title: PeerJ description: Articles published in PeerJ link: https://peerj.com/articles/index.rss3?journal=peerj&page=204 creator: info@peerj.com PeerJ errorsTo: info@peerj.com PeerJ language: en title: Effects of plastic ingestion on blood chemistry, gene expression and body condition in wedge-tailed shearwaters (Ardenna pacifica) link: https://peerj.com/articles/18566 last-modified: 2024-11-27 description: Plastic pollution is a global threat and occurs in almost every marine ecosystem. The amount of plastic in the ocean has increased substantially over the past decade, posing a mounting threat to biodiversity. Seabirds, typically top predators in marine food chains, have been negatively affected by plastic pollution. Here we explored the sublethal effects of plastic ingested by wedge-tailed shearwaters (Ardenna pacifica) on the island of Maui, Hawai‘ i. Using analyses of blood chemistry, gene expression, morphometrics and regurgitated stomach contents, we investigated the effects of plastic ingestion on adult wedge-tailed shearwaters from three established colonies. We detected plastic in 12 out of 28 birds; however, we did not find significant relationships between ingested plastic, body condition, gene expression and blood analytes. We found a negative relationship between weight, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), hematocrit and potassium, that could reflect body condition in this population. Genes associated with metabolic, biosynthetic pathways, inflammatory responses, and ribosome function were also upregulated in birds placed in a ‘light weight’ category. We suggest that upregulated metabolic activity and elevated levels of hematocrit, BUN and potassium in light weight birds might imply dehydration and a response to increased energetic demand from stressors. Repetitive sampling could better inform whether body condition improves throughout the breeding season. We urge researchers to continue using multiple proxies to study effect of plastic ingestion in free-living populations. creator: Nicole Mejia creator: Flavia Termignoni-Garcia creator: Jennifer Learned creator: Jay Penniman creator: Scott V. Edwards uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.18566 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0 rights: ©2024 Mejia et al. title: Spatiotemporal prediction of alpine wetlands under multi-climate scenarios in the west of Sichuan, China link: https://peerj.com/articles/18586 last-modified: 2024-11-27 description: BackgroundThe alpine wetlands in western Sichuan are distributed along the eastern section of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP), where the ecological environment is fragile and highly sensitive to global climate change. These wetlands are already experiencing severe ecological and environmental issues, such as drought, retrogressive succession, and desertification. However, due to the limitations of computational models, previous studies have been unable to adequately understand the spatiotemporal change trends of these alpine wetlands.MethodsWe employed a large sample and composite supervised classification algorithms to classify alpine wetlands and generate wetland maps, based on the Google Earth Engine cloud computing platform. The thematic maps were then grid-sampled for predictive modeling of future wetland changes. Four species distribution models (SDMs), BIOCLIM, DOMAIN, MAXENT, and GARP were innovatively introduced. Using the WorldClim dataset as environmental variables, we predicted the future distribution of wetlands in western Sichuan under multiple climate scenarios.ResultsThe Kappa coefficients for Landsat 8 and Sentinel 2 were 0.89 and 0.91, respectively. Among the four SDMs, MAXENT achieved a higher accuracy (α = 91.6%) for the actual wetland compared to the thematic overlay analysis. The area under the curve (AUC) of the MAXENT model simulations for wetland spatial distribution were all greater than 0.80. This suggests that incorporating the SDM model into land change simulations has high generalizability and significant advantages on a large scale. Furthermore, simulation results reveal that between 2021 and 2100 years, with increasing emission concentrations, highly suitable areas for wetland development exhibit significant spatial differentiation. In particular, wetland areas in high-altitude regions are expected to increase, while low-altitude regions will markedly shrink. The changes in the future spatial distribution of wetlands show a high level of consistency with historical climate changes, with warming being the main driving force behind the spatiotemporal changes in alpine wetlands in western Sichuan, especially evident in the central high-altitude and northern low-altitude areas. creator: Haijun Wang creator: Xiangdong Kong creator: Onanong Phewnil creator: Ji Luo creator: Pengju Li creator: Xiyong Chen creator: Tianhui Xie uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.18586 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: © 2024 Wang et al. title: Assessment of erectile dysfunction prevalence and associated factors in hypertensive men link: https://peerj.com/articles/18596 last-modified: 2024-11-27 description: BackgroundThis study aimed to assess the prevalence of erectile dysfunction and identify associated factors among male patients with hypertension.MethodsA cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted. Data were gathered from 223 individuals aged 18 and above, solely diagnosed with hypertension. Information was collected through face-to-face questionnaires, personal identification forms, and the 5-question version of the International Sexual Function Index Scale.ResultsAmong the participants, 81.6% exhibited erectile dysfunction, with a mean total score of 18.72 ± 3.60 on the 5-question version of the International Index of Erectile Function Questionnaire, indicating a mild level of dysfunction. Older age, smoking, lower educational attainment, and use of beta blockers were associated with higher levels of erectile dysfunction (p < 0.05).DiscussionTo mitigate modifiable risk factors influencing erectile dysfunction severity in hypertensive males, promoting healthy lifestyle choices, including diet, exercise, physiotherapy, and psychosocial support, as well as educating patients and their partners, could prove beneficial as non-pharmacological interventions. creator: Mahruk Rashidi creator: Neşe Kıskaç creator: Deniz Kaya Meral creator: Sultan Çakmak creator: Ebru Durusoy creator: Aydın Nart creator: Dilara Cengizli creator: Esra Özer creator: Meltem Aslan creator: Muharrem Kıskaç uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.18596 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2024 Rashidi et al. title: The effects of plasma from patients with active thyroid-associated orbitopathy on the survival and inflammation of melanoma-associated fibroblasts link: https://peerj.com/articles/18612 last-modified: 2024-11-27 description: BackgroundPlasma from patients with active thyroid-associated orbitopathy (TAO-A) could cause inflammation to fibroblasts, and such a mechanism was explored in the context of melanoma.MethodsPlasma samples collected from TAO-A patients and healthy control (HC) were primarily co-cultured with the melanoma-associated fibroblasts (MAFs) derived from melanoma patients. The survival and inflammation of the co-cultured MAFs were measured after confirming the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Ki67 and Vimentin (VIM) markers were analyzed by immunofluorescence, and cell survival and migration were assessed using cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) and Transwell. The THP-1 cells were induced to differentiate into macrophages, which were subsequently co-cultured to assess M1/M2 polarization status. Meanwhile, the levels of inflammatory factor were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The gene expression was measured by reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR), and the activation of PI3K/AKT, STAT1, p65, and ERK signaling pathways was detected by Western Blot.ResultsPlasmas derived from TAO-A patients were characterized by elevated levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, which enhanced the inflammation status and survival of MAFs, promoted the levels of PI3K and AKT, and downregulated expression of Bax. The co-culture of the plasma with MAFs evidently promoted M1 polarization and the phosphorylation of STAT1, P65 and ERK1/2.ConclusionThese findings proved the effects of the plasmas of TAO-A patients on the survival and inflammation of MAFs, providing evidence for future studies to delve into the relevant mechanisms. creator: Huifang Chen creator: Shiyuan Chen creator: Zhenfeng Liu uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.18612 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: © 2024 Chen et al. title: Tibetan red deer (Cervus canadensis wallichi) diet composition patterns and associations during lean seasons in Tibet, China link: https://peerj.com/articles/18614 last-modified: 2024-11-27 description: Tibetan red deer (Cervus canadensis wallichi) in the high-altitude environment of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau could face seasonal challenges from food shortages and nutritional deficiencies but the nutritional requirements are complex. Analyzing diet composition pattern(s) is the first step to disentangle this complexity. From a systematic perspective, we hypothesize that: (A) diet composition pattern or patterns exist within the population and (B) a portion of the diet beyond characterized diet combinations will consist of random combinations. In this study, we investigated diet composition patterns of a Tibetan red deer population distributed in the Sangri Red Deer Reserve, Tibet Autonomous Region, during the harsh lean season. In March 2021 and 2022, we searched for Tibetan red deer in the reserve and collected freshly defecated samples. Diet composition at the individual level was determined using micro-histological analysis, followed by k-means clustering and co-occurrence network analysis to reveal population level diet composition patterns. Diet composition of Tibetan red deer included 14 and 19 plant species (or genera) in 2021 and 2022, respectively. K-means clustering indicated two distinct diet patterns within the population across both sampling periods. In 2021, diet composition of both clusters was dominated by Salix spp. (58.49% and 33.67%). In 2022, R. macrophylla had the highest ranking and occupied 34.83% of diet composition in the first cluster while Salix spp. (39.39%) was the most consumed food in the second cluster. Results of co-occurrence networks showed positively associated food combinations of less dominant food items, with a staple food occurring in all food item pairs in both years. However, randomness accounted for 95.83% and 93% of all food item pairs in 2021 and 2022, respectively, which implies a stable dietary complex system. The 2022 co-occurrence network displayed complex associations, while the 2021 network exhibited limited and simple associations. Our results suggest that Tibetan red deer fulfill their nutritional requirements by consuming high quantities of several food items or a balanced combination of foods with complex co-occurrence associations to overcome potential food shortages, but multilayer networks containing nutritional values and food availabilities are necessary to entangle the complexity of the dietary system. creator: Xiaoping Liang creator: Kaili Wei creator: Qinfang Li creator: Aaron Gooley creator: Minghai Zhang creator: Jingjing Yu creator: Zhongbin Wang creator: Changxiao Yin creator: Weiqi Zhang uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.18614 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0 rights: ©2024 Liang et al. title: Comparative efficacy and safety of 180 W XPS vs. 120 W HPS GreenLight laser therapy for benign prostatic hyperplasia: a systematic review and meta-analysis link: https://peerj.com/articles/18615 last-modified: 2024-11-27 description: ObjectivesTo compare the surgical and functional outcomes of the 120 W HPS and 180 W XPS GreenLight laser vaporization systems in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).MethodsIn January 2024, a comprehensive search across PubMed, Cochrane Library, and EMBASE was conducted following PRISMA guidelines, registered under PROSPERO (CRD42024531176). Studies comparing 120 W and 180 W GreenLight lasers in BPH treatment were assessed for clinical outcomes.ResultsEight studies were included. The 180 W XPS system improved operation time (MD: 12.70, 95% CI [5.29–20.11], p = 0.0008), lasing duration (MD: 10.09, 95% CI [0.85–19.33], p = 0.03), and catheterization duration (MD: 0.43, 95% CI [0.12–0.74], p = 0.007). No significant differences in energy consumption, energy density, or length of hospital stay were found. Functional outcomes such as International Prostate Symptom Score and maximum urinary flow rate showed no significant differences, except in quality of life (MD: 0.43, 95% CI [0.06–0.80], p = 0.02) and prostate-specific antigen levels (MD: −0.77, 95% CI [−1.28 to −0.25], p = 0.003). The 180 W system exhibited a lower rate of overall (OR: 1.52, 95% CI [1.14–2.04], p = 0.005) and minor complications (OR: 1.84, 95% CI [1.27–2.66], p = 0.001), with no significant differences in major complications or other adverse events.ConclusionsThe 180 W XPS system demonstrates enhanced efficiency and reduced complication rates, offering a favorable option for BPH treatment, particularly for larger prostates. Future studies should focus on randomized trials to confirm these findings and assess long-term outcomes. creator: Min Wang creator: Yu Xi creator: Zan Qiu creator: Nanxiang Huang creator: Li Zhang creator: Jinlong Liu uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.18615 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2024 Wang et al. title: Viral metagenomic investigation of two Caribbean echinoderms, Diadema antillarum (Echinoidea) and Holothuria floridana (Holothuria) link: https://peerj.com/articles/18321 last-modified: 2024-11-26 description: BackgroundEchinoderms play crucial roles in coral reef ecosystems, where they are significant detritivores and herbivores. The phylum is widely known for its boom and bust cycles, driven by food availability, predation pressure and mass mortalities. Hence, surveillance of potential pathogens and associates of grossly normal specimens is important to understanding their roles in ecology and mass mortality.MethodsWe performed viral surveillance in two common coral reef echinoderms, Diadema antillarum and Holothuria floridana, using metagenomics. Urchin specimens were obtained during the 2022 Diadema antillarum scuticociliatosis mass mortality event from the Caribbean and grossly normal H. floridana specimens from a reef in Florida. Viral metagenomes were assembled and aligned against viral genomes and protein encoding regions. Metagenomic reads and previously sequenced transcriptomes were further investigated for putative viral elements by Kraken2.ResultsD. antillarum was devoid of viruses typically seen in echinoderms, but H. floridana yielded viral taxa similar to those found in other sea cucumbers, including Pisoniviricetes (Picornaviruses), Ellioviricetes (Bunyaviruses), and Magsaviricetes (Nodaviruses). The lack of viruses detected in D. antillarum may be due to the large amount of host DNA in viral metagenomes, or because viruses are less abundant in D. antillarum tissues when compared to H. floridana tissues. Our results also suggest that RNA amplification approach may influence viral representation in viral metagenomes. While our survey was successful in describing viruses associated with both echinoderms, our results indicate that viruses are less pronounced in D. antillarum than in other echinoderms. These results are important in context of wider investigation on the association between viruses and D. antillarum mass mortalities, since the conventional method used in this study was unsuccessful. creator: Ian Hewson creator: Marilyn Brandt creator: Kayla Budd creator: Mya Breitbart creator: Christopher DeRito creator: Samuel Gittens Jr creator: Michael W. Henson creator: Alwin Hylkema creator: Moriah Sevier creator: Matthew Souza creator: Brayan Vilanova-Cuevas creator: Sarah Von Hoene uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.18321 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2024 Hewson et al. title: Early-diverging plesiosaurs from the Pliensbachian (Lower Jurassic) of northwestern Germany link: https://peerj.com/articles/18408 last-modified: 2024-11-26 description: The knowledge of Pliensbachian (Early Jurassic, ∼192.9–184.2 Ma) plesiosaurs is notoriously insufficient. Although there have been specimens described from different parts of the world, only three of them have been established as diagnosable taxa. Here, we describe two previously unreported lower Pliensbachian plesiosaur occurrences that originate from two sites located in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. One of the new occurrences is represented by three cervical and three indeterminable vertebrae from Werther, the other includes two associated pectoral or anterior dorsal vertebrae from Bielefeld. Although highly incomplete, the Werther individual, which derived from the Uptonia jamesoni Zone, is found to represent the only reliably identified early Pliensbachian pliosaurid known to date. Its material is geographically and stratigraphically proximate to the late Pliensbachian pliosaurid Arminisaurus schuberti, found in a clay-pit located in the Bielefeld district of Jöllenbeck. However, even though the Werther plesiosaur and A. schuberti show a broadly similar morphology of the preserved cervical section, a precise identification of the Werther taxon is currently impossible. creator: Sven Sachs creator: Jahn J. Hornung creator: Daniel Madzia uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.18408 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2024 Sachs et al. title: Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis was the specific risk factors of methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus spine infection: a retrospective study in a single center link: https://peerj.com/articles/18432 last-modified: 2024-11-26 description: AimTo investigate how risk factors and reduced spinal mobility contribute to spinal infections arising from methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) bacteremia, known for increased mortality and diagnostic difficulties, especially in patients with septic shock or coma.MethodsThis retrospective study divided MSSA bacteremia patients into three groups: spinal infections (Group A, n = 14), non-spinal/implant infections (Group B, n = 24), and implant-related infections (Group C, n = 21). Analyses focused on demographics, medical history, laboratory inflammatory markers at antibiotic initiation, and spinal pathologies detected by CT. All results of the statistical analyses were significant at P < 0.05. We employed multinomial univariable logistic regression and contingency table analysis to assess risk factors across three groups. Subsequently, binomial multivariable logistic regression was used to compare Group A against Groups B and C, successfully identifying significant predictors of spinal infection.ResultsA lower incidence of diabetes (p = 0.029), higher C-reactive protein (CRP) levels at onset (p = 0.014), and the presence of diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH); p = 0.022) were significantly associated with spinal infections in Group A. Furthermore, binomial analysis revealed DISH (Odds Ratio (OR) = 41.750; 95% Confidence Interval (CI) [1.86–939.0]; p = 0.019), absence of diabetes (OR = 1.20, CI [1.01–1.43], p = 0.038), elevated CRP (OR = 23.34, CI [1.13–483.4], p = 0.042), and a lower day 3/day 1 white blood cell (WBC) ratio (OR = 0.964, CI [0.93–1.00], p = 0.047) as risk factors when compared with other groups.ConclusionSpinal infection patients with MSSA bacteremia are less likely to have diabetes and more likely to have higher initial CRP levels and DISH. Notably, DISH might be emerging as a distinctive risk factor for spinal infection, underscoring its potential as a marker for clinical awareness. creator: Kaori Endo uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.18432 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2024 Endo title: Immuno-oncologic profiling by stage-dependent transcriptome and proteome analyses of spontaneously regressing canine cutaneous histiocytoma link: https://peerj.com/articles/18444 last-modified: 2024-11-26 description: Canine cutaneous histiocytoma (CCH) is a tumor that originates from dermal Langerhans cells and affects particularly young dogs. The common spontaneous regression of CCH makes it an interesting model in comparative oncology research. Previous studies have indicated that anti-tumor immune responses may be involved, but details remain speculative to date. Here, we asked which specific immuno-oncological dynamics underlie spontaneous regression of CCH on mRNA and protein levels. QuantSeq 3′ mRNA sequencing with functional over-representation analysis and an nCounter RNA hybridization assay were employed on 21 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded CCH samples representing three different tumor stages (dataset information: GSE261387—Immuno-Oncologic Profiling by Stage-Dependent Transcriptome and Proteome Analyses of Spontaneously Regressing Canine Cutaneous Histiocytoma—OmicsDI). Nine additional samples were subjected to matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry imaging (MALDI-MSI). Surprisingly, only minor stage-specific differences were found. When we investigated expression of B7 family ligands and CD28 family receptors holding co-stimulatory and -inhibitory functions, respectively, we found a higher abundance of CD80, CD86, CTLA4 and CD28, which may trigger a balanced activation of lymphocyte-mediated immune responses. CD80 and CD86 expressing cells were further quantified by in situ hybridization and compared with data from three cases of canine histiocytic sarcoma (HS), a malignant tumor variant originating from antigen-presenting interstitial dendritic cells. A stage-specific increase of CD80 expressing cells was recorded in CCH from the tumor bottom to the top, while CD86 was continuously and homogenously expressed at high levels. Overall expression of CD80 in CCH was similar to that in HS (73.3 ± 37.4% vs 62.1 ± 46.4%), while significantly more CD86 expressing tumor cells were found in CCH (94.7 ± 10.3%) when compared to HS (57.6 ± 11.0%). Our data suggest that major immuno-oncological pathways are not regulated during regression of CCH on the mRNA or protein levels as detectable by the methods used. Instead, our data provide further evidence supporting previous hypotheses towards a role of immune stimulatory B7 family ligands and CD28 family receptors in the regression of CCH. creator: Alina K. Loriani Fard creator: Alexander Haake creator: Vladimir Jovanovic creator: Sandro Andreotti creator: Michael Hummel creator: Benjamin-Florian Hempel creator: Achim D. Gruber uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.18444 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: © 2024 Loriani Fard et al.