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Non-family CEOs in privately owned family firms: Searching for fit
No full textThis article contributes to the understanding of why some management experiences of non-family CEOs (NF-CEOs) in privately owned family firms (POFFs) are successful, while others are not. It uses the flexible pattern-matching technique to examine seven case studies of POFFs with different experiences in recruiting NF-CEOs. Drawing on human capital specificity and heterogeneity, as well as socio-emotional wealth perspectives, our analysis suggests that NF-CEOs and owning families must invest time to gain knowledge of each other. Consequently, longer minimum tenures are required compared to non-FFs, making the alignment of NF-CEO and successor life cycles crucial for success. A cooperative and long-term-oriented personality of NF-CEOs is also relevant to fit the context of family businesses. This article is the first to adapt the specificity of human capital theory to the study of NF-CEOsThe authors have received support from the Chair of Family Business at the University of Girona and from the Catalan Government Research Grant 2021SGR01589Open Access funding provided thanks to the CSUC agreement with Cambridge University Press (CUP
MALDI-TOF MS and Machine Learning Explanations for the Detection of SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Human Plasma: Fingerprints as a Strategy for Risk Assessment
No full textThe COVID-19 pandemic proved to be a major public health challenge that had an enormously disruptive effect on the operational management of hospitals. It became especially important to find both diagnostic and prognostic methods for risk severity evaluation. Here, a MALDI-TOF MS method for the profiling of plasma samples combined with machine learning (ML) and its explanations was developed to identify SARS-CoV-2 infection while also allowing for the classification of patients by the severity of the disease. A prospective study of the most important m/z values that can be used as biomarkers using the SHAP state of the art ML explicability technique was also studied. The fingerprint data-analysis strategy is concerned with pattern expression in serum samples, providing information about SARS-CoV-2. The trained model is found to have a significant power of discrimination between controls and COVID-19 patients, controls and patients in the ICU, and controls and patients who had been in the ICU, and so, a spectral signature can be identified to separate and identify these cases. Moreover, there were differences in the spectral signatures between patients who were in the ICU and those who were not admitted to the ICU or had left the ICU. In conclusion, MALDI-TOF MS and advanced ML algorithms demonstrated remarkable discriminatory power between controls and those diagnosed with COVID-19/ICU/Post-ICU conditions. Also, it provides a valuable tool for stratifying patients based on their severity symptoms. Finally, a set of potential biomarkers that play a crucial role in the discrimination were identifiedOpen Access funding provided thanks to the CRUE-CSIC agreement with American Chemical Society (ACS
Salut mental i assetjament escolar en joves: percepció d'alumnat i professorat de dos instituts del Vallès Oriental
No full textLa salut mental i el benestar emocional d’alumnes i docents d’institut constitueixen una preocupació social cada cop més present. Aquest treball analitza l’estat i la percepció d’aquest fenomen entre estudiants i professorat de 1r de Batxillerat d’un institut públic i un de concertat, així com l’assetjament escolar. Mitjançant una metodologia mixta, basada en enquestes i entrevistes, s’analitzen experiències personals dels participants,
els recursos disponibles als centres i les necessitats expressades. L’objectiu principal és comprendre com influeix l’entorn acadèmic en la salut mental i aportar coneixement per a la millora del suport emocional als centres educatius. Les conclusions apunten que la salut mental dels i les joves és inestable i el professorat no se sent prou capacitat ni format per poder acompanyar l’alumnatMental health and emotional well-being among high school students and teachers have become major social concerns. This study examines the state and perception of these issues among first-year Baccalaureate students and teachers from a public and a semi-private (concerted) secondary school, with a particular focus on school bullying.
Using a mixed-methods approach based on surveys and interviews, the study analyses participants' personal experiences, the available resources in schools, and the needs they express. The aim is to understand how the academic environment influences mental health and to provide insights for improving emotional support in educational settings. The results indicate that young people's mental health is fragile and that teachers often feel insufficiently trained or prepared to support their students341
Oci nocturn alternatiu saludable a Blanes
No full textÉs innegable que la nit ofereix als joves un espai de socialització, identitat i autonomia, però també és important reconèixer la relació sovint amb el consum de substàncies i els riscos associats. Què passaria si es canalitzés aquest impuls cap a l'oci nocturn de manera més constructiva? Quines propostes podrien implementar-se perquè l'oci nocturn es convertís en
una experiència enriquidora que no depengués del consum de drogues? A continuació es presenta una recerca sobre les alternatives d'oci nocturn saludable, com a espais de trobada on es promouen activitats esportives i socioculturals, posant al centre als joves, amb l’objectiu de què se sentin representants i alhora faciliti la participació activa en el seu benestarEs innegable que la noche ofrece a los jóvenes un espacio de socialización, identidad y autonomía, pero también es importante reconocer la relación con frecuencia con el consumo de sustancias y los riesgos asociados. ¿Qué pasaría si se canalizara ese impulso hacia el ocio nocturno de forma más constructiva? ¿Qué propuestas podrían implementarse para que el ocio nocturno se convirtiera en una experiencia enriquecedora que no dependiera del consumo de drogas? A continuación se presenta una investigación sobre las alternativas de ocio nocturno saludable, como espacios de encuentro donde se promueven actividades deportivas y socioculturales, poniendo en el centro a los jóvenes, con el objetivo de que se sientan representantes y al mismo tiempo facilite la participación activa en su bienestarIt is an irrefutable fact that nightlife provides young people with a social environment in which to develop their sense of identity and to gain autonomy. However, it is also important to recognise the frequent link with substance use and the associated risks. This paper posits the hypothesis of what would happen if this impulse towards nightlife were channelled in a more constructive way. The following paper will explore the potential for the implementation of proposals that would facilitate an enriching nightlife experience that is independent of drug use. The following study sets out to examine healthy nightlife alternatives, such as meeting places that promote sports and socio-cultural activities, with a focus on the centrality of young people, with the aim of making them feel represented and at the same time facilitating active participation in their well-being31
Optimització del procés de tractament actual dels pacients amb tumors localment avançats de laringe/hipofaringe: validació de factors pronòstics clínics de preservació d’òrgan i processament volumètric en la delimitació dels volums de tractament radioteràpic
No full textENG- This study analyzes the treatment of locally advanced laryngeal and hypopharyngeal tumors, focusing on two key areas: the validation of the TALK protocol and the use of the Smoothing tool in radiotherapy.
- Validation of the TALK Protocol: This prognostic model, which considers variables such as tumor staging, albumin levels, alcohol consumption, and functional status, helps determine whether a patient can benefit from a laryngeal preservation treatment or if a total laryngectomy is the better option. The study confirms that TALK predicts overall survival and survival without laryngectomy but does not accurately predict the laryngeal preservation rate.
- Smoothing in Radiotherapy: The impact of this technique was analyzed on different geometric volumes and real patients with head and neck cancer. It was found that smoothing reduces contouring artifacts, but it must be used carefully to avoid errors that could affect treatment outcomes.
In conclusion, the TALK model can aid in decision-making for treating laryngeal/hypopharyngeal tumors, while smoothing is a useful tool for optimizing radiotherapy volumes if applied correctlyCAT- Aquest estudi analitza el tractament dels tumors de laringe i hipofaringe localment avançats, centrant-se en dues àrees clau: la validació del protocol TALK i l’ús de l’eina de suavització (Smoothing) en la radioteràpia.
- Validació del Protocol TALK: Aquest model pronòstic, que té en compte variables com el tumor, els nivells d’albúmina, el consum d’alcohol i l’estat funcional, ajuda a determinar si un pacient pot beneficiar-se d’un tractament de preservació laríngia o si és millor optar per la laringectomia. L’estudi confirma que TALK prediu la supervivència global i sense laringectomia, però no la taxa de preservació de la laringe.
- Smoothing en radioteràpia: S’ha analitzat l’impacte d’aquesta tècnica en diferents volums geomètrics i en pacients reals amb càncer de cap i coll. S’ha evidenciat que el suavitzat redueix artefactes de delimitació, però ha de ser utilitzat amb precaució per evitar errors que podrien afectar el tractament.
En conclusió, el model TALK pot ajudar a millorar la presa de decisions en el tractament dels tumors de laringe/hipofaringe, mentre que el suavitzat és una eina útil per optimitzar els volums de radioteràpia si s'aplica correctamentPrograma de Doctorat en Biologia Molecular, Biomedicina i Salu
Perceptions and career goals of undergraduate tourism students
No full textENG- The first article explored the perceptions and career goals of undergraduate tourism students, before and during the pandemic COVID-19, at the Universidad Estatal de Milagro, in Milagro, Ecuador. The study is based on a quantitative approach. The sample is made up of 207 students in 2018 (before the COVID-19 pandemic) and 161 students in 2020 (during COVID-19). The questionnaire included questions about professional perceptions and professional goals that students have in the short and long term. Finally, perceptions exclusively related to COVID-19 were measured. The results showed that the vast majority of the students are highly motivated and committed to pursue a career in the tourism industry. A high percentage of the participants expressed their desire to achieve a Tourism master’s degree and undertake their tourism businesses, despite the uncertainty generated by COVID-19.
Employing a quantitative approach, the second article aims to examine and compare the perceptions of tourism degree studies, and their goals to pursue further education and a career in the tourism sector. Two universities in two different countries were analyzed: The University of Girona (Spain) and the Universidad Estatal de Milagro (Ecuador). The questionnaire design included questions related to professional perceptions and students' short- and long-term career goals. An Exploratory Factor Analysis of the career perceptions was carried out in both universities to determine the underlying factors determining the students’ professional perceptions. Findings show differences in perceptions of tourism studies between the countries. In Ecuador, the studies are perceived as a single factor: “General perception about the career”, while in Spain they are perceived as two factors: “Perception of social pressure”, based on what society expects, and “Personal perception”, based on individual achievements or goals related to a tourism degree and the profession.
With the third article, it was necessary to study from the perspective of the tourism labour market what competencies tourism businessmen consider necessary to perform efficiently in this industry. This study is based on a qualitative analysis and it was carried out at the Ecuadorian national level with businessmen from different areas of the tourism industry. Data used for the research were collected from semi-structured interviews, using a question guide. The method used for analysing the semi-structured interviews was thematic analysis. The results show that the “Professional and methodological competencies” and also “Social and communicative competencies” are the most relevant for the tourism businessmen interviewed. These clusters include aspects such as language competencies, fundamentals in management, fundamentals in economics and law, fundamentals in finance, fundamentals in information and communication technologies, Tourism-related knowledge, problem-solving skills, social networking skills, ability and willingness to change, adaptability skills, proactive communication skills, active listening, persuasion skills, overall communication abilities, and customer service/awarenessCAT- El primer article explora les percepcions i objectius professionals que tenen els estudiants del grau de Turisme, abans i durant la pandèmia COVID-19, a la Universitat Estatal de Milagro, a Milagro, Equador. L'estudi es basa en un enfocament quantitatiu. La mostra es compon de 207 estudiants durant el 2018 (abans de la pandèmia COVID-19) i de 161 estudiants el 2020 (durant el COVID-19). El qüestionari incloïa preguntes sobre percepcions professionals i preguntes sobre els objectius professionals que tenen els estudiants a curt i llarg termini. Finalment, es van mesurar les percepcions exclusivament relacionades amb el COVID-19. Els resultats van mostrar que la gran majoria d'estudiants estan altament motivats i compromesos a seguir una carrera en la indústria del turisme. Un alt percentatge dels participants va expressar el seu desig de fer un màster en turisme i emprendre els seus propis negocis turístics, malgrat la incertesa generada pel COVID-19.
Des d'un enfocament quantitatiu, el segon article té com a objectiu examinar i comparar, entre universitats internacionals, les percepcions professionals dels estudiants universitaris de turisme i els seus objectius professionals per continuar la seva educació i ocupació en aquest camp. L'estudi es porta a terme a la Universitat de Girona (Espanya) i la Universitat Estatal de Milagro (Equador). El disseny del qüestionari incloïa preguntes sobre percepcions professionals i sobre els objectius professionals a curt i llarg termini dels estudiants. Es realitza una Anàlisi Factorial Exploratori de les percepcions professionals en el camp del turisme en ambdues universitats per determinar els factors subjacents de les percepcions professionals dels estudiants universitaris de turisme. Els resultats mostren diferències en les percepcions dels estudis de turisme entre països. A l'Equador es perceben com un sol factor "Percepció general sobre els estudis", mentre que a Espanya es perceben com dos factors, "Percepció de pressió social", basat en el que la societat espera d'un estudiant, i "Percepció personal", basada en assoliments o metes individuals en relació amb la carrera i professió turística.
Amb el tercer article, va ser necessari estudiar des de la perspectiva del mercat laboral turístic, quines competències consideren necessàries els empresaris turístics per desenvolupar-se eficientment en la indústria del turisme. Aquest estudi es basa en una anàlisi qualitativa i es va realitzar a l'Equador amb empresaris de diferents àrees de la indústria turística a nivell nacional. Les dades utilitzades per a la investigació van ser recollides a partir d'entrevistes semiestructurades, utilitzant una guia de preguntes. El mètode utilitzat per a l'anàlisi de les entrevistes semiestructurades va ser l'anàlisi temàtica. Els resultats mostren que les "Competències professionals i metodològiques" i també les "Competències socials i comunicatives" són les més rellevants per als empresaris turístics entrevistats. Aquests grups inclouen aspectes com competències lingüístiques, fonaments en administració, fonaments en economia i dret, fonaments en finances, fonaments en tecnologies de la informació i la comunicació, coneixements relacionats amb el turisme, habilitats per resoldre problemes, habilitats per establir xarxes socials, capacitat i voluntat de canviar, habilitats d'adaptabilitat, habilitats de comunicació proactiva, escolta activa, habilitats de persuasió, habilitats generals de comunicació i servei al client/coneixement del clientPrograma de Doctorat Interuniversitari en Turism
Models basats en agents com a eina per a una gestió de l'aigua urbana centrada en l'usuari
No full textENG- Managing urban water has always been a challenge, but today it’s more complex than ever due to climate change and the growing links between water and other areas such as energy, the economy, and lifestyle. It's no longer just a technical issue — it’s also a social one, with no single “right” solution, but rather several possible options depending on the context.
In the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona, which has a large and complex water supply infrastructure, the current management model is being reconsidered. In this setting, artificial intelligence is being explored as a tool to simulate the impact of decisions before implementing them. Specifically, agent-based models are used to simulate how people might react to different policies.
These models were applied in four different case studies, analysing responses to measures like pricing changes, a mix of economic and non-economic actions, and modifications to infrastructure or its operation. The simulations revealed valuable insights, such as which price increases lead to real water savings, how to better support low-income households, and which times of day are best for applying water-saving strategies.
These results are useful not only for policymakers but also for companies like Aigües de Barcelona. They pave the way for a future where water management is more efficient, sustainable, and responsive to social needsCAT- La gestió de l’aigua a les ciutats és un repte que ha evolucionat amb el temps. Avui, factors com el canvi climàtic i la connexió entre l’aigua i altres àmbits (energia, economia, estil de vida) la fan més complexa. Ja no es tracta només de solucions tècniques, sinó també socials, i sovint no hi ha una única resposta correcta, sinó diverses opcions possibles.
A l’Àrea Metropolitana de Barcelona, amb una infraestructura d’abastament gran i complexa, s’està repensant el model actual de gestió. En aquest context, es planteja l’ús de la intel·ligència artificial per fer simulacions que ajudin a prendre decisions abans d’implantar canvis reals. Concretament, es fan servir models basats en agents, que simulen el comportament de persones davant diferents mesures.
S’han aplicat aquests models en quatre casos per analitzar com responen els usuaris a polítiques com pujades de tarifes, combinació de mesures econòmiques i no econòmiques, canvis en la infraestructura o la seva operació. Això ha permès descobrir, per exemple, quins preus redueixen més el consum, com ajudar millor les llars amb pocs recursos o quins horaris són més adequats per aplicar mesures d’estalvi.
Aquestes simulacions ofereixen informació valuosa per a governs i empreses com Aigües de Barcelona, i obren la porta a un futur on la gestió de l’aigua sigui més eficient, sostenible i adaptada a les necessitats socialsPrograma de Doctorat en Ciència i Tecnologia de l'Aigu
Population-based analysis of breast cancer incidence and mortality: overall and age-specific temporal trends over 40-year period in Girona, Spain
No full textPurpose: Breast cancer (BC) incidence and mortality in women have changed over time. This study aims to analyze population-level incidence and mortality trends over 40 years of observation. Methods: Population-based study of BC conducted by Girona Cancer Registry covering the period 1980–2019. Age-standardized incidence and mortality rates were calculated. Poisson change-point regression models were used to analyze trends, calculating the annual percentage change (APC). Results: A total of 12,283 diagnoses of invasive BC between 1980 and 2019. The overall age-standardized incidence rate was 109.9 (95% confidence intervals (CI) 104.4; 115.4) cases per 100,000 women-years. Trend analyses showed a statistically significant incidence increase of 4.2% per year from 1980 to 1994 (95%CI 3.3; 5.1), and a stabilization between 1994 and 2019, with an APC of 0.28% (95%CI − 0.04; 0.56). These trends were similar for the age groups 0–49 years and 50–69 years. In women over 69 years of age, an increase in incidence of 4.4% (95%CI 2.8; 6.0) per year was observed between 1980 and 1995 followed by a non-statistically significant decrease of − 0.35% (95%CI − 0.86; 0.15) between 1995 and 2019. The overall age-standardized mortality rate was 30.3 (95%CI 29.3; 31.3) cases per 100,000 women-years. Mortality rate trends showed a statistically significant decrease of − 1.87% (95%CI − 2.38; − 1.37) per year since 1992. Conclusion: There has been a stabilization in the incidence of BC and a gradual decline in BC mortality in women. The introduction of mammography in the mid-1990s, alongside early detection and treatment due to screening programs may play a significant role in the reduction of BC burden in women of all agesThis work was partially co-funded by the European Comission, EU4Health Programme (EU4H) [grant numbers 101128640—ELISAH; 101128023—JA-PreventNCD]; Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades [PI23/00219] and the Agency for Management of University and Research Grants, Government of Catalonia [grant number: 2021SGR01511].
Open Access funding provided thanks to the CRUE-CSIC agreement with Springer Nature
A Constrained Divisive-Compositional Approach to Micropalaeontological Ecozonation
No full textZonation of stratigraphic successions is a key practice for identifying intervals characterised by stability or, conversely, by palaeoenvironmental changes. Stratigraphically constrained agglomerative algorithms have been commonly adopted to obtain zonation based on quantitative palaeontological data. Here we explore constrained divisive algorithms aiming at obtaining a zonation that meets the principle of maximizing coefficients commonly used to evaluate the effectiveness of clustering algorithms. In particular, a constrained version of Cavalli Sforza’s method was applied, together with an algorithm conceived to maximise, at each division, the average silhouette width of the observations. The results were compared, following the compositional data analysis properties, with those obtained with a commonly adopted agglomerative method. When evaluated on artificial data, the divisive algorithms show stability and a tendency to identify the boundary between intervals at the midpoint of transitions, consistently with common stratigraphic practice. Overall, the application to real micropalaeontological data, consisting of percentages of planktonic foraminifera, provide reasonable zonation patterns with all algorithms considered. For the main partition, the constrained version of Cavalli Sforza’s method provides highest values of Calinski–Harabasz and Hartigan indexes, while the average silhouette width method, as expected, performs better in the evaluation of average silhouette width index as well as of Goodman–Kruskal’s coefficient and cophenetic correlation. One potential issue to consider is the tendency to define single sample intervals as the number of partitions increasesThis research was supported by the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación under the projects “CODA-GENERA” (Ref. PID2021-123833OB-I00) and “CONBACO” (Ref. PID2021-125380OB-I00); and by the Agència de Gestió d'Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca of the Generalitat de Catalunya under the project "COSDA" (Ref. 2021SGR01197).
Open Access funding provided thanks to the CRUE-CSIC agreement with Springer Natur
Classification of wildfires in relation to land cover types and associated variables by applying cluster analysis: a case study in the Iberian Peninsula
No full textWildfires are a major environmental problem that have both economic and ecological impacts. Wildfires typically spread in a particular pattern, determined by factors such as the elements on the ground that catch fire or their geographic location. This study reports and discusses how wildfires in the Valencian Community, Spain, have been spatially grouped in recent years (from 2016 to 2020). It also characterizes each cluster in terms of location and land cover. An exploratory analysis of the environmental variables associated with wildfires has been conducted using finite Gaussian mixture models in R (R package mclust). The primary findings can be used to better understand the types of wildfires that occur in individual spatial zones. Some interesting cluster patterns in specific geographical areas, such as river basins, have also been reported. The method can identify clusters of fires by detecting areas with similar characteristics at the land use level. It also allows for the implementation of measures aimed at reducing the impacts of wildfires and can help in the extinction of wildfires based on the characteristics of all the fires grouped using spatial and land cover dimensionsOpen Access funding provided thanks to the CRUE-CSIC agreement with Springer Natur