PeerJ最新文献

{"title":"Stroboscopic visual training in sport: a structured narrative review of effects, applications, and potential neurophysiological mechanisms.","authors":"Qi Li, Zhijie Yan, Ruifeng Liu, Junchen Wu, Hu Yang","doi":"10.7717/peerj.21740","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.21740","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Stroboscopic Visual Training (SVT) is an emerging intervention that periodically occludes visual input and creates a temporally constrained visual environment during perceptual or sport-specific tasks. This structured narrative review synthesizes current evidence on the effects of SVT on perceptual-cognitive function and sport performance and discusses its potential neurophysiological mechanisms. The available evidence suggests that, under restricted visual-input conditions, SVT may facilitate more efficient use of task-relevant visual information and may support anticipatory decision-making, visual short-term memory, and perception-action coupling. These effects appear more likely to occur in tasks requiring rapid reactions, precise judgments, and the processing of high-speed dynamic information, although the magnitude and transferability of these effects remain task-specific and inconsistent across studies. Preliminary neurophysiological evidence indicates that SVT has been associated with changes in event-related potential components, including N2 latency in motion-sensitive visual areas and P100 latency in the primary visual cortex. However, these findings should be interpreted cautiously because the current mechanistic evidence is limited, often based on small samples, and relies mainly on indirect neurophysiological measures. Although SVT is a controllable training approach that can be embedded within sport-specific practice, its ecological transfer to real competitive performance and its long-term effectiveness remain insufficiently established. Future research should focus on establishing dose-response models for SVT parameters, applying multimodal neurophysiological methods, improving methodological quality through active control conditions and follow-up assessments, and systematically examining task transfer and long-term retention to support more precise and evidence-informed applications of SVT in sport.</p>","PeriodicalId":19799,"journal":{"name":"PeerJ","volume":"14 ","pages":"e21740"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-09-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13632680/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149113371","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":"Climate overrides prey availability in shaping the decadal population dynamics of two sympatric lady beetles in monsoon farmlands of central China.","authors":"Mengyuan Du, Yanhong Hou, Xiaoxin Song, Li Chen, Zhiye Fan, Wenhao Wang, Di Liu, Shimin Li, Jianrong Huang, Qi Chen","doi":"10.7717/peerj.21748","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.21748","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Under global warming, insect responses vary across regions, yet the population trends of dominant lady beetle species in central China remain poorly understood. Whether abiotic forcing (climate) or biotic interactions (prey availability) dominates their long-term population dynamics is unresolved.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We monitored lady beetle populations using black-light traps during March-November, 2015-2024, at a fixed farmland site in Luohe, Henan, China. Trap data were integrated with local meteorological records and aphid catches from a suction trap.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 21,572 individuals were collected, comprising <i>Propylea japonica</i> (10,511) and <i>Harmonia axyridis</i> (11,061). <i>P. japonica</i> showed pronounced interannual variation (range: 65-4,258 individuals) and exhibited three seasonal peaks in early June, mid-July, and late September. Its first capture date advanced significantly (-3.5 d yr^-1, <i>P</i> = 0.045), whereas <i>H. axyridis</i> phenology remained stable, generating clear temporal niche partitioning (<i>P. japonica</i> dominant June-July; <i>H. axyridis</i> dominant August-October). <i>H. axyridis</i> catches increased significantly over the decade (<i>R</i> ² = 0.69, <i>P</i> = 0.0028). Stepwise regression identified May precipitation as a shared positive predictor for both species, while temperature effects were species-specific: June temperature was a positive predictor for <i>H. axyridis</i>, and previous-November temperature was a positive predictor for <i>P. japonica</i> (both models explaining >90% of interannual variance). Aphid catches showed no positive association with either predator; predator peaks lagged behind aphid peaks by ~48 days in spring, and summer predator maxima coincided with the seasonal aphid trough.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Climatic factors, rather than prey availability, are the dominant correlates of population dynamics for these two species, which respond asymmetrically to shared climatic drivers. The decoupling of predator activity from aphid densities indicates a limited numerical response, suggesting that abiotic forcing can outweigh trophic interactions in this monsoon-governed system. Conservation biological control should integrate long-term climatic monitoring rather than relying solely on prey-driven paradigms.</p>","PeriodicalId":19799,"journal":{"name":"PeerJ","volume":"14 ","pages":"e21748"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-09-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13632678/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149112996","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":"Morphometric analysis of the incisive canal and foramen using CBCT: a cross-sectional study of the Saudi subpopulation.","authors":"Hassan Ahmed Assiri, Abdullah Alqarni, Ali Mosfer A Alqahtani, Ghaliah Alfwaih, Khulud Ali Alshehri, Budur Khalid Alsaanah, Nada Alshyarba, Taif AlQarni, Bushra Alshahrani, Maha Almansour, Rala Ebrahim Alalmai, Mohammad Shahul Hameed","doi":"10.7717/peerj.21701","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.21701","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The incisive canal (IC) and foramen are key anatomical structures in the anterior maxilla that provide passage for the nasopalatine nerve and vascular branches between the nasal and oral cavities. This study aimed to identify the morphometric characteristics of these two structures in a group of individuals from Abha City, Saudi Arabia, using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT).</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>Among the CBCT archived images acquired between May and August 2025 (<i>N</i> = 282), 200 scans were selected using computer-generated simple random sampling for eligibility screening; 100 eligible scans were included for morphometric analysis. The shape, length, position, and angulation of the canal (relative to the nasal floor), as well as the shape and diameters of the foramen, were evaluated, and their associations with age and sex were assessed.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The funnel shape (32%) was the most frequently observed form of the IC, followed by the hourglass (21%) and cylindrical (19%) forms. The incisive foramen was predominantly oval-shaped (55%), with heart-shaped and triangular forms occurring less frequently. The average length of the canal was significantly (<i>p</i> < 0.001) higher in males (11.06 mm) than in females (9.28 mm). The mean buccopalatal measurement of the foramen was significantly (<i>p</i> = 0.001) higher in males (3.77 mm) than in females (3.06 mm). Most of the patients had a single canal with either one (58%) or two (23%) foramens. Most patients demonstrated mild to moderate angulation of the IC, regardless of age group or sex. Canal extension beyond the nasal floor was categorized as <7 mm, 7-9 mm, 10-12 mm, and >12 mm.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Within the limits of this study, we offer a comprehensive analysis of the morphometric characteristics of the IC and foramen across different age groups and sexes in a Saudi Arabian cohort using CBCT. Identification of variations in position and shape will help in clinical practice, particularly when administering local anesthetic block injections during dental treatment.</p>","PeriodicalId":19799,"journal":{"name":"PeerJ","volume":"14 ","pages":"e21701"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-09-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13629566/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149113341","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":"The relationship between body morphology, handgrip strength, and bone mineral density in Chinese college students: the mediating role of skeletal muscle.","authors":"Zhilei Zhang, Xiujuan Liu","doi":"10.7717/peerj.21735","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.21735","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Adolescence is a critical period for bone mineral density (BMD) accumulation. However, the relationship between body morphology, handgrip strength (HGS), and BMD, as well as the mediating mechanisms involved, remains unclear among Chinese college students.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>To conduct an in-depth analysis of the mediating effect of skeletal muscle (the measured variable is skeletal muscle mass) on the relationship between body morphology, HGS, and BMD in Chinese college students, and to reveal the underlying mechanisms influencing human BMD.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A random cluster sampling method was used to select 104 Chinese college students from a regular institution of higher education as cross-sectional study participants. Pearson correlation analysis and structural equation modeling were employed for data processing to construct a relationship model among height, weight, HGS, skeletal muscle, and BMD of the distal radius and ulna in the left forearm.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The Pearson correlation coefficients between height, weight, HGS, distal radius and ulna BMD, and skeletal muscle were 0.769, 0.795, 0.872, and 0.498, respectively (<i>p</i> < 0.05). After controlling for sex, skeletal muscle played a significant mediating role in the relationships between weight, HGS, and distal radius and ulna BMD among Chinese college students (<i>p</i> < 0.05), with mediating effect values of 0.293, and 0.238, respectively. Sex directly predicted skeletal muscle (<i>p</i> < 0.001) with effect values of 0.229, but not BMD (<i>p</i> = 0.056).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Skeletal muscle plays a significant mediating role in the relationships between weight, HGS, and BMD in Chinese college students. Height does not indirectly influence BMD through skeletal muscle after controlling for sex. Increasing skeletal muscle mass remains an effective approach for enhancing BMD, particularly by maintaining adequate weight and grip strength.</p>","PeriodicalId":19799,"journal":{"name":"PeerJ","volume":"14 ","pages":"e21735"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-09-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13629567/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149113400","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":"Biochar application alters soil properties and microbial gene profiles in a continuous cassava cropping system.","authors":"Yanmei Zhu, Jianbing Zhang, Yundong Wei, Shiyi Zhou, Xingming Qin","doi":"10.7717/peerj.21731","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.21731","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Continuous cassava cropping can lead to soil degradation and disturbances in soil microbial functions, threatening the sustainability of cassava production systems. To address these challenges, this study examined the effects of biochar on soil physicochemical properties and microbial functional profiles in a continuous cassava cropping system. Two biochar application rates (0 and 3 Mg ha^-1) were applied, and metagenomic sequencing was conducted to evaluate microbial community composition and functional genes related to carbon and nitrogen cycling in rhizosphere and bulk soils. The results demonstrated that biochar was associated with higher soil pH, soil organic matter, and available nutrient content, with a stronger effect in rhizosphere soil. Biochar application altered the genetic potential of microbial communities, particularly in the rhizosphere soil. In terms of functional categories, biochar was related to higher gene abundances in \"homologous recombination\" and \"DNA replication\" categories (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) database), as well as the \"replication, recombination, and repair\" category (evolutionary genealogy of genes: Non-supervised Orthologous Groups (eggNOG) database) in rhizosphere soil. Biochar also affected the abundance of carbon cycling genes, particularly in the rhizosphere. The abundance of the aerobic respiration-related gene <i>coxA</i> was increased, while the abundance of the anaerobic fermentation gene L-lactate dehydrogenase (<i>LDH</i>) was decreased. Additionally, in rhizosphere soil, biochar significantly increased the abundance of <i>norB</i> (denitrification), <i>GDH2</i> (nitrogen mineralization), and <i>nifD</i> (nitrogen fixation), while decreasing the abundance of genes involved in nitrogen assimilation (<i>gltB</i>), assimilatory nitrate reduction (<i>nirA</i>), nitrogen mineralization (<i>cynS</i>), and nitrogen uptake (<i>nrtA, nasF, cynA, nrtC, and nasD</i>). Together, these results suggest that biochar application may enhance nutrient availability and reshape microbial functional potential primarily in the cassava rhizosphere, providing field evidence for biochar use in continuous cassava cropping.</p>","PeriodicalId":19799,"journal":{"name":"PeerJ","volume":"14 ","pages":"e21731"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-09-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13629565/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149113279","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":"A large number of variants of <i>Corynebacterium diphtheriae c</i>ausing diphtheria outbreaks in Indonesia, 2010-2017.","authors":"Sunarno Sunarno, Sundari Nursofiah, Novi Amalia, Yudi Hartoyo, Nelly Puspandari, Lisa Andriani Lienggonegoro, Ratih Dian Saraswati, Dwi Febriyana, Tati Febrianti, Khariri Khariri, Yuni Rukminiati, Kambang Sariadji, Masri Sembiring Maha, Yustinus Maladan, Ariyani Noviantari, Christina Safira Whinie Lestari, Masagus Zainuri, Pretty Multihartina, Rahadian Pratama, Siswanto Siswanto","doi":"10.7717/peerj.21718","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.21718","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Several methods exist for the molecular typing of diphtheria-causing bacteria, including core genome multilocus sequence typing (cgMLST). This study aims to provide an overview of the sequence types, virulence factors, and molecular resistances of Corynebacterium diphtheriae (<i>C. Diphtheriae</i>) in different regions of Indonesia between 2010-2017 to predict diseases transmission patterns and evaluate control measures .</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A total of 89 archived isolates of <i>C. diphtheriae</i> collected between 2010 and 2017 from 10 provinces in Indonesia were used as test samples. DNA extraction and whole genome sequencing (using the QIAamp DNA Minikit and Illumina MiSeq, respectively) followed standard protocols. Bioinformatic analysis was performed using a pipeline that included 'diphtOscan'.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Seventy out of eighty-nine samples qualified for analysis. Fifteen sequence types (STs) were identified: ST377 (24.3%), ST534 (44.3%) and others 31.4%. Approximately 50% of isolates predicted as Gravis biovar, based on <i>spu</i>A gene presence; two isolates were predicted as Belfanti due to <i>nar</i>G gene absence. The Gravis biovar includes isolates with ST105, ST123, and ST534. The cgMLST analysis revealed 14 sublineages corresponding to sequence types; we also identified 33 genetic clusters (GC) and 20 clonal groups among the analyzed samples. Notable GC such as GC1197, GC1199, and GC9 were found across provinces and islands. Isolates with ST141/GC75 shared similarity with Malaysian isolate; those with ST377/GC9 showed resemblance to Indian or European Union counterparts. The antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) including <i>cmx</i>, <i>tet</i>W and <i>tet</i>O, <i>sul</i>1, <i>aad, aph-</i>Ib <i>, aph-</i>Ia <i>, aph-</i>Id, <i>dfr</i>A<i>,</i> were identified in most isolates. In contrast, <i>msr</i>(D)<i>, mef</i>(A)<i>,</i> which encode erythromycin resistance via <i>erm</i>X, were found in only two isolates. One isolate harbored <i>pbp</i>2, responsible for penicillin resistance. Notably, almost all ST377 isolates exhibited aminoglycoside resistance; conversely, the single non-ST377 isolate showed this trait as well.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study demonstrates that Indonesia's 2010-2017 diphtheria outbreaks were caused by multiple strains, with ST534 and ST377 being the most prevalent. GC similarity suggests a link or disease transmission between various outbreaks across different regions /islands/countries and periods. ARGs were predominantly associated with phenicol, tetracycline, and sulfonamides resistances; only a few isolates exhibited ARGs linked to penicillin and erythromycin. Our analysis revealed correlations between STs and biovar or resistance profiles. We recommend to implement whole genome sequencing (WGS) for diphtheria surveillance in Indonesia.</p>","PeriodicalId":19799,"journal":{"name":"PeerJ","volume":"14 ","pages":"e21718"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-09-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13629564/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149113228","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":"Exploring metabolic candidates and inflammatory mediation in Parkinson's disease: a pilot integrative metabolomics and Mendelian randomization study.","authors":"Yue Lang, Hui Zhang, Rui Feng, Yongzhong Lin","doi":"10.7717/peerj.21670","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.21670","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Parkinson's disease (PD) is a complex neurodegenerative disorder characterized by multifaceted molecular dysregulation. Integrating genetic approaches with metabolomics may help to systematically investigate potential links between metabolites, inflammatory proteins, and PD risk.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In this pilot discovery phase, untargeted Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS) was conducted in a small cohort (15 PD patients and 10 healthy controls). Differentially expressed metabolites (DEMs) were identified using variable importance in projection (VIP) > 1, |log₂FC| ≥ 1, and false discovery rate (FDR)-adjusted <i>q</i>-values < 0.05 (Benjamini-Hochberg method), representing the metabolites remaining significant after multiple-testing correction applied directly at the metabolite discovery stage. Prioritized metabolites were selected by Random Forest, Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression, and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment. Two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) was performed using PD Genome-Wide Association Study (GWAS) data from FinnGen R12 (European ancestry: 5,861 cases, 494,487 controls) to evaluate putative causal associations, with FDR correction applied separately within the metabolite and inflammatory protein exposure sets. Mediation MR was used to explore potential mediating roles of 91 circulating inflammatory proteins.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 3,537 metabolites were identified, of which 570 were classified as DEMs, representing the features remaining significant after multiple-testing correction. Integration of Random Forest and LASSO identified 3-phenylpropionylglycine as a key candidate metabolite. KEGG analysis highlighted caffeine metabolism as the top enriched pathway. After FDR correction, MR analyses suggested inverse associations between genetically predicted levels of 3-phenylpropionylglycine (<i>P_FDR</i> = 0.0077, OR = 0.82) and 7-methylxanthine (<i>P_FDR</i> = 0.0349, OR = 0.83) and PD risk. Mediation analysis further indicated that SULT1A1 may partially mediate the association between 3-phenylpropionylglycine and PD.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This exploratory study integrates pilot-scale metabolomics with genetic analyses to identify candidate metabolic signals and inflammatory pathways linked to PD. However, given the small metabolomics sample size, cross-cohort data integration, and potential biological mismatch between plasma-derived metabolites and genetically predicted metabolite levels, these findings should be considered hypothesis-generating and interpreted with caution.</p>","PeriodicalId":19799,"journal":{"name":"PeerJ","volume":"14 ","pages":"e21670"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-09-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13629568/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149113410","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":"Take-off and landing techniques in snowboard halfpipe based on inertial measurement units and kinematics analysis.","authors":"Jinglun Yu, Qi Li, Shengnian Zhang, Quan Zhou","doi":"10.7717/peerj.21778","DOIUrl":"10.7717/peerj.21778","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The unique characteristics of snowboard halfpipe projects present a research challenge. Inertial measurement units (IMUs) show promise in addressing the prevailing research problems due to their numerous advantages. This study aims to explore the key technical characteristics of the take-off and landing phases in snowboard halfpipe to analyse the key factors that affect the take-off quality and landing stability of athletes at different sport levels.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The study used an IMU-based motion capture system combined with high-speed video recording (<i>via</i> Xsens and Fastcam Mini WX100 high-speed cameras) to collect kinematic data from halfpipe snowboarders during their movement process.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The elite athletes reached the vertical position at approximately 50% of the normalized take-off phase, compared with approximately 60% in novice athletes. The overall speeds achieved by the elite athletes were greater than those of the novice athletes. The elite group demonstrated a lower flexion range of motion and a stiffer landing pattern than the novice group.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>These findings suggest that snowboard halfpipe performance may depend on the coordinated control of take-off timing, snowboard inclination, and landing posture.</p>","PeriodicalId":19799,"journal":{"name":"PeerJ","volume":"14 ","pages":"e21778"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13618448/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149075366","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":"A magical experience or a puzzle: how do people watch conjuring tricks?","authors":"Dawson von Stein, Richard Wiseman, David C Watson, Rodney Schmaltz","doi":"10.7717/peerj.21742","DOIUrl":"10.7717/peerj.21742","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Conjuring tricks often contain two components: The effect (an apparently impossible happening) and the method (the secret of the trick). Prior scales have assessed individuals' general liking for magic, but not examined their interest in the effect and method. This paper validates a new scale (Method-Effect Scale; MES) measuring people's preference for these two components and examines its relationship with several variables including a general liking for magic, wonder, pseudoscientific beliefs and thinking style. Adult participants (<i>N</i> = 922) completed an online survey containing the MES, Loathing of Legerdemain Scale, Capacity for Wonder Scale (CFW), Inventory of Epistemically Unwarranted Beliefs Scale (EUB), Rational Experiential Inventory (REI), and demographic questions. An exploratory factor analysis revealed that the MES had two distinct factors (Effect and Method) and strong internal reliability (overall <i>α</i> = .83: method <i>α</i> = .86: effect <i>α</i> = .77). Significant positive correlations emerged between both MES subscales, the CFW subscales, and the EUB scientific knowledge subscale. The MES Method subscale was positively correlated with the REI's Need for Cognition and Faith in Intuition subscales, and negatively associated with some EUB subscales (conspiracy theory, religion, and health). The MES Effect subscale was positively associated with the EUB ghost subscale and negatively correlated with the conspiracy theory subscale. These results suggest that the MES is a valid and reliable measure, and we discuss how this new measure can help researchers obtain a more fine-grained insight into participant's perception of magic, and how magicians can employ it to improve their performances.</p>","PeriodicalId":19799,"journal":{"name":"PeerJ","volume":"14 ","pages":"e21742"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13618447/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149075259","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":"Sexual dysfunction in women with gestational trophoblastic disease: a cross-sectional study in Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil.","authors":"Edinaldo Brito Dos Santos, Elias Ferreira de Melo, Josielle Carvalho de Lima, Auro Del Giglio","doi":"10.7717/peerj.21427","DOIUrl":"10.7717/peerj.21427","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of sexual dysfunction among women diagnosed with gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD) who were undergoing outpatient follow-up at a university hospital. A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 73 women aged ≥ 18 yr. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire addressing sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, in addition to the Sexual Quotient - Female Version (SQ-F) to assess sexual function. Most participants were aged 18-30 yr (58.9%), married (74.0%), and reported using oral contraceptives (52.1%). Based on the total SQ-F score, 63.0% (<i>n</i> = 46) of participantsdemonstrated adequate sexual satisfaction. However, 15.0% reported experiencing dyspareunia, and 45.2% reported difficulty maintaining concentration during sexual activity. Sexual dysfunction was significantly associated with smoking (Prevalence ratios (PR) = 2.88; <i>p</i> = 0.015) and residence in rural areas (PR = 3.47; <i>p</i> = 0.003). Although the overall prevalence of sexual dysfunction was not higher than national estimates, the findings identify specific vulnerabilities that may adversely affect sexual health. These factors should be considered in the comprehensive clinical management of women with GTD.</p>","PeriodicalId":19799,"journal":{"name":"PeerJ","volume":"14 ","pages":"e21427"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13618446/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149075329","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}