PeerJ最新文献

{"title":"Genome-wide characterization and expression analysis of the JRL gene family in response to hormones and abiotic stress in tomato (<i>Solanum lycopersicum</i> L.).","authors":"Hui Li, Hongling Hu, Lina Cao, Yue Zhuo, Liting Wang, Hui Ma, Ming Zhong","doi":"10.7717/peerj.19724","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.19724","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Jacalin-related lectins (JRLs), a newly discovered subfamily of plant lectins, play an important role in plant growth and development and abiotic stress response. However, in the most important model and economic plant, the tomato, little is known about this gene family. Here, we conducted a genome-wide identification and characterization of the JRL gene family in tomato. A total of eight JRL gene family members (SlJRL1-SlJRL8) were identified based on the tomato genome through bioinformatics analyses, which were unevenly distributed on four chromosomes. Chromosomal localization revealed four pairs of tandemly duplicated genes. Genome collinearity analyses showed that tomato JRL genes were more closely related to <i>Arabidopsis</i> than to rice and maize. Phylogenetic analysis showed that tomato JRL could be divided into seven subgroups, and members within each subgroup shared similar gene structures and conserved motifs. Promoter analysis revealed abundant <i>cis</i>-acting elements associated with stress-responsive and phytohormone-responsive. Finally, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to analyze the expression profile of <i>SlJRL</i> gene under various plant hormone and abiotic stress treatments. The results show that the SlJRL gene family exhibits tissue-specific expression patterns and responds to a variety of hormonal and stress conditions. This study systematically analyzed the genomic characteristics of tomato JRL family. Our results lay the foundation for further studies on the biological functions of tomato <i>JRL</i> genes.</p>","PeriodicalId":19799,"journal":{"name":"PeerJ","volume":"13 ","pages":"e19724"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-07-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12288746/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144708338","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Pectoral muscle area index is an independent protective factor for mortality in sepsis patients: a retrospective observational study.","authors":"Xin Li, Meijiao Li, Yongchang Sun, Qingtao Zhou","doi":"10.7717/peerj.19689","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.19689","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Sepsis is an infection-induced systemic inflammatory response involving multiple mediators. Identifying risk factors for mortality in patients with sepsis is important for determining treatment strategies. Sarcopenia is a systemic pathology of the skeletal muscles associated with poor outcomes in patients with sepsis. However, there exists a gap in the literature regarding the thoracic muscle area and early outcomes of sepsis. Thus, this study investigated the relationship between 28-day survival and indicators of sarcopenia (pectoral muscle area and pectoral muscle density) from chest computed tomography images of patients with sepsis.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Patients (<i>n</i> = 134, median age = 75 years) who met the Sepsis-3 diagnosis criteria were included. Pectoral muscle area and density were measured in patients who underwent pulmonary computed tomography within ±3 days of admission. Univariate and multivariable factors associated with 28-day mortality were evaluated <i>via</i> Cox regression analysis. Factors with a single-factor <i>p</i>  <  0.05 were included in the multivariate Cox regression analysis to evaluate the factors associated with 28-day mortality in sepsis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In this study, 88 patients survived, whereas 46 did not survive at the 28-day mark. Body mass index (BMI) (<i>P</i> = 0.044), pectoral muscle area (<i>P</i> = 0.005), pectoral muscle density (<i>P</i> = 0.008), and pectoral muscle area index (<i>P</i> = 0.003) significantly differed between patients who survived and those who did not survive. BMI was positively correlated with pectoral muscle area (<i>r</i> = 0.516, <i>P</i>  <  0.001) and index (<i>r</i> = 0.560, <i>P</i>  <  0.001). Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.119, <i>P</i>  <  0.001) constituted an independent risk factor for 28-day mortality, whereas the pectoral muscle area index (HR, 0.847; <i>P</i> = 0.027) was a protective factor for 28-day mortality in patients with sepsis. The pectoral muscle area index was associated with a reduced risk of early mortality in patients with sepsis.</p>","PeriodicalId":19799,"journal":{"name":"PeerJ","volume":"13 ","pages":"e19689"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-07-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12288743/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144708341","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"P21 activated kinase 6: a promising tool for predicting small cell lung cancer diagnosis and treatment response.","authors":"Simei Chen, Kexin Han, Yinyi Chen, Liping Wei, Xinlu Sun, Yi Luo, Lili Wen, Liming Tan","doi":"10.7717/peerj.19714","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.19714","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Building upon the established role of P21 Activated Kinase 6 (PAK6) in tumor progression and chemoresistance pathways, we postulate its potential as a dual-function biomarker for small cell lung cancer (SCLC). This investigation aims to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of PAK6's diagnostic validity and prognostic significance through comparative analysis of PAK6 serological levels across distinct clinical cohorts to determine diagnostic thresholds, and its clinical correlation with therapeutic responsiveness.</p><p><strong>Patients and methods: </strong>This study included 109 patients diagnosed with SCLC, 92 patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), 85 patients with pulmonary nodules (PN), and 94 healthy individuals undergoing routine physical examinations as the normal control group (NC). Serum PAK6 concentrations were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Additionally, levels of neuron-specific enolase (NSE), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9), and pro-gastrin-releasing peptide (ProGRP) were quantified <i>via</i> chemiluminescence assays. Progression-free survival (PFS) data for SCLC patients were collected through case review and telephone follow-up.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Serum PAK6 levels were significantly higher in the SCLC group compared to the other three groups (<i>p</i> < 0.01). Similarly, NSE and ProGRP levels were markedly elevated in the SCLC group compared to the other groups (<i>p</i> < 0.01). Correlation analysis revealed a positive association between PAK6 and variables such as gender, VA (Veteran's Administration Lung Cancer Study Group) stage, age, smoking status, CEA, CA19-9, NSE, and ProGRP. The serum tumor markers (STMs) PAK6, NSE, and ProGRP exhibited superior diagnostic performance, with AUCs of 0.892, 0.834, and 0.935, respectively (95% confidence interval (CI) [0.857-0.927], [0.778-0.890], and [0.909-0.960]), compared to CEA and CA19-9 (AUCs = 0.676 and 0.611, respectively; 95% CI [0.622-0.731] and [0.547-0.675]) (<i>p</i> < 0.01). Furthermore, PAK6, NSE, and ProGRP levels significantly decreased after three months of treatment, while CEA and CA19-9 showed no significant changes. Survival analysis demonstrated that higher PAK6 levels were associated with poorer SCLC prognosis. Increased serum PAK6 expression correlated with shorter PFS (HR = 2.02 [1.33-3.07], <i>P</i> = 0.001).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Serum PAK6 holds significant clinical value for the diagnosis, treatment monitoring, and prognosis evaluation of SCLC and may serve as a potential therapeutic target for the disease.</p>","PeriodicalId":19799,"journal":{"name":"PeerJ","volume":"13 ","pages":"e19714"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-07-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12288745/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144708340","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Analysis of the optimal patterns of serum alpha fetoprotein (AFP), AFP-L3% and protein induced by vitamin K absence or antagonist-II (PIVKA-II) detection in the diagnosis of liver cancers.","authors":"Ling Luo, Xiaochen Wang, Xujian Peng, Runqiang Zhong, Xuejing Xuan, Haixiong Lin, Xianghua Lin, Chaohui Duan","doi":"10.7717/peerj.19712","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.19712","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background: &lt;/strong&gt;Liver cancers are common malignancies that primarily include hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and cholangiocarcinoma (CCA). Currently, the most commonly used serum markers for HCC are alpha fetoprotein (AFP), AFP-L3% and protein induced by vitamin K absence or antagonist-II (PIVKA-II), while the most commonly used serum markers for CCA are carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9). In recent years, many HCC diagnostic models using the combined detection of serum AFP, AFP-L3% and PIVKA-II have been established. For serum AFP, AFP-L3%, PIVKA-II and their many diagnostic models, there has been no clear guidance on the selection of these markers and their various combinations in the diagnosis of liver cancers. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the efficacy of these markers and the models that incorporate them in diagnosing HCC and CCA. This could assist in identifying the optimal patterns of serum AFP, AFP-L3% and PIVKA-II for the diagnosis of liver cancers.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Methods: &lt;/strong&gt;Clinical data and the results of serum AFP, AFP-L3%, PIVKA-II, CEA and CA19-9 were collected from 117 patients with HCC, 28 patients with CCA and 101 patients with benign liver diseases. Laboratory tests and detection of serum tumor markers in liver cancer patients were conducted prior to treatments. Recently published diagnostic models for AFP, AFP-L3% and PIVKA-II detection were collected; these included GALAD, ASAP, GALAD-C, GAAP, C-GALAD, C-GALAD II and GAP-TALAD.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Results: &lt;/strong&gt;Levels of AFP-L3%, PIVKA-II, GALAD, ASAP, GALAD-C, GAAP, C-GALAD and C-GALAD II significantly differed between the patient cohorts, with the highest levels seen in HCC, followed by CCA and with the lowest levels seen in benign liver diseases (&lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt; &lt; 0.05). Levels of CEA and CA19-9 significantly differed between cohorts, with the highest levels seen in CCA, followed by HCC and with the lowest levels seen in benign liver diseases (&lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt; &lt; 0.05). Levels of AFP and GAP-TALAD in HCC patients were significantly higher than those in patients with CCA and patients with benign liver diseases (&lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt; &lt; 0.05), but there were no significant differences in levels of AFP and GAP-TALAD between patients with CCA and benign liver diseases (&lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt; &gt; 0.05). In the diagnosis of HCC, GAP-TALAD, GALAD, C-GALAD, ASAP and GALAD-C showed the highest efficacy. In the diagnosis of overall liver cancers (HCC and CCA), GALAD-C, GAAP, GALAD, ASAP and C-GALAD showed the highest efficacy. In the diagnosis of early liver cancers (early HCC and CCA), GALAD, GALAD-C, GAAP, C-GALAD and ASAP showed the highest efficacy.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusions: &lt;/strong&gt;For serum AFP, AFP-L3% and PIVKA-II, diagnostic models of combined marker detection improved efficacy in the diagnosis of liver cancers. Diagnostic models GALAD, ASAP, GALAD-C and C-GALAD showed the highest efficacy in the diagnosis of HCC, overall liver cancers (HCC + CC","PeriodicalId":19799,"journal":{"name":"PeerJ","volume":"13 ","pages":"e19712"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-07-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12288744/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144708337","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"New approaches for capturing and estimating variation in complex animal color patterns from digital photographs: application to the Eastern Box Turtle (<i>Terrapene carolina</i>).","authors":"Erik Maki, Tilmann Glimm, Paramahansa Pramanik, Ylenia Chiari, Maria Kiskowski","doi":"10.7717/peerj.19690","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.19690","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Color pattern plays a crucial role in various aspects of an organism's biology, including camouflage, mating, and communication. Despite its significance, methods to quantify and study color pattern variation are often lacking, especially for complex patterns that defy simple categorization. In this study, we developed algorithms to capture and obtain data on 19 different pattern measurements from digital images of 55 individuals of the Eastern box turtle <i>Terrapene carolina</i> sampled in the field and in a museum. The Eastern box turtle is an ideal species to study variation of complex color patterns as this species is easily encountered in the field and in museum collections in Northeastern US, has a relatively easy to identify bright color pattern against a dark background, and has a rigid shell structure, which removes problems related to body distortion. The selected measurements capture the different aspects of the complexity of the color pattern, including the symmetry of the pattern on the turtles' scutes, a critical component in developmental and evolutionary studies. We estimated the variation of each of these 19 measurements across our samples. We determined how much of this variation was influenced by the sensitivity of the pattern capture algorithm due to non-standardized elements of the image acquisition, lighting conditions, and animal shape on pattern variation. To our knowledge, this is the first study to use a comprehensive set of pattern measurements to capture variation in a complex color pattern while also assessing the susceptibility of each of these measurements to noise introduced during data collection. Additionally, we carried out a citizen science approach to characterize the complexity of the color pattern based on human perception and determine which of the 19 pattern measurements best describe this complexity. The most variable measurements across individuals were blue and yellow contrast between the pattern and non-pattern coloration and the average size of objects. From our estimates of the measurement noise due to image acquisition and analysis, we found that the contrast differences reflected true pattern variations between individual turtles, whereas differences in the average size of objects were influenced by both individual turtle variation and measurement inconsistencies. We found that due to the complexity of the patterns, measurements had lower variability if they did not depend on the algorithm defining a set of discrete objects. For example, total area had much less measurement variability than average object area. Our study provides a comprehensive workflow and tools to study variation in complex color patterns in organisms sampled under non-standardized conditions while also estimating the influence of noise due to biological and non-biological factors.</p>","PeriodicalId":19799,"journal":{"name":"PeerJ","volume":"13 ","pages":"e19690"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-07-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12288748/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144708339","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Transcriptomic, and metabolic profiling reveals adaptive mechanisms of <i>Auricularia heimuer</i> to temperature stress.","authors":"Chenhong Nie, Shiyan Wei, Shengjin Wu, Liangliang Qi, Jing Feng, Xiaoguo Wang","doi":"10.7717/peerj.19713","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.19713","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Temperature significantly influences the growth and development of edible mushrooms, including the popular <i>Auricularia heimuer</i>. Despite its economic importance, the molecular mechanisms that enable <i>A. heimuer</i> to withstand prolonged temperature stress are poorly characterized. Here, we performed a comprehensive morphologic, transcriptomic, and metabolic analysis of <i>A. heimuer</i> mycelium exposed to different temperatures over a long period of time. Low temperatures (LT) suppressed mycelial growth, while high temperatures (HT) promoted it. Extremely high temperatures (EHT) were highly detrimental, not only inhibiting growth but also potentially leading to mycelial mortality. The production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the activities of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) were significantly altered by temperature. Transcriptomic profiling identified 1,024, 778, and 4,636 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in LT, HT, and EHT, respectively, compared to normal temperature (NT). The response to LT was found to involve the regulation of protein synthesis and transport. Notably, HT and NT shared the highest degree of similarity, indicating that these two conditions represent a moderate temperature range that places less stress on the mycelium. In contrast, exposure to EHT resulted in the upregulation of genes related to ribosomal biogenesis, suggesting that <i>A. heimuer</i> may increase protein synthesis in response to heat stress. Furthermore, many genes related to carbohydrate metabolism were downregulated under EHT. Enzymatic assays further confirmed that thermal stress profoundly affects the synthesis of metabolic byproducts and the activities of key glycolytic enzymes, suggesting a restructured metabolic landscape under stressful conditions. In summary, our comprehensive analysis of the <i>A. heimuer</i> mycelial transcriptomic and enzymatic responses to sustained temperature fluctuations provides valuable insights into the molecular basis of thermotolerance. This work lays the foundation for future breeding efforts aimed at improving the resilience of cultivated <i>A. heimuer</i> and can serve as the basis for similar initiatives in other fungal species.</p>","PeriodicalId":19799,"journal":{"name":"PeerJ","volume":"13 ","pages":"e19713"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-07-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12288747/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144708422","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Cavy lifespan: survival analysis and lifetables for the pet guinea pig (<i>Cavia porcellus</i>, L.) in Britain.","authors":"Fernando Mata","doi":"10.7717/peerj.19702","DOIUrl":"10.7717/peerj.19702","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In Britain, an estimated number of 700,000 guinea pigs are currently kept as pets. Despite their widespread presence, research on pet guinea pig survivability remains limited. While demographic studies exist, they primarily focus on morbidity rather than lifespan analysis. This study aims to fill this gap by investigating factors influencing pet guinea pig longevity and constructing life tables, contributing valuable insights into their survival patterns and potential improvements in care practices. The study was conducted using publicly available data from the VetCompass™ UK Program, including 675 guinea pigs receiving veterinary care in the UK in 2019. The survival analysis was conducted using Kaplan-Meier models, with lifespan differences tested via the Log-Rank test. Key predictors included sex, neutering status, and breed classification. The results of the study indicate an average lifespan of the British pet guinea pigs is 4.022 (3.875; 4,170) years; a median survival time of 4.025 95% confidence interval (3.830; 4,290) years; and an interquartile range of (2.563; 5447) years. Unlike other companion animals, no significant differences in longevity were found between sexes, neutering status, or breed (log-rank Mantel-Cox <i>χ</i>2 <i>p</i> > 0.05), suggesting that these factors may play a less critical role in guinea pigs. The findings challenge common assumptions about lifespan determinants in domesticated species. The study also highlights low neutering rates, likely influenced by concerns over surgical risks. Additionally, breed classification remains inconsistent, indicating a possible lack of standardised identification among owners and veterinarians. This study is limited by potential selection bias, lack of environmental and husbandry data, few neutered animals, unclear breeding backgrounds, unaccounted cohort effects, and no geographical analysis of care variation across different regions of Britain.</p>","PeriodicalId":19799,"journal":{"name":"PeerJ","volume":"13 ","pages":"e19702"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-07-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12278940/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144682845","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Assesment of bone healing after surgical management of odontogenic cysts utilizing fractal analysis-a retrospective cross-sectional study.","authors":"Ayse Tas, Elif Celebi, Zeynep Çukurova Yilmaz","doi":"10.7717/peerj.19745","DOIUrl":"10.7717/peerj.19745","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Odontogenic cysts, originating from inflammatory or developmental processes of the tooth germ epithelium, represent the most common intraosseous pathology in the head and neck region. This retrospective study aimed to evaluate bone healing following the surgical removal of odontogenic cysts using fractal analysis.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>Bone changes in 17 patients who underwent cyst enucleation were assessed using fractal dimension and lacunarity measurements on digital panoramic radiographs obtained before and six months after surgery. Statistical analyses included the Shapiro-Wilk test, paired <i>t</i>-test, Wilcoxon signed-rank test, repeated measures ANOVA, and the Friedman test.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>At six months postoperatively, bone structure differences had largely normalized. In the cyst center, there were no statistically significant differences in fractal dimension or lacunarity (<i>P</i> > 0.05). At the cyst edge, fractal dimension remained statistically unchanged (<i>P</i> = 0.446), while lacunarity significantly decreased from 0.06 to 0.04 (<i>P</i> = 0.04). In unaffected control regions, no significant changes were observed (<i>P</i> > 0.05). Preoperative fractal dimension values significantly differed between regions (<i>P</i> < 0.001), but these differences were no longer significant postoperatively (<i>P</i> = 0.077). Lacunarity values showed no significant regional differences at either time point (<i>P</i> > 0.05).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Fractal analysis offers valuable insights into bone regeneration and may surpass traditional radiographic evaluations. Despite limitations such as small sample size and potential subjectivity in region of interest (ROI) selection, the results support the utility of fractal dimension and lacunarity in tracking bone healing after cyst surgery.</p>","PeriodicalId":19799,"journal":{"name":"PeerJ","volume":"13 ","pages":"e19745"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-07-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12278941/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144682844","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Identification of <i>Cassiopea</i> sp. in Lake Macquarie, Australia and revision of the taxonomic status of <i>Cassiopea maremetens</i> Gershwin, Zeidler & Davie, 2010 (Cnidaria: Scyphozoa: Cassiopeidae).","authors":"Claire E Rowe, Shane T Ahyong, Will F Figueira, Ingo Burghardt, Stephen J Keable","doi":"10.7717/peerj.19669","DOIUrl":"10.7717/peerj.19669","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Scyphozoans of the genus <i>Cassiopea</i> are notable for their unusual benthic habit of lying upside-down with their exumbrella resting on the substrate and oral arms facing upwards resulting in their common name \"upside-down jellyfish\". <i>Cassiopea</i> includes species that have been historically confused because of taxonomic ambiguity. Additionally, some species are considered to be invasive, which can have significant economic and environmental consequences by impacting fisheries, tourism, and trophic structures. In temperate southeastern Australia, <i>Cassiopea</i> medusae were first reported in temperate Wallis Lake and Lake Illawarra in 2016, and then Lake Macquarie in 2017, though historically these jellyfish have a more northern tropical distribution in Queensland, eastern Australia. Owing to the invasive potential of <i>Cassiopea</i>, correct species identification is crucial for future management. To address this knowledge gap, this study used genetic comparison through the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) barcoding gene and morphometric analysis, together with revision of type and topotype material of <i>Cassiopea maremetens</i> Gershwin, Zeidler & Davie, 2010, an incompletely known nominal species from Queensland, to investigate the identity of <i>Cassiopea</i> occurring in Lake Macquarie. The morphometric analysis was also used to identify key features that distinguish the Lake Macquarie species from a second species, designated <i>Cassiopea</i> sp.3, that is also expanding its range southwards in eastern Australia, and which may be sympatric in some areas. The results of this study show the species occurring in Lake Macquarie is <i>Cassiopea xamachana</i> Bigelow, 1892, originally described from Jamaica and subsequently widely reported from the Western Atlantic and the Indo-West Pacific. Additionally, we demonstrate that <i>Cassiopea maremetens</i>, is a junior synonym of <i>C. xamachana</i>. Morphological characters that can be most readily used to distinguish mature specimens of <i>C. xamachana</i> from <i>C</i>. sp.3, which has an overlapping distribution on the Australian east coast, are: (1) the number of large appendages on the oral disc, which is much higher in <i>Cassiopea</i> sp.3 (at least 1 but up to 14) <i>vs.</i> a maximum of two in <i>C. xamachana</i>; (2) the oral arm branching pattern, which is usually alternating for <i>C. xamachana</i>, but a combination of alternating, bifurcating and pinnate for <i>Cassiopea</i> sp.3; (3) the length of the large appendage on the oral arm, which is proportionally longer relative to the bell diameter in <i>C. xamachana</i>.</p>","PeriodicalId":19799,"journal":{"name":"PeerJ","volume":"13 ","pages":"e19669"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-07-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12278942/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144682846","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Electrical characteristics of the extracellular fluid in the body segments of <i>Apis mellifera</i> bees.","authors":"Juan Hernandez, Fredy Mesa, Anderson Dussan, Andre Riveros","doi":"10.7717/peerj.19691","DOIUrl":"10.7717/peerj.19691","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study investigates the electrical properties of the extracellular fluid in honeybees (<i>Apis mellifera</i>) and its relationship with different body segments. By characterizing resistance, capacitance, and electrical impedance, aspects such as ionic composition, molecular polarization, and the differential response of live bees to electrical stimuli were evaluated. The results show that electrical characteristics vary significantly depending on the body segment, with the head exhibiting high resistance values and the abdomen displaying high capacitance, reflecting differences in molecular composition and functionality. Additionally, experiments with live bees demonstrated the feasibility of measuring electrical parameters non-invasively, opening new possibilities for monitoring the health of these pollinators under controlled conditions and in natural environments. This work lays the foundation for developing innovative tools in ecological monitoring, the assessment of environmental stressors, and the sustainable management of bee colonies.</p>","PeriodicalId":19799,"journal":{"name":"PeerJ","volume":"13 ","pages":"e19691"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-07-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12276733/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144675479","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}