title: PeerJ description: Articles published in PeerJ link: https://peerj.com/articles/index.rss3?journal=peerj&page=305 creator: info@peerj.com PeerJ errorsTo: info@peerj.com PeerJ language: en title: Preliminary studies of selected Lemna species on the oxygen production potential in relation to some ecological factors link: https://peerj.com/articles/17322 last-modified: 2024-06-17 description: Dissolved oxygen is fundamental for chemical and biochemical processes occurring in natural waters and critical for the life of aquatic organisms. Many organisms are responsible for altering organic matter and oxygen transfers across ecosystem or habitat boundaries and, thus, engineering the oxygen balance of the system. Due to such Lemna features as small size, simple structure, vegetative reproduction and rapid growth, as well as frequent mass occurrence in the form of thick mats, they make them very effective in oxygenating water. The research was undertaken to assess the impact of various species of duckweed (L. minor and L. trisulca) on dissolved oxygen content and detritus production in water and the role of ecological factors (light, atmospheric pressure, conductivity, and temperature) in this process. For this purpose, experiments were carried out with combinations of L. minor and L. trisulca. On this basis, the content of oxygen dissolved in water was determined depending on the growth of duckweed. Linear regression models were developed to assess the dynamics of changes in oxygen content and, consequently, organic matter produced by the Lemna. The research showed that the presence of L. trisulca causes an increase in dissolved oxygen content in water. It was also shown that an increase in atmospheric pressure had a positive effect on the ability of duckweed to produce oxygen, regardless of its type. The negative correlation between conductivity and water oxygenation, obtained in conditions of limited light access, allows us to assume that higher water conductivity limits oxygen production by all combinations of duckweeds when the light supply is low. Based on the developed models, it was shown that the highest increase in organic matter would be observed in the case of mixed duckweed and the lowest in the presence of the L. minor species, regardless of light conditions. Moreover, it was shown that pleustophytes have different heat capacities, and L. trisulca has the highest ability to accumulate heat in water for the tested duckweed combinations. The provided knowledge may help determine the good habitat conditions of duckweed, indicating its role in purifying water reservoirs as an effect of producing organic matter and shaping oxygen conditions with the participation of various Lemna species. creator: Joanna Sender creator: Monika Różańska-Boczula uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.17322 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2024 Sender and Różańska-Boczula title: A comparison of the performance of bacterial biofilters and fungal–bacterial coupled biofilters in BTEp-X removal link: https://peerj.com/articles/17452 last-modified: 2024-06-17 description: BackgroundConventional biofilters, which rely on bacterial activity, face challenges in eliminating hydrophobic compounds, such as aromatic compounds. This is due to the low solubility of these compounds in water, which makes them difficult to absorb by bacterial biofilms. Furthermore, biofilter operational stability is often hampered by acidification and drying out of the filter bed.MethodsTwo bioreactors, a bacterial biofilter (B-BF) and a fungal–bacterial coupled biofilter (F&B-BF) were inoculated with activated sludge from the secondary sedimentation tank of the Sinopec Yangzi Petrochemical Company wastewater treatment plant located in Nanjing, China. For approximately 6 months of operation, a F&B-BF was more effective than a B-BF in eliminating a gas-phase mixture containing benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and para-xylene (BTEp-X).ResultsAfter operating for four months, the F&B-BF showed higher removal efficiencies for toluene (T), ethylbenzene (E), benzene (B), and para-X (p-Xylene), at 96.9%, 92.6%, 83.9%, and 83.8%, respectively, compared to those of the B-BF (90.1%, 78.7%, 64.8%, and 59.3%). The degradation activity order for B-BF and F&B-BF was T > E > B > p-X. Similarly, the rates of mineralization for BTEp-X in the F&B-BF were 74.9%, 66.5%, 55.3%, and 45.1%, respectively, which were higher than those in the B-BF (56.5%, 50.8%, 43.8%, and 30.5%). Additionally, the F&B-BF (2 days) exhibited faster recovery rates than the B-BF (5 days).ConclusionsIt was found that a starvation protocol was beneficial for the stable operation of both the B-BF and F&B-BF. Community structure analysis showed that the bacterial genus Pseudomonas and the fungal genus Phialophora were both important in the degradation of BTEp-X. The fungal-bacterial consortia can enhance the biofiltration removal of BTEp-X vapors. creator: Hai Wang creator: Xiaojuan Xue creator: Xujun Nan creator: Jian Zhai uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.17452 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0 rights: ©2024 Wang et al. title: Potential therapeutic agents of Bombyx mori silk cocoon extracts from agricultural product for inhibition of skin pathogenic bacteria and free radicals link: https://peerj.com/articles/17490 last-modified: 2024-06-17 description: BackgroundPathogenic bacteria are the cause of most skin diseases, but issues such as resistance and environmental degradation drive the need to research alternative treatments. It is reported that silk cocoon extract possesses antioxidant properties. During silk processing, the degumming of silk cocoons creates a byproduct that contains natural active substances. These substances were found to have inhibitory effects on bacterial growth, DNA synthesis, the pathogenesis of hemolysis, and biofilm formation. Thus, silk cocoon extracts can be used in therapeutic applications for the prevention and treatment of skin pathogenic bacterial infections.MethodsThe extract of silk cocoons with pupae (SCP) and silk cocoons without pupae (SCWP) were obtained by boiling with distilled water for 9 h and 12 h, and were compared to silkworm pupae (SP) extract that was boiled for 1 h. The active compounds in the extracts, including gallic acid and quercetin, were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Furthermore, the total phenolic and flavonoid content in the extracts were investigated using the Folin–Ciocalteu method and the aluminum chloride colorimetric method, respectively. To assess antioxidant activity, the extracts were evaluated using the 2,2-diphenyl–1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay. Additionally, the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) of silk extracts and phytochemical compounds were determined against skin pathogenic bacteria. This study assessed the effects of the extracts and phytochemical compounds on growth inhibition, biofilm formation, hemolysis protection, and DNA synthesis of bacteria.ResultsThe HPLC characterization of the silk extracts showed gallic acid levels to be the highest, especially in SCP (8.638–31.605 mg/g extract) and SP (64.530 mg/g extract); whereas quercetin compound was only detected in SCWP (0.021–0.031 mg/g extract). The total phenolics and flavonoids in silk extracts exhibited antioxidant and antimicrobial activity. Additionally, SCP at 9 h and 12 h revealed the highest anti-bacterial activity, with the lowest MIC and MBC of 50–100 mg/mL against skin pathogenic bacteria including Staphylococcus aureus, methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), Cutibacterium acnes and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Hence, SCP extract and non-sericin compounds containing gallic acid and quercetin exhibited the strongest inhibition of both growth and DNA synthesis on skin pathogenic bacteria. The suppression of bacterial pathogenesis, including preformed and matured biofilms, and hemolysis activity, were also revealed in SCP extract and non-sericin compounds. The results show that the byproduct of silk processing can serve as an alternative source of natural phenolic and flavonoid antioxidants that can be used in therapeutic applications for the prevention and treatment of pathogenic bacterial skin infections. creator: Thida Kaewkod creator: Puangphaka Kumseewai creator: Sureeporn Suriyaprom creator: Varachaya Intachaisri creator: Nitsanat Cheepchirasuk creator: Yingmanee Tragoolpua uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.17490 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2024 Kaewkod et al. title: iTRAQ-based proteomic analysis reveals the effect of ribosomal proteins on essential-oil accumulation in Houttuynia cordata Thunb. link: https://peerj.com/articles/17519 last-modified: 2024-06-17 description: Houttuynia cordata Thunb., also known as Yuxingcao in Chinese, occupies a pivotal role in Asian traditional medicine and cuisine. The aerial parts and underground stems of H. cordata exhibit remarkable chemical diversity, particularly in essential oil. Nevertheless, the mechanisms regulating essential oil biosynthesis in H. cordata remain unclear. In this study, we present a quantitative overview of the proteomes across four tissues (flower, stem, leaf, and underground stem) of H. cordata, achieved through the application of the isobaric tag for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ). Our research findings indicate that certain crucial ribosomal proteins and their interactions may significantly impact the production of essential oils in H. cordata. These results offer novel insights into the roles of ribosomal proteins and their associations in essential oil biosynthesis across various organisms of H. cordata. creator: Dandan Guo creator: Beixuan He creator: Fei Feng creator: Diya Lv creator: Ting Han creator: Xiaofei Chen uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.17519 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0 rights: ©2024 Guo et al. title: Incidence, mortality, and predictive factors associated with acute respiratory distress syndrome in multiple trauma patients living in high-altitude areas: a retrospective study in Shigatse link: https://peerj.com/articles/17521 last-modified: 2024-06-17 description: BackgroundAcute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a severe complication that can lead to fatalities in multiple trauma patients. Nevertheless, the incidence rate and early prediction of ARDS among multiple trauma patients residing in high-altitude areas remain unknown.MethodsThis study included a total of 168 multiple trauma patients who received treatment at Shigatse People’s Hospital Intensive Care Unit (ICU) between January 1, 2019 and December 31, 2021. The clinical characteristics of the patients and the incidence rate of ARDS were assessed. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression models were employed to identify potential risk factors for ARDS, and the predictive effects of these risk factors were analyzed.ResultsIn the high-altitude area, the incidence of ARDS among multiple trauma patients was 37.5% (63/168), with a hospital mortality rate of 16.1% (27/168). Injury Severity Score (ISS) and thoracic injuries were identified as significant predictors for ARDS using the logistic regression model, with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.75 and 0.75, respectively. Furthermore, a novel predictive risk score combining ISS and thoracic injuries demonstrated improved predictive ability, achieving an AUC of 0.82.ConclusionsThis study presents the incidence of ARDS in multiple trauma patients residing in the Tibetan region, and identifies two critical predictive factors along with a risk score for early prediction of ARDS. These findings have the potential to enhance clinicians’ ability to accurately assess the risk of ARDS and proactively prevent its onset. creator: Dan Tu creator: Lv Ji creator: Qiang Cao creator: Tin Ley creator: Suolangpian Duo creator: Ningbo Cheng creator: Wenjing Lin creator: Jianlei Zhang creator: Weifeng Yu creator: Zhiying Pan creator: Xiaoqiang Wang uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.17521 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: © 2024 Tu et al. title: Recognition of apnea and hypopnea by non-contact optical fiber mattress and its application in the diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome: a retrospective study link: https://peerj.com/articles/17570 last-modified: 2024-06-17 description: ObjectivesThis study sought to evaluate the diagnostic value of a non-contact optical fiber mattress for apnea and hypopnea and compare it with traditional polysomnography (PSG) in adult obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS).MethodsTo determine the value of a non-contact optical fiber mattress for apnea and hypopnea, six healthy people and six OSAHS patients were selected from Tongji Hospital to design a program to identify apnea or hypopnea. A total of 108 patients who received polysomnography for drowsiness, snoring or other suspected OSAHS symptoms. All 108 patients were monitored with both the non-contact optical fiber mattress and PSG were collected.ResultsSix healthy controls and six patients with OSAHS were included. The mean apnea of the six healthy controls was 1.22 times/h, and the mean hypopnea of the six healthy controls was 2 times/h. Of the six patients with OSAHS, the mean apnea was 12.63 times/h, and the mean hypopnea was 19.25 times/h. The non-contact optical fiber mattress results showed that the mean apnea of the control group was 3.17 times/h and the mean hypopnea of the control group was 3.83 times/h, while the mean apnea of the OSAHS group was 11.95 times/h and the mean hypopnea of the OSAHS group was 17.77 times/h. The apnea index of the non-contact optical fiber mattress was positively correlated with the apnea index of the PSG (P < 0.05, r = 0.835), and the hypopnea index of the non-contact optical fiber mattress was also positively correlated with the hypopnea index of the PSG (P < 0.05, r = 0.959). The non-contact optical fiber mattress had high accuracy (area under curve, AUC = 0.889), specificity (83.4%) and sensitivity (83.3%) for the diagnosis of apnea. The non-contact fiber-optic mattress also had high accuracy (AUC = 0.944), specificity (83.4%) and sensitivity (100%) for the diagnosis of hypopnea. Among the 108 patients enrolled, there was no significant difference between the non-contact optical fiber mattress and the polysomnography monitor in total recording time, apnea hypopnea index (AHI), average heart rate, tachycardia index, bradycardia index, longest time of apnea, average time of apnea, longest time of hypopnea, average time of hypopnea, percentage of total apnea time in total sleep time and percentage of total hypopnea time in total sleep time. The AHI value of the non-contact optical fiber mattress was positively correlated with the AHI value of the PSG (P < 0.05, r = 0.713). The specificity and sensitivity of the non-contact optical fiber mattress AHI in the diagnosis of OSAHS were 95% and 93%, with a high OSAHS diagnostic accuracy (AUC = 0.984).ConclusionThe efficacy of the non-contact optical fiber mattress for OSAHS monitoring was not significantly different than PSG monitoring. The specificity of the non-contact optical mattress for diagnosing OSAHS was 95% and its sensitivity was 93%, with a high OSAHS diagnostic accuracy. creator: Ling Zhou creator: Xiaoyan Zhu creator: Lu Liu creator: Lingling Wang creator: Pengdou Zheng creator: Fengqin Zhang creator: Zhenyu Mao creator: Guoliang Huang creator: Songlin Cheng creator: Huiguo Liu creator: Wei Liu uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.17570 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: © 2024 Zhou et al. title: Prevalence and factors associated with Schistosoma mansoni infection among primary school children in Kersa District, Eastern Ethiopia link: https://peerj.com/articles/17439 last-modified: 2024-06-14 description: BackgroundSchistosomiasis is a neglected tropical disease and an important parasite negatively impacting socio-economic factors. Ethiopia’s Federal Ministry of Health targeted the elimination of schistosomiasis infection in school-aged children by 2020. However, Schistosoma mansoni still affects approximately 12.3 million school-aged children in Ethiopia. Although the study was conducted in some regions of the country, previous studies were conducted on urban school children and were limited to the burden of infection. Overall, there is a lack of information about schistosomiasis in eastern Ethiopia, particularly among school children. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the prevalence and factors associated with Schistosoma mansoni infection among primary school children in Kersa district, Eastern Ethiopia.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted among 419 school children using systematic random sampling from April 10 to May 09, 2019. The stool samples were collected and examined using the Keto-Katz method. A structured and pretested questionnaire was used to collect data from participants. Data were entered using Epi-Data version 3.1 and analysed using SPSS version 24. A bivariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to identify factors associated with Schistosoma mansoni infection. P-value < 0.05 and adjusted odds ratio (AOR) (95% confidence interval (CI)) were used to identify statistically significant associations.ResultsThis study’s overall prevalence of S. mansoni was 19.4% (95% CI [16–23]). Absence of the latrines in household (AOR = 2.35, 95% CI [1.25–4.38]), swimming in the river (AOR = 2.82, 95% CI [1.33–5.88]), unprotected water sources (AOR = 3.5, 95% CI [1.72–7.10]), irregular shoe wearing habits (AOR = 2.81, 95% CI [1.51–5.23]), and water contact during cross of river (AOR = 2.192; 95% CI [1.113–4.318]) were factors independently associated with S. mansoni infection.ConclusionSchistosoma mansoni infection remains a public health problem in the study area. Using a latrine in each household, using protected water, wearing shoes regularly, and reducing water contact were necessary to control Schistosoma mansoni infection. creator: Hussen Aliyi creator: Mohammed Ahmed creator: Tesfaye Gobena creator: Bezatu Mengistie Alemu creator: Hassen Abdi Adem creator: Ahmedin Aliyi Usso uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.17439 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2024 Aliyi et al. title: Pyrolyzed and unpyrolyzed residues enhance maize yield under varying rates of application and fertilization regimes link: https://peerj.com/articles/17513 last-modified: 2024-06-14 description: Biochar is increasingly gaining popularity due to its extensive recommendation as a potential solution for addressing the concerns of food security and climate change in agroecosystems, with biochar application for increased carbon sequestration, enhanced soil fertility, improved soil health, and increased crop yield and quality. There have been multiple studies on crop yield utilizing various biochar types and application amounts; however, none have focused on the influence of diverse biochar types at various pyrolysis temperatures with different application amounts and the integration of fertilizer regimes in maize crops. Therefore, a two-year factorial field experiment was designed in a temperate Himalayan region of India (THRI) to evaluate the residual effect of different biochar on maize yield under different pyrolysis temperatures, various application rates and fertilizer regimes. The study included three factors viz., amendment type (factor 1), rate of application (factor 2) and fertilizer regime (factor 3). Amendment type included 7 treatments: No biochar- control (A1), apple biochar @ 400 °C pyrolysis temperature (A2), apple biochar @ 600 °C pyrolysis temperature (A3), apple residue biomass (A4), dal weed biochar @ 400 °C pyrolysis temperature (A5), dal weed biochar @ 600 °C pyrolysis temperatures (A6), and dal weed residue biomass (A7). The rate of application included 3 levels: Low (L- 1 t ha−1), medium (M- 2 t ha−1), and high (H- 3 t ha−1). At the same time, the fertilizer regimes included 2 treatments: No fertilizer (N) and recommended dose of fertilizer (F). The results revealed that among the various amendment type, rate of application and fertilizer regimes, the A3 amendment, H rate of application and F fertilizer regime gave the best maize growth and productivity outcome. Results revealed that among the different pyrolyzed residues used, the A3 amendment had the highest plant height (293.87 cm), most kernels cob−1 (535.75), highest soil plant analysis development (SPAD) value (58.10), greatest cob length (27.36 cm), maximum cob girth (18.18 cm), highest grain cob yield (1.40 Mg ha−1), highest grain yield (4.78 Mg ha−1), higher test weight (305.42 gm), and highest stover yield (2.50 Mg ha−1). The maximum dry weight in maize and the number of cobs plant−1 were recorded with amendments A4 (14.11 Mg ha−1) and A6 (1.77), respectively. The comparatively 2nd year of biochar application than the 1st year, the H level of the rate of application than the L rate and the application and integration of the recommended dose of fertilizer in maize results in significantly higher values of growth and productivity in maize. Overall, these findings suggest that the apple biochar @ 600 °C pyrolysis temperature (A3) at a high application rate with the addition of the recommended dose of fertilizer is the optimal biochar for enhancing the growth and productivity of maize in the THRI. creator: Owais Ali Wani creator: Farida Akhter creator: Shamal Shasang Kumar creator: Raihana Habib Kanth creator: Zahoor Ahmed Dar creator: Subhash Babu creator: Nazir Hussain creator: Syed Sheraz Mahdi creator: Abed Alataway creator: Ahmed Z. Dewidar creator: Mohamed A. Mattar uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.17513 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2024 Wani et al. title: Modulation of the gut microbiota by processed food and natural food: evidence from the Siniperca chuatsi microbiome link: https://peerj.com/articles/17520 last-modified: 2024-06-14 description: Habitual dietary changes have the potential to induce alterations in the host’s gut microbiota. Mandarin fish (Siniperca chuatsi), an aquatic vertebrate species with distinct feeding habits, were fed with natural feeds (NF) and artificial feeds (AF) to simulate the effects of natural and processed food consumption on host gut microbiota assemblages. The results showed that the alpha diversity index was reduced in the AF diet treatment, as lower abundance and diversity of the gut microbiota were observed, which could be attributed to the colonized microorganisms of the diet itself and the incorporation of plant-derived proteins or carbohydrates. The β-diversity analysis indicated that the two dietary treatments were associated with distinct bacterial communities. The AF diet had a significantly higher abundance of Bacteroidota and a lower abundance of Actinomycetota, Acidobacteriota, and Chloroflexota compared to the NF group. In addition, Bacteroidota was the biomarker in the gut of mandarin fish from the AF treatment, while Acidobacteriota was distinguished in the NF treatments. Additionally, the increased abundance of Bacteroidota in the AF diet group contributed to the improved fermentation and nutrient assimilation, as supported by the metabolic functional prediction and transcriptome verification. Overall, the present work used the mandarin fish as a vertebrate model to uncover the effects of habitual dietary changes on the evolution of the host microbiota, which may provide potential insights for the substitution of natural foods by processed foods in mammals. creator: Hongyan Li creator: Shuhui Niu creator: Houjun Pan creator: Guangjun Wang creator: Jun Xie creator: Jingjing Tian creator: Kai Zhang creator: Yun Xia creator: Zhifei Li creator: Ermeng Yu creator: Wenping Xie creator: Wangbao Gong uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.17520 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: © 2024 Li et al. title: Effects of combined aerobic and resistance training on glycemic control, blood pressure, inflammation, cardiorespiratory fitness and quality of life in patients with type 2 diabetes and overweight/obesity: a systematic review and meta-analysis link: https://peerj.com/articles/17525 last-modified: 2024-06-14 description: BackgroundStructured aerobic or resistance training alone seems to be a beneficial tool for improving glucose homeostasis, chronic systemic inflammation, resting cardiovascular function, and mental health in people with obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The aim of the present study was to synthesize the available data on the effectiveness of combined aerobic and resistance training (CART) on glycemic control, blood pressure, inflammation, cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), and quality of life (QoL) in overweight and obese individuals with T2DM.MethodsA database search was carried out in PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Science Direct, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar from inception up to May 2023. The Cochrane risk of bias tool was used to assess eligible studies, and the GRADE method to evaluate the reliability of evidence. A random-effects model was used, and data were analyzed using standardized mean differences and 95% confidence intervals. The study protocol was registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (ID: CRD42022355612).ResultsA total of 21,612 studies were retrieved; 20 studies were included, and data were extracted from 1,192 participants (mean age: 57 ± 7 years) who met the eligibility criteria. CART demonstrated significant improvements in body mass index, glycated hemoglobin, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, C-reactive protein, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-6, CRF, and QoL compared to ST. These findings highlight the significance of exercise interventions such as CART as essential elements within comprehensive diabetes management strategies, ultimately enhancing overall health outcomes in individuals with T2DM and overweight/obesity.No differences were found in resting heart rate between CART and ST. An uncertain risk of bias and poor quality of evidence were found among the eligible studies.ConclusionThese outcomes show clear evidence considering the positive role of CART in inducing beneficial changes in various cardiometabolic and mental health-related indicators in patients with T2DM and concurrent overweight/obesity. More studies with robust methodological design are warranted to examine the dose-response relationship, training parameters configuration, and mechanisms behind these positive adaptations. creator: Sameer Badri AL-Mhanna creator: Alexios Batrakoulis creator: Wan Syaheedah Wan Ghazali creator: Mahaneem Mohamed creator: Abdulaziz Aldayel creator: Maha H. Alhussain creator: Hafeez Abiola Afolabi creator: Yusuf Wada creator: Mehmet Gülü creator: Safaa Elkholi creator: Bishir Daku Abubakar creator: Daniel Rojas-Valverde uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.17525 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: © 2024 AL-Mhanna et al.