Distance Learning and the Web: Are Advertising Programs Missing the Target?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Falk, Louis K.; Rehman, Sharaf; Foster, Dawn

1999-01-01

Discusses survey results that examined whether distance education programs at universities offering courses in advertising and/or public relations make use of the Internet/Web pages to inform potential students about courses taught via distance education. The survey and list of Association of Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC)…

International distance-learning outreach: the APEC EINet experience.

PubMed

Kimball, A M; Shih, L; Brown, J; Harris, T G; Pautler, N; Jamieson, R W; Bolles, J; Horwitch, C

2003-01-01

The Emerging Infections Network is a mature electronic network that links Public Health professionals in the Asia Pacific through regular e-mail bulletins and an extensive Web site (http://www.apec.org/infectious). Emerging infections is a new area of study; learning materials help foster education. Our objective is to quantify the response of the network to the introduction of distance-learning materials on the Web site. Distance-learning materials, developed by the University of Washington School of Public Health, were field tested and launched on the site. Publicity was carried out prior to the launch of the materials. Access was tracked prospectively using server counts of page downloads. Web access increased substantially during the month after the materials were launched, especially among Asia based computers. The effect was isolated to the distance-learning pages, and not general to the site. This Web site appears to be responsive to the advertisement and to the materials. Prospective Web-site monitoring proved useful. Copyright 2002 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.

Pioneering a web-Based Museum in Taiwan: Design and Implementation of Lifelong Distance Learning of Science Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Young, Shelley Shwu-Ching; Huang, Yi-Long; Jang, Jyh-Shing Roger

2000-01-01

Describes the development and implementation process of a Web-based science museum in Taiwan. Topics include use of the Internet; lifelong distance learning; museums and the Internet; objectives of the science museum; funding; categories of exhibitions; analysis of Web users; homepage characteristics; graphics and the effect on speed; and future…

Small-mammal density estimation: A field comparison of grid-based vs. web-based density estimators

USGS Publications Warehouse

Parmenter, R.R.; Yates, Terry L.; Anderson, D.R.; Burnham, K.P.; Dunnum, J.L.; Franklin, A.B.; Friggens, M.T.; Lubow, B.C.; Miller, M.; Olson, G.S.; Parmenter, Cheryl A.; Pollard, J.; Rexstad, E.; Shenk, T.M.; Stanley, T.R.; White, Gary C.

2003-01-01

Statistical models for estimating absolute densities of field populations of animals have been widely used over the last century in both scientific studies and wildlife management programs. To date, two general classes of density estimation models have been developed: models that use data sets from capture–recapture or removal sampling techniques (often derived from trapping grids) from which separate estimates of population size (NÌ‚) and effective sampling area (AÌ‚) are used to calculate density (DÌ‚ = NÌ‚/AÌ‚); and models applicable to sampling regimes using distance-sampling theory (typically transect lines or trapping webs) to estimate detection functions and densities directly from the distance data. However, few studies have evaluated these respective models for accuracy, precision, and bias on known field populations, and no studies have been conducted that compare the two approaches under controlled field conditions. In this study, we evaluated both classes of density estimators on known densities of enclosed rodent populations. Test data sets (n = 11) were developed using nine rodent species from capture–recapture live-trapping on both trapping grids and trapping webs in four replicate 4.2-ha enclosures on the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge in central New Mexico, USA. Additional “saturation” trapping efforts resulted in an enumeration of the rodent populations in each enclosure, allowing the computation of true densities. Density estimates (DÌ‚) were calculated using program CAPTURE for the grid data sets and program DISTANCE for the web data sets, and these results were compared to the known true densities (D) to evaluate each model's relative mean square error, accuracy, precision, and bias. In addition, we evaluated a variety of approaches to each data set's analysis by having a group of independent expert analysts calculate their best density estimates without a priori knowledge of the true densities; this “blind” test allowed us to evaluate the influence of expertise and experience in calculating density estimates in comparison to simply using default values in programs CAPTURE and DISTANCE. While the rodent sample sizes were considerably smaller than the recommended minimum for good model results, we found that several models performed well empirically, including the web-based uniform and half-normal models in program DISTANCE, and the grid-based models Mb and Mbh in program CAPTURE (with AÌ‚ adjusted by species-specific full mean maximum distance moved (MMDM) values). These models produced accurate DÌ‚ values (with 95% confidence intervals that included the true D values) and exhibited acceptable bias but poor precision. However, in linear regression analyses comparing each model's DÌ‚ values to the true D values over the range of observed test densities, only the web-based uniform model exhibited a regression slope near 1.0; all other models showed substantial slope deviations, indicating biased estimates at higher or lower density values. In addition, the grid-based DÌ‚ analyses using full MMDM values for WÌ‚ area adjustments required a number of theoretical assumptions of uncertain validity, and we therefore viewed their empirical successes with caution. Finally, density estimates from the independent analysts were highly variable, but estimates from web-based approaches had smaller mean square errors and better achieved confidence-interval coverage of D than did grid-based approaches. Our results support the contention that web-based approaches for density estimation of small-mammal populations are both theoretically and empirically superior to grid-based approaches, even when sample size is far less than often recommended. In view of the increasing need for standardized environmental measures for comparisons among ecosystems and through time, analytical models based on distance sampling appear to offer accurate density estimation approaches for research studies involving small-mammal abundances.

Cognitive Style and Self-Efficacy: Predicting Student Success in Online Distance Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeTure, Monica

2004-01-01

This study was designed to identify those learner attributes that may be used to predict student success (in terms of grade point average) in a Web-based distance education setting. Students enrolled in six Web-based, general education distance education courses at a community college were asked to complete the Group Embedded Figures Test for…

Empirical Investigation into Motives for Choosing Web-Based Distance Learning Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alkhattabi, Mona

2016-01-01

Today, in association with rapid social and economic changes, there is an increasing level of demand for distance and online learning programs. This study will focus on identifying the main motivational factors for choosing a web-based distance-learning program. Moreover, it will investigate how these factors relate to age, gender, marital status…

Software Agents to Assist in Distance Learning Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Choy, Sheung-On; Ng, Sin-Chun; Tsang, Yiu-Chung

2005-01-01

The Open University of Hong Kong (OUHK) is a distance education university with about 22,500 students. In fulfilling its mission, the university has adopted various Web-based and electronic means to support distance learning. For instance, OUHK uses a Web-based course management system (CMS) to provide students with a flexible way to obtain course…

Determination of Critical Achievement Factors in Distance Education by Using Structural Equality Model: A Case Study of E-MBA Program Held in Sakarya University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Evirgen, Hayrettin; Cengel, Metin

2012-01-01

Nowadays, distance learning education has started to become familiar in behalf of classical face to face education (F2F) model. Web based learning is a major part of distance education systems. Web based distance learning can be defined shortly as an education type which doesn't force students and educators being into the same mediums. This…

Enhancing traditional, televised, and videotaped courses with Web-based technologies: a comparison of student satisfaction.

PubMed

Sole, M L; Lindquist, M

2001-01-01

Varied distance learning strategies can be used to deliver nursing courses, including interactive television, videotape, and Web-based approaches. (1) To assess student assess student satisfaction with a critical care elective course offered simultaneously via traditional and distance learning formats in which Web-based strategies were added, and (2) to compare satisfaction of students taking the traditional course versus those taking the class via distance technology. Students (n = 113) who took the course during the spring 1998 and 1999 semesters completed a teacher-constructed evaluation at the end of the semester. Mean ratings on the evaluation were positive. Ratings of interaction, communication with instructor, and facilitation of learning were higher from students who took the traditional course. The application of Web-based technologies may be one factor for the overall course satisfaction. However, it is important to continue to evaluate strategies that work best for students taking courses via distance technology.

Distance Education Programs in Texas Community & Technical Colleges: Assessing Student Support Services in a Virtual Environment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Luedtke, Cherry Beth

This project evaluates the status of distance learning at 54 public, two-year community, and technical colleges in Texas. Data was collected from the Web sites of each of the institutions. The Web site data indicted that 44 of the colleges refer specifically to distance education courses offered. To assess what student support services are…

Information Power Goes Online: Teaching Information Literacy to Distance Learners.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parise, Pierina

1998-01-01

Describes how a course, "Information Power," at Marylhurst University (Oregon) was developed into an online version. Presents an overview of Web access in distance learning. Discusses instructional delivery through the WebCT software program; specific components of the online Information Power class; measuring learning outcomes; and pros and cons…

Developing Distance Education Content Using the TAPPA Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore, Robert L.

2016-01-01

The proliferation of distance education has occurred alongside the emerging technologies of the Web 2.0 and Web 3.0 environments, changing the way instructors approach, design, and deliver their instructional materials. In the past, instructional design (ID) practitioners relied on instruction system design (ISD) models that focused primarily on…

Web Page Design in Distance Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Isman, Aytekin; Dabaj, Fahme; Gumus, Agah; Altinay, Fahriye; Altinay, Zehra

2004-01-01

Distance education is contemporary process of the education. It facilitates fast, easy delivery of information with its concrete hardware and software tools. The development of high technology, internet and web-design delivering become impact of effective using as delivery system to the students. Within the global perspective, even the all work…

Web Page Design in Distance Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Isman, Aytekin; Dabaj, Fahme; Gumus, Agah; Altinay, Fahriye; Altinay, Zehra

2004-01-01

Distance education is contemporary process of the education. It facilitates fast, easy delivery of information with its concrete hardware and software tools. The development of high technology, Internet and web-design delivering become impact of effective using as delivery system to the students. Within the global perspective, even the all work…

Development of a Relational Database for Learning Management Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deperlioglu, Omer; Sarpkaya, Yilmaz; Ergun, Ertugrul

2011-01-01

In today's world, Web-Based Distance Education Systems have a great importance. Web-based Distance Education Systems are usually known as Learning Management Systems (LMS). In this article, a database design, which was developed to create an educational institution as a Learning Management System, is described. In this sense, developed Learning…

Mental Representations Formed From Educational Website Formats

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

Elizabeth T. Cady; Kimberly R. Raddatz; Tuan Q. Tran

2006-10-01

The increasing popularity of web-based distance education places high demand on distance educators to format web pages to facilitate learning. However, limited guidelines exist regarding appropriate writing styles for web-based distance education. This study investigated the effect of four different writing styles on reader’s mental representation of hypertext. Participants studied hypertext written in one of four web-writing styles (e.g., concise, scannable, objective, and combined) and were then administered a cued association task intended to measure their mental representations of the hypertext. It is hypothesized that the scannable and combined styles will bias readers to scan rather than elaborately read, whichmore » may result in less dense mental representations (as identified through Pathfinder analysis) relative to the objective and concise writing styles. Further, the use of more descriptors in the objective writing style will lead to better integration of ideas and more dense mental representations than the concise writing style.« less

World Wide Web Pages--Tools for Teaching and Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beasley, Sarah; Kent, Jean

Created to help educators incorporate World Wide Web pages into teaching and learning, this collection of Web pages presents resources, materials, and techniques for using the Web. The first page focuses on tools for teaching and learning via the Web, providing pointers to sites containing the following: (1) course materials for both distance and…

WebNet 96 Conference Proceedings (San Francisco, California, October 15-19, 1996).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maurer, Hermann, Ed.

This proceedings contains 80 full papers, 12 posters/demonstrations, 108 short papers, one panel, and one tutorial, all focusing on World Wide Web applications. Topics include: designing hypertext navigation tools; Web site design; distance education via the Web; instructional design; the world-wide market and censorship on the Web; customer…

Discursive Constructions of Web Learning and Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boshier, Roger; Onn, Chia Mun

2000-01-01

Discusses Web-based learning and distance education and compares four discourses and their manifestations in North America and Asia that shape Web educational practice: techno-utopianism, techno-cynicism, techno-zealotry, and techno-structuralism. Concludes that techno-utopian discourse impedes Web development through claims about paradigm shifts…

Problems of Implementing SCORM in an Enterprise Distance Learning Architecture: SCORM Incompatibility across Multiple Web Domains.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Engelbrecht, Jeffrey C.

2003-01-01

Delivering content to distant users located in dispersed networks, separated by firewalls and different web domains requires extensive customization and integration. This article outlines some of the problems of implementing the Sharable Content Object Reference Model (SCORM) in the Marine Corps' Distance Learning System (MarineNet) and extends…

Addressing Challenges in Web Accessibility for the Blind and Visually Impaired

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guercio, Angela; Stirbens, Kathleen A.; Williams, Joseph; Haiber, Charles

2011-01-01

Searching for relevant information on the web is an important aspect of distance learning. This activity is a challenge for visually impaired distance learners. While sighted people have the ability to filter information in a fast and non sequential way, blind persons rely on tools that process the information in a sequential way. Learning is…

The Use of Video-Taped Lectures and Web-Based Communications in Teaching: A Distance-Teaching and Cross-Atlantic Collaboration Experiment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herder, P. M.; Subrahmanian, E.; Talukdar, S.; Turk, A. L.; Westerberg, A. W.

2002-01-01

Explains distance education approach applied to the 'Engineering Design Problem Formulation' course simultaneously at the Delft University of Technology (the Netherlands) and at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU, Pittsburgh, USA). Uses video taped lessons, video conferencing, electronic mails and web-accessible document management system LIRE in the…

Measuring the Accuracy of Simple Evolving Connectionist System with Varying Distance Formulas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al-Khowarizmi; Sitompul, O. S.; Suherman; Nababan, E. B.

2017-12-01

Simple Evolving Connectionist System (SECoS) is a minimal implementation of Evolving Connectionist Systems (ECoS) in artificial neural networks. The three-layer network architecture of the SECoS could be built based on the given input. In this study, the activation value for the SECoS learning process, which is commonly calculated using normalized Hamming distance, is also calculated using normalized Manhattan distance and normalized Euclidean distance in order to compare the smallest error value and best learning rate obtained. The accuracy of measurement resulted by the three distance formulas are calculated using mean absolute percentage error. In the training phase with several parameters, such as sensitivity threshold, error threshold, first learning rate, and second learning rate, it was found that normalized Euclidean distance is more accurate than both normalized Hamming distance and normalized Manhattan distance. In the case of beta fibrinogen gene -455 G/A polymorphism patients used as training data, the highest mean absolute percentage error value is obtained with normalized Manhattan distance compared to normalized Euclidean distance and normalized Hamming distance. However, the differences are very small that it can be concluded that the three distance formulas used in SECoS do not have a significant effect on the accuracy of the training results.

A Quantitative Cost Effectiveness Model for Web-Supported Academic Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cohen, Anat; Nachmias, Rafi

2006-01-01

This paper describes a quantitative cost effectiveness model for Web-supported academic instruction. The model was designed for Web-supported instruction (rather than distance learning only) characterizing most of the traditional higher education institutions. It is based on empirical data (Web logs) of students' and instructors' usage…

Using WebCT Bulletin Board Option To Extend Transitional Classroom Walls.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LaMaster, Kathryn J.; Morley, Laurie

This paper describes a study that used WebCT Bulletin Board, a program for breaking down geographical barriers to collaborating in distance education. Participants were preservice teachers, mentor physical educators, and university professors. WebCT was used to support electronic bulletin board communication. Students utilized WebCT's internal…

Predicting Student Performance in Web-Based Distance Education Courses Based on Survey Instruments Measuring Personality Traits and Technical Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hall, Michael

2008-01-01

Two common web-based surveys, "Is Online Learning Right for Me?' and "What Technical Skills Do I Need?", were combined into a single survey instrument and given to 228 on-campus and 83 distance education students. The students were enrolled in four different classes (business, computer information services, criminal justice, and…

Common Metaphors and Their Impact on Distance Education: What They Tell Us and What They Hide

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meyer, Katrina A.

2005-01-01

This article explores some of the common metaphors used to illuminate the Web and its application to distance education. Using the work of Lakoff and Johnson (1980) as a foundation for understanding and categorizing metaphors, the advantages and disadvantages for our future of such metaphors as the "Web", "Information Highway", "virtual",…

A Study of Older Adult Students' Satisfaction with Web-Based Distance Learning at the National Open University of Taiwan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Ho-Yuan

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between older learners' demographic characteristics and their satisfaction with distance learning in the Web-based environment at National Open University in Taiwan (NOUT). Increases in the older adult population have had many impacts throughout societies. The major purpose of older…

Estimation of density of mongooses with capture-recapture and distance sampling

USGS Publications Warehouse

Corn, J.L.; Conroy, M.J.

1998-01-01

We captured mongooses (Herpestes javanicus) in live traps arranged in trapping webs in Antigua, West Indies, and used capture-recapture and distance sampling to estimate density. Distance estimation and program DISTANCE were used to provide estimates of density from the trapping-web data. Mean density based on trapping webs was 9.5 mongooses/ha (range, 5.9-10.2/ha); estimates had coefficients of variation ranging from 29.82-31.58% (X?? = 30.46%). Mark-recapture models were used to estimate abundance, which was converted to density using estimates of effective trap area. Tests of model assumptions provided by CAPTURE indicated pronounced heterogeneity in capture probabilities and some indication of behavioral response and variation over time. Mean estimated density was 1.80 mongooses/ha (range, 1.37-2.15/ha) with estimated coefficients of variation of 4.68-11.92% (X?? = 7.46%). Estimates of density based on mark-recapture data depended heavily on assumptions about animal home ranges; variances of densities also may be underestimated, leading to unrealistically narrow confidence intervals. Estimates based on trap webs require fewer assumptions, and estimated variances may be a more realistic representation of sampling variation. Because trap webs are established easily and provide adequate data for estimation in a few sample occasions, the method should be efficient and reliable for estimating densities of mongooses.

The effectiveness of using WebCT in distance learning programmes in MACE, the University of Manchester

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmad, Rosman

The World Wide Web impacted the educational model and became part of distance education early in this century. There were many changes taking place in higher education for political, economic and educational reasons." New goals and educational objectives were being set within educational institutions. There were particular emphases to produce a more effective delivery of learning methods for distance learning students. The use of Internet was seen as an important issue in the development of an understanding of the complex process of instilling knowledge to post graduates students. Well-established universities were re-examining their missions and looking for different ways of providing lifelong education. The School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering (MACE) was particularly keen to increase the use of web-based learning in its courses, which will increase the amount of students enrolled into these programmes and help them learn in a flexible and workable manner. This approach was reinforced by responses from a survey of MSc. degree students which suggested that the current distance learning programme were not being operated efficiently and did not develop adequate personal skills in relation to the requirements of prospective employers. One way of improving these programmes was to make use of the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). A study was made and WebCT was found to be suitable. Five WebCT units were initially produced. The experience of designing and running the units was very useful in determining the effective use of the WebCT. From the analysis of students and staff surveys it has been demonstrated that these WebCT units are much more effective in achieving the project objectives in a wide number of areas which relate to students satisfaction, skills development and enhancing their interest into learning experience. The success of the WebCT units has stimulated interest in overseas establishments. It is hope that the success will follow in the author's home country, Malaysia.

Distance Interaction through the World Wide Web in Graduate Teacher Education: A Follow-Up Analysis of Student Perceptions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thompson, Jay C., Jr.; Nay, Frederick W.

This study, a follow-up to an earlier study (reported in the 1998 "Mid-Western Educational Researcher" v10 n4) used the World Wide Web and a "Class Page" to evaluate interaction strategies in a distance education setting. This study further examines Lev Vygotsky's social learning theories as they apply to the asynchronous…

Growing and navigating the small world Web by local content

PubMed Central

Menczer, Filippo

2002-01-01

Can we model the scale-free distribution of Web hypertext degree under realistic assumptions about the behavior of page authors? Can a Web crawler efficiently locate an unknown relevant page? These questions are receiving much attention due to their potential impact for understanding the structure of the Web and for building better search engines. Here I investigate the connection between the linkage and content topology of Web pages. The relationship between a text-induced distance metric and a link-based neighborhood probability distribution displays a phase transition between a region where linkage is not determined by content and one where linkage decays according to a power law. This relationship is used to propose a Web growth model that is shown to accurately predict the distribution of Web page degree, based on textual content and assuming only local knowledge of degree for existing pages. A qualitatively similar phase transition is found between linkage and semantic distance, with an exponential decay tail. Both relationships suggest that efficient paths can be discovered by decentralized Web navigation algorithms based on textual and/or categorical cues. PMID:12381792

Growing and navigating the small world Web by local content

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Menczer, Filippo

2002-10-01

Can we model the scale-free distribution of Web hypertext degree under realistic assumptions about the behavior of page authors? Can a Web crawler efficiently locate an unknown relevant page? These questions are receiving much attention due to their potential impact for understanding the structure of the Web and for building better search engines. Here I investigate the connection between the linkage and content topology of Web pages. The relationship between a text-induced distance metric and a link-based neighborhood probability distribution displays a phase transition between a region where linkage is not determined by content and one where linkage decays according to a power law. This relationship is used to propose a Web growth model that is shown to accurately predict the distribution of Web page degree, based on textual content and assuming only local knowledge of degree for existing pages. A qualitatively similar phase transition is found between linkage and semantic distance, with an exponential decay tail. Both relationships suggest that efficient paths can be discovered by decentralized Web navigation algorithms based on textual and/or categorical cues.

Growing and navigating the small world Web by local content.

PubMed

Menczer, Filippo

2002-10-29

Can we model the scale-free distribution of Web hypertext degree under realistic assumptions about the behavior of page authors? Can a Web crawler efficiently locate an unknown relevant page? These questions are receiving much attention due to their potential impact for understanding the structure of the Web and for building better search engines. Here I investigate the connection between the linkage and content topology of Web pages. The relationship between a text-induced distance metric and a link-based neighborhood probability distribution displays a phase transition between a region where linkage is not determined by content and one where linkage decays according to a power law. This relationship is used to propose a Web growth model that is shown to accurately predict the distribution of Web page degree, based on textual content and assuming only local knowledge of degree for existing pages. A qualitatively similar phase transition is found between linkage and semantic distance, with an exponential decay tail. Both relationships suggest that efficient paths can be discovered by decentralized Web navigation algorithms based on textual and/or categorical cues.

webpic: A flexible web application for collecting distance and count measurements from images

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

Despite increasing ability to store and analyze large amounts of data for organismal and ecological studies, the process of collecting distance and count measurements from images has largely remained time consuming and error-prone, particularly for tasks for which automation is difficult or impossible. Improving the efficiency of these tasks, which allows for more high quality data to be collected in a shorter amount of time, is therefore a high priority. The open-source web application, webpic, implements common web languages and widely available libraries and productivity apps to streamline the process of collecting distance and count measurements from images. In this paper, I introduce the framework of webpic and demonstrate one readily available feature of this application, linear measurements, using fossil leaf specimens. This application fills the gap between workflows accomplishable by individuals through existing software and those accomplishable by large, unmoderated crowds. It demonstrates that flexible web languages can be used to streamline time-intensive research tasks without the use of specialized equipment or proprietary software and highlights the potential for web resources to facilitate data collection in research tasks and outreach activities with improved efficiency. PMID:29608592

20 CFR 656.3 - Definitions, for purposes of this part, of terms used in this part.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... normal commuting distance of the place (address) of intended employment. There is no rigid measure of distance which constitutes a normal commuting distance or normal commuting area, because there may be widely varying factual circumstances among different areas (e.g., normal commuting distances might be 20...

20 CFR 656.3 - Definitions, for purposes of this part, of terms used in this part.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... normal commuting distance of the place (address) of intended employment. There is no rigid measure of distance which constitutes a normal commuting distance or normal commuting area, because there may be widely varying factual circumstances among different areas (e.g., normal commuting distances might be 20...

20 CFR 656.3 - Definitions, for purposes of this part, of terms used in this part.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... normal commuting distance of the place (address) of intended employment. There is no rigid measure of distance which constitutes a normal commuting distance or normal commuting area, because there may be widely varying factual circumstances among different areas (e.g., normal commuting distances might be 20...

Web Conferencing for Synchronous Online Tutorials: Perspectives of Tutors Using a New Medium

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kear, Karen; Chetwynd, Frances; Williams, Judith; Donelan, Helen

2012-01-01

This paper reports on a pilot investigation into web conferencing in a distance learning module. It focuses on the perceptions and experiences of the tutors, all of whom were new to the web conferencing environment, but were experienced in online teaching. A number of web conferencing tutorials were studied through the collection of various…

Learning Strategies for Success in a Web-Based Course: A Descriptive Exploration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hu, Haihong; Gramling, Jennifer

2009-01-01

Web-based distance instruction has become a popular delivery method for education. How are learning strategies helping make the connection between Web-based technologies and educational goals? The purpose of this study was to examine learners' use of self-regulated learning strategies in a Web-based course. Twelve students from an information…

Are We Ready To Abandon the Classroom? The Dark Side of Web Instruction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cohen, LeoNora M.

This paper discusses four assumptions and four concerns regarding instruction using the World Wide Web. The assumptions address: the novice status of the Web course developer; the developer's appreciation for various aspects of the Web; her high expectations for doing it right; and her commitment to not incurring more costs for distance learners.…

Web page sorting algorithm based on query keyword distance relation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Han; Cui, Hong Gang; Tang, Hao

2017-08-01

In order to optimize the problem of page sorting, according to the search keywords in the web page in the relationship between the characteristics of the proposed query keywords clustering ideas. And it is converted into the degree of aggregation of the search keywords in the web page. Based on the PageRank algorithm, the clustering degree factor of the query keyword is added to make it possible to participate in the quantitative calculation. This paper proposes an improved algorithm for PageRank based on the distance relation between search keywords. The experimental results show the feasibility and effectiveness of the method.

Online Learning: A Comparison of Web-Based and Land-Based Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Joy L. M.

2012-01-01

Distance learning has become more popular in recent years. Due to concern about the quality of web-based courses, the purpose of this study was to explore the differences in web-based versus land-based courses. In this study, the researcher compares web-based and land-based education courses to explore the strengths and weaknesses of each type of…

Understanding Transactional Distance in Web-Based Learning Environments: An Empirical Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huang, Xiaoxia; Chandra, Aruna; DePaolo, Concetta A.; Simmons, Lakisha L.

2016-01-01

Transactional distance is an important pedagogical theory in distance education that calls for more empirical support. The purpose of this study was to verify the theory by operationalizing and examining the relationship of (1) dialogue, structure and learner autonomy to transactional distance, and (2) environmental factors and learner demographic…

Detritus decorations of an orb-weaving spider, Cyclosa mulmeinensis (Thorell): for food or camouflage?

PubMed

Tan, Eunice J; Li, Daiqin

2009-06-01

Many species of the orb-web spider genus Cyclosa often adorn their webs with decorations of prey remains, egg sacs and/or plant detritus, termed ;detritus decorations'. These detritus decorations have been hypothesised to camouflage the spider from predators or prey and thus reduce predation risk or increase foraging success. In the present study, we tested these two alternative hypotheses simultaneously using two types of detritus decorations (prey remain and egg sac) built by Cyclosa mulmeinensis (Thorell). By monitoring the possible responses of predators to spiders on their webs with and without decorations in the field, we tested whether web decorations would reduce the mortality of spiders. Wasp predators were observed to fly in the vicinity of webs with decorations slightly more often than in the vicinity of webs without decorations but there were very few attacks on spiders by wasps. By comparing the insect interception rates of webs with and without decorations in the field, we tested whether web decorations would increase the foraging success. Webs decorated with prey remains or egg sacs intercepted more insects than those without in the field. By calculating colour contrasts of both prey-remain and egg-sac decorations against spiders viewed by bird (blue tits) and hymenopteran (e.g. wasps) predators as well as hymenopteran (bees) prey, we showed that C. mulmeinensis spiders on webs with egg-sac decorations were invisible to both hymenopteran prey and predators and bird predators over short and long distances. While spiders on webs with prey-remain decorations were invisible to both hymenopterans and birds over short distances, spiders on webs with prey-remain decorations were visible to both predators and prey over long distances. Our results thus suggest that decorating webs with prey remains and egg sacs in C. mulmeinensis may primarily function as camouflage to conceal the spider from insects rather than as prey attractants, possibly contributing to the interception of more insect prey. However, the detritus decorations exhibit varying success as camouflage against predators, depending on whether predators are jumping spiders, wasps or birds, as well as on the decoration type.

T-RMSD: a web server for automated fine-grained protein structural classification.

PubMed

Magis, Cedrik; Di Tommaso, Paolo; Notredame, Cedric

2013-07-01

This article introduces the T-RMSD web server (tree-based on root-mean-square deviation), a service allowing the online computation of structure-based protein classification. It has been developed to address the relation between structural and functional similarity in proteins, and it allows a fine-grained structural clustering of a given protein family or group of structurally related proteins using distance RMSD (dRMSD) variations. These distances are computed between all pairs of equivalent residues, as defined by the ungapped columns within a given multiple sequence alignment. Using these generated distance matrices (one per equivalent position), T-RMSD produces a structural tree with support values for each cluster node, reminiscent of bootstrap values. These values, associated with the tree topology, allow a quantitative estimate of structural distances between proteins or group of proteins defined by the tree topology. The clusters thus defined have been shown to be structurally and functionally informative. The T-RMSD web server is a free website open to all users and available at http://tcoffee.crg.cat/apps/tcoffee/do:trmsd.

T-RMSD: a web server for automated fine-grained protein structural classification

PubMed Central

Magis, Cedrik; Di Tommaso, Paolo; Notredame, Cedric

2013-01-01

This article introduces the T-RMSD web server (tree-based on root-mean-square deviation), a service allowing the online computation of structure-based protein classification. It has been developed to address the relation between structural and functional similarity in proteins, and it allows a fine-grained structural clustering of a given protein family or group of structurally related proteins using distance RMSD (dRMSD) variations. These distances are computed between all pairs of equivalent residues, as defined by the ungapped columns within a given multiple sequence alignment. Using these generated distance matrices (one per equivalent position), T-RMSD produces a structural tree with support values for each cluster node, reminiscent of bootstrap values. These values, associated with the tree topology, allow a quantitative estimate of structural distances between proteins or group of proteins defined by the tree topology. The clusters thus defined have been shown to be structurally and functionally informative. The T-RMSD web server is a free website open to all users and available at http://tcoffee.crg.cat/apps/tcoffee/do:trmsd. PMID:23716642

A Framework for Open, Flexible and Distributed Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Khan, Badrul H.

Designing open, flexible distance learning systems on the World Wide Web requires thoughtful analysis and investigation combined with an understanding of both the Web's attributes and resources and the ways instructional design principles can be applied to tap the Web's potential. A framework for open, flexible, and distributed learning has been…

A Web-Based Distance Education Course in Nutrition in Public Health: Case study

PubMed Central

Morais, Tania B; Cuppari, Lilian; Franceschini, Sylvia C.C; Priore, Silvia E; Camargo, Kátia G; Gimenez, Reinaldo; Bernardo, Viviane; Sigulem, Daniel

2001-01-01

Background Strict work timetables, personal and professional duties or an inability to be absent from home or work can all represent major constraints for those wishing to improve their professional skills. Within this context, the World Wide Web can allow people to conveniently follow distance courses from their homes. Objective To present an experience in the use of the Web in the continuing education of healthcare professionals in Brazil. Methods A Web-based distance education course in nutrition in public health was developed. The methodology was an adaptation of both problem-based and task-based learning. At the end of the course an evaluation questionnaire which covered the course's contents, the educational methodology and resources, the duration and schedule, and the use of the Web as a tool for distance education was given to the students. Results There were 83 on line registrations from 13 states, 73 of the applicants were female, 62 had a degree in nutrition and 18 were physicians. From these; eleven students from ten states were chosen: nine female nutritionists, two female physicians, and one male physician. Seven students completed the course, took and passed the final exam. Of the other four students, two failed to follow the schedule, one had health problems, and one did not obtain the minimal score for sitting the final exam. The students had a mean age of 35, and a mean of ten years in practice. They all stated that they were unable to attend a regular course, even though they felt that they needed to improve their professional skills. Most of them studied seven days a week for between two and four hours a day. The students also felt that their professional skills had improved and each reported having made changes in their practice as a result of their participation. The students approved of the course's contents, methodology and resources, however they were divided about its duration. The Web as a tool in distance education was approved by the students. If it was not for the Web they could not have taken part in a continuing education program. All students said they would attend another virtual course, if available. Even though most of them did not have difficulty adapting to the virtual environment, they did feel that an adaptation period would be of value. Conclusions A Web-based course may be more effective than other distance education methodologies because it is more interactive and dynamic. On-line material can be constantly reviewed and updated, and the students can have the opportunity to submit commentaries or questions directly to the teaching staff. A Web-based course also allows the students to go beyond the course content as they learn how to search and take advantage of the huge resources of information available on the Internet. PMID:11720958

A Web-based distance education course in nutrition in public health: case study.

PubMed

Sigulem, D M; Morais, T B; Cuppari, L; Franceschini, S C; Priore, S E; Camargo, K G; Gimenez, R; Bernardo, V; Sigulem, D

2001-01-01

Strict work timetables, personal and professional duties or an inability to be absent from home or work can all represent major constraints for those wishing to improve their professional skills. Within this context, the World Wide Web can allow people to conveniently follow distance courses from their homes. To present an experience in the use of the Web in the continuing education of healthcare professionals in Brazil. A Web-based distance education course in nutrition in public health was developed. The methodology was an adaptation of both problem-based and task-based learning. At the end of the course an evaluation questionnaire which covered the course s contents, the educational methodology and resources, the duration and schedule, and the use of the Web as a tool for distance education was given to the students. There were 83 on line registrations from 13 states, 73 of the applicants were female, 62 had a degree in nutrition and 18 were physicians. From these; eleven students from ten states were chosen: nine female nutritionists, two female physicians, and one male physician. Seven students completed the course, took and passed the final exam. Of the other four students, two failed to follow the schedule, one had health problems, and one did not obtain the minimal score for sitting the final exam. The students had a mean age of 35, and a mean of ten years in practice. They all stated that they were unable to attend a regular course, even though they felt that they needed to improve their professional skills. Most of them studied seven days a week for between two and four hours a day. The students also felt that their professional skills had improved and each reported having made changes in their practice as a result of their participation. The students approved of the course s contents, methodology and resources, however they were divided about its duration. The Web as a tool in distance education was approved by the students. If it was not for the Web they could not have taken part in a continuing education program. All students said they would attend another virtual course, if available. Even though most of them did not have difficulty adapting to the virtual environment, they did feel that an adaptation period would be of value. A Web-based course may be more effective than other distance education methodologies because it is more interactive and dynamic. On-line material can be constantly reviewed and updated, and the students can have the opportunity to submit commentaries or questions directly to the teaching staff. A Web-based course also allows the students to go beyond the course content as they learn how to search and take advantage of the huge resources of information available on the Internet.

The Best of Two Worlds: Combining ITV and Web Quests To Strengthen Distance Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mosby, Charmaine

This presentation describes an English graduate seminar in Local Color and Regionalism in American Literature at Western Kentucky University that was set up as an experimental hybrid course, i.e., roughly 60% face-to-face and 40% Web course (Web quest format). The focus is on the four tasks that comprised the Web quest segment of the course: (1) a…

Proceedings of N.A.Web 2001: The International North America Web-Based Learning Conference (7th, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada, October 13-16, 2001).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ellis, Allan, Ed.; Hall, Rik, Ed.; Li, Jeni, Ed.

NAWeb 2001, the International North America Web-Based Learning Conference, focused on innovative and practical uses of the World Wide Web in teaching and learning. This proceedings contains the following papers: (1) "Roles of Parties Involved in Distance Learning" (Ahlam Al-Bassam, Peter Neubert, Ali Al-Shammari); (2) "The World…

Distance Learning 2001: Proceedings of the Annual Conference on Distance Teaching & Learning (17th, Madison, Wisconsin, August 8-10, 2001).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wisconsin Univ. System, Madison.

This document contains 82 papers and 6 workshop presentations from a conference on distance teaching and learning. The following are among the papers included: "Examples and Tools for Building Web-Based Learning Experiences" (Steven A. Ackerman, Thomas Whittaker); "Online Testing in Distance Education" (Tricia Ahern);…

Relationship between Social Media and Academic Performance in Distance Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gupta, C. A. Pallavi; Singh, Bharti; Marwaha, Tushar

2013-01-01

The scope and method of imparting distance education to the learner has evolved over a period of time. Various models of distance education have been introduced over the years; the latest introduction is the use of Web 2.0 technologies to make distance learning more analytical, flexible, interactive, and collaborative for both the teacher and the…

An assessment of teenagers' perceptions of dental fluorosis using digital simulation and web-based testing.

PubMed

Edwards, Maura; Macpherson, Lorna M D; Simmons, David R; Harper Gilmour, W; Stephen, Kenneth W

2005-08-01

To develop a new model to establish teenagers' perceptions of the aesthetic impact of fluorosis, in the context of overall facial appearance. This web-based model was used to compare different degrees of fluorosis at any one distance, while also comparing the same level of fluorosis at different 'distances'. A 14-year-old subject was used as the model face. Different degrees of fluorosis were 'built-up' on this subject's teeth using digital simulation. A web-based questionnaire showed 30 photographs, displaying four levels of fluorosis, in addition to fluorosis-free, at five different 'distances'. The closest images were shown with and without retractors, while the more distant pictures showed more of the subject's face. Teenage pupils (n = 217) were then asked to grade the acceptability of the appearances and indicate if they would wish treatment for each such appearance. At any one distance, acceptability fell as fluorosis level increased. When the same degree of fluorosis was compared at different distances, acceptability improved as the teeth were viewed from further away. Pictures taken without retractors had higher acceptability than those taken with retractors in place. Teenagers can discriminate between various degrees of fluorosis. However, more distant viewing of fluorosed teeth, within the overall context of the face, improves acceptability of the appearance.

Economics: A Discriminant Analysis of Students' Perceptions of Web-Based Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Usip, Ebenge E.; Bee, Richard H.

1998-01-01

Users and nonusers of Web-based instruction (WBI) in an undergraduate statistics classes at Youngstown State University were surveyed. Users concluded that distance learning via the Web was a good method of obtaining general information and useful tool in improving their academic performance. Nonusers thought the university should provide…

Pre-Service Teachers' Views on Web-Based Classroom Management

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boyaci, Adnan

2010-01-01

With the invention of World Wide Web in 1992, delivery of distance education via internet and emergency of web-based classrooms have rapidly gained acceptance as an alternative and supplement to traditional face to face classroom instruction (Alavi, Yoo & Vogel, 1997; Rahm & Reed, 1997), which represents a paradigm shift challenging all…

Effects of normal acceleration on transient burning rate augmentation of an aluminized solid propellant

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Northam, G. B.

1972-01-01

Instantaneous burning rate data for a polybutadiene acrylic acid propellant, containing 16 weight percent aluminum, were calculated from the pressure histories of a test motor with 96.77 sq cm of burning area and a 5.08-cm-thick propellant web. Additional acceleration tests were conducted with reduced propellant web thicknesses of 3.81, 2.54, and 1.27 cm. The metallic residue collected from the various web thickness tests was characterized by weight and shape and correlated with the instantaneous burning rate measurements. Rapid depressurization extinction tests were conducted in order that surface pitting characteristics due to localized increased burning rate could be correlated with the residue analysis and the instantaneous burning rate data. The acceleration-induced burning rate augmentation was strongly dependent on propellant distance burned, or burning time, and thus was transient in nature. The results from the extinction tests and the residue analyses indicate that the transient rate augmentation was highly dependent on local enhancement of the combustion zone heat feedback to the surface by the growth of molten residue particles on or just above the burning surface. The size, shape, and number density of molten residue particles, rather than the total residue weight, determined the acceleration-induced burning rate augmentation.

Measuring Transactional Distance in Web-Based Learning Environments: An Initial Instrument Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huang, Xiaoxia; Chandra, Aruna; DePaolo, Concetta; Cribbs, Jennifer; Simmons, Lakisha

2015-01-01

This study was an initial attempt to operationalise Moore's transactional distance theory by developing and validating an instrument measuring the related constructs: dialogue, structure, learner autonomy and transactional distance. Data were collected from 227 online students and analysed through an exploratory factor analysis. Results suggest…

Greeting You Online: Selecting Web-Based Conferencing Tools for Instruction in E-Learning Mode

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Judy

2014-01-01

Academic distance learning programs have gained popularity and added to the demand for online library services. Librarians are now conducting instruction for distance learning students beyond their traditional work. Technology advancements have enhanced the delivery mode in distance learning across academic disciplines. Online conference tools…

Best Practices in Supporting Persistence of Distant Education Students through Integrated Web-Based Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCracken, Holly

2009-01-01

The importance of the interconnectedness of academic, student, and technical support processes intrinsic to the provision of on-line instruction has been frequently depicted as a "service Web," with students at the center of the infrastructure. However, as programming to support distance learning continues to develop, such service Webs have grown…

The World Wide Web and Higher Education: The Promise of Virtual Universities and Online Libraries.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barnard, John

1997-01-01

While many universities and colleges are emphasizing distance education as a way to reach working adults and control costs associated with maintaining campus infrastructures, the World Wide Web is beginning to provide a medium for offering courses to students anywhere in the world. Discusses virtual universities which combine the Web with other…

Effectiveness of Learning Process Using "Web Technology" in the Distance Learning System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Killedar, Manoj

2008-01-01

Web is a globally distributed, still highly personalized media for cost-effective delivery of multimedia information and services. Web is expected to have a strong impact on almost every aspect of how we learn. "Total Quality" is the totality of features, as perceived by the customers of the product or service. Totality of features…

Discovering Decision Knowledge from Web Log Portfolio for Managing Classroom Processes by Applying Decision Tree and Data Cube Technology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Gwo-Dong; Liu, Chen-Chung; Ou, Kuo-Liang; Liu, Baw-Jhiune

2000-01-01

Discusses the use of Web logs to record student behavior that can assist teachers in assessing performance and making curriculum decisions for distance learning students who are using Web-based learning systems. Adopts decision tree and data cube information processing methodologies for developing more effective pedagogical strategies. (LRW)

A Framework for Synchronous Web-Based Professional Development: Measuring the Impact of Webinar Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rich, Rachel L.

2011-01-01

Through the evolution and proliferation of the Internet, distance and online education have become more prevalent in modern society. Synchronous web-based professional development continues to gain popularity. Although online education has grown in popularity and breadth, there has been a lack of research about the impact of synchronous web-based…

Embodying Our Values in Our Teaching Practices: Building Open and Critical Discourse through Computer Mediated Communication

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Geelan, David R.; Taylor, Peter C.

2004-01-01

Computer mediated communication--including web pages, email and web-based bulletin boards--was used to support the development of a cooperative learning community among students in a web-based distance education unit for practicing science and mathematics educators. The students lived in several Australian states and a number of Pacific Rim…

Social Web Content Enhancement in a Distance Learning Environment: Intelligent Metadata Generation for Resources

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

García-Floriano, Andrés; Ferreira-Santiago, Angel; Yáñez-Márquez, Cornelio; Camacho-Nieto, Oscar; Aldape-Pérez, Mario; Villuendas-Rey, Yenny

2017-01-01

Social networking potentially offers improved distance learning environments by enabling the exchange of resources between learners. The existence of properly classified content results in an enhanced distance learning experience in which appropriate materials can be retrieved efficiently; however, for this to happen, metadata needs to be present.…

Towards a Research Model for Distance Education-Contributions from the Telecommuting Literature.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dick, Geoffrey N.

This paper draws on an extensive review of literature associated with telecommuting and looks at features that might affect the offering and take-up of distance education, particularly distance education involving computer applications, telecommunications and web-based, off-campus delivery of courses or components of courses. The issue is…

Demanding Need of Growing Technologies in Distance Learning System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hafeez, Amtul; Ahmed, Aiijaz; Zubia, Noreen

2014-01-01

In distance education system use of different media enable the learners to start the course of study independently. The appearance of the internet and the expansion of web have now changed distance learning from a broadcasting way to an interactive way, and allowed connecting the learners and instructors who are geographically divided.…

Line-based logo recognition through a web-camera

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Xiaolu; Wang, Yangsheng; Feng, Xuetao

2007-11-01

Logo recognition has gained much development in the document retrieval and shape analysis domain. As human computer interaction becomes more and more popular, the logo recognition through a web-camera is a promising technology in view of application. But for practical application, the study of logo recognition in real scene is much more difficult than the work in clear scene. To cope with the need, we make some improvements on conventional method. First, moment information is used to calculate the test image's orientation angle, which is used to normalize the test image. Second, the main structure of the test image, which is represented by lines patterns, is acquired and modified Hausdorff distance is employed to match the image and each of the existing templates. The proposed method, which is invariant to scale and rotation, gives good result and can work at real-time. The main contribution of this paper is that some improvements are introduced into the exiting recognition framework which performs much better than the original one. Besides, we have built a highly successful logo recognition system using our improved method.

A Collaborative Writing Project Using the Worldwide Web.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sylvester, Allen; Essex, Christopher

A student in a distance education course, as part of a midterm project, set out to build a Web site that had written communication as its main focus. The Web site, "The Global Campfire," was modeled on the old Appalachian tradition of the "Story Tree," where a storyteller begins a story and allows group members to add to it.…

Formative Evaluations of a Web-Based Masters Program: Insights for Web-Based Course Developers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shih, Ching-Chun; Howard, Marvin; Thompson, Ann D.

The purpose of this paper is to report on the various formative evaluation activities that have been conducted for the Masters of Science in Agronomy Distance Education Program at Iowa State University and to provide useful recommendations for educators involved in World Wide Web-based course development. It was found that those faculty members…

Teaching Reading Comprehension in English in a Distance Web-Based Course: New Roles for Teachers (La enseñanza de la comprensión de lectura en inglés en un curso a distancia en la red: nuevos roles para los docentes)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Muñoz Marín, Jorge Hugo; González Moncada, Adriana

2010-01-01

Distance web-based learning is a popular strategy in ELT teaching in Colombia. Despite of the growth of experiences, there are very few studies regarding teachers' participation in these courses. This paper reports preliminary findings of an on-going study aiming at exploring the roles that a teach er plays in an EFL reading comprehension distance…

A Framework for Developing Competencies in Open and Distance Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arinto, Patricia B.

2013-01-01

Many open universities and distance education institutions have shifted from a predominantly print-based mode of delivery to an online mode characterised by the use of virtual learning environments and various web technologies. This paper describes the impact of the shift to open and distance e-learning (ODeL), as this trend might be called, on…

Evaluation of Distance Education Components of e-MBA Program--A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gunes, Ali; Altintas, Tugba

2013-01-01

By 2008-2009 educational year, distance education e-MBA Program have been added to Graduate School of Social Sciences of Istanbul Aydin University. The distance education components that were used included asynchronous education, synchronous education, exams, the learning management system-web site and a remote live-support desk. At the end of the…

Distance Students' Readiness for and Interest in Collaboration and Social Media

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Poellhuber, Bruno; Anderson, Terry; Racette, Nicole; Upton, Lorne

2013-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to describe how researchers from four large Canadian distance education or dual mode institutions conducted a survey aiming to describe the use of and interest in social software and Web 2.0 applications by distance education students and to measure their interest in collaborating with peers.…

How Are Teacher-Librarians Finding Resources for Coursework?: Distance Learners and the Role of University Library Services

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Jong, Cees-Jan; Branch, Jennifer L.

2005-01-01

Providing distance learners access to library services does not automatically translate into usage of those resources. The literature on information-seeking behaviour of distance learners has indicated that they prefer to use local resources, as well as Web-based resources. This study investigates perspectives on library services and available…

Distance Learning: A Way of Life-Long Learning

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-09-01

promise of future benefits. 15. SUBJECT TERMS training, educational technology , distributed learning , distance learning , collaboration, online instruction...knowledge." - Aristotle Introduction Modern learning technology assumes various names: distance learning , distributed training, computer-based...training, web-based learning , or advanced distributed learning . No matter the name, the basic concept is using computer technology for instruction with no

Video in Distance Education: ITFS vs. Web-Streaming--Evaluation of Student Attitudes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reisslein, Jana; Seeling, Patrick; Reisslein, Martin

2005-01-01

The use of video in distance education courses has a long tradition, with many colleges and universities having been delivering distance education courses with video since the 80's using the Instructional Television Fixed Service (ITFS) and cable television. With the emergence of the Internet and the increased access bandwidths from private homes…

Convergent Technologies in Distance Learning Delivery.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wheeler, Steve

1999-01-01

Describes developments in British education in distance learning technologies. Highlights include networking the rural areas; communication, community, and paradigm shifts; digital compression techniques and telematics; Web-based material delivered over the Internet; system flexibility; social support; learning support; videoconferencing; and…

The Other Infrastructure: Distance Education's Digital Plant.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boettcher, Judith V.; Kumar, M. S. Vijay

2000-01-01

Suggests a new infrastructure--the digital plant--for supporting flexible Web campus environments. Describes four categories which make up the infrastructure: personal communication tools and applications; network of networks for the Web campus; dedicated servers and software applications; software applications and services from external…

Controls of earthquake faulting style on near field landslide triggering: The role of coseismic slip

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tatard, L.; Grasso, J. R.

2013-06-01

compare the spatial distributions of seven databases of landslides triggered by Mw=5.6-7.9 earthquakes, using distances normalized by the earthquake fault length. We show that the normalized landslide distance distributions collapse, i.e., the normalized distance distributions overlap whatever the size of the earthquake, separately for the events associated with dip-slip, buried-faulting earthquakes, and surface-faulting earthquakes. The dip-slip earthquakes triggered landslides at larger normalized distances than the oblique-slip event of Loma Prieta. We further identify that the surface-faulting earthquakes of Wenchuan, Chi-Chi, and Kashmir triggered landslides at normalized distances smaller than the ones expected from their Mw ≥ 7.6 magnitudes. These results support a control of the seismic slip (through amplitude, rake, and surface versus buried slip) on the distances at which landslides are triggered. In terms of coseismic landslide management in mountainous areas, our results allow us to propose distances at which 95 and 75% of landslides will be triggered as a function of the earthquake focal mechanism.

Integrating Web-based technology into distance education for nurses in China: computer and Internet access and attitudes.

PubMed

Cragg, C E Betty; Edwards, Nancy; Yue, Zhao; Xin, Song Li; Hui, Zou Dao

2003-01-01

To increase continuing education accessibility, nurses around the world are turning to Web-based instruction. However, for Internet education to be successful, particularly in developing countries, nurses must have access to computers and the Internet as well as positive attitudes toward this form of learning. As part of a distance education project for nurses of the Tianjin Municipality in China, a survey of nurses was conducted to examine their sources of professional knowledge as well as their computer and Internet access and attitudes. The attitudes of the nurses were generally positive, and there was evidence of rapidly increasing use of and access to computers and the Internet. This article reports the results of that survey and their implications for Web-based teaching of Chinese nurses.

Student Perceptions of WebCT in a Web-Supported Instructional Environment: Distance Education Technologies for the Classroom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lindner, James R.; Murphy, Tim H.

2001-01-01

Responses from 89 of 111 agricultural education students explored their perceptions of the use of WebCT. Results show that 72% were able accomplish course objectives and 92% were able to access grades online. However, 82% did not take advantage of the online learning community, and 76% continued to rely on print-based course materials. (Contains…

3D Technology Selection for a Virtual Learning Environment by Blending ISO 9126 Standard and AHP

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cetin, Aydin; Guler, Inan

2011-01-01

Web3D presents many opportunities for learners in a virtual world or virtual environment over the web. This is a great opportunity for open-distance education institutions to benefit from web3d technologies to create courses with interactive 3d materials. There are many open source and commercial products offering 3d technologies over the web…

Using Spider-Web Patterns To Determine Toxicity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Noever, David A.; Cronise, Raymond J.; Relwani, Rachna A.

1995-01-01

Method of determining toxicities of chemicals involves recording and analysis of spider-web patterns. Based on observation spiders exposed to various chemicals spin webs that differ, in various ways, from normal webs. Potential alternative to toxicity testing on higher animals.

Development, Implementation, and Assessment of a Distance Module in Endocrine Physiology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rangel, Elaine Maria Leite; Mendes, Isabel Amelia Costa; Carnio, Evelin Capellari; Alves, Leila Maria Marchi; de Godoy, Simone; Crispim, Juliane de Almeida

2010-01-01

This study aimed to develop, implement, and assess a distance module in endocrine physiology in TelEduc for undergraduate nursing students from a public university in Brazil, with a sample size of 44 students. "Stage 1" consisted of the development of the module, through the process of creating a distance course by means of the Web.…

Delivering Library Services to Remote Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Casado, Margaret

2001-01-01

Discusses library services at the University of Tennessee to reach off-campus and distance education students. Topics include online research; email; library instruction for faculty and students; Web interfaces; fax; telephone service; chat technology; the library's Web page; virtual classrooms; library links from a course management system; and…

Presenting Science in a Video-Delivered, Web-based Format: Comparing Learning Settings To Get the Most Out of Teaching.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Urven, Lance E.; Yin, L. Roger; Eshelman, Bruce D.; Bak, John D.

2000-01-01

Describes a high school course entitled "Science Technology in Society". High school students use live video presentations and world wide web courseware. Concludes that distance learning students performed as well as traditionally instructed students. (SAH)

Design variability in web geometry of an orb-weaving spider.

PubMed

Vollrath, F; Downes, M; Krackow, S

1997-10-01

We studied the effect of several variables (environmental and physiological) on web geometry in the garden cross spider Araneus diadematus. Variables were: web support, wind, temperature, humidity, and silk supply. All had an effect. The spiders generally attempted to fit their webs to the shape of the supporting frame (standard, small, vertical, or horizontal). Windy conditions (0.5 m s-1) during web construction caused spiders to build smaller and rounder webs, laying down fewer capture spirals while increasing the distances between capture-spiral meshes. Decreasing temperature from 24 degrees to 12 degrees C caused the capture spiral to have fewer and wider spaced meshes, which did not change overall capture area but reduced the length of capture-spiral threads laid down. Subsequent increase of temperature to 24 degrees C restored the number of meshes laid down, but the wider mesh was retained, causing the capture area to be increased over initial control values. Decreased humidity (from 70 to 20% rH) had the effect of reducing web and capture-spiral size, the latter by reducing mesh number while keeping mesh spacing constant. Subsequent increase of humidity to control level (70%) restored web and capture area. However, this was achieved by laying down capture meshes at larger distances, rather than returning to initial mesh numbers. Silk supply also had a strong effect. Webs built in unnaturally rapid succession by the same spider (4 in 24 h when 1 is the norm) became sequentially smaller, had fewer radii, shorter capture spirals, and were wider meshed.

Turning Around along the Cosmic Web

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Jounghun; Yepes, Gustavo

2016-12-01

A bound violation designates a case in which the turnaround radius of a bound object exceeds the upper limit imposed by the spherical collapse model based on the standard ΛCDM paradigm. Given that the turnaround radius of a bound object is a stochastic quantity and that the spherical model overly simplifies the true gravitational collapse, which actually proceeds anisotropically along the cosmic web, the rarity of the occurrence of a bound violation may depend on the web environment. Assuming a Planck cosmology, we numerically construct the bound-zone peculiar velocity profiles along the cosmic web (filaments and sheets) around the isolated groups with virial mass {M}{{v}}≥slant 3× {10}13 {h}-1 {M}⊙ identified in the Small MultiDark Planck simulations and determine the radial distances at which their peculiar velocities equal the Hubble expansion speed as the turnaround radii of the groups. It is found that although the average turnaround radii of the isolated groups are well below the spherical bound limit on all mass scales, the bound violations are not forbidden for individual groups, and the cosmic web has an effect of reducing the rarity of the occurrence of a bound violation. Explaining that the spherical bound limit on the turnaround radius in fact represents the threshold distance up to which the intervention of the external gravitational field in the bound-zone peculiar velocity profiles around the nonisolated groups stays negligible, we discuss the possibility of using the threshold distance scale to constrain locally the equation of state of dark energy.

Around the Globe.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wheeler, Steve

2001-01-01

Provides an overview of current activities in Web-based learning and development in Romania. Discusses promotion of online learning by various societies and institutions; the distance courses based on traditional procedures; problems of the current state of distance education, including shortage of teachers and network administration and poor and…

Web-Based versus Classroom-Based Instruction: An Empirical Comparison of Student Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thrasher, Evelyn H.; Coleman, Phillip D.; Atkinson, J. Kirk

2012-01-01

Higher education expenditures are being increasingly targeted toward distance learning, with a large portion focused specifically on web-based instruction (WBI). WBI and classroom-based instruction (CBI) tend to offer students diverse options for their education. Thus, it is imperative that colleges and universities have ample, accurate…

Implementation and Deployment of the IMS Learning Design Specification

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paquette, Gilbert; Marino, Olga; De la Teja, Ileana; Lundgren­-Cayrol, Karin; Lonard, Michel; Contamines, Julien

2005-01-01

Knowledge management in organizations, the learning objects paradigm, the advent of a new web generation, and the "Semantic Web" are major actual trends that reveal a potential for a renewed distance learning pedagogy. First and foremost is the use of educational modelling languages and instructional engineering methods to help decide…

Instructor Presence for Web-Based Classes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lear, Janet L.; Isernhagen, Jody C.; LaCost, Barbara A.; King, James W.

2009-01-01

Is instructor presence important in an online distance education class? Yes, said the students of this mixed methods research study. Students (n=241) enrolled in 31 Web-based sections of classes at four Midwestern post-secondary institutions in two different states were surveyed. The survey instrument included both the Rovai Classroom Community…

Teach beyond Your Reach: An Instructor's Guide to Developing and Running Successful Distance Learning Classes, Workshops, Training Sessions, and More. Second Edition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neidorf, Robin

2012-01-01

Distance education is enabling individuals to earn college and graduate degrees, professional certificates, and a wide range of skills and credentials. In addition to the expanding role of distance learning in higher education, all types of organizations now offer web-based training courses to employees, clients, and other associates. In this…

Trend of E-Learning: The Service Mashup

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yen, Neil Y.; Shih, Timothy K.; Jin, Qun; Hsu, Hui-Huang; Chao, Louis R.

2010-01-01

With the improvement of internet technologies and multimedia resources, traditional learning has been replaced by distance learning, web-based learning or others' e-learning learning styles. According to distance learning, there are many research organizations and companies who make efforts in developing the relevant systems. But they lack…

Commitment Predictors: Long-Distance versus Geographically Close Relationships

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pistole, M. Carole; Roberts, Amber; Mosko, Jonathan E.

2010-01-01

In this web-based study, the authors examined long-distance relationships (LDRs) and geographically close relationships (GCRs). Two hierarchical multiple regressions (N = 138) indicated that attachment predicted LDR and GCR commitment in Step 1. Final equations indicated that high satisfaction and investments predicted LDR commitment, whereas low…

Enhanced Web-Based Otitis Study Case vs Simple Paper-Case: Impact on Medical Student Objective Structured Clinical Exam (OSCE) Performance.

PubMed

Malloy, Michael H

2002-12-01

Distance education methods have taken on greater importance as medical student education has moved off campus into the community. What the best methods are for conveying information to students at distant sites has not been determined. To determine if students at distant community sites who received an otitis media study case by e-mail that was enhanced with a referral to a web-based otitis study case, performed better on otitis OSCE stations than students who received the same case not enhanced with visuals or referrals to a web-based otitis case. Students were randomized by community site to receive either the enhanced (E) or simple otitis study case (S). Students were e-mailed an otitis media study case during the 5th week of the rotation. Those randomized to the E-case received a case that started with a case scenario followed by a "Task" that instructed them to go to this web address: http://www.aap.org/otitismedia/www/vc/ear/index.cfm (American Academy of Pediatrics Otitis Web Site). They were then to select "Case 1" which was a continuation of the case scenario present on their e-mail. A list of learning objectives was also printed on the e-mail. Students receiving the S-case viewed the same case scenario and objectives, but were not instructed to go to the web-page. All students rotated through two OSCE otitis stations. In the first station they interviewed a simulated patient(OSCE-SP) and counseled her on the management of her 12 month old with otitis. Within that station they viewed a video of a pneumoscopic exam of two ears, one ear with otitis and the other ear normal. At the 2 nd otitis station the student presented the case to a faculty and was asked a series of questions about otitis media(OSCE-PR). Scores on the two stations were compared by group. There were 198 students who took the OSCE. 178 (90%) responded to a survey that indicated they had opened and read the e-mailed case. There were 87 students in the E-group and 91 in the S-group. The mean ±s.d. OSCE-SP station score for the E-group was 72.6 ±12.0 vs 75.4 ±9.8 for the S-group, p=0.09. For the otitis presentation station the scores for the E-group and S-group were respectively, 82.9 ±9.6 and 83.7 ±9.4, p=0.55. These data suggest that enhanced visual distance education cases may offer no distinct advantage over simple paper-type case study guides.

Time till death affects spider mobility and web-building behavior during web construction in an orb-web spider.

PubMed

Anotaux, Mylène; Toscani, Camille; Leborgne, Raymond; Chaline, Nicolas; Pasquet, Alain

2016-04-01

It is well known that age influences organism mobility. This was demonstrated in vertebrates (such as mammals and birds) but has been less studied in invertebrates with the exception of Drosophila and the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Here we studied the influence of age on the mobility of the orb-weaving spider Zygiella x-notata during web construction. The orb-web is a good model because it has a characteristic geometrical structure and video tracking can be used to easily follow the spider's movements during web building. We investigated the influence of age (specifically chronological age, life span, and time till death) on different parameters of spider mobility during the construction of the capture spiral (distance traveled, duration of construction, spider velocity, spider movement, and spider inactivity) with a generalized linear model (GLM) procedure adjusted for the spider mass. The results showed that neither chronological age, nor life span affected the mobility parameters. However, when the time till death decreased, there was a decrease in the distance traveled, the duration of the construction of the capture spiral, and the spider movement. The spider velocity and the time of inactivity were not affected. These results could be correlated with a decrease in the length of the silky thread deposited for the construction of the capture spiral. Spiders with a shorter time till death built smaller web using less silk. Thus, our study suggests strongly that time till death affects spider mobility during web construction but not the chronological age and thus may be a good indicator of senescence.

Time till death affects spider mobility and web-building behavior during web construction in an orb-web spider

PubMed Central

Anotaux, Mylène; Toscani, Camille; Leborgne, Raymond; Chaline, Nicolas; Pasquet, Alain

2016-01-01

Abstract It is well known that age influences organism mobility. This was demonstrated in vertebrates (such as mammals and birds) but has been less studied in invertebrates with the exception of Drosophila and the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Here we studied the influence of age on the mobility of the orb-weaving spider Zygiella x-notata during web construction. The orb-web is a good model because it has a characteristic geometrical structure and video tracking can be used to easily follow the spider’s movements during web building. We investigated the influence of age (specifically chronological age, life span, and time till death) on different parameters of spider mobility during the construction of the capture spiral (distance traveled, duration of construction, spider velocity, spider movement, and spider inactivity) with a generalized linear model (GLM) procedure adjusted for the spider mass. The results showed that neither chronological age, nor life span affected the mobility parameters. However, when the time till death decreased, there was a decrease in the distance traveled, the duration of the construction of the capture spiral, and the spider movement. The spider velocity and the time of inactivity were not affected. These results could be correlated with a decrease in the length of the silky thread deposited for the construction of the capture spiral. Spiders with a shorter time till death built smaller web using less silk. Thus, our study suggests strongly that time till death affects spider mobility during web construction but not the chronological age and thus may be a good indicator of senescence. PMID:29491899

New teaching methods in use at UC Irvine's optical engineering and instrument design programs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Silberman, Donn M.; Rowe, T. Scott; Jo, Joshua; Dimas, David

2012-10-01

New teaching methods reach geographically dispersed students with advances in Distance Education. Capabilities include a new "Hybrid" teaching method with an instructor in a classroom and a live WebEx simulcast for remote students. Our Distance Education Geometric and Physical Optics courses include Hands-On Optics experiments. Low cost laboratory kits have been developed and YouTube type video recordings of the instructor using these tools guide the students through their labs. A weekly "Office Hour" has been developed using WebEx and a Live Webcam the instructor uses to display his live writings from his notebook for answering students' questions.

Transactional Distance in a Blended Learning Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dron, Jon; Seidel, Catharine; Litten, Gabrielle

2004-01-01

This paper presents a case study that describes and discusses the problems encountered during the design and implementation of a blended learning course, largely taught online through a web-based learning environment. Based on Moore's theory of transactional distance, the course was explicitly designed to have dialogue at its heart. However, the…

Will E-Business Shape the Future of Open and Distance Learning?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oblinger, Diana

2001-01-01

Explores the impact that electronic business is likely to have on the growth of open and distance learning. Discusses global consortia and global virtual universities; technological developments, including Web qualities; value chains; pricing models; the importance of scale; operating efficiencies; and increasing competition. (Author/LRW)

Predictors of Satisfaction in Geographically Close and Long-Distance Relationships

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Ji-yeon; Pistole, M. Carole

2012-01-01

In this study, the authors examined geographically close (GCRs) and long-distance (LDRs) romantic relationship satisfaction as explained by insecure attachment, self-disclosure, gossip, and idealization. After college student participants (N = 536) completed a Web survey, structural equation modeling (SEM) multigroup analysis revealed that the GCR…

Roadmap to Measuring Distance Education Instructional Design Competencies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dooley, Kim E.; Lindner, James R.; Telg, Ricky W.; Irani, Tracy; Moore, Lori; Lundy, Lisa

2007-01-01

This study was designed to measure instructional design competencies as a result of participation in a 9-month Web-based training program called "Roadmap to Effective Distance Education Instructional Design." The researchers used a self-assessment pre- and posttest to determine participant initial and final competence in 12 areas: adult…

Use of Instructional Dialogue by University Students in a Distance Education Chemistry Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gorsky, Paul; Caspi, Avner; Tuvi-Arad, Inbal

2004-01-01

A distance education system may be viewed in terms of intrapersonal and interpersonal instructional dialogues that mediate the learning and instructional resources that enable such dialogues. Instructional resources include self-instruction texts, tutorial sessions, instructor availability, Web sites, and more. This study investigated the kinds of…

Distance Students and Online Research: Promoting Information Literacy through Media Literacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van de Vord, Rebecca

2010-01-01

Today's college students, particularly distance students, are increasingly dependent on the Web for their research needs. At the same time they lack the critical thinking skills required to successfully evaluate the actual credibility of online information, a critical aspect of information literacy. Furthermore, rather than access the online…

Services to Remote Users: Marketing the Library's Role.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wolpert, Ann

1998-01-01

Discussion of the impact of distance education on academic libraries focuses on marketing aspects. Topics include the rapid expansion of educational computing; the maturing of higher education; the World Wide Web as competitor to academic libraries; business purposes of academic libraries; distance education strategies; servicing market segments;…

Distance Education and Virtual Reference: Where Are We Headed?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coffman, Steve

2001-01-01

Discusses changes in distance education and considers the resulting need for new types of library services. Topics include new Web-based contact center software; how to conduct virtual reference interviews; online reference service; the role of the physical library; staffing changes; and future possibilities, including impacts on costs of library…

New Definitions for New Higher Education Institutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meyer, Katrina A.

2009-01-01

New terms were exploding early in the development of distance learning and virtual universities. Distance learning, online learning, e-learning, and distributed learning were applied to the various new forms of learning using online or Web-based materials and processes. However, largely thanks to the immediate popularity of the Western Governors'…

Planning and Implementing a Public Health Professional Distance Learning Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Escoffery, Cam; Leppke, Allison M.; Robinson, Kara B.; Mettler, Erik P.; Miner, Kathleen R.; Smith, Iris

2005-01-01

Training of public health professionals through web-based technology is rapidly increasing. This article describes one school of public health's effort to establish an online Master's program that serves students nationally and internationally. It examines the critical components in the design and implementation of distance education, including…

Free and Easy to Use Web Based Presentation and Classroom Tools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jensen, Jennifer; Tunon, Johanna

2012-01-01

A number of free Web-based tools are available for distance librarians to create presentations and online assignments. The relative merits of presentation tools like Dabbleboard, Jing, Prezi, Tildee, 280 Slides, and Glogster, and classroom tools like Make Beliefs Comix, Picviewer, Photopeach, and Wordle are assessed for ease of use by distance…

A Web-Free Prototype for Distance Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Molinari, Andrea; Colazzo, Luigi

This paper presents a prototype for the construction of interactive educational hypermedia that can be used on the Internet without being bound to typical World Wide Web protocols and tools. Its most innovative aspect is interactivity: it allows teachers and learners to remotely interact in real time in both a synchronous and asynchronous manner.…

The Knowledge Web: Learning and Collaborating on the Net. Open and Distance Learning Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eisenstadt, Marc, Ed.; Vincent, Tom, Ed.

This book contains a collection of examples of new and effective uses of the World Wide Web in education from the Knowledge Media Institute (KMi) at the Open University (Great Britain). The publication is organized in three main sections--"Learning Media,""Collaboration and Presence," and "Knowledge Systems on the…

Faculty Choice and Student Perception of Web-Based Technologies for Interaction in Online Economics Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morris, Olivia

2012-01-01

This research investigated faculty choice of web-based technologies for interaction in online economics courses and students' perception of those technologies. The literature review of online interaction has established the importance of learner-learner, learner-instructor and learner-content interaction in distance learning. However, some…

Study on an Interactive Truck Crane Simulation Platform Based on Virtual Reality Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sang, Yong; Zhu, Yu; Zhao, Honghua; Tang, Mingyan

2016-01-01

The modern web-based distance education overcomes space-time restriction of the traditional teaching forms. However, being short of specifically observable and operable experimental equipment makes the web-based education lack advantages in the knowledge learning progress, which needs strong stereoscopic effect and operability. Truck crane is the…

A Database Architecture for Web-Based Distance Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rehak, Daniel R.

The goal of the Carnegie Mellon Online project is to build an infrastructure for delivery of courses via the World Wide Web. The project aims to deliver educational content and to assess student competency in support of courses across the Carnegie Mellon University (Pennsylvania) curriculum and beyond, thereby providing an asynchronous,…

A Web-Based Learning and Assessment System To Support Flexible Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gardner, Lesley; Sheridan, D.; White, D.

2002-01-01

Describes the development of a computer-supported, Web-based learning system, CECIL, at the University of Auckland (New Zealand). Discusses the potential benefits that a university-wide resource management system may have in terms of educational flexibility, such as online learning for distance education, and resource sharing, as well as…

Project Management for Web-Based Course Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Dong; Shearer, Rick

2004-01-01

Transferring face-to-face courses into Web-based courses is a trend in higher education. Whether this course transition is for distance education or for resident instruction, faculty members play a critical role in the process. Faculty members not only provide lesson content, but important insights into how content has been best presented in…

A Web-Based Tutor for Java™: Evidence of Meaningful Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Emurian, Henry H.

2006-01-01

Students in a graduate class and an undergraduate class in Information Systems completed a Web-based programmed instruction tutor that taught a simple Java applet as the first technical training exercise in a computer programming course. The tutor is a competency-based instructional system for individualized distance learning. When a student…

Three Essays on the Role of Social Media in Social Crises: A Collective Sensemaking View

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oh, Onook

2013-01-01

Flexible, mobile, and distributive social web technologies afforded online users with unprecedented opportunities to connect previously disconnected groups of people at a distance surrounding shared interests or common issues. Reflecting the opportunities opened by social web technologies, recent extreme events have exposed both positive and…

Virtual Classroom for Business Planning Formulation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Osorio, J.; Rubio-Royo, E.; Ocon, A.

One of the most promising possibilities of the World Wide Web resides in its potential to support distance education. In 1996, the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria developed the "INNOVA Project" in order to promote Web-based training and learning. As a result, the Virtual Classroom Interface (IVA) was created. Several software…

Satisfaction of Outcome Achievement with Web-Enhanced Teaching Strategies in Nursing Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thornock, Susan B.

2013-01-01

The future of distance and Web-enhanced education and the use of technology are becoming more advantageous to a growing population. Nursing education has been encouraged to incorporate these teaching-learning methods. Changes in nursing education and the teaching-learning environment have the potential to challenge the preservation of nursing…

Higher Education on the Web.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, John

2001-01-01

The investment in information technology has doubled for colleges over the last 10 years, and the next big evolution, the development of Web-based learning, is well underway. Most colleges and universities have a strategic plan for distance education or are developing one. The effort is led by community colleges and private universities, both of…

Design Dimensions and Attributes for Web-Based Distance Learning Modules

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pomales-Garcia, Cristina; Lopez, Angel D.; Liu, Yili

2010-01-01

This study investigates and compares the relative importance of Web module design dimensions and their attributes as perceived by student participants in a research study and those defined by a selected group of researchers in the literature. We aim to understand whether the dimensions of clarity, organization, structure, visual/aesthetical…

Can you go the distance? Attending the virtual classroom.

PubMed

Bigony, Lorraine

2010-01-01

Distance learning via the World Wide Web offers convenience and flexibility. Online education connects nurses geographically in a manner that the traditional face-to-face learning environment lacks. Delivered in both a synchronous (real time interaction) or asynchronous (delayed interaction) format, distance programs continue to provide nurses with choice, especially in the pursuit of advanced degrees. This article explores the pros and cons of distance education, in addition to the most popular platform used in distance learning today, the Blackboard Academic Suite. Characteristics of the potential enrollee to ensure a successful distance education experience are also discussed. Distance nursing programs are here to stay. Although rigorous, the ease of accessibility makes distance learning a viable alternative for busy nurses.

Results from Two Years of Web-Based Astronomy Teaching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wallin, J.

1996-12-01

During the last two years, course notes, supplemental material, bulletin boards, and an interactive quiz system have been developed for the introductory astronomy course at George Mason University. In this talk, I will present results about the level of Web literacy, Web usage, and educational effectiveness of this system based on in-class surveys and test results. The results presented are based on a 300 person survey course composed primarily of non-science majors. Although this course currently includes a lecture section, we plan to offer this as a web-based distance learning course within six months.

Clusters, voids and reconstructions of the cosmic web

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bos, E. G. Patrick

2016-12-01

The Universe is filled for 95% with dark matter and energy that we cannot see. Of the remaining 5% normal matter we can only see a small part. However, if we want to study the Universe as a whole, we will have to get to know it for 100%. We have to uncover indirectly where dark matter is hiding and what is the nature of dark energy. In this thesis we explore two such methods. The first part describes how we can use the large empty regions between galaxies, "voids", to learn more about dark energy. We converted our theoretical simulations to a model of real observations of galaxies. In this model, we perform the same measurements as we would in real observations. This way, we show that it is indeed possible to unravel the nature of dark energy. The second part is based on our computer code: BARCODE. It unites two models: a physical model of the formation of the Cosmic Web, and a description of the observational effects of (clusters of) galaxies, in particular the effect of redshift on distance measurements. It allows us to back-trace our observations to the primordial conditions. These enable us to trace all (dark) matter, also that which we did not directly observe. The result is a reconstruction of the complete Cosmic Web. In these, we studied "filaments". These objects have not yet been extensively studied. BARCODE will enable further study, e.g. by using it to find observable filaments.

SpectralNET – an application for spectral graph analysis and visualization

PubMed Central

Forman, Joshua J; Clemons, Paul A; Schreiber, Stuart L; Haggarty, Stephen J

2005-01-01

Background Graph theory provides a computational framework for modeling a variety of datasets including those emerging from genomics, proteomics, and chemical genetics. Networks of genes, proteins, small molecules, or other objects of study can be represented as graphs of nodes (vertices) and interactions (edges) that can carry different weights. SpectralNET is a flexible application for analyzing and visualizing these biological and chemical networks. Results Available both as a standalone .NET executable and as an ASP.NET web application, SpectralNET was designed specifically with the analysis of graph-theoretic metrics in mind, a computational task not easily accessible using currently available applications. Users can choose either to upload a network for analysis using a variety of input formats, or to have SpectralNET generate an idealized random network for comparison to a real-world dataset. Whichever graph-generation method is used, SpectralNET displays detailed information about each connected component of the graph, including graphs of degree distribution, clustering coefficient by degree, and average distance by degree. In addition, extensive information about the selected vertex is shown, including degree, clustering coefficient, various distance metrics, and the corresponding components of the adjacency, Laplacian, and normalized Laplacian eigenvectors. SpectralNET also displays several graph visualizations, including a linear dimensionality reduction for uploaded datasets (Principal Components Analysis) and a non-linear dimensionality reduction that provides an elegant view of global graph structure (Laplacian eigenvectors). Conclusion SpectralNET provides an easily accessible means of analyzing graph-theoretic metrics for data modeling and dimensionality reduction. SpectralNET is publicly available as both a .NET application and an ASP.NET web application from . Source code is available upon request. PMID:16236170

SpectralNET--an application for spectral graph analysis and visualization.

PubMed

Forman, Joshua J; Clemons, Paul A; Schreiber, Stuart L; Haggarty, Stephen J

2005-10-19

Graph theory provides a computational framework for modeling a variety of datasets including those emerging from genomics, proteomics, and chemical genetics. Networks of genes, proteins, small molecules, or other objects of study can be represented as graphs of nodes (vertices) and interactions (edges) that can carry different weights. SpectralNET is a flexible application for analyzing and visualizing these biological and chemical networks. Available both as a standalone .NET executable and as an ASP.NET web application, SpectralNET was designed specifically with the analysis of graph-theoretic metrics in mind, a computational task not easily accessible using currently available applications. Users can choose either to upload a network for analysis using a variety of input formats, or to have SpectralNET generate an idealized random network for comparison to a real-world dataset. Whichever graph-generation method is used, SpectralNET displays detailed information about each connected component of the graph, including graphs of degree distribution, clustering coefficient by degree, and average distance by degree. In addition, extensive information about the selected vertex is shown, including degree, clustering coefficient, various distance metrics, and the corresponding components of the adjacency, Laplacian, and normalized Laplacian eigenvectors. SpectralNET also displays several graph visualizations, including a linear dimensionality reduction for uploaded datasets (Principal Components Analysis) and a non-linear dimensionality reduction that provides an elegant view of global graph structure (Laplacian eigenvectors). SpectralNET provides an easily accessible means of analyzing graph-theoretic metrics for data modeling and dimensionality reduction. SpectralNET is publicly available as both a .NET application and an ASP.NET web application from http://chembank.broad.harvard.edu/resources/. Source code is available upon request.

Distance learning in toxicology: Resident and remote; Scotland, IPCS, IUPAC, and the world

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

Duffus, John H.

2005-09-01

Globally, very few college or university chemistry courses incorporate toxicology although public perception of chemicals and the chemical industry as threats to health and the environment has had an adverse effect on chemistry and on the use of its products. The International Union for Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) through its Commission on Toxicology recognized this and, with the support of the Committee on the Teaching of Chemistry has used the IUPAC web site to promote distance learning in toxicology for chemists. After preparation of a thoroughly refereed consensus Glossary of Terms for Chemists of Terms Used in Toxicology, amore » textbook Fundamental Toxicology for Chemists and a set of educational modules entitled Essential Toxicology were compiled and put through the normal thorough review procedure of IUPAC before being approved by the organization. There is now an additional Glossary of Terms Used in Toxicokinetics. The modules are freely downloadable in Adobe PDF format and are designed to be used both by educators and by students. Educators are asked to select whatever is appropriate to their students and to use the material as they wish, adding content specifically relevant to their circumstances. For self-study, the web modules have self-assessment questions and model answers. Currently the original Glossary for Chemists of Terms Used in Toxicology is being revised and it is expected that this will lead to further developments. The currently available components of the IUPAC programme may be accessed through the IUPAC website at the Subcommittee on Toxicology and Risk Assessment page: http://www.iupac.org/divisions/VII/VII.C.2/index.html.« less

Social Networking Sites as Communication, Interaction, and Learning Environments: Perceptions and Preferences of Distance Education Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bozkurt, Aras; Karadeniz, Abdulkadir; Kocdar, Serpil

2017-01-01

The advent of Web 2.0 technologies transformed online networks into interactive spaces in which user-generated content has become the core material. With the possibilities that emerged from Web 2.0, social networking sites became very popular. The capability of social networking sites promises opportunities for communication and interaction,…

Facilitating Interactions through Structured Web-Based Bulletin Boards: A Quasi-Experimental Study on Promoting Learners' Critical Thinking Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yang, Ya-Ting C.; Newby, Timothy; Bill, Robert

2008-01-01

This experimental study investigated the effectiveness of structured Web-Based Bulletin Board (WBB) discussions in improving the critical thinking (CT) skills of learners involved in veterinary distance learning, as well as their attitudes toward learning via WBBs. The two dependent variables were learners' CT skills and their attitudes toward…

Preparing ESOL Teachers Using Web-Based Learning: Strategies and Tactics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vazquez-Montilla, Elia; Zhu, Erping

Communications technologies such as Web-based conferencing and chat are being used increasingly around the world by instructors and students in either face to face or distance learning courses. While some discuss the affects of this phenomena, others are more focused on how these technological tools can be used in specific courses to achieve…

A Comparison of Student Views on Web-Based and Face-to-Face Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sad, Suleyman Nihat; Goktas, Ozlem; Bayrak, Ilhami

2014-01-01

The study aimed to describe and compare the perceptions of web-based distance education students and campus-based face-to-face students about the quality of education provided in their programs with regard to variables including gender, marital status, and employment status. A baseline descriptive survey design and complementary "ex post…

Web-Browsing Competencies of Pre-Service Adult Facilitators: Implications for Curriculum Transformation and Distance Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Theresa, Ofoegbu; Ugwu, Agboeze Matthias; Ihebuzoaju, Anyanwu Joy; Uche, Asogwa

2013-01-01

The study investigated the Web-browsing competencies of pre-service adult facilitators in the southeast geopolitical zone of Nigeria. Survey design was adopted for the study. The population consists of all pre-service adult facilitators in all the federal universities in the southeast geopolitical zone of Nigeria. Accidental sampling technique was…

Web Site Usability: A Case Study of Student Perceptions of Educational Web Sites

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ballard, Joyce Kimberly

2010-01-01

The purpose of this research study was to understand the construct of usability from the perspective of 74 students enrolled in six online courses offered by one online and distance learning program at a large, public university in the Midwest. Six courses, designed and developed by two different groups, professional and nonprofessional…

Removing the Barriers for Students with Disabilities: Accessible Online and Web-Enhanced Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tandy, Cindy; Meacham, Mike

2009-01-01

The concern of this article is the difficulties faced by disabled students as technology grows and expands in academia. Although distance learning, web-based courses, and hybrid courses, among other venues, have improved the chances for many people suffering disabilities for obtaining degrees and thereby increasing their life chances, we have met…

ICT and Web Technology Based Innovations in Education Sector

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sangeeta Namdev, Dhamdhere

2012-01-01

ICT made real magic and drastic changes in all service sectors along with higher education and library practices and services. The academic environment is changing from formal education to distance and online learning mode because of ICT. Web technology and mobile technology has made great impact on education sector. The role of Open Access,…

Web-Based Seamless Migration for Task-Oriented Mobile Distance Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Degan; Li, Yuan-chao; Zhang, Huaiyu; Zhang, Xinshang; Zeng, Guangping

2006-01-01

As a new kind of computing paradigm, pervasive computing will meet the requirements of human being that anybody maybe obtain services in anywhere and at anytime, task-oriented seamless migration is one of its applications. Apparently, the function of seamless mobility is suitable for mobile services, such as mobile Web-based learning. In this…

Problems and Practical Solutions of Web-Based Courses: Lessons Learned from Three Educational Institutions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miltiadou, Marios; McIsaac, Marina S.

The purpose of this paper is to review problems encountered in World Wide Web-based courses delivered at three different educational institutions (i.e., two community colleges and a university) in the metropolitan Phoenix (Arizona) area. Implications are discussed based on distance education theories of interaction. Interaction is a vital issue to…

Recurrent Themes in E-Learning: A Narrative Analysis of Major E-Learning Reports

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Waight, Consuelo L.; Willging, Pedro; Wentling, Tim

2004-01-01

E-learning, sometimes referred to as online learning, Web-based learning, distance learning, and technology-based learning, among other names, is a concept that has garnered significant global attention. This broad attention to e-learning has resulted in numerous e-learning reports. In doing extensive Web searches for e-learning reports, the…

Bridging the Distance: The Use of Blogs as Reflective Learning Tools for Placement Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wolf, Katharina

2010-01-01

This paper reviews the effectiveness of web logs ("blogs"), or online journals, within the context of a compulsory final-year placement unit for public relations students. The key goal behind the use of Web2.0 technology was to encourage ongoing, reflective practice via an exchange between students thereby limiting feelings of isolation…

Conducting a Trial of Web Conferencing Software: Why, How, and Perceptions from the Coalface

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reushle, Shirley; Loch, Birgit

2008-01-01

This paper reports on the trial of web conferencing software conducted at a regional Australian university with a significant distance population. The paper shares preliminary findings, the views of participants and recommendations for future activity. To design and conduct the trial, an action research method was chosen because it is…

Automated Management and Delivery of Distance Courseware.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, W. Lewis; Blake, Tyler; Shaw, Erin

This paper describes a system called ANDES, designed for the management and delivery of distance education courses. ANDES enables students to study at home at their own pace, as well as interact with instructors and other students in virtual classrooms. It uses World Wide Web technology for transmission and delivery, with extensions relevant to…

Using Linked Data to Annotate and Search Educational Video Resources for Supporting Distance Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yu, Hong Qing; Pedrinaci, C.; Dietze, S.; Domingue, J.

2012-01-01

Multimedia educational resources play an important role in education, particularly for distance learning environments. With the rapid growth of the multimedia web, large numbers of educational video resources are increasingly being created by several different organizations. It is crucial to explore, share, reuse, and link these educational…

An Argument for the Application of Copyright Law to Distance Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lipinski, Tomas A.

1999-01-01

Presents a legal analysis of the application of copyright law to distance education environments, particularly as it applies to Web-based instruction and the construction of electronic reserves, or virtual libraries. Explores the dangers of moving toward a schema of universal or compulsory licensing of information. Suggests several possible…

Real Time with the Librarian: Using Web Conferencing Software to Connect to Distance Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Riedel, Tom; Betty, Paul

2013-01-01

A pilot program to provide real-time library webcasts to Regis University distance students using Adobe Connect software was initiated in fall of 2011. Previously, most interaction between librarians and online students had been accomplished by asynchronous discussion threads in the Learning Management System. Library webcasts were offered in…

An Evaluation of Selected ASERL Web Pages: "Best Practices" for Serving Distance Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomas, Melanie

2007-01-01

With the expansion in quantity of full-text content material made available through online database subscriptions, aggregator services, and over the Internet, the need for print materials seems to have diminished over recent years. Growing, too, are the numbers of students taking advantage of distance learning opportunities, scattered miles and…

College Distance Education Courses: Evaluating Benefits and Costs from Institutional, Faculty and Students' Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lei, Simon A.; Gupta, Rajeev K.

2010-01-01

The strategic plan for providing college education outside of the traditional classroom environment has rapidly evolved over the past decade via electronic mediums. Advances in technology, along with increasing student enrollment size, have led many higher education institutions to begin offering distance education (web-based) courses. Current…

Demonstrating a Web-Design Technique in a Distance-Learning Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zdenek, Sean

2004-01-01

Objective: To lead a brief training session over a distance-learning network. Type of speech: Informative. Point value: 20% of course grade. Requirements: (a) References: Not specified; (b) Length: 15 minutes; (c) Visual aid: Yes; (d) Outline: No; (e) Prerequisite reading: Chapters 12-16, 18 (Bailey, 2002); (f) Additional requirements: None. This…

Distance Education in Physics via the Internet

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eckert, Bodo; Grober, Sebastian; Jodl, Hans-Jorg

2009-01-01

This article describes three connected projects in physics: (1) a very successful course at the university level; (2) a collection of several thousand multimedia materials, its status and evaluation, and its dissemination; and (3) Web experiments--experiments that can be operated remotely from a distance via the Internet. (Contains 4 tables and 10…

Real-Time Internet Mediated Laboratory Experiments for Distance Education Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lemckert, Charles; Florance, John

2002-01-01

Discusses the demand for distance education opportunities in engineering and science and considers delivery methods for theoretical content and for laboratory work. Explains the Real-Time Internet Mediated Laboratory Experiments (RTIMLE) that use the World Wide Web, and suggests that RTIMLE may be most appropriate for students who already have…

Integrating Web Conferencing and Field Work for Preparing Rural Special Educators.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chapman, Carrie; Knapczyk, Dennis

Distance learning can be a useful approach for preparing teachers who are mid-career changers or who are working on limited licenses, especially in rural areas. At Indiana University, the Collaborative Teacher Education Program uses multiple distance education technologies to provide special education teacher preparation in mild (high-incidence)…

Online Education Evaluation: What Should We Evaluate?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hew, Khe Foon; Liu, Shijuan; Martinez, Ray; Bonk, Curt; Lee, Ji-Yeon

2004-01-01

In recent years, Web technologies have helped expand distance education in higher education. Online programs have become widely and generally accepted in many countries. According to the U.S. Department of Education, the number of Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) offering distance education has increased by one-third since 1994-1995; and 44…

The Changing Role of the Educational Video in Higher Distance Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Laaser, Wolfram; Toloza, Eduardo A.

2017-01-01

The article argues that the ongoing usage of audio visual media is falling behind in terms of educational quality compared to prior achievements in the history of distance education. After reviewing some important steps and experiences of audio visual digital media development, we analyse predominant presentation formats on the Web. Special focus…

Overview of codes and tools for nuclear engineering education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yakovlev, D.; Pryakhin, A.; Medvedeva, L.

2017-01-01

The recent world trends in nuclear education have been developed in the direction of social education, networking, virtual tools and codes. MEPhI as a global leader on the world education market implements new advanced technologies for the distance and online learning and for student research work. MEPhI produced special codes, tools and web resources based on the internet platform to support education in the field of nuclear technology. At the same time, MEPhI actively uses codes and tools from the third parties. Several types of the tools are considered: calculation codes, nuclear data visualization tools, virtual labs, PC-based educational simulators for nuclear power plants (NPP), CLP4NET, education web-platforms, distance courses (MOOCs and controlled and managed content systems). The university pays special attention to integrated products such as CLP4NET, which is not a learning course, but serves to automate the process of learning through distance technologies. CLP4NET organizes all tools in the same information space. Up to now, MEPhI has achieved significant results in the field of distance education and online system implementation.

20 CFR 655.103 - Overview of this subpart and definition of terms.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... effect wage rate (AEWR). The annual weighted average hourly wage for field and livestock workers.... 1188. Area of intended employment. The geographic area within normal commuting distance of the place of... constitutes a normal commuting distance or normal commuting area, because there may be widely varying factual...

20 CFR 655.103 - Overview of this subpart and definition of terms.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... effect wage rate (AEWR). The annual weighted average hourly wage for field and livestock workers.... 1188. Area of intended employment. The geographic area within normal commuting distance of the place of... constitutes a normal commuting distance or normal commuting area, because there may be widely varying factual...

20 CFR 655.4 - Definitions of terms used in this subpart.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

.... worker recruitment report. Area of Intended Employment means the geographic area within normal commuting... certification is sought. There is no rigid measure of distance which constitutes a normal commuting distance or normal commuting area, because there may be widely varying factual circumstances among different areas (e...

20 CFR 655.103 - Overview of this subpart and definition of terms.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... effect wage rate (AEWR). The annual weighted average hourly wage for field and livestock workers.... 1188. Area of intended employment. The geographic area within normal commuting distance of the place of... constitutes a normal commuting distance or normal commuting area, because there may be widely varying factual...

29 CFR 501.3 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 3105. Adverse effect wage rate (AEWR). The annual weighted average hourly wage for... worker subject to 8 U.S.C. 1188. Area of intended employment. The geographic area within normal commuting... measure of distance that constitutes a normal commuting distance or normal commuting area, because there...

29 CFR 501.3 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 3105. Adverse effect wage rate (AEWR). The annual weighted average hourly wage for... worker subject to 8 U.S.C. 1188. Area of intended employment. The geographic area within normal commuting... measure of distance that constitutes a normal commuting distance or normal commuting area, because there...

29 CFR 501.3 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 3105. Adverse effect wage rate (AEWR). The annual weighted average hourly wage for... worker subject to 8 U.S.C. 1188. Area of intended employment. The geographic area within normal commuting... measure of distance that constitutes a normal commuting distance or normal commuting area, because there...

29 CFR 501.3 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 3105. Adverse effect wage rate (AEWR). The annual weighted average hourly wage for... worker subject to 8 U.S.C. 1188. Area of intended employment. The geographic area within normal commuting... measure of distance that constitutes a normal commuting distance or normal commuting area, because there...

Impact of Target Distance, Target Size, and Visual Acuity on the Video Head Impulse Test.

PubMed

Judge, Paul D; Rodriguez, Amanda I; Barin, Kamran; Janky, Kristen L

2018-05-01

The video head impulse test (vHIT) assesses the vestibulo-ocular reflex. Few have evaluated whether environmental factors or visual acuity influence the vHIT. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of target distance, target size, and visual acuity on vHIT outcomes. Thirty-eight normal controls and 8 subjects with vestibular loss (VL) participated. vHIT was completed at 3 distances and with 3 target sizes. Normal controls were subdivided on the basis of visual acuity. Corrective saccade frequency, corrective saccade amplitude, and gain were tabulated. In the normal control group, there were no significant effects of target size or visual acuity for any vHIT outcome parameters; however, gain increased as target distance decreased. The VL group demonstrated higher corrective saccade frequency and amplitude and lower gain as compared with controls. In conclusion, decreasing target distance increases gain for normal controls but not subjects with VL. Preliminarily, visual acuity does not affect vHIT outcomes.

Body weight, shame, guilt and oral health: a path analysis model in undergraduate students.

PubMed

Dumitrescu, Alexandrina L; Dogaru, Carmen Beatrice; Duţă, Carmen; Manolescu, B

2011-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to answer the question of whether experiences of shame, guilt and body investment can explain such the association between BMI, oral health behaviours and status in an undergraduate student population-based sample. The study was performed on a sample of 150 first year medical students (19.62 +/- 2.62 years old). Data were collected through a self-administered questionnaire, Weight- and Body-Related Shame and Guilt Scale and Body Investment Scale. 61.3% of students were of normal weight, 21.3% were underweight and 11.3% were overweight. Statistically significant differences were observed between males and females regarding the body mass index (P < 0.0001) and WEB-shame (P < 0.0001). Among females, statically significant higher values of WEB-Shame, WEB-Guilt and lower levels of Body investment were noted among normal weight compared with under-weight students (P < 0.05). The normal-weight female and underweight participants reported statistically significant different frequency of gingival involvement (P < 0.05). Among males, WEB-S was correlated with satisfaction by appearance of own teeth, current extracted teeth and self-reported gum bleeding, while WEB-G, self-reported current extracted teeth, toothbrushing and mouthrinse frequency were also correlated. Among females, WEB-S was correlated with flossing and dental visit frequency. The structural equation model demonstrated a good fit among female students but not among males. These findings highlight the importance of targeting and understanding the realm of body-related self-conscious emotions and the associated links to regulations and health investment behavior.

Mechanical analysis of the roundhouse kick according to height and distance in taekwondo.

PubMed

Estevan, I; Falco, C

2013-12-01

Competition regulation in taekwondo has experienced several changes during the last few years, for example, kicks to the head score more points than kicks to the chest. In addition, some external factors such as the height of target and execution distance seem to affect the kick performance. The aim of this study was to analyse selected biomechanical parameters (impact force, reaction time, and execution time) according to the height and execution distance in two different male groups (experts (n = 12) and novices (n = 21)). Athletes kicked twice from every execution distance (short, normal and long) and towards two different heights of target (chest and head) in a random order. Novices kicked to the head with a longer reaction time than to the chest (p < 0.05) but experts were able to kick with similar performance for both heights. From short and normal distances experts kicked with similar performance; whereas from the normal distance novices had longer reaction and execution time than from the short distance (p < 0.05). In conclusion, in counterattacking situations, experts should perform the roundhouse kick to the head instead of to the chest, because it produces better scores with similar performance; whereas novice athletes should avoid kicking to the head because they are not able to kick with similar performance. Moreover, it is recommended that during counterattacks higher-level taekwondo athletes should intend to kick from normal distances.

MECHANICAL ANALYSIS OF THE ROUNDHOUSE KICK ACCORDING TO HEIGHT AND DISTANCE IN TAEKWONDO

PubMed Central

Falco, C.

2013-01-01

Competition regulation in taekwondo has experienced several changes during the last few years, for example, kicks to the head score more points than kicks to the chest. In addition, some external factors such as the height of target and execution distance seem to affect the kick performance. The aim of this study was to analyse selected biomechanical parameters (impact force, reaction time, and execution time) according to the height and execution distance in two different male groups (experts (n = 12) and novices (n = 21)). Athletes kicked twice from every execution distance (short, normal and long) and towards two different heights of target (chest and head) in a random order. Novices kicked to the head with a longer reaction time than to the chest (p < 0.05) but experts were able to kick with similar performance for both heights. From short and normal distances experts kicked with similar performance; whereas from the normal distance novices had longer reaction and execution time than from the short distance (p < 0.05). In conclusion, in counterattacking situations, experts should perform the roundhouse kick to the head instead of to the chest, because it produces better scores with similar performance; whereas novice athletes should avoid kicking to the head because they are not able to kick with similar performance. Moreover, it is recommended that during counterattacks higher-level taekwondo athletes should intend to kick from normal distances. PMID:24744499

The open research system: a web-based metadata and data repository for collaborative research

Treesearch

Charles M. Schweik; Alexander Stepanov; J. Morgan Grove

2005-01-01

Beginning in 1999, a web-based metadata and data repository we call the "open research system" (ORS) was designed and built to assist geographically distributed scientific research teams. The purpose of this innovation was to promote the open sharing of data within and across organizational lines and across geographic distances. As the use of the system...

Using a Teacher Support Group to Develop Teacher Knowledge of Mandarin Teaching via Web Conferencing Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tseng, Jun-Jie; Lien, Yu-Jen; Chen, Hao-Jan

2016-01-01

Due to its continuous advancement, web conferencing technology is increasingly being integrated into foreign language education; thus, teachers are able to carve out a niche by providing learners with an opportunity to learn a foreign language at a distance without time and space constraints. However, little is known about the relationship between…

Web-Based Lecture Technologies: Blurring the Boundaries between Face-to-Face and Distance Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woo, Karen; Gosper, Maree; McNeill, Margot; Preston, Greg; Green, David; Phillips, Rob

2008-01-01

Web-based lecture technologies (WBLT) have gained popularity amongst universities in Australia as a tool for delivering lecture recordings to students in close to real time. This paper reports on a selection of results from a larger research project investigating the impact of WBLT on teaching and learning. Results show that while staff see the…

Choosing Web 2.0 Tools for Instruction: An Extension of Task-Technology Fit

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gupta, Saurabh

2014-01-01

The growth of technology and the inclusion of "digital natives" as students in the education world have created a demand pull for the use of Web 2.0 technologies in education. Dominant among these tools have been wikis, blogs and discussion boards. Distance education experts view the use of these tools as differentiators when compared to…

Public Speaking Anxiety: Comparing Face-to-Face and Web-Based Speeches

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campbell, Scott; Larson, James

2013-01-01

This study is to determine whether or not students have a different level of anxiety between giving a speech to a group of people in a traditional face-to-face classroom setting to a speech given to an audience (visible on a projected screen) into a camera using distance or web-based technology. The study included approximately 70 students.…

CAD/CAM at a Distance: Assessing the Effectiveness of Web-Based Instruction To Meet Workforce Development Needs. AIR 2000 Annual Forum Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilkerson, Joyce A.; Elkins, Susan A.

This qualitative case study assessed web-based instruction in a computer-aided design/computer-assisted manufacturing (CAD/CAM) course designed for workforce development. The study examined students' and instructors' experience in a CAD/CAM course delivered exclusively on the Internet, evaluating course content and delivery, clarity of…

Dissemination Strategies and Adherence Predictors for Web-Based Interventions--How Efficient Are Patient Education Sessions and Email Reminders?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schweier, R.; Romppel, M.; Richter, C.; Grande, G.

2016-01-01

The Internet offers the potential to efficaciously deliver health interventions at a low cost and with a low threshold across any distance. However, since many web-based interventions are confronted with low use and adherence, proactive dissemination strategies are needed. We, therefore, tested the efficacy of a 1-h patient education session as…

A Distance Learning Review--The Communicational Module "Learning on Demand--Anywhere at Any Time"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tatkovic, Nevenka; Ruzic, Maja

2004-01-01

The society of knowledge refers to the society marked with the principle which requires that knowledge, information and life-time learning hold a key to success in the world of IT technology. Internet, World Wide Web, Web Based Education and ever so growing speed of IT and communicational technologies have enabled the application of new modes,…

Automatic geospatial information Web service composition based on ontology interface matching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Xianbin; Wu, Qunyong; Wang, Qinmin

2008-10-01

With Web services technology the functions of WebGIS can be presented as a kind of geospatial information service, and helped to overcome the limitation of the information-isolated situation in geospatial information sharing field. Thus Geospatial Information Web service composition, which conglomerates outsourced services working in tandem to offer value-added service, plays the key role in fully taking advantage of geospatial information services. This paper proposes an automatic geospatial information web service composition algorithm that employed the ontology dictionary WordNet to analyze semantic distances among the interfaces. Through making matching between input/output parameters and the semantic meaning of pairs of service interfaces, a geospatial information web service chain can be created from a number of candidate services. A practice of the algorithm is also proposed and the result of it shows the feasibility of this algorithm and the great promise in the emerging demand for geospatial information web service composition.

Quality evaluation on an e-learning system in continuing professional education of nurses.

PubMed

Lin, I-Chun; Chien, Yu-Mei; Chang, I-Chiu

2006-01-01

Maintaining high quality in Web-based learning is a powerful means of increasing the overall efficiency and effectiveness of distance learning. Many studies have evaluated Web-based learning but seldom evaluate from the information systems (IS) perspective. This study applied the famous IS Success model in measuring the quality of a Web-based learning system using a Web-based questionnaire for data collection. One hundred and fifty four nurses participated in the survey. Based on confirmatory factor analysis, the variables of the research model fit for measuring the quality of a Web-based learning system. As Web-based education continues to grow worldwide, the results of this study may assist the system adopter (hospital executives), the learner (nurses), and the system designers in making reasonable and informed judgments with regard to the quality of Web-based learning system in continuing professional education.

Ten Tips for Teaching a Web Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

D'Orsie, Sharon M.; Day, Karen

2006-01-01

Distance learning is a growing trend. There were an estimated 3,077,000 enrollments in all distance education courses offered by two- and four-year institutions in 2000-2001. A survey by the National Center for Educational Statistics revealed that in 2000-2001, 56 percent of two- and four-year degree-granting institutions offered some type of…

Use of Distance Education by Religions of the World to Train, Edify and Educate Adherents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rogers, P. Clint; Howell, Scott L.

2004-01-01

Islamic, Hindu, Buddhist, Baha'i, Jewish, and Christian organizations are all experimenting with distance education for various reasons and to different extents, due to religious, economic, and political factors. Religious institutions worldwide are not only turning to the World Wide Web (WWW) to place information concerning religious beliefs and…

Interaction in Distance Education Environments: A Trend Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karatas, Serçin; Yilmaz, Ayse Bagriacik; Dikmen, Cemal Hakan; Ermis, Ugur Ferhat; Gürbüz, Onur

2017-01-01

The aim of this study is to determine the trend concerning interaction in distance education between the years 2011 and 2015. According to this aim, 544 articles in the databases of EBSCO, Scopus, and Web of Science were examined. The examination has been conducted on the basis of various variables including year, country, number of authors,…

Embracing a Customer Service Mindset: A Fresh Examination of Services for Distance Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Steiner, Heidi

2013-01-01

Library literature and blogs frequently discuss customer service and user experience in physical libraries and Web sites, but little is said about this mentality toward services for distance learners specifically. This paper takes customer service best practices from well-known thinkers of the business world and makes connections to services for…

Are Accessible Distance Learning Systems Useful for All Students?: Our Experience with IMES, an Accessible Web-Based Learning System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Iglesias, Ana; Moreno, Lourdes; Cuadra, Dolores; Castro, Elena

2013-01-01

Nowadays the use of distance learning systems is widely extended in engineering education. Moreover, most of them use multimedia resources that sometimes are the only educational material available to provide certain educational knowledge to the students. Unfortunately, most of the current educational systems and their educational content present…

Are Accessible Distance Learning Systems Useful for All Students?: Our Experience with IMES, an Accessible Web-Based Learning System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Iglesias, Ana; Moreno, Lourdes; Castro, Elena; Cuadra, Dolores

2014-01-01

Nowadays the use of distance learning systems is widely extended in engineering education. Moreover, most of them use multimedia resources that sometimes are the only educational material available to provide certain educational knowledge to the students. Unfortunately, most of the current educational systems and their educational content present…

Information Literacy Courses in Engineering and Science--The Design and Implementation of the DEDICATE Courses.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fjallbrant, Nancy; Levy, Philippa

The aim of the DEDICATE (Distance Education Information Courses with Access through Networks) project, funded through the European Union, is to develop distance education courses in training for information literacy. The DEDICATE courses are based on the use of the Internet and World Wide Web; communication between participants and tutors and…

Web-Based Distance Learning: Substitute or Alternative to the Traditional Classroom--Making the Delivery Method Decision

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hunt, David Marshall

2005-01-01

When a distance learning program administrator makes the critical choice of delivery methods, she/he needs to consider factors such as program developer centrism, international experience, cultural similarity, and desired level of control which will all be elaborated on in this article. The aim of this manuscript is to assist international…

The Relationship between Prospective Teachers' Readiness and Satisfactions about Web-Based Distance Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ozturk, Duygu Saniye; Ozturk, Faruk; Ozen, Rasit

2018-01-01

Distance education is a kind of education in which learner and teacher communicate through a means either simultaneously or at different times being present in different places. In this study, it is aimed to determine the prospective teachers' readiness and satisfaction levels after the procedure related with the courses which they take through…

Perception of Egocentric Distance during Gravitational Changes in Parabolic Flight.

PubMed

Clément, Gilles; Loureiro, Nuno; Sousa, Duarte; Zandvliet, Andre

2016-01-01

We explored the effect of gravity on the perceived representation of the absolute distance of objects to the observers within the range from 1.5-6 m. Experiments were performed on board the CNES Airbus Zero-G during parabolic flights eliciting repeated exposures to short periods of microgravity (0 g), hypergravity (1.8 g), and normal gravity (1 g). Two methods for obtaining estimates of perceived egocentric distance were used: verbal reports and visually directed motion toward a memorized visual target. For the latter method, because normal walking is not possible in 0 g, blindfolded subjects translated toward the visual target by pulling on a rope with their arms. The results showed that distance estimates using both verbal reports and blind pulling were significantly different between normal gravity, microgravity, and hypergravity. Compared to the 1 g measurements, the estimates of perceived distance using blind pulling were shorter for all distances in 1.8 g, whereas in 0 g they were longer for distances up to 4 m and shorter for distances beyond. These findings suggest that gravity plays a role in both the sensorimotor system and the perceptual/cognitive system for estimating egocentric distance.

Perception of Egocentric Distance during Gravitational Changes in Parabolic Flight

PubMed Central

Clément, Gilles; Loureiro, Nuno; Sousa, Duarte; Zandvliet, Andre

2016-01-01

We explored the effect of gravity on the perceived representation of the absolute distance of objects to the observers within the range from 1.5–6 m. Experiments were performed on board the CNES Airbus Zero-G during parabolic flights eliciting repeated exposures to short periods of microgravity (0 g), hypergravity (1.8 g), and normal gravity (1 g). Two methods for obtaining estimates of perceived egocentric distance were used: verbal reports and visually directed motion toward a memorized visual target. For the latter method, because normal walking is not possible in 0 g, blindfolded subjects translated toward the visual target by pulling on a rope with their arms. The results showed that distance estimates using both verbal reports and blind pulling were significantly different between normal gravity, microgravity, and hypergravity. Compared to the 1 g measurements, the estimates of perceived distance using blind pulling were shorter for all distances in 1.8 g, whereas in 0 g they were longer for distances up to 4 m and shorter for distances beyond. These findings suggest that gravity plays a role in both the sensorimotor system and the perceptual/cognitive system for estimating egocentric distance. PMID:27463106

Finding Specification Pages from the Web

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoshinaga, Naoki; Torisawa, Kentaro

This paper presents a method of finding a specification page on the Web for a given object (e.g., ``Ch. d'Yquem'') and its class label (e.g., ``wine''). A specification page for an object is a Web page which gives concise attribute-value information about the object (e.g., ``county''-``Sauternes'') in well formatted structures. A simple unsupervised method using layout and symbolic decoration cues was applied to a large number of the Web pages to acquire candidate attributes for each class (e.g., ``county'' for a class ``wine''). We then filter out irrelevant words from the putative attributes through an author-aware scoring function that we called site frequency. We used the acquired attributes to select a representative specification page for a given object from the Web pages retrieved by a normal search engine. Experimental results revealed that our system greatly outperformed the normal search engine in terms of this specification retrieval.

Dynamic feet distance: A new functional assessment during treadmill locomotion in normal and thoracic spinal cord injured rats.

PubMed

Diogo, Camila Cardoso; Costa, Luís Maltez da; Pereira, José Eduardo; Filipe, Vítor; Couto, Pedro Alexandre; Magalhães, Luís G; Geuna, Stefano; Armada-da-Silva, Paulo A; Maurício, Ana Colette; Varejão, Artur Severo

2017-09-29

Of all the detrimental effects of spinal cord injury (SCI), one of the most devastating is the disruption of the ability to perform functional movement. Very little is known on the recovery of hindlimb joint kinematics after clinically-relevant contusive thoracic lesion in experimental animal models. A new functional assessment instrument, the dynamic feet distance (DFD) was used to describe the distance between the two feet throughout the gait cycle in normal and affected rodents. The purpose of this investigation was the evaluation and characterization of the DFD during treadmill locomotion in normal and T9 contusion injured rats, using three-dimensional (3D) instrumented gait analysis. Despite that normal and injured rats showed a similar pattern in the fifth metatarsal head joints distance excursion, we found a significantly wider distance between the feet during the entire gait cycle following spinal injury. This is the first study to quantify the distance between the two feet, throughout the gait cycle, and the biomechanical adjustments made between limbs in laboratory rodents after nervous system injury. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Personal Identification by Keystroke Dynamics in Japanese Free Text Typing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Samura, Toshiharu; Nishimura, Haruhiko

Biometrics is classified into verification and identification. Many researchers on the keystroke dynamics have treated the verification of a fixed short password which is used for the user login. In this research, we pay attention to the identification and investigate several characteristics of the keystroke dynamics in Japanese free text typing. We developed Web-based typing software in order to collect the keystroke data on the Local Area Network and performed experiments on a total of 112 subjects, from which three groups of typing level, the beginner's level and above, the normal level and above and the middle level and above were constructed. Based on the identification methods by the weighted Euclid distance and the neural network for the extracted feature indexes in Japanese texts, we evaluated identification performances for the three groups. As a result, high accuracy of personal identification was confirmed in both methods, in proportion to the typing level of the group.

Design and Development of an Interactive Web-Based Curriculum in Support of the Space Science Education Initiative: Mars Millennium.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hunt, Leslie; Karl, Rita

This paper provides an account of the instructional design and development process used by a team of students enrolled in a graduate level course in distance education as the team members conceptualized and created two prototype World Wide Web-based instructional modules, aimed at grades 5 through 12, for the Lunar and Planetary Institute's Mars…

Using a web-based system for the continuous distance education in cytopathology.

PubMed

Stergiou, Nikolaos; Georgoulakis, Giannis; Margari, Niki; Aninos, Dionisios; Stamataki, Melina; Stergiou, Efi; Pouliakis, Abraam; Karakitsos, Petros

2009-12-01

The evolution of information technologies and telecommunications has made the World Wide Web a low cost and easily accessible tool for the dissemination of information and knowledge. Continuous Medical Education (CME) sites dedicated in cytopathology field are rather poor, they do not succeed in following the constant changes and lack the ability of providing cytopathologists with a dynamic learning environment, adaptable to the development of cytopathology. Learning methods including skills such as decision making, reasoning and problem solving are critical in the development of such a learning environment. The objectives of this study are (1) to demonstrate on the basis of a web-based training system the successful application of traditional learning theories and methods and (2) to effectively evaluate users' perception towards the educational program, using a combination of observers, theories and methods. Trainees are given the opportunity to browse through the educational material, collaborate in synchronous and asynchronous mode, practice their skills through problems and tasks and test their knowledge using the self-evaluation tool. On the other hand, the trainers are responsible for editing learning material, attending students' progress and organizing the problem-based and task-based scenarios. The implementation of the web-based training system is based on the three-tier architecture and uses an Apache Tomcat web server and a MySQL database server. By December 2008, CytoTrainer's learning environment contains two courses in cytopathology: Gynaecological Cytology and Thyroid Cytology offering about 2000 digital images and 20 case sessions. Our evaluation method is a combination of both qualitative and quantitative approaches to explore how the various parts of the system and students' attitudes work together. Trainees approved of the course's content, methodology and learning activities. The triangulation of evaluation methods revealed that the training program is suitable for the continuous distance education in cytopathology and that it has improved the trainees' skills in diagnostic cytopathology. The web-based training system can be successfully involved in the continuous distance education in cytopathology. It provides the opportunity to access learning material from any place at any time and supports the acquisition of diagnostic knowledge.

Randomized Study of the Impact of Cooperative Learning: Distance Education in Public Health

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Riley, William; Anderson, Paige

2006-01-01

The purpose of this study is to explore the effects of cooperative learning on cognitive outcomes in a public health graduate level Web-based distance education course. Specifically, the authors use a randomized control trial to determine the impact of two teaching pedagogies on learning effectiveness in three areas of the cognitive domain: (1)…

Student Satisfaction with a Web-Based Dissertation Course: Findings from an International Distance Learning Master's Programme in Public Health

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harrison, Roger; Gemmell, Isla; Reed, Katie

2014-01-01

Introduction: Online distance learning (e-learning) is now an established method for providing higher education, in the UK and across the world. The focus has largely been on developing the technology, and less attention has been given to developing evidence-informed course provision. Thus the effectiveness of this teaching approach, and its…

Distance Estimation Using Handheld Devices

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-06-01

each and all centered in the pin that marks the location of the device. ................................47 Figure 21. Form interface where the UFO ...SIFT Scale-invariant feature transform SURF Speed up Robust Features SAD Sum of Absolute Distance UFOs Untrained Forward Observers WHATWG Web...Forward Observers ( UFOs ) to make a successful call for fire. This chapter presents the solution from different aspects and is organized as follows

Regulating the New Borderlands: An Event History Analysis of State Cross-Border Distance Higher Education Policy Adoption

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Milner, Patricia E.

2013-01-01

Cross-border state distance higher education policy is a complex web of complicated and often contradictory regulations stretching across 50 states and 14 US territories. This study examined the applicability of strategic choice theory to state higher education policy innovation in the context of the adoption of polices that regulate the distance…

A Preliminary Evaluation of Using WebPA for Online Peer Assessment of Collaborative Performance by Groups of Online Distance Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murray, Jo-Anne; Boyd, Sharon

2015-01-01

Collaborative assessment has well-recognised benefits in higher education and, in online distance learning, this type of assessment may be integral to collaborative e-learning and may have a strong influence on the student's relationship with learning. While there are known benefits associated with collaborative assessment, the main drawback is…

Learner Centered Experiences with Flipped Classroom and Mobile Online Webinars in Distance Higher Education Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Amhag, Lisbeth

2015-01-01

The aim of this study is to describe and analyse students' learning activities in distance higher education program with online webinars (WEB-based semINAR) by computer, laptop or mobile app for phones and tablets directly face-to-face (F2F) with other students and teachers introduced by "flipped classroom." The data collection consists…

Activity-Based Costing Models for Alternative Modes of Delivering On-Line Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garbett, Chris

2011-01-01

In recent years there has been growth in online distance learning courses. This has been prompted by; new technology such as the Internet, mobile learning, video and audio conferencing: the explosion in student numbers in Higher Education, and the need for outreach to a world wide market. Web-based distance learning is seen as a solution to…

Results of the 2004 Distance Education Survey: Summary Findings of Respondents (Students and Faculty/Staff) District-Wide

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Glyer-Culver, Betty

2005-01-01

Results of two web-based surveys, one completed by students and one completed by faculty, staff and managers in Fall 2004, which were designed to provide information to assist with ongoing discussions surrounding the future of Distance Education at each of the colleges in the Los Rios Community College District-American River College, Cosumnes…

Developing and Validation a Usability Evaluation Tools for Distance Education Websites: Persian Version

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hafezi, Soheila; Farahi, Ahmad; Mehri, Soheil Najafi; Mahmoodi, Hosein

2010-01-01

The web is playing a central role in distance education. The word "usability" is usually synonymous with functionality of the system for the user. Also, usability of a website is defined as something that can be used by a specific group of people to carry out specific objectives in an effective way, with efficiency and satisfaction.…

Scaling Up: Faculty Workload, Class Size, and Student Satisfaction in a Distance Learning Course on Geographic Information Science.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dibiase, David; Rademacher, Henry J.

2005-01-01

This article explores issues of scalability and sustainability in distance learning. The authors kept detailed records of time they spent teaching a course in geographic information science via the World Wide Web over a six-month period, during which class sizes averaged 49 students. The authors also surveyed students' satisfaction with the…

NMRe: a web server for NMR protein structure refinement with high-quality structure validation scores.

PubMed

Ryu, Hyojung; Lim, GyuTae; Sung, Bong Hyun; Lee, Jinhyuk

2016-02-15

Protein structure refinement is a necessary step for the study of protein function. In particular, some nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) structures are of lower quality than X-ray crystallographic structures. Here, we present NMRe, a web-based server for NMR structure refinement. The previously developed knowledge-based energy function STAP (Statistical Torsion Angle Potential) was used for NMRe refinement. With STAP, NMRe provides two refinement protocols using two types of distance restraints. If a user provides NOE (Nuclear Overhauser Effect) data, the refinement is performed with the NOE distance restraints as a conventional NMR structure refinement. Additionally, NMRe generates NOE-like distance restraints based on the inter-hydrogen distances derived from the input structure. The efficiency of NMRe refinement was validated on 20 NMR structures. Most of the quality assessment scores of the refined NMR structures were better than those of the original structures. The refinement results are provided as a three-dimensional structure view, a secondary structure scheme, and numerical and graphical structure validation scores. NMRe is available at http://psb.kobic.re.kr/nmre/. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Web-based distance continuing education: a new way of thinking for students and instructors.

PubMed

Garrison, J A; Schardt, C; Kochi, J K

2000-07-01

As people have more difficulty taking time away from work to attend conferences and workshops, the idea of offering courses via the Web has become more desirable. Addressing a need voiced by Medical Library Association membership, the authors developed a Web-based continuing-education course on the subject of the librarian's role in evidence-based medicine. The aim of the course was to provide medical librarians with a well-constructed, content-rich learning experience available to them at their convenience via the Web. This paper includes a discussion of the considerations that need to be taken into account when developing Web-based courses, the issues that arise when the information delivery changes from face-to-face to online, the changing role of the instructor, and the pros and cons of offering Web-based versus traditional courses. The results of the beta test and future plans for the course are also discussed.

A novel visualization model for web search results.

PubMed

Nguyen, Tien N; Zhang, Jin

2006-01-01

This paper presents an interactive visualization system, named WebSearchViz, for visualizing the Web search results and acilitating users' navigation and exploration. The metaphor in our model is the solar system with its planets and asteroids revolving around the sun. Location, color, movement, and spatial distance of objects in the visual space are used to represent the semantic relationships between a query and relevant Web pages. Especially, the movement of objects and their speeds add a new dimension to the visual space, illustrating the degree of relevance among a query and Web search results in the context of users' subjects of interest. By interacting with the visual space, users are able to observe the semantic relevance between a query and a resulting Web page with respect to their subjects of interest, context information, or concern. Users' subjects of interest can be dynamically changed, redefined, added, or deleted from the visual space.

Web-based distance continuing education: a new way of thinking for students and instructors

PubMed Central

Garrison, Julie A.; Schardt, Connie; Kochi, Julia K.

2000-01-01

As people have more difficulty taking time away from work to attend conferences and workshops, the idea of offering courses via the Web has become more desirable. Addressing a need voiced by Medical Library Association membership, the authors developed a Web-based continuing-education course on the subject of the librarian's role in evidence-based medicine. The aim of the course was to provide medical librarians with a well-constructed, content-rich learning experience available to them at their convenience via the Web. This paper includes a discussion of the considerations that need to be taken into account when developing Web-based courses, the issues that arise when the information delivery changes from face-to-face to online, the changing role of the instructor, and the pros and cons of offering Web-based versus traditional courses. The results of the beta test and future plans for the course are also discussed. PMID:10928706

Learning from First Time eLearning Experiences for Continuous Professional Development of School Leaders in the Maldives: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saeed, Sheema; Moreira, Maria Alfredo

2010-01-01

In Maldives, educational policy makers are beginning to explore the value of ICT and web tools as a medium of continuous professional development for school leaders and teachers. This paper reports on insights and responses of a group of five school leaders who participated in a web based distance education course. For most of them, this was their…

Digital hand atlas and computer-aided bone age assessment via the Web

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cao, Fei; Huang, H. K.; Pietka, Ewa; Gilsanz, Vicente

1999-07-01

A frequently used assessment method of bone age is atlas matching by a radiological examination of a hand image against a reference set of atlas patterns of normal standards. We are in a process of developing a digital hand atlas with a large standard set of normal hand and wrist images that reflect the skeletal maturity, race and sex difference, and current child development. The digital hand atlas will be used for a computer-aided bone age assessment via Web. We have designed and partially implemented a computer-aided diagnostic (CAD) system for Web-based bone age assessment. The system consists of a digital hand atlas, a relational image database and a Web-based user interface. The digital atlas is based on a large standard set of normal hand an wrist images with extracted bone objects and quantitative features. The image database uses a content- based indexing to organize the hand images and their attributes and present to users in a structured way. The Web-based user interface allows users to interact with the hand image database from browsers. Users can use a Web browser to push a clinical hand image to the CAD server for a bone age assessment. Quantitative features on the examined image, which reflect the skeletal maturity, will be extracted and compared with patterns from the atlas database to assess the bone age. The relevant reference imags and the final assessment report will be sent back to the user's browser via Web. The digital atlas will remove the disadvantages of the currently out-of-date one and allow the bone age assessment to be computerized and done conveniently via Web. In this paper, we present the system design and Web-based client-server model for computer-assisted bone age assessment and our initial implementation of the digital atlas database.

Cross-Validation of a Recently Published Equation Predicting Energy Expenditure to Run or Walk a Mile in Normal-Weight and Overweight Adults

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morris, Cody E.; Owens, Scott G.; Waddell, Dwight E.; Bass, Martha A.; Bentley, John P.; Loftin, Mark

2014-01-01

An equation published by Loftin, Waddell, Robinson, and Owens (2010) was cross-validated using ten normal-weight walkers, ten overweight walkers, and ten distance runners. Energy expenditure was measured at preferred walking (normal-weight walker and overweight walkers) or running pace (distance runners) for 5 min and corrected to a mile. Energy…

A New Tool for Managing Students' Self-Evaluations in Traditional and Distance Education Courses.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Contreras-Castillo, Juan; Block, Arthur Edwards

This paper describes a Web-based question-answering system called E-teacher that can be used in both traditional and distance learning courses to review academic contents. E-teacher is a self-editing template-based system that consists of a set of PHP scripts that generate the HTML code dynamically, or "on the fly." The entire E-teacher…

Analysis of Nitrogen Cycling in a Forest Stream During Autumn Using a 15N Tracer Addition

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

Tank, J.L.

2000-01-01

We added {sup 15}NH{sub 4}Cl over 6 weeks to Upper Ball Creek, a second-order deciduous forest stream in the Appalachian Mountains, to follow the uptake, spiraling, and fate of nitrogen in a stream food web during autumn. A priori predictions of N flow and retention were made using a simple food web mass balance model. Values of d{sup 15}N were determined for stream water ammonium, nitrate, dissolved organic nitrogen, and various compartments of the food web over time and distance and then compared to model predictions.

Life Sciences and the web: a new era for collaboration.

PubMed

Sagotsky, Jonathan A; Zhang, Le; Wang, Zhihui; Martin, Sean; Deisboeck, Thomas S

2008-01-01

The World Wide Web has revolutionized how researchers from various disciplines collaborate over long distances. This is nowhere more important than in the Life Sciences, where interdisciplinary approaches are becoming increasingly powerful as a driver of both integration and discovery. Data access, data quality, identity, and provenance are all critical ingredients to facilitate and accelerate these collaborative enterprises and it is here where Semantic Web technologies promise to have a profound impact. This paper reviews the need for, and explores advantages of as well as challenges with these novel Internet information tools as illustrated with examples from the biomedical community.

Proximate mechanism of behavioral manipulation of an orb-weaver spider host by a parasitoid wasp

PubMed Central

Gonzaga, Marcelo Oliveira; de Oliveira, Leandro Licursi; Sperber, Carlos Frankl

2017-01-01

Some ichneumonid wasps induce modifications in the web building behavior of their spider hosts to produce resistant “cocoon” webs. These structures hold and protect the wasp’s cocoon during pupa development. The mechanism responsible for host manipulation probably involves the inoculation of psychotropic chemicals by the parasitoid larva during a specific developmental period. Recent studies indicate that some spiders build cocoon webs similar to those normally built immediately before ecdysis, suggesting that this substance might be a molting hormone or a precursor chemical of this hormone. Here, we report that Cyclosa spider species exhibiting modified behavior presented higher 20-OH-ecdysone levels than parasitized spiders acting normally or unparasitized individuals. We suggest that the lack of control that spiders have when constructing modified webs can be triggered by anachronic activation of ecdysis. PMID:28158280

The Northwest's Hot Topics in Preparedness forum: a novel distance-learning collaborative.

PubMed

Shield, Margaret; Wiesner, Paul; Curran, Connie; Stark, Greg; Rauch, Steve; Stergachis, Andy; Thompson, Jack

2005-11-01

The Northwest Center for Public Health Practice at the University of Washington hosts a training forum, called Hot Topics in Preparedness, that is delivered via a synchronous, Web conferencing system. These monthly, 1-hour sessions focus on key topics related to emergency preparedness for public health professionals and their emergency response partners in the Northwest region. This distance learning series was conceived and implemented as a regional collaborative, overseen by an advisory board representing state, local, and tribal health agencies. Results of session evaluations, challenges, and lessons learned from the first year of the Hot Topics in Preparedness forum are reported. Web conferencing is a popular, convenient, and effective strategy for delivering training in the rapidly changing field of preparedness across a large geographic region.

Interactive Learning During Solar Maximum

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ashour-Abdalla, Maha; Curtis, Steven (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

The goal of this project is to develop and distribute e-educational material for space science during times of solar activity that emphasizes underlying basic science principles of solar disturbances and their effects on Earth. This includes materials such as simulations, animations, group projects and other on-line materials to be used by students either in high school or at the introductory college level. The on-line delivery tool originally intended to be used is known as Interactive Multimedia Education at a Distance (IMED), which is a web-based software system used at UCLA for interactive distance learning. IMED is a password controlled system that allows students to access text, images, bulletin boards, chat rooms, animation, simulations and individual student web sites to study science and to collaborate on group projects.

Impact of Web-based Case Conferencing on Cancer Genetics Training Outcomes for Community-based Clinicians

PubMed Central

Blazer, Kathleen R.; Christie, Christina; Uman, Gwen; Weitzel, Jeffrey N.

2013-01-01

Introduction Technology and market forces are driving the demand for cancer risk assessment services in the community setting, where few clinicians are trained to order and interpret predictive genetic tests. City of Hope conducts a three-phase course in genetic cancer risk assessment (GCRA) for community-based clinicians, comprised of distance didactics, face-to-face workshops and 12 months of professional development. As designed, the course cannot meet increasing demands for GCRA training. Action research identified face-to-face workshops as a barrier to increasing course capacity. This study compared the learning effectiveness of Web-based case conferencing to face-to-face training. Methods A quasi-experimental design compared pre-post knowledge, skills and professional self-efficacy outcomes from 2009-2010 course cohorts (n=96). The intervention group (n=52) engaged in Web-based case conferences during distance learning; the comparison group (n=44) participated in the course as originally designed. Results Both groups and all practice disciplines demonstrated significant pre-to-post increases on all measures. Knowledge increases were higher for the intervention group (p < .015); skills and self-efficacy increases were comparable between groups (p < .33 and p < .30, respectively). Discussion Findings support the learning utility of Web-based case conferencing. Further studies may inform the development of tools to assess the impact of Web-based case conferencing on practice change and patient outcomes, in alignment with the highest standards of continuing professional development. PMID:22328115

Sparsity of the normal matrix in the refinement of macromolecules at atomic and subatomic resolution.

PubMed

Jelsch, C

2001-09-01

The normal matrix in the least-squares refinement of macromolecules is very sparse when the resolution reaches atomic and subatomic levels. The elements of the normal matrix, related to coordinates, thermal motion and charge-density parameters, have a global tendency to decrease rapidly with the interatomic distance between the atoms concerned. For instance, in the case of the protein crambin at 0.54 A resolution, the elements are reduced by two orders of magnitude for distances above 1.5 A. The neglect a priori of most of the normal-matrix elements according to a distance criterion represents an approximation in the refinement of macromolecules, which is particularly valid at very high resolution. The analytical expressions of the normal-matrix elements, which have been derived for the coordinates and the thermal parameters, show that the degree of matrix sparsity increases with the diffraction resolution and the size of the asymmetric unit.

Altered neuroendocrine regulation of gonadotropin secretion in women distance runners.

PubMed

Veldhuis, J D; Evans, W S; Demers, L M; Thorner, M O; Wakat, D; Rogol, A D

1985-09-01

We tested the hypothesis that the neuroendocrine control of gonadotropin secretion is altered in certain women distance runners with secondary amenorrhea. To this end, we quantitated the frequency and amplitude of spontaneous pulsatile LH secretion during a 24-h interval in nine such women. The ability of the pituitary gland to release LH normally was assessed by administration of graded bolus doses of GnRH during the subsequent 8 h. Compared to normally menstruating women, six of nine amenorrheic distance runners had a distinct reduction in spontaneous LH pulse frequency, with one, three, six, five, four, or two pulses per 24 h (normal, 8-15 pulses/24 h). This reduction in LH pulse frequency occurred without any significant alterations in plasma concentrations of estradiol and free testosterone or 24-h integrated serum concentrations of LH, FSH, or PRL. Moreover, in long-distance runners, the capacity of the pituitary gland to release LH was normal or accentuated in response to exogenous pulses of GnRH. In the six women athletes with diminished spontaneous LH pulsatility, acute ovarian responsiveness also was normal, since serum estradiol concentrations increased normally in response to the GnRH-induced LH pulses. Although long-distance runners had significantly lower estimated percent body fat compared to control women, specific changes in pulsatile gonadotropin release did not correlate with degree of body leanness. In summary, certain long-distance runners with secondary amenorrhea or severe oligomenorrhea have unambiguously decreased spontaneous LH pulse frequency with intact pituitary responsiveness to GnRH. This neuroendocrine disturbance may be relevant to exercise-associated amenorrhea, since pulsatile LH release is a prerequisite for cyclic ovarian function. We speculate that such alterations in pulsatile LH release in exercising women reflect an adaptive response of the hypothalamic pulse generator controlling the intermittent GnRH signal to the pituitary gland. The basis for amenorrhea in the remaining runners who have normal pulsatile properties of LH release is not known.

CABS-flex 2.0: a web server for fast simulations of flexibility of protein structures.

PubMed

Kuriata, Aleksander; Gierut, Aleksandra Maria; Oleniecki, Tymoteusz; Ciemny, Maciej Pawel; Kolinski, Andrzej; Kurcinski, Mateusz; Kmiecik, Sebastian

2018-05-14

Classical simulations of protein flexibility remain computationally expensive, especially for large proteins. A few years ago, we developed a fast method for predicting protein structure fluctuations that uses a single protein model as the input. The method has been made available as the CABS-flex web server and applied in numerous studies of protein structure-function relationships. Here, we present a major update of the CABS-flex web server to version 2.0. The new features include: extension of the method to significantly larger and multimeric proteins, customizable distance restraints and simulation parameters, contact maps and a new, enhanced web server interface. CABS-flex 2.0 is freely available at http://biocomp.chem.uw.edu.pl/CABSflex2.

Optimal web investment in sub-optimal foraging conditions.

PubMed

Harmer, Aaron M T; Kokko, Hanna; Herberstein, Marie E; Madin, Joshua S

2012-01-01

Orb web spiders sit at the centre of their approximately circular webs when waiting for prey and so face many of the same challenges as central-place foragers. Prey value decreases with distance from the hub as a function of prey escape time. The further from the hub that prey are intercepted, the longer it takes a spider to reach them and the greater chance they have of escaping. Several species of orb web spiders build vertically elongated ladder-like orb webs against tree trunks, rather than circular orb webs in the open. As ladder web spiders invest disproportionately more web area further from the hub, it is expected they will experience reduced prey gain per unit area of web investment compared to spiders that build circular webs. We developed a model to investigate how building webs in the space-limited microhabitat on tree trunks influences the optimal size, shape and net prey gain of arboricolous ladder webs. The model suggests that as horizontal space becomes more limited, optimal web shape becomes more elongated, and optimal web area decreases. This change in web geometry results in decreased net prey gain compared to webs built without space constraints. However, when space is limited, spiders can achieve higher net prey gain compared to building typical circular webs in the same limited space. Our model shows how spiders optimise web investment in sub-optimal conditions and can be used to understand foraging investment trade-offs in other central-place foragers faced with constrained foraging arenas.

Optimal web investment in sub-optimal foraging conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harmer, Aaron M. T.; Kokko, Hanna; Herberstein, Marie E.; Madin, Joshua S.

2012-01-01

Orb web spiders sit at the centre of their approximately circular webs when waiting for prey and so face many of the same challenges as central-place foragers. Prey value decreases with distance from the hub as a function of prey escape time. The further from the hub that prey are intercepted, the longer it takes a spider to reach them and the greater chance they have of escaping. Several species of orb web spiders build vertically elongated ladder-like orb webs against tree trunks, rather than circular orb webs in the open. As ladder web spiders invest disproportionately more web area further from the hub, it is expected they will experience reduced prey gain per unit area of web investment compared to spiders that build circular webs. We developed a model to investigate how building webs in the space-limited microhabitat on tree trunks influences the optimal size, shape and net prey gain of arboricolous ladder webs. The model suggests that as horizontal space becomes more limited, optimal web shape becomes more elongated, and optimal web area decreases. This change in web geometry results in decreased net prey gain compared to webs built without space constraints. However, when space is limited, spiders can achieve higher net prey gain compared to building typical circular webs in the same limited space. Our model shows how spiders optimise web investment in sub-optimal conditions and can be used to understand foraging investment trade-offs in other central-place foragers faced with constrained foraging arenas.

20 CFR 655.920 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... of this part. Area of intended employment means the geographic area within normal commuting distance... Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), any place within the MSA is deemed to be within normal commuting distance... a course of study at an established institution of learning or other recognized place of study in...

20 CFR 655.920 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... of this part. Area of intended employment means the geographic area within normal commuting distance... Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), any place within the MSA is deemed to be within normal commuting distance... a course of study at an established institution of learning or other recognized place of study in...

Bin Ratio-Based Histogram Distances and Their Application to Image Classification.

PubMed

Hu, Weiming; Xie, Nianhua; Hu, Ruiguang; Ling, Haibin; Chen, Qiang; Yan, Shuicheng; Maybank, Stephen

2014-12-01

Large variations in image background may cause partial matching and normalization problems for histogram-based representations, i.e., the histograms of the same category may have bins which are significantly different, and normalization may produce large changes in the differences between corresponding bins. In this paper, we deal with this problem by using the ratios between bin values of histograms, rather than bin values' differences which are used in the traditional histogram distances. We propose a bin ratio-based histogram distance (BRD), which is an intra-cross-bin distance, in contrast with previous bin-to-bin distances and cross-bin distances. The BRD is robust to partial matching and histogram normalization, and captures correlations between bins with only a linear computational complexity. We combine the BRD with the ℓ1 histogram distance and the χ(2) histogram distance to generate the ℓ1 BRD and the χ(2) BRD, respectively. These combinations exploit and benefit from the robustness of the BRD under partial matching and the robustness of the ℓ1 and χ(2) distances to small noise. We propose a method for assessing the robustness of histogram distances to partial matching. The BRDs and logistic regression-based histogram fusion are applied to image classification. The experimental results on synthetic data sets show the robustness of the BRDs to partial matching, and the experiments on seven benchmark data sets demonstrate promising results of the BRDs for image classification.

Web-Based Testing Tools for Electrical Engineering Courses

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-09-01

ideas of distance learning are based on forming “ virtual teams” [2]. Each team is equipped with the same software packages and share information via...using virtual laboratories where they can simulate a laboratory experience in a web-based environment. They can also control laboratory devices over...possible to create a set of virtual laboratories that allow students to interact with the learning material at the same time that the student is

Multimedia Data Capture with Multicast Dissemination for Online Distance Learning

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-12-01

Juan Gril and Dr. Don Brutzman to wrap the multiple videos in a user- friendly environment. The web pages also contain the original PowerPoint...this CD, Juan Gril , a volunteer for the Siggraph 2001 Online Committee, created web pages that match the style and functionality desired by the...leader. The Committee for 2001 consisted of Don Brutzman, Stephen. Matsuba, Mike Collins, Allen Dutton, Juan Gril , Mike Hunsberger, Jerry Isdale

Effect of the chest wall on the measurement of hemoglobin concentrations by near-infrared time-resolved spectroscopy in normal breast and cancer.

PubMed

Yoshizawa, Nobuko; Ueda, Yukio; Nasu, Hatsuko; Ogura, Hiroyuki; Ohmae, Etsuko; Yoshimoto, Kenji; Takehara, Yasuo; Yamashita, Yutaka; Sakahara, Harumi

2016-11-01

Optical imaging and spectroscopy using near-infrared light have great potential in the assessment of tumor vasculature. We previously measured hemoglobin concentrations in breast cancer using a near-infrared time-resolved spectroscopy system. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effect of the chest wall on the measurement of hemoglobin concentrations in normal breast tissue and cancer. We measured total hemoglobin (tHb) concentration in both cancer and contralateral normal breast using a near-infrared time-resolved spectroscopy system in 24 female patients with breast cancer. Patients were divided into two groups based on menopausal state. The skin-to-chest wall distance was determined using ultrasound images obtained with an ultrasound probe attached to the spectroscopy probe. The apparent tHb concentration of normal breast increased when the skin-to-chest wall distance was less than 20 mm. The tHb concentration in pre-menopausal patients was higher than that in post-menopausal patients. Although the concentration of tHb in cancer tissue was statistically higher than that in normal breast, the contralateral normal breast showed higher tHb concentration than cancer in 9 of 46 datasets. When the curves of tHb concentrations as a function of the skin-to-chest wall distance in normal breast were applied for pre- and post-menopausal patients separately, all the cancer lesions plotted above the curves. The skin-to-chest wall distance affected the measurement of tHb concentration of breast tissue by near-infrared time-resolved spectroscopy. The tHb concentration of breast cancer tissue was more precisely evaluated by considering the skin-to-chest wall distance.

Web Based Training for the Hellenic Navy

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-09-01

easy to learn and use. The system should not cause problems for the students. 4. Allow Instructors to Work from a Checklist:‘ Instructors comment that...are preventing participation of a large portion of active military personnel in traditional classroom seminars and courses. Distance learning is a...deliver a large amount of information practically to any place in the world. Those against distance learning methods, claim that the quality of

Distance Learning in Low Population Density Regions. A Report from the High School Teching Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Daichendt, Horst; Magdas, Ioana

2009-01-01

The most of the long distance courses are mainly based on two or three face to face meetings and printed courses or courses available on the online course web site. In this case the individual students study has attached an important amount of time. Usually the students do not receive a feed-back of their progress and do not receive answers to…

Interactive distance learning for orthodontic residents: utilization and acceptability.

PubMed

Klein, Katherine P; Hannum, Wallace M; Koroluk, Lorne D; Proffit, William R

2012-03-01

Sharing resources through distance education has been proposed as 1 way to deal with a lack of full-time faculty in orthodontic residency programs. To keep distance education for orthodontic residents as cost-effective as possible while retaining interaction, we developed a "blended" interactive distance learning approach that combines observation of Web-based seminars with live postseminar discussions. For the 2009-2010 academic year, a grant from the American Association of Orthodontists opened access to the blended learning experience to all orthodontic programs in the United States and Canada. The specific aims of this project were to (1) measure programmatic interest in using blended distance learning, (2) determine resident and faculty interest, (3) determine the seminars' perceived usefulness, and (4) elicit feedback regarding future use. Participants in this project were expected to (1) read all assigned articles before viewing a recorded seminar, (2) watch a 1 to 1.5 hour recording of an actual interactive seminar on a Web site, and (3) participate in a 30-minute follow-up discussion immediately after watching the recorded seminar either with a faculty member at the participating institution or via a videoconference with the leader of the Web-based seminar. The residents and faculty then completed surveys about the experience. Half (52%) of the 63 orthodontic programs in the United States fully participated in this project. The blended approach to distance learning was judged to be effective and enjoyable; faculty members were somewhat more enthusiastic about the experience than were residents. Most residents were not adequately prepared for the seminars (only 14% read all preparatory articles in depth); this impacted their perception of the effectiveness and enjoyability of the experience (P = 0.0016). Prepared residents reported a greater ability to learn from the seminars (P = 0.0035) than those who did not read, and also indicated that they were more likely to use the seminars again (P = 0.0018). Despite feedback regarding the need for technologic improvements of the recorded seminars, such as better editing, more frequent slides, quicker pace, and improved sound quality, most residents and faculty agreed that they would like to use this approach to distance learning again. Blended distance learning is an acceptable method of instruction that allows residents to access various experts, supplement traditional instructor-led training, and ease the strain of current faculty shortages. The content of the recorded seminars needs to remain evidence-based, and some technologic aspects of the recordings should be improved. Copyright © 2012 American Association of Orthodontists. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Prenatal Anogenital Distance Is Shorter in Fetuses With Hypospadias.

PubMed

Gilboa, Yinon; Perlman, Sharon; Kivilevitch, Zvi; Messing, Baruch; Achiron, Reuven

2017-01-01

Recent research provides evidence that anogenital distance may serve as a novel metric to assess reproductive potential in men. In children, a shorter anogenital distance was linked with cryptorchidism, hypospadias, and micropenis. Scarce data exist in the literature regarding anogenital distance measurement in the fetus. The aim of our study was to assess whether intrauterine measurement of fetal anogenital distance could assist in the differential diagnosis of male genital anomalies. Anogenital distance was prospectively measured in all cases referred for suspected isolated abnormal male genitalia. Final diagnoses, confirmed by a pediatric urologist, were compared with anogenital distance prenatal measurements. Fifty-two cases were referred for evaluation because of suspected male external genital malformation during a 12-month period. Cases with normal-appearing genitalia, associated major malformations, and early severe fetal growth restriction were excluded from the study. Postnatal examination revealed 14 cases of hypospadias in varying severity and 8 cases of a buried penis. All fetuses with hypospadias had an anogenital distance measurement below the fifth percentile. Statistical analysis revealed a significant difference between the normal mean anogenital distance for gestational age versus those with hypospadias (mean ± SD, 16.90 ± 4.08 and 11.68 ± 3.31 mm, respectively; P = .001). No significant difference was found between the normal mean anogenital distance for gestational age versus those with a buried penis (18.85 ± 2.76 and 19.46 ± 3.41 mm; P = .700). Fetuses with hypospadias have a statistically significant shorter anogenital distance compared with the general population. Therefore, anogenital distance may serve as a complementary objective sonographic parameter in the prenatal assessment and counseling of male external genital anomalies. © 2016 by the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine.

The Cost of Online Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Milshtein, Amy

2001-01-01

Examines development considerations and tips for controlling costs when a university decides to develop an online distance learning service. Use of the interactive Web Site for Determining Costs tool for unveiling hidden costs is highlighted. (GR)

Distance learning: the future of continuing professional development.

PubMed

Southernwood, Julie

2008-10-01

The recent development of a market economy in higher education has resulted in the need to tailor the product to the customers, namely students, employers and commissioning bodies. Distance learning is an opportunity for nurse educators and institutions to address marketing initiatives and develop a learning environment in order to enhance continuing professional development. It provides options for lifelong learning for healthcare professionals--including those working in community settings--that is effective and cost efficient. Development of continuing professional development programmes can contribute to widening the participation of community practitioners in lifelong learning, practice and role development. This paper considers the opportunities that web-based and online education programmes can provide community practitioners to promote professional skills while maintaining a work-life balance, and the role of the lecturer in successfully supporting professionals on web-based learning programmes.

Rehabilitation professionals' satisfaction with continuing education delivered at a distance using different technologies.

PubMed

Liu, Lili; Cook, Albert; Varnhagen, Stanley; Miyazaki, Masako

2004-01-01

This paper examines learner satisfaction with technologies used for distance delivery of continuing education across 10 Canadian sites: nine within the province of Alberta and one in Nunavut Territory. The technologies were satellite (or videotapes of) broadcasts, videoconferencing, and web-based technology. Learner satisfaction was evaluated using questionnaires. A survey on general issues related to continuing education was developed and mailed to random samples of health professionals and a convenience sample of stakeholders. The learners (n = 1,141) represented 20 types of health service providers who had attended at least one session delivered via satellite, videotape, or videoconferencing. Seven individuals completed the web-based course. Overall, the majority of participants were satisfied or very satisfied. In general, satellite delivery was received more favorably compared with videotapes of the same content. A total of 350 (33% response rate) health professionals and 37 (50% response rate) stakeholders returned the surveys. Nearly 50% of health professionals thought that clinical case presentations (rounds) were valuable to them, but over half of the stakeholders perceived that videotapes, rounds, and research seminars were valuable to health professionals. Ratings for the web-based course varied, indicating different learner characteristics. We conclude that it is possible to utilize multiple technologies to meet the continuing education needs of an interdisciplinary group of health service providers, but future research is needed to develop a framework for evaluating the usability of multiple existing and emerging technologies for distance education.

The Anatomical Distance of Functional Connections Predicts Brain Network Topology in Health and Schizophrenia

PubMed Central

Vértes, Petra E.; Stidd, Reva; Lalonde, François; Clasen, Liv; Rapoport, Judith; Giedd, Jay; Bullmore, Edward T.; Gogtay, Nitin

2013-01-01

The human brain is a topologically complex network embedded in anatomical space. Here, we systematically explored relationships between functional connectivity, complex network topology, and anatomical (Euclidean) distance between connected brain regions, in the resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging brain networks of 20 healthy volunteers and 19 patients with childhood-onset schizophrenia (COS). Normal between-subject differences in average distance of connected edges in brain graphs were strongly associated with variation in topological properties of functional networks. In addition, a club or subset of connector hubs was identified, in lateral temporal, parietal, dorsal prefrontal, and medial prefrontal/cingulate cortical regions. In COS, there was reduced strength of functional connectivity over short distances especially, and therefore, global mean connection distance of thresholded graphs was significantly greater than normal. As predicted from relationships between spatial and topological properties of normal networks, this disorder-related proportional increase in connection distance was associated with reduced clustering and modularity and increased global efficiency of COS networks. Between-group differences in connection distance were localized specifically to connector hubs of multimodal association cortex. In relation to the neurodevelopmental pathogenesis of schizophrenia, we argue that the data are consistent with the interpretation that spatial and topological disturbances of functional network organization could arise from excessive “pruning” of short-distance functional connections in schizophrenia. PMID:22275481

Normalized distance aggregation of discriminative features for person reidentification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hou, Li; Han, Kang; Wan, Wanggen; Hwang, Jenq-Neng; Yao, Haiyan

2018-03-01

We propose an effective person reidentification method based on normalized distance aggregation of discriminative features. Our framework is built on the integration of three high-performance discriminative feature extraction models, including local maximal occurrence (LOMO), feature fusion net (FFN), and a concatenation of LOMO and FFN called LOMO-FFN, through two fast and discriminant metric learning models, i.e., cross-view quadratic discriminant analysis (XQDA) and large-scale similarity learning (LSSL). More specifically, we first represent all the cross-view person images using LOMO, FFN, and LOMO-FFN, respectively, and then apply each extracted feature representation to train XQDA and LSSL, respectively, to obtain the optimized individual cross-view distance metric. Finally, the cross-view person matching is computed as the sum of the optimized individual cross-view distance metric through the min-max normalization. Experimental results have shown the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm on three challenging datasets (VIPeR, PRID450s, and CUHK01).

EFL Students' Perceptions about a Web-Based English Reading Comprehension Course (Percepciones de estudiantes de inglés como lengua extranjera acerca de un curso de comprensión lectora apoyado en la red)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gómez Flórez, Érica; Pineda, Jorge Eduardo; Marín García, Natalia

2012-01-01

Web-based distance education is an innovative modality of instruction in Colombia. It is characterized by the separation of the teacher and learners, the use of technological tools and the students' autonomy development. This paper reports the findings of a case study that explores students' perceptions about an English reading comprehension…

Design and implementation of embedded un-interruptible power supply system (EUPSS) for web-based mobile application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, De-gan; Zhang, Xiao-dan

2012-11-01

With the growth of the amount of information manipulated by embedded application systems, which are embedded into devices and offer access to the devices on the internet, the requirements of saving the information systemically is necessary so as to fulfil access from the client and the local processing more efficiently. For supporting mobile applications, a design and implementation solution of embedded un-interruptible power supply (UPS) system (in brief, EUPSS) is brought forward for long-distance monitoring and controlling of UPS based on Web. The implementation of system is based on ATmega161, RTL8019AS and Arm chips with TCP/IP protocol suite for communication. In the embedded UPS system, an embedded file system is designed and implemented which saves the data and index information on a serial EEPROM chip in a structured way and communicates with a microcontroller unit through I2C bus. By embedding the file system into UPS system or other information appliances, users can access and manipulate local data on the web client side. Embedded file system on chips will play a major role in the growth of IP networking. Based on our experiment tests, the mobile users can easily monitor and control UPS in different places of long-distance. The performance of EUPSS has satisfied the requirements of all kinds of Web-based mobile applications.

Evaluation of three different methods of distance learning for postgraduate diagnostic imaging education: A pilot study.

PubMed

Poirier, Jean-Nicolas; Cooley, Jeffrey R; Wessely, Michelle; Guebert, Gary M; Petrocco-Napuli, Kristina

2014-10-01

Objective : The purpose of this study was to evaluate the perceived effectiveness and learning potential of 3 Web-based educational methods in a postgraduate radiology setting. Methods : Three chiropractic radiology faculty from diverse geographic locations led mini-courses using asynchronous discussion boards, synchronous Web conferencing, and asynchronous voice-over case presentations formatted for Web viewing. At the conclusion of each course, participants filled out a 14-question survey (using a 5-point Likert scale) designed to evaluate the effectiveness of each method in achieving specified course objectives and goals and their satisfaction when considering the learning potential of each method. The mean, standard deviation, and percentage agreements were tabulated. Results : Twenty, 15, and 10 participants completed the discussion board, Web conferencing, and case presentation surveys, respectively. All educational methods demonstrated a high level of agreement regarding the course objective (total mean rating >4.1). The case presentations had the highest overall rating for achieving the course goals; however, all but one method still had total mean ratings >4.0 and overall agreement levels of 70%-100%. The strongest potential for interactive learning was found with Web conferencing and discussion boards, while case presentations rated very low in this regard. Conclusions : The perceived effectiveness in achieving the course objective and goals was high for each method. Residency-based distance education may be a beneficial adjunct to current methods of training, allowing for international collaboration. When considering all aspects tested, there does not appear to be a clear advantage to any one method. Utilizing various methods may be most appropriate.

Somatotype and Body Composition of Normal and Dysphonic Adult Speakers.

PubMed

Franco, Débora; Fragoso, Isabel; Andrea, Mário; Teles, Júlia; Martins, Fernando

2017-01-01

Voice quality provides information about the anatomical characteristics of the speaker. The patterns of somatotype and body composition can provide essential knowledge to characterize the individuality of voice quality. The aim of this study was to verify if there were significant differences in somatotype and body composition between normal and dysphonic speakers. Cross-sectional study. Anthropometric measurements were taken of a sample of 72 adult participants (40 normal speakers and 32 dysphonic speakers) according to International Society for the Advancement of Kinanthropometry standards, which allowed the calculation of endomorphism, mesomorphism, ectomorphism components, body density, body mass index, fat mass, percentage fat, and fat-free mass. Perception and acoustic evaluations as well as nasoendoscopy were used to assign speakers into normal or dysphonic groups. There were no significant differences between normal and dysphonic speakers in the mean somatotype attitudinal distance and somatotype dispersion distance (in spite of marginally significant differences [P < 0.10] in somatotype attitudinal distance and somatotype dispersion distance between groups) and in the mean vector of the somatotype components. Furthermore, no significant differences were found between groups concerning the mean of percentage fat, fat mass, fat-free mass, body density, and body mass index after controlling by sex. The findings suggested no significant differences in the somatotype and body composition variables, between normal and dysphonic speakers. Copyright © 2017 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Improving the interactivity and functionality of Web-based radiology teaching files with the Java programming language.

PubMed

Eng, J

1997-01-01

Java is a programming language that runs on a "virtual machine" built into World Wide Web (WWW)-browsing programs on multiple hardware platforms. Web pages were developed with Java to enable Web-browsing programs to overlay transparent graphics and text on displayed images so that the user could control the display of labels and annotations on the images, a key feature not available with standard Web pages. This feature was extended to include the presentation of normal radiologic anatomy. Java programming was also used to make Web browsers compatible with the Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) file format. By enhancing the functionality of Web pages, Java technology should provide greater incentive for using a Web-based approach in the development of radiology teaching material.

oGNM: online computation of structural dynamics using the Gaussian Network Model

PubMed Central

Yang, Lee-Wei; Rader, A. J.; Liu, Xiong; Jursa, Cristopher Jon; Chen, Shann Ching; Karimi, Hassan A.; Bahar, Ivet

2006-01-01

An assessment of the equilibrium dynamics of biomolecular systems, and in particular their most cooperative fluctuations accessible under native state conditions, is a first step towards understanding molecular mechanisms relevant to biological function. We present a web-based system, oGNM that enables users to calculate online the shape and dispersion of normal modes of motion for proteins, oligonucleotides and their complexes, or associated biological units, using the Gaussian Network Model (GNM). Computations with the new engine are 5–6 orders of magnitude faster than those using conventional normal mode analyses. Two cases studies illustrate the utility of oGNM. The first shows that the thermal fluctuations predicted for 1250 non-homologous proteins correlate well with X-ray crystallographic data over a broad range [7.3–15 Å] of inter-residue interaction cutoff distances and the correlations improve with increasing observation temperatures. The second study, focused on 64 oligonucleotides and oligonucleotide–protein complexes, shows that good agreement with experiments is achieved by representing each nucleotide by three GNM nodes (as opposed to one-node-per-residue in proteins) along with uniform interaction ranges for all components of the complexes. These results open the way to a rapid assessment of the dynamics of DNA/RNA-containing complexes. The server can be accessed at . PMID:16845002

Effects of target distance on select biomechanical parameters in taekwondo roundhouse kick.

PubMed

Falco, Coral; Molina-García, Javier; Alvarez, Octavio; Estevan, Isaac

2013-11-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of target distance on temporal and impact force parameters that are important performance factors in taekwondo kicks. Forty-nine taekwondo athletes (age = 24.5 +/- 5.9 years; mass = 79.9 +/- 10.8 kg) were recruited: 13 male experts, 21 male novices, 8 female experts, and 6 female novices. Impact force, reaction time, and execution time were computed. Three-way repeated measure ANOVAs revealed significant 'distance' effect on impact force, reaction time, and execution time (p = 0.001). Comparisons between distance conditions revealed that taekwondo athletes kicked with higher impact force from short distance (17.6 +/- 7.5 N/kg) than from long distance (13.1 +/- 5.7 N/kg) (p < 0.001), had lower reaction time from short distance (498 +/- 90 ms) and normal distance (521 +/- 111 ms) than from long distance (602 +/- 121 ms) (p < 0.001), and had lower execution time from short distance (261 +/- 69 ms/m) than from normal distance (306 +/- 105 ms/m) or from long distance (350 +/- 106 ms/m) (p = 0.003 and p < 0.001, respectively). In conclusion, target distance affected the kick performance; as distance increases, impact force decreased and reaction time increased. Therefore, when reaction to a simple visual stimulus is needed, kicking from a long distance is not recommended, as longer time is required to respond.

Reactions to Approach-Distance in Overweight and Normal Weight College Females.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rogers, Ruth Ann; Thomas, Georgelle

Research has found that the need for personal space is greater for normal persons who are interacting with stigmatized persons, such as overweight people, and that one who is identified as deviant may be more sensitive to environmental cues and react more strongly to affective stimuli. To investigate the reactions to approach/distance among…

Lack of communication and control: experiences of distance caregivers of parents with advanced cancer.

PubMed

Mazanec, Polly; Daly, Barbara J; Ferrell, Betty Rolling; Prince-Paul, Maryjo

2011-05-01

To explore the new and complex phenomenon of distance caregiving in the advanced cancer population. Qualitative. A large comprehensive cancer center in the midwestern region of the United States. 14 distance caregivers of parents with advanced cancer. Patients with advanced lung, gastrointestinal, and gynecologic malignancies consented to have their distance caregiving adult children contacted to participate in the study. Responses to three open-ended questions guided the tape-recorded telephone interviews with the distance caregivers. Following transcription, content analysis with inductive coding was performed. Two major themes, communication and control, and five subthemes, benefits and burdens of distance caregiving, dealing with uncertainty, direct action through information seeking, protecting, and staying connected, emerged from the data. Distance caregivers experience some of the same stressors that local caregivers of patients with cancer experience. In addition, they have unique psychosocial needs related to the burden of geographic distance. Distance caregivers could benefit from nursing interventions targeted at their unique needs. Innovative interventions using Web-based computer technology for improved communication, as well as supportive care interventions, may be helpful.

Optics and Light Activities for Teachers of all Grade Levels from Easily Obtainable Supplies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lindgren, Richard; Hendricks, Curtis; Lucatorto, Lynn; McNeilus, Thomas; Thornton, Stephen

2010-02-01

Several hands-on activities in light and optics covering selected topics will be discussed in the context of home labs and how such activities can be incorporated into a distance-learning or online web-based course utilizing the latest communication technologies and the Internet. The presentation will focus on activities that can be constructed from easy to obtain supplies as well as a commercially available kit that we are having made available. Activities for teachers at the elementary level will focus on understanding light rays, shadows, and reflection from plane surfaces; at the middle school level will focus on curved mirrors and lenses, dispersion, and drawing ray diagrams; at the high school level will focus on Snell's law, the lens equation, wave interference, polarization, Young's experiment, and diffraction. A distance-learning, web-based course based on these home labs will be described. )

Reconstruction of the first web space in symbrachydactyly using the reverse radial forearm flap.

PubMed

Gülgönen, Ayan; Güdemez, Eftal

2007-02-01

To present a new approach for the reconstruction of severe first web contractures using a distally based reverse radial forearm flap in symbrachydactyly patients. This study included 6 hands in 5 patients. Subjective evaluation included appearance, parent satisfaction (and patient satisfaction when appropriate), and ability to perform daily activities such as thumb-index grasp and pinch at follow-up evaluations. We measured the angle between the first and second rays using a goniometer at maximum radial abduction, and pinch and grasp strengths were evaluated as an objective assessment. The average follow-up period was 2 years. All parents and patients were happy with the aesthetic appearance. They were completely satisfied in their daily living activities. The average first web angle measurement was 56 degrees . An average of 39 degrees of improvement of web measurement was achieved. For the unilateral 4 patients, the average pinch strength measurement was 80% of the normal contralateral hand and the grip strength was 75% of the normal contralateral hand. The reverse radial forearm flap was found to be a safe and simple method in the reconstruction of severe first web contractures in symbrachydactyly patients. This method provided good coverage of appropriate thickness and skin quality, and supple soft tissue that filled the first web space. Therapeutic IV.

Transverse Stress Decay in a Specially Orthotropic Strip Under Localizing Normal Edge Loading

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fichter, W. B.

2000-01-01

Solutions are presented for the stresses in a specially orthotropic infinite strip which is subjected to localized uniform normal loading on one edge while the other edge is either restrained against normal displacement only, or completely fixed. The solutions are used to investigate the diffusion of load into the strip and in particular the decay of normal stress across the width of the strip. For orthotropic strips representative of a broad range of balanced and symmetric angle-ply composite laminates, minimum strip widths are found that ensure at least 90% decay of the normal stress across the strip. In addition, in a few cases where, on the fixed edge the peak shear stress exceeds the normal stress in magnitude, minimum strip widths that ensure 90% decay of both stresses are found. To help in putting these results into perspective, and to illustrate the influence of material properties on load 9 orthotropic materials, closed-form solutions for the stresses in similarly loaded orthotropic half-planes are obtained. These solutions are used to generate illustrative stress contour plots for several representative laminates. Among the laminates, those composed of intermediate-angle plies, i.e., from about 30 degrees to 60 degrees, exhibit marked changes in normal stress contour shape with stress level. The stress contours are also used to find 90% decay distances in the half-planes. In all cases, the minimum strip widths for 90% decay of the normal stress exceed the 90% decay distances in the corresponding half-planes, in amounts ranging from only a few percent to about 50% of the half-plane decay distances. The 90% decay distances depend on both material properties and the boundary conditions on the supported edge.

GSCALite: A Web Server for Gene Set Cancer Analysis.

PubMed

Liu, Chun-Jie; Hu, Fei-Fei; Xia, Mengxuan; Han, Leng; Zhang, Qiong; Guo, An-Yuan

2018-05-22

The availability of cancer genomic data makes it possible to analyze genes related to cancer. Cancer is usually the result of a set of genes and the signal of a single gene could be covered by background noise. Here, we present a web server named Gene Set Cancer Analysis (GSCALite) to analyze a set of genes in cancers with the following functional modules. (i) Differential expression in tumor vs normal, and the survival analysis; (ii) Genomic variations and their survival analysis; (iii) Gene expression associated cancer pathway activity; (iv) miRNA regulatory network for genes; (v) Drug sensitivity for genes; (vi) Normal tissue expression and eQTL for genes. GSCALite is a user-friendly web server for dynamic analysis and visualization of gene set in cancer and drug sensitivity correlation, which will be of broad utilities to cancer researchers. GSCALite is available on http://bioinfo.life.hust.edu.cn/web/GSCALite/. guoay@hust.edu.cn or zhangqiong@hust.edu.cn. Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

Galaxy evolution in the metric of the cosmic web

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kraljic, K.; Arnouts, S.; Pichon, C.; Laigle, C.; de la Torre, S.; Vibert, D.; Cadiou, C.; Dubois, Y.; Treyer, M.; Schimd, C.; Codis, S.; de Lapparent, V.; Devriendt, J.; Hwang, H. S.; Le Borgne, D.; Malavasi, N.; Milliard, B.; Musso, M.; Pogosyan, D.; Alpaslan, M.; Bland-Hawthorn, J.; Wright, A. H.

2018-02-01

The role of the cosmic web in shaping galaxy properties is investigated in the Galaxy And Mass Assembly (GAMA) spectroscopic survey in the redshift range 0.03 ≤ z ≤ 0.25. The stellar mass, u - r dust corrected colour and specific star formation rate (sSFR) of galaxies are analysed as a function of their distances to the 3D cosmic web features, such as nodes, filaments and walls, as reconstructed by DisPerSE. Significant mass and type/colour gradients are found for the whole population, with more massive and/or passive galaxies being located closer to the filament and wall than their less massive and/or star-forming counterparts. Mass segregation persists among the star-forming population alone. The red fraction of galaxies increases when closing in on nodes, and on filaments regardless of the distance to nodes. Similarly, the star-forming population reddens (or lowers its sSFR) at fixed mass when closing in on filament, implying that some quenching takes place. These trends are also found in the state-of-the-art hydrodynamical simulation HORIZON-AGN. These results suggest that on top of stellar mass and large-scale density, the traceless component of the tides from the anisotropic large-scale environment also shapes galactic properties. An extension of excursion theory accounting for filamentary tides provides a qualitative explanation in terms of anisotropic assembly bias: at a given mass, the accretion rate varies with the orientation and distance to filaments. It also explains the absence of type/colour gradients in the data on smaller, non-linear scales.

Distance stereotest using a 3-dimensional monitor for adult subjects.

PubMed

Kim, Jongshin; Yang, Hee Kyung; Kim, Youngmin; Lee, Byoungho; Hwang, Jeong-Min

2011-06-01

To evaluate the validity and test-retest reliability of a contour-based 3-dimensional (3-D) monitor distance stereotest (distance 3-D stereotest) and to measure the maximum horizontal disparity that can be fused with disparity vergence for determining the largest measurable disparity of true stereopsis. Observational case series. Sixty-four normal adult subjects (age range, 23 to 39 years) were recruited. Contour-based circles (crossed disparity, 5000 to 20 seconds of arc; Microsoft Visual Studio C(++) 6.0; Microsoft, Inc, Seattle, Washington, USA) were generated on a 3-D monitor (46-inch stereoscopic display) using polarization glasses and were presented to subjects with normal binocularity at 3 m. While the position of the stimulus changed among 4 possible locations, the subjects were instructed to press the corresponding position of the stimulus on a keypad. The results with the new distance 3-D stereotest were compared with those from the distance Randot stereotest. The results of the distance 3-D stereotest and the distance Randot stereotests were identical in 64% and within 1 disparity level in 97% of normal adults. Scores obtained with the 2 tests showed a statistically significant correlation (r = 0.324, P = .009). The half-width of the 95% limit of agreement was 0.47 log seconds of arc (1.55 octaves) using the distance 3-D stereotest--similar to or better than that obtained with conventional distance stereotests. The maximum binocular disparity that can be fused with vergence was 1828 ± 794 seconds of arc (range, 4000 to 500). The distance 3-D stereotest showed good concordance with the distance Randot stereotest and relatively good test-retest reliability, supporting the validity of the distance 3-D stereotest. The normative data set obtained from the present study can serve as a useful reference for quantitative assessment of a wide range of binocular sensory abnormalities. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Integrative Medicine Distance-Learning Program

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-10-01

manual medicine, spirituality, Chinese medicine, homeopathy , medicine and culture and clinical integration. o Sixty physicians, nurse...rec’d from curriculum sent in December •Web development of December content •Develop proposal for additional funding Phase II • Homeopathy x 4 and

Distance management of inflammatory bowel disease: Systematic review and meta-analysis

PubMed Central

Huang, Vivian W; Reich, Krista M; Fedorak, Richard N

2014-01-01

AIM: To review the effectiveness of distance management methods in the management of adult inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients. METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials comparing distance management and standard clinic follow-up in the management of adult IBD patients. Distance management intervention was defined as any remote management method in which there is a patient self-management component whereby the patient interacts remotely via a self-guided management program, electronic interface, or self-directs open access to clinic follow up. The search strategy included electronic databases (Medline, PubMed, CINAHL, The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, EMBASE, KTPlus, Web of Science, and SCOPUS), conference proceedings, and internet search for web publications. The primary outcome was the mean difference in quality of life, and the secondary outcomes included mean difference in relapse rate, clinic visit rate, and hospital admission rate. Study selection, data extraction, and risk of bias assessment were completed by two independent reviewers. RESULTS: The search strategy identified a total of 4061 articles, but only 6 randomized controlled trials met the inclusion and exclusion criteria for the systematic review and meta-analysis. Three trials involved telemanagement, and three trials involved directed patient self-management and open access clinics. The total sample size was 1463 patients. There was a trend towards improved quality of life in distance management patients with an end IBDQ quality of life score being 7.28 (95%CI: -3.25-17.81) points higher than standard clinic follow-up. There was a significant decrease in the clinic visit rate among distance management patients mean difference -1.08 (95%CI: -1.60--0.55), but no significant change in relapse rate or hospital admission rate. CONCLUSION: Distance management of IBD significantly decreases clinic visit utilization, but does not significantly affect relapse rates or hospital admission rates. PMID:24574756

'Televaluation' of clinical information systems: an integrative approach to assessing Web-based systems.

PubMed

Kushniruk, A W; Patel, C; Patel, V L; Cimino, J J

2001-04-01

The World Wide Web provides an unprecedented opportunity for widespread access to health-care applications by both patients and providers. The development of new methods for assessing the effectiveness and usability of these systems is becoming a critical issue. This paper describes the distance evaluation (i.e. 'televaluation') of emerging Web-based information technologies. In health informatics evaluation, there is a need for application of new ideas and methods from the fields of cognitive science and usability engineering. A framework is presented for conducting evaluations of health-care information technologies that integrates a number of methods, ranging from deployment of on-line questionnaires (and Web-based forms) to remote video-based usability testing of user interactions with clinical information systems. Examples illustrating application of these techniques are presented for the assessment of a patient clinical information system (PatCIS), as well as an evaluation of use of Web-based clinical guidelines. Issues in designing, prototyping and iteratively refining evaluation components are discussed, along with description of a 'virtual' usability laboratory.

Web Ontologies to Categorialy Structure Reality: Representations of Human Emotional, Cognitive, and Motivational Processes

PubMed Central

López-Gil, Juan-Miguel; Gil, Rosa; García, Roberto

2016-01-01

This work presents a Web ontology for modeling and representation of the emotional, cognitive and motivational state of online learners, interacting with university systems for distance or blended education. The ontology is understood as a way to provide the required mechanisms to model reality and associate it to emotional responses, but without committing to a particular way of organizing these emotional responses. Knowledge representation for the contributed ontology is performed by using Web Ontology Language (OWL), a semantic web language designed to represent rich and complex knowledge about things, groups of things, and relations between things. OWL is a computational logic-based language such that computer programs can exploit knowledge expressed in OWL and also facilitates sharing and reusing knowledge using the global infrastructure of the Web. The proposed ontology has been tested in the field of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) to check if it is capable of representing emotions and motivation of the students in this context of use. PMID:27199796

Distance to nearest road in the conterminous United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Watts, Raymond D.

2005-01-01

The new dataset is the first member of the National Overview Road Metrics (NORM) family of road related indicators.  This indicator measures straight-line or Euclidean distance (ED) to the nearest road, and is given the compound name NORM ED.  NORM ED data can be viewed and downloaded from the transportation section of the web viewer for The National Map, http://nationalmap.usgs.gov.  The full-resolution dataset for the conterminous states is made of 8.7 billion values.

Temporary divergence paralysis in viral meningitis.

PubMed

Bakker, Stef L M; Gan, Ivan M

2008-06-01

A 43-year-old woman who reported diplopia and headache was found to have comitant esotropia at distance fixation and normal alignment at reading distance (divergence paralysis). Eye movement, including abduction, was normal as was the rest of the neurologic examination. Brain MRI was normal. Lumbar puncture showed an elevated opening pressure and a cerebrospinal fluid formula consistent with viral meningitis. The patient was treated with intravenous fluids and analgesics and with a temporary prism to alleviate diplopia. Within 3 weeks, she had fully recovered. This is the first report of divergence palsy in viral meningitis.

[Application of distal palm perforator mini-flap in repair of scar contracture of digital web-spaces].

PubMed

Zhou, Xiao; Xu, Yajun; Rui, Yongjun; Shou, Kuishui; Yao, Qun

2011-02-01

To discuss the effectiveness of distal palm perforator mini-flap in the treatment of scar contracture of digital web-spaces. Between August 2008 and March 2010, 6 cases of scar contracture of digital web-spaces were treated, including 4 males and 2 females and aging 16-68 years (mean, 45 years). The causes were burn injury, twisting injury, and crush injury in 2 cases, respectively. The disease duration was from 3 months to 3 years. The affected digital web-spaces were from index finger to middle finger in 2 cases, from middle finger to ring finger in 3 cases, and from ring finger to small finger in 1 case. The maximum abduction degree of digital web-spaces was 5-10 degrees. The sizes and the depths of reshape of digital web-spaces disappeared. The defect size ranged from 20 mm x 8 mm to 30 mm x 13 mm after opening digital web-spaces. The size of the distal palm perforator mini-flap ranged from 25 mm x 10 mm to 35 mm x 15 mm. The donor sites were sutured directly. All 6 flaps survived and got primary healing. Incisions at donor sites healed by first intention. All patients were followed up 6-12 months. The reconstructed digital web-spaces had good appearance and soft texture. The range of motion of metacarpophalangeal joint was normal. The sizes and the depths of reshape of digital web-spaces were similar to normal ones. The maximum abduction degree of digital web-spaces was 40-60 degrees. There was no scar contracture of incision of palm. The shape of flaps and function of the fingers were satisfactory after 6-12 months of follow-up. It is an ideal method to treat scar contracture of digital web-spaces with distal palm perforator mini-flap.

Replication of Cancellation Orders Using First-Passage Time Theory in Foreign Currency Market

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boilard, Jean-François; Kanazawa, Kiyoshi; Takayasu, Hideki; Takayasu, Misako

Our research focuses on the annihilation dynamics of limit orders in a spot foreign currency market for various currency pairs. We analyze the cancellation order distribution conditioned on the normalized distance from the mid-price; where the normalized distance is defined as the final distance divided by the initial distance. To reproduce real data, we introduce two simple models that assume the market price moves randomly and cancellation occurs either after fixed time t or following the Poisson process. Results of our model qualitatively reproduce basic statistical properties of cancellation orders of the data when limit orders are cancelled according to the Poisson process. We briefly discuss implication of our findings in the construction of more detailed microscopic models.

An Integrated Approach to Student Services.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kelly, Rob

2001-01-01

Describes the comprehensive, coordinated approach to student support services at the University of Wisconsin Learning Innovations, an electronic learning consultation utility that develops online programs for distance learning. Topics include the Learner Relationship Management System, advising opportunities, help desk, administrative Web site,…

E-Moderating Personas

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Avgerinou, Maria D.; Andersson, Carina

2007-01-01

Web-based distance education has become a "real" teaching alternative which has instigated more research particularly in the past decade. This research has commonly focused on four major perspectives: (1) information-technology; (2) course management systems (including course communication tools); (3) information design; and (4) online…

Theme: Innovative Curriculum Ideas and Practices in Agricultural Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Agricultural Education Magazine, 2002

2002-01-01

Fourteen theme articles discuss the following: curriculum ideas and innovations in agricultural education, agricultural literacy, Supervised Agricultural Experience, active learning, locating agricultural education resources, distance and web-based instruction, principles of forest management, professional development, and service learning. (JOW)

Social distance and behavioral attributes of developmentally handicapped and normal children.

PubMed

Sherman, L W; Burgess, D E

1985-12-01

20 behavioral attributes predicting social distance were examined among 101 junior high school students in six classrooms. The sample included 8 developmentally handicapped students, of whom at least one of each was mainstreamed into each classroom. Subjects were predominantly white, middle-class, suburban midwesterners. A sociometric nomination measure was used to obtain behavioral attribute profiles of the students which were then used to predict a psychometric measure of social distance. Handicapped students were not more socially distant than their normal peers. Factor analysis of the 20 behavioral attributes yielded four factors, three of which were significant predictors of classroom social distance, accounting for better than half the variance in social distance. These were described as Incompetent/Unassertive, Positive/Active/Assertive, and Passive/Unassertive. Social rejection in mainstreamed classrooms is more a function of perceived behavioral attributes than the label developmentally handicapped.

Near field Rayleigh wave on soft porous layers.

PubMed

Geebelen, N; Boeckx, L; Vermeir, G; Lauriks, W; Allard, J F; Dazel, O

2008-03-01

Simulations performed for a typical semi-infinite reticulated plastic foam saturated by air show that, at distances less than three Rayleigh wavelengths from the area of mechanical excitation by a circular source, the normal frame velocity is close to the Rayleigh pole contribution. Simulated measurements show that a good order of magnitude estimate of the phase speed and damping can be obtained at small distances from the source. Simulations are also performed for layers of finite thickness, where the phase velocity and damping depend on frequency. They indicate that the normal frame velocity at small distances from the source is always close to the Rayleigh pole contribution and that a good order of magnitude estimate of the phase speed of the Rayleigh wave can be obtained at small distances from the source. Furthermore, simulations show that precise measurements of the damping of the Rayleigh wave need larger distances. Measurements performed on a layer of finite thickness confirm these trends.

Video streaming in nursing education: bringing life to online education.

PubMed

Smith-Stoner, Marilyn; Willer, Ann

2003-01-01

Distance education is a standard form of instruction for many colleges of nursing. Web-based course and program content has been delivered primarily through text-based presentations such as PowerPoint slides and Web search activities. However, the rapid pace of technological innovation is making available more sophisticated forms of delivery such as video streaming. High-quality video streams, created at the instructor's desktop or in basic recording studios, can be produced that build on PowerPoint or create new media for use on the Web. The technology required to design, produce, and upload short video-streamed course content objects to the Internet is described. The preparation of materials, suggested production guidelines, and examples of information presented via desktop video methods are presented.

Clustering header categories extracted from web tables

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nagy, George; Embley, David W.; Krishnamoorthy, Mukkai; Seth, Sharad

2015-01-01

Revealing related content among heterogeneous web tables is part of our long term objective of formulating queries over multiple sources of information. Two hundred HTML tables from institutional web sites are segmented and each table cell is classified according to the fundamental indexing property of row and column headers. The categories that correspond to the multi-dimensional data cube view of a table are extracted by factoring the (often multi-row/column) headers. To reveal commonalities between tables from diverse sources, the Jaccard distances between pairs of category headers (and also table titles) are computed. We show how about one third of our heterogeneous collection can be clustered into a dozen groups that exhibit table-title and header similarities that can be exploited for queries.

On the topology of the world exchange arrangements web

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Xiang; Jin, Yu Ying; Chen, Guanrong

2004-11-01

Exchange arrangements among different countries over the world are foundations of the world economy, which generally stand behind the daily economic evolution. As the first study of the world exchange arrangements web (WEAW), we built a bipartite network with countries as one type of nodes and currencies as the other, and found it to have a prominent scale-free feature with a power-law degree distribution. In a further empirical study of the currency section of the WEAW, we calculated the clustering coefficients, average nearest-neighbors degree, and average shortest distance. As an essential economic network, the WEAW is found to be a correlated disassortative network with a hierarchical structure, possessing a more prominent scale-free feature than the world trade web (WTW).

Effects of river geomorphology on the spatial importance of aquatic energy flows into terrestrial food webs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muehlbauer, J. D.; Doyle, M. W.; Tockner, K.

2011-12-01

This presentation will present the results of a meta-analysis on river-floodplain carbon/energy subsidies. This analysis combines data from the existing body of literature (ca. 100 studies) to determine a "stream signature:" a regression equation that fits the decline in aquatic-derived energy in terrestrial predator food webs as a function of distance from the river. The nature of this decay curve and its implications for river/riparian ecological dynamics will be desrcibed. Variation in this metric due to the influence of stream order, river bank characteristics, and channel geomorphology will be assessed. In addition, the implications of variation in the stream signature for terrestrial aquatic food webs under different geomorphic and anthropogenic scenarios will be discussed.

CABS-fold: Server for the de novo and consensus-based prediction of protein structure.

PubMed

Blaszczyk, Maciej; Jamroz, Michal; Kmiecik, Sebastian; Kolinski, Andrzej

2013-07-01

The CABS-fold web server provides tools for protein structure prediction from sequence only (de novo modeling) and also using alternative templates (consensus modeling). The web server is based on the CABS modeling procedures ranked in previous Critical Assessment of techniques for protein Structure Prediction competitions as one of the leading approaches for de novo and template-based modeling. Except for template data, fragmentary distance restraints can also be incorporated into the modeling process. The web server output is a coarse-grained trajectory of generated conformations, its Jmol representation and predicted models in all-atom resolution (together with accompanying analysis). CABS-fold can be freely accessed at http://biocomp.chem.uw.edu.pl/CABSfold.

CABS-fold: server for the de novo and consensus-based prediction of protein structure

PubMed Central

Blaszczyk, Maciej; Jamroz, Michal; Kmiecik, Sebastian; Kolinski, Andrzej

2013-01-01

The CABS-fold web server provides tools for protein structure prediction from sequence only (de novo modeling) and also using alternative templates (consensus modeling). The web server is based on the CABS modeling procedures ranked in previous Critical Assessment of techniques for protein Structure Prediction competitions as one of the leading approaches for de novo and template-based modeling. Except for template data, fragmentary distance restraints can also be incorporated into the modeling process. The web server output is a coarse-grained trajectory of generated conformations, its Jmol representation and predicted models in all-atom resolution (together with accompanying analysis). CABS-fold can be freely accessed at http://biocomp.chem.uw.edu.pl/CABSfold. PMID:23748950

Blackboard Overview by a Technology Coordinator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodgers, Sue

2000-06-01

Have you ever wished you could find an easier way to get course materials and other information to your students? Would you be interested in improving communication between you and your students? Over 1600 colleges, universities, and K-12 schools have discovered and adopted a software package that can do just that: Blackboard's CourseInfo, a Web-based course delivery system (http://www.blackboard.com). At San Jacinto College we are using CourseInfo to facilitate classes taught in a distance learning format and to support classroom-based classes through web-enhanced learning activities.

Quasibound states in short SNS junctions with point defects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bespalov, A. A.

2018-04-01

Using the Green functions technique, we study the subgap spectrum of short three-dimensional superconductor-normal metal-superconductor junctions containing one or two point impurities in the normal layer. We find that a single nonmagnetic or magnetic defect induces two quasibound Shiba-like states. If the defect is located close to the junction edge, the energies of these states oscillate as functions of the distance between the impurity and the edge. In the case of two nonmagnetic impurities, there are generally four quasibound states (two per spin projection). Their energies oscillate as functions of the distance between the impurities, and reach their asymptotic values when this distance becomes much larger than the Fermi wavelength. The contributions of the impurities to the Josephson current, local density of states, and to the normal-state conductance of the junction are analyzed.

Comparison of Dynamic Balance in Collegiate Field Hockey and Football Players Using Star Excursion Balance Test

PubMed Central

Bhat, Rashi; Moiz, Jamal Ali

2013-01-01

Purpose The preliminary study aimed to compare dynamic balance between collegiate athletes competing or training in football and hockey using star excursion balance test. Methods A total thirty university level players, football (n = 15) and field hockey (n = 15) were participated in the study. Dynamic balance was assessed by using star excursion balance test. The testing grid consists of 8 lines each 120 cm in length extending from a common point at 45° increments. The subjects were instructed to maintain a stable single leg stance with the test leg with shoes off and to reach for maximal distance with the other leg in each of the 8 directions. A pencil was used to point and read the distance to which each subject's foot reached. The normalized leg reach distances in each direction were summed for both limbs and the total sum of the mean of summed normalized distances of both limbs were calculated. Results There was no significant difference in all the directions of star excursion balance test scores in both the groups. Additionally, composite reach distances of both groups also found non-significant (P=0.5). However, the posterior (P=0.05) and lateral (P=0.03) normalized reach distances were significantly more in field hockey players. Conclusion Field hockey players and football players did not differ in terms of dynamic balance. PMID:24427482

Comparison of dynamic balance in collegiate field hockey and football players using star excursion balance test.

PubMed

Bhat, Rashi; Moiz, Jamal Ali

2013-09-01

The preliminary study aimed to compare dynamic balance between collegiate athletes competing or training in football and hockey using star excursion balance test. A total thirty university level players, football (n = 15) and field hockey (n = 15) were participated in the study. Dynamic balance was assessed by using star excursion balance test. The testing grid consists of 8 lines each 120 cm in length extending from a common point at 45° increments. The subjects were instructed to maintain a stable single leg stance with the test leg with shoes off and to reach for maximal distance with the other leg in each of the 8 directions. A pencil was used to point and read the distance to which each subject's foot reached. The normalized leg reach distances in each direction were summed for both limbs and the total sum of the mean of summed normalized distances of both limbs were calculated. There was no significant difference in all the directions of star excursion balance test scores in both the groups. Additionally, composite reach distances of both groups also found non-significant (P=0.5). However, the posterior (P=0.05) and lateral (P=0.03) normalized reach distances were significantly more in field hockey players. Field hockey players and football players did not differ in terms of dynamic balance.

Efficient Web Vulnerability Detection Tool for Sleeping Giant-Cross Site Request Forgery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parimala, G.; Sangeetha, M.; AndalPriyadharsini, R.

2018-04-01

Now day’s web applications are very high in the rate of usage due to their user friendly environment and getting any information via internet but these web applications are affected by lot of threats. CSRF attack is one of the serious threats to web applications which is based on the vulnerabilities present in the normal web request and response of HTTP protocol. It is hard to detect but hence still it is present in most of the existing web applications. In CSRF attack, without user knowledge the unwanted actions on a reliable websites are forced to happen. So it is placed in OWASP’s top 10 Web Application attacks list. My proposed work is to do a real time scan of CSRF vulnerability attack in given URL of the web applications as well as local host address for any organization using python language. Client side detection of CSRF is depended on Form count which is presented in that given web site.

Anterior Segment Morphology in Primary Angle Closure Glaucoma using Ultrasound Biomicroscopy

PubMed Central

Balakrishna, Nagalla

2017-01-01

Aim To evaluate the configuration of the anterior chamber angle quantitatively and study the morphological changes in the eye with ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) in primary angle closure glaucoma (PACG) patients after laser peripheral iridotomy (LPI). Materials and methods A total of 185 eyes of 185 PACG patients post-LPI and 126 eyes of 126 normal subjects were included in this prospective study. All subjects underwent complete ophthalmic evaluation, A-scan biometry, and UBM. The anterior segment and angle parameters were measured quantitatively and compared in both groups using Student’s t-test. Results The PACG patients had shorter axial length, shallower central anterior chamber depth anterior chamber depth (ACD), and anteriorly located lens when compared with normal subjects. Trabecular iris angle (TIA) was significantly narrow (5.73 ± 7.76°) in patients with PACG when compared with normal subjects (23.75 ± 9.38°). The angle opening distance at 500 pm from scleral spur (AOD 500), trabecular-ciliary process distance (TCPD), iris-ciliary process distance (ICPD), and iris-zonule distance (IZD) were significantly shorter in patients with PACG than in normal subjects (p < 0.0001). The iris lens angle (ILA), scleral-iris angle (SIA), and scleral-ciliary process angle (SCPA) were significantly narrower in patients with PACG than in normal subjects (p < 0.0001). The iris-lens contact distance (ILCD) was greater in PACG group than in normal (p = 0.001). Plateau iris was seen in 57/185 (30.8%) of the eyes. Anterior positioned ciliary processes were seen in 130/185 eyes (70.3%) of eyes. Conclusion In PACG patients, persistent apposition angle closure is common even after LPI, which could be due to anterior rotation of ciliary body and plateau iris and overcrowding of anterior segment due to shorter axial length and relative anterior lens position. How to cite this article: Mansoori T, Balakrishna N. Anterior Segment Morphology in Primary Angle Closure Glaucoma using Ultrasound Biomicroscopy. J Curr Glaucoma Pract 2017;11(3):86-91. PMID:29151682

pgRNAFinder: a web-based tool to design distance independent paired-gRNA.

PubMed

Xiong, Yuanyan; Xie, Xiaowei; Wang, Yanzhi; Ma, Wenbing; Liang, Puping; Songyang, Zhou; Dai, Zhiming

2017-11-15

The CRISPR/Cas System has been shown to be an efficient and accurate genome-editing technique. There exist a number of tools to design the guide RNA sequences and predict potential off-target sites. However, most of the existing computational tools on gRNA design are restricted to small deletions. To address this issue, we present pgRNAFinder, with an easy-to-use web interface, which enables researchers to design single or distance-free paired-gRNA sequences. The web interface of pgRNAFinder contains both gRNA search and scoring system. After users input query sequences, it searches gRNA by 3' protospacer-adjacent motif (PAM), and possible off-targets, and scores the conservation of the deleted sequences rapidly. Filters can be applied to identify high-quality CRISPR sites. PgRNAFinder offers gRNA design functionality for 8 vertebrate genomes. Furthermore, to keep pgRNAFinder open, extensible to any organism, we provide the source package for local use. The pgRNAFinder is freely available at http://songyanglab.sysu.edu.cn/wangwebs/pgRNAFinder/, and the source code and user manual can be obtained from https://github.com/xiexiaowei/pgRNAFinder. songyang@bcm.edu or daizhim@mail.sysu.edu.cn. Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press.

Web Server for Peak Detection, Baseline Correction, and Alignment in Two-Dimensional Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry-Based Metabolomics Data.

PubMed

Tian, Tze-Feng; Wang, San-Yuan; Kuo, Tien-Chueh; Tan, Cheng-En; Chen, Guan-Yuan; Kuo, Ching-Hua; Chen, Chi-Hsin Sally; Chan, Chang-Chuan; Lin, Olivia A; Tseng, Y Jane

2016-11-01

Two-dimensional gas chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC×GC/TOF-MS) is superior for chromatographic separation and provides great sensitivity for complex biological fluid analysis in metabolomics. However, GC×GC/TOF-MS data processing is currently limited to vendor software and typically requires several preprocessing steps. In this work, we implement a web-based platform, which we call GC 2 MS, to facilitate the application of recent advances in GC×GC/TOF-MS, especially for metabolomics studies. The core processing workflow of GC 2 MS consists of blob/peak detection, baseline correction, and blob alignment. GC 2 MS treats GC×GC/TOF-MS data as pictures and clusters the pixels as blobs according to the brightness of each pixel to generate a blob table. GC 2 MS then aligns the blobs of two GC×GC/TOF-MS data sets according to their distance and similarity. The blob distance and similarity are the Euclidean distance of the first and second retention times of two blobs and the Pearson's correlation coefficient of the two mass spectra, respectively. GC 2 MS also directly corrects the raw data baseline. The analytical performance of GC 2 MS was evaluated using GC×GC/TOF-MS data sets of Angelica sinensis compounds acquired under different experimental conditions and of human plasma samples. The results show that GC 2 MS is an easy-to-use tool for detecting peaks and correcting baselines, and GC 2 MS is able to align GC×GC/TOF-MS data sets acquired under different experimental conditions. GC 2 MS is freely accessible at http://gc2ms.web.cmdm.tw .

The Atlas of Chinese World Wide Web Ecosystem Shaped by the Collective Attention Flows.

PubMed

Lou, Xiaodan; Li, Yong; Gu, Weiwei; Zhang, Jiang

2016-01-01

The web can be regarded as an ecosystem of digital resources connected and shaped by collective successive behaviors of users. Knowing how people allocate limited attention on different resources is of great importance. To answer this, we embed the most popular Chinese web sites into a high dimensional Euclidean space based on the open flow network model of a large number of Chinese users' collective attention flows, which both considers the connection topology of hyperlinks between the sites and the collective behaviors of the users. With these tools, we rank the web sites and compare their centralities based on flow distances with other metrics. We also study the patterns of attention flow allocation, and find that a large number of web sites concentrate on the central area of the embedding space, and only a small fraction of web sites disperse in the periphery. The entire embedding space can be separated into 3 regions(core, interim, and periphery). The sites in the core (1%) occupy a majority of the attention flows (40%), and the sites (34%) in the interim attract 40%, whereas other sites (65%) only take 20% flows. What's more, we clustered the web sites into 4 groups according to their positions in the space, and found that similar web sites in contents and topics are grouped together. In short, by incorporating the open flow network model, we can clearly see how collective attention allocates and flows on different web sites, and how web sites connected each other.

Directional output distance functions: endogenous directions based on exogenous normalization constraints

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In this paper we develop a model for computing directional output distance functions with endogenously determined direction vectors. We show how this model is related to the slacks-based directional distance function introduced by Fare and Grosskopf and show how to use the slacks-based function to e...

Differences in kata performance time and distance from a marker for experienced Shotokan karateka under normal sighted and blindfolded conditions.

PubMed

Layton, Clive; Avenell, Leon

2002-08-01

10 experienced Shotokan karateka were tested on performance time and distance from a marker on the five Heian kata under normal sighted and blind-folded conditions. Whilst each kata's line of movement is different, it is the intention to start and finish at the same location. Analysis showed that despite an average of 16.8 yr. of training, whilst timing was not significantly affected on four of the kata by subjects being deprived of the visual sense, the group's mean change in distance from an original marker was significant for performances on three of the kata.

A Review of Depth and Normal Fusion Algorithms

PubMed Central

Štolc, Svorad; Pock, Thomas

2018-01-01

Geometric surface information such as depth maps and surface normals can be acquired by various methods such as stereo light fields, shape from shading and photometric stereo techniques. We compare several algorithms which deal with the combination of depth with surface normal information in order to reconstruct a refined depth map. The reasons for performance differences are examined from the perspective of alternative formulations of surface normals for depth reconstruction. We review and analyze methods in a systematic way. Based on our findings, we introduce a new generalized fusion method, which is formulated as a least squares problem and outperforms previous methods in the depth error domain by introducing a novel normal weighting that performs closer to the geodesic distance measure. Furthermore, a novel method is introduced based on Total Generalized Variation (TGV) which further outperforms previous approaches in terms of the geodesic normal distance error and maintains comparable quality in the depth error domain. PMID:29389903

Bayes classification of terrain cover using normalized polarimetric data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yueh, H. A.; Swartz, A. A.; Kong, J. A.; Shin, R. T.; Novak, L. M.

1988-01-01

The normalized polarimetric classifier (NPC) which uses only the relative magnitudes and phases of the polarimetric data is proposed for discrimination of terrain elements. The probability density functions (PDFs) of polarimetric data are assumed to have a complex Gaussian distribution, and the marginal PDF of the normalized polarimetric data is derived by adopting the Euclidean norm as the normalization function. The general form of the distance measure for the NPC is also obtained. It is demonstrated that for polarimetric data with an arbitrary PDF, the distance measure of NPC will be independent of the normalization function selected even when the classifier is mistrained. A complex Gaussian distribution is assumed for the polarimetric data consisting of grass and tree regions. The probability of error for the NPC is compared with those of several other single-feature classifiers. The classification error of NPCs is shown to be independent of the normalization function.

Legibility Evaluation Using Point-of-regard Measurement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saito, Daisuke; Saito, Keiichi; Saito, Masao

Web site visibility has become important because of the rapid dissemination of World Wide Web, and combinations of foreground and background colors are crucial in providing high visibility. In our previous studies, the visibilities of several web-safe color combinations were examined using a psychological method. In those studies, simple stimuli were used because of experimental restriction. In this paper, legibility of sentences on web sites was examined using a psychophisiological method, point-of-regard measurement, to obtain other practical data. Ten people with normal color sensations ranging from ages 21 to 29 were recruited. The number of characters per line in each page was arranged in the same number, and the four representative achromatic web-safe colors, that is, #000000, #666666, #999999 and #CCCCCC, were examined. The reading time per character and the gaze time per line were obtained from point-of-regard measurement, and the normalized with the reading time and the gaze time of the three colors were calculated and compared. As the results, it was shown that the time of reading and gaze become long at the same ratio when the contrast decreases by point-of-regard measurement. Therefore, it was indicated that the legibility of color combinations could be estimated by point-of-regard measurement.

Entertainment Technology and Military Virtual Environments

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-03-01

over long television with the World Wide Web, and the continued distances. Defining (modeling), organizing and rapid growth of multiplayer Internet 3D...for "high fidelity": hurt in factional violence while preventing, as much as verisimilitude, possible, new flare ups among the factions. By sharing

Achieving Full Scope of Practice Readiness Using Evidence for Psychotherapy Teaching in Web and Hybrid Approaches in Psychiatric Mental Health Advanced Practice Nursing Education.

PubMed

McCoy, Kathleen T

2018-01-01

Radical changes in role, education, and practice have affected how education of advance practice nurses and practice deliverables occur. This article examines the effects of distance education upon the teaching/learning of psychotherapy in integrating Web-based technology and platforms. With the advent and proliferation of online programs of study, the question begs: How do distance-linked programs successfully introduce, practice, and supervise one-to-one and group psychotherapy training? By employing evidence-based education strategies, technology, and strong interpersonal skills and evidence-based therapies, a charter Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Doctor of Nursing Practice program paved an innovative and successful path. In that program, they prepared their students for full scope of practice, upon graduation, inclusive of psychotherapy as well as the other highly demanding and compressed requirements of the 3-year program. This article explores that journey and its recommendations for application derived from this 2010 cohort. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The designing and implementation of PE teaching information resource database based on broadband network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Jian

2017-01-01

In order to change traditional PE teaching mode and realize the interconnection, interworking and sharing of PE teaching resources, a distance PE teaching platform based on broadband network is designed and PE teaching information resource database is set up. The designing of PE teaching information resource database takes Windows NT 4/2000Server as operating system platform, Microsoft SQL Server 7.0 as RDBMS, and takes NAS technology for data storage and flow technology for video service. The analysis of system designing and implementation shows that the dynamic PE teaching information resource sharing platform based on Web Service can realize loose coupling collaboration, realize dynamic integration and active integration and has good integration, openness and encapsulation. The distance PE teaching platform based on Web Service and the design scheme of PE teaching information resource database can effectively solve and realize the interconnection, interworking and sharing of PE teaching resources and adapt to the informatization development demands of PE teaching.

Web of Pseudostreamer and Streamer Belts and their Interplanetary Signatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crooker, N. U.; Owens, M. J.; McPherron, R. L.

2012-12-01

A new method of identifying pseudostreamer and streamer belts on potential field source surface (PFSS) maps reveals how they interconnect to form a network or web-like pattern that expands to cover the Sun at solar maximum. The method is based upon calculating the distance dS between the photospheric footpoints of field lines that are uniformly spaced in longitude at the source surface. This distance peaks sharply under the large arcades characteristic of both pseudostreamer and streamer belts, where the former (latter) mark boundaries between coronal holes with the same (different) polarities. Thus the two kinds of belts are distinguished from each other by noting whether or not a change in magnetic polarity accompanies the peak, signaling passage of the heliospheric current sheet unique to the streamer belt. To compare the plasma and composition properties of pseudostreamer and streamer belts at 1 AU, we use 12 years of ACE data to perform superposed epoch analysis centered on stream interfaces in interaction regions, where the interfaces mark the trailing boundaries of what was originally slow flow. The interfaces are sorted according to whether they bound streamers or pseudostreamers by ballistically mapping them back to traces of dS across the source surface. Preliminary results indicate sharp drops in oxygen and carbon charge state ratios as well as the elemental abundance ratio Fe/O at both streamer and pseudostreamer boundaries. Combined with the web-like pattern of streamer and pseudostreamer belts, the results are consistent with the separatrix-web model of the slow solar wind first described by Antiochos et al. [Astrophys. J., 731, 112, 2011].

The Interprofessional Psychosocial Oncology Distance Education (IPODE) project: perceived outcomes of an approach to healthcare professional education.

PubMed

McLeod, Deborah; Curran, Janet; Dumont, Serge; White, Maureen; Charles, Grant

2014-05-01

The Interprofessional Psychosocial Oncology Distance Education (IPODE) project was designed as an approach to the problems of feasibility and accessibility in specialty health professional education, in this case, psychosocial oncology (PSO). In this article, we report the evaluation findings from the first three years of the project in relation to one IPODE course, which was offered as a graduate level university elective in nine Canadian universities and as a continuing education (CE) option to health professionals between January 2008 and May 2010. The evaluation included a pre and post questionnaire that explored how an interprofessional (IP), web-based, PSO course influenced participants' knowledge, attitudes and beliefs about IP, person-centered PSO care. It also examined what attributes of a web-based platform were most effective in delivering an IP PSO course. The study yielded two key findings. First, web-based learning in a pan-Canadian and cross-university collaboration is a viable alternative to providing specialty education and significantly improves knowledge, attitudes and beliefs about IP, person-centered PSO care. Second, a web-based platform with real-time seminars, discussion boards and multiple audio visual resources that privilege first person illness narratives were important elements in expanding knowledge and shifting attitudes about IP practice and person-centered care in regards to PSO. In their evaluation, course participants highlighted a variety of ways in which the course expanded their vision about what constitutes an IP team and increased their confidence in interacting with healthcare professionals from professions other than their own.

Comparison of student outcomes and preferences in a traditional vs. World Wide Web-based baccalaureate nursing research course.

PubMed

Leasure, A R; Davis, L; Thievon, S L

2000-04-01

The purpose of this project was to compare student outcomes in an undergraduate research course taught using both World Wide Web-based distance learning technology and traditional pedagogy. Reasons given for enrolling in the traditional classroom section included the perception of increased opportunity for interaction, decreased opportunity to procrastinate, immediate feedback, and more meaningful learning activities. Reasons for selecting the Web group section included cost, convenience, and flexibility. Overall, there was no significant difference in examination scores between the two groups on the three multiple-choice examinations or for the course grades (t = -.96, P = .343). Students who reported that they were self-directed and had the ability to maintain their own pace and avoid procrastination were most suited to Web-based courses. The Web-based classes can help provide opportunities for methods of communication that are not traditionally nurtured in traditional classroom settings. Secondary benefits of the World Wide Web-based course were to increase student confidence with the computer, and introduce them to skills and opportunities they would not have had in the classroom. Additionally, over time and with practice, student's writing skills improved.

Kernels, Degrees of Freedom, and Power Properties of Quadratic Distance Goodness-of-Fit Tests

PubMed Central

Lindsay, Bruce G.; Markatou, Marianthi; Ray, Surajit

2014-01-01

In this article, we study the power properties of quadratic-distance-based goodness-of-fit tests. First, we introduce the concept of a root kernel and discuss the considerations that enter the selection of this kernel. We derive an easy to use normal approximation to the power of quadratic distance goodness-of-fit tests and base the construction of a noncentrality index, an analogue of the traditional noncentrality parameter, on it. This leads to a method akin to the Neyman-Pearson lemma for constructing optimal kernels for specific alternatives. We then introduce a midpower analysis as a device for choosing optimal degrees of freedom for a family of alternatives of interest. Finally, we introduce a new diffusion kernel, called the Pearson-normal kernel, and study the extent to which the normal approximation to the power of tests based on this kernel is valid. Supplementary materials for this article are available online. PMID:24764609

Sub-10-nm suspended nano-web formation by direct laser writing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Sihao; Yu, Ye; Liu, Hailong; Lim, Kevin T. P.; Madurai Srinivasan, Bharathi; Zhang, Yong Wei; Yang, Joel K. W.

2018-06-01

A diffraction-limited three-dimensional (3D) direct laser writing (DLW) system based on two-photon polymerization can routinely pattern structures at the 100 nm length scale. Several schemes have been developed to improve the patterning resolution of 3D DLW but often require customized resist formulations or multi-wavelength exposures. Here, we introduce a scheme to produce suspended nano-webs with feature sizes below 10 nm in IP-Dip resist using sub-threshold exposure conditions in a commercial DLW system. The narrowest suspended lines (nano-webs) measured 7 nm in width. Larger ∼20 nm nano-webs were patterned with ∼80% yield at increased laser powers. In addition, closely spaced nano-gaps with a center-to-center distance of 33 nm were produced by patterning vertically displaced suspended lines followed by metal deposition and liftoff. We provide hypotheses and present preliminary results for a mechanism involving the initiation of a percolative path and a strain-induced narrowing in the nano-web formation. Our approach allows selective features to be patterned with dimensions comparable to the sub-10 nm patterning capability of electron-beam lithography (EBL).

Stories from Students in Their First Semester of Distance Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Mark; Hughes, Helen; Keppell, Mike; Hard, Natasha; Smith, Liz

2015-01-01

Online and distance learning is becoming increasingly common. Some would say it has quickly become the preferred or "new normal" mode of study throughout the world. However, surprisingly little is known about what actually happens to first year distance students once they have enrolled in tertiary institutions; what motivates them and…

Division of constricted and urethane-treated sand dollar eggs: a test of the polar stimulation hypothesis.

PubMed

Rappaport, R; Rappaport, B N

1984-07-01

In spherical cells with a central mitotic apparatus, the centers of the asters are closer to the poles than to the equator. This circumstance is basic to several hypothetical explanations of the way in which the mitotic apparatus establishes the division mechanism. This investigation was designed to determine whether that geometrical relationship is necessary for division. Fertilized, mechanically denuded sand dollar eggs were inserted into glass loops, which reduced the diameter in the constriction plane from the normal 142 to 78-80 microns and partly constricted the cell into equal parts. The mitotic apparatus straddled the constriction, and its length was not significantly changed. The manipulation increased the distance from the astral centers to the poles and decreased the distance from the astral centers to the equator to a degree that reversed the normal distance relations. These cells divided normally. Ethyl urethane (0.06 M) reduces the size of the mitotic apparatus and blocks cleavage in spherical cells. When treated cells are confined in 80-microns i.d. capillaries, they divide. Treated cells also divide when they are constricted by an 80-microns i.d. glass loop if the mitotic apparatus straddles the constriction. An equal degree of constriction in the subfurrow and subpolar areas did not reverse the effect of urethane. The results demonstrate that cleavage does not depend on the normal distance relation between the mitotic apparatus and the poles, and that the urethane effect can be remedied only by reducing the distance between the mitotic apparatus and the equatorial surface. Both findings are inconsistent with the polar stimulation hypothesis.

Web-conference supervision for advanced psychotherapy training: a practical guide.

PubMed

Abbass, Allan; Arthey, Stephen; Elliott, Jason; Fedak, Tim; Nowoweiski, Dion; Markovski, Jasmina; Nowoweiski, Sarah

2011-06-01

The advent of readily accessible, inexpensive Web-conferencing applications has opened the door for distance psychotherapy supervision, using video recordings of treated clients. Although relatively new, this method of supervision is advantageous given the ease of use and low cost of various Internet applications. This method allows periodic supervision from point to point around the world, with no travel costs and no long gaps between direct training contacts. Web-conferencing permits face-to-face training so that the learner and supervisor can read each other's emotional responses while reviewing case material. It allows group learning from direct supervision to complement local peer-to-peer learning methods. In this article, we describe the relevant literature on this type of learning method, the practical points in its utilization, its limitations, and its benefits.

A Comparison of Web Page and Slide/Tape for Instruction in Periapical and Panoramic Radiographic Anatomy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ludlow, John B.; Platin, Enrique

2000-01-01

Compared self-guided slide/tape (ST) and Web page (WP) instruction in normal radiographic anatomy of periapical and panoramic images using objective test performance and subjective preferences of 74 freshman dental students. Test performance was not different between image types or presentation technologies, but students preferred WP for…

Fish tissue lipid-C:N relationships for correcting ä13C values and estimating lipid content in aquatic food web studies

EPA Science Inventory

Normalizing 13C values of animal tissue for lipid content is necessary to accurately interpret food web relationships from stable isotope analysis. This is because lipids are 13C-depleted relative to proteins and carbohydrates, and because lipid content varies among speci...

Digital hand atlas for web-based bone age assessment: system design and implementation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cao, Fei; Huang, H. K.; Pietka, Ewa; Gilsanz, Vicente

2000-04-01

A frequently used assessment method of skeletal age is atlas matching by a radiological examination of a hand image against a small set of Greulich-Pyle patterns of normal standards. The method however can lead to significant deviation in age assessment, due to a variety of observers with different levels of training. The Greulich-Pyle atlas based on middle upper class white populations in the 1950s, is also not fully applicable for children of today, especially regarding the standard development in other racial groups. In this paper, we present our system design and initial implementation of a digital hand atlas and computer-aided diagnostic (CAD) system for Web-based bone age assessment. The digital atlas will remove the disadvantages of the currently out-of-date one and allow the bone age assessment to be computerized and done conveniently via Web. The system consists of a hand atlas database, a CAD module and a Java-based Web user interface. The atlas database is based on a large set of clinically normal hand images of diverse ethnic groups. The Java-based Web user interface allows users to interact with the hand image database form browsers. Users can use a Web browser to push a clinical hand image to the CAD server for a bone age assessment. Quantitative features on the examined image, which reflect the skeletal maturity, is then extracted and compared with patterns from the atlas database to assess the bone age.

Can You See Me Now?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Raths, David

2013-01-01

Ten years ago, integrating videoconferencing into a college course required considerable effort on the part of the instructor and IT support staff. Today, video- and web-conferencing tools are more sophisticated. Distance education has morphed from audio- and videocassettes featuring talking heads to a more interactive experience with greater…

Streaming Media Technology: Laying the Foundations for Educational Change.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sircar, Jayanta

2000-01-01

Discussion of the delivery of multimedia using streaming technology focuses on its use in engineering education. Highlights include engineering education and instructional technology, including learning approaches based on cognitive development; differences between local and distance education; economic factors; and roles of Web-based streaming,…

Designing Multimedia for Meaningful Online Teaching and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Terry, Krista P.; Doolittle, Peter E.; Scheer, Stephanie B.; McNeill, Andrea

2004-01-01

The development of distance and distributed learning environments on college campuses has created a need to reconsider traditional approaches to teaching and learning by integrating research and theories in human learning, pedagogy, and instructional technology. Creating effective and efficient multimedia for Web-based instruction requires a…

Creating and Nurturing Distributed Asynchronous Learning Environments.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kochtanek, Thomas R.; Hein, Karen K.

2000-01-01

Describes the evolution of a university course from a face-to-face experience to a Web-based asynchronous learning environment. Topics include cognition and learning; distance learning and distributed learning; student learning communities and the traditional classroom; the future as it relates to education and technology; collaborative student…

Empowering Adaptive Lectures through Activation of Intelligent and Web 2.0 Technologies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

El-Ghareeb, Haitham; Riad, A.

2011-01-01

Different Learning Paradigms can be presented by different educators as a result of utilizing several types of Information and Communication Technologies in the Learning Process. The three abstract Learning Delivery Models are: "Traditional", "Distance", and "Hybrid Learning". Hybrid Learning attempts to maintain the…

Demarcating Advanced Learning Approaches from Methodological and Technological Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Horvath, Imre; Peck, David; Verlinden, Jouke

2009-01-01

In the field of design and engineering education, the fast and expansive evolution of information and communication technologies is steadily converting traditional learning approaches into more advanced ones. Facilitated by Broadband (high bandwidth) personal computers, distance learning has developed into web-hosted electronic learning. The…

Innovating Professional Development for Future Health Care Practitioners.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hamilton, Charlene; Rucinski, Ann; Schakelman, Justin

2001-01-01

Describes a Web-based professional development curriculum that was designed at the University of Delaware for the internship portion of the Registered Dieticians program. Topics include distance learning; technology integration; combining in-class with online instruction; multimedia use for problem-based learning case studies; course management…

A Unimodal Model for Double Observer Distance Sampling Surveys.

PubMed

Becker, Earl F; Christ, Aaron M

2015-01-01

Distance sampling is a widely used method to estimate animal population size. Most distance sampling models utilize a monotonically decreasing detection function such as a half-normal. Recent advances in distance sampling modeling allow for the incorporation of covariates into the distance model, and the elimination of the assumption of perfect detection at some fixed distance (usually the transect line) with the use of double-observer models. The assumption of full observer independence in the double-observer model is problematic, but can be addressed by using the point independence assumption which assumes there is one distance, the apex of the detection function, where the 2 observers are assumed independent. Aerially collected distance sampling data can have a unimodal shape and have been successfully modeled with a gamma detection function. Covariates in gamma detection models cause the apex of detection to shift depending upon covariate levels, making this model incompatible with the point independence assumption when using double-observer data. This paper reports a unimodal detection model based on a two-piece normal distribution that allows covariates, has only one apex, and is consistent with the point independence assumption when double-observer data are utilized. An aerial line-transect survey of black bears in Alaska illustrate how this method can be applied.

Evaluating the online platform of a blended-learning pharmacist continuing education degree program.

PubMed

Wilbur, Kerry

2016-01-01

Background Distance-based continuing education opportunities are increasingly embraced by health professionals worldwide. Methods To evaluate the online component of a blended-learning degree program for pharmacists, we conducted a structured self-assessment and peer review using an instrument systematically devised according to Moore's principles of transactional distance. The web-based platform for 14 courses was reviewed by both local and external faculty, followed by shared reflection of individual and aggregate results. Results Findings indicated a number of course elements for modification to enhance the structure, dialog, and autonomy of the student learning experience. Conclusion Our process was an important exercise in quality assurance and is worthwhile for other health disciplines developing and delivering distance-based content to pursue.

Evaluating the online platform of a blended-learning pharmacist continuing education degree program

PubMed Central

Wilbur, Kerry

2016-01-01

Background Distance-based continuing education opportunities are increasingly embraced by health professionals worldwide. Methods To evaluate the online component of a blended-learning degree program for pharmacists, we conducted a structured self-assessment and peer review using an instrument systematically devised according to Moore's principles of transactional distance. The web-based platform for 14 courses was reviewed by both local and external faculty, followed by shared reflection of individual and aggregate results. Results Findings indicated a number of course elements for modification to enhance the structure, dialog, and autonomy of the student learning experience. Conclusion Our process was an important exercise in quality assurance and is worthwhile for other health disciplines developing and delivering distance-based content to pursue. PMID:27282277

Evaluating the online platform of a blended-learning pharmacist continuing education degree program.

PubMed

Wilbur, Kerry

2016-01-01

Distance-based continuing education opportunities are increasingly embraced by health professionals worldwide. To evaluate the online component of a blended-learning degree program for pharmacists, we conducted a structured self-assessment and peer review using an instrument systematically devised according to Moore's principles of transactional distance. The web-based platform for 14 courses was reviewed by both local and external faculty, followed by shared reflection of individual and aggregate results. Findings indicated a number of course elements for modification to enhance the structure, dialog, and autonomy of the student learning experience. Our process was an important exercise in quality assurance and is worthwhile for other health disciplines developing and delivering distance-based content to pursue.

The Atlas of Chinese World Wide Web Ecosystem Shaped by the Collective Attention Flows

PubMed Central

Lou, Xiaodan; Li, Yong; Gu, Weiwei; Zhang, Jiang

2016-01-01

The web can be regarded as an ecosystem of digital resources connected and shaped by collective successive behaviors of users. Knowing how people allocate limited attention on different resources is of great importance. To answer this, we embed the most popular Chinese web sites into a high dimensional Euclidean space based on the open flow network model of a large number of Chinese users’ collective attention flows, which both considers the connection topology of hyperlinks between the sites and the collective behaviors of the users. With these tools, we rank the web sites and compare their centralities based on flow distances with other metrics. We also study the patterns of attention flow allocation, and find that a large number of web sites concentrate on the central area of the embedding space, and only a small fraction of web sites disperse in the periphery. The entire embedding space can be separated into 3 regions(core, interim, and periphery). The sites in the core (1%) occupy a majority of the attention flows (40%), and the sites (34%) in the interim attract 40%, whereas other sites (65%) only take 20% flows. What’s more, we clustered the web sites into 4 groups according to their positions in the space, and found that similar web sites in contents and topics are grouped together. In short, by incorporating the open flow network model, we can clearly see how collective attention allocates and flows on different web sites, and how web sites connected each other. PMID:27812133

A Semi-Automatic Approach to Construct Vietnamese Ontology from Online Text

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nguyen, Bao-An; Yang, Don-Lin

2012-01-01

An ontology is an effective formal representation of knowledge used commonly in artificial intelligence, semantic web, software engineering, and information retrieval. In open and distance learning, ontologies are used as knowledge bases for e-learning supplements, educational recommenders, and question answering systems that support students with…

Information Seeking and Avoidance Behavior in School Library Distance Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Du, Yunfei

2010-01-01

Library science students in school librarianship were surveyed to determine their information seeking and avoidance behaviors in Web-based online environments. Two coping styles were identified among students. Barriers to student online collaboration, such as individual preferences, concerns on efficiency, and lack of mutual trust, were observed.…

Cell-Phone Technology Threatens To Devour Distance-Education Bandwidth.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blumenstyk, Goldie

2001-01-01

Describes educators' fear that a government proposal to help accommodate new Web-surfing cell phones and other hand-held devices could end up displacing instructional-television operations. The proposal could also undermine partnerships that educational broadcasters have begun negotiating with companies to create new speedy Internet services. (EV)

Electronic Media: A Motif for Shared Resources.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lightner, Stanley L.; Johnson, W. C.

2000-01-01

A survey of trade and industrial education supervisors from 10 states determined the degree of use of electronic education methods. Instructors in these states used presentation software and web-based exercises most often; fewer used video, CD-ROM, and distance technologies; 70% had been taught electronic presentation methods in preservice or…

Implementation of Distance Support (DS) to Reduce Total Ownership Cost (R-TOC)

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-02-01

ATIS ) for technical documentation,  PMS Scheduling (SKED)  Food Service Management (FSM3). For morale and welfare support, local web content...Development ( TD ) phase and use a systems engineering (SE) approach (similar to Figure 6 above) to help understand ramifications for deleting DS. For

Advances in Computer-Supported Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neto, Francisco; Brasileiro, Francisco

2007-01-01

The Internet and growth of computer networks have eliminated geographic barriers, creating an environment where education can be brought to a student no matter where that student may be. The success of distance learning programs and the availability of many Web-supported applications and multimedia resources have increased the effectiveness of…

Factors Impeding Implementation of Web-Based Distance Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Falowo, Rasheed Olaniyi

2007-01-01

Economic and technological changes are occurring at an accelerating rate in our information and communication-based society, making life-long learning for everyone a necessity. This is particularly the case in the transition period from industrial production to a knowledge and communication-based society. The confluence of technology,…

Advanced Interactive Web Technologies in Industry Training.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vassileva, Tania; Astinov, Ilario; Bojkov, Dimitar; Tchoumatchenko, Vassiliy; Scholten, Ulrich; Furnadziev, Ivan

Today, faced with the problems of global competition, increasing costs, and complex production engineering, a company can only be successfully managed if the employees are motivated and highly qualified. To cope with this demand the new educational scheme for cost-effective retraining, lifelong learning and distance education at the workplace…

Teaching an Interdisciplinary Distance Education Gerontology Course: Benefits of Diversity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shenk, Dena; Moore, Linda; Davis, Boyd

2004-01-01

This article derives from the experience of teaching an asynchronous web-based course, Communicating with Older Persons with Alzheimer's Disease, taught by a multidisciplinary team of three faculty. The students also were multidisciplinary with diverse cultural and educational backgrounds and varied professional experience with older adults. Our…

Student Perceptions of Web-Based Supplemental Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Freeman, Steven A.; Field, Dennis W.

2004-01-01

The Internet is changing the way in which education is delivered, and in fact, some predict that the Internet will become the dominant distribution system for distance education and training. Many faculty members are expanding their traditional delivery methods (lecture, laboratory, face-to-face discussion) to include educational options ranging…

Remote Electronic Examinations: Student Experiences.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomas, Peter; Price, Blaine; Paine, Carina; Richards, Mike

2002-01-01

Presents findings from a small-scale experiment investigating the presentation of a synchronous, Web-based remote electronic exam in a distance education course. Discusses student experiences based on a questionnaire; time pressures; technical issues; differences between the structure of an electronic exam and a paper-based exam; and future work,…

Kidspiration[R] for Inquiry-Centered Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shaw, Edward L., Jr.; Baggett, Paige V.; Salyer, Barbara

2004-01-01

Computer technology can be integrated into science inquiry activities to increase student motivation and enhance and expand scientific thinking. Fifth-grade students used the visual thinking tools in the Kidspiration[R] software program to generate and represent a web of hypotheses around the question, "What affects the distance a marble rolls?"…

Using Web-based Information To Facilitate Inclusion Practices in Rural Communities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lock, Robin H.

2001-01-01

Texas Tech University offers online courses in special education for graduate credit or inservice education. This approach addresses the problems of time, distance, resources, and expertise experienced by rural educators. Unenrolled practitioners not interested in returning to school can access chat rooms and threaded discussions to get support…

Interaction Patterns in Synchronous Online Calculus and Linear Algebra Recitations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mayer, Greg; Hendricks, Cher

2014-01-01

This study describes interaction patterns observed during a pilot project that explored the use of web-conferencing (WC) software in two undergraduate distance education courses offered to advanced high-school students. The pilot program replaced video-conferencing technology with WC software during recitations, so as to increase participation in…

The RN-BSN Bridge Course: Transitioning the Re-Entry Learner.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huston, Carol; Shovein, Julia; Damazo, Becky; Fox, Sherry

2001-01-01

A 6-week bridge course designed to ease the transition of registered nurses into baccalaureate degree programs focused on critical thinking, learning styles, professional roles, values clarification, time management, and career planning. It also oriented students to Web Course Tools, used for distance learning. Outcomes included role and campus…

Modelling Method of Recursive Entity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Amal, Rifai; Messoussi, Rochdi

2012-01-01

With the development of the Information and Communication Technologies, great masses of information are published in the Web. In order to reuse, to share and to organise them in distance formation and e-learning frameworks, several research projects have been achieved and various standards and modelling languages developed. In our previous…

Consortial IT Services: Collaborating To Reduce the Pain.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klonoski, Ed

The Connecticut Distance Learning Consortium (CTDLC) provides its 32 members with Information Technologies (IT) services including a portal Web site, course management software, course hosting and development, faculty training, a help desk, online assessment, and a student financial aid database. These services are supplied to two- and four-year…

Academic Advising in a Virtual University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Steele, George E.; Thurmond, Karen C.

2009-01-01

Many institutions are implementing personalized Web-based student services, which will have a profound effect on interacting with students and achieving learning outcomes for students at a distance. A new conceptual model is necessary for describing the relationship between the advisor and students, as mitigated through use of technology. In this…

Measuring the Effectiveness of Blended Learning Environment: A Case Study in Malaysia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wai, Cho Cho; Seng, Ernest Lim Kok

2015-01-01

Learning environment has always been traditionally associated with the physical presence of classrooms, textbooks, pen-and-paper examinations and teachers. However, today's evolving technology has rapidly changed the face of education. Online learning, teleconferencing, internet, Computer Assisted Learning (CAL), Web-Based Distance Learning (WBDL)…

Real-time WebRTC-based design for a telepresence wheelchair.

PubMed

Van Kha Ly Ha; Rifai Chai; Nguyen, Hung T

2017-07-01

This paper presents a novel approach to the telepresence wheelchair system which is capable of real-time video communication and remote interaction. The investigation of this emerging technology aims at providing a low-cost and efficient way for assisted-living of people with disabilities. The proposed system has been designed and developed by deploying the JavaScript with Hyper Text Markup Language 5 (HTML5) and Web Real-time Communication (WebRTC) in which the adaptive rate control algorithm for video transmission is invoked. We conducted experiments in real-world environments, and the wheelchair was controlled from a distance using the Internet browser to compare with existing methods. The results show that the adaptively encoded video streaming rate matches the available bandwidth. The video streaming is high-quality with approximately 30 frames per second (fps) and round trip time less than 20 milliseconds (ms). These performance results confirm that the WebRTC approach is a potential method for developing a telepresence wheelchair system.

Cross-cultural comparisons of attitudes toward schizophrenia amongst the general population and physicians: a series of web-based surveys in Japan and the United States.

PubMed

Richards, Misty; Hori, Hiroaki; Sartorius, Norman; Kunugi, Hiroshi

2014-02-28

Cross-cultural differences in attitudes toward schizophrenia are suggested, while no studies have compared such attitudes between the United States and Japan. In our previous study in Japan (Hori et al., 2011), 197 subjects in the general population and 112 physicians (excluding psychiatrists) enrolled in a web-based survey using an Internet-based questionnaire format. Utilizing the identical web-based survey method in the United States, the present study enrolled 172 subjects in the general population and 45 physicians. Participants' attitudes toward schizophrenia were assessed with the English version of the 18-item questionnaire used in our previous Japanese survey. Using exploratory factor analysis, we identified four factors labeled "social distance," "belief of dangerousness," "underestimation of patients' abilities," and "skepticism regarding treatment." The two-way multivariate analysis of covariance on the four factors, with country and occupation as the between-subject factors and with potentially confounding demographic variables as the covariates, revealed that the general population in the US scored significantly lower than the Japanese counterparts on the factors "social distance" and "skepticism regarding treatment" and higher on "underestimation of patients' abilities." Our results suggest that culture may have an important role in shaping attitudes toward mental illness. Anti-stigma campaigns that target culture-specific biases are considered important. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Upside-down spiders build upside-down orb webs: web asymmetry, spider orientation and running speed in Cyclosa.

PubMed

Nakata, Kensuke; Zschokke, Samuel

2010-10-07

Almost all spiders building vertical orb webs face downwards when sitting on the hubs of their webs, and their webs exhibit an up-down size asymmetry, with the lower part of the capture area being larger than the upper. However, spiders of the genus Cyclosa, which all build vertical orb webs, exhibit inter- and intraspecific variation in orientation. In particular, Cyclosa ginnaga and C. argenteoalba always face upwards, and C. octotuberculata always face downwards, whereas some C. confusa face upwards and others face downwards or even sideways. These spiders provide a unique opportunity to examine why most spiders face downwards and have asymmetrical webs. We found that upward-facing spiders had upside-down webs with larger upper parts, downward-facing spiders had normal webs with larger lower parts and sideways-facing spiders had more symmetrical webs. Downward-facing C. confusa spiders were larger than upward- and sideways-facing individuals. We also found that during prey attacks, downward-facing spiders ran significantly faster downwards than upwards, which was not the case in upward-facing spiders. These results suggest that the spider's orientation at the hub and web asymmetry enhance its foraging efficiency by minimizing the time to reach prey trapped in the web.

Upside-down spiders build upside-down orb webs: web asymmetry, spider orientation and running speed in Cyclosa

PubMed Central

Nakata, Kensuke; Zschokke, Samuel

2010-01-01

Almost all spiders building vertical orb webs face downwards when sitting on the hubs of their webs, and their webs exhibit an up–down size asymmetry, with the lower part of the capture area being larger than the upper. However, spiders of the genus Cyclosa, which all build vertical orb webs, exhibit inter- and intraspecific variation in orientation. In particular, Cyclosa ginnaga and C. argenteoalba always face upwards, and C. octotuberculata always face downwards, whereas some C. confusa face upwards and others face downwards or even sideways. These spiders provide a unique opportunity to examine why most spiders face downwards and have asymmetrical webs. We found that upward-facing spiders had upside-down webs with larger upper parts, downward-facing spiders had normal webs with larger lower parts and sideways-facing spiders had more symmetrical webs. Downward-facing C. confusa spiders were larger than upward- and sideways-facing individuals. We also found that during prey attacks, downward-facing spiders ran significantly faster downwards than upwards, which was not the case in upward-facing spiders. These results suggest that the spider's orientation at the hub and web asymmetry enhance its foraging efficiency by minimizing the time to reach prey trapped in the web. PMID:20462900

WebArray: an online platform for microarray data analysis

PubMed Central

Xia, Xiaoqin; McClelland, Michael; Wang, Yipeng

2005-01-01

Background Many cutting-edge microarray analysis tools and algorithms, including commonly used limma and affy packages in Bioconductor, need sophisticated knowledge of mathematics, statistics and computer skills for implementation. Commercially available software can provide a user-friendly interface at considerable cost. To facilitate the use of these tools for microarray data analysis on an open platform we developed an online microarray data analysis platform, WebArray, for bench biologists to utilize these tools to explore data from single/dual color microarray experiments. Results The currently implemented functions were based on limma and affy package from Bioconductor, the spacings LOESS histogram (SPLOSH) method, PCA-assisted normalization method and genome mapping method. WebArray incorporates these packages and provides a user-friendly interface for accessing a wide range of key functions of limma and others, such as spot quality weight, background correction, graphical plotting, normalization, linear modeling, empirical bayes statistical analysis, false discovery rate (FDR) estimation, chromosomal mapping for genome comparison. Conclusion WebArray offers a convenient platform for bench biologists to access several cutting-edge microarray data analysis tools. The website is freely available at . It runs on a Linux server with Apache and MySQL. PMID:16371165

Optimizing real-time Web-based user interfaces for observatories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gibson, J. Duane; Pickering, Timothy E.; Porter, Dallan; Schaller, Skip

2008-08-01

In using common HTML/Ajax approaches for web-based data presentation and telescope control user interfaces at the MMT Observatory (MMTO), we rapidly were confronted with web browser performance issues. Much of the operational data at the MMTO is highly dynamic and is constantly changing during normal operations. Status of telescope subsystems must be displayed with minimal latency to telescope operators and other users. A major motivation of migrating toward web-based applications at the MMTO is to provide easy access to current and past observatory subsystem data for a wide variety of users on their favorite operating system through a familiar interface, their web browser. Performance issues, especially for user interfaces that control telescope subsystems, led to investigations of more efficient use of HTML/Ajax and web server technologies as well as other web-based technologies, such as Java and Flash/Flex. The results presented here focus on techniques for optimizing HTML/Ajax web applications with near real-time data display. This study indicates that direct modification of the contents or "nodeValue" attribute of text nodes is the most efficient method of updating data values displayed on a web page. Other optimization techniques are discussed for web-based applications that display highly dynamic data.

Evaluation of Interhandle Distance During Pushing and Pulling of a Four-Caster Cart for Upper Limb Exertion.

PubMed

Ohnishi, Akihiro; Takanokura, Masato; Sugama, Atsushi

2016-09-01

This study examined the relationship between interhandle distances and upper limb exertion during simply pushing and pulling of a cart with four swivel wheels, defined by a roll box pallet (RBP) in a Japanese industrial standard. Six healthy young male participants were asked to push and pull an RBP at a distance of 5.2 m under six conditions corresponding to different interhandle distances (40 cm, 60 cm, and 80 cm) and weights (130 kg and 250 kg). The upper limb exertion was studied by shoulder abduction and flexion, and elbow flexion, as well as surface electromyogram (EMG) in shoulder extensor, and elbow flexor and extensor. Participants were required to provide subjective evaluations on operability after each trial. Subjective operability indicated that a narrower interhandle distance had a better operability for pushing. Interhandle distance was also related to upper limb exertion especially for pushing. A narrow interhandle distance caused smaller shoulder adduction but larger elbow flexion. The normalized EMG data revealed that muscular activity became smaller with a narrow interhandle distance in shoulder extensor. During the pulling task, elbow flexion was smaller at a narrow interhandle distance, although subjective operability and normalized EMG were not significantly varied. A wider interhandle distance, such as 80 cm, was not suitable in the forwardbackward movement of the RBP. Therefore, this study concluded that an interhandle distance of 40 cm would be suitable for pushing and pulling an RBP to protect the workers' hands against the risk of injury by installing inner handles.

A machine learning approach to galaxy-LSS classification - I. Imprints on halo merger trees

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hui, Jianan; Aragon, Miguel; Cui, Xinping; Flegal, James M.

2018-04-01

The cosmic web plays a major role in the formation and evolution of galaxies and defines, to a large extent, their properties. However, the relation between galaxies and environment is still not well understood. Here, we present a machine learning approach to study imprints of environmental effects on the mass assembly of haloes. We present a galaxy-LSS machine learning classifier based on galaxy properties sensitive to the environment. We then use the classifier to assess the relevance of each property. Correlations between galaxy properties and their cosmic environment can be used to predict galaxy membership to void/wall or filament/cluster with an accuracy of 93 per cent. Our study unveils environmental information encoded in properties of haloes not normally considered directly dependent on the cosmic environment such as merger history and complexity. Understanding the physical mechanism by which the cosmic web is imprinted in a halo can lead to significant improvements in galaxy formation models. This is accomplished by extracting features from galaxy properties and merger trees, computing feature scores for each feature and then applying support vector machine (SVM) to different feature sets. To this end, we have discovered that the shape and depth of the merger tree, formation time, and density of the galaxy are strongly associated with the cosmic environment. We describe a significant improvement in the original classification algorithm by performing LU decomposition of the distance matrix computed by the feature vectors and then using the output of the decomposition as input vectors for SVM.

Monitoring by Use of Clusters of Sensor-Data Vectors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Iverson, David L.

2007-01-01

The inductive monitoring system (IMS) is a system of computer hardware and software for automated monitoring of the performance, operational condition, physical integrity, and other aspects of the health of a complex engineering system (e.g., an industrial process line or a spacecraft). The input to the IMS consists of streams of digitized readings from sensors in the monitored system. The IMS determines the type and amount of any deviation of the monitored system from a nominal or normal ( healthy ) condition on the basis of a comparison between (1) vectors constructed from the incoming sensor data and (2) corresponding vectors in a database of nominal or normal behavior. The term inductive reflects the use of a process reminiscent of traditional mathematical induction to learn about normal operation and build the nominal-condition database. The IMS offers two major advantages over prior computational monitoring systems: The computational burden of the IMS is significantly smaller, and there is no need for abnormal-condition sensor data for training the IMS to recognize abnormal conditions. The figure schematically depicts the relationships among the computational processes effected by the IMS. Training sensor data are gathered during normal operation of the monitored system, detailed computational simulation of operation of the monitored system, or both. The training data are formed into vectors that are used to generate the database. The vectors in the database are clustered into regions that represent normal or nominal operation. Once the database has been generated, the IMS compares the vectors of incoming sensor data with vectors representative of the clusters. The monitored system is deemed to be operating normally or abnormally, depending on whether the vector of incoming sensor data is or is not, respectively, sufficiently close to one of the clusters. For this purpose, a distance between two vectors is calculated by a suitable metric (e.g., Euclidean distance) and "sufficiently close" signifies lying at a distance less than a specified threshold value. It must be emphasized that although the IMS is intended to detect off-nominal or abnormal performance or health, it is not necessarily capable of performing a thorough or detailed diagnosis. Limited diagnostic information may be available under some circumstances. For example, the distance of a vector of incoming sensor data from the nearest cluster could serve as an indication of the severity of a malfunction. The identity of the nearest cluster may be a clue as to the identity of the malfunctioning component or subsystem. It is possible to decrease the IMS computation time by use of a combination of cluster-indexing and -retrieval methods. For example, in one method, the distances between each cluster and two or more reference vectors can be used for the purpose of indexing and retrieval. The clusters are sorted into a list according to these distance values, typically in ascending order of distance. When a set of input data arrives and is to be tested, the data are first arranged as an ordered set (that is, a vector). The distances from the input vector to the reference points are computed. The search of clusters from the list can then be limited to those clusters lying within a certain distance range from the input vector; the computation time is reduced by not searching the clusters at a greater distance.

Architecture of marine food webs: To be or not be a 'small-world'.

PubMed

Marina, Tomás Ignacio; Saravia, Leonardo A; Cordone, Georgina; Salinas, Vanesa; Doyle, Santiago R; Momo, Fernando R

2018-01-01

The search for general properties in network structure has been a central issue for food web studies in recent years. One such property is the small-world topology that combines a high clustering and a small distance between nodes of the network. This property may increase food web resilience but make them more sensitive to the extinction of connected species. Food web theory has been developed principally from freshwater and terrestrial ecosystems, largely omitting marine habitats. If theory needs to be modified to accommodate observations from marine ecosystems, based on major differences in several topological characteristics is still on debate. Here we investigated if the small-world topology is a common structural pattern in marine food webs. We developed a novel, simple and statistically rigorous method to examine the largest set of complex marine food webs to date. More than half of the analyzed marine networks exhibited a similar or lower characteristic path length than the random expectation, whereas 39% of the webs presented a significantly higher clustering than its random counterpart. Our method proved that 5 out of 28 networks fulfilled both features of the small-world topology: short path length and high clustering. This work represents the first rigorous analysis of the small-world topology and its associated features in high-quality marine networks. We conclude that such topology is a structural pattern that is not maximized in marine food webs; thus it is probably not an effective model to study robustness, stability and feasibility of marine ecosystems.

Textual and visual content-based anti-phishing: a Bayesian approach.

PubMed

Zhang, Haijun; Liu, Gang; Chow, Tommy W S; Liu, Wenyin

2011-10-01

A novel framework using a Bayesian approach for content-based phishing web page detection is presented. Our model takes into account textual and visual contents to measure the similarity between the protected web page and suspicious web pages. A text classifier, an image classifier, and an algorithm fusing the results from classifiers are introduced. An outstanding feature of this paper is the exploration of a Bayesian model to estimate the matching threshold. This is required in the classifier for determining the class of the web page and identifying whether the web page is phishing or not. In the text classifier, the naive Bayes rule is used to calculate the probability that a web page is phishing. In the image classifier, the earth mover's distance is employed to measure the visual similarity, and our Bayesian model is designed to determine the threshold. In the data fusion algorithm, the Bayes theory is used to synthesize the classification results from textual and visual content. The effectiveness of our proposed approach was examined in a large-scale dataset collected from real phishing cases. Experimental results demonstrated that the text classifier and the image classifier we designed deliver promising results, the fusion algorithm outperforms either of the individual classifiers, and our model can be adapted to different phishing cases. © 2011 IEEE

Ultraluminous X-ray sources: new distance indicators?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Różańska, A.; Bresler, K.; Bełdycki, B.; Madej, J.; Adhikari, T. P.

2018-05-01

Aims: In this paper we fit the NuSTAR and XMM-Newton data of three sources: NGC 7793 P13, NGC5907 ULX1, and Circinus ULX5. Methods: Our single model contains emission from a non-spherical system: a neutron star plus an accretion disk directed towards the observer. Results: We obtained a very good fit with the reduced χ2 per degree of freedom equal to 1.08 for P13, 1.01 for ULX1, and 1.14 for ULX5. The normalization of our model constrains the distance to the source. The resulting distances are D = 3.41-0.10+0.11, 6.55-0.81+0.69, and 2.60-0.03+0.05 Mpc for P13, ULX1, and ULX5 respectively. The distances to P13 and ULX5 are in perfect agreement with previous distance measurements to their host galaxies. Conclusions: Our results confirm that P13, ULX1, and ULX5 may contain central hot neutron stars. When the outgoing emission is computed by integration over the emitting surface and successfully fitted to the data, then the resulting model normalization is the direct distance indicator.

Addressing educational challenges in veterinary medicine through the use of distance education.

PubMed

Murray, Amanda L; Sischo, William M

2007-01-01

The veterinary profession is currently facing many educational challenges, including an insufficient capacity to train and educate veterinarians for the multiple disciplines within the profession, a shortage of veterinarians in private and public practice, a shortage of faculty, a lack of human and professional diversity, and a rising cost of education resulting in extreme student debt loads. As a methodology for teaching, distance education (DE) has the potential to address many of these issues. By its very nature, DE can increase the capacity of current facilities and faculty. In addition, DE can allow students to acquire the necessary knowledge at less cost. This article describes a model for incorporating DE in the form of interactive Web-based courses, in conjunction with short, intensive residential programs, for the lecture portions of courses taught in the pre-veterinary, veterinary, and post-veterinary educational periods. In this model, the Web-based courses are used to convey the necessary core knowledge required at each step of the educational process. The residential portions are then used to apply the knowledge in such a way as to combine clinical applications with research in basic and applied sciences. Distance education can provide increased flexibility, high-quality educational experiences, and a less costly alternative for students while maximizing the reach of current faculty efforts and the capacity of existing physical structures.

Contact angle control of sessile drops on a tensioned web

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Janghoon; Kim, Dongguk; Lee, Changwoo

2018-04-01

In this study, the influence of the change of tension applied to flexible and thin web substrate on the contact angle of sessile drop in roll-to-roll system was investigated. Graphene oxide and deionized water solutions were used in the experiments. Tension was changed to 29, 49, and 69 N, and the casting distance of the micropipette and the material was set to 10, 20, and 40 mm, and the droplet volume was set to 10, 20, and 30 μL, respectively. Statistical analysis of three variables and analysis of the variance methodology showed that the casting distance was most significant for the contact angle change, and the most interesting tension variable was also affected. The change in tension caused the maximum contact angle to change by 5.5°. The tension was not uniform in the width direction. When the droplet was applied in the same direction in the width direction, it was confirmed that the tension unevenness had great influence on the contact angle up to 11°. Finally, the casting distance, which has a large effect on the contact angle, was calibrated in the width direction to reduce the width direction contact angle deviation to 1%. This study can be applied to fine patterning research using continuous inkjet printing and aerosol jet printing, which are roll-to-roll processes based on droplet handling.

NMSim web server: integrated approach for normal mode-based geometric simulations of biologically relevant conformational transitions in proteins.

PubMed

Krüger, Dennis M; Ahmed, Aqeel; Gohlke, Holger

2012-07-01

The NMSim web server implements a three-step approach for multiscale modeling of protein conformational changes. First, the protein structure is coarse-grained using the FIRST software. Second, a rigid cluster normal-mode analysis provides low-frequency normal modes. Third, these modes are used to extend the recently introduced idea of constrained geometric simulations by biasing backbone motions of the protein, whereas side chain motions are biased toward favorable rotamer states (NMSim). The generated structures are iteratively corrected regarding steric clashes and stereochemical constraint violations. The approach allows performing three simulation types: unbiased exploration of conformational space; pathway generation by a targeted simulation; and radius of gyration-guided simulation. On a data set of proteins with experimentally observed conformational changes, the NMSim approach has been shown to be a computationally efficient alternative to molecular dynamics simulations for conformational sampling of proteins. The generated conformations and pathways of conformational transitions can serve as input to docking approaches or more sophisticated sampling techniques. The web server output is a trajectory of generated conformations, Jmol representations of the coarse-graining and a subset of the trajectory and data plots of structural analyses. The NMSim webserver, accessible at http://www.nmsim.de, is free and open to all users with no login requirement.

Construction and validation of a distance learning module on premedication antisepsis for nursing professionals.

PubMed

Pereira, Barbara Juliana da Costa; Mendes, Isabel Amélia Costa; Beatriz Maria, Jorge; Mazzo, Alessandra

2013-11-01

The aim of this descriptive study, carried out at a public university, was to design, develop, and validate a distance learning module on intramuscular premedication antisepsis. The content was introduced in the Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment, based on the Systematic Model for Web-Based Training projects. Ten nurses and information technologists at work consented to participate, in compliance with ethical guidelines, and answered a questionnaire to validate the Virtual Learning Environment. The educational aspects of the environment interface were mostly evaluated as "excellent," whereas the assessment of didactic resources indicated interactivity difficulties. It is concluded that distance learning is an important tool for the teaching of premedication antisepsis. To ensure its effectiveness, appropriate methods and interactive devices must be used.

Iranian EFL Teachers' Perception, Familiarity and Use of Web 2.0 Tools in TEFL

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shahrokni, Seyed Abdollah; Sadeqjoola, Leila

2015-01-01

Following social-constructivist approaches in education, there has been a growing interest in employing Web 2.0 technologies in language classes. While the effectiveness of these digital teaching crafts has been corroborated in many studies (see Crook et al., 2008, for a survey), there is always doubt if they have reached a normalized state in L2…

Leveraging the Cloud for Integrated Network Experimentation

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-03-01

kernel settings, or any of the low-level subcomponents. 3. Scalable Solutions: Businesses can build scalable solutions for their clients , ranging from...values. These values 13 can assume several distributions that include normal, Pareto , uniform, exponential and Poisson, among others [21]. Additionally, D...communication, the web client establishes a connection to the server before traffic begins to flow. Web servers do not initiate connections to clients in

Modified cuspal relationships of mandibular molar teeth in children with Down's syndrome

PubMed Central

PERETZ, BENJAMIN; SHAPIRA, JOSEPH; FARBSTEIN, HANNA; ARIELI, ELIAHU; SMITH, PATRICIA

1998-01-01

A total of 50 permanent mandibular 1st molars of 26 children with Down's syndrome (DS) were examined from dental casts and 59 permanent mandibular 1st molars of normal children were examined from 33 individuals. The following measurements were performed on both right and left molars (teeth 46 and 36 respectively): (a) the intercusp distances (mb-db, mb-d, mb-dl, db-ml, db-d, db-dl, db-ml, d-dl, d-ml, dl-ml); (b) the db-mb-ml, mb-db-ml, mb-ml-db, d-mb-dl, mb-d-dl, mb-dl-d angles; (c) the area of the pentagon formed by connecting the cusp tips. All intercusp distances were significantly smaller in the DS group. Stepwise logistic regression, applied to all the intercusp distances, was used to design a multivariate probability model for DS and normals. A model based on 2 distances only, mb-dl and mb-db, proved sufficient to discriminate between the teeth of DS and the normal population. The model for tooth 36 for example was as follows: formula here A similar model for tooth 46 was also created, as well as a model which incorporated both teeth. With respect to the angles, significant differences between DS and normals were found in 3 out of the 6 angles which were measured: the d-mb-dl angle was smaller than in normals, the mb-d-dl angle was higher, and the mb-dl-d angle was smaller. The dl cusp was located closer to the centre of the tooth. The change in size occurs at an early stage, while the change in shape occurs in a later stage of tooth formation in the DS population. PMID:10029186

Problems Faced by Distance Learners in Using Web-Based Facilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dharankar, Madhavi

2012-01-01

Countries like India are engaged in exploring appropriate ways of tackling the urgent problem of educating their large and growing populations in relatively little time and with limited resources. Against this background, achieving universal primary education is a major concern. If this Millennium Development Goal is to be achieved, the…

How Interactive Video (ITV) Web-Enhanced Format Affects Instructional Strategy and Instructor Satisfaction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moody, Catrina V.

2013-01-01

This qualitative study explored the quality of technology associated with interactive video (ITV) classes in distance education programs and the resulting satisfaction of the instructors teaching this format. The participants were full time instructors of a rural community college that used the ITV format. Community college ITV instructors are…

Using Contemporary Technology Tools to Improve the Effectiveness of Teacher Educators in Special Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Brien, Chris; Aguinaga, Nancy J.; Hines, Rebecca; Hartshorne, Richard

2011-01-01

Ongoing developments in educational technology, including web-based instruction, streaming video, podcasting, video-conferencing, and the use of wikis and blogs to create learning communities, have substantial impact on distance education and preparation of special educators in rural communities. These developments can be overwhelming, however,…

Are Electronic Conferences a Solution in Search of an Urban Problem?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klecka, Cari; Clift, Renee; Cheng, Yu-Ming

2005-01-01

This article briefly reviews initiatives that have attempted to create communities of educators using Web-based, electronic conferencing. The authors critically analyze the advocacy for electronic communication as a medium for bringing educators together across time and distance with an emphasis on what is known about urban schools, access to…

Animated Agents Teaching Helping Skills in an Online Environment: A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duggan, Molly H.; Adcock, Amy B.

2007-01-01

Human service educators constantly struggle with how to best teach students the communication skills required of entry-level human service professionals. While teaching such skills is easier in a traditional face-to-face environment, teaching communication skills via distance learning presents its own challenges. Developing interactive web-based…

Geometry of forest landscape connectivity: pathways for persistence

Treesearch

Deanna H. Olson; Kelly M. Burnett

2013-01-01

Streamside areas may be dispersal funnels or runways for a variety of species. For over-ridge dispersal, headwaters offer the shortest distance links among riparian zones in adjacent drainages. We summarize landscape designs for connectivity of habitats using headwater riparian linkage areas as the foundation for a web of landscape-scale links. We developed management...

The Changing Role of Instructors in Distance Education: Impact on Tool Support.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Biedebach, Anke; Bomsdorf, Birgit; Schlageter, Gunter

At the university of Hagen a lot of experience exists in performing Web-based teaching and in implementing tools supporting e-learning. To share this knowledge, (inexperienced) instructors more and more ask for tool-based assistance in designing and administrating e-learning courses. Considering experience from other universities, it becomes…

Virtual Learning Spaces in the Web: An Agent-Based Architecture of Personalized Collaborative Learning Environment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nunez Esquer, Gustavo; Sheremetov, Leonid

This paper reports on the results and future research work within the paradigm of Configurable Collaborative Distance Learning, called Espacios Virtuales de Apredizaje (EVA). The paper focuses on: (1) description of the main concepts, including virtual learning spaces for knowledge, collaboration, consulting, and experimentation, a…

The Evolution of a National Distance Guidance Service: Trends and Challenges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watts, A. G.; Dent, Gareth

2008-01-01

Three trends in the evolution of the UK Learndirect advice service are identified: the partial migration from telephone to web-based services; the trend within the telephone service from information/advice-oriented interventions to more guidance-oriented interventions; and the move from a mainly learning-oriented service to a more career-oriented…

Academic Integrity in Web Based Distance Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baron, Julie; Crooks, Steven M.

2005-01-01

This paper reviews the literature relative to academic dishonesty in WBDE settings assuming the average class size to be 30-50 students with the instructor filling the role of facilitator, concept expert, grader and mentor when necessary. It shows that some common stereotypes about academic integrity and WBDE are unsubstantiated. In addition, it…

Protecting Students' Intellectual Property in the Web Plagiarism Detection Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Butakov, Sergey; Dyagilev, Vadim; Tskhay, Alexander

2012-01-01

Learning management systems (LMS) play a central role in communications in online and distance education. In the digital era, with all the information now accessible at students' fingertips, plagiarism detection services (PDS) have become a must-have part of LMS. Such integration provides a seamless experience for users, allowing PDS to check…

A SCORM Compliant Courseware Authoring Tool for Supporting Pervasive Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Te-Hua; Chang, Flora Chia-I

2007-01-01

The sharable content object reference model (SCORM) includes a representation of distance learning contents and a behavior definition of how users should interact with the contents. Generally, SCORMcompliant systems were based on multimedia and Web technologies on PCs. We further build a pervasive learning environment, which allows users to read…

Measuring Disorientation Based on the Needleman-Wunsch Algorithm

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Güyer, Tolga; Atasoy, Bilal; Somyürek, Sibel

2015-01-01

This study offers a new method to measure navigation disorientation in web based systems which is powerful learning medium for distance and open education. The Needleman-Wunsch algorithm is used to measure disorientation in a more precise manner. The process combines theoretical and applied knowledge from two previously distinct research areas,…

Is the Internet Becoming a Bonanza for Diploma Mills?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guernsey, Lisa

1997-01-01

As the concept of earning a higher education degree at home becomes more accepted, diploma mills operating on the Internet proliferate. Students confuse unscrupulous institutions with legitimate distance education. Many use the World Wide Web as their primary marketing tool, with sites similar to those of accredited colleges, and do not appear to…

Comparing Distance vs. Campus-Based Delivery of Research Methods Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Girod, Mark; Wojcikiewicz, Steve

2009-01-01

A causal-comparative pre-test, post-test design was used to investigate differences in learning in a research methods course for face-to-face and web-based delivery models. Analyses of participant achievement (N = 205) revealed almost no differences but post-hoc analyses revealed important differences in pedagogy between delivery models despite…

Real-Time Interactive Social Environments: A Review of BT's Generic Learning Platform.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gardner, Michael; Ward, Holly

1999-01-01

Describes the development of a generic learning platform for online distance learning and explains RISE (Real-time Interactive Social Environments), a Web-based system. Reports results of trials at the University of Hull Language Institute in an English as a Foreign Language course that investigated system usability, teacher roles, and student…

Usability Level of Distance Education Website (Sakarya University Sample)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Isman, Aytekin; Isbulan, Onur

2010-01-01

The main goal of this research is to determine the usability of Sakarya University Adapazari Vocational Two-Year Community College's Web Site. A scale was developed to the evaluation and applied to 1512 students. From the applied questionnaire only appropriate ones were selected to be evaluated and 1229 questionnaires were analysed. Finally,…

Creating and Working with Control Charts in Excel

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schikora, Paul F.

2017-01-01

With the growth in distance education offerings, instructors who now teach quantitative material via the web have been faced with many challenges. Foremost has been the need to develop appropriate methods for teaching such material to students who are not physically in the classroom. Methodologies that have traditionally been taught in a highly…

Web 2.0 Technologies and Back Channel Communication in an Online Learning Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kearns, Lorna R.; Frey, Barbara A.

2010-01-01

Communication, collaboration and community development are processes that contribute to student satisfaction and learning in online courses. This paper describes a study that investigated how campus and distance graduate students in a library science program communicated with one another outside the official boundaries of their courses. We…

Teaching with the Case Method Online: Pure versus Hybrid Approaches

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Webb, Harold W.; Gill, Grandon; Poe, Gary

2005-01-01

The impact of hybrid classroom/distance education approaches is examined in the context of the case method. Four distinct semester-long treatments, which varied mixes of classroom and online discussion, were used to teach a graduate MIS survey course. Specific findings suggest that by using Web technology, college instructors may offer students…

The Little eLearn Centre with a Big Impact

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Terry

2013-01-01

The Open University of Catalonia (UOC) was established as public, online university and thus has grown quickly with the global interest in online courses. However, like other dedicated distance-education institutions, UOC has had challenges adapting to MOOCs, and the emergent world of Web 2.0 learning technologies. To meet these challenges, UOC…

Building Phylogenetic Trees from DNA Sequence Data: Investigating Polar Bear and Giant Panda Ancestry.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maier, Caroline Alexandra

2001-01-01

Presents an activity in which students seek answers to questions about evolutionary relationships by using genetic databases and bioinformatics software. Students build genetic distance matrices and phylogenetic trees based on molecular sequence data using web-based resources. Provides a flowchart of steps involved in accessing, retrieving, and…

Interactive Maps for Community in Online Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cavanaugh, Terence W.; Cavanaugh, Cathy

2008-01-01

The online courses studied here used the visual medium of the interactive geographic map as a form of dialogue to reduce students' sense of transactional distance during the course, build their skills with Web 2.0 media, and increase their motivation. Using the dynamic map and the related online spreadsheet, the course participants created digital…

Are We There Yet? eLearning in Library and Information Science Courses in Australia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Combes, Barbara; Carroll, Mary

2012-01-01

Tertiary education in Australia has long been associated with the integration of developing technologies as a vehicle for distance education. As personal access to the Web has become more affordable, tertiary institutions have implemented wholly online courses to create flexible elearning spaces for students. While there are tangible benefits…

"The Evolution of e-Learning in the Context of 3D Virtual Worlds"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kotsilieris, Theodore; Dimopoulou, Nikoletta

2013-01-01

Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) offer new approaches towards knowledge acquisition and collaboration through distance learning processes. Web-based Learning Management Systems (LMS) have transformed the way that education is conducted nowadays. At the same time, the adoption of Virtual Worlds in the educational process is of great…

The Culture of Distance Education: Implementing an Online Graduate Level Course in Audience Analysis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duin, Ann Hill

1998-01-01

Details the experience of designing, implementing, and evaluating an online course in audience analysis at the graduate level. Describes how the educational culture of the Land Grant Mission flowed into efforts to create a quality learning experience. Discusses how the Web modules and asynchronous (listserv) and synchronous (MOO) conversations…

Dimensions of Transformational Leadership and Perceptions of Online Learning Tools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oluyomi, Alaba

2010-01-01

The implementation of web-based learning as a platform for distance education is problematic in higher learning institutions (HLI) across Nigeria and other sub-Saharan African countries. Despite the fact that this instructional concept has been implemented and well accepted in many western countries, research has yet to suggest whether or not HLI…

The Influence of National Culture toward Learner Interaction: Shanghai TV University and Wawasan Open University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bing, Wu; Ai-Ping, Teoh

2008-01-01

The authors conducted a comparative analysis to examine learners' interaction in the Web-based learning environment of 2 distance education institutions. The interaction was critically analyzed based on social, procedural, expository, explanatory, and cognitive dimensions, across 7 categories of exchanges between course coordinator to groups,…

Distance Education and Spatial Citizenship in Africa--Challenges and Prospects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kanwischer, Detlef; Quennet, Fabienne

2012-01-01

The relevance of GIS for sustainable development in Africa is undisputed. One web 2.0 application which plays a particularly strong role within local governance structures in Africa is PGIS (Participatory Geographical Information System). In fact, Spatial Citizenship education is the basis for the empowerment of the indigenous capacity for using…

Distance learning on the Internet: web-based archived curriculum.

PubMed

Burgess, Lawrence P A; Garshnek, Victoria; Birkmire-Peters, Deborah; Seifried, Steven E

2004-10-01

Web-based education through archived educational modules offers a significant opportunity to provide didactic education. By archiving lectures and teaching materials, it reduces the educators' time of preparation, especially when many students will need to take the same curriculum over a long period of time. The site can package educational material in multiple formats including audio, video, and readable text, allowing the student to tailor the educational experience to his/her learning preferences. This can be a stand-alone program, or integrated into a program combining distance and in-person education. Assessment through on-line tests can also be conducted, but these must be considered open-book assessments where collaboration cannot be prevented. As such, this vehicle can be utilized effectively for continuing education programs in health care, where open book is permitted and credits are generally awarded on the honor system. However, tests for certificate courses should only be given with a proctor in attendance. In this instance, on-line tests can be used as pre-tests for the student, while being structured to enhance further learning.

Travel behavior of low income older adults and implementation of an accessibility calculator

PubMed Central

Moniruzzaman, Md; Chudyk, Anna; Páez, Antonio; Winters, Meghan; Sims-Gould, Joanie; McKay, Heather

2016-01-01

Given the aging demographic landscape, the concept of walkable neighborhoods has emerged as a topic of interest, especially during the last decade. However, we know very little about whether walkable neighborhoods promote walking among older adults, particularly those with lower incomes. Therefore in this paper we: (i) examine the relation between trip distance and sociodemographic attributes and accessibility features of lower income older adults in Metro Vancouver; and, (ii) implement a web-based application to calculate the accessibility of lower income older adults in Metro Vancouver based on their travel behavior. We use multilevel linear regression to estimate the determinants of trip length. We find that in this population distance traveled is associated with gender, living arrangements, and dog ownership. Furthermore, significant geographical variations (measured using a trend surface) were also found. To better visualize the impact of travel behavior on accessibility by personal profile and location, we also implemented a web-based calculator that generates an Accessibility (A)-score using Google Maps API v3 that can be used to evaluate the accessibility of neighborhoods from the perspective of older adults. PMID:27104148

International cooperation in veterinary public health curricula using web-based distance interactive education.

PubMed

Lipman, Len J; Barnier, Valérie M; de Balogh, Katalin K

2003-01-01

The expanding field of Veterinary Public Health places new demands on the knowledge and skills of veterinarians. Veterinary curricula must therefore adapt to this new profile. Through the introduction of case studies dealing with up-to-date issues, students are being trained to solve (real-life) problems and come up with realistic solutions. At the Department of Public Health and Food Safety of the Veterinary Faculty at the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands, positive experiences have resulted from the new opportunities offered by the use of information and communication technology (ICT) in education. The possibility of creating a virtual classroom on the Internet through the use of WebCT software has enabled teachers and students to tackle emerging issues by working together with students in other countries and across disciplines. This article presents some of these experiences, through which international exchange of ideas and realities were stimulated, in addition to consolidating relations between universities in different countries. Long-distance education methodologies provide an important tool to achieve the increasing need for international cooperation in Veterinary Public Health curricula.

Confidence bounds for normal and lognormal distribution coefficients of variation

Treesearch

Steve Verrill

2003-01-01

This paper compares the so-called exact approach for obtaining confidence intervals on normal distribution coefficients of variation to approximate methods. Approximate approaches were found to perform less well than the exact approach for large coefficients of variation and small sample sizes. Web-based computer programs are described for calculating confidence...

Tubularized urethral replacement with unseeded matrices: what is the maximum distance for normal tissue regeneration?

PubMed

Dorin, Ryan P; Pohl, Hans G; De Filippo, Roger E; Yoo, James J; Atala, Anthony

2008-08-01

Complete urethral replacement using unseeded matrices has been proposed as a possible therapy in cases of congenital or acquired anomalies producing significant defects. Tissue regeneration involves fibrin deposition, re-epithelialization, and remodeling that are limited by the size of the defect. Scar formation occurs because of an inability of native cells to regenerate over the defect before fibrosis takes place. We investigated the maximum potential distance of normal native tissue regeneration over a range of distances using acellular matrices for tubular grafts as an experimental model. Tubularized urethroplasties were performed in 12 male rabbits using acellular matrices of bladder submucosa at varying lengths (0.5, 1, 2, and 3 cm). Serial urethrography was performed at 1, 3, and 4 weeks. Animals were sacrificed at 1, 3, and 4 weeks and the grafts harvested. Urothelial and smooth muscle cell regeneration was documented histologically with H&E and Masson's trichrome stains. Urethrograms demonstrated normal urethral calibers in the 0.5 cm group at all time points. The evolution of a stricture was demonstrated in the 1, 2, and 3 cm grafts by 4 weeks. Histologically all grafts demonstrated ingrowth of urothelial cells from the anastomotic sites at 1 week. By 4 weeks, the 0.5 cm grafts had a normal transitional layer of epithelium surrounded by a layer of muscle within the wall of the urethral lumen. The 1, 2, and 3 cm grafts showed ingrowth and normal cellular regeneration only at the anastomotic edges with increased collagen deposition and fibrosis toward the center by 2 weeks, and dense fibrin deposition throughout the grafts by 4 weeks. The maximum defect distance suitable for normal tissue formation using acellular grafts that rely on the native cells for tissue regeneration appears to be 0.5 cm. The indications for the use of acellular matrices in tubularized grafts may therefore be limited by the size of the defect to be repaired.

Maternal Distancing Strategies toward Twin Sons, One with Mild Hearing Loss: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Munoz-Silva, Alicia; Sanchez-Garcia, Manuel

2004-01-01

The authors apply descriptive and sequential analyses to a mother's distancing strategies toward her 3-year-old twin sons in puzzle assembly and book reading tasks. One boy had normal hearing and the other a mild hearing loss (threshold: 30 dB). The results show that the mother used more distancing behaviors with the son with a hearing loss, and…

Modeling protein conformational changes by iterative fitting of distance constraints using reoriented normal modes.

PubMed

Zheng, Wenjun; Brooks, Bernard R

2006-06-15

Recently we have developed a normal-modes-based algorithm that predicts the direction of protein conformational changes given the initial state crystal structure together with a small number of pairwise distance constraints for the end state. Here we significantly extend this method to accurately model both the direction and amplitude of protein conformational changes. The new protocol implements a multisteps search in the conformational space that is driven by iteratively minimizing the error of fitting the given distance constraints and simultaneously enforcing the restraint of low elastic energy. At each step, an incremental structural displacement is computed as a linear combination of the lowest 10 normal modes derived from an elastic network model, whose eigenvectors are reorientated to correct for the distortions caused by the structural displacements in the previous steps. We test this method on a list of 16 pairs of protein structures for which relatively large conformational changes are observed (root mean square deviation >3 angstroms), using up to 10 pairwise distance constraints selected by a fluctuation analysis of the initial state structures. This method has achieved a near-optimal performance in almost all cases, and in many cases the final structural models lie within root mean square deviation of 1 approximately 2 angstroms from the native end state structures.

Cyber-T web server: differential analysis of high-throughput data.

PubMed

Kayala, Matthew A; Baldi, Pierre

2012-07-01

The Bayesian regularization method for high-throughput differential analysis, described in Baldi and Long (A Bayesian framework for the analysis of microarray expression data: regularized t-test and statistical inferences of gene changes. Bioinformatics 2001: 17: 509-519) and implemented in the Cyber-T web server, is one of the most widely validated. Cyber-T implements a t-test using a Bayesian framework to compute a regularized variance of the measurements associated with each probe under each condition. This regularized estimate is derived by flexibly combining the empirical measurements with a prior, or background, derived from pooling measurements associated with probes in the same neighborhood. This approach flexibly addresses problems associated with low replication levels and technology biases, not only for DNA microarrays, but also for other technologies, such as protein arrays, quantitative mass spectrometry and next-generation sequencing (RNA-seq). Here we present an update to the Cyber-T web server, incorporating several useful new additions and improvements. Several preprocessing data normalization options including logarithmic and (Variance Stabilizing Normalization) VSN transforms are included. To augment two-sample t-tests, a one-way analysis of variance is implemented. Several methods for multiple tests correction, including standard frequentist methods and a probabilistic mixture model treatment, are available. Diagnostic plots allow visual assessment of the results. The web server provides comprehensive documentation and example data sets. The Cyber-T web server, with R source code and data sets, is publicly available at http://cybert.ics.uci.edu/.

Discovering, Indexing and Interlinking Information Resources

PubMed Central

Celli, Fabrizio; Keizer, Johannes; Jaques, Yves; Konstantopoulos, Stasinos; Vudragović, Dušan

2015-01-01

The social media revolution is having a dramatic effect on the world of scientific publication. Scientists now publish their research interests, theories and outcomes across numerous channels, including personal blogs and other thematic web spaces where ideas, activities and partial results are discussed. Accordingly, information systems that facilitate access to scientific literature must learn to cope with this valuable and varied data, evolving to make this research easily discoverable and available to end users. In this paper we describe the incremental process of discovering web resources in the domain of agricultural science and technology. Making use of Linked Open Data methodologies, we interlink a wide array of custom-crawled resources with the AGRIS bibliographic database in order to enrich the user experience of the AGRIS website. We also discuss the SemaGrow Stack, a query federation and data integration infrastructure used to estimate the semantic distance between crawled web resources and AGRIS. PMID:26834982

BioFET-SIM web interface: implementation and two applications.

PubMed

Hediger, Martin R; Jensen, Jan H; De Vico, Luca

2012-01-01

We present a web interface which allows us to conveniently set up calculations based on the BioFET-SIM model. With the interface, the signal of a BioFET sensor can be calculated depending on its parameters, as well as the signal dependence on pH. As an illustration, two case studies are presented. In the first case, a generic peptide with opposite charges on both ends is inverted in orientation on a semiconducting nanowire surface leading to a corresponding change in sign of the computed sensitivity of the device. In the second case, the binding of an antibody/antigen complex on the nanowire surface is studied in terms of orientation and analyte/nanowire surface distance. We demonstrate how the BioFET-SIM web interface can aid in the understanding of experimental data and postulate alternative ways of antibody/antigen orientation on the nanowire surface.

Web-based learning: pros, cons and controversies.

PubMed

Cook, David A

2007-01-01

Advantages of web-based learning (WBL) in medical education include overcoming barriers of distance and time, economies of scale, and novel instructional methods, while disadvantages include social isolation, up-front costs, and technical problems. Web-based learning is purported to facilitate individualised instruction, but this is currently more vision than reality. More importantly, many WBL instructional designs fail to incorporate principles of effective learning, and WBL is often used for the wrong reasons (e.g., for the sake of technology). Rather than trying to decide whether WBL is superior to or equivalent to other instructional media (research addressing this question will always be confounded), we should accept it as a potentially powerful instructional tool, and focus on learning when and how to use it. Educators should recognise that high fidelity, multimedia, simulations, and even WBL itself will not always be necessary to effectively facilitate learning.

Structural response of bead-stiffened thermoplastic shear webs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rouse, Marshall

1991-01-01

The results of an experimental and analytical study of the structural response and failure characteristics of selected bead-stiffened thermoplastic shear-webs are presented. Results are given for specimens with one stiffeneer, with two stiffeners, and different stiffener geometries. Selected analytical results that were obtained with the Computational Structural Mechanics (CSM) Testbed computer code are presented. Analytical results that describe normal and transverse shear stress are also presented.

Plastin 1 Binds to Keratin and Is Required for Terminal Web Assembly in the Intestinal Epithelium

PubMed Central

Grimm-Günter, Eva-Maria S.; Revenu, Céline; Ramos, Sonia; Hurbain, Ilse; Smyth, Neil; Ferrary, Evelyne; Louvard, Daniel; Robine, Sylvie

2009-01-01

Plastin 1 (I-plastin, fimbrin) along with villin and espin is a prominent actin-bundling protein of the intestinal brush border microvilli. We demonstrate here that plastin 1 accumulates in the terminal web and interacts with keratin 19, possibly contributing to anchoring the rootlets to the keratin network. This prompted us to investigate the importance of plastin 1 in brush border assembly. Although in vivo neither villin nor espin is required for brush border structure, plastin 1-deficient mice have conspicuous ultrastructural alterations: microvilli are shorter and constricted at their base, and, strikingly, their core actin bundles lack true rootlets. The composition of the microvilli themselves is apparently normal, whereas that of the terminal web is profoundly altered. Although the plastin 1 knockout mice do not show any overt gross phenotype and present a normal intestinal microanatomy, the alterations result in increased fragility of the epithelium. This is seen as an increased sensitivity of the brush border to biochemical manipulations, decreased transepithelial resistance, and increased sensitivity to dextran sodium sulfate-induced colitis. Plastin 1 thus emerges as an important regulator of brush border morphology and stability through a novel role in the organization of the terminal web, possibly by connecting actin filaments to the underlying intermediate filament network. PMID:19321664

LocExpress: a web server for efficiently estimating expression of novel transcripts.

PubMed

Hou, Mei; Tian, Feng; Jiang, Shuai; Kong, Lei; Yang, Dechang; Gao, Ge

2016-12-22

The temporal and spatial-specific expression pattern of a transcript in multiple tissues and cell types can indicate key clues about its function. While several gene atlas available online as pre-computed databases for known gene models, it's still challenging to get expression profile for previously uncharacterized (i.e. novel) transcripts efficiently. Here we developed LocExpress, a web server for efficiently estimating expression of novel transcripts across multiple tissues and cell types in human (20 normal tissues/cells types and 14 cell lines) as well as in mouse (24 normal tissues/cell types and nine cell lines). As a wrapper to RNA-Seq quantification algorithm, LocExpress efficiently reduces the time cost by making abundance estimation calls increasingly within the minimum spanning bundle region of input transcripts. For a given novel gene model, such local context-oriented strategy allows LocExpress to estimate its FPKMs in hundreds of samples within minutes on a standard Linux box, making an online web server possible. To the best of our knowledge, LocExpress is the only web server to provide nearly real-time expression estimation for novel transcripts in common tissues and cell types. The server is publicly available at http://loc-express.cbi.pku.edu.cn .

Internal Carotid Artery Web as the Cause of Recurrent Cryptogenic Ischemic Stroke.

PubMed

Antigüedad-Muñoz, Jon; de la Riva, Patricia; Arenaza Choperena, Gorka; Muñoz Lopetegi, Amaia; Andrés Marín, Naiara; Fernández-Eulate, Gorka; Moreno Valladares, Manuel; Martínez Zabaleta, Maite

2018-05-01

Carotid artery web is considered an exceptional cause of recurrent ischemic strokes in the affected arterial territory. The underlying pathology proposed for this entity is an atypical fibromuscular dysplasia. We present the case of a 43-year-old woman with no cardiovascular risk factors who had experienced 2 cryptogenic ischemic strokes in the same arterial territory within an 11-month period. Although all diagnostic tests initially yielded normal results, detailed analysis of the computed tomography angiography images revealed a carotid web; catheter angiography subsequently confirmed the diagnosis. Carotid surgery was performed, since which time the patient has remained completely asymptomatic. The histological finding of intimal hyperplasia is consistent with previously reported cases of carotid artery web. Carotid artery web is an infrequent cause of stroke, and this diagnosis requires a high level of suspicion plus a detailed analysis of vascular imaging studies. Copyright © 2018 National Stroke Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Estimates of thermochemical relaxation lengths behind normal shock waves relevant to manned lunar and Mars return missions, the aeroassist flight experiment, and Mars entry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Howe, John T.

1991-01-01

Thermochemical relaxation distances behind the strong normal shock waves associated with vehicles that enter the Earth atmosphere upon returning from a manned lunar or Mars mission are estimated. The relaxation distances for a Mars entry are estimated as well, in order to highlight the extent of the relaxation phenomena early in currently envisioned space exploration studies. The thermochemical relaxation length for the Aeroassist Flight Experiment is also considered. These estimates provide an indication as to whether finite relaxation needs to be considered in subsequent detailed analyses. For the Mars entry, relaxation phenomena that are fully coupled to the flow field equations are used. The relaxation-distance estimates can be scaled to flight conditions other than those discussed.

Irreducible normalizer operators and thresholds for degenerate quantum codes with sublinear distances

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pryadko, Leonid P.; Dumer, Ilya; Kovalev, Alexey A.

2015-03-01

We construct a lower (existence) bound for the threshold of scalable quantum computation which is applicable to all stabilizer codes, including degenerate quantum codes with sublinear distance scaling. The threshold is based on enumerating irreducible operators in the normalizer of the code, i.e., those that cannot be decomposed into a product of two such operators with non-overlapping support. For quantum LDPC codes with logarithmic or power-law distances, we get threshold values which are parametrically better than the existing analytical bound based on percolation. The new bound also gives a finite threshold when applied to other families of degenerate quantum codes, e.g., the concatenated codes. This research was supported in part by the NSF Grant PHY-1416578 and by the ARO Grant W911NF-11-1-0027.

A comparison of minimum distance and maximum likelihood techniques for proportion estimation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Woodward, W. A.; Schucany, W. R.; Lindsey, H.; Gray, H. L.

1982-01-01

The estimation of mixing proportions P sub 1, P sub 2,...P sub m in the mixture density f(x) = the sum of the series P sub i F sub i(X) with i = 1 to M is often encountered in agricultural remote sensing problems in which case the p sub i's usually represent crop proportions. In these remote sensing applications, component densities f sub i(x) have typically been assumed to be normally distributed, and parameter estimation has been accomplished using maximum likelihood (ML) techniques. Minimum distance (MD) estimation is examined as an alternative to ML where, in this investigation, both procedures are based upon normal components. Results indicate that ML techniques are superior to MD when component distributions actually are normal, while MD estimation provides better estimates than ML under symmetric departures from normality. When component distributions are not symmetric, however, it is seen that neither of these normal based techniques provides satisfactory results.

An Overview of the Major Phenomena of the Localization of Sound Sources by Normal-Hearing, Hearing-Impaired, and Aided Listeners

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Localizing a sound source requires the auditory system to determine its direction and its distance. In general, hearing-impaired listeners do less well in experiments measuring localization performance than normal-hearing listeners, and hearing aids often exacerbate matters. This article summarizes the major experimental effects in direction (and its underlying cues of interaural time differences and interaural level differences) and distance for normal-hearing, hearing-impaired, and aided listeners. Front/back errors and the importance of self-motion are noted. The influence of vision on the localization of real-world sounds is emphasized, such as through the ventriloquist effect or the intriguing link between spatial hearing and visual attention. PMID:25492094

WEBnm@ v2.0: Web server and services for comparing protein flexibility.

PubMed

Tiwari, Sandhya P; Fuglebakk, Edvin; Hollup, Siv M; Skjærven, Lars; Cragnolini, Tristan; Grindhaug, Svenn H; Tekle, Kidane M; Reuter, Nathalie

2014-12-30

Normal mode analysis (NMA) using elastic network models is a reliable and cost-effective computational method to characterise protein flexibility and by extension, their dynamics. Further insight into the dynamics-function relationship can be gained by comparing protein motions between protein homologs and functional classifications. This can be achieved by comparing normal modes obtained from sets of evolutionary related proteins. We have developed an automated tool for comparative NMA of a set of pre-aligned protein structures. The user can submit a sequence alignment in the FASTA format and the corresponding coordinate files in the Protein Data Bank (PDB) format. The computed normalised squared atomic fluctuations and atomic deformation energies of the submitted structures can be easily compared on graphs provided by the web user interface. The web server provides pairwise comparison of the dynamics of all proteins included in the submitted set using two measures: the Root Mean Squared Inner Product and the Bhattacharyya Coefficient. The Comparative Analysis has been implemented on our web server for NMA, WEBnm@, which also provides recently upgraded functionality for NMA of single protein structures. This includes new visualisations of protein motion, visualisation of inter-residue correlations and the analysis of conformational change using the overlap analysis. In addition, programmatic access to WEBnm@ is now available through a SOAP-based web service. Webnm@ is available at http://apps.cbu.uib.no/webnma . WEBnm@ v2.0 is an online tool offering unique capability for comparative NMA on multiple protein structures. Along with a convenient web interface, powerful computing resources, and several methods for mode analyses, WEBnm@ facilitates the assessment of protein flexibility within protein families and superfamilies. These analyses can give a good view of how the structures move and how the flexibility is conserved over the different structures.

Fighting for the web: competition between female feather-legged spiders (Uloborus plumipes).

PubMed

Joel, Anna-Christin; Habedank, Anne; Hausen, Jonas; Mey, Jörg

2017-04-01

Most spider species are solitary, and among the few social interactions among them, resource competition between females has received little attention. We discovered that females of the feather-legged spider Uloborus plumipes invade the orb webs of conspecifics and compete for webs. Following observations in the wild, intruder-defender interactions were studied in a terrarium and in controlled laboratory experiments. We found that contests for orb webs occurred spontaneously between adult females. Competitive interactions in U. plumipes were characterized by an escalation of ritualized behaviors. In 27% of the contests the winner was determined by interactions at a distance, which involved behaviors that caused vibratory signaling on the web. The remaining interactions escalated to physical contact, and in 78% of these a fight occurred between the contestants. Using multivariate logistic regression we determined the factors that predicted the outcome of the contests: (i) Web ownership did not give the defender a competitive advantage. (ii) The difference in physical size between the competing spiders was the most important predictor for the outcome of web contests. (iii) Independent of body size, the display of certain behaviors, specifically the ability to reach the hub before the contestant and the frequency of attacks, increased the probability of winning. (iv) Winning or losing a fight did not affect the chances of winning subsequent contests. The interactions reported here provide a promising approach to investigate communication in spiders and to test theoretical models of intraspecific competition. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Distributions of Cognates in Europe as Based on Levenshtein Distance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schepens, Job; Dijkstra, Ton; Grootjen, Franc

2012-01-01

Researchers on bilingual processing can benefit from computational tools developed in artificial intelligence. We show that a normalized Levenshtein distance function can efficiently and reliably simulate bilingual orthographic similarity ratings. Orthographic similarity distributions of cognates and non-cognates were identified across pairs of…

Application of agglomerative clustering for analyzing phylogenetically on bacterium of saliva

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bustamam, A.; Fitria, I.; Umam, K.

2017-07-01

Analyzing population of Streptococcus bacteria is important since these species can cause dental caries, periodontal, halitosis (bad breath) and more problems. This paper will discuss the phylogenetically relation between the bacterium Streptococcus in saliva using a phylogenetic tree of agglomerative clustering methods. Starting with the bacterium Streptococcus DNA sequence obtained from the GenBank, then performed characteristic extraction of DNA sequences. The characteristic extraction result is matrix form, then performed normalization using min-max normalization and calculate genetic distance using Manhattan distance. Agglomerative clustering technique consisting of single linkage, complete linkage and average linkage. In this agglomerative algorithm number of group is started with the number of individual species. The most similar species is grouped until the similarity decreases and then formed a single group. Results of grouping is a phylogenetic tree and branches that join an established level of distance, that the smaller the distance the more the similarity of the larger species implementation is using R, an open source program.

The applicability of ordinary least squares to consistently short distances between taxa in phylogenetic tree construction and the normal distribution test consequences.

PubMed

Roux, C Z

2009-05-01

Short phylogenetic distances between taxa occur, for example, in studies on ribosomal RNA-genes with slow substitution rates. For consistently short distances, it is proved that in the completely singular limit of the covariance matrix ordinary least squares (OLS) estimates are minimum variance or best linear unbiased (BLU) estimates of phylogenetic tree branch lengths. Although OLS estimates are in this situation equal to generalized least squares (GLS) estimates, the GLS chi-square likelihood ratio test will be inapplicable as it is associated with zero degrees of freedom. Consequently, an OLS normal distribution test or an analogous bootstrap approach will provide optimal branch length tests of significance for consistently short phylogenetic distances. As the asymptotic covariances between branch lengths will be equal to zero, it follows that the product rule can be used in tree evaluation to calculate an approximate simultaneous confidence probability that all interior branches are positive.

Metabolic energy demand and optimal walking speed in post-polio subjects with lower limb afflictions.

PubMed

Ghosh, A K; Ganguli, S; Bose, K S

1982-12-01

The metabolic demand, using the relationship between speed and energy cost, and the optimal speed of walking, estimated by means of speed and energy cost per unit distance travelled, were studied in 16 post-polio subjects with lower limb affliction and 20 normal subjects with sedentary habits. It was observed that the post-polio subjects consumed higher energy than the normal persons at each walking speed between 0.28 and 1.26 m/s. The optimal speed of walking in post-polio subjects was lower than that of the normal persons and was associated with a higher energy demand per unit distance travelled. It was deduced that the post-polio subjects. not having used any assistive devices for a long time, have acquired severe degrees of disability which not only hindered their normal gait but also demanded extra energy from them.

Singapore National Medical Image Resource Centre (SN.MIRC): a world wide web resource for radiology education.

PubMed

Yang, Guo-Liang; Lim, C C Tchoyoson

2006-08-01

Radiology education is heavily dependent on visual images, and case-based teaching files comprising medical images can be an important tool for teaching diagnostic radiology. Currently, hardcopy film is being rapidly replaced by digital radiological images in teaching hospitals, and an electronic teaching file (ETF) library would be desirable. Furthermore, a repository of ETFs deployed on the World Wide Web has the potential for e-learning applications to benefit a larger community of learners. In this paper, we describe a Singapore National Medical Image Resource Centre (SN.MIRC) that can serve as a World Wide Web resource for teaching diagnostic radiology. On SN.MIRC, ETFs can be created using a variety of mechanisms including file upload and online form-filling, and users can search for cases using the Medical Image Resource Center (MIRC) query schema developed by the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). The system can be improved with future enhancements, including multimedia interactive teaching files and distance learning for continuing professional development. However, significant challenges exist when exploring the potential of using the World Wide Web for radiology education.

Time Variation of the Distance Separating Bomb and Dive Bomber Subsequent to Bomb Release

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mathews, Charles W.

1952-01-01

A study has been made of the variation of the distance separating bomb and aircraft with time after release as applied to dive-bombing operations, Separation distances determined from this study are presented in terms of two variables only, dive angle and maximum airplane accelerometer reading; the values of separation distance include the effects of delay in initiation of the pull-out and lag in attainment of the maximum normal acceleration.Contains analysis and calculations of the separation distances between bomb and dive bomber following bomb release, Separation distances as determined by the dive angle and the maximum airplane accelerometer reading are presented in a single chart.

Provision of Distance Learning Services over Interactive Digital TV with MHP

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pazos-Arias, Jose J.; Lopez-Nores, Martin; Garcia-Duque, Jorge; Diaz-Redondo, Rebeca P.; Blanco-Fernandez, Yolanda; Ramos-Cabrer, Manuel; Gil-Solla, Alberto; Fernandez-Vilas, Ana

2008-01-01

E-learning technologies have developed greatly in recent years, with considerable success. However, there is increasing evidence that web-based learning is not reaching the social sectors which are more reluctant to contact with the new technologies, thus leading to inequalities in the access to education and knowledge in the Information Society.…

Students' Perceived Challenges in an Online Collaborative Learning Environment: A Case of Higher Learning Institutions in Nairobi, Kenya

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Muuro, Maina Elizaphan; Wagacha, Waiganjo Peter; Oboko, Robert; Kihoro, John

2014-01-01

Earlier forms of distance education were characterized by minimal social interaction like correspondence, television, video and radio. However, the World Wide Web (WWW) and online learning introduced the opportunity for much more social interaction, particularly among learners, and this has been further made possible through social media in Web…

A Bibliometric Mapping of Open Educational Resources

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zancanaro, Airton; Todesco, José Leomar; Ramos, Fernando

2015-01-01

Open educational resources (OER) is a topic that has aroused increasing interest by researchers as a powerful contribution to improve the educational system quality and openness, both in face to face and distance education. The goal of this research is to map publications related to OER, dating from 2002 to 2013, and available through the Web of…

Music Technology Competencies for Education: A Proposal for a Pedagogical Architecture for Distance Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosas, Fátima Weber; Rocha Machado, Leticia; Behar, Patricia Alejandra

2016-01-01

This article proposes a pedagogical architecture (PA) focused on the development of competencies for music technology in education. This PA used free Web 3.0 technologies, mainly those related to production and musical composition. The pedagogical architecture is geared for teachers and those pursing a teaching degree, working in distance…

OAEditor--A Framework for Editing Adaptive Learning Objects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pereira, Joao Carlos Rodrigues; Cabral, Lucidio dos Anjos Formiga; Oiveira, Ronei dos Santos; Bezerra, Lucimar Leandro; de Melo, Nisston Moraes Tavares

2012-01-01

Distance Learning supported by the WEB is a reality which is growing fast and, like any technological or empirical innovation, it reveals positive and negative aspects. An important aspect is in relation to the monitoring of the activities done by the students since an accurate online assessment of the knowledge acquired is an open and, therefore,…

Broadcasting Engineering Laboratories--Audio/Video and Data--in Real-Time over the Internet

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jain, Prashant K.; Gu, Yuxiang; Rizwan-uddin

2008-01-01

Internet extends the reach of existing laboratory and training infrastructure to beyond the walls of such facilities. Though nothing can replace the hands-on experience in a laboratory; a carefully developed web-based digital lab may be the next best thing. In some cases, there may be benefits associated with a "distance laboratory" that…

Mind the Gap: Enabling Online Faculty and Instructional Designers in Mapping New Models for Quality Online Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scoppio, Grazia; Luyt, Ilka

2017-01-01

Distance education has provided the foundation for new generations of learning, including courses delivered through various web-based educational technologies, also referred to as online learning. Many post-secondary institutions face the challenge of creating processes and systems to support instructors who are required to design, deliver, and…

Risks Associated with the Choice to Teach Online

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hopewell, Thomas M.

2012-01-01

This article presents findings from a case study related to the risks associated with the choice of traditional, tenure track faculty to teach online. Education offered at a distance via the World Wide Web is on the rise; so too is the demand for university faculty members who will teach those courses. While traditional academic and professional…

Attitudes of Undergraduate Students towards an Online English Class

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Srichanyachon, A. Napaporn

2013-01-01

Distance online learning has been regarded as a useful learning method, especially when we faced the big flood crisis in Thailand. To solve the lack of classrooms, our university administrators decided to implement WebEx system as an alternative to continue teaching. And, there were some relevant aspects that we needed to consider. Therefore, this…

Information Use and Barriers on a Mobile App in Distance Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Du, Yunfei

2015-01-01

Mobile technologies such as iPhone apps make it possible for learners to freely access course content management systems, library Web sites, as well as reference services from anywhere, anytime. This paper reviewed the current status of mobile learning and suggested possible factors influencing the use of mobile apps in online learning. The author…

Factors Affecting University Instructors' Adoption of Web-Based Learning Systems: Case Study of Iran

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Motaghian, Hediyeh; Hassanzadeh, Alireza; Moghadam, Davood Karimzadgan

2013-01-01

In many societies e-learning has become the main mechanism supporting distance education. Although e-learning efforts are considered to be a significant corporate investment, many surveys indicate high drop-out rates or failures. This research uses an integrated model in order to assessing the influence of IS-oriented, psychological and behavioral…

Computing in the Social Sciences and Humanities. [With CD-ROM].

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burton, Orville Vernon, Ed.

This book-and-CD package provide a lively, hands-on introduction for teachers and scholars in the humanities and social sciences. New technology is changing the nature of research and teaching in the humanities and social sciences. From specialized online forums to Web-based teaching and distance learning, computers are being used to expand…

The Online Writing Lab (OWL) and the Forum: A Tool for Writers in Distance Education Environments.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Terryberry, Karl

2002-01-01

Demonstrates how to integrate static web pages with the dynamic forum for an effective learning experience on the online writing lab (OWL). Explains why asynchronous feedback provides effective, individualized writing instruction to students with various learning styles and how collaborative learning is fostered through threaded discussion groups.…

From Reload to ReCourse: Learning from IMS Learning Design Implementations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Griffiths, David; Beauvoir, Phillip; Liber, Oleg; Barrett-Baxendale, Mark

2009-01-01

The use of the Web to deliver open, distance, and flexible learning has opened up the potential for social interaction and adaptive learning, but the usability, expressivity, and interoperability of the available tools leave much to be desired. This article explores these issues as they relate to teachers and learning designers through the case of…

Modern Languages and Distance Education: Thirteen Days in the Cloud

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dona, Elfe; Stover, Sheri; Broughton, Nancy

2014-01-01

This research study documents the journey of two modern language faculty (Spanish and German) from their original beliefs that teaching foreign languages can only be conducted in a face-to-face format to their eventual development of an online class using Web 2.0 technologies to encourage their students' active skills of reading and speaking in…

Virtual Slovak: Insight into Learning Slovak in an E-Learning Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kyppö, Anna

2015-01-01

This paper offers insight into learning Slovak in an e-learning environment. The need to reach distance-learners of Slovak led to the implementation of a web-based course on Slovak language and culture in 2008-2010. The pedagogical basis of the course, called Virtual Slovak, is the socioconstructivist approach to teaching and learning, in which…

Reprint of: Technology and the Evolution of Clinical Methods for Stuttering

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Packman, Ann; Meredith, Grant

2011-01-01

The World Wide Web (WWW) was 20 years old last year. Enormous amounts of information about stuttering are now available to anyone who can access the Internet. Compared to 20 years ago, people who stutter and their families can now make more informed choices about speech-language interventions, from a distance. Blogs and chat rooms provide…

Utilizing a Web-Based Career Development Workshop to Address Career Decision-Making Difficulty among Community College Distance Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Johanna Michele

2011-01-01

Career decision making difficulty, as it relates to undecided college students and career indecision, has been a concern for counselors and academic advisors for decades (Gordon, 2006; Mau, 2004). Individuals struggling with career indecision often seek assistance via career counseling, self-help tools, and/or computer-assisted career guidance…

Faculty Distance Courseware Ownership and the "Wal-Mart" Approach to Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Talab, Rosemary

2007-01-01

Whether by choice or necessity, colleges and universities are in competition with each other for the burgeoning web-based course market. Spurred by the growth of the for-profits such as the University of Phoenix, institutions have reasons, both practical and philosophical,"...to secure a position in ownership and control of faculty-produced…

Web Instruction as Cultural Transformation: A Reeducation Model for Faculty Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fuller, Frank

This paper offers a model of faculty staff development for distance education that does not require, or permit, continuous change in instructional design. The model is based on the paradigm shift ideas of Thomas Kuhn and the reeducation model of Kurt Lewin. In the model offered reeducation implies not simply education or training, but involves…

Adjustable Lid Aids Silicon-Ribbon Growth

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mchugh, J. P.; Steidensticker, R. G.; Duncan, C. S.

1985-01-01

Closely-spaced crucible cover speeds up solidification. Growth rate of dendritic-web silicon ribbon from molten silicon increased by controlling distance between crucible susceptor lid and liquid/solid interface. Lid held in relatively high position when crucible newly filled with chunks of polycrystalline silicon. As silicon melts and forms pool of liquid at lower level, lid gradually lowered.

The Development and Application of Distance Learning Courses on the Internet.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fuks, Hugo; Gerosa, Marco Aurelio; Lucena, Carlos Jose Pereira de

2002-01-01

Presents the methodology, results, and difficulties encountered in the development and delivery of a course through the Internet at a university in Rio de Janeiro. Provides a model for group work, including group discussions; and shows how a Web-based environment can be used to provide support and to facilitate cooperative learning. (Author/LRW)

Use of the six-minute walk test to characterize golden retriever muscular dystrophy.

PubMed

Acosta, Austin R; Van Wie, Emiko; Stoughton, William B; Bettis, Amanda K; Barnett, Heather H; LaBrie, Nicholas R; Balog-Alvarez, Cynthia J; Nghiem, Peter P; Cummings, Kevin J; Kornegay, Joe N

2016-12-01

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is an X-linked recessive disorder in which loss of the dystrophin protein causes progressive skeletal/cardiac muscle degeneration and death within the third decade. For clinical trials and supportive animal studies, DMD disease progression and response to treatment must be established using outcome parameters (biomarkers). The 6-minute walk test (6MWT), defined as the distance an individual can walk in 6 minutes, is commonly used in DMD clinical trials and has been employed in dogs to characterize cardiac and respiratory disease severity. Building on methods established in DMD and canine clinical studies, we assessed the 6MWT in dogs with the DMD genetic homolog, golden retriever muscular dystrophy (GRMD). Twenty-one cross-bred golden retrievers were categorized as affected (DMD mutation and GRMD phenotype), carrier (female heterozygous for DMD mutation and no phenotype), and normal (wild type DMD gene and normal phenotype). When compared to grouped normal/carrier dogs, GRMD dogs walked shorter height-adjusted distances at 6 and 12 months of age and their distances walked declined with age. Percent change in creatine kinase after 6MWT was greater in GRMD versus normal/carrier dogs at 6 months, providing another potential biomarker. While these data generally support use of the 6MWT as a biomarker for preclinical GRMD treatment trials, there were certain limitations. Results of the 6MWT did not correlate with other outcome parameters for GRMD dogs when considered alone and an 80% increase in mean distance walked would be necessary to achieve satisfactory power. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Food-web dynamics in a large river discontinuum

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cross, Wyatt F.; Baxter, Colden V.; Rosi-Marshall, Emma J.; Hall, Robert O.; Kennedy, Theodore A.; Donner, Kevin C.; Kelly, Holly A. Wellard; Seegert, Sarah E.Z.; Behn, Kathrine E.; Yard, Michael D.

2013-01-01

Nearly all ecosystems have been altered by human activities, and most communities are now composed of interacting species that have not co-evolved. These changes may modify species interactions, energy and material flows, and food-web stability. Although structural changes to ecosystems have been widely reported, few studies have linked such changes to dynamic food-web attributes and patterns of energy flow. Moreover, there have been few tests of food-web stability theory in highly disturbed and intensely managed freshwater ecosystems. Such synthetic approaches are needed for predicting the future trajectory of ecosystems, including how they may respond to natural or anthropogenic perturbations. We constructed flow food webs at six locations along a 386-km segment of the Colorado River in Grand Canyon (Arizona, USA) for three years. We characterized food-web structure and production, trophic basis of production, energy efficiencies, and interaction-strength distributions across a spatial gradient of perturbation (i.e., distance from Glen Canyon Dam), as well as before and after an experimental flood. We found strong longitudinal patterns in food-web characteristics that strongly correlated with the spatial position of large tributaries. Above tributaries, food webs were dominated by nonnative New Zealand mudsnails (62% of production) and nonnative rainbow trout (100% of fish production). The simple structure of these food webs led to few dominant energy pathways (diatoms to few invertebrate taxa to rainbow trout), large energy inefficiencies (i.e., Below large tributaries, invertebrate production declined ∼18-fold, while fish production remained similar to upstream sites and comprised predominately native taxa (80–100% of production). Sites below large tributaries had increasingly reticulate and detritus-based food webs with a higher prevalence of omnivory, as well as interaction strength distributions more typical of theoretically stable food webs (i.e., nearly twofold higher proportion of weak interactions). Consistent with theory, downstream food webs were less responsive to the experimental flood than sites closest to the dam. We show how human-induced shifts to food-web structure can affect energy flow and interaction strengths, and we show that these changes have consequences for food-web function and response to perturbations.

Study on the Evaluation Method for Fault Displacement: Probabilistic Approach Based on Japanese Earthquake Rupture Data - Principal fault displacements -

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kitada, N.; Inoue, N.; Tonagi, M.

2016-12-01

The purpose of Probabilistic Fault Displacement Hazard Analysis (PFDHA) is estimate fault displacement values and its extent of the impact. There are two types of fault displacement related to the earthquake fault: principal fault displacement and distributed fault displacement. Distributed fault displacement should be evaluated in important facilities, such as Nuclear Installations. PFDHA estimates principal fault and distributed fault displacement. For estimation, PFDHA uses distance-displacement functions, which are constructed from field measurement data. We constructed slip distance relation of principal fault displacement based on Japanese strike and reverse slip earthquakes in order to apply to Japan area that of subduction field. However, observed displacement data are sparse, especially reverse faults. Takao et al. (2013) tried to estimate the relation using all type fault systems (reverse fault and strike slip fault). After Takao et al. (2013), several inland earthquakes were occurred in Japan, so in this time, we try to estimate distance-displacement functions each strike slip fault type and reverse fault type especially add new fault displacement data set. To normalized slip function data, several criteria were provided by several researchers. We normalized principal fault displacement data based on several methods and compared slip-distance functions. The normalized by total length of Japanese reverse fault data did not show particular trend slip distance relation. In the case of segmented data, the slip-distance relationship indicated similar trend as strike slip faults. We will also discuss the relation between principal fault displacement distributions with source fault character. According to slip distribution function (Petersen et al., 2011), strike slip fault type shows the ratio of normalized displacement are decreased toward to the edge of fault. However, the data set of Japanese strike slip fault data not so decrease in the end of the fault. This result indicates that the fault displacement is difficult to appear at the edge of the fault displacement in Japan. This research was part of the 2014-2015 research project `Development of evaluating method for fault displacement` by the Secretariat of Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA), Japan.

A web-based support for pregnant women and new mothers with type 1 diabetes mellitus in Sweden (MODIAB-Web): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Adolfsson, Annsofie; Linden, Karolina; Sparud-Lundin, Carina; Larsson, Per-Göran; Berg, Marie

2014-12-29

Women with type 1 diabetes face particular demands in their lives in relation to childbearing. During pregnancy, in order to optimize the probability of giving birth to a healthy child, their blood glucose levels need to be as normal as possible. After childbirth, they experience a 'double stress': in addition to the ordinary challenges they face as new mothers, they also need to focus on getting their blood glucose levels normal. To improve self-management of diabetes and overall well-being in women with type 1 diabetes, a person-centered web-based support was designed to be tested in a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to be used during pregnancy and early motherhood. This protocol outlines the design of this RCT, which will evaluate the effectiveness of the specially designed web-based support for mothers with type 1 diabetes in Sweden. The study is designed as an RCT. The web support consists of three parts: 1) evidence-based information, 2) a self-care diary, and 3) communication with peers. The primary outcome is general well-being evaluated with the Well-Being Questionnaire short version (W-BQ12) and diabetes management evaluated with the Diabetes Empowerment Scale, short version (SWE-DES). Women attending six hospital-based antenatal care centers in Sweden are invited to participate. The inclusion period is November 2011 to late 2014. The allocation of participants to web support (intervention group) and to usual care (control group) is equal (1:1). In total, 68 participants in each group will be needed to reach a statistical power of 80% with significance level 0.05. The web support is expected to strengthen the women's personal capacity and autonomy during pregnancy, breastfeeding, and early motherhood, leading to optimal well-being and diabetes management. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01565824 (registration date March 27th 2012).

The dorsal transposition flap for congenital contractures of the first web space: a 20-year experience.

PubMed

Friedman, R; Wood, V E

1997-07-01

Fifty-four dorsal transposition flaps were performed in 38 patients (46 hands) for severe congenital thumb web-space contractures. At an average follow-up interval of 6 years, complications or unsatisfactory results had occurred in 100% of symbrachydactyly patients and in 27% of all other patients. Postoperative first web-space angle was augmented an average of 59 degrees with a distal flap two-point discrimination of 8 mm. Mean postoperative pinch and grip strengths were 58% and 72%, respectively, of the normal contralateral hand. Parental satisfaction with the functional results was high, and the aesthetic results were generally acceptable. With the exception of symbrachydactyly patients, the dorsal transposition flap remains an excellent reconstructive option for severe congenital contractures of the thumb web space.

Composite recovery type curves in normalized time from Theis' exact solution

USGS Publications Warehouse

Goode, Daniel J.

1997-01-01

Type curves derived from Theis’ exact nonequilibrium well function solution are proposed for graphical estimation of aquifer hydraulic properties, transmissivity (T), and storage coefficient (S), from water-level recovery data after cessation of a constant-rate discharge test. Drawdown (on log scale) is plotted versus the ratio of time since pumping stopped to duration of pumping, a normalized time. Under Theis conditions, individual type curves depend on only the dimensionless pumping duration, which depends in turn on S and radial distance from the pumping well. Type curve matching, in contrast to the Theis procedure for pumping data, is performed by shifting only the drawdown axis; the time axis is fixed because it is a relative or normalized time. The match-point for the drawdown axis is used to compute T, and S is determined from matching the curve shape, which depends on early dimensionless-time data. Multiple well data can be plotted and matched simultaneously (a composite plot), with drawdown at different radial distances matching different curves. The ratio of dimensionless pumping durations for any two matched curves is equal to one over the squared ratio of radial distances. Application to two recovery datasets from the literature confirm the utility of these type curves in normalized time for composite estimation of T and S.

14 CFR 23.75 - Landing distance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 1 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Landing distance. 23.75 Section 23.75... STANDARDS: NORMAL, UTILITY, ACROBATIC, AND COMMUTER CATEGORY AIRPLANES Flight Performance § 23.75 Landing... the landing surface must be determined, for standard temperatures at each weight and altitude within...

Remedial Investigation Badger Army Ammunition Plant, Baraboo, Wisconsin. Volume 1. Appendices A Through D

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-01-01

patterns and water circulations, normal water fluctuations, salinity, threatened and endangered species, fish or other aquatic organisms in the food web ...velocity and anchoring of sediments; * habitat for aquatic organisms in the food web ; 0 habitat for resident and transient wildlife species; and...The remaining anomalous areas, RA-2 and RA-5 (3 to 5 + feet deep ), coincide with the location of former possible landfilling activities. However, it

Effects of Background Lighting Color and Movement Distance on Reaching Times Among Participants With Low Vision, Myopia, and Normal Vision.

PubMed

Chen, Chun-Fu; Huang, Kuo-Chen

2016-04-01

This study investigated the effects of target distance (30, 35, and 40 cm) and the color of background lighting (red, green, blue, and yellow) on the duration of movements made by participants with low vision, myopia, and normal vision while performing a reaching task; 48 students (21 women, 27 men; M age = 21.8 year, SD = 2.4) participated in the study. Participants reached for a target (a white LED light) whose vertical position varied randomly across trials, ranging in distance from 30 to 40 cm. Movement time was analyzed using a 3 (participant group) × [4 (color of background lighting) × 3 (movement distance)] mixed-design ANOVA model. Results indicated longer times for completing a reaching movement when: participants belonged to the low vision group; the target distance between the starting position and the target position was longer (40 cm); and the reaching movement occurred in the red-background lighting condition. These results are particularly relevant for situations in which a user is required to respond to a signal by reaching toward a button or an icon. © The Author(s) 2016.

EasyFRAP-web: a web-based tool for the analysis of fluorescence recovery after photobleaching data.

PubMed

Koulouras, Grigorios; Panagopoulos, Andreas; Rapsomaniki, Maria A; Giakoumakis, Nickolaos N; Taraviras, Stavros; Lygerou, Zoi

2018-06-13

Understanding protein dynamics is crucial in order to elucidate protein function and interactions. Advances in modern microscopy facilitate the exploration of the mobility of fluorescently tagged proteins within living cells. Fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) is an increasingly popular functional live-cell imaging technique which enables the study of the dynamic properties of proteins at a single-cell level. As an increasing number of labs generate FRAP datasets, there is a need for fast, interactive and user-friendly applications that analyze the resulting data. Here we present easyFRAP-web, a web application that simplifies the qualitative and quantitative analysis of FRAP datasets. EasyFRAP-web permits quick analysis of FRAP datasets through an intuitive web interface with interconnected analysis steps (experimental data assessment, different types of normalization and estimation of curve-derived quantitative parameters). In addition, easyFRAP-web provides dynamic and interactive data visualization and data and figure export for further analysis after every step. We test easyFRAP-web by analyzing FRAP datasets capturing the mobility of the cell cycle regulator Cdt2 in the presence and absence of DNA damage in cultured cells. We show that easyFRAP-web yields results consistent with previous studies and highlights cell-to-cell heterogeneity in the estimated kinetic parameters. EasyFRAP-web is platform-independent and is freely accessible at: https://easyfrap.vmnet.upatras.gr/.

Operon-mapper: A Web Server for Precise Operon Identification in Bacterial and Archaeal Genomes.

PubMed

Taboada, Blanca; Estrada, Karel; Ciria, Ricardo; Merino, Enrique

2018-06-19

Operon-mapper is a web server that accurately, easily, and directly predicts the operons of any bacterial or archaeal genome sequence. The operon predictions are based on the intergenic distance of neighboring genes as well as the functional relationships of their protein-coding products. To this end, Operon-mapper finds all the ORFs within a given nucleotide sequence, along with their genomic coordinates, orthology groups, and functional relationships. We believe that Operon-mapper, due to its accuracy, simplicity and speed, as well as the relevant information that it generates, will be a useful tool for annotating and characterizing genomic sequences. http://biocomputo.ibt.unam.mx/operon_mapper/.

Additives influence on spinning solution and nano web properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kukle, S.; Jegina, S.; Sutka, A.; Makovska, R.

2017-10-01

Needleless electrospinning operated as a one-stage process producing nanofibres webs from spinning solutions with the corresponding to the final use properties seems has a good future prospects. Complicated spinning solution designing started with the selection of composition and components proportion, pre-processing sequence and parameters establishing for every component and for their mixing. Spinning solution viscosity and electro conductivity together with the spinning distance and intensity of electromagnetic field are main parameters determined spin ability and properties of obtained nanofibers. Influence of some pre-processing parameters of components, combinations of organic and non-organic components and their concentration influence on spinning solution viscosity and conductivity, as well on fibres diameters are under discussion.

Evaluation of Motor Control Using Haptic Device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nuruki, Atsuo; Kawabata, Takuro; Shimozono, Tomoyuki; Yamada, Masafumi; Yunokuchi, Kazutomo

When the kinesthesia and the touch act at the same time, such perception is called haptic perception. This sense has the key role in motor information on the force and position control. The haptic perception is important in the field where the evaluation of the motor control is needed. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the motor control, perception of heaviness and distance in normal and fatigue conditions using psychophysical experiment. We used a haptic device in order to generate precise force and distance, but the precedent of the evaluation system with the haptic device has been few. Therefore, it is another purpose to examine whether the haptic device is useful as evaluation system for the motor control. The psychophysical quantity of force and distance was measured by two kinds of experiments. Eight healthy subjects participated in this study. The stimulation was presented by haptic device [PHANTOM Omni: SensAble Company]. The subjects compared between standard and test stimulation, and answered it had felt which stimulation was strong. In the result of the psychophysical quantity of force, just noticeable difference (JND) had a significant difference, and point of subjective equality (PSE) was not different between normal and muscle fatigue. On the other hand, in the result of the psychophysical quantity of distance, JND and PSE were not difference between normal and muscle fatigue. These results show that control of force was influenced, but control of distance was not influenced in muscle fatigue. Moreover, these results suggested that the haptic device is useful as the evaluation system for the motor control.

Empirical analysis of online social networks in the age of Web 2.0

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fu, Feng; Liu, Lianghuan; Wang, Long

2008-01-01

Today the World Wide Web is undergoing a subtle but profound shift to Web 2.0, to become more of a social web. The use of collaborative technologies such as blogs and social networking site (SNS) leads to instant online community in which people communicate rapidly and conveniently with each other. Moreover, there are growing interest and concern regarding the topological structure of these new online social networks. In this paper, we present empirical analysis of statistical properties of two important Chinese online social networks-a blogging network and an SNS open to college students. They are both emerging in the age of Web 2.0. We demonstrate that both networks possess small-world and scale-free features already observed in real-world and artificial networks. In addition, we investigate the distribution of topological distance. Furthermore, we study the correlations between degree (in/out) and degree (in/out), clustering coefficient and degree, popularity (in terms of number of page views) and in-degree (for the blogging network), respectively. We find that the blogging network shows disassortative mixing pattern, whereas the SNS network is an assortative one. Our research may help us to elucidate the self-organizing structural characteristics of these online social networks embedded in technical forms.

Maximum Likelihood and Minimum Distance Applied to Univariate Mixture Distributions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Yuh-Yin Wu; Schafer, William D.

This Monte-Carlo study compared modified Newton (NW), expectation-maximization algorithm (EM), and minimum Cramer-von Mises distance (MD), used to estimate parameters of univariate mixtures of two components. Data sets were fixed at size 160 and manipulated by mean separation, variance ratio, component proportion, and non-normality. Results…

38 CFR 21.4500 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... remain in effect until the date on which the course fails to meet one of the requirements of paragraph (d... allowance for commuting (this allowance will be based on 22.5¢ per mile for distances not exceeding normal commuting distance); (3) An allowance for other expenses reasonably related to attendance at the institution...

38 CFR 21.4500 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... remain in effect until the date on which the course fails to meet one of the requirements of paragraph (d... allowance for commuting (this allowance will be based on 22.5¢ per mile for distances not exceeding normal commuting distance); (3) An allowance for other expenses reasonably related to attendance at the institution...

38 CFR 21.4500 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... remain in effect until the date on which the course fails to meet one of the requirements of paragraph (d... allowance for commuting (this allowance will be based on 22.5¢ per mile for distances not exceeding normal commuting distance); (3) An allowance for other expenses reasonably related to attendance at the institution...

38 CFR 21.4500 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... remain in effect until the date on which the course fails to meet one of the requirements of paragraph (d... allowance for commuting (this allowance will be based on 22.5¢ per mile for distances not exceeding normal commuting distance); (3) An allowance for other expenses reasonably related to attendance at the institution...

38 CFR 21.4500 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... remain in effect until the date on which the course fails to meet one of the requirements of paragraph (d... allowance for commuting (this allowance will be based on 22.5¢ per mile for distances not exceeding normal commuting distance); (3) An allowance for other expenses reasonably related to attendance at the institution...

How variations in distance affect eyewitness reports and identification accuracy.

PubMed

Lindsay, R C L; Semmler, Carolyn; Weber, Nathan; Brewer, Neil; Lindsay, Marilyn R

2008-12-01

Witnesses observe crimes at various distances and the courts have to interpret their testimony given the likely quality of witnesses' views of events. We examined how accurately witnesses judged the distance between themselves and a target person, and how distance affected description accuracy, choosing behavior, and identification test accuracy. Over 1,300 participants were approached during normal daily activities, and asked to observe a target person at one of a number of possible distances. Under a Perception, Immediate Memory, or Delayed Memory condition, witnesses provided a brief description of the target, estimated the distance to the target, and then examined a 6-person target-present or target-absent lineup to see if they could identify the target. Errors in distance judgments were often substantial. Description accuracy was mediocre and did not vary systematically with distance. Identification choosing rates were not affected by distance, but decision accuracy declined with distance. Contrary to previous research, a 15-m viewing distance was not critical for discriminating accurate from inaccurate decisions.

A sliding plate microgap rheometer for the simultaneous measurement of shear stress and first normal stress difference

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baik, Seung Jae; Moldenaers, Paula; Clasen, Christian

2011-03-01

A new generation of the "flexure-based microgap rheometer" (the N-FMR) has been developed which is also capable of measuring, in addition to the shear stress, the first normal stress difference of micrometer thin fluid films. This microgap rheometer with a translation system based on compound spring flexures measures the rheological properties of microliter samples of complex fluids confined in a plane couette configuration with gap distances of h = 1-400 μm up to shear rates of dot γ = 3000 s-1. Feed back loop controlled precise positioning of the shearing surfaces with response times <1 ms enables to control the parallelism within 1.5 μrad and to maintain the gap distance within 20 nm. This precise gap control minimizes squeeze flow effects and allows therefore to measure the first normal stress difference N1 of the thin film down to a micrometer gap distance, with a lower limit of {{N_1 }/{dot γ }} = 9.375 × 10^{ - 11} {η/{h^2 }} that depends on the shear viscosity η and the squared inverse gap. Structural development of complex fluids in the confinement can be visualized by using a beam splitter on the shearing surface and a long working distance microscope. In summary, this new instrument allows to investigate the confinement dependent rheological and morphological evolution of micrometer thin films.

Automatic Camera Control System for a Distant Lecture with Videoing a Normal Classroom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Suganuma, Akira; Nishigori, Shuichiro

The growth of a communication network technology enables students to take part in a distant lecture. Although many lectures are conducted in universities by using Web contents, normal lectures using a blackboard are still held. The latter style lecture is good for a teacher's dynamic explanation. A way to modify it for a distant lecture is to…

Defining ecospace of Arctic marine food webs using a novel quantitative approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gale, M.; Loseto, L. L.

2011-12-01

The Arctic is currently facing unprecedented change with developmental, physical and climatological changes. Food webs within the marine Arctic environment are highly susceptible to anthropogenic stressors and have thus far been understudied. Stable isotopes, in conjunction with a novel set of metrics, may provide a framework that allows us to understand which areas of the Arctic are most vulnerable to change. The objective of this study was to use linear distance metrics applied to stable isotopes to a) define and quantify four Arctic marine food webs in ecospace; b) enable quantifiable comparisons among the four food webs and with other ecosystems; and, c) evaluate vulnerability of the four food webs to anthropogenic stressors such as climate change. The areas studied were Hudson Bay, Beaufort Sea, Lancaster Sound and North Water Polynya. Each region was selected based on the abundance of previous research and published and available stable isotope data in peer-review literature. We selected species to cover trophic levels ranging from particulate matter to polar bears with consideration of pelagic, benthic and ice-associated energy pathways. We interpret higher diversity in baseline carbon energy as signifying higher stability in food web structure. Based on this, the Beaufort Sea food web had the highest stability; the Beaufort Sea food web occupied the largest isotopic niche space and was supported by multiple carbon sources. Areas with top-down control system, such as Lancaster Sound and North Water Polynya, would be the first to experience an increase in trophic redundancy and possible hardships from external stressors, as they have fewer basal carbon sources and greater numbers of mid-high level consumers. We conclude that a diverse carbon energy based ecosystem such as the Beaufort Sea and Hudson Bay regions are more resilient to change than a top down control system.

British Council, Work-Based Learning Research Centre and Islamic University Gaza E-Learning Workshop: Five Years on

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Basiel, Anthony; Commins, Ralph

2010-01-01

This article describes the process for training Palestinians in Gaza on developing e-learning courses using WebCT. The training was delivered at a distance using information and communications technologies. The project used a problem-based approach to introduce e learning concepts and practice for the pedagogy of online content, learning theory,…

A Distance Instructional System with Learning Performance Evaluation Mechanism: Moodle-Based Educational System Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Ying-Chen; Terashima, Nobuyoshi

2012-01-01

In this paper, a Moodle-based educational system has been constructed by providing friendly interface to fit most students in e-learning. For the website implementation, the authors take the course "Multimedia Implementation Using JAVA" as a case study. From the modified Moodle-based educational system, the browsing time of each web page for…

Technology and Higher Education: The Impact of E-Learning Approaches on Student Academic Achievement, Perceptions and Persistence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nora, Amaury; Snyder, Blanca Plazas

2009-01-01

While e-learning, Web-enhanced instruction, and other forms of instructional technology have been touted as an effective way of addressing student withdrawal and academic performance, there are those (Carr, 2000) that report both program and end-of-semester course completion rates in distance education courses as merely acceptable compared to more…

Towards an Innovative Web-Based Lab Delivery System for a Management Information Systems Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Breimer, Eric; Cotler, Jami; Yoder, Robert

2011-01-01

While online systems are an essential component of distance learning, they can also play a critical role in improving the delivery of activities in a traditional laboratory setting. The quality and effectiveness of online course delivery is often compared to equivalent face-to-face alternatives. In our approach, we have harnessed what we feel to…

Instant Messaging in a Context of Virtual Schooling: Balancing the Affordances and Challenges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murphy, Elizabeth; Manzanares, Maria A. Rodriguez

2008-01-01

This article reports on a case study of Instant Messaging (IM) in a context of high-school virtual schooling. Data collection relied on interviews conducted with 20 participants in a context of high-school web-based instruction in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. The participants included e-teachers as well as other distance education personnel.…

Reduced Mental Load in Learning a Motor Visual Task with Virtual 3D Method

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dan, A.; Reiner, M.

2018-01-01

Distance learning is expanding rapidly, fueled by the novel technologies for shared recorded teaching sessions on the Web. Here, we ask whether 3D stereoscopic (3DS) virtual learning environment teaching sessions are more compelling than typical two-dimensional (2D) video sessions and whether this type of teaching results in superior learning. The…

The NASA "Why?" Files: The Case of the Barking Dogs. Program 2 in the 2000-2001 Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Hampton, VA. Langley Research Center.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has produced a distance learning series of four 60-minute video programs with an accompanying Web site and companion teacher guide. This teacher guide accompanies the second video in the series. The story line of each program involves six ethnically diverse, inquisitive schoolchildren who…

An Adaptive E-Learning System Based on Students' Learning Styles: An Empirical Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Drissi, Samia; Amirat, Abdelkrim

2016-01-01

Personalized e-learning implementation is recognized as one of the most interesting research areas in the distance web-based education. Since the learning style of each learner is different one must fit e-learning with the different needs of learners. This paper presents an approach to integrate learning styles into adaptive e-learning hypermedia.…

Fostering the Public Voice: Blogging as a Pedagogical Practice in Ministerial Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zsupan-Jerome, Daniella

2014-01-01

In the evolution of the World Wide Web toward a more participatory experience, the blog is one opportunity with intriguing educational potential. Among its educational benefits, the blog can offer a platform for exercising the public voice, but does so in a way that is simultaneously private and public, giving the author a safe distance through…

Circle the Wagons & Bust out the Big Guns! Tame the "Wild West" of Distance Librarianship Using Quality Matters™ Benchmarks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pickens, Kathleen; Witte, Ginna

2015-01-01

The Quality Matters™ (QM) Program is utilized by over 700 colleges and universities to ensure that online course design meets standards imperative to student success in a Web-based classroom. Although a faculty-driven peer-review process, QM provides assessment from a student perspective, thereby identifying opportunities for improvement that may…

Desk to the Desktop--Digital Reference Service Leveraging Educational Assistance in Distance Learning: Implications for Jamaica

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nicholas, Pauline

2010-01-01

The Internet and the World Wide Web have influenced the new approaches taken in teaching and learning at institutions of higher learning. The nature of the courses offered, the geographical spread of the teaching sites as well as the diverse and distributed student population are the catalysts for the changes. These non-traditional, or distant…

Designing Online Learning. Knowledge Series: A Topical, Start-Up Guide to Distance Education Practice and Delivery.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mishra, Sanjaya

The term "online learning" refers to an Internet- or intranet-based teaching and learning system designed for World Wide Web-based delivery without face-to-face contact between teacher and learner. The Internet is the backbone of online learning. The following media are available to designers of online courses: text; graphics and images;…

Online Education: Analysis of Interaction and Knowledge Building Patterns among Foreign Language Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Celentin, Paola

2007-01-01

In this article we discuss findings from a case-study related to the distance education of teachers of Italian as a second/foreign language. This case-study has examined interactions among teachers during their discussions in a web-forum exploiting the model of content analysis proposed in the "Practical Inquiry Model" by Garrison, Anderson, and…

The Effectiveness of Online and Blended Learning: A Meta-Analysis of the Empirical Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Means, Barbara; Toyama, Yukie; Murphy, Robert F.; Baki, Marianne

2013-01-01

Background/Context: Earlier research on various forms of distance learning concluded that these technologies do not differ significantly from regular classroom instruction in terms of learning outcomes. Now that web-based learning has emerged as a major trend in both K-12 and higher education, the relative efficacy of online and face-to-face…

Does Web-Based Role-Play Establish a High Quality Learning Environment? Design versus Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ludewig, Alexandra; Ludewig-Rohwer, Iris

2013-01-01

Online role-plays have been celebrated for providing an environment which allows for high quality learning. Innovative approaches have been embraced in foreign language studies, especially in countries where a great distance to the target country needs to be overcome, not only to expose students to the target language but also to provide them with…

The Use of Facebook for Online Discussions among Distance Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lim, Tina

2010-01-01

With the advent of Web 2.0 tools, educators are looking to these new technological tools to examine its potential in enhancing teaching and learning. While its runaway success as a social networking tool is now renowned, the use of Facebook for educational purposes may be considered still at its infancy stage. This paper describes the use of…

The NASA "Why?" Files: The Case of the Challenging Flight. Program 4 in the 2000-2001 Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Hampton, VA. Langley Research Center.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has produced a distance learning series of four 60-minute video programs with an accompanying Web site and companion teacher guides. This teacher guide accompanies the fourth video in the series. The story lines of each program involve six ethnically diverse, inquisitive schoolchildren who…

Student Perceptions of the Relationship between Web-Based Instructional Tools and Perceived Attainment of Intended Learning Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parenti, Melissa A.

2012-01-01

With the advent of and continual adaptations related to distance learning, there is a recognized need for up to date research in the area of effectiveness of online education programs. More specifically, assessing the capacity to attain academic goals by use of asynchronous and synchronous learning management systems (LMS) that power distance…

Two Web-Based Laboratories of the FisL@bs Network: Hooke's and Snell's Laws

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de la Torre, L.; Sanchez, J.; Dormido, S.; Sanchez, J. P.; Yuste, M.; Carreras, C.

2011-01-01

FisL@bs is a network of remote and virtual laboratories for physics university education via the Internet that offers students the possibility of performing hands-on experiments in different fields of physics in two ways: simulation and real remote operation. This paper gives a detailed account of a novel way in physics in which distance learning…

Formative Use of Select-and-Fill-In Concept Maps in Online Instruction: Implications for Students of Different Learning Styles.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaminski, Charles W.

With the establishment of the Internet and World Wide Web as part of the digital revolution, there has been a trend in which synchronous and asynchronous distance education opportunities have been made available to a greater variety of learners. However, students are indiscriminately pursuing online learning opportunities for the sake of…

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

Reister, D.B.; Unseren, M.A.; Baker, J.E.

We discuss a series of surface following experiments using a range finder mounted on the end of an arm that is mounted on a vehicle. The goal is to keep the range finder at a fixed distance from an unknown surface and to keep the orientation of the range finder perpendicular to the surface. During the experiments, the vehicle moves along a predefined trajectory while planning software determines the position and orientation of the arm. To keep the range finder perpendicular to the surface, the planning software calculates the surface normal for the unknown surface. We assume that the unknownmore » surface is a cylinder (the surface depends on x and y but does not depend on z). To calculate the surface normal, the planning software must calculate the locations (x,y) of points on the surface in world coordinates. The calculation requires data on the position and orientation of the vehicle, the position and orientation of the arm, and the distance from the range finder to the surface. We discuss four series of experiments. During the first series of experiments, the calculated surface normal values had large high frequency random variations. A filter was used to produce an average value for the surface normal and we limited the rate of change in the yaw angle target for the arm. We performed the experiment for a variety of concave and convex surfaces. While the experiments were qualitative successes, the measured distance to the surface was significantly different than the target. The distance errors were systematic, low frequency, and had magnitudes up to 25 mm. During the second series of experiments, we reduced the variations in the calculated surface normal values. While reviewing the data collected while following the surface of a barrel, we found that the radius of the calculated surface was significantly different than the measured radius of the barrel.« less

Posterior Displacement of Supraspinatus Central Tendon Observed on Magnetic Resonance Imaging: A Useful Preoperative Indicator of Rotator Cuff Tear Characteristics.

PubMed

Updegrove, Gary F; Armstrong, April D; Mosher, Timothy J; Kim, H Mike

2015-11-01

To characterize the orientation of the normal supraspinatus central tendon and describe the displacement patterns of the central tendon in rotator cuff tears using a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based method. We performed a retrospective MRI and chart review of 183 patients with a rotator cuff tear (cuff tear group), 52 with a labral tear but no rotator cuff tear (labral tear group), and 74 with a normal shoulder (normal group). The orientation of the supraspinatus central tendon relative to the bicipital groove was evaluated based on axial MRI and was numerically represented by the shortest distance from the lateral extension line of the central tendon to the bicipital groove. Tear size, fatty degeneration, and involvement of the anterior supraspinatus were evaluated to identify the factors associated with orientation changes. The mean distance from the bicipital groove to the central tendon line was 0.7 mm and 1.3 mm in the normal group and labral tear group, respectively. Full-thickness cuff tears involving the anterior supraspinatus showed a significantly greater distance (17.7 mm) than those sparing the anterior supraspinatus (4.9 mm, P = .001). Fatty degeneration of the supraspinatus was significantly correlated with the distance (P = .006). Disruption of the anterior supraspinatus and fatty degeneration of the supraspinatus were independent predictors of posterior displacement. The supraspinatus central tendon has a constant orientation toward the bicipital groove in normal shoulders, and the central tendon is frequently displaced posteriorly in full-thickness rotator cuff tears involving the anterior leading edge of the supraspinatus. The degree of posterior displacement is proportional to tear size and severity of fatty degeneration of the supraspinatus muscle. A simple and quick assessment of the central tendon orientation on preoperative MRI can be a useful indicator of tear characteristics, potentially providing insight into the intraoperative repair strategy. Level IV, diagnostic case-control study. Copyright © 2015 Arthroscopy Association of North America. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Real-Time Non-Intrusive Assessment of Viewing Distance during Computer Use.

PubMed

Argilés, Marc; Cardona, Genís; Pérez-Cabré, Elisabet; Pérez-Magrané, Ramon; Morcego, Bernardo; Gispets, Joan

2016-12-01

To develop and test the sensitivity of an ultrasound-based sensor to assess the viewing distance of visual display terminals operators in real-time conditions. A modified ultrasound sensor was attached to a computer display to assess viewing distance in real time. Sensor functionality was tested on a sample of 20 healthy participants while they conducted four 10-minute randomly presented typical computer tasks (a match-three puzzle game, a video documentary, a task requiring participants to complete a series of sentences, and a predefined internet search). The ultrasound sensor offered good measurement repeatability. Game, text completion, and web search tasks were conducted at shorter viewing distances (54.4 cm [95% CI 51.3-57.5 cm], 54.5 cm [95% CI 51.1-58.0 cm], and 54.5 cm [95% CI 51.4-57.7 cm], respectively) than the video task (62.3 cm [95% CI 58.9-65.7 cm]). Statistically significant differences were found between the video task and the other three tasks (all p < 0.05). Range of viewing distances (from 22 to 27 cm) was similar for all tasks (F = 0.996; p = 0.413). Real-time assessment of the viewing distance of computer users with a non-intrusive ultrasonic device disclosed a task-dependent pattern.

On-demand server-side image processing for web-based DICOM image display

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sakusabe, Takaya; Kimura, Michio; Onogi, Yuzo

2000-04-01

Low cost image delivery is needed in modern networked hospitals. If a hospital has hundreds of clients, cost of client systems is a big problem. Naturally, a Web-based system is the most effective solution. But a Web browser could not display medical images with certain image processing such as a lookup table transformation. We developed a Web-based medical image display system using Web browser and on-demand server-side image processing. All images displayed on a Web page are generated from DICOM files on a server, delivered on-demand. User interaction on the Web page is handled by a client-side scripting technology such as JavaScript. This combination makes a look-and-feel of an imaging workstation not only for its functionality but also for its speed. Real time update of images with tracing mouse motion is achieved on Web browser without any client-side image processing which may be done by client-side plug-in technology such as Java Applets or ActiveX. We tested performance of the system in three cases. Single client, small number of clients in a fast speed network, and large number of clients in a normal speed network. The result shows that there are very slight overhead for communication and very scalable in number of clients.

Analysis and machine mapping of the distribution of band recoveries

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cowardin, L.M.

1977-01-01

A method of calculating distance and bearing from banding site to recovery location based on the solution of a spherical triangle is presented. X and Y distances on an ordinate grid were applied to computer plotting of recoveries on a map. The advantages and disadvantages of tables of recoveries by State or degree block, axial lines, and distance of recovery from banding site for presentation and comparison of the spatial distribution of band recoveries are discussed. A special web-shaped partition formed by concentric circles about the point of banding and great circles at 30-degree intervals through the point of banding has certain advantages over other methods. Comparison of distributions by means of a X? contingency test is illustrated. The statistic V = X?/N can be used as a measure of difference between two distributions of band recoveries and its possible use is illustrated as a measure of the degree of migrational homing.

Multidimensional Risk Analysis: MRISK

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McCollum, Raymond; Brown, Douglas; O'Shea, Sarah Beth; Reith, William; Rabulan, Jennifer; Melrose, Graeme

2015-01-01

Multidimensional Risk (MRISK) calculates the combined multidimensional score using Mahalanobis distance. MRISK accounts for covariance between consequence dimensions, which de-conflicts the interdependencies of consequence dimensions, providing a clearer depiction of risks. Additionally, in the event the dimensions are not correlated, Mahalanobis distance reduces to Euclidean distance normalized by the variance and, therefore, represents the most flexible and optimal method to combine dimensions. MRISK is currently being used in NASA's Environmentally Responsible Aviation (ERA) project o assess risk and prioritize scarce resources.