472 research outputs found
A framework for privacy preserving digital trace data collection through data donation
A potentially powerful method of social-scientific data collection and investigation has been created by an unexpected institution: the law. Article 15 of the EU’s 2018 General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) mandates that individuals have electronic access to a copy of their personal data, and all major digital platforms now comply with this law by providing users with “data download packages” (DDPs). Through voluntary donation of DDPs, all data collected by public and private entities during the course of citizens’ digital life can be obtained and analyzed to answer social-scientific questions – with consent. Thus, consented DDPs open the way for vast new research opportunities. However, while this entirely new method of data collection will undoubtedly gain popularity in the coming years, it also comes with its own questions of representativeness and measurement quality, which are often evaluated systematically by means of an error framework. Therefore, in this paper we provide a blueprint for digital trace data collection using DDPs, and devise a “total error framework” for such projects. Our error framework for digital trace data collection through data donation is intended to facilitate high quality social-scientific investigations using DDPs while critically reflecting its unique methodological challenges and sources of error. In addition, we provide a quality control checklist to guide researchers in leveraging the vast opportunities afforded by this new mode of investigation
Probing Yukawian Gravitational Potential by Numerical Simulations. II. Elliptical Galaxies
Since the Newtonian gravitation is largely used to model with success the
structures of the universe, such as galaxies and clusters of galaxies, for
example, a way to probe and constrain alternative theories, in the weak field
limit, is to apply them to model the structures of the universe. We then
modified the well known Gadget-2 code to probe alternative theories of
gravitation through galactic dynamics. In particular, we modified the Gadget-2
code to probe alternatives theories whose weak field limits have a Yukawa-like
gravitational potential. As a first application of this modified Gadget-2 code
we simulate the evolution of elliptical galaxies. These simulations show that
galactic dynamics can be used to constrain the parameters associated with
alternative theories of gravitation.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures - To appear in General Relativity and Gravitatio
Probing Yukawian gravitational potential by numerical simulations. I. Changing N-body codes
In the weak field limit general relativity reduces, as is well known, to the
Newtonian gravitation. Alternative theories of gravity, however, do not
necessarily reduce to Newtonian gravitation; some of them, for example, reduce
to Yukawa-like potentials instead of the Newtonian potential. Since the
Newtonian gravitation is largely used to model with success the structures of
the universe, such as for example galaxies and clusters of galaxies, a way to
probe and constrain alternative theories, in the weak field limit, is to apply
them to model the structures of the universe. In the present study, we consider
how to probe Yukawa-like potentials using N-body numerical simulations.Comment: 17 pages, 11 figures. To appear in General Relativity and Gravitatio
Prospective evaluation of glutamine and phospholipids levels in first degree relatives of patients with Type 1 Diabetes from a multiethnic population
A dysregulation in the metabolism of lipids may be an early marker of autoimmunity in Type 1 Diabetes (T1D). It would be of general importance to identify metabolic patterns that would predict the risk for T1D later in life. The aim of this study was to perform a prospective evaluation of glutamine and phospholipids levels in Brazilian first degree relatives (FDR) of patients with T1D in a mean interval of 5 years
Comparative adventitious root development in pre-etiolated and flooded Arabidopsis hypocotyls exposed to different auxins
Adventitious roots (ARs) emerge from stems, leaves or hypocotyls, being strategic for clonal propagation. ARs may develop spontaneously, upon environmental stress or hormonal treatment. Auxins strongly influence AR development (ARD), depending on concentration and kind. However, the role of different types of auxin is rarely compared at the molecular level. Rooting triggered by light exposure and flooding was examined in intact etiolated Arabidopsis thaliana hypocotyls treated with distinct auxin types. Morphological aspects, rooting-related gene expression profiles, and IAA immunolocalization were recorded. NAA and 2,4-D effects were highly dose-dependent; at higher concentrations NAA inhibited root growth and 2,4-D promoted callus formation. NAA yielded the highest number of roots, but inhibited elongation. IAA increased the number of roots with less interference in elongation, yielding the best overall rooting response. IAA was localized close to the tissues of root origin. Auxin stimulated ARD was marked by increased expression of PIN1 and GH3.3. NAA treatment induced expression of CYCB1, GH3.6 and ARF8. These NAA-specific responses may be associated with the development of numerous shorter roots. In contrast, expression of the auxin action inhibitor IAA28 was induced by IAA. Increased PIN1 expression indicated the relevance of auxin efflux transport for focusing in target cells, whereas GH3.3 suggested tight control of auxin homeostasis. IAA28 increased expression during IAA-induced ARD differs from what was previously reported for lateral root development, pointing to yet another possible difference in the molecular programs of these two developmental processes.Plant science
Specific heat and magnetic measurements in Nd0.5Sr0.5MnO3, Nd0.5Ca0.5MnO3 and Ho0.5Ca0.5MnO3 samples
We studied the magnetization as a function of temperature and magnetic field
in the compounds Nd0.5Sr0.5MnO3, Nd0.5Ca0.5MnO3 and Ho0.5Ca0.5MnO3. It allowed
us to identify the ferromagnetic, antiferromagnetic and charge ordering phases
in each case. The intrinsic magnetic moments of Nd3+ and Ho3+ ions experienced
a short range order at low temperatures. We also did specific heat measurements
with applied magnetic fields between 0 and 9 T and temperatures between 2 and
300 K in all three samples. Close to the charge ordering and ferromagnetic
transition temperatures the specific heat curves showed peaks superposed to the
characteristic response of the lattice oscillations. Below 10 K the specific
heat measurements evidenced a Schottky-like anomaly for all samples. However,
we could not successfully fit the curves to either a two level nor a
distribution of two-level Schottky anomaly. Our results indicated that the peak
temperature of the Schottky anomaly was higher in the compounds with narrower
conduction band.Comment: submitted to PR
Unusual magnetic relaxation behavior in La0.5Ca0.5MnO3 and Nd0.5Sr0.5MnO3
We have carried out a systematic magnetic relaxation study, measured after
applying and switching off a 5 T magnetic field to polycrystalline samples of
La0.5Ca0.5MnO3 and Nd0.5Sr0.5MnO3. The long time logarithmic relaxation rate
(LTLRR), decreased from 10 K to 150 K and increased from 150 K to 195 K in
La0.5Ca0.5MnO3. This change in behavior was found to be related to the complete
suppression of the antiferromagnetic phase above 150 K and in the presence of a
5 T magnetic field. At 195 K, the magnetization first decreased, and after a
few minutes increased slowly as a function of time. Moreover, between 200 K and
245 K, the magnetization increased throughout the measured time span. The
change in the slope of the curves, from negative to positive at about 200 K was
found to be related to the suppression of antiferromagnetic fluctuations in
small magnetic fields. A similar temperature dependence of the LTLRR was found
for the Nd0.5Sr0.5MnO3 sample. However, the temperature where the LTLRR reached
the minimum in Nd0.5Sr0.5MnO3 was lower than that of La0.5Ca0.5MnO3. This
result agrees with the stronger ferromagnetic interactions that exist in
Nd0.5Sr0.5MnO3 in comparison to La0.5Ca0.5MnO3. The above measurements
suggested that the general temperature dependence of the LTLRR and the
underlying physics were mainly independent of the particular charge ordering
system considered. All relaxation curves could be fitted using a logarithmic
law at long times. This slow relaxation was attributed to the coexistence of
ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic interactions between Mn ions, which
produced a distribution of energy barriers.Comment: Accepted to PRB as a regular article, 10 figures, Scheduled Issue: 01
June 200
Photoinduced antibacterial activity of the essential oils from Eugenia brasiliensis lam and Piper mosenii C. DC. by blue led light
The objective of this work was to evaluate the phytochemical composition and the antibacterial and antibiotic-modulating activities of the essential oils of Eugenia brasiliensis Lam (OEEb) and Piper mosenii C. DC (OEPm) singly or in association with blue LED (Light-emitting diode) light. The antibacterial and antibiotic-modulatory activities of the essential oils on the activity of aminoglycosides were evaluated to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC, \u3bcg/mL) in the presence or absence of exposure to blue LED light. The chemical analysis showed \u3b1-pinene and bicyclogermacrene as major constituents of OEPm, whereas \u3b1-muurolol was the main compound of OEEb. Both OEEb and OEPm showed MIC 65 512 \u3bcg/mL against the strains under study. However, the association of these oils with the blue LED light enhanced the action of the aminoglycosides amikacin and gentamicin. In conclusion, the association of aminoglycosides with the blue LED light and essential oils was effective against resistant bacteria
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