TRUMP, BOLSONARO, AND THE FRAMING OF THE COVID-19 CRISIS

In the aftermath of the global COVID-19 crisis, whereas many world leaders enacted swift lockdown orders and robust testing regimes to preserve public health and to speed up economic recovery, Donald Trump in the United States and Jair Bolsonaro in Brazil responded to outbreaks by publicly downplaying the significance of the crisis and argued that overly restrictive health measures would create too sizable an economic risk. These two presidents have done much to weaken democracy and trust in government. In this article, we examine the extent to which two institutions in each country––federalism and the party system––impacted the ways in which they framed the COVID-19 crisis and policy responses to it in 2020, especially during the first months of the pandemic. Our evidence suggests that each of these institutions provided opportunities for both leaders to reconstruct public understandings of the crisis while deflecting blame for negative public-health outcomes.

Enhancing 3D Models with Urban Information: A Case Study Involving Local Authorities and Property Professionals in New Zealand: Quantifying the Benefit of 3D over Alternative 2D systems

<p>This thesis aimed to reach two principal outcomes: To develop a robust testing methodology that allowed a detailed and fair comparative analysis of the benefit, or otherwise, of 3D methods of information interrogation over alternative 2D methods; and to test the ability for a single model to have multiple user-group functionality. The research used the examples of two user-groups within the urban planning industry and their typical decision making processes. A robust testing methodology was developed to investigate the usefulness of 3D in a detailed and focused manner involving individual end-users as participants in a case study. The development of this efficient process assisted the study in moving past the initial visual impact of the models. The method employed a combination of three research instruments: A focus group formed the base from which an urban planning task, questionnaire and guided discussion investigated evidence for the benefit or otherwise of 3D using both quantitative and subjective measures. Two widely disparate user-groups were selected to further test the functionality of a resource to meet the needs of multiple users: city council urban designers and property developers. The research revealed that 3D methods of information visualisation allow users to develop a greater spatial awareness, increasing their understanding of information, when compared to alternative 2D methods. While evidence for this benefit was established using both quantitative and subjective methods, the research proved that this increased understanding does not necessarily lead to quicker decisions as the 2D group completed the task faster and more accurately than the 3D group. The ability for a single model to have multiple user-group functionality was confirmed as each of two disparate user-groups noted that the availability of the other user-group's information was of positive benefit to their understanding of the proposed development within the urban planning task.</p>

Enhancing 3D Models with Urban Information: A Case Study Involving Local Authorities and Property Professionals in New Zealand: Quantifying the Benefit of 3D over Alternative 2D systems

<p>This thesis aimed to reach two principal outcomes: To develop a robust testing methodology that allowed a detailed and fair comparative analysis of the benefit, or otherwise, of 3D methods of information interrogation over alternative 2D methods; and to test the ability for a single model to have multiple user-group functionality. The research used the examples of two user-groups within the urban planning industry and their typical decision making processes. A robust testing methodology was developed to investigate the usefulness of 3D in a detailed and focused manner involving individual end-users as participants in a case study. The development of this efficient process assisted the study in moving past the initial visual impact of the models. The method employed a combination of three research instruments: A focus group formed the base from which an urban planning task, questionnaire and guided discussion investigated evidence for the benefit or otherwise of 3D using both quantitative and subjective measures. Two widely disparate user-groups were selected to further test the functionality of a resource to meet the needs of multiple users: city council urban designers and property developers. The research revealed that 3D methods of information visualisation allow users to develop a greater spatial awareness, increasing their understanding of information, when compared to alternative 2D methods. While evidence for this benefit was established using both quantitative and subjective methods, the research proved that this increased understanding does not necessarily lead to quicker decisions as the 2D group completed the task faster and more accurately than the 3D group. The ability for a single model to have multiple user-group functionality was confirmed as each of two disparate user-groups noted that the availability of the other user-group's information was of positive benefit to their understanding of the proposed development within the urban planning task.</p>

The relationship between knowledge-based economy and fraudulent financial reporting

Purpose This paper aims to assess the relationship between a knowledge-based economy and fraudulent financial reporting. Design/methodology/approach The study is descriptive-correlation based on published information from enlisted firms on the Tehran Stock Exchange during 2013–2019 with a sample of 178 firms (1,246 observations). The method used for hypothesis testing is linear regression using the panel data. Findings The results show that a knowledge-based economy is associated negatively and significantly with financial reporting. Moreover, robust testing has also examined the hypotheses (including fixed effects, OLS and t + 1) that confirmed the study’s preliminary results. Originality/value As the study was carried out in the emergent financial markets, like Iran, to figure out the relationship between knowledge-based economy and financial reporting, it can provide helpful information for the practitioners in this field.

Energy-Based Criterion for Testing the Nonlinear Response Strength of Strong Nonlinear Oscillators

This article proposes a simple energy-based criterion developed to characterize four commonly identified responses, namely: linear, weakly nonlinear, moderately nonlinear and strongly nonlinear regimes. The response of the nonlinear simple pendulum was used for benchmarking the boundary conditions for each of the four response regimes and the test criterion was demonstrated using relevant examples. The test presented in this article is important for clarifying the obscurity surrounding the accuracy and range of validity of recent approximate analytical schemes used to investigate strong nonlinear oscillators. Furthermore, it is meant to create awareness of the need to develop more robust testing criteria. Keywords: strong nonlinear oscillation; periodic oscillation; approximate analytical solution

Approaching the interpretation of discordances in SARS-CoV-2 testing

The COVID-19 pandemic has upended life throughout the globe. Appropriate emphasis has been placed on developing effective therapies and vaccines to curb the pandemic. While awaiting such countermeasures, mitigation efforts coupled with robust testing remain essential to controlling spread of the disease. In particular, serological testing plays a critical role in providing important diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic information. However, this information is only useful if the results can be accurately interpreted. This pandemic placed clinical testing laboratories and requesting physicians in a precarious position because we are actively learning about the disease and how to interpret serological results. Having developed robust assays to detect antibodies generated against SARS-CoV-2, and serving the hardest hit areas within the New York City epicenter, we found three types of discordances in SARS-CoV-2 test results that challenge interpretation. Using representative clinical vignettes, these interpretation dilemmas are highlighted, along with suggested approaches to resolve such cases.