The Correlation between a New Online Cognitive Test (the Brain Assessment) and Widely Used In-Person Neuropsychological Tests

<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> There are several problems with standard in-person neuropsychological assessments, such as habituation, necessity of human resources, and difficulty of in-person assessment under societal conditions during the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019. Thus, we developed an online cognitive test (the Brain Assessment [BA]). In this study, we investigated the correlation between the results of the BA and those of established neuropsychological tests. <b><i>Participants and Methods:</i></b> Seventy-seven elderly persons (mean 71.3 ± 5.1 years old; range 65–86; male:female = 45:32) were recruited through the internet. Correlations were evaluated between the BA and the following widely used neuropsychological tests: the mini-mental state examination (MMSE), the Raven’s colored progressive matrices (RCPM), the logical memory I and II of the Rivermead Behavioral Memory Test, the word fluency (WF) test, and the Trail-Making TestA/B. <b><i>Results:</i></b> We found moderate correlations between the total cognitive score of the BA and the total score of the MMSE (<i>r</i> = 0.433, <i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.001), as well as between the total BA score and the total RCPM score (<i>r</i> = 0.582, <i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.001) and time to complete the RCPM (<i>r</i> = 0.455, <i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.001). Moderate correlations were also observed between the cognitive score of the memory of words BA subtest and the LM-I (<i>r</i> = 0.518, <i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.001), the mental rotation subtest and figure drawing (<i>r</i> = 0.404, <i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.001), the logical reasoning subtest and total RCPM score (<i>r</i> = 0.491, <i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.001), and the memory of numbers and words subtests and WF (memory of numbers and total WF: <i>r</i> = 0.456, <i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.001; memory of words and total WF: <i>r</i> = 0.571, <i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.001). <b><i>Discussion:</i></b> We found that the BA showed moderate correlations between established neuropsychological tests for intellect, memory, visuospatial function, and frontal function. The MMSE and the RCPM reflect Spearman’s s-factor and g-factor, respectively, and thus the BA also covered both factors. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> The BA is a useful tool for assessing the cognitive function of generally healthy elderly persons.

Eating Behavior during First-Year College Students, including Eating Disorders—RUVIC-RUNEAT-TCA Project. Protocol of an Observational Multicentric Study

(1) Introduction: Changes in eating behavior and eating disorders are especially common in young people, especially teenage and college women. The first year of college is a critical period, as students acquire freedoms that can lead to poor eating habits. During this first year, students usually gain weight. The aims of this project are to analyze the risk of developing eating disorders, the composition and dietary intake and the changes in the body composition of two groups of college students (independent from the family nucleus or still living within the family) in the first year of college. (2) Material and Methods: Multicentric prospective observational study protocol in which first-year students at the Universidad Europea del Atlántico and Universitat de Vic-Universitat Central de Catalunya voluntarily took part in the study. The students will be divided into two groups, independent and those residing in the family home, and the evolution of both groups will be compared at the beginning and at the end of the school year by performing anthropometric measurements, tests on lifestyle and eating habits (Test of Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet, MEDAS-14; Emotional Eater Questionnaire, EEQ), validated questionnaires on eating disorders (Eating Attitude Test, EAT26; Teen Figure Drawing Scales; SCOFF, Eating Behavior Test; Bulimia Investigatory Test Edinburgh, BITE) and their intake will be evaluated through 72 h dietary records. (3) Discussion: Determining the risk of suffering eating disorders of alimentary behavior, knowing eating consumption, perception of the corporal image and body composition through the first year of college will be decisive in establishing alimentary education strategies to prevent possible eating disorders in young students.

EVALUATION OF THE FASHION DRAWING (ILLUSTRATION) LESSON TEACHING PROGRAM UNDER THE LIGHT OF LECTURERS’ AND STUDENTS’ OPINIONS

While clothing is produced and consumed rapidly, it strives to create appropriate forms and to create appropriate identities by giving correct messages; therefore, it is one of the most important fields requiring art and design education. The fashion design student, who forms the infrastructure with basic art education and figure drawing, not only transfers the imagination to the two-dimensional plane with the fashion drawing lesson but also transfers it to the two-dimensional plane; at the same time, he takes art and design education, which is aesthetic education, and feeds his visual vision and mind. In this research, the Fashion Drawing Lesson has been examined in detail in terms of determining the place, position, importance, processing and content of the Fashion Drawing Lesson in the official fashion design curriculum and a comprehensive literature search has been conducted; then the matter has been tried to be examined thanks to a link has been established between education, fashion, art and design disciplines. The course syllabus in Turkey and some of fashion design course programs in the world were examined; the experts providing fashion formal education and the students who received fashion formal education were interviewed face-to-face to obtain information first-hand. First of all, the study started by determining the fashion design undergraduate programs in the OSYM (Assessment Selection and Placement Center) placement guide and examining the course hours, course times and course contents of the fashion formal courses in these programs. The researcher visited the designated universities for the purpose of on-site observation and interview, and conducted semi-structured interview questions and face-to-face interviews with experts and students and recorded them. The transcribed interviews were analyzed using content analysis method and the findings were interpreted within the framework of the research questions. The findings were interpreted and discussed, and after the results were written, suggestions about the study were included. As a result, it has been determined that the admission of students to the fashion design program should be made with the combination of central examination system and talent exam suitable for fashion design education. It was seen that the time granted for the program was not sufficient in mean of implementation of the fashion drawing lessons properly in the fashion design education programs. Keywords: Fashion drawing, fashion illustration, design education, fashion design education, art education

Figure drawing and alternate narratives of artistic mastery

Figure drawing is a rich and problematic context for exploring drawing conventions with many connections to contemporary art and visual culture. The human figure can inspire students to more fully develop their own artistic practice and to critically engage with contemporary art and visual culture. Representations of the human body in art and visual culture are also relevant to important issues in the lives of students. Figure drawing has a long history associated with technical skills, ideas about mastery and the artist’s training. Skill, knowledge and drawing techniques, when combined with critical conversations about representing the human body, provide rich topics for discussion and reflection. How the human form is dressed, undressed and depicted in art and popular visual culture reflects vital issues about gender, race, identity, beauty, compliance and agency. This paper describes a range of different methods to give the skills associated with drawing the human form context within contemporary issues and to disrupt conventional and uncritical approaches.

Exploration of Human Figure Drawings Using Charcoal Pencil - Analysis of Post-Graduate Drawings by Zephania Lukamba

Human figure drawing is undertaken and ultimately used for a number of purposes. Artists use it to continually sharpen their skills in order to apply it in the execution of their work in artistic disciplines that pertain to self-expression. Students and other groups as well as individuals embark on human figure drawing in order to acquire and horn their skills for purposes of artistic development that is then applied ultimately to their respective artistic endeavours. However, the drawing and acquisition of skills is a process and people render their human figure drawings to different levels of success and finesse at any given stage. In this process, one draws human figures using certain prescribed guidelines. It is expected that as one works within this process, particularly in a formal learning environment like studio-based work, following these guidelines become essential and helpful in attaining a proportional and accurate human figure drawing. In analysing the featured work executed on toned paper, this paper seeks to determine the extent to which the artist applies the basic tenets of human figure drawing and whether the drawings themselves attain this threshold. The analytical framework includes the depiction of correct proportions, the study of gestures, the suggestion of movement and application of value. Within the development of personal style, the artist specifically explores the effect of charcoal pencil on toned paper as his medium of choice. His methodology includes the application of a variety of tones and the use of focused illumination upon pertinent areas in the drawings to create deliberate effects that highlight the drawings, enhance gestures, suggest movement and add dynamism to the drawings. The drawings include photograph referenced male and female figures as well as separate studies of hands and feet

Drawing with my Students’ – Development of Clothed Life Drawings among University Fine Art Students. Analysis of Selected Drawings by Second Year Students at Kenyatta University

Students of Fine Art are introduced to drawing in their first year and human figure drawing in their second year. It is presumed that they have already had some element of earlier exposure in other levels of prior studies. The objective of human figure drawing or life drawing is to get the students to a level of applied skill where they can be able to draw and utilize their skill in other aspects of self-expression in other disciplines of Art. This is because life drawing is a fundamental requirement in all disciplines of art from basic sketching to detailed paintings. This paper examines selected work of students to determine the extent to which they are able to achieve this objective within the unit prescribed duration of one semester. The paper also seeks to determine whether the work produced meets the standard of drawing required at this level which then enables the students to subsequently embark on other units of drawing moving forward. This is critical since they are required to apply their life drawing skills in other units as a matter of routine individual expression. In this regard, if they are required to draw or paint an imaginative composition, they would be expected to depict human figures which not only fit within the composition and are well executed but also express the students’ ability to interpret themes and formulate subject matter. For the purpose of these exercises and in order to focus solely on the objectives of human figure composition and detailed development, the students were confined to the use of pencil for the layout, shading and detailing of their work. This is because pencil provides a wide range of manoeuvre for this kind of exercise. In this series of drawings, the students used one particular female model which provided them with the opportunity to visually interact with the individual model and be able to study and observe how the life model adjusts to various poses. This was designed to help draw inspiration as well as make the drawing exercises methodical, enjoyable and purposeful.

Dancers’ Body: The Examination of Health, Body Satisfaction, Body Attitudes, Eating Attitudes, and Self-Esteem among Dancers

Objective: to conduct research on health state, body satisfaction, eating disorders (EDs), body investments, and self-esteem among adult dancers. Methods: General Health Questionnaire, WHO Well-Being Index, Body Satisfaction Scale, Human Figure Drawing Test, Body Investment Scale, Eating Attitudes Test, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. Results: 45.8% of female and 21.2% of male dancers have significant symptoms/ diseases. 7.4% of females are underweight, besides 5.9% of females and 15.6% of males are overweight. 11.6% of females are at risk for EDs. Ballroom dancers are the most dissatisfied with their body and weight, and they are the most symptomatic concerning EDs. Modern dancers are the most protected regarding body-related extremes. Female dancers under 20 have stricter body evaluation, less body protection, more bulimic symptoms, and less self-esteem. Conclusions: An intervention programme should be implemented in dance education that provides both theoretical and practical knowledge with the participation of experts in the field of health, education, and child care as well. This may help dancers to improve health, endurance, body image, and self-esteem. The prevention of EDs must be a priority in this initiative.

Higher visit-to-visit total cholesterol variability is associated with lower cognitive function among middle-aged and elderly Chinese men

To examine the prospective associations between total cholesterol (TC) variability and cognitive function in a large sample of Chinese participants aged 45 years and above. A total of 6,377 people who participated in the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) were included. TC variability was defined as the intra-individual standard deviation over two blood tests in CHARLS 2011 and 2015 (Wave 1 and Wave 3). Cognitive function was assessed by a global cognition score, which included three tests: episodic memory, figure drawing and Telephone Interview of Cognitive Status (TICS). Multivariate linear regression models (MRLMs) and generalized estimating equation (GEE) were used to investigate associations between TC variability and cognitive scores. After adjusting for potential confounders, male participants with higher visit-to-visit TC variability showed lower global cognition scores (β = − 0.71, P < 0.001). After further adjustment for baseline cognition, the association remained statistically significant (β = − 0.68, P < 0.001). The domains with declines were focused on episodic memory (β = − 0.22, P = 0.026) and TICS (β = − 0.44, P = 0.004). However, these associations were not found in women (β = − 0.10, P = 0.623). For men, the rates of decline in global cognition increased by 0.14 (β = − 0.14, P = 0.009) units per year while TC variability increased by 1 mmol/L. For males, higher visit-to-visit TC variability correlated with lower cognitive function and an increased rate of decreases in memory. More attention should be paid to cognitive decline in males with high TC variability, and particularly, on decreases in memory, calculation, attention and orientation.