PowerAqua: Open Question Answering on the Semantic Web

With the rapid growth of semantic information in the Web, the processes of searching and querying these very large amounts of heterogeneous content have become increasingly challenging. This research tackles the problem of supporting users in querying and exploring information across multiple and heterogeneous Semantic Web (SW) sources. A review of literature on ontology-based Question Answering reveals the limitations of existing technology. Our approach is based on providing a natural language Question Answering interface for the SW, PowerAqua. The realization of PowerAqua represents a considerable advance with respect to other systems, which restrict their scope to an ontology-specific or homogeneous fraction of the publicly available SW content. To our knowledge, PowerAqua is the only system that is able to take advantage of the semantic data available on the Web to interpret and answer user queries posed in natural language. In particular, PowerAqua is uniquely able to answer queries by combining and aggregating information, which can be distributed across heterogeneous semantic resources. Here, we provide a complete overview of our work on PowerAqua, including: the research challenges it addresses; its architecture; the techniques we have realised to map queries to semantic data, to integrate partial answers drawn from different semantic resources and to rank alternative answers; and the evaluation studies we have performed, to assess the performance of PowerAqua. We believe our experiences can be extrapolated to a variety of end-user applications that wish to open up to large scale and heterogeneous structured datasets, to be able to exploit effectively what possibly is the greatest wealth of data in the history of Artificial Intelligence

The characteristics of successful evidence retrieval by nephrologists and the impact of PubMed search filters

Background: Clinicians frequently search PubMed to guide patient care. This study investigated the factors that impact successful searching and the utility of PubMed search filters. Methods: A random sample of nephrologists was surveyed between 2008 and 2010; 160 valid responses were received (72% response rate). One group of 60 respondents was presented with the same two clinical questions, while the other 100 were each presented with a unique clinical question. The clinical questions were based on recently published systematic reviews. Respondents provided the search terms they would type into PubMed to address their clinical question(s). All physician-provided searches were executed in PubMed and outcome measures of sensitivity (proportion of relevant articles found) and precision (proportion of all articles found that are relevant) were calculated. Primary studies included in the reviews served as the reference standards of relevant articles. For the first group of respondents, the associations between the search query or nephrologist characteristics and search outcomes were investigated through multivariable regression modeling. For the second group, three types of filters were applied to the physician-provided searches: one designed to identify high quality studies about treatment (‘methods’), one designed to identify studies with renal content (‘content’) and one designed to limit searches to journals that publish renal evidence (‘journal’). Search outcomes of the non-filtered and filter-aided searches were compared using the Wilcoxon Signed-Rank test. Results: Multifaceted searching (e.g. using MeSH, limits) improved sensitivity (rate ratio[RR]:2.6; 95% CI:1.4-5.0) and precision (RR:2.0; 95% CI:1.3-3.3). The addition of concept terms decreased sensitivity (RR:0.7; 95% CI:0.5-0.9), while increasing precision (RR:1.6; 95% CI:1.3-2.0). No associations were evident between nephrologist characteristics and sensitivity. However, physicians who previously received training in literature searching produced searches with better precision (RR:2.3; 95% CI:1.4-3.6). The combined use of the ‘methods’ and ‘content’ filters produced the largest improvement in precision with no change in sensitivity, compared to non-filtered searches (median difference:5.5%; 95% CI:2%-12%). Conclusions: Use of multifaceted searching and filters can improve physician-provided searches in PubMed. Literature training curricula should adopt the findings from this study. Improved search performance has the potential to enhance clinical practice and improve patient care

Applying science of learning in education: Infusing psychological science into the curriculum

The field of specialization known as the science of learning is not, in fact, one field. Science of learning is a term that serves as an umbrella for many lines of research, theory, and application. A term with an even wider reach is Learning Sciences (Sawyer, 2006). The present book represents a sliver, albeit a substantial one, of the scholarship on the science of learning and its application in educational settings (Science of Instruction, Mayer 2011). Although much, but not all, of what is presented in this book is focused on learning in college and university settings, teachers of all academic levels may find the recommendations made by chapter authors of service. The overarching theme of this book is on the interplay between the science of learning, the science of instruction, and the science of assessment (Mayer, 2011). The science of learning is a systematic and empirical approach to understanding how people learn. More formally, Mayer (2011) defined the science of learning as the “scientific study of how people learn” (p. 3). The science of instruction (Mayer 2011), informed in part by the science of learning, is also on display throughout the book. Mayer defined the science of instruction as the “scientific study of how to help people learn” (p. 3). Finally, the assessment of student learning (e.g., learning, remembering, transferring knowledge) during and after instruction helps us determine the effectiveness of our instructional methods. Mayer defined the science of assessment as the “scientific study of how to determine what people know” (p.3). Most of the research and applications presented in this book are completed within a science of learning framework. Researchers first conducted research to understand how people learn in certain controlled contexts (i.e., in the laboratory) and then they, or others, began to consider how these understandings could be applied in educational settings. Work on the cognitive load theory of learning, which is discussed in depth in several chapters of this book (e.g., Chew; Lee and Kalyuga; Mayer; Renkl), provides an excellent example that documents how science of learning has led to valuable work on the science of instruction. Most of the work described in this book is based on theory and research in cognitive psychology. We might have selected other topics (and, thus, other authors) that have their research base in behavior analysis, computational modeling and computer science, neuroscience, etc. We made the selections we did because the work of our authors ties together nicely and seemed to us to have direct applicability in academic settings

CHORUS Deliverable 2.2: Second report - identification of multi-disciplinary key issues for gap analysis toward EU multimedia search engines roadmap

After addressing the state-of-the-art during the first year of Chorus and establishing the existing landscape in multimedia search engines, we have identified and analyzed gaps within European research effort during our second year. In this period we focused on three directions, notably technological issues, user-centred issues and use-cases and socio- economic and legal aspects. These were assessed by two central studies: firstly, a concerted vision of functional breakdown of generic multimedia search engine, and secondly, a representative use-cases descriptions with the related discussion on requirement for technological challenges. Both studies have been carried out in cooperation and consultation with the community at large through EC concertation meetings (multimedia search engines cluster), several meetings with our Think-Tank, presentations in international conferences, and surveys addressed to EU projects coordinators as well as National initiatives coordinators. Based on the obtained feedback we identified two types of gaps, namely core technological gaps that involve research challenges, and “enablers”, which are not necessarily technical research challenges, but have impact on innovation progress. New socio-economic trends are presented as well as emerging legal challenges

Actions to Improve In-Patient Communication on Medication Teaching

Practice Problem: Medication education is a national and global patient safety challenge. Healthcare organizations often lack consistent and effective medication teaching policies. Studies have found that the teach-back method is an effective interactive communication practice of medication teaching to achieve optimal patient outcomes. PICOT: In direct care nursing staff (P), How does an evidence-based medication teaching bundle (I) compared to the current medication teaching practice(C) affect staff adherence to the dissemination of medication teaching to hospitalized patients (O) in 12 weeks (T)? Evidence: A review and appraisal of 12 research studies demonstrated that the teach-back method was clinically and statistically significant in improving medication safety and patient outcomes. This supports the evidence-based Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project for nursing staff trained on the teach-back method to integrate teach-back into medication teaching practice for hospitalized patients. Intervention: Nurse participants (n=8) were given an identical survey three times, once before and twice at six and ten weeks after training on the teach-back method, to evaluate the impact of the teach-back training on medication teaching. Using a validated teach-back evaluation tool, the nurse leader observed the participants\u27 teach-back proficiency. Outcome: No statistical significance was found in the perceived importance of and confidence in using the teach-back method between any two-time points; the perceived importance of and confidence in using the teach-back method increased from week one to week ten. The use of teach- back for medication communication increased after the teach-back training. Conclusion: Education on the teach-back method effectively promotes nurses’ confidence in and use of the teach-back method for medication teaching. Standardizing medication teaching using this method is recommended

An investigation of computerized information storage and retrieval methods, in a film library organized according to the universal decimal classification

The operation of the BBC Film Library was studied with the intention of defining those areas likely to benefit from computerization. The state of the art of computerized information retrieval was assessed by means of the literature, and those techniques likely to be of use at the Film Library were isolated. Computer programs were written to provide an information storage and retrieval system paralleling the manual system currently used at the Film Library, organized according to the UNIVERSAL DECIMAL CLASSIFICATION (UDC). These programs were operated by the film librarians in situ. A computerized system able to "learn" from enquiries was built and tested, and document clustering was also investigated as a method of subject classification. A modular approach to retrieval system design was developed within the framework of a Relational Database system, so that the various retrieval methods examined in the course of the study could be cemented into one concertive retrieval system

NASA RECON: Course Development, Administration, and Evaluation

The R and D activities addressing the development, administration, and evaluation of a set of transportable, college-level courses to educate science and engineering students in the effective use of automated scientific and technical information storage and retrieval systems, and, in particular, in the use of the NASA RECON system, are discussed. The long-range scope and objectives of these contracted activities are overviewed and the progress which has been made toward these objectives during FY 1983-1984 is highlighted. In addition, the results of a survey of 237 colleges and universities addressing course needs are presented

Guide to Options for ETD Programs

Dr. Martin Halbert of the University of North Texas documents the spectrum of ETD program implementation and offers guidance for academic decision-makers who are either creating or modifying ETD programs. Dr. Halbert identifies and offers in-depth analysis regarding the five key decisions that ETD programs must make. He also provides a literature review of publications, standards and reports that have been produced to date, and relates these to the key decisions