On the interpretation of differences between groups for compositional data

Social polices are designed using information collected in surveys; such as the Catalan TimeUse survey. Accurate comparisons of time use data among population groups are commonlyanalysed using statistical methods. The total daily time expended on different activities by asingle person is equal to 24 hours. Because this type of data are compositional, its sample spacehas particular properties that statistical methods should respect. The critical points required tointerpret differences between groups are provided and described in terms of log-ratio methods.These techniques facilitate the interpretation of the relative differences detected in multivariateand univariate analysis

Tourist development and efficient water management. An opportunity for sustainable tourism in the Costa Brava (Girona)

La solución a la crisis económica actual pasa por el establecimiento de un nuevo paradigma de gestión sostenible de los recursos. El turismo depende de la disponibilidad de agua, de la misma manera que el agua condiciona los usos que el turista hace del territorio. Las restricciones de agua o la falta de la misma pueden afectar la imagen de los destinos turísticos, perjudicando su desarrollo socioeconómico. Sin embargo, los distintos episodios de sequías acaecidos en los últimos años en el litoral mediterráneo peninsular y las predicciones climáticas, señalan que estos fenómenos serán cada vez más recurrentes y muestran claramente la necesidad de introducir cambios sustanciales en las estrategias de gestión de los recursos hídricos. La sostenibilidad económica, social y ambiental del turismo debe acompañarse de una gestión eficiente de los recursos hídricos. El objetivo del presente artículo es determinar cuáles son los factores relacionados con la oferta turística que determinan el consumo de agua en la Costa Brava (Girona). La hipótesis inicial de este trabajo parte de que el consumo de agua viene determinado no sólo por el número de usuarios conectados a la red de suministro sino que es necesario tener en cuenta otros aspectos sociales y territoriales como la tipología urbano turística para comprender y mejorar la gestión del agua en los municipios turísticos del litoral mediterráneo.The establishment of a new paradigm of sustainable resource management must be one of the solutions to the current economic crisis. Tourism depends on the availability of water, in the same way that water determines the uses that tourists develop on the territory. Water restrictions, or the lack of water, can affect the image of tourist destinations, damaging their socioeconomic development. However, the different episodes of drought occurred in recent years in the peninsular Mediterranean coastline and climate predictions, which indicate that these phenomena will increase, clearly show the need for substantial changes in management strategies of water resources. The economic, social and environmental sustainability of tourism should be accompanied by an efficient management of water resources. The main goal of this work is to identify the factors related to tourism that determine water consumption in the Costa Brava (Girona). The hypothesis is that not only the number of users connected to the water supply network determines water consumption. Actually, it is necessary to consider other social and territorial aspects for understanding and improving water management in tourist municipalities over the Mediterranean coast

Combined Approach to Stroke Thrombectomy Using a Novel Short Flexible Aspiration Catheter with a Stent Retriever

Background: Large-bore aspiration catheters enabling greater flow rates and suction force for mechanical thrombectomy might improve outcomes in patients with stroke secondary to large-vessel occlusion. Complete or near-complete reperfusion after a single thrombectomy pass (first-pass effect) is associated with improved clinical outcomes. We assessed the efficacy and safety of novel MIVI Q™ aspiration catheters in combination with stent-retriever devices. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed demographics, procedure characteristics, and clinical data from consecutive patients with acute anterior large-vessel occlusion treated with a combined approach using MIVI Q™ aspiration catheters and stent retrievers. Reperfusion was defined according to the modified thrombolysis in cerebral infarction (mTICI) score. Clinical outcomes were measured by the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and modified Rankin scale (mRS) scores. Results: We included 52 patients (median age, 75 y IQR: 64-83); 31 (59.6%) women; 14 (26.9%) with terminal internal carotid artery occlusions, 26 (50%) middle cerebral artery (MCA) segment M1 occlusions, and 12 (23.1%) MCA segment M2 occlusions; median NIHSS score at admission was 19 (IQR: 13-22). After the first pass, 25 (48%) patients had mTICI ≥ 2c. At the end of the procedure, 47 (90.4%) had mTICI ≥ 2b and 35 (67.3%) had mTICI ≥ 2c. No serious device-related adverse events were observed. Symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage developed in 1 patient. Mean NIHSS score was 13 at 24 h and 5 at discharge. At 90 days, 24 (46.2%) patients were functionally independent (mRS 0-2). Conclusion: This preliminary study found good efficacy and safety for MIVI Q™ aspiration catheters used in combination with stent-retriever devices

Blue prescription: A pilot study of health benefits for oncological patients of a short program of activities involving the sea

19 pages, 7 figures, 5 tables, 2 appendixes.-- Data availability statement: The data that has been used is confidentialPerforming outdoor activities in blue spaces can help improve human health and mental well-being by reducing stress and promoting social relationships. The number of people surviving cancer has increased globally to experience this disease as a life-changing and chronic condition with physical and psychosocial symptoms that have negative impacts on their quality of life. While there has been a growth of programs in green spaces to meet the needs of cancer patients, such as follow-up post-treatment care, support groups and physical activity programs, very few studies have examined the effects of activities involving the sea for the health and well-being of oncology patients. This is the first study to evaluate whether different outdoor activities in blue spaces can benefit oncological patients' physical and mental health using smartwatches, sphygmomanometers and Profile of Mood States (POMS) questionnaires. We assessed changes in blood pressure, heart rate, sleep quality and mental health of 16 patients after twelve sessions of three different activities (walking, beach and snorkelling) and four sessions of a control activity. While no significant differences between activities were observed in terms of the data gathered by the smartwatches, a gradient of positive results for human mental health was observed towards exposure to a blue space, assessed through POMS questionnaires. Results show that exposure to blue spaces contributes to tension and anger reduction and improves the vigour mood state of oncology patients. No significant increases in patients' heart rate were recorded after the beach and snorkelling activities, with results similar to the control activity, suggesting that the contribution may be to participants’ relaxationPeer reviewe

High-permeability region size on perfusion CT predicts hemorrhagic transformation after intravenous thrombolysis in stroke

Objective. Blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability has been proposed as a predictor of hemorrhagic transformation (HT) after tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) administration; however, the reliability of perfusion computed tomography (PCT) permeability imaging for predicting HT is uncertain. We aimed to determine the performance of high-permeability region size on PCT (HPrs- PCT) in predicting HT after intravenous tPA administration in patients with acute stroke. Methods. We performed a multimodal CT protocol (non-contrast CT, PCT, CT angiography) to prospectively study patients with middle cerebral artery occlusion treated with tPA within 4.5 hours of symptom onset. HT was graded at 24 hours using the European-Australasian Acute Stroke Study II criteria. ROC curves selected optimal volume threshold, and multivariate logistic regression analysis identified predictors of HT. Results. The study included 156 patients (50% male, median age 75.5 years). Thirty-seven (23,7%) developed HT [12 (7,7%), parenchymal hematoma type 2 (PH-2)]. At admission, patients with HT had lower platelet values, higher NIHSS scores, increased ischemic lesion volumes,larger HPrs-PCT, and poorer collateral status. The negative predictive value of HPrs-PCT at a threshold of 7mL/100g/min was 0.84 for HT and 0.93 for PH-2. The multiple regression analysis selected HPrs-PCT at 7mL/100g/min combined with platelets and baseline NIHSS score as the best model for predicting HT (AUC 0.77). HPrs-PCT at 7mL/100g/min was the only independent predictor of PH-2 (OR 1, AUC 0.68, p = 0.045). Conclusions. HPrs-PCT can help predict HT after tPA, and is particularly useful in identifying patients at low risk of developing HT

Estudi de les inèrcies estructurals en anàlisis de correspondències. Aportacions per a una millora de les anàlisis

La memòria d'aquesta tesi doctoral s'estructura en un primer capítol on es descriuen els objectius de la tesi i l'organització del treball de recerca. Després, el Capítol 2: Anàlisis factorials de dades es destina a presentar les eines utilitzades en les anàlisis factorials de dades. S'introdueix una anàlisi de tipus general, l'anàlisi canònica per a la comparació de dos grups de variables, i llavors es generalitza per a mes de dos grups. Presentem les anàlisis de correspondències, simples i múltiples, com un cas particular de les anàlisis canòniques, però també des d'una perspectiva més clàssica. Es proporcionen tècniques de representació gràfica - representacions simètriques i Biplots - i el concepte d'inèrcia.En el Capítol 3: Models loglineals i models gràfics es desenvolupen els models loglineals i els models gràfics, el concepte d'independència condicional i el seu ús. Es desenvolupen, a continuació, la formulació dels models loglineals, les restriccions que els caracteritzen -suma zero o còrner zero- i les relacions de transició. Es realitza un estudi de la influència dels paràmetres en la generació de models, sobretot de la importància del termes de les interaccions sobre els termes independents i els efectes principals. En aquest capítol s'introdueix la deviància, com a raó de versemblança entre dos models, la seva expressió i relació amb l'estadístic χ2 i altres indicadors de divergència de models.El Capítol 4: Estudi de les inèrcies en anàlisis de correspondències s'inicia amb la relació entre la inèrcia, el coeficient de contingència i la deviància. A continuació, s'estudien les descomposicions de la inèrcia com a contribucions dels individus, modalitats o variables i s'apliquen a l'estudi de matrius quadrades. En referència a les anàlisis de correspondències múltiples de la taula de Burt, es fa la descomposició de les inèrcies per blocs i s'estudia la problemàtica dels blocs diagonals. S'estudien metodologies de tractament i es fa una proposta de metodologia per al tractament de matrius quadrades no simètriques basada en una doble descomposició, per una part en l'anàlisi de la simetria-no simetria i per l'altra utilitzant la reconstitució factorial de la part simètrica, basada en un algorisme k-EM, on k és l'ordre de reconstitució. La reconstitució k-EM pot ser aplicada a les taules diagonals de Burt i ens porta a una anàlisi equivalent al Joint Correspondence Analysis.En el Capítol 5: ACM respecte un model i ACM condicional es dedica a presentar les ACM sobre un model i l'ACM condicional, on una variable qualitativa externa juga el paper de partició. L'aportació es basa en realitzar l'estudi de la inèrcia i la seva descomposició, en dues parts lligades a la variable condicionadora externa: la inèrcia inter i la inèrcia intra. Es troba la formulació de la distribució i mitjançant aquesta, s'interpreta la importància o no del condicionament. Així doncs, usant l'ACM condicional i els models loglineals estudiem el comportament de la inèrcia en relació al model. El Capítol 6: ACM multicondicional considera les problemàtiques que genera la implementació de l'ACM multicondicional, ja que no es pot generalitzar trivialment del cas simple. Mitjançant l'estudi de les inèrcies condicionals i els models loglineals es desenvolupa una proposta d'anàlisi multicondicional. Aquests resultats són comparats amb els que s'obtenen en un procés de modelització loglineal. S'aplica la proposta a un exemple en el Capítol 7.El treball de recerca finalitza amb unes conclusions on es resumeixen les principals aportacions i s'indiquen quines podrien ser algunes línies de recerca futures en aquest camp i s'annexen les macros programades.The research work memory is structured in a first chapter with the description of the objectives of the doctoral thesis and the research work organization. Then, the Chapter 2 Descriptive factorial analysis is exclusively dedicated to present the tools used in factorial analysis. A general analysis, the canonical analysis, to compare two groups of variables is introduced, and then it is generalized to more than two questions. We present correspondence analysis, simple and multiple, as a particular case of canonical analysis, but we present both methods also from a more classical point of view. We also introduce graphical techniques -symmetric displays and Biplots- and the inertia concept.Chapter 3 Loglinear and graphical models introduces briefly loglinear models and graphical models, the conditional independence concept and its use. Next, we develop the loglinear model formula and the constraints that characterize the model -zero sum or zero corner treatment- and the transition relations. We make a study of the influence of the parameters over the model generation, especially about the significance of interaction terms over principal and independent terms. In this chapter we introduce the deviance, as a likelihood ratio between two models, its expression and its relation with the χ2 statistic and other model divergence indicators. In Chapter 4 Study of the inertias in correspondence analysis we start with the relation among inertias, the contingence coefficient and deviance. Next, we study the inertia decomposition as the contribution of each individual, category or variable. It's applied to study the case of square matrices. With reference to the multiple correspondence analysis of the Burt table, we decompose inertia by blocks and we investigate the influence of the blocks of the diagonal. A summary of several treatment methodologies is done. We propose a new methodology to treat squared skew-symmetric matrices, based on a double decomposition, on the one hand, in the symmetry-skew-symmetry analysis and on the other using the factorial reconstitution of the symmetric part, based on a k-EM algorithm, where k is the reconstitution order. The k-EM reconstitution methodology can be applied to the diagonal tables of a Burt table, which leads a result equivalent to Joint Correspondence Analysis.In Chapter 5 - MCA with respect to a model and conditional MCA- firstly we start presenting MCA with respect to a model. Secondly we discuss conditional MCA, where an external variable plays a partitioning role. The contribution is based on studying the inertia and its decomposition in two parts linked to the external conditioning variables, the inter and intra inertia. Next, we find their distribution function and, by means of this, we can test the significance of the conditioning variable. Therefore, using the conditional MCA and loglinear models introduced before, we study the inertia behaviour with relation to the model and with different relation levels between the variables.The Chapter 6 -Multiconditional MCA- consideres problems generated by the implementation of multiple conditional analysis, since it is not possible to generalize this definition to the simple conditional case. By means of the study of conditional inertias and loglinear models, we develop our proposal for a multiconditional analysis. These results are compared with the results obtained in a loglinear modelling process. We apply our proposal to a data example in Chapter 7. The dissertation ends with a chapter of conclusions which sums up our principal contributions and suggests some future research lines in this field of investigation and with the macros programmed and used.Postprint (published version

Estadística en l'entorn informàtic: d'un ensenyament tradicional a l'ABP utilitzant la plataforma ACME

L’aprenentatge basat en problemes (ABP) es fonamenta en plantejar situacions que els alumnes probablement es trobaran en la vida real. Un ABP es caracteritza per tenir problemes acuradament seleccionats i dissenyats que requereixen l’adquisició de coneixement crític, habilitat en la resolució de problemes, estratègies d’aprenentatge autodirigides i capacitat de treball en grup. El projecte ACME (Avaluació Continuada i Millora de l’Ensenyament) té com a objectiu principal implementar un sistema eficient d’avaluació i treball continuat, mitjançant l’assignació de problemes de manera personalitzada per a cada alumne, oferint un sistema d’ajuda per a resoldre’ls, facilitant la comunicació professor-alumne i el seguiment i l’avaluació dels alumnes. En aquest treball es presenta una experiència d’adaptació a l’Espai Europeu d’Educació Superior (EEES) de les assignatures d’estadística de les enginyeries tècniques informàtiques de l’Escola Politècnica Superior de la UdG. Aquesta es basa en una concepció diferent de la manera d’ensenyar i aprendre l’estadística mitjançant la concreció de les competències i l’establiment de diverses activitats. Ens centrarem únicament en l’aplicació de la metodologia ABP i en la utilització de la plataforma e-learning ACM

Compositional amalgamations and balances: a critical approach

The amalgamation operation is frequently used to reduce the number of parts of compositional data but it is a non-linear operation in the simplex with the usual geometry,the Aitchison geometry. The concept of balances between groups, a particular coordinate system designed over binary partitions of the parts, could be an alternative to theamalgamation in some cases. In this work we discuss the proper application of bothconcepts using a real data set corresponding to behavioral measures of pregnant sowsGeologische Vereinigung; Institut d’Estadística de Catalunya; International Association for Mathematical Geology; Càtedra Lluís Santaló d’Aplicacions de la Matemàtica; Generalitat de Catalunya, Departament d’Innovació, Universitats i Recerca; Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia; Ingenio 2010

Bayesian tools for zero counts in compositional data

The log-ratio methodology makes available powerful tools for analyzing compositionaldata. Nevertheless, the use of this methodology is only possible for those data setswithout null values. Consequently, in those data sets where the zeros are present, aprevious treatment becomes necessary. Last advances in the treatment of compositionalzeros have been centered especially in the zeros of structural nature and in the roundedzeros. These tools do not contemplate the particular case of count compositional datasets with null values. In this work we deal with \count zeros" and we introduce atreatment based on a mixed Bayesian-multiplicative estimation. We use the Dirichletprobability distribution as a prior and we estimate the posterior probabilities. Then weapply a multiplicative modi¯cation for the non-zero values. We present a case studywhere this new methodology is applied.Key words: count data, multiplicative replacement, composition, log-ratio analysisGeologische Vereinigung; Institut d’Estadística de Catalunya; International Association for Mathematical Geology; Càtedra Lluís Santaló d’Aplicacions de la Matemàtica; Generalitat de Catalunya, Departament d’Innovació, Universitats i Recerca; Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia; Ingenio 2010