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Nonstandard errors
No full textIn statistics, samples are drawn from a population in a data-generating process (DGP). Standard errors measure the uncertainty in estimates of population parameters. In science, evidence is generated to test hypotheses in an evidence-generating process (EGP). We claim that EGP variation across researchers adds uncertainty-nonstandard errors (NSEs). We study NSEs by letting 164 teams test the same hypotheses on the same data. NSEs turn out to be sizable, but smaller for more reproducible or higher rated research. Adding peer-review stages reduces NSEs. We further find that this type of uncertainty is underestimated by participants
The judicial dialogue between the court of justice of the European Union and the German federal constitutional court: a relation of cooperation or tension?
No full textTreball de Fi de Màster: Master in European and Global Law. Curs 2024-2025Tutor: Joan Solanes MullorThe thesis examines the judicial dialogue between the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) and the German Federal Constitutional Court (BVerfG). Their relationship is often described as one of “cooperation”, a terminology chosen by Karlsruhe itself in its Maastricht judgment. It expresses the German Basic Law’s openness to European Integration. For understanding thisrelationship, it is important to outline their perspectives on the principle of primacy of EU Law. Even if there is a general consensus on the primacy principle, both differ considerably in reasoning and reach. While the CJEU ruled in Costa/E.N.E.L. that there is an absolute primacy due to the autonomous nature of EU law, the BVerfG considers this to be only relative. Grounded on the German constitution, it reserves itself three reservations of control, a fundamental right review, an ultra vires review and a national constitutional identity review. Both approaches are logically unassailable based on their respective premises. There is no superior authority that could bindingly determine which premise is correct. This repeatedly causes tensions. In its fiercely debated PSPP-judgment from 5 May 2020, the BVerfG for the first time in its history declared both a judgment of the CJEU as well as acts of secondary EU law to be ultra vires. Critically examined here must be the enormous legal but also political dimensions of the judgment. Ultimately, the big picture of the judicial dialogue between both courts reveals a fundamental requirement. Indispensable for a genuine cooperation is, that both courts mutually respect each other’s perspective to seek for balanced solutions that realise both as fully as possible
Modelos de activación de la relevancia y el engagement de audiencias en medios de comunicación
No full textDesde su creación en 2018, la Cátedra Ideograma-UPF de Comunicación Política y Democracia ha tenido como uno de sus objetivos fundamentales difundir a la sociedad saberes, prácticas y recomendaciones para contribuir a un mejor conocimiento y abordaje de los retos a los que se enfrentan los sistemas democráticos. Entre otras actividades de transferencia de conocimiento, publicamos informes en los que presentamos resultados de investigaciones que pueden ser de interés para la toma de decisiones en el ámbito político, social, mediático y empresarial. El informe “Modelos de Activación de la Relevancia y el Engagement de Audiencias en Medios de Comunicación (MAREA)” es un ejemplo de ello
Characterization of left atrial hemodynamics with 4D flow magnetic resonance imaging, in-silico models and deep learning
No full textAlthough the left ventricle has traditionally held the spotlight as
the primary determinant of cardiovascular disease prognosis, the
characterization of left atrial hemodynamics is increasingly being
recognized as a potential bellwether of several cardiovascular disorders.
However, blood flow within the left atrium is pulsatile,
multidirectional, and time-varying in nature, and imaging modalities
currently available in clinical practice can only provide limited
insight into the intricate underlying hemodynamic patterns. As
a result, this thesis aims to address the challenges in the implementation
of cutting-edge cardiac hemodynamic analysis methods,
including 4D Flow magnetic resonance imaging (4D Flow MRI),
computational fluid dynamics, and deep learning, to standardize
and expedite the characterization of left atrial hemodynamics, laying
the foundation for a more comprehensive understanding of the
role of left atrial blood flow in cardiovascular disease. To achieve
this objective, the thesis is structured around three primary contributions.
Firstly, a robust computational framework was developed for
the analysis of 4D Flow MRI in the left atrium, capable of handling
multicenter data with varying quality. The framework is completely
open-source and facilitates a comprehensive qualitative and quantitative
analysis of advanced hemodynamic parameters that were
previously unexplored in any sizeable left atrial cohort. Secondly,
we derived pulsed-wave Doppler-like velocity spectrograms from
4D Flow MRI to study its potential use in left ventricular diastology
as an adjunct in challenging cases where standard echocardiographic
assessment may not be feasible. Finally, to address the
need for real-time monitoring of patient-specific hemodynamics in
the clinical setting, we developed a set of deep learning surrogates,
leveraging recent advances in graph and physics-informed neural
networks to enable adaptation to unstructured data and surpass the
limitations of the current data-driven paradigm.Tradizionalki, ezker bentrikulua gaixotasun kardiobaskularren pronostikoaren
lehen determinatzaile foko nagusia izan bada ere, gero
eta gehiago antzematen da ezker atrioko hemodinamikaren karakterizazioaren
potentziala hainbat gaixotasun kardiobaskularren
adierazle bezala. Hala ere, ezkerreko atrioko odol-fluxua pulsatila,
norabide anitzekoa eta denbora-aldakorra da, gaur egun praktika
klinikoan eskuragai dauden irudi-modalitateek ganbera barruan aurkitzen
diren patroi hemodinamiko konplexuen irudi oso mugatua
eskaini dezaketen bitartean. Ondorioz, tesi honen helburu nagusia
bihotzeko analisi hemodinamirako punta-puntako metodoen (4D
fluxu erresonantzia magnetikoa (4D Flow MRI), fluidoen dinamika
konputazionala eta ikaskuntza sakona barne) implementazioan dauden
erronkei aurre egitea da, ezker atrioko hemodinamikaren karakterizazioa
estandarizatu eta bizkortzeko eta gaixotasun kardiobaskularren
garapenean duen garrantzia hobeto ezartzeko. Helburu hori
lortzearren, tesia hiru ekarpen nagusiren inguruan egituratzen da.
Lehenik eta behin, 4D Flow MRI ezker atrioan aztertzeko kodigo
irekiko framework konputazional bat garatu da kalitate ezberdinareko
datu multizentrikoak maneiatzeko gai dena. Framework honek,
atrio azkerrean aurretik aztertu ez diren parametro hemodinamiko
eratorrien analisi kualitatibo eta kuantitatiboa ahalbidetzen du. Bigarrenik,
Doppler pultsatuaren tankerako abiadura-espektrogramak
garatu ditugu 4D Flow MRI, ebaluazio ekokardiografiko estandarra
bideragarria ez den kasuetan ezkerreko diastologia bentrikularrean
izan dezakeen erabilera aztertzeko. Azkenik, ingurune klinikoan
hemodinamika denbora errealean monitorizatzeko beharrari aurre
egiteko, ikaskuntza sakoneko modelo multzo bat garatu dira,
fisikan-informatutako eta grafoen sare neuronaletan eman diren
aurrerapenak baliatuz, datuetan funtsatutako egungo paradigmaren
mugak gainditzeko eta datu ez-estrukturatuetara egokitzeko.Programa de Doctorat en Tecnologies de la Informació i les Comunicacion
Calibration of toenail metal concentrations for sample mass heterogeneity and between-batch variability: The COMET approach
No full textBackground: Toenails are promising biomarkers of long-term metal exposure in epidemiological studies, but their accuracy may be compromised by systematic and random errors associated with heterogeneous toenail sample masses, as well as by substantial variability across laboratory batches. Objectives: We propose a novel modeling approach to calibrate toenail metal concentrations for the heterogeneity in sample masses and the variability between batches. Methods: We developed a heteroscedastic spline mixed model relating sample mass and laboratory batch with measured concentrations, allowing for an average bias in measurements over all batches as a smooth function of sample mass, random variation in mass-related biases across batches, and mass-related heterogeneity in within-batch error variance. The model allowed partitioning the total variance of measured concentrations into the extraneous variances (due to different sample masses and laboratory batches) and the intrinsic variance (resulting from distinct metal exposures). We derived calibrated metal concentrations from the model by removing both sources of extraneous variation and estimating the predicted concentrations had all toenail samples been analyzed in a single batch and of the same mass. We provide the R script COMET (COrrected METals) to fit the proposed model, extract variance components, and calibrate metal concentrations. Results: In a multicase-control study in Spain (MCC-Spain) with toenail determinations for 16 metals in 4,473 incident cases of five common cancers and 3,450 population controls, sample mass and batch accounted for 26%-60% of the total variance of measured concentrations for most metals. In comparison with calibrated concentrations, odds ratios for measured concentrations were biased by >10% toward or away from the null in one-quarter of the estimated metal-cancer associations. Discussion: The proposed model allows correcting toenail metal concentrations for sample mass heterogeneity and between-batch variability and could be applied to other biological specimens of heterogeneous size, distinct laboratory techniques, and different study designs. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP14784
Mild acute biliary pancreatitis: still a surgical disease. A post-hoc analysis of the MANCTRA-1 international study
No full textBackground: The current standard of care for mild acute biliary pancreatitis (MABP) involves early laparoscopic cholecystectomy (ELC) to reduce the risk of recurrence. The MANCTRA-1 project revealed a knowledge-to-action gap and higher recurrence rates in patients admitted to medical wards, attributable to fewer ELCs being performed. The project estimated a 35% to 70% probability of narrowing this gap by 2025. This study evaluates the safety of suboptimal ELC implementation and identifies risk factors for recurrent acute biliary pancreatitis (RAP) in patients not undergoing ELC after an MABP episode. Methods: We conducted a post-hoc analysis of the MANCTRA-1 registry, including MABP patients who did not undergo ELC during the index hospitalization, excluding those with related complications. The primary outcome was the 30-day hospital readmission rate due to RAP. We performed multivariable logistic regression to find risk factors associated with the primary outcome. Results: Between January 2019 and December 2020, 1920, MABP patients from 150 centers were included in the study. The 30-day readmission rate due to RAP was 6%. Multivariable logistic regression found the admission to a medical ward (internal medicine or gastroenterology) (OR = 1.95, p = 0.001) and a positive COVID-19 test (OR = 3.08, p = 0.029) as independent risk factors for RAP. Conclusion: Our analysis offers valuable insights into the management of MABP, particularly in centers where ELC cannot be fully implemented due to logistical and clinical constraints, worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic. Regardless of the admitting ward, prompt access to surgical care is crucial in reducing the risk of early recurrence, highlighting the need to implement surgical consultation pathways within MABP care bundles
Exposure-response functions of the correlated environmental exposures green space, noise, and air pollution for quantifying mortality burden in health impact assessment
No full textObjective: Environmental health impact assessments (HIA)on green space, air pollution (fine particulate matter (PM2.5) or nitrogen dioxide (NO2)), and noise use exposure-response functions (ERF) based on single-exposure models from epidemiological studies, not accounting for potential confounding by other commonly correlated exposures. We assessed differences in ERFs between single- and multi-exposure models for calculation of joint health impacts in HIA. Methods: We systematically searched cohort studies that reported both single- and multi-exposure models for associations of long-term exposure to any combination of the following exposures green space, PM2.5, NO2, and noise, with all-cause mortality. For each exposure, pooled hazard ratios (HRs) were calculated by meta-analyses and compared between single- and two-exposure models. The joint effects of two exposures in each exposure pair were expressed as joint HRs calculated by multiplying the individual HRs. Coefficient differences were calculated, and population attributable fractions (PAF) were used to estimate joint health impacts. Results: Eleven studies were identified, examining associations between multiple exposures and mortality in the general population. The studies show substantial variability in exposure levels and correlations between exposures. For most exposure pairs, adjusting for a second exposure resulted in moderately attenuated HRs compared to single-exposure models. The mortality PAFs estimated from joint single-exposure model HRs were higher than those from two-exposure models, indicating an overestimation of mortality burden when not accounting for other co-exposures. For example, when adjusted for green space or noise, the mortality HRs for PM2.5 were attenuated from 1.071 to 1.061 and 1.072 to 1.055, respectively. As for PAFs, for the green space-PM2.5 pair, the single-exposure model PAF (0.090) was 18.4% higher than the two-exposure model (0.076). For all exposure pairs, the joint PAFs of two-exposure models were higher than the PAFs from the single-exposure models for each exposure individually. Conclusion: The pooled coefficient differences from this study can be used to adjust single-exposure ERFs from meta-analyses and allow the calculation of combined impacts from multiple environmental exposures, making HIA estimates more robust and realistic.This project has received funding from the European Union's, Horizon Europe Framework Programme (HORIZON) under GA No 101094639 – THE URBAN BURDEN OF DISEASE ESTIMATION FOR POLICY MAKING (UBDPolicy). We also acknowledge support from the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities and State Research Agency through the grant CEX2018-000806-S funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033; support from the Generalitat de Catalunya through the Centres de Recerca de Catalunya (CERCA) programme; support from Centro de Investigacioń Bioḿedica en red Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP)
Phase 2 study of the antitumour activity and safety of simlukafusp alfa (FAP-IL2v) combined with atezolizumab in patients with recurrent and/or metastatic cervical squamous cell carcinoma
No full textBackground: Simlukafusp alfa (FAP-IL2v) is an immune cytokine engineered to selectively promote immune responses in the tumour microenvironment. We evaluated the antitumour activity and safety of FAP-IL2v plus atezolizumab in recurrent and/or metastatic cervical squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) in a phase 2 basket study (NCT03386721). Methods: Patients with confirmed metastatic, persistent or recurrent cervical SCC who had progressed on ≥1 anti-cancer therapy and had measurable disease were enrolled. FAP-IL2v 10 mg was administered once every 3 weeks (Q3W) or once weekly (QW) for 4 weeks then once every 2 weeks (Q2W) with the corresponding Q3W or Q2W atezolizumab regimens. The primary endpoint was objective response rate by investigator assessment. Findings: Forty-eight patients were enrolled (Q3W: n = 47; QW/Q2W: n = 1). Among 45 response evaluable patients, objective responses occurred in 12 patients (27%; CI 16.0-41.0), including 3 complete and 9 partial responses. Responses occurred in 6/19 PD-L1 positive patients (32%; 95% CI 15.4-54.0) and 5/24 PD-L1 negative patients (21%; 95% CI 9.2-35.6). Median duration of response was 13.3 months (95% CI 7.6-NE). Median progression-free survival was 3.7 months (95% CI 3.3-9.0). Adverse events (AEs) were consistent with the known safety profile of each drug. AEs leading to withdrawal of either agent occurred in 6 patients (13%). Pronounced expansion and activation of natural killer and CD8 T cells in peripheral blood and increased tumour infiltration and inflammation were observed. Interpretation: FAP-IL2v plus atezolizumab is clinically active and has manageable safety in patients with recurrent and/or metastatic cervical SCC. Funding: F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd
Beyond mutual constitution: the property framework for intersectionality studies
No full textWithin feminist theory and a wide range of social sciences, intersectionality has emerged as a key analytic framework, challenging paradigms that consider gender, race, class, sexuality, and other categories as separate and instead conceptualizing them as interconnected. This has led most authors to assume mutual constitution as the pertinent model, often without much scrutiny. In this essay we critically review the main senses of mutual constitution in the literature and challenge what we take to be a problematic assumption: the problem of reification, here understood as the conceptualization of social categories as entities or objects. We then present the properties framework, together with the emergent experience view, which conceptualizes categories and social systems in a way that maintains their ontological specificity while allowing for their being deeply affected by each other.Financial support for this work was provided by MINECO, Spanish Government, research projects FFI2013-47948-P, FFI2014-52196-P and FFI2016-80588-R (M. J.) and postdoctoral fellowships FJCI-2015-23620, IJCI-2017-34112 (M. J.) and FJCI-2014-19743, IJCI-2016-27422 (M. R. Z)
Spontaneous translanguaging in a Russian language classroom
No full textMentre que gran part de la recerca s’ha centrat en el transllenguatge pedagògic, el transllenguatge espontani ha rebut menys atenció acadèmica. Aquesta tesi examina el transllenguatge espontani en una aula d’aprenents adults bilingües en català i espanyol que aprenen el rus com a llengua addicional. L’objectiu principal és investigar quines formes adopta el transllenguatge i si les llengües addicionals del repertori lingüístic dels estudiants són útils a l’hora d’aprendre una llengua tipològicament distant, un tema que no s’ha examinat suficientment en la literatura i encara menys en una combinació de llengües tan poc estudiada com la que estudiem. La recerca mostra que l’idioma que utilitzen principalment els estudiants a l’aula és el català, mentre que l’espanyol i les llengües addicionals, fins i tot les comunes, s’utilitzen rarament. La tesi posa de manifest que el transllenguatge serveix per a molts propòsits, com mostra la classificació que proposo, i sembla ser útil per promoure l’aprenentatge de llengües. Entre d’altres objectius, els estudiants utilitzen el translenguatge per diversió, jugant amb les formes de les paraules, els significats semàntics i pragmàtics, per entretenir-se a ells mateixos i als altres. El transllenguatge ajuda els estudiants a aclarir el significat dels culturalismes i a assenyalar problemes de comprensió on la traducció no ajuda. Basant-me en aquests resultats, també argumento que la traducció i el transllenguatge haurien de mantenir-se generalment com a conceptes separats, però que en alguns casos estan mútuament entrellaçats, ja que els actes de transllenguatge poden complementar la traducció gràcies al seu potencial creatiu.Mientras que gran parte de la investigación se ha centrado en el translenguaje pedagógico, el translenguaje espontáneo ha recibido menos atención académica. Esta tesis examina el translenguaje espontáneo en un aula de aprendices adultos bilingües catalán y español que aprenden el ruso como lengua adicional. El objetivo principal es investigar qué formas adopta el translenguaje y si las lenguas adicionales del repertorio lingüístico de los estudiantes son útiles al aprender un idioma tipológicamente distante, un tema que no se ha examinado suficientemente en la literatura y aún menos en una combinación de idiomas tan poco estudiada como la que estudiamos. La investigación muestra que el idioma que utilizan principalmente los estudiantes en el aula es el catalán, mientras que el español y las lenguas adicionales, incluso las comunes, se hablan raramente. Se observa que el translenguaje sirve para muchos propósitos, como se detalla en una clasificación que propongo, y parece ser útil para promover el aprendizaje de idiomas. Entre otros objetivos, los estudiantes utilizan el translenguaje por diversión, jugando con las formas de las palabras, los significados semánticos y pragmáticos, para entretenerse a sí mismos y a los demás. El translenguaje ayuda a los estudiantes a aclarar el significado de los culturalismos y a señalar problemas de comprensión donde la traducción no ayuda. Basándome en estos hallazgos, también argumento que la traducción y el translenguaje deberían mantenerse generalmente como conceptos separados, pero que en algunos casos están mutuamente entrelazados, ya que los actos de translenguaje pueden complementar la traducción gracias a su potencial creativo.While much research has focused on pedagogical translanguaging, spontaneous translanguaging has received less scholarly attention. This thesis examines spontaneous translanguaging in a classroom of Catalan-Spanish bilingual adult learners of Russian as an additional language. The main objective is to investigate what forms translanguaging takes and whether additional languages in the students’ linguistic repertoire are useful when learning a typologically distant language, an issue which is not sufficiently examined in literature and even less in an understudied language combination such as the present one. The study shows that the main language students use in the classroom is Catalan, whereas Spanish and additional languages, even common ones, are rarely spoken. Translanguaging is shown to serve for many purposes, as detailed in a classification I propose, and it seems to be useful for promoting language learning. Among other things, students translanguage for fun, playing with word forms, semantic and pragmatic meanings, to entertain themselves and others. Translanguaging helps students clarify the meaning of culturemes and point to comprehension problems where translation does not help. Based on these findings, I also argue that translating and translanguaging should generally be maintained as separate concepts, but that in some cases they are mutually embedded, as acts of translanguaging can complement translation through their creative potential.Universitat Pompeu Fabra. Doctorat en Traducció i Ciències del Llenguatg