Services for Graduate Students: A Review of Academic Library Web Sites

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rempel, Hannah Gascho

2010-01-01

A library's Web site is well recognized as the gateway to the library for the vast majority of users. Choosing the most user-friendly Web architecture to reflect the many services libraries offer is a complex process, and librarians are still experimenting to find what works best for their users. As part of a redesign of the Oregon State…

User-Centered Design and Usability Testing of a Web Site: An Illustrative Case Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Corry, Michael D.; Frick, Theodore W.; Hansen, Lisa

1997-01-01

Presents an overview of user-centered design and usability testing. Describes a Web site evaluation project at a university, the iterative process of rapid prototyping and usability testing, and how the findings helped to improve the design. Discusses recommendations for university Web site design and reflects on problems faced in usability…

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.

e-Ana and e-Mia: A Content Analysis of Pro–Eating Disorder Web Sites

PubMed Central

Schenk, Summer; Wilson, Jenny L.; Peebles, Rebecka

2010-01-01

Objectives. The Internet offers Web sites that describe, endorse, and support eating disorders. We examined the features of pro–eating disorder Web sites and the messages to which users may be exposed. Methods. We conducted a systematic content analysis of 180 active Web sites, noting site logistics, site accessories, “thinspiration” material (images and prose intended to inspire weight loss), tips and tricks, recovery, themes, and perceived harm. Results. Practically all (91%) of the Web sites were open to the public, and most (79%) had interactive features. A large majority (84%) offered pro-anorexia content, and 64% provided pro-bulimia content. Few sites focused on eating disorders as a lifestyle choice. Thinspiration material appeared on 85% of the sites, and 83% provided overt suggestions on how to engage in eating-disordered behaviors. Thirty-eight percent of the sites included recovery-oriented information or links. Common themes were success, control, perfection, and solidarity. Conclusions. Pro–eating disorder Web sites present graphic material to encourage, support, and motivate site users to continue their efforts with anorexia and bulimia. Continued monitoring will offer a valuable foundation to build a better understanding of the effects of these sites on their users. PMID:20558807

Rational analyses of information foraging on the web.

PubMed

Pirolli, Peter

2005-05-06

This article describes rational analyses and cognitive models of Web users developed within information foraging theory. This is done by following the rational analysis methodology of (a) characterizing the problems posed by the environment, (b) developing rational analyses of behavioral solutions to those problems, and (c) developing cognitive models that approach the realization of those solutions. Navigation choice is modeled as a random utility model that uses spreading activation mechanisms that link proximal cues (information scent) that occur in Web browsers to internal user goals. Web-site leaving is modeled as an ongoing assessment by the Web user of the expected benefits of continuing at a Web site as opposed to going elsewhere. These cost-benefit assessments are also based on spreading activation models of information scent. Evaluations include a computational model of Web user behavior called Scent-Based Navigation and Information Foraging in the ACT Architecture, and the Law of Surfing, which characterizes the empirical distribution of the length of paths of visitors at a Web site. 2005 Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.

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

PubMed

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

2016-01-01

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

Implementing Recommendations From Web Accessibility Guidelines: A Comparative Study of Nondisabled Users and Users With Visual Impairments.

PubMed

Schmutz, Sven; Sonderegger, Andreas; Sauer, Juergen

2017-09-01

The present study examined whether implementing recommendations of Web accessibility guidelines would have different effects on nondisabled users than on users with visual impairments. The predominant approach for making Web sites accessible for users with disabilities is to apply accessibility guidelines. However, it has been hardly examined whether this approach has side effects for nondisabled users. A comparison of the effects on both user groups would contribute to a better understanding of possible advantages and drawbacks of applying accessibility guidelines. Participants from two matched samples, comprising 55 participants with visual impairments and 55 without impairments, took part in a synchronous remote testing of a Web site. Each participant was randomly assigned to one of three Web sites, which differed in the level of accessibility (very low, low, and high) according to recommendations of the well-established Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 (WCAG 2.0). Performance (i.e., task completion rate and task completion time) and a range of subjective variables (i.e., perceived usability, positive affect, negative affect, perceived aesthetics, perceived workload, and user experience) were measured. Higher conformance to Web accessibility guidelines resulted in increased performance and more positive user ratings (e.g., perceived usability or aesthetics) for both user groups. There was no interaction between user group and accessibility level. Higher conformance to WCAG 2.0 may result in benefits for nondisabled users and users with visual impairments alike. Practitioners may use the present findings as a basis for deciding on whether and how to implement accessibility best.

Reading level of privacy policies on Internet health Web sites.

PubMed

Graber, Mark A; D'Alessandro, Donna M; Johnson-West, Jill

2002-07-01

Most individuals would like to maintain the privacy of their medical information on the World Wide Web (WWW). In response, commercial interests and other sites post privacy policies that are designed to inform users of how their information will be used. However, it is not known if these statements are comprehensible to most WWW users. The purpose of this study was to determine the reading level of privacy statements on Internet health Web sites and to determine whether these statements can inform users of their rights. This was a descriptive study. Eighty Internet health sites were examined and the readability of their privacy policies was determined. The selected sample included the top 25 Internet health sites as well as other sites that a user might encounter while researching a common problem such as high blood pressure. Sixty percent of the sites were commercial (.com), 17.5% were organizations (.org), 8.8% were from the United Kingdom (.uk), 3.8% were United States governmental (.gov), and 2.5% were educational (.edu). The readability level of the privacy policies was calculated using the Flesch, the Fry, and the SMOG readability levels. Of the 80 Internet health Web sites studied, 30% (including 23% of the commercial Web sites) had no privacy policy posted. The average readability level of the remaining sites required 2 years of college level education to comprehend, and no Web site had a privacy policy that was comprehensible by most English-speaking individuals in the United States. The privacy policies of health Web sites are not easily understood by most individuals in the United States and do not serve to inform users of their rights. Possible remedies include rewriting policies to make them comprehensible and protecting online health information by using legal statutes or standardized insignias indicating compliance with a set of privacy standards (eg, "Health on the Net" [HON] http://www.hon.ch).

78 FR 54241 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; BroadbandMatch Web Site Tool

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-03

... Information Collection; Comment Request; BroadbandMatch Web Site Tool AGENCY: National Telecommunications and... goal of increased broadband deployment and use in the United States. The BroadbandMatch Web site began... empowering technology effectively. II. Method of Collection BroadbandMatch users access the Web site through...

78 FR 76187 - 30-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Exchange Programs Alumni Web Site Registration

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-12-16

...: Exchange Programs Alumni Web Site Registration ACTION: Notice of request for public comment and submission... Information Collection: Exchange Programs Alumni Web site Registration. OMB Control Number: 1405-0192. Type of... proposed collection: The International Exchange Alumni Web site requires information to process users...

A Design Analysis Model for Developing World Wide Web Sites.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ma, Yan

2002-01-01

Examines the relationship between and among designers, text, and users of the Galter Health Sciences Library Web site at Northwestern University by applying reader-response criticism. Highlights include Web site design; comparison of designers' intentions with the actual organization of knowledge on the Web site; and compares designer's intentions…

Audiovisual Speech Web-Lab: an Internet teaching and research laboratory.

PubMed

Gordon, M S; Rosenblum, L D

2001-05-01

Internet resources now enable laboratories to make full-length experiments available on line. A handful of existing web sites offer users the ability to participate in experiments and generate usable data. We have integrated this technology into a web site that also provides full discussion of the theoretical and methodological aspects of the experiments using text and simple interactive demonstrations. The content of the web site (http://www.psych.ucr.edu/avspeech/lab) concerns audiovisual speech perception and its relation to face perception. The site is designed to be useful for users of multiple interests and levels of expertise.

Commissions as information organizations: Meeting the information needs of an electronic society

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

Sevel, F.

1997-11-01

This paper describes how commission-sponsored web sites can effectively meet electronic information needs. Demographics of internet users are presented and analyzed. Online activities and user access data are also described. The implications of the characteristics of internet users for commission-sponsored web sites are discussed, and guidelines for determining marketing objectives are presented.

Use of StreamStats in the Upper French Broad River Basin, North Carolina: A Pilot Water-Resources Web Application

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wagner, Chad R.; Tighe, Kirsten C.; Terziotti, Silvia

2009-01-01

StreamStats is a Web-based Geographic Information System (GIS) application that was developed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc. (ESRI) to provide access to an assortment of analytical tools that are useful for water-resources planning and management. StreamStats allows users to easily obtain streamflow statistics, basin characteristics, and descriptive information for USGS data-collection sites and selected ungaged sites. StreamStats also allows users to identify stream reaches upstream and downstream from user-selected sites and obtain information for locations along streams where activities occur that can affect streamflow conditions. This functionality can be accessed through a map-based interface with the user's Web browser or through individual functions requested remotely through other Web applications.

Implementing Recommendations From Web Accessibility Guidelines: Would They Also Provide Benefits to Nondisabled Users.

PubMed

Schmutz, Sven; Sonderegger, Andreas; Sauer, Juergen

2016-06-01

We examined the consequences of implementing Web accessibility guidelines for nondisabled users. Although there are Web accessibility guidelines for people with disabilities available, they are rarely used in practice, partly due to the fact that practitioners believe that such guidelines provide no benefits, or even have negative consequences, for nondisabled people, who represent the main user group of Web sites. Despite these concerns, there is a lack of empirical research on the effects of current Web accessibility guidelines on nondisabled users. Sixty-one nondisabled participants used one of three Web sites differing in levels of accessibility (high, low, and very low). Accessibility levels were determined by following established Web accessibility guidelines (WCAG 2.0). A broad methodological approach was used, including performance measures (e.g., task completion time) and user ratings (e.g., perceived usability). A high level of Web accessibility led to better performance (i.e., task completion time and task completion rate) than low or very low accessibility. Likewise, high Web accessibility improved user ratings (i.e., perceived usability, aesthetics, workload, and trustworthiness) compared to low or very low Web accessibility. There was no difference between the very low and low Web accessibility conditions for any of the outcome measures. Contrary to some concerns in the literature and among practitioners, high conformance with Web accessibility guidelines may provide benefits to users without disabilities. The findings may encourage more practitioners to implement WCAG 2.0 for the benefit of users with disabilities and nondisabled users. © 2016, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.

75 FR 66413 - 30-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Exchange Programs Alumni Web Site Registration...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-28

...: Exchange Programs Alumni Web Site Registration, DS-7006 ACTION: Notice of request for public comment and... Collection The Exchange Programs Alumni Web site requires information to process users' voluntary requests for participation in the Web site. Other than contact information, which is required for website...

Library Web Site Administration: A Strategic Planning Model For the Smaller Academic Library

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ryan, Susan M.

2003-01-01

Strategic planning provides a useful structure for creating and implementing library web sites. The planned integration of a library's web site into its mission and objectives ensures that the library's community of users will consider the web site one of the most important information tools the library offers.

Evaluation of physical activity web sites for use of behavior change theories.

PubMed

Doshi, Amol; Patrick, Kevin; Sallis, James F; Calfas, Karen

2003-01-01

Physical activity (PA) Web sites were assessed for their use of behavior change theories, including constructs of the health belief model, Transtheoretical Model, social cognitive theory, and the theory of reasoned action and planned behavior. An evaluation template for assessing PA Web sites was developed, and content validity and interrater reliability were demonstrated. Two independent raters evaluated 24 PA Web sites. Web sites varied widely in application of theory-based constructs, ranging from 5 to 48 on a 100-point scale. The most common intervention strategies were general information, social support, and realistic goal areas. Coverage of theory-based strategies was low, varying from 26% for social cognitive theory to 39% for health belief model. Overall, PA Web sites provided little assessment, feedback, or individually tailored assistance for users. They were unable to substantially tailor the on-line experience for users at different stages of change or different demographic characteristics.

Study on online community user motif using web usage mining

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alphy, Meera; Sharma, Ajay

2016-04-01

The Web usage mining is the application of data mining, which is used to extract useful information from the online community. The World Wide Web contains at least 4.73 billion pages according to Indexed Web and it contains at least 228.52 million pages according Dutch Indexed web on 6th august 2015, Thursday. It’s difficult to get needed data from these billions of web pages in World Wide Web. Here is the importance of web usage mining. Personalizing the search engine helps the web user to identify the most used data in an easy way. It reduces the time consumption; automatic site search and automatic restore the useful sites. This study represents the old techniques to latest techniques used in pattern discovery and analysis in web usage mining from 1996 to 2015. Analyzing user motif helps in the improvement of business, e-commerce, personalisation and improvement of websites.

A Grid job monitoring system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dumitrescu, Catalin; Nowack, Andreas; Padhi, Sanjay; Sarkar, Subir

2010-04-01

This paper presents a web-based Job Monitoring framework for individual Grid sites that allows users to follow in detail their jobs in quasi-real time. The framework consists of several independent components : (a) a set of sensors that run on the site CE and worker nodes and update a database, (b) a simple yet extensible web services framework and (c) an Ajax powered web interface having a look-and-feel and control similar to a desktop application. The monitoring framework supports LSF, Condor and PBS-like batch systems. This is one of the first monitoring systems where an X.509 authenticated web interface can be seamlessly accessed by both end-users and site administrators. While a site administrator has access to all the possible information, a user can only view the jobs for the Virtual Organizations (VO) he/she is a part of. The monitoring framework design supports several possible deployment scenarios. For a site running a supported batch system, the system may be deployed as a whole, or existing site sensors can be adapted and reused with the web services components. A site may even prefer to build the web server independently and choose to use only the Ajax powered web interface. Finally, the system is being used to monitor a glideinWMS instance. This broadens the scope significantly, allowing it to monitor jobs over multiple sites.

Side by Side: What a Comparative Usability Study Told Us about a Web Site Redesign

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dougan, Kirstin; Fulton, Camilla

2009-01-01

Library Web sites must compete against easy-to-use sites, such as Google Scholar, Google Books, and Wikipedia, for students' time and attention. Library Web sites must therefore be designed with aesthetics and user perceptions at the forefront. The Music and Performing Arts Library at Urbana-Champaign's Web site was overcrowded and in much need of…

Streamlining Data for Cross-Platform Web Delivery

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watkins, Sean; Battles, Jason; Vacek, Rachel

2013-01-01

Smartphone users expect the presentation of Web sites on their mobile browsers to look and feel like native applications. With the pressure on library Web developers to produce app-like mobile sites, there is often a rush to get a site up without considering the importance of reusing or even restructuring the data driving the Web sites. An…

Intelligent web image retrieval system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hong, Sungyong; Lee, Chungwoo; Nah, Yunmook

2001-07-01

Recently, the web sites such as e-business sites and shopping mall sites deal with lots of image information. To find a specific image from these image sources, we usually use web search engines or image database engines which rely on keyword only retrievals or color based retrievals with limited search capabilities. This paper presents an intelligent web image retrieval system. We propose the system architecture, the texture and color based image classification and indexing techniques, and representation schemes of user usage patterns. The query can be given by providing keywords, by selecting one or more sample texture patterns, by assigning color values within positional color blocks, or by combining some or all of these factors. The system keeps track of user's preferences by generating user query logs and automatically add more search information to subsequent user queries. To show the usefulness of the proposed system, some experimental results showing recall and precision are also explained.

Information Architecture for the World Wide Web.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosenfeld, Louis; Morville, Peter

This book provides effective approaches for designers, information architects, and web site managers who are faced with sites that are becoming difficult to use and maintain. The book is divided into 10 sections. Chapter 1: "What Makes a Web Site Work" considers site users needs when designing the architecture; Chapter 2:…

Assessing Perceived Credibility of Web Sites in a Terrorism Context: The PFLP, Tamil Tigers, Hamas, and Hezbollah

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spinks, Brandon Todd

2009-01-01

The purpose of the study was to contribute to the overall understanding of terrorist organizations' use of the Internet and to increase researchers' knowledge of Web site effectiveness. The methodological approach was evaluation of the perceived credibility of Web sites based on existing criteria derived from information users. The Web sites of…

Web-Based Family Life Education: Spotlight on User Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Doty, Jennifer; Doty, Matthew; Dwrokin, Jodi

2011-01-01

Family Life Education (FLE) websites can benefit from the field of user experience, which makes technology easy to use. A heuristic evaluation of five FLE sites was performed using Neilson's heuristics, guidelines for making sites user friendly. Greater site complexity resulted in more potential user problems. Sites most frequently had problems…

Manually Classifying User Search Queries on an Academic Library Web Site

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chapman, Suzanne; Desai, Shevon; Hagedorn, Kat; Varnum, Ken; Mishra, Sonali; Piacentine, Julie

2013-01-01

The University of Michigan Library wanted to learn more about the kinds of searches its users were conducting through the "one search" search box on the Library Web site. Library staff conducted two investigations. A preliminary investigation in 2011 involved the manual review of the 100 most frequently occurring queries conducted…

The Readability of Information Literacy Content on Academic Library Web Sites

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lim, Adriene

2010-01-01

This article reports on a study addressing the readability of content on academic libraries' Web sites, specifically content intended to improve users' information literacy skills. Results call for recognition of readability as an evaluative component of text in order to better meet the needs of diverse user populations. (Contains 8 tables.)

Terminology issues in user access to Web-based medical information.

PubMed Central

McCray, A. T.; Loane, R. F.; Browne, A. C.; Bangalore, A. K.

1999-01-01

We conducted a study of user queries to the National Library of Medicine Web site over a three month period. Our purpose was to study the nature and scope of these queries in order to understand how to improve users' access to the information they are seeking on our site. The results show that the queries are primarily medical in content (94%), with only a small percentage (5.5%) relating to library services, and with a very small percentage (.5%) not being medically relevant at all. We characterize the data set, and conclude with a discussion of our plans to develop a UMLS-based terminology server to assist NLM Web users. Images Figure 1 PMID:10566330

Visual aspects of perception of multimedia messages on the web through the "eye tracker" method.

PubMed

Svilicić, Niksa

2010-09-01

Since the dawn of civilisation visual communication played a role in everyday life. In the early times there were simply shaped drawings of animals, pictograms explaining hunting tactics or strategies of attacking the enemies. Through evolution visual expression becomes an important component of communication process on several levels, from the existential and economic level to the artistic level. However, there was always a question of the level of user reception of such visual information in the medium transmitting the information. Does physical positioning of information in the medium contribute to the efficiency of the message? Do the same rules of content positioning apply for traditional (offline) and online media (Internet)? Rapid development of information technology and Internet in almost all segments of contemporary life calls for defining the rules of designing and positioning multimedia online contents on web sites. Recent research indicates beyond doubt that the physical positioning of an online content on a web site significantly determines the quality of user's perception of such content. By employing the "Eye tracking" method it is possible to objectively analyse the level of user perception of a multimedia content on a web site. What is the first thing observed by the user after opening the web site and how does he/she visually search the online content? By which methods can this be investigated subjectively and objectively? How can the survey results be used to improve the creation of web sites and to optimise the positioning of relevant contents on the site? The answers to these questions will significantly improve the presentation of multimedia interactive contents on the Web.

End-user perspectives on e-commerce and health care web site quality.

PubMed

Le Rouge, Cynthia; De Leo, Gianluca

2008-11-06

We explore and compare the importance of various quality dimensions for health care and e-commerce web sites. The results show that the importance of various quality attributes for all except four of ten quality dimensions studied differ between health care and e-commerce web sites. These results can help health care managers to improve and/or to guide the design of their web sites.

Usability Evaluation of Public Web Mapping Sites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, C.

2014-04-01

Web mapping sites are interactive maps that are accessed via Webpages. With the rapid development of Internet and Geographic Information System (GIS) field, public web mapping sites are not foreign to people. Nowadays, people use these web mapping sites for various reasons, in that increasing maps and related map services of web mapping sites are freely available for end users. Thus, increased users of web mapping sites led to more usability studies. Usability Engineering (UE), for instance, is an approach for analyzing and improving the usability of websites through examining and evaluating an interface. In this research, UE method was employed to explore usability problems of four public web mapping sites, analyze the problems quantitatively and provide guidelines for future design based on the test results. Firstly, the development progress for usability studies were described, and simultaneously several usability evaluation methods such as Usability Engineering (UE), User-Centered Design (UCD) and Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) were generally introduced. Then the method and procedure of experiments for the usability test were presented in detail. In this usability evaluation experiment, four public web mapping sites (Google Maps, Bing maps, Mapquest, Yahoo Maps) were chosen as the testing websites. And 42 people, who having different GIS skills (test users or experts), gender (male or female), age and nationality, participated in this test to complete the several test tasks in different teams. The test comprised three parts: a pretest background information questionnaire, several test tasks for quantitative statistics and progress analysis, and a posttest questionnaire. The pretest and posttest questionnaires focused on gaining the verbal explanation of their actions qualitatively. And the design for test tasks targeted at gathering quantitative data for the errors and problems of the websites. Then, the results mainly from the test part were analyzed. The success rate from different public web mapping sites was calculated and compared, and displayed by the means of diagram. And the answers from questionnaires were also classified and organized in this part. Moreover, based on the analysis, this paper expands the discussion about the layout, map visualization, map tools, search logic and etc. Finally, this paper closed with some valuable guidelines and suggestions for the design of public web mapping sites. Also, limitations for this research stated in the end.

Does content affect whether users remember that Web pages were hyperlinked?

PubMed

Jones, Keith S; Ballew, Timothy V; Probst, C Adam

2008-10-01

We determined whether memory for hyperlinks improved when they represented relations between the contents of the Web pages. J. S. Farris (2003) found that memory for hyperlinks improved when they represented relations between the contents of the Web pages. However, Farris's (2003) participants could have used their knowledge of site content to answer questions about relations that were instantiated via the site's content and its hyperlinks. In Experiment 1, users navigated a Web site and then answered questions about relations that were instantiated only via content, only via hyperlinks, and via content and hyperlinks. Unlike Farris (2003), we split the latter into two sets. One asked whether certain content elements were related, and the other asked whether certain Web pages were hyperlinked. Experiment 2 replicated Experiment 1 with one modification: The questions that were asked about relations instantiated via content and hyperlinks were changed so that each question's wrong answer was also related to the question's target. Memory for hyperlinks improved when they represented relations instantiated within the content of the Web pages. This was true when (a) questions about content and hyperlinks were separated (Experiment 1) and (b) each question's wrong answer was also related to the question's target (Experiment 2). The accuracy of users' mental representations of local architecture depended on whether hyperlinks were related to the site's content. Designers who want users to remember hyperlinks should associate those hyperlinks with content that reflects the relation between the contents on the Web pages.

Internet Uses and Gratifications: Understanding Motivations for Using the Internet.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ko, Hanjun

In this study, the uses and gratifications theory was applied to investigate the Internet users' motivations and their relationship with attitudes toward the Internet as well as types of Web site visited by users. Subjects were 185 college students who completed a self-report questionnaire. Four motivations and five types of Web sites were…

Wiki use in mental health practice: recognizing potential use of collaborative technology.

PubMed

Bastida, Richard; McGrath, Ian; Maude, Phil

2010-04-01

Web 2.0, the second-generation of the World Wide Web, differs to earlier versions of Web development and design in that it facilitates more user-friendly, interactive information sharing and mechanisms for greater collaboration between users. Examples of Web 2.0 include Web-based communities, hosted services, social networking sites, video sharing sites, blogs, mashups, and wikis. Users are able to interact with others across the world or to add to or change website content. This paper examines examples of wiki use in the Australian mental health sector. A wiki can be described as an online collaborative and interactive database that can be easily edited by users. They are accessed via a standard Web browser which has an interface similar to traditional Web pages, thus do not require special application or software for the user. Although there is a paucity of literature describing wiki use in mental health, other industries have developed uses, including a repository of knowledge, a platform for collaborative writing, a project management tool, and an alternative to traditional Web pages or Intranets. This paper discusses the application of wikis in other industries and offers suggestions by way of examples of how this technology could be used in the mental health sector.

The effect of types of banner ad, Web localization, and customer involvement on Internet users' attitudes.

PubMed

Chen, Jengchung Victor; Ross, William H; Yen, David C; Akhapon, Lerdsuwankij

2009-02-01

In this study, three characteristics of Web sites were varied: types of banner ad, Web localization, and involvement in purchasing a product. The dependent variable was attitude toward the site. In laboratory experiments conducted in Thailand and Taiwan, participants browsed versions of a Web site containing different types of banner ads and products. As a within-participants factor, each participant browsed both a standardized English-language Web site and a localized Web site. Results showed that animated (rather than static) banner ads, localized versions (rather than a standardized version) of Web sites, and high (rather than low) product involvement led to favorable attitudes toward the site.

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

PubMed Central

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

2016-01-01

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

Design Insights and Inspiration from the Tate: What Museum Web Sites Can Offer Us

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Riley-Huff, Debra A.

2009-01-01

There are many similarities between museums and academic libraries as public service institutions. This article is an examination of museum Web site practices and concepts that might also be transferable to academic library Web sites. It explores the digital manifestations of design and information presentation, user engagement, interactivity, and…

Usability and Gratifications--Towards a Website Analysis Model.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bunz, Ulla K.

This paper discusses Web site usability issues. Specifically, it assumes that the usability of a Web site depends more on the perception of the user than on the objectively assessable usability criteria of the Web site. Two pilot studies, based on theoretical notions of uses and gratifications theory and similar theories, are presented. In the…

Little Boy Blue Goes High-Tech: Providing Customers with Topic-Driven Content

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

King, David

2005-01-01

In an attempt to make the Kansas City Public Library's Web site more user friendly, the Web team took an opportunity to completely redesign the site. This article describes the techniques that the team used to organize and design the new Web site. By adopting a guided approach to the Internet, they were able to streamline their Web links and…

Don't Be Afraid to Explore Web 2.0

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thompson, John

2008-01-01

Web 2.0 is a hot topic. The term "Web 2.0" refers to the next generation of Internet applications that allow the average Internet user to collaborate and share information online. Web 2.0 sites allow anyone to contribute content and to participate with other users in editing and even combining or remixing existing content with other material to…

Web site development: applying aesthetics to promote breast health education and awareness.

PubMed

Thomas, Barbara; Goldsmith, Susan B; Forrest, Anne; Marshall, Renée

2002-01-01

This article describes the process of establishing a Web site as part of a collaborative project using visual art to promote breast health education. The need for a more "user-friendly" comprehensive breast health Web site that is aesthetically rewarding was identified after an analysis of current Web sites available through the World Wide Web. Two predetermined sets of criteria, accountability and aesthetics, were used to analyze these sites and to generate ideas for creating a breast health education Web site using visual art. Results of the analyses conducted are included as well as the factors to consider for incorporating into a Web site. The process specified is thorough and can be applied to establish a Web site that is aesthetically rewarding and informative for a variety of educational purposes.

78 FR 79434 - Notice of Technical Conference

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-12-30

...: one that will allow EQR users to file through a web interface on the Commission's Web site, and a... the conference, staff will demonstrate how to make a filing using both the XML and web interface... Calendar of Events on the Commission's Web site, www.ferc.gov . A free webcast of the conference will be...

An Integrated Decision Model for Evaluating Educational Web Sites from the Fuzzy Subjective and Objective Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huang, Tony Cheng-Kui; Huang, Chih-Hong

2010-01-01

With advances in information and network technologies, lots of data have been digitized to reveal information for users by the construction of Web sites. Unfortunately, they are both overloading and overlapping in Internet so that users cannot distinguish their quality. To address this issue in education, Hwang, Huang, and Tseng proposed a group…

Porting Social Media Contributions with SIOC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bojars, Uldis; Breslin, John G.; Decker, Stefan

Social media sites, including social networking sites, have captured the attention of millions of users as well as billions of dollars in investment and acquisition. To better enable a user's access to multiple sites, portability between social media sites is required in terms of both (1) the personal profiles and friend networks and (2) a user's content objects expressed on each site. This requires representation mechanisms to interconnect both people and objects on the Web in an interoperable, extensible way. The Semantic Web provides the required representation mechanisms for portability between social media sites: it links people and objects to record and represent the heterogeneous ties that bind each to the other. The FOAF (Friend-of-a-Friend) initiative provides a solution to the first requirement, and this paper discusses how the SIOC (Semantically-Interlinked Online Communities) project can address the latter. By using agreed-upon Semantic Web formats like FOAF and SIOC to describe people, content objects, and the connections that bind them together, social media sites can interoperate and provide portable data by appealing to some common semantics. In this paper, we will discuss the application of Semantic Web technology to enhance current social media sites with semantics and to address issues with portability between social media sites. It has been shown that social media sites can serve as rich data sources for SIOC-based applications such as the SIOC Browser, but in the other direction, we will now show how SIOC data can be used to represent and port the diverse social media contributions (SMCs) made by users on heterogeneous sites.

Building a Playground: General Guidelines for Creating Educational Web Sites for Children

PubMed Central

Meloncon, Lisa; Haynes, Erin; Varelmann, Megan; Groh, Lisa

2015-01-01

Purpose Since 2004, the number of children online has increased 18%, compared with a 10% increase in total users. Not only do children represent a growing segment of Internet users, much of what they do online has a specific purpose: education. To help technical communicators create educational Web sites for children, we offer a set of guidelines to direct the design process. Method Nine children participated in a usability test of the CARES Playground, an educational Web site geared toward 7- to 9-year-olds. The site was designed by a group of graduate students in professional writing based on a review of the (admittedly limited) literature dealing with designing Web sites for children. This paper matches common themes from existing literature to the results of the usability tests. Results Since all the information on designing Web sites for children emerged from the literature of designing Web sites for adults, the themes of navigation, appearance, and content are not unfamiliar. However, the interpretation of those common issues for children—as well as the children’s reaction to them—may be surprising. Conclusion Technical communicators need to be conscious and deliberate when designing Web sites for children. To ensure that educational Web sites are able to meet their learning goals, careful consideration of children’s developmental abilities and Web preferences must be considered. We present several guidelines as a starting point, though further research is needed to confirm and expand upon them. PMID:26633909

Online Tools for Astronomy and Cosmochemistry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meyer, B. S.

2005-01-01

Over the past year, the Webnucleo Group at Clemson University has been developing a web site with a number of interactive online tools for astronomy and cosmochemistry applications. The site uses SHP (Simplified Hypertext Preprocessor), which, because of its flexibility, allows us to embed almost any computer language into our web pages. For a description of SHP, please see http://www.joeldenny.com/ At our web site, an internet user may mine large and complex data sets, such as our stellar evolution models, and make graphs or tables of the results. The user may also run some of our detailed nuclear physics and astrophysics codes, such as our nuclear statistical equilibrium code, which is written in fortran and C. Again, the user may make graphs and tables and download the results.

Using Web Server Logs to Track Users through the Electronic Forest

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coombs, Karen A.

2005-01-01

This article analyzes server logs, providing helpful information in making decisions about Web-based services. The author indicates, as a result of analyzing server logs, several interesting things about the users' behavior were learned. The resulting findings are discussed in this article. Certain pages of the author's Web site, for instance, are…

Signal Event Context: Trace Technologies of the habit@online

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Luke, Robert

2003-01-01

Web portals--those online environments that encourage users to trade personal information for the opportunity to personalise the information space--are experiencing a considerable resurgence in popularity. Web portals are web sites that allow users to log on with a username and password and create their very own datastructure. This datastructure…

Hospital Web site 'tops' in Louisiana. Hospital PR, marketing group cites East Jefferson General Hospital.

PubMed

Rees, Tom

2002-01-01

East Jefferson General Hospital in Metairie, La., launched a new Web site in October 2001. Its user-friendly home page offers links to hospital services, medical staff, and employer information. Its jobline is a powerful tool for recruitment. The site was awarded the 2002 Pelican Award for Best Consumer Web site by the Louisiana Society for Hospital Public Relations & Marketing.

Development of a Web-Based Self-management Intervention for Intermittent Urinary Catheter Users With Spinal Cord Injury.

PubMed

Wilde, Mary H; Fairbanks, Eileen; Parshall, Robert; Zhang, Feng; Miner, Sarah; Thayer, Deborah; Harrington, Brian; Brasch, Judith; McMAHON, James M

2015-11-01

While Web-based interventions have proliferated recently, information in the literature is often lacking about how the intervention was developed. In response to that gap, this is a report of the development of a Web-based self-management intervention for intermittent urinary catheter users and pretesting with four adults with spinal cord injury living in the community. Two Web sites were created, one for recruitment and the other for the intervention itself. The intervention involved developing new Web-based technology, including an interactive urinary diary (with fluid intake/urine output and a journal), extensive catheter products information, three intervention nurse phone call consultations, and user-community discussion forums. Study participants completed an online survey and were interviewed twice about the enrollment process and their perceptions of their involvement in the intervention. Suggestions from the pretesting participants were used to revise the Web site applications prior to the next stage of research (a feasibility study). Numerous recommendations and comments were received related to content, interactivity of components, and usability. This article provides a description of how the Web sites were developed (including the technology and software programs used), issues encountered and what was done to address them, and how the Web-based intervention was modified for improvements.

Focus Groups and Usability Testing in Redesigning an Academic Library's Web Site

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oldham, Bonnie W.

2008-01-01

As the World Wide Web has advanced since its inception, librarians have endeavored to keep pace with this progress in the design of their library Web pages. User recommendations collected from focus groups and usability testing have indicated that the University of Scranton's Weinberg Memorial Library's Web site was not working as intended, and…

Testing the Effectiveness of Interactive Multimedia for Library-User Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Markey, Karen; Armstrong, Annie; De Groote, Sandy; Fosmire, Michael; Fuderer, Laura; Garrett, Kelly; Georgas, Helen; Sharp, Linda; Smith, Cheri; Spaly, Michael; Warner, Joni E.

2005-01-01

A test of the effectiveness of interactive multimedia Web sites demonstrates that library users' topic knowledge was significantly greater after visiting the sites than before. Library users want more such sites about library services, their majors, and campus life generally. Librarians describe the roles they want to play on multimedia production…

Measuring Law Library Catalog Web Site Usability: A Web Analytic Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fang, Wei; Crawford, Marjorie E.

2008-01-01

Although there is a proliferation of information available on the Web, and law professors, students, and other users have a variety of channels to locate information and complete their research activities, the law library catalog still remains an important source for offering users access to information that has been evaluated and cataloged by…

Browser-Based Online Applications: Something for Everyone!

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Descy, Don E.

2007-01-01

Just as many people log onto a Web mail site (Gmail, Yahoo, MSN, etc.) to read, write and store their email, there are Web sites out there with word processing, database, and a myriad of other software applications that are not downloadable but used on the site through a Web browser. The user does not have to download the applications to a…

Service quality of Early Childhood Education web portals in Finnish municipalities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koskivaara, Eija; Pihlaja, Päivi

Increasing number of governmental organizations have transformed material on their web sites as a way of providing users with information about their products and services. In this paper, we apply Yang et al (2005) instrument for analyzing municipal early childhood education (ECE) web sites in Finland. The objective of the study was to find out the quality of ECE web portals as well as to give hints to improve their value from users' point of view. In general the five dimensions, usability, usefulness of content, adequacy of information, accessibility, and interaction, of the Yang et al model seems to be applicable also in the early childhood education environment.

Strong regularities in world wide web surfing

PubMed

Huberman; Pirolli; Pitkow; Lukose

1998-04-03

One of the most common modes of accessing information in the World Wide Web is surfing from one document to another along hyperlinks. Several large empirical studies have revealed common patterns of surfing behavior. A model that assumes that users make a sequence of decisions to proceed to another page, continuing as long as the value of the current page exceeds some threshold, yields the probability distribution for the number of pages that a user visits within a given Web site. This model was verified by comparing its predictions with detailed measurements of surfing patterns. The model also explains the observed Zipf-like distributions in page hits observed at Web sites.

Web usage data mining agent

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Madiraju, Praveen; Zhang, Yanqing

2002-03-01

When a user logs in to a website, behind the scenes the user leaves his/her impressions, usage patterns and also access patterns in the web servers log file. A web usage mining agent can analyze these web logs to help web developers to improve the organization and presentation of their websites. They can help system administrators in improving the system performance. Web logs provide invaluable help in creating adaptive web sites and also in analyzing the network traffic analysis. This paper presents the design and implementation of a Web usage mining agent for digging in to the web log files.

Ultrabroadband photonic internet: safety aspects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kalicki, Arkadiusz; Romaniuk, Ryszard

2008-11-01

Web applications became most popular medium in the Internet. Popularity, easiness of web application frameworks together with careless development results in high number of vulnerabilities and attacks. There are several types of attacks possible because of improper input validation. SQL injection is ability to execute arbitrary SQL queries in a database through an existing application. Cross-site scripting is the vulnerability which allows malicious web users to inject code into the web pages viewed by other users. Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) is an attack that tricks the victim into loading a page that contains malicious request. Web spam in blogs. There are several techniques to mitigate attacks. Most important are web application strong design, correct input validation, defined data types for each field and parameterized statements in SQL queries. Server hardening with firewall, modern security policies systems and safe web framework interpreter configuration are essential. It is advised to keep proper security level on client side, keep updated software and install personal web firewalls or IDS/IPS systems. Good habits are logging out from services just after finishing work and using even separate web browser for most important sites, like e-banking.

Improving Web Searches: Case Study of Quit-Smoking Web Sites for Teenagers

PubMed Central

Skinner, Harvey

2003-01-01

Background The Web has become an important and influential source of health information. With the vast number of Web sites on the Internet, users often resort to popular search sites when searching for information. However, little is known about the characteristics of Web sites returned by simple Web searches for information about smoking cessation for teenagers. Objective To determine the characteristics of Web sites retrieved by search engines about smoking cessation for teenagers and how information quality correlates with the search ranking. Methods The top 30 sites returned by 4 popular search sites in response to the search terms "teen quit smoking" were examined. The information relevance and quality characteristics of these sites were evaluated by 2 raters. Objective site characteristics were obtained using a page-analysis Web site. Results Only 14 of the 30 Web sites are of direct relevance to smoking cessation for teenagers. The readability of about two-thirds of the 14 sites is below an eighth-grade school level and they ranked significantly higher (Kendall rank correlation, tau = -0.39, P= .05) in search-site results than sites with readability above or equal to that grade level. Sites that ranked higher were significantly associated with the presence of e-mail address for contact (tau = -0.46, P= .01), annotated hyperlinks to external sites (tau = -0.39, P= .04), and the presence of meta description tag (tau = -0.48, P= .002). The median link density (number of external sites that have a link to that site) of the Web pages was 6 and the maximum was 735. A higher link density was significantly associated with a higher rank (tau = -0.58, P= .02). Conclusions Using simple search terms on popular search sites to look for information on smoking cessation for teenagers resulted in less than half of the sites being of direct relevance. To improve search efficiency, users could supplement results obtained from simple Web searches with human-maintained Web directories and learn to refine their searches with more advanced search syntax. PMID:14713656

Human dynamics revealed through Web analytics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gonçalves, Bruno; Ramasco, José J.

2008-08-01

The increasing ubiquity of Internet access and the frequency with which people interact with it raise the possibility of using the Web to better observe, understand, and monitor several aspects of human social behavior. Web sites with large numbers of frequently returning users are ideal for this task. If these sites belong to companies or universities, their usage patterns can furnish information about the working habits of entire populations. In this work, we analyze the properly anonymized logs detailing the access history to Emory University’s Web site. Emory is a medium-sized university located in Atlanta, Georgia. We find interesting structure in the activity patterns of the domain and study in a systematic way the main forces behind the dynamics of the traffic. In particular, we find that linear preferential linking, priority-based queuing, and the decay of interest for the contents of the pages are the essential ingredients to understand the way users navigate the Web.

Assessing the Usability of University Websites: An Empirical Study on Namik Kemal University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mentes, S. Ahmet; Turan, Aykut H.

2012-01-01

Web sites are emerging as a key component of an organization's survival in our ever globalizing competitive world. Usability of a web site has assumed a great deal of importance in terms of satisfying web site users' needs and expectations. The aim of the study is to evaluate and to explore the usability level of Namik Kemal University (NKU)…

The Impact of Instruction in the WWWDOT Framework on Students' Disposition and Ability to Evaluate Web Sites as Sources of Information

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Shenglan; Duke, Nell K.

2011-01-01

Much research has demonstrated that students are largely uncritical users of Web sites as sources of information. Research-tested frameworks are needed to increase elementary-age students' awareness of the need and ability to critically evaluate Web sites as sources of information. This study is a randomized field trial of such a framework called…

Software-supported USER cloning strategies for site-directed mutagenesis and DNA assembly.

PubMed

Genee, Hans Jasper; Bonde, Mads Tvillinggaard; Bagger, Frederik Otzen; Jespersen, Jakob Berg; Sommer, Morten O A; Wernersson, Rasmus; Olsen, Lars Rønn

2015-03-20

USER cloning is a fast and versatile method for engineering of plasmid DNA. We have developed a user friendly Web server tool that automates the design of optimal PCR primers for several distinct USER cloning-based applications. Our Web server, named AMUSER (Automated DNA Modifications with USER cloning), facilitates DNA assembly and introduction of virtually any type of site-directed mutagenesis by designing optimal PCR primers for the desired genetic changes. To demonstrate the utility, we designed primers for a simultaneous two-position site-directed mutagenesis of green fluorescent protein (GFP) to yellow fluorescent protein (YFP), which in a single step reaction resulted in a 94% cloning efficiency. AMUSER also supports degenerate nucleotide primers, single insert combinatorial assembly, and flexible parameters for PCR amplification. AMUSER is freely available online at http://www.cbs.dtu.dk/services/AMUSER/.

Empirical analysis of web-based user-object bipartite networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shang, Ming-Sheng; Lü, Linyuan; Zhang, Yi-Cheng; Zhou, Tao

2010-05-01

Understanding the structure and evolution of web-based user-object networks is a significant task since they play a crucial role in e-commerce nowadays. This letter reports the empirical analysis on two large-scale web sites, audioscrobbler.com and del.icio.us, where users are connected with music groups and bookmarks, respectively. The degree distributions and degree-degree correlations for both users and objects are reported. We propose a new index, named collaborative similarity, to quantify the diversity of tastes based on the collaborative selection. Accordingly, the correlation between degree and selection diversity is investigated. We report some novel phenomena well characterizing the selection mechanism of web users and outline the relevance of these phenomena to the information recommendation problem.

32 CFR Appendix A to Part 806b - Definitions

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... exemption for protecting the identity of confidential sources. Cookie: Data created by a Web server that is... (persistent cookie). It provides a way for the Web site to identify users and keep track of their preferences... or is sent to a Web site different from the one you are currently viewing. Defense Data Integrity...

32 CFR Appendix A to Part 806b - Definitions

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... exemption for protecting the identity of confidential sources. Cookie: Data created by a Web server that is... (persistent cookie). It provides a way for the Web site to identify users and keep track of their preferences... or is sent to a Web site different from the one you are currently viewing. Defense Data Integrity...

Web Design Matters

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mathews, Brian

2009-01-01

The web site is a library's most important feature. Patrons use the web site for numerous functions, such as renewing materials, placing holds, requesting information, and accessing databases. The homepage is the place they turn to look up the hours, branch locations, policies, and events. Whether users are at work, at home, in a building, or on…

Presence of pro-tobacco messages on the Web.

PubMed

Hong, Traci; Cody, Michael J

2002-01-01

Ignored in the finalized Master Settlement Agreement (National Association of Attorneys General, 1998), the unmonitored, unregulated World Wide Web (Web) can operate as a major vehicle for delivering pro-tobacco messages, images, and products to millions of young consumers. A content analysis of 318 randomly sampled pro-tobacco Web sites revealed that tobacco has a pervasive presence on the Web, especially on e-commerce sites and sites featuring hobbies, recreation, and "fetishes." Products can be ordered online on nearly 50% of the sites, but only 23% of the sites included underage verification. Further, only 11% of these sites contain health warnings. Instead, pro-tobacco sites frequently associate smoking with "glamorous" and "alternative" lifestyles, and with images of young males and young (thin, attractive) females. Finally, many of the Web sites offered interactive site features that are potentially appealing to young Web users. Recommendations for future research and counterstrategies are discussed.

A survey of motif finding Web tools for detecting binding site motifs in ChIP-Seq data

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Abstract ChIP-Seq (chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing) has provided the advantage for finding motifs as ChIP-Seq experiments narrow down the motif finding to binding site locations. Recent motif finding tools facilitate the motif detection by providing user-friendly Web interface. In this work, we reviewed nine motif finding Web tools that are capable for detecting binding site motifs in ChIP-Seq data. We showed each motif finding Web tool has its own advantages for detecting motifs that other tools may not discover. We recommended the users to use multiple motif finding Web tools that implement different algorithms for obtaining significant motifs, overlapping resemble motifs, and non-overlapping motifs. Finally, we provided our suggestions for future development of motif finding Web tool that better assists researchers for finding motifs in ChIP-Seq data. Reviewers This article was reviewed by Prof. Sandor Pongor, Dr. Yuriy Gusev, and Dr. Shyam Prabhakar (nominated by Prof. Limsoon Wong). PMID:24555784

When and why do people post questions about health and illness on Web 2.0-based Q&A sites in Japan.

PubMed

Nakayama, Kazuhiro; Nishio, Arisa; Yokoyama, Yukari; Setoyama, Yoko; Togari, Taisuke; Yonekura, Yuki

2009-01-01

Web2.0-based Q&A sites such as Yahoo! Answers and OKWave are the fastest-growing sites in Japan. Such sites exploit user-generated content and information-sharing methods and have established point systems and user ratings to reward participation. We analyzed the questions and answers concerning health and illness posted on these sites. We found that the people who posted questions desired to obtain information related to their health problems from various sources, and to seek validation of this information not only by experts but also by people who have undergone similar experiences.

Use of a secure Internet Web site for collaborative medical research.

PubMed

Marshall, W W; Haley, R W

2000-10-11

Researchers who collaborate on clinical research studies from diffuse locations need a convenient, inexpensive, secure way to record and manage data. The Internet, with its World Wide Web, provides a vast network that enables researchers with diverse types of computers and operating systems anywhere in the world to log data through a common interface. Development of a Web site for scientific data collection can be organized into 10 steps, including planning the scientific database, choosing a database management software system, setting up database tables for each collaborator's variables, developing the Web site's screen layout, choosing a middleware software system to tie the database software to the Web site interface, embedding data editing and calculation routines, setting up the database on the central server computer, obtaining a unique Internet address and name for the Web site, applying security measures to the site, and training staff who enter data. Ensuring the security of an Internet database requires limiting the number of people who have access to the server, setting up the server on a stand-alone computer, requiring user-name and password authentication for server and Web site access, installing a firewall computer to prevent break-ins and block bogus information from reaching the server, verifying the identity of the server and client computers with certification from a certificate authority, encrypting information sent between server and client computers to avoid eavesdropping, establishing audit trails to record all accesses into the Web site, and educating Web site users about security techniques. When these measures are carefully undertaken, in our experience, information for scientific studies can be collected and maintained on Internet databases more efficiently and securely than through conventional systems of paper records protected by filing cabinets and locked doors. JAMA. 2000;284:1843-1849.

On Social e-Learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Won; Jeong, Ok-Ran

Social Web sites include social networking sites and social media sites. They make it possible for people to share user-created contents online and to interact and stay connected with their online people networks. The social features of social Web sites, appropriately adapted, can help turn e-learning into social e-learning and make e-learning significantly more effective. In this paper, we develop requirements for social e-learning systems. They include incorporating the many of the social features of social Web sites, accounting for all key stakeholders and learning subjects, and curbing various types of misuses by people. We also examine the capabilities of representative social e-learning Web sites that are available today.

COMPARE/Radiology, an interactive Web-based radiology teaching program evaluation of user response.

PubMed

Wagner, Matthias; Heckemann, Rolf A; Nömayr, Anton; Greess, Holger; Bautz, Werner A; Grunewald, Markus

2005-06-01

The aim of this study is to assess user benefits of COMPARE/Radiology, a highly interactive World Wide Web-based training program for radiology, as perceived by its users. COMPARE/Radiology (http://www.idr.med.uni-erlangen.de/compare.htm), an interactive training program based on 244 teaching cases, was created by the authors and made publicly available on the Internet. An anonymous survey was conducted among users to investigate the composition of the program's user base and assess the acceptance of the training program. In parallel, Web access data were collected and analyzed using descriptive statistics. The group of responding users (n = 1370) consisted of 201 preclinical medical students (14.7%), 314 clinical medical students (22.9%), 359 residents in radiology (26.2%), and 205 users of other professions (14.9%). A majority of respondents (1230; 89%) rated the interactivity of COMPARE/Radiology as good or excellent. Many respondents use COMPARE/Radiology for self-study (971; 70%) and for teaching others (600; 43%). Web access statistics show an increase in number of site visits from 1248 in December 2002 to 4651 in April 2004. Users appreciate the benefits of COMPARE/Radiology. The interactive instructional design was rated positively by responding users. The popularity of the site is growing, evidenced by the number of network accesses during the observation period.

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.

37 CFR 385.14 - Promotional royalty rate.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... limited downloads are offered in a manner such that the user is at the same time (e.g., on the same Web... rate through third-party services (including Web sites) that is not subject to paragraphs (c) or (d) of... service (e.g., a Web site) directly owned or operated by the record company, or directly owned or operated...

Satisfiers and Dissatisfiers: A Two-Factor Model for Website Design and Evaluation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Ping; von Dran, Gisela M.

2000-01-01

Investigates Web site design factors and their impact from a theoretical perspective. Presents a two-factor model that can guide Web site design and evaluation. According to the model, there are two types of design factors: hygiene and motivator. Results showed that the two-factor model provides a means for Web-user interface studies. Provides…

A Web Based Approach to Integrate Space Culture and Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gerla, F.

2002-01-01

Our intention is to dedicate a large section of our web site to space education. As the national User Support and Operation Center (USOC) for the International Space Station, MARS Center is also willing to provide material, such as videos and data, for educational purposes. In order to base our initiative on authoritative precedents, our first step has been a comparative analysis between different space agency education web sites, such as ESA and NASA. As is well known, Internet is a powerful reality, capable of connecting people all over the world and rendering public a huge amount of information. The first problem, then, is to organize this information, in order to use the web as an efficient education tool. That is why studies such as User Modeling (UM), Human Computer Interaction (HCI) and Semantic Web have become more important in Information Technology and Science. Traditional search engines are unable to provide an optimal retrieval of contents really searched for by users. Semantic Web is a valid alternative: according to its theories, web information should be represented using metadata language. Users should be able and enabled to successfully search, obtain and study new information from web. Forging knowledge in an intelligent manner, preventing users from making errors, and making this formidable quantity of information easily available have also been the starting points for HCI methodologies for defining Adaptable Interfaces. Here the information is divided into different sets, on the basis of the intended user profile, in order to prevent users from getting lost. Realized as an adaptable interface, an education web site can help users to effectively retrieve the information necessary for their scopes (teaching for a teacher and learning for a student). For students it's a great advantage to use interfaces designed on the basis of their age and scholastic level. Indeed, an adaptable interface is intended not just for students, but also for teachers, who can use it to prepare their lessons, retrieve information and organize the didactic material in order to support their lessons. We think it important to use a user centered "psychology" based on UM: we have to know the needs and expectations of the students. Our intent is to use usability tests not just to prove the site effectiveness and clearness, but also to investigate aesthetical preferences of children and young people. Physics, mathematics, chemistry are just some of the difficult learning fields connected with space technologies. Space culture is a potentially never-ending field, and our scope will be to lead students by hand in this universe of knowledge. This paper will present MARS activities in the framework of the above methodologies aimed at implementing a web based approach to integrate space culture and education. The activities are already in progress and some results will be presented in the final paper.

Mining Longitudinal Web Queries: Trends and Patterns.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Peiling; Berry, Michael W.; Yang, Yiheng

2003-01-01

Analyzed user queries submitted to an academic Web site during a four-year period, using a relational database, to examine users' query behavior, to identify problems they encounter, and to develop techniques for optimizing query analysis and mining. Linguistic analyses focus on query structures, lexicon, and word associations using statistical…

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2018-04-01

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

Web-based pathology practice examination usage.

PubMed

Klatt, Edward C

2014-01-01

General and subject specific practice examinations for students in health sciences studying pathology were placed onto a free public internet web site entitled web path and were accessed four clicks from the home web site menu. Multiple choice questions were coded into. html files with JavaScript functions for web browser viewing in a timed format. A Perl programming language script with common gateway interface for web page forms scored examinations and placed results into a log file on an internet computer server. The four general review examinations of 30 questions each could be completed in up to 30 min. The 17 subject specific examinations of 10 questions each with accompanying images could be completed in up to 15 min each. The results of scores and user educational field of study from log files were compiled from June 2006 to January 2014. The four general review examinations had 31,639 accesses with completion of all questions, for a completion rate of 54% and average score of 75%. A score of 100% was achieved by 7% of users, ≥90% by 21%, and ≥50% score by 95% of users. In top to bottom web page menu order, review examination usage was 44%, 24%, 17%, and 15% of all accessions. The 17 subject specific examinations had 103,028 completions, with completion rate 73% and average score 74%. Scoring at 100% was 20% overall, ≥90% by 37%, and ≥50% score by 90% of users. The first three menu items on the web page accounted for 12.6%, 10.0%, and 8.2% of all completions, and the bottom three accounted for no more than 2.2% each. Completion rates were higher for shorter 10 questions subject examinations. Users identifying themselves as MD/DO scored higher than other users, averaging 75%. Usage was higher for examinations at the top of the web page menu. Scores achieved suggest that a cohort of serious users fully completing the examinations had sufficient preparation to use them to support their pathology education.

Web Sites that Compare Loans Gain Users, Lose Lenders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Norton, Ingrid

2008-01-01

Web sites that allow borrowers to compare student loans proliferated in the wake of last year's scandals that exposed conflicts of interest in the lending industry. Now the credit crunch is shifting demand for loan-comparison sites again, providing both new challenges and opportunities. More financial-aid officers are also pointing their students…

The Researcher's Journey: Scholarly Navigation of an Academic Library Web Site

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCann, Steve; Ravas, Tammy; Zoellner, Kate

2010-01-01

A qualitative study of the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library's Web site identified the ways in which students and faculty of the University of Montana used the site for research purposes. This study employed open-ended interview questions and observations to spontaneously capture a user's experience in researching topics in which they…

Earning the Stamp of Approval: How To Achieve Optimal Usability.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Makar, Susan

2003-01-01

Describes the redesign of the Web site at the virtual library of the NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology). Discusses usability problems with the original site, including navigation difficulties; focus groups to determine user needs; usability testing for the new Web site; and the importance of customer input. (LRW)

User-Centric Secure Cross-Site Interaction Framework for Online Social Networking Services

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ko, Moo Nam

2011-01-01

Social networking service is one of major technological phenomena on Web 2.0. Hundreds of millions of users are posting message, photos, and videos on their profiles and interacting with other users, but the sharing and interaction are limited within the same social networking site. Although users can share some content on a social networking site…

Motivation Mining: Prospecting the Web.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Small, Ruth V.; Arnone, Marilyn P.

1999-01-01

Describes WebMAC instruments, which differ from other Web-evaluation instruments because they have a theoretical base, are user-centered, are designed for students in grades 7 through 12, and assess the motivational quality of Web sites. Examples are given of uses of WebMAC Middle and WebMAC Senior in activities to promote evaluation and…

Catalytic site identification—a web server to identify catalytic site structural matches throughout PDB

PubMed Central

Kirshner, Daniel A.; Nilmeier, Jerome P.; Lightstone, Felice C.

2013-01-01

The catalytic site identification web server provides the innovative capability to find structural matches to a user-specified catalytic site among all Protein Data Bank proteins rapidly (in less than a minute). The server also can examine a user-specified protein structure or model to identify structural matches to a library of catalytic sites. Finally, the server provides a database of pre-calculated matches between all Protein Data Bank proteins and the library of catalytic sites. The database has been used to derive a set of hypothesized novel enzymatic function annotations. In all cases, matches and putative binding sites (protein structure and surfaces) can be visualized interactively online. The website can be accessed at http://catsid.llnl.gov. PMID:23680785

Catalytic site identification--a web server to identify catalytic site structural matches throughout PDB.

PubMed

Kirshner, Daniel A; Nilmeier, Jerome P; Lightstone, Felice C

2013-07-01

The catalytic site identification web server provides the innovative capability to find structural matches to a user-specified catalytic site among all Protein Data Bank proteins rapidly (in less than a minute). The server also can examine a user-specified protein structure or model to identify structural matches to a library of catalytic sites. Finally, the server provides a database of pre-calculated matches between all Protein Data Bank proteins and the library of catalytic sites. The database has been used to derive a set of hypothesized novel enzymatic function annotations. In all cases, matches and putative binding sites (protein structure and surfaces) can be visualized interactively online. The website can be accessed at http://catsid.llnl.gov.

Design and pilot evaluation of an Internet spit tobacco cessation program.

PubMed

Gala, S; Pesek, F; Murray, J; Kavanagh, C; Graham, S; Walsh, M

2008-01-01

To develop an interactive Web site to help smokeless tobacco (ST) users to reduce or stop their ST use and pilot test it for feasibility, acceptability, and short-term outcomes. An interactive, multiple-contact Internet ST cessation program was developed, refined based on feedback from 17 ST users, and pilot-tested for feasibility, acceptability, and short-term effects on the ST-related behavior and attitudes among baseball athletes attending 3 colleges in California. Consenting ST users completed a baseline questionnaire and enrolled on the Web site for help with stopping ST use. One month later, outcomes were assessed. Although 18 ST-using baseball athletes enrolled on the Web site, follow-up data were obtained from 12 individuals. Loss to follow-up occurred when we were unable to contact participants by telephone or mailed surveys. At 1-month follow-up, over 80% (N=11) reported that the Web site was: "helpful in stopping or reducing my tobacco use"; easy to navigate; and "appealing." Moreover, 8% (n=1) self-reported abstinence from ST use. Among nonquitters, there was a 26% mean reduction in ST use per day compared to baseline values. In addition, among all enrollees, there was a 4-fold increase in motivation to quit (7% versus 31%) and a 21% increase in their confidence in being able to quit (67% versus. 85%) from baseline to follow-up. The interactive ST cessation Web site was feasible to implement, acceptable to ST users, and appeared to reduce ST use, enhance motivation to quit, and increase confidence about one's ability to quit. Further study with a larger sample size and a control group is needed to determine efficacy to promote cessation of ST use.

Web services in the U.S. geological survey streamstats web application

USGS Publications Warehouse

Guthrie, J.D.; Dartiguenave, C.; Ries, Kernell G.

2009-01-01

StreamStats is a U.S. Geological Survey Web-based GIS application developed as a tool for waterresources planning and management, engineering design, and other applications. StreamStats' primary functionality allows users to obtain drainage-basin boundaries, basin characteristics, and streamflow statistics for gaged and ungaged sites. Recently, Web services have been developed that provide the capability to remote users and applications to access comprehensive GIS tools that are available in StreamStats, including delineating drainage-basin boundaries, computing basin characteristics, estimating streamflow statistics for user-selected locations, and determining point features that coincide with a National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) reach address. For the state of Kentucky, a web service also has been developed that provides users the ability to estimate daily time series of drainage-basin average values of daily precipitation and temperature. The use of web services allows the user to take full advantage of the datasets and processes behind the Stream Stats application without having to develop and maintain them. ?? 2009 IEEE.

Double-u double-u double-u dot APIC dot org: a review of the APIC World Wide Web site.

PubMed

Harr, J

1996-12-01

The widespread use of the Internet and the development of the World Wide Web have led to a revolution in electronic communication and information access. The Association for Professional in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) has developed a site on the World Wide Web to provide mechanisms for international on-line information access and exchange on issues related to the practice of infection control and the application of epidemiology. From the home page of the APIC Web site, users can access information on professional resources, publications, educational offering, governmental affairs, the APIC organization, and the infection control profession. Among the chief features of the site is a discussion forum for posing questions and sharing information about infection control and epidemiology. The site also contains a searchable database of practice-related abstracts and descriptions and order forms for APIC publications. Users will find continuing education course descriptions and registration forms, legislative and regulatory action alerts and a congressional mailer, chapter and committee information, and infection control information of interest to the general public. APIC is considering several potential future enhancements to their Web site and will continue to review the site's content and features to provide current and useful information to infection control professionals.

Critical design elements of e-health applications for users with severe mental illness: singular focus, simple architecture, prominent contents, explicit navigation, and inclusive hyperlinks.

PubMed

Rotondi, Armando J; Eack, Shaun M; Hanusa, Barbara H; Spring, Michael B; Haas, Gretchen L

2015-03-01

E-health applications are becoming integral components of general medical care delivery models and emerging for mental health care. Few exist for treatment of those with severe mental illness (SMI). In part, this is due to a lack of models to design such technologies for persons with cognitive impairments and lower technology experience. This study evaluated the effectiveness of an e-health design model for persons with SMI termed the Flat Explicit Design Model (FEDM). Persons with schizophrenia (n = 38) performed tasks to evaluate the effectiveness of 5 Web site designs: 4 were prominent public Web sites, and 1 was designed according to the FEDM. Linear mixed-effects regression models were used to examine differences in usability between the Web sites. Omnibus tests of between-site differences were conducted, followed by post hoc pairwise comparisons of means to examine specific Web site differences when omnibus tests reached statistical significance. The Web site designed using the FEDM required less time to find information, had a higher success rate, and was rated easier to use and less frustrating than the other Web sites. The home page design of one of the other Web sites provided the best indication to users about a Web site's contents. The results are consistent with and were used to expand the FEDM. The FEDM provides evidence-based guidelines to design e-health applications for person with SMI, including: minimize an application's layers or hierarchy, use explicit text, employ navigational memory aids, group hyperlinks in 1 area, and minimize the number of disparate subjects an application addresses. © The Author 2013. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Maryland Psychiatric Research Center. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

StreamStats in North Carolina: a water-resources Web application

USGS Publications Warehouse

Weaver, J. Curtis; Terziotti, Silvia; Kolb, Katharine R.; Wagner, Chad R.

2012-01-01

A statewide StreamStats application for North Carolina was developed in cooperation with the North Carolina Department of Transportation following completion of a pilot application for the upper French Broad River basin in western North Carolina (Wagner and others, 2009). StreamStats for North Carolina, available at http://water.usgs.gov/osw/streamstats/north_carolina.html, is a Web-based Geographic Information System (GIS) application developed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in consultation with Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc. (Esri) to provide access to an assortment of analytical tools that are useful for water-resources planning and management (Ries and others, 2008). The StreamStats application provides an accurate and consistent process that allows users to easily obtain streamflow statistics, basin characteristics, and descriptive information for USGS data-collection sites and user-selected ungaged sites. In the North Carolina application, users can compute 47 basin characteristics and peak-flow frequency statistics (Weaver and others, 2009; Robbins and Pope, 1996) for a delineated drainage basin. Selected streamflow statistics and basin characteristics for data-collection sites have been compiled from published reports and also are immediately accessible by querying individual sites from the web interface. Examples of basin characteristics that can be computed in StreamStats include drainage area, stream slope, mean annual precipitation, and percentage of forested area (Ries and others, 2008). Examples of streamflow statistics that were previously available only through published documents include peak-flow frequency, flow-duration, and precipitation data. These data are valuable for making decisions related to bridge design, floodplain delineation, water-supply permitting, and sustainable stream quality and ecology. The StreamStats application also allows users to identify stream reaches upstream and downstream from user-selected sites and obtain information for locations along streams where activities occur that may affect streamflow conditions. This functionality can be accessed through a map-based interface with the user’s Web browser, or individual functions can be requested remotely through Web services (Ries and others, 2008).

Self-presentation 2.0: narcissism and self-esteem on Facebook.

PubMed

Mehdizadeh, Soraya

2010-08-01

Online social networking sites have revealed an entirely new method of self-presentation. This cyber social tool provides a new site of analysis to examine personality and identity. The current study examines how narcissism and self-esteem are manifested on the social networking Web site Facebook.com . Self-esteem and narcissistic personality self-reports were collected from 100 Facebook users at York University. Participant Web pages were also coded based on self-promotional content features. Correlation analyses revealed that individuals higher in narcissism and lower in self-esteem were related to greater online activity as well as some self-promotional content. Gender differences were found to influence the type of self-promotional content presented by individual Facebook users. Implications and future research directions of narcissism and self-esteem on social networking Web sites are discussed.

Accessibility Trends among Academic Library and Library School Web Sites in the USA and Canada

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schmetzke, Axel; Comeaux, David

2009-01-01

This paper focuses on the accessibility of North American library and library school Web sites for all users, including those with disabilities. Web accessibility data collected in 2006 are compared to those of 2000 and 2002. The findings of this follow-up study continue to give cause for concern: Despite improvements since 2002, library and…

Transitioning from Marketing-Oriented Design to User-Oriented Design: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Laster, Shari; Stitz, Tammy; Bove, Frank J.; Wise, Casey

2011-01-01

The transition to a new architecture and design for an academic library Web site does not always proceed smoothly. In this case study, a library at a large research university hired an outside Web development contractor to create a new architecture and design for the university's Web site using dotCMS, an open-source content management system. The…

40 CFR 86.010-38 - Maintenance instructions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

..., excluding any research and development costs incurred in designing and implementing, upgrading or altering... months lead time to meet this requirement. Each manufacturer Web site shall: (i) Provide access in full... same time as manufacturer-franchised dealership World Wide Web sites; (iii) Provide users with a...

40 CFR 86.010-38 - Maintenance instructions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

..., excluding any research and development costs incurred in designing and implementing, upgrading or altering... months lead time to meet this requirement. Each manufacturer Web site shall: (i) Provide access in full... same time as manufacturer-franchised dealership World Wide Web sites; (iii) Provide users with a...

40 CFR 86.010-38 - Maintenance instructions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

..., excluding any research and development costs incurred in designing and implementing, upgrading or altering... months lead time to meet this requirement. Each manufacturer Web site shall: (i) Provide access in full... same time as manufacturer-franchised dealership World Wide Web sites; (iii) Provide users with a...

40 CFR 86.010-38 - Maintenance instructions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

..., excluding any research and development costs incurred in designing and implementing, upgrading or altering... months lead time to meet this requirement. Each manufacturer Web site shall: (i) Provide access in full... same time as manufacturer-franchised dealership World Wide Web sites; (iii) Provide users with a...

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

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

[Legal aspects of Web 2.0 in the health field].

PubMed

Beslay, Nathalie; Jeunehomme, Marie

2009-10-01

Web 2.0 sites are considered to be hosting providers and not publishers of user-generated content. The liability of hosting providers' liability is defined by the law enacted on June 21, 2004, on confidence in the digital economy. Hosting providers must promptly remove the information they host or make its access impossible once they are informed of its illegality. They are required to obtain and retain data to enable identification of any person who has contributed to content hosted by them. The liability of hosting providers has arisen in numerous disputes about user-produced content in various situations (discussion lists, blogs, etc.). The National Board of Physicians has developed specific ethical guidelines for web sites devoted to health issues and specifically for physician-authored content. The National Board of Physicians acknowledges that physicians can present themselves, their office, and their specific practice on their web site, notwithstanding any restrictions otherwise applicable to advertising.

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bozkurt, Aras; Karadeniz, Abdulkadir; Kocdar, Serpil

2017-01-01

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

Driving Ms. Data: Creating Data-Driven Possibilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoffman, Richard

2005-01-01

This article describes how driven Web sites help schools and districts maximize their IT resources by making online content more "self-service" for users. It shows how to set up the capacity to create data-driven sites. By definition, a data-driven Web site is one in which the content comes from some back-end data source, such as a…

Improving Web Accessibility in a University Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olive, Geoffrey C.

2010-01-01

Improving Web accessibility for disabled users visiting a university's Web site is explored following the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) guidelines and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act rules for Web page designers to ensure accessibility. The literature supports the view that accessibility is sorely lacking, not only in the USA, but also…

Healthcare

MedlinePlus

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Usability Testing for e-Resource Discovery: How Students Find and Choose e-Resources Using Library Web Sites

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fry, Amy; Rich, Linda

2011-01-01

In early 2010, library staff at Bowling Green State University (BGSU) in Ohio designed and conducted a usability study of key parts of the library web site, focusing on the web pages generated by the library's electronic resources management system (ERM) that list and describe the library's databases. The goal was to discover how users find and…

Assessing the Integrity of Web Sites Providing Data and Information on Corporate Behavior

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McLaughlin, Josetta; Pavelka, Deborah; McLaughlin, Gerald

2005-01-01

A significant trend in higher education evolving from the wide accessibility to the Internet is the availability of an ever-increasing supply of data on Web sites for use by professors, students, and researchers. As this usage by a wider variety of users grows, the ability to judge the integrity of the data, the related findings, and the Web site…

Surfing for thinness: a pilot study of pro-eating disorder Web site usage in adolescents with eating disorders.

PubMed

Wilson, Jenny L; Peebles, Rebecka; Hardy, Kristina K; Litt, Iris F

2006-12-01

Pro-eating disorder Web sites are communities of individuals who engage in disordered eating and use the Internet to discuss their activities. Pro-recovery sites, which are less numerous, express a recovery-oriented perspective. This pilot study investigated the awareness and usage of pro-eating disorder Web sites among adolescents with eating disorders and their parents and explored associations with health and quality of life. This was a cross-sectional study of 698 families of patients (aged 10-22 years) diagnosed with an eating disorder at Stanford between 1997 and 2004. Anonymous surveys were mailed and offered in clinic. Survey content included questions about disease severity, health outcomes, Web site usage, and parental knowledge of eating disorder Web site usage. Surveys were returned by 182 individuals: 76 patients and 106 parents. Parents frequently (52.8%) were aware of pro-eating disorder sites, but an equal number did not know whether their child visited these sites, and only 27.6% had discussed them with their child. Most (62.5%) parents, however, did not know about pro-recovery sites. Forty-one percent of patients visited pro-recovery sites, 35.5% visited pro-eating disorder sites, 25.0% visited both, and 48.7% visited neither. While visiting pro-eating disorder sites, 96.0% reported learning new weight loss or purging techniques. However, 46.4% of pro-recovery site visitors also learned new techniques. Pro-eating disorder site users did not differ from nonusers in health outcomes but reported spending less time on school or schoolwork and had a longer duration of illness. Users of both pro-eating disorder and pro-recovery sites were hospitalized more than users of neither site. Pro-eating disorder site usage was prevalent among adolescents with eating disorders, yet parents had little knowledge of this. Although use of these sites was not associated with other health outcomes, usage may have a negative impact on quality of life and result in adolescents' learning about and adopting disordered eating behaviors.

Social Bookmarking in Academic Libraries: Trends and Applications

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Redden, Carla S.

2010-01-01

This paper presents an exploration of the potential utilization of social bookmarking web sites by academic libraries. These web sites, which allow users and organizations to create accounts for bookmarking online content, provide academic libraries tools to collaborate and network, organize and share electronic resources and teach information…

AN OPEN-SOURCE COMMUNITY WEB SITE TO SUPPORT GROUND-WATER MODEL TESTING

EPA Science Inventory

A community wiki wiki web site has been created as a resource to support ground-water model development and testing. The Groundwater Gourmet wiki is a repository for user supplied analytical and numerical recipes, how-to's, and examples. Members are encouraged to submit analyti...

Hazardous Drugs

MedlinePlus

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

Winter Weather

MedlinePlus

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

Determining the Navigational Aids Use on the Internet: The Information Technologies Teacher Candidates' Case

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kuzu, Abdullah; Firat, Mehmet

2010-01-01

The Internet users who fail to cope with navigation may generally face various problems such as disorientation, distraction, low motivation and abandonment of information retrieval. Therefore, navigational aids are frequently used in today's Web browsers and Web sites to help users navigate on the Internet. However, it is asserted that…

New "persona" concept helps site designers cater to target user segments' needs.

PubMed

2004-09-01

Using the relatively new "persona" design concept, Web strategists create a set of archetypical user characters, each one representing one of their site's primary audiences. Then, as their site is constructed or upgraded, they champion the personas, arguing on their behalf and forcing the design team to take each audience's needs and wants into account.

Using USNO's API to Obtain Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lesniak, Michael V.; Pozniak, Daniel; Punnoose, Tarun

2015-01-01

The U.S. Naval Observatory (USNO) is in the process of modernizing its publicly available web services into APIs (Application Programming Interfaces). Services configured as APIs offer greater flexibility to the user and allow greater usage. Depending on the particular service, users who implement our APIs will receive either a PNG (Portable Network Graphics) image or data in JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) format. This raw data can then be embedded in third-party web sites or in apps.Part of the USNO's mission is to provide astronomical and timing data to government agencies and the general public. To this end, the USNO provides accurate computations of astronomical phenomena such as dates of lunar phases, rise and set times of the Moon and Sun, and lunar and solar eclipse times. Users who navigate to our web site and select one of our 18 services are prompted to complete a web form, specifying parameters such as date, time, location, and object. Many of our services work for years between 1700 and 2100, meaning that past, present, and future events can be computed. Upon form submission, our web server processes the request, computes the data, and outputs it to the user.Over recent years, the use of the web by the general public has vastly changed. In response to this, the USNO is modernizing its web-based data services. This includes making our computed data easier to embed within third-party web sites as well as more easily querying from apps running on tablets and smart phones. To facilitate this, the USNO has begun converting its services into APIs. In addition to the existing web forms for the various services, users are able to make direct URL requests that return either an image or numerical data.To date, four of our web services have been configured to run with APIs. Two are image-producing services: "Apparent Disk of a Solar System Object" and "Day and Night Across the Earth." Two API data services are "Complete Sun and Moon Data for One Day" and "Dates of Primary Phases of the Moon." Instructions for how to use our API services as well as examples of their use can be found on one of our explanatory web pages and will be discussed here.

Increasing efficiency of information dissemination and collection through the World Wide Web

Treesearch

Daniel P. Huebner; Malchus B. Baker; Peter F. Ffolliott

2000-01-01

Researchers, managers, and educators have access to revolutionary technology for information transfer through the World Wide Web (Web). Using the Web to effectively gather and distribute information is addressed in this paper. Tools, tips, and strategies are discussed. Companion Web sites are provided to guide users in selecting the most appropriate tool for searching...

Computer Workstations: Desks

MedlinePlus

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

The New USGS Volcano Hazards Program Web Site

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Venezky, D. Y.; Graham, S. E.; Parker, T. J.; Snedigar, S. F.

2008-12-01

The U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) Volcano Hazard Program (VHP) has launched a revised web site that uses a map-based interface to display hazards information for U.S. volcanoes. The web site is focused on better communication of hazards and background volcano information to our varied user groups by reorganizing content based on user needs and improving data display. The Home Page provides a synoptic view of the activity level of all volcanoes for which updates are written using a custom Google® Map. Updates are accessible by clicking on one of the map icons or clicking on the volcano of interest in the adjacent color-coded list of updates. The new navigation provides rapid access to volcanic activity information, background volcano information, images and publications, volcanic hazards, information about VHP, and the USGS volcano observatories. The Volcanic Activity section was tailored for emergency managers but provides information for all our user groups. It includes a Google® Map of the volcanoes we monitor, an Elevated Activity Page, a general status page, information about our Volcano Alert Levels and Aviation Color Codes, monitoring information, and links to monitoring data from VHP's volcano observatories: Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO), Cascades Volcano Observatory (CVO), Long Valley Observatory (LVO), Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO), and Yellowstone Volcano Observatory (YVO). The YVO web site was the first to move to the new navigation system and we are working on integrating the Long Valley Observatory web site next. We are excited to continue to implement new geospatial technologies to better display our hazards and supporting volcano information.

Surfing the Web for Science: Early Data on the Users and Uses of The Why Files.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eveland, William P., Jr.; Dunwoody, Sharon

1998-01-01

This brief offers an initial look at one science site on the World Wide Web (The Why Files: http://whyfiles.news.wise.edu) in order to consider the educational potential of this technology. The long-term goal of the studies of this site is to understand how the World Wide Web can be used to enhance science, mathematics, engineering, and technology…

Suspension Trauma / Orthostatic Intolerance

MedlinePlus

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

Computer Workstation: Pointer/Mouse

MedlinePlus

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

DMSP SSJ4 Data Restoration, Classification, and On-Line Data Access

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wing, Simon; Bredekamp, Joseph H. (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

Compress and clean raw data file for permanent storage We have identified various error conditions/types and developed algorithms to get rid of these errors/noises, including the more complicated noise in the newer data sets. (status = 100% complete). Internet access of compacted raw data. It is now possible to access the raw data via our web site, http://www.jhuapl.edu/Aurora/index.html. The software to read and plot the compacted raw data is also available from the same web site. The users can now download the raw data, read, plot, or manipulate the data as they wish on their own computer. The users are able to access the cleaned data sets. Internet access of the color spectrograms. This task has also been completed. It is now possible to access the spectrograms from the web site mentioned above. Improve the particle precipitation region classification. The algorithm for doing this task has been developed and implemented. As a result, the accuracies improved. Now the web site routinely distributes the results of applying the new algorithm to the cleaned data set. Mark the classification region on the spectrograms. The software to mark the classification region in the spectrograms has been completed. This is also available from our web site.

Non-visual Web Browsing: Beyond Web Accessibility

PubMed Central

Ramakrishnan, I.V.; Ashok, Vikas

2017-01-01

People with vision impairments typically use screen readers to browse the Web. To facilitate non-visual browsing, web sites must be made accessible to screen readers, i.e., all the visible elements in the web site must be readable by the screen reader. But even if web sites are accessible, screen-reader users may not find them easy to use and/or easy to navigate. For example, they may not be able to locate the desired information without having to listen to a lot of irrelevant contents. These issues go beyond web accessibility and directly impact web usability. Several techniques have been reported in the accessibility literature for making the Web usable for screen reading. This paper is a review of these techniques. Interestingly, the review reveals that understanding the semantics of the web content is the overarching theme that drives these techniques for improving web usability. PMID:29202137

Non-visual Web Browsing: Beyond Web Accessibility.

PubMed

Ramakrishnan, I V; Ashok, Vikas; Billah, Syed Masum

2017-07-01

People with vision impairments typically use screen readers to browse the Web. To facilitate non-visual browsing, web sites must be made accessible to screen readers, i.e., all the visible elements in the web site must be readable by the screen reader. But even if web sites are accessible, screen-reader users may not find them easy to use and/or easy to navigate. For example, they may not be able to locate the desired information without having to listen to a lot of irrelevant contents. These issues go beyond web accessibility and directly impact web usability. Several techniques have been reported in the accessibility literature for making the Web usable for screen reading. This paper is a review of these techniques. Interestingly, the review reveals that understanding the semantics of the web content is the overarching theme that drives these techniques for improving web usability.

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

MedlinePlus

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

Computer Workstations: Good Working Positions

MedlinePlus

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

Computer Workstations: Wrist/Palm Supports

MedlinePlus

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

Safety and Health Topics: Asbestos

MedlinePlus

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

Using Participatory Design to Improve Web Sites

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nikolova-Houston, Tatiana

2005-01-01

In this article, the author, a doctoral candidate from the School of Information at the University of Texas-Austin, describes the experience gathered from her attempt to redesign her existing Web sites in order to supply online resources for Slavic and Byzantine studies. The use of participatory design, which involves the users in creating the…

Chat Widgets for Science Libraries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meier, John J.

2008-01-01

This paper describes chat widgets, chunks of code that can be embedded on a web site to appear as an instant messaging system, and how they can be used on a science library web site to better serve library users. Interviews were conducted concerning experiences at science and humanities libraries and more similarities than differences were…

MalWebID-Autodetection and Identification of Malicious Web Hosts Through Live Traffic Analysis

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-03-01

blogs, video services, and popular social media sites. In December 2000, there were near 361 million Internet users and by the end of December 2012...site (i.e., Porn , Rx/Pharmaceutical, illegal activity, etc.) – propagate or contain viruses, spyware, or other harmful programs, participate in spamming

Vulnerability Assessment of Open Source Wireshark and Chrome Browser

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-08-01

UNLIMITED 5 We spent much of the initial time learning about the logical model that modern HTML5 web browsers support, including how users interact with...are supposed to protect users of that site against cross-site scripting) and the new powerful an all-encompassing HTML5 standard. This vulnerability

Application of Multiprotocol Medical Imaging Communications and an Extended DICOM WADO Service in a Teleradiology Architecture

PubMed Central

Koutelakis, George V.; Anastassopoulos, George K.; Lymberopoulos, Dimitrios K.

2012-01-01

Multiprotocol medical imaging communication through the Internet is more flexible than the tight DICOM transfers. This paper introduces a modular multiprotocol teleradiology architecture that integrates DICOM and common Internet services (based on web, FTP, and E-mail) into a unique operational domain. The extended WADO service (a web extension of DICOM) and the other proposed services allow access to all levels of the DICOM information hierarchy as opposed to solely Object level. A lightweight client site is considered adequate, because the server site of the architecture provides clients with service interfaces through the web as well as invulnerable space for temporary storage, called as User Domains, so that users fulfill their applications' tasks. The proposed teleradiology architecture is pilot implemented using mainly Java-based technologies and is evaluated by engineers in collaboration with doctors. The new architecture ensures flexibility in access, user mobility, and enhanced data security. PMID:22489237

Web Content Management Systems: An Analysis of Forensic Investigatory Challenges.

PubMed

Horsman, Graeme

2018-02-26

With an increase in the creation and maintenance of personal websites, web content management systems are now frequently utilized. Such systems offer a low cost and simple solution for those seeking to develop an online presence, and subsequently, a platform from which reported defamatory content, abuse, and copyright infringement has been witnessed. This article provides an introductory forensic analysis of the three current most popular web content management systems available, WordPress, Drupal, and Joomla! Test platforms have been created, and their site structures have been examined to provide guidance for forensic practitioners facing investigations of this type. Result's document available metadata for establishing site ownership, user interactions, and stored content following analysis of artifacts including Wordpress's wp_users, and wp_comments tables, Drupal's "watchdog" records, and Joomla!'s _users, and _content tables. Finally, investigatory limitations documenting the difficulties of investigating WCMS usage are noted, and analysis recommendations are offered. © 2018 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

LifeWatchGreece Portal development: architecture, implementation and challenges for a biodiversity research e-infrastructure.

PubMed

Gougousis, Alexandros; Bailly, Nicolas

2016-01-01

Biodiversity data is characterized by its cross-disciplinary character, the extremely broad range of data types and structures, and the plethora of different data sources providing resources for the same piece of information in a heterogeneous way. Since the web inception two decades ago, there are multiple initiatives to connect, aggregate, share, and publish biodiversity data, and to establish data and work flows in order to analyze them. The European program LifeWatch aims at establishing a distributed network of nodes implementing virtual research environment in Europe to facilitate the work of biodiversity researchers and managers. LifeWatchGreece is one of these nodes where a portal was developed offering access to a suite of virtual laboratories and e-services. Despite its strict definition in information technology, in practice "portal" is a fairly broad term that embraces many web architectures. In the biodiversity domain, the term "portal" is usually used to indicate either a web site that provides access to a single or an aggregation of data repositories (like: http://indiabiodiversity.org/, http://www.mountainbiodiversity.org/, http://data.freshwaterbiodiversity.eu), a web site that gathers information about various online biodiversity tools (like http://test-eubon.ebd.csic.es/, http://marine.lifewatch.eu/) or a web site that just gathers information and news about the biodiversity domain (like http://chm.moew.government.bg). LifeWatchGreece's portal takes the concept of a portal a step further. In strict IT terms, LifeWatchGreece's portal is partly a portal, partly a platform and partly an aggregator. It includes a number of biodiversity-related web tools integrated into a centrally-controlled software ecosystem. This ecosystem includes subsystems for access control, traffic monitoring, user notifications and web tool management. These subsystems are shared to all the web tools that have been integrated to the portal and thereby are part of this ecosystem. These web tools do not consist in external and completely independent web applications as it happens in most other portals. A quite obvious (to the user) indication of this is the Single-Sign-On (SSO) functionality for all tools and the common user interface wrapper that most of these tools use. Another example of a less obvious functionality is the common user profile that is shared and can be utilized by all tools (e.g user's timezone).

Differences in physical status, mental state and online behavior of people in pro-anorexia web communities.

PubMed

Yom-Tov, Elad; Brunstein-Klomek, Anat; Hadas, Arie; Tamir, Or; Fennig, Silvana

2016-08-01

There is a debate about the effects of pro-anorexia (colloquially referred to as pro-ana) websites. Research suggests that the effect of these websites is not straightforward. Indeed, the actual function of these sites is disputed, with studies indicating both negative and positive effects. This is the first study which systematically examined the differences between pro-anorexia web communities in four main aspects: web language used (posts); web interests/search behaviors (queries); users' self-reported weight status and weight goals; and associated self-reported mood/pathology. We collected three primary sources of data, including messages posed on three pro-ana websites, a survey completed by over 1000 participants of a pro-ana website, and the searches made on the Bing search engine of pro-anorexia users. These data were analyzed for content, reported demographics and pathology, and behavior over time. Although members of the main pro-ana website investigated appear to be depressed, with high rates of self-harm and suicide attempts, users are significantly more interested in treatment, have wishes of procreation and reported the highest goal weights among the investigated sites. In contrast, users of other pro-ana websites investigated, are more interested in morbid themes including depression, self-harm and suicide. The percentage of severely malnourished website users, in general, appears to be small (20%). Our results indicate that a new strategy is required to facilitate the communication between mental health specialists and pro-ana web users, recognizing the differences in harm associated with different websites. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Leveraging Site Search and Analytics to Maintain a User-Centered Focus

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mitchell, Erik

2011-01-01

Web design is a necessarily iterative process. During the process, it can be difficult to balance the interests and focus of the library site experts and their novice users. It can also be easy to lose focus on the main goals of site use and become wrapped up in the process of design or coding or in the internal politics of site design. Just as…

Web Time-Management Tool

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2000-01-01

Oak Grove Reactor, developed by Oak Grove Systems, is a new software program that allows users to integrate workflow processes. It can be used with portable communication devices. The software can join e-mail, calendar/scheduling and legacy applications into one interactive system via the web. Priority tasks and due dates are organized and highlighted to keep the user up to date with developments. Reactor works with existing software and few new skills are needed to use it. Using a web browser, a user can can work on something while other users can work on the same procedure or view its status while it is being worked on at another site. The software was developed by the Jet Propulsion Lab and originally put to use at Johnson Space Center.

Digital Earth Watch (DEW): How Mobile Apps Are Paving The Way Towards A Federated Web-Services Architecture For Citizen Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carrera, F.; Schloss, A. L.; Guerin, S.; Beaudry, J.; Pickle, J.

2011-12-01

Dozens of web-based initiatives allow citizens to provide information to programs that monitor the health of our environment. A concerned citizen can participate on-line as a weather "spotter", provide important phenological information to national databases, update bird counts in the area, or record the freezing of ponds, and much more. Many of these programs are developing mobile apps as companion tools to their web sites. Our group was involved in the development of one such companion app as an adjunct to the Picture Post project web site. Digital Earth Watch (DEW) and the Picture Post network support environmental monitoring through repeat digital photography and satellite imagery. A Picture Post is an eight-sided platform on a stand-alone post for taking a panoramic series of photographs. By taking pictures on a regular basis at Picture Post sites and by sharing these pictures on the program's web site (housed at the University of New Hampshire), citizen scientists are creating a photographic library of change-over-time in their local area and contributing to national monitoring programs. Our DEW Android application simplifies participation by allowing users to upload pictures instantly from their smart phone. The app also removes the constraint of the physical picture post, by allowing users to create a virtual post anywhere in the world. Posts have been set up to monitor trails, forests, water, wetlands, gardens and landscapes. The app uses the phone's GPS to position the virtual post in its geographic location and guides the user through the orientations thanks to the internal accelerometers and compass. To aid in the before-and-after comparison of images taken from the same orientation, the DEW app displays an "onionskin" of the prior image overlayed onto the camera viewfinder. With the transparent onionskin as a guide, the user can align the images more accurately, thus allowing differences between pictures to be detectable and measurable. The app interacts with the UNH server via APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) that were created to allow bi-directional machine-to-machine interaction between the mobile device and the web site. Thus, the principal functions that a user can perform on the web site, such as finding post sites on a map and viewing and adding picture sets, are available on the smartphone. The development of the APIs makes it now possible not only to communicate with our own mobile app, but, more importantly, it opens the door for other computer systems to directly interact with our server. Our ongoing discussions with the National Phenology Network and Project Budburst, have highlighted the potential (and perhaps the need) for the creation of a distributed web-service architecture whereby each national program exposes its key functionalities not only to their own mobile phone apps, but also to other organizations, in a federated system of servers, all supporting citizen-based digital earth watch programs.

Setting Up the JBrowse Genome Browser

PubMed Central

Skinner, Mitchell E; Holmes, Ian H

2010-01-01

JBrowse is a web-based tool for visualizing genomic data. Unlike most other web-based genome browsers, JBrowse exploits the capabilities of the user's web browser to make scrolling and zooming fast and smooth. It supports the browsers used by almost all internet users, and is relatively simple to install. JBrowse can utilize multiple types of data in a variety of common genomic data formats, including genomic feature data in bioperl databases, GFF files, and BED files, and quantitative data in wiggle files. This unit describes how to obtain the JBrowse software, set it up on a Linux or Mac OS X computer running as a web server and incorporate genome annotation data from multiple sources into JBrowse. After completing the protocols described in this unit, the reader will have a web site that other users can visit to browse the genomic data. PMID:21154710

The Windows to the Universe Project: A Facility for Inter-American Geoscience Education and Outreach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, R. M.; Lagrave, M.; Araujo-Pradere, E.; Russell, R.; Gardiner, L.; Bergman, J.; Genyuk, J.; Henderson, S.; Dimarco, M.; Metcalfe, T.

2005-05-01

Windows to the Universe (http://www.windows.ucar.edu) is a popular and comprehensive Earth and space science education web site that uses an interdisciplinary approach to engage our global audience. The entire Windows to the Universe site (roughly 7,000 pages) is being translated into Spanish, with support from the National Science Foundation. Large portions have already been "published" to the web and have been in use since October 2003. Web site statistics indicate that use of the Spanish portion of the site has quickly ramped up to ~20% of total site traffic. Approximately 150,000 users per month have accessed the Spanish-language segments of the site over the past academic year, in addition to the visitors to the English version of the website. The largest fraction of non-US users of the Spanish website come from Mexico, with growing use from countries from Central and South America and Spain. A total of 6.7 million users from around the world accessed the educational resources on this comprehensive website in 2004. An exciting new web-based development interface utilizing templates and an image database allows scientists from around the world to collaborate with the Windows to the Universe team, becoming remote developers on the website. This approach has proven to work effectively for scientists eager to efficiently get their science research results out to the public, taking advantage of their specialized expertise and yet not requiring them to become specialists in informal or formal K-12 education.

75 FR 44020 - Biweekly Notice; Applications and Amendments to Facility Operating Licenses Involving No...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-07-27

... representative, already holds an NRC- issued digital ID certificate). Based upon this information, the Secretary... online, Web-based submission form. In order to serve documents through EIE, users will be required to install a Web browser plug-in from the NRC Web site. Further information on the Web- based submission form...

A Framework for Transparently Accessing Deep Web Sources

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dragut, Eduard Constantin

2010-01-01

An increasing number of Web sites expose their content via query interfaces, many of them offering the same type of products/services (e.g., flight tickets, car rental/purchasing). They constitute the so-called "Deep Web". Accessing the content on the Deep Web has been a long-standing challenge for the database community. For a user interested in…

Health and medication information resources on the World Wide Web.

PubMed

Grossman, Sara; Zerilli, Tina

2013-04-01

Health care practitioners have increasingly used the Internet to obtain health and medication information. The vast number of Internet Web sites providing such information and concerns with their reliability makes it essential for users to carefully select and evaluate Web sites prior to use. To this end, this article reviews the general principles to consider in this process. Moreover, as cost may limit access to subscription-based health and medication information resources with established reputability, freely accessible online resources that may serve as an invaluable addition to one's reference collection are highlighted. These include government- and organization-sponsored resources (eg, US Food and Drug Administration Web site and the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists' Drug Shortage Resource Center Web site, respectively) as well as commercial Web sites (eg, Medscape, Google Scholar). Familiarity with such online resources can assist health care professionals in their ability to efficiently navigate the Web and may potentially expedite the information gathering and decision-making process, thereby improving patient care.

Behind the Numbers: Why Web Analytics Matter to Your Institution

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thayer, Shelby

2011-01-01

Web analytics measure, collect, analyze, and report Internet data that help website managers improve the effectiveness of the site and its marketing efforts by allowing them to better understand how users interact with the site. Applying this data can help drive the right people to the website and keep them there. According to Joshua Dodson, Web…

REopt Lite Web Tool

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

NREL developed a free, publicly available web version of the REopt (TM) renewable energy integration and optimization platform called REopt Lite. REopt Lite recommends the optimal size and dispatch strategy for grid-connected photovoltaics (PV) and battery storage at a site. It also allows users to explore how PV and storage can increase a site's resiliency during a grid outage.

Navigational Structure on the World Wide Web: Usability Concerns, User Preferences, and "Browsing Behavior."

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frick, Theodore; Monson, John A.; Xaver, Richard F.; Kilic, Gulsen; Conley, Aaron T.; Wamey, Beatrice

There are several approaches a World Wide Web site designer considers in developing a menu structure. One consideration is the content of the menus (what choices are available to the user). Another consideration is the physical layout of the menu structure. The physical layout of a menu may be described as being one of at least three different…

A Quick Guide to Education Data Resources. A Tabletop Reference to Selected NCES Web Site Tools. For Librarians, Students, and Parents.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics (ED), Washington, DC.

This leaflet is a guide to data resources on the Internet related to education. The first Web site listed, http://nces.ed.gov/globallocator/, allows the user to search for public and private elementary and secondary schools by name, city, state, or zip code. The second site, "The Students' Classroom," offers information on a range of…

Web site access statistics and delivery of research results

Treesearch

Daniel L. Schmoldt; Matthew F. Winn; Philip A. Araman

1998-01-01

For the past 2-1/2 years, our Research Work Unit (RWU) has been operating a Web site (http://www.se4702.forprod.vt.edu). The site became operational in October 1995. In the beginning, it was primarily designed to stake out a piece of the Internet with our name and our RWU’s organizational mission. Quickly, it became apparent to us, however, that our user community...

75 FR 39950 - Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Cancer Trials Support Unit (CTSU) Public Use Forms and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-07-13

... Request; Cancer Trials Support Unit (CTSU) Public Use Forms and Customer Satisfaction Surveys (NCI... of customer satisfaction for clinical site staff using the CTSU Help Desk and the CTSU web site. An ongoing user satisfaction survey is in place for the Oncology Patient Enrollment Network (OPEN). User...

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

The system is developed to collect, process, store and present the information provided by the radio frequency identification (RFID) devices. The system contains three parts, the application software, the database and the web page. The application software manages multiple RFID devices, such as readers and portals, simultaneously. It communicates with the devices through application programming interface (API) provided by the device vendor. The application software converts data collected by the RFID readers and portals to readable information. It is capable of encrypting data using 256 bits advanced encryption standard (AES). The application software has a graphical user interface (GUI). Themore » GUI mimics the configurations of the nucler material storage sites or transport vehicles. The GUI gives the user and system administrator an intuitive way to read the information and/or configure the devices. The application software is capable of sending the information to a remote, dedicated and secured web and database server. Two captured screen samples, one for storage and transport, are attached. The database is constructed to handle a large number of RFID tag readers and portals. A SQL server is employed for this purpose. An XML script is used to update the database once the information is sent from the application software. The design of the web page imitates the design of the application software. The web page retrieves data from the database and presents it in different panels. The user needs a user name combined with a password to access the web page. The web page is capable of sending e-mail and text messages based on preset criteria, such as when alarm thresholds are excceeded. A captured screen sample is attached. The application software is designed to be installed on a local computer. The local computer is directly connected to the RFID devices and can be controlled locally or remotely. There are multiple local computers managing different sites or transport vehicles. The control from remote sites and information transmitted to a central database server is through secured internet. The information stored in the central databaser server is shown on the web page. The users can view the web page on the internet. A dedicated and secured web and database server (https) is used to provide information security.« less

w4CSeq: software and web application to analyze 4C-seq data.

PubMed

Cai, Mingyang; Gao, Fan; Lu, Wange; Wang, Kai

2016-11-01

Circularized Chromosome Conformation Capture followed by deep sequencing (4C-Seq) is a powerful technique to identify genome-wide partners interacting with a pre-specified genomic locus. Here, we present a computational and statistical approach to analyze 4C-Seq data generated from both enzyme digestion and sonication fragmentation-based methods. We implemented a command line software tool and a web interface called w4CSeq, which takes in the raw 4C sequencing data (FASTQ files) as input, performs automated statistical analysis and presents results in a user-friendly manner. Besides providing users with the list of candidate interacting sites/regions, w4CSeq generates figures showing genome-wide distribution of interacting regions, and sketches the enrichment of key features such as TSSs, TTSs, CpG sites and DNA replication timing around 4C sites. Users can establish their own web server by downloading source codes at https://github.com/WGLab/w4CSeq Additionally, a demo web server is available at http://w4cseq.wglab.org CONTACT: kaiwang@usc.edu or wangelu@usc.eduSupplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Improving Geoscience Outreach Through Multimedia Enhanced Web Sites - An Example From Connecticut

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hyatt, J. A.; Coron, C. R.; Schroeder, T. J.; Fleming, T.; Drzewiecki, P. A.

2005-12-01

Although large governmental web sites (e.g. USGS, NASA etc.) are important resources, particularly in relation to phenomena with global to regional significance (e.g. recent Tsunami and Hurricane disasters), smaller academic web portals continue to make substantive contributions to web-based learning in the geosciences. The strength of "home-grown" web sites is that they easily can be tailored to specific classes, they often focus on local geologic content, and they potentially integrate classroom, laboratory, and field-based learning in ways that improve introductory classes. Furthermore, innovative multimedia techniques including virtual reality, image manipulations, and interactive streaming video can improve visualization and be particularly helpful for first-time geology students. This poster reports on one such web site, Learning Tools in Earth Science (LTES, http://www.easternct .edu/personal/faculty/hyattj/LTES-v2/), a site developed by geoscience faculty at two state institutions. In contrast to some large web sites with media development teams, LTES geoscientists, with strong support from media and IT service departments, are responsible for geologic content and verification, media development and editing, and web development and authoring. As such, we have considerable control over both content and design of this site. At present the main content modules for LTES include "mineral" and "virtual field trip" links. The mineral module includes an interactive mineral gallery, and a virtual mineral box of 24 unidentified samples that are identical to those used in some of our classes. Students navigate an intuitive web portal to manipulate images and view streaming video segments that explain and undertake standard mineral identification tests. New elements highlighted in our poster include links to a virtual petrographic microscope, in which users can manipulate images to simulate stage rotation in both plane- and cross-polarized light. Virtual field trips include video-based excursions to sites in Georgia, Connecticut and Greenland. New to these VFT's is the integration of "virtual walks" in which users are able to navigate through some field sites in a virtual sense. Development of this resource is ongoing, but response from students, faculty outside of Earth Science and K-12 instructors indicate that this small web site can provide useful resources for those educators utilizing web-based learning in their courses. .edu/personal/faculty/hyattj/LTES-v2/

ProBiS-ligands: a web server for prediction of ligands by examination of protein binding sites.

PubMed

Konc, Janez; Janežič, Dušanka

2014-07-01

The ProBiS-ligands web server predicts binding of ligands to a protein structure. Starting with a protein structure or binding site, ProBiS-ligands first identifies template proteins in the Protein Data Bank that share similar binding sites. Based on the superimpositions of the query protein and the similar binding sites found, the server then transposes the ligand structures from those sites to the query protein. Such ligand prediction supports many activities, e.g. drug repurposing. The ProBiS-ligands web server, an extension of the ProBiS web server, is open and free to all users at http://probis.cmm.ki.si/ligands. © The Author(s) 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

Effective Levels of Adaptation to Different Types of Users in Interactive Museum Systems.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paterno, F.; Mancini, C.

2000-01-01

Discusses user interaction with museum application interfaces and emphasizes the importance of adaptable and adaptive interfaces to meet differing user needs. Considers levels of support that can be given to different users during navigation of museum hypermedia information, using examples from the Web site for the Marble Museum (Italy).…

Enhanced, Partially Redundant Emergency Notification System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pounds, Clark D.

2005-01-01

The Johnson Space Center Emergency Notification System (JENS) software utilizes pre-existing computation and communication infrastructure to augment a prior variable-tone, siren-based, outdoor alarm system, in order to enhance the ability to give notice of emergencies to employees working in multiple buildings. The JENS software includes a component that implements an administrative Web site. Administrators can grant and deny access to the administrative site and to an originator Web site that enables authorized individuals to quickly compose and issue alarms. The originator site also facilitates maintenance and review of alarms already issued. A custom client/server application program enables an originator to notify every user who is logged in on a Microsoft Windows-based desktop computer by means of a pop-up message that interrupts, but does not disrupt, the user s work. Alternatively or in addition, the originator can send an alarm message to recipients on an e-mail distribution list and/or can post the notice on an internal Web site. An alarm message can consist of (1) text describing the emergency and suggesting a course of action and (2) a replica of the corresponding audible outdoor alarm.

77 FR 70449 - Medical Device User Fee and Modernization Act; Notice to Public of Web Site Location of Fiscal...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-11-26

... of guidance documents that the Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH) is intending to... notice announces the Web site location of the two lists of guidance documents which CDRH is intending to... list. FDA and CDRH priorities are subject to change at any time. Topics on this and past guidance...

76 FR 61367 - Medical Device User Fee and Modernization Act; Notice to Public of Web Site Location of Fiscal...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-04

... the Agency will post a list of guidance documents the Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH... guidance documents that CDRH is considering for development and providing stakeholders an opportunity to.... This notice announces the Web site location of the list of guidances on which CDRH is intending to work...

Information Retrieval System for Japanese Standard Disease-Code Master Using XML Web Service

PubMed Central

Hatano, Kenji; Ohe, Kazuhiko

2003-01-01

Information retrieval system of Japanese Standard Disease-Code Master Using XML Web Service is developed. XML Web Service is a new distributed processing system by standard internet technologies. With seamless remote method invocation of XML Web Service, users are able to get the latest disease code master information from their rich desktop applications or internet web sites, which refer to this service. PMID:14728364

Evaluation of the Relevance of a Web-Based "Ask an Expert" Feature: StratSoy and Soy and Human Health Queries.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wool, D. L.; Kanfer, A. G.; Michaels, J.; Thompson, S.; Morris, S. A.; Hasler, C. M.

2000-01-01

A study of the "Ask an Expert" feature of StratSoy, a Web-based information system, surveyed 50 users and 48 using it for the first time. Topic areas of interest and web site features desired by respondents were identified. (JOW)

Interactivity, Information Processing, and Learning on the World Wide Web.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tremayne, Mark; Dunwoody, Sharon

2001-01-01

Examines the role of interactivity in the presentation of science news on the World Wide Web. Proposes and tests a model of interactive information processing that suggests that characteristics of users and Web sites influence interactivity, which influences knowledge acquisition. Describes use of a think-aloud method to study participants' mental…

A Web Service and Interface for Remote Electronic Device Characterization

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dutta, S.; Prakash, S.; Estrada, D.; Pop, E.

2011-01-01

A lightweight Web Service and a Web site interface have been developed, which enable remote measurements of electronic devices as a "virtual laboratory" for undergraduate engineering classes. Using standard browsers without additional plugins (such as Internet Explorer, Firefox, or even Safari on an iPhone), remote users can control a Keithley…

Notions of reliability: considering the importance of difference in guiding patients to health care Web sites.

PubMed

Adams, S A; De Bont, A A

2003-01-01

This article analyzes the efforts of three organizations to provide a standard that guides Internet users to reliable health care sites. Comparison of health Internet sites, interviews and document studies. In comparing these approaches, three different constructions of reliability are identified. The resulting possibilities and restrictions of these constructions for users that are searching for health information on the Internet are revealed.

Use of The Math You Need When You Need It website outside of introductory geoscience courses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baer, E. M.; Wenner, J. M.

2011-12-01

Web usage statistics and a recent survey of visitors to The Math You Need, When You Need It (TMYN) suggest that these web resources serve a significant number of students beyond those for whom they were originally intended. The web-based modules of TMYN are asynchronous online resources designed to help undergraduates learn quantitative concepts essential in a concurrent introductory geoscience course. In the past year, approximately 1,000 students accessed TMYN through associated geoscience courses; however, in that same time period,more than 40 times that number interacted significantly with the site according to Google Analytics. Of the nearly 220,000 total visitors, ~15% stayed on the site for longer than one minute and ~20% visited two or more pages within the site, suggesting that the content is engaging and useful to many of the visitors. In a pop-up survey of users, 81% of the nearly 350 respondents reported that they found what they were looking for. Although the nature of TMYN website users is difficult to discern definitively, daily, weekly and monthly use patterns indicate a predominance of academic users. Access to the site is lowest during the summer months and on Friday and Saturday, and is elevated on Sunday through Thursdays. Furthermore, in a pop-up survey of users who accessed more than one page, greater than half (56%) of the 346 respondents were students, 20% collegiate faculty and 9% K-12 teachers. Although the resources are specifically designed for geoscience students, 61% of survey respondents identified themselves as associated with other STEM disciplines. Thus, despite the decidedly geoscientific slant to these resources, survey data suggest that many STEM students and teachers are searching for the kinds of topics covered by TMYN. Furthermore, web use statistics indicate a substantial need for high quality web-based quantitative skill support materials for all STEM disciplines.

Instant Gratification: Striking a Balance Between Rich Interactive Visualization and Ease of Use for Casual Web Surfers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Russell, R. M.; Johnson, R. M.; Gardiner, E. S.; Bergman, J. J.; Genyuk, J.; Henderson, S.

2004-12-01

Interactive visualizations can be powerful tools for helping students, teachers, and the general public comprehend significant features in rich datasets and complex systems. Successful use of such visualizations requires viewers to have, or to acquire, adequate expertise in use of the relevant visualization tools. In many cases, the learning curve associated with competent use of such tools is too steep for casual users, such as members of the lay public browsing science outreach web sites or K-12 students and teachers trying to integrate such tools into their learning about geosciences. "Windows to the Universe" (http://www.windows.ucar.edu) is a large (roughly 6,000 web pages), well-established (first posted online in 1995), and popular (over 5 million visitor sessions and 40 million pages viewed per year) science education web site that covers a very broad range of Earth science and space science topics. The primary audience of the site consists of K-12 students and teachers and the general public. We have developed several interactive visualizations for use on the site in conjunction with text and still image reference materials. One major emphasis in the design of these interactives has been to ensure that casual users can quickly learn how to use the interactive features without becoming frustrated and departing before they were able to appreciate the visualizations displayed. We will demonstrate several of these "user-friendly" interactive visualizations and comment on the design philosophy we have employed in developing them.

A user-oriented web crawler for selectively acquiring online content in e-health research.

PubMed

Xu, Songhua; Yoon, Hong-Jun; Tourassi, Georgia

2014-01-01

Life stories of diseased and healthy individuals are abundantly available on the Internet. Collecting and mining such online content can offer many valuable insights into patients' physical and emotional states throughout the pre-diagnosis, diagnosis, treatment and post-treatment stages of the disease compared with those of healthy subjects. However, such content is widely dispersed across the web. Using traditional query-based search engines to manually collect relevant materials is rather labor intensive and often incomplete due to resource constraints in terms of human query composition and result parsing efforts. The alternative option, blindly crawling the whole web, has proven inefficient and unaffordable for e-health researchers. We propose a user-oriented web crawler that adaptively acquires user-desired content on the Internet to meet the specific online data source acquisition needs of e-health researchers. Experimental results on two cancer-related case studies show that the new crawler can substantially accelerate the acquisition of highly relevant online content compared with the existing state-of-the-art adaptive web crawling technology. For the breast cancer case study using the full training set, the new method achieves a cumulative precision between 74.7 and 79.4% after 5 h of execution till the end of the 20-h long crawling session as compared with the cumulative precision between 32.8 and 37.0% using the peer method for the same time period. For the lung cancer case study using the full training set, the new method achieves a cumulative precision between 56.7 and 61.2% after 5 h of execution till the end of the 20-h long crawling session as compared with the cumulative precision between 29.3 and 32.4% using the peer method. Using the reduced training set in the breast cancer case study, the cumulative precision of our method is between 44.6 and 54.9%, whereas the cumulative precision of the peer method is between 24.3 and 26.3%; for the lung cancer case study using the reduced training set, the cumulative precisions of our method and the peer method are, respectively, between 35.7 and 46.7% versus between 24.1 and 29.6%. These numbers clearly show a consistently superior accuracy of our method in discovering and acquiring user-desired online content for e-health research. The implementation of our user-oriented web crawler is freely available to non-commercial users via the following Web site: http://bsec.ornl.gov/AdaptiveCrawler.shtml. The Web site provides a step-by-step guide on how to execute the web crawler implementation. In addition, the Web site provides the two study datasets including manually labeled ground truth, initial seeds and the crawling results reported in this article.

Guidelines for medical and health information sites on the internet: principles governing AMA web sites. American Medical Association.

PubMed

Winker, M A; Flanagin, A; Chi-Lum, B; White, J; Andrews, K; Kennett, R L; DeAngelis, C D; Musacchio, R A

Access to medical information via the Internet has the potential to speed the transformation of the patient-physician relationship from that of physician authority ministering advice and treatment to that of shared decision making between patient and physician. However, barriers impeding this transformation include wide variations in quality of content on the Web, potential for commercial interests to influence online content, and uncertain preservation of personal privacy. To address these issues, the American Medical Association (AMA) has developed principles to guide development and posting of Web site content, govern acquisition and posting of online advertising and sponsorship, ensure site visitors' and patients' rights to privacy and confidentiality, and provide effective and secure means of e-commerce. While these guidelines were developed for the AMA Web sites and visitors to these sites, they also may be useful to other providers and users of medical information on the Web. These principles have been developed with the understanding that they will require frequent revision to keep pace with evolving technology and practices on the Internet. The AMA encourages review and feedback from readers, Web site visitors, policymakers, and all others interested in providing reliable quality information via the Web.

The Ensembl Web Site: Mechanics of a Genome Browser

PubMed Central

Stalker, James; Gibbins, Brian; Meidl, Patrick; Smith, James; Spooner, William; Hotz, Hans-Rudolf; Cox, Antony V.

2004-01-01

The Ensembl Web site (http://www.ensembl.org/) is the principal user interface to the data of the Ensembl project, and currently serves >500,000 pages (∼2.5 million hits) per week, providing access to >80 GB (gigabyte) of data to users in more than 80 countries. Built atop an open-source platform comprising Apache/mod_perl and the MySQL relational database management system, it is modular, extensible, and freely available. It is being actively reused and extended in several different projects, and has been downloaded and installed in companies and academic institutions worldwide. Here, we describe some of the technical features of the site, with particular reference to its dynamic configuration that enables it to handle disparate data from multiple species. PMID:15123591

The Ensembl Web site: mechanics of a genome browser.

PubMed

Stalker, James; Gibbins, Brian; Meidl, Patrick; Smith, James; Spooner, William; Hotz, Hans-Rudolf; Cox, Antony V

2004-05-01

The Ensembl Web site (http://www.ensembl.org/) is the principal user interface to the data of the Ensembl project, and currently serves >500,000 pages (approximately 2.5 million hits) per week, providing access to >80 GB (gigabyte) of data to users in more than 80 countries. Built atop an open-source platform comprising Apache/mod_perl and the MySQL relational database management system, it is modular, extensible, and freely available. It is being actively reused and extended in several different projects, and has been downloaded and installed in companies and academic institutions worldwide. Here, we describe some of the technical features of the site, with particular reference to its dynamic configuration that enables it to handle disparate data from multiple species.

Price comparisons on the internet based on computational intelligence.

PubMed

Kim, Jun Woo; Ha, Sung Ho

2014-01-01

Information-intensive Web services such as price comparison sites have recently been gaining popularity. However, most users including novice shoppers have difficulty in browsing such sites because of the massive amount of information gathered and the uncertainty surrounding Web environments. Even conventional price comparison sites face various problems, which suggests the necessity of a new approach to address these problems. Therefore, for this study, an intelligent product search system was developed that enables price comparisons for online shoppers in a more effective manner. In particular, the developed system adopts linguistic price ratings based on fuzzy logic to accommodate user-defined price ranges, and personalizes product recommendations based on linguistic product clusters, which help online shoppers find desired items in a convenient manner.

Price Comparisons on the Internet Based on Computational Intelligence

PubMed Central

Kim, Jun Woo; Ha, Sung Ho

2014-01-01

Information-intensive Web services such as price comparison sites have recently been gaining popularity. However, most users including novice shoppers have difficulty in browsing such sites because of the massive amount of information gathered and the uncertainty surrounding Web environments. Even conventional price comparison sites face various problems, which suggests the necessity of a new approach to address these problems. Therefore, for this study, an intelligent product search system was developed that enables price comparisons for online shoppers in a more effective manner. In particular, the developed system adopts linguistic price ratings based on fuzzy logic to accommodate user-defined price ranges, and personalizes product recommendations based on linguistic product clusters, which help online shoppers find desired items in a convenient manner. PMID:25268901

A web server for analysis, comparison and prediction of protein ligand binding sites.

PubMed

Singh, Harinder; Srivastava, Hemant Kumar; Raghava, Gajendra P S

2016-03-25

One of the major challenges in the field of system biology is to understand the interaction between a wide range of proteins and ligands. In the past, methods have been developed for predicting binding sites in a protein for a limited number of ligands. In order to address this problem, we developed a web server named 'LPIcom' to facilitate users in understanding protein-ligand interaction. Analysis, comparison and prediction modules are available in the "LPIcom' server to predict protein-ligand interacting residues for 824 ligands. Each ligand must have at least 30 protein binding sites in PDB. Analysis module of the server can identify residues preferred in interaction and binding motif for a given ligand; for example residues glycine, lysine and arginine are preferred in ATP binding sites. Comparison module of the server allows comparing protein-binding sites of multiple ligands to understand the similarity between ligands based on their binding site. This module indicates that ATP, ADP and GTP ligands are in the same cluster and thus their binding sites or interacting residues exhibit a high level of similarity. Propensity-based prediction module has been developed for predicting ligand-interacting residues in a protein for more than 800 ligands. In addition, a number of web-based tools have been integrated to facilitate users in creating web logo and two-sample between ligand interacting and non-interacting residues. In summary, this manuscript presents a web-server for analysis of ligand interacting residue. This server is available for public use from URL http://crdd.osdd.net/raghava/lpicom .

A Query Analysis of Consumer Health Information Retrieval

PubMed Central

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

2002-01-01

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

Adoption of Library 2.0 Functionalities by Academic Libraries and Users: A Knowledge Management Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Yong-Mi; Abbas, June

2010-01-01

This study investigates the adoption of Library 2.0 functionalities by academic libraries and users through a knowledge management perspective. Based on randomly selected 230 academic library Web sites and 184 users, the authors found RSS and blogs are widely adopted by academic libraries while users widely utilized the bookmark function.…

Web-based X-ray quality control documentation.

PubMed

David, George; Burnett, Lou Ann; Schenkel, Robert

2003-01-01

The department of radiology at the Medical College of Georgia Hospital and Clinics has developed an equipment quality control web site. Our goal is to provide immediate access to virtually all medical physics survey data. The web site is designed to assist equipment engineers, department management and technologists. By improving communications and access to equipment documentation, we believe productivity is enhanced. The creation of the quality control web site was accomplished in three distinct steps. First, survey data had to be placed in a computer format. The second step was to convert these various computer files to a format supported by commercial web browsers. Third, a comprehensive home page had to be designed to provide convenient access to the multitude of surveys done in the various x-ray rooms. Because we had spent years previously fine-tuning the computerization of the medical physics quality control program, most survey documentation was already in spreadsheet or database format. A major technical decision was the method of conversion of survey spreadsheet and database files into documentation appropriate for the web. After an unsatisfactory experience with a HyperText Markup Language (HTML) converter (packaged with spreadsheet and database software), we tried creating Portable Document Format (PDF) files using Adobe Acrobat software. This process preserves the original formatting of the document and takes no longer than conventional printing; therefore, it has been very successful. Although the PDF file generated by Adobe Acrobat is a proprietary format, it can be displayed through a conventional web browser using the freely distributed Adobe Acrobat Reader program that is available for virtually all platforms. Once a user installs the software, it is automatically invoked by the web browser whenever the user follows a link to a file with a PDF extension. Although no confidential patient information is available on the web site, our legal department recommended that we secure the site in order to keep out those wishing to make mischief. Our interim solution has not been to password protect the page, which we feared would hinder access for occasional legitimate users, but also not to provide links to it from other hospital and department pages. Utility and productivity were improved and time and money were saved by making radiological equipment quality control documentation instantly available on-line.

U.S. Public Libraries and the Use of Web Technologies. A Closer Look

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lietzau, Zeth

2009-01-01

The use of interactive web technologies on public library web sites in the United States has been a topic of much discussion in recent years, and a shift in certain types of user services is underway. Terms like "Web 2.0" and even "Library 2.0" have become common in library literature and at conferences as those on the early…

New Media: The Key to Influence in Irregular Warfare

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-05-20

Pew-Internet-Social-Networking-full-detail.aspx. 13 May 2013. 5 Most Global Internet Users Turn to the Web for Emails (85%) and Social Networking Sites (62...sent from within Libya on various social networking sites after his friends within Libya had recorded them on his cell phone. 33 When cell...to the Web for Emails (85%) and Social Networking Sites (62%), New York, http://www.ipsos-na.com/news- polls/pressrelease.aspx?id=5564. May 4, 2013

An advanced web query interface for biological databases

PubMed Central

Latendresse, Mario; Karp, Peter D.

2010-01-01

Although most web-based biological databases (DBs) offer some type of web-based form to allow users to author DB queries, these query forms are quite restricted in the complexity of DB queries that they can formulate. They can typically query only one DB, and can query only a single type of object at a time (e.g. genes) with no possible interaction between the objects—that is, in SQL parlance, no joins are allowed between DB objects. Writing precise queries against biological DBs is usually left to a programmer skillful enough in complex DB query languages like SQL. We present a web interface for building precise queries for biological DBs that can construct much more precise queries than most web-based query forms, yet that is user friendly enough to be used by biologists. It supports queries containing multiple conditions, and connecting multiple object types without using the join concept, which is unintuitive to biologists. This interactive web interface is called the Structured Advanced Query Page (SAQP). Users interactively build up a wide range of query constructs. Interactive documentation within the SAQP describes the schema of the queried DBs. The SAQP is based on BioVelo, a query language based on list comprehension. The SAQP is part of the Pathway Tools software and is available as part of several bioinformatics web sites powered by Pathway Tools, including the BioCyc.org site that contains more than 500 Pathway/Genome DBs. PMID:20624715

Card Sorting in an Online Environment: Key to Involving Online-Only Student Population in Usability Testing of an Academic Library Web Site?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paladino, Emily B.; Klentzin, Jacqueline C.; Mills, Chloe P.

2017-01-01

Based on in-person, task-based usability testing and interviews, the authors' library Web site was recently overhauled in order to improve user experience. This led to the authors' interest in additional usability testing methods and test environments that would most closely fit their library's goals and situation. The appeal of card sorting…

Cyber-Herding and Cyber Activism: Countering Qutbists on the Internet

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-12-01

13 f. Phase 6, Concentrate Web Sites ..........14 g. Phase 7, Develop Darknet ................16 B. CYBER ACTIVISM...continues in Phase 3 with the introduction of web sites owned by the cyber herding program and later on with the introduction of Darknets . The...own doppelganger.) Create several content-rich Darknet environments—a private virtual network where users connect only to people they trust8—that

Usability of American Nurses Association State Web Sites: A Follow-up Evaluation.

PubMed

Koch, Gina; Wakefield, Bonnie J; Alexander, Gregory L; Wilson, Melissa A; Becker, Colleen

2016-05-01

The American Nurses Association supports professional nurses through Web sites administered by state nursing associations, providing important information for current and potential members. Optimal usability of these Web sites is critical for nurses to obtain the information they seek. Heuristic evaluations are general criteria used to evaluate the usability of technology such as Web sites. A study published in 2014, using heuristic criteria from Nielsen's 10 principles and Health on The Web, evaluated 27 state nursing Web sites to identify usability concerns that could prevent nurses from obtaining accurate information regarding state nursing practice. The purpose of this study is to conduct a second heuristic evaluation to assess for changes in a subset of 12 Web sites. The analysis comparing the evaluation from 2012 to 2014 found that mean scores increased and variance decreased; however, no statistically significant difference was found between the two studies. Scores increased in 2014 for "help users to diagnose, and recover from errors," "match between the system and real world," and "consistency and standards." Scores decreased due to absence of mission statements and identification of intended audience. Ideally, Web site designers will use the feedback from this study and make changes that improve their usability to provide information to nurses.

Social cognitive determinants of nutrition and physical activity among web-health users enrolling in an online intervention: the influence of social support, self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and self-regulation.

PubMed

Anderson-Bill, Eileen Smith; Winett, Richard A; Wojcik, Janet R

2011-03-17

The Internet is a trusted source of health information for growing majorities of Web users. The promise of online health interventions will be realized with the development of purely online theory-based programs for Web users that are evaluated for program effectiveness and the application of behavior change theory within the online environment. Little is known, however, about the demographic, behavioral, or psychosocial characteristics of Web-health users who represent potential participants in online health promotion research. Nor do we understand how Web users' psychosocial characteristics relate to their health behavior-information essential to the development of effective, theory-based online behavior change interventions. This study examines the demographic, behavioral, and psychosocial characteristics of Web-health users recruited for an online social cognitive theory (SCT)-based nutrition, physical activity, and weight gain prevention intervention, the Web-based Guide to Health (WB-GTH). Directed to the WB-GTH site by advertisements through online social and professional networks and through print and online media, participants were screened, consented, and assessed with demographic, physical activity, psychosocial, and food frequency questionnaires online (taking a total of about 1.25 hours); they also kept a 7-day log of daily steps and minutes walked. From 4700 visits to the site, 963 Web users consented to enroll in the study: 83% (803) were female, participants' mean age was 44.4 years (SD 11.03 years), 91% (873) were white, and 61% (589) were college graduates; participants' median annual household income was approximately US $85,000. Participants' daily step counts were in the low-active range (mean 6485.78, SD 2352.54) and overall dietary levels were poor (total fat g/day, mean 77.79, SD 41.96; percent kcal from fat, mean 36.51, SD 5.92; fiber g/day, mean 17.74, SD 7.35; and fruit and vegetable servings/day, mean 4.03, SD 2.33). The Web-health users had good self-efficacy and outcome expectations for health behavior change; however, they perceived little social support for making these changes and engaged in few self-regulatory behaviors. Consistent with SCT, theoretical models provided good fit to Web-users' data (root mean square error of the approximation [RMSEA] < .05). Perceived social support and use of self-regulatory behaviors were strong predictors of physical activity and nutrition behavior. Web users' self-efficacy was also a good predictor of healthier levels of physical activity and dietary fat but not of fiber, fruits, and vegetables. Social support and self-efficacy indirectly predicted behavior through self-regulation, and social support had indirect effects through self-efficacy. Results suggest Web-health users visiting and ultimately participating in online health interventions may likely be middle-aged, well-educated, upper middle class women whose detrimental health behaviors put them at risk of obesity, heart disease, some cancers, and diabetes. The success of Internet physical activity and nutrition interventions may depend on the extent to which they lead users to develop self-efficacy for behavior change, but perhaps as important, the extent to which these interventions help them garner social-support for making changes. Success of these interventions may also depend on the extent to which they provide a platform for setting goals, planning, tracking, and providing feedback on targeted behaviors.

Applications of the U.S. Geological Survey's global land cover product

USGS Publications Warehouse

Reed, B.

1997-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in partnership with several international agencies and universities, has produced a global land cover characteristics database. The land cover data were created using multitemporal analysis of advanced very high resolution radiometer satellite images in conjunction with other existing geographic data. A translation table permits the conversion of the land cover classes into several conventional land cover schemes that are used by ecosystem modelers, climate modelers, land management agencies, and other user groups. The alternative classification schemes include Global Ecosystems, the Biosphere Atmosphere Transfer Scheme, the Simple Biosphere, the USGS Anderson Level 2, and the International Geosphere Biosphere Programme. The distribution system for these data is through the World Wide Web (the web site address is: http://edcwww.cr.usgs.gov/landdaac/glcc/glcc.html) or by magnetic media upon special request The availability of the data over the World Wide Web, in conjunction with the flexible database structure, allows easy data access to a wide range of users. The web site contains a user registration form that allows analysis of the diverse applications of large-area land cover data. Currently, applications are divided among mapping (20 percent), conservation (30 percent), and modeling (35 percent).

Ondex Web: web-based visualization and exploration of heterogeneous biological networks.

PubMed

Taubert, Jan; Hassani-Pak, Keywan; Castells-Brooke, Nathalie; Rawlings, Christopher J

2014-04-01

Ondex Web is a new web-based implementation of the network visualization and exploration tools from the Ondex data integration platform. New features such as context-sensitive menus and annotation tools provide users with intuitive ways to explore and manipulate the appearance of heterogeneous biological networks. Ondex Web is open source, written in Java and can be easily embedded into Web sites as an applet. Ondex Web supports loading data from a variety of network formats, such as XGMML, NWB, Pajek and OXL. http://ondex.rothamsted.ac.uk/OndexWeb.

Implementing a low-cost web-based clinical trial management system for community studies: a case study.

PubMed

Geyer, John; Myers, Kathleen; Vander Stoep, Ann; McCarty, Carolyn; Palmer, Nancy; DeSalvo, Amy

2011-10-01

Clinical trials with multiple intervention locations and a single research coordinating center can be logistically difficult to implement. Increasingly, web-based systems are used to provide clinical trial support with many commercial, open source, and proprietary systems in use. New web-based tools are available which can be customized without programming expertise to deliver web-based clinical trial management and data collection functions. To demonstrate the feasibility of utilizing low-cost configurable applications to create a customized web-based data collection and study management system for a five intervention site randomized clinical trial establishing the efficacy of providing evidence-based treatment via teleconferencing to children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. The sites are small communities that would not usually be included in traditional randomized trials. A major goal was to develop database that participants could access from computers in their home communities for direct data entry. Discussed is the selection process leading to the identification and utilization of a cost-effective and user-friendly set of tools capable of customization for data collection and study management tasks. An online assessment collection application, template-based web portal creation application, and web-accessible Access 2007 database were selected and customized to provide the following features: schedule appointments, administer and monitor online secure assessments, issue subject incentives, and securely transmit electronic documents between sites. Each tool was configured by users with limited programming expertise. As of June 2011, the system has successfully been used with 125 participants in 5 communities, who have completed 536 sets of assessment questionnaires, 8 community therapists, and 11 research staff at the research coordinating center. Total automation of processes is not possible with the current set of tools as each is loosely affiliated, creating some inefficiency. This system is best suited to investigations with a single data source e.g., psychosocial questionnaires. New web-based applications can be used by investigators with limited programming experience to implement user-friendly, efficient, and cost-effective tools for multi-site clinical trials with small distant communities. Such systems allow the inclusion in research of populations that are not usually involved in clinical trials.

THREaD Mapper Studio: a novel, visual web server for the estimation of genetic linkage maps

PubMed Central

Cheema, Jitender; Ellis, T. H. Noel; Dicks, Jo

2010-01-01

The estimation of genetic linkage maps is a key component in plant and animal research, providing both an indication of the genetic structure of an organism and a mechanism for identifying candidate genes associated with traits of interest. Because of this importance, several computational solutions to genetic map estimation exist, mostly implemented as stand-alone software packages. However, the estimation process is often largely hidden from the user. Consequently, problems such as a program crashing may occur that leave a user baffled. THREaD Mapper Studio (http://cbr.jic.ac.uk/threadmapper) is a new web site that implements a novel, visual and interactive method for the estimation of genetic linkage maps from DNA markers. The rationale behind the web site is to make the estimation process as transparent and robust as possible, while also allowing users to use their expert knowledge during analysis. Indeed, the 3D visual nature of the tool allows users to spot features in a data set, such as outlying markers and potential structural rearrangements that could cause problems with the estimation procedure and to account for them in their analysis. Furthermore, THREaD Mapper Studio facilitates the visual comparison of genetic map solutions from third party software, aiding users in developing robust solutions for their data sets. PMID:20494977

Iconic hyperlinks on e-commerce websites.

PubMed

Cheng, Hong-In; Patterson, Patrick E

2007-01-01

The proper use of iconic interfaces reduces system complexity and helps users interact with systems more easily. However, due to carelessness, inadequate research, and the web's relatively short history, the icons used on web sites often are ambiguous. Because non-identifiable icons may convey meanings other than those intended, designers must consider whether icons are easily identifiable when creating web sites. In this study, visual icons used on e-business web sites were examined by population stereotypy and categorized into three groups: identifiable, medium, and vague. Representative icons from each group were tested by comparing selection performance in groups of student volunteers, with identifiable and medium icons improving performance. We found that only easily identifiable icons can reduce complexity and increase system usability.

The influence of quality criteria on parents' evaluation of medical web-pages: an Italian randomised trial.

PubMed

Currò, Vincenzo; Buonuomo, Paola Sabrina; Zambiano, Annaluce; Vituzzi, Andrea; Onesimo, Roberta; D'Atri, Alessandro

2007-01-01

The aim of this study is to verify the usefulness for parents of a web evaluation framework composed of ten quality criteria to improve their ability to assess the quality level of medical web sites. We conducted a randomised controlled trial that included two groups of parents who independently evaluated five paediatric web sites by filling out two distinct questionnaires: group A with the evaluation framework, group B without it. 40 volunteers were recruited from parents referring to the General Paediatrics Out-patients Department who satisfied the following eligibility criteria: Internet users, at least 1 child under 12 months old, no professional skill in Internet and medicine. The survey was taken between February 2, 2000 and March 22, 2000. Parents evaluated each web site and assigned a score, compared with a gold standard created by a group of experts. Suggesting evaluation criteria to parents seem useful for an improvement of their ability to evaluate web sites.

New Research Site to Launch in June

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zielinski, Sarah

2007-05-01

Thirteen science and technology societies will launch a new Web site (http://www.scitopia.org) in June that will enable users to search more than three million journal articles, conference proceedings, and patents at once.

Designing and Managing Your Digital Library.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guenther, Kim

2000-01-01

Discusses digital libraries and Web site design issues. Highlights include accessibility issues, including standards, markup languages like HTML and XML, and metadata; building virtual communities; the use of Web portals for customized delivery of information; quality assurance tools, including data mining; and determining user needs, including…

Online promotion a must for hospital marketing professionals. Employ tactics to ensure your Web site is working to build your brand.

PubMed

Anderson, Eric

2007-01-01

Maintaining an online presence and more effectively executing Web-based marketing strategies can help you better target consumers and increase brand recognition, says Eric Anderson, director of agency services at interactive marketing agency White Horse in Portland, OR. With consumers heading to the Internet for health information now more than ever, it's in your best interest to not only have a well-designed, user-friendly Web site, but also to take advantage of the Internet's capabilities with blogs and microsites.

Intelligent medical information filtering.

PubMed

Quintana, Y

1998-01-01

This paper describes an intelligent information filtering system to assist users to be notified of updates to new and relevant medical information. Among the major problems users face is the large volume of medical information that is generated each day, and the need to filter and retrieve relevant information. The Internet has dramatically increased the amount of electronically accessible medical information and reduced the cost and time needed to publish. The opportunity of the Internet for the medical profession and consumers is to have more information to make decisions and this could potentially lead to better medical decisions and outcomes. However, without the assistance from professional medical librarians, retrieving new and relevant information from databases and the Internet remains a challenge. Many physicians do not have access to the services of a medical librarian. Most physicians indicate on surveys that they do not prefer to retrieve the literature themselves, or visit libraries because of the lack of recent materials, poor organisation and indexing of materials, lack of appropriate and available material, and lack of time. The information filtering system described in this paper records the online web browsing behaviour of each user and creates a user profile of the index terms found on the web pages visited by the user. A relevance-ranking algorithm then matches the user profiles to the index terms of new health care web pages that are added each day. The system creates customised summaries of new information for each user. A user can then connect to the web site to read the new information. Relevance feedback buttons on each page ask the user to rate the usefulness of the page to their immediate information needs. Errors in relevance ranking are reduced in this system by having both the user profile and medical information represented in the same representation language using a controlled vocabulary. This system also updates the user profiles, automatically relieving this burden from the user, but also allowing the user to explicitly state preferences. An initial evaluation of this system was done with health consumers using a web site on consumer health. It was found that users often modified their criteria for what they considered relevant not only between browsing sessions but also during a session. A user's criteria for what is relevant is constantly changing as they interact with the information. New revised metrics of recall and precision are needed to account for the partially relevant judgements and the dynamically changing criteria of users. Future research, development, and evaluation of interactive information retrieval systems will need to take into account the users' dynamically changing criteria of relevance.

StreamStats: a U.S. geological survey web site for stream information

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kernell, G. Ries; Gray, John R.; Renard, Kenneth G.; McElroy, Stephen A.; Gburek, William J.; Canfield, H. Evan; Scott, Russell L.

2003-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey has developed a Web application, named StreamStats, for providing streamflow statistics, such as the 100-year flood and the 7-day, 10-year low flow, to the public. Statistics can be obtained for data-collection stations and for ungaged sites. Streamflow statistics are needed for water-resources planning and management; for design of bridges, culverts, and flood-control structures; and for many other purposes. StreamStats users can point and click on data-collection stations shown on a map in their Web browser window to obtain previously determined streamflow statistics and other information for the stations. Users also can point and click on any stream shown on the map to get estimates of streamflow statistics for ungaged sites. StreamStats determines the watershed boundaries and measures physical and climatic characteristics of the watersheds for the ungaged sites by use of a Geographic Information System (GIS), and then it inserts the characteristics into previously determined regression equations to estimate the streamflow statistics. Compared to manual methods, StreamStats reduces the average time needed to estimate streamflow statistics for ungaged sites from several hours to several minutes.

Improving User Experience by Taking Advance of Semantic Information of Microformats on Municipal Websites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodríguez, Rocío; Vera, Pablo; Estevez, Elsa; Giulianelli, Daniel; Welicki, León; Trigueros, Artemisa

This research regards about the use of microformats as a tool to add semantic information to government web sites. The use of microformats allows the developer to add different resources such as maps, calendars, etc, in an easy way. The paper also shows a survey of the already existing microformats and which of them are useful to be applied to government web sites.

A Java-based enterprise system architecture for implementing a continuously supported and entirely Web-based exercise solution.

PubMed

Wang, Zhihui; Kiryu, Tohru

2006-04-01

Since machine-based exercise still uses local facilities, it is affected by time and place. We designed a web-based system architecture based on the Java 2 Enterprise Edition that can accomplish continuously supported machine-based exercise. In this system, exercise programs and machines are loosely coupled and dynamically integrated on the site of exercise via the Internet. We then extended the conventional health promotion model, which contains three types of players (users, exercise trainers, and manufacturers), by adding a new player: exercise program creators. Moreover, we developed a self-describing strategy to accommodate a variety of exercise programs and provide ease of use to users on the web. We illustrate our novel design with examples taken from our feasibility study on a web-based cycle ergometer exercise system. A biosignal-based workload control approach was introduced to ensure that users performed appropriate exercise alone.

Utilization of two web-based continuing education courses evaluated by Markov chain model.

PubMed

Tian, Hao; Lin, Jin-Mann S; Reeves, William C

2012-01-01

To evaluate the web structure of two web-based continuing education courses, identify problems and assess the effects of web site modifications. Markov chain models were built from 2008 web usage data to evaluate the courses' web structure and navigation patterns. The web site was then modified to resolve identified design issues and the improvement in user activity over the subsequent 12 months was quantitatively evaluated. Web navigation paths were collected between 2008 and 2010. The probability of navigating from one web page to another was analyzed. The continuing education courses' sequential structure design was clearly reflected in the resulting actual web usage models, and none of the skip transitions provided was heavily used. The web navigation patterns of the two different continuing education courses were similar. Two possible design flaws were identified and fixed in only one of the two courses. Over the following 12 months, the drop-out rate in the modified course significantly decreased from 41% to 35%, but remained unchanged in the unmodified course. The web improvement effects were further verified via a second-order Markov chain model. The results imply that differences in web content have less impact than web structure design on how learners navigate through continuing education courses. Evaluation of user navigation can help identify web design flaws and guide modifications. This study showed that Markov chain models provide a valuable tool to evaluate web-based education courses. Both the results and techniques in this study would be very useful for public health education and research specialists.

Utilization of two web-based continuing education courses evaluated by Markov chain model

PubMed Central

Lin, Jin-Mann S; Reeves, William C

2011-01-01

Objectives To evaluate the web structure of two web-based continuing education courses, identify problems and assess the effects of web site modifications. Design Markov chain models were built from 2008 web usage data to evaluate the courses' web structure and navigation patterns. The web site was then modified to resolve identified design issues and the improvement in user activity over the subsequent 12 months was quantitatively evaluated. Measurements Web navigation paths were collected between 2008 and 2010. The probability of navigating from one web page to another was analyzed. Results The continuing education courses' sequential structure design was clearly reflected in the resulting actual web usage models, and none of the skip transitions provided was heavily used. The web navigation patterns of the two different continuing education courses were similar. Two possible design flaws were identified and fixed in only one of the two courses. Over the following 12 months, the drop-out rate in the modified course significantly decreased from 41% to 35%, but remained unchanged in the unmodified course. The web improvement effects were further verified via a second-order Markov chain model. Conclusions The results imply that differences in web content have less impact than web structure design on how learners navigate through continuing education courses. Evaluation of user navigation can help identify web design flaws and guide modifications. This study showed that Markov chain models provide a valuable tool to evaluate web-based education courses. Both the results and techniques in this study would be very useful for public health education and research specialists. PMID:21976027

Automated Rocket Propulsion Test Management

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Walters, Ian; Nelson, Cheryl; Jones, Helene

2007-01-01

The Rocket Propulsion Test-Automated Management System provides a central location for managing activities associated with Rocket Propulsion Test Management Board, National Rocket Propulsion Test Alliance, and the Senior Steering Group business management activities. A set of authorized users, both on-site and off-site with regard to Stennis Space Center (SSC), can access the system through a Web interface. Web-based forms are used for user input with generation and electronic distribution of reports easily accessible. Major functions managed by this software include meeting agenda management, meeting minutes, action requests, action items, directives, and recommendations. Additional functions include electronic review, approval, and signatures. A repository/library of documents is available for users, and all items are tracked in the system by unique identification numbers and status (open, closed, percent complete, etc.). The system also provides queries and version control for input of all items.

User-Interface Design Characteristics of Fortune 500 B2C E-Commerce Sites and Industry Differences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhao, Jensen J.; Truell, Allen D.; Alexander, Melody W.

2006-01-01

This study examined the user-interface design characteristics of 107 Fortune 500 B2C e-commerce Web sites and industry differences. Data were collected from corporate homepages, B2C product/service pages, B2C interactive shopping pages, as well as customer satisfaction of 321 online shoppers. The findings indicate that (a) to attract online…

Assessing the quality of infertility resources on the World Wide Web: tools to guide clients through the maze of fact and fiction.

PubMed

Okamura, Kyoko; Bernstein, Judith; Fidler, Anne T

2002-01-01

The Internet has become a major source of health information for women, but information placed on the World Wide Web does not routinely undergo a peer review process before dissemination. In this study, we present an analysis of 197 infertility-related Web sites for quality and accountability, using JAMA's minimal core standards for responsible print. Only 2% of the web sites analyzed met all four recommended standards, and 50.8% failed to report any of the four. Commercial web sites were more likely to fail to meet minimum standards (71.2%) than those with educational (46.8%) or supportive (29.8%) elements. Web sites with educational and informational components were most common (70.6%), followed by commercial sites (52.8%) and sites that offered a forum for infertility support and activism (28.9%). Internet resources available to infertile patients are at best variable. The current state of infertility-related materials on the World Wide Web offers unprecedented opportunities to improve services to a growing number of e-health users. Because of variations in quality of site content, women's health clinicians must assume responsibility for a new role as information monitor. This study provides assessment tools clinicians can apply and share with clients.

Building the Service-Based Library Web Site: A Step-by-Step Guide to Design and Options.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garlock, Kristen L.; Piontek, Sherry

The World Wide Web, with its captivating multimedia features and hypertext capabilities, has brought millions of new users to the Internet. Library staff who could create a home page on the Web could present basic information about the library and its services, showcase its resources, create links to quality material inside and outside the…

Statistics, Structures & Satisfied Customers: Using Web Log Data to Improve Site Performance.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peacock, Darren

This paper explores some of the ways in which the National Museum of Australia is using Web analysis tools to shape its future directions in the delivery of online services. In particular, it explores the potential of quantitative analysis, based on Web server log data, to convert these ephemeral traces of user experience into a strategic…

Imagining the Digital Library in a Commercialized Internet.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heckart, Ronald J.

1999-01-01

Discusses digital library planning in light of Internet commerce and technological innovation in marketing and customer relations that are transforming user expectations about Web sites that offer products and services. Topics include user self-sufficiency; personalized service; artificial intelligence; collaborative filtering; and electronic…

A user-oriented web crawler for selectively acquiring online content in e-health research

PubMed Central

Xu, Songhua; Yoon, Hong-Jun; Tourassi, Georgia

2014-01-01

Motivation: Life stories of diseased and healthy individuals are abundantly available on the Internet. Collecting and mining such online content can offer many valuable insights into patients’ physical and emotional states throughout the pre-diagnosis, diagnosis, treatment and post-treatment stages of the disease compared with those of healthy subjects. However, such content is widely dispersed across the web. Using traditional query-based search engines to manually collect relevant materials is rather labor intensive and often incomplete due to resource constraints in terms of human query composition and result parsing efforts. The alternative option, blindly crawling the whole web, has proven inefficient and unaffordable for e-health researchers. Results: We propose a user-oriented web crawler that adaptively acquires user-desired content on the Internet to meet the specific online data source acquisition needs of e-health researchers. Experimental results on two cancer-related case studies show that the new crawler can substantially accelerate the acquisition of highly relevant online content compared with the existing state-of-the-art adaptive web crawling technology. For the breast cancer case study using the full training set, the new method achieves a cumulative precision between 74.7 and 79.4% after 5 h of execution till the end of the 20-h long crawling session as compared with the cumulative precision between 32.8 and 37.0% using the peer method for the same time period. For the lung cancer case study using the full training set, the new method achieves a cumulative precision between 56.7 and 61.2% after 5 h of execution till the end of the 20-h long crawling session as compared with the cumulative precision between 29.3 and 32.4% using the peer method. Using the reduced training set in the breast cancer case study, the cumulative precision of our method is between 44.6 and 54.9%, whereas the cumulative precision of the peer method is between 24.3 and 26.3%; for the lung cancer case study using the reduced training set, the cumulative precisions of our method and the peer method are, respectively, between 35.7 and 46.7% versus between 24.1 and 29.6%. These numbers clearly show a consistently superior accuracy of our method in discovering and acquiring user-desired online content for e-health research. Availability and implementation: The implementation of our user-oriented web crawler is freely available to non-commercial users via the following Web site: http://bsec.ornl.gov/AdaptiveCrawler.shtml. The Web site provides a step-by-step guide on how to execute the web crawler implementation. In addition, the Web site provides the two study datasets including manually labeled ground truth, initial seeds and the crawling results reported in this article. Contact: xus1@ornl.gov Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. PMID:24078710

ExpEdit: a webserver to explore human RNA editing in RNA-Seq experiments.

PubMed

Picardi, Ernesto; D'Antonio, Mattia; Carrabino, Danilo; Castrignanò, Tiziana; Pesole, Graziano

2011-05-01

ExpEdit is a web application for assessing RNA editing in human at known or user-specified sites supported by transcript data obtained by RNA-Seq experiments. Mapping data (in SAM/BAM format) or directly sequence reads [in FASTQ/short read archive (SRA) format] can be provided as input to carry out a comparative analysis against a large collection of known editing sites collected in DARNED database as well as other user-provided potentially edited positions. Results are shown as dynamic tables containing University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC) links for a quick examination of the genomic context. ExpEdit is freely available on the web at http://www.caspur.it/ExpEdit/.

Spontaneous diffusion of an effective skin cancer prevention program through Web-based access to program materials.

PubMed

Hall, Dawn M; Escoffery, Cam; Nehl, Eric; Glanz, Karen

2010-11-01

Little information exists about the diffusion of evidence-based interventions, a process that can occur naturally in organized networks with established communication channels. This article describes the diffusion of an effective skin cancer prevention program called Pool Cool through available Web-based program materials. We used self-administered surveys to collect information from program users about access to and use of Web-based program materials. We analyzed the content of e-mails sent to the official Pool Cool Web site to obtain qualitative information about spontaneous diffusion. Program users were dispersed throughout the United States, most often learning about the program through a Web site (32%), publication (26%), or colleague (19%). Most respondents (86%) reported that their pool provided educational activities at swimming lessons. The Leader's Guide (59%) and lesson cards (50%) were the most commonly downloaded materials, and most respondents reported using these core items sometimes, often, or always. Aluminum sun-safety signs were the least frequently used materials. A limited budget was the most commonly noted obstacle to sun-safety efforts at the pool (85%). Factors supporting sun safety at the pool centered around risk management (85%) and health of the pool staff (78%). Diffusion promotes the use of evidence-based health programs and can occur with and without systematic efforts. Strategies such as providing well-packaged, user-friendly program materials at low or no cost and strategic advertisement of the availability of program materials may increase program use and exposure. Furthermore, highlighting the benefits of the program can motivate potential program users.

Making large amounts of meteorological plots easily accessible to users

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lamy-Thepaut, Sylvie; Siemen, Stephan; Sahin, Cihan; Raoult, Baudouin

2015-04-01

The European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) is an international organisation providing its member organisations with forecasts in the medium time range of 3 to 15 days, and some longer-range forecasts for up to a year ahead, with varying degrees of detail. As part of its mission, ECMWF generates an increasing number of forecast data products for its users. To support the work of forecasters and researchers and to let them make best use of ECMWF forecasts, the Centre also provides tools and interfaces to visualise their products. This allows users to make use of and explore forecasts without having to transfer large amounts of raw data. This is especially true for products based on ECMWF's 50 member ensemble forecast, where some specific processing and visualisation are applied to extract information. Every day, thousands of raw data are being pushed to the ECMWF's interactive web charts application called ecCharts, and thousands of products are processed and pushed to ECMWF's institutional web site ecCharts provides a highly interactive application to display and manipulate recent numerical forecasts to forecasters in national weather services and ECMWF's commercial customers. With ecCharts forecasters are able to explore ECMWF's medium-range forecasts in far greater detail than has previously been possible on the web, and this as soon as the forecast becomes available. All ecCharts's products are also available through a machine-to-machine web map service based on the OGC Web Map Service (WMS) standard. ECMWF institutional web site provides access to a large number of graphical products. It was entirely redesigned last year. It now shares the same infrastructure as ECMWF's ecCharts, and can benefit of some ecCharts functionalities, for example the dashboard. The dashboard initially developed for ecCharts allows users to organise their own collection of products depending on their work flow, and is being further developed. In its first implementation, It presents the user's products in a single interface with fast access to the original product, and possibilities of synchronous animations between them. But its functionalities are being extended to give users the freedom to collect not only ecCharts's 2D maps and graphs, but also other ECMWF Web products such as monthly and seasonal products, scores, and observation monitoring. The dashboard will play a key role to help the user to interpret the large amount of information that ECMWF is providing. This talk will present examples of how the new user interface can organise complex meteorological maps and graphs and show the new possibilities users have gained by using the web as a medium.

ProBiS-2012: web server and web services for detection of structurally similar binding sites in proteins.

PubMed

Konc, Janez; Janezic, Dusanka

2012-07-01

The ProBiS web server is a web server for detection of structurally similar binding sites in the PDB and for local pairwise alignment of protein structures. In this article, we present a new version of the ProBiS web server that is 10 times faster than earlier versions, due to the efficient parallelization of the ProBiS algorithm, which now allows significantly faster comparison of a protein query against the PDB and reduces the calculation time for scanning the entire PDB from hours to minutes. It also features new web services, and an improved user interface. In addition, the new web server is united with the ProBiS-Database and thus provides instant access to pre-calculated protein similarity profiles for over 29 000 non-redundant protein structures. The ProBiS web server is particularly adept at detection of secondary binding sites in proteins. It is freely available at http://probis.cmm.ki.si/old-version, and the new ProBiS web server is at http://probis.cmm.ki.si.

ProBiS-2012: web server and web services for detection of structurally similar binding sites in proteins

PubMed Central

Konc, Janez; Janežič, Dušanka

2012-01-01

The ProBiS web server is a web server for detection of structurally similar binding sites in the PDB and for local pairwise alignment of protein structures. In this article, we present a new version of the ProBiS web server that is 10 times faster than earlier versions, due to the efficient parallelization of the ProBiS algorithm, which now allows significantly faster comparison of a protein query against the PDB and reduces the calculation time for scanning the entire PDB from hours to minutes. It also features new web services, and an improved user interface. In addition, the new web server is united with the ProBiS-Database and thus provides instant access to pre-calculated protein similarity profiles for over 29 000 non-redundant protein structures. The ProBiS web server is particularly adept at detection of secondary binding sites in proteins. It is freely available at http://probis.cmm.ki.si/old-version, and the new ProBiS web server is at http://probis.cmm.ki.si. PMID:22600737

Impact of signals and experience on trust and trusting behavior.

PubMed

Chen, Ying-Hueih; Chien, Shu-Hua; Wu, Jyh-Jeng; Tsai, Pei-Yin

2010-10-01

Trust is an essential factor that drives virtual interaction and transactions on the Internet. Researchers have investigated the trust development process, and identified several important factors that form the basis for trust. This research combines the signal perspective and trust theory to examine the impact of market signals and past experience on trust formation and trusting behavior. Three market signals, including brand image, Web-site investment, and privacy policies, are identified and empirically tested to determine their impact on consumer trust. Based on 322 active Web users, the quantitative results suggest that brand image, Web-site investment, privacy policies, and past experience all positively impact trust formation. Furthermore, trust shows a positive effect on Web-site stickiness. Both theoretical and practical implications of the results are also offered.

Accredited hand surgery fellowship Web sites: analysis of content and accessibility.

PubMed

Trehan, Samir K; Morrell, Nathan T; Akelman, Edward

2015-04-01

To assess the accessibility and content of accredited hand surgery fellowship Web sites. A list of all accredited hand surgery fellowships was obtained from the online database of the American Society for Surgery of the Hand (ASSH). Fellowship program information on the ASSH Web site was recorded. All fellowship program Web sites were located via Google search. Fellowship program Web sites were analyzed for accessibility and content in 3 domains: program overview, application information/recruitment, and education. At the time of this study, there were 81 accredited hand surgery fellowships with 169 available positions. Thirty of 81 programs (37%) had a functional link on the ASSH online hand surgery fellowship directory; however, Google search identified 78 Web sites. Three programs did not have a Web site. Analysis of content revealed that most Web sites contained contact information, whereas information regarding the anticipated clinical, research, and educational experiences during fellowship was less often present. Furthermore, information regarding past and present fellows, salary, application process/requirements, call responsibilities, and case volume was frequently lacking. Overall, 52 of 81 programs (64%) had the minimal online information required for residents to independently complete the fellowship application process. Hand fellowship program Web sites could be accessed either via the ASSH online directory or Google search, except for 3 programs that did not have Web sites. Although most fellowship program Web sites contained contact information, other content such as application information/recruitment and education, was less frequently present. This study provides comparative data regarding the clinical and educational experiences outlined on hand fellowship program Web sites that are of relevance to residents, fellows, and academic hand surgeons. This study also draws attention to various ways in which the hand surgery fellowship application process can be made more user-friendly and efficient. Copyright © 2015 American Society for Surgery of the Hand. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Study on Personalized Recommendation Model of Internet Advertisement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Ning; Chen, Yongyue; Zhang, Huiping

With the rapid development of E-Commerce, the audiences put forward higher requirements on personalized Internet advertisement than before. The main function of Personalized Advertising System is to provide the most suitable advertisements for anonymous users on Web sites. The paper offers a personalized Internet advertisement recommendation model. By mining the audiences' historical and current behavior, and the advertisers' and publisher's web site content, etc, the system can recommend appropriate advertisements to corresponding audiences.

Prototyping the graphical user interface for the operator of the Cherenkov Telescope Array

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sadeh, I.; Oya, I.; Schwarz, J.; Pietriga, E.

2016-07-01

The Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) is a planned gamma-ray observatory. CTA will incorporate about 100 imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes (IACTs) at a Southern site, and about 20 in the North. Previous IACT experiments have used up to five telescopes. Subsequently, the design of a graphical user interface (GUI) for the operator of CTA involves new challenges. We present a GUI prototype, the concept for which is being developed in collaboration with experts from the field of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI). The prototype is based on Web technology; it incorporates a Python web server, Web Sockets and graphics generated with the d3.js Javascript library.

Policy-Aware Content Reuse on the Web

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seneviratne, Oshani; Kagal, Lalana; Berners-Lee, Tim

The Web allows users to share their work very effectively leading to the rapid re-use and remixing of content on the Web including text, images, and videos. Scientific research data, social networks, blogs, photo sharing sites and other such applications known collectively as the Social Web have lots of increasingly complex information. Such information from several Web pages can be very easily aggregated, mashed up and presented in other Web pages. Content generation of this nature inevitably leads to many copyright and license violations, motivating research into effective methods to detect and prevent such violations.

PlantAPA: A Portal for Visualization and Analysis of Alternative Polyadenylation in Plants

PubMed Central

Wu, Xiaohui; Zhang, Yumin; Li, Qingshun Q.

2016-01-01

Alternative polyadenylation (APA) is an important layer of gene regulation that produces mRNAs that have different 3′ ends and/or encode diverse protein isoforms. Up to 70% of annotated genes in plants undergo APA. Increasing numbers of poly(A) sites collected in various plant species demand new methods and tools to access and mine these data. We have created an open-access web service called PlantAPA (http://bmi.xmu.edu.cn/plantapa) to visualize and analyze genome-wide poly(A) sites in plants. PlantAPA provides various interactive and dynamic graphics and seamlessly integrates a genome browser that can profile heterogeneous cleavage sites and quantify expression patterns of poly(A) sites across different conditions. Particularly, through PlantAPA, users can analyze poly(A) sites in extended 3′ UTR regions, intergenic regions, and ambiguous regions owing to alternative transcription or RNA processing. In addition, it also provides tools for analyzing poly(A) site selections, 3′ UTR lengthening or shortening, non-canonical APA site switching, and differential gene expression between conditions, making it more powerful for the study of APA-mediated gene expression regulation. More importantly, PlantAPA offers a bioinformatics pipeline that allows users to upload their own short reads or ESTs for poly(A) site extraction, enabling users to further explore poly(A) site selection using stored PlantAPA poly(A) sites together with their own poly(A) site datasets. To date, PlantAPA hosts the largest database of APA sites in plants, including Oryza sativa, Arabidopsis thaliana, Medicago truncatula, and Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. As a user-friendly web service, PlantAPA will be a valuable addition to the community of biologists studying APA mechanisms and gene expression regulation in plants. PMID:27446120

An Evaluative Methodology for Virtual Communities Using Web Analytics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Phippen, A. D.

2004-01-01

The evaluation of virtual community usage and user behaviour has its roots in social science approaches such as interview, document analysis and survey. Little evaluation is carried out using traffic or protocol analysis. Business approaches to evaluating customer/business web site usage are more advanced, in particular using advanced web…

78 FR 16864 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-03-19

... eruptions Description of Respondents: Individuals affected by a volcanic ash fall events each year (if an...: 1028-NEW Abstract: The USGS provides warnings and notification to the public of volcanic activity in.... Users browsing the AVO Web site during eruptions will be directed towards a web form allowing them to...

Wood Utilization Research Dissemination on the World Wide Web: A Case Study

Treesearch

Daniel L. Schmoldt; Matthew F. Winn; Philip A. Araman

1997-01-01

Because many research products are informational rather than tangible, emerging information technologies, such as the multi-media format of the World Wide Web, provide an open and easily accessible mechanism for transferring research to user groups. We have found steady, increasing use of our Web site over the first 6-1/2 months of operation; almost one-third of the...

What Are Adolescents Showing the World About Their Health Risk Behaviors on MySpace?

PubMed Central

Moreno, Megan A.; Parks, Malcolm; Richardson, Laura P.

2007-01-01

Context MySpace is a popular social networking Web site where users create individual Web profiles. Little data are available about what types of health risk behaviors adolescents display on MySpace profiles. There are potential risks and intervention opportunities associated with posting such information on a public Web site. Objective To examine publicly available 16- and 17-year-old MySpace Web profiles and determine the prevalence of personal risk behavior descriptions and identifiable information. Design Cross-sectional observational study using content analysis of Web profiles. Setting www.MySpace.com Patients In order to target frequently visited adolescent Web profiles, we sequentially selected 142 publicly available Web profiles of 16 and 17 year olds from the class of 2008 MySpace group. Interventions None. Main outcome measures Prevalence of displayed health risk behaviors pertaining to substance use or sexual behavior, prevalence of personally identifying information, date of last log-in to Web profile. Results Of Web profiles, 47% contained risk behavior information: Twenty-one percent described sexual activity; 25% described alcohol use; 9% described cigarette use; and 6% described drug use. 97.2% Contained personally identifying information: Seventy-four percent included an identifiable picture; 75% included subjects' first names or surnames; and 78% included subjects' hometowns. Eighty-six percent of users had visited their own profiles within 24 hours. Conclusions Most 16- and 17-year-old MySpace profiles include identifiable information, are frequently accessed by owners, and half include personal risk behavior information. Further study is needed to assess the risks associated with displaying personal information and to evaluate the use of social networking sites for health behavior interventions targeting at-risk teens. PMID:18311359

Creating and testing a deaf-friendly, stop-smoking web site intervention.

PubMed

Jones, Elaine G; Goldsmith, Melissa; Effken, Judith; Button, Kevin; Crago, Michael

2010-01-01

Deaf adults' access to smoking cessation programs is limited due to cultural, linguistic, and geographic barriers. Web-based stop-smoking interventions have demonstrated cessation rates comparable to other interventions. The Internet is widely used by Deaf adults, but difficulties with online English text remain. We found no published accounts of Internet interventions promoting smoking cessation among Deaf individuals. The purpose of our project was to create and pilot test a prototype interactive Web site that provides users with information in American Sign Language related to smoking cessation. We utilized web cams to create real-time "video chat rooms" for virtual support groups and had an "ask the experts" feature. Deaf community members participated in all phases of development and testing, and a Deaf former smoker served as the moderator for the site. Evaluations were positive, with emphasis on interactive and visual aspects of the site.

Journal searching in non-MEDLINE resources on Internet Web sites.

PubMed

Lingle, V A

1997-01-01

Internet access to the medical journal literature is absorbing the attention of all relevant parties, i.e., publishers, journal vendors, librarians, commercial providers, government agencies, and end users. Journal content on the Web sites spans the range from advertising and ordering information for the print version, to table of contents and abstracts, to downloadable full text and graphics of articles. The searching parameters for systems other than MEDLINE also differ extensively with a wide variety of features and resulting retrieval. This discussion reviews a selection of providers of medical information (particularly the journal literature) on the Internet, making a comparison of what is available on Web sites and how it can be searched.

Patient-oriented interactive E-health tools on U.S. hospital Web sites.

PubMed

Huang, Edgar; Chang, Chiu-Chi Angela

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study is to provide evidence for strategic planning regarding e-health development in U.S. hospitals. A content analysis of a representative sample of the U.S. hospital Web sites has revealed how U.S. hospitals have taken advantage of the 21 patient-oriented interactive tools identified in this study. Significant gaps between various types of hospitals have also been found. It is concluded that although the majority of the U.S. hospitals have adopted traditional functional tools, they need to make significant inroad in implementing the core e-business tools to serve their patients/users, making their Web sites more efficient marketing tools.

GASS-WEB: a web server for identifying enzyme active sites based on genetic algorithms.

PubMed

Moraes, João P A; Pappa, Gisele L; Pires, Douglas E V; Izidoro, Sandro C

2017-07-03

Enzyme active sites are important and conserved functional regions of proteins whose identification can be an invaluable step toward protein function prediction. Most of the existing methods for this task are based on active site similarity and present limitations including performing only exact matches on template residues, template size restraints, despite not being capable of finding inter-domain active sites. To fill this gap, we proposed GASS-WEB, a user-friendly web server that uses GASS (Genetic Active Site Search), a method based on an evolutionary algorithm to search for similar active sites in proteins. GASS-WEB can be used under two different scenarios: (i) given a protein of interest, to match a set of specific active site templates; or (ii) given an active site template, looking for it in a database of protein structures. The method has shown to be very effective on a range of experiments and was able to correctly identify >90% of the catalogued active sites from the Catalytic Site Atlas. It also managed to achieve a Matthew correlation coefficient of 0.63 using the Critical Assessment of protein Structure Prediction (CASP 10) dataset. In our analysis, GASS was ranking fourth among 18 methods. GASS-WEB is freely available at http://gass.unifei.edu.br/. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

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

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

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 “widgets” allow users to skip the boring parts of data analysis and get right to the fun: visualization and exploration! There are three widgets, each performing a different analysis: system-wide overviews, detailed temporal summaries of a single variable at a single site, and inter-comparisons between sites or variables through time. Users can visually explore system-wide trends in data using the Trends Map widget. For a more detailed analysis, users can create monthly and annual graphs of single variables and locations in the Summary Plot widget. Lastly, users can compare two variables or NERRS locations through time using the Aggregation widget. For all widgets, users can adjust the time period of interest. Plots and tables can also be downloaded for use in outreach, education, or further analysis. The tools and forums are meant to build a community of practice to move SWMP data analysis forward. All widgets will be demonstrated live at the poster session. This abstract is for a poster presentation at the 2016 annual meeting for the National Estuarine Research Reserve System, Nov. 13-18. We will describe our online web resources for the analysis and interpretation of monitoring da

Using participative inquiry in usability analysis to align a development team's mental model with its users' needs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kneifel, A. A.; Guerrero, C.

2003-01-01

In this web site usability case study, two methods of participative inquiry are used to align a development team's objectives with their users' needs and to promote the team awareness of the benefit of qualitative usability analysis.

Helpers Program: A Pilot Test of Brief Tobacco Intervention Training in Three Corporations

PubMed Central

Muramoto, Myra L.; Wassum, Ken; Connolly, Tim; Matthews, Eva; Floden, Lysbeth

2014-01-01

Background Quitlines and worksite-sponsored cessation programs are effective and highly accessible, but limited by low utilization. Efforts to encourage use of cessation aids have focused almost exclusively on the smoker, overlooking the potential for friends, family, coworkers and others in a tobacco user’s social network to influence quitting and use of effective treatment. Methods Longitudinal, observational pilot feasibility study with six-week follow-up survey. Setting/Participants Employees of three national corporations, with a combined target audience of 102,100 employees. Intervention The Helpers Program offers Web-based brief intervention (BI) training to activate social networks of tobacco users to encourage quitting and use of effective treatment. Helpers was offered from 1/10/08 to 3/31/08, as a treatment engagement strategy, together with Free and Clear’s (F&C) telephone/Web-based cessation services. Main outcome measures web-site utilization, training completion, post-training changes in knowledge and self-efficacy with delivery of BIs, referrals to F&C, and use of BI training. Results There were 19,109 unique visitors to the Helpers Web-site. Of these, 4727 created user accounts; 1427 registered for Helpers Training; 766 completed training. There were 445 visits to the referral page and 201 e-mail or letter referrals generated. There were 67 requests for technical support. Of follow-up survey respondents (n=289), 78.9% reported offering a BI. Conclusions Offering the Helpers Program Web-site to a large, diverse audience as part of an employer-sponsored worksite health promotion program is both feasible and well accepted by employees. Website users will participate in training, encourage quitting, and refer smokers to quitline services. PMID:20176303

The Windows to the Universe Project: Using the Internet to Support K-12 Science Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gardiner, L.; Johnson, R.; Bergman, J.; Russell, R.; Genyuk, J.; La Grave, M.

2003-12-01

The World Wide Web can be a powerful tool for reaching the public as well as students and teachers around the world, supporting both formal and informal science education. The Windows to the Universe Project, initiated in 1995, provides a case study of approaches for the use of the web to support earth and space science education and literacy efforts. Through the use of innovative approaches such as easy to use design, multi-level content, and science concepts presented in a broader background context that includes connections to culture and the humanities, Windows to the Universe is an accessible format for individuals of various ages and learning styles. A large global audience regularly uses the web site to learn about earth and space science as well as related humanities content such as myths from around the world. User surveys show that the site has over 4 millions users per year, 65 percent of which are K-12 teachers and students. Approximately 46 percent of users access the site once per week or more. Recently, we have had the opportunity to expand our efforts while we continue to update existing content based on new scientific findings and events. Earth science content on Windows to the Universe is currently growing with a new geology section and development efforts are underway to expand our space weather content with a new curriculum. Educational games allow users to learn about space in a playful context, and an online journaling tool further integrates literacy into the learning experience. In addition, we are currently translating the entire Windows to the Universe web site into Spanish. We have included educators in the project as co-designers from its inception, and by aggressively utilizing and providing professional development opportunities for teachers, the web site is now used in thousands of classrooms around the world. In the past year we have continued to support K-12 educators by adding to our suite of classroom activities and leading professional development workshops and short courses. Core funding for the project is provided from the NASA Office of Space Science Information Technology Research Program, the NASA Earth Science Enterprise Education Program, and the National Science Foundation.

78 FR 46958 - Animal Generic Drug User Fee Rates and Payment Procedures for Fiscal Year 2014

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-02

...] Animal Generic Drug User Fee Rates and Payment Procedures for Fiscal Year 2014 AGENCY: Food and Drug... and payment procedures for fiscal year (FY) 2014 generic new animal drug user fees. The Federal Food... for FY 2014. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Visit FDA's Web site at http://www.fda.gov/ForIndustry...

Operational Assessment of Tools for Accelerating Leader Development (ALD): Volume 1, Capstone Report

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-06-01

in units and user juries provided feedback on the tools. The pressures of the operational environment seriously limited the time available to work...following functions: account set-up, user authentication, learning management , usage monitoring, problem reporting, assessment data collection, data...especially sources of data) represented—demonstration/assessment manager , operations manager , Web site experts, users (target audience), data collectors

Improving the quality of e-commerce web service: what is important for the request scheduling algorithm?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suchacka, Grazyna

2005-02-01

The paper concerns a new research area that is Quality of Web Service (QoWS). The need for QoWS is motivated by a still growing number of Internet users, by a steady development and diversification of Web services, and especially by popularization of e-commerce applications. The goal of the paper is a critical analysis of the literature concerning scheduling algorithms for e-commerce Web servers. The paper characterizes factors affecting the load of the Web servers and discusses ways of improving their efficiency. Crucial QoWS requirements of the business Web server are identified: serving requests before their individual deadlines, supporting user session integrity, supporting different classes of users and minimizing a number of rejected requests. It is justified that meeting these requirements and implementing them in an admission control (AC) and scheduling algorithm for the business Web server is crucial to the functioning of e-commerce Web sites and revenue generated by them. The paper presents results of the literature analysis and discusses algorithms that implement these important QoWS requirements. The analysis showed that very few algorithms take into consideration the above mentioned factors and that there is a need for designing an algorithm implementing them.

The value of Web-based library services at Cedars-Sinai Health System.

PubMed

Halub, L P

1999-07-01

Cedars-Sinai Medical Library/Information Center has maintained Web-based services since 1995 on the Cedars-Sinai Health System network. In that time, the librarians have found the provision of Web-based services to be a very worthwhile endeavor. Library users value the services that they access from their desktops because the services save time. They also appreciate being able to access services at their convenience, without restriction by the library's hours of operation. The library values its Web site because it brings increased visibility within the health system, and it enables library staff to expand services when budget restrictions have forced reduced hours of operation. In creating and maintaining the information center Web site, the librarians have learned the following lessons: consider the design carefully; offer what services you can, but weigh the advantages of providing the services against the time required to maintain them; make the content as accessible as possible; promote your Web site; and make friends in other departments, especially information services.

The value of Web-based library services at Cedars-Sinai Health System.

PubMed Central

Halub, L P

1999-01-01

Cedars-Sinai Medical Library/Information Center has maintained Web-based services since 1995 on the Cedars-Sinai Health System network. In that time, the librarians have found the provision of Web-based services to be a very worthwhile endeavor. Library users value the services that they access from their desktops because the services save time. They also appreciate being able to access services at their convenience, without restriction by the library's hours of operation. The library values its Web site because it brings increased visibility within the health system, and it enables library staff to expand services when budget restrictions have forced reduced hours of operation. In creating and maintaining the information center Web site, the librarians have learned the following lessons: consider the design carefully; offer what services you can, but weigh the advantages of providing the services against the time required to maintain them; make the content as accessible as possible; promote your Web site; and make friends in other departments, especially information services. PMID:10427423

MO-E-18C-01: Open Access Web-Based Peer-To-Peer Training and Education in Radiotherapy

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

Pawlicki, T; Brown, D; Dunscombe, P

Purpose: Current training and education delivery models have limitations which result in gaps in clinical proficiency with equipment, procedures, and techniques. Educational and training opportunities offered by vendors and professional societies are by their nature not available at point of need or for the life of clinical systems. The objective of this work is to leverage modern communications technology to provide peer-to-peer training and education for radiotherapy professionals, in the clinic and on demand, as they undertake their clinical duties. Methods: We have developed a free of charge web site ( https://i.treatsafely.org ) using the Google App Engine and datastoremore » (NDB, GQL), Python with AJAX-RPC, and Javascript. The site is a radiotherapy-specific hosting service to which user-created videos illustrating clinical or physics processes and other relevant educational material can be uploaded. Efficient navigation to the material of interest is provided through several RT specific search tools and videos can be scored by users, thus providing comprehensive peer review of the site content. The site also supports multilingual narration\\translation of videos, a quiz function for competence assessment and a library function allowing groups or institutions to define their standard operating procedures based on the video content. Results: The website went live in August 2013 and currently has over 680 registered users from 55 countries; 27.2% from the United States, 9.8% from India, 8.3% from the United Kingdom, 7.3% from Brazil, and 47.5% from other countries. The users include physicists (57.4%), Oncologists (12.5%), therapists (8.2%) and dosimetrists (4.8%). There are 75 videos to date including English, Portuguese, Mandarin, and Thai. Conclusion: Based on the initial acceptance of the site, we conclude that this open access web-based peer-to-peer tool is fulfilling an important need in radiotherapy training and education. Site functionality should expand in the future to include document sharing and continuing education credits.« less

Web Accessibility and Guidelines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harper, Simon; Yesilada, Yeliz

Access to, and movement around, complex online environments, of which the World Wide Web (Web) is the most popular example, has long been considered an important and major issue in the Web design and usability field. The commonly used slang phrase ‘surfing the Web’ implies rapid and free access, pointing to its importance among designers and users alike. It has also been long established that this potentially complex and difficult access is further complicated, and becomes neither rapid nor free, if the user is disabled. There are millions of people who have disabilities that affect their use of the Web. Web accessibility aims to help these people to perceive, understand, navigate, and interact with, as well as contribute to, the Web, and thereby the society in general. This accessibility is, in part, facilitated by the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) currently moving from version one to two. These guidelines are intended to encourage designers to make sure their sites conform to specifications, and in that conformance enable the assistive technologies of disabled users to better interact with the page content. In this way, it was hoped that accessibility could be supported. While this is in part true, guidelines do not solve all problems and the new WCAG version two guidelines are surrounded by controversy and intrigue. This chapter aims to establish the published literature related to Web accessibility and Web accessibility guidelines, and discuss limitations of the current guidelines and future directions.

Social Cognitive Determinants of Nutrition and Physical Activity Among Web-Health Users Enrolling in an Online Intervention: The Influence of Social Support, Self-Efficacy, Outcome Expectations, and Self-Regulation

PubMed Central

Winett, Richard A; Wojcik, Janet R

2011-01-01

Background The Internet is a trusted source of health information for growing majorities of Web users. The promise of online health interventions will be realized with the development of purely online theory-based programs for Web users that are evaluated for program effectiveness and the application of behavior change theory within the online environment. Little is known, however, about the demographic, behavioral, or psychosocial characteristics of Web-health users who represent potential participants in online health promotion research. Nor do we understand how Web users’ psychosocial characteristics relate to their health behavior—information essential to the development of effective, theory-based online behavior change interventions. Objective This study examines the demographic, behavioral, and psychosocial characteristics of Web-health users recruited for an online social cognitive theory (SCT)-based nutrition, physical activity, and weight gain prevention intervention, the Web-based Guide to Health (WB-GTH). Methods Directed to the WB-GTH site by advertisements through online social and professional networks and through print and online media, participants were screened, consented, and assessed with demographic, physical activity, psychosocial, and food frequency questionnaires online (taking a total of about 1.25 hours); they also kept a 7-day log of daily steps and minutes walked. Results From 4700 visits to the site, 963 Web users consented to enroll in the study: 83% (803) were female, participants’ mean age was 44.4 years (SD 11.03 years), 91% (873) were white, and 61% (589) were college graduates; participants’ median annual household income was approximately US $85,000. Participants’ daily step counts were in the low-active range (mean 6485.78, SD 2352.54) and overall dietary levels were poor (total fat g/day, mean 77.79, SD 41.96; percent kcal from fat, mean 36.51, SD 5.92; fiber g/day, mean 17.74, SD 7.35; and fruit and vegetable servings/day, mean 4.03, SD 2.33). The Web-health users had good self-efficacy and outcome expectations for health behavior change; however, they perceived little social support for making these changes and engaged in few self-regulatory behaviors. Consistent with SCT, theoretical models provided good fit to Web-users’ data (root mean square error of the approximation [RMSEA] < .05). Perceived social support and use of self-regulatory behaviors were strong predictors of physical activity and nutrition behavior. Web users’ self-efficacy was also a good predictor of healthier levels of physical activity and dietary fat but not of fiber, fruits, and vegetables. Social support and self-efficacy indirectly predicted behavior through self-regulation, and social support had indirect effects through self-efficacy. Conclusions Results suggest Web-health users visiting and ultimately participating in online health interventions may likely be middle-aged, well-educated, upper middle class women whose detrimental health behaviors put them at risk of obesity, heart disease, some cancers, and diabetes. The success of Internet physical activity and nutrition interventions may depend on the extent to which they lead users to develop self-efficacy for behavior change, but perhaps as important, the extent to which these interventions help them garner social-support for making changes. Success of these interventions may also depend on the extent to which they provide a platform for setting goals, planning, tracking, and providing feedback on targeted behaviors. PMID:21441100

Coordinating Technological Resources in a Non-Technical Profession: The Administrative Computer User Group.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rollo, J. Michael; Marmarchev, Helen L.

1999-01-01

The explosion of computer applications in the modern workplace has required student affairs professionals to keep pace with technological advances for office productivity. This article recommends establishing an administrative computer user groups, utilizing coordinated web site development, and enhancing working relationships as ways of dealing…

Designing Websites for Displaying Large Data Sets and Images on Multiple Platforms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anderson, A.; Wolf, V. G.; Garron, J.; Kirschner, M.

2012-12-01

The desire to build websites to analyze and display ever increasing amounts of scientific data and images pushes for web site designs which utilize large displays, and to use the display area as efficiently as possible. Yet, scientists and users of their data are increasingly wishing to access these websites in the field and on mobile devices. This results in the need to develop websites that can support a wide range of devices and screen sizes, and to optimally use whatever display area is available. Historically, designers have addressed this issue by building two websites; one for mobile devices, and one for desktop environments, resulting in increased cost, duplicity of work, and longer development times. Recent advancements in web design technology and techniques have evolved which allow for the development of a single website that dynamically adjusts to the type of device being used to browse the website (smartphone, tablet, desktop). In addition they provide the opportunity to truly optimize whatever display area is available. HTML5 and CSS3 give web designers media query statements which allow design style sheets to be aware of the size of the display being used, and to format web content differently based upon the queried response. Web elements can be rendered in a different size, position, or even removed from the display entirely, based upon the size of the display area. Using HTML5/CSS3 media queries in this manner is referred to as "Responsive Web Design" (RWD). RWD in combination with technologies such as LESS and Twitter Bootstrap allow the web designer to build web sites which not only dynamically respond to the browser display size being used, but to do so in very controlled and intelligent ways, ensuring that good layout and graphic design principles are followed while doing so. At the University of Alaska Fairbanks, the Alaska Satellite Facility SAR Data Center (ASF) recently redesigned their popular Vertex application and converted it from a traditional, fixed-layout website into a RWD site built on HTML5, LESS and Twitter Bootstrap. Vertex is a data portal for remotely sensed imagery of the earth, offering Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data products from the global ASF archive. By using Responsive Web Design, ASF is able to provide access to a massive collection of SAR imagery and allow the user to use mobile devices and desktops to maximum advantage. ASF's Vertex web site demonstrates that with increased interface flexibility, scientists, managers and users can increase their personal effectiveness by accessing data portals from their preferred device as their science dictates.

Association of Small Computer Users in Education: Proceedings of the ASCUE Summer Conference (31st, North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, June 7-11, 1998).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Peter, Ed.

Topics addressed by the papers including in this proceedings include: multimedia in the classroom; World Wide Web site development; the evolution of academic library services; a Web-based literature course; development of a real-time intelligent network environment; serving grades over the Internet; e-mail over a Web browser; using technology to…

MED31/437: A Web-based Diabetes Management System: DiabNet

PubMed Central

Zhao, N; Roudsari, A; Carson, E

1999-01-01

Introduction A web-based system (DiabNet) was developed to provide instant access to the Electronic Diabetes Records (EDR) for end-users, and real-time information for healthcare professionals to facilitate their decision-making. It integrates portable glucometer, handheld computer, mobile phone and Internet access as a combined telecommunication and mobile computing solution for diabetes management. Methods: Active Server Pages (ASP) embedded with advanced ActiveX controls and VBScript were developed to allow remote data upload, retrieval and interpretation. Some advisory and Internet-based learning features, together with a video teleconferencing component make DiabNet web site an informative platform for Web-consultation. Results The evaluation of the system is being implemented among several UK Internet diabetes discussion groups and the Diabetes Day Centre at the Guy's & St. Thomas' Hospital. Many positive feedback are received from the web site demonstrating DiabNet is an advanced web-based diabetes management system which can help patients to keep closer control of self-monitoring blood glucose remotely, and is an integrated diabetes information resource that offers telemedicine knowledge in diabetes management. Discussion In summary, DiabNet introduces an innovative online diabetes management concept, such as online appointment and consultation, to enable users to access diabetes management information without time and location limitation and security concerns.

Prototype of web-based database of surface wave investigation results for site classification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hayashi, K.; Cakir, R.; Martin, A. J.; Craig, M. S.; Lorenzo, J. M.

2016-12-01

As active and passive surface wave methods are getting popular for evaluating site response of earthquake ground motion, demand on the development of database for investigation results is also increasing. Seismic ground motion not only depends on 1D velocity structure but also on 2D and 3D structures so that spatial information of S-wave velocity must be considered in ground motion prediction. The database can support to construct 2D and 3D underground models. Inversion of surface wave processing is essentially non-unique so that other information must be combined into the processing. The database of existed geophysical, geological and geotechnical investigation results can provide indispensable information to improve the accuracy and reliability of investigations. Most investigations, however, are carried out by individual organizations and investigation results are rarely stored in the unified and organized database. To study and discuss appropriate database and digital standard format for the surface wave investigations, we developed a prototype of web-based database to store observed data and processing results of surface wave investigations that we have performed at more than 400 sites in U.S. and Japan. The database was constructed on a web server using MySQL and PHP so that users can access to the database through the internet from anywhere with any device. All data is registered in the database with location and users can search geophysical data through Google Map. The database stores dispersion curves, horizontal to vertical spectral ratio and S-wave velocity profiles at each site that was saved in XML files as digital data so that user can review and reuse them. The database also stores a published 3D deep basin and crustal structure and user can refer it during the processing of surface wave data.

An ethics curriculum for short-term global health trainees.

PubMed

DeCamp, Matthew; Rodriguez, Joce; Hecht, Shelby; Barry, Michele; Sugarman, Jeremy

2013-02-14

Interest in short-term global health training and service programs continues to grow, yet they can be associated with a variety of ethical issues for which trainees or others with limited global health experience may not be prepared to address. Therefore, there is a clear need for educational interventions concerning these ethical issues. We developed and evaluated an introductory curriculum, "Ethical Challenges in Short-term Global Health Training." The curriculum was developed through solicitation of actual ethical issues experienced by trainees and program leaders; content drafting; and external content review. It was then evaluated from November 1, 2011, through July 1, 2012, by analyzing web usage data and by conducting user surveys. The survey included basic demographic data; prior experience in global health and global health ethics; and assessment of cases within the curriculum. The ten case curriculum is freely available at http://ethicsandglobalhealth.org. An average of 238 unique visitors accessed the site each month (standard deviation, 19). Of users who had been abroad before for global health training or service, only 31% reported prior ethics training related to short-term work. Most users (62%) reported accessing the site via personal referral or their training program; however, a significant number (28%) reported finding the site via web search, and 8% discovered it via web links. Users represented different fields: medicine (46%), public health (15%), and nursing (11%) were most common. All cases in the curriculum were evaluated favorably. The curriculum is meeting a critical need for an introduction to the ethical issues in short-term global health training. Future work will integrate this curriculum within more comprehensive curricula for global health and evaluate specific knowledge and behavioral effects, including at training sites abroad.

An ethics curriculum for short-term global health trainees

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Interest in short-term global health training and service programs continues to grow, yet they can be associated with a variety of ethical issues for which trainees or others with limited global health experience may not be prepared to address. Therefore, there is a clear need for educational interventions concerning these ethical issues. Methods We developed and evaluated an introductory curriculum, “Ethical Challenges in Short-term Global Health Training.” The curriculum was developed through solicitation of actual ethical issues experienced by trainees and program leaders; content drafting; and external content review. It was then evaluated from November 1, 2011, through July 1, 2012, by analyzing web usage data and by conducting user surveys. The survey included basic demographic data; prior experience in global health and global health ethics; and assessment of cases within the curriculum. Results The ten case curriculum is freely available at http://ethicsandglobalhealth.org. An average of 238 unique visitors accessed the site each month (standard deviation, 19). Of users who had been abroad before for global health training or service, only 31% reported prior ethics training related to short-term work. Most users (62%) reported accessing the site via personal referral or their training program; however, a significant number (28%) reported finding the site via web search, and 8% discovered it via web links. Users represented different fields: medicine (46%), public health (15%), and nursing (11%) were most common. All cases in the curriculum were evaluated favorably. Conclusions The curriculum is meeting a critical need for an introduction to the ethical issues in short-term global health training. Future work will integrate this curriculum within more comprehensive curricula for global health and evaluate specific knowledge and behavioral effects, including at training sites abroad. PMID:23410089

On the Web, a Textbook Proliferation of Piracy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Young, Jeffrey R.

2008-01-01

Book publishers are stepping up efforts to stop college students from downloading illegal copies of textbooks online. One Web site, Textbook Torrents, promises more than 5,000 textbooks for download in PDF format, complete with the original books' layouts and full-color illustrations. Users must simply set up a free account and download a free…

SciLinks

Science.gov Websites

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

A Web-Based Resource for Investigating Environmental Change: The Emigrant Pass Observatory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Michael G.; Chapman, David S.

2012-01-01

We present a user-friendly, data-driven Web site (http://thermal.gg.utah.edu/facilities/epo/) for a geothermal, climate change observatory that is educational for the general public, students, and researchers alike. The Emigrant Pass Observatory (EPO), located in the Grouse Creek Mountains in northwestern Utah, gathers both meteorological data…

Web Analytics Reveal User Behavior: TTU Libraries' Experience with Google Analytics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barba, Ian; Cassidy, Ryan; De Leon, Esther; Williams, B. Justin

2013-01-01

Proper planning and assessment surveys of projects for academic library Web sites will not always be predictive of real world use, no matter how many responses they might receive. In this case, multiple-phase development, librarian focus groups, and patron surveys performed before implementation of such a project inaccurately overrated utility and…

Options and Functions of the Revised IVS Combination Web Site

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Messerschmitt, Linda; Bachmann, Sabine; Thaller, Daniela

2016-12-01

The World Wide Web is one of the most important communication and information exchange platforms today. Because of the high amount of users and the global accessibility, every business is interested in the Internet. It opens up new possibilities of international cooperation. In geodesy, this aspect of international cooperation is of prime importance.

Leadership 2.0: Social Media in Advocacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gonzales, Lisa; Vodicka, Devin; White, John

2011-01-01

Technology is always changing, always improving, and always pushing the envelope for how one works in education. In this increasingly connected age, people have seen rapid growth in social network tools such as Twitter and Facebook. These sites are representative of Web 2.0 resources where users contribute content. Other examples of Web 2.0 sites…

76 FR 75883 - Facebook, Inc.; Analysis of Proposed Consent Order To Aid Public Comment

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-12-05

... , a social networking Web site that enables a consumer who uses the site (``user'') to create an... name and name of city or town; (c) an email address or other online contact information, such as an...

The Other Homepage.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kupersmith, John

2003-01-01

Examines special-purpose entry points to library Web sites. Discusses in-house homepages; branch-specific pages or single library system-wide pages; staff use pages; versions in different languages; "MyLibrary" pages where users can customize the menu; standalone "branded" sites; publicly accessible pages; and best practices.…

The effect of top-level domains and advertisements on health web-site credibility.

PubMed

Walther, Joseph B; Wang, Zuoming; Loh, Tracy

2004-09-03

Concerns over health information on the Internet have generated efforts to enhance credibility markers; yet how users actually assess the credibility of online health information is largely unknown. This study set out to (1) establish a parsimonious and valid questionnaire instrument to measure credibility of Internet health information by drawing on various previous measures of source, news, and other credibility scales; and (2) to identify the effects of Web-site domains and advertising on credibility perceptions. Respondents (N = 156) examined one of 12 Web-site mock-ups and completed credibility scales in a 3 x 2 x 2 between-subjects experimental design. Factor analysis and validity checks were used for item reduction, and analysis of variance was employed for hypothesis testing of Web-site features' effects. In an attempt to construct a credibility instrument, three dimensions of credibility (safety, trustworthiness, and dynamism) were retained, reflecting traditional credibility sub-themes, but composed of items from disparate sources. When testing the effect of the presence or absence of advertising on a Web site on credibility, we found that this depends on the site's domain, with a trend for advertisements having deleterious effects on the credibility of sites with .org domain, but positive effects on sites with .com or .edu domains. Health-information Web-site providers should select domains purposefully when they can, especially if they must accept on-site advertising. Credibility perceptions may not be invariant or stable, but rather are sensitive to topic and context. Future research may employ these findings in order to compare other forms of health-information delivery to optimal Web-site features.

Characteristics associated with use of public and private web sites as sources of health care information: results from a national survey.

PubMed

Miller, Edward Alan; West, Darrell M

2007-03-01

We sought to determine the frequency with which Americans access health information from governmental (public sector) and nongovernmental (private sector) web sites and to identify similarities and differences in the characteristics associated with use of each type. Data derive from 928 individuals who responded to a November 2005 national survey. In addition to forms of health communication, we asked about age, gender, race, income, education, insurance, lifestyle, residence, satisfaction, literacy, and health. We report the extent of web site use stratified by sponsorship type-public and private. We also use chi tests to examine bivariate associations. Logistic regression and multiple imputation of missing data were used to examine the correlates of use in a multivariate context. More than twice as many respondents visited private web sites (29.6%) than public web sites (13.2%). However, just 23.6% and 18.9% of private and public web site visitors, respectively, reported doing so once a month or more. Both public and private web site visitors were more likely to be better-educated respondents (odds ratio [OR]=0.83, OR=1.57) reporting greater concerns about health care access (OR=1.28, OR=1.20) than nonvisitors. Younger individuals (OR=0.83) living in urban areas (OR=1.59) with stronger health literacy (OR=1.24) and reporting greater concerns about health care affordability (OR=1.59) were more likely to visit privately sponsored web sites but nonpublicly sponsored ones. Relatively low utilization levels necessitate a concerted effort to improve the quality, accessibility, and relevance of Internet health information. Efforts to close the digital divide must recognize differences in user characteristics across governmental and nongovernmental web site providers.

Is Domain Highlighting Actually Helpful in Identifying Phishing Web Pages?

PubMed

Xiong, Aiping; Proctor, Robert W; Yang, Weining; Li, Ninghui

2017-06-01

To evaluate the effectiveness of domain highlighting in helping users identify whether Web pages are legitimate or spurious. As a component of the URL, a domain name can be overlooked. Consequently, browsers highlight the domain name to help users identify which Web site they are visiting. Nevertheless, few studies have assessed the effectiveness of domain highlighting, and the only formal study confounded highlighting with instructions to look at the address bar. We conducted two phishing detection experiments. Experiment 1 was run online: Participants judged the legitimacy of Web pages in two phases. In Phase 1, participants were to judge the legitimacy based on any information on the Web page, whereas in Phase 2, they were to focus on the address bar. Whether the domain was highlighted was also varied. Experiment 2 was conducted similarly but with participants in a laboratory setting, which allowed tracking of fixations. Participants differentiated the legitimate and fraudulent Web pages better than chance. There was some benefit of attending to the address bar, but domain highlighting did not provide effective protection against phishing attacks. Analysis of eye-gaze fixation measures was in agreement with the task performance, but heat-map results revealed that participants' visual attention was attracted by the highlighted domains. Failure to detect many fraudulent Web pages even when the domain was highlighted implies that users lacked knowledge of Web page security cues or how to use those cues. Potential applications include development of phishing prevention training incorporating domain highlighting with other methods to help users identify phishing Web pages.

A Web Service-based framework model for people-centric sensing applications applied to social networking.

PubMed

Nunes, David; Tran, Thanh-Dien; Raposo, Duarte; Pinto, André; Gomes, André; Silva, Jorge Sá

2012-01-01

As the Internet evolved, social networks (such as Facebook) have bloomed and brought together an astonishing number of users. Mashing up mobile phones and sensors with these social environments enables the creation of people-centric sensing systems which have great potential for expanding our current social networking usage. However, such systems also have many associated technical challenges, such as privacy concerns, activity detection mechanisms or intermittent connectivity, as well as limitations due to the heterogeneity of sensor nodes and networks. Considering the openness of the Web 2.0, good technical solutions for these cases consist of frameworks that expose sensing data and functionalities as common Web-Services. This paper presents our RESTful Web Service-based model for people-centric sensing frameworks, which uses sensors and mobile phones to detect users' activities and locations, sharing this information amongst the user's friends within a social networking site. We also present some screenshot results of our experimental prototype.

Implementing an SIG based platform of application and service for city spatial information in Shanghai

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Bailang; Wu, Jianping

2006-10-01

Spatial Information Grid (SIG) is an infrastructure that has the ability to provide the services for spatial information according to users' needs by means of collecting, sharing, organizing and processing the massive distributed spatial information resources. This paper presents the architecture, technologies and implementation of the Shanghai City Spatial Information Application and Service System, a SIG based platform, which is an integrated platform that serves for administration, planning, construction and development of the city. In the System, there are ten categories of spatial information resources, including city planning, land-use, real estate, river system, transportation, municipal facility construction, environment protection, sanitation, urban afforestation and basic geographic information data. In addition, spatial information processing services are offered as a means of GIS Web Services. The resources and services are all distributed in different web-based nodes. A single database is created to store the metadata of all the spatial information. A portal site is published as the main user interface of the System. There are three main functions in the portal site. First, users can search the metadata and consequently acquire the distributed data by using the searching results. Second, some spatial processing web applications that developed with GIS Web Services, such as file format conversion, spatial coordinate transfer, cartographic generalization and spatial analysis etc, are offered to use. Third, GIS Web Services currently available in the System can be searched and new ones can be registered. The System has been working efficiently in Shanghai Government Network since 2005.

Evaluation of Norwegian cancer hospitals' Web sites and explorative survey among cancer patients on their use of the Internet

PubMed Central

2001-01-01

Background Hospital homepages should provide comprehensive information on the hospital's services, such as departments and treatments available, prices, waiting time, leisure facilities, and other information important for patients and their relatives. Norway, with its population of approximately 4.3 million, ranks among the top countries globally for its ability to absorb and use technology. It is unclear to what degree Norwegian hospitals and patients use the Internet for information about health services. Objectives This study was undertaken to evaluate the quality of the biggest Norwegian cancer hospitals' Web sites and to gather some preliminary data on patients' use of the Internet. Methods In January 2001, we analyzed Web sites of 5 of the 7 biggest Norwegian hospitals treating cancer patients using a scoring system. The scoring instrument was based on recommendations developed by the Norwegian Central Information Service for Web sites and reflects the scope and depth of service information offered on hospital Web pages. In addition, 31 cancer patients visiting one hospital-based medical oncologist were surveyed about their use of the Internet. Results Of the 7 hospitals, 5 had a Web site. The Web sites differed markedly in quality. Types of information included - and number of Web sites that included each type of information - were, for example: search option, 1; interpreter service, 2; date of last update, 2; postal address, phone number, and e-mail service, 3; information in English, 2. None of the Web sites included information on waiting time or prices. Of the 31 patients surveyed, 12 had personal experience using the Internet and 4 had searched for medical information. The Internet users were significantly younger (mean age 47.8 years, range 28.4-66.8 years) than the nonusers (mean age 61.8 years, range 33.1-90.0 years) ( P= 0.007). Conclusions The hospitals' Web sites offer cancer patients and relatives useful information, but the Web sites were not impressive. PMID:11772545

A health information technology glossary for novices.

PubMed

Cravens, Gary D; Dixon, Brian E; Zafar, Atif; McGowan, Julie J

2008-11-06

To deliver information to providers across the U.S., the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's National Resource Center for Health IT (NRC) created a public domain Web site containing a number of tools and resources. Specifically lacking from this Web site is a glossary of health IT terminology. To address this omission and respond to requests from Web site users,the Regenstrief Institute created the Health IT Glossary. This glossary is designed to provide novices, providers and others new to health IT, with a single source to find basic definitions for a broad range of terms, consistent with the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) effort. The glossary is a living document, and feedback is welcomed from the health informatics community.

Developing a smartphone interface for the Florida Environmental Public Health Tracking Web portal.

PubMed

Jordan, Melissa; DuClos, Chris; Folsom, John; Thomas, Rebecca

2015-01-01

As smartphone and tablet devices continue to proliferate, it is becoming increasingly important to tailor information delivery to the mobile device. The Florida Environmental Public Health Tracking Program recognized that the mobile device user needs Web content formatted to smaller screen sizes, simplified data displays, and reduced textual information. The Florida Environmental Public Health Tracking Program developed a smartphone-friendly version of the state Web portal for easier access by mobile device users. The resulting smartphone-friendly portal combines calculated data measures such as inpatient hospitalizations and emergency department visits and presents them grouped by county, along with temporal trend graphs. An abbreviated version of the public health messaging provided on the traditional Web portal is also provided, along with social media connections. As a result of these efforts, the percentage of Web site visitors using an iPhone tripled in just 1 year.

A survey of health-related activities on second life.

PubMed

Beard, Leslie; Wilson, Kumanan; Morra, Dante; Keelan, Jennifer

2009-05-22

Increasingly, governments, health care agencies, companies, and private groups have chosen Second Life as part of their Web 2.0 communication strategies. Second Life offers unique design features for disseminating health information, training health professionals, and enabling patient education for both academic and commercial health behavior research. This study aimed to survey and categorize the range of health-related activities on Second Life; to examine the design attributes of the most innovative and popular sites; and to assess the potential utility of Second Life for the dissemination of health information and for health behavior change. We used three separate search strategies to identify health-related sites on Second Life. The first used the application's search engine, entering both generic and select illness-specific keywords, to seek out sites. The second identified sites through a comprehensive review of print, blog, and media sources discussing health activities on Second Life. We then visited each site and used a snowball method to identify other health sites until we reached saturation (no new health sites were identified). The content, user experience, and chief purpose of each site were tabulated as well as basic site information, including user traffic data and site size. We found a wide range of health-related activities on Second Life, and a diverse group of users, including organizations, groups, and individuals. For many users, Second Life activities are a part of their Web 2.0 communication strategy. The most common type of health-related site in our sample (n = 68) were those whose principle aim was patient education or to increase awareness about health issues. The second most common type of site were support sites, followed by training sites, and marketing sites. Finally, a few sites were purpose-built to conduct research in SL or to recruit participants for real-life research. Studies show that behaviors from virtual worlds can translate to the real world. Our survey suggests that users are engaged in a range of health-related activities in Second Life which are potentially impacting real-life behaviors. Further research evaluating the impact of health-related activities on Second Life is warranted.

A Survey of Health-Related Activities on Second Life

PubMed Central

Beard, Leslie; Wilson, Kumanan; Morra, Dante

2009-01-01

Background Increasingly, governments, health care agencies, companies, and private groups have chosen Second Life as part of their Web 2.0 communication strategies. Second Life offers unique design features for disseminating health information, training health professionals, and enabling patient education for both academic and commercial health behavior research. Objectives This study aimed to survey and categorize the range of health-related activities on Second Life; to examine the design attributes of the most innovative and popular sites; and to assess the potential utility of Second Life for the dissemination of health information and for health behavior change. Methods We used three separate search strategies to identify health-related sites on Second Life. The first used the application’s search engine, entering both generic and select illness-specific keywords, to seek out sites. The second identified sites through a comprehensive review of print, blog, and media sources discussing health activities on Second Life. We then visited each site and used a snowball method to identify other health sites until we reached saturation (no new health sites were identified). The content, user experience, and chief purpose of each site were tabulated as well as basic site information, including user traffic data and site size. Results We found a wide range of health-related activities on Second Life, and a diverse group of users, including organizations, groups, and individuals. For many users, Second Life activities are a part of their Web 2.0 communication strategy. The most common type of health-related site in our sample (n = 68) were those whose principle aim was patient education or to increase awareness about health issues. The second most common type of site were support sites, followed by training sites, and marketing sites. Finally, a few sites were purpose-built to conduct research in SL or to recruit participants for real-life research. Conclusions Studies show that behaviors from virtual worlds can translate to the real world. Our survey suggests that users are engaged in a range of health-related activities in Second Life which are potentially impacting real-life behaviors. Further research evaluating the impact of health-related activities on Second Life is warranted. PMID:19632971

Co-Evolution of User and Organizational Interfaces: A Longitudinal Case Study of WWW Dissemination of National Statistics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marchionini, Gary

2002-01-01

Describes how user interfaces for the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) web site evolved over a 5-year period along with the larger organizational interface and how this co-evolution has influenced the institution. Interviews with BLS staff and transaction log analysis are the foci of this study, as well as user information-seeking studies and user…

Comparing Web and Touch Screen Transaction Log Files

PubMed Central

Huntington, Paul; Williams, Peter

2001-01-01

Background Digital health information is available on a wide variety of platforms including PC-access of the Internet, Wireless Application Protocol phones, CD-ROMs, and touch screen public kiosks. All these platforms record details of user sessions in transaction log files, and there is a growing body of research into the evaluation of this data. However, there is very little research that has examined the problems of comparing the transaction log files of kiosks and the Internet. Objectives To provide a first step towards examining the problems of comparing the transaction log files of kiosks and the Internet. Methods We studied two platforms: touch screen kiosks and a comparable Web site. For both of these platforms, we examined the menu structure (which affects transaction log file data), the log-file structure, and the metrics derived from log-file records. Results We found substantial differences between the generated metrics. Conclusions None of the metrics discussed can be regarded as an effective way of comparing the use of kiosks and Web sites. Two metrics stand out as potentially comparable and valuable: the number of user sessions per hour and user penetration of pages. PMID:11720960

VAAPA: a web platform for visualization and analysis of alternative polyadenylation.

PubMed

Guan, Jinting; Fu, Jingyi; Wu, Mingcheng; Chen, Longteng; Ji, Guoli; Quinn Li, Qingshun; Wu, Xiaohui

2015-02-01

Polyadenylation [poly(A)] is an essential process during the maturation of most mRNAs in eukaryotes. Alternative polyadenylation (APA) as an important layer of gene expression regulation has been increasingly recognized in various species. Here, a web platform for visualization and analysis of alternative polyadenylation (VAAPA) was developed. This platform can visualize the distribution of poly(A) sites and poly(A) clusters of a gene or a section of a chromosome. It can also highlight genes with switched APA sites among different conditions. VAAPA is an easy-to-use web-based tool that provides functions of poly(A) site query, data uploading, downloading, and APA sites visualization. It was designed in a multi-tier architecture and developed based on Smart GWT (Google Web Toolkit) using Java as the development language. VAAPA will be a valuable addition to the community for the comprehensive study of APA, not only by making the high quality poly(A) site data more accessible, but also by providing users with numerous valuable functions for poly(A) site analysis and visualization. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Are we there yet? An examination of online tailored health communication.

PubMed

Suggs, L Suzanne; McIntyre, Chris

2009-04-01

Increasingly, the Internet is playing an important role in consumer health and patient-provider communication. Seventy-three percent of American adults are now online, and 79% have searched for health information on the Internet. This study provides a baseline understanding of the extent to which health consumers are able to find tailored communication online. It describes the current behavioral focus, the channels being used to deliver the tailored content, and the level of tailoring in online-tailored communication. A content analysis of 497 health Web sites found few examples of personalized, targeted, or tailored health sites freely available online. Tailored content was provided in 13 Web sites, although 15 collected individual data. More health risk assessment (HRA) sites included tailored feedback than other topics. The patterns that emerged from the analysis demonstrate that online health users can access a number of Web sites with communication tailored to their needs.

The cyber-aspects of virtual communities: free downloader ethics, cognition, and perceived service quality.

PubMed

Lin, Chin-Feng

2008-02-01

This study examined the downloader cognitive structures toward Web service quality and the downloader ethical attitudes across various levels of participation in a virtual community. Using four types of free downloads as the research subjects, the researcher found that the users in different participation degrees have different perception preferences. Owners of the free downloading Web sites can use the findings of this study to develop effective Web marketing strategies.

Web-based screening and brief intervention for the spectrum of alcohol problems.

PubMed

Saitz, Richard; Helmuth, Eric D; Aromaa, Susan E; Guard, Anara; Belanger, Marc; Rosenbloom, David L

2004-11-01

Many persons who drink excessively remain unidentified and do not receive interventions. Screening and intervention using the World Wide Web could make such services more accessible and therefore more widely used. To evaluate the use of a novel alcohol screening and brief intervention Web site. A Web site was developed, posted, and its use was evaluated. We analyzed a sample of visitors who completed alcohol screening over a 14-month period to describe their alcohol use, and their use of portions of the Web site that provide information and referral resources. The Internet. Web site visitors, with a focus on visitors who completed an alcohol-screening questionnaire about their own drinking. Brief intervention via the Web site, consisting mainly of feedback, advice, and a menu of change options and referral information. Self-reported drinking amounts and alcohol screening test scores, and utilization of Web site components. Visitors completed online alcohol screening questionnaires at a rate of 50,711/year of 115,925 visitors/year. In a 14-month period, 39,842 adults completed the questionnaire about their own drinking habits; 66% were men, 90% reported drinking hazardous amounts (per occasion or typical weekly amounts), 88% reported binge (per occasion) drinking, and 55% reported typically exceeding weekly risky drinking limits. Most (65%) had alcohol screening test results (AUDIT > or = 8) consistent with alcohol abuse or dependence; similar proportions of women and men were hazardous drinkers. One-fifth of visitors visited portions of the Web site that provided additional information about alcohol use and referrals. Visitors with possible alcohol abuse or dependence were more likely than those without these disorders to visit a part of the Web site designed for those seeking additional help (33% vs. 8%, P < 0.0001). A well-publicized, easily accessible, research-based screening and intervention Web site can attract many users, most of whom are drinking excessively, and many of whom avail themselves of referral information after receiving individualized feedback.

Interactive Character as a Virtual Tour Guide to an Online Museum Exhibition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Almeida, Pilar; Yokoi, Shigeki

Online museums could benefit from digital "lifelike" characters in order to guide users to virtual tours and to customize the tour information to users' interests. Digital characters have been explored in online museum web sites with different degrees of interaction and modes of communication. Such research, however, does not explore…

PINTA: a web server for network-based gene prioritization from expression data

PubMed Central

Nitsch, Daniela; Tranchevent, Léon-Charles; Gonçalves, Joana P.; Vogt, Josef Korbinian; Madeira, Sara C.; Moreau, Yves

2011-01-01

PINTA (available at http://www.esat.kuleuven.be/pinta/; this web site is free and open to all users and there is no login requirement) is a web resource for the prioritization of candidate genes based on the differential expression of their neighborhood in a genome-wide protein–protein interaction network. Our strategy is meant for biological and medical researchers aiming at identifying novel disease genes using disease specific expression data. PINTA supports both candidate gene prioritization (starting from a user defined set of candidate genes) as well as genome-wide gene prioritization and is available for five species (human, mouse, rat, worm and yeast). As input data, PINTA only requires disease specific expression data, whereas various platforms (e.g. Affymetrix) are supported. As a result, PINTA computes a gene ranking and presents the results as a table that can easily be browsed and downloaded by the user. PMID:21602267

Trends in Culturally Relevant Interface Design Features for Latino Web Site Users

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sachau, Lori L.; Hutchinson, Susan R.

2012-01-01

There is a lack of published research on designing Web-based instruction for the adult U.S. Latino population. Instructional designers need guidance on how to design culturally relevant learning environments for this audience, particularly for Latino people from Mexican heritage. The authors used content analysis to investigate the extent to which…

Design and Empirical Evaluation of Search Software for Legal Professionals on the WWW.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dempsey, Bert J.; Vreeland, Robert C.; Sumner, Robert G., Jr.; Yang, Kiduk

2000-01-01

Discussion of effective search aids for legal researchers on the World Wide Web focuses on the design and evaluation of two software systems developed to explore models for browsing and searching across a user-selected set of Web sites. Describes crawler-enhanced search engines, filters, distributed full-text searching, and natural language…

Assessing the Quality of Academic Libraries on the Web: The Development and Testing of Criteria.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chao, Hungyune

2002-01-01

This study develops and tests an instrument useful for evaluating the quality of academic library Web sites. Discusses criteria for print materials and human-computer interfaces; user-based perspectives; the use of factor analysis; a survey of library experts; testing reliability through analysis of variance; and regression models. (Contains 53…

More than just a mouse click: research into work practices behind the assignment of medical trust marks on the World Wide Web.

PubMed

Adams, Samantha A; de Bont, Antoinette A

2007-06-01

Hyperlinked web trust marks have been a popular topic of discussion during the past 10 years. However, the discussion has focused mostly on what these trust marks are not doing in terms of helping patients (or other lay end users) find reliable medical information on the web. In this paper, we discuss how this focus on patients and their actions with respect to trust marks, has overshadowed, if not rendered invisible, what trust marks are doing to educate medical site/information providers. We draw on data from ethnographic research conducted at the Health on the Net Foundation in 2002 and 2003 in order to explore an alternate definition of what it means to be a 'user' of a trust mark and the importance of the review process in educating site providers. We argue that understanding the work involved in the process of assigning a seal is crucial to understanding the role that the seal plays as part of the medical internet.

Web 2.0 and Pharmacy Education

PubMed Central

Fox, Brent I.

2009-01-01

New types of social Internet applications (often referred to as Web 2.0) are becoming increasingly popular within higher education environments. Although developed primarily for entertainment and social communication within the general population, applications such as blogs, social video sites, and virtual worlds are being adopted by higher education institutions. These newer applications differ from standard Web sites in that they involve the users in creating and distributing information, hence effectively changing how the Web is used for knowledge generation and dispersion. Although Web 2.0 applications offer exciting new ways to teach, they should not be the core of instructional planning, but rather selected only after learning objectives and instructional strategies have been identified. This paper provides an overview of prominent Web 2.0 applications, explains how they are being used within education environments, and elaborates on some of the potential opportunities and challenges that these applications present. PMID:19960079

Web 2.0 and pharmacy education.

PubMed

Cain, Jeff; Fox, Brent I

2009-11-12

New types of social Internet applications (often referred to as Web 2.0) are becoming increasingly popular within higher education environments. Although developed primarily for entertainment and social communication within the general population, applications such as blogs, social video sites, and virtual worlds are being adopted by higher education institutions. These newer applications differ from standard Web sites in that they involve the users in creating and distributing information, hence effectively changing how the Web is used for knowledge generation and dispersion. Although Web 2.0 applications offer exciting new ways to teach, they should not be the core of instructional planning, but rather selected only after learning objectives and instructional strategies have been identified. This paper provides an overview of prominent Web 2.0 applications, explains how they are being used within education environments, and elaborates on some of the potential opportunities and challenges that these applications present.

User experiences of evidence-based online resources for health professionals: User testing of The Cochrane Library

PubMed Central

Rosenbaum, Sarah E; Glenton, Claire; Cracknell, Jane

2008-01-01

Background Evidence-based decision making relies on easy access to trustworthy research results. The Cochrane Library is a key source of evidence about the effect of interventions and aims to "promote the accessibility of systematic reviews to anyone wanting to make a decision about health care". We explored how health professionals found, used and experienced The Library, looking at facets of user experience including findability, usability, usefulness, credibility, desirability and value. Methods We carried out 32 one-hour usability tests on participants from Norway and the UK. Participants both browsed freely and attempted to perform individually tailored tasks while "thinking aloud". Sessions were recorded and viewed in real time by researchers. Transcriptions and videos were reviewed by one researcher and one designer. Findings reported here reflect issues receiving a high degree of saturation and that we judge to be critical to the user experience of evidence-based web sites, based on principles for usability heuristics, web guidelines and evidence-based practice. Results Participants had much difficulty locating both the site and its contents. Non-native English speakers were at an extra disadvantage when retrieving relevant documents despite high levels of English-language skills. Many participants displayed feelings of ineptitude, alienation and frustration. Some made serious mistakes in correctly distinguishing between different information types, for instance reviews, review protocols, and individual studies. Although most expressed a high regard for the site's credibility, some later displayed a mistrust of the independence of the information. Others were overconfident, thinking everything on The Cochrane Library site shared the same level of quality approval. Conclusion Paradoxically, The Cochrane Library, established to support easy access to research evidence, has its own problems of accessibility. Health professionals' experiences of this and other evidence-based online resources can be improved by applying existing principles for web usability, prioritizing the development of simple search functionality, emitting "researcher" jargon, consistent marking of site ownership, and clear signposting of different document types and different content quality. PMID:18662382

The Effect of Top-Level Domains and Advertisements on Health Web Site Credibility

PubMed Central

Wang, Zuoming; Loh, Tracy

2004-01-01

Background Concerns over health information on the Internet have generated efforts to enhance credibility markers; yet how users actually assess the credibility of online health information is largely unknown. Objective This study set out to (1) establish a parsimonious and valid questionnaire instrument to measure credibility of Internet health information by drawing on various previous measures of source, news, and other credibility scales; and (2) to identify the effects of Web-site domains and advertising on credibility perceptions. Methods Respondents (N = 156) examined one of 12 Web-site mock-ups and completed credibility scales in a 3 x 2 x 2 between-subjects experimental design. Factor analysis and validity checks were used for item reduction, and analysis of variance was employed for hypothesis testing of Web-site features' effects. Results In an attempt to construct a credibility instrument, three dimensions of credibility (safety, trustworthiness, and dynamism) were retained, reflecting traditional credibility sub-themes, but composed of items from disparate sources. When testing the effect of the presence or absence of advertising on a Web site on credibility, we found that this depends on the site's domain, with a trend for advertisements having deleterious effects on the credibility of sites with .org domain, but positive effects on sites with .com or .edu domains. Conclusions Health-information Web-site providers should select domains purposefully when they can, especially if they must accept on-site advertising. Credibility perceptions may not be invariant or stable, but rather are sensitive to topic and context. Future research may employ these findings in order to compare other forms of health-information delivery to optimal Web-site features. PMID:15471750

Ensuring quality Website redesign: the University of Maryland's experience.

PubMed

Fuller, D M; Hinegardner, P G

2001-10-01

The Web Redesign Committee at the Health Sciences and Human Services Library (HS/HSL) of the University of Maryland was formed to evaluate its site and oversee the site's redesign. The committee's goal was to design a site that would be functional, be usable, and provide the library with a more current image. Based on a literature review and discussions with colleagues, a usability study was conducted to gain a better understanding of how the Website was used. Volunteers from across the campus participated in the study. A Web-based survey was also used to gather feedback. To complement user input, library staff were asked to review the existing site. A prototype site was developed incorporating suggestions obtained from the evaluation mechanisms. The usability study was particularly useful because it identified problem areas, including terminology, which would have been overlooked by library staff. A second usability study was conducted to refine the prototype. The new site was launched in the spring of 2000. The usability studies were valuable mechanisms in designing the site. Users felt invested in the project, and the committee received valuable feedback. This process led to an improved Website and higher visibility for the library on campus.

The Trouble with Color.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Merchant, David

1999-01-01

Discusses problems with color quality in Web sites. Topics include differences in monitor settings, including contrast; amount of video RAM; user preference settings; browser-safe colors; cross-platform readability; and gamma values. (LRW)

MyHealtheVet (VA's personal health record)

MedlinePlus

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

gLExec: gluing grid computing to the Unix world

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Groep, D.; Koeroo, O.; Venekamp, G.

2008-07-01

The majority of compute resources in todays scientific grids are based on Unix and Unix-like operating systems. In this world, user and user-group management are based around the concepts of a numeric 'user ID' and 'group ID' that are local to the resource. In contrast, grid concepts of user and group management are centered around globally assigned identifiers and VO membership, structures that are independent of any specific resource. At the fabric boundary, these 'grid identities' have to be translated to Unix user IDs. New job submission methodologies, such as job-execution web services, community-deployed local schedulers, and the late binding of user jobs in a grid-wide overlay network of 'pilot jobs', push this fabric boundary ever further down into the resource. gLExec, a light-weight (and thereby auditable) credential mapping and authorization system, addresses these issues. It can be run both on fabric boundary, as part of an execution web service, and on the worker node in a late-binding scenario. In this contribution we describe the rationale for gLExec, how it interacts with the site authorization and credential mapping frameworks such as LCAS, LCMAPS and GUMS, and how it can be used to improve site control and traceability in a pilot-job system.

Understanding the online health information user profiles in Korea: from a psychological perspective.

PubMed

Shin, Sung Hee; Yun, Eun Kyoung

2011-06-01

This study was conducted to explore the profiles of online health information users in terms of certain psychological characteristics and to suggest guidelines for the provision of better user-oriented health information service. The cross-sectional study design was used with convenient sampling by Web-based questionnaire survey in Korea. To analyze health information user profiles on the Internet, a two-step cluster analysis was conducted. The results reveal that online health information users can be classified into four groups according to their level of subjective knowledge and health concern. The findings also suggest that four clusters that exhibit distinct profile patterns exist. The findings of this study would be useful for health portal developers who would like to understand users' characteristics and behaviors and to provide more user-oriented service in a satisfactory manner. It is suggested that to develop a full understanding of users' behaviors regarding Internet health information service, further research would be needed to explore users' various needs, their preferences, and relevant factors among users across a variety of health problem-addressing Web sites at different professional levels.

Usability Evaluation of Clinical Guidelines on the Web Using Eye-Tracker.

PubMed

Khodambashi, Soudabeh; Gilstad, Heidi; Nytrø, Øystein

2016-01-01

Publishing clinical guidelines (GLs) on the web increases their accessibility. However, evaluating their usability and understanding how users interact with the websites has been neglected. In this study we used Tobii eye-tracker to analyse users' interaction with five commercial and public GL sites popular in Norway (four in Norwegian and one English of US origin (UpToDate)). We measured number of clicks and usage rate for search functions, task completion time, users' objective and perception of task success rate. We also measured learning effect for inexperienced users. We found a direct correlation between participant's satisfaction regarding website usability and the time spent, number of mouse clicks and use of search function to obtain the desired results. Our study showed that users' perceived success rate was not reliable and GL publishers should evaluate their website regarding presentation format, layout, navigation bar and search function.

Evaluating a Web-Based Interface for Internet Telemedicine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lathan, Corinna E.; Newman, Dava J.; Sebrechts, Marc M.; Doarn, Charles R.

1997-01-01

The objective is to introduce the usability engineering methodology, heuristic evaluation, to the design and development of a web-based telemedicine system. Using a set of usability criteria, or heuristics, one evaluator examined the Spacebridge to Russia web-site for usability problems. Thirty-four usability problems were found in this preliminary study and all were assigned a severity rating. The value of heuristic analysis in the iterative design of a system is shown because the problems can be fixed before deployment of a system and the problems are of a different nature than those found by actual users of the system. It was therefore determined that there is potential value of heuristic evaluation paired with user testing as a strategy for optimal system performance design.

Assessment and revision of clinical pharmacy practice internet web sites.

PubMed

Edwards, Krystal L; Salvo, Marissa C; Ward, Kristina E; Attridge, Russell T; Kiser, Katie; Pinner, Nathan A; Gallegos, Patrick J; Kesteloot, Lori Lynn; Hylton, Ann; Bookstaver, P Brandon

2014-02-01

Health care professionals, trainees, and patients use the Internet extensively. Editable Web sites may contain inaccurate, incomplete, and/or outdated information that may mislead the public's perception of the topic. To evaluate the editable, online descriptions of clinical pharmacy and pharmacist and attempt to improve their accuracy. The authors identified key areas within clinical pharmacy to evaluate for accuracy and appropriateness on the Internet. Current descriptions that were reviewed on public domain Web sites included: (1) clinical pharmacy and the clinical pharmacist, (2) pharmacy education, (3) clinical pharmacy and development and provision for reimbursement, (4) clinical pharmacists and advanced specialty certifications/training opportunities, (5) pharmacists and advocacy, and (6) clinical pharmacists and interdisciplinary/interprofessional content. The authors assessed each content area to determine accuracy and prioritized the need for updating, when applicable, to achieve consistency in descriptions and relevancy. The authors found that Wikipedia, a public domain that allows users to update, was consistently the most common Web site produced in search results. The authors' evaluation resulted in the creation or revision of 14 Wikipedia Web pages. However, rejection of 3 proposed newly created Web pages affected the authors' ability to address identified content areas with deficiencies and/or inaccuracies. Through assessing and updating editable Web sites, the authors strengthened the online representation of clinical pharmacy in a clear, cohesive, and accurate manner. However, ongoing assessments of the Internet are continually needed to ensure accuracy and appropriateness.

Tweeting Your Own Horn

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Butler, Kevin

2010-01-01

This article describes how some school districts are using social networking Web sites like Twitter and Facebook to tout their accomplishments and communicate with the public. In addition to informing users of upcoming school events and showing pictures from school activities, a district's Facebook site has links to local news stories about…

Remote Internet access to advanced analytical facilities: a new approach with Web-based services.

PubMed

Sherry, N; Qin, J; Fuller, M Suominen; Xie, Y; Mola, O; Bauer, M; McIntyre, N S; Maxwell, D; Liu, D; Matias, E; Armstrong, C

2012-09-04

Over the past decade, the increasing availability of the World Wide Web has held out the possibility that the efficiency of scientific measurements could be enhanced in cases where experiments were being conducted at distant facilities. Examples of early successes have included X-ray diffraction (XRD) experimental measurements of protein crystal structures at synchrotrons and access to scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and NMR facilities by users from institutions that do not possess such advanced capabilities. Experimental control, visual contact, and receipt of results has used some form of X forwarding and/or VNC (virtual network computing) software that transfers the screen image of a server at the experimental site to that of the users' home site. A more recent development is a web services platform called Science Studio that provides teams of scientists with secure links to experiments at one or more advanced research facilities. The software provides a widely distributed team with a set of controls and screens to operate, observe, and record essential parts of the experiment. As well, Science Studio provides high speed network access to computing resources to process the large data sets that are often involved in complex experiments. The simple web browser and the rapid transfer of experimental data to a processing site allow efficient use of the facility and assist decision making during the acquisition of the experimental results. The software provides users with a comprehensive overview and record of all parts of the experimental process. A prototype network is described involving X-ray beamlines at two different synchrotrons and an SEM facility. An online parallel processing facility has been developed that analyzes the data in near-real time using stream processing. Science Studio and can be expanded to include many other analytical applications, providing teams of users with rapid access to processed results along with the means for detailed discussion of their significance.

What do patients know about their low back pain? An analysis of the quality of information available on the Internet.

PubMed

Galbusera, Fabio; Brayda-Bruno, Marco; Freutel, Maren; Seitz, Andreas; Steiner, Malte; Wehrle, Esther; Wilke, Hans-Joachim

2012-01-01

Previous surveys showed a poor quality of the web sites providing health information about low back pain. However, the rapid and continuous evolution of the Internet content may question the current validity of those investigations. The present study is aimed to quantitatively assess the quality of the Internet information about low back pain retrieved with the most commonly employed search engines. An Internet search with the keywords "low back pain" has been performed with Google, Yahoo!® and Bing™ in the English language. The top 30 hits obtained with each search engine were evaluated by five independent raters and averaged following criteria derived from previous works. All search results were categorized as declaring compliant to a quality standard for health information (e.g. HONCode) or not and based on the web site type (Institutional, Free informative, Commercial, News, Social Network, Unknown). The quality of the hits retrieved by the three search engines was extremely similar. The web sites had a clear purpose, were easy to navigate, and mostly lacked in validity and quality of the provided links. The conformity to a quality standard was correlated with a marked greater quality of the web sites in all respects. Institutional web sites had the best validity and ease of use. Free informative web sites had good quality but a markedly lower validity compared to Institutional websites. Commercial web sites provided more biased information. News web sites were well designed and easy to use, but lacked in validity. The average quality of the hits retrieved by the most commonly employed search engines could be defined as satisfactory and favorably comparable with previous investigations. Awareness of the user about checking the quality of the information remains of concern.

Evaluating IPv6 Adoption in the Internet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Colitti, Lorenzo; Gunderson, Steinar H.; Kline, Erik; Refice, Tiziana

As IPv4 address space approaches exhaustion, large networks are deploying IPv6 or preparing for deployment. However, there is little data available about the quantity and quality of IPv6 connectivity. We describe a methodology to measure IPv6 adoption from the perspective of a Web site operator and to evaluate the impact that adding IPv6 to a Web site will have on its users. We apply our methodology to the Google Web site and present results collected over the last year. Our data show that IPv6 adoption, while growing significantly, is still low, varies considerably by country, and is heavily influenced by a small number of large deployments. We find that native IPv6 latency is comparable to IPv4 and provide statistics on IPv6 transition mechanisms used.

Terminal Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism Analysis Program, a Web-Based Research Tool for Microbial Community Analysis

PubMed Central

Marsh, Terence L.; Saxman, Paul; Cole, James; Tiedje, James

2000-01-01

Rapid analysis of microbial communities has proven to be a difficult task. This is due, in part, to both the tremendous diversity of the microbial world and the high complexity of many microbial communities. Several techniques for community analysis have emerged over the past decade, and most take advantage of the molecular phylogeny derived from 16S rRNA comparative sequence analysis. We describe a web-based research tool located at the Ribosomal Database Project web site (http://www.cme.msu.edu/RDP/html/analyses.html) that facilitates microbial community analysis using terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism of 16S ribosomal DNA. The analysis function (designated TAP T-RFLP) permits the user to perform in silico restriction digestions of the entire 16S sequence database and derive terminal restriction fragment sizes, measured in base pairs, from the 5′ terminus of the user-specified primer to the 3′ terminus of the restriction endonuclease target site. The output can be sorted and viewed either phylogenetically or by size. It is anticipated that the site will guide experimental design as well as provide insight into interpreting results of community analysis with terminal restriction fragment length polymorphisms. PMID:10919828

"BreastfeedingBasics": web-based education that meets current knowledge competencies.

PubMed

Lewin, Linda Orkin; O'Connor, Mary E

2012-08-01

The United States has not met the majority of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention goals for breastfeeding duration. Studies have shown a lack of knowledge about breastfeeding by health care professionals and students (HCP/S). Web-based education can be a cost-effective manner of education for HCP/S. "BreastfeedingBasics" is an online free educational program available for use. This study compares information in "BreastfeedingBasics" to the breastfeeding knowledge competencies recommended by the US Breastfeeding Committee (USBC). It also evaluates usage of "BreastfeedingBasics" by users and health care professional faculty. Using anonymous information from Web site users, the authors compared mean pre-test and post-test scores of the modules as a measure of the knowledge gained by HCP/S users. They evaluated usage by demographic information and used a Web-based survey to assess benefits of usage of "BreastfeedingBasics" to faculty. Overall, 15 020 HCP/S used the Web site between April 1999 and December 2009. "BreastfeedingBasics" meets 8 of the 11 USBC knowledge competencies. Mean post-test scores increased (P < .001) for all modules. Faculty reported its benefits to be free, broad scope, and the ability to be completed on the students' own time; 84% of the faculty combined the use of "BreastfeedingBasics" with clinical work. Use of "BreastfeedingBasics" can help HCP/S meet the USBC core breastfeeding knowledge competencies and gain knowledge. Faculty are satisfied with its use. Wider use of "BreastfeedingBasics" to help improve the knowledge of HCP/S may help in improving breastfeeding outcomes.

MDB: the Metalloprotein Database and Browser at The Scripps Research Institute

PubMed Central

Castagnetto, Jesus M.; Hennessy, Sean W.; Roberts, Victoria A.; Getzoff, Elizabeth D.; Tainer, John A.; Pique, Michael E.

2002-01-01

The Metalloprotein Database and Browser (MDB; http://metallo.scripps.edu) at The Scripps Research Institute is a web-accessible resource for metalloprotein research. It offers the scientific community quantitative information on geometrical parameters of metal-binding sites in protein structures available from the Protein Data Bank (PDB). The MDB also offers analytical tools for the examination of trends or patterns in the indexed metal-binding sites. A user can perform interactive searches, metal-site structure visualization (via a Java applet), and analysis of the quantitative data by accessing the MDB through a web browser without requiring an external application or platform-dependent plugin. The MDB also has a non-interactive interface with which other web sites and network-aware applications can seamlessly incorporate data or statistical analysis results from metal-binding sites. The information contained in the MDB is periodically updated with automated algorithms that find and index metal sites from new protein structures released by the PDB. PMID:11752342

Searching for cochlear implant information on the internet maze: implications for parents and professionals.

PubMed

Zaidman-Zait, Anat; Jamieson, Janet R

2004-01-01

The present study has three purposes: (a) to determine who disseminates information on cochlear implants on the Web; (b) to describe a representative sample of Web sites that disseminate information on cochlear implants, with a focus on the content topics and their relevance to parents of deaf children; and (c) to discuss the practical issues of Web-based information and its implications for professionals working with parents of deaf children. Using the terms "cochlear implants" and "children," the first 10 sites generated by the four most popular search engines (Google, Yahoo, Microsoft's MSN, and America Online) at two points in time were selected for analysis, resulting in a sample of 31 Web sites. The majority of Web sites represented medically oriented academic departments and government organizations, although a wide variety of other sources containing information about cochlear implants were also located. Qualitative analysis revealed that the content tended to fall into eight categories; however, the important issues of educational concerns, habilitation following surgery, and communication methods were either addressed minimally or neglected completely. Using analytical tools that had been developed to evaluate "user friendliness" in other domains, each Web site was assessed for its stability, service/design features and ease of use. In general, wide variability was noted across the Web sites for each of these factors. The strong recommendation is made that professionals understand and enhance their knowledge of both the advantages and limitations of incorporating the new technology into their work with parents.

Putting post-registration nursing students on-line: important lessons learned.

PubMed

Wharrad, Heather J; Cook, Elaine; Poussa, Cherry

2005-05-01

A web site and discussion forum to support a part time degree course for nurses was introduced not only to support student learning but also to encourage students to use and develop their IT skills. Previous cohorts had identified that health informatics skills needed to be addressed more explicitly throughout the programme. The aims of the project were to: (i) evaluate the use of the web site and discussion forum; (ii) determine the barriers to using the web site and discussion forum; (iii) identify ways of overcoming any barriers. The first aim was addressed by analysing web page hits and contributions to the discussion forum. Students' experiences of using the web site and the discussion forum were collected using a questionnaire and followed up by a focus group made up of high and low users of the discussion forum. Students who had accessed the web site most often felt they had been able to communicate with their peers (Spearman's rho, p < 0.01) and had gained peer support by accessing the web site (Spearman's rho, p > 0.05). None of the participants in this study had used a discussion forum before and whilst some students had the skills and confidence to contribute to the on-line discussions, others 'lurked' and some did not access the discussion facility at all. Strategies for improving the engagement and quality of on-line learning are proposed from the lessons learned during this study.

[Online information supplied by Italian Hospitals and Local Healthcare Units: a descriptive research on their compliance with the guidelines issued by the Italian Ministry of Health].

PubMed

Vanzetta, M; Vellone, E; De Marinis, M G; Cavicchi, I; Alvaro, R

2012-01-01

In most countries where Internet is widely used the number of people surfing the web for healthcare information equals (and in some countries is more than) the number of people looking for healthcare assistance. More and more often, all over the world, Internet is integrated by advanced healthcare systems as a cornerstone of their e-health infrastructure, to meet citizens' needs for health information. Therefore, information plays a key role in the relationship between healthcare providers and citizenship. In 2010 the Italian Ministry of Health has worked out a set of guidelines to improve online communication, within the framework of health promotion. To analyze if the web sites of the Italian public hospitals (PH) and the local healthcare units (LHU) comply with the guidelines of the Italian Ministry of Health (IMH) on the improvement of online communication within the framework of healthcare promotion. All Italian PH and LHU web sites have been analyzed using the self evaluation tool of the IMH. The total number of web sites analyzed was 245. Their compliance with the IMH guidelines was low. Web sites linking to other professional sites, such as the College of Physicians, the College of Pharmacists, or the College of Nurses, were 32 (13%). One hundred and forty-two (58%) were the sites that did not offer any kind of health information, such as pathophysiology of diseases, the most relevant pathologic conditions, risky behaviors, primary and secondary prevention's interventions. A web navigation menu organized according to the most relevant life events or according to categories of users (I am ... /dedicated to...) was available only in 53 web sites (22%). The IMH's guidelines on online communication -- with reference to the aspects here analyzed -- have been in some ways disregarded and the criteria suggested by them have not been fully adopted by PHs and LHUs. Overall, communication is globally meant (and directed) "towards" citizenship and not "together with" the citizens. To reach this type of communication, experts suggest to redirect resources and efforts towards a different context, different tools and different models of communication, such as social networking. Further studies will be needed to fully understand information needs and expectations of users and the way to use social networking on behalf of healthcare providers.

75 FR 25853 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for Review and Approval; Comment...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-10

....gov , to submit or view public comments, access the index listing of the contents of the docket, and...:8080/glas/login.htm . The Web-site will contain a user-friendly data entry interface for recipients to... series of screens containing pull-down menus and text boxes, where users can enter project specific...

Introducing a "Means-End" Approach to Human-Computer Interaction: Why Users Choose Particular Web Sites Over Others.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Subramony, Deepak Prem

Gutman's means-end theory, widely used in market research, identifies three levels of abstraction: attributes, consequences, and values--associated with the use of products, representing the process by which physical attributes of products gain personal meaning for users. The primary methodological manifestation of means-end theory is the…

47 CFR 63.17 - Special provisions for U.S. international common carriers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... carrier, may interconnect its authorized private lines to the public switched network on behalf of an end user customer for the end user customer's own use. (b) Except as provided in paragraph (b)(4) of this...'s World Wide Web site at http://www.fcc.gov/ib. (3) Authorized carriers filing tariffs pursuant to...

47 CFR 63.17 - Special provisions for U.S. international common carriers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... carrier, may interconnect its authorized private lines to the public switched network on behalf of an end user customer for the end user customer's own use. (b) Except as provided in paragraph (b)(4) of this...'s World Wide Web site at http://www.fcc.gov/ib. (3) Authorized carriers filing tariffs pursuant to...

47 CFR 63.17 - Special provisions for U.S. international common carriers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... carrier, may interconnect its authorized private lines to the public switched network on behalf of an end user customer for the end user customer's own use. (b) Except as provided in paragraph (b)(4) of this...'s World Wide Web site at http://www.fcc.gov/ib. (3) Authorized carriers filing tariffs pursuant to...

User News. Volume 17, Number 1 -- Spring 1996

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

NONE

This is a newsletter for users of the DOE-2, PowerDOE, SPARK, and BLAST building energy simulation programs. The topics for the Spring 1996 issue include the SPARK simulation environment, DOE-2 validation, listing of free fenestration software from LBNL, Web sites for building energy efficiency, the heat balance method of calculating building heating and cooling loads.

Digital Library Services: Perceptions and Expectations of User Communities and Librarians in a New Zealand Academic Library.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Xia, Wei

2003-01-01

Provides an overview of research conducted at Victoria University of Wellington regarding differing perceptions and expectations of user communities and librarians related to the usability of digital services. Considers access to services, currency of information on the Web site, the online public access catalog, databases, electronic journals,…

User and System-Based Quality Criteria for Evaluating Information Resources and Services Available from Federal Websites: Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wyman, Steven K.; And Others

This exploratory study establishes analytical tools (based on both technical criteria and user feedback) by which federal Web site administrators may assess the quality of their websites. The study combined qualitative and quantitative data collection techniques to achieve the following objectives: (1) identify and define key issues regarding…

Prototype of a Mobile Social Network for Education Using Dynamic Web Service

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoentsch, Sandra Costa Pinto; Carvalho, Felipe Oliveira; Santos, Luiz Marcus Monteiro de Almeida; Ribeiro, Admilson de Ribamar Lima

2012-01-01

This article presents the proposal of a social network site SocialNetLab that belongs to the Department of Computing-Federal University of Sergipe and which aims to locate and notify users of a nearby friend independently of the location technology available in the equipment through dynamic Web Service; to serve as a laboratory for research in…

76 FR 80885 - Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-12-27

... follows the guidelines contained in the OMB Resource Manual for Customer Surveys. In accordance with... being conducted include Web site satisfaction surveys, a Chart Users survey, and a Coastal Services...

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.

A Web interface generator for molecular biology programs in Unix.

PubMed

Letondal, C

2001-01-01

Almost all users encounter problems using sequence analysis programs. Not only are they difficult to learn because of the parameters, syntax and semantic, but many are different. That is why we have developed a Web interface generator for more than 150 molecular biology command-line driven programs, including: phylogeny, gene prediction, alignment, RNA, DNA and protein analysis, motif discovery, structure analysis and database searching programs. The generator uses XML as a high-level description language of the legacy software parameters. Its aim is to provide users with the equivalent of a basic Unix environment, with program combination, customization and basic scripting through macro registration. The program has been used for three years by about 15000 users throughout the world; it has recently been installed on other sites and evaluated as a standard user interface for EMBOSS programs.

ProGeRF: Proteome and Genome Repeat Finder Utilizing a Fast Parallel Hash Function

PubMed Central

Moraes, Walas Jhony Lopes; Rodrigues, Thiago de Souza; Bartholomeu, Daniella Castanheira

2015-01-01

Repetitive element sequences are adjacent, repeating patterns, also called motifs, and can be of different lengths; repetitions can involve their exact or approximate copies. They have been widely used as molecular markers in population biology. Given the sizes of sequenced genomes, various bioinformatics tools have been developed for the extraction of repetitive elements from DNA sequences. However, currently available tools do not provide options for identifying repetitive elements in the genome or proteome, displaying a user-friendly web interface, and performing-exhaustive searches. ProGeRF is a web site for extracting repetitive regions from genome and proteome sequences. It was designed to be efficient, fast, and accurate and primarily user-friendly web tool allowing many ways to view and analyse the results. ProGeRF (Proteome and Genome Repeat Finder) is freely available as a stand-alone program, from which the users can download the source code, and as a web tool. It was developed using the hash table approach to extract perfect and imperfect repetitive regions in a (multi)FASTA file, while allowing a linear time complexity. PMID:25811026

The comparative effectiveness of clinic, work-site, phone, and Web-based tobacco treatment programs.

PubMed

An, Lawrence C; Betzner, Anne; Schillo, Barbara; Luxenberg, Michael G; Christenson, Matthew; Wendling, Ann; Saul, Jessie E; Kavanaugh, Annette

2010-10-01

Tobacco treatment programs may be offered in clinical settings, at work-sites, via telephone helplines, or over the Internet. Little comparative data exist regarding the real-world effectiveness of these programs. This paper compares the reach, effectiveness, and costs of these different modes of cessation assistance. This is an observational study of cohorts of participants in Minnesota's QUITPLAN programs in 2004. Cessation assistance was provided in person at 9 treatment centers, using group counseling at 68 work-sites, via a telephone helpline, or via the Internet. The main outcomes of the study are enrollment by current smokers, self-reported 30-day abstinence, and cost per quit. Reach was calculated statewide for the helpline and Web site, regionally for the treatment centers, and for the employee population for work-site programs. Enrollment was greatest for the Web site (n = 4,698), followed by the helpline (n = 2,351), treatment centers (n = 616), and work-sites (n = 479). The Web site attracted younger smokers. Smokers at treatment centers had higher levels of nicotine dependence. The helpline reached more socially disadvantaged smokers. Responder 30-day abstinence rates were higher for the helpline (29.3%), treatment centers (25.8%), and work-sites (19.6%) compared with the online program (12.5%). These differences persisted after controlling for baseline differences in participant characteristics and use of pharmacological therapy. The cost per quit was lowest for the Web site program ($291 per quit, 95% CI = $229-$372). Treatment center, work-site, helpline, and Web site programs differ in their reach, effectiveness, and estimated cost per quit. Each program plays a part in assisting populations of tobacco users in quitting.

Optimizing Targeting of Intrusion Detection Systems in Social Networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Puzis, Rami; Tubi, Meytal; Elovici, Yuval

Internet users communicate with each other in various ways: by Emails, instant messaging, social networking, accessing Web sites, etc. In the course of communicating, users may unintentionally copy files contaminated with computer viruses and worms [1, 2] to their computers and spread them to other users [3]. (Hereafter we will use the term "threats", rather than computer viruses and computer worms). The Internet is the chief source of these threats [4].

32 CFR 505.4 - Collecting personal information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... AUTHORITIES AND PUBLIC RELATIONS ARMY PRIVACY ACT PROGRAM § 505.4 Collecting personal information. (a) General... information on public Web sites without the express permission of the user. Requests for exceptions must be...

Adolescents and web porn: a new era of sexuality.

PubMed

Pizzol, Damiano; Bertoldo, Alessandro; Foresta, Carlo

2016-05-01

Pornography can affect the lifestyles of adolescents, especially in terms of their sexual habits and porn consumption, and may have a significant influence on their sexual attitudes and behaviors. The aim of this study was to understand and analyze the frequency, duration, and perception of web porn utilization by young Italians attending high school. A total of 1565 students attending the final year of high school were involved in the study, and 1492 have agreed to fill out an anonymous survey. The questions representing the content of this study were: 1) How often do you access the web? 2) How much time do you remain connected? 3) Do you connect to pornographic sites? 4) How often do you access pornographic sites? 5) How much time you spend on them? 6) How often do you masturbate? and 7) How do you rate the attendance of these sites? Statistical analysis was performed by Fischer's test. All young people, on an almost daily basis, have access to Internet. Among those surveyed, 1163 (77.9%) of Internet users admit to the consumption of pornographic material, and of these, 93 (8%) access pornographic websites daily, 686 (59%) boys accessing these sites perceive the consumption of pornography as always stimulating, 255 (21.9%) define it as habitual, 116 (10%) report that it reduces sexual interest towards potential real-life partners, and the remaining 106 (9.1%) report a kind of addiction. In addition, 19% of overall pornography consumers report an abnormal sexual response, while the percentage rose to 25.1% among regular consumers. It is necessary to educate web users, especially young users, to a safe and responsible use of the Internet and of its contents. Moreover, public education campaigns should be increased in number and frequency to help improve knowledge of Internet-related sexual issues both by adolescents and by parents.

Beyond Web 2.0 … and Beyond the Semantic Web

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bénel, Aurélien; Zhou, Chao; Cahier, Jean-Pierre

Tim O'Reilly, the famous technology book publisher, changed the life of many of us when he coined the name "Web 2.0" (O' Reilly 2005). Our research topics suddenly became subjects for open discussion in various cultural formats such as radio and TV, while at the same time they became part of an inappropriate marketing discourse according to several scientific reviewers. Indeed Tim O'Reilly's initial thoughts were about economic consequence, since it was about the resurrection of the Web after the bursting of the dot-com bubble. Some opponents of the concept do not think the term should be used at all since it is underpinned by no technological revolution. In contrast, we think that there was a paradigm shift when several sites based on user-generated content became some of the most visited Web sites and massive adoption of that kind is worthy of researchers' attention.

IMAGESEER - IMAGEs for Education and Research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Le Moigne, Jacqueline; Grubb, Thomas; Milner, Barbara

2012-01-01

IMAGESEER is a new Web portal that brings easy access to NASA image data for non-NASA researchers, educators, and students. The IMAGESEER Web site and database are specifically designed to be utilized by the university community, to enable teaching image processing (IP) techniques on NASA data, as well as to provide reference benchmark data to validate new IP algorithms. Along with the data and a Web user interface front-end, basic knowledge of the application domains, benchmark information, and specific NASA IP challenges (or case studies) are provided.

Genes2WordCloud: a quick way to identify biological themes from gene lists and free text.

PubMed

Baroukh, Caroline; Jenkins, Sherry L; Dannenfelser, Ruth; Ma'ayan, Avi

2011-10-13

Word-clouds recently emerged on the web as a solution for quickly summarizing text by maximizing the display of most relevant terms about a specific topic in the minimum amount of space. As biologists are faced with the daunting amount of new research data commonly presented in textual formats, word-clouds can be used to summarize and represent biological and/or biomedical content for various applications. Genes2WordCloud is a web application that enables users to quickly identify biological themes from gene lists and research relevant text by constructing and displaying word-clouds. It provides users with several different options and ideas for the sources that can be used to generate a word-cloud. Different options for rendering and coloring the word-clouds give users the flexibility to quickly generate customized word-clouds of their choice. Genes2WordCloud is a word-cloud generator and a word-cloud viewer that is based on WordCram implemented using Java, Processing, AJAX, mySQL, and PHP. Text is fetched from several sources and then processed to extract the most relevant terms with their computed weights based on word frequencies. Genes2WordCloud is freely available for use online; it is open source software and is available for installation on any web-site along with supporting documentation at http://www.maayanlab.net/G2W. Genes2WordCloud provides a useful way to summarize and visualize large amounts of textual biological data or to find biological themes from several different sources. The open source availability of the software enables users to implement customized word-clouds on their own web-sites and desktop applications.

Genes2WordCloud: a quick way to identify biological themes from gene lists and free text

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Word-clouds recently emerged on the web as a solution for quickly summarizing text by maximizing the display of most relevant terms about a specific topic in the minimum amount of space. As biologists are faced with the daunting amount of new research data commonly presented in textual formats, word-clouds can be used to summarize and represent biological and/or biomedical content for various applications. Results Genes2WordCloud is a web application that enables users to quickly identify biological themes from gene lists and research relevant text by constructing and displaying word-clouds. It provides users with several different options and ideas for the sources that can be used to generate a word-cloud. Different options for rendering and coloring the word-clouds give users the flexibility to quickly generate customized word-clouds of their choice. Methods Genes2WordCloud is a word-cloud generator and a word-cloud viewer that is based on WordCram implemented using Java, Processing, AJAX, mySQL, and PHP. Text is fetched from several sources and then processed to extract the most relevant terms with their computed weights based on word frequencies. Genes2WordCloud is freely available for use online; it is open source software and is available for installation on any web-site along with supporting documentation at http://www.maayanlab.net/G2W. Conclusions Genes2WordCloud provides a useful way to summarize and visualize large amounts of textual biological data or to find biological themes from several different sources. The open source availability of the software enables users to implement customized word-clouds on their own web-sites and desktop applications. PMID:21995939

POOL server: machine learning application for functional site prediction in proteins.

PubMed

Somarowthu, Srinivas; Ondrechen, Mary Jo

2012-08-01

We present an automated web server for partial order optimum likelihood (POOL), a machine learning application that combines computed electrostatic and geometric information for high-performance prediction of catalytic residues from 3D structures. Input features consist of THEMATICS electrostatics data and pocket information from ConCavity. THEMATICS measures deviation from typical, sigmoidal titration behavior to identify functionally important residues and ConCavity identifies binding pockets by analyzing the surface geometry of protein structures. Both THEMATICS and ConCavity (structure only) do not require the query protein to have any sequence or structure similarity to other proteins. Hence, POOL is applicable to proteins with novel folds and engineered proteins. As an additional option for cases where sequence homologues are available, users can include evolutionary information from INTREPID for enhanced accuracy in site prediction. The web site is free and open to all users with no login requirements at http://www.pool.neu.edu. m.ondrechen@neu.edu Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

78 FR 69428 - Submission for OMB Review; 30-Day Comment Request: Cancer Trials Support Unit (CTSU) (NCI)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-19

... 202-395-6974, Attention: NIH Desk Officer. Comment Due Date: Comments regarding this information... addition, CTSU collects annual surveys of customer satisfaction for clinical site staff using the CTSU Help Desk, the CTSU Web site, and the Protocol and Information Office (PIO). An ongoing user satisfaction...

Social Network Sites: A Starting Point for Career Development Practitioners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strehlke, Christina

2010-01-01

This action research study explores the career influence of social network sites (SNSs) by examining 14 web-based articles that consider the risks and opportunities of SNSs from a job search perspective. Three themes are discussed: user visibility, self-presentation, and network connections. Practical strategies are identified to help career…

Empowering radiologic education on the Internet: a new virtual website technology for hosting interactive educational content on the World Wide Web.

PubMed

Frank, M S; Dreyer, K

2001-06-01

We describe a virtual web site hosting technology that enables educators in radiology to emblazon and make available for delivery on the world wide web their own interactive educational content, free from dependencies on in-house resources and policies. This suite of technologies includes a graphically oriented software application, designed for the computer novice, to facilitate the input, storage, and management of domain expertise within a database system. The database stores this expertise as choreographed and interlinked multimedia entities including text, imagery, interactive questions, and audio. Case-based presentations or thematic lectures can be authored locally, previewed locally within a web browser, then uploaded at will as packaged knowledge objects to an educator's (or department's) personal web site housed within a virtual server architecture. This architecture can host an unlimited number of unique educational web sites for individuals or departments in need of such service. Each virtual site's content is stored within that site's protected back-end database connected to Internet Information Server (Microsoft Corp, Redmond WA) using a suite of Active Server Page (ASP) modules that incorporate Microsoft's Active Data Objects (ADO) technology. Each person's or department's electronic teaching material appears as an independent web site with different levels of access--controlled by a username-password strategy--for teachers and students. There is essentially no static hypertext markup language (HTML). Rather, all pages displayed for a given site are rendered dynamically from case-based or thematic content that is fetched from that virtual site's database. The dynamically rendered HTML is displayed within a web browser in a Socratic fashion that can assess the recipient's current fund of knowledge while providing instantaneous user-specific feedback. Each site is emblazoned with the logo and identification of the participating institution. Individuals with teacher-level access can use a web browser to upload new content as well as manage content already stored on their virtual site. Each virtual site stores, collates, and scores participants' responses to the interactive questions posed on line. This virtual web site strategy empowers the educator with an end-to-end solution for creating interactive educational content and hosting that content within the educator's personalized and protected educational site on the world wide web, thus providing a valuable outlet that can magnify the impact of his or her talents and contributions.

Information about liver transplantation on the World Wide Web.

PubMed

Hanif, F; Sivaprakasam, R; Butler, A; Huguet, E; Pettigrew, G J; Michael, E D A; Praseedom, R K; Jamieson, N V; Bradley, J A; Gibbs, P

2006-09-01

Orthotopic liver transplant (OLTx) has evolved to a successful surgical management for end-stage liver diseases. Awareness and information about OLTx is an important tool in assisting OLTx recipients and people supporting them, including non-transplant clinicians. The study aimed to investigate the nature and quality of liver transplant-related patient information on the World Wide Web. Four common search engines were used to explore the Internet by using the key words 'Liver transplant'. The URL (unique resource locator) of the top 50 returns was chosen as it was judged unlikely that the average user would search beyond the first 50 sites returned by a given search. Each Web site was assessed on the following categories: origin, language, accessibility and extent of the information. A weighted Information Score (IS) was created to assess the quality of clinical and educational value of each Web site and was scored independently by three transplant clinicians. The Internet search performed with the aid of the four search engines yielded a total of 2,255,244 Web sites. Of the 200 possible sites, only 58 Web sites were assessed because of repetition of the same Web sites and non-accessible links. The overall median weighted IS was 22 (IQR 1 - 42). Of the 58 Web sites analysed, 45 (77%) belonged to USA, six (10%) were European, and seven (12%) were from the rest of the world. The median weighted IS of publications originating from Europe and USA was 40 (IQR = 22 - 60) and 23 (IQR = 6 - 38), respectively. Although European Web sites produced a higher weighted IS [40 (IQR = 22 - 60)] as compared with the USA publications [23 (IQR = 6 - 38)], this was not statistically significant (p = 0.07). Web sites belonging to the academic institutions and the professional organizations scored significantly higher with a median weighted IS of 28 (IQR = 16 - 44) and 24(12 - 35), respectively, as compared with the commercial Web sites (median = 6 with IQR of 0 - 14, p = .001). There was an Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) of 0.89 and an associated 95% CI (0.83, 0.93) for the three observers on the 58 Web sites. The study highlights the need for a significant improvement in the information available on the World Wide Web about OLTx. It concludes that the educational material currently available on the World Wide Web about liver transplant is of poor quality and requires rigorous input from health care professionals. The authors suggest that clinicians should pay more attention to take the necessary steps to improve the standard of information available on their relevant Web sites and must take an active role in helping their patients find Web sites that provide the best and accurate information specifically applicable to the loco-regional circumstances.

Gamification strategy on prevention of STDs for youth.

PubMed

Gabarron, Elia; Schopf, Thomas; Serrano, J Artur; Fernandez-Luque, Luis; Dorronzoro, Enrique

2013-01-01

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and especially chlamydia is a worrying problem among North-Norwegian youngsters. Gamified web applications should be valued for sexual health education, and thus STDs prevention, for their potential to get users engaged and involved with their healthcare. Aiming to achieve that youngsters become more aware of STDs we have developed "sjekkdeg.no", a gamified web application focused on sexual health targeting North-Norwegian youngsters. Gamification techniques like avatars, achievement-based gifts and social network sharing buttons have been implemented in the site that includes educational content on sexual health and a STDs symptom checker. Preliminary results show that the game-style web app could be useful to encourage users to learn more on sexual health and STDs and thus changing their risky behaviors and preventing sexually transmitted diseases.

Thomson Scientific's expanding Web of Knowledge: beyond citation databases and current awareness services.

PubMed

London, Sue; Brahmi, Frances A

2005-01-01

As end-user demand for easy access to electronic full text continues to climb, an increasing number of information providers are combining that access with their other products and services, making navigating their Web sites by librarians seeking information on a given product or service more daunting than ever. One such provider of a complex array of products and services is Thomson Scientific. This paper looks at some of the many products and tools available from two of Thomson Scientific's businesses, Thomson ISI and Thomson ResearchSoft. Among the items of most interest to health sciences and veterinary librarians and their users are the variety of databases available via the ISI Web of Knowledge platform and the information management products available from ResearchSoft.

NOBAI: a web server for character coding of geometrical and statistical features in RNA structure

PubMed Central

Knudsen, Vegeir; Caetano-Anollés, Gustavo

2008-01-01

The Numeration of Objects in Biology: Alignment Inferences (NOBAI) web server provides a web interface to the applications in the NOBAI software package. This software codes topological and thermodynamic information related to the secondary structure of RNA molecules as multi-state phylogenetic characters, builds character matrices directly in NEXUS format and provides sequence randomization options. The web server is an effective tool that facilitates the search for evolutionary history embedded in the structure of functional RNA molecules. The NOBAI web server is accessible at ‘http://www.manet.uiuc.edu/nobai/nobai.php’. This web site is free and open to all users and there is no login requirement. PMID:18448469

Women and anabolic steroids: an analysis of a dozen users.

PubMed

Ip, Eric J; Barnett, Mitchell J; Tenerowicz, Michael J; Kim, Jennifer A; Wei, Hong; Perry, Paul J

2010-11-01

To provide an in-depth analysis of 12 female self-reported anabolic-androgenic steroid (AAS) users. Web-based survey. A Web-based survey was posted on 38 discussion boards of various fitness, bodybuilding, weightlifting, and steroid Web sites between February and June 2009. Participants completed a survey regarding demographics and use of AAS and other performance-enhancing agents (PEAs). A cohort of 1519 strength-trained subjects fully completed and submitted a valid survey. Five hundred eighteen subjects were self-reported AAS users consisting of 12 women and 506 men. One thousand one subjects were non-AAS users consisting of 230 women and 771 men. Demographic data and use of AAS and other PEAs. The female AAS users reported using an average of 8.8 PEAs in their routine. Compared with male AAS users and female non-AAS users, respectively, female AAS users were more likely to have met criteria for substance-dependence disorder (58.3% vs 23.4%; P = 0.01; 58.3% vs 9.1%; P < 0.001), have been diagnosed with a psychiatric illness (50.0% vs 17.4%; P = 0.01; 50.0% vs 22.2%; P = 0.04), and have reported a history of sexual abuse (41.7% vs 6.1%; P < 0.001; 41.7% vs 15.3%; P = 0.03). Female AAS users practice polypharmacy. Female AAS users are more likely to have qualified for substance-dependence disorder, have been diagnosed with a psychiatric illness, and have a history of sexual abuse than both male AAS users and female non-AAS users.

How to Serve Content to PDA Users on-the-Go

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cuddy, Colleen

2006-01-01

Fans of mobile devices are everywhere, and they are using their PDAs, smart phones, and mobile phones to access Web-based content. Chances are that they are trying to access your library's Web site or find library-based content for their devices. In this article, the author presents some tips on how to serve those who wants to grab some fast info…

iScreen: world's first cloud-computing web server for virtual screening and de novo drug design based on TCM database@Taiwan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsai, Tsung-Ying; Chang, Kai-Wei; Chen, Calvin Yu-Chian

2011-06-01

The rapidly advancing researches on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) have greatly intrigued pharmaceutical industries worldwide. To take initiative in the next generation of drug development, we constructed a cloud-computing system for TCM intelligent screening system (iScreen) based on TCM Database@Taiwan. iScreen is compacted web server for TCM docking and followed by customized de novo drug design. We further implemented a protein preparation tool that both extract protein of interest from a raw input file and estimate the size of ligand bind site. In addition, iScreen is designed in user-friendly graphic interface for users who have less experience with the command line systems. For customized docking, multiple docking services, including standard, in-water, pH environment, and flexible docking modes are implemented. Users can download first 200 TCM compounds of best docking results. For TCM de novo drug design, iScreen provides multiple molecular descriptors for a user's interest. iScreen is the world's first web server that employs world's largest TCM database for virtual screening and de novo drug design. We believe our web server can lead TCM research to a new era of drug development. The TCM docking and screening server is available at http://iScreen.cmu.edu.tw/.

iScreen: world's first cloud-computing web server for virtual screening and de novo drug design based on TCM database@Taiwan.

PubMed

Tsai, Tsung-Ying; Chang, Kai-Wei; Chen, Calvin Yu-Chian

2011-06-01

The rapidly advancing researches on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) have greatly intrigued pharmaceutical industries worldwide. To take initiative in the next generation of drug development, we constructed a cloud-computing system for TCM intelligent screening system (iScreen) based on TCM Database@Taiwan. iScreen is compacted web server for TCM docking and followed by customized de novo drug design. We further implemented a protein preparation tool that both extract protein of interest from a raw input file and estimate the size of ligand bind site. In addition, iScreen is designed in user-friendly graphic interface for users who have less experience with the command line systems. For customized docking, multiple docking services, including standard, in-water, pH environment, and flexible docking modes are implemented. Users can download first 200 TCM compounds of best docking results. For TCM de novo drug design, iScreen provides multiple molecular descriptors for a user's interest. iScreen is the world's first web server that employs world's largest TCM database for virtual screening and de novo drug design. We believe our web server can lead TCM research to a new era of drug development. The TCM docking and screening server is available at http://iScreen.cmu.edu.tw/.

Circulation Policies for External Users: A Comparative Study of Public Urban Research Institutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weare, William H., Jr.; Stevenson, Matthew

2012-01-01

This article is a study of the policies that govern the use of the university library by external users at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) and 12 peer institutions used by IUPUI for comparative purposes. A search of each institution's Web site was conducted as well as interviews with circulation librarians and managers.…

47 CFR 63.17 - Special provisions for U.S. international common carriers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... carrier, may interconnect its authorized private lines to the public switched network on behalf of an end user customer for the end user customer's own use. (b) Except as provided in paragraph (b)(4) of this... World Wide Web site at http://www.fcc.gov/ib. (3) Authorized carriers filing tariffs pursuant to §§ 61...

47 CFR 63.17 - Special provisions for U.S. international common carriers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... carrier, may interconnect its authorized private lines to the public switched network on behalf of an end user customer for the end user customer's own use. (b) Except as provided in paragraph (b)(4) of this... World Wide Web site at http://www.fcc.gov/ib. (3) Authorized carriers filing tariffs pursuant to §§ 61...

Investigating electronic word-of-mouth effects on online discussion forums: the role of perceived positive electronic word-of-mouth review credibility.

PubMed

Chih, Wen-Hai; Wang, Kai-Yu; Hsu, Li-Chun; Huang, Su-Chen

2013-09-01

Electronic word of mouth (eWOM) has been an important factor influencing consumer purchase decisions. Using the ABC model of attitude, this study proposes a model to explain how eWOM affects online discussion forums. Specifically, we propose that platform (Web site reputation and source credibility) and customer (obtaining buying-related information and social orientation through information) factors influence purchase intentions via perceived positive eWOM review credibility, as well as product and Web site attitudes in an online community context. A total of 353 online discussion forum users in an online community (Fashion Guide) in Taiwan were recruited, and structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test the research hypotheses. The results indicate that Web site reputation, source credibility, obtaining buying-related information, and social orientation through information positively influence perceived positive eWOM review credibility. In turn, perceived positive eWOM review credibility directly influences purchase intentions and also indirectly influences purchase intentions via product and Web site attitudes. Finally, we discuss the theoretical and managerial implications of the findings.

Model My Watershed: A high-performance cloud application for public engagement, watershed modeling and conservation decision support

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aufdenkampe, A. K.; Tarboton, D. G.; Horsburgh, J. S.; Mayorga, E.; McFarland, M.; Robbins, A.; Haag, S.; Shokoufandeh, A.; Evans, B. M.; Arscott, D. B.

2017-12-01

The Model My Watershed Web app (https://app.wikiwatershed.org/) and the BiG-CZ Data Portal (http://portal.bigcz.org/) and are web applications that share a common codebase and a common goal to deliver high-performance discovery, visualization and analysis of geospatial data in an intuitive user interface in web browser. Model My Watershed (MMW) was designed as a decision support system for watershed conservation implementation. BiG CZ Data Portal was designed to provide context and background data for research sites. Users begin by creating an Area of Interest, via an automated watershed delineation tool, a free draw tool, selection of a predefined area such as a county or USGS Hydrological Unit (HUC), or uploading a custom polygon. Both Web apps visualize and provide summary statistics of land use, soil groups, streams, climate and other geospatial information. MMW then allows users to run a watershed model to simulate different scenarios of human impacts on stormwater runoff and water-quality. BiG CZ Data Portal allows users to search for scientific and monitoring data within the Area of Interest, which also serves as a prototype for the upcoming Monitor My Watershed web app. Both systems integrate with CUAHSI cyberinfrastructure, including visualizing observational data from CUAHSI Water Data Center and storing user data via CUAHSI HydroShare. Both systems also integrate with the new EnviroDIY Water Quality Data Portal (http://data.envirodiy.org/), a system for crowd-sourcing environmental monitoring data using open-source sensor stations (http://envirodiy.org/mayfly/) and based on the Observations Data Model v2.

Mars Data analysis and visualization with Marsoweb

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gulick, V. G.; Deardorff, D. G.

2003-04-01

Marsoweb is a collaborative web environment that has been developed for the Mars research community to better visualize and analyze Mars orbiter data. Its goal is to enable online data discovery by providing an intuitive, interactive interface to data from the Mars Global Surveyor and other orbiters. Recently Marsoweb has served a prominent role as a resource center for the site selection process for the Mars Explorer Rover 2003 missions. In addition to hosting a repository of landing site memoranda and workshop talks, it includes a Java-based interface to a variety of data maps and images. This interface enables the display and numerical querying of data, and allows data profiles to be rendered from user-drawn cross-sections. High-resolution Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) images (currently, over 100,000) can be graphically perused; browser-based image processing tools can be used on MOC images of potential landing sites. An automated VRML atlas allows users to construct "flyovers" of their own regions-of-interest in 3D. These capabilities enable Marsoweb to be used for general global data studies, in addition to those specific to landing site selection. As of December 2002, Marsoweb has been viewed by 88,000 distinct users with a total of 3.3 million hits (801,000 page requests in all) from NASA, USGS, academia, and the general public have accessed Marsoweb. The High Resolution Imaging Experiment team for the Mars 2005 Orbiter (HiRISE, PI Alfred McEwen) plans to cast a wide net to collect targeting suggestions. Members of the general public as well as the broad Mars science community will be able to submit suggestions of high resolution imaging targets. The web-based interface for target suggestion input (HiWeb) will be based upon Marsoweb (http://marsoweb.nas.nasa.gov).

An open source Java web application to build self-contained Web GIS sites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zavala Romero, O.; Ahmed, A.; Chassignet, E.; Zavala-Hidalgo, J.

2014-12-01

This work describes OWGIS, an open source Java web application that creates Web GIS sites by automatically writing HTML and JavaScript code. OWGIS is configured by XML files that define which layers (geographic datasets) will be displayed on the websites. This project uses several Open Geospatial Consortium standards to request data from typical map servers, such as GeoServer, and is also able to request data from ncWMS servers. The latter allows for the displaying of 4D data stored using the NetCDF file format (widely used for storing environmental model datasets). Some of the features available on the sites built with OWGIS are: multiple languages, animations, vertical profiles and vertical transects, color palettes, color ranges, and the ability to download data. OWGIS main users are scientists, such as oceanographers or climate scientists, who store their data in NetCDF files and want to analyze, visualize, share, or compare their data using a website.

Web-based Collaboration and Visualization in the ANDRILL Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reed, J.; Rack, F. R.; Huffman, L. T.; Cattadori, M.

2009-12-01

ANDRILL has embraced the web as a platform for facilitating collaboration and communicating science with educators, students and researchers alike. Two recent ANDRILL education and outreach projects, Project Circle 2008 and the Climate Change Student Summit, brought together classrooms from around the world to participate in cutting edge science. A large component of each project was the online collaboration achieved through project websites, blogs, and the GroupHub--a secure online environment where students could meet to send messages, exchange presentations and pictures, and even chat live. These technologies enabled students from different countries and time zones to connect and participate in a shared 'conversation' about climate change research. ANDRILL has also developed several interactive, web-based visualizations to make scientific drilling data more engaging and accessible to the science community and the public. Each visualization is designed around three core concepts that enable the Web 2.0 platform, namely, that they are: (1) customizable - a user can customize the visualization to display the exact data she is interested in; (2) linkable - each view in the visualization has a distinct URL that the user can share with her friends via sites like Facebook and Twitter; and (3) mashable - the user can take the visualization, mash it up with data from other sites or her own research, and embed it in her blog or website. The web offers an ideal environment for visualization and collaboration because it requires no special software and works across all computer platforms, which allows organizations and research projects to engage much larger audiences. In this presentation we will describe past challenges and successes, as well as future plans.

Discectomy-related information on the internet: does the quality follow the surge?

PubMed

Elhassan, Yahya; Sheridan, Gerard; Nassiri, Mujtaba; Osman, Mugtaba; Kiely, Pat; Noel, Jacques

2015-01-15

A quality-control Internet-based study using recognized quality-scoring systems. To evaluate the quality of information available on the Internet. Quality of health information on the Internet is of much concern and the emphasis for appraisal of Internet Web sites is needed. This study is to determine if it has improved with the surge in Internet usage. The 3 most commonly used search engines were identified and a search for "Discectomy" was performed on each. Two reviewers categorized the Web sites according to their types and the quality of each was assessed using recognized scoring systems including the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) benchmark, DISCERN score, and discectomy-specific content score. The quality of the information was also assessed according to the presence and absence of the Health on the Net code. Fifty-three Web sites were identified, and analyzed. Commercial Web sites were predominant, 24 of them were identified, 7 were governmental, 6 were produced by physicians, none were produced by allied health professionals, 3 were academic, 4 were public health information Web sites, 4 were attached to social media and discussion groups, 3 were related to media, and 2 were unspecified. Internet sites with a Health on the Net code demonstrated significantly higher quality than those without the code (P < 0.0001). Public health information Web sites attained the highest overall DISCERN and discectomy-specific scores followed by Web sites of the government and nonprofit organizations. The overall quality of information regarding discectomy remains poor and variable despite an exponential increase in the number of users and Web sites, with a slight trend toward improvement, only 20% to 30% are of good quality, compared with that 10 years ago (<10%). Presence of Health on the Net code is a very reliable marker for health information quality.

The initial development of the WebMedQual scale: domain assessment of the construct of quality of health web sites.

PubMed

Provost, Mélanie; Koompalum, Dayin; Dong, Diane; Martin, Bradley C

2006-01-01

To develop a comprehensive instrument assessing quality of health-related web sites. Phase I consisted of a literature review to identify constructs thought to indicate web site quality and to identify items. During content analysis, duplicate items were eliminated and items that were not clear, meaningful, or measurable were reworded or removed. Some items were generated by the authors. Phase II: a panel consisting of six healthcare and MIS reviewers was convened to assess each item for its relevance and importance to the construct and to assess item clarity and measurement feasibility. Three hundred and eighty-four items were generated from 26 sources. The initial content analysis reduced the scale to 104 items. Four of the six expert reviewers responded; high concordance on the relevance, importance and measurement feasibility of each item was observed: 3 out of 4, or all raters agreed on 76-85% of items. Based on the panel ratings, 9 items were removed, 3 added, and 10 revised. The WebMedQual consists of 8 categories, 8 sub-categories, 95 items and 3 supplemental items to assess web site quality. The constructs are: content (19 items), authority of source (18 items), design (19 items), accessibility and availability (6 items), links (4 items), user support (9 items), confidentiality and privacy (17 items), e-commerce (6 items). The "WebMedQual" represents a first step toward a comprehensive and standard quality assessment of health web sites. This scale will allow relatively easy assessment of quality with possible numeric scoring.

A site of communication among enterprises for supporting occupational health and safety management system.

PubMed

Velonakis, E; Mantas, J; Mavrikakis, I

2006-01-01

The occupational health and safety management constitutes a field of increasing interest. Institutions in cooperation with enterprises make synchronized efforts to initiate quality management systems to this field. Computer networks can offer such services via TCP/IP which is a reliable protocol for workflow management between enterprises and institutions. A design of such network is based on several factors in order to achieve defined criteria and connectivity with other networks. The network will be consisted of certain nodes responsible to inform executive persons on Occupational Health and Safety. A web database has been planned for inserting and searching documents, for answering and processing questionnaires. The submission of files to a server and the answers to questionnaires through the web help the experts to make corrections and improvements on their activities. Based on the requirements of enterprises we have constructed a web file server. We submit files in purpose users could retrieve the files which need. The access is limited to authorized users and digital watermarks authenticate and protect digital objects. The Health and Safety Management System follows ISO 18001. The implementation of it, through the web site is an aim. The all application is developed and implemented on a pilot basis for the health services sector. It is all ready installed within a hospital, supporting health and safety management among different departments of the hospital and allowing communication through WEB with other hospitals.

Searching for cancer information on the internet: analyzing natural language search queries.

PubMed

Bader, Judith L; Theofanos, Mary Frances

2003-12-11

Searching for health information is one of the most-common tasks performed by Internet users. Many users begin searching on popular search engines rather than on prominent health information sites. We know that many visitors to our (National Cancer Institute) Web site, cancer.gov, arrive via links in search engine result. To learn more about the specific needs of our general-public users, we wanted to understand what lay users really wanted to know about cancer, how they phrased their questions, and how much detail they used. The National Cancer Institute partnered with AskJeeves, Inc to develop a methodology to capture, sample, and analyze 3 months of cancer-related queries on the Ask.com Web site, a prominent United States consumer search engine, which receives over 35 million queries per week. Using a benchmark set of 500 terms and word roots supplied by the National Cancer Institute, AskJeeves identified a test sample of cancer queries for 1 week in August 2001. From these 500 terms only 37 appeared >or= 5 times/day over the trial test week in 17208 queries. Using these 37 terms, 204165 instances of cancer queries were found in the Ask.com query logs for the actual test period of June-August 2001. Of these, 7500 individual user questions were randomly selected for detailed analysis and assigned to appropriate categories. The exact language of sample queries is presented. Considering multiples of the same questions, the sample of 7500 individual user queries represented 76077 queries (37% of the total 3-month pool). Overall 78.37% of sampled Cancer queries asked about 14 specific cancer types. Within each cancer type, queries were sorted into appropriate subcategories including at least the following: General Information, Symptoms, Diagnosis and Testing, Treatment, Statistics, Definition, and Cause/Risk/Link. The most-common specific cancer types mentioned in queries were Digestive/Gastrointestinal/Bowel (15.0%), Breast (11.7%), Skin (11.3%), and Genitourinary (10.5%). Additional subcategories of queries about specific cancer types varied, depending on user input. Queries that were not specific to a cancer type were also tracked and categorized. Natural-language searching affords users the opportunity to fully express their information needs and can aid users naïve to the content and vocabulary. The specific queries analyzed for this study reflect news and research studies reported during the study dates and would surely change with different study dates. Analyzing queries from search engines represents one way of knowing what kinds of content to provide to users of a given Web site. Users ask questions using whole sentences and keywords, often misspelling words. Providing the option for natural-language searching does not obviate the need for good information architecture, usability engineering, and user testing in order to optimize user experience.

Searching for Cancer Information on the Internet: Analyzing Natural Language Search Queries

PubMed Central

Theofanos, Mary Frances

2003-01-01

Background Searching for health information is one of the most-common tasks performed by Internet users. Many users begin searching on popular search engines rather than on prominent health information sites. We know that many visitors to our (National Cancer Institute) Web site, cancer.gov, arrive via links in search engine result. Objective To learn more about the specific needs of our general-public users, we wanted to understand what lay users really wanted to know about cancer, how they phrased their questions, and how much detail they used. Methods The National Cancer Institute partnered with AskJeeves, Inc to develop a methodology to capture, sample, and analyze 3 months of cancer-related queries on the Ask.com Web site, a prominent United States consumer search engine, which receives over 35 million queries per week. Using a benchmark set of 500 terms and word roots supplied by the National Cancer Institute, AskJeeves identified a test sample of cancer queries for 1 week in August 2001. From these 500 terms only 37 appeared ≥ 5 times/day over the trial test week in 17208 queries. Using these 37 terms, 204165 instances of cancer queries were found in the Ask.com query logs for the actual test period of June-August 2001. Of these, 7500 individual user questions were randomly selected for detailed analysis and assigned to appropriate categories. The exact language of sample queries is presented. Results Considering multiples of the same questions, the sample of 7500 individual user queries represented 76077 queries (37% of the total 3-month pool). Overall 78.37% of sampled Cancer queries asked about 14 specific cancer types. Within each cancer type, queries were sorted into appropriate subcategories including at least the following: General Information, Symptoms, Diagnosis and Testing, Treatment, Statistics, Definition, and Cause/Risk/Link. The most-common specific cancer types mentioned in queries were Digestive/Gastrointestinal/Bowel (15.0%), Breast (11.7%), Skin (11.3%), and Genitourinary (10.5%). Additional subcategories of queries about specific cancer types varied, depending on user input. Queries that were not specific to a cancer type were also tracked and categorized. Conclusions Natural-language searching affords users the opportunity to fully express their information needs and can aid users naïve to the content and vocabulary. The specific queries analyzed for this study reflect news and research studies reported during the study dates and would surely change with different study dates. Analyzing queries from search engines represents one way of knowing what kinds of content to provide to users of a given Web site. Users ask questions using whole sentences and keywords, often misspelling words. Providing the option for natural-language searching does not obviate the need for good information architecture, usability engineering, and user testing in order to optimize user experience. PMID:14713659

SMARTE TUTORIAL CD

EPA Science Inventory

SMARTe is a web-based decision support tool intended to help revitalization practitioners find information, perform data analysis, communicate, and evaluate future reuse options for a site or area. A tutorial was developed to help users navigate SMARTe. This tutorial is approxima...

75 FR 66767 - Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request; Cancer Trials Support Unit (CTSU) Public Use Forms...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-29

...; Comment Request; Cancer Trials Support Unit (CTSU) Public Use Forms and Customer Satisfaction Surveys (NCI...: CTSU collects annual surveys of customer satisfaction for clinical site staff using the CTSU Help Desk and the CTSU Web site. An ongoing user satisfaction survey is in place for the Oncology Patient...

75 FR 55586 - Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request Cancer Trials Support Unit (CTSU) Public Use Forms and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-13

...; Comment Request Cancer Trials Support Unit (CTSU) Public Use Forms and Customer Satisfaction Surveys (NCI... Collection: CTSU collects annual surveys of customer satisfaction for clinical site staff using the CTSU Help Desk and the CTSU Web site. An ongoing user satisfaction survey is in place for the Oncology Patient...

Social networking sites and older users - a systematic review.

PubMed

Nef, Tobias; Ganea, Raluca L; Müri, René M; Mosimann, Urs P

2013-07-01

Social networking sites can be beneficial for senior citizens to promote social participation and to enhance intergenerational communication. Particularly for older adults with impaired mobility, social networking sites can help them to connect with family members and other active social networking users. The aim of this systematic review is to give an overview of existing scientific literature on social networking in older users. Computerized databases were searched and 105 articles were identified and screened using exclusion criteria. After exclusion of 87 articles, 18 articles were included, reviewed, classified, and the key findings were extracted. Common findings are identified and critically discussed and possible future research directions are outlined. The main benefit of using social networking sites for older adults is to enter in an intergenerational communication with younger family members (children and grandchildren) that is appreciated by both sides. Identified barriers are privacy concerns, technical difficulties and the fact that current Web design does not take the needs of older users into account. Under the conditions that these problems are carefully addressed, social networking sites have the potential to support today's and tomorrow's communication between older and younger family members.

MODPATH-LGR; documentation of a computer program for particle tracking in shared-node locally refined grids by using MODFLOW-LGR

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dickinson, Jesse; Hanson, R.T.; Mehl, Steffen W.; Hill, Mary C.

2011-01-01

The computer program described in this report, MODPATH-LGR, is designed to allow simulation of particle tracking in locally refined grids. The locally refined grids are simulated by using MODFLOW-LGR, which is based on MODFLOW-2005, the three-dimensional groundwater-flow model published by the U.S. Geological Survey. The documentation includes brief descriptions of the methods used and detailed descriptions of the required input files and how the output files are typically used. The code for this model is available for downloading from the World Wide Web from a U.S. Geological Survey software repository. The repository is accessible from the U.S. Geological Survey Water Resources Information Web page at http://water.usgs.gov/software/ground_water.html. The performance of the MODPATH-LGR program has been tested in a variety of applications. Future applications, however, might reveal errors that were not detected in the test simulations. Users are requested to notify the U.S. Geological Survey of any errors found in this document or the computer program by using the email address available on the Web site. Updates might occasionally be made to this document and to the MODPATH-LGR program, and users should check the Web site periodically.

MyWelch: building an information portal system in a medical library environment.

PubMed

Zhang, Dongming; Zambrowicz, Caroline; Zhou, Hong; Roderer, Nancy

2003-01-01

MyWelch is a medical library portal system that users can use to create customized web sites that reflect their research needs and personal interests. In the MyWelch environment, faculty and students are empowered to take a greater role in identifying their needs and determining their requirements in the electronic environment. The portal system also facilitates interaction among library users and staff.

Ocean Instruments Web Site for Undergraduate, Secondary and Informal Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farrington, J. W.; Nevala, A.; Dolby, L. A.

2004-12-01

An Ocean Instruments web site has been developed that makes available information about ocean sampling and measurement instruments and platforms. The site features text, pictures, diagrams and background information written or edited by experts in ocean science and engineering and contains links to glossaries and multimedia technologies including video streaming, audio packages, and searchable databases. The site was developed after advisory meetings with selected professors teaching undergraduate classes who responded to the question, what could Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution supply to enhance undergraduate education in ocean sciences, life sciences, and geosciences? Prototypes were developed and tested with students, potential users, and potential contributors. The site is hosted by WHOI. The initial five instruments featured were provided by four WHOI scientists and engineers and by one Sea Education Association faculty member. The site is now open to contributions from scientists and engineers worldwide. The site will not advertise or promote the use of individual ocean instruments.

Multigraph: Reusable Interactive Data Graphs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Phillips, M. B.

2010-12-01

There are surprisingly few good software tools available for presenting time series data on the internet. The most common practice is to use a desktop program such as Excel or Matlab to save a graph as an image which can be included in a web page like any other image. This disconnects the graph from the data in a way that makes updating a graph with new data a cumbersome manual process, and it limits the user to one particular view of the data. The Multigraph project defines an XML format for describing interactive data graphs, and software tools for creating and rendering those graphs in web pages and other internet connected applications. Viewing a Multigraph graph is extremely simple and intuitive, and requires no instructions; the user can pan and zoom by clicking and dragging, in a familiar "Google Maps" kind of way. Creating a new graph for inclusion in a web page involves writing a simple XML configuration file. Multigraph can read data in a variety of formats, and can display data from a web service, allowing users to "surf" through large data sets, downloading only those the parts of the data that are needed for display. The Multigraph XML format, or "MUGL" for short, provides a concise description of the visual properties of a graph, such as axes, plot styles, data sources, labels, etc, as well as interactivity properties such as how and whether the user can pan or zoom along each axis. Multigraph reads a file in this format, draws the described graph, and allows the user to interact with it. Multigraph software currently includes a Flash application for embedding graphs in web pages, a Flex component for embedding graphs in larger Flex/Flash applications, and a plugin for creating graphs in the WordPress content management system. Plans for the future include a Java version for desktop viewing and editing, a command line version for batch and server side rendering, and possibly Android and iPhone versions. Multigraph is currently in use on several web sites including the US Drought Portal (www.drought.gov), the NOAA Climate Services Portal (www.climate.gov), the Climate Reference Network (www.ncdc.noaa.gov/crn), NCDC's State of the Climate Report (www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc), and the US Forest Service's Forest Change Assessment Viewer (ews.forestthreats.org/NPDE/NPDE.html). More information about Multigraph is available from the web site www.multigraph.org. Interactive Multigraph Display of Real Time Weather Data

Embedded Web Technology: Internet Technology Applied to Real-Time System Control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Daniele, Carl J.

1998-01-01

The NASA Lewis Research Center is developing software tools to bridge the gap between the traditionally non-real-time Internet technology and the real-time, embedded-controls environment for space applications. Internet technology has been expanding at a phenomenal rate. The simple World Wide Web browsers (such as earlier versions of Netscape, Mosaic, and Internet Explorer) that resided on personal computers just a few years ago only enabled users to log into and view a remote computer site. With current browsers, users not only view but also interact with remote sites. In addition, the technology now supports numerous computer platforms (PC's, MAC's, and Unix platforms), thereby providing platform independence.In contrast, the development of software to interact with a microprocessor (embedded controller) that is used to monitor and control a space experiment has generally been a unique development effort. For each experiment, a specific graphical user interface (GUI) has been developed. This procedure works well for a single-user environment. However, the interface for the International Space Station (ISS) Fluids and Combustion Facility will have to enable scientists throughout the world and astronauts onboard the ISS, using different computer platforms, to interact with their experiments in the Fluids and Combustion Facility. Developing a specific GUI for all these users would be cost prohibitive. An innovative solution to this requirement, developed at Lewis, is to use Internet technology, where the general problem of platform independence has already been partially solved, and to leverage this expanding technology as new products are developed. This approach led to the development of the Embedded Web Technology (EWT) program at Lewis, which has the potential to significantly reduce software development costs for both flight and ground software.

Privacy and medical information on the Internet.

PubMed

Nelson, Steven B

2006-02-01

Health-care consumers are beginning to realize the presence and value of health-care information available on the Internet, but they need to be aware of risks that may be involved. In addition to delivering information, some Web sites collect information. Though not all of the information might be classified as protected health information, consumers need to realize what is collected and how it might be used. Consumers should know a Web site\\'s privacy policy before divulging any personal information. Health-care providers have a responsibility to know what information they are collecting and why. Web servers may collect large amounts of visitor information by default, and they should be modified to limit data collection to only what is necessary. Providers need to be cognizant of the many regulations concerning collection and disclosure of information obtained from consumers. Providers should also provide an easily understood privacy policy for users.

Using Firefly Tools to Enhance Archive Web Pages

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roby, W.; Wu, X.; Ly, L.; Goldina, T.

2013-10-01

Astronomy web developers are looking for fast and powerful HTML 5/AJAX tools to enhance their web archives. We are exploring ways to make this easier for the developer. How could you have a full FITS visualizer or a Web 2.0 table that supports paging, sorting, and filtering in your web page in 10 minutes? Can it be done without even installing any software or maintaining a server? Firefly is a powerful, configurable system for building web-based user interfaces to access astronomy science archives. It has been in production for the past three years. Recently, we have made some of the advanced components available through very simple JavaScript calls. This allows a web developer, without any significant knowledge of Firefly, to have FITS visualizers, advanced table display, and spectrum plots on their web pages with minimal learning curve. Because we use cross-site JSONP, installing a server is not necessary. Web sites that use these tools can be created in minutes. Firefly was created in IRSA, the NASA/IPAC Infrared Science Archive (http://irsa.ipac.caltech.edu). We are using Firefly to serve many projects including Spitzer, Planck, WISE, PTF, LSST and others.

Casimage project: a digital teaching files authoring environment.

PubMed

Rosset, Antoine; Muller, Henning; Martins, Martina; Dfouni, Natalia; Vallée, Jean-Paul; Ratib, Osman

2004-04-01

The goal of the Casimage project is to offer an authoring and editing environment integrated with the Picture Archiving and Communication Systems (PACS) for creating image-based electronic teaching files. This software is based on a client/server architecture allowing remote access of users to a central database. This authoring environment allows radiologists to create reference databases and collection of digital images for teaching and research directly from clinical cases being reviewed on PACS diagnostic workstations. The environment includes all tools to create teaching files, including textual description, annotations, and image manipulation. The software also allows users to generate stand-alone CD-ROMs and web-based teaching files to easily share their collections. The system includes a web server compatible with the Medical Imaging Resource Center standard (MIRC, http://mirc.rsna.org) to easily integrate collections in the RSNA web network dedicated to teaching files. This software could be installed on any PACS workstation to allow users to add new cases at any time and anywhere during clinical operations. Several images collections were created with this tool, including thoracic imaging that was subsequently made available on a CD-Rom and on our web site and through the MIRC network for public access.

Interface Between CDS/ISIS and the Web at the Library of the Cagliari Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mureddu, Leonardo; Denotti, Franca; Alvito, Gianni

The library catalog of the Cagliari Observatory was digitized some years ago, by using CDS/ISIS with a practical format named ``ASTCA'' derived from the well-known ``BIBLO''. Recently the observatory has put some effort into the creation and maintenance of a Web site; on that occasion the library database has been interfaced to the Web server by means of the software WWWISIS and a locally created search form. Both books and journals can be searched by remote users. Book searches can be made by authors, titles or keywords.

Data mining for personal navigation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hariharan, Gurushyam; Franti, Pasi; Mehta, Sandeep

2002-03-01

Relevance is the key in defining what data is to be extracted from the Internet. Traditionally, relevance has been defined mainly by keywords and user profiles. In this paper we discuss a fairly untouched dimension to relevance: location. Any navigational information sought by a user at large on earth is evidently governed by his location. We believe that task oriented data mining of the web amalgamated with location information is the key to providing relevant information for personal navigation. We explore the existential hurdles and propose novel approaches to tackle them. We also present naive, task-oriented data mining based approaches and their implementations in Java, to extract location based information. Ad-hoc pairing of data with coordinates (x, y) is very rare on the web. But if the same co-ordinates are converted to a logical address (state/city/street), a wide spectrum of location-based information base opens up. Hence, given the coordinates (x, y) on the earth, the scheme points to the logical address of the user. Location based information could either be picked up from fixed and known service providers (e.g. Yellow Pages) or from any arbitrary website on the Web. Once the web servers providing information relevant to the logical address are located, task oriented data mining is performed over these sites keeping in mind what information is interesting to the contemporary user. After all this, a simple data stream is provided to the user with information scaled to his convenience. The scheme has been implemented for cities of Finland.

Integrating Radar Image Data with Google Maps

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chapman, Bruce D.; Gibas, Sarah

2010-01-01

A public Web site has been developed as a method for displaying the multitude of radar imagery collected by NASA s Airborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (AIRSAR) instrument during its 16-year mission. Utilizing NASA s internal AIRSAR site, the new Web site features more sophisticated visualization tools that enable the general public to have access to these images. The site was originally maintained at NASA on six computers: one that held the Oracle database, two that took care of the software for the interactive map, and three that were for the Web site itself. Several tasks were involved in moving this complicated setup to just one computer. First, the AIRSAR database was migrated from Oracle to MySQL. Then the back-end of the AIRSAR Web site was updated in order to access the MySQL database. To do this, a few of the scripts needed to be modified; specifically three Perl scripts that query that database. The database connections were then updated from Oracle to MySQL, numerous syntax errors were corrected, and a query was implemented that replaced one of the stored Oracle procedures. Lastly, the interactive map was designed, implemented, and tested so that users could easily browse and access the radar imagery through the Google Maps interface.

Web-based treatment for substance use disorders: differential effects by primary substance.

PubMed

Cochran, Gerald; Stitzer, Maxine; Campbell, Aimee N C; Hu, Mei-Chen; Vandrey, Ryan; Nunes, Edward V

2015-06-01

This secondary analysis of data from a large, multi-site effectiveness trial (NCT01104805) sought to determine whether effects of a web-based behavioral treatment (Therapeutic Education System [TES]) differed by participants' self-identified primary drug of abuse. The all-comers sample of individuals entering outpatient psychosocial counseling treatment for substance abuse (N=497) cited cannabis (22.9%; n=114), stimulants (34.4%, n=171), opioids (21.7%, n=108), or alcohol (20.9%, n=104) as their primary substance of abuse. Participants were randomly assigned to receive treatment-as-usual (TAU) with or without TES substituted for approximately 2h of usual counseling. Multivariate analyses of abstinence outcomes examined interactions of treatment effects with primary substance. Adjusted odds ratios (AORs) demonstrated that primary stimulant users receiving TES were more likely to be abstinent in the final four weeks of treatment compared to stimulant users receiving TAU (AOR=3.59, 95% CI=1.25-10.27). Adjusted odds ratios for alcohol (AOR=3.15, 95% CI=0.85-11.65) and cannabis (AOR=2.64, 95% CI=0.73-9.52) also were of similar magnitude to stimulants but did not reach significance. Abstinence among primary opioid users was not improved by the TES intervention (AOR=0.35, 95% CI=0.09-1.47). This study supports the TES web-delivered treatment as a viable intervention for the majority of substance users entering outpatient counseling treatment, with demonstrated effectiveness among stimulant users and promising effects in alcohol and cannabis users but little or no effect in primary opioid users. Web-delivered treatments hold promise for expanding the availability of effective behavioral interventions for the majority of substance use disorders. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Global Geoscience Initiatives From Windows to the Universe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Russell, R. M.; Johnson, R.; Gardiner, L.; Lagrave, M.; Genyuk, J.; Bergman, J.; Foster, S. Q.

2006-12-01

The Windows to the Universe (www.windows.ucar.edu) Earth and space science educational program and web site has an extensive international presence. The web site reaches a vast user audience, having served more than 124 million page views across approximately 14 million user sessions in the past year. About 44% of these user sessions originated from domains outside of the United States. The site, which contains roughly 7,000 pages originally offered in English, is being translated into Spanish. This effort, begun in 2003, is now approximately 80% complete. Availability in a second major language has dramatically increased use of the site both in the U.S.A. and abroad; about 29% (4.1 million) of the annual user sessions visit Spanish-language portions of the site. In September 2005 we began distributing a monthly electronic newsletter for teachers that highlights features on the web site as well as other geoscience programs and events of relevance to educators. We currently have more than 4,400 subscribers, 33.6% of whom are outside of the United States. We are actively seeking news and information about other programs of relevance to this audience to distribute via our newsletter. We have also begun to solicit information (tips, anecdotes, lesson plans, etc.) from geoscience teachers around the world to share via this newsletter. Finally, Windows to the Universe participated in the Education and Outreach efforts of the MILAGRO scientific field campaign in Mexico in March of 2006. MILAGRO was a collaborative, multi-agency, international campaign to conduct a coordinated study of the extent and effects of pollutants emitted by a "mega-city" (in this case Mexico City) in order to understand the impacts of vast urban environments on global climate modeling. We enlisted several scientists involved with MILAGRO to write "Postcards from the Field" about their ongoing research during the project; these electronic "postcards" were distributed, in English and Spanish, via the Windows to the Universe web site. Serendipitously, while training scientists in the field in Veracruz, Mexico, to develop these electronic "postcards", we had the opportunity to conduct a teacher training workshop for 60 teachers from the Veracruz area. Several of these teachers will be attending a bilingual (English and Spanish) professional development workshop, along with teachers from Colorado, that we are conducting in Boulder, Colorado, this fall. In this session we will describe our approaches to international Education and Outreach efforts. We will describe techniques that we think work well, challenges to successful multi-cultural education efforts, and pitfalls that we've learned to avoid or to work around. We will also describe opportunities for other programs to take advantage of our large, global audience and to participate in our international outreach efforts, primarily via announcements in our electronic newsletter.

Development of a geotechnical information database.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-08-01

The purpose of this project was to create a user-friendly geotechnical Web site, so the LADOTD Headquarters Geotechnical Design Section and other LADOTD sections will have access to the appropriate and necessary resources to make the best design d...

Error Tracking System

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Error Tracking System is a database used to store & track error notifications sent by users of EPA's web site. ETS is managed by OIC/OEI. OECA's ECHO & OEI Envirofacts use it. Error notifications from EPA's home Page under Contact Us also uses it.

Analysis of the Accuracy of Weight Loss Information Search Engine Results on the Internet

PubMed Central

Shokar, Navkiran K.; Peñaranda, Eribeth; Nguyen, Norma

2014-01-01

Objectives. We systematically identified and evaluated the quality and comprehensiveness of online information related to weight loss that users were likely to access. Methods. We evaluated the content quality, accessibility of the information, and author credentials for Web sites in 2012 that were identified from weight loss specific queries that we generated. We scored the content with respect to available evidence-based guidelines for weight loss. Results. One hundred three Web sites met our eligibility criteria (21 commercial, 52 news/media, 7 blogs, 14 medical, government, or university, and 9 unclassified sites). The mean content quality score was 3.75 (range = 0–16; SD = 2.48). Approximately 5% (4.85%) of the sites scored greater than 8 (of 12) on nutrition, physical activity, and behavior. Content quality score varied significantly by type of Web site; the medical, government, or university sites (mean = 4.82, SD = 2.27) and blogs (mean = 6.33, SD = 1.99) had the highest scores. Commercial (mean = 2.37, SD = 2.60) or news/media sites (mean = 3.52, SD = 2.31) had the lowest scores (analysis of variance P < .005). Conclusions. The weight loss information that people were likely to access online was often of substandard quality because most comprehensive and quality Web sites ranked too low in search results. PMID:25122030

AthMethPre: a web server for the prediction and query of mRNA m6A sites in Arabidopsis thaliana.

PubMed

Xiang, Shunian; Yan, Zhangming; Liu, Ke; Zhang, Yaou; Sun, Zhirong

2016-10-18

N 6 -Methyladenosine (m 6 A) is the most prevalent and abundant modification in mRNA that has been linked to many key biological processes. High-throughput experiments have generated m 6 A-peaks across the transcriptome of A. thaliana, but the specific methylated sites were not assigned, which impedes the understanding of m 6 A functions in plants. Therefore, computational prediction of mRNA m 6 A sites becomes emergently important. Here, we present a method to predict the m 6 A sites for A. thaliana mRNA sequence(s). To predict the m 6 A sites of an mRNA sequence, we employed the support vector machine to build a classifier using the features of the positional flanking nucleotide sequence and position-independent k-mer nucleotide spectrum. Our method achieved good performance and was applied to a web server to provide service for the prediction of A. thaliana m 6 A sites. The server also provides a comprehensive database of predicted transcriptome-wide m 6 A sites and curated m 6 A-seq peaks from the literature for query and visualization. The AthMethPre web server is the first web server that provides a user-friendly tool for the prediction and query of A. thaliana mRNA m 6 A sites, which is freely accessible for public use at .

A web site on lung cancer: who are the users and what are they looking for?

PubMed

Linssen, Cilia; Schook, Romane M; The, Anne-Mei; Lammers, Ernst; Festen, Jan; Postmus, Pieter E

2007-09-01

The Dutch Lung Cancer Information Centre launched the Web site www.longkanker.info in November 2003. The purpose of this article is to describe the launching of the Web site, its development, the type of visitors to the Web site, what they were looking for, and whether they found what they requested. Supervised by a panel (pulmonologists, patients, communication specialists), a large amount of material about lung cancer has been collected and edited into accessible language by health care providers, and the Web site has been divided into special categories following the different stages that lung cancer patients, relatives, and health care providers go through during the illness. The Web site is updated regularly. Search engines have been used to check the position of the Web site as a "hit." Pulmonologists have been informed about the founding of the Web site, and all lung cancer outpatient clinics in The Netherlands have received posters, folders, and cards to inform their patients. Visitor numbers, page views, and visitor numbers per page view have been registered continuously. Visitor satisfaction polls were placed in the second half of 2004 and the second half of 2005. The Web site appeared as first hit when using search engines immediately after launching it. Half of the visitors came to the Web site via search engines or links found at other sites. The number of visitors started at 4600 in the first month, doubled in the next months, and reached 18,000 per month 2 years after its launch. The number of visited pages increased to 87,000 per month, with an average number of five pages per visitor. Thirty percent of the visitors return within the same month. The most popular pages are interactive pages with the overview of all questions to "ask the doctor" at the top with forum messages, survival figures of all form of lung cancer, and information about the disease. The first satisfaction poll obtained 650 respondents and the second 382. The visitors to the Web site are caregivers (57%), patients (8%), and others (students, people fearing lung cancer). Of the visitors, 895 found what they were looking for, and the satisfaction is the highest among nurses and caregivers (91% and 95%, respectively) and the lowest among physicians and patients (85% and 83%). Given the number of visitors to the lung cancer Web site, it can be concluded that there is a great need for additional information among patients and caregivers. The launched Web site www.longkanker.info has reached its goal of providing a dependable source of information about lung cancer and satisfying its visitors.

Future View: Web Navigation based on Learning User's Browsing Strategy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nagino, Norikatsu; Yamada, Seiji

In this paper, we propose a Future View system that assists user's usual Web browsing. The Future View will prefetch Web pages based on user's browsing strategies and present them to a user in order to assist Web browsing. To learn user's browsing strategy, the Future View uses two types of learning classifier systems: a content-based classifier system for contents change patterns and an action-based classifier system for user's action patterns. The results of learning is applied to crawling by Web robots, and the gathered Web pages are presented to a user through a Web browser interface. We experimentally show effectiveness of navigation using the Future View.

Analysis Tool Web Services from the EMBL-EBI.

PubMed

McWilliam, Hamish; Li, Weizhong; Uludag, Mahmut; Squizzato, Silvano; Park, Young Mi; Buso, Nicola; Cowley, Andrew Peter; Lopez, Rodrigo

2013-07-01

Since 2004 the European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI) has provided access to a wide range of databases and analysis tools via Web Services interfaces. This comprises services to search across the databases available from the EMBL-EBI and to explore the network of cross-references present in the data (e.g. EB-eye), services to retrieve entry data in various data formats and to access the data in specific fields (e.g. dbfetch), and analysis tool services, for example, sequence similarity search (e.g. FASTA and NCBI BLAST), multiple sequence alignment (e.g. Clustal Omega and MUSCLE), pairwise sequence alignment and protein functional analysis (e.g. InterProScan and Phobius). The REST/SOAP Web Services (http://www.ebi.ac.uk/Tools/webservices/) interfaces to these databases and tools allow their integration into other tools, applications, web sites, pipeline processes and analytical workflows. To get users started using the Web Services, sample clients are provided covering a range of programming languages and popular Web Service tool kits, and a brief guide to Web Services technologies, including a set of tutorials, is available for those wishing to learn more and develop their own clients. Users of the Web Services are informed of improvements and updates via a range of methods.

Analysis Tool Web Services from the EMBL-EBI

PubMed Central

McWilliam, Hamish; Li, Weizhong; Uludag, Mahmut; Squizzato, Silvano; Park, Young Mi; Buso, Nicola; Cowley, Andrew Peter; Lopez, Rodrigo

2013-01-01

Since 2004 the European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI) has provided access to a wide range of databases and analysis tools via Web Services interfaces. This comprises services to search across the databases available from the EMBL-EBI and to explore the network of cross-references present in the data (e.g. EB-eye), services to retrieve entry data in various data formats and to access the data in specific fields (e.g. dbfetch), and analysis tool services, for example, sequence similarity search (e.g. FASTA and NCBI BLAST), multiple sequence alignment (e.g. Clustal Omega and MUSCLE), pairwise sequence alignment and protein functional analysis (e.g. InterProScan and Phobius). The REST/SOAP Web Services (http://www.ebi.ac.uk/Tools/webservices/) interfaces to these databases and tools allow their integration into other tools, applications, web sites, pipeline processes and analytical workflows. To get users started using the Web Services, sample clients are provided covering a range of programming languages and popular Web Service tool kits, and a brief guide to Web Services technologies, including a set of tutorials, is available for those wishing to learn more and develop their own clients. Users of the Web Services are informed of improvements and updates via a range of methods. PMID:23671338

A targeted e-learning program for surgical trainees to enhance patient safety in preventing surgical infection.

PubMed

McHugh, Seamus Mark; Corrigan, Mark; Dimitrov, Borislav; Cowman, Seamus; Tierney, Sean; Humphreys, Hilary; Hill, Arnold

2010-01-01

Surgical site infection accounts for 20% of all health care-associated infections (HCAIs); however, a program incorporating the education of surgeons has yet to be established across the specialty. An audit of surgical practice in infection prevention was carried out in Beaumont Hospital from July to November 2009. An educational Web site was developed targeting deficiencies highlighted in the audit. Interactive clinical cases were constructed using PHP coding, an HTML-embedded language, and then linked to a MySQL relational database. PowerPoint tutorials were produced as online Flash audiovisual movies. An online repository of streaming videos demonstrating best practice was made available, and weekly podcasts were made available on the iTunes© store for free download. Usage of the e-learning program was assessed quantitatively over 6 weeks in May and June 2010 using the commercial company Hitslink. During the 5-month audit, deficiencies in practice were highlighted, including the timing of surgical prophylaxis (33% noncompliance) and intravascular catheter care in surgical patients (38% noncompliance regarding necessity). Over the 6-week assessment of the educational material, the SurgInfection.com Web pages were accessed more than 8000 times; 77.9% of the visitors were from Ireland. The most commonly accessed modality was the repository with interactive clinical cases, accounting for 3463 (43%) of the Web site visits. The average user spent 57 minutes per visit, with 30% of them visiting the Web site multiple times. Interactive virtual cases mirroring real-life clinical scenarios are likely to be successful as an e-learning modality. User-friendly interfaces and 24-hour accessibility will increases uptake by surgical trainees.

Metadyn View: Fast web-based viewer of free energy surfaces calculated by metadynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hošek, Petr; Spiwok, Vojtěch

2016-01-01

Metadynamics is a highly successful enhanced sampling technique for simulation of molecular processes and prediction of their free energy surfaces. An in-depth analysis of data obtained by this method is as important as the simulation itself. Although there are several tools to compute free energy surfaces from metadynamics data, they usually lack user friendliness and a build-in visualization part. Here we introduce Metadyn View as a fast and user friendly viewer of bias potential/free energy surfaces calculated by metadynamics in Plumed package. It is based on modern web technologies including HTML5, JavaScript and Cascade Style Sheets (CSS). It can be used by visiting the web site and uploading a HILLS file. It calculates the bias potential/free energy surface on the client-side, so it can run online or offline without necessity to install additional web engines. Moreover, it includes tools for measurement of free energies and free energy differences and data/image export.

The Usability of Diabetes MAP: A Web-delivered Intervention for Improving Medication Adherence.

PubMed

Nelson, Lyndsay A; Bethune, Magaela C; Lagotte, Andrea E; Osborn, Chandra Y

2016-05-12

Web-delivered interventions are a feasible approach to health promotion. However, if a website is poorly designed, difficult to navigate, and has technical bugs, it will not be used as intended. Usability testing prior to evaluating a website's benefits can identify barriers to user engagement and maximize future use. We developed a Web-delivered intervention called Diabetes Medication Adherence Promotion (Diabetes MAP) and used a mixed-methods approach to test its usability prior to evaluating its efficacy on medication adherence and glycemic control in a randomized controlled trial. We recruited English-speaking adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) from an academic medical center who were prescribed diabetes medications. A trained research assistant administered a baseline survey, collected medical record information, and instructed participants on how to access Diabetes MAP. Participants were asked to use the site independently for 2 weeks and to provide survey and/or focus group feedback on their experience. We analyzed survey data descriptively and qualitative data thematically to identify participants' favorable and unfavorable experiences, characterize usability concerns, and solicit recommendations for improving Diabetes MAP. Enrolled participants (N=32) were an average of 51.7 ± 11.8 years old, 66% (21/32) female, 60% (19/32) non-Hispanic White, 88% (28/32) had more than 12 years of education, half had household incomes over $50,000, and 78% (25/32) were privately insured. Average duration of diagnosed diabetes was 7.8 ± 6.3 years, average A1c was 7.4 ± 2.0, and 38% (12/32) were prescribed insulin. Of enrolled participants, 91% (29/32) provided survey and/or focus group feedback about Diabetes MAP. On the survey, participants agreed website information was clear and easy to understand, but in focus groups they reported navigational challenges and difficulty overcoming user errors (eg, entering data in an unspecified format). Participants also reported difficulty accessing the site and, once accessed, using all of its features. Participants recommended improving the site's user interface to facilitate quick, efficient access to all features and content. Adults with T2DM rated the Diabetes MAP website favorably on surveys, but focus groups gave more in-depth feedback on the user experience (eg, difficulty accessing the site, maximizing all of the site's features and content, and recovering from errors). Appropriate usability testing methods ensure Web-delivered interventions work as intended and any benefits are not diminished by usability challenges.

Blogs and Social Network Sites as Activity Systems: Exploring Adult Informal Learning Process through Activity Theory Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heo, Gyeong Mi; Lee, Romee

2013-01-01

This paper uses an Activity Theory framework to explore adult user activities and informal learning processes as reflected in their blogs and social network sites (SNS). Using the assumption that a web-based space is an activity system in which learning occurs, typical features of the components were investigated and each activity system then…

Surfing for scoliosis: the quality of information available on the Internet.

PubMed

Mathur, Sameer; Shanti, Nael; Brkaric, Mario; Sood, Vivek; Kubeck, Justin; Paulino, Carl; Merola, Andrew A

2005-12-01

A cross section of Web sites accessible to the general public was surveyed. To evaluate the quality and accuracy of information on scoliosis that a patient might access on the Internet. The Internet is a rapidly expanding communications network with an estimated 765 million users worldwide by the year 2005. Medical information is one of the most common sources of inquires on the Web. More than 100 million Americans accessed the Internet for medical information in the year 2000. Undoubtedly, the use of the Internet for patient information needs will continue to expand as Internet access becomes more readily available. This expansion combined with the Internet's poorly regulated format can lead to problems in the quality of information available. Since the Internet operates on a global scale, implementing and enforcing standards have been difficult. The largely uncontrolled information can potentially negatively influence consumer health outcomes. To identify potential sites, five search engines were selected and the word "scoliosis" was entered into each search engine. A total of 50 Web sites were chosen for review. Each Web site was evaluated according to the type of Web site, quality content, and informational accuracy by three board-certified academic orthopedic surgeons, fellowship trained in spinal surgery, who each has been in practice for a minimum of 8 years. Each Web site was categorized as academic, commercial, physician, nonphysician health professional, and unidentified. In addition, each Web site was evaluated according to scoliosis-specific content using a point value system of 32 disease-specific key words pertinent to the care of scoliosis on an ordinal scale. A list of these words is given. Point values were given for the use of key words related to disease summary, classifications, treatment options, and complications. The accuracy of the individual Web site was evaluated by each spine surgeon using a scale of 1 to 4. A score of 1 represents that the examiner agreed with less than 25% of the information while a score of 4 represents greater than 75% agreement. Of the total 50 Web sites evaluated, 44% were academic, 18% were physician based, 16% were commercial, 12% were unidentified, and 10% were nonphysician health professionals. The quality content score (maximum, 32 points) for academic sites was 12.6 +/- 3.8, physician sites 11.3 +/- 4.0, commercial sites 11 +/- 4.2, unidentified 7.6 +/- 3.9, and nonphysician health professional site 7.0 +/- 1.8. The accuracy score (maximum, 12 points) was 6.6 +/- 2.4 for academic sites, 6.3 +/- 3.0 for physician-professional sites, 6.0 +/- 2.7 for unidentified sites, 5.5 +/- 3.8 for nonphysician professional sites, and 5.0 +/- 1.5 for commercial Web sites. The academic Web sites had the highest mean scores in both quality and accuracy content scores. The information about scoliosis on the Internet is of limited quality and poor information value. Although the majority of the Web sites were academic, the content quality and accuracy scores were still poor. The lowest scoring Web sites were the nonphysician professionals and the unidentified sites, which were often message boards. Overall, the highest scoring Web site related to both quality and accuracy of information was www.srs.org. This Web site was designed by the Scoliosis Research Society. The public and the medical communities need to be aware of these existing limitations of the Internet. Based on our review, the physician must assume primary responsibility of educating and counseling their patients.

Army Social Media: Harnessing the Power of Networked Communications

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-09-01

Social Networking : – Facebook – MySpace – Friendster 9/1/2011 Content sharing: -You Tube -Flickr -Vimeo -Photobucket Collaborating/ knowledge...Americans use social media tools and Web sites monthly Social networking is now the #1 activity on the web • Twitter: 54 Million users • Facebook ...anyone you don’t know on Facebook or social networking platforms -Don’t post deployment information, when you’re going on vacation or when

Designing a New Urban Internet.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burke, Lauren

2002-01-01

Discusses Web site design and information architecture in light of principles of New Urbanism that are being applied in urban planning situations. Topics include networked electronic environment design; user-centered network design; multidisciplinary approaches; knowledge access and collaboration; and the Global Information Infrastructure…

Robot Dreams: Build Your Own R2D2.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hook, David

2002-01-01

This collection development article presents an annotated bibliography that includes materials on the rapidly changing field of robotics and how to build robots. Includes considering users' skill levels; basic electronics for beginners; combat robots; periodicals; and Web Sites. (LRW)

29 CFR 4000.4 - Where do I file my submission?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... practitioners; TTY/TDD users may call the Federal relay service toll-free at 1-800-877-8339 and ask to be.... You do not have to address electronic submissions made through our Web site. We are responsible for...

The Urbis Project: Identification and Characterization of Potential Urban Development Areas as a Web-Based Service

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manzke, Nina; Kada, Martin; Kastler, Thomas; Xu, Shaojuan; de Lange, Norbert; Ehlers, Manfred

2016-06-01

Urban sprawl and the related landscape fragmentation is a Europe-wide challenge in the context of sustainable urban planning. The URBan land recycling Information services for Sustainable cities (URBIS) project aims for the development, implementation, and validation of web-based information services for urban vacant land in European functional urban areas in order to provide end-users with site specific characteristics and to facilitate the identification and evaluation of potential development areas. The URBIS services are developed based on open geospatial data. In particular, the Copernicus Urban Atlas thematic layers serve as the main data source for an initial inventory of sites. In combination with remotely sensed data like SPOT5 images and ancillary datasets like OpenStreetMap, detailed site specific information is extracted. Services are defined for three main categories: i) baseline services, which comprise an initial inventory and typology of urban land, ii) update services, which provide a regular inventory update as well as an analysis of urban land use dynamics and changes, and iii) thematic services, which deliver specific information tailored to end-users' needs.

TreeVector: scalable, interactive, phylogenetic trees for the web.

PubMed

Pethica, Ralph; Barker, Gary; Kovacs, Tim; Gough, Julian

2010-01-28

Phylogenetic trees are complex data forms that need to be graphically displayed to be human-readable. Traditional techniques of plotting phylogenetic trees focus on rendering a single static image, but increases in the production of biological data and large-scale analyses demand scalable, browsable, and interactive trees. We introduce TreeVector, a Scalable Vector Graphics-and Java-based method that allows trees to be integrated and viewed seamlessly in standard web browsers with no extra software required, and can be modified and linked using standard web technologies. There are now many bioinformatics servers and databases with a range of dynamic processes and updates to cope with the increasing volume of data. TreeVector is designed as a framework to integrate with these processes and produce user-customized phylogenies automatically. We also address the strengths of phylogenetic trees as part of a linked-in browsing process rather than an end graphic for print. TreeVector is fast and easy to use and is available to download precompiled, but is also open source. It can also be run from the web server listed below or the user's own web server. It has already been deployed on two recognized and widely used database Web sites.

New Near-Real Time Monitoring of the Ionosphere over Europe Available On-line

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chevalier, J. M.; Bergeot, N.; Bruyninx, C.; Pottiaux, E.; Aerts, W.; Baire, Q.; Legrand, J.; Defraigne, P.

2012-04-01

With the beginning of the 24th Solar cycle, the increased Solar activity requires having a close eye on the ionosphere for better understanding Space Weather physics and its effects on radio communications. In that frame, near-real time ionospheric models over Europe are now routinely generated at the Royal Observatory of Belgium (ROB). These models are made available to the public through new interactive web pages at the web site of the GNSS team (www.gnss.be) and the Solar Influences Data Analysis Center (www.sidc.be) of ROB. The models are ionospheric Vertical Total Electron Content (VTEC) maps estimated every 15 minutes on a 0.5°x0.5° grid. They use the high-rate GPS observations of the real-time stations in the EUREF Permanent Network (EPN) provided by the ROB NTRIP broadcaster. The maps are published on the ROB web site with a latency of 7-15 minutes with respect to the last GPS measurement included in the 15-minute observation files. In a first step, this paper presents the processing strategy used to generate the VTEC maps: input data, parameter estimation, data cleaning and interpolation method. In addition, the tools developed to further exploit the product are introduced, e.g. on-demand animated VTEC maps. In a second step, the VTEC maps are compared with external ionospheric products and models such as Global Ionospheric Maps and IRI 2011. These new near-real time VTEC maps will allow any user within the geographical scope of the maps to estimate in near-real time the ionospheric delay induced along the signal of any observed satellite. In the future, the web site will continuously be updated in response to evolving user needs. This paper opens doors to discussions with the user community to target their needs.

Design and Implementation of High Interaction Client Honeypot for Drive-by-Download Attacks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akiyama, Mitsuaki; Iwamura, Makoto; Kawakoya, Yuhei; Aoki, Kazufumi; Itoh, Mitsutaka

Nowadays, the number of web-browser targeted attacks that lead users to adversaries' web sites and exploit web browser vulnerabilities is increasing, and a clarification of their methods and countermeasures is urgently needed. In this paper, we introduce the design and implementation of a new client honeypot for drive-by-download attacks that has the capacity to detect and investigate a variety of malicious web sites. On the basis of the problems of existing client honeypots, we enumerate the requirements of a client honeypot: 1) detection accuracy and variety, 2) collection variety, 3) performance efficiency, and 4) safety and stability. We improve our system with regard to these requirements. The key features of our developed system are stepwise detection focusing on exploit phases, multiple crawler processing, tracking of malware distribution networks, and malware infection prevention. Our evaluation of our developed system in a laboratory experiment and field experiment indicated that its detection variety and crawling performance are higher than those of existing client honeypots. In addition, our system is able to collect information for countermeasures and is secure and stable for continuous operation. We conclude that our system can investigate malicious web sites comprehensively and support countermeasures.

Multigraph: Interactive Data Graphs on the Web

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Phillips, M. B.

2010-12-01

Many aspects of geophysical science involve time dependent data that is often presented in the form of a graph. Considering that the web has become a primary means of communication, there are surprisingly few good tools and techniques available for presenting time-series data on the web. The most common solution is to use a desktop tool such as Excel or Matlab to create a graph which is saved as an image and then included in a web page like any other image. This technique is straightforward, but it limits the user to one particular view of the data, and disconnects the graph from the data in a way that makes updating a graph with new data an often cumbersome manual process. This situation is somewhat analogous to the state of mapping before the advent of GIS. Maps existed only in printed form, and creating a map was a laborious process. In the last several years, however, the world of mapping has experienced a revolution in the form of web-based and other interactive computer technologies, so that it is now commonplace for anyone to easily browse through gigabytes of geographic data. Multigraph seeks to bring a similar ease of access to time series data. Multigraph is a program for displaying interactive time-series data graphs in web pages that includes a simple way of configuring the appearance of the graph and the data to be included. It allows multiple data sources to be combined into a single graph, and allows the user to explore the data interactively. Multigraph lets users explore and visualize "data space" in the same way that interactive mapping applications such as Google Maps facilitate exploring and visualizing geography. Viewing a Multigraph graph is extremely simple and intuitive, and requires no instructions. Creating a new graph for inclusion in a web page involves writing a simple XML configuration file and requires no programming. Multigraph can read data in a variety of formats, and can display data from a web service, allowing users to "surf" through large data sets, downloading only those the parts of the data that are needed for display. Multigraph is currently in use on several web sites including the US Drought Portal (www.drought.gov), the NOAA Climate Services Portal (www.climate.gov), the Climate Reference Network (www.ncdc.noaa.gov/crn), NCDC's State of the Climate Report (www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc), and the US Forest Service's Forest Change Assessment Viewer (ews.forestthreats.org/NPDE/NPDE.html). More information about Multigraph is available from the web site www.multigraph.org. Interactive Graph of Global Temperature Anomalies from ClimateWatch Magazine (http://www.climatewatch.noaa.gov/2009/articles/climate-change-global-temperature)

BioData: a national aquatic bioassessment database

USGS Publications Warehouse

MacCoy, Dorene

2011-01-01

BioData is a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) web-enabled database that for the first time provides for the capture, curation, integration, and delivery of bioassessment data collected by local, regional, and national USGS projects. BioData offers field biologists advanced capabilities for entering, editing, and reviewing the macroinvertebrate, algae, fish, and supporting habitat data from rivers and streams. It offers data archival and curation capabilities that protect and maintain data for the long term. BioData provides the Federal, State, and local governments, as well as the scientific community, resource managers, the private sector, and the public with easy access to tens of thousands of samples collected nationwide from thousands of stream and river sites. BioData also provides the USGS with centralized data storage for delivering data to other systems and applications through automated web services. BioData allows users to combine data sets of known quality from different projects in various locations over time. It provides a nationally aggregated database for users to leverage data from many independent projects that, until now, was not feasible at this scale. For example, from 1991 to 2011, the USGS Idaho Water Science Center collected more than 816 bioassessment samples from 63 sites for the National Water Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program and more than 477 samples from 39 sites for a cooperative USGS and State of Idaho Statewide Water Quality Network (fig. 1). Using BioData, 20 years of samples collected for both of these projects can be combined for analysis. BioData delivers all of the data using current taxonomic nomenclature, thus relieving users of the difficult and time-consuming task of harmonizing taxonomy among samples collected during different time periods. Fish data are reported using the Integrated Taxonomic Information Service (ITIS) Taxonomic Serial Numbers (TSN's). A simple web-data input interface and self-guided, public data-retrieval web site provides access to bioassessment data. BioData currently accepts data collected using two national protocols: (1) NAWQA and (2) U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) National Rivers and Streams Assessment (NRSA). Additional collection protocols are planned for future versions.

A quality evaluation methodology of health web-pages for non-professionals.

PubMed

Currò, Vincenzo; Buonuomo, Paola Sabrina; Onesimo, Roberta; de Rose, Paola; Vituzzi, Andrea; di Tanna, Gian Luca; D'Atri, Alessandro

2004-06-01

The proposal of an evaluation methodology for determining the quality of healthcare web sites for the dissemination of medical information to non-professionals. Three (macro) factors are considered for the quality evaluation: medical contents, accountability of the authors, and usability of the web site. Starting from two results in the literature the problem of whether or not to introduce a weighting function has been investigated. This methodology has been validated on a specialized information content, i.e., sore throats, due to the large interest such a topic enjoys with target users. The World Wide Web was accessed using a meta-search system merging several search engines. A statistical analysis was made to compare the proposed methodology with the obtained ranks of the sample web pages. The statistical analysis confirms that the variables examined (per item and sub factor) show substantially similar ranks and are capable of contributing to the evaluation of the main quality macro factors. A comparison between the aggregation functions in the proposed methodology (non-weighted averages) and the weighting functions, derived from the literature, allowed us to verify the suitability of the method. The proposed methodology suggests a simple approach which can quickly award an overall quality score for medical web sites oriented to non-professionals.

GenProBiS: web server for mapping of sequence variants to protein binding sites.

PubMed

Konc, Janez; Skrlj, Blaz; Erzen, Nika; Kunej, Tanja; Janezic, Dusanka

2017-07-03

Discovery of potentially deleterious sequence variants is important and has wide implications for research and generation of new hypotheses in human and veterinary medicine, and drug discovery. The GenProBiS web server maps sequence variants to protein structures from the Protein Data Bank (PDB), and further to protein-protein, protein-nucleic acid, protein-compound, and protein-metal ion binding sites. The concept of a protein-compound binding site is understood in the broadest sense, which includes glycosylation and other post-translational modification sites. Binding sites were defined by local structural comparisons of whole protein structures using the Protein Binding Sites (ProBiS) algorithm and transposition of ligands from the similar binding sites found to the query protein using the ProBiS-ligands approach with new improvements introduced in GenProBiS. Binding site surfaces were generated as three-dimensional grids encompassing the space occupied by predicted ligands. The server allows intuitive visual exploration of comprehensively mapped variants, such as human somatic mis-sense mutations related to cancer and non-synonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms from 21 species, within the predicted binding sites regions for about 80 000 PDB protein structures using fast WebGL graphics. The GenProBiS web server is open and free to all users at http://genprobis.insilab.org. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

Waste Information Management System: One Year After Web Deployment

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

Shoffner, P.A.; Geisler, T.J.; Upadhyay, H.

2008-07-01

The implementation of the Department of Energy (DOE) mandated accelerated cleanup program created significant potential technical impediments. The schedule compression required close coordination and a comprehensive review and prioritization of the barriers that impeded treatment and disposition of the waste streams at each site. Many issues related to site waste treatment and disposal were potential critical path issues under the accelerated schedules. In order to facilitate accelerated cleanup initiatives, waste managers at DOE field sites and at DOE Headquarters in Washington, D.C., needed timely waste forecast information regarding the volumes and types of waste that would be generated by DOEmore » sites over the next 30 years. Each local DOE site has historically collected, organized, and displayed site waste forecast information in separate and unique systems. However, waste information from all sites needed a common application to allow interested parties to understand and view the complete complex-wide picture. A common application allows identification of total waste volumes, material classes, disposition sites, choke points, and technological or regulatory barriers to treatment and disposal. The Applied Research Center (ARC) at Florida International University (FIU) in Miami, Florida, has completed the deployment of this fully operational, web-based forecast system. New functional modules and annual waste forecast data updates have been added to ensure the long-term viability and value of this system. In conclusion: WIMS continues to successfully accomplish the goals and objectives set forth by DOE for this project. WIMS has replaced the historic process of each DOE site gathering, organizing, and reporting their waste forecast information utilizing different database and display technologies. In addition, WIMS meets DOE's objective to have the complex-wide waste forecast information available to all stakeholders and the public in one easy-to-navigate system. The enhancements to WIMS made over the year since its web deployment include the addition of new DOE sites, an updated data set, and the ability to easily print the forecast data tables, the disposition maps, and the GIS maps. Future enhancements will include a high-level waste summary, a display of waste forecast by mode of transportation, and a user help module. The waste summary display module will provide a high-level summary view of the waste forecast data based on the selection of sites, facilities, material types, and forecast years. The waste summary report module will allow users to build custom filtered reports in a variety of formats, such as MS Excel, MS Word, and PDF. The user help module will provide a step-by-step explanation of various modules, using screen shots and general tutorials. The help module will also provide instructions for printing and margin/layout settings to assist users in using their local printers to print maps and reports. (authors)« less

Scientists as Communicators: Inclusion of a Science/Education Liaison on Research Expeditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sautter, L. R.

2004-12-01

Communication of research and scientific results to an audience outside of one's field poses a challenge to many scientists. Many research scientists have a natural ability to address the challenge, while others may chose to seek assistance. Research cruise PIs maywish to consider including a Science/Education Liaison (SEL) on future grants. The SEL is a marine scientist whose job before, during and after the cruise is to work with the shipboard scientists to document the science conducted. The SEL's role is three-fold: (1) to communicate shipboard science activities near-real-time to the public via the web; (2) to develop a variety of web-based resources based on the scientific operations; and (3) to assist educators with the integration of these resources into classroom curricula. The first role involves at-sea writing and relaying from ship-to-shore (via email) a series of Daily Logs. NOAA Ocean Exploration (OE) has mastered the use of web-posted Daily Logs for their major expeditions (see their OceanExplorer website), introducing millions of users to deep sea exploration. Project Oceanica uses the OE daily log model to document research expeditions. In addition to writing daily logs and participating on OE expeditions, Oceanica's SEL also documents the cruise's scientific operations and preliminary findings using video and photos, so that web-based resources (photo galleries, video galleries, and PhotoDocumentaries) can be developed during and following the cruise, and posted on the expedition's home page within the Oceanica web site (see URL). We have created templates for constructing these science resources which allow the shipboard scientists to assist with web resource development. Bringing users to the site is achieved through email communications to a growing list of educators, scientists, and students, and through collaboration with the COSEE network. With a large research expedition-based inventory of web resources now available, Oceanica is training teachers and college faculty on the use and incorporation of these resources into middle school, high school and introductory college classrooms. Support for a SEL on shipboard expeditions serves to catalyze the dissemination of the scientific operations to a broad audience of users.

Lizzy Kinsey and the Adult Friendfinders: an ethnographic study of Internet sex and pornographic self-display in Hong Kong.

PubMed

Jacobs, Katrien

2010-08-01

This paper investigates web users, their sexual behaviours and self-representations as observed on a sex and dating site. The website concerned is a massive social network for sexual self-display and encourages members to find real-life partners for sex--whether this be casual sex affairs between singles, swinging couples or extra-marital affairs between 'aba' (attached but available) individuals and their lovers. The paper analyses the imaging strategies of Chinese and non-Chinese web users in reference to the playful adoption of commonplace notions of sexiness as 'cybertypes'. The aim is to reflect on these online behaviours as changing sexual culture while also debating the use of libidinal online personalities as a cognitive apparatus within sex research. The paper thus explores sexual identity within social networks as auto-ethnography and the dual identities and boundary-crossing agencies of web-based researchers and their subjects.

The GIS portal based on JSR168 portlet technology and WSRP

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Defu; Chen, Nengcheng; Zhu, Xinyan; Gong, Jianya

2005-10-01

A portal is a powerful Web site that gives users a single point of access to applications and information in a unified interface. A portal lets users view each application or web page in its own window, called a portlet, and a single browser window can contain multiple portlets. The portlet based on JSP168&WSRP is a new technology for interactive, user-facing web services that plug and play with portals. Thanks to the development of Portal&Web GIS, the GIS Poratl is focused on more and more by the researcheres. This paper studies the GIS Portal defined by ESRI and analyzes the development's status, compares with the commercial Portal and points out the great shortage of the ESRI GIS Portal: lack in Personal content and UI. Therefor this paper goes into depth on the discussion of design and implementation scheme of real GIS Portal, and proposes the new idea of developing customized, plug and play GIS Portal Module based on JSP168 Portlet technology and WSRP standard. This way can resolve the difficult problem of the GIS Portal on lacking of content and customization function. According to this idea, this paper plans to use the JaveBeans provided by GeoSurf to develop visual portlet which have basic operating fuction of GIS. Finally deploys the GIS Portal uing the WebLogic Portal.

eSciMart: Web Platform for Scientific Software Marketplace

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kryukov, A. P.; Demichev, A. P.

2016-10-01

In this paper we suggest a design of a web marketplace where users of scientific application software and databases, presented in the form of web services, as well as their providers will have presence simultaneously. The model, which will be the basis for the web marketplace is close to the customer-to-customer (C2C) model, which has been successfully used, for example, on the auction sites such as eBay (ebay.com). Unlike the classical model of C2C the suggested marketplace focuses on application software in the form of web services, and standardization of API through which application software will be integrated into the web marketplace. A prototype of such a platform, entitled eSciMart, is currently being developed at SINP MSU.

NGL Viewer: a web application for molecular visualization

PubMed Central

Rose, Alexander S.; Hildebrand, Peter W.

2015-01-01

The NGL Viewer (http://proteinformatics.charite.de/ngl) is a web application for the visualization of macromolecular structures. By fully adopting capabilities of modern web browsers, such as WebGL, for molecular graphics, the viewer can interactively display large molecular complexes and is also unaffected by the retirement of third-party plug-ins like Flash and Java Applets. Generally, the web application offers comprehensive molecular visualization through a graphical user interface so that life scientists can easily access and profit from available structural data. It supports common structural file-formats (e.g. PDB, mmCIF) and a variety of molecular representations (e.g. ‘cartoon, spacefill, licorice’). Moreover, the viewer can be embedded in other web sites to provide specialized visualizations of entries in structural databases or results of structure-related calculations. PMID:25925569

MetEd Resources for Embracing Advances with S-NPP and JPSS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abshire, W. E.; Dills, P. N.; Weingroff, M.

2014-12-01

The COMET® Program (www.comet.ucar.edu), a part of the UCAR Community Programs (UCP) at UCAR, receives funding from NOAA NESDIS as well as EUMETSAT and the Meteorological Service of Canada to support education and training in satellite meteorology. For many years COMET's satellite education programs have focused on developing self-paced online educational materials that highlight the capabilities and applications of current and next-generation operational geostationary and polar-orbiting satellites and their relevance to operational forecasters and other user communities. By partnering with experts from the Naval Research Laboratory, NOAA-NESDIS and its Cooperative Institutes, Meteorological Service of Canada, EUMETSAT, and other user communities, COMET stimulates greater use of current and future satellite observations and products. This presentation provides a tour of COMET's satellite training and education offerings that are directly applicable to data and products from the S-NPP and JPSS satellite series. A recommended set of lessons for users who wish to learn more will be highlighted, including excerpts from the newest materials on the Suomi NPP VIIRS imager and its applications, as well as advances in nighttime visible observation with the VIIRS Day-Night Band. We'll show how the lessons introduce users to the advances these systems bring to forecasting, numerical weather prediction, and environmental monitoring. Over 90 satellite-focused, self-paced, online materials are freely available on the of the MetEd Web site (http://www.meted.ucar.edu) via the "Education & Training", "Satellite" topic area. Quite a few polar-orbiting-related lessons are available in both English, Spanish, and French. Additionally, S-NPP and JPSS relevant information can also be found on the the Environmental Satellite Resource Center (ESRC) Web site (www.meted.ucar.edu/esrc) that is maintained by COMET. The ESRC is a searchable, database-driven Web site that provides access to nearly 600 education, training, and informational resources on Earth-observing satellites.

The key image and case log application: new radiology software for teaching file creation and case logging that incorporates elements of a social network.

PubMed

Rowe, Steven P; Siddiqui, Adeel; Bonekamp, David

2014-07-01

To create novel radiology key image software that is easy to use for novice users, incorporates elements adapted from social networking Web sites, facilitates resident and fellow education, and can serve as the engine for departmental sharing of interesting cases and follow-up studies. Using open-source programming languages and software, radiology key image software (the key image and case log application, KICLA) was developed. This system uses a lightweight interface with the institutional picture archiving and communications systems and enables the storage of key images, image series, and cine clips. It was designed to operate with minimal disruption to the radiologists' daily workflow. Many features of the user interface have been inspired by social networking Web sites, including image organization into private or public folders, flexible sharing with other users, and integration of departmental teaching files into the system. We also review the performance, usage, and acceptance of this novel system. KICLA was implemented at our institution and achieved widespread popularity among radiologists. A large number of key images have been transmitted to the system since it became available. After this early experience period, the most commonly encountered radiologic modalities are represented. A survey distributed to users revealed that most of the respondents found the system easy to use (89%) and fast at allowing them to record interesting cases (100%). Hundred percent of respondents also stated that they would recommend a system such as KICLA to their colleagues. The system described herein represents a significant upgrade to the Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine teaching file paradigm with efforts made to maximize its ease of use and inclusion of characteristics inspired by social networking Web sites that allow the system additional functionality such as individual case logging. Copyright © 2014 AUR. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

SMARTE 2007 TUTORIAL - JANUARY 2007 REVISION

EPA Science Inventory

SMARTe 2007 is a web-based decision support tool intended to help revitalization practitioners find information, perform data analysis, communicate, and evaluate future reuse options for a site or area. This tutorial CD was developed to help users navigate SMARTe 2007. It is appr...

Web Policies

Science.gov Websites

Los Alamos National Laboratory Search Site submit About Mission Business Newsroom Publications Los Innovation in New Mexico Los Alamos Collaboration for Explosives Detection (LACED) SensorNexus Exascale Computing Project (ECP) User Facilities Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies (CINT) Los Alamos Neutron

Electronic Journal Publishers: A Reference Librarian's Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huber, Charles F.

2000-01-01

Discusses problems that the lack of standardization in electronic journal publishing creates for reference or bibliographic instruction librarians and describes a study that examined science, technology, and medicine journals publishers' Web sites, focusing on those features most relevant to end users. (Author/LRW)

Dive and Explore: An Interactive Web Visualization that Simulates Making an ROV Dive to an Active Submarine Volcano

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weiland, C.; Chadwick, W. W.

2004-12-01

Several years ago we created an exciting and engaging multimedia exhibit for the Hatfield Marine Science Center that lets visitors simulate making a dive to the seafloor with the remotely operated vehicle (ROV) named ROPOS. The exhibit immerses the user in an interactive experience that is naturally fun but also educational. The public display is located at the Hatfield Marine Science Visitor Center in Newport, Oregon. We are now completing a revision to the project that will make this engaging virtual exploration accessible to a much larger audience. With minor modifications we will be able to put the exhibit onto the world wide web so that any person with internet access can view and learn about exciting volcanic and hydrothermal activity at Axial Seamount on the Juan de Fuca Ridge. The modifications address some cosmetic and logistic ISSUES confronted in the museum environment, but will mainly involve compressing video clips so they can be delivered more efficiently over the internet. The web version, like the museum version, will allow users to choose from 1 of 3 different dives sites in the caldera of Axial Volcano. The dives are based on real seafloor settings at Axial seamount, an active submarine volcano on the Juan de Fuca Ridge (NE Pacific) that is also the location of a seafloor observatory called NeMO. Once a dive is chosen, then the user watches ROPOS being deployed and then arrives into a 3-D computer-generated seafloor environment that is based on the real world but is easier to visualize and navigate. Once on the bottom, the user is placed within a 360 degree panorama and can look in all directions by manipulating the computer mouse. By clicking on markers embedded in the scene, the user can then either move to other panorama locations via movies that travel through the 3-D virtual environment, or they can play video clips from actual ROPOS dives specifically related to that scene. Audio accompanying the video clips informs the user where they are going or what they are looking at. After the user is finished exploring the dive site they end the dive by leaving the bottom and watching the ROV being recovered onto the ship at the surface. Within the three simulated dives there are a total of 6 arrival and departure movies, 7 seafloor panoramas, 12 travel movies, and 23 ROPOS video clips. This virtual exploration is part of the NeMO web site and will be at this URL http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/vents/dive.html

What users want in e-commerce design: effects of age, education and income.

PubMed

Lightner, Nancy J

2003-01-15

Preferences for certain characteristics of an online shopping experience may be related to demographic data. This paper discusses the characteristics of that experience, demographic data and preferences by demographic group. The results of an online survey of 488 individuals in the United States indicate that respondents are generally satisfied with their online shopping experiences, with security, information quality and information quantity ranking first in importance overall. The sensory impact of a site ranked last overall of the seven characteristics measured. Preferences for these characteristics in e-commerce sites were differentiated by age, education and income. The sensory impact of sites became less important as respondents increased in age, income or education. As the income of respondents increased, the importance of the reputation of the vendor rose. Web site designers may incorporate these findings into the design of e-commerce sites in an attempt to increase the shopping satisfaction of their users. Results from the customer relationship management portion of the survey suggest that current push technologies and site personalization are not an effective means of achieving user satisfaction.

Traffic-based feedback on the web.

PubMed

Aizen, Jonathan; Huttenlocher, Daniel; Kleinberg, Jon; Novak, Antal

2004-04-06

Usage data at a high-traffic web site can expose information about external events and surges in popularity that may not be accessible solely from analyses of content and link structure. We consider sites that are organized around a set of items available for purchase or download, consider, for example, an e-commerce site or collection of online research papers, and we study a simple indicator of collective user interest in an item, the batting average, defined as the fraction of visits to an item's description that result in an acquisition of that item. We develop a stochastic model for identifying points in time at which an item's batting average experiences significant change. In experiments with usage data from the Internet Archive, we find that such changes often occur in an abrupt, discrete fashion, and that these changes can be closely aligned with events such as the highlighting of an item on the site or the appearance of a link from an active external referrer. In this way, analyzing the dynamics of item popularity at an active web site can help characterize the impact of a range of events taking place both on and off the site.

Traffic-based feedback on the web

PubMed Central

Aizen, Jonathan; Huttenlocher, Daniel; Kleinberg, Jon; Novak, Antal

2004-01-01

Usage data at a high-traffic web site can expose information about external events and surges in popularity that may not be accessible solely from analyses of content and link structure. We consider sites that are organized around a set of items available for purchase or download, consider, for example, an e-commerce site or collection of online research papers, and we study a simple indicator of collective user interest in an item, the batting average, defined as the fraction of visits to an item's description that result in an acquisition of that item. We develop a stochastic model for identifying points in time at which an item's batting average experiences significant change. In experiments with usage data from the Internet Archive, we find that such changes often occur in an abrupt, discrete fashion, and that these changes can be closely aligned with events such as the highlighting of an item on the site or the appearance of a link from an active external referrer. In this way, analyzing the dynamics of item popularity at an active web site can help characterize the impact of a range of events taking place both on and off the site. PMID:14709676

SMART (Shop floor Modeling, Analysis and Reporting Tool Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Centeno, Martha A.; Garcia, Maretys L.; Mendoza, Alicia C.; Molina, Louis A.; Correa, Daisy; Wint, Steve; Doice, Gregorie; Reyes, M. Florencia

1999-01-01

This document presents summarizes the design and prototype of the Shop floor Modeling, Analysis, and Reporting Tool (S.M.A.R.T.) A detailed description of it is found on the full documentation given to the NASA liaison. This documentation is also found on the A.R.I.S.E. Center web site, under a projected directory. Only authorized users can gain access to this site.

Culture differences in design of portal sites.

PubMed

Fang, Xiaowen; Rau, Pei-Luen Patrick

2003-01-15

Two experiments were carried out to examine the effects of cultural differences between the Chinese and the US people on the perceived usability and search performance of World Wide Web (WWW) portal sites. Chinese users in Taiwan and US users in Chicago were recruited to perform searching tasks on two versions of Yahoo! portal site: the standard Yahoo! and Yahoo! Chinese. The layout of Yahoo! Chinese is the same as the layout of Yahoo!, and categories on Yahoo! Chinese have been translated from its US counterpart. A special browser was programmed to record all the keystroke data and participants were asked to fill out a satisfaction questionnaire after finishing the tasks. Significant differences of satisfaction and steps to perform some tasks were found between the two groups. The experiment results also provided more detailed insights into the cultural differences between the Chinese and the US users.

Web-services-based spatial decision support system to facilitate nuclear waste siting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, L. Xinglai; Sheng, Grant

2006-10-01

The availability of spatial web services enables data sharing among managers, decision and policy makers and other stakeholders in much simpler ways than before and subsequently has created completely new opportunities in the process of spatial decision making. Though generally designed for a certain problem domain, web-services-based spatial decision support systems (WSDSS) can provide a flexible problem-solving environment to explore the decision problem, understand and refine problem definition, and generate and evaluate multiple alternatives for decision. This paper presents a new framework for the development of a web-services-based spatial decision support system. The WSDSS is comprised of distributed web services that either have their own functions or provide different geospatial data and may reside in different computers and locations. WSDSS includes six key components, namely: database management system, catalog, analysis functions and models, GIS viewers and editors, report generators, and graphical user interfaces. In this study, the architecture of a web-services-based spatial decision support system to facilitate nuclear waste siting is described as an example. The theoretical, conceptual and methodological challenges and issues associated with developing web services-based spatial decision support system are described.

An online model composition tool for system biology models

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background There are multiple representation formats for Systems Biology computational models, and the Systems Biology Markup Language (SBML) is one of the most widely used. SBML is used to capture, store, and distribute computational models by Systems Biology data sources (e.g., the BioModels Database) and researchers. Therefore, there is a need for all-in-one web-based solutions that support advance SBML functionalities such as uploading, editing, composing, visualizing, simulating, querying, and browsing computational models. Results We present the design and implementation of the Model Composition Tool (Interface) within the PathCase-SB (PathCase Systems Biology) web portal. The tool helps users compose systems biology models to facilitate the complex process of merging systems biology models. We also present three tools that support the model composition tool, namely, (1) Model Simulation Interface that generates a visual plot of the simulation according to user’s input, (2) iModel Tool as a platform for users to upload their own models to compose, and (3) SimCom Tool that provides a side by side comparison of models being composed in the same pathway. Finally, we provide a web site that hosts BioModels Database models and a separate web site that hosts SBML Test Suite models. Conclusions Model composition tool (and the other three tools) can be used with little or no knowledge of the SBML document structure. For this reason, students or anyone who wants to learn about systems biology will benefit from the described functionalities. SBML Test Suite models will be a nice starting point for beginners. And, for more advanced purposes, users will able to access and employ models of the BioModels Database as well. PMID:24006914

Carnegie Science Academy Web Site

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kotwicki, John; Atzinger, Joe; Turso, Denise

1997-11-01

The Carnegie Science Academy is a professional society "For Teens...By Teens" at the Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh. The CSA Web Site [ http://csa.clpgh.org ] is designed for teens who have an interest in science and technology. This online or virtual science academy provides resources for teens in high school science classes. The Web site also allows students around the world to participate and communicate with other students, discuss current events in science, share opinions, find answers to questions, or make online friends. Visitors can enjoy the main components of the site or sign up for a free membership which allows access to our chat room for monthly meeting, online newsletter, members forum, and much more. Main components to the site include a spot for cool links and downloads, available for any visitor to download or view. Online exhibits are created by students to examine and publish an area of study and also allow teachers to easily post classroom activities as exhibits by submitting pictures and text. Random Access, the interactive part of the academy, allows users to share ideas and opinions. Planet CSA focuses on current events in science and the academy. In the future the CSA Web site will become a major resource for teens and science teachers providing materials that will allow students to further enhance their interest and experiences in science.

Online Remote Sensing Interface

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lawhead, Joel

2007-01-01

BasinTools Module 1 processes remotely sensed raster data, including multi- and hyper-spectral data products, via a Web site with no downloads and no plug-ins required. The interface provides standardized algorithms designed so that a user with little or no remote-sensing experience can use the site. This Web-based approach reduces the amount of software, hardware, and computing power necessary to perform the specified analyses. Access to imagery and derived products is enterprise-level and controlled. Because the user never takes possession of the imagery, the licensing of the data is greatly simplified. BasinTools takes the "just-in-time" inventory control model from commercial manufacturing and applies it to remotely-sensed data. Products are created and delivered on-the-fly with no human intervention, even for casual users. Well-defined procedures can be combined in different ways to extend verified and validated methods in order to derive new remote-sensing products, which improves efficiency in any well-defined geospatial domain. Remote-sensing products produced in BasinTools are self-documenting, allowing procedures to be independently verified or peer-reviewed. The software can be used enterprise-wide to conduct low-level remote sensing, viewing, sharing, and manipulating of image data without the need for desktop applications.

Knowledge Provenance in Semantic Wikis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ding, L.; Bao, J.; McGuinness, D. L.

2008-12-01

Collaborative online environments with a technical Wiki infrastructure are becoming more widespread. One of the strengths of a Wiki environment is that it is relatively easy for numerous users to contribute original content and modify existing content (potentially originally generated by others). As more users begin to depend on informational content that is evolving by Wiki communities, it becomes more important to track the provenance of the information. Semantic Wikis expand upon traditional Wiki environments by adding some computationally understandable encodings of some of the terms and relationships in Wikis. We have developed a semantic Wiki environment that expands a semantic Wiki with provenance markup. Provenance of original contributions as well as modifications is encoded using the provenance markup component of the Proof Markup Language. The Wiki environment provides the provenance markup automatically, thus users are not required to make specific encodings of author, contribution date, and modification trail. Further, our Wiki environment includes a search component that understands the provenance primitives and thus can be used to provide a provenance-aware search facility. We will describe the knowledge provenance infrastructure of our Semantic Wiki and show how it is being used as the foundation of our group web site as well as a number of project web sites.

MODi: a powerful and convenient web server for identifying multiple post-translational peptide modifications from tandem mass spectra.

PubMed

Kim, Sangtae; Na, Seungjin; Sim, Ji Woong; Park, Heejin; Jeong, Jaeho; Kim, Hokeun; Seo, Younghwan; Seo, Jawon; Lee, Kong-Joo; Paek, Eunok

2006-07-01

MOD(i) (http://modi.uos.ac.kr/modi/) is a powerful and convenient web service that facilitates the interpretation of tandem mass spectra for identifying post-translational modifications (PTMs) in a peptide. It is powerful in that it can interpret a tandem mass spectrum even when hundreds of modification types are considered and the number of potential PTMs in a peptide is large, in contrast to most of the methods currently available for spectra interpretation that limit the number of PTM sites and types being used for PTM analysis. For example, using MOD(i), one can consider for analysis both the entire PTM list published on the unimod webpage (http://www.unimod.org) and user-defined PTMs simultaneously, and one can also identify multiple PTM sites in a spectrum. MOD(i) is convenient in that it can take various input file formats such as .mzXML, .dta, .pkl and .mgf files, and it is equipped with a graphical tool called MassPective developed to display MOD(i)'s output in a user-friendly manner and helps users understand MOD(i)'s output quickly. In addition, one can perform manual de novo sequencing using MassPective.

Mixed-Methods for Comparing Tobacco Cessation Interventions.

PubMed

Momin, Behnoosh; Neri, Antonio; Zhang, Lei; Kahende, Jennifer; Duke, Jennifer; Green, Sonya Goode; Malarcher, Ann; Stewart, Sherri L

2017-03-01

The National Comprehensive Cancer Control Program (NCCCP) and National Tobacco Control Program (NTCP) are both well-positioned to promote the use of population-based tobacco cessation interventions, such as state quitlines and Web-based interventions. This paper outlines the methodology used to conduct a comparative effectiveness research study of traditional and Web-based tobacco cessation and quitline promotion approaches. A mixed-methods study with three components was designed to address the effect of promotional activities on service usage and the comparative effectiveness of population-based smoking cessation activities across multiple states. The cessation intervention component followed 7,902 smokers (4,307 quitline users and 3,595 Web intervention users) to ascertain prevalence of 30-day abstinence rates 7 months after registering for smoking cessation services. User characteristics and quit success was compared across the two modalities. In the promotions component, reach and use of traditional and innovative promotion strategies were assessed for 24 states, including online advertising, state Web sites, social media, mobile applications, and their effects on quitline call volume. The partnership intervention component studied the extent of collaboration among six selected NCCCPs and NTCPs. This study will guide program staff and clinicians with evidence-based recommendations and best practices for implementation of tobacco cessation within their patient and community populations and establish an evidence base that can be used for decision making.

WALK 2.0 - using Web 2.0 applications to promote health-related physical activity: a randomised controlled trial protocol.

PubMed

Kolt, Gregory S; Rosenkranz, Richard R; Savage, Trevor N; Maeder, Anthony J; Vandelanotte, Corneel; Duncan, Mitch J; Caperchione, Cristina M; Tague, Rhys; Hooker, Cindy; Mummery, W Kerry

2013-05-03

Physical inactivity is one of the leading modifiable causes of death and disease in Australia. National surveys indicate less than half of the Australian adult population are sufficiently active to obtain health benefits. The Internet is a potentially important medium for successfully communicating health messages to the general population and enabling individual behaviour change. Internet-based interventions have proven efficacy; however, intervention studies describing website usage objectively have reported a strong decline in usage, and high attrition rate, over the course of the interventions. Web 2.0 applications give users control over web content generated and present innovative possibilities to improve user engagement. There is, however, a need to assess the effectiveness of these applications in the general population. The Walk 2.0 project is a 3-arm randomised controlled trial investigating the effects of "next generation" web-based applications on engagement, retention, and subsequent physical activity behaviour change. 504 individuals will be recruited from two sites in Australia, randomly allocated to one of two web-based interventions (Web 1.0 or Web 2.0) or a control group, and provided with a pedometer to monitor physical activity. The Web 1.0 intervention will provide participants with access to an existing physical activity website with limited interactivity. The Web 2.0 intervention will provide access to a website featuring Web 2.0 content, including social networking, blogs, and virtual walking groups. Control participants will receive a logbook to record their steps. All groups will receive similar educational material on setting goals and increasing physical activity. The primary outcomes are objectively measured physical activity and website engagement and retention. Other outcomes measured include quality of life, psychosocial correlates, and anthropometric measurements. Outcomes will be measured at baseline, 3, 12 and 18 months. The findings of this study will provide increased understanding of the benefit of new web-based technologies and applications in engaging and retaining participants on web-based intervention sites, with the aim of improved health behaviour change outcomes. Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, ACTRN12611000157976.

Beacon: a web portal to high-quality mental health websites for use by health professionals and the public.

PubMed

Christensen, Helen; Murray, Kristen; Calear, Alison L; Bennett, Kylie; Bennett, Anthony; Griffiths, Kathleen M

2010-06-07

To describe the Beacon web portal, which lists and rates quality health websites, collects user characteristics and publishes user feedback; and to report summary data on Beacon's highest-rated (best evidence-based) sites for mental health. A systematic search was undertaken in February 2009 for potentially relevant websites through a review of research papers and a recently published book, an internet search of Open Directory Project medical categories, a review of material on a high-profile mental health portal, and a survey of international researchers. All sites were ranked on a 7-point scale from -1 to 5, with negative scores indicating evidence of no effect and scores of 2 or more indicating evidence of efficacy based on reports in the scientific literature. By March 2010, 183 sites had been identified, of which 122 focused on physical health or wellbeing, 40 targeted anxiety, and 23 targeted depression. Of the eight generalised anxiety disorder sites identified, four achieved ratings of 2 or above. Two social anxiety disorder sites achieved scores higher than 2. Ten panic disorder sites were identified, with three achieving ratings of 2 or above; and five post-traumatic stress disorder sites were identified, with two achieving ratings of 2 or above. Of the 23 identified depression sites, four achieved a rating of 2 or above. There are a number of high-quality mental health websites on the internet, and Beacon provides a portal to enable the wide dissemination of these resources.

Users' Interaction with World Wide Web Resources: An Exploratory Study Using a Holistic Approach.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Peiling; Hawk, William B.; Tenopir, Carol

2000-01-01

Presents results of a study that explores factors of user-Web interaction in finding factual information, develops a conceptual framework for studying user-Web interaction, and applies a process-tracing method for conducting holistic user-Web studies. Describes measurement techniques and proposes a model consisting of the user, interface, and the…

Are we effectively informing patients? A quantitative analysis of on-line patient education resources from the American Society of Neuroradiology.

PubMed

Hansberry, D R; Agarwal, N; Gonzales, S F; Baker, S R

2014-07-01

The ubiquitous use of the Internet by the public in an attempt to better understand their health care requires the on-line resources written at an appropriate level to maximize comprehension for the average user. The National Institutes of Health and the American Medical Association recommend on-line patient education resources written at a third-to-seventh grade level. We evaluated the readability of the patient education resources provided on the Web site of the American Society of Neuroradiology (http://www.asnr.org/patientinfo/). All patient education material from the ASNR Web site and the Society of Neurointerventional Surgery Web site were downloaded and evaluated with the computer software, Readability Studio Professional Edition, by using 10 quantitative readability scales: the Flesch Reading Ease, Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, Simple Measure of Gobbledygook, Coleman-Liau Index, Gunning Fog Index, New Dale-Chall, FORCAST Formula, Fry Graph, Raygor Reading Estimate, and New Fog Count. An unpaired t test was used to compare the readability level of resources available on the American Society of Neuroradiology and the Society of Neurointerventional Surgery Web sites. The 20 individual patient education articles were written at a 13.9 ± 1.4 grade level with only 5% written at <11th grade level. There was no statistical difference between the level of readability of the resources on the American Society of Neuroradiology and Society of Neurointerventional Surgery Web sites. The patient education resources on these Web sites fail to meet the guidelines of the National Institutes of Health and American Medical Association. Members of the public may fail to fully understand these resources and would benefit from revisions that result in more comprehensible information cast in simpler language. © 2014 by American Journal of Neuroradiology.

Web-based cognitive behavior therapy: analysis of site usage and changes in depression and anxiety scores.

PubMed

Christensen, Helen; Griffiths, Kathleen M; Korten, Ailsa

2002-01-01

Cognitive behavior therapy is well recognized as an effective treatment and prevention for depression when delivered face-to-face, via self-help books (bibliotherapy), and through computer administration. The public health impact of cognitive behavior therapy has been limited by cost and the lack of trained practitioners. We have developed a free Internet-based cognitive behavior therapy intervention (MoodGYM, http://moodgym.anu.edu.au) designed to treat and prevent depression in young people, available to all Internet users, and targeted to those who may have no formal contact with professional help services. To document site usage, visitor characteristics, and changes in depression and anxiety symptoms among users of MoodGYM, a Web site delivering a cognitive-behavioral-based preventive intervention to the general public. All visitors to the MoodGYM site over about 6 months were investigated, including 2909 registrants of whom 1503 had completed at least one online assessment. Outcomes for 71 university students enrolled in an Abnormal Psychology course who visited the site for educational training were included and examined separately. The main outcome measures were (1) site-usage measures including number of sessions, hits and average time on the server, and number of page views; (2) visitor characteristics including age, gender, and initial Goldberg self-report anxiety and depression scores; and (3) symptom change measures based on Goldberg anxiety and depression scores recorded on up to 5 separate occasions. Over the first almost-6-month period of operation, the server recorded 817284 hits and 17646 separate sessions. Approximately 20% of sessions lasted more than 16 minutes. Registrants who completed at least one assessment reported initial symptoms of depression and anxiety that exceeded those found in population-based surveys and those characterizing a sample of University students. For the Web-based population, both anxiety and depression scores decreased significantly as individuals progressed through the modules. CONCLUSIONS Web sites are a practical and promising means of delivering cognitive behavioral interventions for preventing depression and anxiety to the general public. However, randomized controlled trials are required to establish the effectiveness of these interventions.

To-Do Lists for Site Maintenance

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

What to do every month to manage your web area. If you keep on top of your broken links and quality control issues like descriptions and spelling, you won't get overwhelmed by content review emails and your users will be much happier with your content.

Crowdsourcing Based 3d Modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Somogyi, A.; Barsi, A.; Molnar, B.; Lovas, T.

2016-06-01

Web-based photo albums that support organizing and viewing the users' images are widely used. These services provide a convenient solution for storing, editing and sharing images. In many cases, the users attach geotags to the images in order to enable using them e.g. in location based applications on social networks. Our paper discusses a procedure that collects open access images from a site frequently visited by tourists. Geotagged pictures showing the image of a sight or tourist attraction are selected and processed in photogrammetric processing software that produces the 3D model of the captured object. For the particular investigation we selected three attractions in Budapest. To assess the geometrical accuracy, we used laser scanner and DSLR as well as smart phone photography to derive reference values to enable verifying the spatial model obtained from the web-album images. The investigation shows how detailed and accurate models could be derived applying photogrammetric processing software, simply by using images of the community, without visiting the site.

Globe Teachers Guide and Photographic Data on the Web

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kowal, Dan

2004-01-01

The task of managing the GLOBE Online Teacher s Guide during this time period focused on transforming the technology behind the delivery system of this document. The web application transformed from a flat file retrieval system to a dynamic database access approach. The new methodology utilizes Java Server Pages (JSP) on the front-end and an Oracle relational database on the backend. This new approach allows users of the web site, mainly teachers, to access content efficiently by grade level and/or by investigation or educational concept area. Moreover, teachers can gain easier access to data sheets and lab and field guides. The new online guide also included updated content for all GLOBE protocols. The GLOBE web management team was given documentation for maintaining the new application. Instructions for modifying the JSP templates and managing database content were included in this document. It was delivered to the team by the end of October, 2003. The National Geophysical Data Center (NGDC) continued to manage the school study site photos on the GLOBE website. 333 study site photo images were added to the GLOBE database and posted on the web during this same time period for 64 schools. Documentation for processing study site photos was also delivered to the new GLOBE web management team. Lastly, assistance was provided in transferring reference applications such as the Cloud and LandSat quizzes and Earth Systems Online Poster from NGDC servers to GLOBE servers along with documentation for maintaining these applications.

The Human Transcript Database: A Catalogue of Full Length cDNA Inserts

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

Bouckk John; Michael McLeod; Kim Worley

1999-09-10

The BCM Search Launcher provided improved access to web-based sequence analysis services during the granting period and beyond. The Search Launcher web site grouped analysis procedures by function and provided default parameters that provided reasonable search results for most applications. For instance, most queries were automatically masked for repeat sequences prior to sequence database searches to avoid spurious matches. In addition to the web-based access and arrangements that were made using the functions easier, the BCM Search Launcher provided unique value-added applications like the BEAUTY sequence database search tool that combined information about protein domains and sequence database search resultsmore » to give an enhanced, more complete picture of the reliability and relative value of the information reported. This enhanced search tool made evaluating search results more straight-forward and consistent. Some of the favorite features of the web site are the sequence utilities and the batch client functionality that allows processing of multiple samples from the command line interface. One measure of the success of the BCM Search Launcher is the number of sites that have adopted the models first developed on the site. The graphic display on the BLAST search from the NCBI web site is one such outgrowth, as is the display of protein domain search results within BLAST search results, and the design of the Biology Workbench application. The logs of usage and comments from users confirm the great utility of this resource.« less

RAP: RNA-Seq Analysis Pipeline, a new cloud-based NGS web application.

PubMed

D'Antonio, Mattia; D'Onorio De Meo, Paolo; Pallocca, Matteo; Picardi, Ernesto; D'Erchia, Anna Maria; Calogero, Raffaele A; Castrignanò, Tiziana; Pesole, Graziano

2015-01-01

The study of RNA has been dramatically improved by the introduction of Next Generation Sequencing platforms allowing massive and cheap sequencing of selected RNA fractions, also providing information on strand orientation (RNA-Seq). The complexity of transcriptomes and of their regulative pathways make RNA-Seq one of most complex field of NGS applications, addressing several aspects of the expression process (e.g. identification and quantification of expressed genes and transcripts, alternative splicing and polyadenylation, fusion genes and trans-splicing, post-transcriptional events, etc.). In order to provide researchers with an effective and friendly resource for analyzing RNA-Seq data, we present here RAP (RNA-Seq Analysis Pipeline), a cloud computing web application implementing a complete but modular analysis workflow. This pipeline integrates both state-of-the-art bioinformatics tools for RNA-Seq analysis and in-house developed scripts to offer to the user a comprehensive strategy for data analysis. RAP is able to perform quality checks (adopting FastQC and NGS QC Toolkit), identify and quantify expressed genes and transcripts (with Tophat, Cufflinks and HTSeq), detect alternative splicing events (using SpliceTrap) and chimeric transcripts (with ChimeraScan). This pipeline is also able to identify splicing junctions and constitutive or alternative polyadenylation sites (implementing custom analysis modules) and call for statistically significant differences in genes and transcripts expression, splicing pattern and polyadenylation site usage (using Cuffdiff2 and DESeq). Through a user friendly web interface, the RAP workflow can be suitably customized by the user and it is automatically executed on our cloud computing environment. This strategy allows to access to bioinformatics tools and computational resources without specific bioinformatics and IT skills. RAP provides a set of tabular and graphical results that can be helpful to browse, filter and export analyzed data, according to the user needs.

Informing child welfare policy and practice: using knowledge discovery and data mining technology via a dynamic Web site.

PubMed

Duncan, Dean F; Kum, Hye-Chung; Weigensberg, Elizabeth Caplick; Flair, Kimberly A; Stewart, C Joy

2008-11-01

Proper management and implementation of an effective child welfare agency requires the constant use of information about the experiences and outcomes of children involved in the system, emphasizing the need for comprehensive, timely, and accurate data. In the past 20 years, there have been many advances in technology that can maximize the potential of administrative data to promote better evaluation and management in the field of child welfare. Specifically, this article discusses the use of knowledge discovery and data mining (KDD), which makes it possible to create longitudinal data files from administrative data sources, extract valuable knowledge, and make the information available via a user-friendly public Web site. This article demonstrates a successful project in North Carolina where knowledge discovery and data mining technology was used to develop a comprehensive set of child welfare outcomes available through a public Web site to facilitate information sharing of child welfare data to improve policy and practice.

An Automatic Web Service Composition Framework Using QoS-Based Web Service Ranking Algorithm.

PubMed

Mallayya, Deivamani; Ramachandran, Baskaran; Viswanathan, Suganya

2015-01-01

Web service has become the technology of choice for service oriented computing to meet the interoperability demands in web applications. In the Internet era, the exponential addition of web services nominates the "quality of service" as essential parameter in discriminating the web services. In this paper, a user preference based web service ranking (UPWSR) algorithm is proposed to rank web services based on user preferences and QoS aspect of the web service. When the user's request cannot be fulfilled by a single atomic service, several existing services should be composed and delivered as a composition. The proposed framework allows the user to specify the local and global constraints for composite web services which improves flexibility. UPWSR algorithm identifies best fit services for each task in the user request and, by choosing the number of candidate services for each task, reduces the time to generate the composition plans. To tackle the problem of web service composition, QoS aware automatic web service composition (QAWSC) algorithm proposed in this paper is based on the QoS aspects of the web services and user preferences. The proposed framework allows user to provide feedback about the composite service which improves the reputation of the services.

An Automatic Web Service Composition Framework Using QoS-Based Web Service Ranking Algorithm

PubMed Central

Mallayya, Deivamani; Ramachandran, Baskaran; Viswanathan, Suganya

2015-01-01

Web service has become the technology of choice for service oriented computing to meet the interoperability demands in web applications. In the Internet era, the exponential addition of web services nominates the “quality of service” as essential parameter in discriminating the web services. In this paper, a user preference based web service ranking (UPWSR) algorithm is proposed to rank web services based on user preferences and QoS aspect of the web service. When the user's request cannot be fulfilled by a single atomic service, several existing services should be composed and delivered as a composition. The proposed framework allows the user to specify the local and global constraints for composite web services which improves flexibility. UPWSR algorithm identifies best fit services for each task in the user request and, by choosing the number of candidate services for each task, reduces the time to generate the composition plans. To tackle the problem of web service composition, QoS aware automatic web service composition (QAWSC) algorithm proposed in this paper is based on the QoS aspects of the web services and user preferences. The proposed framework allows user to provide feedback about the composite service which improves the reputation of the services. PMID:26504894

U.S. Geological Survey and Microsoft Cooperative Research and Development Agreement: Geospatial Data Browsing and Retrieval Site on the World Wide Web

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

1999-01-01

In May 1997, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Wash., entered into a cooperative research and development agreement (CRADA) to make vast amounts of geospatial data available to the general public through the Internet. The CRADA is a 36-month joint effort to develop a general, public-oriented browsing and retrieval site for geospatial data on the Internet. Specifically, Microsoft plans to (1) modify a large volume of USGS geospatial data so the images can be displayed quickly and easily over the Internet, (2) implement an easy-to-use interface for low-speed connections, and (3) develop an Internet Web site capable of servicing millions of users per day.

U.S. Geological Survey and Microsoft Cooperative Research and Development Agreement: Geospatial Data Browsing and Retrieval Site on the World Wide Web

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

1998-01-01

In May 1997, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Wash., entered into a cooperative research and development agreement (CRADA) to make vast amounts of geospatial data available to the general public through the Internet. The CRADA is a 36-month joint effort to develop a general, public-oriented browsing and retrieval site for geospatial data on the Internet. Specifically, Microsoft plans to (1) modify a large volume of USGS geospatial data so the images can be displayed quickly and easily over the Internet, (2) implement an easy-to-use interface for low-speed connections, and (3) develop an Internet Web site capable of servicing millions of users per day.

Initial Field Trial of a Coach-Supported Web-Based Depression Treatment.

PubMed

Schueller, Stephen M; Mohr, David C

2015-08-01

Early web-based depression treatments were often self-guided and included few interactive elements, instead focusing mostly on delivering informational content online. Newer programs include many more types of features. As such, trials should analyze the ways in which people use these sites in order to inform the design of subsequent sites and models of support. The current study describes of a field trial consisting of 9 patients with major depressive disorder who completed a 12-week program including weekly coach calls. Patients usage varied widely, however, patients who formed regular patterns tended to persist with the program for the longest. Future sites might be able to facilitate user engagement by designing features to support regular use and to use coaches to help establish patterns to increase long-term use and benefit.

The GLIMS Glacier Database

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raup, B. H.; Khalsa, S. S.; Armstrong, R.

2007-12-01

The Global Land Ice Measurements from Space (GLIMS) project has built a geospatial and temporal database of glacier data, composed of glacier outlines and various scalar attributes. These data are being derived primarily from satellite imagery, such as from ASTER and Landsat. Each "snapshot" of a glacier is from a specific time, and the database is designed to store multiple snapshots representative of different times. We have implemented two web-based interfaces to the database; one enables exploration of the data via interactive maps (web map server), while the other allows searches based on text-field constraints. The web map server is an Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) compliant Web Map Server (WMS) and Web Feature Server (WFS). This means that other web sites can display glacier layers from our site over the Internet, or retrieve glacier features in vector format. All components of the system are implemented using Open Source software: Linux, PostgreSQL, PostGIS (geospatial extensions to the database), MapServer (WMS and WFS), and several supporting components such as Proj.4 (a geographic projection library) and PHP. These tools are robust and provide a flexible and powerful framework for web mapping applications. As a service to the GLIMS community, the database contains metadata on all ASTER imagery acquired over glacierized terrain. Reduced-resolution of the images (browse imagery) can be viewed either as a layer in the MapServer application, or overlaid on the virtual globe within Google Earth. The interactive map application allows the user to constrain by time what data appear on the map. For example, ASTER or glacier outlines from 2002 only, or from Autumn in any year, can be displayed. The system allows users to download their selected glacier data in a choice of formats. The results of a query based on spatial selection (using a mouse) or text-field constraints can be downloaded in any of these formats: ESRI shapefiles, KML (Google Earth), MapInfo, GML (Geography Markup Language) and GMT (Generic Mapping Tools). This "clip-and-ship" function allows users to download only the data they are interested in. Our flexible web interfaces to the database, which includes various support layers (e.g. a layer to help collaborators identify satellite imagery over their region of expertise) will facilitate enhanced analysis to be undertaken on glacier systems, their distribution, and their impacts on other Earth systems.

How to evaluate the quality of health related websites.

PubMed

Gattoni, Filippo; Sicola, Chiara

2005-03-01

To establish reliable quality criteria for medical websites is of foremost importance in relation to the increasing number of Internet users, both health professionals and lay people, searching for medical information in the mass of these sites. Quality in general refers to a set of features that distinguish one person or thing from others of the same type. The quality of a website is usually related to its content and usability. The first criteria we considered are contents and readability, which must be targeted to the intended type of user. Other important criteria include: transparency, consistency, honesty, references to sources, accountability, respect of privacy, currency of content material, responsibility, and accessibility. Technical criteria are the use of consolidated and standard technologies, soft colours, short page download time. Good medical websites should also follow the suggestions of organizations such as the World Health Organization, the Food and Drug Administration, the European Communities. Another organization, Health On Net Foundation, has issued some guidelines for medical websites, summarized in eight points, fundamental to assign real scientific value to a site. We believe, in agreement with the literature, that it is unnecessary to apply strict rules to medical website developers. We want to stress the importance of guidelines and recommendations to be modified with the development of web technology and the cultural evolution of patient and physicians. In the near future the presence on the Internet of websites certified by national or international medical web authorities will lead users to trust and give their preference to such sites, leading to the self-regulation of website developers and users.

A security architecture for interconnecting health information systems.

PubMed

Gritzalis, Dimitris; Lambrinoudakis, Costas

2004-03-31

Several hereditary and other chronic diseases necessitate continuous and complicated health care procedures, typically offered in different, often distant, health care units. Inevitably, the medical records of patients suffering from such diseases become complex, grow in size very fast and are scattered all over the units involved in the care process, hindering communication of information between health care professionals. Web-based electronic medical records have been recently proposed as the solution to the above problem, facilitating the interconnection of the health care units in the sense that health care professionals can now access the complete medical record of the patient, even if it is distributed in several remote units. However, by allowing users to access information from virtually anywhere, the universe of ineligible people who may attempt to harm the system is dramatically expanded, thus severely complicating the design and implementation of a secure environment. This paper presents a security architecture that has been mainly designed for providing authentication and authorization services in web-based distributed systems. The architecture has been based on a role-based access scheme and on the implementation of an intelligent security agent per site (i.e. health care unit). This intelligent security agent: (a). authenticates the users, local or remote, that can access the local resources; (b). assigns, through temporary certificates, access privileges to the authenticated users in accordance to their role; and (c). communicates to other sites (through the respective security agents) information about the local users that may need to access information stored in other sites, as well as about local resources that can be accessed remotely.

The presence of English and Spanish dyslexia in the Web

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rello, Luz; Baeza-Yates, Ricardo

2012-09-01

In this study we present a lower bound of the prevalence of dyslexia in the Web for English and Spanish. On the basis of analysis of corpora written by dyslexic people, we propose a classification of the different kinds of dyslexic errors. A representative data set of dyslexic words is used to calculate this lower bound in web pages containing English and Spanish dyslexic errors. We also present an analysis of dyslexic errors in major Internet domains, social media sites, and throughout English- and Spanish-speaking countries. To show the independence of our estimations from the presence of other kinds of errors, we compare them with the overall lexical quality of the Web and with the error rate of noncorrected corpora. The presence of dyslexic errors in the Web motivates work in web accessibility for dyslexic users.

The MedlinePlus public user interface: studies of design challenges and opportunities.

PubMed

Marill, Jennifer L; Miller, Naomi; Kitendaugh, Paula

2006-01-01

What are the challenges involved in designing, modifying, and improving a major health information portal that serves over sixty million page views a month? MedlinePlus, the National Library of Medicine's (NLM's) consumer health Website, is examined. Challenges are presented as six "studies," which describe selected design issues and how NLM staff resolved them. Improving MedlinePlus is an iterative process. Changes in the public user interface are ongoing, reflecting Web design trends, usability testing recommendations, user survey results, new technical requirements, and the need to grow the site in an orderly way. Testing and analysis should accompany Website design modifications. New technologies may enhance a site but also introduce problems. Further modifications to MedlinePlus will be informed by the experiences described here.

A performance study of WebDav access to storages within the Belle II collaboration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pardi, S.; Russo, G.

2017-10-01

WebDav and HTTP are becoming popular protocols for data access in the High Energy Physics community. The most used Grid and Cloud storage solutions provide such kind of interfaces, in this scenario tuning and performance evaluation became crucial aspects to promote the adoption of these protocols within the Belle II community. In this work, we present the results of a large-scale test activity, made with the goal to evaluate performances and reliability of the WebDav protocol, and study a possible adoption for the user analysis. More specifically, we considered a pilot infrastructure composed by a set of storage elements configured with the WebDav interface, hosted at the Belle II sites. The performance tests include a comparison with xrootd and gridftp. As reference tests we used a set of analysis jobs running under the Belle II software framework, accessing the input data with the ROOT I/O library, in order to simulate as much as possible a realistic user activity. The final analysis shows the possibility to achieve promising performances with WebDav on different storage systems, and gives an interesting feedback, for Belle II community and for other high energy physics experiments.

An overview of Airborne Data for Assessing Models (ADAM): a web development effort to effectively disseminate airborne data products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mangosing, D. C.; Chen, G.; Kusterer, J.; Rinsland, P.; Perez, J.; Sorlie, S.; Parker, L.

2011-12-01

One of the objectives of the NASA Langley Research Center's MEaSURES project, "Creating a Unified Airborne Database for Model Assessment", is the development of airborne Earth System Data Records (ESDR) for the regional and global model assessment and validation activities performed by the tropospheric chemistry and climate modeling communities. The ongoing development of ADAM, a web site designed to access a unified, standardized and relational ESDR database, meets this objective. The ESDR database is derived from publically available data sets, from NASA airborne field studies to airborne and in-situ studies sponsored by NOAA, NSF, and numerous international partners. The ADAM web development activities provide an opportunity to highlight a growing synergy between the Airborne Science Data for Atmospheric Composition (ASD-AC) group at NASA Langley and the NASA Langley's Atmospheric Sciences Data Center (ASDC). These teams will collaborate on the ADAM web application by leveraging the state-of-the-art service and message-oriented data distribution architecture developed and implemented by ASDC and using a web-based tool provided by the ASD-AC group whose user interface accommodates the nuanced perspective of science users in the atmospheric chemistry and composition and climate modeling communities.

Everyday Inclusive Web Design: An Activity Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kane, Shaun K.

2007-01-01

Introduction: Website accessibility is a problem that affects millions of people with disabilities. While most current accessibility initiatives target government or commercial sites, a growing segment of online content is being created by non-professionals. This content is often inaccessible to users with disabilities. Everyday inclusive Web…

78 FR 23756 - Proposed Collection; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-22

... organization's Web site, www.dodig.mil and those engaged by public affairs and social media initiatives. This... of public affairs and social media outreach. Data collections will be in the form of brief online... Strategy Requirements. Social Media Outreach--Querying users on social media preferences in order to...

77 FR 43045 - Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-23

... Physical Activity Assessment Information. OMB Control Number: 0584-0535. Summary of Collection: The U.S... diet and physical activity choices. Users voluntarily go to the ChooseMyPlate.gov Web site to submit... individual food intake and physical activity status. Description of Respondents: Individual or households...

Incorporating a Human-Computer Interaction Course into Software Development Curriculums

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Janicki, Thomas N.; Cummings, Jeffrey; Healy, R. Joseph

2015-01-01

Individuals have increasing options on retrieving information related to hardware and software. Specific hardware devices include desktops, tablets and smart devices. Also, the number of software applications has significantly increased the user's capability to access data. Software applications include the traditional web site, smart device…

Scale-Independent Relational Query Processing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Armbrust, Michael Paul

2013-01-01

An increasingly common pattern is for newly-released web applications to succumb to a "Success Disaster". In this scenario, overloaded database machines and resultant high response times destroy a previously good user experience, just as a site is becoming popular. Unfortunately, the data independence provided by a traditional relational…

GMODWeb: a web framework for the generic model organism database

PubMed Central

O'Connor, Brian D; Day, Allen; Cain, Scott; Arnaiz, Olivier; Sperling, Linda; Stein, Lincoln D

2008-01-01

The Generic Model Organism Database (GMOD) initiative provides species-agnostic data models and software tools for representing curated model organism data. Here we describe GMODWeb, a GMOD project designed to speed the development of model organism database (MOD) websites. Sites created with GMODWeb provide integration with other GMOD tools and allow users to browse and search through a variety of data types. GMODWeb was built using the open source Turnkey web framework and is available from . PMID:18570664

Adding and Removing Web Area Users, and Changing User Roles

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Webmasters can add users to a web area, and assign or change roles, which define the actions a user is able to take in the web area. Non-webmasters must use a request form to add users and change roles.

AAVSO Target Tool: A Web-Based Service for Tracking Variable Star Observations (Abstract)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burger, D.; Stassun, K. G.; Barnes, C.; Kafka, S.; Beck, S.; Li, K.

2018-06-01

(Abstract only) The AAVSO Target Tool is a web-based interface for bringing stars in need of observation to the attention of AAVSOís network of amateur and professional astronomers. The site currently tracks over 700 targets of interest, collecting data from them on a regular basis from AAVSOís servers and sorting them based on priority. While the target tool does not require a login, users can obtain visibility times for each target by signing up and entering a telescope location. Other key features of the site include filtering by AAVSO observing section, sorting by different variable types, formatting the data for printing, and exporting the data to a CSV file. The AAVSO Target Tool builds upon seven years of experience developing web applications for astronomical data analysis, most notably on Filtergraph (Burger, D., et al. 2013, Astronomical Data Analysis Software and Systems XXII, Astronomical Society of the Pacific, San Francisco, 399), and is built using the web2py web framework based on the python programming language. The target tool is available at http://filtergraph.com/aavso.

Dynamic "inline" images: context-sensitive retrieval and integration of images into Web documents.

PubMed

Kahn, Charles E

2008-09-01

Integrating relevant images into web-based information resources adds value for research and education. This work sought to evaluate the feasibility of using "Web 2.0" technologies to dynamically retrieve and integrate pertinent images into a radiology web site. An online radiology reference of 1,178 textual web documents was selected as the set of target documents. The ARRS GoldMiner image search engine, which incorporated 176,386 images from 228 peer-reviewed journals, retrieved images on demand and integrated them into the documents. At least one image was retrieved in real-time for display as an "inline" image gallery for 87% of the web documents. Each thumbnail image was linked to the full-size image at its original web site. Review of 20 randomly selected Collaborative Hypertext of Radiology documents found that 69 of 72 displayed images (96%) were relevant to the target document. Users could click on the "More" link to search the image collection more comprehensively and, from there, link to the full text of the article. A gallery of relevant radiology images can be inserted easily into web pages on any web server. Indexing by concepts and keywords allows context-aware image retrieval, and searching by document title and subject metadata yields excellent results. These techniques allow web developers to incorporate easily a context-sensitive image gallery into their documents.

Electronic Cigarette Marketing Online: a Multi-Site, Multi-Product Comparison.

PubMed

Chu, Kar-Hai; Sidhu, Anupreet K; Valente, Thomas W

2015-01-01

Electronic cigarette awareness and use has been increasing rapidly. E-cigarette brands have utilized social networking sites to promote their products, as the growth of the e-cigarette industry has paralleled that of Web 2.0. These online platforms are cost-effective and have unique technological features and user demographics that can be attractive for selective marketing. The popularity of multiple sites also poses a risk of exposure to social networks where e-cigarette brands might not have a presence. To examine the marketing strategies of leading e-cigarette brands on multiple social networking sites, and to identify how affordances of the digital media are used to their advantage. Secondary analyses include determining if any brands are benefitting from site demographics, and exploring cross-site diffusion of marketing content through multi-site users. We collected data from two e-cigarette brands from four social networking sites over approximately 2.5 years. Content analysis is used to search for themes, population targeting, marketing strategies, and cross-site spread of messages. Twitter appeared to be the most frequently used social networking site for interacting directly with product users. Facebook supported informational broadcasts, such as announcements regarding political legislation. E-cigarette brands also differed in their approaches to their users, from informal conversations to direct product marketing. E-cigarette makers use different strategies to market their product and engage their users. There was no evidence of direct targeting of vulnerable populations, but the affordances of the different sites are exploited to best broadcast context-specific messages. We developed a viable method to study cross-site diffusion, although additional refinement is needed to account for how different types of digital media are used.

Electronic Cigarette Marketing Online: a Multi-Site, Multi-Product Comparison

PubMed Central

Sidhu, Anupreet K; Valente, Thomas W

2015-01-01

Background Electronic cigarette awareness and use has been increasing rapidly. E-cigarette brands have utilized social networking sites to promote their products, as the growth of the e-cigarette industry has paralleled that of Web 2.0. These online platforms are cost-effective and have unique technological features and user demographics that can be attractive for selective marketing. The popularity of multiple sites also poses a risk of exposure to social networks where e-cigarette brands might not have a presence. Objective To examine the marketing strategies of leading e-cigarette brands on multiple social networking sites, and to identify how affordances of the digital media are used to their advantage. Secondary analyses include determining if any brands are benefitting from site demographics, and exploring cross-site diffusion of marketing content through multi-site users. Methods We collected data from two e-cigarette brands from four social networking sites over approximately 2.5 years. Content analysis is used to search for themes, population targeting, marketing strategies, and cross-site spread of messages. Results Twitter appeared to be the most frequently used social networking site for interacting directly with product users. Facebook supported informational broadcasts, such as announcements regarding political legislation. E-cigarette brands also differed in their approaches to their users, from informal conversations to direct product marketing. Conclusions E-cigarette makers use different strategies to market their product and engage their users. There was no evidence of direct targeting of vulnerable populations, but the affordances of the different sites are exploited to best broadcast context-specific messages. We developed a viable method to study cross-site diffusion, although additional refinement is needed to account for how different types of digital media are used. PMID:27227129

SVAw - a web-based application tool for automated surrogate variable analysis of gene expression studies

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Surrogate variable analysis (SVA) is a powerful method to identify, estimate, and utilize the components of gene expression heterogeneity due to unknown and/or unmeasured technical, genetic, environmental, or demographic factors. These sources of heterogeneity are common in gene expression studies, and failing to incorporate them into the analysis can obscure results. Using SVA increases the biological accuracy and reproducibility of gene expression studies by identifying these sources of heterogeneity and correctly accounting for them in the analysis. Results Here we have developed a web application called SVAw (Surrogate variable analysis Web app) that provides a user friendly interface for SVA analyses of genome-wide expression studies. The software has been developed based on open source bioconductor SVA package. In our software, we have extended the SVA program functionality in three aspects: (i) the SVAw performs a fully automated and user friendly analysis workflow; (ii) It calculates probe/gene Statistics for both pre and post SVA analysis and provides a table of results for the regression of gene expression on the primary variable of interest before and after correcting for surrogate variables; and (iii) it generates a comprehensive report file, including graphical comparison of the outcome for the user. Conclusions SVAw is a web server freely accessible solution for the surrogate variant analysis of high-throughput datasets and facilitates removing all unwanted and unknown sources of variation. It is freely available for use at http://psychiatry.igm.jhmi.edu/sva. The executable packages for both web and standalone application and the instruction for installation can be downloaded from our web site. PMID:23497726

Social Network Privacy: Overcoming Facebook Policies that put Users at Risk

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-01-01

risks. The Rise of Facebook Facebook is one of the largest web sites in the world. The site was started in 2004 by Mark Zucker- berg when he was...sites collect. Aggregation of Facebook Data Could a more sophisticated aggregation of Facebook data allow privacy to be exposed? Facebook CEO Mark ... Zuckerberg says he is providing “the power to share in or- der to make the world more open…” Facebook’s advanced search allows one to query the

Concept Mapping as a Support for Mars Landing-Site Selection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cabrol, Nathalie A.; Briggs, Geoffrey A.

1999-01-01

The NASA Ames' Center for Mars Exploration (CMEX) serves to coordinate Mars programmatic research at ARC in the sciences, in information technology and in aero-assist and other technologies. Most recently, CMEX has been working with the Institute for Human and Machine Cognition at the University of West Florida to develop a new kind of web browser based on the application of concept maps. These Cmaps, which are demonstrably effective in science teaching, can be used to provide a new kind of information navigation tool that can make web or CD based information more meaningful and more easily navigable. CMEX expects that its 1999 CD-ROM will have this new user interface. CMEX is also engaged with the Mars Surveyor Project Office at JPL in developing an Internet-based source of materials to support the process of selecting landing sites for the next series of Mars landers. This activity -- identifying the most promising sites from which to return samples relevant to the search for evidence of life -- is one that is expected to engage the general public as well as the science community. To make the landing site data easily accessible and meaningful to the public, CMEX is planning to use the IHMC Cmap browser as its user interface.

The New Face of FLUXNET: Redesigning the Web Site and Data Organization to Enhance the User Experience

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shanafield, Harold; Shamblin, Stephanie; Devarakonda, Ranjeet; McMurry, Ben; Walker Beaty, Tammy; Wilson, Bruce; Cook, Robert B.

2011-02-01

The FLUXNET global network of regional flux tower networks serves to coordinate the regional and global analysis of eddy covariance based CO2, water vapor and energy flux measurements taken at more than 500 sites in continuous long-term operation. The FLUXNET database presently contains information about the location, characteristics, and data availability of each of these sites. To facilitate the coordination and distribution of this information, we redesigned the underlying database and associated web site. We chose the PostgreSQL database as a platform based on its performance, stability and GIS extensions. PostreSQL allows us to enhance our search and presentation capabilities, which will in turn provide increased functionality for users seeking to understand the FLUXNET data. The redesigned database will also significantly decrease the burden of managing such highly varied data. The website is being developed using the Drupal content management system, which provides many community-developed modules and a robust framework for custom feature development. In parallel, we are working with the regional networks to ensure that the information in the FLUXNET database is identical to that in the regional networks. Going forward, we also plan to develop an automated way to synchronize information with the regional networks.

Allocation of DSST in the New implementation of Tastrodyweb Tools Web-site

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

San Juan, J. F.; Lara, M.; López, R.; López, L. M.; Weeden, B.; Cefola, P. J.

2012-09-01

The Draper Semianalytic Satellite Theory (DSST) is a semianalytic orbit propagator, which was carried out on Fortran to run from a command line interface. The construction of DSST began at the Computer Sciences Corporation and continued at the Draper Laboratory in the late 1970's and early 1980's. There are two versions of this application. One of them can be found as an option within the Goddard Trajectory Determination System (GTDS), whereas the other is available as a Standalone Orbit Propagator Package. Both versions are constantly evolving and updating. This constant evolution and updating allows DSST to take into account a wide variety of perturbation forces, which can be selected by means of a non-trivial options system at run time, and makes DSST a useful tool for performing short-term high accuracy orbit determination as well as long-term evolution. DSST has been included as part of an open source project for Space Situational Awareness and space object catalog work. On the last IAC 2011 a first step was taken in this sense and DSST was included on the tastrody Web-Site prototype [3, 4], which provided DSST with a friendly web interface, thus simplifying its use for both expert and non-expert users. However, this prototype has evolved into a stable platform based on the Drupal open source content management system (http://drupal.org Drupal), which simplifies the integration of our own application server. Drupal is supported by a large group of developers and users. Furthermore, a significant number of web-sites have been created using Drupal. In this work we present the integration of DSST in the new web-site, the new facilities provide by this platform to create the research community based on DSST and the comparison tests between the GTDS DSST, DSST Standalone and DSST Web version. These tests will be available in order to facilitate the user with better understanding of DSST. REFERENCES [1] J. G. Neelon, P. J. Cefola, and R. J. Proulx, Current Development of the Draper Semianalytical Satellite Theory Standalone Orbit Propagator Package", AAS Pre-print 97-731, presented at the AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Conference, Sun Valley, ID, August 1997. [2] P. J. Cefola, D. Phillion, and K. S. Kim, Improving Access to the Semi-Analytical Satellite Theory, AAS 09-341, presented at the AAS/AIAA Astrodynamic Specialist Conference, Pittsburgh, PA, August 2009. [3] P. J. Cefola, B. Weeden and C. Levit, Open Source Software Suite for Space Situational Awareness and Space Object Catalog Work, 4th International Conference on Astrodynamics Tools Techniques, Madrid, Spain, 3-6 May 2010. [4] J. F. San Juan, R. López and I. Pérez, Nonlinear Dynamics Web Tools, 4th International Conference on Astrodynamics Tools Techniques, Madrid, Spain, 3-6 May 2010. [5] J. F. San Juan, M. Lara, R. López. L. M. López, B. Weeden and P. J. Cefola, Using the DSST Semi-Analytical Orbit. Propagator Package via the NondyWebTools/. AstrodyWebTools. Proceedings of 62nd International Astronautical Congress, Cape Town, SA., 2011.

The Semantic Web: From Representation to Realization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thórisson, Kristinn R.; Spivack, Nova; Wissner, James M.

A semantically-linked web of electronic information - the Semantic Web - promises numerous benefits including increased precision in automated information sorting, searching, organizing and summarizing. Realizing this requires significantly more reliable meta-information than is readily available today. It also requires a better way to represent information that supports unified management of diverse data and diverse Manipulation methods: from basic keywords to various types of artificial intelligence, to the highest level of intelligent manipulation - the human mind. How this is best done is far from obvious. Relying solely on hand-crafted annotation and ontologies, or solely on artificial intelligence techniques, seems less likely for success than a combination of the two. In this paper describe an integrated, complete solution to these challenges that has already been implemented and tested with hundreds of thousands of users. It is based on an ontological representational level we call SemCards that combines ontological rigour with flexible user interface constructs. SemCards are machine- and human-readable digital entities that allow non-experts to create and use semantic content, while empowering machines to better assist and participate in the process. SemCards enable users to easily create semantically-grounded data that in turn acts as examples for automation processes, creating a positive iterative feedback loop of metadata creation and refinement between user and machine. They provide a holistic solution to the Semantic Web, supporting powerful management of the full lifecycle of data, including its creation, retrieval, classification, sorting and sharing. We have implemented the SemCard technology on the semantic Web site Twine.com, showing that the technology is indeed versatile and scalable. Here we present the key ideas behind SemCards and describe the initial implementation of the technology.

Satellite Contamination and Materials Outgassing Knowledgebase - An Interactive Database Reference

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Green, D. B.; Burns, Dewitt (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

The goal of this program is to collect at one site much of the knowledge accumulated about the outgassing properties of aerospace materials based on ground testing, the effects of this outgassing observed on spacecraft in flight, and the broader contamination environment measured by instruments on-orbit. We believe that this Web site will help move contamination a step forward, away from anecdotal folklore toward engineering discipline. Our hope is that once operational, this site will form a nucleus for information exchange, that users will not only take information from our knowledge base, but also provide new information from ground testing and space missions, expanding and increasing the value of this site to all. We urge Government and industry users to endorse this approach that will reduce redundant testing, reduce unnecessary delays, permit uniform comparisons, and permit informed decisions.

Capturing Trust in Social Web Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Donovan, John

The Social Web constitutes a shift in information flow from the traditional Web. Previously, content was provided by the owners of a website, for consumption by the end-user. Nowadays, these websites are being replaced by Social Web applications which are frameworks for the publication of user-provided content. Traditionally, Web content could be `trusted' to some extent based on the site it originated from. Algorithms such as Google's PageRank were (and still are) used to compute the importance of a website, based on analysis of underlying link topology. In the Social Web, analysis of link topology merely tells us about the importance of the information framework which hosts the content. Consumers of information still need to know about the importance/reliability of the content they are reading, and therefore about the reliability of the producers of that content. Research into trust and reputation of the producers of information in the Social Web is still very much in its infancy. Every day, people are forced to make trusting decisions about strangers on the Web based on a very limited amount of information. For example, purchasing a product from an eBay seller with a `reputation' of 99%, downloading a file from a peer-to-peer application such as Bit-Torrent, or allowing Amazon.com tell you what products you will like. Even something as simple as reading comments on a Web-blog requires the consumer to make a trusting decision about the quality of that information. In all of these example cases, and indeed throughout the Social Web, there is a pressing demand for increased information upon which we can make trusting decisions. This chapter examines the diversity of sources from which trust information can be harnessed within Social Web applications and discusses a high level classification of those sources. Three different techniques for harnessing and using trust from a range of sources are presented. These techniques are deployed in two sample Social Web applications—a recommender system and an online auction. In all cases, it is shown that harnessing an increased amount of information upon which to make trust decisions greatly enhances the user experience with the Social Web application.

MODEST: a web-based design tool for oligonucleotide-mediated genome engineering and recombineering

PubMed Central

Bonde, Mads T.; Klausen, Michael S.; Anderson, Mads V.; Wallin, Annika I.N.; Wang, Harris H.; Sommer, Morten O.A.

2014-01-01

Recombineering and multiplex automated genome engineering (MAGE) offer the possibility to rapidly modify multiple genomic or plasmid sites at high efficiencies. This enables efficient creation of genetic variants including both single mutants with specifically targeted modifications as well as combinatorial cell libraries. Manual design of oligonucleotides for these approaches can be tedious, time-consuming, and may not be practical for larger projects targeting many genomic sites. At present, the change from a desired phenotype (e.g. altered expression of a specific protein) to a designed MAGE oligo, which confers the corresponding genetic change, is performed manually. To address these challenges, we have developed the MAGE Oligo Design Tool (MODEST). This web-based tool allows designing of MAGE oligos for (i) tuning translation rates by modifying the ribosomal binding site, (ii) generating translational gene knockouts and (iii) introducing other coding or non-coding mutations, including amino acid substitutions, insertions, deletions and point mutations. The tool automatically designs oligos based on desired genotypic or phenotypic changes defined by the user, which can be used for high efficiency recombineering and MAGE. MODEST is available for free and is open to all users at http://modest.biosustain.dtu.dk. PMID:24838561

Persuasive features in web-based alcohol and smoking interventions: a systematic review of the literature.

PubMed

Lehto, Tuomas; Oinas-Kukkonen, Harri

2011-07-22

In the past decade, the use of technologies to persuade, motivate, and activate individuals' health behavior change has been a quickly expanding field of research. The use of the Web for delivering interventions has been especially relevant. Current research tends to reveal little about the persuasive features and mechanisms embedded in Web-based interventions targeting health behavior change. The purpose of this systematic review was to extract and analyze persuasive system features in Web-based interventions for substance use by applying the persuasive systems design (PSD) model. In more detail, the main objective was to provide an overview of the persuasive features within current Web-based interventions for substance use. We conducted electronic literature searches in various databases to identify randomized controlled trials of Web-based interventions for substance use published January 1, 2004, through December 31, 2009, in English. We extracted and analyzed persuasive system features of the included Web-based interventions using interpretive categorization. The primary task support components were utilized and reported relatively widely in the reviewed studies. Reduction, self-monitoring, simulation, and personalization seem to be the most used features to support accomplishing user's primary task. This is an encouraging finding since reduction and self-monitoring can be considered key elements for supporting users to carry out their primary tasks. The utilization of tailoring was at a surprisingly low level. The lack of tailoring may imply that the interventions are targeted for too broad an audience. Leveraging reminders was the most common way to enhance the user-system dialogue. Credibility issues are crucial in website engagement as users will bind with sites they perceive credible and navigate away from those they do not find credible. Based on the textual descriptions of the interventions, we cautiously suggest that most of them were credible. The prevalence of social support in the reviewed interventions was encouraging. Understanding the persuasive elements of systems supporting behavior change is important. This may help users to engage and keep motivated in their endeavors. Further research is needed to increase our understanding of how and under what conditions specific persuasive features (either in isolation or collectively) lead to positive health outcomes in Web-based health behavior change interventions across diverse health contexts and populations.

An Exploratory Study of User Searching of the World Wide Web: A Holistic Approach.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Peiling; Tenopir, Carol; Laymman, Elizabeth; Penniman, David; Collins, Shawn

1998-01-01

Examines Web users' behaviors and needs and tests a methodology for studying users' interaction with the Web. A process-tracing technique, together with tests of cognitive style, anxiety levels, and self-report computer experience, provided data on how users interact with the Web in the process of finding factual information. (Author/AEF)

A Survey and Empirical Study of Virtual Reference Service in Academic Libraries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mu, Xiangming; Dimitroff, Alexandra; Jordan, Jeanette; Burclaff, Natalie

2011-01-01

Virtual Reference Services (VRS) have high user satisfaction. The main problem is its low usage. We surveyed 100 academic library web sites to understand how VRS are presented. We then conducted a usability study to further test an active VRS model regarding its effectiveness.

Imagining Tomorrow's Future Today

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

St. George, Art

2007-01-01

Today, at the end of 2007, there are evident consolidations in wireless, storage, and virtualization and the path forward seems clearer now than previously. Trends from last year continue strongly, particularly Web 2.0 and the shift to user-driven environments and Internet sites where significant data and video processing is available to those…

Your School's Web Site-A Powerful Tool for Marketing.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Say, Michael W.; Collier, Karen J.; Hoya, Charlotte, G.

2001-01-01

A successful marketing plan requires a conceptual framework, the ability to target an audience effectively, and the strategy for positioning the school organization appropriately. A website can be a powerful marketing tool if it focuses on what users want and provides it in an organized, accessible fashion. (MLH)

Virtual Service, Real Data: Results of a Pilot Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kibbee, Jo; Ward, David; Ma, Wei

2002-01-01

Describes a pilot project at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign reference and undergraduate libraries to test the feasibility of offering real-time online reference service via their Web site. Discusses software selection, policies and procedures, promotion and marketing, user interface, training and staffing, data collection, and…

YouTube as a Qualitative Research Asset: Reviewing User Generated Videos as Learning Resources

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chenail, Ronald J.

2011-01-01

YouTube, the video hosting service, offers students, teachers, and practitioners of qualitative researchers a unique reservoir of video clips introducing basic qualitative research concepts, sharing qualitative data from interviews and field observations, and presenting completed research studies. This web-based site also affords qualitative…

Visual Literacy in Instructional Design Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ervine, Michelle D.

2016-01-01

In this technologically advanced environment, users have become highly visual, with television, videos, web sites and images dominating the learning environment. These new forms of searching and learning are changing the perspective of what it means to be literate. Literacy can no longer solely rely on text-based materials, but should also…

Archive & Data Management Activities for ISRO Science Archives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thakkar, Navita; Moorthi, Manthira; Gopala Krishna, Barla; Prashar, Ajay; Srinivasan, T. P.

2012-07-01

ISRO has kept a step ahead by extending remote sensing missions to planetary and astronomical exploration. It has started with Chandrayaan-1 and successfully completed the moon imaging during its life time in the orbit. Now, in future ISRO is planning to launch Chandrayaan-2 (next moon mission), Mars Mission and Astronomical mission ASTROSAT. All these missions are characterized by the need to receive process, archive and disseminate the acquired science data to the user community for analysis and scientific use. All these science missions will last for a few months to a few years but the data received are required to be archived, interoperable and requires a seamless access to the user community for the future. ISRO has laid out definite plans to archive these data sets in specified standards and develop relevant access tools to be able to serve the user community. To achieve this goal, a Data Center is set up at Bangalore called Indian Space Science Data Center (ISSDC). This is the custodian of all the data sets of the current and future science missions of ISRO . Chandrayaan-1 is the first among the planetary missions launched/to be launched by ISRO and we had taken the challenge and developed a system for data archival and dissemination of the payload data received. For Chandrayaan-1 the data collected from all the instruments are processed and is archived in the archive layer in the Planetary Data System (PDS 3.0) standards, through the automated pipeline. But the dataset once stored is of no use unless it is made public, which requires a Web-based dissemination system that can be accessible to all the planetary scientists/data users working in this field. Towards this, a Web- based Browse and Dissemination system has been developed, wherein users can register and search for their area of Interest and view the data archived for TMC & HYSI with relevant Browse chips and Metadata of the data. Users can also order the data and get it on their desktop in the PDS. For other AO payloads users can view the metadata and the data is available through FTP site. This same archival and dissemination strategy will be extended for the next moon mission Chandrayaan-2. ASTROSAT is going to be the first multi-wavelength astronomical mission for which the data is archived at ISSDC. It consists of five astronomical payloads that would allow simultaneous multi-wavelengths observations from X-ray to Ultra-Violet (UV) of astronomical objects. It is planned to archive the data sets in FITS. The archive of the ASTROSAT will be done in the Archive Layer at ISSDC. The Browse of the Archive will be available through the ISDA (Indian Science Data Archive) web site. The Browse will be IVOA compliant with a search mechanism using VOTable. The data will be available to the users only on request basis via a FTP site after the lock in period is over. It is planned that the Level2 pipeline software and various modules for processing the data sets will be also available on the web site. This paper, describes the archival procedure of Chandrayaan-1 and archive plan for the ASTROSAT, Chandrayaan-2 and other future mission of ISRO including the discussion on data management activities.

A World Wide Web-based antimicrobial stewardship program improves efficiency, communication, and user satisfaction and reduces cost in a tertiary care pediatric medical center.

PubMed

Agwu, Allison L; Lee, Carlton K K; Jain, Sanjay K; Murray, Kara L; Topolski, Jason; Miller, Robert E; Townsend, Timothy; Lehmann, Christoph U

2008-09-15

Antimicrobial stewardship programs aim to reduce inappropriate hospital antimicrobial use. At the Johns Hopkins Children's Medical and Surgical Center (Baltimore, MD), we implemented a World Wide Web-based antimicrobial restriction program to address problems with the existing restriction program. A user survey identified opportunities for improvement of an existing antimicrobial restriction program and resulted in subsequent design, implementation, and evaluation of a World Wide Web-based antimicrobial restriction program at a 175-bed, tertiary care pediatric teaching hospital. The program provided automated clinical decision support, facilitated approval, and enhanced real-time communication among prescribers, pharmacists, and pediatric infectious diseases fellows. Approval status, duration, and rationale; missing request notifications; and expiring approvals were stored in a database that is accessible via a secure Intranet site. Before and after implementation of the program, user satisfaction, reports of missed and/or delayed doses, antimicrobial dispensing times, and cost were evaluated. After implementation of the program, there was a $370,069 reduction in projected annual cost associated with restricted antimicrobial use and an 11.6% reduction in the number of dispensed doses. User satisfaction increased from 22% to 68% and from 13% to 69% among prescribers and pharmacists, respectively. There were 21% and 32% reductions in the number of prescriber reports of missed and delayed doses, respectively, and there was a 37% reduction in the number of pharmacist reports of delayed approvals; measured dispensing times were unchanged (P = .24). In addition, 40% fewer restricted antimicrobial-related phone calls were noted by the pharmacy. The World Wide Web-based antimicrobial approval program led to improved communication, more-efficient antimicrobial administration, increased user satisfaction, and significant cost savings. Integrated tools, such as this World Wide Web-based antimicrobial approval program, will effectively enhance antimicrobial stewardship programs.

VisBOL: Web-Based Tools for Synthetic Biology Design Visualization.

PubMed

McLaughlin, James Alastair; Pocock, Matthew; Mısırlı, Göksel; Madsen, Curtis; Wipat, Anil

2016-08-19

VisBOL is a Web-based application that allows the rendering of genetic circuit designs, enabling synthetic biologists to visually convey designs in SBOL visual format. VisBOL designs can be exported to formats including PNG and SVG images to be embedded in Web pages, presentations and publications. The VisBOL tool enables the automated generation of visualizations from designs specified using the Synthetic Biology Open Language (SBOL) version 2.0, as well as a range of well-known bioinformatics formats including GenBank and Pigeoncad notation. VisBOL is provided both as a user accessible Web site and as an open-source (BSD) JavaScript library that can be used to embed diagrams within other content and software.

Dr Google

PubMed Central

Pías-Peleteiro, Leticia; Cortés-Bordoy, Javier; Martinón-Torres, Federico

2013-01-01

Objectives: To assess and analyze the information and recommendations provided by Google Web Search™ (Google) in relation to web searches on the HPV vaccine, indications for females and males and possible adverse effects. Materials and Methods: Descriptive cross-sectional study of the results of 14 web searches. Comprehensive analysis of results based on general recommendation given (favorable/dissuasive), as well as compliance with pre-established criteria, namely design, content and credibility. Sub-analysis of results according to site category: general information, blog / forum and press. Results: In the comprehensive analysis of results, 72.2% of websites offer information favorable to HPV vaccination, with varying degrees of content detail, vs. 27.8% with highly dissuasive content in relation to HPV vaccination. The most frequent type of site is the blog or forum. The information found is frequently incomplete, poorly structured, and often lacking in updates, bibliography and adequate citations, as well as sound credibility criteria (scientific association accreditation and/or trust mark system). Conclusions: Google, as a tool which users employ to locate medical information and advice, is not specialized in providing information that is necessarily rigorous or valid from a scientific perspective. Search results and ranking based on Google's generalized algorithms can lead users to poorly grounded opinions and statements, which may impact HPV vaccination perception and subsequent decision making. PMID:23744505

New Jersey StreamStats: A web application for streamflow statistics and basin characteristics

USGS Publications Warehouse

Watson, Kara M.; Janowicz, Jon A.

2017-08-02

StreamStats is an interactive, map-based web application from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) that allows users to easily obtain streamflow statistics and watershed characteristics for both gaged and ungaged sites on streams throughout New Jersey. Users can determine flood magnitude and frequency, monthly flow-duration, monthly low-flow frequency statistics, and watershed characteristics for ungaged sites by selecting a point along a stream, or they can obtain this information for streamgages by selecting a streamgage location on the map. StreamStats provides several additional tools useful for water-resources planning and management, as well as for engineering purposes. StreamStats is available for most states and some river basins through a single web portal.Streamflow statistics for water resources professionals include the 1-percent annual chance flood flow (100-year peak flow) used to define flood plain areas and the monthly 7-day, 10-year low flow (M7D10Y) used in water supply management and studies of recreation, wildlife conservation, and wastewater dilution. Additionally, watershed or basin characteristics, including drainage area, percent area forested, and average percent of impervious areas, are commonly used in land-use planning and environmental assessments. These characteristics are easily derived through StreamStats.

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

PubMed

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

2017-11-15

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

Emergency department knowledge management in the age of Web 2.0: evaluation of a new concept.

PubMed

Dinh, Michael; Tan, Timothy; Bein, Kendall; Hayman, Jon; Wong, Yuk Kuen; Dinh, David

2011-02-01

The objective of the present study was to describe the implementation of an organizational learning model and evaluate the effectiveness and usability of an application used to facilitate it in an ED setting. This was an implementation case study and technology evaluation. The organizational learning model was implemented using an online Web 2.0 collaborative learning application developed by the investigating team. Online use was tracked over a 9-month period. At the end of the study period, a usability assessment was conducted as well as a semistructured interview of participants to assess perceptions of usefulness and effect on learning capacity in the ED. Over a period of 9 months, a total of 54 individual sites from 74 eligible staff members were created within a specific web domain. There were 251 registered users including users outside the ED, who accessed learning materials within these sites 7494 times. The majority of staff members interviewed agreed or strongly agreed that the collaborative learning application had improved learning capacity within this ED (88%, 95% CI 74-94%). We demonstrate the implementation of an organizational learning model based on independent online sites networking together within an organization. This appears to be both usable and acceptable to staff members working in a large ED as a means of knowledge management. © 2011 The Authors. EMA © 2011 Australasian College for Emergency Medicine and Australasian Society for Emergency Medicine.

CBRAIN: a web-based, distributed computing platform for collaborative neuroimaging research

PubMed Central

Sherif, Tarek; Rioux, Pierre; Rousseau, Marc-Etienne; Kassis, Nicolas; Beck, Natacha; Adalat, Reza; Das, Samir; Glatard, Tristan; Evans, Alan C.

2014-01-01

The Canadian Brain Imaging Research Platform (CBRAIN) is a web-based collaborative research platform developed in response to the challenges raised by data-heavy, compute-intensive neuroimaging research. CBRAIN offers transparent access to remote data sources, distributed computing sites, and an array of processing and visualization tools within a controlled, secure environment. Its web interface is accessible through any modern browser and uses graphical interface idioms to reduce the technical expertise required to perform large-scale computational analyses. CBRAIN's flexible meta-scheduling has allowed the incorporation of a wide range of heterogeneous computing sites, currently including nine national research High Performance Computing (HPC) centers in Canada, one in Korea, one in Germany, and several local research servers. CBRAIN leverages remote computing cycles and facilitates resource-interoperability in a transparent manner for the end-user. Compared with typical grid solutions available, our architecture was designed to be easily extendable and deployed on existing remote computing sites with no tool modification, administrative intervention, or special software/hardware configuration. As October 2013, CBRAIN serves over 200 users spread across 53 cities in 17 countries. The platform is built as a generic framework that can accept data and analysis tools from any discipline. However, its current focus is primarily on neuroimaging research and studies of neurological diseases such as Autism, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases, Multiple Sclerosis as well as on normal brain structure and development. This technical report presents the CBRAIN Platform, its current deployment and usage and future direction. PMID:24904400

CBRAIN: a web-based, distributed computing platform for collaborative neuroimaging research.

PubMed

Sherif, Tarek; Rioux, Pierre; Rousseau, Marc-Etienne; Kassis, Nicolas; Beck, Natacha; Adalat, Reza; Das, Samir; Glatard, Tristan; Evans, Alan C

2014-01-01

The Canadian Brain Imaging Research Platform (CBRAIN) is a web-based collaborative research platform developed in response to the challenges raised by data-heavy, compute-intensive neuroimaging research. CBRAIN offers transparent access to remote data sources, distributed computing sites, and an array of processing and visualization tools within a controlled, secure environment. Its web interface is accessible through any modern browser and uses graphical interface idioms to reduce the technical expertise required to perform large-scale computational analyses. CBRAIN's flexible meta-scheduling has allowed the incorporation of a wide range of heterogeneous computing sites, currently including nine national research High Performance Computing (HPC) centers in Canada, one in Korea, one in Germany, and several local research servers. CBRAIN leverages remote computing cycles and facilitates resource-interoperability in a transparent manner for the end-user. Compared with typical grid solutions available, our architecture was designed to be easily extendable and deployed on existing remote computing sites with no tool modification, administrative intervention, or special software/hardware configuration. As October 2013, CBRAIN serves over 200 users spread across 53 cities in 17 countries. The platform is built as a generic framework that can accept data and analysis tools from any discipline. However, its current focus is primarily on neuroimaging research and studies of neurological diseases such as Autism, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases, Multiple Sclerosis as well as on normal brain structure and development. This technical report presents the CBRAIN Platform, its current deployment and usage and future direction.

Incorporating Web 2.0 Technologies from an Organizational Perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Owens, R.

2009-12-01

The Arctic Research Consortium of the United States (ARCUS) provides support for the organization, facilitation, and dissemination of online educational and scientific materials and information to a wide range of stakeholders. ARCUS is currently weaving the fabric of Web 2.0 technologies—web development featuring interactive information sharing and user-centered design—into its structure, both as a tool for information management and for educational outreach. The importance of planning, developing, and maintaining a cohesive online platform in order to integrate data storage and dissemination will be discussed in this presentation, as well as some specific open source technologies and tools currently available, including: ○ Content Management: Any system set up to manage the content of web sites and services. Drupal is a content management system, built in a modular fashion allowing for a powerful set of features including, but not limited to weblogs, forums, event calendars, polling, and more. ○ Faceted Search: Combined with full text indexing, faceted searching allows site visitors to locate information quickly and then provides a set of 'filters' with which to narrow the search results. Apache Solr is a search server with a web-services like API (Application programming interface) that has built in support for faceted searching. ○ Semantic Web: The semantic web refers to the ongoing evolution of the World Wide Web as it begins to incorporate semantic components, which aid in processing requests. OpenCalais is a web service that uses natural language processing, along with other methods, in order to extract meaningful 'tags' from your content. This metadata can then be used to connect people, places, and things throughout your website, enriching the surfing experience for the end user. ○ Web Widgets: A web widget is a portable 'piece of code' that can be embedded easily into web pages by an end user. Timeline is a widget developed as part of the SIMILE project at MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) for displaying time-based events in a clean, horizontal timeline display. Numerous standards, applications, and 3rd party integration services are also available for use in today's Web 2.0 environment. In addition to a cohesive online platform, the following tools can improve networking, information sharing, and increased scientific and educational collaboration: ○ Facebook (Fan pages, social networking, etc) ○ Twitter/Twitterfeed (Automatic updates in 3 steps) ○ Mobify.me (Mobile web) ○ Wimba, Adobe Connect, etc (real time conferencing) Increasingly, the scientific community is being asked to share data and information within and outside disciplines, with K-12 students, and with members of the public and policy-makers. Web 2.0 technologies can easily be set up and utilized to share data and other information to specific audiences in real time, and their simplicity ensures their increasing use by the science community in years to come.

Designing Effective Web Forms for Older Web Users

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Hui; Rau, Pei-Luen Patrick; Fujimura, Kaori; Gao, Qin; Wang, Lin

2012-01-01

This research aims to provide insight for web form design for older users. The effects of task complexity and information structure of web forms on older users' performance were examined. Forty-eight older participants with abundant computer and web experience were recruited. The results showed significant differences in task time and error rate…

EMB6/481: Evidence-Based Patient Education on the Web: Methods and studies for determining consumers' needs

PubMed Central

Eysenbach, G; Fartasch, D; Diepgen, TL

1999-01-01

Introduction On the Internet, thousands of medical Web sites aim to educate consumers in the field of health. The quality of the educational material for patients varies greatly and is rarely "evidence-based" - not only in terms of the scientific accuracy but also in terms of sometimes questionable appropriateness for the target group. Material boring the reader with facts already known to him/her and failing to address common questions or misunderstandings will most likely fail to reach its aims. Conventional studies to determine the information needs of patients and their relatives are expensive and difficult to conduct. At our dermatology portal site we conducted two separate studies using two different approaches to determine the "needs" of the consumers by using both most commonly used "feedback channels" the Internet has to offer: Emails and Web forms. Methods In the first study, we systematically reviewed 209 unsolicited emails we received from consumers in response to our dermatology Web site, analyzing their contents in respect to previous contacts with live physicians, disease duration, level of frustration expressed in the e-mails, and type of information sought. In another study, we developed a web-based questionnaire as a "pre-test" to determine the knowledge level of patients visiting a patient education site on atopic eczema. The "pre-test" is a form-based "quiz", users are asked to voluntarily complete this questionnaire before entering the information system. The quiz contains 24 statements about atopic eczema, which the user should mark as "true" or "untrue". Once completed, answers are stored in a database and the system generates a dynamic, customized page for the user with explanations and hyperlinks to the respective Web pages which contain further information about the respective items. Results Analysis of the 209 emails revealed that many dermatologic patients surfing the Internet and requesting tele-advice have a chronic disease (81%) and seek a second opinion. Seventeen percent express frustration about previous encounters with live physicians. 40% of all e-mails could have been answered by a librarian. In at least 5 instances patients attempt self-diagnosis. Analysis of 1010 responses to the quiz, entered within 5 months (27.2.-27.7.98), revealed some common misunderstandings among patients with atopic eczema, for example that it is a psychosomatic disease or "disease of the nerves", that a special diet is principally required and that AE is an allergy (which is an especially common misunderstanding among parents!). Discussion The studies demonstrate how easy, fast and cost-effectively the information needs of patients and consumers can be determined using interactive venues on the Internet and give some insights into the motivation of consumers to consult the Internet.

Arctic Research Mapping Application (ARMAP): 2D Maps and 3D Globes Support Arctic Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, G.; Gaylord, A. G.; Brady, J. J.; Cody, R. P.; Aguilar, J. A.; Dover, M.; Garcia-Lavigne, D.; Manley, W.; Score, R.; Tweedie, C. E.

2007-12-01

The Arctic Research Mapping Application (ARMAP) is a suite of online services to provide support of Arctic science. These services include: a text based online search utility, 2D Internet Map Server (IMS); 3D globes and Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) Web Map Services (WMS). With ARMAP's 2D maps and 3D globes, users can navigate to areas of interest, view a variety of map layers, and explore U.S. Federally funded research projects. Projects can be queried by location, year, funding program, discipline, and keyword. Links take you to specific information and other web sites associated with a particular research project. The Arctic Research Logistics Support Service (ARLSS) database is the foundation of ARMAP including US research funded by the National Science Foundation, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the United States Geological Survey. Avoiding a duplication of effort has been a primary objective of the ARMAP project which incorporates best practices (e.g. Spatial Data Infrastructure and OGC standard web services and metadata) and off the shelf technologies where appropriate. The ARMAP suite provides tools for users of various levels of technical ability to interact with the data by importing the web services directly into their own GIS applications and virtual globes; performing advanced GIS queries; simply printing maps from a set of predefined images in the map gallery; browsing the layers in an IMS; or by choosing to "fly to" sites using a 3D globe. With special emphasis on the International Polar Year (IPY), ARMAP has targeted science planners, scientists, educators, and the general public. In sum, ARMAP goes beyond a simple map display to enable analysis, synthesis, and coordination of Arctic research. ARMAP may be accessed via the gateway web site at http://www.armap.org.

A Job Monitoring and Accounting Tool for the LSF Batch System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarkar, Subir; Taneja, Sonia

2011-12-01

This paper presents a web based job monitoring and group-and-user accounting tool for the LSF Batch System. The user oriented job monitoring displays a simple and compact quasi real-time overview of the batch farm for both local and Grid jobs. For Grid jobs the Distinguished Name (DN) of the Grid users is shown. The overview monitor provides the most up-to-date status of a batch farm at any time. The accounting tool works with the LSF accounting log files. The accounting information is shown for a few pre-defined time periods by default. However, one can also compute the same information for any arbitrary time window. The tool already proved to be an extremely useful means to validate more extensive accounting tools available in the Grid world. Several sites have already been using the present tool and more sites running the LSF batch system have shown interest. We shall discuss the various aspects that make the tool essential for site administrators and end-users alike and outline the current status of development as well as future plans.

TrawlerWeb: an online de novo motif discovery tool for next-generation sequencing datasets.

PubMed

Dang, Louis T; Tondl, Markus; Chiu, Man Ho H; Revote, Jerico; Paten, Benedict; Tano, Vincent; Tokolyi, Alex; Besse, Florence; Quaife-Ryan, Greg; Cumming, Helen; Drvodelic, Mark J; Eichenlaub, Michael P; Hallab, Jeannette C; Stolper, Julian S; Rossello, Fernando J; Bogoyevitch, Marie A; Jans, David A; Nim, Hieu T; Porrello, Enzo R; Hudson, James E; Ramialison, Mirana

2018-04-05

A strong focus of the post-genomic era is mining of the non-coding regulatory genome in order to unravel the function of regulatory elements that coordinate gene expression (Nat 489:57-74, 2012; Nat 507:462-70, 2014; Nat 507:455-61, 2014; Nat 518:317-30, 2015). Whole-genome approaches based on next-generation sequencing (NGS) have provided insight into the genomic location of regulatory elements throughout different cell types, organs and organisms. These technologies are now widespread and commonly used in laboratories from various fields of research. This highlights the need for fast and user-friendly software tools dedicated to extracting cis-regulatory information contained in these regulatory regions; for instance transcription factor binding site (TFBS) composition. Ideally, such tools should not require prior programming knowledge to ensure they are accessible for all users. We present TrawlerWeb, a web-based version of the Trawler_standalone tool (Nat Methods 4:563-5, 2007; Nat Protoc 5:323-34, 2010), to allow for the identification of enriched motifs in DNA sequences obtained from next-generation sequencing experiments in order to predict their TFBS composition. TrawlerWeb is designed for online queries with standard options common to web-based motif discovery tools. In addition, TrawlerWeb provides three unique new features: 1) TrawlerWeb allows the input of BED files directly generated from NGS experiments, 2) it automatically generates an input-matched biologically relevant background, and 3) it displays resulting conservation scores for each instance of the motif found in the input sequences, which assists the researcher in prioritising the motifs to validate experimentally. Finally, to date, this web-based version of Trawler_standalone remains the fastest online de novo motif discovery tool compared to other popular web-based software, while generating predictions with high accuracy. TrawlerWeb provides users with a fast, simple and easy-to-use web interface for de novo motif discovery. This will assist in rapidly analysing NGS datasets that are now being routinely generated. TrawlerWeb is freely available and accessible at: http://trawler.erc.monash.edu.au .

BAID: The Barrow Area Information Database - an interactive web mapping portal and cyberinfrastructure for scientific activities in the vicinity of Barrow, Alaska

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cody, R. P.; Kassin, A.; Gaylord, A. G.; Tweedie, C. E.

2013-12-01

In 2013, the Barrow Area Information Database (BAID, www.baid.utep.edu) project resumed field operations in Barrow, AK. The Barrow area of northern Alaska is one of the most intensely researched locations in the Arctic. BAID is a cyberinfrastructure (CI) that details much of the historic and extant research undertaken within in the Barrow region in a suite of interactive web-based mapping and information portals (geobrowsers). The BAID user community and target audience for BAID is diverse and includes research scientists, science logisticians, land managers, educators, students, and the general public. BAID contains information on more than 11,000 Barrow area research sites that extend back to the 1940's and more than 640 remote sensing images and geospatial datasets. In a web-based setting, users can zoom, pan, query, measure distance, and save or print maps and query results. Data are described with metadata that meet Federal Geographic Data Committee standards and are archived at the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research Earth Observing Laboratory (EOL) where non-proprietary BAID data can be freely downloaded. Highlights for the 2013 season include the addition of more than 2000 additional research sites, providing differential global position system (dGPS) support to visiting scientists, surveying over 80 miles of coastline to document rates of erosion, training of local GIS personal, deployment of a wireless sensor network, and substantial upgrades to the BAID website and web mapping applications.

A four-year experience with a Web-based self-help intervention for depressive symptoms in Mexico.

PubMed

Lara, María Asunción; Tiburcio, Marcela; Aguilar Abrego, Araceli; Sánchez-Solís, Alejandro

2014-01-01

To describe a four-year descriptive, naturalistic study monitoring the use of HDep (Help for Depression or Ayuda para depression (ADep)in Spanish), an open-access/free Web-based, psycho-education, cognitive-behavioral intervention program produced in Mexico consisting of seven self-help modules that include feedback-generating assessments of depressive symptoms, vignettes, recorded messages, a relaxation exercise, a personal workbook, blogs, and user discussion forums. Data were collected on all individuals who entered the HDep site since the program's launching in 2009. Those who entered the site two or more times and also registered as "users" or "participants." The user data consisted of 1) user profiles; 2) scores for the CES-D (Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale), for users who completed the feedback-generating assessments of depressive symptoms; 3) user evaluations of the usefulness of HDep; and 4) transcripts of HDep discussion forum posts. The raw user data were obtained through Moodle (Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment, a free software e-learning platform) and analyzed quantitatively (using SPSS) and qualitatively (using ATLAS.ti). A total of 28 078 individuals accessed HDep and 17 318 of those (61.6%) qualified as users. Of all users, 84.4% were women, 64.6% used the workbook, and 60.9% entered the discussion forums (of whom 16.3% added a post). Depressive symptoms (CES-D score ≥ 16) were observed in 97.1% of the users who completed the feedback-generating assessment (n = 16 564). User retention dropped across the seven modules (from 12 366 users for Module 1 to 626 for Module 7). However, all seven modules were rated very high for "helpfulness/usefulness," with mean scores all above 4 on a 1 - 5 scale. The HDep discussion forums showed a rich social interaction. Predictors of entering at least one module (based on stepwise logistic regression analysis) included being a woman, being ≥ 30 years old, reporting disability, and having attempted suicide. Of the 72 participants who completed the final user evaluation of HDep, 97.5% said it had an enormous influence on helping them to identify and transform negative thoughts. Despite the high attrition among users, and the need for further structure adaptation, HDep can be considered a potentially useful mental health tool in Mexico for 1) detecting depression (via the CES-D assessments) and 2) providing a means of social support to those with depression. The high levels of depressive symptoms detected among users suggest that the role of free-access, self-help, Web-based interventions in public mental health programs should be further investigated. The effectiveness of HDep in reducing depressive symptoms and providing a support system has yet to be assessed and should be examined in future research.

pocketZebra: a web-server for automated selection and classification of subfamily-specific binding sites by bioinformatic analysis of diverse protein families

PubMed Central

Suplatov, Dmitry; Kirilin, Eugeny; Arbatsky, Mikhail; Takhaveev, Vakil; Švedas, Vytas

2014-01-01

The new web-server pocketZebra implements the power of bioinformatics and geometry-based structural approaches to identify and rank subfamily-specific binding sites in proteins by functional significance, and select particular positions in the structure that determine selective accommodation of ligands. A new scoring function has been developed to annotate binding sites by the presence of the subfamily-specific positions in diverse protein families. pocketZebra web-server has multiple input modes to meet the needs of users with different experience in bioinformatics. The server provides on-site visualization of the results as well as off-line version of the output in annotated text format and as PyMol sessions ready for structural analysis. pocketZebra can be used to study structure–function relationship and regulation in large protein superfamilies, classify functionally important binding sites and annotate proteins with unknown function. The server can be used to engineer ligand-binding sites and allosteric regulation of enzymes, or implemented in a drug discovery process to search for potential molecular targets and novel selective inhibitors/effectors. The server, documentation and examples are freely available at http://biokinet.belozersky.msu.ru/pocketzebra and there are no login requirements. PMID:24852248

Quantitative Analysis of the Usage of the COSMOS Science Education Portal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sotiriou, Sofoklis; Bogner, Franz X.; Neofotistos, George

2011-08-01

A quantitative method of mapping the web usage of an innovative educational portal is applied to analyze the behaviour of users of the COSMOS Science Education Portal. The COSMOS Portal contains user-generated resources (that are uploaded by its users). It has been designed to support a science teacher's search, retrieval and access to both, scientific and educational resources. It also aims to introduce in and familiarize teachers with an innovative methodology for designing, expressing and representing educational practices in a commonly understandable way through the use of user-friendly authoring tools that are available through the portal. As a new science education portal that includes user-generated content, the COSMOS Portal encounters the well-known "new product/service challenge": to convince the users to use its tools, which facilitate quite fast lesson planning and lesson preparation activities. To respond to this challenge, the COSMOS Portal operators implemented a validation process by analyzing the usage data of the portal in a 10 month time-period. The data analyzed comprised: (a) the temporal evolution of the number of contributors and the amount of content uploaded to the COSMOS Portal; (b) the number of portal visitors (categorized as all-visitors, new-visitors, and returning-visitors) and (c) visitor loyalty parameters (such as page-views; pages/visit; average time on site; depth of visit; length of visit). The data is augmented with data associated with the usage context (e.g. the time of day when most of the activities in the portal take place). The quantitative results indicate that the exponential growth of the contributors to the COSMOS Portal is followed by an exponential growth of the uploaded content. Furthermore, the web usage statistics demonstrate significant changes in users' behaviour during the period under study, with returning visitors using the COSMOS Portal more frequently, mainly for lesson planning and preparation (in the afternoon hours). The findings demonstrate that the new COSMOS users follow the "law of surfing" behaviour, a common pattern of surfing behaviour in portals. However, users return to the COSMOS Portal: returning users comprise more than 50% of all COSMOS visits, stay longer on site and visit more pages. Returning visitors are benchmarked against the "law of surfing" and outperform it substantially. These quantitative results benchmark the web usage of a portal and provide its operators with maps of value-added patterns of the portal's offering to its users in the science education community.

BAID: The Barrow Area Information Database - an interactive web mapping portal and cyberinfrastructure for scientific activities in the vicinity of Barrow, Alaska

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cody, R. P.; Kassin, A.; Gaylord, A.; Brown, J.; Tweedie, C. E.

2012-12-01

The Barrow area of northern Alaska is one of the most intensely researched locations in the Arctic. The Barrow Area Information Database (BAID, www.baidims.org) is a cyberinfrastructure (CI) that details much of the historic and extant research undertaken within in the Barrow region in a suite of interactive web-based mapping and information portals (geobrowsers). The BAID user community and target audience for BAID is diverse and includes research scientists, science logisticians, land managers, educators, students, and the general public. BAID contains information on more than 9,600 Barrow area research sites that extend back to the 1940's and more than 640 remote sensing images and geospatial datasets. In a web-based setting, users can zoom, pan, query, measure distance, and save or print maps and query results. Data are described with metadata that meet Federal Geographic Data Committee standards and are archived at the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research Earth Observing Laboratory (EOL) where non-proprietary BAID data can be freely downloaded. BAID has been used to: Optimize research site choice; Reduce duplication of science effort; Discover complementary and potentially detrimental research activities in an area of scientific interest; Re-establish historical research sites for resampling efforts assessing change in ecosystem structure and function over time; Exchange knowledge across disciplines and generations; Facilitate communication between western science and traditional ecological knowledge; Provide local residents access to science data that facilitates adaptation to arctic change; (and) Educate the next generation of environmental and computer scientists. This poster describes key activities that will be undertaken over the next three years to provide BAID users with novel software tools to interact with a current and diverse selection of information and data about the Barrow area. Key activities include: 1. Collecting data on research activities, generating geospatial data, and providing mapping support. 2. Maintaining, updating and innovating the existing suite of BAID geobrowsers. 3. Maintaining and updating aging server hardware supporting BAID. 4. Adding interoperability with other CI using workflows, controlled vocabularies and web services. 5. Linking BAID to data archives at the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC). 6. Developing a wireless sensor network that provides web based interaction with near-real time climate and other data. 7. Training next generation of environmental and computer scientists and conducting outreach.

MetalS(3), a database-mining tool for the identification of structurally similar metal sites.

PubMed

Valasatava, Yana; Rosato, Antonio; Cavallaro, Gabriele; Andreini, Claudia

2014-08-01

We have developed a database search tool to identify metal sites having structural similarity to a query metal site structure within the MetalPDB database of minimal functional sites (MFSs) contained in metal-binding biological macromolecules. MFSs describe the local environment around the metal(s) independently of the larger context of the macromolecular structure. Such a local environment has a determinant role in tuning the chemical reactivity of the metal, ultimately contributing to the functional properties of the whole system. The database search tool, which we called MetalS(3) (Metal Sites Similarity Search), can be accessed through a Web interface at http://metalweb.cerm.unifi.it/tools/metals3/ . MetalS(3) uses a suitably adapted version of an algorithm that we previously developed to systematically compare the structure of the query metal site with each MFS in MetalPDB. For each MFS, the best superposition is kept. All these superpositions are then ranked according to the MetalS(3) scoring function and are presented to the user in tabular form. The user can interact with the output Web page to visualize the structural alignment or the sequence alignment derived from it. Options to filter the results are available. Test calculations show that the MetalS(3) output correlates well with expectations from protein homology considerations. Furthermore, we describe some usage scenarios that highlight the usefulness of MetalS(3) to obtain mechanistic and functional hints regardless of homology.

Visualization and interaction tools for aerial photograph mosaics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fernandes, João Pedro; Fonseca, Alexandra; Pereira, Luís; Faria, Adriano; Figueira, Helder; Henriques, Inês; Garção, Rita; Câmara, António

1997-05-01

This paper describes the development of a digital spatial library based on mosaics of digital orthophotos, called Interactive Portugal, that will enable users both to retrieve geospatial information existing in the Portuguese National System for Geographic Information World Wide Web server, and to develop local databases connected to the main system. A set of navigation, interaction, and visualization tools are proposed and discussed. They include sketching, dynamic sketching, and navigation capabilities over the digital orthophotos mosaics. Main applications of this digital spatial library are pointed out and discussed, namely for education, professional, and tourism markets. Future developments are considered. These developments are related to user reactions, technological advancements, and projects that also aim at delivering and exploring digital imagery on the World Wide Web. Future capabilities for site selection and change detection are also considered.