scholarly journals Mining Textual and Imagery Instagram Data during the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 4281
Author(s):  
Dimitrios Amanatidis ◽  
Ifigeneia Mylona ◽  
Irene (Eirini) Kamenidou ◽  
Spyridon Mamalis ◽  
Aikaterini Stavrianea
Keyword(s):  
English Language ◽  
Visual Features ◽  
Effective Vaccine ◽  
Vaccine Research ◽  
Video Sharing ◽  
Ensemble Techniques ◽  
Significant Events ◽  
Vaccine Treatment ◽  
Personal Experiences ◽  
Negative Sentiment

Instagram is perhaps the most rapidly gaining in popularity of photo and video sharing social networking applications. It has been widely adopted by both end-users and organizations, posting their personal experiences or expressing their opinion during significant events and periods of crises, such as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the search for effective vaccine treatment. We identify the three major companies involved in vaccine research and extract their Instagram posts, after vaccination has started, as well as users’ reception using respective hashtags, constructing the datasets. Statistical differences regarding the companies are initially presented, on textual, as well as visual features, i.e., image classification by transfer learning. Appropriate preprocessing of English language posts and content analysis is subsequently performed, by automatically annotating the posts as one of four intent classes, thus facilitating the training of nine classifiers for a potential application capable of predicting user’s intent. By designing and carrying out a controlled experiment we validate that the resulted algorithms’ accuracy ranking is significant, identifying the two best performing algorithms; this is further improved by ensemble techniques. Finally, polarity analysis on users’ posts, leveraging a convolutional neural network, reveals a rather neutral to negative sentiment, with highly polarized user posts’ distributions.

scholarly journals The Search for a Schistosomiasis Vaccine: Australia’s Contribution

Vaccines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 872
Author(s):  
Donald P. McManus
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Drug Resistance ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Effective Vaccine ◽  
Neglected Tropical Disease ◽  
Vaccine Research ◽  
Health Measures ◽  
Leading Role ◽  
Invaluable Tool ◽  
Sub Saharan

Schistosomiasis, a neglected tropical disease caused by parasitic flatworms of the genus Schistosoma, results in considerable human morbidity in sub-Saharan Africa, in particular, but also parts of the Middle East, South America, and Southeast Asia. The anti-schistosome drug praziquantel is efficacious and safe against the adult parasites of all Schistosoma species infecting humans; however, it does not prevent reinfection and the development of drug resistance is a constant concern. The need to develop an effective vaccine is of great importance if the health of many in the developing world is to be improved. Indeed, vaccination, in combination with other public health measures, can provide an invaluable tool to achieve lasting control, leading to schistosomiasis elimination. Australia has played a leading role in schistosomiasis vaccine research over many years and this review presents an overview of some of the significant contributions made by Australian scientists in this important area.

scholarly journals Debates about Educational Issues: A Pedagogical Strategy to Explore Argumentative Skills in the EFL Classroom

HOW ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (27) ◽  
pp. 49-67
Author(s):  
Ángela Vanesa Duarte Infante ◽  
Sandra Milena Fonseca Velandia ◽  
Bertha Ramos Holguín
Keyword(s):  
English Language ◽  
Public University ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Pedagogical Intervention ◽  
Pedagogical Strategy ◽  
Educational Issues ◽  
Personal Experiences ◽  
Field Notes ◽  
English Language Teachers ◽  
The Impact

This article describes a pedagogical proposal, based on debates, to determine the type of arguments that pre-service English language teachers constructed at a public university in Tunja, Colombia. We implemented a series of debate workshops about educational issues. Thirteen modern languages pre-service teachers in their sixth semester participated in the debates. In each debate, we collected data through recordings, focus groups, and field notes to understand the impact of the pedagogical intervention. Findings suggest that the arguments pre-service teachers built were based on examples. In this sense, the arguments built were based on their personal experiences and their partners’ opinions. We argue for the need to implement more research proposals that will contribute to the understanding and awareness of what argumentation implies.

Distracted driving on YouTube: implications for adolescents

2017 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Corey H. Basch ◽  
Christina Mouser ◽  
Ashley Clark
Keyword(s):  
Cell Phone ◽  
English Language ◽  
The United States ◽  
Distracted Driving ◽  
Public Health Issue ◽  
Traffic Fatalities ◽  
Safe Driving ◽  
Cell Phone Use ◽  
Video Sharing ◽  
First Time

Abstract For the first time in 50 years, traffic fatalities have increased in the United States (US). With the emergence of technology, comes the possibility, that distracted driving has contributed to a decrease in safe driving practices. The purpose of this study was to describe the content on the popular video sharing site, YouTube to ascertain the type of content conveyed in videos that are widely viewed. The 100 most widely viewed English language videos were included in this sample, with a collective number of views of over 35 million. The majority of videos were television-based and Internet-based. Pairwise comparisons indicated that there were statistically significant differences between the number of views of consumer generated videos and television-based videos (p = 0.001) and between television-based videos and Internet-based videos (p < 0.001). Compared with consumer generated videos, television-based videos were 13 times more likely to discuss cell phone use as a distractor while driving, while Internet-based videos were 6.6 times more likely to discuss cell phone use as a distractor while driving. In addition, compared with consumer generated videos, television-based videos were 3.67 times more likely to discuss texting as a distractor while driving, whereas Internet-based videos were 8.5 times more likely to discuss texting as a distractor while driving. The findings of this study indicate that the videos on YouTube related to distracted driving are popular and that this medium could prove to be a successful venue to communicate information about this emergent public health issue.

scholarly journals Covid-19 vaccine trials and ethics: Protection delayed is protection denied

2020 ◽  
pp. 01-03
Author(s):  
T Jacob John ◽  
Dhanya Dharmapalan
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Protective Efficacy ◽  
Informed Choice ◽  
Effective Vaccine ◽  
Compassionate Use ◽  
Vaccine Research ◽  
Phase 3 ◽  
Vaccine Candidates ◽  
Risk Of Death ◽  
Vaccine Trials

Abstract The Covid-19 pandemic is raging, taking a heavy toll of lives and livelihoods. The need for safe and effective vaccine(s) is urgent. Vaccine research has progressed rapidly and a few vaccine candidates have passed trial Phases 1 and 2, confirming reasonable safety and immunogenicity parameters. They are ready for large scale Phase 3 trials to quantify protective efficacy, if any, and to detect uncommon but serious adverse effects, if any. These developments present unprecedented opportunities and challenges, scientific and ethical. Globally hundreds die every day due to Covid-19, and emergency/compassionate use of vaccine candidates that are ready for Phase 3 trials are likely to save lives. We perceive an ethical imperative to allow such vaccination for those at high risk of death who voluntarily make such an informed choice – for them protection delayed will be tantamount to protection denied.

A Study into the Pyramid Discussion Approach with Pre-Service English Teachers in Japan

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 88-102
Author(s):  
Takaaki Hiratsuka
Keyword(s):  
English Language ◽  
Research Study ◽  
English Teachers ◽  
Methods Course ◽  
Main Concern ◽  
Japanese University ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Personal Experiences ◽  
Communicative Abilities

The main concern of this article is the nature and the role of an EFL classroom speaking activity, known as pyramid discussion, whereby learners progressively form larger groups as they carry out a series of discussions on certain topics. This research interest stemmed from my personal experiences as an English language teacher in the context of Japan in which the majority of the teachers still regard the act of teaching English as the presentation of compartmentalized knowledge, as opposed to the promotion of communicative abilities. In this article, I introduce an action research study into the employment of the pyramid discussion approach in an English Teaching Methods course at a Japanese university and illuminate the effectiveness of the approach on the students, who are pre-service English teachers, in the course. Data will detail how the approach could notably assist the participants in seizing communication opportunities in English and in holding positive attitudes toward their teacher, classmates, and themselves as learners and future teachers of English. Implications are provided as a conclusion

Involvement of emergency medical services at unplanned births before arrival to hospital: a structured review

2013 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 345-350 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gayle E McLelland ◽  
Amee E Morgans ◽  
Lisa G McKenna
Keyword(s):  
English Language ◽  
Bibliographic Databases ◽  
Medical Subject Heading ◽  
Excessive Bleeding ◽  
Neonatal Complication ◽  
Significant Events ◽  
Mesh Terms ◽  
The Us ◽  
Obstetric Emergencies ◽  
Clinically Significant

ObjectiveWhile infrequent, unplanned births before arrival (BBAs) are clinically significant events at which, conceivably, paramedics will be the first health professionals in attendance. This review aims to demonstrate that paramedics not only attend and transfer birthing women, but also use critical clinical and decision-making skills. It further proposes strategies that will support paramedics manage out-of-hospital obstetric emergencies.DesignThe bibliographic databases EMBASE, MEDLINE, CINAHL and Maternity and Infant Care were searched from 1991 to 2012 for relevant English language publications using key words and Medical Subject Heading (MeSH) terms. Data were extracted with respect to study design, incidence of BBAs, attendance of paramedics, complications and recommendations.ResultsFourteen studies were selected for inclusion arising from the US, UK and Europe. While all studies acknowledged paramedics attend BBAs, seven reported the incidence of BBAs attended by paramedics, and two discuss issues specifically encountered by paramedics. Paramedics attended between 28.2% and 91.5% of all BBAs. While the articles reviewed noted that most of the births encountered by paramedics were uncomplicated, they all reported maternal or neonatal complications. Eight articles reported the most common maternal complication was excessive bleeding after birth, and nine reported the most frequent neonatal complication was hypothermia regardless of gestation.ConclusionsParamedics need to be adequately educated and equipped to manage BBAs at both undergraduate and graduate levels. Protocols should be developed between health and ambulance services to minimise risks associated with BBAs. A dearth of information surrounds the incidence of BBAs attended and the management performed by paramedics highlighting the need for further research.

Expanding repertoires of resistance

2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 188-203 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kara Michelle Taylor ◽  
Evan M. Taylor ◽  
Paul Hartman ◽  
Rebecca Woodard ◽  
Andrea Vaughan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Narrative Inquiry ◽  
English Language ◽  
Teacher Educators ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Inquiry Group ◽  
Grade Levels ◽  
Personal Experiences ◽  
Open Coding ◽  
Critical Pedagogies ◽  
Problematic Situations

Purpose This paper aims to examine how a collaborative narrative inquiry focused on cultivating critical English Language Arts (ELA) pedagogies supported teacher agency, or “the capacity of actors to critically shape their own responsiveness to problematic situations” (Emirbayer and Mische, 1998, p. 971). Design/methodology/approach Situated in a semester-long inquiry group, eight k-16 educators used narrative inquiry processes (Clandinin, 1992) to write and collectively analyze (Ezzy, 2002) stories describing personal experiences that brought them to critical ELA pedagogies. They engaged in three levels of analysis across the eight narratives, including open coding, thematic identification, and identification of how the narrative inquiry impacted their classroom practices. Findings Across the narratives, the authors identify what aspects of the ELA reading, writing and languaging curriculum emerged as problematic; situate themselves in systems of oppression and privilege; and examine how processes of critical narrative inquiry contributed to their capacities to respond to these issues. Research limitations/implications Collaborative narrative inquiry between teachers and teacher educators (Sjostrom and McCoyne, 2017) can be a powerful method to cultivate critical pedagogies. Practical implications Teachers across grade levels, schools, disciplines and backgrounds can collectively organize to cultivate critical ELA pedagogies. Originality/value Although coordinated opportunities to engage in critical inquiry work across k-16 contexts are rare, the authors believe that the knowledge, skills and confidence they gained through this professional inquiry sensitized them to oppressive curricular norms and expanded their repertoires of resistance.

Ervebo (Ebola Zaire Vaccine, Live/rVSVΔG-ZEBOV-GP): The First Licensed Vaccine for the Prevention of Ebola Virus Disease

2020 ◽  
Vol 36 (6) ◽  
pp. 243-250 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher R. Piszczatoski ◽  
John G. Gums
Keyword(s):  
English Language ◽  
Ebola Virus ◽  
Virus Disease ◽  
Data Extraction ◽  
Ebola Virus Disease ◽  
Cochrane Library ◽  
Effective Vaccine ◽  
Fda Approval ◽  
Study Selection ◽  
Disease Relevance

Objective: To review the clinical data regarding the safety and efficacy of the Ervebo (Ebola Zaire vaccine, live/rVSVΔG-ZEBOV-GP) vaccine for the prevention of the Ebola virus disease. Data Sources: A literature search through PubMed, MEDLINE, and Cochrane Library was conducted for clinical trials published between January 2014 and June 2020 in the English language using the keywords Ervebo, rVSVΔG-ZEBOV, rVSVΔG-ZEBOV-GP, Ebola Zaire, and vaccine. Study Selection and Data Extraction: Articles were selected if they were related to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of Ervebo (Ebola Zaire vaccine, live/rVSVΔG-ZEBOV-GP) or provided novel data regarding this entity. Twelve articles noted in the FDA approval were chosen, along with 2 additional articles identified as providing novel information. Data Synthesis: The findings of the review show that Ervebo (Ebola Zaire vaccine, live/rVSVΔG-ZEBOV-GP) is a safe, immunogenic, and likely effective vaccine for the prevention of Ebola virus disease. Relevance to Patient Care and Clinical Practice: Ebola virus disease is highly infectious and often fatal. There have been multiple large outbreaks in the past 5 years, with no licensed treatments or vaccines. An effective vaccine could largely curtail current outbreaks and prevent further ones. Conclusion: The recent FDA approval of Ervebo (Ebola Zaire vaccine, live/rVSVΔG-ZEBOV-GP) offers the first approved vaccine for the prevention of Ebola virus disease. It has been shown to be safe, immunogenic, and likely effective for use in real-world applications for those at risk of contracting the disease.

scholarly journals Semantic Hyperlapse: a Sparse Coding-based and Multi-Importance Approach for First-Person Videos

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michel M. Silva ◽  
Mario F. M. Campos ◽  
Erickson R. Nascimento
Keyword(s):  
Sparse Coding ◽  
Abrupt Change ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Relevant Information ◽  
Visual Features ◽  
First Person ◽  
Video Sharing ◽  
Speed Up ◽  
Level Of Importance ◽  
Visual Results

The availability of low-cost, high-quality personal wearable cameras combined with the unlimited storage capacity of video-sharing websites has evoked a growing interest in First-Person Videos (FPVs). Such videos are usually composed of long-running unedited streams captured by a device attached to the user body, which makes them tedious and visually unpleasant to watch. Consequently, there is a rise in the need to provide quick access to the information therein. To address this need, efforts have been applied to the development of techniques such as Hyperlapse and Semantic Hyperlapse, which aims to create visually pleasant shorter videos and emphasize semantic portions of the video, respectively. The state-of-the-art Semantic Hyperlapse method SSFF, negligees the level of importance of the relevant information, by only evaluating if it is significant or not. Other limitations of SSFF are the number of input parameters, the scalability in the number of visual features to describe the frames, and the abrupt change in the speed-up rate of consecutive video segments. In this dissertation, we propose a parameter-free Sparse Coding based methodology to adaptively fast-forward First-Person Videos, that emphasize the semantic portions applying a multi-importance approach. Experimental evaluations show that the proposed method creates shorter version video retaining more semantic information, with fewer abrupt transitions of speed-up rates, and more stable final videos than the output of SSFF. Visual results and graphical explanation of the methodology can be visualized through the link: https://youtu.be/8uStih8P5-Y.

It Happens in #ChurchToo: Twitter Discourse Regarding Sexual Victimization Within Religious Communities

2020 ◽  
pp. 088626052092236
Author(s):  
Katherine W. Bogen ◽  
Michelle Haikalis ◽  
Richard J. Meza Lopez ◽  
Gabriela López ◽  
Lindsay M. Orchowski
Keyword(s):  
Emotional Support ◽  
Interpersonal Violence ◽  
English Language ◽  
Religious Community ◽  
Religious Communities ◽  
Religious Leaders ◽  
Violence Victimization ◽  
Raising Awareness ◽  
Personal Experiences ◽  
Twitter Users

This study sought to characterize online disclosure of, and reactions to, sexual violence victimization via the Twitter hashtag #ChurchToo, which emerged following the hashtag #MeToo as a call for disclosure of victimization within religious contexts. Thematic content analysis of 1,017 original content, English-language tweets containing the hashtag was conducted. Twitter users who chose to disclose personal experiences of violence often shared specific details about their abuse and described institutional harm they experienced. Institutional harm included negative responses from their religious communities (e.g., minimizing, denying, blaming, and silencing). Among tweets categorized as responses to disclosure, subthemes included both positive (e.g., raising awareness, emotional support) and negative (e.g., distracting and egocentric) reactions. The commentary on Twitter reflected a concerted desire to establish accountability for perpetrators of interpersonal violence within religious communities. These data highlight the importance of providing education to religious communities on how to best support and respond to individuals who experience victimization perpetrated by religious leaders or another member of the religious community.

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