Análisis regional de la pobreza para el colectivo de la Tercera Edad: inferencia clásica vs Técnicas Bootstrap

En este trabajo se analiza el perfil regional de la pobreza en los hogares encabezados por mayores de 65 años, un colectivo especialmente sensible a situarse por debajo del umbral de pobreza. Para ello, a partir de los datos del fichero longitudinal de la Encuesta Continua de Presupuestos Familiares del año 2002, realizada por el Instituto Nacional de Estadística, se estiman índices de la familia de Foster, Greer y Thorbecke que permiten estudiar la incidencia, intensidad y desigualdad de la pobreza. El objetivo de este trabajo es doble. Por un lado, se pretende obtener un mapa de la distribución regional de la pobreza para el colectivo de la tercera edad en España. Los resultados muestran que las comunidades autónomas con mayores niveles de pobreza son Castilla La Mancha, Extremadura y Andalucía. Por el contrario, las comunidades autónomas con menores niveles de pobreza son Navarra, Madrid y País Vasco. Por otro lado, se pretende comparar la precisión de las técnicas de inferencia clásicas con técnicas basadas en métodos computacionales. Para ello, se estiman los índices de pobreza mediante el cálculo de intervalos de confianza utilizando dos métodos alternativos. En primer lugar, se obtienen los intervalos mediante la determinación de distribuciones asintóticas. Posteriormente, se determinan los intervalos utilizando metodología del bootstrap percentil. La comparación de estos métodos de estimación muestra cómo para muestras pequeñas, las técnicas bootstrap permiten obtener resultados más adecuados

Seguimiento de trayectoria robusta de un cuadricóptero sin mediciones de velocidad utilizando el control super-twisting generalizado

This paper presents a nonlinear control strategy to solve the path tracking problem for a quadrotor unmanned aerial vehicle under perturbations. This strategy is based on the Generalized Super-Twisting Algorithm (GSTA); it means the second order sliding mode technique, which is able to ensure robustness with respect to modeling errors and bounded external disturbances due to the added extra linear correction terms. The controller goal is to achieve suitable path tracking of desired absolute positions and yaw angle while keeping the stability of the pitch and roll angle, in spite of the presence of disturbances and the handling of all system nonlinearities. In this work, a scenario in which velocities measurements are not available and are estimated by the Generalized Super-Twisting Observer is considered. Finally, the simulation results are also provided in order to illustrate the performances of the proposed controller.Este artículo presenta una estrategia de control no lineal para resolver el problema de seguimiento de trayectorias para un vehículo aéreo no tripulado bajo perturbaciones. Esta estrategia se basa en el Algoritmo Super-Twisting Generalizado (GSTA); es una técnica de modos deslizantes de segundo orden, la cual es capaz de asegurar robustez con respecto a errores de modelado y perturbaciones externas acotadas debido a los términos de corrección lineales añadidos respecto al algoritmo Super Twisting convencional. El objetivo del controlador es conseguir un seguimiento de trayectoria adecuado de las posiciones absolutas deseadas y del ángulo de guiñada, mientras se mantiene la estabilidad del ángulo de inclinación y de alabeo, a pesar de la presencia de perturbaciones y las no linealidades del sistema. En este trabajo, es considerado un escenario en el que las mediciones de las velocidades no están disponibles y son estimadas por el Observador Super-Twisting Generalizado. Finalmente, también fueron proporcionados los resultados de simulación para ilustrar el desempeño del controlador propuesto

Índices de variación de la nota debidos a la evaluación continua. Contrastación empírica en la enseñanza universitaria

© 2018 Fundacion Infancia y Aprendizaje. This document is made available under the CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 license http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ This document is the Accepted version of a Published Work that appeared in final form in Culture and Education, Cultura y Educación. To access the final edited and published work see https://doi.org/10.1080/11356405.2018.1488422La evaluación continua en las notas universitarias es consecuencia de nuestra adaptación al EEES. El objetivo del presente estudio es analizar cómo afecta la evaluación continua a la nota final del alumno, mejorando o empeorando la obtenida en el examen final, y si además otras variables afectan a esta relación. Para ello se ha confeccionado una base de datos con notas de distintas asignaturas universitarias de Contabilidad Financiera durante los últimos cursos académicos. Se ha construido un índice de variación de la nota del examen como consecuencia de la evaluación continua, y se ha analizado tanto de forma cuantitativa, como cualitativa a través de su signo. Los resultados de este índice se han estudiado con tablas de contingencia y con un análisis de regresiones. Las conclusiones permiten señalar que la evaluación continua sí que tiene un efecto cuantitativo sobre la nota final, aunque no siempre es positivo, y que además este efecto viene determinado por la asignatura y el número de pruebas realizadas, y no así por el curso académico o la convocatoria.The European Higher Education Area (EHEA) has required continuous assessment at university in Spain. The goal of this paper is to analyse how continuous assessment modifies the subject’s final mark, to ascertain whether it improves or lowers the final exam score and to determine whether other variables also affect this relationship. To accomplish this, we have created a database with the marks earned by students who took the final exam in the Financial Accounting class at university in the last three academic years. A variation index of the exam score was constructed as a consequence of continuous assessment, and it was analysed both quantitatively and qualitatively. The results obtained from the marks and the index were analysed using contingency tables, ANOVA, regression analyses and a contrast of differences in mean. The main conclusions allow us to state that continuous assessment has an important direct effect on the learning process as well as on the final exam score and the overall class mark, and that other variables also influence them

Sustainability, corporate social responsibility, non-financial reporting and company performance: Relationships and mediating effects in Spanish small and medium sized enterprises

©2022. This manuscript version is made available under the CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 license http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ This document is the Submitted, Accepted, Published, version of a Published Work that appeared in final form in [Sustainable Production and Consumption]. To access the final edited and published work see[https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spc.2022.11.015]© 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of Institution of Chemical Engineers. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons. org/licenses/by/4.0/). This document is the Accepted version of a Published Work that appeared in final form in Sustainable Production and Consumption. To access the final edited and published work see https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spc.2022.11.015Sustainability, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), and non-financial reporting and their relationships with company performance are burning topics. Although all these terms are familiar to companies, specifically large ones, most European companies are small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and studies explicitly addressing SMEs are limited. For this reason, this paper aims to fill the existent gap in the literature concerning SMEs by analyzing the relationship between sustainability, CSR, non-financial information, and performance. The objective of this study is to analyze several aspects: (1) The influence of pressures, incentives, and barriers on sustainability, (2) The influence of sustainability, CSR, and non-financial disclosure on performance, and (3) The mediating effect of CSR and non-financial disclosure. For this purpose, there has been an e-mail survey to managers, financial directors, or administration managers of Spanish SMEs. In addition, a Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) model has been used on a final sample of 126 Spanish SMEs. The study's main outcome is that sustainability positively influences CSR and non-financial reporting in the case of SMEs. Therefore, regardless of the specific characteristics derived from the size of the company and the possible lack of resources, the results for SMEs align with those of large companies obtained by previous studies. This study has important academic/theoretical implications for SME managers and policymakers because implementing policies encouraging CSR practices and sustainability strategies will create a better society and positively impact SMEs' performance. © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of Institution of Chemical Engineers. This is an open acces

Special employment centers, profitable or social objective?: an study of their economic and financial situation

El objetivo del artículo es analizar si existen diferencias en indicadores económico-financieros de los Centros Especiales de Empleo (CEE), en base a si fueron constituidos con ánimo de lucro o con fines sociales. Para ello se ha elaborado una base de datos con 166 cuentas anuales de los CEE de la Región de Murcia para el período 2012-2016, con la que realizar un análisis descriptivo y explicativo de sus principales ratios económico-financieros. Los resultados permiten concluir que, si bien el tipo de CEE no determina directamente su rentabilidad, sí que aparecen diferencias significativas en liquidez y solvencia en base a la iniciativa con la que han sido constituidos los CEE.The objective of this paper is to analyze if there are differences in the core economic indicators of the special employment centers depending on, if they were created to obtain profit, or with social goals. We have created a database with 166 financial statements of the special employment centers from the Region of Murcia for the period 2012-2016. We have done a descriptive and explicative analysis of these data using the core economic and financial ratios. The obtained results have allowed us to conclude that the different orientation of the special employment centers doesn´t have direct effects on the profitability, but there are significant differences in their liquidity and solvency depending on the CEE type

Effects of physical exercise on physical function in older adults in residential care: a systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials

Background: Physical exercise is effective at attenuating ageing-related physical decline in general, but evidence of its benefits for older adults in residential care, who often have functional dependency, multimorbidity, and polypharmacy, is inconclusive. We aimed to establish the effects of exercise interventions on the physical function of this population. Methods: For this systematic review and network meta-analysis, we searched PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Rehabilitation & Sports Medicine Source, and SPORTDiscus to identify randomised controlled trials assessing the effects of exercise interventions (vs usual care) on physical function (ie, functional independence, physical performance, and other related measures, such as muscle strength, balance, or flexibility) in adults aged 60 years or older living in residential care. Relevant studies published in English or Spanish up to Jan 12, 2023, were included in the systematic review. The quality of studies was assessed using the Tool for the Assessment of Study Quality and Reporting in Exercise (TESTEX) score. A network meta-analysis was performed for physical function-related outcomes reported in at least ten studies, with subanalyses for specific intervention (ie, exercise type, training volume, and study duration) and participant (eg, having cognitive impairment or dementia, pre-frail or frail status, and being functionally dependent) characteristics. The study protocol was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42021247809). Findings: 147 studies (11 609 participants, with mean ages ranging from 67 years [SD 9] to 92 years [2]) were included in the systematic review, and were rated as having overall good quality (median TESTEX score 9 [range 3–14]). In the meta-analysis (including 105 studies, n=7759 participants), exercise interventions were associated with significantly improved overall physical function, with a standardised mean difference [SMD] of 0·13 (95% credible interval [CrI] 0·04–0·21), which was confirmed in all analysed subpopulations. The strongest association was observed with 110–225 min per week of exercise, and the greatest improvements were observed with 170 min per week (SMD 0·36 [95% CrI 0·20–0·52]). No significant differences were found between exercise types. Subanalyses showed significant improvements for almost all analysed physical function-related outcomes (Barthel index, five-times sit-to-stand test, 30-s sit-to-stand test, knee extension, hand grip strength, bicep curl strength, Short Physical Performance Battery, 6-min walking test, walking speed, Berg balance scale, and sit-and-reach test). Large heterogeneity was found between and within studies in terms of population and intervention characteristics. Interpretation: Exercise interventions are associated with improved physical function in older adults in residential care, and should, therefore, be routinely promoted in long-term care facilities. Funding: None. Translation: For the Spanish translation of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section.10 página

Tocilizumab in refractory Caucasian Takayasu's arteritis: a multicenter study of 54 patients and literature review

Objective: To assess the efficacy and safety of tocilizumab (TCZ) in Caucasian patients with refractory Takayasu's arteritis (TAK) in clinical practice. Methods: A multicenter study of Caucasian patients with refractory TAK who received TCZ. The outcome variables were remission, glucocorticoid-sparing effect, improvement in imaging techniques, and adverse events. A comparative study between patients who received TCZ as monotherapy (TCZMONO) and combined with conventional disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (cDMARDs) (TCZCOMBO) was performed. Results: The study comprised 54 patients (46 women/8 men) with a median [interquartile range (IQR)] age of 42.0 (32.5-50.5) years. TCZ was started after a median (IQR) of 12.0 (3.0-31.5) months since TAK diagnosis. Remission was achieved in 12/54 (22.2%), 19/49 (38.8%), 23/44 (52.3%), and 27/36 (75%) patients at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months, respectively. The prednisone dose was reduced from 30.0 mg/day (12.5-50.0) to 5.0 (0.0-5.6) mg/day at 12 months. An improvement in imaging findings was reported in 28 (73.7%) patients after a median (IQR) of 9.0 (6.0-14.0) months. Twenty-three (42.6%) patients were on TCZMONO and 31 (57.4%) on TCZCOMBO: MTX (n = 28), cyclosporine A (n = 2), azathioprine (n = 1). Patients on TCZCOMBO were younger [38.0 (27.0-46.0) versus 45.0 (38.0-57.0)] years; difference (diff) [95% confidence interval (CI) = -7.0 (-17.9, -0.56] with a trend to longer TAK duration [21.0 (6.0-38.0) versus 6.0 (1.0-23.0)] months; diff 95% CI = 15 (-8.9, 35.5), and higher c-reactive protein [2.4 (0.7-5.6) versus 1.3 (0.3-3.3)] mg/dl; diff 95% CI = 1.1 (-0.26, 2.99). Despite these differences, similar outcomes were observed in both groups (log rank p = 0.862). Relevant adverse events were reported in six (11.1%) patients, but only three developed severe events that required TCZ withdrawal. Conclusion: TCZ in monotherapy, or combined with cDMARDs, is effective and safe in patients with refractory TAK of Caucasian origin.Funding: This work was partially supported by RETICS Programs, RD08/0075 (RIER), RD12/0009/0013 and RD16/0012 from “Instituto de Salud Carlos III” (ISCIII) (Spain)

Association between convalescent plasma treatment and mortality in COVID-19: a collaborative systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials.

Funder: laura and john arnold foundationBACKGROUND: Convalescent plasma has been widely used to treat COVID-19 and is under investigation in numerous randomized clinical trials, but results are publicly available only for a small number of trials. The objective of this study was to assess the benefits of convalescent plasma treatment compared to placebo or no treatment and all-cause mortality in patients with COVID-19, using data from all available randomized clinical trials, including unpublished and ongoing trials (Open Science Framework, https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/GEHFX ). METHODS: In this collaborative systematic review and meta-analysis, clinical trial registries (ClinicalTrials.gov, WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform), the Cochrane COVID-19 register, the LOVE database, and PubMed were searched until April 8, 2021. Investigators of trials registered by March 1, 2021, without published results were contacted via email. Eligible were ongoing, discontinued and completed randomized clinical trials that compared convalescent plasma with placebo or no treatment in COVID-19 patients, regardless of setting or treatment schedule. Aggregated mortality data were extracted from publications or provided by investigators of unpublished trials and combined using the Hartung-Knapp-Sidik-Jonkman random effects model. We investigated the contribution of unpublished trials to the overall evidence. RESULTS: A total of 16,477 patients were included in 33 trials (20 unpublished with 3190 patients, 13 published with 13,287 patients). 32 trials enrolled only hospitalized patients (including 3 with only intensive care unit patients). Risk of bias was low for 29/33 trials. Of 8495 patients who received convalescent plasma, 1997 died (23%), and of 7982 control patients, 1952 died (24%). The combined risk ratio for all-cause mortality was 0.97 (95% confidence interval: 0.92; 1.02) with between-study heterogeneity not beyond chance (I2 = 0%). The RECOVERY trial had 69.8% and the unpublished evidence 25.3% of the weight in the meta-analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Convalescent plasma treatment of patients with COVID-19 did not reduce all-cause mortality. These results provide strong evidence that convalescent plasma treatment for patients with COVID-19 should not be used outside of randomized trials. Evidence synthesis from collaborations among trial investigators can inform both evidence generation and evidence application in patient care