bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The Correlation between Enjoying Fictional Narratives and Empathy in Japanese Hikikomori
Authors: Panto Francesco , Saito Tamaki , Morita Nobuaki , Ogai Yasukazu 
Published: January 2022

Background: Hikikomori is a Japanese social withdrawal phenomenon which, in recent years, is spreading in western developed countries as well. Spending a lot of time secluded indoors, watching and playing with fictional narratives may be relatively common for Hikikomori people and may represent a protective factor for their psychological well-being. Method: We evaluated the role of enjoying fictional narratives on empathy, relaxation, depression, and anxiety in people with Hikikomori experience, in relation to their daily consumption of fictional narratives and their emotional transportation toward fictional narratives. Hikikomori from one psychiatric clinic and three different support facilities were enrolled in this study. Multidimensional empathy scale, CES-D, STAI questionnaire, and relaxation inventory self-report scale were used as outcome measures. Results: We found a significant correlation between empathy and emotional transportation toward fictional narratives and between relaxation during watching and reading fictional narratives and consumption frequency of fictional narratives. We failed, however, to find any significant correlation with depression and anxiety. Conclusions: These findings suggest a possible correlation between fiction and empathy/relaxation response; however, any causal relationship is not proven, consequently we deem that further investigations with a larger sample size are required for a better understanding.
Mitigating unbalanced and overlapped classes in credit card fraud data with enhanced stacking classifiers system
Authors: Ishak Nur Amirah , Ng Keng-Hoong , Tong Gee-Kok , Kalid Suraya Nurain , Khor Kok-Chin 
Published: January 2022

Background: Credit cards remain the preferred payment method by many people nowadays. If not handled carefully, people may face severe consequences such as credit card frauds. Credit card frauds involve the illegal use of credit cards without the owner’s knowledge. Credit card fraud was estimated to exceed a $35.5 billion loss globally in 2020, and results in direct or indirect financial loss to the owners. Hence, a detection system capable of analysing and identifying fraudulent behaviour in credit card activities is highly desirable. Credit card data are not easy to handle due to their inherited problems: (i) unbalanced class distributions and (ii) overlapping classes. General learning algorithms may not be able to address and handle the problems well. Methods: This study addresses these problems using an Enhanced Stacking Classifiers System (ESCS) that comprises two sequential levels. The first level is an excellent classifier for detecting normal credit card transactions (the majority class), while the second level contains stacking classifiers that distinguish credit card frauds (the minority class). The ESCS can improve the fraud detection via the second level, which contains sensitive classifiers to identify the misclassified fraud transactions as normal transactions from the first classifier. The meta-classifier then combines the decisions of the base classifiers from the levels to produce the final detections. Results: We evaluated the ESCS using the benchmark credit card fraud dataset (CCFD) that exhibits the two problems. The highest true positive rate (TPR) for detecting credit card frauds was 0.8841, which outperformed the single classifiers, bagging, boosting, and other researchers’ works. Conclusions: This study proves that the ESCS, with an additional level added to the stacking classifiers, can improve fraud detection on credit card data.
Strengthening laboratory capacity for HIV vaccine clinical trials and epidemiological studies in Eastern and Southern Africa
Authors: Farah Bashir , Maraka Moureen , Mshai Mercy , Chetty Paramesh , Murungi Linda , Ochiel Daniel , Gilmour Jill 
Published: January 2022

Background: Conducting successful HIV vaccine clinical trials in resource-limited settings is hampered by lack of adequate laboratory capacity at trial sites, poor infrastructure, lack of well-trained technical personnel, and inadequate laboratory quality management Systems. We describe our approach to establishing sustainable laboratory capacity for clinical trials in Africa. Methods: IAVI identified 9 CRCs where a capacity building program that supports immunology and clinical testing was established. Information from the 9 CRCs was collected retrospectively and compiled in Microsoft excel for descriptive statistics. Mapping was done in Quantum Geographic information system. Results: Newly built and refurbished laboratories have been equipped with the required testing laboratory equipment. All CRC laboratories (n=10, 100%) received Good Clinical Laboratory Practice (GCLP) accreditation between 2004 and 2016, and accreditation maintained annually. A total of 89 audits were done between 2005-2019. KAVI and KEMRI had the highest number of audits (n=11, 12.4%). IAVI successfully trained a total of 1811 individual, of which (n=1130, 62.7%) trained on GCLP, (n=330, 18.3%) Quality Management Systems, (n=311, 17,2%) laboratory techniques and (n=32,1.8%) between 2004 and 2021. All the 13 Assays were registered in either College of American pathologist (CAP) or Royal college of pathologists of Australasia (RCPA) for Proficiency testing. Conclusion: The establishment of GCLP accredited laboratories and well-trained personnel has created centers of excellence and it has enabled them to attract independent competitive research funding. The GCLP accreditation and standardized testing procedures ensured reliable and accurate data, especially important for multi-country and multi-center studies.
Pro-active monitoring and social interventions at community level mitigate the impact of coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic on older adults’ mortality in Italy: A retrospective cohort analysis
Authors: Liotta Giuseppe , Emberti Gialloreti Leonardo , Marazzi Maria Cristina , Madaro Olga , Inzerilli Maria Chiara , D’Amico Margherita , Orlando Stefano , Scarcella Paola , Terracciano Elisa , Gentili Susanna , Palombi Leonardo 
Published: January 2022

Background
The COVID-19 epidemic in Italy has severely affected people aged more than 80, especially socially isolated. Aim of this paper is to assess whether a social and health program reduced mortality associated to the epidemic.

Methods
An observational retrospective cohort analysis of deaths recorded among >80 years in three Italian cities has been carried out to compare death rate of the general population and “Long Live the Elderly!” (LLE) program. Parametric and non-parametric tests have been performed to assess differences of means between the two populations. A multivariable analysis to assess the impact of covariates on weekly mortality has been carried out by setting up a linear mixed model.

Results
The total number of services delivered to the LLE population (including phone calls and home visits) was 34,528, 1 every 20 day per person on average, one every 15 days during March and April. From January to April 2019, the same population received one service every 41 days on average, without differences between January-February and March-April. The January-April 2020 cumulative crude death rate was 34.8‰ (9,718 deaths out of 279,249 individuals; CI95%: 34.1–35.5) and 28.9‰ (166 deaths out of 5,727 individuals; CI95%:24.7–33.7) for the general population and the LLE sample respectively. The general population weekly death rate increased after the 11th calendar week that was not the case among the LLE program participants (p<0.001). The Standardized Mortality Ratio was 0.83; (CI95%: 0.71–0.97). Mortality adjusted for age, gender, COVID-19 weekly incidence and prevalence of people living in nursing homes was lower in the LLE program than in the general population (p<0.001).

Conclusions
LLE program is likely to limit mortality associated with COVID-19. Further studies are needed to establish whether it is due to the impact of social care that allows a better clients’ adherence to the recommendations of physical distancing or to an improved surveillance of older adults that prevents negative outcomes associated with COVID-19.
Intermediate-term outcome of cryoballoon ablation of persistent atrial fibrillation and improvements in quality of life of patients
Authors: Mol Daniel , Boersma Anchee M. , Berger Wouter R. , Khan Muchtiar , de Ruiter Gijsbert S. , Kimman Geert-Jan P. , de Groot Joris R. , de Jong Jonas S. S. G. 
Published: January 2022

BackgroundClinical outcome of pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) has been predominantly focused on the reoccurrence of atrial fibrillation (AF) and the maintenance of sinus rhythm. However, there has been a limited intermediate follow-up on health-related quality-of-life (HRQoL) of patients. Given the relatively high recurrence rate of persistent AF after PVI treatment, it is important to follow up with clinical outcomes on symptom improvement as well as health-related quality-of-life. This study was designed to investigate the recurrence rate of atrial tachyarrhythmia (ATa), AF-related symptoms and HRQoL after PVI in patients with persistent AF who were treated with the second generation cryoballoon.MethodsTotal 148 patients participated in the study who were treated by PVI between 2013 and 2017 for persistent AF. All patients visited the out-patient clinic 2–5 years after PVI. During this visit all patients filled-out an AF Effect on Quality-of-life (AFEQT) questionnaire and a seven-day Holter was applied. All rhythm recordings acquired post ablation were collected and analysed, and the modified European Heart Rhythm Association score (mEHRA) scores were calculated before and after the ablation.ResultsThe average age of patients was 63±9 year old and 44 (27.9%) were female. Mean CHA2DS2VASc score was 1.9±1.4, and moderate and severe left atrial (LA) dilation was present in 53 (36.1%) and 15 (10.2%) patients, respectively. After a follow-up of 3.7±1.0 years, 81 (54.7%) patients had an ATa recurrence and 35 (23.6%) patients underwent a repeat LA ablation. However, the mEHRA score significantly improved in 80.4% of the patients (p<0.001), with the median overall AFEQT score of 88.9 [70.4–97.2].ConclusionsThere is a considerable ATa recurrence rate after PVI of persistent AF at intermediate-term follow-up. However, our data indicate that PVI significantly improved AF-related symptoms and resulted in a high HRQoL for 2–5 years in patients with persistent AF.
Anxiety among urban, semi-urban and rural school adolescents in Dhaka, Bangladesh: Investigating prevalence and associated factors
Authors: Anjum Afifa , Hossain Sahadat , Hasan M. Tasdik , Uddin Md. Elias , Sikder Md. Tajuddin 
Published: January 2022

BackgroundAnxiety disorder is one of the emerging public health problems in many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Likewise, in Bangladesh, a growing number of adolescents are experiencing such symptoms though we have very limited research evidence available. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of anxiety and the factors associated with this condition among urban, semi-urban, and rural school adolescents in Bangladesh.MethodsThis cross-sectional study used a two-stage cluster sampling procedure. A self-administered questionnaire was conveyed to 2355 adolescents from nine secondary schools of Dhaka, Bangladesh. Of the respondents, 2313 completed the seven-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7). Besides, sociodemographic information, self-reported body image as well as modification of Leisure Time Exercise Questionnaire (LTEQ) and WHO Global PA Questionnaire (GPAQ) were used to determine the sociodemographic and lifestyle factors associated with anxiety among adolescents.ResultsA total of 20.1% of adolescents were experiencing moderate to severe anxiety; of them, a significantly higher proportion (49.9%) of female adolescents were suffering more than males (40.1%). Furthermore, age, student’s grade, father’s educational level, number of family members, and residential setting were found to be significantly associated with anxiety among adolescents. In terms of lifestyle factors, irregular physical activity (AOR: 1.31; 95% CI: 1.05–1.63), high screen time (AOR: 1.51; 95% CI:1.21–1.88), sleep dissatisfaction (AOR: 3.79; 95% CI: 3.02–4.76), and underweight body image (AOR: 2.37; 95% CI:1.70–3.28) were found to be significantly associated with anxiety among school adolescents of urban, semi-urban, and rural residential settings.ConclusionsAnxiety is prevalent among urban, semi-urban, and rural school adolescents in Dhaka, Bangladesh. To lessen this prevalence of anxiety among Bangladeshi adolescents, evidence-based health programs- healthy school trials—and policies should therefore be taken based on the findings of this study.
Translation and psychometric evaluation of chronic illness anticipated stigma scale (CIASS) among patients in Ethiopia
Authors: Salih Mohammed Hassen , Wettergren Lena , Lindgren Helena , Erlandsson Kerstin , Mekonen Hussen , Derseh Lemma 
Published: January 2022

Background
Stigma is common among patients with chronic illnesses. It affects the delivery of healthcare for not addressing the psychological components and may interfere with the patient’s attendance to necessary health care services. Therefore, a valid and reliable instrument to measure anticipated stigma related to chronic illness is vital to inform possible interventions. This study aimed to translate the Chronic Illness Anticipated Stigma Scale (CIASS) into the Amharic language and evaluate its psychometric properties in Ethiopia.

Methods
The CIASS was translated into Amharic language using standard procedures. The Amharic version was completed by 173 patients (response rate 96%) with chronic illness from three referral hospitals in the Amhara region. Internal consistency was examined through Cronbach’s alpha. Construct validity was evaluated by confirmatory factor analysis and convergent validity by using a Pearson correlation of P-value less than or equal to 0.05.

Results
The internal consistency was estimated at Cronbach alpha of 0.92. By using a structural equation model, and modification indices a model fitness testing was run and shows a root mean squared error of approximation 0.049 (90% CI, 0.012–0.075). The structural validity results in 78.8% of confirmatory factor analysis showed from the extraction of the three-dimension (components). Validity tests for convergent by using Pearson correlation positively correlated with common mental distress and negatively correlated with quality of life–BREF, and the construct validity shows a good valid tool to CIASS.

Conclusion
The Amharic language version of the chronic illness anticipated stigma scale shows a satisfactory level of reliability and validity on different psychometric measures of assessment. The tool may be useful for future researchers and patients with chronic illness in the Amharic-speaking population. Moreover, it will be used to see the psychological burden related to chronic illness and for comparison among international population groups.
Influência da precipitação na ocorrência de deslizamentos em Coimbra, nos últimos 139 anos
Authors: Ferreira Mário , Lemos Luís , Pereira Luís 
Published: January 2022

Neste estudo são analisados os dados da precipitação em conjunto com os registos de desliza mentos ocorridos na zona de Coimbra, procurando definir a relação entre a precipitação e a ocorrência de des lizamentos. Os dados relativos aos deslizamentos foram obtidos essencialmente a partir de artigos em jornais da região. Os dados relativos à precipitação provêm dos registos do Instituto Geofísico da Universidade de Coimbra, situado na cidade de Coimbra, e abrangem o intervalo de tempo desde 1864 a 2003.
Os resultados obtidos permitem concluir que os deslizamentos ocorrem quando a precipitação é consi deravelmente superior aos valores médios. Foi também possível demonstrar que os picos de precipitação são de extrema importância como mecanismo iniciador de instabilizações. Determinou-se o intervalo médio de re corrência para os anos com precipitação acumulada mais elevada, geralmente associada a um maior número de casos de instabilizações. Foi também possível definir um limiar inferior de precipitação capaz de provocar deslizamentos, de acordo com a metodologia de Chleborad (2000).
O aterro sanitário como bio-reactor: desafios geotécnicos
Authors: Lopes Maria , Conde Maria 
Published: January 2022

Em Portugal, no âmbito da gestão dos resíduos sólidos urbanos e face à situação existente no ano de 1996, os aterros sanitários foram então encarados como a solução privilegiada para a resolução do passivo ambiental. Face à preocupação de contaminação dos solos e das águas subterrâneas, estes aterros foram pro - jec tados com um sistema de confinamento de fundo para isolar os resíduos do exterior, um sistema de cober - tura para minimizar a entrada da água das chuvas e consequentemente a produção dos lixiviados, um sistema de drenagem, cap ta ção e tratamento de lixiviados e um sistema de drenagem, captação e tratamento de biogás.
Um outro tipo de abordagem, que ultimamente tem vindo a ganhar adeptos, recorre à técnica da recir cu - la ção dos lixiviados ou da injecção de outros líquidos, ou até de ar, na massa de resíduos depositados, em con - di ções controladas, utilizando o aterro como um reactor biológico. Esta tecnologia implica uma mudança de pers pectiva sobre o objectivo do aterro, que deixa de ser um mero depósito de resíduos para passar a ser tam - bém um local de tratamento de resíduos.
Este artigo tem por objectivo, por um lado, mostrar as diferentes técnicas operacionais empregues num aterro bio-reactor e as respectivas vantagens e desvantagens relativamente ao aterro dito “convencional”. Pre - ten de, também, chamar a atenção para os problemas geotécnicos que podem surgir com o emprego desta nova tec nologia e indicar algumas recomendações para os obviar.
Circulating Dipeptidyl Peptidase Activity Is a Potential Biomarker for Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Authors: Jaenisch Simone E. , Abbott Catherine A. , Gorrell Mark D. , Bampton Peter , Butler Ross N. , Yazbeck Roger 
Published: January 2022

INTRODUCTION:
Dipeptidyl peptidase (DPP)-4 is part of a larger family of proteases referred to as DPPs. DPP4 has been suggested as a possible biomarker of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Circulating DPP4 (cDPP4) enzyme activity was investigated as a potential biomarker for IBD. Additionally, DPP enzyme activity and gene expression was quantified in colonic tissue of IBD and non-IBD patients.

METHODS:
In study 1, DPP enzyme activity was quantified in plasma samples from 220 IBD patients (Crohn's disease [CD] n = 130, ulcerative colitis [UC] n = 90), and non-IBD controls (n = 26) using colorimetric assay. In study 2, tissue and plasma samples were collected from 26 IBD patients and 20 non-IBD controls. Plasma C-reactive protein (CRP) was quantified in all patients. Colonic DPP4, DPP8, DPP9 and dibroblast activation protein (FAP) gene expression was determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. cDPP and cFAP enzyme activity were also measured. Sensitivity and specificity were determined by receiver operating characteristic curve analysis.

RESULTS:
In study 1, total cDPP activity was found to differentiate CD patients with active disease (n = 18) from those in remission (n = 19; sensitivity 78% and specificity 63%). In study 2, total cDPP and cFAP activity was 28% and 48% lower in patients with elevated CRP (>10 mg/L) respectively compared to patients with normal CRP. Gene expression of DPP4, FAP and DPP8 was also significantly higher in colonic biopsies from IBD patients compared to non-IBD (P < 0.05).

DISCUSSION:
Our findings implicate the DPP enzyme family in intestinal inflammation and suggest future biomarker applications to differentiate the pathophysiological aspects of IBD.
Volume and Connectivity Differences in Brain Networks Associated with Cognitive Constructs of Binge Eating
Authors: Hartogsveld Bart , Quaedflieg Conny W. E. M. , van Ruitenbeek Peter , Smeets Tom 
Published: January 2022

AbstractBulimia nervosa (BN) and binge eating disorder (BED) are characterized by episodes of eating large amounts of food while experiencing a loss of control. Recent studies suggest that the underlying causes of BN/BED consist of a complex system of environmental cues, atypical processing of food stimuli, altered behavioral responding, and structural/functional brain differences compared with healthy controls (HC). In this narrative review, we provide an integrative account of the brain networks associated with the three cognitive constructs most integral to BN and BED, namely increased reward sensitivity, decreased cognitive control, and altered negative affect and stress responding. We show altered activity in BED/BN within several brain networks, specifically in the striatum, insula, prefrontal cortex (PFC) and orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), and cingulate gyrus. Numerous key nodes in these networks also differ in volume and connectivity compared with HC. We provide suggestions for how this integration may guide future research into these brain networks and cognitive constructs.
STRATEGI PENGEMBANGAN BATIK BERBASIS EKONOMI KREATIF KAMPUNG BATIK KAUMAN PEKALONGAN
Authors: Listiyaningrum Anita , Rustiana Ade , Saeroji Ahmad 
Published: January 2022

The purpose of this study was to determine the strategy of developing batik business in an effort to improve the competitiveness of the Kauman Batik Village community. This study uses qualitative methods with SWOT analysis. In this study, researcher conducted interviews with the activists of the creative economy with the quadruple helix concept, namely the participation of academics, government, communities and business people. From the SWOT analysis, it was obtained the results that the aspect of the resource needs the next generation of batik who have good creativity. The second aspect is industry. A thing that is being an important role of the industry is raw materials;it is needed to ease the production process. The third aspect is marketing. Batik producer needs to expand the market for batik sales. Then, the fourth aspect is financial. Batik producer needs to regulate the business finances in detail. The fifth aspect is technology and infrastructure; namely the need for infrastructure to support the development of the Kauman Batik Village. The advice given to Kauman Batik Village Community in overcome these five aspects which need participation from the government and private sector, communities and academics. In hope the government will optimize the work program in supporting batik as the superior product of Pekalongan City.
Gamification in Genetics: Effects of Gamified Instructional Materials on the STEM Students’ Intrinsic Motivation
Authors: Funa A. A. , Gabay R. A. E. , Ricafort J. D. 
Published: January 2022

Gamification in education offers an innovative way of learning. However, some studies claim that, while it helps raise students' motivation, the kind of motivation is extrinsic and, so, intrinsic motivation declines with time. The researchers used the descriptive research design to describe the STEM students’ intrinsic motivation along with the utilization of game elements in teaching genetics through a learning management system. The researchers collected quantitative data using the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory, which were analyzed through descriptive statistics and complemented with qualitative data from the students' journals and interviews. Overall, the students agreed (M = 5.38, SD = 1.20) that gamification, despite being characterized as extrinsically motivating, had intrinsically motivated them. Its proper implementation helps students adapt to and overcome unfavorable behaviors towards competitiveness and emphasizes the role of teachers in facilitating learning. Time constraints, peer pressure, and distractions were noted; hence, more research is needed to address these challenges and determine the long-term effects of gamification.