title: PeerJ
description:  Articles published in PeerJ
link: https://peerj.com/articles/index.rss3?journal=peerj&page=47
creator: info@peerj.com PeerJ
errorsTo: info@peerj.com PeerJ
language: en

title: Relationship between locomotive syndrome risk test and height and weight in infancy and toddlerhood: a preliminary study
link: https://peerj.com/articles/20114
last-modified: 2025-09-25
description: IntroductionThe Japanese Medical Science Federation’s declaration highlighted that locomotive syndrome (LS) precedes frailty, emphasizing the importance of early intervention beginning in childhood and continuing throughout life. To date, no study has examined the relationship between LS in adults and height and weight during infancy and toddlerhood. As a preliminary investigation, this study aimed to clarify how height and weight during early life stages are related to LS among young adults.MethodsIn this study, 62 students enrolled at a health sciences university were administered the locomotive syndrome risk test, and their grip strength was measured. Height and weight at birth, at 1 year, and at 3 years of age were obtained from the Maternal and Child Health Handbook. All participants were born via normal delivery. The relationships between the LS risk test results, height, and weight were analyzed using correlation and multivariate analyses.ResultsCorrelation analysis revealed significant associations between height and weight in infancy and toddlerhood and the following variables: two-step length, two-step test value, 25-question geriatric locomotive function scale score, and grip strength. Multiple regression analysis showed a significant relationship between two-step length and height at birth (p = 0.002), and between grip strength and weight at age 3 (p = 0.021).ConclusionsA weak-to-moderate relationship was found between LS and height and weight in infancy and toddlerhood. These findings suggest that preventive measures for LS should not be delayed until adulthood; rather, early-life interventions beginning in infancy, toddlerhood, and childhood may be crucial.
creator: Shuntaro Tsuji
creator: Tamaki Hirose
creator: Yohei Sawaya
creator: Runa Kawano
creator: Takumi Sugiura
creator: Riona Takimoto
creator: Yuto Nishimura
creator: Masafumi Itokazu
uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.20114
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
rights: © 2025 Tsuji et al.

title: Geographic distributions and patterns of co-occurrence among black-bellied and shovel-nosed salamanders (Desmognathus spp.) in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park
link: https://peerj.com/articles/20110
last-modified: 2025-09-25
description: The southern Appalachian Mountains are a global hotspot for salamander diversity. Recent taxonomic revisions driven by a growing understanding of cryptic diversity and advancements in genomic technology have increased the number of described species in the area significantly, raising questions about biogeography and community structure. Recently described species in the Desmognathus quadramaculatus-marmoratus complex are morphologically cryptic but diagnosable by mitochondrial DNA. The complex includes multiple species within each of two distinct ecomorphs, the highly aquatic ‘shovel-nosed’ (SN) ecomorph and the semi-aquatic ‘black-bellied’ (BB) ecomorph. Here, we use mitochondrial DNA and Bayesian phylogenetic analysis to clarify distributions and patterns of co-occurrence of recently described species in the Great Smoky Mountains. We present new data showing more extensive co-occurrence of two cryptic species of the black-bellied ecomorph than previously recognized. Our results are also consistent with earlier work indicating shared variation between ecomorphs within one clade. In addition, we identified a divergent mitochondrial lineage of the shovel-nosed ecomorph related to D. aureatus, a species not previously known to inhabit the Great Smoky Mountains. These results reveal a more complex and diverse assemblage of ecomorphs than previously recognized in this hotspot of salamander diversity.
creator: Aidan Shaw
creator: Rebecca Chastain
creator: Benjamin M. Fitzpatrick
uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.20110
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
rights: © 2025 Shaw et al.

title: Establishment and verification of a nomogram model based on the inflammatory indicators of patients with cervical cancer for predicting the risk of their lymph node metastasis
link: https://peerj.com/articles/20069
last-modified: 2025-09-25
description: Based on inflammatory indicators, this study aimed to predict the risk of lymph node metastasis (LNM) in patients with cervical squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) and establish a predictive nomogram model.MethodsThis retrospective study analyzed the clinical data of 194 patients with stage IA2-IIA2 who underwent surgery at Hebei General Hospital (between January 2017 and August 2023). Patients were divided into two groups based on the presence of LNM or not. Clinical data of the participants were gathered and analyzed to compare the two groups. Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the factors influencing LNM in patients with CSCC. R software was used to construct a nomogram model to predict LNM in patients with CSCC, and its accuracy was verified.ResultsSquamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC-Ag) level, D-dimer level, platelet (PLT) count, and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) index were significantly higher in patients with LNM than in those without LNM (P < 0.05). There was a significant association between lymph vascular space invasion (LVSI) in patients with CSCC and their LNM (P < 0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that SCC-Ag, PLR, and LVSI in patients with CSCC were independent risk factors for LNM (P < 0.05). A predictive nomogram model was constructed, and the prediction probability was consistent with the actual observed value (Hosmer–Lemeshow P = 0.313). Analyses using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve revealed that the combination of the SCC-Ag, PLR, and LVSI values of patients with CSCC significantly improved the diagnostic efficiency of their LNM (AUC = 0.792, P < 0.001).ConclusionEstablishing a nomogram model based on preoperative inflammatory indicators of patients with CSCC can accurately predict the risk of LNM, providing evidence for implementing a clinical diagnosis and treatment scheme.
creator: Liyun Song
creator: Kaiyun Qin
creator: Suning Bai
creator: Qi Wu
creator: Jing Zhao
creator: Jie Qi
creator: Junmei Zhang
creator: Yazhuo Wang
creator: Yuan Zhang
creator: Ren Xu
uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.20069
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
rights: ©2025 Song et al.

title: Selection of suitable wheat genotypes under thermal stress and complex genotype-environment interaction using stability analyses and selection indices
link: https://peerj.com/articles/20061
last-modified: 2025-09-25
description: Thermal stress is a consequence of climate change that threatens food security, causes plant tissue damage, and harms crop production, particularly during the pollination and fertilization period and in grain-filling stages negatively impacting the number of grains, grain size, and quality. Genotype-environment interaction (GEN: ENV) complicates the selection of optimal wheat genotypes due to the complex genetic basis of yield under varying conditions. Diversified approaches were put forth in response to the pressing demand for simultaneous enhancements in high-yield performance combined with stability. This study investigates the selection of ideal wheat genotypes under thermal stress and complex GEN: ENV using stability analyses and selection indices to assess genotype performance and stability. Twenty wheat genotypes were evaluated across optimal conditions (OC) and thermal stress conditions (TSC) over three growing seasons with six ENVs. Results demonstrated significant GEN: ENV, revealing genetic variations in thermal tolerance. The additive main effects and multiplicative interaction (AMMI2) biplot indicated a combined variance of 99.00%, and eleven genotypes showed stable grain yield (GY) with six ENVs, three (G05, G09, and G17) were more stable. The G04, G05, G06, G09, and G18 genotypes were chosen for GY as perfect (stable and high-performance) genotypes by weighted average of absolute scores biplot (WAASB) and were also identified as the best genotypes group by WAASB-GY, with the exception of G18. Ten selection indices showed significant positive associations under GYoc and GYtsc, so they can be leveraged to detect the genotype’s high yield of GYtsc indirectly. The heritability, accuracy, and rgen: env values for most indices were high, indicating a major role of the genotypic effect in their inheritance, with the exception of the stress-non-stress production index (SNPI) index. Out of the five that were examined by WAASB, G04, G05, G06, and G09 were the top-ranking genotypes by the multi-trait genotype ideotype distance index, either before or after removing variables. This suggests that they could be examined for validation stability measures. The findings of this study offer valuable insights for ENVs variety selection, facilitating the identification of improved cultivars and supporting the development of thermal stress-resilient breeding programs.
creator: Abdelhalim Ghazy
creator: Walid Ben Romdhane
creator: Majed Alotaibi
creator: Abdullah Al-Doss
creator: Omar Dahrog
creator: Nasser Al-Suhaibani
creator: Abdullah Ibrahim
creator: Adel M. Al-Saif
creator: Khalid A. Al-Gaadi
creator: Ahmed M. Zeyada
creator: Khalid F. Almutairi
creator: Ibrahim Al-Ashkar
uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.20061
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
rights: ©2025 Ghazy et al.

title: Association of circulating branched-chain amino acids with risk of pre-diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis
link: https://peerj.com/articles/20054
last-modified: 2025-09-25
description: ObjectiveRecent investigations have looked at the systemic concentrations of branched-chain amino acids (BCAA), which they consider prospective indicators for health conditions and the likelihood of chronic diseases. To elucidate the equivocal link between systemic BCAA concentrations and prediabetes, our study undertook a meta-analytical investigation.Materials and MethodsElectronic databases were comprehensively searched in April 2024, and the study quality evaluation relied on the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS). The I2 statistic was used for heterogeneity assessment, and data analysis relied on Review Manager 5.4 and Stata 12.0. Standard mean difference (SMD) was used as the effect size to account for varying units of measurement across the included studies. Sensitivity assessment was instituted to evaluate result tenacity, and subgroup examinations were concomitantly carried out, with funnel plots, Egger’s regression analysis, and Begg’s rank-correlation methodology deployed to discern publication bias. PROSPERO registration (CRD42024572760) validates this review’s protocol compliance.ResultsMeta-analysis was conducted on 15 studies that involved 3,849 participants. Most individuals were over 40 years old. The prediabetes (PreDM) group exhibited significantly elevated levels of valine (Val) (SMD = 0.29; 95% confidence interval (CI) [0.14–0.45]; P = 0.0002), leucine (Leu) (SMD = 0.34; 95% CI [0.18–0.49]; P < 0.0001), and isoleucine (Ile) (SMD = 0.24; 95% CI [0.15–0.32]; P < 0.00001) compared to controls. Affirming the soundness of the results, sensitivity analysis indicated the lack of significant publication bias.ConclusionsThis meta-analysis supports the hypothesis that circulating BCAA levels increase in PreDM, suggesting that measuring BCAA levels could be investigated as a potential biomarker for the diagnosis of PreDM and a target for its treatment.
creator: Yu Wang
creator: Jiang-Hong Xiao
creator: Xi-Mei Zhang
creator: Wen-Xiao Wang
creator: Qiao Zhang
creator: Yu-Ping Tang
creator: Shi-Jun Yue
uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.20054
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
rights: ©2025 Wang et al.

title: Identification of immunological and prognostic value of SHROOM2 in pan-cancer and experimental verification of its role in promoting malignant phenotypes in breast cancer
link: https://peerj.com/articles/20051
last-modified: 2025-09-25
description: ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate the relationship between Shroom Family Member 2 (SHROOM2) expression and immune features, survival outcomes, and tumor mutational burden (TMB) across various cancer types, as well as its impact on the aggressive behavior of breast cancer (BC).MethodsRNA sequencing and clinical survival data were retrieved from the TCGA-BRCA and TCGA-PANCANCER datasets within The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Survival analyses were performed to assess the association between SHROOM2 expression and clinical outcomes across different cancer types. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was applied to identify potential mechanisms associated with differentially expressed genes in BC. Spearman correlation and Wilcoxon tests were used to evaluate the relationships between SHROOM2 levels and immune characteristics, TMB, or drug sensitivity. Additionally, the effects of SHROOM2 on BC cells were assessed through reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR), cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay, transwell assay, and wound healing assay.ResultsSHROOM2 was overexpressed in a range of cancers, and its upregulation was associated with poor clinical outcomes. It was significantly correlated with immunomodulators, immune checkpoints, and immune cell infiltration in pan-cancer. Moreover, it showed an association with TMB and drug sensitivity in BC. Increased SHROOM2 expression enhanced the proliferative, migratory, and invasive capabilities of BC cells in vitro.ConclusionHigh SHROOM2 expression is linked to poor prognosis in BC, supporting its potential as both an immunological and predictive biomarker.
creator: Yaya Wang
creator: Yuechao Ren
creator: Xiaoyan Zheng
creator: Yan Wang
creator: Haoqi Wang
creator: Xi Zhang
creator: Sainan Li
uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.20051
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
rights: ©2025 Wang et al.

title: Effect of cirrhosis on prognosis in patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure: a systematic review and meta-analysis
link: https://peerj.com/articles/20049
last-modified: 2025-09-25
description: BackgroundAcute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a prevalent complication among cirrhosis patients, whose high mortality is linked to cirrhosis combined with ACLF. Nevertheless, there is a paucity of systematic reviews. This study aimed to illustrate whether cirrhosis is a prognostic factor for ACLF.MethodologyPubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library were searched for observational studies that explored the connection between cirrhosis and ACLF prognosis from database inception to January 10, 2025. Pooled relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were utilized for data analyses. Publication bias was estimated using Egger’s tests. The protocol was registered in the PROSPERO (CRD42025639557).ResultsThis meta-analysis included 17 articles and 8,488 patients of ACLF under different diagnostic criteria. The analyses indicated that cirrhosis did not correlate with 28-day mortality of ACLF patients (RR = 1.08, 95% CI [0.84–1.39], p = 0.550, I2 = 88.8%) but independently predicted 90-day mortality (RR = 1.33, 95% CI [1.10–1.61], p = 0.004, I2 = 92.6%). Subgroup analyses of cirrhosis discovered no significant difference in 28-day and 90-day mortality between non-cirrhosis patients and those with compensated cirrhosis (p > 0.05). The 90-day mortality in decompensated cirrhosis patients was markedly higher than that in non-cirrhosis individuals (RR = 1.33, 95% CI [1.14–1.56], p < 0.001, I2 =64.2%).ConclusionsCompensated cirrhosis did not correlate with the 28-day mortality of ACLF patients, while it was an independent risk factor for 90-day mortality.
creator: Chunyang Dong
creator: Xiaoxiao Liu
creator: Dongshuai Zhang
creator: Deyou Jiang
uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.20049
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
rights: © 2025 Dong et al.

title: Elevational surveys of Sulawesi herpetofauna 2: Mount Katopasa on the Eastern Peninsula of Sulawesi island, Indonesia
link: https://peerj.com/articles/20024
last-modified: 2025-09-25
description: The unique geologic and biogeographic history of the island of Sulawesi in Indonesia has produced one of the world’s most endemic biota, much of which is still unknown to science. The biogeography of the island is influenced both by its unique shape, a confluence of four peninsulas, as well as its extremely mountainous topography, and its upland ecosystems are poorly understood by science. Here, we report the second full-mountain checklist from a series of herpetological surveys of Sulawesi’s Mountains conducted by an international team of researchers. During 3 weeks of work on Gunung Katopasa, a 2,825 m asl peak on Sulawesi’s Eastern Peninsula in the province of Sulawesi Tengah, we recovered 45 species of reptiles and amphibians. Among these, we believe that at least eight represent undescribed species. Our efforts to survey Gunung Katopasa highlight that greater herpetological diversity will likely be discovered upon future assessments of species richness and abundance on the Eastern Peninsula of Sulawesi.
creator: Isaac W. Krone
creator: Benjamin R. Karin
creator: Jeffrey H. Frederick
creator: Sina S. Amini
creator: Simon G. Scarpetta
creator: Amir Hamidy
creator: Syahfitri Anita
creator: Awal Riyanto
creator: Evy Arida
creator: Wahyu Tri Laksono
creator: Umilaela Arifin
creator: Bryan H. Bach
creator: Collin Bos
creator: Charlotte K. Jennings
creator: Alexander L. Stubbs
creator: Kinsington Peterson
creator: Sucheng Shi
creator: Jimmy A. McGuire
uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.20024
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
rights: © 2025 Krone et al.

title: Interactive effects of acacia biochar, maize hybrids, and irrigation levels on soil health and crop productivity
link: https://peerj.com/articles/20048
last-modified: 2025-09-24
description: The demand for sustainable agricultural solutions has increased because of issues like declining soil fertility from inorganic soil changes, increasing crop water demands, shifting weather patterns, and decreasing water resources. The addition of activated acacia biochar to degraded soil can significantly influence soil health by improving its moisture and nutrient retention capacity, as well as crop productivity under water-limited conditions. At present, field experiment under split-plot design was conducted to explore the suitable level of activated biochar (A0, 0 tons ha−1; A1, 5 tons ha−1; A2, 10 tons ha−1;) for maize hybrids (DK-2088, YH-5427, and DK-6317) under different moisture regimes (100% ETC; full irrigation (FI), 70% ETC; partially deficit irrigation (PDI), and 50% ETC; severely deficit irrigation (SDI)) during maize growing year 2023 from February to June. The results showed that the addition of 10 tons ha−1 activated biochar caused a maximum improvement in soil organic matter (109%), saturation percentage (13%), and mineral profile particularly carbon (83%) and calcium (52%). Under full irrigation (FI), activated acacia biochar amendment in the soil caused an improvement in the physiological and biochemical parameters such as sugar (55%) and protein content (136%), and yield attributes of all maize hybrids, particularly DK-6317. However, under severely deficit irrigation (SDI), the highest improvement in protein content, and yield per hectare was found in DK-2088, i.e., 11% to 29% higher in 5 tons ha−1, 10 tons ha−1 activated biochar amended soil, respectively. The average economic gain percentage was highest in DK-6317, i.e., 1-fold, and 2.5-fold higher under PDI, and SDI in 10 tons ha−1 activated biochar amended soil. The present study indicates the significance of organically activated acacia biochar amendments in soil for improving its water retention capacity and enhancing maize growth and yield under moisture-deficit conditions.
creator: Zarghoona Naz
creator: Audil Rashid
creator: Summera Jahan
uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.20048
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
rights: ©2025 Naz et al.

title: From Abstainers to Dependent Drinkers: alcohol consumption patterns and risk factors among Portuguese university students
link: https://peerj.com/articles/20026
last-modified: 2025-09-24
description: BackgroundAlcohol is the most prevalent psychoactive substance consumed around the world. In Portugal, alcohol consumption is deeply embedded in social and cultural practices, contributing to high prevalence rates among university students, with binge drinking emerging as a predominant consumption pattern. Despite the associations between this drinking behaviour and numerous social, physical, and psychological problems, research on alcohol consumption in Portuguese university populations remains limited. Thus, this study aimed to provide a comprehensive description of alcohol use patterns among a large sample of Portuguese university students, focusing on adolescents and young adults.MethodsA total of 1,746 students, aged 17–24 years, participated in a cross-sectional study and were surveyed using the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) and additional questionnaires regarding socio-demographic information, alcohol and illicit drug use, smoking habits, and alcohol cravings. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, group comparisons, and multinomial logistic regressions to obtain odds ratios (ORs) for group membership.ResultsAlcohol consumption was reported by 83.2% of students over the past year. Based on their drinking patterns and AUDIT score, participants were distributed across five drinking groups: Abstainers (16.8%), Moderate Drinkers (35.1%), Hazardous Drinkers (25.8%), Binge Drinkers (20.8%), and Dependent Drinkers (1.5%). Nearly 47% of students revealed harmful drinking patterns, and 1.5% exhibited symptoms of alcohol dependence. A progressive increase in the severity of alcohol consumption characteristics was observed across the groups, with Dependent Drinkers reporting the highest levels of all assessed characteristics. Significant predictors of group membership included polydrug use, standard weekly consumption, earlier drinking onset, and higher levels of alcohol craving. Polydrug use, reported by 27.3% of students, was the strongest predictor for being a Hazardous Drinker (OR = 10.75), Binge Drinker (OR = 13.20), and Dependent Drinker (OR = 21.40). Binge Drinkers displayed standard weekly consumption and craving levels comparable to Dependent Drinkers, while Moderate Drinkers exhibited the least risky patterns among drinkers, including a later age of onset of drinking. Male students reported significantly greater consumption and craving levels than their female peers.ConclusionsThis study highlights the prevalence of harmful drinking behaviours among Portuguese university students and identifies critical risk factors, such as polydrug use and early drinking onset. These findings underscore the need for prevention programmes focused on delaying the onset of alcohol use, reducing drug use, and promoting healthier behaviours within academic settings.
creator: Lucas Saldanha
creator: Alberto Crego
creator: Natália Almeida-Antunes
creator: Rui Rodrigues
creator: Adriana Sampaio
creator: Eduardo López-Caneda
uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.20026
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
rights: © 2025 Saldanha et al.