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Studying information seeking on the non-English Web: An experiment on a Spanish business Web portal

The Internet is estimated to grow significantly as access to Web content in some non-English languages continues to increase. However, prior research in human–computer interaction (HCI) has implicitly assumed the primary language used on the Web to be English. This assumption is not true for many non-English-speaking regions where rapidly growing on-line populations access the Web in their native languages. For example, Latin America, where the majority of people speak Spanish, will have the fastest growing population in coming decades. However, existing Spanish search engines lack search, browse, and analysis capabilities. The research reported here studied human information seeking on the non-English Web. In it we developed a Spanish business Web portal that supports searching, browsing, summarization, categorization, and visualization of Spanish business Web pages. Using 42 Spanish speakers as subjects we conducted a two-phase experiment to evaluate this portal and found that, compared with a Spanish search engine and a Spanish Web directory, it achieved significantly better user ratings on information quality, cross-regional search capability, system performance attributes, and overall satisfaction. Subjects’ verbal comments strongly favored the search and browse functionality and user interface of our portal. As the Web becomes more international, this research makes three contributions: (1) an empirical evaluation of the performance level of a Spanish search portal; (2) an examination of the information quality, cross-regional search capability and usability of search engines for the non-English Web; and (3) a better understanding of non-English Web searching.

Ubiquitous learning website: Scaffold learners by mobile devices with information-aware techniques

The portability and immediate communication properties of mobile devices influence the learning processes in interacting with peers, accessing resources and transferring data. For example, the short message and browsing functions in a cell phone provide users with timely and adaptive information access. Although many studies of mobile learning indicate the pedagogical potential of mobile devices, the screen size, computational power, battery capacity, input interfaces, and network bandwidth are too restricted to develop acceptable functionality for the entire learning processes in a handheld device. Therefore, mobile devices can be adopted to fill the gap between Web-based learning and ubiquitous mobile learning. This study first creates a website, providing functions enabling learning to take place anytime and anywhere with any available learning device, for ubiquitous learning according to various properties of mobile devices. Nowadays, learners’ behaviors on a website can be recorded as learning portfolios and analyzed for behavioral diagnosis or instructional planning. A student model is then built according to the analytical results of learning portfolios and a concept map of the learning domain. Based on the student model and learners’ available learning devices, three modules are developed to build a ubiquitous learning environment to enhance learning performance via learning status awareness, schedule reminders and mentor recommendation. Finally, an experiment is conducted with 54 college students after implementation of the ubiquitous learning website. Experimental results indicate that the proposed system can enhance three learning performance indicators, namely academic performance, task accomplishment rates, and learning goals achievement rates.

A database and tool, IM Browser, for exploring and integrating emerging gene and protein interaction data for Drosophila

BackgroundBiological processes are mediated by networks of interacting genes and proteins. Efforts to map and understand these networks are resulting in the proliferation of interaction data derived from both experimental and computational techniques for a number of organisms. The volume of this data combined with the variety of specific forms it can take has created a need for comprehensive databases that include all of the available data sets, and for exploration tools to facilitate data integration and analysis. One powerful paradigm for the navigation and analysis of interaction data is an interaction graph or map that represents proteins or genes as nodes linked by interactions. Several programs have been developed for graphical representation and analysis of interaction data, yet there remains a need for alternative programs that can provide casual users with rapid easy access to many existing and emerging data sets.DescriptionHere we describe a comprehensive database of Drosophila gene and protein interactions collected from a variety of sources, including low and high throughput screens, genetic interactions, and computational predictions. We also present a program for exploring multiple interaction data sets and for combining data from different sources. The program, referred to as the Interaction Map (IM) Browser, is a web-based application for searching and visualizing interaction data stored in a relational database system. Use of the application requires no downloads and minimal user configuration or training, thereby enabling rapid initial access to interaction data. IM Browser was designed to readily accommodate and integrate new types of interaction data as it becomes available. Moreover, all information associated with interaction measurements or predictions and the genes or proteins involved are accessible to the user. This allows combined searches and analyses based on either common or technique-specific attributes. The data can be visualized as an editable graph and all or part of the data can be downloaded for further analysis with other tools for specific applications. The database is available at ConclusionThe Drosophila Interactions Database described here places a variety of disparate data into one easily accessible location. The database has a simple structure that maintains all relevant information about how each interaction was determined. The IM Browser provides easy, complete access to this database and could readily be used to publish other sets of interaction data. By providing access to all of the available information from a variety of data types, the program will also facilitate advanced computational analyses.

WebWatch

BioTechniquesVol. 40, No. 3 WebWatchOpen AccessWebWatchKevin AhernKevin AhernSearch for more papers by this authorPublished Online:21 May 2018https://doi.org/10.2144/06403WW01AboutSectionsPDF/EPUB ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack Citations ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail Structural FEATUREsFor as long as protein structure has been studied, the dream of researchers has been to elucidate function from structure. Given the large percentage of genes identified in genomic sequences with unknown function, it is not an irrelevant theoretical exercise. Aimed at advanced users, Russ Altman's FEATURE web site allows one to enter a protein structure [Protein Data Bank (PDB) format or directly from the PDB database] and then specify a type of structure to scan for within it. Users play an active role in the process, defining functional sites and creating training sets (statistical models built from a site). Over 150 model sites are available, and the FEATURE program can be run from the web (WebFEATURE) or as a downloadable UNIX application.feature.stanford.edu/index.htmlA Better Mouse TrackerIt has been said that rodents are the organisms with the most widespread negative impact on humans. Whether or not that is true is fodder for philosophers, but molecular biologists obviously think the mouse is important, as witnessed by the rapid determination of its genomic sequence. A leader in that effort, the Jackson Laboratories, hosts Mouse Genome Informatics (MGI), a popular hub for mouse enthusiasts. Looking for sequences, maps, or expression data? You'll find them here. So too will you discover a whole page of search engines, sequence analysis tools (MouseBLAST) and an interactive genome map browser. The list of options to be found is longer than the space available here to describe them. Indeed, about the only mouse information missing from MGI is a better way to catch one.www.informatics.jax.orgAffinity ProteomicsYou've got to admire the chutzpah of the Human Protein Atlas, whose stated aim is to systematically generate “quality assured antibodies to all nonredundant human proteins and… to functionally explore human proteins, protein variants, and protein interactions.” A collection of such antibodies would marry the fields of cell biology and proteomics, allowing researchers to localize every expressed protein within tissues and cells and, at the same time, provide researchers with unprecedented opportunities for studying the biochemistry of molecular processes. That's no small order. Here's hoping they succeed.www.proteinatlas.orgMushroom CrowdFor every delicious mushroom that teases the palette, there is a fungal blight that destroys a food crop. Jekyll and Hyde might envy such opposites in a life form. The Pacific Northwest Fungi Database (PNFD), hosted at Washington State University, is home to information about the yins and yangs of fungi, at least in the Northwest. From the beautiful red Microstoma of the forest floor to the Opiostoma that causes Dutch Elm Disease, the PNFD has them all categorized. View alphabetized lists of genus names and host families at the site or search the database by fungus or host family/genus/species. Users can specify location (Alaska, Idaho, Montana, British Columbia, Washington, or Oregon) to narrow searches, if desired. Returned records include taxonomic classification, citations, IDs, and more.pnwfungi.wsu.eduTalking DockingPutting together two proteins or a protein and its ligand is not as simple as joining individually solved structures of each in a lock and key fashion. You knew that, of course, if you learned Koshland's induced fit model of catalysis. Garrett Morris’ Molecular Docking site provides visitors with tools (downloadable software), educational material, movies, and links to enough outside information that you'll learn a lot, just poking around. Anchored by the downloadable AutoDock software (Mac OS X, Windows, Linux, and others), Molecular Docking is the rare site that provides users with not only a considerable amount of information about its topic, but also a tool to find more. Drug designers and researchers studying protein-protein interactions will revel in the bounty.www.scripps.edu/mb/olson/people/gmmFiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Vol. 40, No. 3 Follow us on social media for the latest updates Metrics History Published online 21 May 2018 Published in print March 2006 Information© 2006 Author(s)PDF download

Mobile office with speech recognition

A user interface for a mobile office is provided for allowing simple, safe, and convenient access to electronic mail, calendar, news, and web browser functions. The dialog or number of steps required to access desired items is minimized using a state controller responsive to voice commands and manual activations of reconfigurable steering wheel switches. Someone unfamiliar with the user interface is assisted by prompts for various commands and can use the mobile office without needing to resort to use of the reconfigurable steering wheel control elements. A more experienced user can bypass prompts by interrupting them with voice commands and can quickly move through various steps by utilizing the configurable steering wheel control elements to gain access to individual items within the mail, calendar, and news functions.

Integrating thesaurus relationships into search and browse in an online photograph collection

PurposeSeeks to share with digital library practitioners the development process of an online image collection that integrates the syndetic structure of a controlled vocabulary to improve end‐user search and browse functionality.Design/methodology/approachSurveys controlled vocabulary structures and their utility for catalogers and end‐users. Reviews research literature and usability findings that informed the specifications for integration of the controlled vocabulary structure into search and browse functionality. Discusses database functions facilitating query expansion using a controlled vocabulary structure, and web application handling of user queries and results display. Concludes with a discussion of open‐source alternatives and reuse of database and application components in other environments.FindingsAffirms that structured forms of browse and search can be successfully integrated into digital collections to significantly improve the user's discovery experience. Establishes ways in which the technologies used in implementing enhanced search and browse functionality can be abstracted to work in other digital collection environments.Originality/valueSignificant amounts of research on integrating thesauri structures into search and browse functionalities exist, but examples of online resources that have implemented this approach are few in comparison. The online image collection surveyed in this paper can serve as a model to other designers of digital library resources for integrating controlled vocabularies and metadata structures into more dynamic search and browse functionality for end‐users.

An evaluation of integrated zooming and scrolling on small screens

Speed-dependent automatic zooming (SDAZ) has been proposed for standard desktop displays as a means of overcoming problems associated with the navigation of large information spaces. SDAZ combines zooming and panning facilities into a single operation, with the magnitude of both factors dependent on simple user interaction. Previous research indicated dramatic user performance improvements when using the technique for document and map navigation tasks. In this paper, we propose algorithmic extensions to the technique for application on small-screen devices and present a comparative experimental evaluation of user performance with the system and a normative scroll–zoom–pan interface. Users responded positively to the system, particularly in relation to reduced physical navigational workload. However, the reduced screen space reduced the impact of SDAZ in comparison to that reported in previous studies. In fact, for one-dimensional navigation (vertical document navigation) the normative interface out-performed SDAZ. For navigation in two dimensions (map browsing) SDAZ supports more accurate target location, and also produces longer task completion times. Some SDAZ users became lost within the information space and were unable to recover navigational context. We discuss the reasons for these observations and suggest ways in which limitations of SDAZ in the small-screen context may be overcome.

A highlight scene detection and video summarization system using audio feature for a personal video recorder

The personal video recorder such as recordable-DVD recorder, Blu-ray disc recorder and/or hard disc recorder has become popular for a large volume storage device for video/audio content data and a browsing function that would quickly provide a desired scene to the user is required as an essential part of such a large capacity recording/playback system. We propose a highlight scene detection function by using only 'audio' features and realize a browsing function for the recorder that enables completely automatic detection of sports highlights. We detect sports highlights by identifying portions with "commentator's excited speech" using Gaussian mixture models (GMM's) trained using the MDL criterion. Our computation is carried out directly on the MDCT coefficients from the AC-3 coefficients thus giving us a tremendous speed advantage. Our accuracy of detection of sports highlights is high across a variety of sports.

UTILIZING WEB-BASED GIS AND SDSS FOR HYDROLOGICAL LAND USE CHANGE IMPACT ASSESSMENTN

A web-based spatial decision support system (SDSS) was developed to assist with watershed hydrologic and waterquality assessment for present and future land uses. The SDSS comprises integrated web-based programs, a hydrologic model,web-GIS, and databases. The SDSS uses web-GIS capability for internet map browsing, real-time web-based watersheddelineation, and hydrologic spatial data extraction to prepare input data for the Long-Term Hydrological Impact Assessment(L-THIA) model. An urbanizing watershed in suburban Lafayette, Indiana, was selected to illustrate the SDSS capability andto evaluate land use change impact on direct runoff and nonpoint-source pollution. The SDSS is operational for supportinglocal communities, regional consulting companies, and other stakeholders at: http://pasture.ecn.purdue.edu/~watergen.

Mobile commerce: its market analyses

As mobile telephones begin to incorporate web browser functionality, consumers are poised to take advantage of virtual storefronts. These web-enabled mobile devices allow m-commerce to be conducted anytime and anywhere. Mobile commerce offers a platform for unprecedented penetration of the internet. This paper identifies the differences between e-commerce and m-commerce, the key attributes in developing m-commerce, the driving and impeding forces of m-commerce, and current penetration and future development in m-commerce market.

PoMaMo--a comprehensive database for potato genome data

A database for potato genome data (PoMaMo, Potato Maps and More) was established. The database contains molecular maps of all twelve potato chromosomes with about 1000 mapped elements, sequence data, putative gene functions, results from BLAST analysis, SNP and InDel information from different diploid and tetraploid potato genotypes, publication references, links to other public databases like GenBank (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/) or SGN (Solanaceae Genomics Network, http://www.sgn.cornell.edu/), etc. Flexible search and data visualization interfaces enable easy access to the data via internet (https://gabi.rzpd.de/PoMaMo.html). The Java servlet tool YAMB (Yet Another Map Browser) was designed to interactively display chromosomal maps. Maps can be zoomed in and out, and detailed information about mapped elements can be obtained by clicking on an element of interest. The GreenCards interface allows a text-based data search by marker-, sequence- or genotype name, by sequence accession number, gene function, BLAST Hit or publication reference. The PoMaMo database is a comprehensive database for different potato genome data, and to date the only database containing SNP and InDel data from diploid and tetraploid potato genotypes.

EAD Encoding and Display: A Content Analysis

ABSTRACT The study investigated implications of variations in EAD-encoded finding aids on the Web. A content analysis methodology was used to examine five different aspects of EAD finding aids: (1) data elements; (2) labeling terminology; (3) navigation; (4) browsing; (5) searching. Seventeen EAD finding aid web sites selected from 161 RLG member institution web sites, were examined. The results of the study showed that variations in EAD finding aids existed. These include inconsistency in the use of data elements, labeling terminology, and browsing attributes. In addition, some of the EAD finding aid web sites did not provide navigational aids within a finding aid or search functions for access to it. Findings suggest that increased navigational aids, as well as more browsing and search functions are needed to provide better access to EAD-encoded finding aids.

A New Method for the Specification of Geographic Footprints in Digital Gazetteers

This paper presents the strategy used to add neighborhood names and footprints to the Los Angeles Digital Gazetteer. The gazetteer database currently contains 4,500 features and is needed to: (1) facilitate the specification of geographic footprints in the Qualified Dublin Core metadata records that are used to describe digital assets; and (2) support the search for and retrieval of selected objects based on location, time, format, and/or keyword. The role of the digital gazetteer and a new browser which will offer the library patron a web-based query form with an interactive map is explained. The interface can be used to draw a query on a map, and it provides a series of pull down menus that can be used to specify time periods, formats, collections, and key words of interest. A new method for specifying neighborhood footprints in the digital gazetteer is described in some detail, and opportunities are highlighted for generalizing the method to help with search and retrieval using the map browser.

Odyssey: a high‐performance clustered video server

AbstractVideo servers are essential in video‐on‐demand and other multimedia applications. In this paper, we present our high‐performance clustered CBR video server, Odyssey. Odyssey is a server connecting PCs with switched Ethernet. It provides efficient support for normal play and interactive browsing functions such as fast‐forward and fast‐backward. We designed a set of algorithms for scheduling, synchronization and admission control, which results in a high utilization of resources. Odyssey is able to deliver a large number of video streams. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Homer II—man–machine interface to internet for blind and visually impaired people

HOMER II is a voice-driven text-to-speech system developed for blind or visually impaired persons for reading Slovenian texts. Users can obtain texts from the Internet site of the Association of Slovenian Blind and Visually Impaired Persons Societies from their Electronic Information System where they can find daily newspapers, some novels and other information. The system consists of four main modules. The first module enables Internet communication, retrieves text to a local disc and converts it to a standard form. The input interface manages the keyboard entry and/or speaker independent speech recognition. The output interface performs speech synthesis of a given text and in addition prints the same text magnified to the screen. The user dialog is responsible for the user friendly communication and controls other tasks of the system. Homer II was ported from Linux to the MS Windows 9x/ME/NT/2000 operating systems. For the best performance it uses multi-threading and other advantages of the 32-bit environment. Further versions of the HOMER system with even more advanced dialogue modules and some basic World Wide Web browsing functionality will represent an important tool in the distance learning and teaching process for the impaired persons using academic networks.

Perspectives for electronic books in the World Wide Web age

While the World Wide Web (WWW or Web) is steadily expanding, electronic books (e‐books) remain a niche market. In this article, it is first postulated that specialized contents and device independence can make Web‐based e‐books compete with paper prints; and that adaptive features that can be implemented by client‐side computing are relevant for e‐books, while more complex forms of adaptation requiring server‐side computations are not. Then, enhancements of the WWW standards (specifically of XML, XHTML, of the style‐sheet languages CSS and XSL, and of the linking language XLink) are proposed for a better support of client‐side adaptation and device independent content modeling. Finally, advanced browsing functionalities desirable for e‐books as well as their implementation in the WWW context are described.

A Real-Time Approach to the Spotting, Representation, and Recognition of Hand Gestures for Human–Computer Interaction

Aiming at the use of hand gestures for human–computer interaction, this paper presents a real-time approach to the spotting, representation, and recognition of hand gestures from a video stream. The approach exploits multiple cues including skin color, hand motion, and shape. Skin color analysis and coarse image motion detection are joined to perform reliable hand gesture spotting. At a higher level, a compact spatiotemporal representation is proposed for modeling appearance changes in image sequences containing hand gestures. The representation is extracted by combining robust parameterized image motion regression and shape features of a segmented hand. For efficient recognition of gestures made at varying rates, a linear resampling technique for eliminating the temporal variation (time normalization) while maintaining the essential information of the original gesture representations is developed. The gesture is then classified according to a training set of gestures. In experiments with a library of 12 gestures, the recognition rate was over 90%. Through the development of a prototype gesture-controlled panoramic map browser, we demonstrate that a vocabulary of predefined hand gestures can be used to interact successfully with applications running on an off-the-shelf personal computer equipped with a home video camera.

The Design of Metadata Interchange for Chinese Information and Implementation of Metadata Management System

With the development of Internet, digital libraries/museums have received worldwide attention and many developed countries are doing extensive researches on digital libraries/museums. In Taiwan, many institutions have digitized their collections. In addition, major research projects such as Digital Museum Project, Digital Archive Program, Digital Local Document Program, and CMNet are either in progress or about to begin. To digitize resources and present them on the WWW is the first priority; nevertheless, it is more important to organize these resources based on their characteristics, so users may retrieve and use them effectively. In digital library/museum systems, metadata plays a crucial role: its formulation has to begin with understanding the user demands and object characteristics, and standardization is essential for * The work is partially supported by National Science Council under grant NSC 89-2750-P-002-012.

A Map Browser for an Internet‐based GIS Data Repository

This article presents the design of a map browser for an Internet‐based GIS data repository. A map browser called GeoLibrary was developed and implemented as a component of the Idaho Geospatial Data Center (IGDC), a digital library of public‐domain GIS data for the state of Idaho. The design and implementation of the map browser are introduced in the larger context of a geolibrary model. The article also discusses alternative solutions that can be considered for implementing a map browser.

Video Summarization Using R-Sequences

In this paper, we propose a new method of temporal summarization of digital video. First, we address the problem of extracting a fixed number of representative frames to summarize a given digital video. To solve it, we have devised an algorithm called content-based adaptive clustering (CBAC). In our algorithm, shot boundary detection is not needed. Video frames are treated as points in the multi-dimensional feature space corresponding to a low-level feature such as color, motion, shape and texture. The changes of their distances are compared globally for extraction of representative frames. Second, we address how to use the representative frames to comprise representative sequences (R - Sequence) which can be used for temporal summarization of video. A video player based on our devised algorithm is developed which has functions of content-based browsing and content-based video summary. Experiments are also shown in the paper.