title: PeerJ description: Articles published in PeerJ link: https://peerj.com/articles/index.rss3?journal=peerj&page=637 creator: info@peerj.com PeerJ errorsTo: info@peerj.com PeerJ language: en title: A spectacular new species of Hyloscirtus (Anura: Hylidae) from the Cordillera de Los Llanganates in the eastern Andes of Ecuador link: https://peerj.com/articles/14066 last-modified: 2022-09-29 description: We have discovered a spectacular new species of frog in the genus Hyloscirtus, belonging to the H. larinopygion species group. The adult female is characterized by a mostly black body with large bright red spots on the dorsal and ventral surface, extremities, and toe pads. The adult male is unknown. Small juveniles are characterized by a yellow body with variable black markings on the flanks; while one larger juvenile displayed irregular orange or yellow marks on a black background color, with light orange or yellow toe pads. Additional distinctive external morphological features such as cloacal ornamentation are described, and some osteological details are imaged and analyzed. The performed phylogeny places the new species as the sister to a clade consisting of ten taxa, all of which are part of the H. larinopygion group. We use genetic distances to fit the new species into a published time-calibrated phylogeny of this group; our analysis based on the published chronology suggests that the divergence of the new species from its known congeners pre-dates the Quaternary period. The new species is currently only known only from Cerro Mayordomo, in Fundación EcoMinga´s Machay Reserve, at 2,900 m in the eastern Andes of Tungurahua province, Ecuador, near the southern edge of Los Llanganates National Park, but its real distribution may be larger. creator: Juan P. Reyes-Puig creator: Darwin Recalde creator: Fausto Recalde creator: Claudia Koch creator: Juan M. Guayasamin creator: Diego F. Cisneros-Heredia creator: Lou Jost creator: Mario H. Yánez-Muñoz uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.14066 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: © 2022 Reyes-Puig et al. title: Evaluation of total immunoglobulin G and subclass antibodies in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for serodiagnosis of human amebic liver abscess link: https://peerj.com/articles/14085 last-modified: 2022-09-29 description: BackgroundAmebic liver abscess (ALA) caused by Entamoeba histolytica is usually diagnosed based on its clinical symptoms, medical imaging abnormalities of the liver, and serological tests, the most common being the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). For more than three decades, no investigation has evaluated the diagnostic performance of immunoglobulin G (IgG) subclasses in the serodiagnosis of ALA. Herein, we assessed the efficiencies of anti-amebic IgG and IgG subclasses for diagnosing ALA.MethodsA serological ELISA-based test was performed to assess its diagnostic performance using a total of 330 serum samples from ALA patients (n = 14), healthy individuals (n = 40), and patients with other diseases (n = 276).ResultsELISA targeting the total IgG antibody to E. histolytica antigen exhibited 100% sensitivity 95% CI [76.8–100.0] and 97.8% specificity 95% CI [95.5–99.1], whereas the assay targeting IgG1 showed the same sensitivity (100% 95% CI [76.8–100.0]) and a slightly higher specificity (99.1% 95% CI [97.3–99.8]). The other IgG subclasses (IgG2, IgG3, and IgG4) displayed a lower sensitivity and specificity. The sensitivity and specificity did not significantly differ between tests measuring total IgG and IgG1 (Exact McNemar’s test; p > 0.05), with a concordance of 98.2%, represented by a Cohen’s kappa of 0.83 (p < 0.001), indicating almost perfect agreement.ConclusionELISA targeting IgG1 can provide valuable information to clinicians in differentiating ALA from other parasitic diseases, cancers, cirrhosis, and viral hepatitis. However, enzyme-conjugated anti-human total IgG is cheaper than anti-human IgG subclasses. Therefore, we suggest that total IgG-based ELISA is sufficient for the routine serodiagnosis of human ALA and possibly other clinical manifestations of invasive amebiasis. creator: Penchom Janwan creator: Lakkhana Sadaow creator: Rutchanee Rodpai creator: Hiroshi Yamasaki creator: Vor Luvira creator: Wattana Sukeepaisarnjaroen creator: Amnat Kitkhuandee creator: Krisada Paonariang creator: Oranuch Sanpool creator: Patcharaporn Boonroumkaew creator: Tongjit Thanchomnang creator: Toshihiro Mita creator: Pewpan M. Intapan creator: Wanchai Maleewong uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.14085 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2022 Janwan et al. title: Physiological, biochemical and phytohormone responses of Elymus nutans to α-pinene-induced allelopathy link: https://peerj.com/articles/14100 last-modified: 2022-09-29 description: The α-pinene is the main allelochemical of many weeds that inhibit the growth of Elymus nutans, an important forage and ecological restoration herbage. However, the response changes of α-pinene-induced allelopathy to E. nutans is still unclear. Here, we investigated the physiological, biochemical and phytohormone changes of E. nutans exposed to different α-pinene concentrations. The α-pinene-stress had no significant effect on height and fresh weight (FW) of seedlings. The water-soluble proteins, the soluble sugars and proline (Pro) strengthened seedlings immunity at 5 and 10 µL L−1α-pinene. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) increased at 5 µL L−1α-pinene to resist stress. APX reduced the membrane lipid peroxidation quickly at 10 µL L−1α-pinene. The high-activity of peroxidase (POD), APX along with the high level of GSH contributed to the cellular redox equilibrium at 15 µL L−1α-pinene. The POD, glutathione reductase (GR) activity and glutathione (GSH) level remained stable at 20 µL L−1α-pinene. The changes in antioxidant enzymes and antioxidants indicated that E. nutans was effective in counteracting the harmful effects generated by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). The α-pinene caused severe phytotoxic effects in E. nutans seedlings at 15 and 20 µL L−1. Endogenous signal nitric oxide (NO) and cell membrane damage product Pro accumulated in leaves of E. nutans seedlings at 15 and 20 µL L−1α-pinene, while lipid peroxidation product malondialdehyde (MDA) accumulated. The chlorophylls (Chls), chlorophyll a (Chl a), chlorophyll b (Chl b) content decreased, and biomass of seedlings was severely inhibited at 20 µL L−1α-pinene. The α-pinene caused phytotoxic effects on E. nutans seedlings mainly through breaking the balance of the membrane system rather than with reactive oxygen species (ROS) productionat 15 and 20 µL L−1α-pinene. Additionally, phytohormone levels were altered by α-pinene-stress. Abscisic acid (ABA) and indole acetic acid (IAA) of E. nutans seedlings were sensitive to α-pinene. As for the degree of α-pinene stress, salicylic acid (SA) and jasmonic acid (JA) played an important role in resisting allelopathic effects at 15 µL L−1α-pinene. The ABA, Zeatin, SA, gibberellin 7 (GA7), JA and IAA levels increased at 20 µL L−1α-pinene. The α-pinene had a greatest impact on ABA and IAA levels. Collectively, our results suggest that E. nutans seedlings were effective in counteracting the harmful effects at 5 and 10 µL L−1α-pinene, and they were severely stressed at 15 and 20 µL L−1α-pinene. Our findings provided references for understanding the allelopathic mechanism about allelochemicals to plants. creator: Mengci Chen creator: Youming Qiao creator: Xiaolong Quan creator: Huilan Shi creator: Zhonghua Duan uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.14100 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2022 Chen et al. title: Mutualist- and antagonist-mediated selection contribute to trait diversification of flowers link: https://peerj.com/articles/14107 last-modified: 2022-09-29 description: Flowers are generally short-lived, and they all face a multidimensional challenge because they have to attract mutualists, compel them to vector pollen with minimal investment in rewards, and repel floral enemies during this short time window. Their displays are under complex selection, either consistent or conflicting, to maximize reproductive fitness under heterogeneous environments. The phenological or morphological mismatches between flowers and visitors will influence interspecific competition, resource access, mating success and, ultimately, population and community dynamics. To better understand the effects of the plant visitors on floral traits, it is necessary to determine the functional significance of specific floral traits for the visitors; how plants respond to both mutualists and antagonists through adaptive changes; and to evaluate the net fitness effects of biological mutualisms and antagonism on plants. In this review, we bring together insights from fields as diverse as floral biology, insect behavioral responses, and evolutionary biology to explain the processes and patterns of floral diversity evolution. Then, we discuss the ecological significance of plant responses to mutualists and antagonists from a community perspective, and propose a set of research questions that can guide the research field to integrate studies of plant defense and reproduction. creator: Luyao Huang creator: Yang Liu creator: Liwen Dou creator: Shaobin Pan creator: Zhuangzhuang Li creator: Jin Zhang creator: Jia Li uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.14107 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: © 2022 Huang et al. title: Cold water and harmful algal blooms linked to coral reef collapse in the Eastern Tropical Pacific link: https://peerj.com/articles/14081 last-modified: 2022-09-28 description: BackgroundWith conventional coral reef conservation methods proving ineffective against intensifying climate change, efforts have focussed on augmenting coral tolerance to warmer water—the primary driver of coral declines. We document coral cover and composition in relation to sea surface temperature (SST) over 25-years, of six marginal reefs in an upwelling area of Costa Rica’s Eastern Tropical Pacific.MethodsUsing reef survey data and sea surface temperature (SST) dating back over 25-years, we document coral cover and composition of six marginal reefs in an upwelling area of Costa Rica’s Eastern Tropical Pacific in relation to thermal highs and lows.Results.A ubiquitous and catastrophic coral die-off event occurred in 2009, driven by SST minima and likely by the presence of extreme harmful algal blooms. Coral cover was dramatically reduced and coral composition shifted from dominant branching Pocillopora to massive Pavona, Porites, and Gardineroseris. The lack of coral recovery in the decade since indicates a breach in ecosystem tipping-point and highlights a need for resilience-based management (RBM) and restoration. We propose a locally tailored and globally scalable approach to coral reef declines that is founded in RBM and informed by coral health dynamics. creator: Caroline Palmer creator: Carlos Jimenez creator: Giovanni Bassey creator: Eleazar Ruiz creator: Tatiana Villalobos Cubero creator: Maria Marta Chavarria Diaz creator: Xavier A. Harrison creator: Robert Puschendorf uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.14081 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: © 2022 Palmer et al. title: A phylogenetic analysis of Bromus (Poaceae: Pooideae: Bromeae) based on nuclear ribosomal and plastid data, with a focus on Bromus sect. Bromus link: https://peerj.com/articles/13884 last-modified: 2022-09-28 description: To investigate phylogenetic relationships among and within major lineages of Bromus, with focus on Bromus sect. Bromus, we analyzed DNA sequences from two nuclear ribosomal (ITS, ETS) and two plastid (rpl32-trnLUAG, matK) regions. We sampled 103 ingroup accessions representing 26 taxa of B. section Bromus and 15 species of other Bromus sections. Our analyses confirm the monophyly of Bromus s.l. and identify incongruence between nuclear ribosomal and plastid data partitions for relationships within and among major Bromus lineages. Results support classification of B. pumilio and B. gracillimus within B. sect. Boissiera and B. sect. Nevskiella, respectively. These species are sister groups and are closely related to B. densus (B. sect. Mexibromus) in nrDNA trees and Bromus sect. Ceratochloa in plastid trees. Bromus sect. Bromopsis is paraphyletic. In nrDNA trees, species of Bromus sects. Bromopsis, Ceratochloa, Neobromus, and Genea plus B. rechingeri of B. sect. Bromus form a clade, in which B. tomentellus is sister to a B. sect. Genea–B. rechingeri clade. In the plastid trees, by contrast, B. sect. Bromopsis species except B. tomentosus form a clade, and B. tomentosus is sister to a clade comprising B. sect. Bromus and B. sect. Genea species. Affinities of B. gedrosianus, B. pulchellus, and B. rechingeri (members of the B. pectinatus complex), as well as B. oxyodon and B. sewerzowii, are discordant between nrDNA and plastid trees. We infer these species may have obtained their plastomes via chloroplast capture from species of B. sect. Bromus and B. sect. Genea. Within B. sect. Bromus, B. alopecuros subsp. caroli-henrici, a clade comprising B. hordeaceus and B. interruptus, and B. scoparius are successive sister groups to the rest of the section in the nrDNA phylogeny. Most relationships among the remaining species of B. sect. Bromus are unresolved in the nrDNA and plastid trees. Given these results, we infer that most B. sect. Bromus species likely diversified relatively recently. None of the subdivisional taxa proposed for Bromus sect. Bromus over the last century correspond to natural groups identified in our phylogenetic analyses except for a group including B. hordeaceus and B. interruptus. creator: Akram Nasiri creator: Shahrokh Kazempour-Osaloo creator: Behnam Hamzehee creator: Roger D. Bull creator: Jeffery M. Saarela uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.13884 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: © 2022 Nasiri et al. title: High resolution thermal remote sensing and the limits of species’ tolerance link: https://peerj.com/articles/13911 last-modified: 2022-09-28 description: Extinction risks for many insect species, particularly across very broad spatial extents, have been linked to the growing frequency and severity of temperatures that exceed the boundaries of their realized niches. Measurement and mitigation of such impacts is hindered by the availability of high-resolution measurements of species-specific severity of extreme weather, especially temperature. While techniques enabling interpolation of broad-scale remote sensing metrics are vital for such efforts, direct remote sensing measurements of thermal conditions could improve habitat management by providing detailed insights that interpolative approaches cannot. Advances in unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology have created opportunities to better evaluate the role of microclimates in local species extinctions. Here, we develop a method to create high-resolution maps of microclimates using UAV and thermal imaging technology that use species’ realized niche boundaries to assess potential effects of severity of extreme temperatures. We generated air temperature maps (5 cm resolution) and canopy height maps (1 cm resolution) for 15 sites in a rare alvar ecosystem in eastern Ontario. We validated these remote sensing observations against independent, in situ temperature observations using iButtons. Temperature observations were accurate and related to physical heterogeneity in alvar habitats. We converted temperature measures into estimates of proximity of thermal niche boundaries for three butterfly species found during field surveys. This is the first time that this method has been applied to high resolution remote sensing observations and offers potential to assess the availability and adequacy of microclimates within habitats at resolutions relevant for conservation management. creator: Gabrielle Ednie creator: Jeremy T. Kerr uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.13911 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2022 Ednie and Kerr title: Evaluation of knowledge and barriers of influenza vaccine uptake among university students in Saudi Arabia; a cross-sectional analysis link: https://peerj.com/articles/13959 last-modified: 2022-09-28 description: BackgroundInfluenza vaccine hesitancy is a significant threat to global maneuvers for reducing the burden of seasonal and pandemic influenza. This study estimated the vaccine uptake, barriers, and willingness for influenza vaccines among university students in Saudi Arabia.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted among health science (HS) and non-health science (NHS) university students. A 31-item questionnaire was used to ascertain the vaccination rate, barriers, and willingness for the flu vaccine.ResultsThis study included 790 students (mean age: 21.40 ± 1.94 years), 246 (31.1%) from HS and 544 (68.9%) from NHS disciplines. About 70% did not take flu shots before the arrival of the winter. The mean knowledge score was 7.81 ± 1.96, where 20.4%, 67.6%, and 12% of respondents had good, moderate, and poor knowledge regarding flu vaccines. The relative importance index (RII) analysis showed a lack of recommendation from physicians (51.5%, RI ranked: 1) was a top-ranked barrier to vaccine uptake, followed by negative perceptions and accessibility issues. Only 36.6% of the participants were willing to get vaccinated every year, 70% were willing to receive a vaccine on their doctor’s recommendations, and 46% agreed to vaccinate if vaccines were freely available in the university. The knowledge, barriers, and willingness widely varied across students from two disciplines.ConclusionsOur analysis underscored low flu vaccine uptake among university students. In addition, the study participants’ knowledge was unsatisfactory, and they were less inclined to receive the flu vaccine in the future. Lack of recommendation from the physicians, negative perceptions towards the flu vaccine, and difficult accessibility were found as significant barriers to the vaccine uptake. A multidimensional approach at educational institutes to cover the knowledge gap and address the barriers curtailing the vaccination rate among students is recommended. creator: Tauqeer Hussain Mallhi creator: Nida Bokharee creator: Munnaza Bukhsh creator: Yusra Habib Khan creator: Abdulaziz Ibrahim Alzarea creator: Faiz Ullah Khan creator: Salah-Ud-Din Khan creator: Nasser Hadal Alotaibi creator: Abdullah Salah Alanazi creator: Muhammad Hammad Butt creator: Ahmed D. Alatawi creator: Muhammad Shahid Iqbal uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.13959 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2022 Mallhi et al. title: Associations between pro-inflammatory cytokines and fatigue in pregnant women link: https://peerj.com/articles/13965 last-modified: 2022-09-28 description: BackgroundFatigue is one of the most prevalent symptoms among pregnant women. In patients with various diseases, pro-inflammatory cytokines are associated with fatigue; however, such associations are unknown in pregnant women.ObjectivesThe objective of this study was to examine the associations between pro-inflammatory cytokines and prenatal fatigue.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted on 271 pregnant Chinese women in their third trimester of pregnancy. Patient-reported Outcome Measurement Information System (PROMIS) was used to evaluate women’s prenatal fatigue. Using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), the serum concentrations of four pro-inflammatory cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β), interleukin 6 (IL-6) and interleukin 8 (IL-8), were measured. The data was analyzed by correlation analysis and general linear regression analysis.ResultsIn this sample, the mean (standard deviation) of fatigue scores was 51.94 (10.79). TNF-α (r = 0.21, p < 0.001), IL-6 (r = 0.134, p = 0.027) and IL-8 (r = 0.209, p = 0.001) were positively correlated to prenatal fatigue, although IL-1β was not. TNF-α (β = 0.263, p < 0.001), along with sleep quality (β = 0.27, p < 0.001) and depression (β = 0.376, p < 0.001) independently predicted prenatal fatigue.ConclusionsTNF-α was identified as an independent biomarker for prenatal fatigue in our study. Reducing pro-inflammatory cytokines may be a unique method for lowering prenatal fatigue and, consequently, enhancing mother and child health. creator: Haiou Xia creator: Xiaoxiao Zhu creator: Chunxiang Zhu uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.13965 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2022 Xia et al. title: Effects of grazing strategy on facultative grassland bird nesting on native grassland pastures of the Mid-South USA link: https://peerj.com/articles/13968 last-modified: 2022-09-28 description: Understanding how livestock grazing strategies of native warm season grasses (NWSG) can impact facultative grassland bird nesting can provide insight for conservation efforts. We compared pre and post treatment effects of rotational grazing (ROT) and patch-burn grazing (PBG) for facultative grassland bird species nest success and nest-site selection on NWSG pastures at three Mid-South research sites. We established 14, 9.7 ha NWSG pastures and randomly assigned each to either ROT or PBG and monitored avian nest-site selection and nest success, 2014–2016. We collected nesting and vegetation data in 2014, before treatment implementation, as an experimental pre-treatment. We implemented treatments across all research sites in spring 2015. We used a step-wise model selection framework to estimate treatment effect for ROT or PBG on avian nest daily survival rate (DSR) and resource selection function (RSF) at the temporal scale and within-field variables. Daily survival rates were 0.93% (SE = 0.006) for field sparrow (Spizella pusilla), 0.96% (SE = 0.008) for red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus), and 0.92% (SE = 0.01) for indigo bunting (Passerina cyanea). Model support for PBG treatment and vegetation height were indicated as negative and positive influences for field sparrow DSR, respectively. Red-winged blackbirds’ DSR were negatively influenced by ROT while vegetation height positively affected DSR, and DSR for indigo bunting did not differ among treatments. Combined RSF models indicated nest-site selection for all species was positively related to vegetation height and only weakly associated with other within-field variables. We provide evidence that ROT and/or PBG effects vary by species for DSR for these three facultative grassland birds, and vegetation characteristics affected their nest-site selection in the Mid-South USA. A lack of disturbance in Mid-South grasslands can lead to higher successional stages (i.e., mix shrub-grassland), but some combination of ROT, PBG, and unburned/ungrazed areas can provide adequate nesting habitat on small pasture lands (∼1.8 –7.8 ha) for various facultative grassland birds and potentially offer the opportunity to simultaneously maintain livestock production and grassland bird nesting habitat. creator: Byron R. Buckley creator: Christopher M. Lituma creator: Patrick D. Keyser creator: Elizabeth D. Holcomb creator: Ray Smith creator: John J. Morgan creator: Roger D. Applegate uri: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.13968 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ rights: ©2022 Buckley et al.