Abstract
The Watson distribution is frequently used for modeling axial data. In this paper, we present goodness-of-fit methods for the bipolar Watson distribution defined on the hypersphere. We analyze by simulation some questions concerning these tests: the adequacy of the asymptotic chi-square distribution used in the tests and the adequacy of using the tabulated critical values for the Kolmogorov-Smirnov statistic when the parameters of the bipolar Watson distribution are unknown. We illustrate these techniques with simulated data from this distribution.

Abstract
The bipolar Watson distribution is frequently used for modeling axial data. We extend the one-way analysis of variance based on this distribution to a two-way layout. We illustrate the method with directional data in three dimensions.

Abstract
The Watson distribution defined on the hypersphere is one of the most used distributions for modelling axial data. In this paper, we consider the discriminant analysis for axial data assumed to come from a mixture of Watson distributions defined on the hypersphere. We develop an optimal classification rule, which enables us to assign a new observation into one of several Watson subpopulations defined on the hypersphere. As the probabilities of misclassification cannot be calculated in closed form, we report on a simulation study to estimate, in some cases, the probabilities of misclassification and a distance between the two Watson subpopulations defined on the hypersphere. An illustration of our approach is provided using data defined on the sphere given in the literature.

Abstract
The present study intended to assess flexibility of adolescents of both sexes, involving several body regions and articular groups; to compare males with females, to establish, by factor analyses, inter-tests correlations, in order to obtain explanations of the result in original variables and, to verify which principal components, by reduction of the number of correlated variables, are susceptible to better explain variability. The sample is constituted by 52 subjects (28 females and 24 males), aged between 15 and 18 years. Flexibility assessment battery was formed by eight tests: sit and reach (SA), v-sit and reach (V-SA), stand and reach (FTFP), trunk lift (ET), arm-trunk lift (ETB), side bending (FLT-D e FLTE), shoulder stretch (AMAC-D e AMAC-E) and, bend and reach (AAA). The main results showed, in general, a balance in both sexes as far as the ability to perform wide movements is concerned. There is a strong association: 1) among similar technical characteristic tests, which seems there is no need for cumulative use among these tests, and 2) among those tests that have direct effects on laterality, AMAC-D/AMAC-E (except males) and FLT-D/FLT-E. The AAA test did not correlate with any of the performed tests, particularly in males. Factor analyses of principal components (CP) showed the existence of three components in the female group, with eigenvalues higher than 1, explaining 83,2% of total variance, while in the male group four components were necessary to explain 88,8% of total variability. The tests that were more strongly correlated with each one of principal components were: 1) for males: SA, FTFP, V-SA (CP1), FLT-D, FLT-E (CP2), AMAC-D, AAA (CP3), and ETB, ET (CP4); 2) for females: AAA, FLT-E, AMAC-D, AMAC-E, FTFP (CP1), V-SA, SA, FTFP (CP2), and ETB, ET (CP3).

Abstract
Typically, search engines are low precision in response to a query, retrieving lots of useless web pages, and missing some other important ones. In this paper, we study the problem of the hierarchical clustering of web pages search results. In particular, we propose an architecture called FUSE [1], a meta-search engine that automatically builds clusters of related web pages embodying one meaning of the query. These clusters are then hierarchically organized and labeled with a phrase representing the key concept of the cluster and the corresponding web documents. The system which is a web-based interface (soon available at wise.di.ubi.pt), introduces some interesting new ideas, such as the pre-selection of the retrieved web pages, the capacity to statistically detect phrases within documents and the representation of documents based on their most relevant key concepts by using web content mining techniques. The final step of the system is supported by a graph-based overlapping clustering algorithm which groups the selected documents into a hierarchy of clusters.

Abstract