Query: Dissemination information studies

title: COVID 19: Real time dissemination of scientific information to fight a public health emergency of international concern.
abstract: Rapidly sharing scientific information is an effective way to reduce public panic about COVID 19, and doing so is the key to providing real time guidance to epidemiologists working to contain the outbreak, clinicians managing patients, and modelers helping to understand future developments and the possible effectiveness of various interventions. This issue has rapidly reviewed and published articles describing COVID 19, including the drug treatment options for SARS CoV 2, its clinical characteristics, and therapies involving a combination of Chinese and Western medicine, the efficacy of chloroquine phosphate in the treatment of COVID 19 associated pneumonia according to clinical studies, and reflections on the system of reserve medical supplies for public health emergencies. As an academic journal, we will continue to quickly and transparently share data with frontline healthcare workers who need to know the epidemiological and clinical features of COVID 19.

title: Dissemination of Misinformative and Biased Information about Prostate Cancer on YouTube.
abstract: YouTube is a social media platform with more than 1 billion users and >600000 videos about prostate cancer. Two small studies examined the quality of prostate cancer videos on YouTube, but did not use validated instruments, examine user interactions, or characterize the spread of misinformation. We performed the largest, most comprehensive examination of prostate cancer information on YouTube to date, including the first 150 videos on screening and treatment. We used the validated DISCERN quality criteria for consumer health information and the Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool, and compared results for user engagement. The videos in our sample had up to 1.3 million views (average 45223) and the overall quality of information was moderate. More videos described benefits (75% than harms (53% and only 50% promoted shared decision making as recommended in current guidelines. Only 54% of the videos defined medical terms and few provided summaries or references. There was a significant negative correlation between scientific quality and viewer engagement (views/month p=0.004; thumbs up/views p=0.015) The comments section underneath some videos contained advertising and peer to peer medical advice. A total of 115 videos (77% contained potentially misinformative and/or biased content within the video or comments section, with a total reach of >6 million viewers.  Many popular YouTube videos about prostate cancer contained biased or poor quality information. A greater number of views and thumbs up on YouTube does not mean that the information is trustworthy.

title: Agricultural information dissemination using ICTs: A review and analysis of information dissemination models in China
abstract: Over the last three decades, China's agriculture sector has been transformed from the traditional to modern practice through the effective deployment of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) Information processing and dissemination have played a critical role in this transformation process. Many studies in relation to agriculture information services have been conducted in China, but few of them have attempted to provide a comprehensive review and analysis of different information dissemination models and their applications. This paper aims to review and identify the ICT based information dissemination models in China and to share the knowledge and experience in applying emerging ICTs in disseminating agriculture information to farmers and farm communities to improve productivity and economic, social and environmental sustainability. The paper reviews and analyzes the development stages of China's agricultural information dissemination systems and different mechanisms for agricultural information service development and operations. Seven ICT based information dissemination models are identified and discussed. Success cases are presented. The findings provide a useful direction for researchers and practitioners in developing future ICT based information dissemination systems. It is hoped that this paper will also help other developing countries to learn from China's experience and best practice in their endeavor of applying emerging ICTs in agriculture information dissemination and knowledge transfer.

title: A Social Aware Framework for Efficient Information Dissemination in Wireless Ad Hoc Networks
abstract: In wireless ad hoc networks, each node participates in routing by forwarding data to other nodes without a pre existing infrastructure. Particularly, with the wide adoption of smart devices, the concept of smartphone ad hoc networks (SPANs) has evolved to enable alternate means for information sharing. Using unlicensed frequency spectrum and short range wireless technologies, a SPAN enables a new paradigm of applications and thus is seen as an attractive component in future wireless networks. In a SPAN, smartphones form local peer to peer networks to cooperate and share information efficiently. Recent studies have shown that if the users' social relations are considered while designing cooperation schemes and protocols in SPANs, the cooperation initialization and content dissemination can be notably improved to increase the overall network efficiency and communications reliability. In this article, we present a social aware framework for optimizing SPANs by exploiting two layers: users' relationships in the online social network layer and users' offline connections and interactions in the physical wireless network layer. The online content popularity distribution is also studied as a result of the users' online interaction profiles. In the end, we integrate both online and offline layers, and discuss possible applications to further enhance the network performance.

title: User satisfaction with microblogging: Information dissemination versus social networking
abstract: Microblogging is growing in popularity and significance. Although many researchers have attempted to explain why and how people use this new medium, previous studies have produced relatively inconclusive results. For instance, in most of these studies, microblogging has been considered a social networking activity; however, quantitative analyses of microblogging usage have shown that people use microblogging as an information broadcasting platform. In this study, we identified the factors that drive microblogging and which of them lead to user satisfaction. We developed a theoretical framework and then empirically validated the factors and the emergent mechanisms (value evaluation processes) We empirically tested our research model using a sample of 230 microbloggers, and the results showed that content and technology gratifications are the two key factors that drive user satisfaction with microblogging. That is, it is the value of information dissemination rather than social networking that makes people feel satisfied with the use of microblogging. We believe that this study will generate interest among researchers in social media. The results also provide platform administrators with insights into how people use microblogging and why they are satisfied with the technology.

title: Online dissemination of information on sustainability in regional governments. Effects of technological factors
abstract: Developers and managers of websites are key players in conveying the transparency of governments. Although previous research has highlighted the need for further progress in transparency on sustainability, very few studies have considered how websites can better contribute to providing sustainability information. This paper identifies determinant factors that can help website developers and managers enhance the online transparency on sustainability provided by regional governments. In an empirical study of 17 Spanish regional governments, we identified technological factors (such as broadband availability and the online compilation of information) and transparency stimulating factors (such as convergence with the information society, accessibility and usability) that can be useful to increase the volume of social, economic and environmental information published on their websites.

title: Information and Communication Technologies for the Dissemination of Clinical Practice Guidelines to Health Professionals: A Systematic Review
abstract: The transfer of research knowledge into clinical practice can be a continuous challenge for researchers. Information and communication technologies, such as websites and email, have emerged as popular tools for the dissemination of evidence to health professionals.  The objective of this systematic review was to identify research on health professionals' perceived usability and practice behavior change of information and communication technologies for the dissemination of clinical practice guidelines.  We used a systematic approach to retrieve and extract data about relevant studies. We identified 2248 citations, of which 21 studies met criteria for inclusion; 20 studies were randomized controlled trials, and 1 was a controlled clinical trial. The following information and communication technologies were evaluated: websites (5 studies) computer software (3 studies) Web based workshops (2 studies) computerized decision support systems (2 studies) electronic educational game (1 study) email (2 studies) and multifaceted interventions that consisted of at least one information and communication technology component (6 studies) Results Website studies demonstrated significant improvements in perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use, but not for knowledge, reducing barriers, and intention to use clinical practice guidelines. Computer software studies demonstrated significant improvements in perceived usefulness, but not for knowledge and skills. Web based workshop and email studies demonstrated significant improvements in knowledge, perceived usefulness, and skills. An electronic educational game intervention demonstrated a significant improvement from baseline in knowledge after 12 and 24 weeks. Computerized decision support system studies demonstrated variable findings for improvement in skills. Multifaceted interventions demonstrated significant improvements in beliefs about capabilities, perceived usefulness, and intention to use clinical practice guidelines, but variable findings for improvements in skills. Most multifaceted studies demonstrated significant improvements in knowledge.  The findings suggest that health professionals' perceived usability and practice behavior change vary by type of information and communication technology. Heterogeneity and the paucity of properly conducted studies did not allow for a clear comparison between studies and a conclusion on the effectiveness of information and communication technologies as a knowledge translation strategy for the dissemination of clinical practice guidelines.

title: Social relationships and information dissemination in virtual social network systems: An attachment theory perspective
abstract: Web based communication via social networking sites has become an integral method of communication, raising the question of whether the well established Attachment Theory remains applicable to modern relationships. This communication shift is also likely to affect the information dissemination dynamic; i.e. how internal attachment working models relate to virtual modes of communication. Three studies (354 participants in total, median age 27) examined the applicability of Attachment Theory to web based social network communications. Using self report measures (Study 1) and an experimental simulation (Study 2) the results indicate that attachment security level predicts an individual's number of social ties and willingness to initiate web based relationships. Secure individuals emerged as best situated to become social hubs. Study 3 reveals that a decrease in avoidance scores predicts an increased willingness to deliver information to others. Anxious participants exhibited less willingness to deliver highly threatening information but more willingness to deliver neutral information to others. These findings support the applicability of attachment internal working models to predicting web based social network communication, and suggest that Attachment Theory can be a predictor of the dynamics of web based dissemination of information.

title: Roadside unit deployment for information dissemination in a VANET: an evolutionary approach
abstract: A VANET is a network where each node represents a vehicle equipped with wireless communication technology. This type of network enhances road safety, traffic efficiency, Internet access and many others applications to minimize environmental impact and in general maximize the benefits for the road users. This paper studies a relevant problem in VANETs, known as the deployment of RSUs. A RSU is an access points, used together with the vehicles, to allow information dissemination in the roads. Knowing where to place these RSUs so that a maximum number of vehicles circulating is covered is a challenge. We model the problem as a Maximum Coverage with Time Threshold Problem (MCTTP) and use a genetic algorithm to solve it. The algorithm is tested in four real world datasets, and compared to a greedy approach previously proposed in the literature. The results show that our approach finds better results than the greedy in all scenarios, with gains up to 11 percentage points.

title: A content centric approach to dissemination of information in vehicular networks
abstract: Data dissemination in dynamic environments such as vehicular networks has been a critical challenge. One of the key characteristics of vehicular networks is the high intermittent connectivity. Recent studies have investigated and proven the feasibility of a content centric networking paradigm for vehicular networks. Content centric information dissemination has a potential number of applications in vehicular networking, including advertising, traffic and parking notifications and emergency announcements. It is clear and evident that knowledge about the type of content and its relevance can enhance the performance of data dissemination in VANETs. In this paper we address the problem of information dissemination in vehicular network environments and propose a model and solution based on a content centric approach of networking. We leverage the expansion properties of interacting nodes in a cluster to be interpreted in terms of social connections among nodes and perform a selective random network coding approach. We compare the reliability performance of our method with a conventional random network coding approach and comment on the complexity of the proposed solution.