scholarly journals Introducing the Dynamic Destination Satisfaction Method: An Analytical Tool to Track Tourism Destination Satisfaction Trends with Repeated Cross-sectional Data

2020 ◽  
pp. 004728752095820
Author(s):  
Andrea Guizzardi ◽  
Marcello M. Mariani

This study introduces a new method, named Dynamic Destination Satisfaction Method (DDSME), to model tourists’ satisfaction with a destination (and its attributes), breaking it down into an individual-level component (linked to the specific individual tourists’ perceptions) and a system-level (time-related) component (common to all the tourists). Moreover, this work develops a matrix “entropy/trend accuracy” that destination managers can use to understand to what extent managing a specific attribute has increased tourists’ satisfaction with the destination over multiyear time spans. We test the innovative method on a large data set, covering the period 1997-2015 and including almost 0.8 million observations. By doing so, we analyze tourists’ satisfaction with tourism-related sectors and attributes of Italy as an inbound tourism destination and we use the matrix to map out destination attributes over time. The findings indicate that courtesy, art, and food are strategic attributes to enhance satisfaction in the long term.

Author(s):  
Dean Keith Simonton

Although psychologists typically see creativity as an individual-level event, sociologists and cultural anthropologists are more likely to view it as a sociocultural phenomenon. This phenomenon takes place at the level of relatively large and enduring collectives, such as cultures, nations, and even whole civilizations. This chapter reviews the extensive research on such macro-level creativity. The review begins with a historical overview before turning to the cross-sectional research on the creative Ortgeist, a subject that encompasses the factors that influence the relative creativity of both preliterate cultures and entire modern nations. From there the chapter turns to role of the Zeitgeist in affecting the creativity of civilizations across time—the rise and fall of creative activity. This research examines both quantitative and qualitative causes that operate both short- and long-term.


Author(s):  
Johan Lundberg

AbstractTheories of inter-jurisdictional tax and yardstick competition assume that the tax decisions of one jurisdiction will influence the tax decisions of other jurisdictions. This paper empirically addresses the issue of horizontal dependence in local personal income tax rates across jurisdictions. Based on a large data set covering Swedish municipalities over a period of 14 years, we test for interactions across municipalities that share a common border, across municipalities within a distance of 100 km of each other, and across municipalities with similar political representation in the local council. We also test the hypothesis that the tax rate of relatively larger municipalities has a greater influence on their neighbors' tax rate compared to the influence of their smaller neighbors. Our results suggest that when lagged tax rates are controlled for, the horizontal correlation across municipalities that share a common border or are within a distance of 100 km from each other becomes insignificant. This result is of importance as it suggests that lagged tax rates should be included or at least tested for when testing for horizontal interactions or mimicking in local tax rates. However, our results support the hypothesis of horizontal interactions across municipalities that share a common border when the influence of neighboring municipalities is also weighted by their relative population size, i.e. relatively larger neighbors tend to have a greater impact on their neighbor's tax rates than their relatively smaller neighbors. This is of importance as it suggests that distance or proximity matters, although only in combination with the relative population size. We also find some evidence of horizontal dependence across municipalities with similar political preferences.


2021 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
pp. 174830262199962
Author(s):  
Patrick O Kano ◽  
Moysey Brio ◽  
Jacob Bailey

The Weeks method for the numerical inversion of the Laplace transform utilizes a Möbius transformation which is parameterized by two real quantities, σ and b. Proper selection of these parameters depends highly on the Laplace space function F( s) and is generally a nontrivial task. In this paper, a convolutional neural network is trained to determine optimal values for these parameters for the specific case of the matrix exponential. The matrix exponential eA is estimated by numerically inverting the corresponding resolvent matrix [Formula: see text] via the Weeks method at [Formula: see text] pairs provided by the network. For illustration, classes of square real matrices of size three to six are studied. For these small matrices, the Cayley-Hamilton theorem and rational approximations can be utilized to obtain values to compare with the results from the network derived estimates. The network learned by minimizing the error of the matrix exponentials from the Weeks method over a large data set spanning [Formula: see text] pairs. Network training using the Jacobi identity as a metric was found to yield a self-contained approach that does not require a truth matrix exponential for comparison.


BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. e022137 ◽  
Author(s):  
Allison S Letica-Kriegel ◽  
Hojjat Salmasian ◽  
David K Vawdrey ◽  
Brett E Youngerman ◽  
Robert A Green ◽  
...  

MotivationCatheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI) are a common and serious healthcare-associated infection. Despite many efforts to reduce the occurrence of CAUTI, there remains a gap in the literature about CAUTI risk factors, especially pertaining to the effect of catheter dwell-time on CAUTI development and patient comorbidities.ObjectiveTo examine how the risk for CAUTI changes over time. Additionally, to assess whether time from catheter insertion to CAUTI event varied according to risk factors such as age, sex, patient type (surgical vs medical) and comorbidities.DesignRetrospective cohort study of all patients who were catheterised from 2012 to 2016, including those who did and did not develop CAUTIs. Both paediatric and adult patients were included. Indwelling urinary catheterisation is the exposure variable. The variable is interval, as all participants were exposed but for different lengths of time.SettingUrban academic health system of over 2500 beds. The system encompasses two large academic medical centres, two community hospitals and a paediatric hospital.ResultsThe study population was 47 926 patients who had 61 047 catheterisations, of which 861 (1.41%) resulted in a CAUTI. CAUTI rates were found to increase non-linearly for each additional day of catheterisation; CAUTI-free survival was 97.3% (CI: 97.1 to 97.6) at 10 days, 88.2% (CI: 86.9 to 89.5) at 30 days and 71.8% (CI: 66.3 to 77.8) at 60 days. This translated to an instantaneous HR of. 49%–1.65% in the 10–60 day time range. Paraplegia, cerebrovascular disease and female sex were found to statistically increase the chances of a CAUTI.ConclusionsUsing a very large data set, we demonstrated the incremental risk of CAUTI associated with each additional day of catheterisation, as well as the risk factors that increase the hazard for CAUTI. Special attention should be given to patients carrying these risk factors, for example, females or those with mobility issues.


2019 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. 2235042X1983190 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donna Lykke Wolff ◽  
Christian Von Plessen ◽  
Frans Boch Waldorff ◽  
Thomas Lund Sørensen ◽  
Søren Bie Bogh ◽  
...  

Background: The increasing prevalence of patients with multimorbidity in the general population affects the health-care system. There is a lack of knowledge of the proportion of patients attending multiple hospital outpatient specialty clinics simultaneously. Objective: This study describes the development in the proportion of patients managed simultaneously in multiple hospital outpatient specialty clinics. Design: We obtained three cross-sectional samples from all of the hospitals in Denmark. The data set consists of adults (age 18+) in long-term outpatient care on January 1 in 2004, 2009, and 2014 with one or more of 50 consensus-selected chronic diseases. Descriptive statistics were used to examine and compare the proportion of patients treated simultaneously in multiple outpatient specialty clinics. We also investigated the most common combinations of outpatient specialty clinics. Results: In 2004, 176,786 patients with chronic diseases were registered as receiving outpatient care in Denmark. This figure increased to 246,542 patients in 2009 and 341,015 in 2014. The proportion of patients managed simultaneously in multiple outpatient specialty clinics was 4.0% in 2004, 5.5% in 2009, and 7.7% in 2014. The most common specialty clinic combination was endocrinology and cardiology, accounting for 12.1% in 2004, 11.5% in 2009, and 9.6% in 2014. Conclusions: The proportion of patients in multiple clinics nearly doubled over a 10-year period. While there were some common specialty clinic combinations in which patients were treated most often, there was also considerable variation. Further studies are needed to identify generic and disease-specific initiatives.


2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthias Hoben ◽  
Abigail Heninger ◽  
Jayna Holroyd-Leduc ◽  
Jennifer Knopp-Sihota ◽  
Carole Estabrooks ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The main objective is to better understand the prevalence of depressive symptoms, in long-term care (LTC) residents with or without cognitive impairment across Western Canada. Secondary objectives are to examine comorbidities and other factors associated with of depressive symptoms, and treatments used in LTC. Methods 11,445 residents across a random sample of 91 LTC facilities, from 09/2014 to 05/2015, were stratified by owner-operator model (private for-profit, public or voluntary not-for-profit), size (small: < 80 beds, medium: 80–120 beds, large > 120 beds), location (Calgary and Edmonton Health Zones, Alberta; Fraser and Interior Health Regions, British Columbia; Winnipeg Health Region, Manitoba). Random intercept generalized linear mixed models with depressive symptoms as the dependent variable, cognitive impairment as primary independent variable, and resident, care unit and facility characteristics as covariates were used. Resident variables came from the Resident Assessment Instrument – Minimum Data Set (RAI-MDS) 2.0 records (the RAI-MDS version routinely collected in Western Canadian LTC). Care unit and facility variables came from surveys completed with care unit or facility managers. Results Depressive symptoms affects 27.1% of all LTC residents and 23.3% of LTC resident have both, depressive symptoms and cognitive impairment. Hypertension, urinary and fecal incontinence were the most common comorbidities. Cognitive impairment increases the risk for depressive symptoms (adjusted odds ratio 1.65 [95% confidence interval 1.43; 1.90]). Pain, anxiety and pulmonary disorders were also significantly associated with depressive symptoms. Pharmacologic therapies were commonly used in those with depressive symptoms, however there was minimal use of non-pharmacologic management. Conclusions Depressive symptoms are common in LTC residents –particularly in those with cognitive impairment. Depressive symptoms are an important target for clinical intervention and further research to reduce the burden of these illnesses.


2017 ◽  
Vol 14 (8) ◽  
pp. 2033-2054 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bernd Wagner ◽  
Thomas Wilke ◽  
Alexander Francke ◽  
Christian Albrecht ◽  
Henrike Baumgarten ◽  
...  

Abstract. This study reviews and synthesises existing information generated within the SCOPSCO (Scientific Collaboration on Past Speciation Conditions in Lake Ohrid) deep drilling project. The four main aims of the project are to infer (i) the age and origin of Lake Ohrid (Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia/Republic of Albania), (ii) its regional seismotectonic history, (iii) volcanic activity and climate change in the central northern Mediterranean region, and (iv) the influence of major geological events on the evolution of its endemic species. The Ohrid basin formed by transtension during the Miocene, opened during the Pliocene and Pleistocene, and the lake established de novo in the still relatively narrow valley between 1.9 and 1.3 Ma. The lake history is recorded in a 584 m long sediment sequence, which was recovered within the framework of the International Continental Scientific Drilling Program (ICDP) from the central part (DEEP site) of the lake in spring 2013. To date, 54 tephra and cryptotephra horizons have been found in the upper 460 m of this sequence. Tephrochronology and tuning biogeochemical proxy data to orbital parameters revealed that the upper 247.8 m represent the last 637 kyr. The multi-proxy data set covering these 637 kyr indicates long-term variability. Some proxies show a change from generally cooler and wetter to drier and warmer glacial and interglacial periods around 300 ka. Short-term environmental change caused, for example, by tephra deposition or the climatic impact of millennial-scale Dansgaard–Oeschger and Heinrich events are superimposed on the long-term trends. Evolutionary studies on the extant fauna indicate that Lake Ohrid was not a refugial area for regional freshwater animals. This differs from the surrounding catchment, where the mountainous setting with relatively high water availability provided a refuge for temperate and montane trees during the relatively cold and dry glacial periods. Although Lake Ohrid experienced significant environmental change over the last 637 kyr, preliminary molecular data from extant microgastropod species do not indicate significant changes in diversification rate during this period. The reasons for this constant rate remain largely unknown, but a possible lack of environmentally induced extinction events in Lake Ohrid and/or the high resilience of the ecosystems may have played a role.


2014 ◽  
Vol 38 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 127-153
Author(s):  
Glenn Sandström ◽  
Magnus Strömgren ◽  
Olof Stjernström

During the 1960s in Sweden, socioeconomic differentials decreased sharply and both the labor force participation of married women and aggregate divorce rates increased more rapidly than during any other period of the twentieth century. The aim of this paper is to investigate how the socioeconomic composition of the couple influenced the probability of divorce during this period of rapid restructuring. The study uses a large data set covering the entire married population of Sweden in 1960 and applies a binary model whereby the couples are analyzed as units rather than separate individuals to model divorce during the period from 1960 to1965. The main results show that the equalization process between genders and social classes during this period contributed to the decrease in marital stability. Dual-provider families exhibit substantially higher probabilities of divorce as compared to traditional single-provider families. We also find that the socioeconomic gradient of divorce had become negative by the early 1960s and that couples with low socioeconomic status contributed more to the increase in divorce than did couples in the higher strata. A difference between the results reached in this study and those from divorce research covering later decades is that children do not reduce the probability of divorce when the wife's labor force participation is controlled for. The results indicate that the determinants of divorce have varied across different phases of the divorce transition during the twentieth century and that a historical perspective is necessary if we are to understand the long-term process that has produced current marital behavior.


1999 ◽  
Vol 55 (4) ◽  
pp. 695-699 ◽  
Author(s):  
David H. Templeton

Equations derived from a statistical model and valid for all space groups give estimates of the elements of the matrix for least-squares refinement of atomic coordinates and isotropic thermal parameters for a large crystal structure with many diffraction data. The elements are functions of the lengths and directions of Patterson vectors and the distribution of weights as a function of Bragg angle. For a large data set, this matrix, or a portion of it, can be calculated in a time that is approximately proportional to the number of elements calculated and independent of the number of reflections.


2021 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 2223-2237
Author(s):  
William Rust ◽  
Mark Cuthbert ◽  
John Bloomfield ◽  
Ron Corstanje ◽  
Nicholas Howden ◽  
...  

Abstract. An understanding of multi-annual behaviour in streamflow allows for better estimation of the risks associated with hydrological extremes. This can enable improved preparedness for streamflow-dependant services, such as freshwater ecology, drinking water supply and agriculture. Recently, efforts have focused on detecting relationships between long-term hydrological behaviour and oscillatory climate systems (such as the North Atlantic Oscillation – NAO). For instance, the approximate 7 year periodicity of the NAO has been detected in groundwater-level records in the North Atlantic region, providing potential improvements to the preparedness for future water resource extremes due to their repetitive, periodic nature. However, the extent to which these 7-year, NAO-like signals are propagated to streamflow, and the catchment processes that modulate this propagation, are currently unknown. Here, we show statistically significant evidence that these 7-year periodicities are present in streamflow (and associated catchment rainfall), by applying multi-resolution analysis to a large data set of streamflow and associated catchment rainfall across the UK. Our results provide new evidence for spatial patterns of NAO periodicities in UK rainfall, with areas of greatest NAO signal found in southwest England, south Wales, Northern Ireland and central Scotland, and show that NAO-like periodicities account for a greater proportion of streamflow variability in these areas. Furthermore, we find that catchments with greater subsurface pathway contribution, as characterised by the baseflow index (BFI), generally show increased NAO-like signal strength and that subsurface response times (as characterised by groundwater response time – GRT), of between 4 and 8 years, show a greater signal presence. Our results provide a foundation of understanding for the screening and use of streamflow teleconnections for improving the practice and policy of long-term streamflow resource management.


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