Abstract: A software tool allows non-expert users to locate and analyze virtual communities on the World Wide Web. It employs a configurable crawling algorithm based on social science network theories and content analysis to automatically locate a virtual community of interest to the user, identify key sites within the community, and determine content patterns that characterize the communications of key sites. The software tool employs crawling at an Intrasite Level, for searching for links from seed websites to other linked websites, and crawling at an Intersite Level, for determining which websites are to be included in a virtual community by degree of centrality and content similarity (based on keyword matching). The website data obtained by crawling are converted by network analysis, content analysis, and public analysis (of data obtained from public resources) into website characterizing data and saved in a standard file format to enable further research on virtual communities of websites.

Abstract: A measuring apparatus and method of a permittivity of a dielectric material employs a cavity and a variable reactance connected to the outside the cavity to measure the permittivity of the dielectric material, in which a power-feeding post is installed within the cavity, the variable reactance for forcibly resonating the cavity is attached to the upper portion of the cavity at the end of the power-feeding post, a network analyzer is connected to the power-feeding post, and the dielectric material specimen to be measured fills up the cavity, so that the length of the variable reactance is adjusted to forcibly resonate the cavity and, at this time, the length of the variable reactance is measured to determine the permittivity of the dielectric material. Thus, unknown permittivity is simply measured while enabling the broadband measurement. A small cavity at a cut-off state is employed to be suitable for measuring the permittivity in a low frequency band.

Abstract: A potty suitable for letting infants naturally and at an early age accustom themselves to relieve themselves in a given place and in a correct body position. The potty has a first switch operated by pressure caused by the weight of an infant seated on the seat, a second switch normally turned off but turned on when it comes into contact with urine. A first sound generator is electrically connected to the first and second switches and generates a sweet sound when the first and second switches are turned on at the same time. The potty may be also provided with a detachable urine receptacle. A plurality of detachable wheels, a plurality of retractable wheels or a plurality of detachable legs may be mounted to the lower section of the potty so that the potty can be used as a riding toy.