title: PeerJ description: Articles published in PeerJ link: https://peerj.com/articles/index.rss3?journal=peerj&page=580 creator: info@peerj.com PeerJ errorsTo: info@peerj.com PeerJ language: en title: Development of a novel mathematical model that explains SARS-CoV-2 infection dynamics in Caco-2 cells link: https://peerj.com/articles/14828 last-modified: 2023-02-01 description: Mathematical modeling is widely used to study within-host viral dynamics. However, to the best of our knowledge, for the case of SARS-CoV-2 such analyses were mainly conducted with the use of viral load data and for the wild type (WT) variant of the virus. In addition, only few studies analyzed models for in vitro data, which are less noisy and more reproducible. In this work we collected multiple data types for SARS-CoV-2-infected Caco-2 cell lines, including infectious virus titers, measurements of intracellular viral RNA, cell viability data and percentage of infected cells for the WT and Delta variants. We showed that standard models cannot explain some key observations given the absence of cytopathic effect in human cell lines. We propose a novel mathematical model for in vitro SARS-CoV-2 dynamics, which included explicit modeling of intracellular events such as exhaustion of cellular resources required for virus production. The model also explicitly considers innate immune response. The proposed model accurately explained experimental data. Attenuated replication of the Delta variant in Caco-2 cells could be explained by our model on the basis of just two parameters: decreased cell entry rate and increased cytokine production rate. creator: Vladimir Staroverov creator: Stepan Nersisyan creator: Alexei Galatenko creator: Dmitriy Alekseev creator: Sofya Lukashevich creator: Fedor Polyakov creator: Nikita Anisimov creator: Alexander Tonevitsky uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.14828 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: © 2023 Staroverov et al. title: Iron (oxyhydr)oxides are responsible for the stabilization of Cu and Zn in AMD after treatment with limestone link: https://peerj.com/articles/14663 last-modified: 2023-01-30 description: The formation and transformation of secondary iron (oxyhydr)oxides and their role in the stabilization of copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) in acid mine drainage (AMD) after limestone treatment are worth studying to better understand the impacts of limestone AMD treatment. In this study, the wastewater from a copper mine ditch was sampled. Two different doses of limestone (S: 5.33 g L−1 and SS: 8.00 g L−1) were applied to adjust the pH range of the sampled AMD. The concentrations of Fe, Cu and Zn in the supernatant and the levels of iron (oxyhydr)oxides and heavy metals in AMD sediments were dynamically monitored for 300 days to analyze the transformation of the secondary iron mineral phase and the role iron (oxyhydr)oxides play in the removal and stabilization of Cu and Zn. The results showed that the pH rose rapidly to 6.82, decreased to 5.82 on the 150th day, and finally decreased to approximately 4.63 by the 300th day, when the dosage of limestone (S) was 5.33 g L−1. Goethite was the main form of iron oxides in the sediments. As the incubation time increased, so did the content of crystalline Fe (oxyhydr)oxides. In addition, the Cu and Zn content in the fraction of crystalline Fe (oxyhydr)oxides increased as the corresponding iron (oxyhydr)oxide increased. When the high dosage of limestone (8.00 g L−1 or SS) was applied, the pH remained at approximately at 7.46 during the whole period and goethite and lepidocrocite were present in the sediment. Amorphous/ poorly crystalline Fe-oxyhydroxide was the main product after SS limestone dosage, indicating that the risk of Cu and Zn reactivation in the sediment was higher with a higher limestone treatment dosage. creator: Yuan Ding creator: Yan Long creator: Weiya Wang creator: Zhe Wei creator: Shuo Cai uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.14663 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2023 Ding et al. title: Modeling knot features using branch scars from Mongolian oak (Quercus mongolica) link: https://peerj.com/articles/14755 last-modified: 2023-01-31 description: Wood quality is an important indicator for modern sawmills. Internal wood characteristics can be derived from their correlations with external appearances. In this study, we developed linear regression models to predict knot size from surface features of Mongolian oak (Quercus mongolica) using data collected from 53 trees. For this, manual measurements and X-ray computed tomography scanning technology was respectively used to obtain internal and external features of 1,297 knots. Our results showed that Mongolian oak knots were generally concentrated in the middle part of oak stems, with fewer knots observed at the top and base. The parameters of knot and scar showed significant correlations (P < 0.01), where length and diameter of the corresponding external scar increase with increasing the length and diameter of a knot. The corresponding external scar can be used as an effective indicator to predict the internal value of oak logs. The accuracy of our constructed model is more than 95% when assessed against independent test samples. These models thus can be applied to improve the practical production of oak timber and reduce commercial loss caused by knots. These additional data can improve the estimation of the influence of knots on wood quality and provide a theoretical foundation for investigating the characteristics of hardwood knots. creator: Xiu-jun Lu creator: Lei Wang creator: Hui-lin Gao creator: Hao Zhan creator: Xiao-lin Zhang uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.14755 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2023 Lu et al. title: The effect of short-term fallowing on the microbial communities in forest soil cultivated with ginseng: Preliminary research link: https://peerj.com/articles/14758 last-modified: 2023-01-31 description: BackgroundContinuous cultivation of ginseng crops in fixed plots can lead to disease outbreaks, yield losses and replanting failures. Fallow periods can help restore soil health and increase the sustainability of agricultural systems; however, taking land out of production for extended periods is often not feasible. Short-term fallow periods could restore soil health, but few studies have examined the effects of short-term fallow treatment on the health of soil in ginseng fields.MethodsIn this preliminary study, we used metagenomic analysis to assess changes in the abundance of major ginseng pathogens and soil health overall following a short-term fallow period in a region in the Changbai Mountains. A sample from a forest plot (Hx0ks), was compared to a sample from a field where ginseng was previously cultivated and then had been left fallow for two years (Hx2), and a sample from a field that had been fallow for two years and was subsequently replanted with ginseng (Clsd).ResultsSoil that was fallow for two years, and then replanted with ginseng, showed reduced nutrient content and lower diversity of soil bacterial and fungal communities than soil that remained fallow. Candidatus Solibacter (5%) and Rhizomicrobium (3%) were the most abudant bacterial genera in Hx2. Rhizomicrobium (4%) and Gemmatimonas (3%) were the most abundant bacterial genera in Clsd. Mortierella (22%) and Peziza (12%) dominated the fungal community in Hx2. Lecanicillium (38%) and Mortierella (13%) dominated the fungal community in Clsd. Fallow periods also increased the functional diversity of soil as predicted by PICRUSt and decreased the relative abundance of the pathogenic fungi.ConclusionsPreliminary findings were consistent with the hypothesis that fallow management in ginseng cultivation can improve soil microbial community structure and function and reduces the number of plant pathogens; however, testing this hypothesis will require replicated plots. creator: Yuqing Li creator: Feyisike Gbolayori Jones creator: Bing Zhang creator: Juntao Cui creator: Wei Zhang uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.14758 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2023 Li et al. title: Effects of lower and upper body fatigue in striking response time of amateur karate athletes link: https://peerj.com/articles/14764 last-modified: 2023-01-31 description: In combat sports, strikes or counter-strikes response time (RT) can be related to performance and sporting success. Moreover, training sessions are usually highly fatiguing, which is expected to impair basic skills, such as RT. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the effect of fatigue on punch and kick RTs of karate practitioners. Twelve individuals of both sexes from different levels (three yellow belts, three red belts, two orange belts, two green belts, one brown belt, and one black belt) were selected. Participants were aged 22 ± 3 years old, with a stature of 169.1 ± 6.5 cm, and a body mass of 65.5 ± 10 kg. Six visits were held with each participant. On the first 2 days, the RT of punches and kicks was measured by a validated smartphone app (TReaction). For the subsequent visits, a randomized incremental test for the upper or lower body was adopted as motor fatigue protocol, immediately followed by punches and kicks RT tests, also in random order. For induction of lower and upper body-specific muscle fatigue, the ITStriker app was used, which operates by emitting sound signals transmitted by a smartphone. One-way repeated measures ANOVA was performed, and significance was set at p ≤ 0.05. Regarding the mean punches RT, significant effects between situations for the upper (F(2,22) = 11.5; ω2 = 0.23; p < 0.001) and lower body (F(2,22) = 14.2; ω2 = 0.18; p < 0.001) fatigue protocols were found. The negative effect of the lower body fatigue protocol in punches RT was evident regardless of the order of the tests (punch RT first: Δ = 10.5%; t = 4.4; p < 0.001; d = 1.0; kick RT first: Δ = 11.4%; t = 4.8; p < 0.001; d = 1.1). Regarding mean kicks RT, significant effects were found between situations for the lower (F(2,22) = 16.6; ω2 = 0.27; p < 0.001) but not for the upper (F(2,22) = 2.3; ω2 = 0.02; p = 0.12) body fatigue protocols. Kick RTs were negatively affected by the lower body fatigue protocol regardless of the RT order applied (punch RT first: Δ = 7.5%; t = 3.0; p = 0.01; d = 0.8; kick RT first: Δ = 14.3%; t = 5.7; p < 0.001; d = 1.5). Upper body fatigue does not impair punch or kick RTs. Thus, it is concluded that the specificity of fatigue protocols and striking order should be considered while performing RT demanding techniques in karate practice. Specifically, lower body motor fatigue may impair both kicks and punches RT, which highlights the role of lower limbs in punches performance. Otherwise, upper body motor fatigue seems to induce impairments that are limited to the specific motor actions of this body segment. creator: Júlio Cesar Carvalho Rodrigues creator: Eduardo Macedo Penna creator: Hugo Enrico Souza Machado creator: Jader Sant’Ana creator: Fernando Diefenthaeler creator: Victor S. Coswig uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.14764 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: © 2023 Rodrigues et al. title: Simultaneous functioning of different light-harvesting complexes—a strategy of adaptation of purple bacterium Rhodopseudomonas palustris to low illumination conditions link: https://peerj.com/articles/14769 last-modified: 2023-01-31 description: Novel peripheral light-harvesting (LH) complex designated as LL LH2 was isolated along with LH4 complex from Rhodopseudomonas palustris cells grown under low light intensity (LL). FPLC-MS/MS allowed to reveal PucABd and PucBabc apoproteins in LL LH2 complex, which is different from previously described LH4 complex containing PucABd, PucABa and PucBb. The main carotenoids in LL LH2 complex were rhodopin and 3,4-didehydrorhodopin. Three-dimensional modeling demonstrated which amino acid residues of all the β-subunits could interact with carotenoids (Car) and bacteriochlorophyll a (BChl a). Analysis of amino acid sequences of α-subunits of both LL complexes showed presence of different C-terminal motifs, IESSVNVG in αa subunit and IESSIKAV in αd subunit, in the same positions of C-termini, which could reflect different retention force of LL LH2 and LH4 on hydroxyl apatite, facilitating successful isolation of these complexes. Differences of these LL complexes in protein and carotenoid composition, in efficiency of energy transfer from Car to BChl a, which is two times lower in LL LH2 than in LH4, allow to assign it to a novel type of light-harvesting complex in Rhodopseudomonas palustris. creator: Olga Petrovna Serdyuk creator: Azat Vadimovich Abdullatypov creator: Lidiya Dmitrievna Smolygina creator: Aleksandr Aleksandrovich Ashikhmin creator: Maxim Alexandrovich Bolshakov uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.14769 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2023 Serdyuk et al. title: Adjuvant Pam3CSk4 does not improve the immunization against Cryptococcus gattii infection in C57BL/6 mice link: https://peerj.com/articles/14778 last-modified: 2023-01-31 description: BackgroundCryptococcosis is a relevant invasive fungal infection that affects immunocompromised and immunocompetent individuals when caused by Cryptococcus gattii. Host innate and adaptive immune responses can be subverted by C. gattii, that blocks the differentiation of T helper (Th) 1 and Th17 cells, which are involved in the protection against cryptococcosis. Moreover, the macrophage polarization is modulated by C. gattii infection that requires a balance in the macrophage subsets to control the C. gattii infection. Toll-like receptor (TLR) 2 agonists are important immunomodulators favoring a pro-inflammatory response with potential fungicidal activity, and TLR2 agonists have been used as adjuvants in vaccines against infections caused by bacteria or viruses. Therefore, this work aimed to evaluate the immunomodulatory effect of the tripalmitoyl lipopeptide S-glycerol cysteine (Pam3CSK4 or P3C4), a TLR2 agonist, as an adjuvant in the vaccination against C. gattii infection.Methods and ResultsC57BL/6 mice were immunized with 2 × 107 inactivated yeasts of C. gattii via intranasal route on day 1, 14 and 28 (Immunized group). Immunization was associated with 1µg or 10µg of adjuvant P3C4 (Immunized+P3C4-1µg or Immunized+P3C4-10 µg), followed by C. gattii infection on day 42 after the immunization protocol. Immunized+P3C4-1 µg group had reduced levels of IgG1, IgG2a and IgA and no significant difference in the IgG and IgM anti-GXM antibody titer was detected, compared to the Immunized group. High levels of IL-17 and IL-1β in lung tissue of mice from the Immunized+P3C4-1µg group did not promote a predominance of Th17 cells, in contrast, the frequency of TLR2+ cells was increased in immunized mice that received 1 µg of P3C4. The reduction in the relative expression of T-bet and high levels of Foxp3 detected in the lungs of the Immunized+P3C4-1µg group suggest a prevalence of regulatory T cells in the tissue, which did not contribute to the control of C. gattii infection. The immunization protocol associated with 10 µg of adjuvant P3C4 induced high levels of IL-17 in the lung tissue, whereas the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines were downregulated. To evaluate the effect of adjuvant P3C4 in the control of C. gattii infection, quantification of the fungal burden in the lungs was performed by the CFU assay, and the groups with adjuvant P3C4 showed a pulmonary C. gattii burden that was not significantly altered when compared with the immunized group. The mice that received 1 µg of adjuvant P3C4 had a lower percentage of inflammatory infiltrate in the lungs.ConclusionThe immunomodulatory effect of P3C4, associated with the immunization protocol, plays an imbalance between pro- and anti-inflammatory response in the lungs that did not favor a protection against C. gattii infection, which is related to the immune response characterized by a suppressive/regulatory profile in the pulmonary microenvironment after C. gattii infection. creator: Gabriela Yamazaki de Campos creator: Patrícia Kellen Martins Oliveira-Brito creator: Júlia Garcia Guimarães creator: Letícia Serafim da Costa creator: Javier Emílio Lazo Chica creator: Thiago Aparecido da Silva uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.14778 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2023 de Campos et al. title: Bidirectional effect of vitamin D on brown adipogenesis of C3H10T1/2 fibroblast-like cells link: https://peerj.com/articles/14785 last-modified: 2023-01-31 description: BackgroundBrown adipose tissue (BAT) dissipates caloric energy as heat and plays a role in glucose and lipid metabolism. Therefore, augmentation and activation of BAT are the focus of new treatment strategies against obesity, a primary risk factor of metabolic syndrome. The vitamin D system plays a crucial role in mineral homeostasis, bone metabolism, and cell proliferation and differentiation. In this study, we investigated the effects of vitamin D3 [1,25(OH)2D3] on brown adipocyte differentiation.MethodsThe mouse fibroblast-like cell line C3H10T1/2 was differentiated into brown adipocytes in the presence of 1,25(OH)2D3. The effect of 1,25(OH)2D3 on brown adipocyte differentiation was assessed by measuring lipid accumulation, the expression of related genes, and cytotoxicity. The viability of C3H10T1/2 cells was measured using the Cell Counting Kit-8 assay. Gene expression was investigated using quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Protein expression was estimated using western blotting.Results1,25(OH)2D3 inhibited adipocyte differentiation and exerted a cytotoxic effect at 1 nM. However, in the physiological concentration range (50–250 pM), 1,25(OH)2D3 promoted uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) expression in C3H10T1/2 cells. This effect was not observed when 1,25(OH)2D3 was added 48 h after the initiation of differentiation, suggesting that the vitamin D system acts in the early phase of the differentiation program. We showed that 1,25(OH)2D3 increased the expression of two key regulators of brown adipogenesis, PR domain containing 16 (Prdm16) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator-1α (Pgc1α). Furthermore, 1,25(OH)2D3 increased Ucp1 expression in 3T3-L1 beige adipogenesis in a dose-dependent manner.ConclusionThese data indicate the potential of vitamin D and its analogs as therapeutics for the treatment of obesity and related metabolic diseases. creator: Takako Mukai creator: Tatsuya Kusudo uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.14785 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2023 Mukai and Kusudo title: Hereditary etiology of non-syndromic sensorineural hearing loss in the Republic of North Ossetia–Alania link: https://peerj.com/articles/14514 last-modified: 2023-01-30 description: More than 50% of congenital hearing loss is hereditary, in which the majority form is non-syndromic. In this study we estimate the most prevalent pathogenic genetic changes in an Ossetian cohort of patients. This is useful for local public health officials to promote genetic counseling of affected families with regard to high allele frequencies of prevalent pathogenic variants and assortative mating in the community of people with hearing loss. In this study, genetic heterogeneity of hereditary non-syndromic sensorineural hearing loss (NSNHL) in a cohort of 109 patients and an assessment of the frequency of two GJB2 gene pathogenic variants in a cohort of 349 healthy individuals from the populations of the Republic of North Ossetia–Alania (RNO–Alania) were assessed. The molecular genetic cause of NSNHL in the GJB2 gene in RNO–Alania was confirmed in ~30% of the cases, including ~27% in Ossetians. In Russian patients, the most frequent variant is GJB2:c.35delG (~83%). The GJB2:c.358_360delGAG variant was found to be the most frequent among Ossetians (~54%). Two genetic variants in GJB2, c.35delG and c.358_360delGAG, accounted for 91% of GJB2 pathogenic alleles in the Ossetian patients. A search for large genome rearrangements revealed etiological cause in two Ossetian patients, a deletion at the POU3F4 gene locus associated with X-linked hearing loss (type DFNX2). In another Ossetian patient, a biallelic pathogenic variant in the MYO15A gene caused hearing loss type DFNB3 was identified, and in one Russian family a heterozygous MYH14 gene variant associated with dominant NSNHL was found. Thus, the informative value of the diagnosis was ~37% among all patients with NSNHL from RNO–Alania and ~32% among the Ossetians. These estimates correspond to the literature data on the fraction of recessive genetic forms of hearing loss within the affected population. The importance of this study consists not only in the estimation of the most prevalent pathogenic genetic changes in the Ossetian cohort of patients which could be useful for the public health but also in the genetic counselling of the affected families with regard to the high allele frequencies of revealed pathogenic variants as well as to the assortative mating in community of people with hearing loss. creator: Nika Petrova creator: Inna Tebieva creator: Vitaly Kadyshev creator: Zalina Getoeva creator: Natalia Balinova creator: Andrey Marakhonov creator: Tatyana Vasilyeva creator: Evgeny Ginter creator: Sergey Kutsev creator: Rena Zinchenko uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.14514 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: © 2023 Petrova et al. title: Alien species revises systematic status: integrative species delimitation of two similar taxa of Symbrenthia Hübner, [1819] (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae) link: https://peerj.com/articles/14644 last-modified: 2023-01-30 description: Introduction of organisms to new range may impose detrimental effects on local organisms, especially when closely related species are involved. Species delimitation employing an integrative taxonomy approach may provide a quick assessment for the species status between taxa of interest, and to infer ecological competition and/or introgression that may be associated with the introduction. A nymphalid butterfly, Symbrenthia lilaea lunica, was recently introduced to Taiwan, where a closely related local taxon, S. l. formosanus, can be found. We employed multiple species delimitation methods to study the species status between the two taxa, and the results revealed that they can be recognized as two distinct species, revised to S. l. lilaea (syn. nov.) and S. formosanus (stat. rev.) respectively. We further performed a niche modeling approach to investigate the ecological interaction between the two species. The taxonomic status of the two taxa, now elevated to species, has been revised and conservation facing rapid expansion of the introduced species discussed. creator: Yu-Feng Hsu creator: Zong-Yu Shen creator: Hang-Chi Huang creator: Chih-Wei Huang creator: Chen-Chih Lu uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.14644 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2023 Hsu et al.