[EN] Considering the importance of games and new technologies for learning, in this thesis, two different systems that use Natural User Interfaces (NUI) for learning about a period of history were designed and developed. One of these systems uses autostereoscopic visualization, which lets the children see themselves as a background in the game, and that renders the elements with 3D sensation without the need for wearing special glasses or other devices. The other system uses frontal projection over a large-size tabletop display for visualization. The two systems have been developed from scratch. A total of five studies were carried out to determine the efficacy of games with NUI interaction with regard to acquiring knowledge, ease of use, satisfaction, fun and engagement, and their influence on children. In the first study, a comparison of the autostereoscopic system with the frontal projected system was carried out. 162 children from 8 to 11 years old participated in the study. We observed that the different characteristics of the systems did not influence the children's acquired knowledge, engagement, or satisfaction; we also observed that the systems are specially suitable for boys and older children (9-11 years old). The children had the depth perception with the autostereoscopic system. The children considered the two systems easy to use. However, they found the frontal projection to be easier to use. A second study was performed to determine the mode in which the children learn more about the topic of the game. The two modes were the collaborative mode, where the children played with the game in pairs; and the individual mode, where the children played with the game solo. 46 children from 7 to 10 years old participated in this study. We observed that there were statistically significant differences between playing with the game in the two modes. The children who played with the game in pairs in the collaborative mode got better knowledge scores than children who played with the game individually. A third study comparing traditional learning with a collaborative learning method (in pairs and in large groups) using the game was carried out. 100 children from 8 to 10 years old participated in this study. The results are in line with the second study. The children obtained higher score when collaborated in large groups or in pairs than attending to a traditional class. There were no statistically significant differences between playing in large groups and playing in pairs. For personalized learning, a Free Learning Itinerary has been included, where the children can decide how to direct the flow of their own learning process. For comparison, a Linear Learning Itinerary has also been included, where the children follow a determined learning flow. A fourth study to compare the two different learning itineraries was carried out. 29 children from 8 to 9 years old participated in this fourth study. The results showed that there were no statistically significant differences between the two learning itineraries. Regarding the online formative assessment and multiple-choice questions, there is usually a question and several possible answers in questionnaires of this kind in which the student must select only one answer. It is very common for the answers to be just text. However, images could also be used. We have carried out a fifth study to determine if an added image that represents/defines an object helps the children to choose the correct answer. 94 children from 7 to 8 years old participated in the study. The children who filled out the questionnaires with imaged obtained higher score than the children who filled out the text-only questionnaire. No statistically significant differences were found between the two questionnaire types with images. The results from the studies suggest that games of this kind could be appropriate educational games, and that autostereoscopy is a technology to exploit in their development. / [ES] Teniendo en cuenta la importancia de los juegos y las nuevas tecnologías en el aprendizaje, en esta tesis se han diseñado y desarrollado dos sistemas diferentes que utilizan interfaces de usuario naturales (NUI) para aprender los periodos de la historia. Uno de estos sistemas utiliza visión autoestereoscópica, la cual permite a los niños verse a ellos mismos dentro del juego y muestra los elementos del juego en 3D sin necesidad de llevar gafas especiales u otros dispositivos. El otro sistema utiliza proyección frontal como método de visualización. Los dos sistemas han sido desarrollados desde cero. Se han llevado a cabo un total de cinco estudios para determinar la eficacia de los juegos con NUI en cuanto al aprendizaje, facilidad de uso, satisfacción, diversión y su influencia en los niños. En el primer estudio, se ha comparado el sistema autoestereoscópico con el sistema de proyección frontal. Un total de 162 niños de 8 a 11 años han participado en este estudio. Observamos que las diferentes características de los sistemas no han influido en el aprendizaje, en la usabilidad o en la satisfacción; también observamos que los sistemas son especialmente apropiados para chicos y niños mayores (de 9 a 11 años). Los niños tienen percepción de profundidad con el sistema autoestereoscópico. Los niños consideraron los dos sistemas fáciles de usar. Sin embargo, encontraron el sistema de proyección frontal más fácil de usar. En el segundo estudio, se determina el modo con el que los niños pueden aprender en mayor medida el tema del juego. Los dos modos comparados han sido el modo colaborativo, en el que los niños jugaban por parejas; y el modo individual, en el que los niños jugaban solos. 46 niños de 7 a 10 años han participado en este estudio. Observamos que existen diferencias estadísticas significativas entre jugar al juego de un modo o de otro. Los niños que jugaron al juego en parejas en el modo colaborativo obtuvieron un mejor resultado que los niños que jugaron al juego en el modo individual. El tercer estudio compara el aprendizaje tradicional con el aprendizaje colaborativo (en parejas y en grupos grandes) utilizando el juego desarrollado. 100 niños de 8 a 10 años han participado en este estudio. Los resultados son similares al segundo estudio. Los niños obtuvieron una mejor puntuación jugando en colaboración que en el método tradicional en clase. No hubo diferencias estadísticas significativas entre jugar en grupos grandes y jugar en parejas. Teniendo en cuenta el aprendizaje personalizado se ha incluido un itinerario libre de aprendizaje, en el cual los niños pueden elegir cómo quieren dirigir su propio proceso de aprendizaje. A modo de comparación, se ha incluido también un itinerario lineal de aprendizaje, donde los niños siguen un flujo predeterminado. En este cuarto estudio han participado 29 niños de 8 a 9 años. Los resultados han mostrado que no hubo diferencias estadísticas significativas entre los dos itinerarios de aprendizaje. En cuanto a la evaluación online con preguntas de test, normalmente, hay una pregunta y varias opciones de respuesta, donde se debe seleccionar solo una de ellas. Es muy común que la respuesta esté formada únicamente por texto. Sin embargo, también se pueden utilizar imágenes. En este quinto estudio se ha llevado a cabo una comparación para determinar si las imágenes que representan las respuestas son de ayuda para elegir la correcta. 94 niños de 7 a 8 años han participado en este estudio. Los niños que rellenaron los cuestionarios con imágenes obtuvieron una mejor puntuación que los niños que rellenaron los cuestionarios en los que solo había texto. No se encontraron diferencias estadísticas significativas entre los dos tipos de cuestionarios con imágenes. Los resultados de estos estudios sugieren que los juegos de este tipo podrían ser apropiados para utilizarlos como juegos educativos, y que la autoestereoscopía es una te / [CAT] Tenint en compte la importància dels jocs i les noves tecnologies en l'aprenentatge, en aquesta tesi s'han dissenyat i desenvolupat dos sistemes diferents que utilitzen interfícies naturals d'usuari per aprendre els períodes de la història. Un d'aquests sistemes utilitza visió autoestereoscòpica, la qual permet als xiquets veure's a ells mateixos dins del joc i mostra els elements del joc en 3D sense necessitat de portar ulleres especials o altres dispositius. L'altre sistema utilitza projecció frontal com a mètode de visualització. Els dos sistemes han sigut desenvolupats des de zero. S'han dut a terme un total de cinc estudis per a determinar l'eficàcia dels jocs amb interfícies d'usuari naturals quant a l'aprenentatge, facilitat d'ús, satisfacció, diversió i la seua influència en els xiquets. En el primer estudi, s'ha comparat el sistema autoestereoscòpic amb el sistema de projecció frontal. 162 xiquets de 8 a 11 anys han participat en aquest estudi. Pels resultats, observem que les diferents característiques dels sistemes no han influït en l'aprenentatge, en la usabilitat o en la satisfacció; també observem que els sistemes són especialment apropiats per a xics i xiquets majors (de 9 a 11 anys). Els xiquets tenen percepció de profunditat amb el sistema autoestereoscòpic. Els xiquets van considerar els dos sistemes fàcils d'usar. No obstant açò, van trobar el sistema de projecció frontal més fàcil d'usar. En el segon estudi es determina la manera amb el qual els xiquets poden aprendre en major mesura el tema del joc. Les dues maneres comparades han sigut la manera col·laborativa, en la qual els xiquets jugaven per parelles; i la manera individual, en la qual els xiquets jugaven sols. 46 xiquets de 7 a 10 anys han participat en aquest estudi. Pels resultats, observem que existeixen diferències estadístiques significatives entre jugar al joc d'una manera o d'una altra. Els xiquets que van jugar al joc en parelles en la manera col·laborativa van obtindre un millor resultat que els xiquets que van jugar al joc en la manera individual. El tercer estudi compara l'aprenentatge tradicional amb l'aprenentatge col·laboratiu (en parelles i en grups grans). 100 xiquets de 8 a 10 anys ha participat en aquest estudi. Els resultats són similars al segon. Els xiquets van obtindre una millor puntuació jugant en col·laboració que en el mètode tradicional en classe. No va haver-hi diferències estadístiques significatives entre jugar en grups grans i jugar en parelles. Tenint en compte l'aprenentatge personalitzat s'ha inclòs un itinerari lliure d'aprenentatge, en el qual els xiquets poden triar com volen dirigir el seu propi procés d'aprenentatge. A manera de comparació, s'ha inclòs també un itinerari lineal d'aprenentatge, on els xiquets segueixen un flux predeterminat. En aquest quart estudi han participat 29 xiquets de 8 a 9 anys. Els resultats han mostrat que no va haver-hi diferències estadístiques significatives entre els dos itineraris d'aprenentatge. Quant a l'avaluació online amb preguntes de test, normalment, hi ha una pregunta i diverses opcions de resposta, on s'ha de seleccionar solament una d'elles. És molt comú que la resposta estiga formada únicament per text. No obstant açò, també es poden utilitzar imatges. En aquest cinquè estudi s'ha dut a terme una comparació per a determinar si les imatges que representen les respostes són d'ajuda per a triar la correcta. 94 xiquets de 7 a 8 anys han participat en aquest estudi. Els xiquets que van emplenar els qüestionaris amb imatges van obtindre una millor puntuació que els xiquets que van emplenar els qüestionaris en els quals solament hi havia text. No es van trobar diferències estadístiques significatives entre els dos tipus de qüestionaris amb imatges. Els resultats d'aquests estudis suggereixen que els jocs d'aquest tipus podrien ser apropiats per a utilitzar-los com a jocs educatius, i que l'autoestereoscòpia és / Martín San José, JF. (2015). USING NATURAL USER INTERFACES TO SUPPORT LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS [Tesis doctoral no publicada]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/55845 / TESIS

Cigarette smoking is an addictive behavior. There are two learned emotional responses to smoking that may be particularly important for promoting addiction to smoking: the pleasure obtained from the airway sensory effects of smoking (airway sensory pleasure) and the urge to smoke that is elicited by environmental smoking cues (cue-induced urge). The ventromedial prefrontal cortex (VMPFC) has been implicated in a variety of learned emotional and motivational responses to drug-associated sensory cues. This project set out to address the role of the VMPFC and related areas in airway sensory pleasure and cue-induced urge, as well as the role of this region in promoting smoking behavior in real life, by examining the effects of focal lesions within the VMPFC and related areas in human cigarette smokers. It was found that lesions of the VMPFC itself were associated with a marked impairment of cue-induced urge in the laboratory, which was paralleled by a reported reduction in the difficulty of abstaining from smoking in real life. At the same time, VMPFC lesions led to a relative sparing of airway sensory pleasure in the laboratory, which was paralleled by no change in the enjoyment from smoking in real life. In addition, it was found that VMPFC lesions were not associated with changes in real-life measures of smoking dependence. It was found that lesions of the insula, a region that is functionally related to the VMPFC, were associated with an ability to quit smoking easily, immediately, without relapses and without a lasting urge to smoke. However, among patients with insula lesions who continued to smoke after lesion onset, there were no appreciable impairments of airway sensory pleasure or cue-induced urge. The results suggest that, while VMPFC lesions may disrupt cue-induced urges, they do not disrupt dependence upon smoking. This may be because VMPFC lesions spare more implicit motivational processes, such as "habits" and "incentive salience," that can drive smoking behavior in the absence of a conscious desire to smoke. The results also suggest that the insula functions in psychological processes that may contribute to the difficulty of quitting smoking.

There is a rich literature demonstrating that adults who stutter (AWS) demonstrate atypical functional brain activity during speech production. These differences can be characterized by increased activity in the right inferior frontal gyrus and premotor regions and decreased activity in the left inferior frontal gyrus, premotor area, and bilaterally in the superior temporal gyrus. The process of speech production requires motor movements first be planned and then executed. However, few studies have examined activity related to speech-motor planning independently from speech-motor execution. Additionally, due to methodological limitations, few investigations have examined functional brain activity in children who stutter (CWS). We hypothesized that AWS and CWS would demonstrate atypical brain activity related to both speech-motor planning and execution. Using Near Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS), we measured the change in oxygenated hemoglobin concentration (HbO) during speech-motor planning (repetition of nonwords with three repeated or different syllables) and speech-motor execution (covert/overt naming). Results indicated that both AWS and CWS demonstrated cortical activity that was atypical during speech-motor planning processes in the right inferior frontal gyrus and atypical speech-motor execution processes in the left inferior frontal gyrus. Deactivations in the left inferior frontal gyrus may reflect inefficient feedforward mechanisms for speech production. Inefficient feedforward mechanisms will likely result in more variable movements, for which larger feedback correction signals will be necessary. Overactivations in the right inferior frontal gyrus may reflect this increased correction. Additionally, AWS demonstrated atypical speech-motor planning activity in the right middle frontal gyrus, potentially related to the production of prosody. These results are presented within a theoretical framework of two competing theories of stuttering.

Words that deviate in their physical characteristics from their surrounding lead to enhanced recall memory, a pattern known as the Von Restorff effect. Furthermore, common (high frequency; HF) words are more likely to be recalled than uncommon (low frequency; LF) words when they occur in pure lists, while this pattern is reversed in mixed lists of both HF and LF words. This study investigated whether the Von Restorff effect and the reversal of word frequency effects in mixed lists, which may both be explained by enhanced perceived distinctiveness, are associated with common underlying brain processes. Event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded while participants studied and subsequently recalled 70 word lists using rote memorization strategies. The three list types included (1) 14 regular-sized and one larger word, (2) 14 HF words and one LF word, or (3) 14 LF words and one HF word. The behavioral data showed a typical Von Restorff effect, a word frequency effect, as well as a reversal of the word frequency effect for LF words isolated in HF word lists ("LF isolates"). Larger words and LF isolates elicited a P300, an ERP component associated with subjective distinctiveness, whose amplitude was correlated with subsequent recall for both word types. This indicates that LF isolates were perceived as distinctive, and that this perceived distinctiveness aided subsequent recall in a similar way as for physically deviant words. Both larger words and LF isolates also elicited a left-lateralized slow wave which was larger for subsequently recalled than for not recalled words. This ERP component supposedly reflects item-to-item elaborative processes, indicating that such elaborative processes are enhanced when LF words occur in HF word list. HF words isolated in lists of LF words did not elicit comparable ERP subsequent memory effects. Rather, for these "HF isolates", the N400 was negatively correlated with subsequent recall, an ERP component that reflects semantic integration processes. We conclude that the reversal of the word frequency effect in mixed lists can be explained by a combination of enhanced subjective distinctiveness and enhanced inter-item elaborative processes for LF words that occur in lists of HF words.

MDD is a severe and debilitating disorder that is associated with a growing global economic burden due to reduced workplace productivity along with increased healthcare resource utilization. Furthermore, depression markedly enhances the risk for suicide, mortality that is especially worrisome given that 30% of depressed individuals have an inadequate response to current antidepressants. This inadequacy of antidepressants necessitates the discovery of a better understanding of the pathobiology of MDD. Most current antidepressants work through monoamine neurotransmitters, and their relative efficacy in depression led to the now dated monoamine-deficiency hypothesis. The limited usefulness of antidepressants has led to a reinvigorated search for other pathologies in depression that might yield clues for the development of better drug treatments. In this regard, a strong association has been found between oxidative stress and MDD. Our lab recently found increased DNA oxidation and elevated poly(ADP)ribose polymerase (PARP1) gene expression in the brain from donors that had MDD at the time of death. Besides DNA damage repair, PARP1 mediates several downstream inflammatory effects that may contribute to pathology in MDD. In fact, our lab has demonstrated that PARP-1 inhibition produces antidepressant-like effects in rodents, suggesting that PARP-1 inhibitors hold promise as a novel antidepressant drug. While our lab had previously demonstrated elevated PARP1 gene expression in the frontal cortex in MDD, whether PARP1 protein levels were also increased in depression had not been verified. My thesis research was performed to determine whether PARP1 protein expression was also elevated in the brain in MDD. I studied primarily the hippocampus because it is part of the limbic (mediating emotion) system of the brain and because previous research has shown numerous other pathologies in the hippocampus. My study was carried out simultaneously as others in our lab were measuring PARP1 protein levels in frontal cortex in MDD. This latter work was important since the lab’s previous work had observed elevated PARP1 gene expression in the frontal cortex, rather than in the hippocampus which was not previously studied. Hippocampal and frontal cortical brain sections were cut from frozen blocks of both MDD and psychiatrically normal control brain donors for these studies. PARP1 protein levels were estimated by assisted-imaging software. The findings herein demonstrate that levels of PARP1 immunoreactivity are significantly elevated in the frontal cortex of MDD donors as compared to control donors. However, there was no change in PARP1 immunoreactivity in the hippocampus in MDD.

<div> <div> <div> <p>Major depressive disorder (MDD) and risk for its development are characterized by reduced reactivity and flexibility to environmental demands. Frontal alpha asymmetry (FAA), heart rate variability (HRV), and salivary cortisol reactivity are each well-established indicators of regulation across neural, autonomic, and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) physiological systems, respectively. Growing literature suggests that each of these processes is dysregulated in individuals with a history of MDD. However, patterns of dysregulation across these physiological systems and relative MDD risk are unknown. Moreover, these physiological regulatory patterns may extent beyond markers of MDD risk in adulthood to also capture the transmission of risk for MDD from parent to offspring. The following series of five studies investigated the pathophysiology of MDD and the permeability of risk across the lifespan. First, the pattern of dysregulation across physiological indices—representing neural, autonomic, and HPA functioning—in adults was examined with regard to depressive symptoms. Second, the associations amongst infant FAA, HRV, and cortisol reactivity and maternal depressive symptoms were assessed as potential early markers of depression risk. Third, mother-infant associations across physiological indices were investigated to assess direct intergenerational transmission of depression risk. Studies 4 and 5 further investigated pathophysiological functioning in mothers and infants within the context of comorbid anxiety and current depressive symptomatology versus lifetime MDD illness. Mothers and their 12-month-old infants (n = 35 dyads) completed resting- state and stressor tasks to assess regulatory patterns across neural, autonomic, and HPA systems, associations with MDD, and intergenerational transmission. In adults, results suggest that lifetime history of MDD is significantly associated with blunted cortisol reactivity; FAA and high- frequency HRV also demonstrated the same direction of associations. In infants, results demonstrated that maternal depressive symptoms, particularly current symptoms, relate to blunted physiological regulation in infants specifically for FAA and HRV indices. For mothers and infants, there was support for the direct intergenerational transmission of FAA and HRV indices. These intergenerational associations did not fully account for intergenerational risk of depression, as maternal physiological regulation and maternal depression were found to each significantly predict infant regulation as simultaneous predictors. Accounting for comorbid anxiety and examining current symptoms versus lifetime illness were essential to investigating associations amongst physiological functioning and depression. These patterns in conjunction with the literature suggest a developmental model to MDD pathophysiology that encompasses multiple theoretical frameworks. Future research is necessary to clarify regulatory patterns across physiological systems within individuals and across time with regard to MDD risk, onset, and course.</p></div></div></div>

<p>NR 20140805</p>

No description available.

Schizophrenia postmortem brain is characterized by γ aminobutyric acid downregulation and by decreased dendritic spine density in frontal cortex. Protracted L-methionine treatment exacerbates schizophrenia symptoms, and our earlier work (Tremolizzo et al. and Dong et al.) has shown that L-methionine decreases reelin and GAD67 transcription in mice which is prevented by co-administration of valproate. In this study, we observed a decrease in spine density following L-methionine treatment, which was prevented by co-administration of valproate. Together with our earlier findings conducted under the same experimental conditions, we suggest that downregulation of spine density in L-methionine-treated mice may be because of the decreased expression of reelin and that valproate may prevent spine downregulation by inhibiting the methylation induced decrease in reelin.

Objetivo: Evaluar la preferencia de dos diseños de etiquetado frontal en productos industrializados (octógono vs semáforo-GDA). Material y métodos: Estudio descriptivo transversal en usuarios de mercados de Lima Metropolitana (Chorrillos, Breña, La Victoria y La Molina). Se utilizó una encuesta previamente validada que constó de 4 preguntas basadas en láminas con cada etiquetado nutricional: ¿Cuál de los productos le parece más saludable?”, “¿Por qué escogió este?”, “¿Cuál de las dos etiquetas le parece más fácil de entender?” y “¿Cuál de los dos etiquetados le gusta más?”. Los datos se presentan en porcentajes y medianas (rango intercuartil) y las diferencias entre los grupos se evaluaron con la prueba exacta de Fisher (datos categóricos). Los datos se analizaron en el programa Stata v15. Resultados: Se encuestaron 93 usuarios, el Semáforo-GDA fue elegido como el etiquetado más saludable (74.3%) y el que más les gustó (69.9%); sin embargo, el octógono fue el que les pareció más fácil de entender (58.4%). La mayoría de los usuarios consideró el semáforo como más saludable debido a que “tiene más verde en la etiqueta”, lo que podría confundir la finalidad de la advertencia nutricional, minimizando el impacto del símbolo rojo y/o amarillo por tenerlos en menor cantidad de éstos. Conclusiones: Los participantes mencionaron que el octógono era más sencillo y fácil de leer; los símbolos verdes del semáforo-GDA podrían influir en que el producto se perciba como más saludable. / Objective: To evaluate the preference of two designs of frontal labeling in industrialized products (octagon vs traffic light-GDA). Material and methods: Cross-sectional descriptive study in market users of Metropolitan Lima (Chorrillos, Breña, La Victoria and La Molina). We used a previously validated survey that consisted of 4 questions: “Which of the products do you find most healthy?", "Why did you choose this one?", "Which of the two labels do you find easiest to understand?", and "Which of the two labeled do you like the most?". The data are presented in percentages and median (interquartile range) and the differences between the groups were evaluated with Fisher's exact test (categorical data). The data was analyzed in the Stata v15 program. Results: 93 users were surveyed, the traffic light-GDA was chosen as the healthiest label (74.3%) and the one they liked the most (69.9%); however, the octagon was the one that seemed easier to understand (58.4%). The majority of users considered the traffic light-GDA as healthier because it "has more green on the label". Conclusions: Participants mentioned that the octagon was simpler and easier to read; the green symbols of the traffic light-GDA could influence that the product is perceived as healthier. Which could confuse the purpose of the nutritional warning, minimizing the impact of the red and/or yellow symbol by having them in less quantity than these. / Trabajo de investigación