Research suggests that online educational empowerment enables learners to acquire knowledge efficiently through social networks. However, individual self-governance is key to success in these communities. The study explores how personal factors like goals, communication skills, and IT skills affect learning outcomes.
A randomized controlled trial of an e-mail intervention program found that employees who received tailored messages were more physically active, eating more fruits and vegetables, and reducing saturated fats and trans fats. The changes had a lasting effect four months after the intervention ended.
Researchers at the University of Maryland are working on a project to analyze vast amounts of DNA sequencing data using remote computer clusters, also known as Cloud Computing. The goal is to determine whether this approach can be more cost-effective and efficient than traditional local clusters.
A study found no correlation between hospital safety scores and in-hospital mortality rates, suggesting that self-reported safety practices may not be an effective measure of quality care. The researchers concluded that further research is needed to establish valid methods for assessing adherence to safe practices.
Researchers explore using web crawlers to mine informal web-based sources for ecosystem monitoring, providing early warnings of potential ecological disasters. The Internet may contain information on drivers of change, such as global seafood markets, which can help avoid abrupt ecosystem collapse.
A new device using a Raman amplifier has successfully transmitted data over 37 miles of single-mode fiber, error-free, at a speed of 2.5 Gb/s. This technology could provide high-speed Internet to 99% of Australians living in Victoria, closing the digital divide.
A new report suggests that teenagers' increased internet use has transformed it into a social networking tool, fostering closer relationships and reducing superficial connections. The study also highlights the positive effects of online communication on mental health, including reduced inhibition and higher quality friendships.
A new study finds that open access articles experience a 12% increase in usage compared to commercial formats, but have only a small positive impact on attention. Open source publications benefit researchers in developing countries with limited access to research funding and libraries.
A Kansas State University marketing professor says online shopping will borrow from Second Life, allowing shoppers to interact with virtual avatars and purchase items in a social setting. The future of e-commerce may also involve mobile devices, with research suggesting that gaming and chat features are key to attracting young customers.
A panel of scientists at Michigan State University discussed using the World Wide Web as a tool for research, with topics including survey research, measuring social networks, and creating virtual worlds. Researchers are leveraging the Internet to inform social science applications in the real world.
A report highlights the growing trend of US healthcare consumers purchasing unapproved prescription drugs online, driven by high prices and limited access to affordable treatments. This phenomenon carries significant social and policy implications, particularly in a period of economic recession.
The counterfeit drugs market is expected to be worth £55 billion by 2010, with nearly 62% of prescription-only medicines being fakes. Harmful ingredients found in counterfeit medicines include arsenic, boric acid, and leaded road paint, which can have devastating consequences for patients with potentially fatal conditions.
Research suggests that excessive technology use may lead to a decline in critical thinking and analysis skills, while visual skills improve. Experts recommend a balanced media diet and encouraging reading for pleasure to develop essential skills.
A nationwide survey found that only 22% of Americans believed Barack Obama was a Muslim, despite hearing the rumor. The internet played a key role in spreading rumors, with nearly two-thirds of respondents getting information online, and nearly one-third getting campaign news from video sharing sites.
The special issue highlights various new treatment options, including mobile phones, Internet-based interventions, and computers. Researchers have seen promising results, such as a high number of students logging on to screening programs and increased access for hard-to-reach populations.
A study in the American Journal of Ophthalmology reports that paintball injuries can result in rupture of the eyeball, detached retina, and even enucleation. Eye protection can prevent nearly all injuries, with over 97% of cases avoided by proper use.
A recent study by University of Illinois professor Brendesha Tynes found that adolescents experiencing online racial discrimination are more likely to experience depression, anxiety, and stress. The study also revealed the presence of masked racism and hate groups targeting specific ethnic groups online.
A Dutch study published in BMC Public Health found that phone and internet counselling is effective for weight management in overweight workers. The study compared counselling via phone and e-mail with standard practice and found significant weight loss in all groups, with those in the phone group losing the most weight.
Researchers discovered a weakness in the MD5 algorithm that allows for the creation of rogue certification authorities, which can be trusted by all major web browsers. This opens the door for virtually undetectable phishing attacks, compromising user passwords and private data.
A study published in the International Journal of Internet Marketing and Advertising suggests that non-profits can exploit online marketing strategies to gain traffic and raise awareness. By focusing on relevant keywords and optimizing their websites, non-profits can improve their search engine rankings and increase donations.
The Tiny Videos system, created by Alex Karpenko, is a groundbreaking framework that allows for efficient compression and searching of large amounts of video data. It can recognize and find duplicate video segments, properly labeling them and helping users quickly find specific videos.
Brent Heeringa's research focuses on three specific problems: optimal algorithms for hierarchical data, dynamic models of information organization, and new models for categorical data. His project aims to create systems where desired information is quick and easy to find.
Chris Bronk, a fellow at Rice University's Baker Institute, argues that the concept of wiretapping is obsolete due to advancements in VoIP technology. He advocates for clear, openly stated policies on government surveillance adapted to the latest technology.
A new NC State study reveals that consumers comparing prices online can pressure retailers into offering discounts, particularly if they shop around frequently. The study found that larger retailers may limit price cuts to avoid giving smaller competitors an advantage.
A study reveals a mathematical model called 'hidden metric space' that explains the efficiency of complex networks, including the Internet and human language. This discovery could lead to innovative architectural changes to remove bottlenecks and optimize communication in these systems.
Researchers have developed an application called Zoetrope that allows users to easily search and analyze historical web data. The system captures and stores archived websites, enabling users to view past versions of sites and track changes over time.
Researchers at Eindhoven University of Technology cracked the McEliece encryption system, a candidate for post-quantum cryptography. This breakthrough could compromise current encryption methods like RSA, which banks use for secure transactions.
This special issue explores the fundamental research of new-generation Internet architecture, addressing major technical challenges such as scalability, security, and high-performance. The studies aim to provide theoretical foundations and scientific-proof support for solving these challenges and carry out technological innovation.
A project called inSPOT uses electronic postcards to assist people in disclosing an STD diagnosis to their sexual partners. This system has been shown to increase partner notification rates, contributing to better disease prevention and control outcomes.
A new computer program, developed by Krisztian Balog, uses digital trails to quickly and accurately identify missing persons within companies and organizations. The program combines generative language models with learning algorithms to recognize people and organizations in texts.
Researchers found that web search activity stimulates key centers in the brain, controlling decision-making and complex reasoning. This triggers a greater extent of neural circuitry, indicating potential benefits for cognitive function in older adults.
A study published in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons shows that unsponsored web sites have significantly higher quality information compared to commercially sponsored ones. The researchers suggest that surgeons can help patients find reliable information by providing them with technical search terms.
A team of Penn State researchers has developed a new approach called Automatic Linguistic Indexing of Pictures in Real-Time (ALIPR) that enables computers to recognize the contents of photographs. The system uses statistical models to assign keywords to images based on pixel information, improving accuracy rates up to 90%.
A study of 1,454 youth found that 72% experienced cyberbullying, with online incidents often accompanied by in-school bullying. Most victims kept the abuse secret, fearing parental restrictions on internet use.
A new study shows that web-based academic discussions are a cost-effective and effective method of continuing medical education for orthopaedic surgeons. The interactive Orthochina.org wiki project, launched in 1998, allows professionals to share real patient cases and engage in collaborative discussions.
Researchers at University of Washington create Adeona, a free laptop theft-protection tool that uses internet and camera to track stolen laptops while maintaining user privacy. The tool has been downloaded over 50,000 times and can be used on desktops, laptops, and Linux machines.
Leonard Kleinrock, UCLA professor, is recognized for his pioneering work on packet switching and data networks. He developed the mathematical theory of data networks a decade before the Internet's birth and directed the first message to pass over the Internet.
The Perspectives system uses friendly sites to authenticate Web sites, providing an extra measure of security in cases where certificate authorities are not used. The system can detect suspicious sites and warn users about potential attacks.
A group of institutions, including Rutgers University, will conduct five-year research into complex computational problems, with potential benefits for cryptography and other fields. The study aims to unlock secrets of intractability, a branch of mathematics that seeks to understand why certain problems are hard to compute.
The P4P system drastically cuts network load through local file-sharing, with average data packets traveling just 160 miles and making fewer metro-hops. Local file sharing increased nearly tenfold from 6% to 58%, providing a basis for the future of peer-to-peer systems.
Researchers developed an algorithm called XL that significantly reduces network routing updates, making it possible to support larger networks and improve efficiency for low-power devices with slow links. The algorithm uses three rules to determine which updates are important and can be suppressed.
Researchers compared online prescribing and traditional physician consultation for treating erectile dysfunction, finding that the online system outperformed in patient education and prescription appropriateness. The study concludes that a well-regulated Internet prescriber service can be comparable to traditional medical practice.
Patrick Crowley, a computer architect, is designing a new network for the US Department of Defense to facilitate real-time information sharing. The goal is to enable commanders to understand the location and status of all platforms, equipment, and personnel in real-time.
A study by UC San Diego researchers found that telemedicine leads to better treatment decisions for stroke patients compared to telephone consultations. The STRokE DOC technology enabled doctors to make correct decisions over 98% of the time, resulting in improved patient outcomes.
A recent study found that as more journals become available online, researchers cite fewer older papers and focus on newer publications. This trend may be limiting the creation of new ideas and theories in various academic disciplines.
A study published in the Journal of Communication found that access to an integrated system of internet health resources significantly improved quality of life, perceived social support, and health information management for breast cancer patients. In contrast, providing only a list of URLs or standard care offered little benefit.
A new study found that more Internet time, less sleep, and higher alcohol consumption are associated with weight gain in adolescent girls. Girls who consumed 2 or more alcoholic beverages a week or slept less than 6 hours a night gained more weight.
A new study by Professor Anne Campbell found that women are more likely to experience regret and decreased satisfaction after a one-night stand compared to men. Despite taking part in casual sex, women do not view it as a precursor to long-term relationships.
A Northwestern University study found that men are more likely to share their creative work online than women, with almost two-thirds of men reporting online sharing compared to half of women. The disparity persists even when controlling for digital literacy and Web know-how, suggesting that internet access is not an equal playing field.
A study by Lee Ritterband found that an online cognitive behavioral intervention for insomnia improved sleep efficiency and reduced symptoms of insomnia in adults. The six-week program led to significant improvements in sleep quality, with participants increasing their total sleep time by 80 minutes.
Global gay communities are experiencing a decline in physical infrastructure and attendance at events. The rise of online dating and achievement of civil rights contribute to this shift.
Researchers at Ohio State University have developed a new way to protect computer networks from Internet worms by automatically detecting infections within minutes. The method involves monitoring the number of scans sent out by machines on a network and isolating infected machines in quarantine for repairs.
Researchers have created a unique internet facility called Open Ontology Repository (OOR) to store diverse collections of concepts and facilitate complex systems in various sectors. OOR will support advanced logic systems and save time and money in manufacturing control, supply chain management, and biomedical management.
The Yale team has engineered a P4P system that enables cooperative delivery of data between ISPs and Peer-to-Peer software providers. This reduces the cost to ISPs and improves the performance of P2P applications, with field tests showing a 34% reduction in inter-ISP traffic and up to 898% increase in delivery speeds.
Researchers at Northwestern University developed Ono, a unique software solution that allows users to efficiently identify nearby P2P clients. By using observations of Internet companies like Akamai, Ono improves transfer speeds for both ISPs and P2P users.
A University of Minnesota study found that online interventions can help reduce HIV risk among young men who have sex with men. The research showed that meeting partners both online and offline increases the number of sexual partners and engagement in unprotected anal intercourse.
Researchers have created an online map that shows locations experiencing problems with internet connectivity, providing a snapshot of the internet's weak points. The Hubble tool monitors about 90% of the internet and can help professional network operators identify and fix issues quickly.
A study from Tufts University reveals a digital skills divide among socio-economic groups, affecting parents' ability to access trustworthy child development information. Parents in higher SES groups outperform lower SES counterparts in evaluating search engines and building searches.
The American Chemical Society's 235th national meeting will present hundreds of newsworthy topics, including a new test for gunshot residue and blood from the American alligator being used as a medical lifesaver. Researchers will also showcase discoveries in chemistry and other fields, such as technology to turn waste CO2 into DVDs and...
The P2P-Next project aims to create a Europe-wide 'next-generation' internet television distribution system based on P2P technology, allowing audiences to stream and interact with live content. The research project will also explore community building around favorite content via a personalized system.