Suchergebnisse

AbstractDiachronic stylistic changes in music are to a large extent affected by composers' different choices, for example regarding the usage of tones, intervals, and harmonies. Analyzing the tonal content of pieces of music and observing them over time is thus informative about large-scale historical changes. In this study, we employ a computational model that formalizes music-theoretic conceptualizations of tonal space, and use it to infer the most likely interval distributions for pieces in a large corpus of music, represented as so-called 'bags of tonal pitch classes'. Our results show that tonal interval relations become increasingly complex, that the interval of the perfect fifth dominates compositions for centuries, and that one can observe a stark increase in the usage of major and minor thirds during the 19th century, which coincides with the emergence of extended tonality. In complementing prior research on the historical evolution of tonality, our study thus demonstrates how example-based music theory can be informed by quantitative analyses of large corpora and computational models.

Media framing facilitates people's understanding of a threat and affects one's emotional reaction. It therefore plays a vital role in both individual and societal responses to a public health crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Using a combination of conceptual metaphor analysis and qualitative frame analysis, this article examines how three Austrian newspapers framed the initial national outbreak of COVID-19 in March 2020. The results show that at that early stage, media coverage was primarily concerned with the national government's political actions to contain the disease. Only a few articles framed the situation in terms of personal experiences and possible economic or social consequences. As has been the case in research reporting on other health crises, metaphors of war, journeys, and natural disasters were used to conceptualize the coronavirus pandemic. Yet, overall, the tone remained neutral, as the media framing was clearly aimed at passing on information and conveying a sense of urgency while at the same time trying to avoid scare tactics.

O objetivo deste artigo é analisar a sustentabilidade energética, econômico-financeira e operacional da implantação de secador térmico em estação de tratamento de esgoto de Curitiba. A metodologia se baseou na estimativa de geração de biogás, produção lodo e energia disponível, e avaliação de 3 alternativas (ou cenários): 1) armazenar o biogás nos meses em que a produção excede a demanda; 2) reduzir o teor de ST no lodo após o secador térmico; 3) complementar a energia do biogás com a energia liberada na combustão do lodo seco. Como resultado: obteve-se 40,1% de ST (cenário 1); alternativa 2) atende a demanda do equipamento (36,1 MWh) e fornece energia excedente (14,2 MWh). As duas alternativas garantem sustentabilidade energética. O lodo seco pode ser comercializado (R$ 165,00 ton-1). Como conclusão: a recuperação de biogás e lodo gera energia excedente (2.672,6% no processamento e 200% na armazenagem), reduz 85% da quantidade de lodo sem queimador e 96% com queimador. O secador térmico também apresenta vantagens operacionais.

Around 1.3 billion tons of food are thrown away every year in the world, and it is estimated that 60 kg/per capita are wasted in Brazil. As a result, the UN's 2030 schedule includes among the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), number 12, which deals with responsible consumption and production, involving the social, environmental, economic and institutional dimensions. By using food in its entirety and/or its fractions (peels, seeds, stalks and leaves), there is a reduction in waste, environmental impacts and food production costs. Pumpkin seeds are nutritionally rich and can be used in many different applications, including as flour. Pumpkin Seed Flour (PSF), produced from Cucurbita maxima L., was evaluated for yield, physical, physicochemical and chemical characteristics. The flour yield was 93.9%, the water absorption index confirmed the low presence of starch and the solubility index confirmed the presence of soluble solids. In composition, it presented a high percentage of fibers, lipids and proteins, characteristic of oilseeds and legumes. FSA does not contain gluten and can nutritionally enhance foods for celiac patients.

AbstractHow public organizations respond to scandals is important as it affects their reputation and legitimacy. Yet very little research has been conducted on this topic. Drawing on insights from the literature on corporate reputation management, this article questions how effectively the European Commission has responded to recent scandals. It does this by creating an original analytical framework composed of five indicators: speed of response; openness of response; application of relevant rules; tone of response; and engagement with reform. These indicators are then used to evaluate two cases of Commission scandal: the first, a cash-for-influence case involving a Commissioner from a small Member State; and the second, concerning a former Commission President. While no clear pattern emerges across the two cases, the article provides evidence of a mix of good practice and room for improvement in the Commission's handling of scandals. The article also argues that even in the most bureaucratic of public organizations the management of scandals involves not only rule-following, but also subjective judgements by organizational leaders.

Abstract This study aimed to measure yield gaps and the potential gains in production and revenue from mitigating these gaps for the four main food crops in Brazil and worldwide (rice, maize, soybean, and wheat). Based on the concepts of potential yield, observed yield, and yield gap, and data from the 2017 Brazilian Agricultural Census, a parameter for the potential yield of each crop was defined at the microregional level, and yield gaps and potential gains in production and revenue resulting from reducing these gaps were measured. The results showed that reducing yield gaps in Brazil for the analyzed crops may lead to an expansion in supply of these food products by almost 10% of the volume achieved in 2017, or the equivalent of 19 million tons. The greatest potential gains in yield and production were found for maize, 13.2%, valued at about US$ 1.7 billion (at 2017 prices). Soybean showed the lowest potential for gains in percentage terms (5.5%), but these gains would represent US$ 1.8 billion, the highest value among the crops analyzed.

AbstractCommunicated Narrative Sense‐Making (CNSM) theory was utilized to consider the characteristics of stories of sibling death 5 years or more after the loss and to investigate the association between sharing these stories and a bereaved sibling's well‐being. Analysis of 174 narratives revealed that a neutral affective tone was predominant in storytelling and that participant overall mood emerged as a more significant predictor of well‐being than the affective content of the story. Cause of death, age at death, short‐ and long‐term impacts, and continuing bonds with sibling were the main themes included in sibling death stories, with an emphasis on factual content. The participants' reported salience of six CNSM perspective‐taking behaviors of listeners while telling the death story to others suggests that while all six behaviors were important to their decision to share their story, being offered the freedom to tell the story and having positive, attentive behaviors from listeners were the most salient. Based on these findings, contributions to CNSM translational interventions for bereaved siblings are discussed.

In Canada, during the pandemic, young adults (18–29 year-olds) represented one of the least-vaccinated age groups against COVID-19. These low vaccination rates, and high infection rates, left young people vulnerable to severe infections and created a risk for transmission to immunocompromised populations. Given young adults' unique characteristics, to encourage vaccination among this demographic, public health and government officials must adopt an audience-centred approach to communication. We sought to understand if the vaccine messages from 8 Canadian federal government Instagram accounts met the needs of young adults based two frameworks: Guiding Principles for Crisis Communication (compassion and empathy, conversational tone, transparency, clarity, call to action and correction of misinformation), and the 5C Model for Vaccine Hesitancy (confidence, complacency, constraints, collective responsibility, and risk calculation). Across 159 posts that mentioned COVID-19 vaccines, there was limited incorporation of best practices, suggesting the government's communication strategy did not meet the needs of young people.

The water and wastewater services, usually provided in a monopoly regime, do not offer the operators natural incentives toward efficiency and innovation. Therefore the main aim of the regulatory institutions is to stimulate a competitive environment. The contribution measures technical efficiency of 21 water and waste water companies in the Czech Repulic. For the period 2018–2020, the two-stage slacked-based model (SBM) by Kaoru Tone and Miki Tsutsui (2009) was applied. The results of this study are heterogeneous. Only one company out of 21 can be identified as an overall technically efficient unit during all three analyzed years. It is Vodohospodárská společnost Olomouc (VSO) followed by Pražské vodovody a kanalizace (PVK) that is very close to full technical efficiency. Our results therefore reveal a strong potential for the decrease of ineficiency of the water sector in the Czech Republic. Another important outcome is the fact that regulation of the water industry in the Czech Republic is highly fragmented.

Abstract
To better understand QAnon's anti-immigration rhetoric, the study conducted a meta-discursive analysis of one of the group's active Telegram channels by drawing on Hyland's (2005) model of interaction. Specifically, engagement markers in their immigration-related discourse were analyzed to see how they contribute to endorsing the group's macro conspiratorial arguments. The results illustrate a complex rhetorical manipulation and nearly unanimous expression of hate toward immigrants, with the use of 'directives' and 'questions' being the most prevalent metadiscursive markers. The former suggests that the commenters were more assertive or commanding in their tone, while the latter located within rhetorical persuasion, aimed at stimulating negative attitude toward immigrants. Conversely, a low frequency of the 'shared knowledge' markers indicates a lack of interest to establish credibility and constructive dialogue with the audience. The study aimed to unpack the nature of anti-immigration extremist discourse on social media, and its potential to incite violence among public.

Social media has transformed electoral politics and allows campaigns to micro-target supporters. However, little is known about the effectiveness of political ads on social media, particularly those that appeal for money. We study the fundraising effects of ad campaigns sponsored by a well-funded Super PAC, The Lincoln Project. Our model includes 100s of millions of ad impressions targeting Facebook users in the 50 states, plus D.C., over 308 days in 2020. We coded ads for tone and fundraising appeals and find that the most effective ads are those that directly appeal for money, while ads that use negativity are associated with a small, positive effect. Ads that include both negativity and fundraising appeals are associated with the most money: each impression yields an additional $0.52 in itemized donations (campaign contributions). The results confirm what previous research on campaign giving has found— people tend to give money to campaigns when they are asked to—and show how digital advertising influences political behavior.

Abstract
In the linguistic literature on the languages of ethnic Lao in Thailand, labels such as "Lao" or "Lao Wiang" are often used to identify local dialects as Lao varieties. This study examines patterns of tonal splits and mergers in the linguistic varieties spoken by the so-called "Lao" ethnic groups in Chachoengsao Province, Thailand, to re-identify and reclassify the so called "Lao" languages collected from 124 participants at 50 locations. This study used the tone box concept (Gedney 1972) as a basic tool to analyse tonal patterns. The results indicate that the "Lao" ethnic languages of Chachoengsao can be classified into three main groups, namely Lao, Phuan and Hua Phan Tai Nuea. While the Lao varieties show typical tonal patterns of Lao dialects (B≠DL, C1=DL123 and/or C234=DL4), the other two groups show none of the patterns. The findings show that the patterns of tonal development labels are better criteria than ethnic labels in the identification of Lao groups.

This article provides a methodologically novel, large-scale proof of historical bias against Palestine in a newspaper of international importance – The New York Times (NYT) – during the First and Second Palestinian Intifadas. Using state-of-the-art natural language processing toolkits as well as a regression model with over 90 percent accuracy based on a carefully validated word bank, the author analyzes over 33,000 NYT articles for (1) their use of active/passive voice, and (2) the objectivity, tone, and violent sentiment of the language used. She follows up her quantitative analysis with a qualitative validation step, analyzing biased articles in each period. In conjunction with historical context, the article shows that anti-Palestinian bias persisted disproportionately in the NYT during both periods and, in fact, worsened from the First Intifada to the Second. This work builds on a history of qualitative research on anti-Palestinian bias in the US media and attempts to provide a methodological contribution that encourages conversation between quantitative and qualitative metrics of bias.

In a test range, a Flight Termination System (FTS) plays a prominent role in protecting range and flight personnel along with surrounding area population in case the flight vehicle is out of its trajectory range and possesses a threat to surrounding. An efficient FTS should posses high Signal to Noise Ratio, link robustness to ensure reliable communication between ground transmitting and onboard receiving systems and should be immune to interference. This article presents a detailed report on the requirement and features of FTS & technologies used in it. Techniques such as tone based, code based and Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) are considered. Analysis of RF spectrum, gain and noise figure measurement and channel power are presented. Advanced methods like Enhanced Flight Termination System (EFTS) and Autonomous Flight Termination System (AFTS) are considered which show supportable and upgradable technologies, better range understanding, unique vehicle id & higher data rate. AFTS being self-reliant provides superior performance in terms of GPS, launch responsiveness, multiple flight vehicle control and auto pilot.

AbstractIt could be easy to believe that an emergency impacts us all the same way and that gender, skin tone, ability and religion don't matter when it comes to emergency plans. But this is simply not true. Planning and response to disruptive events needs to consider the individual needs and vulnerabilities of the people involved which can be exacerbated due to gender, race, ethnicity, age, social class and disability. The COVID‐19 pandemic has brought the stark reality of vulnerability and disproportionality into focus, in planning for and responding to major incidents and emergencies. In recognition of this, London's NHS emergency preparedness, resilience and response (EPRR) community decided to investigate our own diversity to understand whether we represent Londoners and to use our findings to inform future NHS preparedness for major incidents and emergencies. This paper describes the first part: understanding our own diversity. Armed with this knowledge, we will now strive to be more inclusive of all Londoners in our planning.