DEVELOPING AND PROPOSING A CONCEPTUAL MODEL OF THE FLOW EXPERIENCE DURING ONLINE INFORMATION SEARCH

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lazoc Alina

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Information search is an essential part of the consumer`s decision making process. The online medium offers new opportunities and challenges for information search activities (in and outside the marketing context. We are interested in the way human information experiences and behaviors are affected by this. Very often online games and social web activities are perceived as challenging, engaging and enjoyable, while online information search is far below this evaluation. Our research proposal implies that using the online medium for information search may provoke enjoyable experiences through the flow state, which may in turn positively influence an individual`s exploratory information behavior and encourage his/her pro-active market behavior. The present study sets out to improve the understanding of the online medium`s impact on human`s exploratory behavior. We hypothesize that the inclusion of the online flow experience in our research model will better explain exploratory information search behaviors. A 11-component conceptual framework is proposed to explain the manifestations of flow, its personal and technological determinants and its behavioral consequence in the context of online information search. Our research has the primary purpose to present an integrated online flow model. Its secondary objective is to stimulate extended research in the area of informational behaviors in the digital age. The paper is organized in three sections. In the first section we briefly report the analysis results of the most relevant online flow theory literature and, drawing on it, we are trying to identify variables and relationships among these. In the second part we propose a research model and use prior flow models to specify a range of testable hypothesis. Drawing on the conceptual model developed, the last section of our study presents the final conclusions and proposes further steps in evaluating the model`s validity. Future research directions

Social value and information quality in online health information search

OpenAIRE

Hameed, Tahir; Swar, Bobby

2016-01-01

This paper extends and validates a model of value-driven online healthcare information search in online shared contexts. Perceived value is an important factor behind users' decisions concerning search, consumption and reuse of products and services. The role of utilitarian, hedonic and epistemic value of information in user satisfaction and intention to repeat online search is well recognized, but little support has been found for social value affecting user satisfaction critical for such de...

Information Diversity in Web Search

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Jiahui

2009-01-01

The web is a rich and diverse information source with incredible amounts of information about all kinds of subjects in various forms. This information source affords great opportunity to build systems that support users in their work and everyday lives. To help users explore information on the web, web search systems should find information that…

Online Information Search Performance and Search Strategies in a Health Problem-Solving Scenario.

Science.gov (United States)

Sharit, Joseph; Taha, Jessica; Berkowsky, Ronald W; Profita, Halley; Czaja, Sara J

2015-01-01

Although access to Internet health information can be beneficial, solving complex health-related problems online is challenging for many individuals. In this study, we investigated the performance of a sample of 60 adults ages 18 to 85 years in using the Internet to resolve a relatively complex health information problem. The impact of age, Internet experience, and cognitive abilities on measures of search time, amount of search, and search accuracy was examined, and a model of Internet information seeking was developed to guide the characterization of participants' search strategies. Internet experience was found to have no impact on performance measures. Older participants exhibited longer search times and lower amounts of search but similar search accuracy performance as their younger counterparts. Overall, greater search accuracy was related to an increased amount of search but not to increased search duration and was primarily attributable to higher cognitive abilities, such as processing speed, reasoning ability, and executive function. There was a tendency for those who were younger, had greater Internet experience, and had higher cognitive abilities to use a bottom-up (i.e., analytic) search strategy, although use of a top-down (i.e., browsing) strategy was not necessarily unsuccessful. Implications of the findings for future studies and design interventions are discussed.

Model of intelligent information searching system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yastrebkov, D.I.

2004-01-01

A brief description of the technique to search for electronic documents in large archives as well as drawbacks is presented. A solution close to intelligent information searching systems is proposed. (author)

The Effects of Preference for Information on Consumers’ Online Health Information Search Behavior

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Background Preference for information is a personality trait that affects people’s tendency to seek information in health-related situations. Prior studies have focused primarily on investigating its impact on patient-provider communication and on the implications for designing information interventions that prepare patients for medical procedures. Few studies have examined its impact on general consumers’ interactions with Web-based search engines for health information or the implications for designing more effective health information search systems. Objective This study intends to fill this gap by investigating the impact of preference for information on the search behavior of general consumers seeking health information, their perceptions of search tasks (representing information needs), and user experience with search systems. Methods Forty general consumers who had previously searched for health information online participated in the study in our usability lab. Preference for information was measured using Miller’s Monitor-Blunter Style Scale (MBSS) and the Krantz Health Opinion Survey-Information Scale (KHOS-I). Each participant completed four simulated health information search tasks: two look-up (fact-finding) and two exploratory. Their behaviors while interacting with the search systems were automatically logged and ratings of their perceptions of tasks and user experience with the systems were collected using Likert-scale questionnaires. Results The MBSS showed low reliability with the participants (Monitoring subscale: Cronbach alpha=.53; Blunting subscale: Cronbach alpha=.35). Thus, no further analyses were performed based on the scale. KHOS-I had sufficient reliability (Cronbach alpha=.77). Participants were classified into low- and high-preference groups based on their KHOS-I scores. The high-preference group submitted significantly shorter queries when completing the look-up tasks (P=.02). The high-preference group made a significantly higher

The effects of preference for information on consumers' online health information search behavior.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yan

2013-11-26

Preference for information is a personality trait that affects people's tendency to seek information in health-related situations. Prior studies have focused primarily on investigating its impact on patient-provider communication and on the implications for designing information interventions that prepare patients for medical procedures. Few studies have examined its impact on general consumers' interactions with Web-based search engines for health information or the implications for designing more effective health information search systems. This study intends to fill this gap by investigating the impact of preference for information on the search behavior of general consumers seeking health information, their perceptions of search tasks (representing information needs), and user experience with search systems. Forty general consumers who had previously searched for health information online participated in the study in our usability lab. Preference for information was measured using Miller's Monitor-Blunter Style Scale (MBSS) and the Krantz Health Opinion Survey-Information Scale (KHOS-I). Each participant completed four simulated health information search tasks: two look-up (fact-finding) and two exploratory. Their behaviors while interacting with the search systems were automatically logged and ratings of their perceptions of tasks and user experience with the systems were collected using Likert-scale questionnaires. The MBSS showed low reliability with the participants (Monitoring subscale: Cronbach alpha=.53; Blunting subscale: Cronbach alpha=.35). Thus, no further analyses were performed based on the scale. KHOS-I had sufficient reliability (Cronbach alpha=.77). Participants were classified into low- and high-preference groups based on their KHOS-I scores. The high-preference group submitted significantly shorter queries when completing the look-up tasks (P=.02). The high-preference group made a significantly higher percentage of parallel movements in query

Health information search to deal with the exploding amount of health information produced.

Science.gov (United States)

Müller, H; Hanbury, A; Al Shorbaji, N

2012-01-01

This focus theme deals with the various aspects of health information search that are necessary to cope with the challenges of an increasing amount and complexity of medical information currently produced. This editorial reviews the main challenges of health information search and summarizes the five papers of this focus theme. The five papers of the focus theme cover a large part of the current challenges in health information search such as coding standards, information extraction from complex data, user requirements analysis, multimedia data analysis and the access to big data. Several future challenges are identified such as the combination of visual and textual data for information search and the difficulty to scale when analyzing big data.

Expert Search Strategies: The Information Retrieval Practices of Healthcare Information Professionals

OpenAIRE

Russell-Rose, Tony; Chamberlain, Jon

2017-01-01

Background Healthcare information professionals play a key role in closing the knowledge gap between medical research and clinical practice. Their work involves meticulous searching of literature databases using complex search strategies that can consist of hundreds of keywords, operators, and ontology terms. This process is prone to error and can lead to inefficiency and bias if performed incorrectly. Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the search behavior of healthcare inform...

Self Esteem, Information Search and Problem Solving Efficiency.

Science.gov (United States)

1979-05-01

Weiss (1977, 1978) has shown that low self esteem workers are more likely to model the role behaviors and work values of superiors than are high self ...task where search is functional. Results showed that, as expected, low self esteem subjects searched for more information, search was functional and low ...situation. He has also argued that high self esteem individuals search for less information on problem solving tasks and are therefore less likely to

Effect of Undergraduates’ Emotional Intelligence on Information Search Behavior

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wang Haocheng

2017-06-01

Full Text Available [Purpose/significance] Information search capability is the focus of information literacy education. This paper explores the relationship between emotional intelligence and information search behavior. [Method/process] Based on the data from the questionnaires by 250 undergraduates, this paper used IBM SPSS Statistics 19.0 for statistical data analysis. [Result/conclusion]The correlation between emotional intelligence and information search capability is positively obvious. When it comes to all variables in the regression equation, information search behavior is mainly affected by regulation and utilization of the dimension of emotion. Utilization of emotion mainly affects retrieval strategies, information evaluation, behavior adjustment and total score; regulation of emotions mainly affects the information reference.

How social information affects information search and choice in probabilistic inferences.

Science.gov (United States)

Puskaric, Marin; von Helversen, Bettina; Rieskamp, Jörg

2018-01-01

When making decisions, people are often exposed to relevant information stemming from qualitatively different sources. For instance, when making a choice between two alternatives people can rely on the advice of other people (i.e., social information) or search for factual information about the alternatives (i.e., non-social information). Prior research in categorization has shown that social information is given special attention when both social and non-social information is available, even when the social information has no additional informational value. The goal of the current work is to investigate whether framing information as social or non-social also influences information search and choice in probabilistic inferences. In a first study, we found that framing cues (i.e., the information used to make a decision) with medium validity as social increased the probability that they were searched for compared to a task where the same cues were framed as non-social information, but did not change the strategy people relied on. A second and a third study showed that framing a cue with high validity as social information facilitated learning to rely on a non-compensatory decision strategy. Overall, the results suggest that social in comparison to non-social information is given more attention and is learned faster than non-social information. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Optimal search filters for renal information in EMBASE.

Science.gov (United States)

Iansavichus, Arthur V; Haynes, R Brian; Shariff, Salimah Z; Weir, Matthew; Wilczynski, Nancy L; McKibbon, Ann; Rehman, Faisal; Garg, Amit X

2010-07-01

EMBASE is a popular database used to retrieve biomedical information. Our objective was to develop and test search filters to help clinicians and researchers efficiently retrieve articles with renal information in EMBASE. We used a diagnostic test assessment framework because filters operate similarly to screening tests. We divided a sample of 5,302 articles from 39 journals into development and validation sets of articles. Information retrieval properties were assessed by treating each search filter as a "diagnostic test" or screening procedure for the detection of relevant articles. We tested the performance of 1,936,799 search filters made of unique renal terms and their combinations. REFERENCE STANDARD & OUTCOME: The reference standard was manual review of each article. We calculated the sensitivity and specificity of each filter to identify articles with renal information. The best renal filters consisted of multiple search terms, such as "renal replacement therapy," "renal," "kidney disease," and "proteinuria," and the truncated terms "kidney," "dialy," "neph," "glomerul," and "hemodial." These filters achieved peak sensitivities of 98.7% (95% CI, 97.9-99.6) and specificities of 98.5% (95% CI, 98.0-99.0). The retrieval performance of these filters remained excellent in the validation set of independent articles. The retrieval performance of any search will vary depending on the quality of all search concepts used, not just renal terms. We empirically developed and validated high-performance renal search filters for EMBASE. These filters can be programmed into the search engine or used on their own to improve the efficiency of searching.

Making sense of the future: The information search strategies of construction practitioners in exploring the risk landscape

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Stingl, Verena; Maytorena-Sanchez, Eunice

This paper explores the cognitive strategies that construction practitioners rely on when searching to identify risks in a simulated project. By using the active information search methodology in interviews with 45 industry practitioners, we were able to distinguish three stereotypical information...

Information search with situation-specific reward functions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bjorn Meder

2012-03-01

Full Text Available can strongly conflict with the goal of obtaining information for improving payoffs. Two environments with such a conflict were identified through computer optimization. Three subsequent experiments investigated people's search behavior in these environments. Experiments 1 and 2 used a multiple-cue probabilistic category-learning task to convey environmental probabilities. In a subsequent search task subjects could query only a single feature before making a classification decision. The crucial manipulation concerned the search-task reward structure. The payoffs corresponded either to accuracy, with equal rewards associated with the two categories, or to an asymmetric payoff function, with different rewards associated with each category. In Experiment 1, in which learning-task feedback corresponded to the true category, people later preferentially searched the accuracy-maximizing feature, whether or not this would improve monetary rewards. In Experiment 2, an asymmetric reward structure was used during learning. Subjects searched the reward-maximizing feature when asymmetric payoffs were preserved in the search task. However, if search-task payoffs corresponded to accuracy, subjects preferentially searched a feature that was suboptimal for reward and accuracy alike. Importantly, this feature would have been most useful, under the learning-task payoff structure. Experiment 3 found that, if words and numbers are used to convey environmental probabilities, neither reward nor accuracy consistently predicts search. These findings emphasize the necessity of taking into account people's goals and search-and-decision processes during learning, thereby challenging current models of information search.

'Meatball searching' - The adversarial approach to online information retrieval

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Jack, R. F.

1985-01-01

It is proposed that the different styles of online searching can be described as either formal (highly precise) or informal with the needs of the client dictating which is most applicable at a particular moment. The background and personality of the searcher also come into play. Particular attention is focused on meatball searching which is a form of online searching characterized by deliberate vagueness. It requires generally comprehensive searches, often on unusual topics and with tight deadlines. It is most likely to occur in search centers serving many different disciplines and levels of client information sophistication. Various information needs are outlined as well as the laws of meatball searching and the adversarial approach. Traits and characteristics important to sucessful searching include: (1) concept analysis, (2) flexibility of thinking, (3) ability to think in synonyms and (4) anticipation of variant word forms and spellings.

Optimal Aide Security Information Search (OASIS)

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Kapadia, Chetna

2005-01-01

The purpose of the Optimal AIDE Security Information Search (OASIS) effort was to investigate and prototype a tool that can assist the network security analyst in collecting useful information to defend the networks they manage...

Method of Improving Personal Name Search in Academic Information Service

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Heejun Han

2012-12-01

Full Text Available All academic information on the web or elsewhere has its creator, that is, a subject who has created the information. The subject can be an individual, a group, or an institution, and can be a nation depending on the nature of the relevant information. Most information is composed of a title, an author, and contents. An essay which is under the academic information category has metadata including a title, an author, keyword, abstract, data about publication, place of publication, ISSN, and the like. A patent has metadata including the title, an applicant, an inventor, an attorney, IPC, number of application, and claims of the invention. Most web-based academic information services enable users to search the information by processing the meta-information. An important element is to search information by using the author field which corresponds to a personal name. This study suggests a method of efficient indexing and using the adjacent operation result ranking algorithm to which phrase search-based boosting elements are applied, and thus improving the accuracy of the search results of personal names. It also describes a method for providing the results of searching co-authors and related researchers in searching personal names. This method can be effectively applied to providing accurate and additional search results in the academic information services.

Searching and selecting online information: analysis of the strategic actions of the university students

OpenAIRE

María José Hernández Serrano

2013-01-01

As complex and dynamic activity, the searching and selection of online information needs a strategic performance in order to achieve effective and meaningful results and processes. The aim of this paper is to analyze whether university students perceive a need to be strategic, for what actions, what times, and what are their predispositions towards the strategic actions in the Internet information searching and selection process. Results showed differences between students by course, thos...

Web-based information search and retrieval: effects of strategy use and age on search success.

Science.gov (United States)

Stronge, Aideen J; Rogers, Wendy A; Fisk, Arthur D

2006-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between strategy use and search success on the World Wide Web (i.e., the Web) for experienced Web users. An additional goal was to extend understanding of how the age of the searcher may influence strategy use. Current investigations of information search and retrieval on the Web have provided an incomplete picture of Web strategy use because participants have not been given the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge of Web strategies while also searching for information on the Web. Using both behavioral and knowledge-engineering methods, we investigated searching behavior and system knowledge for 16 younger adults (M = 20.88 years of age) and 16 older adults (M = 67.88 years). Older adults were less successful than younger adults in finding correct answers to the search tasks. Knowledge engineering revealed that the age-related effect resulted from ineffective search strategies and amount of Web experience rather than age per se. Our analysis led to the development of a decision-action diagram representing search behavior for both age groups. Older adults had more difficulty than younger adults when searching for information on the Web. However, this difficulty was related to the selection of inefficient search strategies, which may have been attributable to a lack of knowledge about available Web search strategies. Actual or potential applications of this research include training Web users to search more effectively and suggestions to improve the design of search engines.

An Improved Forensic Science Information Search.

Science.gov (United States)

Teitelbaum, J

2015-01-01

Although thousands of search engines and databases are available online, finding answers to specific forensic science questions can be a challenge even to experienced Internet users. Because there is no central repository for forensic science information, and because of the sheer number of disciplines under the forensic science umbrella, forensic scientists are often unable to locate material that is relevant to their needs. The author contends that using six publicly accessible search engines and databases can produce high-quality search results. The six resources are Google, PubMed, Google Scholar, Google Books, WorldCat, and the National Criminal Justice Reference Service. Carefully selected keywords and keyword combinations, designating a keyword phrase so that the search engine will search on the phrase and not individual keywords, and prompting search engines to retrieve PDF files are among the techniques discussed. Copyright © 2015 Central Police University.

The Use of Web Search Engines in Information Science Research.

Science.gov (United States)

Bar-Ilan, Judit

2004-01-01

Reviews the literature on the use of Web search engines in information science research, including: ways users interact with Web search engines; social aspects of searching; structure and dynamic nature of the Web; link analysis; other bibliometric applications; characterizing information on the Web; search engine evaluation and improvement; and…

Development of health information search engine based on metadata and ontology.

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Tae-Min; Park, Hyeoun-Ae; Jin, Dal-Lae

2014-04-01

The aim of the study was to develop a metadata and ontology-based health information search engine ensuring semantic interoperability to collect and provide health information using different application programs. Health information metadata ontology was developed using a distributed semantic Web content publishing model based on vocabularies used to index the contents generated by the information producers as well as those used to search the contents by the users. Vocabulary for health information ontology was mapped to the Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine Clinical Terms (SNOMED CT), and a list of about 1,500 terms was proposed. The metadata schema used in this study was developed by adding an element describing the target audience to the Dublin Core Metadata Element Set. A metadata schema and an ontology ensuring interoperability of health information available on the internet were developed. The metadata and ontology-based health information search engine developed in this study produced a better search result compared to existing search engines. Health information search engine based on metadata and ontology will provide reliable health information to both information producer and information consumers.

How do High Energy Physics scholars search their information?

CERN Document Server

Gentil-Beccot, Anne

2008-01-01

Grey literature has always been the main conduit of scholarly communication for High-Energy Physics (HEP)researchers. An efficient way of searching and accessing this information is a central part of their research workflow. In 2007, a survey was conducted to understand which information resources HEP scholars use to find the information they need. The results of this survey are presented. Over 2000 answers, representing about one-tenth of the active HEP community, were collected and show that community-driven resources largely dominate the landscape, with commercial services serving only a small proportion of the users. In addition, HEP scholars appear to use different tools for different information needs, which are clearly prioritized. Finally, the results of the survey shed light on the future information needs of HEP scientists over the next five years.

Using Internet Search Engines to Obtain Medical Information: A Comparative Study

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Liupu; Wang, Juexin; Wang, Michael; Li, Yong; Liang, Yanchun

2012-01-01

Background The Internet has become one of the most important means to obtain health and medical information. It is often the first step in checking for basic information about a disease and its treatment. The search results are often useful to general users. Various search engines such as Google, Yahoo!, Bing, and Ask.com can play an important role in obtaining medical information for both medical professionals and lay people. However, the usability and effectiveness of various search engines for medical information have not been comprehensively compared and evaluated. Objective To compare major Internet search engines in their usability of obtaining medical and health information. Methods We applied usability testing as a software engineering technique and a standard industry practice to compare the four major search engines (Google, Yahoo!, Bing, and Ask.com) in obtaining health and medical information. For this purpose, we searched the keyword breast cancer in Google, Yahoo!, Bing, and Ask.com and saved the results of the top 200 links from each search engine. We combined nonredundant links from the four search engines and gave them to volunteer users in an alphabetical order. The volunteer users evaluated the websites and scored each website from 0 to 10 (lowest to highest) based on the usefulness of the content relevant to breast cancer. A medical expert identified six well-known websites related to breast cancer in advance as standards. We also used five keywords associated with breast cancer defined in the latest release of Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine-Clinical Terms (SNOMED CT) and analyzed their occurrence in the websites. Results Each search engine provided rich information related to breast cancer in the search results. All six standard websites were among the top 30 in search results of all four search engines. Google had the best search validity (in terms of whether a website could be opened), followed by Bing, Ask.com, and Yahoo!. The search

Using Internet search engines to obtain medical information: a comparative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Liupu; Wang, Juexin; Wang, Michael; Li, Yong; Liang, Yanchun; Xu, Dong

2012-05-16

The Internet has become one of the most important means to obtain health and medical information. It is often the first step in checking for basic information about a disease and its treatment. The search results are often useful to general users. Various search engines such as Google, Yahoo!, Bing, and Ask.com can play an important role in obtaining medical information for both medical professionals and lay people. However, the usability and effectiveness of various search engines for medical information have not been comprehensively compared and evaluated. To compare major Internet search engines in their usability of obtaining medical and health information. We applied usability testing as a software engineering technique and a standard industry practice to compare the four major search engines (Google, Yahoo!, Bing, and Ask.com) in obtaining health and medical information. For this purpose, we searched the keyword breast cancer in Google, Yahoo!, Bing, and Ask.com and saved the results of the top 200 links from each search engine. We combined nonredundant links from the four search engines and gave them to volunteer users in an alphabetical order. The volunteer users evaluated the websites and scored each website from 0 to 10 (lowest to highest) based on the usefulness of the content relevant to breast cancer. A medical expert identified six well-known websites related to breast cancer in advance as standards. We also used five keywords associated with breast cancer defined in the latest release of Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine-Clinical Terms (SNOMED CT) and analyzed their occurrence in the websites. Each search engine provided rich information related to breast cancer in the search results. All six standard websites were among the top 30 in search results of all four search engines. Google had the best search validity (in terms of whether a website could be opened), followed by Bing, Ask.com, and Yahoo!. The search results highly overlapped between the

Knowledge base, information search and intention to adopt innovation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rijnsoever, van F.J.; Castaldi, C.

2008-01-01

Innovation is a process that involves searching for new information. This paper builds upon theoretical insights on individual and organizational learning and proposes a knowledge based model of how actors search for information when confronted with innovation. The model takes into account different

78 FR 13624 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Age Search Service

Science.gov (United States)

2013-02-28

...- 3434; or: [email protected] . SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION I. Abstract Age Search is a service... necessary information to conduct a search of historical population decennial census records in order to... Found'', advises the applicant that the search for information from the census records was unsuccessful...

75 FR 12174 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; AGE Search Service

Science.gov (United States)

2010-03-15

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Census Bureau Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; AGE Search... provide the Census Bureau with the necessary information to conduct a search of historical population... applicant that search for information from the census records was unsuccessful. The BC-658(L), is sent to...

How Adolescents Search for and Appraise Online Health Information: A Systematic Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Freeman, Jaimie L; Caldwell, Patrina H Y; Bennett, Patricia A; Scott, Karen M

2018-04-01

To conduct a systematic review of the evidence concerning whether and how adolescents search for online health information and the extent to which they appraise the credibility of information they retrieve. A systematic search of online databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, ERIC) was performed. Reference lists of included papers were searched manually for additional articles. Included were studies on whether and how adolescents searched for and appraised online health information, where adolescent participants were aged 13-18 years. Thematic analysis was used to synthesize the findings. Thirty-four studies met the inclusion criteria. In line with the research questions, 2 key concepts were identified within the papers: whether and how adolescents search for online health information, and the extent to which adolescents appraise online health information. Four themes were identified regarding whether and how adolescents search for online health information: use of search engines, difficulties in selecting appropriate search strings, barriers to searching, and absence of searching. Four themes emerged concerning the extent to which adolescents appraise the credibility of online health information: evaluation based on Web site name and reputation, evaluation based on first impression of Web site, evaluation of Web site content, and absence of a sophisticated appraisal strategy. Adolescents are aware of the varying quality of online health information. Strategies used by individuals for searching and appraising online health information differ in their sophistication. It is important to develop resources to enhance search and appraisal skills and to collaborate with adolescents to ensure that such resources are appropriate for them. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The effect of the metal-on-metal hip controversy on internet search activity.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Phelan, Nigel

2014-01-04

The recall of the articular surface replacement (ASR) hip prosthesis in 2010 represents one of the most controversial areas in orthopaedic surgery in recent years. The aim of this study was to compare the impact of the metal-on-metal hip controversy on Internet search activity in four different regions and determine whether the number of related news reports affected Internet search activity. The Google Trends, Keywords and News applications were used to record the number of news articles and Internet search activity for the terms "hip recall", "metal-on-metal hip" and "ASR hip" from October 2009 to October 2012 in the USA, the UK, Australia and Ireland. There was a large increase in search activity following the official recall in August 2010 in all countries. There was significantly greater search activity after the recall in Ireland compared with the UK for the search term "hip recall" (P = 0.004). For the term "metal-on-metal hip", the UK had significantly more search activity (P = 0.0009). There was a positive correlation between the number of news stories in UK and Ireland with Internet search activity but not in the USA or Australia. Differences between countries affected by the same recall highlight the complex effects of the media on public awareness. The data demonstrates a window of opportunity prior to the official recall for the development of an awareness campaign to provide patients with accurate information.

[Biomedical information on the internet using search engines. A one-year trial].

Science.gov (United States)

Corrao, Salvatore; Leone, Francesco; Arnone, Sabrina

2004-01-01

The internet is a communication medium and content distributor that provide information in the general sense but it could be of great utility regarding as the search and retrieval of biomedical information. Search engines represent a great deal to rapidly find information on the net. However, we do not know whether general search engines and meta-search ones are reliable in order to find useful and validated biomedical information. The aim of our study was to verify the reproducibility of a search by key-words (pediatric or evidence) using 9 international search engines and 1 meta-search engine at the baseline and after a one year period. We analysed the first 20 citations as output of each searching. We evaluated the formal quality of Web-sites and their domain extensions. Moreover, we compared the output of each search at the start of this study and after a one year period and we considered as a criterion of reliability the number of Web-sites cited again. We found some interesting results that are reported throughout the text. Our findings point out an extreme dynamicity of the information on the Web and, for this reason, we advice a great caution when someone want to use search and meta-search engines as a tool for searching and retrieve reliable biomedical information. On the other hand, some search and meta-search engines could be very useful as a first step searching for defining better a search and, moreover, for finding institutional Web-sites too. This paper allows to know a more conscious approach to the internet biomedical information universe.

EIIS: An Educational Information Intelligent Search Engine Supported by Semantic Services

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Chang-Qin; Duan, Ru-Lin; Tang, Yong; Zhu, Zhi-Ting; Yan, Yong-Jian; Guo, Yu-Qing

2011-01-01

The semantic web brings a new opportunity for efficient information organization and search. To meet the special requirements of the educational field, this paper proposes an intelligent search engine enabled by educational semantic support service, where three kinds of searches are integrated into Educational Information Intelligent Search (EIIS)…

Monitoring and Information Fusion for Search and Rescue Operations in Large-Scale Disasters

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Nardi, Daniele

2002-01-01

... for information fusion with application to search-and-rescue and large scale disaster relief. The objective is to develop and to deploy tools to support the monitoring activities in an intervention caused by a large-scale disaster...

Confirming preferences or collecting data? Information search strategies and romantic partner selection.

Science.gov (United States)

Hennessy, Michael H; Fishbein, Marty; Curtis, Brenda; Barrett, Daniel

2008-03-01

This article investigates two kinds of information search strategies in the context of selecting romantic partners. Confirmatory searching occurs when people ask for more information about a romantic partner in order to validate or confirm their assessment. Balanced searches are characterized by a search for risk information for partners rated as attractive and for attractiveness information about partners rated as risky in order to attain a more complete evaluation. A factorial survey computer program randomly constructed five types of partner descriptions and college-age respondents evaluated nine descriptions in terms of both health risk and romantic attractiveness outcomes. The results show little evidence of balanced search strategies: for all vignette types the respondents searched for attractiveness information. Regression analysis of the search outcomes showed no difference between males and females in the desire for attractiveness or risk information, the amount of additional information desired, or the proportion of descriptions for which more information was desired. However, an attractive physical appearance did increase the amount of additional information desired and the proportion of vignettes for which more information was desired. The results were generally inconsistent with a balanced search hypothesis; a better characterization of the respondents' strategy might be "confirmatory bias."

Foraging for Information in the EHR: The Search for Adherence Related Information by Mental Health Clinicians.

Science.gov (United States)

Gibson, Bryan; Butler, Jorie; Zirkle, Maryan; Hammond, Kenric; Weir, Charlene

2016-01-01

In this project we sought to qualitatively describe clinician's search for information related to the complex construct of adherence. Nineteen think aloud observations and semi-structured interviews were conducted with mental health providers as they prepared for a patient visit. The transcripts were coded according to constructs from information foraging theory (information goal, patch, scent, enrichment, and opportunity cost). The search strategies uncovered were complicated: provider's searches were sometimes multi-staged (e.g. a search of the EHR led to further enquiry when interviewing the patient), and involved multiple 'patches' (i.e. data from the EHR, the patient and other providers were all sought out). In addition, some information that providers considered relevant to understand adherence related questions was non-obvious (e.g. the absence of specific information was considered a useful cue). Providers' information search strategies for complex constructs are at times non-intuitive; implications for the design of EHR summarization tools are discussed.

Use of Web Search Engines and Personalisation in Information Searching for Educational Purposes

Science.gov (United States)

Salehi, Sara; Du, Jia Tina; Ashman, Helen

2018-01-01

Introduction: Students increasingly depend on Web search for educational purposes. This causes concerns among education providers as some evidence indicates that in higher education, the disadvantages of Web search and personalised information are not justified by the benefits. Method: One hundred and twenty university students were surveyed about…

Determinants of Tourists Information Search Effort: The Case of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The paper examines tourist information search effort prior to the visit to a selected destination. The focus was on identifying the key variables that influence the information search effort of Ghana's international visitors from the United States of America, the United Kingdom and Germany. The Dummy Multiple Regression ...

Information Search of Toxic-Free Ammunition

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Adelman, Stephen

1994-01-01

Task Order No. 0001, Information Search of Toxic-Free Ammunition addresses issues related to toxic and environmentally harmful effects caused by the use of some of the current small arms ammunition...

Information retrieval implementing and evaluating search engines

CERN Document Server

Büttcher, Stefan; Cormack, Gordon V

2016-01-01

Information retrieval is the foundation for modern search engines. This textbook offers an introduction to the core topics underlying modern search technologies, including algorithms, data structures, indexing, retrieval, and evaluation. The emphasis is on implementation and experimentation; each chapter includes exercises and suggestions for student projects. Wumpus -- a multiuser open-source information retrieval system developed by one of the authors and available online -- provides model implementations and a basis for student work. The modular structure of the book allows instructors to use it in a variety of graduate-level courses, including courses taught from a database systems perspective, traditional information retrieval courses with a focus on IR theory, and courses covering the basics of Web retrieval. In addition to its classroom use, Information Retrieval will be a valuable reference for professionals in computer science, computer engineering, and software engineering.

Personal health records: retrieving contextual information with Google Custom Search.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahsan, Mahmud; Seldon, H Lee; Sayeed, Shohel

2012-01-01

Ubiquitous personal health records, which can accompany a person everywhere, are a necessary requirement for ubiquitous healthcare. Contextual information related to health events is important for the diagnosis and treatment of disease and for the maintenance of good health, yet it is seldom recorded in a health record. We describe a dual cellphone-and-Web-based personal health record system which can include 'external' contextual information. Much contextual information is available on the Internet and we can use ontologies to help identify relevant sites and information. But a search engine is required to retrieve information from the Web and developing a customized search engine is beyond our scope, so we can use Google Custom Search API Web service to get contextual data. In this paper we describe a framework which combines a health-and-environment 'knowledge base' or ontology with the Google Custom Search API to retrieve relevant contextual information related to entries in a ubiquitous personal health record.

Affinity between information retrieval system and search topic

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ebinuma, Yukio

1979-01-01

Ten search profiles are tested on the INIS system at the Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute. The results are plotted on recall-precision chart ranging from 100% recall to 100% precision. The curves are not purely systems-dependent nor search-dependent, and are determined substantially by the ''affinity'' between the system and the search topic. The curves are named ''Affinity curves of search topics with information retrieval systems'', and hence retrieval affinity factors are derived. They are obtained not only for individual search topics but also for averages in the system. By such a quantitative examination, the difference of affinity among search topics in a given system, that of the same search topic among various systems, and that of systems to the same group of search topics can be compared reasonably. (author)

TOWARDS ACTIVE SEO (SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION 2.0

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Charles-Victor Boutet

2012-12-01

Full Text Available In the age of writable web, new skills and new practices are appearing. In an environment that allows everyone to communicate information globally, internet referencing (or SEO is a strategic discipline that aims to generate visibility, internet traffic and a maximum exploitation of sites publications. Often misperceived as a fraud, SEO has evolved to be a facilitating tool for anyone who wishes to reference their website with search engines. In this article we show that it is possible to achieve the first rank in search results of keywords that are very competitive. We show methods that are quick, sustainable and legal; while applying the principles of active SEO 2.0. This article also clarifies some working functions of search engines, some advanced referencing techniques (that are completely ethical and legal and we lay the foundations for an in depth reflection on the qualities and advantages of these techniques.

Federated Search Tools in Fusion Centers: Bridging Databases in the Information Sharing Environment

Science.gov (United States)

2012-09-01

Suspicious Activity Reporting Initiative ODNI Office of the Director of National Intelligence OSINT Open Source Intelligence PERF Police Executive...Fusion centers are encouraged to explore all available information sources to enhance the intelligence analysis process. It follows then that fusion...WSIC also utilizes ACCURINT, a web-based, subscription service. ACCURINT searches open source information and is able to collect and collate

Searching to Translate and Translating to Search: When Information Retrieval Meets Machine Translation

Science.gov (United States)

Ture, Ferhan

2013-01-01

With the adoption of web services in daily life, people have access to tremendous amounts of information, beyond any human's reading and comprehension capabilities. As a result, search technologies have become a fundamental tool for accessing information. Furthermore, the web contains information in multiple languages, introducing another barrier…

AN OVERVIEW OF SEARCHING AND DISCOVERING WEB BASED INFORMATION RESOURCES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cezar VASILESCU

2010-01-01

Full Text Available The Internet becomes for most of us a daily used instrument, for professional or personal reasons. We even do not remember the times when a computer and a broadband connection were luxury items. More and more people are relying on the complicated web network to find the needed information.This paper presents an overview of Internet search related issues, upon search engines and describes the parties and the basic mechanism that is embedded in a search for web based information resources. Also presents ways to increase the efficiency of web searches, through a better understanding of what search engines ignore at websites content.

Information retrieval for children based on the aggregated search paradigm

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Duarte Torres, Sergio

This report presents research to develop information services for children by expanding and adapting current Information retrieval technologies according to the search characteristics and needs of children. Concretely, we will employ the aggregated search paradigm as theoretical framework. The

Searching for suicide-related information on Chinese websites.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Ying-Yeh; Hung, Galen Chin-Lun; Cheng, Qijin; Tsai, Chi-Wei; Wu, Kevin Chien-Chang

2017-12-01

Growing concerns about cyber-suicide have prompted many studies on suicide information available on the web. However, very few studies have considered non-English websites. We aimed to analyze online suicide-related information accessed through Chinese-language websites. We used Taiwan's two most popular search engines (Google and Yahoo) to explore the results returned from six suicide-related search terms in March 2016. The first three pages listing the results from each search were analyzed and rated based on the attitude towards suicide (pro-suicide, anti-suicide, neutral/mixed, not a suicide site, or error). Comparisons across different search terms were also performed. In all, 375 linked webpages were included; 16.3% of the webpages were pro-suicide and 41.3% were anti-suicide. The majority of the pro-suicide sites were user-generated webpages (96.7%). Searches using the keywords 'ways to kill yourself' (31.7%) and 'painless suicide' (28.3%) generated much larger numbers of harmful webpages than the term 'suicide' (4.3%). We conclude that collaborative efforts with internet service providers and search engines to improve the ranking of anti-suicide webpages and websites and implement online suicide reporting guidelines are highly encouraged. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

ISART: A Generic Framework for Searching Books with Social Information.

Science.gov (United States)

Yin, Xu-Cheng; Zhang, Bo-Wen; Cui, Xiao-Ping; Qu, Jiao; Geng, Bin; Zhou, Fang; Song, Li; Hao, Hong-Wei

2016-01-01

Effective book search has been discussed for decades and is still future-proof in areas as diverse as computer science, informatics, e-commerce and even culture and arts. A variety of social information contents (e.g, ratings, tags and reviews) emerge with the huge number of books on the Web, but how they are utilized for searching and finding books is seldom investigated. Here we develop an Integrated Search And Recommendation Technology (IsArt), which breaks new ground by providing a generic framework for searching books with rich social information. IsArt comprises a search engine to rank books with book contents and professional metadata, a Generalized Content-based Filtering model to thereafter rerank books with user-generated social contents, and a learning-to-rank technique to finally combine a wide range of diverse reranking results. Experiments show that this technology permits embedding social information to promote book search effectiveness, and IsArt, by making use of it, has the best performance on CLEF/INEX Social Book Search Evaluation datasets of all 4 years (from 2011 to 2014), compared with some other state-of-the-art methods.

Searching LOGIN, the Local Government Information Network.

Science.gov (United States)

Jack, Robert F.

1984-01-01

Describes a computer-based information retrieval and electronic messaging system produced by Control Data Corporation now being used by government agencies and other organizations. Background of Local Government Information Network (LOGIN), database structure, types of LOGIN units, searching LOGIN (intersect, display, and list commands), and how…

Confirmation bias in web-based search: a randomized online study on the effects of expert information and social tags on information search and evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Schweiger, Stefan; Oeberst, Aileen; Cress, Ulrike

2014-03-26

The public typically believes psychotherapy to be more effective than pharmacotherapy for depression treatments. This is not consistent with current scientific evidence, which shows that both types of treatment are about equally effective. The study investigates whether this bias towards psychotherapy guides online information search and whether the bias can be reduced by explicitly providing expert information (in a blog entry) and by providing tag clouds that implicitly reveal experts' evaluations. A total of 174 participants completed a fully automated Web-based study after we invited them via mailing lists. First, participants read two blog posts by experts that either challenged or supported the bias towards psychotherapy. Subsequently, participants searched for information about depression treatment in an online environment that provided more experts' blog posts about the effectiveness of treatments based on alleged research findings. These blogs were organized in a tag cloud; both psychotherapy tags and pharmacotherapy tags were popular. We measured tag and blog post selection, efficacy ratings of the presented treatments, and participants' treatment recommendation after information search. Participants demonstrated a clear bias towards psychotherapy (mean 4.53, SD 1.99) compared to pharmacotherapy (mean 2.73, SD 2.41; t173=7.67, Pinformation search and evaluation. This bias was significantly reduced, however, when participants were exposed to tag clouds with challenging popular tags. Participants facing popular tags challenging their bias (n=61) showed significantly less biased tag selection (F2,168=10.61, Pinformation as presented in blog posts, compared to supporting expert information (n=81), decreased the bias in information search with regard to blog post selection (F1,168=4.32, P=.04, partial eta squared=0.025). No significant effects were found for treatment recommendation (Ps>.33). We conclude that the psychotherapy bias is most effectively

Chemical Information in Scirus and BASE (Bielefeld Academic Search Engine)

Science.gov (United States)

Bendig, Regina B.

2009-01-01

The author sought to determine to what extent the two search engines, Scirus and BASE (Bielefeld Academic Search Engines), would be useful to first-year university students as the first point of searching for chemical information. Five topics were searched and the first ten records of each search result were evaluated with regard to the type of…

The application of foraging theory to the information searching behaviour of general practitioners.

Science.gov (United States)

Dwairy, Mai; Dowell, Anthony C; Stahl, Jean-Claude

2011-08-23

General Practitioners (GPs) employ strategies to identify and retrieve medical evidence for clinical decision making which take workload and time constraints into account. Optimal Foraging Theory (OFT) initially developed to study animal foraging for food is used to explore the information searching behaviour of General Practitioners. This study is the first to apply foraging theory within this context.Study objectives were: 1. To identify the sequence and steps deployed in identifiying and retrieving evidence for clinical decision making. 2. To utilise Optimal Foraging Theory to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of General Practitioner information searching. GPs from the Wellington region of New Zealand were asked to document in a pre-formatted logbook the steps and outcomes of an information search linked to their clinical decision making, and fill in a questionnaire about their personal, practice and information-searching backgrounds. A total of 115/155 eligible GPs returned a background questionnaire, and 71 completed their information search logbook. GPs spent an average of 17.7 minutes addressing their search for clinical information. Their preferred information sources were discussions with colleagues (38% of sources) and books (22%). These were the two most profitable information foraging sources (15.9 min and 9.5 min search time per answer, compared to 34.3 minutes in databases). GPs nearly always accessed another source when unsuccessful (95% after 1st source), and frequently when successful (43% after 2nd source). Use of multiple sources accounted for 41% of searches, and increased search success from 70% to 89%. By consulting in foraging terms the most 'profitable' sources of information (colleagues, books), rapidly switching sources when unsuccessful, and frequently double checking, GPs achieve an efficient trade-off between maximizing search success and information reliability, and minimizing searching time. As predicted by foraging theory, GPs

Biased information processing in the escalation paradigm: information search and information evaluation as potential mediators of escalating commitment.

Science.gov (United States)

Schultze, Thomas; Pfeiffer, Felix; Schulz-Hardt, Stefan

2012-01-01

Escalation of commitment denotes decision makers' increased reinvestment of resources in a losing course of action. Despite the relevance of this topic, little is known about how information is processed in escalation situations, that is, whether decision makers who receive negative outcome feedback on their initial decision search for and/or process information biasedly and whether these biases contribute to escalating commitment. Contrary to a widely cited study by E. J. Conlon and J. M. Parks (1987), in 3 experiments, the authors found that biases do not occur on the level of information search. Neither in a direct replication and extension of the original study with largely increased test power (Experiment 1) nor under methodologically improved conditions (Experiments 2 and 3) did decision makers responsible for failure differ from nonresponsible decision makers with regards to information search, and no selective search for information supporting the initial decision or voting for further reinvestment was observed. However, Experiments 3 and 4 show that the evaluation of the previously sought information is biased among participants who were responsible for initiating the course of action. Mediation analyses show that this evaluation bias in favor of reinvestment partially mediated the responsibility effect on escalation of commitment.

Information Retrieval for Education: Making Search Engines Language Aware

Science.gov (United States)

Ott, Niels; Meurers, Detmar

2010-01-01

Search engines have been a major factor in making the web the successful and widely used information source it is today. Generally speaking, they make it possible to retrieve web pages on a topic specified by the keywords entered by the user. Yet web searching currently does not take into account which of the search results are comprehensible for…

Academic Users' Information Searching on Research Topics: Characteristics of Research Tasks and Search Strategies

Science.gov (United States)

Du, Jia Tina; Evans, Nina

2011-01-01

This project investigated how academic users search for information on their real-life research tasks. This article presents the findings of the first of two studies. The study data were collected in the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) in Brisbane, Australia. Eleven PhD students' searching behaviors on personal research topics were…

Description and search labor for information retrieval

OpenAIRE

Warner, Julian

2007-01-01

Selection power is taken as the fundamental value for information retrieval systems. Selection power is regarded as produced by selection labor, which itself separates historically into description and search labor. As forms of mental labor, description and search labor participate in the conditions for labor and for mental labor. Concepts and distinctions applicable to physical and mental labor are indicated, introducing the necessity of labor for survival, the idea of technology as a human ...

Physical Activity Informational Websites: Accuracy, Language Ease, and Fear Appeal

OpenAIRE

Paige, Samantha Rose

2014-01-01

Introduction. Health information is one of the most common searches on the Internet. Literature supports that, in general, health information readily available to Internet consumers is not accurate, lacks plain language for ease of understanding, and does not incorporate behavior-change theoretical frameworks. The purpose of this study was to evaluate each of these components. Method. Three keywords, "physical activity," "exercise," and "fitness," were entered into four popular search engines...

The application of foraging theory to the information searching behaviour of general practitioners

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dowell Anthony C

2011-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background General Practitioners (GPs employ strategies to identify and retrieve medical evidence for clinical decision making which take workload and time constraints into account. Optimal Foraging Theory (OFT initially developed to study animal foraging for food is used to explore the information searching behaviour of General Practitioners. This study is the first to apply foraging theory within this context. Study objectives were: 1. To identify the sequence and steps deployed in identifiying and retrieving evidence for clinical decision making. 2. To utilise Optimal Foraging Theory to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of General Practitioner information searching. Methods GPs from the Wellington region of New Zealand were asked to document in a pre-formatted logbook the steps and outcomes of an information search linked to their clinical decision making, and fill in a questionnaire about their personal, practice and information-searching backgrounds. Results A total of 115/155 eligible GPs returned a background questionnaire, and 71 completed their information search logbook. GPs spent an average of 17.7 minutes addressing their search for clinical information. Their preferred information sources were discussions with colleagues (38% of sources and books (22%. These were the two most profitable information foraging sources (15.9 min and 9.5 min search time per answer, compared to 34.3 minutes in databases. GPs nearly always accessed another source when unsuccessful (95% after 1st source, and frequently when successful (43% after 2nd source. Use of multiple sources accounted for 41% of searches, and increased search success from 70% to 89%. Conclusions By consulting in foraging terms the most 'profitable' sources of information (colleagues, books, rapidly switching sources when unsuccessful, and frequently double checking, GPs achieve an efficient trade-off between maximizing search success and information reliability, and

Peer teaching and information retrieval: the role of the NICE Evidence search student champion scheme in enhancing students' confidence.

Science.gov (United States)

Sbaffi, Laura; Hallsworth, Elaine; Weist, Anne

2018-03-01

This research reports on the NICE Evidence search (ES) student champion scheme (SCS) first five years of activity (2011-2016) in terms of its impact on health care undergraduate students' information search skills and search confidence. A review of students' evaluation of the scheme was carried out to chart the changes in attitude towards NICE Evidence search as an online health care information source and to monitor students' approach to information seeking. This study is based on the results of questionnaires distributed to students before and after attending a training session on NICE Evidence search delivered by their own peers. The exercise was implemented in health related universities in England over a period of five consecutive academic years. (i) Students' search confidence improved considerably after the training; (ii) ES was perceived as being an increasingly useful resource of evidence based information for their studies; (iii) the training helped students develop discerning search skills and use evidence based information sources more consistently and critically. The NICE SCS improves confidence in approaching information tasks amongst health care undergraduate students. Future developments could involve offering the training at the onset of a course of study and adopting online delivery formats to expand its geographical reach. © 2018 Health Libraries Group.

Flexible patient information search and retrieval framework: pilot implementation

Science.gov (United States)

Erdal, Selnur; Catalyurek, Umit V.; Saltz, Joel; Kamal, Jyoti; Gurcan, Metin N.

2007-03-01

Medical centers collect and store significant amount of valuable data pertaining to patients' visit in the form of medical free-text. In addition, standardized diagnosis codes (International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification: ICD9-CM) related to those dictated reports are usually available. In this work, we have created a framework where image searches could be initiated through a combination of free-text reports as well as ICD9 codes. This framework enables more comprehensive search on existing large sets of patient data in a systematic way. The free text search is enriched by computer-aided inclusion of additional search terms enhanced by a thesaurus. This combination of enriched search allows users to access to a larger set of relevant results from a patient-centric PACS in a simpler way. Therefore, such framework is of particular use in tasks such as gathering images for desired patient populations, building disease models, and so on. As the motivating application of our framework, we implemented a search engine. This search engine processed two years of patient data from the OSU Medical Center's Information Warehouse and identified lung nodule location information using a combination of UMLS Meta-Thesaurus enhanced text report searches along with ICD9 code searches on patients that have been discharged. Five different queries with various ICD9 codes involving lung cancer were carried out on 172552 cases. Each search was completed under a minute on average per ICD9 code and the inclusion of UMLS thesaurus increased the number of relevant cases by 45% on average.

ERRATUM: TOWARDS ACTIVE SEO (SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION 2.0

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Charles-Victor Boutet

2013-04-01

Full Text Available In the age of writable web, new skills and new practices are appearing. In an environment that allows everyone to communicate information globally, internet referencing (or SEO is a strategic discipline that aims to generate visibility, internet traffic and a maximum exploitation of sites publications. Often misperceived as a fraud, SEO has evolved to be a facilitating tool for anyone who wishes to reference their website with search engines. In this article we show that it is possible to achieve the first rank in search results of keywords that are very competitive. We show methods that are quick, sustainable and legal; while applying the principles of active SEO 2.0. This article also clarifies some working functions of search engines, some advanced referencing techniques (that are completely ethical and legal and we lay the foundations for an in depth reflection on the qualities and advantages of these techniques.

Exploring antecedents of consumer satisfaction and repeated search behavior on e-health information.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Yun Jung; Park, Jungkun; Widdows, Richard

2009-03-01

E-health information has become an important resource for people seeking health information. Even though many studies have been conducted to examine the quality of e-health information, only a few studies have explored the effects of the information seekers' motivations on the perceived quality of e-health information. There is even less information about repeated searches for e-health information after the users' initial experience of e-health information use. Using an online survey of information seekers, 252 e-health information users' responses were collected. The research examines the relationship among motivation, perceived quality, satisfaction, and intention to repeat-search e-health information. The results identify motivations to search e-health information and confirm the relationship among motivation, perceived quality dimensions, and satisfaction and intention to repeat searches for e-health information.

Survey of formal and informal citation in Google search engine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Afsaneh Teymourikhani

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Aim: Informal citations is bibliographic information (title or Internet address, citing sources of information resources for informal scholarly communication and always neglected in traditional citation databases. This study is done, in order to answer the question of whether informal citations in the web environment are traceable. The present research aims to determine what proportion of web citations of Google search engine is related to formal and informal citation. Research method: Webometrics is the method used. The study is done on 1344 research articles of 98 open access journal, and the method that is used to extract the web citation from Google search engine is “Web / URL citation extraction". Findings: The findings showed that ten percent of the web citations of Google search engine are formal and informal citations. The highest formal citation in the Google search engine with 19/27% is in the field of library and information science and the lowest official citation by 1/54% is devoted to the field of civil engineering. The highest percentage of informal citations with 3/57% is devoted to sociology and the lowest percentage of informal citations by 0/39% is devoted to the field of civil engineering. Journal Citation is highest with 94/12% in the surgical field and lowest with 5/26 percent in the philosophy filed. Result: Due to formal and informal citations in the Google search engine which is about 10 percent and the reduction of this amount compared to previous research, it seems that track citations by this engine should be treated with more caution. We see that the amount of formal citation is variable in different disciplines. Cited journals in the field of surgery, is highest and in the filed of philosophy is lowest, this indicates that in the filed of philosophy, that is a subset of the social sciences, journals in scientific communication do not play a significant role. On the other hand, book has a key role in this filed

A Study of the Information Search Behaviour of the Millennial Generation

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor, Arthur

2012-01-01

Introduction: Members of the millennial generation (born after 1982) have come of age in a society infused with technology and information. It is unclear how they determine the validity of information gathered, or whether or not validity is even a concern. Previous information search models based on mediated searches with different age groups may…

Informal Versus Formal Search : Which Yields a Better Pay?

OpenAIRE

Semih Tumen

2015-01-01

Estimates on the effect of job contact method – i.e., informal versus formal search – on wage offers vary considerably across studies, with some of them finding a positive correlation between getting help from informal connections and obtaining high-paying jobs, while others finding a negative one. In this paper, I theoretically investigate the sources of discrepancies in these empirical results. Using a formal job search framework, I derive an equilibrium wage distribution which reveals that...

Gain- and Loss-Related Brain Activation Are Associated with Information Search Differences in Risky Gambles: An fMRI and Eye-Tracking Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Häusler, Alexander Niklas; Oroz Artigas, Sergio; Trautner, Peter; Weber, Bernd

2016-01-01

People differ in the way they approach and handle choices with unsure outcomes. In this study, we demonstrate that individual differences in the neural processing of gains and losses relates to attentional differences in the way individuals search for information in gambles. Fifty subjects participated in two independent experiments. Participants first completed an fMRI experiment involving financial gains and losses. Subsequently, they performed an eye-tracking experiment on binary choices between risky gambles, each displaying monetary outcomes and their respective probabilities. We find that individual differences in gain and loss processing relate to attention distribution. Individuals with a stronger reaction to gains in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex paid more attention to monetary amounts, while a stronger reaction in the ventral striatum to losses was correlated with an increased attention to probabilities. Reaction in the posterior cingulate cortex to losses was also found to correlate with an increased attention to probabilities. Our data show that individual differences in brain activity and differences in information search processes are closely linked.

Plain Language to Communicate Physical Activity Information: A Website Content Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Paige, Samantha R; Black, David R; Mattson, Marifran; Coster, Daniel C; Stellefson, Michael

2018-04-01

Plain language techniques are health literacy universal precautions intended to enhance health care system navigation and health outcomes. Physical activity (PA) is a popular topic on the Internet, yet it is unknown if information is communicated in plain language. This study examined how plain language techniques are included in PA websites, and if the use of plain language techniques varies according to search procedures (keyword, search engine) and website host source (government, commercial, educational/organizational). Three keywords ("physical activity," "fitness," and "exercise") were independently entered into three search engines (Google, Bing, and Yahoo) to locate a nonprobability sample of websites ( N = 61). Fourteen plain language techniques were coded within each website to examine content formatting, clarity and conciseness, and multimedia use. Approximately half ( M = 6.59; SD = 1.68) of the plain language techniques were included in each website. Keyword physical activity resulted in websites with fewer clear and concise plain language techniques ( p websites with more clear and concise techniques ( p language techniques did not vary by search engine or the website host source. Accessing PA information that is easy to understand and behaviorally oriented may remain a challenge for users. Transdisciplinary collaborations are needed to optimize plain language techniques while communicating online PA information.

The invisible Web uncovering information sources search engines can't see

CERN Document Server

Sherman, Chris

2001-01-01

Enormous expanses of the Internet are unreachable with standard web search engines. This book provides the key to finding these hidden resources by identifying how to uncover and use invisible web resources. Mapping the invisible Web, when and how to use it, assessing the validity of the information, and the future of Web searching are topics covered in detail. Only 16 percent of Net-based information can be located using a general search engine. The other 84 percent is what is referred to as the invisible Web-made up of information stored in databases. Unlike pages on the visible Web, informa

Active Search on Carcasses versus Pitfall Traps: a Comparison of Sampling Methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Zanetti, N I; Camina, R; Visciarelli, E C; Centeno, N D

2016-04-01

The study of insect succession in cadavers and the classification of arthropods have mostly been done by placing a carcass in a cage, protected from vertebrate scavengers, which is then visited periodically. An alternative is to use specific traps. Few studies on carrion ecology and forensic entomology involving the carcasses of large vertebrates have employed pitfall traps. The aims of this study were to compare both sampling methods (active search on a carcass and pitfall trapping) for each coleopteran family, and to establish whether there is a discrepancy (underestimation and/or overestimation) in the presence of each family by either method. A great discrepancy was found for almost all families with some of them being more abundant in samples obtained through active search on carcasses and others in samples from traps, whereas two families did not show any bias towards a given sampling method. The fact that families may be underestimated or overestimated by the type of sampling technique highlights the importance of combining both methods, active search on carcasses and pitfall traps, in order to obtain more complete information on decomposition, carrion habitat and cadaveric families or species. Furthermore, a hypothesis advanced on the reasons for the underestimation by either sampling method showing biases towards certain families. Information about the sampling techniques indicating which would be more appropriate to detect or find a particular family is provided.

Asynchronous social search as a single point of access to information

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Buijs, M.P.; Spruit, M.

2017-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to present asynchronous social search as a novel and intuitive approach to search for information in which people collaborate to find the information they are looking for. Design/methodology/approach A prototype was built to test the feasibility in a business

Searching for evidence or approval? A commentary on database search in systematic reviews and alternative information retrieval methodologies.

Science.gov (United States)

Delaney, Aogán; Tamás, Peter A

2018-03-01

Despite recognition that database search alone is inadequate even within the health sciences, it appears that reviewers in fields that have adopted systematic review are choosing to rely primarily, or only, on database search for information retrieval. This commentary reminds readers of factors that call into question the appropriateness of default reliance on database searches particularly as systematic review is adapted for use in new and lower consensus fields. It then discusses alternative methods for information retrieval that require development, formalisation, and evaluation. Our goals are to encourage reviewers to reflect critically and transparently on their choice of information retrieval methods and to encourage investment in research on alternatives. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The Development of Information Search Expertise of Research Students

Science.gov (United States)

Kai-Wah Chu, Samuel; Law, Nancy

2008-01-01

This study identifies the development of information search expertise of 12 beginning research students (six in education and six in engineering) who were provided with a set of systematic search training sessions over a period of one year. The study adopts a longitudinal approach in investigating whether there were different stages in the…

Searching for Suicide Methods: Accessibility of Information About Helium as a Method of Suicide on the Internet.

Science.gov (United States)

Gunnell, David; Derges, Jane; Chang, Shu-Sen; Biddle, Lucy

2015-01-01

Helium gas suicides have increased in England and Wales; easy-to-access descriptions of this method on the Internet may have contributed to this rise. To investigate the availability of information on using helium as a method of suicide and trends in searching about this method on the Internet. We analyzed trends in (a) Google searching (2004-2014) and (b) hits on a Wikipedia article describing helium as a method of suicide (2013-2014). We also investigated the extent to which helium was described as a method of suicide on web pages and discussion forums identified via Google. We found no evidence of rises in Internet searching about suicide using helium. News stories about helium suicides were associated with increased search activity. The Wikipedia article may have been temporarily altered to increase awareness of suicide using helium around the time of a celebrity suicide. Approximately one third of the links retrieved using Google searches for suicide methods mentioned helium. Information about helium as a suicide method is readily available on the Internet; the Wikipedia article describing its use was highly accessed following celebrity suicides. Availability of online information about this method may contribute to rises in helium suicides.

Fuzzy Search Method for Hi Education Information Security

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Grigory Grigorevich Novikov

2016-03-01

Full Text Available The main reason of the research is how to use fuzzy search method for information security of Hi Education or some similar purposes. So many sensitive information leaks are through non SUMMARY 149 classified documents legal publishing. That’s why many intelligence services so love to use the «mosaic» information collection method. This article is about how to prevent it.

Finding electronic information for health policy advocacy: a guide to improving search results.

Science.gov (United States)

Olsan, Tobie H; Bianchi, Carolanne; White, Pamela; Glessner, Theresa; Mapstone, Pamela L

2011-12-01

The success of advanced practice registered nurses' (APRNs') health policy advocacy depends on staying well informed about key issues. Searching for high-quality health policy information, however, can be frustrating and time consuming. Busy clinicians need strategies and tips to reduce information overload and to access synthesized research for evidence-based health policy. This article therefore offers APRNs practical guidelines and resources for searching electronic health policy information. Scholarly databases and Internet sites. Electronic health policy information is generated by a wide variety of public and private organizations and disseminated in hundreds of journals and Web pages. Specialty search tools are needed to retrieve the unindexed gray literature, which includes government documents, agency reports, fact sheets, standards, and statistics not produced by commercial publishers. Further, Internet users need to examine search results with a critical eye for information quality. Expertise in searching electronic health policy information is a prerequisite for developing APRNs' leadership in political arenas to influence health policy and the delivery of healthcare services. ©2011 The Author(s) Journal compilation ©2011 American Academy of Nurse Practitioners.

Personal involvement is related to increased search motivation and associated with activity in left BA44-a pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Schaefer, Michael; Rumpel, Franziska; Sadrieh, Abdolkarim; Reimann, Martin; Denke, Claudia

2015-01-01

Numerous studies explore consumer perception of brands in a more or less passive way. This may still be representative for many situations or decisions we make each day. Nevertheless, sometimes we often actively search for and use information to make informed and reasoned choices, thus implying a rational and thinking consumer. Researchers suggested describing this distinction as low relative to high involvement consumer behavior. Although the involvement concept has been widely used to explain consumer behavior, behavioral and neural correlates of this concept are poorly understood. The current study aims to describe a behavioral measure that is associated with high involvement, the length of search behavior. A second aim of this study was to explore brain activations associated with involvement by employing functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). We presented participants information cues for different products and told them that they had to answer questions with respect to these products at the end of the experiment. Participants were free to stop the information search if they think they gathered enough information or to continue with collecting information. Behavioral results confirmed our hypothesis of a relationship between searching behavior and personal involvement by demonstrating that the length of search correlated significantly with the degree of personal involvement of the participants. fMRI data revealed that personal involvement was associated with activation in BA44. Since this brain region is known to be involved in semantic memory, the results of this pilot study suggest that high involvement consumer behavior may be linked to cognitive load and attention towards a product.

Personal involvement is related to increased search motivation and associated with activity in left BA44 - a pilot study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael eSchaefer

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Numerous studies explore consumer perception of brands in a more or less passive way. This may still be representative for many situations or decisions we make each day. Nevertheless, sometimes we often actively search for and use information to make informed and reasoned choices, thus implying a rational and thinking consumer. Researchers suggested describing this distinction as low relative to high involvement consumer behavior. Although the involvement concept has been widely used to explain consumer behavior, behavioral and neural correlates of this concept are poorly understood. The current study aims to describe a behavioral measure that is associated with high involvement, the length of search behavior. A second aim of this study was to explore brain activations associated with involvement by employing functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI. We presented participants information cues for different products and told them that they had to answer questions with respect to these products at the end of the experiment. Participants were free to stop the information search if they think they gathered enough information or to continue with collecting information. Behavioral results confirmed our hypothesis of a relationship between searching behavior and personal involvement by demonstrating that the length of search correlated significantly with the degree of personal involvement of the participants. FMRI data revealed that personal involvement was associated with activation in BA44. Since this brain region is known to be involved in semantic memory, the results of this pilot study suggest that high involvement consumer behavior may be linked to cognitive load and attention towards a product.

Developing a search engine for pharmacotherapeutic information that is not published in biomedical journals.

Science.gov (United States)

Do Pazo-Oubiña, F; Calvo Pita, C; Puigventós Latorre, F; Periañez-Párraga, L; Ventayol Bosch, P

2011-01-01

To identify publishers of pharmacotherapeutic information not found in biomedical journals that focuses on evaluating and providing advice on medicines and to develop a search engine to access this information. Compiling web sites that publish information on the rational use of medicines and have no commercial interests. Free-access web sites in Spanish, Galician, Catalan or English. Designing a search engine using the Google "custom search" application. Overall 159 internet addresses were compiled and were classified into 9 labels. We were able to recover the information from the selected sources using a search engine, which is called "AlquimiA" and available from http://www.elcomprimido.com/FARHSD/AlquimiA.htm. The main sources of pharmacotherapeutic information not published in biomedical journals were identified. The search engine is a useful tool for searching and accessing "grey literature" on the internet. Copyright © 2010 SEFH. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

A survey on visual information search behavior and requirements of radiologists.

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Markonis, D; Holzer, M; Dungs, S; Vargas, A; Langs, G; Kriewel, S; Müller, H

2012-01-01

The main objective of this study is to learn more on the image use and search requirements of radiologists. These requirements will then be taken into account to develop a new search system for images and associated meta data search in the Khresmoi project. Observations of the radiology workflow, case discussions and a literature review were performed to construct a survey form that was given online and in paper form to radiologists. Eye tracking was performed on a radiology viewing station to analyze typical tasks and to complement the survey. In total 34 radiologists answered the survey online or on paper. Image search was mentioned as a frequent and common task, particularly for finding cases of interest for differential diagnosis. Sources of information besides the Internet are books and discussions with colleagues. Search for images is unsuccessful in around 25% of the cases, stopping the search after around 10 minutes. The most common reason for failure is that target images are considered rare. Important additions for search requested in the survey are filtering by pathology and modality, as well as search for visually similar images and cases. Few radiologists are familiar with visual retrieval but they desire the option to upload images for searching similar ones. Image search is common in radiology but few radiologists are fully aware of visual information retrieval. Taking into account the many unsuccessful searches and time spent for this, a good image search could improve the situation and help in clinical practice.

Fault-tolerant search algorithms reliable computation with unreliable information

CERN Document Server

Cicalese, Ferdinando

2013-01-01

Why a book on fault-tolerant search algorithms? Searching is one of the fundamental problems in computer science. Time and again algorithmic and combinatorial issues originally studied in the context of search find application in the most diverse areas of computer science and discrete mathematics. On the other hand, fault-tolerance is a necessary ingredient of computing. Due to their inherent complexity, information systems are naturally prone to errors, which may appear at any level - as imprecisions in the data, bugs in the software, or transient or permanent hardware failures. This book pr

Global search demand for varicose vein information on the internet.

Science.gov (United States)

El-Sheikha, Joseph

2015-09-01

Changes in internet search trends can provide healthcare professionals detailed information on prevalence of disease and symptoms. Chronic venous disease, more commonly known as varicose veins, is a common symptomatic disease among the adult population. This study aims to measure the change in global search demand for varicose vein information using Google over the past 8 years. The Google Trends instrument was used to measure the change in demand for the use of the local name for varicose veins in several countries across the world between January 2006 and December 2012. The measurements were normalised onto a scale relative to the largest volume of search requests received during a designated time and geographical location. Comparison of national levels of private healthcare and healthcare spending per capita to search demand was also undertaken using Organisation for Economic Co-operation and development economic measurements. Global interest has increased significantly, with linear regression demonstrating a 3.72% year-on-year increase in demand over the 8-year time period (r(2 )= 0.385, p demand significantly increased in the northern hemisphere (p demand compared to cooler winter months (demand (r(2 )= 0.120 p = 0.306). Healthcare spending per capita did not relate to search demand (r(2 )= 0.450 p = 0.077). There is increasing demand for information about varicose veins on the internet, especially during the warmer months of the year. Online search demand does not appear to be related to healthcare spending. © The Author(s) 2014.

ELABORATING A MEASUREMENT INSTRUMENT FOR THE FLOW EXPERIENCE DURING ONLINE INFORMATION SEARCH

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Caraivan Luiza

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Flow is a construct imported in marketing research from social sciences in order to examine consumer behavior in the online medium. The construct describes a state of deep involvement in a challenging activity, most frequently characterized by high levels of enjoyment, control and concentration. Researchers found that the degree to which online experience is challenging can be defined, measured, and related well to important marketing variables. As shown by our extensive literature review, flow measurements include antecedents, dimensions and consequences of flow. The present paper represents a detailed description of the construct`s operationalization in the context of online information search. In this respect, our main goal is to produce a basic instrument to evaluate the flow experience of online search, in order to capitalize on the premises of an interactive, complex informational medium – the World Wide Web – and on the consequence of an exploratory informational behavior of users. The instrument is conceived to offer a primal possibility to collect data. The composition, source and significance of the 11 scales used to measure the multiple factors of the flow experience during online search are detailed in this study with the aim to ensure the compliance with scientific rigors and to facilitate correct reports of data related to the reliability and validity of measurements. For further research, we propose factor analysis to test the resulted instrument and to ensure that the measures employed are psychometrically sound. Factor analysis refers to a wide range of statistic techniques used to represent a set of variables in concordance with a reduced number of hypothetical variables called factors. Factorial analysis is used to solve two types of problems: reducing the number of variables to increase data processing speed and identifying hidden patterns in the existent data relations. However, we expect our scales to perform

Folksonomical P2P File Sharing Networks Using Vectorized KANSEI Information as Search Tags

Science.gov (United States)

Ohnishi, Kei; Yoshida, Kaori; Oie, Yuji

We present the concept of folksonomical peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing networks that allow participants (peers) to freely assign structured search tags to files. These networks are similar to folksonomies in the present Web from the point of view that users assign search tags to information distributed over a network. As a concrete example, we consider an unstructured P2P network using vectorized Kansei (human sensitivity) information as structured search tags for file search. Vectorized Kansei information as search tags indicates what participants feel about their files and is assigned by the participant to each of their files. A search query also has the same form of search tags and indicates what participants want to feel about files that they will eventually obtain. A method that enables file search using vectorized Kansei information is the Kansei query-forwarding method, which probabilistically propagates a search query to peers that are likely to hold more files having search tags that are similar to the query. The similarity between the search query and the search tags is measured in terms of their dot product. The simulation experiments examine if the Kansei query-forwarding method can provide equal search performance for all peers in a network in which only the Kansei information and the tendency with respect to file collection are different among all of the peers. The simulation results show that the Kansei query forwarding method and a random-walk-based query forwarding method, for comparison, work effectively in different situations and are complementary. Furthermore, the Kansei query forwarding method is shown, through simulations, to be superior to or equal to the random-walk based one in terms of search speed.

Personal involvement is related to increased search motivation and associated with activity in left BA44—a pilot study

Science.gov (United States)

Schaefer, Michael; Rumpel, Franziska; Sadrieh, Abdolkarim; Reimann, Martin; Denke, Claudia

2015-01-01

Numerous studies explore consumer perception of brands in a more or less passive way. This may still be representative for many situations or decisions we make each day. Nevertheless, sometimes we often actively search for and use information to make informed and reasoned choices, thus implying a rational and thinking consumer. Researchers suggested describing this distinction as low relative to high involvement consumer behavior. Although the involvement concept has been widely used to explain consumer behavior, behavioral and neural correlates of this concept are poorly understood. The current study aims to describe a behavioral measure that is associated with high involvement, the length of search behavior. A second aim of this study was to explore brain activations associated with involvement by employing functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). We presented participants information cues for different products and told them that they had to answer questions with respect to these products at the end of the experiment. Participants were free to stop the information search if they think they gathered enough information or to continue with collecting information. Behavioral results confirmed our hypothesis of a relationship between searching behavior and personal involvement by demonstrating that the length of search correlated significantly with the degree of personal involvement of the participants. fMRI data revealed that personal involvement was associated with activation in BA44. Since this brain region is known to be involved in semantic memory, the results of this pilot study suggest that high involvement consumer behavior may be linked to cognitive load and attention towards a product. PMID:25859200

A Systematic Understanding of Successful Web Searches in Information-Based Tasks

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Mingming

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study is to research how Chinese university students solve information-based problems. With the Search Performance Index as the measure of search success, participants were divided into high, medium and low-performing groups. Based on their web search logs, these three groups were compared along five dimensions of the search…

Talk as a Metacognitive Strategy during the Information Search Process of Adolescents

Science.gov (United States)

Bowler, Leanne

2010-01-01

Introduction: This paper describes a metacognitive strategy related to the social dimension of the information search process of adolescents. Method: A case study that used naturalistic methods to explore the metacognitive thinking nd associated emotions of ten adolescents. The study was framed by Kuhlthau's Information Search Process model and…

75 FR 67705 - Office of Postsecondary Education; Overview Information; Talent Search (TS) Program; Notice...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-11-03

... DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Postsecondary Education; Overview Information; Talent Search (TS... currently being served by a Talent Search project, especially schools that the State has identified as the... reliable third-party sources when providing information on the implementation of their Talent Search...

Target-present guessing as a function of target prevalence and accumulated information in visual search.

Science.gov (United States)

Peltier, Chad; Becker, Mark W

2017-05-01

Target prevalence influences visual search behavior. At low target prevalence, miss rates are high and false alarms are low, while the opposite is true at high prevalence. Several models of search aim to describe search behavior, one of which has been specifically intended to model search at varying prevalence levels. The multiple decision model (Wolfe & Van Wert, Current Biology, 20(2), 121--124, 2010) posits that all searches that end before the observer detects a target result in a target-absent response. However, researchers have found very high false alarms in high-prevalence searches, suggesting that prevalence rates may be used as a source of information to make "educated guesses" after search termination. Here, we further examine the ability for prevalence level and knowledge gained during visual search to influence guessing rates. We manipulate target prevalence and the amount of information that an observer accumulates about a search display prior to making a response to test if these sources of evidence are used to inform target present guess rates. We find that observers use both information about target prevalence rates and information about the proportion of the array inspected prior to making a response allowing them to make an informed and statistically driven guess about the target's presence.

The sources and popularity of online drug information: an analysis of top search engine results and web page views.

Science.gov (United States)

Law, Michael R; Mintzes, Barbara; Morgan, Steven G

2011-03-01

The Internet has become a popular source of health information. However, there is little information on what drug information and which Web sites are being searched. To investigate the sources of online information about prescription drugs by assessing the most common Web sites returned in online drug searches and to assess the comparative popularity of Web pages for particular drugs. This was a cross-sectional study of search results for the most commonly dispensed drugs in the US (n=278 active ingredients) on 4 popular search engines: Bing, Google (both US and Canada), and Yahoo. We determined the number of times a Web site appeared as the first result. A linked retrospective analysis counted Wikipedia page hits for each of these drugs in 2008 and 2009. About three quarters of the first result on Google USA for both brand and generic names linked to the National Library of Medicine. In contrast, Wikipedia was the first result for approximately 80% of generic name searches on the other 3 sites. On these other sites, over two thirds of brand name searches led to industry-sponsored sites. The Wikipedia pages with the highest number of hits were mainly for opiates, benzodiazepines, antibiotics, and antidepressants. Wikipedia and the National Library of Medicine rank highly in online drug searches. Further, our results suggest that patients most often seek information on drugs with the potential for dependence, for stigmatized conditions, that have received media attention, and for episodic treatments. Quality improvement efforts should focus on these drugs.

An information search model for online social Networks - MOBIRSE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Miguel Angel Niño Zambrano

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Online Social Networks (OSNs have been gaining great importance among Internet users in recent years.  These are sites where it is possible to meet people, publish, and share content in a way that is both easy and free of charge. As a result, the volume of information contained in these websites has grown exponentially, and web search has consequently become an important tool for users to easily find information relevant to their social networking objectives. Making use of ontologies and user profiles can make these searches more effective. This article presents a model for Information Retrieval in OSNs (MOBIRSE based on user profile and ontologies which aims to improve the relevance of retrieved information on these websites. The social network Facebook was chosen for a case study and as the instance for the proposed model. The model was validated using measures such as At-k Precision and Kappa statistics, to assess its efficiency.

Children’s information retrieval: beyond examining search strategies and interfaces

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jochmann-Mannak, Hanna; Huibers, Theo W.C.; Sanders, T.J.M.

2008-01-01

The study of children’s information retrieval is still for the greater part untouched territory. Meanwhile, children can become lost in the digital information world, because they are confronted with search interfaces, both designed by and for adults. Most current research on children’s information

Accuracy of weight loss information in Spanish search engine results on the internet.

Science.gov (United States)

Cardel, Michelle I; Chavez, Sarah; Bian, Jiang; Peñaranda, Eribeth; Miller, Darci R; Huo, Tianyao; Modave, François

2016-11-01

To systematically assess the quality of online information related to weight loss that Spanish speakers in the U.S. are likely to access. This study evaluated the accessibility and quality of information for websites that were identified from weight loss queries in Spanish and compared this with previously published results in English. The content was scored with respect to five dimensions: nutrition, physical activity, behavior, pharmacotherapy, and surgical recommendations. Sixty-six websites met eligibility criteria (21 commercial, 24 news/media, 10 blogs, 0 medical/government/university, 11 unclassified sites). Of 16 possible points, mean content quality score was 3.4 (SD = 2.0). Approximately 1.5% of sites scored greater than 8 (out of 12) on nutrition, physical activity, and behavior. Unsubstantiated claims were made on 94% of the websites. Content quality scores varied significantly by type of website (P searches is suboptimal and relatively worse than weight loss information accessed in English, suggesting that U.S. Spanish speakers accessing weight loss information online may be provided with incomplete and inaccurate information. © 2016 The Obesity Society.

The role of information search in seeking alternative treatment for back pain: a qualitative analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

McClymont, Hoda; Gow, Jeff; Perry, Chad

2014-01-01

Health consumers have moved away from a reliance on medical practitioner advice to more independent decision processes and so their information search processes have subsequently widened. This study examined how persons with back pain searched for alternative treatment types and service providers. That is, what information do they seek and how; what sources do they use and why; and by what means do they search for it? 12 persons with back pain were interviewed. The method used was convergent interviewing. This involved a series of semi-structured questions to obtain open-ended answers. The interviewer analysed the responses and refined the questions after each interview, to converge on the dominant factors influencing decisions about treatment patterns. Persons with back pain mainly search their memories and use word of mouth (their doctor and friends) for information about potential treatments and service providers. Their search is generally limited due to personal, provider-related and information-supply reasons. However, they did want in-depth information about the alternative treatments and providers in an attempt to establish apriori their efficacy in treating their specific back problems. They searched different sources depending on the type of information they required. The findings differ from previous studies about the types of information health consumers require when searching for information about alternative or mainstream healthcare services. The results have identified for the first time that limited information availability was only one of three categories of reasons identified about why persons with back pain do not search for more information particularly from external non-personal sources.

15 CFR 50.5 - Fee structure for age search and citizenship information.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... THE CENSUS § 50.5 Fee structure for age search and citizenship information. Type of service Fee... 15 Commerce and Foreign Trade 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Fee structure for age search and citizenship information. 50.5 Section 50.5 Commerce and Foreign Trade Regulations Relating to Commerce and...

Children's Search Engines from an Information Search Process Perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Broch, Elana

2000-01-01

Describes cognitive and affective characteristics of children and teenagers that may affect their Web searching behavior. Reviews literature on children's searching in online public access catalogs (OPACs) and using digital libraries. Profiles two Web search engines. Discusses some of the difficulties children have searching the Web, in the…

Children searching information on the Internet : Performance on children's interfaces compared to Google

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jochmann-Mannak, Hanna; Huibers, Theo W.C.; Lentz, Leo; Sanders, Ted

2010-01-01

Children frequently make use of the Internet to search for information. However, research shows that children experience many problems with searching and browsing the web. The last decade numerous search environments have been developed, especially for children. Do these search interfaces support

Internet use by the public to search for health-related information.

Science.gov (United States)

AlGhamdi, Khalid M; Moussa, Noura A

2012-06-01

The use of the Internet to search for health-related information (HRI) has become a common practice worldwide. Our literature review failed to find any evidence of previous studies on this topic from Saudi Arabia. To determine the public use of the Internet in Saudi Arabia to search for HRI and to evaluate patients' perceptions of the quality of the information available on the Internet compared to that provided by their health care providers. A self-administered questionnaire about Internet use to search for HRI was distributed randomly to male and female outpatients and visitors attending a public University Hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from January to May 2010. A Chi-squared test was used to assess the association between different categorical variables. Multiple logistic regression was used to relate the use of the Internet to search for HRI with various socio-demographic variables. The questionnaire response was 80.1%, with completion of 801 of the 1000 distributed questionnaires; 50% (400/801) of respondents were males. The mean age of respondents was 32±11 years. The majority of respondents used the Internet in general (87.8%), and 58.4% of them (363/622) used the Internet to search for HRI. The majority stated a doctor was their primary source of HRI (89.3%, 654/732). This practice was considered useful by 84.2%, and the main reason behind it was sheer curiosity (92.7%, 418/451). Other reasons included not getting enough information from their doctor (58.5%, 227/413) and not trusting the information given by their doctor (28.2%, 101/443). Forty-four percent (205/466) searched for HRI before coming to the clinic; 72.5% of those discussed the information with their doctors and 71.7% (119/166) of those who did so believed that this positively affected their relationship with their doctor. Searching the Internet for health information was observed more frequently among the 30-39 year age group (OR=2.0, 95% CI 1.1-3.7), females (OR=3.8, 95% CI 2

Global polar geospatial information service retrieval based on search engine and ontology reasoning

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Nengcheng; E, Dongcheng; Di, Liping; Gong, Jianya; Chen, Zeqiang

2007-01-01

In order to improve the access precision of polar geospatial information service on web, a new methodology for retrieving global spatial information services based on geospatial service search and ontology reasoning is proposed, the geospatial service search is implemented to find the coarse service from web, the ontology reasoning is designed to find the refined service from the coarse service. The proposed framework includes standardized distributed geospatial web services, a geospatial service search engine, an extended UDDI registry, and a multi-protocol geospatial information service client. Some key technologies addressed include service discovery based on search engine and service ontology modeling and reasoning in the Antarctic geospatial context. Finally, an Antarctica multi protocol OWS portal prototype based on the proposed methodology is introduced.

Finding Business Information on the "Invisible Web": Search Utilities vs. Conventional Search Engines.

Science.gov (United States)

Darrah, Brenda

Researchers for small businesses, which may have no access to expensive databases or market research reports, must often rely on information found on the Internet, which can be difficult to find. Although current conventional Internet search engines are now able to index over on billion documents, there are many more documents existing in…

Incidence of Online Health Information Search: A Useful Proxy for Public Health Risk Perception

OpenAIRE

Liang, Bo; Scammon, Debra L

2013-01-01

Background Internet users use search engines to look for information online, including health information. Researchers in medical informatics have found a high correlation of the occurrence of certain search queries and the incidence of certain diseases. Consumers? search for information about diseases is related to current health status with regard to a disease and to the social environments that shape the public?s attitudes and behaviors. Objective This study aimed to investigate the extent...

Detecting internet activity for erectile dysfunction using search engine query data in the Republic of Ireland.

Science.gov (United States)

Davis, Niall F; Smyth, Lisa G; Flood, Hugh D

2012-12-01

What's known on the subject? and What does the study add? Despite the increasing prevalence of erectile dysfunction (ED), there is reluctance among symptomatic patients to present to healthcare providers for appropriate advice and treatment. A number of Internet campaigns have been launched by the Irish healthcare media since 2007 aiming to provide easily accessible advice on ED. Novel online technologies appear to provide a useful tool for educating the general public on the symptoms of ED because there has been a significant increase in overall Internet search activity for this term since 2007. • To assess Internet search trends for erectile dysfunction (ED) subsequent to public awareness campaigns being launched within the Republic of Ireland • To assess whether the advent of such campaigns correlates with increased Internet search activity for ED. • Google insights for search was utilized to examine Internet search trends for the term 'erectile dysfunction' across all categories between January 2005 and December 2011. • Search activity was limited to users from the Republic of Ireland within this timeframe. • Additionally, the number of Irish Internet media campaigns and Irish web pages providing information on ED was assessed between January 2005 and December 2011. • Statistical analysis of the data was performed using analysis of variance and Student's t-tests for pairwise comparisons. • There has been a significant increase in mean search activity for ED on an annual basis since 2007 (P search activity for ED from 2005 to 2007 • The advent of recent Internet media campaigns and increasing number of Irish web pages is associated with a significant increase in online activity for ED in the Republic of Ireland. • Novel online technologies appear to provide a useful tool for educating the general public on the symptoms and treatment options available for ED. © 2012 BJU INTERNATIONAL.

Online games: a novel approach to explore how partial information influences human random searches

Science.gov (United States)

Martínez-García, Ricardo; Calabrese, Justin M.; López, Cristóbal

2017-01-01

Many natural processes rely on optimizing the success ratio of a search process. We use an experimental setup consisting of a simple online game in which players have to find a target hidden on a board, to investigate how the rounds are influenced by the detection of cues. We focus on the search duration and the statistics of the trajectories traced on the board. The experimental data are explained by a family of random-walk-based models and probabilistic analytical approximations. If no initial information is given to the players, the search is optimized for cues that cover an intermediate spatial scale. In addition, initial information about the extension of the cues results, in general, in faster searches. Finally, strategies used by informed players turn into non-stationary processes in which the length of e ach displacement evolves to show a well-defined characteristic scale that is not found in non-informed searches.

The Role of Domain Knowledge in Cognitive Modeling of Information Search

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Karanam, S.; Jorge-Botana, Guillermo; Olmos, Ricardo; van Oostendorp, H.

2017-01-01

Computational cognitive models developed so far do not incorporate individual differences in domain knowledge in predicting user clicks on search result pages. We address this problem using a cognitive model of information search which enables us to use two semantic spaces having a low (non-expert

A comparison of information functions and search strategies for sensor planning in target classification.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Guoxian; Ferrari, Silvia; Cai, Chenghui

2012-02-01

This paper investigates the comparative performance of several information-driven search strategies and decision rules using a canonical target classification problem. Five sensor models are considered: one obtained from classical estimation theory and four obtained from Bernoulli, Poisson, binomial, and mixture-of-binomial distributions. A systematic approach is presented for deriving information functions that represent the expected utility of future sensor measurements from mutual information, Rènyi divergence, Kullback-Leibler divergence, information potential, quadratic entropy, and the Cauchy-Schwarz distance. The resulting information-driven strategies are compared to direct-search, alert-confirm, task-driven (TS), and log-likelihood-ratio (LLR) search strategies. Extensive numerical simulations show that quadratic entropy typically leads to the most effective search strategy with respect to correct-classification rates. In the presence of prior information, the quadratic-entropy-driven strategy also displays the lowest rate of false alarms. However, when prior information is absent or very noisy, TS and LLR strategies achieve the lowest false-alarm rates for the Bernoulli, mixture-of-binomial, and classical sensor models.

The role of health anxiety in online health information search

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hartmann, T.; Baumgartner, S.

2011-01-01

This article is one of the first to empirically explore the relationship between health anxiety and online health information search. Two studies investigate how health anxiety influences the use of the Internet for health information and how health anxious individuals respond to online health

Language preferences on websites and in Google searches for human health and food information.

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Punam Mony; Wight, Carly A; Sercinoglu, Olcan; Wilson, David C; Boytsov, Artem; Raizada, Manish N

2007-06-28

While it is known that the majority of pages on the World Wide Web are in English, little is known about the preferred language of users searching for health information online. (1) To help global and domestic publishers, for example health and food agencies, to determine the need for translation of online information from English into local languages. (2) To help these agencies determine which language(s) they should select when publishing information online in target nations and for target subpopulations within nations. To estimate the percentage of Web publishers that translate their health and food websites, we measured the frequency at which domain names retrieved by Google overlap for language translations of the same health-related search term. To quantify language choice of searchers from different countries, Google provided estimates of the rate at which its search engine was queried in six languages relative to English for the terms "avian flu," "tuberculosis," "schizophrenia," and "maize" (corn) from January 2004 to April 2006. The estimate was based on a 20% sample of all Google queries from 227 nations. We estimate that 80%-90% of health- and food-related institutions do not translate their websites into multiple languages, even when the information concerns pandemic disease such as avian influenza. Although Internet users are often well-educated, there was a strong preference for searching for health and food information in the local language, rather than English. For "avian flu," we found that only 1% of searches in non-English-speaking nations were in English, whereas for "tuberculosis" or "schizophrenia," about 4%-40% of searches in non-English countries employed English. A subset of searches for health information presumably originating from immigrants occurred in their native tongue, not the language of the adopted country. However, Spanish-language online searches for "avian flu," "schizophrenia," and "maize/corn" in the United States occurred

Switching health insurers: the role of price, quality and consumer information search.

Science.gov (United States)

Boonen, Lieke H H M; Laske-Aldershof, Trea; Schut, Frederik T

2016-04-01

We examine the impact of price, service quality and information search on people's propensity to switch health insurers in the competitive Dutch health insurance market. Using panel data from annual household surveys and data on health insurers' premiums and quality ratings over the period 2006-2012, we estimate a random effects logit model of people's switching decisions. We find that switching propensities depend on health plan price and quality, and on people's age, health, education and having supplementary or group insurance. Young people (18-35 years) are more sensitive to price, whereas older people are more sensitive to quality. Searching for health plan information has a much stronger impact on peoples' sensitivity to price than to service quality. In addition, searching for health plan information has a stronger impact on the switching propensity of higher than lower educated people, suggesting that higher educated people make better use of available health plan information. Finally, having supplementary insurance significantly reduces older people's switching propensity.

Learning to merge search results for efficient Distributed Information Retrieval

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tjin-Kam-Jet, Kien; Hiemstra, Djoerd

2010-01-01

Merging search results from different servers is a major problem in Distributed Information Retrieval. We used Regression-SVM and Ranking-SVM which would learn a function that merges results based on information that is readily available: i.e. the ranks, titles, summaries and URLs contained in the

Seasonal variation in Internet searches for vitamin D.

Science.gov (United States)

Moon, Rebecca J; Curtis, Elizabeth M; Davies, Justin H; Cooper, Cyrus; Harvey, Nicholas C

2017-12-01

Internet search rates for "vitamin D" were explored using Google Trends. Search rates increased from 2004 until 2010 and thereafter displayed a seasonal pattern peaking in late winter. This knowledge could help guide the timing of public health interventions aimed at managing vitamin D deficiency. The Internet is an important source of health information. Analysis of Internet search activity rates can provide information on disease epidemiology, health related behaviors and public interest. We explored Internet search rates for vitamin D to determine whether this reflects the increasing scientific interest in this topic. Google Trends is a publically available tool that provides data on Internet searches using Google. Search activity for the term "vitamin D" from 1st January 2004 until 31st October 2016 was obtained. Comparison was made to other bone and nutrition related terms. Worldwide, searches for "vitamin D" increased from 2004 until 2010 and thereafter a statistically significant (p Internet search activity, did increase from 2004 to 2010, likely reflecting the growing scientific interest, but now displays a seasonal pattern with peak interest during late winter. This information could be used to guide public health approaches to managing vitamin D deficiency.

Search, access and dissemination of scientific information from scientists, social scientists and humanists

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fernando César Lima Leite

2015-05-01

Full Text Available This paper presents results of study on the characteristics of search activities, access to and use of information, and dissemination habits of researchers from scientific research institutes. From the methodological point of view, it is a mixed methods study which adopted the concurrent triangulation strategy. Data were collected through questionnaires, interviews and checklist, and then submitted to statistical and text analysis. The research sphere was consisted of researchers linked to the research units of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, and the sample basis were the researchers of the Brazilian Centre for Physics Research (CBPF and Museum of Astronomy and Related Sciences (MAST. Among other aspects, the findings shows that the safeguarded their disciplinary differences, search, access and communication activities, regardless of the knowledge area, occurring mainly in the digital environment; communication habits are stimulated by motives common to scientists and social scientists and humanists, share knowledge and visibility are the main reasons for the dissemination of research results, physicists are naturally within the open access context.

Behavioural and brain responses related to Internet search and memory.

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, Guangheng; Potenza, Marc N

2015-10-01

The ready availability of data via searches on the Internet has changed how many people seek and perhaps store and recall information, although the brain mechanisms underlying these processes are not well understood. This study investigated brain mechanisms underlying Internet-based vs. non-Internet-based searching. The results showed that Internet searching was associated with lower accuracy in recalling information as compared with traditional book searching. During functional magnetic resonance imaging, Internet searching was associated with less regional brain activation in the left ventral stream, the association area of the temporal-parietal-occipital cortices, and the middle frontal cortex. When comparing novel items with remembered trials, Internet-based searching was associated with higher brain activation in the right orbitofrontal cortex and lower brain activation in the right middle temporal gyrus when facing those novel trials. Brain activations in the middle temporal gyrus were inversely correlated with response times, and brain activations in the orbitofrontal cortex were positively correlated with self-reported search impulses. Taken together, the results suggest that, although Internet-based searching may have facilitated the information-acquisition process, this process may have been performed more hastily and be more prone to difficulties in recollection. In addition, people appear less confident in recalling information learned through Internet searching and that recent Internet searching may promote motivation to use the Internet. © 2015 Federation of European Neuroscience Societies and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Systematic reviews in Library and Information Science: analysis and evaluation of the search process

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José Antonio Salvador-Oliván

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Objective: An essential component of a systematic review is the development and execution of a literature search to identify all available and relevant published studies. The main objective of this study is to analyse and evaluate whether the systematic reviews in Library and Information Science (LIS provide complete information on all the elements that make up the search process. Methods: A search was launched in WOS, Scopus, LISTA, Library Science Database, Medline databases and a wiki published from 2000 to February 2017, in order to find and identify systematic reviews. The search was designed to find those records whose titles included the words “systematic review” and/or “meta-analysis”. A list was created with the twelve items recommended from of the main publication guides, to assess the information degree on each of them. Results and conclusions: Most of the reviews in LIS are created by information professionals. From the 94 systematic reviews selected for analysis, it was found that only a 4.3% provided the complete reporting on the search method. The most frequently included item is the name of the database (95.6% and the least one is the name of the host (35.8%. It is necessary to improve and complete the information about the search processes in the complete reports from LIS systematic reviews for reproducibility, updating and quality assessment improvement.

A Personalised Information Support System for Searching Portals and E-Resources

Science.gov (United States)

Sirisha, B. S.; Jeevan, V. K. J.; Raja Kumar, R. V.; Goswami, A.

2009-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to describe the development of a personalised information support system to help faculty members to search various portals and e-resources without typing the search terms in different interfaces and to obtain results re-ordered without human intervention. Design/methodology/approach: After a careful survey of…

Information searching trends through digital media channels and the impact of key words on customer’s response

OpenAIRE

Vidmar, Emanuel

2014-01-01

In the modern world digital media channels, especially ones accessible via browsers, have an extreme influence on consumer decision process. This diploma thesis analyses the trends of information searching as well as the influence of search marketing on search engine performance. Search engines are the basic tools for finding and collecting information, both of which are crucial in consumer decision processes. The thesis continues with an overview of a modern consumer’s information searching ...

Approaching the Affective Factors of Information Seeking: The Viewpoint of the Information Search Process Model

Science.gov (United States)

Savolainen, Reijo

2015-01-01

Introduction: The article contributes to the conceptual studies of affective factors in information seeking by examining Kuhlthau's information search process model. Method: This random-digit dial telephone survey of 253 people (75% female) living in a rural, medically under-serviced area of Ontario, Canada, follows-up a previous interview study…

Information Search as an Indication of Rationality in Student Choice of Higher Education

Science.gov (United States)

Menon, Maria E.

2004-01-01

This paper investigates the degree of information search that precedes the choice of a private third-level educational institution in Cyprus. Information search is used as an indication of rationality in order to provide a test for the economic approach to the explanation of human behaviour. A survey was conducted among 120 college students in the…

Top-Down Activation of Spatiotopic Sensory Codes in Perceptual and Working Memory Search.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuo, Bo-Cheng; Nobre, Anna Christina; Scerif, Gaia; Astle, Duncan E

2016-07-01

A critical requirement of an efficient cognitive system is the selection and prioritization of relevant information. This occurs when selecting specific items from our sensory inputs, which then receive preferential status at subsequent levels of processing. Many everyday tasks also require us to select internal representations, such as a relevant item from memory. We show that both of these types of search are underpinned by the spatiotopic activation of sensory codes, using both fMRI and MEG data. When individuals searched for perceived and remembered targets, the MEG data highlighted a sensor level electrophysiological effect that reflects the contralateral organization of the visual system-namely, the N2pc. The fMRI data were used to identify a network of frontoparietal areas common to both types of search, as well as the early visual areas activated by the search display. We then combined fMRI and MEG data to explore the temporal dynamics of functional connections between the frontoparietal network and the early visual areas. Searching for a target item resulted in significantly enhanced phase-phase coupling between the frontoparietal network and the visual areas contralateral to the perceived or remembered location of that target. This enhancement of spatially specific phase-phase coupling occurred before the N2pc effect and was significantly associated with it on a trial-by-trial basis. The combination of these two imaging modalities suggests that perceptual and working memory search are underpinned by the synchronization of a frontoparietal network and the relevant sensory cortices.

Geometrical Fuzzy Search Method for the Business Information Security Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Grigory Grigorievich Novikov

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The main reason of the article is how to use one of new fuzzy search method for information security of business or some other purposes. So many sensitive information leaks are through non-classified documents legal publishing. That’s why many intelligence services like to use the “mosaic” information collection method so much: This article is about how to prevent it.

Understanding vaccination resistance: vaccine search term selection bias and the valence of retrieved information.

Science.gov (United States)

Ruiz, Jeanette B; Bell, Robert A

2014-10-07

Dubious vaccination-related information on the Internet leads some parents to opt out of vaccinating their children. To determine if negative, neutral and positive search terms retrieve vaccination information that differs in valence and confirms searchers' assumptions about vaccination. A content analysis of first-page Google search results was conducted using three negative, three neutral, and three positive search terms for the concepts "vaccine," "vaccination," and "MMR"; 84 of the 90 websites retrieved met inclusion requirements. Two coders independently and reliably coded for the presence or absence of each of 15 myths about vaccination (e.g., "vaccines cause autism"), statements that countered these myths, and recommendations for or against vaccination. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Across all websites, at least one myth was perpetuated on 16.7% of websites and at least one myth was countered on 64.3% of websites. The mean number of myths perpetuated on websites retrieved with negative, neutral, and positive search terms, respectively, was 1.93, 0.53, and 0.40. The mean number of myths countered on websites retrieved with negative, neutral, and positive search terms, respectively, was 3.0, 3.27, and 2.87. Explicit recommendations regarding vaccination were offered on 22.6% of websites. A recommendation against vaccination was more often made on websites retrieved with negative search terms (37.5% of recommendations) than on websites retrieved with neutral (12.5%) or positive (0%) search terms. The concerned parent who seeks information about the risks of childhood immunizations will find more websites that perpetuate vaccine myths and recommend against vaccination than the parent who seeks information about the benefits of vaccination. This suggests that search term valence can lead to online information that supports concerned parents' misconceptions about vaccines. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Textual and Visual Information in eWOM: A Gap Between Preferences in Information Search and Diffusion

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lee, Geunhee; Tussyadiah, Iis

2010-01-01

This article examines the gap between travel-related information search and diffusion by online users in order to better understand the important role of visual information in electronic word of mouth (eWOM). Several analyses were conducted to investigate differences in travelers' preferences...

From Capture to Inhibition: How does Irrelevant Information Influence Visual Search? Evidence from a Spatial Cuing Paradigm.

Science.gov (United States)

Mertes, Christine; Wascher, Edmund; Schneider, Daniel

2016-01-01

Even though information is spatially and temporally irrelevant, it can influence the processing of subsequent information. The present study used a spatial cuing paradigm to investigate the origins of this persisting influence by means of event-related potentials (ERPs) of the EEG. An irrelevant color cue that was either contingent (color search) or non-contingent (shape search) on attentional sets was presented prior to a target array with different stimulus-onset asynchronies (SOA; 200, 400, 800 ms). Behavioral results indicated that color cues captured attention only when they shared target-defining properties. These same-location effects persisted over time but were pronounced when cue and target array were presented in close succession. N2 posterior contralateral (N2pc) showed that the color cue generally drew attention, but was strongest in the contingent condition. A subsequently emerging contralateral posterior positivity referred to the irrelevant cue (i.e., distractor positivity, Pd) was unaffected by the attentional set and therefore interpreted as an inhibitory process required to enable a re-direction of the attentional focus. Contralateral delay activity (CDA) was only observable in the contingent condition, indicating the transfer of spatial information into working memory and thus providing an explanation for the same-location effect for longer SOAs. Inhibition of this irrelevant information was reflected by a second contralateral positivity triggered through target presentation. The results suggest that distracting information is actively maintained when it resembles a sought-after object. However, two independent attentional processes are at work to compensate for attentional distraction: the timely inhibition of attentional capture and the active inhibition of mental representation of irrelevant information.

Short Term Gain, Long Term Pain:Informal Job Search Methods and Post-Displacement Outcomes

OpenAIRE

Green, Colin

2012-01-01

This paper examines the role of informal job search methods on the labour market outcomes of displaced workers. Informal job search methods could alleviate short-term labour market difficulties of displaced workers by providing information on job opportunities, allowing them to signal their productivity and may mitigate wage losses through better post-displacement job matching. However if displacement results from reductions in demand for specific sectors/skills, the use of informal job searc...

Optimizing Search and Ranking in Folksonomy Systems by Exploiting Context Information

Science.gov (United States)

Abel, Fabian; Henze, Nicola; Krause, Daniel

Tagging systems enable users to annotate resources with freely chosen keywords. The evolving bunch of tag assignments is called folksonomy and there exist already some approaches that exploit folksonomies to improve resource retrieval. In this paper, we analyze and compare graph-based ranking algorithms: FolkRank and SocialPageRank. We enhance these algorithms by exploiting the context of tags, and evaluate the results on the GroupMe! dataset. In GroupMe!, users can organize and maintain arbitrary Web resources in self-defined groups. When users annotate resources in GroupMe!, this can be interpreted in context of a certain group. The grouping activity itself is easy for users to perform. However, it delivers valuable semantic information about resources and their context. We present GRank that uses the context information to improve and optimize the detection of relevant search results, and compare different strategies for ranking result lists in folksonomy systems.

75 FR 25239 - Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS); Announcement of Availability of Literature Searches...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-05-07

... Information System (IRIS); Announcement of Availability of Literature Searches for IRIS Assessments AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency. ACTION: Notice; Announcement of availability of literature searches for IRIS... the availability of literature searches for four IRIS assessments and requesting scientific...

A Heuristic Dynamically Dimensioned Search with Sensitivity Information (HDDS-S and Application to River Basin Management

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jinggang Chu

2015-05-01

Full Text Available River basin simulation and multi-reservoir optimal operation have been critical for river basin management. Due to the intense interaction between human activities and river basin systems, the river basin model and multi-reservoir operation model are complicated with a large number of parameters. Therefore, fast and stable optimization algorithms are required for river basin management under the changing conditions of climate and current human activities. This study presents a new global optimization algorithm, named as heuristic dynamically dimensioned search with sensitivity information (HDDS-S, to effectively perform river basin simulation and multi-reservoir optimal operation during river basin management. The HDDS-S algorithm is built on the dynamically dimensioned search (DDS algorithm; and has an improved computational efficiency while maintaining its search capacity compared to the original DDS algorithm. This is mainly due to the non-uniform probability assigned to each decision variable on the basis of its changing sensitivity to the optimization objectives during the adaptive change from global to local search with dimensionality reduced. This study evaluates the new algorithm by comparing its performance with the DDS algorithm on a river basin model calibration problem and a multi-reservoir optimal operation problem. The results obtained indicate that the HDDS-S algorithm outperforms the DDS algorithm in terms of search ability and computational efficiency in the two specific problems. In addition; similar to the DDS algorithm; the HDDS-S algorithm is easy to use as it does not require any parameter tuning and automatically adjusts its search to find good solutions given an available computational budget.

Constructing Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) for Searching the Marine Realms Information Bank

Science.gov (United States)

Linck, Guthrie A.; Allwardt, Alan O.; Lightsom, Frances L.

2009-01-01

The Marine Realms Information Bank (MRIB) is a digital library that provides access to free online scientific information about the oceans and coastal regions. To search its collection, MRIB uses a Common Gateway Interface (CGI) program, which allows automated search requests using Uniform Resource Locators (URLs). This document provides an overview of how to construct URLs to execute MRIB queries. The parameters listed allow detailed control of which records are retrieved, how they are returned, and how their display is formatted.

75 FR 76982 - Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS); Announcement of Availability of Literature Searches...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-12-10

... Information System (IRIS); Announcement of Availability of Literature Searches for IRIS Assessments AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency. ACTION: Announcement of availability of literature searches for IRIS... the availability of literature searches for four IRIS assessments, acetaldehyde (CAS No. 75-07-0...

76 FR 13402 - Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS); Announcement of Availability of Literature Searches...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-03-11

... Information System (IRIS); Announcement of Availability of Literature Searches for IRIS Assessments AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency. ACTION: Announcement of availability of literature searches for IRIS... the availability of literature searches for cobalt (CASRN 7440-48-4) and inorganic cobalt compounds...

Agent-oriented Architecture for Task-based Information Search System

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Aroyo, Lora; de Bra, Paul M.E.; De Bra, P.; Hardman, L.

1999-01-01

The topic of the reported research discusses an agent-oriented architecture of an educational information search system AIMS - a task-based learner support system. It is implemented within the context of 'Courseware Engineering' on-line course at the Faculty of Educational Science and Technology,

The Cryogenic Dark Matter Search and Background Rejection with Event Position Information

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Gen-sheng

2005-01-01

Evidence from observational cosmology and astrophysics indicates that about one third of the universe is matter, but that the known baryonic matter only contributes to the universe at 4%. A large fraction of the universe is cold and non-baryonic matter, which has important role in the universe structure formation and its evolution. The leading candidate for the non-baryonic dark matter is Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs), which naturally occurs in the supersymmetry theory in particle physics. The Cryogenic Dark Matter Search (CDMS) experiment is searching for evidence of a WIMP interaction off an atomic nucleus in crystals of Ge and Si by measuring simultaneously the phonon energy and ionization energy of the interaction in the CDMS detectors. The WIMP interaction energy is from a few keV to tens of keV with a rate less than 0.1 events/kg/day. To reach the goal of WIMP detection, the CDMS experiment has been conducted in the Soudan mine with an active muon veto and multistage passive background shields. The CDMS detectors have a low energy threshold and background rejection capabilities based on ionization yield. However, betas from contamination and other radioactive sources produce surface interactions, which have low ionization yield, comparable to that of bulk nuclear interactions. The low-ionization surface electron recoils must be removed in the WIMP search data analysis. An emphasis of this thesis is on developing the method of the surface-interaction rejection using location information of the interactions, phonon energy distributions and phonon timing parameters. The result of the CDMS Soudan run118 92.3 live day WIMP search data analysis is presented, and represents the most sensitive search yet performed

The Cryogenic Dark Matter Search and Background Rejection with Event Position Information

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Gensheng [Case Western Reserve Univ., Cleveland, OH (United States). Dept. of Physics

2005-01-01

Evidence from observational cosmology and astrophysics indicates that about one third of the universe is matter, but that the known baryonic matter only contributes to the universe at 4%. A large fraction of the universe is cold and non-baryonic matter, which has important role in the universe structure formation and its evolution. The leading candidate for the non-baryonic dark matter is Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs), which naturally occurs in the supersymmetry theory in particle physics. The Cryogenic Dark Matter Search (CDMS) experiment is searching for evidence of a WIMP interaction off an atomic nucleus in crystals of Ge and Si by measuring simultaneously the phonon energy and ionization energy of the interaction in the CDMS detectors. The WIMP interaction energy is from a few keV to tens of keV with a rate less than 0.1 events/kg/day. To reach the goal of WIMP detection, the CDMS experiment has been conducted in the Soudan mine with an active muon veto and multistage passive background shields. The CDMS detectors have a low energy threshold and background rejection capabilities based on ionization yield. However, betas from contamination and other radioactive sources produce surface interactions, which have low ionization yield, comparable to that of bulk nuclear interactions. The low-ionization surface electron recoils must be removed in the WIMP search data analysis. An emphasis of this thesis is on developing the method of the surface-interaction rejection using location information of the interactions, phonon energy distributions and phonon timing parameters. The result of the CDMS Soudan run118 92.3 live day WIMP search data analysis is presented, and represents the most sensitive search yet performed.

An investigation of the search behaviour associated with Ingwersen’s three types of information needs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Borlund, Pia; Dreier, Sabine

2014-01-01

We report a naturalistic interactive information retrieval (IIR) study of 18 ordinary users in the age of 20–25 who carry out everyday-life information seeking (ELIS) on the Internet with respect to the three types of information needs identified by Ingwersen (1986): the verificative information...... need (VIN), the conscious topical information need (CIN), and the muddled topical information need (MIN). The searches took place in the private homes of the users in order to ensure as realistic searching as possible. Ingwersen (1996) associates a given search behaviour to each of the three types...... of information needs, which are analytically deduced, but not yet empirically tested. Thus the objective of the study is to investigate whether empirical data does, or does not, conform to the predictions derived from the three types of information needs. The main conclusion is that the analytically deduced...

[Health information on the Internet: Who is searching for what, when and how?].

Science.gov (United States)

Zschorlich, Beate; Gechter, Dorothea; Janßen, Inger M; Swinehart, Thomas; Wiegard, Beate; Koch, Klaus

2015-01-01

The Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG, Germany) has a statutory mandate to provide patients and their family members as well as the wider public with evidence-based health information (www.informedhealthonline.org). Since 2006 IQWiG has maintained the publicly available website gesundheitsinformation.de. Currently, about 80 million people live in Germany, and the majority of them have internet access. The goal of this project was to evaluate published studies examining health information seeking behaviour (who, when and how) on the internet. A systematic search was conducted in several databases (PubMed, MEDLINE [Ovid)], PsycInfo [Ovid] und CINAHL [Ebsco]) for studies on internet searches for health information. No study type restrictions were imposed. Data were extracted from the relevant studies, and then discussed in the project group and summarised qualitatively. Of the 1,150 abstracts identified, 169 publications were analysed in full. 74 studies were included, most of which were surveys (n=59). The data were extracted from these studies and then summarised qualitatively to obtain an overview of the current state of research in this field. The results suggest that the group most often searching for health-related information on the internet - either on their own behalf or on behalf of others - consists of middle-aged women with a higher level of education and income. The most common reason for initiating a search for health information is a visit to the doctor, and the most common starting point is a search engine. Page layout and user-friendliness are the main criteria for assessing the credibility of websites and the information they provide. Users are more likely to trust information that is consistent with their own experiences and opinions. There is a growing trend of using the internet as a source for health information. It seems that trust in the credibility of a given website or information mostly depends on factors that are

Information search in health care decision-making: a study of word-of-mouth and internet information users.

Science.gov (United States)

Snipes, Robin L; Ingram, Rhea; Jiang, Pingjun

2005-01-01

This paper investigates how individual consumers may differ in their information search behavior in health care decision-making. Results indicate that most consumers still use word-of-mouth as a primary information source for health care decisions. However, usage of the Internet is increasing. The results of this study indicate that consumers who are most likely to use the Internet for health care information are single, younger, and less educated, whereas consumers who are most likely to use word-of-mouth are middle-aged, married, with higher income and higher education. Surprisingly, no significant gender difference was found in information search behavior for health care decision-making. The results also suggest that consumers with the highest tendency to use word-of-mouth are also the lowest users of the Internet in health care decision-making. Implications of these findings are discussed.

Accessing Suicide-Related Information on the Internet: A Retrospective Observational Study of Search Behavior

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Background The Internet’s potential impact on suicide is of major public health interest as easy online access to pro-suicide information or specific suicide methods may increase suicide risk among vulnerable Internet users. Little is known, however, about users’ actual searching and browsing behaviors of online suicide-related information. Objective To investigate what webpages people actually clicked on after searching with suicide-related queries on a search engine and to examine what queries people used to get access to pro-suicide websites. Methods A retrospective observational study was done. We used a web search dataset released by America Online (AOL). The dataset was randomly sampled from all AOL subscribers’ web queries between March and May 2006 and generated by 657,000 service subscribers. Results We found 5526 search queries (0.026%, 5526/21,000,000) that included the keyword "suicide". The 5526 search queries included 1586 different search terms and were generated by 1625 unique subscribers (0.25%, 1625/657,000). Of these queries, 61.38% (3392/5526) were followed by users clicking on a search result. Of these 3392 queries, 1344 (39.62%) webpages were clicked on by 930 unique users but only 1314 of those webpages were accessible during the study period. Each clicked-through webpage was classified into 11 categories. The categories of the most visited webpages were: entertainment (30.13%; 396/1314), scientific information (18.31%; 240/1314), and community resources (14.53%; 191/1314). Among the 1314 accessed webpages, we could identify only two pro-suicide websites. We found that the search terms used to access these sites included “commiting suicide with a gas oven”, “hairless goat”, “pictures of murder by strangulation”, and “photo of a severe burn”. A limitation of our study is that the database may be dated and confined to mainly English webpages. Conclusions Searching or browsing suicide-related or pro-suicide webpages was

Accessing suicide-related information on the internet: a retrospective observational study of search behavior.

Science.gov (United States)

Wong, Paul Wai-Ching; Fu, King-Wa; Yau, Rickey Sai-Pong; Ma, Helen Hei-Man; Law, Yik-Wa; Chang, Shu-Sen; Yip, Paul Siu-Fai

2013-01-11

The Internet's potential impact on suicide is of major public health interest as easy online access to pro-suicide information or specific suicide methods may increase suicide risk among vulnerable Internet users. Little is known, however, about users' actual searching and browsing behaviors of online suicide-related information. To investigate what webpages people actually clicked on after searching with suicide-related queries on a search engine and to examine what queries people used to get access to pro-suicide websites. A retrospective observational study was done. We used a web search dataset released by America Online (AOL). The dataset was randomly sampled from all AOL subscribers' web queries between March and May 2006 and generated by 657,000 service subscribers. We found 5526 search queries (0.026%, 5526/21,000,000) that included the keyword "suicide". The 5526 search queries included 1586 different search terms and were generated by 1625 unique subscribers (0.25%, 1625/657,000). Of these queries, 61.38% (3392/5526) were followed by users clicking on a search result. Of these 3392 queries, 1344 (39.62%) webpages were clicked on by 930 unique users but only 1314 of those webpages were accessible during the study period. Each clicked-through webpage was classified into 11 categories. The categories of the most visited webpages were: entertainment (30.13%; 396/1314), scientific information (18.31%; 240/1314), and community resources (14.53%; 191/1314). Among the 1314 accessed webpages, we could identify only two pro-suicide websites. We found that the search terms used to access these sites included "commiting suicide with a gas oven", "hairless goat", "pictures of murder by strangulation", and "photo of a severe burn". A limitation of our study is that the database may be dated and confined to mainly English webpages. Searching or browsing suicide-related or pro-suicide webpages was uncommon, although a small group of users did access websites that contain

Internet search term affects the quality and accuracy of online information about developmental hip dysplasia.

Science.gov (United States)

Fabricant, Peter D; Dy, Christopher J; Patel, Ronak M; Blanco, John S; Doyle, Shevaun M

2013-06-01

The recent emphasis on shared decision-making has increased the role of the Internet as a readily accessible medical reference source for patients and families. However, the lack of professional review creates concern over the quality, accuracy, and readability of medical information available to patients on the Internet. Three Internet search engines (Google, Yahoo, and Bing) were evaluated prospectively using 3 difference search terms of varying sophistication ("congenital hip dislocation," "developmental dysplasia of the hip," and "hip dysplasia in children"). Sixty-three unique Web sites were evaluated by each of 3 surgeons (2 fellowship-trained pediatric orthopaedic attendings and 1 orthopaedic chief resident) for quality and accuracy using a set of scoring criteria based on the AAOS/POSNA patient education Web site. The readability (literacy grade level) of each Web site was assessed using the Fleisch-Kincaid score. There were significant differences noted in quality, accuracy, and readability of information depending on the search term used. The search term "developmental dysplasia of the hip" provided higher quality and accuracy compared with the search term "congenital hip dislocation." Of the 63 total Web sites, 1 (1.6%) was below the sixth grade reading level recommended by the NIH for health education materials and 8 (12.7%) Web sites were below the average American reading level (eighth grade). The quality and accuracy of information available on the Internet regarding developmental hip dysplasia significantly varied with the search term used. Patients seeking information about DDH on the Internet may not understand the materials found because nearly all of the Web sites are written at a level above that recommended for publically distributed health information. Physicians should advise their patients to search for information using the term "developmental dysplasia of the hip" or, better yet, should refer patients to Web sites that they have

Search strategies in practice: Influence of information and task constraints.

Science.gov (United States)

Pacheco, Matheus M; Newell, Karl M

2018-01-01

The practice of a motor task has been conceptualized as a process of search through a perceptual-motor workspace. The present study investigated the influence of information and task constraints on the search strategy as reflected in the sequential relations of the outcome in a discrete movement virtual projectile task. The results showed that the relation between the changes of trial-to-trial movement outcome to performance level was dependent on the landscape of the task dynamics and the influence of inherent variability. Furthermore, the search was in a constrained parameter region of the perceptual-motor workspace that depended on the task constraints. These findings show that there is not a single function of trial-to-trial change over practice but rather that local search strategies (proportional, discontinuous, constant) adapt to the level of performance and the confluence of constraints to action. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Asking Better Questions: How Presentation Formats Influence Information Search

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Charley M.; Meder, Björn; Filimon, Flavia; Nelson, Jonathan D.

2017-01-01

While the influence of presentation formats have been widely studied in Bayesian reasoning tasks, we present the first systematic investigation of how presentation formats influence information search decisions. Four experiments were conducted across different probabilistic environments, where subjects (N = 2,858) chose between 2 possible search…

Position Information

Data.gov (United States)

Social Security Administration — The Position Information Data Asset provides the ability to search for active SSA position descriptions using various search criteria. An individual may search by PD...

Using internet search engines and library catalogs to locate toxicology information.

Science.gov (United States)

Wukovitz, L D

2001-01-12

The increasing importance of the Internet demands that toxicologists become aquainted with its resources. To find information, researchers must be able to effectively use Internet search engines, directories, subject-oriented websites, and library catalogs. The article will explain these resources, explore their benefits and weaknesses, and identify skills that help the researcher to improve search results and critically evaluate sources for their relevancy, validity, accuracy, and timeliness.

The price of information: Increased inspection costs reduce the confirmation bias in visual search.

Science.gov (United States)

Rajsic, Jason; Wilson, Daryl E; Pratt, Jay

2018-04-01

In visual search, there is a confirmation bias such that attention is biased towards stimuli that match a target template, which has been attributed to covert costs of updating the templates that guide search [Rajsic, Wilson, & Pratt, 2015. Confirmation bias in visual search. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance. Advance online publication. doi:10.1037/xhp0000090]. In order to provide direct evidence for this speculation, the present study increased the cost of inspections in search by using gaze- and mouse-contingent searches, which restrict the manner in which information in search displays can be accrued, and incur additional motor costs (in the case of mouse-contingent searches). In a fourth experiment, we rhythmically mask elements in the search display to induce temporal inspection costs. Our results indicated that confirmation bias is indeed attenuated when inspection costs are increased. We conclude that confirmation bias results from the low-cost strategy of matching information to a single, concrete visual template, and that more sophisticated guidance strategies will be used when sufficiently beneficial. This demonstrates that search guidance itself comes at a cost, and that the form of guidance adopted in a given search depends on a comparison between guidance costs and the expected benefits of their implementation.

Information overload or search-amplified risk? Set size and order effects on decisions from experience.

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Hills, Thomas T; Noguchi, Takao; Gibbert, Michael

2013-10-01

How do changes in choice-set size influence information search and subsequent decisions? Moreover, does information overload influence information processing with larger choice sets? We investigated these questions by letting people freely explore sets of gambles before choosing one of them, with the choice sets either increasing or decreasing in number for each participant (from two to 32 gambles). Set size influenced information search, with participants taking more samples overall, but sampling a smaller proportion of gambles and taking fewer samples per gamble, when set sizes were larger. The order of choice sets also influenced search, with participants sampling from more gambles and taking more samples overall if they started with smaller as opposed to larger choice sets. Inconsistent with information overload, information processing appeared consistent across set sizes and choice order conditions, reliably favoring gambles with higher sample means. Despite the lack of evidence for information overload, changes in information search did lead to systematic changes in choice: People who started with smaller choice sets were more likely to choose gambles with the highest expected values, but only for small set sizes. For large set sizes, the increase in total samples increased the likelihood of encountering rare events at the same time that the reduction in samples per gamble amplified the effect of these rare events when they occurred-what we call search-amplified risk. This led to riskier choices for individuals whose choices most closely followed the sample mean.

Top-down and bottom-up aspects of active search in a real-world environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Foulsham, Tom; Chapman, Craig; Nasiopoulos, Eleni; Kingstone, Alan

2014-03-01

Visual search has been studied intensively in the labouratory, but lab search often differs from search in the real world in many respects. Here, we used a mobile eye tracker to record the gaze of participants engaged in a realistic, active search task. Participants were asked to walk into a mailroom and locate a target mailbox among many similar mailboxes. This procedure allowed control of bottom-up cues (by making the target mailbox more salient; Experiment 1) and top-down instructions (by informing participants about the cue; Experiment 2). The bottom-up salience of the target had no effect on the overall time taken to search for the target, although the salient target was more likely to be fixated and found once it was within the central visual field. Top-down knowledge of target appearance had a larger effect, reducing the need for multiple head and body movements, and meaning that the target was fixated earlier and from further away. Although there remains much to be discovered in complex real-world search, this study demonstrates that principles from visual search in the labouratory influence gaze in natural behaviour, and provides a bridge between these labouratory studies and research examining vision in natural tasks.

Da "Search engines" a "Shop engines"

OpenAIRE

Lupi, Mauro

2001-01-01

The change occuring related to “search engines” is going towards e-commerce, transforming all the main search engines into information and commercial suggestion conveying means, basing their businnes on this activity. In a next future we will find two main series of search engines: from one side, the portals that will offer a general orientation guide being convoying means for services and to-buy products; from the other side, vertical portals able to offer information and products on specifi...

Anamneses-Based Internet Information Supply: Can a Combination of an Expert System and Meta-Search Engine Help Consumers find the Health Information they Require?

Science.gov (United States)

Honekamp, Wilfried; Ostermann, Herwig

2010-04-09

An increasing number of people search for health information online. During the last 10 years various researchers have determined the requirements for an ideal consumer health information system. The aim of this study was to figure out, whether medical laymen can find a more accurate diagnosis for a given anamnesis via the developed prototype health information system than via ordinary internet search.In a randomized controlled trial, the prototype information system was evaluated by the assessment of two sample cases. Participants had to determine the diagnosis of a patient with a headache via information found searching the web. A patient's history sheet and a computer with internet access were provided to the participants and they were guided through the study by an especially designed study website. The intervention group used the prototype information system; the control group used common search engines and portals. The numbers of correct diagnoses in each group were compared.A total of 140 (60/80) participants took part in two study sections. In the first case, which determined a common diagnosis, both groups did equally well. In the second section, which determined a less common and more complex case, the intervention group did significantly better (P=0.031) due to the tailored information supply.Using medical expert systems in combination with a portal searching meta-search engine represents a feasible strategy to provide reliable patient-tailored information and can ultimately contribute to patient safety with respect to information found via the internet.

From capture to inhibition: How does irrelevant information influence visual search? Evidence from a spatial cuing paradigm.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christine eMertes

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Even though information is spatially and temporally irrelevant, it can influence the processing of subsequent information. The present study used a spatial cuing paradigm to investigate the origins of this persisting influence by means of event-related potentials (ERPs of the EEG. An irrelevant color cue that was either contingent (color search or non-contingent (shape search on attentional sets was presented prior to a target array with different stimulus-onset asynchronies (SOA; 200, 400, 800 ms. Behavioral results indicated that color cues captured attention only when they shared target-defining properties. These same-location effects persisted over time but were pronounced when cue and target array were presented in close succession. N2pc showed that the color cue generally drew attention, but was strongest in the contingent condition. A subsequently emerging contralateral posterior positivity referred to the irrelevant cue (i.e. distractor positivity; Pd was unaffected by the attentional set and therefore interpreted as an inhibitory process required to enable a re-direction of the attentional focus. CDA was only observable in the contingent condition, indicating the transfer of spatial information into working memory and thus providing an explanation for the same-location effect for longer SOAs. Inhibition of this irrelevant information was reflected by a second contralateral positivity triggered through target presentation. The results suggest that distracting information is actively maintained when it resembles a sought-after object. However, two independent attentional processes are at work to compensate for attentional distraction: The timely inhibition of attentional capture and the active inhibition of mental representation of irrelevant information.

Searching and synthesising 'grey literature' and 'grey information' in public health: critical reflections on three case studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Adams, Jean; Hillier-Brown, Frances C; Moore, Helen J; Lake, Amelia A; Araujo-Soares, Vera; White, Martin; Summerbell, Carolyn

2016-09-29

Grey literature includes a range of documents not controlled by commercial publishing organisations. This means that grey literature can be difficult to search and retrieve for evidence synthesis. Much knowledge and evidence in public health, and other fields, accumulates from innovation in practice. This knowledge may not even be of sufficient formality to meet the definition of grey literature. We term this knowledge 'grey information'. Grey information may be even harder to search for and retrieve than grey literature. On three previous occasions, we have attempted to systematically search for and synthesise public health grey literature and information-both to summarise the extent and nature of particular classes of interventions and to synthesise results of evaluations. Here, we briefly describe these three 'case studies' but focus on our post hoc critical reflections on searching for and synthesising grey literature and information garnered from our experiences of these case studies. We believe these reflections will be useful to future researchers working in this area. Issues discussed include search methods, searching efficiency, replicability of searches, data management, data extraction, assessing study 'quality', data synthesis, time and resources, and differentiating evidence synthesis from primary research. Information on applied public health research questions relating to the nature and range of public health interventions, as well as many evaluations of these interventions, may be predominantly, or only, held in grey literature and grey information. Evidence syntheses on these topics need, therefore, to embrace grey literature and information. Many typical systematic review methods for searching, appraising, managing, and synthesising the evidence base can be adapted for use with grey literature and information. Evidence synthesisers should carefully consider the opportunities and problems offered by including grey literature and information

Information Interaction Criteria Among Students in Process of Task-Based Information Searching (Role of Objective Complexity and Type of Product

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marziyeh Saeedizadeh

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Purpose:  human-information interactions must be considered in order to be able to interactively design Information Retrieval Systems (IRS. In this regard, study of users’ interactions must be based on their socio-cultural context (specifically work tasks. Accordingly, this paper aims to explore the use of information-interaction criteria among students in the information searching process according to different kinds of their work tasks.  Methodology: This research is applied qualitative method using exploratory study. The research population consisted of MSc students of Ferdowsi university of Mashhad enrolled in 2012-13  academic year. In 3 stages of sampling (random stratified, quota, and voluntary sampling, 30 cases were selected. Each of these cases searched 6 different types of simulated work tasks. Interaction criteria were extracted ? Content analysis of aloud thinking reports. Validity of tools was verified through Faculties of KIS at Ferdowsi university of Mashhad. Also,0.78  Kripendorff’s alpha ratio based on an agreement between the inter – coder indicates the Dependability  of content analysis. Findings: The findings show that in addition to ‘topic’ criteria, other interaction criteria impact on information- interaction of users, such as: ‘search results ranking’, ‘domain knowledge of user’, ‘layout’, ‘type of information resource’ and etc. based on the level of objective complexity and product of  work tasks, information-interaction criteria change. Conclusion: the users pay attention to different information-interaction criteria in process of information searching, considering to variety of work tasks (level of objective complexity and product. So, it is necessary to pay attention to work task characteristics in order to design interactive and personalized IR systems.

Disease Monitoring and Health Campaign Evaluation Using Google Search Activities for HIV and AIDS, Stroke, Colorectal Cancer, and Marijuana Use in Canada: A Retrospective Observational Study

Science.gov (United States)

2016-01-01

Background Infodemiology can offer practical and feasible health research applications through the practice of studying information available on the Web. Google Trends provides publicly accessible information regarding search behaviors in a population, which may be studied and used for health campaign evaluation and disease monitoring. Additional studies examining the use and effectiveness of Google Trends for these purposes remain warranted. Objective The objective of our study was to explore the use of infodemiology in the context of health campaign evaluation and chronic disease monitoring. It was hypothesized that following a launch of a campaign, there would be an increase in information seeking behavior on the Web. Second, increasing and decreasing disease patterns in a population would be associated with search activity patterns. This study examined 4 different diseases: human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, stroke, colorectal cancer, and marijuana use. Methods Using Google Trends, relative search volume data were collected throughout the period of February 2004 to January 2015. Campaign information and disease statistics were obtained from governmental publications. Search activity trends were graphed and assessed with disease trends and the campaign interval. Pearson product correlation statistics and joinpoint methodology analyses were used to determine significance. Results Disease patterns and online activity across all 4 diseases were significantly correlated: HIV infection (r=.36, Pcampaigns on colorectal cancer and marijuana use in stimulating search activity. No significant correlations were observed for the campaigns on stroke and HIV regarding search activity. Conclusions The use of infoveillance shows promise as an alternative and inexpensive solution to disease surveillance and health campaign evaluation. Further research is needed to understand Google Trends as a valid and reliable tool for health research. PMID:27733330

How context information and target information guide the eyes from the first epoch of search in real-world scenes.

Science.gov (United States)

Spotorno, Sara; Malcolm, George L; Tatler, Benjamin W

2014-02-11

This study investigated how the visual system utilizes context and task information during the different phases of a visual search task. The specificity of the target template (the picture or the name of the target) and the plausibility of target position in real-world scenes were manipulated orthogonally. Our findings showed that both target template information and guidance of spatial context are utilized to guide eye movements from the beginning of scene inspection. In both search initiation and subsequent scene scanning, the availability of a specific visual template was particularly useful when the spatial context of the scene was misleading and the availability of a reliable scene context facilitated search mainly when the template was abstract. Target verification was affected principally by the level of detail of target template, and was quicker in the case of a picture cue. The results indicate that the visual system can utilize target template guidance and context guidance flexibly from the beginning of scene inspection, depending upon the amount and the quality of the available information supplied by either of these high-level sources. This allows for optimization of oculomotor behavior throughout the different phases of search within a real-world scene.

Online information search behaviour of physicians.

Science.gov (United States)

Mikalef, Patrick; Kourouthanassis, Panos E; Pateli, Adamantia G

2017-03-01

Although doctors increasingly engage in online information seeking to complement their medical practice, little is known regarding what online information sources are used and how effective they are. Grounded on self-determination and needs theory, this study posits that doctors tend to use online information sources to fulfil their information requirements in three pre-defined areas: patient care, knowledge development and research activities. Fulfilling these information needs is argued to improve doctors' perceived medical practice competence. Performing PLS-SEM analysis on primary survey data from 303 medical doctors practicing in four major Greek hospitals, a conceptual model is empirically tested. Using authoritative online information sources was found to fulfil all types of information needs. Contrarily, using non-authoritative information sources had no significant effect. Satisfying information requirements relating to patient care and research activities enhanced doctors' perceptions about their medical practice competence. In contrast, meeting knowledge development information needs had the opposite result. Consistent with past studies, outcomes indicate that doctors tend to use non-authoritative online information sources; yet their use was found to have no significant value in fulfilling their information requirements. Authoritative online information sources are found to improve perceived medical practice competence by satisfying doctors' diverse information requirements. © 2017 Health Libraries Group.

Visual Information and Support Surface for Postural Control in Visual Search Task.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Chia-Chun; Yang, Chih-Mei

2016-10-01

When standing on a reduced support surface, people increase their reliance on visual information to control posture. This assertion was tested in the current study. The effects of imposed motion and support surface on postural control during visual search were investigated. Twelve participants (aged 21 ± 1.8 years; six men and six women) stood on a reduced support surface (45% base of support). In a room that moved back and forth along the anteroposterior axis, participants performed visual search for a given letter in an article. Postural sway variability and head-room coupling were measured. The results of head-room coupling, but not postural sway, supported the assertion that people increase reliance on visual information when standing on a reduced support surface. Whether standing on a whole or reduced surface, people stabilized their posture to perform the visual search tasks. Compared to a fixed target, searching on a hand-held target showed greater head-room coupling when standing on a reduced surface. © The Author(s) 2016.

Urban networks among Chinese cities along "the Belt and Road": A case of web search activity in cyberspace.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Lu; Du, Hongru; Zhao, Yannan; Wu, Rongwei; Zhang, Xiaolei

2017-01-01

"The Belt and Road" initiative has been expected to facilitate interactions among numerous city centers. This initiative would generate a number of centers, both economic and political, which would facilitate greater interaction. To explore how information flows are merged and the specific opportunities that may be offered, Chinese cities along "the Belt and Road" are selected for a case study. Furthermore, urban networks in cyberspace have been characterized by their infrastructure orientation, which implies that there is a relative dearth of studies focusing on the investigation of urban hierarchies by capturing information flows between Chinese cities along "the Belt and Road". This paper employs Baidu, the main web search engine in China, to examine urban hierarchies. The results show that urban networks become more balanced, shifting from a polycentric to a homogenized pattern. Furthermore, cities in networks tend to have both a hierarchical system and a spatial concentration primarily in regions such as Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, Yangtze River Delta and the Pearl River Delta region. Urban hierarchy based on web search activity does not follow the existing hierarchical system based on geospatial and economic development in all cases. Moreover, urban networks, under the framework of "the Belt and Road", show several significant corridors and more opportunities for more cities, particularly western cities. Furthermore, factors that may influence web search activity are explored. The results show that web search activity is significantly influenced by the economic gap, geographical proximity and administrative rank of the city.

Urban networks among Chinese cities along "the Belt and Road": A case of web search activity in cyberspace.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lu Zhang

Full Text Available "The Belt and Road" initiative has been expected to facilitate interactions among numerous city centers. This initiative would generate a number of centers, both economic and political, which would facilitate greater interaction. To explore how information flows are merged and the specific opportunities that may be offered, Chinese cities along "the Belt and Road" are selected for a case study. Furthermore, urban networks in cyberspace have been characterized by their infrastructure orientation, which implies that there is a relative dearth of studies focusing on the investigation of urban hierarchies by capturing information flows between Chinese cities along "the Belt and Road". This paper employs Baidu, the main web search engine in China, to examine urban hierarchies. The results show that urban networks become more balanced, shifting from a polycentric to a homogenized pattern. Furthermore, cities in networks tend to have both a hierarchical system and a spatial concentration primarily in regions such as Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, Yangtze River Delta and the Pearl River Delta region. Urban hierarchy based on web search activity does not follow the existing hierarchical system based on geospatial and economic development in all cases. Moreover, urban networks, under the framework of "the Belt and Road", show several significant corridors and more opportunities for more cities, particularly western cities. Furthermore, factors that may influence web search activity are explored. The results show that web search activity is significantly influenced by the economic gap, geographical proximity and administrative rank of the city.

How College Students Search the Internet for Weight Control and Weight Management Information: An Observational Study

Science.gov (United States)

Senkowski, Valerie; Branscum, Paul

2015-01-01

Background: Few studies have attempted to examine how young adults search for health information on the Internet, especially information related to weight control and weight management. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine search strategies that college students used for finding information related to weight control and weight…

Retrieval Search and Strength Evoke Dissociable Brain Activity during Episodic Memory Recall

Science.gov (United States)

Reas, Emilie T.; Brewer, James B.

2014-01-01

Neuroimaging studies of episodic memory retrieval have revealed activations in the human frontal, parietal, and medial-temporal lobes that are associated with memory strength. However, it remains unclear whether these brain responses are veritable signals of memory strength or are instead regulated by concomitant subcomponents of retrieval such as retrieval effort or mental search. This study used event-related fMRI during cued recall of previously memorized word-pair associates to dissociate brain responses modulated by memory search from those modulated by the strength of a recalled memory. Search-related deactivations, dissociated from activity due to memory strength, were observed in regions of the default network, whereas distinctly strength-dependent activations were present in superior and inferior parietal and dorsolateral PFC. Both search and strength regulated activity in dorsal anterior cingulate and anterior insula. These findings suggest that, although highly correlated and partially subserved by overlapping cognitive control mechanisms, search and memory strength engage dissociable regions of frontoparietal attention and default networks. PMID:23190328

SAFARI: Searching Asteroids For Activity Revealing Indicators

Science.gov (United States)

Curtis, Anthony; Chandler, Colin Orion; Mommert, Michael; Sheppard, Scott; Trujillo, Chadwick A.

2018-06-01

We present results on one of the deepest and widest systematic searches for active asteroids, objects in the main-belt which behave dynamically like asteroids but display comet-like comae. This activity comes from a variety of sources, such as the sublimation of ices or rotational breakup, the former of which offers an opportunity to study a family of protoplanetary ices different than those seen in comets and Kuiper Belt objects. Indications of activity may be detected through visual or spectroscopic evidence of gas or dust emissions. However, these objects are still poorly understood, with only about 25 identified to date. We looked for activity indicators with a pipeline that examined ~35,000 deep images taken with the Dark Energy Camera (DECam) mounted on the 4-meter Blanco telescope at the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in Chile. Our pipeline was configured to perform astrometry on DECam images and produce thumbnail images of known asteroids in the field to be examined by eye for signs of activity. We detected three previously identified active asteroids, one of which has shown repeated signs of activity in these data. Our proof of concept demonstrates 1) our novel informatics approach can locate active asteroids 2) DECam data are well suited to search for active asteroids. We will discuss the design structure of our pipeline, adjustments that had to be made for the specific dataset to improve performance, and the the significance of detecting activity in the main-belt. The authors acknowledge funding for this project through NSF grant number AST-1461200.

Searching for Information Online: Using Big Data to Identify the Concerns of Potential Army Recruits

Science.gov (United States)

2016-01-01

software. For instance, such Internet search engines as Google or Yahoo! often gather anonymized data regarding the topics that people search for, as...suggesting that these and other information needs may be fur- ther reflected in usage of online search engines . Google makes aggregated and anonymized...Internet search engines such as Google or Yahoo! often gather anonymized data regarding the topics that people search for, as well as the date and

Online Health Search Experience: Sentiments from South East Asia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anushia Inthiran

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Performing an online health search is a popular activity conducted on the Internet. Research studies from developed countries provide information on source used, type of search performed and devices used to perform the search. However, the same cannot be said about the online health information searching scene in South East Asia. Online health information searching is gaining popularity in South East Asia. Citizens in these countries are turning to the Internet to obtain health information quickly. Current research studies pertaining to online health information searching in South East Asian is limited, particularly relating to search experiences of South East Asian health searchers. Search experience is pertinent asit could deter or encourage the possibility of conducting future health searches. In this research study, a user study was conducted to describe the online search experience of South East Asian health searchers. A face to face interview with 50 participants was conducted. The interview was audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. Results indicate participants have positive and negative search experiences. In some cases, post search outcomes influenced the search experience. Results of this research study contribute to the growing domain of knowledge in relation to online health information searching. Results of this study also provide an understanding pertaining to the search experience of South East Asian online health searchers.

Age and self-relevance effects on information search during decision making.

Science.gov (United States)

Hess, Thomas M; Queen, Tara L; Ennis, Gilda E

2013-09-01

We investigated how information search strategies used to support decision making were influenced by self-related implications of the task to the individual. Consistent with the notion of selective engagement, we hypothesized that increased self-relevance would result in more adaptive search behaviors and that this effect would be stronger in older adults than in younger adults. We examined search behaviors in 79 younger and 81 older adults using a process-tracing procedure with 2 different decision tasks. The impact of motivation (i.e., self-related task implications) was examined by manipulating social accountability and the age-related relevance of the task. Although age differences in search strategies were not great, older adults were more likely than younger adults to use simpler strategies in contexts with minimal self-implications. Contrary to expectations, young and old alike were more likely to use noncompensatory than compensatory strategies, even when engaged in systematic search, with education being the most important determinant of search behavior. The results support the notion that older adults are adaptive decision makers and that factors other than age may be more important determinants of performance in situations where knowledge can be used to support performance.

Final repository search together with the citizens. Information, consultation, dialogue, participation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mueller, Monika C.M.

2013-01-01

The documentation on the Loccum meeting 2013 includes contributions on the following topics: Public participation for the final repository search; Lessons learned from the past; Public participation: what is expected? Experiences of repository operators on public participation; The TRIPLEX concept; From Gorleben to the law on final repository search: a long and a short story; Public participation concerning radioactive waste storage; The public has to be informed on the radioactive waste problem and the possible solutions; After consensus is before consensus - German final repository conflict between legislation and simulated public participation; Political concept of public participation; A fast final repository law will not bring about social peace; Good public participation on final repository search - requirements, challenges, questions and approaches.

Search for the return of activity in active asteroid 176P/LINEAR

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hsieh, Henry H. [Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Academia Sinica, No. 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Road, Taipei 10617, Taiwan (China); Denneau, Larry; Jedicke, Robert; Kaluna, Heather M.; Keane, Jacqueline V.; Kleyna, Jan; MacLennan, Eric M.; Meech, Karen J.; Riesen, Timm; Schunova, Eva; Urban, Laurie; Vereš, Peter; Wainscoat, Richard J. [Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii, 2680 Woodlawn Drive, Honolulu, HI 96822 (United States); Fitzsimmons, Alan; Lacerda, Pedro [Astrophysics Research Centre, Queens University Belfast, Belfast BT7 1NN (United Kingdom); Hainaut, Olivier R. [European Southern Observatory, Karl-Schwarzschild-Straße 2, D-85748 Garching bei München (Germany); Ishiguro, Masateru [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Seoul National University, 599 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak, Seoul 151-742 (Korea, Republic of); Moskovitz, Nick A. [Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139 (United States); Snodgrass, Colin [Max-Planck-Institut für Sonnensystemforschung, Max-Planck-Str. 2, D-37191 Katlenburg-Lindau (Germany); Trujillo, Chadwick A., E-mail: hhsieh@asiaa.sinica.edu.tw [Gemini Observatory, Northern Operations Center, 670 North Aohoku Place, Hilo, HI 96720 (United States); and others

2014-04-01

We present the results of a search for the reactivation of active asteroid 176P/LINEAR during its 2011 perihelion passage using deep optical observations obtained before, during, and after that perihelion passage. Deep composite images of 176P constructed from data obtained between 2011 June and 2011 December show no visible signs of activity, while photometric measurements of the object during this period also show no significant brightness enhancements similar to that observed for 176P between 2005 November and 2005 December when it was previously observed to be active. An azimuthal search for dust emission likewise reveals no evidence for directed emission (i.e., a tail, as was previously observed for 176P), while a one-dimensional surface brightness profile analysis shows no indication of a spherically symmetric coma at any time in 2011. We conclude that 176P did not in fact exhibit activity in 2011, at least not on the level on which it exhibited activity in 2005, and suggest that this could be due to the devolatization or mantling of the active site responsible for its activity in 2005.

Approximate search for Big Data with applications in information security – A survey

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Slobodan Petrović

2015-04-01

Full Text Available This paper is a survey of approximate search techniques in very large data sets (so-called Big Data. After a short introduction, some techniques for speeding up approximate search in such data sets based on exploitation of inherent bit-parallelism in computers are described. It then reviews the applications in search related to information security problems (digital forensics, malware detection, intrusion detection are reviewed. Finally, the need for constraints in approximate search regarding the number of so-called elementary edit operations and the run lengths of particular elementary edit operations is explained and the status of on-going research on efficient implementation of approximate search algorithms with various constraints is given.

Active Search for Antecedents in Cataphoric Pronoun Resolution

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leticia ePablos

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Cataphoric dependencies where a pronoun precedes its antecedent appear to call on different mechanisms in language comprehension from forward dependencies where the antecedent precedes the pronoun. Previous research has shown that the resolution of cataphoric dependencies involves predictive processes such as the Active Search Mechanism, which hypothesizes the automatic search for an antecedent immediately after encountering a cataphoric pronoun. The current study employs gender mismatch to investigate whether the active search for an antecedent of a cataphoric pronoun is restricted only to grammatically licit positions. We present results from an event-related potential experiment on the reading comprehension of cataphoric dependencies in Dutch. Results show that gender mismatch gives rise to an anterior negativity at grammatically licit antecedent positions only. We hypothesize that this negativity reflects the prediction failure for an antecedent after encountering a pronoun, rather than a gender mismatch. We discuss the timing, topography and functionality of this negativity with respect to previous studies and how this relates to the ERPs elicited in the processing of structural constraints on pronoun resolution.

Tales from the Field: Search Strategies Applied in Web Searching

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Soohyung Joo

2010-08-01

Full Text Available In their web search processes users apply multiple types of search strategies, which consist of different search tactics. This paper identifies eight types of information search strategies with associated cases based on sequences of search tactics during the information search process. Thirty-one participants representing the general public were recruited for this study. Search logs and verbal protocols offered rich data for the identification of different types of search strategies. Based on the findings, the authors further discuss how to enhance web-based information retrieval (IR systems to support each type of search strategy.

Foraging in Semantic Fields: How We Search Through Memory.

Science.gov (United States)

Hills, Thomas T; Todd, Peter M; Jones, Michael N

2015-07-01

When searching for concepts in memory--as in the verbal fluency task of naming all the animals one can think of--people appear to explore internal mental representations in much the same way that animals forage in physical space: searching locally within patches of information before transitioning globally between patches. However, the definition of the patches being searched in mental space is not well specified. Do we search by activating explicit predefined categories (e.g., pets) and recall items from within that category (categorical search), or do we activate and recall a connected sequence of individual items without using categorical information, with each item recalled leading to the retrieval of an associated item in a stream (associative search), or both? Using semantic representations in a search of associative memory framework and data from the animal fluency task, we tested competing hypotheses based on associative and categorical search models. Associative, but not categorical, patch transitions took longer to make than position-matched productions, suggesting that categorical transitions were not true transitions. There was also clear evidence of associative search even within categorical patch boundaries. Furthermore, most individuals' behavior was best explained by an associative search model without the addition of categorical information. Thus, our results support a search process that does not use categorical information, but for which patch boundaries shift with each recall and local search is well described by a random walk in semantic space, with switches to new regions of the semantic space when the current region is depleted. Copyright © 2015 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.

Trust in online prescription drug information among internet users: the impact on information search behavior after exposure to direct-to-consumer advertising.

Science.gov (United States)

Menon, Ajit M; Deshpande, Aparna D; Perri, Matthew; Zinkhan, George M

2002-01-01

The proliferation of both manufacturer-controlled and independent medication-related websites has aroused concern among consumers and policy-makers concerning the trustworthiness of Web-based drug information. The authors examine consumers' trust in on-line prescription drug information and its influence on information search behavior. The study design involves a retrospective analysis of data from a 1998 national survey. The findings reveal that trust in drug information from traditional media sources such as television and newspapers transfers to the domain of the Internet. Furthermore, a greater trust in on-line prescription drug information stimulates utilization of the Internet for information search after exposure to prescription drug advertising.

The effect of search term on the quality and accuracy of online information regarding distal radius fractures.

Science.gov (United States)

Dy, Christopher J; Taylor, Samuel A; Patel, Ronak M; Kitay, Alison; Roberts, Timothy R; Daluiski, Aaron

2012-09-01

Recent emphasis on shared decision making and patient-centered research has increased the importance of patient education and health literacy. The internet is rapidly growing as a source of self-education for patients. However, concern exists over the quality, accuracy, and readability of the information. Our objective was to determine whether the quality, accuracy, and readability of information online about distal radius fractures vary with the search term. This was a prospective evaluation of 3 search engines using 3 different search terms of varying sophistication ("distal radius fracture," "wrist fracture," and "broken wrist"). We evaluated 70 unique Web sites for quality, accuracy, and readability. We used comparative statistics to determine whether the search term affected the quality, accuracy, and readability of the Web sites found. Three orthopedic surgeons independently gauged quality and accuracy of information using a set of predetermined scoring criteria. We evaluated the readability of the Web site using the Fleisch-Kincaid score for reading grade level. There were significant differences in the quality, accuracy, and readability of information found, depending on the search term. We found higher quality and accuracy resulted from the search term "distal radius fracture," particularly compared with Web sites resulting from the term "broken wrist." The reading level was higher than recommended in 65 of the 70 Web sites and was significantly higher when searching with "distal radius fracture" than "wrist fracture" or "broken wrist." There was no correlation between Web site reading level and quality or accuracy. The readability of information about distal radius fractures in most Web sites was higher than the recommended reading level for the general public. The quality and accuracy of the information found significantly varied with the sophistication of the search term used. Physicians, professional societies, and search engines should consider

Online health information search: what struggles and empowers the users? Results of an online survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Pletneva, Natalia; Vargas, Alejandro; Kalogianni, Konstantina; Boyer, Célia

2012-01-01

The most popular mean of searching for online health content is a general search engine for all domains of interest. Being general implies on one hand that the search engine is not tailored to the needs which are particular to the medical and on another hand that health domain and health-specific queries may not always return adequate and adapted results. The aim of our study was to identify difficulties and preferences in online health information search encountered by members of the general public. The survey in four languages was online from the 9th of March until the 27th of April, 2011. 385 answers were collected, representing mostly the opinions of highly educated users, mostly from France and Spain. The most important characteristics of a search engine are relevance and trustworthiness of results. The results currently retrieved do not fulfil these requirements. The ideal representation of the information will be a categorization of the results into different groups. Medical dictionaries/thesauruses, suggested relevant topics, image searches and spelling corrections are regarded as helpful tools. There is a need to work towards better customized solutions which provide users with the trustworthy information of high quality specific to his/her case in a user-friendly environment which would eventually lead to making appropriate health decisions.

Online health information search and evaluation: observations and semi-structured interviews with college students and maternal health experts.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Hyojin; Park, Sun-Young; Bozeman, Ingrid

2011-09-01

While the Internet is a popular source of health information, health seekers' inadequate skills to locate and discern quality information pose a potential threat to their healthcare decision-making. We aimed to examine health information search and appraisal behaviours among young, heavy users of the Internet. In study 1, we observed and interviewed 11 college students about their search strategies and evaluation of websites. In study 2, three health experts evaluated two websites selected as the best information sources in study 1. Familiarity with health websites and confidence in search strategies were major factors affecting search and evaluation behaviours. Website quality was mostly judged by aesthetics and peripheral cues of source credibility and message credibility. In contrast to users' favourable website evaluation, the experts judged the websites to be inappropriate and untrustworthy. Our results highlight a critical need to provide young health seekers with resources and training that are specifically geared toward health information search and appraisal. The role of health seekers' knowledge and involvement with the health issue in search effort and success warrants future research. © 2011 The authors. Health Information and Libraries Journal © 2011 Health Libraries Group.

Incidence of online health information search: a useful proxy for public health risk perception.

Science.gov (United States)

Liang, Bo; Scammon, Debra L

2013-06-17

Internet users use search engines to look for information online, including health information. Researchers in medical informatics have found a high correlation of the occurrence of certain search queries and the incidence of certain diseases. Consumers' search for information about diseases is related to current health status with regard to a disease and to the social environments that shape the public's attitudes and behaviors. This study aimed to investigate the extent to which public health risk perception as demonstrated by online information searches related to a health risk can be explained by the incidence of the health risk and social components of a specific population's environment. Using an ecological perspective, we suggest that a population's general concern for a health risk is formed by the incidence of the risk and social (eg, media attention) factors related with the risk. We constructed a dataset that included state-level data from 32 states on the incidence of the flu; a number of social factors, such as media attention to the flu; private resources, such as education and health insurance coverage; public resources, such as hospital beds and primary physicians; and utilization of these resources, including inpatient days and outpatient visits. We then explored whether online information searches about the flu (seasonal and pandemic flu) can be predicted using these variables. We used factor analysis to construct indexes for sets of social factors (private resources, public resources). We then applied panel data multiple regression analysis to exploit both time-series and cross-sectional variation in the data over a 7-year period. Overall, the results provide evidence that the main effects of independent variables-the incidence of the flu (Phealth lifestyles (P=.009); and public resources, such as hospital care utilization (P=.008) and public health funds (P=.02)-have significant effects on Web searches for queries related to the flu. After

The Role of Social Media in Russian Tourists' Search for Information

OpenAIRE

Kähkönen, Liisa

2011-01-01

This thesis discusses the consumer behaviour of tourist and the use of social media in Russian tourists’ search for information. The focus group of the study was Russian tourists visiting North Karelia as a travel destination. The study investigated the specific features of the consumer behaviour of Russian tourists: how the tourists find information about the North Karelia region and more specifically how largely social media is used as the source for this information. The study also investi...

Information is in the eye of the beholder: Seeking information on the MMR vaccine through an Internet search engine.

Science.gov (United States)

Yom-Tov, Elad; Fernandez-Luque, Luis

2014-01-01

Vaccination campaigns are one of the most important and successful public health programs ever undertaken. People who want to learn about vaccines in order to make an informed decision on whether to vaccinate are faced with a wealth of information on the Internet, both for and against vaccinations. In this paper we develop an automated way to score Internet search queries and web pages as to the likelihood that a person making these queries or reading those pages would decide to vaccinate. We apply this method to data from a major Internet search engine, while people seek information about the Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccine. We show that our method is accurate, and use it to learn about the information acquisition process of people. Our results show that people who are pro-vaccination as well as people who are anti-vaccination seek similar information, but browsing this information has differing effect on their future browsing. These findings demonstrate the need for health authorities to tailor their information according to the current stance of users.

Google and global market search: information signals and knowledge indices

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Millar-Schijf, Carla C.J.M.; Choi, Chong-Ju; Millar, Hartley

2008-01-01

With perfect information an economically rational market is expected. In the ICT age the introduction of a shopping/price comparison facility (Froogle) by a company with a search reputation as pre-eminent as Google leads to the expectation that it will allow comparison of products in terms not only

A human-machine interface evaluation method: A difficulty evaluation method in information searching (DEMIS)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ha, Jun Su; Seong, Poong Hyun

2009-01-01

A human-machine interface (HMI) evaluation method, which is named 'difficulty evaluation method in information searching (DEMIS)', is proposed and demonstrated with an experimental study. The DEMIS is based on a human performance model and two measures of attentional-resource effectiveness in monitoring and detection tasks in nuclear power plants (NPPs). Operator competence and HMI design are modeled to be most significant factors to human performance. One of the two effectiveness measures is fixation-to-importance ratio (FIR) which represents attentional resource (eye fixations) spent on an information source compared to importance of the information source. The other measure is selective attention effectiveness (SAE) which incorporates FIRs for all information sources. The underlying principle of the measures is that the information source should be selectively attended to according to its informational importance. In this study, poor performance in information searching tasks is modeled to be coupled with difficulties caused by poor mental models of operators or/and poor HMI design. Human performance in information searching tasks is evaluated by analyzing the FIR and the SAE. Operator mental models are evaluated by a questionnaire-based method. Then difficulties caused by a poor HMI design are evaluated by a focused interview based on the FIR evaluation and then root causes leading to poor performance are identified in a systematic way.

Evaluation of the efficiency of computer-aided spectra search systems based on information theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schaarschmidt, K.

1979-01-01

Application of information theory allows objective evaluation of the efficiency of computer-aided spectra search systems. For this purpose, a significant number of search processes must be analyzed. The amount of information gained by computer application is considered as the difference between the entropy of the data bank and a conditional entropy depending on the proportion of unsuccessful search processes and ballast. The influence of the following factors can be estimated: volume, structure, and quality of the spectra collection stored, efficiency of the encoding instruction and the comparing algorithm, and subjective errors involved in the encoding of spectra. The relations derived are applied to two published storage and retrieval systems for infared spectra. (Auth.)

Pre-purchase information search and consumer satisfaction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D. Rousseau

1986-04-01

Full Text Available This survey examines the factors which determine consumer satisfaction with major household appliances. Hypotheses relating to pre-purchase information search, and product satisfaction as well as previous satisfactory store experience and subsequent repurchase behaviour are proposed and empirically tested, using data obtained from 55 consumers who patronized a large Eastern Cape hypermarket. Results indicate that product satisfaction is related more to market place variables than actual search behaviour. Repeat shopping intentions are associated with previous shopping experiences at the particular store, while the latter also contribute to product satisfaction. Marketing implications and future research directions are briefly discussed. Opsomming Hierdie studie ondersoek verbruikerstevredenheid met groter huishoudelike toebehore en die aanleidende oorsake daarvan. Hipoteses wat die verband tussen voorafinligtinginwinningsaktiwiteit en produktevredenheid ondersoek, asook vorige bevredigende winkelondervindings en gevolglike heraankoopgedrag, is empirics getoets met 'n steekproef van 55 verbruikers in 'n groot hipermark in die Oos-Kaap. Die resultate suggureer dat produktevredenheid meer verband hou met markplek-verwante veranderlikes as met inligtingsinwinninggedrag. Herhaalde koopvoornemens is geassosieer met vorige bevredigende koopervarmgs by die betrokke winkel terwyl laasgenoemde ook bydra tot produktevredenheid. Bemarkingsimplikasies en toekomstige navorsingsriglyne word ook kortliks bespreek.

MIRASS: medical informatics research activity support system using information mashup network.

Science.gov (United States)

Kiah, M L M; Zaidan, B B; Zaidan, A A; Nabi, Mohamed; Ibraheem, Rabiu

2014-04-01

The advancement of information technology has facilitated the automation and feasibility of online information sharing. The second generation of the World Wide Web (Web 2.0) enables the collaboration and sharing of online information through Web-serving applications. Data mashup, which is considered a Web 2.0 platform, plays an important role in information and communication technology applications. However, few ideas have been transformed into education and research domains, particularly in medical informatics. The creation of a friendly environment for medical informatics research requires the removal of certain obstacles in terms of search time, resource credibility, and search result accuracy. This paper considers three glitches that researchers encounter in medical informatics research; these glitches include the quality of papers obtained from scientific search engines (particularly, Web of Science and Science Direct), the quality of articles from the indices of these search engines, and the customizability and flexibility of these search engines. A customizable search engine for trusted resources of medical informatics was developed and implemented through data mashup. Results show that the proposed search engine improves the usability of scientific search engines for medical informatics. Pipe search engine was found to be more efficient than other engines.

Faceted Search

CERN Document Server

Tunkelang, Daniel

2009-01-01

We live in an information age that requires us, more than ever, to represent, access, and use information. Over the last several decades, we have developed a modern science and technology for information retrieval, relentlessly pursuing the vision of a "memex" that Vannevar Bush proposed in his seminal article, "As We May Think." Faceted search plays a key role in this program. Faceted search addresses weaknesses of conventional search approaches and has emerged as a foundation for interactive information retrieval. User studies demonstrate that faceted search provides more

Quality of Health Information on the Internet for Urolithiasis on the Google Search Engine.

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Dwayne T S; Abouassaly, Robert; Lawrentschuk, Nathan

2016-01-01

Purpose . To compare the quality of health information on the Internet for keywords related to urolithiasis, to assess for difference in information quality across four main Western languages, and to compare the source of sponsorship in these websites. Methods . Health On the Net (HON) Foundation principles were utilised to determine quality information. Fifteen keywords related to urolithiasis were searched on the Google search engine. The first 150 websites were assessed against the HON principles and the source of sponsorship determined. Results . A total of 8986 websites were analysed. A proportion of HON-accredited websites for individual search terms range between 2.5% and 12.0%. The first 50 websites were more likely to be HON-positive compared to websites 51-100 and 101-150. French websites searched were more likely to be HON-positive whereas German websites were less likely to be HON-positive than English websites. There was no statistically significant difference between the rate of HON-positive English and Spanish websites. The three main website sponsors were from government/educational sources (40.2%), followed by commercial (29.9%) and physician/surgeon sources (18.6%). Conclusions . Health information on most urolithiasis websites was not validated. Nearly one-third of websites in this study have commercial sponsorship. Doctors should recognise the need for more reliable health websites for their patients.

Efficient Algorithms for Searching the Minimum Information Partition in Integrated Information Theory

Science.gov (United States)

Kitazono, Jun; Kanai, Ryota; Oizumi, Masafumi

2018-03-01

The ability to integrate information in the brain is considered to be an essential property for cognition and consciousness. Integrated Information Theory (IIT) hypothesizes that the amount of integrated information ($\\Phi$) in the brain is related to the level of consciousness. IIT proposes that to quantify information integration in a system as a whole, integrated information should be measured across the partition of the system at which information loss caused by partitioning is minimized, called the Minimum Information Partition (MIP). The computational cost for exhaustively searching for the MIP grows exponentially with system size, making it difficult to apply IIT to real neural data. It has been previously shown that if a measure of $\\Phi$ satisfies a mathematical property, submodularity, the MIP can be found in a polynomial order by an optimization algorithm. However, although the first version of $\\Phi$ is submodular, the later versions are not. In this study, we empirically explore to what extent the algorithm can be applied to the non-submodular measures of $\\Phi$ by evaluating the accuracy of the algorithm in simulated data and real neural data. We find that the algorithm identifies the MIP in a nearly perfect manner even for the non-submodular measures. Our results show that the algorithm allows us to measure $\\Phi$ in large systems within a practical amount of time.

A Semidefinite Programming Based Search Strategy for Feature Selection with Mutual Information Measure.

Science.gov (United States)

Naghibi, Tofigh; Hoffmann, Sarah; Pfister, Beat

2015-08-01

Feature subset selection, as a special case of the general subset selection problem, has been the topic of a considerable number of studies due to the growing importance of data-mining applications. In the feature subset selection problem there are two main issues that need to be addressed: (i) Finding an appropriate measure function than can be fairly fast and robustly computed for high-dimensional data. (ii) A search strategy to optimize the measure over the subset space in a reasonable amount of time. In this article mutual information between features and class labels is considered to be the measure function. Two series expansions for mutual information are proposed, and it is shown that most heuristic criteria suggested in the literature are truncated approximations of these expansions. It is well-known that searching the whole subset space is an NP-hard problem. Here, instead of the conventional sequential search algorithms, we suggest a parallel search strategy based on semidefinite programming (SDP) that can search through the subset space in polynomial time. By exploiting the similarities between the proposed algorithm and an instance of the maximum-cut problem in graph theory, the approximation ratio of this algorithm is derived and is compared with the approximation ratio of the backward elimination method. The experiments show that it can be misleading to judge the quality of a measure solely based on the classification accuracy, without taking the effect of the non-optimum search strategy into account.

Systematizing Web Search through a Meta-Cognitive, Systems-Based, Information Structuring Model (McSIS)

Science.gov (United States)

Abuhamdieh, Ayman H.; Harder, Joseph T.

2015-01-01

This paper proposes a meta-cognitive, systems-based, information structuring model (McSIS) to systematize online information search behavior based on literature review of information-seeking models. The General Systems Theory's (GST) prepositions serve as its framework. Factors influencing information-seekers, such as the individual learning…

Searches for Dark Matter in Events with Hadronic Activity at ATLAS

CERN Document Server

Kalderon, Charles William; The ATLAS collaboration

2017-01-01

The astrophysical evidence of dark matter provides some of the most compelling clues to the nature of physics beyond the Standard Model. From these clues, ATLAS has developed a broad and systematic search program for dark matter production in LHC collisions.  The results of searches in 13 TeV pp collisions for dark matter using events with large missing transverse momentum and hadronic activity is presented along with the complementary searches for the dark matter mediator in resonance searches.

Learning by Doing: Twenty Successful Active Learning Exercises for Information Systems Courses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alanah Mitchell

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Aim/Purpose: This paper provides a review of previously published work related to active learning in information systems (IS courses. Background: There are a rising number of strategies in higher education that offer promise in regards to getting students’ attention and helping them learn, such as flipped classrooms and offering courses online. These learning strategies are part of the pedagogical technique known as active learning. Active learning is a strategy that became popular in the early 1990s and has proven itself as a valid tool for helping students to be engaged with learning. Methodology: This work follows a systematic method for identifying and coding previous research based on an aspect of interest. The authors identified and assessed research through a search of ABI/Inform scholarly journal abstracts and keywords, as well as additional research databases, using the search terms “active learning” and “information systems” from 2000 through June 2016. Contribution: This synthesis of active learning exercises provides guidance for information technology faculty looking to implement active learning strategies in their classroom by demonstrating how IS faculty might begin to introduce more active learning techniques in their teaching as well as by presenting a sample teaching agenda for a class that uses a mix of active and passive learning techniques to engage student learning. Findings: Twenty successful types of active learning exercises in IS courses are presented. Recommendations for Practitioners\t: This paper offers a “how to” resource of successful active learning strategies for IS faculty interested in implementing active learning in the classroom. Recommendation for Researchers: This work provides an example of a systematic literature review as a means to assess successful implementations of active learning in IS. Impact on Society: An updated definition of active learning is presented as well as a meaningful

The Web as Information Source: a Case Study on the Impact of Internet Search Lessons

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chiara Ravagni

2010-09-01

Full Text Available The use of the Web by students has increased more and more and it has become the most recurring way to find quick information for educational purposes. Given the lack, in Italy, of thorough programs for the integration of Information Literacy and Internet searches in schools and universities, the adults who are now using it are almost always self-taught. Consequently, many different approaches to the medium have spread, and with them an objective difficulty in planning Internet-research courses, since everyone has his/her own way to search and a unique perception of his/her search skills. That’s why delivering a course where every participant is forced to follow the same learning path may originate feelings of frustration, unease, or boredom, thus reducing the learning potential offered by the course. This research focuses on the Internet Search side of Information Literacy and analyzes the impact of short lessons on first and second year university students in Education at the University of Bolzano, Italy. The students are either native German-speakers or native Italian-speakers, and the research focuses, in an European perspective, on the differences in their Internet-research approaches as well. The first phase consists in interviews and test (the logs of the internet sessions are recorded by a software to find out the perception of reliability of the Internet information and the way to find it by the students. The second phase is the course in itself, which focuses on Boolean operators, information retrieval theories and exercises, and evaluation of web pages. After the course the students are interviewed and tested again, to check if their approach to internet research has changed and in which way. The results can be used to plan courses on Information Literacy and Internet Search with individualized programs, or to propose methods to assess the learning in this field.

Incidence of Online Health Information Search: A Useful Proxy for Public Health Risk Perception

Science.gov (United States)

Scammon, Debra L

2013-01-01

Background Internet users use search engines to look for information online, including health information. Researchers in medical informatics have found a high correlation of the occurrence of certain search queries and the incidence of certain diseases. Consumers’ search for information about diseases is related to current health status with regard to a disease and to the social environments that shape the public’s attitudes and behaviors. Objective This study aimed to investigate the extent to which public health risk perception as demonstrated by online information searches related to a health risk can be explained by the incidence of the health risk and social components of a specific population’s environment. Using an ecological perspective, we suggest that a population’s general concern for a health risk is formed by the incidence of the risk and social (eg, media attention) factors related with the risk. Methods We constructed a dataset that included state-level data from 32 states on the incidence of the flu; a number of social factors, such as media attention to the flu; private resources, such as education and health insurance coverage; public resources, such as hospital beds and primary physicians; and utilization of these resources, including inpatient days and outpatient visits. We then explored whether online information searches about the flu (seasonal and pandemic flu) can be predicted using these variables. We used factor analysis to construct indexes for sets of social factors (private resources, public resources). We then applied panel data multiple regression analysis to exploit both time-series and cross-sectional variation in the data over a 7-year period. Results Overall, the results provide evidence that the main effects of independent variables—the incidence of the flu (Psearches for queries related to the flu. After controlling for the number of reported disease cases and Internet access rate by state, we estimate the

Job Search and Social Cognitive Theory: The Role of Career-Relevant Activities

Science.gov (United States)

Zikic, Jelena; Saks, Alan M.

2009-01-01

Social cognitive theory was used to explain the relationships between career-relevant activities (environmental and self career exploration, career resources, and training), self-regulatory variables (job search self-efficacy and job search clarity), variables from the Theory of Planned Behavior (job search attitude, subjective norm, job search…

Comparing the effect of temporal delay on the availability of egocentric and allocentric information in visual search.

Science.gov (United States)

Ball, Keira; Birch, Yan; Lane, Alison; Ellison, Amanda; Schenk, Thomas

2017-07-28

Frames of reference play a central role in perceiving an object's location and reaching to pick that object up. It is thought that the ventral stream, believed to subserve vision for perception, utilises allocentric coding, while the dorsal stream, argued to be responsible for vision for action, primarily uses an egocentric reference frame. We have previously shown that egocentric representations can survive a delay; however, it is possible that in comparison to allocentric information, egocentric information decays more rapidly. Here we directly compare the effect of delay on the availability of egocentric and allocentric representations. We used spatial priming in visual search and repeated the location of the target relative to either a landmark in the search array (allocentric condition) or the observer's body (egocentric condition). Three inter-trial intervals created minimum delays between two consecutive trials of 2, 4, or 8seconds. In both conditions, search times to primed locations were faster than search times to un-primed locations. In the egocentric condition the effects were driven by a reduction in search times when egocentric information was repeated, an effect that was observed at all three delays. In the allocentric condition while search times did not change when the allocentric information was repeated, search times to un-primed target locations became slower. We conclude that egocentric representations are not as transient as previously thought but instead this information is still available, and can influence behaviour, after lengthy periods of delay. We also discuss the possible origins of the differences between allocentric and egocentric priming effects. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Multisensory teamwork: using a tactile or an auditory display to exchange gaze information improves performance in joint visual search.

Science.gov (United States)

Wahn, Basil; Schwandt, Jessika; Krüger, Matti; Crafa, Daina; Nunnendorf, Vanessa; König, Peter

2016-06-01

In joint tasks, adjusting to the actions of others is critical for success. For joint visual search tasks, research has shown that when search partners visually receive information about each other's gaze, they use this information to adjust to each other's actions, resulting in faster search performance. The present study used a visual, a tactile and an auditory display, respectively, to provide search partners with information about each other's gaze. Results showed that search partners performed faster when the gaze information was received via a tactile or auditory display in comparison to receiving it via a visual display or receiving no gaze information. Findings demonstrate the effectiveness of tactile and auditory displays for receiving task-relevant information in joint tasks and are applicable to circumstances in which little or no visual information is available or the visual modality is already taxed with a demanding task such as air-traffic control. Practitioner Summary: The present study demonstrates that tactile and auditory displays are effective for receiving information about actions of others in joint tasks. Findings are either applicable to circumstances in which little or no visual information is available or when the visual modality is already taxed with a demanding task.

Web search behavior and information needs of people with multiple sclerosis: focus group study and analysis of online postings.

Science.gov (United States)

Colombo, Cinzia; Mosconi, Paola; Confalonieri, Paolo; Baroni, Isabella; Traversa, Silvia; Hill, Sophie J; Synnot, Anneliese J; Oprandi, Nadia; Filippini, Graziella

2014-07-24

Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients and their family members increasingly seek health information on the Internet. There has been little exploration of how MS patients integrate health information with their needs, preferences, and values for decision making. The INtegrating and Deriving Evidence, Experiences, and Preferences (IN-DEEP) project is a collaboration between Italian and Australian researchers and MS patients, aimed to make high-quality evidence accessible and meaningful to MS patients and families, developing a Web-based resource of evidence-based information starting from their information needs. The objective of this study was to analyze MS patients and their family members' experience about the Web-based health information, to evaluate how they asses this information, and how they integrate health information with personal values. We organized 6 focus groups, 3 with MS patients and 3 with family members, in the Northern, Central, and Southern parts of Italy (April-June 2011). They included 40 MS patients aged between 18 and 60, diagnosed as having MS at least 3 months earlier, and 20 family members aged 18 and over, being relatives of a person with at least a 3-months MS diagnosis. The focus groups were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim (Atlas software, V 6.0). Data were analyzed from a conceptual point of view through a coding system. An online forum was hosted by the Italian MS society on its Web platform to widen the collection of information. Nine questions were posted covering searching behavior, use of Web-based information, truthfulness of Web information. At the end, posts were downloaded and transcribed. Information needs covered a comprehensive communication of diagnosis, prognosis, and adverse events of treatments, MS causes or risk factors, new drugs, practical, and lifestyle-related information. The Internet is considered useful by MS patients, however, at the beginning or in a later stage of the disease a refusal to actively search

Exhaustive search of linear information encoding protein-peptide recognition.

Science.gov (United States)

Kelil, Abdellali; Dubreuil, Benjamin; Levy, Emmanuel D; Michnick, Stephen W

2017-04-01

High-throughput in vitro methods have been extensively applied to identify linear information that encodes peptide recognition. However, these methods are limited in number of peptides, sequence variation, and length of peptides that can be explored, and often produce solutions that are not found in the cell. Despite the large number of methods developed to attempt addressing these issues, the exhaustive search of linear information encoding protein-peptide recognition has been so far physically unfeasible. Here, we describe a strategy, called DALEL, for the exhaustive search of linear sequence information encoded in proteins that bind to a common partner. We applied DALEL to explore binding specificity of SH3 domains in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Using only the polypeptide sequences of SH3 domain binding proteins, we succeeded in identifying the majority of known SH3 binding sites previously discovered either in vitro or in vivo. Moreover, we discovered a number of sites with both non-canonical sequences and distinct properties that may serve ancillary roles in peptide recognition. We compared DALEL to a variety of state-of-the-art algorithms in the blind identification of known binding sites of the human Grb2 SH3 domain. We also benchmarked DALEL on curated biological motifs derived from the ELM database to evaluate the effect of increasing/decreasing the enrichment of the motifs. Our strategy can be applied in conjunction with experimental data of proteins interacting with a common partner to identify binding sites among them. Yet, our strategy can also be applied to any group of proteins of interest to identify enriched linear motifs or to exhaustively explore the space of linear information encoded in a polypeptide sequence. Finally, we have developed a webserver located at http://michnick.bcm.umontreal.ca/dalel, offering user-friendly interface and providing different scenarios utilizing DALEL.

Proactive Support of Internet Browsing when Searching for Relevant Health Information.

Science.gov (United States)

Rurik, Clas; Zowalla, Richard; Wiesner, Martin; Pfeifer, Daniel

2015-01-01

Many people use the Internet as one of the primary sources of health information. This is due to the high volume and easy access of freely available information regarding diseases, diagnoses and treatments. However, users may find it difficult to retrieve information which is easily understandable and does not require a deep medical background. In this paper, we present a new kind of Web browser add-on, in order to proactively support users when searching for relevant health information. Our add-on not only visualizes the understandability of displayed medical text but also provides further recommendations of Web pages which hold similar content but are potentially easier to comprehend.

Searching for information on the World Wide Web with a search engine: a pilot study on cognitive flexibility in younger and older users.

Science.gov (United States)

Dommes, Aurelie; Chevalier, Aline; Rossetti, Marilyne

2010-04-01

This pilot study investigated the age-related differences in searching for information on the World Wide Web with a search engine. 11 older adults (6 men, 5 women; M age=59 yr., SD=2.76, range=55-65 yr.) and 12 younger adults (2 men, 10 women; M=23.7 yr., SD=1.07, range=22-25 yr.) had to conduct six searches differing in complexity, and for which a search method was or was not induced. The results showed that the younger and older participants provided with an induced search method were less flexible than the others and produced fewer new keywords. Moreover, older participants took longer than the younger adults, especially in the complex searches. The younger participants were flexible in the first request and spontaneously produced new keywords (spontaneous flexibility), whereas the older participants only produced new keywords when confronted by impasses (reactive flexibility). Aging may influence web searches, especially the nature of keywords used.

Brazilian academic search filter: application to the scientific literature on physical activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Sanz-Valero, Javier; Ferreira, Marcos Santos; Castiel, Luis David; Wanden-Berghe, Carmina; Guilam, Maria Cristina Rodrigues

2010-10-01

To develop a search filter in order to retrieve scientific publications on physical activity from Brazilian academic institutions. The academic search filter consisted of the descriptor "exercise" associated through the term AND, to the names of the respective academic institutions, which were connected by the term OR. The MEDLINE search was performed with PubMed on 11/16/2008. The institutions were selected according to the classification from the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) for interuniversity agreements. A total of 407 references were retrieved, corresponding to about 0.9% of all articles about physical activity and 0.5% of the Brazilian academic publications indexed in MEDLINE on the search date. When compared with the manual search undertaken, the search filter (descriptor + institutional filter) showed a sensitivity of 99% and a specificity of 100%. The institutional search filter showed high sensitivity and specificity, and is applicable to other areas of knowledge in health sciences. It is desirable that every Brazilian academic institution establish its "standard name/brand" in order to efficiently retrieve their scientific literature.

Information Retrieval Strategies of Millennial Undergraduate Students in Web and Library Database Searches

Science.gov (United States)

Porter, Brandi

2009-01-01

Millennial students make up a large portion of undergraduate students attending colleges and universities, and they have a variety of online resources available to them to complete academically related information searches, primarily Web based and library-based online information retrieval systems. The content, ease of use, and required search…

A new task format for investigating information search and organization in multiattribute decisions.

Science.gov (United States)

Ettlin, Florence; Bröder, Arndt; Henninger, Mirka

2015-06-01

In research on multiattribute decisions, information is typically preorganized in a well-structured manner (e.g., in attributes-by-options matrices). Participants can therefore conveniently identify the information needed for the decision strategy they are using. However, in everyday decision situations, we often face information that is not well-structured; that is, we not only have to search for, but we also need to organize the information. This latter aspect--subjective information organization--has so far largely been neglected in decision research. The few exceptions used crude experimental manipulations, and the assessment of subjective organization suffered from laborious methodology and a lack of objectiveness. We introduce a new task format to overcome these methodological issues, and we provide an organization index (OI) to assess subjective organization of information objectively and automatically. The OI makes it possible to assess information organization on the same scale as the strategy index (SI) typically used for assessing information search behavior. A simulation study shows that the OI has a similar distribution as the SI but that the two indices are a priori largely independent. In a validation experiment with instructed strategy use, we demonstrate the usefulness of the task to trace decision processes in multicue inference situations.

INTERACTION OF SEARCH CAPABILITIES OF ELECTRONIC AND TRADITIONAL (CARD CATALOGS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Л. В. Головко

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Purpose. Interaction of search capabilities of electronic and traditional (card catalogs. Subject: search capabilities of electronic and traditional (card catalogs and their interaction. Goal: Creating efficient search system for library information services, updating and improving the information retrieval system. To reach this goal, following tasks are set: – to determine the possibility of parallel functioning of electronic and traditional card catalogs, and to reveal the interaction of their search capabilities by conducting a survey via questionnaire titled «Interaction of search capabilities of electronic and traditional (card catalogs»; – to find out which search systems are preferred by users; – to estimate the actual condition of search capabilities of electronic and traditional (card catalogs in the library. Methodology. On various stages of the survey the following methods were used: analysis and synthesis, comparison, generalization, primary sources search; sociological method (survey. These methods allowed determining, processing and ana lyzing the whole complex of available sources, which became an important factor of research objectivity. Finding. Survey results allowed us to analyze the dynamics of changes, new needs of the readers, and to make a decision regarding the quality improvement of information search services. Practical value. Creating a theoretical foundation for implementation of set tasks is the practical value of the acquired findings. Conclusions and results of the research can be used in university students’, postgraduates’ and professors’ information search activities. Certain results of the research are used and implemented in practice of the library of Kryvyi Rih State Pedagogical University, namely at workshops on the basics of information culture (using bibliographic reference unit, information search by key words, authors and titles via electronic catalogue. Guides for users were created. Duty

Information-searching behaviors of main and allied health professionals: a nationwide survey in Taiwan.

Science.gov (United States)

Weng, Yi-Hao; Kuo, Ken N; Yang, Chun-Yuh; Lo, Heng-Lien; Shih, Ya-Hui; Chiu, Ya-Wen

2013-10-01

There are a variety of resources to obtain health information, but few studies have examined if main and allied health professionals prefer different methods. The current study was to investigate their information-searching behaviours. A constructed questionnaire survey was conducted from January through April 2011 in nationwide regional hospitals of Taiwan. Questionnaires were mailed to main professionals (physicians and nurses) and allied professionals (pharmacists, physical therapists, technicians and others), with 6160 valid returns collected. Among all professional groups, the most commonly used resource for seeking health information was a Web portal, followed by colleague consultations and continuing education. Physicians more often accessed Internet-based professional resources (online databases, electronic journals and electronic books) than the other groups (P < 0.05). In contrast, physical therapists more often accessed printed resources (printed journals and textbooks) than the other specialists (P < 0.05). And nurses, physical therapists and technicians more often asked colleagues and used continuing education than the other groups (P < 0.01). The most commonly used online database was Micromedex for pharmacists and MEDLINE for physicians, technicians and physical therapists. Nurses more often accessed Chinese-language databases rather than English-language databases (P < 0.001). This national survey depicts the information-searching pattern of various health professionals. There were significant differences between and within main and allied health professionals in their information searching. The data provide clinical implications for strategies to promote the accessing of evidence-based information. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Visual Working Memory Supports the Inhibition of Previously Processed Information: Evidence from Preview Search

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Aidroos, Naseem; Emrich, Stephen M.; Ferber, Susanne; Pratt, Jay

2012-01-01

In four experiments we assessed whether visual working memory (VWM) maintains a record of previously processed visual information, allowing old information to be inhibited, and new information to be prioritized. Specifically, we evaluated whether VWM contributes to the inhibition (i.e., visual marking) of previewed distractors in a preview search.…

Web Search Engines

OpenAIRE

Rajashekar, TB

1998-01-01

The World Wide Web is emerging as an all-in-one information source. Tools for searching Web-based information include search engines, subject directories and meta search tools. We take a look at key features of these tools and suggest practical hints for effective Web searching.

Cognitive factors predicting intentions to search for health information: an application of the theory of planned behaviour.

Science.gov (United States)

Austvoll-Dahlgren, Astrid; Falk, Ragnhild S; Helseth, Sølvi

2012-12-01

Peoples' ability to obtain health information is a precondition for their effective participation in decision making about health. However, there is limited evidence describing which cognitive factors can predict the intention of people to search for health information. To test the utility of a questionnaire in predicting intentions to search for health information, and to identify important predictors associated with this intention such that these could be targeted in an Intervention. A questionnaire was developed based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour and tested on both a mixed population sample (n=30) and a sample of parents (n = 45). The questionnaire was explored by testing for internal consistency, calculating inter-correlations between theoretically-related constructs, and by using multiple regression analysis. The reliability and validity of the questionnaire were found to be satisfactory and consistent across the two samples. The questionnaires' direct measures prediction of intention was high and accounted for 47% and 55% of the variance in behavioural intentions. Attitudes and perceived behavioural control were identified as important predictors to intention for search for health information. The questionnaire may be a useful tool for understanding and evaluating behavioural intentions and beliefs related to searches for health information. © 2012 The authors. Health Information and Libraries Journal © 2012 Health Libraries Group.

Information search and decision making: effects of age and complexity on strategy use.

Science.gov (United States)

Queen, Tara L; Hess, Thomas M; Ennis, Gilda E; Dowd, Keith; Grühn, Daniel

2012-12-01

The impact of task complexity on information search strategy and decision quality was examined in a sample of 135 young, middle-aged, and older adults. We were particularly interested in the competing roles of fluid cognitive ability and domain knowledge and experience, with the former being a negative influence and the latter being a positive influence on older adults' performance. Participants utilized 2 decision matrices, which varied in complexity, regarding a consumer purchase. Using process tracing software and an algorithm developed to assess decision strategy, we recorded search behavior, strategy selection, and final decision. Contrary to expectations, older adults were not more likely than the younger age groups to engage in information-minimizing search behaviors in response to increases in task complexity. Similarly, adults of all ages used comparable decision strategies and adapted their strategies to the demands of the task. We also examined decision outcomes in relation to participants' preferences. Overall, it seems that older adults utilize simpler sets of information primarily reflecting the most valued attributes in making their choice. The results of this study suggest that older adults are adaptive in their approach to decision making and that this ability may benefit from accrued knowledge and experience. 2013 APA, all rights reserved

An Efficient Method to Search Real-Time Bulk Data for an Information Processing System

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Seong Jin; Kim, Jong Myung; Suh, Yong Suk; Keum, Jong Yong; Park, Heui Youn

2005-01-01

The Man Machine Interface System (MMIS) of System-integrated Modular Advanced ReacTor (SMART) is designed with fully digitalized features. The Information Processing System (IPS) of the MMIS acquires and processes plant data from other systems. In addition, the IPS provides plant operation information to operators in the control room. The IPS is required to process bulky data in a real-time. So, it is necessary to consider a special processing method with regards to flexibility and performance because more than a few thousands of Plant Information converges on the IPS. Among other things, the processing time for searching for data from the bulk data consumes much more than other the processing times. Thus, this paper explores an efficient method for the search and examines its feasibility

The Impact of Product Assortment Size and Attribute Quantity on Information Searches

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dörnyei, Krisztina Rita; Chrysochou, Polymeros; Krystallis, Athanasios

2017-01-01

Purpose: This paper investigates the impact of assortment size and attribute quantity on the depth and content of consumer information searches. Design/methodology/approach: For a computer-aided experiment using an information display board, participants (n=393) were placed in a simulated shopping...... situation that involved choosing a product among three sets of frequently purchased, low-involvement, FMCG alternatives. Findings: The findings show that when the assortment size increases, consumers acquire information from more products and cues but sacrifice product attributes. In particular...

Information search behaviour, understanding and use of nutrition labeling by residents of Madrid, Spain.

Science.gov (United States)

Prieto-Castillo, L; Royo-Bordonada, M A; Moya-Geromini, A

2015-03-01

To describe the information search behaviour, comprehension level, and use of nutritional labeling by consumers according to sociodemographic characteristics. Cross-sectional study of consumers recruited in five stores of the main supermarket chains in Madrid: a random sample of 299 consumers (response rate: 80.6%). Interviewers collected information about the information search behaviour, comprehension, and use of nutritional labeling using a questionnaire designed for this purpose. Analyses examined the frequency of the variables of interest. Differences were tested using the Chi-square statistic. In this sample, 38.8% of consumers regularly read the nutritional labeling before making a purchase (45% of women vs 30% in men; P = 0.03) and the most common reason reported was choosing healthier products (81.3%). The proportion of people who were interested in additives and fats was the higher, (55% and 50%, respectively). Lack of time (38.9%), lack of interest (27.1%), and reading difficulties (18.1%) were the most common reasons given for not reading labels. Over half (52.4%) of consumers reported completely understanding the nutritional information on labels and 20.5% reported using such information for dietary planning. Reported information search behaviour, comprehension, and use of nutritional labeling were relatively high among consumers of the study, and their main goal was picking healthier products. However, not only are there still barriers to reading the information, but also the information most relevant to health is not always read or understood. Thus, interventions to increase nutritional labeling comprehension and use are required in order to facilitate the making of healthier choices by consumers. Copyright © 2014 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Search algorithms, hidden labour and information control

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paško Bilić

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The paper examines some of the processes of the closely knit relationship between Google’s ideologies of neutrality and objectivity and global market dominance. Neutrality construction comprises an important element sustaining the company’s economic position and is reflected in constant updates, estimates and changes to utility and relevance of search results. Providing a purely technical solution to these issues proves to be increasingly difficult without a human hand in steering algorithmic solutions. Search relevance fluctuates and shifts through continuous tinkering and tweaking of the search algorithm. The company also uses third parties to hire human raters for performing quality assessments of algorithmic updates and adaptations in linguistically and culturally diverse global markets. The adaptation process contradicts the technical foundations of the company and calculations based on the initial Page Rank algorithm. Annual market reports, Google’s Search Quality Rating Guidelines, and reports from media specialising in search engine optimisation business are analysed. The Search Quality Rating Guidelines document provides a rare glimpse into the internal architecture of search algorithms and the notions of utility and relevance which are presented and structured as neutral and objective. Intertwined layers of ideology, hidden labour of human raters, advertising revenues, market dominance and control are discussed throughout the paper.

Sonification and Visualization of Predecisional Information Search: Identifying Toolboxes in Children

Science.gov (United States)

Betsch, Tilmann; Wünsche, Kirsten; Großkopf, Armin; Schröder, Klara; Stenmans, Rachel

2018-01-01

Prior evidence has suggested that preschoolers and elementary schoolers search information largely with no systematic plan when making decisions in probabilistic environments. However, this finding might be due to the insensitivity of standard classification methods that assume a lack of variance in decision strategies for tasks of the same kind.…

Search strategies on the Internet: general and specific.

Science.gov (United States)

Bottrill, Krys

2004-06-01

Some of the most up-to-date information on scientific activity is to be found on the Internet; for example, on the websites of academic and other research institutions and in databases of currently funded research studies provided on the websites of funding bodies. Such information can be valuable in suggesting new approaches and techniques that could be applicable in a Three Rs context. However, the Internet is a chaotic medium, not subject to the meticulous classification and organisation of classical information resources. At the same time, Internet search engines do not match the sophistication of search systems used by database hosts. Also, although some offer relatively advanced features, user awareness of these tends to be low. Furthermore, much of the information on the Internet is not accessible to conventional search engines, giving rise to the concept of the "Invisible Web". General strategies and techniques for Internet searching are presented, together with a comparative survey of selected search engines. The question of how the Invisible Web can be accessed is discussed, as well as how to keep up-to-date with Internet content and improve searching skills.

Information spread of emergency events: path searching on social networks.

Science.gov (United States)

Dai, Weihui; Hu, Hongzhi; Wu, Tunan; Dai, Yonghui

2014-01-01

Emergency has attracted global attentions of government and the public, and it will easily trigger a series of serious social problems if it is not supervised effectively in the dissemination process. In the Internet world, people communicate with each other and form various virtual communities based on social networks, which lead to a complex and fast information spread pattern of emergency events. This paper collects Internet data based on data acquisition and topic detection technology, analyzes the process of information spread on social networks, describes the diffusions and impacts of that information from the perspective of random graph, and finally seeks the key paths through an improved IBF algorithm. Application cases have shown that this algorithm can search the shortest spread paths efficiently, which may help us to guide and control the information dissemination of emergency events on early warning.

Information Spread of Emergency Events: Path Searching on Social Networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Weihui Dai

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Emergency has attracted global attentions of government and the public, and it will easily trigger a series of serious social problems if it is not supervised effectively in the dissemination process. In the Internet world, people communicate with each other and form various virtual communities based on social networks, which lead to a complex and fast information spread pattern of emergency events. This paper collects Internet data based on data acquisition and topic detection technology, analyzes the process of information spread on social networks, describes the diffusions and impacts of that information from the perspective of random graph, and finally seeks the key paths through an improved IBF algorithm. Application cases have shown that this algorithm can search the shortest spread paths efficiently, which may help us to guide and control the information dissemination of emergency events on early warning.

Information access in the art history domain. Evaluating a federated search engine for Rembrandt research

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Verberne, S.; Boves, L.W.J.; Bosch, A.P.J. van den

2016-01-01

The art history domain is an interesting case for search engines tailored to the digital humanities, because the domain involves different types of sources (primary and secondary; text and images). One example of an art history search engine is RemBench, which provides access to information in four

Algorithm for shortest path search in Geographic Information Systems by using reduced graphs.

Science.gov (United States)

Rodríguez-Puente, Rafael; Lazo-Cortés, Manuel S

2013-01-01

The use of Geographic Information Systems has increased considerably since the eighties and nineties. As one of their most demanding applications we can mention shortest paths search. Several studies about shortest path search show the feasibility of using graphs for this purpose. Dijkstra's algorithm is one of the classic shortest path search algorithms. This algorithm is not well suited for shortest path search in large graphs. This is the reason why various modifications to Dijkstra's algorithm have been proposed by several authors using heuristics to reduce the run time of shortest path search. One of the most used heuristic algorithms is the A* algorithm, the main goal is to reduce the run time by reducing the search space. This article proposes a modification of Dijkstra's shortest path search algorithm in reduced graphs. It shows that the cost of the path found in this work, is equal to the cost of the path found using Dijkstra's algorithm in the original graph. The results of finding the shortest path, applying the proposed algorithm, Dijkstra's algorithm and A* algorithm, are compared. This comparison shows that, by applying the approach proposed, it is possible to obtain the optimal path in a similar or even in less time than when using heuristic algorithms.

The Impact of User Knowledge on Web Search Satisfaction

OpenAIRE

Fadhilah M. Yamin; T. Ramayah

2011-01-01

Problem statement: Searching on the web is a tedious process as it requires knowledge and skills on what and how to search. What to search is basically, the core of the searching activity as it represents the need of the searcher. How to search is related to the knowledge on how the facilities available on the web can be utilized in order to achieve the needs. Search satisfaction is the level of measurement that describes the achievement of the searcher towards his/her information needs. Appr...

Supporting Book Search

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bogers, Toine; Petras, Vivien

2017-01-01

of information needs. In this paper, we present a large-scale empirical comparison of the effectiveness of book metadata elements for searching complex information needs. Using a test collection of over 2 million book records and over 330 real-world book search requests, we perform a highly controlled and in......-depth analysis of topical metadata, comparing controlled vocabularies with social tags. Tags perform better overall in this setting, but controlled vocabulary terms provide complementary information, which will improve a search. We analyze potential underlying factors that contribute to search performance......, such as the relevance aspect(s) mentioned in a request or the type of book. In addition, we investigate the possible causes of search failure. We conclude that neither tags nor controlled vocabularies are wholly suited to handling the complex information needs in book search, which means that different approaches...

Searching and selecting online information: analysis of the strategic actions of the university students

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

María José Hernández Serrano

2013-08-01

Full Text Available 0 0 1 113 622 USAL 5 1 734 14.0 Normal 0 21 false false false ES JA X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Tabla normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0cm; mso-para-margin-right:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0cm; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-ansi-language:ES; mso-fareast-language:EN-US;} As complex and dynamic activity, the searching and selection of online information needs a strategic performance in order to achieve effective and meaningful results and processes. The aim of this paper is to analyze whether university students perceive a need to be strategic, for what actions, what times, and what are their predispositions towards the strategic actions in the Internet information searching and selection process. Results showed differences between students by course, those in their final courses, who have also received training, showed better predisposition to strategic actions. Two factors that explain the university students’ predispositions were found, in terms of basic actions and complementary actions.

Threat and Selective Exposure: The Moderating Role of Threat and Decision Context on Confirmatory Information Search after Decisions

Science.gov (United States)

Fischer, Peter; Kastenmuller, Andreas; Greitemeyer, Tobias; Fischer, Julia; Frey, Dieter; Crelley, David

2011-01-01

Previous studies on the impact of perceived threat on confirmatory information search (selective exposure) in the context of decision making have yielded mixed results. Some studies have suggested that confirmatory information search is reduced, yet others have found contradictory effects. The present series of 5 studies consistently found that…

Capturing deaths not informed to the Ministry of Health: proactive search of deaths in Brazilian municipalities.

Science.gov (United States)

Almeida, Wanessa da Silva de; Szwarcwald, Célia Landmann; Frias, Paulo Germano de; Souza, Paulo Roberto Borges de; Lima, Raquel Barbosa de; Rabello, Dácio de Lyra; Escalante, Juan José Cortez

2017-01-01

The proactive search of deaths is a strategy for capturing events that were not informed to the Mortality Information System of Ministry of Health. Its importance to reduce underreporting of deaths and to evaluate the operation of the information system is widely known. To describe the methodology and main findings of the Proactive Search of Deaths, 2013, establishing the contribution of different information sources. The research was carried out in 79 Brazilian municipalities. We investigated several official and unofficial sources of information about deaths of municipality residents. Every information source investigated and all cases found in each source were typed in an on-line panel. The second stage of the research was the confirmation of cases to verify information of year and residence and to complete missing information. For all confirmed cases, we estimated the completeness of death registration and correction factors according to the adequacy level of mortality information. We found 2,265 deaths that were not informed to the Mortality Information System. From those, 49.3% were found in unofficial sources, cemeteries and funeral homes. In some rural municipalities, precarious burial conditions were found in cemeteries in the middle of the forest and no registration of the deceased. Correction factors were inversely associated to the adequacy level of mortality information. The findings confirm the association between level of information adequacy and completeness of death registration, and indicate that the application of the proactive search is an effective method to capture deaths not informed to the Ministry of Health.

Internet Use for Searching Information on Medicines and Disease: A Community Pharmacy-Based Survey Among Adult Pharmacy Customers.

Science.gov (United States)

Lombardo, Simona; Cosentino, Marco

2016-07-13

The Internet is increasingly used as a source of health-related information, and a vast majority of Internet users are performing health-related searches in the United States and Europe, with wide differences among countries. Health information searching behavior on the Internet is affected by multiple factors, including demographics, socioeconomic factors, education, employment, attitudes toward the Internet, and health conditions, and their knowledge may help to promote a safer use of the Internet. Limited information however exists so far about Internet use to search for medical information in Italy. The objective of this study was to investigate the use of the Internet for searching for information on medicines and disease in adult subjects in Northern Italy. Survey in randomly selected community pharmacies, using a self-administered questionnaire, with open and multiple choices questions, was conducted. A total of 1008 participants were enrolled (59.5% women; median age: 43 years; range: 14-88 years). Previous use of the Internet to search for information about medicines or dietary supplements was reported by 26.0% of respondents, more commonly by women (30.00% vs 20.10% men, Punmarried subjects (32.9% vs 17.4% widowed subjects, P=.022), and employed people (29.1% vs 10.4% retired people, P=.002). Use was highest in the age range of 26 to 35 (40.0% users vs 19.6% and 12.3% in the age range ≤25 and ≥56, respectively, Pvs 51.0% males, Punmarried subjects (64.2% vs 58.5% married or divorced subjects and 30.4% widowed subjects, P=.012), unemployed people (66.7% vs 64.0% workers and 29.9% retired people, Pvs 64.4% in both 36-45 and 46-55 ranges and 35.1% in ≥56, P<.001) and increased with years of education (from 12.5% with 5 years up to 66.7% with 13 years and 68.6% with a university degree, P<.001). Retrieved information was rated as satisfactory by about 87.5% (88.1% women and 86.2% men, P=.562). Recent use of medicines or dietary supplements was

The Role of Exploratory Talk in Classroom Search Engine Tasks

Science.gov (United States)

Knight, Simon; Mercer, Neil

2015-01-01

While search engines are commonly used by children to find information, and in classroom-based activities, children are not adept in their information seeking or evaluation of information sources. Prior work has explored such activities in isolated, individual contexts, failing to account for the collaborative, discourse-mediated nature of search…

Rationality, Information Search and Choice in Higher Education: Evidence from Greece

Science.gov (United States)

Menon, Maria Eliophotou; Saiti, Anna; Socratous, Michalis

2007-01-01

The paper presents the findings of a study of the decision-making process which precedes the choice of a university in Greece. Specifically, the degree of rationality exhibited by prospective students is assessed in an attempt to provide a test for the economic approach to the explanation of human behaviour. Information search is used as an…

The Separate Spheres of Online Health: Gender, Parenting, and Online Health Information Searching in the Information Age

Science.gov (United States)

Stern, Michael J.; Cotten, Shelia R.; Drentea, Patricia

2012-01-01

The objective of this article is to explore how parental status, gender, and their interaction influence a variety of aspects of searching for online health information. Drawing on nationally representative survey data, the results show that in a number of ways parenting and gender have separate but significant influences on the following: online…

A Model for Teaching Critical Thinking through Online Searching.

Science.gov (United States)

Crane, Beverley; Markowitz, Nancy Lourie

1994-01-01

Presents a model that uses online searching to teach critical thinking skills in elementary and secondary education based on Bloom's taxonomy. Three levels of activity are described: analyzing a search statement; defining and clarifying a problem; and focusing an information need. (Contains 13 references.) (LRW)

On the Right for Lawful Court in Investigation and Search Activities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chechetin A. E.

2012-05-01

Full Text Available On the basis of the existing federal legislation and decisions of the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation the author reveals and analyzes jurisdiction of the petition of the agency which conducts investigation and search operations, with the help of an example, i.e. conducting investigation and search operations concerning the judge of the Region Court in Rostov-on-Don with the purpose of verification the information about extortion of a bribe by him

Visual working memory supports the inhibition of previously processed information: evidence from preview search.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Aidroos, Naseem; Emrich, Stephen M; Ferber, Susanne; Pratt, Jay

2012-06-01

In four experiments we assessed whether visual working memory (VWM) maintains a record of previously processed visual information, allowing old information to be inhibited, and new information to be prioritized. Specifically, we evaluated whether VWM contributes to the inhibition (i.e., visual marking) of previewed distractors in a preview search. We evaluated this proposal by testing three predictions. First, Experiments 1 and 2 demonstrate that preview inhibition is more effective when the number of previewed distractors is below VWM capacity than above; an effect that can only be observed at small preview set sizes (Experiment 2A) and when observers are allowed to move their eyes freely (Experiment 2B). Second, Experiment 3 shows that, when quantified as the number of inhibited distractors, the magnitude of the preview effect is stable across different search difficulties. Third, Experiment 4 demonstrates that individual differences in preview inhibition are correlated with individual differences in VWM capacity. These findings provide converging evidence that VWM supports the inhibition of previewed distractors. More generally, these findings demonstrate how VWM contributes to the efficiency of human visual information processing--VWM prioritizes new information by inhibiting old information from being reselected for attention.

Empowering Students to Make Sense of an Information Saturated World: The Evolution of Information Searching and Analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

James H. Wittebols

2016-06-01

Full Text Available How well students conduct research online is an increasing concern for educators at all levels but especially higher education. The paper describes the evolution of a course that grew from a unit within a course to a whole course that examines confirmation bias, information searching and the political economy of information as keys to becoming more information and media literate. After a key assignment in which students assess their own tendency to engage in confirmation bias, students choose a social justice issue to investigate across web, news and academic research resources. Designed to build good analytical skills in assessing the trustworthiness of a variety of sources of information, the course empowers students as researchers, citizens and consumers.

Final repository search together with the citizens. Information, consultation, dialogue, participation; Endlagersuche - gemeinsam mit den Buergern. Information, Konsultation, Dialog, Beteiligung

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mueller, Monika C.M. (ed.)

2013-07-01

The documentation on the Loccum meeting 2013 includes contributions on the following topics: Public participation for the final repository search; Lessons learned from the past; Public participation: what is expected? Experiences of repository operators on public participation; The TRIPLEX concept; From Gorleben to the law on final repository search: a long and a short story; Public participation concerning radioactive waste storage; The public has to be informed on the radioactive waste problem and the possible solutions; After consensus is before consensus - German final repository conflict between legislation and simulated public participation; Political concept of public participation; A fast final repository law will not bring about social peace; Good public participation on final repository search - requirements, challenges, questions and approaches.

Sorting through search results: a content analysis of HPV vaccine information online.

Science.gov (United States)

Madden, Kelly; Nan, Xiaoli; Briones, Rowena; Waks, Leah

2012-05-28

Surveys have shown that many people now turn to the Internet for health information when making health-related decisions. This study systematically analyzed the HPV vaccine information returned by online search engines. HPV is the most common sexually transmitted disease and is the leading cause of cervical cancers. We conducted a content analysis of 89 top search results from Google, Yahoo, Bing, and Ask.com. The websites were analyzed with respect to source, tone, information related to specific content analyzed through the lens of the Health Belief Model, and in terms of two content themes (i.e., conspiracy theories and civil liberties). The relations among these aspects of the websites were also explored. Most websites were published by nonprofit or academic sources (34.8%) and governmental agencies (27.4%) and were neutral in tone (57.3%), neither promoting nor opposing the HPV vaccine. Overall, the websites presented suboptimal or inaccurate information related to the five behavioral predictors stipulated in the Health Belief Model. Questions related to civil liberties were present on some websites. Health professionals designing online communication with the intent of increasing HPV vaccine uptake should take care to include information about the risks of HPV, including susceptibility and severity. Additionally, websites should include information about the benefits of the vaccine (i.e., effective against HPV), low side effects as a barrier that can be overcome, and ways in which to receive the vaccine to raise individual self-efficacy. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Effects of Presentation Method and Information Density on Visual Search Ability and Working Memory Load

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Ting-Wen; Kinshuk; Chen, Nian-Shing; Yu, Pao-Ta

2012-01-01

This study investigates the effects of successive and simultaneous information presentation methods on learner's visual search ability and working memory load for different information densities. Since the processing of information in the brain depends on the capacity of visual short-term memory (VSTM), the limited information processing capacity…

Distributed Information Search and Retrieval for Astronomical Resource Discovery and Data Mining

Science.gov (United States)

Murtagh, Fionn; Guillaume, Damien

Information search and retrieval has become by nature a distributed task. We look at tools and techniques which are of importance in this area. Current technological evolution can be summarized as the growing stability and cohesiveness of distributed architectures of searchable objects. The objects themselves are more often than not multimedia, including published articles or grey literature reports, yellow page services, image data, catalogs, presentation and online display materials, and ``operations'' information such as scheduling and publicly accessible proposal information. The evolution towards distributed architectures, protocols and formats, and the direction of our own work, are focussed on in this paper.

SERVICES OF FULL-TEXT SEARCHING IN A DISTRIBUTED INFORMATION ENVIRONMENT (PROJECT HUMANITARIANA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. K. Lyapin

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Problem statement. We justify the possibility of full-text search services application in both universal and specialized (in terms of resource base digital libraries for the extraction and analysis of the context knowledge in the humanities. The architecture and services of virtual information and resource center for extracting knowledge from the humanitarian texts generated by «Humanitariana» project are described. The functional integration of the resources and services for a full-text search in a distributed decentralized environment, organized in the Internet / Intranet architecture under the control of the client (user browser accessing a variety of independent servers. An algorithm for a distributed full-text query implementation is described. Methods. Method of combining requency-ranked and paragraph-oriented full-text queries is used: the first are used for the preliminary analysis of the subject area or a combination product (explication of "vertical" context, or macro context, the second - for the explication of "horizontal" context, or micro context within copyright paragraph. The results of the frequency-ranked queries are used to compile paragraph-oriented queries. Results. The results of textual research are shown on the topics "The question of fact in Russian philosophy", "The question of loneliness in Russian philosophy and culture". About 50 pieces of context knowledge on the total resource base of about 2,500 full-text resources have been explicated and briefly described to their further expert investigating. Practical significance. The proposed technology (advanced full-text searching services in a distributed information environment can be used for the information support of humanitarian studies and education in the humanities, for functional integration of resources and services of various organizations, for carrying out interdisciplinary research.

Informality as a stepping stone: A search-theoretical assessment of informal sector and government policy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Semih Tümen

2016-09-01

Full Text Available This paper develops a model of sequential job search to understand the factors determining the effect of tax and enforcement policies on the size (i.e., employment share of informal sector. The focus is on the role of informal sector as a stepping stone to formal jobs. I argue that the stepping-stone role of informal jobs is an important concept determining how strongly government policies affect the size of informal sector. I measure the extent of the stepping-stone role with the intensity of skill accumulation in the informal sector. If informal jobs help workers acquire skills, gain expertise, and build professional networks for boosting the chances to switch to a formal job, then the size of informal sector is less sensitive to government policy. In this case, the option value of a job in informal sector will be high and a worker with an informal job will not rush to switch to a formal job when a policy encouraging formal employment is in effect. If, on the other hand, informal sector does not provide satisfactory training opportunities, then the size of informal sector becomes more sensitive to government policy. Calibrating the model to the Brazilian data, I perform numerical exercises confirming that the effect of government policy on the size of informal sector is a decreasing function of the intensity of skill acquisition in the informal sector.

Cube search, revisited

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xuetao; Huang, Jie; Yigit-Elliott, Serap; Rosenholtz, Ruth

2015-01-01

Observers can quickly search among shaded cubes for one lit from a unique direction. However, replace the cubes with similar 2-D patterns that do not appear to have a 3-D shape, and search difficulty increases. These results have challenged models of visual search and attention. We demonstrate that cube search displays differ from those with “equivalent” 2-D search items in terms of the informativeness of fairly low-level image statistics. This informativeness predicts peripheral discriminability of target-present from target-absent patches, which in turn predicts visual search performance, across a wide range of conditions. Comparing model performance on a number of classic search tasks, cube search does not appear unexpectedly easy. Easy cube search, per se, does not provide evidence for preattentive computation of 3-D scene properties. However, search asymmetries derived from rotating and/or flipping the cube search displays cannot be explained by the information in our current set of image statistics. This may merely suggest a need to modify the model's set of 2-D image statistics. Alternatively, it may be difficult cube search that provides evidence for preattentive computation of 3-D scene properties. By attributing 2-D luminance variations to a shaded 3-D shape, 3-D scene understanding may slow search for 2-D features of the target. PMID:25780063

Search route decision of environmental monitoring at emergency time

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aoyama, Isao

1979-01-01

The search route decision method is reviewed, especially the adequate arrangement of monitors in view of time in the information-gathering activity by transferring the monitors on the horizontal space after the confirmation of the abnormal release of radioactive material. As for the field of the theory of search, the developmental history is explained, namely the experiences of the naval anti submarine operation in WW-2, the salvage activities and the search problem on the sea. The kinematics for search, the probability theory for detection and the optimum distribution for search are the most important contents of the application of theory of search relating to the environmental monitoring at emergency condition. The combination of a search model consists of the peculiarity of targets, the peculiarity of observers and the standard of optimality. The peculiarity of targets is divided into the space of search, the number of targets, the way of appearance of targets and the motion of targets. The peculiarity of observers is divided into the number of observers, the divisibility of efforts for search, the credibility of search information and the search process. The standard of optimality is divided into the maximum probability of detection, the minimum risk expected and the others. Each item written above of search model is explained. Concerning the formulation of the search model, the theoretical equations for detection probability, discovery potential and instantaneous detection probability, density are derived, and these equations are evaluated and explained. The future plan is to advance the search technology so as to evaluate the detection potential to decide the route of running a monitoring car for a nuclear power plant at accidental condition. (Nakai, Y.)

Keyword Search in Databases

CERN Document Server

Yu, Jeffrey Xu; Chang, Lijun

2009-01-01

It has become highly desirable to provide users with flexible ways to query/search information over databases as simple as keyword search like Google search. This book surveys the recent developments on keyword search over databases, and focuses on finding structural information among objects in a database using a set of keywords. Such structural information to be returned can be either trees or subgraphs representing how the objects, that contain the required keywords, are interconnected in a relational database or in an XML database. The structural keyword search is completely different from

Children's sequential information search is sensitive to environmental probabilities.

Science.gov (United States)

Nelson, Jonathan D; Divjak, Bojana; Gudmundsdottir, Gudny; Martignon, Laura F; Meder, Björn

2014-01-01

We investigated 4th-grade children's search strategies on sequential search tasks in which the goal is to identify an unknown target object by asking yes-no questions about its features. We used exhaustive search to identify the most efficient question strategies and evaluated the usefulness of children's questions accordingly. Results show that children have good intuitions regarding questions' usefulness and search adaptively, relative to the statistical structure of the task environment. Search was especially efficient in a task environment that was representative of real-world experiences. This suggests that children may use their knowledge of real-world environmental statistics to guide their search behavior. We also compared different related search tasks. We found positive transfer effects from first doing a number search task on a later person search task. Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Analysis of Students' Online Information Searching Strategies, Exposure to Internet Information Pollution and Cognitive Absorption Levels Based on Various Variables

Science.gov (United States)

Kurt, Adile Askim; Emiroglu, Bülent Gürsel

2018-01-01

The objective of the present study was to examine students' online information searching strategies, their cognitive absorption levels and the information pollution levels on the Internet based on different variables and to determine the correlation between these variables. The study was designed with the survey model, the study group included 198…

Establishing requirements for information gathering tasks

NARCIS (Netherlands)

A.K. Amin (Alia)

2009-01-01

htmlabstractThis PhD project aims at understanding and supporting the complex activities of information gathering. To date, most search applications support one aspect of search namely low-level keyword-based search to find documents. However, in reality, users search tasks are often high-level

Using the open Web as an information resource and scholarly Web search engines as retrieval tools for academic and research purposes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Filistea Naude

2010-08-01

Full Text Available This study provided insight into the significance of the open Web as an information resource and Web search engines as research tools amongst academics. The academic staff establishment of the University of South Africa (Unisa was invited to participate in a questionnaire survey and included 1188 staff members from five colleges. This study culminated in a PhD dissertation in 2008. One hundred and eighty seven respondents participated in the survey which gave a response rate of 15.7%. The results of this study show that academics have indeed accepted the open Web as a useful information resource and Web search engines as retrieval tools when seeking information for academic and research work. The majority of respondents used the open Web and Web search engines on a daily or weekly basis to source academic and research information. The main obstacles presented by using the open Web and Web search engines included lack of time to search and browse the Web, information overload, poor network speed and the slow downloading speed of webpages.

Using the open Web as an information resource and scholarly Web search engines as retrieval tools for academic and research purposes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Filistea Naude

2010-12-01

Full Text Available This study provided insight into the significance of the open Web as an information resource and Web search engines as research tools amongst academics. The academic staff establishment of the University of South Africa (Unisa was invited to participate in a questionnaire survey and included 1188 staff members from five colleges. This study culminated in a PhD dissertation in 2008. One hundred and eighty seven respondents participated in the survey which gave a response rate of 15.7%. The results of this study show that academics have indeed accepted the open Web as a useful information resource and Web search engines as retrieval tools when seeking information for academic and research work. The majority of respondents used the open Web and Web search engines on a daily or weekly basis to source academic and research information. The main obstacles presented by using the open Web and Web search engines included lack of time to search and browse the Web, information overload, poor network speed and the slow downloading speed of webpages.

Developing a Process Model for the Forensic Extraction of Information from Desktop Search Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Timothy Pavlic

2008-03-01

Full Text Available Desktop search applications can contain cached copies of files that were deleted from the file system. Forensic investigators see this as a potential source of evidence, as documents deleted by suspects may still exist in the cache. Whilst there have been attempts at recovering data collected by desktop search applications, there is no methodology governing the process, nor discussion on the most appropriate means to do so. This article seeks to address this issue by developing a process model that can be applied when developing an information extraction application for desktop search applications, discussing preferred methods and the limitations of each. This work represents a more structured approach than other forms of current research.

Searching Choices: Quantifying Decision-Making Processes Using Search Engine Data.

Science.gov (United States)

Moat, Helen Susannah; Olivola, Christopher Y; Chater, Nick; Preis, Tobias

2016-07-01

When making a decision, humans consider two types of information: information they have acquired through their prior experience of the world, and further information they gather to support the decision in question. Here, we present evidence that data from search engines such as Google can help us model both sources of information. We show that statistics from search engines on the frequency of content on the Internet can help us estimate the statistical structure of prior experience; and, specifically, we outline how such statistics can inform psychological theories concerning the valuation of human lives, or choices involving delayed outcomes. Turning to information gathering, we show that search query data might help measure human information gathering, and it may predict subsequent decisions. Such data enable us to compare information gathered across nations, where analyses suggest, for example, a greater focus on the future in countries with a higher per capita GDP. We conclude that search engine data constitute a valuable new resource for cognitive scientists, offering a fascinating new tool for understanding the human decision-making process. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Topics in Cognitive Science published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Cognitive Science Society.

Beyond information retrieval: information discovery and multimedia information retrieval

OpenAIRE

Roberto Raieli

2017-01-01

The paper compares the current methodologies for search and discovery of information and information resources: terminological search and term-based language, own of information retrieval (IR); semantic search and information discovery, being developed mainly through the language of linked data; semiotic search and content-based language, experienced by multimedia information retrieval (MIR).MIR semiotic methodology is, then, detailed.

Predicting the performance of fingerprint similarity searching.

Science.gov (United States)

Vogt, Martin; Bajorath, Jürgen

2011-01-01

Fingerprints are bit string representations of molecular structure that typically encode structural fragments, topological features, or pharmacophore patterns. Various fingerprint designs are utilized in virtual screening and their search performance essentially depends on three parameters: the nature of the fingerprint, the active compounds serving as reference molecules, and the composition of the screening database. It is of considerable interest and practical relevance to predict the performance of fingerprint similarity searching. A quantitative assessment of the potential that a fingerprint search might successfully retrieve active compounds, if available in the screening database, would substantially help to select the type of fingerprint most suitable for a given search problem. The method presented herein utilizes concepts from information theory to relate the fingerprint feature distributions of reference compounds to screening libraries. If these feature distributions do not sufficiently differ, active database compounds that are similar to reference molecules cannot be retrieved because they disappear in the "background." By quantifying the difference in feature distribution using the Kullback-Leibler divergence and relating the divergence to compound recovery rates obtained for different benchmark classes, fingerprint search performance can be quantitatively predicted.

A hybrid search algorithm for swarm robots searching in an unknown environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Shoutao; Li, Lina; Lee, Gordon; Zhang, Hao

2014-01-01

This paper proposes a novel method to improve the efficiency of a swarm of robots searching in an unknown environment. The approach focuses on the process of feeding and individual coordination characteristics inspired by the foraging behavior in nature. A predatory strategy was used for searching; hence, this hybrid approach integrated a random search technique with a dynamic particle swarm optimization (DPSO) search algorithm. If a search robot could not find any target information, it used a random search algorithm for a global search. If the robot found any target information in a region, the DPSO search algorithm was used for a local search. This particle swarm optimization search algorithm is dynamic as all the parameters in the algorithm are refreshed synchronously through a communication mechanism until the robots find the target position, after which, the robots fall back to a random searching mode. Thus, in this searching strategy, the robots alternated between two searching algorithms until the whole area was covered. During the searching process, the robots used a local communication mechanism to share map information and DPSO parameters to reduce the communication burden and overcome hardware limitations. If the search area is very large, search efficiency may be greatly reduced if only one robot searches an entire region given the limited resources available and time constraints. In this research we divided the entire search area into several subregions, selected a target utility function to determine which subregion should be initially searched and thereby reduced the residence time of the target to improve search efficiency.

Evidence-based Medicine Search: a customizable federated search engine.

Science.gov (United States)

Bracke, Paul J; Howse, David K; Keim, Samuel M

2008-04-01

This paper reports on the development of a tool by the Arizona Health Sciences Library (AHSL) for searching clinical evidence that can be customized for different user groups. The AHSL provides services to the University of Arizona's (UA's) health sciences programs and to the University Medical Center. Librarians at AHSL collaborated with UA College of Medicine faculty to create an innovative search engine, Evidence-based Medicine (EBM) Search, that provides users with a simple search interface to EBM resources and presents results organized according to an evidence pyramid. EBM Search was developed with a web-based configuration component that allows the tool to be customized for different specialties. Informal and anecdotal feedback from physicians indicates that EBM Search is a useful tool with potential in teaching evidence-based decision making. While formal evaluation is still being planned, a tool such as EBM Search, which can be configured for specific user populations, may help lower barriers to information resources in an academic health sciences center.

Parallel effects of memory set activation and search on timing and working memory capacity.

Science.gov (United States)

Schweickert, Richard; Fortin, Claudette; Xi, Zhuangzhuang; Viau-Quesnel, Charles

2014-01-01

Accurately estimating a time interval is required in everyday activities such as driving or cooking. Estimating time is relatively easy, provided a person attends to it. But a brief shift of attention to another task usually interferes with timing. Most processes carried out concurrently with timing interfere with it. Curiously, some do not. Literature on a few processes suggests a general proposition, the Timing and Complex-Span Hypothesis: A process interferes with concurrent timing if and only if process performance is related to complex span. Complex-span is the number of items correctly recalled in order, when each item presented for study is followed by a brief activity. Literature on task switching, visual search, memory search, word generation and mental time travel supports the hypothesis. Previous work found that another process, activation of a memory set in long term memory, is not related to complex-span. If the Timing and Complex-Span Hypothesis is true, activation should not interfere with concurrent timing in dual-task conditions. We tested such activation in single-task memory search task conditions and in dual-task conditions where memory search was executed with concurrent timing. In Experiment 1, activating a memory set increased reaction time, with no significant effect on time production. In Experiment 2, set size and memory set activation were manipulated. Activation and set size had a puzzling interaction for time productions, perhaps due to difficult conditions, leading us to use a related but easier task in Experiment 3. In Experiment 3 increasing set size lengthened time production, but memory activation had no significant effect. Results here and in previous literature on the whole support the Timing and Complex-Span Hypotheses. Results also support a sequential organization of activation and search of memory. This organization predicts activation and set size have additive effects on reaction time and multiplicative effects on percent

Automatic sorting of toxicological information into the IUCLID (International Uniform Chemical Information Database) endpoint-categories making use of the semantic search engine Go3R.

Science.gov (United States)

Sauer, Ursula G; Wächter, Thomas; Hareng, Lars; Wareing, Britta; Langsch, Angelika; Zschunke, Matthias; Alvers, Michael R; Landsiedel, Robert

2014-06-01

The knowledge-based search engine Go3R, www.Go3R.org, has been developed to assist scientists from industry and regulatory authorities in collecting comprehensive toxicological information with a special focus on identifying available alternatives to animal testing. The semantic search paradigm of Go3R makes use of expert knowledge on 3Rs methods and regulatory toxicology, laid down in the ontology, a network of concepts, terms, and synonyms, to recognize the contents of documents. Search results are automatically sorted into a dynamic table of contents presented alongside the list of documents retrieved. This table of contents allows the user to quickly filter the set of documents by topics of interest. Documents containing hazard information are automatically assigned to a user interface following the endpoint-specific IUCLID5 categorization scheme required, e.g. for REACH registration dossiers. For this purpose, complex endpoint-specific search queries were compiled and integrated into the search engine (based upon a gold standard of 310 references that had been assigned manually to the different endpoint categories). Go3R sorts 87% of the references concordantly into the respective IUCLID5 categories. Currently, Go3R searches in the 22 million documents available in the PubMed and TOXNET databases. However, it can be customized to search in other databases including in-house databanks. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Active visual search in non-stationary scenes: coping with temporal variability and uncertainty

Science.gov (United States)

Ušćumlić, Marija; Blankertz, Benjamin

2016-02-01

Objective. State-of-the-art experiments for studying neural processes underlying visual cognition often constrain sensory inputs (e.g., static images) and our behavior (e.g., fixed eye-gaze, long eye fixations), isolating or simplifying the interaction of neural processes. Motivated by the non-stationarity of our natural visual environment, we investigated the electroencephalography (EEG) correlates of visual recognition while participants overtly performed visual search in non-stationary scenes. We hypothesized that visual effects (such as those typically used in human-computer interfaces) may increase temporal uncertainty (with reference to fixation onset) of cognition-related EEG activity in an active search task and therefore require novel techniques for single-trial detection. Approach. We addressed fixation-related EEG activity in an active search task with respect to stimulus-appearance styles and dynamics. Alongside popping-up stimuli, our experimental study embraces two composite appearance styles based on fading-in, enlarging, and motion effects. Additionally, we explored whether the knowledge obtained in the pop-up experimental setting can be exploited to boost the EEG-based intention-decoding performance when facing transitional changes of visual content. Main results. The results confirmed our initial hypothesis that the dynamic of visual content can increase temporal uncertainty of the cognition-related EEG activity in active search with respect to fixation onset. This temporal uncertainty challenges the pivotal aim to keep the decoding performance constant irrespective of visual effects. Importantly, the proposed approach for EEG decoding based on knowledge transfer between the different experimental settings gave a promising performance. Significance. Our study demonstrates that the non-stationarity of visual scenes is an important factor in the evolution of cognitive processes, as well as in the dynamic of ocular behavior (i.e., dwell time and

Kuhlthau’s Classic Research on the Information Search Process (ISP Provides Evidence for Information Seeking as a Constructivist Process. A review of: Kuhlthau, Carol C. “Inside the Search Process: Information Seeking from the User's Perspective.” Journal of the American Society for Information Science 42.5 (1991: 361‐71.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shelagh K. Genuis

2007-12-01

Full Text Available Objective – To extend understanding of purposeful information seeking and to present a model of the information search process (ISP from the perspective of the user.Design – Review of theoretical foundation, summing up of qualitative and quantitative data from a series of five foundational studies, and presentation of ISP model. Setting – Summarised research was conducted primarily in high school and college environments where subjects were investigating an assigned topic. A small proportion of public libraries were used in the fifth study within the reviewed series.Subjects – The ISP model as presented in this ‘classic’ article is based on studies involving a total of 558 participants. The first study involved 26 academically advanced high school seniors, and the 2 subsequent studies involved respectively 20 and 4 of the original participants following their completion of 4 years of college. The final 2 studies involved respectively 147 high, middle and low achieving high school seniors, and 385 academic, public and school library users.Methods – This paper presents the foundation for the ISP model by reviewing the relationship between Kelly’s personal construct theory, Belkin, Brooks, and Oddy’s investigation of cognitive aspects of the constructive information seeking process, and Taylor’s work on levels of information need (“Question‐negotiation” and value‐added information (“Value added”. This is followed by a review of Kuhlthau’s five foundational studies, which investigated the common information seeking experiences of users who were seeking to expand knowledge related to a particular topic or problem. The first of these studies was a small‐scale exploration in which participants were given two assignments. Questionnaires, journaling, search logs, and reflective writing were used to collect data throughout the process of assignment completion. Data collection was augmented by case studies involving in�

Learning about Job Search

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Altmann, Steffen; Falk, Armin; Jäger, Simon

strategies and the consequences of unemployment, and motivated them to actively look for new employment. We study the causal impact of the brochure by comparing labor market outcomes of treated and untreated job seekers in administrative data containing comprehensive information on individuals’ employment...... findings indicate that targeted information provision can be a highly effective policy tool in the labor market.......We conduct a large-scale field experiment in the German labor market to investigate how information provision affects job seekers’ employment prospects and labor market outcomes. Individuals assigned to the treatment group of our experiment received a brochure that informed them about job search...

People searching for people: analysis of a people search engine log

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Weerkamp, W.; Berendsen, R.; Kovachev, B.; Meij, E.; Balog, K.; de Rijke, M.

2011-01-01

Recent years show an increasing interest in vertical search: searching within a particular type of information. Understanding what people search for in these "verticals" gives direction to research and provides pointers for the search engines themselves. In this paper we analyze the search logs of

Professional Loan Officers’ Information Search Behavior After Reading Audit Report of a Financially Distressed Company

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Järvinen, Tuukka; Myllymäki, Emma-Riikka; Sormunen, Nina

In order to respond to the concern about the relevance of auditor reporting when a firm is financially distressed, we examine whether the perceived quality of the signing audit firm (i.e. Big4 or non-Big4 auditor) and going-concern modification affects professional loan officers’ information search...... of going-concern modification significantly increases the attention to the audit report, and especially when it is signed by a Big4 auditor. Moreover, the information most explicitly mentioned in the going-concern paragraph is accessed quickly, indicating an attention directing effect of going......-concern paragraph, and this effect is the most evident when the audit report is signed by a Big4 auditor. Finally, the analyses of this study provide evidence on extensive versus superficial information search, which depends on the source credibility in addition to the presence of the going-concern modification...

A new perspective on tourist information search: discussion in couples as the context

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bronner, F.; de Hoog, R.

2011-01-01

Purpose - Information-search for vacation decision-making can occur in two different contexts: an individual one, in which one forms one's preferences, and a social one in response to discussions with partners and family members. This paper focuses on the latter. Design/methodology/approach - By

[Advanced online search techniques and dedicated search engines for physicians].

Science.gov (United States)

Nahum, Yoav

2008-02-01

In recent years search engines have become an essential tool in the work of physicians. This article will review advanced search techniques from the world of information specialists, as well as some advanced search engine operators that may help physicians improve their online search capabilities, and maximize the yield of their searches. This article also reviews popular dedicated scientific and biomedical literature search engines.

Samaru Journal of Information Studies: Advanced Search

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Search tips: Search terms are case-insensitive; Common words are ignored; By default only articles containing all terms in the query are returned (i.e., AND is implied); Combine multiple words with OR to find articles containing either term; e.g., education OR research; Use parentheses to create more complex queries; e.g., ...

Exploring gender differences in information search among domestic vistors to Yellow Mountain and Guilin, PRC

Science.gov (United States)

Hui Xie; Jigang Bao; Duarte B. Morais

2007-01-01

In the dynamic global environment of today, understanding how consumers acquire information is important at the micro level for marketing management decisions and at the macro level for public policy decisions. Gender has been identified as a factor influencing information search and other meaningful consumer behavior constructs. Therefore, understanding gender...

Information on early menopause: is the internet the place to search?

Science.gov (United States)

Aleksova, J; Kuczynska-Burggraf, M; Ranasinha, S; Vincent, A

2017-06-01

Early menopause (EM), menopause before 45 years, affects up to 10% of women. The internet was perceived by women with EM to be the best source of information regarding EM; however, the reality is unknown. The aim of this study was to assess the quality and content of easily accessible websites relating to EM. The keyword 'early menopause' was used for a web search using Google. The first two pages of results, plus an additional five websites, were analyzed for website quality and content by two independent reviewers according to published methodology. After excluding duplicates, 26 websites were analyzed. Geographical origin of Google domain conferred 32-53% search congruity. Commercial websites (10/26) and inclusion of advertisements (50%) were common. Few websites listed authorship (39%) or provided references (54%), and only 35% were quality certified. Most (54%) had a readability level above recommended. Median score for website content was 9/20. Medical society websites did not rank higher than other website categories for content but more frequently provided references/supporting data (p = 0.017). Easily accessible websites regarding EM have significant deficiencies in quality and content. This study indicates the need for higher-quality internet resources for women seeking EM information.

Assessing the search for information on Three Rs methods, and their subsequent implementation: a national survey among scientists in the Netherlands.

Science.gov (United States)

van Luijk, Judith; Cuijpers, Yvonne; van der Vaart, Lilian; Leenaars, Marlies; Ritskes-Hoitinga, Merel

2011-10-01

A local survey conducted among scientists into the current practice of searching for information on Three Rs (i.e. Replacement, Reduction and Refinement) methods has highlighted the gap between the statutory requirement to apply Three Rs methods and the lack of criteria to search for them. To verify these findings on a national level, we conducted a survey among scientists throughout The Netherlands. Due to the low response rate, the results give an impression of opinions, rather than being representative of The Netherlands as a whole. The findings of both surveys complement each other, and indicate that there is room for improvement. Scientists perceive searching the literature for information on Three Rs methods to be a difficult task, and specific Three Rs search skills and knowledge of Three Rs databases are limited. Rather than using a literature search, many researchers obtain information on these methods through personal communication, which means that published information on possible Three Rs methods often remains unfound and unused. A solution might be to move beyond the direct search for information on Three Rs methods and choose another approach. One approach that seems rather appropriate is that of systematic review. This provides insight into the necessity for any new animal studies, as well as optimal implementation of available data and the prevention of unnecessary animal use in the future. 2011 FRAME.

Designing an information search interface for younger and older adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Pak, Richard; Price, Margaux M

2008-08-01

The present study examined Web-based information retrieval as a function of age for two information organization schemes: hierarchical organization and one organized around tags or keywords. Older adults' performance in information retrieval tasks has traditionally been lower compared with younger adults'. The current study examined the degree to which information organization moderated age-related performance differences on an information retrieval task. The theory of fluid and crystallized intelligence may provide insight into different kinds of information architectures that may reduce age-related differences in computer-based information retrieval performance. Fifty younger (18-23 years of age) and 50 older (55-76 years of age) participants browsed a Web site for answers to specific questions. Half of the participants browsed the hierarchically organized system (taxonomy), which maintained a one-to-one relationship between menu link and page, whereas the other half browsed the tag-based interface, with a many-to-one relationship between menu and page. This difference was expected to interact with age-related differences in fluid and crystallized intelligence. Age-related differences in information retrieval performance persisted; however, a tag-based retrieval interface reduced age-related differences, as compared with a taxonomical interface. Cognitive aging theory can lead to interface interventions that reduce age-related differences in performance with technology. In an information retrieval paradigm, older adults may be able to leverage their increased crystallized intelligence to offset fluid intelligence declines in a computer-based information search task. More research is necessary, but the results suggest that information retrieval interfaces organized around keywords may reduce age-related differences in performance.

Evaluation of Quality and Readability of Health Information Websites Identified through India's Major Search Engines.

Science.gov (United States)

Raj, S; Sharma, V L; Singh, A J; Goel, S

2016-01-01

Background. The available health information on websites should be reliable and accurate in order to make informed decisions by community. This study was done to assess the quality and readability of health information websites on World Wide Web in India. Methods. This cross-sectional study was carried out in June 2014. The key words "Health" and "Information" were used on search engines "Google" and "Yahoo." Out of 50 websites (25 from each search engines), after exclusion, 32 websites were evaluated. LIDA tool was used to assess the quality whereas the readability was assessed using Flesch Reading Ease Score (FRES), Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL), and SMOG. Results. Forty percent of websites (n = 13) were sponsored by government. Health On the Net Code of Conduct (HONcode) certification was present on 50% (n = 16) of websites. The mean LIDA score (74.31) was average. Only 3 websites scored high on LIDA score. Only five had readability scores at recommended sixth-grade level. Conclusion. Most health information websites had average quality especially in terms of usability and reliability and were written at high readability levels. Efforts are needed to develop the health information websites which can help general population in informed decision making.

Insights from a Systematic Search for Information on Designs, Costs, and Effectiveness of Poliovirus Environmental Surveillance Systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Duintjer Tebbens, Radboud J; Zimmermann, Marita; Pallansch, Mark A; Thompson, Kimberly M

2017-12-01

Poliovirus surveillance plays a critical role in achieving and certifying eradication and will play a key role in the polio endgame. Environmental surveillance can provide an opportunity to detect circulating polioviruses prior to the observation of any acute flaccid paralysis cases. We completed a systematic review of peer-reviewed publications on environmental surveillance for polio including the search terms "environmental surveillance" or "sewage," and "polio," "poliovirus," or "poliomyelitis," and compared characteristics of the resulting studies. The review included 146 studies representing 101 environmental surveillance activities from 48 countries published between 1975 and 2016. Studies reported taking samples from sewage treatment facilities, surface waters, and various other environmental sources, although they generally did not present sufficient details to thoroughly evaluate the sewage systems and catchment areas. When reported, catchment areas varied from 50 to over 7.3 million people (median of 500,000 for the 25% of activities that reported catchment areas, notably with 60% of the studies not reporting this information and 16% reporting insufficient information to estimate the catchment area population size). While numerous studies reported the ability of environmental surveillance to detect polioviruses in the absence of clinical cases, the review revealed very limited information about the costs and limited information to support quantitative population effectiveness of conducting environmental surveillance. This review motivates future studies to better characterize poliovirus environmental surveillance systems and the potential value of information that they may provide in the polio endgame.

The role of memory for visual search in scenes.

Science.gov (United States)

Le-Hoa Võ, Melissa; Wolfe, Jeremy M

2015-03-01

Many daily activities involve looking for something. The ease with which these searches are performed often allows one to forget that searching represents complex interactions between visual attention and memory. Although a clear understanding exists of how search efficiency will be influenced by visual features of targets and their surrounding distractors or by the number of items in the display, the role of memory in search is less well understood. Contextual cueing studies have shown that implicit memory for repeated item configurations can facilitate search in artificial displays. When searching more naturalistic environments, other forms of memory come into play. For instance, semantic memory provides useful information about which objects are typically found where within a scene, and episodic scene memory provides information about where a particular object was seen the last time a particular scene was viewed. In this paper, we will review work on these topics, with special emphasis on the role of memory in guiding search in organized, real-world scenes. © 2015 New York Academy of Sciences.

The Importance of Search as Intertextual Practice for Undergraduate Research

Science.gov (United States)

Bodemer, Brett B.

2012-01-01

By first reassessing the role of search in the literacy event of the lower division undergraduate paper, this article argues that searching is not a lower-order mental activity but a concurrent, integral component of the research-writing process. This conclusion has large implications for information literacy instructional design, and several…

A Multi-Level Model of Information Seeking in the Clinical Domain

Science.gov (United States)

Hung, Peter W.; Johnson, Stephen B.; Kaufman, David R.; Mendonça, Eneida A.

2008-01-01

Objective: Clinicians often have difficulty translating information needs into effective search strategies to find appropriate answers. Information retrieval systems employing an intelligent search agent that generates adaptive search strategies based on human search expertise could be helpful in meeting clinician information needs. A prerequisite for creating such systems is an information seeking model that facilitates the representation of human search expertise. The purpose of developing such a model is to provide guidance to information seeking system development and to shape an empirical research program. Design: The information seeking process was modeled as a complex problem-solving activity. After considering how similarly complex activities had been modeled in other domains, we determined that modeling context-initiated information seeking across multiple problem spaces allows the abstraction of search knowledge into functionally consistent layers. The knowledge layers were identified in the information science literature and validated through our observations of searches performed by health science librarians. Results: A hierarchical multi-level model of context-initiated information seeking is proposed. Each level represents (1) a problem space that is traversed during the online search process, and (2) a distinct layer of knowledge that is required to execute a successful search. Grand strategy determines what information resources will be searched, for what purpose, and in what order. The strategy level represents an overall approach for searching a single resource. Tactics are individual moves made to further a strategy. Operations are mappings of abstract intentions to information resource-specific concrete input. Assessment is the basis of interaction within the strategic hierarchy, influencing the direction of the search. Conclusion: The described multi-level model provides a framework for future research and the foundation for development of an

Constructing Preference from Experience: The Endowment Effect Reflected in External Information Search

Science.gov (United States)

Pachur, Thorsten; Scheibehenne, Benjamin

2012-01-01

People often attach a higher value to an object when they own it (i.e., as seller) compared with when they do not own it (i.e., as buyer)--a phenomenon known as the "endowment effect". According to recent cognitive process accounts of the endowment effect, the effect is due to differences between sellers and buyers in information search.…

Incorporating information from source simulations into searches for gravitational-wave bursts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brady, Patrick R; Ray-Majumder, Saikat

2004-01-01

The detection of gravitational waves from astrophysical sources of gravitational waves is a realistic goal for the current generation of interferometric gravitational-wave detectors. Short duration bursts of gravitational waves from core-collapse supernovae or mergers of binary black holes may bring a wealth of astronomical and astrophysical information. The weakness of the waves and the rarity of the events urges the development of optimal methods to detect the waves. The waves from these sources are not generally known well enough to use matched filtering however; this drives the need to develop new ways to exploit source simulation information in both detection and information extraction. We present an algorithmic approach to using catalogues of gravitational-wave signals developed through numerical simulation, or otherwise, to enhance our ability to detect these waves. As more detailed simulations become available, it is straightforward to incorporate the new information into the search method. This approach may also be useful when trying to extract information from a gravitational-wave observation by allowing direct comparison between the observation and simulations

Does the quality, accuracy, and readability of information about lateral epicondylitis on the internet vary with the search term used?

Science.gov (United States)

Dy, Christopher J; Taylor, Samuel A; Patel, Ronak M; McCarthy, Moira M; Roberts, Timothy R; Daluiski, Aaron

2012-12-01

Concern exists over the quality, accuracy, and accessibility of online information about health care conditions. The goal of this study is to evaluate the quality, accuracy, and readability of information available on the internet about lateral epicondylitis. We used three different search terms ("tennis elbow," "lateral epicondylitis," and "elbow pain") in three search engines (Google, Bing, and Yahoo) to generate a list of 75 unique websites. Three orthopedic surgeons reviewed the content of each website and assessed the quality and accuracy of information. We assessed each website's readability using the Flesch-Kincaid method. Statistical comparisons were made using ANOVA with post hoc pairwise comparisons. The mean reading grade level was 11.1. None of the sites were under the recommended sixth grade reading level for the general public. Higher quality information was found when using the terms "tennis elbow" and "lateral epicondylitis" compared to "elbow pain" (p lateral epicondylitis is available online, especially from specialty societies. However, the quality and accuracy of information vary significantly with the search term, website author, and order of search results. This leaves less educated patients at a disadvantage, particularly because the information we encountered is above the reading level recommended for the general public.

evaluating search effectiveness of some selected search engines

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Precision, relative recall and response time were considered for this ... a total of 24 search queries were sampled based on information queries, .... searching process and results, although there are other ... Q3.2 Software prototype model.

Manipulating Google's Knowledge Graph Box to Counter Biased Information Processing During an Online Search on Vaccination: Application of a Technological Debiasing Strategy.

Science.gov (United States)

Ludolph, Ramona; Allam, Ahmed; Schulz, Peter J

2016-06-02

One of people's major motives for going online is the search for health-related information. Most consumers start their search with a general search engine but are unaware of the fact that its sorting and ranking criteria do not mirror information quality. This misconception can lead to distorted search outcomes, especially when the information processing is characterized by heuristic principles and resulting cognitive biases instead of a systematic elaboration. As vaccination opponents are vocal on the Web, the chance of encountering their non‒evidence-based views on immunization is high. Therefore, biased information processing in this context can cause subsequent impaired judgment and decision making. A technological debiasing strategy could counter this by changing people's search environment. This study aims at testing a technological debiasing strategy to reduce the negative effects of biased information processing when using a general search engine on people's vaccination-related knowledge and attitudes. This strategy is to manipulate the content of Google's knowledge graph box, which is integrated in the search interface and provides basic information about the search topic. A full 3x2 factorial, posttest-only design was employed with availability of basic factual information (comprehensible vs hardly comprehensible vs not present) as the first factor and a warning message as the second factor of experimental manipulation. Outcome variables were the evaluation of the knowledge graph box, vaccination-related knowledge, as well as beliefs and attitudes toward vaccination, as represented by three latent variables emerged from an exploratory factor analysis. Two-way analysis of variance revealed a significant main effect of availability of basic information in the knowledge graph box on participants' vaccination knowledge scores (F2,273=4.86, P=.01), skepticism/fear of vaccination side effects (F2,273=3.5, P=.03), and perceived information quality (F2

Corrigendum: Information Search in Decisions From Experience: Do Our Patterns of Sampling Foreshadow Our Decisions?

Science.gov (United States)

2017-09-01

Original article: Hills, T. T., & Hertwig, R. (2010). Information search in decisions from experience: Do our patterns of sampling foreshadow our decisions? Psychological Science, 21, 1787-1792. doi:10.1177/0956797610387443.

Comparing image search behaviour in the ARRS GoldMiner search engine and a clinical PACS/RIS.

Science.gov (United States)

De-Arteaga, Maria; Eggel, Ivan; Do, Bao; Rubin, Daniel; Kahn, Charles E; Müller, Henning

2015-08-01

Information search has changed the way we manage knowledge and the ubiquity of information access has made search a frequent activity, whether via Internet search engines or increasingly via mobile devices. Medical information search is in this respect no different and much research has been devoted to analyzing the way in which physicians aim to access information. Medical image search is a much smaller domain but has gained much attention as it has different characteristics than search for text documents. While web search log files have been analysed many times to better understand user behaviour, the log files of hospital internal systems for search in a PACS/RIS (Picture Archival and Communication System, Radiology Information System) have rarely been analysed. Such a comparison between a hospital PACS/RIS search and a web system for searching images of the biomedical literature is the goal of this paper. Objectives are to identify similarities and differences in search behaviour of the two systems, which could then be used to optimize existing systems and build new search engines. Log files of the ARRS GoldMiner medical image search engine (freely accessible on the Internet) containing 222,005 queries, and log files of Stanford's internal PACS/RIS search called radTF containing 18,068 queries were analysed. Each query was preprocessed and all query terms were mapped to the RadLex (Radiology Lexicon) terminology, a comprehensive lexicon of radiology terms created and maintained by the Radiological Society of North America, so the semantic content in the queries and the links between terms could be analysed, and synonyms for the same concept could be detected. RadLex was mainly created for the use in radiology reports, to aid structured reporting and the preparation of educational material (Lanlotz, 2006) [1]. In standard medical vocabularies such as MeSH (Medical Subject Headings) and UMLS (Unified Medical Language System) specific terms of radiology are often

Internet Search Alters Intra- and Inter-regional Synchronization in the Temporal Gyrus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaoyue Liu

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Internet search changed the way we store and recall information and possibly altered our brain functions. Previous studies suggested that Internet search facilitates the information-acquisition process. However, this process may cause individuals to lose the ability to store and recollect specific contents. Despite the numerous behavioral studies conducted in this field, little is known about the neural mechanisms underlying Internet searches. The present study explores potential brain activity changes induced by Internet search. The whole paradigm includes three phases, namely, pre-resting state fMRI (rs-fMRI scan, 6-day Internet search training, and post rs-fMRI scan. We detected the functional integrations induced by Internet search training by comparing post- with pre-scan. Regional homogeneity (ReHo and functional connectivity (FC were used to detect intra- and interregional synchronized activity in 42 university students. Compared with pre-scan, post-scan showed decreased ReHo in the temporal gyrus, the middle frontal gyrus, and the postcentral gyrus. Further seed-based FC analysis showed that the temporal gyrus exhibited decreased FC in the parahippocampal cortex and the temporal gyrus after training. Based on the features of current task and functions exhibited by these brain regions, results indicate that short-term Internet search training changed the brain regional activities involved in memory retrieval. In general, this study provides evidence that supports the idea that Internet search can affect our brain functions.

Internet Search Alters Intra- and Inter-regional Synchronization in the Temporal Gyrus.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Xiaoyue; Lin, Xiao; Zheng, Ming; Hu, Yanbo; Wang, Yifan; Wang, Lingxiao; Du, Xiaoxia; Dong, Guangheng

2018-01-01

Internet search changed the way we store and recall information and possibly altered our brain functions. Previous studies suggested that Internet search facilitates the information-acquisition process. However, this process may cause individuals to lose the ability to store and recollect specific contents. Despite the numerous behavioral studies conducted in this field, little is known about the neural mechanisms underlying Internet searches. The present study explores potential brain activity changes induced by Internet search. The whole paradigm includes three phases, namely, pre-resting state fMRI (rs-fMRI) scan, 6-day Internet search training, and post rs-fMRI scan. We detected the functional integrations induced by Internet search training by comparing post- with pre-scan. Regional homogeneity (ReHo) and functional connectivity (FC) were used to detect intra- and interregional synchronized activity in 42 university students. Compared with pre-scan, post-scan showed decreased ReHo in the temporal gyrus, the middle frontal gyrus, and the postcentral gyrus. Further seed-based FC analysis showed that the temporal gyrus exhibited decreased FC in the parahippocampal cortex and the temporal gyrus after training. Based on the features of current task and functions exhibited by these brain regions, results indicate that short-term Internet search training changed the brain regional activities involved in memory retrieval. In general, this study provides evidence that supports the idea that Internet search can affect our brain functions.

Neural field model of memory-guided search.

Science.gov (United States)

Kilpatrick, Zachary P; Poll, Daniel B

2017-12-01

Many organisms can remember locations they have previously visited during a search. Visual search experiments have shown exploration is guided away from these locations, reducing redundancies in the search path before finding a hidden target. We develop and analyze a two-layer neural field model that encodes positional information during a search task. A position-encoding layer sustains a bump attractor corresponding to the searching agent's current location, and search is modeled by velocity input that propagates the bump. A memory layer sustains persistent activity bounded by a wave front, whose edges expand in response to excitatory input from the position layer. Search can then be biased in response to remembered locations, influencing velocity inputs to the position layer. Asymptotic techniques are used to reduce the dynamics of our model to a low-dimensional system of equations that track the bump position and front boundary. Performance is compared for different target-finding tasks.

Neural field model of memory-guided search

Science.gov (United States)

Kilpatrick, Zachary P.; Poll, Daniel B.

2017-12-01

Many organisms can remember locations they have previously visited during a search. Visual search experiments have shown exploration is guided away from these locations, reducing redundancies in the search path before finding a hidden target. We develop and analyze a two-layer neural field model that encodes positional information during a search task. A position-encoding layer sustains a bump attractor corresponding to the searching agent's current location, and search is modeled by velocity input that propagates the bump. A memory layer sustains persistent activity bounded by a wave front, whose edges expand in response to excitatory input from the position layer. Search can then be biased in response to remembered locations, influencing velocity inputs to the position layer. Asymptotic techniques are used to reduce the dynamics of our model to a low-dimensional system of equations that track the bump position and front boundary. Performance is compared for different target-finding tasks.

Influence of an Intermediate Option on the Description-Experience Gap and Information Search.

Science.gov (United States)

Sharma, Neha; Debnath, Shoubhik; Dutt, Varun

2018-01-01

Research shows that people tend to overweight small probabilities in description and underweight them in experience, thereby leading to a different pattern of choices between description and experience; a phenomenon known as the Description-Experience (DE) gap. However, little is known on how the addition of an intermediate option and contextual framing influences the DE gap and people's search strategies. This paper tests the effects of an intermediate option and contextual framing on the DE gap and people's search strategies, where problems require search for information before a consequential choice. In the first experiment, 120 participants made choice decisions across investment problems that differed in the absence or presence of an intermediate option. Results showed that adding an intermediate option did not reduce the DE gap on the maximizing option across a majority of problems. There were a large majority of choices for the intermediate option. Furthermore, there was an increase in switching between options due to the presence of the intermediate option. In the second experiment, 160 participants made choice decisions in problems like those presented in experiment 1; however, problems lacked the investment framing. Results replicated findings from the first experiment and showed a similar DE gap on the maximizing option in a majority of problems in both the absence and presence of the intermediate option. Again, there were a large majority of choices for the intermediate option. Also, there was an increase in switching between options due to the presence of the intermediate option. Meta-analyses revealed that the absence or presence of the intermediate option created certain differences in the strength of frequency and recency processes. Also, a single natural-mean heuristic model was able to account for the experimental results across both experiments. We discuss implications of our findings to consequential decisions made after information search.

Influence of an Intermediate Option on the Description-Experience Gap and Information Search

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Neha Sharma

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Research shows that people tend to overweight small probabilities in description and underweight them in experience, thereby leading to a different pattern of choices between description and experience; a phenomenon known as the Description-Experience (DE gap. However, little is known on how the addition of an intermediate option and contextual framing influences the DE gap and people’s search strategies. This paper tests the effects of an intermediate option and contextual framing on the DE gap and people’s search strategies, where problems require search for information before a consequential choice. In the first experiment, 120 participants made choice decisions across investment problems that differed in the absence or presence of an intermediate option. Results showed that adding an intermediate option did not reduce the DE gap on the maximizing option across a majority of problems. There were a large majority of choices for the intermediate option. Furthermore, there was an increase in switching between options due to the presence of the intermediate option. In the second experiment, 160 participants made choice decisions in problems like those presented in experiment 1; however, problems lacked the investment framing. Results replicated findings from the first experiment and showed a similar DE gap on the maximizing option in a majority of problems in both the absence and presence of the intermediate option. Again, there were a large majority of choices for the intermediate option. Also, there was an increase in switching between options due to the presence of the intermediate option. Meta-analyses revealed that the absence or presence of the intermediate option created certain differences in the strength of frequency and recency processes. Also, a single natural-mean heuristic model was able to account for the experimental results across both experiments. We discuss implications of our findings to consequential decisions made after

Pharmacophore definition and 3D searches.

Science.gov (United States)

Langer, T; Wolber, G

2004-12-01

The most common pharmacophore building concepts based on either 3D structure of the target or ligand information are discussed together with the application of such models as queries for 3D database search. An overview of the key techniques available on the market is given and differences with respect to algorithms used and performance obtained are highlighted. Pharmacophore modelling and 3D database search are shown to be successful tools for enriching screening experiments aimed at the discovery of novel bio-active compounds.: © 2004 Elsevier Ltd . All rights reserved.

Capturing the role of awareness and information search processes on Choice Set Formation in Models of Activity-Travel Behavior

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Arentze, T.A.; Timmermans, H.J.P.

2004-01-01

Individuals choose locations for conducting specific activities generally under limited information conditions and update their mental map during traveling and implementing activities. In an earlier study, we proposed a Bayesian belief network to model an individual's mental map and spatial

High activity and Levy searches: jellyfish can search the water column like fish.

Science.gov (United States)

Hays, Graeme C; Bastian, Thomas; Doyle, Thomas K; Fossette, Sabrina; Gleiss, Adrian C; Gravenor, Michael B; Hobson, Victoria J; Humphries, Nicolas E; Lilley, Martin K S; Pade, Nicolas G; Sims, David W

2012-02-07

Over-fishing may lead to a decrease in fish abundance and a proliferation of jellyfish. Active movements and prey search might be thought to provide a competitive advantage for fish, but here we use data-loggers to show that the frequently occurring coastal jellyfish (Rhizostoma octopus) does not simply passively drift to encounter prey. Jellyfish (327 days of data from 25 jellyfish with depth collected every 1 min) showed very dynamic vertical movements, with their integrated vertical movement averaging 619.2 m d(-1), more than 60 times the water depth where they were tagged. The majority of movement patterns were best approximated by exponential models describing normal random walks. However, jellyfish also showed switching behaviour from exponential patterns to patterns best fitted by a truncated Lévy distribution with exponents (mean μ=1.96, range 1.2-2.9) close to the theoretical optimum for searching for sparse prey (μopt≈2.0). Complex movements in these 'simple' animals may help jellyfish to compete effectively with fish for plankton prey, which may enhance their ability to increase in dominance in perturbed ocean systems.

Search for new ternary Al, Ga or In containing phases using information forecasting system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kiseleva, N.N.; Burkhanov, G.S.

1989-01-01

Automated system of search for regularities in the formation of crystal phases and forecasting of new compounds with required properties, comprising data base on the properties of ternary inorganic compounds and cybernetic forecasting system, has been developed. General principles of operation of the developed information-forecasting system are considered. Efficiency of the system operation is shown, using as an example the search for new ternary compounds with aluminium, gallium and indium, crystallized in ZrNiAl, TiNiSi, ThCr 2 Si 2 , CaAl 2 Si 2 structural types. Results of the above-mentioned phases forecasting are shown

Searching from the Heart: The Interplay between Emotions and Customization in Online Health Information Seeking

Science.gov (United States)

Myrick, Jessica Gall

2013-01-01

The prospect of a threat to one's health or an opportunity for improved health can spark emotional reactions--the fear of an illness or the hope of a healthier life. People are increasingly turning to the Internet to search for information related to such health issues. However, the dizzying amount of online health information--some of it of…

Personalized Search

CERN Document Server

AUTHOR|(SzGeCERN)749939

2015-01-01

As the volume of electronically available information grows, relevant items become harder to find. This work presents an approach to personalizing search results in scientific publication databases. This work focuses on re-ranking search results from existing search engines like Solr or ElasticSearch. This work also includes the development of Obelix, a new recommendation system used to re-rank search results. The project was proposed and performed at CERN, using the scientific publications available on the CERN Document Server (CDS). This work experiments with re-ranking using offline and online evaluation of users and documents in CDS. The experiments conclude that the personalized search result outperform both latest first and word similarity in terms of click position in the search result for global search in CDS.

Employed and unemployed job search methods: Australian evidence on search duration, wages and job stability

OpenAIRE

Colin Green

2012-01-01

This paper examines the use and impact of job search methods of both unemployed and employed job seekers. Informal job search methods are associated with relativel high level of job exit and shorter search duration. Job exists through the public employment agency (PEA) display positive duration dependence for the unemployed. This may suggest that the PEA is used as a job search method of last resort. Informal job search methods have lower associated duration in search and higher wages than th...

Assessing the performance of methodological search filters to improve the efficiency of evidence information retrieval: five literature reviews and a qualitative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Lefebvre, Carol; Glanville, Julie; Beale, Sophie; Boachie, Charles; Duffy, Steven; Fraser, Cynthia; Harbour, Jenny; McCool, Rachael; Smith, Lynne

2017-11-01

Effective study identification is essential for conducting health research, developing clinical guidance and health policy and supporting health-care decision-making. Methodological search filters (combinations of search terms to capture a specific study design) can assist in searching to achieve this. This project investigated the methods used to assess the performance of methodological search filters, the information that searchers require when choosing search filters and how that information could be better provided. Five literature reviews were undertaken in 2010/11: search filter development and testing; comparison of search filters; decision-making in choosing search filters; diagnostic test accuracy (DTA) study methods; and decision-making in choosing diagnostic tests. We conducted interviews and a questionnaire with experienced searchers to learn what information assists in the choice of search filters and how filters are used. These investigations informed the development of various approaches to gathering and reporting search filter performance data. We acknowledge that there has been a regrettable delay between carrying out the project, including the searches, and the publication of this report, because of serious illness of the principal investigator. The development of filters most frequently involved using a reference standard derived from hand-searching journals. Most filters were validated internally only. Reporting of methods was generally poor. Sensitivity, precision and specificity were the most commonly reported performance measures and were presented in tables. Aspects of DTA study methods are applicable to search filters, particularly in the development of the reference standard. There is limited evidence on how clinicians choose between diagnostic tests. No published literature was found on how searchers select filters. Interviewing and questioning searchers via a questionnaire found that filters were not appropriate for all tasks but were

Database search for safety information on cosmetic ingredients.

Science.gov (United States)

Pauwels, Marleen; Rogiers, Vera

2007-12-01

Ethical considerations with respect to experimental animal use and regulatory testing are worldwide under heavy discussion and are, in certain cases, taken up in legislative measures. The most explicit example is the European cosmetic legislation, establishing a testing ban on finished cosmetic products since 11 September 2004 and enforcing that the safety of a cosmetic product is assessed by taking into consideration "the general toxicological profile of the ingredients, their chemical structure and their level of exposure" (OJ L151, 32-37, 23 June 1993; OJ L066, 26-35, 11 March 2003). Therefore the availability of referenced and reliable information on cosmetic ingredients becomes a dire necessity. Given the high-speed progress of the World Wide Web services and the concurrent drastic increase in free access to information, identification of relevant data sources and evaluation of the scientific value and quality of the retrieved data, are crucial. Based upon own practical experience, a survey is put together of freely and commercially available data sources with their individual description, field of application, benefits and drawbacks. It should be mentioned that the search strategies described are equally useful as a starting point for any quest for safety data on chemicals or chemical-related substances in general.

Information Society and teacher training. E-activities and collaborative learning

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Miguel Ángel Martín Sánchez

2012-01-01

Full Text Available In this article, virtual educational spaces are depicted as new learning communities and contexts, i.e. where (human interaction and the forging of educational relationships are possible. This does not include, however, other spatial, geographical or temporal limitations. In this study, Internet is presented as a universal tool for both teaching staff and general users. It is used for searching specific information, exchanging ideas, or discussing research. Within the context of this new virtual educational area, the most suitable activities are those that foster the creation of knowledge and that promote experimentation and problem solving in an individual or group context. It also refers to activities that combine students’ previous knowledge with the new contents of virtual courses. In this way, there is greater autonomous learning and problem solving of specific theoretical questions. We also examine core didactic activities that are used in virtual education areas, that is, in terms of collaborative learning.

Information Foraging in E-Voting

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vatrapu, Ravi; Robertson, Scott

2009-01-01

with others. Interaction analysis of the case study data consisted of applying Information Foraging Theory to understand participant specific behaviors in searching and browsing. Case study results show skewed time allocation to activities, a tradeoff between enrichment vs. exploitation of search results...

Manipulating Google’s Knowledge Graph Box to Counter Biased Information Processing During an Online Search on Vaccination: Application of a Technological Debiasing Strategy

Science.gov (United States)

Allam, Ahmed; Schulz, Peter J

2016-01-01

Background One of people’s major motives for going online is the search for health-related information. Most consumers start their search with a general search engine but are unaware of the fact that its sorting and ranking criteria do not mirror information quality. This misconception can lead to distorted search outcomes, especially when the information processing is characterized by heuristic principles and resulting cognitive biases instead of a systematic elaboration. As vaccination opponents are vocal on the Web, the chance of encountering their non‒evidence-based views on immunization is high. Therefore, biased information processing in this context can cause subsequent impaired judgment and decision making. A technological debiasing strategy could counter this by changing people’s search environment. Objective This study aims at testing a technological debiasing strategy to reduce the negative effects of biased information processing when using a general search engine on people’s vaccination-related knowledge and attitudes. This strategy is to manipulate the content of Google’s knowledge graph box, which is integrated in the search interface and provides basic information about the search topic. Methods A full 3x2 factorial, posttest-only design was employed with availability of basic factual information (comprehensible vs hardly comprehensible vs not present) as the first factor and a warning message as the second factor of experimental manipulation. Outcome variables were the evaluation of the knowledge graph box, vaccination-related knowledge, as well as beliefs and attitudes toward vaccination, as represented by three latent variables emerged from an exploratory factor analysis. Results Two-way analysis of variance revealed a significant main effect of availability of basic information in the knowledge graph box on participants’ vaccination knowledge scores (F2,273=4.86, P=.01), skepticism/fear of vaccination side effects (F2,273=3.5, P=.03

Searching for superspreaders of information in real-world social media.

Science.gov (United States)

Pei, Sen; Muchnik, Lev; Andrade, José S; Zheng, Zhiming; Makse, Hernán A

2014-07-03

A number of predictors have been suggested to detect the most influential spreaders of information in online social media across various domains such as Twitter or Facebook. In particular, degree, PageRank, k-core and other centralities have been adopted to rank the spreading capability of users in information dissemination media. So far, validation of the proposed predictors has been done by simulating the spreading dynamics rather than following real information flow in social networks. Consequently, only model-dependent contradictory results have been achieved so far for the best predictor. Here, we address this issue directly. We search for influential spreaders by following the real spreading dynamics in a wide range of networks. We find that the widely-used degree and PageRank fail in ranking users' influence. We find that the best spreaders are consistently located in the k-core across dissimilar social platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, Livejournal and scientific publishing in the American Physical Society. Furthermore, when the complete global network structure is unavailable, we find that the sum of the nearest neighbors' degree is a reliable local proxy for user's influence. Our analysis provides practical instructions for optimal design of strategies for "viral" information dissemination in relevant applications.

Searching for superspreaders of information in real-world social media

Science.gov (United States)

Pei, Sen; Muchnik, Lev; Andrade, José S., Jr.; Zheng, Zhiming; Makse, Hernán A.

2014-07-01

A number of predictors have been suggested to detect the most influential spreaders of information in online social media across various domains such as Twitter or Facebook. In particular, degree, PageRank, k-core and other centralities have been adopted to rank the spreading capability of users in information dissemination media. So far, validation of the proposed predictors has been done by simulating the spreading dynamics rather than following real information flow in social networks. Consequently, only model-dependent contradictory results have been achieved so far for the best predictor. Here, we address this issue directly. We search for influential spreaders by following the real spreading dynamics in a wide range of networks. We find that the widely-used degree and PageRank fail in ranking users' influence. We find that the best spreaders are consistently located in the k-core across dissimilar social platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, Livejournal and scientific publishing in the American Physical Society. Furthermore, when the complete global network structure is unavailable, we find that the sum of the nearest neighbors' degree is a reliable local proxy for user's influence. Our analysis provides practical instructions for optimal design of strategies for ``viral'' information dissemination in relevant applications.

Searching for superspreaders of information in real-world social media

Science.gov (United States)

Pei, Sen; Muchnik, Lev; Andrade, Jr., José S.; Zheng, Zhiming; Makse, Hernán A.

2014-01-01

A number of predictors have been suggested to detect the most influential spreaders of information in online social media across various domains such as Twitter or Facebook. In particular, degree, PageRank, k-core and other centralities have been adopted to rank the spreading capability of users in information dissemination media. So far, validation of the proposed predictors has been done by simulating the spreading dynamics rather than following real information flow in social networks. Consequently, only model-dependent contradictory results have been achieved so far for the best predictor. Here, we address this issue directly. We search for influential spreaders by following the real spreading dynamics in a wide range of networks. We find that the widely-used degree and PageRank fail in ranking users' influence. We find that the best spreaders are consistently located in the k-core across dissimilar social platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, Livejournal and scientific publishing in the American Physical Society. Furthermore, when the complete global network structure is unavailable, we find that the sum of the nearest neighbors' degree is a reliable local proxy for user's influence. Our analysis provides practical instructions for optimal design of strategies for “viral” information dissemination in relevant applications. PMID:24989148

Active solar information dissemination activities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1998-07-01

The principal objective of the project has been the development of an information dissemination strategy for the UK active solar heating industry. The project has also aimed to prepare the industry for the implementation of such a strategy and to produce initial information materials to support the early stages of the implementation process. (author)

Antibiotic distribution channels in Thailand: results of key-informant interviews, reviews of drug regulations and database searches.

Science.gov (United States)

Sommanustweechai, Angkana; Chanvatik, Sunicha; Sermsinsiri, Varavoot; Sivilaikul, Somsajee; Patcharanarumol, Walaiporn; Yeung, Shunmay; Tangcharoensathien, Viroj

2018-02-01

To analyse how antibiotics are imported, manufactured, distributed and regulated in Thailand. We gathered information, on antibiotic distribution in Thailand, in in-depth interviews - with 43 key informants from farms, health facilities, pharmaceutical and animal feed industries, private pharmacies and regulators- and in database and literature searches. In 2016-2017, licensed antibiotic distribution in Thailand involves over 700 importers and about 24 000 distributors - e.g. retail pharmacies and wholesalers. Thailand imports antibiotics and active pharmaceutical ingredients. There is no system for monitoring the distribution of active ingredients, some of which are used directly on farms, without being processed. Most antibiotics can be bought from pharmacies, for home or farm use, without a prescription. Although the 1987 Drug Act classified most antibiotics as "dangerous drugs", it only classified a few of them as prescription-only medicines and placed no restrictions on the quantities of antibiotics that could be sold to any individual. Pharmacists working in pharmacies are covered by some of the Act's regulations, but the quality of their dispensing and prescribing appears to be largely reliant on their competences. In Thailand, most antibiotics are easily and widely available from retail pharmacies, without a prescription. If the inappropriate use of active pharmaceutical ingredients and antibiotics is to be reduced, we need to reclassify and restrict access to certain antibiotics and to develop systems to audit the dispensing of antibiotics in the retail sector and track the movements of active ingredients.

Nuclear Information and Knowledge. News from the Nuclear Information Section, No. 16, August 2014

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2014-08-01

This issue of the Nuclear Information and Knowledge Newsletter is devoted to a whole spectrum of activities carried out by the Nuclear Information Section (NIS). Activities by both INIS and the IAEA Library, as well as information technology developments implemented by the System Developments and Support Group (SDSG), are included. We start with probably the most important development of 2014 – the indexing of the INIS Collection by Google Scholar and the possibility to search our Collection while searching Google Scholar. An article on the usage of the INIS Collection statistically demonstrates the impact this cooperation with Google had on the number of visitors to our site. To better serve those visitors, the INIS Collection Search (ICS) is constantly updated and improved, while the number of records continues to increase – both topics which are discussed in the Newsletter. Together with an improved search facility, come the latest INIS Thesaurus developments, used for better indexing and input of INIS records to the Collection. IAEA Library activities are reviewed through a prism of current challenges and opportunities, which include the possibility of introducing a new Resource Description and Access (RDA) standard. Special mention is given to a collection of valuable books and documents donated by the family of the late Dr. Franz J. Dahlkamp. And last, but not least, information resources available from the Library, or directly from the Web, are mentioned in 'Worth Reading'

Personalizing Web Search based on User Profile

OpenAIRE

Utage, Sharyu; Ahire, Vijaya

2016-01-01

Web Search engine is most widely used for information retrieval from World Wide Web. These Web Search engines help user to find most useful information. When different users Searches for same information, search engine provide same result without understanding who is submitted that query. Personalized web search it is search technique for proving useful result. This paper models preference of users as hierarchical user profiles. a framework is proposed called UPS. It generalizes profile and m...

Informal Unemployment and Education

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kolm, Anne-Sofie; Larsen, Birthe

This paper develops a four sector equilibrium search and matching model with informal sector employment opportunities and educational choice. We show that underground activities reduce educational attainments if informal employment opportunities mainly are available to low educated workers. More ...

The effect of patient narratives on information search in a web-based breast cancer decision aid: an eye-tracking study.

Science.gov (United States)

Shaffer, Victoria A; Owens, Justin; Zikmund-Fisher, Brian J

2013-12-17

Previous research has examined the impact of patient narratives on treatment choices, but to our knowledge, no study has examined the effect of narratives on information search. Further, no research has considered the relative impact of their format (text vs video) on health care decisions in a single study. Our goal was to examine the impact of video and text-based narratives on information search in a Web-based patient decision aid for early stage breast cancer. Fifty-six women were asked to imagine that they had been diagnosed with early stage breast cancer and needed to choose between two surgical treatments (lumpectomy with radiation or mastectomy). Participants were randomly assigned to view one of four versions of a Web decision aid. Two versions of the decision aid included videos of interviews with patients and physicians or videos of interviews with physicians only. To distinguish between the effect of narratives and the effect of videos, we created two text versions of the Web decision aid by replacing the patient and physician interviews with text transcripts of the videos. Participants could freely browse the Web decision aid until they developed a treatment preference. We recorded participants' eye movements using the Tobii 1750 eye-tracking system equipped with Tobii Studio software. A priori, we defined 24 areas of interest (AOIs) in the Web decision aid. These AOIs were either separate pages of the Web decision aid or sections within a single page covering different content. We used multilevel modeling to examine the effect of narrative presence, narrative format, and their interaction on information search. There was a significant main effect of condition, P=.02; participants viewing decision aids with patient narratives spent more time searching for information than participants viewing the decision aids without narratives. The main effect of format was not significant, P=.10. However, there was a significant condition by format interaction on

Evaluation of Quality and Readability of Health Information Websites Identified through India’s Major Search Engines

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Raj

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Background. The available health information on websites should be reliable and accurate in order to make informed decisions by community. This study was done to assess the quality and readability of health information websites on World Wide Web in India. Methods. This cross-sectional study was carried out in June 2014. The key words “Health” and “Information” were used on search engines “Google” and “Yahoo.” Out of 50 websites (25 from each search engines, after exclusion, 32 websites were evaluated. LIDA tool was used to assess the quality whereas the readability was assessed using Flesch Reading Ease Score (FRES, Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL, and SMOG. Results. Forty percent of websites (n=13 were sponsored by government. Health On the Net Code of Conduct (HONcode certification was present on 50% (n=16 of websites. The mean LIDA score (74.31 was average. Only 3 websites scored high on LIDA score. Only five had readability scores at recommended sixth-grade level. Conclusion. Most health information websites had average quality especially in terms of usability and reliability and were written at high readability levels. Efforts are needed to develop the health information websites which can help general population in informed decision making.

Top-k Keyword Search Over Graphs Based On Backward Search

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zeng Jia-Hui

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Keyword search is one of the most friendly and intuitive information retrieval methods. Using the keyword search to get the connected subgraph has a lot of application in the graph-based cognitive computation, and it is a basic technology. This paper focuses on the top-k keyword searching over graphs. We implemented a keyword search algorithm which applies the backward search idea. The algorithm locates the keyword vertices firstly, and then applies backward search to find rooted trees that contain query keywords. The experiment shows that query time is affected by the iteration number of the algorithm.

Signatures of active and passive optimized Lévy searching in jellyfish.

Science.gov (United States)

Reynolds, Andy M

2014-10-06

Some of the strongest empirical support for Lévy search theory has come from telemetry data for the dive patterns of marine predators (sharks, bony fishes, sea turtles and penguins). The dive patterns of the unusually large jellyfish Rhizostoma octopus do, however, sit outside of current Lévy search theory which predicts that a single search strategy is optimal. When searching the water column, the movement patterns of these jellyfish change over time. Movement bouts can be approximated by a variety of Lévy and Brownian (exponential) walks. The adaptive value of this variation is not known. On some occasions movement pattern data are consistent with the jellyfish prospecting away from a preferred depth, not finding an improvement in conditions elsewhere and so returning to their original depth. This 'bounce' behaviour also sits outside of current Lévy walk search theory. Here, it is shown that the jellyfish movement patterns are consistent with their using optimized 'fast simulated annealing'--a novel kind of Lévy walk search pattern--to locate the maximum prey concentration in the water column and/or to locate the strongest of many olfactory trails emanating from more distant prey. Fast simulated annealing is a powerful stochastic search algorithm for locating a global maximum that is hidden among many poorer local maxima in a large search space. This new finding shows that the notion of active optimized Lévy walk searching is not limited to the search for randomly and sparsely distributed resources, as previously thought, but can be extended to embrace other scenarios, including that of the jellyfish R. octopus. In the presence of convective currents, it could become energetically favourable to search the water column by riding the convective currents. Here, it is shown that these passive movements can be represented accurately by Lévy walks of the type occasionally seen in R. octopus. This result vividly illustrates that Lévy walks are not necessarily

Revue d'Information Scientifique et Technique: Advanced Search

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Search tips: Search terms are case-insensitive; Common words are ignored; By default only articles containing all terms in the query are returned (i.e., AND is implied); Combine multiple words with OR to find articles containing either term; e.g., education OR research; Use parentheses to create more complex queries; e.g., ...

Google search behavior for status epilepticus.

Science.gov (United States)

Brigo, Francesco; Trinka, Eugen

2015-08-01

Millions of people surf the Internet every day as a source of health-care information looking for materials about symptoms, diagnosis, treatments and their possible adverse effects, or diagnostic procedures. Google is the most popular search engine and is used by patients and physicians to search for online health-related information. This study aimed to evaluate changes in Google search behavior occurring in English-speaking countries over time for the term "status epilepticus" (SE). Using Google Trends, data on global search queries for the term SE between the 1st of January 2004 and 31st of December 2014 were analyzed. Search volume numbers over time (downloaded as CSV datasets) were analyzed by applying the "health" category filter. The research trends for the term SE remained fairly constant over time. The greatest search volume for the term SE was reported in the United States, followed by India, Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, the Netherlands, Thailand, and Germany. Most terms associated with the search queries were related to SE definition, symptoms, subtypes, and treatment. The volume of searches for some queries (nonconvulsive, focal, and refractory SE; SE definition; SE guidelines; SE symptoms; SE management; SE treatment) was enormously increased over time (search popularity has exceeded a 5000% growth since 2004). Most people use search engines to look for the term SE to obtain information on its definition, subtypes, and management. The greatest search volume occurred not only in developed countries but also in developing countries where raising awareness about SE still remains a challenging task and where there is reduced public knowledge of epilepsy. Health information seeking (the extent to which people search for health information online) reflects the health-related information needs of Internet users for a specific disease. Google Trends shows that Internet users have a great demand for information concerning some aspects of SE

Searching and Archiving : Exploring Online Search Behaviors of Researchers

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vyas, Dhaval; de Groot, S.; van der Veer, Gerrit C.; Dainoff, Marvin J.

2007-01-01

Searching for relevant peer-reviewed material is an integral part of corporate and academic researchers. Researchers collect huge amount of information over the years and sometimes struggle organizing it. Based on a study with 30 academic researchers, we explore, in combination, different searching

INTERFACING GOOGLE SEARCH ENGINE TO CAPTURE USER WEB SEARCH BEHAVIOR

OpenAIRE

Fadhilah Mat Yamin; T. Ramayah

2013-01-01

The behaviour of the searcher when using the search engine especially during the query formulation is crucial. Search engines capture users’ activities in the search log, which is stored at the search engine server. Due to the difficulty of obtaining this search log, this paper proposed and develops an interface framework to interface a Google search engine. This interface will capture users’ queries before redirect them to Google. The analysis of the search log will show that users are utili...

Interactive information seeking, behaviour and retrieval

CERN Document Server

Ruthven, Ian

2011-01-01

Information retrieval (IR) is a complex human activity supported by sophisticated systems. This book covers the whole spectrum of information retrieval, including: history and background information; behaviour and seeking task-based information; searching and retrieval approaches to investigating information; and, evaluation interfaces for IR.

Search for spontaneous fission activity in Salton Sea and Atlantis II hot brines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ter-Akopian, G.M.; Sokol, E.A.; Fam Ngoc Chuong; Ivanov, M.P.; Popeko, G.S.; Molzahn, D.; Lund, T.; Feige, G.; Brandt, R.

1984-01-01

A search for an unknown spontaneously fissioning activity, possibly due to SHE, was carried out with the Dubna 3 He-counter system. In the investigation of Salton Sea samples and Atlantis II samples no such activity could be detected with limits -12 g/g. (orig.)

Nuclear Information and Knowledge, News from the Nuclear Information Section, No. 13, September 2012

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2012-09-01

This issue of the Nuclear Information and Knowledge Newsletter conveys some general information about the Nuclear Information Section and its activities. Special emphasis was placed on the INIS Collection search application. This search application is based on Google technology and represents the main access point not only to the INIS collection of 3.4 million records, but also to the IAEA Library holdings. Combined together, the INIS and IAEA Library collections comprise one of the world's largest resources of published and unpublished information on the peaceful uses of nuclear science and technology. Articles on the International Nuclear Library Network (INLN) and digital preservation efforts are just some of the many INIS and IAEA Library activities. Recent mobile customization of the INIS website proves our commitment to bringing our products and services closer to scientists, researchers and students.

Search Advertising

OpenAIRE

Cornière (de), Alexandre

2016-01-01

Search engines enable advertisers to target consumers based on the query they have entered. In a framework with horizontal product differentiation, imperfect product information and in which consumers incur search costs, I study a game in which advertisers have to choose a price and a set of relevant keywords. The targeting mechanism brings about three kinds of efficiency gains, namely lower search costs, better matching, and more intense product market price-competition. A monopolistic searc...

Information retrieval in digital environments

CERN Document Server

Dinet, Jérôme

2014-01-01

Information retrieval is a central and essential activity. It is indeed difficult to find a human activity that does not need to retrieve information in an environment which is often increasingly digital: moving and navigating, learning, having fun, communicating, informing, making a decision, etc. Most human activities are intimately linked to our ability to search quickly and effectively for relevant information, the stakes are sometimes extremely important: passing an exam, voting, finding a job, remaining autonomous, being socially connected, developing a critical spirit, or simply surviv

High-performance information search filters for CKD content in PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, and EMBASE.

Science.gov (United States)

Iansavichus, Arthur V; Hildebrand, Ainslie M; Haynes, R Brian; Wilczynski, Nancy L; Levin, Adeera; Hemmelgarn, Brenda R; Tu, Karen; Nesrallah, Gihad E; Nash, Danielle M; Garg, Amit X

2015-01-01

Finding relevant articles in large bibliographic databases such as PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, and EMBASE to inform care and future research is challenging. Articles relevant to chronic kidney disease (CKD) are particularly difficult to find because they are often published under different terminology and are found across a wide range of journal types. We used computer automation within a diagnostic test assessment framework to develop and validate information search filters to identify CKD articles in large bibliographic databases. 22,992 full-text articles in PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, or EMBASE. 1,374,148 unique search filters. We established the reference standard of article relevance to CKD by manual review of all full-text articles using prespecified criteria to determine whether each article contained CKD content or not. We then assessed filter performance by calculating sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value for the retrieval of CKD articles. Filters with high sensitivity and specificity for the identification of CKD articles in the development phase (two-thirds of the sample) were then retested in the validation phase (remaining one-third of the sample). We developed and validated high-performance CKD search filters for each bibliographic database. Filters optimized for sensitivity reached at least 99% sensitivity, and filters optimized for specificity reached at least 97% specificity. The filters were complex; for example, one PubMed filter included more than 89 terms used in combination, including "chronic kidney disease," "renal insufficiency," and "renal fibrosis." In proof-of-concept searches, physicians found more articles relevant to the topic of CKD with the use of these filters. As knowledge of the pathogenesis of CKD grows and definitions change, these filters will need to be updated to incorporate new terminology used to index relevant articles. PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, and EMBASE can be filtered reliably for articles relevant to CKD. These

The Impact of Competencies, Information Search, and Competitive Strategy on the Export Performance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lena Elitan

2011-04-01

Full Text Available This confirmatory study is aimed at analyzing the impact of relationships, information search, and competencies on competitive strategy and SMEs performance in Indonesia. The study used 100 SMEs samples that obtained through mailed questionnaires. The results show: Firstly, the perception of information, information sources, and export competence has no significant effect on competitive strategy. However the findings for SMEs in Indonesia, indicated that export related information has negative effects on competitive strategy. Secondly, export competencies has an enormous influence on the company’s capacity and ability to use information appropriately, when the company must deal with challenges or when the company is eager to take advantage of the opportunities to increase growth and profitability. Thirdly, competitive strategy does not directly affect export performance but it is moderated by the environment uncertainty. It indicates that the influence of competitive strategy would be greater in an uncertain business environment. The uncertain business environment will encourage companies to explore competitive strategy to improve their performance.

The Impact of Competencies, Information Search, and Competitive Strategy on the Export Performance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lena Elitan

2011-04-01

Full Text Available This confirmatory study is aimed at analyzing the impact of relationships, information search, and competencies on competitive strategy and SMEs performance in Indonesia. The study used 100 SMEs samples that obtained through mailed questionnaires. The results show: Firstly, the perception of information, information sources, and export competence has no significant effect on competitive strategy. However the findings for SMEs in Indonesia, indicated that export related information has negative effects on competitive strategy. Secondly, export competencies has an enormous influence on the company’s capacity and ability to use information appropriately,when the company must deal with challenges or when the company is eager to take advantage of the opportunities to increase growth and profitability. Thirdly, competitive strategy does not directly affect export performance but it is moderated by the environment uncertainty. It indicates that the influence of competitive strategy would be greater in an uncertain business environment. The uncertain business environment will encourage companies to explore competitive strategy to improve their performance.

Searching Harvard Business Review Online. . . Lessons in Searching a Full Text Database.

Science.gov (United States)

Tenopir, Carol

1985-01-01

This article examines the Harvard Business Review Online (HBRO) database (bibliographic description fields, abstracts, extracted information, full text, subject descriptors) and reports on 31 sample HBRO searches conducted in Bibliographic Retrieval Services to test differences between searching full text and searching bibliographic record. Sample…

Web-based surveillance of public information needs for informing preconception interventions.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Angelo D'Ambrosio

Full Text Available The risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes can be minimized through the adoption of healthy lifestyles before pregnancy by women of childbearing age. Initiatives for promotion of preconception health may be difficult to implement. Internet can be used to build tailored health interventions through identification of the public's information needs. To this aim, we developed a semi-automatic web-based system for monitoring Google searches, web pages and activity on social networks, regarding preconception health.Based on the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists guidelines and on the actual search behaviors of Italian Internet users, we defined a set of keywords targeting preconception care topics. Using these keywords, we analyzed the usage of Google search engine and identified web pages containing preconception care recommendations. We also monitored how the selected web pages were shared on social networks. We analyzed discrepancies between searched and published information and the sharing pattern of the topics.We identified 1,807 Google search queries which generated a total of 1,995,030 searches during the study period. Less than 10% of the reviewed pages contained preconception care information and in 42.8% information was consistent with ACOG guidelines. Facebook was the most used social network for sharing. Nutrition, Chronic Diseases and Infectious Diseases were the most published and searched topics. Regarding Genetic Risk and Folic Acid, a high search volume was not associated to a high web page production, while Medication pages were more frequently published than searched. Vaccinations elicited high sharing although web page production was low; this effect was quite variable in time.Our study represent a resource to prioritize communication on specific topics on the web, to address misconceptions, and to tailor interventions to specific populations.

High-speed data search

Science.gov (United States)

Driscoll, James N.

1994-01-01

The high-speed data search system developed for KSC incorporates existing and emerging information retrieval technology to help a user intelligently and rapidly locate information found in large textual databases. This technology includes: natural language input; statistical ranking of retrieved information; an artificial intelligence concept called semantics, where 'surface level' knowledge found in text is used to improve the ranking of retrieved information; and relevance feedback, where user judgements about viewed information are used to automatically modify the search for further information. Semantics and relevance feedback are features of the system which are not available commercially. The system further demonstrates focus on paragraphs of information to decide relevance; and it can be used (without modification) to intelligently search all kinds of document collections, such as collections of legal documents medical documents, news stories, patents, and so forth. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the usefulness of statistical ranking, our semantic improvement, and relevance feedback.

[What kind of health information search the spinal cord injured patients from Spain on the internet?].

Science.gov (United States)

Bea-Muñoz, Manuel; Medina-Sánchez, María; Flórez-García, Mariano

2015-04-16

Internet is an alternative for health education to the population. Spinal cord injured individuals usually consult the Internet about their health problems. To identify the health information sources, the more consulted items and the confidence in Internet information of a group of spinal cord injured individuals from Spain. A survey to spinal cord injured individuals from Spain was conducted, with a questionnaire in Google Drive. It was accessible with a link in ASPAYM-Asturias web page. The questionnaire included epidemiological data and information about Internet use and confidence in its contents. 121 individuals answered the survey, 64% male, with an average age of 45 years. The predominant aetiology was traumatic (70%) and 72% were paraplegics. 83% prefer to consult health care providers directly. More of 70% of the sample searches health problems on the Internet, mostly web pages in Spanish. The preferred item was 'orthopaedic materials and wheelchairs'. 27% of the sample trusts in the Internet information and 32% don't. This research provides information about Internet use of spinal cord injured individuals in Spain. Although we have to admit some bias in the study, more than 70% of the sample searches health problems on the Internet, mostly web pages in Spanish. About one in four individuals trust in information from Internet and most of the sample prefers recommendations directly from healthcare professionals.

Does Bid/Ask Spread React to the Increase of Internet Search Traffic?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ridwan Nurazi

2015-12-01

Full Text Available This article solely examines the effect of investor attentions on bid-ask spread. We find that investors’ attention surrogated by Internet Search Traffic (IST contribute positively and significantly toward bid-ask spread (SPREAD. This result indicates that the incoming information directs the market within the stack circumstance and thin trading activity. Here, our samples were obtained from the manufacturing index, in the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX during the period of observation ranging from 2009 to 2011. The hypothesis testing in this research is performed by using panel data regression analysis (Fixed Effect Model. Test result reveals that the search of online information through Google is beneficially one of the efforts to reduce asymmetry information between informed investors and uninformed investors. Besides, we also note that asymmetric information not only exists between the informed and uninformed investors, but also happens to market makers and informed investors. Finally, our findings lead to a conclusion, in which the high search of information tends to help investors in making appropriate investment decisions.

A Two-Level Cache for Distributed Information Retrieval in Search Engines

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Weizhe Zhang

2013-01-01

Full Text Available To improve the performance of distributed information retrieval in search engines, we propose a two-level cache structure based on the queries of the users’ logs. We extract the highest rank queries of users from the static cache, in which the queries are the most popular. We adopt the dynamic cache as an auxiliary to optimize the distribution of the cache data. We propose a distribution strategy of the cache data. The experiments prove that the hit rate, the efficiency, and the time consumption of the two-level cache have advantages compared with other structures of cache.

A two-level cache for distributed information retrieval in search engines.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Weizhe; He, Hui; Ye, Jianwei

2013-01-01

To improve the performance of distributed information retrieval in search engines, we propose a two-level cache structure based on the queries of the users' logs. We extract the highest rank queries of users from the static cache, in which the queries are the most popular. We adopt the dynamic cache as an auxiliary to optimize the distribution of the cache data. We propose a distribution strategy of the cache data. The experiments prove that the hit rate, the efficiency, and the time consumption of the two-level cache have advantages compared with other structures of cache.

The effect of the proximity of patients' nearest alternative hospital on their intention to search for information on hospital quality.

Science.gov (United States)

Victoor, Aafke; Rademakers, Jany; Reitsma-van Rooijen, Margreet; de Jong, Judith; Delnoij, Diana; Friele, Roland

2014-01-01

In several countries, patients are encouraged to choose health care providers. Simultaneously, there is a tendency towards the concentration of health care, which might lessen the choice. Our aim was to assess the impact of patients' distances from their providers on their information-seeking, which is one element of choice. Two thousand members of the Dutch Health Care Consumer Panel were sent a questionnaire that included a question on whether they would search for information about hospitals to inform their choice. Distances from providers were obtained from a database that includes the distances between all postcodes in the Netherlands. To assess the influence of distance on information-seeking, logistic regression analyses were conducted. There was a good response (75%). Older, less educated respondents were less inclined to seek information when their nearest alternative was located further away (OR 0.85; 95% CI: 0.79-0.92), and younger, more educated respondents were more inclined to search in this situation (OR 1.11; 95% CI: 1.01-1.22). As fewer older, less educated patients would search for information to guide their choice, they might not opt for the best hospital. Additionally, the need for providers to compete for the patronage of these patients might be lessened.

Search query data to monitor interest in behavior change: application for public health.

Science.gov (United States)

Carr, Lucas J; Dunsiger, Shira I

2012-01-01

There is a need for effective interventions and policies that target the leading preventable causes of death in the U.S. (e.g., smoking, overweight/obesity, physical inactivity). Such efforts could be aided by the use of publicly available, real-time search query data that illustrate times and locations of high and low public interest in behaviors related to preventable causes of death. This study explored patterns of search query activity for the terms 'weight', 'diet', 'fitness', and 'smoking' using Google Insights for Search. Search activity for 'weight', 'diet', 'fitness', and 'smoking' conducted within the United States via Google between January 4(th), 2004 (first date data was available) and November 28(th), 2011 (date of data download and analysis) were analyzed. Using a generalized linear model, we explored the effects of time (month) on mean relative search volume for all four terms. Models suggest a significant effect of month on mean search volume for all four terms. Search activity for all four terms was highest in January with observable declines throughout the remainder of the year. These findings demonstrate discernable temporal patterns of search activity for four areas of behavior change. These findings could be used to inform the timing, location and messaging of interventions, campaigns and policies targeting these behaviors.

Clinician search behaviors may be influenced by search engine design.

Science.gov (United States)

Lau, Annie Y S; Coiera, Enrico; Zrimec, Tatjana; Compton, Paul

2010-06-30

Searching the Web for documents using information retrieval systems plays an important part in clinicians' practice of evidence-based medicine. While much research focuses on the design of methods to retrieve documents, there has been little examination of the way different search engine capabilities influence clinician search behaviors. Previous studies have shown that use of task-based search engines allows for faster searches with no loss of decision accuracy compared with resource-based engines. We hypothesized that changes in search behaviors may explain these differences. In all, 75 clinicians (44 doctors and 31 clinical nurse consultants) were randomized to use either a resource-based or a task-based version of a clinical information retrieval system to answer questions about 8 clinical scenarios in a controlled setting in a university computer laboratory. Clinicians using the resource-based system could select 1 of 6 resources, such as PubMed; clinicians using the task-based system could select 1 of 6 clinical tasks, such as diagnosis. Clinicians in both systems could reformulate search queries. System logs unobtrusively capturing clinicians' interactions with the systems were coded and analyzed for clinicians' search actions and query reformulation strategies. The most frequent search action of clinicians using the resource-based system was to explore a new resource with the same query, that is, these clinicians exhibited a "breadth-first" search behaviour. Of 1398 search actions, clinicians using the resource-based system conducted 401 (28.7%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 26.37-31.11) in this way. In contrast, the majority of clinicians using the task-based system exhibited a "depth-first" search behavior in which they reformulated query keywords while keeping to the same task profiles. Of 585 search actions conducted by clinicians using the task-based system, 379 (64.8%, 95% CI 60.83-68.55) were conducted in this way. This study provides evidence that

The topography of the environment alters the optimal search strategy for active particles

Science.gov (United States)

Volpe, Giorgio; Volpe, Giovanni

2017-10-01

In environments with scarce resources, adopting the right search strategy can make the difference between succeeding and failing, even between life and death. At different scales, this applies to molecular encounters in the cell cytoplasm, to animals looking for food or mates in natural landscapes, to rescuers during search and rescue operations in disaster zones, and to genetic computer algorithms exploring parameter spaces. When looking for sparse targets in a homogeneous environment, a combination of ballistic and diffusive steps is considered optimal; in particular, more ballistic Lévy flights with exponent α≤1 are generally believed to optimize the search process. However, most search spaces present complex topographies. What is the best search strategy in these more realistic scenarios? Here, we show that the topography of the environment significantly alters the optimal search strategy toward less ballistic and more Brownian strategies. We consider an active particle performing a blind cruise search for nonregenerating sparse targets in a 2D space with steps drawn from a Lévy distribution with the exponent varying from α=1 to α=2 (Brownian). We show that, when boundaries, barriers, and obstacles are present, the optimal search strategy depends on the topography of the environment, with α assuming intermediate values in the whole range under consideration. We interpret these findings using simple scaling arguments and discuss their robustness to varying searcher's size. Our results are relevant for search problems at different length scales from animal and human foraging to microswimmers' taxis to biochemical rates of reaction.

Mapping online consumer search

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bronnenberg, B.J.; Kim, J.; Albuquerque, P.

2011-01-01

The authors propose a new method to visualize browsing behavior in so-called product search maps. Manufacturers can use these maps to understand how consumers search for competing products before choice, including how information acquisition and product search are organized along brands, product

32 CFR Appendix A to Part 292 - Uniform Agency Fees for Search and Duplication Under the Freedom of Information Act (as Amended)

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... PROGRAM DEFENSE INTELLIGENCE AGENCY (DIA) FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT Pt. 292, App. A Appendix A to Part... search site, conducting the search and return may be charged as FOIA search costs. General Pre-Printed material, per printed page .02 Office copy, per page .15 Microfiche, per page .25 Aerial Photography...

Does Bid/Ask Spread React to the Increase of Internet Search Traffic? (P.181-196

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ridwan Nurazi

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This article solely examines the effect of investor attentions on bid-ask spread. We find that investors’ attention surrogated by Internet Search Traffic (IST contribute positively and significantly toward bid-ask spread (SPREAD. This result indicates that the incoming information directs the market within the stack circumstance and thin trading activity. Here, our samples were obtained from the manufacturing index, in the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX during the period of observation ranging from 2009 to 2011. The hypothesis testing in this research is performed by using panel data regression analysis (Fixed Effect Model. Test result reveals that the search of online information through Google is beneficially one of the efforts to reduce asymmetry information between informed investors and uninformed investors. Besides, we also note that asymmetric information not only exists between the informed and uninformed investors, but also happens to market makers and informed investors. Finally, our findings lead to a conclusion, in which the high search of information tends to help investors in making appropriate investment decisions. Keywords: investors’ attention, internet search traffic, google trend, bid-ask spread

Next-Gen Search Engines

Science.gov (United States)

Gupta, Amardeep

2005-01-01

Current search engines--even the constantly surprising Google--seem unable to leap the next big barrier in search: the trillions of bytes of dynamically generated data created by individual web sites around the world, or what some researchers call the "deep web." The challenge now is not information overload, but information overlook.…

Information-Limited Parallel Processing in Difficult Heterogeneous Covert Visual Search

Science.gov (United States)

Dosher, Barbara Anne; Han, Songmei; Lu, Zhong-Lin

2010-01-01

Difficult visual search is often attributed to time-limited serial attention operations, although neural computations in the early visual system are parallel. Using probabilistic search models (Dosher, Han, & Lu, 2004) and a full time-course analysis of the dynamics of covert visual search, we distinguish unlimited capacity parallel versus serial…

Accurate expectancies diminish perceptual distraction during visual search

Science.gov (United States)

Sy, Jocelyn L.; Guerin, Scott A.; Stegman, Anna; Giesbrecht, Barry

2014-01-01

The load theory of visual attention proposes that efficient selective perceptual processing of task-relevant information during search is determined automatically by the perceptual demands of the display. If the perceptual demands required to process task-relevant information are not enough to consume all available capacity, then the remaining capacity automatically and exhaustively “spills-over” to task-irrelevant information. The spill-over of perceptual processing capacity increases the likelihood that task-irrelevant information will impair performance. In two visual search experiments, we tested the automaticity of the allocation of perceptual processing resources by measuring the extent to which the processing of task-irrelevant distracting stimuli was modulated by both perceptual load and top-down expectations using behavior, functional magnetic resonance imaging, and electrophysiology. Expectations were generated using a trial-by-trial cue that provided information about the likely load of the upcoming visual search task. When the cues were valid, behavioral interference was eliminated and the influence of load on frontoparietal and visual cortical responses was attenuated relative to when the cues were invalid. In conditions in which task-irrelevant information interfered with performance and modulated visual activity, individual differences in mean blood oxygenation level dependent responses measured from the left intraparietal sulcus were negatively correlated with individual differences in the severity of distraction. These results are consistent with the interpretation that a top-down biasing mechanism interacts with perceptual load to support filtering of task-irrelevant information. PMID:24904374

Accurate expectancies diminish perceptual distraction during visual search

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jocelyn L Sy

2014-05-01

Full Text Available The load theory of visual attention proposes that efficient selective perceptual processing of task-relevant information during search is determined automatically by the perceptual demands of the display. If the perceptual demands required to process task-relevant information are not enough to consume all available capacity, then the remaining capacity automatically and exhaustively spills-over to task-irrelevant information. The spill-over of perceptual processing capacity increases the likelihood that task-irrelevant information will impair performance. In two visual search experiments, we tested the automaticity of the allocation of perceptual processing resources by measuring the extent to which the processing of task-irrelevant distracting stimuli was modulated by both perceptual load and top-down expectations using behavior, fMRI, and electrophysiology. Expectations were generated by a trial-by-trial cue that provided information about the likely load of the upcoming visual search task. When the cues were valid, behavioral interference was eliminated and the influence of load on frontoparietal and visual cortical responses was attenuated relative to when the cues were invalid. In conditions in which task-irrelevant information interfered with performance and modulated visual activity, individual differences in mean BOLD responses measured from the left intraparietal sulcus were negatively correlated with individual differences in the severity of distraction. These results are consistent with the interpretation that a top-down biasing mechanism interacts with perceptual load to support filtering of task-irrelevant information.

The Evolution of Web Searching.

Science.gov (United States)

Green, David

2000-01-01

Explores the interrelation between Web publishing and information retrieval technologies and lists new approaches to Web indexing and searching. Highlights include Web directories; search engines; portalisation; Internet service providers; browser providers; meta search engines; popularity based analysis; natural language searching; links-based…

ON A SYSTEM FOR INFORMATION ANALYSIS (SCIENCE INDEX OF INNOVATIVE ACTIVITIES OF RUSSIAN ORGANIZATIONS IN THE FIELD OF RADIATION HYGIENE AND MEDICINE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. I. Evdokimov

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Science Index system for information analysis is one of effective modern indexes of innovative activity of Russian research and educational personnel, research and educational institutions. However, it should be noted that this assessment system does not yet include such important parameters as data on patent analysis and dissertation research. The article describes information search and preliminary bibliometric assessment of publication activity of the authors and some research institutions and periodicals in the field of radiation hygiene and medicine.

UNLV Information Science Research Institute quarterly progress report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nartker, T.A.

1994-01-01

Sections of this report include: symposium activity, staff activity, document analysis program, text-retrieval program, institute activity, etc. It is believed that as large, complete collections of documents become available in digital libraries, users will demand complete interaction with the information; document access mechanisms will have to grow beyond keywords and full-text searches to include browsing, searching of images, and searching on basis of abstract concepts. It is proposed to study the microform document conversion process, including image preprocessing, recognition, postprocessing for extracting information, and natural language techniques. Characterization of algorithms will allow generation of a system that automatically adapts to a wide range of image quality, thereby allowing large-scale conversion efforts. It is proposed to focus first on the NSF Antarctic database (approx. 55,000 documents)

UNLV Information Science Research Institute quarterly progress report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nartker, T.A.

1994-03-31

Sections of this report include: symposium activity, staff activity, document analysis program, text-retrieval program, institute activity, etc. It is believed that as large, complete collections of documents become available in digital libraries, users will demand complete interaction with the information; document access mechanisms will have to grow beyond keywords and full-text searches to include browsing, searching of images, and searching on basis of abstract concepts. It is proposed to study the microform document conversion process, including image preprocessing, recognition, postprocessing for extracting information, and natural language techniques. Characterization of algorithms will allow generation of a system that automatically adapts to a wide range of image quality, thereby allowing large-scale conversion efforts. It is proposed to focus first on the NSF Antarctic database (approx. 55,000 documents).

Classification of Automated Search Traffic

Science.gov (United States)

Buehrer, Greg; Stokes, Jack W.; Chellapilla, Kumar; Platt, John C.

As web search providers seek to improve both relevance and response times, they are challenged by the ever-increasing tax of automated search query traffic. Third party systems interact with search engines for a variety of reasons, such as monitoring a web site’s rank, augmenting online games, or possibly to maliciously alter click-through rates. In this paper, we investigate automated traffic (sometimes referred to as bot traffic) in the query stream of a large search engine provider. We define automated traffic as any search query not generated by a human in real time. We first provide examples of different categories of query logs generated by automated means. We then develop many different features that distinguish between queries generated by people searching for information, and those generated by automated processes. We categorize these features into two classes, either an interpretation of the physical model of human interactions, or as behavioral patterns of automated interactions. Using the these detection features, we next classify the query stream using multiple binary classifiers. In addition, a multiclass classifier is then developed to identify subclasses of both normal and automated traffic. An active learning algorithm is used to suggest which user sessions to label to improve the accuracy of the multiclass classifier, while also seeking to discover new classes of automated traffic. Performance analysis are then provided. Finally, the multiclass classifier is used to predict the subclass distribution for the search query stream.

Search for emission of ultra high energy radiation from active galactic nuclei

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-01-01

A search for emission of ultra-high energy gamma radiation from 13 active galactic nuclei that were detected by EGRET, using the CYGNUS extensive air-shower array, is described. The data set has been searched for continuous emission, emission on the time scale of one week, and for on the time scale of out day. No evidence for emission from any of the AGN on any of the time scales examined was found. The 90% C.L. upper limit to the continuous flux from Mrk 421 above 50 TeV is 7.5 x 10 -14 cm -2 s -1

Open Search Environments: The Free Alternative to Commercial Search Services

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adrian O'Riordan

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Open search systems present a free and less restricted alternative to commercial search services. This paper explores the space of open search technology looking in particular at the issue of interoperability. A description of current protocols and formats for engineering open search applications is presented. The suitability of these technologies and issues around their adoption and operation are discussed. This open search approach is especially proving a fitting choice in applications involving the harvesting of resources and information integration. Principal among the technological solutions are OpenSearch and SRU. OpenSearch and SRU implement a federated model to enable existing and new search engines and search clients communicate. Applications and instances where Opensearch and SRU can be combined are presented. Other relevant technologies such as OpenURL, Apache Solr, and OAI-PMH are also discussed. The deployment of these freely licensed open standards in digital library applications is now a genuine alternative to commercial or proprietary systems.

Intelligent Search Optimization using Artificial Fuzzy Logics

OpenAIRE

Manral, Jai

2015-01-01

Information on the web is prodigious; searching relevant information is difficult making web users to rely on search engines for finding relevant information on the web. Search engines index and categorize web pages according to their contents using crawlers and rank them accordingly. For given user query they retrieve millions of webpages and display them to users according to web-page rank. Every search engine has their own algorithms based on certain parameters for ranking web-pages. Searc...

Legislative and Judicial Information Systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Becker, Louise Giovane

1983-01-01

Reviews computer applications in judicial, legal, and legislative information activities being used to support litigation and court administration, assist in searching for legislation and laws, aid criminal justice information systems, and provide appropriate bibliographic and reference assistance. Management issues in automating systems are…

Evolution of a search: the use of dynamic twitter searches during superstorm sandy.

Science.gov (United States)

Harris Smith, Sara; Bennett, Kelly J; Livinski, Alicia A

2014-09-26

Twitter has emerged as a critical source of free and openly available information during emergency response operations, providing an unmatched level of on-the-ground situational awareness in real-time. Responders and survivors turn to Twitter to share information and resources within communities, conduct rumor control, and provide a "boots on the ground" understanding of the disaster. However, the ability to tune out background "noise" is essential to effectively utilizing Twitter to identify important and useful information during an emergency response. This article highlights a two-prong strategy in which the use of a Twitter list paired with subject specific Boolean searches provided increased situational awareness and early event detection during the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) response to Superstorm Sandy in 2012. To maximize the amount of relevant information that was retrieved, the Twitter list and Boolean searches were dynamic and responsive to real-time developments, evolving health threats, and the informational needs of decision-makers. The use of a Twitter list combined with Boolean searches led to enhanced situational awareness throughout the HHS response. The incorporation of a dynamic search strategy over the course of the HHS Sandy response, allowed for the ability to account for over-tweeted information, changes in event related conversation, and decreases in the return of relevant information.

Measuring Physical Activity Intensity

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... Search Form Controls Search The CDC Cancel Submit Search The CDC Physical Activity Note: Javascript is disabled or is not supported by your browser. For this reason, some items on this page will be unavailable. For more information about this message, please visit this page: About ...

The Gaze of the Perfect Search Engine: Google as an Infrastructure of Dataveillance

Science.gov (United States)

Zimmer, M.

Web search engines have emerged as a ubiquitous and vital tool for the successful navigation of the growing online informational sphere. The goal of the world's largest search engine, Google, is to "organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful" and to create the "perfect search engine" that provides only intuitive, personalized, and relevant results. While intended to enhance intellectual mobility in the online sphere, this chapter reveals that the quest for the perfect search engine requires the widespread monitoring and aggregation of a users' online personal and intellectual activities, threatening the values the perfect search engines were designed to sustain. It argues that these search-based infrastructures of dataveillance contribute to a rapidly emerging "soft cage" of everyday digital surveillance, where they, like other dataveillance technologies before them, contribute to the curtailing of individual freedom, affect users' sense of self, and present issues of deep discrimination and social justice.

Effects of Consumer Search Behavior Typology on the Relationship Between Customer Satisfaction and Behavioral Intentions

OpenAIRE

Wahyuningsih

2007-01-01

The author investigates how consumer search behavior typology affects the relationship between customer satisfaction and behavioral intentions. The results show that the type of consumer as defined by whether and how they search for information (passive, rational-active, relational-dependent) perceive different levels of satisfaction and performs differently on satisfaction-behavioral intentions linkages. Relational-dependent and rational-active consumers are found to perceive higher satisfac...

Effects of Consumer Search Behavior Typology on the Relationship Between Customer Satisfaction and Behavioral Intentions

OpenAIRE

Wahyuningsih Wahyuningsih

2013-01-01

The author investigates how consumer search behavior typology affects the relationship between customer satisfaction and behavioral intentions. The results show that the type of consumer as defined by whether and how they search for information (passive, rational-active, relational-dependent) perceive different levels of satisfaction and performs differently on satisfaction-behavioral intentions linkages. Relational-dependent and rational-active consumers are found to perceive higher satisfac...

Left-ventricle segmentation in real-time 3D echocardiography using a hybrid active shape model and optimal graph search approach

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Honghai; Abiose, Ademola K.; Campbell, Dwayne N.; Sonka, Milan; Martins, James B.; Wahle, Andreas

2010-03-01

Quantitative analysis of the left ventricular shape and motion patterns associated with left ventricular mechanical dyssynchrony (LVMD) is essential for diagnosis and treatment planning in congestive heart failure. Real-time 3D echocardiography (RT3DE) used for LVMD analysis is frequently limited by heavy speckle noise or partially incomplete data, thus a segmentation method utilizing learned global shape knowledge is beneficial. In this study, the endocardial surface of the left ventricle (LV) is segmented using a hybrid approach combining active shape model (ASM) with optimal graph search. The latter is used to achieve landmark refinement in the ASM framework. Optimal graph search translates the 3D segmentation into the detection of a minimum-cost closed set in a graph and can produce a globally optimal result. Various information-gradient, intensity distributions, and regional-property terms-are used to define the costs for the graph search. The developed method was tested on 44 RT3DE datasets acquired from 26 LVMD patients. The segmentation accuracy was assessed by surface positioning error and volume overlap measured for the whole LV as well as 16 standard LV regions. The segmentation produced very good results that were not achievable using ASM or graph search alone.

Myanmar Language Search Engine

OpenAIRE

Pann Yu Mon; Yoshiki Mikami

2011-01-01

With the enormous growth of the World Wide Web, search engines play a critical role in retrieving information from the borderless Web. Although many search engines are available for the major languages, but they are not much proficient for the less computerized languages including Myanmar. The main reason is that those search engines are not considering the specific features of those languages. A search engine which capable of searching the Web documents written in those languages is highly n...

Using a Google Search Appliance (GSA) to search digital library collections: a case study of the INIS Collection Search

OpenAIRE

Savic, Dobrica

2014-01-01

Libraries are facing many challenges today. In addition to diminishing funding and increased user expectations, the use of classic library catalogues is becoming an additional challenge. Library users require fast and easy access to information resources regardless whether the format used is paper or electronic. Google search, with its speed and simplicity, set up a new standard for information retrieval which is hard to achieve with the previous generation of library search facilities. Put i...

Searching for What I Want

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Liu, Fei; Xiao, Bo Sophia; Lim, Eric

2016-01-01

Inefficiencies associated with online information search are amplifying in the current era of big data. Despite growing scholarly interest in studying Internet users’ information search behaviour, there is a paucity of theory-guided investigation in this regard. In this paper, we draw on the theory...

Natural Language Processing Approach for Searching the Quran: Quick and Intuitive

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zainal Abidah

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The Quran is a scripture that acts as the main reference to people which their religion is Islam. It covers information from politics to science, with vast amount of information that requires effort to uncover the knowledge behind it. Today, the emergence of smartphones has led to the development of a wide-range application for enhancing knowledge-seeking activities. This project proposes a mobile application that is taking a natural language approach to searching topics in the Quran based on keyword searching. The benefit of the application is two-fold; it is intuitive and it saves time.

Nowcasting Unemployment Rates with Google Searches: Evidence from the Visegrad Group Countries

Science.gov (United States)

Pavlicek, Jaroslav; Kristoufek, Ladislav

2015-01-01

The online activity of Internet users has repeatedly been shown to provide a rich information set for various research fields. We focus on job-related searches on Google and their possible usefulness in the region of the Visegrad Group - the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia. Even for rather small economies, the online searches of inhabitants can be successfully utilized for macroeconomic predictions. Specifically, we study unemployment rates and their interconnection with job-related searches. We show that Google searches enhance nowcasting models of unemployment rates for the Czech Republic and Hungary whereas for Poland and Slovakia, the results are mixed. PMID:26001083

The Role of Domain and System Knowledge on Text Comprehension and Information Search in Hypermedia

Science.gov (United States)

Waniek, Jacqueline; Schafer, Thomas

2009-01-01

The goal of this study was to examine the role of domain and system knowledge on learner performance in reading and information search in hypermedia. Previous studies have shown that prior knowledge is an important individual factor for effective hypermedia use. However, current research lacks a full understanding of how these two aspects of prior…