Fractal study of tumors

Treballs Finals de Grau de Matemàtiques, Facultat de Matemàtiques, Universitat de Barcelona, Any: 2016, Director: Àlex HaroFractal geometry was first invented by mathematicians of the late 19th and early 20th century to study problems as abstract as the existence of continuous functions non derivable at any point, the continuum hypothesis, or the existence of topological spaces with strange properties. It was not until the second half of the 20th century that fractal geometry became popular, and it was applied to the study of natural phenomena by the hand of B. Mandelbrot. The study of tumor growth using fractal geometry is relatively recent. This study is based on the fractal character of tumor contours. One of their most important features is roughness, since its increase is related to the tumor growth. Tumor growth dynamic can be described by a function that depends on both time and position, known as local width function, as well as by some power law exponents, called critical exponents. The aim of this final degree project is to study all these concepts in connection with fractals. Elementary concepts of the theory of fractals will also be studied, as the iterated function systems, the fractal dimension and the fractal interpolation functions. Since fractal dimension can only be computed accurately for some specific mathematical objects, we will study some methods that estimate fractal dimension of tumors based on its fractal characteristics. Finally, we will develop some Matlab programs which will compute the fractal dimension of tumors, as well as the roughness of their contours. Furthermore, we will compare our results with the experimental data

Relationships among Physical Self-Concept, Physical Activity and Mediterranean Diet in Adolescents from the Province of Granada

The aim of the present research was to analyse the relationships among physical self-concept, physical activity engagement and Mediterranean diet adherence in a sample of 1650 secondary school students from the province of Granada. The study design was descriptive–exploratory, crosssectional and ex post facto. Measurements were taken from a single group. The PSQ, PAQ-A and KIDMED questionnaires were used to measure diet quality. Results showed the presence of a positive relationship among all dimensions of physical self-concept and physical activity engagement, with better outcomes being achieved in this self-perception with increasing engagement in sport. With regard to diet quality and its repercussions on physical self-concept, it was highlighted that the dimensions of the general self-concept, physical attractiveness and strength tended to be more positive as quality improved. In contrast, worse outcomes were produced in those with a low-quality diet. In this way, it was deemed necessary to continue investigating psychosocial factors with the aim of clarifying the relationships with psychological factors and health indicators. This would enable the development of prevention and intervention programs focused on promoting wellbeing in adolescents

Association between self-concept and healthy habits in rural adolescents

El objetivo de la presente investigación fue describir las relaciones entre el autoconcepto multidimensional, la adherencia a la dieta mediterránea y el nivel de actividad física en adolescentes pertenecientes a un contexto rural de un pueblo de la provincia de Córdoba (España). El diseño de la investigación fue descriptivo- exploratorio, de corte transversal y ex pos facto con una medición en un único grupo. La población de estudio, estuvo conformada por 191 alumnos del instituto Cumbres Altas, Nueva Carteya. Para la medición de las variables de investigación, se utilizó el cuestionario de autoconcepto (AF-5), el cuestionario para la actividad física (PAQ-A) y para la dieta (KIDMED). Los resultados reflejaron que existe correlación entre la mayoría de las dimensiones del autoconcepto, la actividad física y la adherencia a la dieta mediterránea, considerándose importante establecer hábitos de vida saludable con el fin de la creación de unos patrones adecuados, que se instaurarán a lo largo del futuro del adolescente. Es por ello que se considera necesario las acciones tendientes al mejoramiento del estilo de vida.The aim of this research was to describe the relationships between multi-dimensional self- concept, adherence to the Mediterranean Diet, and the level of physical activity in adolescents belonging to a rural context in a town in the province of Córdoba (Spain). The research design was descriptive-exploratory, cross-sectional and ex post facto with a measurement in a single group. The study population was made up of 191 students from the Cumbres Altas high school, Nueva Carteya. To measure the research variables, it was selected the self- concept questionnaire (AF-5), the questionnaire for physical activity (PAQ-A) and for diet (KIDMED). The results found a relationship between most of the dimensions of self- concept, physical activity and adherence to the Mediterranean Diet, so it is important to develop healthy living habits in order to create specific patterns, that will be established throughout its future. For this reason, actions aimed at improving the lifestyle are considered necessary

Valoración funcional de la mano

12 páginas.Capítulo incluido en el libro: Terapia de mano basada en el razonamiento y la práctica clínica. Raquel Cantero Téllez (coord.). Sevilla: Universidad Internacional de Andalucía, 2020. ISBN 978-84-7993-361-6. Enlace: http://hdl.handle.net/10334/544

Plantilla de trabajo para la adquisición de razonamiento clínico sobre el análisis de las actividades técnico-terapéuticas

Plantilla de trabajo para la adquisición de razonamiento clínico sobre el análisis de las actividades técnico-terapéuticas

Education Burnout and Engagement in Occupational Therapy Undergraduate Students and Its Associated Factors

Burnout syndrome has been characterized as a process of chronic responses to occupational stress in certain employee groups. However, this phenomenon has also been reported in other participant groups including university students. The Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey (MBI-SS), composed of the Exhaustion, Cynicism and Efficacy subscales, was used to evaluate burnout in this sample group while the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES) was used to gather data related to engagement, a positive psychology construct composed of the three factors, namely vigor, dedication, and absorption. To date, no studies considered these factors in relation to occupational therapy students. This begs the question, is there a relationship between occupational therapy students’ self-reported levels of burnout and engagement? The study objectives are to (1) ascertain the self-reported levels of burnout and engagement in a sample of Australian Occupational undergraduate therapy students, and (2) analyze the sociodemographic, occupational and academic characteristic associated with these levels. The results indicate that a number of demographic and academic study variables are significantly associated with burnout syndrome and education engagement reported by undergraduate occupational therapy students

Article Mindfulness Abilities Are Associated with Anxiety Levels, Emotional Intelligence, and Perceived Self-Efficacy

This study examined the relationship between anxiety, emotional intelligence, perceived self-efficacy, and mindfulness abilities. A total of 205 Spanish university students were assessed for mindfulness (Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory-14), state-trait anxiety (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory), emotional intelligence (Trait Meta-Mood Scale-24), and general perceived self-efficacy (General Self- Efficacy Scale). The Student’s t-test was used to evaluate the possible differences between sexes for the study variables. Multiple regression analyses were conducted for each sex independently to evaluate the relationship between mindfulness and the other psychological variables, using mindfulness dimensions as a dependent variable. The results showed significant differences between females and males in mindfulness dimensions of self-control (p < 0.001) and acceptance (p = 0.012), and state (p = 0.005) and trait anxiety (p < 0.001). Multiple linear regression analyses revealed that the models for the relationship between mindfulness dimensions (attention, self-control, acceptance, and self-perception) and the other variables differed between females and males. Our results suggest that anxiety, emotional intelligence, and general perceived self-efficacy may be related to mindfulness abilities among a sample of Spanish university students. These findings could inform the development of targeted intervention programs to improve these psycho-emotional abilities

The Association between Executive Function and Performing Instrumental Daily Activities in People with Intellectual Disabilities

Institutionalized individuals with intellectual disabilities have few opportunities to participate in instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs), which probably affects higher cognitive functions, or vice versa. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the possible difference in the ability to perform IADLs and executive functioning between individuals with and without intellectual disabilities and to determine if executive functions are associated with the performance of IADLs in people with intellectual disabilities. This was a multi-center cross-sectional study, conducted between July 2019 and May 2020. Participants with intellectual disabilities were recruited from four centers for people with intellectual disabilities. Adults without these disabilities were gathered from several community centers. The sample consisted of 90 individuals with moderate intellectual disabilities and 79 individuals with no intellectual disability. Executive functions were evaluated using the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-WAIS-IV, the INECO Frontal Screening test, the Semantic Verbal Fluency Test, and the Behavioural Assessment of the Dysexecutive Syndrome-BADS-Scale. The performance of the IADLs was assessed by the Lawton and Brody Scale. The results showed that the higher the function in instrumental activities, the lower the impairment of executive functions. Executive functions accounted for 81% of the total variance in the ability to perform the IADLs. In conclusion, individuals with moderate intellectual disabilities demonstrated limitations in executing the IADLs, which were partially associated with low performance in executive functions. This information could help in the development of evidence-based intervention programs and facilitate the formulation of appropriate support strategies to enhance participation in these activities

Benefits of Adaptive Sport on Physical and Mental Quality of Life in People with Physical Disabilities: A Meta-Analysis

Adaptive sports could produce multiple health benefits in people with physical disabilities. The aim is to evaluate if adaptive sports practice has an influence on physical and mental quality of life. A meta-analysis was performed using electronic databases and other sources. A within- and between-group analysis for physical and mental quality of life was conducted. Standardized mean difference (SMD) was used as a measure of the mean size effect. The statistical heterogeneity, the risk of bias, and the quality of evidence were evaluated. Eight studies met the inclusion criteria and four of them were included in the meta-analysis. In mental quality of life, significant differences were observed in the within-group analysis (SMD = 0.71, p < 0.001) and between people practicing adaptive sports and those not engaging in them (SMD = 0.62, p = 0.009). In physical quality of life, significant differences were also found between pre- and post-practice of adaptive sports (SMD = 1.03, p = 0.007). The engagement in adaptive sports showed a positive impact on the mental quality of life among adults with physical disabilities. However, the positive effect of adaptive sports practice on physical quality of life was shown only in the pre–post-test analysis. Further studies are required to validate the obtained findings