A Service-Oriented Foundation for Big Data

This paper provides a service-oriented foundation for big data. The foundation has two parts. Part 1 reveals 10 big characteristics of big data. Part 2 presents a service-oriented framework for big data. The framework has fundamental, technological, and socio-economic levels. The fundamental level has four big fundamental characteristics of big data: big volume, big velocity, big variety, and big veracity. The technological level consists of three big technological characteristics of big data: Big intelligence, big analytics, big infrastructure. The socioeconomic level has three big socioeconomic characteristics of big data: big service, big value, and big market. The article looks at each level of the proposed framework from a service-oriented perspective. The multi-level framework will help organizations and researchers understand how the 10 big characteristics relate to big opportunities, big challenges, and big impacts arising from big data. The proposed approach in this paper might facilitate the research and development of big data, big data analytics, business intelligence, and business analytics.

Water tank and swimming pool detection based on remote sensing and deep learning: Relationship with socioeconomic level and applications in dengue control

Studies have shown that areas with lower socioeconomic standings are often more vulnerable to dengue and similar deadly diseases that can be spread through mosquitoes. This study aims to detect water tanks installed on rooftops and swimming pools in digital images to identify and classify areas based on the socioeconomic index, in order to assist public health programs in the control of diseases linked to the Aedes aegypti mosquito. This study covers four regions of Campinas, São Paulo, characterized by different socioeconomic contexts. With mosaics of images obtained by a 12.1 MP Canon PowerShot S100 (5.2 mm focal length) carried by unmanned aerial vehicles, we developed deep learning algorithms in the scope of computer vision for the detection of water tanks and swimming pools. An object detection model, which was initially created for areas of Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, was enhanced using the transfer learning technique, and allowed us to detect objects in Campinas with fewer samples and more efficiency. With the detection of objects in digital images, the proportions of objects per square kilometer for each region studied were estimated by adopting a Chi-square distribution model. Thus, we found that regions with low socioeconomic status had more exposed water tanks, while regions with high socioeconomic levels had more exposed pools. Using deep learning approaches, we created a useful tool for Ae. aegypti control programs to utilize and direct disease prevention efforts. Therefore, we concluded that it is possible to detect objects directly related to the socioeconomic level of a given region from digital images, which encourages the practicality of this approach for studies aimed towards public health.

Peer Effects on First-Year University Students’ Results: The Role of Classmates’ Academic Performance and Socioeconomic Status

Peer effects in the context of higher education have lately received increased attention. Higher diversity in the composition of new cohorts of students, generated mainly in countries where public and institutional policies have enabled access to students from low socioeconomic conditions and races who unusually attend postsecondary education, make these effects even more relevant. This research estimates and analyzes the effect of peers’ academic performance and course composition by socioeconomic origin on students’ academic achievement at a private Colombian university between 2008 and 2019. The estimates, by Ordinary Least Squares and Multilevel models, support the existence of significant peer effects. There was a positive effect of peers’ performance on Calculus I academic results, principally of medium and high-performance peers, and a null effect of the socioeconomic level in Calculus I, but a significant effect in Communication Skills I, although with a limited impact. By introducing heterogeneities, it is evident that students perceived a greater benefit from performance improvements from peers who are in the same performance category or socioeconomic level. These results provide evidence of the existence, direction, and magnitude of peer effects in Colombian higher education. Additionally, they suggest that the most relevant characteristic of classmates is their academic performance and not their socioeconomic origin.

Analysis of Time Use Surveys Using CO-STATIS: A Multiway Data Analysis of Gender Inequalities in Time Use in Colombia

The aim of this article was to study 23 time use activities measured in the two latest Colombian National Time Use Surveys, taken in 2013 (with 119,899 participants over the age of 10) and in 2017 (with a sample of 122,620 participants), to identify similarities and differences between the years of the survey by gender, age group, and socioeconomic level. The study’s results were obtained using the CO-STATIS multiway multivariate data analysis technique, which is comprised of two X-STATIS analyses and co-inertia analysis. The results confirm the existence of gender issues related to time use in Colombia, which are associated with gender stereotypes that link women to unpaid work and home care, especially in low socioeconomic levels, where women face limitations in terms of the time available to earn their own income. Additionally, differences were found by socioeconomic level, where Colombians of high socioeconomic status in all age groups are able to devote more time to leisure and recreational activities.

Role of Social Media in Socioeconomic Development: Case of Facebook

To study the role of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) on countries’ socioeconomic development, the paper investigates the case of Facebook penetration on improving their standing as measured via GNI per capita PPP (Gross National Income per capita based on purchasing power parity). We use four macro factors categories (political, economic, demographic, and technological) in addition to Facebook penetration per capita in order to measure the potential influence of various factors on the socioeconomic level of countries. While the analyses of ICT effect on development has been the focus of many papers in the past, the specific analysis of social media is scarce. Compared to previous studies investigating social media role, we use a large dataset covering all classes of countries and examine holistically many types of determinants using different models. In addition, we distinguish our paper using the economic classification of countries according to the World Bank. Our study indicates that Facebook penetration has a significant positive role on the socioeconomic level of countries, but such role varies depending on the countries’ classification level. Besides, there is a decreasing marginal effect showing the importance for policy makers to assess the complex dynamic behind the characteristic of each country.

Fourth Grade Primary School Students’ Critical Writing Skill Levels

In this study, it was aimed to determine the critical writing skill levels of fourth grade Primary School students. This study is a quantitative research and was designed in a scanning pattern. The study group of the research consists of 175 students attending in the fourth grade of three different Primary Schools, which were determined by the purposive sampling method, by taking into account their gender and socioeconomic status. The research data were obtained as a result of the evaluation of the critical writings written by the students in the study group with using the critical writing rubric. The obtained data were presented as descriptive statistics (frequency, min. and max. values, arithmetic mean, standard deviation) with the help of statistical program, and analyzed with independent samples t-test and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). As a result of the research, it was determined that the students’ scores on critical writing skills were generally at a low level. In general, students are insufficient in the dimensions of planning, presenting evidence and persuading, questioning, and multidimensional thinking of critical writing; fluency and clarity and shape/form dimensions were found to be sufficient. In addition, it was determined that student achievements differed significantly according to socioeconomic level (in favor of high socioeconomic level) and gender (in favor of female students).

Risk factors and impact of stigma on psychiatric patients in Sohag

Background Stigma among psychiatric patients is pervasive all over the world. Our aim in this study was to investigate risk factors for stigma related to psychiatric disorders and to demonstrate the major consequences of mental stigma for patients who experience mental illness. We conducted a cross-sectional study and applied a stigma scale to 573 patients with psychiatric disorders who attended our outpatient psychiatry clinic. Participants were divided into two groups, group I (no.262) with low stigma score and group II (no.311) with high stigma score. The two groups were compared in term of socio-demographic characteristics (age, gender, level of education, residency, marital status, employment and socioeconomic level), factors related to the psychiatric disorder (duration of illness, number of psychiatric hospital admission and diagnosis) and impact of psychiatric illness (follow-up visits, adherence to medications and suicidal thoughts or attempts). Results The mean age of patients with high stigma score (group II) was 29 ± 6 years. High stigma score was more common in females (53.7%), illiterate (11.9%), living in rural areas (58.2%), single (22.83%), unemployed (44.37%) and low socioeconomic class (59.49%). Patients with a high stigma score showed longer duration of psychiatric disorder (43 ± 8 months), more frequent number of psychiatric hospital admission (4.3 ± 0.5) and schizophrenia ((11.25%) and other psychotic disorders (6.49%) were common diagnoses. Patients with a high stigma score show poor adherence to medication (47.91%) and follow-up (44.05%) and a high frequency of suicidal ideation or attempt (47.91%). Significant risk factors predicting high mental stigma were level of education (explaining about 23% of the risk, P = 0.03), duration of mental illness (explaining about 25% of the risk, P = 0.019), number of hospital admissions (explaining about 22.7% of the risk, P = 0.032), diagnosis of mental illness (explaining about 27.7% of the risk, P = 0.01). Conclusion Mental stigma is more prevalent among young aged individuals, females, single, unemployed, living in rural areas and those with lower educational and socioeconomic level. Mental stigma has a parallel correlation with psychiatric disorder duration, number of psychiatric hospital admissions, as well as diagnosis of psychotic disorder. The stigma of mental illness from the viewpoint of the patient may lead to delaying the access to care as well as poor adherence to medications and follow-up. Anti-stigma measures can contribute to diminishing the psychiatric illness effect.

Consequences of Quarantine During the COVID-19 Pandemic on Food Intake and Body Weight: A Systematic Review

Background: Due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, some authorities have implemented measures to control the spread of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), such as quarantine. The aim of this systematic review was to summarize the results of the studies that investigated changes in eating habits, food intake, and body weight during the COVID-19 quarantine. Methods: This review followed the recommendations of the PRISMA protocol and has registration in the PROSPERO under number CRD42020212491. Searches used databases PubMed, Medline, Scielo, and Lilacs. Two authors conducted the selection process blindly and independently using the Rayyan software (QCRI). Of 5,248 papers, we included 28 studies. Results: Most of the included studies in this review presented data on changes in food intake (n = 22). These changes were especially towards the adoption of unhealthy eating habits such as an increase in the consumption of snacks and sweets; and a decrease in the intake of vegetables, fruits, fish, and dairy products (n = 21). Concerning body weight, the main change was towards weight gain (1.5 to 4.5 kg), which was positively associated with age (elderly); socioeconomic level (average socioeconomic level); increase of the intake of snacks, sweets, fried foods, and fast foods; and low consumption of vegetables. Besides, weight gain was inversely associated with physical activity and positively associated with sedentary time (n = 14).Conclusion: In this sense, the summarized evidence points to a change in eating habits, food intake, and body weight, as well as a relevant association between unhealthy eating choices and weight gain during quarantine. The COVID-19 quarantine caused an interruption in the routine of daily life, which generated an impact on mental health, 3 eating habits, and physical activity. This review showed that during the quarantine some individuals changed their eating habits, mainly towards the adoption of unhealthy habits and gained weight.

Can Mother's Depression Affect Infant's Development?

Background: The mental state of the mother is one of the factors influencing the development of infants. Besides, the quality of the child's relationship with her/his parent is very important in childhood development. Objectives: This study aimed at investigating the relationship between the mother's depression and developmental disorders in infants. Methods: This cross-sectional study utilized a sample size of 311 subjects. The study population included all infants and their mothers who were referred to health centers of the city of Hamadan, Iran, to receive the usual one-year care. Mothers’ depression was assessed with the second edition of the Beck Depression Inventory, and children’s developmental disabilities were assessed with one-year Ages and Stages Questionnaire. Results: The mean age of mothers in this study was 29.7 ± 5.6. The prevalence of developmental disorders in infants was 3.5%. This study showed that mothers' depression had no significant relationship with any of the developmental domains in infants. None of the developmental domains in infants were related to the mother's occupation and education. However, the gross motor skills (P-value: 0.007) and problem-solving skills (P-value: 0.031) were significantly related to the socioeconomic level, and communication (P-value: 0.034), and personal-social skills (P-value: 0.026) of the infant were directly related to the mother's age. Conclusions: Mother's depression is not related to the infant's developmental disorders. There is a relationship between the socioeconomic level of the family and gross motor and problem-solving skills of the infant. The mother’s age is directly related to communication and personal-social skills of the infant.