title: PeerJ description: Articles published in PeerJ link: https://peerj.com/articles/index.rss3?journal=peerj&page=200 creator: info@peerj.com PeerJ errorsTo: info@peerj.com PeerJ language: en title: Abnormal hypothalamic functional connectivity and serum arousal-promoting neurotransmitters in insomnia disorder patients: a pilot study link: https://peerj.com/articles/18540 last-modified: 2024-11-21 description: ObjectiveThe present study aimed to investigate the functional connectivity (FC) of the anterior and posterior hypothalamus with the whole brain in insomnia disorder (ID) patients. Additionally, we explored the relationship between FC values and serum levels of arousal-promoting neurotransmitters (orexin-A and histamine) in ID patients.MethodsThis study enrolled 30 ID patients and 30 age- and gender-matched healthy controls. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (RS-fMRI) was employed to assess the FC of the anterior and posterior hypothalamus with the whole brain. Serum concentrations of orexin-A and histamine were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Moreover, Spearman correlation analysis was conducted to investigate the relationship between FC values and serum levels of arousal-promoting neurotransmitters in ID patients.ResultsOur findings showed decreased FC between the posterior hypothalamus and several brain regions including the bilateral orbital superior frontal gyrus, the bilateral angular gyrus, the right anterior cingulate cortex, the left precuneus, and the right medial superior frontal gyrus in ID patients. Additionally, decreased FC was observed between the anterior hypothalamus and the right anterior cingulate cortex among ID patients. Compared to the healthy controls, ID patients showed significantly elevated serum concentrations of orexin-A and histamine. Furthermore, we identified a positive correlation between the FC of the right medial superior frontal gyrus with posterior hypothalamus and histamine levels in ID patients.ConclusionID patients exhibited aberrant FC in brain regions related to sleep-wake regulation, particularly involving the default mode network and anterior cingulate cortex, which may correlate with the peripheral levels of histamine. These findings contribute to our understanding of the potential neuroimaging and neurohumoral mechanism underlying ID patients. creator: Jingjing Lin creator: Zhenye Luo creator: Mei Fan creator: Yaxi Liu creator: Xian Shi creator: Yixian Cai creator: Zhiyun Yang creator: Liting Chen creator: Jiyang Pan uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.18540 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0 rights: © 2024 Lin et al. title: Health-related quality of life and its associated factors among Chinese seasonal retired migrants in Hainan link: https://peerj.com/articles/18574 last-modified: 2024-11-21 description: BackgroundSeasonal retired migrants are mainly retired or semiretired people who migrate to warmer areas during the winter and then return to their original homes in the following year. Despite its increasing popularity, the evidence concerning the health status of Chinese seasonal retired migrants is controversial. Although some studies have shown that seasonal retired migrants have better health status, other studies note that migrants are driven involuntarily by health concerns and that their mental health suffers during migration. The objective of this study was to provide quantified evidence on the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of seasonal retired migrants in China and to identify potential factors associated with HRQoL.MethodsThis was a community-based cross-sectional study of seasonal retired migrants who lived in Wuzhishan, Hainan during the winter. The Chinese version of the EuroQol 5-Dimension 5-Level (EQ-5D-5L) was used to assess participants’ HRQoL. Data on demographic and behavioral characteristics, body mass index, and the presence of chronic diseases were collected using a self-administered survey. Logistic regressions were used to explore the factors associated with responses in each dimension of the EQ-5D-5L descriptive system, and a multiple linear regression model was used to explore the factors associated with EuroQol visual analogue scale (EQ-VAS) scores.ResultsA total of 992 participants (female: 56.5%) were enrolled in the current study, with a mean age of 67.87 ± 6.98 years. Most participants reported problems in the pain/discomfort dimension (16.7%), followed by the anxiety/depression dimension (8.3%). Few participants reported problems in the first three dimensions of the EQ-5D-5L: mobility (5.4%), usual activities (2.0%), and self-care (1.2%). The median EQ-VAS score was 84 (interquartile range: 80–89). The regression results indicated that poor sleep quality, the presence of chronic diseases, and low-level physical activity were important factors that were negatively associated with multiple dimensions of the EQ-5D-5L. In addition, the EQ-VAS score was negatively associated with age, the presence of chronic diseases, poor sleep quality, and low-level physical activity.ConclusionThis study revealed that Chinese seasonal retired migrants have high HRQoL. In addition, this study revealed that sleep quality and physical activity are correlated with multiple dimensions of the EQ-5D-5L descriptive system and EQ-VAS. Therefore, lifestyle interventions related to sleep quality and physical activity are essential for improving HRQoL among Chinese seasonal retired migrants. creator: Sikun Chen creator: Tianchang Li creator: Lingjun Wang creator: Shigong Wang creator: Lin Ouyang creator: Jiwei Wang creator: Dayi Hu creator: Jinming Yu uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.18574 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2024 Chen et al. title: Correlation between pre-operative VE-cadherin and DLL4 and the maturation after primary arteriovenous fistula in uremic patients link: https://peerj.com/articles/18356 last-modified: 2024-11-20 description: AimsUremic patients require dialysis to replace the declined kidney function, and arteriovenous fistula (AVF) is a commonly used dialysis access route. Our study aimed to explore vascular endothelial cells cadherin (VE-cadherin) and Delta-like ligand 4 (DLL4) expression in uremic patients undergoing primary AVF surgery and their correlation with AVF maturation.MethodsWe conducted a prospective study that included n = 55 voluntary uremic patients receiving their initial AVF procedure for renal replacement therapy, subjects were divided into a mature group and a failure group based on whether the AVF matured within 3 months post-operatively. We analyzed the association of VE-cadherin and DLL4 with AVF maturation by examining their expression levels in serum and the endothelium of cephalic veins.ResultsPre-operative serum VE-cadherin, in the mature group measured 125.07 (106.77–167.65) ng/L, and DLL4 was 92.78 (83.83–106.72) pg/mL, while the failure group had VE-cadherin at 95.40 (79.03–107.16) ng/L (P = 0.001), and DLL4 at 60.42 (43.98–80.15) pg/mL with a statistical significant; (P = 0.002), binary logistic regression analysis indicated a significant association between cephalic vein diameter, VE-cadherin, DLL4 levels, and AVF immaturity (P = 0.024, P = 0.014 respectively). Immunohistochemical staining showed slightly higher VE-cadherin levels in the mature group than in the failure group (P = 0.366). DLL4 was primarily located in the cell membrane and cytoplasm, concentrated in the inner membrane, with significantly higher levels in the mature group compared to the failure group (P = 0.027).ConclusionThe failure group exhibited lower levels of VE-cadherin and DLL4 in serum and vascular tissue, these results suggest that VE-cadherin and DLL4 might play pivotal regulatory roles in the onset and the progression of fistula immaturity, potentially serving as promising targets for future interventions. creator: Huanhuan Yin creator: Yifan Tang creator: Yanping Wang creator: Yousuf Abdulkarim Waheed creator: Disheng Wang creator: Dong Sun uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.18356 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: © 2024 Yin et al. title: The role of andrographolide as a potential anticancer agent against gastric cancer cell lines: a systematic review link: https://peerj.com/articles/18513 last-modified: 2024-11-20 description: ObjectiveTo critically analyse literature on the anticancer properties of andrographolide in in vitro studies on gastric cancer cells.MethodThis study systematically reviewed articles from 2013 to 2024 across five prominent databases; PubMed, Google Scholar, Web of Science, Scopus, and Science Direct, EMBASE, Cochrane library and DOAJ. The study eligibility criteria include original studies assessing using gastric cancer cell lines and articles utilizing extracted andrographolide from Andrographis paniculata or standard andrographolide source treatment. The following exclusion criteria were articles written in a different language, review articles, book chapters, conference articles, scientific reports. Duplicated articles were removed using Mendeley software.ResultOut of 93 articles, six were relevant, primarily focusing on in vitro analyses with gastric adenocarcinoma cell lines.ConclusionThese studies indicate that andrographolide can hinder the cell cycle, suppress cell proliferation, alleviate oxidative stress, and induce apoptosis by prompting gastric cancer cells to undergo self-destruction, which is a crucial mechanism for controlling and eliminating cancerous growths. creator: Muhamad Alojid Anis Amiera creator: Tuan Noorkorina Tuan Kub creator: Azian Harun creator: Rohimah Mohamud creator: Nur Rina Alissa Razian creator: Yasmin Khairani Muhammad Ismadi creator: Wan Alif Syazwani Wan Alias creator: Mohammed Hussain Abdulrazak creator: Ernawati Teni uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.18513 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: © 2024 Anis Amiera et al. title: Klastomycter conodentatus, gen et sp. nov., a small early Permian parareptile with conical teeth from Richards Spur, Oklahoma link: https://peerj.com/articles/18393 last-modified: 2024-11-19 description: A small, pristinely preserved specimen recently collected from the Dolese Brothers limestone quarry near Richards Spur, Oklahoma provides evidence for the presence of a new early Permian parareptile at this locality. The specimen includes an articulated, nearly complete skull roof, and with the right premaxilla, right quadratojugal, most of the right palate, as well as the right epipterygoid and the sphenethmoid preserved inside. Although similar in many respects to the other contemporary parareptiles Acleistorhinus, Delorhynchus and Colobomycter, it can be distinguished from other acleistorhinids by the presence of a number of autapomorphies related to its dentition. Phylogenetic analysis places it closer to Delorhynchus and Colobomycter within Acleistorhinidae than to Acleistorhinus pteroticus. Unique aspects of the present specimen include the pronounced anterior extension of the lacrimal bone, largely homodont dentition composed of simple conical crowns with slight recurvature in the premaxillary and anterior maxillary teeth, and simple conical crowns in posterior maxillary dentition. The discovery of this new parareptile along with the surprisingly large number of acleistorhinids at Richards Spur highlights the importance of the unique fissure and vertical cave system at this site. No other early Permian site has provided such a wide diversity of parareptilian taxa, part of a complex community of terrestrial vertebrates. The present specimen highlights the fine niche partitioning that appears to have been present among reptiles of this region. creator: Robert R. Reisz creator: Dylan C.T. Rowe creator: Joseph J. Bevitt uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.18393 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0 rights: ©2024 Reisz et al. title: The use of four-pillar regimen for heart failure management: results from the Jordanian Heart Failure Registry (JoHFR) link: https://peerj.com/articles/18464 last-modified: 2024-11-19 description: BackgroundHeart failure (HF) is a complex cardiovascular disease. Effective management typically involves four main medications: angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockers, beta-blockers, angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitors, and mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists, along with sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i). The primary objective of this article is to assess and identify the utilization of four-pillar regimen for HF managment and explore the characteristics of the patients being on the four-pillar regimen in Jordan.MethodsData from the Jordanian HF registry (JoHFR) was analyzed, encompassing records of HF patients treated in various cardiology centers from 2021 to 2023.ResultsThe medical records of 2,151 patients with HF who were admitted to cardiology centers throughout Jordan were collected. Males comprised 58.0% of the included patients. Moreover, 71.0% of patients had chronic HF, whereas the rest, 29.0%, had acute HF. Of these, only 0.6% received the complete four-pillar treatment of HF. Beta-blockers were the most frequently used medication, prescribed to 74% of patients, while SGLT2i were the least common, used by only 9%. Notably, patients with type 2 diabetes were more likely to be on the four-pillar regimen (P-value = 0.016). Additionally, patients with a glomerular filtration rate (GFR) below 60 were more likely to be treated using the four-pillar (P-values = 0.044). The analysis revealed no significant difference in mortality rates between the two groups (P-value = 0.475).ConclusionOur study demonstrated an overall low utilization of the four-pillar regimen for HF treatment in Jordan with several patients’ characteristics associated with it. This highlight the need for enhanced collaborative effort and governmental initiatives to address the challenges of the low utilization of these medications. creator: Mahmoud Izraiq creator: Mustafa Jammal creator: Ahmad A. Toubasi creator: Sae’ed Mari creator: Sarah AlNajafi creator: Ayad Al-Qadasi creator: Khaled Al Maharmeh creator: Maha Almansour creator: Soadad Saleh creator: Yaman Ahmed creator: Hadi Abu-hantash uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.18464 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2024 Izraiq et al. title: Common neural mechanisms supporting time judgements in humans and monkeys link: https://peerj.com/articles/18477 last-modified: 2024-11-19 description: There has been an increasing interest in identifying the biological underpinnings of human time perception, for which purpose research in non-human primates (NHP) is common. Although previous work, based on behaviour, suggests that similar mechanisms support time perception across species, the neural correlates of time estimation in humans and NHP have not been directly compared. In this study, we assess whether brain evoked responses during a time categorization task are similar across species. Specifically, we assess putative differences in post-interval evoked potentials as a function of perceived duration in human EEG (N = 24) and local field potential (LFP) and spike recordings in pre-supplementary motor area (pre-SMA) of one monkey. Event-related potentials (ERPs) differed significantly after the presentation of the temporal interval between “short” and “long” perceived durations in both species, even when the objective duration of the stimuli was the same. Interestingly, the polarity of the reported ERPs was reversed for incorrect trials (i.e., the ERP of a “long” stimulus looked like the ERP of a “short” stimulus when a time categorization error was made). Hence, our results show that post-interval potentials reflect the perceived (rather than the objective) duration of the presented time interval in both NHP and humans. In addition, firing rates in monkey’s pre-SMA also differed significantly between short and long perceived durations and were reversed in incorrect trials. Together, our results show that common neural mechanisms support time categorization in NHP and humans, thereby suggesting that NHP are a good model for investigating human time perception. creator: Julio Rodriguez-Larios creator: Elie Rassi creator: German Mendoza creator: Hugo Merchant creator: Saskia Haegens uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.18477 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2024 Rodriguez-Larios et al. title: NU7441, a selective inhibitor of DNA-PKcs, alleviates intracerebral hemorrhage injury with suppression of ferroptosis in brain link: https://peerj.com/articles/18489 last-modified: 2024-11-19 description: Neuronal apoptosis, oxidative stress, and ferroptosis play a crucial role in the progression of secondary brain injury following intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). Although studies have highlighted the important functions of DNA-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit (DNA-PKcs) in various experimental models, its precise role and mechanism in ICH remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the effects of DNA-PKcs on N2A cells under a hemin-induced hemorrhagic state in vitro and a rat model of collagenase-induced ICH in vivo. The results revealed a notable increase in DNA-PKcs levels during the acute phase of ICH. As anticipated, DNA-PKcs and γ-H2AX had consistent upregulations after ICH. Administration of NU7441, a selective inhibitor of DNA-PKcs, alleviated neurological impairment, histological damage, and ipsilateral brain edema in vivo. Mechanistically, NU7441 attenuated neuronal apoptosis both in vivo and in vitro, alleviated oxidative stress by decreasing ROS levels, and suppressed ferroptosis by enhancing GPX4 activity. These results suggest that inhibition of DNA-PKcs is a promising therapeutic target for ICH. creator: Xiyu Gong creator: Cuiying Peng creator: Zhou Zeng uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.18489 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: © 2024 Gong et al. title: Metabolomic analysis of rice cultivars from diverse production areas link: https://peerj.com/articles/18496 last-modified: 2024-11-19 description: Rice grown in Yunnan Province is known for its excellent taste and consumer preference. However, the metabolite composition of this unique rice remains unclear. In this study, the metabolic profile of different rice planted in various producing regions was evaluated. A total of 1,005 metabolites were identified, including nucleotides and their derivatives, amino acids and their derivatives, alkaloids, organic acids, phenolic acids, lignans and coumarins, lipids, terpenoids, quinones, flavones, tannins, and others. Procucing region and varieties can be clearly distinguished on the PCA diagram. Differential metabolites accumulated in the MSD502 vs. MSR88 (138)/LHHG (234)/LHR88 (188) comparison groups. The results in this study provide scientific information for the origin tracing and variety differentiation of raw rice materials. creator: Xuheng Nie creator: Shuiyan Yang creator: Ying Guo creator: Xin Wang creator: Yunman Wen creator: Chao Liu creator: Fuying Liu uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.18496 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0 rights: © 2024 Nie et al. title: Serum metabolite profiles of thyroid autoimmunity patients in early pregnancy link: https://peerj.com/articles/18534 last-modified: 2024-11-19 description: BackgroundResearch on serum metabolite profiles in thyroid autoimmunity (TAI) patients during early pregnancy is currently limited.Aim & MethodsThe current study aimed to identify differential serum metabolites and assess the relationship between pregnancy outcomes and metabolic abnormalities in individuals with TAI. This research included 26 pregnant women with TAI and 30 healthy controls (HC). We employed a liquid chromatograph mass spectrometer (LC-MS) to analyze changes between the two groups.ResultsNewborns in the TAI patients had lower birth weights than those in the control group (P = 0.007). We identified 92 differential metabolites (including 50 upregulated and 42 downregulated) belonging to amino acids, fatty acyls, glycerophosphocholines, steroid and other categories and four significantly enrichment Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways including taurine and hypotaurine metabolism, citrate cycle (TCA cycle), glyoxylate and dicarboxylate metabolism and 2-oxocarboxylic acid metabolism. We further identified 15 characteristic metabolites (6-Methylquinoline, D-erythrose 4-phosphate, 4-Hydroxyisoleucine, phosphatidylcholine (PC)(16:2e/16:0), N3,N4-Dimethyl-L-arginine, N-desmethyltramadol, 3-Methoxybenzaldehyde, sphingomyelin (SM)(d14:3/28:2), gamma-Glutamylleucine, NSI-189, 3-(1-cyano-1,2-dihydroisoquinolin-2-yl)-3-oxopropyl propionate, lysophosphatidylinositol (LPI) 16:0, cis-Aconitic acid, polyamide (PA)(18:1/18:2) and fatty acyl esters of hydroxy fatty acid (FAHFA)(17:0/18:0)) using least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression. Correlation analyses revealed that 6-Methylquinoline, D-erythrose 4-phosphate, gamma-Glutamylleucine, and LPI 16:0 exhibited a positive correlation with anemia before delivery, while 3-(1-cyano-1,2-dihydroisoquinolin-2-yl)-3-oxopropyl propionate had a negative correlation. LPI 16:0 displayed a positive correlation with uric acid (UA) during both middle and late pregnancy, whereas 3-Methoxybenzaldehyde exhibited a negative correlation with UA in late pregnancy. Cis-Aconitic acid showed a positive correlation with fasting blood glucose (FBG) in middle pregnancy. Conversely, 6-Methylquinoline and 4-Hydroxyisoleucine had a negative correlation with birth weight. Thyroid autoantibodies were found to be associated with 14 metabolites identified using LASSO, with the exception of PA (18:1/18:2).ConclusionsOur findings provide new evidence supporting the early screening of serum metabolites and their potential for predicting adverse pregnancy outcomes in women with TAI. creator: Zhaoying Chen creator: Zhenyu Lin creator: Yiyang Gao creator: Xiaohui Jin creator: Kan Chen creator: Chenxi Zhang creator: Zhongyan Shan creator: Weiping Teng creator: Jing Li uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.18534 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0 rights: ©2024 Chen et al.