WELCOME TO THE ASEAN-NDI ONLINE SEARCH SYSTEM

This page provides answers to questions about the ASEAN-NDI Online Search System (ASEAN-NDI Search) in general, and step-by-step guides for using the search facility.

* The first section "Frequently Asked Questions" provides answers to questions related to ASEAN-NDI Search in general.
* The second section "Comprehensive Search Guide" gives examples for using the various tools available in ASEAN-NDI Search.

If you have a question that is not covered here, do not hesitate to contact us.
You can also download the ASEAN-NDI Search FAQ in PDF format here.

Frequently Asked Questions

I. What is the ASEAN-NDI online search system (ASEAN-NDI search)?
II. What information can be gleaned from ASEAN-NDI search?
III. What are the database searchable parameters and functionalities of ASEAN-NDI search?
IV. What are the different kinds of search tools available in ASEAN-NDI search?

Comprehensive Search Guide

V. How do I conduct a quick search?
VI. How do I conduct a structured search?
VII. How do I conduct a filtered search?
VIII. How do I use the search result page?

I. WHAT IS ITHE ASEAN-NDI ONLINE SEARCH SYSTEM (ASEAN-NDI SEARCH)?

The ASEAN-NDI Online Search System (ASEAN-NDI Search) is a web-based search facility that allows you to conduct user-friendly complex or simple search on the ASEAN-NDI Database containing records about R&D institutions across the region.

II. WHAT INFORMATION CAN BE GLEANED FROM ASEAN-NDI SEARCH?

The ASEAN-NDI Online Search System (ASEAN-NDI Search) contains institutional data of R&D institutions, i.e., academic research institutions, medical centers and hospitals, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, and health-related agencies or organizations. These data records have been provided directly by the institutions, and are up-to-date as of April 2010. These data may be modified based on future reports by the institutions.

Information that can be obtained from the ASEAN-NDI Database includes Individual Database Tables for INSTITUTIONS/RESPONDENTS, R&D ACTIVITIES, R&D OUTPUTS, R&D SKILLS, R&D POTENTIAL, R&D INFRASTRUCTURES, R&D COLLABORATIONS, and R&D PROBLEMS.

Other significant information can also be obtained from the ASEAN-NDI Database, including the following:

1. DISEASE

- refers to the disease targeted by the research activity or product output, which includes, but is not limited to, the following: dengue, filariasis, helminthiasis, leishmaniasis, leptospirosis, malaria, rabies, schistosomiasis, trichomoniasis, tuberculosis, other bacterial infections, fungal diseases, parasitic infections, viral diseases, and other infectious diseases.
2. PRODUCT CATEGORY

- refers to one of four general categories of health products being developed, particularly any of the following: Drugs, Diagnostics, Vaccines, and Traditional Medicine.
3. TYPE OF ACTIVITY

- refers to the current stage of R&D that a particular study or research activity is involved in, and may either be any of the following:

For drug development:
1. TARGET DISCOVERY
2. SCREENING OF CANDIDATES
3. PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
4. CLINICAL TRIALS
5. MANUFACTURING
6. MONITORING AND EVALUATION
7. OTHERS

For diagnostics development:
1. PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
2. TRIALS AND FIELD TESTING
3. MANUFACTURING
4. MONITORING AND EVALUATION
5. OTHERS

For vaccine development:
1. TARGET DISCOVERY
2. PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
3. PRE-CLINICAL EVALUATION
4. CLINICAL TRIALS
5. MANUFACTURING
6. MONITORING AND EVALUATION
7. OTHERS

For development of traditional medicine:
1. TARGET DISCOVERY
2. SCREENING OF CANDIDATES
3. PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
4. CLINICAL TRIALS
5. MANUFACTURING
6. MONITORING AND EVALUATION
7. OTHERS
4. LOCAL AND FOREIGN PARTNERS

- refers to specific persons or research institutions that are linked with a particular study or research activity, for the main purpose of sharing data and producing R&D results.
5. LOCAL AND FOREIGN FUNDERS

- refers to fund-granting institutions that are linked with a particular study or research activity, for the main purpose of providing financial support to the project.
6. PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED

- refers to situations and experiences that interfere with or inhibit the progress of a particular study or research activity.
7. SPECIALIZATION or EXPERTISE

- refers to academic titles or job descriptions of R&D personnel involved with a particular study or research activity. For example, specialization or expertise may refer to MS, MD, PhD, trained medical staff, clinical research specialists, etc.
8. LABORATORY EQUIPMENT

- refers to physical tools and facilities used in a particular study or research activity, as well as buildings housing such equipment.
9. PRODUCT OUTPUT

- refers to specific health products released for commercialization during or after the progress of a particular study or research activity.
10. MARKET COVERED

- refers to the countries where the reported product outputs are or have been made available to end-users.
11. PATENT STATUS

- refers to the current standing of the patent document that protects the intellectual property rights of the reported product outputs. Such status may either be any of the following: Granted, Registered, Pending, Withdrawn/Abandoned, Lapsed, Expired, or Cancelled.

III. WHAT ARE THE DATABASE SEARCHABLE PARAMETERS AND FUNCTIONALITIES OF ASEAN-NDI SEARCH?

The database consists of the following parameters that make use of either a drop-down menu or an empty input textbox:

1. "OPERATOR"

- also known as a Boolean operator ("AND", "OR", "AND NOT", "OR NOT"), it helps to further define the relationship between the entered keywords/inputs in the respective search fields chosen.

A Boolean query is simply one where you specify that a specific relationship must exist between any two terms you provide. You can specify any of the following: that both must be true (the AND operator), at least one must be true (the OR operator), the first must be true and the second false (the AND NOT operator), or that either the first must be true or the second false (OR NOT operator). To apply an operator to a pair of terms, select the operator to the left of the second term in the pair.

Using the default Operator "AND" may help specify the search inputs to come up with a more manageable/reasonable number of search hits/results. The options for the Operator are displayed as a drop-down menu in the search page.
2. "SEARCH FIELD"

- refers to the following:
1. NAME OF INSTITUTION
2. CLASSIFICATION
3. HEAD OF INSTITUION
4. ADDRESS
5. REGION
6. TYPE OF ACTIVITY
7. CATEGORY OF ACTIVITY
8. DISEASE COVERED BY ACTIVITY
9. LOCAL PARTNERS
10. FOREIGN PARTNERS
11. LOCAL FUNDING SOURCES
12. FOREIGN FUNDING SOURCES
13. CATEGORY OF SKILL
14. SPECIALIZATION
15. CATEGORY OF POTENTIAL
16. POTENTIAL SPECIALIZATION
17. CATEGORY OF INFRASTRUCTURE
18. LABORATORY EQUIPMENT
19. NAME OF OUTPUT
20. CATEGORY OF OUTPUT
21. DISEASE COVERED BY OUTPUT
22. LOCAL MARKET
23. FOREIGN MARKET
24. TYPE OF COLLABORATION
25. COLLABORATOR
26. COLLABORATING COUNTRY
27. PROBLEM ENCOUNTERED
28. CATEGORY OF PROBLEM
29. ACTIVITY TYPE OF PROBLEM
3. "LIMITING CRITERIA"

- refers to strategic terms ("NEAR", "EXACTLY", "BEGINS WITH", "ENDS WITH") that instructs the ASEAN-NDI database on how to specifically use the search keywords/inputs to yield a list of search hits/results which satisfy that particular criteria. Using the default Criterion "NEAR" allows the database to strategically display records that contain the keywords/inputs, even if they do not match completely. Limiting criteria options are displayed as a drop-down menu in the search page.
4. "SEARCH KEYWORDS/INPUTS"

- refers to the terms or keywords written by the user in alphanumeric format, which, when entered as search inputs for the corresponding selected Search Fields, would produce the appropriate search results.

IV. WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF SEARCH TOOLS AVAILABLE IN ASEAN-NDI SEARCH?

The different types of search tools available in the website are the following:

1. QUICK SEARCH

The Quick Search Tool allows you to search the ASEAN-NDI Database using one partial or full keyword that corresponds to any search field in the database. The default Limiting Criterion for Quick Search is "NEAR".

The Quick Search Tool is provided as a text entry box. It is conveniently located at the left column of the ASEAN-NDI homepage (http://arturolocsin.com/aseandi/home.php).
2. STRUCTURED SEARCH

The Structured Search Tool allows you to search the ASEAN-NDI Database by entering Search Keywords or Inputs into the appropriate corresponding Search Fields, and with the help of Boolean Operators and Limiting Criteria. This tool will help in providing a more manageable number of search hits or results.

The Structured Search Tool is located at the ASEAN-NDI Search Page (http://arturolocsin.com/aseandi/home.php) and can be conveniently navigated from the header toolbar.
3. FILTERED SEARCH

The Filtered Search Tool allows you to search the ASEAN-NDI Database by using any or both of: entry text boxes provided for most Search Fields, and a drop-down menu provided for Search Fields that have pre-defined search keywords.

The Filtered Search Tool is a submenu of the ASEAN-NDI Search Page, and can be accessed thru its URL at http://arturolocsin.com/aseandi/search.php?type=filtered.

V. HOW DO I CONDUCT A QUICK SEARCH?

The Quick Search Tool provides a basic interface for the user to access the ASEAN-NDI Database. This tool allows a user to search for a single keyword across all database tables in the ASEAN-NDI Database. To use Quick Search:

1. Locate the text entry box on the left column of the ASEAN-NDI homepage.
2. Enter a single term or keyword in alphanumeric format in the text entry box. The default Limiting Criterion is "NEAR", which means that the Search Tool will look for the keyword in any portion of the record.

E.g., typing "malar" in the text entry box will yield results that have the term "malar", such as records for "malaria". Likewise, typing "vaccine" will yield results such as "vaccines".
3. Hit the SEARCH button or press ENTER on your keypad. Some things to note:
* The Search Tool is not case-sensitive. Searching for a term such as "Drug" or "drug" in the text entry box will produce the same results.
* The use of operators, quotation marks, and common wildcards (e.g., OR, NOT, ", *, #, among others) is not recognized by the Search Tool, and may yield an error message.

VI. HOW DO I CONDUCT A STRUCTURED SEARCH?

The Structured Search Tool provides a simple interface to the database for fielded term searches only. There are 5 steps to using the Structured Search Tool:

1. Locate the ASEAN-NDI Search page at this URL: http://arturolocsin.com/aseandi/search.php or by navigating using the links provided at the left column or at the header toolbar.
2. Enter your search term or terms into the text entry box to the right of the field you are interested in searching.
3. Select an Operator (AND, OR, AND NOT, OR NOT) from menus to the left of the Search Field or Fields you are searching.
4. Select a Limiting Criteria (NEAR, EXACTLY, BEGINS WITH, ENDS WITH) to the right of the Search Field or Fields you are searching.
5. Hit the START SEARCH button or press ENTER in your keypad.

Some things to note:

* Using operators, quotation marks, and common wildcards (e.g., OR, NOT, ", *, #, among others) within one text entry box is not recognized by the Search Tool, and may yield an error message. You may use operators to define relationships between rows.
* When searching for two or more separate Keywords from one Search Field, you may enter the first Keyword in the first row, use the drop-down menu to select the same Search Field in the second row, and enter the second Keyword in the second row. Do not forget to select the appropriate Boolean Operators accordingly.

E.g., To search for records related to target discovery or screening of candidates, you may enter the Keyword "discovery" (as in target discovery) in the first row and "screening" (as in candidate screening) in the second row. Use the Operator "OR" and select the Search Field "type of activity".
* The Search Tool is case-insensitive. Searching for "Dengue" and searching for "dengue" will produce the same results.
* Using the root word or common term/syllable for similar/synonymous words as Search Keyword is advised for a better search result such as "tuberculosis" to obtain records with "multidrug-resistant tuberculosis", and "extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis".

VII. HOW DO I CONDUCT A FILTERED SEARCH?

The Filtered Search Tool provides a mechanism to search for records that satisfy pre-defined Keywords. Such keywords under a particular Search Field are displayed in a drop-down menu. The Filtered Search Tool also allows entering Keywords into text entry boxes. The default Operator is "AND" and the default Limiting Criterion is "NEAR".

Using Filtered Search comprises:

1. Navigating to the ASEAN-NDI Search Page and selecting the submenu labeled Filtered Search.
2. In one case, you may enter your Keyword or Keywords into the text entry box to the right of the Field you are interested in searching.
3. In another case, you may select the appropriate Keyword or Keywords from the drop-down menu to the right of the Field you are interested in searching.
4. Hit the PERFORM SEARCH button or press ENTER in your keypad.

Some things to note:

* Using operators, quotation marks, and common wildcards (e.g., OR, NOT, ", *, #, among others) within one text entry box is not recognized by the Search Tool, and may yield an error message. The default Operator to define relationships between rows is "AND".
* The Search Tool is not case-sensitive. Searching for "Bacterial" and searching for "bacterial" will produce the same results.
* Using the root word or common term/syllable for similar/synonymous words as Search Keyword is advised for a better search result such as "encephalitis" to obtain similar records like "Japanese encephalitis".

VIII. HOW DO I USE THE SEARCH RESULT PAGE?

The Search Result Page gives a simple interface for accessing specific records that satisfy the requirements of a particular search. The Search Result Page has the following features:

* You can click on the ID Number of a record displayed in one row to access the detailed information. Such particular record may be about the institutional information, R&D activity data, R&D collaboration data, among others.
* You may e-mail, print, or bookmark the search result page or a particular record page. Find and click the Share button within the page to access EMAIL and PRINT functions. The Share Button also allows bookmarking and posting to more than 200 websites such as Yahoo Mail, Google Mail, Facebook, Twitter, Multiply, MySpace, Friendster, Digg, Delicious, Reddit, among many others.