Torrent Poisoning Protection with a Reverse Proxy Server

A Distributed Denial-of-Service attack uses multiple sources operating in concert to attack a network or site. A typical DDoS flood attack on a website targets a web server with multiple valid requests, exhausting the server’s resources. The participants in this attack are usually compromised/infected computers controlled by the attackers. There are several variations of this kind of attack, and torrent index poisoning is one. A Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attack using torrent poisoning, more specifically using index poisoning, is one of the most effective and disruptive types of attacks. These web flooding attacks originate from BitTorrent-based file-sharing communities, where the participants using the BitTorrent applications cannot detect their involvement. The antivirus and other tools cannot detect the altered torrent file, making the BitTorrent client target the webserver. The use of reverse proxy servers can block this type of request from reaching the web server, preventing the severity and impact on the service of the DDoS. In this paper, we analyze a torrent index poisoning DDoS to a higher education institution, the impact on the network systems and servers, and the mitigation measures implemented.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Estratégias interventivas na interrupção do comportamento sedentário para aumentar os níveis habituais da atividade física na população idosa

There are several negative consequences that sedentary behavior brings to the health of the elderly. Reducing sedentary time could be an achievable goal in order to change the risk factors for chronic diseases and, therefore, designing, testing and implementing interventions aimed at this purpose in the elderly is very important. In this sense, a quick literature review was carried out to synthesize the scientific evidence, which aims to analyze intervention strategies based on the reduction of daily sedentary behavior in the elderly population and the increase in their levels of physical activity. Rapid reviews include methodological processes tha tallow for a synthesis o scientific evidence, where the components of the systematic review process are simplified in order to produce relevant information in a timely manner. A set of eligibility criteria were defined, in which 8 studies - interventional, randomized controlled and longitudinal - were systematically selected from the scientific databases PubMed and B-On. Subsequently, a content analysis of the data extracted from the same studies was carried out. The results show that an intervention in the elderly’s family settings that involve educational self-management strategies to reduce sedentary behavior can increase physical activity levels. On the other hand, individual pedagogical sessions by phone call or in person and the delivery of information leaflets on what can replace sedentary life style reveal to be a good strategy to create healthy habits and increase physical activity. This study found a set of support measures for this situation that are linked to interspersing periods of physical activity with more sedentary periods, betting on measures that encourage individuals to move more throughout the day, despite participating in activity programs physical activity, and make known the benefits of physical activity and the harm that sedentary behavior entails. São várias as consequências negativas que o comportamento sedentário acarreta para a saúde do idoso. A diminuição do tempo sedentário poderia ser um objetivo exequível de forma a alterar os fatores de risco de doenças crónicas e, por isso, conceber, testar e implementar intervenções em idosos orientadas neste propósito é muito importante. Neste sentido, foi realizada uma revisão rápida da literatura, para sintetizar as evidências científicas, que objetiva analisar as estratégias de intervenção que tenham por base a redução do comportamento sedentário diário na população idosa e o aumento dos seus níveis de atividade física. As revisões rápidas contemplam processos metodológicos que permitem apresentar uma síntese de evidências científicas, onde as componentes do processo de revisão sistemática são simplificadas de forma a produzir informação relevante de forma atempada. Foram definidos um conjunto de critérios de elegibilidade, nos quais 8 estudos - intervencionais, randomizados controlados e longitudinais - foram selecionados, sistematicamente, nas bases de dados científicos PubMed e B-On. Posteriormente, procedeu-se a uma análise de conteúdo dos dados extraídos dos mesmos estudos. Os resultados evidenciam que uma intervenção em locais familiares dos idosos que envolvam estratégias educativas de autogestão na redução do comportamento sedentário podem aumentar os níveis de atividade física. Por outro lado, sessões individuais pedagógicas por chamada telefónica ou presencialmenteeentrega defolhetos informativos daquilo que pode substituir o sedentarismo revelam ser uma boa estratégia para criar hábitos saudáveis e aumentar a atividade física. Este estudo apurou um conjunto de medidas de apoio para esta situação que se prendem em intercalar períodos de atividade física aos períodos mais sedentários, apostar em medidas que incentivem os indivíduos a movimentarem-se mais ao longo do dia, apesar de participarem em programas de atividade física, e dar conhecimento dos benefícios da atividade física e malefícios que o comportamento sedentário acarreta.

Stream sediment analysis for Lithium (Li) exploration in the Douro region (Portugal): A comparative study of the spatial interpolation and catchment basin approaches

Lithium (Li) was recently added to the list of critical raw materials by the European Union due to its significance for the green energy transition. Thus, the development of new toolchains to make Li exploration more economic and more effective is needed. Stream sediment analysis can play an important part in these new tool chains. In this work, two historical stream sediment datasets covering parts of the Fregeneda-Almendra pegmatite field in the Douro region (Portugal) were reprocessed considering two distinct approaches: spatial interpolation through inverse distance weighting (IDW) and the catchment basin approach using the concentration area (C-A) fractal analysis. The following objectives were delineated: (i) determine pathfinder elements for Li, considering relevant associations in the mineralization sources; (ii) compare the performance of both approaches; (iii) identify new target areas for Li. In the case of spatial interpolation, the highest Li values were associated to granites although the use of key elements allowed lithological discrimination and the delineation of target areas. In the catchment basin approach, fractal analysis proved to be effective in decreasing the number of areas of interest with high accuracy (>75%) when considering the previously mapped Li-pegmatites. One of the limitations identified was the number of anomalous basins related to the granites, despite the use of pathfinder elements allowing discriminating granite- from pegmatite-related Li anomalies. Comparing the two approaches, the spatial interpolation method is more adequate for the early stages of exploration (reconnaissance), while the catchment basin approach is more suited for prospect-scale exploration. Field validation of the results identified one pegmatite containing Li mineralization and three others with favorable signs for Li mineralization in the Douro region.The authors would like to thank the financial support provided by FCT– Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P. (Portugal) and BMBF Jülich – Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (Germany), with the ERA-MIN/0001/2017 – LIGHTS project. The work was also supported by Portuguese National Funds through the FCT projects UIDB/04683/2020 and UIDP/04683/2020 – ICT (Institute of Earth Sciences) and UIDB/50019/2020 – IDL (Instituto Dom Luiz). Joana Cardoso-Fernandes and Jéssica Lima are financially supported within the compass of their respective Ph.D. Thesis, ref. SFRH/BD/136108/2018 and ref. 2020.05793.BD, by national funds from MCTES through FCT, and co-financed by the European Social Fund (ESF) through POCH – Programa Operacional Capital Humano – and NORTE 2020 regional program. The Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovacion y Universidades (Project RTI2018-094097-B-100, with ERDF funds) and the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) (grant GIU18/084) also contributed economically. The authors are also grateful to BRGM (Bureau de Recherches Géologiques et Minières) and LNEG (Laboratório Nacional de Energia e Geologia) for making the data available for this study

The consequences of job crafting and engagement in the relationship between passion for work and individual performance of Portuguese workers

IntroductionThis study sought to relate the two types of work passion, harmonious passion and obsessive passion, to the organizational consequences of engagement, job crafting, and perceived individual job performance. This study was based on the Employee Work Passion Appraisal model and conducted to evaluate possible statistical associations of the dualistic approach of passion used as an antecedent of positive and negative organizational outcomes (engagement, job crafting, and perceived individual job performance).MethodsThe data collection and analysis for this study were accomplished by a transversal and quantitative study design. A non-probabilistic method was used to select a convenience sample composed of 305 Portuguese workers and was collected online from March to October 2020. The proposed hypotheses were evaluated using partial structural equation models.ResultsOverall, the results supported the proposed hypotheses and showed that harmonious passion positively affected organizational outcomes, while obsessive passion negatively affected these outcomes; notably, our findings also revealed high individual performance, high obsessive passion, and consequently, a significant increase in structural labor resources, a significant decrease in harmful labor demands, and high absorption.DiscussionThe findings highlight the importance of distinguishing between harmonious passion and obsessive passion in understanding their consequences for organizational outcomes. Promoting harmonious passion while managing the potential negative effects of obsessive passion is crucial for enhancing positive job-related behaviors and performance. Future research should explore interventions and strategies to foster harmonious passion, mitigate the negative impacts of obsessive passion, and ultimately improve overall work engagement and performance

Relato de caso: Paraganglioma retroperitoneal ocasionando dor abdominal e níveis de pressão arterial dentro da normalidade: Relato de caso: Paraganglioma retroperitoneal ocasionando dor abdominal e níveis de pressão arterial dentro da normalidade

Paragangliomas são neoplasias neuroendócrinas com origem na paraganglia do sistema nervoso simpático e parassimpático. O diagnóstico é um desafio, quando os sintomas e os aspectos de imagem são inespecíficos. Apresentamos uma paciente do sexo feminino, 34 anos, com dor abdominal e níveis normais de pressão arterial sistêmica. Uma massa abdominal hipervascular foi visualizada no retroperitônio através dos exames de imagem, sendo submetida à biópsia percutânea guiada por ultrassonografia. O diagnóstico final foi paraganglioma retroperitoneal, não funcionante, estabelecido por meio da análise histopatológica e imuno-histoquímica dos fragmentos. Nosso objetivo é alertar os médicos sobre a possibilidade do paraganglioma em cenário clínico atípico

Investigating the role of symptom valorisation in tuberculosis patient delay in urban areas in Portugal

URBANTB group: Patrícia Soares (Representative of the consortium), Mário Carreira, Sofia Pereira, Catarina Alves, Filipe Alves, Ana Rodrigues, Ana Moreira, Márcia Cardoso, Sandra Mota, Ana Gomes, Liliana Ferreira, Marta Lopes, Isabel Correia, Juan Rachadell, Maria Gameiro, Ângela Dias, Manuel Pereira, Jorge Gonçalves, Maria Gonçalves, Adriana Taveira, Celene Neves, Lucinda Silva, Maria Mendes, Maria Teixeira, Maria Pereira, Milena Piedade, Antónia Teixeira & Carlos Carvalho.Background: Diagnosis delay contributes to increased tuberculosis (TB) transmission and morbimortality. TB incidence has been decreasing in Portugal, but median patient delay (PD) has risen. Symptom valorisation may determine PD by influencing help-seeking behaviour. We aimed to analyse the association between symptom valorisation and PD, while characterising individuals who disregarded their symptoms. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among TB patients in Lisbon and Oporto in 2019 - 2021. Subjects who delayed seeking care because they did not value their symptoms or thought these would go away on their own were considered to have disregarded their symptoms. PD was categorised using a 21-day cut-off, and a 30-day cut-off for sensitivity analysis. We estimated the effect of symptom valorisation on PD through a directed acyclic graph. Then, a multivariable regression analysis characterised patients that disregarded their symptoms, adjusting for relevant variables. We fitted Poisson regression models to estimate crude and adjusted prevalence ratios (PR). Results: The study included 75 patients. Median PD was 25 days (IQR 11.5-63.5), and 56.0% of participants had PD exceeding 21 days. Symptom disregard was reported by 38.7% of patients. Patients who did not value their symptoms had higher prevalence of PD exceeding 21 days compared to those who valued their symptoms [PR 1.59 (95% CI 1.05-2.42)]. The sensitivity analysis showed consistent point estimates but wider confidence intervals [PR 1.39 (95% CI 0.77-2.55)]. Being a smoker was a risk factor for symptom disregard [PR 2.35 (95% CI 1.14-4.82)], while living in Oporto [PR 0.35 (95% CI 0.16-0.75)] and having higher household incomes [PR 0.39 (95% CI 0.17-0.94)] were protective factors. Conclusions: These findings emphasise the importance of symptom valorisation in timely TB diagnosis. Patients who did not value their symptoms had longer PD, indicating a need for interventions to improve symptom recognition. Our findings also corroborate the importance of the socioeconomic determinants of health, highlighting tobacco as a risk factor both for TB and for PD.This work was supported by the Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT, Portugal) [Grant: PTDC/SAU-PUB/31346/2017]. The present publication was funded by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT, Portugal) national support through Comprehensive Health Research Centre (CHRC) [UIDP/04923/2020].info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae Colonization or Infection Was Not Associated with Post-Liver Transplant Graft Failure: An Observational Cohort Study

Introduction: Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) epidemiology among liver transplant (LT) recipients is variable. We studied the impact of CRE colonization and infection on LT recipients’ outcomes. Methods: This observational cohort study included consecutive adult LT recipients between January 2019 and December 2020 at Curry Cabral Hospital, Lisbon, Portugal. Primary exposures were CRE colonization (rectal swabs under a screening program) and infection within 1 year of index LT. Primary endpoint was graft failure within 1 year of the index LT. Results: Among 209 patients, the median (interquartile range [IQR]) age was 57 (47–64) years and 155 (74.2%) were male. CRE colonization was identified in 28 (13.4%) patients during the first year posttransplant (median [IQR] number of rectal swabs per patient of 4 [2–7]). CRE resistance genes identified were OXA48 in 8 (3.6%) patients, KPC in 19 (67.9%) patients, and VIM in 1 (3.6%) patient. Any bacterial/fungal and CRE infections were diagnosed in 88 (42.1%) and 6 (2.9%) patients, respectively, during the first year posttransplant. After adjusting for confounders, neither CRE colonization (aOR [95% CI] = 1.83 [0.71–4.70]; p = 0.21) nor infection (aOR [95% CI] = 1.35 [0.17–11.06]; p = 0.78) was associated with graft failure within 1 year of index LT. Discussion/Conclusion: Under a screening program, CRE colonization and infection prevalence was low and neither was associated with graft failure

Liga de otorrinolaringologia e cirurgia cérvico-facial da UFRGS

A Otorrinolaringologia (ORL) é uma especialidade médica que lida com problemas que atingem grande parte da rotina clínica, como tosses, inflamações e infecções de vias aéreas, vertigem, zumbido, cefaleias, distúrbios digestivos e da deglutição, trauma facial, transtornos na fala e na audição, tumores de cabeça e pescoço, entre outros problemas cada vez mais prevalentes. Se a elevada predominância das patologias dessa especialidade já lhe torna uma área de conhecimento muito importante, sua relevância aumenta ainda mais a medida que compreendemos o impacto que vários desses problemas trazem em termos de deterioração da qualidade de vida (olfato, paladar, linguagem, equilíbrio e respiração). Apesar dos conhecimentos da área serem de fundamental importância para a adequada prática médica do clínico geral, historicamente a maioria das escolas médicas abordam a otorrinolaringologia em pequenos blocos, com carga horária restrita ou em uma disciplina realizada entre os últimos anos da graduação. É nesse contexto que a Liga de ORL surge, visando ser um complemento na formação médica nessa área de tamanha relevância não apenas clínica, mas também cirúrgica