scholarly journals An exploratory analysis of public opinion and sentiments towards COVID-19 pandemic using Twitter data.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emeka Chukwusa ◽  
Halle Johnson ◽  
Wei Gao
Keyword(s):  
Public Opinion ◽  
Exploratory Study ◽  
General Public ◽  
Prime Minister ◽  
Negative Mood ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
Twitter Data ◽  
British Prime Minister ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Using Data

Abstract Objective: Twitter data have been increasingly used to address health-related issues. However, little is known about their potential for understanding public opinions and sentiments of the current COVID-19 pandemic. The present study explores public opinion and sentiments about the COVID-19 pandemic using Tweets from 3 popular Coronavirus-related hashtags (#COVID19, #Coronavirus, #SARSCoV2).Results: Of the 39,726 Tweets analysed, we found that over 60% of words used within Tweets in all hashtags (#COVID19, 63.9%; #Coronavirus: 65.6%; #SARSCoV2: 63.5%) conveyed a negative mood towards the pandemic. Our results also showed similar trends in Tweet volume in #COVID19 and #SARSCoV2, with a spike in the number of Tweets on the 3rd and 6th of April 2020. Further exploration of Tweets in both hashtags revealed similar Twitter discussions related to topics on “Hydroxychloroquine” and “Hospitalisations of the British Prime minister” and “ the attainment of 1 million cases of coronavirus globally”.The findings of this exploratory study indicate that there is potential for using data generated from Twitter to understand general public opinion and sentiments towards the COVID-19 pandemic. However, caution is needed due to several limitations in this study. It is also important for future studies to explore the context around Tweets.

“It’s not just a diet, it’s a lifestyle”: An Exploratory Study into Community Preferences of Vegan Definitions

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Madelon North ◽  
Emily Jane Kothe ◽  
Anna Klas ◽  
Mathew Ling
Keyword(s):  
Exploratory Study ◽  
Personal Experience ◽  
Research Literature ◽  
Advocacy Groups ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
Ranking Order ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Community Preferences ◽  
Positivist Approach

Veganism is an increasingly popular lifestyle within Western societies, including Australia. However, there appears to be a positivist approach to defining veganism in the literature. This has implications for measurement and coherence of the research literature. This exploratory study assessed preference rankings for definitions of veganism used by vegan advocacy groups across an Australian convenience sample of three dietary groups (vegan = 230, omnivore = 117, vegetarian = 43). Participants were also asked to explain their ranking order in an open-ended question. Most vegans selected the UK definition as their first preference, omnivores underwent five rounds of preference reallocation before the Irish definition was selected, and vegetarians underwent four rounds before the UK definition was selected. A reflexive thematic analysis of participant explanations for their rankings identified four themes: (1) Diet vs. lifestyle, (2) Absolutism, (3) Social justice, and (4) Animal justice. These four themes represent how participants had differing perceptions of veganism according to their personal experience and understanding of the term. It appears participants took less of an absolutist approach to the definition and how individuals conceptualise veganism may be more dynamic than first expected. This will be important when researchers are considering how we are defining veganism in future studies to maintain consistency in the field.

A Comparative Content Analysis of Physician, General Public and Media Opinion Leader Posts Regarding Physician-patient Conflicts on Microblog (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wanqi Gong ◽  
Qin Guo
Keyword(s):  
Content Analysis ◽  
Public Opinion ◽  
General Public ◽  
Public Perception ◽  
Medical Science ◽  
Popular Science ◽  
Opinion Leaders ◽  
Objective Evidence ◽  
Comparative Content ◽  
Physician Patient

BACKGROUND Physician-patient conflicts have increased more than ten times from the 2000s to 2010s in China and arouse heated discussion on microblog. However, little is known about similarities and differences among views of opinion leaders from the general public, physician, and media regarding physician-patient conflict issues on microblog. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to explore how opinion leaders from physician, the general public, and media areas framed the posts on major physician-patient conflict issues on microblog. Findings will provide more objective evidence of trilateral (health profession, general public, and media) attitudes and perspectives on physician-patient conflicts. METHODS A comparative content analysis was conducted to examine the posts (N=545) from microblog opinion leaders regarding the major physician-patient conflicts in China from 2012 to 2017. RESULTS Media used significantly more conflict (M=0.16) and attribution frames (M=0.16) but least popularize medical science frame (M=0.03) than physician (M=0.06, p<0.001; M=0.06, p<0.001; M=0.08, p=0.035, respectively) and general public opinion leaders (M=0.06, p<0.001; M=0.09, p=0.003; M=0.12, p<0.001, respectively). There are no significant differences in the use of conflict, cooperation, negative and popular science frames between general public and physician opinion leaders. CONCLUSIONS This imbalanced use of frames by media would cultivate and reinforce the public perception of physician-patient contradiction. The physician and general public opinion leaders share some commons in post frames, implying that they do not have a fundamental discrepancy on physician-patient conflict issues. It is essential to guide and encourage media microbloggers to make every effort to popularize medical science and improve physician-patient relationships.

scholarly journals Integration of various scales for measurement of insomnia

2021 ◽  
pp. 263208432110100
Author(s):  
Satyendra Nath Chakrabartty
Keyword(s):  
Test Scores ◽  
Data Driven ◽  
Weighted Sum ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
Normal Probability ◽  
Equivalent Test ◽  
Item Scores ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Set Up ◽  
Different Levels

Background Scales for evaluating insomnia differ in number of items, response format, and result in different scores distributions and score ranges and may not facilitate meaningful comparisons. Objectives Transform ordinal item-scores of three scales of insomnia to continuous, equidistant, monotonic, normally distributed scores, avoiding limitations of summative scoring of Likert scales. Methods Equidistant item-scores by weighted sum using data-driven weights to different levels of different items, considering cell frequencies of Item-Levels matrix, followed by normalization and conversion to [1, 10]. Equivalent test-scores (as sum of transformed item- scores) for a pair of scales were found by Normal Probability curves. Empirical illustration given. Results Transformed test-scores are continuous, monotonic and followed Normal distribution with no outliers and tied scores. Such test-scores facilitate ranking, better classification and meaningful comparison of scales of different lengths and formats and finding equivalent score combinations of two scales. For a given value of transformed test-score of a scale, easy alternate method avoiding integration proposed to find equivalent scores of another scales. Equivalent scores of scales help to relate various cut-off scores of different scales and uniformity in interpretations. Integration of various scales of insomnia is achieved by finding one-to-one correspondence among the equivalent score of various scales with correlation over 0.99 Conclusion Resultant test-scores facilitated undertaking analysis in parametric set up. Considering the theoretical advantages including meaningfulness of operations, better comparison, use of such method of transforming scores of Likert items/test is recommended test and items, Future studies were suggested.

Negotiations leading to Anglo-Polish agreement of 31 March 1939

1956 ◽  
Vol 10 (38) ◽  
pp. 156-192
Author(s):  
T. Desmond Williams
Keyword(s):  
Prime Minister ◽  
Great Powers ◽  
British Prime Minister

By March 21 the British prime minister had discovered that, owing to difficulties raised by Poland and Russia, as well as by Rumania, it would be impossible to secure the support of all the four great powers for the declaration he had suggested on March 20. Chamberlain accordingly altered his course, and on the same day, through Halifax, threw out the suggestion of a bilateral arrangement for mutual consultation between Britain and Poland. The foreign secretary had a long discussion with Count Raczynski, who had received instructions from Warsaw to inform London of Polish objections to the proposed four-power declaration.

scholarly journals Deep learning for cephalometric landmark detection: systematic review and meta-analysis

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Falk Schwendicke ◽  
Akhilanand Chaurasia ◽  
Lubaina Arsiwala ◽  
Jae-Hong Lee ◽  
Karim Elhennawy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Deep Learning ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
High Accuracy ◽  
Risk Of Bias ◽  
Automated Detection ◽  
Reference Test ◽  
Landmark Detection ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
Using Data

Abstract Objectives Deep learning (DL) has been increasingly employed for automated landmark detection, e.g., for cephalometric purposes. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the accuracy and underlying evidence for DL for cephalometric landmark detection on 2-D and 3-D radiographs. Methods Diagnostic accuracy studies published in 2015-2020 in Medline/Embase/IEEE/arXiv and employing DL for cephalometric landmark detection were identified and extracted by two independent reviewers. Random-effects meta-analysis, subgroup, and meta-regression were performed, and study quality was assessed using QUADAS-2. The review was registered (PROSPERO no. 227498). Data From 321 identified records, 19 studies (published 2017–2020), all employing convolutional neural networks, mainly on 2-D lateral radiographs (n=15), using data from publicly available datasets (n=12) and testing the detection of a mean of 30 (SD: 25; range.: 7–93) landmarks, were included. The reference test was established by two experts (n=11), 1 expert (n=4), 3 experts (n=3), and a set of annotators (n=1). Risk of bias was high, and applicability concerns were detected for most studies, mainly regarding the data selection and reference test conduct. Landmark prediction error centered around a 2-mm error threshold (mean; 95% confidence interval: (–0.581; 95 CI: –1.264 to 0.102 mm)). The proportion of landmarks detected within this 2-mm threshold was 0.799 (0.770 to 0.824). Conclusions DL shows relatively high accuracy for detecting landmarks on cephalometric imagery. The overall body of evidence is consistent but suffers from high risk of bias. Demonstrating robustness and generalizability of DL for landmark detection is needed. Clinical significance Existing DL models show consistent and largely high accuracy for automated detection of cephalometric landmarks. The majority of studies so far focused on 2-D imagery; data on 3-D imagery are sparse, but promising. Future studies should focus on demonstrating generalizability, robustness, and clinical usefulness of DL for this objective.

Eye-Movement Patterns of Readers With Down Syndrome During Sentence-Processing: An Exploratory Study

2010 ◽  
Vol 115 (3) ◽  
pp. 193-206 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cheryl Frenck-Mestre ◽  
Nathalie Zardan ◽  
Annie Colas ◽  
Alain Ghio
Keyword(s):  
Down Syndrome ◽  
Eye Movements ◽  
Sentence Processing ◽  
Exploratory Study ◽  
Matched Control ◽  
Reading Level ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
Complex Sentences ◽  
Simple Sentences

Abstract Eye movements were examined to determine how readers with Down syndrome process sentences online. Participants were 9 individuals with Down syndrome ranging in reading level from Grades 1 to 3 and a reading-level-matched control group. For syntactically simple sentences, the pattern of reading times was similar for the two groups, with longer reading times found at sentence end. This “wrap-up” effect was also found in the first reading of more complex sentences for the control group, whereas it only emerged later for the readers with Down syndrome. Our results provide evidence that eye movements can be used to investigate reading in individuals with Down syndrome and underline the need for future studies.

scholarly journals The Association of Body Mass Index with Health-Related Quality of Life: An Exploratory Study in a Multiethnic Asian Population

2008 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
pp. S105-S114 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hwee-Lin Wee ◽  
Yin-Bun Cheung ◽  
Wai-Chiong Loke ◽  
Chee-Beng Tan ◽  
Mun-Hong Chow ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Body Mass Index ◽  
Body Mass ◽  
Exploratory Study ◽  
Asian Population ◽  
Health Related Quality ◽  
Related Quality ◽  
Health Related

By Popular Demand: The Effect of Public Opinion on Income Inequality

2005 ◽  
Vol 4 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 261-284 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Andersen ◽  
Anthony Heath ◽  
David Weakliem
Keyword(s):  
Public Opinion ◽  
Income Inequality ◽  
Instrumental Variables ◽  
Public Support ◽  
Reciprocal Causation ◽  
Low Incomes ◽  
The World ◽  
Using Data ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Distribution Of Income

AbstractThis paper examines the relationship between public support for wage differentials and actual income inequality using data from the World Values Surveys. The distribution of income is more equal in nations where public opinion is more egalitarian. There is some evidence that the opinions of people with higher incomes are more influential than those of people with low incomes. Although the estimated relationship is stronger in democracies, it is present even under non-democratic governments, and the hypothesis that effects are equal cannot be rejected. We consider the possibility of reciprocal causation by means of an instrumental variables analysis, which yields no evidence that income distribution affects opinion.

Politikberatung der Öffentlichkeit?

2001 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 61-73 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hans Pitlik
Keyword(s):  
Public Opinion ◽  
Collective Action ◽  
General Public ◽  
Policy Advice ◽  
Collective Action Problem ◽  
Academic System ◽  
Countervailing Power

Abstract Due to the incentives of both suppliers and users of policy advice the influence of economists on government decisions is almost negligible. This paper aims to explore the prospects of policy advice addressed to the general public as a countervailing power. It is argued that in order to have some impact on public opinion economists must rely primarily on propaganda and have to overcome a serious collective action problem. Yet, the organization of the academic system provides no incentives for economists to fulfil the role of general-public-oriented advisers.

scholarly journals Prime ministerial autonomy and intra-executive conflict under semi-presidentialism

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-22
Author(s):  
Huang-Ting Yan
Keyword(s):  
Prime Minister ◽  
Minority Government ◽  
Presidential Democracies ◽  
The Government ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Constitutional Legitimacy

Abstract This article answers why intra-executive conflict varies across semi-presidential democracies. The literature verifies that intra-executive competition tends to be higher when the president holds less power to dismiss the cabinet, coexists with a minority government, or the president’s party is not represented in the cabinet. This paper, therefore, integrates these factors to construct an index of prime ministerial autonomy, proposing that its relationship with the probability of intra-executive conflict is represented by an inverted U-shaped curve. That is, when the prime minister is subordinated to an elected president, or conversely, enjoys greater room to manoeuvre in the executive affairs of the government, the likelihood of conflict is low. In contrast, significant confrontation emerges when the president claims constitutional legitimacy to rein in the cabinet, and controls the executive to a certain degree. This study verifies hypotheses using data on seventeen semi-presidential democracies in Europe between 1990 and 2015.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document