kg; CON: 71.09 ± 26.53 Nm/kg). In the AT group, body weight (BW) decreased significantly (Pre-test: 59.37 ± 8.24 kg; Post-test: 58.94 ± 7.98 kg); no significant change was observed in CON group. The groups exhibited no significant change in blood parameters (hs-CRP, TC, and LDL-C) or IGF-1. Conclusions Sedentary worker’s muscle mass and lower-limb muscular performance were effectively improved by performing 8-week HICT with the benefits of short duration, no spatial constraints, and using one’s BW, whereas AT caused a significant decrease in BW. However, the AT induced decrease in BW was probably an effect of muscle loss rather than exercise-induced weight loss.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Sung-Yen Ho
creator: Yu-Chun Chung
creator: Huey-June Wu
creator: Chien-Chang Ho
creator: Hung-Ting Chen
subject: Public Health
subject: Women’s Health
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.17140
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2024 Ho et al.
abstract: Background The study aim was to investigate the effect of high intensity circuit training on body composition, muscular performance, and blood parameters in sedentary workers. Methods A total of 36 middle-aged sedentary female workers were randomly divided into high intensity circuit training (HICT) group, aerobic training (AT) group, and control (CON) group. The exercise training groups performed exercise three times per week for 8 weeks. In HICT, each session was 20–35 min with 2–3 rounds. Rounds were 8 min; the interval between rounds was 4–5 min. In AT, each exercise session comprised 20–35 min of aerobic dance training. Physiological parameters were measured 1 week before and after the interventions. The resulting data were analyzed using two-way mixed design ANOVA, the differences in body composition, muscular performance and blood parameters before and after training were compared. Results The muscle mass (pre-test: 21.19 ± 2.47 kg; post-test: 21.69 ± 2.46 kg, p < 0.05) and knee extension 60°/s (pre-test: 82.10 ± 22.26 Nm/kg; post-test: 83.47 ± 12.83 Nm/kg, p < 0.05) of HICT group were significantly improved, with knee extension 60°/s significantly higher than that of the CON group (HICT: 83.47 ± 12.83 Nm/kg; CON: 71.09 ± 26.53 Nm/kg). In the AT group, body weight (BW) decreased significantly (Pre-test: 59.37 ± 8.24 kg; Post-test: 58.94 ± 7.98 kg); no significant change was observed in CON group. The groups exhibited no significant change in blood parameters (hs-CRP, TC, and LDL-C) or IGF-1. Conclusions Sedentary worker’s muscle mass and lower-limb muscular performance were effectively improved by performing 8-week HICT with the benefits of short duration, no spatial constraints, and using one’s BW, whereas AT caused a significant decrease in BW. However, the AT induced decrease in BW was probably an effect of muscle loss rather than exercise-induced weight loss.
bibliographic citation: Ho et al. (2024) Effect of high intensity circuit training on muscle mass, muscular strength, and blood parameters in sedentary workers. PeerJ 12:e17140 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.17140
date submitted: 2023-09-21
date accepted: 2024-02-28
issued: 2024-03-22
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Ho
  given name: Sung-Yen
author list: Agent
  family name: Chung
  given name: Yu-Chun
author list: Agent
  family name: Wu
  given name: Huey-June
author list: Agent
  family name: Ho
  given name: Chien-Chang
author list: Agent
  family name: Chen
  given name: Hung-Ting
doi: 10.7717/peerj.17140
volume: 12
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2024-03-22
copyright: © 2024 Ho et al.
attribution name: Ho et al.

Combined detection of serum IL-6 and CEA contributes to the diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma in situ
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Background Effective discrimination of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) in situ (AIS) from benign pulmonary nodules (BPN) is critical for the early diagnosis of AIS. Our pilot study in a small cohort of 90 serum samples has shown that serum interleukin 6 (IL-6) detection can distinguish AIS from BPN and health controls (HC). In this study, we intend to comprehensively define the diagnostic value of individual and combined detection of serum IL-6 related to the traditional tumor markers carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and cytokeratin 19 fragment (CYFRA21-1) for AIS. Methods The diagnostic performance of serum IL-6 along with CEA and CYFRA21-1 were evaluated in a large cohort of 300 serum samples by a chemiluminescence immunoassay and an electrochemiluminescence immunoassay. A training set comprised of 65 AIS, 65 BPN, and 65 HC samples was used to develop the predictive model for AIS. Data obtained from an independent validation set was applied to evaluate and validate the predictive model. Results In the training set, the levels of serum IL-6 and CEA in the AIS group were significantly higher than those in the BPN/HC group (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in serum CYFRA21-1 levels between the AIS group and the BPN/HC group (P> 0.05). Serum IL-6 and CEA levels for AIS patients showed an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.622 with 23.1% sensitivity at 90.7% specificity, and an AUC of 0.672 with 24.6% sensitivity at 97.6% specificity, respectively. The combination of serum IL-6 and CEA presented an AUC of 0.739, with 60.0% sensitivity at 95.4% specificity. The combination of serum IL-6 and CEA showed an AUC of 0.767 for AIS patients, with 57.1% sensitivity at 91.4% specificity in the validation set. Conclusions IL-6 shows potential as a prospective serum biomarker for the diagnosis of AIS, and the combination of serum IL-6 with CEA may contribute to increased accuracy in AIS diagnosis. However, it is worth noting that further research is still necessary to validate…
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Jing Pan
creator: Wanzhen Zhuang
creator: Yu Xia
creator: Zhixin Huang
creator: Yue Zheng
creator: Xin Wang
creator: Yi Huang
subject: Immunology
subject: Oncology
subject: Statistics
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.17141
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2024 Pan et al.
abstract: Background Effective discrimination of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) in situ (AIS) from benign pulmonary nodules (BPN) is critical for the early diagnosis of AIS. Our pilot study in a small cohort of 90 serum samples has shown that serum interleukin 6 (IL-6) detection can distinguish AIS from BPN and health controls (HC). In this study, we intend to comprehensively define the diagnostic value of individual and combined detection of serum IL-6 related to the traditional tumor markers carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and cytokeratin 19 fragment (CYFRA21-1) for AIS. Methods The diagnostic performance of serum IL-6 along with CEA and CYFRA21-1 were evaluated in a large cohort of 300 serum samples by a chemiluminescence immunoassay and an electrochemiluminescence immunoassay. A training set comprised of 65 AIS, 65 BPN, and 65 HC samples was used to develop the predictive model for AIS. Data obtained from an independent validation set was applied to evaluate and validate the predictive model. Results In the training set, the levels of serum IL-6 and CEA in the AIS group were significantly higher than those in the BPN/HC group (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in serum CYFRA21-1 levels between the AIS group and the BPN/HC group (P> 0.05). Serum IL-6 and CEA levels for AIS patients showed an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.622 with 23.1% sensitivity at 90.7% specificity, and an AUC of 0.672 with 24.6% sensitivity at 97.6% specificity, respectively. The combination of serum IL-6 and CEA presented an AUC of 0.739, with 60.0% sensitivity at 95.4% specificity. The combination of serum IL-6 and CEA showed an AUC of 0.767 for AIS patients, with 57.1% sensitivity at 91.4% specificity in the validation set. Conclusions IL-6 shows potential as a prospective serum biomarker for the diagnosis of AIS, and the combination of serum IL-6 with CEA may contribute to increased accuracy in AIS diagnosis. However, it is worth noting that further research is still necessary to validate…
bibliographic citation: Pan et al. (2024) Combined detection of serum IL-6 and CEA contributes to the diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma in situ. PeerJ 12:e17141 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.17141
date submitted: 2023-10-30
date accepted: 2024-02-29
issued: 2024-03-22
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Pan
  given name: Jing
author list: Agent
  family name: Zhuang
  given name: Wanzhen
author list: Agent
  family name: Xia
  given name: Yu
author list: Agent
  family name: Huang
  given name: Zhixin
author list: Agent
  family name: Zheng
  given name: Yue
author list: Agent
  family name: Wang
  given name: Xin
author list: Agent
  family name: Huang
  given name: Yi
doi: 10.7717/peerj.17141
volume: 12
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2024-03-22
copyright: ©2024 Pan et al.
attribution name: Pan et al.

Effectiveness of therapeutic ultrasound on reducing pain intensity and functional disability in patients with plantar fasciitis: a systematic review of randomised controlled trials
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Background Ultrasound therapy is one of the preferred conservative treatments for patients with plantar fasciitis. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of therapeutic ultrasound in decreasing pain intensity and improving functional disability in patients with plantar fasciitis. Methods Five randomised control trials (RCT) were selected based on an electronic search in PubMed, Trip Database and PEDro. To be included in the systematic review, the study should be an RCT which investigated the effectiveness of therapeutic ultrasound conducted in patients with plantar fasciitis with pain intensity and functional disability as outcome measures. Only studies published in peer-reviewed journals written in the English language were included. The quality of the selected studies was measured by the PEDro scale. Results All the included studies showed that ultrasound therapy is beneficial in reducing pain score and improving functional disability, except one study did not recommend using ultrasound therapy for plantar fasciitis. Moreover, regarding another outcome measure, two studies found that ultrasound therapy reduces thickness and tenderness in plantar fasciitis and improves static and dynamic balance. Conclusion After reviewing the five studies, this systematic review support using ultrasound therapy to decrease pain and improve functional disability in patients with plantar fasciitis. Study Registration https://osf.io/xftzy/.
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format: text/html
creator: Anas Mohammed Alhakami
creator: Reem Abdullah Babkair
creator: Ahmad Sahely
creator: Shibili Nuhmani
subject: Anesthesiology and Pain Management
subject: Clinical Trials
subject: Drugs and Devices
subject: Orthopedics
subject: Rehabilitation
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.17147
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2024 Alhakami et al.
abstract: Background Ultrasound therapy is one of the preferred conservative treatments for patients with plantar fasciitis. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of therapeutic ultrasound in decreasing pain intensity and improving functional disability in patients with plantar fasciitis. Methods Five randomised control trials (RCT) were selected based on an electronic search in PubMed, Trip Database and PEDro. To be included in the systematic review, the study should be an RCT which investigated the effectiveness of therapeutic ultrasound conducted in patients with plantar fasciitis with pain intensity and functional disability as outcome measures. Only studies published in peer-reviewed journals written in the English language were included. The quality of the selected studies was measured by the PEDro scale. Results All the included studies showed that ultrasound therapy is beneficial in reducing pain score and improving functional disability, except one study did not recommend using ultrasound therapy for plantar fasciitis. Moreover, regarding another outcome measure, two studies found that ultrasound therapy reduces thickness and tenderness in plantar fasciitis and improves static and dynamic balance. Conclusion After reviewing the five studies, this systematic review support using ultrasound therapy to decrease pain and improve functional disability in patients with plantar fasciitis. Study Registration https://osf.io/xftzy/.
bibliographic citation: Alhakami et al. (2024) Effectiveness of therapeutic ultrasound on reducing pain intensity and functional disability in patients with plantar fasciitis: a systematic review of randomised controlled trials. PeerJ 12:e17147 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.17147
date submitted: 2023-09-13
date accepted: 2024-03-01
issued: 2024-03-22
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Alhakami
  given name: Anas Mohammed
author list: Agent
  family name: Babkair
  given name: Reem Abdullah
author list: Agent
  family name: Sahely
  given name: Ahmad
author list: Agent
  family name: Nuhmani
  given name: Shibili
doi: 10.7717/peerj.17147
volume: 12
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2024-03-22
copyright: © 2024 Alhakami et al.
attribution name: Alhakami et al.

Foveavelia, a new South American genus of Veliinae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Veliidae)
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Background Semiaquatic bugs (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Gerromorpha) are distributed worldwide and play fundamental roles in limnic ecosystems. They are the most successful group of organisms to occupy the air-water interface, are important models to study ecology and evolution, and can be relevant tools in biomonitoring. Veliidae is the second most speciose family of semiaquatic bugs, but its internal classification, including subfamilies and genera, is artificial and based on symplesiomorphies. One of these non-monophyletic entities is Paravelia Breddin, 1898, the largest genus in the subfamily Veliinae. Results In an effort to better classify the Veliinae, we describe Foveavelia to hold five South American species previously placed in Paravelia. The new genus is characterized by the following combination of features: unusual coarse cuticular punctures throughout the thorax and abdomen; a pair of small, frosty, pubescent areas formed by a very dense layer of short setae on the anterior lobe of the pronotum; fore tibial grasping comb present only in males; middle tibia with a row of elongate dark-brown trichobothria-like setae on the distal third, decreasing in size distally; macropterous specimens with the apical macula of the forewings elongate and constricted at mid-length, reaching the wing apex; and the male proctiger with a pair of anterodorsal projections. Besides the description, a key to the species of Foveavelia is provided, accompanied by illustrations and a species distribution map.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Higor D. D. Rodrigues
creator: Felipe F. F. Moreira
subject: Biodiversity
subject: Entomology
subject: Taxonomy
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.16772
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2024 Rodrigues and Moreira
abstract: Background Semiaquatic bugs (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Gerromorpha) are distributed worldwide and play fundamental roles in limnic ecosystems. They are the most successful group of organisms to occupy the air-water interface, are important models to study ecology and evolution, and can be relevant tools in biomonitoring. Veliidae is the second most speciose family of semiaquatic bugs, but its internal classification, including subfamilies and genera, is artificial and based on symplesiomorphies. One of these non-monophyletic entities is Paravelia Breddin, 1898, the largest genus in the subfamily Veliinae. Results In an effort to better classify the Veliinae, we describe Foveavelia to hold five South American species previously placed in Paravelia. The new genus is characterized by the following combination of features: unusual coarse cuticular punctures throughout the thorax and abdomen; a pair of small, frosty, pubescent areas formed by a very dense layer of short setae on the anterior lobe of the pronotum; fore tibial grasping comb present only in males; middle tibia with a row of elongate dark-brown trichobothria-like setae on the distal third, decreasing in size distally; macropterous specimens with the apical macula of the forewings elongate and constricted at mid-length, reaching the wing apex; and the male proctiger with a pair of anterodorsal projections. Besides the description, a key to the species of Foveavelia is provided, accompanied by illustrations and a species distribution map.
bibliographic citation: Rodrigues et al. (2024) Foveavelia, a new South American genus of Veliinae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Veliidae). PeerJ 12:e16772 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.16772
date submitted: 2023-10-06
date accepted: 2023-12-18
issued: 2024-03-21
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Rodrigues
  given name: Higor D. D.
author list: Agent
  family name: Moreira
  given name: Felipe F. F.
doi: 10.7717/peerj.16772
volume: 12
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2024-03-21
copyright: © 2024 Rodrigues and Moreira
attribution name: Rodrigues and Moreira

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