Gastric intestinal metaplasia subtypes and the effects of c-Myc expression on severity
Background The association between gastric intestinal metaplasia severity grades, histological subtypes, and oncogenic potential remains unclear. This study explored gastric intestinal metaplasia (GIM) subtypes and c-Myc protein expression across mild, moderate, and severe GIM cases. Methods A total of 180 paraffin-embedded gastroscopy biopsy samples from patients diagnosed with atrophic gastritis were selected, with 60 cases each of mild, moderate, and severe GIM. Alcian blue-Periodic acid-Schiff (AB-PAS) and high iron diamine (HID) staining were used to classify GIM into types I-III. Immunohistochemistry was performed to assess c-Myc expression, with low, moderate, and high expression defined as the percentage of c-Myc-positive cells in the GIM area of <15%, 15–40%, and ≥ 40%, respectively. Spearman and Kruskal–Wallis tests were used to analyze the correlation between GIM severity, GIM subtype, and c-Myc expression. Results GIM was predominantly diagnosed in middle-aged and elderly individuals. Regarding the subtype, 53.89% were type II, 25.56% were type III, and 20.56% were type I. Low c-Myc expression was present in 47.78% of cases, moderate expression in 36.67%, and high expression in 15.56%. Neither the severity of GIM nor its subtype or c-Myc expression level was correlated with age or sex. Type III GIM accounted for approximately 10% of mild-to-moderate cases, whereas > 50% of severe GIM cases were type III. A positive correlation was found between GIM severity and subtype (rs = 0.376, P < 0.05). There was no significant correlation in c-Myc expression across different GIM severities. From type I to type III GIM, the proportion of low c-Myc expression increased and that of high expression decreased, whereas that of moderate expression remained almost unchanged. A negative correlation was observed between the GIM subtype and c-Myc expression (rs = −0.148, P < 0.05). Conclusion GIM incidence increases with age; however, the histological severity of GIM (as defined by the extent of mucosal gland involvement) within a single biopsy sample does not show a corresponding increase with age. The more severe the GIM is, the greater the proportion of type III GIM cases present. c-Myc expression did not correlate with GIM severity. Conversely, as the GIM subtype becomes more advanced (from type I to type III), c-Myc expression decreases.
Yang et al. (2025) Gastric intestinal metaplasia subtypes and the effects of c-Myc expression on severity. PeerJ 13:e20257 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.20257
Schizopera vietnamica sp. nov. (Copepoda, Harpacticoida, Miraciidae), a new species from a mangrove zone in Vietnam, with description of a new species, and a key to the species from the Oriental region, Sulawesi, and East Asia
Background A new species of harpacticoid copepod of the genus Schizopera, S. vietnamica sp. nov., was found. This is the first record of the genus for the country. Methods Samples were collected in July 2023, using a plankton net with a mesh size of 50 µm. The body parts of the specimens were dissected and mounted on glass slides. Morphological examination was carried out at 1,000× magnification. Habitus and appendages were then drawn using a drawing tube attached to a compound microscope. Results The new species differed from all its congeners in the relative length and chaetotaxy of the caudal rami, length of the proximal endopodal segment of the female first swimming leg relative to the exopod, armature of the middle and the distal endopodal segments of the second to the fourth swimming leg, segmentation and chaetotaxy of the fifth swimming leg. The new species resembles most S. neglecta in the loss of the inner seta on the proximal endopodal segment of the second to the fourth swimming legs, as well as in the shape and setular ornamentation of the inner margin of the caudal rami. A key to the species of the genus known from the Oriental region, Sulawesi and East Asia is provided.
Tran et al. (2025) Schizopera vietnamica sp. nov. (Copepoda, Harpacticoida, Miraciidae), a new species from a mangrove zone in Vietnam, with description of a new species, and a key to the species from the Oriental region, Sulawesi, and East Asia. PeerJ 13:e20246 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.20246
NAT10 inhibits ferroptosis and promotes the progression of renal clear cell carcinoma by regulating the NFE2L1-GPX4 signaling pathway
Objective Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is a prevalent pathological subtype of renal cell carcinoma that arises from renal tubular epithelial cells. ccRCC has long been characterized by high mortality, and at present, surgical resection is the only curative treatment, but its effectiveness is low and survival rates are low. N-acetyltransferase 10 (NAT10) is a protein that acts as an acetyltransferase, has distinct catalytic and regulatory functions, and is involved in the progression of various cancers such as bladder cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, and multiple myeloma. Ferroptosis is a novel form of programmed cell death that is iron-dependent and distinct from apoptosis, necrosis, and autophagy. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the potential functions of NAT10 in this context, with a particular focus on its interactions and mechanisms involving ferroptosis. Methods In this study, immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, and Western blotting were utilized to evaluate the changes of NAT10 and ferroptosis-related marker proteins. Plasmid vectors were utilized to establish stable ccRCC cell lines with NAT10 overexpression and knockdown. Cell proliferation, scratch, and invasion assays were conducted to assess the impact of NAT10 modification on cell proliferation and migration capabilities. Meanwhile, remodelin hydrobromide (HBr) treatment was given to ccRCC cells to observe the variations in cell proliferation ability and ferroptosis marker proteins. Results Our study demonstrated that NAT10 can enhance the malignant biological behavior of ccRCC, while simultaneously inhibiting markers associated with ferroptosis. Conclusions Therefore, this study suggests that NAT10 may exert a pro-cancer effect by modulating the nuclear factor erythroid-2, like-1(NFE2L1)-glutathione peroxidase-4(GPX4)signaling pathway in ccRCC, indicating its potential as a new therapeutic target for this malignancy.
Tan et al. (2025) NAT10 inhibits ferroptosis and promotes the progression of renal clear cell carcinoma by regulating the NFE2L1-GPX4 signaling pathway. PeerJ 13:e20224 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.20224
Detailed morphological characterization and improvement of keratinocyte outgrowth from plucked human hair follicle
In this study, a detailed analysis of the outgrowth of primary keratinocytes from plucked human hair follicles was conducted. Plucked hair follicles offer an easily accessible and non-invasive method as a primary cell source for adult somatic keratinocytes, providing a simple starting material for induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) reprogramming. In this study, we laid our focus on the precise examination of timing and location of the first keratinocyte outgrowth after plucking, as well as the morphological changes that occur during cultivation. Our results show that the region of the hair follicle, from which the initial outgrowth occurs, is crucial for successful cultivation. Additionally, first appearing protrusions and first visible cells show the same specific marker expression as the intact outer root sheath. We therefore conclude that initially appearing keratinocytes arise from the basal layer of the outer root sheath. To improve the whole process, the protocol was adjusted to reduce the time until successful outgrowth. These optimizations are particularly relevant for developing a standardized protocol that works efficiently across all individuals, including patients with difficult-to-culture hair follicles. The accelerated cell harvesting could prove valuable in future applications in regenerative medicine, especially for patients where culture times have previously been too long.
Klingenstein et al. (2025) Detailed morphological characterization and improvement of keratinocyte outgrowth from plucked human hair follicle. PeerJ 13:e20214 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.20214
Impact of V-box insertion on promoter activity and virus-inducibility in transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana
Synthetic pathogen-inducible promoters (SPIPs) are essential for precise gene regulation in plant genetic engineering. However, natural promoters often exhibit limitations in expression strength and specificity. In this study, we modified the WGFS promoter by incorporating V-box dimers, elements known for their virus-inducible activities, at different positions within its sequence. We thus created three new SPIPs: VWGFS, WGVFS, and WGFSV. These modified promoters were then used in transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana to evaluate their transcriptional properties through β-glucuronidase gene (GUS) staining and Quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) analysis. Results showed that the insertion of V-box elements at different positions significantly affected the basal transcriptional activity and virus-inducibility. Notably, WGVFS and WGFSV exhibited higher basal activity than VWGFS, with WGFSV showing the highest response to tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) induction. qPCR analysis further revealed that WGFSV had enhanced inducibility by various inducers such as TMV, abscisic acid (ABA), salicylic acid (SA), and ethylene (Eth). This suggests that V-box insertion can alter promoter activity and inducibility, with the midstream position yielding the most desirable characteristics. The transcriptional activities of WGVFS in response to TMV, ABA, SA, and Eth were 1.473, 1.109, 2.030, and 1.088, respectively. Additionally, a typical binary function relationship was observed between the V-box insertion position and transcriptional expression level. The maximum model-predicted value was 1.096 when the V-box was inserted at the 99 bp downstream position. These findings help optimize promoters for plant disease resistance gene control, which may have uses beyond viral induction. This study contributes to the development of synthetic promoters with specific activity for plant genetic engineering.
Huang et al. (2025) Impact of V-box insertion on promoter activity and virus-inducibility in transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana. PeerJ 13:e20178 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.20178
Physiochemical screening of road avenue plants in better landscape management of highly polluted urbanized city (Lahore), Pakistan
Lahore has been consistently ranked as the world’s most polluted city. Because of combative ideas to construct highways, underpasses and flyovers, Lahore had lost a remarkable percentage of its tree cover over the past 15 years. The present study focuses on the outcomes of rapidly increasing air pollution on roadside vegetation. In current study, species such as Alstonia scholaris L., Bougainvillea spectabilis Willd., Dalbergia sissoo Roxb. Eucalyptus globulus Labill., Ficus virens Aiton, Ficus benjamina L., Ficus religiosa Linn., Morus alba L., Murraya paniculata L., Putranjiva roxburghii Wall., Polyalthia longifolia Sonn., Rubia tinctorum L. found on the seven busiest roads of Lahore were selected (on the basis of traffic densities) for biomonitoring. These plants were selected due to their prevalence and commonly occurrence on these selected roads. Variation on biochemical parameters like chlorophyll a, b, total chlorophyll content & carotenoids and physiological parameters like stomatal conductance, transpiration rate and photosynthetic rate were found in triplicate. By analyzing these parameters quality of air and health of plants can also be assessed. In this study the dust load was maximum on the leaves of Alstonia scholaris L. (0.02 ± 0.005), Ficus religiosa Linn. (0.02 ± 0.003), and Morus alba L. (0.02 ± 0.003) Reduction in chlorophyll was noticed in Alstonia scholaris L. (0.44 ± 0.22) and Polyalthia longiflia Sonn. (0.41 ± 0.22) while the chlorophyll concentration of Eucalyptus globulus Labill. (0.71 ± 0.16), followed by Ficus benjamina L. (0.80 ± 0.25), Ficus religiosa Linn. (0.81 ± 0.30), Ficus virens Aiton. (0.64 ± 0.22), Morus alba L. (1.80 ± 0.27) and Putranjiva roxburghii Wall. (2.55 ± 0.43), was higher at polluted sites. The reduction in carotenoid content was found in Murraya paniculata L. (4.12 ± 2.18) while it was highest in Eucalyptus globulus Labill. (9.12 ± 0.71) Due to the pollution stress the changes in photosynthetic rate of Alstonia scholaris L. (25.36 ± 13.10), Bougainvillea spectabilis Willd. (34.37 ± 19.92), Dalbergia sissoo Roxb. (28.23 ± 11.25), Murraya paniculata L. (26.80 ± 7.75), Polyalthia longifolia Sonn. (42.27 ± 22.87), and Rubia tinctorum L. (30.60 ± 4.07) was observed. The current research distinctly signifies Eucalyptus globulus Labill., Ficus benjamina L., Ficus religiosa Linn., Ficus virens Aiton., Morus alba L. and Putranjiva roxburghii Wall., have capability to hold on the stress triggered by roadside pollutants. The findings are useful to urban green space landscapers in harsh climates as they choose appropriate species that can offer a variety of ecosystem services, such as resistance to air pollution and lowering of temperature without compromising plant survival.
Munam et al. (2025) Physiochemical screening of road avenue plants in better landscape management of highly polluted urbanized city (Lahore), Pakistan. PeerJ 13:e20121 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.20121
The welfare of captive cetaceans (i.e., dolphins, whales, and porpoises) has garnered increasing attention over the years as captivity presents significant challenges for these long-lived, highly intelligent, wide-ranging, and socially complex animals. The present paper provides an overview of the current state of captive cetacean welfare, examining captive facilities, recent improvements, persistent problems, and the clinical/behavioral/neural consequences of confinement. We specifically address both quantitative and qualitative aspects of captive space, sociocognitive factors, feeding, and welfare concerns such as stereotypies, physical health, reproduction, and lifespan. The contrast between the restrictive nature of captive environments and the dynamic, multifaceted characteristics of the natural environment highlights the difficulties faced by cetaceans in captivity. Despite efforts by some facilities to improve conditions, serious welfare challenges persist, raising critical ethical concerns about the well-being of captive cetaceans.
Marino et al. (2025) An update on captive cetacean welfare. PeerJ 13:e19878 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.19878
Acute effect of percussion and foam roller massage on flexibility, reactive and explosive strength, and muscular endurance in young adult males: a crossover pilot study
Background Percussion massage (PM) using massage guns has become popular for enhancing flexibility, muscle performance, and recovery, but evidence on its efficacy is mixed. Foam rolling (FR) is another standard modality with similar claims. This study aimed to compare the acute effects of PM and FR on hamstring flexibility, specific muscle performance types (reactive and explosive strength), and muscle fatigue. Methods A randomized, controlled crossover design was employed with 18 physically active university students. Participants underwent three conditions: PM with Theragun, foam rolling, and a no-activation control (WA), each separated by a 4–5 day washout. Flexibility was assessed via the Active Knee Extension (AKE) test. Muscle performance was evaluated using a Single-Leg Reactive Strength Test (SLRST), a leg press explosive strength test, and a 30-s side hop test to assess endurance and fatigue. Statistical analyses included repeated measures ANOVA and non-parametric tests where appropriate. Results PM significantly improved hamstring flexibility, demonstrated by lower AKE angles compared to FR and WA (p < 0.01), while no significant flexibility differences were found between FR and WA. No significant effects of any intervention were observed on reactive strength index, leg press power, or hop test performance. The reliability of the measurements was high (ICC > 0.84). Conclusions PM provides an immediate enhancement in hamstring flexibility superior to FR and no treatment, but none of the interventions acutely improve muscle reactive/explosive strength or endurance. These findings suggest that PM may be an effective pre-activity tool for improving flexibility. However, it should not be relied upon as an acute performance enhancer for physically active individuals. Further research on long-term and varied protocol effects is recommended.
Bartik et al. (2025) Acute effect of percussion and foam roller massage on flexibility, reactive and explosive strength, and muscular endurance in young adult males: a crossover pilot study. PeerJ 13:e20304 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.20304
Clinical value of serum HBV RNA in patients with chronic hepatitis B during antiviral therapy
Background The correlation between hepatitis B virus (HBV) RNA, HBV DNA and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) during antiviral treatment and the clinical value of HBV RNA for virological response and drug discontinuance, are still unknown. This study was to investigate the clinical significance and predicting ability of HBV RNA for hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) seroconversion (SR) in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients receiving antiviral therapy. Methods A total of 138 patients with CHB who were newly diagnosed from January 2023 to December 2023 were enrolled in this study. Patients were divided into the SR group and the non-seroconversion (NSR) group according to HBeAg SR in baseline to the 60th week. The dynamic changes and correlations between HBV RNA, HBV DNA, HBsAg and HBeAg was analyzed between the two groups and the predictive values of them for HBeAg SR were calculated. Results The 60th week HBeAg SR rate was 23.9% (33/138), patients treated with tenofovir alafenamide fumarate (TAF) had higher SR rate than others (P < 0.001). After antiviral therapy, the serum HBV RNA levels of SR group decreased significantly than in the NSR group. Baseline HBV RNA levels were significantly correlated with HBV DNA, HBsAg and HBeAg in both groups, but weakened after antiviral therapy. Univariate and multivariate regression analysis showed that the serum HBV RNA levels at the 12th week was an independent predictor of HBeAg SR. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) of the serum HBV RNA levels at the 12th week had a higher value (AUROC = 0.8039, 95% CI [0.691–0.917]). The cut off value of HBV RNA level with 5.68 lg copies/ml at the 12th week had a sensitivity of 76.47% and a specificity of 72.55% for predicting HBeAg SR. Conclusions Baseline HBV RNA levels in CHB patients exhibited a significantly positive correlation with HBV DNA and HBsAg levels, this correlation weakened after antiviral therapy. The serum HBV RNA level at the 12th week could serve as an early predictor for the HBeAg SR in patients with CHB. The CHB patients treated with antiviral drug TAF showed a higher HBeAg SR rate compared to ETV and TDF.
Zhang et al. (2025) Clinical value of serum HBV RNA in patients with chronic hepatitis B during antiviral therapy. PeerJ 13:e20275 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.20275
Transcriptome analysis of the differences between two kinds of Cassia nomame germplasm resources
Cassia nomame belongs to the genus Cassia of the leguminous Cassia subfamily. It is used as a traditional wild Chinese herbal medicine with a long history and rich medicinal use. However, owing to limited germplasm resources and research methods, there is still a lack of understanding of C. nomame at the molecular level, especially the differences between various cultivars and secondary metabolic regulatory genes. In this study, we performed de novo transcriptome assembly of two C. nomame cultivars with different characteristics using transcriptome method. A total of 56,136 unigenes were obtained, of which 34,783 genes were annotated, including 7,309 candidate transcription factors (TFs) of 57 TF families. Through differential expression analysis, we identified 4,696 differentially expressed genes (DEGs). The results of Gene Ontology (GO) and KEGG functional enrichment analysis revealed that the DEGs were mainly involved in secondary metabolite biosynthetic process, transcriptional regulation, response to hormone, growth, and development. TF family analysis and verification experiments showed that these TFs were significantly different expressed in the two C. nomame germplasm resources, which suggested that they might be important genes affecting the traits of C. nomame. In conclusion, the results of this study are significant for mining C. nomame germplasm resources and enhancing our understanding of the formation of different germplasm resources and medicinal ingredients mining.
Li et al. (2025) Transcriptome analysis of the differences between two kinds of Cassia nomame germplasm resources. PeerJ 13:e20261 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.20261