bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Environmental Implications of Charcoal Production and Supply to Bonga Town: The Case of Kefa Zone, Southwest Ethiopia
Authors: Gebremeskel Temesgen , Kassà Henok , Mutatu Kassahun , Chekole Ephrem 
Published: January 2023

Abstract

Charcoal production is one of the major challenges for sustainability management of natural forest in Ethiopia. The study aimed to quantify the amount of charcoal produced and supplied from Bonga town surrounding districts and estimate its implications on the environment. Field surveys, household surveys, key informant interviews and focus group discussions were done to collect charcoal production and supply data in the study area. The result revealed that on average a total of about 499 and 60728 bags of charcoal supplied to Bonga town every day and annually from the five major inlet sites, respectively. On average, 15 tons/day and 5448.8 tons/year of charcoals supplied to Bonga from five inlet sites of Gimbo and Decha districts. The tops three preferred wood tree species for charcoal production are Millettia ferruginea (Hochst.) Baker, Ehretum cymosa Thonn and Vepris daniellii (pichi-SerrnolIi) Kokwaro, of which two are endemic to Ethiopia. About 1,716,372 m3 of green wood, 1,492,497.4 m3 of dry wood and 71,071 trees were required on yearly basis from forest to produce and supply to Bonga town. Furthermore, 14,166.9 tons of CO2 equivalents emitted to the atmosphere per year due to charcoal production and supply in the study area. Thus, the high dependencies of the local community on the charcoal production and supply in the study area have negative effects on Kefa Biosphere reserve forest of Ethiopia and emit huge amount of greenhouse gas (CO2) into atmosphere. Hence, it is important to develop and implement an eco-friendly strategy that can simultaneously sustain the livelihoods of rural community, energy needs of urban dwellers and forest ecosystem of the region.
Mendelian randomization study on the causal effects of glioma on Alzheimer's disease
Authors: Zhang Min , Zeng Qi , Zhu Gaizhi , Zhou Shan , Xu Yaqi , Gao Ran , Su Wenting , Wang Renxi 
Published: January 2023

Abstract
Background
Previous observational studies have revealed an inverse relationship where cancer patients have a reduced risk to develop Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and vice versa. The present two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) study aims to identify the causal link between gliomas and AD.
Methods
The largest gliomas genome-wide association study (GWAS) was used. A previously reported AD GWAS (24,087 cases and 55,058 controls from European ancestry) was used to assess the effect of gliomas on AD. MR-egger_intercept and MR_egger and inverse variance weighted (IVW) in Cochran’s Q-test were used to determine the pleiotropy and heterogeneity, respectively. IVW and weighted median were used to perform MR analysis. Finally, the effect of a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) was used to test the SNP bias.
Results
We did not find a significant pleiotropy or heterogeneity of all three gliomas genetic instrumental variants (IVs) in AD GWAS. Interestingly, we found that as gliomas genetically increased, the risk of AD increased using IVW (odds ratio [OR] = 1.0167, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.0079–1.0257, p = 0.0002). This was further proven by weighted median (OR = 1.0161, 95% CI = 1.0058–1.0267, p = 0.0023). Reverse MR analysis shows no causal effect of AD on gliomas.
Conclusions
Our analysis suggested a causal link between genetically increased gliomas and the increased risk of AD in European ancestries. Thus, gliomas may be a risk factor for AD.
High-throughput assay for assessing bacterial effects on Arabidopsis thermotolerance
Authors: Lee Jun Hyung , Burdick Leah H. , Piatkowski Bryan , Carrell Alyssa A. , Doktycz Mitchel J. , Pelletier Dale A. , Weston David J. 
Published: January 2023

Abstract
Background
The role of beneficial microbes in mitigating plant abiotic stress has received considerable attention. However, the lack of a reproducible and relatively high-throughput screen for microbial contributions to plant thermotolerance has greatly limited progress in this area, this slows the discovery of novel beneficial isolates and the processes by which they operate.
Results
We designed a high-throughput phenotyping method to assess the effects of bacteria on plant host thermotolerance. After testing multiple growth conditions, a hydroponic system was selected and used to optimize an Arabidopsis heat shock regime and phenotypic evaluation. Arabidopsis seedlings germinated on a PTFE mesh disc were floated onto a 6-well plate containing liquid MS media, then subjected to heat shock at 45°C for various duration. To characterize phenotype, plants were harvested after four days of recovery to measure chlorophyll content. The method was extended to include bacterial isolates and to quantify bacterial contributions to host plant thermotolerance. As an exemplar, the method was used to screen 25 strains of the plant growth promoting Variovorax spp. for enhanced plant thermotolerance. A follow-up study demonstrated the reproducibility of this assay and led to the discovery of a novel beneficial interaction.
Conclusions
This method enables high-throughput screening of individual bacterial strains for beneficial effects on host plant thermotolerance. The throughput and reproducibility of the system is ideal for testing many genetic variants of Arabidopsis and bacterial strains.
Genetic architecture of brain age and its casual relations with brain and mental disorders
Authors: Wang Yunpeng , Leonardsen Esten , Vidal-Pineiro Didac , Roe James , Frei Oleksandr , Shadrin Alexey , Iakunchykova Olena , De Lange Ann-Marie , Kaufmann Tobias , Taschler Bernd , Smith Stephen , Wolfers Thomas , Andreassen Ole , Westlye Lars T. 
Published: January 2023

Abstract
The difference between chronological age and the apparent age of the brain estimated from brain imaging data — the brain age gap (BAG) — is widely considered a general indicator of brain health. Converging evidence supports that BAG is sensitive to an array of genetic and non-genetic traits and diseases, yet few studies have examined the genetic architecture and its corresponding causal relationships with common brain disorders. Here, we estimate BAG using state-of-the-art neural networks trained on brain scans from 53,542 individuals (age range 3-95 years). A genome-wide association analysis across 28,104 individuals (40-84 years) from the UK Biobank revealed eight independent genomic regions significantly associated with BAG (p<5x10-8) implicating neurological, metabolic, and immunological pathways – among which seven are novel. No significant genetic correlations or causal relationships with BAG were found for Parkinson’s disease, major depressive disorder, or schizophrenia, but two-sample Mendelian randomization indicated a causal influence of AD (p=7.9x10-4) and bipolar disorder (p=1.35x10-2) on BAG. These results emphasize the polygenic architecture of brain age and provide insights into the causal relationship between selected neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders and BAG.
High Isolation Circularly Polarized In-band Full-duplex Anisotropic Dielectric Resonator Antenna
Authors: Abedian Mohammad , Khalily Mohsen , Wang Fan , Xiao Pei , Tafazolli Rahim , Kishk Ahmed A. 
Published: January 2023

Abstract
A novel high-isolation, monostatic, circularly polarized (CP) simultaneous transmit and receive (STAR) anisotropic dielectric resonator antenna (DRA) is presented. The proposed in-band full-duplex (IBFD) CP-DRA system consists of two identical but orthogonally positioned anisotropic annular sector dielectric resonators composed of an alternating stack of different dielectric with relative permittivity of 2 and 15 and excited by coaxial probes. The element spacing is selected to maximize the IBFD DRA radiation performance. In addition, a simple square absorber is carefully placed between the resonators to realize high Tx/Rx isolation. Measurement results exhibit high Tx/Rx isolation better than 50 dB over the desired operating bandwidth (5.87 to 5.97 GHz) with 98% total efficiency and a peak gain of 5.49 and 5.08 dBic for Ports 1 and 2, respectively.
Enhancing the thermal gradient of thermometer calibration systems with an assembly of water heat pipes
Authors: Kim Yong-Gyoo , Kwon Suyong , Lee Sungjun , Kim Sunghun 
Published: January 2023

Abstract
To improve the temperature gradient of an electric furnace for the calibration of thermometers, a heat pipe assembly that uses a number of commercial water heat pipes, sealed in a cylindrical copper tube, was designed and tested. 20 heat pipe tubes were arranged around the circumference of a cylindrical Cu or Al pillar well and attached to the pillar surface using a high-thermal-conductivity epoxy. This heat pipe assembly was installed in an electric furnace with a single heater, and its thermal characteristics were examined by measuring the temperature gradient using a PT100 resistance thermometer. Without any inserts in the single-zone electric furnace, the temperature gradient was disappointing at 0.6 oC/cm at 225 oC, and cannot be used for any purposes. However, the heat pipe assembly could enable a very uniform temperature gradient of 0.02 cm/°C or better inside the Sn fixed-point cell, leading to a realization of the Sn fixed point with a flat melting and freezing plateau. From the experimental results, it was verified that this inexpensive heat pipe assembly gives improved thermal uniformity and thus is adequate for the calibration of thermometers, even for the realization of Sn and possibly In fixed points, without using an expensive multi-zone furnace or liquid bath.
Recombinant Production and Biochemical Characterization of Thermostable N-arabinofuranosidase from Acidothermophilic Alicyclobacillus acidocaldarius
Authors: Akkaya Alper , Ensari Yunus , Ozseker Emine Erdoğan , Batur Ozge Ozsen , Buyuran Gozde , Evran Serap 
Published: January 2023

Abstract
Enzymes are successfully used in many industrial process, such as food and paper industries. Enzymes, which are derived from microorganisms living under mild conditions, are not suitable for industrial processes performed at high temperature, acidic or basic reaction conditions. Thus, enzymes derived from extremophilic microorganisms are needed for these hard industrial conditions. Alicyclobacillus acidocaldarius DSM 446 with an optimum growth temperature of 60–65°C, is an acidothermophilic bacterium that grows in acidic hot springs. In addition to growth in both acidic and hot springs, having a complete genome project makes the organism an important source for enzymes that are used in harsh industrial conditions. Arabinofuranosidases (E.C 3.2.1.55; AFases) belong to glycoside hydrolase family enzymes. AFases hydrolyzes 1,3- and 1,5-α-arabinosyl bounds of L-arabinose containing molecules. L-arabinoses are present in hemicellulosic part of lignocellulosic biomass. AFases also play an important role in the complete hydrolysis of arabinoxylans. Analysis of the genome project and CAZY database revealed two putative arabinofuranosidase genes in the A. acidocaldarius genome. In this study, we aimed cloning, heterologous expression, purification and biochemical characterization of the α-N-Arabinofuranosidase enzyme encoded in A. acidocaldarius genome. For this purpose, the gene of α-N-Arabinofuranosidase protein was cloned into pQE-40 vector and expressed heterologously in E. coli BL21 GOLD (DE3). Biochemical characterization of the purified enzyme revealed that A. acidocaldarius α-N-Arabinofuranosidase enzyme showed optimum activity at 45 ºC and pH 6.5 in phosphate buffer. Furthermore, enzyme has 60% activity after 90 min. incubation at 80 ºC. A. acidocaldarius α-N-Arabinofuranosidase enzyme has high potential to be used as accessory enzyme for the complete degradation of arabinoxylans.
Yield, quality, and water and fertilizer partial productivity of cucumber were promoted by the interaction of water, nitrogen, and magnesium
Authors: Li Jinglai , Yang Xiaoqing , Zhang Mengchi , Li Dayong , Jiang Yu , Yao Wenhui , Zhang Zhi 
Published: January 2023

Abstract
The balanced management of water and nutrient factors is essential for the high efficient production of cucumber. The effect of magnesium coupling with water and nitrogen on cucumber was determined using a three-factor and three-level orthogonal rotation combination design experiment, and the yield, quality, and water and fertilizer efficiency of cucumber were studied. Yield was significantly influenced by the single factor of irrigation or nitrogen, with the largest value of 88,412.6 kg/ha under high levels of irrigation and nitrogen input. The increase in magnesium fertilizer has a significant promoting effect on reducing sugar and free amino acids, with 19.0% and 9.8% higher than that of low magnesium application, respectively. The interaction of irrigation and magnesium alleviated the inhibition of nitrogen deficiency, thereby reducing the risk of nitrate accumulation and improving the partial productivity of nitrogen fertilizer. The interaction of nitrogen and magnesium significantly affected the yield of cucumber, and all the quality indicators except VC, as well as the partial productivity of water and fertilizer. Six indicators from three categories of yield, quality, and efficiency were used to establish the comprehensive evaluation system based on correlation analysis, and yield was assigned the highest combined weight of 0.4023 using game theory. Gray Relational Analysis model was adopted to evaluate the water and fertilizer treatments, and the optimal applied combination was irrigation of 653.7 m3/hm2, nitrogen fertilizer of 1,141.9 kg/ha, and magnesium fertilizer of 422.1 kg/ha. This condition comprehensively promoted yield, quality, and efficiency, providing a scientific water and fertilizer management strategy for cucumber production in Northwest China.
Prognosis of chinese children with idiopathic pulmonary hemosiderosis after long-term maintenance glucocorticoid therapy
Authors: Zhao Zhipeng , Dai Yunfan , Yang Hong , Guo Siyuan , Yao Yao , Liu Xiuyun 
Published: January 2023

Abstract
Objective
To explore the prognosis of children with idiopathic pulmonary hemosiderosis (IPH) after long-term maintenance of glucocorticoid therapy.
Methods
This ambidirectional observational study included children with IPH admitted to the Department of Respiratory, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, between January 2010 and July 2021. Their clinical characteristics were collected from medical records and during follow-up.
Results
A total of 211 children (88 males,123 females, age of onset: 3.42 [0.33–12.75] years, the median time from onset to diagnosis: 2.8 months [4 days-8 years]) with IPH were included. All children received glucocorticoid therapy in the acute alveolar hemorrhage phase. After discharge, 5 (2.4%) children lost to follow-up, 11 (5.2%) died during follow-up, and a total of 195 patients survived, with a median follow-up time of 5.52 (1.43, 12.58) years, the 5-year and 10-year survival rate were 95.9% and 86.2%, respectively. Of the 195 patients, Clinical remission was achieved in 65 patients (33.3%), including 61 patients treated with glucocorticoid alone and 4 patients treated with immunosuppressive agents. 109 (55.9%) were in a stable phase with medications, and 21 (10.8%) had no clinical remission. Of the 195 patients who survived, 141(72.3%) were treated with glucocorticoid alone and 54(26.7%) with immunosuppressive agents. Four (2.05%) patients developed secondary cataracts, and 33 (16.92%) patients were short in stature.
Conclusion
Long-term low-dose glucocorticoid maintenance therapy might improve the prognosis of IPH children, but the side effects should be monitored.
Initial insights into the impact and implementation of Creative Active Schools in Bradford, UK
Authors: Morris Jade Lynne , Chalkley Anna E , Helme Zoe E , Timms Oliver , Young Emma , McLoughlin Gabriella M , Bartholomew John , Daly-Smith Andy 
Published: January 2023

Abstract
Background
Few whole-school physical activity programmes integrate implementation science frameworks within the design, delivery, and evaluation. As a result, knowledge of the key factors that support implementation at scale is lacking. The Creating Active School programme was co-designed and is underpinned by the COM-B model and the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research. The study aims to understand the initial impact and implementation of CAS in Bradford over 9 months using McKay’s implementation evaluation roadmap.
Methods
Focus groups and interviews were conducted with school staff (n = 30, schools = 25) CAS Champions (n = 9) and the CAS strategic lead (n = 1). Qualitative data were analysed both inductively and deductively. The deductive analysis involved coding data into a priori themes based on McKay et al’s implementation evaluation roadmap, using a codebook approach to thematic analysis. The inductive analysis included producing initial codes and reviewing themes before finalising.
Results
Identified themes aligned into three categories: (i) key ingredients for successful adoption and implementation of CAS, (ii) CAS implementation: challenges and solutions, and (iv) the perceived effectiveness of CAS at the school level. This included the willingness of schools to adopt and implement whole-school approaches when they are perceived as high quality and aligned with current school values. The programme implementation processes were seen as supportive; schools identified and valued the step-change approach to implementing CAS long-term. Formal and informal communities of practice provided “safe spaces” for cross-school support. Conversely, challenges persisted with gaining broader reach within schools, school staff's self-competence and shifting school culture around physical activity. This resulted in varied uptake between and within schools.
Conclusions
This study provides novel insights into the implementation of CAS, with outcomes aligning to the adoption, reach, and sustainability. Successful implementation of CAS was underpinned by determinants including acceptability, intervention complexity, school culture and school stakeholders’ perceived self-efficacy. The combination of McKay’s evaluation roadmap and CFIR establishes a rigorous approach for evaluating activity promotion programmes underpinned by behavioural and implementation science. Resultantly this study offers originality and progression in understanding the implementation and effectiveness of whole-school approaches to physical activity.
Burden of HIV and treatment outcomes among TB patients in rural Kenya: a 9-year longitudinal study.
Authors: Ngari Moses M. , Rashid Mohammed A , Sanga Deche , Mathenge Hiram , Agoro Oscar , Mberia Jane K. , Katana Geoffrey G. , Vaillant Michel , Abdullahi Osman A. 
Published: January 2023

Abstract
Background
Although tuberculosis (TB) patients coinfected with HIV are at risk of poor treatment outcomes, there is paucity of data on changing trends of TB/HIV co-infection and their treatment outcomes. This study aims to estimate the burden of TB/HIV co-infection over time, describe the treatment available to TB/HIV patients and estimate the effect of TB/HIV co-infection on TB treatment outcomes.
Methods
This was a retrospective data analyses from TB surveillance in two counties in Kenya (Nyeri and Kilifi): 2012‒2020. All TB patients aged ≥ 18years were included. The main exposure was HIV status categorised as infected, negative or unknown status. World Health Organization TB treatment outcomes were explored; cured, treatment complete, failed treatment, defaulted/lost-to-follow-up, died and transferred out. Time at risk was from date of starting TB treatment to six months later/date of the event and Cox proportion with shared frailties models were used to estimate effects of TB/HIV co-infection on TB treatment outcomes.
Results
The study includes 27285 patients, median (IQR) 37 (29‒49) years old and 64% male. 23986 (88%) were new TB cases and 91% were started on 2RHZE/4RH anti-TB regimen. Overall, 7879 (29%, 95% 28‒30%) were HIV infected. The proportion of HIV infected patient was 32% in 2012 and declined to 24% in 2020 (trend P-value = 0.01). Uptake of ARTs (95%) and cotrimoxazole prophylaxis (99%) was high. Overall, 84% patients completed six months TB treatment, 2084 (7.6%) died, 4.3% LTFU, 0.9% treatment failure and 2.8% transferred out. HIV status was associated with lower odds of completing TB treatment: infected Vs negative (aOR 0.56 (95%CI 0.52‒0.61) and unknown vs negative (aOR 0.57 (95%CI 0.44‒0.73). Both HIV infected and unknown status were associated with higher hazard of death: (aHR 2.40 (95%CI 2.18‒2.63) and 1.93 (95%CI 1.44‒2.56)) respectively and defaulting treatment/LTFU: aHR 1.16 (95%CI 1.01‒1.32) and 1.55 (95%CI 1.02‒2.35)) respectively. HIV status had no effect on hazard of transferring out and treatment failure.
Conclusion
The burden of TB/HIV coinfection was within previous pooled estimate. Our findings support the need for systematic HIV testing as those with unknown status had similar TB treatment outcomes as the HIV infected.
Towards more personalized digital health interventions: impact of emotions and physical complaints on goals, action and coping plans to promote physical activity
Authors: Schroé Helene , Dyck Delfien Van , De Paepe Annick , Braun Maya , Crombez Geert 
Published: January 2023

Abstract
Background.
Despite effectiveness of action and coping planning in digital health interventions to promote physical activity (PA), attrition rates remain high. Indeed, support to make plans is often abstract and generic. Nevertheless, people are different, and context varies. Tailored support involving personalized suggestions of specific plans, may be one way to help. As a first step, we designed a study to identify whether dynamic user information (i.e. emotions, physical complaints) relates toward goals, specific action plans (APs) and coping plans (CPs).
Methods.
Each morning for eight consecutive days, students (n = 362) were instructed to create APs and CPs to reach their PA goal and answered questions regarding emotions and physical complaints. To examine associations between emotions, physical complaints and content of the created goals, APs and CPs, generalized linear mixed effect models were fitted using the lme4-package in R.
Results.
Between- and within-individual variations in emotions and physical complaints influenced the content of goals. When experiencing more positive emotions, a higher goal in terms of minutes PA was set (within: P < .001, between: P = .023). If participants had more negative emotions, were more fatigued and experienced more pain, a lower goal in terms of minutes PA was set (within: P < .001; within: P < .001; within: P = .025 respectively). Between- and within-individual variations in positive emotions, fatigue and pain also influenced the content of APs and barriers of CPs. When experiencing more positive emotions, activities outside (within: P = .016, between: P = .011), not at home (within: P = .013, between: P = .007) and with someone else were preferred (within: P < .001, between: P < .001), whereas if participants were more fatigued, they preferred doing activities alone (within: P = .006), and if participants experienced more pain, they preferred light-to-moderate instead of high intensity activities (within: P = .024). Lastly, when participants had more positive emotions, they reported more external barriers (within: P = .004, between: P = .003) whereas when participants were more fatigued and experienced more pain, they reported more internal barriers (within: P = .010, between: P < .001; within: P < .001 respectively).
Conclusions.
This study reveals associations between emotions, physical complaints and the content of goals, APs and CPs participants set. Consequently, the knowledge acquired from these findings might be used to ultimately personalize suggestions of goals, APs and CPs in a more dynamic manner. However, further validation and refinement with experts and experimental designs are needed.