title: PeerJ description: Articles published in PeerJ link: https://peerj.com/articles/index.rss3?journal=peerj&page=132 creator: info@peerj.com PeerJ errorsTo: info@peerj.com PeerJ language: en title: Searching for a common host: parasitoids of Lema daturaphila on Datura stramonium in Central Mexico link: https://peerj.com/articles/18675 last-modified: 2025-02-03 description: BackgroundNatural enemies of herbivore insects can change the arms race between plants and insects. Their presence and abundance even can affect the co-evolution of interacting species. The annual herb Datura stramonium varies geographically in the extent of its direct defenses against herbivores. Its main specialist herbivore, Lema daturaphila, is adapted to cope with these defenses, but little is known about its natural enemies. Here, we determined the presence and incidence of L. daturaphila parasitoids as an initial step to explore other ecological and evolutionary relationships in a tri-trophic context.MethodsField collections of L. daturaphila eggs and larvae were performed during the summers of 2018 and 2019 in eleven natural populations of D. stramonium in central Mexico. We recorded their development to evaluate the emergence of parasitoids and their relationship with the abundance of herbivore individuals and environmental variables in each locality.ResultsWe found six parasitoid fly and wasp species that are new records for Mexico or the host. Throughout their distribution, the interaction varies widely among populations and years. In some localities, egg parasitoids dominate over larval parasitoids and vice versa, and they exert strong pressures on the survival of L. daturaphila’s populations. The abundance of Emersonella lemae, the egg parasitoid, is related to the clutch size of L. daturaphila and climatic conditions such as temperature, altitude, and precipitation. As an apparent defense strategy against parasitoid flies, larvae of L. daturaphila release their oral secretions, which contain alkaloids from D. stramonium. At a geographic scale, these findings change the scenario between the plant-herbivore interaction and open the field to explore the different selective pressures among populations. creator: Carol Estefanía Villanueva-Hernández creator: Juan Núñez-Farfán uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.18675 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: © 2025 Villanueva-Hernández and Núñez-Farfán title: Fructose 1,6-bisphosphatase 1 is a potential biomarker affecting the malignant phenotype and aerobic glycolysis in glioblastoma link: https://peerj.com/articles/18926 last-modified: 2025-01-31 description: BackgroundFructose 1,6-bisphosphatase 1 (FBP1) has been considered as a potential prognostic biomarker in glioblastoma (GBM), and this study explored the underlying mechanism.MethodsThe expression and effect of FBP1 expression on the prognosis of GBM patients were examined applying bioinformatics analyses. After measuring the expression of FBP1 in normal glial cell line HEB and GBM cells, cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8), 5-ethynyl-2-deoxyuridine (EdU), colony formation, transwell, and wound healing assay were carried out to examine the effects of silencing FBP1 on the proliferation and invasion of GBM cells. Aerobic glycolysis was measured by calculating the extracellular acidification rate (ECAR) and oxygen consumption rate (OCR) of FBP1-silenced GBM cells. Furthermore, the protein levels of the mediators related to PI3K/AKT pathway and BCL2 protein family were detected via immunoblotting. Additionally, the effects of FBP1 silencing on the macrophage M2 polarization were assessed based on the fluorescence intensity of CD206 and the phosphorylation of STAT6 quantified by immunofluorescence and immunoblotting, respectively.ResultsHigh-expressed FBP1 was indicative of a worse prognosis of GBM. FBP1 knockdown in GBM cells suppressed the proliferation, invasion, migration, and aerobic glycolysis of GBM cells, lowered the phosphorylation levels of AKT and PI3K and the protein expression of BCL2 but promoted BAX protein expression. Moreover, FBP1 knockdown reduced CD206 fluorescence intensity and the phosphorylation of STAT6.ConclusionTo conclude, FBP1 could be considered as a biomarker that affected the malignant phenotypes and aerobic glycolysis in GBM, contributing to the diagnosis and treatment of GBM. creator: Weihong Lu creator: Guozheng Huang creator: Yihan Yu creator: Xia Zhai creator: Xiangfeng Zhou uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.18926 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: © 2025 Lu et al. title: Optimizing in vitro fertilization in four Caribbean coral species link: https://peerj.com/articles/18918 last-modified: 2025-01-31 description: BackgroundLarval propagation and seeding of scleractinian corals for restoration is a rapidly expanding field, with demonstrated applications to assist the recovery of declining populations on reefs. The process typically involves collecting coral reproductive material, facilitating in vitro fertilization (IVF), and settling and outplanting the resulting coral offspring. Optimizing IVF can reduce gamete wastage and increase larval yields for propagation, therefore improving the efficiency of this intervention.MethodsIn this study we tested three IVF conditions in four Caribbean broadcast-spawning coral species (i.e., Diploria labyrinthiformis, Colpophyllia natans, Pseudodiploria strigosa, Orbicella faveolata) to determine sperm concentration, gamete age, and co-incubation time resulting in the highest fertilization success. For each species, we exposed eggs from a single dam to pooled sperm samples from three sires (1) at concentrations ranging from zero to 109 cell mL−1, (2) after letting gametes age for 2 to 6 h, and (3) for a period of 15 to 120 min.ResultsThese experiments revealed a gamete longevity of at least 4 h and clear minimum sperm concentration thresholds (>105 to 106 cell mL−1) in all four species. Fertilization took place much faster than expected (≤15 min) in the three brain corals under study, whereas O. faveolata gametes required a co-incubation period of 60 to 120 min to achieve maximum IVF success.DiscussionWe present these results in the context of IVF data available for other hermaphroditic broadcast-spawning scleractinians. We then provide recommendations for coral breeding practitioners to maximize larval production from gamete collections, and finally, we discuss our findings’ potential implications on fertilization dynamics during natural coral spawning events. creator: Valérie F. Chamberland creator: Matthew-James Bennett creator: Tania Doblado Speck creator: Kelly R. W. Latijnhouwers creator: Margaret W. Miller uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.18918 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: © 2025 Chamberland et al. title: Integrated analysis of ATAC-seq and RNA-seq reveals ADSCP2 regulates oxidative phosphorylation pathway in hypertrophic scar fibroblasts link: https://peerj.com/articles/18902 last-modified: 2025-01-31 description: The primary effector cells involved in the formation of hypertrophic scars are fibroblasts. A potential peptide, ADSCP2 (adipose-derived stem cell peptide 2, the peptide fragment of ALCAM protein), derived from adipose-derived stem cell-conditioned medium, has been identified as having the potential to mitigate hypertrophic scar formation by targeting pyruvate carboxylase. However, the underlying mechanisms remain incompletely understood. Whether ADSCP2 attenuates hypertrophic scar fibrosis at the transcription level remains unclear. Consequently, this study sought to elucidate the potential mechanism associated with ADSCP2 by examining genome-wide transcriptional alterations and changes in chromatin accessibility in fibroblasts. This was achieved through the integrated analysis of assay for transposase accessible chromatin using sequencing (ATAC-seq) and RNA sequencing (RNA-seq). In the ADSCP2 treatment group, ATAC-seq identified a total of 7,805 differential peaks associated with 3,176 genes. RNA-seq analysis revealed 345 upregulated and 399 downregulated transcripts in the same group. A combined Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis of both downregulated genes and close-ACRs (accessible chromatin regions) genes within the ADSCP2 treatment group indicated regulation of the oxidative phosphorylation pathway (OXPHOS) by ADSCP2. The amalgamation of ATAC-seq and RNA-seq data elucidates that two OXPHOS associated genes, namely COX6B1 (cytochrome c oxidase subunit 6B1) and NDUFA1 (NADH dehydrogenase (ubiquinone) alpha subcomplex-1), demonstrate significant downregulation in the presence of ADSCP2. Further analysis using the integrative genomics viewer indicates that the promoter regions of both COX6B1 and NDUFA1 exhibit a higher degree of closure in the ADSCP2 treatment group. Quantitative PCR analysis demonstrated that ADSCP2 treatment resulted in a reduction of COX6B1 and NDUFA1 mRNA expression levels. Furthermore, cellular ATP and lactic acid concentrations were diminished in the ADSCP2-treated group. Collectively, these findings suggest potential avenues for future research into the therapeutic application of the peptide ADSCP2 in the treatment of hypertrophic scars. creator: Qian Li creator: Zhe Quan creator: Ling Chen creator: Yiliang Yin creator: Xin Chen creator: Jingyun Li uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.18902 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: © 2025 Li et al. title: The influence of gender stereotypes on gender judgement and impression evaluation based on face and voice link: https://peerj.com/articles/18900 last-modified: 2025-01-31 description: The present study examined the influence of gender stereotype information on cognitive judgments and impression evaluations of faces and voices. A 2 × 2 × 2 design was employed, with Perceptual Target (Face vs. Voice), Gender Stereotype Information (Consistent vs. Inconsistent) and Gender of Perceptual Targets (Male and Female) serving as within-subject factors. The results demonstrated that when gender stereotype information was consistent with the perceptual target’s gender, response times for face gender judgments were shorter than for voice gender judgments. Nevertheless, the accuracy of gender judgments was higher for voices than faces. Furthermore, likability ratings for targets were significantly higher when gender stereotype information was consistent with the target than when it was inconsistent, for both face and voice judgments. These findings indicate that visual and auditory cues are processed differently in the context of gender judgments, thereby highlighting the distinct roles of facial and vocal information in gender perception. The current study contributes to understanding the complex interplay between gender stereotypes and multimodal social information processing. creator: Jingyu Li creator: Chunye Fu creator: Yunrui Sun uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.18900 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2025 Li et al. title: Investigation of geographic disparities and temporal changes of non-gestational diabetes-related emergency department visits in Florida: a retrospective ecological study link: https://peerj.com/articles/18897 last-modified: 2025-01-31 description: BackgroundRates of diabetes-related Emergency Department (ED) visits in Florida increased by 54% between 2011 and 2016. However, little information is available on geographic disparities of ED visit rates and how these disparities changed over time in Florida and yet this information is important for guiding resource allocation for diabetes control programs. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to (a) investigate geographic disparities and temporal changes in non-gestational diabetes-related ED visit rates in Florida and (b) identify predictors of geographic disparities in non-gestational diabetes-related ED visit rates.MethodsThe ED data for the period between 2016 and 2019 were obtained from the Florida Agency for Healthcare Administration. Records of non-gestational diabetes-related ED visits were extracted using the International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-10 codes. Monthly non-gestational diabetes-related ED visit rates were computed and temporal changes were investigated using the Cochran-Armitage trend test. County-level non-gestational diabetes-related ED visit rates per 100,000 person-years were calculated and their geographic distributions were visualized using choropleth maps. Clusters of counties with high non-gestational diabetes-related ED visit rates were identified using Kulldorff’s circular and Tango’s flexible spatial scan statistics. Predictors of non-gestational diabetes-related ED visit rates were investigated using negative binomial model. The geographic distributions of significant (p ≤ 0.05) high-rate clusters and predictors of ED visit rates were displayed on maps.ResultsThere was a significant (p < 0.001) increase in non-gestational diabetes-related ED visit rates from 266 visits per 100,000 person-months in January 2016 to 332 visits per 100,000 person-months in December 2019. Clusters of high non-gestational diabetes-related ED visit rates were identified in the northern and south-central parts of Florida. Counties with high percentages of non-Hispanic Black, current smokers, uninsured, and populations with diabetes had significantly higher non-gestational diabetes-related ED visit rates, while counties with high percentages of married populations had significantly lower ED visit rates.ConclusionsThe study findings confirm geographic disparities of non-gestational diabetes-related ED visit rates in Florida with high-rate areas observed in the rural northern and south-central parts of the state. Specific attention is required to address disparities in counties with high diabetes prevalence, high percentages of non-Hispanic Black, and uninsured populations. These findings are useful for guiding public health efforts geared at reducing disparities and improving diabetes outcomes in Florida. creator: Md Marufuzzaman Khan creator: Agricola Odoi uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.18897 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: © 2025 Khan and Odoi title: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials for physical activity among colorectal cancer survivors: directions for future research link: https://peerj.com/articles/18892 last-modified: 2025-01-31 description: BackgroundPhysical activity (PA) is critically important to cancer rehabilitation. However, PA levels are generally lower in colorectal cancer (CRC) survivors compared to other cancer survivors. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of PA interventions in increasing PA levels and to provide recommendations for developing PA interventions in CRC survivors.MethodsA systematic literature search was conducted in Cochrane Library, Embase, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Wan Fang Data from January 2010 to March 1, 2024. The Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) scale was used to assess the methodological quality of eligible studies, and the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations (GRADE) method was used to evaluate the certainty of evidence. The random-effects model was used in meta-analysis, and data were analyzed using standardized mean differences and 95% confidence intervals.ResultsA total of 22 studies were included in this review, all of which were rated as having good methodological quality based on the PEDro scale. In the meta-analysis, nine of these studies involving 684 participants were included, and results showed that PA interventions have a positive effect on increasing total PA levels in CRC survivors (Z = 2.79, p = 0.005). Results of subgroup analysis revealed that supervised PA interventions (Z = 2.82, p = 0.005) and PA interventions with multiple intervention components (Z = 3.06, p = 0.002) effectively increased total PA levels for CRC survivors. In addition, research evidence suggests that daily as the frequency (Z = 4.28, p < 0.001), Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) as the intensity (Z = 2.29, p = 0.022), aerobic combined with resistance exercise as the type of PA (Z = 4.19, p < 0.001) is appropriate for increasing total PA levels in CRC survivors.ConclusionsThe findings of this review provide strong evidence supporting the positive role of PA interventions in improving total PA levels among CRC survivors. This study offers preliminary insights into the appropriate patterns of PA interventions (e.g., frequency, intensity, type) for enhancing total PA levels in CRC survivors. However, further high-quality clinical trials are needed to determine the optimal timing, duration, and delivery methods of PA interventions to maximize their effectiveness in this population. creator: Jiayu Mao creator: Xiaoke Qiu creator: Yi Zhang creator: Can Wang creator: Xueli Yang creator: Qiuping Li uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.18892 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: © 2025 Mao et al. title: Effect of exercise intervention on health-related quality of life in middle-aged and older people with osteoporosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis link: https://peerj.com/articles/18889 last-modified: 2025-01-31 description: BackgroundOsteoporosis is a common condition affecting middle-aged and older people, posing a serious threat to their health-related quality of life (HRQOL). In recent years, multiple studies have investigated the impact of exercise interventions on HRQOL in middle-aged and older individuals with osteoporosis, but the conclusions have been inconsistent. The aim of this study was to determine the true significance of exercise interventions on HRQOL in middle-aged and older individuals with osteoporosis and to identify optimal exercise prescriptions.MethodsSix databases were searched for RCTs on the impact of exercise interventions on HRQOL in middle-aged and older individuals with osteoporosis. The methodological quality of the study was evaluated with Cochrane risk assessment tool. The effect size pooling, heterogeneity testing, and publication bias were analyzed using Review Manager 5.4 software.ResultA total of 14 RCTs involving 1,214 participants were included, published between 2007 and 2022. The pooled results demonstrated that exercise interventions significantly improved general HRQOL (SMD = 0.79, 95% CI [0.34–1.24], p = 0.0006). In terms of physical HRQOL, significant improvements were observed in bodily pain (SMD = 0.51, 95% CI [0.24–0.78], p= 0.0002), physical function (SMD = 0.56, 95% CI [0.21–0.91], p = 0.002), role physical (SMD = 0.39, 95% CI [0.14–0.64], p = 0.003), and general health (SMD = 0.68, 95% CI [0.25–1.11], p = 0.002). Regarding mental HRQOL, significant improvements were found in vitality (SMD = 0.58, 95% CI [0.15–1.01], p = 0.008), social function (SMD = 0.37, 95% CI [0.17–0.58], p = 0.0004), and mental health (SMD = 0.50, 95% CI [0.25–0.74], p < 0.0001). Subgroup analysis results indicated that resistance training (SMD = 1.01, 95% CI [0.50–1.52], p = 0.0001), intervention frequency of at least three times per week (SMD = 0.80, 95% CI [0.22–1.38], p = 0.007), and intervention duration of 13–24 weeks (SMD = 0.85, 95% CI [0.37–1.33], p = 0.0005) had large and significant effects on general HRQOL improvements.ConclusionExercise interventions improved HRQOL in middle-aged and older individuals with osteoporosis. Resistance training has shown greater benefits than mixed exercises. The optimal frequency is at least three per week, yielding the greatest improvement. Exercise interventions lasting 13–24 weeks had the most pronounced effect compared to other durations.RegistrationPROSPERO (No. CRD42023438771). creator: Di Geng creator: Xiaogang Li creator: Yan Shi uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.18889 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2025 Geng et al. title: Bidirectional association between breast cancer and dementia: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies link: https://peerj.com/articles/18888 last-modified: 2025-01-31 description: BackgroundCognitive decline following cancer treatment can vary from mild cognitive impairment to severe dementia. However, there is inconsistent evidence regarding the relationship between breast cancer survivors and their risk of developing dementia. This meta-analysis aims to consolidate observational studies to explore the bidirectional association between breast cancer and dementia risk.MethodsWe conducted a comprehensive search using medical subject headings (MeSH) and keywords across PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Embase databases to identify cohort, case-control, and cross-sectional studies examining the link between breast cancer and dementia risk. Statistical analysis was performed using Stata version 14.0, with a random effects model employed to account for heterogeneity. Publication bias was assessed using funnel plots and Egger’s test.ResultsThis meta-analysis included 13 studies with a total of 346,051 participants, up to June 20, 2024. Of these, seven studies investigated the risk of dementia among patients with breast cancer, revealing a lower risk [OR = 0.56, 95% CI [0.27–1.18], I2 = 99.1%, P = 0.128]. Similarly, seven studies explored the risk of breast cancer in individuals with dementia, showing a lower risk as well [OR = 0.79, 95% CI [0.51–1.22], I2 = 94.5%, P = 0.290].ConclusionOur findings indicate that breast cancer is less likely to lead to dementia and that dementia is similarly low associated with risk of breast cancer. These insights are crucial for clinicians in guiding the prevention and monitoring of neurodegenerative conditions in patients with breast cancer. creator: Fuxing Bao creator: Liang Yu creator: Xiaolei Zhang creator: Qier Mu uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.18888 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: © 2025 Bao et al. title: Associations of PM2.5 and its components with term preterm rupture of membranes: a retrospective study link: https://peerj.com/articles/18886 last-modified: 2025-01-31 description: BackgroundThere is evidence that fine particulate matter (PM2.5) exposure is associated with premature rupture of membranes (PROM); however, studies of its effect on term PROM (TPROM) are limited, and the results are inconsistent.ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate the association between exposure to PM2.5 and its components and the risk of TPROM.MethodsFrom 2018 to 2022, we collected delivery data from pregnant women in Guangzhou. Using 1:1 case matching, we included 1,216 TPROM cases and 1,216 controls. PM2.5 and its component concentrations were obtained from Tracking Air Pollution in China. The time-varying mean concentration method was used to estimate exposure to PM2.5 and its components during different trimesters. Cox proportional hazards models were used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) to evaluate the associations of exposure to PM2.5 and its components with the risk of TPROM.ResultsThe incidence of TPROM in this study was 19.66%. After adjusting for potential confounders, statistically significant associations were found between TPROM and exposure to PM2.5, nitrate (${\mathrm{NO}}_{3}^{-}$NO3−), ammonium (${\mathrm{NH}}_{4}^{+}$NH4+), and black carbon (BC) during the second trimester and between TPROM and exposure to PM2.5, sulphate (${\mathrm{SO}}_{4}^{2-}$SO42−), and BC during the third trimester. Specifically, the interquartile range (IQR) 3 (IQR3) and IQR4 of ${\mathrm{SO}}_{4}^{2-}$SO42− exposure during the third trimester increased the risk of TPROM by 18% (95% CIs [1.01–1.39]) and 18% (95% CIs [1.01–1.39]), respectively. A nonlinear relationship was observed between exposure to PM2.5, ${\mathrm{SO}}_{4}^{2-}$SO42−, ${\mathrm{NH}}_{4}^{+}$NH4+, and OM during the second trimester and the risk of TPROM. No significant interactions were found between PM2.5 and its components with TPROM across various subgroups.ConclusionOur findings indicate significant associations between the risk of TPROM and exposure to PM2.5 and several of its components during pregnancy. Contribute to the literature on the associations of PM2.5 and its components with TPROM. creator: Jiangxia Qin creator: Weiling Liu creator: Haidong Zou creator: Chong Zeng creator: Cifeng Gao creator: Weiqi Liu uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.18886 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2025 Qin et al.