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Ecosystems monitoring is essential to properly understand their development and the effects of events, both climatological and anthropological in nature. The amount of data used in these assessments is increasing at very high rates. This is due to increasing availability of sensing systems and the development of new techniques to analyze sensor data. The Enviro-Net Project encompasses several of such sensor system deployments across five countries in the Americas. These deployments use a few different ground-based sensor systems, installed at different heights monitoring the conditions in tropical dry forests over long periods of time. This paper presents our experience in deploying and maintaining these systems, retrieving and pre-processing the data, and describes the Web portal developed to help with data management, visualization and analysis.

Sophisticated data-distribution schemes and recent developments in sensors and instruments that can monitor the lower kilometers of the atmosphere at high levels of resolution have rapidly expanded the quantity of information available to mesoscale meteorology. The myLEAD personalized information-management tool helps geoscience users make sense of this vastly expanded information space. MyLEAD extends the general globus metadata catalog service and leverages a well-known general and extensible schema. Its orientation makes it an active player in large-scale distributed computation environments characterized by interacting grid and Web services.

Because eManufacturing is motivated by the emerging need for distant collaborative design required among R&D centres and manufacturers of global-based enterprises, web-based product data management becomes an essential tool for realising the technology. In this paper, the design of a web-basedproductdatamanagement (WPDM) system is presented. The developed WPDM is aimed at achieving the goal of eManufacturing by providing an effective tool for product database management through the Internet utilising JAVA and J2EE technologies. In our scenarios, all the involved engineering and management team members who need WPDM are inherently located dispersedly. The ultimate goal is to optimise product cycle time and upgrade a traditional PDM system to face the challenge of the new era of global business competition. Basically, the proposed WPDM is developed in such a way that it allows designers/users to create, view and manipulate product data through the World Wide Web, while founding the architecture of the web application on a three-tier client/server system. The current WPDM of our design mainly uses servlets and JSP to handle user inputs and manage and retrieve product data from the database through the JDBC driver, with the server components stored on a middleware program called Tomcat. Within this environment, all parties involved in product design and manufacture can access the WPDM log-in page with the given URL after a successful identity authorisation. Consequently, these users can create, search and/or manipulate the desired engineering data through the enabled WPDM. The WPDM developed in this work has been experimentally tested in the lab.

Build faster, more reliable Rails apps by taking the best advanced PostgreSQL and Active Record capabilities, and using them to solve your application scale and growth challenges. Gain the skills needed to comfortably work with multi-terabyte databases, and with complex Active Record, SQL, and specialized Indexes. Develop your skills with PostgreSQL on your laptop, then take them into production, while keeping everything in sync. Make slow queries fast, perform any schema or data migration without errors, use scaling techniques like read/write splitting, partitioning, and sharding, to meet demanding workload requirements from Internet scale consumer apps to enterprise SaaS.Deepen your firsthand knowledge of high-scale PostgreSQL databases and Ruby on Rails applications with dozens of practical and hands-on exercises. Unlock the mysteries surrounding complex Active Record. Make any schema or data migration change confidently, without downtime. Grow your experience with modern and exclusive PostgreSQL features like SQL Merge, Returning, and Exclusion constraints. Put advanced capabilities like Full Text Search and Publish Subscribe mechanisms built into PostgreSQL to work in your Rails apps. Improve the quality of the data in your database, using the advanced and extensible system of types and constraints to reduce and eliminate application bugs. Tackle complex topics like how to improve query performance using specialized indexes. Discover how to effectively use built-in database functions and write your own, administer replication, and make the most of partitioning and foreign data wrappers. Use more than 40 well-supported open source tools to extend and enhance PostgreSQL and Ruby on Rails. Gain invaluable insights into database administration by conducting advanced optimizations - including high-impact database maintenance - all while solving real-world operational challenges. Take your new skills into production today and then take your PostgreSQL and Rails applications to a whole new level of reliability and performance.What You Need:A computer running macOS, Linux, or Windows and WSL2PostgreSQL version 16, installed by package manager, compiled, or running with DockerAn Internet connection

Citizen science has a long history in the ecological sciences and has made substantial contributions to science, education, and society. Developments in information technology during the last few decades have created new opportunities for citizen science to engage ever larger audiences of volunteers to help address some of ecology’s most pressing issues, such as global environmental change. Using online tools, volunteers can find projects that match their interests and learn the skills and protocols required to develop questions, collect data, submit data, and help process and analyze data online. Citizen science has become increasingly important for its ability to engage large numbers of volunteers to generate observations at scales or resolutions unattainable by individual researchers. As a coupled natural and human approach, citizen science can also help researchers access local knowledge and implement conservation projects that might be impossible otherwise. In Japan, however, the value of citizen science to science and society is still underappreciated. Here we present case studies of citizen science in Japan, the United States, and the United Kingdom, and describe how citizen science is used to tackle key questions in ecology and conservation, including spatial and macro-ecology, management of threatened and invasive species, and monitoring of biodiversity. We also discuss the importance of data quality, volunteer recruitment, program evaluation, and the integration of science and human systems in citizen science projects. Finally, we outline some of the primary challenges facing citizen science and its future.

Qualified Clinical Data Registries (QCDRs) have proliferated across many medical specialties, facilitating quality measure performance monitoring and reporting in programs like the CMS Merit-based Incentive Payment System. Many of these QCDRs offer web-based, clinician-facing dashboards to support quality improvement. However, it is unknown whether engagement with such dashboards is associated with improvements in quality of care. We investigated the cross-sectional relationship between engagement with a QCDR dashboard and quality measure performance. Data derived from a rheumatology QCDR (\"Rheumatology Informatics System for Effectiveness [RISE]\") and audit log data from the dashboard (exposure) and Merit-based Incentive Payment System submission data (outcome) from 2020-2022 were included. Among practices participating in RISE, we assessed aggregated engagement with the QCDR dashboard and quality performance for 8 rheumatology-specific measures at the practice level. For each measure, the binomial generalized linear model was used to examine the association between dashboard engagement and measure performance, adjusting for EHR vendor, study year, and clustering at the practice level to account for repeated measures. Two types of engagement were analyzed: (1) measure-specific (interactions with patient-level information for a particular measure) and (2) global (interactions with any feature of the dashboard, classified into 4 profiles). Linear trends between the level of dashboard engagement and performance were also tested in the global analysis. In total, 211 practices were included in the study; over half were single-specialty practices. During their first year in the study, 65% of the practices had \"most\" or \"moderate\" levels of global engagement. In measure-specific analyses, we observed a positive but nonsignificant association of each individual and \"any\" actions with performance on 6-8 measures. However, having a ≥90th percentile number of drill-down views on 1 measure (rheumatoid arthritis (RA) periodic disease activity assessment) was statistically significant (odds ratio [OR] 2.3, 95% CI 1.2-4.3). In global analyses, we observed a similar pattern, where practices \"most\" engaged with the dashboard had higher odds of better performance compared to those with \"none.\" In total, 4 measures (osteoporosis screening, RA functional status assessment, RA periodic disease activity assessment, and gout serum urate target) had a statistically significant association with engagement and exhibited a \"dose-response\" relationship (P=.004, .02, <.001, and .04, respectively, for trend). Practices with \"any\" global engagement had higher performance on 6 out of 8 measures, again, with RA periodic disease activity assessment being statistically significant (OR 2.9, 95% CI 1.3-6.6). We found that higher levels of engagement were associated with higher performance on some, but not all, rheumatology-specific quality measures. Additional work is needed to understand whether the dashboard facilitates quality improvement or is merely a marker for high-performing practices.

Aim This study is conducted to synthesize the effects of web‐based self‐management intervention on patients with cancer. Evaluation We searched Web of Science, PubMed, Embase and Cochrane library databases for related randomized controlled trials from inception through 2021. Reference lists of included studies were also searched for additional qualified studies. For quantitative data synthesis, standardized mean differences were used to eliminate the influence caused by different scales. Narrative synthesis was also performed. Key issues Nine in 1149 studies were included for narrative and quantitative analysis. The pooled data suggested that patients in the intervention group had better quality of life (standardized mean difference = 1.091, 95% confidence interval: 0.155–2.028) and lower depression (standardized mean difference = −1.634, 95% confidence interval: −2.980 to −0.287) than those in the control group. The result of narrative synthesis is that patients receiving intervention had lower cancer or symptom distress and higher self‐efficacy than those in the control group. Conclusion Web‐based self‐management intervention improved lives of cancer survivors.

Web‐based studies of human dimensions are increasing across environmental and socio‐ecological disciplines. However, the prevalence of fraud threatens research quality. Increased fraud rates should be expected as surveys move progressively more online, motivated by expanding reach, cost savings and/or in response to COVID‐19. Web‐based research must better account for fraud to maintain confidence in findings. Practical diagnostic tools and data quality protocols are required to detect fraud and ensure results quality. Drawing on our experience using an online participatory mapping case study, we discuss methods to detect potentially fraudulent responses—and identify some limitations. We begin by reviewing the current state of knowledge on fraudulent responses or ‘fraudsters’ and its relative absence in environmental and socio‐ecological disciplines. We then describe our research approach, the indicators and variables we used to detect and assess fraud and our decision‐making process to eliminate suspicious responses without jeopardizing research integrity. We found that despite several preventative measures, many fraudulent respondents could provide survey responses and effectively mimicked legitimate respondents at first glance. By assuming each response to be ‘potentially fraudulent’, we determined that the complete screening of each respondent, while time‐consuming, can limit the prevalence of fraud. We also determined that the most common data consistency checks (e.g. duration, trap questions and straight‐liner checks) are unlikely to guarantee valid respondents. If not acknowledged and addressed, fraud has the potential to undermine data integrity, discredit research findings and limit the utility of results for policy. This study contributes to environmental and socio‐ecological research by reviewing existing fraudster literature and using our experience with fraud to provide recommendations for researchers to address this problem. We encourage researchers implementing online qualitative research methods to thoroughly assess and report fraud, when possible, to ensure widespread knowledge of this growing threat. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Pre-capillary pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a progressive and incurable disease characterized by high morbidity, frequent emergency department (ED) visits, and persistently poor survival despite targeted therapies. Web-based symptom monitoring programs offer a promising, non-invasive approach to support self-management and enable the early detection of decompensation. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a web-based symptom-monitoring program on symptom interference, physical activity, and ED readmission in patients with pre-capillary PH. This parallel-group, single-blind, randomized controlled trial recruited patients with precapillary PH from a cardiology outpatient department in northern Taiwan. Patients were included if they had been diagnosed with pulmonary arterial hypertension or chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension and had a mean pulmonary arterial pressure of >20 mmHg confirmed via right heart catheterization. Participants were randomized into 2 groups: an intervention group (n=26), which received a 6-month symptom monitoring program delivered via a web-based application, or a control group (n=25), which received standard care. Outcomes were assessed by comparing measures at baseline (enrollment) with measures at 3, 6, and 9 months postintervention. The primary outcome was symptom interference, and the secondary outcomes included physical activity based on the 6-minute walk test, hemodynamic data, and readmissions to the ED. Changes in baseline measurements were analyzed using generalized estimating equations. The mean age of the 51 participants was 59.6 (SD 13.6) years. Most patients were diagnosed with connective tissue disease-associated pulmonary arterial hypertension (39.2%), with a mean duration of PH since diagnosis of 3.38 (SD 2.55) years. The patient characteristics did not differ significantly between the groups. Compared with the control group, the intervention group experienced greater reduction in symptom interference, and over the 9-month intervention period, the intervention group showed a significantly greater improvement in the 6-minute walk test, with the distance increasing by an average of 9.8 meters every 3 months (β=9.81; 95% CI 0.93 to 18.70; P=.03). Additionally, generalized estimating equations analysis demonstrated that, compared to the control group, the intervention group had a 65% decrease (β=-1.03; OR=0.35; P=.04) in the likelihood of ED readmissions for every 3-month interval during the 9-month study period. A web-based symptom monitoring program effectively reduced symptom interference, improved physical activity, and decreased ED visits in patients with pre-capillary PH.

Sufficient sample size and minimal sample bias are core requirements for empirical data analyses. Combining opportunistic recruitment with a Web-based survey and data-collection platform yields new benefits over traditional recruitment approaches. This paper aims to report the success of different recruitment methods and obtain data on participants' characteristics, participation behavior, recruitment rates, and representativeness of the sample. A longitudinal, Web-based survey was implemented as part of the European PASTA (Physical Activity through Sustainable Transport Approaches) project, between November 2014 and December 2016. During this period, participants were recruited from 7 European cities on a rolling basis. A standardized guide on recruitment strategy was developed for all cities, to reach a sufficient number of adult participants. To make use of the strengths and minimize weakness, a combination of different opportunistic recruitment methods was applied. In addition, the random sampling approach was applied in the city of Örebro. To reduce the attrition rate and improve real-time monitoring, the Web-based platform featured a participant's and a researchers' user interface and dashboard. Overall, 10,691 participants were recruited; most people found out about the survey through their workplace or employer (2300/10691, 21.51%), outreach promotion (2219/10691, 20.76%), and social media (1859/10691, 17.39%). The average number of questionnaires filled in per participant varied significantly between the cities (P<.001), with the highest number in Zurich (11.0, SE 0.33) and the lowest in Örebro (4.8, SE 0.17). Collaboration with local organizations, the use of Facebook and mailing lists, and direct street recruitment were the most effective approaches in reaching a high share of participants (P<.001). Considering the invested working hours, Facebook was one of the most time-efficient methods. Compared with the cities' census data, the composition of study participants was broadly representative in terms of gender distribution; however, the study included younger and better-educated participants. We observed that offering a mixed recruitment approach was highly effective in achieving a high participation rate. The highest attrition rate and the lowest average number of questionnaires filled in per participant were observed in Örebro, which also recruited participants through random sampling. These findings suggest that people who are more interested in the topic are more willing to participate and stay in a survey than those who are selected randomly and may not have a strong connection to the research topic. Although direct face-to-face contacts were very effective with respect to the number of recruited participants, recruiting people through social media was not only effective but also very time efficient. The collected data are based on one of the largest recruited longitudinal samples with a common recruitment strategy in different European cities.