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The apps for drawing are present in our children's life. Nevertheless, little is known about the impact of mobile technology on the freehand drawing educational activity. There are few works which are contextualised within short periods of time, with teachers who are not theirs and, in some cases, outside the children's classroom. In this paper, we are focussed on the use of technology on freehand drawing activity. Thus, we have compared the graphics produced by 4- and 5-year-old children with paper&crayon in comparison with those with tablet-finger. Children made the drawings during a planned free-drawing activity, in their ordinary classrooms, with their teachers and during five sessions. Assessment of drawings has evidenced tablet feasibility for making graphics. Nevertheless, with the passing of time, quality of graphics (tablet-finger vs paper&crayons), are nearly matched, demonstrating the low impact level technology has on this activity. In addition, if drawings are analysed specifically according to ages, results have shown that both groups have to develop adaptation strategies of visual perceptual skills and fine motor skills for the touch screen in order to obtain the same quality in the drawings made on both support types. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel approach for paper drying using airborne ultrasound technology is presented. A unique experimental setup is developed, and a systematic study is conducted using 23 factorial design of experiments and Analysis of Variance. Three controlling factors are considered in the experiments including the initial moisture content, basis weight and refining condition. The outcome of the experiments is compared to a previous work on direct-contact ultrasonic drying of paper. The results confirm that similar to direct-contact, for airborne ultrasonic drying, the basis weight/thickness of the sample is the most important factor in ultrasonic drying and it is followed by the effect of initial moisture content. Using linear regression model, a correlation for predicting the total time of ultrasonic drying is provided. Quality of the dried samples is evaluated, and the permeability measurements confirmed the effect of pore characteristics on ultrasonic drying. The analysis for energy consumption reveals that airborne ultrasonic drying is more efficient at higher moisture contents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A systematic-study is conducted using an innovative technology for paper drying by applying ultrasound mechanism. The advantages include greater energy efficiency, lower drying time and temperature, improvement of the product quality, and it is considered a green technology. The effects of initial moisture content, thickness, and refining condition are studied for different types of pulps (hardwood and softwood) using 23 factorial design of experiments. Analysis of Variance show that in the range of the studied parameters, thickness has the maximum effect on ultrasonic drying time followed by the initial moisture content. In addition, using a linear regression model, a relationships for the total time of drying is provided. The results confirmed that ultrasonic drying is more efficient at higher moisture content and higher thickness of the sample. These results are related to the structural characteristic of the samples such as porosity, pore distribution, and surface roughness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Appropriate paper-based technology (APT) is used to provide postural support for children with cerebral palsy (CP) in low-resourced settings. This pilot study aimed to evaluate the impact of APT on the children's and families' lives. A convenience sample of children with CP and their families participated. Inclusion was based on the Gross Motor Function Classification System levels IV and V. APT seating or standing frames were provided for six months. A mixed methods impact of APT devices on the children and families included the Family Impact Assistive Technology Scale for Adaptive Seating (FIATS-AS); the Child Engagement in Daily Life (CEDL) questionnaire; and a qualitative assessment from diary/log and semi-structured interviews. Ten children (median 3 years, range 9 months to 7 years). Baseline to follow-up median (IQR) FIATS-AS were: 22.7 (9.3) and 30.3 (10.2), respectively (p=.002). Similarly mean (SD) CEDL scores for "frequency" changed from 30.5 (13.2) to 42.08 (5.96) (p=.021) and children's enjoyment scores from 2.23 (0.93) to 2.91 (0.79) (p=.019). CEDL questionnaire for self-care was not discriminatory; seven families scored zero at both baseline and 6 months. Qualitative interviews revealed three key findings; that APT improved functional ability, involvement/interaction in daily-life situations, and a reduced family burden of care. APT devices used in Kenyan children with non-ambulant CP had a meaningful positive effect on both the children's and their families' lives. Assistive devices are often unobtainable for children with cerebral palsy (CP) in low-income countries. APT is a low cost and sustainable solution to make seating and standing devices for disabled children in Kenya. The regular use of a postural support device enhanced the children's motor skills, ability to function and participate in everyday activities, reduced the burden of care for the families and promoted the children's social interaction. The postural support devices were highly valued and utilised by the children and families in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Users' experiences in mental health assessment are multifaceted, including their emotional experiences. Yet, studies of mobile apps for psychiatric assessment have centered on diagnostic accuracy and perceived usability, with little consideration of the impact of user emotional experiences. In this study, we focused on users' perceived usability and emotions and compared the user experience of a paper-and-pencil and an app-based collection of mental health screening questionnaires: EarlyDetect. The System Usability Scale (SUS) and modality-directed emotion questionnaires were administered using paper-and-pencil or iPad. Modality was assigned pseudo-randomly on patients' first visit at a referral-based mental health clinic. We found that patients assigned to the iPad app reported a significantly higher SUS score than patients assigned to paper-and-pencil, qualified by a modality-by-gender interaction where modality effects were significant for men but not for women. Moreover, enjoyment was positively linked to perceived usability, whereas boredom, frustration, and anxiety were negatively linked to usability. Our findings illustrate the added value of studying user experience applied to psychiatric assessments, where both emotions and gender-specific user experience should be taken into consideration. We further discuss the implications for psychiatric assessments via app versus traditional data collection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to examine the effects that reading on screens (using digital devices with different screen sizes) and on paper have on reading time and comprehension. The study group was comprised of126 secondary students from a private school. To ensure balance, the participants were assigned into test groups, formed according to the size of the reading device, based on class levels, gender, and average school grade. In the data collection process, a narrative text was transferred to both print and electronic media. Access to the text was provided on paper and three digital devices. There were no time limitations. After reading, participants were given comprehension tests that consisted of twenty multiple-choice questions. Female participants' on-screen comprehension scores were found to be relatively higher compared to their paper comprehension scores. They also acquired better scores as the screen size increased. Conversely, male participants had higher comprehension scores on tablets and smart phones. Participants who read the text on smart phones and tablets completed the tasks in less time compared to other groups. However, the effects of reading modality on comprehension and reading time were not found to be statistically significant in either the male or female groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four experiments were conducted to test whether recent developments in display technology would suffice to eliminate the well-known disadvantages in reading from screen as compared with paper. Proofreading speed and performance were equal for a TFT-LCD and a paper display, but there were more symptoms of eyestrain in the screen condition accompanied by a strong preference for paper (Experiment 1). These results were replicated using a longer reading duration (Experiment 2). Additional experiments were conducted to test hypotheses about the reasons for the higher amount of eyestrain associated with reading from screen. Reduced screen luminance did not change the pattern of results (Experiment 3), but positioning both displays in equal inclination angles eliminated the differences in eyestrain symptoms and increased proofreading speed in the screen condition (Experiment 4). A paper-like positioning of TFT-LCDs seems to enable unimpaired reading without evidence of increased physical strain. Practitioner Summary: Given the developments in screen technology, a re-assessment of the differences in proofreading speed and performance, well-being, and preference between computer screen and paper was conducted. State-of-the-art TFT-LCDs enable unimpaired reading, but a book-like positioning of screens seems necessary to minimise eyestrain symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study was to evaluate the difference in legibility between e-books and paper books by using an eye tracker. Eight male and eight female subjects free of eye disease participated in the experiment. The experiment was conducted using a 2 × 3 within-subject design. The book type (e-book, paper book) and font size (8 pt, 10 pt, 12 pt) were independent variables, and fixation duration time, saccade length, blink rate and subjective discomfort were dependent variables. In the results, all dependent variables showed that reading paper books provided a better experience than reading e-books did. These results indicate that the legibility of e-books needs further improvement, considering fixation duration time, saccade movement, eye fatigue, device and so on. Practitioner Summary:This study evaluated the legibility difference between e-books and paper books from the viewpoint of readability, eye fatigue and subjective discomfort by using an eye tracker. The results showed that paper books provided a better experience than e-books. This indicates that the readability of e-books needs further improvement in relation to paper books. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background: The precise effect and the quality of different cases used in dermatology problem-based learning (PBL) curricula are yet unclear. Aim: To prospectively compare the impact of real patients, digital, paper PBL (PPBL) and traditional lecture-based learning (LBL) on academic results and student perceptions. Methods: A total of 120 students were randomly allocated into either real-patients PBL (RPBL) group studied via real-patient cases, digital PBL (DPBL) group studied via digital-form cases, PPBL group studied via paper-form cases, or conventional group who received didactic lectures. Academic results were assessed through review of written examination, objective structured clinical examination and student performance scores. A five-point Likert scale questionnaire was used to evaluate student perceptions. Results: Compared to those receiving lectures only, all PBL participants had better results for written examination, clinical examination and overall performance. Students in RPBL group exhibited better overall performance than those in the other two PBL groups. Real-patient cases were more effective in helping develop students' self-directed learning skills, improving their confidence in future patient encounters and encouraging them to learn more about the discussed condition, compared to digital and paper cases. Conclusion: Both real patient and digital triggers are helpful in improving students' clinical problem-handling skills. However, real patients provide greater benefits to students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Patient-reported mood charts are frequently used in management of bipolar disorder. Although mood charts have recently been programmed in electronic devices such as mobile phones, little is known about the impact of the method of data capture on the psychometric properties and validity of these data. Methods: In an ongoing pilot study, a sample of outpatients with bipolar disorder were randomized to complete mood charts either on a mobile phone or with standard paper and pencil as part of a 12-week intervention (primary outcomes for the trial await study completion). We compared these conditions across a single item rating of mood state, and we hypothesized that mobile phone-based data capture would produce greater compliance to mood ratings, variability between and within participants, and concurrent validity with blinded clinician-rated affective symptom severity. Results: A total of 56 participants were randomized and 40 participants were included in the analyses. There were no significant differences between conditions on demographic or clinical variables. The rate of compliance was significantly higher in paper-and-pencil versus mobile phone ratings. Ratings demonstrated significantly more variability within individuals in the mobile phone condition. Mobile phone mood ratings were significantly correlated with clinician-rated depressive symptom severity across the study and with manic symptom severity at the week-6 assessment, whereas paper-and-pencil ratings were not significantly associated with clinician-rated depression or mania. Conclusions: Although preliminary, our results suggest a lower rate of compliance with mobile phones compared to paper-and-pencil daily mood rating in bipolar disorder, yet a greater ability to capture variability and concurrent validity in quantifying affective symptoms. This clinical trial is registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01670123. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Medical workplace learning consists largely of individual activities, since workplace settings do not lend themselves readily to group learning. An electronic Learning Management with System Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL) could enable learners at different workplace locations to discuss personal clinical experiences at a distance to enhance learning. Aim: To explore whether CSCL-enabled structured asynchronous discussions on an authentic task has additional value for learning in the medical workplace. Methods: Between January 2008 and June 2010, we conducted an exploratory evaluation study among senior medical students that were engaged in clinical electives. Students wrote a Critical Appraisal of a Topic paper about a clinical problem they had encountered and discussed it in discipline homogeneous subgroups on an asynchronous forum in a CSCL environment. A mixed method design was used to explore students'' perceptions of the CSCL arrangement with respect to their preparation and participation, the design and knowledge gains. We analysed the messages recorded during the discussions to investigate which types of interactions occurred. Results: Students perceived knowledge improvement of their papers. The discussions were mostly task-focused. The students considered an instruction session and a manual necessary to prepare for CSCL. A high amount of sent messages and a high activity in discussion seem to influence scores on perceptions: ''participation'' and ''knowledge gain'' positively. Conclusion: CSCL appears to offer a suitable environment for peers to provide formative feedback on a Critical Appraisal of a Topic paper during workplace learning. The CSCL environment enabled students to collaborate in asynchronous discussions, which positively influenced their learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conclusion: The results indicate that electrogustometry and the filter paper disc method are reliable methods to measure taste with a high degree of reproducibility. Objectives: To thoroughly evaluate the reliability of electrogustometry and the filter paper disc method for taste assessments. Methods: Thirty-nine healthy test persons without any history of chronic middle ear disease, aged between 27 and 62 years, were recruited. In all, 772 electrogustometry and 30 filter paper disc assessments were made. A nerve decay test was performed, with measures taken before and after eating sweet, sour, bitter, salt, a mild or spicy meal, after smoking, and after taking Swedish tobacco snuff (''snus''), as well as before and after local anesthesia of the tongue. Measurements were performed on 5 consecutive days and repeatedly during 1 day. The correlation between electrogustometry and the filter paper disc method was also studied. Results: The results indicate that electrogustometry and the filter paper disc method are reliable methods to measure taste with a high degree of reproducibility. The only actions causing significant changes in the electrogustometry readings were eating bitter a substance and having local anesthesia of the tongue. The correlation between the methods was statistically significant except for the bitter flavor, where the correlation was just below the level of significance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) measurement from whole blood (WB) samples is inconvenient for epidemic surveillance and self-monitoring of glycemic level. We evaluated HbA1cmeasurement from WB blotted on filter paper (FP), which can be easily transported to central laboratories, with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and immunoturbidimetric assay (ITA). WB was applied to Whatman filter paper. By using HPLC and WB samples as reference methods, these FP samples were evaluated on HPLC and ITA. Inter- and intra-assay variation, WB vs. FP agreement and sample stability at 20–25 °C and −70 °C were assessed by statistical analysis. Results showed that the coefficient of variation (CV, %) of FP samples for HPLC and ITA were 0.44–1.02% and 1.47–2.72%, respectively (intra-assay); 2.13–3.56% and 3.21–4.82%, respectively (inter-assay). The correlation of WB HPLC with FP analyzed using HPLC and ITA are both significant (p < 0.001). Sample stability showed that FP method up to 5 days at 20–25 °C and 5 weeks at −70 °C is accurate and reproducible. In conclusion, FP samples analyzed by HPLC and ITA can both provide an alternative to WB for HbA1cmeasurement, supporting the use of FP method in epidemic surveillance and healthcare units. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Box's paper helicopter has been used to teach experimental design for more than a decade. It is simple, inexpensive, and provides real data for an involved, multifactor experiment. Unfortunately it can also further an all-too-common practice that Professor Box himself has repeatedly cautioned against, namely ignoring the fundamental science while rushing to solve problems that may not be sufficiently understood. Often this slighting of the science so as to get on with the statistics is justified by referring to Box's oft-quoted maxim that "All models are wrong, however some are useful." Nevertheless, what is equally true, to paraphrase both Professor Box and George Orwell, is that "All models are wrong, but some are more wrong than others." To experiment effectively it is necessary to understand the relevant science so as to distinguish between what is usefully wrong, and what is dangerously wrong. This article presents an improved analysis of Box's helicopter problem relying on statistical and engineering knowledge and shows that this leads to an enhanced paper helicopter, requiring fewer experimental trails and achieving superior performance. In fact, of the 20 experimental trials run for validation–10 each of the proposed aerodynamic design and the conventional full factorial optimum–the longest 10 flight times all belong to the aerodynamic optimum, while the shortest 10 all belong to the conventional full factorial optimum. I further discuss how ancillary engineering knowledge can be incorporated into thinking about–and teaching–experimental design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author investigated the impact of assessment methods on student performance on accounting tests. Specifically, the author used analysis of variance to determine whether the use of computer-based tests instead of paper-based tests affects students' traditional test scores in accounting examinations. The author included 2 independent variables, student gender and student class, as covariates. The findings indicate that there was no significant difference in the values of the students' performance according to the 2 methods of assessment. The findings also revealed that neither student gender nor class was correlated to the test scores in either form of testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to examine psychological and sociological patterns and behaviors of bisexual women who are in an ongoing heterosexual relationship and to determine if the variables of income, education, time of disclosure of bisexuality, sexual activity and communication levels had an effect on the satisfaction expressed by the couple in the relationship. Twenty-six couples, comprising 26 males and 26 females, completed a questionnaire and the Klein Sexual Orientation Grid (KSOG). This study discovered that bisexual females and their male partners maintained a satisfactory relationship, independent of the above variables. Although males behaved mostly heterosexually, they exhibited a trend toward a bisexual orientation when they indicated their ideal choices on the KSOG. The majority of the females behaved bisexually, in agreement with their choices on the KSOG. One half of the women were maintaining sexual relationships with other women while in primary heterosexual relationships. Their average sexual contact with another female per month was 1½ times. The majority of the women were satisfied with their sexual experiences with their male partner, and they were having sexual intercourse, on average, 3 times per week. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This study explores the preferred viewing distance and character size for an electronic paper display for three age groups. Proofreading speed and accuracy ratio were measured during Chinese proofreading tests using the preferred character size and minimum acceptable character size. Data analysis showed that the mean preferred viewing distance for young, middle-aged and older groups was 503, 455 and 444 mm, respectively. The mean preferred character size determined by young, middle-aged and older groups was 42.0, 50.0 and 55.2 min arc, respectively. The proofreading test results indicated that the older group proofread significantly more slowly (1.25word/sec) than the young (1.76 word/sec) and middle-aged groups (1.74 word/sec). Further, the participants proofread more correctly with their preferred character size (73.3%) than with their minimum acceptable character size (65.4%). This study provides valuable information for the design of Chinese text presentations for various agegroups. Statement of Relevance: This study confirmed the preferred viewing distance and character size for E-paper display were influenced by age. The preferred Chinese character size for young, middle-aged and older people was 42, 50 and 55 min arc, respectively. Therefore, the age factor should be considered for E-paper displays design and video display terminal (VDT) guidelines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Step pools are micro-geomorphology hosted in gullies which are closely related to the channel erosion rate and hydraulic characteristics of runoff. These features are widely developed in the Yuanmou dry-hot Valley area of the Central Yunnan Plateau, China. In this paper, the morphological characteristics of different types of step pools in the Yuanmou dry-hot Valley were analyzed using analysis of variance and cluster analyses. The results show that: (1) step pools can be divided into differential, bedrock, barrier, and sub-erosion step pools based on the environment of development; the bedrock and differential step pools develop on a large scale, while barrier and sub-erosion step pools develop on a small scale; (2) the width and depth of the step, the height of the step, the width of the pool, and the depth of the step of the differential type, bedrock type, and sub-erosion type step pools exhibited a significant positive correlation (P < 0.01); the height of the step and the depth of the pool of the barrier type step pools were significantly negatively correlated with the height of the step and the concave hole depth of the sub-erosion type (P < 0.01); (3) the differential type and undercurrent type step pools were seriously eroded. The study of the types and morphologies of gully step pools in the Yuanmou dry-hot Valley helps understand the formation and evolution mechanisms of erosion gullies and provides a scientific basis for monitoring and controlling soil erosion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proves that in mixed linear model, the analysis of variance estimation (ANOVAE), the minimum norm quadratic unbiased estimation (MINQUE), the spectral decomposition estimation (SDE) and the restricted maximum likelihood estimation (RMLE) of variance components are the same under some conditions. Based on this result, we construct a linear Bayes estimation (LBE) for the parameter vector consisting of variance components and establish its superiorities. Numerical computations and an illustration show that the LBE is comparable to Lindley's approximation, Tierney and Kadane's approximation and the usual Bayes estimation (UBE) obtained by the MCMC method and easy to use as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have previously shown that ethanolic extract from bark (EEB) ofSalix aegyptiaca(Musk Willow) can inhibit proliferation and motility and induce apoptosis in colon cancer cells. Tandem mass spectrometry revealed EEB to be rich in catechin, catechol, and salicin. The present study investigated the chemopreventive effect of HPLC-fingerprinted EEB on 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH)-induced aberrant crypt foci (ACF) formation in mice. DMH (20 mg/kg body weight) was weekly injected subcutaneously to mice for the first 2 weeks. EEB (100 and 400 mg/kg body weight) was provided orally from the 7th to 14th week, after which colon tissues were evaluated histologically and biochemically. DMH treatment induced high number of ACF; EEB significantly reduced the number and multiplicity of ACF, along with a restoration in goblet cells and mucin accumulation. EEB supplementation improved the markers of inflammation (myeloperoxidase and neutrophil infiltration) and oxidative stress. More importantly, EEB amplified apoptosis of neoplastic cells in the colon mucosa of DMH-treated mice. It also lowered levels of markers for early transformation events such as EGFR, nuclear β-catenin, and COX-2 in colon cancer cell lines HT-29 and HCT-116. The innocuity of EEB (up to 1600 mg/kg) to mice reinforces its potential as a chemopreventive agent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigated a research area worthy of greater attention: foreign language classroom anxiety (hereafter FLCA) and enjoyment (hereafter FLE) of older adults learning English as a foreign language in Chinese Universities of the Third Age. Understanding the largely overlooked emotional involvement of older language learners contributes to sustaining their motivation in lifelong learning for more remarkable personal growth and successes. Based on the survey of 587 Chinese older learners of English between the age of 50 and 80, paired sample t-test showed that more FLE was reported than FLCA. The results of Welch's ANOVA suggested that those who were better educated had less FLCA and those who believed themselves healthier had more FLE. The language performance evaluation (i.e. relative standing in class and English mastery) affects both FLE and FLCA. Further interviews with 34 older participants revealed three major sources of FLE, including the language use in life situations, the favorable attitude toward FL learning in the cognitive, aesthetic cultural and pragmatic aspects and the social interactions in the U3As. FLCA occurs when the language performance is perceived as dissatisfying and when aspects of mental health (e.g. worsening memory) impede effective learning. Although FLCA and FLE had only a very weak correlation, Chinese older adult learners commented on a shared belief that anxiety usually precedes and subsequently enhances enjoyment in learning, indicating a sign of emotional resilience later in life. This paper demonstrates a need for understanding the emotions in language learning across life stages and socio-cultural contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To examine the effects of an Arabic smartphone application on adherence to home exercise programs (HEPs) and the effectiveness of mobile-based HEPs on pain, physical function, and lower-limb muscle strength among older women with knee osteoarthritis (OA). This randomised control trial (ClinicalTrials.gov: (NCT04159883) enrolled 40 women aged ≥50 years with knee OA who were randomised into the app group (experimental; n = 20) receiving HEPs using an Arabic smartphone application called "My Dear Knee", whereas the paper group (control; n = 20) receiving HEPs as hand-outs. Both groups had the same exercise program. Outcome measures were self-reported adherence, changes in the Arabic Numeric Pain Rating Scale, the Arabic version of the reduced Western Ontario, McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index-Physical Function subscale, and Five-Times Sit-To-Stand Test scores. All participants were assessed at baseline, at week 3 and week 6. Using completer-only analyses, the repeated measures ANOVA was used to compare the means of the outcome measures between the two groups. At the end of week 6, the app group reported greater adherence to HEPs (p =.002) and significant reduction in pain (p =.015). A smartphone application with motivational and attractive features could enhance adherence to HEPs in this patient cohort. Older adults with knee OA may face many obstacles that prevent or limit their adherence to the prescribed HEP. Smart device apps supported with attractive and motivational features could be an effective strategy to enhance adherence to HEPs among older adults with knee OA. Using such remote technology appears to overcome the barriers that may limit the ability of older women to receive supervised physical therapy in a clinical setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the author's comments on an article "Optimum Sample Size for a Problem in Choosing the Population With the Largest Mean," by statistician Paul N. Somerville, published in the June 1970 issue of "Journal of the American Statistical Association." In the article Somerville described a procedure for selecting the population with the largest mean from normal populations with unknown means and a common known variance. The author claims that his procedure gives a unique minimax solution and that the minimax is a reasonable solution to the problem. According to the author, Somerville has not made it clear that his procedure gives only the local minimax solution. This makes practical applications of his procedure severely limited for it is difficult to think of a situation in which an experimenter would like to determine a local minimax value.

The goal of this paper is to critically review studies on trust in e-commerce from the gender perspective. This paper is based on a systematic literature review (SLR) and applies the bibliometric technique. SLR reduces selection bias, which helps to produce more accurate scientific conclusions. We examine 148 published studies in the Scopus database using VOSviewer and the bibliometrix package in the R statistical software program. We summarize previous findings in the form of theories and methodologies in the literature. The findings show that trust in e-commerce from the gender perspective is underexplored. Specific underexplored areas include gender differences, information systems, and consumer trust and consumption patterns on social-networking sites, among others. Also, there is considerable scope for developing theories and models of cross-country variations in trust, e-commerce, and gender. The previous literature did not identify the methods and the structural research constructs. This study for the first time develops generates scientific insights that will contribute to future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autobiographical memories frequently occur during everyday life. One of the most common approaches to measuring memories in everyday life is a diary method: Participants record memories as they occur by writing down these memories in a paper diary or typing them on a smartphone. Conversely, many laboratory-based studies of autobiographical memory require participants to describe their memories out loud in a spoken manner. Here, we sought to directly compare memories recorded via typing to those spoken out loud in a smartphone diary study. Participants reported or, autobiographical memories that occurred over a period of four days either by typing (n = 43) or recording themselves orally describing memories (n = 39) using a smartphone app. Results indicated that the audio recording group reported memories more frequently and these memories contained a greater number of words, while the text group reported memories more promptly after they occurred. Additionally, the typing group reported memories that were episodically richer and contained a greater proportion of perceptual details. This work has important implications for future autobiographical memory studies in the lab, online, and using diary methods, and suggests that certain reporting modalities may be advantageous depending on the specific research focus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preserving older pedestrians' navigation skills in urban environments is a challenge for maintaining their quality of life. However, existing aids do not take into account older people's perceptual and cognitive declines nor their user experience, and they call upon sensory modalities that are already used during walking. The present study was aimed at comparing different guidance instructions using visual, auditory, and haptic feedback in order to identify the most efficient and best accepted one(s). Sixteen middle-age (non-retired) adults, 21 younger-old (young-retired) adults, and 21 older-old (old-retired) adults performed a navigation task in a virtual environment. The task was performed with visual feedback (directional arrows superimposed on the visual scenes), auditory feedback (sounds in the left/right ear), haptic feedback (vibrotactile information delivered by a wristband), combinations of different types of sensory feedback, or a paper map. The results showed that older people benefited from the sensory guidance instructions, as compared to the paper map. Visual and auditory feedbacks were associated with better performance and user experience than haptic feedback or the paper map, and the benefits were the greatest among the older-old participants, even though the paper-map familiarity was appreciated. Several recommendations for designing pedestrian navigation aids are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With increasing burden on schools and requirements for active parental consent, low student survey participation rates are problematic, including where ethnic minority students are often underrepresented in behavioural risk surveys. To improve parent permission rates and survey participation, incentive use (individual vs. group) and mode of survey administration (web-based vs. paper-pencil) were examined in a sample of ethnically diverse students ( n == 2488) in the 6th, 8th, 10th and 12th grades from eight schools in Hawai'i. Mode of survey administration was also compared for student reporting of alcohol and other substance use and associated risk and protective factors. Classes were assigned to one of four conditions based on incentive type and route of survey administration. The group incentive was associated with a significantly higher rate of parental permission compared to individual incentive; however, it did not impact survey completion rate. Students who took the web-based version compared to the paper-pencil version of the survey were more likely to report use of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs in the past 12 months. The use of web-based surveys may increase reporting of sensitive behaviours such as substance use among adolescents compared to paper-pencil versions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents an editorial of the journal "Production and Manufacturing Research". It discusses the increase in the number of the views of the article published on platforms such as Web of Science and in Scopus. The article also talks about Analysis of variance, a method used by the author to study the link between views and citations of the papers in wen resource Google Scholar by technology company Google.

Virtual reality (VR) training offers the capability to industrial workers to acquire skills and address complex tasks by immersing them in a safe and controlled virtual environment. Immersive VR (IVR) training is adopted in many diverse settings, yet little systematic work currently exists on how researchers have applied it for industrial skills training and if it holds the potential to be applied remotely. In this review, 78 representative studies were analysed to answer three key questions: Is IVR an effective training method for industrial skills training? How is research in this field applied? And how can we make IVR training more effective and applicable for remote training? We can testify that IVR is a promising training method with high effectiveness scores. However, our analysis has uncovered several gaps in the application of IVR training, like the lack of learning theories in the design process and limited metrics beyond time and scores. Additionally, our review also exposed unexplored but intriguing avenues of research, like the utilisation of biosensors for users' data collection, haptics that increases realism and applications with remote training potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Municipal solid waste (MSW) has been normally sorted into six categories, namely, food residue, wood waste, paper, textiles, plastics, and rubber. In each category, materials could be classified further into subgroups. Based on proximate and ultimate analysis and heating value, statistical methods such as analysis of variance (ANOVA) and cluster analysis were applied to analyze the characteristics of MSW in every subgroup and to try to distinguish their relative properties. The chemical characteristics analysis of MSW showed that polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and polystyrene (PS) had the highest volatile matter content, with almost no ash and fixed carbon, while polyethylene terephthalate (PET) had high carbon content but low hydrogen content. Bones and vegetables had the highest ash content, while nutshells and rubber had the highest fixed carbon content. Paper and starch food had the highest oxygen content, and wool and bones had the highest nitrogen and sulfur content. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) had the highest chlorine content at about 55%. PE, PP, and PS had the highest heating value, followed by chemical products such as rubber and chemical fiber. Conversely, paper, vegetables and bones had the lowest heating value. The results of cluster analysis of MSW components showed that fruit peel, weeds, wood, bamboo, leaves and nutshells could be classified as the lignocellulose category; starch food, cotton, toilet paper, printing paper and cardboard could be classified as the glucose monomer category; wood and chemical fiber could be classified as the high nitrogen and sulfur category; and PE, PP, and PS could be cluster as the polyolefin category.Implications: The yield of municipal solid waste (MSW) is constantly increasing and waste to energy (WTE) has been used extensively all over the world. During the processes of incineration, pyrolysis, or gasification, the impact of physical and chemical properties of MSW is of great significance. However, the traditional classification of MSW is too general to provide more detailed information in many investigations. It is necessary to perform the investigation of characteristics of combustible MSW to distinguish different categories of MSW and find out their subclassification. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper explores possibilities of applying multiple comparison tests (MCTs) that are commonly used in statistics to group the means once the analysis of variance (ANOVA) procedure rejects the hypothesis that all the means are equal. It is proposed here to apply MCT procedure to perform clustering when the data are repetitive and multidimensional. Since MCT procedure may result in overlapping clusters, we further develop an approach to first form initial clusters and then apply K -means procedure to construct non overlapping clusters. It may be noted that the choice of initial clusters for K -means procedure is still ambiguous. Accordingly, the paper is presented in a sequence covering (i) an algorithm for step-by-step implementation of K -means procedure for clustering, (ii) an algorithm for step-by-step implementation of MCT procedure for clustering and (iii) an algorithm for step-by-step implementation of a combined procedure to resolve the overlapping clusters. Numerical examples including an open data set are considered to demonstrate the algorithms and also to study their performance in terms of total mean square errors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elder food consumers have been a growing and attractive target group for the food industry for quite some time. Yet so far there have only been isolated, narrow comparisons of this target groups' food consumption to that of younger consumers. This paper provides an in-depth analysis of data gathered by the German Federal Statistical Office. It analyzes income and consumption sample data using multivariate analysis of variance to identify, in quantitative and monetary units, statistically significant differences in the food consumption of elder consumers compared to younger ones. At the same time, foods that are specifically consumed by these two age groups have been highlighted using discriminant analysis. Managerial implications have then been derived for food producers, marketers and retailers to reach the age groups under review more effectively and more efficiently. With Germany's second-largest and third-oldest population in Europe, its largest food and drinks market in the European Union and the most competitive European food retail sector, the results will also be relevant to international researchers and managers and will encourage further research in related fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a side impact simulation model is established based on ECE R129 regulations. The four design parameters of headrest stiffness, head cushion foam density, the gap between headrest and dummy head, and seat wing shell stiffness are taken as objects to study their effects on side impact protection of children's safety seats, respectively. And through orthogonal test and variance analysis, the gap between headrest and dummy head and seat wing shell stiffness are selected as optimization parameters. Then, the response surface model of damage index aH and HPC15 is established, and the optimal value is solved by multi-objective optimization method based on NSGA-II algorithm. In order to further improve the side impact protection capability of child safety seat, a side impact model of child safety seat with SIP is built. The influence of structural stiffness, length and installation position of SIP on the side protection performance of child safety seat is studied. Then the optimal design scheme of SIP is obtained by experimental design and comprehensive comparison. It is concluded by above analysis of research that: extending the contact time between the occupant's head and the side wing of the child safety seat can effectively reduce the Y-direction speed of the occupant's head during contact, thus effectively reducing the head injury of children in side impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seat tilting wheelchair features can increase the comfort and safety of the user. Although many power wheelchairs have tilting mechanisms, they are often designed with a specific wheelchair model in mind. In this study, a design process for seat tilting mechanisms that can be applied to most rear-wheel drive wheelchair models is developed. Equations were developed to describe the geometrical and load constraints that were used to size the electric actuator that powers the system and define its position. Finally, the equations were used to create the seat tilting mechanism of a prototype wheelchair, which was then tested. The equations yielded coherent results which showed that advantageous actuator positions from a load minimization perspective usually require dimensions that cannot be found in commercial actuators. Also, there are positions in which the load increases exponentially, which should be avoided. The tests showed that the system was able to function properly on the prototype wheelchair and that the actuator position affected the time taken for the actuator to execute different parts of the tilting movement. The design process presented here was successful and modelled by general equations that can be applied to most front-wheel drive wheelchairs. It presents a low-cost option for the design of seat tilting systems, which can increase their accessibility. Developing new systems to provide improvements in assistive technologies is fundamental for social reintegration and quality of life improvement. Wheelchairs with a seat stabilization system for moving through inclined terrain can provide greater comfort and safety to the user. Adding low-cost functionalities to wheelchairs is essential to make them more accessible to people, therefore, this paper provides a design method of a new seat stabilization system applied to low-cost wheelchairs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Researchers and practitioners have unanimously acknowledged the impact of legacy media coverage of past pandemics as well as COVID-19 and its importance for health-related risk communication. Therefore, this study provides scholars and health communication practitioners with a deeper understanding of the patterns, main themes, and limitations of media reporting and peer-reviewed research in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in different national media environments. Because the objective is to evaluate patterns, this paper focuses on early quantitative and automated content analyses for theoretical contribution, geographic diversity, methodological rigor, and inclusion of risk and crisis communication theory. It also assesses whether authors deduced implications, for both theory and practice of health-related risk and crisis communication. We conducted a content analysis of 66 studies in peer-reviewed journals from the beginning of the pandemic until April 2022. The findings demonstrate that early quantitative analyses of the news coverage of COVID-19 are often not theory-driven, apply heterogeneous forms of framing analysis, and lack references to risk and crisis communication theory. Consequently, only few implications for health communication practice during pandemics were drawn. However, there is evidence of improvement in geographic scope compared to previous research. The discussion addresses the importance of developing a consistent approach to framing analyses of risk and crisis media coverage and the importance of well-designed cross-cultural research in a global pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper constructs an open-economy factor-augmented VAR model to assess the dynamic effects of global shocks on emerging market economies and to quantify their relative importance in explaining macroeconomic fluctuations in emerging countries. An unexpected favourable shock to global demand and supply has a strong and positive effect on emerging markets, whereas an unanticipated rise in global interest rates and commodity prices leads to a significant decline in aggregate activity. Variance decomposition analysis implies that more than 80% of the variation in emerging market output growth can be attributed to the global shocks. In particular, the global demand shock is the most critical, explaining roughly 30% of the fluctuation in output growth. The global supply shock is closely associated with the medium-to-long-term variation in output growth, explaining about 17%, whereas the monetary policy and commodity price shocks are relatively relevant for the short-term variation, explaining about 20% respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2006, Marks and Fraley published research suggesting that people remembered more information that was consistent rather than inconsistent with a sexual double standard. Despite the impact of that paper on the field, there were several caveats of that research, including a small sample. The present research, therefore, aims to replicate and extend Marks and Fraley's research. Presently, 400 participants read a vignette about a sexually active man or woman for two minutes. This vignette contained an equal amount of positive and negative information. Participants then had 5 minutes to recall the information from the vignette. In the extension portion of the research, some participants experienced an experimentally varied delay, which was used to create forgetting curves in an effort to parse apart whether any differences in recall were due to differences in the encoding process, retrieval process, or both. Recall results replicated the pattern of results from Marks and Fraley (2006), in that participants remembered more negative information about the woman than the man, and more negative than positive information about the woman. Analyses of forgetting curves were inconclusive, as the predictors explained less than 0.5% of the variance in recalled information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the development of a statistical model that predicts the CPX-Level at 80 km/h of porous and semi-porous mixes as a function of porosity and texture band levels. The model was calibrated using data from six pavement sections laid on Italian motorway corridors, two paved with open-graded mixes and four with semi-open-graded mixes. The parameter representative of porosity is the ratio between the voids in the compacted mix (Va) and the Voids in Mineral Aggregate (VMA). The texture band levels were defined upon a statistical analysis comprising the correlation coefficient, the Mallows coefficient and the analysis of variance. The results show that the main texture band levels involved belong to the range of macrotexture and that the model provides adequate accuracy, which improves when the equation is used with average values along the test sections of 200 metres. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides a comprehensive framework for treating equivalence both prior to data collection and during subsequent analyses, and assesses the extent to which equivalence is considered in survey research in six leading empirical Operations Management (OM) journals (Decision Sciences, International Journal of Operations & Production Management, International Journal of Production Research, Journal of Operations Management, Management Science and Production and Operations Management). Measurement equivalence of latent variables in survey data is an important condition that should be met in order to meaningfully pool and/or compare data stemming from apparently heterogeneous sub-groups. We assess 465 survey articles from a six-year period from 2006 to 2011 and document these articles in relation to the four main stages of our comprehensive framework: identifying sources of heterogeneity; maximising equivalence prior to data collection; testing measurement equivalence after data collection; and dealing with partial and non-equivalence. We conclude that pooling of data from heterogeneous sub-groups is common practice in OM, but that awareness and testing of equivalence remains limited. Given these findings, we further elaborate the best practices detected in those few OM studies that do address equivalence in some way. We conclude that to improve the quality of OM survey research, authors, editors and reviewers should pay greater attention to equivalence, and we provide a pragmatic checklist of measurement equivalence issues across the four stages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to explore the characteristics of omnichannel shoppers in the context of webrooming and showrooming behavior. A total of two hundred and forty research papers were accessed from various sources through searches based on keywords. One hundred and thirteen papers were found to be relevant for further analysis. Most of the studies were from the USA and UK and had predominantly used structural equation modeling for analysis and establishing relationships between the variables of interest. Based on analysis of these studies and a thorough review of extant literature on omnichannel retail environment in general and webrooming and showrooming behavior in particular, the present study attempts to (i) provide deeper insights into the omnichannel phenomena; (ii) identify the determinants of the consumer purchase journey in an omnichannel environment; (iii) categorize the extant studies in five broad areas; and (iv) identify the critical areas for future research focusing on new forms of buying behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Addressing respect, gender equity and gender-based violence in schools has a long history. Renewed government efforts to address gender-based violence in schools through a whole school approach have commenced under the umbrella 'respectful relationships education'. The research presented in this paper is nestled within a larger project aimed to evaluate the implementation and impact of a whole school approach to respectful relationships education across two Australian states (Our Watch, forthcoming). The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of a six-month respectful relationships education program on the gender awareness and bias of early primary school students. Using a single group pre-post test research design, students from two primary schools in Australia completed a survey before (n = 202) and after (n = 217) completion of a respectful relationships education pilot program. A modified version of the Children's Occupation, Activities, and Traits-Attitudes Measure (COAT-AM; Liben and Bigler, 2002) and the Children's Occupation, Activities, and Traits-Personal Measure (COAT-PM; Liben and Bigler, 2002) were used to assess students' views about gender. After the pilot, boys and girls were significantly less likely to consider stereotypically masculine occupations and activities as only for boys and stereotypically feminine occupations and activities as only for girls. Results indicate that ongoing respectful relationships education could be an effective way to disrupt gender stereotyping in early primary school students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on a completely random three-stage nested model, five fundamental sampling structures are defined. From the five fundamental structures, 61 designs were enumerated such that each design contained no more than three fundamental structures and a multiple of twelve third-stage samples such that the designs would permit the ANOVA estimation of all three variance components. The table of designs contains in addition to the design structure, a design code for classifying the designs as well as a set of four coefficients that simplify the computation of the expected mean squares for the design. General formulas for the variances and covariances of the ANOVA estimators are presented in an appendix. Three criteria derived from the covariance matrix of the variance component estimators are proposed and then used to compare the designs as well as determine the optimum design for 49 different variance component configurations and 10 different sample sizes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social and institutional determinants of economic development are attracting increasing attention among development economists. The present paper analyses the impact of macro-level social capital and related social factors on economic development in 34 European countries. Macro-level social capital comprises different aspects of institutional quality and is closely related to income distribution and social cohesion. We used principal component analysis to group initially selected social determinants of economic development into three components (human and social capital, income equality, and redistribution), which altogether describe 64.4% of the variation in initial variables. The following regression analysis proved that all these components have a positive effect on economic development, measured by the human development index. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite their popularity, usability studies concerning Tablet PCs are lacking. This study aimed at determining user satisfaction and preference aspects of Tablet PCs in comparison to laptop PCs and pen-and-paper environments. Several common computer tasks were examined in an experimental environment on 34 college student participants. User satisfaction and preferences were measured by comprehensive questionnaires. An analysis of variance was used for the empirical comparisons. Participants did not have any difficulty in reading, direct manipulation, and form filling tasks. There was a perception of a high number of errors by the participants for the writing task in Tablet PCs. Overall, participants found the general computing capabilities and portability of Tablet PCs impressive. However, the majority did not prefer Tablet PCs to laptop PCs to meet their everyday computing needs. Results can help designers improve the overall usability of the Tablet PC and help its development as a major computing medium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Movie exhibitors are faced with a challenging environment due to a trend of declining numbers of moviegoers in Germany. In the short term, they must therefore focus on the maximisation of concession profits with efficient personnel deployment to compensate for the declining box office gross. This paper attempts to create a more efficient personnel deployment plan in comparison to the status quo and to improve the decision-making basis of movie exhibitors regarding their personnel deployment. The data set on which this paper is based comprises selected figures of a German multiplex cinema over a period of 15 months. This includes the daily moviegoers and the corresponding work hours of the personnel. Based on these figures, the productivity per work hour is analysed to determine how the personnel deployment is calculated depending on the forecasted number of moviegoers. An analysis of variance is prepared to establish how profits at the concession can be maximised with an efficient personnel deployment. This paper presents a profit-maximising deployment of checkout and concession personnel depending on the forecasted number of moviegoers, which provides the possibility of reacting to a deviating number of moviegoers at short notice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the impact of phonological overlap amongst items on short term memory recall performance by manipulating the type, number and syllabic position of shared phonemes between words in a serial recall task. Roodenrys et al [Roodenrys, S., Miller., L. M., & Josifoski, N. (2022b). Phonemic interference in short-term memory contributes to forgetting but it is not due to overwriting. Journal of Memory and Language, 122, 104301. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jml.2021.104301] demonstrated that when the phonemes of a target word also occur in words earlier in the list, recall of the target word is impaired. Two experiments are reported that further examine the nature of this interference effect. Experiment 1 varied the type and number of phonemes shared with the single syllable target word by other list words and found a single shared vowel impaired target word recall performance as much as two shared consonants. Experiment 2 altered the syllabic position of the overlapping phonemes and found shared syllabic position was necessary to impair recall of the target word. It is argued these results show that not all phonological overlap is equally detrimental and specific psycholinguistic conditions are necessary to produce interference that impairs recall performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we explore the role of the Covid-19 outbreak on the well-being of healthcare employees (HE) in Turkey by adopting a survey method with 680 (188 men and 492 women) participants. Our results indicate that both the outbreak negatively affects the well-being of HE, and women face more levels of fear, negative feelings and violence than men. Within the context of this research, we contribute to the literature by considering the changing living conditions in the outbreak and adopting a comprehensive approach to reveal sub-level of well-being as subjective and psychological well-being rather than focusing on only mental health like previous studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The seminal Lost in the Mall study has been enormously influential in psychology and is still cited in legal cases. The current study directly replicated this paper, addressing methodological weaknesses including increasing the sample size fivefold and preregistering detailed analysis plans. Participants (N = 123) completed a survey and two interviews where they discussed real and fabricated childhood events, based on information provided by an older relative. We replicated the findings of the original study, coding 35% of participants as reporting a false memory for getting lost in a mall in childhood (compared to 25% in the original study). In an extension, we found that participants self-reported high rates of memories and beliefs for the fabricated event. Mock jurors were also highly likely to believe the fabricated event had occurred and that the participant was truly remembering the event, supporting the conclusions of the original study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little research has investigated professional identity in Australian clinical psychology postgraduate students. The current study examined potential predictors of professional identity for these students. Anonymous, self-report cross-sectional surveys for Australian postgraduate clinical psychology students were distributed via online survey links sent by their institution's Program Director. Respondents reported professional identity, motivation, engagement, satisfaction with program, resilience, burnout, demographics, and enrolment type. Data from 77 respondents were analysed. Students reported an average 4.25/5 for sense of professional identity as a psychologist. Age, work experience, and stage of program were not associated with professional identity. In multivariate analyses, higher student satisfaction, lower burnout, and lower engagement with "student" aspects of postgraduate study were associated with stronger professional identity. Levels of professional identity were relatively high and showed little influence of demographic variables. However, there is likely to be a reciprocal relationship between satisfaction with postgraduate study and professional identity for students, which would need to be evaluated in a different design to understand directions of association. Results also suggest that supporting postgraduate students in self-care and helping students to balance professional responsibilities and academic aspects of study are likely to assist in fostering postgraduates' professional identity. What is already known about this topic: Professional identity provides a sense of self in relation to membership of a specific profession. Students in health and social services professions, including psychology, have demonstrated emerging professional identities in their areas of study. In working professionals, professional identity has been found to be important for wellbeing and for relationships with colleagues and clients. What this paper adds: Professional identity amongst a sample of Australian postgraduate students in clinical psychology was independent of demographic variables such as age, gender, and previous work experience. Stronger professional identity in the current sample correlated with higher satisfaction with the program of study and lower level of burnout. In multivariate analysis, higher satisfaction with the program of study, lower burnout, and lower engagement with "academic" aspects of the program each independently predicted higher level of professional identity. From these cross-sectional findings, potential causal associations between predictors and professional identity remain to be clarified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The early stages of forest fires are usually accompanied by large amounts of smoke, so smoke identification and concentration inversion can effectively warn and locate the fire point. To achieve smoke identification and concentration inversion, this paper first analysed the spectral differences between smoke and underlying background features based on the samples selected from Landsat 8/OLI fire data of Qiqian forest in Inner Mongolia, China, andNew South Wales, Australia. Then, the sensitive band of smoke identification was screened and the relative smoke concentration indices were established. Finally, a mathematical model between the indices and smoke concentration level was constructed and the best inversion model was established by accuracy test based on samples in each background. The results show that (1) the reflectance increases with increasing smoke concentration in B1-B4 bands under different backgrounds (vegetation, water, bare ground), and the reflectance was significantly different between different concentrations of smoke; (2) the smoke concentration inversion model form is y = kx + b with R2 > 0.8 (x denotes the smoke concentration level, y denotes the relative smoke concentration index), and the visible brightness index (VBI = B1 + B2 + B3 + B4) was the best relative smoke concentration index under different background; (3) the model's accuracy was tested using each background smoke sample with a known level of smoke concentration, and the inversion accuracy was above 90%. The results show that the VBI can effectively reflect the spectral variation between different smoke concentrations and background features; the variation is closely related to smoke concentration which determines that the mathematical correlation model between VBI and relative smoke concentration can be established; the model is accuracy and can be used for the relative smoke concentration inversion of forest fire cases in different study areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]