2,655 research outputs found
How many crowdsourced workers should a requester hire?
Recent years have seen an increased interest in crowdsourcing as a way of obtaining information from a potentially large group of workers at a reduced cost. The crowdsourcing process, as we consider in this paper, is as follows: a requester hires a number of workers to work on a set of similar tasks. After completing the tasks, each worker reports back outputs. The requester then aggregates the reported outputs to obtain aggregate outputs. A crucial question that arises during this process is: how many crowd workers should a requester hire? In this paper, we investigate from an empirical perspective the optimal number of workers a requester should hire when crowdsourcing tasks, with a particular focus on the crowdsourcing platform Amazon Mechanical Turk. Specifically, we report the results of three studies involving different tasks and payment schemes. We find that both the expected error in the aggregate outputs as well as the risk of a poor combination of workers decrease as the number of workers increases. Surprisingly, we find that the optimal number of workers a requester should hire for each task is around 10 to 11, no matter the underlying task and payment scheme. To derive such a result, we employ a principled analysis based on bootstrapping and segmented linear regression. Besides the above result, we also find that overall top-performing workers are more consistent across multiple tasks than other workers. Our results thus contribute to a better understanding of, and provide new insights into, how to design more effective crowdsourcing processes
Preliminary studies investigating the occurrence of Biomphalaria cousini in Brazil
Specific genetic profiles of Brazilian Biomphalaria species were previously standardized by molecular taxonomy through the analysis of restriction fragments, which were generated by digesting the internal transcribed spacer region of rDNA with the DdeI endonuclease. Biomphalaria amazonica displayed three distinct profiles. To investigate these distinct profiles, the same molecular technique, polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism, was used with different endonucleases. In addition, morphological data were also used to compare B. amazonica specimens that were collected from Brazil, Colombia and Bolivia. The morphological characters of Bolivian molluscs were similar to B. amazonica, displayed a molecular profile of five restriction fragments and morphological data, whereas the Colombian mollusc population showed morphological characters similar to Biomphalaria cousini and a molecular profile of three restriction fragments, similar to B. cousini. The Brazilian specimens showed the B. amazonica and B. cousini molecular profiles as well as a third profile, which resembled a combination of the Colombian and Bolivian molecular profiles
Differential effects of antigens from L. braziliensis isolates from disseminated and cutaneous leishmaniasis on in vitro cytokine production
BACKGROUND: Disseminated leishmaniasis is an emerging infectious disease, mostly due to L. braziliensis, which has clinical and histopathological features distinct from cutaneous leishmaniasis. METHODS: In the current study we evaluated the in vitro production of the cytokines IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-5 and IL-10 by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from 15 disseminated leishmaniasis and 24 cutaneous leishmaniasis patients upon stimulation with L. braziliensis antigens genotyped as disseminated leishmaniasis or cutaneous leishmaniasis isolates. RESULTS: Regardless of the source of L. braziliensis antigens, PBMC from cutaneous leishmaniasis patients produced significantly higher IFN-γ than PBMC from disseminated leishmaniasis patients. Levels of TNF-α by PBMC from cutaneous leishmaniasis patients were significantly higher than disseminated leishmaniasis patients only when stimulated by genotyped cutaneous leishmaniasis antigens. The levels of IL-5 and IL-10 production by PBMC were very low and similar in PBMCs from both disseminated leishmaniasis and cutaneous leishmaniasis patients. The immune response of each patient evaluated by the two L. braziliensis antigens was assessed in a paired analysis in which we showed that L. braziliensis genotyped as disseminated leishmaniasis isolate was more potent than L. braziliensis genotyped as cutaneous leishmaniasis isolate in triggering IFN-γ and TNF-α production in both diseases and IL-5 only in cutaneous leishmaniasis patients. CONCLUSION: This study provides evidence that antigens prepared from genotypically distinct strains of L. braziliensis induce different degrees of immune response. It also indicates that both parasite and host play a role in the outcome of L. braziliensis infection
Compensatory ingestion upon dietary restriction in Drosophila melanogaster
Dietary restriction extends the lifespan of numerous, evolutionarily diverse species. In D. melanogaster, a prominent model for research on the interaction between nutrition and longevity, dietary restriction is typically based on medium dilution, with possible compensatory ingestion commonly being neglected. Possible problems with this approach are revealed by using a method for direct monitoring of D. melanogaster feeding behavior. This demonstrates that dietary restriction elicits robust compensatory changes in food consumption. As a result, the effect of medium dilution is overestimated and, in certain cases, even fully compensated for. Our results strongly indicate that feeding behavior and nutritional composition act concertedly to determine fly lifespan. Feeding behavior thus emerges as a central element in D. melanogaster aging
Creation of multiple nanodots by single ions
In the challenging search for tools that are able to modify surfaces on the
nanometer scale, heavy ions with energies of several 10 MeV are becoming more
and more attractive. In contrast to slow ions where nuclear stopping is
important and the energy is dissipated into a large volume in the crystal, in
the high energy regime the stopping is due to electronic excitations only.
Because of the extremely local (< 1 nm) energy deposition with densities of up
to 10E19 W/cm^2, nanoscaled hillocks can be created under normal incidence.
Usually, each nanodot is due to the impact of a single ion and the dots are
randomly distributed. We demonstrate that multiple periodically spaced dots
separated by a few 10 nanometers can be created by a single ion if the sample
is irradiated under grazing angles of incidence. By varying this angle the
number of dots can be controlled.Comment: 12 pages, 6 figure
Ten-year survival of ART restorations in permanent posterior teeth
This study evaluated the 10-year clinical performance of high-viscosity glass-ionomer cement placed in posterior permanent teeth by means of the Atraumatic Restorative Treatment (ART) approach. One operator placed 167 single- and 107 multiple-surface restorations in 43 high-risk caries pregnant women (mean decayed teeth = 9.8 ± 5.5). Examinations were performed at 1-, 2-, and 10-year intervals according to ART criteria. In the last evaluation, the US Public Health Service (USPHS) criteria were also used. After 10 years, 129 restorations (47.1%) were evaluated and achieved a cumulative survival rate of 49.0% (SE 7.2%). The 10-year survival of single- and multiple-surface ART restorations assessed using the ART criteria were 65.2% (SE 7.3%) and 30.6% (SE 9.9%), respectively. This difference was significant (jackknife SE of difference; p < 0.05). Using the USPHS criteria, the 10-year survival of single- and multiple-surface ART restorations were 86.5% and 57.6%, respectively. The primary causes of failure were total loss (9.3%) and marginal defects (5.4%). The survival rates observed, especially for the single-surface restorations, confirm the potential of the ART approach for restoring and saving posterior permanent teeth
Current distribution of Achatina fulica, in the State of São Paulo including records of Aelurostrongylus abstrusus (Nematoda) larvae infestation
The currently known distribution range of Achatina fulica Bowdich, 1822, in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, is presented. The record of A. fulica naturally infested with Aelurostrongylus abstrusus larvae (Railliet, 1898) (Nematoda: Metastrongylidae) can be found in the city of Guaratinguetá. It was found A. fulica with Metastrongylidae larvae without known medical and veterinary importance in the cities of CarapicuÃba, Embu-Guaçu, Itapevi, São Caetano do Sul, São Paulo and Taboão da Serra.É apresentada a distribuição de Achatina fulica Bowdich, 1822 no Estado de São Paulo, Brasil. É fornecido o registro de A. fulica naturalmente infestada por larvas de Aelurostrongylus abstrusus (Railliet, 1898) (Nematoda: Metastrongylidae) no municÃpio de Guaratinguetá. Foi encontrada A. fulica portando larvas de Metastrongylidae sem importância médica e veterinária conhecida nos municÃpios de CarapicuÃba, Embu Guaçu, Itapevi, São Caetano do Sul, São Paulo e Taboão da Serra
O YouTube: potencialidades pedagógicas na aprendizagem da LÃngua Inglesa no 1.º ciclo do ensino básico
Mestrado em Ensino Precoce do InglêsO presente projeto de investigação procurou apresentar o YouTube como um
banco de recursos audiovisuais, promotor do desenvolvimento das macrocapacidades de
audição e de expressão oral, no processo de ensino/aprendizagem da LÃngua Inglesa no
1.º ciclo do ensino básico.
Desta forma, procurámos tecer algumas considerações relativamente à origem e
natureza orgânica do YouTube, que nos conduziram à visualização e à exploração de
vÃdeos publicados no website, que promovessem, simultaneamente, o usufruto de
imagem e som e, por conseguinte, o cumprimento de objetivos pedagógicos inerentes Ã
aprendizagem significativa da lÃngua estrangeira.
O trabalho de pesquisa centrou-se num estudo de caso, cujo desenvolvimento
providenciou a aplicação de vÃdeos e a realização de atividades diversas, numa turma de
alunos do 4.º ano de escolaridade, tendo como base princÃpios decorrentes de métodos e
abordagens utilizados no ensino de Inglês a crianças, auscultando-se o seu grau de
envolvimento e participação no processo de aprendizagem.
Do mesmo modo, e porque consideramos fundamental a troca de ideias e a
partilha de experiências e práticas, especialmente no que se refere ao campo de ação da
Educação, procurou-se estabelecer práticas de trabalho colaborativo e colegialidade
entre as professoras envolvidas no decurso da investigação realizada.This research work aimed at describing the YouTube as a source of audiovisual
materials, favourable to the development of listening and speaking skills concerning the
process of English language teaching and learning in primary schools.
Bearing in mind YouTube’s origins and organic nature, we engaged in selecting
and exploring videos uploaded on the website, which conveyed both image and sound,
in order to attain a set of pedagogical objectives aimed at a meaningful learning of the
foreign language.
The research work redefined itself as a case study, whose development consisted
in using a number of videos and activities with fourth graders, having in mind principles
from preferred methods and approaches in the teaching of English to Young Learners,
as well as the assessment of their degree of involvement and participation in the
learning process.
Furthermore, and because we consider the sharing of ideas, experiences and
practices of major importance, especially as far as Education is concerned, we tried to
develop and enhance collaborative and collegial work between the teachers engaged in
the course of the research work
Postcopulatory sexual selection
The female reproductive tract is where competition between the sperm of different males takes place, aided and abetted by the female herself. Intense postcopulatory sexual selection fosters inter-sexual conflict and drives rapid evolutionary change to generate a startling diversity of morphological, behavioural and physiological adaptations. We identify three main issues that should be resolved to advance our understanding of postcopulatory sexual selection. We need to determine the genetic basis of different male fertility traits and female traits that mediate sperm selection; identify the genes or genomic regions that control these traits; and establish the coevolutionary trajectory of sexes
Zinc/copper imbalance reflects immune dysfunction in human leishmaniasis: an ex vivo and in vitro study
BACKGROUND: The process of elimination of intracellular pathogens, such as Leishmania, requires a Th1 type immune response, whereas a dominant Th2 response leads to exacerbated disease. Experimental human zinc deficiency decreases Th1 but not Th2 immune response. We investigated if zinc and copper levels differ in different clinical forms of leishmaniasis, and if these trace metals might be involved in the immune response towards the parasite. METHODS: Blood was collected from 31 patients with either localized cutaneous (LCL), mucosal (ML) or visceral (VL) leishmaniasis, as well as from 25 controls from endemic and non-endemic areas. Anti-Leishmania humoral and cellular immune response were evaluated by quantifying specific plasma IgG, lymphoproliferation and cytokine production, respectively. Plasma levels of Cu and Zn were quantified by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. RESULTS: A significant decrease in plasma Zn was observed in all three patient groups (p < 0.01 for LCL and ML, p < 0.001 for VL), as compared to controls, but only VL (7/10) and ML (1/7) patients displayed overt Zn deficiency. Plasma Cu was increased in LCL and VL (p < 0.001) but not in ML, and was strongly correlated to anti-Leishmania IgG (Spearman r = 0.65, p = 0.0028). Cu/Zn ratios were highest in patients with deficient cellular (VL<<LCL<ML) and exacerbated humoral (VL>LCL>ML) immune response. Ex vivo production of parasite-induced IFN-γ was negatively correlated to plasma Cu levels in LCL (r = -0.57, p = 0.01). In vitro, increased Cu levels inhibited IFN-γ production. CONCLUSIONS: 1. Zn deficiency in VL and ML indicate possible therapeutic administration of Zn in these severe forms of leishmaniasis. 2. Plasma Cu positively correlates to humoral immune response across patient groups. 3. Environmentally or genetically determined increases in Cu levels might augment susceptibility to infection with intracellular pathogens, by causing a decrease in IFN-γ production
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