Lower Mass Bound on the W′W^\prime mass via Neutrinoless Double Beta Decay in a 3-3-1 Model

The discovery of neutrino masses has raised the importance of studies in the context of neutrinoless double beta decay, which constitutes a landmark for lepton number violation. The standard interpretation is that the light massive neutrinos, that we observed oscillating in terrestrial experiments, mediate double beta decay. In the minimal 3-3-1 model, object of our study, there is an additional contribution that stems from the mixing between a new charged vector boson, $W^{\prime}$, and the Standard Model W boson. Even after setting this mixing to be very small, we show that tight constraints arise from the non-observation of neutrinoless double beta decay. Indeed, we derive bounds on the mass of the $W^{\prime}$ gauge boson that might exceed those from collider probes, and most importantly push the scale of symmetry breaking beyond its validity, leading to the exclusion of the minimal 3-3-1 model.Comment: 16 pages, 5 figure

Perceptions and expectations of college students about the Internet of Things

The Internet is increasingly used as a means of communication of excellence. With the increasing ease and access to virtual communication, namely through social networks, it is verified that the relationships between people have assumed new forms of expression and higher levels of importance in society. In addition to communication between people, there is also an increasing possibility of any object communicating and connecting to other objects, with a unique way of identifying, anywhere, with devices connected to the Internet, this being the essential concept of Internet of Things (IoT). In this paper, our main goal is understand how college students represent IoT and what are their perceptions and expectations about it. From their point of view, is important to verify what is the impact that IoT may have on their personal lives, academic performance and in society. According to the methodology adopted we performed individual interviews with a population of college students. Data were processed through context analyses, after being transcribed and analyzed, using a typical software - Leximancer. Our findings showed that, in general, participants have an accurate perception about the Internet of Things, and how it works, and that they also have positive expectations in relation to it, considering it can be useful to our day-to-day life. Although, at the same time, they highlight the importance of being careful in terms of privacy, threats, vulnerabilities and risks associated to the internet.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Pregnancy with autoimmune hepatitis

AIM: The aim of this study was to review our experience with gestations in autoimmune hepatitis patients. BACKGROUND: There are only limited data describing pregnancy in patients with autoimmune hepatitis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Retrospective analysis of pregnancies with autoimmune hepatitis followed in Centro Hospitalar do Porto, Portugal in the last ten years. RESULTS: We reported nine pregnancies in seven patients with autoimmune hepatitis. Two patients had documented liver cirrhosis prior to the pregnancy. In this study, 66.7% of patients were treated with azathioprine and 88.9% with prednisolone. Clinical improvements were observed in 11.1% of pregnancies and 22.2% exacerbations were diagnosed. There were six live births and two preterm deliveries (preterm delivery rate of 33%). We also report three first trimester miscarriages (early gestation miscarriage rate of 33%). There were no neonatal or maternal deaths. CONCLUSION: The favorable obstetric outcome is a realistic expectation in patients with autoimmune hepatitis. Tight monitoring and control of asymptomatic and unpredictable exacerbations, which are unrelated to the severity of the underlying disease, are essential to the prognosis of the current pregnancyinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

AUTOMATED COLLECTION OF QUALITY-OF-LIFE DATA: TOUCH-SCREEN COMPUTER SYSTEMS IN PATIENTS WITH IMMUNE DISEASES

AUTOMATED COLLECTION OF QUALITY-OF-LIFE DATA: TOUCH-SCREEN COMPUTER SYSTEMS IN PATIENTS WITH IMMUNE DISEASES Claúdia Ribeiro1,2,3, Augusta Silveira4,3, Isabel Silva4, Catarina Ribeiro4, Carlos Vasconcelos2,3 1UCP, 2HSA/CHP, 3ICBAS/UP, 4UFP e 5HSMF. Universidade Católica Portuguesa (UCP), Porto. Hospital de Santo António, Centro Hospitalar do Porto (HSA/CHP), Porto. Instituto Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto (ICBAS/UP), Porto. Universidade Fernando Pessoa (UFP), Porto. Hospital Santa Maria da Feira (HSMF), Porto. Background The increase of technological knowledge and methodology has allowed the practice of redirecting epidemiological research, particularly in the field of chronic disease. Although capable of controlling the accumulation of events and constraints imposed by the treatment can lead to a drastic change in quality of life (QoL) of subjects progressed to varying degrees of disability and death. In this perspective the Quality of Life Related to Health (HRQOL) has taken a leading role and its evaluation is indispensable in Medicine. Aim The aims of this study were (1) analyze the importance of HRQOL assessment as a tool for health promotion and a way of measuring the effectiveness of interventions in daily practice in patients with coexisting chronic immune system (PCSI), (2) evaluation of alternative methods for the automated collection of data on HRQOL and development of an electronic interface in sample of 320 patients, (3) creating a database to ascertain the epidemiological profile of PCSI, and identification of socio-economic, demographic and clinical data of these individuals, (4) using the QoL indicator as a predictor in decision treatment and use the preferences of patients. Methods A total of 473 patients with chronic diseases of the immune system, which were applied Graffar Index, SF-36v2, a demographic questionnaire and identification of clinical variables. Results The results of this investigation suggest that the demographic, socio-economic and clinics are associated with significant differences in QoL cumulative and chronic complications associated with different pathologies. The results verified the existence of significant correlations between the different diagnoses, duration of disease and therapy. In general, patients who have chronic diseases of the immune system such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, scleroderma, Bechet's disease, Sjögren's syndrome or infection with human immunodeficiency virus 1 or 2 showed a worse QoL than the general population. The derivations of preferences from the SF-36v2 exhibit strong correlations with the preferences measured with the SF-6D. Conclusions This suggests that both the application of the SF-36v2 as the SF-6D can be important sources of preferences to implement measures in economic evaluation in healthcare. HRQL can and should be integrated into immune clinical practice. The translation of graphical results given to the clinician at the beginning of the consultation, favors the rapid analysis of global values of the patient's HRQL. This assessment can be an excellent diagnostic tool to be used routinely in clinical practice or assisting in disease management and therapeutic decision making. Apresentador: Cláudia Ribeiro, Médica Dentista. Doutoranda, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Santiago de Compostela

HEALTH-STATE UTILITIES IN CHRONIC IMMUNE DISEASES: PILOT STUDY

HEALTH-STATE UTILITIES IN CHRONIC IMMUNE DISEASES: PILOT STUDY Claúdia Ribeiro1,2,3, Augusta Silveira4,3, Augusta Marques5, Catarina Ribeiro4, Isabel Santos6,2,3, Carlos Vasconcelos2,3 1UCP, 2HSA/CHP, 3ICBAS/UP, 4UFP, 5HPA e 6HSMF. Universidade Católica Portuguesa (UCP), Porto Hospital de Santo António, Centro Hospitalar do Porto (HSA/CHP), Porto. Instituto Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto (ICBAS/UP), Porto. Universidade Fernando Pessoa (UFP), Porto. Hospital Privado da Arrábida (HPA), Porto. Hospital Santa Maria da Feira (HSMF), Porto. Background Utility scores are used to estimate Quality Adjusted Life Years (QALYs), applied in determining the cost-effectiveness of health care interventions. In studies where no preference based measures are collected, indirect methods have been developed to estimate utilities from clinical instruments. Aim The aim of this study was to evaluate a published method of estimating the Short Form-6D (SF-6D) (preference based) in patients with chronic immune diseases from Unidade de Imunologia Clínica do Hospital de Santo António - Centro Hospitalar do Porto and evaluate the impact of socio demographics economics and clinical characteristics on quality of life (QoL) and potential predictors for QoL improvements. Methods We enrolled 320 patients with chronic immune diseases (104 men and 226 women with a mean age: 45.21; 84 people living with HIV and 236 with chronic autoimmune diseases. All responders to the Portuguese SF-36 version 2.0 questionnaire can be assigned an SF-6D score provided the 11 items used in the SF-6D have been completed using a computerized administration. To assess socioeconomic status, we use the Graffer’s scale, clinical and demographic variables were assessed by a questionnaire specifically designed for the present study. Results The mean utility value was .595. Male, gender, young, single, individuals with high educational attainment level and Graffer’s scale Class high reported higher utility levels. As expected, those who takes therapeutics’ or have a higher length disease reported lower mean utility levels than those who were in a less severe stadium of the disease or without therapeutic. Conclusion This paper provides the first utilities obtained from a populations leave with chronic immune diseases. The preference-based measures used in this study distinguish patient groups with chronic immune diseases’ in terms of socio-demographics characteristics and clinical groups. The normative values can be used economic evaluation and clinical studies as they incorporate patient’s preferences and translate the value attribute to patients´ health state. Apresentador: Cláudia Ribeiro, Médica Dentista. Doutoranda, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Santiago de Compostela

AUTOMATED COLLECTION OF QUALITY-OF-LIFE DATA: TOUCH-SCREEN COMPUTER SYSTEMS IN PATIENTS WITH IMMUNE DISEASES

AUTOMATED COLLECTION OF QUALITY-OF-LIFE DATA: TOUCH-SCREEN COMPUTER SYSTEMS IN PATIENTS WITH IMMUNE DISEASES Claúdia Ribeiro1,2,3, Augusta Silveira4,3, Isabel Silva4, Catarina Ribeiro4, Carlos Vasconcelos2,3 1UCP, 2HSA/CHP, 3ICBAS/UP, 4UFP e 5HSMF. Universidade Católica Portuguesa (UCP), Porto. Hospital de Santo António, Centro Hospitalar do Porto (HSA/CHP), Porto. Instituto Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto (ICBAS/UP), Porto. Universidade Fernando Pessoa (UFP), Porto. Hospital Santa Maria da Feira (HSMF), Porto. Background The increase of technological knowledge and methodology has allowed the practice of redirecting epidemiological research, particularly in the field of chronic disease. Although capable of controlling the accumulation of events and constraints imposed by the treatment can lead to a drastic change in quality of life (QoL) of subjects progressed to varying degrees of disability and death. In this perspective the Quality of Life Related to Health (HRQOL) has taken a leading role and its evaluation is indispensable in Medicine. Aim The aims of this study were (1) analyze the importance of HRQOL assessment as a tool for health promotion and a way of measuring the effectiveness of interventions in daily practice in patients with coexisting chronic immune system (PCSI), (2) evaluation of alternative methods for the automated collection of data on HRQOL and development of an electronic interface in sample of 320 patients, (3) creating a database to ascertain the epidemiological profile of PCSI, and identification of socio-economic, demographic and clinical data of these individuals, (4) using the QoL indicator as a predictor in decision treatment and use the preferences of patients. Methods A total of 473 patients with chronic diseases of the immune system, which were applied Graffar Index, SF-36v2, a demographic questionnaire and identification of clinical variables. Results The results of this investigation suggest that the demographic, socio-economic and clinics are associated with significant differences in QoL cumulative and chronic complications associated with different pathologies. The results verified the existence of significant correlations between the different diagnoses, duration of disease and therapy. In general, patients who have chronic diseases of the immune system such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, scleroderma, Bechet's disease, Sjögren's syndrome or infection with human immunodeficiency virus 1 or 2 showed a worse QoL than the general population. The derivations of preferences from the SF-36v2 exhibit strong correlations with the preferences measured with the SF-6D. Conclusions This suggests that both the application of the SF-36v2 as the SF-6D can be important sources of preferences to implement measures in economic evaluation in healthcare. HRQL can and should be integrated into immune clinical practice. The translation of graphical results given to the clinician at the beginning of the consultation, favors the rapid analysis of global values of the patient's HRQL. This assessment can be an excellent diagnostic tool to be used routinely in clinical practice or assisting in disease management and therapeutic decision making. Apresentador: Cláudia Ribeiro, Médica Dentista. Doutoranda, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Santiago de Compostela

Lipoleiomyoma of the peritoneum

Lipoleiomyomas are rare, mixed mesenchymal tumors composed of adipose and smooth muscle cells. They usually arise from the uterus, with extrauterine tumors being extremely rare. The imaging and gross appearance is similar to other tumors with these constituents. Recognition of this rare and benign tumor is of great importance, in order to avoid erroneous diagnosis. We present a case of an extrauterine lipoleiomyoma with minimal amounts of fat, only identified by MRI. The extrauterine location was highlighted by multiplanar MRI, and the presence of a capsule suggested a benign tumor