PeerJ
type: channel
link: https://peerj.com/articles/
description: Articles published in PeerJ
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
publication name: PeerJ
issn: 2167-8359
items: Are children and dogs best friends? A scoping review to explore the positive and negative effects of child-dog interactions
items: https://peerj.com/articles/14545
items: Does plastic type matter? Insights into non-indigenous marine larvae recruitment under controlled conditions
items: Metabolomics study of flavonoids in Coreopsis tinctoria of different origins by UPLC–MS/MS
items: Genetic analysis of DNA methylation in dyslipidemia: a case-control study
items: On the improvement of heart rate prediction using the combination of singular spectrum analysis and copula-based analysis approach
items: https://peerj.com/articles/14602
items: Using Peromyscus leucopus as a biomonitor to determine the impact of heavy metal exposure on the kidney and bone mineral density: results from the Tar Creek Superfund Site
items: Forty new specimens of Ichthyornis provide unprecedented insight into the postcranial morphology of crownward stem group birds
items: Guttigomphus avilionis gen. et sp. nov., a trirachodontid cynodont from the upper Cynognathus Assemblage Zone, Burgersdorp Formation of South Africa

Are children and dogs best friends? A scoping review to explore the positive and negative effects of child-dog interactions
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Personal wellbeing is greatly influenced by our childhood and adolescence, and the relationships formed during those phases of our development. The human-dog bond represents a significant relationship that started thousands of years ago. There is a higher prevalence of dog ownership around the world, especially in households including children. This has resulted in a growing number of researchers studying our interactions with dogs and an expanding evidence base from the exploration of child-dog interactions. We review the potential effects of child-dog interactions on the physical, mental, and social wellbeing of both species. A search of the SCOPUS database identified documents published between January 1980 and April 2022. Filtering for key inclusion criteria, duplicate removals, and inspecting the references of these documents for additional sources, we reviewed a total of 393 documents, 88% of which were scientific articles. We were able to define the numerous ways in which children and dogs interact, be it neutral (e.g., sharing a common area), positive (e.g., petting), or negative (e.g., biting). Then, we found evidence for an association between childhood interaction with dogs and an array of benefits such as increased physical activities, a reduction of stress, and the development of empathy. Nonetheless, several detrimental outcomes have also been identified for both humans and dogs. Children are the most at-risk population regarding dog bites and dog-borne zoonoses, which may lead to injuries/illness, a subsequent fear of dogs, or even death. Moreover, pet bereavement is generally inevitable when living with a canine companion and should not be trivialized. With a canine focus, children sometimes take part in caretaking behaviors toward them, such as feeding or going for walks. These represent opportunities for dogs to relieve themselves outside, but also to exercise and socialize. By contrast, a lack of physical activity can lead to the onset of obesity …
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Claire S. E. Giraudet
creator: Kai Liu
creator: Alan G. McElligott
creator: Mia Cobb
subject: Animal Behavior
subject: Zoology
subject: Pediatrics
subject: Psychiatry and Psychology
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.14532
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2022 Giraudet et al.
abstract: Personal wellbeing is greatly influenced by our childhood and adolescence, and the relationships formed during those phases of our development. The human-dog bond represents a significant relationship that started thousands of years ago. There is a higher prevalence of dog ownership around the world, especially in households including children. This has resulted in a growing number of researchers studying our interactions with dogs and an expanding evidence base from the exploration of child-dog interactions. We review the potential effects of child-dog interactions on the physical, mental, and social wellbeing of both species. A search of the SCOPUS database identified documents published between January 1980 and April 2022. Filtering for key inclusion criteria, duplicate removals, and inspecting the references of these documents for additional sources, we reviewed a total of 393 documents, 88% of which were scientific articles. We were able to define the numerous ways in which children and dogs interact, be it neutral (e.g., sharing a common area), positive (e.g., petting), or negative (e.g., biting). Then, we found evidence for an association between childhood interaction with dogs and an array of benefits such as increased physical activities, a reduction of stress, and the development of empathy. Nonetheless, several detrimental outcomes have also been identified for both humans and dogs. Children are the most at-risk population regarding dog bites and dog-borne zoonoses, which may lead to injuries/illness, a subsequent fear of dogs, or even death. Moreover, pet bereavement is generally inevitable when living with a canine companion and should not be trivialized. With a canine focus, children sometimes take part in caretaking behaviors toward them, such as feeding or going for walks. These represent opportunities for dogs to relieve themselves outside, but also to exercise and socialize. By contrast, a lack of physical activity can lead to the onset of obesity …
bibliographic citation: Giraudet et al. (2022) Are children and dogs best friends? A scoping review to explore the positive and negative effects of child-dog interactions. PeerJ 10:e14532 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.14532
date submitted: 2022-09-11
date accepted: 2022-11-16
issued: 2022-12-19
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Giraudet
  given name: Claire S. E.
author list: Agent
  family name: Liu
  given name: Kai
author list: Agent
  family name: McElligott
  given name: Alan G.
author list: Agent
  family name: Cobb
  given name: Mia
doi: 10.7717/peerj.14532
volume: 10
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2022-12-19
copyright: © 2022 Giraudet et al.
attribution name: Giraudet et al.

https://peerj.com/articles/14545
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
title: Belief in just deserts regarding individuals infected with COVID-19 in Japan and its associations with demographic factors and infection-related and socio-psychological characteristics: a cross-sectional study
description: Prejudice related to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a social issue worldwide. A possible psychological factor that promotes prejudice is the belief in just deserts (BJD) regarding individuals infected with COVID-19 (i.e., the belief that the infected individual deserves to be infected). The BJD is based on the belief in immanent justice. It is reportedly higher in Japan than in other countries. Therefore, we conducted a cross-sectional study to investigate the BJD among Japanese individuals and clarify its associations with demographic factors or infection-related and socio-psychological characteristics. To this end, we conducted an online questionnaire survey in Japan from August 7–8, 2020, with 1,207 respondents aged 20–69 years. We performed screening to exclude inappropriate responses. We investigated the association between the BJD and demographic factors such as gender and age. We also investigated the association between the BJD and infection-related and socio-psychological characteristics, including risk perception of COVID-19 infection and human rights restrictions (i.e., the degree of agreement with government restrictions on individuals’ behavior during emergencies). Among the surveyed items, human rights restrictions showed a strong association with BJD, followed by risk perception of COVID-19 infection. Men had a slightly higher BJD than women. Our study is significant in that it is the first to investigate the items associated with the BJD, thereby providing foundational information for revising individual perceptions of justice related to COVID-19 and solving prejudice-related issues.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Michio Murakami
creator: Kai Hiraishi
creator: Mei Yamagata
creator: Daisuke Nakanishi
creator: Asako Miura
subject: Psychiatry and Psychology
subject: Public Health
subject: Ethical Issues
subject: Mental Health
subject: COVID-19
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.14545
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2022 Murakami et al.
abstract: Prejudice related to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a social issue worldwide. A possible psychological factor that promotes prejudice is the belief in just deserts (BJD) regarding individuals infected with COVID-19 (i.e., the belief that the infected individual deserves to be infected). The BJD is based on the belief in immanent justice. It is reportedly higher in Japan than in other countries. Therefore, we conducted a cross-sectional study to investigate the BJD among Japanese individuals and clarify its associations with demographic factors or infection-related and socio-psychological characteristics. To this end, we conducted an online questionnaire survey in Japan from August 7–8, 2020, with 1,207 respondents aged 20–69 years. We performed screening to exclude inappropriate responses. We investigated the association between the BJD and demographic factors such as gender and age. We also investigated the association between the BJD and infection-related and socio-psychological characteristics, including risk perception of COVID-19 infection and human rights restrictions (i.e., the degree of agreement with government restrictions on individuals’ behavior during emergencies). Among the surveyed items, human rights restrictions showed a strong association with BJD, followed by risk perception of COVID-19 infection. Men had a slightly higher BJD than women. Our study is significant in that it is the first to investigate the items associated with the BJD, thereby providing foundational information for revising individual perceptions of justice related to COVID-19 and solving prejudice-related issues.
bibliographic citation: Murakami et al. (2022) Belief in just deserts regarding individuals infected with COVID-19 in Japan and its associations with demographic factors and infection-related and socio-psychological characteristics: a cross-sectional study. PeerJ 10:e14545 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.14545
date submitted: 2022-08-09
date accepted: 2022-11-18
issued: 2022-12-19
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Murakami
  given name: Michio
author list: Agent
  family name: Hiraishi
  given name: Kai
author list: Agent
  family name: Yamagata
  given name: Mei
author list: Agent
  family name: Nakanishi
  given name: Daisuke
author list: Agent
  family name: Miura
  given name: Asako
doi: 10.7717/peerj.14545
volume: 10
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2022-12-19
copyright: ©2022 Murakami et al.
attribution name: Murakami et al.

Does plastic type matter? Insights into non-indigenous marine larvae recruitment under controlled conditions
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Marine plastic debris (MPD) are a global threat to marine ecosystems. Among countless ecosystem impacts, MPD can serve as a vector for marine ‘hitchhikers’ by facilitating transport and subsequent spread of unwanted pests and pathogens. The transport and spread of these non-indigenous species (NIS) can have substantial impacts on native biodiversity, ecosystem services/functions and hence, important economic consequences. Over the past decade, increasing research interest has been directed towards the characterization of biological communities colonizing plastic debris, the so called Plastisphere. Despite remarkable advances in this field, little is known regarding the recruitment patterns of NIS larvae and propagules on MPD, and the factors influencing these patterns. To address this knowledge gap, we used custom-made bioassay chambers and ran four consecutive bioassays to compare the settlement patterns of four distinct model biofouling organisms’ larvae, including the three notorious invaders Crassostrea gigas, Ciona savignyi and Mytilus galloprovincialis, along with one sessile macro-invertebrate Spirobranchus cariniferus, on three different types of polymers, namely Low-Linear Density Polyethylene (LLDPE), Polylactic Acid (PLA), Nylon-6, and a glass control. Control bioassay chambers were included to investigate the microbial community composition colonizing the different substrates using 16S rRNA metabarcoding. We observed species-specific settlement patterns, with larvae aggregating on different locations on the substrates. Furthermore, our results revealed that C. savignyi and S. cariniferus generally favoured Nylon and PLA, whereas no specific preferences were observed for C. gigas and M. galloprovincialis. We did not detect significant differences in bacterial community composition between the tested substrates. Taken together, our results highlight the complexity of interactions between NIS larvae and plastic polymers. We conclude that several factors and…
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: François Audrézet
creator: Anastasija Zaiko
creator: Patrick Cahill
creator: Olivier Champeau
creator: Louis A. Tremblay
creator: Dawn Smith
creator: Susanna A. Wood
creator: Gavin Lear
creator: Xavier Pochon
subject: Ecology
subject: Marine Biology
subject: Zoology
subject: Environmental Contamination and Remediation
subject: Environmental Impacts
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.14549
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2022 Audrezet et al.
abstract: Marine plastic debris (MPD) are a global threat to marine ecosystems. Among countless ecosystem impacts, MPD can serve as a vector for marine ‘hitchhikers’ by facilitating transport and subsequent spread of unwanted pests and pathogens. The transport and spread of these non-indigenous species (NIS) can have substantial impacts on native biodiversity, ecosystem services/functions and hence, important economic consequences. Over the past decade, increasing research interest has been directed towards the characterization of biological communities colonizing plastic debris, the so called Plastisphere. Despite remarkable advances in this field, little is known regarding the recruitment patterns of NIS larvae and propagules on MPD, and the factors influencing these patterns. To address this knowledge gap, we used custom-made bioassay chambers and ran four consecutive bioassays to compare the settlement patterns of four distinct model biofouling organisms’ larvae, including the three notorious invaders Crassostrea gigas, Ciona savignyi and Mytilus galloprovincialis, along with one sessile macro-invertebrate Spirobranchus cariniferus, on three different types of polymers, namely Low-Linear Density Polyethylene (LLDPE), Polylactic Acid (PLA), Nylon-6, and a glass control. Control bioassay chambers were included to investigate the microbial community composition colonizing the different substrates using 16S rRNA metabarcoding. We observed species-specific settlement patterns, with larvae aggregating on different locations on the substrates. Furthermore, our results revealed that C. savignyi and S. cariniferus generally favoured Nylon and PLA, whereas no specific preferences were observed for C. gigas and M. galloprovincialis. We did not detect significant differences in bacterial community composition between the tested substrates. Taken together, our results highlight the complexity of interactions between NIS larvae and plastic polymers. We conclude that several factors and…
bibliographic citation: Audrézet et al. (2022) Does plastic type matter? Insights into non-indigenous marine larvae recruitment under controlled conditions. PeerJ 10:e14549 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.14549
date submitted: 2022-06-27
date accepted: 2022-11-20
issued: 2022-12-19
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Audrézet
  given name: François
author list: Agent
  family name: Zaiko
  given name: Anastasija
author list: Agent
  family name: Cahill
  given name: Patrick
author list: Agent
  family name: Champeau
  given name: Olivier
author list: Agent
  family name: Tremblay
  given name: Louis A.
author list: Agent
  family name: Smith
  given name: Dawn
author list: Agent
  family name: Wood
  given name: Susanna A.
author list: Agent
  family name: Lear
  given name: Gavin
author list: Agent
  family name: Pochon
  given name: Xavier
doi: 10.7717/peerj.14549
volume: 10
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2022-12-19
copyright: © 2022 Audrezet et al.
attribution name: Audrezet et al.

Metabolomics study of flavonoids in Coreopsis tinctoria of different origins by UPLC–MS/MS
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: To analyze the flavonoids in Coreopsis tinctoria and compare the differences in flavonoids among C. tinctoria of different origins, the chemical composition of C. tinctoria capitulum was analyzed by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-QTOF-MS), and the flavonoid metabolites were analyzed and identified based on their retention time, mass-to-charge ratio and fragment ions in the UPLC-QTOF-MS matrix. Capitulum samples of C. tinctoria were collected from three locations in the Xinjiang region at different altitudes. A total of 204 flavonoid compounds were identified, and 31 different flavonoid metabolites were then identified from flowers of C. tinctoria of different origins. Further analysis of these 31 significantly accumulated metabolites identified seven flavonoid metabolites, namely, homoplantaginin, kaempferol, quercetin, isorhamnetin, avicularin, quercetin 3-O-(6′-galloyl)-β-D-galactopyranoside and isorhamnetin 3-O-glucoside, with high accumulation only in sample collected from Tashkurgan Tajik (TX) and low expression in sample collected from Yutian County (YT) and Shaya County (SY). Moreover, 7,4′-dihydroxyflavone and 4,4′-dimethoxychalcone showed high accumulation only in SY, and afzelin was specifically highly accumulated in YT. In addition, the identified flavonoid metabolites were annotated using the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) database, and key pathways that might regulate the biosynthesis of these flavonoid compounds were analyzed. These findings provide key information for research on flavonoids and their biosynthesis in C. tinctoria and will provide a theoretical basis for studying the herbal quality and origin of C. tinctoria.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Yi Wang
creator: Junsen Cheng
creator: Wei Jiang
creator: Shu Chen
subject: Agricultural Science
subject: Biochemistry
subject: Molecular Biology
subject: Plant Science
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.14580
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2022 Wang et al.
abstract: To analyze the flavonoids in Coreopsis tinctoria and compare the differences in flavonoids among C. tinctoria of different origins, the chemical composition of C. tinctoria capitulum was analyzed by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-QTOF-MS), and the flavonoid metabolites were analyzed and identified based on their retention time, mass-to-charge ratio and fragment ions in the UPLC-QTOF-MS matrix. Capitulum samples of C. tinctoria were collected from three locations in the Xinjiang region at different altitudes. A total of 204 flavonoid compounds were identified, and 31 different flavonoid metabolites were then identified from flowers of C. tinctoria of different origins. Further analysis of these 31 significantly accumulated metabolites identified seven flavonoid metabolites, namely, homoplantaginin, kaempferol, quercetin, isorhamnetin, avicularin, quercetin 3-O-(6′-galloyl)-β-D-galactopyranoside and isorhamnetin 3-O-glucoside, with high accumulation only in sample collected from Tashkurgan Tajik (TX) and low expression in sample collected from Yutian County (YT) and Shaya County (SY). Moreover, 7,4′-dihydroxyflavone and 4,4′-dimethoxychalcone showed high accumulation only in SY, and afzelin was specifically highly accumulated in YT. In addition, the identified flavonoid metabolites were annotated using the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) database, and key pathways that might regulate the biosynthesis of these flavonoid compounds were analyzed. These findings provide key information for research on flavonoids and their biosynthesis in C. tinctoria and will provide a theoretical basis for studying the herbal quality and origin of C. tinctoria.
bibliographic citation: Wang et al. (2022) Metabolomics study of flavonoids in Coreopsis tinctoria of different origins by UPLC–MS/MS. PeerJ 10:e14580 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.14580
date submitted: 2022-04-14
date accepted: 2022-11-28
issued: 2022-12-19
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Wang
  given name: Yi
author list: Agent
  family name: Cheng
  given name: Junsen
author list: Agent
  family name: Jiang
  given name: Wei
author list: Agent
  family name: Chen
  given name: Shu
doi: 10.7717/peerj.14580
volume: 10
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2022-12-19
copyright: © 2022 Wang et al.
attribution name: Wang et al.

Genetic analysis of DNA methylation in dyslipidemia: a case-control study
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Background Coronary heart disease has become the leading cause of death in developed countries, and dyslipidemia is closely associated with the risk of cardiovascular disease. Dyslipidemia is caused by the abnormal regulation of several genes and signaling pathways, and dyslipidemia is influenced mainly by genetic variation. AMFR, FBXW7, INSIG1, INSIG2, and MBTPS1 genes are associated with lipid metabolism. In a recent GWAS study, the GRINA gene has been reported to be associated with dyslipidemia, but its molecular mechanism has not been thoroughly investigated. The correlation between the DNA methylation of these genes and lipid metabolism has not been studied. This study aimed to examine the relationship between the DNA methylation of these genes and the risk of dyslipidemia by comparing the methylation levels of dyslipidemia and control samples. Methods A case-control research method was used in this study. The patient’s blood samples were collected at the Heart Center of the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University. In the Xinjiang Han population, 100 cases of hyperlipidemia and 80 cases of the control group were selected. The two groups were age and gender-matched. Quantitative methylation analysis of CpG sites in the gene promoter regions of six genes was performed by Solexa high-throughput sequencing. Results The DNA methylation levels of 23 CpG sites in six genes were shown to be associated with hyperlipidemia, and a total of 20 DNA methylation haplotypes showed statistically significant differences between the two groups. When compared with the control group, the dyslipidemia group had significantly higher levels of methylation in the GRINA gene (2.68 vs 2.36, P = 0.04). Additionally, we also discovered a significant methylation haplotype of GRINA (P = 0.017). Conclusion The findings of this study reveal that the DNA methylation of GRINA increases the risk for dyslipidemia in humans.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Shuai Liu
creator: Yang Li
creator: Xian Wei
creator: Dilare Adi
creator: Yong-Tao Wang
creator: Min Han
creator: Fen Liu
creator: Bang-Dang Chen
creator: Xiao-Mei Li
creator: Yi-Ning Yang
creator: Zhen-Yan Fu
creator: Yi-Tong Ma
subject: Molecular Biology
subject: Diabetes and Endocrinology
subject: Hematology
subject: Medical Genetics
subject: Obesity
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.14590
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2022 Liu et al.
abstract: Background Coronary heart disease has become the leading cause of death in developed countries, and dyslipidemia is closely associated with the risk of cardiovascular disease. Dyslipidemia is caused by the abnormal regulation of several genes and signaling pathways, and dyslipidemia is influenced mainly by genetic variation. AMFR, FBXW7, INSIG1, INSIG2, and MBTPS1 genes are associated with lipid metabolism. In a recent GWAS study, the GRINA gene has been reported to be associated with dyslipidemia, but its molecular mechanism has not been thoroughly investigated. The correlation between the DNA methylation of these genes and lipid metabolism has not been studied. This study aimed to examine the relationship between the DNA methylation of these genes and the risk of dyslipidemia by comparing the methylation levels of dyslipidemia and control samples. Methods A case-control research method was used in this study. The patient’s blood samples were collected at the Heart Center of the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University. In the Xinjiang Han population, 100 cases of hyperlipidemia and 80 cases of the control group were selected. The two groups were age and gender-matched. Quantitative methylation analysis of CpG sites in the gene promoter regions of six genes was performed by Solexa high-throughput sequencing. Results The DNA methylation levels of 23 CpG sites in six genes were shown to be associated with hyperlipidemia, and a total of 20 DNA methylation haplotypes showed statistically significant differences between the two groups. When compared with the control group, the dyslipidemia group had significantly higher levels of methylation in the GRINA gene (2.68 vs 2.36, P = 0.04). Additionally, we also discovered a significant methylation haplotype of GRINA (P = 0.017). Conclusion The findings of this study reveal that the DNA methylation of GRINA increases the risk for dyslipidemia in humans.
bibliographic citation: Liu et al. (2022) Genetic analysis of DNA methylation in dyslipidemia: a case-control study. PeerJ 10:e14590 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.14590
date submitted: 2022-03-28
date accepted: 2022-11-28
issued: 2022-12-19
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Liu
  given name: Shuai
author list: Agent
  family name: Li
  given name: Yang
author list: Agent
  family name: Wei
  given name: Xian
author list: Agent
  family name: Adi
  given name: Dilare
author list: Agent
  family name: Wang
  given name: Yong-Tao
author list: Agent
  family name: Han
  given name: Min
author list: Agent
  family name: Liu
  given name: Fen
author list: Agent
  family name: Chen
  given name: Bang-Dang
author list: Agent
  family name: Li
  given name: Xiao-Mei
author list: Agent
  family name: Yang
  given name: Yi-Ning
author list: Agent
  family name: Fu
  given name: Zhen-Yan
author list: Agent
  family name: Ma
  given name: Yi-Tong
doi: 10.7717/peerj.14590
volume: 10
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2022-12-19
copyright: © 2022 Liu et al.
attribution name: Liu et al.

On the improvement of heart rate prediction using the combination of singular spectrum analysis and copula-based analysis approach
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: In recent years, many people have been working from home due to the exceptional circumstances concerning the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. It has also negatively influenced general health and quality of life. Therefore, physical activity has been gaining much attention in preventing the spread of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus. For planning an effective physical activity for different clients, physical activity intensity and load degree needs to be appropriately adjusted depending on the individual’s physical/health conditions. Heart rate (HR) is one of the most critical health indicators for monitoring exercise intensity and load degree because it is closely related to the heart rate. Heart rate prediction estimates the heart rate at the next moment based on now and other influencing factors. Therefore, an accurate short-term HR prediction technique can deliver efficient early warning for human health and decrease the happening of harmful events. The work described in this article aims to introduce a novel hybrid approach to model and predict the heart rate dynamics for different exercises. The results indicate that the combination of singular spectrum analysis (SSA) and the Clayton Copula model can accurately predict HR for the short term.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Asieh Namazi
subject: Cardiology
subject: Public Health
subject: Sports Medicine
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.14601
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2022 Namazi
abstract: In recent years, many people have been working from home due to the exceptional circumstances concerning the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. It has also negatively influenced general health and quality of life. Therefore, physical activity has been gaining much attention in preventing the spread of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus. For planning an effective physical activity for different clients, physical activity intensity and load degree needs to be appropriately adjusted depending on the individual’s physical/health conditions. Heart rate (HR) is one of the most critical health indicators for monitoring exercise intensity and load degree because it is closely related to the heart rate. Heart rate prediction estimates the heart rate at the next moment based on now and other influencing factors. Therefore, an accurate short-term HR prediction technique can deliver efficient early warning for human health and decrease the happening of harmful events. The work described in this article aims to introduce a novel hybrid approach to model and predict the heart rate dynamics for different exercises. The results indicate that the combination of singular spectrum analysis (SSA) and the Clayton Copula model can accurately predict HR for the short term.
bibliographic citation: Namazi (2022) On the improvement of heart rate prediction using the combination of singular spectrum analysis and copula-based analysis approach. PeerJ 10:e14601 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.14601
date submitted: 2022-10-19
date accepted: 2022-11-29
issued: 2022-12-19
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Namazi
  given name: Asieh
doi: 10.7717/peerj.14601
volume: 10
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2022-12-19
copyright: © 2022 Namazi
attribution name: Namazi

https://peerj.com/articles/14602
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
title: Transcriptome-wide identification of NAC (no apical meristem/Arabidopsis transcription activation factor/cup-shaped cotyledon) transcription factors potentially involved in salt stress response in garlic
description: Soil salinity has been an increasing problem worldwide endangering crop production and human food security. It is an ideal strategy to excavate stress resistant genes and develop salt tolerant crops. NAC (no apical meristem/Arabidopsis transcription activation factor/cup-shaped cotyledon) transcription factors have been demonstrated to be involved in salt stress response. However, relevant studies have not been observed in garlic, an important vegetable consumed in the world. In this study, a total of 46 AsNAC genes encoding NAC proteins were identified in garlic plant by transcriptome data. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the examined AsNAC proteins were clustered into 14 subgroups. Motif discovery revealed that the conserved domain region was mainly composed of five conserved subdomains. Most of the genes selected could be induced by salt stress in different tissues, indicating a potential role in salt stress response. Further studies may focus on the molecular mechanisms of the AsNAC genes in salt stress response. The results of the current work provided valuable resources for researchers aimed at developing salt tolerant crops.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Guang-Long Wang
creator: Ya-Hong An
creator: Cheng-Ling Zhou
creator: Zhen-Zhu Hu
creator: Xu-Qin Ren
creator: Ai-Sheng Xiong
subject: Agricultural Science
subject: Bioinformatics
subject: Genetics
subject: Molecular Biology
subject: Plant Science
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.14602
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2022 Wang et al.
abstract: Soil salinity has been an increasing problem worldwide endangering crop production and human food security. It is an ideal strategy to excavate stress resistant genes and develop salt tolerant crops. NAC (no apical meristem/Arabidopsis transcription activation factor/cup-shaped cotyledon) transcription factors have been demonstrated to be involved in salt stress response. However, relevant studies have not been observed in garlic, an important vegetable consumed in the world. In this study, a total of 46 AsNAC genes encoding NAC proteins were identified in garlic plant by transcriptome data. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the examined AsNAC proteins were clustered into 14 subgroups. Motif discovery revealed that the conserved domain region was mainly composed of five conserved subdomains. Most of the genes selected could be induced by salt stress in different tissues, indicating a potential role in salt stress response. Further studies may focus on the molecular mechanisms of the AsNAC genes in salt stress response. The results of the current work provided valuable resources for researchers aimed at developing salt tolerant crops.
bibliographic citation: Wang et al. (2022) Transcriptome-wide identification of NAC (no apical meristem/Arabidopsis transcription activation factor/cup-shaped cotyledon) transcription factors potentially involved in salt stress response in garlic. PeerJ 10:e14602 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.14602
date submitted: 2022-10-14
date accepted: 2022-11-29
issued: 2022-12-19
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Wang
  given name: Guang-Long
author list: Agent
  family name: An
  given name: Ya-Hong
author list: Agent
  family name: Zhou
  given name: Cheng-Ling
author list: Agent
  family name: Hu
  given name: Zhen-Zhu
author list: Agent
  family name: Ren
  given name: Xu-Qin
author list: Agent
  family name: Xiong
  given name: Ai-Sheng
doi: 10.7717/peerj.14602
volume: 10
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2022-12-19
copyright: © 2022 Wang et al.
attribution name: Wang et al.

Using Peromyscus leucopus as a biomonitor to determine the impact of heavy metal exposure on the kidney and bone mineral density: results from the Tar Creek Superfund Site
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Background Human population growth and industrialization contribute to increased pollution of wildlife habitats. Heavy metal exposure from industrial and environmental sources is still a threat to public health, increasing disease susceptibility. In this study, I investigated the effects of heavy metals (cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn)) on kidney and bone density. Objective This study aims to determine the concentrations of Cd, Pb, and Zn in soil and compare them to the levels of the same metals in Peromyscus leucopus kidney tissue. Furthermore, the study seeks to investigate the impact of heavy metals on bone density and fragility using the fourth lumbar vertebra (L4) of P. leucopus. Methods Cd, Pb, and Zn concentrations in soil specimens collected from Tar Creek Superfund Site (TCSFS), Beaver Creek (BC), and two reference sites (Oologah Wildlife Management Area (OWMA) and Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge (SNWR)). Heavy metal concentrations were analyzed using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS). Micro-computed tomography (µCT) was used to assess the influence of heavy metals on bone fragility and density. Results On the one hand, soil samples revealed that Pb is the most common pollutant in the sediment at all of the investigated sites (the highest contaminated site with Pb was TCSFS). Pb levels in the soil of TCSFS, BC, OWMA, and SNWR were found to be 1,132 ± 278, 6.4 ± 1.1, and 2.3 ± 0.3 mg/kg in the soil of TCSFS, BC and OWMA and SNWR, respectively. This is consistent with the fact that Pb is one of the less mobile heavy metals, causing its compounds to persist in soils and sediments and being barely influenced by microbial decomposition. On the other hand, the kidney samples revealed greater Cd levels, even higher than those found in the soil samples from the OWMA and SNWR sites. Cd concentrations in the kidney specimens were found to be 4.62 ± 0.71, 0.53 ± 0.08, and 0.53 ± 0.06 µg/kg, respectively. In addition, micro-CT analysis of L…
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Maha Abdulftah Elturki
subject: Ecology
subject: Soil Science
subject: Zoology
subject: Ecotoxicology
subject: Environmental Contamination and Remediation
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.14605
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2022 Elturki
abstract: Background Human population growth and industrialization contribute to increased pollution of wildlife habitats. Heavy metal exposure from industrial and environmental sources is still a threat to public health, increasing disease susceptibility. In this study, I investigated the effects of heavy metals (cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn)) on kidney and bone density. Objective This study aims to determine the concentrations of Cd, Pb, and Zn in soil and compare them to the levels of the same metals in Peromyscus leucopus kidney tissue. Furthermore, the study seeks to investigate the impact of heavy metals on bone density and fragility using the fourth lumbar vertebra (L4) of P. leucopus. Methods Cd, Pb, and Zn concentrations in soil specimens collected from Tar Creek Superfund Site (TCSFS), Beaver Creek (BC), and two reference sites (Oologah Wildlife Management Area (OWMA) and Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge (SNWR)). Heavy metal concentrations were analyzed using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS). Micro-computed tomography (µCT) was used to assess the influence of heavy metals on bone fragility and density. Results On the one hand, soil samples revealed that Pb is the most common pollutant in the sediment at all of the investigated sites (the highest contaminated site with Pb was TCSFS). Pb levels in the soil of TCSFS, BC, OWMA, and SNWR were found to be 1,132 ± 278, 6.4 ± 1.1, and 2.3 ± 0.3 mg/kg in the soil of TCSFS, BC and OWMA and SNWR, respectively. This is consistent with the fact that Pb is one of the less mobile heavy metals, causing its compounds to persist in soils and sediments and being barely influenced by microbial decomposition. On the other hand, the kidney samples revealed greater Cd levels, even higher than those found in the soil samples from the OWMA and SNWR sites. Cd concentrations in the kidney specimens were found to be 4.62 ± 0.71, 0.53 ± 0.08, and 0.53 ± 0.06 µg/kg, respectively. In addition, micro-CT analysis of L…
bibliographic citation: Elturki (2022) Using Peromyscus leucopus as a biomonitor to determine the impact of heavy metal exposure on the kidney and bone mineral density: results from the Tar Creek Superfund Site. PeerJ 10:e14605 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.14605
date submitted: 2022-09-27
date accepted: 2022-11-29
issued: 2022-12-19
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Elturki
  given name: Maha Abdulftah
doi: 10.7717/peerj.14605
volume: 10
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2022-12-19
copyright: © 2022 Elturki
attribution name: Elturki

Forty new specimens of Ichthyornis provide unprecedented insight into the postcranial morphology of crownward stem group birds
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Ichthyornis has long been recognized as a pivotally important fossil taxon for understanding the latest stages of the dinosaur–bird transition, but little significant new postcranial material has been brought to light since initial descriptions of partial skeletons in the 19th Century. Here, we present new information on the postcranial morphology of Ichthyornis from 40 previously undescribed specimens, providing the most complete morphological assessment of the postcranial skeleton of Ichthyornis to date. The new material includes four partially complete skeletons and numerous well-preserved isolated elements, enabling new anatomical observations such as muscle attachments previously undescribed for Mesozoic euornitheans. Among the elements that were previously unknown or poorly represented for Ichthyornis, the new specimens include an almost-complete axial series, a hypocleideum-bearing furcula, radial carpal bones, fibulae, a complete tarsometatarsus bearing a rudimentary hypotarsus, and one of the first-known nearly complete three-dimensional sterna from a Mesozoic avialan. Several pedal phalanges are preserved, revealing a remarkably enlarged pes presumably related to foot-propelled swimming. Although diagnosable as Ichthyornis, the new specimens exhibit a substantial degree of morphological variation, some of which may relate to ontogenetic changes. Phylogenetic analyses incorporating our new data and employing alternative morphological datasets recover Ichthyornis stemward of Hesperornithes and Iaceornis, in line with some recent hypotheses regarding the topology of the crownward-most portion of the avian stem group, and we establish phylogenetically-defined clade names for relevant avialan subclades to help facilitate consistent discourse in future work. The new information provided by these specimens improves our understanding of morphological evolution among the crownward-most non-neornithine avialans immediately preceding the origin of crown group birds.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Juan Benito
creator: Albert Chen
creator: Laura E. Wilson
creator: Bhart-Anjan S. Bhullar
creator: David Burnham
creator: Daniel J. Field
subject: Evolutionary Studies
subject: Paleontology
subject: Taxonomy
subject: Zoology
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.13919
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2022 Benito et al.
abstract: Ichthyornis has long been recognized as a pivotally important fossil taxon for understanding the latest stages of the dinosaur–bird transition, but little significant new postcranial material has been brought to light since initial descriptions of partial skeletons in the 19th Century. Here, we present new information on the postcranial morphology of Ichthyornis from 40 previously undescribed specimens, providing the most complete morphological assessment of the postcranial skeleton of Ichthyornis to date. The new material includes four partially complete skeletons and numerous well-preserved isolated elements, enabling new anatomical observations such as muscle attachments previously undescribed for Mesozoic euornitheans. Among the elements that were previously unknown or poorly represented for Ichthyornis, the new specimens include an almost-complete axial series, a hypocleideum-bearing furcula, radial carpal bones, fibulae, a complete tarsometatarsus bearing a rudimentary hypotarsus, and one of the first-known nearly complete three-dimensional sterna from a Mesozoic avialan. Several pedal phalanges are preserved, revealing a remarkably enlarged pes presumably related to foot-propelled swimming. Although diagnosable as Ichthyornis, the new specimens exhibit a substantial degree of morphological variation, some of which may relate to ontogenetic changes. Phylogenetic analyses incorporating our new data and employing alternative morphological datasets recover Ichthyornis stemward of Hesperornithes and Iaceornis, in line with some recent hypotheses regarding the topology of the crownward-most portion of the avian stem group, and we establish phylogenetically-defined clade names for relevant avialan subclades to help facilitate consistent discourse in future work. The new information provided by these specimens improves our understanding of morphological evolution among the crownward-most non-neornithine avialans immediately preceding the origin of crown group birds.
bibliographic citation: Benito et al. (2022) Forty new specimens of Ichthyornis provide unprecedented insight into the postcranial morphology of crownward stem group birds. PeerJ 10:e13919 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.13919
date submitted: 2021-12-13
date accepted: 2022-07-28
issued: 2022-12-16
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Benito
  given name: Juan
author list: Agent
  family name: Chen
  given name: Albert
author list: Agent
  family name: Wilson
  given name: Laura E.
author list: Agent
  family name: Bhullar
  given name: Bhart-Anjan S.
author list: Agent
  family name: Burnham
  given name: David
author list: Agent
  family name: Field
  given name: Daniel J.
doi: 10.7717/peerj.13919
volume: 10
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2022-12-16
copyright: © 2022 Benito et al.
attribution name: Benito et al.

Guttigomphus avilionis gen. et sp. nov., a trirachodontid cynodont from the upper Cynognathus Assemblage Zone, Burgersdorp Formation of South Africa
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: The Burgersdorp Formation of South Africa is a richly fossiliferous rock sequence at the top of the Permian–Triassic Beaufort Group and is known for its abundance of Early–Middle Triassic vertebrate remains, particularly cynodonts. Fossils from the Burgersdorp Formation are referred biostratigraphically to the Cynognathus Assemblage Zone (CAZ), which is further divided into three subzones: Langbergia-Garjainia, Trirachodon-Kannemeyeria, and Cricodon-Ufudocyclops. Each subzone is characterised by the presence of a distinct species of trirachodontid, a group of gomphodont cynodonts found relatively abundantly throughout the CAZ, with the lower two subzones characterised by the medium-sized trirachodontids Langbergia and Trirachodon. The uppermost part of the formation, the Cricodon-Ufudocyclops subzone, yields trirachodontids of larger size. The majority of these trirachodontid specimens have previously been referred to Cricodon metabolus, a taxon also known from the Manda Beds of Tanzania and the Ntawere Formation of Zambia. Here we identify one of the specimens (BP/1/5538) previously referred to Cricodon as a new taxon, Guttigomphus avilionis. Guttigomphus can be distinguished from other gomphodont cynodonts by features of the upper postcanine teeth, such as an asymmetric crown in occlusal view (crown narrower along the lingual margin than the labial). Our phylogenetic analysis recovers Guttigomphus as a basal member of Trirachodontidae, outside of the clade including Cricodon, Langbergia and Trirachodon.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Romy R. Rayner
creator: Richard J. Butler
creator: Christian F. Kammerer
creator: Jonah N. Choiniere
subject: Evolutionary Studies
subject: Paleontology
subject: Taxonomy
subject: Zoology
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.14355
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2022 Rayner et al.
abstract: The Burgersdorp Formation of South Africa is a richly fossiliferous rock sequence at the top of the Permian–Triassic Beaufort Group and is known for its abundance of Early–Middle Triassic vertebrate remains, particularly cynodonts. Fossils from the Burgersdorp Formation are referred biostratigraphically to the Cynognathus Assemblage Zone (CAZ), which is further divided into three subzones: Langbergia-Garjainia, Trirachodon-Kannemeyeria, and Cricodon-Ufudocyclops. Each subzone is characterised by the presence of a distinct species of trirachodontid, a group of gomphodont cynodonts found relatively abundantly throughout the CAZ, with the lower two subzones characterised by the medium-sized trirachodontids Langbergia and Trirachodon. The uppermost part of the formation, the Cricodon-Ufudocyclops subzone, yields trirachodontids of larger size. The majority of these trirachodontid specimens have previously been referred to Cricodon metabolus, a taxon also known from the Manda Beds of Tanzania and the Ntawere Formation of Zambia. Here we identify one of the specimens (BP/1/5538) previously referred to Cricodon as a new taxon, Guttigomphus avilionis. Guttigomphus can be distinguished from other gomphodont cynodonts by features of the upper postcanine teeth, such as an asymmetric crown in occlusal view (crown narrower along the lingual margin than the labial). Our phylogenetic analysis recovers Guttigomphus as a basal member of Trirachodontidae, outside of the clade including Cricodon, Langbergia and Trirachodon.
bibliographic citation: Rayner et al. (2022) Guttigomphus avilionis gen. et sp. nov., a trirachodontid cynodont from the upper Cynognathus Assemblage Zone, Burgersdorp Formation of South Africa. PeerJ 10:e14355 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.14355
date submitted: 2020-03-04
date accepted: 2022-10-17
issued: 2022-12-16
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Rayner
  given name: Romy R.
author list: Agent
  family name: Butler
  given name: Richard J.
author list: Agent
  family name: Kammerer
  given name: Christian F.
author list: Agent
  family name: Choiniere
  given name: Jonah N.
doi: 10.7717/peerj.14355
volume: 10
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2022-12-16
copyright: © 2022 Rayner et al.
attribution name: Rayner et al.

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