The Use of Geographic Information Systems to Shape COVID-19 Policies Regarding Masking and Distancing with a Partially Vaccinated Population

Geographic information systems (GIS) and choropleth maps for COVID-19 cases as well as COVID-19 test and vaccination rates proved very valuable to informing decision-making on the local and regional levels of government in Shelby County, Tennessee, USA. The authors have all served on the City of Memphis and Shelby County COVID Joint Task Force and share here their observations about the challenges and promises related to these techniques in the context of a fast-changing environment. As the pandemic unfolded, new virus variants emerged and the population became increasingly vaccinated. Consequently, the use of GIS changed, and maps needed to be continually adapted to the shifting needs of decision makers. The authors describe their approaches to leveraging GIS techniques to monitor the spread of the disease, draw conclusions about the effect of policy measures, and address health disparities. They outline the strengths and weaknesses of choropleth maps, reflect on how best to facilitate interorganizational communication of the derived information, and suggest desirable aspects of educational courses for GIS as well as skill sets in personnel that they came to appreciate as essential. © 2023 Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.

Volunteers' perceived preparedness, training, experiences and satisfaction in a mass COVID-19 pandemic vaccine clinic

In this paper, we present formal and informal volunteers' perceived experiences of a mass vaccination clinic for COVID-19 in central Texas. Volunteers at one or more of our team's vaccination events responded to an anonymous survey to share perceptions of their preparedness, training experiences, communication effectiveness and satisfaction, to help us identify opportunities to improve volunteer training and engagement for responses to pandemics. Overall, the volunteers perceived their work to be meaningful, felt prepared and were satisfied with their experiences as volunteers. A dedicated team that communicates well and emphasizes a team approach is key to success, especially in unprecedented situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Implications for future volunteer training and involvement in disaster responses are discussed.

Police Responses to Domestic Abuse during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Positive Action and Police Legitimacy

This article presents evidence from a mixed-methods study examining the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on frontline police responses to domestic abuse, with a particular focus on 'positive action', across seven police forces in England. Statistical analysis of police-recorded domestic abuse administrative data is combined with 73 semi-structured officer interviews conducted over the first year of the pandemic (June 2020 to June 2021). Findings identify officers felt their general approach to domestic abuse remained unchanged. However, officers used their discretion to adapt positive action practices to the pandemic context, for example, by temporarily making greater use of arrests, Domestic Violence Protection Notices/Orders, and informal measures. Mirroring broader tensions relating to police legitimacy arising during the pandemic, officers saw victim safeguarding as a priority but simultaneously expressed concern about proportionality. The article concludes by addressing the implications of the findings for the understanding and evaluation of domestic abuse policing practices both within and beyond the pandemic context - in terms of informing theoretical understandings of positive action, as well as police institutional knowledge, policy, and practice going forwards. © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Oxford University Press.

A Probable Winner in the Race for the Best Cardiac Preservation Solution: A Single-Center's Experience

Manufacturing disruptions in the University of Wisconsin (UW) cardiac preservation solution during the COVID-19 pandemic forced medical centers (MC) to rely upon alternative preservation solutions in the USA. Demands of excellence during this disruptive period prompted an analysis comparing the most commonly used solutions and their adverse postoperative outcomes in heart transplant recipients. The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) database was retrospectively reviewed from 1/30/2003 to 6/5/2022 for adult heart transplant recipients. Primary stratification was by solution type with evaluation of only UW and CS preservation solutions. Secondary stratification was for the center with the best 1-year outcomes per SRTR reports. Primary endpoints were survival and length of stay. Secondary endpoints were acute graft rejection, intubation status, and use of ECMO, IABP, and inotropes. After exclusion criteria, a total of 584 adult heart transplant recipients were identified prior to the start of the national UW shortage. 558 hearts used UW (96%) and 26 hearts used CS (4%). Analysis of Cox regression models for survival revealed greater survival at 2000, 4000, and 6000 days post transplant for UW as compared to CS (p = 0.019, Fig. 1). Analysis of Fischer's exact test revealed UW showed less use of ECMO (p = <0.001), IABP (p = 0.041), and lower intubation status (p = <0.001) at 72 hours post-transplant (Fig. 1). There was no significant difference in length of stay and inotrope use. Evaluation of the two most commonly used heart preservation solutions nationwide reveals that UW has improved patient outcomes with regard to survival, use of ECMO and IABP, and intubation status at 72 hours post-transplant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Journal of Heart & Lung Transplantation is the property of Elsevier B.V. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Outcomes Comparison of Commonly Used Heart Transplant Preservation Solutions During the Covid-19 Pandemic

Orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT) is a necessity for patients with end-stage heart disease. Despite advancements made in cardiac allograft preservation, there remains ambiguity as to which heart preservation solution provides improved outcomes - especially during a national healthcare flux. Many papers compare University of Wisconsin (UW) and Celsior (CS), the two most commonly used solutions in the USA, in abdominal organ transplants but few describe relative outcomes related to the adult heart. Here, we compare the two commonly used preservation solutions and hypothesize that UW shows superior postoperative patient outcomes. The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) database was retrospectively reviewed from 5/31/2020 to 5/31/2021 for adult OHT recipients. Primary stratification was by solution type with evaluation of only UW and CS preservation solutions. Primary endpoints were survival and length of stay. Secondary endpoints were acute graft rejection, intubation status, and use of ECMO, IABP, and inotropes. After exclusion criteria, a total of 2,388 adult OHT recipients were identified. 1,941 (81.3%) transplants utilized UW. Analysis of Cox regression models for survival revealed no significant difference between both solutions. Fisher's exact test showed decreased rates of inotrope use (p = 0.008) and acute rejection episodes (p = 0.002) for UW solution (Fig. 1). There was no statistical significance between UW and CS with length of stay, intubation status, and use of ECMO, IABP at 72-hrs post-transplant (Fig. 1). Evaluation of the two most commonly used heart preservation solutions nationwide reveals that CS is non-inferior to UW with regards to patient survival, length of stay, and use of ECMO and IABP. However, UW shows significantly reduced acute graft rejection and use of inotropes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Journal of Heart & Lung Transplantation is the property of Elsevier B.V. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Bioactive compounds by microalgae and potentials for the management of some human disease conditions.

Microalgae biomasses are excellent sources of diverse bioactive compounds such as lipids, polysaccharides, carotenoids, vitamins, phenolics and phycobiliproteins. Large-scale production of these bioactive substances would require microalgae cultivation either in open-culture systems or closed-culture systems. Some of these bioactive compounds (such as polysaccharides, phycobiliproteins and lipids) are produced during their active growth phase. They appear to have antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, antioxidative, anticancer, neuroprotective and chemo-preventive activities. These properties confer on microalgae the potential for use in the treatment and/or management of several neurologic and cell dysfunction-related disease conditions, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), AIDS and COVID-19, as shown in this review. Although several health benefits have been highlighted, there appears to be a consensus in the literature that the field of microalgae is still fledgling, and more research needs to be carried out to ascertain the mechanisms of action that underpin the effectiveness of microalgal compounds. In this review, two biosynthetic pathways were modeled to help elucidate the mode of action of the bioactive compounds from microalgae and their products. These are carotenoid and phycobilin proteins biosynthetic pathways. The education of the public on the importance of microalgae backed with empirical scientific evidence will go a long way to ensure that the benefits from research investigations are quickly rolled out. The potential application of these microalgae to some human disease conditions was highlighted.

Effective recruitment strategies utilized in the midst of a COVID-19 pandemic to examine dietary practices and colorectal cancer screening practices of Blacks in New York City

African Americans have the highest colorectal cancer incidence and mortality rates of all racial groups in the U.S. Factors that may be contributing to these high rates, however, remain poorly understood. Specifically, this study assessed the relationship between dietary habits and colorectal cancer screening behavior and intent among individuals who identify as Black, with their ethnicity as African-American, Caribbean, and African. There are many factors that influence dietary habits, and a salient factor is culture. Many studies have experienced challenges recruiting in communities of color for various reasons. The purpose of this presentation is to describe recruitment methods utilized for this study in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, and to discuss challenges, strategies that were implemented and lessons learned that can inform and improve future recruitment efforts. Effective recruitment strategies included partnership, consistent engagement, and meeting people in places where they frequent and felt comfortable. Utilizing faith-based locations, barbershops, hair salons, and pivotal community locations allowed individuals to trust the researchers, and also eliminated the need to retain study subjects over a period of time, due to on-site data collection. Though our findings are limited to Black families in predominantly minority neighborhoods, we have identified Cicely successful strategies for this specific high-risk population and potentially similar others.

Exploring social determinants of health: COVID-19 vaccine challenges and solutions

The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has negatively shifted the foundations of human health and the well-being of humanity on a global scale. Its contagiousness and lethal symptoms pose a threat to everyone, especially seniors over 65 years, immunocompromised individuals, and people with preexisting health conditions. The factors of the social determinants of health had great influence on the vaccination status for Black and Brown communities. Access to life-saving treatment and resources was hindered by the poor social determinants and socioeconomic status, which led to slow vaccination numbers. This article examines that equitable vaccination access, distribution, and health literacy in Black and Brown communities are all supported by careful analysis of the notion of dignity.

Frequency of Life-Threatening Diabetic Ketoacidosis Related Complications among Pediatric Icu Patients Admitted Pre- and Postcovid- 19 Pandemic: A Single Center Experience

BACKGROUND AND AIM: The COVID-19 pandemic has been associated with an increase in the frequency and severity of new-onset diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) in children (<18). We aimed to compare the incidence of life-threatening DKA complications among patients admitted to our pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) with new-onset DKA presenting pre- and post-the COVID-19 pandemic. METHOD(S): Retrospective observational study of children (0-18 years) admitted to our PICU with a diagnosis of newonset DKA between March 2018 and December 2020. Life-threatening DKA complications were defined as cerebral edema (defined as requiring hyperosmolar therapy and/ or cerebral imaging), respiratory failure requiring invasive mechanical ventilation, shock or hypotension requiring vasopressors, cardiac arrhythmias, cardiac arrest or death. Data was obtained by review of medical records. Analysis was performed using Chi-squared test, and Fisher's exact test where appropriate. RESULT(S): A total of 274 pediatric patients were admitted to our PICU with new-onset DKA between March 2018 and December 2020. There was a total of 12 life-threatening DKA complications among the pre-pandemic cohort (n=157) who presented between March 2018-February 2020. In comparison, there were 27 life-threatening complications among the post-pandemic cohort (n=117) who presented between March-December 2020. The difference was statistically significant (p= 0.0018). However, when analyzed individually, differences among cerebral edema (p=0.066), respiratory failure requiring mechanical ventilation (p=0.77) and shock (p=0.17) failed to reach statistical significance. This is likely due to the low overall incidence in which these individual complications occur. CONCLUSION(S): Following the COVID-19 pandemic we observed an overall increase in the incidence of lifethreatening DKA complications among pediatric ICU patients.

IMPLEMENTATION BARRIERS AND FACILITATORS OF COGNITIVE STIMULATION THERAPY ACROSS CARE SETTINGS

Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST) is an evidence-based treatment for people living with dementia that is not in widespread use in the United States. To better understand barriers and facilitators to implementation of CST, we conducted virtual focus groups of newly trained facilitators of Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST). Of 12 facilitators trained, representing two settings of care (The Program for All-inclusive Care of the Elderly and a Continuing Care Retirement Community), 4 facilitators, representing Social Work n = 2, Speech Therapy n = 1, and Recreation Therapy n = 1, participated. We analyzed interview transcriptions using framework analysis guided by constructs from the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR). Themes that emerged across constructs were 1) balancing competing personal, stakeholder, and organizational needs;2) lack of mastery experiences and the need for opportunities for more practice, reflection, and feedback from trainers;3) building a community of facilitators to provide peer support;4) logistical concerns;and 5) identifying appropriate participants who would most benefit from CST. The barriers to implementation imposed by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic were also a cross-cutting theme. Many of these barriers are readily managed, and professionals who implement CST in their sites should be aware of and take into consideration these barriers and facilitators.

COVID-19 impact on multiple myeloma prescribing

Background: COVID-19 has impacted several areas of oncology patient care, most notably the reduction of patient visits for treatments. Standard treatment of multiple myeloma (MM) involves a combination of intravenous (IV) and oral therapies. Objective(s): The purpose of this study is to assess the impact COVID-19 had on IV and oral medication prescribing patterns pre and during the COVID-19 pandemic among MM patients. Method(s): This is a retrospective review of adult MM patients insured by a large commercial and Medicare health plan in the United States who started a new IV or oral MM agent during the study period. To assess the impact of COVID-19 on IV and oral medication prescribing patterns, we compared a pre-COVID period (1 March-31 August 2019) to a COVID period (1 March-31 August 2020). We utilized medical and pharmacy claims to identify patients and calculated new therapy starts per newly diagnosed patient (defined as the number of patients starting a new IV or oral medication for MM divided by the total number of patients with a first indication date of MM within the study timeframe). We compared rates using a Chi-square test;p-values <=.05 were considered statistically significant. Result(s): 1754 patients were enrolled in the study;there were no significant differences in demographic characteristics pre and during COVID-19 between the two groups with respect to age (67.05 vs. 66.64;p=.45), gender (p=.80), insurance plan type (p=.17), geographical region (p=.26) and medication (p=.59). During COVID-19, the number of newly diagnosed MM patients decreased by 22% (9657-7560) and the total number of new therapy starts decreased by 11% (930-824). When looking at rates of new therapy starts per newly diagnosed patient, both IV (11%;p=.03) and oral (51%;p=.03) medication rates significantly increased. Additionally, there were significant increases in new therapy start rates by region in the Northeast for oral (157%;p=.08). Conclusion(s): While the total count of new therapy starts, a proxy for new diagnoses, decreased during COVID-19, the rate of new starts for both IV and oral therapies for patients diagnosed with MM significantly increased. These increased start rates may be explained by a remarkable 22% drop in the total number of newly diagnosed MM patients during COVID-19. As the pandemic continues, further study is warranted to understand how COVID-19 may impact IV vs. oral usage in MM.

Impact of COVID-19 on oral oncolytic adherence

Background: CVS Health recently developed a best-in-class mobile app and website that enables oncology patients to start and stay on therapy. While digital patient engagement is relatively new, identifying and estimating the frequency of its use and the impact of COVID-19 on adherence are critical for planning strategies to mitigate the effects of the pandemic on cancer patient outcomes. Objective(s): This study examined the impact of COVID-19 on adherence to oral oncolytic agents in a large health plan with a significant digital health platform. Method(s): This retrospective cohort study included adult patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), ovarian cancer or prostate cancer initiating oral oncolytics between 3/1/19 and 3/ 1/2021. Patients were divided into two groups: pre-COVID oral oncolytic initiators before 3/1/20 and COVID initiators after 3/1/ 20 and were followed for 1 year after therapy initiation. The primary outcome was optimal adherence to oral oncolytic agents as defined by a medication possession ratio (MPR)>=0.8. Percent of digital engagement, defined as the number of times a patient interacted with the CVS digital platform, was examined as a secondary endpoint and was considered as a binary and categorical endpoint (none, low (<28), moderate (28-105) and high (>105)). Descriptive statistics and logistic regression modeling were performed;p-values <.05 were significant. Result(s): In total, 15,494 patients were included in the study, with 8067 (52.07%) in the pre-COVID initiator group. Patient demographics were similar across study groups, with the exception of pre-COVID initiators who were less likely to be male (75.32 vs. 77.34%;p<.01) and receive copay assistance (38.37 vs. 41.70%;p<.01). No difference in digital engagement pre and during COVID was noted (74.55 vs. 73.60%;p=.18). Pre-COVID initiators were less likely to be optimally adherent than COVID initiators (84.75 vs. 85.96%;p=.04). Therapy persistence was more common among COVID initiators, with greater number of fills (Median [quartile (Q) Q1-Q3]: 10 [4-12] vs. 9[4-12];p<.01) and less changes to therapy (8.87 vs. 9.95%;p=.02). After regression, COVID initiation of oral oncolytics was not associated with optimal adherence (odds ratio (OR) = 1.06 [95% (confidence interval (CI) 0.96-1.16]). Adherence increased as digital engagement increased (low: OR 0.64 [95% CI 0.56-0.72];moderate: OR 0.67 [95% CI 0.56-0.76];high: OR 1.71 [95% CI 1.48-1.99]). Other factors associated with increased adherence were copay assistance, male gender and age between 65 and 84 (all p<.05). Factors associated with decreased adherence were therapy change, CML and age <50 years (all p<.05). Conclusion(s): The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic did not significantly impact optimal adherence for new-to-therapy oral oncology patients. Patients with high digital engagement during the pandemic experienced significantly improved adherence than those not engaged. Additionally, persistence and number of fills were slightly improved in COVID initiators, suggesting that the current pandemic may have influenced adherence behaviors.

Assessing Recent Trends of Gonococcal Conjunctivitis in California, 2018-2021

BACKGROUND: Neonatal gonococcal conjunctivitis is usually transmitted perinatally;however, in adults, gonococcal conjunctivitis occurs primarily via autoinoculation from a preexisting gonorrhea infection at another mucosal site. As the incidence of gonorrhea in California (CA) continues to increase, gonococcal conjunctivitis morbidity may also rise. There are limited data describing the incidence of this extragenital manifestation of gonorrhea. We sought to describe gonococcal conjunctivitis in CA. METHOD(S): All gonorrhea cases reported to the CA Department of Public Health (CDPH) from January 2018 through December 2021 were flagged if the specimen source reported for gonorrhea was suspicious of gonococcal conjunctivitis. A clinician reviewed these cases to determine likelihood of gonococcal conjunctivitis;confirmed cases were summarized and a bivariate negative binomial model was used to evaluate temporal trends. RESULT(S): During the study period, there were 71 gonococcal conjunctivitis cases reported in CA, representing a cumulative incidence of 0.05 cases per 100,000 people. There were 22 (31.0%) cases in 2018, 18 (25.3%) in 2019, 9 (12.7%) in 2020, and 22 (31.0%) in 2021;there was no significant trend in the number of cases reported from 2018- 2021 (p>0.05), but the number of gonococcal conjunctivitis cases reported in 2020 was significantly fewer than other years (p<0.05). There were 12 (16.9%) infants (<1 year old), including 7 (9.8%) neonates (<28 days old). There were 4 (5.6%) cases who were <18 years old and 55 (77.4%) at least 18 years old. The majority (42, 60%) of cases were males. CONCLUSION(S): Though gonorrhea rates continue to increase in CA, gonococcal conjunctivitis rates remained steady, other than both decreasing in 2020 (likely due to COVID-19-related decreases in STI testing and diagnosis). We hypothesize this may be an underestimation of the true incidence of gonococcal conjunctivitis in CA due to the nature of passive surveillance for this infection.

Don't Forget About Us: Holistically Supporting Underrepresented Students During a Pandemic

Through narratives, this chapter explores the perspectives of three higher education professionals who served diverse student bodies during a pandemic. Detailing their experiences, the authors address efforts made to support underrepresented students during a pandemic. The effects of COVID-19 were vast and even more impactful for underrepresented students. The challenges of taking classes during a pandemic, combined with the known social challenges of 2020, made for an unforgettable period of time. This chapter addresses lessons learned, best practices, and suggestions for supporting students during a pandemic. The authors define underrepresented students as first-generation, LGBT+, low-income, and ethnic/racial minority students.

SUPERIOR SAGITTAL SINUS THROMBOSIS PRESENTING AS DETERIORATING RESIDUAL WEAKNESS

SESSION TITLE: Imaging, ECMO, and other Procedures in the ICU Case Posters SESSION TYPE: Case Report Posters PRESENTED ON: 10/19/2022 12:45 pm - 01:45 pm INTRODUCTION: Superior sagittal sinus (SSS) thrombosis is a rare cause of stroke that is difficult to identify due to various clinical presentations. It is the most common form of dural sinus thrombosis, and common risk factors include hypercoagulable state, traumatic head injury, pregnancy/postpartum, and malignancy. More than 85 percent of adult patients have at least one risk factor for cerebral venous thrombosis. Some patients with SSS thrombosis do not have clearly identifiable risk factors, and this case highlights one such patient. CASE PRESENTATION: A 60-year-old Caucasian male with hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and a recent intracranial hemorrhage with residual left-sided weakness, presented to the emergency department with worsening left-sided weakness. Upon admission, his physical exam was notable for 4/5 strength in the left upper extremity and 2/5 strength in the left lower extremity. This was a reduction in strength from a baseline of 4/5 in the left upper and lower extremities. Labs on admission were normal except for high-sensitivity troponin of 86 and WBC of 14.5. UA with a small amount of blood. An initial CT brain without contrast showed no acute changes, evolutionary changes in the right frontal temporal lobe, and subtle curvilinear hyperdensity near a site of the intracranial hemorrhage identified in the prior month. This curvilinear hyperdensity was thought to reflect early parenchymal calcification. MRI brain without contrast showed new and evolving areas of abnormal signaling and an evolving hematoma with surrounding vasogenic edema, all of which are in the right lobe. There was no apparent diffusion coefficient correlate. Thus, MRI with contrast and MRV was recommended. EEG showed no evidence of epileptiform activity. Additionally, transthoracic echo demonstrated new non-ischemic cardiomyopathy with an EF of 35-40%. The diagnosis was ultimately made after the patient had a Magnetic Resonance Venography (MRV) which showed evidence of the SSS thrombosis and an indication that the previously visualized curvilinear hyperdensity is suspected to represent slowed flow within a surface vein. Heparin was started to recanalize the sinus and prevent thrombus propagation. After the appropriate treatment was started, the patient's weakness improved dramatically. DISCUSSION: Typically, patients with SSS thrombosis have identifiable risk factors like hypercoagulable states, traumatic head injuries, pregnancy/postpartum, malignancy, and more recently association with COVID-19 infection. In this case, since the patient lacked identifiable risk factors, the MRV played a key role in the diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: Like our patient, 30-40 percent of patients present with an intracerebral hemorrhage. Differentials of SSS thrombosis should be considered in etiologies for intracerebral hemorrhage, especially when an identifiable cause is lacking, in order to avoid delays in treatment and resolution. Reference #1: Abdalkader M, Shaikh SP, Siegler JE, Cervantes-Arslanian AM, Tiu C, Radu RA, Tiu VE, Jillella DV, Mansour OY, Vera V, Chamorro Á, Blasco J, López A, Farooqui M, Thau L, Smith A, Gutierrez SO, Nguyen TN, Jovin TG. Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis in COVID-19 Patients: A Multicenter Study and Review of Literature. J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis. 2021 Jun;30(6):105733. doi: 10.1016/j.jstrokecerebrovasdis.2021.105733. Epub 2021 Mar 4. PMID: 33743411;PMCID: PMC7931726. Reference #2: Rehman A, Husnain MG, Mushtaq K, Eledrisi MS. Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis precipitated by Graves’ disease. BMJ Case Rep. 2018 Jun 4;2018:bcr2017224143. doi: 10.1136/bcr-2017-224143. PMID: 29866676;PMCID: PMC5990097. Reference #3: Nakase H, Takeshima T, Sakaki T, Heimann A, Kempski O. Superior sagittal sinus thrombosis: a clinical and experimental study. Skull Base Surg. 1998;8(4):169-74. doi: 10.1055/s-2008-1058178. PMID: 17171061;PMCID: PMC1656696. DISCLOSURES: No relevant rel tionships by Ken Johnson No relevant relationships by Nina Le No relevant relationships by Riaz Mahmood No relevant relationships by Ngoc Phan

Cryptocurrency Day Trading and Framing Prediction in Microblog Discourse

With 56 million people actively trading and investing in cryptocurrency online and globally in 2020, there is an increasing need for automatic social media analysis tools to help understand trading discourse and behavior. In this work, we present a dual natural language modeling pipeline which leverages language and social network behaviors for the prediction of cryptocurrency day trading actions and their associated framing patterns. This pipeline first predicts if tweets can be used to guide day trading behavior, specifically if a cryptocurrency investor should buy, sell, or hold their cryptocurrencies in order to make a profit. Next, tweets are input to an unsupervised deep clustering approach to automatically detect trading framing patterns. Our contributions include the modeling pipeline for this novel task, a new Cryptocurrency Tweets Dataset compiled from influential accounts, and a Historical Price Dataset. Our experiments show that our approach achieves an 88.78% accuracy for day trading behavior prediction and reveals framing fluctuations prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic that could be used to guide investment actions. © 2021 Association for Computational Linguistics.