PeerJ
type: channel
link: https://peerj.com/articles/
description: Articles published in PeerJ
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
publication name: PeerJ
issn: 2167-8359
items: Physical activity questionnaire for older children (PAQ-C): Arabic translation, cross-cultural adaptation, and psychometric validation in school-aged children in Saudi Arabia
items: Phylogeny, distribution and potential metabolism of candidate bacterial phylum KSB1
items: Factors related to overweight and obese populations maintaining metabolic health
items: Icaritin attenuates 6-OHDA-induced MN9D cell damage by inhibiting oxidative stress
items: Expression and promoter analysis of MEP pathway enzyme-encoding genes in Pinus massoniana Lamb
items: Ecomorphospace occupation of large herbivorous dinosaurs from Late Jurassic through to Late Cretaceous time in North America
items: Effects of exergaming on executive function of older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis
items: A model of multiple tumor marker for lymph node metastasis assessment in colorectal cancer: a retrospective study
items: A long noncoding RNA GTF2IRD2P1 suppresses cell proliferation in bladder cancer by inhibiting the Wnt/β‑catenin signaling pathway
items: The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on health care workers’ anxiety levels: a meta-analysis

Physical activity questionnaire for older children (PAQ-C): Arabic translation, cross-cultural adaptation, and psychometric validation in school-aged children in Saudi Arabia
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: The validity of the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Children (PAQ-C) has been mostly studied in North America and Europe. We investigated the psychometric validation of the Arabic version of the PAQ-C in students in Saudi Arabia. The students (n = 327, age = 8–14 years) of six primary schools in the Majmaah region participated in the study. Participants completed the PAQ-C, and their demographics were recorded. The PAQ-C scores satisfied the following factor analysis assumptions: diagonal elements of the anti-image correlation matrix (>0.5), Bartlett’s test of sphericity (p < 0.001), determinant (>0.00001), Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin test of sampling adequacy (>0.8), and communality (all values > 0.2). Exploratory factor analysis results were inconclusive, with two measures favoring a 2-factor solution (Kaiser’s criteria (Eigenvalue ≥ 1), and cumulative variance rule (>40%)); whereas, the scree test and the Monte Carlo parallel analysis favored a 1-factor structure. The confirmatory factor analysis favored a 1-factor solution: highest CFI, lowest RMSEA, non-significant χ2 statistics, and lowest χ2/df. The values of item-total correlation, corrected item-total correlation, and Cronbach’s alpha if an item was deleted, ranged from 0.20–0.57, 0.42–0.64, and 0.70–0.75, respectively. The PAQ-C showed a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.74. A 1-factor structure of the Arabic version of the PAQ-C had adequate psychometric validity in schoolchildren in Saudi Arabia.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Mohamed Sherif Sirajudeen
creator: Mohamed Waly
creator: Md. Dilshad Manzar
creator: Mazen Alqahtani
creator: Msaad Alzhrani
creator: Ahmad Alanazi
creator: Radhakrishnan Unnikrishnan
creator: Hariraja Muthusamy
creator: Rashmi Saibannavar
creator: Wafa Alrubaia
subject: Kinesiology
subject: Pediatrics
subject: Psychiatry and Psychology
subject: Public Health
subject: Obesity
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.13237
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2022 Sirajudeen et al.
abstract: The validity of the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Children (PAQ-C) has been mostly studied in North America and Europe. We investigated the psychometric validation of the Arabic version of the PAQ-C in students in Saudi Arabia. The students (n = 327, age = 8–14 years) of six primary schools in the Majmaah region participated in the study. Participants completed the PAQ-C, and their demographics were recorded. The PAQ-C scores satisfied the following factor analysis assumptions: diagonal elements of the anti-image correlation matrix (>0.5), Bartlett’s test of sphericity (p < 0.001), determinant (>0.00001), Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin test of sampling adequacy (>0.8), and communality (all values > 0.2). Exploratory factor analysis results were inconclusive, with two measures favoring a 2-factor solution (Kaiser’s criteria (Eigenvalue ≥ 1), and cumulative variance rule (>40%)); whereas, the scree test and the Monte Carlo parallel analysis favored a 1-factor structure. The confirmatory factor analysis favored a 1-factor solution: highest CFI, lowest RMSEA, non-significant χ2 statistics, and lowest χ2/df. The values of item-total correlation, corrected item-total correlation, and Cronbach’s alpha if an item was deleted, ranged from 0.20–0.57, 0.42–0.64, and 0.70–0.75, respectively. The PAQ-C showed a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.74. A 1-factor structure of the Arabic version of the PAQ-C had adequate psychometric validity in schoolchildren in Saudi Arabia.
bibliographic citation: Sirajudeen et al. (2022) Physical activity questionnaire for older children (PAQ-C): Arabic translation, cross-cultural adaptation, and psychometric validation in school-aged children in Saudi Arabia. PeerJ 10:e13237 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.13237
date submitted: 2021-07-15
date accepted: 2022-03-18
issued: 2022-04-12
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Sirajudeen
  given name: Mohamed Sherif
author list: Agent
  family name: Waly
  given name: Mohamed
author list: Agent
  family name: Manzar
  given name: Md. Dilshad
author list: Agent
  family name: Alqahtani
  given name: Mazen
author list: Agent
  family name: Alzhrani
  given name: Msaad
author list: Agent
  family name: Alanazi
  given name: Ahmad
author list: Agent
  family name: Unnikrishnan
  given name: Radhakrishnan
author list: Agent
  family name: Muthusamy
  given name: Hariraja
author list: Agent
  family name: Saibannavar
  given name: Rashmi
author list: Agent
  family name: Alrubaia
  given name: Wafa
doi: 10.7717/peerj.13237
volume: 10
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2022-04-12
copyright: © 2022 Sirajudeen et al.
attribution name: Sirajudeen et al.

Phylogeny, distribution and potential metabolism of candidate bacterial phylum KSB1
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Candidate phylum KSB1 is composed of uncultured bacteria and has been reported across various environments. However, the phylogeny and metabolic potential of KSB1 have not been studied comprehensively. In this study, phylogenomic analysis of KSB1 genomes from public databases and eleven metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) from marine and hydrothermal sediments revealed that those genomes were clustered into four clades. Isolation source and relative abundance of KSB1 genomes showed that clade I was particularly abundant in bioreactor sludge. Genes related to dissimilatory reduction of nitrate to ammonia (DNRA), the last step of denitrification converting nitrous oxide to nitrogen and assimilatory sulfur reduction were observed in the expanded genomes of clade I, which may due to horizontal gene transfer that frequently occurred in bioreactor. Annotation and metabolic reconstruction of clades II and IV showed flagellum assembly and chemotaxis genes in the genomes, which may indicate that exploration and sensing for nutrients and chemical gradients are critical for the two clades in deep-sea and hydrothermal sediment. Metabolic potentials of fatty acids and short-chain hydrocarbons utilization were predicted in clades I and IV of KSB1. Collectively, phylogenomic and metabolic analyses of KSB1 clades provide insight into their anaerobic heterotrophic lifestyle and differentiation in potential ecological roles.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Qingmei Li
creator: Yingli Zhou
creator: Rui Lu
creator: Pengfei Zheng
creator: Yong Wang
subject: Bioinformatics
subject: Genomics
subject: Marine Biology
subject: Microbiology
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.13241
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2022 Li et al.
abstract: Candidate phylum KSB1 is composed of uncultured bacteria and has been reported across various environments. However, the phylogeny and metabolic potential of KSB1 have not been studied comprehensively. In this study, phylogenomic analysis of KSB1 genomes from public databases and eleven metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) from marine and hydrothermal sediments revealed that those genomes were clustered into four clades. Isolation source and relative abundance of KSB1 genomes showed that clade I was particularly abundant in bioreactor sludge. Genes related to dissimilatory reduction of nitrate to ammonia (DNRA), the last step of denitrification converting nitrous oxide to nitrogen and assimilatory sulfur reduction were observed in the expanded genomes of clade I, which may due to horizontal gene transfer that frequently occurred in bioreactor. Annotation and metabolic reconstruction of clades II and IV showed flagellum assembly and chemotaxis genes in the genomes, which may indicate that exploration and sensing for nutrients and chemical gradients are critical for the two clades in deep-sea and hydrothermal sediment. Metabolic potentials of fatty acids and short-chain hydrocarbons utilization were predicted in clades I and IV of KSB1. Collectively, phylogenomic and metabolic analyses of KSB1 clades provide insight into their anaerobic heterotrophic lifestyle and differentiation in potential ecological roles.
bibliographic citation: Li et al. (2022) Phylogeny, distribution and potential metabolism of candidate bacterial phylum KSB1. PeerJ 10:e13241 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.13241
date submitted: 2021-11-17
date accepted: 2022-03-18
issued: 2022-04-12
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Li
  given name: Qingmei
author list: Agent
  family name: Zhou
  given name: Yingli
author list: Agent
  family name: Lu
  given name: Rui
author list: Agent
  family name: Zheng
  given name: Pengfei
author list: Agent
  family name: Wang
  given name: Yong
doi: 10.7717/peerj.13241
volume: 10
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2022-04-12
copyright: © 2022 Li et al.
attribution name: Li et al.

Factors related to overweight and obese populations maintaining metabolic health
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Background For people who are overweight or obese, maintaining a metabolically healthy status can decrease the risks of developing cardiovascular diseases and Type 2 diabetes. Despite this, only a limited amount of research has discussed the metabolically healthy overweight and obesity (MHOO) population in Asia and the factors associated with them maintaining their metabolic health. Methods This study enrolled 195 MHOO participants from communities in northern Taiwan during 2009–2010 (baseline). Of the 195 participants, 89 completed the follow-up assessment after a median follow-up time of nine years. Body type was determined by body mass index (BMI, kg/m2). We defined overweight as a BMI ≥ 24 kg/m2 and <27 kg/m2 and defined obese as a BMI ≥ 27 kg/m2. Metabolic health was defined as the absence of cardiometabolic diseases and the presence of ≤1 of the cardiometabolic risk factors, namely hypertension, hyperglycemia, hypertriglyceridemia, and low serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Metabolic health, BMI, and other covariates were evaluated at both baseline and follow-up. Generalized estimating equations (GEE) models were used to analyze the factors associated with maintenance of metabolic health during the follow-up period. Results At baseline, the mean age of the study participants was 47.4 (SD 5.3) years and 46 (51.7%) of the participants were women. There were 51 (57.3%) individuals who maintained their metabolic health status at the time of the nine-year follow-up. The detrimental factors pertaining to metabolic health included older age, longer duration until follow-up, BMI ≥ 27 kg/m2, and increase in waist circumference. No significant relationships were observed between sociodemographic factors and lifestyle factors, such as sex, level of education, cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, and physical activity, and sustained metabolic health among MHOO individuals. Conclusions To maintain metabolic health and prevent negative changes in health status, …
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Yi-Hsuan Lin
creator: Hsiao-Ting Chang
creator: Yen-Han Tseng
creator: Harn-Shen Chen
creator: Shu-Chiung Chiang
creator: Tzeng-Ji Chen
creator: Shinn-Jang Hwang
subject: Diabetes and Endocrinology
subject: Metabolic Sciences
subject: Obesity
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.13242
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2022 Lin et al.
abstract: Background For people who are overweight or obese, maintaining a metabolically healthy status can decrease the risks of developing cardiovascular diseases and Type 2 diabetes. Despite this, only a limited amount of research has discussed the metabolically healthy overweight and obesity (MHOO) population in Asia and the factors associated with them maintaining their metabolic health. Methods This study enrolled 195 MHOO participants from communities in northern Taiwan during 2009–2010 (baseline). Of the 195 participants, 89 completed the follow-up assessment after a median follow-up time of nine years. Body type was determined by body mass index (BMI, kg/m2). We defined overweight as a BMI ≥ 24 kg/m2 and <27 kg/m2 and defined obese as a BMI ≥ 27 kg/m2. Metabolic health was defined as the absence of cardiometabolic diseases and the presence of ≤1 of the cardiometabolic risk factors, namely hypertension, hyperglycemia, hypertriglyceridemia, and low serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Metabolic health, BMI, and other covariates were evaluated at both baseline and follow-up. Generalized estimating equations (GEE) models were used to analyze the factors associated with maintenance of metabolic health during the follow-up period. Results At baseline, the mean age of the study participants was 47.4 (SD 5.3) years and 46 (51.7%) of the participants were women. There were 51 (57.3%) individuals who maintained their metabolic health status at the time of the nine-year follow-up. The detrimental factors pertaining to metabolic health included older age, longer duration until follow-up, BMI ≥ 27 kg/m2, and increase in waist circumference. No significant relationships were observed between sociodemographic factors and lifestyle factors, such as sex, level of education, cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, and physical activity, and sustained metabolic health among MHOO individuals. Conclusions To maintain metabolic health and prevent negative changes in health status, …
bibliographic citation: Lin et al. (2022) Factors related to overweight and obese populations maintaining metabolic health. PeerJ 10:e13242 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.13242
date submitted: 2021-10-27
date accepted: 2022-03-18
issued: 2022-04-12
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Lin
  given name: Yi-Hsuan
author list: Agent
  family name: Chang
  given name: Hsiao-Ting
author list: Agent
  family name: Tseng
  given name: Yen-Han
author list: Agent
  family name: Chen
  given name: Harn-Shen
author list: Agent
  family name: Chiang
  given name: Shu-Chiung
author list: Agent
  family name: Chen
  given name: Tzeng-Ji
author list: Agent
  family name: Hwang
  given name: Shinn-Jang
doi: 10.7717/peerj.13242
volume: 10
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2022-04-12
copyright: ©2022 Lin et al.
attribution name: Lin et al.

Icaritin attenuates 6-OHDA-induced MN9D cell damage by inhibiting oxidative stress
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Background We assessed whether ICT can alleviate 6-OHDA-induced cell damage via inhibition of oxidative stress by evaluating the protective effect of icaritin (ICT) against 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-induced MN9D cell damage and further determined the mechanism by which ICT reduces oxidative stress. Methods MN9D cells were treated with 6-OHDA, to study the mechanism underlying the neuroprotective effect of ICT. MN9D cell damage was assessed by the CCK-8 assay, flow cytometry was performed to measure the content of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in cells, a superoxide dismutase (SOD) kit was used to evaluate SOD activity, and Western blotting was used to measure the expression of α-synuclein (α-Syn), Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), nuclear factor erythroid-2 related factor 2 (Nrf2), and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). Results ICT reduced damage to MN9D cells induced by 6-OHDA. ICT increased SOD activity and TH expression and reduced ROS production and α-Syn expression. ICT promoted the translocation of Nrf2 from the cytoplasm to the nucleus and further increased the protein expression of HO-1. Conclusions ICT protects against 6-OHDA-induced dopaminergic neuronal cell injury by attenuating oxidative stress, and the mechanism is related to modulate the activities of Nrf2, HO-1 protein, and SOD.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Xinyu Zhou
creator: Nanqu Huang
creator: Xiaoyi Hou
creator: Li Zhu
creator: Yiman Xie
creator: Zhisheng Ba
creator: Yong Luo
subject: Biochemistry
subject: Cell Biology
subject: Molecular Biology
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.13256
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2022 Zhou et al.
abstract: Background We assessed whether ICT can alleviate 6-OHDA-induced cell damage via inhibition of oxidative stress by evaluating the protective effect of icaritin (ICT) against 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-induced MN9D cell damage and further determined the mechanism by which ICT reduces oxidative stress. Methods MN9D cells were treated with 6-OHDA, to study the mechanism underlying the neuroprotective effect of ICT. MN9D cell damage was assessed by the CCK-8 assay, flow cytometry was performed to measure the content of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in cells, a superoxide dismutase (SOD) kit was used to evaluate SOD activity, and Western blotting was used to measure the expression of α-synuclein (α-Syn), Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), nuclear factor erythroid-2 related factor 2 (Nrf2), and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). Results ICT reduced damage to MN9D cells induced by 6-OHDA. ICT increased SOD activity and TH expression and reduced ROS production and α-Syn expression. ICT promoted the translocation of Nrf2 from the cytoplasm to the nucleus and further increased the protein expression of HO-1. Conclusions ICT protects against 6-OHDA-induced dopaminergic neuronal cell injury by attenuating oxidative stress, and the mechanism is related to modulate the activities of Nrf2, HO-1 protein, and SOD.
bibliographic citation: Zhou et al. (2022) Icaritin attenuates 6-OHDA-induced MN9D cell damage by inhibiting oxidative stress. PeerJ 10:e13256 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.13256
date submitted: 2021-11-08
date accepted: 2022-03-22
issued: 2022-04-12
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Zhou
  given name: Xinyu
author list: Agent
  family name: Huang
  given name: Nanqu
author list: Agent
  family name: Hou
  given name: Xiaoyi
author list: Agent
  family name: Zhu
  given name: Li
author list: Agent
  family name: Xie
  given name: Yiman
author list: Agent
  family name: Ba
  given name: Zhisheng
author list: Agent
  family name: Luo
  given name: Yong
doi: 10.7717/peerj.13256
volume: 10
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2022-04-12
copyright: © 2022 Zhou et al.
attribution name: Zhou et al.

Expression and promoter analysis of MEP pathway enzyme-encoding genes in Pinus massoniana Lamb
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: The methylerythritol phosphate (MEP) pathway provides the universal basic blocks for the biosynthesis of terpenoids and plays a critical role in the growth and development of higher plants. Pinus massoniana is the most valuable oleoresin producer tree with an extensive terrestrial range. It has the potential to produce more oleoresin with commercial value, while being resistant to pine wood nematode (PWN) disease. For this study, eleven MEP pathway associated enzyme-encoding genes and ten promoters were isolated from P. massoniana. Three PmDXS and two PmHDR existed as multi-copy genes, whereas the other six genes existed as single copies. All eleven of these MEP enzymes exhibited chloroplast localization with transient expression. Most of the MEP genes showed higher expression in the needles, while PmDXS2, PmDXS3, and PmHDR1 had high expression in the roots. The expressions of a few MEP genes could be induced under exogenous elicitor conditions. The functional complementation in a dxs-mutant Escherichia coli strain showed the DXS enzymatic activities of the three PmDXSs. High throughput TAIL PCR was employed to obtain the upstream sequences of the genes encoding for enzymes in the MEP pathway, whereby abundant light responsive cis-elements and transcription factor (TF) binding sites were identified within the ten promoters. This study provides a theoretical basis for research on the functionality and transcriptional regulation of MEP enzymes, as well as a potential strategy for high-resin generation and improved genetic resistance in P. massoniana.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Peihuang Zhu
creator: Yu Chen
creator: Fan Wu
creator: Miaojing Meng
creator: Kongshu Ji
subject: Bioinformatics
subject: Molecular Biology
subject: Plant Science
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.13266
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2022 Zhu et al.
abstract: The methylerythritol phosphate (MEP) pathway provides the universal basic blocks for the biosynthesis of terpenoids and plays a critical role in the growth and development of higher plants. Pinus massoniana is the most valuable oleoresin producer tree with an extensive terrestrial range. It has the potential to produce more oleoresin with commercial value, while being resistant to pine wood nematode (PWN) disease. For this study, eleven MEP pathway associated enzyme-encoding genes and ten promoters were isolated from P. massoniana. Three PmDXS and two PmHDR existed as multi-copy genes, whereas the other six genes existed as single copies. All eleven of these MEP enzymes exhibited chloroplast localization with transient expression. Most of the MEP genes showed higher expression in the needles, while PmDXS2, PmDXS3, and PmHDR1 had high expression in the roots. The expressions of a few MEP genes could be induced under exogenous elicitor conditions. The functional complementation in a dxs-mutant Escherichia coli strain showed the DXS enzymatic activities of the three PmDXSs. High throughput TAIL PCR was employed to obtain the upstream sequences of the genes encoding for enzymes in the MEP pathway, whereby abundant light responsive cis-elements and transcription factor (TF) binding sites were identified within the ten promoters. This study provides a theoretical basis for research on the functionality and transcriptional regulation of MEP enzymes, as well as a potential strategy for high-resin generation and improved genetic resistance in P. massoniana.
bibliographic citation: Zhu et al. (2022) Expression and promoter analysis of MEP pathway enzyme-encoding genes in Pinus massoniana Lamb. PeerJ 10:e13266 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.13266
date submitted: 2021-12-29
date accepted: 2022-03-23
issued: 2022-04-12
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Zhu
  given name: Peihuang
author list: Agent
  family name: Chen
  given name: Yu
author list: Agent
  family name: Wu
  given name: Fan
author list: Agent
  family name: Meng
  given name: Miaojing
author list: Agent
  family name: Ji
  given name: Kongshu
doi: 10.7717/peerj.13266
volume: 10
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2022-04-12
copyright: © 2022 Zhu et al.
attribution name: Zhu et al.

Ecomorphospace occupation of large herbivorous dinosaurs from Late Jurassic through to Late Cretaceous time in North America
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Following the Late Jurassic, megaherbivore communities in North America undergo a dramatic turnover in faunal composition: sauropods decline to the point of becoming relatively minor components of ecosystems, stegosaurs become extinct, and hadrosaurids, ceratopsids and ankylosaurs rise in diversity and abundance. Although a variety of causes have been proposed to account for the dramatic decrease in sauropod diversity following the Late Jurassic and could have also been applicable to the disappearance of stegosaurs, the potential for competitive replacement of sauropods by hadrosauroids as an explanation has been previously dismissed due to morphological differences without further investigation. Using twelve ecomorphological correlates of the skull, this study provides a preliminary investigation into ecomorphospace occupation of major megaherbivore clades from the Late Jurassic through to the Late Cretaceous of North America and assess if morphological differences were enough to have potentially facilitated dietary niche partitioning between sauropods and iguanodontians and stegosaurs and ankylosaurs. Overlap in reconstructed ecomorphospace was observed between sauropods (particularly non-diplodocid sauropods) and iguanodontians, as would be expected if morphological differences were not enough to facilitate niche partitioning, contrary to original claims used to dismiss the competitive replacement hypothesis. Overlap was also observed between stegosaurs and ankylosaurs, particularly between Late Cretaceous ankylosaurs. Whether this overlap is reflective competitive replacement or opportunistic occupation of recently vacated niches will require further assessment as sampling of some clades prior to the Late Cretaceous is too poor to make a reliable assessment and several underlying assumptions necessary for competition to occur (e.g., resource limitation) still need investigation. Teasing out the cause(s) of the ‘sauropod decline’ and extinction of stegosaurs in N…
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Taia Wyenberg-Henzler
subject: Ecology
subject: Evolutionary Studies
subject: Paleontology
subject: Zoology
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.13174
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2022 Wyenberg-Henzler
abstract: Following the Late Jurassic, megaherbivore communities in North America undergo a dramatic turnover in faunal composition: sauropods decline to the point of becoming relatively minor components of ecosystems, stegosaurs become extinct, and hadrosaurids, ceratopsids and ankylosaurs rise in diversity and abundance. Although a variety of causes have been proposed to account for the dramatic decrease in sauropod diversity following the Late Jurassic and could have also been applicable to the disappearance of stegosaurs, the potential for competitive replacement of sauropods by hadrosauroids as an explanation has been previously dismissed due to morphological differences without further investigation. Using twelve ecomorphological correlates of the skull, this study provides a preliminary investigation into ecomorphospace occupation of major megaherbivore clades from the Late Jurassic through to the Late Cretaceous of North America and assess if morphological differences were enough to have potentially facilitated dietary niche partitioning between sauropods and iguanodontians and stegosaurs and ankylosaurs. Overlap in reconstructed ecomorphospace was observed between sauropods (particularly non-diplodocid sauropods) and iguanodontians, as would be expected if morphological differences were not enough to facilitate niche partitioning, contrary to original claims used to dismiss the competitive replacement hypothesis. Overlap was also observed between stegosaurs and ankylosaurs, particularly between Late Cretaceous ankylosaurs. Whether this overlap is reflective competitive replacement or opportunistic occupation of recently vacated niches will require further assessment as sampling of some clades prior to the Late Cretaceous is too poor to make a reliable assessment and several underlying assumptions necessary for competition to occur (e.g., resource limitation) still need investigation. Teasing out the cause(s) of the ‘sauropod decline’ and extinction of stegosaurs in N…
bibliographic citation: Wyenberg-Henzler (2022) Ecomorphospace occupation of large herbivorous dinosaurs from Late Jurassic through to Late Cretaceous time in North America. PeerJ 10:e13174 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.13174
date submitted: 2021-11-26
date accepted: 2022-03-06
issued: 2022-04-11
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Wyenberg-Henzler
  given name: Taia
doi: 10.7717/peerj.13174
volume: 10
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2022-04-11
copyright: ©2022 Wyenberg-Henzler
attribution name: Wyenberg-Henzler

Effects of exergaming on executive function of older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Background Executive function (EF) involves a series of high-level processes, such as inhibition, switching, and updating. Aging-related cognitive decline has been shown to be strongly associated with EF worsening. The aims of this study were to perform a meta-analysis to evaluate the effects of exergaming, an emerging intervention, on EF performance in older adults and to conduct a moderator analysis of exergaming effects on EF. Methods Randomized controlled trials examining exergaming influences on EF in older adults were collated by searching the Web of Science, Elsevier Science, PubMed, and Google Scholar databases. Statistical data were quantified in Comprehensive Meta-analysis software. Overall EF and EF domains (inhibition, switching, and updating) were analyzed separately. Results A total of 15 studies were included. The meta-analysis results indicated that exergaming had a significant influence on overall EF in the older adult (standardized mean difference (SMD) = 0.349, 95% confidence interval (CI) [0.191–0.506], p < 0.001). The same effects were also found in EF domains of inhibition (SMD = 0.415, 95% CI [0.102–0.729], p = 0.009), switching (SMD = 0.243, 95% CI [0.071–0.415], p = 0.005), and updating (SMD = 0.366, 95% CI [0.140–0.592], p = 0.002). The effects of exergaming on overall EF were found to be moderated by the frequency of the intervention (Q(1) = 3.537, p = 0.06). Conclusion Exergaming was confirmed to improve overall EF, as well as in older adults, and the effect of exergaming on EF was shown to be moderated by intervention frequency.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Jiahui Jiang
creator: Wei Guo
creator: Biye Wang
subject: Geriatrics
subject: Kinesiology
subject: Psychiatry and Psychology
subject: Public Health
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.13194
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2022 Jiang et al.
abstract: Background Executive function (EF) involves a series of high-level processes, such as inhibition, switching, and updating. Aging-related cognitive decline has been shown to be strongly associated with EF worsening. The aims of this study were to perform a meta-analysis to evaluate the effects of exergaming, an emerging intervention, on EF performance in older adults and to conduct a moderator analysis of exergaming effects on EF. Methods Randomized controlled trials examining exergaming influences on EF in older adults were collated by searching the Web of Science, Elsevier Science, PubMed, and Google Scholar databases. Statistical data were quantified in Comprehensive Meta-analysis software. Overall EF and EF domains (inhibition, switching, and updating) were analyzed separately. Results A total of 15 studies were included. The meta-analysis results indicated that exergaming had a significant influence on overall EF in the older adult (standardized mean difference (SMD) = 0.349, 95% confidence interval (CI) [0.191–0.506], p < 0.001). The same effects were also found in EF domains of inhibition (SMD = 0.415, 95% CI [0.102–0.729], p = 0.009), switching (SMD = 0.243, 95% CI [0.071–0.415], p = 0.005), and updating (SMD = 0.366, 95% CI [0.140–0.592], p = 0.002). The effects of exergaming on overall EF were found to be moderated by the frequency of the intervention (Q(1) = 3.537, p = 0.06). Conclusion Exergaming was confirmed to improve overall EF, as well as in older adults, and the effect of exergaming on EF was shown to be moderated by intervention frequency.
bibliographic citation: Jiang et al. (2022) Effects of exergaming on executive function of older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. PeerJ 10:e13194 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.13194
date submitted: 2021-12-28
date accepted: 2022-03-09
issued: 2022-04-11
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Jiang
  given name: Jiahui
author list: Agent
  family name: Guo
  given name: Wei
author list: Agent
  family name: Wang
  given name: Biye
doi: 10.7717/peerj.13194
volume: 10
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2022-04-11
copyright: © 2022 Jiang et al.
attribution name: Jiang et al.

A model of multiple tumor marker for lymph node metastasis assessment in colorectal cancer: a retrospective study
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Background Assessment of colorectal cancer (CRC) lymph node metastasis (LNM) is critical to the decision of surgery, prognosis, and therapy strategy. In this study, we aimed to develop and validate a multiple tumor marker nomogram for predicting LNM in CRC patients. Methods A total of 674 patients who met the inclusion criteria were collected and randomly divided into primary cohort and internal test cohort at a ratio of 7:3. An external test cohort enrolled 178 CRC patients from the West China Hospital. Clinicopathologic variables were obtained from electronic medical records. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) and interquartile range analysis were carried out for variable dimensionality reduction and feature selection. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to develop predictive models of LNM. The performance of the established models was evaluated by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, calibration belt, and clinical usefulness. Results Based on minimum criteria, 18 potential features were reduced to six predictors by LASSO and interquartile range in the primary cohort. The model demonstrated good discrimination and ROC curve (AUC = 0.721 in the internal test cohort, AUC = 0.758 in the external test cohort) in LNM assessment. Good calibration was shown for the probability of CRC LNM in the internal and external test cohorts. Decision curve analysis illustrated that multi-tumor markers nomogram was clinically useful. Conclusions The study proposed a reliable nomogram that could be efficiently and conveniently utilized to facilitate the assessment of individually-tailored LNM in patients with CRC, complementing imaging and biopsy tests.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Jiangping Fu
creator: Mengjie Tu
creator: Yin Zhang
creator: Yan Zhang
creator: Jiasi Wang
creator: Zhaoping Zeng
creator: Jie Li
creator: Fanxin Zeng
subject: Biochemistry
subject: Molecular Biology
subject: Gastroenterology and Hepatology
subject: Oncology
subject: Medical Genetics
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.13196
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2022 Fu et al.
abstract: Background Assessment of colorectal cancer (CRC) lymph node metastasis (LNM) is critical to the decision of surgery, prognosis, and therapy strategy. In this study, we aimed to develop and validate a multiple tumor marker nomogram for predicting LNM in CRC patients. Methods A total of 674 patients who met the inclusion criteria were collected and randomly divided into primary cohort and internal test cohort at a ratio of 7:3. An external test cohort enrolled 178 CRC patients from the West China Hospital. Clinicopathologic variables were obtained from electronic medical records. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) and interquartile range analysis were carried out for variable dimensionality reduction and feature selection. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to develop predictive models of LNM. The performance of the established models was evaluated by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, calibration belt, and clinical usefulness. Results Based on minimum criteria, 18 potential features were reduced to six predictors by LASSO and interquartile range in the primary cohort. The model demonstrated good discrimination and ROC curve (AUC = 0.721 in the internal test cohort, AUC = 0.758 in the external test cohort) in LNM assessment. Good calibration was shown for the probability of CRC LNM in the internal and external test cohorts. Decision curve analysis illustrated that multi-tumor markers nomogram was clinically useful. Conclusions The study proposed a reliable nomogram that could be efficiently and conveniently utilized to facilitate the assessment of individually-tailored LNM in patients with CRC, complementing imaging and biopsy tests.
bibliographic citation: Fu et al. (2022) A model of multiple tumor marker for lymph node metastasis assessment in colorectal cancer: a retrospective study. PeerJ 10:e13196 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.13196
date submitted: 2021-11-23
date accepted: 2022-03-09
issued: 2022-04-11
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Fu
  given name: Jiangping
author list: Agent
  family name: Tu
  given name: Mengjie
author list: Agent
  family name: Zhang
  given name: Yin
author list: Agent
  family name: Zhang
  given name: Yan
author list: Agent
  family name: Wang
  given name: Jiasi
author list: Agent
  family name: Zeng
  given name: Zhaoping
author list: Agent
  family name: Li
  given name: Jie
author list: Agent
  family name: Zeng
  given name: Fanxin
doi: 10.7717/peerj.13196
volume: 10
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2022-04-11
copyright: © 2022 Fu et al.
attribution name: Fu et al.

A long noncoding RNA GTF2IRD2P1 suppresses cell proliferation in bladder cancer by inhibiting the Wnt/β‑catenin signaling pathway
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Background There is growing evidence that long non-coding RNAs (LncRNAs) are key in the development of a variety of human tumors. However, the role of lncRNA GTF2IRD2P1 has not been well studied in cancer. The impact of GTF2IRD2P1 on the biological function and clinical relevance in bladder cancer is largely unknown. This study aimed to investigate the biological role of GTF2IRD2P1 in bladder evolution and carcinogenesis. Methods We used bioinformatics to obtain the lncRNA GTF2IRD2P1 from bladder urothelial carcinoma (BLCA) in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. The expression of lncRNA GTF2IRD2P1 was detected by qRT-PCR. The CCK8 assay and flow cytometry were used to detect the lncRNA GTF2IRD2P1 function on the proliferation of bladder cancer cells. A western blot was used to calculate the protein level of cell cycle proteins and Wnt signaling pathway proteins. The effect of lncRNA GTF2IRD2P1 on tumorigenesis of bladder cancer was confirmed by a xenograft nude mouse model. Results GTF2IRD2P1 expression was found to be lower in both human bladder cancer tissues and cell lines (UM-UC-3, RT4, and 5637), and elevated in T24 compared to the corresponding normal controls. GTF2IRD2P1 expression was also enhanced after transfection of UM-UC-3 cells with the overexpression vector. Meanwhile, overexpression of GTF2IRD2P1 inhibited the proliferation of UM-UC-3 and prolonged the cell cycle. The silencing of GTF2IRD2P1 significantly increased the proliferation and shortened the cell cycle of T24 cells and induced Wnt signaling activity to promote the progression of bladder cancer. Similarly, the transplanted tumor nude mouse model demonstrated that silencing GTF2IRD2P1 strengthens the progression of bladder cancer by targeting the Wnt signaling pathway.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Zhuo Huang
creator: Hongbin Gao
creator: Liangliang Qing
creator: Biao Wang
creator: Chaoyong He
creator: Ning Luo
creator: Chuncheng Lu
creator: Shipeng Fan
creator: Peng Gu
creator: Hui Zhao
subject: Bioinformatics
subject: Cell Biology
subject: Genomics
subject: Oncology
subject: Urology
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.13220
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2022 Huang et al.
abstract: Background There is growing evidence that long non-coding RNAs (LncRNAs) are key in the development of a variety of human tumors. However, the role of lncRNA GTF2IRD2P1 has not been well studied in cancer. The impact of GTF2IRD2P1 on the biological function and clinical relevance in bladder cancer is largely unknown. This study aimed to investigate the biological role of GTF2IRD2P1 in bladder evolution and carcinogenesis. Methods We used bioinformatics to obtain the lncRNA GTF2IRD2P1 from bladder urothelial carcinoma (BLCA) in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. The expression of lncRNA GTF2IRD2P1 was detected by qRT-PCR. The CCK8 assay and flow cytometry were used to detect the lncRNA GTF2IRD2P1 function on the proliferation of bladder cancer cells. A western blot was used to calculate the protein level of cell cycle proteins and Wnt signaling pathway proteins. The effect of lncRNA GTF2IRD2P1 on tumorigenesis of bladder cancer was confirmed by a xenograft nude mouse model. Results GTF2IRD2P1 expression was found to be lower in both human bladder cancer tissues and cell lines (UM-UC-3, RT4, and 5637), and elevated in T24 compared to the corresponding normal controls. GTF2IRD2P1 expression was also enhanced after transfection of UM-UC-3 cells with the overexpression vector. Meanwhile, overexpression of GTF2IRD2P1 inhibited the proliferation of UM-UC-3 and prolonged the cell cycle. The silencing of GTF2IRD2P1 significantly increased the proliferation and shortened the cell cycle of T24 cells and induced Wnt signaling activity to promote the progression of bladder cancer. Similarly, the transplanted tumor nude mouse model demonstrated that silencing GTF2IRD2P1 strengthens the progression of bladder cancer by targeting the Wnt signaling pathway.
bibliographic citation: Huang et al. (2022) A long noncoding RNA GTF2IRD2P1 suppresses cell proliferation in bladder cancer by inhibiting the Wnt/β‑catenin signaling pathway. PeerJ 10:e13220 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.13220
date submitted: 2021-08-05
date accepted: 2022-03-14
issued: 2022-04-11
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Huang
  given name: Zhuo
author list: Agent
  family name: Gao
  given name: Hongbin
author list: Agent
  family name: Qing
  given name: Liangliang
author list: Agent
  family name: Wang
  given name: Biao
author list: Agent
  family name: He
  given name: Chaoyong
author list: Agent
  family name: Luo
  given name: Ning
author list: Agent
  family name: Lu
  given name: Chuncheng
author list: Agent
  family name: Fan
  given name: Shipeng
author list: Agent
  family name: Gu
  given name: Peng
author list: Agent
  family name: Zhao
  given name: Hui
doi: 10.7717/peerj.13220
volume: 10
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2022-04-11
copyright: © 2022 Huang et al.
attribution name: Huang et al.

The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on health care workers’ anxiety levels: a meta-analysis
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Background The COVID-19 pandemic has been declared a public health emergency of international concern, causing excessive anxiety among health care workers. Additionally, publication bias and low-quality publications have become widespread, which can result in the dissemination of unreliable information. A meta-analysis was performed for this study with the following two aims: (1) to examine the prevalence of anxiety among health care workers and determine whether it has increased owing to the COVID-19 pandemic and (2) to investigate whether there has been an increase in publication bias. Methods All relevant studies published between 2015 and 2020 were searched in electronic databases (namely Web of Science, PubMed, Embase, PsycInfo, PsyArXiv, and medRxiv). The heterogeneity of the studies was assessed using the I2 statistic. The effect size (prevalence rate of anxiety) and 95% CI for each study were also calculated. We used moderator analysis to test for the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on health care workers’ anxiety levels and to detect publication bias in COVID-19 studies. We assessed publication bias using funnel plots and Egger’s regression. Results A total of 122 studies with 118,025 participants met the inclusion criteria. Eighty-eight articles (75,066 participants) were related to COVID-19, 13 articles (9,222 participants) were unrelated to COVID-19 (i.e., articles related to other outbreaks, which were excluded), and 21 preprints (33,737 participants) were related to COVID-19. The pooled meta-analysis prevalence was 33.6% (95% CI [30.5−36.8]; 95% PI [6.5−76.3]). Moderator analysis revealed no significant differences between articles related to COVID-19 and those unrelated to COVID-19 (p = 0.824). Moreover, no significant differences were found between articles and preprints related to COVID-19 (p = 0.843). Significant heterogeneity was observed in each subgroup. An Egger’s test revealed publication bias in both articles and preprints related to COVID-19…
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Lunbo Zhang
creator: Ming Yan
creator: Kaito Takashima
creator: Wenru Guo
creator: Yuki Yamada
subject: Epidemiology
subject: Mental Health
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.13225
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2022 Zhang et al.
abstract: Background The COVID-19 pandemic has been declared a public health emergency of international concern, causing excessive anxiety among health care workers. Additionally, publication bias and low-quality publications have become widespread, which can result in the dissemination of unreliable information. A meta-analysis was performed for this study with the following two aims: (1) to examine the prevalence of anxiety among health care workers and determine whether it has increased owing to the COVID-19 pandemic and (2) to investigate whether there has been an increase in publication bias. Methods All relevant studies published between 2015 and 2020 were searched in electronic databases (namely Web of Science, PubMed, Embase, PsycInfo, PsyArXiv, and medRxiv). The heterogeneity of the studies was assessed using the I2 statistic. The effect size (prevalence rate of anxiety) and 95% CI for each study were also calculated. We used moderator analysis to test for the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on health care workers’ anxiety levels and to detect publication bias in COVID-19 studies. We assessed publication bias using funnel plots and Egger’s regression. Results A total of 122 studies with 118,025 participants met the inclusion criteria. Eighty-eight articles (75,066 participants) were related to COVID-19, 13 articles (9,222 participants) were unrelated to COVID-19 (i.e., articles related to other outbreaks, which were excluded), and 21 preprints (33,737 participants) were related to COVID-19. The pooled meta-analysis prevalence was 33.6% (95% CI [30.5−36.8]; 95% PI [6.5−76.3]). Moderator analysis revealed no significant differences between articles related to COVID-19 and those unrelated to COVID-19 (p = 0.824). Moreover, no significant differences were found between articles and preprints related to COVID-19 (p = 0.843). Significant heterogeneity was observed in each subgroup. An Egger’s test revealed publication bias in both articles and preprints related to COVID-19…
bibliographic citation: Zhang et al. (2022) The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on health care workers’ anxiety levels: a meta-analysis. PeerJ 10:e13225 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.13225
date submitted: 2021-08-09
date accepted: 2022-03-15
issued: 2022-04-11
is part of: PeerJ
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Zhang
  given name: Lunbo
author list: Agent
  family name: Yan
  given name: Ming
author list: Agent
  family name: Takashima
  given name: Kaito
author list: Agent
  family name: Guo
  given name: Wenru
author list: Agent
  family name: Yamada
  given name: Yuki
doi: 10.7717/peerj.13225
volume: 10
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2022-04-11
copyright: © 2022 Zhang et al.
attribution name: Zhang et al.

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