A Biosymtic (Biosymbiotic Robotic) Approach to Human Development and Evolution. The Echo of the Universe.

In the present work we demonstrate that the current Child-Computer Interaction paradigm is not potentiating human development to its fullest – it is associated with several physical and mental health problems and appears not to be maximizing children’s cognitive performance and cognitive development. In order to potentiate children’s physical and mental health (including cognitive performance and cognitive development) we have developed a new approach to human development and evolution. This approach proposes a particular synergy between the developing human body, computing machines and natural environments. It emphasizes that children should be encouraged to interact with challenging physical environments offering multiple possibilities for sensory stimulation and increasing physical and mental stress to the organism. We created and tested a new set of computing devices in order to operationalize our approach – Biosymtic (Biosymbiotic Robotic) devices: “Albert” and “Cratus”. In two initial studies we were able to observe that the main goal of our approach is being achieved. We observed that, interaction with the Biosymtic device “Albert”, in a natural environment, managed to trigger a different neurophysiological response (increases in sustained attention levels) and tended to optimize episodic memory performance in children, compared to interaction with a sedentary screen-based computing device, in an artificially controlled environment (indoors) - thus a promising solution to promote cognitive performance/development; and that interaction with the Biosymtic device “Cratus”, in a natural environment, instilled vigorous physical activity levels in children - thus a promising solution to promote physical and mental health

Теоретичні основи управління ризиками в банках

Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is an entity characterized by a platelet count of less than 100 × 109/L in the absence of other causes of thrombocytopenia, such as viral infections, rheumatic diseases, or drugs. Grave’s disease is also an autoimmune condition in which thrombocytopenia is often observed. Moreover, in the literature, many reports show a marked interference of the thyroid dysfunction (mainly hyperthyroidism) in the control of thrombocytopenia. Although this issue still remains debatable, the authors report the case of a young woman with a previous diagnosis of ITP with a brilliant initial response to corticotherapy. Some years after this diagnosis, the patient presented thyrotoxicosis due to Grave’s disease and the thrombocytopenia relapsed, but this time there was no response to the glucocorticoids. Only after the radioiodine I-131 thyroid ablation the control of thrombocytopenia was achieved. The authors call attention to this overlap and for testing thyroid function in every patient with an unexpected negative response to corticotherapy

Nuestra Identidad Nacional desde la memoria de los protagonistas

La investigación realizada por el departamento de Ciencias de la Educación del Centro Regional de Profesores (CeRP) del Norte - IFD “Voces del Norte Rural” permitió conocer muy de cerca la realidad Educativa Rural Uruguaya y especialmente la zona fronteriza de la ciudad de Rivera en la década del 50 y 60. La misma consistió en entrar en contacto directo con los protagonistas (maestros/as) que formaron y forman parte de esta realidad. Se recuperó, a través del relato de historias de vida, la formación que poseían los docentes del medio rural, la forma y percepción del ingreso a la docencia, así como las trayectorias y saberes construidos por los mismos en las décadas del 50 y 60. La visita a las escuelas rurales de nuestro medio permitió conocer la complejidad en que está inmersa la propia escuela como institución. La educación rural comprendida en el marco de la historia de la educación uruguaya, se ha presentado a través de un proceso de sucesivos cambios, en virtud de los diferentes modelos educativos establecidos a partir del “vareliano”. Nuestra escuela nació a la luz de los relatos que apuntaban a la idea de progreso y de la formación del ciudadano. Estas ideas instituyen hoy nuestro campo educativo. Los educadores uruguayos recrearon esos aportes, interviniendo con acciones concretas para modificar la institución escolar y la realidad social

El lugar fundamental de la Investigación Educativa en el nuevo escenario de la Formación Docente

La intención de esta reflexión es aportar algunos elementos a la reflexión sobre los nuevos retos que implica el cambio institucional en la Formación Docente del Uruguay, el que se viene consolidando a partir de la implementación de políticas educativas que promueven el pasaje del nivel terciario a universitario. En este sentido la “investigación educativa” se ubica en un lugar diferente al que le fuera asignado en los últimos tiempos como una asignatura dentro de los planes de Formación Docente. Desde un modelo universitario la incorporación de investigación y extensión a las tareas de los docentes, delimita otros espacios conjuntos de acción, donde cobra relevancia el trabajo participativo y colaborativo. Este nuevo modelo con-duce a una reflexión respecto a la incorporación de la investigación como una de las dimensiones integrantes del quehacer docente, pero sobre todo como una nueva determinación para concebir las transformaciones educativas y sociales. De ahí el interés por el abordaje de este tema

Pensar la educación, ... reconstruir nuevos sentidos.

Pensar la Educación no resulta tarea fácil, implica pensar el propio proceso humano, el proceso de hominización desde el cual nos construimos y desde el lugar en que nos ha tocado, desde nuestra cultura. Pensar la educación siempre implica situarnos en escenarios complejos pero no por eso menos posibles, y es desde esa posibilidad que creo en la construcción de un nuevo mundo posible, un mundo distinto que nos enfrenta a un nuevo desafío, desde una nueva visión y un nuevo paradigma, que nos conduce a repensar la educación y revisar al mismo tiempo modelos establecidos en diversos planos. Esta tarea implica entonces la construcción de una realidad aún inexistente.”El educador se anticipa a una realidad que todavía no existe pero que desea crear. La educación es al mismo tiempo promesa y proyecto. Por eso la educación también es una utopía” (Moacir Gadotti, pág., 31). Según el citado autor, educación y hominización son lo mismo, por eso la educación no implica solo el proceso de concientización. Es consistencia de determinación-inserción en un proceso histórico y acción histórica, esto es, capacidad de imponerse, de autodeterminarse. La formación de consciencia del individuo no es innata, exige esfuerzo y actuación de elementos internos y externos

Uma ferramenta com actividades de auxílio à aprendizagem

A implementação de novas tecnologias em ambientes escolares é cada vez mais evidenciada. A instrução a crianças de 1ºciclo apresenta ainda muitas falhas por resolver, daí a necessidade de abordar o ensino recorrendo a novos métodos de apresentação de matéria escolar. Deste modo, torna-se emergente realizar conceitos que superem os conceitos tradicionais, indagando o desenvolvimento tecnológico ao qual podemos recorrer. Os pósteres interactivos visam ser uma boa alternativa aos simples pósteres escolares de papel colocados em paredes, dos quais hoje em dia, é cada vez mais difícil tirar proveito, dado o seu limite em apresentar uma grande quantidade de conteúdos didácticos e o pouco dinamismo de que estes dispõem. Através da investigação efectuada, tentamos entender métodos de interacção direccionados para a aprendizagem de crianças entre os 6 e os 8 anos de idade e ao mesmo tempo, tentamos encontrar quais as tecnologias, neste contexto, que mais se adequam ao seu entorno escolar. Deste modo, com este trabalho, propomos a utilização de interfaces tangíveis, nomeadamente, interfaces multi-touch como instrumento de interacção para a apresentação de pósteres interactivos com actividades voltadas para o ensino escolar. Com a concepção de toda a parte prática desenvolvida, procurou-se realizar conteúdos com grafismos harmoniosos e coloridos de forma a cativar o usuário, ao qual tentamos também proporcionar uma interactividade entretida e divertida. Para a elaboração de um protótipo adicional, deliberámos utilizar uma tecnologia multi-toque de baixo custo, que nos possibilita, perceber e experimentar quais os gestos e as configurações interactivas que podemos interligar com a concepção gráfica pretendida.The implementation of new technologies in school environments is becoming more evident. The instruction to children in first cycle still has many gaps to be solved, so the need to address education using new methods to present the school subject. This way, becomes emergent to realize concepts that carry beyond the traditional concepts, questioning the technological development which we can request. The interactive posters are meant to be a good alternative to the simple school paper posters placed on walls, which today is more and more difficult to take advantage, because of its limit to present a lot of educational content and low dynamism. Through the research, we try to understand methods of interaction directed to the learning of children between 6 and 8 years old and at the same time, try to find which of the technologies, in this context, that better fits on their school environment. This away, with this work, we propose the use of tangible interfaces, including multi-touch interfaces as a tool of interaction for the presentation of interactive posters with activities designed for school education. With the conception of the every part of practice developed, we tried to make content with harmonious and colorful graphics in order to captivate the user, which we also try to provide an entertaining and fun interaction. For the elaboration of an additional prototype, we deliberate to use a multi-touch low cost technology, which enables us to understand and experiment the actions and settings that can be combined with the interactive graphic design required

Brain SPECT imaging in Sydenham's chorea

The objective of the present study was to determine whether brain single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging is capable of detecting perfusional abnormalities. Ten Sydenham's chorea (SC) patients, eight females and two males, 8 to 25 years of age (mean 13.4), with a clinical diagnosis of SC were submitted to brain SPECT imaging. We used HMPAO labeled with technetium-99m at a dose of 740 MBq. Six examinations revealed hyperperfusion of the basal ganglia, while the remaining four were normal. The six patients with abnormal results were females and their data were not correlated with severity of symptoms. Patients with abnormal brain SPECT had a more recent onset of symptoms (mean of 49 days) compared to those with normal SPECT (mean of 85 days) but this difference did not reach statistical significance. Brain SPECT can be a helpful method to determine abnormalities of the basal ganglia in SC patients but further studies on a larger number of patients are needed in order to detect the phase of the disease during which the examination is more sensitive.Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Departamento de Neurologia Setor de Distúrbios do MovimentoUniversidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Departamento de Diagnóstico por Imagem Setor de Medicina NuclearUNIFESP, Depto. de Neurologia Setor de Distúrbios do MovimentoUNIFESP, Depto. de Diagnóstico por Imagem Setor de Medicina NuclearSciEL