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Peer-reviewed conferences, the main publication venues in CS, rely critically on matching highly qualified reviewers for each paper. Because of the growing scale of these conferences, the tight timelines on which they operate, and a recent surge in explicitly dishonest behavior, there is now no alternative to performing this matching in an automated way. This paper introduces Large Conference Matching (LCM) , a novel reviewer–paper matching approach that was recently deployed in the 35th AAAI Conference on Artificial Intelligence (AAAI 2021), and has since been adopted (wholly or partially) by other conferences including ICML 2022, AAAI 2022-2024, and IJCAI 2022-2024. LCM has three main elements: (1) collecting and processing input data to identify problematic matches and generate reviewer–paper scores; (2) formulating and solving an optimization problem to find good reviewer–paper matchings; and (3) a two-phase reviewing process that shifts reviewing resources away from papers likely to be rejected and towards papers closer to the decision boundary. This paper also describes an evaluation of these innovations based on an extensive post-hoc analysis on real data—including a comparison with the matching algorithm used in AAAI's previous (2020) iteration—and supplements this with additional numerical experimentation.2 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long term annual electricity consumption forecasting is very important for country's energy planning. These forecasts are influenced by several factors (political, technological, social, environmental and economic), and brings with itself a high uncertainty degree in its results and difficulties in the evaluation of such factors over them. A methodology that eases to take into account these factors aiming improve the results and help understanding the electricity consumption annual trajectory till the forecast horizon is, therefore, very much useful and desired. So, we propose a modelling structure using the bottom-up approach to cope with these matters and to evaluate the trajectory of long term annual electricity consumption of a sector of the Brazilian industry up to 2050 considering energy efficiency (EE) scenarios. It is important to emphasize that Brazil is a developing country, and to build a bottom-up approach was a challenge, mainly due to the fact that this model is data intensive. In particular, this modelling was applied in the pulp and paper sector. The main goal was to consider technological diffusion scenarios in EE measures, and show the energy savings achieved. The results point an energy savings in the order of 25% when an actual scenario is considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Renewable energy production throughout low-voltage grids has gradually increased in electrical distribution systems, therefore introducing small energy producers - prosumers. This paradigm challenges the traditional unidirectional energy distribution flow to include disperse power production from renewables. To understand how energy usage can be optimized in the dynamic electrical grid, it is important to understand the behavior of prosumers and their impact on the grid's operational procedures. The main focus of this study is to investigate how grid operators can obtain an automatic data-driven system for the low-voltage electrical grid management, by analyzing the available grid topology and time-series consumption data from a real-life test area. The aim is to argue for how different consumer profiles, clustering and prediction methods contribute to the grid-related operations. Ultimately, this work is intended for future research directions that can contribute to improving the trade-off between systematic and scalable data models and software computational challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The flows of paper are analyzed throughout the papermaking processes, with the year 2007 and Korea defined as the system boundaries. In practice, the statistical data on the production, import and export of paper or pulp can be collected with relative ease from the government and industrial associations. However, the input data regarding the volumes of pulp and wastepaper used in different paper products, such as newsprint, printing papers, sanitary and household papers, specialty papers, and corrugating board base, are difficult to obtain because such information is generally kept confidential in the course of corporate operations. The production processes of paper products in Korea are modeled using information on raw materials, their compositions and production yields of products in order to identify and quantify the amounts of pulp and wastepaper used in each paper product. The material flows of paper are then analyzed based on the calculation model derived from the correlation of input and output flows between the individual processes throughout the entire paper lifecycle. Accuracy analysis using both mean absolute error (MAE) and mean absolute percent error (MAPE) is conducted to verify the amounts of pulp and wastepaper calculated from the proposed model against the volumes of domestically consumed pulp and wastepaper provided in the national statistics. Although the calculated values for the past (i.e., the 1980s and 1990s) differ to some degree from the statistical values, the data for the 2000s have a relatively higher level of accuracy, with the MAPE of the total pulp and recycling volume at 5.39% and 5.30%, respectively, thus validating the adequacy of the proposed modeling method. The proposed calculation model can be effectively used in the material flow analysis (MFA) of paper to reduce the burden of data collection and obtain relatively accurate results. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Using empirical data I demonstrate that the result of performance evaluations by percentiles can be drastically influenced by the proper choice of the journal in which a manuscript is published. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The process of assessing individual authors should rely upon a proper aggregation of reliable and valid papers’ quality metrics. Citations are merely one possible way to measure appreciation of publications. In this study we propose some new, SJR- and SNIP-based indicators, which not only take into account the broadly conceived popularity of a paper (manifested by the number of citations), but also other factors like its potential, or the quality of papers that cite a given publication. We explore the relation and correlation between different metrics and study how they affect the values of a real-valued generalized h-index calculated for 11 prominent scientometricians. We note that the h-index is a very unstable impact function, highly sensitive for applying input elements’ scaling. Our analysis is not only of theoretical significance: data scaling is often performed to normalize citations across disciplines. Uncontrolled application of this operation may lead to unfair and biased (toward some groups) decisions. This puts the validity of authors assessment and ranking using the h-index into question. Obviously, a good impact function to be used in practice should not be as much sensitive to changing input data as the analyzed one. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In the present work we introduce a modification of the h-index for multi-authored papers with contribution based author name ranking. The modified h-index is denoted by h mc-index. It employs the framework of the h m-index, which in turn is a straightforward modification of the Hirsch index, proposed by Schreiber. To retain the merit of requiring no additional rearrangement of papers in the h m-index and in order to overcome its shortage of benefiting secondary authors at the expense of primary authors, h mc-index uses combined credit allocation (CCA) to replace fractionalized counting in the h m-index. The h m-index is a special form of h mc-index and fits for papers with equally important authors or alphabetically ordered authorship. There is a possibility of an author of lower contribution to the whole scientific community obtaining a higher h mc-index. Rational h mc-index, denoted by h mcr-index, can avoid it. A fictitious example as a model case and two empirical cases are analyzed. The correlations of the h mcr-index with the h-index and its several variants considering multiple co-authorship are inspected with 30 researchers’ citation data. The results show that the h mcr-index is more reasonable for authors with different contributions. A researcher playing more important roles in significant work will obtain higher h mcr-index. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In the work presented in this paper, we analyse ranking algorithms that can be applied to bibliographic citation networks and rank academic entities such as papers and authors. We evaluate how well these algorithms identify important and high-impact entities. The ranking algorithms are computed on the Microsoft Academic Search (MAS) and the ACM digital library citation databases. The MAS database contains 40 million papers and over 260 million citations that span across multiple academic disciplines, while the ACM database contains 1.8 million papers from the computing literature and over 7 million citations. We evaluate the ranking algorithms by using a test data set of papers and authors that won renowned prizes at numerous computer science conferences. The results show that using citation counts is, in general, the best ranking metric to measure high-impact. However, for certain tasks, such as ranking important papers or identifying high-impact authors, algorithms based on PageRank perform better. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increased interest in an impact measurement of research on other areas of the society than research has led in scientometrics to an investigation of altmetrics. Particular attention is paid here to a targeted broad impact measurement: The aim is to discover the impact which a particular publication set has on specific user groups (outside research) by using altmetrics. This study used the Mendeley application programming interface (API) to download the Mendeley counts (broken down by different user types of publications in Mendeley) for a comprehensive F1000Prime data set. F1000Prime is a post-publication peer review system for papers from the biomedical area. As the F1000 papers are provided with tags from experts in this area (Faculty members) which can characterise a paper more exactly (such as “good for teaching” or “new finding”), the interest of different user groups in specifically tagged papers could be investigated. This study's evaluation of the variously tagged F1000 papers provided interesting insights into the use of research papers by different user groups. The most interesting tag for altmetrics research is “good for teaching”. This applies to papers which are well written and provide an overview of a topic. Papers with this tag can be expected to arouse interest among people who are hardly or not at all involved in research. The results of the regression models in this study do in fact show that lecturers, researchers at a non-academic institution, and others (such as librarians) have a special interest in this kind of papers. In the case of a key article in a field, or a particularly well written article that provides a good overview of a topic, then it will tend to be better received by people which are not particularly related to academic research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article we study three types of uncitedness in Library and Information Science journals: uncitedness for articles, authors and topics. One important aspect in this study is giving accurate definitions of the indicators for measuring uncited papers, uncited authors and uncited topics. It is found that for the period 1991–2010 ratios of uncited papers fluctuate within the interval [0,0.1]. This ratio is relatively stable and not very high. Comparison of average number of pages, average number of references, average number of authors per paper and percentage of single-authored papers between cited and uncited papers shows that no matter the journal, the first three indicators’ values for uncited papers are lower, while the values of the fourth indicator are higher, than the corresponding values for cited papers. The fact that almost all uncited authors in a journal published only one paper in this journal illustrates that a journal's uncited authors are the least productive authors in this journal. Yet, productive and highly cited authors also publish uncited papers. As to why some topics fall into the group of uncited topics, the hypothesis is that the combination of unfamiliar keywords forms an unfamiliar topic, a topic authors have elected not to study further. Another assumption is that some uncited topics fall outside the field of Library and Information Science. Retrieval results in the Web of Science for a set of uncited keywords and keyword combinations support this assumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Friction foot blisters are a common injury occurring in up to 39% of marathoners, the most common injury in adventure racing, and represent more than 70% of medical visits in multi-stage ultramarathons. The goal of the study was to determine whether paper tape could prevent foot blisters in ultramarathon runners. Methods This prospective randomized trial was undertaken during RacingThePlanet 155-mile (250-km), 7-day self-supported ultramarathons in China, Australia, Egypt, Chile, and Nepal in 2010 and 2011. Paper tape was applied prerace to one randomly selected foot, with the untreated foot acting as the own control. The study end point was development of a hot spot or blister on any location of either foot. Results One hundred thirty-six participants were enrolled with 90 (66%) having completed data for analysis. There were 36% women, with a mean age of 40 ± 9.4 years (range, 25–40 years) and pack weight of 11 ± 1.8 kg (range, 8–16 kg). All participants developed blisters, with 89% occurring by day 2 and 59% located on the toes. No protective effect was observed by the intervention (47 versus 35; 52% versus 39%; P = .22), with fewer blisters occurring around the tape on the experimental foot than under the tape (23 vs 31; 25.6% versus 34.4%), yet 84% of study participants when queried would choose paper tape for blister prevention in the future. Conclusions Although paper tape was not found to be significantly protective against blisters, the intervention was well tolerated with high user satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The papers in this issue provide an excellent example of how pertinent distinctions which emerge from analysis of significant data sets can be communicated to colleagues and used to make sense of observations. The distinctions are vividly described, illustrated and exemplified, and used to chart maturation in student use of examples from middle school, through high school and into university. Curiously, no corresponding maturation was detected in students' choice of examples to use for themselves. Contrast was detected between the way students used the same examples for comprehending a conjecture and testing its validity, and the way that some mathematicians used specifically constructed examples for locating underlying structure. What emerged for me from reading these papers is confirmation of the central role of attention, the productiveness of engaging students at the earliest ages and throughout their schooling with the detection and expression of generality, and the importance of being explicit about the scope of generality encompassed by a claim. Purposeful use of examples by students could be expected to develop as teachers explicitly use examples purposefully with and for students. A reasonable conjecture might be that getting students to be explicit about the scope of generality, of possible variation of which they are aware, might shed light on obstacles and barriers to reasoning which might otherwise lead to proof. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Recommendation algorithms have been researched extensively to help people deal with abundance of information. In recent years, the incorporation of multiple relevance criteria has attracted increased interest. Such multi-criteria recommendation approaches are researched as a paradigm for building intelligent systems that can be tailored to multiple interest indicators of end-users – such as combinations of implicit and explicit interest indicators in the form of ratings or ratings on multiple relevance dimensions. Nevertheless, evaluation of these recommendation techniques in the context of real-life applications still remains rather limited. Previous studies dealing with the evaluation of recommender systems have outlined that the performance of such algorithms is often dependent on the dataset – and indicate the importance of carrying out careful testing and parameterization. Especially when looking at large scale datasets, it becomes very difficult to deploy evaluation methods that may help in assessing the effect that different system components have to the overall design. In this paper, we study how layered evaluation can be applied for the case of a multi-criteria recommendation service that we plan to deploy for paper recommendation using the Mendeley dataset. The paper introduces layered evaluation and suggests two experiments that may help assess the components of the envisaged system separately. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract González-Acebrón et al. (2016) attributed the coastal deposits of Torre Bermeja-La Barrosa area (Cádiz, SW Spain) to the Early Pleistocene (1.3 Ma). They also considered that an extremely high-energy event, such as a tsunami, affected the basal deposits of the sequence. In this paper, both the chronological attribution and the stratigraphic-sedimentary model are discussed. Previous information shows that Sequence 1 is late Pliocene-lowermost Early Pleistocene based on biostratigraphic, magnetostratigraphic, and regional-scale stratigraphic correlation. In addition, stratigraphic, facies, and sedimentary analyses indicate that sediments attributed to Sequence 1 were formed due to south-easternward longshore currents reworking wave- and tidal-dominated coarse-grained delta sediments deposited further to the north. Highlights • Coarse-grained deposits cropping out at La Barrosa (Cádiz, SW Spain) are late Pliocene-lowermost Early Pleistocene in age. • They were formed in coastal settings related to longshore currents reworking of wave- and tide-dominated delta deposits • The age assignment and the sedimentary interpretation challenge results recently published by González-Acebrón et al. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: There is considerable empirical evidence that demonstrates that early intensive behavioral intervention (EIBI) produces substantial improvements in young children with autism. A central feature of this treatment approach is the reliance on continuous measurement of child performance during all treatment hours (20–40h per week) to ensure an objective and quantitative analysis of behavior. Pen-and-paper data collection is standard practice in service delivery agencies. An alternative is to collect data via an electronic format, however little research has been done on electronic data collection in these settings. The purpose of this study was to compare mTrial®, a program that allows therapists to record, store, and report discrete trial and other behavior data for students on a personal data assistant, to traditional pen-and-paper data, in terms of the accuracy of data collected and the time required to do it. Results suggest that both formats are of approximately equal accuracy but that traditional data collection is faster. Implications of the two data collection methods for data storage and analysis are also discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In Fritz John’s famous paper (1979), he discovered that for the wave equation □ u = ∣ u ∣ p , where 1 < p < 1 + 2 and □ denoting the d’Alembertian, there is no global solution for any nontrivial and compactly supported initial data. This paper is intended to simplify his proof by applying a Gronwall’s type inequality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This study investigates the predictive ability of gene-expression programming (GEP) in the estimation of methane yield (Y m ) and effluent substrate (S e ) produced by two anaerobic filters. The modeling study was carried out using the data obtained from two upflow anaerobic filters – one mesophilic (35°C) and one thermophilic (55°C) – operated for the treatment of paper-mill wastewater under varying organic loadings. The GEP model was composed of three inputs, hydraulic retention time (T hr ), organic loading rate (R ol ), and influent substrate (S i ), and one output, either S e or Y m . The Stover–Kincannon model was also used for data analysis and to evaluate the prediction ability. Three statistical criteria, root mean square error (RMSE), determination coefficient (R 2), and Akaike''s information criteria (AIC), were the means used for comparison. The results showed that the GEP approach predicted the performance of both anaerobic filters much better than the Stover–Kincannon model. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We have performed FTIR transmission microspectroscopy on graphene oxide papers oriented with the nominal lattice planes parallel to the infrared optical axis. By polarising the IR light for samples of this geometry, spectral contributions of oriented oxide species are isolated from broad convoluted bands. Analysing the data alongside previous works, including experiments where samples were perturbed by reduction, dehydration and deuteration, we tabulate the most likely assignments for the observed spectral bands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This is the third in a short series of papers on measurement theory and practice with particular relevance to research in nursing, midwifery, and healthcare. In this paper I demonstrate how the decisions we make regarding the post hoc treatment of our measurements impact the quality of our data and influence the validity of the inferences we draw from them. I address two variations of this practice, pooling data over response options found on self-report measures, and transforming measurements of continuous variables, such as age, into ranges or ordered categories. The problems inherent in this practice are examined using concepts from information theory. Pooling more precise measurements into less precise ones creates errors of discreteness that introduce unpredictable (positive or negative) bias in our results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: There is little doubt surrounding the benefits of the Nutrition Care Process and International Dietetics and Nutrition Terminology (IDNT) to dietetics practice; however, evidence to support the most efficient method of incorporating these into practice is lacking. The main objective of our study was to compare the efficiency and effectiveness of an electronic and a manual paper-based system for capturing the Nutrition Care Process and IDNT in a single in-center hemodialysis unit. A cohort of 56 adult patients receiving maintenance hemodialysis were followed for 12 months. During the first 6 months, patients received the usual standard care, with documentation via a manual paper-based system. During the following 6-month period (Months 7 to 12), nutrition care was documented by an electronic system. Workload efficiency, number of IDNT codes used related to nutrition-related diagnoses, interventions, monitoring and evaluation using IDNT, nutritional status using the scored Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment Tool of Quality of Life were the main outcome measures. Compared with paper-based documentation of nutrition care, our study demonstrated that an electronic system improved the efficiency of total time spent by the dietitian by 13 minutes per consultation. There were also a greater number of nutrition-related diagnoses resolved using the electronic system compared with the paper-based documentation (P<0.001). In conclusion, the implementation of an electronic system compared with a paper-based system in a population receiving hemodialysis resulted in significant improvements in the efficiency of nutrition care and effectiveness related to patient outcomes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We appreciate that our attempt to document deformation pattern within the Mesoproterozoic Singhora Group, India, and to resolve some key stratigraphic issues in Chhattisgarh geology (Patranabis-Deb and Chaudhuri, 2008; Dhang and Patranabis-Deb, 2012), in recent times, has attracted the attention of Deb. We whole heartedly welcome the keen interest shown by Deb in our paper and discussions attempted by him on different aspects of the paper. Here we offer our strong rebuttal of his imaginative discussions, principally because the claims made by Deb are neither supported by outcrop-based field data nor through any available subsurface geophysical data. It appears that the key concern of Deb (2013) was to force-fit the structural grains of the Sonakhan greenstone belt within the deformation pattern of Singhora cover sediments, upholding an unsubstantiated assumption that the Sonakhan greenstones belt constitutes the basement for the Singhora basin. Without citing any evidence (outcrop, geophysical or bore hole) showing Sonakhan metamorphics in the basement of the Singhora basin, he plotted the structural data of the Sonakhan Greenstone Belt and attempted comparison of those with the bedding attitudes of the Singhora cover sediments, and claimed that the possible rejuvenation of basement faults triggered folding in the Singhora cover sediments. Leaving aside the issues of lack of any field support, available geophysical results (3 layer gravity survey by Srinivas et al. (2000); magnetic survey by Srinivas et al. (2004)) and short borehole observations (pers. comm., Mukherjee, A., 2012) – all clearly demonstrates unclassified Archean/Paleoproterozoic granites and gneisses of the Bastar craton as basement for the Singhora Basin, not the Sonakhan Greenstones. Neither is the presence of any basin-scale fault inferred from the basement of the Singhora basin in any geophysical model. The result of magnetic survey along the Basna–Sohela transect carried out by Srinivas et al. (2004), which represents the Singhora basement in particular, clearly shows granites as immediate basement for the Singhora. As the very assumption of Deb (2013) i.e., that the Sonakhan represents the basement to the Singhora basin, does not stand either on his own field data or on any strong reasoning, we refrain from any further discussion on this topic. Instead, we frame our reply on the doubts raised by Deb (2013) on the mapping, field analysis and concepts used in our paper (Saha et al., 2013). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Environmental regulatory edicts within the EU, such as the regulatory framework for chemicals REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals), the Water Framework Directive (WFD), and the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) focus mainly on toxicity assessment of individual chemicals although the effect of contaminant mixtures is a matter of increasing concern. This discussion paper provides an overview of the field of combined effects in aquatic ecotoxicology and addresses some of the major challenges related to assessment of combined effects in connection with environmental risk assessment (ERA) and regulation. Potentials and obstacles related to different experimental, modelling and predictive ERA approaches are described. On-going ERA guideline and manual developments in Europe aiming to incorporate combined effects of contaminants, the use of different experimental approaches for providing combined effect data, the involvement of biomarkers to characterize Mode of Action and toxicity pathways and efforts to identify relevant risk scenarios related to combined effects are discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Self-monitoring has traditionally been done using a paper record, which can be tedious and burdensome. A personal digital assistant (PDA) with dietary software can provide an alternative to a paper record. The study aimed to describe the differences in dietary changes at 6 months between participants randomly assigned to use a paper record or PDA for self-monitoring in a clinical trial of weight-loss treatment. Self-monitoring adherence and changes in weight and diet were assessed between 2006 and 2009. The sample (n=192) was 84% female and 78% white, with a mean age of 49 years and body mass index (calculated as kg/m2) of 34.1. At baseline, the groups did not differ in energy intake, percent calories from fat, and number of servings of the examined food groups. At 6 months, both groups had significant reductions in weight, energy intake, and percent calories from total fat and saturated fatty acids (P<0.001); no between-group differences were found. Compared to the paper record group, the PDA group significantly increased consumption of fruit (P=0.02) and vegetables (P=0.04) and decreased consumption of refined grains (P=0.02). Interactions among self-monitoring and the two groups were found in relation to changes in percent calories from total fat (P=0.02), monounsaturated fatty acids (P=0.002), and trans-fatty acids (P=0.04). Frequent self-monitoring was significantly associated with total sugar (P=0.02) and added sugar (P=0.01) intake in both groups. Our findings suggest that use of a PDA for self-monitoring might improve self-awareness of behavior and dietary changes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Focal point of this review is to provide a comparative display of qualitative and quantitative methodologies employed for the appraisal of interacting energy and climate policies, underlying their key features while presenting the most critical issues and limitations not addressed so far. Qualitative approaches provide a descriptive explanatory analysis of often non-quantifiable process in policy interactions, whereas modeling approaches provide numerical data estimating the extent of policy interaction impacts. Quantitative methods work best for narrowly specified policy combinations, while contextual implications and cause-impact effects are explained further via qualitative ones. In addition most evaluations so far adopt a rational view of policies and policy interactions leaving out a systemic evaluation of the institutionalism of interacting policies. Research analysis of energy and climate policy interactions is still young in comparison to the broad field of policy evaluation and impact assessment. However infants inherently tend to grow. Endeavors for a methodological framework that would allow for a systematic exchange of data between qualitative and quantitative approaches and would also include the relevance of the context as well as key casual relationships behind policy combinations, would provide the basis for further growth of knowledge in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This is the first in a short series of papers on measurement theory and practice with particular relevance to intervention research in nursing, midwifery, and healthcare. In this article I discuss reliability, its origins in classic measurement theory, important issues to consider when operationally defining reliability for a particular study, correlational procedures for assessing the reliability of data once collected, including test-retest reliability, split-half reliability, and Cronbach's coefficient a. Some important insights into reliability provided by attenuation theory are also offered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Botulinum toxin, frequently used to manage focal limb spasticity, has been reported to affect both extrafusal and intrafusal fibers of the injected muscle. Since most studies have used spinal reflexes, it is difficult to isolate the intrafusal effects from extrafusal and central effects. In a paper by On et al. [7], both stretch and H-reflexes were used to examine the intrafusal effects of botulinum toxin injections. Revisiting the data from On et al. [7] presented a unique opportunity to describe a novel method of measuring the effect of botulinum toxin-A on muscle spindle activity in patients with spasticity. H-reflex, maximum M-wave, and Achilles tendon reflex were serially assessed in ten patients with stroke pre-, 2, 4, and 12 weeks post-botulinum. In order to assess the intrafusal effects, we subtracted the %change in H-reflex amplitude from baseline (representing extrafusal and central effects) from the %change in Achilles tendon reflex amplitude from baseline (representing intrafusal, extrafusal and central effects). Using this formula, our results suggest that botulinum induces significant chemodenervation of the intrafusal muscle fibers (33% decreases). Intrafusal effects were greatest at 2 weeks, but tapered off by 12 weeks post-botulinum (p <0.017). We found a significant positive correlation between the intrafusal effects of botulinum toxin and changes in modified Ashworth scale. Our method of assessing the effects of botulinum toxin shows significant effect on intrafusal fibers, which correlates with clinical manifestation of spasticity. Future studies need to investigate ways to maximize intrafusal effects and minimize extrafusal effects of botulinum therapy. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Convergent plate boundaries around the globe show a high degree of structural complexity and variability in site-specific geometry and mass flux. The heterogeneity in the structural evolution, the interior regime as well as external architecture of individual margins is reflected in their seismic character, resulting in a segmentation along-strike as well as along-dip. Subduction zones generate more than 80% of global earthquakes above magnitude 8.0, but rupture characteristics are highly individual and linked to margin specific geometrical conditions. Major segments of subduction zones are commonly submerged in deep water and difficult to access at the majority of margins. Marine geophysical techniques, which are able to image the complex structures in these settings with sufficient coherency and depth penetration, have proven crucial to improve our knowledge on the geological framework of the different types of subduction zones. The aim of this review paper is to unravel the structural diversity of convergent margins and between individual subduction zone segments. Field data from different margins around the globe deliver images of the seafloor and subsurface in unprecedented resolution, which show segmentation to be far more complex than previously inferred. Along-strike segmentation results in accretionary segments contiguous to erosive segments along a single margin. Modes of mass transfer must hence be viewed as transient processes dependent on sediment supply and lower plate structure. Along-strike segment boundaries commonly correlate with underthrusting lower plate relief that controls the deep deformation of a subduction zone and the spatial and temporal variations in slip behavior. Examples of underthrusting oceanic basement relief at different stages of subduction elucidate their impact on the inner geometry of the margin. Lower plate heterogeneities occur at subduction zones worldwide and thus pose a common phenomenon, whose role as barriers to seismic rupture constitute a central control on subduction zone seismicity and segmentation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• The studied crystal is not a Gd 2 O 3. • There are errors in the crystallographic analysis. • The commented paper should be retracted. The commented paper contains many errors in the crystallographic analysis of the diffraction data received by the Authors. The main error is that the data do not correspond to the title crystal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Much statistical teaching and many research reports focus on the 'null hypothesis significance test'. Yet the correct meaning and interpretation of statistical significance tests is elusive. Misinterpretations are both common and persistent, leading many to question whether significance tests should be used at all. While most take aim at the arbitrary declaration of p < 0.05 as a threshold for determining 'significance', others extend the critique to suggest the 'p-value' should be dispensed with entirely. P-values and significance tests are still widely used as if they give a measure of the size and importance of relationships, even though this misunderstanding has been observed and discussed for many years. We argue that p-values and significance tests are intrinsically misleading. Point estimates of relationships and confidence intervals give direct information about the effect and the uncertainty of the estimate without recourse to interpreting how a particular p-value might have arisen or indeed referring to them at all. In this paper we briefly outline some of the problems with significance testing, offer a number of examples selected from a recent issue of the International Journal of Nursing Studies and discuss some proposed responses to these problems. We conclude by offering some guidance to authors reporting statistical tests in journals and present a position statement that has been adopted by the International Journal of Nursing Studies to guide its' authors in reporting the results of statistical analyses. While stopping short of calling for an outright ban on reporting p-values and significance tests we urge authors (and journals) to place more emphasis on measures of effect and estimates of precision/uncertainty and, following the position of the American Statistical Association, emphasise that authors (and readers) should avoid using 0.05 or any other cut off for a p-value as the basis for a decision about the meaningfulness/importance of an effect. If point estimates and confidence intervals are used, then the p-value may be redundant and can be omitted from reports. When authors talk about 'significance' they need to be explicit when referring to statistical significance and we recommend authors adopt the language of 'importance' when talking about effect sizes to avoid any confusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data collection for the purposes of analysis, after the planning and execution of a research study, commences with data input and validation. The process of data entry and analysis may appear daunting to the uninitiated, but as pointed out in the 1970s in a series of papers by British Medical Journal Deputy Editor TDV Swinscow, modern hardware and software (he was then referring to the availability of hand calculators) permits the performance of statistical testing outside a computer laboratory. In this day and age, modern software, such as the ubiquitous and almost universally familiar Microsoft Excel™ greatly facilitates this process. This first paper comprises the first of a collection of papers which will emulate Swinscow's series, in his own words, "addressed to readers who want to start at the beginning, not to those who are already skilled statisticians." These papers will have less focus on the actual arithmetic, and more emphasis on how to actually implement simple statistics, step by step, using Excel, thereby constituting the equivalent of Swinscow's papers in the personal computer age. Data entry can be facilitated by several underutilised features in Excel. This paper will explain Excel's little-known form function, data validation implementation at input stage, simple coding tips and data cleaning tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A sensitive and simple nanomaterial based colorimetric sensor array (NBCSA) was developed for discrimination of monofloral honey from various European countries based on three botanical origins as Acacia, Canola and Honeydew. The NBCSA was designed by spotting gold (AuNPs) and silver (AgNPs) nanoparticles synthesized using six different reducing and/or capping agents. The colour intensity of AuNPs represented differential changes when interacting with volatile organic compounds appeared in the headspace of the honey samples. The color difference maps, which are calculated as the difference between color intensity of the sensor before and after exposing to the sample vapors, were used as a fingerprint to discriminate the honey samples based on botanical origin. Classification was achieved utilizing data pre-processing and chemometrics data analysis. Fitting accuracies of 88% and 86% were obtained by partial least squares discriminant analysis and linear discriminant analysis whereas 100% was achieved using support vector machine. Unlabelled Image • Application of colorimetric sensor array based on nanoparticles to discriminate monofloral honey. • Gold nanoparticles interact with chemical species in the honey's odor. • The interactions cause changing in the color intensity of the nanoparticles. • A binary transformation of image data concluded in excellent discrimination ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Correlation and regression measure the closeness of association between two continuous variables. This paper explains how to perform these tests in Microsoft Excel and their interpretation, as well as how to apply these tests dynamically using Excel's functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data analysis at the descriptive stage and the eventual presentation of results requires the tabulation and summarisation of data. This exercise should always precede inferential statistics. Pivot tables and pivot charts are one of Excel's most powerful and underutilised features, with tabulation functions that immensely facilitate descriptive statistics. Pivot tables permit users to dynamically summarise and cross-tabulate data, create tables in several dimensions, offer a range of summary statistics and can be modified interactively with instant outputs. Large and detailed datasets are thereby easily manipulated making pivot tables arguably the best way to explore, summarise and present data from many different angles. This second paper in the WASP series in Early Human Development provides pointers for pivot table manipulation in Excel™. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Currently the amount of produced packaging waste, especially that of paper, cardboard, glass and plastics, is increasing year by year. Increasing packaging quantity has forced countries of the European Union to face this problem. The issue is reflected in EU legislation. The European Parliament and further amended by Directives 2004/12/WE and 2005/20/WE, belongs to binding resolutions passed by the European Union. The leading principle of the Directives was to introduce the obligation to provide adequate levels of waste packaging recovery and recycling. The obligation was defined as the percentage of waste packaging recovery and recycling which has to be achieved by EU member countries in relation to the aggregate weight of packaging introduced into the market. Aspiring to join the European Union, Poland was obliged to comply with the environmental protection requirements valid in the Community. Since 1 January 2002, the annual recycling levels of waste packaging are defined in the Ordinance of the Council of Ministers of 30 June 2001. The aim of the present work is to discuss and compare the required and achieved recycling levels of waste packaging (made of plastic, aluminium, paper and cardboard and glass) in Poland in the years 2002–2007 under the influence of EU directives. Featured data show that the required levels of recovery and waste packaging recycling were met and even exceeded in some cases. This result was influenced by the fact that Poland has been a member of the European Union since 1 May 2004. Hence, actions were enforced in Poland pertaining to waste packaging management as well as an obligation to the recycling levels dictated by European directives. An additional stimulus was constituted by a product charge for failing to comply with the recycling target levels. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper exploits a unique 2003–2011 large dataset, indexed by Thomson Reuters, consisting of 17.2 million disambiguated authors classified into 30 broad scientific fields, as well as the 48.2 million articles resulting from a multiplying strategy in which any article co-authored by two or more persons is wholly assigned as many times as necessary to each of them. The dataset is characterized by a large proportion of authors who have their oeuvre in several fields. We measure individual productivity in two ways that are uncorrelated: as the number of articles per person and as the mean citation per article per person in the 2003–2011 period. We analyze the shape of the two types of individual productivity distributions in each field using size- and scale-independent indicators. To assess the skewness of productivity distributions we use a robust index of skewness, as well as the Characteristic Scores and Scales approach. For productivity inequality, we use the coefficient of variation. In each field, we study two samples: the entire population, and what we call “successful authors”, namely, the subset of scientists whose productivity is above their field average. The main result is that, in spite of wide differences in production and citation practices across fields, the shape of field productivity distributions is very similar across fields. The parallelism of the results for the population as a whole and for the subset of successful authors, when productivity is measured as mean citation per article per person, reveals the fractal nature of the skewness of scientific productivity in this case. These results are essentially maintained when any article co-authored by two or more persons is fractionally assigned to each of them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The percentile-based rating scale P100 describes the citation impact in terms of the distribution of unique citation values. This approach has recently been refined by considering also the frequency of papers with the same citation counts. Here I compare the resulting P100′ with P100 for an empirical dataset and a simple fictitious model dataset. It is shown that P100′ is not much different from standard percentile-based ratings in terms of citation frequencies. A new indicator P100″ is introduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The Tonic Stretch Reflex Threshold is a biological biomarker of deficits in motor control. • The Tonic Stretch Reflex Threshold indicates the joint angle at and beyond which spasticity will be manifest in the muscle. • To avoid errors in evaluations of spasticity and effects of its treatment, it is necessary to use a standard methodology. The Tonic Stretch Reflex Threshold (TSRT) is the joint angle or muscle length (λ) at which muscle activation begins. In spasticity, the TSRT abnormally lies inside the biomechanical joint range. It is determined by measuring the Dynamic Stretch Reflex Thresholds (DSRTs) by stretching the resting muscle at different velocities. The metric μ , characterizes the velocity-sensitivity of the DSRTs and is expressed as the time required to lengthen the passive muscles from DSRT to TSRT at the respective stretch velocity. The original formulation of the TSRT, DSRT and μ is summarized. Then, a thorough search of literature prior to December 2023 was conducted that returned 25 papers that have used the technique. Eleven of these papers come from the research group of the authors, including 1 reporting on treatment effects. Of the remaining 14 papers, 11 report variations of the methodology with different populations and 3 report on the effects of an intervention. The review discusses how specific modifications to data collection and analysis procedures have either improved the methodology or, in some cases, led to uninterpretable results. The influence of modifications to the data collection and analysis procedures is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper presents a re-analysis of the data used in a previously published paper ‘Using on-board data logging devices to study the longer-term impact of an eco-driving course’ by Beusen et al. In this paper the effect of an eco-driving course on fuel consumption was studied. The fuel consumption of 10 drivers was monitored during a year. After half a year they received an eco-driving course. The main conclusion of this paper was that fuel consumption was reduced with 5.8% after the course and that the effect for the group as a whole was permanent up to 6months after the course. The data were analyzed again, including the effect of the ambient temperature on fuel consumption. A higher ambient temperature results in a lower fuel consumption. The main conclusion of our first paper still holds: an eco-driving course results in a significant decrease of the fuel consumption. However, this effect is gradually lost in the months after the course. In the first paper the effect seemed permanent because it was masked by the effect of increasing ambient temperature. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The plotting of data into graphs should be a mandatory step in all data analysis as part of a descriptive statistics exercise, since it gives the researcher an overview of the shape and nature of the data. Moreover, outlier values may be identified, which may be incorrect data, or true outliers, from which important findings (and publications) may arise. This exercise should always precede inferential statistics, when possible, and this paper in the Early Human Development WASP series provides some pointers for doing so in Microsoft Excel™. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How does the published scientific literature used by scientific community? Many previous studies make analysis on the static usage data. In this research, we propose the concept of dynamic usage data. Based on the platform of realtime.springer.com, we have been monitoring and recording the dynamic usage data of Scientometrics articles round the clock. Our analysis find that papers published in recent four years have many more downloads than papers published four years ago. According to our quantitative calculation, papers downloaded on one day have an average lifetime of 4.1 years approximately. Classic papers are still being downloaded frequently even long after their publication. Additionally, we find that social media may reboot the attention of old scientific literature in a short time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a trending mobility choice, e-scooters have become popular in many cities. A number of authorities have initiated shared e-scooter trial schemes to assess the feasibility of the vehicles prior to enacting official legalisation. This paper aims to provide an evidence review of shared e-scooters and investigate how existing evidence may inform long-term policies. This carries significant relevance for jurisdictions that are in a conflicting position with e-scooters, such as New South Wales (NSW), Australia whose context motivates this study. The evidence review focuses on three themes derived from experience with shared e-scooters within the broader micromobility landscape, namely: safety; where shared e-scooters fit into the modal landscape; and the environmental impacts. Findings confirm that ensuring the safety of shared e-scooters requires complex solutions, which may include a clear regulatory framework for e-scooters, safety education and skill training, innovative data collection and analysis methods, and an approach to safety management that is user-based, location-based, and time-based. In terms of modal fit policymakers should encourage first and last-mile combinations with public transport, with consideration of user characteristics; while climate impact is strongly correlated to the mode replaced by e-scooter trips. The paper provides insights for policymakers on the regulation and positioning of shared e-scooters. • Many jurisdictions are struggling to determine policies for e-scooters. • Existing e-scooter evidence sheds light on possible long-term policies. • Safety management should consider different users, locations, and times. • First and last-mile combinations with public transport should be encouraged. • Climate impact is strongly correlated to the mode replaced by e-scooter trips. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is posited that solving the problem of relative poverty (RP) first requires the identification of its cause. We use data from China Family Panel Studies to examine the impact of risk preference on RP of urban and rural families in China and the underlying mechanism. This paper contributes to the existing body of evidence on the determinants of RP. The results show that a high degree of risk preference is conducive to alleviating families' RP. The effect is still significant after dealing with potential endogeneity through instrumental variables. Furthermore, the effect is more obvious among health insurance participation families, endowment insurance participation families, families with low life satisfaction, non-poor families, especially middle-income families, urban families, male-headed families and families in the West in China. Further analysis suggests that risk preference affects RP by promoting entrepreneurship and credit in urban and rural families. Families with a higher risk preference are more likely to engage in entrepreneurship and utilize credit, which in turn helps alleviate their RP. Overall, this paper provides new empirical evidence for understanding the mechanism of risk preference influencing RP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A non-parametric analysis of the data from prior published paper. • Multispecies probiotics can increase negative affect. • Multispecies probiotics with high CFU may increase panic anxiety. • Ceiling effect observed: increase anxiety in high distress group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]