BeEngine: 2D Game Engine

This document contains the description of the development of a C++ game engine named BeEngine, as the final university project. The engine is focused on 2D game development and aims to provide all the necessary components and tools to create and deploy a video game from start to finish. The result is astandalone program that can be execute dinany Windows machine, tha thas the ability to load and manage resources (such as images, scripts, audio, etc.), and allows the user to implement the logic and test the results before generating the final game. This project goes through some of the techniques and the logic behind the modules and tools of this engine, and the process of implementation followed to accomplish the final results

Diseño de una cafetera con sistema espresso para el hogar

[ES] El siguiente proyecto consiste en el diseño de una cafetera con sistema espresso para el hogar. Aunque el diseño y desarrollo de todo ese sistema interior no entra dentro de las competencias de este proyecto (puesto que vendría dado por la empresa que realice el encargo), sí se tendrá en cuenta y se deberá conocer su funcionamiento para el buen desarrollo del producto. Se estudiará así el producto, pero no sólo su fabricación y funcionamiento, sino también su interacción con el usuario. Se considerará usuario a todas aquellas personas mayores de 65 años (a nivel nacional) con un poder adquisitivo medio y conocimientos básicos a cerca de las nuevas tecnologías.[EN] The next project is the design of a coffee machine with an espresso system for the home. Although the design and development of all this interior system does not fall within the competences of this project (since it would be given by the company that makes the order), it will be taken into account for the correct development of the product. It will be studied not only its manufacture and operation, but also its interaction with the user. It will be considered as a user all those older than 65 years old (nationwide) with an average purchasing power and basic knowledge about new technologies.Caldú García, MP. (2019). Diseño de una cafetera con sistema espresso para el hogar. Universitat Politècnica de València. http://hdl.handle.net/10251/126121TFG

El discurso de odio contra el colectivo homosexual y su representación en la serie Física o Química.

El discurso de odio ha visto en las últimas décadas una atención especial en cuanto a establecer su definición, límites y tratamiento. Diversos instrumentos internacionales se han ocupado de estas cuestiones y también se ha abordado desde distintos campos de estudio. Las víctimas tienen siempre un aspecto común, por ejemplo raza u orientación sexual, como es el caso del colectivo LGTBI. Este trabajo pretende abordar cómo se representa el discurso de odio contra el colectivo homosexual en la cultura audiovisual a través de personajes adolescentes, utilizando como ejemplo la serie española Física o Química.<br /

Processing of primary and secondary rewards: A quantitative meta-analysis and review of human functional neuroimaging studies

One fundamental question concerning brain reward mechanisms is to determine how reward-related activity is influenced by the nature of rewards. Here, we review the neuroimaging literature and explicitly assess to what extent the representations of primary and secondary rewards overlap in the human brain. To achieve this goal, we performed an activation likelihood estimation (ALE) meta-analysis of 87 studies (1452 subjects) comparing the brain responses to monetary, erotic and food reward outcomes. Those three rewards robustly engaged a common brain network including the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, ventral striatum, amygdala, anterior insula and mediodorsal thalamus, although with some variations in the intensity and location of peak activity. Money-specific responses were further observed in the most anterior portion of the orbitofrontal cortex, supporting the idea that abstract secondary rewards are represented in evolutionary more recent brain regions. In contrast, food and erotic (i.e. primary) rewards were more strongly represented in the anterior insula, while erotic stimuli elicited particularly robust responses in the amygdala. Together, these results indicate that the computation of experienced reward value does not only recruit a core "reward system" but also reward type-dependent brain structures

COVID-19 severity is related to poor executive function in people with post-COVID conditions

Coronavirus; Executive function; Neuropsychological testsCoronavirus; Función ejecutiva; Pruebas neuropsicológicasCoronavirus; Funció executiva; Tests neuropsicològicsPatients with post-coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) conditions typically experience cognitive problems. Some studies have linked COVID-19 severity with long-term cognitive damage, while others did not observe such associations. This discrepancy can be attributed to methodological and sample variations. We aimed to clarify the relationship between COVID-19 severity and long-term cognitive outcomes and determine whether the initial symptomatology can predict long-term cognitive problems. Cognitive evaluations were performed on 109 healthy controls and 319 post-COVID individuals categorized into three groups according to the WHO clinical progression scale: severe-critical (n = 77), moderate-hospitalized (n = 73), and outpatients (n = 169). Principal component analysis was used to identify factors associated with symptoms in the acute-phase and cognitive domains. Analyses of variance and regression linear models were used to study intergroup differences and the relationship between initial symptomatology and long-term cognitive problems. The severe-critical group performed significantly worse than the control group in general cognition (Montreal Cognitive Assessment), executive function (Digit symbol, Trail Making Test B, phonetic fluency), and social cognition (Reading the Mind in the Eyes test). Five components of symptoms emerged from the principal component analysis: the "Neurologic/Pain/Dermatologic" "Digestive/Headache", "Respiratory/Fever/Fatigue/Psychiatric" and "Smell/ Taste" components were predictors of Montreal Cognitive Assessment scores; the "Neurologic/Pain/Dermatologic" component predicted attention and working memory; the "Neurologic/Pain/Dermatologic" and "Respiratory/Fever/Fatigue/Psychiatric" components predicted verbal memory, and the "Respiratory/Fever/Fatigue/Psychiatric," "Neurologic/Pain/Dermatologic," and "Digestive/Headache" components predicted executive function. Patients with severe COVID-19 exhibited persistent deficits in executive function. Several initial symptoms were predictors of long-term sequelae, indicating the role of systemic inflammation and neuroinflammation in the acute-phase symptoms of COVID-19." Study Registration: www.ClinicalTrials.gov , identifier NCT05307549 and NCT05307575

La Educación en Roma

El presente documento pretende analizar la herencia recibida de la antigua Roma desde el punto de vista educativo. Para ello, se va a profundizar en la Roma de hace dos mil años, desglosando los diferentes aspectos políticos, sociales y culturales para, de esta forma, poder entender la conformación de la antigua educación romana

Neuropsychological impairment in post-COVID condition individuals with and without cognitive complaints

COVID-19; Cognitive function; Neuropsychological testCOVID-19; Función cognitiva; Test neuropsicológicoCOVID-19; Funció cognitiva; Test neuropsicològicOne of the most prevalent symptoms of post-COVID condition is cognitive impairment, which results in a significant degree of disability and low quality of life. In studies with large sample sizes, attention, memory, and executive function were reported as long-term cognitive symptoms. This study aims to describe cognitive dysfunction in large post-COVID condition individuals, compare objective neuropsychological performance in those post-COVID condition individuals with and without cognitive complaints, and identify short cognitive exams that can differentiate individuals with post-COVID symptoms from controls. To address these aims, the Nautilus project was started in June 2021. During the first year, we collected 428 participants' data, including 319 post-COVID and 109 healthy controls (18-65 years old) from those who underwent a comprehensive neuropsychological battery for cognitive assessment. Scores on tests assessing global cognition, learning and long-term memory, processing speed, language and executive functions were significantly worse in the post-COVID condition group than in healthy controls. Montreal Cognitive Assessment, digit symbol test, and phonetic verbal fluency were significant in the binomial logistic regression model and could effectively distinguish patients from controls with good overall sensitivity and accuracy. Neuropsychological test results did not differ between those with and without cognitive complaints. Our research suggests that patients with post-COVID conditions experience significant cognitive impairment and that routine tests like the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, digit symbol, and phonetic verbal fluency test might identify cognitive impairment. Thus, the administration of these tests would be helpful for all patients with post-COVID-19 symptoms, regardless of whether cognitive complaints are present or absent

Improving Reading Skills Using a Computerized Phonological Training Program in Early Readers with Reading Difficulties

In the last years, there has been a big effort to identify risk factors for reading difficulties and to develop new methodologies to help struggling readers. It has been shown that early intervention is more successful than late intervention, and that intensive training programs can benefit children with reading difficulties. The aim of our study is to investigate the effectiveness of an intensive computerized phonological training program designed to improve reading performance in a sample of children with reading difficulties at the early stages of their reading learning process. Thirty-two children with reading difficulties were randomly assigned to one of the two intervention groups: RDIR (children with reading difficulties following a computerized intensive remediation strategy) (n = 20) (7.01 +/- 0.69 years), focused on training phonemic awareness, decoding and reading fluency through the computational training; and RDOR (children with reading difficulties following an ordinary remediation strategy) (n = 12) (6.92 +/- 0.82 years), which consisted of a reinforcement of reading with a traditional training approach at school. Normal readers (NR) were assigned to the control group (n = 24) (7.32 +/- 0.66 years). Our results indicate that both the RDIR and RDOR groups showed an increased reading performance after the intervention. However, children in the RDIR group showed a stronger benefit than the children in the RDOR group, whose improvement was weaker. The control group did not show significant changes in reading performance during the same period. In conclusion, results suggest that intensive early intervention based on phonics training is an effective strategy to remediate reading difficulties, and that it can be used at school as the first approach to tackle such difficulties

Bases cerebrales de la atención sostenida y la memoria de trabajo: un estudio de resonancia magnética funcional basado en el Continuous Performance Test

Introducción. Uno de los paradigmas más utilizados en el estudio de la atención es el Continuous Performance Test (CPT). La versión de pares idénticos (CPT-IP) se ha utilizado ampliamente para evaluar los déficits de atención en los trastornos del neurodesarrollo, neurológicos y psiquiátricos. Sin embargo, la localización de la activación cerebral de las redes atencionales varía significativamente según el diseño de resonancia magnética funcional (RMf) usado. Objetivo. Diseñar una tarea para evaluar la atención sostenida y la memoria de trabajo mediante RMf para proporcionar datos de investigación relacionados con la localización y el papel de estas funciones. Sujetos y métodos. El estudio contó con la participación de 40 estudiantes, todos ellos diestros (50%, mujeres; rango: 18-25 años). La tarea de CPT-IP se diseñó como una tarea de bloques, en la que se combinaban los períodos CPT-IP con los de reposo. Resultados. La tarea de CPT-IP utilizada activa una red formada por regiones frontales, parietales y occipitales, y éstas se relacionan con funciones ejecutivas y atencionales. Conclusiones. La tarea de CPT-IP utilizada en nuestro trabajo proporciona datos normativos en adultos sanos para el estudio del sustrato neural de la atención sostenida y la memoria de trabajo. Estos datos podrían ser útiles para evaluar trastornos que cursan con déficits en memoria de trabajo y en atención sostenida.Introduction. One of the most used paradigms in the study of attention is the Continuous Performance Test (CPT). The identical pairs version (CPT-IP) has been widely used to evaluate attention deficits in developmental, neurological and psychiatric disorders. However, the specific locations and the relative distribution of brain activation in networks identified with functional imaging, varies significantly with differences in task design. Aim. To design a task to evaluate sustained attention using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), and thus to provide data for research concerned with the role of these functions. Subjects and methods. Forty right-handed, healthy students (50% women; age range: 18-25 years) were recruited. A CPT-IP implemented as a block design was used to assess sustained attention during the fMRI session. Results. The behavioural results from the CPT-IP task showed a good performance in all subjects, higher than 80% of hits. fMRI results showed that the used CPT-IP task activates a network of frontal, parietal and occipital areas, and that these are related to executive and attentional functions. Conclusions. In relation to the use of the CPT to study of attention and working memory, this task provides normative data in healthy adults, and it could be useful to evaluate disorders which have attentional and working memory deficits

Encefalopatía secundaria a intoxicación por lamotrigina

Sr. Editor: La ingesta voluntaria de medicamentos con fines autolíticos es un acto más frecuente en pacientes epilépticos o con trastornos psiquiátricos. Los fármacos pautados para dichas enfermedades se convierten así en sustancias susceptibles de causar intoxicación..