Alexandro Bordignon

Proposta Brasileira de Metadados para Objetos de Aprendizagem Baseados em Agentes (OBAA)

This paper presents the Agent Based Learning Objects - OBAA standard proposal. The main goal of the research was to establish a standardized specification of the technical and functional requirements of learning objects that should allow the interoperability of the contents between Web and Digital TV environment, supporting accessibility and pedagogical issues. In this proposal it has been explored the convergence among the multiagent systems, LO and ubiquitous computing technologies, allowing the authoring, storage and recovery of LO in varied contexts and through different digital platforms. The result of this research was the definition of the OBAA proposal containing the requirements, specifications and architectures that will compose the Brazilian standard for the management, transmission, storage, search, editing and use of LO that can be distributed and used in an integrated manner within the Web platforms, mobile devices and Digital TV.

Effectiveness of Chlorthalidone Plus Amiloride for the Prevention of Hypertension: The PREVER‐Prevention Randomized Clinical Trial

Background Prehypertension is associated with higher cardiovascular risk, target organ damage, and incidence of hypertension. The Prevention of Hypertension in Patients with PreHypertension (PREVER‐Prevention) trial aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a low‐dose diuretic for the prevention of hypertension and end‐organ damage. Methods and Results This randomized, parallel, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled trial was conducted in 21 Brazilian academic medical centers. Participants with prehypertension who were aged 30 to 70 years and who did not reach optimal blood pressure after 3 months of lifestyle intervention were randomized to a chlorthalidone/amiloride combination pill or placebo and were evaluated every 3 months during 18 months of treatment. The primary outcome was incidence of hypertension. Development or worsening of microalbuminuria, new‐onset diabetes mellitus, and reduction of left ventricular mass were secondary outcomes. Participant characteristics were evenly distributed by trial arms. The incidence of hypertension was significantly lower in 372 study participants allocated to diuretics compared with 358 allocated to placebo (hazard ratio 0.56, 95% CI 0.38–0.82), resulting in a cumulative incidence of 11.7% in the diuretic arm versus 19.5% in the placebo arm (P=0.004). Adverse events; levels of blood glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin, creatinine, and microalbuminuria; and incidence of diabetes mellitus were no different between the 2 arms. Left ventricular mass assessed through Sokolow‐Lyon voltage and voltage‐duration product decreased to a greater extent in participants allocated to diuretic therapy compared with placebo (P=0.02). Conclusions A combination of low‐dose chlorthalidone and amiloride effectively reduces the risk of incident hypertension and beneficially affects left ventricular mass in patients with prehypertension. Clinical Trial Registration URL: http://www.ClinicalTrials.gov, www.ensaiosclinicos.gov. Unique identifiers: NCT00970931, RBR‐74rr6s.

Projeto OBAA: Uma abordagem com objetos de aprendizagem interoperáveis baseados na web e na televisão digital

This article presents the studies conducted in the OBAA project - Agent Based Learning Object. Some defini- tions of learning objects, repositories, interactive digital te- levision, and multi-system agents are presented. Standards to build learning objects and programs for digital television were investigated and analyzed in order to specify a new multiplatform pattern, in which contents that can be used in web and digital television are built.

Mecanismos para a produção de conteúdo interoperável entre web, TV digital e dispositivos de telefonia móvel

This paper presents a standardization propo- sal for unified development of interoperable applications among Digital TV, Web and Mobiles. The main objective is to avoid redundancy in the content production, focusing on the adaptation among the different platforms instead of exclusive creation and maintenance for each one. Many recommendations based on worldwide standards are pre- sented, seeking to minimize the ruptures on the current processes of learning objects creation. To validate the pro- posal, two interoperable applications were developed, one involving just texts and menus, and the other much more complex, involving a complete educational course. Both ap- plications validated the presented proposal successfully.

Uma Proposta de Arquitetura Interoperável integrando Web, TV Digital e Dispositivos Móveis

In the presence of the actual world context, the importance of knowing the technological resources and making use of them to improve the performance of human activities is realized. Educat ion cannot be laid aside of this reality, on the contrary, it has to be allied and seek for resources to improve even more the process of teaching and learn ing through Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). Thus, the dof Araucaria/PR, through the Educational Technology Project, has pro vided access to these resources establishing informatics laboratories, ev aluating and reorganizing the used method, as an example, the accomplishment of the Leader-Teacher function related to the laboratory monitor one. Resumo. Diante do contexto do mundo atual, percebe-se a imp ortância de conhecer os recursos tecnologicos e fazer uso deste s para melhorar o desempenho das atividades humanas. A educacao nao pficar a margem desta realidade, ao contrario, deve buscar meios de aprimorar o processo de ensino e aprendizagem por meio das Tecnologias da I nformacao e Comunicacao (TICs). Assim, o municipio de Araucari a/PR, atraves do Projeto de Tecnologia Educacional, tem viabilizado o acesso a estes recursos com a implantacao de laboratorios de informatica, ae reorganizando os metodos empregados, como por exemplo, a implemen tacao da funcao de Professor-orientador em detrimento a funcao do moni tor de laboratorio.