title: PeerJ description: Articles published in PeerJ link: https://peerj.com/articles/index.rss3?journal=peerj&page=10 creator: info@peerj.com PeerJ errorsTo: info@peerj.com PeerJ language: en title: Evaluation of the retreatability of bioceramic root canal sealers with various formulations in simulated grooves link: https://peerj.com/articles/20398 last-modified: 2025-12-02 description: BackgroundBioceramic sealers are increasingly used due to their favorable properties, but their strong bonding to dentin complicates retreatment procedure. In addition, canal irregularities such as isthmuses make the complete removal of filling materials more challenging.AimThis study aimed to evaluate the retreatability of five bioceramic sealers (BioRoot RCS, Bio-C Sealer, CeraSeal, Endoseal MTA, and AH Plus Bioceramic Sealer) using passive ultrasonic irrigation.Materials and MethodsSixty human mandibular premolars with straight canals were prepared to size 40/0.04 taper. After longitudinal splitting, standardized grooves were created. The root canals were subsequently obturated using the single cone technique and stored at 37 °C with 100% humidity for 21 days. Passive ultrasonic irrigation was used to assess sealer removal. Statistical analysis was performed with Kruskal–Wallis and Mann–Whitney U tests.ResultsThe amount of residual sealer in the apical region was statistically higher compared with the coronal region. In the coronal region, the highest amount of residual material was observed in the Bio-C Sealer group, and this difference was statistically significant compared to the other groups. There was no significant difference among the other groups. In the apical region, there were no statistically significant difference between Bio-C Sealer and Endoseal MTA; however Bio-C Sealer showed a statistically significantly higher amount of residual material compared to BioRoot RCS, Ceraseal, and Ah Plus Bioceramic Sealer.ConclusionAmong the evaluated bioceramic sealers, Bio-C Sealer exhibited the highest amount of residual material, particularly in the apical region, indicating its lower retreatability. Passive ultrasonic irrigation improved the removal of BioRoot RCS, CeraSeal, and AH Plus Bioceramic Sealer, but was less effective for Bio-C Sealer and EndoSeal MTA. These findings highlight the variability in retreatability among different bioceramic sealers and emphasize the importance of material selection in cases with potential need for retreatment. creator: Meltem Sümbüllü creator: Afzal Ali creator: Abdulaziz Bakhsh creator: Hakan Arslan uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.20398 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2025 Sümbüllü et al. title: Process of heavy metal transport between soil and the atmosphere: a review link: https://peerj.com/articles/20381 last-modified: 2025-12-02 description: The transport of heavy metals (HMs) (excluding Hg) between soil and the atmosphere significantly influences human production and life. This review systematically summarizes the processes involved in the wind erosion-driven transport of HMs from soil to the atmosphere and the partitioning of atmospheric HMs via atmospheric deposition, drawing on relevant literature analysis and synthesis. The results reveal that both soil and the atmosphere are sinks of HMs, influencing each other significantly. The transport of soil HMs to the atmosphere along with soil fugitive dust by wind force incorporates three pathways: the direct suspension of suspension-size aggregates, the collision and abrasion of creep-size and saltation-size aggregates, and the breakage or decomposition of creep-size aggregates. Conventional farming practices, elevated HM concentrations, and high wind speeds exacerbate soil HM emissions. However, the effects of soil organic matter (SOM) and clay on soil HM emission demonstrate dual characteristics. Atmospheric deposition has emerged as a significant source of soil HMs, with wet deposition predominating, except in arid and semiarid regions. Dry deposition is influenced by meteorological parameters and topographic profiles, whereas preceding weather and precipitation duration are other factors affecting for wet deposition. This process increases the exposure possibility and consequent exposure dosage of HMs to humans and crops, thereby amplifying the potential risks of HMs. Moreover, the capacity of atmospheric HMs for long-range wind-driven dispersal may leave remote and sensitive ecosystems that are increasingly vulnerable. Moreover, it concludes with a synthesis of the current challenges and discusses recommendations for future directions. Therefore, this review will have significant reference and guiding value for research in this field and is intended for researchers engaged in the migration of HMs in soil and atmosphere, the safe utilization of heavy metal contaminated soil, and regional background values of soil HMs. creator: Qiuye Zhang creator: Hongyan Liu creator: Xuexian Li creator: Fang Liu uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.20381 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2025 Zhang et al. title: Combined effect of Millet-Cowpea intercropping and biopesticide application against Heliocheilus albipunctella De Joannis (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in Burkina Faso link: https://peerj.com/articles/20221 last-modified: 2025-12-02 description: Pearl millet, Pennisetum glaucum L. R. Br. (Poales: Poaceae), the main cereal crop in the Sahelian zone of Burkina Faso, is attacked by several insect pests, among which is the millet head miner, Heliocheilus albipunctella De Joannis (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Damage and yield losses caused by H. albipunctella on millet range from 30.00% to 85.00%. Control and management of H. albipunctella currently rely on synthetic insecticides, which are harmful to human and environmental health. Hence, there is a need to explore and develop alternative management strategies. Consequently, the current research, which was conducted, explored the use of millet-cowpea intercropping, a very common practice in the Sahelian zone of Burkina Faso, together with the application of biopesticides of Neem (Azadirachta indica A. Juss. (Sapindales: Meliaceae) seed kernels aqueous extracts. Fieldwork was carried out in Burkina Faso’s Djibasso and Dori communes during the 2021 rainy period. The obtained results found that the application of Neem extracts on cowpea plants at the flowering stage, synchronized with the heading stage of millet, significantly reduced the incidence of H. albipunctella. When millet was intercropped with cowpea, the application of aqueous extracts of Neem indirectly led to a significant reduction of about 50.00% in the number of larvae per spike. Additionally, a reduction in the percentage of millet spikes attacked, a decrease in mine length, and a gain in grain yield of more than 40.00% were observed. Thus, the findings from the application of this agricultural practice could be a promising control option against H. albipunctella. creator: Aboubacar Boly creator: Antoine Waongo creator: Adama Kabore creator: Edouard Drabo creator: Fousseni Traore creator: Antoine Sanon uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.20221 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2025 Boly et al. title: Effects of Tetranychus urticae infection on phyllosphere microbial community assembly of Vigna unguiculata link: https://peerj.com/articles/20389 last-modified: 2025-12-01 description: Tetranychus urticae are among the most important leaf-damaging plant-pests, causing severe crop losses worldwide. The plant phyllosphere microbe plays fundamental roles in plant growth and health. However, little is known about how T. urticae and phyllosphere microbes interact to impact plant health. In this study, we used amplicon sequencing to explore the changes in phyllosphere microbes between infected and uninfected Vigna unguiculata leaves by T. urticae. The results showed that the diversity of epiphytic bacteria and endophytic fungi can be significantly decreased, influenced the community structure of the phyllosphere microbe, and decreased co-occurrence network connectivity and complexity of phyllosphere microbes after infection of T. urticae. After infection by T. urticae, V. unguiculata recruited some beneficial microbes (Rickettsia, Naganishia, Brevundimonas, and Aspergillus) to the phyllosphere. PICRUSt and FUNGuild predictive analysis indicated that infection of T. urticae can cause the changes of the function of the phyllosphere fungi. Null model analysis indicated that assembly of epiphytic and endophytic fungal community changed from deterministic processes to stochastic processes after infection of T. urticae, while assembly of epiphytic and endophytic bacterial community changed from stochastic processes to deterministic processes. Our findings provided new insights into interactions among phyllosphere microbes-pest-plants. creator: DaWei Chen creator: GaoQin Xia creator: JiaoJiao Wang creator: YanYan Luo creator: HongLi Wang creator: Jing Zhao creator: Kun Sun uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.20389 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2025 Chen et al. title: Comparative analysis of tensiomyographic and isokinetic assessments of the rectus abdominis and erector spinae in bodybuilding trainees with nonspecific low back pain link: https://peerj.com/articles/20309 last-modified: 2025-12-01 description: BackgroundBodybuilding training places a significant load on the lumbar region, making it prone to nonspecific low back pain (NSLBP). This study aimed to examine the associations between tensiomyography (TMG) parameters—contraction time (Tc), relaxation time (Tr), delay time (Td), maximum displacement (Dm), and sustain time (Ts)—and isokinetic dynamometric measures, including peak torque (PT) and work per repetition (WR), in trunk muscles of bodybuilding trainees with NSLBP.MethodsA total of 150 participants were allocated to a control group (n = 60) and the NSLBP group (n = 90). Pain severity from NSLBP was evaluated using the Numerical Pain Rating Scale and the Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire. Daily calorie intake, assessed using an artificial intelligence (AI) camera, and physical activity levels, calculated through a standardized equation website, were averaged weekly and analyzed monthly. The muscle function of the rectus femoris and erector spinae was first assessed using TMG, followed by a 30-minute rest period before performing trunk flexion and extension tests with an isokinetic dynamometer.ResultsThis study revealed that the parameters assessed using TMG and isokinetic equipment were lower or indicated greater weakness in the NSLBP group compared to the control group. Tc, Tr, and Td showed negative correlations with PT and WR, whereas Dm and Ts were positively associated. The NSLBP group demonstrated significantly longer Tc, Tr, and Td, along with lower Dm, Ts, PT, and WR values. These findings suggest that TMG variables, which assess muscle function at rest, are associated with the torque parameters measured by isokinetic dynamometry during movement. Bodybuilding trainees with a history of NSLBP exhibit impairments in both static and dynamic muscle function, indicating the need for stability-focused interventions during training. creator: Ijoon Kim creator: Jooheon Jee creator: Sihwa Park uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.20309 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0 rights: ©2025 Kim et al. title: Transcriptomic analyses reveal the potential regulators of the storage root skin color in sweet potato link: https://peerj.com/articles/20231 last-modified: 2025-12-01 description: BackgroundSweet potato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.) is an important storage root crop exhibiting diverse storage root skin and flesh colors across varieties. The storage root skin color (SRSC) is a vital commercial trait which significantly influences the marketability and consumer preference of sweet potato.MethodsTo clarify the regulatory mechanism of SRSC, the sweet potato storage root of two clones derived from a common origin, designed as M1-125 (red skin and yellow flesh) and M1-125T (yellow skin and yellow flesh), were sampled and transcriptomic sequenced in this study.ResultsComparative analysis revealed that differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the root skin were predominantly enriched in flavonoid and anthocyanin biosynthesis pathways. Key structural genes, including chalcone synthase (CHS), chalcone-favanone isomerase (CHI), favanone 3-hydroxylase (F3H) and dihydroflavonol 4-reductase (DFR), exhibited higher expression levels in the root skin of M1-125. Notably, a subset of myeloblastosis (MYB) transcription factors showed significant expression changes between two genotypes. Based on the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network, phylogenetic analysis and expression pattern, IbMYB75, IbMYB3, IbMYB6 and IbMYB4 were thought to be the cooperative regulators of root skin color. These findings provide valuable insights and foundation for further elucidating the molecular mechanisms governing skin color of sweet potato storage root. creator: Aicen Zhang creator: Hui Yan creator: Wei Tang creator: Chen Li creator: Tianqi Gao creator: Weihan Song creator: Runfei Gao creator: Wei Tang creator: Meng Kou creator: Xin Wang creator: Yungang Zhang creator: Qiang Li uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.20231 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: © 2025 Zhang et al. title: Prevalence and association testing of antinuclear antibodies and inflammatory bowel disease in Taiwan link: https://peerj.com/articles/20474 last-modified: 2025-11-28 description: BackgroundInflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), are characterized by chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. Antinuclear antibodies (ANAs), which are autoantibodies directed against nuclear components, are commonly present in various autoimmune disorders. We investigated the prevalence and clinical significance of ANAs in Taiwanese patients with IBD.MethodsFrom January 2017 to December 2024, ANA status was checked at initial diagnosis of IBD in patients from a medical center in central Taiwan. Risk factors for ANA positivity were evaluated.ResultsOf the 166 patients in this study, 57 had CD and 109 had UC. ANA test results were positive (titers of ≥ 1:160) in 26 patients (15.7%). Older age at disease diagnosis (p < 0.05) and a diagnosis of UC (p < 0.05) were statistically significant risk factors for ANA positivity. Gender (p = 0.31), use of advanced therapy (p = 0.66), and the presence of extraintestinal manifestations (EIMs) (p = 0.14) were not associated with ANA positivity. The response to anti-tumor necrosis factor therapy did not differ between ANA-positive and ANA-negative patients (p = 0.34). The most frequent ANA staining patterns were AC1, AC3, and AC4.ConclusionsThese findings suggest that although ANA positivity is relatively common among Taiwanese patients with IBD, particularly among older UC patients. Further validation is required to explore the clinical implications of ANA positivity in Asian population. creator: Tsai-Min Yang creator: Fang-Ting Lu creator: Hsu-Heng Yen creator: Yang-Yuan Chen uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.20474 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: © 2025 Yang et al. title: A new species of Ampharete Malmgren, 1866 (Annelida: Ampharetidae) from Washington and redescription of A. cirrata Webster & Benedict, 1887 and A. labrops Hartman, 1961 link: https://peerj.com/articles/20457 last-modified: 2025-11-28 description: Ampharete acutifrons (Grube, 1860), originally described from Greenland, has long been considered a widely distributed arctic-boreal species. However, recent morphological re-assessment of the holotype indicates that most previous records of A. acutifrons were misidentifications, and molecular sequence data also suggest that A. acutifrons is a multispecies complex. This study focuses on specimens of the A. acutifrons species complex from Washington, USA, with publicly available cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) sequence data. Specimens from Washington belonging to the Invertebrate Zoology Collection of the Florida Museum of Natural History were examined. Additional specimens were examined for morphological comparison, including type material of A. cirrata Webster & Benedict, 1887, and A. labrops Hartman, 1961. Detailed morphological descriptions of specimens and photographs of the diagnostic characters were made. The molecular analysis includes 37 published COI sequences of Ampharete and Anobothrus species sourced from public databases. Redescriptions of type material of A. cirrata and A. labrops are provided. Ampharete paulayin. sp. is described as a new species from Washington, USA, based on morphological and COI sequences data. Photographs of living specimens are presented, a hypothesis on the development of buccal tentacles in Ampharete species is proposed, and the use of Methyl green stain is recommended as a standard practice in future descriptions of ampharetids. creator: Yessica Chávez-López uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.20457 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: © 2025 Chávez-López title: Identification and characterization of novel SUMO genes in bread wheat link: https://peerj.com/articles/20432 last-modified: 2025-11-28 description: The small-ubiquitin-like-modifier (SUMO), composed of approximately 100 amino acid residues, regulates the cellular activity of several proteins by posttranslational modification. Almost all plant species express a family of SUMO isoforms. Nevertheless, the SUMO genes in wheat (TaSUMOs) have not undergone complete characterization, and the roles of TaSUMOs remain unidentified. The study identified four new SUMO genes in wheat, named TaSUMO4-7, in addition to the previously known TaSUMO1-3. These genes are part of the conserved SUMO family, as indicated by phylogenetic analysis. The genes contain the characteristic SUMO-acceptor site motif and the essential C-terminal diglycine motif for processing. Expression analysis showed that TaSUMO4-7 genes are expressed in various wheat tissues. Bioinformatics analysis predicted the biochemical properties and structures of the proteins, which were found to localize in the cytoplasm and nucleus. The study confirms that the new TaSUMO4-7 genes are functional members of the wheat SUMO family and lays the groundwork for further research into their specific roles. creator: Eid I. Ibrahim creator: Kotb A. Attia creator: Abdelhalim Ghazy creator: Itoh Kimiko creator: Abdullah Al-Doss uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.20432 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2025 Ibrahim et al. title: Understanding perceived exertion in power-aimed resistance training: the relationship between perceived exertion and muscle fatigue link: https://peerj.com/articles/20426 last-modified: 2025-11-28 description: BackgroundPerceived exertion is an inevitable outcome of power-oriented resistance training. However, it remains unknown whether perceived exertion is dominated by central or peripheral responses during this type of training. This study examined the effect of neuromuscular responses on the determination of ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) during power bench press (BPress) exercise.MethodsSixteen trained males performed three BPress tasks with varying volumes (low, medium, high) at 65% of their one-repetition maximum. RPE, surface electromyography, and velocity loss were assessed across all conditions. Peak root mean square (RMS) and median frequency (MDF) were calculated from the surface electromyography data.ResultsSignificant effects were observed across experimental conditions for overall RPE, average velocity loss, and average MDF (all p < 0.001), while no significant difference was found in average RMS. As the lifting tasks progressed, significant effects of repetition were observed in all measured variables (all p < 0.001). When comparing conditions, significant differences were found among the three in RPE, velocity loss, and MDF (all p < 0.001), whereas no significant effect of condition was observed in RMS. No significant relationship was found between MDF and velocity loss.ConclusionsIn power BPress, higher repetitions affected RPE, velocity loss, and MDF, while peak RMS was less responsive. These findings indicate that both athletic performance and RPE are primarily influenced by peripheral fatigue. However, velocity loss should be interpreted with caution as a fatigue marker in this context. creator: Hanye Zhao creator: Takanori Kurokawa creator: Masayoshi Tajima creator: Zijian Liu creator: Junichi Okada uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.20426 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2025 Zhao et al.