scholarly journals Captagon, Octodrine, and NBOMe: An Integrative Analysis of Trends Databases, the Deep Web, and the Darknet

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. 114
Author(s):  
Ahmed Al-Imam ◽  
Ban A. AbdulMajeed
Keyword(s):  
Warning System ◽  
Deep Web ◽  
Google Trends ◽  
Integrative Approach ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Terror Attacks ◽  
Pharmacokinetic Properties ◽  
Novel Method ◽  
Developed World ◽  
The Web

BACKGROUND: Captagon, Octodrine, and NBOMe are unique substances; each represents a chemical category of its own pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic properties. Captagon is an amphetamine-type stimulant, while octodrine is a sympathomimetic agent, on the other hand, NBOMe is a hallucinogen (psychedelic substance). However, the mechanism of action for each is exerted via monoamine transporters.MATERIALS & METHODS: This study will explore these substances using an integrative approach via the analysis of the surface and deep web, and a trends database. The aims are; to visualise the extent of diffusion of each substance on the internet, conclude the geo-mapping for the diffusion, to see if the patterns are compatible on both divisions of the web, and to infer data on the basis of the power (authority) for e-vendors on the darknet e-marketplace. This study is a hybrid of cross-sectional and retrospective analyses.RESULTS: Google Trends analyses confirmed that the popularity of captagon is ahead over both NBOMe and octodrine; captagon popularity was correlated with terror attacks in the developed world, particularly in western European countries. The contribution of the developing countries to the diffusion of these substances, including the Middle East, was minimal.CONCLUSION: This study proposes a novel method to analyse the e-markets on the darknet via the use of; analysis of the basis of power, inferential statistics, geo-mapping in parallel with data from Google Trends database. Data from Google Trends can serve as a foundation for data mining techniques for an efficient warning system against an anticipated swarm of intoxications or an attack of terror.

scholarly journals The Most Popular Chemical Categories of NPS in Four Leading Countries of the Developed World: An Integrative Analysis of Trends Databases, Surface Web, and the Deep Web

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. 27
Author(s):  
Ahmed Al-Imam ◽  
Ban A. AbdulMajeed
Keyword(s):  
Deep Web ◽  
Google Trends ◽  
New Psychoactive Substances ◽  
Psychoactive Substances ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Novel Method ◽  
Multiple Levels ◽  
Developed World ◽  
Surface Web ◽  
Mining Tools

BACKGROUND: New psychoactive substances are very diverse; hundreds exist today. Several schemes exist to categorise them; NPS can be classified into Cannabinoids and Cannabimimetics (1), Phenethylamines (2), Cathinones (3), Tryptamines (4), Piperazines (5), Pipradrol derivatives (6), and miscellaneous substances (7)MATERIALS & METHODS: Observational analyses via multiple internet snapshots will be carried out on the surface web and the deep web. The analyses will be hierarchical and integrative to infer the most popular categories of NPS based on the attentiveness (interest) of web users.RESULTS: Analysis of Google Trends from 2012 to the end of 2016, shows that interest in cannabinoids was the highest (98%), while all other chemical categories of NPS summed up to a tiny fragment (2%). The trends were highly oscillating over the years and shooting up during holiday seasons. Geo-mapping and localisation of the Middle East were not possible (not allowed) via Google Trends, while trends were attributed to four major leading countries of the developed world; US (35%), UK (17%), Canada (26%), and Australia (22%). Cannabinoids and stimulants were also found to be the most popular on the darknet.CONCLUSION: A novel method is proposed in this study; it has been carried out to provide an updated extrapolation on the most favoured chemical categories of NPS. This method is based on a combinatory examination at multiple levels of the surface web and the deep web. Furthermore, this method when potentially combined with data mining tools should provide unprecedented real-time analyses of high quality.

scholarly journals The NPS Phenomenon and the Deep Web: Trends Analyses and Internet Snapshots

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. 71
Author(s):  
Ahmed Al-Imam ◽  
Ban A. AbdulMajeed
Keyword(s):  
Middle Eastern ◽  
Reliable Data ◽  
Deep Web ◽  
Google Trends ◽  
Knowledge Discovery In Databases ◽  
Novel Psychoactive Substances ◽  
Psychoactive Substances ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Surface Web ◽  
Mining Tools

BACKGROUND: In relation to the phenomenon of novel psychoactive substances, activities on the surface web represent only the tip of the iceberg. The majority of the electronic commerce (e-commerce) activities exist on the deep web and the darknet. Observational analytic studies are failing to keep pace with these activities; these studies are either obsolete beyond the point in time of the taken internet snapshot or highly-consuming for resources including time, funding, and manpower.MATERIALS & METHODS: Cross-sectional and retrospective analyses via multiple Internet snapshots were carried out across Google Trends database and the e-markets on the darknet. Google Trends were scanned retrospectively (2012-2016) for keywords specific to the deep web in an aim to estimate and geo-map of the attentiveness (interest) of surface web users in the deep web and its illicit activities.RESULTS: The attentiveness of surface web users in the deep web was noticed to be incremented during 2013 and 2014; the top ten contributing countries were Norway, Germany, Denmark, Austria, Poland, Sweden, Slovenia, Switzerland, Finland, and Netherlands. Middle Eastern countries contributed minimally including; Syria, Iran, Israel, UAE, Morocco, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia. Power scoring of e-markets revealed that the top five markets were; AlphaBay, Agora, Nucleus, Abraxas, and Hansa. The most common categories of NPS on these markets were; cannabis and cannabimimetic (1st), stimulants (2nd), empathogens (3rd), and psychedelics (4th).CONCLUSION: The e-commerce activities on the deep web and the darknet e-marketplace represent an integral component of the NPS e-phenomenon. Unfortunately, recent attempts to examine and study those unlawful activities are outdated. Hence, to achieve real-time and reliable data, the inclusion of data mining tools and knowledge discovery in databases are critical to ensuring a future victory.

A cross-sectional survey among physicians on Internet use for epilepsy-related information (Preprint)

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesco Brigo ◽  
Simona Lattanzi ◽  
Giorgia Giussani ◽  
Laura Tassi ◽  
Nicola Pietrafusa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Internet Use ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Online Information ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Related Information ◽  
Internet Users ◽  
Therapeutic Decisions ◽  
The Individual ◽  
The Web

BACKGROUND The Internet has become one of the most important sources of health information, accessed daily by an ever-growing number of both patients and physicians, seeking medical advice and clinical guidance. A deeper insight into the current use of the Web as source of information on epilepsy would help in clarifying the individual attitude towards this medium by Internet users. OBJECTIVE We investigated views towards the Internet in a sample of Italian healthcare specialists involved in epilepsy field, to explore factors which explained the influence of information found on the internet. METHODS This study was a self-administered survey conducted in a group of members of the Italian Chapter of the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) in January 2018. RESULTS 184 questionnaires were analyzed. 97.8% of responders reported to seek online information on epilepsy. The Internet was most frequently searched to obtain new information (69.9%) or to confirm a diagnostic or therapeutic decision (37.3%). The influence of consulting the Internet on clinical practice was associated with registration to social network(s) (OR: 2.94; 95%CI: 1.28-6.76; p=0.011), higher frequency of Internet use (OR: 3.66; 95%CI: 1.56-9.21; p=0.006) and higher confidence in reliability of online information (OR: 2.61; 95%CI: 1.09-6.26; p=0.031). No association was found with age, sex, years in epilepsy practice or easiness to find online information. CONCLUSIONS Internet is frequently used among healthcare professionals involved in the epilepsy to obtain information about this disease. The attitude of being influenced by the Internet for diagnostic and/or therapeutic decisions in epilepsy is independent on age and years of experience in epilepsy, and probably reflects an individual approach towards the Web.

Customized Circuit Interconnect and Repair by Laser Seeding and Constriction-Induced Plating.

1990 ◽  
Vol 203 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julian P. Partridge ◽  
C. Julian Chen
Keyword(s):  
Equilibrium Potential ◽  
Palladium Acetate ◽  
Process Window ◽  
Acetate Solution ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Mechanical And Electrical Properties ◽  
Copper Electrolyte ◽  
Ion Laser ◽  
Novel Method ◽  
Current Densities

ABSTRACTA novel method has been developed for producing customized copper interconnections on thermally-sensitive substrates by laser seeding followed by constrictioninduced electroplating. A polyimide, polytetrafluoroethylene, or glass-epoxy substrate is first sprayed with palladium acetate solution. 500 nm thick palladium interconnects are then formed using a 514 nm argon ion laser (10 mW - 50 mW) to selectively pyrolyze the acetate film. After cleaning, the part is immersed in an acid copper electrolyte and an alternating current (0.1 Amp - 2.0 Amp) passed through the palladium seed. Joule heating produces a cathodic shift in the equilibrium potential (dε0/dT = 0.63 mV/degree) which causes electrodeposition of copper along the seeded connection.Cross-sectional microscopy and electrochemical polarization studies show that local plating current densities of 10 mA/cm2 produce 1000 εm × 25 εm × 10 εm line geometries exhibiting excellent mechanical and electrical properties. The large process window suggests that customization and repair on lincwidths below 1 mil (25 εm) should be achievable routinely.

scholarly journals Cross-sectional telephone surveys as a tool to study epidemiological factors and monitor seasonal influenza activity in Malta

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
V. Marmara ◽  
D. Marmara ◽  
P. McMenemy ◽  
A. Kleczkowski
Keyword(s):  
Infectious Diseases ◽  
Seasonal Influenza ◽  
Medical Information ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Reporting Rate ◽  
Google Trends ◽  
Activity Levels ◽  
Self Perception ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
The Public

Abstract Background Seasonal influenza has major implications for healthcare services as outbreaks often lead to high activity levels in health systems. Being able to predict when such outbreaks occur is vital. Mathematical models have extensively been used to predict epidemics of infectious diseases such as seasonal influenza and to assess effectiveness of control strategies. Availability of comprehensive and reliable datasets used to parametrize these models is limited. In this paper we combine a unique epidemiological dataset collected in Malta through General Practitioners (GPs) with a novel method using cross-sectional surveys to study seasonal influenza dynamics in Malta in 2014–2016, to include social dynamics and self-perception related to seasonal influenza. Methods Two cross-sectional public surveys (n = 406 per survey) were performed by telephone across the Maltese population in 2014–15 and 2015–16 influenza seasons. Survey results were compared with incidence data (diagnosed seasonal influenza cases) collected by GPs in the same period and with Google Trends data for Malta. Information was collected on whether participants recalled their health status in past months, occurrences of influenza symptoms, hospitalisation rates due to seasonal influenza, seeking GP advice, and other medical information. Results We demonstrate that cross-sectional surveys are a reliable alternative data source to medical records. The two surveys gave comparable results, indicating that the level of recollection among the public is high. Based on two seasons of data, the reporting rate in Malta varies between 14 and 22%. The comparison with Google Trends suggests that the online searches peak at about the same time as the maximum extent of the epidemic, but the public interest declines and returns to background level. We also found that the public intensively searched the Internet for influenza-related terms even when number of cases was low. Conclusions Our research shows that a telephone survey is a viable way to gain deeper insight into a population’s self-perception of influenza and its symptoms and to provide another benchmark for medical statistics provided by GPs and Google Trends. The information collected can be used to improve epidemiological modelling of seasonal influenza and other infectious diseases, thus effectively contributing to public health.

scholarly journals Interformat Reliability of Web-Based Parent-Rated Questionnaires for Assessing Neurodevelopmental Disorders Among Preschoolers: Cross-sectional Community Study

10.2196/20172 ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. e20172
Author(s):  
Masanori Tanaka ◽  
Manabu Saito ◽  
Michio Takahashi ◽  
Masaki Adachi ◽  
Kazuhiko Nakamura
Keyword(s):  
Neurodevelopmental Disorders ◽  
Rating Scale ◽  
Developmental Coordination Disorder ◽  
Intraclass Correlation ◽  
Correlation Coefficients ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Developmental Health ◽  
The Web

Background Early detection and intervention for neurodevelopmental disorders are effective. Several types of paper questionnaires have been developed to assess these conditions in early childhood; however, the psychometric equivalence between the web-based and the paper versions of these questionnaires is unknown. Objective This study examined the interformat reliability of the web-based parent-rated version of the Autism Spectrum Screening Questionnaire (ASSQ), Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Rating Scale (ADHD-RS), Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire 2007 (DCDQ), and Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) among Japanese preschoolers in a community developmental health check-up setting. Methods A set of paper-based questionnaires were distributed for voluntary completion to parents of children aged 5 years. The package of the paper format questionnaires included the ASSQ, ADHD-RS, DCDQ, parent-reported SDQ (P-SDQ), and several additional demographic questions. Responses were received from 508 parents of children who agreed to participate in the study. After 3 months, 300 parents, who were among the initial responders, were randomly selected and asked to complete the web-based versions of these questionnaires. A total of 140 parents replied to the web-based format and were included as a final sample in this study. Results We obtained the McDonald ω coefficients for both the web-based and paper formats of the ASSQ (web-based: ω=.90; paper: ω=.86), ADHD-RS total and subscales (web-based: ω=.88-.94; paper: ω=.87-.93), DCDQ total and subscales (web-based: ω=.82-.94; paper: ω=.74-.92), and P-SDQ total and subscales (web-based: ω=.55-.81; paper: ω=.52-.80). The intraclass correlation coefficients between the web-based and paper formats were all significant at the 99.9% confidence level: ASSQ (r=0.66, P<.001); ADHD-RS total and subscales (r=0.66-0.74, P<.001); DCDQ total and subscales (r=0.66-0.71, P<.001); P-SDQ Total Difficulties and subscales (r=0.55-0.73, P<.001). There were no significant differences between the web-based and paper formats for total mean score of the ASSQ (P=.76), total (P=.12) and subscale (P=.11-.47) mean scores of DCDQ, and the P-SDQ Total Difficulties mean score (P=.20) and mean subscale scores (P=.28-.79). Although significant differences were found between the web-based and paper formats for mean ADHD-RS scores (total: t132=2.83, P=.005; Inattention subscale: t133=2.15, P=.03; Hyperactivity/Impulsivity subscale: t133=3.21, P=.002), the effect sizes were small (Cohen d=0.18-0.22). Conclusions These results suggest that the web-based versions of the ASSQ, ADHD-RS, DCDQ, and P-SDQ were equivalent, with the same level of internal consistency and intrarater reliability as the paper versions, indicating the applicability of the web-based versions of these questionnaires for assessing neurodevelopmental disorders.

A Novel Method for Tramcar Anti-Collision Warning System Based on Monocular Vision

2012 ◽  
Vol 430-432 ◽  
pp. 1871-1876
Author(s):  
Hui Bo Bi ◽  
Xiao Dong Xian ◽  
Li Juan Huang
Keyword(s):  
Software Design ◽  
Early Warning System ◽  
Warning System ◽  
Detection Algorithm ◽  
Lane Detection ◽  
Monocular Vision ◽  
System Construction ◽  
Collision Warning ◽  
Lane Width ◽  
Novel Method

For the problem of tramcar collision accident in coal mine underground, a monocular vision-based tramcar anti-collision warning system based on ARM and FPGA was designed and implemented. In this paper, we present an improved fast lane detection algorithm based on Hough transform. Besides, a new distance measurement and early-warning system based on the invariance of the lane width is proposed. System construction, hardware architecture and software design are given in detail. The experiment results show that the precision and speed of the system can satisfy the application requirement.

Dark Web

2020 ◽  
pp. 152-164
Author(s):  
Punam Bedi ◽  
Neha Gupta ◽  
Vinita Jindal
Keyword(s):  
World Wide Web ◽  
Search Engines ◽  
World Wide ◽  
Data Dissemination ◽  
Deep Web ◽  
Web Browsers ◽  
Web Content ◽  
The World ◽  
Dark Web ◽  
The Web

The World Wide Web is a part of the Internet that provides data dissemination facility to people. The contents of the Web are crawled and indexed by search engines so that they can be retrieved, ranked, and displayed as a result of users' search queries. These contents that can be easily retrieved using Web browsers and search engines comprise the Surface Web. All information that cannot be crawled by search engines' crawlers falls under Deep Web. Deep Web content never appears in the results displayed by search engines. Though this part of the Web remains hidden, it can be reached using targeted search over normal Web browsers. Unlike Deep Web, there exists a portion of the World Wide Web that cannot be accessed without special software. This is known as the Dark Web. This chapter describes how the Dark Web differs from the Deep Web and elaborates on the commonly used software to enter the Dark Web. It highlights the illegitimate and legitimate sides of the Dark Web and specifies the role played by cryptocurrencies in the expansion of Dark Web's user base.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document