PeerJ最新文献

{"title":"Exploring phenotypic diversity and constructing a floral core collection of <i>Ziziphus jujuba</i> var. <i>spinosa</i>.","authors":"Yuyu Wang, Yuncheng Zhang, Yongqiang Sun, Kaiyun Wang, Xin Zhao, Jianhua Chen, Shengjun Dong","doi":"10.7717/peerj.21708","DOIUrl":"10.7717/peerj.21708","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong><i>Ziziphus jujuba</i> var. <i>spinosa</i> is an ecologically valuable tree species. However, most investigations have concentrated on the leaves and fruits. There is insufficient focus on investigating the phenotypic diversity and morphological characteristics of wild jujube floral organs. This gap in knowledge impedes a comprehensive understanding of floral development, which in turn restricts practical applications such as the enhancement of breeding efficiency and yield in cultivated varieties.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We evaluated 28 floral traits of 205 sour jujube clones from 30 provenances across eight Chinese provinces. Phenotypic variation was assessed using nested ANOVA, coefficient of variation (CV), and Shannon-Wiener index (H'). Pearson correlation analysis was conducted to examine associations between floral traits and climatic and geographic factors. Principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical clustering were used to classify breeding groups, and a core collection was established <i>via</i> stepwise clustering.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The results demonstrated significant diversity and variation in the floral organs of sour jujube. The average CV for quantitative and qualitative traits were 25.30% and 37.85%, respectively, while the mean H' for quantitative traits (1.68) was higher than that for qualitative traits (0.81). Variation among provenances was the primary source of phenotypic diversity, with the mean phenotypic differentiation coefficient for the quantitative traits of sour jujube reaching 71.32%. Size-related floral traits, including flower diameter, flower area, and flower disc diameter, were significantly correlated with temperature. These traits exhibited significant negative correlations with mean annual, January, and July temperatures (<i>P</i> < 0.01). Principal component analysis extracted six principal components, collectively accounting for 73.14% of the total variance. Based on phenotypic traits, the 205 clones were classified into five breeding groups: A and B for small- and large-flowered ornamental varieties, C for high-yield potential, and E for nectar-rich types with large disc areas. A specialized core collection of 51 accessions for the study of floral organs was constructed using a stepwise clustering approach. This work provides valuable insights for the evaluation and utilization of sour jujube germplasm.</p>","PeriodicalId":19799,"journal":{"name":"PeerJ","volume":"14 ","pages":"e21708"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-09-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13616194/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149070110","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":"Evaluation of biochemical evidence suggestive of subclinical myocardial injury using high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T in patients with prediabetes: a cross-sectional study.","authors":"Nur Syakirin Nor Ariffin, Tuan Salwani Tuan Ismail, Wan Nor Fazila Hafizan Wan Nik, Aniza Mohammed Jelani, Najib Majdi Yaacob, Nani Draman, Masliza Yusoff, Wan Mohd Saifuhisam Wan Zain","doi":"10.7717/peerj.21716","DOIUrl":"10.7717/peerj.21716","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Growing evidence indicates that cardiovascular abnormalities may develop during the prediabetic period. One of the earliest signs of these is biochemical evidence suggestive of subclinical myocardial injury characterised by elevated high-sensitivity cardiac troponin levels (>the 99th percentile upper reference limit). There is a paucity of studies on high-sensitivity troponin T (hs-cTnT) levels, the prevalence of subclinical myocardial injury, and related cardiometabolic predictors in individuals with prediabetes in Southeast Asia. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the distribution of hs-cTnT values suggestive of subclinical myocardial injury; assess the relationship between hs-cTnT values and HbA1c levels; and identify the predictors of suggestive of subclinical myocardial injury in people with prediabetes in Kota Bharu, Kelantan, Malaysia.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This cross-sectional study included 101 adults with prediabetes at two primary care centres in Kota Bharu, Kelantan, Malaysia. Blood samples were collected for the evaluation of hs-cTnT, HbA1c, lipid profile (total cholesterol, triglycerides, high- and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol), urea, and creatinine levels. Biochemical evidence suggestive of subclinical myocardial injury was defined as hs-cTnT concentrations >14.00 ng/L. Associations between hs-cTnT values and HbA1c levels were analysed using Spearman's rank correlation; predictors suggestive of subclinical myocardial injury were evaluated using Firth bias-corrected logistic regression.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The median hs-cTnT value was 7.29 ng/L (interquartile range: 3.85-12.33). Biochemical evidence suggestive of subclinical myocardial injury was detected in 14.9% (<i>n</i> = 15) of participants. Hs-cTnT values in participants suggestive of myocardial injury ranged from 14.71 to 149.20 ng/L. No significant association was found between hs-cTnT values and HbA1c levels (Spearman's r = -0.053; <i>p</i> = 0.602). In exploratory Firth bias-corrected multivariable logistic regression analysis, higher systolic blood pressure was independently associated with biochemical evidence suggestive of subclinical myocardial injury after adjusting for demographic, metabolic, and cardiovascular risk factors (adjusted odds ratio: 1.13per mmHg increase, 95% confidence interval: 1.05-1.24; <i>p</i> = 0.001).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Biochemical evidence suggestive of subclinical myocardial injury was present in 14.9% of adults with prediabetes, possibly associated with elevated systolic blood pressure. No significant association was found between hs-cTnT values and HbA1c levels. These findings suggest that myocardial injury may occur early during prediabetes. A larger population-based study would help verify these findings and determine the clinical significance of subclinical myocardial injury in this patient population.</p>","PeriodicalId":19799,"journal":{"name":"PeerJ","volume":"14 ","pages":"e21716"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-09-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13616196/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149070113","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":"Prenatal allostatic load and adverse pregnancy outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.","authors":"Mengjie Zhao, Hanyue Zheng, Dengyan Qi, Xuening Zhang, Lei Ba, Bei Wang, Xiang Hong","doi":"10.7717/peerj.21756","DOIUrl":"10.7717/peerj.21756","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Allostatic load (AL) denotes the cumulative physiological dysregulation resulting from chronic stress exposure. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the association between prenatal AL and adverse pregnancy outcomes (APOs), and to synthesize current evidence to inform prenatal health strategies and potentially reduce the incidence of APOs.</p><p><strong>Methodology: </strong>This study systematically searched PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, PsycINFO, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang, VIP China Science and Technology Journal Database, and SinoMed databases for relevant studies examining prenatal AL and APOs published from September 1993 to 22 June 2026. Two researchers independently screened the literature, extracted data, and assessed the risk of bias using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. Meta-analysis was performed using R software (version 4.4.3). The study protocol is registered in PROSPERO (CRD420251076952).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Eight original studies involving 8,795 pregnant women were included. High prenatal AL was associated with an increased risk of preterm birth (OR = 1.29, 95% CI [1.04-1.60]) and preeclampsia (OR = 2.31, 95% CI [1.42-3.76]). There was no statistically significant association with low birth weight (OR = 1.10, 95% CI [0.95-1.26]). Furthermore, exploratory subgroup analyses suggested that the gestational period and biomarker composition may influence these associations; however, high methodological heterogeneity limits direct clinical application.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Elevated prenatal AL is associated with an increased risk of specific APOs, particularly preterm birth and preeclampsia. Future studies should adopt longitudinal designs with repeated AL measurements across pregnancy to clarify temporal dynamics and elucidate underlying biological mechanisms.</p>","PeriodicalId":19799,"journal":{"name":"PeerJ","volume":"14 ","pages":"e21756"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-09-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13616195/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149070023","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":"Plantar flexor muscle size, composition and strength and the redistribution of joint work in gait of healthy older adults.","authors":"Ryan Gladfelter, Jane A Kent, Athulya A Simon, Katherine A Boyer","doi":"10.7717/peerj.21734","DOIUrl":"10.7717/peerj.21734","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Older adults have altered gait mechanics that may contribute to mobility loss. These changes are suggested to be precipitated by decreased mechanical output from the ankle plantar flexor muscles. However, the extent of age-related changes within individual triceps surae muscles and the consequences for plantar flexor specific torque (torque per unit muscle) and walking mechanics remain unclear. The study aims were (1) to quantify age related differences triceps surae muscle cross-sectional area (CSA), fat fraction and peak absolute and specific plantar flexor torque; (2) quantify differences between younger and older adults in sagittal plane gait kinetics and (3) to examine the relationships between gait kinetics and muscle morphology and function.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Eleven younger (36.2 ± 3.4 years, five female) and 12 older (73.3 ± 2.8 years, six female) adults completed dynamometry, magnetic resonance fat-water imaging of the shank, and overground gait analysis at a prescribed (1.25 m/s) and fast walking speed (30% greater than preferred).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Older adults had a smaller fat-free muscle CSA for the soleus and medial gastrocnemius, resulting in ~25% smaller triceps surae CSA. There was no difference by age in fat fraction for any muscle. Peak plantar flexor torque was lower in older adults and proportional to the differences in cross-sectional area, thus specific torque did not differ by age. Older adults generated greater positive hip work at both speeds and less positive ankle work at the fast speed leading to a greater redistribution ratio compared to younger. However, no significant correlations were found between the redistribution ratio and triceps surae muscle morphology or plantar flexion absolute, body-mass normalized or specific torque in older adults.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>These results suggest that triceps surae muscle morphology and function may not be a primary source of age-related changes in gait mechanics in healthy older adults.</p>","PeriodicalId":19799,"journal":{"name":"PeerJ","volume":"14 ","pages":"e21734"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-09-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13616193/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149070097","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":"Let them fight: using finite element analysis to determine combative evolutionary drivers of ceratopsian (Dinosauria: Ornithischia) horns.","authors":"Eric Austin Ames, Andre J Rowe, David John Button","doi":"10.7717/peerj.21728","DOIUrl":"10.7717/peerj.21728","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The intensely-researched fossil record of ceratopsian dinosaurs makes them an ideal clade to test hypotheses of morphological evolutionary drivers. These dinosaurs are best known for their extravagant headgear, including an assortment of cranial horns and often elaborate frills. While the frills have been suggested as display structures, their horns have been hypothesized as intraspecific combat weapons with various fighting styles from modern analogs providing ample baselines for testing. However, while direct fossil evidence of intraspecific combat does exist, an absence of biomechanical data makes determining whether different ceratopsid taxa were best suited to specific combat styles very difficult. Here we used 3D finite element analysis to model differences in biomechanical performance in simulated combat behaviors of five ceratopsian taxa (<i>Psittacosaurus</i>, <i>Protoceratops</i>, <i>Centrosaurus</i>, <i>Spiclypeus</i>, and <i>Triceratops</i>). Size-corrected results indicate that <i>Psittacosaurus</i> and <i>Protoceratops</i> skulls, which lack elaborate horns, exhibit high and low stress cranial stress magnitudes respectively. The nasal horn of <i>Centrosaurus</i> was well-suited for accommodating vertical and longitudinal stresses but much less so for mediolateral ones. The supraorbital horns of <i>Spiclypeus</i> and <i>Triceratops</i> demonstrate consistently low-to-moderate stresses across most tests, correlating with various fighting behaviors. These results suggest that differing intraspecific combat behaviors may be an evolutionary driver of ceratopsian cranial weaponry, with strong skulls being a result of phylogenetic inertia from earlier members of the clade. This study helps ascertain the effectiveness of cranial weaponry in ceratopsids for intraspecific combat and fills a notable knowledge gap in our understanding of these dinosaurs.</p>","PeriodicalId":19799,"journal":{"name":"PeerJ","volume":"14 ","pages":"e21728"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-09-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13616199/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149070078","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":"Symptom network analysis in maintenance hemodialysis patients: a multicenter study.","authors":"Xiaorong Liu, Huifen Zhao, Ziqing Hong, Yumei Peng, Jianqing Zheng, Suzhen Xie, Shuifeng Chen","doi":"10.7717/peerj.21741","DOIUrl":"10.7717/peerj.21741","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>To identify symptom clusters and construct a symptom network in multicenter maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients, with the aim of elucidating core symptoms and informing evidence-based symptom management strategies.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A cross-sectional study was conducted using convenience sampling to recruit 502 MHD patients from 10 hemodialysis centers in Quanzhou, Fujian Province, China. Symptom burden was assessed using the Dialysis Symptom Index. Exploratory factor analysis was employed to identify symptom clusters. Network analysis was performed using R software (version 4.3.1), with the qgraph, bootnet, and network tools packages utilized for network visualization, stability analysis, and centrality estimation. Network centrality indices were calculated, and strength centrality-which demonstrated adequate stability-was used as the primary index to identify core symptoms.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Exploratory factor analysis revealed five distinct symptom clusters: emotional symptoms, fluid and electrolyte imbalance symptoms, gastrointestinal symptoms, uremic toxins symptoms, and sleep disturbance symptoms. Network analysis demonstrated that muscle cramps exhibited the highest strength centrality (1.758), followed by nervousness (1.332) and worrying (1.238), identifying muscle cramps as the most central symptom within the network structure. The correlation stability (CS) coefficient of strength centrality was 0.749, indicating adequate stability, whereas closeness and betweenness centralities were unstable (CS-coefficient = 0.00) and were therefore not interpreted.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>MHD patients experience multiple co-occurring symptom clusters, with muscle cramps identified as the most central symptom in the symptom network and fatigue representing the most severe and second most prevalent symptom. These findings highlight the importance of prioritizing interventions targeting muscle cramps, fatigue, and other high-strength symptoms. Healthcare professionals should develop tailored, symptom-specific management strategies to effectively alleviate symptom burden and enhance clinical outcomes in MHD patients.</p>","PeriodicalId":19799,"journal":{"name":"PeerJ","volume":"14 ","pages":"e21741"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-09-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13615734/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149063650","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":"Is ultra-early endoscopy always beneficial? A systematic review and meta-analysis of timing-dependent outcomes in nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding.","authors":"Cai-Juan Liu, Lu-Xi Xiong, Xiang-Yu Zhang, Wei-Wei Yang, Chun-Hua Liu, Logen Liu, Guo-Qing Li","doi":"10.7717/peerj.21702","DOIUrl":"10.7717/peerj.21702","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding (NVUGIB) is a common emergency with substantial morbidity and mortality. Guidelines recommend endoscopy within 24 hours, but the benefit of ultra-early endoscopy (≤6 hours) remains unclear, particularly in high-risk patients. This study aimed to systematically evaluate whether ultra-early endoscopy (≤6 hours) improves clinical outcomes compared with early endoscopy (>6 hours) in adult patients with nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding, including mortality, rebleeding, healthcare utilization, and outcomes in high-risk subgroups.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A systematic review and meta-analysis of studies comparing ultra-early and early endoscopy in adults with NVUGIB was conducted. The PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases were searched up to January 2026 for relevant studies. Ultra-early endoscopy was defined as endoscopy performed within 6 hours of presentation, admission, or clinical diagnosis, and high-risk patients were defined according to study-level criteria, most commonly a Glasgow-Blatchford score >12 or Rockall Score >5. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) or mean differences (MDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using random-effects models, and prespecified subgroup and sensitivity analyses were used to assess the robustness of the findings.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Nine studies, comprising 10,785 patients (2,638 ultra-early, 8,147 early), were included in the meta-analysis, and their data analyzed. The findings suggest that ultra-early endoscopy did not significantly reduce mortality (OR 0.88, 95% CI [0.58-1.34]) or rebleeding (OR 1.23, 95% CI [0.90-1.67]), nor affect transfusion, surgical intervention, repeat endoscopy, or the length of hospital stay of the patients. However, intensive care unit (ICU) admission was more frequent in the ultra-early group (OR 1.41, 95% CI [1.20-1.66]). These findings were also consistent for patients in high-risk subgroups.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Among adults with NVUGIB, ultra-early endoscopy provides no clear advantage over early endoscopy in terms of the key clinical outcomes, although the rate of ICU admission is higher. This suggests that management should focus on providing adequate resuscitation and timely endoscopy within an appropriate therapeutic window. Further prospective studies are warranted to evaluate the potential benefit of ultra-early endoscopy in selected high-risk patients.</p>","PeriodicalId":19799,"journal":{"name":"PeerJ","volume":"14 ","pages":"e21702"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-09-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13615735/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149063647","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":"Specimen-level phylogenetic analysis and taxonomic revision of North American metoposaurids: a case for monospecific genera in vertebrate paleontology.","authors":"Aaron M Kufner","doi":"10.7717/peerj.21720","DOIUrl":"10.7717/peerj.21720","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The Metoposauridae were a widespread family of aquatic Late Triassic temnospondyl amphibians known from numerous localities in non-marine strata of the Northern Hemisphere, India, and Madagascar. Recent descriptions of intraspecific variation in skulls from hyper accumulations suggest some characters used in species diagnoses may be variable within hypothesized populations. This realization necessitates the reevaluation of taxonomic diagnoses for previously established species. Multiple monospecific hyper accumulations of different metoposaurid taxa are known in North America providing a relatively large sample to assess the validity of the North American taxa: <i>Anaschisma browni</i>, <i>Buettnererpeton bakeri</i>, and <i>Apachesaurus gregorii</i>. The purported 'small-bodied' metoposaurid <i>A. gregorii</i> has recently been suggested to be predominantly represented by juvenile material; whether this material represents a juvenile of a previously described large-bodied metoposaurid or is indeed a distinct taxon has not been tested. A specimen-level character matrix incorporating scores from all name-bearing specimens diagnostic to the species level as well as numerous referred specimens was constructed, and the interpretations are validated by the inclusion of photographs and interpretive drawings (where necessary for clarity) of specimens included in the matrix. The synonymy of specimens from Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona referred to <i>An. browni</i> was not supported, and to avoid exacerbating taxonomic instability of the Metoposauridae, two novel genera are proposed to encompass two previously described species from Texas (<i>Paranaschisma</i> gen. nov. <i>howardensis</i> and <i>Tecovaserpeton</i> gen. nov. <i>perfectum</i>). A putative adult specimen of <i>A. gregorii</i> was identified, and ontogenetic variation in <i>B. bakeri</i> and <i>A. gregorii</i> was compared to propose evolutionary scenarios related to heterochronic shifts in metoposaurids that could be tested in future studies. Reconciling outstanding challenges with the assessment of ontogenetic variation in metoposaurids will rely on the recovery, description, and phylogenetic analysis of specimens that occupy the size gap between the large-bodied and small-bodied Late Triassic metoposaurids in the western USA in this specimen-level framework.</p>","PeriodicalId":19799,"journal":{"name":"PeerJ","volume":"14 ","pages":"e21720"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-09-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13615736/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149063574","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":"Thinking inside and outside the box: Comparing the efficacy of camera trap designs for surveying small mammals.","authors":"Phoebe Williams, Xenia Green, Amelia Grass, Anthony Caravaggi","doi":"10.7717/peerj.21654","DOIUrl":"10.7717/peerj.21654","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Small mammals are vital to ecosystem health and serve as key indicators of environmental changes. Population trends in the UK for many species have remained largely undocumented, however, emphasizing the need for more effective monitoring tools. This study evaluates the efficacy of three camera trap designs for detecting small mammals: no-box camera traps (NCTs), open box camera traps (OCTs), and closed tube camera traps (TCTs).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The study was conducted at Silent Valley Nature Reserve, South Wales, focusing on <i>Fagus sylvatica</i> woodland. The authors thank the reserve manager for providing verbal permission to access the site managed by the Gwent Wildlife Trust. Six baited survey stations, each equipped with one NCT, OCT, and TCT, were established in low-disturbance areas, placed approximately 5 m apart. Cameras recorded 15-second videos with a five minute trigger interval. Generalised additive models (GAMs) were used to assess temporal detection patterns, while hourly detection data and overlap metrics evaluated similarities between apparent activity patterns across trap types.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Mice (<i>i.e.</i>, wood <i>Apodemus sylvaticus</i> and yellow-necked <i>A. flavicollis</i> mice; <i>n</i> = 827) and bank voles (<i>Myodes glareolus</i>; <i>n</i> = 454) were the most commonly detected species in 1,874 detections of small mammals across 57 camera trap days. Both boxed designs yielded more detections of focal species and fewer false triggers than NCTs. TCTs recorded greater number of focal species detections relative to total detections (79%; compared to 58% for OCTs and 14.8% for NCTs) and the fewest unidentified species (16, compared to 51 and 49 respectively). Vole and shrew activity patterns differed between boxed and NCT designs. There was evidence of differences in detection among box designs, with shrews being more frequently detected by TCTs (<i>n</i> = 196), and voles more frequently detected by OCTs (<i>n</i> = 273).</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>Boxed traps aided species identification but were affected by camera focal issues, which could be mitigated with low-cost adaptations. Our study highlights the need to consider focal species ecology when designing camera trap studies and provides a basis for the development of more effective small mammal surveys, survey methods and conservation tools.</p>","PeriodicalId":19799,"journal":{"name":"PeerJ","volume":"14 ","pages":"e21654"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-09-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13615732/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149063587","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":"MuscleExpert: a semi-automated tool delivering ImageJ-comparable measurements of muscle thickness, area, and quality.","authors":"Zongpan Li, Li-Qun Zhang, Marcel Bahia Lanza","doi":"10.7717/peerj.21757","DOIUrl":"10.7717/peerj.21757","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Most image-analysis software programs were not designed specifically for ultrasound-based measurements, resulting in irrelevant general-purpose features that force users to navigate through multiple menus and making the analysis time-consuming and increasing the likelihood of error. The aim of this study was to present and validate the semi-automated MuscleExpert software against the widely used ImageJ by comparing muscle thickness (MT), cross-sectional area (CSA), and muscle quality (MQ-measured as echo intensity).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Ten volunteers (five males; age: 44.9 ± 23.5 years) participated in this cross-sectional study. Ultrasound images of the tibialis anterior and medial gastrocnemius muscles were acquired using 2D B-mode ultrasonography and analyzed in both software programs. Equivalence of means was evaluated <i>via</i> the two-one-sided tests (TOST) procedure; the reliability between means was quantified by an intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC); the precision was expressed as the coefficient of variation (CV) and standard error of measurement (SEM); and agreement was assessed using Bland-Altman plots.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The TOST for MT, CSA, and MQ were within their respective equivalence margins. The ICC was excellent for all measures (MT: ICC = 0.999; CSA: ICC = 0.999; MQ: ICC = 1.000). Precision was similarly high, with CVs of 0.49% (MT), 0.54% (CSA), and 0.33% (MQ), demonstrating minimal variability between the two methods. SEM values were low across all outcomes, corresponding to 0.49% (MT), 0.53% (CSA), and 0.23% (MQ). Finally, the Bland-Altman analysis demonstrated minimal systematic differences and no proportional bias between ImageJ and MuscleExpert for all metrics. The present findings indicate that MuscleExpert and ImageJ produce nearly identical results for MT, CSA, and MQ. These findings support the integration of MuscleExpert into clinical and research workflows, offering a more efficient solution for muscle assessment without compromising measurement integrity.</p>","PeriodicalId":19799,"journal":{"name":"PeerJ","volume":"14 ","pages":"e21757"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-09-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13615733/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149063655","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}