The acute effects of simulated hypoxic training at different altitudes on oxidative stress and muscle damage in elite long-distance runners
Background Understanding the impact of altitude on muscle damage and oxidative stress is essential for optimizing training and recovery strategies for athletes exposed to high-altitude conditions. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effects of acute exercise at different altitudes on oxidative stress and muscle damage. Methods A total of twelve elite long-distance runners (mean age: 20.3 ± 1.5 years) from different branches participated in the study. The exercise protocol was the Bruce submaximal treadmill exercise test, which was conducted under three simulated hypoxic conditions (at 1,700 m, 2,450 m, and 3,200 m) and one normoxic condition (sea level). All measurements took place at the same time of the day. After the exercise protocol, 5 ml venous blood samples were taken from the participants, while heart rate and oxygen saturation were monitored at the 3rd, 6th, 9th, and 12th minutes during the exercise. Results Significant altitude-dependent variations were observed in oxidative stress markers, with total oxidant status (TOS) (p = 0.017) and malondialdehyde (MDA) (p < 0.001) levels increasing at higher altitudes, while total antioxidant status (TAS) (p < 0.001) exhibited an elevation and oxidative stress index (OSI) (p < 0.001) demonstrated a decline as altitude increased. However, no significant difference was found in creatine kinase (CK, p = 0.059) levels. Additionally, there were significant differences in the oxygen saturation measurement taken at the 3rd (p < 0.001), 6th (p < 0.001), 9th (p < 0.001), and 12th (p < 0.001), minutes following the exercise session. There was no difference in the pulse measurement taken at the 3rd and 12th minutes, but a difference was observed at the 6th and 9th minutes post-exercise (p < 0.01). Conclusions In conclusion, the study determined that endurance exercises performed under simulated normobaric hypoxia at different altitudes increased TAS and reduced OSI in elite long-distance runners. The increase in TAS and the reduction in OSI were more pronounced at higher altitudes, particularly at 2,450 m and 3,200 m, compared to sea level. These findings highlight the need for altitude-specific training and recovery strategies to minimize oxidative stress and muscle damage in athletes.
Sarikaya et al. (2025) The acute effects of simulated hypoxic training at different altitudes on oxidative stress and muscle damage in elite long-distance runners. PeerJ 13:e19338 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.19338
Establishment and validation of systemic inflammatory index model and risk assessment of PVT in cirrhosis after splenectomy—a retrospective study
Objective The study aimed to create and validate a straightforward nomogram to predict portal vein thrombosis (PVT) in cirrhotic patient post-splenectomy, and investigate the predictive potential of systemic inflammation markers. One objective of the study was to develop a predictive model utilizing these markers to detect high-risk individuals early on. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on 184 cases of patients with cirrhosis who underwent splenectomy at The First Affiliated Hospital of University of South China from January 2015 to September 2023. The cohort was randomly divided into training (n = 130) and validation (n = 54) groups. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis was employed to construct the prediction model. The performance of the nomogram was evaluated based on its ability to discriminate, calibrate, and demonstrate clinical utility. Results According to univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis, we found six prediction indexes of PVT in patients with cirrhosis after splenectomy: postoperative neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), postoperative derived NLR (dNLR), C-reactive protein to albumin ratio (CAR), portal vein diameter (DPV), platelet change value (PVB), and D-dimer (p-value < 0.05). Our clinical prediction model was created based on the aforementioned risk factors and demonstrated superior predictive power in both the primary cohort (AUC = 0.876) and validation cohort (AUC = 0.817). The calibration curve demonstrated satisfactory agreement between model predictions and actual observations, and the decision curve analysis (DCA) curve indicated high clinical net benefit. Conclusion Postoperative NLR, dNLR, CAR, PVB, DPV, and D-dimer were identified as the independent risk factors of PVT in cirrhotic patients post splenectomy. We had successfully established and validated a novel predictive model with good performance, based on systemic inflammatory indices in predicting PVT in cirrhosis after splenectomy.
Deng et al. (2025) Establishment and validation of systemic inflammatory index model and risk assessment of PVT in cirrhosis after splenectomy—a retrospective study. PeerJ 13:e19254 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.19254
In vitro feasibility of bovine and canine whole blood and commercially prepared canine packed red blood cells as a source of xenotransfusion in swine (Sus scrofa domestica)
Background: Since sourcing porcine blood donors for emergent transfusions to porcine patients is difficult, bovine or canine blood donors might represent alternative sources. The primary objective of this study was to determine the frequency of incompatible major (CMMa) and minor (CMMi) crossmatches by the standard saline agglutination tube method (SSA) between bovine whole blood (bWB) and whole blood from commercial pigs (pWB), and canine universal donor whole blood or commercially-prepared packed red blood cells (pRBCs) with whole blood from companion pigs. A secondary objective was determining the agreement between the reference method (SSA) and a quick slide (QS) method. Methods: Blood was collected from 12 heifers, seven companion pigs, and eight commercial-cross pigs. A0 blood typing was performed for all porcine samples. Bovine blood was pooled into eight bags each containing three crossmatch-compatible individuals. Canine blood included whole blood from three canine blood donors (DEA 1.1, 5, 7 negative, and DEA 4 positive), and three bags each of DEA 1.1 negative and DEA 1.1 positive pRBCs. Crossmatch pairs were performed for bovine-to-porcine (n = 64) and canine-to-porcine (n = 63) samples. Incompatibility was defined as any agglutination or hemolysis on either CMMa and CMMi and reported separately. Complete incompatibility was defined as incompatibility of both CMMa and CMMi on the same pair. Kappa statistics tested the agreement between SSA and QS (significance at P < 0.05). Results: For bWB and pWB, agglutination was observed in 9.4% of CMMa and 100% of CMMi via SSA. Incompatibility on CMMa of bWB was more frequent with porcine blood type “0” (P = 0.0107) than with type “A”, whereas porcine blood group had no effect on CMMi results. All canine-to-porcine CMMa were incompatible with SSA and showed hemolysis severe enough to prevent evaluation of agglutination. The accuracy of QS at detecting incompatibilities was 87.5% in CMMa and 98.4% in CMMi in bovine-to-porcine samples. Agreement between SSA and QS methods was fair (k = 0.36) for bovine-to-porcine CMMa but could not be calculated for CMMi due to lack of compatible matches. Because all canine-to-porcine CMMa were incompatible, the effects of the porcine blood group on incompatibility, accuracy of QS, and agreement between SSA and QS could not be calculated for CMMa. For CMMi, the agreement between tests was poor (k = 0). Discussion: When a xenotransfusion to a pig is indicated, bWB appears to be suitable based on in vitro CMMa testing, whereas canine blood products are contraindicated for in vivo administration to swine based on absolute CMMa incompatibility and incidence of hemolysis. In vivo studies are needed to elucidate the clinical significance of CMMi incompatibilities. Based on these results, QS cannot be accurately used as a surrogate of SSA in pretransfusion testing for porcine patients due to the increased risk of false compatible results as QS can only be identified as agglutination, not hemolysis.
Diaz et al. (2025) In vitro feasibility of bovine and canine whole blood and commercially prepared canine packed red blood cells as a source of xenotransfusion in swine (Sus scrofa domestica). PeerJ 13:e19436 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.19436
Past agricultural practices explain old field biodiversity and community composition in annually mowed grasslands: a case study of grazing and cultivation legacies in the northeastern United States
The northeastern United States experienced extensive deforestation for agriculture expansion and nearly equal passive reforestation following agriculture abandonment across the region over the past century. Old fields provide critical habitat as grasslands in the Northeast but tend to return to forests without intervention unless land managers implement disturbance regimes to maintain grassland states in the region. The relative importance of past and present disturbances in old field plant communities remains poorly resolved, partly because management varies widely in these systems. This motivated the present case study, which compares two proximate old fields that benefit from long and consistent management practices both before and after agriculture was abandoned in Hanover, NH. One field experienced agricultural disturbances associated with grazing while the other experienced cultivation each for 116 years followed by 50 years of the same annual mowing disturbances after agriculture was abandoned. Diversity was higher, communities more convergent across sub-plots, and woody individuals three times more numerous in the grazed site, while soil texture, type, elevation, and drainage had no discernible impact. The study helps to clarify the different legacies of grazing and cultivation on old field plant community diversity and composition. Despite undergoing 50 years of mowing following agriculture abandonment, the two old fields have divergent communities that are more consistent with the intensity of historic agricultural practices at each site than with any differences in measured soil characteristics. Understanding how agricultural legacies combine with contemporary disturbance regimes to shape successional communities may improve conservation and restoration efforts of grassland habitats and other ecosystems undergoing rapid environmental change, with implications for biodiversity, ecosystem services, and resilience.
Danieu et al. (2025) Past agricultural practices explain old field biodiversity and community composition in annually mowed grasslands: a case study of grazing and cultivation legacies in the northeastern United States. PeerJ 13:e19420 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.19420
Deep learning-based fine-grained assessment of aneurysm wall characteristics using 4D-CT angiography
Purpose This study proposes a novel deep learning-based approach for aneurysm wall characteristics, including thin-walled (TW) and hyperplastic-remodeling (HR) regions. Materials and Methods We analyzed fifty-two unruptured cerebral aneurysms employing 4D-computed tomography angiography (4D-CTA) and intraoperative recordings. The TW and HR regions were identified in intraoperative images. The 3D trajectories of observation points on aneurysm walls were processed to compute a time series of 3D speed, acceleration, and smoothness of motion, aiming to evaluate the aneurysm wall characteristics. To facilitate point-level risk evaluation using the time-series data, we developed a convolutional neural network (CNN)—long- short-term memory (LSTM)-based regression model enriched with attention layers. In order to accommodate patient heterogeneity, a patient-independent feature extraction mechanism was introduced. Furthermore, unlabeled data were incorporated to enhance the data-intensive deep model. Results The proposed method achieved an average diagnostic accuracy of 92%, significantly outperforming a simpler model lacking attention. These results underscore the significance of patient-independent feature extraction and the use of unlabeled data. Conclusion This study demonstrates the efficacy of a fine-grained deep learning approach in predicting aneurysm wall characteristics using 4D-CTA. Notably, incorporating an attention-based network structure proved to be particularly effective, contributing to enhanced performance.
Kumrai et al. (2025) Deep learning-based fine-grained assessment of aneurysm wall characteristics using 4D-CT angiography. PeerJ 13:e19393 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.19393
Endophytic fungal community composition and function response to strawberry genotype and disease resistance
Background Utilizating the plant endophytic microbiomes to enhance pathogen resistance in crop production is an emerging alternative method to chemical pesticides. However, research on the composition and role of microbial communities related to perennial fruit plants, such as the strawberry, is still limited. Methods We provide a comprehensive description of the composition and diversity of fungal communities in three niches (root, stem, and leaf) of three strawberry cultivars (‘White Elves’, ‘Tokun’, and ‘Akihime’) using internal transcribed spacer (ITS) rRNA amplicon sequencing and isolation culture methods. In addition, we also evaluated the disease tolerance ability of three strawberry cultivars to Colletotrichum gloeosporioides and Alternaria alternata through pathogenicity testing. Results ‘White Elves’ has stronger resistance to Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, and Alternaria alternata, followed by ‘Tokun’, while ‘Akihime’ has relatively weaker resistance to these pathogens. A total of 258 fungal strains were isolated from healthy strawberry plants and assigned to 34 fungal genera based on morphological and molecular characteristics analysis. Beneficial fungal genera such as Trichoderma and Talaromyces were more prevalent in ‘White Elves’, whereas common pathogenic fungi in strawberry, such as Colletotrichum, Alternaria, and Fusarium, were more prevalent in ‘Akihime’. The composition and diversity of microbial communities vary among genotypes, and resistance to pathogens may play dominant roles in determining the microbial community structure. This study’s results aid the biological control of strawberry fungal diseases and are useful for plant microbiome engineering in strawberry cultivation.
Yang et al. (2025) Endophytic fungal community composition and function response to strawberry genotype and disease resistance. PeerJ 13:e19383 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.19383
Close neighbors, not intruders: investigating the role of tank bromeliads in shaping faunal microbiomes
Background Tropical montane cloud forests contain high levels of epiphyte diversity. Epiphytic tank bromeliads play an important role in the functioning of these ecosystems and provide a microhabitat for many species of invertebrates. Microbial ecology theory suggests that the environment serves as a source of microbes for animals, but the contribution of this factor to the composition of an animal microbiome varies. In this study, we examined the extent to which tank bromeliads (Tillandsia multicaulis) serve as a source of microbes for two species of fly larvae in a cloud forest fragment in central Veracruz, Mexico. Methods We used 16S rRNA sequencing to characterize the bacterial communities in the organic matter within bromeliad tanks and in the whole bodies (surface and gut) of larvae from two fly taxa (Austrophorocera sp., Tachinidae, and Copestylum sp., Syrphidae) that inhabit these bromeliads. To assess the contribution of bromeliads to the microbiome of the fly larvae, we conducted fast expectation-maximization microbial source tracking (FEAST) analysis. Results The bacterial communities in bromeliad tanks were primarily composed of Pseudomonadota, Acidobacteriota, Bacteroidota, Verrucomicrobiota, and Spirochaetota. Similarly, communities of the fly larvae contained Pseudomonadota, Bacteroidota, Bacillota, and Actinomycetota. Bromeliad tanks exhibited the highest bacterial richness, followed by Copestylum and Austrophorocera larvae. Beta diversity analyses indicated that bacterial communities clustered by species. We found a modest contribution of bromeliads to the fly microbiome, with nearly 30% of the larvae microbiome traced to the organic matter deposited in the tanks. Conclusions Our data suggest that the microbiome of flies, which inhabit tank bromeliads during their larval stage, is nourished to some extent by the bacterial communities present in the organic matter within the tank.
Martínez-Mota et al. (2025) Close neighbors, not intruders: investigating the role of tank bromeliads in shaping faunal microbiomes. PeerJ 13:e19376 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.19376
Response surface optimization and flavor determination of fermentation processes of orange peel tea wine
Background In this study, Xinyang Maojian tea and orange peel were used as raw materials to brew health wine with orange and tea flavors. Methods Based on a single factor, the response surface method was used to optimize the fermentation of orange peel tea wine. Material volume ratio, yeast addition, fermentation temperature, fermentation time, and sucrose addition were used as the single-factor variables. The fermentation conditions of orange peel tea wine obtained by this method provide a theoretical basis for the development and utilization of tea wine and orange peel, which can promote the development of the tea wine market. Results The results showed that the material volume ratio of orange peel juice to tea juice was 1:3, the yeast addition amount was 4.9%, the fermentation temperature was 29 °C, the fermentation time was 7 d, and the sucrose addition amount was 29%. The main change indexes in the fermentation process of orange peel tea wine were determined, and the results were consistent with the fermentation law of orange peel tea wine. The contents of total flavonoids and total phenols in orange peel tea wine were 0.48 and 2.32 mg/mL, respectively, and were obtained using spectrophotometry and the Folin–Ciocalteu (F–C) method. The scavenging rate of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals was 90.8%, and the scavenging rate of ·OH radicals was 77.3%. A total of 26 flavor compounds were detected by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The main aroma compounds were ethanol, 3-methyl-1-butanol, 2-methyl-1-propanol, phenylethyl alcohol, acetic acid, n-hexadecanoic acid, 2,4-di-tert-butylphenol, and other compounds. Conclusion The resulting orange peel tea wine was transparent, yellow in color, harmonious in flavor, and had certain health benefits, including strong antioxidant properties. The results of this study provide the theoretical basis for the research and development of tea wine.
Liu et al. (2025) Response surface optimization and flavor determination of fermentation processes of orange peel tea wine. PeerJ 13:e19357 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.19357
Taxonomic and ecologic transitions in Triassic marine bivalve communities
The Permian–Triassic mass extinction was a pivotal event in shaping marine benthic ecosystems, leading to the rise of mollusks such as bivalves and gastropods as representatives of the Modern Evolutionary Fauna. However, the detailed changes in the ecological structure of marine benthic communities throughout the Triassic remain underexplored, particularly the interrelationship between taxonomic and ecological diversities. Here, we present a study on the Triassic bivalve communities from the typical shallow marine facies in South China to document regional evolutionary patterns and explore how these patterns connect to the global trends. Broad congruence in the timing of taxonomic and ecological changes was observed through the Triassic in South China. However, both the South China materials and global data revealed a decoupling of taxonomic and ecological diversities. Substantial variability in taxonomic richness was observed alongside stable ecological diversity. Taxonomic recovery occurred early in the Early Triassic, whereas ecological diversity fully recovered only in the Middle Triassic. The Carnian stage represents a significant transition in ecosystem structure, characterized by a shift towards infaunal dominance and the expansion of habitat depth.
Miao et al. (2025) Taxonomic and ecologic transitions in Triassic marine bivalve communities. PeerJ 13:e19237 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.19237
Effects of 12-week integrative neuromuscular training on muscular fitness and sex differences in response to intervention in five- to six-year-old preschoolers
Objectives This study examined the effects of a 12-week integrative neuromuscular training (INT) program on muscular fitness in male and female five- to six-year-old preschoolers. Methods Thirty preschoolers were randomly assigned to either an experimental group (EG; n = 15; age = 5.3 ± 0.5 years, body height = 115.3 ± 5.2 cm, body mass = 20.7 ± 2.6 kg) or a control group (CG; n = 15; age = 5.2 ± 0.4 years, body height = 118.5 ± 4.9 cm, body mass = 22.6 ± 2.7 kg) participating in a 12-week INT program and regular physical education classes three times per week, respectively. Upper extremity maximal strength (grip strength test) and power (tennis ball throwing test), core endurance strength (one-minute sit-up test), and lower extremity power (standing long jump test) were assessed at the baseline (T0), Week 6 (T6), and Week 12 (T12). Data were analyzed using an independent samples T-test and a two-way repeated-measures ANOVA. Results Significant interaction effects between the EG and CG were observed for grip strength, tennis ball throws, one-minute sit-ups, and standing long jumps (p < 0.001). Relative to the CG, the EG demonstrated significant improvements in all muscular fitness at T6 and T12 (p < 0.05). However, no significant interaction was found between the time and the sex (p > 0.05). Conclusions These findings suggested that a 12-week INT program can more effectively enhance the muscular fitness of 5–6-year-old preschoolers compared to regular physical education classes, serving as an effective and efficient supplement to physical education for this age group. Furthermore, there is no evidence of sex -specific differences in the development of muscular fitness among 5–6-year-old preschoolers under the INT program.
Wang et al. (2025) Effects of 12-week integrative neuromuscular training on muscular fitness and sex differences in response to intervention in five- to six-year-old preschoolers. PeerJ 13:e19417 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.19417