Selection of head and whisker coordination strategies during goal-oriented active touch.

PubMed

Schroeder, Joseph B; Ritt, Jason T

2016-04-01

In the rodent whisker system, a key model for neural processing and behavioral choices during active sensing, whisker motion is increasingly recognized as only part of a broader motor repertoire employed by rodents during active touch. In particular, recent studies suggest whisker and head motions are tightly coordinated. However, conditions governing the selection and temporal organization of such coordinated sensing strategies remain poorly understood. We videographically reconstructed head and whisker motions of freely moving mice searching for a randomly located rewarded aperture, focusing on trials in which animals appeared to rapidly "correct" their trajectory under tactile guidance. Mice orienting after unilateral contact repositioned their whiskers similarly to previously reported head-turning asymmetry. However, whisker repositioning preceded head turn onsets and was not bilaterally symmetric. Moreover, mice selectively employed a strategy we term contact maintenance, with whisking modulated to counteract head motion and facilitate repeated contacts on subsequent whisks. Significantly, contact maintenance was not observed following initial contact with an aperture boundary, when the mouse needed to make a large corrective head motion to the front of the aperture, but only following contact by the same whisker field with the opposite aperture boundary, when the mouse needed to precisely align its head with the reward spout. Together these results suggest that mice can select from a diverse range of sensing strategies incorporating both knowledge of the task and whisk-by-whisk sensory information and, moreover, suggest the existence of high level control (not solely reflexive) of sensing motions coordinated between multiple body parts. Copyright © 2016 the American Physiological Society.

Selection of head and whisker coordination strategies during goal-oriented active touch

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

In the rodent whisker system, a key model for neural processing and behavioral choices during active sensing, whisker motion is increasingly recognized as only part of a broader motor repertoire employed by rodents during active touch. In particular, recent studies suggest whisker and head motions are tightly coordinated. However, conditions governing the selection and temporal organization of such coordinated sensing strategies remain poorly understood. We videographically reconstructed head and whisker motions of freely moving mice searching for a randomly located rewarded aperture, focusing on trials in which animals appeared to rapidly “correct” their trajectory under tactile guidance. Mice orienting after unilateral contact repositioned their whiskers similarly to previously reported head-turning asymmetry. However, whisker repositioning preceded head turn onsets and was not bilaterally symmetric. Moreover, mice selectively employed a strategy we term contact maintenance, with whisking modulated to counteract head motion and facilitate repeated contacts on subsequent whisks. Significantly, contact maintenance was not observed following initial contact with an aperture boundary, when the mouse needed to make a large corrective head motion to the front of the aperture, but only following contact by the same whisker field with the opposite aperture boundary, when the mouse needed to precisely align its head with the reward spout. Together these results suggest that mice can select from a diverse range of sensing strategies incorporating both knowledge of the task and whisk-by-whisk sensory information and, moreover, suggest the existence of high level control (not solely reflexive) of sensing motions coordinated between multiple body parts. PMID:26792880

Non-invasive stimulation of the vibrissal pad improves recovery of whisking function after simultaneous lesion of the facial and infraorbital nerves in rats.

PubMed

Bendella, H; Pavlov, S P; Grosheva, M; Irintchev, A; Angelova, S K; Merkel, D; Sinis, N; Kaidoglou, K; Skouras, E; Dunlop, S A; Angelov, Doychin N

2011-07-01

We have recently shown that manual stimulation of target muscles promotes functional recovery after transection and surgical repair to pure motor nerves (facial: whisking and blink reflex; hypoglossal: tongue position). However, following facial nerve repair, manual stimulation is detrimental if sensory afferent input is eliminated by, e.g., infraorbital nerve extirpation. To further understand the interplay between sensory input and motor recovery, we performed simultaneous cut-and-suture lesions on both the facial and the infraorbital nerves and examined whether stimulation of the sensory afferents from the vibrissae by a forced use would improve motor recovery. The efficacy of 3 treatment paradigms was assessed: removal of the contralateral vibrissae to ensure a maximal use of the ipsilateral ones (vibrissal stimulation; Group 2), manual stimulation of the ipsilateral vibrissal muscles (Group 3), and vibrissal stimulation followed by manual stimulation (Group 4). Data were compared to controls which underwent surgery but did not receive any treatment (Group 1). Four months after surgery, all three treatments significantly improved the amplitude of vibrissal whisking to 30° versus 11° in the controls of Group 1. The three treatments also reduced the degree of polyneuronal innervation of target muscle fibers to 37% versus 58% in Group 1. These findings indicate that forced vibrissal use and manual stimulation, either alone or sequentially, reduce target muscle polyinnervation and improve recovery of whisking function when both the sensory and the motor components of the trigemino-facial system regenerate.

Poor functional recovery and muscle polyinnervation after facial nerve injury in fibroblast growth factor-2-/- mice can be improved by manual stimulation of denervated vibrissal muscles.

PubMed

Seitz, M; Grosheva, M; Skouras, E; Angelova, S K; Ankerne, J; Jungnickel, J; Grothe, C; Klimaschewski, L; Hübbers, C U; Dunlop, S A; Angelov, D N

2011-05-19

Functional recovery following facial nerve injury is poor. Adjacent neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) are "bridged" by terminal Schwann cells and numerous regenerating axonal sprouts. We have recently shown that manual stimulation (MS) restores whisking function and reduces polyinnervation of NMJs. Furthermore, MS requires both insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Here, we investigated whether fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) was also required for the beneficial effects of MS. Following transection and suture of the facial nerve (facial-facial anastomisis, FFA) in homozygous mice lacking FGF-2 (FGF-2(-/-)), vibrissal motor performance and the percentage of poly-innervated NMJ were quantified. In intact FGF-2(-/-) mice and their wildtype (WT) counterparts, there were no differences in amplitude of vibrissal whisking (about 50°) or in the percentage of polyinnervated NMJ (0%). After 2 months FFA and handling alone (i.e. no MS), the amplitude of vibrissal whisking in WT-mice decreased to 22±3°. In the FGF-2(-/-) mice, the amplitude was reduced further to 15±4°, that is, function was significantly poorer. Functional deficits were mirrored by increased polyinnervation of NMJ in WT mice (40.33±2.16%) with polyinnervation being increased further in FGF-2(-/-) mice (50.33±4.33%). However, regardless of the genotype, MS increased vibrissal whisking amplitude (WT: 33.9°±7.7; FGF-2(-/-): 33.4°±8.1) and concomitantly reduced polyinnervation (WT: 33.9%±7.7; FGF-2(-/-): 33.4%±8.1) to a similar extent. We conclude that, whereas lack of FGF-2 leads to poor functional recovery and target reinnervation, MS can nevertheless confer some functional benefit in its absence. Copyright © 2011 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Electromyographic activity of mystacial pad musculature during whisking behavior in the rat.

PubMed

Carvell, G E; Simons, D J; Lichtenstein, S H; Bryant, P

1991-01-01

Cinematographic measurements of whisker movements generated by behaving rats were compared with electromyographic (EMG) activity recorded simultaneously from mystacial pad musculature. Muscle activity consisted of repetitive bursts, each of which initiated a "whisking" cycle consisting of a protraction followed by a retraction. Protraction amplitude and velocity were directly proportional to the amount of EMG activity during forward whisker movement. Overtime, the intensity of muscle discharge determined the set point about which the vibrissae moved; higher levels of muscle activity resulted in a greater degree of overall whisker protraction. These findings are consistent with the known anatomy of the facial musculature and underscore the importance of whisker protraction in the acquisition of tactile information by the vibrissae.

Mechanical characteristics of rat vibrissae: resonant frequencies and damping in isolated whiskers and in the awake behaving animal

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hartmann, Mitra J.; Johnson, Nicholas J.; Towal, R. Blythe; Assad, Christopher

2003-01-01

We investigated the natural resonance properties and damping characteristics of rat macrovibrissae (whiskers). Isolated whiskers rigidly fixed at the base showed first-mode resonance peaks between 27 and 260 Hz, principally depending on whisker length. These experimentally measured resonant frequencies were matched using a theoretical model of the whisker as a conical cantilever beam, with Young's modulus as the only free parameter. The best estimate for Young's modulus was approximately 3-4 GPa. Results of both vibration and impulse experiments showed that the whiskers are strongly damped, with damping ratios between 0.11 and 0.17. In the behaving animal, whiskers that deflected past an object were observed to resonate but were damped significantly more than isolated whiskers. The time course of damping varied depending on the individual whisker and the phase of the whisking cycle, which suggests that the rat may modulate biomechanical parameters that affect damping. No resonances were observed for whiskers that did not contact the object or during free whisking in air. Finally, whiskers on the same side of the face were sometimes observed to move in opposite directions over the full duration of a whisk. We discuss the potential roles of resonance during natural exploratory behavior and specifically suggest that resonant oscillations may be important in the rat's tactile detection of object boundaries.

Natural Whisker-Guided Behavior by Head-Fixed Mice in Tactile Virtual Reality

PubMed Central

Sofroniew, Nicholas J.; Cohen, Jeremy D.; Lee, Albert K.

2014-01-01

During many natural behaviors the relevant sensory stimuli and motor outputs are difficult to quantify. Furthermore, the high dimensionality of the space of possible stimuli and movements compounds the problem of experimental control. Head fixation facilitates stimulus control and movement tracking, and can be combined with techniques for recording and manipulating neural activity. However, head-fixed mouse behaviors are typically trained through extensive instrumental conditioning. Here we present a whisker-based, tactile virtual reality system for head-fixed mice running on a spherical treadmill. Head-fixed mice displayed natural movements, including running and rhythmic whisking at 16 Hz. Whisking was centered on a set point that changed in concert with running so that more protracted whisking was correlated with faster running. During turning, whiskers moved in an asymmetric manner, with more retracted whisker positions in the turn direction and protracted whisker movements on the other side. Under some conditions, whisker movements were phase-coupled to strides. We simulated a virtual reality tactile corridor, consisting of two moveable walls controlled in a closed-loop by running speed and direction. Mice used their whiskers to track the walls of the winding corridor without training. Whisker curvature changes, which cause forces in the sensory follicles at the base of the whiskers, were tightly coupled to distance from the walls. Our behavioral system allows for precise control of sensorimotor variables during natural tactile navigation. PMID:25031397

The search space of the rat during whisking behavior.

PubMed

Huet, Lucie A; Hartmann, Mitra J Z

2014-09-15

Rodents move their vibrissae rhythmically to tactually explore their surroundings. We used a three-dimensional model of the vibrissal array to quantify the rat's 'search space' during whisking. Search space was quantified either as the volume encompassed by the array or as the surface formed by the vibrissal tips. At rest, the average position of the vibrissal tips lies near the rat's mouth, and the tips are all approximately equidistant from the midpoint between the rat's eyes, suggesting spatial registration with the visual system. The intrinsic curvature of the vibrissae greatly increases the volume encompassed by the array, and during a protraction, roll and elevation changes have strong effects on the trajectories of the vibrissal tips. The size of the rat's search space--as measured either by the volume of the array or by the surface area formed by the vibrissal tips--was surprisingly unaffected by protraction angle. In contrast, search space was strongly correlated with the 'spread' of the array, defined as the angle between rostral and caudal-most whiskers. We draw two conclusions: first, that with some caveats, spread can be used as a proxy for changes in search space, and second, in order to change its sensing resolution, the rat must differentially control rostral and caudal vibrissae. Finally, we show that behavioral data can be incorporated into the three-dimensional model to visualize changes in vibrissal search space and sensing resolution during natural exploratory whisking. © 2014. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

LOCAL CORTICAL ACTIVITY OF DISTANT BRAIN AREAS CAN PHASE-LOCK TO THE OLFACTORY BULB'S RESPIRATORY RHYTHM IN THE FREELY BEHAVING RAT.

PubMed

Rojas-Líbano, Daniel; Wimmer Del Solar, Jonathan; Aguilar-Rivera, Marcelo; Montefusco-Siegmund, Rodrigo; Maldonado, Pedro Esteban

2018-05-16

An important unresolved question about neural processing is the mechanism by which distant brain areas coordinate their activities and relate their local processing to global neural events. A potential candidate for the local-global integration are slow rhythms such as respiration. In this article, we asked if there are modulations of local cortical processing which are phase-locked to (peripheral) sensory-motor exploratory rhythms. We studied rats on an elevated platform where they would spontaneously display exploratory and rest behaviors. Concurrent with behavior, we monitored whisking through EMG and the respiratory rhythm from the olfactory bulb (OB) local field potential (LFP). We also recorded LFPs from dorsal hippocampus, primary motor cortex, primary somatosensory cortex and primary visual cortex. We defined exploration as simultaneous whisking and sniffing above 5 Hz and found that this activity peaked at about 8 Hz. We considered rest as the absence of whisking and sniffing, and in this case, respiration occurred at about 3 Hz. We found a consistent shift across all areas toward these rhythm peaks accompanying behavioral changes. We also found, across areas, that LFP gamma (70-100 Hz) amplitude could phase-lock to the animal's OB respiratory rhythm, a finding indicative of respiration-locked changes in local processing. In a subset of animals, we also recorded the hippocampal theta activity and found that occurred at frequencies overlapped with respiration but was not spectrally coherent with it, suggesting a different oscillator. Our results are consistent with the notion of respiration as a binder or integrator of activity between brain regions.

Coherence between Rat Sensorimotor System and Hippocampus Is Enhanced during Tactile Discrimination

PubMed Central

Zuo, Yangfang; Stella, Federico; Diamond, Mathew E.

2016-01-01

Rhythms with time scales of multiple cycles per second permeate the mammalian brain, yet neuroscientists are not certain of their functional roles. One leading idea is that coherent oscillation between two brain regions facilitates the exchange of information between them. In rats, the hippocampus and the vibrissal sensorimotor system both are characterized by rhythmic oscillation in the theta range, 5–12 Hz. Previous work has been divided as to whether the two rhythms are independent or coherent. To resolve this question, we acquired three measures from rats—whisker motion, hippocampal local field potential (LFP), and barrel cortex unit firing—during a whisker-mediated texture discrimination task and during control conditions (not engaged in a whisker-mediated memory task). Compared to control conditions, the theta band of hippocampal LFP showed a marked increase in power as the rats approached and then palpated the texture. Phase synchronization between whisking and hippocampal LFP increased by almost 50% during approach and texture palpation. In addition, a greater proportion of barrel cortex neurons showed firing that was phase-locked to hippocampal theta while rats were engaged in the discrimination task. Consistent with a behavioral consequence of phase synchronization, the rats identified the texture more rapidly and with lower error likelihood on trials in which there was an increase in theta-whisking coherence at the moment of texture palpation. These results suggest that coherence between the whisking rhythm, barrel cortex firing, and hippocampal LFP is augmented selectively during epochs in which the rat collects sensory information and that such coherence enhances the efficiency of integration of stimulus information into memory and decision-making centers. PMID:26890254

The WHISK (Women's Health: Increasing the Awareness of Science and Knowledge) Pilot Project: Recognizing Sex and Gender Differences in Women's Health and Wellness.

PubMed

Edwards, Lorece V; Dennis, Sabriya; Weaks, Francesca

2013-09-01

Women's health encompasses a continuum of biological, psychological, and social challenges that differ considerably from those of men. Despite the remarkable advances in science, women's health and sex differences research is slowly gaining recognition and acceptance. It is important that women's health gain attention as women are usually the gatekeepers of care for the family. Women's health and health outcomes are strongly influenced by sex and gender differences as well as geography. Around the world, the interplay of biology and culture brings about differences in men's and women's health, which have been largely overlooked. The Women's Health: Increasing the Awareness of Science and Knowledge (WHISK) Pilot Project was a multidisciplinary project aimed to increase the awareness of sex and gender differences in women's health and research among healthcare professionals. Theater expression and creative art were used to translate knowledge, enhance understanding, and increase the awareness of sex differences. Findings from this project clearly showed an apparent increase in knowledge and cultivation of new insights.

Whisker Contact Detection of Rodents Based on Slow and Fast Mechanical Inputs

PubMed Central

Claverie, Laure N.; Boubenec, Yves; Debrégeas, Georges; Prevost, Alexis M.; Wandersman, Elie

2017-01-01

Rodents use their whiskers to locate nearby objects with an extreme precision. To perform such tasks, they need to detect whisker/object contacts with a high temporal accuracy. This contact detection is conveyed by classes of mechanoreceptors whose neural activity is sensitive to either slow or fast time varying mechanical stresses acting at the base of the whiskers. We developed a biomimetic approach to separate and characterize slow quasi-static and fast vibrational stress signals acting on a whisker base in realistic exploratory phases, using experiments on both real and artificial whiskers. Both slow and fast mechanical inputs are successfully captured using a mechanical model of the whisker. We present and discuss consequences of the whisking process in purely mechanical terms and hypothesize that free whisking in air sets a mechanical threshold for contact detection. The time resolution and robustness of the contact detection strategies based on either slow or fast stress signals are determined. Contact detection based on the vibrational signal is faster and more robust to exploratory conditions than the slow quasi-static component, although both slow/fast components allow localizing the object. PMID:28119582

Spatiotemporal Patterns of Contact Across the Rat Vibrissal Array During Exploratory Behavior

PubMed Central

Hobbs, Jennifer A.; Towal, R. Blythe; Hartmann, Mitra J. Z.

2016-01-01

The rat vibrissal system is an important model for the study of somatosensation, but the small size and rapid speed of the vibrissae have precluded measuring precise vibrissal-object contact sequences during behavior. We used a laser light sheet to quantify, with 1 ms resolution, the spatiotemporal structure of whisker-surface contact as five naïve rats freely explored a flat, vertical glass wall. Consistent with previous work, we show that the whisk cycle cannot be uniquely defined because different whiskers often move asynchronously, but that quasi-periodic (~8 Hz) variations in head velocity represent a distinct temporal feature on which to lock analysis. Around times of minimum head velocity, whiskers protract to make contact with the surface, and then sustain contact with the surface for extended durations (~25–60 ms) before detaching. This behavior results in discrete temporal windows in which large numbers of whiskers are in contact with the surface. These “sustained collective contact intervals” (SCCIs) were observed on 100% of whisks for all five rats. The overall spatiotemporal structure of the SCCIs can be qualitatively predicted based on information about head pose and the average whisk cycle. In contrast, precise sequences of whisker-surface contact depend on detailed head and whisker kinematics. Sequences of vibrissal contact were highly variable, equally likely to propagate in all directions across the array. Somewhat more structure was found when sequences of contacts were examined on a row-wise basis. In striking contrast to the high variability associated with contact sequences, a consistent feature of each SCCI was that the contact locations of the whiskers on the glass converged and moved more slowly on the sheet. Together, these findings lead us to propose that the rat uses a strategy of “windowed sampling” to extract an object's spatial features: specifically, the rat spatially integrates quasi-static mechanical signals across whiskers during the period of sustained contact, resembling an “enclosing” haptic procedure. PMID:26778990

Phase 1 Cultural Resources Inventory of Public Access Lands in the Atchafalaya Basin, Vicinity of the Sherburne Wildlife Management Area, Pointe Coupee, St. Martin and Iberville Parishes, Louisiana

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-03-16

philoxeroides), water hyssop ( Bacopa monnieri), Frogbit (Limnobium spongia), swamp lily (Crinum americanum), whisk fern (Psilotum nudom), and lizard’s tail...Additional fresh water marsh species include Carolina bacopa ( Bacopa caroliniana), ammania (Ammania coccinea), pink hibiscus (Rasteletzkya virginica

TERMINAL ARBORS OF AXONS PROJECTING TO THE SOMATOSENSORY CORTEX OF THE ADULT RAT. 2. THE ALTERED MORPHOLOGY OF THALAMOCORTICAL AFFERENTS FOLLOWING NEONATAL INFRAORBITAL NERVE CUT (JOURNAL VERSION)

EPA Science Inventory

The organization of the whisker representation within the neocortex of the rat is dependent on an intact periphery during development. To further investigate how alterations in the cortical map arise the authors examined the organization of thalamocortical afferents to the whiske...

Dielectric elastomer vibrissal system for active tactile sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Conn, Andrew T.; Pearson, Martin J.; Pipe, Anthony G.; Welsby, Jason; Rossiter, Jonathan

2012-04-01

Rodents are able to dexterously navigate confined and unlit environments by extracting spatial and textural information with their whiskers (or vibrissae). Vibrissal-based active touch is suited to a variety of applications where vision is occluded, such as search-and-rescue operations in collapsed buildings. In this paper, a compact dielectric elastomer vibrissal system (DEVS) is described that mimics the vibrissal follicle-sinus complex (FSC) found in rodents. Like the vibrissal FSC, the DEVS encapsulates all sensitive mechanoreceptors at the root of a passive whisker within an antagonistic muscular system. Typically, rats actively whisk arrays of macro-vibrissae with amplitudes of up to +/-25°. It is demonstrated that these properties can be replicated by exploiting the characteristic large actuation strains and passive compliance of dielectric elastomers. A prototype DEVS is developed using VHB 4905 and embedded strain gauges bonded to the root of a tapered whisker. The DEVS is demonstrated to produce a maximum rotational output of +/-22.8°. An electro-mechanical model of the DEVS is derived, which incorporates a hyperelastic material model and Euler- Bernoulli beam equations. The model is shown to predict experimental measurements of whisking stroke amplitude and whisker deflection.

Voltage-sensitive dye imaging of mouse neocortex during a whisker detection task

PubMed Central

Kyriakatos, Alexandros; Sadashivaiah, Vijay; Zhang, Yifei; Motta, Alessandro; Auffret, Matthieu; Petersen, Carl C. H.

2016-01-01

Abstract. Sensorimotor processing occurs in a highly distributed manner in the mammalian neocortex. The spatiotemporal dynamics of electrical activity in the dorsal mouse neocortex can be imaged using voltage-sensitive dyes (VSDs) with near-millisecond temporal resolution and ∼100-μm spatial resolution. Here, we trained mice to lick a water reward spout after a 1-ms deflection of the C2 whisker, and we imaged cortical dynamics during task execution with VSD RH1691. Responses to whisker deflection were highly dynamic and spatially highly distributed, exhibiting high variability from trial to trial in amplitude and spatiotemporal dynamics. We differentiated trials based on licking and whisking behavior. Hit trials, in which the mouse licked after the whisker stimulus, were accompanied by overall greater depolarization compared to miss trials, with the strongest hit versus miss differences being found in frontal cortex. Prestimulus whisking decreased behavioral performance by increasing the fraction of miss trials, and these miss trials had attenuated cortical sensorimotor responses. Our data suggest that the spatiotemporal dynamics of depolarization in mouse sensorimotor cortex evoked by a single brief whisker deflection are subject to important behavioral modulation during the execution of a simple, learned, goal-directed sensorimotor transformation. PMID:27921068

Parameterizing Sound: Design Considerations for an Environmental Sound Database

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-04-01

Accordion Car backfire Crushing a metal can Aerosol can Car crash Crushing a tin can Alarm clock Car ignition Crushing egg shells Alloette...top Coffee perking Eggs beaten in a bowl with a whisk Bowling Coffee pot whistling Elastic (snap) Bread cutting Coin dropping Electric...Bus Combination lock Female speaking Bus air break Cooking with fat Ferry Bus stop and go Cuckoo clock Ferry horn Camera Corduroy

Long-term functional recovery after facial nerve transection and repair in the rat.

PubMed

Banks, Caroline A; Knox, Christopher; Hunter, Daniel A; Mackinnon, Susan E; Hohman, Marc H; Hadlock, Tessa A

2015-03-01

The rodent model is commonly used to study facial nerve injury. Because of the exceptional regenerative capacity of the rodent facial nerve, it is essential to consider the timing when studying facial nerve regeneration and functional recovery. Short-term functional recovery data following transection and repair of the facial nerve has been documented by our laboratory. However, because of the limitations of the head fixation device, there is a lack of long-term data following facial nerve injury. The objective of this study was to elucidate the long-term time course and functional deficit following facial nerve transection and repair in a rodent model. Adult rats were divided into group 1 (controls) and group 2 (experimental). Group 1 animals underwent head fixation, followed by a facial nerve injury, and functional testing was performed from day 7 to day 70. Group 2 animals underwent facial nerve injury, followed by delayed head fixation, and then underwent functional testing from months 6 to 8. There was no statistical difference between the average whisking amplitudes in group 1 and group 2 animals. Functional whisking recovery 6 months after facial nerve injury is comparable to recovery within 1 to 4 months of transection and repair, thus the ideal window for evaluating facial nerve recovery falls within the 4 months after injury. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Web accessibility support for visually impaired users using link content analysis.

PubMed

Iwata, Hajime; Kobayashi, Naofumi; Tachibana, Kenji; Shirogane, Junko; Fukazawa, Yoshiaki

2013-12-01

Web pages are used for a variety of purposes. End users must understand dynamically changing content and sequentially follow page links to find desired material, requiring significant time and effort. However, for visually impaired users using screen readers, it can be difficult to find links to web pages when link text and alternative text descriptions are inappropriate. Our method supports the discovery of content by analyzing 8 categories of link types, and allows visually impaired users to be aware of the content represented by links in advance. This facilitates end users access to necessary information on web pages. Our method of classifying web page links is therefore effective as a means of evaluating accessibility.

Of Substance: The Nature of Language Effects on Entity Construal

PubMed Central

Li, Peggy; Dunham, Yarrow; Carey, Susan

2009-01-01

Shown an entity (e.g., a plastic whisk) labeled by a novel noun in neutral syntax, speakers of Japanese, a classifier language, are more likely to assume the noun refers to the substance (plastic) than are speakers of English, a count/mass language, who are instead more likely to assume it refers to the object kind (whisk; Imai and Gentner, 1997). Five experiments replicated this language type effect on entity construal, extended it to quite different stimuli from those studied before, and extended it to a comparison between Mandarin-speakers and English-speakers. A sixth experiment, which did not involve interpreting the meaning of a noun or a pronoun that stands for a noun, failed to find any effect of language type on entity construal. Thus, the overall pattern of findings supports a non-Whorfian, language on language account, according to which sensitivity to lexical statistics in a count/mass language leads adults to assign a novel noun in neutral syntax the status of a count noun, influencing construal of ambiguous entities. The experiments also document and explore cross-linguistically universal factors that influence entity construal, and favor Prasada's (1999) hypothesis that features indicating non-accidentalness of an entity's form lead participants to a construal of object-kind rather than substance-kind. Finally, the experiments document the age at which the language type effect emerges in lexical projection. The details of the developmental pattern are consistent with the lexical statistics hypothesis, along with a universal increase in sensitivity to material kind. PMID:19230873

Tracking and data relay satellite system configuration and tradeoff study. Volume 1: TDRS system summary, part 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1972-01-01

A Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) concept for service of low and medium data rate user spacecraft has been defined. The TDRS system uses two geosynchronous dual spin satellites compatible with Delta 2914 to provide command, tracking, and telemetry service between multiple low earth orbiting users and a centrally located ground station. The low data rate user service capability via each TDRS is as follows: (1) forward link at UHF: voice to one user, commands to 20 users (sequential), range and range rate service, and (2) return link at VHF: voice from one user, data from 20 users (simultaneous), range and range rate return signals. The medium data rate user service via each TDRS is as follows: (1) forward link at S band: voice or command and tracking signals to one user, and (2) return link at S band: voice, data and tracking signals from one user "order wire" for high priority service requests (implemented with an earth coverage antenna).

Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System user impact and network compatibility study. [antenna design and telecommunication links

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1973-01-01

The report contains data on antenna configurations for the low data rate users of the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS). It treats the coverage and mutual visibility considerations between the user satellites and the relay satellites and relates these considerations to requirements of antenna beamwidth and fractional user orbital coverage. A final section includes user/TDRS telecommunication link budgets and forward and return link data rate tradeoffs.

KnowledgeLink: Impact of Context-Sensitive Information Retrieval on Clinicians' Information Needs

PubMed Central

Maviglia, Saverio M.; Yoon, Catherine S.; Bates, David W.; Kuperman, Gilad

2006-01-01

Objective: Infobuttons are message-based content search and retrieval functions embedded within other applications that dynamically return information relevant to the clinical task at hand. The objective of this study was to determine whether infobuttons effectively answer providers' questions about medications or affect patient care decisions. Design: The authors implemented and evaluated a medication infobutton application called KnowledgeLink. Health care providers at 18 outpatient clinics were randomized to one of two versions of KnowledgeLink, one that linked to information from Micromedex (Thomson Micromedex, Greenwood Village, Co) and the other to material from SkolarMD (Wolters Kluwer Health, Palo Alto, CA). Measurements: Data were collected about the frequency of use and demographics of users, patients, and drugs that were queried. Users were periodically surveyed with short questionnaires and then with a more extensive survey at the end of one year. Results: During the first year, KnowledgeLink was used 7,972 times by 359 users to look up information about 1,723 medications for 4,961 patients. Clinicians used KnowledgeLink twice a month on average, and during an average of 1.2% of patient encounters. KnowledgeLink was used by a wide variety of medical staff, not just physicians and nurse practitioners. The frequency of usage and the questions asked varied with user role (primary care physician, specialist physician, nurse practitioner). Although the median KnowledgeLink session was brief (21 seconds), KnowledgeLink answered users' queries 84% of the time, and altered patient care decisions 15% of the time. Users rated KnowledgeLink favorably on multiple scales, recommended extending KnowledgeLink to other content domains, and suggested enhancing the interface to allow refinement of the query and selection of the target resource. Conclusion: An infobutton can satisfy information needs about medications. Although used infrequently and for brief sessions, KnowledgeLink was positively received, answered most users' questions, and had a significant impact on medical decision making. The next steps would be to broaden the domains that KnowledgeLink covers to more specifically tailor results to the user type, to provide options when queries are not immediately answered, and to implement KnowledgeLink within other electronic clinical applications. PMID:16221942

Retweets as a Predictor of Relationships among Users on Social Media.

PubMed

Tsugawa, Sho; Kito, Kosuke

2017-01-01

Link prediction is the problem of detecting missing links or predicting future link formation in a network. Application of link prediction to social media, such as Twitter and Facebook, is useful both for developing novel services and for sociological analyses. While most existing research on link prediction uses only the social network topology for the prediction, in social media, records of user activities such as posting, replying, and reposting are available. These records are expected to reflect user interest, and so incorporating them should improve link prediction. However, research into link prediction using the records of user activities is still in its infancy, and the effectiveness of such records for link prediction has not been fully explored. In this study, we focus in particular on records of reposting as a promising source that could be useful for link prediction, and investigate their effectiveness for link prediction on the popular social media platform Twitter. Our results show that (1) the prediction accuracy of techniques using reposting records is higher than that of popular topology-based techniques such as common neighbors and resource allocation for actively retweeting users, (2) the accuracy of link prediction techniques that use network topology alone can be improved by incorporating reposting records.

Retweets as a Predictor of Relationships among Users on Social Media

PubMed Central

Kito, Kosuke

2017-01-01

Link prediction is the problem of detecting missing links or predicting future link formation in a network. Application of link prediction to social media, such as Twitter and Facebook, is useful both for developing novel services and for sociological analyses. While most existing research on link prediction uses only the social network topology for the prediction, in social media, records of user activities such as posting, replying, and reposting are available. These records are expected to reflect user interest, and so incorporating them should improve link prediction. However, research into link prediction using the records of user activities is still in its infancy, and the effectiveness of such records for link prediction has not been fully explored. In this study, we focus in particular on records of reposting as a promising source that could be useful for link prediction, and investigate their effectiveness for link prediction on the popular social media platform Twitter. Our results show that (1) the prediction accuracy of techniques using reposting records is higher than that of popular topology-based techniques such as common neighbors and resource allocation for actively retweeting users, (2) the accuracy of link prediction techniques that use network topology alone can be improved by incorporating reposting records. PMID:28107489

Navigation Patterns and Scent Marking: Underappreciated Contributors to Hippocampal and Entorhinal Spatial Representations?

PubMed

Lebedev, Mikhail A; Pimashkin, Alexey; Ossadtchi, Alexei

2018-01-01

According to the currently prevailing theory, hippocampal formation constructs and maintains cognitive spatial maps. Most of the experimental evidence for this theory comes from the studies on navigation in laboratory rats and mice, typically male animals. While these animals exhibit a rich repertoire of behaviors associated with navigation, including locomotion, head movements, whisking, sniffing, raring and scent marking, the contribution of these behavioral patterns to the hippocampal spatially-selective activity has not been sufficiently studied. Instead, many publications have considered animal position in space as the major variable that affects the firing of hippocampal place cells and entorhinal grid cells. Here we argue that future work should focus on a more detailed examination of different behaviors exhibited during navigation to better understand the mechanism of spatial tuning in hippocampal neurons. As an inquiry in this direction, we have analyzed data from two datasets, shared online, containing recordings from rats navigating in square and round arenas. Our analyses revealed patchy navigation patterns, evident from the spatial maps of animal position, velocity and acceleration. Moreover, grid cells available in the datasets exhibited similar periodicity as the navigation parameters. These findings indicate that activity of grid cells could affect navigation parameters and/or vice versa. Additionally, we speculate that scent marks left by navigating animals could contribute to neuronal responses while rats and mice sniff their environment; the act of sniffing could modulate neuronal discharges even in virtual visual environments. Accordingly, we propose that future experiments should contain additional controls for navigation patterns, whisking, sniffing and maps composed of scent marks.

Shuttle/TDRSS modelling and link simulation study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Braun, W. R.; Mckenzie, T. M.; Biederman, L.; Lindsey, W. C.

1979-01-01

A Shuttle/TDRSS S-band and Ku-band link simulation package called LinCsim was developed for the evaluation of link performance for specific Shuttle signal designs. The link models were described in detail and the transmitter distortion parameters or user constraints were carefully defined. The overall link degradation (excluding hardware degradations) relative to an ideal BPSK channel were given for various sets of user constraint values. The performance sensitivity to each individual user constraint was then illustrated. The effect of excessive Spacelab clock jitter on the return link BER performance was also investigated as was the problem of subcarrier recovery for the K-band Shuttle return link signal.

Linking User Identities Across the DataONE Federation of Data Repositories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, M. B.; Mecum, B.; Leinfelder, B.; Jones, C. S.; Walker, L.

2016-12-01

DataONE provides services for identifying, authenticating, and authorizing researchers to access and contribute data to repositories within the DataONE federation. In the earth sciences, thousands of institutional and disciplinary repositories have created their own user identity and authentication systems with their own user directory based on a database or web content management systems. Thus, researchers have many identities that are neither linked nor interoperable, making it difficult to reference the identity of these users across systems. Key user information is hidden, and only a non-disambiguated name is often available. From a sample of 160,000 data sets within DataONE, a super-majority of references to the data creators lack even an email address. In an attempt to disambiguate these people via the GeoLink project, we conservatively estimate they represent at least 57,000 unique identities, but without a clear user identifier, there could be as many as 223,000. Interoperability among repositories is critical to improving the scope of scientific synthesis and capabilities for research collaboration. While many have focused on the convenience of Single Sign-On (SSO), we have found that sharing user identifiers is far more useful for interoperability. With an unambiguous user identity in incoming metadata, DataONE has built user-profiles that present that user's data across repositories, that link users and their organizational affiliations, and that allow users to work collaboratively in private groups that span repository systems. DataONE's user identity solution leverages existing systems such as InCommon, CILogon, Google, and ORCID to not further proliferate user identities. DataONE provides a core service allowing users to link their multiple identities so that authenticating with one identity (e.g., ORCID) can authorize access to data protected via another identity (e.g., InCommon). Currently, DataONE is using ORCID identities to link and identify users, but challenges must still be overcome to support historical records for which ORCIDs can not be used because the associated people are unavailable to confirm their identity. DataONE's identity systems facilitate crosslinking between user identities and scientific metadata to accelerate collaboration and synthesis.

Neurons within the trigeminal mesencephalic nucleus encode for the kinematic parameters of the whisker pad macrovibrissae.

PubMed

Mameli, Ombretta; Caria, Marcello A; Biagi, Francesca; Zedda, Marco; Farina, Vittorio

2017-05-01

It has been recently shown in rats that spontaneous movements of whisker pad macrovibrissae elicited evoked responses in the trigeminal mesencephalic nucleus (Me5). In the present study, electrophysiological and neuroanatomical experiments were performed in anesthetized rats to evaluate whether, besides the whisker displacement per se, the Me5 neurons are also involved in encoding the kinematic properties of macrovibrissae movements, and also whether, as reported for the trigeminal ganglion, even within the Me5 nucleus exists a neuroanatomical representation of the whisker pad macrovibrissae. Extracellular electrical activity of single Me5 neurons was recorded before, during, and after mechanical deflection of the ipsilateral whisker pad macrovibrissae in different directions, and with different velocities and amplitudes. In several groups of animals, single or multiple injections of the tracer Dil were performed into the whisker pad of one side, in close proximity to the vibrissae follicles, in order to label the peripheral terminals of the Me5 neurons innervating the macrovibrissae (whisking-neurons), and therefore, the respective perikaria within the nucleus. Results showed that: (1) the whisker pad macrovibrissae were represented in the medial-caudal part of the Me5 nucleus by a single cluster of cells whose number seemed to match that of the macrovibrissae; (2) macrovibrissae mechanical deflection elicited significant responses in the Me5 whisking-neurons, which were related to the direction, amplitude, and frequency of the applied deflection. The specific functional role of Me5 neurons involved in encoding proprioceptive information arising from the macrovibrissae movements is discussed within the framework of the whole trigeminal nuclei activities. © 2017 The Authors. Physiological Reports published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of The Physiological Society and the American Physiological Society.

Nerve crush but not displacement-induced stretch of the intra-arachnoidal facial nerve promotes facial palsy after cerebellopontine angle surgery.

PubMed

Bendella, Habib; Brackmann, Derald E; Goldbrunner, Roland; Angelov, Doychin N

2016-10-01

Little is known about the reasons for occurrence of facial nerve palsy after removal of cerebellopontine angle tumors. Since the intra-arachnoidal portion of the facial nerve is considered to be so vulnerable that even the slightest tension or pinch may result in ruptured axons, we tested whether a graded stretch or controlled crush would affect the postoperative motor performance of the facial (vibrissal) muscle in rats. Thirty Wistar rats, divided into five groups (one with intact controls and four with facial nerve lesions), were used. Under inhalation anesthesia, the occipital squama was opened, the cerebellum gently retracted to the left, and the intra-arachnoidal segment of the right facial nerve exposed. A mechanical displacement of the brainstem with 1 or 3 mm toward the midline or an electromagnet-controlled crush of the facial nerve with a tweezers at a closure velocity of 50 and 100 mm/s was applied. On the next day, whisking motor performance was determined by video-based motion analysis. Even the larger (with 3 mm) mechanical displacement of the brainstem had no harmful effect: The amplitude of the vibrissal whisks was in the normal range of 50°-60°. On the other hand, even the light nerve crush (50 mm/s) injured the facial nerve and resulted in paralyzed vibrissal muscles (amplitude of 10°-15°). We conclude that, contrary to the generally acknowledged assumptions, it is the nerve crush but not the displacement-induced stretching of the intra-arachnoidal facial trunk that promotes facial palsy after cerebellopontine angle surgery in rats.

Introducing Products to DoD Using Specifications and Standards

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-08-18

to utilize the Product Introduction Tool. Search ~Favorites .S » Links ~Customize Links ~ EDS-NMCI ~Free Hotmail Product Introduction Process User...the Product Introduction Tool. Search ~Favorites .S » Links ~Customize Links ~ EDS-NMCI ~Free Hotmail Product Introduction Process User Pol icy...Links i1 EDS-NMCI ~ Free Hotmail i] I] Go ldentitify Categories/Subcategories Identify the category/subcategory that most closely covers your

User's manual for the VAX-Gerber link software package. Revision 1. 0

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Isobe, G.W.

1985-10-01

This manual provides a user the information necessary to run the VAX-Gerber link software package. It is expected that the user already knows how to login to the VAX, and is familiar with the Gerber Photo Plotter. It is also highly desirable that the user be familiar with the full screen editor on the VAX, EDT.

Spike count, spike timing and temporal information in the cortex of awake, freely moving rats

PubMed Central

Scaglione, Alessandro; Foffani, Guglielmo; Moxon, Karen A.

2014-01-01

Objective Sensory processing of peripheral information is not stationary but is, in general, a dynamic process related to the behavioral state of the animal. Yet the link between the state of the behavior and the encoding properties of neurons is unclear. This report investigates the impact of the behavioral state on the encoding mechanisms used by cortical neurons for both detection and discrimination of somatosensory stimuli in awake, freely moving, rats. Approach Neuronal activity was recorded from the primary somatosensory cortex of five rats under two different behavioral states (quiet vs. whisking) while electrical stimulation of increasing stimulus strength was delivered to the mystacial pad. Information theoretical measures were then used to measure the contribution of different encoding mechanisms to the information carried by neurons in response to the whisker stimulation. Main Results We found that the behavioral state of the animal modulated the total amount of information conveyed by neurons and that the timing of individual spikes increased the information compared to the total count of spikes alone. However, the temporal information, i.e. information exclusively related to when the spikes occur, was not modulated by behavioral state. Significance We conclude that information about somatosensory stimuli is modulated by the behavior of the animal and this modulation is mainly expressed in the spike count while the temporal information is more robust to changes in behavioral state. PMID:25024291

Rodent ultrasonic vocalizations are bound to active sniffing behavior

PubMed Central

Sirotin, Yevgeniy B.; Costa, Martín Elias; Laplagne, Diego A.

2014-01-01

During rodent active behavior, multiple orofacial sensorimotor behaviors, including sniffing and whisking, display rhythmicity in the theta range (~5–10 Hz). During specific behaviors, these rhythmic patterns interlock, such that execution of individual motor programs becomes dependent on the state of the others. Here we performed simultaneous recordings of the respiratory cycle and ultrasonic vocalization emission by adult rats and mice in social settings. We used automated analysis to examine the relationship between breathing patterns and vocalization over long time periods. Rat ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs, “50 kHz”) were emitted within stretches of active sniffing (5–10 Hz) and were largely absent during periods of passive breathing (1–4 Hz). Because ultrasound was tightly linked to the exhalation phase, the sniffing cycle segmented vocal production into discrete calls and imposed its theta rhythmicity on their timing. In turn, calls briefly prolonged exhalations, causing an immediate drop in sniffing rate. Similar results were obtained in mice. Our results show that ultrasonic vocalizations are an integral part of the rhythmic orofacial behavioral ensemble. This complex behavioral program is thus involved not only in active sensing but also in the temporal structuring of social communication signals. Many other social signals of mammals, including monkey calls and human speech, show structure in the theta range. Our work points to a mechanism for such structuring in rodent ultrasonic vocalizations. PMID:25477796

A Missing Link: People, Practice and Some Precarious Research!

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Higdon, Carolyn Wiles; Higdon, Lawrence W.

2004-01-01

The field of augmentative and alternative communication's (AAC) missing link is the discrepancy between what the research community identifies as needs and what the clinical community, including the AAC user, believes to be the AAC user's needs. An unrealistic picture of the AAC user occurs, developing a top-down effect of limited outcomes,…

Why should we publish Linked Data?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blower, Jon; Riechert, Maik; Koubarakis, Manolis; Pace, Nino

2016-04-01

We use the Web every day to access information from all kinds of different sources. But the complexity and diversity of scientific data mean that discovering accessing and interpreting data remains a large challenge to researchers, decision-makers and other users. Different sources of useful information on data, algorithms, instruments and publications are scattered around the Web. How can we link all these things together to help users to better understand and exploit earth science data? How can we combine scientific data with other relevant data sources, when standards for describing and sharing data vary so widely between communities? "Linked Data" is a term that describes a set of standards and "best practices" for sharing data on the Web (http://www.w3.org/standards/semanticweb/data). These principles can be summarised as follows: 1. Create unique and persistent identifiers for the important "things" in a community (e.g. datasets, publications, algorithms, instruments). 2. Allow users to "look up" these identifiers on the web to find out more information about them. 3. Make this information machine-readable in a community-neutral format (such as RDF, Resource Description Framework). 4. Within this information, embed links to other things and concepts and say how these are related. 5. Optionally, provide web service interfaces to allow the user to perform sophisticated queries over this information (using a language such as SPARQL). The promise of Linked Data is that, through these techniques, data will be more discoverable, more comprehensible and more usable by different communities, not just the community that produced the data. As a result, many data providers (particularly public-sector institutions) are now publishing data in this way. However, this area is still in its infancy in terms of real-world applications. Data users need guidance and tools to help them use Linked Data. Data providers need reassurance that the investments they are making in publishing Linked Data will result in tangible user benefits. This presentation will address a number of these issues, using real-world experience gathered from four recent European projects: MELODIES (http://melodiesproject.eu), LEO (http://linkedeodata.eu), CHARMe (http://linkedeodata.eu) and TELEIOS (http://www.earthobservatory.eu). These projects have all applied Linked Data techniques in practical, real-world situations involving the use of diverse data (including earth science data) by both industrial and academic users. Specifically, we will: • Identify a set of practical and valuable uses for Linked Data, focusing on areas where Linked Data fills gaps left by other technologies. These uses include: enabling the discovery of earth science data using mass-market search engines, helping users to understand data and its uses, combining data from multiple sources and enabling the annotation of data by users. • Enumerate some common challenges faced by developers of data-driven services who wish to use Linked Data in their applications. • Describe a new suite of tools for managing, processing and visualising Linked Data in earth science applications (including geospatial Linked Data).

A DTN-Based Multiple Access Fast Forward Service for the NASA Space Network

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Israel, David; Davis, Faith; Marquart. Jane

2011-01-01

The NASA Space Network provides a demand access return link service capable of providing users a space link "on demand". An equivalent service in the forward link direction is not possible due to Tracking and Data Relay Spacecraft (TDRS) constraints. A Disruption Tolerant Networking (DTN)-based Multiple Access Fast Forward (MAFF) service has been proposed to provide a forward link to a user as soon as possible. Previous concept studies have identified a basic architecture and implementation approach. This paper reviews the user scenarios and benefits of an MAFF service and proposes an implementation approach based on the use of DTN protocols.

Google Scholar Users and User Behaviors: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herrera, Gail

2011-01-01

The University of Mississippi Library created a profile to provide linking from Google Scholar (GS) to library resources in 2005. Although Google Scholar does not provide usage statistics for institutions, use of Google Scholar is clearly evident in looking at library link resolver logs. The purpose of this project is to examine users of Google…

Comparison and Evaluation of End-User Interfaces for Online Public Access Catalogs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zumer, Maja

End-user interfaces for the online public access catalogs (OPACs) of OhioLINK, a system linking major university and research libraries in Ohio, and its 16 member libraries, accessible through the Internet, are compared and evaluated from the user-oriented perspective. A common, systematic framework was used for the scientific observation of the…

Measuring Consortium Impact on User Perceptions: OhioLINK and LibQUAL+[TM

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gatten, Jeffrey N.

2004-01-01

What is the impact of an academic library consortium on the perceptions of library services experienced by users of the member institutions' libraries? What is the impact of an academic library consortium on the perceptions of library services experienced by users of the member institutions libraries? In 2002 and 2003, OhioLINK (Ohio's consortium…

OhioLINK Electronic Journal Use at Ohio State University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Connell, Tschera Harkness; Rogers, Sally A.; Diedrichs, Carol Pitts

2005-01-01

A five-question survey randomly presented to users at Ohio State University (OSU) as they viewed articles in OhioLINK's Electronic Journal Center (EJC) in fall 2002 probed the user's status, academic unit, reason for viewing, path to the article, and frequency of EJC use. Usage by faculty and graduate students, by frequent users, and by those in…

LINKEDIN TRILOGY: Part 1. Top 10 Reasons You Should NOT Join LinkedIn Professional Network!

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berk, Ronald A.

2013-01-01

Disclaimer: I have been an active "free" user of LinkedIn for 5.463 years with more than 3000 (1st degree) connections from all over the world. I have no vested interest in LinkedIn other than as a user of the services it provides. Despite the fact that LinkedIn was originally designed as a network for business professionals, not…

Assessing country-level efforts to link research to action.

PubMed Central

Lavis, John N.; Lomas, Jonathan; Hamid, Maimunah; Sewankambo, Nelson K.

2006-01-01

We developed a framework for assessing country-level efforts to link research to action. The framework has four elements. The first element assesses the general climate (how those who fund research, universities, researchers and users of research support or place value on efforts to link research to action). The second element addresses the production of research (how priority setting ensures that users' needs are identified and how scoping reviews, systematic reviews and single studies are undertaken to address these needs). The third element addresses the mix of four clusters of activities used to link research to action. These include push efforts (how strategies are used to support action based on the messages arising from research), efforts to facilitate "user pull" (how "one-stop shopping" is provided for optimally packaged high-quality reviews either alone or as part of a national electronic library for health, how these reviews are profiled during "teachable moments" such as intense media coverage, and how rapid-response units meet users' needs for the best research), "user pull" efforts undertaken by those who use research (how users assess their capacity to use research and how structures and processes are changed to support the use of research) and exchange efforts (how meaningful partnerships between researchers and users help them to jointly ask and answer relevant questions). The fourth element addresses approaches to evaluation (how support is provided for rigorous evaluations of efforts to link research to action). PMID:16917649

AISIM (Automated Interactive Simulation Modeling System) VAX Version Training Manual.

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-02-01

node to which the link is to run, a-nd-(3) a user-given name of the link. To pi’ace a link called " LINKI " from NODE1 to NODE2, type CON NODE1,NODE2...example, to eliminate the connection between NODEI and NODE2 type DELETE LINKI The result on the screen would be that the link named "LINK1" would...the user should now enter the command: DEFINE PATH,NODE2 ,NODE4, LINKI ,LINK4 not only would the path from NODE2 to NODE4 be established, but the path

Information Tailoring Enhancements for Large-Scale Social Data

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-12-15

Linked Accounts: In addition to linking Twitter accounts, users can now link their Instagram accounts. This is encouraged because users can use their...privileges regarding Twitter data collection is shown here.  Instagram Limits: All limits and privileges regarding Instagram data collection is shown...here. Page | 5 Intelligent Automation Incorporated  Analytics Limits: The availability of analytics for Twitter and Instagram is shown

Data Link Test and Analysis System/TCAS Monitor User's Guide

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1991-02-01

This document is a user's guide for the Data Link Test and Analysis System : (DATAS) Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) monitor application. : It provides a brief overall hardware description of DATAS configured as a TCAS : Monitor, ...

A general UNIX interface for biocomputing and network information retrieval software.

PubMed

Kiong, B K; Tan, T W

1993-10-01

We describe a UNIX program, HYBROW, which can integrate without modification a wide range of UNIX biocomputing and network information retrieval software. HYBROW works in conjunction with a separate set of ASCII files containing embedded hypertext-like links. The program operates like a hypertext browser featuring five basic links: file link, execute-only link, execute-display link, directory-browse link and field-filling link. Useful features of the interface may be developed using combinations of these links with simple shell scripts and examples of these are briefly described. The system manager who supports biocomputing users should find the program easy to maintain, and useful in assisting new and infrequent users; it is also simple to incorporate new programs. Moreover, the individual user can customize the interface, create dynamic menus, hypertext a document, invoke shell scripts and new programs simply with a basic understanding of the UNIX operating system and any text editor. This program was written in C language and uses the UNIX curses and termcap libraries. It is freely available as a tar compressed file (by anonymous FTP from nuscc.nus.sg).

How the structure of Wikipedia articles influences user navigation.

PubMed

Lamprecht, Daniel; Lerman, Kristina; Helic, Denis; Strohmaier, Markus

2017-01-02

In this work we study how people navigate the information network of Wikipedia and investigate (i) free-form navigation by studying all clicks within the English Wikipedia over an entire month and (ii) goal-directed Wikipedia navigation by analyzing wikigames, where users are challenged to retrieve articles by following links. To study how the organization of Wikipedia articles in terms of layout and links affects navigation behavior, we first investigate the characteristics of the structural organization and of hyperlinks in Wikipedia and then evaluate link selection models based on article structure and other potential influences in navigation, such as the generality of an article's topic. In free-form Wikipedia navigation, covering all Wikipedia usage scenarios, we find that click choices can be best modeled by a bias towards article structure, such as a tendency to click links located in the lead section. For the goal-directed navigation of wikigames, our findings confirm the zoom-out and the homing-in phases identified by previous work, where users are guided by generality at first and textual similarity to the target later. However, our interpretation of the link selection models accentuates that article structure is the best explanation for the navigation paths in all except these initial and final stages. Overall, we find evidence that users more frequently click on links that are located close to the top of an article. The structure of Wikipedia articles, which places links to more general concepts near the top, supports navigation by allowing users to quickly find the better-connected articles that facilitate navigation. Our results highlight the importance of article structure and link position in Wikipedia navigation and suggest that better organization of information can help make information networks more navigable.

How the structure of Wikipedia articles influences user navigation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lamprecht, Daniel; Lerman, Kristina; Helic, Denis; Strohmaier, Markus

2017-01-01

In this work we study how people navigate the information network of Wikipedia and investigate (i) free-form navigation by studying all clicks within the English Wikipedia over an entire month and (ii) goal-directed Wikipedia navigation by analyzing wikigames, where users are challenged to retrieve articles by following links. To study how the organization of Wikipedia articles in terms of layout and links affects navigation behavior, we first investigate the characteristics of the structural organization and of hyperlinks in Wikipedia and then evaluate link selection models based on article structure and other potential influences in navigation, such as the generality of an article's topic. In free-form Wikipedia navigation, covering all Wikipedia usage scenarios, we find that click choices can be best modeled by a bias towards article structure, such as a tendency to click links located in the lead section. For the goal-directed navigation of wikigames, our findings confirm the zoom-out and the homing-in phases identified by previous work, where users are guided by generality at first and textual similarity to the target later. However, our interpretation of the link selection models accentuates that article structure is the best explanation for the navigation paths in all except these initial and final stages. Overall, we find evidence that users more frequently click on links that are located close to the top of an article. The structure of Wikipedia articles, which places links to more general concepts near the top, supports navigation by allowing users to quickly find the better-connected articles that facilitate navigation. Our results highlight the importance of article structure and link position in Wikipedia navigation and suggest that better organization of information can help make information networks more navigable.

How the structure of Wikipedia articles influences user navigation

PubMed Central

Lamprecht, Daniel; Lerman, Kristina; Helic, Denis; Strohmaier, Markus

2017-01-01

In this work we study how people navigate the information network of Wikipedia and investigate (i) free-form navigation by studying all clicks within the English Wikipedia over an entire month and (ii) goal-directed Wikipedia navigation by analyzing wikigames, where users are challenged to retrieve articles by following links. To study how the organization of Wikipedia articles in terms of layout and links affects navigation behavior, we first investigate the characteristics of the structural organization and of hyperlinks in Wikipedia and then evaluate link selection models based on article structure and other potential influences in navigation, such as the generality of an article's topic. In free-form Wikipedia navigation, covering all Wikipedia usage scenarios, we find that click choices can be best modeled by a bias towards article structure, such as a tendency to click links located in the lead section. For the goal-directed navigation of wikigames, our findings confirm the zoom-out and the homing-in phases identified by previous work, where users are guided by generality at first and textual similarity to the target later. However, our interpretation of the link selection models accentuates that article structure is the best explanation for the navigation paths in all except these initial and final stages. Overall, we find evidence that users more frequently click on links that are located close to the top of an article. The structure of Wikipedia articles, which places links to more general concepts near the top, supports navigation by allowing users to quickly find the better-connected articles that facilitate navigation. Our results highlight the importance of article structure and link position in Wikipedia navigation and suggest that better organization of information can help make information networks more navigable. PMID:28670171

Data link test and analysis system/TCAS monitor user's guide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vandongen, John; Wapelhorst, Leo

1991-02-01

This document is a user's guide for the Data Link Test and Analysis System (DATAS) Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) monitor. It provides a brief overall hardware description of DATAS configured as a TCAS monitor, and the applications software.

Information Tailoring Enhancements for Large-Scale Social Data

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-09-26

Accounts: In addition to linking Twitter accounts, users can now link their Instagram accounts. This is encouraged because users can use their token (as...regarding Twitter data collection is shown here.  Instagram Limits: All limits and privileges regarding Instagram data collection is shown here...Analytics Limits: The availability of analytics for Twitter and Instagram is shown here. These privileges are based on user or group.  Manage

Comparison of trophic factors' expression between paralyzed and recovering muscles after facial nerve injury. A quantitative analysis in time course.

PubMed

Grosheva, Maria; Nohroudi, Klaus; Schwarz, Alisa; Rink, Svenja; Bendella, Habib; Sarikcioglu, Levent; Klimaschewski, Lars; Gordon, Tessa; Angelov, Doychin N

2016-05-01

After peripheral nerve injury, recovery of motor performance negatively correlates with the poly-innervation of neuromuscular junctions (NMJ) due to excessive sprouting of the terminal Schwann cells. Denervated muscles produce short-range diffusible sprouting stimuli, of which some are neurotrophic factors. Based on recent data that vibrissal whisking is restored perfectly during facial nerve regeneration in blind rats from the Sprague Dawley (SD)/RCS strain, we compared the expression of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF2), insulin growth factors 1 and 2 (IGF1, IGF2) and nerve growth factor (NGF) between SD/RCS and SD-rats with normal vision but poor recovery of whisking function after facial nerve injury. To establish which trophic factors might be responsible for proper NMJ-reinnervation, the transected facial nerve was surgically repaired (facial-facial anastomosis, FFA) for subsequent analysis of mRNA and proteins expressed in the levator labii superioris muscle. A complicated time course of expression included (1) a late rise in BDNF protein that followed earlier elevated gene expression, (2) an early increase in FGF2 and IGF2 protein after 2 days with sustained gene expression, (3) reduced IGF1 protein at 28 days coincident with decline of raised mRNA levels to baseline, and (4) reduced NGF protein between 2 and 14 days with maintained gene expression found in blind rats but not the rats with normal vision. These findings suggest that recovery of motor function after peripheral nerve injury is due, at least in part, to a complex regulation of lesion-associated neurotrophic factors and cytokines in denervated muscles. The increase of FGF-2 protein and concomittant decrease of NGF (with no significant changes in BDNF or IGF levels) during the first week following FFA in SD/RCS blind rats possibly prevents the distal branching of regenerating axons resulting in reduced poly-innervation of motor endplates. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Self-descriptions on LinkedIn: Recruitment or friendship identity?

PubMed

Garcia, Danilo; Cloninger, Kevin M; Granjard, Alexandre; Molander-Söderholm, Kristian; Amato, Clara; Sikström, Sverker

2018-04-26

We used quantitative semantics to find clusters of words in LinkedIn users' self-descriptions to an employer or a friend. Some of these clusters discriminated between worker and friend conditions (e.g., flexible vs. caring) and between LinkedIn users with high and low education (e.g., analytical vs. messy). © 2018 The Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Tracking and data relay satellite system configuration and tradeoff study. Volume 5: TDRS spacecraft design, part 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1972-01-01

A dual spin stabilized TDR spacecraft design is presented for low data rate (LDR) and medium data rate (MDR) user spacecraft telecommunication relay service. The relay satellite provides command and data return channels for unmanned users together with duplex voice and data communication channels for manned user spacecraft. TDRS/ground links are in the Ku band. Command links are provided at UHF for LDR users and S band for MDR users. Voice communication channels are provided at UHF/VHF for LDR users and at S band for MDR users. The spacecraft is designed for launch on the Delta 2914 with system deployment planned for 1978. This volume contains a description of the overall TDR spacecraft configuration, a detailed description of the spacecraft subsystems, a reliability analysis, and a product effectiveness plan.

Satellite Communication Hardware Emulation System (SCHES)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kaplan, Ted

1993-01-01

Satellite Communication Hardware Emulator System (SCHES) is a powerful simulator that emulates the hardware used in TDRSS links. SCHES is a true bit-by-bit simulator that models communications hardware accurately enough to be used as a verification mechanism for actual hardware tests on user spacecraft. As a credit to its modular design, SCHES is easily configurable to model any user satellite communication link, though some development may be required to tailor existing software to user specific hardware.

Motor–sensory convergence in object localization: a comparative study in rats and humans

PubMed Central

Horev, Guy; Saig, Avraham; Knutsen, Per Magne; Pietr, Maciej; Yu, Chunxiu; Ahissar, Ehud

2011-01-01

In order to identify basic aspects in the process of tactile perception, we trained rats and humans in similar object localization tasks and compared the strategies used by the two species. We found that rats integrated temporally related sensory inputs (‘temporal inputs’) from early whisk cycles with spatially related inputs (‘spatial inputs’) to align their whiskers with the objects; their perceptual reports appeared to be based primarily on this spatial alignment. In a similar manner, human subjects also integrated temporal and spatial inputs, but relied mainly on temporal inputs for object localization. These results suggest that during tactile object localization, an iterative motor–sensory process gradually converges on a stable percept of object location in both species. PMID:21969688

How Effective is Routing for Wireless Networking

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-03-05

Routing (LAR) [31]. The basic mechanism of how link-based routing schemes operate is as follows: a user broadcasts a control message (called a “ hello ...to all of its neighbors. If a series of hello messages are exchanged between two users, a link is considered to exist between them. Routes are then be...description of ETX is as follows. For a given window of time, the number of hello packets that a user receives from a neighbor is counted. A cost is then

Marijuana Use at School and Achievement-Linked Behaviors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Finn, Kristin V.

2012-01-01

Marijuana remains one of the most frequently used drugs among adolescents and usage has increased in recent years. In addition to general use, many high school students use marijuana during the school day. The present study focused on achievement-linked correlates of in-school marijuana use by comparing non-users, general users, and school users…

Nessi: An EEG-Controlled Web Browser for Severely Paralyzed Patients

PubMed Central

Bensch, Michael; Karim, Ahmed A.; Mellinger, Jürgen; Hinterberger, Thilo; Tangermann, Michael; Bogdan, Martin; Rosenstiel, Wolfgang; Birbaumer, Niels

2007-01-01

We have previously demonstrated that an EEG-controlled web browser based on self-regulation of slow cortical potentials (SCPs) enables severely paralyzed patients to browse the internet independently of any voluntary muscle control. However, this system had several shortcomings, among them that patients could only browse within a limited number of web pages and had to select links from an alphabetical list, causing problems if the link names were identical or if they were unknown to the user (as in graphical links). Here we describe a new EEG-controlled web browser, called Nessi, which overcomes these shortcomings. In Nessi, the open source browser, Mozilla, was extended by graphical in-place markers, whereby different brain responses correspond to different frame colors placed around selectable items, enabling the user to select any link on a web page. Besides links, other interactive elements are accessible to the user, such as e-mail and virtual keyboards, opening up a wide range of hypertext-based applications. PMID:18350132

Neuroimaging meta-analysis of cannabis use studies reveals convergent functional alterations in brain regions supporting cognitive control and reward processing.

PubMed

Yanes, Julio A; Riedel, Michael C; Ray, Kimberly L; Kirkland, Anna E; Bird, Ryan T; Boeving, Emily R; Reid, Meredith A; Gonzalez, Raul; Robinson, Jennifer L; Laird, Angela R; Sutherland, Matthew T

2018-03-01

Lagging behind rapid changes to state laws, societal views, and medical practice is the scientific investigation of cannabis's impact on the human brain. While several brain imaging studies have contributed important insight into neurobiological alterations linked with cannabis use, our understanding remains limited. Here, we sought to delineate those brain regions that consistently demonstrate functional alterations among cannabis users versus non-users across neuroimaging studies using the activation likelihood estimation meta-analysis framework. In ancillary analyses, we characterized task-related brain networks that co-activate with cannabis-affected regions using data archived in a large neuroimaging repository, and then determined which psychological processes may be disrupted via functional decoding techniques. When considering convergent alterations among users, decreased activation was observed in the anterior cingulate cortex, which co-activated with frontal, parietal, and limbic areas and was linked with cognitive control processes. Similarly, decreased activation was observed in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, which co-activated with frontal and occipital areas and linked with attention-related processes. Conversely, increased activation among users was observed in the striatum, which co-activated with frontal, parietal, and other limbic areas and linked with reward processing. These meta-analytic outcomes indicate that cannabis use is linked with differential, region-specific effects across the brain.

Tracking Data Acquisition System (TDAS) for the 1990's. Volume 6: TDAS navigation system architecture

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Elrod, B. D.; Jacobsen, A.; Cook, R. A.; Singh, R. N. P.

1983-01-01

One-way range and Doppler methods for providing user orbit and time determination are examined. Forward link beacon tracking, with on-board processing of independent navigation signals broadcast continuously by TDAS spacecraft; forward link scheduled tracking; with on-board processing of navigation data received during scheduled TDAS forward link service intervals; and return link scheduled tracking; with ground-based processing of user generated navigation data during scheduled TDAS return link service intervals are discussed. A system level definition and requirements assessment for each alternative, an evaluation of potential navigation performance and comparison with TDAS mission model requirements is included. TDAS satellite tracking is also addressed for two alternatives: BRTS and VLBI tracking.

Challenge: How Effective is Routing for Wireless Networking

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-03-03

sage (called a“ hello ”) to all of its neighbors. If a series of hello messages are exchanged between two users, a link is considered to exist between...these schemes. A brief description of ETX is as follows. For a given window of time, the number of hello packets that a user receives from a neighbor is...counted. A cost is then assigned to the link based on how many hello messages were heard; a link that has fewer hellos successfully transmitted across

Challenge: How Effective is Routing for Wireless Networking

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-09-07

sage (called a“ hello ”) to all of its neighbors. If a series of hello messages are exchanged between two users, a link is considered to exist between...these schemes. A brief description of ETX is as follows. For a given window of time, the number of hello packets that a user receives from a neighbor is...counted. A cost is then assigned to the link based on how many hello messages were heard; a link that has fewer hellos successfully transmitted across

User Evaluation of Automatically Generated Semantic Hypertext Links in a Heavily Used Procedural Manual.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tebbutt, John

1999-01-01

Discusses efforts at National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to construct an information discovery tool through the fusion of hypertext and information retrieval that works by parsing a contiguous document base into smaller documents and inserting semantic links between them. Also presents a case study that evaluated user reactions.…

Precipitation links (PrecipLinks) - a prototype directory for precipitation information

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Velanthapillia, Balendran; Stocker, Erich Franz

2006-01-01

This poster describes a web directory of research oriented precipitation links. In this era of sophisticated search engines and web agents, it might seem counterproductive to establish such a directory of links. However, entering precipitation into a search engine like google will yield over one million hits. To further exacerbate this situation many of the returned links are dead, duplicates of other links, incomplete, or only marginally related to research precipitation or even the broader precipitation area. Sometimes connecting the linked URL causes the browser to lose context and not be able to get back to the original page. Even using more sophisticated search engines query parameters or agents while reducing the overall return doesn't eliminate all of the other issues listed. As part of the development of the measurement-based Precipitation Processing System (PPS) that will support Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) version 7 reprocessing and the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission a precipitation links (PrecipLinks) facility is being developed. PrecipLinks is intended to share locations of other sites that contain information or data pertaining to precipitation research. Potential contributors can log-on to the PrecipLinks website and register their site for inclusion in the directory. The price for inclusion is the requirement to place a link back to PrecipLinks on the webpage that is registered. This ensures that users will be able to easily get back to PrecipLinks regardless of any context issues that browsers might have. Perhaps more importantly users while visiting one site that they know can be referred to a location that has many others sites with which they might not be familiar. PrecipLinks is designed to have a very flat structure. This poster summarizes these categories (information, data, services) and the reasons for their selection. Providers may register multiple pages to which they wish to direct users. However, each page may be attached to only one of these categories. Each page to which they refer users will also have a return link to PrecipLinks. The poster describes the operation of the system both the automated and the human processes. It also provides images for the various steps in the registration and use.

LinkWinds: An Approach to Visual Data Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jacobson, Allan S.

1992-01-01

The Linked Windows Interactive Data System (LinkWinds) is a prototype visual data exploration and analysis system resulting from a NASA/JPL program of research into graphical methods for rapidly accessing, displaying and analyzing large multivariate multidisciplinary datasets. It is an integrated multi-application execution environment allowing the dynamic interconnection of multiple windows containing visual displays and/or controls through a data-linking paradigm. This paradigm, which results in a system much like a graphical spreadsheet, is not only a powerful method for organizing large amounts of data for analysis, but provides a highly intuitive, easy to learn user interface on top of the traditional graphical user interface.

Using Linked Open Data and Semantic Integration to Search Across Geoscience Repositories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mickle, A.; Raymond, L. M.; Shepherd, A.; Arko, R. A.; Carbotte, S. M.; Chandler, C. L.; Cheatham, M.; Fils, D.; Hitzler, P.; Janowicz, K.; Jones, M.; Krisnadhi, A.; Lehnert, K. A.; Narock, T.; Schildhauer, M.; Wiebe, P. H.

2014-12-01

The MBLWHOI Library is a partner in the OceanLink project, an NSF EarthCube Building Block, applying semantic technologies to enable knowledge discovery, sharing and integration. OceanLink is testing ontology design patterns that link together: two data repositories, Rolling Deck to Repository (R2R), Biological and Chemical Oceanography Data Management Office (BCO-DMO); the MBLWHOI Library Institutional Repository (IR) Woods Hole Open Access Server (WHOAS); National Science Foundation (NSF) funded awards; and American Geophysical Union (AGU) conference presentations. The Library is collaborating with scientific users, data managers, DSpace engineers, experts in ontology design patterns, and user interface developers to make WHOAS, a DSpace repository, linked open data enabled. The goal is to allow searching across repositories without any of the information providers having to change how they manage their collections. The tools developed for DSpace will be made available to the community of users. There are 257 registered DSpace repositories in the United Stated and over 1700 worldwide. Outcomes include: Integration of DSpace with OpenRDF Sesame triple store to provide SPARQL endpoint for the storage and query of RDF representation of DSpace resources, Mapping of DSpace resources to OceanLink ontology, and DSpace "data" add on to provide resolvable linked open data representation of DSpace resources.

Clinically relevant lessons from Family HealthLink: a cancer and coronary heart disease familial risk assessment tool.

PubMed

Sweet, Kevin; Sturm, Amy C; Rettig, Amy; McElroy, Joseph; Agnese, Doreen

2015-06-01

A descriptive retrospective study was performed using two separate user cohorts to determine the effectiveness of Family HealthLink as a clinical triage tool. Cohort 1 consisted of 2,502 users who accessed the public website. Cohort 2 consisted of 194 new patients in a Comprehensive Breast Center setting. For patient users, we assessed documentation of family history and genetics referral. For all users seen in a genetics clinic, the Family HealthLink assessment was compared with that performed by genetic counselors and genetic testing outcomes. For general public users, the percentage meeting high-risk criteria were: for cancer only, 22.2%; for coronary heart disease only, 24.3%; and for both diseases, 10.4%. These risk stratification percentages were similar for the patient users. For the patient users, there often was documentation of family history of certain cancer types by oncology professionals, but age of onset and coronary heart disease family history were less complete. Of 142 with high-risk assignments seen in a genetics clinic, 130 (91.5%) of these assignments were corroborated. Forty-two underwent genetic testing and 17 (40.5%) had new molecular diagnoses established. A significant percentage of individuals are at high familial risk and may require more intensive screening and referral. Interactive family history triage tools can aid this process.Genet Med 17 6, 493-500.

US Gateway to SIMBAD Astronomical Database

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eichhorn, G.; Oliversen, R. (Technical Monitor)

1999-01-01

During the last year the US SIMBAD Gateway Project continued to provide services like user registration to the US users of the SIMBAD database in France. Currently there are over 3400 US users registered. We also provide user support by answering questions from users and handling requests for lost passwords when still necessary. We have implemented in cooperation with the CDS SIMBAD project access to the SIMBAD database for US users on an Internet address basis. This allows most US users to access SIMBAD without having to enter passwords. We have maintained the mirror copy of the SIMBAD database on a server at SAO. This has allowed much faster access for the US users. We also supported a demonstration of the SIMBAD database at the meeting of the American Astronomical Society in January. We shipped computer equipment to the meeting and provided support for the demonstration activities at the SIMBAD booth. We continued to improve the cross-linking between the SIMBAD project and the Astrophysics Data System. This cross-linking between these systems is very much appreciated by the users of both the SIMBAD database and the ADS Abstract Service. The mirror of the SIMBAD database at SAO makes this connection faster for the US astronomers. We exchange information between the ADS and SIMBAD on a daily basis. The close cooperation between the CDS in Strasbourg and SAO, facilitated by this project, is an important part of the astronomy-wide digital library initiative called Urania. It has proven to be a model in how different data centers can collaborate and enhance the value of their products by linking with other data centers.

Comics, Crowdsourcing and Up-Votes: EFL on the Front Page of the Internet

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

York, James; Stiller, Scott

2013-01-01

The social-media news website "Reddit" boasts a huge readership with over 35 million unique visitors for December 2011 alone. Content is generated by users, who submit links from other websites to the various sub-forums. Users also have the ability to comment on links, providing the means for a community to be developed. Both content and…

Characterizing Deficiencies of Path-Based Routing for Wireless Multi-Hop Networks

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-05-01

called a “ hello ”) to all of its neighbors. If a series of hello messages are exchanged between two users, a link is considered to exist between them...A brief description of ETX is as follows. For a given window of time, the number of hello packets that a user receives from a neighbor is counted. A...cost is then assigned to the link based on how many hello messages were heard; a link that has fewer hellos successfully transmitted across it will be

Partial Automation of Requirements Tracing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hayes, Jane; Dekhtyar, Alex; Sundaram, Senthil; Vadlamudi, Sravanthi

2006-01-01

Requirements Tracing on Target (RETRO) is software for after-the-fact tracing of textual requirements to support independent verification and validation of software. RETRO applies one of three user-selectable information-retrieval techniques: (1) term frequency/inverse document frequency (TF/IDF) vector retrieval, (2) TF/IDF vector retrieval with simple thesaurus, or (3) keyword extraction. One component of RETRO is the graphical user interface (GUI) for use in initiating a requirements-tracing project (a pair of artifacts to be traced to each other, such as a requirements spec and a design spec). Once the artifacts have been specified and the IR technique chosen, another component constructs a representation of the artifact elements and stores it on disk. Next, the IR technique is used to produce a first list of candidate links (potential matches between the two artifact levels). This list, encoded in Extensible Markup Language (XML), is optionally processed by a filtering component designed to make the list somewhat smaller without sacrificing accuracy. Through the GUI, the user examines a number of links and returns decisions (yes, these are links; no, these are not links). Coded in XML, these decisions are provided to a "feedback processor" component that prepares the data for the next application of the IR technique. The feedback reduces the incidence of erroneous candidate links. Unlike related prior software, RETRO does not require the user to assign keywords, and automatically builds a document index.

A Resolution in Service: SFX Usage Logs as a Basis for Link Resolver Menu Redesign

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Highsmith, Anne L.; Ponsford, Bennett Claire

2011-01-01

In this study, three years of SFX usage logs at Texas A&M University were analyzed to determine how patrons use link resolver services. The study contrasts the actions taken by users when full text is and is not available and compares public versus staff usage. The results confirmed users' preference for full-text services but also provided…

US Gateway to SIMBAD Astronomical Database

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eichhorn, G.

1998-01-01

During the last year the US SIMBAD Gateway Project continued to provide services like user registration to the US users of the SIMBAD database in France. User registration is required by the SIMBAD project in France. Currently, there are almost 3000 US users registered. We also provide user support by answering questions from users and handling requests for lost passwords. We have worked with the CDS SIMBAD project to provide access to the SIMBAD database to US users on an Internet address basis. This will allow most US users to access SIMBAD without having to enter passwords. This new system was installed in August, 1998. The SIMBAD mirror database at SAO is fully operational. We worked with the CDS to adapt it to our computer system. We implemented automatic updating procedures that update the database and password files daily. This mirror database provides much better access to the US astronomical community. We also supported a demonstration of the SIMBAD database at the meeting of the American Astronomical Society in January. We shipped computer equipment to the meeting and provided support for the demonstration activities at the SIMBAD booth. We continued to improve the cross-linking between the SIMBAD project and the Astro- physics Data System. This cross-linking between these systems is very much appreciated by the users of both the SIMBAD database and the ADS Abstract Service. The mirror of the SIMBAD database at SAO makes this connection faster for the US astronomers. The close cooperation between the CDS in Strasbourg and SAO, facilitated by this project, is an important part of the astronomy-wide digital library initiative called Urania. It has proven to be a model in how different data centers can collaborate and enhance the value of their products by linking with other data centers.

Full-Text Linking: Affiliated versus Nonaffiliated Access in a Free Database.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grogg, Jill E.; Andreadis, Debra K.; Kirk, Rachel A.

2002-01-01

Presents a comparison of access to full-text articles from a free bibliographic database (PubSCIENCE) for affiliated and unaffiliated users. Found that affiliated users had access to more full-text articles than unaffiliated users had, and that both types of users could increase their level of access through additional searching and greater…

Cooperative processing user interfaces for AdaNET

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gutzmann, Kurt M.

1991-01-01

A cooperative processing user interface (CUI) system shares the task of graphical display generation and presentation between the user's computer and a remote host. The communications link between the two computers is typically a modem or Ethernet. The two main purposes of a CUI are reduction of the amount of data transmitted between user and host machines, and provision of a graphical user interface system to make the system easier to use.

Characterizing and modeling the dynamics of activity and popularity.

PubMed

Zhang, Peng; Li, Menghui; Gao, Liang; Fan, Ying; Di, Zengru

2014-01-01

Social media, regarded as two-layer networks consisting of users and items, turn out to be the most important channels for access to massive information in the era of Web 2.0. The dynamics of human activity and item popularity is a crucial issue in social media networks. In this paper, by analyzing the growth of user activity and item popularity in four empirical social media networks, i.e., Amazon, Flickr, Delicious and Wikipedia, it is found that cross links between users and items are more likely to be created by active users and to be acquired by popular items, where user activity and item popularity are measured by the number of cross links associated with users and items. This indicates that users generally trace popular items, overall. However, it is found that the inactive users more severely trace popular items than the active users. Inspired by empirical analysis, we propose an evolving model for such networks, in which the evolution is driven only by two-step random walk. Numerical experiments verified that the model can qualitatively reproduce the distributions of user activity and item popularity observed in empirical networks. These results might shed light on the understandings of micro dynamics of activity and popularity in social media networks.

Characterizing and Modeling the Dynamics of Activity and Popularity

PubMed Central

Zhang, Peng; Li, Menghui; Gao, Liang; Fan, Ying; Di, Zengru

2014-01-01

Social media, regarded as two-layer networks consisting of users and items, turn out to be the most important channels for access to massive information in the era of Web 2.0. The dynamics of human activity and item popularity is a crucial issue in social media networks. In this paper, by analyzing the growth of user activity and item popularity in four empirical social media networks, i.e., Amazon, Flickr, Delicious and Wikipedia, it is found that cross links between users and items are more likely to be created by active users and to be acquired by popular items, where user activity and item popularity are measured by the number of cross links associated with users and items. This indicates that users generally trace popular items, overall. However, it is found that the inactive users more severely trace popular items than the active users. Inspired by empirical analysis, we propose an evolving model for such networks, in which the evolution is driven only by two-step random walk. Numerical experiments verified that the model can qualitatively reproduce the distributions of user activity and item popularity observed in empirical networks. These results might shed light on the understandings of micro dynamics of activity and popularity in social media networks. PMID:24586586

Multi-agents and learning: Implications for Webusage mining.

PubMed

Lotfy, Hewayda M S; Khamis, Soheir M S; Aboghazalah, Maie M

2016-03-01

Characterization of user activities is an important issue in the design and maintenance of websites. Server weblog files have abundant information about the user's current interests. This information can be mined and analyzed therefore the administrators may be able to guide the users in their browsing activity so they may obtain relevant information in a shorter span of time to obtain user satisfaction. Web-based technology facilitates the creation of personally meaningful and socially useful knowledge through supportive interactions, communication and collaboration among educators, learners and information. This paper suggests a new methodology based on learning techniques for a Web-based Multiagent-based application to discover the hidden patterns in the user's visited links. It presents a new approach that involves unsupervised, reinforcement learning, and cooperation between agents. It is utilized to discover patterns that represent the user's profiles in a sample website into specific categories of materials using significance percentages. These profiles are used to make recommendations of interesting links and categories to the user. The experimental results of the approach showed successful user pattern recognition, and cooperative learning among agents to obtain user profiles. It indicates that combining different learning algorithms is capable of improving user satisfaction indicated by the percentage of precision, recall, the progressive category weight and F 1-measure.

Two Types of Well Followed Users in the Followership Networks of Twitter

PubMed Central

Saito, Kodai; Masuda, Naoki

2014-01-01

In the Twitter blogosphere, the number of followers is probably the most basic and succinct quantity for measuring popularity of users. However, the number of followers can be manipulated in various ways; we can even buy follows. Therefore, alternative popularity measures for Twitter users on the basis of, for example, users' tweets and retweets, have been developed. In the present work, we take a purely network approach to this fundamental question. First, we find that two relatively distinct types of users possessing a large number of followers exist, in particular for Japanese, Russian, and Korean users among the seven language groups that we examined. A first type of user follows a small number of other users. A second type of user follows approximately the same number of other users as the number of follows that the user receives. Then, we compare local (i.e., egocentric) followership networks around the two types of users with many followers. We show that the second type, which is presumably uninfluential users despite its large number of followers, is characterized by high link reciprocity, a large number of friends (i.e., those whom a user follows) for the followers, followers' high link reciprocity, large clustering coefficient, large fraction of the second type of users among the followers, and a small PageRank. Our network-based results support that the number of followers used alone is a misleading measure of user's popularity. We propose that the number of friends, which is simple to measure, also helps us to assess the popularity of Twitter users. PMID:24416209

Design and Development of a Linked Open Data-Based Health Information Representation and Visualization System: Potentials and Preliminary Evaluation

PubMed Central

Kauppinen, Tomi; Keßler, Carsten; Fritz, Fleur

2014-01-01

Background Healthcare organizations around the world are challenged by pressures to reduce cost, improve coordination and outcome, and provide more with less. This requires effective planning and evidence-based practice by generating important information from available data. Thus, flexible and user-friendly ways to represent, query, and visualize health data becomes increasingly important. International organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) regularly publish vital data on priority health topics that can be utilized for public health policy and health service development. However, the data in most portals is displayed in either Excel or PDF formats, which makes information discovery and reuse difficult. Linked Open Data (LOD)—a new Semantic Web set of best practice of standards to publish and link heterogeneous data—can be applied to the representation and management of public level health data to alleviate such challenges. However, the technologies behind building LOD systems and their effectiveness for health data are yet to be assessed. Objective The objective of this study is to evaluate whether Linked Data technologies are potential options for health information representation, visualization, and retrieval systems development and to identify the available tools and methodologies to build Linked Data-based health information systems. Methods We used the Resource Description Framework (RDF) for data representation, Fuseki triple store for data storage, and Sgvizler for information visualization. Additionally, we integrated SPARQL query interface for interacting with the data. We primarily use the WHO health observatory dataset to test the system. All the data were represented using RDF and interlinked with other related datasets on the Web of Data using Silk—a link discovery framework for Web of Data. A preliminary usability assessment was conducted following the System Usability Scale (SUS) method. Results We developed an LOD-based health information representation, querying, and visualization system by using Linked Data tools. We imported more than 20,000 HIV-related data elements on mortality, prevalence, incidence, and related variables, which are freely available from the WHO global health observatory database. Additionally, we automatically linked 5312 data elements from DBpedia, Bio2RDF, and LinkedCT using the Silk framework. The system users can retrieve and visualize health information according to their interests. For users who are not familiar with SPARQL queries, we integrated a Linked Data search engine interface to search and browse the data. We used the system to represent and store the data, facilitating flexible queries and different kinds of visualizations. The preliminary user evaluation score by public health data managers and users was 82 on the SUS usability measurement scale. The need to write queries in the interface was the main reported difficulty of LOD-based systems to the end user. Conclusions The system introduced in this article shows that current LOD technologies are a promising alternative to represent heterogeneous health data in a flexible and reusable manner so that they can serve intelligent queries, and ultimately support decision-making. However, the development of advanced text-based search engines is necessary to increase its usability especially for nontechnical users. Further research with large datasets is recommended in the future to unfold the potential of Linked Data and Semantic Web for future health information systems development. PMID:25601195

Design and development of a linked open data-based health information representation and visualization system: potentials and preliminary evaluation.

PubMed

Tilahun, Binyam; Kauppinen, Tomi; Keßler, Carsten; Fritz, Fleur

2014-10-25

Healthcare organizations around the world are challenged by pressures to reduce cost, improve coordination and outcome, and provide more with less. This requires effective planning and evidence-based practice by generating important information from available data. Thus, flexible and user-friendly ways to represent, query, and visualize health data becomes increasingly important. International organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) regularly publish vital data on priority health topics that can be utilized for public health policy and health service development. However, the data in most portals is displayed in either Excel or PDF formats, which makes information discovery and reuse difficult. Linked Open Data (LOD)-a new Semantic Web set of best practice of standards to publish and link heterogeneous data-can be applied to the representation and management of public level health data to alleviate such challenges. However, the technologies behind building LOD systems and their effectiveness for health data are yet to be assessed. The objective of this study is to evaluate whether Linked Data technologies are potential options for health information representation, visualization, and retrieval systems development and to identify the available tools and methodologies to build Linked Data-based health information systems. We used the Resource Description Framework (RDF) for data representation, Fuseki triple store for data storage, and Sgvizler for information visualization. Additionally, we integrated SPARQL query interface for interacting with the data. We primarily use the WHO health observatory dataset to test the system. All the data were represented using RDF and interlinked with other related datasets on the Web of Data using Silk-a link discovery framework for Web of Data. A preliminary usability assessment was conducted following the System Usability Scale (SUS) method. We developed an LOD-based health information representation, querying, and visualization system by using Linked Data tools. We imported more than 20,000 HIV-related data elements on mortality, prevalence, incidence, and related variables, which are freely available from the WHO global health observatory database. Additionally, we automatically linked 5312 data elements from DBpedia, Bio2RDF, and LinkedCT using the Silk framework. The system users can retrieve and visualize health information according to their interests. For users who are not familiar with SPARQL queries, we integrated a Linked Data search engine interface to search and browse the data. We used the system to represent and store the data, facilitating flexible queries and different kinds of visualizations. The preliminary user evaluation score by public health data managers and users was 82 on the SUS usability measurement scale. The need to write queries in the interface was the main reported difficulty of LOD-based systems to the end user. The system introduced in this article shows that current LOD technologies are a promising alternative to represent heterogeneous health data in a flexible and reusable manner so that they can serve intelligent queries, and ultimately support decision-making. However, the development of advanced text-based search engines is necessary to increase its usability especially for nontechnical users. Further research with large datasets is recommended in the future to unfold the potential of Linked Data and Semantic Web for future health information systems development.

What words and where? Applying usability testing techniques to name a new live reference service.

PubMed

Duncan, Vicky; Fichter, Darlene M

2004-04-01

A user-focused design approach was taken to develop a new "live reference" service at the Health Sciences Library, University of Saskatchewan. The name of the service, the placement of the links, and the design of a graphical button were seen as key elements in creating service awareness and its subsequent use. To ensure library users recognized and understood the label for the new service, selected library users were given an opportunity to choose a phrase that would best describe the service. The top two preferred phrases were then placed on the library Web pages as text and graphic images for further testing. Some pages had links in multiple locations to determine which placement worked best. Task-based usability testing was carried out with participants who were unaware of the new service. Participants were observed as they completed seven Website tasks arranged in increasing levels of difficulty to see whether they would notice the live reference service and seek assistance. The high level of recognition and use of the service indicate that the label name and link placement were effective with library Website users. Using user-centered design methodology helped ensure that the new live reference service was visible and used and demonstrated the effectiveness of the user-centered design approach for adding new services to an existing Website.

Proposal for massively parallel data storage system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mansuripur, M.

1992-01-01

An architecture for integrating large numbers of data storage units (drives) to form a distributed mass storage system is proposed. The network of interconnected units consists of nodes and links. At each node there resides a controller board, a data storage unit and, possibly, a local/remote user-terminal. The links (twisted-pair wires, coax cables, or fiber-optic channels) provide the communications backbone of the network. There is no central controller for the system as a whole; all decisions regarding allocation of resources, routing of messages and data-blocks, creation and distribution of redundant data-blocks throughout the system (for protection against possible failures), frequency of backup operations, etc., are made locally at individual nodes. The system can handle as many user-terminals as there are nodes in the network. Various users compete for resources by sending their requests to the local controller-board and receiving allocations of time and storage space. In principle, each user can have access to the entire system, and all drives can be running in parallel to service the requests for one or more users. The system is expandable up to a maximum number of nodes, determined by the number of routing-buffers built into the controller boards. Additional drives, controller-boards, user-terminals, and links can be simply plugged into an existing system in order to expand its capacity.

Identification of influential spreaders in online social networks using interaction weighted K-core decomposition method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al-garadi, Mohammed Ali; Varathan, Kasturi Dewi; Ravana, Sri Devi

2017-02-01

Online social networks (OSNs) have become a vital part of everyday living. OSNs provide researchers and scientists with unique prospects to comprehend individuals on a scale and to analyze human behavioral patterns. Influential spreaders identification is an important subject in understanding the dynamics of information diffusion in OSNs. Targeting these influential spreaders is significant in planning the techniques for accelerating the propagation of information that is useful for various applications, such as viral marketing applications or blocking the diffusion of annoying information (spreading of viruses, rumors, online negative behaviors, and cyberbullying). Existing K-core decomposition methods consider links equally when calculating the influential spreaders for unweighted networks. Alternatively, the proposed link weights are based only on the degree of nodes. Thus, if a node is linked to high-degree nodes, then this node will receive high weight and is treated as an important node. Conversely, the degree of nodes in OSN context does not always provide accurate influence of users. In the present study, we improve the K-core method for OSNs by proposing a novel link-weighting method based on the interaction among users. The proposed method is based on the observation that the interaction of users is a significant factor in quantifying the spreading capability of user in OSNs. The tracking of diffusion links in the real spreading dynamics of information verifies the effectiveness of our proposed method for identifying influential spreaders in OSNs as compared with degree centrality, PageRank, and original K-core.

Utility-Based Link Recommendation in Social Networks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Zhepeng

2013-01-01

Link recommendation, which suggests links to connect currently unlinked users, is a key functionality offered by major online social networking platforms. Salient examples of link recommendation include "people you may know"' on Facebook and "who to follow" on Twitter. A social networking platform has two types of stakeholder:…

Publishing Data on Physical Samples Using the GeoLink Ontology and Linked Data Platforms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ji, P.; Arko, R. A.; Lehnert, K. A.; Song, L.; Carter, M. R.; Hsu, L.

2015-12-01

Interdisciplinary Earth Data Alliance (IEDA), one of partners in EarthCube GeoLink project, seeks to explore the extent to which the use of GeoLink reusable Ontology Design Patterns (ODPs) and linked data platforms in IEDA data infrastructure can make research data more easily accessible and valuable. Linked data for the System for Earth Sample Registration (SESAR) is the first effort of IEDA to show how linked data enhance the presentation of IEDA data system architecture. SESAR Linked Data maps each table and column in SESAR database to RDF class and property based on GeoLink view, which build on the top of GeoLink ODPs. Then, uses D2RQ dumping the contents of SESAR database into RDF triples on the basis of mapping results. And, the dumped RDF triples is loaded into GRAPHDB, an RDF graph database, as permanent data in the form of atomic facts expressed as subjects, predicates and objects which provide support for semantic interoperability between IEDA and other GeoLink partners. Finally, an integrated browsing and searching interface build on Callimachus, a highly scalable platform for publishing linked data, is introduced to make sense of data stored in triplestore. Drill down and through features are built in the interface to help users locating content efficiently. The drill down feature enables users to explore beyond the summary information in the instance list of a specific class and into the detail from the specific instance page. The drill through feature enables users to jump from one instance to another one by simply clicking the link of the latter nested in the former region. Additionally, OpenLayers map is embedded into the interface to enhance the attractiveness of the presentation of instance which has geospatial information. Furthermore, by linking instances in the SESAR datasets to matching or corresponding instances in external sets, the presentation has been enriched with additional information about related classes like person, cruise, etc.

Effects of Link Annotations on Search Performance in Layered and Unlayered Hierarchically Organized Information Spaces.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fraser, Landon; Locatis, Craig

2001-01-01

Investigated the effects of link annotations on high school user search performance in Web hypertext environments having deep (layered) and shallow link structures. Results confirmed previous research that shallow link structures are better than deep (layered) link structures, and also showed that annotations had virtually no effect on search…

Asynchronous transfer mode link performance over ground networks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chow, E. T.; Markley, R. W.

1993-01-01

The results of an experiment to determine the feasibility of using asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) technology to support advanced spacecraft missions that require high-rate ground communications and, in particular, full-motion video are reported. Potential nodes in such a ground network include Deep Space Network (DSN) antenna stations, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and a set of national and international end users. The experiment simulated a lunar microrover, lunar lander, the DSN ground communications system, and distributed science users. The users were equipped with video-capable workstations. A key feature was an optical fiber link between two high-performance workstations equipped with ATM interfaces. Video was also transmitted through JPL's institutional network to a user 8 km from the experiment. Variations in video depending on the networks and computers were observed, the results are reported.

Method of recommending items to a user based on user interest

DOEpatents

Bollen, John; Van De Sompel, Herbert

2013-11-05

Although recording of usage data is common in scholarly information services, its exploitation for the creation of value-added services remains limited due to concerns regarding, among others, user privacy, data validity, and the lack of accepted standards for the representation, sharing and aggregation of usage data. A technical, standards-based architecture for sharing usage information is presented. In this architecture, OpenURL-compliant linking servers aggregate usage information of a specific user community as it navigates the distributed information environment that it has access to. This usage information is made OAI-PMH harvestable so that usage information exposed by many linking servers can be aggregated to facilitate the creation of value-added services with a reach beyond that of a single community or a single information service.

A Query Analysis of Consumer Health Information Retrieval

PubMed Central

Hong, Yi; de la Cruz, Norberto; Barnas, Gary; Early, Eileen; Gillis, Rick

2002-01-01

The log files of MCW HealthLink web site were analyzed to study users' needs for consumer health information and get a better understanding of the health topics users are searching for, the paths users usually take to find consumer health information and the way to improve search effectiveness.

Navigation To and From a Page: Which Links Get Clicked From Where

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Use Google Analytics navigation summary data to find out what page users most frequently click your Contact Us link from (Previous Page Path), or which links on your homepage are popular or unpopular (Next Page Path).

US Astronomers Access to SIMBAD in Strasbourg, France

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eichhorn, G.; Oliverson, Ronald J. (Technical Monitor)

2003-01-01

During the last year the US SIMBAD Gateway Project continued to provide services like user registration to the US users of the SIMBAD database in France. Currently there are over 4300 US users registered. We also provided user support by answering questions from users and handling requests for lost passwords when still necessary. Even though almost all users now access SIMBAD without a password, based on hostnames/IP addresses, there are still some users that need individual passwords. We continued to maintain the mirror copy of the SIMBAD database on a server at SAO. This allows much faster access for the US users. During the past year we moved this mirror to a faster server to improve access for the US users. We again supported a demonstration of the SIMBAD database at the meeting of the American Astronomical Society in January. We provided support for the demonstration activities at the SIMBAD booth. We paid part of the fee for the SIMBAD demonstration. We continued to improve the cross-linking between the SIMBAD project and the Astrophysics Data System. This cross-linking between these systems is very much appreciated by the users of both the SIMBAD database and the ADS Abstract Service. The mirror of the SIMBAD database at SAO makes this connection faster for the US astronomers. We exchange information between the ADS and SIMBAD on a daily basis. The close cooperation between the CDS in Strasbourg and SAO, facilitated by this project, is an important part of the astronomy-wide digital library initiative. It has proven to be a model in how different data centers can collaborate and enhance the value of their products by linking with other data centers. We continue this collaboration in order to provide better services to both the US and European astronomical community. This collaboration is even more important in light of the developments for the Virtual Observatory projects in the different countries.

Uncovering the essential links in online commercial networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeng, Wei; Fang, Meiling; Shao, Junming; Shang, Mingsheng

2016-09-01

Recommender systems are designed to effectively support individuals' decision-making process on various web sites. It can be naturally represented by a user-object bipartite network, where a link indicates that a user has collected an object. Recently, research on the information backbone has attracted researchers' interests, which is a sub-network with fewer nodes and links but carrying most of the relevant information. With the backbone, a system can generate satisfactory recommenda- tions while saving much computing resource. In this paper, we propose an enhanced topology-aware method to extract the information backbone in the bipartite network mainly based on the information of neighboring users and objects. Our backbone extraction method enables the recommender systems achieve more than 90% of the accuracy of the top-L recommendation, however, consuming only 20% links. The experimental results show that our method outperforms the alternative backbone extraction methods. Moreover, the structure of the information backbone is studied in detail. Finally, we highlight that the information backbone is one of the most important properties of the bipartite network, with which one can significantly improve the efficiency of the recommender system.

Measuring Link-Resolver Success: Comparing 360 Link with a Local Implementation of WebBridge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herrera, Gail

2011-01-01

This study reviewed link resolver success comparing 360 Link and a local implementation of WebBridge. Two methods were used: (1) comparing article-level access and (2) examining technical issues for 384 randomly sampled OpenURLs. Google Analytics was used to collect user-generated OpenURLs. For both methods, 360 Link out-performed the local…

SciLinks

Science.gov Websites

SciLinks Forgot your login? Sign up for FREE access Log In I'm a ... Teacher Student User Name questions and satisfy their curiosity Learn More Sign up for Free Access Sites in the SciLinks program . SciLinks-Targeted, Grade-Specific Web Content for your Books Free web content to extend and expand student

Calculated Communications In A Concave World

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-02-16

Defense Intelligence Agency Chair 16 February 2016 DISTRIBUTION A. Approved for public release: distribution unlimited. DISCLAIMER The...including those implemented by public affairs, public diplomacy, and information operations professionals.”4 These definitions provide a platform to...1.49 billion users • Tablet – 1 billion owners • LinkedIn – 380 million users • Twitter – 304 million users • Instagram – 300 million users

Visualizing Rank Time Series of Wikipedia Top-Viewed Pages.

PubMed

Xia, Jing; Hou, Yumeng; Chen, Yingjie Victor; Qian, Zhenyu Cheryl; Ebert, David S; Chen, Wei

2017-01-01

Visual clutter is a common challenge when visualizing large rank time series data. WikiTopReader, a reader of Wikipedia page rank, lets users explore connections among top-viewed pages by connecting page-rank behaviors with page-link relations. Such a combination enhances the unweighted Wikipedia page-link network and focuses attention on the page of interest. A set of user evaluations shows that the system effectively represents evolving ranking patterns and page-wise correlation.

Providing Personal Assistance in the SAGRES Virtual Museum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bertoletti, Ana Carolina; Moraes, Marcia Cristina; da Rocha Costa, Antonio Carlos

The SAGRES system is an educational environment built on the Web that facilitates the organization of visits to museums, presenting museum information bases in a way adapted to the user's characteristics (capacities and preferences). The system determines the group of links appropriate to the user(s) and shows them in a resultant HTML page. In…

A medical digital library to support scenario and user-tailored information retrieval.

PubMed

Chu, W W; Johnson, D B; Kangarloo, H

2000-06-01

Current large-scale information sources are designed to support general queries and lack the ability to support scenario-specific information navigation, gathering, and presentation. As a result, users are often unable to obtain desired specific information within a well-defined subject area. Today's information systems do not provide efficient content navigation, incremental appropriate matching, or content correlation. We are developing the following innovative technologies to remedy these problems: 1) scenario-based proxies, enabling the gathering and filtering of information customized for users within a pre-defined domain; 2) context-sensitive navigation and matching, providing approximate matching and similarity links when an exact match to a user's request is unavailable; 3) content correlation of documents, creating semantic links between documents and information sources; and 4) user models for customizing retrieved information and result presentation. A digital medical library is currently being constructed using these technologies to provide customized information for the user. The technologies are general in nature and can provide custom and scenario-specific information in many other domains (e.g., crisis management).

TaDb: A time-aware diffusion-based recommender algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Wen-Jun; Xu, Yuan-Yuan; Dong, Qiang; Zhou, Jun-Lin; Fu, Yan

2015-02-01

Traditional recommender algorithms usually employ the early and recent records indiscriminately, which overlooks the change of user interests over time. In this paper, we show that the interests of a user remain stable in a short-term interval and drift during a long-term period. Based on this observation, we propose a time-aware diffusion-based (TaDb) recommender algorithm, which assigns different temporal weights to the leading links existing before the target user's collection and the following links appearing after that in the diffusion process. Experiments on four real datasets, Netflix, MovieLens, FriendFeed and Delicious show that TaDb algorithm significantly improves the prediction accuracy compared with the algorithms not considering temporal effects.

Ultrastable optical frequency dissemination on a multi-access fibre network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bercy, Anthony; Lopez, Olivier; Pottie, Paul-Eric; Amy-Klein, Anne

2016-07-01

We report a laboratory demonstration of the dissemination of an ultrastable optical frequency signal to two distant users simultaneously using a branching network. The ultrastable signal is extracted along a main fibre link; it is optically tracked by a narrow linewidth laser diode, which light is injected in a secondary link. The propagation noise of both links is actively compensated. We implement this scheme with two links of 50-km fibre spools, the extraction being set up at the mid-point of the main link. We show that the extracted signal at the end of the secondary link exhibits a fractional frequency instability of 1.4 × 10-15 at 1-s measurement time, almost equal to the 1.3 × 10-15 instability of the main link output end. The long-term instabilities are also very similar, at a level of 3-5 × 10-20 at 3 × 104-s integration time. We also show that the setting up of this extraction device, or of a simpler one, at the main link input, can test the proper functioning of the noise rejection on this main link. This work is a significant step towards a robust and flexible ultrastable network for multi-users dissemination.

A web service framework for astronomical remote observation in Antarctica by using satellite link

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jia, M.-h.; Chen, Y.-q.; Zhang, G.-y.; Jiang, P.; Zhang, H.; Wang, J.

2018-07-01

Many telescopes are deployed in Antarctica as it offers excellent astronomical observation conditions. However, because Antarctica's environment is harsh to humans, remote operation of telescope is necessary for observation. Furthermore, communication to devices in Antarctica through satellite link with low bandwidth and high latency limits the effectiveness of remote observation. This paper introduces a web service framework for remote astronomical observation in Antarctica. The framework is based on Python Tornado. RTS2-HTTPD and REDIS are used as the access interface to the telescope control system in Antarctica. The web service provides real-time updates through WebSocket. To improve user experience and control effectiveness under the poor satellite link condition, an agent server is deployed in the mainland to synchronize the Antarctic server's data and send it to domestic users in China. The agent server will forward the request of domestic users to the Antarctic master server. The web service was deployed and tested on Bright Star Survey Telescope (BSST) in Antarctica. Results show that the service meets the demands of real-time, multiuser remote observation and domestic users have a better experience of remote operation.

Linking information and people in a social system for academic conferences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brusilovsky, Peter; Oh, Jung Sun; López, Claudia; Parra, Denis; Jeng, Wei

2017-04-01

This paper investigates the feasibility of maintaining a social information system to support attendees at an academic conference. The main challenge of this work was to create an infrastructure where users' social activities, such as bookmarking, tagging, and social linking could be used to enhance user navigation and maximize the users' ability to locate two important types of information in conference settings: presentations to attend and attendees to meet. We developed Conference Navigator 3, a social conference support system that integrates a conference schedule planner with a social linking service. We examined its potential and functions in the context of a medium-scale academic conference. In this paper, we present the design of the system's socially enabled features and report the results of a conference-based study. Our study demonstrates the feasibility of social information systems for supporting academic conferences. Despite the low number of potential users and the short timeframe in which conferences took place, the usage of the system was high enough to provide sufficient data for social mechanisms. The study shows that most critical social features were highly appreciated and used, and provides direction for further research.

A serial digital data communications device. [for real time flight simulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fetter, J. L.

1977-01-01

A general purpose computer peripheral device which is used to provide a full-duplex, serial, digital data transmission link between a Xerox Sigma computer and a wide variety of external equipment, including computers, terminals, and special purpose devices is reported. The interface has an extensive set of user defined options to assist the user in establishing the necessary data links. This report describes those options and other features of the serial communications interface and its performance by discussing its application to a particular problem.

Rate-based congestion control in networks with smart links, revision. B.S. Thesis - May 1988

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heybey, Andrew Tyrrell

1990-01-01

The author uses a network simulator to explore rate-based congestion control in networks with smart links that can feed back information to tell senders to adjust their transmission rates. This method differs in a very important way from congestion control in which a congested network component just drops packets - the most commonly used method. It is clearly advantageous for the links in the network to communicate with the end users about the network capacity, rather than the users unilaterally picking a transmission rate. The components in the middle of the network, not the end users, have information about the capacity and traffic in the network. The author experiments with three different algorithms for calculating the control rate to feed back to the users. All of the algorithms exhibit problems in the form of large queues when simulated with a configuration modeling the dynamics of a packet-voice system. However, the problems are not with the algorithms themselves, but with the fact that feedback takes time. If the network steady-state utilization is low enough that it can absorb transients in the traffic through it, then the large queues disappear. If the users are modified to start sending slowly, to allow the network to adapt to a new flow without causing congestion, a greater portion of the network's bandwidth can be used.

Connecting the Astrophysics Data System and Planetary Data System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eichhorn, G.; Kurtz, M. J.; Accomazzi, A.; Grant, C. S.; Murray, S. S.; Hughes, J. S.; Mortellaro, J.; McMahon, S. K.

1997-07-01

The Astrophysics Data System (ADS) provides access to astronomical literature through a sophisticated search engine. Over 10,000 users retrieve almost 5 million references and read more than 25,000 full text articles per month. ADS cooperates closely with all the main astronomical journals and data centers to create and maintain a state-of-the-art digital library. The Planetary Data System (PDS) publishes high quality peer reviewed planetary science data products, defines planetary archiving standards to make products usable, and provides science expertise to users in data product preparation and use. Data products are available to users on CD media, with more than 600 CD-ROM titles in the inventory from past missions as well as the recent releases from active planetary missions and observations. The ADS and PDS serve overlapping communities and offer complementary functions. The ADS and PDS are both part of the NASA Space Science Data System, sponsored by the Office of Space Science, which curates science data products for researchers and the general public. We are in the process of connecting these two data systems. As a first step we have included entries for PDS data sets in the ADS abstract service. This allows ADS users to find PDS data sets by searching for their descriptions through the ADS search system. The information returned from the ADS links directly to the data set's entry in the PDS data set catalog. After linking to this catalog, the user will have access to more comprehensive data set information, related ancillary information, and on-line data products. The PDS on the other hand will use the ADS to provide access to bibliographic information. This includes links from PDS data set catalog bibliographic citations to ADS abstracts and on-line articles. The cross-linking between these data systems allows each system to concentrate on its main objectives and utilize the other system to provide more and improved services to the users of both systems.

Weak correlations between hemodynamic signals and ongoing neural activity during the resting state

PubMed Central

Winder, Aaron T.; Echagarruga, Christina; Zhang, Qingguang; Drew, Patrick J.

2017-01-01

Spontaneous fluctuations in hemodynamic signals in the absence of a task or overt stimulation are used to infer neural activity. We tested this coupling by simultaneously measuring neural activity and changes in cerebral blood volume (CBV) in the somatosensory cortex of awake, head-fixed mice during periods of true rest, and during whisker stimulation and volitional whisking. Here we show that neurovascular coupling was similar across states, and large spontaneous CBV changes in the absence of sensory input were driven by volitional whisker and body movements. Hemodynamic signals during periods of rest were weakly correlated with neural activity. Spontaneous fluctuations in CBV and vessel diameter persisted when local neural spiking and glutamatergic input was blocked, and during blockade of noradrenergic receptors, suggesting a non-neuronal origin for spontaneous CBV fluctuations. Spontaneous hemodynamic signals reflect a combination of behavior, local neural activity, and putatively non-neural processes. PMID:29184204

Weak correlations between hemodynamic signals and ongoing neural activity during the resting state.

PubMed

Winder, Aaron T; Echagarruga, Christina; Zhang, Qingguang; Drew, Patrick J

2017-12-01

Spontaneous fluctuations in hemodynamic signals in the absence of a task or overt stimulation are used to infer neural activity. We tested this coupling by simultaneously measuring neural activity and changes in cerebral blood volume (CBV) in the somatosensory cortex of awake, head-fixed mice during periods of true rest and during whisker stimulation and volitional whisking. We found that neurovascular coupling was similar across states and that large, spontaneous CBV changes in the absence of sensory input were driven by volitional whisker and body movements. Hemodynamic signals during periods of rest were weakly correlated with neural activity. Spontaneous fluctuations in CBV and vessel diameter persisted when local neural spiking and glutamatergic input were blocked, as well as during blockade of noradrenergic receptors, suggesting a non-neuronal origin for spontaneous CBV fluctuations. Spontaneous hemodynamic signals reflect a combination of behavior, local neural activity, and putatively non-neural processes.

Active touch and self-motion encoding by Merkel cell-associated afferents

PubMed Central

Severson, Kyle S.; Xu, Duo; Van de Loo, Margaret; Bai, Ling; Ginty, David D.; O’Connor, Daniel H.

2017-01-01

Summary Touch perception depends on integrating signals from multiple types of peripheral mechanoreceptors. Merkel-cell associated afferents are thought to play a major role in form perception by encoding surface features of touched objects. However, activity of Merkel afferents during active touch has not been directly measured. Here, we show that Merkel and unidentified slowly adapting afferents in the whisker system of behaving mice respond to both self-motion and active touch. Touch responses were dominated by sensitivity to bending moment (torque) at the base of the whisker and its rate of change, and largely explained by a simple mechanical model. Self-motion responses encoded whisker position within a whisk cycle (phase), not absolute whisker angle, and arose from stresses reflecting whisker inertia and activity of specific muscles. Thus, Merkel afferents send to the brain multiplexed information about whisker position and surface features, suggesting that proprioception and touch converge at the earliest neural level. PMID:28434802

US Astronomers Access to SIMBAD in Strasbourg

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oliversen, Ronald (Technical Monitor); Eichhorn, Guenther

2004-01-01

During the last year the US SIMBAD Gateway Project continued to provide services like user registration to the US users of the SIMBAD database in France. Currently there are over 4500 US users registered. We also provided user support by answering questions from users and handling requests for lost passwords when still necessary. Even though almost all users now access SIMBAD without a password, based on hostnames/IP addresses, there are still some users that need individual passwords. We continued to maintain the mirror copy of the SIMBAD database on a server at SAO. This allows much faster access for the US users. During the past year we again moved this mirror to a faster server to improve access for the US users. We again supported a demonstration of the SIMBAD database at the meeting of the American Astronomical Society in January. We provided support for the demonstration activities at the SIMBAD booth. We paid part of the fee for the SIMBAD demonstration. We continued to improve the cross-linking between the SIMBAD project and the Astrophysics Data System. This cross-linking between these systems is very much appreciated by the users of both the SIMBAD database and the ADS Abstract Service. The mirror of the SIMBAD database at SA0 makes this connection faster for the US astronomers. We exchange information between the ADS and SIMBAD on a daily basis. During the last year we also installed a mirror copy of the Vizier system from the CDS, in addition to the SIMBAD mirror.

TopoCad - A unified system for geospatial data and services

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Felus, Y. A.; Sagi, Y.; Regev, R.; Keinan, E.

2013-10-01

"E-government" is a leading trend in public sector activities in recent years. The Survey of Israel set as a vision to provide all of its services and datasets online. The TopoCad system is the latest software tool developed in order to unify a number of services and databases into one on-line and user friendly system. The TopoCad system is based on Web 1.0 technology; hence the customer is only a consumer of data. All data and services are accessible for the surveyors and geo-information professional in an easy and comfortable way. The future lies in Web 2.0 and Web 3.0 technologies through which professionals can upload their own data for quality control and future assimilation with the national database. A key issue in the development of this complex system was to implement a simple and easy (comfortable) user experience (UX). The user interface employs natural language dialog box in order to understand the user requirements. The system then links spatial data with alpha-numeric data in a flawless manner. The operation of the TopoCad requires no user guide or training. It is intuitive and self-taught. The system utilizes semantic engines and machine understanding technologies to link records from diverse databases in a meaningful way. Thus, the next generation of TopoCad will include five main modules: users and projects information, coordinates transformations and calculations services, geospatial data quality control, linking governmental systems and databases, smart forms and applications. The article describes the first stage of the TopoCad system and gives an overview of its future development.

E-Center: A Collaborative Platform for Wide Area Network Users

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grigoriev, M.; DeMar, P.; Tierney, B.; Lake, A.; Metzger, J.; Frey, M.; Calyam, P.

2012-12-01

The E-Center is a social collaborative web-based platform for assisting network users in understanding network conditions across network paths of interest to them. It is designed to give a user the necessary tools to isolate, identify, and resolve network performance-related problems. E-Center provides network path information on a link-by-link level, as well as from an end-to-end perspective. In addition to providing current and recent network path data, E-Center is intended to provide a social media environment for them to share issues, ideas, concerns, and problems. The product has a modular design that accommodates integration of other network services that make use of the same network path and performance data.

Overrepresentation of seat belt non-users in traffic crashes

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1988-04-01

This study used observations of driver belt use linked with driver history information to conclude that non-users of belts are overrepresented in traffic crashes. Examining average numbers of accidents and violations per observed belted and unbelted ...

Multi-agents and learning: Implications for Webusage mining

PubMed Central

Lotfy, Hewayda M.S.; Khamis, Soheir M.S.; Aboghazalah, Maie M.

2015-01-01

Characterization of user activities is an important issue in the design and maintenance of websites. Server weblog files have abundant information about the user’s current interests. This information can be mined and analyzed therefore the administrators may be able to guide the users in their browsing activity so they may obtain relevant information in a shorter span of time to obtain user satisfaction. Web-based technology facilitates the creation of personally meaningful and socially useful knowledge through supportive interactions, communication and collaboration among educators, learners and information. This paper suggests a new methodology based on learning techniques for a Web-based Multiagent-based application to discover the hidden patterns in the user’s visited links. It presents a new approach that involves unsupervised, reinforcement learning, and cooperation between agents. It is utilized to discover patterns that represent the user’s profiles in a sample website into specific categories of materials using significance percentages. These profiles are used to make recommendations of interesting links and categories to the user. The experimental results of the approach showed successful user pattern recognition, and cooperative learning among agents to obtain user profiles. It indicates that combining different learning algorithms is capable of improving user satisfaction indicated by the percentage of precision, recall, the progressive category weight and F1-measure. PMID:26966569

Medium-Frequency Data Link for Differential NAVSTAR/GPS Broadcasts

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1986-06-01

Differential GPS must communicate differential corrections to civilian users of the Global Positioning System. Modulation of existing marine radiobeacons can provide the needed communication link for DGPS, provided the operation of existing radiobeac...

Information Switching Processor (ISP) contention analysis and control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shyy, D.; Inukai, T.

1993-01-01

Future satellite communications, as a viable means of communications and an alternative to terrestrial networks, demand flexibility and low end-user cost. On-board switching/processing satellites potentially provide these features, allowing flexible interconnection among multiple spot beams, direct to the user communications services using very small aperture terminals (VSAT's), independent uplink and downlink access/transmission system designs optimized to user's traffic requirements, efficient TDM downlink transmission, and better link performance. A flexible switching system on the satellite in conjunction with low-cost user terminals will likely benefit future satellite network users.

Automated Help System For A Supercomputer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Callas, George P.; Schulbach, Catherine H.; Younkin, Michael

1994-01-01

Expert-system software developed to provide automated system of user-helping displays in supercomputer system at Ames Research Center Advanced Computer Facility. Users located at remote computer terminals connected to supercomputer and each other via gateway computers, local-area networks, telephone lines, and satellite links. Automated help system answers routine user inquiries about how to use services of computer system. Available 24 hours per day and reduces burden on human experts, freeing them to concentrate on helping users with complicated problems.

The Use of Social Media to Maximize Energy Performance in the United States Marine Corps

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-06-01

foster user interaction was blogs. 63 The Obama campaign blog allowed the most citizen- generated content compared to other channels. “Four-in... Instagram , Pinterest, and LinkedIn. More users use multiple sites than only one. The frequency which users access social media is also an important and...distinguishing characteristic. Figure 5 displays the number of daily Facebook, Twitter, 8 and Instagram users dwarf the number of less frequent

A user-centred evaluation framework for the Sealife semantic web browsers

PubMed Central

Oliver, Helen; Diallo, Gayo; de Quincey, Ed; Alexopoulou, Dimitra; Habermann, Bianca; Kostkova, Patty; Schroeder, Michael; Jupp, Simon; Khelif, Khaled; Stevens, Robert; Jawaheer, Gawesh; Madle, Gemma

2009-01-01

Background Semantically-enriched browsing has enhanced the browsing experience by providing contextualised dynamically generated Web content, and quicker access to searched-for information. However, adoption of Semantic Web technologies is limited and user perception from the non-IT domain sceptical. Furthermore, little attention has been given to evaluating semantic browsers with real users to demonstrate the enhancements and obtain valuable feedback. The Sealife project investigates semantic browsing and its application to the life science domain. Sealife's main objective is to develop the notion of context-based information integration by extending three existing Semantic Web browsers (SWBs) to link the existing Web to the eScience infrastructure. Methods This paper describes a user-centred evaluation framework that was developed to evaluate the Sealife SWBs that elicited feedback on users' perceptions on ease of use and information findability. Three sources of data: i) web server logs; ii) user questionnaires; and iii) semi-structured interviews were analysed and comparisons made between each browser and a control system. Results It was found that the evaluation framework used successfully elicited users' perceptions of the three distinct SWBs. The results indicate that the browser with the most mature and polished interface was rated higher for usability, and semantic links were used by the users of all three browsers. Conclusion Confirmation or contradiction of our original hypotheses with relation to SWBs is detailed along with observations of implementation issues. PMID:19796398

A user-centred evaluation framework for the Sealife semantic web browsers.

PubMed

Oliver, Helen; Diallo, Gayo; de Quincey, Ed; Alexopoulou, Dimitra; Habermann, Bianca; Kostkova, Patty; Schroeder, Michael; Jupp, Simon; Khelif, Khaled; Stevens, Robert; Jawaheer, Gawesh; Madle, Gemma

2009-10-01

Semantically-enriched browsing has enhanced the browsing experience by providing contextualized dynamically generated Web content, and quicker access to searched-for information. However, adoption of Semantic Web technologies is limited and user perception from the non-IT domain sceptical. Furthermore, little attention has been given to evaluating semantic browsers with real users to demonstrate the enhancements and obtain valuable feedback. The Sealife project investigates semantic browsing and its application to the life science domain. Sealife's main objective is to develop the notion of context-based information integration by extending three existing Semantic Web browsers (SWBs) to link the existing Web to the eScience infrastructure. This paper describes a user-centred evaluation framework that was developed to evaluate the Sealife SWBs that elicited feedback on users' perceptions on ease of use and information findability. Three sources of data: i) web server logs; ii) user questionnaires; and iii) semi-structured interviews were analysed and comparisons made between each browser and a control system. It was found that the evaluation framework used successfully elicited users' perceptions of the three distinct SWBs. The results indicate that the browser with the most mature and polished interface was rated higher for usability, and semantic links were used by the users of all three browsers. Confirmation or contradiction of our original hypotheses with relation to SWBs is detailed along with observations of implementation issues.

BTS guide to good statistical practice

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2002-09-01

Quality of data has many faces. Primarily, it has to be relevant to its users. Relevance is : an outcome that is achieved through a series of steps starting with a planning process that : link user needs to data requirements. It continues through acq...

Requirements for a mobile communications satellite system. Volume 2: Technical report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Horstein, M.

1983-01-01

Three types of satellite aided mobile communications are considered for users in areas not served by (terrestrial) cellular radio systems. In system 1, mobile units are provided a direct satellite link to a gateway station, which serves as the interface to the terrestrial toll network. In system 2, a terrestrial radio link similar to those in cellular systems connects the mobile unit to a translator station; each translator relays the traffic from mobile units in its vicinity, via satellite, to the regional gateway. It is not feasible for system 2 to provide obiquitous coverage. Therefore, system 3 is introduced, in which the small percentage of users not within range of a translator are provided a direct satellite link as in system 1.

Multipurpose broadcast data link architecture

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2000-04-07

The aviation community has recently expressed significant interest in a broadcast mode of data link services. A broadcast mode of delivery is well suited for applications of a general interest to many users and for applications that require periodic ...

Exploring creative activity: a software environment for multimedia systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farrett, Peter W.; Jardine, David A.

1992-03-01

This paper examines various issues related to the theory, design, and implementation of a system that supports creative activity for a multimedia environment. The system incorporates artificial intelligence notions to acquire concepts of the problem domain. This paper investigates this environment by considering a model that is a basis for a system, which supports a history of user interaction. A multimedia system that supports creative activity is problematic. It must function as a tool allowing users to experiment dynamically with their own creative reasoning process--a very nebulous task environment. It should also support the acquisition of domain knowledge so that empirical observation can be further evaluated. This paper aims to illustrate that via the reuse of domain-specific knowledge, closely related ideas can be quickly developed. This approach is useful in the following sense: Multimedia navigational systems hardcode referential links with respect to a web or network. Although users can access or control navigation in a nonlinear (static) manner, these referential links are 'frozen' and can not capture their creative actions, which are essential in tutoring or learning applications. This paper describes a multimedia assistant based on the notion of knowledge- links, which allows users to navigate through creative information in a nonlinear (dynamic) fashion. A selection of prototype code based on object-oriented techniques and logic programming partially demonstrates this.

Can a More User-Friendly Medicare Plan Finder Improve Consumers' Selection of Medicare Plans?

PubMed

Martino, Steven C; Kanouse, David E; Miranda, David J; Elliott, Marc N

2017-10-01

To evaluate the efficacy for consumers of two potential enhancements to the Medicare Plan Finder (MPF)-a simplified data display and a "quick links" home page designed to match the specific tasks that users seek to accomplish on the MPF. Participants (N = 641) were seniors and adult caregivers of seniors who were recruited from a national online panel. Participants browsed a simulated version of the MPF, made a hypothetical plan choice, and reported on their experience. Participants were randomly assigned to one of eight conditions in a fully factorial design: 2 home pages (quick links, current MPF home page) × 2 data displays (simplified, current MPF display) × 2 plan types (stand-alone prescription drug plan [PDP], Medicare Advantage plan with prescription drug coverage [MA-PD]). The quick links page resulted in more favorable perceptions of the MPF, improved users' understanding of the information, and increased the probability of choosing the objectively best plan. The simplified data display resulted in a more favorable evaluation of the website, better comprehension of the displayed information, and, among those choosing a PDP only, an increased probability of choosing the best plan. Design enhancements could markedly improve average website users' understanding, ability to use, and experience of using the MPF. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

Social Features of Online Networks: The Strength of Intermediary Ties in Online Social Media

PubMed Central

Grabowicz, Przemyslaw A.; Ramasco, José J.; Moro, Esteban; Pujol, Josep M.; Eguiluz, Victor M.

2012-01-01

An increasing fraction of today's social interactions occur using online social media as communication channels. Recent worldwide events, such as social movements in Spain or revolts in the Middle East, highlight their capacity to boost people's coordination. Online networks display in general a rich internal structure where users can choose among different types and intensity of interactions. Despite this, there are still open questions regarding the social value of online interactions. For example, the existence of users with millions of online friends sheds doubts on the relevance of these relations. In this work, we focus on Twitter, one of the most popular online social networks, and find that the network formed by the basic type of connections is organized in groups. The activity of the users conforms to the landscape determined by such groups. Furthermore, Twitter's distinction between different types of interactions allows us to establish a parallelism between online and offline social networks: personal interactions are more likely to occur on internal links to the groups (the weakness of strong ties); events transmitting new information go preferentially through links connecting different groups (the strength of weak ties) or even more through links connecting to users belonging to several groups that act as brokers (the strength of intermediary ties). PMID:22247773

Our Deming Users' Group.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dinklocker, Christina

1992-01-01

After training in the Total Quality Management concept, a suburban Ohio school district created a Deming Users' Group to link agencies, individuals, and ideas. The group has facilitated ongoing school/business collaboration, networking among individuals from diverse school systems, mentoring and cooperative learning activities, and resource…

Guide to good statistical practice in the transportation field

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2003-05-01

Quality of data has many faces. Primarily, it has to be relevant (i.e., useful) to its users. Relevance is achieved through a series of steps starting with a planning process that links user needs to data requirements. It continues through acquisitio...

a Web-Based Interactive Platform for Co-Clustering Spatio-Temporal Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, X.; Poorthuis, A.; Zurita-Milla, R.; Kraak, M.-J.

2017-09-01

Since current studies on clustering analysis mainly focus on exploring spatial or temporal patterns separately, a co-clustering algorithm is utilized in this study to enable the concurrent analysis of spatio-temporal patterns. To allow users to adopt and adapt the algorithm for their own analysis, it is integrated within the server side of an interactive web-based platform. The client side of the platform, running within any modern browser, is a graphical user interface (GUI) with multiple linked visualizations that facilitates the understanding, exploration and interpretation of the raw dataset and co-clustering results. Users can also upload their own datasets and adjust clustering parameters within the platform. To illustrate the use of this platform, an annual temperature dataset from 28 weather stations over 20 years in the Netherlands is used. After the dataset is loaded, it is visualized in a set of linked visualizations: a geographical map, a timeline and a heatmap. This aids the user in understanding the nature of their dataset and the appropriate selection of co-clustering parameters. Once the dataset is processed by the co-clustering algorithm, the results are visualized in the small multiples, a heatmap and a timeline to provide various views for better understanding and also further interpretation. Since the visualization and analysis are integrated in a seamless platform, the user can explore different sets of co-clustering parameters and instantly view the results in order to do iterative, exploratory data analysis. As such, this interactive web-based platform allows users to analyze spatio-temporal data using the co-clustering method and also helps the understanding of the results using multiple linked visualizations.

Lunar Exploration Island, NASA’s Return to the Moon in Second Life

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ireton, F. M.; Bleacher, L.; Day, B.; Hsu, B. C.; Mitchell, B. K.

2009-12-01

Second Life is a metaverse—a massively multi-user virtual world (MMVR) community. With over 9 million users worldwide, there are 40,000-50,000 users on line at any one time. Second Life hosts over 200 educational and institutional simulation locations termed “islands” or sims that are developed by users providing support for education and business endeavors. On-line tools are provided to construct structures and landforms simulating a real world in a virtual three-dimensional environment. Users develop a persona and are seen on screen as a human figure or avatar. Avatars move in Second Life by walking, flying, or teleporting and interact with other users via text or voice chat. This poster details the design and creation of the Second Life exhibit hall for NASA’s Lunar Precursor Robotics Program and the LRO/LCROSS missions. The hall has been placed on the Lunar Exploration Island (LEI) in Second Life. Avatars enter via teleportation to an orientation room with information about the project, a simulator map, and other information. A central hall of flight houses exhibits pertaining to the LRO/ LCROSS missions and includes full size models of the two spacecraft and launch vehicle. Storyboards with information about the missions interpret the exhibits while links to external websites provide further information on the missions, both spacecraft instrument suites, and EPO directed to support the missions. The sim includes several sites for meetings, a conference amphitheater with a stage and screen for video links such as live broadcasts of conferences and speakers. A link is provided to NASATV for live viewing LRO/LCROSS launch and impact activities and other NASA events. Recently visitors have viewed the Hubble servicing mission and several shuttle launches as well as the LRO/LCROSS launch. Lunar Exploration Island in Second Life

User interface for a tele-operated robotic hand system

DOEpatents

Crawford, Anthony L

2015-03-24

Disclosed here is a user interface for a robotic hand. The user interface anchors a user's palm in a relatively stationary position and determines various angles of interest necessary for a user's finger to achieve a specific fingertip location. The user interface additionally conducts a calibration procedure to determine the user's applicable physiological dimensions. The user interface uses the applicable physiological dimensions and the specific fingertip location, and treats the user's finger as a two link three degree-of-freedom serial linkage in order to determine the angles of interest. The user interface communicates the angles of interest to a gripping-type end effector which closely mimics the range of motion and proportions of a human hand. The user interface requires minimal contact with the operator and provides distinct advantages in terms of available dexterity, work space flexibility, and adaptability to different users.

Linking Information to Objects: A Hypertext Prototype for Numismatists.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moline, Judi

1991-01-01

This report focuses on the user of a prototype hypertext application designed to help coin collectors link ancient coins with relevant numismatic information. It is noted that hypertext systems promote the collection of information that may be multimedia in nature and may be linked so that information can be accessed in a non-linear manner. The…

How people make friends in social networking sites—A microscopic perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Haibo; Wang, Xiaofan

2012-02-01

We study the detailed growth of a social networking site with full temporal information by examining the creation process of each friendship relation that can collectively lead to the macroscopic properties of the network. We first study the reciprocal behavior of users, and find that link requests are quickly responded to and that the distribution of reciprocation intervals decays in an exponential form. The degrees of inviters/accepters are slightly negatively correlative with reciprocation time. In addition, the temporal feature of the online community shows that the distributions of intervals of user behaviors, such as sending or accepting link requests, follow a power law with a universal exponent, and peaks emerge for intervals of an integral day. We finally study the preferential selection and linking phenomena of the social networking site and find that, for the former, a linear preference holds for preferential sending and reception, and for the latter, a linear preference also holds for preferential acceptance, creation, and attachment. Based on the linearly preferential linking, we put forward an analyzable network model which can reproduce the degree distribution of the network. The research framework presented in the paper could provide a potential insight into how the micro-motives of users lead to the global structure of online social networks.

Software-defined Quantum Networking Ecosystem

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Humble, Travis S.; Sadlier, Ronald

The software enables a user to perform modeling and simulation of software-defined quantum networks. The software addresses the problem of how to synchronize transmission of quantum and classical signals through multi-node networks and to demonstrate quantum information protocols such as quantum teleportation. The software approaches this problem by generating a graphical model of the underlying network and attributing properties to each node and link in the graph. The graphical model is then simulated using a combination of discrete-event simulators to calculate the expected state of each node and link in the graph at a future time. A user interacts withmore » the software by providing an initial network model and instantiating methods for the nodes to transmit information with each other. This includes writing application scripts in python that make use of the software library interfaces. A user then initiates the application scripts, which invokes the software simulation. The user then uses the built-in diagnostic tools to query the state of the simulation and to collect statistics on synchronization.« less

Enhanced International Space Station Ku-Band Telemetry Service

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cecil, Andrew J.; Pitts, R. Lee; Welch, Steven J.; Bryan, Jason D.

2014-01-01

The International Space Station (ISS) is in an operational configuration. To fully utilize the ISS and take advantage of the modern protocols and updated Ku-band access, the Huntsville Operations Support Center (HOSC) has designed an approach to extend the Kuband forward link access for payload investigators to their on-orbit payloads. This dramatically increases the ground to ISS communications for those users. This access also enables the ISS flight controllers operating in the Payload Operations and Integration Center to have more direct control over the systems they are responsible for managing and operating. To extend the Ku-band forward link to the payload user community the development of a new command server is necessary. The HOSC subsystems were updated to process the Internet Protocol Encapsulated packets, enable users to use the service based on their approved services, and perform network address translation to insure that the packets are forwarded from the user to the correct payload repeating that process in reverse from ISS to the payload user. This paper presents the architecture, implementation, and lessons learned. This will include the integration of COTS hardware and software as well as how the device is incorporated into the operational mission of the ISS. Thus, this paper also discusses how this technology can be applicable to payload users of the ISS.

Designing Preclinical Perceptibility Measures to Evaluate Topical Vaginal Gel Formulations: Relating User Sensory Perceptions and Experiences to Formulation Properties

PubMed Central

Fava, Joseph L.; Rosen, Rochelle K.; Vargas, Sara; Shaw, Julia G.; Kojic, E. Milu; Kiser, Patrick F.; Friend, David R.; Katz, David F.

2014-01-01

Abstract The effectiveness of any biomedical prevention technology relies on both biological efficacy and behavioral adherence. Microbicide trials have been hampered by low adherence, limiting the ability to draw meaningful conclusions about product effectiveness. Central to this problem may be an inadequate conceptualization of how product properties themselves impact user experience and adherence. Our goal is to expand the current microbicide development framework to include product “perceptibility,” the objective measurement of user sensory perceptions (i.e., sensations) and experiences of formulation performance during use. For vaginal gels, a set of biophysical properties, including rheological properties and measures of spreading and retention, may critically impact user experiences. Project LINK sought to characterize the user experience in this regard, and to validate measures of user sensory perceptions and experiences (USPEs) using four prototype topical vaginal gel formulations designed for pericoital use. Perceptibility scales captured a range of USPEs during the product application process (five scales), ambulation after product insertion (six scales), and during sexual activity (eight scales). Comparative statistical analyses provided empirical support for hypothesized relationships between gel properties, spreading performance, and the user experience. Project LINK provides preliminary evidence for the utility of evaluating USPEs, introducing a paradigm shift in the field of microbicide formulation design. We propose that these user sensory perceptions and experiences initiate cognitive processes in users resulting in product choice and willingness-to-use. By understanding the impact of USPEs on that process, formulation development can optimize both drug delivery and adherence. PMID:24180360

Designing preclinical perceptibility measures to evaluate topical vaginal gel formulations: relating user sensory perceptions and experiences to formulation properties.

PubMed

Morrow, Kathleen M; Fava, Joseph L; Rosen, Rochelle K; Vargas, Sara; Shaw, Julia G; Kojic, E Milu; Kiser, Patrick F; Friend, David R; Katz, David F

2014-01-01

Abstract The effectiveness of any biomedical prevention technology relies on both biological efficacy and behavioral adherence. Microbicide trials have been hampered by low adherence, limiting the ability to draw meaningful conclusions about product effectiveness. Central to this problem may be an inadequate conceptualization of how product properties themselves impact user experience and adherence. Our goal is to expand the current microbicide development framework to include product "perceptibility," the objective measurement of user sensory perceptions (i.e., sensations) and experiences of formulation performance during use. For vaginal gels, a set of biophysical properties, including rheological properties and measures of spreading and retention, may critically impact user experiences. Project LINK sought to characterize the user experience in this regard, and to validate measures of user sensory perceptions and experiences (USPEs) using four prototype topical vaginal gel formulations designed for pericoital use. Perceptibility scales captured a range of USPEs during the product application process (five scales), ambulation after product insertion (six scales), and during sexual activity (eight scales). Comparative statistical analyses provided empirical support for hypothesized relationships between gel properties, spreading performance, and the user experience. Project LINK provides preliminary evidence for the utility of evaluating USPEs, introducing a paradigm shift in the field of microbicide formulation design. We propose that these user sensory perceptions and experiences initiate cognitive processes in users resulting in product choice and willingness-to-use. By understanding the impact of USPEs on that process, formulation development can optimize both drug delivery and adherence.

Multi-user investigation organizer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Panontin, Tina L. (Inventor); Williams, James F. (Inventor); Carvalho, Robert E. (Inventor); Sturken, Ian (Inventor); Wolfe, Shawn R. (Inventor); Gawdiak, Yuri O. (Inventor); Keller, Richard M. (Inventor)

2009-01-01

A system that allows a team of geographically dispersed users to collaboratively analyze a mishap event. The system includes a reconfigurable ontology, including instances that are related to and characterize the mishap, a semantic network that receives, indexes and stores, for retrieval, viewing and editing, the instances and links between the instances, a network browser interface for retrieving and viewing screens that present the instances and links to other instances and that allow editing thereof, and a rule-based inference engine, including a collection of rules associated with establishment of links between the instances. A possible conclusion arising from analysis of the mishap event may be characterized as one or more of: not a credible conclusion; an unlikely conclusion; a credible conclusion; conclusion needs analysis; conclusion needs supporting data; conclusion proposed to be closed; and an un-reviewed conclusion.

Software and Systems Producibility Collaboration and Experimentation Environment (SPRUCE)

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-04-01

represent course materials and assignments from Vanderbilt University’s Dr . Gokhale’s courses. 3.2.4. Communities of Interest Current list of...blogging platforms of Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn today, these user interactions represent low-effort means for users to start getting involved. A

Algorithm research for user trajectory matching across social media networks based on paragraph2vec

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Qian; Chen, Hongchang; Zhi, Hongxin; Wang, Yanchuan

2018-04-01

Identifying users across different social media networks (SMN) is to link accounts of the same user that belong to the same individual across SMNs. The problem is fundamental and important, and its results can benefit many applications such as cross SMN user modeling and recommendation. With the development of GPS technology and mobile communication, more and more social networks provide location services. This provides a new opportunity for cross SMN user identification. In this paper, we solve cross SMN user identification problem in an unsupervised manner by utilizing user trajectory data in SMNs. A paragraph2vec based algorithm is proposed in which location sequence feature of user trajectory is captured in temporal and spatial dimensions. Our experimental results validate the effectiveness and efficiency of our algorithm.

Sign language Web pages.

PubMed

Fels, Deborah I; Richards, Jan; Hardman, Jim; Lee, Daniel G

2006-01-01

The WORLD WIDE WEB has changed the way people interact. It has also become an important equalizer of information access for many social sectors. However, for many people, including some sign language users, Web accessing can be difficult. For some, it not only presents another barrier to overcome but has left them without cultural equality. The present article describes a system that allows sign language-only Web pages to be created and linked through a video-based technique called sign-linking. In two studies, 14 Deaf participants examined two iterations of signlinked Web pages to gauge the usability and learnability of a signing Web page interface. The first study indicated that signing Web pages were usable by sign language users but that some interface features required improvement. The second study showed increased usability for those features; users consequently couldnavigate sign language information with ease and pleasure.

Considerations for an Earth Relay Satellite with RF and Optical Trunklines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Israel, David J.

2016-01-01

Support for user platforms through the use of optical links to geosynchronous relay spacecraft are expected to be part of the future space communications architecture. The European Data Relay Satellite System (EDRS) has its first node, EDRS-A, in orbit. The EDRS architecture includes space-to-space optical links with a Ka-Band feeder link or trunkline. NASA's Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD) mission, originally baselined to support a space-to-space optical link relayed with an optical trunkline, has added an Radio Frequency (RF) trunkline. The use of an RF trunkline avoids the outages suffered by an optical trunkline due to clouds, but an RF trunkline will be bandwidth limited. A space relay architecture with both RF and optical trunklines could relay critical realtime data, while also providing a high data volume capacity. This paper considers the relay user scenarios that could be supported, and the implications to the space relay system and operations. System trades such as the amount of onboard processing and storage required, the use of link layer switching vs. network layer routing, and the use of Delay/Disruption Tolerant Networking (DTN) are discussed.

Link prediction in multiplex online social networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jalili, Mahdi; Orouskhani, Yasin; Asgari, Milad; Alipourfard, Nazanin; Perc, Matjaž

2017-02-01

Online social networks play a major role in modern societies, and they have shaped the way social relationships evolve. Link prediction in social networks has many potential applications such as recommending new items to users, friendship suggestion and discovering spurious connections. Many real social networks evolve the connections in multiple layers (e.g. multiple social networking platforms). In this article, we study the link prediction problem in multiplex networks. As an example, we consider a multiplex network of Twitter (as a microblogging service) and Foursquare (as a location-based social network). We consider social networks of the same users in these two platforms and develop a meta-path-based algorithm for predicting the links. The connectivity information of the two layers is used to predict the links in Foursquare network. Three classical classifiers (naive Bayes, support vector machines (SVM) and K-nearest neighbour) are used for the classification task. Although the networks are not highly correlated in the layers, our experiments show that including the cross-layer information significantly improves the prediction performance. The SVM classifier results in the best performance with an average accuracy of 89%.

Link prediction in multiplex online social networks.

PubMed

Jalili, Mahdi; Orouskhani, Yasin; Asgari, Milad; Alipourfard, Nazanin; Perc, Matjaž

2017-02-01

Online social networks play a major role in modern societies, and they have shaped the way social relationships evolve. Link prediction in social networks has many potential applications such as recommending new items to users, friendship suggestion and discovering spurious connections. Many real social networks evolve the connections in multiple layers (e.g. multiple social networking platforms). In this article, we study the link prediction problem in multiplex networks. As an example, we consider a multiplex network of Twitter (as a microblogging service) and Foursquare (as a location-based social network). We consider social networks of the same users in these two platforms and develop a meta-path-based algorithm for predicting the links. The connectivity information of the two layers is used to predict the links in Foursquare network. Three classical classifiers (naive Bayes, support vector machines (SVM) and K-nearest neighbour) are used for the classification task. Although the networks are not highly correlated in the layers, our experiments show that including the cross-layer information significantly improves the prediction performance. The SVM classifier results in the best performance with an average accuracy of 89%.

Embedded Process Modeling, Analogy-Based Option Generation and Analytical Graphic Interaction for Enhanced User-Computer Interaction: An Interactive Storyboard of Next Generation User-Computer Interface Technology. Phase 1

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-03-01

structure of the interface is a mapping from the physical world [for example, the use of icons, which S have inherent meaning to users but represent...design alternatives. Mechanisms for linking the user to the computer include physical devices (keyboards), actions taken with the devices (keystrokes...VALUATION AIDES TEMLATEI IITCOM1I LATOR IACTICAL KNOWLEDGE ACGIUISITION MICNnII t 1 Fig. 9. INTACVAL. * OtJiCTs ARE PHYSICAL ENTITIES OR CONCEPTUAL EN

A Data-Based Approach to Discovering Multi-Topic Influential Leaders.

PubMed

Tang, Xing; Miao, Qiguang; Yu, Shangshang; Quan, Yining

2016-01-01

Recently, increasing numbers of users have adopted microblogging services as their main information source. However, most of them find themselves drowning in the millions of posts produced by other users every day. To cope with this, identifying a set of the most influential people is paramount. Moreover, finding a set of related influential users to expand the coverage of one particular topic is required in real world scenarios. Most of the existing algorithms in this area focus on topology-related methods such as PageRank. These methods mine link structures to find the expected influential rank of users. However, because they ignore the interaction data, these methods turn out to be less effective in social networks. In reality, a variety of topics exist within the information diffusing through the network. Because they have different interests, users play different roles in the diffusion of information related to different topics. As a result, distinguishing influential leaders according to different topics is also worthy of research. In this paper, we propose a multi-topic influence diffusion model (MTID) based on traces acquired from historic information. We decompose the influential scores of users into two parts: the direct influence determined by information propagation along the link structure and indirect influence that extends beyond the restrictions of direct follower relationships. To model the network from a multi-topical viewpoint, we introduce topic pools, each of which represents a particular topic information source. Then, we extract the topic distributions from the traces of tweets, determining the influence propagation probability and content generation probability. In the network, we adopt multiple ground nodes representing topic pools to connect every user through bidirectional links. Based on this multi-topical view of the network, we further introduce the topic-dependent rank (TD-Rank) algorithm to identify the multi-topic influential users. Our algorithm not only effectively overcomes the shortages of PageRank but also effectively produces a measure of topic-related rank. Extensive experiments on a Weibo dataset show that our model is both effective and robust.

A Data-Based Approach to Discovering Multi-Topic Influential Leaders

PubMed Central

Tang, Xing; Miao, Qiguang; Yu, Shangshang; Quan, Yining

2016-01-01

Recently, increasing numbers of users have adopted microblogging services as their main information source. However, most of them find themselves drowning in the millions of posts produced by other users every day. To cope with this, identifying a set of the most influential people is paramount. Moreover, finding a set of related influential users to expand the coverage of one particular topic is required in real world scenarios. Most of the existing algorithms in this area focus on topology-related methods such as PageRank. These methods mine link structures to find the expected influential rank of users. However, because they ignore the interaction data, these methods turn out to be less effective in social networks. In reality, a variety of topics exist within the information diffusing through the network. Because they have different interests, users play different roles in the diffusion of information related to different topics. As a result, distinguishing influential leaders according to different topics is also worthy of research. In this paper, we propose a multi-topic influence diffusion model (MTID) based on traces acquired from historic information. We decompose the influential scores of users into two parts: the direct influence determined by information propagation along the link structure and indirect influence that extends beyond the restrictions of direct follower relationships. To model the network from a multi-topical viewpoint, we introduce topic pools, each of which represents a particular topic information source. Then, we extract the topic distributions from the traces of tweets, determining the influence propagation probability and content generation probability. In the network, we adopt multiple ground nodes representing topic pools to connect every user through bidirectional links. Based on this multi-topical view of the network, we further introduce the topic-dependent rank (TD-Rank) algorithm to identify the multi-topic influential users. Our algorithm not only effectively overcomes the shortages of PageRank but also effectively produces a measure of topic-related rank. Extensive experiments on a Weibo dataset show that our model is both effective and robust. PMID:27415429

User benefits of two-way data link ATC communications : aircraft delay and flight efficiency in congested en route airspace : final report

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1995-02-01

This report documents the results of the first Federal Aviation Administration : (FAA) manned simulation study designed to demonstrate and quantify some of the : benefits that would accrue to National Airspace System (NAS) users in return for : equip...

Active Cooperation Between Primary Users and Cognitive Radio Users in Heterogeneous Ad-Hoc Networks

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-04-01

processing to wireless communications and networking, including space-time coding and modulation for MIMO wireless communications, MIMO - OFDM systems, and...multiinput-multioutput ( MIMO ) system that can significantly increase the link capacity and realize a new form of spatial diversity which has been termed

Linking Online and Offline Social Worlds: Opportunities and Threats

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dong, Cailing

2017-01-01

Social networks bring both opportunities and threats to the users. On one hand, social networks provide a platform for users to build online profiles, make connections with others beyond geographical boundaries, enjoy the "openness" of social networks to meet their intrinsic need of "self-presentation", explore and strengthen…

User Choice.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Joy Selby

In vocational education and training (VET), user choice is a means of achieving a more client-responsive training system by allowing clients to have greater choice over how their training needs are met. Funding arrangements linked in some direct way to the expressed demands of individual clients are essential for effective operation of a user…

Understanding the Internet.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oblinger, Diana

The Internet is an international network linking hundreds of smaller computer networks in North America, Europe, and Asia. Using the Internet, computer users can connect to a variety of computers with little effort or expense. The potential for use by college faculty is enormous. The largest problem faced by most users is understanding what such…

Guiding Users to Unmediated Interlibrary Loan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adams, Carolyn; Ressel, Margret J.; Silva, Erin S.

2009-01-01

This article provides a practitioner's guide to marketing user-initiated borrowing at the point of need. By reviewing interlibrary loan book requests and manually transferring them to an INN-Reach consortial system, Link+, the University of Nevada, Reno Libraries were able to successfully market the service, deliver materials faster, and save…

Dynamic Capacity Allocation Algorithms for iNET Link Manager

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-05-01

algorithm that can better cope with severe congestion and misbehaving users and traffic flows. We compare the E-LM with the LM baseline algorithm (B-LM...capacity allocation algorithm that can better cope with severe congestion and misbehaving users and traffic flows. We compare the E-LM with the LM

Non-Gimbaled Antenna Pointing: Summary of Results and Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Horan, Stephen

1998-01-01

There is considerable interest at this time in developing small satellites for quick-turnaround missions to investigate near-earth phenomena from space. One problem to be solved in mission planning is the means of communication between the control infrastructure in the ground segment and the satellite in the space segment. A nominal small-satellite mission design often includes an omni-directional or similar wide-pattern antenna on the satellite and a dedicated ground station for telemetry, tracking, and command support. These terminals typically provide up to 15 minutes of coverage during an orbit that is within the visibility of the ground station; however, not all orbits will pass over the ground station so that coverage gaps will exist in the data flow. To overcome this general limitation on data transmission for low-earth orbiting satellites, the Space Network (SN), operated by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, (NASA) has been designed to transmit data to and from user satellites through the Tracking and Data Relay Satellites (TDRS) in geostationary orbit and interfacing to the White Sands Complex (WSC) in New Mexico for the data's ground entry point. The advantage of the SN over a fixed ground station is that all low-earth-satellite orbits will be within the visibility area of at least one TDRS within the SN for a large part of the orbit and the potential exists to establish a communications link if the user satellite can point an antenna in the direction of any one of the relay satellites. Within NASA, there is considerable interest in seeing that small satellite developers are aware of the advantages to the SN and that designs to include the SN are part of the satellite design. Small satellite users have not often considered using the SN because of: (1) The 26-dB link penalty differential between direct broadcast to a ground station and transmission through a TDRS to the ground; (2) The class of satellite is too small to support high-gain antennas and associated attitude control and drive electronics; (3) The class of satellites is severely weight and power limited; (4) There are perceived problems in scheduling communications for this class of user on the SN. This report addresses the potential for SN access using non-gimbaled, i.e. fixed-pointed, antennas in the design of the small satellite using modest transmission power to achieve the necessary space-to-ground transmissions. The advantage of using the SN is in the reduction of mission costs arising from using the SN infrastructure instead of a dedicated, proprietary ground station using a similar type of communications package. From the simulations and analysis presented, we will show that a modest satellite configuration can be used with the space network to achieve the data transmission goals of a number of users and thereby rival the performance achieved with proprietary ground stations. In this study, we will concentrate on the return data link (from the user satellite through a TDRS to the ground data entry point). The forward command link (from the ground data entry point through a TDRS to the user satellite) will usually be a lower data rate service and the data volume will also be considerably lower than the return link's requirement. Therefore, we assume that if the return link requirements are satisfied, then the forward link requirements can also be satisfied.

How the new web generations are changing library and information services.

PubMed

Miranda, Giovanna F; Gualtieri, Francesca; Coccia, Paolo

2010-04-01

The new Web generations are influencing the minds and changing the habits of software developers and end users. Users, librarians, and information services professionals can interact more efficiently, creating additional information and content and generating knowledge. This new scenario is also changing the behavior of information providers and users in health sciences libraries. This article reviews the new Web environments and tools that give librarians opportunities to tailor their services better, and gives some examples of the advantages and disadvantages for them and their users. Librarians need to adapt to the new mindset of users, linking new technologies, information, and people.

Using a linked data approach to aid development of a metadata portal to support Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) implementation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wood, Chris

2016-04-01

Under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD), EU Member States are mandated to achieve or maintain 'Good Environmental Status' (GES) in their marine areas by 2020, through a series of Programme of Measures (PoMs). The Celtic Seas Partnership (CSP), an EU LIFE+ project, aims to support policy makers, special-interest groups, users of the marine environment, and other interested stakeholders on MSFD implementation in the Celtic Seas geographical area. As part of this support, a metadata portal has been built to provide a signposting service to datasets that are relevant to MSFD within the Celtic Seas. To ensure that the metadata has the widest possible reach, a linked data approach was employed to construct the database. Although the metadata are stored in a traditional RDBS, the metadata are exposed as linked data via the D2RQ platform, allowing virtual RDF graphs to be generated. SPARQL queries can be executed against the end-point allowing any user to manipulate the metadata. D2RQ's mapping language, based on turtle, was used to map a wide range of relevant ontologies to the metadata (e.g. The Provenance Ontology (prov-o), Ocean Data Ontology (odo), Dublin Core Elements and Terms (dc & dcterms), Friend of a Friend (foaf), and Geospatial ontologies (geo)) allowing users to browse the metadata, either via SPARQL queries or by using D2RQ's HTML interface. The metadata were further enhanced by mapping relevant parameters to the NERC Vocabulary Server, itself built on a SPARQL endpoint. Additionally, a custom web front-end was built to enable users to browse the metadata and express queries through an intuitive graphical user interface that requires no prior knowledge of SPARQL. As well as providing means to browse the data via MSFD-related parameters (Descriptor, Criteria, and Indicator), the metadata records include the dataset's country of origin, the list of organisations involved in the management of the data, and links to any relevant INSPIRE-compliant services relating to the dataset. The web front-end therefore enables users to effectively filter, sort, or search the metadata. As the MSFD timeline requires Member States to review their progress on achieving or maintaining GES every six years, the timely development of this metadata portal will not only aid interested stakeholders in understanding how member states are meeting their targets, but also shows how linked data can be used effectively to support policy makers and associated legislative bodies.

Proximity Link Design and Performance Options for a Mars Areostationary Relay Satellite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Edwards, Charles D.; Bell, David J.; Biswas, Abhijit; Cheung, Kar-Ming; Lock, Robert E.

2016-01-01

Current and near-term Mars relay telecommunications services are provided by a set of NASA and ESA Mars science orbiters equipped with UHF relay communication payloads employing operationally simple low-gain antennas. These have been extremely successful in supporting a series of landed Mars mission, greatly increasing data return relative to direct-to-Earth lander links. Yet their relay services are fundamentally constrained by the short contact times available from the selected science orbits. Future Mars areostationary orbiters, flying in circular, equatorial, 1- sol orbits, offer the potential for continuous coverage of Mars landers and rovers, radically changing the relay support paradigm. Achieving high rates on the longer slant ranges to areostationary altitude will require steered, high-gain links. Both RF and optical options exist for achieving data rates in excess of 100 Mb/s. Several point designs offer a measure of potential user burden, in terms of mass, volume, power, and pointing requirements for user relay payloads, as a function of desired proximity link performance.

Methods for extracting social network data from chatroom logs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Osesina, O. Isaac; McIntire, John P.; Havig, Paul R.; Geiselman, Eric E.; Bartley, Cecilia; Tudoreanu, M. Eduard

2012-06-01

Identifying social network (SN) links within computer-mediated communication platforms without explicit relations among users poses challenges to researchers. Our research aims to extract SN links in internet chat with multiple users engaging in synchronous overlapping conversations all displayed in a single stream. We approached this problem using three methods which build on previous research. Response-time analysis builds on temporal proximity of chat messages; word context usage builds on keywords analysis and direct addressing which infers links by identifying the intended message recipient from the screen name (nickname) referenced in the message [1]. Our analysis of word usage within the chat stream also provides contexts for the extracted SN links. To test the capability of our methods, we used publicly available data from Internet Relay Chat (IRC), a real-time computer-mediated communication (CMC) tool used by millions of people around the world. The extraction performances of individual methods and their hybrids were assessed relative to a ground truth (determined a priori via manual scoring).

SignaLink 2 – a signaling pathway resource with multi-layered regulatory networks

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Signaling networks in eukaryotes are made up of upstream and downstream subnetworks. The upstream subnetwork contains the intertwined network of signaling pathways, while the downstream regulatory part contains transcription factors and their binding sites on the DNA as well as microRNAs and their mRNA targets. Currently, most signaling and regulatory databases contain only a subsection of this network, making comprehensive analyses highly time-consuming and dependent on specific data handling expertise. The need for detailed mapping of signaling systems is also supported by the fact that several drug development failures were caused by undiscovered cross-talk or regulatory effects of drug targets. We previously created a uniformly curated signaling pathway resource, SignaLink, to facilitate the analysis of pathway cross-talks. Here, we present SignaLink 2, which significantly extends the coverage and applications of its predecessor. Description We developed a novel concept to integrate and utilize different subsections (i.e., layers) of the signaling network. The multi-layered (onion-like) database structure is made up of signaling pathways, their pathway regulators (e.g., scaffold and endocytotic proteins) and modifier enzymes (e.g., phosphatases, ubiquitin ligases), as well as transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulators of all of these components. The user-friendly website allows the interactive exploration of how each signaling protein is regulated. The customizable download page enables the analysis of any user-specified part of the signaling network. Compared to other signaling resources, distinctive features of SignaLink 2 are the following: 1) it involves experimental data not only from humans but from two invertebrate model organisms, C. elegans and D. melanogaster; 2) combines manual curation with large-scale datasets; 3) provides confidence scores for each interaction; 4) operates a customizable download page with multiple file formats (e.g., BioPAX, Cytoscape, SBML). Non-profit users can access SignaLink 2 free of charge at http://SignaLink.org. Conclusions With SignaLink 2 as a single resource, users can effectively analyze signaling pathways, scaffold proteins, modifier enzymes, transcription factors and miRNAs that are important in the regulation of signaling processes. This integrated resource allows the systems-level examination of how cross-talks and signaling flow are regulated, as well as provide data for cross-species comparisons and drug discovery analyses. PMID:23331499

SignaLink 2 - a signaling pathway resource with multi-layered regulatory networks.

PubMed

Fazekas, Dávid; Koltai, Mihály; Türei, Dénes; Módos, Dezső; Pálfy, Máté; Dúl, Zoltán; Zsákai, Lilian; Szalay-Bekő, Máté; Lenti, Katalin; Farkas, Illés J; Vellai, Tibor; Csermely, Péter; Korcsmáros, Tamás

2013-01-18

Signaling networks in eukaryotes are made up of upstream and downstream subnetworks. The upstream subnetwork contains the intertwined network of signaling pathways, while the downstream regulatory part contains transcription factors and their binding sites on the DNA as well as microRNAs and their mRNA targets. Currently, most signaling and regulatory databases contain only a subsection of this network, making comprehensive analyses highly time-consuming and dependent on specific data handling expertise. The need for detailed mapping of signaling systems is also supported by the fact that several drug development failures were caused by undiscovered cross-talk or regulatory effects of drug targets. We previously created a uniformly curated signaling pathway resource, SignaLink, to facilitate the analysis of pathway cross-talks. Here, we present SignaLink 2, which significantly extends the coverage and applications of its predecessor. We developed a novel concept to integrate and utilize different subsections (i.e., layers) of the signaling network. The multi-layered (onion-like) database structure is made up of signaling pathways, their pathway regulators (e.g., scaffold and endocytotic proteins) and modifier enzymes (e.g., phosphatases, ubiquitin ligases), as well as transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulators of all of these components. The user-friendly website allows the interactive exploration of how each signaling protein is regulated. The customizable download page enables the analysis of any user-specified part of the signaling network. Compared to other signaling resources, distinctive features of SignaLink 2 are the following: 1) it involves experimental data not only from humans but from two invertebrate model organisms, C. elegans and D. melanogaster; 2) combines manual curation with large-scale datasets; 3) provides confidence scores for each interaction; 4) operates a customizable download page with multiple file formats (e.g., BioPAX, Cytoscape, SBML). Non-profit users can access SignaLink 2 free of charge at http://SignaLink.org. With SignaLink 2 as a single resource, users can effectively analyze signaling pathways, scaffold proteins, modifier enzymes, transcription factors and miRNAs that are important in the regulation of signaling processes. This integrated resource allows the systems-level examination of how cross-talks and signaling flow are regulated, as well as provide data for cross-species comparisons and drug discovery analyses.

NERIES: Seismic Data Gateways and User Composed Datasets Metadata Management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spinuso, Alessandro; Trani, Luca; Kamb, Linus; Frobert, Laurent

2010-05-01

One of the NERIES EC project main objectives is to establish and improve the networking of seismic waveform data exchange and access among four main data centers in Europe: INGV, GFZ, ORFEUS and IPGP. Besides the implementation of the data backbone, several investigations and developments have been conducted in order to offer to the users the data available from this network, either programmatically or interactively. One of the challenges is to understand how to enable users` activities such as discovering, aggregating, describing and sharing datasets to obtain a decrease in the replication of similar data queries towards the network, exempting the data centers to guess and create useful pre-packed products. We`ve started to transfer this task more and more towards the users community, where the users` composed data products could be extensively re-used. The main link to the data is represented by a centralized webservice (SeismoLink) acting like a single access point to the whole data network. Users can download either waveform data or seismic station inventories directly from their own software routines by connecting to this webservice, which routes the request to the data centers. The provenance of the data is maintained and transferred to the users in the form of URIs, that identify the dataset and implicitly refer to the data provider. SeismoLink, combined with other webservices (eg EMSC-QuakeML earthquakes catalog service), is used from a community gateway such as the NERIES web portal (http://www.seismicportal.eu). Here the user interacts with a map based portlet which allows the dynamic composition of a data product, binding seismic event`s parameters with a set of seismic stations. The requested data is collected by the back-end processes of the portal, preserved and offered to the user in a personal data cart, where metadata can be generated interactively on-demand. The metadata, expressed in RDF, can also be remotely ingested. They offer rating, provenance and user annotation properties. Once generated they are included into a proprietary taxonomy, used by the overall architecture of the web portal. The metadata are made available through a SPARQL endpoint, thus allowing the datasets to be aggregated and shared among users in a meaningful way, enabling at the same time the development of third party visualization tools beyond the portal infrastructure. The SEE-GRID-SCI and the JISC-funded RapidSeis projects investigate the usage of this framework to enable the waveform data processing over the Grid.

Observatory Bibliographies as Research Tools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rots, Arnold H.; Winkelman, S. L.

2013-01-01

Traditionally, observatory bibliographies were maintained to provide insight in how successful a observatory is as measured by its prominence in the (refereed) literature. When we set up the bibliographic database for the Chandra X-ray Observatory (http://cxc.harvard.edu/cgi-gen/cda/bibliography) as part of the Chandra Data Archive ((http://cxc.harvard.edu/cda/), very early in the mission, our objective was to make it primarily a useful tool for our user community. To achieve this we are: (1) casting a very wide net in collecting Chandra-related publications; (2) including for each literature reference in the database a wealth of metadata that is useful for the users; and (3) providing specific links between the articles and the datasets in the archive that they use. As a result our users are able to browse the literature and the data archive simultaneously. As an added bonus, the rich metadata content and data links have also allowed us to assemble more meaningful statistics about the scientific efficacy of the observatory. In all this we collaborate closely with the Astrophysics Data System (ADS). Among the plans for future enhancement are the inclusion of press releases and the Chandra image gallery, linking with ADS semantic searching tools, full-text metadata mining, and linking with other observatories' bibliographies. This work is supported by NASA contract NAS8-03060 (CXC) and depends critically on the services provided by the ADS.

PandASoft: Open Source Instructional Laboratory Administration Software

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gay, P. L.; Braasch, P.; Synkova, Y. N.

2004-12-01

PandASoft (Physics and Astronomy Software) is software for organizing and archiving a department's teaching resources and materials. An easy to use, secure interface allows faculty and staff to explore equipment inventories, see what laboratory experiments are available, find handouts, and track what has been used in different classes in the past. Divided into five sections: classes, equipment, laboratories, links, and media, its database cross links materials, allowing users to see what labs are used with which classes, what media and equipment are used with which labs, or simply what equipment is lurking in which room. Written in PHP and MySQL, this software can be installed on any UNIX / Linux platform, including Macintosh OS X. It is designed to allow users to easily customize the headers, footers and colors to blend with existing sites - no programming experience required. While initial data input is labor intensive, the system will save time later by allowing users to quickly answer questions related to what is in inventory, where it is located, how many are in stock, and where online they can learn more. It will also provide a central location for storing PDFs of handouts, and links to applets and cool sites at other universities. PandASoft comes with over 100 links to online resources pre-installed. We would like to thank Dr. Wolfgang Rueckner and the Harvard University Science Center for providing computers and resources for this project.

Performance Analysis of Diversity-Controlled Multi-User Superposition Transmission for 5G Wireless Networks

PubMed Central

Yeom, Jeong Seon; Jung, Bang Chul; Jin, Hu

2018-01-01

In this paper, we propose a novel low-complexity multi-user superposition transmission (MUST) technique for 5G downlink networks, which allows multiple cell-edge users to be multiplexed with a single cell-center user. We call the proposed technique diversity-controlled MUST technique since the cell-center user enjoys the frequency diversity effect via signal repetition over multiple orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) sub-carriers. We assume that a base station is equipped with a single antenna but users are equipped with multiple antennas. In addition, we assume that the quadrature phase shift keying (QPSK) modulation is used for users. We mathematically analyze the bit error rate (BER) of both cell-edge users and cell-center users, which is the first theoretical result in the literature to the best of our knowledge. The mathematical analysis is validated through extensive link-level simulations. PMID:29439413

Performance Analysis of Diversity-Controlled Multi-User Superposition Transmission for 5G Wireless Networks.

PubMed

Yeom, Jeong Seon; Chu, Eunmi; Jung, Bang Chul; Jin, Hu

2018-02-10

In this paper, we propose a novel low-complexity multi-user superposition transmission (MUST) technique for 5G downlink networks, which allows multiple cell-edge users to be multiplexed with a single cell-center user. We call the proposed technique diversity-controlled MUST technique since the cell-center user enjoys the frequency diversity effect via signal repetition over multiple orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) sub-carriers. We assume that a base station is equipped with a single antenna but users are equipped with multiple antennas. In addition, we assume that the quadrature phase shift keying (QPSK) modulation is used for users. We mathematically analyze the bit error rate (BER) of both cell-edge users and cell-center users, which is the first theoretical result in the literature to the best of our knowledge. The mathematical analysis is validated through extensive link-level simulations.

AQUA-USERS: AQUAculture USEr Driven Operational Remote Sensing Information Services

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laanen, Marnix; Poser, Kathrin; Peters, Steef; de Reus, Nils; Ghebrehiwot, Semhar; Eleveld, Marieke; Miller, Peter; Groom, Steve; Clements, Oliver; Kurekin, Andrey; Martinez Vicente, Victor; Brotas, Vanda; Sa, Carolina; Couto, Andre; Brito, Ana; Amorim, Ana; Dale, Trine; Sorensen, Kai; Boye Hansen, Lars; Huber, Silvia; Kaas, Hanne; Andersson, Henrik; Icely, John; Fragoso, Bruno

2015-12-01

The FP7 project AQUA-USERS provides the aquaculture industry with user-relevant and timely information based on the most up-to-date satellite data and innovative optical in-situ measurements. Its key purpose is to develop an application that brings together satellite information on water quality and temperature with in-situ observations as well as relevant weather prediction and met-ocean data. The application and its underlying database are linked to a decision support system that includes a set of (user-determined) management options. Specific focus is on the development of indicators for aquaculture management including indicators for harmful algae bloom (HAB) events. The methods and services developed within AQUA-USERS are tested by the members of the user board, who represent different geographic areas and aquaculture production systems.

Space Station communications and tracking systems modeling and RF link simulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tsang, Chit-Sang; Chie, Chak M.; Lindsey, William C.

1986-01-01

In this final report, the effort spent on Space Station Communications and Tracking System Modeling and RF Link Simulation is described in detail. The effort is mainly divided into three parts: frequency division multiple access (FDMA) system simulation modeling and software implementation; a study on design and evaluation of a functional computerized RF link simulation/analysis system for Space Station; and a study on design and evaluation of simulation system architecture. This report documents the results of these studies. In addition, a separate User's Manual on Space Communications Simulation System (SCSS) (Version 1) documents the software developed for the Space Station FDMA communications system simulation. The final report, SCSS user's manual, and the software located in the NASA JSC system analysis division's VAX 750 computer together serve as the deliverables from LinCom for this project effort.

The Effects of Colchicine on Risk of Cardiovascular Events and Mortality Among Patients with Gout: A Cohort Study Using Electronic Medical Records Linked with Medicare Claims

PubMed Central

Solomon, Daniel H.; Liu, Chih-Chin; Kuo, I-Hsin; Zak, Agnes; Kim, Seoyoung C.

2016-01-01

Background Colchicine may have beneficial effects on cardiovascular (CV) disease, but there are sparse data on its CV effect among patients with gout. We examined the potential association between colchicine and CV risk and all-cause mortality in gout. Methods The analyses used data from an electronic medical record (EMR) database linked with Medicare claims (2006–2011). To be eligible for the study cohort, subjects must have had a diagnosis of gout in the EMR and Medicare claims. New users of colchicine were identified and followed-up from the first colchicine dispensing date. Non-users had no evidence of colchicine prescriptions during the study period and were matched to users on the start of follow-up, age, and gender. Both groups were followed for the primary outcome, a composite of myocardial infarction (MI), stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA). We calculated hazard ratios (HRs) in Cox regression, adjusting for potential confounders. Results We matched 501 users with an equal number of non-users with a median follow-up of 16.5 months. During follow-up, 28 primary CV events were observed among users and 82 among non-users. Incidence rates per 1,000 person-years were 35.6 for users and 81.8 for non-users. After full adjustment, colchicine use was associated with a 49% lower risk (HR 0.51, 95% CI 0.30 – 0.88) in the primary CV outcome as well as a 73% reduction in all-cause mortality (HR 0.27, 95% CI 017 – 0.43). Conclusion Colchicine use was associated with a reduced risk of a CV event among patients with gout. PMID:26582823

Leveling up: enabling diverse users to locate and effectively use unfamiliar data sets through NCAR's Research Data Archive

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peng, G. S.

2016-12-01

Research necessarily expands upon the volume and variety of data used in prior work. Increasingly, investigators look outside their primary areas of expertise for data to incorporate into their research. Locating and using the data that they need, which may be described in terminology from other fields of science or be encoded in unfamiliar data formats, present often insurmountable barriers for potential users. As a data provider of a diverse collection of over 600 atmospheric and oceanic data sets (DS) (http://rda.ucar.edu), we seek to reduce or remove those barriers. Serving a broadening and increasing user base with fixed and finite resources requires automation. Our software harvests metadata descriptors about the data from the data files themselves. Data curators/subject matter experts augment the machine-generated metadata as needed. Metadata powers our data search tools. Users may search for data in a myriad of ways ranging from free text queries to GCMD keywords to faceted searches capable of narrowing down selections by specific criteria. Users are offered customized lists of DSs fitting their criteria with links to DS main information pages that provide detailed information about each DS. Where appropriate, they link to the NCAR Climate Data Guide for expert guidance about strengths and weaknesses of that particular DS. Once users find the data sets they need, we provide modular lessons for common data tasks. The lessons may be data tool install guides, data recipes, blog posts, or short YouTube videos. Rather than overloading users with reams of information, we provide targeted lessons when the user is most receptive, e.g. when they want to use data in an unfamiliar format. We add new material when we discover common points of confusion. Each educational resource is tagged with DS ID numbers so that they are automatically linked with the relevant DSs. How can data providers leverage the work of other data providers? Can a common tagging scheme for data education materials help us automatically share our data lessons? Research is at the frontier of knowledge. Questions from users seeking to create new uses for old data will not always be answerable with canned responses. Humans will remain in the loop. But we need automation and cross-center cooperation to reduce the areas spanned by "edge cases."

What Can Funders Do to Better Link Science with Decisions? Case Studies of Coastal Communities and Climate Change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matso, Kalle E.; Becker, Mimi L.

2014-12-01

Many reports and studies have noted that a significant portion of problem-oriented coastal science does not actually link to decisions. Here, three competitively funded project case studies are studied to determine what funders can and should do to better link science with decisions. The qualitative analysis used for this study indicates that the studied program was seen as being unusually attentive to the issue of linking science to decisions, as opposed to simply generating new knowledge. Nevertheless, much of the data indicate that funders can and should do more. Three ideas figured most prominently in the qualitative data: (1) funders should do more to ensure that the problem itself is defined more thoroughly with people who are envisioned as potential users of the science; (2) funders need to allocate more resources and attention to communicating effectively (with users) throughout the project; and (3) funders need to demand more engagement of users throughout the project. These findings have important implications for how funders review and support science, especially when competitive processes are used. Most importantly, funders should adjust what kind of science they ask for. Secondly, funders need to change who is involved in the review process. Currently, review processes focus on knowledge generation, which means that the reviewers themselves have expertise in that area. Instead, review panels should be balanced between those who focus on knowledge generation and those who focus on linking knowledge to decisions; this is a separate but critical discipline currently left out of the review process.

Pupil fluctuations track fast switching of cortical states during quiet wakefulness

PubMed Central

Reimer, Jacob; Froudarakis, Emmanouil; Cadwell, Cathryn R.; Yatsenko, Dimitri; Denfield, George H.; Tolias, Andreas S.

2014-01-01

Neural responses are modulated by brain state, which varies with arousal, attention, and behavior. In mice, running and whisking desynchronize the cortex and enhance sensory responses, but the quiescent periods between bouts of exploratory behaviors have not been well-studied. We found that these periods of “quiet wakefulness” were characterized by state fluctuations on a timescale of 1–2 seconds. Small fluctuations in pupil diameter tracked these state transitions in multiple cortical areas. During dilation, the intracellular membrane potential was desynchronized, sensory responses were enhanced, and population activity was less correlated. In contrast, constriction was characterized by increased low-frequency oscillations and higher ensemble correlations. Specific subtypes of cortical interneurons were differentially activated during dilation and constriction, consistent with their participation in the observed state changes. Pupillometry has been used to index attention and mental effort in humans, but the intracellular dynamics and differences in population activity underlying this phenomenon were previously unknown. PMID:25374359

Automated tracking of whiskers in videos of head fixed rodents.

PubMed

Clack, Nathan G; O'Connor, Daniel H; Huber, Daniel; Petreanu, Leopoldo; Hires, Andrew; Peron, Simon; Svoboda, Karel; Myers, Eugene W

2012-01-01

We have developed software for fully automated tracking of vibrissae (whiskers) in high-speed videos (>500 Hz) of head-fixed, behaving rodents trimmed to a single row of whiskers. Performance was assessed against a manually curated dataset consisting of 1.32 million video frames comprising 4.5 million whisker traces. The current implementation detects whiskers with a recall of 99.998% and identifies individual whiskers with 99.997% accuracy. The average processing rate for these images was 8 Mpx/s/cpu (2.6 GHz Intel Core2, 2 GB RAM). This translates to 35 processed frames per second for a 640 px×352 px video of 4 whiskers. The speed and accuracy achieved enables quantitative behavioral studies where the analysis of millions of video frames is required. We used the software to analyze the evolving whisking strategies as mice learned a whisker-based detection task over the course of 6 days (8148 trials, 25 million frames) and measure the forces at the sensory follicle that most underlie haptic perception.

Automated Tracking of Whiskers in Videos of Head Fixed Rodents

PubMed Central

Clack, Nathan G.; O'Connor, Daniel H.; Huber, Daniel; Petreanu, Leopoldo; Hires, Andrew; Peron, Simon; Svoboda, Karel; Myers, Eugene W.

2012-01-01

We have developed software for fully automated tracking of vibrissae (whiskers) in high-speed videos (>500 Hz) of head-fixed, behaving rodents trimmed to a single row of whiskers. Performance was assessed against a manually curated dataset consisting of 1.32 million video frames comprising 4.5 million whisker traces. The current implementation detects whiskers with a recall of 99.998% and identifies individual whiskers with 99.997% accuracy. The average processing rate for these images was 8 Mpx/s/cpu (2.6 GHz Intel Core2, 2 GB RAM). This translates to 35 processed frames per second for a 640 px×352 px video of 4 whiskers. The speed and accuracy achieved enables quantitative behavioral studies where the analysis of millions of video frames is required. We used the software to analyze the evolving whisking strategies as mice learned a whisker-based detection task over the course of 6 days (8148 trials, 25 million frames) and measure the forces at the sensory follicle that most underlie haptic perception. PMID:22792058

Hypoglossal-facial nerve reconstruction using a Y-tube-conduit reduces aberrant synkinetic movements of the orbicularis oculi and vibrissal muscles in rats.

PubMed

Kaya, Yasemin; Ozsoy, Umut; Turhan, Murat; Angelov, Doychin N; Sarikcioglu, Levent

2014-01-01

The facial nerve is the most frequently damaged nerve in head and neck trauma. Patients undergoing facial nerve reconstruction often complain about disturbing abnormal synkinetic movements of the facial muscles (mass movements, synkinesis) which are thought to result from misguided collateral branching of regenerating motor axons and reinnervation of inappropriate muscles. Here, we examined whether use of an aorta Y-tube conduit during reconstructive surgery after facial nerve injury reduces synkinesis of orbicularis oris (blink reflex) and vibrissal (whisking) musculature. The abdominal aorta plus its bifurcation was harvested (N = 12) for Y-tube conduits. Animal groups comprised intact animals (Group 1), those receiving hypoglossal-facial nerve end-to-end coaptation alone (HFA; Group 2), and those receiving hypoglossal-facial nerve reconstruction using a Y-tube (HFA-Y-tube, Group 3). Videotape motion analysis at 4 months showed that HFA-Y-tube group showed a reduced synkinesis of eyelid and whisker movements compared to HFA alone.

Texture coarseness responsive neurons and their mapping in layer 2–3 of the rat barrel cortex in vivo

PubMed Central

Garion, Liora; Dubin, Uri; Rubin, Yoav; Khateb, Mohamed; Schiller, Yitzhak; Azouz, Rony; Schiller, Jackie

2014-01-01

Texture discrimination is a fundamental function of somatosensory systems, yet the manner by which texture is coded and spatially represented in the barrel cortex are largely unknown. Using in vivo two-photon calcium imaging in the rat barrel cortex during artificial whisking against different surface coarseness or controlled passive whisker vibrations simulating different coarseness, we show that layer 2–3 neurons within barrel boundaries differentially respond to specific texture coarsenesses, while only a minority of neurons responded monotonically with increased or decreased surface coarseness. Neurons with similar preferred texture coarseness were spatially clustered. Multi-contact single unit recordings showed a vertical columnar organization of texture coarseness preference in layer 2–3. These findings indicate that layer 2–3 neurons perform high hierarchical processing of tactile information, with surface coarseness embodied by distinct neuronal subpopulations that are spatially mapped onto the barrel cortex. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.03405.001 PMID:25233151

Hypoglossal-Facial Nerve Reconstruction Using a Y-Tube-Conduit Reduces Aberrant Synkinetic Movements of the Orbicularis Oculi and Vibrissal Muscles in Rats

PubMed Central

Kaya, Yasemin; Ozsoy, Umut; Turhan, Murat; Angelov, Doychin N.; Sarikcioglu, Levent

2014-01-01

The facial nerve is the most frequently damaged nerve in head and neck trauma. Patients undergoing facial nerve reconstruction often complain about disturbing abnormal synkinetic movements of the facial muscles (mass movements, synkinesis) which are thought to result from misguided collateral branching of regenerating motor axons and reinnervation of inappropriate muscles. Here, we examined whether use of an aorta Y-tube conduit during reconstructive surgery after facial nerve injury reduces synkinesis of orbicularis oris (blink reflex) and vibrissal (whisking) musculature. The abdominal aorta plus its bifurcation was harvested (N = 12) for Y-tube conduits. Animal groups comprised intact animals (Group 1), those receiving hypoglossal-facial nerve end-to-end coaptation alone (HFA; Group 2), and those receiving hypoglossal-facial nerve reconstruction using a Y-tube (HFA-Y-tube, Group 3). Videotape motion analysis at 4 months showed that HFA-Y-tube group showed a reduced synkinesis of eyelid and whisker movements compared to HFA alone. PMID:25574468

A Rodent Model of Dynamic Facial Reanimation Using Functional Electrical Stimulation

PubMed Central

Attiah, Mark A.; de Vries, Julius; Richardson, Andrew G.; Lucas, Timothy H.

2017-01-01

Facial paralysis can be a devastating condition, causing disfiguring facial droop, slurred speech, eye dryness, scarring and blindness. This study investigated the utility of closed-loop functional electric stimulation (FES) for reanimating paralyzed facial muscles in a quantitative rodent model. The right buccal and marginal mandibular branches of the rat facial nerve were transected for selective, unilateral paralysis of whisker muscles. Microwire electrodes were implanted bilaterally into the facial musculature for FES and electromyographic (EMG) recording. With the rats awake and head-fixed, whisker trajectories were tracked bilaterally with optical micrometers. First, the relationship between EMG and volitional whisker movement was quantified on the intact side of the face. Second, the effect of FES on whisker trajectories was quantified on the paralyzed side. Third, closed-loop experiments were performed in which the EMG signal on the intact side triggered FES on the paralyzed side to restore symmetric whisking. The results demonstrate a novel in vivo platform for developing control strategies for neuromuscular facial prostheses. PMID:28424583

Even-Skipped(+) Interneurons Are Core Components of a Sensorimotor Circuit that Maintains Left-Right Symmetric Muscle Contraction Amplitude.

PubMed

Heckscher, Ellie S; Zarin, Aref Arzan; Faumont, Serge; Clark, Matthew Q; Manning, Laurina; Fushiki, Akira; Schneider-Mizell, Casey M; Fetter, Richard D; Truman, James W; Zwart, Maarten F; Landgraf, Matthias; Cardona, Albert; Lockery, Shawn R; Doe, Chris Q

2015-10-21

Bilaterally symmetric motor patterns--those in which left-right pairs of muscles contract synchronously and with equal amplitude (such as breathing, smiling, whisking, and locomotion)--are widespread throughout the animal kingdom. Yet, surprisingly little is known about the underlying neural circuits. We performed a thermogenetic screen to identify neurons required for bilaterally symmetric locomotion in Drosophila larvae and identified the evolutionarily conserved Even-skipped(+) interneurons (Eve/Evx). Activation or ablation of Eve(+) interneurons disrupted bilaterally symmetric muscle contraction amplitude, without affecting the timing of motor output. Eve(+) interneurons are not rhythmically active and thus function independently of the locomotor CPG. GCaMP6 calcium imaging of Eve(+) interneurons in freely moving larvae showed left-right asymmetric activation that correlated with larval behavior. TEM reconstruction of Eve(+) interneuron inputs and outputs showed that the Eve(+) interneurons are at the core of a sensorimotor circuit capable of detecting and modifying body wall muscle contraction. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Even-skipped+ interneurons are core components of a sensorimotor circuit that maintains left-right symmetric muscle contraction amplitude

PubMed Central

Heckscher, Ellie S.; Zarin, Aref Arzan; Faumont, Serge; Clark, Matthew Q.; Manning, Laurina; Fushiki, Akira; Schneider-Mizel, Casey M.; Fetter, Richard D.; Truman, James W.; Zwart, Maarten F.; Landgraf, Matthias; Cardona, Albert; Lockery, Shawn R.; Doe, Chris Q.

2015-01-01

Summary Bilaterally symmetric motor patterns—those in which left-right pairs of muscles contract synchronously and with equal amplitude (such as breathing, smiling, whisking, locomotion)—are widespread throughout the animal kingdom. Yet surprisingly little is known about the underlying neural circuits. We performed a thermogenetic screen to identify neurons required for bilaterally symmetric locomotion in Drosophila larvae, and identified the evolutionarily-conserved Even-skipped+ interneurons (Eve/Evx). Activation or ablation of Eve+ interneurons disrupted bilaterally symmetric muscle contraction amplitude, without affecting the timing of motor output. Eve+ interneurons are not rhythmically active, and thus function independently of the locomotor CPG. GCaMP6 calcium imaging of Eve+ interneurons in freely-moving larvae showed left-right asymmetric activation that correlated with larval behavior. TEM reconstruction of Eve+ interneuron inputs and outputs showed that the Eve+ interneurons are at the core of a sensorimotor circuit capable of detecting and modifying body wall muscle contraction. PMID:26439528

GEONETCast Americas - Architecture

Science.gov Websites

contributors PRODUCTS GEONETCast Product Navigator Channel listing Admin Notes Register a product USERS About receiver stations Manufacturer list Configuration Request a product Register FAQs, Links, Pubs FAQs Links NOAA 2007-11-12 Updated product listing. Moved 21 products from Planned to Available status. Filenames

GEONETCast Americas - Architecture

Science.gov Websites

contributors PRODUCTS GEONETCast Product Navigator Channel listing Admin Notes Register a product USERS About receiver stations Manufacturer list Configuration Request a product Register FAQs, Links, Pubs FAQs Links , application, and exploitation of environmental data and products for the diverse societal benefits defined by

GEONETCast Americas - Architecture

Science.gov Websites

contributors PRODUCTS GEONETCast Product Navigator Channel listing Admin Notes Register a product USERS About receiver stations Manufacturer list Configuration Request a product Register FAQs, Links, Pubs FAQs Links list of manufacturers that have equipment that meet the requirements. Have a product that you would

How to engage end-users in smart energy behaviour?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valkering, Pieter; Laes, Erik; Kessels, Kris; Uyterlinde, Matthijs; Straver, Koen

2014-12-01

End users will play a crucial role in up-coming smart grids that aim to link end-users and energy providers in a better balanced and more efficient electricity system. Within this context, this paper aims to deliver a coherent view on current good practice in end-user engagement in smart grid projects. It draws from a recent review of theoretical insights from sustainable consumption behaviour, social marketing and innovation systems and empirical insights from recent smart grid projects to create an inventory of common motivators, enablers and barriers of behavioural change, and the end-user engagement principles that can be derived from that. We conclude with identifying current research challenges as input for a research agenda on end-user engagement in smart grids.

The NifTK software platform for image-guided interventions: platform overview and NiftyLink messaging.

PubMed

Clarkson, Matthew J; Zombori, Gergely; Thompson, Steve; Totz, Johannes; Song, Yi; Espak, Miklos; Johnsen, Stian; Hawkes, David; Ourselin, Sébastien

2015-03-01

To perform research in image-guided interventions, researchers need a wide variety of software components, and assembling these components into a flexible and reliable system can be a challenging task. In this paper, the NifTK software platform is presented. A key focus has been high-performance streaming of stereo laparoscopic video data, ultrasound data and tracking data simultaneously. A new messaging library called NiftyLink is introduced that uses the OpenIGTLink protocol and provides the user with easy-to-use asynchronous two-way messaging, high reliability and comprehensive error reporting. A small suite of applications called NiftyGuide has been developed, containing lightweight applications for grabbing data, currently from position trackers and ultrasound scanners. These applications use NiftyLink to stream data into NiftyIGI, which is a workstation-based application, built on top of MITK, for visualisation and user interaction. Design decisions, performance characteristics and initial applications are described in detail. NiftyLink was tested for latency when transmitting images, tracking data, and interleaved imaging and tracking data. NiftyLink can transmit tracking data at 1,024 frames per second (fps) with latency of 0.31 milliseconds, and 512 KB images with latency of 6.06 milliseconds at 32 fps. NiftyIGI was tested, receiving stereo high-definition laparoscopic video at 30 fps, tracking data from 4 rigid bodies at 20-30 fps and ultrasound data at 20 fps with rendering refresh rates between 2 and 20 Hz with no loss of user interaction. These packages form part of the NifTK platform and have proven to be successful in a variety of image-guided surgery projects. Code and documentation for the NifTK platform are available from http://www.niftk.org . NiftyLink is provided open-source under a BSD license and available from http://github.com/NifTK/NiftyLink . The code for this paper is tagged IJCARS-2014.

Technical and economic feasibility of integrated video service by satellite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Price, K. M.; Kwan, R. K.; White, L. W.; Garlow, R. K.; Henderson, T. R.

1992-01-01

A feasibility study is presented of utilizing modern satellite technology, or more advanced technology, to create a cost-effective, user-friendly, integrated video service, which can provide videophone, video conference, or other equivalent wideband service on demand. A system is described that permits a user to select a desired audience and establish the required links similar to arranging a teleconference by phone. Attention is given to video standards, video traffic scenarios, satellite system architecture, and user costs.

Establishing a research agenda for scientific and technical information (STI) - Focus on the user

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pinelli, Thomas E.

1992-01-01

This report addresses the relationship between library science and information science theory and practice, between the development of conceptual understanding, and the practical competence of information professionals. Consideration is given to the concept of research, linking theory with practice, and the reality of theory based practice. Attention is given to the need for research and research priorities, focus on the user and information-seeking behavior, and a user-oriented research agenda for STI.

Establishing a research agenda for Scientific and Technical Information (STI): Focus on the user

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pinelli, Thomas E.

1992-01-01

This report addresses the relationship between library science and information science theory and practice, between the development of conceptual understanding, and the practical competence of information professionals. Consideration is given to the concept of research, linking theory with practice, and the reality of theory based practice. Attention is given to the need for research and research priorities, focus on the user and information-seeking behavior, and a user-oriented research agenda for STI.

Space Communication Artificial Intelligence for Link Evaluation Terminal (SCAILET)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shahidi, Anoosh K.; Schlegelmilch, Richard F.; Petrik, Edward J.; Walters, Jerry L.

1992-01-01

A software application to assist end-users of the high burst rate (HBR) link evaluation terminal (LET) for satellite communications is being developed. The HBR LET system developed at NASA Lewis Research Center is an element of the Advanced Communications Technology Satellite (ACTS) Project. The HBR LET is divided into seven major subsystems, each with its own expert. Programming scripts, test procedures defined by design engineers, set up the HBR LET system. These programming scripts are cryptic, hard to maintain and require a steep learning curve. These scripts were developed by the system engineers who will not be available for the end-users of the system. To increase end-user productivity a friendly interface needs to be added to the system. One possible solution is to provide the user with adequate documentation to perform the needed tasks. With the complexity of this system the vast amount of documentation needed would be overwhelming and the information would be hard to retrieve. With limited resources, maintenance is another reason for not using this form of documentation. An advanced form of interaction is being explored using current computer techniques. This application, which incorporates a combination of multimedia and artificial intelligence (AI) techniques to provided end-users with an intelligent interface to the HBR LET system, is comprised of an intelligent assistant, intelligent tutoring, and hypermedia documentation. The intelligent assistant and tutoring systems address the critical programming needs of the end-user.

CSTutor: A Sketch-Based Tool for Visualizing Data Structures

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buchanan, Sarah; Laviola, Joseph J., Jr.

2014-01-01

We present CSTutor, a sketch-based interface designed to help students understand data structures, specifically Linked Lists, Binary Search Trees, AVL Trees, and Heaps. CSTutor creates an environment that seamlessly combines a user's sketched diagram and code. In each of these data structure modes, the user can naturally sketch a data structure on…

Missing Links--User Needs vs. Producers' Offerings.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fahy, Sarah

There are a variety of reasons which prevent users from making the most of information products. The practitioner must keep current with the myriad of information sources available and try to stay aware of changes in coverage. This paper categorizes the types of data in a large financial institution as follows: press sources, mergers and…

GEONETCast Americas

Science.gov Websites

unless the user has internet access on the same machine. The products, including metadata, that are on is an access portal to GEONETCast products. It is a searchable database that can be found at -channel. This version will run on a local computer at a user site but internet links will not function

Interreality: A New Paradigm for E-health.

PubMed

Riva, Giuseppe

2009-01-01

"Interreality" is a personalized immersive e-therapy whose main novelty is a hybrid, closed-loop empowering experience bridging physical and virtual worlds. The main feature of interreality is a twofold link between the virtual and the real world: (a) behavior in the physical world influences the experience in the virtual one; (b) behavior in the virtual world influences the experience in the real one. This is achieved through: (1) 3D Shared Virtual Worlds: role-playing experiences in which one or more users interact with one another within a 3D world; (2) Bio and Activity Sensors (From the Real to the Virtual World): They are used to track the emotional/health/activity status of the user and to influence his/her experience in the virtual world (aspect, activity and access); (3) Mobile Internet Appliances (From the Virtual to the Real One): In interreality, the social and individual user activity in the virtual world has a direct link with the users' life through a mobile phone/digital assistant. The different technologies that are involved in the interreality vision and its clinical rationale are addressed and discussed.

Intuitive Tools for the Design and Analysis of Communication Payloads for Satellites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Culver, Michael R.; Soong, Christine; Warner, Joseph D.

2014-01-01

In an effort to make future communications satellite payload design more efficient and accessible, two tools were created with intuitive graphical user interfaces (GUIs). The first tool allows payload designers to graphically design their payload by using simple drag and drop of payload components onto a design area within the program. Information about each picked component is pulled from a database of common space-qualified communication components sold by commerical companies. Once a design is completed, various reports can be generated, such as the Master Equipment List. The second tool is a link budget calculator designed specifically for ease of use. Other features of this tool include being able to access a database of NASA ground based apertures for near Earth and Deep Space communication, the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) base apertures, and information about the solar system relevant to link budget calculations. The link budget tool allows for over 50 different combinations of user inputs, eliminating the need for multiple spreadsheets and the user errors associated with using them. Both of the aforementioned tools increase the productivity of space communication systems designers, and have the colloquial latitude to allow non-communication experts to design preliminary communication payloads.

World Wide Web Metaphors for Search Mission Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Norris, Jeffrey S.; Wallick, Michael N.; Joswig, Joseph C.; Powell, Mark W.; Torres, Recaredo J.; Mittman, David S.; Abramyan, Lucy; Crockett, Thomas M.; Shams, Khawaja S.; Fox, Jason M.;

User-based Resource Design in Earth Science Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luby, M.; Haber, J.; Wittenberg, K.

2001-12-01

Reform in the classroom, and certainly in academic publishing, is greatly influenced not only by educational research, but also by direct surveys of students and instructors. This presentation looks at changes to Columbia Earthscape, www.earthscape.org, based on an ongoing series of evaluation and testing measures. Two years ago, the Earthscape project was introduced as a central online resource. It aimed to select and make available authoritative materials from all the disciplines that constitute Earth-system science. Its design harnessed the dynamics of the Web and the interrelatedness of research, education, and public policy. In response to substantial class tests, involving five universities in the United States and abroad, three focus groups of geoscience faculty and librarians, user feedback, internal editorial-board review, and extensive consultation with colleagues in commercial and nonprofit educational publishing, Earthscape is implementing broad changes in design and content. These include arranging the site into sections that correspond to user profiles (scientist, policy-maker, teacher, and student), providing easier search or browsing (by research area, policy content, or lesson concept), and streamlining the presentation of links among our resources. These changes are implemented through more advanced searching capabilities, greater specificity of content metatags, and an overall increase in content from journals, books, and original material. The metatags now include all core geoscience disciplines or a range of pertinent issues (such as climate change, geologic hazards, and pollution). Reflecting the evaluation by librarians, Earthscape's revised interface will permit users to begin with a primary area of interest based on who they are, their "profile." They can then either browse the site's entire holdings in that area, perform searches within each area, or follow the extensive hyperlinks to explore connections to other areas and user needs. Another two focus groups consisting of undergraduate geoscience teaching faculty brought about a rearrangement of hyperlinked resources within course-module pages. This involved less-cluttered hot-linking in running text and uniform lists of video and images links and research links at the end of all modules. Finally, after analyzing the results of a survey questionnaire administered to hundreds of students, we increased and revised content metatags to produce more specific search returns and redistributed lists of annotated links throughout the site. We are also are continuing to seek more full-text content, including original student research and exposition.

COMT val158met and 5-HTTLPR Genetic Polymorphisms Moderate Executive Control in Cannabis Users

PubMed Central

Verdejo-García, Antonio; Beatriz Fagundo, Ana; Cuenca, Aida; Rodriguez, Joan; Cuyás, Elisabet; Langohr, Klaus; de Sola Llopis, Susana; Civit, Ester; Farré, Magí; Peña-Casanova, Jordi; de la Torre, Rafael

2013-01-01

The adverse effects of cannabis use on executive functions are still controversial, fostering the need for novel biomarkers able to unveil individual differences in the cognitive impact of cannabis consumption. Two common genetic polymorphisms have been linked to the neuroadaptive impact of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) exposure and to executive functions in animals: the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene val158met polymorphism and the SLC6A4 gene 5-HTTLPR polymorphism. We aimed to test if these polymorphisms moderate the harmful effects of cannabis use on executive function in young cannabis users. We recruited 144 participants: 86 cannabis users and 58 non-drug user controls. Both groups were genotyped and matched for genetic makeup, sex, age, education, and IQ. We used a computerized neuropsychological battery to assess different aspects of executive functions: sustained attention (CANTAB Rapid Visual Information Processing Test, RVIP), working memory (N-back), monitoring/shifting (CANTAB ID/ED set shifting), planning (CANTAB Stockings of Cambridge, SOC), and decision-making (Iowa Gambling Task, IGT). We used general linear model-based analyses to test performance differences between cannabis users and controls as a function of genotypes. We found that: (i) daily cannabis use is not associated with executive function deficits; and (ii) COMT val158met and 5-HTTLPR polymorphisms moderate the link between cannabis use and executive performance. Cannabis users carrying the COMT val/val genotype exhibited lower accuracy of sustained attention, associated with a more strict response bias, than val/val non-users. Cannabis users carrying the COMT val allele also committed more monitoring/shifting errors than cannabis users carrying the met/met genotype. Finally, cannabis users carrying the 5-HTTLPR s/s genotype had worse IGT performance than s/s non-users. COMT and SLC6A4 genes moderate the impact of cannabis use on executive functions. PMID:23449176

Knowledge-driven enhancements for task composition in bioinformatics.

PubMed

Sutherland, Karen; McLeod, Kenneth; Ferguson, Gus; Burger, Albert

2009-10-01

A key application area of semantic technologies is the fast-developing field of bioinformatics. Sealife was a project within this field with the aim of creating semantics-based web browsing capabilities for the Life Sciences. This includes meaningfully linking significant terms from the text of a web page to executable web services. It also involves the semantic mark-up of biological terms, linking them to biomedical ontologies, then discovering and executing services based on terms that interest the user. A system was produced which allows a user to identify terms of interest on a web page and subsequently connects these to a choice of web services which can make use of these inputs. Elements of Artificial Intelligence Planning build on this to present a choice of higher level goals, which can then be broken down to construct a workflow. An Argumentation System was implemented to evaluate the results produced by three different gene expression databases. An evaluation of these modules was carried out on users from a variety of backgrounds. Users with little knowledge of web services were able to achieve tasks that used several services in much less time than they would have taken to do this manually. The Argumentation System was also considered a useful resource and feedback was collected on the best way to present results. Overall the system represents a move forward in helping users to both construct workflows and analyse results by incorporating specific domain knowledge into the software. It also provides a mechanism by which web pages can be linked to web services. However, this work covers a specific domain and much co-ordinated effort is needed to make all web services available for use in such a way, i.e. the integration of underlying knowledge is a difficult but essential task.

Enrichment and Ranking of the YouTube Tag Space and Integration with the Linked Data Cloud

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choudhury, Smitashree; Breslin, John G.; Passant, Alexandre

The increase of personal digital cameras with video functionality and video-enabled camera phones has increased the amount of user-generated videos on the Web. People are spending more and more time viewing online videos as a major source of entertainment and "infotainment". Social websites allow users to assign shared free-form tags to user-generated multimedia resources, thus generating annotations for objects with a minimum amount of effort. Tagging allows communities to organise their multimedia items into browseable sets, but these tags may be poorly chosen and related tags may be omitted. Current techniques to retrieve, integrate and present this media to users are deficient and could do with improvement. In this paper, we describe a framework for semantic enrichment, ranking and integration of web video tags using Semantic Web technologies. Semantic enrichment of folksonomies can bridge the gap between the uncontrolled and flat structures typically found in user-generated content and structures provided by the Semantic Web. The enhancement of tag spaces with semantics has been accomplished through two major tasks: (1) a tag space expansion and ranking step; and (2) through concept matching and integration with the Linked Data cloud. We have explored social, temporal and spatial contexts to enrich and extend the existing tag space. The resulting semantic tag space is modelled via a local graph based on co-occurrence distances for ranking. A ranked tag list is mapped and integrated with the Linked Data cloud through the DBpedia resource repository. Multi-dimensional context filtering for tag expansion means that tag ranking is much easier and it provides less ambiguous tag to concept matching.

Recasting image of contraceptives.

PubMed

Rimon Jg; Kiragu, K

1993-03-01

Even though contraceptives are linked to sex which, along with sensuality and peer acceptance, is used to market consumer goods, contraceptives are promoted in a hygienic, clinical way. Glamorous images which divert from adverse health effects are used to sell unhealthy goods, e.g., alcohol and cigarettes, but technical and intimidating promotion techniques centering on risks are used to promote family planning (FP) products and services which actually save the lives of mothers and children and improve their health. Until recently, only the medical system provided FP products and services so consumers identified them with illness and a help-seeking behavior. The image of contraceptives must be remolded to gain people's attention. To avoid instilling mistrust of a method in consumers, even those who believe in birth spacing, it is important for images to be positive and to reflect accurate information. In Indonesia, the Dualima condom has been linked to responsible fatherhood thereby creating a positive image and removing the negative image of a condom being linked to illicit sex. In the US, condom adds show the user in control, especially in reference to AIDS. Prior to promotion of any contraceptive, complete, clear communication and marketing plans are needed to identify and to focus on consumers' perceived needs. A survey in Egypt shows that the most important attributes of a contraceptive are ease of use, healthiness, and effectiveness and that Egyptians considered IUDs to best fit these attributes. Images of contraceptive users often determine whether potential users do choose to use contraceptives. For example, in Cameroon and the Philippines, female users are considered to be smart, rich, educated, confident and in control of their lives. In the Philippines, male users are perceived to be loving, caring, and considerate husbands. The mass medias can improve providers' public image as was the case in Turkey and Egypt.

The links between healthy, problematic, and addicted Internet use regarding comorbidities and self-concept-related characteristics.

PubMed

Leménager, Tagrid; Hoffmann, Sabine; Dieter, Julia; Reinhard, Iris; Mann, Karl; Kiefer, Falk

2018-03-01

Background Addicted Internet users present with higher rates of comorbidities, e.g., attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), depressive, and anxiety disorders. In addition, deficits in self-concept-related characteristics were found in addicted Internet gamers and social network users. The aim of this study was to examine the links between healthy, problematic, and addicted Internet use regarding comorbidities and self-concept-related characteristics. The association between recently developed ADHD-like symptoms without an underlying diagnosis and addictive Internet use was also examined. Methods n = 79 healthy controls, n = 35 problematic, and n = 93 addicted Internet users were assessed for comorbidities, social and emotional competencies, body image, self-esteem, and perceived stress. Apart from an ADHD-diagnosis, recently developed ADHD-like symptoms were also assessed. Results Addicted users showed more self-concept-related deficits and higher rates of comorbidities with ADHD, depressive, and anxiety disorders. Addicted and problematic users showed similarities in the prevalence of cluster B personality disorders and decreased levels of characteristics related to emotional intelligence. Participants with recently developed ADHD-like symptoms scored higher in lifetime and current severity of Internet use compared with those without ADHD symptoms. Addicted participants with recently developed ADHD symptoms showed higher lifetime Internet use severity compared with those without any symptoms. Conclusions Our findings indicate that cluster B personality disorders and premorbid problems in emotional intelligence might present a link between problematic and addictive Internet use. Furthermore, the findings provide a first indication that addictive Internet use is related to ADHD-like symptoms. Symptoms of ADHD should therefore be assessed against the background of possible addicted Internet use.

Proceedings: linking healthy forests and communities—successful strategies and future directions.

Treesearch

David L. Nicholls

2005-01-01

The Linking Healthy Forests and Communities conference brought together a diverse group representing government agencies, traditional forest users, landholders, scientists, and small enterprises and other businesses related to nontimber forest products. The purpose was to exchange information, encourage cooperation, and raise awareness of environmentally and...

Developing A Web-based User Interface for Semantic Information Retrieval

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Berrios, Daniel C.; Keller, Richard M.

2003-01-01

While there are now a number of languages and frameworks that enable computer-based systems to search stored data semantically, the optimal design for effective user interfaces for such systems is still uncle ar. Such interfaces should mask unnecessary query detail from users, yet still allow them to build queries of arbitrary complexity without significant restrictions. We developed a user interface supporting s emantic query generation for Semanticorganizer, a tool used by scient ists and engineers at NASA to construct networks of knowledge and dat a. Through this interface users can select node types, node attribute s and node links to build ad-hoc semantic queries for searching the S emanticOrganizer network.

A Privacy-Protecting Authentication Scheme for Roaming Services with Smart Cards

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Son, Kyungho; Han, Dong-Guk; Won, Dongho

In this work we propose a novel smart card based privacy-protecting authentication scheme for roaming services. Our proposal achieves so-called Class 2 privacy protection, i.e., no information identifying a roaming user and also linking the user's behaviors is not revealed in a visited network. It can be used to overcome the inherent structural flaws of smart card based anonymous authentication schemes issued recently. As shown in our analysis, our scheme is computationally efficient for a mobile user.

Linked exploratory visualizations for uncertain MR spectroscopy data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feng, David; Kwock, Lester; Lee, Yueh; Taylor, Russell M., II

2010-01-01

We present a system for visualizing magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) data sets. Using MRS, radiologists generate multiple 3D scalar fields of metabolite concentrations within the brain and compare them to anatomical magnetic resonance imaging. By understanding the relationship between metabolic makeup and anatomical structure, radiologists hope to better diagnose and treat tumors and lesions. Our system consists of three linked visualizations: a spatial glyph-based technique we call Scaled Data-Driven Spheres, a parallel coordinates visualization augmented to incorporate uncertainty in the data, and a slice plane for accurate data value extraction. The parallel coordinates visualization uses specialized brush interactions designed to help users identify nontrivial linear relationships between scalar fields. We describe two novel contributions to parallel coordinates visualizations: linear function brushing and new axis construction. Users have discovered significant relationships among metabolites and anatomy by linking interactions between the three visualizations.

Linked Exploratory Visualizations for Uncertain MR Spectroscopy Data

PubMed Central

Feng, David; Kwock, Lester; Lee, Yueh; Taylor, Russell M.

2010-01-01

We present a system for visualizing magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) data sets. Using MRS, radiologists generate multiple 3D scalar fields of metabolite concentrations within the brain and compare them to anatomical magnetic resonance imaging. By understanding the relationship between metabolic makeup and anatomical structure, radiologists hope to better diagnose and treat tumors and lesions. Our system consists of three linked visualizations: a spatial glyph-based technique we call Scaled Data-Driven Spheres, a parallel coordinates visualization augmented to incorporate uncertainty in the data, and a slice plane for accurate data value extraction. The parallel coordinates visualization uses specialized brush interactions designed to help users identify nontrivial linear relationships between scalar fields. We describe two novel contributions to parallel coordinates visualizations: linear function brushing and new axis construction. Users have discovered significant relationships among metabolites and anatomy by linking interactions between the three visualizations. PMID:21152337

Linking Tests of English for Academic Purposes to the CEFR: The Score User's Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Green, Anthony

2018-01-01

The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) is widely used in setting language proficiency requirements, including for international students seeking access to university courses taught in English. When different language examinations have been related to the CEFR, the process is claimed to help score users, such as university…

Civic Participation among Seventh-Grade Social Studies Students in Multi-User Virtual Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zieger, Laura; Farber, Matthew

2012-01-01

Technological advances on the Internet now enable students to develop participation skills in virtual worlds. Similar to controlling a character in a video game, multi-user virtual environments, or MUVEs, allow participants to interact with others in synchronous, online settings. The authors of this study created a link between MUVEs and…

Linking Audio and Visual Information while Navigating in a Virtual Reality Kiosk Display

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sullivan, Briana; Ware, Colin; Plumlee, Matthew

2006-01-01

3D interactive virtual reality museum exhibits should be easy to use, entertaining, and informative. If the interface is intuitive, it will allow the user more time to learn the educational content of the exhibit. This research deals with interface issues concerning activating audio descriptions of images in such exhibits while the user is…

Of What Benefit and to Whom? Linking Australian Humanities Research with Its "End Users"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pitman, Tim; Berman, Judith E.

2009-01-01

There is increasing pressure for university researchers to secure "end-user" support for their research projects. Yet the ways in which this imperative affects humanities researchers, operating in a science-centric funding environment, have not yet been fully explored. This paper presents the findings of an empirical study into the…

Are Password Management Applications Viable? An Analysis of User Training and Reactions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ciampa, Mark

2011-01-01

Passwords have the distinction of being the most widely-used form of authentication--and the most vulnerable. With the dramatic increase today in the number of accounts that require passwords, overwhelmed users usually resort to creating weak passwords or reusing the same password for multiple accounts, thus making passwords the weakest link in…

Linking a Medical User Survey to Management for Library Effectiveness: II, A Checkland Soft Systems Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brember, V. L.

1985-01-01

Presents Checkland's soft systems methodology, discusses it in terms of the systems approach, and illustrates how it was used to relate evidence of user survey to practical problems of library management. Difficulties in using methodology are described and implications for library management and information science research are presented. (8…

Users Guide to VSMOKE-GIS for Workstations

Treesearch

Mary F. Harms; Leonidas G. Lavdas

1997-01-01

VSMOKE-GIS was developed to help prescribed burners in the national forests of the Southeastern United States visualize smoke dispersion and to plan prescribed burns. Developed for use on workstations, this decision-support system consists of a graphical user interface, written in Arc/Info Arc Macro Language, and is linked to a FORTRAN computer program. VSMOKE-GIS...

DESIGN PRINCIPLES FOR AN ON-LINE INFORMATION RETRIEVAL SYSTEM. TECHNICAL REPORT.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LOWE, THOMAS C.

AREAS INVESTIGATED INCLUDE SLOW MEMORY DATA STORAGE, THE PROBLEM OF DECODING FROM AN INDEX TO A SLOW MEMORY ADDRESS, THE STRUCTURE OF DATA LISTS AND DATA LIST OPERATORS, COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN THE HUMAN USER AND THE SYSTEM, PROCESSING OF RETRIEVAL REQUESTS, AND THE USER'S CONTROL OVER THE RETURN OF INFORMATION RETRIEVED. LINEAR, LINKED AND…

`Googling' Terrorists: Are Northern Irish Terrorists Visible on Internet Search Engines?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reilly, P.

In this chapter, the analysis suggests that Northern Irish terrorists are not visible on Web search engines when net users employ conventional Internet search techniques. Editors of mass media organisations traditionally have had the ability to decide whether a terrorist atrocity is `newsworthy,' controlling the `oxygen' supply that sustains all forms of terrorism. This process, also known as `gatekeeping,' is often influenced by the norms of social responsibility, or alternatively, with regard to the interests of the advertisers and corporate sponsors that sustain mass media organisations. The analysis presented in this chapter suggests that Internet search engines can also be characterised as `gatekeepers,' albeit without the ability to shape the content of Websites before it reaches net users. Instead, Internet search engines give priority retrieval to certain Websites within their directory, pointing net users towards these Websites rather than others on the Internet. Net users are more likely to click on links to the more `visible' Websites on Internet search engine directories, these sites invariably being the highest `ranked' in response to a particular search query. A number of factors including the design of the Website and the number of links to external sites determine the `visibility' of a Website on Internet search engines. The study suggests that Northern Irish terrorists and their sympathisers are unlikely to achieve a greater degree of `visibility' online than they enjoy in the conventional mass media through the perpetration of atrocities. Although these groups may have a greater degree of freedom on the Internet to publicise their ideologies, they are still likely to be speaking to the converted or members of the press. Although it is easier to locate Northern Irish terrorist organisations on Internet search engines by linking in via ideology, ideological description searches, such as `Irish Republican' and `Ulster Loyalist,' are more likely to generate links pointing towards the sites of research institutes and independent media organisations than sites sympathetic to Northern Irish terrorist organisations. The chapter argues that Northern Irish terrorists are only visible on search engines if net users select the correct search terms.

Linking Earth Observations and Models to Societal Information Needs: The Case of Coastal Flooding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buzzanga, B. A.; Plag, H. P.

2016-12-01

Coastal flooding is expected to increase in many areas due to sea level rise (SLR). Many societal applications such as emergency planning and designing public services depend on information on how the flooding spectrum may change as a result of SLR. To identify the societal information needs a conceptual model is needed that identifies the key stakeholders, applications, and information and observation needs. In the context of the development of the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS), which is implemented by the Group on Earth Observations (GEO), the Socio-Economic and Environmental Information Needs Knowledge Base (SEE-IN KB) is developed as part of the GEOSS Knowledge Base. A core function of the SEE-IN KB is to facilitate the linkage of societal information needs to observations, models, information and knowledge. To achieve this, the SEE-IN KB collects information on objects such as user types, observational requirements, societal goals, models, and datasets. Comprehensive information concerning the interconnections between instances of these objects is used to capture the connectivity and to establish a conceptual model as a network of networks. The captured connectivity can be used in searches to allow users to discover products and services for their information needs, and providers to search for users and applications benefiting from their products. It also allows to answer "What if?" questions and supports knowledge creation. We have used the SEE-IN KB to develop a conceptual model capturing the stakeholders in coastal flooding and their information needs, and to link these elements to objects. We show how the knowledge base enables the transition of scientific data to useable information by connecting individuals such as city managers to flood maps. Within the knowledge base, these same users can request information that improves their ability to make specific planning decisions. These needs are linked to entities within research institutions that have the capabilities to meet them. Further, current research such as that investigating precipitation-induced flooding under different SLR scenarios is linked to the users who benefit from the knowledge, effectively creating a bi-directional channel between science and society that increases knowledge and improves foresight.

Earthdata 3.0: A Unified Experience and Platform for Earth Science Discovery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Plofchan, P.; McLaughlin, B. D.

2015-12-01

NASA's EOSDIS (Earth Observing System Data and Information System) as a multitude of websites and applications focused on serving the Earth Science community's extensive data needs. With no central user interface, theme, or mechanism for accessing that data, interrelated systems are confusing and potentially disruptive in users' searches for EOSDIS data holdings. In an effort to bring consistency across these systems, an effort was undertaken to develop Earthdata 3.0: a complete information architecture overhaul of the Earthdata website, a significant update to the Earthdata user experience and user interface, and an increased focus on searching across EOSDIS data holdings, including those housed and made available through DAAC websites. As part of this effort, and in a desire to unify the user experience across related websites, the Earthdata User Interface (EUI) was developed. The EUI is a collection of responsive design components and layouts geared toward creating websites and applications within the Earthdata ecosystem. Each component and layout has been designed specifically for Earth science-related projects which eliminates some of the complexities of building a website or application from the ground up. Its adoption will ensure both consistent markup and a unified look and feel for end users, thereby increasing usability and accessibility. Additionally, through the user of a Google Search Appliance, custom Clojure code, and in cooperation with DAACs, Earthdata 3.0 presents a variety of search results upon a user's keyword(s) entry. These results are not just textual links, but also direct links to downloadable datasets, visualizations of datasets and collections of data, and related articles and videos for further research. The end result of the development of the EUI and the enhanced multi-response type search is a consistent and usable platform for Earth scientists and users to navigate and locate data to further their research.

Improving data discovery and usability through commentary and user feedback: the CHARMe project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alegre, R.; Blower, J. D.

2014-12-01

Earth science datasets are highly diverse. Users of these datasets are similarly varied, ranging from research scientists through industrial users to government decision- and policy-makers. It is very important for these users to understand the applicability of any dataset to their particular problem so that they can select the most appropriate data sources for their needs. Although data providers often provide rich supporting information in the form of metadata, typically this information does not include community usage information that can help other users judge fitness-for-purpose.The CHARMe project (http://www.charme.org.uk) is filling this gap by developing a system for sharing "commentary metadata". These are annotations that are generated and shared by the user community and include: Links between publications and datasets. The CHARMe system can record information about why a particular dataset was used (e.g. the paper may describe the dataset, it may use the dataset as a source, or it may be publishing results of a dataset assessment). These publications may appear in the peer-reviewed literature, or may be technical reports, websites or blog posts. Free-text comments supplied by the user. Provenance information, including links between datasets and descriptions of processing algorithms and sensors. External events that may affect data quality (e.g. large volcanic eruptions or El Niño events); we call these "significant events". Data quality information, e.g. system maturity indices. Commentary information can be linked to anything that can be uniquely identified (e.g. a dataset with a DOI or a persistent web address). It is also possible to associate commentary with particular subsets of datasets, for example to highlight an issue that is confined to a particular geographic region. We will demonstrate tools that show these capabilities in action, showing how users can apply commentary information during data discovery, visualization and analysis. The CHARMe project has implemented a set of open-source tools to create, store and explore commentary information, using open Web standards. In this presentation we will describe the application of the CHARMe system to the particular case of the climate data community; however the techniques and technologies are generic and can be applied in many fields.

Optimization of infobutton design and Implementation: A systematic review.

PubMed

Teixeira, Miguel; Cook, David A; Heale, Bret S E; Del Fiol, Guilherme

2017-10-01

Infobuttons are clinical decision tools embedded in the electronic health record that attempt to link clinical data with context sensitive knowledge resources. We systematically reviewed technical approaches that contribute to improved infobutton design, implementation and functionality. We searched databases including MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library database from inception to March 1, 2016 for studies describing the use of infobuttons. We selected full review comparative studies, usability studies, and qualitative studies examining infobutton design and implementation. We abstracted usability measures such as user satisfaction, impact, and efficiency, as well as prediction accuracy of infobutton content retrieval algorithms and infobutton adoption/interoperability. We found 82 original research studies on infobuttons. Twelve studies met criteria for detailed abstraction. These studies investigated infobutton interoperability (1 study); tools to help tailor infobutton functionality (1 study); interventions to improve user experience (7 studies); and interventions to improve content retrieval by improving prediction of relevant knowledge resources and information needs (3 studies). In-depth interviews with implementers showed the Health Level Seven (HL7) Infobutton standard to be simple and easy to implement. A usability study demonstrated the feasibility of a tool to help medical librarians tailor infobutton functionality. User experience studies showed that access to resources with which users are familiar increased user satisfaction ratings; and that links to specific subsections of drug monographs increased information seeking efficiency. However, none of the user experience improvements led to increased usage uptake. Recommender systems based on machine learning algorithms outperformed hand-crafted rules in the prediction of relevant resources and clinicians' information needs in a laboratory setting, but no studies were found using these techniques in clinical settings. Improved content indexing in one study led to improved content retrieval across three health care organizations. Best practice technical approaches to ensure optimal infobutton functionality, design and implementation remain understudied. The HL7 Infobutton standard has supported wide adoption of infobutton functionality among clinical information systems and knowledge resources. Limited evidence supports infobutton enhancements such as links to specific subtopics, configuration of optimal resources for specific tasks and users, and improved indexing and content coverage. Further research is needed to investigate user experience improvements to increase infobutton use and effectiveness. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Fiber optic reference frequency distribution to remote beam waveguide antennas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Calhoun, Malcolm; Kuhnle, Paul; Law, Julius

1995-01-01

In the NASA/JPL Deep Space Network (DSN), radio science experiments (probing outer planet atmospheres, rings, gravitational waves, etc.) and very long-base interferometry (VLBI) require ultra-stable, low phase noise reference frequency signals at the user locations. Typical locations for radio science/VLBI exciters and down-converters are the cone areas of the 34 m high efficiency antennas or the 70 m antennas, located several hundred meters from the reference frequency standards. Over the past three years, fiber optic distribution links have replaced coaxial cable distribution for reference frequencies to these antenna sites. Optical fibers are the preferred medium for distribution because of their low attenuation, immunity to EMI/IWI, and temperature stability. A new network of Beam Waveguide (BWG) antennas presently under construction in the DSN requires hydrogen maser stability at tens of kilometers distance from the frequency standards central location. The topic of this paper is the design and implementation of an optical fiber distribution link which provides ultra-stable reference frequencies to users at a remote BWG antenna. The temperature profile from the earth's surface to a depth of six feet over a time period of six months was used to optimize the placement of the fiber optic cables. In-situ evaluation of the fiber optic link performance indicates Allan deviation on the order of parts in 10(exp -15) at 1000 and 10,000 seconds averaging time; thus, the link stability degradation due to environmental conditions still preserves hydrogen maser stability at the user locations. This paper reports on the implementation of optical fibers and electro-optic devices for distributing very stable, low phase noise reference signals to remote BWG antenna locations. Allan deviation and phase noise test results for a 16 km fiber optic distribution link are presented in the paper.

Fiber optic reference frequency distribution to remote beam waveguide antennas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Calhoun, Malcolm; Kuhnle, Paul; Law, Julius

1995-05-01

In the NASA/JPL Deep Space Network (DSN), radio science experiments (probing outer planet atmospheres, rings, gravitational waves, etc.) and very long-base interferometry (VLBI) require ultra-stable, low phase noise reference frequency signals at the user locations. Typical locations for radio science/VLBI exciters and down-converters are the cone areas of the 34 m high efficiency antennas or the 70 m antennas, located several hundred meters from the reference frequency standards. Over the past three years, fiber optic distribution links have replaced coaxial cable distribution for reference frequencies to these antenna sites. Optical fibers are the preferred medium for distribution because of their low attenuation, immunity to EMI/IWI, and temperature stability. A new network of Beam Waveguide (BWG) antennas presently under construction in the DSN requires hydrogen maser stability at tens of kilometers distance from the frequency standards central location. The topic of this paper is the design and implementation of an optical fiber distribution link which provides ultra-stable reference frequencies to users at a remote BWG antenna. The temperature profile from the earth's surface to a depth of six feet over a time period of six months was used to optimize the placement of the fiber optic cables. In-situ evaluation of the fiber optic link performance indicates Allan deviation on the order of parts in 10(exp -15) at 1000 and 10,000 seconds averaging time; thus, the link stability degradation due to environmental conditions still preserves hydrogen maser stability at the user locations. This paper reports on the implementation of optical fibers and electro-optic devices for distributing very stable, low phase noise reference signals to remote BWG antenna locations. Allan deviation and phase noise test results for a 16 km fiber optic distribution link are presented in the paper.

Knowledge Maps for E-Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Jae Hwa; Segev, Aviv

2012-01-01

Maps such as concept maps and knowledge maps are often used as learning materials. These maps have nodes and links, nodes as key concepts and links as relationships between key concepts. From a map, the user can recognize the important concepts and the relationships between them. To build concept or knowledge maps, domain experts are needed.…

Web-Based Knowledge Exchange through Social Links in the Workplace

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Filipowski, Tomasz; Kazienko, Przemyslaw; Brodka, Piotr; Kajdanowicz, Tomasz

2012-01-01

Knowledge exchange between employees is an essential feature of recent commercial organisations on the competitive market. Based on the data gathered by various information technology (IT) systems, social links can be extracted and exploited in knowledge exchange systems of a new kind. Users of such a system ask their queries and the system…

Shared Semantics and the Use of Organizational Memories for E-Mail Communications.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schwartz, David G.

1998-01-01

Examines the use of shared semantics information to link concepts in an organizational memory to e-mail communications. Presents a framework for determining shared semantics based on organizational and personal user profiles. Illustrates how shared semantics are used by the HyperMail system to help link organizational memories (OM) content to…

21 CFR 1311.55 - Requirements for systems used to process digitally signed orders.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... system must use either a user identification and password combination or biometric authentication to... and any other records required in part 1305 of this chapter, including any linked data. (10) The...) A system used to receive, verify, and create linked records for orders signed with a CSOS digital...

Mechanical System Analysis/Design Tool (MSAT) Quick Guide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, HauHua; Kolb, Mark; Madelone, Jack

1998-01-01

MSAT is a unique multi-component multi-disciplinary tool that organizes design analysis tasks around object-oriented representations of configuration components, analysis programs and modules, and data transfer links between them. This creative modular architecture enables rapid generation of input stream for trade-off studies of various engine configurations. The data transfer links automatically transport output from one application as relevant input to the next application once the sequence is set up by the user. The computations are managed via constraint propagation - the constraints supplied by the user as part of any optimization module. The software can be used in the preliminary design stage as well as during the detail design of product development process.

GSFC network operations with Tracking and Data Relay Satellites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spearing, R.; Perreten, D. E.

The Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) Network (TN) has been developed to provide services to all NASA User spacecraft in near-earth orbits. Three inter-relating entities will provide these services. The TN has been transformed from a network continuously changing to meet User specific requirements to a network which is flexible to meet future needs without significant changes in operational concepts. Attention is given to the evolution of the TN network, the TN capabilities-space segment, forward link services, tracking services, return link services, the three basic capabilities, single access services, multiple access services, simulation services, the White Sands Ground Terminal, the NASA communications network, and the network control center.

GSFC network operations with Tracking and Data Relay Satellites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spearing, R.; Perreten, D. E.

1984-01-01

The Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) Network (TN) has been developed to provide services to all NASA User spacecraft in near-earth orbits. Three inter-relating entities will provide these services. The TN has been transformed from a network continuously changing to meet User specific requirements to a network which is flexible to meet future needs without significant changes in operational concepts. Attention is given to the evolution of the TN network, the TN capabilities-space segment, forward link services, tracking services, return link services, the three basic capabilities, single access services, multiple access services, simulation services, the White Sands Ground Terminal, the NASA communications network, and the network control center.

A User’s Guide for LOGATAK. A Simulation Model to Analyze Logistic Network Distribution and Interdiction,

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-04-15

BLANK ADD LINK DATA TO LIBRARY 0 DELETE LINK DATA FROM LIBRARY C CHANGE ONE OR MORE VARIABLES OF DEFINED LINK IN LIBARY 25 ALTERATIONST...DELETE TERMINAL DATA FROM LIBRARY C CHANGE ONE OR MORE VARIABLES OF OEFINED TERMINAL IN LIBARY Unlike link data only one card is needed to change the...sector data cards identify the sets of data to be selected from the data library. Each data set is defined by a five digit number. The first four digits

Social Media Use among United Kingdom Vascular Surgeons: A Cross-Sectional Study.

PubMed

Cochrane, Andrew R; McDonald, James J; Brady, Richard R W

2016-05-01

Engagement with social media (SM) is increasing within the general population and medical professionals. Overall, SM engagement is divided between closed, private networks and open, public platforms, such as LinkedIn and Twitter. As engagement with SM is known to vary between specialties, this study was undertaken to evaluate the uptake of SM among vascular surgeons and to describe user demographics associated with SM engagement. Vascular surgeons were identified from the 2013 Vascular Society of Great Britain and Ireland Quality Improvement Project and cross-referenced with the General Medical Council registry. Identified individual surgeons were manually searched for on common SM platforms and via Google to identify both SM profiles and personal/partnership practice websites. In total, 472 surgeons (442 men, 93.6%) from 112 National Health Service Trusts were identified. Three hundred forty (63.7%) graduated from UK universities with a mean graduating year of 1987 (range 1969-2000). Cumulatively, they performed 36,300 procedures (mean 72/surgeon; range 3-257). Overall, SM engagement was 47.4%; 217 (46.0%) had LinkedIn accounts and 23 (4.8%) had Twitter profiles. LinkedIn users had a mean of 69 connections (range 0-500+) and had a mean graduating year of 1988 (range 1969-2000). Twitter users had a mean of 258 followers (range 2-2424) and had tweeted a mean of 450 times (range 0-2865); they graduated more recently than their non-Twitter engaged colleagues (mean graduation 1991 vs. 1987, P = 0.006). Overall, SM usage was associated with a more recent graduation (P = 0.038) and with working in the private sector (21.4% vs. 13.7%, P = 0.029). There were demographic differences between those who had LinkedIn and Twitter accounts. Twitter and LinkedIn engagement among vascular surgeons is higher than that of other surgical specialties. There is a significant link between the experience of the surgeon and with SM use. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

User interface for ground-water modeling: Arcview extension

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tsou, Ming‐shu; Whittemore, Donald O.

2001-01-01

Numerical simulation for ground-water modeling often involves handling large input and output data sets. A geographic information system (GIS) provides an integrated platform to manage, analyze, and display disparate data and can greatly facilitate modeling efforts in data compilation, model calibration, and display of model parameters and results. Furthermore, GIS can be used to generate information for decision making through spatial overlay and processing of model results. Arc View is the most widely used Windows-based GIS software that provides a robust user-friendly interface to facilitate data handling and display. An extension is an add-on program to Arc View that provides additional specialized functions. An Arc View interface for the ground-water flow and transport models MODFLOW and MT3D was built as an extension for facilitating modeling. The extension includes preprocessing of spatially distributed (point, line, and polygon) data for model input and postprocessing of model output. An object database is used for linking user dialogs and model input files. The Arc View interface utilizes the capabilities of the 3D Analyst extension. Models can be automatically calibrated through the Arc View interface by external linking to such programs as PEST. The efficient pre- and postprocessing capabilities and calibration link were demonstrated for ground-water modeling in southwest Kansas.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

This software is a plug-in that interfaces between the Phoenix Integration's Model Center and the Base SAS 9.2 applications. The end use of the plug-in is to link input and output data that resides in SAS tables or MS SQL to and from "legacy" software programs without recoding. The potential end users are users who need to run legacy code and want data stored in a SQL database.

Semantically Enhanced Topic Modeling and Its Applications in Social Media

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guo, Lifan

2013-01-01

As we witness the prosperity of the social media in the past few years, and feel the explosion of "user-generated content" on the Internet, there is little question that we have entered an era of Big Data. Those social media sites, such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Quora and Twitter have been important sources for a wide spectrum of users.…

Apple OS X VPN Set Up | High-Performance Computing | NREL

Science.gov Websites

software using that conf file and your UserID Start the connection using your password plus the 6-digit OTP . Configure the Client Software Start the Endian Connect App (It should have installed into Applications in an password" link, and add your UserID. Start the app, and begin configuring the connection by clicking

Guiding Users to Sea Level Change Data Through Content

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Quach, N.; Abercrombie, S. P.; Boening, C.; Brennan, H. P.; Gill, K. M.; Greguska, F. R., III; Huang, T.; Jackson, R.; Larour, E. Y.; Shaftel, H.; Tenenbaum, L. F.; Zlotnicki, V.; Boeck, A.; Moore, B.; Moore, J.

2017-12-01

The NASA Sea Level Change Portal (https://sealevel.nasa.gov) is an immersive and innovative web portal for sea level change research that addresses the needs of diverse audiences, from scientists across disparate disciplines to the general public to policy makers and businesses. Since sea level change research involves vast amounts of data from multiple fields, it becomes increasingly important to come up with novel and effective ways to guide users to the data they need. News articles published on the portal contains links to relevant data. The Missions section highlights missions and projects as well as provide a logical grouping of the data. Tools available on the portal, such as the Data Analysis Tool, a data visualization and high-performance environment for sea level analysis, and the Virtual Earth System Laboratory, a 3D simulation application, describes and links to the source data. With over 30K Facebook followers and over 23K Twitter follower, the portal outreach team also leverages social media to guide users to relevant data. This presentation focuses on how the portal uses news articles, mission and project pages, tools, and social media to connect users to the data.

Coherence transfer of subhertz-linewidth laser light via an optical fiber noise compensated by remote users.

PubMed

Wu, Lifei; Jiang, Yanyi; Ma, Chaoqun; Yu, Hongfu; Bi, Zhiyi; Ma, Longsheng

2016-09-15

We present a technique for the coherence transfer of laser light through a fiber link, where the optical phase noise induced by environmental perturbation via the fiber link is compensated by remote users. When compensating the fiber noise by remote users, the time base at the remote site independent from that at the local site does not destroy the performance of the fiber output light. Using this technique, we demonstrate the transfer of subhertz-linewidth laser light through a 25-km-long, lab-based spooled fiber. After being compensated, the relative linewidth between the fiber input and output light is 1 mHz, and the relative frequency instability is 4×10^-17 at 1 s averaging time and scales down to 2×10^-19 at 800 s averaging time. The frequency uncertainty of the light after transferring through the fiber relative to that of the input light is 3.0×10^-19. This system is suitable for the simultaneous transfer of an optical signal to a number of end users within a city.

The Availability of Space Service for Inter-Satellite Links in Navigation Constellations

PubMed Central

Tang, Yinyin; Wang, Yueke; Chen, Jianyun

2016-01-01

Global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) are widely used in low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite navigation; however, their availability is poor for users in medium Earth orbits (MEO), and high Earth orbits (HEO). With the increasing demand for navigation from MEO and HEO users, the inadequate coverage of GNSS has emerged. Inter-satellite links (ISLs) are used for ranging and communication between navigation satellites and can also serve space users that are outside the navigation constellation. This paper aims to summarize their application method and analyze their service performance. The mathematical model of visibility is proposed and then the availability of time division ISLs is analyzed based on global grid points. The BeiDou navigation constellation is used as an example for numerical simulation. Simulation results show that the availability can be enhanced by scheduling more satellites and larger beams, while the presence of more users lowers the availability. The availability of navigation signals will be strengthened when combined with the signals from the ISLs. ISLs can improve the space service volume (SSV) of navigation constellations, and are therefore a promising method for navigation in MEO/HEO spacecraft. PMID:27548181

The effects of time delays on a telepathology user interface.

PubMed Central

Carr, D.; Hasegawa, H.; Lemmon, D.; Plaisant, C.

1992-01-01

Telepathology enables a pathologist to examine physically distant tissue samples by microscope operation over a communication link. Communication links can impose time delays which cause difficulties in controlling the remote device. Such difficulties were found in a microscope teleoperation system. Since the user interface is critical to pathologist's acceptance of telepathology, we redesigned the user interface for this system, built two different versions (a keypad whose movement commands operated by specifying a start command followed by a stop command and a trackball interface whose movement commands were incremental and directly proportional to the rotation of the trackball). We then conducted a pilot study to determine the effect of time delays on the new user interfaces. In our experiment, the keypad was the faster interface when the time delay is short. There was no evidence to favor either the keypad or trackball when the time delay was longer. Inexperienced participants benefitted by allowing them to move long distances over the microscope slide by dragging the field-of-view indicator on the touchscreen control panel. The experiment suggests that changes could be made to the trackball interface which would improve its performance. PMID:1482878

Enhancement of the NMSU Channel Error Simulator to Provide User-Selectable Link Delays

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Horan, Stephen; Wang, Ru-Hai

2000-01-01

This is the third in a continuing series of reports describing the development of the Space-to-Ground Link Simulator (SGLS) to be used for testing data transfers under simulated space channel conditions. The SGLS is based upon Virtual Instrument (VI) software techniques for managing the error generation, link data rate configuration, and, now, selection of the link delay value. In this report we detail the changes that needed to be made to the SGLS VI configuration to permit link delays to be added to the basic error generation and link data rate control capabilities. This was accomplished by modifying the rate-splitting VIs to include a buffer the hold the incoming data for the duration selected by the user to emulate the channel link delay. In sample tests of this configuration, the TCP/IP(sub ftp) service and the SCPS(sub fp) service were used to transmit 10-KB data files using both symmetric (both forward and return links set to 115200 bps) and unsymmetric (forward link set at 2400 bps and a return link set at 115200 bps) link configurations. Transmission times were recorded at bit error rates of 0 through 10(exp -5) to give an indication of the link performance. In these tests. we noted separate timings for the protocol setup time to initiate the file transfer and the variation in the actual file transfer time caused by channel errors. Both protocols showed similar performance to that seen earlier for the symmetric and unsymmetric channels. This time, the delays in establishing the file protocol also showed that these delays could double the transmission time and need to be accounted for in mission planning. Both protocols also showed a difficulty in transmitting large data files over large link delays. In these tests, there was no clear favorite between the TCP/IP(sub ftp) and the SCPS(sub fp). Based upon these tests, further testing is recommended to extend the results to different file transfer configurations.

Subtypes of attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and cannabis use.

PubMed

Loflin, Mallory; Earleywine, Mitch; De Leo, Joseph; Hobkirk, Andrea

2014-03-01

The current study examined the association between subtypes of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and cannabis use within a sample of 2811 current users. Data were collected in 2012 from a national U.S. survey of cannabis users. A series of logistic regression equations and chi-squares were assessed for proportional differences between users. When asked about the ADHD symptoms they have experienced when not using cannabis, a higher proportion of daily users met symptom criteria for an ADHD diagnoses of the subtypes that include hyperactive-impulsive symptoms than the inattentive subtype. For nondaily users, the proportions of users meeting symptom criteria did not differ by subtype. These results have implications for identifying which individuals with ADHD might be more likely to self-medicate using cannabis. Furthermore, these findings indirectly support research linking relevant cannabinoid receptors to regulatory control.

US HealthLink: a national information resource for health care professionals.

PubMed

Yasnoff, W A

1992-06-01

US HealthLink is a new, comprehensive online medical information system designed specifically for health care professionals. Available to individuals for a fixed fee, it includes literature, news, diagnostic decision support, drug interactions, electronic mail, and bulletin boards. It also provides user-specific current awareness via clipping service, and fax delivery of both clipping and electronic mail information. US HealthLink can now be utilized to access a wide variety of medical information sources inexpensively.

Topographic mapping data semantics through data conversion and enhancement: Chapter 7

USGS Publications Warehouse

Varanka, Dalia; Carter, Jonathan; Usery, E. Lynn; Shoberg, Thomas; Edited by Ashish, Naveen; Sheth, Amit P.

2011-01-01

This paper presents research on the semantics of topographic data for triples and ontologies to blend the capabilities of the Semantic Web and The National Map of the U.S. Geological Survey. Automated conversion of relational topographic data of several geographic sample areas to the triple data model standard resulted in relatively poor semantic associations. Further research employed vocabularies of feature type and spatial relation terms. A user interface was designed to model the capture of non-standard terms relevant to public users and to map those terms to existing data models of The National Map through the use of ontology. Server access for the study area triple stores was made publicly available, illustrating how the development of linked data may transform institutional policies to open government data resources to the public. This paper presents these data conversion and research techniques that were tested as open linked data concepts leveraged through a user-centered interface and open USGS server access to the public.

Network information security in a phase III Integrated Academic Information Management System (IAIMS).

PubMed

Shea, S; Sengupta, S; Crosswell, A; Clayton, P D

1992-01-01

The developing Integrated Academic Information System (IAIMS) at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center provides data sharing links between two separate corporate entities, namely Columbia University Medical School and The Presbyterian Hospital, using a network-based architecture. Multiple database servers with heterogeneous user authentication protocols are linked to this network. "One-stop information shopping" implies one log-on procedure per session, not separate log-on and log-off procedures for each server or application used during a session. These circumstances provide challenges at the policy and technical levels to data security at the network level and insuring smooth information access for end users of these network-based services. Five activities being conducted as part of our security project are described: (1) policy development; (2) an authentication server for the network; (3) Kerberos as a tool for providing mutual authentication, encryption, and time stamping of authentication messages; (4) a prototype interface using Kerberos services to authenticate users accessing a network database server; and (5) a Kerberized electronic signature.

Personalized recommendation via an improved NBI algorithm and user influence model in a Microblog network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lian, Jie; Liu, Yun; Zhang, Zhen-jiang; Gui, Chang-ni

2013-10-01

Bipartite network based recommendations have attracted extensive attentions in recent years. Differing from traditional object-oriented recommendations, the recommendation in a Microblog network has two crucial differences. One is high authority users or one’s special friends usually play a very active role in tweet-oriented recommendation. The other is that the object in a Microblog network corresponds to a set of tweets on same topic instead of an actual and single entity, e.g. goods or movies in traditional networks. Thus repeat recommendations of the tweets in one’s collected topics are indispensable. Therefore, this paper improves network based inference (NBI) algorithm by original link matrix and link weight on resource allocation processes. This paper finally proposes the Microblog recommendation model based on the factors of improved network based inference and user influence model. Adjusting the weights of these two factors could generate the best recommendation results in algorithm accuracy and recommendation personalization.

Link Analysis in the Mission Planning Lab

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McCarthy, Jessica A.; Cervantes, Benjamin W.; Daugherty, Sarah C.; Arroyo, Felipe; Mago, Divyang

2011-01-01

The legacy communications link analysis software currently used at Wallops Flight Facility involves processes that are different for command destruct, radar, and telemetry. There is a clear advantage to developing an easy-to-use tool that combines all the processes in one application. Link Analysis in the Mission Planning Lab (MPL) uses custom software and algorithms integrated with Analytical Graphics Inc. Satellite Toolkit (AGI STK). The MPL link analysis tool uses pre/post-mission data to conduct a dynamic link analysis between ground assets and the launch vehicle. Just as the legacy methods do, the MPL link analysis tool calculates signal strength and signal- to-noise according to the accepted processes for command destruct, radar, and telemetry assets. Graphs and other custom data are generated rapidly in formats for reports and presentations. STK is used for analysis as well as to depict plume angles and antenna gain patterns in 3D. The MPL has developed two interfaces with the STK software (see figure). The first interface is an HTML utility, which was developed in Visual Basic to enhance analysis for plume modeling and to offer a more user friendly, flexible tool. A graphical user interface (GUI) written in MATLAB (see figure upper right-hand corner) is also used to quickly depict link budget information for multiple ground assets. This new method yields a dramatic decrease in the time it takes to provide launch managers with the required link budgets to make critical pre-mission decisions. The software code used for these two custom utilities is a product of NASA's MPL.

South African mental health care service user views on priorities for supporting recovery: implications for policy and service development.

PubMed

Kleintjes, Sharon; Lund, Crick; Swartz, Leslie

2012-01-01

The paper documents the views of South African mental health care service users on policy directions and service developments that are required to support their recovery. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with forty service users and service user advocates. A framework analysis approach was used to analyse the qualitative data. Service user priorities included addressing stigma, discrimination and disempowerment, and the links between mental health and poverty. They suggested that these challenges be addressed through public awareness campaigns, legislative and policy reform for rights protection, development of a national lobby to advocate for changes, and user empowerment. Users suggested that empowerment can be facilitated through opportunities for improved social relatedness and equitable access to social and economic resources. This study suggests three strategies to bridge the gap between mental health care service users rights and needs on one hand, and unsupportive attitudes, policies and practices on the other. These are: giving priority to service user involvement in policy and service reform, creating empathic alliances to promote user priorities, and building enabling partnerships to effect these priorities.

Substance Use and Depression Symptomatology: Measurement Invariance of the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) among Non-Users and Frequent-Users of Alcohol, Nicotine and Cannabis.

PubMed

Moore, Ashlee A; Neale, Michael C; Silberg, Judy L; Verhulst, Brad

2016-01-01

Depression is a highly heterogeneous condition, and identifying how symptoms present in various groups may greatly increase our understanding of its etiology. Importantly, Major Depressive Disorder is strongly linked with Substance Use Disorders, which may ameliorate or exacerbate specific depression symptoms. It is therefore quite plausible that depression may present with different symptom profiles depending on an individual's substance use status. Given these observations, it is important to examine the underlying construct of depression in groups of substance users compared to non-users. In this study we use a non-clinical sample to examine the measurement structure of the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) in non-users and frequent-users of various substances. Specifically, measurement invariance was examined across those who do vs. do not use alcohol, nicotine, and cannabis. Results indicate strict factorial invariance across non-users and frequent-users of alcohol and cannabis, and metric invariance across non-users and frequent-users of nicotine. This implies that the factor structure of the BDI-II is similar across all substance use groups.

FEDIX: The on-line database retrieval service of government information for colleges, universities, and other organizations. User`s guide, Version 4.0/Release 2.1

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

FEDIX is an on-line information service that links the higher education community and the federal government to facilitate research, education, and services. The system provides accurate, timely federal agency information to colleges, universities, and other research organizations. There are no registration fees or access charges. Participating agencies include DOE, FAA, NASA, ONR, AFOSR, NSF, NSA, DOE, DOEd, HUD, and AID. This guide is intended to help users access and utilize FEDIX.

Stay connected | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Science.gov Websites

areas and people. Please note: Some links below will lead to non-governmental websites visit the site disclaimer to see how these links are handled. Facebook icon. Facebook Facebook lets users follow people and ;a visual discovery tool that you can use to find ideas for all your projects and interests."

Turbulence mitigation scheme based on multiple-user detection in an orbital-angular-momentum multiplexed system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zou, Li; Wang, Le; Zhao, Sheng-Mei; Chen, Han-Wu

2016-11-01

Atmospheric turbulence (AT) induced crosstalk can significantly impair the performance of a free-space optical (FSO) communication link using orbital angular momentum (OAM) multiplexing. In this paper, we propose a multiple-user detection (MUD) turbulence mitigation scheme in an OAM-multiplexed FSO communication link. First, we present a MUD equivalent communication model for an OAM-multiplexed FSO communication link under AT. In the equivalent model, each input bit stream represents one user’s information. The deformed OAM spatial modes caused by AT, instead of the pure OAM spatial modes, are used as information carriers, and the overlapping between the deformed OAM spatial modes are computed as the correlation coefficients between the users. Then, we present a turbulence mitigation scheme based on MUD idea to enhance AT tolerance of the OAM-multiplexed FSO communication link. In the proposed scheme, the crosstalk caused by AT is used as a useful component to deduce users’ information. The numerical results show that the performance of the OAM-multiplexed communication link has greatly improved by the proposed scheme. When the turbulence strength is 1 × 10-15 m-2/3, the transmission distance is 1000 m and the channel signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is 26 dB, the bit-error-rate (BER) performance of four spatial multiplexed OAM modes lm = +1,+2,+3,+4 are all close to 10-5, and there is a 2-3 fold increase in the BER performance in comparison with those results without the proposed scheme. In addition, the proposed scheme is more effective for an OAM-multiplexed FSO communication link with a larger OAM mode topological charge interval. The proposed scheme is a promising direction for compensating the interference caused by AT in the OAM-multiplexed FSO communication link. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 61271238 and 61475075), the Open Research Fund of Key Lab of Broadband Wireless Communication and Sensor Network Technology, Ministry of Education, China (Grant No. NYKL2015011), the Postgraduate Innovation Research Plan of Jiangsu Province, China (Grant No. CXZZ13_0489), and the University Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province, China (Grant No. 16KJB510037).

Linking the pharmacological content of ecstasy tablets to the subjective experiences of drug users.

PubMed

Brunt, Tibor M; Koeter, Maarten W; Niesink, Raymond J M; van den Brink, Wim

2012-04-01

Most studies on the subjective effects of ecstasy are based on the assumption that the substance that was taken is 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA). However, many tablets sold as ecstasy contain other substances and MDMA in varying doses. So far, few attempts have been made to take this into account while assessing subjective effects. This study aims to link the pharmacological content of tablets sold as ecstasy to the subjective experiences reported by ecstasy users. Self-reported effects on ecstasy tablets were available from 5,786 drug users who handed in their tablets for chemical analysis at the Drug Information and Monitoring System (DIMS) in the Netherlands. Logistic regression was employed to link the pharmacological content of ecstasy tablets to the self-reported subjective effects and compare effects with MDMA to other substances present. MDMA showed a strong association with desirable subjective effects, unparalleled by any other psychoactive substance. However, the association of MDMA was dose-dependent, with higher doses (>120 mg/tablet) likely to evoke more adverse effects. The novel psychostimulants mephedrone and p-fluoroamphetamine were considered relatively desirable, whereas meta-chlorophenylpiperazine (mCPP) and p-methoxymethamphetamine (PMMA) were strongly associated with adverse subjective effects. Also, 3,4-methylene-dioxyamphetamine (MDA) and benzylpiperazine (BZP) were not appreciated as replacement for MDMA. Linking the pharmacological content of ecstasy sold on the street to subjective experiences contributes to a better understanding of the wide range of subjective effects ascribed to ecstasy and provides a strong rationale for the prolonged endurance of MDMA as the key ingredient of the ecstasy market.

How Peer Communication and Engagement Motivations Influence Social Media Shopping Behavior: Evidence from China and the United States.

PubMed

Muralidharan, Sidharth; Men, Linjuan Rita

2015-10-01

Based on consumer socialization theory, this study proposes and tests a conceptual model of social media shopping behavior, which links the antecedents of user motivations of engagement and peer communication about products to shopping behavior through social media. A cross-cultural survey was conducted with social media users in two culturally distinct markets with the largest Internet population: China (n=304) and the United States (n=328). Findings showed that social interaction, information, and remuneration were positive antecedents of peer communication for users from both countries. Peer communication positively impacted social media shopping behavior, and cultural differences were observed, with social interaction being important to Chinese users' shopping behavior, while remuneration was more important to American users. Implications are discussed.

Quantum key distribution with an entangled light emitting diode

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dzurnak, B.; Stevenson, R. M.; Nilsson, J.

Measurements performed on entangled photon pairs shared between two parties can allow unique quantum cryptographic keys to be formed, creating secure links between users. An advantage of using such entangled photon links is that they can be adapted to propagate entanglement to end users of quantum networks with only untrusted nodes. However, demonstrations of quantum key distribution with entangled photons have so far relied on sources optically excited with lasers. Here, we realize a quantum cryptography system based on an electrically driven entangled-light-emitting diode. Measurement bases are passively chosen and we show formation of an error-free quantum key. Our measurementsmore » also simultaneously reveal Bell's parameter for the detected light, which exceeds the threshold for quantum entanglement.« less

Quantum key distribution with an entangled light emitting diode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dzurnak, B.; Stevenson, R. M.; Nilsson, J.; Dynes, J. F.; Yuan, Z. L.; Skiba-Szymanska, J.; Farrer, I.; Ritchie, D. A.; Shields, A. J.

2015-12-01

Measurements performed on entangled photon pairs shared between two parties can allow unique quantum cryptographic keys to be formed, creating secure links between users. An advantage of using such entangled photon links is that they can be adapted to propagate entanglement to end users of quantum networks with only untrusted nodes. However, demonstrations of quantum key distribution with entangled photons have so far relied on sources optically excited with lasers. Here, we realize a quantum cryptography system based on an electrically driven entangled-light-emitting diode. Measurement bases are passively chosen and we show formation of an error-free quantum key. Our measurements also simultaneously reveal Bell's parameter for the detected light, which exceeds the threshold for quantum entanglement.

5 Best Practices for Building Your Portal in a Web 2.0 World

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Villano, Matt

2008-01-01

Not that many years back, portals were nothing more than splash pages from which users could click on links to navigate a school's web-based resources. Today, however, they are much more: single sign-on gateways that easily enable users to do everything from pay tuition and view transcripts, to purchase parking permits, and sell used books. Still,…

The Association between Early Conduct Problems and Early Marijuana Use in College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Falls, Benjamin J.; Wish, Eric D.; Garnier, Laura M.; Caldeira, Kimberly M.; O'Grady, Kevin E.; Vincent, Kathryn B.; Arria, Amelia M.

2011-01-01

Early conduct problems have been linked to early marijuana use in adolescence. The present study examines this association in a sample of 1,076 college students that was divided into three groups: (1) early marijuana users (began marijuana use prior to age 15; N = 126), (2) late marijuana users (began marijuana use at or after age 15; N = 607),…

HIV testing behaviors and attitudes among community recruited methamphetamine users in a South African township

PubMed Central

Meade, Christina S.; Towe, Sheri L.; Watt, Melissa H.; Hobkirk, Andrea; Skinner, Donald; Myers, Bronwyn; Kimani, Stephen M.; Pieterse, Desiree

2015-01-01

Background Methamphetamine users in South Africa are at high risk for HIV infection and transmission, but little is known about HIV testing in this population. Methods We examined HIV testing behaviors and attitudes in 362 methamphetamine users recruited using chain referral sampling from one peri-urban community. Results Many (44%) had not been HIV tested in the past year. HIV testing was associated with positive testing attitudes, less AIDS stigma, and greater methamphetamine stigma. Among participants who reported HIV infection (8%), less than half were linked to care. Conclusions Findings highlight the need to identify barriers to HIV service uptake for methamphetamine users. PMID:24858393

From Data to Knowledge: GEOSS experience and the GEOSS Knowledge Base contribution to the GCI

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santoro, M.; Nativi, S.; Mazzetti, P., Sr.; Plag, H. P.

2016-12-01

According to systems theory, data is raw, it simply exists and has no significance beyond its existence; while, information is data that has been given meaning by way of relational connection. The appropriate collection of information, such that it contributes to understanding, is a process of knowledge creation.The Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) developed by the Group on Earth Observations (GEO) is a set of coordinated, independent Earth observation, information and processing systems that interact and provide access to diverse information for a broad range of users in both public and private sectors. GEOSS links these systems to strengthen the monitoring of the state of the Earth. In the past ten years, the development of GEOSS has taught several lessons dealing with the need to move from (open) data to information and knowledge sharing. Advanced user-focused services require to move from a data-driven framework to a knowledge sharing platform. Such a platform needs to manage information and knowledge, in addition to datasets linked to them. For this scope, GEO has launched a specific task called "GEOSS Knowledge Base", which deals with resources, like user requirements, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), observation and processing ontologies, publications, guidelines, best practices, business processes/algorithms, definition of advanced concepts like Essential Variables (EVs), indicators, strategic goals, etc. In turn, information and knowledge (e.g. guidelines, best practices, user requirements, business processes, algorithms, etc.) can be used to generate additional information and knowledge from shared datasets. To fully utilize and leverage the GEOSS Knowledge Base, the current GEOSS Common Infrastructure (GCI) model will be extended and advanced to consider important concepts and implementation artifacts, such as data processing services and environmental/economic models as well as EVs, Primary Indicators, and SDGs. The new GCI model will link these concepts to the present dataset, observation and sensor concepts, enabling a set of very important new capabilities to be offered to GEOSS users.

The Information Architecture of E-Commerce: An Experimental Study on User Performance and Preference

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wan Mohd, Wan Abdul Rahim; Md Noor, Nor Laila; Mehad, Shafie

Too often, designers of e-commerce web sites use models, concepts, guidelines, and designs that focus on the artifacts while ignoring the context in which the artifacts will be used. Furthermore, the link between culture and usability in web site IA phenomenon is still considered as uncharted area, as it lacks much theoretical consideration. In an effort toward addressing the aforementioned issues, our study provides a theoretical and empirical link between cultural and usability through the application of ‘Venustas' (Delight) drawn from the architectural field and Hofstede's cultural dimensions. We use Islamic culture as the case study and report on the experiment to investigate the effect of the IA designs based on the cultural dimensions on e-commerce web sites. The result provides partial empirical support to the theorized link between culture and usability based on the usability measurement on user performance and preference. In addition, practical web site IA cultural design prescriptions are also provided.

Hybrid attacks on model-based social recommender systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Junliang; Gao, Min; Rong, Wenge; Li, Wentao; Xiong, Qingyu; Wen, Junhao

2017-10-01

With the growing popularity of the online social platform, the social network based approaches to recommendation emerged. However, because of the open nature of rating systems and social networks, the social recommender systems are susceptible to malicious attacks. In this paper, we present a certain novel attack, which inherits characteristics of the rating attack and the relation attack, and term it hybrid attack. Furtherly, we explore the impact of the hybrid attack on model-based social recommender systems in multiple aspects. The experimental results show that, the hybrid attack is more destructive than the rating attack in most cases. In addition, users and items with fewer ratings will be influenced more when attacked. Last but not the least, the findings suggest that spammers do not depend on the feedback links from normal users to become more powerful, the unilateral links can make the hybrid attack effective enough. Since unilateral links are much cheaper, the hybrid attack will be a great threat to model-based social recommender systems.

An algorithm of opinion leaders mining based on signed network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cao, Linlin; Zheng, Mingchun; Zhang, Yuanyuan; Zhang, Fuming

2018-04-01

With the rapid development of mobile Internet, user gradually become the leader of social media, the abruptly rise of new media has changed the traditional information's dissemination pattern and regularity. There is new era significance of opinion leaders, gatekeepers in the classical theory of mass communication, and it has further expansion and extension to a certain extent. In the existing mining of opinion leaders, it is mainly from the research of network structure and user behavior without considering an important attribute: whether the user has a real impact. In this paper, we take the symbolic network as the research tool, by giving symbol which correspondingly represents support or oppose to the link about point of view relationship between users and combining traditional algorithms of mining with symbolism which can describe the change of view between users, we will get the opinion leader who has real impact on users, then the result is more accurate and effective.

A Cross-Layer User Centric Vertical Handover Decision Approach Based on MIH Local Triggers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rehan, Maaz; Yousaf, Muhammad; Qayyum, Amir; Malik, Shahzad

Vertical handover decision algorithm that is based on user preferences and coupled with Media Independent Handover (MIH) local triggers have not been explored much in the literature. We have developed a comprehensive cross-layer solution, called Vertical Handover Decision (VHOD) approach, which consists of three parts viz. mechanism for collecting and storing user preferences, Vertical Handover Decision (VHOD) algorithm and the MIH Function (MIHF). MIHF triggers the VHOD algorithm which operates on user preferences to issue handover commands to mobility management protocol. VHOD algorithm is an MIH User and therefore needs to subscribe events and configure thresholds for receiving triggers from MIHF. In this regard, we have performed experiments in WLAN to suggest thresholds for Link Going Down trigger. We have also critically evaluated the handover decision process, proposed Just-in-time interface activation technique, compared our proposed approach with prominent user centric approaches and analyzed our approach from different aspects.

ToxRefDB - Release user-friendly web-based tool for mining ToxRefDB

EPA Science Inventory

The updated URL link is for a table of NCCT ToxCast public datasets. The next to last row of the table has the link for the US EPA ToxCast ToxRefDB Data Release October 2014. ToxRefDB provides detailed chemical toxicity data in a publically accessible searchable format. ToxRefD...

Knowing Where They Went: Six Years of Online Access Statistics via the Online Catalog for Federal Government Information

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Christopher C.

2011-01-01

As federal government information is increasingly migrating to online formats, libraries are providing links to this content via URLs or persistent URLs (PURLs) in their online public access catalogs (OPACs). Clickthrough statistics that accumulated as users visited links to online content in the University of Denver's library OPAC were gathered…

ISS Mini AERCam Radio Frequency (RF) Coverage Analysis Using iCAT Development Tool

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bolen, Steve; Vazquez, Luis; Sham, Catherine; Fredrickson, Steven; Fink, Patrick; Cox, Jan; Phan, Chau; Panneton, Robert

2003-01-01

The long-term goals of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA's) Human Exploration and Development of Space (HEDS) enterprise may require the development of autonomous free-flier (FF) robotic devices to operate within the vicinity of low-Earth orbiting spacecraft to supplement human extravehicular activities (EVAs) in space. Future missions could require external visual inspection of the spacecraft that would be difficult, or dangerous, for humans to perform. Under some circumstance, it may be necessary to employ an un-tethered communications link between the FF and the users. The interactive coverage analysis tool (ICAT) is a software tool that has been developed to perform critical analysis of the communications link performance for a FF operating in the vicinity of the International Space Station (ISS) external environment. The tool allows users to interactively change multiple parameters of the communications link parameters to efficiently perform systems engineering trades on network performance. These trades can be directly translated into design and requirements specifications. This tool significantly reduces the development time in determining a communications network topology by allowing multiple parameters to be changed, and the results of link coverage to be statistically characterized and plotted interactively.

A novel PON based UMTS broadband wireless access network architecture with an algorithm to guarantee end to end QoS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sana, Ajaz; Hussain, Shahab; Ali, Mohammed A.; Ahmed, Samir

2007-09-01

In this paper we proposes a novel Passive Optical Network (PON) based broadband wireless access network architecture to provide multimedia services (video telephony, video streaming, mobile TV, mobile emails etc) to mobile users. In the conventional wireless access networks, the base stations (Node B) and Radio Network Controllers (RNC) are connected by point to point T1/E1 lines (Iub interface). The T1/E1 lines are expensive and add up to operating costs. Also the resources (transceivers and T1/E1) are designed for peak hours traffic, so most of the time the dedicated resources are idle and wasted. Further more the T1/E1 lines are not capable of supporting bandwidth (BW) required by next generation wireless multimedia services proposed by High Speed Packet Access (HSPA, Rel.5) for Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) and Evolution Data only (EV-DO) for Code Division Multiple Access 2000 (CDMA2000). The proposed PON based back haul can provide Giga bit data rates and Iub interface can be dynamically shared by Node Bs. The BW is dynamically allocated and the unused BW from lightly loaded Node Bs is assigned to heavily loaded Node Bs. We also propose a novel algorithm to provide end to end Quality of Service (QoS) (between RNC and user equipment).The algorithm provides QoS bounds in the wired domain as well as in wireless domain with compensation for wireless link errors. Because of the air interface there can be certain times when the user equipment (UE) is unable to communicate with Node B (usually referred to as link error). Since the link errors are bursty and location dependent. For a proposed approach, the scheduler at the Node B maps priorities and weights for QoS into wireless MAC. The compensations for errored links is provided by the swapping of services between the active users and the user data is divided into flows, with flows allowed to lag or lead. The algorithm guarantees (1)delay and throughput for error-free flows,(2)short term fairness among error-free flows,(3)long term fairness among errored and error-free flows,(4)graceful degradation for leading flows and graceful compensation for lagging flows.

Feedforward motor information enhances somatosensory responses and sharpens angular tuning of rat S1 barrel cortex neurons.

PubMed

Khateb, Mohamed; Schiller, Jackie; Schiller, Yitzhak

2017-01-06

The primary vibrissae motor cortex (vM1) is responsible for generating whisking movements. In parallel, vM1 also sends information directly to the sensory barrel cortex (vS1). In this study, we investigated the effects of vM1 activation on processing of vibrissae sensory information in vS1 of the rat. To dissociate the vibrissae sensory-motor loop, we optogenetically activated vM1 and independently passively stimulated principal vibrissae. Optogenetic activation of vM1 supra-linearly amplified the response of vS1 neurons to passive vibrissa stimulation in all cortical layers measured. Maximal amplification occurred when onset of vM1 optogenetic activation preceded vibrissa stimulation by 20 ms. In addition to amplification, vM1 activation also sharpened angular tuning of vS1 neurons in all cortical layers measured. Our findings indicated that in addition to output motor signals, vM1 also sends preparatory signals to vS1 that serve to amplify and sharpen the response of neurons in the barrel cortex to incoming sensory input signals.

Detection of spectral line curvature in imaging spectrometer data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neville, Robert A.; Sun, Lixin; Staenz, Karl

2003-09-01

A procedure has been developed to measure the band-centers and bandwidths for imaging spectrometers using data acquired by the sensor in flight. This is done for each across-track pixel, thus allowing the measurement of the instrument's slit curvature or spectral 'smile'. The procedure uses spectral features present in the at-sensor radiance which are common to all pixels in the scene. These are principally atmospheric absorption lines. The band-center and bandwidth determinations are made by correlating the sensor measured radiance with a modelled radiance, the latter calculated using MODTRAN 4.2. Measurements have been made for a number of instruments including Airborne Visible and Infra-Red Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS), SWIR Full Spectrum Imager (SFSI), and Hyperion. The measurements on AVIRIS data were performed as a test of the procedure; since AVIRIS is a whisk-broom scanner it is expected to be free of spectral smile. SFSI is an airborne pushbroom instrument with considerable spectral smile. Hyperion is a satellite pushbroom sensor with a relatively small degree of smile. Measurements of Hyperion were made using three different data sets to check for temporal variations.

Reinforcement active learning in the vibrissae system: optimal object localization.

PubMed

Gordon, Goren; Dorfman, Nimrod; Ahissar, Ehud

2013-01-01

Rats move their whiskers to acquire information about their environment. It has been observed that they palpate novel objects and objects they are required to localize in space. We analyze whisker-based object localization using two complementary paradigms, namely, active learning and intrinsic-reward reinforcement learning. Active learning algorithms select the next training samples according to the hypothesized solution in order to better discriminate between correct and incorrect labels. Intrinsic-reward reinforcement learning uses prediction errors as the reward to an actor-critic design, such that behavior converges to the one that optimizes the learning process. We show that in the context of object localization, the two paradigms result in palpation whisking as their respective optimal solution. These results suggest that rats may employ principles of active learning and/or intrinsic reward in tactile exploration and can guide future research to seek the underlying neuronal mechanisms that implement them. Furthermore, these paradigms are easily transferable to biomimetic whisker-based artificial sensors and can improve the active exploration of their environment. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Remotely deployable aerial inspection using tactile sensors

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

MacLeod, C. N.; Cao, J.; Pierce, S. G.

For structural monitoring applications, the use of remotely deployable Non-Destructive Evaluation (NDE) inspection platforms offer many advantages, including improved accessibility, greater safety and reduced cost, when compared to traditional manual inspection techniques. The use of such platforms, previously reported by researchers at the University Strathclyde facilitates the potential for rapid scanning of large areas and volumes in hazardous locations. A common problem for both manual and remote deployment approaches lies in the intrinsic stand-off and surface coupling issues of typical NDE probes. The associated complications of these requirements are obviously significantly exacerbated when considering aerial based remote inspection and deployment,more » resulting in simple visual techniques being the preferred sensor payload. Researchers at Bristol Robotics Laboratory have developed biomimetic tactile sensors modelled on the facial whiskers (vibrissae) of animals such as rats and mice, with the latest sensors actively sweeping their tips across the surface in a back and forth motion. The current work reports on the design and performance of an aerial inspection platform and the suitability of tactile whisking sensors to aerial based surface monitoring applications.« less

Whiskers aid anemotaxis in rats.

PubMed

Yu, Yan S W; Graff, Matthew M; Bresee, Chris S; Man, Yan B; Hartmann, Mitra J Z

2016-08-01

Observation of terrestrial mammals suggests that they can follow the wind (anemotaxis), but the sensory cues underlying this ability have not been studied. We identify a significant contribution to anemotaxis mediated by whiskers (vibrissae), a modality previously studied only in the context of direct tactile contact. Five rats trained on a five-alternative forced-choice airflow localization task exhibited significant performance decrements after vibrissal removal. In contrast, vibrissal removal did not disrupt the performance of control animals trained to localize a light source. The performance decrement of individual rats was related to their airspeed threshold for successful localization: animals that found the task more challenging relied more on the vibrissae for localization cues. Following vibrissal removal, the rats deviated more from the straight-line path to the air source, choosing sources farther from the correct location. Our results indicate that rats can perform anemotaxis and that whiskers greatly facilitate this ability. Because air currents carry information about both odor content and location, these findings are discussed in terms of the adaptive significance of the interaction between sniffing and whisking in rodents.

Whiskers aid anemotaxis in rats

PubMed Central

Yu, Yan S. W.; Graff, Matthew M.; Bresee, Chris S.; Man, Yan B.; Hartmann, Mitra J. Z.

2016-01-01

Observation of terrestrial mammals suggests that they can follow the wind (anemotaxis), but the sensory cues underlying this ability have not been studied. We identify a significant contribution to anemotaxis mediated by whiskers (vibrissae), a modality previously studied only in the context of direct tactile contact. Five rats trained on a five-alternative forced-choice airflow localization task exhibited significant performance decrements after vibrissal removal. In contrast, vibrissal removal did not disrupt the performance of control animals trained to localize a light source. The performance decrement of individual rats was related to their airspeed threshold for successful localization: animals that found the task more challenging relied more on the vibrissae for localization cues. Following vibrissal removal, the rats deviated more from the straight-line path to the air source, choosing sources farther from the correct location. Our results indicate that rats can perform anemotaxis and that whiskers greatly facilitate this ability. Because air currents carry information about both odor content and location, these findings are discussed in terms of the adaptive significance of the interaction between sniffing and whisking in rodents. PMID:27574705

Long-range population dynamics of anatomically defined neocortical networks

PubMed Central

Chen, Jerry L; Voigt, Fabian F; Javadzadeh, Mitra; Krueppel, Roland; Helmchen, Fritjof

2016-01-01

The coordination of activity across neocortical areas is essential for mammalian brain function. Understanding this process requires simultaneous functional measurements across the cortex. In order to dissociate direct cortico-cortical interactions from other sources of neuronal correlations, it is furthermore desirable to target cross-areal recordings to neuronal subpopulations that anatomically project between areas. Here, we combined anatomical tracers with a novel multi-area two-photon microscope to perform simultaneous calcium imaging across mouse primary (S1) and secondary (S2) somatosensory whisker cortex during texture discrimination behavior, specifically identifying feedforward and feedback neurons. We find that coordination of S1-S2 activity increases during motor behaviors such as goal-directed whisking and licking. This effect was not specific to identified feedforward and feedback neurons. However, these mutually projecting neurons especially participated in inter-areal coordination when motor behavior was paired with whisker-texture touches, suggesting that direct S1-S2 interactions are sensory-dependent. Our results demonstrate specific functional coordination of anatomically-identified projection neurons across sensory cortices. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.14679.001 PMID:27218452

Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy in ecstasy (MDMA) users.

PubMed

Daumann, Jörg; Fischermann, Thomas; Pilatus, Ulrich; Thron, Armin; Moeller-Hartmann, Walter; Gouzoulis-Mayfrank, Euphrosyne

2004-05-20

The popular recreational drug 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, ecstasy) has well-recognized neurotoxic effects upon central serotonergic systems in animal studies. In humans, the use of MDMA has been linked to cognitive problems, particularly to deficits in long-term memory and learning. Recent studies with proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H MRS) have reported relatively low levels of the neuronal marker N-acetylaspartate (NAA) in MDMA users, however, these results have been ambiguous. Moreover, the only available 1H MRS study of the hippocampus reported normal findings in a small sample of five MDMA users. In the present study, we compared 13 polyvalent ecstasy users with 13 matched controls. We found no differences between the NAA/creatine/phosphocreatine (Cr) ratios of users and controls in neocortical regions, and only a tendency towards lower NAA/Cr ratios in the left hippocampus of MDMA users. Thus, compared with cognitive deficits, 1H MRS appears to be a less sensitive marker of potential neurotoxic damage in ecstasy users. Copyright 2004 Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Yet More Visualized JAMSTEC Cruise and Dive Information

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tomiyama, T.; Hase, H.; Fukuda, K.; Saito, H.; Kayo, M.; Matsuda, S.; Azuma, S.

2014-12-01

Every year, JAMSTEC performs about a hundred of research cruises and numerous dive surveys using its research vessels and submersibles. JAMSTEC provides data and samples obtained during these cruises and dives to international users through a series of data sites on the Internet. The "DARWIN (http://www.godac.jamstec.go.jp/darwin/e)" data site disseminates cruise and dive information. On DARWIN, users can search interested cruises and dives with a combination search form or an interactive tree menu, and find lists of observation data as well as links to surrounding databases. Document catalog, physical sample databases, and visual archive of dive surveys (e. g. in http://www.godac.jamstec.go.jp/jmedia/portal/e) are directly accessible from the lists. In 2014, DARWIN experienced an update, which was arranged mainly for enabling on-demand data visualization. Using　login users' functions, users can put listed data items into the virtual basket and then trim, plot and download the data. The visualization tools help users to quickly grasp the quality and characteristics of observation data. Meanwhile, JAMSTEC launched a new data site named "JDIVES (http://www.godac.jamstec.go.jp/jdives/e)"　to visualize data and sample information obtained by dive surveys. JDIVES shows tracks of dive surveys on the "Google Earth Plugin" and diagrams of deep-sea environmental data such as temperature, salinity, and depth. Submersible camera images and links to associated databases are placed along the dive tracks. The JDVIES interface enables users to perform so-called virtual dive surveys, which can help users to understand local geometries of dive spots and geological settings of associated data and samples. It is not easy for individual researchers to organize a huge amount of information recovered from each cruise and dive. The improved visibility and accessibility of JAMSTEC databases are advantageous not only for second-hand users, but also for on-board researchers themselves.

RAINLINK: Retrieval algorithm for rainfall monitoring employing microwave links from a cellular communication network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uijlenhoet, R.; Overeem, A.; Leijnse, H.; Rios Gaona, M. F.

2017-12-01

The basic principle of rainfall estimation using microwave links is as follows. Rainfall attenuates the electromagnetic signals transmitted from one telephone tower to another. By measuring the received power at one end of a microwave link as a function of time, the path-integrated attenuation due to rainfall can be calculated, which can be converted to average rainfall intensities over the length of a link. Microwave links from cellular communication networks have been proposed as a promising new rainfall measurement technique for one decade. They are particularly interesting for those countries where few surface rainfall observations are available. Yet to date no operational (real-time) link-based rainfall products are available. To advance the process towards operational application and upscaling of this technique, there is a need for freely available, user-friendly computer code for microwave link data processing and rainfall mapping. Such software is now available as R package "RAINLINK" on GitHub (https://github.com/overeem11/RAINLINK). It contains a working example to compute link-based 15-min rainfall maps for the entire surface area of The Netherlands for 40 hours from real microwave link data. This is a working example using actual data from an extensive network of commercial microwave links, for the first time, which will allow users to test their own algorithms and compare their results with ours. The package consists of modular functions, which facilitates running only part of the algorithm. The main processings steps are: 1) Preprocessing of link data (initial quality and consistency checks); 2) Wet-dry classification using link data; 3) Reference signal determination; 4) Removal of outliers ; 5) Correction of received signal powers; 6) Computation of mean path-averaged rainfall intensities; 7) Interpolation of rainfall intensities ; 8) Rainfall map visualisation. Some applications of RAINLINK will be shown based on microwave link data from a temperate climate (the Netherlands), and from a subtropical climate (Brazil). We hope that RAINLINK will promote the application of rainfall monitoring using microwave links in poorly gauged regions around the world. We invite researchers to contribute to RAINLINK to make the code more generally applicable to data from different networks and climates.

Scientific and economic potential of the SEASAT Program. [satellite system for global oceanographic data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mccandless, S. W.; Miller, B. P.

1974-01-01

The SEASAT satellite system is planned as a user-oriented system for timely monitoring of global ocean dynamics and mapping the global ocean geoid. The satellite instrumentation and modular concept are discussed. Operational data capabilities will include oceanographic data services, direct satellite read-out to users, and conversational retrieval and analysis of stored data. A case-study technique, generalized through physical and econometric modeling, indicates potential economic benefit from SEASAT to users in the following areas: ship routing, iceberg reconnaissance, arctic operations, Alaska pipeline ship link, and off-shore oil production.

Computer-assisted instruction and diagnosis of radiographic findings.

PubMed

Harper, D; Butler, C; Hodder, R; Allman, R; Woods, J; Riordan, D

1984-04-01

Recent advances in computer technology, including high bit-density storage, digital imaging, and the ability to interface microprocessors with videodisk, create enormous opportunities in the field of medical education. This program, utilizing a personal computer, videodisk, BASIC language, a linked textfile system, and a triangulation approach to the interpretation of radiographs developed by Dr. W. L. Thompson, can enable the user to engage in a user-friendly, dynamic teaching program in radiology, applicable to various levels of expertise. Advantages include a relatively more compact and inexpensive system with rapid access and ease of revision which requires little instruction to the user.

Fuels planning: science synthesis and integration; environmental consequences fact sheet 09: Fire and Fuels Extension to the Forest Vegetation Simulator (FFE-FVS)

Treesearch

Elizabeth Reinhardt

2005-01-01

FFE-FVS is a model linking stand development, fuel dynamics, fire behavior and fire effects. It allows comparison of mid- to long-term effects of management alternatives including harvest, mechanical fuel treatment, prescribed fire, salvage, and no action. This fact sheet identifies the intended users and uses, required inputs, what the model does, and tells the user...

Finding Information in (Very Large) Digital Libraries: A Deep Log Approach to Determining Differences in Use According to Method of Access

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nicholas, David; Huntington, Paul; Jamali, Hamid R.; Tenopir, Carol

2006-01-01

This report presents the early findings of an exploratory deep log analysis (DLA) of journal usage on OhioLINK, reporting on the information seeking methods of users. Compared to the users who sought information by browsing journals, those who conducted searches to find information and articles tended to record longer session times and viewed more…

Healthcare

MedlinePlus

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The CatchMod toolbox: easy and guided access to ICT tools for Water Framework Directive implementation.

PubMed

van Griensven, A; Vanrolleghem, P A

2006-01-01

Web-based toolboxes are handy tools to inform experienced users of existing software in their disciplines. However, for the implementation of the Water Framework Directive, a much more diverse public (water managers, consultancy firms, scientists, etc.) will ask for a very wide diversity of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tools. It is obvious that the users of a web-based ICT-toolbox providing all this will not be experts in all of the disciplines and that a toolbox for ICT tools for Water Framework Directive implementation should thus go beyond just making interesting web-links. To deal with this issue, expert knowledge is brought to the users through the incorporation of visitor-geared guidance (materials) in the Harmoni-CA toolbox. Small workshops of expert teams were organized to deliver documents explaining why the tools are important, when they are required and what activity they support/perform, as well as a categorization of the multitude of available tools. An integration of this information in the web-based toolbox helps the users to browse through a toolbox containing tools, reports, guidance documents and interesting links. The Harmoni-CA toolbox thus provides not only a virtual toolbox, but incorporates a virtual expert as well.

Cyrface: An interface from Cytoscape to R that provides a user interface to R packages.

PubMed

Gonçalves, Emanuel; Mirlach, Franz; Saez-Rodriguez, Julio

2013-01-01

There is an increasing number of software packages to analyse biological experimental data in the R environment. In particular, Bioconductor, a repository of curated R packages, is one of the most comprehensive resources for bioinformatics and biostatistics. The use of these packages is increasing, but it requires a basic understanding of the R language, as well as the syntax of the specific package used. The availability of user graphical interfaces for these packages would decrease the learning curve and broaden their application. Here, we present a Cytoscape app termed Cyrface that allows Cytoscape apps to connect to any function and package developed in R. Cyrface can be used to run R packages from within the Cytoscape environment making use of a graphical user interface. Moreover, it can link R packages with the capabilities of Cytoscape and its apps, in particular network visualization and analysis. Cyrface's utility has been demonstrated for two Bioconductor packages ( CellNOptR and DrugVsDisease), and here we further illustrate its usage by implementing a workflow of data analysis and visualization. Download links, installation instructions and user guides can be accessed from the Cyrface's homepage ( http://www.ebi.ac.uk/saezrodriguez/cyrface/) and from the Cytoscape app store ( http://apps.cytoscape.org/apps/cyrface).

A user-centred methodology for designing an online social network to motivate health behaviour change.

PubMed

Kamal, Noreen; Fels, Sidney

2013-01-01

Positive health behaviour is critical to preventing illness and managing chronic conditions. A user-centred methodology was employed to design an online social network to motivate health behaviour change. The methodology was augmented by utilizing the Appeal, Belonging, Commitment (ABC) Framework, which is based on theoretical models for health behaviour change and use of online social networks. The user-centred methodology included four phases: 1) initial user inquiry on health behaviour and use of online social networks; 2) interview feedback on paper prototypes; 2) laboratory study on medium fidelity prototype; and 4) a field study on the high fidelity prototype. The points of inquiry through these phases were based on the ABC Framework. This yielded an online social network system that linked to external third party databases to deploy to users via an interactive website.

Measuring use patterns of online journals and databases

PubMed Central

De Groote, Sandra L.; Dorsch, Josephine L.

2003-01-01

Purpose: This research sought to determine use of online biomedical journals and databases and to assess current user characteristics associated with the use of online resources in an academic health sciences center. Setting: The Library of the Health Sciences–Peoria is a regional site of the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) Library with 350 print journals, more than 4,000 online journals, and multiple online databases. Methodology: A survey was designed to assess online journal use, print journal use, database use, computer literacy levels, and other library user characteristics. A survey was sent through campus mail to all (471) UIC Peoria faculty, residents, and students. Results: Forty-one percent (188) of the surveys were returned. Ninety-eight percent of the students, faculty, and residents reported having convenient access to a computer connected to the Internet. While 53% of the users indicated they searched MEDLINE at least once a week, other databases showed much lower usage. Overall, 71% of respondents indicated a preference for online over print journals when possible. Conclusions: Users prefer online resources to print, and many choose to access these online resources remotely. Convenience and full-text availability appear to play roles in selecting online resources. The findings of this study suggest that databases without links to full text and online journal collections without links from bibliographic databases will have lower use. These findings have implications for collection development, promotion of library resources, and end-user training. PMID:12883574

Detection of adverse drug reactions among ordinary users of liraglutide on the occasion of drug dispensing in the community pharmacy setting.

PubMed

Christensen, Søren Troels; Bjerrum, Ole Jannik

2013-12-01

Postmarketing studies of drugs forms an essential part of safety surveillance. In particular, this concerns new drugs as safety information of these by large rests on randomized clinical studies conducted on a limited number of subjects before licensing. Pharmacists in community pharmacies are in a unique position for detection of user experienced adverse drug reactions (ADRs) in relation to drug dispensing. The study reports from a research initiative exploring prompt and proactive ADR detection of liraglutide and reporting facilitated by pharmacy students undertaking internship in a community pharmacy in Denmark. Nineteen pharmacy students undertaking regular 6 months' internship--eighth semester--in a Danish community pharmacy participated in the data collection. Before the data collection, students attended an interactive training seminar addressing ADRs in general, organ symptoms, diagnostic classification, and pharmacovigilance systems. Pharmacy students approached recurrent drug users purchasing liraglutide. Participating users were asked about experienced ADRs linked to liraglutide use. Reported ADRs were collected and analyzed. Sixty-two liraglutide users participated in the study, of whom, 38 reported 84 ADRs possibly linked to liraglutide usage. Nausea was by far the most reported ADR followed by decreased appetite, diarrhea, fatigue, and abdominal pain (upper). The reported ADRs are in accordance with previously reported ADRs. The study has demonstrated the feasibility of community pharmacy driven pharmacovigilance. The study supports the thesis that community pharmacists in the future may play a proactive and prominent role in patient-centered pharmacovigilance.

Frequencies of Private Mentions and Sharing of Mammography and Breast Cancer Terms on Facebook: A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Huesch, Marco; Chetlen, Alison; Segel, Joel; Schetter, Susann

2017-06-09

The most popular social networking site in the United States is Facebook, an online forum where circles of friends create, share, and interact with each other's content in a nonpublic way. Our objectives were to understand (1) the most commonly used terms and phrases relating to breast cancer screening, (2) the most commonly shared website links that other women interacted with, and (3) the most commonly shared website links, by age groups. We used a novel proprietary tool from Facebook to analyze all of the more than 1.7 million unique interactions (comments on stories, reshares, and emoji reactions) and stories associated with breast cancer screening keywords that were generated by more than 1.1 million unique female Facebook users over the 1 month between November 15 and December 15, 2016. We report frequency distributions of the most popular shared Web content by age group and keywords. On average, each of 59,000 unique stories during the month was reshared 1.5 times, commented on nearly 8 times, and reacted to more than 20 times by other users. Posted stories were most often authored by women aged 45-54 years. Users shared, reshared, commented on, and reacted to website links predominantly to e-commerce sites (12,200/1.7 million, 36% of all the most popular links), celebrity news (n=8800, 26%), and major advocacy organizations (n=4900, 15%; almost all accounted for by the American Cancer Society breast cancer site). On Facebook, women shared and reacted to links to commercial and informative websites regarding breast cancer and screening. This information could inform patient outreach regarding breast cancer screening, indirectly through better understanding of key issues, and directly through understanding avenues for paid messaging to women authoring and reacting to content in this space. ©Marco Huesch, Alison Chetlen, Joel Segel, Susann Schetter. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http://www.jmir.org), 09.06.2017.

OPTIMAL NETWORK TOPOLOGY DESIGN

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yuen, J. H.

1994-01-01

This program was developed as part of a research study on the topology design and performance analysis for the Space Station Information System (SSIS) network. It uses an efficient algorithm to generate candidate network designs (consisting of subsets of the set of all network components) in increasing order of their total costs, and checks each design to see if it forms an acceptable network. This technique gives the true cost-optimal network, and is particularly useful when the network has many constraints and not too many components. It is intended that this new design technique consider all important performance measures explicitly and take into account the constraints due to various technical feasibilities. In the current program, technical constraints are taken care of by the user properly forming the starting set of candidate components (e.g. nonfeasible links are not included). As subsets are generated, they are tested to see if they form an acceptable network by checking that all requirements are satisfied. Thus the first acceptable subset encountered gives the cost-optimal topology satisfying all given constraints. The user must sort the set of "feasible" link elements in increasing order of their costs. The program prompts the user for the following information for each link: 1) cost, 2) connectivity (number of stations connected by the link), and 3) the stations connected by that link. Unless instructed to stop, the program generates all possible acceptable networks in increasing order of their total costs. The program is written only to generate topologies that are simply connected. Tests on reliability, delay, and other performance measures are discussed in the documentation, but have not been incorporated into the program. This program is written in PASCAL for interactive execution and has been implemented on an IBM PC series computer operating under PC DOS. The disk contains source code only. This program was developed in 1985.

Frequencies of Private Mentions and Sharing of Mammography and Breast Cancer Terms on Facebook: A Pilot Study

PubMed Central

Chetlen, Alison; Segel, Joel; Schetter, Susann

2017-01-01

Background The most popular social networking site in the United States is Facebook, an online forum where circles of friends create, share, and interact with each other’s content in a nonpublic way. Objective Our objectives were to understand (1) the most commonly used terms and phrases relating to breast cancer screening, (2) the most commonly shared website links that other women interacted with, and (3) the most commonly shared website links, by age groups. Methods We used a novel proprietary tool from Facebook to analyze all of the more than 1.7 million unique interactions (comments on stories, reshares, and emoji reactions) and stories associated with breast cancer screening keywords that were generated by more than 1.1 million unique female Facebook users over the 1 month between November 15 and December 15, 2016. We report frequency distributions of the most popular shared Web content by age group and keywords. Results On average, each of 59,000 unique stories during the month was reshared 1.5 times, commented on nearly 8 times, and reacted to more than 20 times by other users. Posted stories were most often authored by women aged 45-54 years. Users shared, reshared, commented on, and reacted to website links predominantly to e-commerce sites (12,200/1.7 million, 36% of all the most popular links), celebrity news (n=8800, 26%), and major advocacy organizations (n=4900, 15%; almost all accounted for by the American Cancer Society breast cancer site). Conclusions On Facebook, women shared and reacted to links to commercial and informative websites regarding breast cancer and screening. This information could inform patient outreach regarding breast cancer screening, indirectly through better understanding of key issues, and directly through understanding avenues for paid messaging to women authoring and reacting to content in this space. PMID:28600279

Hazardous Drugs

MedlinePlus

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Winter Weather

MedlinePlus

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Usage based indicators to assess the impact of scholarly works: architecture and method

DOEpatents

Bollen, Johan [Santa Fe, NM; Van De Sompel, Herbert [Santa Fe, NM

2012-03-13

Although recording of usage data is common in scholarly information services, its exploitation for the creation of value-added services remains limited due to concerns regarding, among others, user privacy, data validity, and the lack of accepted standards for the representation, sharing and aggregation of usage data. A technical, standards-based architecture for sharing usage information is presented. In this architecture, OpenURL-compliant linking servers aggregate usage information of a specific user community as it navigates the distributed information environment that it has access to. This usage information is made OAI-PMH harvestable so that usage information exposed by many linking servers can be aggregated to facilitate the creation of value-added services with a reach beyond that of a single community or a single information service.

Design and implementation of a status at a glance user interface for a power distribution expert system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liberman, Eugene M.; Manner, David B.; Dolce, James L.; Mellor, Pamela A.

1993-01-01

A user interface to the power distribution expert system for Space Station Freedom is discussed. The importance of features which simplify assessing system status and which minimize navigating through layers of information are examined. Design rationale and implementation choices are also presented. The amalgamation of such design features as message linking arrows, reduced information content screens, high salience anomaly icons, and color choices with failure detection and diagnostic explanation from an expert system is shown to provide an effective status-at-a-glance monitoring system for power distribution. This user interface design offers diagnostic reasoning without compromising the monitoring of current events. The display can convey complex concepts in terms that are clear to its users.

The Italian alliance for vaccination strategies: Facebook as a learning tool for preventive medicine and public health.

PubMed

La Torre, Giuseppe; Miccoli, Silvia; Ricciardi, Walter

2014-01-01

The Italian Alliance of vaccination strategies project was born with the aim of informing healthcare workers and the general population about vaccination through Facebook. The evaluation of the account has been carried out using 3 indicators: friend membership, numbers of "I like," and amount of "share" of contents for type of news and for day of the week. The survey was performed on 743 users. Institutional events were the most popular type of news; the day of the week in which users were most likely to be attracted by links was Friday. Press releases were the communication form most shared by users. Social media marketing carries the advantages of low cost, rapid transmission and user interaction.

Investigation of the Public Library as a Linking Agent to Major Scientific, Educational, Social and Environmental Data Bases. Two-Year Interim Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Summit, Roger K.; Firschein, Oscar

Eight public libraries participated in a two-year experiment to investigate the potential of the public library as a "linking agent" between the public and the many machine-readable data bases currently accessible using on line computer terminals. The investigation covered users of the service, impact on the library, conditions for…

Linking NCBI to Wikipedia: a wiki-based approach.

PubMed

Page, Roderic D M

2011-03-31

The NCBI Taxonomy underpins many bioinformatics and phyloinformatics databases, but by itself provides limited information on the taxa it contains. One readily available source of information on many taxa is Wikipedia. This paper describes iPhylo Linkout, a Semantic wiki that maps taxa in NCBI's taxonomy database onto corresponding pages in Wikipedia. Storing the mapping in a wiki makes it easy to edit, correct, or otherwise annotate the links between NCBI and Wikipedia. The mapping currently comprises some 53,000 taxa, and is available at http://iphylo.org/linkout. The links between NCBI and Wikipedia are also made available to NCBI users through the NCBI LinkOut service.

Shuttle Communications and Tracking Systems Modeling and TDRSS Link Simulations Studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chie, C. M.; Dessouky, K.; Lindsey, W. C.; Tsang, C. S.; Su, Y. T.

1985-01-01

An analytical simulation package (LinCsim) which allows the analytical verification of data transmission performance through TDRSS satellites was modified. The work involved the modeling of the user transponder, TDRS, TDRS ground terminal, and link dynamics for forward and return links based on the TDRSS performance specifications (4) and the critical design reviews. The scope of this effort has recently been expanded to include the effects of radio frequency interference (RFI) on the bit error rate (BER) performance of the S-band return links. The RFI environment and the modified TDRSS satellite and ground station hardware are being modeled in accordance with their description in the applicable documents.

Advanced communications technology satellite high burst rate link evaluation terminal experiment control and monitor software user's guide, version 1.0

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reinhart, Richard C.

1992-01-01

The Experiment Control and Monitor (EC&M) software was developed at NASA Lewis Research Center to support the Advanced Communications Technology Satellite (ACTS) High Burst Rate Link Evaluation Terminal (HBR-LET). The HBR-LET is an experimenter's terminal to communicate with the ACTS for various investigations by government agencies, universities, and industry. The EC&M software is one segment of the Control and Performance Monitoring (C&PM) software system of the HBR-LET. The EC&M software allows users to initialize, control, and monitor the instrumentation within the HBR-LET using a predefined sequence of commands. Besides instrument control, the C&PM software system is also responsible for computer communication between the HBR-LET and the ACTS NASA Ground Station and for uplink power control of the HBR-LET to demonstrate power augmentation during rain fade events. The EC&M Software User's Guide, Version 1.0 (NASA-CR-189160) outlines the commands required to install and operate the EC&M software. Input and output file descriptions, operator commands, and error recovery procedures are discussed in the document.

An experiment with content distribution methods in touchscreen mobile devices.

PubMed

Garcia-Lopez, Eva; Garcia-Cabot, Antonio; de-Marcos, Luis

2015-09-01

This paper compares the usability of three different content distribution methods (scrolling, paging and internal links) in touchscreen mobile devices as means to display web documents. Usability is operationalized in terms of effectiveness, efficiency and user satisfaction. These dimensions are then measured in an experiment (N = 23) in which users are required to find words in regular-length web documents. Results suggest that scrolling is statistically better in terms of efficiency and user satisfaction. It is also found to be more effective but results were not significant. Our findings are also compared with existing literature to propose the following guideline: "try to use vertical scrolling in web pages for mobile devices instead of paging or internal links, except when the content is too large, then paging is recommended". With an ever increasing number of touchscreen web-enabled mobile devices, this new guideline can be relevant for content developers targeting the mobile web as well as institutions trying to improve the usability of their content for mobile platforms. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

Computer Workstations: Desks

MedlinePlus

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C-FERST Environmental Issue Profiles

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This page provides links to the 45 issue profiles for C-FERST users, organized with tabs to show issues related to pollutants, environmental media, health effects, other community issues, and all issues.

Tribal-FERST Environmental Issue Profiles

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This page provides links to the 45 issue profiles for Tribal-FERST users, organized with tabs to show issues related to pollutants, environmental media, health effects, other community issues, and all issues.

MyHealtheVet (VA's personal health record)

MedlinePlus

... Overview Site Map Help & User Guides FAQ Privacy & Security Terms and Conditions Policies Privacy Policy Web Policies FOIA Accessibility System Use Important Links VA Home White House USA.gov Inspector ...

Child Sexual Abuse

MedlinePlus

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An open source web interface for linking models to infrastructure system databases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knox, S.; Mohamed, K.; Harou, J. J.; Rheinheimer, D. E.; Medellin-Azuara, J.; Meier, P.; Tilmant, A.; Rosenberg, D. E.

2016-12-01

Models of networked engineered resource systems such as water or energy systems are often built collaboratively with developers from different domains working at different locations. These models can be linked to large scale real world databases, and they are constantly being improved and extended. As the development and application of these models becomes more sophisticated, and the computing power required for simulations and/or optimisations increases, so has the need for online services and tools which enable the efficient development and deployment of these models. Hydra Platform is an open source, web-based data management system, which allows modellers of network-based models to remotely store network topology and associated data in a generalised manner, allowing it to serve multiple disciplines. Hydra Platform uses a web API using JSON to allow external programs (referred to as `Apps') to interact with its stored networks and perform actions such as importing data, running models, or exporting the networks to different formats. Hydra Platform supports multiple users accessing the same network and has a suite of functions for managing users and data. We present ongoing development in Hydra Platform, the Hydra Web User Interface, through which users can collaboratively manage network data and models in a web browser. The web interface allows multiple users to graphically access, edit and share their networks, run apps and view results. Through apps, which are located on the server, the web interface can give users access to external data sources and models without the need to install or configure any software. This also ensures model results can be reproduced by removing platform or version dependence. Managing data and deploying models via the web interface provides a way for multiple modellers to collaboratively manage data, deploy and monitor model runs and analyse results.

ARM Climate Research Facility: Outreach Tools and Strategies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roeder, L.; Jundt, R.

2009-12-01

Sponsored by the Department of Energy, the ARM Climate Research Facility is a global scientific user facility for the study of climate change. To publicize progress and achievements and to reach new users, the ACRF uses a variety of Web 2.0 tools and strategies that build off of the program’s comprehensive and well established News Center (www.arm.gov/news). These strategies include: an RSS subscription service for specific news categories; an email “newsletter” distribution to the user community that compiles the latest News Center updates into a short summary with links; and a Facebook page that pulls information from the News Center and links to relevant information in other online venues, including those of our collaborators. The ACRF also interacts with users through field campaign blogs, like Discovery Channel’s EarthLive, to share research experiences from the field. Increasingly, field campaign Wikis are established to help ACRF researchers collaborate during the planning and implementation phases of their field studies and include easy to use logs and image libraries to help record the campaigns. This vital reference information is used in developing outreach material that is shared in highlights, news, and Facebook. Other Web 2.0 tools that ACRF uses include Google Maps to help users visualize facility locations and aircraft flight patterns. Easy-to-use comment boxes are also available on many of the data-related web pages on www.arm.gov to encourage feedback. To provide additional opportunities for increased interaction with the public and user community, future Web 2.0 plans under consideration for ACRF include: evaluating field campaigns for Twitter and microblogging opportunities, adding public discussion forums to research highlight web pages, moving existing photos into albums on FlickR or Facebook, and building online video archives through YouTube.

Group Centric Networking: A new Approach for Wireless Multi-Hop Networking to Enable the Internet of Things

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-11-11

reliable data message delivery. The basic mechanism of link-based routing schemes is the broadcasting of a control message (called a “ hello ”) to all of its...short- est path route to a destination by using the set of ex- changed hello messages between users of the network. With sufficiently high frequency... hello messages are suc- cessfully exchanged across a high error link, and since this link is of longer distance, it gets used to build a shortest path

Group Centric Networking: A new Approach for Wireless Multi-Hop Networking to Enable the Internet of Things

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-09-07

reliable data message delivery. The basic mechanism of link-based routing schemes is the broadcasting of a control message (called a “ hello ”) to all of its...short- est path route to a destination by using the set of ex- changed hello messages between users of the network. With sufficiently high frequency... hello messages are suc- cessfully exchanged across a high error link, and since this link is of longer distance, it gets used to build a shortest path

Design study LANDSAT follow-on mission unique communications system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1976-01-01

Spacecraft subsystem design, performance evaluation, and system tradeoffs are presented for the LANDSAT follow-on mission (LF/O) spacecraft to TDRSS link for the transmission of thematic mapper (TM) and multispectral scanner (MSS) data and for the LF/O spacecraft to STDN and other direct users link for the transmission of TM data. Included are requirements definition, link analysis, subsystem and hardware tradeoffs, conceptual selection, hardware definition, and identification of required new technology. Cost estimates of the recommended communication system including both recurring and non recurring costs are discussed.

Integrated multidisciplinary analysis tool IMAT users' guide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meissner, Frances T. (Editor)

1988-01-01

The Integrated Multidisciplinary Analysis Tool (IMAT) is a computer software system developed at Langley Research Center. IMAT provides researchers and analysts with an efficient capability to analyze satellite controls systems influenced by structural dynamics. Using a menu-driven executive system, IMAT leads the user through the program options. IMAT links a relational database manager to commercial and in-house structural and controls analysis codes. This paper describes the IMAT software system and how to use it.

Improvement of Computer Software Quality through Software Automated Tools.

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-08-30

information that are returned from the tools to the human user, and the forms in which these outputs are presented. Page 2 of 4 STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT: What... AUTOMIATED SOFTWARE TOOL MONITORING SYSTEM APPENDIX 2 2-1 INTRODUCTION This document and Automated Software Tool Monitoring Program (Appendix 1) are...t Output Output features provide links from the tool to both the human user and the target machine (where applicable). They describe the types

Suspension Trauma / Orthostatic Intolerance

MedlinePlus

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Computer Workstation: Pointer/Mouse

MedlinePlus

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Saving water in showers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alkhaddar, R. A.; Phipps, D.; Morgan, R.; Karci, B.; Hordesseux, J.

2007-07-01

This project is part of a programme aimed at reducing water consumption. Power showers are water inefficient, but in order to persuade the user to accept a lower water use it will be necessary to sustain the "shower experience" to maintain user satisfaction. Previous work has indicated that users' requirements include temperature stability, adequate water volume and distribution, and skin pressure, all of which are substantially controlled by the showerhead. In the present phase of the project several commercially available domestic showerheads have been examined to determine pressure-volume characteristics, radial spray distributions at different flow rates, direct and indirect measures of "skin pressure" and measurements of vertical temperature profiles. Part of the practical work at LJMU has supported extensive theoretical studies by CFD carried out by staff at Arup (consulting engineers) for the Market Transformation Programme. A future phase will study user satisfaction in their own homes where user satisfaction will be surveyed and linked to the physical performance of the shower.

Service quality and clinical outcomes: an example from mental health rehabilitation services in England.

PubMed

Killaspy, Helen; Marston, Louise; Omar, Rumana Z; Green, Nicholas; Harrison, Isobel; Lean, Melanie; Holloway, Frank; Craig, Tom; Leavey, Gerard; King, Michael

2013-01-01

Current health policy assumes better quality services lead to better outcomes. To investigate the relationship between quality of mental health rehabilitation services in England, local deprivation, service user characteristics and clinical outcomes. Standardised tools were used to assess the quality of mental health rehabilitation units and service users' autonomy, quality of life, experiences of care and ratings of the therapeutic milieu. Multiple level modelling investigated relationships between service quality, service user characteristics and outcomes. A total of 52/60 (87%) National Health Service trusts participated, comprising 133 units and 739 service users. All aspects of service quality were positively associated with service users' autonomy, experiences of care and therapeutic milieu, but there was no association with quality of life. Quality of care is linked to better clinical outcomes in people with complex and longer-term mental health problems. Thus, investing in quality is likely to show real clinical gains.

Socio-contextual Network Mining for User Assistance in Web-based Knowledge Gathering Tasks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rajendran, Balaji; Kombiah, Iyakutti

Web-based Knowledge Gathering (WKG) is a specialized and complex information seeking task carried out by many users on the web, for their various learning, and decision-making requirements. We construct a contextual semantic structure by observing the actions of the users involved in WKG task, in order to gain an understanding of their task and requirement. We also build a knowledge warehouse in the form of a master Semantic Link Network (SLX) that accommodates and assimilates all the contextual semantic structures. This master SLX, which is a socio-contextual network, is then mined to provide contextual inputs to the current users through their agents. We validated our approach through experiments and analyzed the benefits to the users in terms of resource explorations and the time saved. The results are positive enough to motivate us to implement in a larger scale.

Geoscientific Vocabularies and Linked Data at The British Geological Survey - progress and pragmatism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCormick, T.; Heaven, R.

2013-12-01

The British Geological Survey makes extensive use of controlled vocabularies to promote standardisation and interoperability between its databases and other digital information systems. Many of our vocabularies are published and searchable at http://www.bgs.ac.uk/data/vocabularies/home.html/. There is a movement to ';open up' government data in both the US and UK. In the UK this is promoted by data.gov.uk. Some view linked data as the best way to share and connect disparate data, information and knowledge, in order to develop a ';Web of Data'. Linked data facilitate connections between data sets, and lower the barriers to accessing data that must otherwise be discovered and exploited using other methods. Recently there has been a rapid increase in the rate of publication of linked data, this increase currently being estimated at 300% per year. In the past 2 years we have undertaken a pilot study to publish some of our authoritative vocabularies as linked data. This study has focussed primarily on publishing BGS' 1:625 000 scale geologic map data for the UK, supported by development of linked data sets for: Earth materials - based on the BGS Rock Classification Scheme; lithostratigraphy - based on the BGS Lexicon of Named Rock Units; and geochronology - based on the International Commission on Stratigraphy. The BGS linked data sets are published at data.bgs.ac.uk. We have learned a number of lessons about the potential and limitations of linked data and associated technologies. We do not envisage SPARQL endpoints being the primary route for public access to linked data because the user would require technical knowledge of the data structure, and because it can be a security threat. Rather, SPARQL may lie behind a user-friendly API. Federated SPARQL queries that can interrogate distributed data sources are in reality too slow, and in practise the data sets would likely be combined in a single store. The data sets in our pilot study are all reasonably static and we solve performance and security issues by serving the linked data as pre-generated static files in a range of formats rather than using a triple-store. This also allows the data to be indexed by search engines. Wherever possible it is good practice to use predicates from well-known published sources, for example RDFS, SKOS, or Dublin Core, in preference to inventing new ones. This promotes re-use of the linked data by as many potential users as possible. Linked data do not directly address logical inference, which is supposed to be one of the aims of the ';Semantic Web'. This sort of ';calculating with knowledge' must be implemented using additional, possibly human-based rather than mechanical, reasoning. Linked data come with all the same issues surrounding provenance and authority of the data that any web resource is subject to. There are issues surrounding versioning and permanence of URIs. Our work on publishing BGS' vocabularies as linked data is proceeding in parallel with our work with the Commission of Geoscience Information (CGI) Geoscience Terminology Working Group which is jointly developing multilingual vocabularies in range of knowledge domains.

The utilization of oncology web-based resources in Spanish-speaking Internet users.

PubMed

Simone, Charles B; Hampshire, Margaret K; Vachani, Carolyn; Metz, James M

2012-12-01

There currently are few web-based resources written in Spanish providing oncology-specific information. This study examines utilization of Spanish-language oncology web-based resources and evaluates oncology-related Internet browsing practices of Spanish-speaking patients. OncoLink (http://www.oncolink.org) is the oldest and among the largest Internet-based cancer information resources. In September 2005, OncoLink pioneered OncoLink en español (OEE) (http://es.oncolink.org), a Spanish translation of OncoLink. Internet utilization data on these sites for 2006 to 2007 were compared. Visits to OncoLink rose from 4,440,843 in 2006 to 5,125,952 in 2007. OEE had 204,578 unique visitors and 240,442 visits in 2006, and 351,228 visitors and 412,153 visits in 2007. Although there was no time predilection for viewing OncoLink, less relative browsing on OEE was conducted during weekends and early morning hours. Although OncoLink readers searched for information on the most common cancers in the United States, OEE readers most often search for gastric, vaginal, osteosarcoma, leukemia, penile, cervical, and testicular malignancies. Average visit duration on OEE was shorter, and fewer readers surveyed OEE more than 15 minutes (4.5% vs. 14.9%, P < 0.001). Spanish-speaking users of web-based oncology resources are increasingly using the Internet to supplement their cancer knowledge. Limited available resources written in Spanish contribute to disparities in information access and disease outcomes. Spanish-speaking oncology readers differ from English-speaking readers in day and time of Internet browsing, visit duration, Internet search patterns, and types of cancers searched. By acknowledging these differences, content of web-based oncology resources can be developed to best target the needs of Spanish-speaking viewers.

The Utilization of Oncology Web-based Resources in Spanish-speaking Internet Users

PubMed Central

Simone, Charles B.; Hampshire, Margaret K.; Vachani, Carolyn; Metz, James M.

2011-01-01

Objectives: There currently are few web-based resources written in Spanish providing oncology-specific information. This study examines utilization of Spanish-language oncology web-based resources and evaluates oncology-related Internet browsing practices of Spanish-speaking patients. Methods: OncoLink (http://www.oncolink.org) is the oldest and among the largest Internet-based cancer information resources. In 9/2005, OncoLink pioneered OncoLink en español (OEE) (http://es.oncolink.org), a Spanish translation of OncoLink. Internet utilization data on these sites for 2006-2007 were compared. Results: Visits to OncoLink rose from 4,440,843 in 2006 to 5,125,952 in 2007. OEE had 204,578 unique visitors and 240,442 visits in 2006, and 351,228 visitors and 412,153 visits in 2007. While there was no time predilection for viewing OncoLink, less relative browsing on OEE was conducted during weekends and early morning hours. While OncoLink readers searched for information on the most common cancers in the United States, OEE readers most often search for gastric, vaginal, osteosarcoma, leukemia, penile, cervical, and testicular malignancies. Average visit duration on OEE was shorter, and fewer readers surveyed OEE >15 minutes (4.5% vs. 14.9%, p<0.001). Conclusions: Spanish-speaking users of web-based oncology resources are increasingly using the Internet to supplement their cancer knowledge. Limited available resources written in Spanish contribute to disparities in information access and disease outcomes. Spanish-speaking oncology readers differ from English-speaking readers in day and time of Internet browsing, visit duration, Internet search patterns, and types of cancers searched. By acknowledging these differences, content of web-based oncology resources can be developed to best target the needs of Spanish-speaking viewers. PMID:21654312

AUCTION MECHANISMS FOR IMPLEMENTING TRADABLE NETWORK PERMIT MARKETS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wada, Kentaro; Akamatsu, Takashi

This paper proposes a new auction mechanism for implementing the tradable network permit markets. Assuming that each user makes a trip from an origin to a destination along a path in a specific time period, we design an auction mechanism that enables each user to purchase a bundle of permits corresponding to a set of links in the user's preferred path. The objective of the proposed mechanism is to achieve a socially optimal state with minimal revelation of users' private information. In order to achieve this, the mechanism employs an evolutionary approach that has an auction phase and a path capacity adjustment phase, which are repeated on a day-to-day basis. We prove that the proposed mechanism has the following desirable properties: (1) truthful bidding is the dominant strategy for each user and (2) the proposed mechanism converges to an approximate socially optimal state in the sense that the achieved value of the social surplus reaches its maximum value when the number of users is large.

Patient-provider communication and trust in relation to use of an online patient portal among diabetes patients: The Diabetes and Aging Study.

PubMed

Lyles, Courtney R; Sarkar, Urmimala; Ralston, James D; Adler, Nancy; Schillinger, Dean; Moffet, Howard H; Huang, Elbert S; Karter, Andrew J

2013-01-01

Patient-provider relationships influence diabetes care; less is known about their impact on online patient portal use. Diabetes patients rated provider communication and trust. In this study, we linked responses to electronic medical record data on being a registered portal user and using secure messaging (SM). We specified regression models to evaluate main effects on portal use, and subgroup analyses by race/ethnicity and age. 52% of subjects were registered users; among those, 36% used SM. Those reporting greater trust were more likely to be registered users (relative  risk (RR)=1.14) or SM users (RR=1.29). In subgroup analyses, increased trust was associated with being a registered user among white, Latino, and older patients, as well as SM use among white patients. Better communication ratings were also related to being a registered user among older patients. Since increased trust and communication were associated with portal use within subgroups, this suggests that patient-provider relationships encourage portal engagement.

Recommendation in evolving online networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Xiao; Zeng, An; Shang, Ming-Sheng

2016-02-01

Recommender system is an effective tool to find the most relevant information for online users. By analyzing the historical selection records of users, recommender system predicts the most likely future links in the user-item network and accordingly constructs a personalized recommendation list for each user. So far, the recommendation process is mostly investigated in static user-item networks. In this paper, we propose a model which allows us to examine the performance of the state-of-the-art recommendation algorithms in evolving networks. We find that the recommendation accuracy in general decreases with time if the evolution of the online network fully depends on the recommendation. Interestingly, some randomness in users' choice can significantly improve the long-term accuracy of the recommendation algorithm. When a hybrid recommendation algorithm is applied, we find that the optimal parameter gradually shifts towards the diversity-favoring recommendation algorithm, indicating that recommendation diversity is essential to keep a high long-term recommendation accuracy. Finally, we confirm our conclusions by studying the recommendation on networks with the real evolution data.

Analysing the connectivity and communication of suicidal users on twitter

PubMed Central

Colombo, Gualtiero B.; Burnap, Pete; Hodorog, Andrei; Scourfield, Jonathan

2016-01-01

In this paper we aim to understand the connectivity and communication characteristics of Twitter users who post content subsequently classified by human annotators as containing possible suicidal intent or thinking, commonly referred to as suicidal ideation. We achieve this understanding by analysing the characteristics of their social networks. Starting from a set of human annotated Tweets we retrieved the authors’ followers and friends lists, and identified users who retweeted the suicidal content. We subsequently built the social network graphs. Our results show a high degree of reciprocal connectivity between the authors of suicidal content when compared to other studies of Twitter users, suggesting a tightly-coupled virtual community. In addition, an analysis of the retweet graph has identified bridge nodes and hub nodes connecting users posting suicidal ideation with users who were not, thus suggesting a potential for information cascade and risk of a possible contagion effect. This is particularly emphasised by considering the combined graph merging friendship and retweeting links. PMID:26973360

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

MedlinePlus

... Website You are exiting the Department of Labor's Web server. The Department of Labor does not endorse, ... the use of copyrighted materials contained in linked Web sites. Users must request such authorization from the ...

Computer Workstations: Good Working Positions

MedlinePlus

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Computer Workstations: Wrist/Palm Supports

MedlinePlus

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Safety and Health Topics: Asbestos

MedlinePlus

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Addressing hypertext design and conversion issues

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Glusko, Robert J.

1990-01-01

Hypertext is a network of information units connected by relational links. A hypertext system is a configuration of hardware and software that presents a hypertext to users and allows them to manage and access the information that it contains. Hypertext is also a user interface concept that closely supports the ways that people use printed information. Hypertext concepts encourage modularity and the elimination of redundancy in data bases because information can be stored only once but viewed in any appropriate context. Hypertext is such a hot idea because it is an enabling technology in that workstations and personal computers finally provide enough local processing power for hypertext user interfaces.

An architecture for rule based system explanation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fennel, T. R.; Johannes, James D.

1990-01-01

A system architecture is presented which incorporate both graphics and text into explanations provided by rule based expert systems. This architecture facilitates explanation of the knowledge base content, the control strategies employed by the system, and the conclusions made by the system. The suggested approach combines hypermedia and inference engine capabilities. Advantages include: closer integration of user interface, explanation system, and knowledge base; the ability to embed links to deeper knowledge underlying the compiled knowledge used in the knowledge base; and allowing for more direct control of explanation depth and duration by the user. User models are suggested to control the type, amount, and order of information presented.

User Instructions for the Policy Analysis Modeling System (PAMS)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McNeil, Michael A.; Letschert, Virginie E.; Van Buskirk, Robert D.

PAMS uses country-specific and product-specific data to calculate estimates of impacts of a Minimum Efficiency Performance Standard (MEPS) program. The analysis tool is self-contained in a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet, and requires no links to external data, or special code additions to run. The analysis can be customized to a particular program without additional user input, through the use of the pull-down menus located on the Summary page. In addition, the spreadsheet contains many areas into which user-generated input data can be entered for increased accuracy of projection. The following is a step-by-step guide for using and customizing the tool.

New Exposure Time Calculator for NICMOS (imaging): Features, Testing and Recommendations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arribas, S.; McLean, D.; Busko, I.; Sosey, M.

2004-02-01

A new NICMOS ETC for imaging mode has been developed as part of the Astronomer’s Proposal Toolkit (APT) project. This new tool fully updates the NICMOS performance for Cycles 11+, expands the funtionality of the previous ETC, providing the user more options, and homogenizes the non-instrument specific parameters (i.e. sky background, extinction laws) with other HST-ETCs. This report summarizes its main characteristics, and gives some recommendations to potential users. Details about the tool itself can be found in the documentation linked to the ETC user interface, which can be accessed from the NICMOS web site at STScI.

UCMS - A new signal parameter measurement system using digital signal processing techniques. [User Constraint Measurement System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Choi, H. J.; Su, Y. T.

1986-01-01

The User Constraint Measurement System (UCMS) is a hardware/software package developed by NASA Goddard to measure the signal parameter constraints of the user transponder in the TDRSS environment by means of an all-digital signal sampling technique. An account is presently given of the features of UCMS design and of its performance capabilities and applications; attention is given to such important aspects of the system as RF interface parameter definitions, hardware minimization, the emphasis on offline software signal processing, and end-to-end link performance. Applications to the measurement of other signal parameters are also discussed.

Navigation in large information spaces represented as hypertext: A review of the literature

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brown, Marcus

1990-01-01

The problem addressed is the failure of information-space navigation tools when the space grows to large. The basic goal is to provide the power of the hypertext interface in such a way as to be most easily comprehensible to the user. It was determined that the optimal structure for information is an overlapping, simplified hierarchy. The hierarchical structure should be made obvious to the user, and many of the non-hierarchical links in the information space should either by eliminated, or should be de-emphasized so that the novice user is not confused by them. Only one of the hierarchies should be very simple.

Analysis Tools in Geant4 10.2 and 10.3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hřivnáčová, I.; Barrand, G.

2017-10-01

A new analysis category based on g4tools was added in Geant4 release 9.5 (2011). The aim was to provide users with a lightweight analysis tool available as part of the Geant4 installation without the need to link to an external analysis package. It has progressively been included in all Geant4 examples. Frequent questions in the Geant4 users forum show its increasing popularity in the Geant4 users community. In this presentation, we will give a brief overview of g4tools and the analysis category. We report on new developments since our CHEP 2013 contribution as well as mention upcoming new features.

Probabilistic resource allocation system with self-adaptive capability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yufik, Yan M. (Inventor)

1996-01-01

A probabilistic resource allocation system is disclosed containing a low capacity computational module (Short Term Memory or STM) and a self-organizing associative network (Long Term Memory or LTM) where nodes represent elementary resources, terminal end nodes represent goals, and directed links represent the order of resource association in different allocation episodes. Goals and their priorities are indicated by the user, and allocation decisions are made in the STM, while candidate associations of resources are supplied by the LTM based on the association strength (reliability). Reliability values are automatically assigned to the network links based on the frequency and relative success of exercising those links in the previous allocation decisions. Accumulation of allocation history in the form of an associative network in the LTM reduces computational demands on subsequent allocations. For this purpose, the network automatically partitions itself into strongly associated high reliability packets, allowing fast approximate computation and display of allocation solutions satisfying the overall reliability and other user-imposed constraints. System performance improves in time due to modification of network parameters and partitioning criteria based on the performance feedback.

Probabilistic resource allocation system with self-adaptive capability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yufik, Yan M. (Inventor)

1998-01-01

A probabilistic resource allocation system is disclosed containing a low capacity computational module (Short Term Memory or STM) and a self-organizing associative network (Long Term Memory or LTM) where nodes represent elementary resources, terminal end nodes represent goals, and weighted links represent the order of resource association in different allocation episodes. Goals and their priorities are indicated by the user, and allocation decisions are made in the STM, while candidate associations of resources are supplied by the LTM based on the association strength (reliability). Weights are automatically assigned to the network links based on the frequency and relative success of exercising those links in the previous allocation decisions. Accumulation of allocation history in the form of an associative network in the LTM reduces computational demands on subsequent allocations. For this purpose, the network automatically partitions itself into strongly associated high reliability packets, allowing fast approximate computation and display of allocation solutions satisfying the overall reliability and other user-imposed constraints. System performance improves in time due to modification of network parameters and partitioning criteria based on the performance feedback.

Near Theoretical Gigabit Link Efficiency for Distributed Data Acquisition Systems

PubMed Central

Abu-Nimeh, Faisal T.; Choong, Woon-Seng

2017-01-01

Link efficiency, data integrity, and continuity for high-throughput and real-time systems is crucial. Most of these applications require specialized hardware and operating systems as well as extensive tuning in order to achieve high efficiency. Here, we present an implementation of gigabit Ethernet data streaming which can achieve 99.26% link efficiency while maintaining no packet losses. The design and implementation are built on OpenPET, an opensource data acquisition platform for nuclear medical imaging, where (a) a crate hosting multiple OpenPET detector boards uses a User Datagram Protocol over Internet Protocol (UDP/IP) Ethernet soft-core, that is capable of understanding PAUSE frames, to stream data out to a computer workstation; (b) the receiving computer uses Netmap to allow the processing software (i.e., user space), which is written in Python, to directly receive and manage the network card’s ring buffers, bypassing the operating system kernel’s networking stack; and (c) a multi-threaded application using synchronized queues is implemented in the processing software (Python) to free up the ring buffers as quickly as possible while preserving data integrity and flow continuity. PMID:28630948

Near Theoretical Gigabit Link Efficiency for Distributed Data Acquisition Systems.

PubMed

Abu-Nimeh, Faisal T; Choong, Woon-Seng

2017-03-01

Link efficiency, data integrity, and continuity for high-throughput and real-time systems is crucial. Most of these applications require specialized hardware and operating systems as well as extensive tuning in order to achieve high efficiency. Here, we present an implementation of gigabit Ethernet data streaming which can achieve 99.26% link efficiency while maintaining no packet losses. The design and implementation are built on OpenPET, an opensource data acquisition platform for nuclear medical imaging, where (a) a crate hosting multiple OpenPET detector boards uses a User Datagram Protocol over Internet Protocol (UDP/IP) Ethernet soft-core, that is capable of understanding PAUSE frames, to stream data out to a computer workstation; (b) the receiving computer uses Netmap to allow the processing software (i.e., user space), which is written in Python, to directly receive and manage the network card's ring buffers, bypassing the operating system kernel's networking stack; and (c) a multi-threaded application using synchronized queues is implemented in the processing software (Python) to free up the ring buffers as quickly as possible while preserving data integrity and flow continuity.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jarocki, John Charles; Zage, David John; Fisher, Andrew N.

LinkShop is a software tool for applying the method of Linkography to the analysis time-sequence data. LinkShop provides command line, web, and application programming interfaces (API) for input and processing of time-sequence data, abstraction models, and ontologies. The software creates graph representations of the abstraction model, ontology, and derived linkograph. Finally, the tool allows the user to perform statistical measurements of the linkograph and refine the ontology through direct manipulation of the linkograph.

Capabilities in Context: Evaluating the Net-Centric Enterprise

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-03-01

with an intuitive keyword search using the enterprise’s federated search capability. Service accessibility. Testers will ensure that local service has...search using the enterprise’s federated search capability. Data accessibility. Testers will ensure that Feder- ated Search results provide active link...user may request access to the data, and be available within ‘‘2 clicks’’ from the active link provided by Federated Search . Data understandability

Ontobee: A linked ontology data server to support ontology term dereferencing, linkage, query and integration

PubMed Central

Ong, Edison; Xiang, Zuoshuang; Zhao, Bin; Liu, Yue; Lin, Yu; Zheng, Jie; Mungall, Chris; Courtot, Mélanie; Ruttenberg, Alan; He, Yongqun

2017-01-01

Linked Data (LD) aims to achieve interconnected data by representing entities using Unified Resource Identifiers (URIs), and sharing information using Resource Description Frameworks (RDFs) and HTTP. Ontologies, which logically represent entities and relations in specific domains, are the basis of LD. Ontobee (http://www.ontobee.org/) is a linked ontology data server that stores ontology information using RDF triple store technology and supports query, visualization and linkage of ontology terms. Ontobee is also the default linked data server for publishing and browsing biomedical ontologies in the Open Biological Ontology (OBO) Foundry (http://obofoundry.org) library. Ontobee currently hosts more than 180 ontologies (including 131 OBO Foundry Library ontologies) with over four million terms. Ontobee provides a user-friendly web interface for querying and visualizing the details and hierarchy of a specific ontology term. Using the eXtensible Stylesheet Language Transformation (XSLT) technology, Ontobee is able to dereference a single ontology term URI, and then output RDF/eXtensible Markup Language (XML) for computer processing or display the HTML information on a web browser for human users. Statistics and detailed information are generated and displayed for each ontology listed in Ontobee. In addition, a SPARQL web interface is provided for custom advanced SPARQL queries of one or multiple ontologies. PMID:27733503

New Searching Capability and OpenURL Linking in the ADS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eichhorn, Guenther; Accomazzi, A.; Grant, C. S.; Henneken, E.; Kurtz, M. J.; Thompson, D. M.; Murray, S. S.

2006-12-01

The ADS is the search system of choice for the astronomical community. It also covers a large part of the physics and physics/astronomy education literature. In order to make access to this system as easy as possible, we developed a Google-like interface version of our search form. This one-field search parses the user input and automatically detects author names and year ranges. Firefox users can set up their browser to have this search field installed in the top right corner search field to have even easier access to the ADS search capability. The basic search is available from the ADS Homepage at: http://adsabs.harvard.edu To aid with access to subscription journals the ADS now supports OpenURL linking. If your library supports an OpenURL server, you can specify this server in the ADS preference settings. All links to journal articles will then automatically be directed to the OpenURL with the appropriate link information. We provide a selection of known OpenURL servers to choose from. If your server is not in this list, please send the necessary information to ads@cfa.harvard.edu and we will include it in our list. The ADS is funded by NASA grant NNG06GG68G.

The Earth Observation Monitor - Automated monitoring and alerting for spatial time-series data based on OGC web services

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eberle, J.; Hüttich, C.; Schmullius, C.

2014-12-01

Spatial time series data are freely available around the globe from earth observation satellites and meteorological stations for many years until now. They provide useful and important information to detect ongoing changes of the environment; but for end-users it is often too complex to extract this information out of the original time series datasets. This issue led to the development of the Earth Observation Monitor (EOM), an operational framework and research project to provide simple access, analysis and monitoring tools for global spatial time series data. A multi-source data processing middleware in the backend is linked to MODIS data from Land Processes Distributed Archive Center (LP DAAC) and Google Earth Engine as well as daily climate station data from NOAA National Climatic Data Center. OGC Web Processing Services are used to integrate datasets from linked data providers or external OGC-compliant interfaces to the EOM. Users can either use the web portal (webEOM) or the mobile application (mobileEOM) to execute these processing services and to retrieve the requested data for a given point or polygon in userfriendly file formats (CSV, GeoTiff). Beside providing just data access tools, users can also do further time series analyses like trend calculations, breakpoint detections or the derivation of phenological parameters from vegetation time series data. Furthermore data from climate stations can be aggregated over a given time interval. Calculated results can be visualized in the client and downloaded for offline usage. Automated monitoring and alerting of the time series data integrated by the user is provided by an OGC Sensor Observation Service with a coupled OGC Web Notification Service. Users can decide which datasets and parameters are monitored with a given filter expression (e.g., precipitation value higher than x millimeter per day, occurrence of a MODIS Fire point, detection of a time series anomaly). Datasets integrated in the SOS service are updated in near-realtime based on the linked data providers mentioned above. An alert is automatically pushed to the user if the new data meets the conditions of the registered filter expression. This monitoring service is available on the web portal with alerting by email and within the mobile app with alerting by email and push notification.

Experiences of User Involvement in Mental Health Settings: User Motivations and Benefits.

PubMed

Neech, Sophie G B; Scott, Helen; Priest, Helena M; Bradley, Eleanor J; Tweed, Alison E

2018-05-12

Despite guidance promoting user involvement, meaningful involvement continues to be debated within services. To effectively implement involvement, it is important to acknowledge why users devote time to such activities. This study explores user representatives' experiences of involvement, including motivations and personal benefits. Thirteen user representatives involved in activities such as staff training and interviews were recruited from a UK National Health Service mental health Trust during 2015. Themes within semi-structured interviews were developed using constructivist grounded theory analysis. Memo-writing, process and focused coding, and core categories supported development of the conceptual framework of being a user representative. Being a user representative was inextricably linked to wellness, yet staff governed opportunities. Making a difference to others and giving back were initial motivating factors. Experiences depended on feeling valued, and the theme of transition captured shifts in identity. User representatives reported increased confidence and wellbeing when supported by staff. However, involvement triggered mental health difficulties, and identified need for regular monitoring and reflection of involvement activities and practice. Services should consider coproduction, where users and staff agree together on involvement definitions. Dedicated involvement workers are crucial to supporting individual wellbeing and monitoring involvement. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

User-level framework for performance monitoring of HPC applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hristova, R.; Goranov, G.

2013-10-01

HP-SEE is an infrastructure that links the existing HPC facilities in South East Europe in a common infrastructure. The analysis of the performance monitoring of the High-Performance Computing (HPC) applications in the infrastructure can be useful for the end user as diagnostic for the overall performance of his applications. The existing monitoring tools for HP-SEE provide to the end user only aggregated information for all applications. Usually, the user does not have permissions to select only the relevant information for him and for his applications. In this article we present a framework for performance monitoring of the HPC applications in the HP-SEE infrastructure. The framework provides standardized performance metrics, which every user can use in order to monitor his applications. Furthermore as a part of the framework a program interface is developed. The interface allows the user to publish metrics data from his application and to read and analyze gathered information. Publishing and reading through the framework is possible only with grid certificate valid for the infrastructure. Therefore the user is authorized to access only the data for his applications.

Sense of Community on Twitter and Instagram: Exploring the Roles of Motives and Parasocial Relationships.

PubMed

Blight, Michael G; Ruppel, Erin K; Schoenbauer, Kelsea V

2017-05-01

Although research has explored the ways in which people form virtual communities to converse about media figures, television shows, and similar topics, little research has examined the link between virtual communities and the parasocial relationships (PSRs) that are often the focus of these conversations and users' experiences in those virtual communities. We examined sense of community (SOC) on Twitter and Instagram as a function of users' motives for use and users' PSR on the sites. In addition to examining the relative importance of different motives for using Twitter and Instagram, we predicted that PSR would mediate the association between motives for use and SOC. Results of an online survey revealed that Instagram users (n = 276) reported stronger social interaction motives than did Twitter users (n = 223). Social interaction and expressive information sharing motives were directly positively associated with SOC for users of both sites. Instagram users also exhibited indirect effects of expressive information sharing and companionship motives on SOC, through PSR. These findings suggest potentially influential differences between Twitter and Instagram, particularly regarding the role of PSR in fostering a general SOC.

Using archetypes to design services for high users of healthcare.

PubMed

Vaillancourt, Samuel; Shahin, Ilan; Aggarwal, Payal; Pomedli, Steve; Hayden, Leigh; Pus, Laura; Bhattacharyya, Onil

2014-01-01

A subset of people with complex health and social needs account for the majority of healthcare costs in Ontario. There is broad agreement that better solutions for these patients could lead to better health outcomes and lower costs, but we have few tools to design services around their diverse needs. Predictive modelling may help determine numbers of high users, but design methods such as user archetypes may offer important ways of understanding how to meet their needs. We studied a range of patient profiles and interviews with frequent emergency department users to develop four archetypes of patients with complex needs to orient the service design process. These can be refined and adapted for use within initiatives like Health Links to help provide more appropriate cost-effective care.

SpicyNodes Radial Map Engine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Douma, M.; Ligierko, G.; Angelov, I.

2008-10-01

The need for information has increased exponentially over the past decades. The current systems for constructing, exploring, classifying, organizing, and searching information face the growing challenge of enabling their users to operate efficiently and intuitively in knowledge-heavy environments. This paper presents SpicyNodes, an advanced user interface for difficult interaction contexts. It is based on an underlying structure known as a radial map, which allows users to manipulate and interact in a natural manner with entities called nodes. This technology overcomes certain limitations of existing solutions and solves the problem of browsing complex sets of linked information. SpicyNodes is also an organic system that projects users into a living space, stimulating exploratory behavior and fostering creative thought. Our interactive radial layout is used for educational purposes and has the potential for numerous other applications.

BASINS User Information and Guidance

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This page provides links to guidance on how to use BASINS, including the User’s Manual, tutorials and training, technical notes, case studies, and publications that highlight the use of BASINS in various watershed analyses.

The reliable multicast protocol application programming interface

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Montgomery , Todd; Whetten, Brian

1995-01-01

The Application Programming Interface for the Berkeley/WVU implementation of the Reliable Multicast Protocol is described. This transport layer protocol is implemented as a user library that applications and software buses link against.

Health Reference Center™

PubMed Central

Sutliff, Jacqueline Page; Olton, Robert; Omarzu, Christopher H.

1990-01-01

This demonstration shows a hypertext-linked integrated database consisting of a variety of sources of consumer health information that enables the user to retrieve and understand information more easily than consulting independent sources in the traditional fashion.

Parental Control of the Time Preadolescents Spend on Social Media: Links with Preadolescents' Social Media Appearance Comparisons and Mental Health.

PubMed

Fardouly, Jasmine; Magson, Natasha R; Johnco, Carly J; Oar, Ella L; Rapee, Ronald M

2018-07-01

Time spent on social media and making online comparisons with others may influence users' mental health. This study examined links between parental control over the time their child spends on social media, preadolescents' time spent browsing social media, preadolescents' appearance comparisons on social media, and preadolescents' appearance satisfaction, depressive symptoms, and life satisfaction. Preadolescent social media users (N = 284, 49.1% female; aged 10-12) and one of their parents completed online surveys. Preadolescents, whose parents reported greater control over their child's time on social media, reported better mental health. This relationship was mediated by preadolescents spending less time browsing and making fewer appearance comparisons on social media. Parental control over time spent on social media may be associated with benefits for mental health among preadolescents.

Patient privacy protection using anonymous access control techniques.

PubMed

Weerasinghe, D; Rajarajan, M; Elmufti, K; Rakocevic, V

2008-01-01

The objective of this study is to develop a solution to preserve security and privacy in a healthcare environment where health-sensitive information will be accessed by many parties and stored in various distributed databases. The solution should maintain anonymous medical records and it should be able to link anonymous medical information in distributed databases into a single patient medical record with the patient identity. In this paper we present a protocol that can be used to authenticate and authorize patients to healthcare services without providing the patient identification. Healthcare service can identify the patient using separate temporary identities in each identification session and medical records are linked to these temporary identities. Temporary identities can be used to enable record linkage and reverse track real patient identity in critical medical situations. The proposed protocol provides main security and privacy services such as user anonymity, message privacy, message confidentiality, user authentication, user authorization and message replay attacks. The medical environment validates the patient at the healthcare service as a real and registered patient for the medical services. Using the proposed protocol, the patient anonymous medical records at different healthcare services can be linked into one single report and it is possible to securely reverse track anonymous patient into the real identity. The protocol protects the patient privacy with a secure anonymous authentication to healthcare services and medical record registries according to the European and the UK legislations, where the patient real identity is not disclosed with the distributed patient medical records.

MGIS: managing banana (Musa spp.) genetic resources information and high-throughput genotyping data

PubMed Central

Guignon, V.; Sempere, G.; Sardos, J.; Hueber, Y.; Duvergey, H.; Andrieu, A.; Chase, R.; Jenny, C.; Hazekamp, T.; Irish, B.; Jelali, K.; Adeka, J.; Ayala-Silva, T.; Chao, C.P.; Daniells, J.; Dowiya, B.; Effa effa, B.; Gueco, L.; Herradura, L.; Ibobondji, L.; Kempenaers, E.; Kilangi, J.; Muhangi, S.; Ngo Xuan, P.; Paofa, J.; Pavis, C.; Thiemele, D.; Tossou, C.; Sandoval, J.; Sutanto, A.; Vangu Paka, G.; Yi, G.; Van den houwe, I.; Roux, N.

2017-01-01

Abstract Unraveling the genetic diversity held in genebanks on a large scale is underway, due to advances in Next-generation sequence (NGS) based technologies that produce high-density genetic markers for a large number of samples at low cost. Genebank users should be in a position to identify and select germplasm from the global genepool based on a combination of passport, genotypic and phenotypic data. To facilitate this, a new generation of information systems is being designed to efficiently handle data and link it with other external resources such as genome or breeding databases. The Musa Germplasm Information System (MGIS), the database for global ex situ-held banana genetic resources, has been developed to address those needs in a user-friendly way. In developing MGIS, we selected a generic database schema (Chado), the robust content management system Drupal for the user interface, and Tripal, a set of Drupal modules which links the Chado schema to Drupal. MGIS allows germplasm collection examination, accession browsing, advanced search functions, and germplasm orders. Additionally, we developed unique graphical interfaces to compare accessions and to explore them based on their taxonomic information. Accession-based data has been enriched with publications, genotyping studies and associated genotyping datasets reporting on germplasm use. Finally, an interoperability layer has been implemented to facilitate the link with complementary databases like the Banana Genome Hub and the MusaBase breeding database. Database URL: https://www.crop-diversity.org/mgis/ PMID:29220435

Do motivations for using Facebook moderate the association between Facebook use and psychological well-being?

PubMed

Rae, James R; Lonborg, Susan D

2015-01-01

Previous investigations of the relationship between Facebook use and psychological well-being have most commonly considered variables relating to the quantity (e.g., time spent online) and underlying motivations (e.g., making new friends) of Facebook consumption. However, previous research has reached contradictory conclusions in that quantity of Facebook use has been linked to both higher and lower levels of psychological well-being. The current study investigated whether these contradictory findings of quantity of Facebook use could be explained by considering users' motivations for accessing Facebook. We predicted that quantity of use would be positively associated with psychological well-being when users primarily accessed Facebook to maintain existing relationships but negatively associated with psychological well-being when primarily accessed to create new relationships. In a sample of college undergraduates (N = 119), we found that the relationship of quantity of Facebook use on psychological well-being was moderated by the motivation of the user. Quantity of Facebook use was associated with higher levels of psychological well-being among users that accessed Facebook for friendship purposes but was negatively associated with psychological well-being among users that accessed Facebook for connection purposes (e.g., making new friends). We also replicated our results across dimensions of psychological well-being (e.g., anxiety and life satisfaction). The current findings provide initial evidence that quantity and motivations of Facebook use interact with potentially serious implications for psychological well-being and also provide a possible explanation for why quantity of Facebook use can be linked with both positive and negative psychological well-being.

Online Discussion on #KidneyStones: A Longitudinal Assessment of Activity, Users and Content.

PubMed

Salem, Johannes; Borgmann, Hendrik; Bultitude, Matthew; Fritsche, Hans-Martin; Haferkamp, Axel; Heidenreich, Axel; Miernik, Arkadiusz; Neisius, Andreas; Knoll, Thomas; Thomas, Christian; Tsaur, Igor

2016-01-01

Twitter is a popular microblogging platform for the rapid dissemination of information and reciprocal exchange in the urological field. We aimed to assess the activity, users and content of the online discussion, #KidneyStones, on Twitter. We investigated the Symplur Signals analytics tool for Twitter data distributed via the #KidneyStones hashtag over a one year period. Activity analysis reflected overall activity and tweet enhancements. We assessed users' geolocations and performed an influencer analysis. Content analysis included the most frequently used words, tweet sentiment and shares for top tweets. 3,426 users generated over 10,333 tweets, which were frequently accompanied by links (49%), mentions (30%) and photos (13%). Users came from 106 countries across the globe and were most frequently from North America (63%) and Europe (16%). Individual and organisational healthcare professionals made up 56% of the influencers of the Twitter discussion on #KidneyStones. Besides the words 'kidney' (used 4,045 times) and 'stones' (3,335), 'pain' (1,233), 'urine' (1,158), and 'risk' (1,023) were the most frequently used words. 56% of tweets had a positive sentiment. The median (range) number of shares was 85 (62-587) for the top 10 links, 45.5 (17-94) for the top 10 photos, and 44 (22-95) for the top 10 retweets. The rapidly growing Twitter discussion on #KidneyStones engaged multiple stakeholders in the healthcare sector on a global scale and reached both professionals and laypeople. When used effectively and responsibly, the Twitter platform could improve prevention and medical care of kidney stone patients.

A Comparison of Mobile and Fixed Device Access on User Engagement Associated With Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Online Nutrition Education

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Background Online health education has expanded its reach due to cost-effective implementation and demonstrated effectiveness. However, a limitation exists with the evaluation of online health education implementations and how the impact of the system is attenuated by the extent to which a user engages with it. Moreover, the current online health education research does not consider how this engagement has been affected by the transition from fixed to mobile user access over the last decade. Objective This paper focuses on comparing the impact mobile versus fixed devices have on user engagement key performance indicators (KPI) associated with the wichealth website (.org), an Internet-based parent-child feeding intervention offered to clients associated with the US Department of Agriculture’s Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). Methods Data were collected from 612,201 nutrition education lessons completed by 305,735 unique WIC participants in 21 states over a 1-year period. Data consisted of system-collected measures, profile items, and items from an exit survey administered at the conclusion of each lesson. User engagement was defined based on 3 KPIs associated with usage of the wichealth website: number of link views, link view time, and progression in stage of readiness to change. Independent samples t tests were used to compare KPIs between fixed only and mobile only device users and paired samples t tests were used to compare KPIs within users who completed at least one lesson each on both a fixed and mobile device. A logistic regression was performed to estimate the odds of KPI performance thresholds in the independent samples study group given access device type while controlling for confounding of user characteristics associated with these KPIs. Results Analysis of 8 user characteristics (lessons completed, race, ethnicity, language, state of residence, pregnancy status, beginning stage of change, and preferred nutrition education method) were significantly (P<.001) related to various KPI differences between mobile and fixed device access. Non-mobile users were significantly (P<.001) more likely to engage based on all 3 KPIs, even after logistic regression control for the potential confounding related to the strongly associated user characteristics identified. Conclusions The findings of this study support the idea that online health education developers need to seriously consider access device when creating programs. Online health education developers need to take extra effort to truly understand access patterns of populations being served, and whether or not access device will influence user engagement performance indicators. PMID:27847351

PASCO: Structural panel analysis and sizing code: Users manual - Revised

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, M. S.; Stroud, W. J.; Durling, B. J.; Hennessy, K. W.

1981-01-01

A computer code denoted PASCO is described for analyzing and sizing uniaxially stiffened composite panels. Buckling and vibration analyses are carried out with a linked plate analysis computer code denoted VIPASA, which is included in PASCO. Sizing is based on nonlinear mathematical programming techniques and employs a computer code denoted CONMIN, also included in PASCO. Design requirements considered are initial buckling, material strength, stiffness and vibration frequency. A user's manual for PASCO is presented.

Unlocking User-Centered Design Methods for Building Cyber Security Visualizations

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-08-07

have rarely linked these methods to a final, deployed tool. Goodall et al. interviewed analysts to derive requirements for a network security tool [14... Goodall , W. Lutters, and A. Komlodi. The work of intrusion detec- tion: rethinking the role of security analysts. AMCIS 2004 Proceed- ings, 2004. [14] J. R... Goodall , A. A. Ozok, W. G. Lutters, P. Rheingans, and A. Kom- lodi. A user-centered approach to visualizing network traffic for intru- sion

Aviation System Analysis Capability Quick Response System Report Server User’s Guide.

DTIC Science & Technology

1996-10-01

primary data sources for the QRS Report Server are the following: ♦ United States Department of Transportation airline service quality per- formance...and to cross-reference sections of this document. is used to indicate quoted text messages from WWW pages. is used for WWW page and section titles...would link the user to another document or another section of the same document. ALL CAPS is used to indicate Report Server variables for which the

Analysis of Department of Defense Social Media Policy and Its Impact on Operational Security

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-06-01

1976, Generation Y was born between 1977 and 1994, and Generation Z was born after 1995 (Schroer, n.d.). 6 With over 1.3 billion users , Facebook...social media platforms, such as Twitter, Instagram , LinkedIn, and Pinterest, have shown significant user growth over the last six years (Duggan et al... generated content , social software, Web-based email, instant messaging, and discussion forum. Some examples of IbC include YouTube, Facebook, Flickr

Support for designing waste sorting systems: A mini review.

PubMed

Rousta, Kamran; Ordoñez, Isabel; Bolton, Kim; Dahlén, Lisa

2017-11-01

This article presents a mini review of research aimed at understanding material recovery from municipal solid waste. It focuses on two areas, waste sorting behaviour and collection systems, so that research on the link between these areas could be identified and evaluated. The main results presented and the methods used in the articles are categorised and appraised. The mini review reveals that most of the work that offered design guidelines for waste management systems was based on optimising technical aspects only. In contrast, most of the work that focused on user involvement did not consider developing the technical aspects of the system, but was limited to studies of user behaviour. The only clear consensus among the articles that link user involvement with the technical system is that convenient waste collection infrastructure is crucial for supporting source separation. This mini review reveals that even though the connection between sorting behaviour and technical infrastructure has been explored and described in some articles, there is still a gap when using this knowledge to design waste sorting systems. Future research in this field would benefit from being multidisciplinary and from using complementary methods, so that holistic solutions for material recirculation can be identified. It would be beneficial to actively involve users when developing sorting infrastructures, to be sure to provide a waste management system that will be properly used by them.

UAV field demonstration of social media enabled tactical data link

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olson, Christopher C.; Xu, Da; Martin, Sean R.; Castelli, Jonathan C.; Newman, Andrew J.

2015-05-01

This paper addresses the problem of enabling Command and Control (C2) and data exfiltration functions for missions using small, unmanned, airborne surveillance and reconnaissance platforms. The authors demonstrated the feasibility of using existing commercial wireless networks as the data transmission infrastructure to support Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) autonomy functions such as transmission of commands, imagery, metadata, and multi-vehicle coordination messages. The authors developed and integrated a C2 Android application for ground users with a common smart phone, a C2 and data exfiltration Android application deployed on-board the UAVs, and a web server with database to disseminate the collected data to distributed users using standard web browsers. The authors performed a mission-relevant field test and demonstration in which operators commanded a UAV from an Android device to search and loiter; and remote users viewed imagery, video, and metadata via web server to identify and track a vehicle on the ground. Social media served as the tactical data link for all command messages, images, videos, and metadata during the field demonstration. Imagery, video, and metadata were transmitted from the UAV to the web server via multiple Twitter, Flickr, Facebook, YouTube, and similar media accounts. The web server reassembled images and video with corresponding metadata for distributed users. The UAV autopilot communicated with the on-board Android device via on-board Bluetooth network.

An electronic laboratory notebook based on HTML forms

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Marstaller, J.E.; Zorn, M.D.

The electronic notebook records information that has traditionally been kept in handwritten laboratory notebooks. It keeps detailed information about the progress of the research , such as the optimization of primers, the screening of the primers and, finally, the mapping of the probes. The notebook provides two areas of services: Data entry, and reviewing of data in all stages. The World wide Web browsers, with HTML based forms provide a fast and easy mechanism to create forms-based user interfaces. The computer scientist can sit down with the biologist and rapidly make changes in response to the user`s comments. Furthermore themore » HTML forms work equally well on a number of different hardware platforms; thus the biologists may continue using their Macintosh computers and find a familiar interface if they have to work on a Unix workstation. The web browser can be run from any machine connected to the Internet: thus the users are free to enter or view information even away from their labs at home or while on travel. Access can be restricted by password and other means to secure the confidentiality of the data. A bonus that is hard to implement otherwise is the facile connection to outside resources. Linking local information to data in public databases is only a hypertext link away with little or no additional programming efforts.« less

Reconnect on Facebook: The Role of Information Seeking Behavior and Individual- and Relationship-Level Factors.

PubMed

Ramirez, Artemio; Sumner, Erin M; Hayes, Jameson

2016-08-01

Social network sites (SNSs) such as Facebook function as both venues for reconnecting with associates from a user's past and sources of social information about them. Yet, little is known about what factors influence the initial decision to reconnect with a past associate. This oversight is significant given that SNSs and other platforms provide an abundance of social information that may be utilized for reaching such decisions. The present study investigated the links among relational reconnection, information seeking (IS) behavior, and individual- and relationship-level factors in user decisions to reconnect on Facebook. A national survey of 244 Facebook users reported on their most recent experience of receiving a friend request from someone with whom they had been out of contact for an extended period. Results indicated that uncertainty about the potential reconnection partner and forecast about the reconnection's potential reward level significantly predicted IS behavior (passive on both target and mutual friends' SNS pages as well as active). However, the emergence of their two-way interaction revealed that the forecasts moderated the IS-uncertainty link on three of the strategies (extractive, both passive approaches). Moreover, social anxiety, sociability, uncertainty about the partner, the forecast about the reconnection's reward level, and extractive and passive (target SNS pages) strategies significantly predicted user decisions to reconnect. Future directions for research on relational reconnection on SNSs are offered.

Usability and Acceptance of the Librarian Infobutton Tailoring Environment: An Open Access Online Knowledge Capture, Management, and Configuration Tool for OpenInfobutton.

PubMed

Jing, Xia; Cimino, James J; Del Fiol, Guilherme

2015-11-30

The Librarian Infobutton Tailoring Environment (LITE) is a Web-based knowledge capture, management, and configuration tool with which users can build profiles used by OpenInfobutton, an open source infobutton manager, to provide electronic health record users with context-relevant links to online knowledge resources. We conducted a multipart evaluation study to explore users' attitudes and acceptance of LITE and to guide future development. The evaluation consisted of an initial online survey to all LITE users, followed by an observational study of a subset of users in which evaluators' sessions were recorded while they conducted assigned tasks. The observational study was followed by administration of a modified System Usability Scale (SUS) survey. Fourteen users responded to the survey and indicated good acceptance of LITE with feedback that was mostly positive. Six users participated in the observational study, demonstrating average task completion time of less than 6 minutes and an average SUS score of 72, which is considered good compared with other SUS scores. LITE can be used to fulfill its designated tasks quickly and successfully. Evaluators proposed suggestions for improvements in LITE functionality and user interface.

A Linked Fusion of Things, Services, and Data to Support a Collaborative Data Management Facility

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stephan, Eric G.; Elsethagen, Todd O.; Wynne, Adam S.

The purpose of this paper is to illustrate the use of semantic technologies and approaches to seamlessly link things, services, and data in the proposed design of a scientific offshore wind energy research for the U.S. Department of Energy Wind and Water Technology Office of the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE). By adapting linked community best practices, we were able to design a collaborative facility supporting both operational staff and end users that incorporates off-the-shelf components and overcome traditional barriers between devices, resulting data, and processing services. This was made largely possible through complementary advances in themore » Internet of Things (IoT), semantic web, Linked Services, and Linked Data communities, which provide the foundation for our design.« less

Do adverts increase the probability of finding online cognitive behavioural therapy for depression? Cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

Goldsmith, Lesley; Hewson, Paul; Kamel Boulos, Maged N; Williams, Christopher J

2012-01-01

Objective To estimate the effect of online adverts on the probability of finding online cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for depression. Design Exploratory online cross-sectional study of search experience of people in the UK with depression in 2011. (1) The authors identified the search terms over 6 months entered by users who subsequently clicked on the advert for online help for depression. (2) A panel of volunteers across the UK recorded websites presented by normal Google search for the term ‘depression’. (iii) The authors examined these websites to estimate probabilities of knowledgeable and naive internet users finding online CBT and the improved probability by addition of a Google advert. Participants (1) 3868 internet users entering search terms related to depression into Google. (2) Panel, recruited online, of 12 UK participants with an interest in depression. Main outcome measures Probability of finding online CBT for depression with/without an advert. Results The 3868 users entered 1748 different search terms but the single keyword ‘depression’ resulted in two-thirds of the presentations of, and over half the ‘clicks’ on, the advert. In total, 14 different websites were presented to our panel in the first page of Google results for ‘depression’. Four of the 14 websites had links enabling access to online CBT in three clicks for knowledgeable users. Extending this approach to the 10 most frequent search terms, the authors estimated probabilities of finding online CBT as 0.29 for knowledgeable users and 0.006 for naive users, making it unlikely CBT would be found. Adding adverts that linked directly to online CBT increased the probabilities to 0.31 (knowledgeable) and 0.02 (naive). Conclusions In this case, online CBT was not easy to find and online adverts substantially increased the chance for naive users. Others could use this approach to explore additional impact before committing to long-term Google AdWords advertising budgets. Trial registration This exploratory case study was a substudy within a cluster randomised trial, registered on http://www.clinicaltrials.gov (reference: NCT01469689). (The trial will be reported subsequently). PMID:22508957

Enterprise Linked Data as Core Business Infrastructure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harris, Steve; Ilube, Tom; Tuffield, Mischa

This chapter describes Garlik's motivation, interest, and experiences of using Linked Data technologies in its online services. It describes the methodologies and approaches that were taken in order to deploy online services to hundreds of thousands of users, and describes the trade-offs inherent in our choice of these technologies for our production systems. In order to help illustrate and aid the arguments for the adoption of SemanticWeb technologies this chapter will focus on two of our customer facing products, DataPatrol, a consumer-centric personal information protection product, and QDOS a Linked Data service that is used to measure peoples' online activity

CLEAR: Communications Link Expert Assistance Resource

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hull, Larry G.; Hughes, Peter M.

1987-01-01

Communications Link Expert Assistance Resource (CLEAR) is a real time, fault diagnosis expert system for the Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE) Mission Operations Room (MOR). The CLEAR expert system is an operational prototype which assists the MOR operator/analyst by isolating and diagnosing faults in the spacecraft communication link with the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) during periods of realtime data acquisition. The mission domain, user requirements, hardware configuration, expert system concept, tool selection, development approach, and system design were discussed. Development approach and system implementation are emphasized. Also discussed are system architecture, tool selection, operation, and future plans.

SUNREL Documentation | Buildings | NREL

Science.gov Websites

using SUNREL software. When changes are made to the manual, we post updates under the updates link below . Although limited technical support is provided to users, we do post answers to some frequently asked

Search Term Reports

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Learn what search terms brought users to choose your page in their search results, and what terms they entered in the EPA search box after visiting your page. Use this information to improve links and content on the page.

Genetics Home Reference: Boucher-Neuhäuser syndrome

MedlinePlus

... the cerebellum ). Affected individuals have an unsteady walking style (gait) and frequent falls. Another key feature of ... be inherited? More about Inheriting Genetic Conditions Diagnosis & Management Resources Genetic Testing (1 link) Genetic Testing Registry: ...

Mine or Theirs, Where Do Users Go? A Comparison of E-Journal Usage at the OhioLINK Electronic Journal Center Platform versus the Elsevier ScienceDirect Platform

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swanson, Juleah

2015-01-01

This research provides librarians with a model for assessing and predicting which platforms patrons will use to access the same content, specifically comparing usage at the Ohio Library and Information Network (OhioLINK) Electronic Journal Center (EJC) and at Elsevier's ScienceDirect from 2007 to 2013. Findings show that in the earlier years, the…

Energy Efficiency of D2D Multi-User Cooperation.

PubMed

Zhang, Zufan; Wang, Lu; Zhang, Jie

2017-03-28

The Device-to-Device (D2D) communication system is an important part of heterogeneous networks. It has great potential to improve spectrum efficiency, throughput and energy efficiency cooperation of multiple D2D users with the advantage of direct communication. When cooperating, D2D users expend extraordinary energy to relay data to other D2D users. Hence, the remaining energy of D2D users determines the life of the system. This paper proposes a cooperation scheme for multiple D2D users who reuse the orthogonal spectrum and are interested in the same data by aiming to solve the energy problem of D2D users. Considering both energy availability and the Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) of each D2D user, the Kuhn-Munkres algorithm is introduced in the cooperation scheme to solve relay selection problems. Thus, the cooperation issue is transformed into a maximum weighted matching (MWM) problem. In order to enhance energy efficiency without the deterioration of Quality of Service (QoS), the link outage probability is derived according to the Shannon Equation by considering the data rate and delay. The simulation studies the relationships among the number of cooperative users, the length of shared data, the number of data packets and energy efficiency.

Limitation of degree information for analyzing the interaction evolution in online social networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shang, Ke-Ke; Yan, Wei-Sheng; Xu, Xiao-Ke

2014-04-01

Previously many studies on online social networks simply analyze the static topology in which the friend relationship once established, then the links and nodes will not disappear, but this kind of static topology may not accurately reflect temporal interactions on online social services. In this study, we define four types of users and interactions in the interaction (dynamic) network. We found that active, disappeared, new and super nodes (users) have obviously different strength distribution properties and this result also can be revealed by the degree characteristics of the unweighted interaction and friendship (static) networks. However, the active, disappeared, new and super links (interactions) only can be reflected by the strength distribution in the weighted interaction network. This result indicates the limitation of the static topology data on analyzing social network evolutions. In addition, our study uncovers the approximately stable statistics for the dynamic social network in which there are a large variation for users and interaction intensity. Our findings not only verify the correctness of our definitions, but also helped to study the customer churn and evaluate the commercial value of valuable customers in online social networks.

Design and Development of a Virtual Facility Tour Using iPIX(TM) Technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Farley, Douglas L.

2002-01-01

The capabilities of the iPIX virtual tour software, in conjunction with a web-based interface create a unique and valuable system that provides users with an efficient virtual capability to tour facilities while being able to acquire the necessary technical content is demonstrated. A users guide to the Mechanics and Durability Branch's virtual tour is presented. The guide provides the user with instruction on operating both scripted and unscripted tours as well as a discussion of the tours for Buildings 1148, 1205 and 1256 and NASA Langley Research Center. Furthermore, an indepth discussion has been presented on how to develop a virtual tour using the iPIX software interface with conventional html and JavaScript. The main aspects for discussion are on network and computing issues associated with using this capability. A discussion of how to take the iPIX pictures, manipulate them and bond them together to form hemispherical images is also presented. Linking of images with additional multimedia content is discussed. Finally, a method to integrate the iPIX software with conventional HTML and JavaScript to facilitate linking with multi-media is presented.

PipeCraft: Flexible open-source toolkit for bioinformatics analysis of custom high-throughput amplicon sequencing data.

PubMed

Anslan, Sten; Bahram, Mohammad; Hiiesalu, Indrek; Tedersoo, Leho

2017-11-01

High-throughput sequencing methods have become a routine analysis tool in environmental sciences as well as in public and private sector. These methods provide vast amount of data, which need to be analysed in several steps. Although the bioinformatics may be applied using several public tools, many analytical pipelines allow too few options for the optimal analysis for more complicated or customized designs. Here, we introduce PipeCraft, a flexible and handy bioinformatics pipeline with a user-friendly graphical interface that links several public tools for analysing amplicon sequencing data. Users are able to customize the pipeline by selecting the most suitable tools and options to process raw sequences from Illumina, Pacific Biosciences, Ion Torrent and Roche 454 sequencing platforms. We described the design and options of PipeCraft and evaluated its performance by analysing the data sets from three different sequencing platforms. We demonstrated that PipeCraft is able to process large data sets within 24 hr. The graphical user interface and the automated links between various bioinformatics tools enable easy customization of the workflow. All analytical steps and options are recorded in log files and are easily traceable. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

BAGEL4: a user-friendly web server to thoroughly mine RiPPs and bacteriocins.

PubMed

van Heel, Auke J; de Jong, Anne; Song, Chunxu; Viel, Jakob H; Kok, Jan; Kuipers, Oscar P

2018-05-21

Interest in secondary metabolites such as RiPPs (ribosomally synthesized and posttranslationally modified peptides) is increasing worldwide. To facilitate the research in this field we have updated our mining web server. BAGEL4 is faster than its predecessor and is now fully independent from ORF-calling. Gene clusters of interest are discovered using the core-peptide database and/or through HMM motifs that are present in associated context genes. The databases used for mining have been updated and extended with literature references and links to UniProt and NCBI. Additionally, we have included automated promoter and terminator prediction and the option to upload RNA expression data, which can be displayed along with the identified clusters. Further improvements include the annotation of the context genes, which is now based on a fast blast against the prokaryote part of the UniRef90 database, and the improved web-BLAST feature that dynamically loads structural data such as internal cross-linking from UniProt. Overall BAGEL4 provides the user with more information through a user-friendly web-interface which simplifies data evaluation. BAGEL4 is freely accessible at http://bagel4.molgenrug.nl.

Ground Software Maintenance Facility (GSMF) user's manual. Appendices NASA-CR-178806 NAS 1.26:178806 Rept-41849-G159-026-App HC A05/MF A01

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Aquila, V.; Derrig, D.; Griffith, G.

1986-01-01

Procedures are presented that allow the user to assemble tasks, link, compile, backup the system, generate/establish/print display pages, cancel tasks in memory, and to TET an assembly task without having to enter the commands every time. A list of acronyms is provided. Software identification, payload checkout unit operating system services, data base generation, and MITRA operating procedures are also discussed.

Designing systems to satisfy their users - The coming changes in aviation weather and the development of a central weather processor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bush, M. W.

1984-01-01

Attention is given to the development history of the Central Weather Processor (CWP) program of the Federal Aviation Administration. The CWP will interface with high speed digital communications links, accept data and information products from new sources, generate data processing products, and provide meteorologists with the capability to automate data retrieval and dissemination. The CWP's users are operational (air traffic controllers, meteorologists and pilots), institutional (logistics, maintenance, testing and evaluation personnel), and administrative.

Adapting human-machine interfaces to user performance.

PubMed

Danziger, Zachary; Fishbach, Alon; Mussa-Ivaldi, Ferdinando A

2008-01-01

The goal of this study was to create and examine machine learning algorithms that adapt in a controlled and cadenced way to foster a harmonious learning environment between the user of a human-machine interface and the controlled device. In this experiment, subjects' high-dimensional finger motions remotely controlled the joint angles of a simulated planar 2-link arm, which was used to hit targets on a computer screen. Subjects were required to move the cursor at the endpoint of the simulated arm.

A Framework for Automated Digital Forensic Reporting

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-03-01

provide a simple way to extract local accounts from a full system image. Unix, Linux and the BSD variants store user accounts in the /etc/ passwd file...with hashes of the user passwords in the /etc/shadow file for linux or /etc/master.passwd for BSD. /etc/ passwd also contains mappings from usernames to... passwd file may not map directly to real-world names, it can be a crucial link in this eventual mapping. Following are two examples where it could prove

GPS test range mission planning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roberts, Iris P.; Hancock, Thomas P.

The principal features of the Test Range User Mission Planner (TRUMP), a PC-resident tool designed to aid in deploying and utilizing GPS-based test range assets, are reviewed. TRUMP features time history plots of time-space-position information (TSPI); performance based on a dynamic GPS/inertial system simulation; time history plots of TSPI data link connectivity; digital terrain elevation data maps with user-defined cultural features; and two-dimensional coverage plots of ground-based test range assets. Some functions to be added during the next development phase are discussed.

IMAT (Integrated Multidisciplinary Analysis Tool) user's guide for the VAX/VMS computer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meissner, Frances T. (Editor)

1988-01-01

The Integrated Multidisciplinary Analysis Tool (IMAT) is a computer software system for the VAX/VMS computer developed at the Langley Research Center. IMAT provides researchers and analysts with an efficient capability to analyze satellite control systems influenced by structural dynamics. Using a menu-driven executive system, IMAT leads the user through the program options. IMAT links a relational database manager to commercial and in-house structural and controls analysis codes. This paper describes the IMAT software system and how to use it.

Statistical Analysis of Firearms/Toolmarks Interpretation of Cartridge Case Evidence Using IBIS and Bayesian Networks

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-10-24

reference material (SRM) was entered into IBIS 10 times by each of three users (EBF, RLJ, and EFL). Each of these users has more than 12 months...bullet leaves the muzzle. In a recoil action (locked breech) pistol, the barrel and slide are securely locked together at the moment of firing. They...travel backward together until the barrel unlocks, forced down by a link or inclined plane, and continues rearward under its own momentum. A

The SYSGEN user package

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carlson, C. R.

1981-01-01

The user documentation of the SYSGEN model and its links with other simulations is described. The SYSGEN is a production costing and reliability model of electric utility systems. Hydroelectric, storage, and time dependent generating units are modeled in addition to conventional generating plants. Input variables, modeling options, output variables, and reports formats are explained. SYSGEN also can be run interactively by using a program called FEPS (Front End Program for SYSGEN). A format for SYSGEN input variables which is designed for use with FEPS is presented.

Visual design for the user interface, Part 1: Design fundamentals.

PubMed

Lynch, P J

1994-01-01

Digital audiovisual media and computer-based documents will be the dominant forms of professional communication in both clinical medicine and the biomedical sciences. The design of highly interactive multimedia systems will shortly become a major activity for biocommunications professionals. The problems of human-computer interface design are intimately linked with graphic design for multimedia presentations and on-line document systems. This article outlines the history of graphic interface design and the theories that have influenced the development of today's major graphic user interfaces.

Visualizing Internet routing changes.

PubMed

Lad, Mohit; Massey, Dan; Zhang, Lixia

2006-01-01

Today's Internet provides a global data delivery service to millions of end users and routing protocols play a critical role in this service. It is important to be able to identify and diagnose any problems occurring in Internet routing. However, the Internet's sheer size makes this task difficult. One cannot easily extract out the most important or relevant routing information from the large amounts of data collected from multiple routers. To tackle this problem, we have developed Link-Rank, a tool to visualize Internet routing changes at the global scale. Link-Rank weighs links in a topological graph by the number of routes carried over each link and visually captures changes in link weights in the form of a topological graph with adjustable size. Using Link-Rank, network operators can easily observe important routing changes from massive amounts of routing data, discover otherwise unnoticed routing problems, understand the impact of topological events, and infer root causes of observed routing changes.

Demonstration of the Low-Cost Virtual Collaborative Environment (VCE)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bowers, David; Montes, Leticia; Ramos, Angel; Joyce, Brendan; Lumia, Ron

1997-01-01

This paper demonstrates the feasibility of a low-cost approach of remotely controlling equipment. Our demonstration system consists of a PC, the PUMA 560 robot with Barrett hand, and commercially available controller and teleconferencing software. The system provides a graphical user interface which allows a user to program equipment tasks and preview motions i.e., simulate the results. Once satisfied that the actions are both safe and accomplish the task, the remote user sends the data over the Internet to the local site for execution on the real equipment. A video link provides visual feedback to the remote sight. This technology lends itself readily to NASA's upcoming Mars expeditions by providing remote simulation and control of equipment.

PRay - A graphical user interface for interactive visualization and modification of rayinvr models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fromm, T.

2016-01-01

PRay is a graphical user interface for interactive displaying and editing of velocity models for seismic refraction. It is optimized for editing rayinvr models but can also be used as a dynamic viewer for ray tracing results from other software. The main features are the graphical editing of nodes and fast adjusting of the display (stations and phases). It can be extended by user-defined shell scripts and links to phase picking software. PRay is open source software written in the scripting language Perl, runs on Unix-like operating systems including Mac OS X and provides a version controlled source code repository for community development (https://sourceforge.net/projects/pray-plot-rayinvr/).

Electricity Data Browser

EIA Publications

The Electricity Data Browser shows generation, consumption, fossil fuel receipts, stockpiles, retail sales, and electricity prices. The data appear on an interactive web page and are updated each month. The Electricity Data Browser includes all the datasets collected and published in EIA's Electric Power Monthly and allows users to perform dynamic charting of data sets as well as map the data by state. The data browser includes a series of reports that appear in the Electric Power Monthly and allows readers to drill down to plant level statistics, where available. All images and datasets are available for download. Users can also link to the data series in EIA's Application Programming Interface (API). An API makes our data machine-readable and more accessible to users.

EpiCollect+: linking smartphones to web applications for complex data collection projects

PubMed Central

Aanensen, David M.; Huntley, Derek M.; Menegazzo, Mirko; Powell, Chris I.; Spratt, Brian G.

2014-01-01

Previously, we have described the development of the generic mobile phone data gathering tool, EpiCollect, and an associated web application, providing two-way communication between multiple data gatherers and a project database. This software only allows data collection on the phone using a single questionnaire form that is tailored to the needs of the user (including a single GPS point and photo per entry), whereas many applications require a more complex structure, allowing users to link a series of forms in a linear or branching hierarchy, along with the addition of any number of media types accessible from smartphones and/or tablet devices (e.g., GPS, photos, videos, sound clips and barcode scanning). A much enhanced version of EpiCollect has been developed (EpiCollect+). The individual data collection forms in EpiCollect+ provide more design complexity than the single form used in EpiCollect, and the software allows the generation of complex data collection projects through the ability to link many forms together in a linear (or branching) hierarchy. Furthermore, EpiCollect+ allows the collection of multiple media types as well as standard text fields, increased data validation and form logic. The entire process of setting up a complex mobile phone data collection project to the specification of a user (project and form definitions) can be undertaken at the EpiCollect+ website using a simple ‘drag and drop’ procedure, with visualisation of the data gathered using Google Maps and charts at the project website. EpiCollect+ is suitable for situations where multiple users transmit complex data by mobile phone (or other Android devices) to a single project web database and is already being used for a range of field projects, particularly public health projects in sub-Saharan Africa. However, many uses can be envisaged from education, ecology and epidemiology to citizen science. PMID:25485096

EpiCollect+: linking smartphones to web applications for complex data collection projects.

PubMed

Aanensen, David M; Huntley, Derek M; Menegazzo, Mirko; Powell, Chris I; Spratt, Brian G

2014-01-01

Previously, we have described the development of the generic mobile phone data gathering tool, EpiCollect, and an associated web application, providing two-way communication between multiple data gatherers and a project database. This software only allows data collection on the phone using a single questionnaire form that is tailored to the needs of the user (including a single GPS point and photo per entry), whereas many applications require a more complex structure, allowing users to link a series of forms in a linear or branching hierarchy, along with the addition of any number of media types accessible from smartphones and/or tablet devices (e.g., GPS, photos, videos, sound clips and barcode scanning). A much enhanced version of EpiCollect has been developed (EpiCollect+). The individual data collection forms in EpiCollect+ provide more design complexity than the single form used in EpiCollect, and the software allows the generation of complex data collection projects through the ability to link many forms together in a linear (or branching) hierarchy. Furthermore, EpiCollect+ allows the collection of multiple media types as well as standard text fields, increased data validation and form logic. The entire process of setting up a complex mobile phone data collection project to the specification of a user (project and form definitions) can be undertaken at the EpiCollect+ website using a simple 'drag and drop' procedure, with visualisation of the data gathered using Google Maps and charts at the project website. EpiCollect+ is suitable for situations where multiple users transmit complex data by mobile phone (or other Android devices) to a single project web database and is already being used for a range of field projects, particularly public health projects in sub-Saharan Africa. However, many uses can be envisaged from education, ecology and epidemiology to citizen science.

Game theory and traffic assignment.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-09-01

Traffic assignment is used to determine the number of users on roadway links in a network. While this problem has : been widely studied in transportation literature, its use of the concept of equilibrium has attracted considerable interest : in the f...

Google Analytics Reports about Search Terms

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Learn what search terms brought users to choose your page in their search results, and what terms they entered in the EPA search box after visiting your page. Use this information to improve links and content on the page.

Preliminary Results from a Model-Driven Architecture Methodology for Development of an Event-Driven Space Communications Service Concept

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roberts, Christopher J.; Morgenstern, Robert M.; Israel, David J.; Borky, John M.; Bradley, Thomas H.

2017-01-01

NASA's next generation space communications network will involve dynamic and autonomous services analogous to services provided by current terrestrial wireless networks. This architecture concept, known as the Space Mobile Network (SMN), is enabled by several technologies now in development. A pillar of the SMN architecture is the establishment and utilization of a continuous bidirectional control plane space link channel and a new User Initiated Service (UIS) protocol to enable more dynamic and autonomous mission operations concepts, reduced user space communications planning burden, and more efficient and effective provider network resource utilization. This paper provides preliminary results from the application of model driven architecture methodology to develop UIS. Such an approach is necessary to ensure systematic investigation of several open questions concerning the efficiency, robustness, interoperability, scalability and security of the control plane space link and UIS protocol.

Pathways to psychosis in cannabis abuse.

PubMed

Shrivastava, Amresh; Johnston, Megan; Terpstra, Kristen; Bureau, Yves

2015-04-01

Cannabis has been implicated as a risk factor for the development of schizophrenia, but the exact biological mechanisms remain unclear. In this review, we attempt to understand the neurobiological pathways that link cannabis use to schizophrenia. This has been an area of great debate; despite similarities between cannabis users and schizophrenia patients, the evidence is not sufficient to establish cause-and-effect. There have been advances in the understanding of the mechanisms of cannabis dependence as well as the role of the cannabinoid system in the development of psychosis and schizophrenia. The neurobiological mechanisms associated with the development of psychosis and effects from cannabis use may be similar but remain elusive. In order to better understand these associations, this paper will show common neurobiological and neuroanatomical changes as well as common cognitive dysfunction in cannabis users and patients of schizophrenia. We conclude that epidemiologic evidence highlights potential causal links; however, neurobiological evidence for causality remains weak.

An integrated user-oriented laboratory for verification of digital flight control systems: Features and capabilities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Defeo, P.; Doane, D.; Saito, J.

1982-01-01

A Digital Flight Control Systems Verification Laboratory (DFCSVL) has been established at NASA Ames Research Center. This report describes the major elements of the laboratory, the research activities that can be supported in the area of verification and validation of digital flight control systems (DFCS), and the operating scenarios within which these activities can be carried out. The DFCSVL consists of a palletized dual-dual flight-control system linked to a dedicated PDP-11/60 processor. Major software support programs are hosted in a remotely located UNIVAC 1100 accessible from the PDP-11/60 through a modem link. Important features of the DFCSVL include extensive hardware and software fault insertion capabilities, a real-time closed loop environment to exercise the DFCS, an integrated set of software verification tools, and a user-oriented interface to all the resources and capabilities.

linkedISA: semantic representation of ISA-Tab experimental metadata.

PubMed

González-Beltrán, Alejandra; Maguire, Eamonn; Sansone, Susanna-Assunta; Rocca-Serra, Philippe

2014-01-01

Reporting and sharing experimental metadata- such as the experimental design, characteristics of the samples, and procedures applied, along with the analysis results, in a standardised manner ensures that datasets are comprehensible and, in principle, reproducible, comparable and reusable. Furthermore, sharing datasets in formats designed for consumption by humans and machines will also maximize their use. The Investigation/Study/Assay (ISA) open source metadata tracking framework facilitates standards-compliant collection, curation, visualization, storage and sharing of datasets, leveraging on other platforms to enable analysis and publication. The ISA software suite includes several components used in increasingly diverse set of life science and biomedical domains; it is underpinned by a general-purpose format, ISA-Tab, and conversions exist into formats required by public repositories. While ISA-Tab works well mainly as a human readable format, we have also implemented a linked data approach to semantically define the ISA-Tab syntax. We present a semantic web representation of the ISA-Tab syntax that complements ISA-Tab's syntactic interoperability with semantic interoperability. We introduce the linkedISA conversion tool from ISA-Tab to the Resource Description Framework (RDF), supporting mappings from the ISA syntax to multiple community-defined, open ontologies and capitalising on user-provided ontology annotations in the experimental metadata. We describe insights of the implementation and how annotations can be expanded driven by the metadata. We applied the conversion tool as part of Bio-GraphIIn, a web-based application supporting integration of the semantically-rich experimental descriptions. Designed in a user-friendly manner, the Bio-GraphIIn interface hides most of the complexities to the users, exposing a familiar tabular view of the experimental description to allow seamless interaction with the RDF representation, and visualising descriptors to drive the query over the semantic representation of the experimental design. In addition, we defined queries over the linkedISA RDF representation and demonstrated its use over the linkedISA conversion of datasets from Nature' Scientific Data online publication. Our linked data approach has allowed us to: 1) make the ISA-Tab semantics explicit and machine-processable, 2) exploit the existing ontology-based annotations in the ISA-Tab experimental descriptions, 3) augment the ISA-Tab syntax with new descriptive elements, 4) visualise and query elements related to the experimental design. Reasoning over ISA-Tab metadata and associated data will facilitate data integration and knowledge discovery.

LinkImputeR: user-guided genotype calling and imputation for non-model organisms.

PubMed

Money, Daniel; Migicovsky, Zoë; Gardner, Kyle; Myles, Sean

2017-07-10

Genomic studies such as genome-wide association and genomic selection require genome-wide genotype data. All existing technologies used to create these data result in missing genotypes, which are often then inferred using genotype imputation software. However, existing imputation methods most often make use only of genotypes that are successfully inferred after having passed a certain read depth threshold. Because of this, any read information for genotypes that did not pass the threshold, and were thus set to missing, is ignored. Most genomic studies also choose read depth thresholds and quality filters without investigating their effects on the size and quality of the resulting genotype data. Moreover, almost all genotype imputation methods require ordered markers and are therefore of limited utility in non-model organisms. Here we introduce LinkImputeR, a software program that exploits the read count information that is normally ignored, and makes use of all available DNA sequence information for the purposes of genotype calling and imputation. It is specifically designed for non-model organisms since it requires neither ordered markers nor a reference panel of genotypes. Using next-generation DNA sequence (NGS) data from apple, cannabis and grape, we quantify the effect of varying read count and missingness thresholds on the quantity and quality of genotypes generated from LinkImputeR. We demonstrate that LinkImputeR can increase the number of genotype calls by more than an order of magnitude, can improve genotyping accuracy by several percent and can thus improve the power of downstream analyses. Moreover, we show that the effects of quality and read depth filters can differ substantially between data sets and should therefore be investigated on a per-study basis. By exploiting DNA sequence data that is normally ignored during genotype calling and imputation, LinkImputeR can significantly improve both the quantity and quality of genotype data generated from NGS technologies. It enables the user to quickly and easily examine the effects of varying thresholds and filters on the number and quality of the resulting genotype calls. In this manner, users can decide on thresholds that are most suitable for their purposes. We show that LinkImputeR can significantly augment the value and utility of NGS data sets, especially in non-model organisms with poor genomic resources.

Business Performer-Centered Design of User Interfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sousa, Kênia; Vanderdonckt, Jean

Business Performer-Centered Design of User Interfaces is a new design methodology that adopts business process (BP) definition and a business performer perspective for managing the life cycle of user interfaces of enterprise systems. In this methodology, when the organization has a business process culture, the business processes of an organization are firstly defined according to a traditional methodology for this kind of artifact. These business processes are then transformed into a series of task models that represent the interactive parts of the business processes that will ultimately lead to interactive systems. When the organization has its enterprise systems, but not yet its business processes modeled, the user interfaces of the systems help derive tasks models, which are then used to derive the business processes. The double linking between a business process and a task model, and between a task model and a user interface model makes it possible to ensure traceability of the artifacts in multiple paths and enables a more active participation of business performers in analyzing the resulting user interfaces. In this paper, we outline how a human-perspective is used tied to a model-driven perspective.

Crime and Violence among MDMA Users in the United States

PubMed Central

Vaughn, Michael G.; Salas-Wright, Christopher P.; DeLisi, Matt; Perron, Brian E.; Cordova, David

2015-01-01

The question of whether MDMA use is associated with increased crime and violence has not been adequately explored especially in nationally representative samples. This study used data from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC) to assess the association between MDMA use and violent and non-violent antisocial behavior while controlling for sociodemographic variables, lifetime psychiatric, alcohol and drug use disorders, and family history of antisocial behavior. MDMA users, both male and female, were involved in a number of crimes in acts of violence including drunk driving, shoplifting, theft, intimate partner violence, and fighting. Notably, female MDMA users were more antisocial than male non-MDMA users. Although adjusting the results for numerous confounds attenuated the relationships, MDMA users were still at significantly greater odds of engaging in violent and nonviolent crime than non-MDMA users. Although MDMA has been considered a facilitator of empathy and closeness, the current study suggests a dark side as MDMA is associated with a broad array of crimes and transgressions. Additional tests of the MDMA-crime link are needed to properly inform policy. PMID:29546096

Software Modules for the Proximity-1 Space Link Interleaved Time Synchronization (PITS) Protocol

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Woo, Simon S.; Veregge, John R.; Gao, Jay L.; Clare, Loren P.; Mills, David

2012-01-01

The Proximity-1 Space Link Interleaved Time Synchronization (PITS) protocol provides time distribution and synchronization services for space systems. A software prototype implementation of the PITS algorithm has been developed that also provides the test harness to evaluate the key functionalities of PITS with simulated data source and sink. PITS integrates time synchronization functionality into the link layer of the CCSDS Proximity-1 Space Link Protocol. The software prototype implements the network packet format, data structures, and transmit- and receive-timestamp function for a time server and a client. The software also simulates the transmit and receive-time stamp exchanges via UDP (User Datagram Protocol) socket between a time server and a time client, and produces relative time offsets and delay estimates.

Active sensing of target location encoded by cortical microstimulation.

PubMed

Venkatraman, Subramaniam; Carmena, Jose M

2011-06-01

Cortical microstimulation has been proposed as a method to deliver sensory percepts to circumvent damaged sensory receptors or pathways. However, much of perception involves the active movement of sensory organs and the integration of information across sensory and motor modalities. The efficacy of cortical microstimulation in such an active sensing paradigm has not been demonstrated. We report a novel behavioral paradigm which delivers microstimulation in real-time based on a rat's movements and show that rats can perform sensorimotor integration with electrically delivered stimuli. Using a real-time whisker tracking system, we delivered microstimulation in barrel cortex of actively whisking rats when their whisker crossed a particular spatial location which defined the target. Rats learned to integrate microstimulation cues with their knowledge of whisker position to infer target location along the rostro-caudal axis in less than 200 ms. In a separate experiment, we found that rats trained to respond to cortical microstimulation responded similarly to whisker deflections while ignoring auditory distracters, suggesting that barrel cortex stimulation may be perceptually similar to somatosensory stimuli. This ability to deliver sensory percepts using cortical microstimulation in an active sensing system might have significant implications for the development of sensorimotor neuroprostheses.

Whisking.

PubMed

Sofroniew, Nicholas J; Svoboda, Karel

2015-02-16

Eyes may be 'the window to the soul' in humans, but whiskers provide a better path to the inner lives of rodents. The brain has remarkable abilities to focus its limited resources on information that matters, while ignoring a cacophony of distractions. While inspecting a visual scene, primates foveate to multiple salient locations, for example mouths and eyes in images of people, and ignore the rest. Similar processes have now been observed and studied in rodents in the context of whisker-based tactile sensation. Rodents use their mechanosensitive whiskers for a diverse range of tactile behaviors such as navigation, object recognition and social interactions. These animals move their whiskers in a purposive manner to locations of interest. The shapes of whiskers, as well as their movements, are exquisitely adapted for tactile exploration in the dark tight burrows where many rodents live. By studying whisker movements during tactile behaviors, we can learn about the tactile information available to rodents through their whiskers and how rodents direct their attention. In this primer, we focus on how the whisker movements of rats and mice are providing clues about the logic of active sensation and the underlying neural mechanisms. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Repair of facial nerve defects with decellularized artery allografts containing autologous adipose-derived stem cells in a rat model.

PubMed

Sun, Fei; Zhou, Ke; Mi, Wen-Juan; Qiu, Jian-Hua

2011-07-20

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a decellularized artery allograft containing autologous adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) on an 8-mm facial nerve branch lesion in a rat model. At 8 weeks postoperatively, functional evaluation of unilateral vibrissae movements, morphological analysis of regenerated nerve segments and retrograde labeling of facial motoneurons were all analyzed. Better regenerative outcomes associated with functional improvement, great axonal growth, and improved target reinnervation were achieved in the artery-ADSCs group (2), whereas the cut nerves sutured with artery conduits alone (group 1) achieved inferior restoration. Furthermore, transected nerves repaired with nerve autografts (group 3) resulted in significant recovery of whisking, maturation of myelinated fibers and increased number of labeled facial neurons, and the latter two parameters were significantly different from those of group 2. Collectively, though our combined use of a decellularized artery allograft with autologous ADSCs achieved regenerative outcomes inferior to a nerve autograft, it certainly showed a beneficial effect on promoting nerve regeneration and thus represents an alternative approach for the reconstruction of peripheral facial nerve defects. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Use of a Y-tube conduit after facial nerve injury reduces collateral axonal branching at the lesion site but neither reduces polyinnervation of motor endplates nor improves functional recovery.

PubMed

Hizay, Arzu; Ozsoy, Umut; Demirel, Bahadir Murat; Ozsoy, Ozlem; Angelova, Srebrina K; Ankerne, Janina; Sarikcioglu, Sureyya Bilmen; Dunlop, Sarah A; Angelov, Doychin N; Sarikcioglu, Levent

2012-06-01

Despite increased understanding of peripheral nerve regeneration, functional recovery after surgical repair remains disappointing. A major contributing factor is the extensive collateral branching at the lesion site, which leads to inaccurate axonal navigation and aberrant reinnervation of targets. To determine whether the Y tube reconstruction improved axonal regrowth and whether this was associated with improved function. We used a Y-tube conduit with the aim of improving navigation of regenerating axons after facial nerve transection in rats. Retrograde labeling from the zygomatic and buccal branches showed a halving in the number of double-labeled facial motor neurons (15% vs 8%; P < .05) after Y tube reconstruction compared with facial-facial anastomosis coaptation. However, in both surgical groups, the proportion of polyinnervated motor endplates was similar (≈ 30%; P > .05), and video-based motion analysis of whisking revealed similarly poor function. Although Y-tube reconstruction decreases axonal branching at the lesion site and improves axonal navigation compared with facial-facial anastomosis coaptation, it fails to promote monoinnervation of motor endplates and confers no functional benefit.

Imaging spectrometer concepts for next-generation planetary missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Herring, M.; Juergens, D. W.; Kupferman, P. N.; Vane, G.

1984-01-01

In recent years there has been an increasing interest in the imaging spectrometer concept, in which imaging is accomplished in multiple, contiguous spectral bands at typical intervals of 5 to 20 nm. There are two implementations of this concept under consideration for upcoming planetary missions. One is the scanning, or 'whisk-broom' approach, in which each picture element (pixel) of the scene is spectrally dispersed onto a linear array of detectors; the spatial information is provided by a scan mirror in combination with the vehicle motion. The second approach is the 'push-broom' imager, in which a line of pixels from the scene is spectrally dispersed onto a two-dimensional (area-array) detector. In this approach, the scan mirror is eliminated, but the optics and focal plane are more complex. This paper discusses the application of these emerging instrument concepts to the planetary program. Key issues are the trade-off between the two types of imaging spectrometer, the available data rate from a typical planetary mission, and the focal-plane cooling requirements. Specific straw-man conceptual designs for the Mars Geoscience/Climatology Orbiter (MGCO) and the Mariner Mark II Comet Rendezvous/Asteroid Flyby (CRAF) missions are discussed.

Evolution of green plants as deduced from 5S rRNA sequences.

PubMed

Hori, H; Lim, B L; Osawa, S

1985-02-01

We have constructed a phylogenic tree for green plants by comparing 5S rRNA sequences. The tree suggests that the emergence of most of the uni- and multicellular green algae such as Chlamydomonas, Spirogyra, Ulva, and Chlorella occurred in the early stage of green plant evolution. The branching point of Nitella is a little earlier than that of land plants and much later than that of the above green algae, supporting the view that Nitella-like green algae may be the direct precursor to land plants. The Bryophyta and the Pteridophyta separated from each other after emergence of the Spermatophyta. The result is consistent with the view that the Bryophyta evolved from ferns by degeneration. In the Pteridophyta, Psilotum (whisk fern) separated first, and a little later Lycopodium (club moss) separated from the ancestor common to Equisetum (horsetail) and Dryopteris (fern). This order is in accordance with the classical view. During the Spermatophyta evolution, the gymnosperms (Cycas, Ginkgo, and Metasequoia have been studied here) and the angiosperms (flowering plants) separated, and this was followed by the separation of Metasequoia and Cycas (cycad)/Ginkgo (maidenhair tree) on one branch and various flowering plants on the other.

Evolution of green plants as deduced from 5S rRNA sequences

PubMed Central

Hori, Hiroshi; Lim, Byung-Lak; Osawa, Syozo

1985-01-01

We have constructed a phylogenic tree for green plants by comparing 5S rRNA sequences. The tree suggests that the emergence of most of the uni- and multicellular green algae such as Chlamydomonas, Spirogyra, Ulva, and Chlorella occurred in the early stage of green plant evolution. The branching point of Nitella is a little earlier than that of land plants and much later than that of the above green algae, supporting the view that Nitella-like green algae may be the direct precursor to land plants. The Bryophyta and the Pteridophyta separated from each other after emergence of the Spermatophyta. The result is consistent with the view that the Bryophyta evolved from ferns by degeneration. In the Pteridophyta, Psilotum (whisk fern) separated first, and a little later Lycopodium (club moss) separated from the ancestor common to Equisetum (horsetail) and Dryopteris (fern). This order is in accordance with the classical view. During the Spermatophyta evolution, the gymnosperms (Cycas, Ginkgo, and Metasequoia have been studied here) and the angiosperms (flowering plants) separated, and this was followed by the separation of Metasequoia and Cycas (cycad)/Ginkgo (maidenhair tree) on one branch and various flowering plants on the other. PMID:16593540

Bioregenerative system components for microgravity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nevill, Gale E., Jr.; Hessel, Michael I., Jr.

1992-01-01

The goal of the class was to design, fabricate, and test prototype designs that were independent, yet applicable to a Closed Loop Life Support System. The three prototypes chosen were in the areas of agar plant growth, regnerative filtration, and microgravity food preparation. The plant growth group designed a prototype agar medium growth system that incorporates nutrient solution replenishment and post-harvest refurbishment. In addition, the unit emphasizes material containment and minimization of open interfaces. The second project was a filter used in microgravity that has the capability to clean itself. The filters are perforated plates which slide through a duct and are cleaned outside of the flow with a vacuum system. The air in the duct is prevented from flowing outside of the duct by a network of sliding seals. The food preparation group developed a device which dispenses and mixes ingredients and then cooks the mixture in microgravity. The dry ingredients are dispensed from a canister by a ratchet-operated piston. The wet ingredients are dispensed from plastic bags through tubing attached to a syringe. Once inside the mixing chamber, the ingredients are mixed using a collapsible whisk and then pushed into the cooking device.

CRESST Human Performance Knowledge Mapping System

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-12-01

link subcategories. Semantica Evaluation copy unavailable Visual Mind M H No Cannot add relation labels. Smart Ideas H H No Easy to use. Linking in...Screen Users can access all top-level functions from the main screen shown in Figure 4. The design of the Web favored breadth over depth, which allows...based on whether their propositions match propositions in the expert map. LifeMap PC on the Web /Mac 0 http:/ /www2.ucsc.edu/-mlrg/mlrgtools.html This

FAA Response to User Concensus Views and Recommendations: New Engineering and Development Initiatives - Policy and Technology Choices.

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-12-01

Increased Automation 52 35. ATC Responsibility for Weather Avoidance 53 36. Additional Simulation Needed - ATARS , BCAS, CDTI 53 37. Safety Impacts of...Address Beacon System (DABS)/Data Link, Automated Traffic Advisory and Resolution Service ( ATARS ) and Cockpit Display of Terminal Information (CDT[), are...should not consider down- linking of air derived data either to enhance ATARS or to be the basis for more closely spaced IFR approaches to parallel

Inter-satellite links for satellite autonomous integrity monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodríguez-Pérez, Irma; García-Serrano, Cristina; Catalán Catalán, Carlos; García, Alvaro Mozo; Tavella, Patrizia; Galleani, Lorenzo; Amarillo, Francisco

2011-01-01

A new integrity monitoring mechanisms to be implemented on-board on a GNSS taking advantage of inter-satellite links has been introduced. This is based on accurate range and Doppler measurements not affected neither by atmospheric delays nor ground local degradation (multipath and interference). By a linear combination of the Inter-Satellite Links Observables, appropriate observables for both satellite orbits and clock monitoring are obtained and by the proposed algorithms it is possible to reduce the time-to-alarm and the probability of undetected satellite anomalies.Several test cases have been run to assess the performances of the new orbit and clock monitoring algorithms in front of a complete scenario (satellite-to-satellite and satellite-to-ground links) and in a satellite-only scenario. The results of this experimentation campaign demonstrate that the Orbit Monitoring Algorithm is able to detect orbital feared events when the position error at the worst user location is still under acceptable limits. For instance, an unplanned manoeuvre in the along-track direction is detected (with a probability of false alarm equals to 5 × 10-9) when the position error at the worst user location is 18 cm. The experimentation also reveals that the clock monitoring algorithm is able to detect phase jumps, frequency jumps and instability degradation on the clocks but the latency of detection as well as the detection performances strongly depends on the noise added by the clock measurement system.

Ontobee: A linked ontology data server to support ontology term dereferencing, linkage, query and integration.

PubMed

Ong, Edison; Xiang, Zuoshuang; Zhao, Bin; Liu, Yue; Lin, Yu; Zheng, Jie; Mungall, Chris; Courtot, Mélanie; Ruttenberg, Alan; He, Yongqun

2017-01-04

Linked Data (LD) aims to achieve interconnected data by representing entities using Unified Resource Identifiers (URIs), and sharing information using Resource Description Frameworks (RDFs) and HTTP. Ontologies, which logically represent entities and relations in specific domains, are the basis of LD. Ontobee (http://www.ontobee.org/) is a linked ontology data server that stores ontology information using RDF triple store technology and supports query, visualization and linkage of ontology terms. Ontobee is also the default linked data server for publishing and browsing biomedical ontologies in the Open Biological Ontology (OBO) Foundry (http://obofoundry.org) library. Ontobee currently hosts more than 180 ontologies (including 131 OBO Foundry Library ontologies) with over four million terms. Ontobee provides a user-friendly web interface for querying and visualizing the details and hierarchy of a specific ontology term. Using the eXtensible Stylesheet Language Transformation (XSLT) technology, Ontobee is able to dereference a single ontology term URI, and then output RDF/eXtensible Markup Language (XML) for computer processing or display the HTML information on a web browser for human users. Statistics and detailed information are generated and displayed for each ontology listed in Ontobee. In addition, a SPARQL web interface is provided for custom advanced SPARQL queries of one or multiple ontologies. © The Author(s) 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

Born semantic: linking data from sensors to users and balancing hardware limitations with data standards

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buck, Justin; Leadbetter, Adam

2015-04-01

New users for the growing volume of ocean data for purposes such as 'big data' data products and operational data assimilation/ingestion require data to be readily ingestible. This can be achieved via the application of World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) Linked Data and Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) Sensor Web Enablement (SWE) standards to data management. As part of several Horizons 2020 European projects (SenseOCEAN, ODIP, AtlantOS) the British Oceanographic Data Centre (BODC) are working on combining existing data centre architecture and SWE software such as Sensor Observation Services with a Linked Data front end. The standards to enable data delivery are proven and well documented1,2 There are practical difficulties when SWE standards are applied to real time data because of internal hardware bandwidth restrictions and a requirement to constrain data transmission costs. A pragmatic approach is proposed where sensor metadata and data output in OGC standards are implemented "shore-side" with sensors and instruments transmitting unique resolvable web linkages to persistent OGC SensorML records published at the BODC. References: 1. World Wide Web Consortium. (2013). Linked Data. Available: http://www.w3.org/standards/semanticweb/data. Last accessed 8th October 2014. 2. Open Geospatial Consortium. (2014). Sensor Web Enablement (SWE). Available: http://www.opengeospatial.org/ogc/markets-technologies/swe. Last accessed 8th October 2014.

Dynamic fair node spectrum allocation for ad hoc networks using random matrices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rahmes, Mark; Lemieux, George; Chester, Dave; Sonnenberg, Jerry

2015-05-01

Dynamic Spectrum Access (DSA) is widely seen as a solution to the problem of limited spectrum, because of its ability to adapt the operating frequency of a radio. Mobile Ad Hoc Networks (MANETs) can extend high-capacity mobile communications over large areas where fixed and tethered-mobile systems are not available. In one use case with high potential impact, cognitive radio employs spectrum sensing to facilitate the identification of allocated frequencies not currently accessed by their primary users. Primary users own the rights to radiate at a specific frequency and geographic location, while secondary users opportunistically attempt to radiate at a specific frequency when the primary user is not using it. We populate a spatial radio environment map (REM) database with known information that can be leveraged in an ad hoc network to facilitate fair path use of the DSA-discovered links. Utilization of high-resolution geospatial data layers in RF propagation analysis is directly applicable. Random matrix theory (RMT) is useful in simulating network layer usage in nodes by a Wishart adjacency matrix. We use the Dijkstra algorithm for discovering ad hoc network node connection patterns. We present a method for analysts to dynamically allocate node-node path and link resources using fair division. User allocation of limited resources as a function of time must be dynamic and based on system fairness policies. The context of fair means that first available request for an asset is not envied as long as it is not yet allocated or tasked in order to prevent cycling of the system. This solution may also save money by offering a Pareto efficient repeatable process. We use a water fill queue algorithm to include Shapley value marginal contributions for allocation.

DMPTool: New Guidance, Resources, and Outreach for Quality Data Management Plans

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cruse, P.; Sallans, A.

2013-12-01

A growing number of US federal funding agencies require data management plans (DMP) as part of new research grant proposals. To help researchers with this requirement, several organizations (the California Digital Library, University of Illinois, University of Virginia, Smithsonian Institution, the DataONE consortium and the (UK) Digital Curation Centre) came together to develop the DMPTool in 2011. The goal of the DMPTool is to provide researchers with guidance, links to resources and help with writing data management plans. Thanks to a grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, these organizations have been able to develop DMPTool2, adding new features and functionality, while aiming to grow the number of users and funding requirements and build a community around DMP best practices. Researchers create plans in the tool by selecting their desired funding agency. The tool provides specific requirements from the selected agency as well as detailed help with each area of the plan. Users have access to complete DMP life cycle management, tracking changes through creation, editing, submission, evaluation, and publication. They may also perform enhanced keyword searches and view publicly available plans. With role-based user authorization, users may hold various roles within the interface: creators, collaborators, institutional administrators, and tool administrators. Furthermore, partner institutions can add significant value to the process with several special tool features. Along with institutional branding in the interface, they can provide links to resources they provide to users, such as to preservation repositories, consultation services, or news and event items. In addition, partner institutions can provide help with specific plan questions, and even suggest responses. Institutional administrators can also mine data on plans in order to better support researchers. Institutions may be represented in different roles: as a funder, a researcher's affiliate, or as an institution with its own DMP requirements.

Poorer frontolimbic white matter integrity is associated with chronic cannabis use, FAAH genotype, and increased depressive and apathy symptoms in adolescents and young adults.

PubMed

Shollenbarger, Skyler G; Price, Jenessa; Wieser, Jon; Lisdahl, Krista

2015-01-01

The heaviest period of cannabis use coincides with ongoing white matter (WM) maturation. Further, cannabis-related changes may be moderated by FAAH genotype (rs324420). We examined the association between cannabis use and FAAH genotype on frontolimbic WM integrity in adolescents and emerging adults. We then tested whether observed WM abnormalities were linked with depressive or apathy symptoms. Participants included 37 cannabis users and 37 healthy controls (33 female; ages 18-25). Multiple regressions examined the independent and interactive effects of variables on WM integrity. Regular cannabis users demonstrated reduced WM integrity in the bilateral uncinate fasciculus (UNC) (MD, right: p = .009 and left: p = .009; FA, right: p = .04 and left: p = .03) and forceps minor (fMinor) (MD, p = .03) compared to healthy controls. Marginally reduced WM integrity in the cannabis users was found in the left anterior thalamic radiation (ATR) (FA, p = .08). Cannabis group ∗ FAAH genotype interaction predicted WM integrity in bilateral ATR (FA, right: p = .05 and left: p = .001) and fMinor (FA, p = .02). In cannabis users, poorer WM integrity was correlated with increased symptoms of depression and apathy in bilateral ATR and UNC. Consistent with prior findings, cannabis use was associated with reduced frontolimbic WM integrity. WM integrity was also moderated by FAAH genotype, in that cannabis-using FAAH C/C carriers and A carrying controls had reduced WM integrity compared to control C/C carriers. Observed frontolimbic white matter abnormalities were linked with increased depressive and apathy symptoms in the cannabis users.

Poorer frontolimbic white matter integrity is associated with chronic cannabis use, FAAH genotype, and increased depressive and apathy symptoms in adolescents and young adults

PubMed Central

Shollenbarger, Skyler G.; Price, Jenessa; Wieser, Jon; Lisdahl, Krista

2015-01-01

Background The heaviest period of cannabis use coincides with ongoing white matter (WM) maturation. Further, cannabis-related changes may be moderated by FAAH genotype (rs324420). We examined the association between cannabis use and FAAH genotype on frontolimbic WM integrity in adolescents and emerging adults. We then tested whether observed WM abnormalities were linked with depressive or apathy symptoms. Methods Participants included 37 cannabis users and 37 healthy controls (33 female; ages 18–25). Multiple regressions examined the independent and interactive effects of variables on WM integrity. Results Regular cannabis users demonstrated reduced WM integrity in the bilateral uncinate fasciculus (UNC) (MD, right: p = .009 and left: p = .009; FA, right: p = .04 and left: p = .03) and forceps minor (fMinor) (MD, p = .03) compared to healthy controls. Marginally reduced WM integrity in the cannabis users was found in the left anterior thalamic radiation (ATR) (FA, p = .08). Cannabis group ∗ FAAH genotype interaction predicted WM integrity in bilateral ATR (FA, right: p = .05 and left: p = .001) and fMinor (FA, p = .02). In cannabis users, poorer WM integrity was correlated with increased symptoms of depression and apathy in bilateral ATR and UNC. Conclusions Consistent with prior findings, cannabis use was associated with reduced frontolimbic WM integrity. WM integrity was also moderated by FAAH genotype, in that cannabis-using FAAH C/C carriers and A carrying controls had reduced WM integrity compared to control C/C carriers. Observed frontolimbic white matter abnormalities were linked with increased depressive and apathy symptoms in the cannabis users. PMID:26106535

Exploring the Link among State of Mind Concerning Childhood Attachment, Attachment in Close Relationships, Parental Bonding, and Psychopathological Symptoms in Substance Users.

PubMed

Musetti, Alessandro; Terrone, Grazia; Corsano, Paola; Magnani, Barbara; Salvatore, Sergio

2016-01-01

In the present study, we have explored the link among styles of attachment and psychopathology in drug users. We know that insecure attachment predisposes the individuals the development of drug-addiction and psychopathological symptoms. However, we do not know which attachment is more frequent in drug users and which is related to particular psychopathological symptoms. The aim of the present work is to explore the relationship between childhood attachment state of mind, attachment in close relationships, parental bonding and psychopathology in sample of Italian substance users. We explored, in a sample of 70 drug users and drug-addicted patients, the childhood attachment state of mind measured by the Adult Attachment Interview, the attachment in close relationships by the Relationship Questionnaire and parental bonding measured by the Parental Bonding Instrument. The Symptom Check-List-90-R (SCL-90-R) measured psychopathological symptoms. We found that parental bonding, rather than state of mind concerning childhood attachment or attachment in close relationships, is related to the psychopathological manifestation of anxiety, hostility, depression, and paranoid ideation in the sample. The latter occurs frequently in our sample, independent of state of mind concerning child attachment, attachment in close relationships, and parental bonding, suggesting its role either as a factor that favors a bad image of the participants' own relationships or as a direct effect of consuming drugs. These results have clinical implications on suggesting ways of interventions that prevent drug-addiction, which should include the evaluation of attachment in the prodromic phases of substance use onset or rehabilitation programs to prevent and manage psychotic-like symptoms.

Exploring the Link among State of Mind Concerning Childhood Attachment, Attachment in Close Relationships, Parental Bonding, and Psychopathological Symptoms in Substance Users

PubMed Central

Musetti, Alessandro; Terrone, Grazia; Corsano, Paola; Magnani, Barbara; Salvatore, Sergio

2016-01-01

Background: In the present study, we have explored the link among styles of attachment and psychopathology in drug users. We know that insecure attachment predisposes the individuals the development of drug-addiction and psychopathological symptoms. However, we do not know which attachment is more frequent in drug users and which is related to particular psychopathological symptoms. The aim of the present work is to explore the relationship between childhood attachment state of mind, attachment in close relationships, parental bonding and psychopathology in sample of Italian substance users. Methods: We explored, in a sample of 70 drug users and drug-addicted patients, the childhood attachment state of mind measured by the Adult Attachment Interview, the attachment in close relationships by the Relationship Questionnaire and parental bonding measured by the Parental Bonding Instrument. The Symptom Check-List-90-R (SCL-90-R) measured psychopathological symptoms. Results: We found that parental bonding, rather than state of mind concerning childhood attachment or attachment in close relationships, is related to the psychopathological manifestation of anxiety, hostility, depression, and paranoid ideation in the sample. The latter occurs frequently in our sample, independent of state of mind concerning child attachment, attachment in close relationships, and parental bonding, suggesting its role either as a factor that favors a bad image of the participants’ own relationships or as a direct effect of consuming drugs. Conclusion: These results have clinical implications on suggesting ways of interventions that prevent drug-addiction, which should include the evaluation of attachment in the prodromic phases of substance use onset or rehabilitation programs to prevent and manage psychotic-like symptoms. PMID:27555832

An Intelligent computer-aided tutoring system for diagnosing anomalies of spacecraft in operation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rolincik, Mark; Lauriente, Michael; Koons, Harry C.; Gorney, David

1993-01-01

A new rule-based, expert system for diagnosing spacecraft anomalies is under development. The knowledge base consists of over two-hundred (200) rules and provides links to historical and environmental databases. Environmental causes considered are bulk charging, single event upsets (SEU), surface charging, and total radiation dose. The system's driver translates forward chaining rules into a backward chaining sequence, prompting the user for information pertinent to the causes considered. When the user selects the novice mode, the system automatically gives detailed explanations and descriptions of terms and reasoning as the session progresses, in a sense teaching the user. As such it is an effective tutoring tool. The use of heuristics frees the user from searching through large amounts of irrelevant information and allows the user to input partial information (varying degrees of confidence in an answer) or 'unknown' to any question. The system is available on-line and uses C Language Integrated Production System (CLIPS), an expert shell developed by the NASA Johnson Space Center AI Laboratory in Houston.

Early evaluation of MDIS workstations at Madigan Army Medical Center

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leckie, Robert G.; Goeringer, Fred; Smith, Donald V.; Bender, Gregory N.; Choi, Hyung-Sik; Haynor, David R.; Kim, Yongmin

1993-06-01

The image viewing workstation is an all-important link in the PACS (Picture Archiving and Communications System) chain since it represents the interface between the system and the user. For PACS to function, the working environment and transfer of information to the user must be the same or better than the traditional film-based system. The important characteristics of a workstation from a clinical standpoint are acceptable image quality, rapid response time, a friendly user interface, and a well-integrated, highly-reliable, fault-tolerant system which provides the user ample functions to complete his tasks successfully. Since early 1992, the MDIS (Medical Diagnostic Imaging Support) system's diagnostic and clinical workstations have been installed at Madigan Army Medical Center. Various functionalities and performance characteristics of the MDIS workstations such as image display, response time, database, and ergonomics will be presented. User comments and early experience with the workstations as well as new functionality recommended for the future will be discussed.

Usability Evaluation of a Private Social Network on Mental Health for Relatives.

PubMed

Toribio-Guzmán, José Miguel; García-Holgado, Alicia; Soto Pérez, Felipe; García-Peñalvo, Francisco J; Franco Martín, Manuel

2017-09-01

Usability is one of the most prominent criteria that must be fulfilled by a software product. This study aims to evaluate the usability of SocialNet, a private social network for monitoring the daily progress of patients by their relatives, using a mixed usability approach: heuristic evaluation conducted by experts and user testing. A double heuristic evaluation with one expert evaluator identified the issues related to consistency, design, and privacy. User testing was conducted on 20 users and one evaluator using observation techniques and questionnaires. The main usability problems were found to be related to the structure of SocialNet, and the users presented some difficulties in locating the buttons or links. The results show a high level of usability and satisfaction with the product. This evaluation provides data on the usability of SocialNet based on the difficulties experienced by the users and the expert. The results help in redesigning the tool to resolve the identified problems as part of an iterative process.

Optimization model for UDWDM-PON deployment based on physical restrictions and asymmetric user's clustering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arévalo, Germán. V.; Hincapié, Roberto C.; Sierra, Javier E.

2015-09-01

UDWDM PON is a leading technology oriented to provide ultra-high bandwidth to final users while profiting the physical channels' capability. One of the main drawbacks of UDWDM technique is the fact that the nonlinear effects, like FWM, become stronger due to the close spectral proximity among channels. This work proposes a model for the optimal deployment of this type of networks taking into account the fiber length limitations imposed by physical restrictions related with the fiber's data transmission as well as the users' asymmetric distribution in a provided region. The proposed model employs the data transmission related effects in UDWDM PON as restrictions in the optimization problem and also considers the user's asymmetric clustering and the subdivision of the users region though a Voronoi geometric partition technique. Here it is considered de Voronoi dual graph, it is the Delaunay Triangulation, as the planar graph for resolving the problem related with the minimum weight of the fiber links.

Fast-responder: Rapid mobile-phone access to recent remote sensing imagery for first responders

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Talbot, L. M.; Talbot, B. G.

We introduce Fast-Responder, a novel prototype data-dissemination application and architecture concept to rapidly deliver remote sensing imagery to smartphones to enable situational awareness. The architecture implements a Fast-Earth image caching system on the phone and interacts with a Fast-Earth server. Prototype evaluation successfully demonstrated that National Guard users could select a location, download multiple remote sensing images, and flicker between images, all in less than a minute on a 3G mobile commercial link. The Fast-Responder architecture is a significant advance that is designed to meet the needs of mobile users, such as National Guard response units, to rapidly access information during a crisis, such as a natural or man-made disaster. This paper focuses on the architecture design and advanced user interface concepts for small-screens for highly active mobile users. Novel Fast-Responder concepts can also enable rapid dissemination and evaluation of imagery on the desktop, opening new technology horizons for both desktop and mobile users.

JAva GUi for Applied Research (JAGUAR) v 3.0

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

JAGUAR is a Java software tool for automatically rendering a graphical user interface (GUI) from a structured input specification. It is designed as a plug-in to the Eclipse workbench to enable users to create, edit, and externally execute analysis application input decks and then view the results. JAGUAR serves as a GUI for Sandia's DAKOTA software toolkit for optimization and uncertainty quantification. It will include problem (input deck)set-up, option specification, analysis execution, and results visualization. Through the use of wizards, templates, and views, JAGUAR helps uses navigate the complexity of DAKOTA's complete input specification. JAGUAR is implemented in Java, leveragingmore » Eclipse extension points and Eclipse user interface. JAGUAR parses a DAKOTA NIDR input specification and presents the user with linked graphical and plain text representations of problem set-up and option specification for DAKOTA studies. After the data has been input by the user, JAGUAR generates one or more input files for DAKOTA, executes DAKOTA, and captures and interprets the results« less

The relationship between health literacy and quality of life among frequent users of health care services: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Couture, Éva Marjorie; Chouinard, Maud-Christine; Fortin, Martin; Hudon, Catherine

2017-07-06

Although health literacy and quality of life are important concepts in health care, the link between them is unclear, especially for a population of frequent users of health care services with chronic diseases. Low health literacy is a common problem that has been linked to several negative health outcomes. Quality of life is an important health outcome in patient-centered care. Frequent users of health care services are a vulnerable population that deserves attention due to high costs and negative outcomes such as lower quality of life and higher mortality. The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between health literacy and the physical and mental components of quality of life among frequent users of health care services with chronic diseases. This study presents the cross-sectional analysis of data collected through the V1SAGES project, a randomized controlled trial on the effectiveness of a case management intervention in primary care in Quebec, Canada. Participants (n = 247) were frequent users of health care services presenting at least one chronic condition. Health literacy was measured by the Newest Vital Sign (NVS), and the physical and mental components of quality of life were evaluated by the Short Form Health Survey Version 2 (SF-12v2). The association between health literacy (independent variable) and the physical and mental components of quality of life was examined using biserial correlation. No association was found between health literacy and quality of life (physical component: r = 0.108, ρ = 0.11; mental component: r = 0.147, ρ = 0.15). This study suggests that there is no relationship between health literacy and the physical and mental components of quality of life among frequent users of health care services. NCT01719991 . Registered October 25, 2012.

TogoTable: cross-database annotation system using the Resource Description Framework (RDF) data model.

PubMed

Kawano, Shin; Watanabe, Tsutomu; Mizuguchi, Sohei; Araki, Norie; Katayama, Toshiaki; Yamaguchi, Atsuko

2014-07-01

TogoTable (http://togotable.dbcls.jp/) is a web tool that adds user-specified annotations to a table that a user uploads. Annotations are drawn from several biological databases that use the Resource Description Framework (RDF) data model. TogoTable uses database identifiers (IDs) in the table as a query key for searching. RDF data, which form a network called Linked Open Data (LOD), can be searched from SPARQL endpoints using a SPARQL query language. Because TogoTable uses RDF, it can integrate annotations from not only the reference database to which the IDs originally belong, but also externally linked databases via the LOD network. For example, annotations in the Protein Data Bank can be retrieved using GeneID through links provided by the UniProt RDF. Because RDF has been standardized by the World Wide Web Consortium, any database with annotations based on the RDF data model can be easily incorporated into this tool. We believe that TogoTable is a valuable Web tool, particularly for experimental biologists who need to process huge amounts of data such as high-throughput experimental output. © The Author(s) 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

Solutions for research data from a publisher's perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cotroneo, P.

2015-12-01

Sharing research data has the potential to make research more efficient and reproducible. Elsevier has developed several initiatives to address the different needs of research data users. These include PANGEA Linked data, which provides geo-referenced, citable datasets from earth and life sciences, archived as supplementary data from publications by the PANGEA data repository; Mendeley Data, which allows users to freely upload and share their data; a database linking program that creates links between articles on ScienceDirect and datasets held in external data repositories such as EarthRef and EarthChem; a pilot for searching for research data through a map interface; an open data pilot that allows authors publishing in Elsevier journals to store and share research data and make this publicly available as a supplementary file alongside their article; and data journals, including Data in Brief, which allow researchers to share their data open access. Through these initiatives, researchers are not only encouraged to share their research data, but also supported in optimizing their research data management. By making data more readily citable and visible, and hence generating citations for authors, these initiatives also aim to ensure that researchers get the recognition they deserve for publishing their data.

Sci-Hub provides access to nearly all scholarly literature.

PubMed

Himmelstein, Daniel S; Romero, Ariel Rodriguez; Levernier, Jacob G; Munro, Thomas Anthony; McLaughlin, Stephen Reid; Greshake Tzovaras, Bastian; Greene, Casey S

2018-03-01

The website Sci-Hub enables users to download PDF versions of scholarly articles, including many articles that are paywalled at their journal's site. Sci-Hub has grown rapidly since its creation in 2011, but the extent of its coverage has been unclear. Here we report that, as of March 2017, Sci-Hub's database contains 68.9% of the 81.6 million scholarly articles registered with Crossref and 85.1% of articles published in toll access journals. We find that coverage varies by discipline and publisher, and that Sci-Hub preferentially covers popular, paywalled content. For toll access articles, we find that Sci-Hub provides greater coverage than the University of Pennsylvania, a major research university in the United States. Green open access to toll access articles via licit services, on the other hand, remains quite limited. Our interactive browser at https://greenelab.github.io/scihub allows users to explore these findings in more detail. For the first time, nearly all scholarly literature is available gratis to anyone with an Internet connection, suggesting the toll access business model may become unsustainable. © 2018, Himmelstein et al.

Link Connectivity and Coverage of Underwater Cognitive Acoustic Networks under Spectrum Constraint

PubMed Central

Wang, Qiu; Cheang, Chak Fong

2017-01-01

Extensive attention has been given to the use of cognitive radio technology in underwater acoustic networks since the acoustic spectrum became scarce due to the proliferation of human aquatic activities. Most of the recent studies on underwater cognitive acoustic networks (UCANs) mainly focus on spectrum management or protocol design. Few efforts have addressed the quality-of-service (QoS) of UCANs. In UCANs, secondary users (SUs) have lower priority to use acoustic spectrum than primary users (PUs) with higher priority to access spectrum. As a result, the QoS of SUs is difficult to ensure in UCANs. This paper proposes an analytical model to investigate the link connectivity and the probability of coverage of SUs in UCANs. In particular, this model takes both topological connectivity and spectrum availability into account, though spectrum availability has been ignored in most recent studies. We conduct extensive simulations to evaluate the effectiveness and the accuracy of our proposed model. Simulation results show that our proposed model is quite accurate. Besides, our results also imply that the link connectivity and the probability of coverage of SUs heavily depend on both the underwater acoustic channel conditions and the activities of PUs. PMID:29215561

The influence of weather on health-related help-seeking behavior of senior citizens in Hong Kong.

PubMed

Wong, Ho Ting; Chiu, Marcus Yu Lung; Wu, Cynthia Sau Ting; Lee, Tsz Cheung

2015-03-01

It is believed that extreme hot and cold weather has a negative impact on general health conditions. Much research focuses on mortality, but there is relatively little community health research. This study is aimed at identifying high-risk groups who are sensitive to extreme weather conditions, in particular, very hot and cold days, through an analysis of the health-related help-seeking patterns of over 60,000 Personal Emergency Link (PE-link) users in Hong Kong relative to weather conditions. In the study, 1,659,716 PE-link calls to the help center were analyzed. Results showed that females, older elderly, people who did not live alone, non-subsidized (relatively high-income) users, and those without medical histories of heart disease, hypertension, stroke, and diabetes were more sensitive to extreme weather condition. The results suggest that using official government weather forecast reports to predict health-related help-seeking behavior is feasible. An evidence-based strategic plan could be formulated by using a method similar to that used in this study to identify high-risk groups. Preventive measures could be established for protecting the target groups when extreme weather conditions are forecasted.

The Laser Communications Relay Demonstration Experiment Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Israel, Dave

2017-01-01

This paper elaborates on the Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD) Experiment Program, which will engage in a number of pre-determined experiments and also call upon a wide variety of experimenters to test new laser communications technology and techniques, and to gather valuable data. LCRD is a joint project between NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lincoln Laboratory (MIT LL). LCRD will test the functionality in various settings and scenarios of optical communications links from a GEO payload to ground stations in Southern California and Hawaii over a two-year period following launch in 2019. The LCRD investigator team will execute numerous experiments to test critical aspects of laser communications activities over real links and systems, collecting data on the effects of atmospheric turbulence and weather on performance and communications availability. LCRD will also incorporate emulations of target scenarios, including direct-to-Earth (DTE) links from user spacecraft and optical relay providers supporting user spacecraft. To supplement and expand upon the results of these experiments, the project also includes a Guest Experimenters Program, which encourages individuals and groups from government agencies, academia and industry to propose diverse experiment ideas.

The influence of weather on health-related help-seeking behavior of senior citizens in Hong Kong

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wong, Ho Ting; Chiu, Marcus Yu Lung; Wu, Cynthia Sau Ting; Lee, Tsz Cheung

2015-03-01

It is believed that extreme hot and cold weather has a negative impact on general health conditions. Much research focuses on mortality, but there is relatively little community health research. This study is aimed at identifying high-risk groups who are sensitive to extreme weather conditions, in particular, very hot and cold days, through an analysis of the health-related help-seeking patterns of over 60,000 Personal Emergency Link (PE-link) users in Hong Kong relative to weather conditions. In the study, 1,659,716 PE-link calls to the help center were analyzed. Results showed that females, older elderly, people who did not live alone, non-subsidized (relatively high-income) users, and those without medical histories of heart disease, hypertension, stroke, and diabetes were more sensitive to extreme weather condition. The results suggest that using official government weather forecast reports to predict health-related help-seeking behavior is feasible. An evidence-based strategic plan could be formulated by using a method similar to that used in this study to identify high-risk groups. Preventive measures could be established for protecting the target groups when extreme weather conditions are forecasted.

The Laser Communications Relay Demonstration Experiment Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Israel, David J.; Edwards, Bernard L.; Moores, John D.; Piazzolla, Sabino; Merritt, Scott

2017-01-01

This paper elaborates on the Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD) Experiment Program, which will engage in a number of pre-determined experiments and also call upon a wide variety of experimenters to test new laser communications technology and techniques, and to gather valuable data. LCRD is a joint project between NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lincoln Laboratory (MIT LL). LCRD will test the functionality in various settings and scenarios of optical communications links from a GEO (Geosynchronous Earth Orbit) payload to ground stations in Southern California and Hawaii over a two-year period following launch in 2019. The LCRD investigator team will execute numerous experiments to test critical aspects of laser communications activities over real links and systems, collecting data on the effects of atmospheric turbulence and weather on performance and communications availability. LCRD will also incorporate emulations of target scenarios, including direct-to-Earth (DTE) links from user spacecraft and optical relay providers supporting user spacecraft. To supplement and expand upon the results of these experiments, the project also includes a Guest Experimenters Program, which encourages individuals and groups from government agencies, academia and industry to propose diverse experiment ideas.

Crack free concrete made with nanofiber reinforcement

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-05-10

The aviation community has recently expressed significant interest in a broadcast mode of data link services. A broadcast mode of delivery is well suited for applications of a general interest to many users and for applications that require periodic ...

A LANGUAGE FOR MODULAR SPATIO-TEMPORAL SIMULATION (R824766)

EPA Science Inventory

Creating an effective environment for collaborative spatio-temporal model development will require computational systems that provide support for the user in three key areas: (1) Support for modular, hierarchical model construction and archiving/linking of simulation modules; (2)...

76 FR 54748 - Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-519); Comment Request; Submitted for OMB Review

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-02

... . All comments may be viewed, printed or downloaded remotely via the Internet through FERC's homepage using the ``eLibrary'' link. For user assistance, contact [email protected] or toll-free at...

Discovering DISCOVER

DTIC Science & Technology

1997-10-01

used to establish associations between source code and Adobe FrameMaker documents. The associations are represented as links that facilitate...possible (such as that provided with FrameMaker ). There is no scripting interface that would enable end-user programming of its modules. The suite of

Ps and Cs of PCs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Raitt, David I.

1987-01-01

Considers pros and cons of using personal computers or microcomputers in a library and information setting. Highlights include discussions about the physical environment, security, effects on users, costs in terms of time and money, micro-mainframe links, and standardization considerations. (Author/LRW)

Nonlinear road pricing for congestion and the environment.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-03-30

Under nonlinear road pricing (or tolling), the price charged is not strictly proportional to the distance travelled inside a tolling area, the generalized travel cost is not link-wise additive, and finding a user equilibrium distribution is typically...

Development of the FITS tools package for multiple software environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pence, W. D.; Blackburn, J. K.

1992-01-01

The HEASARC is developing a package of general purpose software for analyzing data files in FITS format. This paper describes the design philosophy which makes the software both machine-independent (it runs on VAXs, Suns, and DEC-stations) and software environment-independent. Currently the software can be compiled and linked to produce IRAF tasks, or alternatively, the same source code can be used to generate stand-alone tasks using one of two implementations of a user-parameter interface library. The machine independence of the software is achieved by writing the source code in ANSI standard Fortran or C, using the machine-independent FITSIO subroutine interface for all data file I/O, and using a standard user-parameter subroutine interface for all user I/O. The latter interface is based on the Fortran IRAF Parameter File interface developed at STScI. The IRAF tasks are built by linking to the IRAF implementation of this parameter interface library. Two other implementations of this parameter interface library, which have no IRAF dependencies, are now available which can be used to generate stand-alone executable tasks. These stand-alone tasks can simply be executed from the machine operating system prompt either by supplying all the task parameters on the command line or by entering the task name after which the user will be prompted for any required parameters. A first release of this FTOOLS package is now publicly available. The currently available tasks are described, along with instructions on how to obtain a copy of the software.

The Arctic Research Mapping Application (ARMAP): a Geoportal for Visualizing Project-level Information About U.S. Funded Research in the Arctic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kassin, A.; Cody, R. P.; Barba, M.; Gaylord, A. G.; Manley, W. F.; Score, R.; Escarzaga, S. M.; Tweedie, C. E.

2016-12-01

The Arctic Research Mapping Application (ARMAP; http://armap.org/) is a suite of online applications and data services that support Arctic science by providing project tracking information (who's doing what, when and where in the region) for United States Government funded projects. In collaboration with 17 research agencies, project locations are displayed in a visually enhanced web mapping application. Key information about each project is presented along with links to web pages that provide additional information, including links to data where possible. The latest ARMAP iteration has i) reworked the search user interface (UI) to enable multiple filters to be applied in user-driven queries and ii) implemented ArcGIS Javascript API 4.0 to allow for deployment of 3D maps directly into a users web-browser and enhanced customization of popups. Module additions include i) a dashboard UI powered by a back-end Apache SOLR engine to visualize data in intuitive and interactive charts; and ii) a printing module that allows users to customize maps and export these to different formats (pdf, ppt, gif and jpg). New reference layers and an updated ship tracks layer have also been added. These improvements have been made to improve discoverability, enhance logistics coordination, identify geographic gaps in research/observation effort, and foster enhanced collaboration among the research community. Additionally, ARMAP can be used to demonstrate past, present, and future research effort supported by the U.S. Government.

A Comparison of Mobile and Fixed Device Access on User Engagement Associated With Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Online Nutrition Education.

PubMed

Brusk, John J; Bensley, Robert J

2016-11-15

Online health education has expanded its reach due to cost-effective implementation and demonstrated effectiveness. However, a limitation exists with the evaluation of online health education implementations and how the impact of the system is attenuated by the extent to which a user engages with it. Moreover, the current online health education research does not consider how this engagement has been affected by the transition from fixed to mobile user access over the last decade. This paper focuses on comparing the impact mobile versus fixed devices have on user engagement key performance indicators (KPI) associated with the wichealth website (.org), an Internet-based parent-child feeding intervention offered to clients associated with the US Department of Agriculture's Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). Data were collected from 612,201 nutrition education lessons completed by 305,735 unique WIC participants in 21 states over a 1-year period. Data consisted of system-collected measures, profile items, and items from an exit survey administered at the conclusion of each lesson. User engagement was defined based on 3 KPIs associated with usage of the wichealth website: number of link views, link view time, and progression in stage of readiness to change. Independent samples t tests were used to compare KPIs between fixed only and mobile only device users and paired samples t tests were used to compare KPIs within users who completed at least one lesson each on both a fixed and mobile device. A logistic regression was performed to estimate the odds of KPI performance thresholds in the independent samples study group given access device type while controlling for confounding of user characteristics associated with these KPIs. Analysis of 8 user characteristics (lessons completed, race, ethnicity, language, state of residence, pregnancy status, beginning stage of change, and preferred nutrition education method) were significantly (P<.001) related to various KPI differences between mobile and fixed device access. Non-mobile users were significantly (P<.001) more likely to engage based on all 3 KPIs, even after logistic regression control for the potential confounding related to the strongly associated user characteristics identified. The findings of this study support the idea that online health education developers need to seriously consider access device when creating programs. Online health education developers need to take extra effort to truly understand access patterns of populations being served, and whether or not access device will influence user engagement performance indicators. ©John J Brusk, Robert J Bensley. Originally published in JMIR Research Protocols (http://www.researchprotocols.org), 15.11.2016.

Mining Missing Hyperlinks from Human Navigation Traces: A Case Study of Wikipedia.

PubMed

West, Robert; Paranjape, Ashwin; Leskovec, Jure

Hyperlinks are an essential feature of the World Wide Web. They are especially important for online encyclopedias such as Wikipedia: an article can often only be understood in the context of related articles, and hyperlinks make it easy to explore this context. But important links are often missing, and several methods have been proposed to alleviate this problem by learning a linking model based on the structure of the existing links. Here we propose a novel approach to identifying missing links in Wikipedia. We build on the fact that the ultimate purpose of Wikipedia links is to aid navigation. Rather than merely suggesting new links that are in tune with the structure of existing links, our method finds missing links that would immediately enhance Wikipedia's navigability. We leverage data sets of navigation paths collected through a Wikipedia-based human-computation game in which users must find a short path from a start to a target article by only clicking links encountered along the way. We harness human navigational traces to identify a set of candidates for missing links and then rank these candidates. Experiments show that our procedure identifies missing links of high quality.

Mining Missing Hyperlinks from Human Navigation Traces: A Case Study of Wikipedia

PubMed Central

West, Robert; Paranjape, Ashwin; Leskovec, Jure

2015-01-01

Hyperlinks are an essential feature of the World Wide Web. They are especially important for online encyclopedias such as Wikipedia: an article can often only be understood in the context of related articles, and hyperlinks make it easy to explore this context. But important links are often missing, and several methods have been proposed to alleviate this problem by learning a linking model based on the structure of the existing links. Here we propose a novel approach to identifying missing links in Wikipedia. We build on the fact that the ultimate purpose of Wikipedia links is to aid navigation. Rather than merely suggesting new links that are in tune with the structure of existing links, our method finds missing links that would immediately enhance Wikipedia's navigability. We leverage data sets of navigation paths collected through a Wikipedia-based human-computation game in which users must find a short path from a start to a target article by only clicking links encountered along the way. We harness human navigational traces to identify a set of candidates for missing links and then rank these candidates. Experiments show that our procedure identifies missing links of high quality. PMID:26634229

Directing the public to evidence-based online content

PubMed Central

Cooper, Crystale Purvis; Gelb, Cynthia A; Vaughn, Alexandra N; Smuland, Jenny; Hughes, Alexandra G; Hawkins, Nikki A

2015-01-01

To direct online users searching for gynecologic cancer information to accurate content, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) ‘Inside Knowledge: Get the Facts About Gynecologic Cancer’ campaign sponsored search engine advertisements in English and Spanish. From June 2012 to August 2013, advertisements appeared when US Google users entered search terms related to gynecologic cancer. Users who clicked on the advertisements were directed to relevant content on the CDC website. Compared with the 3 months before the initiative (March–May 2012), visits to the CDC web pages linked to the advertisements were 26 times higher after the initiative began (June–August 2012) (p<0.01), and 65 times higher when the search engine advertisements were supplemented with promotion on television and additional websites (September 2012–August 2013) (p<0.01). Search engine advertisements can direct users to evidence-based content at a highly teachable moment—when they are seeking relevant information. PMID:25053580

Stigma and prejudice: the experience of crack users.

PubMed

Bard, Nathália Duarte; Antunes, Beatriz; Roos, Cristine Moraes; Olschowsky, Agnes; de Pinho, Leandro Barbosa

2016-01-01

to evaluate the stigma and prejudice experienced by crack users in their social context. a qualitative study developed through the Fourth Generation Evaluation, conducted with four interest groups (ten users, eleven families, eight employees, and seven managers), components of the mental health care network. For data collection, we used observation and individual interview. The analysis was performed through the constant comparative method. crack users suffer prejudice and are stigmatized as those who do not fit in the systems established by society (without family links, formal employment and dwelling), and are thus excluded. They exhibit undisciplined behavior and, therefore, are discriminated, marginalized and considered as criminals, losing their uniqueness and living in vulnerable situations. the evaluation process emphasized the need to demystify the social imaginary that demonizes the chemically dependent, being thus important to develop public policies with actions focused on health, prevention, information and combat to stigma.

Metabolic Pathways and Networks Associated with Tobacco Use in Military Personnel

PubMed Central

Jones, Dean P.; Walker, Douglas I.; Uppal, Karan; Rohrbeck, Patricia; Mallon, Timothy M.; Go, Young-Mi

2016-01-01

Objective Use high-resolution metabolomics (HRM) to identify metabolic pathways and networks associated with tobacco use in military personnel. Methods Four hundred de-identified samples obtained from the Department of Defense Serum Repository were classified as tobacco users or non-users according to cotinine content. HRM and bioinformatic methods were used to determine pathways and networks associated with classification. Results Eighty individuals were classified as tobacco users compared to 320 non-users based on cotinine levels ≥10 ng/mL. Alterations in lipid and xenobiotic metabolism, and diverse effects on amino acid, sialic acid and purine and pyrimidine metabolism were observed. Importantly, network analysis showed broad effects on metabolic associations not simply linked to well-defined pathways. Conclusions Tobacco use has complex metabolic effects which must be considered in evaluation of deployment-associated environmental exposures in military personnel. PMID:27501098

Understanding user needs for carbon monitoring information

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duren, R. M.; Macauley, M.; Gurney, K. R.; Saatchi, S. S.; Woodall, C. W.; Larsen, K.; Reidmiller, D.; Hockstad, L.; Weitz, M.; Croes, B.; Down, A.; West, T.; Mercury, M.

2015-12-01

The objectives of the Understanding User Needs project for NASA's Carbon Monitoring System (CMS) program are to: 1) engage the user community and identify needs for policy-relevant carbon monitoring information, 2) evaluate current and planned CMS data products with regard to their value for decision making, and 3) explore alternative methods for visualizing and communicating carbon monitoring information and associated uncertainties to decision makers and other stakeholders. To meet these objectives and help establish a sustained link between science and decision-making we have established a multi-disciplinary team that combines expertise in carbon-cycle science, engineering, economics, and carbon management and policy. We will present preliminary findings regarding emerging themes and needs for carbon information that may warrant increased attention by the science community. We will also demonstrate a new web-based tool that offers a common framework for facilitating user evaluation of carbon data products from multiple CMS projects.

User satisfaction with realtime teleneurology.

PubMed

Craig, J; Russell, C; Patterson, V; Wootton, R

1999-01-01

User satisfaction (i.e. that of patients, medical staff at a remote hospital and medical staff at a neurological centre) with realtime teleneurology consultations was studied prospectively. Twenty-five patients with neurological problems admitted to a hospital without permanent neurological cover were assessed from a neurological centre by specialist neurologists using realtime video-links transmitting at 384 kbit/s. All users reported high levels of satisfaction with the technical aspects of the consultations. Patients, almost universally, reported confidence in teleneurology as a means of dealing with their presenting complaints. Similarly, medical staff at either site felt confident in managing patients using teleneurology and almost always felt that a telephone consultation would not have achieved as good an outcome. No major organizational problems were identified. These findings suggest overall user satisfaction with realtime teleneurology for managing patients with neurological problems admitted to hospitals that do not have resident neurologists.

User modeling techniques as support in the clinical decision-making process.

PubMed

Ferri, F

1995-01-01

This paper describes research work on the design and creation of a medical folder management system capable of establishing co-operative dialogue with users who have access to the information contained therein. The research work has addressed the problem of integrating into the system knowledge about the medical domain and that about users, both necessary to activate co-operative dialogue. The CADMIO [2] prototype has been developed since the study was made. The last version of the CADMIO system stores information about users for the use in recognizing and interpreting their behavior, providing help, and in acquiring and returning further information. Depending on this information the system retrieves and shows the data of the medical folder in an intelligent way by highlighting links between data. It simplifies and increases the speed of the interaction by focusing on the data useful to the decisional activity of the physician.

User data dissemination concepts for earth resources

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davies, R.; Scott, M.; Mitchell, C.; Torbett, A.

1976-01-01

Domestic data dissemination networks for earth-resources data in the 1985-1995 time frame were evaluated. The following topics were addressed: (1) earth-resources data sources and expected data volumes, (2) future user demand in terms of data volume and timeliness, (3) space-to-space and earth point-to-point transmission link requirements and implementation, (4) preprocessing requirements and implementation, (5) network costs, and (6) technological development to support this implementation. This study was parametric in that the data input (supply) was varied by a factor of about fifteen while the user request (demand) was varied by a factor of about nineteen. Correspondingly, the time from observation to delivery to the user was varied. This parametric evaluation was performed by a computer simulation that was based on network alternatives and resulted in preliminary transmission and preprocessing requirements. The earth-resource data sources considered were: shuttle sorties, synchronous satellites (e.g., SEOS), aircraft, and satellites in polar orbits.

Linking a research register to clinical records in older adults' mental health services: a mixed-methods study.

PubMed

Robotham, Dan; Evans, Joanne; Watson, Andrew; Perdue, Iain; Craig, Thomas; Rose, Diana; Wykes, Til

2015-01-01

Patients can provide consent to have their clinical records linked to a research register, a process known as consent for contact (C4C). There is evidence about how to engage people with mental illness in C4C, but nothing specific to older adults. This is a priority area for research (for example, dementia trials), although sign-up rates to C4C are lower than for younger populations. Through this study we seek to understand these disparities. This was a two-stage cross-sectional observational study. In phase one, focus groups with service users, carers and clinicians informed a framework for clinicians to explain C4C to those on their caseload. In phase two, clinicians explained C4C to 26 service users (and carers where applicable). These conversations were recorded, and their content was analysed. Service users and carers were then interviewed to provide further feedback on their conversations with clinicians. A total of 31 service users, 24 carers and 13 clinical staff took part across the two phases. In phase one, service users and carers sought assurance of the right to refuse participation in further studies (after joining C4C). Clinicians expressed concerns over legal and practical implications of ascertaining mental capacity and best interest. In phase two, clinicians' explanations were less thorough than similar explanations given to younger adults with psychosis. Clinicians omitted details of service users' right to stipulate contact arrangements, which was significantly associated with whether service users/carers agreed to join. Common reasons for joining C4C included altruism and the chance to speak to new people. Few participants refused to join, but reasons included avoidance of stress (potentially alleviated through the presence of a carer). Implementing C4C in older adults' services requires clinicians to deliver concise, simple explanations to individuals and their carers where applicable. Older adults can be suspicious of unsolicited contact; thus, explanations must emphasise freedom to negotiate suitable contact arrangements. Hearing about research opportunities can be in the best interests of older adults, but communicating these opportunities requires a tailored approach.

A new service support tool for COSMO-SkyMed: civil user coordination service and civil request management optimization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daraio, M. G.; Battagliere, M. L.; Sacco, P.; Fasano, L.; Coletta, A.

2015-10-01

COSMO-SkyMed is a dual-use program for both civilian and defense provides user community (institutional and commercial) with SAR data in several environmental applications. In the context of COSMO-SkyMed data and User management, one of the aspects carefully monitored is the user satisfaction level, it is links to satisfaction of submitted user requests. The operational experience of the first years of operational phase, and the consequent lessons learnt by the COSMO-SkyMed data and user management, have demonstrated that a lot of acquisition rejections are due to conflicts (time conflicts or system conflicts) among two or more civilian user requests, and they can be managed and solved implementing an improved coordination of users and their requests on a daily basis. With this aim a new Service Support Tool (SST) has been designed and developed to support the operators in the User Request coordination. The Tool allow to analyze conflicts among Acquisition Requests (ARs) before the National Rankization phase and to elaborate proposals for conflict resolution. In this paper the most common causes of the occurred rejections will be showed, for example as the impossibility to aggregate different orders, and the SST functionalities will be described, in particular how it works to remove or minimize the conflicts among different orders.

Cognitive Functioning of Adolescent and Young Adult Cannabis Users in the Philadelphia Neurodevelopmental Cohort

PubMed Central

Scott, J. Cobb; Wolf, Daniel H.; Calkins, Monica E.; Bach, Emily C.; Weidner, Jennifer; Ruparel, Kosha; Moore, Tyler M.; Jones, Jason D.; Jackson, Chad T.; Gur, Raquel E.; Gur, Ruben C.

2017-01-01

Cannabis use in youth is rising and has been linked to deficits in cognitive functioning. However, cognitive findings have primarily been based on small samples of users seeking treatment, and few studies have evaluated cognition in occasional cannabis users. Here, we examined 4,568 adolescents and young adults (ages 14–21) drawn from the Philadelphia Neurodevelopmental Cohort, a prospective, population-based study. Participants were classified as cannabis Non-Users (n=3,401), Occasional Users (twice per week or less; n=940), or Frequent Users (>3 times per week; n=227). Mixed-model analyses examined main effects of cannabis use and interactions between age and cannabis use on cognitive functioning. There was a significant interaction between cannabis group and age, such that adolescent (but not young adult) Frequent Users performed worse than Non-Users on measures of executive control (p=0.002). Earlier age of cannabis use was associated with worse performance in executive control in Occasional Users (p=0.04). Unexpectedly, Occasional Users exhibited better executive control, memory, and social cognition than Non-Users (ps<.05). Although mild executive control deficits in adolescent frequent users and a relation between early cannabis initiation and cognitive performance are partially consistent with prior research, cognitive deficits were not found in other hypothesized domains in this community-based sample. Moreover, occasional cannabis users displayed equivalent or even slightly better executive control, social cognitive, and memory abilities compared to non-users, suggesting complex relationships between cannabis use and cognition in youth. Longitudinal studies with community samples are needed to identify variables affecting risk and resilience to cognitive deficits associated with cannabis. PMID:28414475

Blue-yellow colour vision impairment and cognitive deficits in occasional and dependent stimulant users.

PubMed

Hulka, Lea M; Wagner, Michael; Preller, Katrin H; Jenni, Daniela; Quednow, Boris B

2013-04-01

Specific blue-yellow colour vision impairment has been reported in dependent cocaine users and it was postulated that drug-induced changes in retinal dopamine neurotransmission are responsible. However, it is unclear whether these changes are confined to chronic cocaine users, whether they are specific for dopaminergic stimulants such as cocaine and amphetamine and whether they are related to cognitive functions such as working memory, encoding and consolidation. In 47 occasional and 29 dependent cocaine users, 23 MDMA (commonly known as 'ecstasy') users and 47 stimulant-naive controls, colour vision discrimination was measured with the Lanthony Desaturated Panel D-15 Test and memory performance with the Auditory Verbal Learning Test. Both occasional and dependent cocaine users showed higher colour confusion indices than controls. Users of the serotonergic stimulant MDMA (26%), occasional (30%) and dependent cocaine users (34%) exhibited more frequent blue-yellow colour vision disorders compared to controls (9%). Inferior performance of MDMA users was caused by a subgroup with high amphetamine co-use (55%), while MDMA use alone was not associated with decreased blue-yellow discrimination (0%). Cognitive performance was worse in cocaine users with colour vision disorder compared to users and controls with intact colour vision and both colour vision impairment and cognitive deficits were related to cocaine use. Occasional cocaine and amphetamine use might induce blue-yellow colour vision impairment, whereas the serotonergic stimulant MDMA does not impair colour vision. The association between colour vision impairment and cognitive deficits in cocaine users may reflect that retinal and cerebral dopamine alterations are linked to a certain degree.

Data Link Benefits Study: National Sector Survey Update

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1995-06-15

Numerous changes have occurred in the National Airspace System since the spring : of 1994 when data was gathered for the original National Sector Survey, : conducted to gauge the effects of ATC delays on system users. This update : reflects those cha...

Polygons of global undersea features for geographic searches

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hartwell, Stephen R.; Wingfield, Dana K.; Allwardt, Alan O.; Lightsom, Frances L.; Wong, Florence L.

2018-01-01

A shapefile of 311 undersea features from all major oceans and seas has been created as an aid for retrieving georeferenced information resources. Geospatial information systems with the capability to search user-defined, polygonal geographic areas will be able to utilize this shapefile or secondary products derived from it, such as linked data based on well-known text representations of the individual polygons within the shapefile. Version 1.1 of this report also includes a linked data representation of 299 of these features and their spatial extents.

A User’s/Programmer’s Manual for TWAKE.

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-05-06

subroutines sorted according to primary function Inout OutDut Utjiitv Ean. Solve LDDOEL CALORD GETBAT ASSMAT EDATA COMOC LINKI ASMSQ BDINPT DRVBUG LINK2 BANCHO...beginning at the left most node (no. 1) and continuing to the last node in that row (no. 19). IBORD LEFT 2 BOTTOM 2 RIGHT 2 TOP 2 DONE LINKI 2 T call...LINK1 3 T GEOMFL Call SUBROUTINE NODELM again to compute element thickness and area from data calculated in GEOMFL. LINKI 2 T NODELM Call SUBROUTINE

Autonomous Closed-Loop Tasking, Acquisition, Processing, and Evaluation for Situational Awareness Feedback

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Frye, Stuart; Mandl, Dan; Cappelaere, Pat

2016-01-01

This presentation describes the closed loop satellite autonomy methods used to connect users and the assets on Earth Orbiter- 1 (EO-1) and similar satellites. The base layer is a distributed architecture based on Goddard Mission Services Evolution Concept (GMSEC) thus each asset still under independent control. Situational awareness is provided by a middleware layer through common Application Programmer Interface (API) to GMSEC components developed at GSFC. Users setup their own tasking requests, receive views into immediate past acquisitions in their area of interest, and into future feasibilities for acquisition across all assets. Automated notifications via pubsub feeds are returned to users containing published links to image footprints, algorithm results, and full data sets. Theme-based algorithms are available on-demand for processing.

A survey of potential users of the High Altitude Powered Platform (HAPP) in the ocean/coastal zone community

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Escoe, D.; Rigternik, P.

1979-01-01

The results of a survey of the ocean/coastal zone community to determine potential applications of a High Altitude Powered Platform (HAPP) are reported. Such a platform, capable of stationkeeping for periods up to a year over a given location, could make frequent and repeated high resolution observations over a given region or serve as a high-altitude regional communications link. Users were surveyed in person and via a questionnaire to determine the desirability of the HAPP within the ocean/coastal zone community. The results of the survey indicated that there is strong interest in all areas of the user community (research and development, operational agencies, and private industry) in having NASA develop the HAPP.

MueLu User's Guid for Trilinos Version 11.12.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hu, Jonathan Joseph; Prokopenko, Andrey; Wiesner, Tobias A.

This is the official user guide for the M UE L U multigrid library in Trilinos version 11.12. This guide provides an overview of M UE L U , its capabilities, and instructions for new users who want to start using M UE L U with a minimum of effort. Detailed information is given on how to drive M UE L U through its XML interface. Links to more advanced use cases are given. This guide gives information on how to achieve good parallel performance, as well as how to introduce new algorithms. Finally, readers will find a comprehensive listingmore » of available M UE L U options. Any options not documented in this manual should be considered strictly experimental.« less

Baseline practices and user needs for Web dissemination of geotechnical data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Turner, L.L.; Brown, M.P.; Chambers, D.; Davis, C.A.; Diehl, J.; Hitchcock, C.S.; Holzer, T.L.; Nigbor, R.L.; Plumb, C.; Real, C.; Reimer, M.; Steidl, J.H.; Sun, J.I.; Tinsley, J.C.; Vaughn, D.; ,

2004-01-01

This paper presents the findings and recommendations of the User Scenario Work Group (USWG) in identifying a baseline of current practices within the geo-professional community and prioritizing desired functional requirements in the development of a comprehensive geotechnical information management system. This work was conducted as an initial phase of a larger project to demonstrate the effectiveness of a web based virtual data center for the dissemination of geotechnical data from multiple linked databases of various government and private sector organizations. An online survey was administered over the course of several months to practitioners across the nation. The results from the survey were compiled and examined to provide direction to the other project teams in the development of user-driven prototype data system.

The UMLS Knowledge Sources: Tools for Building Better User Interfaces

PubMed Central

Lindberg, Donald A. B.; Humphreys, Betsy L.

1990-01-01

The current focus of the National Library of Medicine's Unified Medical Language System (UMLS) project is the development, testing, and evaluation of the first versions of three new knowledge sources: the Metathesaurus, the Semantic Network, and the Information Sources Map. These three knowledge sources can be used by interface programs to conduct an intelligent interaction with the user and to make the conceptual link between the user's question and relevant machine-readable information. NLM is providing experimental copies of the initial versions of the UMLS knowledge sources in exchange for feedback on ways they can and should be improved. The hope is that the results of such experimentation will provide both immediate improvements in biomedical information service and useful suggestions for enhancements to the UMLS.

NBS (National Bureau of Standards) calibration services users guide: Fee schedule

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1987-04-01

The physical measurement services of the National Bureau of Standards are designed to help the makers and users of precision instruments achieve the highest possible levels of measurement quality and productivity. The hundreds of individual services found listed in the Fee Schedule constitute the highest-order calibration services available in the United States. These services directly link a customer's precision equipment or transfer standards to national measurement standards. These services are offered to public and private organizations and individuals alike. The Fee Schedule is a supplement to NBS Special Publication 250, Calibration Services Users Guide. These documents are designed to make the task of selecting and ordering an appropriate calibration service as quick and easy as possible.

Study of a tracking and data acquisition system for the 1990's. Volume 3: TDAS Communication Mission Model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mccreary, T.

1983-01-01

A parametric description of the communication channels required between the user spacecraft to be supported and the user ground data systems is developed. Scenarios of mission models, which reflect a range of free flyers vs space platform usage as well as levels of NASA activity and potential support for military missions, and potential channel requirements which identify: (1) bounds on TDAS forward and return link data communication demand, and (2) the additional demand for providing navigation/tracking support are covered.

Using the structure-function linkage database to characterize functional domains in enzymes.

PubMed

Brown, Shoshana; Babbitt, Patricia

2014-12-12

The Structure-Function Linkage Database (SFLD; http://sfld.rbvi.ucsf.edu/) is a Web-accessible database designed to link enzyme sequence, structure, and functional information. This unit describes the protocols by which a user may query the database to predict the function of uncharacterized enzymes and to correct misannotated functional assignments. The information in this unit is especially useful in helping a user discriminate functional capabilities of a sequence that is only distantly related to characterized sequences in publicly available databases. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

EARS: Electronic Access to Reference Service.

PubMed Central

Weise, F O; Borgendale, M

1986-01-01

Electronic Access to Reference Service (EARS) is a front end to the Health Sciences Library's electronic mail system, with links to the online public catalog. EARS, which became operational in September 1984, is accessed by users at remote sites with either a terminal or microcomputer. It is menu-driven, allowing users to request: a computerized literature search, reference information, a photocopy of a journal article, or a book. This paper traces the history of EARS and discusses its use, its impact on library staff and services, and factors that influence the diffusion of new technology. PMID:3779167

Computational tools for multi-linked flexible structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Gordon K. F.; Brubaker, Thomas A.; Shults, James R.

1990-01-01

A software module which designs and tests controllers and filters in Kalman Estimator form, based on a polynomial state-space model is discussed. The user-friendly program employs an interactive graphics approach to simplify the design process. A variety of input methods are provided to test the effectiveness of the estimator. Utilities are provided which address important issues in filter design such as graphical analysis, statistical analysis, and calculation time. The program also provides the user with the ability to save filter parameters, inputs, and outputs for future use.

EARS: Electronic Access to Reference Service.

PubMed

Weise, F O; Borgendale, M

1986-10-01

Electronic Access to Reference Service (EARS) is a front end to the Health Sciences Library's electronic mail system, with links to the online public catalog. EARS, which became operational in September 1984, is accessed by users at remote sites with either a terminal or microcomputer. It is menu-driven, allowing users to request: a computerized literature search, reference information, a photocopy of a journal article, or a book. This paper traces the history of EARS and discusses its use, its impact on library staff and services, and factors that influence the diffusion of new technology.

Moving Controlled Vocabularies into the Semantic Web

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomas, R.; Lowry, R. K.; Kokkinaki, A.

2015-12-01

One of the issues with legacy oceanographic data formats is that the only tool available for describing what a measurement is and how it was made is a single metadata tag known as the parameter code. The British Oceanographic Data Centre (BODC) has been supporting the international oceanographic community gain maximum benefit from this through a controlled vocabulary known as the BODC Parameter Usage Vocabulary (PUV). Over time this has grown to over 34,000 entries some of which have preferred labels with over 400 bytes of descriptive information detailing what was measured and how. A decade ago the BODC pioneered making this information available in a more useful form with the implementation of a prototype vocabulary server (NVS) that referenced each 'parameter code' as a URL. This developed into the current server (NVS V2) in which the parameter URL resolves into an RDF document based on the SKOS data model which includes a list of resource URLs mapped to the 'parameter'. For example the parameter code for a contaminant in biota, such as 'cadmium in Mytilus edulis', carries RDF triples leading to the entry for Mytilus edulis in the WoRMS and for cadmium in the ChEBI ontologies. By providing links into these external ontologies the information captured in a 1980s parameter code now conforms to the Linked Data paradigm of the Semantic Web, vastly increasing the descriptive information accessible to a user. This presentation will describe the next steps along the road to the Semantic Web with the development of a SPARQL end point1 to expose the PUV plus the 190 other controlled vocabularies held in NVS. Whilst this is ideal for those fluent in SPARQL, most users require something a little more user-friendly and so the NVS browser2 was developed over the end point to allow less technical users to query the vocabularies and navigate the NVS ontology. This tool integrates into an editor that allows vocabulary content to be manipulated by authorised users outside BODC. Having placed Linked Data tooling over a single SPARQL end point the obvious future development for this system is to support semantic interoperability outside NVS by the incorporation of federated SPARQL end points in the USA and Australia during the ODIP II project. 1https://vocab.nerc.ac.uk/sparql 2 https://www.bodc.ac.uk/data/codes_and_formats/vocabulary_search/

Flight tests show potential benefits of data link as primary communication medium

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Scanlon, Charles H.; Knox, Charles E.

1991-01-01

Message exchange for air traffic control (ATC) purposes via data link offers the potential benefits of increasing the airspace system safety and efficiency. This is accomplished by reducing communication errors and relieving the overloaded ATC radio frequencies, which hamper efficient message exchanges during peak traffic periods in many busy terminal areas. However, the many uses and advantages of data link create additional questions concerning the interface among the human-users and the cockpit and ground systems. A flight test was conducted in the NASA Langley B-737 airplane to contrast flight operations using current voice communications with the use of data link for transmitting both strategic and tactical ATC clearances during a typical commercial airline flight from takeoff to landing. Commercial airplane pilots were used as test subjects.

User Interaction with the CNPC Link

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hobbs, Alan; Lyall, Elizabeth A.

2014-01-01

As part of NASAs UAS in the NAS project, human factor guidelines are being developed for the ground control station of unmanned aircraft systems. A critical task for the pilot of a UAS is the management and control of the terrestrial radio links used to provide control of the vehicle and relay communications with air traffic control. An analysis of the task of the UAS pilot has been conducted to identify areas where guidelines are required. This analysis has identified a set of information requirements that must be supported by the radio equipment used to provide Control and Non-payload Communication (CNPC). Key requirements include the need for an alert when the link is lost, information on the current quality and latency of the link, and information to enable the future quality of the link to be anticipated as the aircraft changes location. These identified requirements can assist in the development of minimum operational performance standards for CNPC equipment.