bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Health Equity Assessment Toolkit (HEAT and HEAT Plus): exploring inequalities in the COVID-19 pandemic era
Authors: Kirkby Katherine , Schlotheuber Anne , Vidal Fuertes Cecilia , Ross Zev , Hosseinpoor Ahmad Reza 
Published: December 2022

Abstract
Background
The Sustainable Development Goals have helped to focus attention on the importance of reducing inequality and ‘leaving no one behind’. Monitoring health inequalities is essential for providing evidence to inform policies, programmes and practices that can close existing gaps and achieve health equity. The Health Equity Assessment Toolkit (HEAT and HEAT Plus) software was developed by the World Health Organization to facilitate the assessment of within-country health inequalities.

Results
HEAT contains a built-in database of disaggregated health data, while HEAT Plus allows users to upload and analyze inequalities using their own datasets. Version 4.0 of the software incorporated enhancements to the toolkit’s capacity for equity assessments. This includes a multilingual interface, interactive and downloadable visualizations, flexibility to analyze inequalities using any dataset of disaggregated data, and the built-in calculation of 19 summary measures of inequality. This paper outlines the improved features and functionalities of the HEAT and HEAT Plus software since their original release, highlighted through an example of how the toolkit can be used to assess inequalities in the COVID-19 pandemic era.

Conclusions
The features of the HEAT and HEAT Plus software make it a valuable tool for analyzing and reporting inequalities related to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as its indirect impacts on inequalities in other health and non-health areas, providing evidence to inform equity-oriented interventions and strategies.
The COVID-19 pandemic and health workforce brain drain in Nigeria
Authors: Lawal Lukman , Lawal Abdulwahab Oluwatomisin , Amosu Opeyemi Pius , Muhammad-Olodo Abdulmujeeb Opeyemi , Abdulrasheed Nasir , Abdullah Khalil-ur-Rahman , Kuza Philemon Barnabas , Aborode Abdullahi Tunde , Adebisi Yusuff Adebayo , Kareem Ahmed Adeseye , Aliu Abdulwahab , Elelu Taiye Muhammed , Murwira Tonderai 
Published: December 2022

AbstractOver the years, the Nigerian healthcare workforce, including doctors, nurses, and pharmacists have always been known to emigrate to developed countries to practice. However, the recent dramatic increase in this trend is worrisome. There has been a mass emigration of Nigerian healthcare workers to developed countries during the COVID-19 pandemic. While the push factors have been found to include the inadequate provision of personal protective equipment, low monthly hazard allowance, and inconsistent payment of COVID-19 inducement allowance on top of worsening insecurity, the pull factors are higher salaries as well as a safe and healthy working environment. We also discuss how healthcare workers can be retained in Nigeria through increment in remunerations and prompt payment of allowances, and how the brain drain can be turned into a brain gain via the use of electronic data collection tools for Nigerian health workers abroad, implementation of the Bhagwati’s tax system, and establishment of a global skill partnership with developed countries.
Graphical Abstract
Conducting evaluations of evidence that are transparent, timely and can lead to health-protective actions
Authors: Chartres Nicholas , Sass Jennifer B. , Gee David , Bălan Simona A. , Birnbaum Linda , Cogliano Vincent James , Cooper Courtney , Fedinick Kristi Pullen , Harrison Roy M. , Kolossa-Gehring Marike , Mandrioli Daniele , Mitchell Mark A. , Norris Susan L. , Portier Christopher J. , Straif Kurt , Vermeire Theo 
Published: December 2022

Abstract
Background
In February 2021, over one hundred scientists and policy experts participated in a web-based Workshop to discuss the ways that divergent evaluations of evidence and scientific uncertainties are used to delay timely protection of human health and the environment from exposures to hazardous agents. The Workshop arose from a previous workshop organized by the European Environment Agency (EEA) in 2008 and which also drew on case studies from the EEA reports on ‘Late Lessons from Early Warnings’ (2001, 2013). These reports documented dozens of hazardous agents including many chemicals, for which risk reduction measures were delayed for decades after scientists and others had issued early and later warnings about the harm likely to be caused by those agents.

Results
Workshop participants used recent case studies including Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), Extremely Low Frequency – Electrical Magnetic Fields (ELF-EMF fields), glyphosate, and Bisphenol A (BPA) to explore myriad reasons for divergent outcomes of evaluations, which has led to delayed and inadequate protection of the public’s health. Strategies to overcome these barriers must, therefore, at a minimum include approaches that 1) Make better use of existing data and information, 2) Ensure timeliness, 3) Increase transparency, consistency and minimize bias in evidence evaluations, and 4) Minimize the influence of financial conflicts of interest.

Conclusion
The recommendations should enhance the production of “actionable evidence,” that is, reliable evaluations of the scientific evidence to support timely actions to protect health and environments from exposures to hazardous agents. The recommendations are applicable to policy and regulatory settings at the local, state, federal and international levels.
Current advances in gene therapy of mitochondrial diseases
Authors: Soldatov Vladislav O. , Kubekina Marina V. , Skorkina Marina Yu. , Belykh Andrei E. , Egorova Tatiana V. , Korokin Mikhail V. , Pokrovskiy Mikhail V. , Deykin Alexey V. , Angelova Plamena R. 
Published: December 2022

AbstractMitochondrial diseases (MD) are a heterogeneous group of multisystem disorders involving metabolic errors. MD are characterized by extremely heterogeneous symptoms, ranging from organ-specific to multisystem dysfunction with different clinical courses. Most primary MD are autosomal recessive but maternal inheritance (from mtDNA), autosomal dominant, and X-linked inheritance is also known. Mitochondria are unique energy-generating cellular organelles designed to survive and contain their own unique genetic coding material, a circular mtDNA fragment of approximately 16,000 base pairs. The mitochondrial genetic system incorporates closely interacting bi-genomic factors encoded by the nuclear and mitochondrial genomes. Understanding the dynamics of mitochondrial genetics supporting mitochondrial biogenesis is especially important for the development of strategies for the treatment of rare and difficult-to-diagnose diseases. Gene therapy is one of the methods for correcting mitochondrial disorders.Graphical Abstract
Impact of an intensive facility-community case management intervention on 6-month HIV outcomes among select key and priority populations in Uganda
Authors: Meya David B. , Kiragga Agnes N. , Nalintya Elizabeth , Banturaki Grace , Akullo Joan , Kalyesubula Phillip , Sessazi Patrick , Bitakalamire Hillary , Kabanda Joseph , Kalamya Julius N. , Namale Alice , Bateganya Moses , Kagaayi Joseph , Gutreuter Steve , Adler Michelle R. , Mitruka Kiren 
Published: December 2022

AbstractIntroductionKey and priority populations (with risk behaviours and health inequities) are disproportionately affected by HIV in Uganda. We evaluated the impact of an intensive case management intervention on HIV treatment outcomes in Kalangala District, predominantly inhabited by fisher folk and female sex workers.MethodsThis quasi-experimental pre-post intervention evaluation included antiretroviral therapy naïve adults aged ≥ 18 years from six health facilities in the pre-intervention (Jan 1, 2017–December 31, 2017) and intervention phase (June 13, 2018–June 30, 2019). The primary outcomes were 6-month retention and viral suppression (VS) before and after implementation of the intervention involving facility and community case managers who supported participants through at least the first three months of ART. We used descriptive statistics to compared the characteristics, overall outcomes (i.e., retention, lost to follow up, died), and VS of participants by phase, and used mixed-effects logistic regression models to determine factors associated with 6-month retention in care. Marginal (averaging over facilities) probabilities of retention were computed from the final multivariable model.ResultsWe enrolled 606 and 405 participants in the pre-intervention and intervention phases respectively. Approximately 75% of participants were aged 25–44 years, with similar age and gender distributions among phases. Approximately 46% of participants in the intervention were fisher folk and 9% were female sex workers. The adjusted probability of 6-month retention was higher in the intervention phase, 0.83 (95% CI: 0.77–0.90) versus pre-intervention phase, 0.73 (95% CI: 0.69–0.77, p = 0.03). The retention probability increased from 0.59 (0.49–0.68) to 0.73 (0.59–0.86), p = 0.03 among participants aged 18–24 years, and from 0.75 (0.71–0.78) to 0.85 (0.78–0.91), p = 0.03 among participants aged ≥ 25 years. VS (< 1,000 copies/mL) was approximately 87% in both phases.ConclusionsAfter implementation of the case management intervention, we observed significant improvement in 6-month retention in all age groups of a highly mobile population of predominantly fisher folk.
An inflection point in global public health
Authors: Greenberg Henry 
Published: December 2022

Abstract
Population health needs to pivot toward the primordial prevention of global chronic diseases, most specifically the disease cascade that runs from marketing to obesity to diabetes to its known complications. Medical sciences can now manage these diseases and prolong meaningful life, but can only do so at an enormous cost, a cost that will threaten societal stability everywhere. The fall in global fertility and the explosion in elderly populations will facilitate this fiscal pandemic attributable to good health. Risk factor mitigation, not effective for obesity, enhanced longevity but did not prevent chronic illness, only forestalled it. For public health, but not health practitioners, the risk factor era needs to be supplanted by a focus on public policy to alter public behavior via primordial prevention of the emergence of risk factors. And public health needs to lead that effort. The historical pathway to this present dilemma that linked science to economic development can be illuminated by the efforts of four scientists, Francis Bacon at the dawn of the seventeenth century, James Lind in the 18th and Vannevar Bush and Abdel Omran in the 20th. This perspective introduces a near inevitability to the emergence of the current critical pivot point but also teaches that there is a powerful rationale to assume that dramatic and expensive changes will be coming and need be anticipated and planned for.
Epidemiology of High Intensity Functional Training (HIFT) injuries in Brazil
Authors: Serafim Thiago T. , Maffulli Nicola , Migliorini Filippo , Okubo Rodrigo 
Published: December 2022

Abstract
Background
High intensity functional training (HIFT), usually called CrossFit, is a physical training that has gained much popularity in the past few years. The risk of acute and overuse injuries in HIFT is unclear. This study evaluated the incidence of injuries in HIFT, characterizing severity, location, and associated risk factors.

Methods
This cross-sectional study was conducted between January and May 2021. HIFT practitioners were recruited through social media and answered an online questionnaire on training characteristics and injury history.

Results
A total of 606 subjects (264 male and 342 female) were included. The average age of the participants was 29.78 ± 7.14 years. The mean height was 169.60 ± 8.96 cm, and the mean body mass was 73.69 ± 13.11 kg. Overall, participants were involved in HIFT for an average of 25.36 ± 20.29 months. A total of 58.6% of participants took part in 5 to 6 training sessions per week, 31.7% practiced 5 to 6 h per week. 62.7% of the responders performed other physical activities in parallel, 98.2% performed warm-up before the training, and a formal cooldown was accomplished by 29.4% of participants. 6.8% of athletes followed individual worksheets. 45.9% of participants participated in competition.

Conclusions
The overall rate of injuries was 3.51/1000 h. 59.2% of subjects experienced two or more injuries. The shoulder was involved in 21.3% of cases, lower back in 18.3%, and the knee in 13.4%. No difference was found in injury rate between males and females. Experienced athletes were more prone to injury compared to those who trained under 12 months. Approximately the half of injuries did not cause training interruption. No difference was found in injury rate between males and females. The purpose of the participant did not impact the injury rate, nor did the practice of warm-up and cooldown, the time of weekly training, the league and level of competition. Finally, the participation in other sports in parallel did not demonstrated association with the injury occurrence.
Trial registration: The present study was approved by the Ethics and Research Committee by Plataforma Brazil and follows the Resolution 466/2012/CNS/MS/CONEP.
Survey on the management of Pompe disease in routine clinical practice in Spain
Authors: Domínguez-González Cristina , Díaz-Marín Carmina , Juntas-Morales Raúl , Nascimiento-Osorio Andrés , Rivera-Gallego Alberto , Díaz-Manera Jordi 
Published: December 2022

Abstract
Background
Despite the availability of several clinical guidelines, not all health professionals use their recommendations to manage patients with Pompe disease, a rare genetic disorder involving high-impact therapy. Through several discussion meetings and a survey, the present study aimed to learn about the management of Pompe disease in routine clinical practice in Spain, to improve clinical care in a real-life situation.

Results
The survey was sent to 42 healthcare professionals who manage patients with Pompe disease in their clinical practice. Although most respondents followed the clinical guidelines, clinical practice differed from the expert recommendations in many cases. Approximately 7% did not request a genetic study to confirm the diagnosis before starting treatment, and 21% considered that only two dried blood spot determinations suffice to establish the diagnosis. About 76% requested anti-GAA antibodies when there is a suspicion of lack of treatment efficacy, though a significant percentage of respondents have never requested such antibodies. According to 31% of the respondents, significant impairment of motor function and/or respiratory insufficiency is a requirement for authorizing medication at their hospital. Up to 26% waited for improvements over the clinical follow-up to maintain treatment and withdrew it in the absence of improvement since they did not consider disease stabilization to be a satisfactory outcome.

Conclusions
The results highlight the lack of experience and/or knowledge of some professionals caring for patients with Pompe disease. It is necessary to develop and disseminate simple guidelines that help to apply the expert recommendations better or centralize patient follow-up in highly specialized centers.
Virulence-related gene wx2 of Toxoplasma gondii regulated host immune response via classic pyroptosis pathway
Authors: Ma Zhenrong , Li Zhuolin , Jiang Ruolan , Li Xuanwu , Yan Kang , Zhang Ni , Lu Bin , Huang Yehong , Dibo Nouhoum , Wu Xiang 
Published: December 2022

Abstract
Background
Toxoplasma gondii is known as the most successful parasite, which can regulate the host immune response through a variety of ways to achieve immune escape. We previously reported that a novel gene wx2 of T. gondii may be a virulence-related molecule. The objective of this study was to explore the mechanism of wx2 regulating host immune response.

Methods
The wx2 knockout strain (RHwx2−/− strain) and complementary strain (RHwx2+/+ strain) were constructed by the CRISPR/Cas9 technique, and the virulence of the wx2 gene was detected and changes in pyroptosis-related molecules were observed.

Results
Compared with the wild RH and RHwx2+/+ strain groups, the survival time for mice infected with the RHwx2−/− strain was prolonged to a certain extent. The mRNA levels of pyroptosis-related molecules of caspase-1, NLRP3, and GSDMD and et al. in mouse lymphocytes in vivo and RAW267.4 cells in vitro infected with RHwx2−/− strain increased to different degrees, compared with infected with wild RH strain and RHwx2+/+ strain. As with the mRNA level, the protein level of caspase-1, caspase-1 p20, IL-1β, NLRP3, GSDMD-FL, GSDMD-N, and phosphorylation level of NF-κB (p65) were also significantly increased. These data suggest that wx2 may regulate the host immune response through the pyroptosis pathway. In infected RAW264.7 cells at 48 h post-infection, the levels of Th1-type cytokines of IFN-γ, Th2-type cytokines such as IL-13, Th17-type cytokine of IL-17 in cells infected with RHwx2−/− were significantly higher than those of RH and RHwx2+/+ strains, suggesting that the wx2 may inhibit the host's immune response.

Conclusion
wx2 is a virulence related gene of T. gondii, and may be involved in host immune regulation by inhibiting the pyroptosis pathway.

Graphical Abstract
Taurine metabolism is modulated in Vibrio-infected Penaeus vannamei to shape shrimp antibacterial response and survival
Authors: Wang Zhongyan , Aweya Jude Juventus , Yao Defu , Zheng Zhihong , Wang Chuanqi , Zhao Yongzhen , Li Shengkang , Zhang Yueling 
Published: December 2022

Abstract
Background
Numerous microorganisms are found in aquaculture ponds, including several pathogenic bacteria. Infection of cultured animals by these pathogens results in diseases and metabolic dysregulation. However, changes in the metabolic profiles that occur at different infection stages in the same ponds and how these metabolic changes can be modulated by exogenous metabolites in Penaeus vannamei remain unknown.

Results
Here, we collected gastrointestinal tract (GIT) samples from healthy, diseased, and moribund P. vannamei in the same aquaculture pond for histological, metabolic, and transcriptome profiling. We found that diseased and moribund shrimp with empty GITs and atrophied hepatopancreas were mainly infected with Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Vibrio harveyi. Although significant dysregulation of crucial metabolites and their enzymes were observed in diseased and moribund shrimps, diseased shrimp expressed high levels of taurine and taurine metabolism-related enzymes, while moribund shrimp expressed high levels of hypoxanthine and related metabolism enzymes. Moreover, a strong negative correlation was observed between taurine levels and the relative abundance of V. parahaemolyticus and V. harveyi. Besides, exogenous taurine enhanced shrimp survival against V. parahaemolyticus challenge by increasing the expression of key taurine metabolism enzymes, mainly, cysteine dioxygenase (CDO) and cysteine sulfinic acid decarboxylase (CSD).

Conclusions
Our study revealed that taurine metabolism could be modulated by exogenous supplementation to improve crustacean immune response against pathogenic microbes.
Perspectives of underweight people with eating disorders on receiving Imagery Rescripting trauma treatment: a qualitative study of their experiences
Authors: ten Napel-Schutz Marieke C. , Karbouniaris Simona , Mares Suzanne H. W. , Arntz Arnoud , Abma Tineke A. 
Published: December 2022

Abstract
Background
The prognosis for underweight individuals with an eating disorder (ED) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is worse than for their peers without these comorbid symptoms. This qualitative study explores the experiences of trauma-focused Imagery Rescripting (ImRs) therapy of underweight inpatients being treated for an ED.

Objective
To test the feasibility and to improve ImRs by understanding the experiences and perspectives of people with an ED and PTSD who, when underweight, received ImRs as an adjunct to their inpatient ED treatment.

Method
To explore how underweight people with an ED experience and perceive ImRs, we used a qualitative study design involving semi-structured interviews with 12 participants. After analysis, the data were summarized and classified within a thematic framework that focused on experiences and improving the ImRs method.

Results
The thematic analysis resulted in the following 6 main themes; (1) Expectations of ImRs; (2) Ability to participate in ImRs; (3) Effect of ImRs; (4) Experience of ImRs technique; (5) Conditions under which ImRs is given; (6) In depth-analysis. The results show that despite the fear of disappointment the participants appreciate addressing the PTSD and ED symptoms simultaneously. Further, results showed that it had been possible for them to attend ImRs but that the effects of ImRs were not uniformly perceived. Also, participants indicated that a caring context is important and that ImRs should not be scheduled immediately before a meal. Finally, the treatment generated hope.

Conclusions
The findings of this study demonstrated the feasibility of the integration of ImRs trauma treatment for individuals who are being treated in an ED inpatient treatment setting, and are in contrast to standard practice where the focus of inpatient treatment has been ED-symptom improvement without comprehensively addressing past traumatic experiences during an underweight phase.
Trial registration International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP) (NTR6094). Date of registration 09/23/2016. https://trialsearch.who.int/Trial2.aspx?TrialID=NTR6094
External root resorption (ERR) and rapid maxillary expansion (RME) at post-retention stage: a comparison between tooth-borne and bone-borne RME
Authors: Leonardi Rosalia , Ronsivalle Vincenzo , Barbato Ersilia , Lagravère Manuel , Flores-Mir Carlos , Lo Giudice Antonino 
Published: December 2022

Abstract
Background
The study aimed to compare external root resorption (ERR) three-dimensionally in subjects treated with tooth-borne (TB) versus bone-borne (BB) rapid maxillary expansion (RME). Forty subjects who received tooth-borne RME (TB group, average age 13.3 years ± 1.10 years) or bone-borne RME (BB group, average age 14.7 ± 1.15 years) were assessed using CBCT imaging before treatment (T0) and after a 6-month retention period (T1). 3D reconstructions of the radicular anatomy of maxillary first molars (M1), first and second premolars (P1 and P2) were generated to calculate volumetric (mean and percentage values) and shape changes (deviation analysis of the radicular models) obtained at each time point. 2D assessment of radicular length changes was also performed for each tooth. Data were statistically analyzed to perform intra-group (different teeth) and inter-group comparisons.

Results
In both groups, all the investigated teeth showed a significant reduction in radicular volume and length (p < 0.05), with the first molars being the teeth most affected by the resorption process (volume and palatal root length). When volumetric radicular changes were calculated as a percentage of the pre-treatment volumes, no differences were found among the investigated teeth (p > 0.05). Based on the deviation analysis from radicular models superimposition, the areas most affected by shape change were the apex and bucco-medial root surface. Overall, the amount of ERR was significantly greater in the TB group (mm3: M1 = 17.03, P1 = 6.42, P2 = 5.26) compared to the BB group (mm3: M1 = 3.11, P1 = 1.04, P2 = 1.24).

Conclusions
Despite the statistical significance, the difference in the amount of ERR of the posterior maxillary dentition between TB-RME and BB-RME remains clinically questionable.