Exploring online users´ attitudes and behaviors: the privacy paradox and its current motivations

Individuals' privacy has become an essential theme to be addressed in today's growing digital world" Privacy Paradox" is the discrepancy between privacy concerns and actual behaviors This research aims to explore whether:- Users are still concerned about their online privacy- The elements of Privacy Cynicism has an impact on users' online behavio

Nonlinear Dynamic RF System Characterization: Envelope Intermodulation Distortion Profiles--A Noise Power Ratio-Based Approach

As radio frequency (RF) applications occupy larger bandwidths, nonlinear dynamics become nonnegligible. This work presents a theoretical framework capable of quantifying the impacts of nonlinear dynamic effects on RF systems through the observation of intermodulation distortion (IMD) profiles produced under multitone excitation. This framework defines static reference profiles and quantifies inband nonlinear dynamic effects as the error between the measured and reference profiles. This analysis demonstrates that classic linearity metrics, such as noise power ratio (NPR), adjacent-channel power ratio, and cochannel power ratio, do not have sufficient frequency resolution to reliably evaluate the impacts of nonlinear dynamics manifested in the IMD profiles produced by broadband RF systems. These observations result in a list of general characterization guidelines to overcome the limitations of classical linearity metrics in the assessment of nonlinear dynamics and the proposal and experimental validation of a novel method, swept-tone NPR, for the characterization of IMD profiles affected by nonlinear dynamic effects. Beyond this, the classic nonlinear dynamic mechanism, responsible for IMD asymmetry, is analyzed under multitone excitation at the system level for the first time, and the limitations of mechanism-based IMD analysis in the presence of nonlinear dynamic effects are evidenced with theoretical examples

Swept Notch NPR for Linearity Assessment of Systems Presenting Long-Term Memory Effects

Mobile and Satellite applications are progressively moving towards broader bandwidths, so nonlinear long-term memory effects manifested by RF Transmitters must not be neglected. This trend evidences the need for more informative and robust broadband linearity metrics. This work proposes a swept notch noise power ratio to capture co-channel long-term memory effects, moving the scientific discussion toward the definition of useful metrics for broadband nonlinear memory assessment

Associations between prenatal and early life stress and physical and mental health outcomes in prospective pregnancy and birth cohorts of children, adolescents and older adults : the role of epigenetics and genetics

Maternal depression and anxiety during pregnancy may present risks for the developing fetus and offspring lifelong physical and mental health. Exposure to postnatal early life stress (ELS) has also been extensively associated with health problems decades later. According to the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) hypothesis, environmental factors during pregnancy and early childhood may compromise the development of tissue, organs and systems, such as hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. While the underlying biological mechanisms are not fully understood, epigenetic alterations and genetic vulnerability are the promising biomarkers, which have been suggested to mediate the association of antenatal and early adversity with physical and mental health later in life. The aim of this work was to examine whether exposure to maternal antenatal depression and anxiety was associated with polyepigenetic modifications in their children reflected by the polyepigenetic biomarkers of child’s epigenetic gestational age (GA) and glucocorticoid (GC) exposure score. Additionally, it explored whether these modifications were associated with and mediated the effects of antenatal exposures on child mental health outcomes and whether the associations were moderated by child’s sex. As epigenetic processes undergo age-related changes, the next aim was to study whether epigenetic modifications reflected by the polyepigenetic biomarker of epigenetic clock were associated with physical growth, neuroendocrine functioning, cognition and mental health in adolescents. Finally, this thesis also examined whether genetic variants in FKBP5, the gene that plays a role in the HPA-axis regulation, interacted with exposure to ELS in prediction of type 2 diabetes (T2D), cardiovascular disease (CVD), and quantitative glycemic traits in older adults. The participants for the studies come from three prospective cohorts. Studies I and II capitalize on the Prediction and Prevention of Preeclampsia and Intrauterine Growth Restriction (PREDO) birth cohort. We had full information on genome-wide methylation and genotype from 817 fetal umbilical cord blood samples. In Study I, 694 mothers provided information on their history of depression diagnosed before pregnancy, 581 completed the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) throughout pregnancy, and 407 completed the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) at child’s mean age 3.7 years. DNA methylation (DNAm) GA of fetal cord blood DNA was based on the methylation profile of 148 selected CpG sites. Polyepigenetic biomarker of child’s epigenetic GA was calculated as the arithmetic difference between DNAm GA and chronological GA and adjusted for chronological GA. In Study II, we had information on child diagnoses of mental and behavioral disorders and the number of days the child had been receiving in- or outpatient treatment for these disorders as the primary diagnosis from birth to age 7.1-10.7 years (n=814). Mothers (n=583) reported depressive and anxiety symptoms during pregnancy, using CES-D and State Anxiety Inventory (STAI), respectively. A weighted cross-tissue polyepigenetic GC exposure score was calculated based on the methylation profile of 24 CpGs. Study III was based on the Glycyrrhizin in Licorice (Glaku) cohort. We had information available on DNA samples, physical growth and pubertal development, cognitive abilities, psychiatric problems assessed by mothers with CBCL questionnaire, and saliva samples to estimate cortisol levels for a subsample adolescents at the mean age of 12.3 (n=239). DNAm age was estimated using the Horvath age estimation algorithm. The polyepigenetic biomarker of epigenetic clock was calculated as the unstandardized residual from a linear regression of DNAm age on chronological age and six cell count types. For Study IV, a total of 1,728 Helsinki Birth Cohort Study (HBCS) participants born from 1934 to 1944 were genotyped for FKBP5 SNPs (rs1360780, rs9394309, rs9470080) and were administered a 2-hour (75 g) oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and a questionnaire on physician-diagnosed and medication use for chronic diseases at a mean age of 61.5 years. Of them, 273 were exposed to ELS defined as separation from biological parents at a mean age of 4.7 years due to evacuations during World War II. In Study I we found that lower child’s epigenetic GA at birth was significantly associated with maternal history of depression diagnosed before pregnancy and higher antenatal depressive symptoms. It also prospectively predicted child’s total and internalizing problems in early childhood, partially mediating the association of maternal antenatal depression with child internalizing problems, although only in boys. It may signal about their developmental vulnerability to maternal depression during pregnancy (Study I). In Study II we show that while polyepigenetic GC exposure score at birth was not predictive of higher risk for any mental and behavioral disorder in childhood, lower score was associated with more days spent in in- or outpatient treatment for any mental and behavioral disorder as the primary diagnosis. This finding may contribute to better understanding and identification of children at risk for more severe mental and behavioral disorders already at birth (Study II). Next, we demonstrate that adolescents with epigenetic clock age acceleration (AA) displayed more advanced physical growth and development, had higher salivary cortisol upon awakening and higher odds for displaying borderline clinically significant internalizing problems, which may index risk of earlier aging and age-related diseases (Study III). Finally, Study IV revealed that three selected FKBP5 polymorphisms moderated the association of ELS on insulin and glucose values at fasting state and/or during an OGTT in late adulthood, supporting the role of gene-environment interaction and HPA axis dysregulation in the development of metabolic disorders. These study findings provide valuable insights on how the polyepigenetic biomarkers of antenatal adverse exposures and aging and biomarkers of genetic vulnerability in combination with the information about ELS might contribute to early identification of individuals at risk for complex mental and physical disorders enabling timely targeted preventive and therapeutic interventions.Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD)-hypoteesin mukaan raskaudenaikaiset ja varhaislapsuuden ympäristötekijät voivat vaikuttaa kudosten, elinten ja elimistön säätelyjärjestelmien, kuten hypotalamus-aivolisäke-lisämunuainen -akseli (HPAA) toimintaan pitkälläkin aikajänteellä. Esimerkiksi raskaudenaikainen masennus ja ahdistus voivat haitata sikiön kehittymistä ja lisätä terveysongelmien riskiä syntymän jälkeen. Myös varhaislapsuuden stressi voi lisätä terveysongelmien riskiä. Epigeneettiset muutokset ja geneettinen vaihtelu ovat lupaavia biomarkkereita, joiden on ehdotettu välittävän ja muokkaavan sikiöaikaisten ja varhaislapsuuden ympäristövaikutusten yhteyksiä fyysiseen ja henkiseen terveyteen myöhemmässä elämässä. Tämän työn tarkoituksena oli tutkia, liittyykö altistuminen raskaudenaikaiselle masennukselle ja ahdistukselle kahteen lapsen epigeneettiseen biomarkkeriin: epigeneettiseen gestaatioikään ja glukokortikoidialtistuksesta kertovaan epigeneettiseen indikaattoriin. Lisäksi työssä selvitettiin, välittyikö raskaudenaikaisten altisteiden vaikutus lasten mielenterveyteen näiden biomarkkereiden kautta. Seuraavana tavoitteena oli tutkia kolmannen epigeneettisen biomarkkerin, epigeneettisen kellon, yhteyksiä fyysiseen kasvuun, neuroendokriinisiin vasteisiin, kognitiivisiin kykyihin ja mielenterveyteen murrosikäisillä. Lopuksi tässä opinnäytetyössä tutkittiin myös HPAA säätelyssä olennaisen FKBP5 geenin varianttien ja varhaisen stressin yhteisvaikutusta insuliini- ja glukoositasoihin sekä tyypin 2 diabetekseen ja sydän- ja verisuonitauteihin myöhäisessä aikuisuudessa. Tutkimuksiin osallistujat tulevat kolmesta prospektiivisesta kohortista. Osatutkimukset I ja II hyödynsivät PREDO syntymäkohortin aineistoa. Tähän kuuluu genominlaajuinen metylaatio- ja genomiaineisto 817:sta napaverinäytteestä. Osatutkimuksessa I, 694:ltä äidiltä oli lisäksi tieto masennusdiagnoosista ennen raskautta, 581 täytti CES-D masennusoirekyselyn raskauden aikana ja 407 täytti CBCL-kyselyn lapsen käyttäytymis- ja tunneongelmista kun lapset olivat keskimäärin 3.7 -vuotiaita. Epigeneettinen gestaatioikä eli määriteltiin 148 napaveren DNA:n metylaatiokohdan (CpG) perusteella. Tutkimuksessa II aineistona oli lasten mielenterveys- ja käyttäytymishäiriöiden diagnoosit sekä niiden päivien lukumäärästä, jolloin lapsi oli ollut näiden sairauksien takia avo- tai sairaalahoidossa syntymästä 7.1 - 10.7 vuoden ikään saakka (n = 814). Äidit raportoivat myös raskaudenaikaisen masennusoireensa CES-D kyselyllä ahdistuksensa STAI kyselyllä (n = 583). Glukokortikoidialtistuksesta kertova epigeneettinen biomarkkeri laskettiin 24 CpG:n metylaatioprofiilin perusteella. Tutkimus III perustui Glaku -kohortin aineistoon. Aineistona oli DNA-näytteet, fyysinen kasvu ja murrosiän kehitys, kognitiiviset kyvyt, CBCL-kyselylomakkeella raportoidut käyttäytymis- ja tunneongelmat ja sylkinäytteistä määritetty kortisolipitoisuus keskimäärin 12.3 -vuoden iässä (n = 239). Epigeneettinen ikä arvioitiin Horvathin algoritmilla. Tutkimuksessa IV määritettiin FKBP5 geenin variantit (rs1360780, rs9394309, rs9470080) n=1728 HBCS -tutkimukseen osallistuneelta vuosina 1934–1944 syntyneeltä. Heille tehtiin myös 2-tunnin (75 g) sokerirasitustesti ja he raportoivat lääkärin diagnosoimista kroonisista sairauksista ja lääkkeidenkäytöstä keskimäärin 61.5 vuoden iässä. Tutkittavista 273 oli altistunut varhaiselle stressille, joka märiteltiin eroksi biologisista vanhemmista 2. maailmansodan aikana tapahtuneen evakuoinnin (sotalapsi) vuoksi keskimäärin 4.7 vuoden iässä. Tutkimuksessa I havaitsimme, että matalampi lapsen epigeneettinen gestaatioikä, suhteessa kronologiseen gestaatioikään syntymähetkellä liittyi ennen raskautta diagnosoituun äidin masennukseen ja raskausaikaisiin masennusoireisiin. Se ennusti myös lapsen käyttäytymis- ja tunneongelmia varhaislapsuudessa sekä välitti osittain äidin masennuksen yhteyttä lapsen tunneongelmiin, erityisesti pojilla. Tutkimuksessa II osoitimme, että glukokortikoidialtistuksesta kertovan epigeneettisen indikaattorin matalmpi taso liittyi lapsen mielenterveyden ja käyttäytymishäiriön vuoksi sairaalassa tai avohoidossa vietetyn hoitojakson pituuteen. Tutkimuksessa III osoitimme, että korkeampi epigeneettinen ikä suhteessa kronologiseen ikään, oli yhteydessä fyysiseen kasvuun ja kehitykseen, korkeampiin syljen kortisolitasoihin heräämisen jälkeen ja lievien internalisoivien ongelmien korkeampaan riskiin. Lopulta Tutkimuksessa IV osoitimme, että kolme FKBP5-varianttia muokkasi varhaislapsuuden stressikokemuksen yhteyttä korkeampiin paaston- ja/tai sokerirasituksen jälkeisiin insuliini- ja glukoosiarvoihin myöhäisessä aikuisiässä. Nämä tutkimustulokset antavat arvokasta tietoa siitä, kuinka raskauden- tai lapsuuden aikaisten altistusten tai ikääntymisen epigeneettiset biomarkkerit ja geneettiset biomarkkerit yhdessä varhaista stressiä kuvaavan tiedon kanssa voivat auttaa tunnistamaan ajoissa ne henkilöt, joilla on kohonnut riski mielenterveyden ongelmille tai fyysisille sairauksille. Tunnistaminen mahdollistaa ennaltaehkäisevien toimenpiteiden kohdentamisen oikea-aikaisesti jopa vuosikymmeniä ennen oireiden ilmaantumista

Linearity-aware design of Doherty power amplifiers

The linearity is a crucial requirement of power amplifiers. At design level, it is typically assessed by means of AM/AM, AM/PM and IMR, which are extracted from 1- and 2-tone characterization. These however are not fully representative of the actual behaviour under modulated signal excitation, for which purpose other system-level metrics such as the NPR have been successfully introduced. In this paper, different linearity estimations are used to compare two GaN-on-Si Doherty MMIC power amplifiers for Ka-band space applications. One of the two amplifiers shows an AM/PM reduction of more than 30% with respect to the other. However, it is observed that this does not always lead to a reduction in NPR. The reasons for this disagreement between metrics are analysed and discussed

ANÁLISE DA INCIDÊNCIA DE INTERNAÇÕES E DA ESTIMATIVA DE NOVOS CASOS DE NEOPLASIA MALIGNA DE PRÓSTATA NA PANDEMIA DA SARS-COV-2 NO BRASIL- UM ESTUDO EPIDEMIOLÓGICO

INTRODUÇÃO: No cenário da pandemia da COVID19, a evasão de atendimento hospitalar é uma realidade. Devido a esse contexto, os diagnósticos e o rastreamento de patologias não são realizados como deveriam. O Câncer de Próstata (CP) é a segunda classe de câncer mais recorrente em homens, mundialmente. OBJETIVOS: Identificar a alteração na incidência e nos números previstos pelo INCA de internações hospitalares e diagnósticos de Neoplasia Maligna Prostática pelo DATASUS nos anos que duram a pandemia do COVID 19.   METODOLOGIA: Realizado através de corte transversal, com abordagem quantitativa, descritiva e retrospectiva com os dados disponíveis no SINAN/DATASUS e no INCA. Os dados foram exportados para o Microsoft Excel 2013, onde foram realizadas as análises quantitativas.RESULTADOS: Pelos dados do DATASUS sobre internações por CA de próstata e procedimentos eletivos devido ao mesmo, vemos um aumento progressivo até o ano de 2019 (aumento de 17%). Com uma queda comparado a 2020 (queda de 14%). As estimativas do INCA sobre novos casos de CP, percebemos uma diminuição de aproximadamente 0,6%, enquanto que ao se comparar os dados de internação do DATASUS, vemos uma diminuição de aproximadamente 7,9%, configurando uma queda cerca de 13 vezes maior do que o esperado.DISCUSSÃO:  Devido a Pandemia do SARS-COV-2, houve uma evasão dos hospitais para os pacientes em geral, devido ao medo da contaminação com o vírus. Isso, diminuiu a busca por consultas eletivas também, diminuindo o número de check-ups, exames de rotina, e queixas “não urgentes”, isto, quando falado em serviços hospitalares. CONCLUSÃO:   Portanto, levando-se em consideração tal porcentagem, mesmo que a evolução da maioria das neoplasias prostáticas seja insidiosa, o adiamento não só do diagnóstico, mas também do tratamento, podem gerar desfechos trágicos para os pacientes, que se, aplicados para uma grande população como a suposta nesta análise, poderia gerar uma “nova pandemia” de neoplasias no futuro Palavras-Chave: Epidemiologia, Pandemia, COVID19, Câncer de Próstata

A randomized split-mouth clinical trial comparing pain experienced during palatal injections with two different computer-controlled local anesthetic delivery systems

Several methods have been proposed to reduce pain during injection. The main aim to this study was to compare the pain perception in patients receiving palatal injections of local anesthesia using two different computer-controlled local anesthetic delive

Middle latency auditory evoked potential in child population

Introduction: The middle-latency auditory evoked potential is used to evaluate any abnormality that might impair the central auditory pathways, which are situated between the brain stem and the primary auditory cortex. Objective: To analyse the middle-latency auditory evoked potentials in children. Methods: This is a descriptive and cross-sectional study. Pure-tone audiometry was performed, and if no change was detected, Biologic’s portable Evoked Potential System (EP) was used to measure auditory evoked potentials. The identification of the responses was performed using electrodes positioned at C3 and C4 (left and right hemispheres) in reference to ears A1 and A2 (left and right earlobe). These were ipsilaterally and contralaterally paired and landed at Fpz (forehead), in two steps, with alternating stimulation of the right and left ears. Results: In this study, there was 100% detectability of the Na, Pa, and Nb components and interamplitude Na–Pa. This study compared different electrode leads, and there was no significant difference between the different electrode positions studied for the right and left ears in the studied population. Conclusion: It was concluded that the examination of middle-latency evoked potential is steady and feasible for the studied age group regardless of electrode position

Adesão de idosos à vacinação contra influenza

Esse estudo tem como objetivo abordar a "adesão de idosos à vacinação contra influenza". Uma vez que é de extrema preocupação para a saúde pública o estado em que os idosos se encontram fisicamente. Existem vários estudos que abordam os benefícios da vacinação contra influenza entre idosos. No entanto, mesmo sendo gratuita no Brasil, ainda não se consegue fazer com que um número de 80% desses idosos seja vacinado. O que impossibilita que muitos deles sejam beneficiados. Por esse motivo, através de pesquisa bibliográfica buscando em artigos científicos (MedLine; Lilacs, Scielo e outros) e também em outras publicações e livros, informações relevantes a respeito do assunto. Esse estudo procura demonstrar a importância da vacinação contra influenza para os idosos e como aumentar o número de beneficiados nas campanhas de vacinação