Propuesta metodológica para el estudio de la equivalencia entre dos versiones de una prueba: funcionamiento diferencial de versiones utilizando Propensity Score

En este trabajo se presenta un estudio comparativo entre dos versiones (papel y online) de una prueba de rendimiento en Comprensión Lectora y el efecto que tienen las dos versiones en la puntuación de cada ítem. Dicha prueba se enmarca dentro de la Evaluación de Diagnóstico de 2010-2011 en la Comunidad de Madrid, para estudiantes de 4º curso de Educación Primaria y 2º curso de Educación Secundaria Obligatoria. Para el estudio comparativo se ha llevado a cabo un análisis descriptivo y psicométrico de cada ítem en ambas versiones, atendiendo a las medias, dispersiones, formas de distribución de las puntuaciones y fiabilidad. También se ha procedido a la validación atendiendo a la Teoría de Respuesta al Ítem y al estudio del supuesto de unidimensionalidad. Además, se han utilizado como medidas de comparación la prueba de igualdad de varianzas, la prueba T (Student), y la prueba Chi cuadrado (Pearson). Igualmente se ha realizado una propuesta metodológica, “Funcionamiento Diferencial de Versiones” (DVF), basada en los estudios del Funcionamiento Diferencial de los Ítems y del Funcionamiento Diferencial de los Sujetos. Esta metodología se caracteriza por la utilización del Puntaje de Propensión o Propensity Score para conseguir un grupo de sujetos homogéneo y poder establecer comparaciones sobre la existencia o no del Funcionamiento Diferencial de Versiones. Para su estudio se han utilizado varios procedimientos, algunos de ellos de carácter descriptivo, como la Transformación del Índice de Dificultad (T.I.D.), Rajú, Lord, Estandarizado-Stand y Mantel–Haenszel, y otros, más potentes, como la Regresión Logística utilizando las puntuaciones TRI de los sujetos. Ante las comparaciones múltiples, para el estudio del DVF y para evitar los falsos positivos, se ajustaron los valores p mediante la corrección de Benjamin–Hochberg (1995). Los resultados confirman la equivalencia entre ambas versiones (papel y online), tanto en Primaria como en Secundaria. Las distribuciones, los niveles de fiabilidad y la estructura factorial presentan valores semejantes. La media tiende a favorecer a la prueba en papel, pero el tamaño del efecto es mínimo, además de la no-existencia de Funcionamiento Diferencial de Versiones (existen ítems con DVF, pero la medida del efecto nos indica que el DVF es irrelevante en todos los ítems). Por todo lo expuesto, concluimos que ambas versiones son equivalentes

Gender and age identities in rituals of comensality : the argaric societies

Analysis of meat offerings included in the grave goods of Argaric burials has shown the importance of commensality practices for these societies not only as a part of the funerary ritual but also as a way to manifest social inequalities. Our main interest in this paper will be to understand how gender and age identities are incorporated in this social negotiation.El análisis de ofrendas cárnicas que se incluyen en los ajuares funerarios argáricos de la Edad del Bronce del sudeste de la Península Ibérica han mostrado la importancia de las prácticas de comensalidad para estas sociedades, no sólo como parte del ritual funerario sino también como una forma de manifestar las desigualdades sociales. Nuestro interés principal en este artículo consiste en entender cómo se incorporan en esta negociación social las identidades de género y de edad.L'anàlisi de les ofrenes de carn que s'inclouen als aixovars funeraris argàrics de l'Edat del Bronze del sudest de la península Ibèrica, han mostrat la importància de les pràctiques de comensalitat per a aquestes societats no només com a part del ritual funerari sinó també com una forma de manifestar les desigualtat socials. En aquest article, el nostre principal interès consisteix en entendre com s'incorporen les identitats de gènere i d'edat en aquesta negociació social

Women’s disengagement from legal proceedings for intimate partner violence in southern Spain: Variables related to legal proceedings

This article studies the relationship between a set of variables related to the legal process and women’s disengagement from legal proceedings against their (ex)partners in Southern Spain. A total of 345 women answered a questionnaire. Results evidenced that request for a protection order (PO), granting such PO, imprisonment of the offender, and women’s perception of who decided during the process were significantly related to disengagement (medium effect size). In addition, a logistic regression model was developed to predict disengagement with two variables: granting a PO and women’s perception of who decided. Results are interpreted in terms of the necessity that the judicial system gives support, protects, and provides women with opportunities to participate in the recovery process.Junta de Andalucía 1071/0453Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte (España) FPU15/0037

Impacts of sea-level rise-induced erosion on the Catalan coast

The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10113-016-1052-xThe Catalan coast as most of the developed Mediterranean coastal zone is characterized by the coincidence of stresses and pressures on the natural system with a high exposure and low adaptive capacity. Due to this, climate change-induced effects will increase natural hazards and aggravate their associated impacts and, in consequence, it is necessary to assess their effects for proper long-term management. In this work, we assess the impact of sea-level rise (SLR)-induced shoreline retreat on the Catalan coast for three scenarios ranging from 0.53 to 1.75 m by the year 2100. Implications are analysed in terms of affectation of two main functions provided by beaches, i.e. recreation and protection. Obtained results show that CC will be a serious threat to analysed functions since the expected enhanced shoreline retreat will severely decrease the recreational carrying capacity and the capacity of protection in the near future under tested scenarios. The actual level of development along the coastal zone reduces the natural resilient capacity of beaches to SLR in such a way that the lack of accommodation space can be identified as a main factor for the estimated impacts.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Predicting disengagement from judicial proceedings by female victims of intimate partner violence in Spain: A systematic replication with prospective data

This article examines which variables predict disengagement from legal proceedings by victims of intimate partner violence in the first steps of the Spanish judicial process. We replicated a previous retrospective study with a prospective sample of 393 women. The relationships of sociodemographic, emotional, motivational, and psychological variables with procedural withdrawals were analyzed. We developed a binary logistic regression model that predicts disengagement with two variables: the contact with the abuser and the interaction between this contact and the thought of going back with him. Interesting differences between the current and the retrospective study were found. Results are discussed extensively in the conclusions.Junta de Andalucía 1071/0453Junta de Andalucía 2105/0453Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte de España FPU15/0037

Comparative Analysis of Machine Learning Methods to Predict Growth of F. sporotrichioides and Production of T-2 and HT-2 Toxins in Treatments with Ethylene-Vinyl Alcohol Films Containing Pure Components of Essential Oils

The efficacy of ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer films (EVOH) incorporating the essential oil components cinnamaldehyde (CINHO), citral (CIT), isoeugenol (IEG), or linalool (LIN) to control growth rate (GR) and production of T-2 and HT-2 toxins by Fusarium sporotrichioides cultured on oat grains under different temperature (28, 20, and 15 °C) and water activity (aw) (0.99 and 0.96) regimes was assayed. GR in controls/treatments usually increased with increasing temperature, regardless of aw, but no significant differences concerning aw were found. Toxin production decreased with increasing temperature. The effectiveness of films to control fungal GR and toxin production was as follows: EVOH-CIT > EVOH-CINHO > EVOH-IEG > EVOH-LIN. With few exceptions, effective doses of EVOH-CIT, EVOH-CINHO, and EVOH-IEG films to reduce/inhibit GR by 50%, 90%, and 100% (ED50, ED90, and ED100) ranged from 515 to 3330 µg/culture in Petri dish (25 g oat grains) depending on film type, aw, and temperature. ED90 and ED100 of EVOH-LIN were >3330 µg/fungal culture. The potential of several machine learning (ML) methods to predict F. sporotrichioides GR and T-2 and HT-2 toxin production under the assayed conditions was comparatively analyzed. XGBoost and random forest attained the best performance, support vector machine and neural network ranked third or fourth depending on the output, while multiple linear regression proved to be the worst

Psychosocial separation and women’s disengagement from prosecutions against abusive intimate partners in Spain

In order to end and “liberate” themselves from an abusive relationship, female survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV) usually face a complex process. Although women may decide to seek help through the criminal justice system, some refuse to participate in legal proceedings against their abusers. While many studies have focused on exploring variables explaining disengagement from legal proceedings, the aim of this article is to study the impact of the process of liberation from an abusive relationship on the likelihood of disengagement (LoD) from legal proceedings. Liberation was measured through the psychosocial separation overall score and the LoD was predicted by a logistic regression model developed in a previous study in Spain. A sample of 80 women involved in legal proceedings for IPV against their ex-partners in Andalusia (Spain) participated in this study. Exploratory analyses were conducted using ANOVA and Chi-square; multiple linear regression analyses were used to study the relationship between psychosocial separation and LoD. Results showed that victims who had higher psychosocial separation from their abusers were less likely to disengage from legal proceedings against the abuser. We discuss the results in terms of practical implications like detection of women’s need for specific psychological support to ease a comprehensive recovery. Training programs for legal professionals and judges in the judicial arena should use the results of this study to increase professionals’ understanding of IPV and survivors’ decision-making processes. This would lead to a decrease in survivors’ secondary victimization, as well as decrease the frustration of legal professionals when victims disengage from legal proceedings.Ministerio de Educación y Formación Profesional de España FPU15/00373Ministerio de Educación y Formación Profesional de España EST18/0013

Conservation status and protection measures for Draba hispanica subsp. lebrunii P. Monts., endemic to the Altocarrionés subsector (Castile and Leon, Spain)

Acta Botanica Gallica es continuada por Botany Letters[EN] Draba hispanica subsp. lebrunii is an endemic plant restricted to a small area of the south-western part of the Nature Park and SCI called “FuentesCarrionas and Fuente Cobre-Montaña Palentina” in the Castile and Leon Region of Spain, included in several regional and national protection catalogues. This paper provides a demographic study of the currently known populations, with the aim of reviewing the conservation status of the taxon in accordance with IUCN criteria, as well as detecting risk factors and providing appropriate management measures to guarantee survival of the taxon. Furthermore, the creation of a Micro-Reserve for Flora is proposed, as a specially protected area in the zonewhere the most abundant and best preserved population is located. Precise locations for all the previously known sites and others are provided through label-ling by means of GPS technology. The current situation of the populations and changes in them are also analysed[FR] Draba hispanica subsp. lebrunii est un endémisme restreint à un petit territoire de la partie sud-occidentale du Parc naturel et SIC de “Fuentes Carrionas y Fuente Cobre-Montaña Palentina” (Castille-et-Léon, Espagne), inclus dans divers catalogues de protection aux niveaux régional et national. Ici, nous présentons une étude démographique des populations connues jusqu’à présent, dans le but de réviser le statut de conservation du taxon suivant les critères UICN, de détecter les facteurs de menace et d’apporter des mesures de gestion adéquates pour garantir la survie du taxon. En même temps, on propose la création d’une microréserve de flore, considérée comme une aire de protection spéciale, là où se trouve la population la plus abondante et la mieux conservée du taxon. Sont précisées les localisations exactes de toutes les citations existantes et d’autres nouvelles par marquage par GPS ; la situation actuelle des populations et leur évolution sont analyséesSIThis work was carried out in part within the framework of a specific agreement for collaboration between the University of Leon and the Environmental Bureau [Consejería de Medio Ambiente] of the Castile and Leon Regional Government [Junta de Castilla y León]. This relates to the undertaking of scientific work linked to the implementation of Decree 63/2007 of the Castile and Leon Regional Government, of 14 June 2007, which established the Catalogue of Protected Flora for Castile and Leon and the protection format named a Micro-Reserve for Flor