Quantitative quality indicators for statistics – an application to euro area balance of payment statistics

Quality is a subjective notion and encompasses all aspects of how well a product meets users’ needs. It is inherently a multi-faceted concept that cannot be easily defined; any chosen definition is likely to change over time as new aspects gain importance following the evolving users’ needs. The purpose of this paper is threefold; (1) to present a number of quantitative quality indicators, (2) to apply them to measure the quality of balance of payments (b.o.p.) data at the euro area level, and (3) to identify various aspects of data quality that may be enhanced, together with their interrelations with other quality dimensions. The indicators used are compatible with the IMF Data Quality Assessment Framework (DQAF), as defined for b.o.p. statistics, focusing mainly on revisions and consistency. The results obtained from such quantitative indicators may help compilers to set priorities in order to improve the quality of the euro area data still further in dimensions such as accuracy, reliability and serviceability. Additionally, this assessment may help users to understand better the quality of the data, to anticipate the possible size and direction of the forthcoming revisions, and to evaluate the impact of using different datasets in their analysis.

La importancia de los costes de cambio en el comportamiento del cliente

Debido a la intensa competencia existente en el sector servicios, conseguir la lealtad de los clientes y evitar su pérdida, constituye la principal fuente de ventaja competitiva. Es por ello, que para estas empresas, además de analizar las razones que llevan a un cliente a permanecer fiel a su proveedor habitual, es vital determinar las causas que motivan el abandono y posterior cambio de proveedor. Sin embargo, la decisión de cambio no siempre se traduce en comportamiento, debido a la existencia de. barreras físicas, económicas y emocionales que dificultan tal decisión. Entendemos como costes de cambio el conjunto de estas barreras u obstáculos que impiden la finalización de la relación actual y el cambio a un proveedor alternativo. De este modo, el objeto del presente estudio se centra en delimitar el concepto y naturaleza de dichos costes, así como una posible clasificación y escala de los mismos, con el fin de determinar su dimensionalidad. Por último, analizaremos la relación de esta variable con la lealtad y el grado de atractivo de las alternativas disponibles

Mecanismos responsables del empeoramiento asociado a la edad en esclerosis múltiple

La esclerosis múltiple (EM) es una enfermedad inflamatoria crónica del SNC de naturaleza autoinmune que produce desmielinización y daño axonal. Su etiología no es del todo conocida aunque se sabe que distintos factores genéticos y ambientales contribuyen a la susceptibilidad a esta enfermedad. Tampoco se conocen los mecanismos inmunológicos que juegan un papel importante en la EM. Aunque distintos trabajos han estudiado las diferencias entre la EM y otras patologías no inflamatorias, las diferencias con otras patologías inflamatorias no se han estudiado en profundidad. Tampoco se conocen los factores inmunológicos que se asocian con el daño axonal, la variable responsable de la discapacidad en la EM. Además, durante la evolución de la enfermedad, parecen existir dos fases. En al fase inicial predomina la inflamación, asociada a desmielinización y daño axonal. En la segunda fase, que en la un principio se solapa con la primera, habría una respuesta inflamatoria compartimentalizada, y una activación crónica de la respuesta inmune innata. Sin embargo, quedan por explorar las los cambios en distintas subpoblaciones celulares asociados a la edad en esta patología. Aproximadamente un tercio de los pacientes con EM muestra bandas oligoclonales IgM (BOC-M+) en LCR frente a lípidos. Múltiple trabajos han demostrado que estos anticuerpos son un biomarcador que se asocia con un mal pronóstico de la enfermedad. Sin embargo se desconoce su asociación con marcadores de inflamación y neurodegeneración en la enfermedad y si la presencia de estos anticuerpos condiciona la inmunosenescencia en la EM..

Un estudio crítico de las configuraciones estructurales y las estrategias organizativas del sector bancario en España

Los actuales planteamientos teóricos sobre las configuraciones estructurales tienden a apostar por organizaciones de pequeño tamaño para evitar los problemas de la progresiva especialización de las ta reas y la necesidad de recurrir a complejos sistemas de coordinación. Esta tendencia de reducción del ta maño organizativo se contradice con los acontecimientos que están acaeciendo en el sector el bancario. El objetivo que persigue este trabajo es encontrar solución a los problemas de índole estructural que se plantean con las fusiones y adquisiciones en el sector bancario en España.El análisis se vale del estudio descriptivo de los organigramas de 31 entidades bancarias. Además, el trabajo muestra las consecuencias de la fusión de un caso real ante la necesidad de profundizar en otros aspectos de estas organizaciones más allá de los estrictamente estructurales

Autoestima colectiva y aculturación en inmigrantes ecuatorianos

Este estudio examina la relación entre la autoestima colectiva étnica y diferentes aspectos del proceso de aculturación en inmigrantes ecuatorianos residentes en Murcia. De acuerdo con el modelo bidimensional de aculturación, se prueba la hipótesis de la independencia entre el deseo de contacto con el exogrupo y el deseo de mantener el modelo cultural propio. Los resultados señalan que las mujeres quieren mantener su cultura más que los hombres y éstos comportarse como los españoles. Asimismo, se observa que la edad y el nivel de estudios influyen sobre la autoestima privada, el contacto con ecuatorianos y la distancia cultural percibida. Los resultados se comentan con relación a la tradición de investigación de género e inmigración y al modelo bicultural de aculturación.This study examined the relationship between the ethnic collective self-esteem and the process of Ecuadorian immigrants’ acculturation in Murcia (Spain). In accordance with the bidimensional model of acculturation, the hypothesis of the independence between the contact with the outgroup and maintenance of the own ethnic identity is proven. This hypothesis obtains a partial confirmation. The results show that the women want to maintain their culture more than men and these to behave as the Spaniards. Also, it is observed that the age and the level of studies influence on the private self-esteem, the contact with Ecuadorian and the perceived cultural distance. The results are discussed in relation to gender immigration studies and the bicultural model

Identification of the Immunological Changes Appearing in the CSF During the Early Immunosenescence Process Occurring in Multiple Sclerosis

Immunitat adaptativa; Envelliment; Esclerosi múltipleInmunidad adaptativa; Envejecimiento; Esclerosis múltipleAdaptive immunity; Aging; Multiple sclerosisPatients with multiple sclerosis (MS) suffer with age an early immunosenescence process, which influence the treatment response and increase the risk of infections. We explored whether lipid-specific oligoclonal IgM bands (LS-OCMB) associated with highly inflammatory MS modify the immunological profile induced by age in MS. This cross-sectional study included 263 MS patients who were classified according to the presence (M+, n=72) and absence (M-, n=191) of LS-OCMB. CSF cellular subsets and molecules implicated in immunosenescence were explored. In M- patients, aging induced remarkable decreases in absolute CSF counts of CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes, including Th1 and Th17 cells, and of B cells, including those secreting TNF-alpha. It also increased serum anti-CMV IgG antibody titers (indicative of immunosenescence) and CSF CHI3L1 levels (related to astrocyte activation). In contrast, M+ patients showed an age-associated increase of TIM-3 (a biomarker of T cell exhaustion) and increased values of CHI3L1, independently of age. Finally, in both groups, age induced an increase in CSF levels of PD-L1 (an inductor of T cell tolerance) and activin A (part of the senescence-associated secretome and related to inflammaging). These changes were independent of the disease duration. Finally, this resulted in augmented disability. In summary, all MS patients experience with age a modest induction of T-cell tolerance and an activation of the innate immunity, resulting in increased disability. Additionally, M- patients show clear decreases in CSF lymphocyte numbers, which could increase the risk of infections. Thus, age and immunological status are important for tailoring effective therapies in MS.This work was supported by grants FIS-PI15/00513, FIS-PI18/00572 and RD16/0015/0001 from the Instituto de Salud Carlos III. Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, Spain and FEDER: "Una manera de hacer Europa"

Phantom thermodynamics

This paper deals with the thermodynamic properties of a phantom field in a flat Friedmann-Robertson-Walker universe. General expressions for the temperature and entropy of a general dark-energy field with equation of state $p=\omega\rho$ are derived from which we have deduced that, whereas the temperature of a cosmic phantom fluid ($\omega<-1$) is definite negative, its entropy is always positive. We interpret that result in terms of the intrinsic quantum nature of the phantom field and apply it to (i) attain a consistent explanation for some recent results concerning the evolution of black holes which,induced by accreting phantom energy, gradually loss their mass to finally vanish exactly at the big rip, and (ii) introduce the concept of cosmological information and its relation with life and the anthropic principle. Some quantum statistical-thermodynamic properties of the quantum quantum field are also considered that include a generalized Wien law and the prediction of some novel phenomena such as the stimulated absorption of phantom energy and the anti-laser effect.Comment: 19 pages, LaTex, 2 figures, accepted for publication in Nuclear Physics

MRI phenotypes with high neurodegeneration are associated with peripheral blood B-cell changes

Postprint (author's final draft

Videogame-related experiences among regular adolescent gamers

The objective of this study was to identify the videogame-related experiences expressed by regular adolescent gamers and to explore the socio-family factors related to these experiences. A cross-sectional observational and descriptive study was carried out with a convenience sample of regular Spanish videogamers between 16 and 18 years old. To measure the use of videogames for evasion and its negative consequences, the Questionnaire of Videogame-Related Experiences (Cuestionario de Experiencias Relacionadas con Videojuegos, CERV) was used and socio-family variables collected, evaluating their relationship with the results of the CERV. A total of 206 adolescents participated, 89.3% men [84.3-93.2] and 17.9% [12.9-23.9] allocating more than 35 hours a week to videogames. The CERV subscale related to the evasive use of videogames (max. = 24 points) obtained a mean value of 11.71 (SD = 3.52) and the mean value for the subscale related to the negative consequences (max. = 27 points) was 7.14 (SD = 3.33). A higher frequency of high values of evasive use (p = .038) and higher scores of this subscale (p = .02) were found in gamers without brothers or sisters. Higher scores and larger numbers of negative consequences were found in gamers who play more than 21 hours a week (p = .032). In conclusion, frequent use of videogames does not seem to be carried out with an evasive purpose, except in the case of absence of siblings. Frequent videogame use has only proven to carry a higher level of negative consequences when playing more than 21 hours a week. No other socio-family variables related to these subscales of the CERV have been identified

Diagramas como herramienta base para la didáctica (proceso de enseñanza/aprendizaje) de relaciones y procesos ecológicos

Memoria ID-0056. Ayudas de la Universidad de Salamanca para la innovación docente, curso 2015-2016