Survey of medical system users : final report /

"February 1990."

Continuous-current dynamos in theory and practice : with details of methods and formulae used in construction. A practical handbook for designers, manufacturers, and users.

Mode of access: Internet.

1980 census of population and housing : users' guide.

"PHC80-R1-A."

Directory of American cement industries and hand-book for cement users

Mode of access: Internet.

Royalty payments : hearings before the Committee on Patents, House of Representatives, seventy-seventh Congress, first session, on H.J. Res. 32, H.J. Res. 73 and H.J. Res. 123, joint resolutions to define the principle of international reciprocity in the protection of American patents, trade-marks, secret formulas and processes, and copyrights by providing a method for assuring the payments of amounts due to persons in the United States from users thereof in countries restricting international payments from their territories /

"317522."

Users manual, TSC highway noise prediction code, MOD-04 /

Mode of access: Internet.

Predictive design procedures, VESYS users manual : an interim design method for flexible pavements using the VESYS structural subsystem /

Mode of access: Internet.

Spacelab data processing facility : users' guide.

Cover title.

Website physical activity interventions: preferences of potential users

Information and communication technologies (particularly websites and e-mail) have the potential to deliver health behavior change programs to large numbers of adults at low cost. Controlled trials using these new media to promote physical activity have produced mixed results. User-centered development methods can assist in understanding the preferences of potential participants for website functions and content, and may lead to more effective programs. Eight focus group discussions were conducted with 40 adults after they had accessed a previously trialed physical activity website. The discussions were audio taped, transcribed and interpreted using a themed analysis method. Four key themes emerged: structure, interactivity, environmental context and content. Preferences were expressed for websites that include simple interactive features, together with information on local community activity opportunities. Particular suggestions included online community notice boards, personalized progress charts, e-mail access to expert advice and access to information on specific local physical activity facilities and services. Website physical activity interventions could usefully include personally relevant interactive and environmentally focused features and services identified through a user-centered development process.

AS REDES SOCIAIS NA INTERNET, O COMPARTILHAMENTO DE INFORMAÇÕES E A ADERÊNCIA AO CONSUMO CONSCIENTE: UM ESTUDO EXPLORATÓRIO NA REGIÃO DO GRANDE ABC PAULISTA

Aliadas aos estudos sobre sustentabilidade, há inúmeras discussões e atitudes para combater consequências do uso irracional dos recursos naturais do planeta. Surge assim o entendimento do consumo, suas influências e alternativas. O indivíduo pode ter hábitos de consumo de forma consumista ou de forma consciente. O consumista é entendido como o oposto dos hábitos do consumidor consciente, sendo levado pelo impulso e pelo estímulo à compra, sem avaliar suas necessidades e impactos futuros. O consumo é de fato indispensável à humanidade. Entretanto, quando aplicado de forma exacerbada e incorreta, pode gerar sérias consequências sociais e/ou ambientais. O consumidor consciente tem a qualificação de avaliar dentre as possibilidades existentes, os impactos que podem ser ocasionados com a aquisição, de tal modo, a minimizar suas consequências e contribuir de alguma forma para uma sociedade mais sustentável. O principal objetivo desta pesquisa foi compreender a aderência dos pesquisados ao comportamento de consumo consciente, bem como avaliar o compartilhamento de informações sobre o tema por pessoas que estão inseridas em alguma rede social na internet, partindo do pressuposto que este é um dos principais meios de comunicação e compartilhamento de informações. Para a pesquisa, foi utilizada a metodologia de análise qualitativa de caráter exploratório e a técnica de entrevistas em profundidade baseada em roteiro semiestruturado. Por meio da análise do conteúdo, a compreensão dos resultados aponta que todos os entrevistados possuem um grau de conhecimento sobre o consumo consciente e a maioria tenta ter algum tipo de ação consciente. Mas, ao mesmo tempo, esses indivíduos podem sofrer influências neste processo principalmente de caráter pessoal, levando à alteração de ação. Com relação ao compartilhamento do tema nas redes sociais na internet, foi possível identificar que grande parte dos entrevistados já teve algum tipo de experiência da situação, mas ainda em pequena escala, com poucas ocorrências. Também acredita-se que o canal pode ser utilizado para a proliferação do tema, o que nos leva à conclusão de que é um canal viável ao compartilhamento. Porém, mediante a ruptura de hábitos, é utilizado para a ocorrência de um maior engajamento por parte dos usuários. A análise apresenta uma compreensão e perspectivas a partir do recorte estudado, abrindo horizonte para novos estudos e aprofundamento das reflexões apresentadas neste trabalho.

A COMUNICAÇÃO VIA INTERNET NA INCLUSÃO E INTEGRAÇÃO DE DEFICIENTES AUDITIVOS: um estudo sobre a região do ABC / SP

O objetivo deste trabalho é compreender como a comunicação, através da Internet, é utilizada e construída, consideradas as questões da inclusão e integração de pessoas com deficiência auditiva. Analisam-se os conceitos sobre comunicação, inclusão e integração; a deficiência auditiva e seu significado para os indivíduos; a questão dos sites que tratam do assunto na Internet e o tipo de abordagem comunicacional utilizada dentro deste universo. A mensagem do transmissor (via Internet) - decodificada pelo receptor (deficiente auditivo) fornece ao receptor uma integração no mundo midiático capaz de fornecer uma inclusão adequada e uso facilitado da Internet pelo deficiente auditivo (receptor/a). A análise das respostas dos questionários aplicados aos usuários e aos transmissores de informações dos sites e as teorias utilizadas mostrarão se há dificuldades na construção de novas mensagens no campo da Internet e na sua utilização pelos receptores. O caminho da inclusão e integração comunicacional passará pela transformação dessas mensagens e por projetos e ações a serem desenvolvidos na construção dos sites na Internet.

FATORES DE RISCO E DE PROTEÇÃO EM EXPERIÊNCIAS EMOCIONAIS DE ADOLESCENTES EM REDES SOCIAIS DA INTERNET

Trata-se de uma pesquisa qualitativa que buscou investigar a percepção de fatores de risco e de proteção à saúde em adolescentes usuários de redes sociais na internet, caracterizar as experiências emocionais dos adolescentes, usuários das redes sociais da internet e discutir a contribuição das experiências das amizades virtuais para o vínculo afetivo no âmbito presencial. Esse trabalho foi realizado com 13 adolescentes, entre 16 e 18 anos, estudantes do Serviço Nacional de Aprendizagem Comercial de São Paulo (SENAC São Paulo), no período de fevereiro a Julho de 2011, foi utilizado como instrumento para obtenção dos dados o Grupo Focal e o conteúdo foi registrado por meio de um gravador de voz e transcrito posteriormente. A análise dos dados foi realizada através da Grounded Theory. Durante esse estudo foi possível investigar os fatores de risco e de proteção à saúde em adolescentes usuários das redes sociais na internet, destacamos alguns mecanismos importantes de proteção, como o bloqueio de suas informações pessoais a desconhecidos para se protegerem de riscos decorrentes de uso indevido do material postado na rede.

Why are health care interventions delivered over the internet? A systematic review of the published literature

Background: As Internet use grows, health interventions are increasingly being delivered online. Pioneering researchers are using the networking potential of the Internet, and several of them have evaluated these interventions. Objective: The objective was to review the reasons why health interventions have been delivered on the Internet and to reflect on the work of the pioneers in this field in order to inform future research. Methods: We conducted a qualitative systematic review of peer-reviewed evaluations of health interventions delivered to a known client/patient group using networked features of the Internet. Papers were reviewed for the reasons given for using the Internet, and these reasons were categorized. Results: We included studies evaluating 28 interventions plus 9 interventions that were evaluated in pilot studies. The interventions were aimed at a range of health conditions. Reasons for Internet delivery included low cost and resource implications due to the nature of the technology; reducing cost and increasing convenience for users; reduction of health service costs; overcoming isolation of users; the need for timely information; stigma reduction; and increased user and supplier control of the intervention. A small number of studies gave the existence of Internet interventions as the only reason for undertaking an evaluation of this mode of delivery. Conclusions: One must remain alert for the unintended effects of Internet delivery of health interventions due to the potential for reinforcing the problems that the intervention was designed to help. Internet delivery overcomes isolation of time, mobility, and geography, but it may not be a substitute for face-to-face contact. Future evaluations need to incorporate the evaluation of cost, not only to the health service but also to users and their social networks. When researchers report the outcomes of Internet-delivered health care interventions, it is important that they clearly state why they chose to use the Internet, preferably backing up their decision with theoretical models and exploratory work. Evaluation of the effectiveness of a health care intervention delivered by the Internet needs to include comparison with more traditional modes of delivery to answer the following question: What are the added benefits or disadvantages of Internet use that are particular to this mode of delivery? © Griffiths, Frances, Lindenmeyer, Antje, Powell, John, Thorogood, Margaret.

Determinant of broadband internet adoption and continuance in Singapore

In spite of increasing significance of Broadband Internet, there are not many research papers explicitly addressing issues pertaining to its deployment and continuance. Previous research on Broadband has mainly focused on the supply side aspect at the national level, ignoring the importance of the demand side which may involve looking more deeply into the factors impacting organizational and individual uptake. In an attempt to fill this gap, the current study empirically verifies the IS continuance model to examine factors influencing Broadband Internet post-adoption behavior of some 1,500 organizations in Singapore. Strong support for the model has been manifested by our results, providing insight into influential factors. Results of the study suggest that that perceived usefulness is the strongest predictor of users' continuance intention, followed by satisfaction with Broadband Internet usage as a significant but weaker predictor.

Quantifying short-term dynamics of Parkinson's disease using self-reported symptom data from an internet social network

Background: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is an incurable neurological disease with approximately 0.3% prevalence. The hallmark symptom is gradual movement deterioration. Current scientific consensus about disease progression holds that symptoms will worsen smoothly over time unless treated. Accurate information about symptom dynamics is of critical importance to patients, caregivers, and the scientific community for the design of new treatments, clinical decision making, and individual disease management. Long-term studies characterize the typical time course of the disease as an early linear progression gradually reaching a plateau in later stages. However, symptom dynamics over durations of days to weeks remains unquantified. Currently, there is a scarcity of objective clinical information about symptom dynamics at intervals shorter than 3 months stretching over several years, but Internet-based patient self-report platforms may change this. Objective: To assess the clinical value of online self-reported PD symptom data recorded by users of the health-focused Internet social research platform PatientsLikeMe (PLM), in which patients quantify their symptoms on a regular basis on a subset of the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Ratings Scale (UPDRS). By analyzing this data, we aim for a scientific window on the nature of symptom dynamics for assessment intervals shorter than 3 months over durations of several years. Methods: Online self-reported data was validated against the gold standard Parkinson’s Disease Data and Organizing Center (PD-DOC) database, containing clinical symptom data at intervals greater than 3 months. The data were compared visually using quantile-quantile plots, and numerically using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. By using a simple piecewise linear trend estimation algorithm, the PLM data was smoothed to separate random fluctuations from continuous symptom dynamics. Subtracting the trends from the original data revealed random fluctuations in symptom severity. The average magnitude of fluctuations versus time since diagnosis was modeled by using a gamma generalized linear model. Results: Distributions of ages at diagnosis and UPDRS in the PLM and PD-DOC databases were broadly consistent. The PLM patients were systematically younger than the PD-DOC patients and showed increased symptom severity in the PD off state. The average fluctuation in symptoms (UPDRS Parts I and II) was 2.6 points at the time of diagnosis, rising to 5.9 points 16 years after diagnosis. This fluctuation exceeds the estimated minimal and moderate clinically important differences, respectively. Not all patients conformed to the current clinical picture of gradual, smooth changes: many patients had regimes where symptom severity varied in an unpredictable manner, or underwent large rapid changes in an otherwise more stable progression. Conclusions: This information about short-term PD symptom dynamics contributes new scientific understanding about the disease progression, currently very costly to obtain without self-administered Internet-based reporting. This understanding should have implications for the optimization of clinical trials into new treatments and for the choice of treatment decision timescales.