title: PeerJ description: Articles published in PeerJ link: https://peerj.com/articles/index.rss3?journal=peerj&page=212 creator: info@peerj.com PeerJ errorsTo: info@peerj.com PeerJ language: en title: Prioritising non-native fish species for management actions in three Polish rivers using the newly developed tool—dispersal-origin-status-impact scheme link: https://peerj.com/articles/18300 last-modified: 2024-10-31 description: BackgroundBiological invasions are a major threat to global biodiversity, with freshwater ecosystems being among the most susceptible to the successful establishment of non-native species and their respective potential impacts. In Poland, the introduction and spreading of non-native fish has led to biodiversity loss and ecosystem homogenisation.MethodsOur study applies the Dispersal-Origin-Status-Impact (DOSI) assessment scheme, which is a population-level specific assessment that integrates multiple factors, including dispersal mechanisms, origin, status, and impacts, providing a nuanced framework for assessing invasion risks at local and regional levels. We used this tool to evaluate the risks associated with non-native fish species across three major Polish rivers (Pilica, Bzura, and Skrwa Prawa) and to prioritise them for management actions.ResultsUsing DOSI, we assessed eight non-native species identified in the three studied rivers: seven in both Pilica and Bzura and four in Skrwa Prawa. The DOSI assessment scheme identified high variability in the ecological impacts and management priorities among the identified non-native species. Notably, species such as the Ponto-Caspian gobies exhibited higher risk levels due to their rapid spread and considerable ecological effects, contrasting with other species that demonstrated lower impact levels and, hence, received a lower priority for intervention.ConclusionThe adoption of the DOSI scheme in three major rivers in Poland has provided valuable insights into the complexities of managing biological invasions, suggesting that localised, detailed assessments are crucial for effective conservation strategies and highlighting the importance of managing non-native populations locally. creator: Dagmara Błońska creator: Joanna Grabowska creator: Ali S. Tarkan creator: Ismael Soto creator: Phillip J. Haubrock uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.18300 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2024 Błońska et al. title: FastProtein—an automated software for in silico proteomic analysis link: https://peerj.com/articles/18309 last-modified: 2024-10-31 description: Although various tools provide proteomic information, each tool has limitations related to execution platforms, libraries, versions, and data output format. Integrating data generated from different software is a laborious process that can prolong analysis time. Here, we present FastProtein, a protein analysis pipeline that is user-friendly, easily installable, and outputs important information about subcellular location, transmembrane domains, signal peptide, molecular weight, isoelectric point, hydropathy, aromaticity, gene ontology, endoplasmic reticulum retention domains, and N-glycosylation domains. It also helps determine the presence of glycosylphosphatidylinositol and obtain functional information from InterProScan, PANTHER, Pfam, and alignment-based annotation searches. FastProtein provides the scientific community with an easy-to-use computational tool for proteomic data analysis. It is applicable to both small datasets and proteome-wide studies. It can be used through the command line interface mode or a web interface installed on a local server. FastProtein significantly enhances proteomics analysis workflows by producing multiple results in a single-step process, thereby streamlining and accelerating the overall analysis. The software is open-source and freely available. Installation and execution instructions, as well as the source code and test files generated for tool validation, are available at https://github.com/bioinformatics-ufsc/FastProtein. creator: Renato Simões Moreira creator: Vilmar Benetti Filho creator: Guilherme Augusto Maia creator: Tatiany Aparecida Teixeira Soratto creator: Eric Kazuo Kawagoe creator: Bruna Caroline Russi creator: Luiz Cláudio Miletti creator: Glauber Wagner uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.18309 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2024 Moreira et al. title: Factors influencing health-promoting behavior among single mothers in Northeastern Malaysia: a cross-sectional study link: https://peerj.com/articles/18359 last-modified: 2024-10-31 description: IntroductionHealth-promoting behaviors (HPB) play a vital role in maintaining and enhancing overall well-being. Single mothers are at higher risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and less involvement in HPB due to psychosocial disadvantages.ObjectiveThis study aimed to determine the HPB scores and factors influencing HPB among single mothers in Kelantan (Northeastern, Malaysia).MethodsThis study employed a cross-sectional design, selecting 242 single mothers from Kelantan through proportional stratified sampling. Data were gathered through questionnaires covering sociodemographic details, the Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile-II (HPLP-II), the Malay Version of Health Beliefs Related to Cardiovascular Disease (HBCVD-M), and Multidimensional Perceived Social Support (MPSS). The relationships between the dependent variable (HPB) and independent variables were analyzed using multivariable linear regression models.ResultsThe respondents achieved an average HPB score of 118.03 (SD = 19.2), with the highest mean scores in spiritual growth (22.46 [SD = 3.70]) and interpersonal relationships (22.05 [SD = 3.67]). Physical activity had the lowest mean score at 15.09 (SD = 4.62). Significant positive associations were found between HPB and perceived severity of CVD (adjusted β = 1.60; 95% CI [0.68–2.53]; p < 0.001) as well as perceived social support (adjusted β = 0.63; 95% CI [0.37–0.90]; p < 0.001). Conversely, educational level (adjusted β = −10.36; 95% CI [−16.06 to −4.67]; p < 0.001) and perceived benefits of reducing CVD risk (adjusted β = −1.43; 95% CI [−2.37 to −0.48]; p < 0.001) were negatively associated with HPB.ConclusionsThe findings highlight the importance of health beliefs, social support, and education in shaping HPB among single mothers. Community health initiatives targeting this population should develop strategies to strengthen individuals’ health beliefs and promote a supportive environment. creator: Saidah Adilah Mohamed Yusof creator: Tengku Alina Tengku Ismail creator: Kamarul Imran Musa creator: Hasmaryanti Kamaruzzaman uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.18359 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2024 Mohamed Yusof et al. title: Prognostic and therapeutic potential of gene profiles related to tertiary lymphoid structures in colorectal cancer link: https://peerj.com/articles/18401 last-modified: 2024-10-31 description: The role of tertiary lymphoid structures (TLS) in oncology is gaining interest, particularly in colorectal carcinoma, yet a thorough analysis remains elusive. This study pioneered a novel TLS quantification system for prognostic and therapeutic response prediction in colorectal carcinoma, alongside a comprehensive depiction of the TLS landscape. Utilizing single-cell sequencing, we established a TLS score within the Tumor Immune Microenvironment (TIME). Analysis of tertiary lymphoid structure-related genes (TLSRGs) in 1,184 patients with colon adenocarcinoma/rectum adenocarcinoma (COADREAD) from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases led to the identification of two distinct molecular subtypes. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) further segregated these patients into gene subtypes. A TLS score was formulated using gene set variation analysis (GSVA) and its efficacy in predicting immunotherapy outcomes was validated in two independent cohorts. High-scoring patients exhibited a ‘hot’ immune phenotype, correlating with enhanced immunotherapy efficacy. Key genes in our model, including C5AR1, APOE, CYR1P1, and SPP1, were implicated in COADREAD cell proliferation, invasion, and PD-L1 expression. These insights offer a novel approach to colorectal carcinoma treatment, emphasizing TLS targeting as a potential anti-tumor strategy. creator: Jinglu Yu creator: Yabin Gong creator: Xiaowei Huang creator: Yufang Bao uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.18401 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: © 2024 Yu et al. title: The role and underlying mechanisms of irisin in exercise-mediated cardiovascular protection link: https://peerj.com/articles/18413 last-modified: 2024-10-31 description: Irisin, a product of the post-translational processing of fibronectin type III domain-containing protein 5 (FNDC5), is a novel myokine which is upregulated during exercise. This hormone not only promotes the transformation of white adipose tissue into a brown-fat-like phenotype but also enhances energy expenditure and mitigates fat accumulation. Its role is crucial in the management of certain metabolic disorders such as diabetes and heart disease. Of note, the type of exercise performed significantly affects blood irisin levels, indicating the critical role of physical activity in regulating this hormone. This article aims to summarize the current scientific understanding of the role of irisin and the mechanisms through which it mediates cardiovascular protection through exercise. Moreover, this article aims to establish irisin as a potential target for preventing and treating cardiovascular diseases. creator: Wenhuang Guo creator: Jianwei Peng creator: Jiarui Su creator: Jingbo Xia creator: Weiji Deng creator: Peilun Li creator: Yilin Chen creator: Guoqing Liu creator: Shen Wang creator: Junhao Huang uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.18413 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: © 2024 Guo et al. title: Rotating cell culture system-induced injectable self-assembled microtissues with epidermal stem cells for full-thickness skin repair link: https://peerj.com/articles/18418 last-modified: 2024-10-31 description: Epidermal stem cells (EpSCs) are crucial for wound healing and tissue regeneration, and traditional culture methods often lead to their inactivation. It is urgent to increase the yield of high quality EpSCs. In this study, primary EpSCs were isolated and cultured in a serum-free, feeder-free culture system. EpSCs are then expanded in a dynamic 3D environment using a rotating cell culture system (RCCS) with biodegradable porous microcarriers (MC). Over a period of 14 days, the cells self-assembled into microtissues with superior cell proliferation compared to 3D static culture. Immunofluorescence and qPCR analyses consistently showed that the stemness of the 3D microtissues was preserved, especially the COL17A1 associated with anti-aging was highly expressed in RCCS induced microtissues. In vivo experiments demonstrated that the group treated with 3D microtissues loaded with EpSCs showed enhanced early wound healing, and the injectable 3D microtissues were more conducive to maintaining cell viability and differentiation potential. Our study provides valuable insights into the dynamic 3D culture of EpSCs and introduces an injectable therapy using 3D microtissues loaded with EpSCs, which provides a new and effective approach for cell delivery and offering a promising strategy for guiding the regeneration of full-thickness skin defects. creator: Min Zhang creator: Meng Huang creator: Xixi Dong creator: Yibo Wang creator: Luyue Zhang creator: Zhaoxiang Wang creator: Junkai Cao uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.18418 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: © 2024 Zhang et al. title: Use of intravenous immunoglobulin in antiphospholipid antibody positive patients with high risk of miscarriage: a systematic review and meta-analysis link: https://peerj.com/articles/18419 last-modified: 2024-10-31 description: ObjectiveThe purpose of the present study was to evaluate whether intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) increases live birth rates and improves neonatal results in patients with antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) at high-risk for miscarriage.BackgroundPositivity of aPL in pregnant women is a high-risk factor for miscarriage, and IVIG treatment has emerged as a potential intervention.MethodsThe Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guideline was employed to search multiple electronic databases for articles published until August 20, 2023, including PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Scopus and Medline. The inclusion criteria encompassed studies assessing the efficacy of IVIG in aPL-positive patients with a high risk of miscarriage. Relevant articles were assessed for the quality and data were extracted for analysis. Two independent reviewers performed study selection, data extraction, and quality assessments. The risk of bias was evaluated according to the Cochrane risk of bias tool. All analyses were conducted using Review Manager 5.3.ResultsThis systematic review included nine randomized controlled trials, with 366 aPL-positive women at high risk of miscarriage. These studies included in this review were randomized controlled trials. The primary outcome measures were successful pregnancy outcomes and live birth rates. The secondary outcomes included obstetric complications, and neonatal outcomes (such as birth weight and live-birth rate). The comparison between the intervention and control groups revealed no significant differences in terms of obstetric complications and neonatal outcomes. The group receiving IVIG treatment had a higher prevalence of preterm deliveries than controls (OR = 2.05, I2 = 46%, 95% CI [0.58–5.24]), but also exhibited a partial improvement in live birth rates (OR = 2.86, I2 = 52%, 95% CI [1.04–7.90]), because it reduced the number of miscarriages (OR = 0.35, I2 = 52%, 95% CI [0.13–0.96]).ConclusionBased on the available evidence, IVIG intervention appears to be a potentially effective approach for managing of aPL-positive pregnant women with high risk of miscarriage. While IVIG shows significant potential in tripling the chances of having a live-born child, further large-scale randomized controlled trials are necessary, preferably comparing IVIG with hydroxychloroquine or lifestyle and dietary interventions, to refine treatment protocols and ensure the most effective application. creator: Xin Yuan creator: Wei Zhang creator: Tong Wang creator: Peng Jiang creator: Zong-kui Wang creator: Chang-qing Li uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.18419 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: © 2024 Yuan et al. title: Prevalence of anxiety, depression, stress and insomnia among healthcare professionals during COVID-19 in Africa: umbrella review of existing meta-analyses link: https://peerj.com/articles/18108 last-modified: 2024-10-30 description: IntroductionIn Africa, healthcare professionals experienced various mental health problems during COVID-19. However, very little was done on the extensive evidence regarding mental disorders. The purpose of this umbrella review is to provide comprehensive data on the prevalence of anxiety, depression, stress, and insomnia among healthcare professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa.Materials and MethodsSystematic searches of databases African Journals Online, MedRxiv, PubMed, and Google Scholar were used to identify studies from the occurrence of COVID-19 from December 2019 to March 2023 were included. To pool the gathered data for results with a 95% confidence interval (CI), DerSimonian-Laird random effects meta-analysis was used. For heterogeneity examination, I2 was used. The quality assessment was evaluated by using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) critical appraisal checklist.ResultsA total of five studies reported the prevalence of depression, the pooled prevalence was 53.75% (95% CI [40.80–66.70], I2 = 63.6%, p = 0.027). In a total of four studies, the pooled prevalence of anxiety was 49.97% (95% CI [34.71–65.23], I2 = 71.26%, p = 0.014). From a total of two studies, the pooled prevalence of stress was 57.27% (95% CI [42.28–72.25], I2 = 58.9%, p = 0.119). From a total of four studies, the pooled prevalence of insomnia was 45.16% (95% CI [32.94–57.39], I2 = 50.8%, p = 0.107).ConclusionsThe COVID-19 pandemic highly affects the mental health of healthcare professionals in Africa. Stress, depression, anxiety, and insomnia symptoms were representing the most common based on evidences from existing meta-analyses. This evidence can help experts when executing specific interventions that address mental health problems among healthcare professionals during future public health crises. creator: Aragaw Asfaw Hasen creator: Ahmed Adem Mohammed creator: Abubeker Alebachew Seid uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.18108 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2024 Hasen et al. title: The Argyreia collinsiae species complex (Convolvulaceae): phenetic analysis and geographic distribution reveal subspecies new to science link: https://peerj.com/articles/18294 last-modified: 2024-10-30 description: Argyreia Lour. is a speciose genus in the Convolvulaceae. However, the genus contains several problematic species complexes due to their morphological similarity. In this study, we aimed to resolve the Argyreia collinsiae complex, which consists of four similar operational taxonomic units (OTUs), i.e., A. collinsiae (Craib) Na Songkhla & Traiperm, A. dokmaihom Traiperm & Staples, A. versicolor (Kerr) Staples & Traiperm, and a peculiar OTU typically known as the large-bract morphotype of A. collinsiae. Following morphological comparison and phenetic analysis, all four OTUs were found to be distinct. However, the large-bract morphotype of A. collinsiae was confirmed to be more closely related to the original morphotype of A. collinsiae than to the other two species. Species distribution modeling (SDM) was then conducted for both morphotypes of A. collinsiae, revealing different geographical ranges of suitable habitat for each. In conclusion, the large-bract morphotype of A. collinsiae was described in this study as a new subspecies, A. collinsiae subsp. megabracteata Traiperm & Srisombat, subsp. nov., based on morphological differences and separate geographic range. We also provide here an identification key, description, detailed illustrations, distribution data, and ecological notes of the new subspecies. An updated description of A. versicolor and an assessment of its conservation status were also prepared since the original description was based solely on dried herbarium specimens and lacks key details. creator: Poompat Srisombat creator: Natthaphong Chitchak creator: Pantamith Rattanakrajang creator: Alyssa B. Stewart creator: Paweena Traiperm uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.18294 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2024 Srisombat et al. title: Impact of three weeks of integrative neuromuscular training on the athletic performance of elite female boxers link: https://peerj.com/articles/18311 last-modified: 2024-10-30 description: ObjectivesTo investigate the effects of integrative neuromuscular training (INT) on the athletic performance of elite female boxers.MethodsA before-and-after controlled experiment was conducted on 37 elite Chinese female boxers (Age: 26.00 ± 3.11 years). All included athletes have competed at the international level. The INT intervention was administered 11 times per week for 3 weeks. This training includes strength training, explosive training, core stability, agility exercises, high intensity intervals and sprint intervals. Basic physical fitness tests, including the deep squat and bench press one-repetition maximum (1RM), vertical long jump, 30 m sprint run, 400 m run, 3,000 m run, 1-minute hexagonal jump, and 3-minute double shake; as well as specialized striking ability tests, including single-punch striking and 10-second, 30-second, and 3-minute continuous punching, were conducted before and after the intervention.ResultsCompared with pre-intervention baseline data, significant differences were found in the athletes’ post-intervention baseline physical fitness, including squat and beach press (1RM), vertical jump, 30 m sprint run, 400 m run, 3,000 m run, 1-minute hexagonal jump, and 3-minute double shake (p < 0.05). Additionally, 10-second, 30-second, and 3-minute continuous punching were significantly different compared with pre-intervention (p < 0.05). However, no significant differences were found in single punch power (p > 0.05).ConclusionThe 3-week INT can significantly improve the maximum strength, vertical explosive power, linear acceleration, agility, and continuous punching abilities of Chinese elite female boxers. The use of INT in physical training may enhance their athletic performance. creator: Zhen Niu creator: Zijing Huang creator: Gan Zhao creator: Chao Chen uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.18311 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2024 Niu et al.