45 research outputs found

    A Dip Into a Deep Well: Online Political Advertisements, Valence, and European Electoral Campaigning

    Full text link
    Online political advertisements have become an important element in electoral campaigning throughout the world. At the same time, concepts such as disinformation and manipulation have emerged as a global concern. Although these concepts are distinct from online political ads and data-driven electoral campaigning, they tend to share a similar trait related to valence, the intrinsic attractiveness or averseness of a message. Given this background, the paper examines online political ads by using a dataset collected from Google's transparency reports. The examination is framed to the mid-2019 situation in Europe, including the European Parliament elections in particular. According to the results based on sentiment analysis of the textual ads displayed via Google's advertisement machinery, (i) most of the political ads have expressed positive sentiments, although these vary greatly between (ii) European countries as well as across (iii) European political parties. In addition to these results, the paper contributes to the timely discussion about data-driven electoral campaigning and its relation to politics and democracy

    The Discursive Denial of Racism by Finnish Populist Radical Right Politicians Accused of Anti-Muslim Hate-Speech

    Get PDF
    This chapter explores Finnish populist radical right politicians’ discursive denials of racism against Muslims following the 2015 European “refugee crisis”. The critical discursive psychological analysis of the politicians’ Facebook accounts identifies four ways in which racism was denied: first, through constructing the statements as mere displays of undisputable facts and common-sense; second, through personal narratives and ontological gerrymandering that acted as ‘proof’ of the politician’s non-racist disposition; third, through transferring the discussion from issues about race to concern matters of cultural threats; and, fourth, through reversing racism to the politicians’ political antagonists. The analyses show that in their discursive denial of racist hate-speech against Muslims, the Finnish politicians relied more on cultural arguments than welfare-protectionist ones. That is, the denials were primarily warranted through nostalgic references to Finnish national identity, people and values, and rhetorical promises that the hope of saving these rests on resisting the cultural threat posed by Islam.Peer reviewe

    Perceptions of the appropriate response to norm violation in 57 societies

    Get PDF
    Norm enforcement may be important for resolving conflicts and promoting cooperation. However, little is known about how preferred responses to norm violations vary across cultures and across domains. In a preregistered study of 57 countries (using convenience samples of 22,863 students and non-students), we measured perceptions of the appropriateness of various responses to a violation of a cooperative norm and to atypical social behaviors. Our findings highlight both cultural universals and cultural variation. We find a universal negative relation between appropriateness ratings of norm violations and appropriateness ratings of responses in the form of confrontation, social ostracism and gossip. Moreover, we find the country variation in the appropriateness of sanctions to be consistent across different norm violations but not across different sanctions. Specifically, in those countries where use of physical confrontation and social ostracism is rated as less appropriate, gossip is rated as more appropriate.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

    A protein-truncating R179X variant in RNF186 confers protection against ulcerative colitis

    Get PDF
    Protein-truncating variants protective against human disease provide in vivo validation of therapeutic targets. Here we used targeted sequencing to conduct a search for protein-truncating variants conferring protection against inflammatory bowel disease exploiting knowledge of common variants associated with the same disease. Through replication genotyping and imputation we found that a predicted protein-truncating variant (rs36095412, p.R179X, genotyped in 11,148 ulcerative colitis patients and 295,446 controls, MAF = up to 0.78%) in RNF186, a single-exon ring finger E3 ligase with strong colonic expression, protects against ulcerative colitis (overall P = 6.89 x 10(-7), odds ratio = 0.30). We further demonstrate that the truncated protein exhibits reduced expression and altered subcellular localization, suggesting the protective mechanism may reside in the loss of an interaction or function via mislocalization and/or loss of an essential transmembrane domain.Peer reviewe

    Prevalence, associated factors and outcomes of pressure injuries in adult intensive care unit patients: the DecubICUs study

    Get PDF
    Funder: European Society of Intensive Care Medicine; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100013347Funder: Flemish Society for Critical Care NursesAbstract: Purpose: Intensive care unit (ICU) patients are particularly susceptible to developing pressure injuries. Epidemiologic data is however unavailable. We aimed to provide an international picture of the extent of pressure injuries and factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries in adult ICU patients. Methods: International 1-day point-prevalence study; follow-up for outcome assessment until hospital discharge (maximum 12 weeks). Factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injury and hospital mortality were assessed by generalised linear mixed-effects regression analysis. Results: Data from 13,254 patients in 1117 ICUs (90 countries) revealed 6747 pressure injuries; 3997 (59.2%) were ICU-acquired. Overall prevalence was 26.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] 25.9–27.3). ICU-acquired prevalence was 16.2% (95% CI 15.6–16.8). Sacrum (37%) and heels (19.5%) were most affected. Factors independently associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries were older age, male sex, being underweight, emergency surgery, higher Simplified Acute Physiology Score II, Braden score 3 days, comorbidities (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, immunodeficiency), organ support (renal replacement, mechanical ventilation on ICU admission), and being in a low or lower-middle income-economy. Gradually increasing associations with mortality were identified for increasing severity of pressure injury: stage I (odds ratio [OR] 1.5; 95% CI 1.2–1.8), stage II (OR 1.6; 95% CI 1.4–1.9), and stage III or worse (OR 2.8; 95% CI 2.3–3.3). Conclusion: Pressure injuries are common in adult ICU patients. ICU-acquired pressure injuries are associated with mainly intrinsic factors and mortality. Optimal care standards, increased awareness, appropriate resource allocation, and further research into optimal prevention are pivotal to tackle this important patient safety threat

    The investigation and recording of all the types of structural material deterioration of the theater of Ancient Sikyon

    No full text
    206 σ.Η Αρχαία Σικυώνα, λίκνο των τεχνών της Αρχαίας Ελλάδας, η οποία και είχε στο πέρασμα του χρόνου ονομασθεί Ελλάς, βρίσκεται δεκαοκτώ χιλιόμετρα βορειοδυτικά της Κορίνθου. Στον τόπο αυτό γεννήθηκε η αρχαία τραγωδία και έλαβε χώρα για πρώτη φορά στο Αρχαίο Θέατρο. Η Διερεύνηση και η καταγραφή των τύπων φθοράς του δομικού υλικού του Αρχαίου Θεάτρου της Αρχαίας Σικυώνος και η ταυτοποίησή τους με το γλωσσάρι των τύπων φθοράς που απαντώνται στα μνημεία της Διεθνούς Επιστημονικής Επιτροπής για το Λίθο (ICOMOS), το οποίο έγινε προσπαθεια να μεταφραστεί για πρώτη φορά στα Ελληνικά, αποτέλεσε το αντικείμενο μελέτης της παρούσας διπλωματικής εργασίας. Η μακροσκοπική παρατήρηση σύμφωνα με την οποία έγινε η διάγνωση της κατάστασης του μνημείου ήταν δυσχερής λόγω της εκτεταμένης διάβρωσης του. Οι σημαντικότεροι τύποι φθοράς, οι οποίοι συναντώνται σε μεγάλο βαθμό στο Αρχαίο Θέατρο, σύμφωνα με το εικονογραφημένο γλωσσάρι του icomos, είναι οι ακόλουθοι: • Διάφοροι τύποι Ρωγμών (κυρίως Θραύση και Διαχωρισμός), στο Αποστραγγιστικό σύστημα και στη Σκηνή. • Διάσπαση υλικού παρατηρήθηκε στις Προεδρίες, επίσης • Μικρορωγμές εντοπίστηκαν στην περιοχή των Προεδριών. • Βελονισμός, σε λίθους της Σκηνής. • Διαφορική Διάβρωση, στην περιοχή των εδωλίων. • Αποφλοίωση επιχρίσματος, σε λίθους του περιβάλλοντα χώρου του μνημείου. • Κυψελοειδής Διάβρωση, στο εσωτερικό των διόδων. • Μηχανική Βλάβη, σε μέρος της μία διόδου που οφείλεται σε ανθρωπογενή παράγοντα (πιθανώς για την στερέωση κάποιου υποστηλώματος). • Θρυμματισμός σε μορφή χαλικιού, σε μέρη που υποβάλλονται σε μεγάλα φορτία της κατασκευής, εντοπίστηκε τόσο στην Ανατολική όσο και τη Δυτική δίοδο. • Μαύρη κρούστα από επικαθήσεις αιθάλης και υδρογοναθράκων εντοπίστηκε στο μεγαλύτερο μέρος του εσωτερικού τμήματος της Ανατολική διόδου. • (Κοκκώδης) Αποσάθρωση, επιφανειών των λίθων του περιβάλλοντα χώρου. • Ελλειπή κομμάτια, προυπάρχοντος λίθινου τμήματος σε αρκετές από τις προεδρίες. • Διάτρηση λίθων από έντομα, πτηνά και λιθοφάγους οργανισμούς, σε λίθους που βρίσκονται πίσω από την ορχήστρα καθώς και στην εσωτερική πλευρά των διόδων σε προχωρημένο στάδιο. • Βιολογική αποίκιση – Βιοδιάβρωση – ανάπτυξη βιολογικών κρουστών : από άλγη, βρύα και λειχήνες (μικροπανίδα) καθώς και από φωλιές πτηνών και εντόμων. Εντοπίζεται επίσης ανώτερη χλωρίδα. Έντονη βλάστηση, φυτά και κορμοί δένδρων έχουν ενσωματωθεί στο μνημείο. Επιπλέον, πρέπει να πραγματοποιηθεί έρευνα για τη διερεύνηση των τύπων φθοράς με την εφαρμογή μη καταστρεπτικών μεθόδων (Θερμογραφία Υπερύθρου, Υπερηχοσκόπηση, Μικροσκοπία Οπτικων Ινών, Γεωραντάρ) για την χαρτογράφηση της φθορας του συνόλου του μνημείου. Τέλος, η πλήρης ανασκαφή του Θεάτρου θα μετριάσει τη διάβρωση που συντελείται εις βάρος του, θα αποκαλύψει το μέγεθός της και θα καταστήσει ικανή την επέμβαση συντήρησης και αποκατάστασης του μνημείου, ώστε να μην στερείται εφ’εξής της παλαιότερης υψηλής αισθητικής που το διέκρινε ως ένα από τα μεγαλύτερα Θέατρα, ολόκληρης της Πελοποννήσου.Ancient Sicyon, which has been under the name Hellas through the ages and is characterized as the cradle of arts is placed eighteen kilometers northwest of Corinth. There is the place where tragedy was formed and performed at this Theatre. The investigation and recording of all the types of structural material deterioration of the ancient theater of Ancient Sikyon and their identification with the glossary on stone deterioration patterns, that found in the monuments, of the International Scientific Committee for Stone (ICOMOS), which attempted to be translated for the first time in Greek, is the subject of the present diplomatic thesis. The macroscopic observation according to which was held the diagnosis of the monument’s condition was difficult due to extensive erosion that take place. The main deterioration patterns which occur widely at the Ancient Theatre, according to the illustrated glossary of icomos, are: • Different forms of Crack (mostly splitting and fracture), identified especially in drainage system and at the Scene. • Material fragmentation was observed in the Presidencies also • Microkarst developed on the Presidencies. • Pitting developing on stones of the Scene. • Differential erosion of the seats. • Peeling of a surface layer of some stones that are at the surroundings of the monument. • Alveolization of the diodes’ interior. • Mechanical damage on a side of a diode (passage), due to anthropogenic factors (probably created to fix a pillar, which was later removed). • Chipping, due to overload on the structure was detected both in East and West passage (diode). • Black crust of smoke (soot) and hydrocarbon deposits found in most of the internal portion of the eastern passage. • Granular disintegration, occurs in stone surfaces of the surrounding area. • Missing parts of pre-existing stone parts in several of the Presidencies. • Perforation by insects, birds and lithophagous organisms on stones behind the orchestra and the inner side of the diode in an advanced stage. • Biological colonization – biological corrosion - development of biological crusts: algae, mosses and lichens (microfauna) as well as birds’ and insects’ nests. Also found higher plants. Intense vegetation, plants and tree trunks have been incorporated in the monument. Additional research should be done to investigate the types of decay by applying non-destructive techniques (NDT) such as infrared(IR) thermography, Ultrasonics (Standard Practice for Measuring Ultrasonic Velocity in Materials), Fiber Optic Microscopy(FOM) and Surface Ground Penetrating to map the total decay of the monument. Finally, research shall be performed in order to identify the quarry from which the structural material was taken. The complete excavation of the Theatre will mitigate the corrosion which is happening, will reveal the degree of the corrosion, and will make clear that the preservation and conservation of the monument is needed in order to give back to the monument its lost high esthetics that has placed it among the best Theatre of the whole Peloponnesus.Αικατερίνη Ι. Σακκ
    corecore