Abstract
The Web is being increasingly used by health consumers to search for health information. In this domain, the quality of the retrieved contents is crucial to avoid healthcare hazards. To address this problem and help the user identify reliable and credible contents, initiatives have appeared that certify the compliance of health websites to quality standards. In this work we explore the impact of medical certification on several aspects of health information retrieval performance. Moreover, we analyze the usefulness of certification categories to the personalization of the search experience. Our findings suggest that medical certification might be incorporated as a ranking criterion. We conclude that the medical accuracy of the resulting knowledge is enhanced by the use of certified information and depends on the users' comprehension of the document. In general, we also conclude that there is space for personalization in search by health consumers. © 2011 Springer-Verlag Berlin.

Abstract

Abstract
Biodiversity information can be found in diverse information systems, ranging from large technical repositories for research purposes to dedicated databases supporting the web presence of natural sites. To deal with individual botanical objects, it is important to adopt the established scientific taxonomy. Providing a satisfying experience with current interface devices is also mandatory. Two problems have been addressed in this work: the unique identification of the objects and the representation of their physical location. The former has been tackled with QR code, a two-dimensional barcode standard, and the latter with the use of a PostgreSQL/PostGIS spatial database. The paper describes the development and test of a Web information system integrating physical identification and geo-referencing. The application in biodiversity information management shows that low-cost, state-of-the-art technologies can provide appropriate solutions even for small- and medium-sized natural sites, incorporating existing scientific information on species and contributing for a growing record of their occurrences. The system was tested on a university garden and can be used by site maintainers, visitors and researchers. The dataset collected in the site can be exported according to the Darwin Core biodiversity standard for research purposes.

Abstract
Most existing location-based services rely on ubiquitous connectivity to deliver location-based contents to the users. However, connectivity is not available anywhere at anytime even in urban centres. Underground, indoors, remote areas, and foreign countries are examples situations where users commonly do not have guaranteed connectivity but could profit from location-based contents. In this work, we propose an open platform for publishing, distributing and maintaining location-based contents that can be accessed offline by the user on a mobile device. Additionally, we describe the prototype we implemented for proof of concept consisting of an smart phone application and a web application back office, using 2D-barcodes as location identifiers. Our prototype provides offline access, as well as publishing, installing and updating location-based content. © 2011 IEEE.

Abstract
FP7 ICT4Depression project aims at providing a set of tools to,further improve both patient outcome and increase of access to treatment of the patients suffering from major depression. This article describes the Information Systems (IS) architecture used in the project. ICT4Depression uses a service oriented architecture as means of bringing together different kinds of information concerning the patient, the therapeutic modules he is advised to follow and the sensors used to assess his status.

Abstract