Biology and personality: a mathematical approach to the body-mind problem

[EN] Purpose ¿ The purpose of this paper is to investigate the body-mind problem from a mathematical invariance principle in relation to personality dynamics in the psychological and the biological levels of description. Design/methodology/approach ¿ The relationship between the two mentioned levels of description is provided by two mathematical models as follows: the response model and the bridge model. The response model (an integro-differential equation) is capable to reproduce the personality dynamics as a consequence of a determined stimulus. The invariance principle asserts that the response model can reproduce personality dynamics at the two levels of description. The bridge model (a second-order partial differential equation) can be deduced as a consequence of this principle: it provides the co-evolution of the general factor of personality (GFP) (mind), the it is an immediate early gene (c-fos) and D3 dopamine receptor gene (DRD3) gens and the glutamate neurotransmitter (body). Findings ¿ An application case is presented by setting up two experimental designs: a previous pilot AB pseudo-experimental design (AB) pseudo-experimental design with one subject and a subsequent ABC experimental design (ABC) experimental design with another subject. The stimulus used is the stimulant drug methylphenidate. The response and bridge models are validated with the outcomes of these experiments. Originality/value ¿ The mathematical approach here presented is based on a holistic personality model developed in the past few years: the unique trait personality theory, which claims for a single personality trait to understand the overall human personality: the GFP. Keywords Integro-differential equation, Body-mind problem, Bridge model, General factor of personality, Response model, Second-order partial differential equation, c-fos, DRD3, Glutamate, Methylphenidate Paper type Research paperMicó, JC.; Amigó, S.; Caselles, A.; Romero, PD. (2021). Biology and personality: a mathematical approach to the body-mind problem. Kybernetes. 50(5):1566-1587. https://doi.org/10.1108/K-03-2020-0138S1566158750

Invariants of Stable Maps between Closed Orientable Surfaces

In this paper, we will consider the problem of constructing stable maps between two closed orientable surfaces M and N with a given branch set of curves immersed on N. We will study, from a global point of view, the behavior of its families in different isotopies classes on the space of smooth maps. The main goal is to obtain different relationships between invariants. We will provide a new proof of Quine’s Theorem

Formalism for discrete multidimensional dynamic systems

The purpose of this paper is to suggest a formalism given by an equation suitable for simulating discrete systems with space-time variation in addition to other change variables. With such formalism, multidimensional dynamical models of discrete complex systems, such as the social systems and ecosystems, can be built. This formalism is named as discrete multidimensional dynamic system (DMDS). The DMDS provides a way to consider the variation of the density of a state variable with regard to the variables of the change space as a function of multidimensional rates. Multidimensional rates describe this evolution as a consequence of the relation of each multidimensional-point with a given set of other points of the change space. This relation contains the accessibility domains (sets of space points with which each space point is related). This equation is compared with both the reaction-diffusion equation written in its finite difference form and the cellular-automata model, demonstrating its compatibility with them and an increase in generality, widening the scope of application. The steps to construct models of systems with multidimensional variation based on the equation that defines the DMDS are specified and tested. Through the DMDS and a well-stated methodology, an application case is provided in order to describe the multidimensional demographic dynamics of an urban system. In this case, the numerical evolution of the population density by districts and cohorts is determined by the DMDS based on some hypothesis about functions of population diffusion between the different districts of the system. The scope of application of the space-time dynamic system (STDS), given by the authors in a previous work, has been extended to discrete and multidimensional systems. STDS model produces better results than the reaction-diffusion model in validation.Micó, JC.; Caselles Moncho, A.; Soler Fernández, D.; Romero, PD. (2016). Formalism for discrete multidimensional dynamic systems. Kybernetes. 45(10):1555-1575. doi:10.1108/K-01-2015-0024S15551575451

EXPLORIA, a New Way to Teach Maths at University Level as Part of Everything

The main objective of this article has been to evaluate the effect that the implementation of the EXPLORIA project has had on the Engineering Degree in Industrial Design and Product Development. The EXPLORIA project aims to develop an integrated competence map of the learning process, where the subjects are no longer considered as isolated contents, by elaborating an integrated learning process where the competences and learning outcomes of the subjects are considered as a whole, global and comprehensive learning. The EXPLORIA project connects the competencies of the different STEAM subjects that make up the degree, designing a learning process as a logical, sequential and incremental itinerary. Through concepts on which the foundations of design are based—shape, volume, colour, space and structure—the competencies of the different subjects are defined in incremental learning levels: understanding, applying, experimenting and developing, all taken from Bloom’s taxonomy. Mathematics is linked to the rest of learning through active learning methodologies that make learning useful. This new methodology changes the student’s affective domain towards mathematics in which positive emotions are transformed into positive attitudes that will improve the learning result and therefore, the students’ academic results. To validate it, at the end of the paper, the academic results compared with previous years are shown, as well as an ad hoc survey of the students’ assessment of the new teaching methodology

Educational nurse-led telephone intervention shortly before colonoscopy as a salvage strategy after previous bowel preparation failure: a multicenter randomized trial

Background: The most important predictor of unsuccessful bowel preparation is previous failure. For those patients with previous failure, we hypothesized that a nurse-led educational intervention by telephone shortly before the colonoscopy appointment could improve cleansing efficacy. Methods: We performed a multicenter, endoscopist-blinded, randomized controlled trial. Consecutive outpatients with previous inadequate bowel preparation were enrolled. Both groups received the same standard bowel preparation protocol. The intervention group also received reinforced education by telephone within 48 hours before the colonoscopy. The primary outcome was effective bowel preparation according to the Boston Bowel Preparation Scale. Intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis included all randomized patients. Per-protocol analysis included patients who could be contacted by telephone and the control cases. Results: 657 participants were recruited by 11 Spanish hospitals. In the ITT analysis, there was no significant difference between the intervention and control groups in the rate of successful bowel preparation (77.3 % vs. 72 %; P = 0.12). In the intervention group, 267 patients (82.9 %) were contacted by telephone. Per-protocol analysis revealed significantly improved bowel preparation in the intervention group (83.5 % vs. 72.0 %; P = 0.001). Conclusion: Among all patients with previous inadequate bowel preparation, nurse-led telephone education did not result in a significant improvement in bowel cleansing. However, in the 83 % of patients who could be contacted, bowel preparation was substantially improved. Phone education may therefore be a useful tool for improving the quality of bowel preparation in those cases