Introdução: Embora a relação entre privação de sono e limiar de dor tenha sido estudada em condições patológicas de quadros álgicos agudos e crônicos, os mecanismos envolvidos neste processo ainda carecem de investigações. Nesse contexto, sabe-se que são crescentes as situações nas quais a restrição de sono aguda é induzida por atividades laborais cotidianas, e a compreensão desta relação demanda modelos que permitam observar o efeito em condições em que os estímulos sejam padronizados e controlados. Assim sendo, investigamos o efeito da restrição aguda de sono na função autonômica e sua relação com limiares de dor em indivíduos saudáveis. Objetivos: Avaliar a relação entre respostas autonômicas e percepção a estímulos nociceptivos térmicos e elétricos pós-restrição aguda de sono ocasionada por estresse laboral. Métodos: Foram avaliados 19 estudantes de Medicina saudáveis após noite de sono habitual (SN) e após plantão noturno de 12 horas (RS). Primeiramente examinamos características clínicas dos sujeitos utilizando escalas para avaliação de sono e sintomas psiquiátricos. Foram realizados também testes quantitativos de sensibilidade para sensações térmicas e elétricas e registradas respostas cutâneas simpáticas (RCS) induzidas por estímulo elétrico duplo com diferentes intervalos interestímulos (ISI). Resultados: A média de duração do sono durante as 12 horas de plantão noturno foi de 120+ 28 minutos. Os escores de ansiedade foram maiores na fase RS quando comparados com os da fase SN (p<0,01). Após restrição de sono, houve diminuição no limiar de dor, mas não nos limiares de calor e elétricos. Em relação às respostas autonômicas, foram evidenciadas maiores amplitudes da RCS bem como aumento do número de duplas respostas em ISI 2s na fase RS. Também foi observada moderada correlação inversa entre limiares de dor e amplitudes da RCS (r= -0,45; p<0,01). Não foi encontrada correlação entre escores de ansiedade e parâmetros RCS. No entanto, no modelo de regressão linear multivariada, a percepção do limiar de dor ao estímulo térmico foi significativamente correlacionada com a amplitude da resposta cutânea simpática (β = - 0.55; 95% CI, -0.65 to -0.07), mas não com escores de ansiedade (p>0.05). Conclusões: Os efeitos da restrição aguda de sono no limar de dor são específicos e parecem não estar relacionados com alterações na percepção sensorial geral. Hiperalgesia foi associada com respostas autonômicas anormais, mas não com aumento da ansiedade, sugerindo a existência de uma associação entre o sistema nociceptivo e o autonômico, independente do estado emocional. / Background: Although the relationship between sleep deprivation and pain threshold has been studied in pathological acute and chronic conditions, the mechanisms involved in this process still require investigation. In this context, it is known that there is an increasing of situations where acute sleep restriction is induced by daily working activities and to understand this relationship is necessary models that allow the observation of the effect in situations in which the stimuli are standardized and controlled. Therefore, we investigated the effect of the acute sleep restriction on autonomic function and its relation with pain thresholds in healthy subjects. Objectives: Evaluating the relationship between autonomic responses and perception of thermal and electrical nociceptive stimuli after acute sleep restriction caused by stressful work. Methods: We evaluated 19 healthy medical students after normal night of sleep (NS) and after 12-hour night shift (SR). First we examined clinical characteristics of the subjects using scales for assessment of sleep and psychiatric symptoms. Also, we performed quantitative tests of sensitivity to thermal and electrical sensations and recorded double-electric-induced sudomotor skin responses (SSR) at different inter-stimulus intervals (ISI). Results: The total mean duration of sleep was 120 ± 28 minutes out of 12 hours of night shift. The anxiety scores were higher in SR Phase in comparison with those from NS Phase (p<0.01). After SR, there was a decrease in heat pain, but not in warm neither electrical threshold. Regarding autonomic responses, SR subjects showed higher SSR amplitudes and increased number of double responses at ISI 2s. It was also observed a moderate inverse correlation between heat pain thresholds and SSR amplitude (r = -0.45; P<0.01). However, there was no correlation between anxiety scores and SSR parameters. Indeed, in the multivariate linear regression model, heat pain perception was significantly correlated with SSR amplitudes (β = - 0.55; 95% CI, -0.65 to -0.07), but not with anxiety scores (p>0.05). Conclusions: The effects of SR on pain are specific and seem to be not related to general changes in sensory perception. Hyperalgesia was associated with abnormal autonomic responses, but not with increased anxiety, suggesting an association between the nociceptive and autonomic systems, independent of the emotional state.

<p>Unakrsna aproksimativna entropija kvantifikuje međusobnu uređenost<br />dva istomvremeno snimljena vremenska niza. Iako je izvedena iz<br />veoma zastupljene entropije za procenu uređenosti jednog vremenskog<br />niza, još uvek nije dostigla njenu reputaciju. Cilj ove disertacije je<br />da identifikuje probleme koji otežavaju širu primenu unakrsne<br />entropije i da predloži skup rešenja. Validacija rezultata je rađena<br />na kardiovaskularnim signalima, sistolnog krvnog pritiska i palsnog<br />inetervala snimljenim na laboratorijskim pacovima i na signalima<br />zdravih volontera.</p> / <p>Cross-approximate entropy (XApEn) quantifies a mutual orderliness of two<br />simultaneously recorded time series. Although derived from the firmly<br />establishe solitary entropies, it has never reached their reputation and<br />deployment. The aim of this thesis is to identify the problems that preclude<br />wider XApEn implementation and to develop a set of solutions. Results were<br />validated using the cardiovascular time series, systolic blood pressure and<br />pulse interval, recorded from laboratories animals and also signals recorded<br />from healthy human volunteers.</p>

O presente estudo teve como objetivos testar a hipótese nula de que não há diferença entre o grupo com Disfunção Temporomandibular (DTM) e o grupo Controle, para as frequências genotípicas e de alelos dos SNPs candidatos COMT Val(158)Met (rs4680); TNFA-308 (rs1800629); IL6-174 (rs1800795); IL-1&#x3B2;-3954 (rs1143634); IL10-592 (rs1800872); MMP1-1607 (rs1799750) e TLR4-896 (rs4986790); e determinar, nos casos com DTM, a influência dos SNPs candidatos na sensibilidade dolorosa mecânica experimental, na intensidade e no tempo de dor. As frequências genotípicas e de alelos dos sete SNPs candidatos foram comparadas entre 152 indivíduos com DTM e 91 controles, por meio da técnica de PCR em tempo real. A sensibilidade dolorosa mecânica foi avaliada pelo limiar de dor à palpação (LDP) e a intensidade de dor, utilizando-se uma escala analógica visual. As diferenças entre as frequências dos polimorfismos estudados foram avaliadas por meio do teste qui-quadrado (x2) e os valores de LDP entre os grupos foram comparados pelo teste t. A análise de possíveis diferenças entre os subgrupos de genótipos, com relação aos valores de LDP, EAV e tempo de dor, foi feita pelo teste estatístico one-way ANOVA, seguido pelo teste de Tukey. A hipótese nula foi rejeitada, uma vez que houve diferença entre as frequências genotípicas do SNP TNFA-308 entre os grupos, estando o polimorfismo TNFA-308 (1800629) associado às DTMs (p<0,05). Além do TNFA-308, os SNPs COMT Val(158)Met, IL6-174, IL-1&#x3B2;-3954 e TLR4-896 foram capazes de influenciar a sensibilidade dolorosa mecânica em indivíduos doentes (p<0,05). O presente estudo apresenta associação inédita entre o polimorfismo TNFA-308 (1800629) e as DTMs. Encorajamos estudos futuros que elucidem a associação entre genótipos pró-inflamatórios e uma menor sensibilidade dolorosa mecânica. / This study aimed at testing the null hypothesis which claims that there is no difference between the group with temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD) and a control group regarding the genotypic and allelic frequencies of the candidate SNPs COMT Val(158)Met (rs4680); TNFA-308 (rs1800629); IL6-174 (rs1800795); IL-1&#x3B2;-3954 (rs1143634); IL10-592 (rs1800872); MMP1-1607 (rs1799750) and TLR4-896 (rs4986790). Additionally, it aimed at determining candidate SNPs influence on experimental mechanical pain sensitivity, intensity and duration of pain in the TMD cases. The genotypic and allelic frequencies of the seven candidate SNPs were compared among 152 individuals from the group with TMD and 91 individuals from the control group, by using the real-time PCR technique. Mechanical pain sensitivity was assessed through pressure pain threshold (PPT) and pain intensity was assessed using visual analogue scales (VAS). Differences between the frequencies regarding the studied polymorphisms were assessed through the chi-square test (x2) while the PPT values were compared through the t-test. Analysis of potential differences between the genotype subgroups with respect to the PPT, VAS and pain duration values was performed with ANOVA one-way test, followed by the Tukeys test. The null hypothesis was rejected, since there were differences among the genotypic frequencies of the TNFA-308 SNP between groups. The TNFA-308 (1800629) polymorphism is found to be associated with the TMDs (p<0.05). In addition to TNFA-308, the SNPs COMT Val(158)Met, IL6-174, IL-1&#x3B2;-3954 and TLR4-896 were capable of influencing mechanical pain sensitivity in individuals with TMD (p<0.05). This study presents an unprecedented association between the TNFA-308 (1800629) polymorphism and TMDs. We encourage future researches that enlighten the association between proinflammatory genotypes and lower mechanical pain sensitivity.

Speech audiometry is the aspect of audiology that provides critical information on how individuals hear one of the most important sounds of daily life: speech. The speech recognition threshold (SRT) is a measure of speech audiometry that is widely used to provide information on an individual's capacity to hear speech. Over time, researchers and clinicians have worked to improve the SRT by developing and modifying a variety of word lists to be used during testing. Eventually, spondaic words were selected as the best stimuli for the SRT. The spondaic words had to meet four criteria: familiarity, phonetic dissimilarity, normal sampling of English sounds, and homogeneity with respect to audibility. This study examined the aspect of homogeneity with regard to slope of the psychometric function. Specifically, whether slope of the psychometric function had an effect on the number of words used to obtain the SRT, and thus reduce test time, as well as whether slope had an effect on the relationship between the SRT and the pure-tone average (PTA). It was hypothesized that words with a steep slope would significantly reduce test time and yield a close SRT-PTA agreement. Three word lists (steep, medium, and shallow sloping words), all recorded by a male talker, were used to obtain the SRT on 40 participants (ages 18-30 years). Statistical analysis showed significant differences in the number of words to obtain the SRT and the SRT-PTA agreement. However, when the differences were examined from a clinical perspective, the results were negligible. When compared with words with medium and steep slopes, words with shallow slope required an average of four extra words to obtain the SRT, which does not result in a meaningful reduction in test time. For clinical purposes, it appears that the slope of the psychometric function does not need to be taken into consideration for the SRT. Clinicians may use a variety of words as long as they meet the original four criteria for selection of spondees.

Speech audiometry has long been a component of a thorough audiological examination. The speech recognition threshold (SRT) measurement is perhaps the most widely used measurement in speech audiometry. For decades, researchers and clinicians have worked to create and fine-tune word lists that for use in SRT testing; their aim being to improve the accuracy for classifying a client's ability to hear and comprehend speech. Experts in the field have agreed to follow four tenets of speech audiometry when selecting word sets. This study examined whether improvement to stimulus lists for SRT measurement could be made in regards to the tenet of homogeneity with respect to audibility if the slope of the psychometric function were a selection consideration. The study was performed with the hypothesis that steeply sloping words would significantly reduce the number of words needed to obtain the SRT. Three word lists, all recorded by a female talker, comprising of steeply sloping words, medium sloping words, and shallow sloping words, were used in the study. Participants with normal hearing between the ages of 18 and 30 years provided data that was used to calculate SRT measurements for all three lists from each ear. The results showed a significant difference in the number of words needed to obtain the SRT when comparing the steep and shallow word sets and the shallow and medium word sets. Steeply sloping words required fewer words to obtain the SRT, M = 17.02. Shallow sloping words required the most words, M = 18.88, amounting to a difference of 1.86 words. While statistically different, a reduction by fewer than 2 words during the course of SRT testing will not equate to a substantial saving of time for the clinician. For clinical application, the slope of the psychometric function of the words used in SRT measurement need not be a primary consideration when developing stimulus lists.

While there is a clear and immediate need for reliable speech audiometry materials to evaluate the speech recognition threshold (SRT), these recorded materials are not available in Cebuano, a language of the Philippines with 15.8 million speakers. The purpose of this study was to develop, digitally record, evaluate, and psychometrically equate a set of Cebuano trisyllabic words for use in measuring the SRT. To create the SRT materials, common Cebuano trisyllabic words were digitally recorded by a male talker of Cebuano and presented for evaluation to 20 native speakers of Cebuano with normal hearing. Based on psychometric performance, a set of 21 trisyllabic words with a psychometric function slope >7%/dB that allowed threshold adjustments to the pure tone average were selected and digitally adjusted. The resulting mean psychometric function slopes at 50% for the 21 SRT trisyllabic materials was 10.2%/dB. The results of the current study are comparable to those found in other languages. Digital recordings of the trisyllabic words are available on compact disc.

The purpose of this study was to use previously recorded Spanish trisyllabic words tested on adults in the measurement of the speech recognition threshold of Spanish-speaking children in order to (a) determine the words' appropriateness when testing children and (b) compare psychometric functions between adults and children. A selection of 28 frequently used trisyllabic words was chosen from previously recorded samples of male and female adult native speakers of Spanish. These words were then presented to 20 native Spanish-speaking children with normal hearing between the ages of 4 and 8 years. The words were presented starting at -5 dB HL and ascended in 5 dB increments until the presentation level reached 15 dB HL. Using logistic regression, psychometric functions were calculated for each word. Resulting pediatric thresholds were found to be 8.7 dB higher for male talkers and 11.0 dB higher for female talkers than previously reported adult thresholds. These results indicate a clinically significant threshold difference between pediatric and adult populations. Future research should be conducted to measure the speech recognition threshold (SRT) in children of varying ages to determine the age at which the SRT approximates with adult performance.

Les dernières technologies microélectroniques embarquent des transistors dont les isolants de grille sont des isolants à forte constante diélectrique (high-k en anglais) associés à des grilles métalliques (on utilise l'abréviation HKMG pour high-k – metal gate). Si cet empilement permet de garder une quantité de charges suffisante dans le canal, il est plus difficile de contrôler les tensions de seuil des transistors à cause de la présence de charges et de dipôle dans ces couches ou aux interfaces. Deux études préliminaires ont établi qu'il existe une corrélation entre les énergies de liaisons des éléments mesurées par XPS d'un empilement HKMG et la tension de seuil d'un transistor utilisant ce même empilement. Des charges sont présentes dans les couches isolantes des empilements HKMG, conduisant à un décalage du potentiel électrostatique au sein de ces couches. Ceci induit une modification du travail de sortie effectif de l'électrode métallique du transistor. Et en XPS ces charges induisent une variation de l'énergie cinétique des électrons extraits des couches se trouvant sous ces charges. L'objectif de cette thèse est de simuler de manière quantitative l'impact électrostatique induit par ces charges et dipôles et de comparer cet impact aux décalages des raies XPS ainsi qu'aux mesures électriques des tensions de seuil des transistors. Ceci permettra ensuite d'estimer la variation des tensions seuil des transistors très en amont dans le procédé de fabrication / The last microelectronic technologies includes transistors with materials of high dielectric constant (high-k ) associated to metal gate (we use the abbreviation HKMG for high-k - bad metal). If this pile allows to keep a sufficient quantity of charges in the channel, it is more difficult to check the threshold voltage of transistors because of the presence of charge and of dipole in these layers or in the interfaces. Two preliminary studies established that there is a correlation between the binding energies measured by XPS of a pile HKMG and the threshold voltage of a transistor using the same pile. Charges are present in the insulating layers of piles HKMG, leading to a difference of the electrostatic potential within these layers. A modification of the effective workfunction of the metallic electrode of the transistor in s then observed, and in XPS these charges lead t oa variation of the kinetic energy of electrons extracted from the layer. The purpose of this thesis is simulate in a quantitative way the electrostatic impact of this charges and dipôles and to compare this impact with the observation made by XPS as well as with the electric measures of the threshold voltage of transistors. This will then allow to estimate the variation of the threshold voltage of transistors well further in the manufacturing process.

River sediment is one of the most pervasive pollutants in the world. Excess amounts of fine sediment can reduce water quality, damage stream ecosystems, and harm aquatic life. Both natural and human-caused processes can add sediment to a river, such as tectonic uplift, landslides, and timber harvesting. Therefore, it is important to understand how fine sediment enters and moves through a rive system to inform policymakers and land-managers on effective ecosystem management. In this study, we determined how the relationship between river flow and suspended sediment changed among watersheds along the North Coast of California. We found a rise in suspended sediment concentration at median flows following extreme timber harvesting. Additionally, our results indicate that river flow and suspended sediment relationships are influenced by timber harvest activity, tectonic uplift, rainfall patterns, and near-channel environments. These results support previous findings that extreme land disturbance in a watershed, be it natural or human-caused, can change river flow and suspended sediment relationships. Our results suggest that policymakers and land-managers should take into account tectonic uplift when making regulation and should prioritize protecting near-channel environments.

Algometers are devices that can be used to identify the pressure and/or force eliciting a pressure-pain threshold. It has been noted in pressure-pain threshold studies that the rate at which manual force is applied should be consistent to provide the greatest reliability. This study tested the reliability and construct validity of an algometer (1000-Hz sampling rate) by manually applying pressure on a force plate (500-Hz sampling rate): 10 sets of 5 applications to 80 N and 1 set of 5 applications to each force level: 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, and 110 N. The investigator had previously become familiar with and practiced with the algometer. The handheld algometer had a 1-cm2 round rubber application surface, and the maximum force reading was compared with maximum force readings by the force plate using SEM and t-tests. Force-time curves were analyzed for average slope representing rate of force application. Average Pearson (r) correlations between the maximum force reading of the algometer and force plate were excellent in both trials to 80 N (r = 0.990) and the incremental trials (r = 0.999). The application of force was reasonably constant, with slopes averaging 6.8 ± 0.932 N·s−1. The SEE was 0.323 N. In conclusion, with previous familiarization and practice, an investigator may have high reliability in the rate of force application. The device itself was also highly correlated with readings from a force plate and, therefore, may be considered valid.