97828 research outputs found
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La intervención psicopedagógica inclusiva como campo integrador de la convergencia didáctico-terapéutica musical para la mejora de la calidad de vida de personas con DCA
No full textLas secuelas del Daño Cerebral Adquirido afectan a las personas que lo padecen generando déficits persistentes en la motivación y alteraciones en el pensamiento formal por las cuales se producen carencias en el razonamiento lógico-deductivo y abstracto. Por esta causa, en el contexto de la Asociación-Fundación Ateneu, centro de día para las personas con DCA, se detectan problemas que afectan al óptimo desarrollo de los talleres ofertados. Derivado de una Investigación Acción, se implementa un estudio piloto, que muestra que la aplicación de un programa psicopedagógico con la música como recurso, mejora la participación y la interrelación de los tres usuarios participantes en el proyecto. Igualmente, estas conclusiones motivan el objetivo de un estudio empírico: mejorar la calidad de vida de dos personas con DCA, en las dimensiones de bienestar emocional, desarrollo personal e inclusión social. La investigación recurre a un diseño de dos casos únicos de reversión intra-serie de cuatro fases. En él se miden, mediante la aplicación de sub-pruebas de test estandarizados y la observación registrada en notas de campo, variables relacionadas con las diferentes dimensiones de calidad de vida. Para el análisis de los datos de cada una de las variables se utiliza un análisis visual complementado con los datos obtenidos en la observación de campo. Los resultados muestran la mejora de la calidad de vida en las variables relacionadas con las dimensiones de bienestar emocional, desarrollo personal e inclusión social, en los dos casos tratados. De estas mejoras se infiere que, en el campo de la psicopedagogía, una intervención con la educación musical inclusiva como recurso puede llegar a ser una metodología eficaz que, integrando un enfoque terapéutico, pueda desarrollarse fuera de un ámbito clínico.Derived from an Action Research, a pilot study is implemented, it shows that the application of a psycho-pedagogical program with music as a resource improves the participation and social interrelation of three users of a center for people with ABI. These conclusions motivate the objective of an empirical study: to improve the quality of life of two people with ABI, in the dimensions of Emotional Well-being, Personal Development and Social Inclusion through an inclusive psycho-pedagogical program in which didactic and musical therapeutic aspects converge. The research uses a design of two single cases of four-phase intra-series reversal. It measures variables related to the different dimensions of quality of life. The results show the partial improvement of the quality of life in the variables related to the dimensions of the concept in the two cases treated.Programa de Doctorat en Educaci
Three essays in consumption and social dynamics
No full textCotutelaThe Ph.D. thesis dissertation, “Three Essays in Consumption and Social Dynamics,” investigates the underlying determinants of consumer behavior and the influences arising from social norms through a rigorous exploration of social behaviour in distinct yet interconnected domains. The work is structured into three essays that together offer a comprehensive analysis of how individual decision rules, market interdependencies, and reference point drives certain economic, and social outcomes. In the first essay, “Interacting Cobweb Demands” (Co-Authored with Prof. Giorgio Ricchiuti) a dynamic two-good, two-market framework is developed to study consumer choice under uncertainty. Building on the classical cobweb model, the analysis introduces a novel heuristic that integrates the conventional price-minimization motive with an expectation-driven evaluation of intrinsic quality—referred to as the Reference Quality (RQ) price. By incorporating variable consumer quotas and exogenous tariffs, the model captures non-linearities in demand and illustrates how market interconnections can precipitate period-doubling and Hopf bifurcations. These results extend canonical models by demonstrating that the relative weighting between price and quality factors critically influences the stability of market equilibria. The second essay, “Misperception of Norms: Smartphone Use,” shifts the focus to digital consumption patterns. Here, the dissertation employs a randomized control trial (RCT) survey—conducted in collaboration with the European Commission’s Joint Research Center—to investigate how misperceptions about peer usage norms drive the overconsumption of digital devices. The findings reveal that individuals tend to overestimate the typical usage of smartphones while underestimating their own, a bias that reinforces excessive screen time. This evidence underscores the role of normative misperceptions in shaping consumption behavior and highlights the potential for informational interventions to realign individual behavior with actual social norms, thereby mitigating welfare losses associated with digital overuse, which is our main finding at this stage. The third essay, “Aspiration and Effort,” considers the persistence of inequality by linking individual aspirations with the broader structure of social networks. Employing both a historical review of seminal perspectives—from Parsons’ functional theory to Veblen’s emphasis on innate competitive drives (i.e. Pecuniary Emulation), and a novel network game model, this chapter argues that aspirations can be determined as an interplay between exogenous endowments but also by the social interactions. By formalizing this in a quadratic-cost pay-off function with effort effort choice, and network interactions, the analysis provides an early stage theoretical exploration on the enduring mechanisms of inequality, suggesting that both intrinsic motivations and extrinsic social influences jointly shape economic outcomes.Programa de Doctorat en Economia i Empres
Molecular genetics as evidence of environmental harm in ecocriminological analysis
No full textThis research focuses on the potential of molecular genetics as a tool that can complement the assessment and evaluation of environmental damage from the perspective of green criminology or ecocriminology. This would have an impact on the effectiveness and efficiency of the mechanisms established for assessing the damage caused to ecosystems. We are facing a planetary crisis with the risk of ecosystem collapse, so it is proposed to overcome the limitations that we can identify in traditional criminal law by adopting an ecocentric approach reinforced with innovative mechanisms provided by science. This requires, among other things, recognising the intrinsic value of nature and committing to ecological justice. Molecular genetics methods, such as environmental DNA, metagenomics and population genetics, allow us to visualise the biological and ecological transformations induced by pollutants, even when these are invisible to the naked eye. These techniques provide objective and quantifiable data on biodiversity loss, changes in community composition and even possible genotoxic effects. Therefore, these molecular tests can complement preventive and restorative measures in environmental crimes. By fostering dialogue between science, law, and ethics, this study advocates for an integrated paradigm of environmental damage analysis in which molecular genetics enhances our ability to detect, understand, and legally address ecological damage. The convergence of green criminology, molecular genetics, and ecological justice reorients institutional responses toward restoring ecosystem integrity and defending the rights of nature
Enhancing Segmentation in Highly Cluttered Environments
No full textTreball de Final de Grau en Intel·ligència Robòtica. Codi: IR2138. Curs acadèmic 2024-202
Chemical tools targeting proteases: design, synthesis, and biological evaluation for therapeutic use
No full textDoctorat internacionalThis PhD thesis focuses on the design, synthesis, and evaluation of chemical compounds that inhibit proteases and degrade proteins essential for cellular recycling. It is divided into two parts: the first explores protein degradation in lysosomes, while the second examines the Ubiquitin-Proteasome System (UPS). The first part investigates cysteine proteases, their inhibition, and the use of activity-based probes (ABPs). Enzyme inhibitors are developed and converted into probes applied to cellular models related to neuroinflammation. The second part introduces the UPS, its role in protein degradation, and its therapeutic potential. Proteasome inhibitors are designed and synthesized, and PROTACs—molecules that target specific proteins for degradation—are explored. A case study investigates their application in signaling regulation in plants. This research opens new avenues for disease treatment and biotechnology.Programa de Doctorat en Cièncie
Effects of gender stereotypes on information processing and cognitive performance
No full textThis thesis investigates how gender stereotypes shape cognitive processes, focusing on two interrelated dimensions: the association between gender and social status, and the impact of gender-science stereotypes in STEM. Studies 1 and 2 examined how implicit associations linking men with high-status and women with low-status professions influence memory. Participants completed the Implicit Association Test (IAT) and a memory task with masculine and feminine forms of high- and low-status professions. Participants remembered feminine forms of high-status professions less accurately and produced fewer false recalls, while the opposite pattern emerged for masculine forms. Memory biases were correlated with IAT scores and strongest under incidental encoding. Study 3 examined how activating stereotypes about women’s lower math ability affected engineering students in a math task. Stereotype threat reduced women’s confidence and performance while enhancing men’s, particularly among those with stronger gender-science associations. Overall, the studies reveal the deep and persistent impact of gender stereotypes.Programa de Doctorat en Psicologi
Design and psychometric evaluation of RES-PRIM: a resilience scale for primary education students with and without neurodevelopmental disorders
No full textBackground: Promoting resilience is a proven pathway to well-being, participation, and quality of life in childhood; it is particularly critical for learners with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD), who encounter layered academic and socio-emotional challenges. Yet existing resilience measures rarely target the 6- to 12-year age band and none offer the inclusive, visually supported format required by many neurodivergent pupils.Objective: To design and provide evidence of validity and reliability for RES-PRIM, a child-friendly, picture-augmented scale that captures both individual strengths (e.g., self-esteem, problem-solving) and contextual supports (e.g., family, peer, and teacher backing) in children with and without NDD.Method: After an evidence-guided item-generation process rooted in universal-design principles, RES-PRIM was administered to 529 Spanish primary-school students (465 typically developing, 64 with NDD). Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted to provide evidence of validity regarding internal structure, and reliability was examined for the overall scale and each factor using Cronbach’s alpha and McDonald’s omega. In addition, external measures of emotional regulation and academic stress were applied to analyze evidence of relations to external variables.Results: CFA supported a nine–first-order/two–second-order structure with excellent fit (χ²/df = 1.61, RMSEA= .038, SRMR= .045, CFI= .934, TLI= .922). Reliability was satisfactory for the total scale and all dimensions, with Cronbach’s alpha ranging from.70 to.87 and McDonald’s omega from.72 to.88. Evidence of relations to external variables emerged through the expected associations: higher resilience correlated with better emotion regulation and lower academic stress.Conclusions: RES-PRIM provides researchers and practitioners with a robust, inclusive assessment tool that can (a) identify resilience profiles in diverse classrooms, and (b) guide evidence-based, multi-tiered interventions aimed at enhancing children’s quality of life and full participation
Diseño de una propuesta para el desarrollo de la competencia digital docente en profesorado universitario. Una investigación basada en el diseño educativo.
No full textCompendi d'articles, Doctorat internacionalLa competencia digital docente (CDD) es un elemento clave para responder a las exigencias de un contexto universitario marcado profundamente por la digitalización. A pesar de esta relevancia los esfuerzos institucionales aún suelen ser insuficientes y poco conectados con la práctica docente real. Esta investigación tiene como objetivo el diseño y validación de una estrategia institucional para desarrollar la CDD. El estudio fue realizado en una universidad española, utilizando la metodología de investigación basada en el diseño educativo con un enfoque iterativo y participativo, integrando a diferentes grupos de interés. Las contribuciones de este trabajo incluyen una serie de recomendaciones para el desarrollo de la CDD, implementadas y validadas en el contexto real de una universidad. Destacan aspectos como la conexión de las estrategias institucionales con la práctica docente, la construcción del metalenguaje o el uso de marcos comunes, ofreciendo una serie de principios de diseño extrapolables a contextos similares.Digital teaching competence (DTC) is a key element in responding to the demands of a university context deeply marked by digitalisation. Despite its importance, institutional efforts are still often insufficient and poorly connected to actual teaching practice. This research aims to design and validate an institutional strategy for developing DTC. The study was conducted at a Spanish university, using educational design-based research methodology with an iterative and participatory approach, integrating different interest groups. The contributions of this work include a series of recommendations for the development of DTC, implemented and validated in the real context of a university. Highlights include aspects such as the connection between institutional strategies and teaching practice, the construction of metalanguage and the use of common frameworks, offering a series of design principles that can be extrapolated to similar contexts.Programa de Doctorat en Educaci
European Monetary Integration and Transatlantic Investment: Assessing US Outward FDI to the EU
No full textThis paper examines how increased monetary integration in Europe, through fixed exchange rates or a single currency, affects US outward Foreign Direct Investment (US OFDI). We analyze 56 host countries from 1985 to 2019, focusing on the European Union (EU) and specific EU country groupings. Using dummy variables, we distinguish real and monetary effects and key stages of European monetary integration. A benchmark gravity model, estimated with two Poisson Pseudo-Maximum Likelihood (PPML) estimators, shows that both horizontal FDI (firms replicating production to serve local markets) and vertical FDI (fragmenting production to exploit cost differences) drive US OFDI. EU membership alone significantly attracts US investment,
highlighting the Single Market’s role in a range between 119% and 138%. Furthermore, the exchange rate stability implicit in the Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM) and the euro also produced an additional positive impact on US FDI of 53% and 32%, respectively, though with substantial disparities between core and peripheral countries. These findings remain robust across various specifications and estimators