title: PeerJ description: Articles published in PeerJ link: https://peerj.com/articles/index.rss3?journal=peerj&page=24 creator: info@peerj.com PeerJ errorsTo: info@peerj.com PeerJ language: en title: CD81 inhibits the proliferation of acute megakaryoblastic leukemia cells link: https://peerj.com/articles/20286 last-modified: 2025-11-05 description: CD81 is a cell surface protein that plays an important part in tumor development. Several studies have shown that CD81 plays a role in cancer cell proliferation, invasion, and metastasis, particularly in leukemia. It has been reported that CD81 is overexpressed in non-Down syndrome acute megakaryoblastic leukemia (non-DS AMKL). In this article, we hypothesize that CD81 may play a vital role in acute megakaryoblastic leukemia (AMKL). We constructed the CD81 knockdown cell line using shRNA and found that CD81 knockout can inhibit the proliferation of AMKL and increase the apoptosis of AMKL in vitro. Therefore, CD81 may be a target of AMKL. creator: Narun Su creator: Xiaohao Hu uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.20286 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2025 Su and Hu title: Biocontrol-relevant diversity of wheat-associated Pseudomonas: prevalence of P. sivasensis and identification of the novel species P. arvensis sp. nov. link: https://peerj.com/articles/20177 last-modified: 2025-11-05 description: The role of microbial communities in plant health and productivity has become increasingly evident. In this study, we investigated the diversity and functional potential of Pseudomonas spp. associated with Belgian cereal crops, focusing on wheat and spelt. From 444 Pseudomonas isolates, we identified 11 species, with several strains exhibiting strong antagonistic activity against major wheat pathogens. Notably, we report the high prevalence and efficient colonization abilities of Pseudomonas sivasensis, including its capacity to translocate from seed to leaf and suppress Zymoseptoria tritici infection in planta. Furthermore, we describe Pseudomonas arvensis sp. nov., a newly characterized species within the wheat microbiome, with DR1PS3 designated as the type strain. Our results advance the understanding of beneficial plant-microbe interactions in cereals and highlight the promise of native Pseudomonas species as biocontrol agents for sustainable disease management. creator: Mathieu Delitte creator: Benjamin Dubois creator: Louis Morandini creator: Alain Bultreys creator: Jacques Mahillon creator: Frederic Debode creator: Claude Bragard uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.20177 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2025 Delitte et al. title: Gardnerella species exhibit synergy in their ability to displace Lactobacillus crispatus adhered to HeLa cells link: https://peerj.com/articles/20076 last-modified: 2025-11-05 description: BackgroundBacterial vaginosis (BV) is the most common vaginal infection in reproductive-age women. It is associated with adverse pregnancy complications, such as preterm birth and low birth weight, in addition to an increased risk of acquisition of HIV and sexually transmitted infections. BV is characterized by a vaginal dysbiosis, involving loss of protective Lactobacillus species (including L. crispatus) and overgrowth of facultative and strict anaerobic bacteria, with Gardnerella species playing a predominant role. However, despite extensive research on BV pathogenesis, its etiology remains unclear, and the sequence of events leading to the displacement of lactobacilli by anaerobic bacteria in women has not yet been fully elucidated. Until 2019, all bacteria belonging to the Gardnerella genus were considered part of the species G. vaginalis. However, it is now recognized that different Gardnerella species exist, each with varying virulence potentials. Recent data have shown that multiple subgroups of Gardnerella spp. are frequently detected simultaneously in the vaginal microbiota of women with BV. With this in mind, we aimed to test the hypothesis that different combinations of known Gardnerella species, isolated from the vaginal microbiota of women with BV, have an enhanced ability to compete against Lactobacillus crispatus, pre-adhered to HeLa cells, thereby facilitating the early stages of BV development.MethodsAdhesion assays of dual combinations of Gardnerella spp. (G. vaginalis, G. leopoldii, G. swidsinskii, G. piotii) were performed on an in vitro model of HeLa cells, covered with and without L. crispatus. Quantification of the species used in our assays was subsequently performed using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR).ResultsOur results revealed synergy between different Gardnerella spp., demonstrating their ability to overcome the presumed protective effect of L. crispatus, thereby creating favorable conditions for the development of a polymicrobial biofilm characteristic of BV. The combination of G. vaginalis and G. leopoldii showed the greatest synergistic effect on initial adhesion to HeLa cells while the combination of G. leopoldii and G. swidsinskii had the greatest ability to reduce L. crispatus colonization.ConclusionsAlthough this in vitro study does not unequivocally prove that BV is initiated by the disruption of normal vaginal microbiota by Gardnerella spp., it strongly supports this possibility, contributing to a better understanding of BV etiology. creator: Ângela Lima creator: Joana Castro creator: Christina A. Muzny creator: Nuno Cerca uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.20076 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2025 Lima et al. title: MicroRNA-597-3p targets MACC1 to suppress proliferation and invasion of human ovarian cancer cells link: https://peerj.com/articles/20316 last-modified: 2025-11-04 description: BackgroundOvarian cancer is a lethal gynecological malignancy, largely due to late-stage diagnosis and poor prognosis. MicroRNA-597-3p (miR-597-3p) has been identified as a tumor suppressor in several cancers, while metastasis-associated colon cancer 1 (MACC1) functions as an oncogene that promotes metastasis. This study investigated the role of miR-597-3p and its regulation of MACC1 in ovarian cancer progression.MethodsOvarian cancer cell lines and the normal ovarian epithelial cell line IOSE-398 were used. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) measured the expression of miR-597-3p and MACC1. Functional assays (MTT, colony formation, AO/EB staining, and Transwell invasion) evaluated cell proliferation, cell death, and invasion. Dual-luciferase reporter assays confirmed the interaction between miR-597-3p and MACC1, while bioinformatics analysis identified potential targets. Western blotting was used to validate MACC1 and downstream proteins, MMP-2, and MMP-9 at the protein level.ResultsMiR-597-3p was significantly downregulated (P < 0.05) in ovarian cancer cells, whereas MACC1 was upregulated. Overexpression of miR-597-3p suppressed cell viability, colony formation, and invasion, and increased cell death with a pro-apoptotic shift in Bax/Bcl-2 expression. Mechanistically, miR-597-3p directly targeted MACC1, leading to reduced expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 at both transcript and protein levels. Notably, MACC1 overexpression reversed the tumor-suppressive effects of miR-597-3p.ConclusionsMiR-597-3p functions as a tumor suppressor in ovarian cancer by directly targeting MACC1, thereby inhibiting proliferation, invasion, and survival. These findings highlight the miR-597-3p/MACC1 axis as a potential therapeutic target and suggest miR-597-3p as a promising biomarker for ovarian cancer. creator: Ahmed Abdullah Al Awadh creator: Abdulaziz M.S. Alqahtani creator: Fahad Alshahrani creator: Mohammed Merae Alshahrani uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.20316 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0 rights: ©2025 Al Awadh et al. title: Quantifying the scale dependence of primary productivity-species-richness relationships link: https://peerj.com/articles/20297 last-modified: 2025-11-04 description: Vegetation productivity is expected to correlate with species richness, but there is debate about whether the relationship form (non-existent, negative, positive, unimodal) of productivity-species-richness relationships (PSRR) depends on the spatial extent and productivity measure used. Previous assessments employed coarse distance categories to examine scale dependence and did not consider scale dependence for alternative productivity measures. I used spatially varying coefficient models to precisely estimate the distances over which PSRRs change and to map spatial patterns of form for breeding birds across the conterminous United States. I created separate models for three measures summarizing intra-annual estimates of gross primary productivity: sum, minimum, and seasonality (coefficient of variation). Models demonstrated that PSRRs were scale-dependent, and PSRR relationships changed at median distances ranging from 1,010 to 2,184 km depending on the productivity measure. Previously used coarse distance categories would not have resolved the modeled distance estimates. Differences in median distance estimates across productivity measures were not statistically important. Across measures, PSRR form generally alternated between non-existence and positive, but there were pockets where seasonality negatively related to species richness in the western United States. While spatial patterns of form differed across measures, species richness in a small region of the western United States displayed a positive association with all three measures. Spatial patterns were related to prevailing productivity conditions. For example, sum tended to have a positive association with bird species richness in areas characterized by low annual productivity. This study novelly applies spatially varying coefficient models to address the long-debated scale-dependence of PSRR form, and the same approach is broadly applicable across geographies and taxonomic groups. creator: Brian G. Tavernia uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.20297 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2025 Tavernia title: Cognitive domain-specific impairments and associated risk factors in type 2 diabetes mellitus: a cross-sectional observational study based on neuropsychological assessment from Xiamen, China link: https://peerj.com/articles/20292 last-modified: 2025-11-04 description: BackgroundType 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is associated with an increased risk of cognitive impairment, yet limited research has been conducted in subtropical regions of China.ObjectiveTo examine the characteristics of cognitive impairment and identify the potential risk factors in patients with T2DM in Xiamen.MethodsThis cross-sectional observational study included 84 patients with T2DM from Zhongshan Hospital Xiamen University. Patients were grouped based on their Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) scores into a cognitively impaired group (T2DM-CI group, n = 52) and a cognitively normal group (T2DM-NCI group, n = 32). Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify independent risk factors.ResultsAmong the 52 patients in the T2DM-CI group, the most commonly affected cognitive domains were executive function (82.7%), language (75.0%), memory (61.5%), and attention (48.1%), with 59.6% exhibiting impairments in three or more domains. Compared with the T2DM-NCI group, the T2DM-CI group showed poorer performance in most MoCA subdomains—including visuospatial/executive function, language, delayed recall, abstraction, and orientation—as well as in individual cognitive domain tests (all P < 0.05), except for the Clock Drawing Test. Older age (OR = 1.167, 95% CI [1.045–1.303], P = 0.006) and higher lipoprotein (a) levels (OR = 1.109, 95% CI [1.020–1.205], P = 0.015) were independently associated with cognitive impairment in T2DM patients.ConclusionCognitive impairment in T2DM affects multiple domains, with executive dysfunction most prominent. Age and elevated lipoprotein(a) may increase risk. Routine cognitive screening is warranted, particularly in older patients and those with vascular risk factors. creator: Xueling Xiao creator: Luling Chen creator: Jingqi Liu creator: Jiayan Cai creator: Manxiang Deng uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.20292 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2025 Xiao et al. title: A machine learning approach to managing game bird introductions link: https://peerj.com/articles/20291 last-modified: 2025-11-04 description: Effective management of introduced species requires a clear understanding of their habitat requirements. Species distribution models (SDMs) offer a powerful tool for addressing this challenge. We applied seven modeling techniques to predict a suitable habitat for the introduced Chukar Partridge (Alectoris chukar), including artificial neural networks, generalized additive models, k-nearest neighbor, random forests, support vector machines, extreme gradient boosting, and a weighted ensemble approach. Using site-level data on physiography, climate, land cover, and habitat range, we modeled Chukar distributions by simulating historical introduction efforts and extrapolating predictions into surrounding areas to assess cross-regional transferability. Model performance was evaluated using independent, geographically distinct validation datasets. Our results demonstrate that machine learning-based SDMs provide accurate and transferable predictions of Chukar habitat suitability. This study highlights the value of machine learning for predicting establishment success while emphasizing the importance of incorporating species movement behavior and site fidelity into SDM frameworks. Overall, our findings contribute to advancing conservation planning, species reintroductions, and adaptive management strategies. creator: Austin M. Smith creator: Wendell P. Cropper, Jr creator: Michael P. Moulton uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.20291 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2025 Smith et al. title: Control of wind speed and contact angle on submicron particulate matter sampling link: https://peerj.com/articles/20235 last-modified: 2025-11-04 description: While particulate matter (PM) instruments are widely used for air quality monitoring and policy development, there is limited research on how wind speed (U0) and contact angle (θ) affect the measurement accuracy of submicron PM, or particles with their diameters ≤ one µm (PM1). This study addresses this gap by employing a wind tunnel experiment with a common sampling system featuring a customized thick-walled cylindrical metal inlet. The results reveal that wind-induced aerosol losses can reach up to 9%, and the sampling efficiency has a negative linear relationship with U0 and a third-order polynomial relationship with cos(θ). This model demonstrates a significant discrepancy with classic models in predicting sampling efficiency, which indicates the inapplicability of classic sampling efficiency models to submicron aerosols. The findings of this study can help correct wind-induced errors, improve sampling protocols, and develop new predictive models, which have implications for improving hazardous air quality warning systems and safeguarding public well-being. creator: Bokun Sun creator: Ziyang Wang creator: Jiayun Huang creator: Yumeng Li creator: James R. Cooper creator: Lei Han creator: Bailiang Li uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.20235 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2025 Sun et al. title: Incidence, persistence, and clearance of cervical human papillomavirus infection among gynecological outpatients in Kunming, Yunnan, China, 2019–2023: a retrospective cohort study link: https://peerj.com/articles/20215 last-modified: 2025-11-04 description: Human papillomavirus (HPV), a leading sexually transmitted pathogen, is characterized by persistent infection, which represents a critical risk factor for cervical carcinogenesis. This retrospective cohort study investigated the epidemiology of HPV among 45,149 gynecological outpatients in Yunnan, China (2019–2023). The 12-month cumulative incidence of HPV infection was 36.84%, with the highest rates observed in the 30–49-year age group. HPV-52 was the predominant subtype, followed by HPV-51, -81, -58, and -16. Persistent infection was observed in 55.56% of cases, most frequently involving HPV-42, -52, -58, -81, and -56, with higher rates in individuals younger than 30 and older than 59 years. Overall clearance reached 74.43% and was inversely correlated with age. Rapid clearance was predominantly observed for HPV-26, -83, -11, -82, and -44, whereas high-risk HPV types (HPV-58, HPV-52, HPV-35) and low-risk types (HPV-42, HPV-81, HPV-43) exhibited prolonged persistence. Regional data indicate elevated risks of incident and persistent infections with HPV-58, HPV-52, HPV-42, and HPV-81, with older populations showing greater susceptibility to persistence and younger individuals demonstrating faster clearance. These findings underscore the age-specific dynamics of HPV infection and highlight priority subtypes for regional cervical cancer prevention strategies. creator: Yafei Huang creator: Xiangcong Wei creator: Yan Guo creator: Ting Su creator: Qiuting Duan creator: Xin Fan creator: Jinxiu Wan creator: Yufan Zhang creator: Guiqian Zhang creator: Yi Sun creator: Ya Xu uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.20215 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2025 Huang et al. title: Knowledge and competence in vestibular rehabilitation: a cross-sectional study of physical therapy interns link: https://peerj.com/articles/20213 last-modified: 2025-11-04 description: BackgroundVestibular rehabilitation (VR) is a specialized physical therapy practice area that requires comprehensive knowledge and clinical competence to manage vestibular disorders effectively, which significantly impacts patients’ quality of life. Discrepancies between knowledge and competence among physical therapy interns remain under-researched. Addressing this gap is essential for identifying specific educational deficiencies, improving training programs, and enhancing clinical preparedness.ObjectiveThis study aimed to examine the knowledge and competence of Saudi physical therapist (PT) interns in VR.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted among PT interns (n = 233), and VR knowledge was assessed through self-reports and objective testing. The questionnaire, developed via the Delphi method, included items specifically designed to assess competence in and knowledge of VR. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, multiple response analysis, and multiple linear regression to explore demographic data, knowledge, and competence predictors. The data were analyzed via JASP 18.1.1.ResultsCompetence showed a high mean score of 5.35 out of 8 (67%). In contrast, case report knowledge was low at 0.58/2 (29%), VR tests learned during academic years averaged 4.17 out of 20 (28%), while those learned during the internship averaged 2.43 out of 20 (17%). Similarly, treatment approaches and maneuvers for vestibular-related disorders learned during academic years averaged 2.47 out of 12 (25%), while those learned during the internship averaged 1.69 out of 12 (19%), indicating limited knowledge and skills in vestibular rehabilitation across both academic and clinical training phases. A simultaneous-entry multiple regression indicated that the predictor set significantly explained competence, F(12, 219) = 5.96, p < .001, accounting for 24.6% of the variance (adjusted R2 = .21, RMSE = 1.78). Internship vestibular-test knowledge (B = 0.25, β = .32, p < .001) and workshop attendance (B = 0.82, p = .006) were the only unique contributors. A companion model for case-report knowledge was also significant, F(12, 219) = 2.50, p = .004, but modest (adjusted R2 = .07, RMSE = 0.74); workshop attendance had a positive effect (B = 0.49, p < .001) while possession of a professional physical-therapy degree predicted lower scores (B =  − 1.06, p = .045), with all other variables non-significant.ConclusionThe findings of this study underscore the need to implement structured academic education in VR. Integrating formal education with hands-on experiences in VR curricula could enhance knowledge and competence among PT interns. creator: Danah Alyahya creator: Arwa Alharbi creator: Faizan Kashoo creator: Shaikha Alsaheli creator: Faisal Mubarak AlMubarak creator: Rehab Aljuhni uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.20213 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2025 Alyahya et al.