PeerJ最新文献

Objective: This study aimed to identify distinct patterns of chronic disease resource utilization among patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and to examine their association with illness uncertainty.

Design: A cross-sectional study.

Methods: This study enrolled COPD patients hospitalized in the Department of Respiratory Medicine at a tertiary hospital in Zhejiang Province, China, between April and December 2023. All participants completed a general information form, the Chronic Illness Resource Survey (CIRS), and the Mishel Uncertainty in Illness Scale (MUIS). Latent profile analysis (LPA) was conducted to identify subgroups of resource utilization patterns. Subsequently, hierarchical linear regression was employed to assess the associations between these patterns and illness uncertainty. Ethical approval was obtained from the Institutional Review Board of the Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University (Approval No. K2022057).

Results: A total of 308 participants were included. Two latent classes of resource utilization were identified: the Suboptimal Utilization Group (n = 209) and the Effective Utilization Group (n = 99). Patients in the effective utilization group reported significantly lower levels of illness uncertainty (R² = 0.587, p < 0.001).

Conclusions: Distinct patterns of chronic disease resource utilization exist among COPD patients and are significantly associated with illness uncertainty. Healthcare providers should recognize these subgroups and implement targeted interventions to enhance access to disease-related support resources, thereby mitigating illness uncertainty.

Implications: Understanding COPD patients' varying patterns of resource utilization enables healthcare professionals and related industries to deliver personalized, resource-based interventions tailored to individual needs, ultimately reducing illness-related uncertainty and improving disease management outcomes.

Background: Gut microbiota play a vital role in nutrient metabolism, immune regulation, and host homeostasis. However, the role of sex differences in shaping the gut microbiota of plateau zokors (Eospalax baileyi) remains unclear. The present study aims to explore how sex influences the composition, function, and assembly processes of the gut microbiota in plateau zokors.

Methods: In this study, we performed Illumina 16S rRNA (V3-V4) sequencing on 15 gastrointestinal samples to assess sex-related differences in gut bacterial diversity, function, and community assembly.

Results: No significant differences were observed in species richness or diversity between males and females; however, the gut microbial community structures differed significantly by sex (p < 0.01). At the phylum level, both sexes shared dominant phyla, including Firmicutes, Desulfobacterota, and Bacteroidota. Across both the phylum and genus levels, males and females shared the same dominant taxa, yet their relative abundances exhibited clear sex-specific differences. PICRUSt-based functional prediction indicated that the gut microbiota were mainly associated with energy metabolism, DNA repair, and cellular defense. Significant sex-related differences were detected in metabolic functions (p < 0.05), with males showing higher carbohydrate metabolism (p < 0.05), while females exhibited stronger xenobiotic biodegradation and metabolism (p < 0.05). Neutral community model (NCM) analysis showed that males (Nm = 228.21) had higher Nm values than females (Nm = 213.44), indicating greater microbial dispersal among males. Standardized neutrality score (NST) values (<0.5) indicated that deterministic processes predominantly governed community assembly in both sexes, with males exhibiting significantly lower values than females (p < 0.001). iCAMP analysis further revealed that drift and dispersal limitation were the primary assembly processes, with significant sex-related differences (p < 0.001).

Conclusion: Sex differences markedly influence gut microbial structure, functions, and assembly processes in plateau zokors, offering new insights into the adaptive evolution of this species in cold, hypoxic environments.

Background and purpose: The combination of PCSK9 inhibitors and moderate statin therapy effectively stabilizes intracranial atherosclerotic plaques in patients with intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis (ICAS). This study aimed to explore the effect of proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors on plaque characteristics in patients with symptomatic ICAS (sICAS) in the anterior circulation over a 6-month follow-up.

Methods: This study is a single-center, prospective, observational study, which continuously included stroke patients with sICAS in the anterior circulation. The patients were divided into two groups: the standard treatment group (atorvastatin) or the intensive treatment group (evolocumab combined with atorvastatin). The primary outcome is the change of atherosclerotic plaque characteristics over 6 months.

Results: A total of 50 patients were enrolled in this study, with 34 patients ultimately included in the analysis (15 in the standard treatment group and 19 in the intensive treatment group). Both groups succeeded in reducing low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) levels, and the intensive treatment group showed a more pronounced reduction (P < 0.001). The intensive treatment group exhibited a significant improvement in the degree of stenosis (P = 0.001). Notable disparities were observed between the standard treatment group and the intensive treatment group regarding percentage change of plaque length (-85.70 vs. -1.25%, P = 0.009) and plaque volume after 6 months (265.06 vs. 125.34 mm³, P = 0.018).

Conclusion: Compared with statins alone, the utilization of PCSK9 inhibitors demonstrated a marked improvement in the progression of arteriosclerosis, effectively reducing stenosis degree, plaque length, and volume.

Background: Antimicrobial resistance, particularly from methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), is a growing global health threat. Alternative therapies derived from medicinal plants are gaining attention for their potential to combat resistant pathogens. This study aimed to evaluate the antibacterial activity of Morus alba (white mulberry) extracts and investigate their action mechanisms using proteomic analysis.

Methods: Leaf and stem samples of M. alba were extracted using both decoction and maceration techniques with water and ethanol as solvents. The antibacterial activity against MRSA was assessed through minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC), and time-kill assays. Chemical profiling of the most active extract was performed using liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (LC-QTOF-MS/MS). Proteomic analysis was conducted to explore changes in bacterial protein expression after treatment.

Results: The ethanol extract of M. alba stem exhibited the strongest antibacterial activity, with MIC values ranging from 0.3125 to 20 mg/mL and MBC values from 0.6250 to 40 mg/mL. A time-kill assay demonstrated that bacterial counts fell below the detection limit within 4 hours at four times the MIC concentration, based on three independent replicates. LC-QTOF-MS/MS profiling identified betulinic acid as the most abundant compound in the extract. Proteomic analysis revealed significant changes in MRSA protein expression, including upregulation of GlmU, N-acetylneuraminate lyase, and ribonuclease E, and downregulation of ribose-phosphate pyrophosphokinase and SecA. Pathway enrichment analysis suggested that the observed protein expression changes are consistent with enhanced N-acetylneuraminate catabolism and RNA polymerase activity, and suppression of protein export and fatty acid biosynthesis.

Discussion: These findings highlight the strong anti-MRSA potential of M. alba stem extract and provide mechanistic insights into its antibacterial action. The extract disrupts critical metabolic and regulatory pathways in MRSA, supporting its potential development as a novel antimicrobial agent.

Background: Wildland fires are increasing in both frequency and severity in many areas globally. Smoke from wildland fires (wildfires and prescribed burns), as well as agricultural burning, releases not only pollutants but also viable microorganisms, including pathogens capable of long-distance dispersal, potentially posing unrecognized risks to human, animal, and plant health.

Objectives: This scoping review synthesizes knowledge about pathogenic microbial dispersal in smoke from wildland fires, identifies gaps in pathogen ecology and epidemiology, and outlines research priorities in a One Health framework.

Methods: This review followed the Arksey & O'Malley framework with PRISMA-ScR guidance, using systematic searches in PubMed, Google Scholar, and grey literature sources (USDA Forest Service, World Health Organization, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency). After screening and applying inclusion criteria, 36 studies were retained that addressed microbial transport, viability, and disease associated with wildland fire smoke.

Results: There is evidence that wildland fire smoke can aerosolize diverse microbial assemblages, including pathogenic fungi such as Coccidioides and Puccinia, and bacteria capable of forming heat-resistant spores. If microbes can remain viable in smoke across greater distances, there would be the possibility of long-distance dispersal while suspended in smoke plumes. However, data about infection outcomes, dose-response relationships, and host susceptibility are lacking. Current wildland fire smoke surveillance focuses almost exclusively on abiotic pollutants, leaving microbial risks largely ignored.

Conclusions: A One Health approach integrates fire ecology, aerobiology, microbiology, and epidemiology across host species. After determining how important the role of dispersal in smoke is for human, animal, and plant health, priority actions may include improving pathogen viability sampling, incorporating microbial monitoring into smoke surveillance networks, and developing predictive models to assess health and ecological risks.

Objectives: Evaluating the effects of a group-based cognitively enriched walking program (WALK+) and non-enriched walking program (WALK-only) on psychosocial well-being (as a secondary outcome) in community-dwelling older adults.

Methods: A six-month randomized controlled trial was conducted, comparing WALK+, WALK-only and a passive control group. WALK+ and WALK-only involved two supervised group-based, and minimum one unsupervised walking session per week. Questionnaires on depressive symptoms, positive well-being, loneliness and social support measured psychosocial well-being at baseline, mid-intervention and post-intervention. Effects on these outcomes were assessed using linear mixed models with random intercepts. Self-perceived changes in psychosocial well-being were assessed post-intervention through a questionnaire and focus groups. Descriptive statistics were used for the questionnaire, and an inductive qualitative content analysis was conducted on the focus group data.

Results: No significant intervention effects were found on depressive symptoms, positive well-being, loneliness and social support. Nevertheless, participants reported self-perceived improvements in psychological (40% of WALK+ and 56% of WALK-only participants) and social well-being (43% of WALK+ and 50% of WALK-only participants). The group sessions facilitated social connections, some lasting beyond the intervention period.

Conclusions: Although no intervention effects were observed using standardized questionnaires, improvements in self-perceived psychosocial well-being suggest potential psychosocial benefits of WALK+ and WALK-only for older adults.

Maternal thyroid hormones (triiodothyronine T3 and thyroxine T4) are important regulators of embryonic development and gene expression. In chickens, prenatal thyroid hormone treatment has been shown to influence embryonic gene expression and postnatal treatment to influence imprinting and learning. However, the potential long-term effects of maternal thyroid hormones on physiology and behaviour are unclear. This study aims to investigate the long-term effects of maternal thyroid hormones on behaviour, plasma thyroid hormone levels and brain gene expression using the Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) as a model. Egg hormone levels were elevated by injecting unincubated eggs with either saline (control), T3, T4 or a mixture of T3 and T4. Social motivation, boldness and fearfulness to predators were tested shortly after hatching and as adults. Plasma thyroid hormone levels and pallial expression of thyroid hormone receptor A, type 2 deiodinase, and nuclear receptor coactivator 1 were measured in adulthood. We found no evidence that elevated thyroid hormone levels in eggs affected behaviour, plasma hormone levels, or gene expression in Japanese quails. This is the first study examining the potential long-term effects of elevated maternal thyroid hormones within the natural range. Although we found no evidence of long-term effects, other traits may still be affected and remain to be studied.

Genetic barcoding of fish eggs has furthered our knowledge of fish spawning patterns and locations, providing valuable insights for conservation and management efforts. Since fish eggs tend to behave as buoyant, passive particles, most studies collect them from surface waters and assume that this method captures eggs from all the species that have recently spawned throughout the water column. To experimentally test this assumption, we used a Multiple Opening/Closing Net and Environmental Sensing System (MOCNESS) to collect fish eggs from six depth bins within the upper 130 m of the water column at five stations on the West Florida Shelf. We used DNA barcoding to identify fish eggs collected within each depth bin to determine if the diversity of eggs recovered was consistent throughout the water column. Fish egg assemblage composition was heterogeneous throughout the water column, with most taxa only detected at one or two distinct depth bins per station, only a few taxa found at more than half the depth bins at any given station, and only a single taxon found at all depths within a single station. Disproving the hypothesis that all eggs present throughout the water column would be detected at the surface, only 19 of the 44 taxa identified in this study were observed in the samples collected from the upper 20 m. These findings suggest that exclusively sampling at the surface provides an incomplete picture of the fish assemblage spawning at a given station, which is difficult to predict due to variability in the rates of egg rise through the water column and further complicated by potential mismatches in the time of spawning relative to when collections are made, encounters with subsurface currents while rising to the surface, and the potential for denser eggs to reach neutral buoyancy at deeper isopycnals.

The millipede order Siphoniulida is one of the most enigmatic and rare groups within Diplopoda, with fewer than 10 complete specimens known from two extant species and two amber fossils. This study presents the discovery of a new species, Siphoniulus porosus sp. nov., from a tropical montane cloud forest in Veracruz, Mexico, representing the highest elevation record for the order in the New World. We obtained the first molecular data for the order, a DNA barcode sequence of the Cytochrome C Oxidase I (COI). Detailed morphological analysis using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that, unlike previously described species, Siphoniulus porosus sp. nov. exhibits ozopores, challenging the current understanding that Siphoniulida lack these structures. Phylogenetic analyses using both Maximum Parsimony and Bayesian methods were conducted, including a reassessment of existing morphological data considering the presence of ozopores in Siphoniulida as the ancestral state for this character. The results suggest a phylogentic position within the subterclass Eugnatha, though relationships in this group are not resolved. This discovery indicates a potentially greater diversity of Siphoniulida in the Neotropical Region and highlights the need for further exploration of montane cloud forests to discover additional species.

Studying the distribution of genetic diversity and connectivity patterns is crucial for understanding the ecology of marine species and informing fisheries management decisions. Despite the heterogeneity of the Chilean coast, characterized by upwelling zones and biogeographical breaks, specific benthic species display high genetic homogeneity, likely due to high migratory flow facilitated by long planktonic larval duration (PLD). In Chile, the artisanal fishery targets various crustacean species, with the crab Cancer porteri, commonly known as "Jaiba Limón" or lemon crab being one of the important species representing 17% of total brachyuran landings in the last decade. In this study, the population structure, genetic diversity, and gene flow of C. porteri were analyzed, using data from seven different sample sites along 1,500 km of the Chilean coast from two samples in 2014-2015 and five in 2023-2024. Based on variability at 3,532 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 127 individuals, the results revealed stable genetic diversity in space and time, and a high effective population size, with no evidence of genetic structure among sampling sites. The results suggest that C. porteri constitutes a single large genetic population across the area between 23°37'S and 36°36'S, with high gene flow among sites in both temporal periods. This lack of genetic structure appears to result from the high gene flow among all studied locations, as observed in other cancrid species in the same area. The long PLD, high fecundity and strong offshore advection capacity may contribute to their high dispersal potential, being an important precedent for future management plans for the species, which should also be complemented with studies that better describe demographic and biological aspects of the species.