bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The role of employment-based exposure to hazardous substances in driving tuberculosis diagnosis among working-age men in South Africa
Authors: Hollington Marcus 
Published: January 2023

Abstract
Background: South Africa is one of the most tuberculosis-burdened countries in the world. As an emerging economic powerhouse in the continent, the country’s highly industrialized landscape provides both opportunity and probable morbidity/mortality in a “developmental disease-induced paradox” wherein development provisions better quality of life for beneficiaries whilst simultaneously making them more susceptible to disease as a result thereof. This study examines the association between employment-based exposure to hazardous substances and tuberculosis diagnosis among men aged between 18 and 65 years in South Africa.
Methods: The study used data from the South Africa Demography and Health Survey. It constituted a sample size of 1,532 working-age men between 18 and 65 years. Bivariate regression was used to examine the relationship between employment-based exposure to hazardous substances and diagnosis of tuberculosis. Thereafter, an adjusted binary regression model was employed to examine the relationship between employment-based exposure to hazardous substances and tuberculosis diagnosis while adjusting for covariates. Analysis was conducted in STATA 16.0.
Results: The study found 7% of men that participated in the study were diagnosed with TB in South Africa. Both the unadjusted and adjusted models revealed that men who reported being exposed to hazardous substances such as smoke, dust, and fumes were significantly more likely to be diagnosed with tuberculosis compared to men that reported not being exposed to such hazardous substances at work (UOR: 2.15; p<0.05; CI: 1.44-3.19; AOR: 1.83; p<0.05; CI: 1.15-2.90). Variables such as age, province, ethnicity, educational attainment, and asthma were also found to be statistically associated with tuberculosis diagnosis among men who participated in the study.
Conclusion: The study reveals that men of working age in South Africa are susceptible to a developmental disease-induced paradox linked to TB diagnosis, one in which industrialization and the opportunities it avails for populations increase their risk of disease. As such, companies operating in South Africa should employ improved health and safety regulations to better safeguard employees from TB diagnosis. Moreover, to better manage the burden of disease, the South African government should strengthen its health infrastructure to trace and treat men diagnosed with the disease to facilitate ongoing economic development.
Tracing the birth of structural domains from loops during protein evolution
Authors: Aziz M. Fayez , Mughal Fizza , Caetano-Anollés Gustavo 
Published: January 2023

Abstract

The structures and functions of proteins are embedded into the loop scaffolds of structural domains. Their origin and evolution remain mysterious. Here, we use a novel graph-theoretical approach to describe how modular and non-modular loop prototypes combine to form folded structures in protein domain evolution. Phylogenomic data-driven chronologies reoriented a bipartite network of loops and domains (and its projections) into ‘waterfalls’ depicting an evolving ‘elementary functionome’ (EF). Two primordial waves of functional innovation involving founder ‘p-loop’ and ‘winged-helix’ domains were accompanied by an ongoing emergence and reuse of structural and functional novelty. Metabolic pathways expanded before translation functionalities. A dual hourglass recruitment pattern transferred scale-free properties from loop to domain components of the EF network in generative cycles of hierarchical modularity. Modeling the evolutionary emergence of the oldest P-loop and winged-helix domains with AlphFold2 uncovered rapid convergence towards folded structure, suggesting that a folding vocabulary exists in loops for protein fold repurposing and design.
Comparative research on the development of college students' physical fitness based on online physical education during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Sun Jun , Chang Jie , Zhu Ergang , Sun Xugui , Chen Xiaohong 
Published: January 2023

Abstract
Background: There are few studies on the impact of online physical education that have been conducted with college students during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This research focuses on the impact of online physical education among medical school students in China by comparing physical fitness test results for three consecutive years from 2019 to 2021.
Method: The subjects of the experiments were students enrolled in a medical school who completed a physical fitness test for three consecutive years from 2019 to 2021. The test items included body mass index (BMI), vital capacity (VC), 50-metre run, sit and reach, standing long jump, pull-ups (male), 1000-metre run (male), sit-ups (female) and 800-metre run (female). Noting that students participated in online physical education in 2020, this paper discusses the impact of online physical education on the physical fitness of college students based on a comparative analysis of physical fitness test results from 2019, 2020 and 2021.
Results: The weight index of male students shows a downwards trend from 2019 to 2021. The proportion of overweight and obesity in male students was significantly higher than that in female students (27.1% vs. 11.7%). For all subjects, in 2020, the BMI and VC indexes improved, while the 800/1000-metre running indexes declined. In 2021, all indexes except sit-and-reach increased.
Conclusion: The pairwise comparisons of physical fitness test results from 2019 to 2021 show that online physical education is effective in improving all items except long-distance running. Future research needs to involve a larger and geographically more dispersed sample to further analyse the effectiveness of online physical education.
WITHDRAWN: Lagging effects and prediction of pollutants and their interaction modifiers on influenza in northeastern China
Authors: Hou Weiming , Hou Weiyu , Zhang Xin 
Published: January 2023

Abstract
Background
Previous studies have typically explored the daily lagged relationship between influenza and meteorology, with little seasonal exploration of the monthly lagged relationship, interaction and multiple prediction between influenza and pollution.
Methods
Our researchers collected ILI cases data from 2005–2018 as well as meteorological and contaminative factors from 2015–2018 for the Northeast region. We developed a generalized additive model (GAM) with a maximum lag of 6 months to evaluate the lagged and interaction effects of pollution factors on the cases of Influenza. Multiple complex regression analysis was then performed after applying lasso regression to screen environmental factors in the Northeast, along with the relationship at different levels by quantile regression.
Results
There has been a yearly upward trend in influenza outbreaks in the northeastern regions. Overall low levels of NO2 during January, March, and June may be the most suspected air pollutant contributing to excessive influenza incidence. Relative risk of influenza under PM2.5 exposure increased with increasing PM2.5 concentration in the Age15-24 group with a lag of 0–6 months (ERR1.08(95% CI:0.10,2.07). In the quantitative analysis of the interaction model, PM10 at the level of 100–120 µg/m3, PM2.5 at the level of 60–80 µg/m3, and NO2 at the level of 60 µg/m3 or more had the greatest effect on the onset of influenza. The GPR model was better in prediction.
Conclusions
The air pollutant NO2 increased the risk of influenza with a cumulative lag. We should focus on winter and spring pollution monitoring and influenza prediction modeling.
Epidemiology of musculoskeletal disorders among Iranian adults: Results from a non-communicable disease cohort study
Authors: Najafi Farid , Darbandi Mitra , Neya Sepideh Kazemi , Belasi Masoud Tokazebani , Izadi Neda , Pasdar Yahya , Barzegar Akbar 
Published: January 2023

Abstract
Background: Persistent pain and reduced mobility and dexterity are the typical characteristics of Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). We aimed to determine the prevalence of back and joint pain, back, and joint stiffness, arthritis, and osteoporosis among adults and their distribution according to sociodemographic characteristics and comorbidities.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 9,520 participants aged 35-65 years from baseline data of the Ravansar Non-Communicable Disease (RaNCD) cohort study, in the west of Iran. Binary logistic regression was used to determine associations and reported by odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI).
Results: The MSDs in women were significantly more than in men (59.06% vs. 40.94%, P<0.001). Skeletal muscle mass (SMM) and handgrip strength were significantly lower in subjects with MSDs, and waist circumference (WC) and visceral fat area (VFA) were higher than in the non-MSDs (P<0.001). MSDs were significantly less common in men and women of rural areas (OR: 0.77; 95%CI: 0.67, 0.88 and OR: 0.63; 95%CI: 0.55, 0.72, respectively). Obesity increased the odds of MSDs in women (OR=1.38; 95%CI: 1.04-1.82), whereas there was no association between BMI and MSDs in men. High and moderate socioeconomic status (SES) was associated with 25% and 17% lower odds of MSDs, respectively, compared with poor socioeconomic status (OR=0.75; 95%CI: 0.63-0.90 & OR=0.83; 95%CI: 0.70-0.99).
Conclusion: The MSDs were more prevalent among older people, women, obese people and urban dwellers. Lifestyle modification, especially weight loss may be helpful in reducing and controlling MSDs.
Association between dietary inflammatory index and infertility of women; Results from RaNCD Cohort Study
Authors: Moludi Jalal , Kamari Negin , Darbandi Mitra , Mostafaei Shayan , Moradi Shima , Pasdar Yahya , Najafi Farid , Navabi Jafar , Saber Amir 
Published: January 2023

Abstract
Background
In recent decades, more and more attention has been paid to the influence of nutrition on reproductive health. Nevertheless, the imminent association between diet-related inflammation and the risk of infertility has not yet been established. The aim of the current study was to investigate the ability of the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) to estimate infertility incidence in women.
Methods
This cross-sectional study was conducted using data from Ravansar non-communicable diseases (RaNCD) cohort study on 3,988 participants. The DII was calculated based on the reported consumption of up to 31 food parameters measured via a validated and reproducible 118-item food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Multiple logistic regression analysis was applied to estimate the multivariable odds ratio (OR) adjusted for potential confounding variables.
Results
Out of all participants, 397 women (9.95%) were infertile. The mean ± SD age of infertile women was 45.1 ± 7.58 years and the mean ± SD weight was 72 ± 13.69. Also, 957 (24%) of the participants had low physical activity and 3,374 (84.6%) used contraceptives. Statistical analyses showed the odds ratio of infertility in the fourth quartile (pro-inflammatory diet) was 1.48 times higher than in the first quartile (anti-inflammatory diet) of DII (95% CI: 1.10,2.03).
Conclusions
Based on the results that provide compelling evidence we concluded that infertility in women is related to dietary. Interventions and programs aimed at promoting a healthy diet and lifestyle could be helpful in solving the problem of infertility in women.
Peripheral T cell populations are differentially affected in monogenic autoinflammatory syndromes and gout
Authors: Al Burcu , Bruno Mariolina , Röring Rutger Jan , Klück Viola , Liu Ruiqi , Debisarun Priya A. , Gaal Ildiko Orsolya , Bhat Jaydeep , Kabelitz Dieter , Joosten Leo A.B. , Netea Mihai G. , Placek Katarzyna 
Published: January 2023

Abstract
Purpose Both monogenic autoinflammatory syndromes, such as Chronic Granulomatous Disease (CGD) and Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF), and the common inflammatory disease gout are characterized by episodes of sterile inflammatory attacks in the absence of an infection. While these disorders encompass distinct pathologies due to differentially affected metabolic pathways and inflammasome activation mechanisms, their common features are the excessive production of interleukin (IL)-1ß and innate immune cell hyperreactivity. On the other hand, the role of T cells and innate-like lymphocytes such as gamma delta (γδ) T cells in these pathologies is ill-defined.
Methods In order to widen our understanding of T cell involvement in FMF, CGD and gout pathology we developed multicolour immunophenotyping panels for flow cytometry and functional assays to characterise gd T cells, as well as CD4 and CD8 T cell populations in terms of their cytokine production, activation status, memory or naive phenotypes, exhaustion status, homing receptor expression, and cytotoxic activity.
Results Our study is the first deep immunophenotyping analysis of T cell populations in FMF, CGD and gout patients. We found that CGD affects the frequencies and activation status of T cells, while gout impairs cytokine production capacity of Vd2 T cells and reshapes homing receptor expression by T cells. FMF was characterized by only minor effects on T cell populations.
Conclusion Autoinflammatory syndromes differentially affect T cell compartments. Future studies are warranted to assess whether these phenotypical changes are relevant for disease pathology.
Morphological and Molecular Identification of Lymnaeid snail and Trematodes Cercariae in Different Water Bodies in Perak, Malaysia
Authors: Tookhy Nazir Ahmad , Md Nur Mahiza , Mansor Rozaihan , Rahman Yasmin Abd , Ahmad Nur Indah , Bui Dung Thi , Idris Lokman Hakim , Hamzah Noor Hazfalinda , Zulkifli Norhadila 
Published: January 2023

Abstract
Lymnaeid snails are vital in transmitting trematode cercariae as an intermediate host that can infect buffalo and other ruminants and humans, causing significant economic losses. The study aimed to conduct morphological and molecular identification of snails and cercariae collected from the selected buffalo farms under palm oil integration in Perak, Malaysia. A cross-sectional study was conducted, and 35 water were investigated for the presence or absence of snails. A total of 836 lymnaeid snails were collected from three marshes wetlands. To identify the snail family and species, morphological identification was performed on each snail’s shell, and to identify trematode cercariae types; the crushing method was used to observe the cercarial stage inside each snail’s body. In addition, the Internal Transcribed Spacer 2 (ITS2) region and Cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) was used as the target gene to identify the snail species and cercarial types up to the species level. The result showed that the collected snails belong to the family Lymnaeidae and Radix rubiginosa species. The infection rate by cercarial emergence in snails was 8.73%. Five morphological cercarial types were observed which include: echinostome, xiphidiocercariae, gymnocephalous, brevifurcate-apharyngeate distome, and vivax. Using molecular methods, the identified cercariae belong to the three families, including Echinostomatidae, Plagiorchiidae, and Fasciolidae. This is the first report on R. rubiginosa and different types of trematodes cercariae in buffalo farms under palm oil integration in Perak. Our finding confirmed that R. rubiginosa could serve as an intermediate host for a range of parasitic trematodes in Perak.
Online dynamic container rescheduling for improved application service time
Authors: Bracke Vincent , Werrebrouck Gillis , Santos Jose , Wauters Tim , De Turck Filip , Volckaert Bruno 
Published: January 2023

Abstract
Despite their maturity and robustness, container orchestration platforms still suffer from some limitations. One of those concerns the lack of runtime adaptability of the scheduler to the overall cluster status as i) it instantiates containers with local optimization in mind i.e. it only considers the container-specific predefined requirements which may lead to a sub-optimal overall cluster state and ii) it does not reshuffle the deployed containers at runtime based on container observed behavior and interdependencies. These limitations become even more apparent within volatile load contexts. This work proposes an autonomous and dynamic rescheduling system that aims at improving application service time by co-locating highly interdependent containers for network delay reduction. To this extend, two distinct combinatorial optimization heuristics, Simulated Annealing and Particle Swarm Optimization, are evaluated and compared on their respective effectiveness and efficiency as well as their relative performance towards the optimal solution obtained by Integer Linear Programming. Additionally, the impact of the proposed system on application service time is validated by means of two complementary use-cases, an event-based IoT data-hub platform and a web-based e-commerce app, with an average improvement of the end-to-end service time of 21.6% and 13.1% respectively.
Clinical and Genetic Characteristics of Children with Inborn Errors of Immunity from Egypt: A single Centre Study
Authors: Sobh Ali , Mosa Doaa Mosad , Zeid Mayada S , Salem Omnia , Elnagdy Marwa H , El-Hadidy Nada M , Bahgat Sara A , Rizk Ragheed , Geha Raif S 
Published: January 2023

Abstract
Purpose
Inborn errors of immunity (IEI) comprise a heterogeneous group of monogenic disorders with wide spectrum of clinical manifestations. The aim of this study is to describe epidemiologic, clinical, and genetic features of patients with inborn errors of immunity in Mansoura University Children’s Hospital, a tertiary care center in Egypt.
Methods
We included patients seen during the period between 2014–2022. Data collected included sociodemographic, clinical features, laboratory investigations, management, and outcome.
Results
We enrolled 184 patients. The male/female ratio was 1.8:1. The age of onset of symptoms ranged between 2 and 24 months. The age at diagnosis ranged between 12 and 33.5 months with a diagnostic delay range of 0 to 213 months. One hundred and fifteen patients (62.5%) were born to consanguineous parents and family history was positive in 59 patients (32.1%). The most common category was immunodeficiencies affecting cellular and humoral immunity with Seventy-seven patients (41.8%). A causative mutation was identified in 106 patients (57.6% of all cases) with a diagnostic yield of 82.8%. The overall case fatality rate was 48 patients (26.1%).
Conclusion
Despite a single centre study, this data set may act as a nidus for setting up a national registry of IEIs disorders in Egypt. This study indicates that PIDs are not uncommon in Egypt and that immunodeficiencies affecting cellular and humoral immunity is the most common category. Introduction of wide-scale genetic tests allow early diagnosis and treatment that improve the quality of life.
Dissecting the impact of dietary fiber type on atherosclerosis in mice colonized with different gut microbial communities
Authors: Rey Federico , Hutchison Evan , Kasahara Kazuyuki , Zhang Qijun , Vivas Eugenio , Cross Tzu-Wen 
Published: January 2023

Abstract
Dietary fiber consumption has been linked with improved cardiometabolic health, however human studies have reported large interindividual variations in the observed benefits. We tested whether the effects of dietary fiber on atherosclerosis are influenced by the gut microbiome. We colonized germ-free ApoE-/- mice with fecal samples from three human donors (DonA, DonB, and DonC) and fed them diets supplemented with either a mix of 5 fermentable fibers (FF) or non-fermentable cellulose (CC). We found that DonA-colonized mice had reduced atherosclerosis burden with FF feeding compared to their CC-fed counterparts, whereas the type of fiber did not affect atherosclerosis in mice colonized with microbiota from the other donors. Microbial shifts associated with FF feeding in DonA mice were characterized by higher levels of butyrate-producing taxa, higher butyrate levels, and enrichment of genes involved in synthesis of B vitamins. Our results suggest that atheroprotection in response to FF is not universal and influenced by the gut microbiome.
Natural radiological hazard assessment of 222Rn and 220Rn in high-level radiation background areas, Northern Vietnam
Authors: Hoang Van-Hiep , Tue Nguyen , Nguyen Duy-Muoi , Nguyen Thai-Son , Nguyen Thu-Thuy 
Published: January 2023

Abstract
The outdoor radon (222Rn) and thoron (220Rn) concentrations at 320 dwelling points at 1m above the ground in different locations surrounding rare earth elements (REE) and uranium mines in Northern, Vietnam were measured using the RAD7 equipment. Results showed that the 222Rn was always higher than 220Rn concentration with a range from 25.7 to 573 Bq/m3 and from 18.5 to 385 Bq/m3, respectively. In general, the 222Rn and 220Rn concentration showed a large variation, especially in the study location of the NX-Lai Chau. The highest 222Rn and 220Rn concentration was found in this location as well. The 222Rn and 220Rn activities surrounding the REE mines were found to be higher than those surrounding the uranium mines. The average value of annual committed effective doses originated from the inhalation of 222Rn and 220Rn outdoor dwellings is about five times higher than the worldwide average value as reported in UNSCEAR (2000).
A rare coracobrachialis muscle bilateral variant with supernumerary heads in coexistence with a variant brachial plexus and axillary artery branching pattern
Authors: Filippou Dimitrios , Piagkou Maria , Natsis Konstantinos , Chytas Dimitrios , Kostare Georgia , Triantafyllou George , Kostares Evangelos , Koutserimpas Christos , Totlis Trifon , Salmas Marios , Karampelias Vasilios , Tsakotos George 
Published: January 2023

Abstract
Purpose The study-report describes a rare bilateral variant of a six- and five-headed coracobrachialis muscle (CB). The musculocutaneous nerve (MCN) (bilaterally) and the median nerve (MN) lateral root (unilaterally) pierced CB heads, separating superficial from deep heads.
Methods The variant bilateral CB was identified in a 78-year-old formalin-embalmed male cadaver, derived from a body donation program after a signed informed consent.
Results At the right side: The 6-headed CB was pierced by the MCN, while the MN lateral root pierced the one superficial and deep head. CB was supplied by the lateral cord and the MCN. At the left side: A 5-headed CBM was identified with three superficial distinct origins that fused into a common superficial head coursing anterior to MCN. The variant CB bilaterally (with 11 heads in total) coexisted with a MN variant formation, an atypical course of the MN lateral root through CB (right side), a connection of the MN lateral root with the MCN (left side) and a variant axillary artery branching pattern (bilaterally).
Conclusions Course and direction of the accessory CB heads may occasionally entrap the MCN and/or adjacent structures (brachial artery and MN). The MCN compression results in problems in the glenohumeral joint flexion and adduction, and tingling or numbness of the elbow joint, the forearm lateral parts and the hand.