Culture and World Vision: The Cognitive Mythical Mode

Abstract Culture is the system of knowledge, from whose meanings the human being screened and selected their understanding of Reality in the broad sense, and interprets and regulates the facts and data of social behavior. In this sense, culture is a program for social action and acting in humans during the process of socialization and social interaction. The meanings of each culture are the cumulative product of collective and individual thinking, in ecological economic, social and political specific situations, so are the expression of each particular cultural historical conjuncture. Moreover, the universal cognitive structure for the apprehension of cultural reality is the World Vision (WV). Due to its importance and significance as substratum of religious and political belief systems, we will gird our study to mythical cognitive mode or mythical WV. Keywords: beliefs, culture, modal logic, myth, mythical dimension, mythopoiesis, world vision Cite This Article: J. Nescolarde-Selva, and J.L. Usó-Doménech, "Culture and World Vision: The Cognitive Mythical Mod

Minimally Invasive Lung Tissue Differentiation Using Electrical Impedance Spectroscopy : A Comparison of the 3- and 4-Electrode Methods

Altres ajuts: Secretariat d'Universitats i Recerca, Generalitat de Catalunya; the European Social Fund.Multiple imaging techniques are used for the diagnosis of lung diseases. The choice of a technique depends on the suspected diagnosis. Computed tomography (CT) of the thorax and positron emission tomography (PET) are imaging techniques used for the detection, characterization, staging and follow-up of lung cancer, and these techniques use ionizing radiation and are radiologist-dependent. Electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) performed through a bronchoscopic process could serve as a minimally invasive non-ionizing method complementary to CT and PET to characterize lung tissue. The aim of this study was to analyse the feasibility and ability of minimally invasive EIS bioimpedance measures to differentiate among healthy lung, bronchial and neoplastic lung tissues through bronchoscopy using the 3- and 4-electrode methods. Tissue differentiation was performed in 13 patients using the 4-electrode method (13 healthy lung, 12 bronchial and 3 neoplastic lung tissues) and the 3-electrode method (9 healthy lung, 10 bronchial and 2 neoplastic lung tissues). One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed a statistically significant difference (P < 0.001) between bronchial and healthy lung tissues for both the 3- and 4-electrode methods. The 3-electrode method seemed to differentiate cancer types through changes in the cellular structures of the tissues by both the reactance (Xc) and the resistance (R). Minimally invasive measurements obtained using the 3-electrode method seem to be most suitable for differentiating between healthy and bronchial lung tissues. In the future, EIS using the 3-electrode method could be a method complementary to PET/CT and biopsy in lung pathology diagnosis

Bioimpedance vector analysis and conventional bioimpedance to assess body composition in older adults with dementia

Producción CientíficaAlthough dementia and nutritional status have been shown to be strongly associated, differences in body composition (BC) among older people with dementia have not yet been firmly established. The aim of this study was to assess BC through conventional and vector bioimpedance analysis (BIA and BIVA, respectively) in a sample of institutionalized older men with and without dementia, in order to detect dementia-related BC changes.Forty-one institutionalized men ages ≥65 y (23 without dementia [CG] and 18 with dementia [DG]) were measured with BIA and interpreted with BIVA and predictive equations.Age (74.4 and 75.7 y) and body mass index (22.5 and 23.6 kg/m 2 ) were similar for DG and CG, respectively. Resistance and ratio of resistance to height did not differ significantly between the two groups. Reactance and ratio of reactance to height were 21.2% and 20.4% lower in DG than in CG. Phase angle was significantly lower in DG (mean = 4.0; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.6°–4.3°) than in CG (mean = 4.7; 95% CI, 4.3°–5.1°). Mean fat mass index (6 and 7 kg/m 2 ), and mean fat-free mass index (16.4 and 16.6 kg/m 2 ) were similar in both groups. BIVA showed a significant downward migration of the ellipse in DG with respect to CG (T 2 = 15.1; P < 0.01).Conventional BIA showed no significant differences in BC between DG and CG, although reactance and ratio of reactance to height were about 21% lower in DG. Nevertheless, a body cell mass depletion and an increase in the ratio of extracellular to intracellular water were identified in DG using BIVA. BIVA reflects dementia-related changes in BC better than BI

Estudi de l’abandonament en el primer curs de la titulació de telecomunicacions

Dins de la tasca de coordinació del primer curs del grau de telecomunicacions s'ha observat un grau molt elevat d'abandonament de la titulació. Aquest fet condiciona la tasca i metodologia docent. Amb la intenció d'incrementar la qualitat del nou grau i augmentar les taxes de eficàcia, hem buscat els motius que originen aquest alt grau d’abandonament dins la titulació i hem ideat possibles solucions que posen remei o pal·lien en certa mesura aquest problema. Per això es presenten estratègies i mecanismes per augmentar la qualitat de la docència, es comparen els resultats dels darrers cursos i s’analitzen els resultats de les estratègies posades en marxa. La tasca ha estat desenvolupada pels coordinadors de cada assignatura que conjuntament han analitzat com es va produir l'abandó durant l'avaluació continuada.Aquesta comunicació s’ha pogut realitzar gràcies als projectes: GITE-09006-UA i GITE-09014-U

Coordinación de competencias de tratamiento de señal y comunicaciones en estudios de Telecomunicación en EPS-UA

Los objetivos del presente trabajo son el seguimiento, la coordinación, la evaluación y la mejora en la distribución de competencias de las asignaturas obligatorias de los cursos primero, segundo y tercero del Grado en Ingeniería en Sonido e Imagen en Telecomunicación y una asignatura obligatoria del Máster en Ingeniería de Telecomunicación. La red tiene carácter transversal y se centra en materias de tratamiento de señal y comunicaciones de estudios de Telecomunicación en la Escuela Politécnica Superior de la Universidad de Alicante. Para alcanzar los objetivos se plantea llevar a cabo una colaboración de la que formen parte las subdirecciones de las titulaciones, la dirección del departamento y las profesoras y los profesores de las asignaturas relacionadas con las competencias de tratamiento de señal y comunicaciones en el Grado y Máster Universitario de estudios de Telecomunicación en la Escuela Politécnica Superior. En el proceso se elaboraron documentos para facilitar la puesta en común y la concreción de acuerdos de mejora

Red de coordinación de la implantación del primer curso del Grado en Ingeniería en Sonido e Imagen

El profesorado de la red docente realizó durante el curso 2009/10 un proyecto para la planificación de las asignaturas del primer curso del Grado en Ingeniería en Sonido e Imagen de la Escuela Politécnica Superior, y nos toca ahora la puesta a punto del primer curso del Grado. En el marco creado por los nuevos estudios dentro del EEES, el proyecto tiene como objetivo principal es el seguimiento, coordinación, evaluación, y mejora de la planificación realizada el curso anterior ya con las nuevas experiencias.Los autores desean agradecer las ayudas institucionales recibidas tanto por parte de la Universidad de Alicante y la Escuela Politécnica Superior (a través del instituto de Ciencias de la Educación y del Vicerrectorado de Planificación Estratégica y Calidad) y el Grupo de Innovación Tecnológica y Educativa de la Universidad de Alicante (GITE-09006-UA)

Evaluación continua del curso 2º del Grado en Sonido e Imagen en Telecomunicación de la EPS

La evaluación en los grados según el EEES se realiza de forma continua en todas las asignaturas del curso. Desde la implantación de los grados, esta evaluación continua ha sido criticada por la carga de trabajo que supone tanto para el estudiante como el profesorado. En este sentido, hace unos años realizamos un proyecto colaborativo para la realización del calendario de evaluación continua por curso académico. Dicho calendario mostraba las evaluaciones y controles que se realizan en las asignaturas de cada curso y cada semestre, sin tener en cuenta las prácticas. Sin embargo, las actividades de evaluación han ido cambiando y en ocasiones no se detallan en la guía docente con el detalle adecuado, lo que no permite disponer de un calendario de evaluación real del curso. Por tanto, el objetivo de este proyecto ha sido coordinar todas las evaluaciones, controles, y actividades obligatorias o voluntarias de evaluación de todas las asignaturas del segundo curso de la titulación

The association of hydration status with physical signs, symptoms and survival in advanced cancer-The use of Bioelectrical Impedance Vector Analysis (BIVA) technology to evaluate fluid volume in palliative care: An observational study

Background Hydration in advanced cancer is a controversial area; however, current hydration assessments methods are poorly developed. Bioelectrical impedance vector analysis (BIVA) is an accurate hydration tool; however its application in advanced cancer has not been explored. This study used BIVA to evaluate hydration status in advanced cancer to examine the association of fluid status with symptoms, physical signs, renal biochemical measures and survival. Materials and methods An observational study of 90 adults with advanced cancer receiving care in a UK specialist palliative care inpatient unit was conducted. Hydration status was assessed using BIVA in addition to assessments of symptoms, physical signs, performance status, renal biochemical measures, oral fluid intake and medications. The association of clinical variables with hydration was evaluated using regression analysis. A survival analysis was conducted to examine the influence of hydration status and renal failure. Results The hydration status of participants was normal in 43 (47.8%), 'more hydrated' in 37 (41.1%) and 'less hydrated' in 10 (11.1%). Lower hydration was associated with increased symptom intensity (Beta = -0.29, p = 0.04) and higher scores for physical signs associated with dehydration (Beta = 10.94, p = 0.02). Higher hydration was associated with oedema (Beta = 2.55, p<0.001). Median survival was statistically significantly shorter in 'less hydrated' patients (44 vs. 68 days; p = 0.049) and in pre-renal failure (44 vs. 100 days; p = 0.003). Conclusions In advanced cancer, hydration status was associated with clinical signs and symptoms. Hydration status and pre-renal failure were independent predictors of survival. Further studies can establish the utility of BIVA as a standardised hydration assessment tool and explore its potential research application, in order to inform the clinical management of fluid balance in patients with advanced cancer