Nonlinear optimization for human-like synchronous movements of a dual arm-hand robotic system

In previous work we have presented a model capable of generating human-like movements for a dual arm-hand robot involved in human-robot cooperative tasks. However, the focus was on the generation of reach-to-grasp and reach-to-regrasp bimanual movements and no synchrony in timing was taken into account. In this paper we extend the previous model in order to accomplish bimanual manipulation tasks by synchronously moving both arms and hands of an anthropomorphic robotic system. Specifically, the new extended model has been designed for two different tasks with different degrees of difficulty. Numerical results were obtained by the implementation of the IPOPT solver embedded in our MATLAB simulator

Necessidades formativas de professores na perspectiva de alfabetizar letrando em salas multisseriadas: o que dizem as professoras / Formative needs of teachers from the perspective of literacy lettering in multiseriated rooms: what the teachers say

Este estudo é parte da nossa pesquisa de Mestrado, que se originou de preocupações com o insucesso escolar na alfabetização de crianças do sistema público de educação, direcionando nosso interesse à formação do professor alfabetizador. Assim, vincula-se ao projeto de pesquisa Alfabetizar letrando alunos de turmas multisseriadas da Educação do Campo: que necessidades da formação docente?, do Programa de Pós-Graduação em Educação - PPGEd, na linha de pesquisa: Educação, Construção das Ciências e Práticas Pedagógicas, da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte – UFRN, sob a orientação da Profa Dra. Maria Estela Costa Holanda Campelo, com aprovação do Comitê de Ética em Pesquisa HUOL/UFRN, sob o Parecer n. 2.247.175.Nesse contexto, definimos como objeto de estudo da nossa Pesquisa - necessidades da formação docente de professores para alfabetizar letrando alunos no contexto de salas multisseriadas da Educação do Campo. Como objetivo, decidimos investigar necessidades formativas que, sob a perspectiva de professores alfabetizadores, têm se evidenciado no exercício docente de alfabetizar letrando alunos do Ciclo de Alfabetização de salas multisseriadas de Escolas do Campo. Ainda como pretensão da pesquisa, as necessidades formativas, construídas ao longo do estudo, serão materializadas em Elementos Constitutivos de um Programa de Formação que deverá ter como eixo norteador as supracitadas Necessidades de Formação Docente de Professores Alfabetizadores

Sex differences in the association between self-reported sleep duration, insomnia symptoms and cardiometabolic risk factors : cross-sectional findings from Brazilian longitudinal study of adult health

Background: The U-shaped associations between sleep durations and cardiometabolic risk factors (glycated hemoglobin levels, obesity, hypertriglyceridemia, hypertension and cholesterol levels) are still inconclusive. Moreover, as sleep is comprised of quantitative and qualitative aspects, exploring both insomnia symptoms and sleep duration are relevant when evaluating the potential effects of sleep problems on health. The aim was to evaluate sex-specific associations between sleep problems and cardiometabolic risk factors. Methods: This cross-sectional study used data from wave two of the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil), including 7491 women and 6232 men. Questionnaires were administered to provide information about socioeconomic conditions, lifestyle, and sleep characteristics. A 12-h fasting blood sample was drawn to measure serum cholesterol, triglycerides, and glycated hemoglobin. Blood pressure, weight and height were also measured using standard equipment. Generalized additive models were used to evaluate the curve shape of the relationship between self-reported sleep duration and the outcomes. Logistic regression was performed to investigate the magnitude of the associations of self-reported sleep duration, insomnia symptoms, and short sleep plus insomnia symptoms with cardiometabolic risk factors. Results: For women, self-reported sleep duration and insomnia symptoms (either separately or linked to short sleep duration) were associated with obesity, hypertension and glycated hemoglobin after adjusting for the confounders. The magnitudes of the associations between self-reported short sleep duration plus insomnia symptoms and the outcomes were slightly increased, considering sleep duration or insomnia symptoms separately. For men, both long sleep duration and insomnia symptoms were associated with hypertriglyceridemia after adjusted for the confounders. Conclusion: These findings suggest possible sex-specific patterns, since obesity, hypertension and high glycated hemoglobin were associated with self-reported sleep duration and insomnia symptoms in women, but not in men, and reinforce the importance of considering quantitative and qualitative aspects of sleep for the prevention and management of the outcomes

Framework for education for sustainability: enhancing competences in education

Sem resumo disponível.publishe

Framework for in-service teacher education for sustainability: some principles and strategies

No abstract available.publishe

Hanseníase na região norte do Brasil: epidemiologia das internações nos últimos dez anos (2013-2022)

Objetivo: Caracterizar o perfil epidemiológico das internações por hanseníase na região norte do Brasil nos últimos dez anos. Métodos: Trata-se de um estudo transversal, retrospectivo, de perspectiva quantitativa, no qual os dados foram coletados a partir do Departamento de Informática do Sistema Único de Saúde - DATASUS - entre os anos de 2013 e 2022. As variáveis pesquisadas foram: total de internações, sexo, cor/raça e faixa etária. O período da pesquisa foi delimitado entre janeiro de 2013 e dezembro de 2022. Resultados: Foram registradas 3.115 internações por hanseníase entre os anos de 2013 e 2022. O maior número de casos foi registrado no ano de 2013, 440. O estado com maior número de casos foi o Tocantins, com 891 notificações. O sexo masculino foi responsável pela maioria das notificações, 2.238, e o sexo feminino registrou 915. A cor/raça parda apontou 1.902 internações. A faixa etária com o maior número de hospitalizações foi a de 40 a 49 anos, 589 casos. Conclusão: O número de internações por hanseníase apresenta um caráter oscilatório e aumentou nos últimos dois anos. O perfil epidemiológico das internações foi caracterizado por indivíduos do sexo masculino, pardos e na faixa etária de 40 a 49 anos

Clonal chromosomal mosaicism and loss of chromosome Y in elderly men increase vulnerability for SARS-CoV-2

The pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19) had an estimated overall case fatality ratio of 1.38% (pre-vaccination), being 53% higher in males and increasing exponentially with age. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, we found 133 cases (1.42%) with detectable clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations (mCA) and 226 males (5.08%) with acquired loss of chromosome Y (LOY). Individuals with clonal mosaic events (mCA and/or LOY) showed a 54% increase in the risk of COVID-19 lethality. LOY is associated with transcriptomic biomarkers of immune dysfunction, pro-coagulation activity and cardiovascular risk. Interferon-induced genes involved in the initial immune response to SARS-CoV-2 are also down-regulated in LOY. Thus, mCA and LOY underlie at least part of the sex-biased severity and mortality of COVID-19 in aging patients. Given its potential therapeutic and prognostic relevance, evaluation of clonal mosaicism should be implemented as biomarker of COVID-19 severity in elderly people. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, individuals with clonal mosaic events (clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations and/or loss of chromosome Y) showed an increased risk of COVID-19 lethality

Towards human-like bimanual movements in anthropomorphic robots: a nonlinear optimization approach

Previously we have presented a model for generating human-like arm and hand movements on an unimanual anthropomorphic robot involved in human-robot collaboration tasks. The present paper aims to extend our model in order to address the generation of human-like bimanual movement sequences which are challenged by scenarios cluttered with obstacles. Movement planning involves large scale nonlinear constrained optimization problems which are solved using the IPOPT solver. Simulation studies show that the model generates feasible and realistic hand trajectories for action sequences involving the two hands. The computational costs involved in the planning allow for real-time human robot-interaction. A qualitative analysis reveals that the movements of the robot exhibit basic characteristics of human movements.(undefined