title: PeerJ description: Articles published in PeerJ link: https://peerj.com/articles/index.rss3?journal=peerj&page=260 creator: info@peerj.com PeerJ errorsTo: info@peerj.com PeerJ language: en title: Development and validation of a mitotic catastrophe-related genes prognostic model for breast cancer link: https://peerj.com/articles/18075 last-modified: 2024-09-20 description: BackgroundBreast cancer has become the most common malignant tumor in women worldwide. Mitotic catastrophe (MC) is a way of cell death that plays an important role in the development of tumors. However, the exact relationship between MC-related genes (MCRGs) and the development of breast cancer is still unclear, and further research is needed to elucidate this complexity.MethodsTranscriptome data and clinical data of breast cancer were downloaded from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database and the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. We identified differential expression of MCRGs by comparing tumor tissue with normal tissue. Subsequently, we used COX regression analysis and LASSO regression analysis to construct the prognosis risk model of MCRGs. Kaplan–Meier survival curve and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve were used to evaluate the predictive ability of prognostic model. Moreover, the clinical relevance, gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA), immune landscape, tumor mutation burden (TMB), and immunotherapy and drug sensitivity analysis between high-risk and low-risk groups were systematically investigated. Finally, we validated the expression levels of genes involved in constructing the prognostic model through real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) at the cellular and tissue levels.ResultsWe identified 12 prognostic associated MCRGs, four of which were selected to construct prognostic model. The Kaplan-Meier analysis suggested that patients in the high-risk group had a shorter overall survival (OS). The Cox regression analysis and ROC analysis indicated that risk model had independent and excellent ability in predicting prognosis of breast cancer patients. Mechanistically, a remarkable difference was observed in clinical relevance, GSEA, immune landscape, TMB, immunotherapy response, and drug sensitivity analysis. RT-qPCR results showed that genes involved in constructing the prognostic model showed significant abnormal expressions and the expression change trends were consistent with the bioinformatics results.ConclusionsWe established a prognosis risk model based on four MCRGs that had the ability to predict clinical prognosis and immune landscape, proposing potential therapeutic targets for breast cancer. creator: Shuai Wang creator: Haoyi Zi creator: Mengxuan Li creator: Jing Kong creator: Cong Fan creator: Yujie Bai creator: Jianing Sun creator: Ting Wang uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.18075 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2024 Wang et al. title: The relationship between price and nutritional balance for young adults in the menus of Japanese restaurants link: https://peerj.com/articles/18091 last-modified: 2024-09-20 description: BackgroundEating habits are a contributing factor to obesity. Higher-priced menu items have better nutritional quality/balance, as the relationship between the price of food per serving and nutritional quality/balance has been reported. However, previous studies on the nutritional content of restaurant menu items did not focus on the relationship between the nutritional balance of menu items and prices. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate this relationship.MethodsThe nutritional balance score (NBS) was defined and calculated according to each nutritional criterion of men and women aged 18–29 years, covering more than 2,000 menu items in 26 Japanese restaurant chains. Furthermore, NBS distribution by gender and restaurant brand, and the relationship between the menu item’s NBS and price were assessed.ResultsThe results showed that the average NBS of the analyzed menu items differed between the criteria for men and women, with the menu items assessed based on men’s criterion being more nutritionally balanced on average. The compositions of the top 10 menu items differed between men and women, and most were set menus or rice bowl menus, which were offered by fast-food restaurants. The relationship between price and NBS in most fast-food and casual restaurants was expressed as a concave function. The maximum NBS based on the criteria for men and women were 64.9 and 64.1, with prices of 639.9 and 530.3 yen, respectively.DiscussionNBS score increased with price to a certain level before decreasing, suggesting that the price at which NBS was the highest differed between men and women. The results of this study could contribute to the development of a methodology for healthy eating out practices, with a focus on price. creator: Yu Ogasawara creator: Miyuki Asanuma creator: Masashi Kasuya creator: Yuki Soma uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.18091 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: © 2024 Ogasawara et al. title: Pilot development of diagnostic tools for lower limb apophyseal injuries in children and adolescents link: https://peerj.com/articles/18101 last-modified: 2024-09-20 description: IntroductionLower limb apophyseal injuries commonly occur in children and adolescents with unknown incidence and prevalence. These conditions are considered benign, but impact children and adolescents quality of life and can lead to sport withdrawal at a crucial time. The primary aim of this research was to develop self-administered tools for two of the most common apophyseal injuries. The secondary aim was to test the sensitivity and specificity of the tools.MethodsStudy 1 used a three round online Delphi panel (n = 8), with expert consensus supported by robust literature. This panel developed a self-administered screening tool for calcaneal (Sever’s disease) and tibial tuberosity (Osgood-Schlatter’s disease) apophysitis. Study 2 tested the sensitivity and specificity of these developed tools with parents and children (n = 63) with concurrent clinical examination by a health professional. An initial sample size for Study 2 was set at 155 children however this was impacted by COVID-19 and recruitment was halted.ResultsBoth tools had excellent diagnostic accuracy with an area under the curve of 83% (95% confidence interval = 0.70 to 0.95) for the posterior heel (calcaneal apophysitis) tool and 93% (95% confidence interval = 0.80 to 1.00) for the anterior of knee (tibial tuberosity apophysitis) tool using the pilot data from the 63 children.ConclusionsThese tools may also enhance opportunities for clinicians and health service providers with pre-clinical screening to reduce wait list time and encourage low cost, self-administered management where indicated. These findings may enable large epidemiological studies to identify populations and calculate incidence and prevalence of these conditions using self report. creator: Joseph Brooks creator: Antoni Caserta creator: Kade Paterson creator: Kelly-Ann Bowles creator: Terry Haines creator: Cylie Williams uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.18101 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: © 2024 Brooks et al. title: Navigating challenges in radiography research: radiographers’ perspectives in Saudi Arabia link: https://peerj.com/articles/18125 last-modified: 2024-09-20 description: IntroductionRadiography is a crucial healthcare specialty that requires ongoing research to advance imaging technologies and techniques. Despite this, radiographers are faced with obstacles such as time constraints, lack of resources, and the need for training on new technologies, which can discourage their research involvement. This study aims to provide a more representative understanding of the radiography research culture in Saudi Arabia, building upon previous studies.MethodsFollowing the approval of an ethics committee at Taibah University (2024/173/302 DRD), a cross-sectional survey was conducted from January to March 2024 among registered radiographers in Saudi Arabia. An online questionnaire was distributed via social media platforms using a snowball sampling strategy to reach a diverse group of radiographers across different regions and institutions. Participants provided informed consent before completing the questionnaire. The questionnaire, originally in English, was translated into Arabic and validated by two bilingual academics. It included sections on demographics, previous research experience, barriers to research involvement, factors encouraging research engagement, and self-assessment of research competencies. Descriptive statistics and Cronbach’s alpha were used to analyze the data.ResultsA total of 105 radiographers participated in the study, with 41% having prior research involvement. Among those engaged, the most common activity was data collection (65%), followed by preparation of scientific articles (49%). Challenges such as the lack of a research-focused culture (48%), insufficient awareness of opportunities (36%), and time constraints (34%) were prominent barriers to research participation. Encouraging factors included the need for research training (63%), support from research groups (51%), and allocated research time (50%). Respondents assessed their research skills, with confidence varied across skills, with 50% feeling capable of initiating research and 51% of participating, yet a significant proportion expressed uncertainties, especially in statistical knowledge and research methodology.ConclusionMost of the surveyed radiographers did not engage in research. However, there is a substantial interest in enhancing research involvement, with training, collaborative groups, and organizational support identified as key factors encouraging participation. The findings suggest that addressing these barriers can foster a more robust research culture, leading to improved diagnostic practices. creator: Faisal A. Alrehily creator: Walaa Alsharif creator: Yasser Aloufi creator: Ammar Alsaedi creator: Marwan Aljohani creator: Reem S. Alotaibi creator: Hamed Alshammari creator: Abdullah Fahad A. Alshamrani creator: Fahad H. Alhazmi creator: Abdulaziz Qurashi uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.18125 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2024 Alrehily et al. title: The nexus between geographical distance and institutional delivery trends in Ethiopia: evidence from nationwide surveys link: https://peerj.com/articles/18128 last-modified: 2024-09-20 description: BackgroundGiving birth in a healthcare facility with the guidance of skilled healthcare providers allows access to necessary medical interventions. Ethiopia has implemented several strategies to enhance institutional delivery and decrease maternal mortality; however, the rate of institutional delivery remains low. This study examines the role of distance to healthcare institutions on institutional delivery in Ethiopia, and how this has changed over time.MethodThis study used data from two rounds of the Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey (2011 and 2016), a spatial database detailing the locations of healthcare facilities, and Ethiopian road network data. The sample included 22,881 women who delivered within the 5 years preceding each survey and lived in 1,295 villages. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to investigate how the distance to health facilities and other potential determinants influenced institutional delivery trends.ResultsThe rate of institutional deliveries in Ethiopia has increased from 10% in 2011 to 26% in 2016. Likewise, the average transportation distance to health facilities has decreased from 22.4 km in 2011 to 20.2 km in 2016 at the national level. Furthermore, a one-kilometer increase in the distance to the nearest health facility was associated with a 1% decrease in the likelihood of delivering at a health facility in 2016 (odds ratio (OR) = 0.99, 95% CI [0.98–0.99], p < 0.05). Additionally, mothers who are more educated, have completed more antenatal care visits, live in wealthier households in more urban areas, and cohabit with more educated husbands are more likely to deliver at healthcare facilities. These variables showed consistent relevance in both survey rounds, suggesting that key determinants remained largely unchanged throughout the study period.ConclusionThe impact of distance from health facilities on institutional delivery in Ethiopia remains evident, although its influence is relatively modest. The other factors, including education, antenatal care, socioeconomic status, urban residence, and partner education, remained consistent between the two surveys. These determinants have consistently influenced institutional delivery, highlighting the importance of a comprehensive approach that addresses both access to and socioeconomic factors to improve maternal and infant health across the country. creator: Yemisrach Berhanu Sebsibe creator: Tayue Tateke Kebede uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.18128 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: © 2024 Sebsibe and Kebede title: The role of transcriptional and epigenetic modifications in astrogliogenesis link: https://peerj.com/articles/18151 last-modified: 2024-09-20 description: Astrocytes are widely distributed and play a critical role in the central nervous system (CNS) of the human brain. During the development of CNS, astrocytes provide essential nutritional and supportive functions for neural cells and are involved in their metabolism and pathological processes. Despite the numerous studies that have reported on the regulation of astrogliogenesis at the transcriptional and epigenetic levels, there is a paucity of literature that provides a comprehensive summary of the key factors influencing this process. In this review, we analyzed the impact of transcription factors (e.g., NFI, JAK/STAT, BMP, and Ngn2), DNA methylation, histone acetylation, and noncoding RNA on astrocyte behavior and the regulation of astrogliogenesis, hope it enhances our comprehension of the mechanisms underlying astrogliogenesis and offers a theoretical foundation for the treatment of patients with neurological diseases. creator: Shuangping Ma creator: Lei Wang creator: Junhe Zhang creator: Lujing Geng creator: Junzheng Yang uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.18151 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2024 Ma et al. title: Short- and long-term effects of concurrent aerobic and resistance training on circulating irisin levels in overweight or obese individuals: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials link: https://peerj.com/articles/17958 last-modified: 2024-09-19 description: BackgroundConcurrent training (CT) is emerging as a practical and effective approach to enhance body composition, cardiovascular function, and muscle mass, thereby elevating overall individual health. This study aims to systematically investigate the effects of short- and long-term concurrent aerobic and resistance training on circulating irisin levels in overweight or obese individuals.MethodologyThe electronic databases, including China National Knowledge Infrastructure, PubMed, Embase, Wan Fang Database, and Web of Science, were systematically searched for articles on “concurrent training” and “irisin” published from their inception to 30 November 2023. The pooled effect size was determined using standardized mean difference (SMD) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The study protocol received registration with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (CRD42023494163).ResultsAll nine studies, encompassing a total of 264 participants, were randomized controlled trials and met the eligibility criteria. Results indicate that short- and long-term concurrent training moderately increased circulating irisin levels compared to the control group (SMD = 0.56, 95% CI [0.33–0.80], p = 0.00; I2 = 36.6%, heterogeneity p = 0.106). Subgroup analyses revealed that both equal to or less than 10 weeks (SMD = 0.78, 95% CI [0.18–1.37], p = 0.01; I2 = 62.3%, heterogeneity p = 0.03) and more than 10 weeks (SMD = 0.45, 95% CI [0.14–0.76], p = 0.00; I2 = 0%, heterogeneity p = 0.54) of concurrent training significantly increased circulating irisin levels in overweight or obese individuals. There were no significant between-group differences (I2 = 0%, p = 0.34). Additionally, concurrent training significantly increased irisin levels in overweight or obese participants (SMD = 1.06, 95% CI [0.34–1.78], p = 0.00; I2 = 50.6%, heterogeneity p = 0.13) and in type 2 diabetes patients (SMD = 0.70, 95% CI [0.30–1.10], p = 0.00; I2 = 0%, heterogeneity p = 0.99). However, no significant effect was observed in patients with metabolic syndrome (SMD = 0.21, 95% CI [−0.25–0.68], p = 0.37; I2 = 38.7%, heterogeneity p = 0.18). There were significant between-group differences (I2 = 53.9%, p = 0.11). Lastly, concurrent training significantly increased circulating irisin levels in overweight or obese individuals aged 45-60 years (SMD = 0.56, 95% CI [0.25–0.86], p = 0.00; I2 = 6.5%, heterogeneity p = 0.38), and a significant increase in irisin levels was observed 12 h post-intervention (SMD = 0.70, 95% CI [0.35–1.05], p = 0.00; I2 = 0%, heterogeneity p = 0.74). However, none of the above categorical variables showed significant between-group differences.ConclusionsShort- and long-term concurrent training can effectively improve circulating irisin levels in overweight or obese individuals. However, the effects of short- and long-term concurrent training should consider the participants’ health status, age, and the timing of post-exercise measurements to maximize health benefits. creator: Yang Cheng creator: Jing Ma creator: Shumin Bo uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.17958 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2024 Cheng et al. title: Genome-wide identification and expression analyses of SWEET gene family reveal potential roles in plant development, fruit ripening and abiotic stress responses in cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait) link: https://peerj.com/articles/17974 last-modified: 2024-09-19 description: The sugars will eventually be exported transporter (SWEET) family is a novel class of sugar transporters that play a crucial role in plant growth, development, and responses to stress. Cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait.) is a nutritious berry with economic importance, but little is known about SWEET gene family functions in this small fruit. In this research, 13 VmSWEET genes belonging to four clades were identified in the cranberry genome for the first time. In the conserved domains, we observed seven phosphorylation sites and four amino acid residues that might be crucial for the binding function. The majority of VmSWEET genes in each clade shared similar gene structures and conserved motifs, showing that the VmSWEET genes were highly conserved during evolution. Chromosomal localization and duplication analyses showed that VmSWEET genes were unevenly distributed in eight chromosomes and two pairs of them displayed synteny. A total of 79 cis-acting elements were predicted in the promoter regions of VmSWEETs including elements responsive to plant hormones, light, growth and development and stress responses. qRT-PCR analysis showed that VmSWEET10.1 was highly expressed in flowers, VmSWEET16 was highly expressed in upright and runner stems, and VmSWEET3 was highly expressed in the leaves of both types of stems. In fruit, the expression of VmSWEET14 and VmSWEET16 was highest of all members during the young fruit stage and were downregulated as fruit matured. The expression of VmSWEET4 was higher during later developmental stages than earlier developmental stages. Furthermore, qRT-PCR results revealed a significant up-regulation of VmSWEET10.2, under osmotic, saline, salt-alkali, and aluminum stress conditions, suggesting it has a crucial role in mediating plant responses to various environmental stresses. Overall, these results provide new insights into the characteristics and evolution of VmSWEET genes. Moreover, the candidate VmSWEET genes involved in the growth, development and abiotic stress responses can be used for molecular breeding to improve cranberry fruit quality and abiotic stress resistance. creator: Li Chen creator: Mingyu Cai creator: Jiaxin Liu creator: Xuxin Jiang creator: Jiayi Liu creator: Wang Zhenxing creator: Yunpeng Wang creator: Yadong Li uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.17974 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2024 Chen et al. title: The effect of electrical muscle stimulation on intentional binding and explicit sense of agency link: https://peerj.com/articles/17977 last-modified: 2024-09-19 description: The motivating question for this study is determining whether electrical muscle stimulation (EMS)-induced movements can extend the user’s ability without reducing the sense of agency. Moreover, it is crucial to find the timing of the EMS application that is robust against individual differences and environmental changes. Previous studies have reported that the user-specific EMS-application timings, determined through explicit measures of sense of agency, would effectively shorten their reaction time in a push task while maintaining their sense of agency. However, no study has investigated EMS-application timings in relation to implicit measures of sense of agency. Intentional binding, an example of an implicit measure, refers to the phenomenon whereby the interval between an intentional action and the subsequent perceptual outcome is typically perceived to be shorter than the actual interval. By measuring this perceptual shift using a Libet clock, we have identified an EMS-application timing that accelerates the users’ push action while maintaining their sense of agency. First, to conduct the EMS-application experiment while appropriately maintaining the intentional binding effect, we designed a new push task such that a pre-action, as the base timing of the EMS-application trigger, always occurs just before the push movement. (1) We showed the difference between the action-binding effect of EMS-induced involuntary movements and voluntary push movements. Subsequently, (2) we identified the EMS application timing that significantly shifted judgments of action tasks while accelerating voluntary movements. Additionally, (3) we demonstrated that the EMS application could accelerate user pushing movement while maintaining the sense of agency at this specific application time. The proposed EMS in the novel pushing setup was found to be robustly effective against individual and environmental changes. creator: Miwa Nagai creator: Kazuhiro Matsui creator: Keita Atsuumi creator: Kazuhiro Taniguchi creator: Hiroaki Hirai creator: Atsushi Nishikawa uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.17977 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: © 2024 Nagai et al. title: Population structure and selective signature of Kirghiz sheep by Illumina Ovine SNP50 BeadChip link: https://peerj.com/articles/17980 last-modified: 2024-09-19 description: ObjectiveBy assessing the genetic diversity and associated selective traits of Kirghiz sheep (KIR), we aim to uncover the mechanisms that contribute to sheep’s adaptability to the Pamir Plateau environment.MethodsThis study utilized Illumina Ovine SNP50 BeadChip data from KIR residing in the Pamir Plateau, Qira Black sheep (QBS) inhabiting the Taklamakan Desert, and commonly introduced breeds including Dorper sheep (DOR), Suffolk sheep (SUF), and Hu sheep (HU). The data was analyzed using principal component analysis, phylogenetic analysis, population admixture analysis, kinship matrix analysis, linkage disequilibrium analysis, and selective signature analysis. We employed four methods for selective signature analysis: fixation index (Fst), cross-population extended homozygosity (XP-EHH), integrated haplotype score (iHS), and nucleotide diversity (Pi). These methods aim to uncover the genetic mechanisms underlying the germplasm resources of Kirghiz sheep, enhance their production traits, and explore their adaptation to challenging environmental conditions.ResultsThe test results unveiled potential selective signals associated with adaptive traits and growth characteristics in sheep under harsh environmental conditions, and annotated the corresponding genes accordingly. These genes encompass various functionalities such as adaptations associated with plateau, cold, and arid environment (ETAA1, UBE3D, TLE4, NXPH1, MAT2B, PPARGC1A, VEGFA, TBX15 and PLXNA4), wool traits (LMO3, TRPS1, EPHA5), body size traits (PLXNA2, EFNA5), reproductive traits (PPP3CA, PDHA2, NTRK2), and immunity (GATA3).ConclusionOur study identified candidate genes associated with the production traits and adaptation to the harsh environment of the Pamir Plateau in Kirghiz sheep. These findings provide valuable resources for local sheep breeding programs. The objective of this study is to offer valuable insights for the sustainable development of the Kirghiz sheep industry. creator: Ruizhi Yang creator: Zhipeng Han creator: Wen Zhou creator: Xuejiao Li creator: Xuechen Zhang creator: Lijun Zhu creator: Jieru Wang creator: Xiaopeng Li creator: Cheng-long Zhang creator: Yahui Han creator: Lianrui Li creator: Shudong Liu uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.17980 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2024 Yang et al.