PeerJ
type: channel
link: https://peerj.com/articles/
description: Articles published in PeerJ
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
publication name: PeerJ
issn: 2167-8359
items: Unlocking the potential of ancient hexaploid Indian dwarf wheat, Tritium sphaerococcum for grain quality improvement
items: Daily accumulation rates of floating debris and attached biota on continental and oceanic island shores in the SE Pacific: testing predictions based on global models
items: Redescription of the soft-shell turtle Rafetus bohemicus (Testudines, Trionychidae) from the Early Miocene of Czechia
items: In silico analysis of serum miRNA profiles in seronegative and seropositive rheumatoid arthritis patients by small RNA sequencing
items: The complete mitochondrial genome and description of a new cryptic Brazilian species of Metopiellus Raffray (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae)
items: Metabolic cost of walking with electromechanical ankle exoskeletons under proportional myoelectric control on a treadmill and outdoors
items: Protective effect of fustin against adjuvant-induced arthritis through the restoration of proinflammatory response and oxidative stress
items: Effects of high-risk human papillomavirus infection on P53, pRb, and survivin in lung adenocarcinoma—a retrospective study
items: Recombination of endophytic bacteria in asexual plant Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort. caused by transplanting
items: Dapagliflozin-affected endothelial dysfunction and altered gut microbiota in mice with heart failure

Unlocking the potential of ancient hexaploid Indian dwarf wheat, Tritium sphaerococcum for grain quality improvement
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Wild and ancient wheat are considered to be a rich source of nutrients and better stress tolerant, hence being re-considered for mainstreaming its cultivation by the farmers and bringing it back to the food basket. In the present study, thirty-four diverse accessions of Indian dwarf wheat, Triticum sphaerococcum conserved in the Indian National Genebank were evaluated for thirteen-grain quality parameters namely thousand-grain weight (TGW), hectolitre weight (HW), sedimentation value (Sed), grain hardness index (HI), protein (Pro), albumin (Alb), globulin (Glo), gliadin (Gli), glutenin (Glu), gluten, lysine (Lys), Fe2+ and Zn2+ content, and four antioxidant enzymes activities. Substantial variations were recorded for studied traits. TGW, HW, Sed, HI, Pro, Alb, Glo, Gli, Glu, Gluten, Lys, Fe2+, and Zn2+ varied from 26.50–45.55 g, 70.50–86.00 kg/hl, 24.00–38.00 ml, 40.49–104.90, 15.34–19.35%, 17.60–40.31 mg/g, 10.75–16.56 mg/g, 26.35–44.94 mg/g, 24.47–39.56 mg/g, 55.33–75.06 mg/g, 0.04–0.29%, 42.72–90.72 ppm, and 11.45–25.70 ppm, respectively. Among antioxidants, peroxidase (POX), catalase (CAT), glutathione reductase (GR), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity ranged from 0.06–0.60 unit/ml, 0.02–0.61 unit/ml, 0.11–2.26 unit/ml, and 0.14–0.97 unit/ml, respectively. Hardness Index was positively associated with Pro and Zn2+ content whereas Lys was negatively associated with gluten content. Likewise, gluten and Fe2+ content had a positive association with the major protein fraction i.e., Gli and Glu. Hierarchical cluster analysis grouped 34 accessions into four clusters and the major group had nine indigenous and eight exotic accessions. We also validated high GPC accessions and EC182958 (17.16%), EC187176 and EC182945 (16.16%), EC613057 (15.79%), IC634028 (15.72%) and IC533826 (15.01%) were confirmed with more than 15% GPC. Also, superior trait-specific accessions namely, EC187167, IC534021, EC613055, EC180066, and EC182959 for low gluten content and IC384530, EC3137…
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Sneha Adhikari
creator: Jyoti Kumari
creator: Rakesh Bhardwaj
creator: Sherry Jacob
creator: Sapna Langyan
creator: Shivani Sharma
creator: Anju M. Singh
creator: Ashok Kumar
subject: Agricultural Science
subject: Biodiversity
subject: Food Science and Technology
subject: Plant Science
subject: Food, Water and Energy Nexus
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.15334
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2023 Adhikari et al.
abstract: Wild and ancient wheat are considered to be a rich source of nutrients and better stress tolerant, hence being re-considered for mainstreaming its cultivation by the farmers and bringing it back to the food basket. In the present study, thirty-four diverse accessions of Indian dwarf wheat, Triticum sphaerococcum conserved in the Indian National Genebank were evaluated for thirteen-grain quality parameters namely thousand-grain weight (TGW), hectolitre weight (HW), sedimentation value (Sed), grain hardness index (HI), protein (Pro), albumin (Alb), globulin (Glo), gliadin (Gli), glutenin (Glu), gluten, lysine (Lys), Fe2+ and Zn2+ content, and four antioxidant enzymes activities. Substantial variations were recorded for studied traits. TGW, HW, Sed, HI, Pro, Alb, Glo, Gli, Glu, Gluten, Lys, Fe2+, and Zn2+ varied from 26.50–45.55 g, 70.50–86.00 kg/hl, 24.00–38.00 ml, 40.49–104.90, 15.34–19.35%, 17.60–40.31 mg/g, 10.75–16.56 mg/g, 26.35–44.94 mg/g, 24.47–39.56 mg/g, 55.33–75.06 mg/g, 0.04–0.29%, 42.72–90.72 ppm, and 11.45–25.70 ppm, respectively. Among antioxidants, peroxidase (POX), catalase (CAT), glutathione reductase (GR), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity ranged from 0.06–0.60 unit/ml, 0.02–0.61 unit/ml, 0.11–2.26 unit/ml, and 0.14–0.97 unit/ml, respectively. Hardness Index was positively associated with Pro and Zn2+ content whereas Lys was negatively associated with gluten content. Likewise, gluten and Fe2+ content had a positive association with the major protein fraction i.e., Gli and Glu. Hierarchical cluster analysis grouped 34 accessions into four clusters and the major group had nine indigenous and eight exotic accessions. We also validated high GPC accessions and EC182958 (17.16%), EC187176 and EC182945 (16.16%), EC613057 (15.79%), IC634028 (15.72%) and IC533826 (15.01%) were confirmed with more than 15% GPC. Also, superior trait-specific accessions namely, EC187167, IC534021, EC613055, EC180066, and EC182959 for low gluten content and IC384530, EC3137…
bibliographic citation: Adhikari et al. (2023) Unlocking the potential of ancient hexaploid Indian dwarf wheat, Tritium sphaerococcum for grain quality improvement. PeerJ 11:e15334 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.15334
date submitted: 2022-09-16
date accepted: 2023-04-11
issued: 2023-07-27
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Adhikari
  given name: Sneha
author list: Agent
  family name: Kumari
  given name: Jyoti
author list: Agent
  family name: Bhardwaj
  given name: Rakesh
author list: Agent
  family name: Jacob
  given name: Sherry
author list: Agent
  family name: Langyan
  given name: Sapna
author list: Agent
  family name: Sharma
  given name: Shivani
author list: Agent
  family name: M. Singh
  given name: Anju
author list: Agent
  family name: Kumar
  given name: Ashok
doi: 10.7717/peerj.15334
volume: 11
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2023-07-27
copyright: © 2023 Adhikari et al.
attribution name: Adhikari et al.

Daily accumulation rates of floating debris and attached biota on continental and oceanic island shores in the SE Pacific: testing predictions based on global models
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Background Long-distance rafting on anthropogenic marine debris (AMD) is thought to have a significant impact on global marine biogeography and the dispersal of non-indigenous species. Therefore, early identification of arrival sites of AMD and its epibionts is crucial for the prioritization of preventive measures. As accumulation patterns along global coastlines are largely unstudied, we tested if existing oceanographic models and knowledge about upstream sources of litter and epibionts can be used as a simple and cost-efficient approach for predicting probable arrival sites of AMD-rafting biota in coastal zones. Methods Using the Southeast Pacific as a model system, we studied daily accumulation rates, composition, and minimum floating times of AMD with and without epibionts on seven sandy beaches, covering the oceanic environment (Rapa Nui/Easter Island) and three regions (south, centre, north) along the Chilean continental coast, over a minimum of 10 consecutive days, and we contrast our results with predictions from published models. Results Total AMD accumulation rates varied from 56 ± 36 (mean ± standard deviation) to 388 ± 433 items km−1 d−1 and differed strongly between regions, in accordance with local geomorphology and socioeconomic conditions (presence of larger cities and rivers upstream, main economic activities, etc.). Daily accumulation of items with pelagic epibionts (indicators of a pelagic trajectory) ranged from 46 ± 29 (Rapa Nui) to 0.0 items km−1 d−1 (northern continental region). Minimum floating times of rafts, as estimated from the size of pelagic epibionts, were longest in the South Pacific Subtropical Gyre’s (SPSG) centre region, followed by the high-latitude continental region under the influence of the onshore West Wind Drift, and decreased along the continental alongshore upwelling current, towards lower latitudes. Apart from pelagic rafters, a wide range of benthic epibionts, including invasive and cryptogenic species, was found on raf…
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Sabine Rech
creator: Rene Matias Arias
creator: Simón Vadell
creator: Dennis Gordon
creator: Martin Thiel
subject: Ecology
subject: Marine Biology
subject: Environmental Contamination and Remediation
subject: Biological Oceanography
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.15550
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2023 Rech et al.
abstract: Background Long-distance rafting on anthropogenic marine debris (AMD) is thought to have a significant impact on global marine biogeography and the dispersal of non-indigenous species. Therefore, early identification of arrival sites of AMD and its epibionts is crucial for the prioritization of preventive measures. As accumulation patterns along global coastlines are largely unstudied, we tested if existing oceanographic models and knowledge about upstream sources of litter and epibionts can be used as a simple and cost-efficient approach for predicting probable arrival sites of AMD-rafting biota in coastal zones. Methods Using the Southeast Pacific as a model system, we studied daily accumulation rates, composition, and minimum floating times of AMD with and without epibionts on seven sandy beaches, covering the oceanic environment (Rapa Nui/Easter Island) and three regions (south, centre, north) along the Chilean continental coast, over a minimum of 10 consecutive days, and we contrast our results with predictions from published models. Results Total AMD accumulation rates varied from 56 ± 36 (mean ± standard deviation) to 388 ± 433 items km−1 d−1 and differed strongly between regions, in accordance with local geomorphology and socioeconomic conditions (presence of larger cities and rivers upstream, main economic activities, etc.). Daily accumulation of items with pelagic epibionts (indicators of a pelagic trajectory) ranged from 46 ± 29 (Rapa Nui) to 0.0 items km−1 d−1 (northern continental region). Minimum floating times of rafts, as estimated from the size of pelagic epibionts, were longest in the South Pacific Subtropical Gyre’s (SPSG) centre region, followed by the high-latitude continental region under the influence of the onshore West Wind Drift, and decreased along the continental alongshore upwelling current, towards lower latitudes. Apart from pelagic rafters, a wide range of benthic epibionts, including invasive and cryptogenic species, was found on raf…
bibliographic citation: Rech et al. (2023) Daily accumulation rates of floating debris and attached biota on continental and oceanic island shores in the SE Pacific: testing predictions based on global models. PeerJ 11:e15550 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.15550
date submitted: 2023-01-17
date accepted: 2023-05-23
issued: 2023-07-27
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Rech
  given name: Sabine
author list: Agent
  family name: Arias
  given name: Rene Matias
author list: Agent
  family name: Vadell
  given name: Simón
author list: Agent
  family name: Gordon
  given name: Dennis
author list: Agent
  family name: Thiel
  given name: Martin
doi: 10.7717/peerj.15550
volume: 11
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2023-07-27
copyright: ©2023 Rech et al.
attribution name: Rech et al.

Redescription of the soft-shell turtle Rafetus bohemicus (Testudines, Trionychidae) from the Early Miocene of Czechia
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: The taxonomy of the soft-shell turtle Rafetus bohemicus (Liebus, 1930), family Trionychidae, subfamily Trionychinae, is revised based on new and previously mentioned material (including the type material) from the Early Miocene (Burdigalian, MN 3) sites of the Most Basin, Czechia. Given that the diagnosis was so far based only on plastral elements, here we focused on the cranial material and combined our study with previously published data on postcranial elements. 3D models of the skulls derived from CT scans allow us to provide the first complete skull description of R. bohemicus, including several new cranial diagnostic characters of the species. Our results not only enable the distinction of the trionychid genera Trionyx and Rafetus, both recorded from Central Europe during the Early Miocene, but further allow us to provide an emended diagnosis for R. bohemicus. We confirm the conclusions of a previous study according to which Trionyx pontanus, T. preschenensis, T. aspidiformis, and T. elongatus are nomina dubia. R. bohemicus from Břešt’any (MN 3) represents the oldest record of this genus in Europe as well as the oldest occurrence of the genus.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Milan Chroust
creator: Martin Mazuch
creator: Martin Ivanov
creator: David M. Alba
creator: Àngel H. Luján
subject: Evolutionary Studies
subject: Paleontology
subject: Taxonomy
subject: Zoology
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.15658
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2023 Chroust et al.
abstract: The taxonomy of the soft-shell turtle Rafetus bohemicus (Liebus, 1930), family Trionychidae, subfamily Trionychinae, is revised based on new and previously mentioned material (including the type material) from the Early Miocene (Burdigalian, MN 3) sites of the Most Basin, Czechia. Given that the diagnosis was so far based only on plastral elements, here we focused on the cranial material and combined our study with previously published data on postcranial elements. 3D models of the skulls derived from CT scans allow us to provide the first complete skull description of R. bohemicus, including several new cranial diagnostic characters of the species. Our results not only enable the distinction of the trionychid genera Trionyx and Rafetus, both recorded from Central Europe during the Early Miocene, but further allow us to provide an emended diagnosis for R. bohemicus. We confirm the conclusions of a previous study according to which Trionyx pontanus, T. preschenensis, T. aspidiformis, and T. elongatus are nomina dubia. R. bohemicus from Břešt’any (MN 3) represents the oldest record of this genus in Europe as well as the oldest occurrence of the genus.
bibliographic citation: Chroust et al. (2023) Redescription of the soft-shell turtle Rafetus bohemicus (Testudines, Trionychidae) from the Early Miocene of Czechia. PeerJ 11:e15658 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.15658
date submitted: 2022-09-28
date accepted: 2023-06-07
issued: 2023-07-27
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Chroust
  given name: Milan
author list: Agent
  family name: Mazuch
  given name: Martin
author list: Agent
  family name: Ivanov
  given name: Martin
author list: Agent
  family name: Alba
  given name: David M.
author list: Agent
  family name: Luján
  given name: Àngel H.
doi: 10.7717/peerj.15658
volume: 11
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2023-07-27
copyright: ©2023 Chroust et al.
attribution name: Chroust et al.

In silico analysis of serum miRNA profiles in seronegative and seropositive rheumatoid arthritis patients by small RNA sequencing
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a refractory autoimmune disease, affecting about 1% of the world’s population. RA is divided into seronegative RA and seropositive RA. However, biomarkers for discriminating between seronegative and seropositive RA have not been reported. In this study, we profiled serum miRNAs in seronegative RA patients (N-RA), seropositive RA patients (P-RA) and healthy controls (HC) by small RNA sequencing. Results indicated that compared with HC group, there were one up-regulated and four downregulated miRNAs in N-RA group (fold change ≥ 2 and P value < 0.05); compared with P-RA group, there were two up-regulated and four downregulated miRNAs in N-RA group; compared with HC group, there were three up-regulated and four downregulated miRNAs in P-RA group. Among them, the level of hsa-miR-362-5p in N-RA group was up-regulated compared with that in HC group and P-RA group, and the level of hsa-miR-6855-5p and hsa-miR-187-3p in P-RA group was upregulated compared with that in N-RA group and HC group. Validation by qPCR confirmed that serum hsa-miR-362-5p level was elevated in N-RA group. Subsequently, by analyzing the target genes using RNAhybrid, PITA, Miranda and TargetScan and functions of differential miRNAs utilizing Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), we found that the target genes and molecular pathways regulated by miRNAs in seronegative RA and seropositive RA were roughly the same, and miRNAs in these two diseases may participate in the occurrence and development of diseases by regulating the immune system. In conclusion, this study revealed the profiles of serum miRNAs in seronegative and seropositive RA patients for the first time, providing potential biomarkers and targets for the diagnosis and treatment of seronegative and seropositive RA.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Xiao-Hong He
creator: Yun-Ting Xiao
creator: Wen-Ying Chen
creator: Mao-Jie Wang
creator: Xiao-Dong Wu
creator: Li-Yan Mei
creator: Kai-Xin Gao
creator: Qing-Chun Huang
creator: Run-Yue Huang
creator: Xiu-Min Chen
subject: Cell Biology
subject: Immunology
subject: Rheumatology
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.15690
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2023 He et al.
abstract: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a refractory autoimmune disease, affecting about 1% of the world’s population. RA is divided into seronegative RA and seropositive RA. However, biomarkers for discriminating between seronegative and seropositive RA have not been reported. In this study, we profiled serum miRNAs in seronegative RA patients (N-RA), seropositive RA patients (P-RA) and healthy controls (HC) by small RNA sequencing. Results indicated that compared with HC group, there were one up-regulated and four downregulated miRNAs in N-RA group (fold change ≥ 2 and P value < 0.05); compared with P-RA group, there were two up-regulated and four downregulated miRNAs in N-RA group; compared with HC group, there were three up-regulated and four downregulated miRNAs in P-RA group. Among them, the level of hsa-miR-362-5p in N-RA group was up-regulated compared with that in HC group and P-RA group, and the level of hsa-miR-6855-5p and hsa-miR-187-3p in P-RA group was upregulated compared with that in N-RA group and HC group. Validation by qPCR confirmed that serum hsa-miR-362-5p level was elevated in N-RA group. Subsequently, by analyzing the target genes using RNAhybrid, PITA, Miranda and TargetScan and functions of differential miRNAs utilizing Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), we found that the target genes and molecular pathways regulated by miRNAs in seronegative RA and seropositive RA were roughly the same, and miRNAs in these two diseases may participate in the occurrence and development of diseases by regulating the immune system. In conclusion, this study revealed the profiles of serum miRNAs in seronegative and seropositive RA patients for the first time, providing potential biomarkers and targets for the diagnosis and treatment of seronegative and seropositive RA.
bibliographic citation: He et al. (2023) In silico analysis of serum miRNA profiles in seronegative and seropositive rheumatoid arthritis patients by small RNA sequencing. PeerJ 11:e15690 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.15690
date submitted: 2023-01-30
date accepted: 2023-06-14
issued: 2023-07-27
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: He
  given name: Xiao-Hong
author list: Agent
  family name: Xiao
  given name: Yun-Ting
author list: Agent
  family name: Chen
  given name: Wen-Ying
author list: Agent
  family name: Wang
  given name: Mao-Jie
author list: Agent
  family name: Wu
  given name: Xiao-Dong
author list: Agent
  family name: Mei
  given name: Li-Yan
author list: Agent
  family name: Gao
  given name: Kai-Xin
author list: Agent
  family name: Huang
  given name: Qing-Chun
author list: Agent
  family name: Huang
  given name: Run-Yue
author list: Agent
  family name: Chen
  given name: Xiu-Min
doi: 10.7717/peerj.15690
volume: 11
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2023-07-27
copyright: © 2023 He et al.
attribution name: He et al.

The complete mitochondrial genome and description of a new cryptic Brazilian species of Metopiellus Raffray (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae)
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Metopiellus Raffray, 1908 is a genus of South American rove beetles typically found in tropical humid forests. Here we describe a new cryptic species from Eastern Amazon, in northern Brazil, Metopiellus crypticus Asenjo sp. nov., and its major morphologic diagnostic features, which were photographed and illustrated. In addition, we bring the complete mitochondrial genome sequence of M. crypticus sp. nov., and its position within the phylogenetic context of the family, including previously available mitogenomes of Staphylinidae species.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Angélico Asenjo
creator: Marcus Paulo Alves de Oliveira
creator: Renato R.M. Oliveira
creator: Eder Soares Pires
creator: Marcely Valois
creator: Guilherme Oliveira
creator: Santelmo Vasconcelos
subject: Entomology
subject: Genomics
subject: Molecular Biology
subject: Taxonomy
subject: Zoology
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.15697
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2023 Asenjo et al.
abstract: Metopiellus Raffray, 1908 is a genus of South American rove beetles typically found in tropical humid forests. Here we describe a new cryptic species from Eastern Amazon, in northern Brazil, Metopiellus crypticus Asenjo sp. nov., and its major morphologic diagnostic features, which were photographed and illustrated. In addition, we bring the complete mitochondrial genome sequence of M. crypticus sp. nov., and its position within the phylogenetic context of the family, including previously available mitogenomes of Staphylinidae species.
bibliographic citation: Asenjo et al. (2023) The complete mitochondrial genome and description of a new cryptic Brazilian species of Metopiellus Raffray (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae). PeerJ 11:e15697 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.15697
date submitted: 2023-03-23
date accepted: 2023-06-14
issued: 2023-07-27
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Asenjo
  given name: Angélico
author list: Agent
  family name: de Oliveira
  given name: Marcus Paulo Alves
author list: Agent
  family name: Oliveira
  given name: Renato R.M.
author list: Agent
  family name: Pires
  given name: Eder Soares
author list: Agent
  family name: Valois
  given name: Marcely
author list: Agent
  family name: Oliveira
  given name: Guilherme
author list: Agent
  family name: Vasconcelos
  given name: Santelmo
doi: 10.7717/peerj.15697
volume: 11
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2023-07-27
copyright: ©2023 Asenjo et al.
attribution name: Asenjo et al.

Metabolic cost of walking with electromechanical ankle exoskeletons under proportional myoelectric control on a treadmill and outdoors
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Lower limb robotic exoskeletons are often studied in the context of steady state treadmill walking in a laboratory environment. However, the end goal for exoskeletons is to be used in real world, complex environments. To reach the point that exoskeletons are openly adopted into our everyday lives, we need to understand how the human and robot interact outside of a laboratory. Metabolic cost is often viewed as a gold standard metric for measuring exoskeleton performance but is rarely used to evaluate performance at non steady state walking outside of a laboratory. In this study, we tested the effects of robotic ankle exoskeletons under proportional myoelectric control on the cost of transport of walking both inside on a treadmill and outside overground. We hypothesized that walking with the exoskeletons would lead to a lower cost of transport compared to walking without them both on a treadmill and outside. We saw no significant increases or decreases in cost of transport or exoskeleton mechanics when walking with the exoskeletons compared to walking without them both on a treadmill and outside. We saw a strong negative correlation between walking speed and cost of transport when walking with and without the exoskeletons. In the future, research should consider how performing more difficult tasks, such as incline and loaded walking, affects the cost of transport while walking with and without robotic ankle exoskeletons. The value of this study to the literature is that it emphasizes the importance of both hardware dynamics and controller design towards reducing metabolic cost of transport with robotic ankle exoskeletons. When comparing our results to other studies using the same hardware with different controllers or very similar controllers with different hardware, there are a wide range of outcomes as to metabolic benefit.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Rachel Hybart
creator: K. Siena Villancio-Wolter
creator: Daniel Perry Ferris
subject: Human-Computer Interaction
subject: Biomechanics
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.15775
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2023 Hybart et al.
abstract: Lower limb robotic exoskeletons are often studied in the context of steady state treadmill walking in a laboratory environment. However, the end goal for exoskeletons is to be used in real world, complex environments. To reach the point that exoskeletons are openly adopted into our everyday lives, we need to understand how the human and robot interact outside of a laboratory. Metabolic cost is often viewed as a gold standard metric for measuring exoskeleton performance but is rarely used to evaluate performance at non steady state walking outside of a laboratory. In this study, we tested the effects of robotic ankle exoskeletons under proportional myoelectric control on the cost of transport of walking both inside on a treadmill and outside overground. We hypothesized that walking with the exoskeletons would lead to a lower cost of transport compared to walking without them both on a treadmill and outside. We saw no significant increases or decreases in cost of transport or exoskeleton mechanics when walking with the exoskeletons compared to walking without them both on a treadmill and outside. We saw a strong negative correlation between walking speed and cost of transport when walking with and without the exoskeletons. In the future, research should consider how performing more difficult tasks, such as incline and loaded walking, affects the cost of transport while walking with and without robotic ankle exoskeletons. The value of this study to the literature is that it emphasizes the importance of both hardware dynamics and controller design towards reducing metabolic cost of transport with robotic ankle exoskeletons. When comparing our results to other studies using the same hardware with different controllers or very similar controllers with different hardware, there are a wide range of outcomes as to metabolic benefit.
bibliographic citation: Hybart et al. (2023) Metabolic cost of walking with electromechanical ankle exoskeletons under proportional myoelectric control on a treadmill and outdoors. PeerJ 11:e15775 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.15775
date submitted: 2023-04-13
date accepted: 2023-06-29
issued: 2023-07-27
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Hybart
  given name: Rachel
author list: Agent
  family name: Villancio-Wolter
  given name: K. Siena
author list: Agent
  family name: Ferris
  given name: Daniel Perry
doi: 10.7717/peerj.15775
volume: 11
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2023-07-27
copyright: ©2023 Hybart et al.
attribution name: Hybart et al.

Protective effect of fustin against adjuvant-induced arthritis through the restoration of proinflammatory response and oxidative stress
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Rheumatoid arthritis causes irreparable damage to joints. The present research sought to check fustin’s anti-arthritic efficacy against the complete Freund’s adjuvant-induced arthritis paradigm in animals by altering the inflammatory response. In the rats, complete Freund’s adjuvant was used to trigger arthritis and they received fustin at 50 and 100 mg/kg for 21 days. At regular intervals, the hind paw volume and arthritic score were assessed. After the trial period, hematological, antioxidant, pro-inflammatory cytokines, and other biochemical parameters were estimated. Fustin-treated rats showed the down-regulation of hind paw volume, arthritic score, and altered hematological parameters (TLC, DLC (neutrophil, lymphocyte, monocyte, eosinophil, basophil)). Furthermore, fustin significantly mitigates proinflammatory cytokine (reduced interleukin, tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-α), IL-6, IL-1β), oxidative stress (attenuated malondialdehyde (MDA), catalase (CAT), glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD)), attenuated production of prostaglandin E2 and myeloperoxidase (MPO) and improved nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor (Nrf2) action. Fustin led to the benefit in arthritis-prone animals elicited by complete Freund’s adjuvant via pro-inflammatory cytokine.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Sultan Alshehri
creator: Shareefa A. AlGhamdi
creator: Amira M. Alghamdi
creator: Syed Sarim Imam
creator: Wael A. Mahdi
creator: Mohammad A. Almaniea
creator: Baraa Mohammed Hajjar
creator: Fahad A. Al-Abbasi
creator: Nadeem Sayyed
creator: Imran Kazmi
subject: Biochemistry
subject: Immunology
subject: Rheumatology
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.15532
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2023 Alshehri et al.
abstract: Rheumatoid arthritis causes irreparable damage to joints. The present research sought to check fustin’s anti-arthritic efficacy against the complete Freund’s adjuvant-induced arthritis paradigm in animals by altering the inflammatory response. In the rats, complete Freund’s adjuvant was used to trigger arthritis and they received fustin at 50 and 100 mg/kg for 21 days. At regular intervals, the hind paw volume and arthritic score were assessed. After the trial period, hematological, antioxidant, pro-inflammatory cytokines, and other biochemical parameters were estimated. Fustin-treated rats showed the down-regulation of hind paw volume, arthritic score, and altered hematological parameters (TLC, DLC (neutrophil, lymphocyte, monocyte, eosinophil, basophil)). Furthermore, fustin significantly mitigates proinflammatory cytokine (reduced interleukin, tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-α), IL-6, IL-1β), oxidative stress (attenuated malondialdehyde (MDA), catalase (CAT), glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD)), attenuated production of prostaglandin E2 and myeloperoxidase (MPO) and improved nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor (Nrf2) action. Fustin led to the benefit in arthritis-prone animals elicited by complete Freund’s adjuvant via pro-inflammatory cytokine.
bibliographic citation: Alshehri et al. (2023) Protective effect of fustin against adjuvant-induced arthritis through the restoration of proinflammatory response and oxidative stress. PeerJ 11:e15532 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.15532
date submitted: 2023-01-18
date accepted: 2023-05-19
issued: 2023-07-26
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Alshehri
  given name: Sultan
author list: Agent
  family name: AlGhamdi
  given name: Shareefa A.
author list: Agent
  family name: Alghamdi
  given name: Amira M.
author list: Agent
  family name: Imam
  given name: Syed Sarim
author list: Agent
  family name: Mahdi
  given name: Wael A.
author list: Agent
  family name: Almaniea
  given name: Mohammad A.
author list: Agent
  family name: Hajjar
  given name: Baraa Mohammed
author list: Agent
  family name: Al-Abbasi
  given name: Fahad A.
author list: Agent
  family name: Sayyed
  given name: Nadeem
author list: Agent
  family name: Kazmi
  given name: Imran
doi: 10.7717/peerj.15532
volume: 11
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2023-07-26
copyright: ©2023 Alshehri et al.
attribution name: Alshehri et al.

Effects of high-risk human papillomavirus infection on P53, pRb, and survivin in lung adenocarcinoma—a retrospective study
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Objective To observe the effects of high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) infection on P53, pRb, and survivin in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). Methods The cancerous and cancer-adjacent tissues of 102 patients with LUAD from January 2020 to April 2022 were selected for the study. HR-HPV infection was detected by flow fluorescence method, and P53, pRb, and survivin protein expression was detected by immunohistochemical staining method. Statistical analysis was performed to determine the differences in the HR-HPV infection and the expression of P53, pRb, and survivin proteins between LUAD tissues and cancer-adjacent tissues; the correlation between HR-HPV infection and P53, pRb, and survivin protein expression in cancer tissues; and the correlation between HR-HPV infection and clinicopathological features of LUAD. Results The infection rate of HR-HPV was higher in the LUAD tissues (28.43%) than in cancer-adjacent tissues (7.84%), and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The positive rates of P53 and survivin protein were higher in the LUAD group (33.33% and 67.16%, respectively) than in the cancer-adjacent group (3.92% and 11.73%, respectively), and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The positive rate of pRb protein was lower in the LUAD group (58.82%) than in the cancer-adjacent group (92.14%), and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The positive rates of P53 and survivin proteins were significantly higher in the HR-HPV LUAD group (58.62% and 86.21%, respectively) than in the non-HR-HPV LUAD group (41.38% and 67.12%, respectively), and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The expression rate of pRb protein was significantly lower in the HR-HPV LUAD group (37.93%) than in the non-HR-HPV LUAD group (67.12%), and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The expression of p53 and survivin protein was positively correlated with HR-HPV infection (r = 0.338 and 0.444, P < 0.05)…
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Wenwen Sun
creator: Hui Yang
creator: Lu Cao
creator: Ruochen Wu
creator: Baoqi Ding
creator: Xiaocui Liu
creator: Xinli Wang
creator: Qiang Zhang
subject: Biochemistry
subject: Molecular Biology
subject: Immunology
subject: Oncology
subject: Respiratory Medicine
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.15570
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2023 Sun et al.
abstract: Objective To observe the effects of high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) infection on P53, pRb, and survivin in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). Methods The cancerous and cancer-adjacent tissues of 102 patients with LUAD from January 2020 to April 2022 were selected for the study. HR-HPV infection was detected by flow fluorescence method, and P53, pRb, and survivin protein expression was detected by immunohistochemical staining method. Statistical analysis was performed to determine the differences in the HR-HPV infection and the expression of P53, pRb, and survivin proteins between LUAD tissues and cancer-adjacent tissues; the correlation between HR-HPV infection and P53, pRb, and survivin protein expression in cancer tissues; and the correlation between HR-HPV infection and clinicopathological features of LUAD. Results The infection rate of HR-HPV was higher in the LUAD tissues (28.43%) than in cancer-adjacent tissues (7.84%), and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The positive rates of P53 and survivin protein were higher in the LUAD group (33.33% and 67.16%, respectively) than in the cancer-adjacent group (3.92% and 11.73%, respectively), and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The positive rate of pRb protein was lower in the LUAD group (58.82%) than in the cancer-adjacent group (92.14%), and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The positive rates of P53 and survivin proteins were significantly higher in the HR-HPV LUAD group (58.62% and 86.21%, respectively) than in the non-HR-HPV LUAD group (41.38% and 67.12%, respectively), and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The expression rate of pRb protein was significantly lower in the HR-HPV LUAD group (37.93%) than in the non-HR-HPV LUAD group (67.12%), and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The expression of p53 and survivin protein was positively correlated with HR-HPV infection (r = 0.338 and 0.444, P < 0.05)…
bibliographic citation: Sun et al. (2023) Effects of high-risk human papillomavirus infection on P53, pRb, and survivin in lung adenocarcinoma—a retrospective study. PeerJ 11:e15570 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.15570
date submitted: 2023-04-13
date accepted: 2023-05-25
issued: 2023-07-26
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Sun
  given name: Wenwen
author list: Agent
  family name: Yang
  given name: Hui
author list: Agent
  family name: Cao
  given name: Lu
author list: Agent
  family name: Wu
  given name: Ruochen
author list: Agent
  family name: Ding
  given name: Baoqi
author list: Agent
  family name: Liu
  given name: Xiaocui
author list: Agent
  family name: Wang
  given name: Xinli
author list: Agent
  family name: Zhang
  given name: Qiang
doi: 10.7717/peerj.15570
volume: 11
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2023-07-26
copyright: ©2023 Sun et al.
attribution name: Sun et al.

Recombination of endophytic bacteria in asexual plant Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort. caused by transplanting
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Background Long-term asexual reproduction can easily lead to the degradation of plant germplasm, serious diseases and insect pests, reduction of production and even catastrophic crop failure. “Mountain Breeding and Dam Cultivation” is the main cultivation mode of Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort., which successfully avoided the germplasm degradation caused by long-term asexual reproduction. The recombination of endophytic fungi of L. chuanxiong caused by off-site transplantation was considered to be an important reason for its germplasm rejuvenation. However, whether bacteria have the same regularity is not yet known. Methods In this study, we carried out the experiment of cultivating propagation materials of L. chuanxiong in different regions and transplanting them to the same region. High-throughput sequencing was performed to analyze the bacterial communities in L. chuanxiong and its soil. Results The results showed that after transplanting, the plant height, tiller number, fresh weight, etc. of L. chuanxiong in mountainous areas were significantly higher than those in dam areas. At the same time, significant changes had taken place in the endophytic bacteria in reproductive material stem nodes (Lingzi, abbreviated as LZ). The diversity and abundance of bacteria in dam area LZ (YL) are significantly higher than those in mountainous area LZ (ML). The relative abundance of bacteria such as Xanthobacteraceae, Micromonosporaceae, Beijerinkiaceae, Rhodanobacteria, in ML is significantly higher than YL, mainly classified in Proteobateria and Actinobacteriota. In addition, the abundance advantage of Actinobacteriota still exists in MY (underground mature rhizomes obtained by ML). Meanwhile, the bacterial community was different in different area of transplanting. The diversity of bacterial communities in dam soil (YLS) is significantly higher than that in mountain soil (MLS). MLS had more Acidobacteriota than YLS. Comparative analysis showed that 74.38% of bacteria in ML are …
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Wanting Xiao
creator: Zhanling Zhang
creator: Hai Wang
creator: Guiqi Han
creator: Zhu-Yun Yan
creator: Dongmei He
subject: Agricultural Science
subject: Biodiversity
subject: Ecology
subject: Microbiology
subject: Plant Science
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.15579
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2023 Xiao et al.
abstract: Background Long-term asexual reproduction can easily lead to the degradation of plant germplasm, serious diseases and insect pests, reduction of production and even catastrophic crop failure. “Mountain Breeding and Dam Cultivation” is the main cultivation mode of Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort., which successfully avoided the germplasm degradation caused by long-term asexual reproduction. The recombination of endophytic fungi of L. chuanxiong caused by off-site transplantation was considered to be an important reason for its germplasm rejuvenation. However, whether bacteria have the same regularity is not yet known. Methods In this study, we carried out the experiment of cultivating propagation materials of L. chuanxiong in different regions and transplanting them to the same region. High-throughput sequencing was performed to analyze the bacterial communities in L. chuanxiong and its soil. Results The results showed that after transplanting, the plant height, tiller number, fresh weight, etc. of L. chuanxiong in mountainous areas were significantly higher than those in dam areas. At the same time, significant changes had taken place in the endophytic bacteria in reproductive material stem nodes (Lingzi, abbreviated as LZ). The diversity and abundance of bacteria in dam area LZ (YL) are significantly higher than those in mountainous area LZ (ML). The relative abundance of bacteria such as Xanthobacteraceae, Micromonosporaceae, Beijerinkiaceae, Rhodanobacteria, in ML is significantly higher than YL, mainly classified in Proteobateria and Actinobacteriota. In addition, the abundance advantage of Actinobacteriota still exists in MY (underground mature rhizomes obtained by ML). Meanwhile, the bacterial community was different in different area of transplanting. The diversity of bacterial communities in dam soil (YLS) is significantly higher than that in mountain soil (MLS). MLS had more Acidobacteriota than YLS. Comparative analysis showed that 74.38% of bacteria in ML are …
bibliographic citation: Xiao et al. (2023) Recombination of endophytic bacteria in asexual plant Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort. caused by transplanting. PeerJ 11:e15579 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.15579
date submitted: 2023-02-24
date accepted: 2023-05-25
issued: 2023-07-26
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Xiao
  given name: Wanting
author list: Agent
  family name: Zhang
  given name: Zhanling
author list: Agent
  family name: Wang
  given name: Hai
author list: Agent
  family name: Han
  given name: Guiqi
author list: Agent
  family name: Yan
  given name: Zhu-Yun
author list: Agent
  family name: He
  given name: Dongmei
doi: 10.7717/peerj.15579
volume: 11
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2023-07-26
copyright: ©2023 Xiao et al.
attribution name: Xiao et al.

Dapagliflozin-affected endothelial dysfunction and altered gut microbiota in mice with heart failure
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Aim To investigate the potential microbiome profile of a mouse model with heart failure (HF) during dapagliflozin treatment. Method An HF model was constructed in 8-week-old male mice, and cardiac tissues were analyzed using histological staining. Hemodynamic indexes were measured, and fecal samples were collected for 16S rDNA sequencing. Chao1, Shannon, and Simpson were used for α-diversity analysis. b-Diversity analysis was conducted using principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) and non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) based on the Bray–Curtis distance. Linear discriminant analysis coupled with effect size measurements (LEfSe) was used to identify signature gut microbiota, and phylogenetic investigation of communities by reconstruction of unobserved states (PICRUSt) was used to predict the function of altered gut microbiota. Result Dapagliflozin treatment reduced inflammation, infarction area, and cardiac fibrosis in HF mice. It also increased endothelial-dependent dilation and inflammation in mice with HF. Dapagliflozin decreased the ratio of Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes, which was increased in HF mice. There was no significant statistical difference in α-diversity among the control, HF, and HF+dapagliflozin groups. Desulfovibrio, AF12, and Paraprevotella were enriched in HF+dapagliflozin, while Rikenella and Mucispirillum were enriched in HF based on LEfSe. KEGG analysis revealed that altered gut microbiota was associated with fermentation, amino acid biosynthesis, nucleoside and nucleotide biosynthesis/degradation, fatty acid and lipid biosynthesis, carbohydrate biosynthesis/degradation, and cofactor/prosthetic group/electron carrier/vitamin biosynthesis. Conclusion Understanding the microbiome profile helps elucidate the mechanism of dapagliflozin for HF. The signature genera identified in this study could be used as a convenient method to distinguish between HF patients and healthy individuals.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Nandi Bao
creator: Xiaoli Liu
creator: Xiaoling Zhong
creator: Shuangshuang Jia
creator: Ning Hua
creator: Li Zhang
creator: Guoxin Mo
subject: Molecular Biology
subject: Cardiology
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.15589
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2023 Bao et al.
abstract: Aim To investigate the potential microbiome profile of a mouse model with heart failure (HF) during dapagliflozin treatment. Method An HF model was constructed in 8-week-old male mice, and cardiac tissues were analyzed using histological staining. Hemodynamic indexes were measured, and fecal samples were collected for 16S rDNA sequencing. Chao1, Shannon, and Simpson were used for α-diversity analysis. b-Diversity analysis was conducted using principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) and non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) based on the Bray–Curtis distance. Linear discriminant analysis coupled with effect size measurements (LEfSe) was used to identify signature gut microbiota, and phylogenetic investigation of communities by reconstruction of unobserved states (PICRUSt) was used to predict the function of altered gut microbiota. Result Dapagliflozin treatment reduced inflammation, infarction area, and cardiac fibrosis in HF mice. It also increased endothelial-dependent dilation and inflammation in mice with HF. Dapagliflozin decreased the ratio of Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes, which was increased in HF mice. There was no significant statistical difference in α-diversity among the control, HF, and HF+dapagliflozin groups. Desulfovibrio, AF12, and Paraprevotella were enriched in HF+dapagliflozin, while Rikenella and Mucispirillum were enriched in HF based on LEfSe. KEGG analysis revealed that altered gut microbiota was associated with fermentation, amino acid biosynthesis, nucleoside and nucleotide biosynthesis/degradation, fatty acid and lipid biosynthesis, carbohydrate biosynthesis/degradation, and cofactor/prosthetic group/electron carrier/vitamin biosynthesis. Conclusion Understanding the microbiome profile helps elucidate the mechanism of dapagliflozin for HF. The signature genera identified in this study could be used as a convenient method to distinguish between HF patients and healthy individuals.
bibliographic citation: Bao et al. (2023) Dapagliflozin-affected endothelial dysfunction and altered gut microbiota in mice with heart failure. PeerJ 11:e15589 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.15589
date submitted: 2023-02-20
date accepted: 2023-05-26
issued: 2023-07-26
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Bao
  given name: Nandi
author list: Agent
  family name: Liu
  given name: Xiaoli
author list: Agent
  family name: Zhong
  given name: Xiaoling
author list: Agent
  family name: Jia
  given name: Shuangshuang
author list: Agent
  family name: Hua
  given name: Ning
author list: Agent
  family name: Zhang
  given name: Li
author list: Agent
  family name: Mo
  given name: Guoxin
doi: 10.7717/peerj.15589
volume: 11
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2023-07-26
copyright: © 2023 Bao et al.
attribution name: Bao et al.

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