title: PeerJ description: Articles published in PeerJ link: https://peerj.com/articles/index.rss3?journal=peerj&page=1743 creator: info@peerj.com PeerJ errorsTo: info@peerj.com PeerJ language: en title: The preventive effect of dexmedetomidine on paroxysmal sympathetic hyperactivity in severe traumatic brain injury patients who have undergone surgery: a retrospective study link: https://peerj.com/articles/2986 last-modified: 2017-02-15 description: BackgroundParoxysmal sympathetic hyperactivity (PSH) results and aggravates in secondary brain injury, which seriously affects the prognosis of severe traumatic brain injury patients. Although several studies have focused on the treatment of PSH, few have concentrated on its prevention.MethodsNinety post-operation (post-op) severe traumatic brain injury (sTBI) patients admitted from October 2014 to April 2016 were chosen to participate in this study. Fifty of the post-op sTBI patients were sedated with dexmedetomidine and were referred as the “dexmedetomidine group” (admitted from May 2015 to April 2016). The other 40 patients (admitted from October 2014 to May 2015) received other sedations and were referred as the “control group.” The two groups were then compared based on their PSH scores and the scores and ratios of those patients who met the criteria of “probable,” “possible” and “unlikely” using the PSH assessment measure (PSH-AM) designed by Baguley et al. (2014). The durations of the neurosurgery intensive care unit (NICU) and hospital stays and the Glasgow outcome scale (GOS) values for the two groups were also compared to evaluate the therapeutic effects and the patients’ prognosis.ResultsThe overall PSH score for the dexmedetomidine group was 5.26 ± 4.66, compared with 8.58 ± 8.09 for the control group. The difference between the two groups’ PSH scores was significant (P = 0.017). The score of the patients who met the criterion of “probable” was 18.33 ± 1.53 in the dexmedetomidine group and 22.63 ± 2.97 in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P = 0.045). The ratio of patients who were classified as “unlikely” between the two groups was statistically significant (P = 0.028); that is, 42 (84%) in the dexmedetomidine group and 25 (62.5%) in the control group. The differences in NICU, hospital stays and GOS values between the two groups were not significant.ConclusionDexmedetomidine has a preventive effect on PSH in sTBI patients who have undergone surgery. creator: Qilin Tang creator: Xiang Wu creator: Weiji Weng creator: Hongpeng Li creator: Junfeng Feng creator: Qing Mao creator: Guoyi Gao creator: Jiyao Jiang uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.2986 license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2017 Tang et al. title: Is there a relation between dental anxiety, fear and general psychological status? link: https://peerj.com/articles/2978 last-modified: 2017-02-15 description: BackgroundDental anxiety is a widespread problem in many populations. This problem can be a barrier to dental care and may lead to poor oral health. Dental anxiety may be related to psychological status.AimsThe aim of the present study was to assess the levels of dental anxiety, dental fear, Beck Depression, and state-trait anxiety according to age, gender and education level in patients at the periodontology clinic in the Diyarbakır Mouth and Dental Health Center.Study DesignA total of 231 patients (115 males, 116 females) filled out dental fear scale (DFS), dental anxiety scale (DAS), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), state-trait anxiety inventory-state (STAI-S), and state-trait anxiety inventory–trait (STAI-T) questionnaires, and evaluations of DFS, DAS, BDI, STAI-S, and STAI-T were conducted according to age, gender, and education level.ResultsThe mean DFS, DAS, BDI, STAI-T, and STAI –S were 45.64, 9.15, 13.16, 38.90, and 40.18, respectively. There was a significant association among DFS, DAS, BDI, STAI-S, and STAI-T (p < 0.05). These surveys scores were significantly higher in females than males (p < 0.05). The results of this study indicated that gender age and education level have important effects on DFS, DAS, BDI, STAI-S, and STAI-T (p < 0.05).ConclusionDental anxiety and dental fear were found to be related to psychological status (BDI, STAI-S, and STAI-T) over time. There are some patients with unaddressed psychological distress. creator: Tuba Talo Yildirim creator: Serkan Dundar creator: Alihan Bozoglan creator: Tahir Karaman creator: Neval Dildes creator: Filiz Acun Kaya creator: Eyyup Altintas creator: Faruk Oztekin creator: Osman Atas creator: Hilal Alan uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.2978 license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2017 Talo Yildirim et al. title: Spawning aggregation of white-streaked grouper Epinephelus ongus: spatial distribution and annual variation in the fish density within a spawning ground link: https://peerj.com/articles/3000 last-modified: 2017-02-14 description: White-streaked grouper (Epinephelus ongus) is an important fisheries target and forms spawning aggregations at particular spawning grounds. The aims of the present study were to investigate the ecological characteristics of annual spawning aggregations such as (1) spatial variations in the density of E. ongus at the spawning ground, (2) the relationship between fish density and environmental variables, (3) inter-annual variations in the spawning aggregation, (4) the proportion of males to females at the spawning ground for several days pre—and post-spawning and (5) the relationship between male density and female density at the protected spawning ground, based on observations over five years at an Okinawan coral reef. Although the protected spawning ground area was large (ca. 2,500 m × 700 m), high density of E. ongus (over 25 individuals per 100 m2) was found in a limited area (within c.a. 750 m × 50 m). Current velocity and coverage of rocks had significant positive effects on the spatial distribution of E. ongus at the spawning ground. Inter-annual variation in the degree of aggregation was found and this variation was explained by the annual variation of mean seawater temperature during 40 days before the spawning day. The male–female ratio (male:female) at the spawning ground was ca. 3:1 for three years (May 2012, May 2014 and May 2015) whereas >13:1 for one year (May 2013). Significant positive relationships between male density and female density were found at the aggregation sites. It is suggested that E. ongus use aggregation sites with greater current velocity to reduce the risk of egg predation and seawater temperature is one of the main factors that is responsible for determining the degree of aggregation. It is also suggested that females possibly select sites with a greater density of males and this selection behavior might be the reason why females arrived at the spawning ground after the arrival of the males. For effective management of spawning grounds, precise site selection as well as the duration of the protection period are suggested to be key aspects to protect the spawning aggregations of E. ongus, which have been currently achieved at the spawning ground. creator: Atsushi Nanami creator: Taku Sato creator: Yuuki Kawabata creator: Junichi Okuyama uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.3000 license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2017 Nanami et al. title: Modafinil decreases anxiety-like behaviour in zebrafish link: https://peerj.com/articles/2994 last-modified: 2017-02-14 description: Modafinil (2-((diphenylmethyl)sulfinyl)acetamide), a selective dopamine and norepinephrine transporter inhibitor, is most commonly prescribed for narcolepsy but has gained recent interest for treating a variety of disorders. Zebrafish (Danio rerio) are becoming a model of choice for pharmacological and behavioural research. To investigate the behavioural effects of modafinil on anxiety, we administered doses of 0, 2, 20, and 200 mg/L for 30 minutes then tested zebrafish in the novel approach test. In this test, the fish was placed into a circular arena with a novel object in the center and motion-tracking software was used to quantify the time the fish spent in the outer area of the arena (thigmotaxis zone), middle third of the arena (transition zone) and center of the arena, as well as total distance traveled, immobility and meandering. Modafinil caused a decrease in time spent in the thigmotaxis zone and increased time spent in the transition zone across all doses. Modafinil did not significantly alter the time spent in the center zone (near the novel object), the distance moved, meandering, or the duration of time spent immobile. We also validated this test as a measure of anxiety with the administration of ethanol (1%) which decreased time spent in the thigmotaxis zone and increased time spent in the transition zone. These results suggest that modafinil decreases anxiety-like behaviour in zebrafish. creator: Adrian Johnson creator: Trevor James Hamilton uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.2994 license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2017 Johnson and and Hamilton title: An open source device for operant licking in rats link: https://peerj.com/articles/2981 last-modified: 2017-02-14 description: We created an easy-to-use device for operant licking experiments and another device that records environmental variables. Both devices use the Raspberry Pi computer to obtain data from multiple input devices (e.g., radio frequency identification tag readers, touch and motion sensors, environmental sensors) and activate output devices (e.g., LED lights, syringe pumps) as needed. Data gathered from these devices are stored locally on the computer but can be automatically transferred to a remote server via a wireless network. We tested the operant device by training rats to obtain either sucrose or water under the control of a fixed ratio, a variable ratio, or a progressive ratio reinforcement schedule. The lick data demonstrated that the device has sufficient precision and time resolution to record the fast licking behavior of rats. Data from the environment monitoring device also showed reliable measurements. By providing the source code and 3D design under an open source license, we believe these examples will stimulate innovation in behavioral studies. The source code can be found at http://github.com/chen42/openbehavior. creator: Matthew Longley creator: Ethan L. Willis creator: Cindy X. Tay creator: Hao Chen uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.2981 license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2017 Longley et al. title: ­Genomic data mining of the marine actinobacteria Streptomyces sp. H-KF8 unveils insights into multi-stress related genes and metabolic pathways involved in antimicrobial synthesis link: https://peerj.com/articles/2912 last-modified: 2017-02-14 description: Streptomyces sp. H-KF8 is an actinobacterial strain isolated from marine sediments of a Chilean Patagonian fjord. Morphological characterization together with antibacterial activity was assessed in various culture media, revealing a carbon-source dependent activity mainly against Gram-positive bacteria (S. aureus and L. monocytogenes). Genome mining of this antibacterial-producing bacterium revealed the presence of 26 biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) for secondary metabolites, where among them, 81% have low similarities with known BGCs. In addition, a genomic search in Streptomyces sp. H-KF8 unveiled the presence of a wide variety of genetic determinants related to heavy metal resistance (49 genes), oxidative stress (69 genes) and antibiotic resistance (97 genes). This study revealed that the marine-derived Streptomyces sp. H-KF8 bacterium has the capability to tolerate a diverse set of heavy metals such as copper, cobalt, mercury, chromate and nickel; as well as the highly toxic tellurite, a feature first time described for Streptomyces. In addition, Streptomyces sp. H-KF8 possesses a major resistance towards oxidative stress, in comparison to the soil reference strain Streptomyces violaceoruber A3(2). Moreover, Streptomyces sp. H-KF8 showed resistance to 88% of the antibiotics tested, indicating overall, a strong response to several abiotic stressors. The combination of these biological traits confirms the metabolic versatility of Streptomyces sp. H-KF8, a genetically well-prepared microorganism with the ability to confront the dynamics of the fjord-unique marine environment. creator: Agustina Undabarrena creator: Juan A. Ugalde creator: Michael Seeger creator: Beatriz Cámara uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.2912 license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2017 Undabarrena et al. title: Comparison of hand grip strength and upper limb pressure pain threshold between older adults with or without non-specific shoulder pain link: https://peerj.com/articles/2995 last-modified: 2017-02-09 description: BackgroundThere is a high prevalence of non-specific shoulder pain associated with upper limb functional limitations in older adults. The purpose of this study was to determine the minimal clinically important differences (MCID) of grip strength and pressure pain threshold (PPT) in the upper limb between older adults with or without non-specific shoulder pain.MethodsA case-control study was carried out following the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) criteria. A sample of 132 shoulders (mean ± SD years) with (n = 66; 76.04 ± 7.58) and without (n = 66; 75.05 ± 6.26) non-specific pain were recruited. The grip strength and PPT of the anterior deltoid and extensor carpi radialis brevis (ECRB) muscles were assessed.ResultsThere were statistically significant differences (mean ± SD; P-value) for anterior deltoid PPT (2.51 ± 0.69 vs 3.68 ± 0.65, kg/cm2; P < .001), ECRB PPT (2.20 ± 0.60 vs 3.35 ± 0.38 kg/cm2; P < .001) and grip strength (20.78 ± 10.94 vs 24.63 ± 9.38 kg; P = .032) between shoulders with and without non-specific pain, respectively.DiscussionThe MCID of 1.17 kg/cm2, 1.15 kg/cm2 and 3.84 kg were proposed for anterior deltoid PPT, ECRB PPT and grip strength, respectively, to assess the upper limb of older adults with non-specific shoulder pain after treatment. In addition, univariate and multivariate (linear regression and regression trees) analyses may be used to consider age distribution, sex, pain intensity, grip strength and PPT in older adults including clinical and epidemiological studies with non-specific shoulder pain. creator: Cesar Calvo Lobo creator: Carlos Romero Morales creator: David Rodríguez Sanz creator: Irene Sanz Corbalán creator: Eleuterio A. Sánchez Romero creator: Josué Fernández Carnero creator: Daniel López López uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.2995 license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2017 Calvo Lobo et al. title: Pattern analysis of total item score and item response of the Kessler Screening Scale for Psychological Distress (K6) in a nationally representative sample of US adults link: https://peerj.com/articles/2987 last-modified: 2017-02-09 description: BackgroundSeveral recent studies have shown that total scores on depressive symptom measures in a general population approximate an exponential pattern except for the lower end of the distribution. Furthermore, we confirmed that the exponential pattern is present for the individual item responses on the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). To confirm the reproducibility of such findings, we investigated the total score distribution and item responses of the Kessler Screening Scale for Psychological Distress (K6) in a nationally representative study.MethodsData were drawn from the National Survey of Midlife Development in the United States (MIDUS), which comprises four subsamples: (1) a national random digit dialing (RDD) sample, (2) oversamples from five metropolitan areas, (3) siblings of individuals from the RDD sample, and (4) a national RDD sample of twin pairs. K6 items are scored using a 5-point scale: “none of the time,” “a little of the time,” “some of the time,” “most of the time,” and “all of the time.” The pattern of total score distribution and item responses were analyzed using graphical analysis and exponential regression model.ResultsThe total score distributions of the four subsamples exhibited an exponential pattern with similar rate parameters. The item responses of the K6 approximated a linear pattern from “a little of the time” to “all of the time” on log-normal scales, while “none of the time” response was not related to this exponential pattern.DiscussionThe total score distribution and item responses of the K6 showed exponential patterns, consistent with other depressive symptom scales. creator: Shinichiro Tomitaka creator: Yohei Kawasaki creator: Kazuki Ide creator: Maiko Akutagawa creator: Hiroshi Yamada creator: Ono Yutaka creator: Toshiaki A. Furukawa uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.2987 license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2017 Tomitaka et al. title: Comparison of 3D laser-based photonic scans and manual anthropometric measurements of body size and shape in a validation study of 123 young Swiss men link: https://peerj.com/articles/2980 last-modified: 2017-02-09 description: BackgroundManual anthropometric measurements are time-consuming and challenging to perform within acceptable intra- and inter-individual error margins in large studies. Three-dimensional (3D) laser body scanners provide a fast and precise alternative: within a few seconds the system produces a 3D image of the body topography and calculates some 150 standardised body size measurements.ObjectiveThe aim was to enhance the small number of existing validation studies and compare scan and manual techniques based on five selected measurements. We assessed the agreement between two repeated measurements within the two methods, analysed the direct agreement between the two methods, and explored the differences between the techniques when used in regressions assessing the effect of health related determinants on body shape indices.MethodsWe performed two repeated body scans on 123 volunteering young men using a Vitus Smart XXL body scanner. We manually measured height, waist, hip, buttock, and chest circumferences twice for each participant according to the WHO guidelines. The participants also filled in a basic questionnaire.ResultsMean differences between the two scan measurements were smaller than between the two manual measurements, and precision as well as intra-class correlation coefficients were higher. Both techniques were strongly correlated. When comparing means between both techniques we found significant differences: Height was systematically shorter by 2.1 cm, whereas waist, hip and bust circumference measurements were larger in the scans by 1.17–4.37 cm. In consequence, body shape indices also became larger and the prevalence of overweight was greater when calculated from the scans. Between 4.1% and 7.3% of the probands changed risk category from normal to overweight when classified based on the scans. However, when employing regression analyses the two measurement techniques resulted in very similar coefficients, confidence intervals, and p-values.ConclusionFor performing a large number of measurements in a large group of probands in a short time, body scans generally showed good feasibility, reliability, and validity in comparison to manual measurements. The systematic differences between the methods may result from their technical nature (contact vs. non-contact). creator: Nikola Koepke creator: Marcel Zwahlen creator: Jonathan C. Wells creator: Nicole Bender creator: Maciej Henneberg creator: Frank J. Rühli creator: Kaspar Staub uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.2980 license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2017 Koepke et al. title: Phylogenetic factorization of compositional data yields lineage-level associations in microbiome datasets link: https://peerj.com/articles/2969 last-modified: 2017-02-09 description: Marker gene sequencing of microbial communities has generated big datasets of microbial relative abundances varying across environmental conditions, sample sites and treatments. These data often come with putative phylogenies, providing unique opportunities to investigate how shared evolutionary history affects microbial abundance patterns. Here, we present a method to identify the phylogenetic factors driving patterns in microbial community composition. We use the method, “phylofactorization,” to re-analyze datasets from the human body and soil microbial communities, demonstrating how phylofactorization is a dimensionality-reducing tool, an ordination-visualization tool, and an inferential tool for identifying edges in the phylogeny along which putative functional ecological traits may have arisen. creator: Alex D. Washburne creator: Justin D. Silverman creator: Jonathan W. Leff creator: Dominic J. Bennett creator: John L. Darcy creator: Sayan Mukherjee creator: Noah Fierer creator: Lawrence A. David uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.2969 license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2017 Washburne et al.