title: PeerJ description: Articles published in PeerJ link: https://peerj.com/articles/index.rss3?journal=peerj&page=114 creator: info@peerj.com PeerJ errorsTo: info@peerj.com PeerJ language: en title: Susceptibility of lymnaeid snails to Fasciola hepatica and Fasciola gigantica (Digenea: Fasciolidae): a systematic review and meta-analysis link: https://peerj.com/articles/18976 last-modified: 2025-03-14 description: BackgroundFasciolosis is a food-borne disease that causes major economic losses, globally. This zoonotic disease is caused by Fasciola hepatica and Fasciola gigantica species which employ freshwater snails from the family Lymnaeidae as their intermediate hosts. Thus, a key aspect of understanding the epidemiology of the disease lies in understanding the transmission ecology of the parasite. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to assess the experimental susceptibility and prevalence of natural infections of F. hepatica and F. gigantica in lymnaeid snails.MethodsRelevant peer-reviewed articles published in the past 20 years (2004–2023) were searched and appraised. Prevalence and infection rate estimates were based on 41 studies that met the inclusion criteria.ResultsFive thousand five hundred and seventy-five (5,575) lymnaeid snails were subjected to experimental infections and 44,002 were screened for natural infections. The overall pooled infection rate was higher in experimental infections 50% (95% CI [42–58%]) compared to natural infections of field-collected snails 6% (95% CI [0–22%]). The highest pooled infection rate was recorded in South America at 64% (95% CI [48–78%]) for experimental infections while the lowest was recorded for natural infections at 2% (95% CI [0–6%]) in Europe and 2% (95% CI [0–17%]) in Asia. In experimental studies, F. gigantica recorded the highest pooled prevalence at 73% (95% CI [61–84%] compared to F. hepatica which recorded 47% (95% CI [38–56%]). For natural infections, however, F. hepatica had the highest prevalence (12% (95% CI [0–30%]) while the lowest was noted for naturally infected F. gigantica at 2% (95% CI [0–18%]). Based on the snail species, the highest pooled prevalence was recorded for Pseudosuccinea columella infected with F. hepatica and F. gigantica at 47% (95% CI [33–61%]) while the lowest was recorded for F. hepatica naturally infected Galba truncatula at 4% (95% CI [0–10%]). Natural Fasciola spp. infections in intermediate snail hosts decreased in prevalence while experimental infections have increased in prevalence over the past 20 years.ConclusionsWhile there seems to be a strong intermediate host specificity between the two Fasciola spp., experimental infection results showed that G. truncatula and R. natalensis are susceptible to F. hepatica and F. gigantica, respectively. creator: Philile Ignecious Ngcamphalala creator: Ignore Nyagura creator: Mokgadi Pulane Malatji creator: Samson Mukaratirwa uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.18976 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: © 2025 Ngcamphalala et al. title: Relationship between salivary flow rate and dental caries in normal and underweight children: a comparative cross-sectional study from district Tharparkar link: https://peerj.com/articles/19128 last-modified: 2025-03-13 description: Background and ObjectivesThis study aims to explore the relationship between body mass index (BMI), salivary flow rate, and dental caries among children in Tharparkar.Materials and MethodsA comparative cross-sectional study was conducted over 6 months involving 179 children aged 8–12 years from Tharparkar and Hyderabad. Weight and height were recorded, BMI was computed using height and weight, and salivary flow rate was measured using the spitting method. Dental caries were assessed using the DMFT (decayed, missing, and filled teeth) index. Data were analyzed using SPSS, and independent t-tests were performed to assess group differences.ResultsUnderweight children (60.9% male, mean BMI 15.46 ± 2.45 kg/m2) showed higher mean DMFT scores for deciduous teeth (2.44 vs. 1.06, p = 0.009) compared to normal-weight peers. No significant differences were found in permanent teeth DMFT scores or salivary flow rates between BMI groups.ConclusionsUnderweight children exhibited a higher prevalence of dental caries in their primary teeth, underscoring the need for integrated nutritional and oral health interventions in vulnerable populations. However, salivary flow rate did not differ significantly between BMI groups, suggesting other factors may play a more critical role in caries prevention. creator: Abdul Qadir Khan Dall creator: Muhammad Adeel Ahmed creator: Fizza Zulfiqar creator: Sarwat Batool creator: Rizwan Jouhar creator: Muhammad Faheemuddin uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.19128 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: © 2025 Dall et al. title: Evaluating moss diversity and biomass for sustainable harvesting methods in semi-arid forests of Turkey link: https://peerj.com/articles/19010 last-modified: 2025-03-13 description: In Turkey, it is legal to harvest moss from designated areas; however, the lack of comprehensive inventory studies in these harvested zones poses a significant threat to moss species. Harvesting without proper inventories can negatively impact rare, sensitive, and even endemic species in the region. Furthermore, research on the sustainable amount of moss harvestable per hectare in forested areas is severely lacking. The goal of this study, which covered 4,200 hectares on Eldivan Mountain, was to close the significant gap in moss inventory and sustainable harvesting methods. Sampling was conducted every 300-meters, measuring mosses in four m2 ground plots and 50 m2 tree plots. The total area covered by the identified moss species was approximately 97,216,557 m2, with a total dry weight of 44,640,972 kilograms. The most widespread ground species, Syntrichia ruralis (Hedw.) F. Weber & D. Mohr, covered 64,772,801 m2 with a dry weight of 623,268 kilograms, while the dominant tree species, Hypnum cupressiforme var. lacunosum Brid., covered 3,937,266 m2 with a dry weight of 1,448,533 kilograms. The research determines that the collection of epiphytic mosses is unsustainable, owing to insufficient rainfall in Turkey’s semi-arid areas. We recommend a sustainable harvest rate of 1–1.5 tons per hectare for ground mosses to balance ecological conservation with commercial objectives. These findings furnish critical information for conservation strategies and the formulation of sustainable moss harvesting methodologies. creator: Serhat Ursavaş creator: Recep Söyler uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.19010 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2025 Ursavaş and Söyler title: Effects of land use change on ecosystem services in freshwater wetlands in Bacalar, Mexico link: https://peerj.com/articles/18954 last-modified: 2025-03-13 description: Wetlands, such as those in Laguna Bacalar, Mexico, are highly productive and biodiverse ecosystems that provide a wide range of invaluable ecosystem services (ES). Despite their importance, these ecosystems are under significant threat from disturbances such as land-use changes, making them among the most endangered ecosystems worldwide. This study aimed to (1) assess the spatio-temporal variation of ecosystem services in Laguna Bacalar, Mexico, between 1999 and 2021 using medium-resolution satellite imagery from the Landsat sensor; and (2) estimate the monetary value of ES losses attributable to land-use changes by applying a unit value transfer method with global value coefficients based on data from Brander et al. (2024). Twenty-two key ESs were identified and associated with mangroves, inland wetlands, and the hydrological system. A total of 277 hectares of natural ecosystems were lost, leading to a reduction in the total value flow of ecosystem services (ES), which was estimated at 10,411,098 Int$/year over the study period. The loss of inland wetlands is particularly alarming due to their critical role in filtering agrochemicals and organic matter from the watershed. Increasing pressures from human activities, including urbanization and tourism, significantly contribute to the degradation of these ecosystems. This highlights the urgent need for responsible environmental management and the implementation of conservation strategies to protect their functionality and the invaluable ecosystem services they provide to local communities. creator: Erika Betzabeth Palafox–Juárez creator: Mariana E. Callejas–Jiménez creator: Jorge A. Herrera–Silveira creator: Claudia Teutli–Hernández creator: Vera Camacho–Valdez creator: Jorge Omar López–Martínez uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.18954 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: © 2025 Palafox–Juárez et al. title: Giants in the landscape: status, genetic diversity, habitat suitability and conservation implications for a fragmented Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) population in Cambodia link: https://peerj.com/articles/18932 last-modified: 2025-03-13 description: Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) populations are declining and increasingly fragmented across their range. In Cambodia, the Prey Lang Extended Landscape (PLEL) represents a vast expanse of lowland evergreen and semi-evergreen forest with potential to support Asian elephant population recovery in the country. To inform effective landscape-level conservation planning, this study provides the first robust population size estimate for Asian elephants in PLEL, based on non-invasive genetic sampling during the 2020–2021 dry season in three protected areas: Prey Lang, Preah Roka and Chhaeb Wildlife Sanctuaries. Further, it provides an assessment of the species’ range, habitat suitability and connectivity within the landscape using Maxent and Fuzzy suitability models. Thirty-five unique genotypes (individual elephants) were identified, of which six were detected in both Preah Roka and Chhaeb Wildlife Sanctuaries, providing evidence that elephants move readily between these neighbouring protected areas. However, no unique genotypes were shared between Preah Roka/Chhaeb and the less functionally connected southerly Prey Lang Wildlife Sanctuary. The estimated population size in the southern population was 31 (95% CI [24–41]) individuals. The northern population of Preah Roka/Chhaeb Wildlife Sanctuaries is estimated to number 20 (95% CI [13–22]) individuals. Habitat loss is prevalent across the landscape and connectivity outside of the protected areas is very limited; however, large swathes of suitable elephant habitat remain. As the landscape holds the potential to be restored to a national stronghold for this flagship species, in turn resulting in the protection of a vast array of biodiversity, we recommend protection of remaining suitable habitat and reduction of threats and disturbance to elephants within these areas as top priorities. Our study offers a model for integrated elephant population and landscape-level habitat modelling that can serve to guide similar research and management efforts in other landscapes. creator: Pablo Sinovas creator: Chelsea Smith creator: Sophorn Keath creator: Nasak Chantha creator: Jennifer Kaden creator: Saveng Ith creator: Alex Ball uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.18932 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: © 2025 Sinovas et al. title: Psychometric properties of instruments for assessing adherence to oral antineoplastic agents: a COSMIN systematic review link: https://peerj.com/articles/19088 last-modified: 2025-03-12 description: IntroductionOral antineoplastic therapies have increasingly become a mainstay therapy for various cancers. Selecting the most suitable instrument for assessing adherence to oral antineoplastic agents (OAAs) in cancer patients is crucial to tracking patients’ medication compliance. This review is the first to identify available instruments for assessing adherence to OAAs and examine the quality of their psychometric properties.MethodsFollowing the Consensus-based Standards for the Selection of Health Measurement Instruments (COSMIN) guidelines and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, eight electronic databases (PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang, Weipu, and Sinomed) were systematically searched for relevant studies published from inception until December 31, 2023. The study protocol received registration with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (CRD42024546402).ResultsEight studies assessing eight identified instruments were included. Four instruments were universal to cancer patients treated with any OAA; the other four instruments were only suitable for a specific type of OAA. None of the studies explored measurement error, cross-cultural validity/measurement invariance, and responsiveness of the instruments. All the instruments failed to meet the COSMIN criteria. Eventually, seven instruments were weakly recommended for use to assess OAA adherence, and one was not recommended for assessing OAA adherence due to high-quality evidence for insufficient internal consistency.ConclusionThe selection of the most appropriate instrument to assess adherence to OAAs depends on its psychometric properties and relevance to the type of OAA. Eight identified instruments for assessing adherence to OAAs demonstrated limited reliability and validity. Further thorough validation is required for all included instruments. Instruments with rigid measurement properties are urgently needed to be developed to assess OAA adherence in cancer patients. creator: Miaomiao Sun creator: Kanghui Huang creator: Suxiang Liu creator: Chuchu Fang creator: Lili Yang uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.19088 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0 rights: ©2025 Sun et al. title: The effect of mountaineering on the grit of college students: an empirical study link: https://peerj.com/articles/19086 last-modified: 2025-03-12 description: ObjectiveAlthough ample evidence in the literature suggests a correlation between general sports participation and resilience, information on the potential impact of specific sports activities on resilience is lacking. Therefore, we attempt to evaluate the effect of mountaineering on the grit of college students.MethodsThe study recruited 12 healthy college students for a three-day mountaineering activity. Then, the grit scores of the students before and after mountaineering were tested using the Chinese version of the original grit scale (Grit-O). During the mountaineering process, the oxygen saturation of the subjects was measured and recorded using a portable finger clipper. The scores of the Lake Louise Scale (2018 Lake Louise Acute Mountain Sickness Score, LLS) were used to distinguish whether the mountaineers had acute mountain sickness (AMS). Independent t-tests and paired t-tests were performed on the data separately.ResultsA significant correlation exists between the total score of grit among college students before and after mountaineering (r = 0.646, Sig < 0.05). However, the total score did not significantly improve after mountaineering (p = 0.054), the effort scores of all college students increased significantly before and after mountaineering (p = 0.045). A significant correlation is also observed between the total score of grit among college students who have not suffered from AMS (r = 0.764, Sig < 0.05). However, no significant improvement occurs (p = 0.075). Meanwhile, no significant correlation exists between the efforts (r = 0.499, Sig > 0.05) and interests (r = 0.562, Sig > 0.05) of college students before and after mountaineering. AMS has no significant correlation with the resilience of college students before and after mountaineering, in terms of effort (r = 0.456, Sig > 0.05) and interest (r = 0.601, Sig > 0.05), while no significant difference was observed between the total resilience score, effort and interest of mountaineering and non-mountaineering college students before and after mountaineering (all p >  0.05).ConclusionIn the short term, mountaineering has a certain enhancing effect on cultivating the grit of college students. However, the existing grit scale cannot fully reflect the resilience scores of mountaineers before and after. Hence, other situational dimensions should be added to the design of the grit scale. creator: Lun Li creator: ZuWang Chu creator: FuLin Li creator: JiaoJiao Li creator: Kang Wang creator: Yun Zhou uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.19086 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2025 Li et al. title: Ecological associations of the coastal marsh periwinkle snail Littoraria irrorata: field and laboratory evidence of vegetation habitat preferences link: https://peerj.com/articles/19071 last-modified: 2025-03-12 description: Coastal salt marshes serve as the margin between terrestrial and marine biomes, provide a variety of important services, and are dynamic ecosystems characterized by keystone species that shape trophic networks. In coastal salt marshes of the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts of the United States, marsh periwinkle snails (Littoraria irrorata) exhibit high abundance and form critical trophic pathways as important herbivores and detritivores. Specifically, snails forage on Spartina alterniflora and associated fungal growth, for which L. irrorata may act as a top-down control on plant growth. Yet, L. irrorata occupies other salt marsh plants, suggesting its habitat niche may be broader than previously reported. Here, we documented snail densities and size distributions in a Louisiana (USA) salt marsh composed of multiple marsh graminoids and report the results of behavioral choice experiments designed to test snail habitat preferences as a potential mechanism underlying their field distribution. We observed higher snail densities on S. alterniflora stalks (283 snails m−2) than other plant species, however, snails were highly abundant on S. patens (116 snails m−2), Juncus roemerianus (95 snails m−2), and Distichlis spicata (57 snails m−2) with densities comparable or higher on all species than reported on S. alterniflora in other studies along the U.S. Atlantic and Gulf coasts. Snails found on S. alterniflora and J. roemerianus, both plants with tall and rigid stalks, were also larger than snails found on other plant species. In species preference experiments, snails preferred S. alterniflora over S. patens and D. spicata, but no clear preferences were observed between S. alterniflora and J. roemerianus, nor between any combinations of S. patens, D. spicata, and J. roemerianus. Finally, we found that snails preferred senescing and dead S. alterniflora tissue over fresh S. alterniflora. Interpreting these results in tandem, this study suggests L. irrorata snails have consistent patterns of field distributions that match their habitat preferences, and future studies should test potential processes driving snail habitat selection, such as dietary habits and predator refugia (i.e., climbing sturdy stalks to avoid aquatic predators). Considering the abundance and trophic role of L. irrorata in coastal salt marshes, snail behavior may be a key modulator for salt marsh trophic networks. creator: David H. Klinges creator: Charles W. Martin creator: Brian J. Roberts uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.19071 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2025 Klinges et al. title: Extracellular vesicles in endometrial-related diseases: role, potential and challenges link: https://peerj.com/articles/19041 last-modified: 2025-03-12 description: Endometrial dysfunction underlies many common gynecologic disorders, such as endometriosis, endometrial cancer, intrauterine adhesions, and endometritis, which affect many women around the world. Extracellular vesicles play an important role in the pathophysiologic process of endometrial-related diseases. Extracellular vesicles are released by cells, which usually act as a form of intercellular communication, affecting biological processes such as fibrosis, angiogenesis, cell proliferation, and inflammatory responses by transferring their own proteins, lipids, RNA transcripts, and DNA for messaging, and play a key role in physiological dynamic homeostasis and disease development. This review combines the studies of the last decade, using the sub-description method to introduce the application of different sources of extracellular vesicles in the diagnosis and treatment of related diseases, and discusses the challenges faced by extracellular vesicles in the diagnostic and therapeutic application of endometriosis-related diseases, with the aim of contributing to our understanding of the mechanism of action of extracellular vesicles and their therapeutic roles, so as to provide a reference for the development of endometriosis-related diseases, as well as their prognosis and treatment. creator: Zilu Wang creator: Feng Li creator: Wenqiong Liu uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.19041 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2025 Wang et al. title: Fairly flexible: brown-tufted capuchins and a squirrel monkey adjust their motor responses in a foraging task link: https://peerj.com/articles/19023 last-modified: 2025-03-12 description: Prior research on non-human primates has produced contradictory results regarding behavioral flexibility and habit formation. Most observational studies of wild primates show flexibility in foraging behavior, whereas experimental data suggest captive primates tend to form habits, thus displaying conservative tendencies. Jacobson and Hopper (2019) proposed and supported the hypothesis that captive apes’ conservatism resulted from causally-unclear experimental apparatuses rather than a lack of flexibility as previous studies concluded. We replicated the experiment conducted by Jacobson and Hopper (2019) on apes with 18 brown capuchin monkeys (Cebus [Sapajus] apella) and five squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus). Our goal was to investigate if they showed a similar degree of flexibility to chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) and western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) when presented with a causally-clear task. Thus, the primary aim of this study was to determine whether this task was causally clear to monkeys, and if so, to compare their performance to that of apes. Monkeys were presented with a baited, clear tube where the removal of rods would allow the reward to drop, thus enabling the subject to retrieve said reward. Phase 1 of the study allowed us to determine whether the monkeys had a causal understanding of the task and provided an opportunity for habits to develop. Phase 2 presented the monkeys with a new reward configuration, requiring the removal of fewer rods to retrieve the reward to test if their causal understanding of the task would result in a flexible, more efficient response. The capuchins demonstrated cognitive flexibility and possible causal understanding in a manner similar to that of the apes. However, only one of five squirrel monkeys was efficient, suggesting the majority may not have understood a causal relationship between removing the rods and receiving the reward. Our study supports Jacobson and Hopper’s (2019) conclusion that causally-clear tasks reduce habit formation and conservatism in capuchins, but more evidence is needed with respect to squirrel monkeys. creator: Renee C. Russell creator: Colleen M. Buckley creator: Carly B. Rovner creator: Peter G. Judge uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.19023 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: © 2025 Russell et al.