Articles tagged with Internet
Most online sex offenders are adults who target teens, seducing victims into sexual relationships. The youth most vulnerable have histories of abuse, family problems, and risk-taking tendencies. Current educational efforts may not be effective in preventing these crimes.
Researchers found that people tend to focus on information supporting their pre-existing beliefs, even if it's accurate. The study suggests designing search engine interfaces to help users organize information and overcome decision biases.
Springer Protocols is a laboratory tool that delivers protocols across 15 subject collections, covering various areas of life sciences. The platform contains over 2,000 protocols, with 1,000 being updated annually, providing researchers with easy access to experiment designs, equipment, statistical methods, and troubleshooting standards.
Researchers at Iowa State University are developing technologies to fight cyber crime and make online activities more secure. They have filed a patent on a technology that detects 'click fraud', which falsely drives up hits to ads posted on Web sites, resulting in higher costs for pay-per-click advertising.
The Million Book Project has completed the digitization of over 1.5 million books, ranging from Mark Twain to Confucius, and made them available through a single web portal. The collection includes rare and orphan books in multiple languages, with the goal of making all published works accessible worldwide.
A recent study by the Economic and Social Research Council found that internet users are willing to sacrifice their privacy if they trust the organization requesting personal information. The research revealed that even people who declare themselves unconcerned about privacy will oppose ID cards if the request process feels invasive.
A team of researchers at Georgia Institute of Technology has developed a computer version of the honeybee dance, which directs server power between tasks to reduce the chances of server overload. This system improves service by up to 25% in tests based on real Internet traffic.
Researchers at Penn State successfully transmitted data at a rate of 100 gigabits per second over 100 meters using Category-7 copper cables. This breakthrough offers a less expensive and easier-to-build solution for high-speed data transfer, paving the way for future advancements in chip circuitry.
Demand for Spanish-language cancer web materials has quadrupled, with OncoLink en español seeing a significant increase in unique visitors. However, limited internet access and different search patterns among Spanish-speaking users highlight the need for tailored content to meet their needs.
Researchers at Ohio State University developed software to enable remote operation of high-powered instruments like microscopes and telescopes. The software, RICE, utilizes economic principles to optimize network bandwidth, preventing mistakes and reducing frustration.
Researchers at USC Information Sciences Institute completed a comprehensive census of the Internet, sending over 3 billion pings to every assigned address. The resulting atlas shows the Internet's structure and dynamics, providing insights into its growth, security, and evolution.
A review of six hospital comparison websites found inconsistent results, inadequate data reporting, and statistical methods that fail to accurately reflect surgical care quality. The study highlights the need for improved standards and patient accessibility on these websites.
A study found that a third of spam messages advertise health products, including prescription drugs and natural health products. Researchers successfully purchased several controlled substances through these messages.
A new multilingual search tool developed at the University of Washington's Turing Center allows people to search for images on the Web using hundreds of languages. The tool, named PanImages, automatically translates the search term into about 300 other languages and displays images from Google and Flickr.
Researchers at UC Davis developed ConceptDoppler, a tool that clusters words by meaning and identifies keywords likely to be blacklisted in China's censorship system. The study found that keyword filtering encourages self-censorship due to the perception of surveillance, allowing users to avoid blocked topics.
The conference examines the effects of Web 2.0 activities, including social networking sites, blogs, and wikis, on digital cultures and societies. Key findings highlight concerns over information chaos and decreased cultural value.
Researchers created an automated, enterprise-scale WiFi troubleshooting system that analyzes wireless protocol behavior, wired network services, and interactions between them. The system identifies the source of problems, such as media access dynamics and mobility management latency, and provides immediate solutions.
Computer scientists at UC San Diego create a new algorithm to generate annotated Internet router graphs, mimicking key features of the Internet. The technique allows researchers to experiment with different network topologies and test the sensitivity of various techniques.
A novel peer-to-peer video sharing application is being used to explore a next-generation model for safe and legal electronic commerce. The platform rewards users for uploading content, allowing them to download faster and more securely. Researchers envision a global marketplace where bandwidth is the primary currency.
Researchers at UCSD have designed a new algorithm that enables distributed rate limiting to enforce global bandwidth rate limits and dynamically shift allocations based on current network demand. The flow proportional share algorithm uses TCP to estimate bandwidth demand, providing fairness and practicality for deployment nationwide.
HIV denialists are spreading misinformation about HIV/AIDS, which can have severe consequences. The scientific community has established that HIV is the cause of AIDS, but denialist groups continue to promote false ideas, putting people at risk of infection and seeking ineffective treatments.
A new digital watermarking system protects music and media files from online pirates while ensuring high-quality playback for legitimate users. The system, developed by researchers at the University of Ottawa, embeds an image within the audio file to prevent piracy without compromising sound quality.
A new study by UC-San Diego computer scientists found that 94% of spam-advertised online scams are hosted on individual web servers, not hundreds or thousands of compromised computers. The researchers used a new internet monitoring approach to analyze over one million spam emails and identified the hosting servers for these scams.
University of Washington scientists track six penguins' movements using satellite technology to model energy requirements, understand breeding habits, and assess impact of human activities on their migration route. The project aims to improve conservation efforts for the Magellanic Penguin species.
A research team used Data Envelopment Analysis to evaluate the success of internet shops, finding that efficient websites like Jcrew and Abercrombie can serve as role models for less effective sites. By reducing inputs or increasing outputs, these non-efficient sites can improve their performance and competitiveness.
A new search engine mashup uses intelligent virtual robots to scan data quickly, assessing keywords and context, and combining it with meta search tools to retrieve relevant results. This approach improves the precision rate and recall rate of traditional search engines.
The GBIF Data Portal offers instant mapping and plotting of biodiversity data on Google Earth, facilitating ecological studies and predicting species response to climate change. The portal is expected to significantly increase the number of participating institutions, making global biodiversity data freely available worldwide.
Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and AT&T Labs found that treating all traffic identically would need an extra 60% capacity in modestly loaded networks, increasing to 100% or more during heavy demand. This suggests that differentiated services are more efficient and cost-effective.
A team of researchers successfully linked surgeons to robots via a 4,000-mile satellite connection, improving the quality of minimally invasive surgery. The study found that virtual reality prediction would greatly aid this type of surgery, paving the way for new efficient healthcare services.
The University of Arizona's HiRISE team has released over 1,200 Mars images to the Planetary Data System, making them available to the public through a user-friendly viewer tool. The images reveal hundreds of important discoveries about Mars, including crater impacts and dust avalanches.
Research reveals that online research largely replaces in-dealership price negotiations and test drives. Online information sources have become the most widely used, substituting traditional sources such as Consumer Reports. This shift implies a better-informed buyer who is ready to negotiate.
A new project by Carnegie Mellon University aims to boost book digitization efforts by using reCAPTCHAs to correct OCR mistakes and improve internet security. The system, developed by Luis von Ahn, uses words from troublesome passages to replace artificially distorted letters and numbers in CAPTCHAs.
The journal Contemporary Islam: Dynamics of Muslim Life discusses the impact of the internet on Islamophobia, including the spread of anti-Islamic opinions and the use of new technologies to combat it. The first issue explores topics such as re-imagining Islam through recent global events and personal autonomy of women in Morocco.
Despite challenges such as password issues and internet outages, African postgraduate doctors are making regular use of online medical literature. Textbooks remain a central source of information for many, but 66% have used the Internet for health information in the last week.
A study by The Miriam Hospital found that web-based intervention programs for inactive adults were just as effective as traditional programs in increasing physical activity. Participants reported approximately 120 minutes of physical activity per week, with a 5.2% improvement in fitness over six months.
A recent survey of over 250,000 people from around the world has shed light on sex differences in brain function and behavior. The study found that men and women exhibit distinct patterns in mental abilities, with men scoring higher in visual-spatial tasks but women excelling in object location memory.
The Globus MEDICUS project is recognized for its potential to enable advanced healthcare by securely exchanging bandwidth-intensive medical resources and images. The project aims to create a technological platform for seamless communication between healthcare providers, researchers, and patients.
Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University have developed the TeRK robot kit, allowing users to build sophisticated internet-connected robots using off-the-shelf parts. The kits feature a Qwerk controller and recipes that enable customization and extension, making highly capable robots accessible to a wide range of users.
A Chinese online tool for assessing depression has been found to be both accurate and reproducible, offering a potential solution for identifying the growing number of people suffering from depression. The Internet-based Self-assessment Program for Depression (ISP-D) was tested on 579 subjects, revealing that 31% had major depressive d...
A new P2P system, Similarity-Enhanced Transfer (SET), can significantly speed up music and movie downloads by leveraging similarities between files. By identifying relevant chunks of files, SET greatly increases the number of potential sources for downloads.
Researchers at Harvard University and BBN Technologies are creating a city-wide wireless sensor network called CitySense, the world's first of its kind. The network will focus on monitoring air pollution and weather conditions, collecting data on a scale never before attempted.
Researchers discovered that power-law distributions are common in various systems, including the internet, due to the 'rich get richer' effect. This phenomenon can be influenced by tradeoffs between network distance and connection numbers.
The UCSD system uses a clever image indexing technique that allows it to cover larger collections of images at a lower computational cost. It outperforms existing approaches in terms of annotation and retrieval accuracy, as well as efficiency.
The Digital Locke Project has made John Locke's first texts available online, with a digital critical edition and search functionality. The project aims to produce a definitive text of Locke's work, building on previously rediscovered manuscripts.
A study by Oxford Internet Institute researchers highlights the challenges of finding credible scientific sources on the web. The findings suggest that search engines play a significant role in shaping access to information, with some topics experiencing more central roles than others.
A University of Alberta study reveals that older adults feel less confident about their computer knowledge due to memory issues and health problems. The research highlights the importance of adapting computer technology to accommodate vision, hearing, and motor skills impairments.
A new online book, 'When Grandpa Comes Home: A Story About Stroke,' is now available to help children understand the causes and effects of a stroke. The illustrated book, written by a student intern and artist, aims to reduce fear and uncertainty in kids who witness a family member's stroke.
The new program aims to redesign the Internet with secure corporate networks like Ethane, wireless spectrum allocation optimization, and high-efficiency optical switches. Stanford researchers aim to create a fresh start for the Internet with innovative solutions.
A University of Florida study found that abandoning net neutrality discourages internet service improvements, with broadband providers collecting fees from content providers. The study suggests that consumers who pay for preferential treatment will have faster loading times, while those who don't may experience slower speeds.
A national survey of commercial health plans found that most private plans provide online provider directories and educational information about mental health and substance abuse. However, only two percent offered online counseling services, highlighting the need for increased investment in behavioral health resources.
A recent survey in Peru found that men who have had anal sex without a condom in an internet café were more likely to meet their partners online. This raises concerns about the use of internet cafés as a venue for unsafe sex and potential HIV transmission.
Researchers developed Photo Tourism software that maps multiple photos into a 3D virtual world, solving the problem of navigating large photo collections. The technology has potential for real estate, museums, hotels, archaeologists, biologists, military, and sports enthusiasts to create interactive visual representations.
A recent study found that engaging in various online behaviors is linked to online interpersonal victimization, with talking to strangers being a significant risk factor. The survey analyzed data from over 1,400 teens and found that sharing personal info or making rude comments online were not as harmful as previously thought.
The Sistema Interamericano de Metrologia (SIM) network enables faster time comparisons between countries, allowing small nations to evaluate their measurements against world standards. National metrology institutes in member OAS nations participate in the network, which currently compares times between Brazil, Canada, Mexico, and the US.
Most fertility clinics fail to adhere to advertising guidelines, leading to potential misinformation for patients. Private clinics were more likely to publish success rates and use comparative marketing, but often failed to provide accurate information.
Researchers have conducted virtual reprises of Stanley Milgram's classic obedience experiment, demonstrating that participants react as though the situation is real. The study shows that immersive virtual environments can provide an alternative way of pursuing laboratory-based experimental research.
PLoS ONE is launched by the Public Library of Science, a new open-access journal that employs pre- and post-publication peer review. The first issue features 100 peer-reviewed articles covering various topics, including evolution, rabies control, mimicry, and Alzheimer's disease.
A Florida State University study found that 31% of workers experienced supervisor abuse, leading to increased exhaustion, job tension, and mistrust. Employees who stay visible at work and maintain an optimistic outlook are better equipped to minimize the harm caused by abusive supervisors.
The study found that 43% of Internet users feel strongly about their virtual communities compared to their real-world ones. Online communities lead to offline actions and social activism, with a significant majority logging in daily.
A study found that one-third of Ugandan adolescents use the internet for health-related information, while another third would go online to learn about HIV/AIDS if it were free. The findings suggest initiatives improving online access and tailored content for young people could make a difference in Africa.