Teaching science with technology: Using EPA’s EnviroAtlas in the classroom

EPA Science Inventory

Background/Question/Methods U.S. EPA’s EnviroAtlas provides a collection of web-based, interactive tools and resources for exploring ecosystem goods and services. EnviroAtlas contains two primary tools: An Interactive Map, which provides access to 300+ maps at multiple exte...

Interactive Videodisc Learning Systems.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Currier, Richard L.

1983-01-01

Discussion of capabilities of interactive videodisc, which combines video images recorded on disc and random-access, highlights interactivity; teaching techniques with videodiscs (including masking, disassembly, movie maps, tactical maps, action code, and simulation); costs; and games. Illustrative material is provided. (High Technology, P. O. Box…

Optional Anatomy and Physiology e-Learning Resources: Student Access, Learning Approaches, and Academic Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guy, Richard,; Byrne, Bruce; Dobos, Marian

2018-01-01

Anatomy and physiology interactive video clips were introduced into a blended learning environment, as an optional resource, and were accessed by ~50% of the cohort. Student feedback indicated that clips were engaging, assisted understanding of course content, and provided lecture support. Students could also access two other optional online…

Access to Space Interactive Design Web Site

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leon, John; Cutlip, William; Hametz, Mark

2000-01-01

The Access To Space (ATS) Group at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) supports the science and technology community at GSFC by facilitating frequent and affordable opportunities for access to space. Through partnerships established with access mode suppliers, the ATS Group has developed an interactive Mission Design web site. The ATS web site provides both the information and the tools necessary to assist mission planners in selecting and planning their ride to space. This includes the evaluation of single payloads vs. ride-sharing opportunities to reduce the cost of access to space. Features of this site include the following: (1) Mission Database. Our mission database contains a listing of missions ranging from proposed missions to manifested. Missions can be entered by our user community through data input tools. Data is then accessed by users through various search engines: orbit parameters, ride-share opportunities, spacecraft parameters, other mission notes, launch vehicle, and contact information. (2) Launch Vehicle Toolboxes. The launch vehicle toolboxes provide the user a full range of information on vehicle classes and individual configurations. Topics include: general information, environments, performance, payload interface, available volume, and launch sites.

ABSENTEE COMPUTATIONS IN A MULTIPLE-ACCESS COMPUTER SYSTEM.

DTIC Science & Technology

require user interaction, and the user may therefore want to run these computations ’ absentee ’ (or, user not present). A mechanism is presented which...provides for the handling of absentee computations in a multiple-access computer system. The design is intended to be implementation-independent...Some novel features of the system’s design are: a user can switch computations from interactive to absentee (and vice versa), the system can

Building the Digital Library Infrastructure: A Primer.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tebbetts, Diane R.

1999-01-01

Provides a framework for examining the complex infrastructure needed to successfully implement a digital library. Highlights include database development, online public-access catalogs, interactive technical services, full-text documents, hardware and wiring, licensing, access, and security issues. (Author/LRW)

GODIVA2: interactive visualization of environmental data on the Web.

PubMed

Blower, J D; Haines, K; Santokhee, A; Liu, C L

2009-03-13

GODIVA2 is a dynamic website that provides visual access to several terabytes of physically distributed, four-dimensional environmental data. It allows users to explore large datasets interactively without the need to install new software or download and understand complex data. Through the use of open international standards, GODIVA2 maintains a high level of interoperability with third-party systems, allowing diverse datasets to be mutually compared. Scientists can use the system to search for features in large datasets and to diagnose the output from numerical simulations and data processing algorithms. Data providers around Europe have adopted GODIVA2 as an INSPIRE-compliant dynamic quick-view system for providing visual access to their data.

Action Research to Improve Methods of Delivery and Feedback in an Access Grid Room Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McArthur, Lynne C.; Klass, Lara; Eberhard, Andrew; Stacey, Andrew

2011-01-01

This article describes a qualitative study which was undertaken to improve the delivery methods and feedback opportunity in honours mathematics lectures which are delivered through Access Grid Rooms. Access Grid Rooms are facilities that provide two-way video and audio interactivity across multiple sites, with the inclusion of smart boards. The…

Provider documentation of patient education: a lean investigation*

PubMed Central

Shipman, Jean P.; Lake, Erica W.; Van Der Volgen, Jessica; Doman, Darrin

2016-01-01

Purpose The study evaluates how providers give patient education materials and identifies improvements to comply with Meaningful Use (MU) requirements. Methods Thirty-eight patient-provider interactions in two health care outpatient clinics were observed. Results Providers do not uniformly know MU patient education requirements. Providers have individual preferences and find gaps in what is available. Accessing and documenting patient education varies among providers. Embedded electronic health record (EHR) materials, while available, have technical access barriers. Conclusions Providers' EHR skills and knowledge levels contribute to non-standardized patient education delivery. PMID:27076805

Social Skills of Children with Specific Language Impairment: Peer Relationships.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Craig, Holly K.

1993-01-01

This paper reviews literature on peer relationships of children with specific language impairment and provides a clinical case to illustrate the social-interactional difficulties encountered. The paper analyzes the quantity and quality of peer interactions, child's knowledge of interactive access behaviors, disputes, responsiveness, assertiveness,…

Giving rheumatology patients online home access to their electronic medical record (EMR): advantages, drawbacks and preconditions according to care providers.

PubMed

van der Vaart, Rosalie; Drossaert, Constance H C; Taal, Erik; van de Laar, Mart A F J

2013-09-01

Technology enables patients home access to their electronic medical record (EMR), via a patient portal. This study aims to analyse (dis)advantages, preconditions and suitable content for this service, according to rheumatology health professionals. A two-phase policy Delphi study was conducted. First, interviews were performed with nurses/nurse practitioners (n = 9) and rheumatologists (n = 13). Subsequently, collected responses were quantified, using a questionnaire among the interviewees. The following advantages of patient home access to the EMR were reported: (1) enhancement of patient participation in treatment, (2) increased knowledge and self-management, (3) improved patient-provider interaction, (4) increased patient safety, and (5) better communication with others. Foreseen disadvantages of the service included: (1) problems with interpretation of data, (2) extra workload, (3) a change in consultation content, and (4) disturbing the patient-provider interaction. Also, the following preconditions emerged from the data: (1) optimal security, (2) no extra record, but a patient-accessible section, (3) no access to clinical notes, and (4) a lag time on the release of lab data. Most respondents reported that data on diagnosis, medication, treatment plan and consultations could be released to patients. On releasing more complex data, such as bodily examinations, lab results and radiological images the opinions differed considerably. Providing patients home access to their medical record might be a valuable next step into patient empowerment and in service towards the patient, provided that security is optimal and content and presentation of data are carefully considered.

Interactive effects of carbon footprint information and its accessibility on value and subjective qualities of food products.

PubMed

Kimura, Atsushi; Wada, Yuji; Kamada, Akiko; Masuda, Tomohiro; Okamoto, Masako; Goto, Sho-ichi; Tsuzuki, Daisuke; Cai, Dongsheng; Oka, Takashi; Dan, Ippeita

2010-10-01

We aimed to explore the interactive effects of the accessibility of information and the degree of carbon footprint score on consumers' value judgments of food products. Participants (n=151, undergraduate students in Japan) rated their maximum willingness to pay (WTP) for four food products varying in information accessibility (active-search or read-only conditions) and in carbon footprint values (low, middle, high, or non-display) provided. We also assessed further effects of information accessibly and carbon footprint value on other product attributes utilizing the subjective estimation of taste, quality, healthiness, and environmental friendliness. Results of the experiment demonstrated an interactive effect of information accessibility and the degree of carbon emission on consumer valuation of carbon footprint-labeled food. The carbon footprint value had a stronger impact on participants' WTP in the active-search condition than in the read-only condition. Similar to WTP, the results of the subjective ratings for product qualities also exhibited an interactive effect of the two factors on the rating of environmental friendliness for products. These results imply that the perceived environmental friendliness inferable from a carbon footprint label contributes to creating value for a food product.

The ADAMS interactive interpreter

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

Rietscha, E.R.

1990-12-17

The ADAMS (Advanced DAta Management System) project is exploring next generation database technology. Database management does not follow the usual programming paradigm. Instead, the database dictionary provides an additional name space environment that should be interactively created and tested before writing application code. This document describes the implementation and operation of the ADAMS Interpreter, an interactive interface to the ADAMS data dictionary and runtime system. The Interpreter executes individual statements of the ADAMS Interface Language, providing a fast, interactive mechanism to define and access persistent databases. 5 refs.

Ugi 4-CR Synthesis of γ- and δ-Lactams providing new access to diverse enzyme interactions, a PDB analysis.

PubMed

Boltjes, André; Liao, George P; Zhao, Ting; Herdtweck, Eberhardt; Dömling, Alexander

2014-07-01

A three step synthesis of N -unsubstituted tetrazolo γ- and δ-lactams involving a key Ugi-4CR is presented. The compounds, otherwise difficult to access, are conveniently synthesized in overall good yields by our route. PDB analysis of the N -unsubstituted γ- and δ-lactam fragment reveals a strongly tri-directional hydrogen bond donor acceptor interaction with the amino acids of the binding sites.

Interactive access to LP DAAC satellite data archives through a combination of open-source and custom middleware web services

USGS Publications Warehouse

Davis, Brian N.; Werpy, Jason; Friesz, Aaron M.; Impecoven, Kevin; Quenzer, Robert; Maiersperger, Tom; Meyer, David J.

2015-01-01

Current methods of searching for and retrieving data from satellite land remote sensing archives do not allow for interactive information extraction. Instead, Earth science data users are required to download files over low-bandwidth networks to local workstations and process data before science questions can be addressed. New methods of extracting information from data archives need to become more interactive to meet user demands for deriving increasingly complex information from rapidly expanding archives. Moving the tools required for processing data to computer systems of data providers, and away from systems of the data consumer, can improve turnaround times for data processing workflows. The implementation of middleware services was used to provide interactive access to archive data. The goal of this middleware services development is to enable Earth science data users to access remote sensing archives for immediate answers to science questions instead of links to large volumes of data to download and process. Exposing data and metadata to web-based services enables machine-driven queries and data interaction. Also, product quality information can be integrated to enable additional filtering and sub-setting. Only the reduced content required to complete an analysis is then transferred to the user.

Action research to improve methods of delivery and feedback in an Access Grid Room environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McArthur, Lynne C.; Klass, Lara; Eberhard, Andrew; Stacey, Andrew

2011-12-01

This article describes a qualitative study which was undertaken to improve the delivery methods and feedback opportunity in honours mathematics lectures which are delivered through Access Grid Rooms. Access Grid Rooms are facilities that provide two-way video and audio interactivity across multiple sites, with the inclusion of smart boards. The principal aim was to improve the student learning experience, given the new environment. The specific aspects of the course delivery that the study focused on included presentation of materials and provision of opportunities for interaction between the students and between students and lecturers. The practical considerations in the delivery of distance learning are well documented in the literature, and similar problems arise in the Access Grid Room environment; in particular, those of limited access to face-to-face interaction and the reduction in peer support. The nature of the Access Grid Room classes implies that students studying the same course can be physically situated in different cities, and possibly in different countries. When studying, it is important that students have opportunity to discuss new concepts with others; particularly their peers and their lecturer. The Access Grid Room environment also presents new challenges for the lecturer, who must learn new skills in the delivery of materials. The unique nature of Access Grid Room technology offers unprecedented opportunity for effective course delivery and positive outcomes for students, and was developed in response to a need to be able to interact with complex data, other students and the instructor, in real-time, at a distance and from multiple sites. This is a relatively new technology and as yet there has been little or no studies specifically addressing the use and misuse of the technology. The study found that the correct placement of cameras and the use of printed material and smart boards were all crucial to the student experience. In addition, the inclusion of special tutorial type sessions were necessary to provide opportunities to students for one-on-one discussion with both lecturer and other students. This study contributes to the broader understanding of distance education in general and future Access Grid Room course delivery in particular.

Moon Trek: An Interactive Web Portal for Current and Future Lunar Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Day, B; Law, Emily S.

2017-01-01

NASA's Moon Trek (https://moontrek.jpl.nasa.gov) is the successor to and replacement for NASA's Lunar Mapping and Modeling Portal (LMMP). Released in 2017, Moon Trek features a new interface with improved ways to access, visualize, and analyze data. Moon Trek provides a web-based Portal and a suite of interactive visualization and analysis tools to enable mission planners, lunar scientists, and engineers to access mapped lunar data products from past and current lunar missions.

Moon Trek: An Interactive Web Portal for Current and Future Lunar Missions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Day, B.; Law, E.

2017-09-01

NASA's Moon Trek (https://moontrek.jpl.nasa.gov) is the successor to and replacement for NASA's Lunar Mapping and Modeling Portal (LMMP). Released in 2017, Moon Trek features a new interface with improved ways to access, visualize, and analyse data. Moon Trek provides a web-based Portal and a suite of interactive visualization and analysis tools to enable mission planners, lunar scientists, and engineers to access mapped lunar data products from past and current lunar missions.

Interactive and Approachable Web-Based Tools for Exploring Global Geophysical Data Records

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Croteau, M. J.; Nerem, R. S.; Merrifield, M. A.; Thompson, P. R.; Loomis, B. D.; Wiese, D. N.; Zlotnicki, V.; Larson, J.; Talpe, M.; Hardy, R. A.

2017-12-01

Making global and regional data accessible and understandable for non-experts can be both challenging and hazardous. While data products are often developed with end users in mind, the ease of use of these data can vary greatly. Scientists must take care to provide detailed guides for how to use data products to ensure users are not incorrectly applying data to their problem. For example, terrestrial water storage data from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellite mission is notoriously difficult for non-experts to access and correctly use. However, allowing these data to be easily accessible to scientists outside the GRACE community is desirable because this would allow that data to see much wider-spread use. We have developed a web-based interactive mapping and plotting tool that provides easy access to geophysical data. This work presents an intuitive method for making such data widely accessible to experts and non-experts alike, making the data approachable and ensuring proper use of the data. This tool has proven helpful to experts by providing fast and detailed access to the data. Simultaneously, the tool allows non-experts to gain familiarity with the information contained in the data and access to that information for both scientific studies and public use. In this presentation, we discuss the development of this tool and application to both GRACE and ocean altimetry satellite missions, and demonstrate the capabilities of the tool. Focusing on the data visualization aspects of the tool, we showcase our integrations of the Mapbox API and the D3.js data-driven web document framework. We then explore the potential of these tools in other web-based visualization projects, and how incorporation of such tools into science can improve the presentation of research results. We demonstrate how the development of an interactive and exploratory resource can enable further layers of exploratory and scientific discovery.

HPIDB 2.0: a curated database for host–pathogen interactions

PubMed Central

Ammari, Mais G.; Gresham, Cathy R.; McCarthy, Fiona M.; Nanduri, Bindu

2016-01-01

Identification and analysis of host–pathogen interactions (HPI) is essential to study infectious diseases. However, HPI data are sparse in existing molecular interaction databases, especially for agricultural host–pathogen systems. Therefore, resources that annotate, predict and display the HPI that underpin infectious diseases are critical for developing novel intervention strategies. HPIDB 2.0 (http://www.agbase.msstate.edu/hpi/main.html) is a resource for HPI data, and contains 45, 238 manually curated entries in the current release. Since the first description of the database in 2010, multiple enhancements to HPIDB data and interface services were made that are described here. Notably, HPIDB 2.0 now provides targeted biocuration of molecular interaction data. As a member of the International Molecular Exchange consortium, annotations provided by HPIDB 2.0 curators meet community standards to provide detailed contextual experimental information and facilitate data sharing. Moreover, HPIDB 2.0 provides access to rapidly available community annotations that capture minimum molecular interaction information to address immediate researcher needs for HPI network analysis. In addition to curation, HPIDB 2.0 integrates HPI from existing external sources and contains tools to infer additional HPI where annotated data are scarce. Compared to other interaction databases, our data collection approach ensures HPIDB 2.0 users access the most comprehensive HPI data from a wide range of pathogens and their hosts (594 pathogen and 70 host species, as of February 2016). Improvements also include enhanced search capacity, addition of Gene Ontology functional information, and implementation of network visualization. The changes made to HPIDB 2.0 content and interface ensure that users, especially agricultural researchers, are able to easily access and analyse high quality, comprehensive HPI data. All HPIDB 2.0 data are updated regularly, are publically available for direct download, and are disseminated to other molecular interaction resources. Database URL: http://www.agbase.msstate.edu/hpi/main.html PMID:27374121

Hunter disease eClinic: interactive, computer-assisted, problem-based approach to independent learning about a rare genetic disease.

PubMed

Al-Jasmi, Fatma; Moldovan, Laura; Clarke, Joe T R

2010-10-25

Computer-based teaching (CBT) is a well-known educational device, but it has never been applied systematically to the teaching of a complex, rare, genetic disease, such as Hunter disease (MPS II). To develop interactive teaching software functioning as a virtual clinic for the management of MPS II. The Hunter disease eClinic, a self-training, user-friendly educational software program, available at the Lysosomal Storage Research Group (http://www.lysosomalstorageresearch.ca), was developed using the Adobe Flash multimedia platform. It was designed to function both to provide a realistic, interactive virtual clinic and instantaneous access to supporting literature on Hunter disease. The Hunter disease eClinic consists of an eBook and an eClinic. The eClinic is the interactive virtual clinic component of the software. Within an environment resembling a real clinic, the trainee is instructed to perform a medical history, to examine the patient, and to order appropriate investigation. The program provides clinical data derived from the management of actual patients with Hunter disease. The eBook provides instantaneous, electronic access to a vast collection of reference information to provide detailed background clinical and basic science, including relevant biochemistry, physiology, and genetics. In the eClinic, the trainee is presented with quizzes designed to provide immediate feedback on both trainee effectiveness and efficiency. User feedback on the merits of the program was collected at several seminars and formal clinical rounds at several medical centres, primarily in Canada. In addition, online usage statistics were documented for a 2-year period. Feedback was consistently positive and confirmed the practical benefit of the program. The online English-language version is accessed daily by users from all over the world; a Japanese translation of the program is also available. The Hunter disease eClinic employs a CBT model providing the trainee with realistic clinical problems, coupled with comprehensive basic and clinical reference information by instantaneous access to an electronic textbook, the eBook. The program was rated highly by attendees at national and international presentations. It provides a potential model for use as an educational approach to other rare genetic diseases.

AOIPS data base management systems support for GARP data sets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gary, J. P.

1977-01-01

A data base management system is identified, developed to provide flexible access to data sets produced by GARP during its data systems tests. The content and coverage of the data base are defined and a computer-aided, interactive information storage and retrieval system, implemented to facilitate access to user specified data subsets, is described. The computer programs developed to provide the capability were implemented on the highly interactive, minicomputer-based AOIPS and are referred to as the data retrieval system (DRS). Implemented as a user interactive but menu guided system, the DRS permits users to inventory the data tape library and create duplicate or subset data sets based on a user selected window defined by time and latitude/longitude boundaries. The DRS permits users to select, display, or produce formatted hard copy of individual data items contained within the data records.

QUICK - An interactive software environment for engineering design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Skinner, David L.

1989-01-01

QUICK, an interactive software environment for engineering design, provides a programmable FORTRAN-like calculator interface to a wide range of data structures as well as both built-in and user created functions. QUICK also provides direct access to the operating systems of eight different machine architectures. The evolution of QUICK and a brief overview of the current version are presented.

Iowa Flood Information System: Towards Integrated Data Management, Analysis and Visualization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Demir, I.; Krajewski, W. F.; Goska, R.; Mantilla, R.; Weber, L. J.; Young, N.

2012-04-01

The Iowa Flood Information System (IFIS) is a web-based platform developed by the Iowa Flood Center (IFC) to provide access to flood inundation maps, real-time flood conditions, flood forecasts both short-term and seasonal, flood-related data, information and interactive visualizations for communities in Iowa. The key element of the system's architecture is the notion of community. Locations of the communities, those near streams and rivers, define basin boundaries. The IFIS provides community-centric watershed and river characteristics, weather (rainfall) conditions, and streamflow data and visualization tools. Interactive interfaces allow access to inundation maps for different stage and return period values, and flooding scenarios with contributions from multiple rivers. Real-time and historical data of water levels, gauge heights, and rainfall conditions are available in the IFIS by streaming data from automated IFC bridge sensors, USGS stream gauges, NEXRAD radars, and NWS forecasts. Simple 2D and 3D interactive visualizations in the IFIS make the data more understandable to general public. Users are able to filter data sources for their communities and selected rivers. The data and information on IFIS is also accessible through web services and mobile applications. The IFIS is optimized for various browsers and screen sizes to provide access through multiple platforms including tablets and mobile devices. The IFIS includes a rainfall-runoff forecast model to provide a five-day flood risk estimate for around 500 communities in Iowa. Multiple view modes in the IFIS accommodate different user types from general public to researchers and decision makers by providing different level of tools and details. River view mode allows users to visualize data from multiple IFC bridge sensors and USGS stream gauges to follow flooding condition along a river. The IFIS will help communities make better-informed decisions on the occurrence of floods, and will alert communities in advance to help minimize damage of floods. This presentation provides an overview and live demonstration of the tools and interfaces in the IFIS developed to date to provide a platform for one-stop access to flood related data, visualizations, flood conditions, and forecast.

Iowa Flood Information System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Demir, I.; Krajewski, W. F.; Goska, R.; Mantilla, R.; Weber, L. J.; Young, N.

2011-12-01

The Iowa Flood Information System (IFIS) is a web-based platform developed by the Iowa Flood Center (IFC) to provide access to flood inundation maps, real-time flood conditions, flood forecasts both short-term and seasonal, flood-related data, information and interactive visualizations for communities in Iowa. The key element of the system's architecture is the notion of community. Locations of the communities, those near streams and rivers, define basin boundaries. The IFIS provides community-centric watershed and river characteristics, weather (rainfall) conditions, and streamflow data and visualization tools. Interactive interfaces allow access to inundation maps for different stage and return period values, and flooding scenarios with contributions from multiple rivers. Real-time and historical data of water levels, gauge heights, and rainfall conditions are available in the IFIS by streaming data from automated IFC bridge sensors, USGS stream gauges, NEXRAD radars, and NWS forecasts. Simple 2D and 3D interactive visualizations in the IFIS make the data more understandable to general public. Users are able to filter data sources for their communities and selected rivers. The data and information on IFIS is also accessible through web services and mobile applications. The IFIS is optimized for various browsers and screen sizes to provide access through multiple platforms including tablets and mobile devices. The IFIS includes a rainfall-runoff forecast model to provide a five-day flood risk estimate for around 500 communities in Iowa. Multiple view modes in the IFIS accommodate different user types from general public to researchers and decision makers by providing different level of tools and details. River view mode allows users to visualize data from multiple IFC bridge sensors and USGS stream gauges to follow flooding condition along a river. The IFIS will help communities make better-informed decisions on the occurrence of floods, and will alert communities in advance to help minimize damage of floods. This presentation provides an overview of the tools and interfaces in the IFIS developed to date to provide a platform for one-stop access to flood related data, visualizations, flood conditions, and forecast.

Flood Risk Management in Iowa through an Integrated Flood Information System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Demir, Ibrahim; Krajewski, Witold

2013-04-01

The Iowa Flood Information System (IFIS) is a web-based platform developed by the Iowa Flood Center (IFC) to provide access to flood inundation maps, real-time flood conditions, flood forecasts both short-term and seasonal, flood-related data, information and interactive visualizations for communities in Iowa. The key element of the system's architecture is the notion of community. Locations of the communities, those near streams and rivers, define basin boundaries. The IFIS provides community-centric watershed and river characteristics, weather (rainfall) conditions, and streamflow data and visualization tools. Interactive interfaces allow access to inundation maps for different stage and return period values, and flooding scenarios with contributions from multiple rivers. Real-time and historical data of water levels, gauge heights, and rainfall conditions are available in the IFIS by streaming data from automated IFC bridge sensors, USGS stream gauges, NEXRAD radars, and NWS forecasts. Simple 2D and 3D interactive visualizations in the IFIS make the data more understandable to general public. Users are able to filter data sources for their communities and selected rivers. The data and information on IFIS is also accessible through web services and mobile applications. The IFIS is optimized for various browsers and screen sizes to provide access through multiple platforms including tablets and mobile devices. The IFIS includes a rainfall-runoff forecast model to provide a five-day flood risk estimate for around 1100 communities in Iowa. Multiple view modes in the IFIS accommodate different user types from general public to researchers and decision makers by providing different level of tools and details. River view mode allows users to visualize data from multiple IFC bridge sensors and USGS stream gauges to follow flooding condition along a river. The IFIS will help communities make better-informed decisions on the occurrence of floods, and will alert communities in advance to help minimize damage of floods. This presentation provides an overview and live demonstration of the tools and interfaces in the IFIS developed to date to provide a platform for one-stop access to flood related data, visualizations, flood conditions, and forecast.

Data visualization in interactive maps and time series

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maigne, Vanessa; Evano, Pascal; Brockmann, Patrick; Peylin, Philippe; Ciais, Philippe

2014-05-01

State-of-the-art data visualization has nothing to do with plots and maps we used few years ago. Many opensource tools are now available to provide access to scientific data and implement accessible, interactive, and flexible web applications. Here we will present a web site opened November 2013 to create custom global and regional maps and time series from research models and datasets. For maps, we explore and get access to data sources from a THREDDS Data Server (TDS) with the OGC WMS protocol (using the ncWMS implementation) then create interactive maps with the OpenLayers javascript library and extra information layers from a GeoServer. Maps become dynamic, zoomable, synchroneaously connected to each other, and exportable to Google Earth. For time series, we extract data from a TDS with the Netcdf Subset Service (NCSS) then display interactive graphs with a custom library based on the Data Driven Documents javascript library (D3.js). This time series application provides dynamic functionalities such as interpolation, interactive zoom on different axes, display of point values, and export to different formats. These tools were implemented for the Global Carbon Atlas (http://www.globalcarbonatlas.org): a web portal to explore, visualize, and interpret global and regional carbon fluxes from various model simulations arising from both human activities and natural processes, a work led by the Global Carbon Project.

Interactive Tree Of Life v2: online annotation and display of phylogenetic trees made easy.

PubMed

Letunic, Ivica; Bork, Peer

2011-07-01

Interactive Tree Of Life (http://itol.embl.de) is a web-based tool for the display, manipulation and annotation of phylogenetic trees. It is freely available and open to everyone. In addition to classical tree viewer functions, iTOL offers many novel ways of annotating trees with various additional data. Current version introduces numerous new features and greatly expands the number of supported data set types. Trees can be interactively manipulated and edited. A free personal account system is available, providing management and sharing of trees in user defined workspaces and projects. Export to various bitmap and vector graphics formats is supported. Batch access interface is available for programmatic access or inclusion of interactive trees into other web services.

Experiments and Analysis on a Computer Interface to an Information-Retrieval Network.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marcus, Richard S.; Reintjes, J. Francis

A primary goal of this project was to develop an interface that would provide direct access for inexperienced users to existing online bibliographic information retrieval networks. The experiment tested the concept of a virtual-system mode of access to a network of heterogeneous interactive retrieval systems and databases. An experimental…

Ubiquitous Learning Website: Scaffold Learners by Mobile Devices with Information-Aware Techniques

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, G. D.; Chang, C. K.; Wang, C. Y.

2008-01-01

The portability and immediate communication properties of mobile devices influence the learning processes in interacting with peers, accessing resources and transferring data. For example, the short message and browsing functions in a cell phone provide users with timely and adaptive information access. Although many studies of mobile learning…

Enhancing UCSF Chimera through web services

PubMed Central

Huang, Conrad C.; Meng, Elaine C.; Morris, John H.; Pettersen, Eric F.; Ferrin, Thomas E.

2014-01-01

Integrating access to web services with desktop applications allows for an expanded set of application features, including performing computationally intensive tasks and convenient searches of databases. We describe how we have enhanced UCSF Chimera (http://www.rbvi.ucsf.edu/chimera/), a program for the interactive visualization and analysis of molecular structures and related data, through the addition of several web services (http://www.rbvi.ucsf.edu/chimera/docs/webservices.html). By streamlining access to web services, including the entire job submission, monitoring and retrieval process, Chimera makes it simpler for users to focus on their science projects rather than data manipulation. Chimera uses Opal, a toolkit for wrapping scientific applications as web services, to provide scalable and transparent access to several popular software packages. We illustrate Chimera's use of web services with an example workflow that interleaves use of these services with interactive manipulation of molecular sequences and structures, and we provide an example Python program to demonstrate how easily Opal-based web services can be accessed from within an application. Web server availability: http://webservices.rbvi.ucsf.edu/opal2/dashboard?command=serviceList. PMID:24861624

Exploring the drivers of health and healthcare access in Zambian prisons: a health systems approach

PubMed Central

Topp, Stephanie M.; Moonga, Clement N.; Luo, Nkandu; Kaingu, Michael; Chileshe, Chisela; Magwende, George; Heymann, S. Jody; Henostroza, German

2016-01-01

Background Prison populations in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) experience a high burden of disease and poor access to health care. Although it is generally understood that environmental conditions are dire and contribute to disease spread, evidence of how environmental conditions interact with facility-level social and institutional factors is lacking. This study aimed to unpack the nature of interactions and their influence on health and healthcare access in the Zambian prison setting. Methods We conducted in-depth interviews of a clustered random sample of 79 male prisoners across four prisons, as well as 32 prison officers, policy makers and health care workers. Largely inductive thematic analysis was guided by the concepts of dynamic interaction and emergent behaviour, drawn from the theory of complex adaptive systems. Results A majority of inmates, as well as facility-based officers reported anxiety linked to overcrowding, sanitation, infectious disease transmission, nutrition and coercion. Due in part to differential wealth of inmates and their support networks on entering prison, and in part to the accumulation of authority and material wealth within prison, we found enormous inequity in the standard of living among prisoners at each site. In the context of such inequities, failure of the Zambian prison system to provide basic necessities (including adequate and appropriate forms of nutrition, or access to quality health care) contributed to high rates of inmate-led and officer-led coercion with direct implications for health and access to healthcare. Conclusions This systems-oriented analysis provides a more comprehensive picture of the way resource shortages and human interactions within Zambian prisons interact and affect inmate and officer health. While not a panacea, our findings highlight some strategic entry-points for important upstream and downstream reforms including urgent improvement in the availability of human resources for health; strengthening of facility-based health services systems and more comprehensive pre-service health education for prison officers. PMID:27220354

Consumers with an intellectual disability and carers: perceptions of interactions with banks.

PubMed

Hayes, Susan C; Martin, Fiona B

2007-03-01

As more people with an intellectual disability reside independently in the community, there is both the need and the opportunity for them to use financial services, including banks and credit unions, and products such as cash machine cards, credit cards and loans. There is a dearth of information about interactions between consumers with intellectual disabilities and their carers, and financial service providers. This study investigated the perceptions of 94 consumers with an intellectual disability and 53 carers regarding interactions with financial service providers. Consumers and carers mentioned a number of problems with banks, and reported a low rate of successful resolution of these difficulties. Carers mentioned more problems than consumers, and more frequently reported intangible problems such as discrimination. The 'digital divide' was evident, with few consumers having access to Internet or telephone banking. People with intellectual disabilities need education programmes about electronic banking, their rights as consumers and their access to problem resolution strategies.

ICT Interface Design for Ageing People and People with Dementia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wallace, Jonathan; Mulvenna, Maurice D.; Martin, Suzanne; Stephens, Sharon; Burns, William

Ageing population trends, rising healthcare costs and social and digital inclusion are all factors in the background to the problem of older adults interacting with technology. Approaches to address "physical accessibility" and "access to technology" issues, as well as training for existing systems are evident, yet a usability issue still prevails. The primary aim of this chapter is to provide an overview of the research and literature and discuss the differing contexts in which older people and people with dementia interact with computerised systems and their associated issues.

Broadening the horizon – level 2.5 of the HUPO-PSI format for molecular interactions

PubMed Central

Kerrien, Samuel; Orchard, Sandra; Montecchi-Palazzi, Luisa; Aranda, Bruno; Quinn, Antony F; Vinod, Nisha; Bader, Gary D; Xenarios, Ioannis; Wojcik, Jérôme; Sherman, David; Tyers, Mike; Salama, John J; Moore, Susan; Ceol, Arnaud; Chatr-aryamontri, Andrew; Oesterheld, Matthias; Stümpflen, Volker; Salwinski, Lukasz; Nerothin, Jason; Cerami, Ethan; Cusick, Michael E; Vidal, Marc; Gilson, Michael; Armstrong, John; Woollard, Peter; Hogue, Christopher; Eisenberg, David; Cesareni, Gianni; Apweiler, Rolf; Hermjakob, Henning

2007-01-01

Background Molecular interaction Information is a key resource in modern biomedical research. Publicly available data have previously been provided in a broad array of diverse formats, making access to this very difficult. The publication and wide implementation of the Human Proteome Organisation Proteomics Standards Initiative Molecular Interactions (HUPO PSI-MI) format in 2004 was a major step towards the establishment of a single, unified format by which molecular interactions should be presented, but focused purely on protein-protein interactions. Results The HUPO-PSI has further developed the PSI-MI XML schema to enable the description of interactions between a wider range of molecular types, for example nucleic acids, chemical entities, and molecular complexes. Extensive details about each supported molecular interaction can now be captured, including the biological role of each molecule within that interaction, detailed description of interacting domains, and the kinetic parameters of the interaction. The format is supported by data management and analysis tools and has been adopted by major interaction data providers. Additionally, a simpler, tab-delimited format MITAB2.5 has been developed for the benefit of users who require only minimal information in an easy to access configuration. Conclusion The PSI-MI XML2.5 and MITAB2.5 formats have been jointly developed by interaction data producers and providers from both the academic and commercial sector, and are already widely implemented and well supported by an active development community. PSI-MI XML2.5 enables the description of highly detailed molecular interaction data and facilitates data exchange between databases and users without loss of information. MITAB2.5 is a simpler format appropriate for fast Perl parsing or loading into Microsoft Excel. PMID:17925023

A Comparative Study on Java Technologies for Focus and Cursor Handling in Accessible Dynamic Interactions.

PubMed

Jitngernmadan, Prajaks; Miesenberger, Klaus

2015-01-01

For an interactive application, supporting and guiding the user in fulfilling tasks is most important. The behavior of the application that will guide users through the procedures until they finish the task has to be designed intuitively and well guiding, especially if the users has only restricted or no access to the visual and spatial arrangement on the screen. Therefore, the focus/cursor management plays an important role for orientation and navigating through the interaction. In the frame of ongoing research on a software tool supporting blind people in more efficiently doing mathematical calculations, we researched how Java technologies support implementing an accessible Graphical User Interface (GUI) with an additional focus on usable accessibility in terms of guiding blind users through the process of solving mathematical calculations. We used Java Swing [1] and Eclipse SWT [2] APIs for creating a series of prototypes. We tested a) accessibility and usability of the prototypes for blind people when using screen reader software and refreshable Braille display and b) the implementation support to developers provided by both technologies. It turned out that Eclipse SWT API delivered best results under Windows operating system.

The Mission Accessibility of Near-Earth Asteroids

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barbee, Brent W.; Abell, P. A.; Adamo, D. R.; Mazanek, D. D.; Johnson, L. N.; Yeomans, D. K.; Chodas, P. W.; Chamberlin, A. B.; Benner, L. A. M.; Taylor, P.;

Solar Irradiance Data Products at the LASP Interactive Solar IRradiance Datacenter (LISIRD)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ware Dewolfe, A.; Wilson, A.; Lindholm, D. M.; Pankratz, C. K.; Snow, M. A.; Woods, T. N.

2010-12-01

The Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) has developed the LASP Interactive Solar IRradiance Datacenter (LISIRD) to provide access to a comprehensive set of solar irradiance measurements. LISIRD has recently been updated to serve many new datasets and models, including data from SORCE, UARS-SOLSTICE, SME, and TIMED-SEE, and model data from the Flare Irradiance Spectral Model (FISM). The user interface emphasizes web-based interactive visualizations, allowing users to explore and compare this data before downloading it for analysis. The data provided covers a wavelength range from soft X-ray (XUV) at 0.1 nm up to the near infrared (NIR) at 2400 nm, as well as wavelength-independent Total Solar Irradiance (TSI). Combined data from the SORCE, TIMED-SEE, UARS-SOLSTICE, and SME instruments provide continuous coverage from 1981 to the present, while Lyman-alpha measurements, FISM daily data, and TSI models date from the 1940s to the present. LISIRD will also host Glory TSI data as part of the SORCE data system. This poster provides an overview of the LISIRD system, summarizes the data sets currently available, describes future plans and capabilities, and provides details on how to access solar irradiance data through LISIRD’s interfaces.

“Respect the way I need to communicate with you”: Healthcare experiences of adults on the autism spectrum

PubMed Central

Nicolaidis, Christina; Raymaker, Dora M.; McDonald, Katherine E.; Baggs, W. Amelia E.V.; Dern, Sebastian; Kapp, Steven K.; Weiner, Michael; Boisclair, Cody; Ashkenazy, Elesia

2016-01-01

Our objective was to obtain an in-depth understanding of autistic adults’ experiences with healthcare and their recommendations for improving care. Our academic-community partnership used a community based participatory research (CBPR) approach to conduct semi-structured, open-ended interviews with 39 autistic adults and 16 people who had experience supporting autistic adults in healthcare settings. Participants identified patient-level, autism-related factors that impact healthcare interactions, including verbal communication skills, sensory sensitivities, challenges with body awareness, slow processing speed, atypical non-verbal communication, and challenges with organization. However, the success of healthcare interactions largely depended on the interplay between patient- and provider-level factors, as well as on the larger context in which patients were receiving care. Provider-level factors included providers’ knowledge about autism in adults, incorrect assumptions about individual patients, willingness to allow written communication, use of accessible language, openness to providing other accommodations, and skill in appropriately incorporating supporters. System-level factors included the availability of supporters, complexity of the healthcare system, accessibility of healthcare facilities, and stigma about autism. Further efforts are needed to empower patients, adequately train providers, increase the accessibility of the healthcare system, and decrease discrimination. PMID:25882392

A new reference implementation of the PSICQUIC web service.

PubMed

del-Toro, Noemi; Dumousseau, Marine; Orchard, Sandra; Jimenez, Rafael C; Galeota, Eugenia; Launay, Guillaume; Goll, Johannes; Breuer, Karin; Ono, Keiichiro; Salwinski, Lukasz; Hermjakob, Henning

2013-07-01

The Proteomics Standard Initiative Common QUery InterfaCe (PSICQUIC) specification was created by the Human Proteome Organization Proteomics Standards Initiative (HUPO-PSI) to enable computational access to molecular-interaction data resources by means of a standard Web Service and query language. Currently providing >150 million binary interaction evidences from 28 servers globally, the PSICQUIC interface allows the concurrent search of multiple molecular-interaction information resources using a single query. Here, we present an extension of the PSICQUIC specification (version 1.3), which has been released to be compliant with the enhanced standards in molecular interactions. The new release also includes a new reference implementation of the PSICQUIC server available to the data providers. It offers augmented web service capabilities and improves the user experience. PSICQUIC has been running for almost 5 years, with a user base growing from only 4 data providers to 28 (April 2013) allowing access to 151 310 109 binary interactions. The power of this web service is shown in PSICQUIC View web application, an example of how to simultaneously query, browse and download results from the different PSICQUIC servers. This application is free and open to all users with no login requirement (http://www.ebi.ac.uk/Tools/webservices/psicquic/view/main.xhtml).

At the Intersection of Networks and Highly Interactive Online Games

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Armitage, Grenville

The game industry continues to evolves its techniques for extracting the most realistic 'immersion' experience for players given the vagaries on best-effort Internet service. A key challenge for service providers is understanding the characteristics of traffic imposed on networks by games, and their service quality requirements. Interactive online games are particularly susceptible to the side effects of other non-interactive (or delay- and loss-tolerant) traffic sharing next- generation access links. This creates challenges out toward the edges, where high-speed home LANs squeeze through broadband consumer access links to reach the Internet. In this chapter we identify a range of research work exploring many issues associated with the intersection of highly interactive games and the Internet, and hopefully stimulate some further thinking along these lines.

Interactive Screen Experiments with Single Photons

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bronner, Patrick; Strunz, Andreas; Silberhorn, Christine; Meyn, Jan-Peter

2009-01-01

Single photons are used for fundamental quantum physics experiments as well as for applications. Originally being a topic of advance courses, such experiments are increasingly a subject of undergraduate courses. We provide interactive screen experiments (ISE) for supporting the work in a real laboratory, and for students who do not have access to…

Using a Local Greenway to Study the River Environment and Urban Landscape

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lackstrom, Kirsten; Stroup, Laura J.

2009-01-01

Greenways are prominent features of many urban landscapes and synthesize several geographic topics: human-environment interactions, urban ecosystems, and the promotion of sustainability within riverine corridors. Greenways are easily accessible and provide an opportunity for students at various grade levels to study interactions across physical…

Ready Set. . .Authoring Systems to Get You Started on Interactive Video Design.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rhodes, Dent M.; Azbell, Janet White

1986-01-01

Evaluates four authoring systems used to develop computer aided interactive video: The Instructor, InfoWriter, IDeAS, and ProCAL2. The information provided includes hardware requirements, compatibility with videotape and/or videodisc, instructional options available, user data-management capabilities, procedures for logging tapes, and access for…

BioPlex Display: An Interactive Suite for Large-Scale AP-MS Protein-Protein Interaction Data.

PubMed

Schweppe, Devin K; Huttlin, Edward L; Harper, J Wade; Gygi, Steven P

2018-01-05

The development of large-scale data sets requires a new means to display and disseminate research studies to large audiences. Knowledge of protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks has become a principle interest of many groups within the field of proteomics. At the confluence of technologies, such as cross-linking mass spectrometry, yeast two-hybrid, protein cofractionation, and affinity purification mass spectrometry (AP-MS), detection of PPIs can uncover novel biological inferences at a high-throughput. Thus new platforms to provide community access to large data sets are necessary. To this end, we have developed a web application that enables exploration and dissemination of the growing BioPlex interaction network. BioPlex is a large-scale interactome data set based on AP-MS of baits from the human ORFeome. The latest BioPlex data set release (BioPlex 2.0) contains 56 553 interactions from 5891 AP-MS experiments. To improve community access to this vast compendium of interactions, we developed BioPlex Display, which integrates individual protein querying, access to empirical data, and on-the-fly annotation of networks within an easy-to-use and mobile web application. BioPlex Display enables rapid acquisition of data from BioPlex and development of hypotheses based on protein interactions.

Virtual pools for interactive analysis and software development through an integrated Cloud environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grandi, C.; Italiano, A.; Salomoni, D.; Calabrese Melcarne, A. K.

2011-12-01

WNoDeS, an acronym for Worker Nodes on Demand Service, is software developed at CNAF-Tier1, the National Computing Centre of the Italian Institute for Nuclear Physics (INFN) located in Bologna. WNoDeS provides on demand, integrated access to both Grid and Cloud resources through virtualization technologies. Besides the traditional use of computing resources in batch mode, users need to have interactive and local access to a number of systems. WNoDeS can dynamically select these computers instantiating Virtual Machines, according to the requirements (computing, storage and network resources) of users through either the Open Cloud Computing Interface API, or through a web console. An interactive use is usually limited to activities in user space, i.e. where the machine configuration is not modified. In some other instances the activity concerns development and testing of services and thus implies the modification of the system configuration (and, therefore, root-access to the resource). The former use case is a simple extension of the WNoDeS approach, where the resource is provided in interactive mode. The latter implies saving the virtual image at the end of each user session so that it can be presented to the user at subsequent requests. This work describes how the LHC experiments at INFN-Bologna are testing and making use of these dynamically created ad-hoc machines via WNoDeS to support flexible, interactive analysis and software development at the INFN Tier-1 Computing Centre.

Hunter disease eClinic: interactive, computer-assisted, problem-based approach to independent learning about a rare genetic disease

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Computer-based teaching (CBT) is a well-known educational device, but it has never been applied systematically to the teaching of a complex, rare, genetic disease, such as Hunter disease (MPS II). Aim To develop interactive teaching software functioning as a virtual clinic for the management of MPS II. Implementation and Results The Hunter disease eClinic, a self-training, user-friendly educational software program, available at the Lysosomal Storage Research Group (http://www.lysosomalstorageresearch.ca), was developed using the Adobe Flash multimedia platform. It was designed to function both to provide a realistic, interactive virtual clinic and instantaneous access to supporting literature on Hunter disease. The Hunter disease eClinic consists of an eBook and an eClinic. The eClinic is the interactive virtual clinic component of the software. Within an environment resembling a real clinic, the trainee is instructed to perform a medical history, to examine the patient, and to order appropriate investigation. The program provides clinical data derived from the management of actual patients with Hunter disease. The eBook provides instantaneous, electronic access to a vast collection of reference information to provide detailed background clinical and basic science, including relevant biochemistry, physiology, and genetics. In the eClinic, the trainee is presented with quizzes designed to provide immediate feedback on both trainee effectiveness and efficiency. User feedback on the merits of the program was collected at several seminars and formal clinical rounds at several medical centres, primarily in Canada. In addition, online usage statistics were documented for a 2-year period. Feedback was consistently positive and confirmed the practical benefit of the program. The online English-language version is accessed daily by users from all over the world; a Japanese translation of the program is also available. Conclusions The Hunter disease eClinic employs a CBT model providing the trainee with realistic clinical problems, coupled with comprehensive basic and clinical reference information by instantaneous access to an electronic textbook, the eBook. The program was rated highly by attendees at national and international presentations. It provides a potential model for use as an educational approach to other rare genetic diseases. PMID:20973983

Science information systems: Archive, access, and retrieval

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Campbell, William J.

1991-01-01

The objective of this research is to develop technology for the automated characterization and interactive retrieval and visualization of very large, complex scientific data sets. Technologies will be developed for the following specific areas: (1) rapidly archiving data sets; (2) automatically characterizing and labeling data in near real-time; (3) providing users with the ability to browse contents of databases efficiently and effectively; (4) providing users with the ability to access and retrieve system independent data sets electronically; and (5) automatically alerting scientists to anomalies detected in data.

Preliminary ISIS users manual

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grantham, C.

1979-01-01

The Interactive Software Invocation (ISIS), an interactive data management system, was developed to act as a buffer between the user and host computer system. The user is provided by ISIS with a powerful system for developing software or systems in the interactive environment. The user is protected from the idiosyncracies of the host computer system by providing such a complete range of capabilities that the user should have no need for direct access to the host computer. These capabilities are divided into four areas: desk top calculator, data editor, file manager, and tool invoker.

Tablet computers for hospitalized patients: a pilot study to improve inpatient engagement.

PubMed

Greysen, S Ryan; Khanna, Raman R; Jacolbia, Ronald; Lee, Herman M; Auerbach, Andrew D

2014-06-01

Inadequate patient engagement in hospital care inhibits high-quality care and successful transitions to home. Tablet computers may provide opportunities to engage patients, particularly during inactive times between provider visits, tests, and treatments, by providing interactive health education modules as well as access to their personal health record (PHR). We conducted a pilot project to explore inpatient satisfaction with bedside tablets and barriers to usability. Additionally, we evaluated use of these devices to deliver 2 specific Web-based programs: (1) an interactive video to improve inpatient education about hospital safety, and (2) PHR access to promote inpatient engagement in discharge planning. We enrolled 30 patients; 17 (60%) were aged 40 years or older, 17 (60%) were women, 17 (60%) owned smartphones, and 6 (22%) owned tablet computers. Twenty-seven (90%) reported high overall satisfaction with the device, and 26 (87%) required ≤ 30 minutes for basic orientation (70% required ≤ 15 minutes). Twenty-five (83%) independently completed an interactive educational module on hospital patient safety. Twenty-one (70%) accessed their personal health record (PHR) to view their medication list, verify scheduled appointments, or send a message to their primary care physician. Next steps include education on high-risk medications, assessment of discharge barriers, and training clinical staff (such as respiratory therapists, registered nurses, or nurse practitioners) to deliver tablet interventions. © 2014 Society of Hospital Medicine.

IntNetDB v1.0: an integrated protein-protein interaction network database generated by a probabilistic model

PubMed Central

Xia, Kai; Dong, Dong; Han, Jing-Dong J

2006-01-01

Background Although protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks have been explored by various experimental methods, the maps so built are still limited in coverage and accuracy. To further expand the PPI network and to extract more accurate information from existing maps, studies have been carried out to integrate various types of functional relationship data. A frequently updated database of computationally analyzed potential PPIs to provide biological researchers with rapid and easy access to analyze original data as a biological network is still lacking. Results By applying a probabilistic model, we integrated 27 heterogeneous genomic, proteomic and functional annotation datasets to predict PPI networks in human. In addition to previously studied data types, we show that phenotypic distances and genetic interactions can also be integrated to predict PPIs. We further built an easy-to-use, updatable integrated PPI database, the Integrated Network Database (IntNetDB) online, to provide automatic prediction and visualization of PPI network among genes of interest. The networks can be visualized in SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics) format for zooming in or out. IntNetDB also provides a tool to extract topologically highly connected network neighborhoods from a specific network for further exploration and research. Using the MCODE (Molecular Complex Detections) algorithm, 190 such neighborhoods were detected among all the predicted interactions. The predicted PPIs can also be mapped to worm, fly and mouse interologs. Conclusion IntNetDB includes 180,010 predicted protein-protein interactions among 9,901 human proteins and represents a useful resource for the research community. Our study has increased prediction coverage by five-fold. IntNetDB also provides easy-to-use network visualization and analysis tools that allow biological researchers unfamiliar with computational biology to access and analyze data over the internet. The web interface of IntNetDB is freely accessible at . Visualization requires Mozilla version 1.8 (or higher) or Internet Explorer with installation of SVGviewer. PMID:17112386

Dynamic Assessment of Microbial Ecology (DAME): A web app for interactive analysis and visualization of microbial sequencing data

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Dynamic Assessment of Microbial Ecology (DAME) is a shiny-based web application for interactive analysis and visualization of microbial sequencing data. DAME provides researchers not familiar with R programming the ability to access the most current R functions utilized for ecology and gene sequenci...

Developing Interactive Educational Engineering Software for the World Wide Web with Java.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reed, John A.; Afjeh, Abdollah A.

1998-01-01

Illustrates the design and implementation of a Java applet for use in educational propulsion engineering curricula. The Java Gas Turbine Simulator applet provides an interactive graphical environment which allows the rapid, efficient construction and analysis of arbitrary gas turbine systems. The simulator can be easily accessed from the World…

GRASP - A Prototype Interactive Graphic Sawing Program - (Forest Products Journal)

Treesearch

Luis G. Occeña; Daniel L. Schmoldt

1996-01-01

A versatile microcomputer-based interactive graphics sawing program has been developed as a tool for modeling various hardwood processes, from bucking and topping to log sawing, lumber edging, secondary processing, and even veneering. The microcomputer platform makes the tool affordable and accessible. A solid modeling basis provides the tool with a sound geometrical...

GRASP - A Prototype Interactive Graphic Sawing Program - (MU-IE Technical Report)

Treesearch

Luis G. Occeña; Daniel L. Schmoldt

1995-01-01

A versatile microcomputer-based interactive graphics program has been developed as a tool for modeling various hardwood processes, from bucking and topping to log sawing, lumber edging, secondary processing, even veneering. The microcomputer platform makes the tool affordable and accessible.A solid modeling basis provides the tool with a sound geometrical and...

Interactive SIGHT: textual access to simple bar charts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Demir, Seniz; Oliver, David; Schwartz, Edward; Elzer, Stephanie; Carberry, Sandra; Mccoy, Kathleen F.; Chester, Daniel

2010-12-01

Information graphics, such as bar charts and line graphs, are an important component of many articles from popular media. The majority of such graphics have an intention (a high-level message) to communicate to the graph viewer. Since the intended message of a graphic is often not repeated in the accompanying text, graphics together with the textual segments contribute to the overall purpose of an article and cannot be ignored. Unfortunately, these visual displays are provided in a format which is not readily accessible to everyone. For example, individuals with sight impairments who use screen readers to listen to documents have limited access to the graphics. This article presents a new accessibility tool, the Interactive SIGHT (Summarizing Information GrapHics Textually) system, that is intended to enable visually impaired users to access the knowledge that one would gain from viewing information graphics found on the web. The current system, which is implemented as a browser extension that works on simple bar charts, can be invoked by a user via a keystroke combination while navigating the web. Once launched, Interactive SIGHT first provides a brief summary that conveys the underlying intention of a bar chart along with the chart's most significant and salient features, and then produces history-aware follow-up responses to provide further information about the chart upon request from the user. We present two user studies that were conducted with sighted and visually impaired users to determine how effective the initial summary and follow-up responses are in conveying the informational content of bar charts, and to evaluate how easy it is to use the system interface. The evaluation results are promising and indicate that the system responses are well-structured and enable visually impaired users to answer key questions about bar charts in an easy-to-use manner. Post-experimental interviews revealed that visually impaired participants were very satisfied with the system offering different options to access the content of a chart to meet their specific needs and that they would use Interactive SIGHT if it was publicly available so as not to have to ignore graphics on the web. Being a language based assistive technology designed to compensate for the lack of sight, our work paves the road for a stronger acceptance of natural language interfaces to graph interpretation that we believe will be of great benefit to the visually impaired community.

Web accessibility and open source software.

PubMed

Obrenović, Zeljko

2009-07-01

A Web browser provides a uniform user interface to different types of information. Making this interface universally accessible and more interactive is a long-term goal still far from being achieved. Universally accessible browsers require novel interaction modalities and additional functionalities, for which existing browsers tend to provide only partial solutions. Although functionality for Web accessibility can be found as open source and free software components, their reuse and integration is complex because they were developed in diverse implementation environments, following standards and conventions incompatible with the Web. To address these problems, we have started several activities that aim at exploiting the potential of open-source software for Web accessibility. The first of these activities is the development of Adaptable Multi-Interface COmmunicator (AMICO):WEB, an infrastructure that facilitates efficient reuse and integration of open source software components into the Web environment. The main contribution of AMICO:WEB is in enabling the syntactic and semantic interoperability between Web extension mechanisms and a variety of integration mechanisms used by open source and free software components. Its design is based on our experiences in solving practical problems where we have used open source components to improve accessibility of rich media Web applications. The second of our activities involves improving education, where we have used our platform to teach students how to build advanced accessibility solutions from diverse open-source software. We are also partially involved in the recently started Eclipse projects called Accessibility Tools Framework (ACTF), the aim of which is development of extensible infrastructure, upon which developers can build a variety of utilities that help to evaluate and enhance the accessibility of applications and content for people with disabilities. In this article we briefly report on these activities.

It's the Quality Not the Quantity of Ties That Matters: Social Networks and Self-Efficacy Beliefs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Siciliano, Michael D.

2016-01-01

This study explores the role of knowledge access and peer influence as mechanisms by which networks may shape teacher self-efficacy. The basic premise is twofold: (a) that peer interaction provides opportunities to access teaching relevant knowledge and thus may reduce uncertainty and (b) that self-efficacy beliefs may be shaped by the efficacy…

Snap, Tweet and Post: College Student Social Media Perceptions and Heutagogic Practices and Uses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nadelson, Louis S.; Berg, William; Fox, Brandon; Grandbouche, Preston; Harris, Michael; Kroschel, Tia L.; Sandoval, Sean

2017-01-01

The nearly ubiquitous access to technology and the diversity of social media sites has provided students with easy access to a wide range of information and opportunities for interaction with other individuals. The nature of social media creates a context in which students can determine when they view information, the duration of the viewing,…

Enhancing UCSF Chimera through web services.

PubMed

Huang, Conrad C; Meng, Elaine C; Morris, John H; Pettersen, Eric F; Ferrin, Thomas E

2014-07-01

Integrating access to web services with desktop applications allows for an expanded set of application features, including performing computationally intensive tasks and convenient searches of databases. We describe how we have enhanced UCSF Chimera (http://www.rbvi.ucsf.edu/chimera/), a program for the interactive visualization and analysis of molecular structures and related data, through the addition of several web services (http://www.rbvi.ucsf.edu/chimera/docs/webservices.html). By streamlining access to web services, including the entire job submission, monitoring and retrieval process, Chimera makes it simpler for users to focus on their science projects rather than data manipulation. Chimera uses Opal, a toolkit for wrapping scientific applications as web services, to provide scalable and transparent access to several popular software packages. We illustrate Chimera's use of web services with an example workflow that interleaves use of these services with interactive manipulation of molecular sequences and structures, and we provide an example Python program to demonstrate how easily Opal-based web services can be accessed from within an application. Web server availability: http://webservices.rbvi.ucsf.edu/opal2/dashboard?command=serviceList. © The Author(s) 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

Software Applications to Access Earth Science Data: Building an ECHO Client

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cohen, A.; Cechini, M.; Pilone, D.

2010-12-01

Historically, developing an ECHO (NASA’s Earth Observing System (EOS) ClearingHOuse) client required interaction with its SOAP API. SOAP, as a framework for web service communication has numerous advantages for Enterprise applications and Java/C# type programming languages. However, as interest has grown for quick development cycles and more intriguing “mashups,” ECHO has seen the SOAP API lose its appeal. In order to address these changing needs, ECHO has introduced two new interfaces facilitating simple access to its metadata holdings. The first interface is built upon the OpenSearch format and ESIP Federated Search framework. The second interface is built upon the Representational State Transfer (REST) architecture. Using the REST and OpenSearch APIs to access ECHO makes development with modern languages much more feasible and simpler. Client developers can leverage the simple interaction with ECHO to focus more of their time on the advanced functionality they are presenting to users. To demonstrate the simplicity of developing with the REST API, participants will be led through a hands-on experience where they will develop an ECHO client that performs the following actions: + Login + Provider discovery + Provider based dataset discovery + Dataset, Temporal, and Spatial constraint based Granule discovery + Online Data Access

Social exchange as a framework for client-nurse interaction during public health nursing maternal-child home visits.

PubMed

Byrd, Mary E

2006-01-01

The purpose of this paper was to develop a nursing-focused use of social exchange theory within the context of maternal-child home visiting. The nature of social exchange theory, its application to client-nurse interaction, and its fit with an existing data set from a field research investigation were examined. Resources exchanged between the nurse and clients were categorized and compared across the patterns of home visiting, nursing strategies based on exchange notions were identified, and variations in exchange were linked with client outcomes. The nurse provided resources within the categories of information, status, service, and goods. Clients provided time, access to the home, space within the home to conduct the visit, opportunities to observe maternal-child interaction, access to the infant, and information. The ease and breadth of resource exchange varied across the patterns of home visiting. The social exchange perspective was useful in categorizing resources, specifying and uncovering new resource categories, understanding nursing strategies to initiate and maintain the client-nurse relationship, and linking client-nurse interactive phenomena with client outcomes. Social exchange theory is potentially useful for understanding client-nurse interaction in the context of maternal-child home visits.

EntrezAJAX: direct web browser access to the Entrez Programming Utilities.

PubMed

Loman, Nicholas J; Pallen, Mark J

2010-06-21

Web applications for biology and medicine often need to integrate data from Entrez services provided by the National Center for Biotechnology Information. However, direct access to Entrez from a web browser is not possible due to 'same-origin' security restrictions. The use of "Asynchronous JavaScript and XML" (AJAX) to create rich, interactive web applications is now commonplace. The ability to access Entrez via AJAX would be advantageous in the creation of integrated biomedical web resources. We describe EntrezAJAX, which provides access to Entrez eUtils and is able to circumvent same-origin browser restrictions. EntrezAJAX is easily implemented by JavaScript developers and provides identical functionality as Entrez eUtils as well as enhanced functionality to ease development. We provide easy-to-understand developer examples written in JavaScript to illustrate potential uses of this service. For the purposes of speed, reliability and scalability, EntrezAJAX has been deployed on Google App Engine, a freely available cloud service. The EntrezAJAX webpage is located at http://entrezajax.appspot.com/

Health 2.0 and Implications for Nursing Education

PubMed Central

Nelson, Ramona

2012-01-01

Over the last 20 years the evolution of web browsers providing easy access to the Internet has initiated a revolution in access to healthcare related information for both healthcare providers and patients. This access has changed both the process used to deliver education and the content of the nursing education curriculum worldwide. Our amazing ability to access information around the world is referred as to Web 1.0. Web 2.0 moves beyond access to a world where users are interactively creating information. With the advent of Health 2.0 we are confronting a second revolution that is challenging all aspects of healthcare including all aspects of nursing. This paper explores the concept of Health 2.0, discusses a conceptual framework approach for integrating Health 2.0 content into the nursing curriculum, outlines examples of key concepts required in today’s nursing curriculum and identifies selected issues arising from the impact of Health 2.0. PMID:24199108

Discovery through maps: Exploring real-world applications of ecosystem services

EPA Science Inventory

Background/Question/Methods U.S. EPA’s EnviroAtlas provides a collection of interactive tools and resources for exploring ecosystem goods and services. The purpose of EnviroAtlas is to provide better access to consistently derived ecosystems and socio-economic data to facil...

Patients Provide Recommendations for Improving Patient Satisfaction.

PubMed

Moore, Angelo D; Hamilton, Jill B; Krusel, Jessica L; Moore, LeeAntoinette G; Pierre-Louis, Bosny J

2016-04-01

National Committee for Quality Assurance recommends patient-centered medical homes incorporate input from patient populations; however, many health care organizations do not. This qualitative study used two open-ended questions from 148 active duty Army Soldiers and their family members to illicit recommendations for primary care providers and clinic leadership that would improve their health care experiences. Content analysis and descriptive statistics were used to analyze responses. Participant responses were related to four major themes: Access to Care, Interpersonal Interaction, Satisfaction of Care, and Quality of Care. Participants were overall satisfied with their care; however, spending less time waiting for appointments and to see the provider or specialist were the most frequently requested improvements related to Access to Care. For Interpersonal Interaction, 82% of the responses recommended that providers be more attentive listeners, courteous, patient, caring, and respectful. Decreasing wait times and improving interpersonal skills would improve health care experiences and patient satisfaction. Reprint & Copyright © 2016 Association of Military Surgeons of the U.S.

Future of Hydroinformatics: Towards Open, Integrated and Interactive Online Platforms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Demir, I.; Krajewski, W. F.

2012-12-01

Hydroinformatics is a domain of science and technology dealing with the management of information in the field of hydrology (IWA, 2011). There is the need for innovative solutions to the challenges towards open information, integration, and communication in the Internet. This presentation provides an overview of the trends and challenges in the future of hydroinformatics, and demonstrates an information system, Iowa Flood Information System (IFIS), developed within the light of these challenges. The IFIS is a web-based platform developed by the Iowa Flood Center (IFC) to provide access to flood inundation maps, real-time flood conditions, flood forecasts both short-term and seasonal, flood-related data, information and interactive visualizations for communities in Iowa. The key element of the system's architecture is the notion of community. Locations of the communities, those near streams and rivers, define basin boundaries. The IFIS provides community-centric watershed and river characteristics, weather (rainfall) conditions, and streamflow data and visualization tools. Interactive interfaces allow access to inundation maps for different stage and return period values, and flooding scenarios with contributions from multiple rivers. Real-time and historical data of water levels, gauge heights, and rainfall conditions are available in the IFIS by streaming data from automated IFC bridge sensors, USGS stream gauges, NEXRAD radars, and NWS forecasts. 2D and 3D interactive visualizations in the IFIS make the data more understandable to general public. Users are able to filter data sources for their communities and selected rivers. The data and information on IFIS is also accessible through web services and mobile applications. The IFIS is optimized for various browsers and screen sizes to provide access through multiple platforms including tablets and mobile devices. The IFIS includes a rainfall-runoff forecast model to provide a five-day flood risk estimate for more than 1000 communities in Iowa. Multiple view modes in the IFIS accommodate different user types from general public to researchers and decision makers by providing different level of tools and details. River view mode allows users to visualize data from multiple IFC bridge sensors and USGS stream gauges to follow flooding condition along a river. The IFIS will help communities make better-informed decisions on the occurrence of floods, and will alert communities in advance to help minimize damage of floods.

The Value of Reliable Data: Interactive Data Tools from the National Comprehensive Center for Teacher Quality. Policy-to-Practice Brief. Number 1

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Comprehensive Center for Teacher Quality, 2008

2008-01-01

The National Comprehensive Center for Teacher Quality (TQ Center) designed the Interactive Data Tools to provide users with access to state and national data that can be helpful in assessing the qualifications of teachers in the states and the extent to which a state's teacher policy climate generally supports teacher quality. The Interactive Data…

Solar Irradiance Data Products at the LASP Interactive Solar IRradiance Datacenter (LISIRD)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lindholm, D. M.; Ware DeWolfe, A.; Wilson, A.; Pankratz, C. K.; Snow, M. A.; Woods, T. N.

2011-12-01

The Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) has developed the LASP Interactive Solar IRradiance Datacenter (LISIRD, http://lasp.colorado.edu/lisird/) web site to provide access to a comprehensive set of solar irradiance measurements and related datasets. Current data holdings include products from NASA missions SORCE, UARS, SME, and TIMED-SEE. The data provided covers a wavelength range from soft X-ray (XUV) at 0.1 nm up to the near infrared (NIR) at 2400 nm, as well as Total Solar Irradiance (TSI). Other datasets include solar indices, spectral and flare models, solar images, and more. The LISIRD web site features updated plotting, browsing, and download capabilities enabled by dygraphs, JavaScript, and Ajax calls to the LASP Time Series Server (LaTiS). In addition to the web browser interface, most of the LISIRD datasets can be accessed via the LaTiS web service interface that supports the OPeNDAP standard. OPeNDAP clients and other programming APIs are available for making requests that subset, aggregate, or filter data on the server before it is transported to the user. This poster provides an overview of the LISIRD system, summarizes the datasets currently available, and provides details on how to access solar irradiance data products through LISIRD's interfaces.

Patients’ Online Access to Their Primary Care Electronic Health Records and Linked Online Services: Implications for Research and Practice

PubMed Central

Mold, Freda; de Lusignan, Simon

2015-01-01

Online access to medical records and linked services, including requesting repeat prescriptions and booking appointments, enables patients to personalize their access to care. However, online access creates opportunities and challenges for both health professionals and their patients, in practices and in research. The challenges for practice are the impact of online services on workload and the quality and safety of health care. Health professionals are concerned about the impact on workload, especially from email or other online enquiry systems, as well as risks to privacy. Patients report how online access provides a convenient means through which to access their health provider and may offer greater satisfaction if they get a timely response from a clinician. Online access and services may also result in unforeseen consequences and may change the nature of the patient-clinician interaction. Research challenges include: (1) Ensuring privacy, including how to control inappropriate carer and guardian access to medical records; (2) Whether online access to records improves patient safety and health outcomes; (3) Whether record access increases disparities across social classes and between genders; and (4) Improving efficiency. The challenges for practice are: (1) How to incorporate online access into clinical workflow; (2) The need for a business model to fund the additional time taken. Creating a sustainable business model for a safe, private, informative, more equitable online service is needed if online access to records is to be provided outside of pay-for-service systems. PMID:26690225

Patients' Online Access to Their Primary Care Electronic Health Records and Linked Online Services: Implications for Research and Practice.

PubMed

Mold, Freda; de Lusignan, Simon

2015-12-04

Online access to medical records and linked services, including requesting repeat prescriptions and booking appointments, enables patients to personalize their access to care. However, online access creates opportunities and challenges for both health professionals and their patients, in practices and in research. The challenges for practice are the impact of online services on workload and the quality and safety of health care. Health professionals are concerned about the impact on workload, especially from email or other online enquiry systems, as well as risks to privacy. Patients report how online access provides a convenient means through which to access their health provider and may offer greater satisfaction if they get a timely response from a clinician. Online access and services may also result in unforeseen consequences and may change the nature of the patient-clinician interaction. Research challenges include: (1) Ensuring privacy, including how to control inappropriate carer and guardian access to medical records; (2) Whether online access to records improves patient safety and health outcomes; (3) Whether record access increases disparities across social classes and between genders; and (4) Improving efficiency. The challenges for practice are: (1) How to incorporate online access into clinical workflow; (2) The need for a business model to fund the additional time taken. Creating a sustainable business model for a safe, private, informative, more equitable online service is needed if online access to records is to be provided outside of pay-for-service systems.

Enriched Open Field Facilitates Exercise and Social Interaction in 2 Strains of Guinea Pigs (Cavia porcellus)

PubMed Central

Brewer, Jacob S; Bellinger, Seanceray A; Joshi, Prianca; Kleven, Gale A

2014-01-01

Current housing guidelines for laboratory rodents include recommendations for enrichment. Working with guinea pigs, we have developed an open-field enrichment paradigm that provides several aspects of this species’ natural environment. These naturalistic aspects include access to increased space for exploration, access to western timothy (Phleum pratense L.) hay, and grouping as a herd to facilitate social interaction. To determine the immediate effect on behavior from access to the enriched environment, female guinea pigs from 2 strains, IAF Hairless and NIH Hartley, were observed in both standard home cages and an open-field enriched environment. Subjects were housed with cagemates in pairs for the home-cage observation and were grouped as a herd when in the open-field arena. Behaviors were videorecorded for 1 h and then scored. Salivary cortisol levels were measured both prior to and immediately after behavioral observations. Analyses revealed higher levels of activity and social interaction in the open-field arena compared with the home cage, with no significant change in salivary cortisol levels. These results suggest that exposure to the open-field environment provide increased opportunities for exercise and social enrichment. Although additional studies are needed to determine long-term effects on experimental outcomes, the open-field configuration holds promise as a laboratory enrichment paradigm for guinea pigs. PMID:25199089

Enriched open field facilitates exercise and social interaction in 2 strains of guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus).

PubMed

Brewer, Jacob S; Bellinger, Seanceray A; Joshi, Prianca; Kleven, Gale A

2014-07-01

Current housing guidelines for laboratory rodents include recommendations for enrichment. Working with guinea pigs, we have developed an open-field enrichment paradigm that provides several aspects of this species' natural environment. These naturalistic aspects include access to increased space for exploration, access to western timothy (Phleum pratense L.) hay, and grouping as a herd to facilitate social interaction. To determine the immediate effect on behavior from access to the enriched environment, female guinea pigs from 2 strains, IAF Hairless and NIH Hartley, were observed in both standard home cages and an open-field enriched environment. Subjects were housed with cagemates in pairs for the home-cage observation and were grouped as a herd when in the open-field arena. Behaviors were videorecorded for 1 h and then scored. Salivary cortisol levels were measured both prior to and immediately after behavioral observations. Analyses revealed higher levels of activity and social interaction in the open-field arena compared with the home cage, with no significant change in salivary cortisol levels. These results suggest that exposure to the open-field environment provide increased opportunities for exercise and social enrichment. Although additional studies are needed to determine long-term effects on experimental outcomes, the open-field configuration holds promise as a laboratory enrichment paradigm for guinea pigs.

Game Theory .net.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shor, Mikhael

2003-01-01

States making game theory relevant and accessible to students is challenging. Describes the primary goal of GameTheory.net is to provide interactive teaching tools. Indicates the site strives to unite educators from economics, political and computer science, and ecology by providing a repository of lecture notes and tests for courses using…

Communication access to businesses and organizations for people with complex communication needs.

PubMed

Collier, Barbara; Blackstone, Sarah W; Taylor, Andrew

2012-12-01

Human rights legislation and anti-discrimination and accessibility laws exist in many countries and through international conventions and treaties. To varying degrees, these laws protect the rights of people with disabilities to full and equal access to goods and services. Yet, the accessibility requirements of people with complex communication needs (CCN) are not well represented in the existing accessibility literature. This article describes the results of surveys completed by disability service providers and individuals with CCN due to cerebral palsy, developmental delay, and acquired disabilities. It identifies accessibility requirements for people with CCN for face-to-face communication; comprehension of spoken language; telephone communication; text and print-based communication; Internet, email, and social media interactions; and written communication. Recommendations are made for communication accessibility accommodations in regulations, guidelines, and practices.

Effects of a Voice Output Communication Aid on Interactions between Support Personnel and an Individual with Multiple Disabilities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schepis, Maureen M.; Reid, Dennis H.

1995-01-01

A young adult with multiple disabilities (profound mental retardation, spastic quadriplegia, and visual impairment) was provided with a voice output communication aid (VOCA) which allowed communication through synthesized speech. Both educational and residential staff members interacted with the individual more frequently when she had access to…

Researching Online Foreign Language Interaction and Exchange: Theories, Methods and Challenges. Telecollaboration in Education. Volume 3

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dooly, Melinda; O'Dowd, Robert

2012-01-01

This book provides an accessible introduction to some of the methods and theoretical approaches for investigating foreign language (FL) interaction and exchange in online environments. Research approaches which can be applied to Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC) are outlined, followed by discussion of the way in which tools and techniques for…

User interaction with the LUCIFER control software

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knierim, Volker; Jütte, Marcus; Polsterer, Kai; Schimmelmann, Jan

2006-06-01

We present the concept and design of the interaction between users and the LUCIFER Control Software Package. The necessary functionality that must be provided to a user depends on and differs greatly for the different user types (i.e., engineers and observers). While engineers want total control over every service provided by the software system, observers are typically only interested in a fault tolerant and efficient user interface that helps them to carry out their observations in the best possible way during the night. To provide the functionality engineers need, direct access to a service is necessary. This may harbor a possible threat to the instrument in the case of a faulty operation by the engineer, but is the only way to test every unit during integration and commissioning of the instrument, and for service time later on. The observer on the other hand should only have indirect access to the instrument, controlled by an instrument manager service that ensures the necessary safety checks so that no harm can be done to the instrument. Our design of the user interaction provides such an approach on a level that is transparent to any interaction component regardless of interface type (i.e., textual or graphical). Using the interface and inheritance concepts of the Java Programming Language and its tools to create graphical user interfaces, it is possible to provide the necessary level of flexibility for the different user types on one side, while ensuring maximum reusability of code on the other side.

The NASA-GES-DISC Satellite Data/Products Access, Distribution, Services and Dissemination to Users

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vicente, Gilberto A.

2005-01-01

The NASA/GES/DISC/DAAC is a virtual data portal that provides convenient access to Atmospheric, Oceanic and Land datasets and value added products from various current NASA missions and instruments as well as heritage datasets from AIRS/AMSU/HSB, AVHRR, CZCS, LIMS, MODIS, MSU, OCTS, SeaWiFS, SORCE, SSI, TOMS, TOVS, UARS and TRMM. The GES-DISC-DAAC also provided a variety of services that allow users to analyze and visualize gridded data interactively online without having to download any data.

Interactive web-based mapping: bridging technology and data for health.

PubMed

Highfield, Linda; Arthasarnprasit, Jutas; Ottenweller, Cecelia A; Dasprez, Arnaud

2011-12-23

The Community Health Information System (CHIS) online mapping system was first launched in 1998. Its overarching goal was to provide researchers, residents and organizations access to health related data reflecting the overall health and well-being of their communities within the Greater Houston area. In September 2009, initial planning and development began for the next generation of CHIS. The overarching goal for the new version remained to make health data easily accessible for a wide variety of research audiences. However, in the new version we specifically sought to make the CHIS truly interactive and give the user more control over data selection and reporting. In July 2011, a beta version of the next-generation of the application was launched. This next-generation is also a web based interactive mapping tool comprised of two distinct portals: the Breast Health Portal and Project Safety Net. Both are accessed via a Google mapping interface. Geographic coverage for the portals is currently an 8 county region centered on Harris County, Texas. Data accessed by the application include Census 2000, Census 2010 (underway), cancer incidence from the Texas Cancer Registry (TX Dept. of State Health Services), death data from Texas Vital Statistics, clinic locations for free and low-cost health services, along with service lists, hours of operation, payment options and languages spoken, uninsured and poverty data. The system features query on the fly technology, which means the data is not generated until the query is provided to the system. This allows users to interact in real-time with the databases and generate customized reports and maps. To the author's knowledge, the Breast Health Portal and Project Safety Net are the first local-scale interactive online mapping interfaces for public health data which allow users to control the data generated. For example, users may generate breast cancer incidence rates by Census tract, in real time, for women aged 40-64. Conversely, they could then generate the same rates for women aged 35-55. The queries are user controlled.

Interactive, open source, travel time scenario modelling: tools to facilitate participation in health service access analysis.

PubMed

Fisher, Rohan; Lassa, Jonatan

2017-04-18

Modelling travel time to services has become a common public health tool for planning service provision but the usefulness of these analyses is constrained by the availability of accurate input data and limitations inherent in the assumptions and parameterisation. This is particularly an issue in the developing world where access to basic data is limited and travel is often complex and multi-modal. Improving the accuracy and relevance in this context requires greater accessibility to, and flexibility in, travel time modelling tools to facilitate the incorporation of local knowledge and the rapid exploration of multiple travel scenarios. The aim of this work was to develop simple open source, adaptable, interactive travel time modelling tools to allow greater access to and participation in service access analysis. Described are three interconnected applications designed to reduce some of the barriers to the more wide-spread use of GIS analysis of service access and allow for complex spatial and temporal variations in service availability. These applications are an open source GIS tool-kit and two geo-simulation models. The development of these tools was guided by health service issues from a developing world context but they present a general approach to enabling greater access to and flexibility in health access modelling. The tools demonstrate a method that substantially simplifies the process for conducting travel time assessments and demonstrate a dynamic, interactive approach in an open source GIS format. In addition this paper provides examples from empirical experience where these tools have informed better policy and planning. Travel and health service access is complex and cannot be reduced to a few static modeled outputs. The approaches described in this paper use a unique set of tools to explore this complexity, promote discussion and build understanding with the goal of producing better planning outcomes. The accessible, flexible, interactive and responsive nature of the applications described has the potential to allow complex environmental social and political considerations to be incorporated and visualised. Through supporting evidence-based planning the innovative modelling practices described have the potential to help local health and emergency response planning in the developing world.

Optional anatomy and physiology e-learning resources: student access, learning approaches, and academic outcomes.

PubMed

Guy, Richard; Byrne, Bruce; Dobos, Marian

2018-03-01

Anatomy and physiology interactive video clips were introduced into a blended learning environment, as an optional resource, and were accessed by ~50% of the cohort. Student feedback indicated that clips were engaging, assisted understanding of course content, and provided lecture support. Students could also access two other optional online resources, lecture capture recordings and an interactive atlas of anatomy, and individuals were tracked with respect to their access behavior, learning approach, and subject score. Deep learning was highest among those accessing the clips or atlas or those accessing more online resources, and thus self-regulatory skill development might be a useful approach to increase student access to optional online resources. Those who accessed clips, lecture capture recordings, or atlas achieved a significantly higher subject score than those who did not. When combinations of resources used were considered, we found an approximately linear relationship between number of resources accessed and subject score, with a 16% difference in score between those who accessed none or all of the resources. However, the low resource access rate suggests that academic advantage may not be simply due to the learning support offered by the resources. As students accessing the optional resources tended to be more self-regulated, it may be that it was the extra effort made with respect to other subject resources, rather than just the access to the online resources, that contributed to higher subject score. Further studies are required to establish the relationships between academic performance, optional online resource access, and deep learning.

Niche construction initiates the evolution of mutualistic interactions.

PubMed

Buser, Claudia C; Newcomb, Richard D; Gaskett, Anne C; Goddard, Matthew R

2014-10-01

Niche construction theory explains how organisms' niche modifications may feed back to affect their evolutionary trajectories. In theory, the evolution of other species accessing the same modified niche may also be affected. We propose that this niche construction may be a general mechanism driving the evolution of mutualisms. Drosophilid flies benefit from accessing yeast-infested fruits, but the consequences of this interaction for yeasts are unknown. We reveal high levels of variation among strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae in their ability to modify fruits and attract Drosophila simulans. More attractive yeasts are dispersed more frequently, both in the lab and in the field, and flies associated with more attractive yeasts have higher fecundity. Although there may be multiple natural yeast and fly species interactions, our controlled assays in the lab and field provide evidence of a mutualistic interaction, facilitated by the yeast's niche modification. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd/CNRS.

Planetary Surface Visualization and Analytics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Law, E. S.; Solar System Treks Team

2018-04-01

An introduction and update of the Solar System Treks Project which provides a suite of interactive visualization and analysis tools to enable users (engineers, scientists, public) to access large amounts of mapped planetary data products.

Public access management as an adaptive wildlife management tool

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ouren, Douglas S.; Watts, Raymond D.

2005-01-01

One key issue in the Black Mesa – Black Canyon area is the interaction between motorized vehicles and. The working hypothesis for this study is that early season elk movement onto private lands and the National Park is precipitated by increased use of Off Highway Vehicles (OHV’s). Data on intensity of motorized use is extremely limited. In this study, we monitor intensity of motorized vehicle and trail use on elk movements and habitat usage and analyze interactions. If management agencies decide to alter accessibility, we will monitor wildlife responses to changes in the human-use regime. This provides a unique opportunity for adaptive management experimentation based on coordinated research and monitoring. The products from this project will provide natural resource managers across the nation with tools and information to better meet these resource challenges.

Intersectionality and the LGBT Cancer Patient.

PubMed

Damaskos, Penny; Amaya, Beau; Gordon, RuthAnn; Walters, Chasity Burrows

2018-02-01

To present the ways in which race, ethnicity, class, gender, and sexual orientation interact in the context of cancer risk, access to care, and treatment by health care providers. Cancer risk factors, access to care, and treatment for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) patients are discussed within the context of intersectionality and cultural humility. Peer reviewed articles, cancer organizations, and clinical practice. LGBT patients have multiple identities that intersect to create unique experiences. These experiences shape their interactions with the health care system with the potential for positive or negative consequences. More data is needed to describe the outcomes of those experiences and inform clinical practice. Oncology nurses have an obligation to acknowledge patients' multiple identities and use the practice of cultural humility to provide individualized, patient-centered care. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Digital Repository and Execution Platform for Interactive Scholarly Publications in Neuroscience.

PubMed

Hodge, Victoria; Jessop, Mark; Fletcher, Martyn; Weeks, Michael; Turner, Aaron; Jackson, Tom; Ingram, Colin; Smith, Leslie; Austin, Jim

2016-01-01

The CARMEN Virtual Laboratory (VL) is a cloud-based platform which allows neuroscientists to store, share, develop, execute, reproduce and publicise their work. This paper describes new functionality in the CARMEN VL: an interactive publications repository. This new facility allows users to link data and software to publications. This enables other users to examine data and software associated with the publication and execute the associated software within the VL using the same data as the authors used in the publication. The cloud-based architecture and SaaS (Software as a Service) framework allows vast data sets to be uploaded and analysed using software services. Thus, this new interactive publications facility allows others to build on research results through reuse. This aligns with recent developments by funding agencies, institutions, and publishers with a move to open access research. Open access provides reproducibility and verification of research resources and results. Publications and their associated data and software will be assured of long-term preservation and curation in the repository. Further, analysing research data and the evaluations described in publications frequently requires a number of execution stages many of which are iterative. The VL provides a scientific workflow environment to combine software services into a processing tree. These workflows can also be associated with publications and executed by users. The VL also provides a secure environment where users can decide the access rights for each resource to ensure copyright and privacy restrictions are met.

Models and Methodologies for Multimedia Courseware Production.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barker, Philip; Giller, Susan

Many new technologies are now available for delivering and/or providing access to computer-based learning (CBL) materials. These technologies vary in sophistication in many important ways, depending upon the bandwidth that they provide, the interactivity that they offer and the types of end-user connectivity that they support.Invariably,…

Beyond access: a case study on the intersection between accessibility, sustainability, and universal design.

PubMed

Gossett, Andrea; Mirza, Mansha; Barnds, Ann Kathleen; Feidt, Daisy

2009-11-01

A growing emphasis has been placed on providing equal opportunities for all people, particularly people with disabilities, to support participation. Barriers to participation are represented in part by physical space restrictions. This article explores the decision-making process during the construction of a new office building housing a disability-rights organization. The building project featured in this study was developed on the principles of universal design, maximal accessibility, and sustainability to support access and participation. A qualitative case study approach was used involving collection of data through in-depth interviews with key decision-makers; non-participant observations at design meetings; and on-site tours. Qualitative thematic analysis along with the development of a classification system was used to understand specific building elements and the relevant decision processes from which they resulted. Recording and analyzing the design process revealed several key issues including grassroots involvement of stakeholders; interaction between universal design and sustainable design; addressing diversity through flexibility and universality; and segregationist accessibility versus universal design. This case study revealed complex interactions between accessibility, universal design, and sustainability. Two visual models were proposed to understand and analyze these complexities.

Nutrient demand and fungal access to resources control the carbon allocation to the symbiotic partners in tripartite interactions of Medicago truncatula.

PubMed

Kafle, Arjun; Garcia, Kevin; Wang, Xiurong; Pfeffer, Philip E; Strahan, Gary D; Bücking, Heike

2018-06-02

Legumes form tripartite interactions with arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi and rhizobia, and both root symbionts exchange nutrients against carbon from their host. The carbon costs of these interactions are substantial, but our current understanding of how the host controls its carbon allocation to individual root symbionts is limited. We examined nutrient uptake and carbon allocation in tripartite interactions of Medicago truncatula under different nutrient supply conditions, and when the fungal partner had access to nitrogen, and followed the gene expression of several plant transporters of the SUT and SWEET family. Tripartite interactions led to synergistic growth responses and stimulated the phosphate and nitrogen uptake of the plant. Plant nutrient demand but also fungal access to nutrients played an important role for the carbon transport to different root symbionts, and the plant allocated more carbon to rhizobia under nitrogen demand, but more carbon to the fungal partner when nitrogen was available. These changes in carbon allocation were consistent with changes in the SUT and SWEET expression. Our study provides important insights into how the host plant controls its carbon allocation under different nutrient supply conditions and changes its carbon allocation to different root symbionts to maximize its symbiotic benefits. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Nuclear data made easily accessible through the Notre Dame Nuclear Database

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khouw, Timothy; Lee, Kevin; Fasano, Patrick; Mumpower, Matthew; Aprahamian, Ani

2014-09-01

In 1994, the NNDC revolutionized nuclear research by providing a colorful, clickable, searchable database over the internet. Over the last twenty years, web technology has evolved dramatically. Our project, the Notre Dame Nuclear Database, aims to provide a more comprehensive and broadly searchable interactive body of data. The database can be searched by an array of filters which includes metadata such as the facility where a measurement is made, the author(s), or date of publication for the datum of interest. The user interface takes full advantage of HTML, a web markup language, CSS (cascading style sheets to define the aesthetics of the website), and JavaScript, a language that can process complex data. A command-line interface is supported that interacts with the database directly on a user's local machine which provides single command access to data. This is possible through the use of a standardized API (application programming interface) that relies upon well-defined filtering variables to produce customized search results. We offer an innovative chart of nuclides utilizing scalable vector graphics (SVG) to deliver users an unsurpassed level of interactivity supported on all computers and mobile devices. We will present a functional demo of our database at the conference.

Novel Web-based Education Platforms for Information Communication utilizing Gamification, Virtual and Immersive Reality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Demir, I.

2015-12-01

Recent developments in internet technologies make it possible to manage and visualize large data on the web. Novel visualization techniques and interactive user interfaces allow users to create realistic environments, and interact with data to gain insight from simulations and environmental observations. This presentation showcase information communication interfaces, games, and virtual and immersive reality applications for supporting teaching and learning of concepts in atmospheric and hydrological sciences. The information communication platforms utilizes latest web technologies and allow accessing and visualizing large scale data on the web. The simulation system is a web-based 3D interactive learning environment for teaching hydrological and atmospheric processes and concepts. The simulation systems provides a visually striking platform with realistic terrain and weather information, and water simulation. The web-based simulation system provides an environment for students to learn about the earth science processes, and effects of development and human activity on the terrain. Users can access the system in three visualization modes including virtual reality, augmented reality, and immersive reality using heads-up display. The system provides various scenarios customized to fit the age and education level of various users.

The Biomolecular Interaction Network Database and related tools 2005 update

PubMed Central

Alfarano, C.; Andrade, C. E.; Anthony, K.; Bahroos, N.; Bajec, M.; Bantoft, K.; Betel, D.; Bobechko, B.; Boutilier, K.; Burgess, E.; Buzadzija, K.; Cavero, R.; D'Abreo, C.; Donaldson, I.; Dorairajoo, D.; Dumontier, M. J.; Dumontier, M. R.; Earles, V.; Farrall, R.; Feldman, H.; Garderman, E.; Gong, Y.; Gonzaga, R.; Grytsan, V.; Gryz, E.; Gu, V.; Haldorsen, E.; Halupa, A.; Haw, R.; Hrvojic, A.; Hurrell, L.; Isserlin, R.; Jack, F.; Juma, F.; Khan, A.; Kon, T.; Konopinsky, S.; Le, V.; Lee, E.; Ling, S.; Magidin, M.; Moniakis, J.; Montojo, J.; Moore, S.; Muskat, B.; Ng, I.; Paraiso, J. P.; Parker, B.; Pintilie, G.; Pirone, R.; Salama, J. J.; Sgro, S.; Shan, T.; Shu, Y.; Siew, J.; Skinner, D.; Snyder, K.; Stasiuk, R.; Strumpf, D.; Tuekam, B.; Tao, S.; Wang, Z.; White, M.; Willis, R.; Wolting, C.; Wong, S.; Wrong, A.; Xin, C.; Yao, R.; Yates, B.; Zhang, S.; Zheng, K.; Pawson, T.; Ouellette, B. F. F.; Hogue, C. W. V.

2005-01-01

The Biomolecular Interaction Network Database (BIND) (http://bind.ca) archives biomolecular interaction, reaction, complex and pathway information. Our aim is to curate the details about molecular interactions that arise from published experimental research and to provide this information, as well as tools to enable data analysis, freely to researchers worldwide. BIND data are curated into a comprehensive machine-readable archive of computable information and provides users with methods to discover interactions and molecular mechanisms. BIND has worked to develop new methods for visualization that amplify the underlying annotation of genes and proteins to facilitate the study of molecular interaction networks. BIND has maintained an open database policy since its inception in 1999. Data growth has proceeded at a tremendous rate, approaching over 100 000 records. New services provided include a new BIND Query and Submission interface, a Standard Object Access Protocol service and the Small Molecule Interaction Database (http://smid.blueprint.org) that allows users to determine probable small molecule binding sites of new sequences and examine conserved binding residues. PMID:15608229

Digital Equipment Corporation VAX/VMS Version 4.3

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-07-30

operating system performs process-oriented paging that allows execution of programs that may be larger than the physical memory allocated to them... to higher privileged modes. (For an explanation of how the four access modes provide memory access protection see page 9, "Memory Management".) A... to optimize program performance for real-time applications or interactive environments. July 30, 1986 - 4 - Final Evaluation Report Digital VAX/VMS

Insurance Type and Access to Health Care Providers and Appointments Under the Affordable Care Act.

PubMed

Alcalá, Héctor E; Roby, Dylan H; Grande, David T; McKenna, Ryan M; Ortega, Alexander N

2018-02-01

Millions of adults have gained insurance through the Affordable Care Act (ACA). However, disparities in access to care persist. This study examined differences in access to primary and specialty care among patients insured by private individual market insurance plans (both on-exchange and off-exchange) and Medicaid compared with those with employer-sponsored insurance. Using data from the 2014 and 2015 California Health Interview Survey, logistic regression analyses were used to calculate the odds of being unable to access primary care providers, access specialty care providers and receive a needed doctor's appointment in a timely manner, with insurance type serving as the independent variable. Interaction terms examined if the expiration of the ACA's optional Medicaid primary care fee increase in 2014 modified any of these associations. Findings showed poorer access to providers among those insured through Medicaid and the individual market (whether purchased through the state's health insurance exchange or off-exchange) relative to employer-based insurance. Poor access to primary care providers was seen among private coverage purchased via exchanges, relative to private coverage purchased on the individual market. In addition, findings showed that reduction of Medicaid fees coincided with reduced ability to see primary care providers. However, a similar trend was seen among those with employer-based coverage, which suggests that this change may not be attributable to reductions in Medicaid fees. Despite ACA-related gains in insurance coverage, those with on-exchange and off-exchange individual private insurance plans and Medicaid encounter more barriers to care than those with employer-based insurance.

SEER*Explorer

Cancer.gov

This interactive website provides access to cancer statistics (rates and trends) for a cancer site by gender, race, calendar year, stage, and histology. Users can create custom graphs and tables, download data and images, download SEER*Stat sessions, and share results.

An Investigation into Digital Media: Characteristics of Learning Objects Which K-12 Teachers Determine Meet Their Instructional Needs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guthrie, Patricia Ann

2010-01-01

In recent years, learning objects have emerged as an instructional tool for teachers. Digital libraries and collections provide teachers with free or fee-base access to a variety of learning objects from photos and famous speeches to Flash animations and interactive Java Applets. Learning objects offer opportunities for students to interact with…

Development of an Innovative Interactive Virtual Classroom System for K-12 Education Using Google App Engine

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mumba, Frackson; Zhu, Mengxia

2013-01-01

This paper presents a Simulation-based interactive Virtual ClassRoom web system (SVCR: www.vclasie.com) powered by the state-of-the-art cloud computing technology from Google SVCR integrates popular free open-source math, science and engineering simulations and provides functions such as secure user access control and management of courses,…

EntrezAJAX: direct web browser access to the Entrez Programming Utilities

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Web applications for biology and medicine often need to integrate data from Entrez services provided by the National Center for Biotechnology Information. However, direct access to Entrez from a web browser is not possible due to 'same-origin' security restrictions. The use of "Asynchronous JavaScript and XML" (AJAX) to create rich, interactive web applications is now commonplace. The ability to access Entrez via AJAX would be advantageous in the creation of integrated biomedical web resources. We describe EntrezAJAX, which provides access to Entrez eUtils and is able to circumvent same-origin browser restrictions. EntrezAJAX is easily implemented by JavaScript developers and provides identical functionality as Entrez eUtils as well as enhanced functionality to ease development. We provide easy-to-understand developer examples written in JavaScript to illustrate potential uses of this service. For the purposes of speed, reliability and scalability, EntrezAJAX has been deployed on Google App Engine, a freely available cloud service. The EntrezAJAX webpage is located at http://entrezajax.appspot.com/ PMID:20565938

End User Evaluations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jay, Caroline; Lunn, Darren; Michailidou, Eleni

As new technologies emerge, and Web sites become increasingly sophisticated, ensuring they remain accessible to disabled and small-screen users is a major challenge. While guidelines and automated evaluation tools are useful for informing some aspects of Web site design, numerous studies have demonstrated that they provide no guarantee that the site is genuinely accessible. The only reliable way to evaluate the accessibility of a site is to study the intended users interacting with it. This chapter outlines the processes that can be used throughout the design life cycle to ensure Web accessibility, describing their strengths and weaknesses, and discussing the practical and ethical considerations that they entail. The chapter also considers an important emerging trend in user evaluations: combining data from studies of “standard” Web use with data describing existing accessibility issues, to drive accessibility solutions forward.

Physical and Visual Accessibilities in Intensive Care Units: A Comparative Study of Open-Plan and Racetrack Units.

PubMed

Rashid, Mahbub; Khan, Nayma; Jones, Belinda

2016-01-01

This study compared physical and visual accessibilities and their associations with staff perception and interaction behaviors in 2 intensive care units (ICUs) with open-plan and racetrack layouts. For the study, physical and visual accessibilities were measured using the spatial analysis techniques of Space Syntax. Data on staff perception were collected from 81 clinicians using a questionnaire survey. The locations of 2233 interactions, and the location and length of another 339 interactions in these units were collected using systematic field observation techniques. According to the study, physical and visual accessibilities were different in the 2 ICUs, and clinicians' primary workspaces were physically and visually more accessible in the open-plan ICU. Physical and visual accessibilities affected how well clinicians' knew their peers and where their peers were located in these units. Physical and visual accessibilities also affected clinicians' perception of interaction and communication and of teamwork and collaboration in these units. Additionally, physical and visual accessibilities showed significant positive associations with interaction behaviors in these units, with the open-plan ICU showing stronger associations. However, physical accessibilities were less important than visual accessibilities in relation to interaction behaviors in these ICUs. The implications of these findings for ICU design are discussed.

Design strategies and functionality of the Visual Interface for Virtual Interaction Development (VIVID) tool

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nguyen, Lac; Kenney, Patrick J.

1993-01-01

Development of interactive virtual environments (VE) has typically consisted of three primary activities: model (object) development, model relationship tree development, and environment behavior definition and coding. The model and relationship tree development activities are accomplished with a variety of well-established graphic library (GL) based programs - most utilizing graphical user interfaces (GUI) with point-and-click interactions. Because of this GUI format, little programming expertise on the part of the developer is necessary to create the 3D graphical models or to establish interrelationships between the models. However, the third VE development activity, environment behavior definition and coding, has generally required the greatest amount of time and programmer expertise. Behaviors, characteristics, and interactions between objects and the user within a VE must be defined via command line C coding prior to rendering the environment scenes. In an effort to simplify this environment behavior definition phase for non-programmers, and to provide easy access to model and tree tools, a graphical interface and development tool has been created. The principal thrust of this research is to effect rapid development and prototyping of virtual environments. This presentation will discuss the 'Visual Interface for Virtual Interaction Development' (VIVID) tool; an X-Windows based system employing drop-down menus for user selection of program access, models, and trees, behavior editing, and code generation. Examples of these selection will be highlighted in this presentation, as will the currently available program interfaces. The functionality of this tool allows non-programming users access to all facets of VE development while providing experienced programmers with a collection of pre-coded behaviors. In conjunction with its existing, interfaces and predefined suite of behaviors, future development plans for VIVID will be described. These include incorporation of dual user virtual environment enhancements, tool expansion, and additional behaviors.

Online English Language Learning: Theory-Based Course Design and Pedagogy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Andrade, Maureen Snow

2017-01-01

The demand for higher education is increasing worldwide. To meet this demand, and to provide increased access, flexible forms of delivery are needed. Although online courses are criticized for a lack of interaction, when intentionally designed, they can provide learners with opportunities for collaboration that supports the achievement of desired…

GenomicDataCommonsNewsNote

Cancer.gov

NCI is establishing the Genomic Data Commons to store, analyze and distribute cancer genomics data generated by NCI and other research organizations. The GDC will provide an interactive system for researchers to access data, with the goal of advancing the

Open-access and multi-directional electroosmotic flow chip for positioning heterotypic cells.

PubMed

Terao, Kyohei; Kitazawa, Yuko; Yokokawa, Ryuji; Okonogi, Atsuhito; Kotera, Hidetoshi

2011-04-21

We propose a novel method of cell positioning using electroosmotic flow (EOF) to analyze cell-cell interactions. The EOF chip has an open-to-air configuration, is equipped with four electrodes to induce multi-directional EOF, and allows access of tools for liquid handling and of physical probes for cell measurements. Evaluation of the flow within this chip indicated that it controlled hydrodynamic transport of cells, in terms of both speed and direction. We also evaluated cell viability after EOF application and determined appropriate conditions for cell positioning. Two cells were successively positioned in pocket-like microstructures, one in each micropocket, by controlling the EOF direction. As an experimental demonstration, we observed contact interactions between two individual cells through gap junction channels. The EOF chip should provide ways to elucidate various cell-cell interactions between heterotypic cells.

Federal Investments to Eliminate Racial/Ethnic Health-Care Disparities

PubMed Central

Freeman, William

2014-01-01

Health care is an important lever for moderating the effects of social determinants on health. We present a model that describes the relationships among social disadvantage, health-care disparities, and health disparities. Improving access to health care and enhancing patient-provider interaction are critical pathways for reducing disparities. Increasing the diversity of the public health and health-care workforces is an efficient strategy for reducing disparities because it impacts both access to care and patient-provider communication. Federal policy makers should continue interest in workforce diversity to optimize the health of all Americans. PMID:24385667

Sci-Hub provides access to nearly all scholarly literature

PubMed Central

Romero, Ariel Rodriguez; Levernier, Jacob G; Munro, Thomas Anthony; McLaughlin, Stephen Reid; Greshake Tzovaras, Bastian

2018-01-01

The website Sci-Hub enables users to download PDF versions of scholarly articles, including many articles that are paywalled at their journal’s site. Sci-Hub has grown rapidly since its creation in 2011, but the extent of its coverage has been unclear. Here we report that, as of March 2017, Sci-Hub’s database contains 68.9% of the 81.6 million scholarly articles registered with Crossref and 85.1% of articles published in toll access journals. We find that coverage varies by discipline and publisher, and that Sci-Hub preferentially covers popular, paywalled content. For toll access articles, we find that Sci-Hub provides greater coverage than the University of Pennsylvania, a major research university in the United States. Green open access to toll access articles via licit services, on the other hand, remains quite limited. Our interactive browser at https://greenelab.github.io/scihub allows users to explore these findings in more detail. For the first time, nearly all scholarly literature is available gratis to anyone with an Internet connection, suggesting the toll access business model may become unsustainable. PMID:29424689

User-Centered Indexing for Adaptive Information Access

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, James R.; Mathe, Nathalie

1996-01-01

We are focusing on information access tasks characterized by large volume of hypermedia connected technical documents, a need for rapid and effective access to familiar information, and long-term interaction with evolving information. The problem for technical users is to build and maintain a personalized task-oriented model of the information to quickly access relevant information. We propose a solution which provides user-centered adaptive information retrieval and navigation. This solution supports users in customizing information access over time. It is complementary to information discovery methods which provide access to new information, since it lets users customize future access to previously found information. It relies on a technique, called Adaptive Relevance Network, which creates and maintains a complex indexing structure to represent personal user's information access maps organized by concepts. This technique is integrated within the Adaptive HyperMan system, which helps NASA Space Shuttle flight controllers organize and access large amount of information. It allows users to select and mark any part of a document as interesting, and to index that part with user-defined concepts. Users can then do subsequent retrieval of marked portions of documents. This functionality allows users to define and access personal collections of information, which are dynamically computed. The system also supports collaborative review by letting users share group access maps. The adaptive relevance network provides long-term adaptation based both on usage and on explicit user input. The indexing structure is dynamic and evolves over time. Leading and generalization support flexible retrieval of information under similar concepts. The network is geared towards more recent information access, and automatically manages its size in order to maintain rapid access when scaling up to large hypermedia space. We present results of simulated learning experiments.

Use of an electronic patient portal among the chronically ill: an observational study.

PubMed

Riippa, Iiris; Linna, Miika; Rönkkö, Ilona; Kröger, Virpi

2014-12-08

Electronic patient portals may enhance effective interaction between the patient and the health care provider. To grasp the full potential of patient portals, health care providers need more knowledge on which patient groups prefer electronic services and how patients should be served through this channel. The objective of this study was to assess how chronically ill patients' state of health, comorbidities, and previous care are associated with their adoption and use of a patient portal. A total of 222 chronically ill patients, who were offered access to a patient portal with their health records and secure messaging with care professionals, were included in the study. Differences in the characteristics of non-users, viewers, and interactive users of the patient portal were analyzed before access to the portal. Patients' age, gender, diagnoses, levels of the relevant physiological measurements, health care contacts, and received physiological measurements were collected from the care provider's electronic health record. In addition, patient-reported health and patient activation were assessed by a survey. Despite the broad range of measures used to indicate the patients' state of health, the portal user groups differed only in their recorded diagnosis for hypertension, which was most common in the non-user group. However, there were significant differences in the amount of care received during the year before access to the portal. The non-user group had more nurse visits and more measurements of relevant physiological outcomes than viewers and interactive users. They also had fewer referrals to specialized care during the year before access to the portal than the two other groups. The viewers and the interactive users differed from each other significantly in the number of nurse calls received, the interactive users having more calls than the viewers. No significant differences in age, gender, or patient activation were detected between the user groups. Previous care received by the patient is an important predictor for the use of a patient portal. In a group of patients with a similar disease burden, demand for different types of health services and preferences related to the service channel seem to contribute to the choice to use the patient portal. Further research on patient portal functionalities and their potential to meet patient needs by complementing or substituting for traditional health care services is suggested.

Hazards Data Distribution System (HDDS)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jones, Brenda; Lamb, Rynn M.

2015-07-09

When emergencies occur, first responders and disaster response teams often need rapid access to aerial photography and satellite imagery that is acquired before and after the event. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Hazards Data Distribution System (HDDS) provides quick and easy access to pre- and post-event imagery and geospatial datasets that support emergency response and recovery operations. The HDDS provides a single, consolidated point-of-entry and distribution system for USGS-hosted remotely sensed imagery and other geospatial datasets related to an event response. The data delivery services are provided through an interactive map-based interface that allows emergency response personnel to rapidly select and download pre-event ("baseline") and post-event emergency response imagery.

Lunar and Vesta Web Portals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Law, E.; JPL Luna Mapping; Modeling Project Team

2015-06-01

The Lunar Mapping and Modeling Project offers Lunar Mapping and Modeling Portal (http://lmmp.nasa.gov) and Vesta Trek Portal (http://vestatrek.jpl.nasa.gov) providing interactive visualization and analysis tools to enable users to access mapped Lunar and Vesta data products.

Survey of Canadian Myotonic Dystrophy Patients' Access to Computer Technology.

PubMed

Climans, Seth A; Piechowicz, Christine; Koopman, Wilma J; Venance, Shannon L

2017-09-01

Myotonic dystrophy type 1 is an autosomal dominant condition affecting distal hand strength, energy, and cognition. Increasingly, patients and families are seeking information online. An online neuromuscular patient portal under development can help patients access resources and interact with each other regardless of location. It is unknown how individuals living with myotonic dystrophy interact with technology and whether barriers to access exist. We aimed to characterize technology use among participants with myotonic dystrophy and to determine whether there is interest in a patient portal. Surveys were mailed to 156 participants with myotonic dystrophy type 1 registered with the Canadian Neuromuscular Disease Registry. Seventy-five participants (60% female) responded; almost half were younger than 46 years. Most (84%) used the internet; almost half of the responders (47%) used social media. The complexity and cost of technology were commonly cited reasons not to use technology. The majority of responders (76%) were interested in a myotonic dystrophy patient portal. Patients in a Canada-wide registry of myotonic dystrophy have access to and use technology such as computers and mobile phones. These patients expressed interest in a portal that would provide them with an opportunity to network with others with myotonic dystrophy and to access information about the disease.

Associations Between Neighborhood Social Capital, Health Literacy, and Self-Rated Health Among People With Chronic Illness.

PubMed

Waverijn, Geeke; Heijmans, Monique; Spreeuwenberg, Peter; Groenewegen, Peter P

2016-01-01

Health literacy skills are important for health and self-management for people with chronic illness. Neighborhood social capital can provide resources, such as access to information and informal social control over unhealthy behavior. The benefit of these resources, and the access people have to these resources, might depend on levels of health literacy. We investigated whether neighborhood social capital is differentially related to the health of people with chronic illness according to health literacy skills. This study focused on health literacy skills in 4 domains related to the ability to access and understand health information and to the ability to perform self-management. We found a significant positive interaction between social capital and health literacy skills for accessing and understanding health information. This suggests that health literacy enhances people's ability to gain access to and use neighborhood resources to benefit health. There was no interaction effect between social capital and health literacy skills in the other 2 domains. More research is needed to investigate how people with chronic illness can benefit from knowledge, support, and other social resources for health and self-management also whether they have limited health literacy skills.

SNAPPI-DB: a database and API of Structures, iNterfaces and Alignments for Protein–Protein Interactions

PubMed Central

Jefferson, Emily R.; Walsh, Thomas P.; Roberts, Timothy J.; Barton, Geoffrey J.

2007-01-01

SNAPPI-DB, a high performance database of Structures, iNterfaces and Alignments of Protein–Protein Interactions, and its associated Java Application Programming Interface (API) is described. SNAPPI-DB contains structural data, down to the level of atom co-ordinates, for each structure in the Protein Data Bank (PDB) together with associated data including SCOP, CATH, Pfam, SWISSPROT, InterPro, GO terms, Protein Quaternary Structures (PQS) and secondary structure information. Domain–domain interactions are stored for multiple domain definitions and are classified by their Superfamily/Family pair and interaction interface. Each set of classified domain–domain interactions has an associated multiple structure alignment for each partner. The API facilitates data access via PDB entries, domains and domain–domain interactions. Rapid development, fast database access and the ability to perform advanced queries without the requirement for complex SQL statements are provided via an object oriented database and the Java Data Objects (JDO) API. SNAPPI-DB contains many features which are not available in other databases of structural protein–protein interactions. It has been applied in three studies on the properties of protein–protein interactions and is currently being employed to train a protein–protein interaction predictor and a functional residue predictor. The database, API and manual are available for download at: . PMID:17202171

An Interactive Videodisc Program To Evaluate and Train Job-Related Math Skills for Transition. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harris, Carolyn DeMeyer; And Others

The project designed and developed a videodisc package that provides both assessment and related instruction programs for job-related mathematics problem solving, using simulations to provide direct access to vocational situations. The materials are intended to meet the needs of youth and young adults with mild mental handicaps in transition from…

A Digital Broadcast Item (DBI) enabling metadata repository for digital, interactive television (digiTV) feedback channel networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lugmayr, Artur R.; Mailaparampil, Anurag; Tico, Florina; Kalli, Seppo; Creutzburg, Reiner

2003-01-01

Digital television (digiTV) is an additional multimedia environment, where metadata is one key element for the description of arbitrary content. This implies adequate structures for content description, which is provided by XML metadata schemes (e.g. MPEG-7, MPEG-21). Content and metadata management is the task of a multimedia repository, from which digiTV clients - equipped with an Internet connection - can access rich additional multimedia types over an "All-HTTP" protocol layer. Within this research work, we focus on conceptual design issues of a metadata repository for the storage of metadata, accessible from the feedback channel of a local set-top box. Our concept describes the whole heterogeneous life-cycle chain of XML metadata from the service provider to the digiTV equipment, device independent representation of content, accessing and querying the metadata repository, management of metadata related to digiTV, and interconnection of basic system components (http front-end, relational database system, and servlet container). We present our conceptual test configuration of a metadata repository that is aimed at a real-world deployment, done within the scope of the future interaction (fiTV) project at the Digital Media Institute (DMI) Tampere (www.futureinteraction.tv).

An Image Understanding Environment for DARPA Supported Research and Applications, Second Annual Report

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-05-01

relatively independent of the 29 30 Basic Objects Support Objects GUI Access Objects Displays Display Mapping Menues Pixel Snapshot Gizmos /Widgets...a user interactively or set from some gizmo /widget, or that a particular browser field is to be updated when some state occurs or a process completes...also want to distinguish tree graph browsers.] 4.3.2 Simplified access to GUI objects "* Gizmos and Widgets: The IUE should provide simplified

A study of the use of a social media learning tool in a face-to-face college biology class

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grasso, SandraJean M.

This study endeavors to elucidate how students are using the social media tool, Piazza, in their study of biology and which aspects do they find most valuable. Student perceptions of factors contributing to a community of practice through the use of Piazza were also explored. Students used Piazza primarily to communicate online with their classmates on both conceptual and administrative issues. Student use of Piazza varied according to the needs of the student with the majority of students accessing the site at least once a week. Students highly valued the ability to read posts left by other students to clarify questions. They especially appreciated the 24/7 online access of the site. Another dimension of accessibility that the students cited was that they often found explanations provided by peers easier to understand and therefore more accessible than from content experts. Students tended to post questions anonymously, however reported a strong sense of community although not a true sense of collaboration. Students took from the interactions what they individually needed even if it was a different way of looking at content, or finding out how a lab report needed to be formatted while still maintaining a sense of "being in this together". Social media allows for interactivity and content creation although most students in this study participated primarily as observers. Recommendations and suggestions for further study were provided.

Relevant interactions of antimicrobial iron chelators and membrane models revealed by nuclear magnetic resonance and molecular dynamics simulations.

PubMed

Coimbra, João T S; Moniz, Tânia; Brás, Natércia F; Ivanova, Galya; Fernandes, Pedro A; Ramos, Maria J; Rangel, Maria

2014-12-18

The dynamics and interaction of 3-hydroxy-4-pyridinone fluorescent iron chelators, exhibiting antimicrobial properties, with biological membranes were evaluated through NMR and molecular dynamics simulations. Both NMR and MD simulation results support a strong interaction of the chelators with the lipid bilayers that seems to be strengthened for the rhodamine containing compounds, in particular for compounds that include ethyl groups and a thiourea link. For the latter type of compounds the interaction reaches the hydrophobic core of the lipid bilayer. The molecular docking and MD simulations performed for the potential interaction of the chelators with DC-SIGN receptors provide valuable information regarding the cellular uptake of these compounds since the results show that the fluorophore fragment of the molecular framework is essential for an efficient binding. Putting together our previous and present results, we put forward the hypothesis that all the studied fluorescent chelators have access to the cell, their uptake occurs through different pathways and their permeation properties correlate with a better access to the cell and its compartments and, consequently, with the chelators antimicrobial properties.

CALIPSO Data Read Software

Atmospheric Science Data Center

2018-06-14

  CALIPSO Data Read Software Callable routines in Interactive Data Language (IDL) provide basic read access to CALIPSO science data files. ... Release 4.30  (PDF) Standard Data Sets: LIDAR L1:  CAL_LID_L1-Standard-V4-10 LIDAR L2: ...

DIDBase: Intelligent, Interactive Archiving Technology for Ionogram Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reinisch, B. W.; Khmyrov, G.; Galkin, I. A.; Kozlov, A.

2004-12-01

Vertical ionospheric sounding data have been used in a variety of scenarios for ionospheric now-casting. Growing need for an accurate real-time specification of vertical electron density distribution at multiple locations stimulates interest to intelligent data management systems that can arrange concurrent, remote access to the acquired data. This type of data access requires high level of interaction and organization to support routing of data between ionosondes, data analysts, quality validation experts, end user applications, data managers, and online data repositories such as the World Data Centers. Digital Ionogram Database (DIDBase) is a pilot project started at UMASS Lowell in 2001, sponsored in part by the Air Force Research Laboratory, for management of real-time and retro data from a network of 50 digisondes. The DIDBase archives hold both raw and derived digisonde data under management of a commerical strength DBMS, providing convenient means for automated ingestion of real-time data from online digisondes (40 locations worldwide as of September 2004), remote read access to the data over HTTP Web protocol (http://ulcar.uml.edu/DIDBase/), remote read/write access from SAO Explorer workstations used for data visualization and interactive editing, and an ADRES subsystem for automated management of data requests. DIDBase and ADRES employ cross-platform solutions for all involved software, exchange protocols, and data. The paper briefly describes the DIDBase operations during a recent Cal/Val campaign for the SSUSI/SSULI instruments on the DMSP F16 spacecraft. Here 26 online digisondes provided ground-truth NmF2 data for the overhead and limb passes of the spacecraft. Since the start of the campaign in December 2003, the total number of the ADRES requests exceeded 9,000 by summer 2004.

Interactive web-based mapping: bridging technology and data for health

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background The Community Health Information System (CHIS) online mapping system was first launched in 1998. Its overarching goal was to provide researchers, residents and organizations access to health related data reflecting the overall health and well-being of their communities within the Greater Houston area. In September 2009, initial planning and development began for the next generation of CHIS. The overarching goal for the new version remained to make health data easily accessible for a wide variety of research audiences. However, in the new version we specifically sought to make the CHIS truly interactive and give the user more control over data selection and reporting. Results In July 2011, a beta version of the next-generation of the application was launched. This next-generation is also a web based interactive mapping tool comprised of two distinct portals: the Breast Health Portal and Project Safety Net. Both are accessed via a Google mapping interface. Geographic coverage for the portals is currently an 8 county region centered on Harris County, Texas. Data accessed by the application include Census 2000, Census 2010 (underway), cancer incidence from the Texas Cancer Registry (TX Dept. of State Health Services), death data from Texas Vital Statistics, clinic locations for free and low-cost health services, along with service lists, hours of operation, payment options and languages spoken, uninsured and poverty data. Conclusions The system features query on the fly technology, which means the data is not generated until the query is provided to the system. This allows users to interact in real-time with the databases and generate customized reports and maps. To the author's knowledge, the Breast Health Portal and Project Safety Net are the first local-scale interactive online mapping interfaces for public health data which allow users to control the data generated. For example, users may generate breast cancer incidence rates by Census tract, in real time, for women aged 40-64. Conversely, they could then generate the same rates for women aged 35-55. The queries are user controlled. PMID:22195603

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

Malone, Fionn D., E-mail: f.malone13@imperial.ac.uk; Lee, D. K. K.; Foulkes, W. M. C.

The recently developed density matrix quantum Monte Carlo (DMQMC) algorithm stochastically samples the N-body thermal density matrix and hence provides access to exact properties of many-particle quantum systems at arbitrary temperatures. We demonstrate that moving to the interaction picture provides substantial benefits when applying DMQMC to interacting fermions. In this first study, we focus on a system of much recent interest: the uniform electron gas in the warm dense regime. The basis set incompleteness error at finite temperature is investigated and extrapolated via a simple Monte Carlo sampling procedure. Finally, we provide benchmark calculations for a four-electron system, comparing ourmore » results to previous work where possible.« less

A simple and accurate method for calculation of the structure factor of interacting charged spheres.

PubMed

Wu, Chu; Chan, Derek Y C; Tabor, Rico F

2014-07-15

Calculation of the structure factor of a system of interacting charged spheres based on the Ginoza solution of the Ornstein-Zernike equation has been developed and implemented on a stand-alone spreadsheet. This facilitates direct interactive numerical and graphical comparisons between experimental structure factors with the pioneering theoretical model of Hayter-Penfold that uses the Hansen-Hayter renormalisation correction. The method is used to fit example experimental structure factors obtained from the small-angle neutron scattering of a well-characterised charged micelle system, demonstrating that this implementation, available in the supplementary information, gives identical results to the Hayter-Penfold-Hansen approach for the structure factor, S(q) and provides direct access to the pair correlation function, g(r). Additionally, the intermediate calculations and outputs can be readily accessed and modified within the familiar spreadsheet environment, along with information on the normalisation procedure. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Scale Insects, edition 2, a tool for the identification of potential pest scales at U.S.A. ports-of-entry (Hemiptera, Sternorrhyncha, Coccoidea)

PubMed Central

Miller, Douglass R.; Rung, Alessandra; Parikh, Grishma

2014-01-01

Abstract We provide a general overview of features and technical specifications of an online, interactive tool for the identification of scale insects of concern to the U.S.A. ports-of-entry. Full lists of terminal taxa included in the keys (of which there are four), a list of features used in them, and a discussion of the structure of the tool are provided. We also briefly discuss the advantages of interactive keys for the identification of potential scale insect pests. The interactive key is freely accessible on http://idtools.org/id/scales/index.php PMID:25152668

Phantom-based interactive simulation system for dental treatment training.

PubMed

Sae-Kee, Bundit; Riener, Robert; Frey, Martin; Pröll, Thomas; Burgkart, Rainer

2004-01-01

In this paper, we propose a new interactive simulation system for dental treatment training. The system comprises a virtual reality environment and a force-torque measuring device to enhance the capabilities of a passive phantom of tooth anatomy in dental treatment training processes. The measuring device is connected to the phantom, and provides essential input data for generating the graphic animations of physical behaviors such as drilling and bleeding. The animation methods of those physical behaviors are also presented. This system is not only able to enhance interactivity and accessibility of the training system compared to conventional methods but it also provides possibilities of recording, evaluating, and verifying the training results.

The Attachment Doll Play Assessment: Predictive Validity with Concurrent Mother-Child Interaction and Maternal Caregiving Representations

PubMed Central

George, Carol; Solomon, Judith

2016-01-01

Attachment is central to the development of children’s regulatory processes. It has been associated with developmental and psychiatric health across the life span, especially emotional and behavioral regulation of negative affect when stressed (Schore, 2001; Schore and Schore, 2008). Assessment of attachment patterns provides a critical frame for understanding emerging developmental competencies and formulating treatment and intervention. Play-based attachment assessments provide access to representational models of attachment, which are regarded in attachment theory as the central organizing mechanisms associated with stability or change (Bowlby, 1969/1982; Bretherton and Munholland, 2008). The Attachment Doll Play Assessment (ADPA, George and Solomon, 1990–2016; Solomon et al., 1995) is a prominent established representational attachment measure for children aged early latency through childhood. This study examines the predictive validity of the ADPA to caregiving accessibility and responsiveness assessed from mother-child interaction and maternal representation. Sixty nine mothers and their 5–7-year-old children participated in this study. Mother-child interaction was observed during a pre-separation dyadic interaction task. Caregiving representations were rated from the Caregiving Interview (George and Solomon, 1988/1993/2005/2007). Child security with mother was associated with positive dyadic interaction and flexibly integrated maternal caregiving representations. Child controlling/disorganized attachments were significantly associated with problematic dyadic interaction and dysregulated-helpless maternal caregiving representations. The clinical implications and the use of the ADPA in clinical and educational settings are discussed. PMID:27803683

The Attachment Doll Play Assessment: Predictive Validity with Concurrent Mother-Child Interaction and Maternal Caregiving Representations.

PubMed

George, Carol; Solomon, Judith

2016-01-01

Attachment is central to the development of children's regulatory processes. It has been associated with developmental and psychiatric health across the life span, especially emotional and behavioral regulation of negative affect when stressed (Schore, 2001; Schore and Schore, 2008). Assessment of attachment patterns provides a critical frame for understanding emerging developmental competencies and formulating treatment and intervention. Play-based attachment assessments provide access to representational models of attachment, which are regarded in attachment theory as the central organizing mechanisms associated with stability or change (Bowlby, 1969/1982; Bretherton and Munholland, 2008). The Attachment Doll Play Assessment (ADPA, George and Solomon, 1990-2016; Solomon et al., 1995) is a prominent established representational attachment measure for children aged early latency through childhood. This study examines the predictive validity of the ADPA to caregiving accessibility and responsiveness assessed from mother-child interaction and maternal representation. Sixty nine mothers and their 5-7-year-old children participated in this study. Mother-child interaction was observed during a pre-separation dyadic interaction task. Caregiving representations were rated from the Caregiving Interview (George and Solomon, 1988/1993/2005/2007). Child security with mother was associated with positive dyadic interaction and flexibly integrated maternal caregiving representations. Child controlling/disorganized attachments were significantly associated with problematic dyadic interaction and dysregulated-helpless maternal caregiving representations. The clinical implications and the use of the ADPA in clinical and educational settings are discussed.

Intermolecular interaction of thiosemicarbazone derivatives to solvents and a potential Aedes aegypti target

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

da Silva, João Bosco P.; Hallwass, Fernando; da Silva, Aluizio G.; Moreira, Diogo Rodrigo; Ramos, Mozart N.; Espíndola, José Wanderlan P.; de Oliveira, Ana Daura T.; Brondani, Dalci José; Leite, Ana Cristina L.; Merz, Kenneth M.

2015-08-01

DFT calculations were used to access information about structure, energy and electronic properties of series of phenyl- and phenoxymethyl-(thio)semicarbazone derivatives with demonstrated activity against the larvae of Aedes aegypti in stage L4. The way as the thiosemicarbazone derivatives can interact with solvents like DMSO and water were analyzed from the comparison between calculated and experimental 1H NMR chemical shifts. The evidences of thiosemicarbazone derivatives making H-bond interaction to solvent have provide us insights on how they can interact with a potential A. aegypti's biological target, the Sterol Carrier Protein-2.

Parents' Verbal and Nonverbal Caring Behaviors and Child Distress During Cancer-Related Port Access Procedures: A Time-Window Sequential Analysis.

PubMed

Bai, Jinbing; Harper, Felicity W K; Penner, Louis A; Swanson, Kristen; Santacroce, Sheila J

2017-11-01

To study the relationship between parental verbal and nonverbal caring behaviors and child distress during cancer-related port access placement using correlational and time-window sequential analyses.
. Longitudinal, observational design.
. Children's Hospital of Michigan and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
. 43 child-parent dyads, each with two or three video recordings of the child undergoing cancer-related port placement.
. Two trained raters coded parent interaction behaviors and child distress using the Parent Caring Response Scoring System and Karmanos Child Coping and Distress Scale, respectively. Mixed modeling with generalized estimating equations examined the associations between parent interaction behaviors and parent distress, child distress, and child cooperation reported by multiple raters. Time-window sequential analyses were performed to investigate the temporal relationships in parent-child interactions within a five-second window.
. Parent caring behaviors, child distress, and child cooperation.
. Parent caring interaction behaviors were significantly correlated with parent distress, child distress, and child cooperation during repeated cancer port accessing. Sequential analyses showed that children were significantly less likely to display behavioral and verbal distress following parent caring behaviors than at any other time. If a child is already distressed, parent verbal and nonverbal caring behaviors can significantly reduce child behavioral and verbal distress.
. Parent caring behaviors, particularly the rarely studied nonverbal behaviors (e.g., eye contact, distance close to touch, supporting/allowing), can reduce the child's distress during cancer port accessing procedures.
. Studying parent-child interactions during painful cancer-related procedures can provide evidence to develop nursing interventions to support parents in caring for their child during painful procedures.

Acceptable Care? Illness Constructions, Healthworlds, and Accessible Chronic Treatment in South Africa

PubMed Central

Harris, Bronwyn; Eyles, John; Moshabela, Mosa

2015-01-01

Achieving equitable access to health care is an important policy goal, with access influenced by affordability, availability, and acceptability of specific services. We explore patient narratives from a 5-year program of research on health care access to examine relationships between social constructions of illness and the acceptability of health services in the context of tuberculosis treatment and antiretroviral therapy in South Africa. Acceptability of services seems particularly important to the meanings patients attach to illness and care, whereas—conversely—these constructions appear to influence what constitutes acceptability and hence affect access to care. We highlight the underestimated role of individually, socially, and politically constructed healthworlds; traditional and biomedical beliefs; and social support networks. Suggested policy implications for improving acceptability and hence overall health care access include abandoning patronizing approaches to care and refocusing from treating “disease” to responding to “illness” by acknowledging and incorporating patients’ healthworlds in patient–provider interactions. PMID:25829509

A socio-ecological perspective of access to and acceptability of HIV/AIDS treatment and care services: a qualitative case study research.

PubMed

Yakob, Bereket; Ncama, Busisiwe Purity

2016-02-16

Access to healthcare is an essential element of health development and a fundamental human right. While access to and acceptability of healthcare are complex concepts that interact with different socio-ecological factors (individual, community, institutional and policy), it is not known how these factors affect HIV care. This study investigated the impact of socio-ecological factors on access to and acceptability of HIV/AIDS treatment and care services (HATCS) in Wolaita Zone of Ethiopia. Qualitative case study research was conducted in six woredas (districts). Focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted with 68 participants in 11 groups (six with people using antiretroviral therapy (ART) and five with general community members). Key informant interviews (KIIs) were conducted with 28 people involved in HIV care, support services and health administration at different levels. Individual in-depth interviews (IDIs) were conducted with eight traditional healers and seven defaulters from (ART). NVIVO 10 was used to assist qualitative content data analysis. A total of 111 people participated in the study, of which 51 (45.9%) were male and 60 (54.1%) were female, while 58 (53.3%) and 53 (47.7%) were urban and rural residents, respectively. The factors that affect access to and acceptability of HATCS were categorized in four socio-ecological units of analysis: client-based factors (awareness, experiences, expectations, income, employment, family, HIV disclosure and food availability); community-based factors (care and support, stigma and discrimination and traditional healing); health facility-based factors (interactions with care providers, availability of care, quality of care, distance, affordability, logistics availability, follow up and service administration); and policy and standards (healthcare financing, service standards, implementation manuals and policy documents). A socio-ecological perspective provides a useful framework to investigate the interplay among multilevel and interactive factors that impact on access to and acceptability of HATCS such as clients, community, institution and policy. Planners, resource allocators and implementers could consider these factors during planning, implementation and evaluation of HATCS. Further study is required to confirm the findings.

Service-oriented infrastructure for scientific data mashups

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baru, C.; Krishnan, S.; Lin, K.; Moreland, J. L.; Nadeau, D. R.

2009-12-01

An important challenge in informatics is the development of concepts and corresponding architecture and tools to assist scientists with their data integration tasks. A typical Earth Science data integration request may be expressed, for example, as “For a given region (i.e. lat/long extent, plus depth), return a 3D structural model with accompanying physical parameters of density, seismic velocities, geochemistry, and geologic ages, using a cell size of 10km.” Such requests create “mashups” of scientific data. Currently, such integration is hand-crafted and depends heavily upon a scientist’s intimate knowledge of how to process, interpret, and integrate data from individual sources. In most case, the ultimate “integration” is performed by overlaying output images from individual processing steps using image manipulation software such as, say, Adobe Photoshop—leading to “Photoshop science”, where it is neither easy to repeat the integration steps nor to share the data mashup. As a result, scientists share only the final images and not the mashup itself. A more capable information infrastructure is needed to support the authoring and sharing of scientific data mashups. The infrastructure must include services for data discovery, access, and transformation and should be able to create mashups that are interactive, allowing users to probe and manipulate the data and follow its provenance. We present an architectural framework based on a service-oriented architecture for scientific data mashups in a distributed environment. The framework includes services for Data Access, Data Modeling, and Data Interaction. The Data Access services leverage capabilities for discovery and access to distributed data resources provided by efforts such as GEON and the EarthScope Data Portal, and services for federated metadata catalogs under development by projects like the Geosciences Information Network (GIN). The Data Modeling services provide 2D, 3D, and 4D modeling services based on standards such as WFS, WMS, WCS, and GeoSciML that allow integration of disparate data in a distributed, Web-based environment. Along these lines, we introduce the notion of a Web Volume Service (WVS) for modeling and manipulating 3D data. The Data Interaction Services provide services for rich interactions with the integrated 3D data. To provide efficient interactions with large-scale data in a distributed environment the architecture must include capabilities for caching and reuse of data, use of multi-level indexing, and the ability to orchestrate and coordinate execution of data processing and transformation routines as part of the data access and integration steps. The data mashup infrastructure is based on a service-oriented architecture. A range of alternatives are available for implementing these mashup services in a scalable fashion, using the cloud computing paradigm. We will describe the tradeoffs of each approach and provide an evaluation of which options are best suited to which types of services. We will describe security, privacy, performance, and price/performance issues and considerations in implementing services on dedicated servers versus private as well as public clouds, including systems such as Amazon Web Services.

Survey of Australian practitioners' provision of healthy lifestyle advice to clients who are obese.

PubMed

Ashby, Samantha; James, Carole; Plotnikoff, Ronald; Collins, Clare; Guest, Maya; Kable, Ashley; Snodgrass, Suzanne

2012-06-01

Obesity is a global issue, with healthcare practitioners increasingly involved in clinical interactions with people who are overweight or obese. These interactions are opportunities to provide evidence-based healthy lifestyle advice, and impact on public health. This study used a cross-sectional survey of Australian healthcare practitioners to investigate what influenced the provision of healthy lifestyle advice to obese and overweight clients. A modified theory of planned behavior was used to explore knowledge translation processes. Knowledge translation was linked to three factors: (i) a healthcare practitioner's education and confidence in the currency of their knowledge; (ii) personal characteristics - whether they accepted that providing this advice was within their domain of practice; and (iii) the existence of organizational support structures, such as access to education, and best practice guidelines. To fulfill the potential role healthcare practitioners can play in the provision of evidence-based health promotion advice requires organizations to provide access to practice guidelines and to instill a belief in their workforce that this is a shared professional domain. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

The YeastGenome app: the Saccharomyces Genome Database at your fingertips.

PubMed

Wong, Edith D; Karra, Kalpana; Hitz, Benjamin C; Hong, Eurie L; Cherry, J Michael

2013-01-01

The Saccharomyces Genome Database (SGD) is a scientific database that provides researchers with high-quality curated data about the genes and gene products of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. To provide instant and easy access to this information on mobile devices, we have developed YeastGenome, a native application for the Apple iPhone and iPad. YeastGenome can be used to quickly find basic information about S. cerevisiae genes and chromosomal features regardless of internet connectivity. With or without network access, you can view basic information and Gene Ontology annotations about a gene of interest by searching gene names and gene descriptions or by browsing the database within the app to find the gene of interest. With internet access, the app provides more detailed information about the gene, including mutant phenotypes, references and protein and genetic interactions, as well as provides hyperlinks to retrieve detailed information by showing SGD pages and views of the genome browser. SGD provides online help describing basic ways to navigate the mobile version of SGD, highlights key features and answers frequently asked questions related to the app. The app is available from iTunes (http://itunes.com/apps/yeastgenome). The YeastGenome app is provided freely as a service to our community, as part of SGD's mission to provide free and open access to all its data and annotations.

The Sorghum Headworm Calculator: A speedy tool for headworm management

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The Sorghum Headworm Calculator is an interactive decision support system for sorghum headworm management. It was designed to be easily accessible and usable. It provides users with organized information on identification, sampling, and management using images, descriptions and research-based mana...

PyGeoTess 0.2.0

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

Maccarthy, Jonathan K.

2016-07-28

PyGeoTess is a Python interface module to the GeoTess gridding and earth model library from Sandia National Laboratories. It provides simplified access to a subset of the GeoTess C++ library, and takes advantage of Python's interactive interpreter and inline documentation system.

M-Learning and Technological Literacy: Analyzing Benefits for Apprenticeship

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cortés, Carlos Manuel Pacheco; Cortés, Adriana Margarita Pacheco

2014-01-01

The following study consists on comparative literature review conducted by several researchers and instructional designers; for a wide comprehension of Mobile-Learning (abbreviated "M-Learning") as an educational platform to provide "anytime-anywhere" access to interactions and resources on-line, and "Technological…

Local storage federation through XRootD architecture for interactive distributed analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Colamaria, F.; Colella, D.; Donvito, G.; Elia, D.; Franco, A.; Luparello, G.; Maggi, G.; Miniello, G.; Vallero, S.; Vino, G.

2015-12-01

A cloud-based Virtual Analysis Facility (VAF) for the ALICE experiment at the LHC has been deployed in Bari. Similar facilities are currently running in other Italian sites with the aim to create a federation of interoperating farms able to provide their computing resources for interactive distributed analysis. The use of cloud technology, along with elastic provisioning of computing resources as an alternative to the grid for running data intensive analyses, is the main challenge of these facilities. One of the crucial aspects of the user-driven analysis execution is the data access. A local storage facility has the disadvantage that the stored data can be accessed only locally, i.e. from within the single VAF. To overcome such a limitation a federated infrastructure, which provides full access to all the data belonging to the federation independently from the site where they are stored, has been set up. The federation architecture exploits both cloud computing and XRootD technologies, in order to provide a dynamic, easy-to-use and well performing solution for data handling. It should allow the users to store the files and efficiently retrieve the data, since it implements a dynamic distributed cache among many datacenters in Italy connected to one another through the high-bandwidth national network. Details on the preliminary architecture implementation and performance studies are discussed.

University participation via UNIDATA, part 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dutton, J.

1986-01-01

The UNIDATA Project is a cooperative university project, operated by the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) with National Science Foundation (NSF) funding, aimed at providing interactive communication and computations to the university community in the atmospheric and oceanic sciences. The initial focus has been on providing access to data for weather analysis and prediction. However, UNIDATA is in the process of expanding and possibly providing access to the Pilot Climate Data System (PCDS) through the UNIDATA system in an effort to develop prototypes for an Earth science information system. The notion of an Earth science information system evolved from discussions within NASA and several advisory committees in anticipation of receiving data from the many Earth observing instruments on the space station complex (Earth Observing System).

Accessible Adult Learning in the Health Professions: Interactive Uses of Distance Technology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Townsend, Elizabeth; Curran-Smith, Janet

This paper describes a study of students' perceptions of the impact of accessibility and interactivity on successful distance education in the Health Professions. The study utilized both quantitative and qualitative data to determine how students perceived issues of accessibility and interactivity affecting their success in distance courses. The…

Estimating spatial accessibility to facilities on the regional scale: an extended commuting-based interaction potential model

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background There is growing interest in the study of the relationships between individual health-related behaviours (e.g. food intake and physical activity) and measurements of spatial accessibility to the associated facilities (e.g. food outlets and sport facilities). The aim of this study is to propose measurements of spatial accessibility to facilities on the regional scale, using aggregated data. We first used a potential accessibility model that partly makes it possible to overcome the limitations of the most frequently used indices such as the count of opportunities within a given neighbourhood. We then propose an extended model in order to take into account both home and work-based accessibility for a commuting population. Results Potential accessibility estimation provides a very different picture of the accessibility levels experienced by the population than the more classical "number of opportunities per census tract" index. The extended model for commuters increases the overall accessibility levels but this increase differs according to the urbanisation level. Strongest increases are observed in some rural municipalities with initial low accessibility levels. Distance to major urban poles seems to play an essential role. Conclusions Accessibility is a multi-dimensional concept that should integrate some aspects of travel behaviour. Our work supports the evidence that the choice of appropriate accessibility indices including both residential and non-residential environmental features is necessary. Such models have potential implications for providing relevant information to policy-makers in the field of public health. PMID:21219597

Sci-Hub provides access to nearly all scholarly literature.

PubMed

Himmelstein, Daniel S; Romero, Ariel Rodriguez; Levernier, Jacob G; Munro, Thomas Anthony; McLaughlin, Stephen Reid; Greshake Tzovaras, Bastian; Greene, Casey S

2018-03-01

The website Sci-Hub enables users to download PDF versions of scholarly articles, including many articles that are paywalled at their journal's site. Sci-Hub has grown rapidly since its creation in 2011, but the extent of its coverage has been unclear. Here we report that, as of March 2017, Sci-Hub's database contains 68.9% of the 81.6 million scholarly articles registered with Crossref and 85.1% of articles published in toll access journals. We find that coverage varies by discipline and publisher, and that Sci-Hub preferentially covers popular, paywalled content. For toll access articles, we find that Sci-Hub provides greater coverage than the University of Pennsylvania, a major research university in the United States. Green open access to toll access articles via licit services, on the other hand, remains quite limited. Our interactive browser at https://greenelab.github.io/scihub allows users to explore these findings in more detail. For the first time, nearly all scholarly literature is available gratis to anyone with an Internet connection, suggesting the toll access business model may become unsustainable. © 2018, Himmelstein et al.

RelFinder: Revealing Relationships in RDF Knowledge Bases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heim, Philipp; Hellmann, Sebastian; Lehmann, Jens; Lohmann, Steffen; Stegemann, Timo

The Semantic Web has recently seen a rise of large knowledge bases (such as DBpedia) that are freely accessible via SPARQL endpoints. The structured representation of the contained information opens up new possibilities in the way it can be accessed and queried. In this paper, we present an approach that extracts a graph covering relationships between two objects of interest. We show an interactive visualization of this graph that supports the systematic analysis of the found relationships by providing highlighting, previewing, and filtering features.

Investigating the Drivers of Student Interaction and Engagement in Online Courses: A Study of State-of-the-Art

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Purarjomandlangrudi, Afrooz; Chen, David; Nguyen, Anne

2016-01-01

Online learning has become a widespread method for providing learning at different levels of education. It has facilitated the learning in many ways and made it more flexible and available by providing learners with more opportunities to learn information, further access to different learning resources, and collaboration rather than face-to-face…

The new interactive CESAR

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

Fox, P.B.; Yatabe, M.

1987-01-01

In this report the Nuclear Criticality Safety Analytical Methods Resource Center describes a new interactive version of CESAR, a critical experiments storage and retrieval program available on the Nuclear Criticality Information System (NCIS) database at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. The original version of CESAR did not include interactive search capabilities. The CESAR database was developed to provide a convenient, readily accessible means of storing and retrieving code input data for the SCALE Criticality Safety Analytical Sequences and the codes comprising those sequences. The database includes data for both cross section preparation and criticality safety calculations. 3 refs., 1 tab.

New interactive CESAR

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

Fox, P.B.; Yatabe, M.

1987-01-01

The Nuclear Criticality Safety Analytical Methods Resource Center announces the availability of a new interactive version of CESAR, a critical experiments storage and retrieval program available on the Nuclear Criticality Information System (NCIS) data base at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. The original version of CESAR did not include interactive search capabilities. The CESAR data base was developed to provide a convenient, readily accessible means of storing and retrieving code input data for the SCALE criticality safety analytical sequences and the codes comprising those sequences. The data base includes data for both cross-section preparation and criticality safety calculations.

Online Interactive Tutorials for Creating Graphs With Excel 2007 or 2010

PubMed Central

Vanselow, Nicholas R

2012-01-01

Graphic display of clinical data is a useful tool for the behavior-analytic clinician. However, graphs can sometimes be difficult to create. We describe how to access and use an online interactive tutorial that teaches the user to create a variety of graphs often used by behavior analysts. Three tutorials are provided that cover the basics of Microsoft Excel 2007 or 2010, creating graphs for clinical purposes, and creating graphs for research purposes. The uses for this interactive tutorial and other similar programs are discussed. PMID:23326629

Online interactive tutorials for creating graphs with excel 2007 or 2010.

PubMed

Vanselow, Nicholas R; Bourret, Jason C

2012-01-01

Graphic display of clinical data is a useful tool for the behavior-analytic clinician. However, graphs can sometimes be difficult to create. We describe how to access and use an online interactive tutorial that teaches the user to create a variety of graphs often used by behavior analysts. Three tutorials are provided that cover the basics of Microsoft Excel 2007 or 2010, creating graphs for clinical purposes, and creating graphs for research purposes. The uses for this interactive tutorial and other similar programs are discussed.

Data Integration Using SOAP in the VSO

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tian, K. Q.; Bogart, R. S.; Davey, A.; Dimitoglou, G.; Gurman, J. B.; Hill, F.; Martens, P. C.; Wampler, S.

2003-05-01

The Virtual Solar Observatory (VSO) project has implemented a time interval search for all four participating data archives. The back-end query services are implemented as web services, and are accessible via SOAP. SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) defines an RPC (Remote Procedure Call) mechanism that employs HTTP as its transport and encodes the client-server interactions (request and response messages) in XML (eXtensible Markup Language) documents. In addition to its core function of identifying relevant datasets in the local archive, the SOAP server at each data provider acts as a "wrapper" that maps descriptions in an abstract data model to those in the provider-specific data model, and vice versa. It is in this way that VSO integrates heterogeneous data services and allows access to them using a common interface. Our experience with SOAP has been fruitful. It has proven to be a better alternative to traditional web access methods, namely POST and GET, because of its flexibility and interoperability.

Fostering Verbal and Non-Verbal Social Interactions in a 3D Collaborative Virtual Learning Environment: A Case Study of Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorders Learning Social Competence in iSocial

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Xianhui; Laffey, James; Xing, Wanli; Galyen, Krista; Stichter, Janine

2017-01-01

This case study describes the verbal and nonverbal social interaction of 11 youth with Autism Spectrum Disorders in a 3D Collaborative Virtual Learning Environment-iSocial. The youth were developing social competence through participation in a social competence intervention curriculum implemented online so as to provide access to high quality…

On deciphering the book of nature: human communication in psychotherapy.

PubMed

Goodheart, W B

1992-10-01

The tools of contemporary applied mathematics reveal important hidden regularities amidst the ongoing interactive feedback phenomena occurring in interactional or dynamical systems in nature where everything affects everything else. Badalamenti and Langs investigate each therapy session as a continuous sequential emergence of interrelated communicative events (or communicative states) which meet the criteria of a dynamical system. Applying mathematical modeling the authors demonstrate how otherwise hidden regularities occurring between patients and therapists become accessible to us that are unavailable to our unaided powers of observation, intuition, and thought. This is a systems or population investigation of clinical interaction that begins in a qualitative or domain mode, but which opens immediately toward statistical and formal modes of discussion. It can lead to statements of properties and laws that meet the criteria of scientific dialogue and validity. It provides the clinician with guidelines for making interpretations and for assessing their immediate subsequent effect. It is distinguished from the essentialist approach at the foundation of traditional clinical thought which provides no access to such feedback phenomena and their properties. Communicative Psychoanalysts have adopted the systems perspective and are evolving a clinical language and treatment based upon its principles and discoveries.

Effectiveness of Podcasts Delivered on Mobile Devices as a Support for Student Learning During General Chemistry Laboratories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Powell, Cynthia B.; Mason, Diana S.

2013-04-01

Chemistry instructors in teaching laboratories provide expert modeling of techniques and cognitive processes and provide assistance to enrolled students that may be described as scaffolding interaction. Such student support is particularly essential in laboratories taught with an inquiry-based curriculum. In a teaching laboratory with a high instructor-to-student ratio, mobile devices can provide a platform for expert modeling and scaffolding during the laboratory sessions. This research study provides data collected on the effectiveness of podcasts delivered as needed in a first-semester general chemistry laboratory setting. Podcasts with audio and visual tracks covering essential laboratory techniques and central concepts that aid in experimental design or data processing were prepared and made available for students to access on an as-needed basis on iPhones® or iPod touches®. Research focused in three areas: the extent of podcast usage, the numbers and types of interactions between instructors and student laboratory teams, and student performance on graded assignments. Data analysis indicates that on average the podcast treatment laboratory teams accessed a podcast 2.86 times during the laboratory period during each week that podcasts were available. Comparison of interaction data for the lecture treatment laboratory teams and podcast treatment laboratory teams reveals that scaffolding interactions with instructors were statistically significantly fewer for teams that had podcast access rather than a pre-laboratory lecture. The implication of the results is that student laboratory teams were able to gather laboratory information more effectively when it was presented in an on-demand podcast format than in a pre-laboratory lecture format. Finally, statistical analysis of data on student performance on graded assignments indicates no significant differences between outcome measures for the treatment groups when compared as cohorts. The only statistically significant difference is between students who demonstrated a high level of class participation in the concurrent general chemistry lecture course; for this sub-group the students in the podcast treatment group earned a course average that was statistically significantly higher than those in the lecture treatment group.

Synchronous Videoconferencing in Distance Education for Pre-Licensure Nursing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scarbrough, John E.

2015-01-01

Current nursing education practices typically include methodologies for providing access to students located at a distance from the hosting institution. The majority of methodologies make use of asynchronous formatting in which communication occurs without the benefit of simultaneous, synchronous interaction. The increasing worldwide availability…

The design and implementation of the immune epitope database and analysis resource

PubMed Central

Peters, Bjoern; Sidney, John; Bourne, Phil; Bui, Huynh-Hoa; Buus, Soeren; Doh, Grace; Fleri, Ward; Kronenberg, Mitch; Kubo, Ralph; Lund, Ole; Nemazee, David; Ponomarenko, Julia V.; Sathiamurthy, Muthu; Schoenberger, Stephen P.; Stewart, Scott; Surko, Pamela; Way, Scott; Wilson, Steve; Sette, Alessandro

2016-01-01

Epitopes are defined as parts of antigens interacting with receptors of the immune system. Knowledge about their intrinsic structure and how they affect the immune response is required to continue development of techniques that detect, monitor, and fight diseases. Their scientific importance is reflected in the vast amount of epitope-related information gathered, ranging from interactions between epitopes and major histocompatibility complex molecules determined by X-ray crystallography to clinical studies analyzing correlates of protection for epitope based vaccines. Our goal is to provide a central resource capable of capturing this information, allowing users to access and connect realms of knowledge that are currently separated and difficult to access. Here, we portray a new initiative, “The Immune Epitope Database and Analysis Resource.” We describe how we plan to capture, structure, and store this information, what query interfaces we will make available to the public, and what additional predictive and analytical tools we will provide. PMID:15895191

Interacting with a security system: The Argus user interface

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

Behrin, E.; Davis, G.E.

1993-12-31

In the mid-1980s the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) developed the Argus Security System. Key requirements were to eliminate the telephone as a verification device for opening and closing alarm stations and to allow need-to-know access through local enrollment at alarm stations. Resulting from these requirements was an LLNL-designed user interface called the Remote Access Panel (RAP). The Argus RAP interacts with Argus field processors to allow secure station mode changes and local station enrollment, provides user direction and response, and assists station maintenance personnel. It consists of a tamper-detecting housing containing a badge reader, a keypad with sight screen,more » special-purpose push buttons and a liquid-crystal display. This paper discusses Argus system concepts, RAP design, functional characteristics and its physical configurations. The paper also describes the RAP`s use in access-control booths, it`s integration with biometrics and its operation for multi-person-rule stations and compartmented facilities.« less

Measuring school health center impact on access to and quality of primary care.

PubMed

Gibson, Erica J; Santelli, John S; Minguez, Mara; Lord, Alyssa; Schuyler, Ashley C

2013-12-01

School health centers (SHC) that provide comprehensive health care may improve access and quality of care for students; however, published impact data are limited. We evaluated access and quality of health services at an urban high school with a SHC compared with a school without a SHC, using a quasiexperimental research design. Data were collected at the beginning of the school year, using a paper and pencil classroom questionnaire (n = 2,076 students). We measured SHC impact in several ways including grade by school interaction terms. Students at the SHC school were more likely to report having a regular healthcare provider, awareness of confidential services, support for health services in their school, and willingness to utilize those services. Students in the SHC school reported higher quality of care as measured by: respect for their health concerns, adequate time with the healthcare provider, understandable provider communications, and greater provider discussion at their last visit on topics such as sexual activity, birth control, emotions, future plans, diet, and exercise. Users of the SHC were also more likely to report higher quality of care, compared with either nonusers or students in the comparison school. Access to comprehensive health services via a SHC led to improved access to health care and improved quality of care. Impact was measureable on a school-wide basis but was greater among SHC users. Copyright © 2013 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Accessing external innovation in drug discovery and development.

PubMed

Tufféry, Pierre

2015-06-01

A decline in the productivity of the pharmaceutical industry research and development (R&D) pipeline has highlighted the need to reconsider the classical strategies of drug discovery and development, which are based on internal resources, and to identify new means to improve the drug discovery process. Accepting that the combination of internal and external ideas can improve innovation, ways to access external innovation, that is, opening projects to external contributions, have recently been sought. In this review, the authors look at a number of external innovation opportunities. These include increased interactions with academia via academic centers of excellence/innovation centers, better communication on projects using crowdsourcing or social media and new models centered on external providers such as built-to-buy startups or virtual pharmaceutical companies. The buzz for accessing external innovation relies on the pharmaceutical industry's major challenge to improve R&D productivity, a conjuncture favorable to increase interactions with academia and new business models supporting access to external innovation. So far, access to external innovation has mostly been considered during early stages of drug development, and there is room for enhancement. First outcomes suggest that external innovation should become part of drug development in the long term. However, the balance between internal and external developments in drug discovery can vary largely depending on the company strategies.

Providing Epistemic Support For Assessments Through Mobile-Supported Sharing Activities1

PubMed Central

Raclaw, Joshua; Robles, Jessica S.; DiDomenico, Stephen M.

2017-01-01

This paper examines how participants in face-to-face conversation employ mobile phones as a resource for social action. We focus on what we call mobile-supported sharing activities, in which participants use a mobile phone to share text or images with others by voicing text aloud from their mobile or providing others with visual access to the device’s display screen. Drawing from naturalistic video recordings, we focus on how mobile-supported sharing activities invite assessments by providing access to an object that is not locally accessible to the participants. Such practices make relevant co-participants’ assessment of these objects and allow for different forms of co-participation across sequence types. We additionally examine how the organization of assessments during these sharing activities displays sensitivity to preference structure. The analysis illustrates the relevance of embodiment, local objects, and new communicative technologies to the production of action in co-present interaction. Data are in American English. PMID:28936031

Interpersonal relations between health care workers and young clients: barriers to accessing sexual and reproductive health care.

PubMed

Alli, Farzana; Maharaj, Pranitha; Vawda, Mohammed Yacoob

2013-02-01

Interpersonal relations between health care providers and young clients have long being cited as an important element for improving client up take of services, satisfaction and overall health outcomes. In an era of HIV and AIDS this forms a critical determinant to young people accessing sexual and reproductive health care. This study explores to what extent interpersonal relations form a barrier to young peoples access to and satisfaction of health services. The study draws on data from 200 client exit interviews and four in-depth interviews conducted with university students and university health care staff in Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa. While young people are aware of the importance of utilising STI, HIV and family planning services they experienced barriers in their relationship with providers. This served as a deterrent to their use of the health facility. Adequate training in interpersonal relations for youth-friendly service provision is essential in helping overcome communication problems and enabling providers to interact with young clients at a more personal level.

Comparative transcriptomics with self-organizing map reveals cryptic photosynthetic differences between two accessions of North American Lake cress.

PubMed

Nakayama, Hokuto; Sakamoto, Tomoaki; Okegawa, Yuki; Kaminoyama, Kaori; Fujie, Manabu; Ichihashi, Yasunori; Kurata, Tetsuya; Motohashi, Ken; Al-Shehbaz, Ihsan; Sinha, Neelima; Kimura, Seisuke

2018-02-19

Because natural variation in wild species is likely the result of local adaptation, it provides a valuable resource for understanding plant-environmental interactions. Rorippa aquatica (Brassicaceae) is a semi-aquatic North American plant with morphological differences between several accessions, but little information available on any physiological differences. Here, we surveyed the transcriptomes of two R. aquatica accessions and identified cryptic physiological differences between them. We first reconstructed a Rorippa phylogeny to confirm relationships between the accessions. We performed large-scale RNA-seq and de novo assembly; the resulting 87,754 unigenes were then annotated via comparisons to different databases. Between-accession physiological variation was identified with transcriptomes from both accessions. Transcriptome data were analyzed with principal component analysis and self-organizing map. Results of analyses suggested that photosynthetic capability differs between the accessions. Indeed, physiological experiments revealed between-accession variation in electron transport rate and the redox state of the plastoquinone pool. These results indicated that one accession may have adapted to differences in temperature or length of the growing season.

Incorporating information on predicted solvent accessibility to the co-evolution-based study of protein interactions.

PubMed

Ochoa, David; García-Gutiérrez, Ponciano; Juan, David; Valencia, Alfonso; Pazos, Florencio

2013-01-27

A widespread family of methods for studying and predicting protein interactions using sequence information is based on co-evolution, quantified as similarity of phylogenetic trees. Part of the co-evolution observed between interacting proteins could be due to co-adaptation caused by inter-protein contacts. In this case, the co-evolution is expected to be more evident when evaluated on the surface of the proteins or the internal layers close to it. In this work we study the effect of incorporating information on predicted solvent accessibility to three methods for predicting protein interactions based on similarity of phylogenetic trees. We evaluate the performance of these methods in predicting different types of protein associations when trees based on positions with different characteristics of predicted accessibility are used as input. We found that predicted accessibility improves the results of two recent versions of the mirrortree methodology in predicting direct binary physical interactions, while it neither improves these methods, nor the original mirrortree method, in predicting other types of interactions. That improvement comes at no cost in terms of applicability since accessibility can be predicted for any sequence. We also found that predictions of protein-protein interactions are improved when multiple sequence alignments with a richer representation of sequences (including paralogs) are incorporated in the accessibility prediction.

Globus Identity, Access, and Data Management: Platform Services for Collaborative Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ananthakrishnan, R.; Foster, I.; Wagner, R.

2016-12-01

Globus is software-as-a-service for research data management, developed at, and operated by, the University of Chicago. Globus, accessible at www.globus.org, provides high speed, secure file transfer; file sharing directly from existing storage systems; and data publication to institutional repositories. 40,000 registered users have used Globus to transfer tens of billions of files totaling hundreds of petabytes between more than 10,000 storage systems within campuses and national laboratories in the US and internationally. Web, command line, and REST interfaces support both interactive use and integration into applications and infrastructures. An important component of the Globus system is its foundational identity and access management (IAM) platform service, Globus Auth. Both Globus research data management and other applications use Globus Auth for brokering authentication and authorization interactions between end-users, identity providers, resource servers (services), and a range of clients, including web, mobile, and desktop applications, and other services. Compliant with important standards such as OAuth, OpenID, and SAML, Globus Auth provides mechanisms required for an extensible, integrated ecosystem of services and clients for the research and education community. It underpins projects such as the US National Science Foundation's XSEDE system, NCAR's Research Data Archive, and the DOE Systems Biology Knowledge Base. Current work is extending Globus services to be compliant with FEDRAMP standards for security assessment, authorization, and monitoring for cloud services. We will present Globus IAM solutions and give examples of Globus use in various projects for federated access to resources. We will also describe how Globus Auth and Globus research data management capabilities enable rapid development and low-cost operations of secure data sharing platforms that leverage Globus services and integrate them with local policy and security.

Practice improvement, part II: update on patient communication technologies.

PubMed

Roett, Michelle A; Coleman, Mary Thoesen

2013-11-01

Patient portals (ie, secure web-based services for patient health record access) and secure messaging to health care professionals are gaining popularity slowly. Advantages of web portals include timely communication and instruction, access to appointments and other services, and high patient satisfaction. Limitations include inappropriate use, security considerations, organizational costs, and exclusion of patients who are uncomfortable with or unable to use computers. Attention to the organization's strategic plan and office policies, patient and staff expectations, workflow and communication integration, training, marketing, and enrollment can facilitate optimal use of this technology. Other communication technologies that can enhance patient care include automated voice or text reminders and brief electronic communications. Social media provide another method of patient outreach, but privacy and access are concerns. Incorporating telehealthcare (health care provided via telephone or Internet), providing health coaching, and using interactive health communication applications can improve patient knowledge and clinical outcomes and provide social support. Written permission from the American Academy of Family Physicians is required for reproduction of this material in whole or in part in any form or medium.

EnviroAtlas: Exploring Ecosystem Services and Biodiversity Data for the Nation.

EPA Science Inventory

EnviroAtlas is an online collection of interactive tools and spatially explicit data allowing users to explore the many benefits people receive from nature. The purpose of EnviroAtlas is to provide better access to consistently derived ecosystems and socio-economic data to facil...

Strategic Use of Modality during Synchronous CMC

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sauro, Shannon

2009-01-01

Research on computer-mediated communication (CMC) in the second language (L2) classroom has revealed the potential for technology to promote learner interaction and opportunities for negotiation of meaning as well as to provide opportunities for language access outside the classroom environment. Despite this potential, social, linguistic, and…

SWMPrats.net: A Web-Based Resource for Exploring SWMP Data

EPA Science Inventory

SWMPrats.net is a web-based resource that provides accessible approaches to using SWMP data. The website includes a user forum with instructional ‘Plots of the Month’; links to workshop content; and a description of the SWMPr data analysis package for R. Interactive...

Establishing access to technology: an evaluation and intervention model to increase the participation of children with cerebral palsy.

PubMed

McCarty, Elizabeth; Morress, Claire

2009-08-01

Children with a diagnosis of cerebral palsy often have significant physical limitations that prevent exploration and full participation in the environment. Assistive technology systems can provide opportunities for children with physical limitations to interact with their world, enabling play, communication, and daily living skills. Efficient access to and control of the technology is critical for successful use; however, establishing consistent access is often difficult because of the nature of the movement patterns exhibited by children with cerebral palsy. This article describes a 3-phase model of evaluation and intervention developed and used by Assistive Technology Services at the Aaron W. Perlman Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, to establish successful access to technology systems in children with cerebral palsy.

E-Learning System of Asia through Open Courseware (OCW) and Educational Resources (OER) for Universal Access to Knowledge and Information

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kayal, Soumen; Das, Baisakhi

2017-01-01

One of the most impressive uses of information and communication technology is the advent of e-learning. The current E-learning system mainly plays a role of learning assistance such as providing learning content or learning information, and sometime it provides channels or platform in the learning environment for discussion and interaction. In…

Multiple-User, Multitasking, Virtual-Memory Computer System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Generazio, Edward R.; Roth, Don J.; Stang, David B.

1993-01-01

Computer system designed and programmed to serve multiple users in research laboratory. Provides for computer control and monitoring of laboratory instruments, acquisition and anlaysis of data from those instruments, and interaction with users via remote terminals. System provides fast access to shared central processing units and associated large (from megabytes to gigabytes) memories. Underlying concept of system also applicable to monitoring and control of industrial processes.

OpenSearch (ECHO-ESIP) & REST API for Earth Science Data Access

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mitchell, A.; Cechini, M.; Pilone, D.

2010-12-01

This presentation will provide a brief technical overview of OpenSearch, the Earth Science Information Partners (ESIP) Federated Search framework, and the REST architecture; discuss NASA’s Earth Observing System (EOS) ClearingHOuse’s (ECHO) implementation lessons learned; and demonstrate the simplified usage of these technologies. SOAP, as a framework for web service communication has numerous advantages for Enterprise applications and Java/C# type programming languages. As a technical solution, SOAP has been a reliable framework on top of which many applications have been successfully developed and deployed. However, as interest grows for quick development cycles and more intriguing “mashups,” the SOAP API loses its appeal. Lightweight and simple are the vogue characteristics that are sought after. Enter the REST API architecture and OpenSearch format. Both of these items provide a new path for application development addressing some of the issues unresolved by SOAP. ECHO has made available all of its discovery, order submission, and data management services through a publicly accessible SOAP API. This interface is utilized by a variety of ECHO client and data partners to provide valuable capabilities to end users. As ECHO interacted with current and potential partners looking to develop Earth Science tools utilizing ECHO, it became apparent that the development overhead required to interact with the SOAP API was a growing barrier to entry. ECHO acknowledged the technical issues that were being uncovered by its partner community and chose to provide two new interfaces for interacting with the ECHO metadata catalog. The first interface is built upon the OpenSearch format and ESIP Federated Search framework. Leveraging these two items, a client (ECHO-ESIP) was developed with a focus on simplified searching and results presentation. The second interface is built upon the Representational State Transfer (REST) architecture. Leveraging the REST architecture, a new API has been made available that will provide access to the entire SOAP API suite of services. The results of these development activities has not only positioned to engage in the thriving world of mashup applications, but also provided an excellent real-world case study of how to successfully leverage these emerging technologies.

Update of KDBI: Kinetic Data of Bio-molecular Interaction database

PubMed Central

Kumar, Pankaj; Han, B. C.; Shi, Z.; Jia, J.; Wang, Y. P.; Zhang, Y. T.; Liang, L.; Liu, Q. F.; Ji, Z. L.; Chen, Y. Z.

2009-01-01

Knowledge of the kinetics of biomolecular interactions is important for facilitating the study of cellular processes and underlying molecular events, and is essential for quantitative study and simulation of biological systems. Kinetic Data of Bio-molecular Interaction database (KDBI) has been developed to provide information about experimentally determined kinetic data of protein–protein, protein–nucleic acid, protein–ligand, nucleic acid–ligand binding or reaction events described in the literature. To accommodate increasing demand for studying and simulating biological systems, numerous improvements and updates have been made to KDBI, including new ways to access data by pathway and molecule names, data file in System Biology Markup Language format, more efficient search engine, access to published parameter sets of simulation models of 63 pathways, and 2.3-fold increase of data (19 263 entries of 10 532 distinctive biomolecular binding and 11 954 interaction events, involving 2635 proteins/protein complexes, 847 nucleic acids, 1603 small molecules and 45 multi-step processes). KDBI is publically available at http://bidd.nus.edu.sg/group/kdbi/kdbi.asp. PMID:18971255

iview: an interactive WebGL visualizer for protein-ligand complex.

PubMed

Li, Hongjian; Leung, Kwong-Sak; Nakane, Takanori; Wong, Man-Hon

2014-02-25

Visualization of protein-ligand complex plays an important role in elaborating protein-ligand interactions and aiding novel drug design. Most existing web visualizers either rely on slow software rendering, or lack virtual reality support. The vital feature of macromolecular surface construction is also unavailable. We have developed iview, an easy-to-use interactive WebGL visualizer of protein-ligand complex. It exploits hardware acceleration rather than software rendering. It features three special effects in virtual reality settings, namely anaglyph, parallax barrier and oculus rift, resulting in visually appealing identification of intermolecular interactions. It supports four surface representations including Van der Waals surface, solvent excluded surface, solvent accessible surface and molecular surface. Moreover, based on the feature-rich version of iview, we have also developed a neat and tailor-made version specifically for our istar web platform for protein-ligand docking purpose. This demonstrates the excellent portability of iview. Using innovative 3D techniques, we provide a user friendly visualizer that is not intended to compete with professional visualizers, but to enable easy accessibility and platform independence.

CONCEPTUALIZING BIOPOLITICS: CITIZEN-STATE INTERACTIONS IN THE SECURING OF WATER SERVICES IN SOUTH AFRICA

PubMed Central

Bulled, Nicola

2015-01-01

Despite constitutional obligations to provide clean water to all citizens in South Africa, access to water and related services remains highly contested. The discord between constitutional promises and lived realities of water access, particularly through national infrastructure, provides a platform upon which to examine Foucauldian notions of biopolitics, the control of populations through technologies of governing. Drawing on the situations of residents in the rural Vhembe district in the north eastern corner of the country, I examine how individuals conceptualize the relationship that exists between citizen and state and the responsibilities of each in post-apartheid South Africa as it relates to water access. In addition, I describe strategies employed throughout South Africa to voice rights to water and how these approaches are perceived. Finally, I consider how the three primary forms of ‘water citizenship’ – citizen, agent, and subject – influence the current and future health of vulnerable residents. PMID:26087245

Conceptualizing Biopolitics: Citizen-State Interactions in the Securing of Water Services in South Africa.

PubMed

Bulled, Nicola

2015-01-01

Despite constitutional obligations to provide clean water to all citizens in South Africa, access to water and related services remains highly contested. The discord between constitutional promises and lived realities of water access, particularly through national infrastructure, provides a platform on which to examine Foucauldian notions of biopolitics, the control of populations through technologies of governing. Drawing on the situations of residents in the rural Vhembe district in the north eastern corner of the country, I examine how individuals conceptualize the relationship that exists between citizen and state and the responsibilities of each in post-Apartheid South Africa as it relates to water access. In addition, I describe strategies employed throughout South Africa to voice rights to water and how these approaches are perceived. Finally, I consider how the three primary forms of 'water citizenship'-citizen, agent, and subject-influence the current and future health of vulnerable residents.

Data Interactive Publications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Domenico, B.; Weber, J.

2012-04-01

For some years now, the authors have developed examples of online documents that allowed the reader to interact directly with datasets, but there were limitations that restricted the interaction to specific desktop analysis and display tools that were not generally available to all readers of the documents. Recent advances in web service technology and related standards are making it possible to develop systems for publishing online documents that enable readers to access, analyze, and display the data discussed in the publication from the perspective and in the manner from which the author wants it to be represented. By clicking on embedded links, the reader accesses not only the usual textual information in a publication, but also data residing on a local or remote web server as well as a set of processing tools for analyzing and displaying the data. With the option of having the analysis and display processing provided on the server (or in the cloud), there are now a broader set of possibilities on the client side where the reader can interact with the data via a thin web client, a rich desktop application, or a mobile platform "app." The presentation will outline the architecture of data interactive publications along with illustrative examples.

Data Interactive Publications Revisited

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Domenico, B.; Weber, W. J.

2011-12-01

A few years back, the authors presented examples of online documents that allowed the reader to interact directly with datasets, but there were limitations that restricted the interaction to specific desktop analysis and display tools that were not generally available to all readers of the documents. Recent advances in web service technology and related standards are making it possible to develop systems for publishing online documents that enable readers to access, analyze, and display the data discussed in the publication from the perspective and in the manner from which the author wants it to be represented. By clicking on embedded links, the reader accesses not only the usual textual information in a publication, but also data residing on a local or remote web server as well as a set of processing tools for analyzing and displaying the data. With the option of having the analysis and display processing provided on the server, there are now a broader set of possibilities on the client side where the reader can interact with the data via a thin web client, a rich desktop application, or a mobile platform "app." The presentation will outline the architecture of data interactive publications along with illustrative examples.

Enhancing the Reuse of Digital Resources for Integrated Systems to Represent, Understand and Dynamize Complex Interactions in Architectural Cultural Heritage Environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Delgado, F. J.; Martinez, R.; Finat, J.; Martinez, J.; Puche, J. C.; Finat, F. J.

2013-07-01

In this work we develop a multiply interconnected system which involves objects, agents and interactions between them from the use of ICT applied to open repositories, users communities and web services. Our approach is applied to Architectural Cultural Heritage Environments (ACHE). It includes components relative to digital accessibility (to augmented ACHE repositories), contents management (ontologies for the semantic web), semiautomatic recognition (to ease the reuse of materials) and serious videogames (for interaction in urban environments). Their combination provides a support for local real/remote virtual tourism (including some tools for low-level RT display of rendering in portable devices), mobile-based smart interactions (with a special regard to monitored environments) and CH related games (as extended web services). Main contributions to AR models on usual GIS applied to architectural environments, concern to an interactive support performed directly on digital files which allows to access to CH contents which are referred to GIS of urban districts (involving facades, historical or preindustrial buildings) and/or CH repositories in a ludic and transversal way to acquire cognitive, medial and social abilities in collaborative environments.

Electronic communication and collaboration in a health care practice.

PubMed

Safran, C; Jones, P C; Rind, D; Bush, B; Cytryn, K N; Patel, V L

1998-02-01

Using cognitive evaluation techniques, this study examines the effects of an electronic patient record and electronic mail on the interactions of health care providers. We find that the least structured communication methods are also the most heavily used: face-to-face, telephone, and electronic mail. Positive benefits of electronically-mediated interactions include improving communication, collaboration, and access to information to support decision-making. Negative factors include the potential for overloading clinicians with unwanted or unnecessary communications.

An affinity-structure database of helix-turn-helix: DNA complexes with a universal coordinate system.

PubMed

AlQuraishi, Mohammed; Tang, Shengdong; Xia, Xide

2015-11-19

Molecular interactions between proteins and DNA molecules underlie many cellular processes, including transcriptional regulation, chromosome replication, and nucleosome positioning. Computational analyses of protein-DNA interactions rely on experimental data characterizing known protein-DNA interactions structurally and biochemically. While many databases exist that contain either structural or biochemical data, few integrate these two data sources in a unified fashion. Such integration is becoming increasingly critical with the rapid growth of structural and biochemical data, and the emergence of algorithms that rely on the synthesis of multiple data types to derive computational models of molecular interactions. We have developed an integrated affinity-structure database in which the experimental and quantitative DNA binding affinities of helix-turn-helix proteins are mapped onto the crystal structures of the corresponding protein-DNA complexes. This database provides access to: (i) protein-DNA structures, (ii) quantitative summaries of protein-DNA binding affinities using position weight matrices, and (iii) raw experimental data of protein-DNA binding instances. Critically, this database establishes a correspondence between experimental structural data and quantitative binding affinity data at the single basepair level. Furthermore, we present a novel alignment algorithm that structurally aligns the protein-DNA complexes in the database and creates a unified residue-level coordinate system for comparing the physico-chemical environments at the interface between complexes. Using this unified coordinate system, we compute the statistics of atomic interactions at the protein-DNA interface of helix-turn-helix proteins. We provide an interactive website for visualization, querying, and analyzing this database, and a downloadable version to facilitate programmatic analysis. This database will facilitate the analysis of protein-DNA interactions and the development of programmatic computational methods that capitalize on integration of structural and biochemical datasets. The database can be accessed at http://ProteinDNA.hms.harvard.edu.

HotRegion: a database of predicted hot spot clusters.

PubMed

Cukuroglu, Engin; Gursoy, Attila; Keskin, Ozlem

2012-01-01

Hot spots are energetically important residues at protein interfaces and they are not randomly distributed across the interface but rather clustered. These clustered hot spots form hot regions. Hot regions are important for the stability of protein complexes, as well as providing specificity to binding sites. We propose a database called HotRegion, which provides the hot region information of the interfaces by using predicted hot spot residues, and structural properties of these interface residues such as pair potentials of interface residues, accessible surface area (ASA) and relative ASA values of interface residues of both monomer and complex forms of proteins. Also, the 3D visualization of the interface and interactions among hot spot residues are provided. HotRegion is accessible at http://prism.ccbb.ku.edu.tr/hotregion.

Upper Colorado River Basin Climate Effects Network

USGS Publications Warehouse

Belnap, Jayne; Campbell, Donald; Kershner, Jeff

2011-01-01

The Upper Colorado River Basin (UCRB) Climate Effects Network (CEN) is a science team established to provide information to assist land managers in future decision making processes by providing a better understanding of how future climate change, land use, invasive species, altered fire cycles, human systems, and the interactions among these factors will affect ecosystems and the services they provide to human communities. The goals of this group are to (1) identify science needs and provide tools to assist land managers in addressing these needs, (2) provide a Web site where users can access information pertinent to this region, and (3) provide managers technical assistance when needed. Answers to the team's working science questions are intended to address how interactions among climate change, land use, and management practices may affect key aspects of water availability, ecosystem changes, and societal needs within the UCRB.

The Pathway Active Learning Environment: An interactive web-based tool for physics education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakamura, Christopher Matthew

The work described here represents an effort to design, construct, and test an interactive online multimedia learning environment that can provide physics instruction to students in their homes. The system was designed with one-on-one human tutoring in mind as the mode of instruction. The system uses an original combination of a video-based tutor that incorporates natural language processing video-centered lessons and additional illustrative multimedia. Our Synthetic Interview (SI) tutor provides pre-recorded video answers from expert physics instructors in response to students' typed natural language questions. Our lessons cover Newton's laws and provide a context for the tutoring interaction to occur, connect physics ideas to real-world behavior of mechanical systems, and allow for quantitative testing of physics. Additional multimedia can be used to supplement the SI tutors' explanations and illustrate the physics of interest. The system is targeted at students of algebra-based and concept-based physics at the college and high school level. The system logs queries to the SI tutor, responses to lesson questions and several other interactions with the system, tagging those interactions with a username and timestamp. We have provided several groups of students with access to our system under several different conditions ranging from the controlled conditions of our interview facility to the naturalistic conditions of use at home. In total nearly two-hundred students have accessed the system. To gain insight into the ways students might use the system and understand the utility of its various components we analyzed qualitative interview data collected with 22 algebra-based physics students who worked with our system in our interview facility. We also performed a descriptive analysis of data from the system's log of user interactions. Finally we explored the use of machine learning to explore the possibility of using automated assessment to augment the interactive capabilities of the system as well as to identify productive and unproductive use patterns. This work establishes a proof-of-concept level demonstration of the feasibility of deploying this type of system. The impact of this work and the possibility of future research efforts are discussed in the context of Internet technologies that are changing rapidly.

Apparatuses for interaction with a subterranean formation, and methods of use thereof

DOEpatents

Clark, Don T.; Jones, Richard L.; Turner, Terry D.; Hubbell, Joel M.; Sisson, James B.

2007-12-25

An access casing assembly structured for placement at least partially within a subterranean formation by forcing the access casing assembly thereinto, comprising a plurality of casing sections operably coupled to form a central elongated cavity for providing access to the subterranean region is disclosed. Further, a tip portion of the access casing assembly may include a porous filter through which liquid or gas may communicate with the central elongated cavity. Also, a receiving member or at least one engagement hub may form a portion of the central elongated cavity and may include an engagement feature configured for selectively and lockingly engaging a locking structure of a device to be positioned within the access casing assembly. Methods of use are disclosed. A tensiometer is disclosed including a chamber structured for allowing at least partially filling with a fluid subsequent to contact therewith.

New Medicaid Enrollees In Oregon Report Health Care Successes And Challenges

PubMed Central

Allen, Heidi; Wright, Bill J.; Baicker, Katherine

2014-01-01

Medicaid expansions will soon cover millions of new enrollees, but insurance alone may not ensure that they receive high-quality care. This study examines health care interactions and the health perceptions of an Oregon cohort three years after they gained Medicaid coverage. During in-depth qualitative interviews, 120 enrollees reported a wide range of interactions with the health care system. Forty percent of the new enrollees sought care infrequently because they were confused about coverage, faced access barriers, had bad interactions with providers, or felt that care was unnecessary. For the 60 percent who had multiple health care interactions, continuity and ease of the provider-patient relationship were critical to improved health. Some newly insured Medicaid enrollees recounted rapid improvements in health. However, most reported that gains came after months or years of working closely and systematically with a provider. Our findings suggest that improving communication with beneficiaries and increasing the availability of coordinated care across settings could reduce the barriers that new enrollees are likely to face. PMID:24493773

COSMOS (County of San Mateo Online System). A Searcher's Manual.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

San Mateo County Superintendent of Schools, Redwood City, CA. Educational Resources Center.

Operating procedures are explained for COSMOS (County of San Mateo Online System), a computerized information retrieval system designed for the San Mateo Educational Resources Center (SMERC), which provides interactive access to both ERIC and a local file of fugitive documents. COSMOS hardware and modem compatibility requirements are reviewed,…

EnviroAtlas: A Tool for Accessing, Viewing, & Analyzing Diverse Information for Better Decisions

EPA Science Inventory

EnviroAtlas provides interactive tools and resources for exploring the benefits people receive from nature or :ecosystem goods and services.: Ecosystem goods and services are critically important to human health and well-being, but they are often overlooked due to lack of informa...

The Lincoln Training System: A Summary Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Butman, Robert C.; Frick, Frederick C.

The current status of the Lincoln Training System (LTS) is reported. This document describes LTS as a computer supported microfiche system which: 1) provides random access to voice quality audio and to graphics; 2) supports student-controlled interactive processes; and 3) functions in a variety of environments. The report offers a detailed…

Distance Delivery of Nutrition Education as a Method for Providing Continuing Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Unusan, Nurhan; Aiba, Naomi; Yoshiike, Nobuo

2007-01-01

Distance learning applications in nutrition education have evolved together with communication technology. Distance delivery is transforming the culture of professional health education by expanding access to learners, introducing novel teaching and learning methods, as well as shifting the paradigm of how instructors and students interact. The…

Quest: The Interactive Test Analysis System.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adams, Raymond J.; Khoo, Siek-Toon

The Quest program offers a comprehensive test and questionnaire analysis environment by providing a data analyst (a computer program) with access to the most recent developments in Rasch measurement theory, as well as a range of traditional analysis procedures. This manual helps the user use Quest to construct and validate variables based on…

Exploration and Discovery through Maps: Teaching Science with Technology

EPA Science Inventory

Online maps have the power to bring students closer to their local natural environments. EnviroAtlas is an interactive, web-based tool that was designed by the EPA and its partners to provide access to maps that show the status of the local environment and social elements of an ...

Novel Scientific Visualization Interfaces for Interactive Information Visualization and Sharing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Demir, I.; Krajewski, W. F.

2012-12-01

As geoscientists are confronted with increasingly massive datasets from environmental observations to simulations, one of the biggest challenges is having the right tools to gain scientific insight from the data and communicate the understanding to stakeholders. Recent developments in web technologies make it easy to manage, visualize and share large data sets with general public. Novel visualization techniques and dynamic user interfaces allow users to interact with data, and modify the parameters to create custom views of the data to gain insight from simulations and environmental observations. This requires developing new data models and intelligent knowledge discovery techniques to explore and extract information from complex computational simulations or large data repositories. Scientific visualization will be an increasingly important component to build comprehensive environmental information platforms. This presentation provides an overview of the trends and challenges in the field of scientific visualization, and demonstrates information visualization and communication tools in the Iowa Flood Information System (IFIS), developed within the light of these challenges. The IFIS is a web-based platform developed by the Iowa Flood Center (IFC) to provide access to and visualization of flood inundation maps, real-time flood conditions, flood forecasts both short-term and seasonal, and other flood-related data for communities in Iowa. The key element of the system's architecture is the notion of community. Locations of the communities, those near streams and rivers, define basin boundaries. The IFIS provides community-centric watershed and river characteristics, weather (rainfall) conditions, and streamflow data and visualization tools. Interactive interfaces allow access to inundation maps for different stage and return period values, and flooding scenarios with contributions from multiple rivers. Real-time and historical data of water levels, gauge heights, and rainfall conditions are available in the IFIS. 2D and 3D interactive visualizations in the IFIS make the data more understandable to general public. Users are able to filter data sources for their communities and selected rivers. The data and information on IFIS is also accessible through web services and mobile applications. The IFIS is optimized for various browsers and screen sizes to provide access through multiple platforms including tablets and mobile devices. Multiple view modes in the IFIS accommodate different user types from general public to researchers and decision makers by providing different level of tools and details. River view mode allows users to visualize data from multiple IFC bridge sensors and USGS stream gauges to follow flooding condition along a river. The IFIS will help communities make better-informed decisions on the occurrence of floods, and will alert communities in advance to help minimize damage of floods.

Pharmit: interactive exploration of chemical space.

PubMed

Sunseri, Jocelyn; Koes, David Ryan

2016-07-08

Pharmit (http://pharmit.csb.pitt.edu) provides an online, interactive environment for the virtual screening of large compound databases using pharmacophores, molecular shape and energy minimization. Users can import, create and edit virtual screening queries in an interactive browser-based interface. Queries are specified in terms of a pharmacophore, a spatial arrangement of the essential features of an interaction, and molecular shape. Search results can be further ranked and filtered using energy minimization. In addition to a number of pre-built databases of popular compound libraries, users may submit their own compound libraries for screening. Pharmit uses state-of-the-art sub-linear algorithms to provide interactive screening of millions of compounds. Queries typically take a few seconds to a few minutes depending on their complexity. This allows users to iteratively refine their search during a single session. The easy access to large chemical datasets provided by Pharmit simplifies and accelerates structure-based drug design. Pharmit is available under a dual BSD/GPL open-source license. © The Author(s) 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

Shell stability analysis in a computer aided engineering (CAE) environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Arbocz, J.; Hol, J. M. A. M.

1993-01-01

The development of 'DISDECO', the Delft Interactive Shell DEsign COde is described. The purpose of this project is to make the accumulated theoretical, numerical and practical knowledge of the last 25 years or so readily accessible to users interested in the analysis of buckling sensitive structures. With this open ended, hierarchical, interactive computer code the user can access from his workstation successively programs of increasing complexity. The computational modules currently operational in DISDECO provide the prospective user with facilities to calculate the critical buckling loads of stiffened anisotropic shells under combined loading, to investigate the effects the various types of boundary conditions will have on the critical load, and to get a complete picture of the degrading effects the different shapes of possible initial imperfections might cause, all in one interactive session. Once a design is finalized, its collapse load can be verified by running a large refined model remotely from behind the workstation with one of the current generation 2-dimensional codes, with advanced capabilities to handle both geometric and material nonlinearities.

ZikaBase: An integrated ZIKV- Human Interactome Map database.

PubMed

Gurumayum, Sanathoi; Brahma, Rahul; Naorem, Leimarembi Devi; Muthaiyan, Mathavan; Gopal, Jeyakodi; Venkatesan, Amouda

2018-01-15

Re-emergence of ZIKV has caused infections in more than 1.5 million people. The molecular mechanism and pathogenesis of ZIKV is not well explored due to unavailability of adequate model and lack of publically accessible resources to provide information of ZIKV-Human protein interactome map till today. This study made an attempt to curate the ZIKV-Human interaction proteins from published literatures and RNA-Seq data. 11 direct interaction, 12 associated genes are retrieved from literatures and 3742 Differentially Expressed Genes (DEGs) are obtained from RNA-Seq analysis. The genes have been analyzed to construct the ZIKV-Human Interactome Map. The importance of the study has been illustrated by the enrichment analysis and observed that direct interaction and associated genes are enriched in viral entry into host cell. Also, ZIKV infection modulates 32% signal and 27% immune system pathways. The integrated database, ZikaBase has been developed to help the virology research community and accessible at https://test5.bicpu.edu.in. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Conformational Heterogeneity of the HIV Envelope Glycan Shield.

PubMed

Yang, Mingjun; Huang, Jing; Simon, Raphael; Wang, Lai-Xi; MacKerell, Alexander D

2017-06-30

To better understand the conformational properties of the glycan shield covering the surface of the HIV gp120/gp41 envelope (Env) trimer, and how the glycan shield impacts the accessibility of the underlying protein surface, we performed enhanced sampling molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of a model glycosylated HIV Env protein and related systems. Our simulation studies revealed a conformationally heterogeneous glycan shield with a network of glycan-glycan interactions more extensive than those observed to date. We found that partial preorganization of the glycans potentially favors binding by established broadly neutralizing antibodies; omission of several specific glycans could increase the accessibility of other glycans or regions of the protein surface to antibody or CD4 receptor binding; the number of glycans that can potentially interact with known antibodies is larger than that observed in experimental studies; and specific glycan conformations can maximize or minimize interactions with individual antibodies. More broadly, the enhanced sampling MD simulations described here provide a valuable tool to guide the engineering of specific Env glycoforms for HIV vaccine design.

The SH2 domain of Abl kinases regulates kinase autophosphorylation by controlling activation loop accessibility.

PubMed

Lamontanara, Allan Joaquim; Georgeon, Sandrine; Tria, Giancarlo; Svergun, Dmitri I; Hantschel, Oliver

2014-11-17

The activity of protein kinases is regulated by multiple molecular mechanisms, and their disruption is a common driver of oncogenesis. A central and almost universal control element of protein kinase activity is the activation loop that utilizes both conformation and phosphorylation status to determine substrate access. In this study, we use recombinant Abl tyrosine kinases and conformation-specific kinase inhibitors to quantitatively analyse structural changes that occur after Abl activation. Allosteric SH2-kinase domain interactions were previously shown to be essential for the leukemogenesis caused by the Bcr-Abl oncoprotein. We find that these allosteric interactions switch the Abl activation loop from a closed to a fully open conformation. This enables the trans-autophosphorylation of the activation loop and requires prior phosphorylation of the SH2-kinase linker. Disruption of the SH2-kinase interaction abolishes activation loop phosphorylation. Our analysis provides a molecular mechanism for the SH2 domain-dependent activation of Abl that may also regulate other tyrosine kinases.

The SH2 domain of Abl kinases regulates kinase autophosphorylation by controlling activation loop accessibility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lamontanara, Allan Joaquim; Georgeon, Sandrine; Tria, Giancarlo; Svergun, Dmitri I.; Hantschel, Oliver

2014-11-01

The activity of protein kinases is regulated by multiple molecular mechanisms, and their disruption is a common driver of oncogenesis. A central and almost universal control element of protein kinase activity is the activation loop that utilizes both conformation and phosphorylation status to determine substrate access. In this study, we use recombinant Abl tyrosine kinases and conformation-specific kinase inhibitors to quantitatively analyse structural changes that occur after Abl activation. Allosteric SH2-kinase domain interactions were previously shown to be essential for the leukemogenesis caused by the Bcr-Abl oncoprotein. We find that these allosteric interactions switch the Abl activation loop from a closed to a fully open conformation. This enables the trans-autophosphorylation of the activation loop and requires prior phosphorylation of the SH2-kinase linker. Disruption of the SH2-kinase interaction abolishes activation loop phosphorylation. Our analysis provides a molecular mechanism for the SH2 domain-dependent activation of Abl that may also regulate other tyrosine kinases.

Playground Accessibility and Neighbourhood Social Interaction among Parents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bennet, Scott A.; Yiannakoulias, Nikolaos; Williams, Allison M.; Kitchen, Peter

2012-01-01

While the positive association between social interaction and access to green space is well accepted, little research has sought to understand the role of children's playgrounds in facilitating social interaction within a community. Playgrounds are spaces designed to facilitate play and the interaction of children, but may also be important places…

Programming Language Software For Graphics Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Beckman, Brian C.

1993-01-01

New approach reduces repetitive development of features common to different applications. High-level programming language and interactive environment with access to graphical hardware and software created by adding graphical commands and other constructs to standardized, general-purpose programming language, "Scheme". Designed for use in developing other software incorporating interactive computer-graphics capabilities into application programs. Provides alternative to programming entire applications in C or FORTRAN, specifically ameliorating design and implementation of complex control and data structures typifying applications with interactive graphics. Enables experimental programming and rapid development of prototype software, and yields high-level programs serving as executable versions of software-design documentation.

Q.U.E.S.T. An Interactive Earth Science Study Tool: Connecting Real Students to Digital Libraries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moore, A.; Danowski, D.; Brindisi, C.; Sandvol, C.; Seber, D.

2001-05-01

Quick Use Earth Study Tool (QUEST) is an experimental educational interface to the Cornell University's Geoscience Information System (http://atlas.geo.cornell.edu). The information system currently includes more than 100 geographic, geologic, and geophysical data sets along with World Wide Web based interactive mapping tools for data display and analysis. The system is GIS based and accessible via any web browser that support Java applets. QUEST is the companion module that has been developed to assist educators who wish to use these data to their fullest potential, providing tutorials, sample exercises, and suggested projects. Clearly, students learn best when they engage in the practice of science. One means to accomplish this is to have students access primary scientific data. Our experience suggests that a structured exploration of original data sets enhances student learning. For this reason we have selected a subset of Cornell's available geoscience data, and have designed a series of activities that allow students to explore dynamic Earth processes. Currently, these data include the ISC seismicity catalog, volcanism data from the Smithsonian Institution, and digital topography from the USGS and NOAA. The QUEST interface allows students to query the data sets based on a variety of criteria (e.g., earthquakes can be sorted by date, magnitude, depth, and location), or perform computations on data (e.g., sea level can be interactively mapped at any elevation on the DEM). Because the system is GIS-based, multiple data sets can be displayed simultaneously in order for users to examine the spatial relationships between geological features. Users can zoom in to regions of interest, and a map history window keeps track of student work so that comparisons are easily made. QUEST is accompanied by a Teacher's Manual to assist teachers in extracting the most information from the available data and tools. Through these efforts we hope to provide teachers and students with access to a wide variety of data applicable to problems in Earth science, along with the ability to easily display and analyze multiple data types--thus providing all users with access to state-of-the-art information.

Development of an expert analysis tool based on an interactive subsidence hazard map for urban land use in the city of Celaya, Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alloy, A.; Gonzalez Dominguez, F.; Nila Fonseca, A. L.; Ruangsirikulchai, A.; Gentle, J. N., Jr.; Cabral, E.; Pierce, S. A.

2016-12-01

Land Subsidence as a result of groundwater extraction in central Mexico's larger urban centers initiated in the 80's as a result of population and economic growth. The city of Celaya has undergone subsidence for a few decades and a consequence is the development of an active normal fault system that affects its urban infrastructure and residential areas. To facilitate its analysis and a land use decision-making process we created an online interactive map enabling users to easily obtain information associated with land subsidence. Geological and socioeconomic data of the city was collected, including fault location, population data, and other important infrastructure and structural data has been obtained from fieldwork as part of a study abroad interchange undergraduate course. The subsidence and associated faulting hazard map was created using an InSAR derived subsidence velocity map and population data from INEGI to identify hazard zones using a subsidence gradient spatial analysis approach based on a subsidence gradient and population risk matrix. This interactive map provides a simple perspective of different vulnerable urban elements. As an accessible visualization tool, it will enhance communication between scientific and socio-economic disciplines. Our project also lays the groundwork for a future expert analysis system with an open source and easily accessible Python coded, SQLite database driven website which archives fault and subsidence data along with visual damage documentation to civil structures. This database takes field notes and provides an entry form for uniform datasets, which are used to generate a JSON. Such a database is useful because it allows geoscientists to have a centralized repository and access to their observations over time. Because of the widespread presence of the subsidence phenomena throughout cities in central Mexico, the spatial analysis has been automated using the open source software R. Raster, rgeos, shapefiles, and rgdal libraries have been used to develop the script which permits to obtain the raster maps of horizontal gradient and population density. An advantage is that this analysis can be automated for periodic updates or repurposed for similar analysis in other cities, providing an easily accessible tool for land subsidence hazard assessments.

Catch the A-Train from the NASA GIBS/Worldview Platform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmaltz, J. E.; Alarcon, C.; Baynes, K.; Boller, R. A.; Cechini, M. F.; De Cesare, C.; De Luca, A. P.; Gunnoe, T.; King, B. A.; King, J.; Pressley, N. N.; Roberts, J. T.; Rodriguez, J.; Thompson, C. K.; Wong, M. M.

2016-12-01

The satellites and instruments of the Afternoon Train are providing an unprecedented combination of nearly simultaneous measurements. One of the challenges for researchers and applications users is to sift through these combinations to find particular sets of data that correspond to their interests. Using visualization of the data is one way to explore these combinations. NASA's Worldview tool is designed to do just that - to interactively browse full-resolution satellite imagery. Worldview (https://worldview.earthdata.nasa.gov/) is web-based and developed using open libraries and standards (OpenLayers, JavaScript, CSS, HTML) for cross-platform compatibility. It addresses growing user demands for access to full-resolution imagery by providing a responsive, interactive interface with global coverage and no artificial boundaries. In addition to science data imagery, Worldview provides ancillary datasets such as coastlines and borders, socio-economic layers, and satellite orbit tracks. Worldview interacts with the Earthdata Search Client to provide download of the data files associated with the imagery being viewed. The imagery used by Worldview is provided NASA's Global Imagery Browse Services (GIBS - https://earthdata.nasa.gov/gibs) which provide highly responsive, highly scalable imagery services. Requests are made via the OGC Web Map Tile Service (WMTS) standard. In addition to Worldview, other clients can be developed using a variety of web-based libraries, desktop and mobile app libraries, and GDAL script-based access. GIBS currently includes more than 106 science data sets from seven instruments aboard three of the A-Train satellites and new data sets are being added as part of the President's Big Earth Data Initiative (BEDI). Efforts are underway to include new imagery types, such as vectors and curtains, into Worldview/GIBS which will be used to visualize additional A-Train science parameters.

High Performance Real-Time Visualization of Voluminous Scientific Data Through the NOAA Earth Information System (NEIS).

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stewart, J.; Hackathorn, E. J.; Joyce, J.; Smith, J. S.

2014-12-01

Within our community data volume is rapidly expanding. These data have limited value if one cannot interact or visualize the data in a timely manner. The scientific community needs the ability to dynamically visualize, analyze, and interact with these data along with other environmental data in real-time regardless of the physical location or data format. Within the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA's), the Earth System Research Laboratory (ESRL) is actively developing the NOAA Earth Information System (NEIS). Previously, the NEIS team investigated methods of data discovery and interoperability. The recent focus shifted to high performance real-time visualization allowing NEIS to bring massive amounts of 4-D data, including output from weather forecast models as well as data from different observations (surface obs, upper air, etc...) in one place. Our server side architecture provides a real-time stream processing system which utilizes server based NVIDIA Graphical Processing Units (GPU's) for data processing, wavelet based compression, and other preparation techniques for visualization, allows NEIS to minimize the bandwidth and latency for data delivery to end-users. Client side, users interact with NEIS services through the visualization application developed at ESRL called TerraViz. Terraviz is developed using the Unity game engine and takes advantage of the GPU's allowing a user to interact with large data sets in real time that might not have been possible before. Through these technologies, the NEIS team has improved accessibility to 'Big Data' along with providing tools allowing novel visualization and seamless integration of data across time and space regardless of data size, physical location, or data format. These capabilities provide the ability to see the global interactions and their importance for weather prediction. Additionally, they allow greater access than currently exists helping to foster scientific collaboration and new ideas. This presentation will provide an update of the recent enhancements of the NEIS architecture and visualization capabilities, challenges faced, as well as ongoing research activities related to this project.

A software for managing after-hours activities in research user facilities

DOE PAGES

Camino, F. E.

2017-05-01

Here, we present an afterhours activity management program for shared facilities, which handles the processes required for afterhours access (request, approval, extension, etc.). It implements the concept of permitted afterhours activities, which consists of a list of well-defined activities that each user can perform afterhours. The program provides an easy and unambiguous way for users to know which activities they are allowed to perform afterhours. In addition, the program can enhance its safety efficacy by interacting with lab and instrument access control systems commonly present in user facilities.

A software for managing after-hours activities in research user facilities

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

Camino, F. E.

Here, we present an afterhours activity management program for shared facilities, which handles the processes required for afterhours access (request, approval, extension, etc.). It implements the concept of permitted afterhours activities, which consists of a list of well-defined activities that each user can perform afterhours. The program provides an easy and unambiguous way for users to know which activities they are allowed to perform afterhours. In addition, the program can enhance its safety efficacy by interacting with lab and instrument access control systems commonly present in user facilities.

Telecommuting (Work-At-Home) at NASA Lewis Research Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Srinidhi, Saragur M.

1994-01-01

This report presents a study in evaluating the viability of providing a work-at-home (telecommuting) program for Lewis Research Center's corporate employees using Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN). Case studies have been presented for a range of applications from casual data access to interactive access. The network performance of telemedia applications were studied against future requirements for such level of remote connectivity. Many of the popular ISDN devices were characterized for network and service functionality. A set of recommendations to develop a telecommuting policy have been proposed.

Southwest Watershed Research Center Data Access Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nichols, M. H.; Anson, E.

2008-05-01

Hydrologic data, including rainfall and runoff data, have been collected on experimental watersheds operated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) in southern Arizona since the 1950s. These data are of national and international importance and make up one of the most comprehensive semiarid watershed data sets in the world. The USDA-ARS Southwest Watershed Research Center has recently developed an electronic data processing system that includes an online interface (http://tucson.ars.ag.gov/dap) to provide public access to the data. The goal of the system is to promote analyses and interpretations of historic and current data by improving data access. Data are collected from sensors in the field and are transmitted to computers in the office. The data are then processed, quality checked, and made available to users via the Internet. The publicly accessible part of the system consists of an interactive Web site, which provides an interface to the data, and a relational database, which is used to process, store, and manage data. The system was released to the public in October 2003, and since that time the online data access Web site has received more than 4500 visitors.

Family planning unmet need and access among iTaukei women in New Zealand and Fiji.

PubMed

Cammock, Radilaite; Herbison, Peter; Lovell, Sarah; Priest, Patricia

2017-09-22

The aim of the study was to identify unmet need and family planning access among indigenous Fijian or iTaukei women living in New Zealand and Fiji. A cross-sectional survey was undertaken between 2012-2013 in five major cities in New Zealand: Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin; and in three suburbs in Fiji. Women who did not want any (more) children but were not using any form of contraception were defined as having an unmet need. Access experiences involving cost and health provider interactions were assessed. Unmet need in New Zealand was 26% and similar to the unmet need found in Fiji (25%). Cost and concern over not being seen by a female provider were the most problematic access factors for women. There is a need for better monitoring and targeting of family planning services among minority Pacific groups, as the unmet need found in New Zealand was three times the national estimate overall and similar to the rate found in Fiji. Cost remains a problem among women trying to access family planning services. Gendered traditional roles in sexual and reproductive health maybe an area from which more understanding into cultural sensitivities and challenges may be achieved.

Exploring patients' perceptions of accessing electronic health records: Innovation in healthcare.

PubMed

Wass, Sofie; Vimarlund, Vivian; Ros, Axel

2017-04-01

The more widespread implementation of electronic health records has led to new ways of providing access to healthcare information, allowing patients to view their medical notes, test results, medicines and so on. In this article, we explore how patients perceive the possibility to access their electronic health record online and whether this influences patient involvement. The study includes interviews with nine patients and a survey answered by 56 patients. Our results show that patients perceive healthcare information to be more accessible and that electronic health record accessibility improves recall, understanding and patient involvement. However, to achieve the goal of involving patients as active decision-makers in their own treatment, electronic health records need to be fully available and test results, referrals and information on drug interactions need to be offered. As patient access to electronic health records spreads, it is important to gain a deeper understanding of how documentation practices can be changed to serve healthcare professionals and patients.

JASPAR RESTful API: accessing JASPAR data from any programming language.

PubMed

Khan, Aziz; Mathelier, Anthony

2018-05-01

JASPAR is a widely used open-access database of curated, non-redundant transcription factor binding profiles. Currently, data from JASPAR can be retrieved as flat files or by using programming language-specific interfaces. Here, we present a programming language-independent application programming interface (API) to access JASPAR data using the Representational State Transfer (REST) architecture. The REST API enables programmatic access to JASPAR by most programming languages and returns data in eight widely used formats. Several endpoints are available to access the data and an endpoint is available to infer the TF binding profile(s) likely bound by a given DNA binding domain protein sequence. Additionally, it provides an interactive browsable interface for bioinformatics tool developers. This REST API is implemented in Python using the Django REST Framework. It is accessible at http://jaspar.genereg.net/api/ and the source code is freely available at https://bitbucket.org/CBGR/jaspar under GPL v3 license. aziz.khan@ncmm.uio.no or anthony.mathelier@ncmm.uio.no. Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

Acceptable care? Illness constructions, healthworlds, and accessible chronic treatment in South Africa.

PubMed

Fried, Jana; Harris, Bronwyn; Eyles, John; Moshabela, Mosa

2015-05-01

Achieving equitable access to health care is an important policy goal, with access influenced by affordability, availability, and acceptability of specific services. We explore patient narratives from a 5-year program of research on health care access to examine relationships between social constructions of illness and the acceptability of health services in the context of tuberculosis treatment and antiretroviral therapy in South Africa. Acceptability of services seems particularly important to the meanings patients attach to illness and care, whereas-conversely-these constructions appear to influence what constitutes acceptability and hence affect access to care. We highlight the underestimated role of individually, socially, and politically constructed healthworlds; traditional and biomedical beliefs; and social support networks. Suggested policy implications for improving acceptability and hence overall health care access include abandoning patronizing approaches to care and refocusing from treating "disease" to responding to "illness" by acknowledging and incorporating patients' healthworlds in patient-provider interactions. © The Author(s) 2015.

Scientific Platform as a Service - Tools and solutions for efficient access to and analysis of oceanographic data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vines, Aleksander; Hansen, Morten W.; Korosov, Anton

2017-04-01

Existing infrastructure international and Norwegian projects, e.g., NorDataNet, NMDC and NORMAP, provide open data access through the OPeNDAP protocol following the conventions for CF (Climate and Forecast) metadata, designed to promote the processing and sharing of files created with the NetCDF application programming interface (API). This approach is now also being implemented in the Norwegian Sentinel Data Hub (satellittdata.no) to provide satellite EO data to the user community. Simultaneously with providing simplified and unified data access, these projects also seek to use and establish common standards for use and discovery metadata. This then allows development of standardized tools for data search and (subset) streaming over the internet to perform actual scientific analysis. A combinnation of software tools, which we call a Scientific Platform as a Service (SPaaS), will take advantage of these opportunities to harmonize and streamline the search, retrieval and analysis of integrated satellite and auxiliary observations of the oceans in a seamless system. The SPaaS is a cloud solution for integration of analysis tools with scientific datasets via an API. The core part of the SPaaS is a distributed metadata catalog to store granular metadata describing the structure, location and content of available satellite, model, and in situ datasets. The analysis tools include software for visualization (also online), interactive in-depth analysis, and server-based processing chains. The API conveys search requests between system nodes (i.e., interactive and server tools) and provides easy access to the metadata catalog, data repositories, and the tools. The SPaaS components are integrated in virtual machines, of which provisioning and deployment are automatized using existing state-of-the-art open-source tools (e.g., Vagrant, Ansible, Docker). The open-source code for scientific tools and virtual machine configurations is under version control at https://github.com/nansencenter/, and is coupled to an online continuous integration system (e.g., Travis CI).

Real-time Data Access From Remote Observatories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Detrick, D. L.; Lutz, L. F.; Etter, J. E.; Rosenberg, T. J.; Weatherwax, A. T.

2006-12-01

Real-time access to solar-terrestrial data is becoming increasingly important, not only because it is now possible to acquire and access data rapidly via the internet, but also because of the need for timely publication of real-time data for analysis and modeling efforts. Currently, engineering-scaled summary data are available routinely on a daily basis from many observatories, but only when the observatories have continuous, or at least daily network access. Increasingly, the upgrading of remote data acquisition hardware makes it possible to provide data in real-time, and it is becoming normal to expect timely access to data products. The NSF- supported PENGUIn/AGO constellation of autonomous Antarctic research observatories has provided real-time data since December, 2002, when Iridium satellite modems were installed at three sites. The Iridium telecommunications links are maintained continuously, transferring data between the remote observatories and a U.S.-based data acquisition site. The time-limiting factor with this scenario is now the delay in completing a data record before transmission, which can be as short as minutes depending on the sampling rate. The single-channel data throughput of the current systems is 20-MB/day (megabytes per day), but planned installations will be capable of operating with multiple modem channels. The data records are currently posted immediately to a web site accessible by anonymous FTP client software, for use by the instruments' principal investigators, and survey plots of selected signals are published daily. The web publication facilities are being upgraded, in order to allow other interested researchers rapid access to engineering-scaled data products, in several common formats, as well as providing interactive plotting capabilities. The web site will provide access to data from other collaborating observatories (including South Pole and McMurdo Stations), as well as ancillary data accessible from public sites (e.g., Kp, AE, Dst). The site will be accessible via common HTML interface protocols, enabling access to the data products by browsers or other compatible application software. We describe details of the hardware and software components of the Iridium telecommunications linkage, as well as details of the current and planned web publication capabilities.

A Case-Series Test of the Interactive Two-Step Model of Lexical Access: Predicting Word Repetition from Picture Naming

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dell, Gary S.; Martin, Nadine; Schwartz, Myrna F.

2007-01-01

Lexical access in language production, and particularly pathologies of lexical access, are often investigated by examining errors in picture naming and word repetition. In this article, we test a computational approach to lexical access, the two-step interactive model, by examining whether the model can quantitatively predict the repetition-error…

The Flipped Classroom: An active teaching and learning strategy for making the sessions more interactive and challenging.

PubMed

Sultan, Amber Shamim

2018-04-01

Flipping the classroom is a pedagogical model that employs easy to use, readily accessible technology based resources such as video lectures, reading handouts, and practice problems outside the classroom, whereas interactive group-based, problem-solving activities conducted in the classroom. This strategy permits for an extended range of learning activities during the session. Using class time for active learning provides greater opportunity for mentoring and peer to peer collaboration. Instead of spending too much time on delivering lectures, class time can best be utilized by interacting with students, discussing their concerns related to the particular topic to be taught, providing real life examples relevant to the course content, challenging students to think in a broader aspect about complex process and encouraging different team based learning activities.

The bioethics discussion forum--an implementation of an Internet-based bioethics information analysis resource.

PubMed Central

Derse, A. R.; Krogull, S. R.

1995-01-01

Ethical analysis is crucial to decision making in biomedicine and health care, necessitating both rapid access to diffusely disseminated sources of information pertinent to bioethics and promotion of analysis in the field of bioethics through a resource for information analysis. We developed the Bioethics Discussion Forum, an Internet-based information analysis resource, in order to supplement the Bioethics Online Service with an interactive information medium to meet the demand for such an interactive resource. The Bioethics Discussion Forum has shown promise for information analysis, providing an arena for the review and discussion of complex bioethical information, establishing a connection nationally and internationally among individuals with high levels of expertise in bioethics, and providing a template for future interactive informatics services. PMID:8563245

Workshop on Innovative Instrumentation for the In Situ Study of Atmosphere-Surface Interactions on Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fegley, Bruce, Jr. (Editor); Waenke, Heinrich (Editor)

1992-01-01

The speakers in the first session of the workshop addressed some of the continuing enigmas regarding the atmospheric composition, surface composition, and atmosphere-surface interactions on Mars; provided a description of a database of proposed payloads and instruments for SEI missions that is scheduled to be accessible in 1993; discussed potential uses of atmospheric imaging from landed stations on Mars; and advocated the collection and employment of high-spectral-resolution reflectance and emission data.

3D Slicer as a tool for interactive brain tumor segmentation.

PubMed

Kikinis, Ron; Pieper, Steve

2011-01-01

User interaction is required for reliable segmentation of brain tumors in clinical practice and in clinical research. By incorporating current research tools, 3D Slicer provides a set of interactive, easy to use tools that can be efficiently used for this purpose. One of the modules of 3D Slicer is an interactive editor tool, which contains a variety of interactive segmentation effects. Use of these effects for fast and reproducible segmentation of a single glioblastoma from magnetic resonance imaging data is demonstrated. The innovation in this work lies not in the algorithm, but in the accessibility of the algorithm because of its integration into a software platform that is practical for research in a clinical setting.

The Paperless Solution

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2001-01-01

REI Systems, Inc. developed a software solution that uses the Internet to eliminate the paperwork typically required to document and manage complex business processes. The data management solution, called Electronic Handbooks (EHBs), is presently used for the entire SBIR program processes at NASA. The EHB-based system is ideal for programs and projects whose users are geographically distributed and are involved in complex management processes and procedures. EHBs provide flexible access control and increased communications while maintaining security for systems of all sizes. Through Internet Protocol- based access, user authentication and user-based access restrictions, role-based access control, and encryption/decryption, EHBs provide the level of security required for confidential data transfer. EHBs contain electronic forms and menus, which can be used in real time to execute the described processes. EHBs use standard word processors that generate ASCII HTML code to set up electronic forms that are viewed within a web browser. EHBs require no end-user software distribution, significantly reducing operating costs. Each interactive handbook simulates a hard-copy version containing chapters with descriptions of participants' roles in the online process.

Cal-Adapt: California's Climate Data Resource and Interactive Toolkit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomas, N.; Mukhtyar, S.; Wilhelm, S.; Galey, B.; Lehmer, E.

2016-12-01

Cal-Adapt is a web-based application that provides an interactive toolkit and information clearinghouse to help agencies, communities, local planners, resource managers, and the public understand climate change risks and impacts at the local level. The website offers interactive, visually compelling, and useful data visualization tools that show how climate change might affect California using downscaled continental climate data. Cal-Adapt is supporting California's Fourth Climate Change Assessment through providing access to the wealth of modeled and observed data and adaption-related information produced by California's scientific community. The site has been developed by UC Berkeley's Geospatial Innovation Facility (GIF) in collaboration with the California Energy Commission's (CEC) Research Program. The Cal-Adapt website allows decision makers, scientists and residents of California to turn research results and climate projections into effective adaptation decisions and policies. Since its release to the public in June 2011, Cal-Adapt has been visited by more than 94,000 unique visitors from over 180 countries, all 50 U.S. states, and 689 California localities. We will present several key visualizations that have been employed by Cal-Adapt's users to support their efforts to understand local impacts of climate change, indicate the breadth of data available, and delineate specific use cases. Recently, CEC and GIF have been developing and releasing Cal-Adapt 2.0, which includes updates and enhancements that are increasing its ease of use, information value, visualization tools, and data accessibility. We showcase how Cal-Adapt is evolving in response to feedback from a variety of sources to present finer-resolution downscaled data, and offer an open API that allows other organization to access Cal-Adapt climate data and build domain specific visualization and planning tools. Through a combination of locally relevant information, visualization tools, and access to primary data, Cal-Adapt allows users to investigate how the climate is projected to change in their areas of interest.

Multi-Stage Open Peer Review: Scientific Evaluation Integrating the Strengths of Traditional Peer Review with the Virtues of Transparency and Self-Regulation

PubMed Central

Pöschl, Ulrich

2012-01-01

The traditional forms of scientific publishing and peer review do not live up to all demands of efficient communication and quality assurance in today’s highly diverse and rapidly evolving world of science. They need to be advanced and complemented by interactive and transparent forms of review, publication, and discussion that are open to the scientific community and to the public. The advantages of open access, public peer review, and interactive discussion can be efficiently and flexibly combined with the strengths of traditional scientific peer review. Since 2001 the benefits and viability of this approach are clearly demonstrated by the highly successful interactive open access journal Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics (ACP, www.atmos-chem-phys.net) and a growing number of sister journals launched and operated by the European Geosciences Union (EGU, www.egu.eu) and the open access publisher Copernicus (www.copernicus.org). The interactive open access journals are practicing an integrative multi-stage process of publication and peer review combined with interactive public discussion, which effectively resolves the dilemma between rapid scientific exchange and thorough quality assurance. Key features and achievements of this approach are: top quality and impact, efficient self-regulation and low rejection rates, high attractivity and rapid growth, low costs, and financial sustainability. In fact, ACP and the EGU interactive open access sister journals are by most if not all standards more successful than comparable scientific journals with traditional or alternative forms of peer review (editorial statistics, publication statistics, citation statistics, economic costs, and sustainability). The high efficiency and predictive validity of multi-stage open peer review have been confirmed in a series of dedicated studies by evaluation experts from the social sciences, and the same or similar concepts have recently also been adopted in other disciplines, including the life sciences and economics. Multi-stage open peer review can be flexibly adjusted to the needs and peculiarities of different scientific communities. Due to the flexibility and compatibility with traditional structures of scientific publishing and peer review, the multi-stage open peer review concept enables efficient evolution in scientific communication and quality assurance. It has the potential for swift replacement of hidden peer review as the standard of scientific quality assurance, and it provides a basis for open evaluation in science. PMID:22783183

Concept of Operations Visualization in Support of Ares I Production

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chilton, James H.; Smith, Daid Alan

2008-01-01

Boeing was selected in 2007 to manufacture Ares I Upper Stage and Instrument Unit according to NASA's design which would require the use of the latest manufacturing and integration processes to meet NASA budget and schedule targets. Past production experience has established that the majority of the life cycle cost is established during the initial design process. Concept of Operations (CONOPs) visualizations/simulations help to reduce life cycle cost during the early design stage. Production and operation visualizations can reduce tooling, factory capacity, safety, and build process risks while spreading program support across government, academic, media and public constituencies. The NASA/Boeing production visualization (DELMIA; Digital Enterprise Lean Manufacturing Interactive Application) promotes timely, concurrent and collaborative producibility analysis (Boeing)while supporting Upper Stage Design Cycles (NASA). The DELMIA CONOPs visualization reduced overall Upper Stage production flow time at the manufacturing facility by over 100 man-days to 312.5 man-days and helped to identify technical access issues. The NASA/Boeing Interactive Concept of Operations (ICON) provides interactive access to Ares using real mission parameters, allows users to configure the mission which encourages ownership and identifies areas for improvement, allows mission operations or spacecraft detail to be added as needed, and provides an effective, low coast advocacy, outreach and education tool.

Silicon photonics cloud (SiCloud)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

DeVore, Peter T. S.; Jiang, Yunshan; Lynch, Michael; Miyatake, Taira; Carmona, Christopher; Chan, Andrew C.; Muniam, Kuhan; Jalali, Bahram

2015-02-01

We present SiCloud (Silicon Photonics Cloud), the first free, instructional web-based research and education tool for silicon photonics. SiCloud's vision is to provide a host of instructional and research web-based tools. Such interactive learning tools enhance traditional teaching methods by extending access to a very large audience, resulting in very high impact. Interactive tools engage the brain in a way different from merely reading, and so enhance and reinforce the learning experience. Understanding silicon photonics is challenging as the topic involves a wide range of disciplines, including material science, semiconductor physics, electronics and waveguide optics. This web-based calculator is an interactive analysis tool for optical properties of silicon and related material (SiO2, Si3N4, Al2O3, etc.). It is designed to be a one stop resource for students, researchers and design engineers. The first and most basic aspect of Silicon Photonics is the Material Parameters, which provides the foundation for the Device, Sub-System and System levels. SiCloud includes the common dielectrics and semiconductors for waveguide core, cladding, and photodetection, as well as metals for electrical contacts. SiCloud is a work in progress and its capability is being expanded. SiCloud is being developed at UCLA with funding from the National Science Foundation's Center for Integrated Access Networks (CIAN) Engineering Research Center.

The role of volunteer support in the community for adults with hearing loss and hearing aids.

PubMed

Pryce, Helen; Hall, Amanda; Gooberman-Hill, Rachael

2015-08-01

To explore interactions between audiology patients and volunteers, to describe encounters and define the role of volunteers. Qualitative ethnographic and interview study of volunteer-patient interactions. Ten volunteer participants from two volunteer schemes in South West England were observed and interviewed. Three patient participants were interviewed. Analysis of observational data showed that volunteers provided support relating to local services and hearing aids, but did not engage in discussions about hearing loss. Interviews with volunteers identified gaps in audiology provision, including accessible services and clear information and highlighted a need for more support from audiology services to enable them to fulfil their role. Volunteer interactions with patients mimicked a clinician-patient encounter and volunteers employed strategies and behaviours used by professional audiologists. Audiology volunteers could provide an accessible bridge between health services and the community but their care is limited to focus on hearing aids. Volunteers enable patients to use hearing aids appropriately and are a core element of current care arrangements. However, volunteers express a need for adequate support from audiology services. Volunteers have the potential to increase service capacity and to bridge the gaps between community and audiology healthcare services. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.. All rights reserved.

The web server of IBM's Bioinformatics and Pattern Discovery group.

PubMed

Huynh, Tien; Rigoutsos, Isidore; Parida, Laxmi; Platt, Daniel; Shibuya, Tetsuo

2003-07-01

We herein present and discuss the services and content which are available on the web server of IBM's Bioinformatics and Pattern Discovery group. The server is operational around the clock and provides access to a variety of methods that have been published by the group's members and collaborators. The available tools correspond to applications ranging from the discovery of patterns in streams of events and the computation of multiple sequence alignments, to the discovery of genes in nucleic acid sequences and the interactive annotation of amino acid sequences. Additionally, annotations for more than 70 archaeal, bacterial, eukaryotic and viral genomes are available on-line and can be searched interactively. The tools and code bundles can be accessed beginning at http://cbcsrv.watson.ibm.com/Tspd.html whereas the genomics annotations are available at http://cbcsrv.watson.ibm.com/Annotations/.

The web server of IBM's Bioinformatics and Pattern Discovery group

PubMed Central

Huynh, Tien; Rigoutsos, Isidore; Parida, Laxmi; Platt, Daniel; Shibuya, Tetsuo

2003-01-01

We herein present and discuss the services and content which are available on the web server of IBM's Bioinformatics and Pattern Discovery group. The server is operational around the clock and provides access to a variety of methods that have been published by the group's members and collaborators. The available tools correspond to applications ranging from the discovery of patterns in streams of events and the computation of multiple sequence alignments, to the discovery of genes in nucleic acid sequences and the interactive annotation of amino acid sequences. Additionally, annotations for more than 70 archaeal, bacterial, eukaryotic and viral genomes are available on-line and can be searched interactively. The tools and code bundles can be accessed beginning at http://cbcsrv.watson.ibm.com/Tspd.html whereas the genomics annotations are available at http://cbcsrv.watson.ibm.com/Annotations/. PMID:12824385

Foot and Ankle Fellowship Websites: An Assessment of Accessibility and Quality.

PubMed

Hinds, Richard M; Danna, Natalie R; Capo, John T; Mroczek, Kenneth J

2017-08-01

The Internet has been reported to be the first informational resource for many fellowship applicants. The objective of this study was to assess the accessibility of orthopaedic foot and ankle fellowship websites and to evaluate the quality of information provided via program websites. The American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) and the Fellowship and Residency Electronic Interactive Database (FREIDA) fellowship databases were accessed to generate a comprehensive list of orthopaedic foot and ankle fellowship programs. The databases were reviewed for links to fellowship program websites and compared with program websites accessed from a Google search. Accessible fellowship websites were then analyzed for the quality of recruitment and educational content pertinent to fellowship applicants. Forty-seven orthopaedic foot and ankle fellowship programs were identified. The AOFAS database featured direct links to 7 (15%) fellowship websites with the independent Google search yielding direct links to 29 (62%) websites. No direct website links were provided in the FREIDA database. Thirty-six accessible websites were analyzed for content. Program websites featured a mean 44% (range = 5% to 75%) of the total assessed content. The most commonly presented recruitment and educational content was a program description (94%) and description of fellow operative experience (83%), respectively. There is substantial variability in the accessibility and quality of orthopaedic foot and ankle fellowship websites. Recognition of deficits in accessibility and content quality may assist foot and ankle fellowships in improving program information online. Level IV.

Extending the Lunar Mapping and Modeling Portal - New Capabilities and New Worlds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Day, B.; Law, E.; Arevalo, E.; Bui, B.; Chang, G.; Dodge, K.; Kim, R.; Malhotra, S.; Sadaqathullah, S.; Schmidt, G.;

Solar Week: Learning from Experience

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alexander, D.; Hauck, K.

2003-12-01

Solar Week is a week-long set of games and activities allowing students to interact directly with solar science and solar scientists. Solar Week was developed as a spin-off of the highly successful Yohkoh Public Outreach Project (YPOP). While YPOP provided access to solar images, movies and activities, the main goal of Solar Week was to enhance the participation of women, who are under-represented in the physical sciences. Solar Week achieves this by providing young women, primarily in grades 6-8, with access to role models in the sciences. The scientists participating in Solar Week are women from a variety of backgrounds and with a variety of scientific expertise. In this paper, our aim is to provide some insight into developing activity-based space science for the web and to discuss the lessons-learned from tailoring to a specific group of participants.

Extending the Lunar Mapping and Modeling Portal - New Capabilities and New Worlds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Day, B.; Law, E.; Arevalo, E.; Bui, B.; Chang, G.; Dodge, K.; Kim, R.; Malhotra, S.; Sadaqathullah, S.; Schmidt, G.; Bailey, B.

2015-10-01

NASA's Lunar Mapping and Modeling Portal (LMMP) provides a web-based Portal and a suite of interactive visualization and analysis tools to enable mission planners, lunar scientists, and engineers to access mapped lunar data products from past and current lunar missions (http://lmmp.nasa.gov). During the past year, the capabilities and data served by LMMP have been significantly expanded. New interfaces are providing improved ways to access and visualize data. At the request of NASA's Science Mission Directorate, LMMP's technology and capabilities are now being extended to additional planetary bodies. New portals for Vesta and Mars are the first of these new products to be released. This presentation will provide an overview of LMMP, Vesta Trek, and Mars Trek, demonstrate their uses and capabilities, highlight new features, and preview coming enhancements.

Air Markets Program Data (AMPD)

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Air Markets Program Data tool allows users to search EPA data to answer scientific, general, policy, and regulatory questions about industry emissions. Air Markets Program Data (AMPD) is a web-based application that allows users easy access to both current and historical data collected as part of EPA's emissions trading programs. This site allows you to create and view reports and to download emissions data for further analysis. AMPD provides a query tool so users can create custom queries of industry source emissions data, allowance data, compliance data, and facility attributes. In addition, AMPD provides interactive maps, charts, reports, and pre-packaged datasets. AMPD does not require any additional software, plug-ins, or security controls and can be accessed using a standard web browser.

Access to bird population data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Martin, E.; Peterjohn, B.G.; Koneff, M.D.

2001-01-01

Access to bird population data is critical for effective conservation planning and implementation. Although a tremendous volume of baseline data exists, it is often diffusely distributed and inaccessible to the resource manager and decision maker. A mechanism that facilitates assembly, documentation and delivery of avian data in a user-friendly manner is needed in order to integrate bird-related information resources across agencies and organizations. To address this fundamental need, the National Biological Information Infrastructure (NBII), in partnership with the U.S. Geological Survey's Patuxent Wildlife Research Center and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, is developing a web-based interactive system that will focus on access to bird population and habitat data used in bird management and conservation. This system, known as the NBII Bird Conservation Node, will support planning and evaluation of bird conservation activities within the context of the North American Bird Conservation Initiative (NABCI), a framework for collaboration among organizations interested in bird conservation across North America. Initial development of the NBII Bird Conservation Node will focus on creating a prototype mapping application that will provide interactive access to data from the North American Breeding Bird Survey, the Colonial Waterbird Survey, the Breeding Waterfowl Population and Habitat Survey, and the Atlantic Flyway Mid-winter Waterfowl Survey. This prototype mapping application, to be available on-line at http://www.nbii.gov by Sep 2001, will lay the foundation for establishment of a Migratory Bird Data Center at Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, and will provide an opportunity for linking to and establishing partnerships with other sources of bird population and habitat data available over the Internet.

Designing drugs on the internet? Free web tools and services supporting medicinal chemistry.

PubMed

Ertl, Peter; Jelfs, Stephen

2007-01-01

The drug discovery process is supported by a multitude of freely available tools on the Internet. This paper summarizes some of the databases and tools that are of particular interest to medicinal chemistry. These include numerous data collections that provide access to valuable chemical data resources, allowing complex queries of compound structures, associated physicochemical properties and biological activities to be performed and, in many cases, providing links to commercial chemical suppliers. Further applications are available for searching protein-ligand complexes and identifying important binding interactions that occur. This is particularly useful for understanding the molecular recognition of ligands in the lead optimization process. The Internet also provides access to databases detailing metabolic pathways and transformations which can provide insight into disease mechanism, identify new targets entities or the potential off-target effects of a drug candidate. Furthermore, sophisticated online cheminformatics tools are available for processing chemical structures, predicting properties, and generating 2D or 3D structure representations--often required prior to more advanced analyses. The Internet provides a wealth of valuable resources that, if fully exploited, can greatly benefit the drug discovery community. In this paper, we provide an overview of some of the more important of these and, in particular, the freely accessible resources that are currently available.

Perceptual judgments made better by indirect interactions: Evidence from a joint localization task

PubMed Central

Sebanz, Natalie; Knoblich, Günther

2017-01-01

Others’ perceptual judgments tend to have strong effects on our own, and can improve perceptual judgments when task partners engage in communication. The present study investigated whether individuals benefit from others’ perceptual judgments in indirect interactions, where outcomes of individual decisions can be observed in a shared environment. Participants located a target in a 2D projection of a 3D container either from two complementary viewpoints (Experiment 1), or from a single viewpoint (Experiment 2). Uncertainty about the target location was high on the front-back dimension and low on the left-right dimension. The results showed that pairs of participants benefitted from taking turns in providing judgments. When each member of the pair had access to one complementary perspective, the pair achieved the same level of accuracy as when the two individuals had access to both complimentary perspectives and better performance than when the two individuals had access to only one perspective. These findings demonstrate the important role of a shared environment for successful integration of perceptual information while highlighting limitations in assigning appropriate weights to others’ judgments. PMID:29095951

Adapting Web content for low-literacy readers by using lexical elaboration and named entities labeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Watanabe, W. M.; Candido, A.; Amâncio, M. A.; De Oliveira, M.; Pardo, T. A. S.; Fortes, R. P. M.; Aluísio, S. M.

2010-12-01

This paper presents an approach for assisting low-literacy readers in accessing Web online information. The "Educational FACILITA" tool is a Web content adaptation tool that provides innovative features and follows more intuitive interaction models regarding accessibility concerns. Especially, we propose an interaction model and a Web application that explore the natural language processing tasks of lexical elaboration and named entity labeling for improving Web accessibility. We report on the results obtained from a pilot study on usability analysis carried out with low-literacy users. The preliminary results show that "Educational FACILITA" improves the comprehension of text elements, although the assistance mechanisms might also confuse users when word sense ambiguity is introduced, by gathering, for a complex word, a list of synonyms with multiple meanings. This fact evokes a future solution in which the correct sense for a complex word in a sentence is identified, solving this pervasive characteristic of natural languages. The pilot study also identified that experienced computer users find the tool to be more useful than novice computer users do.

Genotypic diversity and environmental stability of starch physicochemical properties in the USDA rice mini-core collection.

PubMed

Li, Kehu; Bao, Jinsong; Corke, Harold; Sun, Mei

2017-04-15

The USDA rice mini-core collection consists of 217 accessions representative of a world-wide germplam bank. We investigated its genotypic diversity in starch physicochemical properties and the effects of genotype, environment and G×E interaction in this study. High genotypic diversity was found in all 18 measured starch quality traits in the mini-core rice in two location-years in China. Genotype, environment and G×E effects on these traits were analysed using 115 common accessions successfully produced in both environments. Thermal properties (T o , T p and T c ) were very stable whereas most other traits differed significantly between environments. However, when these accessions were divided into five subgroups based on amylose content, environment was found to have differential effects. G×E interaction also played a significant role in determining the starch traits. These findings will provide guidance for selection from the diverse genotypes in the USDA mini-core collection for cultivation and for developing cultivars with desired cooking and eating quality. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Virtual Walk through London: Culture Learning through a Cultural Immersion Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shih, Ya-Chun

2015-01-01

Integrating Google Street View into a three-dimensional virtual environment in which users control personal avatars provides these said users with access to an innovative, interactive, and real-world context for communication and culture learning. We have selected London, a city famous for its rich historical, architectural, and artistic heritage,…

Extended Subject Access to Hypertext Online Documentation. Part III: The Document-Boundaries Problem.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Girill, T. R.

1991-01-01

This article continues the description of DFT (Document, Find, Theseus), an online documentation system that provides computer-managed on-demand printing of software manuals as well as the interactive retrieval of reference passages. Document boundaries in the hypertext database are discussed, search vocabulary complexities are described, and text…

Distance Learning and Cloud Computing: "Just Another Buzzword or a Major E-Learning Breakthrough?"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Romiszowski, Alexander J.

2012-01-01

"Cloud computing is a model for the enabling of ubiquitous, convenient, and on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources (e.g., networks, servers, storage, applications, and other services) that can be rapidly provisioned and released with minimal management effort or service provider interaction." This…

The Internet and Its Importance for Those with Disabilities: An Example.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Uhran, John J., Jr.; Beery, Peter; Wilkerson, Melissa

This paper presents a generalized solution to the problems that people with disabilities face regarding accessing the Internet. Of particular interest is the way in which the authors' paradigm allows for enhanced interaction with information resources, including distance learning and education in general. A basic overview is provided of the…

Blurring the Lines: Leveraging Internet Technology for Successful Blending of Secondary/Post-Secondary Technical Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ryan, Kenneth; Kopischke, Kevin

2008-01-01

The Remote Automation Management Platform (RAMP) is a real-time, interactive teaching tool which leverages common off-the-shelf internet technologies to provide high school learners extraordinary access to advanced technical education opportunities. This outreach paradigm is applicable to a broad range of advanced technical skills from automation…

Information Architecture for the Web: The IA Matrix Approach to Designing Children's Portals.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Large, Andrew; Beheshti, Jamshid; Cole, Charles

2002-01-01

Presents a matrix that can serve as a tool for designing the information architecture of a Web portal in a logical and systematic manner. Highlights include interfaces; metaphors; navigation; interaction; information retrieval; and an example of a children's Web portal to provide access to museum information. (Author/LRW)

Applying Universal Design for Learning in Online Courses: Pedagogical and Practical Considerations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dell, Cindy Ann; Dell, Thomas F.; Blackwell, Terry L.

2015-01-01

Inclusion of the universal design for learning (UDL) model as a guiding set of principles for online curriculum development in higher education is discussed. Fundamentally, UDL provides the student with multiple means of accessing the course based on three overarching principles: presentation; action and expression; and engagement and interaction.…

Some Aspects of Grading Java Code Submissions in MOOCs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Király, Sándor; Nehéz, Károly; Hornyák, Olivér

2017-01-01

Recently, massive open online courses (MOOCs) have been offering a new online approach in the field of distance learning and online education. A typical MOOC course consists of video lectures, reading material and easily accessible tests for students. For a computer programming course, it is important to provide interactive, dynamic, online coding…

Old Skills and New Practices Mean Radical Change for Library Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Turner, Deborah; Gorichanaz, Tim

2016-01-01

Technological advances and other societal change have resulted in public libraries' increased reliance on online resources when providing access to information. However, a portion of those served by public libraries includes members of urban poor populations who may prefer to interact with information by talking. How can library educators ensure…

Understand, Identify, and Respond: The New Focus of Access Services

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rodriguez, Juan Carlos; Meyer, Kristin; Merry, Brian

2017-01-01

Library public services staff have primarily focused on providing services through interactions with their users. Although service quality and customer satisfaction are important in the delivery of these services, the emphasis and nature of the work have often been influenced by a library-centric philosophy rather than a user-centric philosophy.…

Survey of Learning Experiences and Influence of Learning Style Preferences on User Intentions Regarding MOOCs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chang, Ray I.; Hung, Yu Hsin; Lin, Chun Fu

2015-01-01

With the rapid development of web techniques, information and communication technology is being increasingly used in curricula, and learning portfolios can be automatically retrieved and maintained as learners interact through e-learning platforms. Further, massive open online courses (MOOCs), which apply such technology to provide open access to…

A System for Governmental Virtual Institutions Based on Ontologies and Interaction Protocols

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Araujo, Claudia J. Abrao; da Silva, Flavio S. Correa

2012-01-01

The authors believe that the adoption of virtual worlds is suitable for electronic government applications as it can increase the capillarity of public services, facilitate the access to government services and provide citizens with a natural and immersive experience. They present a Government Virtual Institution Model (GVI) for the provision of…

Learning Trajectories and the Role of Online Courses in a Language Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schulze, Mathias; Scholz, Kyle

2018-01-01

Currently there is a push toward offering more language courses online because they can provide students with new forms of social and learning interaction, widen their access to education, and offer an individualized learning experience in large classes. Little research exists examining how students transition between online and on-campus language…

Taking Advantage of the "Big Mo"--Momentum in Everyday English and Swedish and in Physics Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haglund, Jesper; Jeppsson, Fredrik; Ahrenberg, Lars

2015-01-01

Science education research suggests that our everyday intuitions of motion and interaction of physical objects fit well with how physicists use the term "momentum". Corpus linguistics provides an easily accessible approach to study language in different domains, including everyday language. Analysis of language samples from English text…

Rethinking Online Education: The Impact of Synchronous Telecommunication Interactions on Student Success

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hibbard, Joshua A.

2013-01-01

Higher education leaders in the 21st century are faced with challenges of affordability, accessibility, and increased demand for postsecondary education. The recent growth of online educational programs in the United States provides institutions with potential solutions to these challenges; yet, persistence rates continue to lag behind traditional…

GIS in Evaluation: Utilizing the Power of Geographic Information Systems to Represent Evaluation Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Azzam, Tarek; Robinson, David

2013-01-01

This article provides an introduction to geographic information systems (GIS) and how the technology can be used to enhance evaluation practice. As a tool, GIS enables evaluators to incorporate contextual features (such as accessibility of program sites or community health needs) into evaluation designs and highlights the interactions between…

Cloud Computing Technologies in Writing Class: Factors Influencing Students' Learning Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Jenny

2017-01-01

The proposed interactive online group within the cloud computing technologies as a main contribution of this paper provides easy and simple access to the cloud-based Software as a Service (SaaS) system and delivers effective educational tools for students and teacher on after-class group writing assignment activities. Therefore, this study…

The Clinical Practice Library of Medicine (CPLM): An on-line biomedical computer library. System documentation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grams, R. R.

1982-01-01

A system designed to access a large range of available medical textbook information in an online interactive fashion is described. A high level query type database manager, INQUIRE, is used. Operating instructions, system flow diagrams, database descriptions, text generation, and error messages are discussed. User information is provided.

Primer for the Transportable Applications Executive

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carlson, P. A.; Emmanuelli, C. A.; Harris, E. L.; Perkins, D. C.

1984-01-01

The Transportable Applications Executive (TAE), an interactive multipurpose executive that provides commonly required functions for scientific analysis systems, is discussed. The concept of an executive is discussed and the various components of TAE are presented. These include on-line help information, the use of menus or commands to access analysis programs, and TAE command procedures.

Orienting patients to greater opioid safety: models of community pharmacy-based naloxone.

PubMed

Green, Traci C; Dauria, Emily F; Bratberg, Jeffrey; Davis, Corey S; Walley, Alexander Y

2015-08-06

The leading cause of adult injury death in the U.S.A. is drug overdose, the majority of which involves prescription opioid medications. Outside of the U.S.A., deaths by drug overdose are also on the rise, and overdose is a leading cause of death for drug users. Reducing overdose risk while maintaining access to prescription opioids when medically indicated requires careful consideration of how opioids are prescribed and dispensed, how patients use them, how they interact with other medications, and how they are safely stored. Pharmacists, highly trained professionals expert at detecting and managing medication errors and drug-drug interactions, safe dispensing, and patient counseling, are an under-utilized asset in addressing overdose in the U.S. and globally. Pharmacies provide a high-yield setting where patient and caregiver customers can access naloxone-an opioid antagonist that reverses opioid overdose-and overdose prevention counseling. This case study briefly describes and provides two US state-specific examples of innovative policy models of pharmacy-based naloxone, implemented to reduce overdose events and improve opioid safety: Collaborative Pharmacy Practice Agreements and Pharmacy Standing Orders.

DNA sequence chromatogram browsing using JAVA and CORBA.

PubMed

Parsons, J D; Buehler, E; Hillier, L

1999-03-01

DNA sequence chromatograms (traces) are the primary data source for all large-scale genomic and expressed sequence tags (ESTs) sequencing projects. Access to the sequencing trace assists many later analyses, for example contig assembly and polymorphism detection, but obtaining and using traces is problematic. Traces are not collected and published centrally, they are much larger than the base calls derived from them, and viewing them requires the interactivity of a local graphical client with local data. To provide efficient global access to DNA traces, we developed a client/server system based on flexible Java components integrated into other applications including an applet for use in a WWW browser and a stand-alone trace viewer. Client/server interaction is facilitated by CORBA middleware which provides a well-defined interface, a naming service, and location independence. [The software is packaged as a Jar file available from the following URL: http://www.ebi.ac.uk/jparsons. Links to working examples of the trace viewers can be found at http://corba.ebi.ac.uk/EST. All the Washington University mouse EST traces are available for browsing at the same URL.

Developing and Evaluating a Technology Enhanced Interaction Framework and Method That Can Enhance the Accessibility of Mobile Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Angkananon, Kewalin; Wald, Mike; Gilbert, Lester

2014-01-01

This paper focuses on the development and evaluation of a Technology Enhanced Interaction Framework and Method that can help with designing accessible mobile learning interactions involving disabled people. This new framework and method were developed to help design technological support for communication and interactions between people,…

Improving data discoverability, accessibility, and interoperability with the Esri ArcGIS Platform at the NASA Atmospheric Science Data Center (ASDC).

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tisdale, M.

2017-12-01

NASA's Atmospheric Science Data Center (ASDC) is operationally using the Esri ArcGIS Platform to improve data discoverability, accessibility and interoperability to meet the diversifying user requirements from government, private, public and academic communities. The ASDC is actively working to provide their mission essential datasets as ArcGIS Image Services, Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) Web Mapping Services (WMS), and OGC Web Coverage Services (WCS) while leveraging the ArcGIS multidimensional mosaic dataset structure. Science teams at ASDC are utilizing these services through the development of applications using the Web AppBuilder for ArcGIS and the ArcGIS API for Javascript. These services provide greater exposure of ASDC data holdings to the GIS community and allow for broader sharing and distribution to various end users. These capabilities provide interactive visualization tools and improved geospatial analytical tools for a mission critical understanding in the areas of the earth's radiation budget, clouds, aerosols, and tropospheric chemistry. The presentation will cover how the ASDC is developing geospatial web services and applications to improve data discoverability, accessibility, and interoperability.

Ensembl BioMarts: a hub for data retrieval across taxonomic space.

PubMed

Kinsella, Rhoda J; Kähäri, Andreas; Haider, Syed; Zamora, Jorge; Proctor, Glenn; Spudich, Giulietta; Almeida-King, Jeff; Staines, Daniel; Derwent, Paul; Kerhornou, Arnaud; Kersey, Paul; Flicek, Paul

2011-01-01

For a number of years the BioMart data warehousing system has proven to be a valuable resource for scientists seeking a fast and versatile means of accessing the growing volume of genomic data provided by the Ensembl project. The launch of the Ensembl Genomes project in 2009 complemented the Ensembl project by utilizing the same visualization, interactive and programming tools to provide users with a means for accessing genome data from a further five domains: protists, bacteria, metazoa, plants and fungi. The Ensembl and Ensembl Genomes BioMarts provide a point of access to the high-quality gene annotation, variation data, functional and regulatory annotation and evolutionary relationships from genomes spanning the taxonomic space. This article aims to give a comprehensive overview of the Ensembl and Ensembl Genomes BioMarts as well as some useful examples and a description of current data content and future objectives. Database URLs: http://www.ensembl.org/biomart/martview/; http://metazoa.ensembl.org/biomart/martview/; http://plants.ensembl.org/biomart/martview/; http://protists.ensembl.org/biomart/martview/; http://fungi.ensembl.org/biomart/martview/; http://bacteria.ensembl.org/biomart/martview/.

APID interactomes: providing proteome-based interactomes with controlled quality for multiple species and derived networks

PubMed Central

Alonso-López, Diego; Gutiérrez, Miguel A.; Lopes, Katia P.; Prieto, Carlos; Santamaría, Rodrigo; De Las Rivas, Javier

2016-01-01

APID (Agile Protein Interactomes DataServer) is an interactive web server that provides unified generation and delivery of protein interactomes mapped to their respective proteomes. This resource is a new, fully redesigned server that includes a comprehensive collection of protein interactomes for more than 400 organisms (25 of which include more than 500 interactions) produced by the integration of only experimentally validated protein–protein physical interactions. For each protein–protein interaction (PPI) the server includes currently reported information about its experimental validation to allow selection and filtering at different quality levels. As a whole, it provides easy access to the interactomes from specific species and includes a global uniform compendium of 90,379 distinct proteins and 678,441 singular interactions. APID integrates and unifies PPIs from major primary databases of molecular interactions, from other specific repositories and also from experimentally resolved 3D structures of protein complexes where more than two proteins were identified. For this purpose, a collection of 8,388 structures were analyzed to identify specific PPIs. APID also includes a new graph tool (based on Cytoscape.js) for visualization and interactive analyses of PPI networks. The server does not require registration and it is freely available for use at http://apid.dep.usal.es. PMID:27131791

Expansion of access tunnels and active-site cavities influence activity of haloalkane dehalogenases in organic cosolvents.

PubMed

Stepankova, Veronika; Khabiri, Morteza; Brezovsky, Jan; Pavelka, Antonin; Sykora, Jan; Amaro, Mariana; Minofar, Babak; Prokop, Zbynek; Hof, Martin; Ettrich, Rudiger; Chaloupkova, Radka; Damborsky, Jiri

2013-05-10

The use of enzymes for biocatalysis can be significantly enhanced by using organic cosolvents in the reaction mixtures. Selection of the cosolvent type and concentration range for an enzymatic reaction is challenging and requires extensive empirical testing. An understanding of protein-solvent interaction could provide a theoretical framework for rationalising the selection process. Here, the behaviour of three model enzymes (haloalkane dehalogenases) was investigated in the presence of three representative organic cosolvents (acetone, formamide, and isopropanol). Steady-state kinetics assays, molecular dynamics simulations, and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy were used to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of enzyme-solvent interactions. Cosolvent molecules entered the enzymes' access tunnels and active sites, enlarged their volumes with no change in overall protein structure, but surprisingly did not act as competitive inhibitors. At low concentrations, the cosolvents either enhanced catalysis by lowering K(0.5) and increasing k(cat), or caused enzyme inactivation by promoting substrate inhibition and decreasing k(cat). The induced activation and inhibition of the enzymes correlated with expansion of the active-site pockets and their occupancy by cosolvent molecules. The study demonstrates that quantitative analysis of the proportions of the access tunnels and active-sites occupied by organic solvent molecules provides the valuable information for rational selection of appropriate protein-solvent pair and effective cosolvent concentration. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

A Climate Information Platform for Copernicus (CLIPC): managing the data flood

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Juckes, Martin; Swart, Rob; Bärring, Lars; Groot, Annemarie; Thysse, Peter; Som de Cerff, Wim; Costa, Luis; Lückenkötter, Johannes; Callaghan, Sarah; Bennett, Victoria

2016-04-01

The FP7 project "Climate Information Platform for Copernicus" (CLIPC) is developing a demonstration portal for the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S). The project confronts many problems associated with the huge diversity of underlying data, complex multi-layered uncertainties and extremely complex and evolving user requirements. The infrastructure is founded on a comprehensive approach to managing data and documentation, using global domain independent standards where possible. An extensive thesaurus of terms provides both a robust and flexible foundation for data discovery services and accessible definitions to support users. It is, of course, essential to provide information to users through an interface which reflects their expectations rather than the intricacies of abstract data models. CLIPC has reviewed user engagement activities from other collaborative European projects, conducted user polls, interviews and meetings and is now entering an evaluation phase in which users discuss new features and options in the portal design. The CLIPC portal will provide access to raw climate science data and climate impact indicators derived from that data. The portal needs the flexibility to support access to extremely large datasets as well as providing means to manipulate data and explore complex products interactively.

Semantics of Procedures: A Cognitive Basis for Maintenance Training Competency

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-04-01

provided by presenting these multiple, interacting views. These 0 conclusions are similar to the views of George Polya , who proposed the use of... exercises . It is also clear that at least some understanding of machine structure and function is required to interpret much of the information in the...check of the problem lists provides the names of all the usual subpects. This accessibility permits the technician to modify the sequence according to

Lunar Solar Origins Exploration (LunaSOX)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cooper, John F.; King, Joseph H.; Papitashvili, Natasha; Lipatov, Alexander S.; Sittler, Edward C.; Hartle, Richard E.

2011-01-01

The Moon offers a unique vantage point from which to investigate the Sun and its interaction via the solar wind magnetic fields, plasma, and energetic particles with the geospace system including the Moon itself. The lunar surface and exosphere provide in part a record of solar coronal plasma material input and resultant space weathering over billions of years. The structure and dynamics of solar wind interactions with the Moon provide an accessible near-Earth laboratory environment for study of general solar wind interactions with the vast multitude of airless asteroidal bodies of the inner solar system. Spacecraft in lunar orbit have the often simultaneous opportunity, except when in the Earth's magnetosphere, to make in-situ compositional measurements of the solar wind plasma and to carry out remote observations from the Moon of the solar corona, potentially enabled by lunar limb occultation of the solar disk. The LunaSOX project at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center is addressing these heliophysical science objectives from and of the Moon with support from NASA's Lunar Advanced Science and Exploration Research (LASER) program: (1) specify history of solar wind parameters at and sunward of the Moon through enhanced access (http://lunasox.gsfc.nasa.gov/) to legacy and operational mission data products from the Apollo era to the present, (2) model field and plasma interactions with the lunar surface, exosphere, and wake, as constrained by the available data, through hybrid kinetic code simulations, and (3) advance mission concepts for heliophysics from and of the Moon.

The Design, Development, and Evaluation of a Qualitative Data Collection Application for Pregnant Women.

PubMed

Keedle, Hazel; Schmied, Virginia; Burns, Elaine; Dahlen, Hannah

2018-01-01

This article explores the development and evaluation of a smartphone mobile software application (app) to collect qualitative data. The app was specifically designed to capture real-time qualitative data from women planning a vaginal birth after caesarean delivery. This article outlines the design and development of the app to include funding, ethics, and the recruitment of an app developer, as well as the evaluation of using the app by seven participants. Data collection methods used in qualitative research include interviews and focus groups (either online, face-to-face, or by phone), participant diaries, or observations of interactions. This article identifies an alternative data collection methodology using a smartphone app to collect real-time data. The app provides real-time data and instant access to data alongside the ability to access participants from a variety of locations. This allows the researcher to gain insight into the experiences of participants through audio or video recordings in longitudinal studies without the need for constant interactions or interviews with participants. Using smartphone applications can allow researchers to access participants who are traditionally hard to reach and access their data in real time. Evaluating these apps before use in research is invaluable. © 2017 Sigma Theta Tau International.

Demonstration of Data Interactive Publications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Domenico, B.; Weber, J.

2012-04-01

This is a demonstration version of the talk given in session ESSI2.4 "Full lifecycle of data." For some years now, the authors have developed examples of online documents that allowed the reader to interact directly with datasets, but there were limitations that restricted the interaction to specific desktop analysis and display tools that were not generally available to all readers of the documents. Recent advances in web service technology and related standards are making it possible to develop systems for publishing online documents that enable readers to access, analyze, and display the data discussed in the publication from the perspective and in the manner from which the author wants it to be represented. By clicking on embedded links, the reader accesses not only the usual textual information in a publication, but also data residing on a local or remote web server as well as a set of processing tools for analyzing and displaying the data. With the option of having the analysis and display processing provided on the server (or in the cloud), there are now a broader set of possibilities on the client side where the reader can interact with the data via a thin web client, a rich desktop application, or a mobile platform "app." The presentation will outline the architecture of data interactive publications along with illustrative examples.

Better Living Through Metadata: Examining Archive Usage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Becker, G.; Winkelman, S.; Rots, A.

2013-10-01

The primary purpose of an observatory's archive is to provide access to the data through various interfaces. User interactions with the archive are recorded in server logs, which can be used to answer basic questions like: Who has downloaded dataset X? When did she do this? Which tools did she use? The answers to questions like these fill in patterns of data access (e.g., how many times dataset X has been downloaded in the past three years). Analysis of server logs provides metrics of archive usage and provides feedback on interface use which can be used to guide future interface development. The Chandra X-ray Observatory is fortunate in that a database to track data access and downloads has been continuously recording such transactions for years; however, it is overdue for an update. We will detail changes we hope to effect and the differences the changes may make to our usage metadata picture. We plan to gather more information about the geographic location of users without compromising privacy; create improved archive statistics; and track and assess the impact of web “crawlers” and other scripted access methods on the archive. With the improvements to our download tracking we hope to gain a better understanding of the dissemination of Chandra's data; how effectively it is being done; and perhaps discover ideas for new services.

'I've got to get something out of it. And so do they': experiences of people with aphasia and university students participating in a communication partner training programme for healthcare professionals.

PubMed

Cameron, Ashley; Hudson, Kyla; Finch, Emma; Fleming, Jennifer; Lethlean, Jennifer; McPhail, Steven

2018-06-05

Communication partner training (CPT) has been used to support communication partners to interact successfully with people with aphasia (PWA). Through successful CPT interaction PWA's accessibility to healthcare is notably improved. The present study sought to build on prior studies by investigating the experiences of individuals with aphasia and healthcare providers to ascertain what they deemed to be beneficial from CPT and what could be refined or improved, dependent on the setting and skill set of those participating. To gain an understanding of the experiences of PWA involved in the provision of CPT to health professional (HP) students. Also to investigate the experiences of HP students who participated in the CPT programme. Eight PWA and 77 HP students who had completed a CPT programme participated in a focus group/semi-structured interview (PWA) and feedback session (HP students) moderated by two speech-language pathologists (SLPs). These sessions were recorded (audio and video), transcribed verbatim, including non-verbal communication, and analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Overall, the study sought to understand experiences of the training. Both the PWA and HP students reported positive experiences of CPT. PWA discussed their perception that CPT improved HPs and HP students' understanding and interactions conversing with them and emphasized the need for training and education for all health related professions. HP students enjoyed the opportunity to experience interacting with PWA, without being 'assessed' and felt it consolidated their learning based on lecture content. Inclusive and accessible healthcare is paramount to ensure the engagement of patients and providers. Based on the experiences and feedback of the participants in this current study, CPT offers a salient and practical training method with potential to improve practice. Participants perceived CPT to be beneficial and validated the need for the training to support PWA accessing healthcare. © 2018 Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists.

Experimenter's laboratory for visualized interactive science

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hansen, Elaine R.; Klemp, Marjorie K.; Lasater, Sally W.; Szczur, Marti R.; Klemp, Joseph B.

1992-01-01

The science activities of the 1990's will require the analysis of complex phenomena and large diverse sets of data. In order to meet these needs, we must take advantage of advanced user interaction techniques: modern user interface tools; visualization capabilities; affordable, high performance graphics workstations; and interoperable data standards and translator. To meet these needs, we propose to adopt and upgrade several existing tools and systems to create an experimenter's laboratory for visualized interactive science. Intuitive human-computer interaction techniques have already been developed and demonstrated at the University of Colorado. A Transportable Applications Executive (TAE+), developed at GSFC, is a powerful user interface tool for general purpose applications. A 3D visualization package developed by NCAR provides both color shaded surface displays and volumetric rendering in either index or true color. The Network Common Data Form (NetCDF) data access library developed by Unidata supports creation, access and sharing of scientific data in a form that is self-describing and network transparent. The combination and enhancement of these packages constitutes a powerful experimenter's laboratory capable of meeting key science needs of the 1990's. This proposal encompasses the work required to build and demonstrate this capability.

Experimenter's laboratory for visualized interactive science

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hansen, Elaine R.; Klemp, Marjorie K.; Lasater, Sally W.; Szczur, Marti R.; Klemp, Joseph B.

1993-01-01

The science activities of the 1990's will require the analysis of complex phenomena and large diverse sets of data. In order to meet these needs, we must take advantage of advanced user interaction techniques: modern user interface tools; visualization capabilities; affordable, high performance graphics workstations; and interoperatable data standards and translator. To meet these needs, we propose to adopt and upgrade several existing tools and systems to create an experimenter's laboratory for visualized interactive science. Intuitive human-computer interaction techniques have already been developed and demonstrated at the University of Colorado. A Transportable Applications Executive (TAE+), developed at GSFC, is a powerful user interface tool for general purpose applications. A 3D visualization package developed by NCAR provides both color-shaded surface displays and volumetric rendering in either index or true color. The Network Common Data Form (NetCDF) data access library developed by Unidata supports creation, access and sharing of scientific data in a form that is self-describing and network transparent. The combination and enhancement of these packages constitutes a powerful experimenter's laboratory capable of meeting key science needs of the 1990's. This proposal encompasses the work required to build and demonstrate this capability.

Providing palliative care for cardiovascular disease from a perspective of sociocultural diversity: a global view.

PubMed

Davidson, Patricia M; Phillips, Jane L; Dennison-Himmelfarb, Cheryl; Thompson, Sandra C; Luckett, Tim; Currow, David C

2016-03-01

This article discusses the available information on providing palliative care for cardiovascular disease (CVD) for individuals from culturally and linguistically diverse populations, and argues the need for cultural competence and awareness of healthcare providers. The burden of CVD is increasing globally and access to palliative care for individuals and populations is inconsistent and largely driven by policy, funding models, center-based expertise and local resources. Culture is an important social determinant of health and moderates health outcomes across the life trajectory. Along with approachability, availability, accommodation, affordability and appropriateness, culture moderates access to services. Health disparities and inequity of access underscore the importance of ensuring services meet the needs of diverse populations and that care is provided by individuals who are culturally competent. In death and dying, the vulnerability of individuals, families and communities is most pronounced. Using a social-ecological model as an organising framework, we consider the evidence from the literature in regard to the interaction between the individual, interpersonal relationships, community and society in promoting access to individuals with cardiovascular disease. This review highlights the need for considering individual, provider and system factors to tailor and target healthcare services to the needs of culturally diverse populations. Beyond translation of materials, there is a need to understand the cultural dimensions influencing health-seeking behaviors and acceptance of palliative care and ensuring the cultural competence of health professionals in both primary and specialist palliative care.

Biometrics: Accessibility challenge or opportunity?

PubMed

Blanco-Gonzalo, Ramon; Lunerti, Chiara; Sanchez-Reillo, Raul; Guest, Richard Michael

2018-01-01

Biometric recognition is currently implemented in several authentication contexts, most recently in mobile devices where it is expected to complement or even replace traditional authentication modalities such as PIN (Personal Identification Number) or passwords. The assumed convenience characteristics of biometrics are transparency, reliability and ease-of-use, however, the question of whether biometric recognition is as intuitive and straightforward to use is open to debate. Can biometric systems make some tasks easier for people with accessibility concerns? To investigate this question, an accessibility evaluation of a mobile app was conducted where test subjects withdraw money from a fictitious ATM (Automated Teller Machine) scenario. The biometric authentication mechanisms used include face, voice, and fingerprint. Furthermore, we employed traditional modalities of PIN and pattern in order to check if biometric recognition is indeed a real improvement. The trial test subjects within this work were people with real-life accessibility concerns. A group of people without accessibility concerns also participated, providing a baseline performance. Experimental results are presented concerning performance, HCI (Human-Computer Interaction) and accessibility, grouped according to category of accessibility concern. Our results reveal links between individual modalities and user category establishing guidelines for future accessible biometric products.

Biometrics: Accessibility challenge or opportunity?

PubMed Central

Lunerti, Chiara; Sanchez-Reillo, Raul; Guest, Richard Michael

2018-01-01

Biometric recognition is currently implemented in several authentication contexts, most recently in mobile devices where it is expected to complement or even replace traditional authentication modalities such as PIN (Personal Identification Number) or passwords. The assumed convenience characteristics of biometrics are transparency, reliability and ease-of-use, however, the question of whether biometric recognition is as intuitive and straightforward to use is open to debate. Can biometric systems make some tasks easier for people with accessibility concerns? To investigate this question, an accessibility evaluation of a mobile app was conducted where test subjects withdraw money from a fictitious ATM (Automated Teller Machine) scenario. The biometric authentication mechanisms used include face, voice, and fingerprint. Furthermore, we employed traditional modalities of PIN and pattern in order to check if biometric recognition is indeed a real improvement. The trial test subjects within this work were people with real-life accessibility concerns. A group of people without accessibility concerns also participated, providing a baseline performance. Experimental results are presented concerning performance, HCI (Human-Computer Interaction) and accessibility, grouped according to category of accessibility concern. Our results reveal links between individual modalities and user category establishing guidelines for future accessible biometric products. PMID:29565989

EPOS Seismology services and their users

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haslinger, Florian; Dupont, Aurelien; Michelini, Alberto; Rietbrock, Andreas; Sleeman, Reinoud; Wiemer, Stefan; Basili, Roberto; Bossu, Rémy; Cakti, Eser; Cotton, Fabrice; Crawford, Wayne; Crowley, Helen; Danciu, Laurentiu; Diaz, Jordi; Garth, Tom; Locati, Mario; Luzi, Lucia; Pitilakis, Kyriazis; Roumelioti, Zafeiria; Strollo, Angelo

2017-04-01

The construction of seismological community services for the European Plate Observing System Research Infrastructure (EPOS) is by now well under way. A significant number of services are already operational, largely based on those existing at established institutions or collaborations like ORFEUS, EMSC, AHEAD and EFEHR, and more are being added to be ready for internal validation by late 2017. In this presentation we focus on a number of issues related to the interaction of the community of users with the services provided by the seismological part of the EPOS research infrastructure. How users interact with a service (and how satisfied they are with this interaction) is viewed as one important component of the validation of a service within EPOS, and certainly is key to the uptake of a service and from that also it's attributed value. Within EPOS Seismology, the following aspects of user interaction have already surfaced: - user identification (and potential tracking) versus ease-of-access and openness Requesting users to identify themselves when accessing a service provides various advantages to providers and users (e.g. quantifying & qualifying the service use, customization of services and interfaces, handling access rights and quotas), but may impact the ease of access and also shy away users who don't wish to be identified for whatever reason. - service availability versus cost There is a clear and prominent connection between the availability of a service, both regarding uptime and capacity, and its operational cost (IT systems and personnel), and it is often not clear where to draw the line (and based on which considerations). In connection to that, how to best utilize third-party IT infrastructures (either commercial or public), and what the long-term cost implications of that might be, is equally open. - licensing and attribution The issue of intellectual property and associated licensing policies for data, products and services is only recently gaining more attention in the community. Whether at all, and if yes then how to license, is still diversely discussed, while on national level more and more legislative requirements create boundary conditions that need to be respected. Attribution (of service use and of data/product origin) is only one related aspect, but of high importance the scientific world. In EPOS Seismology we attempt to find common approaches to address the above issues, also closely coordinated to the developments across the other EPOS domains. In this presentation we discuss the current strategies, potential solutions identified, and remaining open questions.

Complete Coherent Control of a Quantum Dot Strongly Coupled to a Nanocavity.

PubMed

Dory, Constantin; Fischer, Kevin A; Müller, Kai; Lagoudakis, Konstantinos G; Sarmiento, Tomas; Rundquist, Armand; Zhang, Jingyuan L; Kelaita, Yousif; Vučković, Jelena

2016-04-26

Strongly coupled quantum dot-cavity systems provide a non-linear configuration of hybridized light-matter states with promising quantum-optical applications. Here, we investigate the coherent interaction between strong laser pulses and quantum dot-cavity polaritons. Resonant excitation of polaritonic states and their interaction with phonons allow us to observe coherent Rabi oscillations and Ramsey fringes. Furthermore, we demonstrate complete coherent control of a quantum dot-photonic crystal cavity based quantum-bit. By controlling the excitation power and phase in a two-pulse excitation scheme we achieve access to the full Bloch sphere. Quantum-optical simulations are in good agreement with our experiments and provide insight into the decoherence mechanisms.

Complete Coherent Control of a Quantum Dot Strongly Coupled to a Nanocavity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dory, Constantin; Fischer, Kevin A.; Müller, Kai; Lagoudakis, Konstantinos G.; Sarmiento, Tomas; Rundquist, Armand; Zhang, Jingyuan L.; Kelaita, Yousif; Vučković, Jelena

2016-04-01

Strongly coupled quantum dot-cavity systems provide a non-linear configuration of hybridized light-matter states with promising quantum-optical applications. Here, we investigate the coherent interaction between strong laser pulses and quantum dot-cavity polaritons. Resonant excitation of polaritonic states and their interaction with phonons allow us to observe coherent Rabi oscillations and Ramsey fringes. Furthermore, we demonstrate complete coherent control of a quantum dot-photonic crystal cavity based quantum-bit. By controlling the excitation power and phase in a two-pulse excitation scheme we achieve access to the full Bloch sphere. Quantum-optical simulations are in good agreement with our experiments and provide insight into the decoherence mechanisms.

Space Weather Research in Armenia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chilingarian, A. A.

DVIN for ASEC (Data Visualization interactive Network for Aragats Space Environmental Center) is product for accessing and analysis the on-line data from Solar Monitors located at high altitude research station on Mt. Aragats in Armenia. Data from ASEC monitors is used worldwide for scientific purposes and for monitoring of severe solar storms in progress. Alert service, based on the automatic analysis of variations of the different species of cosmic ray particles is available for subscribers. DVIN advantages: DVIN is strategically important as a scientific application to help develop space science and to foster global collaboration in forecasting potential hazards of solar storms. It precisely fits with the goals of the new evolving information society to provide long-term monitoring and collection of high quality scientific data, and enables adequate dialogue between scientists, decision makers, and civil society. The system is highly interactive and exceptional information is easily accessible online. Data can be monitored and analyzed for desired time spans in a fast and reliable manner. The ASEC activity is an example of a balance between the scientific independence of fundamental research and the needs of civil society. DVIN is also an example of how scientific institutions can apply the newest powerful methods of information technologies, such as multivariate data analysis, to their data and also how information technologies can provide convenient and reliable access to this data and to new knowledge for the world-wide scientific community. DVIN provides very wide possibilities for sharing data and sending warnings and alerts to scientists and other entities world-wide, which have fundamental and practical interest in knowing the space weather conditions.

iDrug: a web-accessible and interactive drug discovery and design platform

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background The progress in computer-aided drug design (CADD) approaches over the past decades accelerated the early-stage pharmaceutical research. Many powerful standalone tools for CADD have been developed in academia. As programs are developed by various research groups, a consistent user-friendly online graphical working environment, combining computational techniques such as pharmacophore mapping, similarity calculation, scoring, and target identification is needed. Results We presented a versatile, user-friendly, and efficient online tool for computer-aided drug design based on pharmacophore and 3D molecular similarity searching. The web interface enables binding sites detection, virtual screening hits identification, and drug targets prediction in an interactive manner through a seamless interface to all adapted packages (e.g., Cavity, PocketV.2, PharmMapper, SHAFTS). Several commercially available compound databases for hit identification and a well-annotated pharmacophore database for drug targets prediction were integrated in iDrug as well. The web interface provides tools for real-time molecular building/editing, converting, displaying, and analyzing. All the customized configurations of the functional modules can be accessed through featured session files provided, which can be saved to the local disk and uploaded to resume or update the history work. Conclusions iDrug is easy to use, and provides a novel, fast and reliable tool for conducting drug design experiments. By using iDrug, various molecular design processing tasks can be submitted and visualized simply in one browser without installing locally any standalone modeling softwares. iDrug is accessible free of charge at http://lilab.ecust.edu.cn/idrug. PMID:24955134

D Webgis and Visualization Issues for Architectures and Large Sites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Amicis, R.; Conti, G.; Girardi, G.; Andreolli, M.

2011-09-01

Traditionally, within the field of archaeology and, more generally, within the cultural heritage domain, Geographical Information Systems (GIS) have been mostly used as support to cataloguing activities, essentially operating as gateways to large geo-referenced archives of specialised cultural heritage information. Additionally GIS have proved to be essential to help cultural heritage institutions improve management of their historical information, providing the means for detection of otherwise hard-to-discover spatial patterns, supporting with computation tools necessary to perform spatial clustering, proximity and orientation analysis. This paper presents a platform developed to answer to both the aforementioned issues, by allowing geo-referenced cataloguing of multi-media resources of cultural relevance as well as access, in a user-friendly manner, through an interactive 3D geobrowser which operates as single point of access to the available digital repositories. The solution has been showcased in the context of "Festival dell'economia" (the Fair of Economics) a major event recently occurred in Trento, Italy and it has allowed visitors of the event to interactively access an extremely large repository of information, as well as their metadata, available across the area of the Autonomous Province of Trento, in Italy. Within the event, an extremely large repository was made accessible, via the network, through web-services, from a 3D interactive geobrowser developed by the authors. The 3D scene was enriched with a number of Points of Interest (POIs) linking to information available within various databases. The software package was deployed with a complex hardware set-up composed of a large composite panoramic screen covering a horizontal field of view of 240 degrees.

New Tools for Sea Ice Data Analysis and Visualization: NSIDC's Arctic Sea Ice News and Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vizcarra, N.; Stroeve, J.; Beam, K.; Beitler, J.; Brandt, M.; Kovarik, J.; Savoie, M. H.; Skaug, M.; Stafford, T.

2017-12-01

Arctic sea ice has long been recognized as a sensitive climate indicator and has undergone a dramatic decline over the past thirty years. Antarctic sea ice continues to be an intriguing and active field of research. The National Snow and Ice Data Center's Arctic Sea Ice News & Analysis (ASINA) offers researchers and the public a transparent view of sea ice data and analysis. We have released a new set of tools for sea ice analysis and visualization. In addition to Charctic, our interactive sea ice extent graph, the new Sea Ice Data and Analysis Tools page provides access to Arctic and Antarctic sea ice data organized in seven different data workbooks, updated daily or monthly. An interactive tool lets scientists, or the public, quickly compare changes in ice extent and location. Another tool allows users to map trends, anomalies, and means for user-defined time periods. Animations of September Arctic and Antarctic monthly average sea ice extent and concentration may also be accessed from this page. Our tools help the NSIDC scientists monitor and understand sea ice conditions in near real time. They also allow the public to easily interact with and explore sea ice data. Technical innovations in our data center helped NSIDC quickly build these tools and more easily maintain them. The tools were made publicly accessible to meet the desire from the public and members of the media to access the numbers and calculations that power our visualizations and analysis. This poster explores these tools and how other researchers, the media, and the general public are using them.

Interactive Sections Of An Internet-Based Intervention Increase Patient Empowerment: A Study With Chronic Back Pain Patients

ClinicalTrials.gov

2014-04-12

Group 1 (Control): Access to a Static Version of the Website Containing Only Static Features (i.e. Library, First Aid, and FAQ); Group2 (Intervention) Access to an Interactive Version of the Website Containing Both Static and Interactive Features

75 FR 63791 - Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Atlantic Herring Fishery; Amendment 4

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-18

... reporting, interactions with river herring, access by midwater trawl vessels to groundfish closed areas, and interactions with the Atlantic mackerel fishery. In June 2009, the Council determined there was not sufficient... monitoring and reporting, interactions with river herring and Atlantic mackerel, access to groundfish closed...

The BLUEPRINT Data Analysis Portal.

PubMed

Fernández, José María; de la Torre, Victor; Richardson, David; Royo, Romina; Puiggròs, Montserrat; Moncunill, Valentí; Fragkogianni, Stamatina; Clarke, Laura; Flicek, Paul; Rico, Daniel; Torrents, David; Carrillo de Santa Pau, Enrique; Valencia, Alfonso

2016-11-23

The impact of large and complex epigenomic datasets on biological insights or clinical applications is limited by the lack of accessibility by easy, intuitive, and fast tools. Here, we describe an epigenomics comparative cyber-infrastructure (EPICO), an open-access reference set of libraries to develop comparative epigenomic data portals. Using EPICO, large epigenome projects can make available their rich datasets to the community without requiring specific technical skills. As a first instance of EPICO, we implemented the BLUEPRINT Data Analysis Portal (BDAP). BDAP provides a desktop for the comparative analysis of epigenomes of hematopoietic cell types based on results, such as the position of epigenetic features, from basic analysis pipelines. The BDAP interface facilitates interactive exploration of genomic regions, genes, and pathways in the context of differentiation of hematopoietic lineages. This work represents initial steps toward broadly accessible integrative analysis of epigenomic data across international consortia. EPICO can be accessed at https://github.com/inab, and BDAP can be accessed at http://blueprint-data.bsc.es. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Access to Core Facilities and Other Research Resources Provided by the Clinical and Translational Science Awards

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Abstract  Principal investigators who received Clinical and Translational Science Awards created academic homes for biomedical research. They developed program‐supported websites to offer coordinated access to a range of core facilities and other research resources. Visitors to the 60 websites will find at least 170 generic services, which this review has categorized in the following seven areas: (1) core facilities, (2) biomedical informatics, (3) funding, (4) regulatory knowledge and support, (5) biostatistics, epidemiology, research design, and ethics, (6) participant and clinical interaction resources, and (7) community engagement. In addition, many websites facilitate access to resources with search engines, navigators, studios, project development teams, collaboration tools, communication systems, and teaching tools. Each of these websites may be accessed from a single site, http://www.CTSAcentral.org. The ability to access the research resources from 60 of the nation's academic health centers presents a novel opportunity for investigators engaged in clinical and translational research. Clin Trans Sci 2012; Volume #: 1–5 PMID:22376262

Access to core facilities and other research resources provided by the Clinical and Translational Science Awards.

PubMed

Rosenblum, Daniel

2012-02-01

Principal investigators who received Clinical and Translational Science Awards created academic homes for biomedical research. They developed program-supported websites to offer coordinated access to a range of core facilities and other research resources. Visitors to the 60 websites will find at least 170 generic services, which this review has categorized in the following seven areas: (1) core facilities, (2) biomedical informatics, (3) funding, (4) regulatory knowledge and support, (5) biostatistics, epidemiology, research design, and ethics, (6) participant and clinical interaction resources, and (7) community engagement. In addition, many websites facilitate access to resources with search engines, navigators, studios, project development teams, collaboration tools, communication systems, and teaching tools. Each of these websites may be accessed from a single site, http://www.CTSAcentral.org. The ability to access the research resources from 60 of the nation's academic health centers presents a novel opportunity for investigators engaged in clinical and translational research. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

AVE-SESAME program for the REEDA System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hickey, J. S.

1981-01-01

The REEDA system software was modified and improved to process the AVE-SESAME severe storm data. A random access file system for the AVE storm data was designed, tested, and implemented. The AVE/SESAME software was modified to incorporate the random access file input and to interface with new graphics hardware/software now available on the REEDA system. Software was developed to graphically display the AVE/SESAME data in the convention normally used by severe storm researchers. Software was converted to AVE/SESAME software systems and interfaced with existing graphics hardware/software available on the REEDA System. Software documentation was provided for existing AVE/SESAME programs underlining functional flow charts and interacting questions. All AVE/SESAME data sets in random access format was processed to allow developed software to access the entire AVE/SESAME data base. The existing software was modified to allow for processing of different AVE/SESAME data set types including satellite surface and radar data.

On Using Home Networks and Cloud Computing for a Future Internet of Things

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Niedermayer, Heiko; Holz, Ralph; Pahl, Marc-Oliver; Carle, Georg

In this position paper we state four requirements for a Future Internet and sketch our initial concept. The requirements: (1) more comfort, (2) integration of home networks, (3) resources like service clouds in the network, and (4) access anywhere on any machine. Future Internet needs future quality and future comfort. There need to be new possiblities for everyone. Our focus is on higher layers and related to the many overlay proposals. We consider them to run on top of a basic Future Internet core. A new user experience means to include all user devices. Home networks and services should be a fundamental part of the Future Internet. Home networks extend access and allow interaction with the environment. Cloud Computing can provide reliable resources beyond local boundaries. For access anywhere, we also need secure storage for data and profiles in the network, in particular for access with non-personal devices (Internet terminal, ticket machine, ...).

Recommendation Systems for Geoscience Data Portals Built by Analyzing Usage Patterns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crosby, C.; Nandigam, V.; Baru, C.

2009-04-01

Since its launch five years ago, the National Science Foundation-funded GEON Project (www.geongrid.org) has been providing access to a variety of geoscience data sets such as geologic maps and other geographic information system (GIS)-oriented data, paleontologic databases, gravity and magnetics data and LiDAR topography via its online portal interface. In addition to data, the GEON Portal also provides web-based tools and other resources that enable users to process and interact with data. Examples of these tools include functions to dynamically map and integrate GIS data, compute synthetic seismograms, and to produce custom digital elevation models (DEMs) with user defined parameters such as resolution. The GEON portal built on the Gridsphere-portal framework allows us to capture user interaction with the system. In addition to the site access statistics captured by tools like Google Analystics which capture hits per unit time, search key words, operating systems, browsers, and referring sites, we also record additional statistics such as which data sets are being downloaded and in what formats, processing parameters, and navigation pathways through the portal. With over four years of data now available from the GEON Portal, this record of usage is a rich resource for exploring how earth scientists discover and utilize online data sets. Furthermore, we propose that this data could ultimately be harnessed to optimize the way users interact with the data portal, design intelligent processing and data management systems, and to make recommendations on algorithm settings and other available relevant data. The paradigm of integrating popular and commonly used patterns to make recommendations to a user is well established in the world of e-commerce where users receive suggestions on books, music and other products that they may find interesting based on their website browsing and purchasing history, as well as the patterns of fellow users who have made similar selections. However, this paradigm has not yet been explored for geoscience data portals. In this presentation we will present an initial analysis of user interaction and access statistics for the GEON OpenTopography LiDAR data distribution and processing system to illustrate what they reveal about user's spatial and temporal data access patterns, data processing parameter selections, and pathways through the data portal. We also demonstrate what these usage statistics can illustrate about aspects of the data sets that are of greatest interest. Finally, we explore how these usage statistics could be used to improve the user's experience in the data portal and to optimize how data access interfaces and tools are designed and implemented.

A Java-Enabled Interactive Graphical Gas Turbine Propulsion System Simulator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reed, John A.; Afjeh, Abdollah A.

1997-01-01

This paper describes a gas turbine simulation system which utilizes the newly developed Java language environment software system. The system provides an interactive graphical environment which allows the quick and efficient construction and analysis of arbitrary gas turbine propulsion systems. The simulation system couples a graphical user interface, developed using the Java Abstract Window Toolkit, and a transient, space- averaged, aero-thermodynamic gas turbine analysis method, both entirely coded in the Java language. The combined package provides analytical, graphical and data management tools which allow the user to construct and control engine simulations by manipulating graphical objects on the computer display screen. Distributed simulations, including parallel processing and distributed database access across the Internet and World-Wide Web (WWW), are made possible through services provided by the Java environment.

Interactive Learning Environment: Web-based Virtual Hydrological Simulation System using Augmented and Immersive Reality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Demir, I.

2014-12-01

Recent developments in internet technologies make it possible to manage and visualize large data on the web. Novel visualization techniques and interactive user interfaces allow users to create realistic environments, and interact with data to gain insight from simulations and environmental observations. The hydrological simulation system is a web-based 3D interactive learning environment for teaching hydrological processes and concepts. The simulation systems provides a visually striking platform with realistic terrain information, and water simulation. Students can create or load predefined scenarios, control environmental parameters, and evaluate environmental mitigation alternatives. The web-based simulation system provides an environment for students to learn about the hydrological processes (e.g. flooding and flood damage), and effects of development and human activity in the floodplain. The system utilizes latest web technologies and graphics processing unit (GPU) for water simulation and object collisions on the terrain. Users can access the system in three visualization modes including virtual reality, augmented reality, and immersive reality using heads-up display. The system provides various scenarios customized to fit the age and education level of various users. This presentation provides an overview of the web-based flood simulation system, and demonstrates the capabilities of the system for various visualization and interaction modes.

SILVA tree viewer: interactive web browsing of the SILVA phylogenetic guide trees.

PubMed

Beccati, Alan; Gerken, Jan; Quast, Christian; Yilmaz, Pelin; Glöckner, Frank Oliver

2017-09-30

Phylogenetic trees are an important tool to study the evolutionary relationships among organisms. The huge amount of available taxa poses difficulties in their interactive visualization. This hampers the interaction with the users to provide feedback for the further improvement of the taxonomic framework. The SILVA Tree Viewer is a web application designed for visualizing large phylogenetic trees without requiring the download of any software tool or data files. The SILVA Tree Viewer is based on Web Geographic Information Systems (Web-GIS) technology with a PostgreSQL backend. It enables zoom and pan functionalities similar to Google Maps. The SILVA Tree Viewer enables access to two phylogenetic (guide) trees provided by the SILVA database: the SSU Ref NR99 inferred from high-quality, full-length small subunit sequences, clustered at 99% sequence identity and the LSU Ref inferred from high-quality, full-length large subunit sequences. The Tree Viewer provides tree navigation, search and browse tools as well as an interactive feedback system to collect any kinds of requests ranging from taxonomy to data curation and improving the tool itself.

Quantification of nanowire penetration into living cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Alexander M.; Aalipour, Amin; Leal-Ortiz, Sergio; Mekhdjian, Armen H.; Xie, Xi; Dunn, Alexander R.; Garner, Craig C.; Melosh, Nicholas A.

2014-04-01

High-aspect ratio nanostructures such as nanowires and nanotubes are a powerful new tool for accessing the cell interior for delivery and sensing. Controlling and optimizing cellular access is a critical challenge for this new technology, yet even the most basic aspect of this process, whether these structures directly penetrate the cell membrane, is still unknown. Here we report the first quantification of hollow nanowires—nanostraws—that directly penetrate the membrane by observing dynamic ion delivery from each 100-nm diameter nanostraw. We discover that penetration is a rare event: 7.1±2.7% of the nanostraws penetrate the cell to provide cytosolic access for an extended period for an average of 10.7±5.8 penetrations per cell. Using time-resolved delivery, the kinetics of the first penetration event are shown to be adhesion dependent and coincident with recruitment of focal adhesion-associated proteins. These measurements provide a quantitative basis for understanding nanowire-cell interactions, and a means for rapidly assessing membrane penetration.

Web 2.0

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gibson, Becky

The Web is growing and changing from a paradigm of static publishing to one of participation and interaction. This change has implications for people with disabilities who rely on access to the Web for employment, information, entertainment, and increased independence. The interactive and collaborative nature of Web 2.0 can present access problems for some users. There are some best practices which can be put in place today to improve access. New specifications such as Accessible Rich Internet Applications (ARIA) and IAccessible2 are opening the doors to increasing the accessibility of Web 2.0 and beyond.

A PVS Prover Strategy Package for Common Manipulations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

DiVito, Ben L.

2002-01-01

Sequent manipulations for an interactive prover such as PVS can often be labor intensive. We describe an approach to tactic-based proving for improved interactive deduction in specialized domains. An experimental package of strategies (tactics) and support functions has been developed for PVS to reduce the tedium of arithmetic manipulation. Included are strategies aimed at algebraic simplification of real-valued expressions as well as term-access techniques applicable in arbitrary settings. The approach is general enough to serve in other mathematical domains and for provers other than PVS. This report presents the full set of arithmetic strategies and discusses how they are invoked within the prover. Included is a description of the extended expression notation for accessing terms as well as a substitution technique provided for higher-order strategies. Several sample proofs are displayed in full to show how the strategies might be used in practice.

The experience of foot problems and decisions to access foot care in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Wilson, Oonagh; Kirwan, John; Dures, Emma; Quest, Enid; Hewlett, Sarah

2017-01-01

Although foot problems are common in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), the consequences of foot problems from the patient perspective have not been fully explored. The aims of this study were to explore the experience of foot problems and decisions to access foot care services or not in patients with RA. Semi structured, one-to-one interviews with patients recruited from 2 UK rheumatology units, purposively sampled for self-reported foot problems and a range of personal/disease characteristics. Inductive thematic analysis was used, with rigour provided by multiple independent analysers. Emerging themes were discussed and agreed by all authors. Twelve patients participated: 7 female; mean age 56 years (29-72); mean disease duration 12 years (2-27), 5 had accessed foot care services. The 'Impact' of foot problems was substantial and formed the underpinning theme, comprising three organising themes: 'Foot symptoms'; 'Consequences'; and 'Cost'. Foot symptoms such as pain and numbness required self-management, and affected daily life (walking, working) leading to social and emotional costs. The global theme, 'Decision to access foot care or not', also comprised three organising themes: 'Access perceived unnecessary' (no problem, can cope); 'Access hindered by patients' perception'; and 'Access supported by patient and clinician'. Decisions to access foot care or not were complex and influenced by patient beliefs regarding possible treatments and how to access these, and hindered by patient perceptions that their feet were ignored by rheumatology clinicians. Positive experience of foot care encouraged continued utilisation but negative experiences contributed to patients' decisions to discontinue foot care services. Foot problems are important issues for patients and impact on many aspects of their physical, social and emotional lives. Patients who had accessed foot care services prioritised their foot problems as an important health care need. However, for others who would like foot care services, personal knowledge and values, and perceived barriers in clinical practice, appear to interact to inhibit foot care access. The extent which these interactions affect overall access to foot care in RA patients in general now needs to be quantified to help to inform and improve the effectiveness of the organisation and delivery of foot care.

Derived virtual devices: a secure distributed file system mechanism

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

VanMeter, Rodney; Hotz, Steve; Finn, Gregory

1996-01-01

This paper presents the design of derived virtual devices (DVDs). DVDs are the mechanism used by the Netstation Project to provide secure shared access to network-attached peripherals distributed in an untrusted network environment. DVDs improve Input/Output efficiency by allowing user processes to perform I/O operations directly from devices without intermediate transfer through the controlling operating system kernel. The security enforced at the device through the DVD mechanism includes resource boundary checking, user authentication, and restricted operations, e.g., read-only access. To illustrate the application of DVDs, we present the interactions between a network-attached disk and a file system designed to exploit the DVD abstraction. We further discuss third-party transfer as a mechanism intended to provide for efficient data transfer in a typical NAP environment. We show how DVDs facilitate third-party transfer, and provide the security required in a more open network environment.

Integrative Analysis of Complex Cancer Genomics and Clinical Profiles Using the cBioPortal

PubMed Central

Gao, Jianjiong; Aksoy, Bülent Arman; Dogrusoz, Ugur; Dresdner, Gideon; Gross, Benjamin; Sumer, S. Onur; Sun, Yichao; Jacobsen, Anders; Sinha, Rileen; Larsson, Erik; Cerami, Ethan; Sander, Chris; Schultz, Nikolaus

2014-01-01

The cBioPortal for Cancer Genomics (http://cbioportal.org) provides a Web resource for exploring, visualizing, and analyzing multidimensional cancer genomics data. The portal reduces molecular profiling data from cancer tissues and cell lines into readily understandable genetic, epigenetic, gene expression, and proteomic events. The query interface combined with customized data storage enables researchers to interactively explore genetic alterations across samples, genes, and pathways and, when available in the underlying data, to link these to clinical outcomes. The portal provides graphical summaries of gene-level data from multiple platforms, network visualization and analysis, survival analysis, patient-centric queries, and software programmatic access. The intuitive Web interface of the portal makes complex cancer genomics profiles accessible to researchers and clinicians without requiring bioinformatics expertise, thus facilitating biological discoveries. Here, we provide a practical guide to the analysis and visualization features of the cBioPortal for Cancer Genomics. PMID:23550210

Slooh Takes Observing into the Classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Godfrey, Paige

2018-01-01

For many students, studying space is limited to simulations and a vivid imagination. Slooh is providing a new education tool that gives students an authentic experience, mimicking the practices of professional astronomers by bringing real-time astronomical observing to the classroom. Teachers and students have robotic control of Slooh’s global network of ground-based telescopes located at the Institute of Astrophysics in the Canary Islands and at the Catholic University based in Santiago, Chile. Slooh Classroom and Slooh Astrolab are products designed to offer K-12 and higher education an accessible, affordable way to interact with space. The lab manuals provide fully-designed classroom activities that explore celestial objects representing a robust sample of star clusters, nebulae, galaxies, stars, planets, comets and asteroids. Slooh’s education tools provide a unique online platform for the sharing of space content and access to live-hosted shows that discuss current astronomy events, creating a full STEAM experience.

"I just answer 'yes' to everything they say": access to health care for deaf people in Worcester, South Africa and the politics of exclusion.

PubMed

Kritzinger, Janis; Schneider, Marguerite; Swartz, Leslie; Braathen, Stine Hellum

2014-03-01

To explore whether there are other factors besides communication difficulties that hamper access to health care services for deaf patients. Qualitative methodology using semi-structured interviews with 16 deaf participants from the National Institute for the Deaf in Worcester and 3 Key informants from the Worcester area, South Africa. Communication difficulties were found to be a prominent barrier in accessing health care services. In addition to this interpersonal factors including lack of independent thought, overprotectedness, non-questioning attitude, and lack of familial communication interact with communication difficulties in a way that further hampers access to health care services. These interpersonal factors play a unique role in how open and accepting health services feel to deaf patients. Health care services need to take cognizance of the fact that providing sign language interpreters in the health care setting will not necessarily make access more equitable for deaf patients, as they have additional barriers besides communication to overcome before successfully accessing health care services. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Online Social Participation, Social Capital and Literacy of Adolescents with Hearing Loss: A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wong, Cara L.; Ching, Teresa Y. C.; Whitfield, Jessica; Duncan, Jill

2016-01-01

The internet and social media have fast become an everyday aspect of adolescents' lives. Online participation may increase social capital and be particularly beneficial for individuals who are deaf or hard-of-hearing (DHH), as it provides an alternative method to communicate, interact with others and access information. However, reduced levels of…

Animal Agriculture in a Changing Climate Online Course: An Effective Tool for Creating Extension Competency

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whitefield, Elizabeth; Schmidt, David; Witt-Swanson, Lindsay; Smith, David; Pronto, Jennifer; Knox, Pam; Powers, Crystal

2016-01-01

There is a need to create competency among Extension professionals on the topic of climate change adaptation and mitigation in animal agriculture. The Animal Agriculture in a Changing Climate online course provides an easily accessible, user-friendly, free, and interactive experience for learning science-based information on a national and…

What People Living with Aphasia Think about the Availability of Aphasia Resources

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hinckley, Jacqueline J.; Hasselkus, Amy; Ganzfried, Ellayne

2013-01-01

Purpose: Obtaining health information and resources can influence an individual's (a) access to services, (b) interactions with health care providers, and (c) ability to manage one's own health needs. The purpose of this study was to gather the perceptions of consumers living with aphasia about resource availability and information needs. Method:…

Physical Computing and Its Scope--Towards a Constructionist Computer Science Curriculum with Physical Computing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Przybylla, Mareen; Romeike, Ralf

2014-01-01

Physical computing covers the design and realization of interactive objects and installations and allows students to develop concrete, tangible products of the real world, which arise from the learners' imagination. This can be used in computer science education to provide students with interesting and motivating access to the different topic…

Automating the Fireshed Assessment Process with ArcGIS

Treesearch

Alan Ager; Klaus Barber

2006-01-01

A library of macros was developed to automate the Fireshed process within ArcGIS. The macros link a number of vegetation simulation and wildfire behavior models (FVS, SVS, FARSITE, and FlamMap) with ESRI geodatabases, desktop software (Access, Excel), and ArcGIS. The macros provide for (1) an interactive linkage between digital imagery, vegetation data, FVS-FFE, and...

Developing virtual patients for medical microbiology education.

PubMed

McCarthy, David; O'Gorman, Ciaran; Gormley, Gerry J

2013-12-01

The landscape of medical education is changing as students embrace the accessibility and interactivity of e-learning. Virtual patients are e-learning resources that may be used to advance microbiology education. Although the development of virtual patients has been widely considered, here we aim to provide a coherent approach for clinical educators. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Factors Associated with Choice of Web or Print Intervention Materials in the Healthy Directions 2 Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greaney, Mary L.; Puleo, Elaine; Bennett, Gary G.; Haines, Jess; Viswanath, K.; Gillman, Matthew W.; Sprunck-Harrild, Kim; Coeling, Molly; Rusinak, Donna; Emmons, Karen M.

2014-01-01

Background: Many U.S. adults have multiple behavioral risk factors, and effective, scalable interventions are needed to promote population-level health. In the health care setting, interventions are often provided in print, although accessible to nearly everyone, are brief (e.g., pamphlets), are not interactive, and can require some logistics…

Using Mimio Boardcast in an Online Principles of Macroeconomics Course to Improve Student Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Finlay, Nikki McIntyre; Deis, Michael H.

2005-01-01

The emergence of the speedily evolving world of technology has given many universities an interactive medium to facilitate teaching and learning. One such medium has been online courses, which have provided greater access to both traditional and non-traditional students. In quantitative courses such as economics, however, there are often concerns…

Low-cost training technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, A. T.

1984-01-01

The differences between flight training technology and flight simulation technology are highlighted. Examples of training technologies are provided, including the Navy's training system and the interactive cockpit training device. Training problems that might arise in the near future are discussed. These challenges follow from the increased amount and variety of information that a pilot must have access to in the cockpit.

Providing Access to Academic Content for High-School Students with Significant Intellectual Disability through Interactive Videos

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Evmenova, Anya S.; Graff, Heidi J.; Behrmann, Michael M.

2017-01-01

There has been a slight increase in the number of studies focused on the strategies used to introduce content-based instruction to students with moderate/severe disability. However, interventions for students with significant intellectual disability (ID) are lacking adapted materials to make instruction available in all major academic areas…

Voroprot: an interactive tool for the analysis and visualization of complex geometric features of protein structure.

PubMed

Olechnovic, Kliment; Margelevicius, Mindaugas; Venclovas, Ceslovas

2011-03-01

We present Voroprot, an interactive cross-platform software tool that provides a unique set of capabilities for exploring geometric features of protein structure. Voroprot allows the construction and visualization of the Apollonius diagram (also known as the additively weighted Voronoi diagram), the Apollonius graph, protein alpha shapes, interatomic contact surfaces, solvent accessible surfaces, pockets and cavities inside protein structure. Voroprot is available for Windows, Linux and Mac OS X operating systems and can be downloaded from http://www.ibt.lt/bioinformatics/voroprot/.

A Three-Dimensional Atlas of the Honeybee Neck

PubMed Central

Berry, Richard P.; Ibbotson, Michael R.

2010-01-01

Three-dimensional digital atlases are rapidly becoming indispensible in modern biology. We used serial sectioning combined with manual registration and segmentation of images to develop a comprehensive and detailed three-dimensional atlas of the honeybee head-neck system. This interactive atlas includes skeletal structures of the head and prothorax, the neck musculature, and the nervous system. The scope and resolution of the model exceeds atlases previously developed on similar sized animals, and the interactive nature of the model provides a far more accessible means of interpreting and comprehending insect anatomy and neuroanatomy. PMID:20520729

Distributed policy based access to networked heterogeneous ISR data sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bent, G.; Vyvyan, D.; Wood, David; Zerfos, Petros; Calo, Seraphin

2010-04-01

Within a coalition environment, ad hoc Communities of Interest (CoI's) come together, perhaps for only a short time, with different sensors, sensor platforms, data fusion elements, and networks to conduct a task (or set of tasks) with different coalition members taking different roles. In such a coalition, each organization will have its own inherent restrictions on how it will interact with the others. These are usually stated as a set of policies, including security and privacy policies. The capability that we want to enable for a coalition operation is to provide access to information from any coalition partner in conformance with the policies of all. One of the challenges in supporting such ad-hoc coalition operations is that of providing efficient access to distributed sources of data, where the applications requiring the data do not have knowledge of the location of the data within the network. To address this challenge the International Technology Alliance (ITA) program has been developing the concept of a Dynamic Distributed Federated Database (DDFD), also know as a Gaian Database. This type of database provides a means for accessing data across a network of distributed heterogeneous data sources where access to the information is controlled by a mixture of local and global policies. We describe how a network of disparate ISR elements can be expressed as a DDFD and how this approach enables sensor and other information sources to be discovered autonomously or semi-autonomously and/or combined, fused formally defined local and global policies.

Beyond information access: Support for complex cognitive activities in public health informatics tools.

PubMed

Sedig, Kamran; Parsons, Paul; Dittmer, Mark; Ola, Oluwakemi

2012-01-01

Public health professionals work with a variety of information sources to carry out their everyday activities. In recent years, interactive computational tools have become deeply embedded in such activities. Unlike the early days of computational tool use, the potential of tools nowadays is not limited to simply providing access to information; rather, they can act as powerful mediators of human-information discourse, enabling rich interaction with public health information. If public health informatics tools are designed and used properly, they can facilitate, enhance, and support the performance of complex cognitive activities that are essential to public health informatics, such as problem solving, forecasting, sense-making, and planning. However, the effective design and evaluation of public health informatics tools requires an understanding of the cognitive and perceptual issues pertaining to how humans work and think with information to perform such activities. This paper draws on research that has examined some of the relevant issues, including interaction design, complex cognition, and visual representations, to offer some human-centered design and evaluation considerations for public health informatics tools.

Using interactive theatre to help fertility providers better understand sexual and gender minority patients.

PubMed

Tarasoff, Lesley A; Epstein, Rachel; Green, Datejie C; Anderson, Scott; Ross, Lori E

2014-12-01

To determine the effectiveness of interactive theatre as a knowledge translation and exchange (KTE) method to educate assisted human reproduction (AHR) service providers about lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and queer (LGBTQ) patients. We transformed data from the 'Creating Our Families' study, a qualitative, community-based study of LGBTQ peoples' experiences accessing AHR services, into a script for an interactive theatre workshop for AHR service providers. Based on forum theatre principles, our workshop included five scenes illustrating LGBTQ people interacting with service providers, followed by audience interventions to these scenes. Before and after the workshop, service providers completed surveys to assess their knowledge and comfort concerning LGBTQ patients, as well as the modality of the interactive theatre workshop as a KTE strategy. Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were used to determine changes in preworkshop and postworkshop knowledge and comfort scores. Thirty AHR service providers attended the workshop. Twenty-three service providers (76.7%) fully completed the preworkshop and postworkshop evaluation forms. Service providers' knowledge scores significantly improved after the workshop, while their comfort scores minimally decreased. Most agreed that the interactive workshop was an effective KTE method. In comparison with traditional forms of KTE, interactive theatre may be particularly effective in engaging service providers and addressing their attitudes towards marginalised patient populations. Although the evaluation results of our interactive workshop were mostly positive, the long-term impact of the workshop is unknown. Long-term evaluations are needed to determine the effectiveness of arts-based KTE efforts. Other considerations for developing effective arts-based KTE strategies include adequate funding, institutional support, attention to power dynamics and thoughtful collaboration with forum theatre experts. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Interactively Browsing NASA's EOS Imagery in Full Resolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boller, R. A.; Joshi, T.; Schmaltz, J. E.; Ilavajhala, S.; Davies, D.; Murphy, K. J.

2012-12-01

Worldview is a new tool designed to interactively browse full-resolution imagery from NASA's fleet of Earth Observing System (EOS) satellites. It is web-based and developed using open standards (JavaScript, CSS, HTML) for cross-platform compatibility. It addresses growing user demands for access to full-resolution imagery by providing a responsive, interactive interface with global coverage, no artificial boundaries, and views in geographic and polar projections. Currently tailored to the near real-time community, Worldview enables the rapid evaluation and comparison of imagery related to such application areas as fires, floods, and air quality. It is supported by the Global Imagery Browse Services (GIBS), a system that continuously ingests, mosaics, and serves approximately 21GB of imagery daily. This imagery spans over 50 data products that are available within three hours of observation from instruments aboard Terra, Aqua, and Aura. The GIBS image archive began in May 2012 and will have published approximately 4.4TB of imagery as of December 2012. Worldview facilitates rapid access to this archive and is supplemented by socioeconomic data layers from the Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center (SEDAC), including products such as population density and economic risk from cyclones. Future plans include the accessibility of additional products that cover the entire Terra/MODIS and Aqua/MODIS missions (>150TB) and the ability to download the underlying science data of the onscreen imagery.

SCSODC: Integrating Ocean Data for Visualization Sharing and Application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, C.; Li, S.; Wang, D.; Xie, Q.

2014-02-01

The South China Sea Ocean Data Center (SCSODC) was founded in 2010 in order to improve collecting and managing of ocean data of the South China Sea Institute of Oceanology (SCSIO). The mission of SCSODC is to ensure the long term scientific stewardship of ocean data, information and products - collected through research groups, monitoring stations and observation cruises - and to facilitate the efficient use and distribution to possible users. However, data sharing and applications were limited due to the characteristics of distribution and heterogeneity that made it difficult to integrate the data. To surmount those difficulties, the Data Sharing System has been developed by the SCSODC using the most appropriate information management and information technology. The Data Sharing System uses open standards and tools to promote the capability to integrate ocean data and to interact with other data portals or users and includes a full range of processes such as data discovery, evaluation and access combining C/S and B/S mode. It provides a visualized management interface for the data managers and a transparent and seamless data access and application environment for users. Users are allowed to access data using the client software and to access interactive visualization application interface via a web browser. The architecture, key technologies and functionality of the system are discussed briefly in this paper. It is shown that the system of SCSODC is able to implement web visualization sharing and seamless access to ocean data in a distributed and heterogeneous environment.

Sharing e-Learning Experiences: A Personalised Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clematis, Andrea; Forcheri, Paola; Ierardi, Maria Grazia; Quarati, Alfonso

A two-tier architecture is presented, based on hybrid peer-to-peer technology, aimed at providing personalized access to heterogeneous learning sources. The architecture deploys a conceptual model that is superimposed over logically and physically separated repositories. The model is based on the interactions between users and learning resources, described by means of coments. To support users to find out material satisfying their needs, mechanisms for ranking resources and for extracting personalized views of the learning space are provided.

Managing Law Enforcement Presence in the Emergency Department: Highlighting the Need for New Policy Recommendations.

PubMed

Tahouni, Morsal R; Liscord, Emory; Mowafi, Hani

2015-10-01

The Emergency Department (ED) is the portal of entry to the health care system for a large percentage of patients. This is especially true for victims and perpetrators of interpersonal violence. Frequently, law enforcement personnel (LEP) accompany patients to the ED or seek access to patients during their ED stay or subsequent hospitalization. The time-sensitive nature of both emergency care and criminal investigation motivates both health care personnel and LEP, and can lead to potential conflicts of interest regarding access to patients in the ED. We hope to examine the relationship among patients, providers, and LEP in the ED, and the potential impact these interactions have on patient care. This article presents a review of the relevant literature and policy consideration as well as provides guidance on the development of such policies for EDs. Hospitals, EDs, and trauma resuscitation rooms are highly regulated environments, but LEP largely fall outside the ethical and institutional guidelines of health care institutions. Many potential areas of conflict exist when LEP are present in the ED that can have detrimental effects on patient care, provider liability, and LEP efficacy. Patients' perceptions of collaboration between ED personnel and LEP can compromise emergency patient care. There is a need for hospital policies to govern interactions among patients, emergency health care providers, and LEP in the ED. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

APIS : an interactive database of HST-UV observations of the outer planets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lamy, Laurent; Henry, Florence; Prangé, Renée; Le Sidaner, Pierre

2014-05-01

Remote UV measurement of the outer planets offer a wealth of informations on rings, moons, planetary atmospheres and magnetospheres. Auroral emissions in particular provide highly valuable constraints on the auroral processes at work and the underlying coupling between the solar wind, the magnetosphere, the ionosphere and the moons. Key observables provided by high resolution spectro-imaging include the spatial topology and the dynamics of active magnetic field lines, the radiated and the precipitated powers or the energy of precipitating particles. The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) acquired thousands of Far-UV spectra and images of the aurorae of Jupiter, Saturn and Uranus since 1993, feeding in numerous magnetospheric studies. But their use remains generally limited, owing to the difficulty to access and use raw and value-added data. APIS, the egyptian god of fertilization, is also the acronym of a new database (Auroral Planetary Imaging and Spectroscopy), aimed at facilitating the use of HST planetary auroral observations. APIS is based at the Virtual Observatory (VO) of Paris and provides a free and interactive access to a variety of high level data through a simple research interface and standard VO tools (as Aladin, Specview). We will present the capabilities of APIS and illustrate them with several examples.

APIS : an interactive database of HST-UV observations of the outer planets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lamy, L.; Henry, F.; Prangé, R.; Le Sidaner, P.

2013-09-01

Remote UV measurement of the outer planets are a wealth of informations on rings, moons, planetary atmospheres and magnetospheres. Auroral emissions in particular provide highly valuable constraints on the auroral processes at work and the underlying coupling between the solar wind, the magnetosphere, the ionosphere and the moons. Key observables provided by high resolution spectro-imaging include the spatial topology and the dynamics of active magnetic field lines, the radiated and the precipitated powers or the energy of precipitating particles. The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) acquired thousands of Far-UV spectra and images of the aurorae of Jupiter, Saturn and Uranus since 1993, feeding in numerous magnetospheric studies. But their use remains generally limited, owing to the difficulty to access and use raw and value-added data. APIS, the egyptian god of fertilization, is also the acronym of a new database (Auroral Planetary Imaging and Spectroscopy, Figure 1), aimed at facilitating the use of HST planetary auroral observations. APIS is based at the Virtual Observatory (VO) of Paris and provides a free and interactive access to a variety of high level data through a simple research interface and standard VO tools. We will present the capabilities of APIS and illustrate them with several examples.

PKI-based secure mobile access to electronic health services and data.

PubMed

Kambourakis, G; Maglogiannis, I; Rouskas, A

2005-01-01

Recent research works examine the potential employment of public-key cryptography schemes in e-health environments. In such systems, where a Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) is established beforehand, Attribute Certificates (ACs) and public key enabled protocols like TLS, can provide the appropriate mechanisms to effectively support authentication, authorization and confidentiality services. In other words, mutual trust and secure communications between all the stakeholders, namely physicians, patients and e-health service providers, can be successfully established and maintained. Furthermore, as the recently introduced mobile devices with access to computer-based patient record systems are expanding, the need of physicians and nurses to interact increasingly with such systems arises. Considering public key infrastructure requirements for mobile online health networks, this paper discusses the potential use of Attribute Certificates (ACs) in an anticipated trust model. Typical trust interactions among doctors, patients and e-health providers are presented, indicating that resourceful security mechanisms and trust control can be obtained and implemented. The application of attribute certificates to support medical mobile service provision along with the utilization of the de-facto TLS protocol to offer competent confidentiality and authorization services is also presented and evaluated through experimentation, using both the 802.11 WLAN and General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) networks.

Gimme, It's Mine!: Children's Concepts of Ownership as Revealed in Interaction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bluebond-Langner, Myra

This investigation probes nursery school activities and children's interactions in relation to private and communal property. Analysis of 27 hours of taped interaction spread over 4 months of participant observation reveals that children attempt to gain access to private property in a different way than they try to obtain access to communal…

Studies of the nucleon structure in back-to-back SIDIS

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

Avakian, Harut

2016-03-01

The Deep Inelastic Scattering (DIS) proved to be a great tool in testing of the theory of strong interactions, which was a major focus in last decades. Semi-Inclusive DIS (SIDIS), with detection of an additional hadron allowed first studies of 3D structure of the nucleon, moving the main focus from testing the QCD to understanding of strong interactions and quark gluon dynamics to address a number of puzzles accumulated in recent years. Detection of two hadrons in SIDIS, which is even more complicated, provides access to details of quark gluon interactions inaccessible in single-hadron SIDIS, providing a new avenue tomore » study the complex nucleon structure. Large acceptance of the Electron Ion Collider, allowing detection of two hadrons, produced back-to-back in the current and target fragmentation regions, combined with clear separation of two regions, would provide a unique possibility to study the nucleon structure in target fragmentation region, and correlations of target and current fragmentation regions.« less

An affinity-structure database of helix-turn-helix: DNA complexes with a universal coordinate system

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

AlQuraishi, Mohammed; Tang, Shengdong; Xia, Xide

Molecular interactions between proteins and DNA molecules underlie many cellular processes, including transcriptional regulation, chromosome replication, and nucleosome positioning. Computational analyses of protein-DNA interactions rely on experimental data characterizing known protein-DNA interactions structurally and biochemically. While many databases exist that contain either structural or biochemical data, few integrate these two data sources in a unified fashion. Such integration is becoming increasingly critical with the rapid growth of structural and biochemical data, and the emergence of algorithms that rely on the synthesis of multiple data types to derive computational models of molecular interactions. We have developed an integrated affinity-structure database inmore » which the experimental and quantitative DNA binding affinities of helix-turn-helix proteins are mapped onto the crystal structures of the corresponding protein-DNA complexes. This database provides access to: (i) protein-DNA structures, (ii) quantitative summaries of protein-DNA binding affinities using position weight matrices, and (iii) raw experimental data of protein-DNA binding instances. Critically, this database establishes a correspondence between experimental structural data and quantitative binding affinity data at the single basepair level. Furthermore, we present a novel alignment algorithm that structurally aligns the protein-DNA complexes in the database and creates a unified residue-level coordinate system for comparing the physico-chemical environments at the interface between complexes. Using this unified coordinate system, we compute the statistics of atomic interactions at the protein-DNA interface of helix-turn-helix proteins. We provide an interactive website for visualization, querying, and analyzing this database, and a downloadable version to facilitate programmatic analysis. Lastly, this database will facilitate the analysis of protein-DNA interactions and the development of programmatic computational methods that capitalize on integration of structural and biochemical datasets. The database can be accessed at http://ProteinDNA.hms.harvard.edu.« less

An affinity-structure database of helix-turn-helix: DNA complexes with a universal coordinate system

DOE PAGES

AlQuraishi, Mohammed; Tang, Shengdong; Xia, Xide

2015-11-19

Molecular interactions between proteins and DNA molecules underlie many cellular processes, including transcriptional regulation, chromosome replication, and nucleosome positioning. Computational analyses of protein-DNA interactions rely on experimental data characterizing known protein-DNA interactions structurally and biochemically. While many databases exist that contain either structural or biochemical data, few integrate these two data sources in a unified fashion. Such integration is becoming increasingly critical with the rapid growth of structural and biochemical data, and the emergence of algorithms that rely on the synthesis of multiple data types to derive computational models of molecular interactions. We have developed an integrated affinity-structure database inmore » which the experimental and quantitative DNA binding affinities of helix-turn-helix proteins are mapped onto the crystal structures of the corresponding protein-DNA complexes. This database provides access to: (i) protein-DNA structures, (ii) quantitative summaries of protein-DNA binding affinities using position weight matrices, and (iii) raw experimental data of protein-DNA binding instances. Critically, this database establishes a correspondence between experimental structural data and quantitative binding affinity data at the single basepair level. Furthermore, we present a novel alignment algorithm that structurally aligns the protein-DNA complexes in the database and creates a unified residue-level coordinate system for comparing the physico-chemical environments at the interface between complexes. Using this unified coordinate system, we compute the statistics of atomic interactions at the protein-DNA interface of helix-turn-helix proteins. We provide an interactive website for visualization, querying, and analyzing this database, and a downloadable version to facilitate programmatic analysis. Lastly, this database will facilitate the analysis of protein-DNA interactions and the development of programmatic computational methods that capitalize on integration of structural and biochemical datasets. The database can be accessed at http://ProteinDNA.hms.harvard.edu.« less

Web-based interactive access, analysis and comparison of remotely sensed and in situ measured temperature data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eberle, Jonas; Urban, Marcel; Hüttich, Christian; Schmullius, Christiane

2014-05-01

Numerous datasets providing temperature information from meteorological stations or remote sensing satellites are available. However, the challenging issue is to search in the archives and process the time series information for further analysis. These steps can be automated for each individual product, if the pre-conditions are complied, e.g. data access through web services (HTTP, FTP) or legal rights to redistribute the datasets. Therefore a python-based package was developed to provide data access and data processing tools for MODIS Land Surface Temperature (LST) data, which is provided by NASA Land Processed Distributed Active Archive Center (LPDAAC), as well as the Global Surface Summary of the Day (GSOD) and the Global Historical Climatology Network (GHCN) daily datasets provided by NOAA National Climatic Data Center (NCDC). The package to access and process the information is available as web services used by an interactive web portal for simple data access and analysis. Tools for time series analysis were linked to the system, e.g. time series plotting, decomposition, aggregation (monthly, seasonal, etc.), trend analyses, and breakpoint detection. Especially for temperature data a plot was integrated for the comparison of two temperature datasets based on the work by Urban et al. (2013). As a first result, a kernel density plot compares daily MODIS LST from satellites Aqua and Terra with daily means from GSOD and GHCN datasets. Without any data download and data processing, the users can analyze different time series datasets in an easy-to-use web portal. As a first use case, we built up this complimentary system with remotely sensed MODIS data and in situ measurements from meteorological stations for Siberia within the Siberian Earth System Science Cluster (www.sibessc.uni-jena.de). References: Urban, Marcel; Eberle, Jonas; Hüttich, Christian; Schmullius, Christiane; Herold, Martin. 2013. "Comparison of Satellite-Derived Land Surface Temperature and Air Temperature from Meteorological Stations on the Pan-Arctic Scale." Remote Sens. 5, no. 5: 2348-2367. Further materials: Eberle, Jonas; Clausnitzer, Siegfried; Hüttich, Christian; Schmullius, Christiane. 2013. "Multi-Source Data Processing Middleware for Land Monitoring within a Web-Based Spatial Data Infrastructure for Siberia." ISPRS Int. J. Geo-Inf. 2, no. 3: 553-576.

The development of interactive online learning tools for the study of anatomy.

PubMed

O'Byrne, Patrick J; Patry, Anne; Carnegie, Jacqueline A

2008-01-01

The study of human anatomy is a core component of health science programs. However large student enrolments and the content-packed curricula associated with these programs have made it difficult for students to have regular access to cadaver laboratories. Adobe Flash MXwas used with cadaver digital photographs and textbook-derived illustrations to develop interactive anatomy images that were made available to undergraduate health science students enrolled in first-year combined anatomy and physiology (ANP) courses at the University of Ottawa. Colour coding was used to direct student attention, facilitate name-structure association, improve visualization of structure contours, assist students in the construction of anatomical pathways, and to reinforce functional or anatomical groupings. The ability of two-dimensional media to support the visualization of three-dimensional structure was extended by developing the fade-through image (students use a sliding bar to move through tissues) as well as the rotating image in which entire organs such as the skull were photographed at eight angles of rotation. Finally, students were provided with interactive exercises that they could repeatedly try to obtain immediate feedback regarding their learning progress. Survey data revealed that the learning and self-testing tools were used widely and that students found them relevant and supportive of their self-learning. Interestingly, student summative examination outcomes did not differ between those students who had access to the online tools and a corresponding student group from the previous academic year who did not. Interactive learning tools can be tailored to meet program-specific learning objectives as a cost-effective means of facilitating the study of human anatomy. Virtual interactive anatomy exercises provide learning opportunities for students outside the lecture room that are of especial value to visual and kinesthetic learners.

Light-matter interaction in transition metal dichalcogenides and their heterostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wurstbauer, Ursula; Miller, Bastian; Parzinger, Eric; Holleitner, Alexander W.

2017-05-01

The investigation of two-dimensional (2D) van der Waals materials is a vibrant, fast-moving and still growing interdisciplinary area of research. These materials are truly 2D crystals with strong covalent in-plane bonds and weak van der Waals interaction between the layers, and have a variety of different electronic, optical and mechanical properties. Transition metal dichalcogenides are a very prominent class of 2D materials, particularly the semiconducting subclass. Their properties include bandgaps in the near-infrared to the visible range, decent charge carrier mobility together with high (photo-) catalytic and mechanical stability, and exotic many-body phenomena. These characteristics make the materials highly attractive for both fundamental research as well as innovative device applications. Furthermore, the materials exhibit a strong light-matter interaction, providing a high sunlight absorbance of up to 15% in the monolayer limit, strong scattering cross section in Raman experiments, and access to excitonic phenomena in van der Waals heterostructures. This review focuses on the light-matter interaction in MoS2, WS2, MoSe2 and WSe2, which is dictated by the materials’ complex dielectric functions, and on the multiplicity of studying the first-order phonon modes by Raman spectroscopy to gain access to several material properties such as doping, strain, defects and temperature. 2D materials provide an interesting platform for stacking them into van der Waals heterostructures without the limitation of lattice mismatch, resulting in novel devices for applications but also to enable the study of exotic many-body interaction phenomena such as interlayer excitons. Future perspectives of semiconducting transition metal dichalcogenides and their heterostructures for applications in optoelectronic devices will be examined, and routes to study emergent fundamental problems and many-body quantum phenomena under excitations with photons will be discussed.

Crisis of conscience: reconciling religious health care providers' beliefs and patients' rights.

PubMed

White, K A

1999-07-01

In this note, Katherine A. White explores the conflict between religious health care providers who provide care in accordance with their religious beliefs and the patients who want access to medical care that these religious providers find objectionable. Specifically, she examines Roman Catholic health care institutions and HMOs that follow the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services and considers other religious providers with similar beliefs. In accordance with the Directives, these institutions maintain policies that restrict access to "sensitive" services like abortion, family planning, HIV counseling, infertility treatment, and termination of life-support. White explains how most state laws protecting providers' right to refuse treatments in conflict with religious principles do not cover this wide range of services. Furthermore, many state and federal laws and some court decisions guarantee patients the right to receive this care. The constitutional complication inherent in this provider-patient conflict emerges in White's analysis of the interaction of the Free Exercise and Establishment Clauses of the First Amendment and patients' right to privacy. White concludes her note by exploring the success of both provider-initiated and legislatively mandated compromise strategies. She first describes the strategies adopted by four different religious HMOs which vary in how they increase or restrict access to sensitive services. She then turns her focus to state and federal "bypass" legislation, ultimately concluding that increased state supervision might help these laws become more viable solutions to provider-patient conflicts.

Social Media, Power, and the Future of VBAC.

PubMed

Romano, Amy M; Gerber, Hilary; Andrews, Desirre

2010-01-01

The Internet has been called a disruptive technology because it has shifted power and altered the economics of doing business, whether that business is selling books or providing health care. Social media have accelerated the pace of disruption by enabling interactive information sharing and blurring the lines between the "producers" and "consumers" of knowledge, goods, and services. In the wake of the National Institutes of Health Consensus Development Conference on Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (VBAC) and major national recommendations for maternity care reform, activated, engaged consumers face an unprecedented opportunity to drive meaningful changes in VBAC access and safety. This article examines the role of social networks in informing women about VBAC, producing low-cost, accessible decision aids, and enabling multi-stakeholder collaborations toward workable solutions that remove barriers women face in accessing VBAC.

Creating accessible science museums with user-activated environmental audio beacons (ping!).

PubMed

Landau, Steven; Wiener, William; Naghshineh, Koorosh; Giusti, Ellen

2005-01-01

In 2003, Touch Graphics Company carried out research on a new invention that promises to improve accessibility to science museums for visitors who are visually impaired. The system, nicknamed Ping!, allows users to navigate an exhibit area, listen to audio descriptions, and interact with exhibits using a cell phone-based interface. The system relies on computer telephony, and it incorporates a network of wireless environmental audio beacons that can be triggered by users wishing to travel to destinations they choose. User testing indicates that the system is effective, both as a way-finding tool and as a means of providing accessible information on museum content. Follow-up development projects will determine if this approach can be successfully implemented in other settings and for other user populations.

An analysis of contextual information relevant to medical care unexpectedly volunteered to researchers by asthma patients.

PubMed

Black, Heather L; Priolo, Chantel; Gonzalez, Rodalyn; Geer, Sabrina; Adam, Bariituu; Apter, Andrea J

2012-09-01

To describe and categorize contextual information relevant to patients' medical care unexpectedly volunteered to research personnel as part of a patient advocate (PA) intervention to facilitate access health care, communication with medical personnel, and self-management of a chronic disease such as asthma. We adapted a patient navigator intervention, to overcome barriers to access and communication for adults with moderate or severe asthma. Informed by focus groups of patients and providers, our PAs facilitated preparation for a visit with an asthma provider, attended the visit, confirmed understanding, and assisted with post-visit activities. During meetings with researchers, either for PA activities or for data collection, participants frequently volunteered personal and medical information relevant for achieving successful self-management that was not routinely shared with medical personnel. For this project, researchers journaled information not captured by the structured questionnaires and protocol. Using a qualitative analysis, we describe (1) researchers' journals of these unique communications; (2) their relevance for accomplishing self-management; (3) PAs' formal activities including teach-back, advocacy, and facilitating appointment making; and (4) observations of patients' interactions with the clinical practices. In 83 journals, patients' social support (83%), health (68%), and deportment (69%) were described. PA assistance with navigating the medical system (59%), teach-back (46%), and observed interactions with patient and medical staff (76%) were also journaled. Implicit were ways patients and practices could overcome barriers to access and communication. These journals describe the importance of seeking contextual and medically relevant information from all patients and, especially, those with significant morbidities, prompting patients for barriers to access to health care, and confirming understanding of medical information.

An analysis of contextual information relevant to medical care unexpectedly volunteered to researchers by asthma patients

PubMed Central

Black, Heather L.; Priolo, Chantel; Gonzalez, Rodalyn; Geer, Sabrina; Adam, Bariituu; Apter, Andrea J.

2012-01-01

Objective To describe and categorize contextual information relevant to patients’ medical care unexpectedly volunteered to research personnel as part of a patient advocate intervention to facilitate access health care, communication with medical personnel, and self-management of a chronic disease like asthma. Methods We adapted a patient navigator intervention, to overcome barriers to access and communication for adults with moderate or severe asthma. Informed by focus groups of patients and providers, our Patient Advocates facilitated preparation for a visit with an asthma provider, attended the visit, confirmed understanding, and assisted with post-visit activities. During meetings with researchers, either for PA activities or data collection, participants frequently volunteered personal and medical information relevant for achieving successful self-management that was not routinely shared with medical personnel. For this project, researchers journaled information not captured by the structured questionnaires and protocol. Using a qualitative analysis, we describe 1) researchers’ journals of these unique communications, 2) their relevance for accomplishing self-management, 3) Patient Advocates’ formal activities including teach-back, advocacy, and facilitating appointment-making, and 4) observations of patients’ interactions with the clinical practices. Results In 83 journals, patients’ social support (83%), health (68%), and deportment (69%) were described. Patient Advocate assistance with navigating the medical system (59%), teach-back (46%), and observed interactions with patient and medical staff (76%) were also journaled. Implicit were ways patients and practices could overcome barriers to access and communication. Conclusions These journals describe the importance of seeking contextual and medically relevant information from all patients and especially those with significant morbidities, prompting patients for barriers to accessing care, and confirming understanding of medical information. PMID:22788543

Efficient traffic grooming with dynamic ONU grouping for multiple-OLT-based access network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Shizong; Gu, Rentao; Ji, Yuefeng; Wang, Hongxiang

2015-12-01

Fast bandwidth growth urges large-scale high-density access scenarios, where the multiple Passive Optical Networking (PON) system clustered deployment can be adopted as an appropriate solution to fulfill the huge bandwidth demands, especially for a future 5G mobile network. However, the lack of interaction between different optical line terminals (OLTs) results in part of the bandwidth resources waste. To increase the bandwidth efficiency, as well as reduce bandwidth pressure at the edge of a network, we propose a centralized flexible PON architecture based on Time- and Wavelength-Division Multiplexing PON (TWDM PON). It can provide flexible affiliation for optical network units (ONUs) and different OLTs to support access network traffic localization. Specifically, a dynamic ONU grouping algorithm (DGA) is provided to obtain the minimal OLT outbound traffic. Simulation results show that DGA obtains an average 25.23% traffic gain increment under different OLT numbers within a small ONU number situation, and the traffic gain will increase dramatically with the increment of the ONU number. As the DGA can be deployed easily as an application running above the centralized control plane, the proposed architecture can be helpful to improve the network efficiency for future traffic-intensive access scenarios.

Feasibility and acceptability of patient partnership to improve access to primary care for the physical health of patients with severe mental illnesses: an interactive guide.

PubMed

Pelletier, Jean-François; Lesage, Alain; Boisvert, Christine; Denis, Frédéric; Bonin, Jean-Pierre; Kisely, Steve

2015-09-14

Even in countries with universal healthcare systems, excess mortality rates due to physical chronic diseases in patients also suffering from serious mental illness like schizophrenia is such that their life expectancy could be lessened by up to 20 years. The possible explanations for this disparity include: unhealthy habits (i.e. smoking; lack of exercise); side-effects of psychotropic medication; delays in the detection or initial presentation leading to a more advanced disease at diagnosis; and inequity of access to services. The main objective of this paper is to explore the feasibility and acceptability of patient partnership for developing an interactive guide to improve access to primary care providers for chronic diseases management and health promotion among patients with severe mental illnesses. A participatory action research design was used to engage patients with mental illness as full research partners for a strategy for patient-oriented research in primary care for persons with schizophrenia who also have chronic physical illnesses. This strategy was also developed in partnership with a health and social services centre responsible for the health of the population of a territory with about 100,000 inhabitants in East-end Montreal, Canada. A new interactive guide was developed by patient research partners and used by 146 participating patients with serious mental illness who live on this territory, for them to be better prepared for their medical appointment with a General Practitioner by becoming more aware of their own physical condition. Patient research partners produced a series of 33 short videos depicting signs and symptoms of common chronic diseases and risk factors for the leading causes of mortality and study participants were able to complete the corresponding 33-item questionnaire on an electronic touch screen tablet. What proved to be most relevant in terms of interactivity was the dynamic that has developed among the study participants during the small group learning sessions, a training technique designed for healthcare professionals that was adapted for this project for, and with patient partners. This research has shown the feasibility and acceptability of patient partnership and patient-oriented research approaches to the R&D process of a new medical tool and intervention for patients with serious mental illness, and its acceptability for addressing inequity of this disadvantaged population in terms of access to primary care providers.

Editing Wikipedia content by screen reader: easier interaction with the Accessible Rich Internet Applications suite.

PubMed

Buzzi, Marina; Leporini, Barbara

2009-07-01

This study aims to improve Wikipedia usability for the blind and promote the application of standards relating to Web accessibility and usability. First, accessibility and usability of Wikipedia home, search result and edit pages are analysed using the JAWS screen reader; next, suggestions for improving interaction are proposed and a new Wikipedia editing interface built. Most of the improvements were obtained using the Accessible Rich Internet Applications (WAI-ARIA) suite, developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) within the framework of the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI). Last, a scenario of use compares interaction of blind people with the original and the modified interfaces. Our study highlights that although all contents are accessible via screen reader, usability issues exist due to the user's difficulties when interacting with the interface. The scenario of use shows how building an editing interface with the W3C WAI-ARIA suite eliminates many obstacles that can prevent blind users from actively contributing to Wikipedia. The modified Wikipedia editing page is simpler to use via a screen reader than the original one because ARIA ensures a page overview, rapid navigation, and total control of what is happening in the interface.

Formation of readiness for future physics teachers by using interactive learning tools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kulikova, N. U.; Danilchuk, E. V.; Zhidkova, A. V.

2017-01-01

In this article we give the reviewing of approaches to the preparedness of future physics teachers for the usage of interactive means of education as an important part of their professional activity. We discuss the key concepts such as interactivity, an interactive dialogue, and interactive means of education. The conception of interactive means of education as a tool of teachers' professional activity, which provides a way for the students to intensify their learning in class by using interactive tools and electronic educational resources, is validated. Furthermore, it is proved that interactive means of education allow the students to intensify their learning in the course of an interactive dialogue by means of organization different types of feedback in electronic educational resources (the program behavior depending on a user actions in the form of comments, prompts, elements of arrangement of objects, etc, the control and correction of students' actions by the program, providing with recommendations for further learning, carrying out constant access to reference information, etc), involving in different types of educational activity (modeling, investigation, etc), self-selection of time, speed, content of learning, complexity and priority of the usage of educational information on the screen, etc. By training students - future teachers of physics authors consider technological aspects, methodical features and examples of creation of these resources for physics lesson.

Availability of and Ease of Access to Calorie Information on Restaurant Websites

PubMed Central

Bennett, Gary G.; Steinberg, Dori M.; Lanpher, Michele G.; Askew, Sandy; Lane, Ilana B.; Levine, Erica L.; Goodman, Melody S.; Foley, Perry B.

2013-01-01

Objective Offering calories on restaurant websites might be particularly important for consumer meal planning, but the availability of and ease of accessing this information are unknown. Methods We assessed websites for the top 100 U.S. chain restaurants to determine the availability of and ease of access to calorie information as well as website design characteristics. We also examined potential predictors of calorie availability and ease of access. Results Eighty-two percent of restaurants provided calorie information on their websites; 25% presented calories on a mobile-formatted website. On average, calories could be accessed in 2.35±0.99 clicks. About half of sites (51.2%) linked to calorie information via the homepage. Fewer than half had a separate section identifying healthful options (46.3%), or utilized interactive meal planning tools (35.4%). Quick service/fast casual, larger restaurants, and those with less expensive entrées and lower revenue were more likely to make calorie information available. There were no predictors of ease of access. Conclusion Calorie information is both available and largely accessible on the websites of America’s leading restaurants. It is unclear whether consumer behavior is affected by the variability in the presentation of calorie information. PMID:23977193

Availability of and ease of access to calorie information on restaurant websites.

PubMed

Bennett, Gary G; Steinberg, Dori M; Lanpher, Michele G; Askew, Sandy; Lane, Ilana B; Levine, Erica L; Goodman, Melody S; Foley, Perry B

2013-01-01

Offering calories on restaurant websites might be particularly important for consumer meal planning, but the availability of and ease of accessing this information are unknown. We assessed websites for the top 100 U.S. chain restaurants to determine the availability of and ease of access to calorie information as well as website design characteristics. We also examined potential predictors of calorie availability and ease of access. Eighty-two percent of restaurants provided calorie information on their websites; 25% presented calories on a mobile-formatted website. On average, calories could be accessed in 2.35±0.99 clicks. About half of sites (51.2%) linked to calorie information via the homepage. Fewer than half had a separate section identifying healthful options (46.3%), or utilized interactive meal planning tools (35.4%). Quick service/fast casual, larger restaurants, and those with less expensive entrées and lower revenue were more likely to make calorie information available. There were no predictors of ease of access. Calorie information is both available and largely accessible on the websites of America's leading restaurants. It is unclear whether consumer behavior is affected by the variability in the presentation of calorie information.

Intraspecific plant-soil feedback and intraspecific overyielding in Arabidopsis thaliana.

PubMed

Bukowski, Alexandra R; Petermann, Jana S

2014-06-01

Understanding the mechanisms of community coexistence and ecosystem functioning may help to counteract the current biodiversity loss and its potentially harmful consequences. In recent years, plant-soil feedback that can, for example, be caused by below-ground microorganisms has been suggested to play a role in maintaining plant coexistence and to be a potential driver of the positive relationship between plant diversity and ecosystem functioning. Most of the studies addressing these topics have focused on the species level. However, in addition to interspecific interactions, intraspecific interactions might be important for the structure of natural communities. Here, we examine intraspecific coexistence and intraspecific diversity effects using 10 natural accessions of the model species Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. We assessed morphological intraspecific diversity by measuring several above- and below-ground traits. We performed a plant-soil feedback experiment that was based on these trait differences between the accessions in order to determine whether A. thaliana experiences feedback at intraspecific level as a result of trait differences. We also experimentally tested the diversity-productivity relationship at intraspecific level. We found strong differences in above- and below-ground traits between the A. thaliana accessions. Overall, plant-soil feedback occurred at intraspecific level. However, accessions differed in the direction and strength of this feedback: Some accessions grew better on their own soils, some on soils from other accessions. Furthermore, we found positive diversity effects within A. thaliana: Accession mixtures produced a higher total above-ground biomass than accession monocultures. Differences between accessions in their feedback response could not be explained by morphological traits. Therefore, we suggest that they might have been caused by accession-specific accumulated soil communities, by root exudates, or by accession-specific resource use based on genetic differences that are not expressed in morphological traits. Synthesis. Our results provide some of the first evidence for intraspecific plant-soil feedback and intraspecific overyielding. These findings may have wider implications for the maintenance of variation within species and the importance of this variation for ecosystem functioning. Our results highlight the need for an increased focus on intraspecific processes in plant diversity research to fully understand the mechanisms of coexistence and ecosystem functioning.

Intraspecific plant–soil feedback and intraspecific overyielding in Arabidopsis thaliana

PubMed Central

Bukowski, Alexandra R; Petermann, Jana S

2014-01-01

Understanding the mechanisms of community coexistence and ecosystem functioning may help to counteract the current biodiversity loss and its potentially harmful consequences. In recent years, plant–soil feedback that can, for example, be caused by below-ground microorganisms has been suggested to play a role in maintaining plant coexistence and to be a potential driver of the positive relationship between plant diversity and ecosystem functioning. Most of the studies addressing these topics have focused on the species level. However, in addition to interspecific interactions, intraspecific interactions might be important for the structure of natural communities. Here, we examine intraspecific coexistence and intraspecific diversity effects using 10 natural accessions of the model species Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. We assessed morphological intraspecific diversity by measuring several above- and below-ground traits. We performed a plant–soil feedback experiment that was based on these trait differences between the accessions in order to determine whether A. thaliana experiences feedback at intraspecific level as a result of trait differences. We also experimentally tested the diversity–productivity relationship at intraspecific level. We found strong differences in above- and below-ground traits between the A. thaliana accessions. Overall, plant–soil feedback occurred at intraspecific level. However, accessions differed in the direction and strength of this feedback: Some accessions grew better on their own soils, some on soils from other accessions. Furthermore, we found positive diversity effects within A. thaliana: Accession mixtures produced a higher total above-ground biomass than accession monocultures. Differences between accessions in their feedback response could not be explained by morphological traits. Therefore, we suggest that they might have been caused by accession-specific accumulated soil communities, by root exudates, or by accession-specific resource use based on genetic differences that are not expressed in morphological traits. Synthesis. Our results provide some of the first evidence for intraspecific plant–soil feedback and intraspecific overyielding. These findings may have wider implications for the maintenance of variation within species and the importance of this variation for ecosystem functioning. Our results highlight the need for an increased focus on intraspecific processes in plant diversity research to fully understand the mechanisms of coexistence and ecosystem functioning. PMID:25360284

Shared medical appointments: improving access, outcomes, and satisfaction for patients with chronic cardiac diseases.

PubMed

Bartley, Kelly Bauer; Haney, Rebecca

2010-01-01

Improving access to care, health outcomes, and patient satisfaction are primary objectives for healthcare practices. This article outlines benefits, concerns, and possible challenges of shared medical appointments (SMAs) for patients and providers. The SMA model was designed to support providers' demanding schedules by allowing patients with the same chronic condition to be seen in a group setting. By concentrating on patient education and disease management, interactive meetings provide an opportunity for patients to share both successes and struggles with others experiencing similar challenges. Studies demonstrated that SMAs improved patient access, enhanced outcomes, and promoted patient satisfaction. This article describes the potential benefits of SMAs for patients with chronic heart disease, which consumes a large number of healthcare dollars related to hospital admissions, acute exacerbations, and symptom management. Education for self-management of chronic disease can become repetitive and time consuming. The SMA model introduces a fresh and unique style of healthcare visits, allowing providers to devote more time and attention to patients and improve productivity. The SMA model provides an outstanding method for nurse practitioners to demonstrate their role as a primary care provider, by leading patients in group discussions and evaluating their current health status. Patient selection, preparation, and facilitation of an SMA are discussed to demonstrate the complementary nature of an SMA approach in a healthcare practice.

Implementation and Operational Analysis of an Interactive Intensive Care Unit within a Smart Health Context.

PubMed

Lopez-Iturri, Peio; Aguirre, Erik; Trigo, Jesús Daniel; Astrain, José Javier; Azpilicueta, Leyre; Serrano, Luis; Villadangos, Jesús; Falcone, Francisco

2018-01-29

In the context of hospital management and operation, Intensive Care Units (ICU) are one of the most challenging in terms of time responsiveness and criticality, in which adequate resource management and signal processing play a key role in overall system performance. In this work, a context aware Intensive Care Unit is implemented and analyzed to provide scalable signal acquisition capabilities, as well as to provide tracking and access control. Wireless channel analysis is performed by means of hybrid optimized 3D Ray Launching deterministic simulation to assess potential interference impact as well as to provide required coverage/capacity thresholds for employed transceivers. Wireless system operation within the ICU scenario, considering conventional transceiver operation, is feasible in terms of quality of service for the complete scenario. Extensive measurements of overall interference levels have also been carried out, enabling subsequent adequate coverage/capacity estimations, for a set of Zigbee based nodes. Real system operation has been tested, with ad-hoc designed Zigbee wireless motes, employing lightweight communication protocols to minimize energy and bandwidth usage. An ICU information gathering application and software architecture for Visitor Access Control has been implemented, providing monitoring of the Boxes external doors and the identification of visitors via a RFID system. The results enable a solution to provide ICU access control and tracking capabilities previously not exploited, providing a step forward in the implementation of a Smart Health framework.

Time-dependent Data System (TDDS); an interactive program to assemble, manage, and appraise input data and numerical output of flow/transport simulation models

USGS Publications Warehouse

Regan, R.S.; Schaffranek, R.W.; Baltzer, R.A.

1996-01-01

A system of functional utilities and computer routines, collectively identified as the Time-Dependent Data System CI DDS), has been developed and documented by the U.S. Geological Survey. The TDDS is designed for processing time sequences of discrete, fixed-interval, time-varying geophysical data--in particular, hydrologic data. Such data include various, dependent variables and related parameters typically needed as input for execution of one-, two-, and three-dimensional hydrodynamic/transport and associated water-quality simulation models. Such data can also include time sequences of results generated by numerical simulation models. Specifically, TDDS provides the functional capabilities to process, store, retrieve, and compile data in a Time-Dependent Data Base (TDDB) in response to interactive user commands or pre-programmed directives. Thus, the TDDS, in conjunction with a companion TDDB, provides a ready means for processing, preparation, and assembly of time sequences of data for input to models; collection, categorization, and storage of simulation results from models; and intercomparison of field data and simulation results. The TDDS can be used to edit and verify prototype, time-dependent data to affirm that selected sequences of data are accurate, contiguous, and appropriate for numerical simulation modeling. It can be used to prepare time-varying data in a variety of formats, such as tabular lists, sequential files, arrays, graphical displays, as well as line-printer plots of single or multiparameter data sets. The TDDB is organized and maintained as a direct-access data base by the TDDS, thus providing simple, yet efficient, data management and access. A single, easily used, program interface that provides all access to and from a particular TDDB is available for use directly within models, other user-provided programs, and other data systems. This interface, together with each major functional utility of the TDDS, is described and documented in this report.

NASA's EOSDIS: options for data providers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khalsa, Siri J.; Ujhazy, John E.

1995-12-01

EOSDIS, the data and information system being developed by NASA to support interdisciplinary earth science research into the 21st century, will do more than manage and distribute data from EOS-era satellites. It will also promote the exchange of data, tools, and research results across disciplinary, agency, and national boundaries. This paper describes the options that data providers will have for interacting with the EOSDIS Core System (ECS), the infrastructure of EOSDIS. The options include: using the ECS advertising service to announce the availability of data at the provider's site; submitting a candidate data set to one of the Distributed Active Archive Centers (DAACs); establishing a data server that will make the data accessible via ECS and establishing Local Information Manager (LIM) which would make the data available for multi-site searches. One additional option is through custom gateway interfaces which would provide access to existing data archives. The gateway, data server, and LIM options require the implementation of ECS code at the provider site to insure proper protocols. The advertisement and ingest options require no part of ECS design to reside at the provider site.

CHiCP: a web-based tool for the integrative and interactive visualization of promoter capture Hi-C datasets.

PubMed

Schofield, E C; Carver, T; Achuthan, P; Freire-Pritchett, P; Spivakov, M; Todd, J A; Burren, O S

2016-08-15

Promoter capture Hi-C (PCHi-C) allows the genome-wide interrogation of physical interactions between distal DNA regulatory elements and gene promoters in multiple tissue contexts. Visual integration of the resultant chromosome interaction maps with other sources of genomic annotations can provide insight into underlying regulatory mechanisms. We have developed Capture HiC Plotter (CHiCP), a web-based tool that allows interactive exploration of PCHi-C interaction maps and integration with both public and user-defined genomic datasets. CHiCP is freely accessible from www.chicp.org and supports most major HTML5 compliant web browsers. Full source code and installation instructions are available from http://github.com/D-I-L/django-chicp ob219@cam.ac.uk. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.

Classifying a Person's Degree of Accessibility From Natural Body Language During Social Human-Robot Interactions.

PubMed

McColl, Derek; Jiang, Chuan; Nejat, Goldie

2017-02-01

For social robots to be successfully integrated and accepted within society, they need to be able to interpret human social cues that are displayed through natural modes of communication. In particular, a key challenge in the design of social robots is developing the robot's ability to recognize a person's affective states (emotions, moods, and attitudes) in order to respond appropriately during social human-robot interactions (HRIs). In this paper, we present and discuss social HRI experiments we have conducted to investigate the development of an accessibility-aware social robot able to autonomously determine a person's degree of accessibility (rapport, openness) toward the robot based on the person's natural static body language. In particular, we present two one-on-one HRI experiments to: 1) determine the performance of our automated system in being able to recognize and classify a person's accessibility levels and 2) investigate how people interact with an accessibility-aware robot which determines its own behaviors based on a person's speech and accessibility levels.

A Multimodal Mindfulness Training to Address Mental Health Symptoms in Providers Who Care for and Interact With Children in Relation to End-of-Life Care.

PubMed

O'Mahony, Sean; Gerhart, James; Abrams, Ira; Greene, Michelle; McFadden, Rory; Tamizuddin, Sara; Levy, Mitchell M

2017-11-01

Medical providers may face unique emotional challenges when confronted with the suffering of chronically ill, dying, and bereaved children. This study assessed the preliminary outcomes of participation in a group-based multimodal mindfulness training pilot designed to reduce symptoms of burnout and mental health symptoms in providers who interact with children in the context of end-of-life care. A total of 13 medical providers who care for children facing life-threatening illness or bereaved children participated in a 9-session multimodal mindfulness session. Mental health symptoms and burnout were assessed prior to the program, at the program midpoint, and at the conclusion of the program. Participation in the pilot was associated with significant reductions in depressive and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms among providers ( P < .05). Mindfulness-based programs may help providers recognize and address symptoms of depression and PTSD. Additional research is needed to enhance access and uptake of programming among larger groups of participants.

pyOpenMS: a Python-based interface to the OpenMS mass-spectrometry algorithm library.

PubMed

Röst, Hannes L; Schmitt, Uwe; Aebersold, Ruedi; Malmström, Lars

2014-01-01

pyOpenMS is an open-source, Python-based interface to the C++ OpenMS library, providing facile access to a feature-rich, open-source algorithm library for MS-based proteomics analysis. It contains Python bindings that allow raw access to the data structures and algorithms implemented in OpenMS, specifically those for file access (mzXML, mzML, TraML, mzIdentML among others), basic signal processing (smoothing, filtering, de-isotoping, and peak-picking) and complex data analysis (including label-free, SILAC, iTRAQ, and SWATH analysis tools). pyOpenMS thus allows fast prototyping and efficient workflow development in a fully interactive manner (using the interactive Python interpreter) and is also ideally suited for researchers not proficient in C++. In addition, our code to wrap a complex C++ library is completely open-source, allowing other projects to create similar bindings with ease. The pyOpenMS framework is freely available at https://pypi.python.org/pypi/pyopenms while the autowrap tool to create Cython code automatically is available at https://pypi.python.org/pypi/autowrap (both released under the 3-clause BSD licence). © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

DXplain on the Internet.

PubMed

Barnett, G O; Famiglietti, K T; Kim, R J; Hoffer, E P; Feldman, M J

1998-01-01

DXplain, a computer-based medical education, reference and decision support system has been used by thousands of physicians and medical students on stand-alone systems and over communications networks. For the past two years, we have made DXplain available over the Internet in order to provide DXplain's knowledge and analytical capabilities as a resource to other applications within Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and at outside institutions. We describe and provide the user experience with two different protocols through which users can access DXplain through the World Wide Web (WWW). The first allows the user to have direct interaction with all the functionality of DXplain where the MGH server controls the interaction and the mode of presentation. In the second mode, the MGH server provides the DXplain functionality as a series of services, which can be called independently by the user application program.

Mesoscale and severe storms (Mass) data management and analysis system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hickey, J. S.; Karitani, S.; Dickerson, M.

1984-01-01

Progress on the Mesoscale and Severe Storms (MASS) data management and analysis system is described. An interactive atmospheric data base management software package to convert four types of data (Sounding, Single Level, Grid, Image) into standard random access formats is implemented and integrated with the MASS AVE80 Series general purpose plotting and graphics display data analysis software package. An interactive analysis and display graphics software package (AVE80) to analyze large volumes of conventional and satellite derived meteorological data is enhanced to provide imaging/color graphics display utilizing color video hardware integrated into the MASS computer system. Local and remote smart-terminal capability is provided by installing APPLE III computer systems within individual scientist offices and integrated with the MASS system, thus providing color video display, graphics, and characters display of the four data types.

A Sample Data Publication: Interactive Access, Analysis and Display of Remotely Stored Datasets From Hurricane Charley

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weber, J.; Domenico, B.

2004-12-01

This paper is an example of what we call data interactive publications. With a properly configured workstation, the readers can click on "hotspots" in the document that launches an interactive analysis tool called the Unidata Integrated Data Viewer (IDV). The IDV will enable the readers to access, analyze and display datasets on remote servers as well as documents describing them. Beyond the parameters and datasets initially configured into the paper, the analysis tool will have access to all the other dataset parameters as well as to a host of other datasets on remote servers. These data interactive publications are built on top of several data delivery, access, discovery, and visualization tools developed by Unidata and its partner organizations. For purposes of illustrating this integrative technology, we will use data from the event of Hurricane Charley over Florida from August 13-15, 2004. This event illustrates how components of this process fit together. The Local Data Manager (LDM), Open-source Project for a Network Data Access Protocol (OPeNDAP) and Abstract Data Distribution Environment (ADDE) services, Thematic Realtime Environmental Distributed Data Service (THREDDS) cataloging services, and the IDV are highlighted in this example of a publication with embedded pointers for accessing and interacting with remote datasets. An important objective of this paper is to illustrate how these integrated technologies foster the creation of documents that allow the reader to learn the scientific concepts by direct interaction with illustrative datasets, and help build a framework for integrated Earth System science.

High-speed network for delivery of education-on-demand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cordero, Carlos; Harris, Dale; Hsieh, Jeff

1996-03-01

A project to investigate the feasibility of delivering on-demand distance education to the desktop, known as the Asynchronous Distance Education ProjecT (ADEPT), is presently being carried out. A set of Stanford engineering classes is digitized on PC, Macintosh, and UNIX platforms, and is made available on servers. Students on campus and in industry may then access class material on these servers via local and metropolitan area networks. Students can download class video and audio, encoded in QuickTimeTM and Show-Me TVTM formats, via file-transfer protocol or the World Wide Web. Alternatively, they may stream a vector-quantized version of the class directly from a server for real-time playback. Students may also download PostscriptTM and Adobe AcrobatTM versions of class notes. Off-campus students may connect to ADEPT servers via the internet, the Silicon Valley Test Track (SVTT), or the Bay-Area Gigabit Network (BAGNet). The SVTT and BAGNet are high-speed metropolitan-area networks, spanning the Bay Area, which provide IP access over asynchronous transfer mode (ATM). Student interaction is encouraged through news groups, electronic mailing lists, and an ADEPT home page. Issues related to having multiple platforms and interoperability are examined in this paper. The ramifications of providing a reliable service are discussed. System performance and the parameters that affect it are then described. Finally, future work on expanding ATM access, real-time delivery of classes, and enhanced student interaction is described.

Lowering the Barriers to Using Data: Enabling Desktop-based HPD Science through Virtual Environments and Web Data Services

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Druken, K. A.; Trenham, C. E.; Steer, A.; Evans, B. J. K.; Richards, C. J.; Smillie, J.; Allen, C.; Pringle, S.; Wang, J.; Wyborn, L. A.

2016-12-01

The Australian National Computational Infrastructure (NCI) provides access to petascale data in climate, weather, Earth observations, and genomics, and terascale data in astronomy, geophysics, ecology and land use, as well as social sciences. The data is centralized in a closely integrated High Performance Computing (HPC), High Performance Data (HPD) and cloud facility. Despite this, there remain significant barriers for many users to find and access the data: simply hosting a large volume of data is not helpful if researchers are unable to find, access, and use the data for their particular need. Use cases demonstrate we need to support a diverse range of users who are increasingly crossing traditional research discipline boundaries. To support their varying experience, access needs and research workflows, NCI has implemented an integrated data platform providing a range of services that enable users to interact with our data holdings. These services include: - A GeoNetwork catalog built on standardized Data Management Plans to search collection metadata, and find relevant datasets; - Web data services to download or remotely access data via OPeNDAP, WMS, WCS and other protocols; - Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) built on a highly integrated on-site cloud with access to both the HPC peak machine and research data collections. The VDI is a fully featured environment allowing visualization, code development and analysis to take place in an interactive desktop environment; and - A Learning Management System (LMS) containing User Guides, Use Case examples and Jupyter Notebooks structured into courses, so that users can self-teach how to use these facilities with examples from our system across a range of disciplines. We will briefly present these components, and discuss how we engage with data custodians and consumers to develop standardized data structures and services that support the range of needs. We will also highlight some key developments that have improved user experience in utilizing the services, particularly enabling transdisciplinary science. This work combines with other developments at NCI to increase the confidence of scientists from any field to undertake research and analysis on these important data collections regardless of their preferred work environment or level of skill.

Consent-based access to core EHR information. Collaborative approaches in Norway.

PubMed

Heimly, Vigdis; Berntsen, Kirsti E

2009-01-01

Lack of access to updated drug information is a challenge for healthcare providers in Norway. Drug charts are updated in separate EHR systems but exchange of drug information between them is lacking. In order to provide ready access to updated medication information, a project for consent-based access to a core EHR has been established. End users have developed requirements for additions to the medication modules in the EHR systems in cooperation with vendors, researchers and standardization workers. The modules are then implemented by the vendors, tested in the usability lab, and finally tested by the national testing and approval service before implementation. An ethnographic study, with focus on future users and their interaction with other actors regarding medicines and medication, has included semi-/unstructured interviews with the involved organizational units. The core EHR uses the EHR kept by the patient's regular GP as the main source of information. A server-based solution has been chosen in order to keep the core EHR accessible outside the GP's regular work hours. The core EHR is being tested, and the EHR-vendors are implementing additions to their systems in order to facilitate communication with the core EHR. All major EHR-system vendors in Norway participate in the project. The core EHR provides a generic basis that may be used as a pilot for a national patient summary. Examples of a wider use of the core EHR can be: shared individual plans to support continuity of care, summary of the patient's contacts with health providers in different organizations, and core EHR information such as important diagnoses, allergies and contact information. Extensive electronic cooperation and communication requires that all partners adjust their documentation practices to fit with other actors' needs. The implementation effects on future work practices will be followed by researchers.

Integrated platform and API for electrophysiological data

PubMed Central

Sobolev, Andrey; Stoewer, Adrian; Leonhardt, Aljoscha; Rautenberg, Philipp L.; Kellner, Christian J.; Garbers, Christian; Wachtler, Thomas

2014-01-01

Recent advancements in technology and methodology have led to growing amounts of increasingly complex neuroscience data recorded from various species, modalities, and levels of study. The rapid data growth has made efficient data access and flexible, machine-readable data annotation a crucial requisite for neuroscientists. Clear and consistent annotation and organization of data is not only an important ingredient for reproducibility of results and re-use of data, but also essential for collaborative research and data sharing. In particular, efficient data management and interoperability requires a unified approach that integrates data and metadata and provides a common way of accessing this information. In this paper we describe GNData, a data management platform for neurophysiological data. GNData provides a storage system based on a data representation that is suitable to organize data and metadata from any electrophysiological experiment, with a functionality exposed via a common application programming interface (API). Data representation and API structure are compatible with existing approaches for data and metadata representation in neurophysiology. The API implementation is based on the Representational State Transfer (REST) pattern, which enables data access integration in software applications and facilitates the development of tools that communicate with the service. Client libraries that interact with the API provide direct data access from computing environments like Matlab or Python, enabling integration of data management into the scientist's experimental or analysis routines. PMID:24795616

Integrated platform and API for electrophysiological data.

PubMed

Sobolev, Andrey; Stoewer, Adrian; Leonhardt, Aljoscha; Rautenberg, Philipp L; Kellner, Christian J; Garbers, Christian; Wachtler, Thomas

2014-01-01

Recent advancements in technology and methodology have led to growing amounts of increasingly complex neuroscience data recorded from various species, modalities, and levels of study. The rapid data growth has made efficient data access and flexible, machine-readable data annotation a crucial requisite for neuroscientists. Clear and consistent annotation and organization of data is not only an important ingredient for reproducibility of results and re-use of data, but also essential for collaborative research and data sharing. In particular, efficient data management and interoperability requires a unified approach that integrates data and metadata and provides a common way of accessing this information. In this paper we describe GNData, a data management platform for neurophysiological data. GNData provides a storage system based on a data representation that is suitable to organize data and metadata from any electrophysiological experiment, with a functionality exposed via a common application programming interface (API). Data representation and API structure are compatible with existing approaches for data and metadata representation in neurophysiology. The API implementation is based on the Representational State Transfer (REST) pattern, which enables data access integration in software applications and facilitates the development of tools that communicate with the service. Client libraries that interact with the API provide direct data access from computing environments like Matlab or Python, enabling integration of data management into the scientist's experimental or analysis routines.

Knowledge representation and user interface concepts to support mixed-initiative diagnosis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sobelman, Beverly H.; Holtzblatt, Lester J.

1989-01-01

The Remote Maintenance Monitoring System (RMMS) provides automated support for the maintenance and repair of ModComp computer systems used in the Launch Processing System (LPS) at Kennedy Space Center. RMMS supports manual and automated diagnosis of intermittent hardware failures, providing an efficient means for accessing and analyzing the data generated by catastrophic failure recovery procedures. This paper describes the design and functionality of the user interface for interactive analysis of memory dump data, relating it to the underlying declarative representation of memory dumps.

The design and testing of interactive hospital spaces to meet the needs of waiting children.

PubMed

Biddiss, Elaine; McPherson, Amy; Shea, Geoffrey; McKeever, Patricia

2013-01-01

To design an innovative interactive media display in a pediatric hospital clinic waiting space that addresses the growing demand for accessible, contact-surface-free options for play. In healthcare settings, waiting can be anxiety provoking for children and their accompanying family members. Opportunities for positive distraction have been shown to reduce waiting anxiety, leading to positive health outcomes. An interactive media display, ScreenPlay, was created and evaluated using a participatory design approach and a combination of techniques including quality function deployment and mixed data elicitation methods (questionnaires, focus groups, and observations). The user and organizational design requirements were established and used to review contemporary strategies for positive distraction in healthcare waiting spaces and to conceptualize and test ScreenPlay. Ten staff members, 11 children/youths, and 6 parents participated in the design and evaluation of ScreenPlay. ScreenPlay provided a positive, engaging experience without the use of contact surfaces through which infections can be spread. It was accessible to children, youth, and adults of all motor abilities. All participants strongly agreed that the interactive media display would improve the healthcare waiting experience. ScreenPlay is an interactive display that is the result of a successful model for the design of healthcare waiting spaces that is collaborative, interdisciplinary, and responsive to the needs of its community. Design process, healing environments, hospital, interdisciplinary, pediatric.

WebVR: an interactive web browser for virtual environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barsoum, Emad; Kuester, Falko

2005-03-01

The pervasive nature of web-based content has lead to the development of applications and user interfaces that port between a broad range of operating systems and databases, while providing intuitive access to static and time-varying information. However, the integration of this vast resource into virtual environments has remained elusive. In this paper we present an implementation of a 3D Web Browser (WebVR) that enables the user to search the internet for arbitrary information and to seamlessly augment this information into virtual environments. WebVR provides access to the standard data input and query mechanisms offered by conventional web browsers, with the difference that it generates active texture-skins of the web contents that can be mapped onto arbitrary surfaces within the environment. Once mapped, the corresponding texture functions as a fully integrated web-browser that will respond to traditional events such as the selection of links or text input. As a result, any surface within the environment can be turned into a web-enabled resource that provides access to user-definable data. In order to leverage from the continuous advancement of browser technology and to support both static as well as streamed content, WebVR uses ActiveX controls to extract the desired texture skin from industry strength browsers, providing a unique mechanism for data fusion and extensibility.

Integrating Emerging Topics through Online Team Design in a Hybrid Communication Networks Course: Interaction Patterns and Impact of Prior Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reisslein, Jana; Seeling, Patrick; Reisslein, Martin

2005-01-01

An important challenge in the introductory communication networks course in electrical and computer engineering curricula is to integrate emerging topics, such as wireless Internet access and network security, into the already content-intensive course. At the same time it is essential to provide students with experiences in online collaboration,…

"Tech"nically Speaking: Social Technology Cyberbullying among Middle and High School Peers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weber, Nicole L.

2012-01-01

Being a teenager is not easy, but most of us live through it. Cyberbullying suicide victims will not have this luxury. Advancements in and access to social technologies (social networking sites, instant messaging systems, cell phone texting) are rewriting interaction patterns as they provide a majority of our nation's students with 24-hour-a-day,…

Health Care of Latino Children with Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities: Quality of Provider Interaction Mediates Utilization

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parish, Susan; Magana, Sandra; Rose, Roderick; Timberlake, Maria; Swaine, Jamie G.

2012-01-01

This study examines access to, utilization of, and quality of health care for Latino children with autism and other developmental disabilities. We analyze data from the National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs (N = 4,414 children with autism and other developmental disabilities). Compared with White children, Latino children with…

Co-ordinated Changes in the Accumulation of Metal Ions in Maize (Zea mays ssp. mays L.) in Response to Inoculation with the Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungus Funneliformis mosseae

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis is an ancient interaction between plants and Glomeromycotan fungi. In exchange for photosynthetically fixed carbon, the fungus provides the plant host with greater access to soil nutrients via an extensive network of root-external hyphae. Here, to determine the impac...

Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center (LP DAAC) 25th Anniversary Recognition "A Model for Government Partnerships". LP DAAC "History and a Look Forward"

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Behnke, Jeanne; Doescher, Chris

2015-01-01

This presentation discusses 25 years of interactions between NASA and the USGS to manage a Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center (LPDAAC) for the purpose of providing users access to NASA's rich collection of Earth Science data. The presentation addresses challenges, efforts and metrics on the performance.

Science Learning for ALL Young Scientists: Exploring, Investigating, Learning, and Growing Together with Ramps and Pathways in Diverse Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Counsell, Shelly L.; Wright, Brian L.

2016-01-01

Physical science activities provide multiple and varied opportunities for young children to actively observe, engage in, interact with, and interpret experiences in the physical world within diverse, inclusive settings. If all learners are to gain access to, fully participate in, and achieve maximum profit from early science opportunities,…

Academic medical center libraries on the Web.

PubMed Central

Tannery, N H; Wessel, C B

1998-01-01

Academic medical center libraries are moving towards publishing electronically, utilizing networked technologies, and creating digital libraries. The catalyst for this movement has been the Web. An analysis of academic medical center library Web pages was undertaken to assess the information created and communicated in early 1997. A summary of present uses and suggestions for future applications is provided. A method for evaluating and describing the content of library Web sites was designed. The evaluation included categorizing basic information such as description and access to library services, access to commercial databases, and use of interactive forms. The main goal of the evaluation was to assess original resources produced by these libraries. PMID:9803298

Exact results relating spin-orbit interactions in two-dimensional strongly correlated systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kucska, Nóra; Gulácsi, Zsolt

2018-06-01

A 2D square, two-bands, strongly correlated and non-integrable system is analysed exactly in the presence of many-body spin-orbit interactions via the method of Positive Semidefinite Operators. The deduced exact ground states in the high concentration limit are strongly entangled, and given by the spin-orbit coupling are ferromagnetic and present an enhanced carrier mobility, which substantially differs for different spin projections. The described state emerges in a restricted parameter space region, which however is clearly accessible experimentally. The exact solutions are provided via the solution of a matching system of equations containing 74 coupled, non-linear and complex algebraic equations. In our knowledge, other exact results for 2D interacting systems with spin-orbit interactions are not present in the literature.

Learning Relational Policies from Electronic Health Record Access Logs

PubMed Central

Malin, Bradley; Nyemba, Steve; Paulett, John

2011-01-01

Modern healthcare organizations (HCOs) are composed of complex dynamic teams to ensure clinical operations are executed in a quick and competent manner. At the same time, the fluid nature of such environments hinders administrators' efforts to define access control policies that appropriately balance patient privacy and healthcare functions. Manual efforts to define these policies are labor-intensive and error-prone, often resulting in systems that endow certain care providers with overly broad access to patients' medical records while restricting other providers from legitimate and timely use. In this work, we propose an alternative method to generate these policies by automatically mining usage patterns from electronic health record (EHR) systems. EHR systems are increasingly being integrated into clinical environments and our approach is designed to be generalizable across HCOs, thus assisting in the design and evaluation of local access control policies. Our technique, which is grounded in data mining and social network analysis theory, extracts a statistical model of the organization from the access logs of its EHRs. In doing so, our approach enables the review of predefined policies, as well as the discovery of unknown behaviors. We evaluate our approach with five months of access logs from the Vanderbilt University Medical Center and confirm the existence of stable social structures and intuitive business operations. Additionally, we demonstrate that there is significant turnover in the interactions between users in the HCO and that policies learned at the department level afford greater stability over time. PMID:21277996

Role for protein–protein interaction databases in human genetics

PubMed Central

Pattin, Kristine A; Moore, Jason H

2010-01-01

Proteomics and the study of protein–protein interactions are becoming increasingly important in our effort to understand human diseases on a system-wide level. Thanks to the development and curation of protein-interaction databases, up-to-date information on these interaction networks is accessible and publicly available to the scientific community. As our knowledge of protein–protein interactions increases, it is important to give thought to the different ways that these resources can impact biomedical research. In this article, we highlight the importance of protein–protein interactions in human genetics and genetic epidemiology. Since protein–protein interactions demonstrate one of the strongest functional relationships between genes, combining genomic data with available proteomic data may provide us with a more in-depth understanding of common human diseases. In this review, we will discuss some of the fundamentals of protein interactions, the databases that are publicly available and how information from these databases can be used to facilitate genome-wide genetic studies. PMID:19929610

Patient activation in primary healthcare: a comparison between healthier individuals and those with a chronic illness.

PubMed

Wong, Sabrina T; Peterson, Sandra; Black, Charlyn

2011-05-01

Current policy directions place increasing expectations on patients to actively engage in their care, especially in chronic disease management. We examined relationships between patient activation and multiple dimensions of primary healthcare (PHC), including access, utilization, responsiveness, interpersonal communication, and satisfaction for patients with and without chronic illness. Cross-sectional, random digit dial survey conducted in British Columbia (BC), Canada. Stratified sample of adults (n=504), aged 19 to 90 years, who had visited their regular provider within the past 24 months. All data were weighted to represent residents living in BC. Patient activation and PHC experiences include accessibility, continuity, whole-person care, interpersonal communication, responsiveness, chronic disease management, and satisfaction. The multivariate models provide evidence that both quantity of time and quality of interactions with one's regular provider are associated with higher patient activation. Those with no chronic illness had higher activation scores when they spent more time talking with their regular provider, experienced less hurried communication, or if their test results were explained. The more time people with chronic illness are able to spend with their physician, the more activated they were. Chronic illness respondents also had higher activation scores if they reported higher whole-person care or if they were more satisfied. Positive interactions between the patient and the provider can influence the patient's abilities to engage in and be confident in maintaining/improving his/her health. Supporting patients in becoming actively engaged, in ways that work for them, is essential to providing high quality care, especially among those with a chronic condition.

Standardizing Interfaces for External Access to Data and Processing for the NASA Ozone Product Evaluation and Test Element (PEATE)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tilmes, Curt A.; Fleig, Albert J.

2008-01-01

NASA's traditional science data processing systems have focused on specific missions, and providing data access, processing and services to the funded science teams of those specific missions. Recently NASA has been modifying this stance, changing the focus from Missions to Measurements. Where a specific Mission has a discrete beginning and end, the Measurement considers long term data continuity across multiple missions. Total Column Ozone, a critical measurement of atmospheric composition, has been monitored for'decades on a series of Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) instruments. Some important European missions also monitor ozone, including the Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment (GOME) and SCIAMACHY. With the U.S.IEuropean cooperative launch of the Dutch Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) on NASA Aura satellite, and the GOME-2 instrumental on MetOp, the ozone monitoring record has been further extended. In conjunction with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), NASA is now preparing to evaluate data and algorithms for the next generation Ozone Mapping and Profiler Suite (OMPS) which will launch on the National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) Preparatory Project (NPP) in 2010. NASA is constructing the Science Data Segment (SDS) which is comprised of several elements to evaluate the various NPP data products and algorithms. The NPP SDS Ozone Product Evaluation and Test Element (PEATE) will build on the heritage of the TOMS and OM1 mission based processing systems. The overall measurement based system that will encompass these efforts is the Atmospheric Composition Processing System (ACPS). We have extended the system to include access to publically available data sets from other instruments where feasible, including non-NASA missions as appropriate. The heritage system was largely monolithic providing a very controlled processing flow from data.ingest of satellite data to the ultimate archive of specific operational data products. The ACPS allows more open access with standard protocols including HTTP, SOAPIXML, RSS and various REST incarnations. External entities can be granted access to various modules within the system, including an extended data archive, metadata searching, production planning and processing. Data access is provided with very fine grained access control. It is possible to easily designate certain datasets as being available to the public, or restricted to groups of researchers, or limited strictly to the originator. This can be used, for example, to release one's best validated data to the public, but restrict the "new version" of data processed with a new, unproven algorithm until it is ready. Similarly, the system can provide access to algorithms, both as modifiable source code (where possible) and fully integrated executable Algorithm Plugin Packages (APPs). This enables researchers to download publically released versions of the processing algorithms and easily reproduce the processing remotely, while interacting with the ACPS. The algorithms can be modified allowing better experimentation and rapid improvement. The modified algorithms can be easily integrated back into the production system for large scale bulk processing to evaluate improvements. The system includes complete provenance tracking of algorithms, data and the entire processing environment. The origin of any data or algorithms is recorded and the entire history of the processing chains are stored such that a researcher can understand the entire data flow. Provenance is captured in a form suitable for the system to guarantee scientific reproducability of any data product it distributes even in cases where the physical data products themselves have been deleted due to space constraints. We are currently working on Semantic Web ontologies for representing the various provenance information. A new web site focusing on consolidating informaon about the measurement, processing system, and data access has been established to encourage interaction with the overall scientific community. We will describe the system, its data processing capabilities, and the methods the community can use to interact with the standard interfaces of the system.

An Integrated Approach for Accessing Multiple Datasets through LANCE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murphy, K. J.; Teague, M.; Conover, H.; Regner, K.; Beaumont, B.; Masuoka, E.; Vollmer, B.; Theobald, M.; Durbin, P.; Michael, K.; Boller, R. A.; Schmaltz, J. E.; Davies, D.; Horricks, K.; Ilavajhala, S.; Thompson, C. K.; Bingham, A.

2011-12-01

The NASA/GSFC Land Atmospheres Near-real time Capability for EOS (LANCE) provides imagery for approximately 40 data products from MODIS, AIRS, AMSR-E and OMI to support the applications community in the study of a variety of phenomena. Thirty-six of these products are available within 2.5 hours of observation at the spacecraft. The data set includes the population density data provided by the EOSDIS Socio-Economic Data and Applications Center (SEDAC). The purpose of this paper is to describe the variety of tools that have been developed by LANCE to support user access to the imagery. The long-standing Rapid Response system has been integrated into LANCE and is a major vehicle for the distribution of the imagery to end users. There are presently approximately 10,000 anonymous users per month accessing these imagery. The products are grouped into 14 applications categories such as Smoke Plumes, Pollution, Fires, Agriculture and the selection of any category will make relevant subsets of the 40 products available as possible overlays in an interactive Web Client utilizing Web Mapping Service (WMS) to support user investigations (http://lance2.modaps.eosdis.nasa.gov/wms/). For example, selecting Severe Storms will include 6 products for MODIS, OMI, AIRS, and AMSR-E plus the SEDAC population density data. The client and WMS were developed using open-source technologies such as OpenLayers and MapServer and provides a uniform, browser-based access to data products. All overlays are downloadable in PNG, JPEG, or GeoTiff form up to 200MB per request. The WMS was beta-tested with the user community and substantial performance improvements were made through the use of such techniques as tile-caching. LANCE established a partnership with Physical Oceanography Distributed Active Archive Center (PO DAAC) to develop an alternative presentation for the 40 data products known as the State of the Earth (SOTE). This provides a Google Earth-based interface to the products grouped in the same fashion as the WMS. The SOTE servers stream imagery and data in the OGC KML format and these feeds can be visualized through the Google Earth browser plug-in. SOTE provides visualization through a virtual globe environment by allowing users to interact with the globe via zooming, rotating, and tilting. In addition, SOTE also allows adding custom KML feeds. LANCE also provides datacasting feeds to facilitate user access to imagery for the 40 products and the related HDF-EOS products (available in a variety of formats). These XML-based data feeds contain data attribute and geolocation information, and metadata including an identification of the related application category. Users can subscribe to any feeds through the LANCE web site and use the PO DAAC Feed Reader to filter and view the content. The WMS, SOTE, and datacasting tools can be accessed through http://lance.nasa.gov.

Nationwide citizen access to their health data: analysing and comparing experiences in Denmark, Estonia and Australia.

PubMed

Nøhr, Christian; Parv, Liisa; Kink, Pille; Cummings, Elizabeth; Almond, Helen; Nørgaard, Jens Rahbek; Turner, Paul

2017-08-07

Most countries face an ageing population, increasing chronic diseased, and constrictions on budget for providing health services. Involving patients in their own care by allowing them access to their patient data is a trend seen in many places. Data on the type and level of access citizens have to their own health data in three countries was gathered from public sources. Data from each individual country is presented and the experiences of Denmark, Estonia and Australia are examined whilst similarities and differences explored. The discussion adopts a citizen-centred perspective to consider how the different e-portal systems support, protect and structure citizen interactions with their own health data in three key areas: Security, privacy and data protection; User support; and Citizen adoption and use. The paper highlights the impact of opt-in/opt-out approaches on citizen access and the lack of a structured approach to addressing differences in citizen health and e-health literacy. This research also confirms while current data provides detail on the availability and use of personal health data by citizens, questions still remain over the ultimate impact on patient outcomes of these initiatives. It is anticipated the insights generated from the three countries experiences, supporting citizen access to their health data will be useful to improve these initiatives and guide other countries aspiring to support similar initiatives.

Changing learning with new interactive and media-rich instruction environments: virtual labs case study report.

PubMed

Huang, Camillan

2003-01-01

Technology has created a new dimension for visual teaching and learning with web-delivered interactive media. The Virtual Labs Project has embraced this technology with instructional design and evaluation methodologies behind the simPHYSIO suite of simulation-based, online interactive teaching modules in physiology for the Stanford students. In addition, simPHYSIO provides the convenience of anytime web-access and a modular structure that allows for personalization and customization of the learning material. This innovative tool provides a solid delivery and pedagogical backbone that can be applied to developing an interactive simulation-based training tool for the use and management of the Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) image information system. The disparity in the knowledge between health and IT professionals can be bridged by providing convenient modular teaching tools to fill the gaps in knowledge. An innovative teaching method in the whole PACS is deemed necessary for its successful implementation and operation since it has become widely distributed with many interfaces, components, and customizations. This paper will discuss the techniques for developing an interactive-based teaching tool, a case study of its implementation, and a perspective for applying this approach to an online PACS training tool. Copyright 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd.

Operational Demands of AAC Mobile Technology Applications on Programming Vocabulary and Engagement During Professional and Child Interactions.

PubMed

Caron, Jessica; Light, Janice; Drager, Kathryn

2016-01-01

Typically, the vocabulary in augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) technologies is pre-programmed by manufacturers or by parents and professionals outside of daily interactions. Because vocabulary needs are difficult to predict, young children who use aided AAC often do not have access to vocabulary concepts as the need and interest arises in their daily interactions, limiting their vocabulary acquisition and use. Ideally, parents and professionals would be able to add vocabulary to AAC technologies "just-in-time" as required during daily interactions. This study compared the effects of two AAC applications for mobile technologies: GoTalk Now (which required more programming steps) and EasyVSD (which required fewer programming steps) on the number of visual scene displays (VSDs) and hotspots created in 10-min interactions between eight professionals and preschool-aged children with typical development. The results indicated that, although all of the professionals were able to create VSDs and add vocabulary during interactions with the children, they created more VSDs and hotspots with the app with fewer programming steps than with the one with more steps, and child engagement and programming participation levels were high with both apps, but higher levels for both variables were observed with the app with fewer programming steps than with the one with more steps. These results suggest that apps with fewer programming steps may reduce operational demands and better support professionals to (a) respond to the child's input, (b) use just-in-time programming during interactions, (c) provide access to more vocabulary, and (d) increase participation.

NASA EOSDIS Enabling Science by Improving User Knowledge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lindsay, F. E.; Brennan, J.; Blumenfeld, J.

2016-12-01

NASA's Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) has been a central component of the NASA Earth observation program since the 1990's. The data collected by NASA's remote sensing instruments, airborne platforms and field campaigns represent a significant public investment in Earth science research. EOSDIS provides free and open access of these data to a diverse end-user community worldwide. Over time the EOSDIS data user community has grown substantially in both number and in the diversity of their needs. Commensurate with this growth, there also have been substantial changes in internet-based technologies and the expectation of users demanding more sophisticated EOSDIS information products describing, highlighting and providing insight to our vast data collections. To meet these increased expectations and to more fully engage our users, EOSDIS is evolving our use of traditional forms of purely static methods of public engagement such as stand-alone text and imagery toward more immersive and interactive forms of communications. This paper highlights and elucidates the methods and forms used by EOSDIS in this emerging world of dynamic and interactive media. Lessons learned and the impacts of applying these newer methods are explained and include several examples from our current efforts. These examples include interactive, on-line webinars focusing on data discovery and access (including tool usage), informal and informative `data chats' with data experts across our EOSDIS community, and profiles of scientists, researchers, and managers actively using EOSDIS data. Our efforts also include improved conference and meeting interactions with data users through the ability to use EOSDIS data interactively during hyperwall talks and the EOSDIS Worldview data visualization and exploration client. The suite of internet-based, interactive capabilities and technologies has allowed EOSDIS to expand our user community by making the data and applications from numerous Earth science missions more engaging, approachable and meaningful.

Social Media, Power, and the Future of VBAC

PubMed Central

Romano, Amy M.; Gerber, Hilary; Andrews, Desirre

2010-01-01

The Internet has been called a disruptive technology because it has shifted power and altered the economics of doing business, whether that business is selling books or providing health care. Social media have accelerated the pace of disruption by enabling interactive information sharing and blurring the lines between the “producers” and “consumers” of knowledge, goods, and services. In the wake of the National Institutes of Health Consensus Development Conference on Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (VBAC) and major national recommendations for maternity care reform, activated, engaged consumers face an unprecedented opportunity to drive meaningful changes in VBAC access and safety. This article examines the role of social networks in informing women about VBAC, producing low-cost, accessible decision aids, and enabling multi-stakeholder collaborations toward workable solutions that remove barriers women face in accessing VBAC. PMID:21170180

Determining economic benefits of satellite data in short-range forecasting

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Suchman, D.; Auvine, B.; Hinton, B.

1981-01-01

The chances of enhanced short term weather predictions and economic benefits from the use of GOES satellite data were examined. Results for a meteorological consulting firm before and after the introduction of GOES data were chosen as the method, and monetary benefits were selected as the measure. Services were provided for use by road and street departments, commodities dealers, and marine clients of the consulting firm. The Man-computer Interactive Data Access Program (McIDAS) was employed to furnish 1/2 hour visual or IR imagery for remote access. The commodities clients reconnected the GOES real-time imagery once the study was completed, while the consulting firm, which was personnel and not equipment intensive, did not. Further development of the flexibility of access to the GOES data and improvements in the projected grids are indicated.

Tele-yoga for Chronic Pain: Current Status and Future Directions.

PubMed

Mathersul, Danielle C; Mahoney, Louise A; Bayley, Peter J

2018-01-01

Pain is a pervasive, debilitating disorder that is resistant to long-term pharmacological interventions. Although psychological therapies such as cognitive behavior therapy demonstrate moderate efficacy, many individuals continue to have ongoing difficulties following treatment. There is a current trend to establish complementary and integrative health interventions for chronic pain, for which yoga has been found to have exciting potential. Nevertheless, an important consideration within the field is accessibility to adequate care. Telehealth can be used to provide real-time interactive video conferencing leading to increased access to health care for individuals located remotely or who otherwise have difficulty accessing services, perhaps through issues of mobility or proximity of adequate services. This article assesses the current status and feasibility of implementing tele-yoga for chronic pain. Methodological limitations and recommendations for future research are discussed.

Tele-yoga for Chronic Pain: Current Status and Future Directions

PubMed Central

Mahoney, Louise A; Bayley, Peter J

2018-01-01

Pain is a pervasive, debilitating disorder that is resistant to long-term pharmacological interventions. Although psychological therapies such as cognitive behavior therapy demonstrate moderate efficacy, many individuals continue to have ongoing difficulties following treatment. There is a current trend to establish complementary and integrative health interventions for chronic pain, for which yoga has been found to have exciting potential. Nevertheless, an important consideration within the field is accessibility to adequate care. Telehealth can be used to provide real-time interactive video conferencing leading to increased access to health care for individuals located remotely or who otherwise have difficulty accessing services, perhaps through issues of mobility or proximity of adequate services. This article assesses the current status and feasibility of implementing tele-yoga for chronic pain. Methodological limitations and recommendations for future research are discussed. PMID:29637012

Project Integration Architecture (PIA) and Computational Analysis Programming Interface (CAPRI) for Accessing Geometry Data from CAD Files

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Benyo, Theresa L.

2002-01-01

Integration of a supersonic inlet simulation with a computer aided design (CAD) system is demonstrated. The integration is performed using the Project Integration Architecture (PIA). PIA provides a common environment for wrapping many types of applications. Accessing geometry data from CAD files is accomplished by incorporating appropriate function calls from the Computational Analysis Programming Interface (CAPRI). CAPRI is a CAD vendor neutral programming interface that aids in acquiring geometry data directly from CAD files. The benefits of wrapping a supersonic inlet simulation into PIA using CAPRI are; direct access of geometry data, accurate capture of geometry data, automatic conversion of data units, CAD vendor neutral operation, and on-line interactive history capture. This paper describes the PIA and the CAPRI wrapper and details the supersonic inlet simulation demonstration.

Depletion with Cyclodextrin Reveals Two Populations of Cholesterol in Model Lipid Membranes

PubMed Central

Litz, Jonathan P.; Thakkar, Niket; Portet, Thomas; Keller, Sarah L.

2016-01-01

Recent results provide evidence that cholesterol is highly accessible for removal from both cell and model membranes above a threshold concentration that varies with membrane composition. Here we measured the rate at which methyl-β-cyclodextrin depletes cholesterol from a supported lipid bilayer as a function of cholesterol mole fraction. We formed supported bilayers from two-component mixtures of cholesterol and a PC (phosphatidylcholine) lipid, and we directly visualized the rate of decrease in area of the bilayers with fluorescence microscopy. Our technique yields the accessibility of cholesterol over a wide range of concentrations (30–66 mol %) for many individual bilayers, enabling fast acquisition of replicate data. We found that the bilayers contain two populations of cholesterol, one with low surface accessibility and the other with high accessibility. A larger fraction of the total membrane cholesterol appears in the more accessible population when the acyl chains of the PC-lipid tails are more unsaturated. Our findings are most consistent with the predictions of the condensed-complex and cholesterol bilayer domain models of cholesterol-phospholipid interactions in lipid membranes. PMID:26840728

PDBsum: Structural summaries of PDB entries.

PubMed

Laskowski, Roman A; Jabłońska, Jagoda; Pravda, Lukáš; Vařeková, Radka Svobodová; Thornton, Janet M

2018-01-01

PDBsum is a web server providing structural information on the entries in the Protein Data Bank (PDB). The analyses are primarily image-based and include protein secondary structure, protein-ligand and protein-DNA interactions, PROCHECK analyses of structural quality, and many others. The 3D structures can be viewed interactively in RasMol, PyMOL, and a JavaScript viewer called 3Dmol.js. Users can upload their own PDB files and obtain a set of password-protected PDBsum analyses for each. The server is freely accessible to all at: http://www.ebi.ac.uk/pdbsum. © 2017 The Protein Society.

The interactive astronomical data analysis facility - image enhancement techniques to Comet Halley

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klinglesmith, D. A.

1981-10-01

PDP 11/40 computer is at the heart of a general purpose interactive data analysis facility designed to permit easy access to data in both visual imagery and graphic representations. The major components consist of: the 11/40 CPU and 256 K bytes of 16-bit memory; two TU10 tape drives; 20 million bytes of disk storage; three user terminals; and the COMTAL image processing display system. The application of image enhancement techniques to two sequences of photographs of Comet Halley taken in Egypt in 1910 provides evidence for eruptions from the comet's nucleus.

Enantioselective Organocatalytic Aminomethylation of Aldehydes: A Role for Ionic Interactions and Efficient Access to β2-Amino Acids

PubMed Central

Chi, Yonggui; Gellman, Samuel H.

2009-01-01

Organocatalytic Mannich addition of aldehydes to a formaldehyde-derived iminium species catalyzed by proline-derived chiral pyrrolidines provides β-amino aldehydes with ≥ 90% ee. Mechanistic analysis of the proline-catalyzed reactions suggests that non-hydrogen-bonded ionic interactions at the Mannich reaction transition state can influence stereochemical outcome. The β-amino aldehydes from our process bear a substituent adjacent to the carbonyl and can be efficiently converted to protected β2-amino acids, which are important building blocks for β-peptide foldamers that display useful biological activities. PMID:16719457

Ecosystem Services Flows: Why Stakeholders' Power Relationships Matter.

PubMed

Felipe-Lucia, María R; Martín-López, Berta; Lavorel, Sandra; Berraquero-Díaz, Luis; Escalera-Reyes, Javier; Comín, Francisco A

2015-01-01

The ecosystem services framework has enabled the broader public to acknowledge the benefits nature provides to different stakeholders. However, not all stakeholders benefit equally from these services. Rather, power relationships are a key factor influencing the access of individuals or groups to ecosystem services. In this paper, we propose an adaptation of the "cascade" framework for ecosystem services to integrate the analysis of ecological interactions among ecosystem services and stakeholders' interactions, reflecting power relationships that mediate ecosystem services flows. We illustrate its application using the floodplain of the River Piedra (Spain) as a case study. First, we used structural equation modelling (SEM) to model the dependence relationships among ecosystem services. Second, we performed semi-structured interviews to identify formal power relationships among stakeholders. Third, we depicted ecosystem services according to stakeholders' ability to use, manage or impair ecosystem services in order to expose how power relationships mediate access to ecosystem services. Our results revealed that the strongest power was held by those stakeholders who managed (although did not use) those keystone ecosystem properties and services that determine the provision of other services (i.e., intermediate regulating and final services). In contrast, non-empowered stakeholders were only able to access the remaining non-excludable and non-rival ecosystem services (i.e., some of the cultural services, freshwater supply, water quality, and biological control). In addition, land stewardship, access rights, and governance appeared as critical factors determining the status of ecosystem services. Finally, we stress the need to analyse the role of stakeholders and their relationships to foster equal access to ecosystem services.

Ecosystem Services Flows: Why Stakeholders’ Power Relationships Matter

PubMed Central

Felipe-Lucia, María R.; Martín-López, Berta; Lavorel, Sandra; Berraquero-Díaz, Luis; Escalera-Reyes, Javier; Comín, Francisco A.

2015-01-01

The ecosystem services framework has enabled the broader public to acknowledge the benefits nature provides to different stakeholders. However, not all stakeholders benefit equally from these services. Rather, power relationships are a key factor influencing the access of individuals or groups to ecosystem services. In this paper, we propose an adaptation of the “cascade” framework for ecosystem services to integrate the analysis of ecological interactions among ecosystem services and stakeholders’ interactions, reflecting power relationships that mediate ecosystem services flows. We illustrate its application using the floodplain of the River Piedra (Spain) as a case study. First, we used structural equation modelling (SEM) to model the dependence relationships among ecosystem services. Second, we performed semi-structured interviews to identify formal power relationships among stakeholders. Third, we depicted ecosystem services according to stakeholders’ ability to use, manage or impair ecosystem services in order to expose how power relationships mediate access to ecosystem services. Our results revealed that the strongest power was held by those stakeholders who managed (although did not use) those keystone ecosystem properties and services that determine the provision of other services (i.e., intermediate regulating and final services). In contrast, non-empowered stakeholders were only able to access the remaining non-excludable and non-rival ecosystem services (i.e., some of the cultural services, freshwater supply, water quality, and biological control). In addition, land stewardship, access rights, and governance appeared as critical factors determining the status of ecosystem services. Finally, we stress the need to analyse the role of stakeholders and their relationships to foster equal access to ecosystem services. PMID:26201000

Podcast effectiveness as scaffolding support for students enrolled in first-semester general chemistry laboratories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Powell, Mary Cynthia Barton

Podcasts covering essential first-semester general chemistry laboratory techniques and central concepts that aid in experimental design or data processing were prepared and made available for students to access on an as-needed basis on iPhones→ or iPod touches→. Research focused in three areas: the extent of podcast usage, the numbers and types of interactions between instructors and research teams, and student performance on graded assignments. Data analysis indicates that the podcast treatment research teams accessed a podcast 2.86 times on average during each week that podcasts were available. Comparison of interaction data for the lecture treatment research teams and podcast treatment research teams reveals that interactions with instructors were statistically significantly fewer for teams that had podcast access rather than a pre-laboratory lecture. The implication of the results is that student research teams were able to gather laboratory information more effectively when it was presented in an on-demand podcast format. Finally, statistical analysis of data on student performance on graded assignments indicates no significant differences between outcome measures for the treatment groups when compared as cohorts. The only statistically significant difference is between students judged to be highly motivated; for this sub-group the students in the podcast treatment group earned a course average that was statistically significantly higher than those in the lecture treatment group. This research study provides some of the first data collected on the effectiveness of podcasts delivered as needed in a first-semester general chemistry laboratory setting.

Data-driven prediction of adverse drug reactions induced by drug drug interactions

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-06-08

currently on the market and for which drug-protein interaction information is available . These predictions are publicly accessible at http://avoid...associated with these ADRs via DDIs. We made the predictions publicly available via internet access. Keywords: Drug-drug interactions, Adverse drug reactions...ˆDeceased Department of Defense Biotechnology High Performance Computing Software Applications Institute, Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research

Making Transporter Models for Drug-Drug Interaction Prediction Mobile.

PubMed

Ekins, Sean; Clark, Alex M; Wright, Stephen H

2015-10-01

The past decade has seen increased numbers of studies publishing ligand-based computational models for drug transporters. Although they generally use small experimental data sets, these models can provide insights into structure-activity relationships for the transporter. In addition, such models have helped to identify new compounds as substrates or inhibitors of transporters of interest. We recently proposed that many transporters are promiscuous and may require profiling of new chemical entities against multiple substrates for a specific transporter. Furthermore, it should be noted that virtually all of the published ligand-based transporter models are only accessible to those involved in creating them and, consequently, are rarely shared effectively. One way to surmount this is to make models shareable or more accessible. The development of mobile apps that can access such models is highlighted here. These apps can be used to predict ligand interactions with transporters using Bayesian algorithms. We used recently published transporter data sets (MATE1, MATE2K, OCT2, OCTN2, ASBT, and NTCP) to build preliminary models in a commercial tool and in open software that can deliver the model in a mobile app. In addition, several transporter data sets extracted from the ChEMBL database were used to illustrate how such public data and models can be shared. Predicting drug-drug interactions for various transporters using computational models is potentially within reach of anyone with an iPhone or iPad. Such tools could help prioritize which substrates should be used for in vivo drug-drug interaction testing and enable open sharing of models. Copyright © 2015 by The American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics.

Interact - Access to the Arctic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johansson, M.; Callaghan, T. V.

2013-12-01

INTERACT is currently a network of 50 terrestrial research stations from all Arctic countries, but is still growing. The network was inaugurated in January 2011 when it received an EU 7th Framework award. INTERACT's main objective is to build capacity for identifying, understanding, predicting and responding to diverse environmental changes throughout the wide environmental and land-use envelopes of the Arctic. Implicit in this objective is the task to build capacity for monitoring, research, education and outreach. INTERACT is increasing access to the Arctic: 20 INTERACT research stations in Europe and Russia are offering Transnational Access and so far, 5600 person-days of access have been granted from the total of 10,000 offered. An INTERACT Station Managers' Forum facilitates a dialogue among station managers on subjects such as best practice in station management and standardised monitoring. The Station Managers' Forum has produced a unique 'one-stop-shop' for information from 45 research stations in an informative and attractive Station Catalogue that is available in hard copy and on the INTERACT web site (www.eu-interact.org). INTERACT also includes three joint research activities that are improving monitoring in remote, harsh environments and are making data capture and dissemination more efficient. Already, new equipment for measuring feedbacks from the land surface to the climate system has been installed at several locations, while best practices for sensor networking have been established. INTERACT networks with most of the high-level Arctic organisations: it includes AMAP and WWF as partners, is endorsed by IASC and CBMP, has signed MoUs with ISAC and the University of the Arctic, is a task within SAON, and contributes to the Cold Region community within GEO/GEOSS. INTERACT welcomes other interactions.

Meditope-Fab interaction: threading the hole.

PubMed

Bzymek, Krzysztof P; Ma, Yuelong; Avery, Kendra N; Horne, David A; Williams, John C

2017-12-01

Meditope, a cyclic 12-residue peptide, binds to a unique binding side between the light and heavy chains of the cetuximab Fab. In an effort to improve the affinity of the interaction, it was sought to extend the side chain of Arg8 in the meditope, a residue that is accessible from the other side of the meditope binding site, in order to increase the number of interactions. These modifications included an n-butyl and n-octyl extension as well as hydroxyl, amine and carboxyl substitutions. The atomic structures of the complexes and the binding kinetics for each modified meditope indicated that each extension threaded through the Fab `hole' and that the carboxyethylarginine substitution makes a favorable interaction with the Fab, increasing the half-life of the complex by threefold compared with the unmodified meditope. Taken together, these studies provide a basis for the design of additional modifications to enhance the overall affinity of this unique interaction.

Patient-centred access to health care: conceptualising access at the interface of health systems and populations

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Access is central to the performance of health care systems around the world. However, access to health care remains a complex notion as exemplified in the variety of interpretations of the concept across authors. The aim of this paper is to suggest a conceptualisation of access to health care describing broad dimensions and determinants that integrate demand and supply-side-factors and enabling the operationalisation of access to health care all along the process of obtaining care and benefiting from the services. Methods A synthesis of the published literature on the conceptualisation of access has been performed. The most cited frameworks served as a basis to develop a revised conceptual framework. Results Here, we view access as the opportunity to identify healthcare needs, to seek healthcare services, to reach, to obtain or use health care services, and to actually have a need for services fulfilled. We conceptualise five dimensions of accessibility: 1) Approachability; 2) Acceptability; 3) Availability and accommodation; 4) Affordability; 5) Appropriateness. In this framework, five corresponding abilities of populations interact with the dimensions of accessibility to generate access. Five corollary dimensions of abilities include: 1) Ability to perceive; 2) Ability to seek; 3) Ability to reach; 4) Ability to pay; and 5) Ability to engage. Conclusions This paper explains the comprehensiveness and dynamic nature of this conceptualisation of access to care and identifies relevant determinants that can have an impact on access from a multilevel perspective where factors related to health systems, institutions, organisations and providers are considered with factors at the individual, household, community, and population levels. PMID:23496984

Intimate Strangers and Estranged Intimates: An Investigation of the Impact of Instant Messaging and Short Message Service on the Size and Strength of Social Networks in Kuwait

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al-Sanaa, Bashaiar

2009-01-01

Information and communication technologies (ICT) have revolutionized how people experience spatial proximity, reality, and connectivity. These technologies provide inexpensive access to anything and anyone in the world. They also replicate face-to-face interaction in cyber-space and allow for participation in numerous modes of social exchange. …

Interactive Online Distance Learning at the University of Hawai'i-West O'ahu

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Rebecca

2002-01-01

From its beginnings 25 years ago, the University of Hawai'i-West O'ahu (UH-West O'ahu) has strived to provide its students, mostly working adults with an average age of 32 years, with easy access to classes and advising by maintaining flexible class schedules and office hours. When UH-West O'ahu initiated a distance education program in 1981, the…

Implementation and Operational Analysis of an Interactive Intensive Care Unit within a Smart Health Context

PubMed Central

Aguirre, Erik

2018-01-01

In the context of hospital management and operation, Intensive Care Units (ICU) are one of the most challenging in terms of time responsiveness and criticality, in which adequate resource management and signal processing play a key role in overall system performance. In this work, a context aware Intensive Care Unit is implemented and analyzed to provide scalable signal acquisition capabilities, as well as to provide tracking and access control. Wireless channel analysis is performed by means of hybrid optimized 3D Ray Launching deterministic simulation to assess potential interference impact as well as to provide required coverage/capacity thresholds for employed transceivers. Wireless system operation within the ICU scenario, considering conventional transceiver operation, is feasible in terms of quality of service for the complete scenario. Extensive measurements of overall interference levels have also been carried out, enabling subsequent adequate coverage/capacity estimations, for a set of Zigbee based nodes. Real system operation has been tested, with ad-hoc designed Zigbee wireless motes, employing lightweight communication protocols to minimize energy and bandwidth usage. An ICU information gathering application and software architecture for Visitor Access Control has been implemented, providing monitoring of the Boxes external doors and the identification of visitors via a RFID system. The results enable a solution to provide ICU access control and tracking capabilities previously not exploited, providing a step forward in the implementation of a Smart Health framework. PMID:29382148

Technologies and Methods Used at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) to Serve Solar Irradiance Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pankratz, Chris; Beland, Stephane; Craft, James; Baltzer, Thomas; Wilson, Anne; Lindholm, Doug; Snow, Martin; Woods, Thomas; Woodraska, Don

2018-01-01

The Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) at the University of Colorado in Boulder, USA operates the Solar Radiation and Climate Experiment (SORCE) NASA mission, as well as several other NASA spacecraft and instruments. Dozens of Solar Irradiance data sets are produced, managed, and disseminated to the science community. Data are made freely available to the scientific immediately after they are produced using a variety of data access interfaces, including the LASP Interactive Solar Irradiance Datacenter (LISIRD), which provides centralized access to a variety of solar irradiance data sets using both interactive and scriptable/programmatic methods. This poster highlights the key technological elements used for the NASA SORCE mission ground system to produce, manage, and disseminate data to the scientific community and facilitate long-term data stewardship. The poster presentation will convey designs, technological elements, practices and procedures, and software management processes used for SORCE and their relationship to data quality and data management standards, interoperability, NASA data policy, and community expectations.

Map based multimedia tool on Pacific theatre in World War II

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pakala Venkata, Devi Prasada Reddy

Maps have been used for depicting data of all kinds in the educational community for many years. A standout amongst the rapidly changing methods of teaching is through the development of interactive and dynamic maps. The emphasis of the thesis is to develop an intuitive map based multimedia tool, which provides a timeline of battles and events in the Pacific theatre of World War II. The tool contains summaries of major battles and commanders and has multimedia content embedded in it. The primary advantage of this Map tool is that one can quickly know about all the battles and campaigns of the Pacific Theatre by accessing Timeline of Battles in each region or Individual Battles in each region or Summary of each Battle in an interactive way. This tool can be accessed via any standard web browser and motivate the user to know more about the battles involved in the Pacific Theatre. It was made responsive using Google maps API, JavaScript, HTML5 and CSS.

The Auroral Planetary Imaging and Spectroscopy (APIS) service

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lamy, L.; Prangé, R.; Henry, F.; Le Sidaner, P.

2015-06-01

The Auroral Planetary Imaging and Spectroscopy (APIS) service, accessible online, provides an open and interactive access to processed auroral observations of the outer planets and their satellites. Such observations are of interest for a wide community at the interface between planetology, magnetospheric and heliospheric physics. APIS consists of (i) a high level database, built from planetary auroral observations acquired by the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) since 1997 with its mostly used Far-Ultraviolet spectro-imagers, (ii) a dedicated search interface aimed at browsing efficiently this database through relevant conditional search criteria and (iii) the ability to interactively work with the data online through plotting tools developed by the Virtual Observatory (VO) community, such as Aladin and Specview. This service is VO compliant and can therefore also been queried by external search tools of the VO community. The diversity of available data and the capability to sort them out by relevant physical criteria shall in particular facilitate statistical studies, on long-term scales and/or multi-instrumental multi-spectral combined analysis.

SPACEWAY: Providing affordable and versatile communication solutions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fitzpatrick, E. J.

1995-08-01

By the end of this decade, Hughes' SPACEWAY network will provide the first interactive 'bandwidth on demand' communication services for a variety of applications. High quality digital voice, interactive video, global access to multimedia databases, and transborder workgroup computing will make SPACEWAY an essential component of the computer-based workplace of the 21st century. With relatively few satellites to construct, insure, and launch -- plus extensive use of cost-effective, tightly focused spot beams on the world's most populated areas -- the high capacity SPACEWAY system can pass its significant cost savings onto its customers. The SPACEWAY network is different from other proposed global networks in that its geostationary orbit location makes it a truly market driven system: each satellite will make available extensive telecom services to hundreds of millions of people within the continuous view of that satellite, providing immediate capacity within a specific region of the world.

SPACEWAY: Providing affordable and versatile communication solutions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fitzpatrick, E. J.

1995-01-01

By the end of this decade, Hughes' SPACEWAY network will provide the first interactive 'bandwidth on demand' communication services for a variety of applications. High quality digital voice, interactive video, global access to multimedia databases, and transborder workgroup computing will make SPACEWAY an essential component of the computer-based workplace of the 21st century. With relatively few satellites to construct, insure, and launch -- plus extensive use of cost-effective, tightly focused spot beams on the world's most populated areas -- the high capacity SPACEWAY system can pass its significant cost savings onto its customers. The SPACEWAY network is different from other proposed global networks in that its geostationary orbit location makes it a truly market driven system: each satellite will make available extensive telecom services to hundreds of millions of people within the continuous view of that satellite, providing immediate capacity within a specific region of the world.

Patients' and professionals' experiences and perspectives of obesity in health-care settings: a synthesis of current research.

PubMed

Mold, Freda; Forbes, Angus

2013-06-01

Obesity-related stigma likely influences how obese people interact with health-care professionals and access health care. To undertake a synthesis of studies examining the views and experiences of both obese people in relation to their health-care provision and health-care professionals in providing care to obese patients. A systematic search of key electronic databases relating to professional or patient experiences of, or perspectives on, obesity was performed in 2008 and updated in 2010. Reference lists of article bibliographies were searched, along with hand searches of relevant journals.   Studies were screened against explicit inclusion criteria and published between 1990 and 2010. Findings were examined and organized thematically.   Data were extracted focusing on obesity, stigma and access to health-care services. All included studies were subject to critical appraisal to assess the quality of the research. Thirty studies were identified. All the studies reported obesity impacting on health-care interactions. Key themes identified were experiences of stigma and feelings of powerlessness, treatment avoidance, psycho-emotional functioning, professional attitudes, confidence and training, variations in health contact time and finally, differences in treatment options and preventative measures. Obesity is a stigmatized condition that impacts negatively on the relationship between patients and health-care providers. Given the increasing prevalence of obesity and the range of therapeutic options available, further work is necessary to understand how the presence of obesity affects health-care interactions and decision making. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy with quantum gas microscopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bohrdt, A.; Greif, D.; Demler, E.; Knap, M.; Grusdt, F.

2018-03-01

Quantum gas microscopes are a promising tool to study interacting quantum many-body systems and bridge the gap between theoretical models and real materials. So far, they were limited to measurements of instantaneous correlation functions of the form 〈O ̂(t ) 〉 , even though extensions to frequency-resolved response functions 〈O ̂(t ) O ̂(0 ) 〉 would provide important information about the elementary excitations in a many-body system. For example, single-particle spectral functions, which are usually measured using photoemission experiments in electron systems, contain direct information about fractionalization and the quasiparticle excitation spectrum. Here, we propose a measurement scheme to experimentally access the momentum and energy-resolved spectral function in a quantum gas microscope with currently available techniques. As an example for possible applications, we numerically calculate the spectrum of a single hole excitation in one-dimensional t -J models with isotropic and anisotropic antiferromagnetic couplings. A sharp asymmetry in the distribution of spectral weight appears when a hole is created in an isotropic Heisenberg spin chain. This effect slowly vanishes for anisotropic spin interactions and disappears completely in the case of pure Ising interactions. The asymmetry strongly depends on the total magnetization of the spin chain, which can be tuned in experiments with quantum gas microscopes. An intuitive picture for the observed behavior is provided by a slave-fermion mean-field theory. The key properties of the spectra are visible at currently accessible temperatures.

Remote control of an MR imaging study via tele-collaboration tools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sullivan, John M., Jr.; Mullen, Julia S.; Benz, Udo A.; Schmidt, Karl F.; Murugavel, Murali; Chen, Wei; Ghadyani, Hamid

2005-04-01

In contrast to traditional 'video conferencing' the Access Grid (AG), developed by Argonne National Laboratory, is a collaboration of audio, video and shared application tools which provide the 'persistent presence' of each participant. Among the shared application tools are the ability to share viewing and control of presentations, browsers, images and movies. When used in conjunction with Virtual Network Computing (VNC) software, an investigator can interact with colleagues at a remote site, and control remote systems via local keyboard and mouse commands. This combination allows for effective viewing and discussion of information, i.e. data, images, and results. It is clear that such an approach when applied to the medical sciences will provide a means by which a team of experts can not only access, but interact and control medical devices for the purpose of experimentation, diagnosis, surgery and therapy. We present the development of an application node at our 4.7 Tesla MR magnet facility, and a demonstration of remote investigator control of the magnet. A local magnet operator performs manual tasks such as loading the test subject into the magnet and administering the stimulus associated with the functional MRI study. The remote investigator has complete control of the magnet console. S/he can adjust the gradient coil settings, the pulse sequence, image capture frequency, etc. A geographically distributed audience views and interacts with the remote investigator and local MR operator. This AG demonstration of MR magnet control illuminates the potential of untethered medical experiments, procedures and training.

Network of Research Infrastructures for European Seismology (NERIES)-Web Portal Developments for Interactive Access to Earthquake Data on a European Scale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spinuso, A.; Trani, L.; Rives, S.; Thomy, P.; Euchner, F.; Schorlemmer, D.; Saul, J.; Heinloo, A.; Bossu, R.; van Eck, T.

2009-04-01

The Network of Research Infrastructures for European Seismology (NERIES) is European Commission (EC) project whose focus is networking together seismological observatories and research institutes into one integrated European infrastructure that provides access to data and data products for research. Seismological institutes and organizations in European and Mediterranean countries maintain large, geographically distributed data archives, therefore this scenario suggested a design approach based on the concept of an internet service oriented architecture (SOA) to establish a cyberinfrastructure for distributed and heterogeneous data streams and services. Moreover, one of the goals of NERIES is to design and develop a Web portal that acts as the uppermost layer of the infrastructure and provides rendering capabilities for the underlying sets of data The Web services that are currently being designed and implemented will deliver data that has been adopted to appropriate formats. The parametric information about a seismic event is delivered using a seismology-specific Extensible mark-up Language(XML) format called QuakeML (https://quake.ethz.ch/quakeml), which has been formalized and implemented in coordination with global earthquake-information agencies. Uniform Resource Identifiers (URIs) are used to assign identifiers to (1) seismic-event parameters described by QuakeML, and (2) generic resources, for example, authorities, locations providers, location methods, software adopted, and so on, described by use of a data model constructed with the resource description framework (RDF) and accessible as a service. The European-Mediterranean Seismological Center (EMSC) has implemented a unique event identifier (UNID) that will create the seismic event URI used by the QuakeML data model. Access to data such as broadband waveform, accelerometric data and stations inventories will be also provided through a set of Web services that will wrap the middleware used by the seismological observatory or institute that is supplying the data. Each single application of the portal consists of a Java-based JSR-168-standard portlet (often provided with interactive maps for data discovery). In specific cases, it will be possible to distribute the deployment of the portlets among the data providers, such as seismological agencies, because of the adoption, within the distributed architecture of the NERIES portal of the Web Services for Remote Portlets (WSRP) standard for presentation-oriented web services The purpose of the portal is to provide to the user his own environment where he can surf and retrieve the data of interest, offering a set of shopping carts with storage and management facilities. This approach involves having the user interact with dedicated tools in order to compose personalized datasets that can be downloaded or combined with other information available either through the NERIES network of Web services or through the user`s own carts. Administrative applications also are provided to perform monitoring tasks such as retrieving service statistics or scheduling submitted data requests. An administrative tool is included that allows the RDF model to be extended, within certain constraints, with new classes and properties.

Network of Research Infrastructures for European Seismology (NERIES) - Web Portal Developments for Interactive Access to Earthquake Data on a European Scale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spinuso, A.; Trani, L.; Rives, S.; Thomy, P.; Euchner, F.; Schorlemmer, D.; Saul, J.; Heinloo, A.; Bossu, R.; van Eck, T.

2008-12-01

The Network of Research Infrastructures for European Seismology (NERIES) is European Commission (EC) project whose focus is networking together seismological observatories and research institutes into one integrated European infrastructure that provides access to data and data products for research. Seismological institutes and organizations in European and Mediterranean countries maintain large, geographically distributed data archives, therefore this scenario suggested a design approach based on the concept of an internet service oriented architecture (SOA) to establish a cyberinfrastructure for distributed and heterogeneous data streams and services. Moreover, one of the goals of NERIES is to design and develop a Web portal that acts as the uppermost layer of the infrastructure and provides rendering capabilities for the underlying sets of data The Web services that are currently being designed and implemented will deliver data that has been adopted to appropriate formats. The parametric information about a seismic event is delivered using a seismology- specific Extensible mark-up Language(XML) format called QuakeML (https://quake.ethz.ch/quakeml), which has been formalized and implemented in coordination with global earthquake-information agencies. Uniform Resource Identifiers (URIs) are used to assign identifiers to (1) seismic-event parameters described by QuakeML, and (2) generic resources, for example, authorities, locations providers, location methods, software adopted, and so on, described by use of a data model constructed with the resource description framework (RDF) and accessible as a service. The European-Mediterranean Seismological Center (EMSC) has implemented a unique event identifier (UNID) that will create the seismic event URI used by the QuakeML data model. Access to data such as broadband waveform, accelerometric data and stations inventories will be also provided through a set of Web services that will wrap the middleware used by the seismological observatory or institute that is supplying the data. Each single application of the portal consists of a Java-based JSR-168-standard portlet (often provided with interactive maps for data discovery). In specific cases, it will be possible to distribute the deployment of the portlets among the data providers, such as seismological agencies, because of the adoption, within the distributed architecture of the NERIES portal of the Web Services for Remote Portlets (WSRP) standard for presentation-oriented web services The purpose of the portal is to provide to the user his own environment where he can surf and retrieve the data of interest, offering a set of shopping carts with storage and management facilities. This approach involves having the user interact with dedicated tools in order to compose personalized datasets that can be downloaded or combined with other information available either through the NERIES network of Web services or through the user's own carts. Administrative applications also are provided to perform monitoring tasks such as retrieving service statistics or scheduling submitted data requests. An administrative tool is included that allows the RDF model to be extended, within certain constraints, with new classes and properties.

A Big Data Task Force Review of Advances in Data Access and Discovery Within the Science Disciplines of the NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walker, R. J.; Beebe, R. F.

2017-12-01

One of the basic problems the NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD) faces when dealing with preservation of scientific data is the variety of the data. This stems from the fact that NASA's involvement in the sciences spans a broad range of disciplines across the Science Mission Directorate: Astrophysics, Earth Sciences, Heliophysics and Planetary Science. As the ability of some missions to produce large data volumes has accelerated, the range of problems associated with providing adequate access to the data has demanded diverse approaches for data access. Although mission types, complexity and duration vary across the disciplines, the data can be characterized by four characteristics: velocity, veracity, volume, and variety. The rate of arrival of the data (velocity) must be addressed at the individual mission level, validation and documentation of the data (veracity), data volume and the wide variety of data products present huge challenges as the science disciplines strive to provide transparent access to their available data. Astrophysics, supports an integrated system of data archives based on frequencies covered (UV, visible, IR, etc.) or subject areas (extrasolar planets, extra galactic, etc.) and is accessed through the Astrophysics Data Center (https://science.nasa.gov/astrophysics/astrophysics-data-centers/). Earth Science supports the Earth Observing System (https://earthdata.nasa.gov/) that manages the earth science satellite data. The discipline supports 12 Distributed Active Archive Centers. Heliophysics provides the Space Physics Data Facility (https://spdf.gsfc.nasa.gov/) that supports the heliophysics community and Solar Data Analysis Center (https://umbra.nascom.nasa.gov/index.html) that allows access to the solar data. The Planetary Data System (https://pds.nasa.gov) is the main archive for planetary science data. It consists of science discipline nodes (Atmospheres, Geosciences, Cartography and Imaging Sciences, Planetary Plasma Interactions, Ring-Moon Systems, and Small Bodies) and supporting nodes (Engineering and the Navigation and Ancillary Information Facility). This presentation will address current efforts by the disciplines to face the demands of providing user access in the era of Big Data.

Improving User Access to the Integrated Multi-Satellite Retrievals for GPM (IMERG) Products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huffman, George; Bolvin, David; Nelkin, Eric; Kidd, Christopher

2016-04-01

The U.S. Global Precipitation Measurement mission (GPM) team has developed the Integrated Multi-satellitE Retrievals for GPM (IMERG) algorithm to take advantage of the international constellation of precipitation-relevant satellites and the Global Precipitation Climatology Centre surface precipitation gauge analysis. The goal is to provide a long record of homogeneous, high-resolution quasi-global estimates of precipitation. While expert scientific researchers are major users of the IMERG products, it is clear that many other user communities and disciplines also desire access to the data for wide-ranging applications. Lessons learned during the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission, the predecessor to GPM, led to some basic design choices that provided the framework for supporting multiple user bases. For example, two near-real-time "runs" are computed, the Early and Late (currently 5 and 15 hours after observation time, respectively), then the Final Run about 3 months later. The datasets contain multiple fields that provide insight into the computation of the complete precipitation data field, as well as diagnostic (currently) estimates of the precipitation's phase. In parallel with this, the archive sites are working to provide the IMERG data in a variety of formats, and with subsetting and simple interactive analysis to make the data more easily available to non-expert users. The various options for accessing the data are summarized under the pmm.nasa.gov data access page. The talk will end by considering the feasibility of major user requests, including polar coverage, a simplified Data Quality Index, and reduced data latency for the Early Run. In brief, the first two are challenging, but under the team's control. The last requires significant action by some of the satellite data providers.

Using the Browser for Science: A Collaborative Toolkit for Astronomy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Connolly, A. J.; Smith, I.; Krughoff, K. S.; Gibson, R.

2011-07-01

Astronomical surveys have yielded hundreds of terabytes of catalogs and images that span many decades of the electromagnetic spectrum. Even when observatories provide user-friendly web interfaces, exploring these data resources remains a complex and daunting task. In contrast, gadgets and widgets have become popular in social networking (e.g. iGoogle, Facebook). They provide a simple way to make complex data easily accessible that can be customized based on the interest of the user. With ASCOT (an AStronomical COllaborative Toolkit) we expand on these concepts to provide a customizable and extensible gadget framework for use in science. Unlike iGoogle, where all of the gadgets are independent, the gadgets we develop communicate and share information, enabling users to visualize and interact with data through multiple, simultaneous views. With this approach, web-based applications for accessing and visualizing data can be generated easily and, by linking these tools together, integrated and powerful data analysis and discovery tools can be constructed.

Environmental Health: Threats and their Interactions

PubMed Central

Holdstock, Douglas

2008-01-01

Improvements in the provision of an acceptable standard of health care, particularly in the developing world, will be undermined by three ongoing processes: ongoing armed conflicts; the threat of global warming due to rising levels of greenhouse gases, particularly carbon dioxide emitted by developed countries; and by rapidly rising populations. The key features of these three threats are summarised, and it is shown that interactions between them increase both the likelihood of their occurrence and the probable harm that they will cause. Some of the interactions are described, with ways of providing health care taking into account the threats and their interactions, and the paradox is emphasised that better health care in the developing world will further increase population growth followed by increased greenhouse gas emissions. Improved education for women and free and unlimited access to modern methods of contraception are vital. PMID:21572838

Structure-wise discrimination of adenine and guanine by proteins on the basis of their nonbonded interactions.

PubMed

Usha, S; Selvaraj, S

2015-01-01

We have analyzed the nonbonded interactions of the structurally similar moieties, adenine and guanine forming complexes with proteins. The results comprise (a) the amino acid-ligand atom preferences, (b) solvent accessibility of ligand atoms before and after complex formation with proteins, and (c) preferred amino acid residue atoms involved in the interactions. We have observed that the amino acid preferences involved in the hydrogen bonding interactions vary for adenine and guanine. The structural variation between the purine atoms is clearly reflected by their burial tendency in the solvent environment. Correlation of the mean amino acid preference values show the variation that exists between adenine and guanine preferences of all the amino acid residues. All our observations provide evidence for the discriminating nature of the proteins in recognizing adenine and guanine.

American Meteorological Society (AMS) - The Modern Era Retrospective-Analysis for Research and Applications (MERRA) Data and Accessibility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

daSilva, Arlindo

2009-01-01

The AM Short Course on The Modern Era Retrospective-analysis for Research and Applications (MERRA) data and accessibility will be held on January 11, 2009 preceding the 89th Annual Meeting in Phoenix, Arizona. Preliminary programs, registration, hotel, and general information will be posted on the AMS Web site in mid-September 2008. Retrospective-analyses (or reanalyses) have been established as an important tool in weather and climate research over the last decade. As computer power increases, the data assimilation and modeling systems improve and become more advanced, the input data quality increases and so reanalyses become more reliable. In 2008, NASA Global Modeling and Assimilation Office began producing a new reanalysis called the Modem Era Retrospective-analysis for Research and Applications (MERRA). The initial data from the reanalysis has been made available to the community and should be complete through 30 years (1979-present) by Fall of 2009. MERRA has taken advantage of the advancement of computing resources to provide users more data than previously available. The native spatial resolution is nominally 1/2 degrees and the surface two dimensional data are one hourly frequency. In addition to the meteorological analysis data, complete mass, energy and momentum budget data and also stratospheric data are provided. The eventual data holdings will exceed 150Tb. In order to facilitate user accessibility to the data, it will be stored in online hard drives (not tape storage) and available through several portals. Subsetting tools will also be available to allow users to tailor their data requests. The goals of this short course are to provide hands on users of reanalyses instruction on MERRA systems and also interactive experience with the online data and access tools. The course is intended for students and research scientists who will be actively interested in accessing and applying MERRA data in their weather, climate or applications work. The course has three parts. There will be an overview of the MERRA system, the validation of the system and the native data format. Second, Instructors will provide examples of weather and climate data analysis using various software packages (primarily GrADS) as well as the online access tools for subsetting and download, as well as visualization (e.g. Giovanni and Google Earth). This will also include examples on changing the data format to fit user's preferences and also to regrid the data for comparisons to other reanalyses and observational data. Lastly, there will he time set aside for participants to have hands on access to the data and software while interacting with the instructors and other developers. The course convener is Dr. Michael Bosilovich, NASA GSFC Global Modeling and Assimilation Office (GMAO). He will be joined by several GMAO, Goddard Earth Science Data and information Services Center (GES DISC) and Software Integration and Visualization Office (SIVO) staff.

PMD2HD--a web tool aligning a PubMed search results page with the local German Cancer Research Centre library collection.

PubMed

Bohne-Lang, Andreas; Lang, Elke; Taube, Anke

2005-06-27

Web-based searching is the accepted contemporary mode of retrieving relevant literature, and retrieving as many full text articles as possible is a typical prerequisite for research success. In most cases only a proportion of references will be directly accessible as digital reprints through displayed links. A large number of references, however, have to be verified in library catalogues and, depending on their availability, are accessible as print holdings or by interlibrary loan request. The problem of verifying local print holdings from an initial retrieval set of citations can be solved using Z39.50, an ANSI protocol for interactively querying library information systems. Numerous systems include Z39.50 interfaces and therefore can process Z39.50 interactive requests. However, the programmed query interaction command structure is non-intuitive and inaccessible to the average biomedical researcher. For the typical user, it is necessary to implement the protocol within a tool that hides and handles Z39.50 syntax, presenting a comfortable user interface. PMD2HD is a web tool implementing Z39.50 to provide an appropriately functional and usable interface to integrate into the typical workflow that follows an initial PubMed literature search, providing users with an immediate asset to assist in the most tedious step in literature retrieval, checking for subscription holdings against a local online catalogue. PMD2HD can facilitate literature access considerably with respect to the time and cost of manual comparisons of search results with local catalogue holdings. The example presented in this article is related to the library system and collections of the German Cancer Research Centre. However, the PMD2HD software architecture and use of common Z39.50 protocol commands allow for transfer to a broad range of scientific libraries using Z39.50-compatible library information systems.

Interactive Geophysical Mapping on the Web

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meertens, C.; Hamburger, M.; Estey, L.; Weingroff, M.; Deardorff, R.; Holt, W.

2002-12-01

We have developed a set of interactive, web-based map utilities that make geophysical results accessible to a large number and variety of users. These tools provide access to pre-determined map regions via a simple Html/JavaScript interface or to user-selectable areas using a Java interface to a Generic Mapping Tools (GMT) engine. Users can access a variety of maps, satellite images, and geophysical data at a range of spatial scales for the earth and other planets of the solar system. Developed initially by UNAVCO for study of global-scale geodynamic processes, users can choose from a variety of base maps (satellite mosaics, global topography, geoid, sea-floor age, strain rate and seismic hazard maps, and others) and can then add a number of geographic and geophysical overlays for example coastlines, political boundaries, rivers and lakes, NEIC earthquake and volcano locations, stress axes, and observed and model plate motion and deformation velocity vectors representing a compilation of 2933 geodetic measurements from around the world. The software design is flexible allowing for construction of special editions for different target audiences. Custom maps been implemented for UNAVCO as the "Jules Verne Voyager" and "Voyager Junior", for the International Lithosphere Project's "Global Strain Rate Map", and for EarthScope Education and Outreach as "EarthScope Voyager Jr.". For the later, a number of EarthScope-specific features have been added, including locations of proposed USArray (seismic), Plate Boundary Observatory (geodetic), and San Andreas Fault Observatory at Depth sites plus detailed maps and geographically referenced examples of EarthScope-related scientific investigations. In addition, we are developing a website that incorporates background materials and curricular activities that encourage users to explore Earth processes. A cluster of map processing computers and nearly a terabyte of disk storage has been assembled to power the generation of interactive maps and provide space for a very large collection of map data. A portal to these map tools can be found at: http://jules.unavco.ucar.edu.

Design of a graphical and interactive interface for facilitating access to drug contraindications, cautions for use, interactions and adverse effects

PubMed Central

Lamy, Jean-Baptiste; Venot, Alain; Bar-Hen, Avner; Ouvrard, Patrick; Duclos, Catherine

2008-01-01

Background Drug iatrogeny is important but could be decreased if contraindications, cautions for use, drug interactions and adverse effects of drugs described in drug monographs were taken into account. However, the physician's time is limited during consultations, and this information is often not consulted. We describe here the design of "Mister VCM", a graphical interface based on the VCM graphical language, facilitating access to drug monographs. We also provide an assessment of the usability of this interface. Methods The "Mister VCM" interface was designed by dividing the screen into two parts: a graphical interactive one including VCM icons and synthetizing drug properties, a textual one presenting on demand drug monograph excerpts. The interface was evaluated over 11 volunteer general practitioners, trained in the use of "Mister VCM". They were asked to answer clinical questions related to fictitious randomly generated drug monographs, using a textual interface or "Mister VCM". When answering the questions, correctness of the responses and response time were recorded. Results "Mister VCM" is an interactive interface that displays VCM icons organized around an anatomical diagram of the human body with additional mental, etiological and physiological areas. Textual excerpts of the drug monograph can be displayed by clicking on the VCM icons. The interface can explicitly represent information implicit in the drug monograph, such as the absence of a given contraindication. Physicians made fewer errors with "Mister VCM" than with text (factor of 1.7; p = 0.034) and responded to questions 2.2 times faster (p < 0.001). The time gain with "Mister VCM" was greater for long monographs and questions with implicit replies. Conclusion "Mister VCM" seems to be a promising interface for accessing drug monographs. Similar interfaces could be developed for other medical domains, such as electronic patient records. PMID:18518945

Design and Implementation of an Interactive Web-Based Near Real-Time Forest Monitoring System.

PubMed

Pratihast, Arun Kumar; DeVries, Ben; Avitabile, Valerio; de Bruin, Sytze; Herold, Martin; Bergsma, Aldo

2016-01-01

This paper describes an interactive web-based near real-time (NRT) forest monitoring system using four levels of geographic information services: 1) the acquisition of continuous data streams from satellite and community-based monitoring using mobile devices, 2) NRT forest disturbance detection based on satellite time-series, 3) presentation of forest disturbance data through a web-based application and social media and 4) interaction of the satellite based disturbance alerts with the end-user communities to enhance the collection of ground data. The system is developed using open source technologies and has been implemented together with local experts in the UNESCO Kafa Biosphere Reserve, Ethiopia. The results show that the system is able to provide easy access to information on forest change and considerably improves the collection and storage of ground observation by local experts. Social media leads to higher levels of user interaction and noticeably improves communication among stakeholders. Finally, an evaluation of the system confirms the usability of the system in Ethiopia. The implemented system can provide a foundation for an operational forest monitoring system at the national level for REDD+ MRV applications.

Corporatization of pain medicine: implications for widening pain care disparities.

PubMed

Meghani, Salimah H

2011-04-01

The current health care system in the United States is structured in a way that ensures that more opportunity and resources flow to the wealthy and socially advantaged. The values intrinsic to the current profit-oriented culture are directly antithetical to the idea of equitable access. A large body of literature points to disparities in pain treatment and pain outcomes among vulnerable groups. These disparities range from the presence of disproportionately higher numbers and magnitude of risk factors for developing disabling pain, lack of access to primary care providers, analgesics and interventions, lack of referral to pain specialists, longer wait times to receive care, receipt of poor quality of pain care, and lack of geographical access to pharmacies that carry opioids. This article examines the manner in which the profit-oriented culture in medicine has directly and indirectly structured access to pain care, thereby widening pain treatment disparities among vulnerable groups. Specifically, the author argues that the corporatization of pain medicine amplifies disparities in pain outcomes in two ways: 1) directly through driving up the cost of pain care, rendering it inaccessible to the financially vulnerable; and 2) indirectly through an interface with corporate loss-aversion/risk management culture that draws upon irrelevant social characteristics, thus worsening disparities for certain populations. Thus, while financial vulnerability is the core reason for lack of access, it does not fully explain the implications of corporate microculture regarding access. The effect of corporatization on pain medicine must be conceptualized in terms of overt access to facilities, providers, pharmaceuticals, specialty services, and interventions, but also in terms of the indirect or covert effect of corporate culture in shaping clinical interactions and outcomes. Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

FunRich proteomics software analysis, let the fun begin!

PubMed

Benito-Martin, Alberto; Peinado, Héctor

2015-08-01

Protein MS analysis is the preferred method for unbiased protein identification. It is normally applied to a large number of both small-scale and high-throughput studies. However, user-friendly computational tools for protein analysis are still needed. In this issue, Mathivanan and colleagues (Proteomics 2015, 15, 2597-2601) report the development of FunRich software, an open-access software that facilitates the analysis of proteomics data, providing tools for functional enrichment and interaction network analysis of genes and proteins. FunRich is a reinterpretation of proteomic software, a standalone tool combining ease of use with customizable databases, free access, and graphical representations. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

An application programming interface for CellNetAnalyzer.

PubMed

Klamt, Steffen; von Kamp, Axel

2011-08-01

CellNetAnalyzer (CNA) is a MATLAB toolbox providing computational methods for studying structure and function of metabolic and cellular signaling networks. In order to allow non-experts to use these methods easily, CNA provides GUI-based interactive network maps as a means of parameter input and result visualization. However, with the availability of high-throughput data, there is a need to make CNA's functionality also accessible in batch mode for automatic data processing. Furthermore, as some algorithms of CNA are of general relevance for network analysis it would be desirable if they could be called as sub-routines by other applications. For this purpose, we developed an API (application programming interface) for CNA allowing users (i) to access the content of network models in CNA, (ii) to use CNA's network analysis capabilities independent of the GUI, and (iii) to interact with the GUI to facilitate the development of graphical plugins. Here we describe the organization of network projects in CNA and the application of the new API functions to these projects. This includes the creation of network projects from scratch, loading and saving of projects and scenarios, and the application of the actual analysis methods. Furthermore, API functions for the import/export of metabolic models in SBML format and for accessing the GUI are described. Lastly, two example applications demonstrate the use and versatile applicability of CNA's API. CNA is freely available for academic use and can be downloaded from http://www.mpi-magdeburg.mpg.de/projects/cna/cna.html. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Designing an Electronic Personal Health Record for Professional Iranian Athletes

PubMed Central

Abdolkhani, Robab; Halabchi, Farzin; Safdari, Reza; Dargahi, Hossein; Shadanfar, Kamran

2014-01-01

Background: By providing sports organizations with electronic records and instruments that can be accessed at any time or place, specialized care can be offered to athletes regardless of injury location, and this makes the follow-up from first aid through to full recovery more efficient. Objectives: The aim of this study was to develop an electronic personal health record for professional Iranian athletes. Patients and Methods: First, a comparative study was carried out on the types of professional athletes’existing handheld and electronic health information management systems currently being used in Iran and leading countries in the field of sports medicine including; Australia, Canada and the United States. Then a checklist was developed containing a minimum dataset of professional athletes’ personal health records and distributed to the people involved, who consisted of 50 specialists in sports medicine and health information management, using the Delphi method. Through the use of data obtained from this survey, a basic paper model of professional athletes' personal health record was constructed and then an electronic model was created accordingly. Results: Access to information in the electronic record was through a web-based, portal system. The capabilities of this system included: access to information at any time and location, increased interaction between the medical team, comprehensive reporting and effective management of injuries, flexibility and interaction with financial, radiology and laboratory information systems. Conclusions: It is suggested that a framework should be created to promote athletes’ medical knowledge and provide the education necessary to manage their information. This would lead to improved data quality and ultimately promote the health of community athletes. PMID:25741410

Duration- and environment-dependent effects of repeated voluntary exercise on anxiety and cued fear in mice.

PubMed

Dubreucq, Sarah; Marsicano, Giovanni; Chaouloff, Francis

2015-04-01

Several studies have indicated that animal models of exercise, such as voluntary wheel running, might be endowed with anxiolytic properties. Using the light/dark test of unconditioned anxiety, we have reported that one confounding factor in the estimation of wheel running impacts on anxiety might be the housing condition of the sedentary controls. The present mouse study analyzed whether the aforementioned observation in the light/dark test (i) could be repeated in the elevated plus-maze and social interaction tests of unconditioned anxiety, (ii) extended to conditioned anxiety, as assessed during cued fear recall tests, and (iii) required unlimited daily access to the running wheel. Housing with a locked wheel or with a free wheel that allowed limited or unlimited running activity triggered anxiolysis in the light/dark test, but not in the elevated plus-maze test, compared to standard housing. In the social interaction test, the duration, but not the number, of social contacts was increased in mice provided unlimited (but not limited) access to a wheel, compared to standard housing or housing with a locked wheel. Lastly, freezing responses to a cue during fear recall tests indicated that the reduction in freezing observed in mice provided limited or unlimited access to the wheels was fully accounted for by housing with a wheel. Besides confirming that the housing condition of the sedentary controls might bias the estimation of the effects of wheel running on anxiety, this study further shows that this estimation is dependent on the test used to assess anxiety. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Using multimedia information and communication technology (ICT) to provide added value to reminiscence therapy for people with dementia : Lessons learned from three field studies.

PubMed

Bejan, Alexander; Gündogdu, Ramazan; Butz, Katherina; Müller, Nadine; Kunze, Christophe; König, Peter

2018-01-01

In the care of people with dementia (PwD), occupational therapies and activities aiming at maintaining the quality of life of PwD, such as reminiscence therapy (RT), are taking on a more and more important role. Information and communication technology (ICT) has the potential to improve and to facilitate RT by facilitating access to and selection of biographical information and related contents or by providing novel multimodal interaction forms to trigger memories; however, interactive multimedia technology is barely used in practice. This article presents three exploratory field studies that evaluated different aspects of RT technology use for PwD in care homes, including the utilization of online movie databases, interactive surface touch computers as well as natural user interfaces allowing gestures and haptic interaction. In these studies, the usage of prototype systems was observed in occupational sessions by 5, 12 and 16 PwD. The results indicate positive effects of technology use, e. g. in the form of verbally elicited reminiscence statements, expressed joy and playful interaction. Lessons learned for the design of technology-based RT interventions are presented and discussed.

Learner Attention to Form in ACCESS Task-Based Interaction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dao, Phung; Iwashita, Noriko; Gatbonton, Elizabeth

2017-01-01

This study explored the potential effects of communicative tasks developed using a reformulation of a task-based language teaching called Automatization in Communicative Contexts of Essential Speech Sequences (ACCESS) that includes automatization of language elements as one of its goals on learner attention to form in task-based interaction. The…

Simulation of Smart Home Activity Datasets

PubMed Central

Synnott, Jonathan; Nugent, Chris; Jeffers, Paul

2015-01-01

A globally ageing population is resulting in an increased prevalence of chronic conditions which affect older adults. Such conditions require long-term care and management to maximize quality of life, placing an increasing strain on healthcare resources. Intelligent environments such as smart homes facilitate long-term monitoring of activities in the home through the use of sensor technology. Access to sensor datasets is necessary for the development of novel activity monitoring and recognition approaches. Access to such datasets is limited due to issues such as sensor cost, availability and deployment time. The use of simulated environments and sensors may address these issues and facilitate the generation of comprehensive datasets. This paper provides a review of existing approaches for the generation of simulated smart home activity datasets, including model-based approaches and interactive approaches which implement virtual sensors, environments and avatars. The paper also provides recommendation for future work in intelligent environment simulation. PMID:26087371

Dermatopathology education in the era of modern technology.

PubMed

Shahriari, Neda; Grant-Kels, Jane; Murphy, Michael J

2017-09-01

Continuing technological advances are inevitably impacting the study and practice of dermatopathology (DP). We are seeing the transition from glass slide microscopy to virtual microscopy, which is serving both as an accessible educational medium for medical students, residents and fellows in the form of online databases and atlases, as well as a research tool to better inform us regarding the development of visual diagnostic expertise. Expansion in mobile technology is simplifying slide image attainment and providing greater opportunities for phone- and tablet-based microscopy, including teledermatopathology instruction and consultation in resource-poor areas with lack of specialists. Easily accessible mobile and computer-based applications ("apps"), including myDermPath and Clearpath, are providing an interactive medium for DP instruction. The Internet and social networking sites are enabling rapid global communication of DP information and image-sharing, promoting collaborative diagnostic research and scholastic endeavors. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Interactive Inventory Monitoring

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Garud, Sumedha

2013-01-01

Method and system for monitoring present location and/or present status of a target inventory item, where the inventory items are located on one or more inventory shelves or other inventory receptacles that communicate with an inventory base station through use of responders such as RFIDs. A user operates a hand held interrogation and display (lAD) module that communicates with, or is part of the base station to provide an initial inquiry. lnformation on location(s) of the larget invenlory item is also indicated visibly and/or audibly on the receptacle(s) for the user. Status information includes an assessment of operation readiness and a time, if known, that the specified inventory item or class was last removed or examined or modified. Presentation of a user access level may be required for access to the target inventgory item. Another embodiment provides inventory informatin for a stack as a sight-impaired or hearing-impaired person adjacent to that stack.

Interactive inventory monitoring

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spremo, Stevan M. (Inventor); Udoh, Usen E. (Inventor)

2009-01-01

Method and system for monitoring present location and/or present status of a target inventory item, where the inventory items are located on one or more inventory shelves or other inventory receptacles that communicate with an inventory base station through use of responders such as RFIDs. A user operates a hand held interrogation and display (IAD) module that communicates with, or is part of, the base station, to provide an initial inquiry. Information on location(s) of the target inventory item is also indicated visibly and/or audibly on the receptacle(s) for the user. Status information includes an assessment of operation readiness and a time, if known, that the specified inventory item or class was last removed or examined or modified. Presentation of a user access level may be required for access to the target inventory item. Another embodiment provides inventory information for a stack as a sight-impaired or hearing-impaired person passes adjacent to that stack.

TCIApathfinder: an R client for The Cancer Imaging Archive REST API.

PubMed

Russell, Pamela; Fountain, Kelly; Wolverton, Dulcy; Ghosh, Debashis

2018-06-05

The Cancer Imaging Archive (TCIA) hosts publicly available de-identified medical images of cancer from over 25 body sites and over 30,000 patients. Over 400 published studies have utilized freely available TCIA images. Images and metadata are available for download through a web interface or a REST API. Here we present TCIApathfinder, an R client for the TCIA REST API. TCIApathfinder wraps API access in user-friendly R functions that can be called interactively within an R session or easily incorporated into scripts. Functions are provided to explore the contents of the large database and to download image files. TCIApathfinder provides easy access to TCIA resources in the highly popular R programming environment. TCIApathfinder is freely available under the MIT license as a package on CRAN (https://cran.r-project.org/web/packages/TCIApathfinder/index.html) and at https://github.com/pamelarussell/TCIApathfinder. Copyright ©2018, American Association for Cancer Research.

MIPS: a database for protein sequences and complete genomes.

PubMed Central

Mewes, H W; Hani, J; Pfeiffer, F; Frishman, D

1998-01-01

The MIPS group [Munich Information Center for Protein Sequences of the German National Center for Environment and Health (GSF)] at the Max-Planck-Institute for Biochemistry, Martinsried near Munich, Germany, is involved in a number of data collection activities, including a comprehensive database of the yeast genome, a database reflecting the progress in sequencing the Arabidopsis thaliana genome, the systematic analysis of other small genomes and the collection of protein sequence data within the framework of the PIR-International Protein Sequence Database (described elsewhere in this volume). Through its WWW server (http://www.mips.biochem.mpg.de ) MIPS provides access to a variety of generic databases, including a database of protein families as well as automatically generated data by the systematic application of sequence analysis algorithms. The yeast genome sequence and its related information was also compiled on CD-ROM to provide dynamic interactive access to the 16 chromosomes of the first eukaryotic genome unraveled. PMID:9399795

Design document for the MOODS Data Management System (MDMS), version 1.0

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1994-01-01

The MOODS Data Management System (MDMS) provides access to the Master Oceanographic Observation Data Set (MOODS) which is maintained by the Naval Oceanographic Office (NAVOCEANO). The MDMS incorporates database technology in providing seamless access to parameter (temperature, salinity, soundspeed) vs. depth observational profile data. The MDMS is an interactive software application with a graphical user interface (GUI) that supports user control of MDMS functional capabilities. The purpose of this document is to define and describe the structural framework and logical design of the software components/units which are integrated into the major computer software configuration item (CSCI) identified as MDMS, Version 1.0. The preliminary design is based on functional specifications and requirements identified in the governing Statement of Work prepared by the Naval Oceanographic Office (NAVOCEANO) and distributed as a request for proposal by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

Simulation of Smart Home Activity Datasets.

PubMed

Synnott, Jonathan; Nugent, Chris; Jeffers, Paul

2015-06-16

A globally ageing population is resulting in an increased prevalence of chronic conditions which affect older adults. Such conditions require long-term care and management to maximize quality of life, placing an increasing strain on healthcare resources. Intelligent environments such as smart homes facilitate long-term monitoring of activities in the home through the use of sensor technology. Access to sensor datasets is necessary for the development of novel activity monitoring and recognition approaches. Access to such datasets is limited due to issues such as sensor cost, availability and deployment time. The use of simulated environments and sensors may address these issues and facilitate the generation of comprehensive datasets. This paper provides a review of existing approaches for the generation of simulated smart home activity datasets, including model-based approaches and interactive approaches which implement virtual sensors, environments and avatars. The paper also provides recommendation for future work in intelligent environment simulation.

Design document for the Surface Currents Data Base (SCDB) Management System (SCDBMS), version 1.0

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Krisnnamagaru, Ramesh; Cesario, Cheryl; Foster, M. S.; Das, Vishnumohan

1994-01-01

The Surface Currents Database Management System (SCDBMS) provides access to the Surface Currents Data Base (SCDB) which is maintained by the Naval Oceanographic Office (NAVOCEANO). The SCDBMS incorporates database technology in providing seamless access to surface current data. The SCDBMS is an interactive software application with a graphical user interface (GUI) that supports user control of SCDBMS functional capabilities. The purpose of this document is to define and describe the structural framework and logistical design of the software components/units which are integrated into the major computer software configuration item (CSCI) identified as the SCDBMS, Version 1.0. The preliminary design is based on functional specifications and requirements identified in the governing Statement of Work prepared by the Naval Oceanographic Office (NAVOCEANO) and distributed as a request for proposal by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

Program For Engineering Electrical Connections

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Billitti, Joseph W.

1990-01-01

DFACS is interactive multiuser computer-aided-engineering software tool for system-level electrical integration and cabling engineering. Purpose of program to provide engineering community with centralized data base for putting in and gaining access to data on functional definition of system, details of end-circuit pinouts in systems and subsystems, and data on wiring harnesses. Objective, to provide instantaneous single point of interchange of information, thus avoiding error-prone, time-consuming, and costly shuttling of data along multiple paths. Designed to operate on DEC VAX mini or micro computer using Version 5.0/03 of INGRES.

Reducing the distance: providing challenging and engaging online postgraduate education in pain management.

PubMed

Devonshire, Elizabeth; Henderson, Sarah E

2012-05-01

1. Health professionals need access to flexible, high-quality, advanced education in pain management. 2. There are multiple pedagogical distances to be negotiated in the delivery of effective postgraduate education. 3. A critical consideration in the design and delivery of effective online learning for postgraduate education in pain management is how to: actively engage students in the learning process; and encourage students to become lifelong learners. 4. Conceptual frameworks for encouraging student interaction online provide a useful tool in the design of postgraduate online learning activities.

Biopython: freely available Python tools for computational molecular biology and bioinformatics.

PubMed

Cock, Peter J A; Antao, Tiago; Chang, Jeffrey T; Chapman, Brad A; Cox, Cymon J; Dalke, Andrew; Friedberg, Iddo; Hamelryck, Thomas; Kauff, Frank; Wilczynski, Bartek; de Hoon, Michiel J L

2009-06-01

The Biopython project is a mature open source international collaboration of volunteer developers, providing Python libraries for a wide range of bioinformatics problems. Biopython includes modules for reading and writing different sequence file formats and multiple sequence alignments, dealing with 3D macro molecular structures, interacting with common tools such as BLAST, ClustalW and EMBOSS, accessing key online databases, as well as providing numerical methods for statistical learning. Biopython is freely available, with documentation and source code at (www.biopython.org) under the Biopython license.

College students' preferences for health care providers when accessing sexual health resources.

PubMed

Garcia, Carolyn M; Lechner, Kate E; Frerich, Ellen A; Lust, Katherine A; Eisenberg, Marla E

2014-01-01

Many emerging adults (18-25 year olds) report unmet health needs and disproportionately experience problems such as sexually transmitted infections. This study was conducted to examine college students' perceptions of health care providers, specifically in the context of accessing sexual health resources. Students (N = 52) were recruited from five diverse colleges in one state to participate in a one-to-one interview that involved walking and virtually exploring resources on and near campus. Interviews were conducted from May to November 2010. Open-ended one-to-one interview questions. Inductive qualitative analysis yielded six themes summarizing students' perceptions of provider characteristics, health care resources, the role of their peers, and students' suggestions for strengthening health care services. Importantly, students consider a variety of staff-and their student peers-to be resources for sexual health information and services. Findings emphasize the importance of collaboration between health service staff and broader campus staff because students often turn to campus staff initially. Postsecondary students welcome opportunities to know a provider through interactive websites that include details about providers on campus; their decisions to seek sexual health care services are influenced by their perceptions of providers' characteristics and interpersonal skills. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Prospective evaluation of remote, interactive videoconferencing to enhance urology resident education: the genitourinary teleteaching initiative.

PubMed

Cook, Anthony; Salle, Joao L Pippi; Reid, Joanne; Chow, Karen Fontana; Kuan, James; Razvi, Hassan; Farhat, Walid A; Bagli, Darius J; Khoury, Antoine E

2005-11-01

Changes in referral patterns and resource allocation into Centers of Excellence affect the educational experience of urology trainees by altering resident exposure to patients and clinicians, especially at sites where subspecialty deficiencies exist. Access to educators at Centers of Excellence using interactive videoconferencing technology may facilitate residency training objectives and enhance trainees' overall educational experience. We prospectively evaluated the implementation of this technology at tertiary care teaching centers to enhance urology resident education. Using videoconferencing technology, urology residents at the University of Western Ontario (London, Canada) participated in a series of didactic, interactive pediatric urology teleteaching seminars. These were presented by an expert pediatric urologist from the Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada. Using a 5-point Likert scale (1-strongly disagree, 5-strongly agree), participants responded to statements pertaining to seminar content, technology and ease of use at the completion of each session. The results were subsequently tabulated and evaluated to determine the effectiveness and accessibility of the program in providing expert pediatric urological education to residents at a remote urology training program. The entire urology resident staff from postgraduate year 1 to 5 participated in the seminar program. The overall acceptance of this medium was high (mean score 4.5). The quality of presentation, as well as picture and sound quality, all received mean scores greater than 4. Participants indicated that their ability to interact with the presenter was not inhibited by using this medium. All participants agreed that they would use this technology in the future (mean score 4.5) and that the presentation would not be improved if the presenter were on-site. Due to preexisting technology at both centers, no direct cost was incurred throughout the study. Our experience suggests that interactive teleteaching using readily available, existing technology, is a cost-effective and accepted method of providing trainees with an appropriate educational experience. In centers where subspecialty deficiencies exist, this medium may provide residents with the necessary education requirements of their respective programs without the need for costly teacher (or student) travel. Continual improvements in technology as well as the addition of multiple sites will increased this medium's impact in the future.

MOSAIC: a chemical-genetic interaction data repository and web resource for exploring chemical modes of action.

PubMed

Nelson, Justin; Simpkins, Scott W; Safizadeh, Hamid; Li, Sheena C; Piotrowski, Jeff S; Hirano, Hiroyuki; Yashiroda, Yoko; Osada, Hiroyuki; Yoshida, Minoru; Boone, Charles; Myers, Chad L

2018-04-01

Chemical-genomic approaches that map interactions between small molecules and genetic perturbations offer a promising strategy for functional annotation of uncharacterized bioactive compounds. We recently developed a new high-throughput platform for mapping chemical-genetic (CG) interactions in yeast that can be scaled to screen large compound collections, and we applied this system to generate CG interaction profiles for more than 13 000 compounds. When integrated with the existing global yeast genetic interaction network, CG interaction profiles can enable mode-of-action prediction for previously uncharacterized compounds as well as discover unexpected secondary effects for known drugs. To facilitate future analysis of these valuable data, we developed a public database and web interface named MOSAIC. The website provides a convenient interface for querying compounds, bioprocesses (Gene Ontology terms) and genes for CG information including direct CG interactions, bioprocesses and gene-level target predictions. MOSAIC also provides access to chemical structure information of screened molecules, chemical-genomic profiles and the ability to search for compounds sharing structural and functional similarity. This resource will be of interest to chemical biologists for discovering new small molecule probes with specific modes-of-action as well as computational biologists interested in analysing CG interaction networks. MOSAIC is available at http://mosaic.cs.umn.edu. hisyo@riken.jp, yoshidam@riken.jp, charlie.boone@utoronto.ca or chadm@umn.edu. Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

Contextual Compression of Large-Scale Wind Turbine Array Simulations: Preprint

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

Gruchalla, Kenny M; Brunhart-Lupo, Nicholas J; Potter, Kristin C

Data sizes are becoming a critical issue particularly for HPC applications. We have developed a user-driven lossy wavelet-based storage model to facilitate the analysis and visualization of large-scale wind turbine array simulations. The model stores data as heterogeneous blocks of wavelet coefficients, providing high-fidelity access to user-defined data regions believed the most salient, while providing lower-fidelity access to less salient regions on a block-by-block basis. In practice, by retaining the wavelet coefficients as a function of feature saliency, we have seen data reductions in excess of 94 percent, while retaining lossless information in the turbine-wake regions most critical to analysismore » and providing enough (low-fidelity) contextual information in the upper atmosphere to track incoming coherent turbulent structures. Our contextual wavelet compression approach has allowed us to deliver interactive visual analysis while providing the user control over where data loss, and thus reduction in accuracy, in the analysis occurs. We argue this reduced but contexualized representation is a valid approach and encourages contextual data management.« less

The Role of NOAA's National Data Centers in the Earth and Space Science Infrastructure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fox, C. G.

2008-12-01

NOAA's National Data Centers (NNDC) provide access to long-term archives of environmental data from NOAA and other sources. The NNDCs face significant challenges in the volume and complexity of modern data sets. Data volume challenges are being addressed using more capable data archive systems such as the Comprehensive Large Array-Data Stewardship System (CLASS). Challenges in assuring data quality and stewardship are in many ways more challenging. In the past, scientists at the Data Centers could provide reasonable stewardship of data sets in their area of expertise. As staff levels have decreased and data complexity has increased, Data Centers depend on their data providers and user communities to provide high-quality metadata, feedback on data problems and improvements. This relationship requires strong partnerships between the NNDCs and academic, commercial, and international partners, as well as advanced data management and access tools that conform to established international standards when available. The NNDCs are looking to geospatial databases, interactive mapping, web services, and other Application Program Interface approaches to help preserve NNDC data and information and to make it easily available to the scientific community.

Using NASA's Giovanni Web Portal to Access and Visualize Satellite-based Earth Science Data in the Classroom

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lloyd, Steven; Acker, James G.; Prados, Ana I.; Leptoukh, Gregory G.

2008-01-01

One of the biggest obstacles for the average Earth science student today is locating and obtaining satellite-based remote sensing data sets in a format that is accessible and optimal for their data analysis needs. At the Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center (GES-DISC) alone, on the order of hundreds of Terabytes of data are available for distribution to scientists, students and the general public. The single biggest and time-consuming hurdle for most students when they begin their study of the various datasets is how to slog through this mountain of data to arrive at a properly sub-setted and manageable data set to answer their science question(s). The GES DISC provides a number of tools for data access and visualization, including the Google-like Mirador search engine and the powerful GES-DISC Interactive Online Visualization ANd aNalysis Infrastructure (Giovanni) web interface.

Collaborative Information Technologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meyer, William; Casper, Thomas

1999-11-01

Significant effort has been expended to provide infrastructure and to facilitate the remote collaborations within the fusion community and out. Through the Office of Fusion Energy Science Information Technology Initiative, communication technologies utilized by the fusion community are being improved. The initial thrust of the initiative has been collaborative seminars and meetings. Under the initiative 23 sites, both laboratory and university, were provided with hardware required to remotely view, or project, documents being presented. The hardware is capable of delivering documents to a web browser, or to compatible hardware, over ESNET in an access controlled manner. The ability also exists for documents to originate from virtually any of the collaborating sites. In addition, RealNetwork servers are being tested to provide audio and/or video, in a non-interactive environment with MBONE providing two-way interaction where needed. Additional effort is directed at remote distributed computing, file systems, security, and standard data storage and retrieval methods. This work supported by DoE contract No. W-7405-ENG-48

Interactive, Automated Management of Icing Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Levinson, Laurie H.

2009-01-01

IceVal DatAssistant is software (see figure) that provides an automated, interactive solution for the management of data from research on aircraft icing. This software consists primarily of (1) a relational database component used to store ice shape and airfoil coordinates and associated data on operational and environmental test conditions and (2) a graphically oriented database access utility, used to upload, download, process, and/or display data selected by the user. The relational database component consists of a Microsoft Access 2003 database file with nine tables containing data of different types. Included in the database are the data for all publicly releasable ice tracings with complete and verifiable test conditions from experiments conducted to date in the Glenn Research Center Icing Research Tunnel. Ice shapes from computational simulations with the correspond ing conditions performed utilizing the latest version of the LEWICE ice shape prediction code are likewise included, and are linked to the equivalent experimental runs. The database access component includes ten Microsoft Visual Basic 6.0 (VB) form modules and three VB support modules. Together, these modules enable uploading, downloading, processing, and display of all data contained in the database. This component also affords the capability to perform various database maintenance functions for example, compacting the database or creating a new, fully initialized but empty database file.

Experiment Software and Projects on the Web with VISPA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Erdmann, M.; Fischer, B.; Fischer, R.; Geiser, E.; Glaser, C.; Müller, G.; Rieger, M.; Urban, M.; von Cube, R. F.; Welling, C.

2017-10-01

The Visual Physics Analysis (VISPA) project defines a toolbox for accessing software via the web. It is based on latest web technologies and provides a powerful extension mechanism that enables to interface a wide range of applications. Beyond basic applications such as a code editor, a file browser, or a terminal, it meets the demands of sophisticated experiment-specific use cases that focus on physics data analyses and typically require a high degree of interactivity. As an example, we developed a data inspector that is capable of browsing interactively through event content of several data formats, e.g., MiniAOD which is utilized by the CMS collaboration. The VISPA extension mechanism can also be used to embed external web-based applications that benefit from dynamic allocation of user-defined computing resources via SSH. For example, by wrapping the JSROOT project, ROOT files located on any remote machine can be inspected directly through a VISPA server instance. We introduced domains that combine groups of users and role-based permissions. Thereby, tailored projects are enabled, e.g. for teaching where access to student’s homework is restricted to a team of tutors, or for experiment-specific data that may only be accessible for members of the collaboration. We present the extension mechanism including corresponding applications and give an outlook onto the new permission system.

Analysis of Interactive Conflict Resolution Tool Usage in a Mixed Equipage Environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Homola, Jeffrey; Morey, Susan; Cabrall, Christopher; Martin, Lynne; Mercer, Joey; Prevot, Thomas

2013-01-01

A human-in-the-loop simulation was conducted that examined separation assurance concepts in varying levels of traffic density with mixtures of aircraft equipage and automation. This paper's analysis focuses on one of the experimental conditions in which traffic levels were approximately fifty percent higher than today, and approximately fifty percent of the traffic within the test area were equipped with data communications (data comm) capabilities. The other fifty percent of the aircraft required control by voice much like today. Within this environment, the air traffic controller participants were provided access to tools and automation designed to support the primary task of separation assurance that are currently unavailable. Two tools were selected for analysis in this paper: 1) a pre-probed altitude fly-out menu that provided instant feedback of conflict probe results for a range of altitudes, and 2) an interactive auto resolver that provided on-demand access to an automation-generated conflict resolution trajectory. Although encouraged, use of the support tools was not required; the participants were free to use the tools as they saw fit, and they were also free to accept, reject, or modify the resolutions offered by the automation. This mode of interaction provided a unique opportunity to examine exactly when and how these tools were used, as well as how acceptable the resolutions were. Results showed that the participants used the pre-probed altitude fly-out menu in 14% of conflict cases and preferred to use it in a strategic timeframe on data comm equipped and level flight aircraft. The interactive auto resolver was also used in a primarily strategic timeframe on 22% of conflicts and that their preference was to use it on conflicts involving data comm equipped aircraft as well. Of the 258 resolutions displayed, 46% were implemented and 54% were not. The auto resolver was rated highly by participants in terms of confidence and preference. Factors such as aircraft equipage, ownership, and location of predicted separation loss appeared to play a role in the decision of controllers to accept or reject the auto resolver's resolutions.

Seeing with the nano-eye: accessing structure, function, and dynamics of matter on its natural length and time scales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raschke, Markus

2015-03-01

To understand and ultimately control the properties of most functional materials, from molecular soft-matter to quantum materials, requires access to the structure, coupling, and dynamics on the elementary time and length scales that define the microscopic interactions in these materials. To gain the desired nanometer spatial resolution with simultaneous spectroscopic specificity we combine scanning probe microscopy with different optical, including coherent, nonlinear, and ultrafast spectroscopies. The underlying near-field interaction mediated by the atomic-force or scanning tunneling microscope tip provides the desired deep-sub wavelength nano-focusing enabling few-nm spatial resolution. I will introduce our generalization of the approach in terms of the near-field impedance matching to a quantum system based on special optical antenna-tip designs. The resulting enhanced and qualitatively new forms of light-matter interaction enable measurements of quantum dynamics in an interacting environment or to image the electromagnetic local density of states of thermal radiation. Other applications include the inter-molecular coupling and dynamics in soft-matter hetero-structures, surface plasmon interferometry as a probe of electronic structure and dynamics in graphene, and quantum phase transitions in correlated electron materials. These examples highlight the general applicability of the new near-field microscopy approach, complementing emergent X-ray and electron imaging tools, aiming towards the ultimate goal of probing matter on its most elementary spatio-temporal level.

Field observations into the environmental soul: spatial configuration and social life for people experiencing dementia.

PubMed

Ferdous, Farhana; Moore, Keith Diaz

2015-03-01

This article focuses on the important, facilitating role architectural design plays in social interaction within long-term care facilities (LTCFs) serving people with dementia. Here, we apply space syntax, a set of theories and techniques for the analysis of spatial configurations, as an objective measure of environmental characteristics. Almost 150 rounds of behavioral observations were collected in the social spaces of 3 LTCFs. Using the visibility and proximity metrics of space syntax, the locations of occurrence of various social activities in relation to the furniture and spatial layout on architectural floor plans have been identified. The results did not confirm the space syntax hypothesis that spaces with greater visibility and proximity promote more social interaction. Further analysis revealed that when in settings with better visibility and accessibility, the residents were more likely to engage in low levels of interaction. High-level social interactions actually were more likely to occur in settings providing greater privacy (eg, less visibility and accessibility). The findings suggest an important nuance that architectural configuration factors impact not only the likelihood but also the type of conversations likely to occur in certain locations. This would have implications for both design and staff training on how best to utilize social spaces for therapeutic effect, particularly within the context of person-centered care. © The Author(s) 2014.

Phenomenology of ELDER dark matter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuflik, Eric; Perelstein, Maxim; Lorier, Nicolas Rey-Le; Tsai, Yu-Dai

2017-08-01

We explore the phenomenology of Elastically Decoupling Relic (ELDER) dark matter. ELDER is a thermal relic whose present density is determined primarily by the cross-section of its elastic scattering off Standard Model (SM) particles. Assuming that this scattering is mediated by a kinetically mixed dark photon, we argue that the ELDER scenario makes robust predictions for electron-recoil direct-detection experiments, as well as for dark photon searches. These predictions are independent of the details of interactions within the dark sector. Together with the closely related Strongly-Interacting Massive Particle (SIMP) scenario, the ELDER predictions provide a physically motivated, well-defined target region, which will be almost entirely accessible to the next generation of searches for sub-GeV dark matter and dark photons. We provide useful analytic approximations for various quantities of interest in the ELDER scenario, and discuss two simple renormalizable toy models which incorporate the required strong number-changing interactions among the ELDERs, as well as explicitly implement the coupling to electrons via the dark photon portal.

What Are the Usage Conditions of Web 2.0 Tools Faculty of Education Students?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Agir, Ahmet

2014-01-01

As a result of advances in technology and then the emergence of using Internet in every step of life, web that provides access to the documents such as picture, audio, animation and text in Internet started to be used. At first, web consists of only visual and text pages that couldn't enable to make user's interaction. However, it is seen that not…

The Man computer Interactive Data Access System: 25 Years of Interactive Processing.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lazzara, Matthew A.; Benson, John M.; Fox, Robert J.; Laitsch, Denise J.; Rueden, Joseph P.; Santek, David A.; Wade, Delores M.; Whittaker, Thomas M.; Young, J. T.

1999-02-01

On 12 October 1998, it was the 25th anniversary of the Man computer Interactive Data Access System (McIDAS). On that date in 1973, McIDAS was first used operationally by scientists as a tool for data analysis. Over the last 25 years, McIDAS has undergone numerous architectural changes in an effort to keep pace with changing technology. In its early years, significant technological breakthroughs were required to achieve the functionality needed by atmospheric scientists. Today McIDAS is challenged by new Internet-based approaches to data access and data display. The history and impact of McIDAS, along with some of the lessons learned, are presented here

Primary health care service delivery networks for the prevention and management of type 2 diabetes: using social network methods to describe interorganisational collaboration in a rural setting.

PubMed

McDonald, Julie; Jayasuriya, Rohan; Harris, Mark Fort

2011-01-01

Adults with type 2 diabetes or with behavioural risk factors require comprehensive and well coordinated responses from a range of health care providers who often work in different organisational settings. This study examines three types of collaborative links between organisations involved in a rural setting. Social network methods were employed using survey data on three types of links, and data was collected from a purposive sample of 17 organisations representing the major provider types. The analysis included a mix of unconfirmed and confirmed links, and network measures. General practices were the most influential provider group in initiating referrals, and they referred to the broadest range of organisations in the network. Team care arrangements formed a small part of the general practice referral network. They were used more for access to private sector allied health care providers and less for sharing care with public sector health services. Involvement in joint programs/activities was limited to public and non-government sector services, with no participation from the private sector. The patterns of interactions suggest that informal referral networks provide access to services and coordination of care for individual patients with diabetes. Two population subgroups would benefit from more proactive approaches to ensure equitable access to services and coordination of care across organisational boundaries: people with more complex health care needs and people at risk of developing diabetes.

Open Source Tools for Seismicity Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Powers, P.

2010-12-01

The spatio-temporal analysis of seismicity plays an important role in earthquake forecasting and is integral to research on earthquake interactions and triggering. For instance, the third version of the Uniform California Earthquake Rupture Forecast (UCERF), currently under development, will use Epidemic Type Aftershock Sequences (ETAS) as a model for earthquake triggering. UCERF will be a "living" model and therefore requires robust, tested, and well-documented ETAS algorithms to ensure transparency and reproducibility. Likewise, as earthquake aftershock sequences unfold, real-time access to high quality hypocenter data makes it possible to monitor the temporal variability of statistical properties such as the parameters of the Omori Law and the Gutenberg Richter b-value. Such statistical properties are valuable as they provide a measure of how much a particular sequence deviates from expected behavior and can be used when assigning probabilities of aftershock occurrence. To address these demands and provide public access to standard methods employed in statistical seismology, we present well-documented, open-source JavaScript and Java software libraries for the on- and off-line analysis of seismicity. The Javascript classes facilitate web-based asynchronous access to earthquake catalog data and provide a framework for in-browser display, analysis, and manipulation of catalog statistics; implementations of this framework will be made available on the USGS Earthquake Hazards website. The Java classes, in addition to providing tools for seismicity analysis, provide tools for modeling seismicity and generating synthetic catalogs. These tools are extensible and will be released as part of the open-source OpenSHA Commons library.

Characterization of Brachypodium distachyon as a nonhost model against switchgrass rust pathogen Puccinia emaculata.

PubMed

Gill, Upinder S; Uppalapati, Srinivasa R; Nakashima, Jin; Mysore, Kirankumar S

2015-05-08

Switchgrass rust, caused by Puccinia emaculata, is an important disease of switchgrass, a potential biofuel crop in the United States. In severe cases, switchgrass rust has the potential to significantly affect biomass yield. In an effort to identify novel sources of resistance against switchgrass rust, we explored nonhost resistance against P. emaculata by characterizing its interactions with six monocot nonhost plant species. We also studied the genetic variations for resistance among Brachypodium inbred accessions and the involvement of various defense pathways in nonhost resistance of Brachypodium. We characterized P. emaculata interactions with six monocot nonhost species and identified Brachypodium distachyon (Bd21) as a suitable nonhost model to study switchgrass rust. Interestingly, screening of Brachypodium accessions identified natural variations in resistance to switchgrass rust. Brachypodium inbred accessions Bd3-1 and Bd30-1 were identified as most and least resistant to switchgrass rust, respectively, when compared to tested accessions. Transcript profiling of defense-related genes indicated that the genes which were induced in Bd21after P. emaculata inoculation also had higher basal transcript abundance in Bd3-1 when compared to Bd30-1 and Bd21 indicating their potential involvement in nonhost resistance against switchgrass rust. In the present study, we identified Brachypodium as a suitable nonhost model to study switchgrass rust which exhibit type I nonhost resistance. Variations in resistance response were also observed among tested Brachypodium accessions. Brachypodium nonhost resistance against P. emaculata may involve various defense pathways as indicated by transcript profiling of defense related genes. Overall, this study provides a new avenue to utilize novel sources of nonhost resistance in Brachypodium against switchgrass rust.

Mars Trek: An Interactive Web Portal for Current and Future Missions to Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Law, E.; Day, B.

2017-01-01

NASA's Mars Trek (https://marstrek.jpl.nasa.gov) provides a web-based Portal and a suite of interactive visualization and analysis tools to enable mission planners, lunar scientists, and engineers to access mapped data products from past and current missions to Mars. During the past year, the capabilities and data served by Mars Trek have been significantly expanded beyond its original design as a public outreach tool. At the request of NASA's Science Mission Directorate and Human Exploration Operations Mission Directorate, Mars Trek's technology and capabilities are now being extended to support site selection and analysis activities for the first human missions to Mars.

Mars Trek: An Interactive Web Portal for Current and Future Missions to Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Law, E.; Day, B.

2017-09-01

NASA's Mars Trek (https://marstrek.jpl.nasa.gov) provides a web-based Portal and a suite of interactive visualization and analysis tools to enable mission planners, lunar scientists, and engineers to access mapped data products from past and current missions to Mars. During the past year, the capabilities and data served by Mars Trek have been significantly expanded beyond its original design as a public outreach tool. At the request of NASA's Science Mission Directorate and Human Exploration Operations Mission Directorate, Mars Trek's technology and capabilities are now being extended to support site selection and analysis activities for the first human missions to Mars.

Remote access to medical specialists: home care interactive patient management system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martin, Peter J.; Draghic, Nicole; Wiesmann, William P.

1999-07-01

Diabetes management involves constant care and rigorous compliance. Glucose control is often difficult to maintain and onset of complications further compound health care needs. Status can be further hampered by geographic isolation from immediate medical infrastructures. The Home Care Interactive Patient Management System is an experimental telemedicine program that could improve chronic illness management through Internet-based applications. The goal of the system is to provide a customized, integrated approach to diabetes management to supplement and coordinate physician protocol while supporting routine patient activity, by supplying a set of customized automated services including health data collection, transmission, analysis and decision support.

Learning through Multimedia: Speech Recognition Enhancing Accessibility and Interaction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wald, Mike

2008-01-01

Lectures can present barriers to learning for many students and although online multimedia materials have become technically easier to create and offer many benefits for learning and teaching, they can be difficult to access, manage, and exploit. This article considers how research on interacting with multimedia can inform developments in using…

Understanding and Creating Accessible Touch Screen Interactions for Blind People

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kane, Shaun K.

2011-01-01

Using touch screens presents a number of usability and accessibility challenges for blind people. Most touch screen-based user interfaces are optimized for visual interaction, and are therefore difficult or impossible to use without vision. This dissertation presents an approach to redesigning gesture-based user interfaces to enable blind people…

Interaction Management Strategies on IRC and Virtual Chat Rooms.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Altun, Arif

Internet Relay Chat (IRC) is an electronic medium that combines orthographic form with real time, synchronous transmission in an unregulated global multi-user environment. The orthographic letters mediate the interaction in that users can only access the IRC session through reading and writing; they have no access to any visual representations at…

Children, Technology, and Instruction: A Case Study of Elementary School Children Using an Online Public Access Catalog (OPAC).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Solomon, Paul

1994-01-01

Examines elementary school students' use of an online public access catalog to investigate the interaction between children, technology, curriculum, instruction, and learning. Highlights include patterns of successes and breakdowns; search strategies; instructional approaches and childrens' interests; structure of interaction; search terms; and…

Development of SRS.php, a Simple Object Access Protocol-based library for data acquisition from integrated biological databases.

PubMed

Barbosa-Silva, A; Pafilis, E; Ortega, J M; Schneider, R

2007-12-11

Data integration has become an important task for biological database providers. The current model for data exchange among different sources simplifies the manner that distinct information is accessed by users. The evolution of data representation from HTML to XML enabled programs, instead of humans, to interact with biological databases. We present here SRS.php, a PHP library that can interact with the data integration Sequence Retrieval System (SRS). The library has been written using SOAP definitions, and permits the programmatic communication through webservices with the SRS. The interactions are possible by invoking the methods described in WSDL by exchanging XML messages. The current functions available in the library have been built to access specific data stored in any of the 90 different databases (such as UNIPROT, KEGG and GO) using the same query syntax format. The inclusion of the described functions in the source of scripts written in PHP enables them as webservice clients to the SRS server. The functions permit one to query the whole content of any SRS database, to list specific records in these databases, to get specific fields from the records, and to link any record among any pair of linked databases. The case study presented exemplifies the library usage to retrieve information regarding registries of a Plant Defense Mechanisms database. The Plant Defense Mechanisms database is currently being developed, and the proposal of SRS.php library usage is to enable the data acquisition for the further warehousing tasks related to its setup and maintenance.

Consumer trust in the Australian food system - The everyday erosive impact of food labelling.

PubMed

Tonkin, Emma; Webb, Trevor; Coveney, John; Meyer, Samantha B; Wilson, Annabelle M

2016-08-01

Consumer trust in food system actors is foundational for ensuring consumer confidence in food safety. As food labelling is a direct communication between consumers and food system actors, it may influence consumer perceptions of actor trustworthiness. This study explores the judgements formed about the trustworthiness of the food system and its actors through labelling, and the expectations these judgements are based on. In-depth, semi-structured interviews with 24 Australian consumers were conducted. Theoretical sampling focussed on shopping location, dietary requirements, rurality, gender, age and educational background. The methodological approach used (adaptive theory) enabled emerging data to be examined through the lens of a set of guiding theoretical concepts, and theory reconsidered in light of emerging data. Food labelling acted as a surrogate for personal interaction with industry and government for participants. Judgements about the trustworthiness of these actors and the broader food system were formed through interaction with food labelling and were based on expectations of both competence and goodwill. Interaction with labelling primarily reduced trust in actors within the food system, undermining trust in the system as a whole. Labelling has a role as an access point to the food system. Access points are points of vulnerability for systems, where trust can be developed, reinforced or broken down. For the participants in this study, in general labelling demonstrates food system actors lack goodwill and violate their fiduciary responsibility. This paper provides crucial insights for industry and policy actors to use this access point to build, rather than undermine, trust in food systems. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Factors in Patient Empowerment: A Survey of an Online Patient Research Network.

PubMed

Chiauzzi, Emil; DasMahapatra, Pronabesh; Cochin, Elisenda; Bunce, Mikele; Khoury, Raya; Dave, Purav

2016-12-01

Providers and healthcare organizations have begun recognizing the importance of patient empowerment as a driver of patient-centered care. Unfortunately, most studies have investigated empowerment with single diseases. Identifying factors of empowerment across conditions and populations would enable a greater understanding of this construct. The purpose of this study was to understand empowerment in relation to health information-seeking, interactions with providers and peers, and healthcare access in chronic disease patients. This study also sought to identify key empowerment factors and their association with patient characteristics. Participants were recruited through PatientsLikeMe, an online research platform where patients share their personal and medical history data. Patients completed an online survey that assessed self-reported health behavior (e.g. knowledge-seeking, experiences with healthcare providers, and peer interactions) and healthcare access. An exploratory factor analysis identified key empowerment domains. Domain level sum scores and sum of all domains (total score) were compared across patient characteristics and diseases. Overall, 3988 participants were included in the study, with the majority actively involved in their healthcare, but many cited difficulties with matching their treatment goals with those of their physician (34 %) and spending sufficient time with the physician (36 %). Factor analysis identified two domains-Positive Patient-Provider Interaction, and Knowledge and Personal Control-that explained >60 % of the overall variance in the observed variables. Mean total empowerment scores for patients with a primary complaint of Parkinson's disease (61.8) and multiple sclerosis (60.3) were significantly greater than fibromyalgia (55.3) and chronic fatigue syndrome (54.8). Patients who were older, male, more educated, and insured also reported significantly greater levels of empowerment. The two domains of empowerment identified in this study are consistent with previous studies, but the differences in empowerment levels across diseases suggest a need for further studies on disease-related attributes of empowerment. Future research should examine the pathways for empowerment, as well as the relationship between empowerment domains and clinical outcomes.

Does food store access modify associations between intrapersonal factors and fruit and vegetable consumption?

PubMed

Thornton, L E; Lamb, K E; Tseng, M; Crawford, D A; Ball, K

2015-08-01

Existing theoretical frameworks suggest that healthy eating is facilitated by an individual's ability, motivation and environmental opportunities. It is plausible, although largely untested, that the importance of factors related to ability and motivation differ under varied environmental conditions. This study aimed to determine whether the magnitude of associations between fruit and vegetable consumption and intrapersonal factors (ability and motivation) were modified by differences in access to stores selling these items (environmental opportunities). Cross-sectional analysis of 4335 women from socioeconomically disadvantaged neighbourhoods in the state of Victoria, Australia. Self-reported fruit and vegetable consumption was assessed against a number of ability- and motivation-related factors. To examine whether associations were modified by store access, interactions with access to supermarkets and greengrocers within 2 km of participants' households were tested. Of the two factors related to ability and seven factors related to motivation, almost all were associated with fruit and vegetable consumption. In general, associations were not modified by store access suggesting that these factors were not tempered by environmental opportunities. This study provides little support for the hypothesis that the importance of intra-personal factors to fruit and vegetable consumption is modified by food store access. Further research on this topic is required to inform behaviour change interventions.

National Geothermal Data System: Open Access to Geoscience Data, Maps, and Documents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caudill, C. M.; Richard, S. M.; Musil, L.; Sonnenschein, A.; Good, J.

2014-12-01

The U.S. National Geothermal Data System (NGDS) provides free open access to millions of geoscience data records, publications, maps, and reports via distributed web services to propel geothermal research, development, and production. NGDS is built on the US Geoscience Information Network (USGIN) data integration framework, which is a joint undertaking of the USGS and the Association of American State Geologists (AASG), and is compliant with international standards and protocols. NGDS currently serves geoscience information from 60+ data providers in all 50 states. Free and open source software is used in this federated system where data owners maintain control of their data. This interactive online system makes geoscience data easily discoverable, accessible, and interoperable at no cost to users. The dynamic project site http://geothermaldata.org serves as the information source and gateway to the system, allowing data and applications discovery and availability of the system's data feed. It also provides access to NGDS specifications and the free and open source code base (on GitHub), a map-centric and library style search interface, other software applications utilizing NGDS services, NGDS tutorials (via YouTube and USGIN site), and user-created tools and scripts. The user-friendly map-centric web-based application has been created to support finding, visualizing, mapping, and acquisition of data based on topic, location, time, provider, or key words. Geographic datasets visualized through the map interface also allow users to inspect the details of individual GIS data points (e.g. wells, geologic units, etc.). In addition, the interface provides the information necessary for users to access the GIS data from third party software applications such as GoogleEarth, UDig, and ArcGIS. A redistributable, free and open source software package called GINstack (USGIN software stack) was also created to give data providers a simple way to release data using interoperable and shareable standards, upload data and documents, and expose those data as a node in the NGDS or any larger data system through a CSW endpoint. The easy-to-use interface is supported by back-end software including Postgres, GeoServer, and custom CKAN extensions among others.

Dreams of personality disordered subjects.

PubMed

Guralnik, O; Levin, R; Schmeidler, J

1999-01-01

Dreams provide access to underlying personality structure, defensive and adaptive functions, and they elucidate the psychological forces that lead to overt symptomatic behavior. Two hundred three dreams of 39 personality disordered patients were factor analyzed and compared with Hall and Van de Castle's normative data (Hall C, Van de Castle RI [1966] The content analysis of dreams. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts). Results included a five-factor solution that sheds light on some core issues of the dreamers. Comparisons between the groups resulted in the personality-disordered group demonstrating more estrangement in their dreams, fewer interactions, and more emotionality. In their interactions, they demonstrated a lower ratio of aggressive interactions yet a higher tendency to view themselves as the aggressor. Results are related to theoretical literature on personality and defensive styles, mostly from a psychodynamic perspective.

Interactive telemedicine solution based on a secure mHealth application.

PubMed

Eldeib, Ayman M

2014-01-01

In dynamic healthcare environments, caregivers and patients are constantly moving. To increase the healthcare quality when it is necessary, caregivers need the ability to reach each other and securely access medical information and services from wherever they happened to be. This paper presents an Interactive Telemedicine Solution (ITS) to facilitate and automate the communication within a healthcare facility via Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP), regular mobile phones, and Wi-Fi connectivity. Our system has the capability to exchange/provide securely healthcare information/services across geographic barriers through 3G/4G wireless communication network. Our system assumes the availability of an Electronic Health Record (EHR) system locally in the healthcare organization and/or on the cloud network such as a nation-wide EHR system. This paper demonstrate the potential of our system to provide effectively and securely remote healthcare solution.

What matters to low-income patients in ambulatory care facilities?

PubMed

DeLia, Derek; Hall, Allyson; Prinz, Timothy; Billings, John

2004-09-01

Poor, uninsured, and minority patients depend disproportionately on hospital outpatient departments (OPDs) and freestanding health centers for ambulatory care. These providers confront significant challenges, including limited resources, greater demand for services, and the need to improve quality and patient satisfaction. The authors use a survey of patients in OPDs and health centers in New York City to determine which aspects of the ambulatory care visit have the greatest influence on patients' overall site evaluation. The personal interaction between patients and physicians, provider continuity, and the general cleanliness/appearance of the facility stand out as high priorities. Access to services and interactions with other facility staff are of significant, although lesser, importance. These findings suggest ways to restructure the delivery of care so that it is more responsive to the concerns of low-income patients.

On the relation between orbital-localization and self-interaction errors in the density functional theory treatment of organic semiconductors.

PubMed

Körzdörfer, T

2011-03-07

It is commonly argued that the self-interaction error (SIE) inherent in semilocal density functionals is related to the degree of the electronic localization. Yet at the same time there exists a latent ambiguity in the definitions of the terms "localization" and "self-interaction," which ultimately prevents a clear and readily accessible quantification of this relationship. This problem is particularly pressing for organic semiconductor molecules, in which delocalized molecular orbitals typically alternate with localized ones, thus leading to major distortions in the eigenvalue spectra. This paper discusses the relation between localization and SIEs in organic semiconductors in detail. Its findings provide further insights into the SIE in the orbital energies and yield a new perspective on the failure of self-interaction corrections that identify delocalized orbital densities with electrons. © 2011 American Institute of Physics.

Euphorbia milii-native bacteria interactions under airborne formaldehyde stress: Effect of epiphyte and endophyte inoculation in relation to IAA, ethylene and ROS levels.

PubMed

Khaksar, Gholamreza; Treesubsuntorn, Chairat; Thiravetyan, Paitip

2017-02-01

Better understanding of plant-bacteria interactions under stress is of the prime importance for enhancing airborne pollutant phytoremediation. No studies have investigated plant-epiphyte interactions compared to plant-endophyte interactions under airborne formaldehyde stress in terms of plant Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), ethylene, reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and pollutant removal efficiency. Euphorbia milii was inoculated with native plant growth-promoting (PGP) endophytic and epiphytic isolates individually to investigate plant-endophyte compared to plant-epiphyte interactions under continuous formaldehyde fumigation. Under airborne formaldehyde stress, endophyte interacts with its host plant closely and provides higher levels of IAA which protected the plant against formaldehyde phytotoxicity by lowering intracellular ROS, ethylene levels and maintaining shoot epiphytic community; hence, higher pollutant removal. However, plant-epiphyte interactions could not provide enough IAA to confer protection against formaldehyde stress; thus, increased ROS and ethylene levels, large decrease in shoot epiphytic population and lower pollutant removal although epiphyte contacts with airborne pollutant directly (has greater access to gaseous formaldehyde). Endophyte-inoculated plant synthesized more tryptophan as a signaling molecule for its associated bacteria to produce IAA compared to the epiphyte-inoculated one. Under stress, PGP endophyte interacts with its host closely; thus, better protection against stress and higher pollutant removal compared to epiphyte which has limited interactions with the host plant; hence, lower pollutant removal. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

NASA Aeroelasticity Handbook Volume 2: Design Guides Part 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ramsey, John K. (Editor)

2006-01-01

The NASA Aeroelasticity Handbook comprises a database (in three formats) of NACA and NASA aeroelasticity flutter data through 1998 and a collection of aeroelasticity design guides. The Microsoft Access format provides the capability to search for specific data, retrieve it, and present it in a tabular or graphical form unique to the application. The full-text NACA and NASA documents from which the data originated are provided in portable document format (PDF), and these are hyperlinked to their respective data records. This provides full access to all available information from the data source. Two other electronic formats, one delimited by commas and the other by spaces, are provided for use with other software capable of reading text files. To the best of the author s knowledge, this database represents the most extensive collection of NACA and NASA flutter data in electronic form compiled to date by NASA. Volume 2 of the handbook contains a convenient collection of aeroelastic design guides covering fixed wings, turbomachinery, propellers and rotors, panels, and model scaling. This handbook provides an interactive database and design guides for use in the preliminary aeroelastic design of aerospace systems and can also be used in validating or calibrating flutter-prediction software.

College Students’ Preferences for Health Care Providers when Accessing Sexual Health Resources

PubMed Central

Garcia, Carolyn M.; Lechner, Kate E.; Frerich, Ellen A.; Lust, Katherine A.; Eisenberg, Marla E.

2017-01-01

Objective Many emerging adults (18–25 year olds) report unmet health needs and disproportionately experience problems such as sexually transmitted infections. This study was conducted to examine college students’ perceptions of health care providers, specifically in the context of accessing sexual health resources. Design and Sample Students (N=52) were recruited from five diverse colleges in one state to participate in a one-to-one interview that involved walking and virtually exploring resources on and near campus. Interviews were conducted from May to November 2010. Results Inductive qualitative analysis yielded six themes summarizing students’ perceptions of provider characteristics, health care resources, the role of their peers, and students’ suggestions for strengthening health care services. Importantly, students consider a variety of staff—and their student peers—to be resources for sexual health information and services. Conclusions Findings emphasize the importance of collaboration between health service staff and broader campus staff because students often turn to campus staff initially. Post-secondary students welcome opportunities to know a provider through interactive websites that include details about providers on campus; their decisions to seek sexual health care services are influenced by their perceptions of providers’ characteristics and interpersonal skills. PMID:25159532

Northern California Earthquake Data Center: Data Sets and Data Services

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neuhauser, D. S.; Allen, R. M.; Zuzlewski, S.

2015-12-01

The Northern California Earthquake Data Center (NCEDC) provides a permanent archive and real-time data distribution services for a unique and comprehensive data set of seismological and geophysical data sets encompassing northern and central California. We provide access to over 85 terabytes of continuous and event-based time series data from broadband, short-period, strong motion, and strain sensors as well as continuous and campaign GPS data at both standard and high sample rates. The Northen California Seismic System (NCSS), operated by UC Berkeley and USGS Menlo Park, has recorded over 900,000 events from 1984 to the present, and the NCEDC serves catalog, parametric information, moment tensors and first motion mechanisms, and time series data for these events. We also serve event catalogs, parametric information, and event waveforms for DOE enhanced geothermal system monitoring in northern California and Nevada. The NCEDC provides a several ways for users to access these data. The most recent development are web services, which provide interactive, command-line, or program-based workflow access to data. Web services use well-established server and client protocols and RESTful software architecture that allow users to easily submit queries and receive the requested data in real-time rather than through batch or email-based requests. Data are returned to the user in the appropriate format such as XML, RESP, simple text, or MiniSEED depending on the service and selected output format. The NCEDC supports all FDSN-defined web services as well as a number of IRIS-defined and NCEDC-defined services. We also continue to support older email-based and browser-based access to data. NCEDC data and web services can be found at http://www.ncedc.org and http://service.ncedc.org.

The intersection of disability and healthcare disparities: a conceptual framework.

PubMed

Meade, Michelle A; Mahmoudi, Elham; Lee, Shoou-Yih

2015-01-01

This article provides a conceptual framework for understanding healthcare disparities experienced by individuals with disabilities. While health disparities are the result of factors deeply rooted in culture, life style, socioeconomic status, and accessibility of resources, healthcare disparities are a subset of health disparities that reflect differences in access to and quality of healthcare and can be viewed as the inability of the healthcare system to adequately address the needs of specific population groups. This article uses a narrative method to identify and critique the main conceptual frameworks that have been used in analyzing disparities in healthcare access and quality, and evaluating those frameworks in the context of healthcare for individuals with disabilities. Specific models that are examined include the Aday and Anderson Model, the Grossman Utility Model, the Institute of Medicine (IOM)'s models of Access to Healthcare Services and Healthcare Disparities, and the Cultural Competency model. While existing frameworks advance understandings of disparities in healthcare access and quality, they fall short when applied to individuals with disabilities. Specific deficits include a lack of attention to cultural and contextual factors (Aday and Andersen framework), unrealistic assumptions regarding equal access to resources (Grossman's utility model), lack of recognition or inclusion of concepts of structural accessibility (IOM model of Healthcare Disparities) and exclusive emphasis on supply side of the healthcare equation to improve healthcare disparities (Cultural Competency model). In response to identified gaps in the literature and short-comings of current conceptualizations, an integrated model of disability and healthcare disparities is put forth. We analyzed models of access to care and disparities in healthcare to be able to have an integrated and cohesive conceptual framework that could potentially address issues related to access to healthcare among individuals with disabilities. The Model of Healthcare Disparities and Disability (MHDD) provides a framework for conceptualizing how healthcare disparities impact disability and specifically, how a mismatch between personal and environmental factors may result in reduced healthcare access and quality, which in turn may lead to reduced functioning, activity and participation among individuals with impairments and chronic health conditions. Researchers, health providers, policy makers and community advocate groups who are engaged in devising interventions aimed at reducing healthcare disparities would benefit from the discussions. Implications for Rehabilitation Evaluates the main models of healthcare disparity and disability to create an integrated framework. Provides a comprehensive conceptual model of healthcare disparity that specifically targets issues related to individuals with disabilities. Conceptualizes how personal and environmental factors interact to produce disparities in access to healthcare and healthcare quality. Recognizes and targets modifiable factors to reduce disparities between and within individuals with disabilities.

Australian Seismometers in Schools: Apps, Archiving and Adventures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balfour, N.; Salmon, M.; Sambridge, M.

2014-12-01

Global earthquake activity provides an opportunity to actively engage students and teachers in the Earth Sciences. With earthquakes often hitting the news headlines the Australian Seismometers in Schools (AuSIS) program utilizes the resulting public awareness and curiosity, providing tools and support for teachers and students to find out more. Most teachers are unaware of the wealth of resources available and often lack confidence to teach earth science, as they have little to no formal training. With the introduction of earth science to the national curriculum it has become imperative teachers receive this support. AuSIS connects students and teachers with earthquake data relevant to them that is both real-time and easily accessible. The biggest challenge faced is often how to engage with remote and rural communities over the vast Australian continent. Our approach has been to take information to the teachers, providing workshops at national science teacher conferences and developing guides that provide step-by-step instructions for classroom activities. These professional development workshops include hands-on demonstrations as well as online discovery. The data recorded at schools on our network of seismometers is publicly accessible and is shared with scientists, amateur seismologists and students alike, this provides students with a sense of involvement in the scientific community. We link teachers with additional online resources and utilize social media to alert them to interesting earth science facts and earthquake activity. For continued exploration we provide easy access to our data and earthquake information through a mobile app and website. Our website combines both local and global earthquake catalogs to provide a one-stop shop of earthquake information of interest to the teachers and students. We also encourage online interactions with teachers through a forum on our website and through social media aimed to provide continued support.

Predicting protein-protein interactions from protein domains using a set cover approach.

PubMed

Huang, Chengbang; Morcos, Faruck; Kanaan, Simon P; Wuchty, Stefan; Chen, Danny Z; Izaguirre, Jesús A

2007-01-01

One goal of contemporary proteome research is the elucidation of cellular protein interactions. Based on currently available protein-protein interaction and domain data, we introduce a novel method, Maximum Specificity Set Cover (MSSC), for the prediction of protein-protein interactions. In our approach, we map the relationship between interactions of proteins and their corresponding domain architectures to a generalized weighted set cover problem. The application of a greedy algorithm provides sets of domain interactions which explain the presence of protein interactions to the largest degree of specificity. Utilizing domain and protein interaction data of S. cerevisiae, MSSC enables prediction of previously unknown protein interactions, links that are well supported by a high tendency of coexpression and functional homogeneity of the corresponding proteins. Focusing on concrete examples, we show that MSSC reliably predicts protein interactions in well-studied molecular systems, such as the 26S proteasome and RNA polymerase II of S. cerevisiae. We also show that the quality of the predictions is comparable to the Maximum Likelihood Estimation while MSSC is faster. This new algorithm and all data sets used are accessible through a Web portal at http://ppi.cse.nd.edu.

Meet our Neighbours - a tactile experience

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Canas, L.; Lobo Correia, A.

2013-09-01

Planetary science is a key field in astronomy that draws lots of attention and that engages large amounts of enthusiasts. On its essence, it is a visual science and the current resources and activities for the inclusion of visually impaired children, although increasing, are still costly and somewhat scarce. Therefore there is a paramount need to develop more low cost resources in order to provide experiences that can reach all, even the more socially deprived communities. "Meet our neighbours!-a tactile experience", plans to promote and provide inclusion activities for visually impaired children and their non-visually impaired peers through the use of astronomy hands-on low cost activities. Is aimed for children from the ages of 6 to 12 years old and produce data set 13 tactile images of the main objects of the Solar System that can be used in schools, science centres and outreach associations. Accessing several common problems through tactile resources, with this project we present ways to successfully provide low cost solutions (avoiding the expensive tactile printing costs), promote inclusion and interactive hands-on activities for visually impaired children and their non-visually impaired peers and create dynamic interactions based on oral knowledge transmission between them. Here we describe the process of implementing such initiative near target communities: establishing a bridge between scientists, children and teachers. The struggles and challenges perceived during the project and the enrichment experience of engaging astronomy with these specific groups, broadening horizons in an overall experience accessible to all.