PeerJ
type: channel
link: https://peerj.com/articles/
description: Articles published in PeerJ
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
publication name: PeerJ
issn: 2167-8359
items: Comparison of inertial records during anticipatory postural adjustments obtained with devices of different masses
items: 2018–2022 Southern Resident killer whale presence in the Salish Sea: continued shifts in habitat usage
items: Combinative effects of β-elemene and propranolol on the proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis of hemangioma
items: Effects of a compound Trichoderma agent on Coptis chinensis growth, nutrients, enzyme activity, and microbial community of rhizosphere soil
items: HDAC inhibition delays photoreceptor loss in Pde6b mutant mice of retinitis pigmentosa: insights from scRNA-seq and CUT&Tag
items: Effect of sit-to-stand-based training on muscle quality in sedentary adults: a randomized controlled trial
items: Establishment of a prognostic risk prediction modelfor non-small cell lung cancer patients with brainmetastases: a retrospective study
items: Gazing left, gazing right: exploring a spatial bias in social attention
items: Oil and natural gas rents and CO2 emissions nexus in MENA: spatial analysis
items: Changes in Coleopteran assemblages over a successional chronosequence in a Mexican tropical dry forest

Comparison of inertial records during anticipatory postural adjustments obtained with devices of different masses
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Background Step initiation involves anticipatory postural adjustments (APAs) that can be measured using inertial measurement units (IMUs) such as accelerometers. However, previous research has shown heterogeneity in terms of the population studied, sensors used, and methods employed. Validity against gold standard measurements was only found in some studies, and the weight of the sensors varied from 10 to 110 g. The weight of the device is a crucial factor to consider when assessing APAs, as APAs exhibit significantly lower magnitudes and are characterized by discrete oscillations in acceleration paths. Objective This study aims to validate the performance of a commercially available ultra-light sensor weighing only 5.6 g compared to a 168-g smartphone for measuring APAs during step initiation, using a video capture kinematics system as the gold standard. The hypothesis is that APA oscillation measurements obtained with the ultra-light sensor will exhibit greater similarity to those acquired using video capture than those obtained using a smartphone. Materials and Methods Twenty subjects were evaluated using a commercial lightweight MetaMotionC accelerometer, a smartphone and a system of cameras—kinematics with a reflective marker on lumbar vertebrae. The subjects initiated 10 trials of gait after a randomized command from the experimenter and APA variables were extracted: APAonset, APAamp, PEAKtime. A repeated measures ANOVA with post-hoc test analyzed the effect of device on APA measurements. Bland–Altman plots were used to evaluate agreement between MetaMotionC, smartphone, and kinematics measurements. Pearson’s correlation coefficients were used to assess device correlation. Percentage error was calculated for each inertial sensor against kinematics. A paired Student’s t-test compared th devices percentage error. Results The study found no significant difference in temporal variables APAonset and PEAKtime between MetaMotionC, smartphone, and kinematic instrument…
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Anderson Antunes da Costa Moraes
creator: Manuela Brito Duarte
creator: Eduardo Veloso Ferreira
creator: Gizele Cristina da Silva Almeida
creator: André dos Santos Cabral
creator: Anselmo de Athayde Costa e Silva
creator: Daniela Rosa Garcez
creator: Givago Silva Souza
creator: Bianca Callegari
subject: Drugs and Devices
subject: Kinesiology
subject: Orthopedics
subject: Rehabilitation
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.15627
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2023 Antunes da Costa Moraes et al.
abstract: Background Step initiation involves anticipatory postural adjustments (APAs) that can be measured using inertial measurement units (IMUs) such as accelerometers. However, previous research has shown heterogeneity in terms of the population studied, sensors used, and methods employed. Validity against gold standard measurements was only found in some studies, and the weight of the sensors varied from 10 to 110 g. The weight of the device is a crucial factor to consider when assessing APAs, as APAs exhibit significantly lower magnitudes and are characterized by discrete oscillations in acceleration paths. Objective This study aims to validate the performance of a commercially available ultra-light sensor weighing only 5.6 g compared to a 168-g smartphone for measuring APAs during step initiation, using a video capture kinematics system as the gold standard. The hypothesis is that APA oscillation measurements obtained with the ultra-light sensor will exhibit greater similarity to those acquired using video capture than those obtained using a smartphone. Materials and Methods Twenty subjects were evaluated using a commercial lightweight MetaMotionC accelerometer, a smartphone and a system of cameras—kinematics with a reflective marker on lumbar vertebrae. The subjects initiated 10 trials of gait after a randomized command from the experimenter and APA variables were extracted: APAonset, APAamp, PEAKtime. A repeated measures ANOVA with post-hoc test analyzed the effect of device on APA measurements. Bland–Altman plots were used to evaluate agreement between MetaMotionC, smartphone, and kinematics measurements. Pearson’s correlation coefficients were used to assess device correlation. Percentage error was calculated for each inertial sensor against kinematics. A paired Student’s t-test compared th devices percentage error. Results The study found no significant difference in temporal variables APAonset and PEAKtime between MetaMotionC, smartphone, and kinematic instrument…
bibliographic citation: Antunes da Costa Moraes et al. (2023) Comparison of inertial records during anticipatory postural adjustments obtained with devices of different masses. PeerJ 11:e15627 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.15627
date submitted: 2023-02-22
date accepted: 2023-06-02
issued: 2023-07-12
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Antunes da Costa Moraes
  given name: Anderson
author list: Agent
  family name: Brito Duarte
  given name: Manuela
author list: Agent
  family name: Veloso Ferreira
  given name: Eduardo
author list: Agent
  family name: Cristina da Silva Almeida
  given name: Gizele
author list: Agent
  family name: dos Santos Cabral
  given name: André
author list: Agent
  family name: de Athayde Costa e Silva
  given name: Anselmo
author list: Agent
  family name: Rosa Garcez
  given name: Daniela
author list: Agent
  family name: Silva Souza
  given name: Givago
author list: Agent
  family name: Callegari
  given name: Bianca
doi: 10.7717/peerj.15627
volume: 11
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2023-07-12
copyright: © 2023 Antunes da Costa Moraes et al.
attribution name: Antunes da Costa Moraes et al.

2018–2022 Southern Resident killer whale presence in the Salish Sea: continued shifts in habitat usage
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: The fish-eating Southern Resident killer whales (Orcinus orca) of the northeastern Pacific are listed as Endangered in both the USA and Canada. The inland waters of Washington State and British Columbia, a region known as the Salish Sea, are designated as Southern Resident critical habitat by both countries. The whales have historically had regular monthly presence in the Salish Sea, with peak abundance occurring from May through September. In recent years, at least partially in response to shifting prey abundance, habitat usage by the Southern Residents has changed. As conservation measures aim to provide the best possible protection for the whales in their hopeful recovery, it is key that policies are based both on historic trends and current data. To this aim, our study shares 2018–2022 daily occurrence data to build upon and compare to previously published whale presence numbers and to demonstrate more recent habitat shifts. Based on reports from an extensive network of community scientists as well as online streaming hydrophones, every Southern Resident occurrence was confirmed either visually or acoustically. Documented here are the first-ever total absence of the Southern Residents in the Salish Sea in the months of May, June, and August, as well as their continued overall declining presence in the spring and summer, while fall and winter presence remains relatively high. It is key that management efforts consider these shifting presence patterns when setting both seasonal and regional protection measures aimed at supporting population recovery.
format: application/pdf
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creator: Monika W. Shields
subject: Animal Behavior
subject: Biogeography
subject: Conservation Biology
subject: Marine Biology
subject: Zoology
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.15635
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2023 Shields
abstract: The fish-eating Southern Resident killer whales (Orcinus orca) of the northeastern Pacific are listed as Endangered in both the USA and Canada. The inland waters of Washington State and British Columbia, a region known as the Salish Sea, are designated as Southern Resident critical habitat by both countries. The whales have historically had regular monthly presence in the Salish Sea, with peak abundance occurring from May through September. In recent years, at least partially in response to shifting prey abundance, habitat usage by the Southern Residents has changed. As conservation measures aim to provide the best possible protection for the whales in their hopeful recovery, it is key that policies are based both on historic trends and current data. To this aim, our study shares 2018–2022 daily occurrence data to build upon and compare to previously published whale presence numbers and to demonstrate more recent habitat shifts. Based on reports from an extensive network of community scientists as well as online streaming hydrophones, every Southern Resident occurrence was confirmed either visually or acoustically. Documented here are the first-ever total absence of the Southern Residents in the Salish Sea in the months of May, June, and August, as well as their continued overall declining presence in the spring and summer, while fall and winter presence remains relatively high. It is key that management efforts consider these shifting presence patterns when setting both seasonal and regional protection measures aimed at supporting population recovery.
bibliographic citation: Shields (2023) 2018–2022 Southern Resident killer whale presence in the Salish Sea: continued shifts in habitat usage. PeerJ 11:e15635 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.15635
date submitted: 2023-02-20
date accepted: 2023-06-05
issued: 2023-07-12
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Shields
  given name: Monika W.
doi: 10.7717/peerj.15635
volume: 11
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2023-07-12
copyright: ©2023 Shields
attribution name: Shields

Combinative effects of β-elemene and propranolol on the proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis of hemangioma
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Hemangioma (HA) is one of the most common benign vascular tumors among children. Propranolol is used as the first-line treatment for hemangioma and is a non-selective blocker of the β-adrenergic receptor. β-elemene is a compound extracted from Rhizoma zedoariae and has been approved for the treatment of tumors in clinical practice. However, the combinatorial effects of β-elemene and propranolol in the treatment of HA remains unclear. This study explored the combinative effects and mechanisms of β-elemene and propranolol using hemangioma-derived endothelial cells (HemECs). Cytotoxic assays showed that the combinatorial treatment of β-elemene and propranolol did not increase the cytotoxic effects of HemECs. Furthermore, functional analysis showed that the combinatorial treatment with β-elemene and propranolol significantly inhibited the proliferation, migration, and tube formation of the HemECs compared to the single treatment regimens. Mechanistic analysis showed that combinative treatment with β-elemene and propranolol synergistically down-regulated the hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha/vascular endothelial growth factor-A (HIF-1-α/VEGFA) signaling pathway. Additionally, in a xenograft tumor model, angiogenesis in the combinatorial treatment group was significantly lower than in the control, propranolol, and β-elemene treatment alone groups. Our results suggest that β-elemene combined with propranolol can significantly inhibit the proliferation, migration, and tube formation of HemECs via synergistically down-regulating the HIF-1-α/VEGFA signaling pathway without increasing any cytotoxic side effects.
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creator: Zhenyu Wang
creator: Yinxian Chen
creator: Lin Yang
creator: Dunbiao Yao
creator: Yang Shen
subject: Biochemistry
subject: Cell Biology
subject: Molecular Biology
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.15643
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2023 Wang et al.
abstract: Hemangioma (HA) is one of the most common benign vascular tumors among children. Propranolol is used as the first-line treatment for hemangioma and is a non-selective blocker of the β-adrenergic receptor. β-elemene is a compound extracted from Rhizoma zedoariae and has been approved for the treatment of tumors in clinical practice. However, the combinatorial effects of β-elemene and propranolol in the treatment of HA remains unclear. This study explored the combinative effects and mechanisms of β-elemene and propranolol using hemangioma-derived endothelial cells (HemECs). Cytotoxic assays showed that the combinatorial treatment of β-elemene and propranolol did not increase the cytotoxic effects of HemECs. Furthermore, functional analysis showed that the combinatorial treatment with β-elemene and propranolol significantly inhibited the proliferation, migration, and tube formation of the HemECs compared to the single treatment regimens. Mechanistic analysis showed that combinative treatment with β-elemene and propranolol synergistically down-regulated the hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha/vascular endothelial growth factor-A (HIF-1-α/VEGFA) signaling pathway. Additionally, in a xenograft tumor model, angiogenesis in the combinatorial treatment group was significantly lower than in the control, propranolol, and β-elemene treatment alone groups. Our results suggest that β-elemene combined with propranolol can significantly inhibit the proliferation, migration, and tube formation of HemECs via synergistically down-regulating the HIF-1-α/VEGFA signaling pathway without increasing any cytotoxic side effects.
bibliographic citation: Wang et al. (2023) Combinative effects of β-elemene and propranolol on the proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis of hemangioma. PeerJ 11:e15643 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.15643
date submitted: 2023-05-05
date accepted: 2023-06-05
issued: 2023-07-12
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Wang
  given name: Zhenyu
author list: Agent
  family name: Chen
  given name: Yinxian
author list: Agent
  family name: Yang
  given name: Lin
author list: Agent
  family name: Yao
  given name: Dunbiao
author list: Agent
  family name: Shen
  given name: Yang
doi: 10.7717/peerj.15643
volume: 11
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2023-07-12
copyright: ©2023 Wang et al.
attribution name: Wang et al.

Effects of a compound Trichoderma agent on Coptis chinensis growth, nutrients, enzyme activity, and microbial community of rhizosphere soil
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Background Root rot diseases are prevalent in many Coptis chinensis Franch. production areas, perhaps partially due to the overuse of synthetic fertilizers. Synthetic fertilizers can also lead to soil degradation. Trichoderma is widely used in biofertilizers and biopesticides. This study applied a combination of four Trichoderma species (compound Trichoderma agent, CTA) to C. chinensis and evaluated its effects on growth, as well as rhizosphere soil nutrients, enzyme activities, and microbial community structure. The purpose of this study was to estimate the potential of using CTA as a biofertilizer for C. chinensis, and determine if it could, at least partially, replace synthetic fertilizers to control root rot disease and maintain soil fertility. Method CTA, compound fertilizer and sterile water were applied to C. chinensis plants. After 60 days, the soluble sugar, soluble protein, chlorophyll of leaves, and individual weight of each plant were measured. The rhizosphere soil nutrient content, enzymatic activity, and the microbial community were also determined. The results were analyzed to evaluate the effect of CTA on C. chinensis growth and soil fertility. Results CTA increased the soluble protein, chlorophyll, and individual weight of C. chinensis plants while compound fertilizer decreased chlorophyll. CTA increased the activities of urease and catalase in rhizosphere soil, whereas the compound fertilizer decreased urease, catalase, and alkaline phosphatase activities. CTA elevated soil pH, while compound fertilizer reduced it. CTA had no significant effects on soil nutrients and organic matter. CTA decreased the fungal number and alpha-diversity of fungi and bacteria, and both the fungal and bacterial communities were significantly different from the other two. CTA increased B/F value, which improved the rhizosphere microbial community. Both CTA and the compound fertilizer significantly altered the soil microbial community. The relative abundance of Ascomycota…
format: application/pdf
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creator: Li X. Wu
creator: Yu Wang
creator: Hui Lyu
creator: Xia D. Chen
subject: Agricultural Science
subject: Microbiology
subject: Molecular Biology
subject: Plant Science
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.15652
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2023 Wu et al.
abstract: Background Root rot diseases are prevalent in many Coptis chinensis Franch. production areas, perhaps partially due to the overuse of synthetic fertilizers. Synthetic fertilizers can also lead to soil degradation. Trichoderma is widely used in biofertilizers and biopesticides. This study applied a combination of four Trichoderma species (compound Trichoderma agent, CTA) to C. chinensis and evaluated its effects on growth, as well as rhizosphere soil nutrients, enzyme activities, and microbial community structure. The purpose of this study was to estimate the potential of using CTA as a biofertilizer for C. chinensis, and determine if it could, at least partially, replace synthetic fertilizers to control root rot disease and maintain soil fertility. Method CTA, compound fertilizer and sterile water were applied to C. chinensis plants. After 60 days, the soluble sugar, soluble protein, chlorophyll of leaves, and individual weight of each plant were measured. The rhizosphere soil nutrient content, enzymatic activity, and the microbial community were also determined. The results were analyzed to evaluate the effect of CTA on C. chinensis growth and soil fertility. Results CTA increased the soluble protein, chlorophyll, and individual weight of C. chinensis plants while compound fertilizer decreased chlorophyll. CTA increased the activities of urease and catalase in rhizosphere soil, whereas the compound fertilizer decreased urease, catalase, and alkaline phosphatase activities. CTA elevated soil pH, while compound fertilizer reduced it. CTA had no significant effects on soil nutrients and organic matter. CTA decreased the fungal number and alpha-diversity of fungi and bacteria, and both the fungal and bacterial communities were significantly different from the other two. CTA increased B/F value, which improved the rhizosphere microbial community. Both CTA and the compound fertilizer significantly altered the soil microbial community. The relative abundance of Ascomycota…
bibliographic citation: Wu et al. (2023) Effects of a compound Trichoderma agent on Coptis chinensis growth, nutrients, enzyme activity, and microbial community of rhizosphere soil. PeerJ 11:e15652 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.15652
date submitted: 2022-04-26
date accepted: 2023-06-06
issued: 2023-07-12
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Wu
  given name: Li X.
author list: Agent
  family name: Wang
  given name: Yu
author list: Agent
  family name: Lyu
  given name: Hui
author list: Agent
  family name: Chen
  given name: Xia D.
doi: 10.7717/peerj.15652
volume: 11
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2023-07-12
copyright: © 2023 Wu et al.
attribution name: Wu et al.

HDAC inhibition delays photoreceptor loss in Pde6b mutant mice of retinitis pigmentosa: insights from scRNA-seq and CUT&Tag
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Purpose This research aimed to ascertain the neuroprotective effect of histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibition on retinal photoreceptors in Pde6brd1 mice, a model of retinitis pigmentosa (RP). Methods Single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) explored HDAC and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP)-related gene expression in both Pde6b-mutant rd1 and wild-type (WT) mice. The CUT&Tag method was employed to examine the functions of HDAC in rd1 mice. Organotypic retinal explant cultures from WT and rd1 mice were exposed to the HDAC inhibitor SAHA (suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid) postnatally, from day 5 to day 11. The terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated nick-end labeling (TUNEL) assay was applied to quantify the percentage of photoreceptor loss in the outer nuclear layer (ONL). HDAC activity was confirmed to be inhibited by SAHA through an HDAC activity assay. Moreover, the study evaluated PARP activity, a key driver of the initial response to DNA damage during photoreceptor degeneration, following HDAC inhibition. Results The scRNA-seq revealed that diverse roles of HDAC and PARP isoforms in photoreceptor cell death. HDAC-related genes appeared to regulate cell death and primary immunodeficiency. Alterations in HDAC activity were consistent with the TUNEL-positive cells in the ONL at different time points. Notably, SAHA significantly postponed photoreceptor loss and decreased HDAC and PARP activity, thereby implicating both in the same degenerative pathway. Conclusions This study highlights that the interaction between HDAC inhibition and PARP can delay photoreceptor cell death, proposing a promising therapeutic approach for RP.
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format: text/html
creator: Yujie Dong
creator: Jie Yan
creator: Wenrong Xu
creator: François Paquet-Durand
creator: Zhulin Hu
creator: Kangwei Jiao
subject: Biochemistry
subject: Genetics
subject: Molecular Biology
subject: Histology
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.15659
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2023 Dong et al.
abstract: Purpose This research aimed to ascertain the neuroprotective effect of histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibition on retinal photoreceptors in Pde6brd1 mice, a model of retinitis pigmentosa (RP). Methods Single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) explored HDAC and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP)-related gene expression in both Pde6b-mutant rd1 and wild-type (WT) mice. The CUT&Tag method was employed to examine the functions of HDAC in rd1 mice. Organotypic retinal explant cultures from WT and rd1 mice were exposed to the HDAC inhibitor SAHA (suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid) postnatally, from day 5 to day 11. The terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated nick-end labeling (TUNEL) assay was applied to quantify the percentage of photoreceptor loss in the outer nuclear layer (ONL). HDAC activity was confirmed to be inhibited by SAHA through an HDAC activity assay. Moreover, the study evaluated PARP activity, a key driver of the initial response to DNA damage during photoreceptor degeneration, following HDAC inhibition. Results The scRNA-seq revealed that diverse roles of HDAC and PARP isoforms in photoreceptor cell death. HDAC-related genes appeared to regulate cell death and primary immunodeficiency. Alterations in HDAC activity were consistent with the TUNEL-positive cells in the ONL at different time points. Notably, SAHA significantly postponed photoreceptor loss and decreased HDAC and PARP activity, thereby implicating both in the same degenerative pathway. Conclusions This study highlights that the interaction between HDAC inhibition and PARP can delay photoreceptor cell death, proposing a promising therapeutic approach for RP.
bibliographic citation: Dong et al. (2023) HDAC inhibition delays photoreceptor loss in Pde6b mutant mice of retinitis pigmentosa: insights from scRNA-seq and CUT&Tag. PeerJ 11:e15659 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.15659
date submitted: 2023-04-26
date accepted: 2023-06-07
issued: 2023-07-12
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Dong
  given name: Yujie
author list: Agent
  family name: Yan
  given name: Jie
author list: Agent
  family name: Xu
  given name: Wenrong
author list: Agent
  family name: Paquet-Durand
  given name: François
author list: Agent
  family name: Hu
  given name: Zhulin
author list: Agent
  family name: Jiao
  given name: Kangwei
doi: 10.7717/peerj.15659
volume: 11
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2023-07-12
copyright: ©2023 Dong et al.
attribution name: Dong et al.

Effect of sit-to-stand-based training on muscle quality in sedentary adults: a randomized controlled trial
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: The aim of this study was to compare the effects of sit-to-stand (STS) training programs with 5 vs. 10 repetitions on muscle architecture and muscle function in sedentary adults. Sixty participants were randomly assigned into three groups: five-repetition STS (5STS), 10-repetition STS (10STS), or a control group (CG). Participants performed three sets of five or 10 repetitions of the STS exercise three times per week for 8 weeks. Before and after 8 weeks, all groups performed ultrasound measures to evaluate muscle thickness (MT), pennation angle (PA), and fascicle length (FL), and the five-repetition STS test to estimate the relative STS power and muscle quality index (MQI). After 8 weeks, both experimental groups improved MQI (40–45%), relative STS power (29–38%), and MT (8–9%) (all p < 0.001; no differences between the 5STS vs. 10STS groups). These improvements in both groups resulted in differences regarding the CG, which did not present any change. In addition, only the 5STS group improved PA (15%; p = 0.008) without differences to the 10STS and CG.This suggests that STS training is time-effective and low-cost for improving muscle function and generating adaptations in muscle architecture.
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creator: Rodrigo Lizama-Pérez
creator: Luis Javier Chirosa-Ríos
creator: Guido Contreras-Díaz
creator: Daniel Jerez-Mayorga
creator: Daniel Jiménez-Lupión
creator: Ignacio Jesús Chirosa-Ríos
subject: Clinical Trials
subject: Kinesiology
subject: Rehabilitation
subject: Sports Medicine
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.15665
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2023 Lizama-Pérez et al.
abstract: The aim of this study was to compare the effects of sit-to-stand (STS) training programs with 5 vs. 10 repetitions on muscle architecture and muscle function in sedentary adults. Sixty participants were randomly assigned into three groups: five-repetition STS (5STS), 10-repetition STS (10STS), or a control group (CG). Participants performed three sets of five or 10 repetitions of the STS exercise three times per week for 8 weeks. Before and after 8 weeks, all groups performed ultrasound measures to evaluate muscle thickness (MT), pennation angle (PA), and fascicle length (FL), and the five-repetition STS test to estimate the relative STS power and muscle quality index (MQI). After 8 weeks, both experimental groups improved MQI (40–45%), relative STS power (29–38%), and MT (8–9%) (all p < 0.001; no differences between the 5STS vs. 10STS groups). These improvements in both groups resulted in differences regarding the CG, which did not present any change. In addition, only the 5STS group improved PA (15%; p = 0.008) without differences to the 10STS and CG.This suggests that STS training is time-effective and low-cost for improving muscle function and generating adaptations in muscle architecture.
bibliographic citation: Lizama-Pérez et al. (2023) Effect of sit-to-stand-based training on muscle quality in sedentary adults: a randomized controlled trial. PeerJ 11:e15665 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.15665
date submitted: 2023-04-19
date accepted: 2023-06-08
issued: 2023-07-12
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Lizama-Pérez
  given name: Rodrigo
author list: Agent
  family name: Chirosa-Ríos
  given name: Luis Javier
author list: Agent
  family name: Contreras-Díaz
  given name: Guido
author list: Agent
  family name: Jerez-Mayorga
  given name: Daniel
author list: Agent
  family name: Jiménez-Lupión
  given name: Daniel
author list: Agent
  family name: Chirosa-Ríos
  given name: Ignacio Jesús
doi: 10.7717/peerj.15665
volume: 11
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2023-07-12
copyright: © 2023 Lizama-Pérez et al.
attribution name: Lizama-Pérez et al.

Establishment of a prognostic risk prediction modelfor non-small cell lung cancer patients with brainmetastases: a retrospective study
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Background Patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who develop brain metastases (BM) have a poor prognosis. This study aimed to construct a clinical prediction model to determine the overall survival (OS) of NSCLC patients with BM. Methods A total of 300 NSCLC patients with BM at the Yunnan Cancer Centre were retrospectively analysed. The prediction model was constructed using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator-Cox regression. The bootstrap sampling method was employed for internal validation. The performance of our prediction model was compared using recursive partitioning analysis (RPA), graded prognostic assessment (GPA), the update of the graded prognostic assessment for lung cancer using molecular markers (Lung-molGPA), the basic score for BM (BSBM), and tumour-lymph node-metastasis (TNM) staging. Results The prediction models comprising 15 predictors were constructed. The area under the curve (AUC) values for the 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (curves) were 0.746 (0.678–0.814), 0.819 (0.761–0.877), and 0.865 (0.774–0.957), respectively. The bootstrap-corrected AUC values and Brier scores for the prediction model were 0.811 (0.638–0.950) and 0.123 (0.066-0.188), respectively. The time-dependent C-index indicated that our model exhibited significantly greater discrimination compared with RPA, GPA, Lung-molGPA, BSBM, and TNM staging. Similarly, the decision curve analysis demonstrated that our model displayed the widest range of thresholds and yielded the highest net benefit. Furthermore, the net reclassification improvement and integrated discrimination improvement analyses confirmed the enhanced predictive power of our prediction model. Finally, the risk subgroups identified by our prognostic model exhibited superior differentiation of patients’ OS. Conclusion The clinical prediction model constructed by us shows promise in predicting OS for NSCLC patients with BM. Its predictability is supe…
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format: text/html
creator: Fei Hou
creator: Yan Hou
creator: Xiao-Dan Sun
creator: Jia lv
creator: Hong-Mei Jiang
creator: Meng Zhang
creator: Chao Liu
creator: Zhi-Yong Deng
subject: Internal Medicine
subject: Oncology
subject: Respiratory Medicine
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.15678
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2023 Hou et al.
abstract: Background Patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who develop brain metastases (BM) have a poor prognosis. This study aimed to construct a clinical prediction model to determine the overall survival (OS) of NSCLC patients with BM. Methods A total of 300 NSCLC patients with BM at the Yunnan Cancer Centre were retrospectively analysed. The prediction model was constructed using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator-Cox regression. The bootstrap sampling method was employed for internal validation. The performance of our prediction model was compared using recursive partitioning analysis (RPA), graded prognostic assessment (GPA), the update of the graded prognostic assessment for lung cancer using molecular markers (Lung-molGPA), the basic score for BM (BSBM), and tumour-lymph node-metastasis (TNM) staging. Results The prediction models comprising 15 predictors were constructed. The area under the curve (AUC) values for the 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (curves) were 0.746 (0.678–0.814), 0.819 (0.761–0.877), and 0.865 (0.774–0.957), respectively. The bootstrap-corrected AUC values and Brier scores for the prediction model were 0.811 (0.638–0.950) and 0.123 (0.066-0.188), respectively. The time-dependent C-index indicated that our model exhibited significantly greater discrimination compared with RPA, GPA, Lung-molGPA, BSBM, and TNM staging. Similarly, the decision curve analysis demonstrated that our model displayed the widest range of thresholds and yielded the highest net benefit. Furthermore, the net reclassification improvement and integrated discrimination improvement analyses confirmed the enhanced predictive power of our prediction model. Finally, the risk subgroups identified by our prognostic model exhibited superior differentiation of patients’ OS. Conclusion The clinical prediction model constructed by us shows promise in predicting OS for NSCLC patients with BM. Its predictability is supe…
bibliographic citation: Hou et al. (2023) Establishment of a prognostic risk prediction modelfor non-small cell lung cancer patients with brainmetastases: a retrospective study. PeerJ 11:e15678 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.15678
date submitted: 2023-04-11
date accepted: 2023-06-13
issued: 2023-07-12
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Hou
  given name: Fei
author list: Agent
  family name: Hou
  given name: Yan
author list: Agent
  family name: Sun
  given name: Xiao-Dan
author list: Agent
  family name: lv
  given name: Jia
author list: Agent
  family name: Jiang
  given name: Hong-Mei
author list: Agent
  family name: Zhang
  given name: Meng
author list: Agent
  family name: Liu
  given name: Chao
author list: Agent
  family name: Deng
  given name: Zhi-Yong
doi: 10.7717/peerj.15678
volume: 11
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2023-07-12
copyright: ©2023 Hou et al.
attribution name: Hou et al.

Gazing left, gazing right: exploring a spatial bias in social attention
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Faces oriented rightwards are sometimes perceived as more dominant than faces oriented leftwards. In this study, we explored whether faces oriented rightwards can also elicit increased attentional orienting. Participants completed a discrimination task in which they were asked to discriminate, by means of a keypress, a peripheral target. At the same time, a task-irrelevant face oriented leftwards or rightwards appeared at the centre of the screen. The results showed that, while for faces oriented rightwards targets appearing on the right were responded to faster as compared to targets appearing on the left, for faces oriented leftwards no differences emerged between left and right targets. Furthermore, we also found a negative correlation between the magnitude of the orienting response elicited by the faces oriented leftwards and the level of conservatism of the participants. Overall, these findings provide evidence for the existence of a spatial bias reflected in social orienting.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Mario Dalmaso
creator: Giacomo Fedrigo
creator: Michele Vicovaro
subject: Neuroscience
subject: Psychiatry and Psychology
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.15694
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2023 Dalmaso et al.
abstract: Faces oriented rightwards are sometimes perceived as more dominant than faces oriented leftwards. In this study, we explored whether faces oriented rightwards can also elicit increased attentional orienting. Participants completed a discrimination task in which they were asked to discriminate, by means of a keypress, a peripheral target. At the same time, a task-irrelevant face oriented leftwards or rightwards appeared at the centre of the screen. The results showed that, while for faces oriented rightwards targets appearing on the right were responded to faster as compared to targets appearing on the left, for faces oriented leftwards no differences emerged between left and right targets. Furthermore, we also found a negative correlation between the magnitude of the orienting response elicited by the faces oriented leftwards and the level of conservatism of the participants. Overall, these findings provide evidence for the existence of a spatial bias reflected in social orienting.
bibliographic citation: Dalmaso et al. (2023) Gazing left, gazing right: exploring a spatial bias in social attention. PeerJ 11:e15694 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.15694
date submitted: 2022-12-23
date accepted: 2023-06-14
issued: 2023-07-12
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Dalmaso
  given name: Mario
author list: Agent
  family name: Fedrigo
  given name: Giacomo
author list: Agent
  family name: Vicovaro
  given name: Michele
doi: 10.7717/peerj.15694
volume: 11
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2023-07-12
copyright: ©2023 Dalmaso et al.
attribution name: Dalmaso et al.

Oil and natural gas rents and CO2 emissions nexus in MENA: spatial analysis
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Background Oil rents (OR) and natural gas rents (NGR) have significant contributions to the income of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) economies and may increase emissions. Moreover, spatial autocorrelation is expected in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions due to the geographically closed economies in the MENA region. Thus, we examine the impact of OR and NGR on CO2 emissions caring spatial dimensions and analyze the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC). Methods We apply the spatial Durbin model technique on the effects of OR, NGR, and economic growth on CO2 emissions in 17 MENA nations from 2000–2019, i.e., Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Yemen. Moreover, diagnostic tests are applied to reach the most appropriate spatial specification and to have the most robust results. Results The results disclose that CO2 emissions have spillovers and emissions of any country can damage the environment of neighboring countries. The EKC is corroborated with a turning point of 38,698 constant 2015 US dollars. Israel and Qatar are in 2nd phase of the EKC, and 15 MENA economies are in 1st stage. Thus, the economic expansion of most economies has ecological concerns. The effect of natural gas rents is found statistically insignificant. Oil rents have minute negative effects on emissions of local economies with an elasticity coefficient of −0.2117. Nevertheless, these have a positive indirect effect with an elasticity coefficient of 0.5328. Thus, the net effect of oil rents is positive. One percent increase in oil rents could accelerate 0.3211% of emissions. Thus, we suggest the MENA countries reduce reliance on oil rents in their income to avoid the negative environmental effects of the oil sector.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Haider Mahmood
creator: Najia Saqib
creator: Anass Hamadelneel Adow
creator: Muzaffar Abbas
subject: Natural Resource Management
subject: Environmental Contamination and Remediation
subject: Environmental Impacts
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.15708
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2023 Mahmood et al.
abstract: Background Oil rents (OR) and natural gas rents (NGR) have significant contributions to the income of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) economies and may increase emissions. Moreover, spatial autocorrelation is expected in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions due to the geographically closed economies in the MENA region. Thus, we examine the impact of OR and NGR on CO2 emissions caring spatial dimensions and analyze the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC). Methods We apply the spatial Durbin model technique on the effects of OR, NGR, and economic growth on CO2 emissions in 17 MENA nations from 2000–2019, i.e., Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Yemen. Moreover, diagnostic tests are applied to reach the most appropriate spatial specification and to have the most robust results. Results The results disclose that CO2 emissions have spillovers and emissions of any country can damage the environment of neighboring countries. The EKC is corroborated with a turning point of 38,698 constant 2015 US dollars. Israel and Qatar are in 2nd phase of the EKC, and 15 MENA economies are in 1st stage. Thus, the economic expansion of most economies has ecological concerns. The effect of natural gas rents is found statistically insignificant. Oil rents have minute negative effects on emissions of local economies with an elasticity coefficient of −0.2117. Nevertheless, these have a positive indirect effect with an elasticity coefficient of 0.5328. Thus, the net effect of oil rents is positive. One percent increase in oil rents could accelerate 0.3211% of emissions. Thus, we suggest the MENA countries reduce reliance on oil rents in their income to avoid the negative environmental effects of the oil sector.
bibliographic citation: Mahmood et al. (2023) Oil and natural gas rents and CO2 emissions nexus in MENA: spatial analysis. PeerJ 11:e15708 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.15708
date submitted: 2023-04-14
date accepted: 2023-06-15
issued: 2023-07-12
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Mahmood
  given name: Haider
author list: Agent
  family name: Saqib
  given name: Najia
author list: Agent
  family name: Adow
  given name: Anass Hamadelneel
author list: Agent
  family name: Abbas
  given name: Muzaffar
doi: 10.7717/peerj.15708
volume: 11
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2023-07-12
copyright: © 2023 Mahmood et al.
attribution name: Mahmood et al.

Changes in Coleopteran assemblages over a successional chronosequence in a Mexican tropical dry forest
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Coleopterans are the most diverse animal group on Earth and constitute good indicators of environmental change. However, little information is available about Coleopteran communities’ responses to disturbance and land-use change. Tropical dry forests have undergone especially extensive anthropogenic impacts in the past decades. This has led to mosaic landscapes consisting of areas of primary forest surrounded by pastures, agricultural fields and secondary forests, which negatively impacts many taxonomic groups. However, such impacts have not been assessed for most arthropod groups. In this work, we compared the abundance, richness and diversity of Coleopteran morphospecies in four different successional stages in a tropical dry forest in western Mexico, to answer the question: How do Coleopteran assemblages associate with vegetation change over the course of forest succession? In addition, we assessed the family composition and trophic guilds for the four successional stages. We found 971 Coleopterans belonging to 107 morphospecies distributed in 28 families. Coleopteran abundance and richness were greatest for pastures than for latter successional stages, and the most abundant family was Chrysomelidae, with 29% of the individuals. Herbivores were the most abundant guild, accounting for 57% of the individuals, followed by predators (22%) and saprophages (21%) beetles. Given the high diversity and richness found throughout the successional chronosequence of the studied tropical dry forest, in order to have the maximum number of species associated with tropical dry forests, large tracts of forest should be preserved so that successional dynamics are able to occur naturally.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Edison A. Díaz-Álvarez
creator: Cesar Manrique
creator: Karina Boege
creator: Ek del-Val
subject: Conservation Biology
subject: Ecology
subject: Entomology
subject: Zoology
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.15712
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2023 Díaz-Álvarez et al.
abstract: Coleopterans are the most diverse animal group on Earth and constitute good indicators of environmental change. However, little information is available about Coleopteran communities’ responses to disturbance and land-use change. Tropical dry forests have undergone especially extensive anthropogenic impacts in the past decades. This has led to mosaic landscapes consisting of areas of primary forest surrounded by pastures, agricultural fields and secondary forests, which negatively impacts many taxonomic groups. However, such impacts have not been assessed for most arthropod groups. In this work, we compared the abundance, richness and diversity of Coleopteran morphospecies in four different successional stages in a tropical dry forest in western Mexico, to answer the question: How do Coleopteran assemblages associate with vegetation change over the course of forest succession? In addition, we assessed the family composition and trophic guilds for the four successional stages. We found 971 Coleopterans belonging to 107 morphospecies distributed in 28 families. Coleopteran abundance and richness were greatest for pastures than for latter successional stages, and the most abundant family was Chrysomelidae, with 29% of the individuals. Herbivores were the most abundant guild, accounting for 57% of the individuals, followed by predators (22%) and saprophages (21%) beetles. Given the high diversity and richness found throughout the successional chronosequence of the studied tropical dry forest, in order to have the maximum number of species associated with tropical dry forests, large tracts of forest should be preserved so that successional dynamics are able to occur naturally.
bibliographic citation: Díaz-Álvarez et al. (2023) Changes in Coleopteran assemblages over a successional chronosequence in a Mexican tropical dry forest. PeerJ 11:e15712 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.15712
date submitted: 2023-02-22
date accepted: 2023-06-15
issued: 2023-07-12
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Díaz-Álvarez
  given name: Edison A.
author list: Agent
  family name: Manrique
  given name: Cesar
author list: Agent
  family name: Boege
  given name: Karina
author list: Agent
  family name: del-Val
  given name: Ek
doi: 10.7717/peerj.15712
volume: 11
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2023-07-12
copyright: © 2023 Díaz-Álvarez et al.
attribution name: Díaz-Álvarez et al.

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