8-Phase Ring oscillator for modern receivers

The evolution of receiver architectures, built in modern CMOS technologies, allows the design of high efficient receivers. A key block in modern receivers is the oscillator. The main objective of this thesis is to design a very low power and low area 8-Phase Ring Oscillator for biomedical applications (ISM and WMTS bands). Oscillators with multiphase outputs and variable duty cycles are required. In this thesis we are focused in 12.5% and 50% duty-cycles approaches. The proposed circuit uses eight inverters in a ring structure, in order to generate the output duty cycle of 50%. The duty cycle of 1/8 is achieved through the combination of the longer duty cycle signals in pairs, using, for this purpose, NAND gates. Since the general application are not only the wireless communications context, as well as industrial, scientific and medical plans, the 8-Phase Oscillator is simulated to be wideband between 100 MHz and 1 GHz, and be able to operate in the ISM bands (447 MHz-930 MHz) and WMTS (600 MHz). The circuit prototype is designed in UMC 130 nm CMOS technology. The maximum value of current drawn from a DC power source of 1.2 V, at a maximum frequency of 930 MHz achieved, is 17.54 mA. After completion of the oscillator layout studied (occupied area is 165 μm x 83 μm). Measurement results confirm the expected operating range from the simulations, and therefore, that the oscillator fulfil effectively the goals initially proposed in order to be used as Local Oscillator in RF Modern Receivers

Neurocomputational Phenotypes in Female and Male Autistic Individuals

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is characterized by an altered phenotype in social interaction and communication. Additionally, autism typically manifests differently in females as opposed to males: a phenomenon that has likely led to long-term problems in diagnostics of autism in females. These sex-based differences in communicative behavior may originate from differences in neurocomputational properties of brain organization. The present study looked to examine the relationship between one neurocomputational measure of brain organization, the local power-law exponent, in autistic vs. neurotypical, as well as male vs. female participants. To investigate the autistic phenotype in neural organization based on biological sex, we collected continuous resting-state EEG data for 19 autistic young adults (10 F), and 23 controls (14 F), using a 64-channel Net Station EEG acquisition system. The data was analyzed to quantify the 1/f power spectrum. Correlations between power-law exponent and behavioral measures were calculated in a between-group (female vs. male; autistic vs. neurotypical) design. On average, the power-law exponent was significantly greater in the male ASD group than in the female ASD group in fronto-central regions. The differences were more pronounced over the left hemisphere, suggesting neural organization differences in regions responsible for language complexity. These differences provide a potential explanation for behavioral variances in female vs. male autistic young adults.Comment: 10 pages, 2 figures, 4 tables. Submitted to Journal of Science and Health, University of Alabam

Estudo Comparativo com estudantes portugueses e espanhóis

Este estudo insere-se no projeto “Violência 360º- Projeto V360°- Violência interpessoal, voluntariado e bem-estar psicológico em jovens” e pretende estudar a iniciativa de crescimento pessoal e a satisfação com a vida numa amostra de estudantes portugueses e espanhóis. A iniciativa de crescimento pessoal pressupõe que os indivíduos possam ter um papel ativo na mudança para que sejam capazes de atingir os seus objetivos. Por sua vez, a satisfação com a vida é um constructo totalmente subjetivo uma vez que depende da avaliação pessoal que cada sujeito faz acerca da sua vida, tendo em conta vários aspetos como as suas condições de vida, as crenças que segue, entre outras. Para a recolha dos dados foi partilhado via online um protocolo com os instrumentos utilizados, nomeadamente a Escala de Iniciativa de Crescimento Pessoal II (Robitschek et al., 2012), a Escala de Satisfação com a Vida (Diener et al., 1985) e um questionário sociodemográfico. Neste estudo foi possível contar com um grupo de 465 participantes. Os resultados obtidos apontam para a existência de diferenças entre os estudantes portugueses e os estudantes espanhóis nos níveis de iniciativa de crescimento pessoal, sendo demonstrado que os estudantes portugueses revelam um maior índice de iniciativa de crescimento pessoal. Também ao nível de diferenças entre os estudantes do sexo masculino e do sexo feminino nos níveis de iniciativa de crescimento pessoal não foram encontradas diferenças significativas, no entanto, os estudantes do sexo masculino revelam uma média mais alta. O estatuto socioeconómico também não demonstra diferenças no nível de iniciativa de crescimento pessoal nem no nível de satisfação com a vida. Relativamente à idade não se observaram diferenças na iniciativa de crescimento pessoal, no entanto os estudantes mais velhos revelaram uma pontuação mais alta. Paralelamente pretendeu-se analisar a relação entre a satisfação com a vida e a iniciativa de crescimento pessoal na qual se identificou uma correlação positiva, que permite observar que, quanto mais elevado for o nível de satisfação com a vida maior será o nível de iniciativa de crescimento pessoal.This study refers to the project “Violence 360º - Project V360 ° - Interpersonal violence, volunteering and psychological well-being in young people” and aims to study the initiative of personal growth and satisfaction with life in a sample of Portuguese and Spanish students. The personal growth initiative assumes that individuals may have an active role in change so that they are able to achieve their goals. On the other hand, satisfaction with life is a totally subjective construct since it depends on the personal assessment that each subject makes about their life, taking into account various aspects such as their living conditions, the beliefs they follow, among others. For data collection, a protocol was shared online with the instruments used, namely the Personal Growth Initiative Scale II (Robitschek et al., 2012), the Life Satisfaction Scale (Diener et al., 1985) and a sociodemographic questionnaire. In this study it was possible to count on a group of 465 participants. The results obtained point to the existence of differences between Portuguese students and Spanish students in the levels of personal growth initiative. showing that Portuguese students show a higher rate of personal growth initiative. Also, in terms of differences between male and female students in the levels of personal growth initiative, no significant differences were found, however, male students show a higher average. The socioeconomic status also does not show differences in the level of personal growth initiative or in the level of satisfaction with life. Regarding age, there were no differences in the personal growth initiative, however older students showed a higher score. In parallel, it was intended to analyze the relationship between satisfaction with life and the personal growth initiative where a positive correlation was identified in which the higher the level of satisfaction with life, the higher the level of personal growth initiative

Rio de Janeiro, meios de transporte e a dinâmica do futebol: a ocupação do espaço pelos clubes e ligas cariocas na Primeira República

O presente trabalho visa relacionar o desenvolvimento do esporte como uma atividade econômica no Rio de Janeiro no início do século XX. Para a disputa do mercado, os dirigentes esportivos organizaram-se de maneira a aproveitar o desenvolvimento dos meios de transporte espalhando-se por diferentes zonas da cidade.The present work aim to relate the development of the sport as an economic activity in Rio de Janeiro during the early 20th century. To compete in the market, sports officials organized themselves in order to take advantages of the transport infrastructure development, spreading to different parts of the city.  Cette recherche veut analyser le développement du football en tant qu’une activité économique de la ville de Rio de Janeiro au début du XXème siècle. Pour disputer le marché, les dirigeants sportifs vont profiter de l’accroissement des moyens de transport selon les différentes zones de la ville. Ainsi, le football va contribuer à dynamiser la géographie urbaine à Riode Janeiro

O lugar da tradução do humor num curso de Tradução em Portugal

O presente trabalho procura demonstrar a complexidade e importância da tradução de humor, bem como as diferentes teorias que têm sido desenvolvidas sobre o tema, de modo a provar a relevância do seu ensino a alunos do curso de Tradução. Para este efeito, exploraram-se as diferentes definições do termo Humor, o seu contexto teórico e histórico e o contacto que o mesmo tem tido com a Tradução. A dissertação encontra-se dividida em três capítulos, abordando o primeiro o enquadramento metodológico adotado e noções teóricas e históricas do tema, seguido de um estudo de caso considerado relevante para expor a problemática tratada e para definir alguns conceitos considerados importantes. O último capítulo tem a intenção de evidenciar formas de tratar a tradução de humor num contexto académico.The present study aims to demonstrate the complexity and importance of the translation of humor, as well as the different theories that have been developed about the subject, in order to prove the relevancy of teaching it to Translation students. For this purpose, different definitions of the term humor were explored, as well as its theoretical and historical backgrounds and the contact it has been having with Translation. This dissertation is divided into three chapters, the first one focussing on the adopted methodological framework and on theoretical and historical concepts of the subject, followed by a case study considered relevant in order to present the issue at hand and to define some concepts considered important. The last chapter means to demonstrate ways in which the translation of humor can be addressed in an academic context

EEG analysis based on dynamic visual stimuli: best practices in analysis of sign language data

This paper reviews best practices for experimental design and analysis for sign language research using neurophysiological methods, such as electroencephalography (EEG) and other methods with high temporal resolution, as well as identifies methodological challenges in neurophysiological research on natural sign language processing. In particular, we outline the considerations for generating linguistically and physically well-controlled stimuli accounting for 1) the layering of manual and non-manual information at different timescales, 2) possible unknown linguistic and non-linguistic visual cues that can affect processing, 3) variability across linguistic stimuli, and 4) predictive processing. Two specific concerns with regard to the analysis and interpretation of observed event related potential (ERP) effects for dynamic stimuli are discussed in detail. First, we discuss the “trigger/effect assignment problem”, which describes the difficulty of determining the time point for calculating ERPs. This issue is related to the problem of determining the onset of a critical sign (i.e., stimulus onset time), and the lack of clarity as to how the border between lexical (sign) and transitional movement (motion trajectory between individual signs) should be defined. Second, we discuss possible differences in the dynamics within signing that might influence ERP patterns and should be controlled for when creating natural sign language material for ERP studies. In addition, we outline alternative approaches to EEG data analyses for natural signing stimuli, such as the timestamping of continuous EEG with trigger markers for each potentially relevant cue in dynamic stimuli. Throughout the discussion, we present empirical evidence for the need to account for dynamic, multi-channel, and multi-timescale visual signal that characterizes sign languages in order to ensure the ecological validity of neurophysiological research in sign languages

Visual boundaries in sign motion: processing with and without lip-reading cues

Sign languages demonstrate a higher degree of iconicity than spoken languages. Studies on a number of unrelated sign languages show that the event structure of verb signs is reflected in the phonological form of the signs (Wilbur (2008), Malaia & Wilbur (2012), Krebs et al. (2021)). Previous research showed that hearing non-signers (with no prior exposure to sign language) can use the iconicity inherent in the visual dynamics of a verb sign to correctly identify its event structure (telic vs. atelic). In two EEG experiments, hearing non-signers were presented with telic and atelic verb signs unfamiliar to them, which they had to classify in a two-choice lexical decision task in their native language. The first experiment assessed the timeline of neural processing mechanisms in non-signers processing telic/atelic signs without access to lip-reading cues in their native language, to understand the pathways for incorporation of physical perceptual motion features into linguistic processing. The second experiment further probed the impact of visual information provided by lip-reading (speech decoding based on visual information from the face of the speaker, most importantly, the lips) on the processing of telic/atelic signs in non-signers

Ischemic stroke and subarachnoid hemorrhage following Epstein-Barr virus infection

The epidemiological link between inflammation, infection, and acute ischemic stroke (AIS) is well known.1 Transient prothrombotic status and vasculitis are possible explanatory factors.1 Aneurysm formation in association with central nervous system infections is occasionally reported.2 Ischemic or hemorrhagic complication in relation to neurotropic virus infections, including Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) are rarely reported in adults. Thus, we report here an extremely rare case of ischemic and hemorrhagic cerebrovascular complications in the context of EBV neuroinfection.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio