Optimising metadata to make high-value content more accessible to Google users

Purpose: This paper shows how information in digital collections that have been catalogued using high-quality metadata can be retrieved more easily by users of search engines such as Google. Methodology/approach: The research and proposals described arose from an investigation into the observed phenomenon that pages from the Glasgow Digital Library (gdl.cdlr.strath.ac.uk) were regularly appearing near the top of Google search results shortly after publication, without any deliberate effort to achieve this. The reasons for this phenomenon are now well understood and are described in the second part of the paper. The first part provides context with a review of the impact of Google and a summary of recent initiatives by commercial publishers to make their content more visible to search engines. Findings/practical implications: The literature research provides firm evidence of a trend amongst publishers to ensure that their online content is indexed by Google, in recognition of its popularity with Internet users. The practical research demonstrates how search engine accessibility can be compatible with use of established collection management principles and high-quality metadata. Originality/value: The concept of data shoogling is introduced, involving some simple techniques for metadata optimisation. Details of its practical application are given, to illustrate how those working in academic, cultural and public-sector organisations could make their digital collections more easily accessible via search engines, without compromising any existing standards and practices

Latinos, African Americans and the Coalitional Case for a Federal Jobs Program

In the late 1970s, amidst growing unemployment in black and Latino communities, the newly-formed Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) supported the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) in its call for full employment in the run up to the passage of the Humphrey-Hawkins Act of 1 978. Never fully implemented, the act has been de facto an unfunded mandate for close to 40 years. Only recently has it been resurrected by a handful of lawmakers, while both discussion and support for a national jobs program has begun to gain steam in the media and the general public. With support from labor market research and other empirical evidence, we propose and outline for a bold policy: a National Investment Employment Corps to provide a permanent job guarantee for all citizens with the purpose of maintaining and expanding the nation\u27s physical and human infrastructure. Given the disproportionate effect of the recent economic downturn and labor market bias on African Americans and Latinos, we argue that a National Investment Employment Corps program would address the employment needs for blacks and Latinos by assuring full-employment and simultaneously ensuring long-term benefits for the nation\u27s well-being

MEME08: A global magnetic field model with satellite data weighting

A new data weighting scheme is introduced for satellite geomagnetic survey data. This scheme allows vector samples of the field to be used at all magnetic latitudes and results in an improved lithospheric model, particularly in the auroral regions. Data weights for 20-second spaced satellite samples are derived from two noise estimators for the sample. Firstly the standard deviation along the 20 seconds of satellite track, centred on each sample, is computed as a measure of local magnetic activity. Secondly a larger-scale noise estimator is defined in terms of a ‘local area vector activity’ (LAVA) index for the sample. This is derived from activity estimated from the geographically nearest magnetic observatories to the sample point. Weighting of satellite data by the inverse-sum-of-squares of these noise estimators leads to a robust model of the field (called ‘Model of Earth’s Magnetic Environment 2008, or ‘MEME08’ - to rhyme with ‘beam’) to about spherical harmonic degree 60. In particular we find that vector data may be used at all latitudes and that there is no need to use particularly complex model parameterizations, regularisation, or prior data correction to remove estimates of un-modelled source fields

Improving time-dependent parameters of magnetic field models

An important part of modelling the Earth's magnetic field is to accurately characterise its temporal variation, in particular the secular variation, and secular acceleration. These quantities are sensitive to the data selection and the time-dependent parameterisation and we present modifications to these strategies. When selecting satellite data for magnetic field modelling it is normal practice to use less disturbed data collected when the local time is between certain hours during the night and perhaps additionally when the data are not sunlit. However this approach results in gaps in the temporal data distribution which are likely to compromise the model parameters that depend on time. If the solar zenith angle is also a selection criterion, parameters which depend on location will also be compromised as an annual signal is introduced into the data distribution at high latitudes. Here we strive for a more continuous coverage in time. Rather than eliminating large amounts of data which are normally considered to be too noisy to include in the model, we downweight these data. This builds on work done previously involving small-scale noise

Columbia University Advanced Concepts Data Center Pilot: Final Report

Columbia University Information Technology (CUIT) piloted advanced concepts data center techniques that emphasized rigorous before-and-after measurements of a series of recommended best practices and innovative equipment and infrastructure improvements in a real-world setting. The measurements were used to (a) monitor whether changes targeted to improve the energy efficiency and environmental impact of the primarily administrative systems currently in the centralized data center were, in fact, effective, and (b) to simultaneously expand the constrained computational capacity of the facility as a result of those improvements. CUIT included participation and critique from influential skeptics from commencement of the project. Two academic departments piloted a shared high performance computing cluster within the Data Center. As a result of this project, Columbia University continues to realize significant energy and environmental gains while demonstrating economic and operational feasibility in infrastructure improvements, uses of innovative computational equipment for both centralized administrative systems and research computing clusters

Introduction American Studies and American Science: An Analysis

Introduction American Studies and American Science: An Analysi

The 24 hour lung function time profile of olodaterol once daily versus placebo and tiotropium in patients with moderate to very severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Background: Olodaterol is a once-daily long-acting β2-agonist being investigated for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, with ≥ 24 hour bronchodilator activity. Methods: Two replicate, randomized, double-blind, four-way crossover (6-week treatment periods), active (tiotropium 18 μg via HandiHaler®)- and placebo-controlled trials were conducted to evaluate the 24 hour forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) profile of olodaterol (5 and 10 μg) once daily (via Respimat®). Patients continued with inhaled corticosteroids and xanthines. Spirometry was performed at baseline and over the entire 24 hour post-dose period at week 6 of each treatment phase. Co-primary end points were change from study baseline (response) in FEV1 area under the curve from 0–12 hours (AUC0–12) and FEV1 AUC from 12–24 hours (AUC12–24); key secondary end point was FEV1 AUC from 0–24 hours response. Results: In study 1222.39, there was a significant difference from placebo in FEV1 AUC0–12 and AUC12–24 responses (P<0.0001) with olodaterol 5 μg (0.185 and 0.131 L) and 10 μg (0.207 and 0.178 L) at 6 weeks; similar results were observed for tiotropium (0.173 and 0.123 L). In study 1222.40, responses were 0.197 and 0.153 L with olodaterol 5 μg, 0.221 and 0.170 L with 10 μg, and 0.221 and 0.164 L with tiotropium versus placebo (P<0.0001). Incidence of adverse events was comparable across treatments. Conclusions: These data confirm the 24 hour lung-function efficacy profile of once-daily olodaterol, with FEV1 responses comparable to tiotropium

The lung function profile of once-daily tiotropium and olodaterol via Respimat® is superior to that of twice-daily salmeterol and fluticasone propionate via Accuhaler® (ENERGITO® study)

Background: Tiotropium + olodaterol has demonstrated improvements beyond lung function benefits in a large Phase III clinical program as a once-daily maintenance treatment for COPD and may be a potential option for the initiation of maintenance treatment in COPD. Despite guideline recommendations that combined long-acting beta(2)-agonists and inhaled corticosteroids should only be used in individuals at high risk of exacerbation, there is substantial use in individuals at lower risk. This raises the question of the comparative effectiveness of this combination as maintenance treatment in this group compared to other combination regimens. Objective: The study aimed to assess the effect on lung function of once-daily tiotropium + olodaterol versus twice-daily salmeterol + fluticasone propionate in all participants with Global initiative for chronic Obstructive Lung Disease 2 or 3 (moderate to severe) COPD. Methods: This was a randomized, double-blind, double-dummy, four-treatment, complete crossover study in which participants received once-daily tiotropium + olodaterol (5/5 mu g and 2.5/5 mu g) via Respimat (R) and twice-daily salmeterol + fluticasone propionate (50/500 mu g and 50/250 mu g) via Accuhaler (R) for 6 weeks. The primary end point was change in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) area under the curve from 0 hour to 12 hours (AUC(0-12)) relative to the baseline after 6 weeks. Results: Tiotropium + olodaterol 5/5 mu g and 2.5/5 mu g demonstrated statistically significant improvements in FEV1 AUC(0-12) compared to salmeterol + fluticasone propionate (improvements from baseline were 317 mL and 295 mL with tiotropium + olodaterol 5/5 mu g and 2.5/5 mu g, and 188 mL and 192 mL with salmeterol + fluticasone propionate 50/500 mu g and 50/250 mu g, respectively). Tiotropium + olodaterol was superior to salmeterol + fluticasone propionate in lung function secondary end points, including FEV1 area under the curve from 0 hour to 24 hours (AUC(0-24)). Conclusion: Once-daily tiotropium + olodaterol in participants with moderate-to-severe COPD provided superior lung function improvements to twice-daily salmeterol + fluticasone propionate. Dual bronchodilation can be considered to optimize lung function in individuals requiring maintenance treatment for COPD

A randomised, double-blind, four-way, crossover trial comparing the 24-h FEV₁ profile for once-daily versus twice-daily treatment with olodaterol, a novel long-acting β₂-agonist, in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Background: This randomised, double-blind, four-way, crossover, Phase II study compared the 24-h forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) profile of alternative dosing frequencies of two total daily doses of olodaterol (5 and 10 mu g) in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Methods: Patients received olodaterol 2 mu g twice daily (BID), 5 mu g BID, 5 mu g once daily (QD) and 10 mu g QD in a randomised sequence over 3-week treatment periods. Co-primary end points were FEV, area under the curve from 0 to 12 h (AUC(0-12)) and area under the curve from 12 to 24 h (AUC(12-24)) responses. Additional lung-function responses, pharmacokinetics and safety were assessed. Results: 47 patients were treated. All olodaterol doses provided significant increases in FEV, versus baseline (p < 0.001) and FEV, time profiles were nearly identical for olodaterol 5 and 10 mu g QD. Olodaterol 5 pg QD demonstrated improved FEV, AUC(0-12) and similar AUC(12-24) versus 2 mu g BID. Olodaterol 5 mu g QD showed slightly increased FEV, AUC(0-12) but lower AUC(12-24) compared to 5 mu g BID. Bronchodilation over 24 h was similar for olodaterol 5 pg QD and BID. All doses were well tolerated. Conclusions: Olodaterol 5 pg QD is efficacious in COPD, with a superior bronchodilatory profile compared to 2 mu g BID, which is close to the same total daily dose, and a similar degree of bronchodilation over 24 h compared with double the daily dose (administered as 10 pg QD or 5 mu g BID)