A New Virtual Reality Interface for Underwater Intervention Missions

Ponencia presentada en IFAC-PapersOnLine, Volume 53, Issue 2, 2020, Pages 14600-14607Nowadays, most underwater intervention missions are developed through the well-known work-class ROVs (Remote Operated Vehicles), equipped with teleoperated arms under human supervision. Thus, despite the appearance on the market of the first prototypes of the so-called I-AUV (Autonomous Underwater Vehicles for Intervention), the most mature technology associated with ROVs continues to be trusted. In order to fill the gap between ROVs and incipient I-AUVs technology, new research is under progress in our laboratory. In particular, new HRI (Human Robot Interaction) capabilities are being tested inside a three-year Spanish coordinated project focused on cooperative underwater intervention missions. In this work new results are presented concerning a new user interface which includes immersion capabilities through Virtual Reality (VR) technology. It is worth noting that a new HRI module has been demonstrated, through a pilot study, in which the users had to solve some specific tasks, with minimum guidance and instructions, following simple Problem Based Learning (PBL) scheme. Finally, it is noticeable that, although this is only a work in progress, the obtained results are promising concerning friendly and intuitive characteristics of the developed HRI module. Thus, some critical aspects, like complexity fall, training time and cognitive fatigue of the ROV pilot, seem more affordable now

Preliminary Work on a Virtual Reality Interface for the Guidance of Underwater Robots

The need for intervention in underwater environments has increased in recent years but there is still a long way to go before AUVs (Autonomous Underwater Vehicleswill be able to cope with really challenging missions. Nowadays, the solution adopted is mainly based on remote operated vehicle (ROV) technology. These ROVs are controlled from support vessels by using unnecessarily complex human–robot interfaces (HRI). Therefore, it is necessary to reduce the complexity of these systems to make them easier to use and to reduce the stress on the operator. In this paper, and as part of the TWIN roBOTs for the cooperative underwater intervention missions (TWINBOT) project, we present an HRI (Human-Robot Interface) module which includes virtual reality (VR) technology. In fact, this contribution is an improvement on a preliminary study in this field also carried out, by our laboratory. Hence, having made a concerted effort to improve usability, the HRI system designed for robot control tasks presented in this paper is substantially easier to use. In summary, reliability and feasibility of this HRI module have been demonstrated thanks to the usability tests, which include a very complete pilot study, and guarantee much more friendly and intuitive properties in the final HRI-developed module presented here

Aloinjerto como material de relleno de defecto óseo metafisario en las fracturas de platillo tibial

El propósito de este estudio fue valorar la eficacia del aloinjerto en las fracturas de platillo tibial como material de relleno para los defectos metafisarios, así como una alternativa que disminuya la morbilidad (dolor en el lugar de la extracción, infección del mismo, alargamiento del tiempo de intervención quirúrgica...) sin que disminuya la capacidad de integración ósea y se comprometa la realización de una movilización precoz. Para ello se han revisado trece casos clínicos en los que se ha practicado una reducción anatómica, fijación interna y relleno con aloinjerto procedente del Banco de Huesos, apreciándose una integración ósea del mismo en el plazo aproximado de 10 semanas. Valorando los resultados con arreglo a los criterios de Honkonen hemos obtenido 7 casos con excelente resultado, 4 casos con bueno y 2 casos con mal resultado. Consideramos que el aloinjerto óseo es una eficaz alternativa en el relleno de los defectos metafisarios óseos asociados a las fracturas de platillo tibial.The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy of allograft bone as filling agent of metaphyseal defects in tibial plateau fractures, trying to find an effective alternative to decrease the morbility (donor site complications: painful, infection, increased surgical time...), without affecting bone ingrowth and early motion. A total of 13 cases treated by anatomic open reduction, rigid internal fixation and filling with frozen allograft bone have been reviewed. When evaluating results according to Honkonen, excellent results were found in 7 cases, good results in 4 and bad results in 2. Allograft bone seems to be an effective alternative for repairing metaphyseal defects associated with tibial plateau fractures

Aptidão agroclimática do estado da Bahia para o cultivo do mamoeiro.

O presente trabalho teve como objetivo determinar a aptidão climática do Estado da Bahia para o cultivo do mamoeiro. Foram utilizadas as variáveis climatológicas temperatura média (Tm), temperatura média máxima (Tx), a umidade relativa do ar (UR) e o déficit hídrico anual acumulado (DEF) como parâmetros para definir as zonas de aptidão. Locais com Tm abaixo de 18oC foram consideradas inaptas ao cultivo do mamoeiro, entre 18oC e 21oC como aptidão moderada, acima de 21oC como aptidão elevada e Tx > 31oC consideradas limitantes para o cultivo de mamoeiro do Grupo solo. UR abaixo de 60% foi considerada inapta para o cultivo. Localidades apresentando valores acumulados de DEF superiores a 150 mm foram consideradas inaptas ao cultivo sem irrigação e moderada para DEF entre 75 e 150 mm. A deficiência hídrica foi a variável mais limitante para produção de mamoeiro em condições de sequeiro (90% da área), sendo que, nas regiões cujo o regime hídrico foi moderado (4%) não houve restrição térmica ou de umidade do ar. Apenas 14% do território apresentam limitações térmicas máximas para o mamoeiro do grupo solo, sendo que para UR foi de 4,5 %. Com relação ao limite térmico inferior, não houve áreas significativas com insuficiência térmica (Tm<18oC), porém 4,5 % da área apresentou moderada aptidão (18 oC< Tm<20oC) associadas à elevada altitude das localidades.CBA 2009

A recurrent translocation, t(3;11)(q21;q13), found in two distinct cases of acute myeloid leukemia

We report two cases of acute myeloid leukemia (M1 and M5B subtypes) with a similar translocation, t(3;11)(q21;q13). We discuss the involvement of these breakpoints in acute leukemia and their putative clinical implications

A variant t(14;17) in acute promyelocytic leukemia. Positive response to retinoic acid treatment

We present a case of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) carrying an atypical translocation involving chromosomes 14 and 17. This translocation could be considered a variant of the APL-specific t(15;17). Positive response to retinoic acid treatment suggests molecular rearrangement of retinoic acid receptor alpha

The r'-band luminosity function of Abell1367: a comparison with Coma

We made a large (approximately 1degr x 1degr) r'-band imaging survey of the central regions of the two nearby clusters of galaxies, Abell1367 and Coma. The data, presented as a catalog, are used to construct the r'-band luminosity function (LF) of galaxies in these two clusters, by subtracting the Yasuda et al. (2001) galaxy counts from our cluster counts. Our Coma luminosity function is consistent with previous determinations, i.e. providing a faint end slope alpha = -1.47_-0.09^+0.08, significantly steeper than the one we find for Abell1367 (alpha = -1.07_-0.16^+0.20). The counts in Abell1367 show a relative minimum at r' ~ 19, followed by a steep increase faintward. The difference between the two clusters appears significant, given the consistency of the experimental conditions in the two clusters. Whereas for Coma we find a significant increase of the slope of the LF outwards, no such effect is found for Abell1367.Comment: 12 pages, 8 figures, accepted for publication in A&

Andes Basin Focal Project

The CPWF Basin Focal Project for the Andes system of basins worked with a range of local stakeholders to develop a better understanding of the mechanisms for improving the productivity of water in the Andes. We considered productivity in broad terms as the productivity of energy (HEP), food and fiber (agriculture) and livelihoods (industry, transport and benefit sharing such as Payments for Environmental Services schemes (PES)). In addition to the compiled data bases and analyses on poverty and institutions, one of the key deliverables of the project was the development and deployment of the AguAAndes policy support system (PSS). This integrates analyses of water availability and productivity within the local environmental and policy context. It is a web-based policy support system combining an extensive spatial database with process-based models for hydrology, crop production and socio-economic processes. It is intended to allow analysts and decision makers to test the potential onsite and offsite impacts of land and water management decisions in terms of their ability to sustain environmental services and human wellbeing. Interventions and recommendations for future actions on water and food in the region are presented

The Zebrafish as an Alternative Animal Model for Ecotoxicological Research and Testing.

Abstract: Anthropogenic interventions have had a compromising effect on environmental health, intensifying the degradation of ecosystems, and the quantity of chemical pollutants released into nature. Therefore, research areas within the scope of environmental assessments and monitoring such as ecotoxicology have contributed to the determination of the toxic potential of contaminants. A small cyprinid known as the zebrafish (Danio rerio), the use of which has exponentially grown, is an alternative vertebrate model for scientific research, mainly in the assessment of environmental risks. The species exhibits several advantages for breeding in a laboratory, in addition to presenting multi-biomarkers of environmental toxicity. Thus, this review aims to present the main characteristics and advantages of working with this species, as well as show studies related to ecotoxicology involving biomarkers of toxicity in zebrafish. The results show a progressive trend towards employing the species in environmental risk analyses, it is an increasingly recommended species in the assessment of the toxicity level of a range of chemical pollutants. The development of future technologies must contribute to scientific advancement, rendering the potential application of this model organism an even more widespread one, which will certainly help in bridging knowledge gaps in various areas of study

Overexpression of the activated form of the AtAREB1 gene (AtAREB1^QT) improves soybean responses to water deficit.

Abscisic acid-responsive element binding protein (AREB1) is a basic domain/leucine zipper transcription factor that binds to the abscisic acid (ABA)-responsive element motif in the promoterWater deficit response in GM soybeans with (AtAREB1^QT) region of ABA-inducible genes. Because AREB1 is not sufficient to direct the expression of downstream genes under non-stress conditions, an activated form of AREB1 (AtAREB1^QT) was created. Several reports claim that plants overexpressing AREB1 or AREB1&#916;QT show improveddrought tolerance. In our studies, soybean plants overexpressing (AtAREB1^QT) were characterized molecularly, and the phenotype and drought response of three lines were accessed under greenhouse conditions. Under conditions of water deficit, the transformed plants presented a higher survival rate (100%) than those of their isoline, cultivar BR 16 (40%). Moreover, the transformed plants displayed better water use efficiency and had a higher number of leaves than their isoline. Because the transgenic plants had higher stomatal conductance than its isoline under well-watered conditions, it was suggested that the enhanced drought response of (AtAREB1^QT) soybean plants might not be associated with altered transpiration rates mediated by ABA-dependent stomatal closure. However, it is possible that the smaller leaf area of the transgenic plants reduced their transpiration and water use, causing delayed stressonset. The difference in the degree of wilting and percentage of survival between the 35S-(AtAREB1^QT) and wildtype plants may also be related to the regulation of genes that protect against dehydration because metabolic impairment of photosynthesis, deduced by an increasing internal CO2 concentration, was not observed in the transgenic plants