title: PeerJ description: Articles published in PeerJ link: https://peerj.com/articles/index.rss3?journal=peerj&page=531 creator: info@peerj.com PeerJ errorsTo: info@peerj.com PeerJ language: en title: Developing community pharmacists’ role in the management of type 2 diabetes and related microvascular complications: a nationwide survey in Australia link: https://peerj.com/articles/14849 last-modified: 2023-02-16 description: BackgroundCommunity pharmacists have regular interactions with people living with type 2 diabetes to supply medications, and have a potential role in supporting other primary care professionals in the screening, management, monitoring and facilitation of timely referral of microvascular complications. This study aimed to investigate the contemporary and future roles of community pharmacists in diabetes-related microvascular complication management.MethodsThis study involved an online Australian nation-wide survey of pharmacists administered via Qualtrics® and distributed through social media platforms, state and national pharmacy organisations, and via major banner groups. Descriptive analyses were undertaken using SPSS.ResultsAmong 77 valid responses, 72% of pharmacists already provided blood pressure and blood glucose monitoring services for the management of type 2 diabetes. Only 14% reported providing specific microvascular complication services. Over 80% identified a need for a comprehensive microvascular complication monitoring and referral service, and agreed it is feasible and within the scope of practice of a pharmacist. Almost all respondents agreed that they would implement and provide a monitoring and referral service if provided with appropriate training and resources. Potential barriers to service implementation were competing demands and lack of remuneration and awareness among consumers and health professionals.ConclusionsType 2 diabetes services in Australian community pharmacies do not currently focus on microvascular complication management. There appears to be strong support for implementing a novel screening, monitoring and referral service via community pharmacy to facilitate timely access to care. Successful implementation would require additional pharmacist training, and identification of efficient pathways for service integration and remuneration. creator: Louise Woodhams creator: Leanne Chalmers creator: Graham S. Hillis creator: Tin Fei Sim uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.14849 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: © 2023 Woodhams et al. title: Advances in the study of aerobic glycolytic effects in resistance to radiotherapy in malignant tumors link: https://peerj.com/articles/14930 last-modified: 2023-02-16 description: Aerobic glycolysis is a metabolic mode of tumor cells different from normal cells that plays an important role in tumor proliferation and distant metastasis. Radiotherapy has now become a routine and effective treatment for many malignancies, however, resistance to radiotherapy remains a major challenge in the treatment of malignant tumors. Recent studies have found that the abnormal activity of the aerobic glycolysis process in tumor cells is most likely involved in regulating chemoresistance and radiation therapy resistance in malignant tumors. However, research on the functions and mechanisms of aerobic glycolysis in the molecular mechanisms of resistance to radiotherapy in malignant tumors is still in its early stages. This review collects recent studies on the effects of aerobic glycolysis and radiation therapy resistance in malignant tumors, to further understand the progress in this area. This research may more effectively guide the clinical development of more powerful treatment plans for radiation therapy resistant subtypes of cancer patients, and take an important step to improve the disease control rate of radiation therapy resistant subtypes of cancer patients. creator: Yuyi Liu creator: Zhengfu Feng creator: Pingmei Zhang creator: Honghao Chen creator: Song Zhu creator: Xin Wang uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.14930 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: © 2023 Liu et al. title: Mirror stimulation in Eurasian jays (Garrulus glandarius) link: https://peerj.com/articles/14729 last-modified: 2023-02-15 description: Mirror exposure elicits a wide range of behavioral responses, some of which have been considered as part of possible evidence of mirror self-recognition (MSR). These responses can range from social behaviors, indicating that an animal considers its own reflection as a conspecific, to mirror-guided and self-directed actions. Evidence of MSR has been found categorically in only a few species, such as in magpies, chimpanzees, horses, and elephants. Evidence in corvids is currently debated due to inconsistent findings. In this study, we investigated the reaction of Eurasian jays when presenting them with three mirror-stimulation tasks. Based on the overall behavioral patterns across these three tasks, conclusions about birds’ understanding of a reflective surface, and their perception of the reflection as either themselves or as a conspecific, appear premature. We highlight how the high neophobia of corvids and other methodological constraints might have hindered the likelihood to approach and explore a mirror, preventing the emergence of behaviors typically associated with MSR. Furthermore, we discuss how motivational factors, methodological constraints and species differences should be considered when interpreting behavioral responses to mirrors. creator: Luigi Baciadonna creator: Francesca M. Cornero creator: Nicola S. Clayton creator: Nathan J. Emery uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.14729 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2023 Baciadonna et al. title: Impact of public sentiments on the transmission of COVID-19 across a geographical gradient link: https://peerj.com/articles/14736 last-modified: 2023-02-15 description: COVID-19 is a respiratory disease caused by a recently discovered, novel coronavirus, SARS-COV-2. The disease has led to over 81 million confirmed cases of COVID-19, with close to two million deaths. In the current social climate, the risk of COVID-19 infection is driven by individual and public perception of risk and sentiments. A number of factors influences public perception, including an individual’s belief system, prior knowledge about a disease and information about a disease. In this article, we develop a model for COVID-19 using a system of ordinary differential equations following the natural history of the infection. The model uniquely incorporates social behavioral aspects such as quarantine and quarantine violation. The model is further driven by people’s sentiments (positive and negative) which accounts for the influence of disinformation. People’s sentiments were obtained by parsing through and analyzing COVID-19 related tweets from Twitter, a social media platform across six countries. Our results show that our model incorporating public sentiments is able to capture the trend in the trajectory of the epidemic curve of the reported cases. Furthermore, our results show that positive public sentiments reduce disease burden in the community. Our results also show that quarantine violation and early discharge of the infected population amplifies the disease burden on the community. Hence, it is important to account for public sentiment and individual social behavior in epidemic models developed to study diseases like COVID-19. creator: Folashade B. Agusto creator: Eric Numfor creator: Karthik Srinivasan creator: Enahoro A. Iboi creator: Alexander Fulk creator: Jarron M. Saint Onge creator: A. Townsend Peterson uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.14736 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: © 2023 Agusto et al. title: Metabolic turnover rate, digestive enzyme activities, and bacterial communities in the white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei under compensatory growth link: https://peerj.com/articles/14747 last-modified: 2023-02-15 description: The present work aimed to evaluate the effects promoted by a phase of compensatory growth on metabolic turnover rate, digestive enzyme activity, and bacterial biota of the Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei kept under different feeding regimes. Three treatments were evaluated as follows: 70% feed restriction during 3 (T3) and 6 (T6) days, followed by a period of feeding to satiety, and a control treatment without restriction periods. The results showed a full compensatory growth in treatments T3 and T6 by day 35 of the bioassay. A significant increase in trypsin and lipase (T6) activities was observed during compensatory growth, whereas specific amylase activity was significantly lower in treatment T6 compared to T3 but not significantly different from the control group. To determine the metabolic turnover rate of nitrogen in muscle tissue, an analysis of nitrogen isotope values (δ15N) at natural abundance levels was performed. At the end of the experimental period, shrimp under feed restriction had lower metabolic turnover rates and longer nitrogen residence times (t50) in muscle tissue, as compared to individuals in the control treatment. Regarding the changes in the bacterial communities in shrimp gut, no significant differences were observed at the phylum level, with Proteobacteria being the most abundant bacteria, followed by Actinobacteria. At family taxa level, Rhodobacteraceae presented the highest relative abundance in all treatments, whereas a decrease in Vibrionaceae was observed in treatments T3 and T6 when compared to control shrimps during compensatory growth. At the genus level, a decrease in Celeribacter, Catenococcus, and Epibacterium, and an increase in Ruegeria and Shimia, were identified in shrimp subjected to feed restriction when compared to control organisms during compensatory growth (day 14). At the end of the experimental period, the evaluated parameters showed similar results as those observed in the control treatment, suggesting a normalization of the metabolism and the physiological state. The present findings contribute to a better understanding on the physiological effects produced during compensatory growth in shrimp, which in turn could assist in the development of improved feeding strategies in benefit of the aquaculture industry. creator: Jorge Giovanni Quintino-Rivera creator: Regina Elizondo-González creator: Julián Gamboa-Delgado creator: Laura Teresa Guzmán-Villanueva creator: Alberto Peña-Rodriguez uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.14747 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: © 2023 Quintino-Rivera et al. title: Deoxycholic acid exacerbates intestinal inflammation by modulating interleukin-1β expression and tuft cell proportion in dextran sulfate sodium-induced murine colitis link: https://peerj.com/articles/14842 last-modified: 2023-02-15 description: BackgroundThe etiology of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) remains unclear. However, intestinal metabolism is known to be critical in the pathogenesis of IBD. Bile acid is one of the main intestinal metabolites, and its role in the pathogenesis of IBD is worthy of investigation. This study investigated the role of deoxycholic acid (DCA), a bile acid, in the pathogenesis of IBD.MethodsPeripheral serum metabolomics, fecal metabolomics, and microbiome analyses were performed on patients with IBD and healthy controls. Flow cytometry, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, western blotting, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, immunohistochemical staining, and immunofluorescence analysis were used to evaluate cytokines in the inflamed colonic mucosa and immune cells and tuft cells in the intestine of mice with dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis.ResultsIn total, 156 patients with IBD and 58 healthy controls were enrolled. DCA levels in the serum and feces of patients with IBD were significantly decreased compared to the controls. This decrease was associated with a decrease in the abundance of intestinal flora, including Firmicutes, Clostridia, Ruminnococcaceae, and Lachnospiraceae. Additionally, interleukin (IL)-1β levels in the serum of patients with active Crohn’s disease were significantly increased compared with the healthy controls. Moreover, in DCA-treated DSS-induced mice, the expression of IL-1β and the proportion of CD3+ and CD4+ T cells increased while the number of intestinal tuft cells decreased, compared with the DSS group.ConclusionIn IBD patients, the decreased DCA levels in serum and fecal samples are associated with disturbances in gut microflora diversity and abundance. Possible mechanisms by which DCA affects immunity in DSS-induced murine colitis include increasing IL-1β secretion, reducing the number of tuft cells in the mucosa, and activating CD4+ and CD3+ T cells to exaggerate immune responses, consequently worsening intestinal inflammation. creator: Jingyi Ju creator: Cui Zhang creator: Jiaolan Yang creator: Qinglu Yang creator: Pengyun Yin creator: Xiaomin Sun uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.14842 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2023 Ju et al. title: New specimens of the early Permian apex predator Varanops brevirostris at Richards Spur, Oklahoma, with histological information about its growth pattern link: https://peerj.com/articles/14898 last-modified: 2023-02-15 description: An articulated pelvic region and additional isolated material of Varanops brevirostris, which are indistinguishable from those of the generotype from the Cacops bonebed, demonstrate the presence of this large varanopid at the Richards Spur locality. The articulated specimen includes lumbar, sacral, and anterior caudal vertebrae, partial pelvis, femur, and proximal part of tibia, confirming the autapomorphies previously suggested for this species. These include the presence of distinct blade-like shapes of the neural spines in the sacral region, the presence of deeply excavated pubis, and the presence of a distinct transverse ridge on the ventral surface of the femur distal to the intertrochanteric fossa. It has also been found that the transverse ridges and grooves become larger during ontogeny since the juvenile specimen did not exhibit a well-developed ridge. Histological analysis of isolated limb bones and neutron computed tomography (nCT) of the articulated specimen indicate that the latter likely belonged to an adult individual. This is in contrast to the other varanopid at Richards Spur, the significantly smaller, more gracile predator Mesenosaurus efremovi, which also shows the presence of growth lines and the external fundamental system with an estimated minimum age of fourteen. creator: Tea Maho creator: Joseph J. Bevitt creator: Robert R. Reisz uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.14898 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: © 2023 Maho et al. title: Modelling nitrogen management in hybrid rice for coastal ecosystem of West Bengal, India link: https://peerj.com/articles/14903 last-modified: 2023-02-15 description: Hybrid rice requires adequate nitrogen (N) management in order to achieve good yields from its vegetative and reproductive development. With this backdrop, a field experiment was conducted at Regional Research Station (Coastal Saline Zone), Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Kakdwip, West Bengal (India) to record growth and yield performance of hybrid rice (cv. PAN 2423) under varied N-fertilizer doses. A modelling approach was adopted for the first time in hybrid rice production system under coastal ecosystem of West Bengal (India). In the present study, the Agricultural Production Systems Simulator (APSIM) model was calibrated and validated for simulating a hybrid rice production system with different N rates. The APSIM based crop simulation model was found to capture the physiological changes of hybrid rice under varied N rates effectively. While studying the relationship between simulated and observed yield data, we observed that the equations developed by APSIM were significant with higher R2 values (≥0.812). However, APSIM caused an over-estimation for calibrate data but it was rectified for validated data. The RMSE of models for all the cases was less than respective SD values and the normalized RMSE values were ≤20%. Hence, it was proved to be a good rationalized modelling and the performance of APSIM was robust. On the contrary, APSIM underestimated the calibrated amount of N (kg ha−1) in storage organ of hybrid rice, which was later rectified in case of validated data. A strong correlation existed between the observed and APSIM-simulated amounts of N in storage organ of hybrid rice (R2 = 0.94** and 0.96** for the calibration and validation data sets, respectively), which indicates the robustness of the APSIM simulation study. Scenario analysis also suggests that the optimal N rate will increase from 160 to 200 kg N ha−1 for the greatest hybrid rice production in coming years under elevated CO2 levels in the atmosphere. The APSIM-Oryza crop model had successfully predicted the variation in aboveground biomass and grain yield of hybrid rice under different climatic conditions. creator: Sukamal Sarkar creator: Krishnendu Ray creator: Sourav Garai creator: Hirak Banerjee creator: Krisanu Haldar creator: Jagamohan Nayak uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.14903 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: © 2023 Sarkar et al. title: Presence of microplastics and microparticles in Oregon Black Rockfish sampled near marine reserve areas link: https://peerj.com/articles/14564 last-modified: 2023-02-14 description: Measuring the spatial distribution of microparticles which include synthetic, semi-synthetic, and anthropogenic particles is critical to understanding their potential negative impacts on species. This is particularly important in the context of microplastics, which are a form of microparticle that are prevalent in the marine environment. To facilitate a better understanding of microparticle occurrence, including microplastics, we sampled subadult and young juvenile Black Rockfish (Sebastes melanops) at multiple Oregon coast sites, and their gastrointestinal tracts were analyzed to identify ingested microparticles. Of the subadult rockfish, one or more microparticles were found in the GI tract of 93.1% of the fish and were present in fish from Newport, and near four of five marine reserves. In the juveniles, 92% of the fish had ingested one or more microparticles from the area of Cape Foulweather, a comparison area, and Otter Rock, a marine reserve. The subadults had an average of 7.31 (average background = 5) microparticles detected, while the juveniles had 4.21 (average background = 1.8). In both the subadult and juvenile fish, approximately 12% of the microparticles were identified as synthetic using micro-Fourier Infrared Spectroscopy (micro-FTIR). Fibers were the most prevalent morphology identified, and verified microparticle contamination was a complex mixture of synthetic (∼12% for subadults and juveniles), anthropogenic (∼87% for subadults and 85.5% for juveniles), and natural (e.g., fur) materials (∼0.7% for subadults and ∼2.4% for juveniles). Similarities in exposure types (particle morphology, particle number) across life stages, coupled with statistical differences in exposure levels at several locations for subadult fish, suggest the potential influence of nearshore oceanographic patterns on microparticle distribution. A deeper understanding of the impact microplastics have on an important fishery such as those for S. melanops, will contribute to our ability to accurately assess risk to both wildlife and humans. creator: Katherine S. Lasdin creator: Madison Arnold creator: Anika Agrawal creator: H. William Fennie creator: Kirsten Grorud-Colvert creator: Su Sponaugle creator: Lindsay Aylesworth creator: Scott Heppell creator: Susanne M. Brander uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.14564 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: © 2023 Lasdin et al. title: Implications of altered sirtuins in metabolic regulation and oral cancer link: https://peerj.com/articles/14752 last-modified: 2023-02-14 description: Sirtuins (SIRTs 1-7) are a group of histone deacetylase enzymes with a wide range of enzyme activities that target a range of cellular proteins in the nucleus, cytoplasm, and mitochondria for posttranslational modifications by acetylation (SIRT1, 2, 3, and 5) or ADP ribosylation (SIRT4, 6, and 7). A variety of cellular functions, including mitochondrial functions and functions in energy homeostasis, metabolism, cancer, longevity and ageing, are regulated by sirtuins. Compromised sirtuin functions and/or alterations in the expression levels of sirtuins may lead to several pathological conditions and contribute significantly to alterations in metabolic phenotypes as well as oral carcinogenesis. Here, we describe the basic characteristics of seven mammalian sirtuins. This review also emphasizes the key molecular mechanisms of sirtuins in metabolic regulation and discusses the possible relationships of sirtuins with oral cancers. This review will provide novel insight into new therapeutic approaches targeting sirtuins that may potentially lead to effective strategies for combating oral malignancies. creator: Xu Quan creator: Ying Xin creator: He-Ling Wang creator: Yingjie Sun creator: Chanchan Chen creator: Jiangying Zhang uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.14752 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2023 Quan et al.