Spurious Regression and Econometric Trends

This paper analyses the asymptotic and finite sample implications of different types of nonstationary behavior among the dependent and explanatory variables in a linear spurious regression model. We study cases when the nonstationarity in the dependent and explanatory variables is deterministic as well as stochastic. In particular, we derive the order in probability of the t-statistic in a linear regression equation under a variety of empirically relevant data generation processes, and show that the spurious regression phenomenon is present in all cases considered, when at least one of the variables behaves in a nonstationary way. Simulation experiments confirm our asymptotic results.Spurious regression, trends, unit roots, trend stationarity, structural breaks

Spurious regression under broken trend stationarity

We study the phenomenon of spurious regression between two random variables when the generating mechanism for individual series follows a stationary process around a trend with (possibly) multiple breaks in its level and slope. We develop relevant asymptotic theory and show that spurious regression occurs independently of the structure assumed for the errors. In contrast to previous findings, the spurious relationship is less severe when breaks are present, whether or not the regression model includes a linear trend. Simulations confirm our asymptotic results and reveal that, in finite samples, the spurious regression is sensitive to the presence of a linear trend and to the relative locations of the breaks within the sampleSpurious regression, Structural breaks, Stationarity

Spurious regression under deterministic and stochastic trends

This paper analyses the asymptotic and finite sample implications of a mixed nonstationary behavior among the dependent and explanatory variables in a linear spurious regression model. We study the cases when the nonstationarity in the dependent variable is deterministic (stochastic), while the nonstationarity in the explanatory variable is stochastic (deterministic). In particular, we derive the asymptotic distribution of statistics in a spurious regression equation when one variable follows a difference stationary process (a random walk with and without drift), while the other is characterized by deterministic nonstationarity (a linear trend model with and without structural breaks in the trend function). We find that the divergence rate is sensitive to the assumed mixture of nonstationarity in the data generating process, and the phenomenon of spurious regression itself, contrary to previous findings, depends on the presence of a linear trend in the regression equation. Simulation experiments and real data confirm our asymptotic results.Unit roots, Trend stationarity, Structural breaks, Spurious regression

Spurious Regression and Trending Variables

This paper analyses the asymptotic and finite sample implications of different types of nonstationary behavior among the dependent and explanatory variables in a linear spurious regression model. We study cases when the nonstationarity in the dependent and explanatory variables is deterministic as well as stochastic. In particular, we derive the order in probability of the t-statistic in a linear regression equation under a variety of empirically relevant data generation processes, and show that he spurious regression phenomenon is present in all cases considered, when at least one of the variables behaves in a nonstationary way. Simulation experiments confirm our asymptotic results.Trend Stationarity, Structural Breaks, Spurious Regression, Unit Roots, Trends

Contributions to Control of Electronic Power Converters

This thesis deals with the control of electronic power converters. In its development two main parts have been differentiated. On the one hand, the problem of the voltage balance in the capacitors of the dc-link in a three-level NPC converter is addressed. On the other hand, given that the techniques used in the first part to model the converters need to make certain assumptions and, with the intention of avoiding averaged models, in the second part, switched affine models have been developed to design the control of the output voltage in DC-DC boost type converters. In this way, in the first part several control laws have been developed using an averaged model formulated by duty cycles for each level in each phase. This formulation allows to consider, in the controllers design stage, the degree of freedom associated with the homopolar voltage injection. Therefore, the controllers are designed as well as a part of the modulation, so that control and modulation are integrated in the same stage. In this way, three controllers have been designed where, apart from the objective of the voltage balance of the capacitors, other objectives such as the number of commutations or the quality of the output signal have also been improved. In the second part of the thesis, four methods have been developed for the design of control laws taking advantage of the modeling of converters as switched affine systems given their hybrid behaviour. Thus, the first two laws take advantage of this modeling using the delta operator to avoid numerical problems when using systems where the sampling time is very low. The first of these controllers is based on Lyapunov’s function while the second is independent of this function, thus obtaining less conservative results. The other two laws developed for switched affine systems use an alternative model to that performed in the first two controllers, so certain existing disadvantages are avoided using again a design not based on Lyapunov’s function. Thus, the first law presents a basic control but, even so, improves the results of other existing laws in the literature. Finally, a design method to deal with systems with variations in their parameters has been presented.La presente tesis trata sobre el control de convertidores electrónicos de potencia. En su desarrollo se han diferenciado dos partes principales. Por un lado, se trata el problema del balance de tensiones en los condensadores que forman el dc-link en un convertidor NPC de tres niveles. Por otro lado, dado que las técnicas utilizadas en la primera parte para modelar los convertidores necesitan realizar determinadas suposiciones y, con la intención de evitar modelos promediados, en la segunda parte se han desarrollado modelos afines conmutados para diseñar el control de la tensión de salida en convertidores DC-DC tipo boost. De esta forma, en la primera parte se han desarrollado varias leyes de control utilizando un modelo promediado formulado mediante ciclos de trabajo para cada nivel en cada fase. Esta formulación permite considerar en la fase de diseño de los controladores, un grado de libertad asociado a la inyección de tensión homopolar. Por lo tanto, se diseñan los controladores a la vez que una parte de la modulación, de forma que se integra control y modulación en una misma fase. De esta forma, se han diseñado tres controladores donde, a parte del objetivo de balancear la tensión de los condensadores, se ha ido buscando mejorar también otros objetivos como el número de conmutaciones o la calidad de la señal de salida. En la segunda parte de la tesis, se han desarrollado cuatro leyes de control aprovechando el modelado de convertidores como sistemas afines conmutados dada su naturaleza híbrida. De esta forma, las dos primeras leyes, aprovechan dicho modelado usando el operador delta para evitar problemas numéricos al utilizar sistemas donde el tiempo de muestreo es muy bajo. El primero de dichos controladores está basado en la función de Lyapunov mientras que el segundo es independiente de dicha función obteniendo así resultados menos conservadores. Las otras dos leyes desarrolladas para sistemas afines conmutados utilizan un modelado alternativo al realizado en las dos primeras, de forma que se evitan ciertas desventajas existentes y mantienen un diseño no basado en la función de Lyapunov. Así, la primera ley presenta un control más básico pero que, aun así, mejora los resultados de otras leyes existentes en la literatura. Por último, se ha presentado un procedimiento de diseño que hace frente a sistemas con variaciones en sus parámetros

Editorial: Microbial Taxonomy, Phylogeny and Biodiversity

The great diversity of microbial life is the remaining majorreservoir of unknown biologicaldiversity on Earth. To understand this vast, but largely unperceived diversity with its untappedgenetic, enzymatic and industrial potential, microbial systematics is undergoing a revolutionarychange in its approach to describe novel taxa based on genomic/envirogenomic information(Rosselló-Móra and Whitman, 2019)S

Halophiles and Their Biomolecules: Recent Advances and Future Applications in Biomedicine

The organisms thriving under extreme conditions better than any other organism living on Earth, fascinate by their hostile growing parameters, physiological features, and their production of valuable bioactive metabolites. This is the case of microorganisms (bacteria, archaea, and fungi) that grow optimally at high salinities and are able to produce biomolecules of pharmaceutical interest for therapeutic applications. As along as the microbiota is being approached by massive sequencing, novel insights are revealing the environmental conditions on which the compounds are produced in the microbial community without more stress than sharing the same substratum with their peers, the salt. In this review are reported the molecules described and produced by halophilic microorganisms with a spectrum of action in vitro: antimicrobial and anticancer. The action mechanisms of these molecules, the urgent need to introduce alternative lead compounds and the current aspects on the exploitation and its limitations are discussed.España, MINECO CGL2017-83385-

Haloglomus irregulare gen. nov., sp. nov., a New Halophilic Archaeon Isolated from a Marine Saltern

A halophilic archaeal strain, designated F16-60T, was isolated from Isla Cristina marine saltern in Huelva, Spain. Cells were pleomorphic, irregular, non-motile, and Gram-stain-negative. It produced red-pigmented colonies on agar plates. Strain F16-60T was extremely halophilic (optimum at 30% (w/v) NaCl) and neutrophilic (optimum pH 7.5). Phylogenetic tree reconstructions based on 16S rRNA and rpoB´ gene sequences revealed that strain F16-60T was distinct from species of the related genera Natronomonas, Halomarina, and Halomicrobium, of the order Halobacteriales. The polar lipids are phosphatidylglycerol (PG), phosphatidylglycerol phosphate methyl ester (PGP-Me), phosphatidylglycerol sulfate (PGS), and one glycolipid chromatographically identical to sulfated mannosyl glucosyl diether (S-DGD-1). The DNA G+C content is 68.0 mol%. The taxonomic study, based on a combination of phylogenetic, genomic, chemotaxonomic, and phenotypic analyses, suggest that strain F16-60T (= CECT 9635T = JCM 33318T), represents a novel species of a new genus within the family Haloarculaceae and the order Halobacteriales, for which the name Haloglomus irregulare gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. Metagenomic fragment recruitment analysis revealed the worldwide distribution of members of this genus and suggested the existence of other closely related species to be isolated.España, MINECO project CGL2017-83385-PEspaña, Junta de Andalucía (BIO-213, US-1263771